# RAKE on Fox starts tonight 1/23/2014



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Just a reminder. Looks promising:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/a...a-smart-neer-do-well.html?partner=rss&emc=rss


----------



## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I think the commercials for this look good. I set it to record the other day.

Evidently, it is based on an Australian TV show. I know this because I've seen numerous people say "why did they make this? just watch the Australian version"


----------



## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

I forgot about this, Just sent a record request.


----------



## Thom (Jun 5, 2000)

I liked the Australian show. I stopped watching the first episode of the American show; will finish it later.


----------



## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

The Aussie version is fantastic. Unfortunately, this one will be watered down for American network standards. Just as they did for Absolutely Fabulous/Cybill and Cracker/Cracker. Apparently American network audiences just can't handle drug and sex addicts.

It was shown on the Audience Network on DirecTV and there are a few episodes still on demand (channel 1239). I haven't seen it available on Netflix or Amazon.


----------



## Fahtrim (Apr 12, 2004)

seemed just average to me, I'll give it a few more tries maybe.

they (FOX) are pushing it to be a bit too much like House, I didn't get the House eccentric genius thing/best in the world feel at all out of this

Gonna have to paradigm shift to be able to enjoy it I think, closer to the idea of Terriers maybe.....


----------



## Doh (May 18, 2001)

I thought it was pretty good. To be honest I probably wouldn't watch if it was much more self-destructive/cringeworthy (for example, I totally believe that the Ricky Gervais Office is brilliant but it is still so painful to watch).


----------



## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

I liked it. It was much better than I expected it to be but I can see where it could easily go in a direction that I don't like. I'll keep watching for now though.


----------



## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

I almost turned it off 5 minutes in, but I am glad I stuck with it. Overall it was pretty amusing.


----------



## Carlucci (Jan 10, 2001)

The best part of this show was learning another definition of the word "Rake." At first I thought it would be part of his name, then I kept waiting for some other explanation. 

Now, I'm pretty sure it's this: Rake : An immoral or dissolute person; a libertine.

I thought the show was good and Kinnear did a nice job of acting the part. I'll keep watching.


----------



## mr.unnatural (Feb 2, 2006)

I saw this one listed back in the Fall when the new schedule grid was posted over at the Futon Critic. It never had an initial air date posted until the last month or two so I've been anxiously awaiting it. It seemed like a perfect venue for Greg Kinnear. I just got through watching the pilot episode and thought it was pretty decent. I'll probably be watching it from here on out. Definitely worth checking out.


----------



## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Thanks for the definition, Carlucci. I, too, was wondering what Rake stood for. Sounds about right.

I enjoyed this. I like Kinnear anyway. He's a very good actor and a funny guy.

The only thing I haven't figured out yet is who the dark-haired woman (DA and sister in law) is. She looks so familiar, but I cannot place her.

ETA: Just looked her up and figured it out - She was one of the doctors on Emily Owens, MD (a show which hardly anybody but me watched and liked), and also on The Fosters (a show that I recently started watching and love).


----------



## tiassa (Jul 2, 2008)

Amusing story on the definition of "Rake" during Ken Jennings Jepoardy run there was a abswer in the catagory "Tool Time" "This term for a long handled garden tool can also mean an immoral pleasure seeker"

Jennings question "What is a Hoe?"

That got a laugh out of Trebeck.


----------



## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

I couldn't make it throught the first episode--and I very seldom don't give a show 1 full episode to prove itself. 

Surprised at the unfamiliarity with the term "rake." Maybe it's an old fashioned word? And I'm old.


----------



## DouglasPHill (Feb 10, 2005)

Made it thru first episode. Made me think of the Rockford Files. Will watch the 2nd ep and see if its worth keeping.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Wife and I liked it a lot. The character seems fun. I can see after awhile all the bad stuff that happens to him getting old if he doesn't win occasionally. But we are full in for now.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Bob Coxner said:


> The Aussie version is fantastic. Unfortunately, this one will be watered down for American network standards. Just as they did for Absolutely Fabulous/Cybill and Cracker/Cracker.


I'm not sure if you're meaning to imply all of those are actual remakes. IIRC, Cybill was NOT an official remake of AbFab, and I think the AbFab creators threatened to sue.



Carlucci said:


> Now, I'm pretty sure it's this: Rake : An immoral or dissolute person; a libertine.


Oh, I didn't even think of that. I couldn't figure out where the name came from..



tiassa said:


> Amusing story on the definition of "Rake" during Ken Jennings Jepoardy run there was a abswer in the catagory "Tool Time" "This term for a long handled garden tool can also mean an immoral pleasure seeker"
> 
> Jennings question "What is a Hoe?"
> 
> That got a laugh out of Trebeck.


Yeah, there was FINALLY an even bigger laugh on Jeopardy within the past few weeks.. (IMHO). Unfortunately I don't remember the EXACT wording of the answer.

It was something like:

Answer: This is selenophobia

One contestant's question: What is the fear of a Mexican singer?

I laughed out loud!

Also, about the "ho" answer, one of the other contestants was a religious official of some kind (priest/minister), and he said that if Ken hadn't've answered "What is ho?", HE would have!!!

BTW, about this show.. I enjoyed it.. This sounds like a backhanded compliment, but Kinnear was much less "Kinnear-y" than he usually is. Less of the sarcastic voice and looks that he seems to use in *EVERYTHING*. (Also, ironically, I realize Joel McHale's voice/behaviors are almost exactly like Kinnear's.. Guess that's why he got Talk Soup!)


----------



## Balzer (Nov 12, 2006)

I liked it enough to give it a few more shows before I decide..

But one thing I have to note.. It seems to me the city owes him a new car, for their willful destruction of his property.


----------



## Doh (May 18, 2001)

Balzer said:


> I liked it enough to give it a few more shows before I decide..
> 
> But one thing I have to note.. It seems to me the city owes him a new car, for their willful destruction of his property.


yeah that bugged me a little-- no way would the cops think they could get away with that, or would he let it go (maybe it'll turn out he hasn't but my guess is it was just a gag)


----------



## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I finally got around to trying this show. I watched about two-thirds of the first episode and deleted the show off my DVR entirely. I can not stand characters that are completely out of control. That every move they make in life is stupid. I can handle that type of character in a show, but not when the main character is that way.

Now someone will point out this exact thing in some other show I probably like. Then I guess I just didn't like Rake.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I've watched, I think, the first 3 episodes and it's quickly become one of our favorite shows. Yeah, it's a bit over the top, but it's fun in a USA Network show kinda way.


----------



## Jesda (Feb 12, 2005)

First 15 minutes havent captured my interest. Maybe I'll give it another shot.


----------



## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

Don't bother unless you have nothing else to watch. It won't be back next year.


----------



## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

WhiskeyTango said:


> Don't bother unless you have nothing else to watch. It won't be back next year.


The Aussie version, which is infinitely better, is back for season 3. News stories say DirecTV will start broadcasting the new season in April on the Audience Network (channel 101). I'm not sure when it begins but Netflix will soon have the first two seasons for streaming.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/netflix-to-stream-original-australian-version-of-rake/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3011150/?ref_=tt_ep_ep1


----------



## megory (Jan 23, 2003)

Enjoyed it. Will record.


----------



## jerrymc (Sep 17, 2001)

Suffered through 3 episodes of this and decided to cut my losses. It's just painful to watch the main character's train wreck of a life. I guess I know too many real people that can't make a good decision to save their lives. I don't need to see it on TV as well.\

No redeeming qualities...


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

WhiskeyTango said:


> Don't bother unless you have nothing else to watch. It won't be back next year.


Has it already been cancelled?

I think it's really entertaining.


----------



## Jesda (Feb 12, 2005)

I gave it another try. Tara Summers helped retain my interest. 

It's a watchable time-waster.


----------



## DouglasPHill (Feb 10, 2005)

Some episodes are more entertaining than others.


----------



## chrispitude (Apr 23, 2005)

This show is an awesome combination of funny and dark!


----------



## Gerryex (Apr 24, 2004)

chrispitude said:


> This show is an awesome combination of funny and dark!


Yes, I agree and find that I greatly enjoy each episode. But they moved it from its original day (I think Tues) to Friday with little notice. I think I caught all the new ones on Fri but I'm not sure. Great way to build up viewership by moving a show around!!!

Gerry


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Gerryex said:


> Yes, I agree and find that I greatly enjoy each episode. But they moved it from its original day (I think Tues) to Friday with little notice. I think I caught all the new ones on Fri but I'm not sure. Great way to build up viewership by moving a show around!!!
> 
> Gerry


I think it's doomed. Ratings wise it's been poor. But, it's the perfect example of what I always talk about. I really enjoy this show. It's fun, it doesn't take itself too seriously and the characters are interesting. I'm enjoying whatever amount of time I have watching it. If I had decided to "wait and see how the ratings are, and if the show gets renewed, and if not, I'll just delete", then I would have missed a show that I really enjoyed.


----------



## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

When shows get moved to Friday that's usually the kiss of death. Am I right?

Too bad, I was starting to like this show.


----------



## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

loubob57 said:


> When shows get moved to Friday that's usually the kiss of death. Am I right?
> 
> Too bad, I was starting to like this show.


If you like it, the Australian version is 1000% better. The first two seasons are available on Netflix. Season 3 will premier on DirecTV (the Audience Network) on April 8.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

loubob57 said:


> When shows get moved to Friday that's usually the kiss of death. Am I right?
> 
> Too bad, I was starting to like this show.


Usually, but didn't Fringe last on Friday nights for 2-3 seasons? I know Raising Hope has been on Friday's for 2-3 seasons. And NBC has had success with Grim on Friday nights (well relative success). Still ratings for Rake have been really bad. It's a shame.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Bob Coxner said:


> If you like it, the Australian version is 1000% better. The first two seasons are available on Netflix. Season 3 will premier on DirecTV (the Audience Network) on April 8.


Maybe, but I find sometimes the cultural differences make me enjoy that type of show less. I saw a few minutes in the middle of one episode and it looked pretty good. Just no way to squeeze that into my schedule. Even my summers are getting crowded with all the stuff I plan to watch already


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

loubob57 said:


> When shows get moved to Friday that's usually the kiss of death. Am I right?


Yeah, usually, but as the other response noted, it has worked for some shows. The networks seem to consider different ratings and demos on different night as being good enough to keep shows around.


----------



## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

mattack said:


> Yeah, usually, but as the other response noted, it has worked for some shows. The networks seem to consider different ratings and demos on different night as being good enough to keep shows around.


It has worked for some shows...but not this one. The ratings were bad before the move to Friday. Now they are downright brutal. Like I said before, it won't be back next year. Fox already announced their renewals and Rake wasn't one of them. Here are the Friday shows Fox airs:

Enlisted (0.6 rating, bumped from the schedule in favor of Kitchen Nightmares)
Raising Hope (0.4 rating, cancelled)
Rake (0.5 rating, the writing is on the wall)


----------



## Martha (Oct 6, 2002)

This past week's episode had a guy playing a famous director, and I would have sworn it was Tom Hanks, which really surprised me, but when I looked it up, it is Tom's brother, Jim Hanks.

They look like identical twins. And they sound alike as well. :up:


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Martha said:


> This past week's episode had a guy playing a famous director, and I would have sworn it was Tom Hanks, which really surprised me, but when I looked it up, it is Tom's brother, Jim Hanks.
> 
> They look like identical twins. And they sound alike as well. :up:


Yeah, wow, I thought it was Tom Hanks with some prosthetics on to 'hide' him.


----------



## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

The last two episodes are being burned off on Saturday night, April 5.


----------



## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

Too bad, I like the show.

I hope it didn't have ratings issues because of a title nobody in the US understands.

-smak-


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

epguides.com shows there are *three* unaired eps as of now.. Do you mean one will air this Thurs as expected?


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Honestly, I don't pay too much attention to what day shows are on for the most part, but hasn't the last 2 or 3 episodes been on Friday nights?

I agree, it's a shame this one is going, but not surprised.


----------



## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

mattack said:


> epguides.com shows there are *three* unaired eps as of now.. Do you mean one will air this Thurs as expected?


No. Two episodes on Saturday are the only remaining episodes that will air.


----------



## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

mattack said:


> epguides.com shows there are *three* unaired eps as of now.. Do you mean one will air this Thurs as expected?


That's not possible, as Hell's Kitchen is on Thursdays now (along with Ido'sl Results Show and Surviving Jack).

I wouldn't be surprised if the "third unaired episode" was one in production when the order came down that the show was cancelled. It's also possible that it could be finished, and Fox just has to wait for a Saturday opening before it can air it; Fox is airing a NASCAR race on 4/12, UFC on 4/19, and another NASCAR race on 4/26. (They won't have much time; Fox is planning on airing baseball on Saturday nights starting 5/24.)


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Sorry, I meant Friday. But here's what epguides.com currently says:

11 1-11 05/Apr/14 Remembrance of Taxis Past 
12 1-12 05/Apr/14 A Man's Best Friend 
13 1-13 UNKNOWN Mammophile


----------



## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

It's too bad this show didn't find an audience. I think it's quite funny and the cast is great. I've watched a few episodes of the Aussie version, which are entertaining (the US version copied a lot of the plots), but I think overall I prefer the one with Kinnear.


----------



## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

mattack said:


> Sorry, I meant Friday. But here's what epguides.com currently says:
> 
> 11 1-11 05/Apr/14 Remembrance of Taxis Past
> 12 1-12 05/Apr/14 A Man's Best Friend
> 13 1-13 UNKNOWN Mammophile


And according to Deadline.com and numerous other sources: (bold mine)


> Fox's low-rated midseason series Rake will end its run sooner than expected and on a different night. The drama, which originally aired on Thursday, was bumped to Fridays where it was to air its final two episodes this and next week. Instead, Rake's *last two episodes* will run back-to-back this Saturday, April 5.


----------



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

WhiskeyTango said:


> And according to Deadline.com and numerous other sources: (bold mine)


Watch out, Season Pass users, your TiVo may think it's already recorded Remembrance of Taxis Past

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=516249


----------



## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

There wouldn't be any problem because FOX is airing the last two episodes as a single two hour episode with the title _Remembrance of Taxis Past; A Man's Best Friend _. So even if a tivo thought it recorded _Remembrance of Taxis Past_, the ep on Saturday has a different title and o.a.d.


----------



## jollygrunt777 (Feb 28, 2012)

smak said:


> Too bad, I like the show.
> 
> I hope it didn't have ratings issues because of a title nobody in the US understands.
> 
> -smak-


Come on now. If anything, a main character who is a libertine is not everyone's cup of tea.

I think that for it to really flourish it would have been better served to have been on HBO, or one of the other pay channels.

I'm going to try and find the original series on which it was based.


----------



## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

jollygrunt777 said:


> Come on now. If anything, a main character who is a libertine is not everyone's cup of tea.
> 
> I think that for it to really flourish it would have been better served to have been on HBO, or one of the other pay channels.
> 
> I'm going to try and find the original series on which it was based.


The first two seasons of the Aussie version are on Netflix. Season 3 starts on DirecTV (Audience Network) on April 8th.


----------



## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

My wife was watching the series on Netflix and had to show me the actor who plays Dewey Crowe on Justified. So weird and funny to see him speak in his native Australian accent!


----------



## chrispitude (Apr 23, 2005)

What, that's it?! ARGH, I hate the whims of network broadcasters! This has been a tremendously entertaining show to watch.

Dangit.


----------



## jollygrunt777 (Feb 28, 2012)

gossamer88 said:


> My wife was watching the series on Netflix and had to show me the actor who plays Dewey Crowe on Justified. So weird and funny to see him speak in his native Australian accent!


He's Australian?!? Never would've guessed that at all. He does a dang good portrayal of American white trash.


----------



## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

Whim? The show set the record for the lowest rated new show in primetime network television history.


----------



## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

That Don Guy said:


> I wouldn't be surprised if the "third unaired episode" was one in production when the order came down that the show was cancelled.


Apparently, the 13th episode ("Mammophile") was the sixth one produced, so presumably it has already been completed. Fox may have a reason (other than "why bother?") for not airing it. It was originally scheduled to air 2/27, but pulled for an unexplained reason.


----------



## leeherman (Nov 5, 2007)

That Don Guy said:


> Apparently, the 13th episode ("Mammophile") was the sixth one produced, so presumably it has already been completed. Fox may have a reason (other than "why bother?") for not airing it. It was originally scheduled to air 2/27, but pulled for an unexplained reason.


The 13th episode aired last night.

Thankfully I didn't delete my season pass for the show so my Tivo picked it up.

LH


----------



## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

That Don Guy said:


> Apparently, the 13th episode ("Mammophile") was the sixth one produced, so presumably it has already been completed. Fox may have a reason (other than "why bother?") for not airing it. It was originally scheduled to air 2/27, but pulled for an unexplained reason.


I was wondering what was going on since the Mayor was apparently not dead yet.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Yeah, epguides.com showed it was 206


----------

