Tilt

My poker craze started when I started playing poker, and I was a fish then but I'm better now. After a string of good wins, I wanted to explore the world of poker in the media, starting with the cornerstone of poker themed entertainment, "Rounders" written none other than the two men who created "Tilt", Brian Koppelman and David Levien. And "Rounders" was a great film but "Tilt" was a little slower, as expected for a TV series. It started off introducing the main characters and their motivation for beating "The Matador" played by Michael Madsen, who does a good, but not memorable, job as the villain. Still enjoyable to see him in action as that was part of the reason why I also wanted to check this series out. But too be honest, I didn't really care who starred as the main cast (but they all deserve praise nonetheless) as the subject of poker got my attention before anything else. I was going for Eddie all the way and the actors playing Clark and Miami gave him a solid support and the team dynamic to keep me watching. The cameos by various poker players made me point at the screen and go "Hey, it's that guy!" And their interactions with the actors entertained me wholeheartedly.





The main plot was a bit generic and moved a bit slow in the opening three or so episodes then picked up some steam towards the remaining half. The last three episodes were best of the series as it not only set up the end of the show but it also had the vein of watching the WSOP, namely Norman Chad and Lon McEachern commentating and seeing camera shots and pocket cams of the poker action and that the actors were considered "real players" instead of characters. Different, but effective for a conventional TV series.





Overall, a very good series tying in drama with poker. In my opinion, there was a possibility of a second season. Maybe Eddie, Clark and Miami would have to beat Dee, who is very much the femme fatale of the series and the manipulative type that played Eddie like a violin, seeing as Don had the last laugh(?). Other than that, I would have hoped Koppelman and Levien thought of something interesting before the show got axed. If you're a poker fan, check it out. If you're not... get into it!


My rating: 8/10





PS: Fans of "Billable Hours" would recognize star and creater Fab Filippo as Dean Whitmark, Dov Tiefenbach as Crackle and Jennifer Baxter in a small role as one of Miami's former associate's wife. Not surprising as this series was filmed in Canada.

For a poker show, this show was more then I could have ever asked for when I sat down to watch it on a weekly basis and the fact that it was cancelled after only one season is very dissapointing. and considering where they left us at the finale, a second season would have been great and with how big poker has gotten since Tilt went off the air I am very surprised that we havent gotten a second season yet. The cast was unknown, yet they all did a great job in there first big role on TV. I wish this show would come back for a second season, thought that seems highly unlikely at this point in time.

The show was great. It consists of a few card players trying to get the chance to take down the best poker player in the world who at one point has beat them good in a game already. The guy who plays Don (the best player in the world) did a very good job of showing how he was so good at winning and at the lifestyle of someone who plays poker and is good at it. Another angle of the show had a brother who was a PI I believe loooking into his brothers death and it has something to do with the poker going on at the casino that Don likes to play at. The casino is dirty and they have people coming to investigate. This show was very exciting and every episode would deffinately keep your attention. As far as a poker tv series it will never get better then this show was.

This is such a great show! They took a sport in which is so great and made a show that is pretty true to life. People are really that good at reading people, and the story arc was really well thought out. The story was just as good as Rounders, and ESPN did such a great job, and they used real poker players. Mainly they used Phil! What else is there to say about a show that is one of the best that was on Tv this last year. The only negitive thing I have to say about this show is that it only ran for 9 episodes.





"Quote Nevermore"

Tilt is a show that talks about life in Las Vegas.


It talks about what kind of city is Vegas, and the way it talks about Vegas tells what the atmosphere in Vegas is like. And also Michael Madsen's acting gives a gritty image of how corruption rules Las Vegas.

This show is one show that every poker player and spectator must see. From the gritty realism of much of the actual play to the no-nonsense delivery of the critical plot points, this show is a work of art in a time when it seems every new TV show is just copying every other show with good ratings.





What can I say about Michael Madsen? I can't say enough about such a brilliant actor. He plays the arrogant jerk to perfection, without forgetting the intimidation factor of his role. He comes across as a true criminal mastermind, and instead of just committing petty crimes, he sets out to take over an entire subculture - poker. The character is the bad guy, but the kind of bad guy that people could possibly feel sorry for, and even want to triumph in the end. He's the kind of enemy that would be missed when vanquished, the ultimate challenge, the final epic opponent.





Eddie Cibrian, Kristin Lehman, and Todd Williams act their characters out well. The nuances are so subtle, yet they add to the three-dimensional characters like a dash of cilantro to a fine dish. You don't notice them consciously, but they enhance the realism and experience. The self-absorption of Eddie, the coyness of Miami, and the desperation of Clark are all there. They play very real characters that all serve a purpose in the Tilt world.





Chris Bauer plays Lee Nickel, a sheriff whose brother was murdered after defecting to authorities. The anger and hatred for Don Everest is always present in this character, and it is convincing, to say the least. His role is crucial in the series, and he does his job well.





Don McManus is Lowball, a down-and-dirty executive in the Colorado Casino that doesn't even hesitate to commit crimes and help The Matador further his stature. Of course, he is quite selfish, and becomes jealous of Matador's standing in the company. He is envious that The Matador has the ear of his own boss...and he comes across very well in his part as the former favorite child, so to speak, who hates that another is gaining more favor and trust than he.





Finally, who could forget Amelia Cooke? Her character (Dee Everest, Don Everest's daughter) seems to be more of a promiscuous woman than someone that is honestly interested in Eddie for a long-term relationship. She is one of a couple of ladies on the show that add sex appeal to the cast, and even though her role is more of a minor one, she stands out. I think her character is quite important overall, even in a minor capacity, because she occupies some of Eddie's time, and may possibly be Eddie's motivation, or part of his motivation, to get at Don Everest.





The acting is top-notch, the directing and scripting is brilliant, and the casting is beautifully done. This show is one of my top all-time favorite television series. It's one of only two shows I've ever been on the edge of my seat to see every single episode, and to buy the season on DVD the very day it was released. Outstanding show, and good work to every single person that helped create this masterpiece!