Endgame TV Show

Scott Tortorice

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If anybody sees this, let us know how good it is:

Endgame

Endgame is brisk, breezy, flawed and fascinating to watch.


The new, Vancouver-set detective drama about an agoraphobic Russian chess master who solves mysteries from the (relative) safety of his upmarket B.C. hotel -- traumatized by the gangland-style murder of his fiancee, he's terrified of going outside -- is notable for what it isn't as much as what it is.


Endgame is not about serial killers, though the mystery in tonight's opener, a child kidnapping, has a tired, familiar ring to it. Endgame isn't set in a forensic lab: there are no bodies being cut open on morgue tables, and no witty banter between cynical, tough-guy and tough-gal cops. Endgame is smarter than that, and more worldly.


Endgame is a tip of the hat to the private-detective genre, a throwback to '70s TV classics like The Magician and Columbo, where a vaguely unhinged but brilliant sleuth helps ordinary, everyday people who, for whatever reason, find themselves in trouble.
 

kcdusk

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Thanks for the heads up on this .... i've seen 7 or 8 episodes now.

Endgame is a bit more lighthearted than the CSI shows. Its more "solve the riddle" than serious murder. Its different. Its average, in a good way. It does have allot of chess in it.

There is an underlying story developing, finding the murderer of the stars wife. But its very much in the background and we only find out very little about it episode by episode. Most of the time is focused on the weeks puzzle.

We often see Arkady playing chess. I think he charges internet people to play against him and he has some boards set up in his hotel room. Or when theres a real life puzzle to solve sometimes he looks at the chess board and see's the real life characters on the board, shuffling them around to make the story fit, trailing and proving theories (much like playing through different lines in chess).

But. While its good seeing a couple of chess boards littered around, and some chess style thinking applied to solving somebodies problem. The show really hasnt got enough going for it to keep me watching. I think i'll be spending the 45 minutes i used to spend watching this show playing a blitz game or three.

Triva note: most threads here without a reply have 150 or so views. This thread, which had no previous replies, had 950 views. Strange.
 

Scott Tortorice

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Thanks for the review. I don't think it came to American TV set, but when it does, I will probably watch it. I hate the brutal "CSI" murder mysteries that are all the rage these days. I much prefer the old fashioned Sherlock Holmes / Columbo type of mystery. Speaking of which...did you ever see the Columbo episode where he has to catch a GM murderer? There's a lot of chess in it and it is a fun episode. Unfortunately, nobody has put it on the internet yet.

Triva note: most threads here without a reply have 150 or so views. This thread, which had no previous replies, had 950 views. Strange.
I didn't notice that until you pointed it out. That is strange. Maybe we attracted the cast of the show? :D
 

Scott Tortorice

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Could this be why this thread got such a high hit count?

Checkmate? Fans who can't face the end of cancelled 'Endgame' try to save show

The chess angle with "Endgame" may explain a similar connection among its small but loyal group of supporters. Cast members Doyle and Gallagher have been actively encouraging show-saving efforts on Twitter. Fans have sent photos with messages of support spelled out in chess pieces to a "Save Endgame" Facebook site. An online petition has so far gained 2,000 signatures, some from fans outside Canada.


Odd, since "Endgame" doesn't even air yet internationally.


"I was quite surprised to see people from Finland, Scotland, Australia and Russia … joining us Canadians in trying to get the network to reconsider," says Nikhi Cormier, who started the "Save Endgame" Facebook site.
 

kcdusk

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Mebbie?

Recent episode was good (ep10?). Chess guy was playing 10 minute blitz games live on-line. For each game he lost, his opponant killed a hostage ...
 

kcdusk

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