What is the last Television series you watched?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

5 hours ago, Jay said:

I know what you are saying 100%.  That ending was such a huge, huge gut punch for all the reasons you said and does completely make you evaluate if you want to continue watching his character or if he is now irredeemable.  I too am curious to see what impact has on season 2, because some impact should be made clear immediately I think.

I liked the ending for that. It solidified the darkness of the character. Also the earlier scene mentioned by Qui. 

[Jay 37,271]

The first season nicely used comedy to lull you into a sense that you're watching a silly comedy that happens to be about an assassin, then the ending is so perfectly primed to just pull the rug out and remind you that he is a heartless killer no matter how much you've laughed until now.  Good stuff.

[Quintus 5,399]

We watched The Orville's first two parter episodes, the second of which just finished. I mean, come on, this is frickin' AWESOME! It's tense, it's exciting, it's corny, it's spectacular (eat your heart out Star Wars) and above all else it's TV sci-fi pulp of the highest order and I am invested. And how about the music! This exceptionally unusual music... it's the main driving force of the action and suspense, the feeling of momentum it provides from scene to scene (the underscore is near wall to wall here), played loud and on a big screen, is thrilling. Tonight for the first time I felt like I was watching a big daft Star Trek movie installment, and definitively one of the better ones. It's pretty astonishing how much this show has changed since that oh so silly pilot last year. 

 

It'd be the TV crime of the century if Fox cancelled this MacFarlane's creation after everything it has achieved, and in just a couple of seasons. Even if it were, I can't imagine how one of the big streamers wouldn't be all over it in a heartbeat. 

[A24 4,326]

The French Seinfeld?

 

 

[Bayesian 1,358]

5 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

The French Seinfeld?

 

 

This looks dryly amusing. Count me in. 

[Jay 37,271]

You'll get more reactions if you post that in the Orville thread quint

[Wojo 2,453]

Shh, let the moderators moderate. 

[publicist 4,643]

 

Apart from Mahershala Ali's superlative performance, this one is a disappointing facsimile of Season One. The grand production values cannot compensate for a weak three-timeline narrative drenched in whiny, sacrosanct male pathos (the author just doesn't do females). Stephen Dorff (in the Harrelson role) gets better towards the finale but the many layers - an unreliable chronicler,  Vietnam, a clever subversion of viewer expectations by way of a cheap tv true crime format - are unfinished and rambling. A third or fourth draft to strengthen them probably would have helped, as it is it's still very watchable, but certainly better consumed with a mind half asleep so you don't ask yourself all too often what the makers *really* want to tell you (the expected hocus pocus in the denouement seems rather paltry for the leaden weightiness, too).

[A24 4,326]

First episode of Black Summer on Netflix, which plays like a 28 Days Later TV show (with fast moving 'infected' instead of slow zombies). Not bad. Will see where it goes.

 

 

 

[JoeinAR 1,949]

2 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

First episode of Black Summer on Netflix, which plays like a 28 Days Later TV show (with fast moving 'infected' instead of slow zombies). Not bad. Will see where it goes.

 

 

 

I hated the inverse storytelling. I quit after the 2nd show. Its cheap budget doesn't help. Thats my problem with Netflix shows and movies. They are done on the fly and aimed at the short attention spanned.

[KK 3,307]

 

 

The OA - Season 2

 

The second season, while delightfully enigmatic in doses and handsomely produced across the board, unfortunately buckles under the weight of its own ambitions. The whole thing reeks of rewrites, with far too many ideas trying to be crammed into a Wachowski-esque romp across dimensions and time. As a result, this season loses out on a lot of the ambiance and intrigue of its predecessor. Too much plot over flavour. There were moments though, sometimes eerie in its absurdity (ex. the haunted house episode, and the telepathic octopus), and sometimes just downright silly (not in a good way). Pacing also seemed to be a big problem this time around, especially with the dreadfully lethargic kids' storyline. At least the show-runners still have a strong eye for staging their ideas on screen.

 

As for the ending...I'm on board with it, and I'll probably be back for the next season, albeit with caution. I think it's great that there is a place in TV for people to try things, and if anything, I can appreciate the OA team's earnestness.

[Jay 37,271]

We haven't had time to start it yet.  Some day!

 

Has it even been renewed for a third season?
 

I fear Netflix is sending this and Santa Clarita Diet to the chopping block

[Quintus 5,399]

I'll leave The OA as a worthwhile one-off oddity. Glad I watched it.

[KK 3,307]

21 minutes ago, Jay said:

We haven't had time to start it yet.  Some day!

 

Has it even been renewed for a third season?
 

I fear Netflix is sending this and Santa Clarita Diet to the chopping block

 

It hasn't officially been renewed yet, but the writers do have a third season mapped out:

 

'The OA': Jason Isaacs Had His Mind Blown By Season 2, But Says Season 3 Will Be Very Different

 

I would suggest reading that after you're done watching the season. It's riddled with spoilers.

 

15 minutes ago, Quintus said:

I'll leave The OA as a worthwhile one-off oddity. Glad I watched it.

 

Yeah, I think it's also nice to think of it that way. It was a creature of its own.

[Jay 37,271]

Well here's hoping Netflix gives OA and SCD one final season to wrap everything up

[A24 4,326]

42 minutes ago, JoeinAR said:

I hated the inverse storytelling. I quit after the 2nd show. Its cheap budget doesn't help. Thats my problem with Netflix shows and movies. They are done on the fly and aimed at the short attention spanned.

 

You gave up? Then there's a good chance this is a show for me! 

[KK 3,307]

 

Osmosis

 

Checked this out on a friend's recommendation. It's essentially a soapy, badly written Black Mirror episode stretched over a whole season. Drawing visual cues from the likes of Stranger Things and The OA, but conceptually building on Black Mirror's "Hang the DJ, this show about a group of beta testers using new technology to find their soulmates would immediately wear out its welcome if not for the occasionally pretty images. Maybe it didn't help that I was watching the English dub, which makes it all probably sound at least twice as dumb as it actually is. Still, don't waste your time.

 

[A24 4,326]

1 hour ago, KK said:

The OA - Season 2

 

 The whole thing reeks of rewrites, with far too many ideas trying to be crammed into a Wachowski-esque romp across dimensions and time.

 

Indeed, like S2 started out as a film noir, but then, they kinda forgot about that after a while. 

 

1 hour ago, KK said:

 There were moments though, sometimes eerie in its absurdity (ex. the haunted house episode, and the telepathic octopus),

 

I thought episode 4 with the octopus was the best of this season. In fact, it was the only episode that felt as good as the ones from S1.

 

[Quintus 5,399]

All of the The Orville's second season, and it was dynamite. I haven't watched too much so far this year, but this was easily the best I've seen so far and I think it'll be a remarkable year of TV for me if anything manages to outdo it.

[Quintus 5,399]

Anyone see the BBC's The Bodyguard, starring Richard Madden (Game of Thrones)? The first episode has a really tense opening sequence involving a suicide bomber on a London rail line, it was an extremely arresting way to get you into it right from the off. Just as well though, because there's some disappointingly cartoony characters a little further in, but at least it's only six episodes (being the Beeb) so I'm happy to stick with it. I remember people absolutely raved about this when it was first on, so I'm guessing it gets really juicy.

[KK 3,307]

7 hours ago, Quintus said:

Anyone see the BBC's The Bodyguard, starring Richard Madden (Game of Thrones)? The first episode has a really tense opening sequence involving a suicide bomber on a London rail line, it was an extremely arresting way to get you into it right from the off. Just as well though, because there's some disappointingly cartoony characters a little further in, but at least it's only six episodes (being the Beeb) so I'm happy to stick with it. I remember people absolutely raved about this when it was first on, so I'm guessing it gets really juicy.

 

It does get pretty soapy and cartoonish by the end. But its tense staging, and Madden's performance, keeps it mostly entertaining enough.

[A24 4,326]

Stopped watching that after a couple of episodes.

[Quintus 5,399]

5 hours ago, KK said:

 

It does get pretty soapy and cartoonish by the end. But its tense staging, and Madden's performance, keeps it mostly entertaining enough.

 

Judging by what I noticed on social media at the time the finale was utterly gripping. But maybe these reactions are the same ones that are gripped by the Queen Vic exploding in EastEnders, or Jeremy Kyle Show family feuds. I'd been thinking it might be really high-end TV, but it didn't take long to realise it was a bit more cliché and predictable than that. The uber bitch home secretary for example, she is a bad caricature, and it's already obvious after one episode that the main character is gonna end up rage banging her.

 

Still, there's also nowt wrong with a bit of well produced B-thriller, so I'll continue on for now.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

5 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

Stopped watching that after a couple episodes.

 

Not as good as The Voice, right?

[A24 4,326]

I was referring to the fictional drama show on BBC. Didn't buy into it. Is there also a talent show called The Bodyguard? What is it about?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He he he...

[Quintus 5,399]

Britain's Got Bouncers!

[publicist 4,643]

5 hours ago, Quintus said:

Still, there's also nowt wrong with a bit of well produced B-thriller, so I'll continue on for now.

 

I soldiered on to the end: it's more Agatha Christie than honest B-pic and if you don't mind the artifice...the recent 'Little Drummer Girl' by Park Chan-wook (also Beeb) also has its problems, but coming from Le Carré its aspirations are much higher (i found it also much better than 'Night Manager').

[Quintus 5,399]

Night Manager is another I've been after watching, because I remember people really raving about it. But it's overrated you reckon?

[publicist 4,643]

Overproduced, more like it. To have every of those international spy series look like a glossy Bond adventure obviously is some kind of retribution for the shabby tv look of things like Tinker...  or SMiley's People.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Alex you still watching that new netfix zombie show?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

37 minutes ago, publicist said:

Overproduced, more like it. To have every of those international spy series look like a glossy Bond adventure obviously is some kind of retribution for the shabby tv look of things like Tinker...  or SMiley's People.

 

Tinker Tailor would probably look quite good if it were remastered. It was shot on film, IIRC. 

I would still love ITV's Sherlock Holmes in 1080, the production design was excellent.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

3 episodes of life in pieces. 

[publicist 4,643]

1 hour ago, Stefancos said:

Tinker Tailor would probably look quite good if it were remastered. It was shot on film, IIRC. 

I would still love ITV's Sherlock Holmes in 1080, the production design was excellent.

 

They look accurate but not glossy in that new drone-camera 300 meters above HD look. I don't mind, but tv producers obviously do. Everything looks like 'Mission Impossible' now. Watching the old Jeremy Brett series seems like a swell idea, actually (the Patrick Gowers score helps, too).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

ITV drama's of that era always looked better than similar BBC fare.

[publicist 4,643]

Danger Mouse!

[A24 4,326]

14 hours ago, JoeinAR said:

Alex you still watching that new netfix zombie show?

 

Finished it yesterday! I liked it but the last two episodes were weird in that they were only 25 and 20 minutes respectively. The ending (the very last scene) was disappointing as well. Too bad, because several of the episodes were actually pretty good ('Alone' and 'Diner' are the standouts). Black Summer is the antithesis of The Walking Dead in almost every way.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Mets have 75 games on cable this year...

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Tonight I watched Jeopardy and Murder She Wrote (S1E7 "Hit, Run, and Homicide") because I'm 78 years old.

 

I'm not even joking, Angela Lansbury would've been amazing in Game of Thrones.  Not sure what role, but it would've been great.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

She isn't dead.

 

Watched The Kids are Alright. It was about the middle child being accused of masturbation when his mother first finds find a dried white liquid on his bed sheets and later the sears catalog bra section. Turns out to be Elmer's Glue. AH Growing up Catholic in the 70's

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'm not sure he is suggesting that.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

She is too classy anyways.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

She'd lick the toilet seat for a fiver!

[A24 4,326]

 

Goddamnit, where is Maddie?! 

[Jay 37,271]

Here's a nice lengthy article about James Holzhauer’s Jeopardy run

[Glóin the Dark 1,218]

On 5/1/2019 at 2:35 AM, Disco Stu said:

Angela Lansbury would've been amazing in Game of Thrones.  Not sure what role...

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

4 minutes ago, Glóin the Dark said:

 

 

You kid, but young Lansbury would've been amazing as Cersei.  Think Manchurian Candidate Lansbury.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Rupaul's Drag race is on. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The X-Files.

[Quintus 5,399]

 

Never heard of it and then accidentally stumbled on it the other day. Remember in the 90s how Stephen King TV looked and felt shit? This feels different.

 

Once again though the setting is a fictional place in Maine, and for this first story (it's an anthology series) we are back in Shawshank itself. That same delectable atmosphere is present and correct, with a new mystery unfolding on both sides of the bars.