Reviews for 'Spinning Out' (Netflix's Figure Skating Drama) - who's watching?

[hanca]

I don't find the skating stuff soooo terribly unrealistic as in other movies on skating, but I think the problem is that there's all this drama and everybody wants to compete at Nationals or get to the Olympics , but while the skating looks ok, everybody still skates on the level of people who peak at like 26th at Europeans or something. Something between Kemp & King and Tugba Karademir or something (nothing against her level of skating).

But from an entertainment of view, it's a fun show and I suppose people who don't have an idea about skating, won't notice the unrealistic stuff anyway.

Hey, what’s your problem with Kemp and King? They usually placed around 11th place at the Europeans and their best was 6th place. They are definitely not “26th place at the Europeans” standard.

 

[genevieve]

My favorite part (so far--I've seen four? episodes) is the coach telling Kat that if she works very hard, they will make Nationals in two years.

We are talking US pairs here.

I thought that (US pairs) made the low level of technical skating remotely plausible

Although didn't Mary Beth Marley medal at Nats her first time out? When Rockne looked like her father?

 

[meggonzo]

I watched the whole thing. It's gloriously trashy TV in the vein of "Nashville" or "Melrose Place," with occasional skating. Not everything is accurate, but I am impressed by how much they got right.

Fingers crossed that there's a pool catfight or someone gets their wig pulled off!

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Fingers crossed that there's a pool catfight or someone gets their wig pulled off!

Pretty close. There's even a storyline that's somewhere between Emily Valentine and a Reverse Jessie Spano Drug Freakout (hopefully one or both of these things mean something to you).

 

[thvu]

I binged it. Was entertaining enough. It definitely felt like they had a checklist of social and health issues they wanted to incorporate. That they included so many made it feel forced.

The lead actress is incredibly talented. I was very surprised by that. Her talent is enough to carry the show even when the writing is bad (but it’s not necessarily worse than most tv dramas.) January Jones is back in her wheelhouse as terrible mother. The chemistry between her and the lead is great. They have a lot of great scenes together.

The whole show is like this. You have some standout performances from the actors, but then the plot veers toward cheesy side plots and preaching about social issues.

None of the skating is great, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. It even works with the plot, because who is expecting to see world level skating at US Regionals.

 

[Sonata]

I actually wish it would just be trashy. I think it wants to be too many things at once. Serious, gritty, then cute romance with Mean Girls. The way they handle bipolar disorder is kind of interesting. But that's kind of why it's annoying that this show is all over the place. Address some issues properly, let them play out. Don't jam pack everything into one episode.

Also, the lack of edges and extension of the person doubling the main character's single skating is distracting.

 

[MacMadame]

Okay, so after slogging through the first two episodes, the whole thing got a lot better. Mr. Mac and I ended up staying up until Midnight to finish the whole thing. It was compelling in spite of its flaws. And the pacing got better too.

I recommend binging, btw, as I think the holes would be more obvious if you watched it much more slowly.

My favorite part (so far--I've seen four? episodes) is the coach telling Kat that if she works very hard, they will make Nationals in two years.

We are talking US pairs here.

I said the same to Mr. Mac while we were watching it. Also, pairs at Regionals?!?!

I think the best moment was the accident of rich boys first partner getting her toe pick stuck in her other foot dramatically Kats own accident seemed relatively unlikely too, but that one certainly topped it.

Yeah, that one got to me too. I just don't see how that could even happen.

I don't find the skating stuff soooo terribly unrealistic as in other movies on skating, but I think the problem is that there's all this drama and everybody wants to compete at Nationals or get to the Olympics , but while the skating looks ok, everybody still skates on the level of people who peak at like 26th at Europeans or something. Something between Kemp & King and Tugba Karademir or something (nothing against her level of skating).

I agree. They actually did a pretty good job of being realistic. Which makes the silly stuff standout, unfortunately. However, as the show went on, the focus was far less on skating than it was on the drama so it became less important.

None of the skating is great, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. It even works with the plot, because who is expecting to see world level skating at US Regionals.

Yeah, there is that. I watched Sectionals on NBC Gold and these skaters would fit right in.

 

[Prancer]

I don't find the skating stuff soooo terribly unrealistic as in other movies on skating, but I think the problem is that there's all this drama and everybody wants to compete at Nationals or get to the Olympics , but while the skating looks ok, everybody still skates on the level of people who peak at like 26th at Europeans or something.

Yes, it is REALLY when they talk about how Kat is a once-in-a-lifetime talent and everyone stopped to watch her skate her "Midsummer Night's Dream" program....and then you see the "Midsummer Night's Dream" program .

It's like watching the hockey players learn to figure skate.

I figure part of the problem is that Kat keeps charging off the ice and running to the locker room without putting her skate guards on (she does grab them, but). Those blades must be beat.

Johnny Weir's partner would be taller than he is without his hair, I think.

WTF was that Jonathan Van Ness cameo?

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

Why aren't they filming this in NY (other than the fact that it's very expensive compared to Toronto?) so I can be an extra in the background of this thing?

 

[Andora]

How I would have preferred Jennifer Comeaux's books to be brought to the small screen instead. Her talent for plot and character development is first-rate.

It would be nice if this opened up opportunities for skating dramas/shows on TV, and be able to also tell stories that are less gritty, maybe sharper on the skating believably scale, etc. For instance, there was a skating serial I read a million years ago that I can't find, and may not remember the name correctly-- The Strong & The Sequinned?-- that was eye-opening at the time, but would be well at home on ShowTime or something these days. Ms. Comeaux's stories would have a different audience imho, but maybe a bigger one.

Anyways. Pipe dreams are nice.

I had to stop myself from ingesting the entire series because I'm enjoying it so much. But I will never look at Walsh & Michaud the same again.

 

[Coco]

January Jones is playing someone's mom? Wow...

 

[Aussie Willy]

I watched the first three episodes last night and really got into it. I have no expectations and don't get hung up on detail about the skating stuff but at least they haven't dumbed it down. I think the story about mental illness is actually quite effective. I do like the actress playing Kat and her friend is a hoot. Plus I like what the coach named the cat.

 

[Prancer]

January Jones is playing someone's mom? Wow...

Teen pregnancy.

 

[Firedancer]

I watched the first six episodes yesterday. The level of skating isn’t great but I enjoy having a show about skating. I would love to have more of them.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Comeaux.

It's late. I'm tired. To be fair, auto-correct on my phone tried to write Jennifer's surname as kumquat.

 

[AliasJohnDoe]

Fingers crossed that there's a pool catfight or someone gets their wig pulled off!

Those scenes have Weir written all over it! Maybe in season 2.

 

[meggonzo]

I'm on episode 3 and the lift attempts would fit right in at U.S. Nationals

 

[4rkidz]

Its rather soapish but I'm enjoying it. Also recognizing our summer vacation place, obviously Blue Mountain with some extra add ons. Also recognizing some of the Toronto locations. Hope they continue with more seasons its a fun binge.

 

[Sonata]

Haven’t gotten to this episode yet, but shouldn’t Mathieu Caron get a cut if they basically copied his design for Tessa Virtue?

Tessa Virtue on Twitter

“😂😂 https://t.co/9D5pPcTBLA”

twitter.com

And in case there’s any question that the scriptwriters have been following V/M, this basically shows that one scene’s dialogue seems to be inspired from a V/M fluff piece

☔️ on Twitter

“"No one wants to see cute programs anymore. It's about romance, it's about tragedy, it's about sex. You know, all the good things." // "We wanted passion, we wanted drama. There's romance, there's sex, there's this raw chemistry." #SpinningOut // #VirtueMoir #Roooooooxanne https://t.co/Yle5W7VJ2v”

twitter.com

FS fans are so sharp.

 

[Lilia A]

I knew I'd seen that dress somewhere else. I thought she looked an awful lot like Tessa Virtue while wearing that dress too.

 

[MsZem]

January Jones is playing someone's mom? Wow...

January Jones turns 42 on Sunday.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I’m just waiting for the 15 yr old with quads to come in and spoil the party...

Rumour has it that Brushkin and Smilkov are coming out of retirement.

 

[Immortelle]

Rumour has it that Brushkin and Smilkov are coming out of retirement.

Who?

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

January Jones turns 42 on Sunday.

Sadly, it's the standard Hollywood trajectory.

Love Interest > Best Friend > Mother of Love Interest > Nun

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Who?

Cutting Edge joke. Never mind.

 

[Immortelle]

Cutting Edge joke. Never mind.

I know...was quoting the next line

 

[Immortelle]

Cutting Edge joke. Never mind.

Anton: So we have little problem, Da? We skip little problem and go ...straight???... to big problem. And what is big problem coach? Smilkov and Brushkin. Who? Smilkov and Brushkin. Last night they win European championship. Perfect scores. Contest is over. Hello, Soviet surprise package. Goodbye gold medal. Of course, there is possible solution, but is probably too dangerous.

 

[MsZem]

Sadly, it's the standard Hollywood trajectory.

Love Interest > Best Friend > Mother of Love Interest > Nun

Well, she is too old to play a competitive skater, unless someone greenlights a Zoe Jones biopic.

Anyway, Jones is old enough to play the mom of a 21 year old. Kiefer Sutherland was 34 when 24 premiered, and I read somewhere that there were concerns about how believable he would be as the father of a teenager until someone pointed out that he was, in fact, the father of a teenager

 

[Immortelle]

Well, she is too old to play a competitive skater, unless someone greenlights a Zoe Jones biopic.

I quite like that concept, it just needs a love triangle and it’s good to go...

 

[dramagrrl]

So I binged the rest of the season, and I have a question about the finale:

Spoiler

Did Tatiana actually come to meet Dasha, or was Dasha just daydreaming as she watched Kat and Justin skate?