The Television Thread

Torgo · Post by **Torgo** » Wed Oct 09, 2019 1:05 pm

Patrick McGroin wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 09, 2019 5:05 am
At this point is Nicolas Cage even sleeping? I don't see how any actor can crank out so many movies in so truncated a period of time.

Those castles and snakeskin jackets aren't going to pay for themselves.

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Wed Oct 09, 2019 1:24 pm

Torgo wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 09, 2019 1:05 pm
Those castles and snakeskin jackets aren't going to pay for themselves.

Even his money woes are awesome. Pay attention Johnny Depp. There's spending and then there's spending with panache.

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:41 pm

Giggity.

And hey, it's got Kevin Durand as the baddie. And Famke Janssen. Oh and a CGI white jaguar that's as least as good as those CGI deer they insist on using on The Walking Dead. In other words...no es bueno.

Fuck it. The more I watch this the better it gets. Motherfucking snakes on a motherfucking boat and "...got a real nice cage for you." Let's see Johnny Depp drop that kind of wordplay/bon mot.

Takoma1 · Post by **Takoma1** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 3:19 am

I blazed through Happy Endings and now there's no more and I'm sad.

It was a-MAH-zing.

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 2:43 pm

Yesterday, I finished Season 1 of Daredevil, and it was really good. It probably won't crack a Top 10 or Top 20, but it was very enjoyable, mostly on the strength of the characters. Pretty much every character is either likable or well portrayed. I would even say that I liked or cared about most of the supporting cast more than I liked/cared about Charlie Cox' Matt Murdock. I mean, he's OK, but I really enjoyed the characters of Foggy, Karen, Ben, Wesley, and Fisk. Plus there was enough tension and action as the season approached the end. One pet peeve would be that...

But other than that, a real entertaining show.

Deschain13 · Post by **Deschain13** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:22 pm

Glad you liked Daredevil, Thief. Rosario Dawson’s character is supposed to be Night Nurse from the comics and she pops up in the other Netflix Marvel shows.

wichares · Post by **wichares** » Sun Oct 20, 2019 3:34 am

This year is so rich with good TV. I use trakt to keep track of and rate what I watched, and this year has my first 10/10 episode since The Return Part 8 in 2017 (Part 4 of When They See Use) and my first 10/10 season of TV since the 2013 double whammy of The Good Wife S5 and Breaking Bad S5 (Fleabag S2).

Torgo · Post by **Torgo** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:46 pm

I also loved Fleabag. These are probably my favorite episodes of TV from this year so far:

Chernobyl - The Happiness of All Mankind
Disenchantment - Our Bodies, Our Elves
Love, Death & Robots - Beyond the Aquila Rift
Shrill - Pool
Tigtone - Tigtone and the Freaks of Love
What We Do in the Shadows - Animal Control

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 7:02 pm

My God, I'm reeeeeally struggling to get past the latest season of The Handmaid's Tale

but it has become so fuckin' tedious.

On the other hand, I started Mindhunter (season 2) and The Terror (season 1), and both had solid first episodes.

As for my little gnomes, they watch so much stuff

but lately, they seem to be endorsing Wild Kratts. I've seen a handful of episodes with them and it's pretty good.

The Nameless One · Post by **The Nameless One** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:20 pm

Watchmen was quite the thing y'all, like, as crazy, audacious, and extremely ill advised as that series is it came out as a worthy exploration of a potential post-Watchmen world. It's very interesting stuff, never thought I'd say that about a Damon Lindelof project

wichares · Post by **wichares** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:06 am

Torgo wrote: ↑
Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:46 pm
I also loved Fleabag. These are probably my favorite episodes of TV from this year so far:

Chernobyl - The Happiness of All Mankind
Disenchantment - Our Bodies, Our Elves
Love, Death & Robots - Beyond the Aquila Rift
Shrill - Pool
Tigtone - Tigtone and the Freaks of Love
What We Do in the Shadows - Animal Control

Hmm have only seen Chernobyl and WWDITS ones. My top 5 would be

1. When They See Us, Part 4
2. Fleabag, Season 2 Episode 6
3. Chernobyl, "Vichnaya Pamyat" (1x05)
4. The Good Fight, "The One with Lucca Becoming a Meme" (3x04)
5. You're the Worst, "Pancakes" (5x13)

Just realized that apart from #4, all are miniseries/series finales. I have a thing for shows sticking the landings very well I suppose.

DaMU · Post by **DaMU** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:37 pm

Watchmen.

I just can't help imagining Lindelof going, "Sure, it's already hard to figure out a sequel story to the most esteemed graphic novel of all time... but what if I also tried to do a commentary on race relations in America?" Like he wanted to juggle chainsaws while tightrope walking across Niagara Falls.

First episode is solid, for sure, but I have no doubt they'll run into the same challenge Snyder ran into, which is how to present the violence of the comic book without making it viscerally thrilling or cathartic. Regina King karate-kicking white supremacists is... well, it is what it is, gratifying to see.

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:03 pm

DaMU wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:37 pm
Watchmen.

I just can't help imagining Lindelof going, "Sure, it's already hard to figure out a sequel story to the most esteemed graphic novel of all time... but what if I also tried to do a commentary on race relations in America?" Like he wanted to juggle chainsaws while tightrope walking across Niagara Falls.

First episode is solid, for sure, but I have no doubt they'll run into the same challenge Snyder ran into, which is how to present the violence of the comic book without making it viscerally thrilling or cathartic. Regina King karate-kicking white supremacists is... well, it is what it is, gratifying to see.

I was really hoping they'd delve deeper into what the movie covered. I agree it was solid enough but Lindelof has done this so many times that I refuse to fall for it again. He's basically an idea man without the writing chops to back it up. And then he didn't do himself any favors when he addressed viewer complaints during The Leftovers run. He more or less dismissed them as a bunch of proles who needed to be spoon fed the simplest of plot developments. He came off like a real prick and it made him sound defensive and thin skinned. In short fuck Lindelof.

ThatDarnMKS · Post by **ThatDarnMKS** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:18 pm

Patrick McGroin wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:03 pm
In short fuck Lindelof.

Yes... Give into your hate.

The Nameless One · Post by **The Nameless One** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:36 pm

DaMU wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:37 pm
First episode is solid, for sure, but I have no doubt they'll run into the same challenge Snyder ran into, which is how to present the violence of the comic book without making it viscerally thrilling or cathartic. Regina King karate-kicking white supremacists is... well, it is what it is, gratifying to see.

I think this is a non-issue because it's a sequel and not a retelling - it exists within it's own thematic structure and might be exploring those themes from a different angle. I didn't really find anything cathartic or viscerally thrilling about the proceedings, in fact the whole thing was rather disturbing, including the interrogation sequence which should spark a little sense of schadenfreude in me

DaMU · Post by **DaMU** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:18 am

Patrick McGroin wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:03 pm
I was really hoping they'd delve deeper into what the movie covered. I agree it was solid enough but Lindelof has done this so many times that I refuse to fall for it again. He's basically an idea man without the writing chops to back it up. And then he didn't do himself any favors when he addressed viewer complaints during The Leftovers run. He more or less dismissed them as a bunch of proles who needed to be spoon fed the simplest of plot developments. He came off like a real prick and it made him sound defensive and thin skinned. In short fuck Lindelof.

I mean, Lindelof is a real weiner-boy, no question. His eight-page "not a mea culpa" where he explained why he was doing this series was absurdly up his own ass. Just make the show and let us decide.

It's entirely possible the show will fall apart, as Lost did towards the end (revealing itself as a shaggy dog story that settled on "isn't friendship great?"). I'm going in with as little expectations as possible, so I don't think I'm being hoodwinked or anything. Per that guy from Airplane!, I bought the ticket, I knew what I was getting into.

Ergill · Post by **Ergill** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:29 am

DaMU wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:37 pm
First episode is solid, for sure, but I have no doubt they'll run into the same challenge Snyder ran into, which is how to present the violence of the comic book without making it viscerally thrilling or cathartic.

Did he struggle? Did he?

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 5:18 am

DaMU wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:37 pm
First episode is solid, for sure, but I have no doubt they'll run into the same challenge Snyder ran into, which is how to present the violence of the comic book without making it viscerally thrilling or cathartic.

I don't think that will necessarily be that difficult; he should just avoid doing things like stretching out one panel of this...

...into two minutes of this:

DaMU · Post by **DaMU** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 5:57 am

Ergill wrote: ↑
Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:29 am
Did he struggle? Did he?

(scoffs)

Clearly you didn't watch the mega-quadruple director's extended edition cut that was 7% better.

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:19 am

DaMU wrote: ↑
Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:18 am
I mean, Lindelof is a real weiner-boy, no question. His eight-page "not a mea culpa" where he explained why he was doing this series was absurdly up his own ass. Just make the show and let us decide.

It's entirely possible the show will fall apart, as Lost did towards the end (revealing itself as a shaggy dog story that settled on "isn't friendship great?"). I'm going in with as little expectations as possible, so I don't think I'm being hoodwinked or anything. Per that guy from Airplane!, I bought the ticket, I knew what I was getting into.

I watched it again and damn me and my "Charlie Brown wants to kick that football" mindset. I liked a lot of the supposition. The Tulsa cops enfeebled and having to work as a clandestine force as a probable result of a 30 year Presidential term. Which gave rise to a particularly virulent white-nationalist terrorist group. Or maybe Tulsa was simply a hot-house atmosphere first given impetus by that riot. Either way I'll probably keep watching.

Watching and kvetching the whole way.

Torgo · Post by **Torgo** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 7:47 pm

Something is rotten in the state of Westeros:

HBO's Game of Thrones prequel is cancelled

I hope this is a sign that unnecessary prequels, spin-offs, etc. in general are on the wane, but it's probably just a combination of the pilot failing to impress like the article says and season 6 not leaving many fans hungry for more.

And on a side note:

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss leave the next Star Wars trilogy

Bandy Greensacks · Post by **Bandy Greensacks** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 8:35 pm

Watchmen is absolutely terrible in pretty much every way. I was expecting as much, but it even outpaced my expectations. And this is coming from someone who really liked the majority of The Leftovers and loved the Watchmen comic.

I have very little faith in HBO as a network, at this point.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 7:44 am

Torgo wrote: ↑
Tue Oct 29, 2019 7:47 pm
Something is rotten in the state of Westeros:

HBO's Game of Thrones prequel is cancelled

I hope this is a sign that unnecessary prequels, spin-offs, etc. in general are on the wane, but it's probably just a combination of the pilot failing to impress like the article says and season 6 not leaving many fans hungry for more.

And on a side note:

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss leave the next Star Wars trilogy

They're still making House Of The Dragon though, about the "Age Of Heroes" that took place thousands of years before GoT proper; me, I'm still waiting to see a prequel season/spin-off showing Robert's Rebellion in detail...

: /

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 2:25 pm

AMC canceled Lodge 49. It's actually not much of a shocker but it still stings though. Supposedly it's being shopped around so here's hoping.

Torgo · Post by **Torgo** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 7:10 pm

Stu wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 30, 2019 7:44 am
They're still making House Of The Dragon though, about the "Age Of Heroes" that took place thousands of years before GoT proper; me, I'm still waiting to see a prequel season/spin-off showing Robert's Rebellion in detail...

: /

That one might succeed since George R. R. Martin is actively involved in it and the source material, his novel Fire & Blood, has a good reputation. Personally, except for the next book - who knows if that'll happen - I'm too tiredgaryen of this franchise to be interested.

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:49 pm

Torgo wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 30, 2019 7:10 pm
- I'm too tiredgaryen of this franchise to be interested.

Quoted for posterity. And I've had numerous chances to rewatch previous seasons and passed. Maybe that last season left a bad taste all around.

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:07 pm

Patrick McGroin wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 30, 2019 2:25 pm
AMC canceled Lodge 49. It's actually not much of a shocker but it still stings though. Supposedly it's being shopped around so here's hoping.

So which is sadder and or more annoying? My ongoing championing of this show or that other poster's incessant flogging for Bunheads? Both equally maybe?

I've kept postponing that show, partly based on your praise of it, but I'm trying to juggle so many shows I'm behind with and so many I want to catch up. I'll try to get to it soon.

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:11 pm

Torgo wrote: ↑
Tue Oct 29, 2019 7:47 pm
Something is rotten in the state of Westeros:

HBO's Game of Thrones prequel is cancelled

I hope this is a sign that unnecessary prequels, spin-offs, etc. in general are on the wane, but it's probably just a combination of the pilot failing to impress like the article says and season 6 not leaving many fans hungry for more.

And on a side note:

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss leave the next Star Wars trilogy

Not surprised. The bad taste that the last season of the show left is there and I suppose studios and networks felt that releasing something related to that show so soon might probably carry some baggage. At least I speak for myself but considering how disappointed I was after how this show ended, I seriously don't care about anything GoT related in the near future.

I also read bits and pieces of a press conference they gave recently where they gave the impression that they were pretty much wingin' it all through GoT, and similar comments about how little they knew about the process.

DaMU · Post by **DaMU** » Mon Nov 04, 2019 5:29 am

Fantastic work on Episode 3 from Jean Smart. Carries this episode and this dialogue on her back. Like how she moves so quickly through the pomp of the police department and dismisses MirrorBoy's tank. That said, concerned that this film made such a point of revealing-- gasp--

That non-impactful reveal felt super-weird coming after two prior episodes of purposefully elliptical development. This bit is more worrying to me than anything that's happened so far, in terms of story sense. But again, I signed the dotted line and started watching. I'm not allowed to be angry about developments (though I reserve the right to be disappointed).

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:15 pm

I've just gotten myself into The Terror, season 1. I've just seen 3 episodes, but so far, I'm enjoying it a lot. Some good performances from Ciaran Hinds (Rome), Jared Harris (Chernobyl), and Tobias Menzies (Game of Thrones).

I'm also 3 or 4 episodes into Mindhunter, season 2, and it's as great as the first. I said it when watching season 1, but I really love Holt McCallany's performance as Bill Tench. He's my main draw to the show.

And just because, my two little gnomes have continued their trend of shifting their attention from shows week by week. A couple of weeks ago, it was Super Monsters, last week it was Wild Kratts, this week it's Dragons: Rescue Riders, a toddler-oriented spin-off of How to Train Your Dragon. The older one also loves a cartoon called Oscar's Oasis. I saw a couple with them and I enjoyed it. It has a Road Runner vibe to it.

wichares · Post by **wichares** » Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:39 am

Never know how much I need a scene between Jean Smart squaring off against Regina King. King's mock "oooohhh" is just the greatest lol.

Takoma1 · Post by **Takoma1** » Sat Nov 09, 2019 1:11 am

I am back into Undone (streaming on Amazon) and I'll reiterate my recommendation. It is funny and thrilling and surprisingly moving. Whether or not you're into rotoscoping, they do some really cool stuff with the animation. It's a great little mix of sci-fi, family drama, and a murder mystery.

DaMU · Post by **DaMU** » Sat Nov 09, 2019 8:24 pm

DaMU wrote: ↑
Mon Nov 04, 2019 5:29 am
Fantastic work on Episode 3 from Jean Smart. Carries this episode and this dialogue on her back. Like how she moves so quickly through the pomp of the police department and dismisses MirrorBoy's tank. That said, concerned that this film made such a point of revealing-- gasp--

that the guy you figure is Adrian Veidt is in fact Adrian Veidt.
That non-impactful reveal felt super-weird coming after two prior episodes of purposefully elliptical development. This bit is more worrying to me than anything that's happened so far, in terms of story sense. But again, I signed the dotted line and started watching. I'm not allowed to be angry about developments (though I reserve the right to be disappointed).

And others have rightly pointed out that Sally's sex toy makes little sense:

The more I'm reflecting on the show, the more it seems unfocused in terms of its politics and unclear on how much it actually retains of the comic series and Moore's perspective. It's going to take a lot to recontextualize everything we've seen so far in a way that honors the original story.

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:20 pm

DaMU wrote: ↑
Sat Nov 09, 2019 8:24 pm
It's going to take a lot to recontextualize everything we've seen so far in a way that honors the original story.

"Paging Dr. Lindelof. Dr Lindelof report to surgery."

*patient flatlines*

"Well, we did what we could. It's not our fault he didn't understand what we were trying to do."

The Nameless One · Post by **The Nameless One** » Sun Nov 10, 2019 12:06 am

DaMU wrote: ↑
Sat Nov 09, 2019 8:24 pm
It's going to take a lot to recontextualize everything we've seen so far in a way that honors the original story.

Yeah, I have to say it has... LOST me. The first episode was like cool okay but now that we've had the stuff with Sally it brings into question Lindelof's intelligence, like, that's a stuuuupid read of the character to an insulting degree and it impacts my ability to jive with what they are doing. I'll make an executive decision on whether to pirate it or not after the series closes

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:00 pm

The 100 best TV shows of the 2010s

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:32 pm

Stu wrote: ↑
Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:00 pm
The 100 best TV shows of the 2010s

I like that list. Haven't seen a lot, but I like what they included.

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Tue Nov 12, 2019 4:08 pm

Anyone caught up with Mindhunter's second season? I haven't read much/anything about it here, but damn, last episode I saw was really good. I don't know if it's casting or the directors, but they have a real thing for picking up/getting the most out of the actor that play the serial killers the protagonists interview. The episode I saw last night is the first time they interview Charles Manson (played by Damon Herriman), and that exchange between Manson and Tench was on fire. Loved that scene.

Deschain13 · Post by **Deschain13** » Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:21 pm

Thief wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 12, 2019 4:08 pm
Anyone caught up with Mindhunter's second season? I haven't read much/anything about it here, but damn, last episode I saw was really good. I don't know if it's casting or the directors, but they have a real thing for picking up/getting the most out of the actor that play the serial killers the protagonists interview. The episode I saw last night is the first time they interview Charles Manson (played by Damon Herriman), and that exchange between Manson and Tench was on fire. Loved that scene.

Yeah really liked season 2 a lot, almost as much as the first season. Wendy doesn’t get as much to do and I wasn’t super into the Manson stuff but everything in Atlanta is fantastic.

Takoma1 · Post by **Takoma1** » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:13 pm

Should you have any little ones around, the Netflix Green Eggs and Ham series is really fun. The voice acting is really on-point and enjoyable.

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:20 am

Takoma1 wrote: ↑
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:13 pm
Should you have any little ones around, the Netflix Green Eggs and Ham series is really fun. The voice acting is really on-point and enjoyable.

My kids have been watching AND enjoying it. I caught one or two episodes with them, I actually think they were the last ones, and thought they were fun.

Side note, because of the show, the youngest one kept asking us, sorta in jest, if we were gonna make green eggs and ham, but my wife ran with it and actually made it with some food coloring

The look of surprise in their eyes was priceless!

Takoma1 · Post by **Takoma1** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:45 am

Thief wrote: ↑
Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:20 am
My kids have been watching AND enjoying it. I caught one or two episodes with them, I actually think they were the last ones, and thought they were fun.

Side note, because of the show, the youngest one kept asking us, sorta in jest, if we were gonna make green eggs and ham, but my wife ran with it and actually made it with some food coloring The look of surprise in their eyes was priceless!

You were the reason I posted the recommendation! Glad your boys enjoyed it. Entertainment that works for the little ones and the adults is challenging to find sometimes.

Oxnard Montalvo · Post by **Oxnard Montalvo** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 7:47 pm

I have not seen the new Boba Fett show but it sounds like it is setting out to be a Star Wars version of Lone Wolf and Cub. which might be fun?

I'm still debating whether to buy nostalgia-content from a monopoly power (even just for a month or two). the content is okay, it's the structure that surrounds it that makes me uneasy.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:55 am

Forget it, Jake… It's a Netflix prequel to Chinatown from David Fincher

Thief · Post by **Thief** » Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:51 pm

Stu wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:55 am
Forget it, Jake… It's a Netflix prequel to Chinatown from David Fincher

Actual progression of me, reading this post...

Torgo · Post by **Torgo** » Tue Nov 19, 2019 1:58 pm

I'm late to the party, but I'm halfway into I Think You Should Leave on Netflix, and so far, it's hilarious. It's so nice to have a decent sketch show available now that Key & Peele is off the air. Not all of the sketches hit the mark - the ones that are too scatalogical aren't my favorite - but when it's good, it's very good.

DaMU · Post by **DaMU** » Tue Nov 19, 2019 5:07 pm

Torgo wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 19, 2019 1:58 pm
I'm late to the party, but I'm halfway into I Think You Should Leave on Netflix, and so far, it's hilarious. It's so nice to have a decent sketch show available now that Key & Peele is off the air. Not all of the sketches hit the mark - the ones that are too scatalogical aren't my favorite - but when it's good, it's very good.

It took some work for me to get into this one (the post-Tim&Eric anti-comedy thing doesn't always work for me), but there are some very good sketches here. I really love the "car ideas" and "hot dog" and "walk the line" bits.

Rock · Post by **Rock** » Tue Nov 19, 2019 7:02 pm

You flinched, Torgo! Now you have to marry your mother-in-law!

Torgo · Post by **Torgo** » Tue Nov 19, 2019 7:04 pm

I doing the best at this.

Patrick McGroin · Post by **Patrick McGroin** » Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:36 pm

Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston - This is a really good documentary on Sonny Liston who I didn't really know much about, aside from the fact that he's the guy that Cassius Clay knocked out in 1962 to become the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Actually he didn't knock him out in their first fight. Liston refused to answer the bell for the seventh round, a decision which simply added fuel to the public's dislike of him. Liston has been indelibly cast as the villain in that narrative at least to people with only a passing knowledge of the man. This documentary serves to rectify that and details Liston's hard life from birth as well as his limited opportunities. It does a solid job of establishing the tumultuous times he lived in and the many disparate elements swirling around him including drugs, the mob, the Nation of Islam and the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. It's a fascinating portrait of what turned out to be a tragic, misunderstood and little known sports figure. It's currently running on Showtime.