What is the last Television series you watched?

[Jay 37,373]

Downton Abbey 6x05

Holy crap Robert's ulcer bursting was the most graphic thing they've ever come close to doing on this show. That was crazy! I thought whatever was wrong with him would tie into the endless VIolet vs Isobel hospital storyline (ie, if he needs to get the help he needs from the big hospital proving the local hospital isn't good enough) or something, but I guess not? Unless that will happen next week. The Mary/Tom scenes this week were kinda weird - Tom comes off as so nice, and Mary comes off as so stuck-up! I wondered for a hot second if they were setting up them to get together, but then when she talked about "marrying down" I was like damn, I guess not. Ms Baxter not having to testify was an interesting way for that story to end. Spratt and Denker have another amusing story. They are good tertiary characters. Didn't like Mary's ponderous of the Marigold thing she overheard. You want Mary and Edith to be close enough siblings that they could just tell each other everything, but Mary just isn't capable of that seemingly. You know she's gonna pour the judgement down when she figures everything out.

[Jay 37,373]

Homeland 5x03 Super Powers

Meh. I honestly don't even care who's trying to kill Carrie at this point. The whole thing with her realizing she's been found, then waiting outside anyways, then getting the kill shot anyway, but of course he had a vest, and of course its a tv/movie vest where you are completely fine after being shot (in real life, a shot will still break your ribs - a bullet proof vest saves your life, but just barely). The reveal that Saul was sleeping with Miranda Otto was so stupid! WTF was that? Carrie sending her kid off to America was dumb too (WTF?). The only thing good was seeing bipolar Carrie make her annual appearance. Daines is always good at that.

I can't wait for this disaster of a show to be put out of its mercy. Hopefully this is the last season.

[Jay 37,373]

Bryan Fuller headed back to NBC for an Amazing Stories reboot

Wow!

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Michael Giacchino will compose the new theme.

[Jay 37,373]

I wonder if Spielberg would want to direct an episode. And if Williams would score it.

[Hurmm 91]

Up to season 4, ep 5 of Walking Dead. The third season was marginally better than the second, but lacked a Rick/Shane conflict and confrontation. I think the writing is just not up to par, especially for many of the characters. The result is that many of the quiet, reflective moments just come off really dull. I've just about had it with the cloyingly preachy Hershel character. Dale was the correct amount of sensible wise old man. Then they killed off Dale and replaced him with an worse version of him.

There's also only so much time before zombies stop being scary... and the show is definitely at that point now. Doesn't help that Dannny Boyle's fast zombies have kind of dulled my senses towards the slow shuffling variety.

Season 4 started off strong with the flu, a good way to spice things up. The setting at the prison is getting really stale though. And I just can't stand Hershel.

[Quintus 5,399]

I'm the complete opposite about Hershel. I really like his character and I HATED Dale. I literally cheered when he got his stomach ripped out.

Also, don't go into The Walking Dead expecting top tier writing, because that's not what the show is. It's a zombie apocalypse show; it isn't Breaking Bad or Mad Men. The Walking Dead is pure unadulterated pulp.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Is it like Game Of Thrones, great in the moment, sometimes brilliant. But ultimately lacking in certain area's?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Game of Thrones is one of the boringest shows I've ever watched.

I tried and I tried again to persevere but I gave up before I could finish the first season.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

And season one is the best season....

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Yes. After that, it just keeps on going downhill.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

How could such a boring show become so popular?

[A24 4,345]

Maybe people only pretend to like it?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Sex and violence mate.

[A24 4,345]

And season one is the best season....

Disagree. The first 5 eppies were people talking about the past. I'm glad they stopped doing that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

But...but...it had Sean Bean!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Maybe people only pretend to like it?

I wouldn't be surprised. When something cultural becomes trendy, people want to hop on the bandwagon or else risk feeling ostracised from their social circles.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Bunch of lemmings! Thankfully such peer pressure doesn't exist in Star Trek or Doctor Who fandom!

[A24 4,345]

I wouldn't be surprised. When something cultural becomes trendy, people want to hop on the bandwagon or else risk feeling ostracised from their social circles.

It's why 2001: A Space Odyssey is so widely respected. People claim to love it (to gain credibility) but in reality they prefer Battlefield Earth.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Game Of Thrones is loved right now, because it's a bit of a hype. Will is still be so beloved 20 years from now? I don't know.

Remember a lot of people didnt "get" 2001 when it came out.

[Hurmm 91]

I'm the complete opposite about Hershel. I really like his character and I HATED Dale. I literally cheered when he got his stomach ripped out.

Also, don't go into The Walking Dead expecting top tier writing, because that's not what the show is. It's a zombie apocalypse show; it isn't Breaking Bad or Mad Men. The Walking Dead is pure unadulterated pulp.

Interesting how people react so differently to the same character. I didn't exactly like Dale, but I didn't mind him. Hershel on the other hand is grating, spouting words of wisdom with his solemn eyes every chance he gets. I was rolling my eyes in the scene where instead of killing the sick in the jail cell he actually spent valuable time and energy of his and others trying to haul them to some isolated area. All the while I was screaming JUST GET ON WITH IT DAMMIT.

I'm not expecting sophisticated writing. But certain scenes give the impression that the show is trying to impress upon the audience that it's reflexive or thoughtful, and they don't have the necessary writing chops go back it up.

So far what the show tells me is that the zombie genre is best when it's a 2 hour movie.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

People are too embarrassed to watch the really good stuff because they're terrified that their egghead mates will think they're lowbrow. And if they get caught watching a Razzie winner, they go all red and anxiously claim that it's for a college paper on the "feminist portrayals of oriental transnormative ideals in 70s and 80s western culture".

[A24 4,345]

I'm the complete opposite about Hershel. I really like his character and I HATED Dale. I literally cheered when he got his stomach ripped out.

Also, don't go into The Walking Dead expecting top tier writing, because that's not what the show is. It's a zombie apocalypse show; it isn't Breaking Bad or Mad Men. The Walking Dead is pure unadulterated pulp.

Interesting how people react so differently to the same character. I didn't exactly like Dale, but I didn't mind him. Hershel on the other hand is grating, spouting words of wisdom with his solemn eyes every chance he gets. I was rolling my eyes in the scene where instead of killing the sick in the jail cell he actually spent valuable time and energy of his and others trying to haul them to some isolated area. All the while I was screaming JUST GET ON WITH IT DAMMIT.

I'm not expecting sophisticated writing. But certain scenes give the impression that the show is trying to impress upon the audience that it's reflexive or thoughtful, and they don't have the necessary writing chops go back it up.

So far what the show tells me is that the zombie genre is best when it's a 2 hour movie.

It's true that it's not a smart show but I like anything that is about deserted places, empty spaces and abandoned buildings. I love the atmosphere that comes along with that. The show is not really about zombies. It's scary because it's a renewed, lawless world where people no longer have social barriers. In that perspective, TWD is a variation of the good ol' Western.

Alex

[Hurmm 91]

I know that. I don't think it's very successful in that regard as well.

Its still an alright show, I'll continue watching it.

[Romão 2,274]

I'm finishing the second season of Battlestar Galactica. I'm really, really loving this show

[A24 4,345]

I know that. I don't think it's very successful in that regard as well.

Did you? It wasn't clear to me.

Anyway, I just mentioned it because it's what I like about the show and I couldn't find it in your comments.

I'm interested to hear why it fails in that respect as well.

Alex

[Quintus 5,399]

Is it like Game Of Thrones, great in the moment, sometimes brilliant. But ultimately lacking in certain area's?

It's about as seasonally inconsistent as Game of Thrones but I find it far less frustrating overall probably because TWD doesn't seem to suffer from the same mid season pacing issues, sexposition and penultimate episode shock gimmicks. The Walking Dead is my preferred watch of the two.

[KK 3,307]

It's true that it's not a smart show but I like anything that is about deserted places, empty spaces and abandoned buildings. I love the atmosphere that comes along with that. The show is not really about zombies. It's scary because it's a renewed, lawless world where people no longer have social barriers. In that perspective, TWD is a variation of the good ol' Western.

Alex

Even there, it only occasionally succeeds.

mid season pacing issues, sexposition and penultimate episode shock gimmicks. The Walking Dead is my preferred watch of the two.

It has all of that except the second.

TWD gets points for embracing it's pulpiness. But the superior cast and production values of GoT makes it more engaging for me.

Ultimately, both are flawed shows.

[Quintus 5,399]

I've always considered the production values in TWD to be consistently excellent. The zombie effects and bloody violence are bloomin' fantastic!

And no, there is no predictable big annual episode 9 killing in TWD. Instead, the protagonists seem to survive ludicrous amounts of bullshit near death moments

Glenn needs to hurry up and die though. George Martin would have killed him ages ago.

[A24 4,345]

It's true that it's not a smart show but I like anything that is about deserted places, empty spaces and abandoned buildings. I love the atmosphere that comes along with that. The show is not really about zombies. It's scary because it's a renewed, lawless world where people no longer have social barriers. In that perspective, TWD is a variation of the good ol' Western.

Even there, it only occasionally succeeds.

Well, it's the only reason why I am watching so I think it succeeds on both counts.

[Hurmm 91]

Yeah, TWD definitely has pacing issues as well. Characters singing lullabies. Talking repetitively about the same issues. You can see that the writers are straining to come up with worthwhile scenarios.

Alex, I like the post apocalyptic atmosphere as much as you but I agree with KK that it only succeeds intermittently. The pilot episode was easily the best in this. Most of the places are interesting for a while, but they linger on it too long and it becomes repetitive. The farm in the second season. The prison in the third (and fourth!). Off the top of my head the most atmospheric bit after the pilot was the moment when the first person dies from the flu in the dark shower room. I can't think of many other scenes like that throughout the series. Most of the other scenes have hoards of zombies inevitably appearing and there's only so much fun to be had watching humans slaughter zombies before the novelty runs out.

[KK 3,307]

And no, there is no predictable big annual episode 9 killing in TWD. Instead, the protagonists seem to survive ludicrous amounts of bullshit near death moments

That's true. There's less of a grating formula in TWD than GoT. It definitely embraces the same tradition of shock/tension gimmicks though.

Glenn needs to hurry up and die. George Martin would have killed him ages ago.

Yes, please!

[A24 4,345]

Alex, I like the post apocalyptic atmosphere as much as you but I agree with KK that it only succeeds intermittently. The pilot episode was easily the best in this. Most of the places are interesting for a while, but they linger on it too long and it becomes repetitive. The farm in the second season. The prison in the third (and fourth!). Off the top of my head the most atmospheric bit after the pilot was the moment when the first person dies from the flu in the dark shower room. I can't think of many other scenes like that throughout the series. Most of the other scenes have hoards of zombies inevitably appearing and there's only so much fun to be had watching humans slaughter zombies before the novelty runs out.

Those are only the main head locations. There visit countless of other ones, like when they are looking for food or ammunition: Deserted towns, lonely houses, silent countrysides, ... Often very atmospheric moments with only the sound of crickets (and no music, thank god).

[Hurmm 91]

So which are the ones that you think ticks the 'atmospheric' box?

So Glenn is still around huh. I didn't mind him but once he was with Maggie it was like a different character.

[Quintus 5,399]

Most of the places are interesting for a while, but they linger on it too long and it becomes repetitive. The farm in the second season. The prison in the third (and fourth!).

Why should they need to keep updating the backgrounds/setting though? We're not watching video game missions. I find that a curious complaint.

For me the farm and then the prison 'safe zones' are the obvious and natural settings for the narrative. The outside undead threat herds the survivers together where they might find division and tension among their various comic strip personalities. When the in-fighting eventually compromises the group's security they then move on, usually after some action packed season climax. It's a very straightforward formula and you either buy into it or you don't.

[A24 4,345]

So which are the ones that you think ticks the 'atmospheric' box?

Each and every one of them. Every main location, every house, room, garage, gas station, building, hospital, field, forest, road, street, ... One of the locations I remember best was an ordinary house in the sun (completely intact as if people still live there) and that kid with his sheriff hat sitting on the roof (or something).

Oddly enough, I find that kid with his sheriff hat and his big gun a visually interesting character, someone who you would expect in Fallout.

Rick also is a visually interesting character.

Glenn is not.

[Quintus 5,399]

The two best settings so far for me were where someone committed matricide and the one where Rick and his small raiding company encounter a couple of other 'friendly' survivors this one time in an abandoned bar who turn out to be dangerous and desperate. Both scenes were outstanding television, in settings that where thick with atmosphere and sense of place.

[Hurmm 91]

Yeah, the one at the bar was great, with suspense dripping off the screen, slowly building toward that inevitable moment where you suddenly realize someone is going to die.

I can't remember the matricide one? When was that?

I just think I've seen enough of the prison now. It was good for a season, but more than a quarter through the third season and its still the main location (although I get the feeling they'll be leaving soon). Watching the walkers gather outside the fence every episode, watching the characters impale them though the fence every time... It gets tiring.

[Quintus 5,399]

Given where you're currently up to with it mate I'll say no more.

[Wojo 2,453]

I think I remember the matricide episode, at least where a main character killed someone's mother. I haven't thought about it since last season, if that's the one.

When Lee said George Martin, all I could think about was why the Beatles' famed producer would kill Glenn. I didn't recognize the other guy without his RR.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I think I'm going to give up on Twin Peaks and move to Breaking Bad.

[Quintus 5,399]

Speaking of whom, I listened to his Live & Let Die Bond one-off yesterday. His only dabble in the franchise which still somehow manages to be more memorable and full-bodied than any of the Arnold or Snoozeman efforts. Plenty of character and swagger in the music; things sorely missing from modern Bond scores.

[Jay 37,373]

I think I'm going to give up on Twin Peaks and move to Breaking Bad.

Did you watch the double-length Season 2 premiere first at least?

YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BREAKING BAD!??!?!??!?!?

[A24 4,345]

I think I'm going to give up on Twin Peaks and move to Breaking Bad.

I think you should watch The Leftovers, Koray.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I think I'm going to give up on Twin Peaks and move to Breaking Bad.

Did you watch the double-length Season 2 premiere first at least?

YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BREAKING BAD!??!?!??!?!?

Yes and no.

[Jay 37,373]

So you don't want to see at least who killed Laura Palmer first before giving up?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Looks like he doesn't really care.

[Wojo 2,453]

I've never watched the show and I don't care.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Good to know!

[nightscape94 965]

The last two episodes leading up to the finale in the Laura Palmer case are especially wonderful!