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

[dinakt]

With everybody noticing resemblance to Tessa's look and wardrobe, and YuNa's dress, did anybody mention that the music that was chosen for the couple's Long program was Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliette, Volosozhar/Trankov's first competitive LP?

 

[alchemy void]

7 episodes in and I'm obsessed. So much drama! An ideal escape from the real world.

I may or may not have screamed when Kat landed the 3T in the harness.

There doesn't seem to be much buzz and almost zero promotion from Netflix, hopefully we get a second season.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Sampled a bit, and so far, I'm kind of with The Globe & Mail. Every trope imaginable seemed to have been squeezed into this show.

I like the actress who plays her friend.

I'll keep watching, though.

 

[Lovemyvike]

I agree that they might have tried to squeeze a few too many social issues into one series. But I binged watched and enjoyed. Surprisingly, I thought Johnny Weir was pretty great. I also wish Jen was the main character.

 

[marbri]

With everybody noticing resemblance to Tessa's look and wardrobe, and YuNa's dress, did anybody mention that the music that was chosen for the couple's Long program was Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliette, Volosozhar/Trankov's first competitive LP?

I always associate that music with Anissina/Peizerat.
As for the V/M comparisons I know a certain group of online fans were convinced BEFORE the show aired that they were the inspiration for the story based on screencaps I personally think they are nuts. Aside from that dress/hairstyle/tango music that could very well be borrowed I really don't see anything in the main characters that have any real similarities to Tessa, Scott or Marina.

 

[MsZem]

I always associate that music with Anissina/Peizerat.

I feel like their R&J should be posted here so that fans who came later to the sport can enjoy it too:

Anissina & Peizerat (FRA) - 1998 Nagano, Ice Dancing, Free Dance

Nagano, JAPAN - 1998 Winter Games, Ice Dancing, Free Dance - Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France skated a beautifully choreographed dance to Proko...

youtu.be

Also so that everyone can admire their truly incredible hair.

 

[made_in_canada]

I finally finished the series and I have to say that though I generally find Johnny Weir annoying, he’s quite tolerable in this and even enjoyable.

 

[aftershocks]

... though I generally find Johnny Weir annoying, he’s quite tolerable in this and even enjoyable.

Johnny's always been a great performer with wit and sass. He is funny and fun to be around, particularly when people get past being annoyed by his in-your-face, outspoken personality, which hides a bit of vulnerability and sweetness.

He's a natural in his color work for NBC and on all the talk shows and television shows he's appeared on, especially The Masked Singer.

Johnny Weir On 'The Masked Singer' Experience

After Johnny Weir was revealed to be "The Egg" on "The Masked Singer", Roz Weston and Graeme O'Neil react during "ET Canada Live". SUBSCRIBE to our channel: ...

www.youtube.com

Johnny Weir Reveals Why He Kept 'The Masked Singer' Secret From BFF Tara Lipinski (EXCLUSIVE)

Johnny Weir dished to Access Hollywood about keeping his stint on "The Masked Singer" under wraps following his reveal as "Egg" on Season 2 of Fox's reality ...

www.youtube.com

 

[MacMadame]

Aside from that dress/hairstyle/tango music that could very well be borrowed I really don't see anything in the main characters that have any real similarities to Tessa, Scott or Marina.

Even for that, so many skaters have done tangos with similar dresses, I doubt someone deliberately copied.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I watched parts... could not finish watching it, not interesting at all and to corny in many places.

 

[Scrufflet]

I agree with Doyle's comments. What has always puzzled me though, is the same movie gets made over and over again - kind of like those romantic Christmas movies. I was glad for Blades of Glory and I,Tonya because they were different. I guess movie makers feel they will go with the easy formula an capture a newer and younger audience every few years. ??? Don't know. At least, it is giving people an escape and is helping skaters earn some bucks.

 

[Sonata]

I always associate that music with Anissina/Peizerat.
As for the V/M comparisons I know a certain group of online fans were convinced BEFORE the show aired that they were the inspiration for the story based on screencaps I personally think they are nuts. Aside from that dress/hairstyle/tango music that could very well be borrowed I really don't see anything in the main characters that have any real similarities to Tessa, Scott or Marina.

Agreed. The only similarities I see to Tessa Virtue are the dress/hairstyle/tango. I don't even think the main character looks like her apart from having dark hair. Now if they start doing a hug before their performances whispering, "Together", or they start getting coached by a French-Canadian couple in season 2, I'll change my mind.

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

Agreed. The only similarities I see to Tessa Virtue are the dress/hairstyle/tango. I don't even think the main character looks like her apart from having dark hair. Now if they start doing a hug before their performances whispering, "Together", or they start getting coached by a French-Canadian couple in season 2, I'll change my mind.

Or if they start being pursued by rumors that they’ve secretly had a child

 

[made_in_canada]

The series already checked off the secret child box

 

[Jarrett]

My spouse has been watching this on Netflix and I finally joined tonight and it was okay. I mean I laughed at a few things like the regional and sectionals competitions actually have large crowds and digital effects on the faces but I did watch the last three episodes in one sitting. My spouse who never watched figure skating, let alone went to a competition thanked me for taking him to the last few Nationals because he could better understand the situation and story. I didn't watch the beginning episodes but from the flashbacks her fall reminded of that horrible fall Naomi Nari Nam took at US Nationals in 99. Thankfully she wasn't hurt like the character. I remember my football loving uncle who probably never watched skating before letting out a howl of shock when I was watching that Nationals at his house because we didn't have ESPN.

 

[Miezekatze]

I'm really enjoying the show more with every episode. I think the drama sort of becomes less over the top with time or at least it doesn't matter anymore.

Generally I think the main strength of the show is that the cast is really really great and especially all the secondary characters are really interesting, well played and likable.

 

[sus2850]

I am at episode six now and liking it, but I really hate how Kat, Justin and Marcus leave their jackets on indoors at that hotel/restaurant, it really bugs me.

Other issue I have, which a lot of you mentioned, is that the leads are all to old for their part.

Kat to me looks like a cross between Ashley and Tessa, I guess.

Jenn is also my favourite character.

And I like Mandy, a goodhearted stepmother with so many words of wisdom is really rare in such tv shows.

But the bipolar issue is way to much for me...

I also think the show will not appeal to a wide public as it really is very specific/detailed about skating.

 

[MacMadame]

I also think the show will not appeal to a wide public as it really is very specific/detailed about skating.

I disagree with that part. People love "police procedurals" because they love to see the "inner workings" of a world they aren't part of (even if they are mostly fake and wrong). People love Dick Francis' mysteries for the same reason. I have never raced horses, flown a plane, owned a winery, etc. but the Francis books make me feel like I know something about how those things work.

I think people will be fascinated by that part. It's just enough detail to make you feel like an insider but not so technical that you get bogged down.

 

[AJ Skatefan]

The whole getting ready for regionals while it’s the dead of winter is really bugging me. And that they’re all old enough to drink.

 

[cocotaffy]

The drinking is just not realistic isn't it ? How can any of those skaters stand straight on their skates during practice the next day with the amount of regular drinking going on in this series.

 

[Andora]

The drinking is just not realistic isn't it ? How can any of those skaters stand straight on their skates during practice the next with amount of regular drinking going on in this series.

True, but probably the same was CSI officers work in dark offices, solve crimes in a week or less, and the women all have perfect blowouts.

 

[MacMadame]

The whole getting ready for regionals while it’s the dead of winter is really bugging me. And that they’re all old enough to drink.

It's funny what does and does not get to you?

I also was annoyed that Regionals was around the same time as the Winter Ice Show. And apparently held at their rink? Which probably does happen sometimes, but not every year as they move around.

The drinking didn't bother me as much because we know there have been hard-partying skaters in the past like Christopher Bowman who managed to drug/drink and still show up at the rink and perform. Plus we know there a lot of partying that goes on during certain competitions (though usually after each discipline finishes).

 

[livetoskate]

And while Tessa Virtue's Olympic FD dress was the most blatant copy, clearly the costumes from this series were stolen from all over. This scene made go back to watch probably my favourite Yuna Kim performance. Now the fun is finding the costume inspiration for the ones I couldn't immediately place.

Can't anyone like Johnny Weir point out how silly some of that stuff is? I only saw that bit of video you linked, and the first thing is that girl falling on a lunge of all things, then flopping dramatically on the ice crying! Even nonskaters can see how ridiculous that is. At least fall and turn on the waterworks falling on a flying sit or a double jump!

 

[MacMadame]

A lunge pulls on your hip and her hip was injured and gave out. It's not that far-fetched. Not all serious injuries happen from dramatic falls.

 

[hanca]

Can't anyone like Johnny Weir point out how silly some of that stuff is? I only saw that bit of video you linked, and the first thing is that girl falling on a lunge of all things, then flopping dramatically on the ice crying! Even nonskaters can see how ridiculous that is. At least fall and turn on the waterworks falling on a flying sit or a double jump!

When I tore my meniscus, it wasn’t on any fall. I mean, I did fall afterwards, when I tried to put my weight on that leg and the leg just wouldn’t carry me, but the tear happened before that. Sometimes you can injure yourself on something completely innocent. On crossovers, or on a clean landing of a single jump... In fact, the audience sometimes doesn’t even see that you are injured, unless your leg gives up under you.

 

[AnnM]

My worst injury occurred while doing a waltz jump during warmup.

I didn't think I'd rewatch this show ever, but after reading this thread I think I might.

 

[Prancer]

There doesn't seem to be much buzz and almost zero promotion from Netflix, hopefully we get a second season.

I'm getting at least one article about the show a day in my newsfeed.

Open a topic once and it will follow you forever.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

The drinking is just not realistic isn't it ? How can any of those skaters stand straight on their skates during practice the next day with the amount of regular drinking going on in this series.

I have enough trouble trying to tie my shoe laces after a can of Dr Pepper.

In Scott Hamilton's autobiography, I was quite staggered to read about the amount of partying that went on during tours.

 

[Sonata]

After having watched the show, I actually don’t think it’s about skating. I think it’s about dealing with how families deal with serious mental health conditions. The mother makes a short speech about this in the last episode.

 

[CaliSteve]

This series is tragic and I can't wait for season 2.