There are some studies that back up this up, actually. I recall reading about one where a control group was given fake vodka and they acted nearly as drunk as the group that received actual vodka, to the point of decreased reaction time on driving simulations. The effect of social expectations is very strong.

Yeah, I thought the show was going to be more of that - the ways that friendship dynamics change over time and how trying to be friends in your 30s is way different than college. Instead there's the decades-long cheating story, which is not only off-putting right off the bat but makes the whole thing much less…

To me, at least they were entertaining while being terrible, and it finally showed a glimpse of why these guys are actually friends. Their manic joy and pride in their terrible musical was fun to watch.

I'm a young straight white guy and would vastly prefer reviews of Playing House

It's really perplexing. I keep comparing this show to You're the Worst in my mind, which is so much better in so many ways. YtW somehow makes you care about objectively awful people. Helps that it's actually funny.

Yeah, it was weird to play out the goofy "oops, forgot the condom!" bit during not just infidelity but a sustained affair. If they really wanted to go down that road, even an unexpected one-night stand would have been a little more palatable than cheating that has gone on for years if not over a decade.

someone

This is only in the books IIRC, but at one point Melisandre tries to find Azor Ahai in the flames and sees "only snow," which of course some have taken as thin metaphor for Jon. Still very much a stretch, but not entirely without precedent.

There's no food left there, and no agriculture on the island. Without rich nobles in residence to import supplies, there's no point in squatting, really. But yeah, Cersei or someone else could have stationed assassins there.

One of the consistent themes of the show is that power is arbitrary and capricious – shadows on the wall. The rules are whatever powerful people say they are.

There is a similar scene (in flashback) where young Voldemort asked for access to the Restricted section of the library, and Broadbent's character blows him off.

Someone on reddit transcribed the page we briefly saw of the book that Sam stole from the restricted library – it mentions that the Targaryens of old used their dragons to melt dragonglass into different shapes, including buildings and castles. So, kind of Valyrian concrete!

"And what's the deal with salt wives, am I right?"

Yeah, the "Frank planned it all along" reveal would have made a modicum of sense if there were any indications he made any plan at all. There's no succession in mind, no Cabinet picked out… he didn't even realize he'd have to leave the White House! He has no job or purpose.

Should have been 4 seasons. I assumed that's why each season is 13 episodes – 13 x 4 = 52, like the cards in a deck.

Somehow I think the Revolutionary War vets would get over it

This show and Veep share the (toxic, in my view) perspective that all politicians on all side are simply venal, power-hungry maniacs who will cut whatever deal with whatever interest to save their own skin. There's enough truth in that caricature to mine some interesting stuff, but in the end it makes the…

On Boardwalk he was intentionally annoying, at least. It was a running joke that the main character (Nucky) loathed him but had to keep going back for favors.

I thought it was originally supposed to be 4 seasons of 13 episodes each - a deck of cards, if you will. Wish they had stuck to it.

IIRC his lifestyle is loosely based on Rob Huebel back when he done a few national ad campaigns. Apparently it's pretty lucrative for a select few people.