What’s Aged the Worst?
The beach embrace, lost surprise, racial framing, Pushing, Rocky’s ingratitude, Paulie, the Rocky II recap, Mickey’s sudden Jewish history, and fight realism draw criticism.
In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:51:36Read transcript
- The prolonged beach embrace and close shots are considered inexplicable and comic. — Bill Simmons
- Knowledge of Mickey’s death, Rocky’s defeat, and Apollo’s arrival has erased the original theatrical surprise. — Gus Ramsey
- The discussion accepts Gene Siskel’s criticism that another loud Black antagonist could pander to racist viewers. — Bill Simmons
- Frank Stallone’s song Pushing is judged weak beside the series’ better songs.
- Rocky’s complaint that Mickey never used Apollo’s methods seems ungrateful while Apollo is trying to save his career. — Bill Simmons
- Paulie’s racism and the decision to take him into a Black Los Angeles gym age especially poorly.
- Opening with the end of Rocky II feels redundant on repeated viewing. — Bill Simmons
- Mickey’s Goldmill surname and Jewish funeral arrive without prior character grounding and surprised the panel. — Bill Simmons
- The women lifting Thunderlips’s robe and the extreme damage tolerated in the boxing scenes play worse after later combat-sports viewing.