What is the last Television series you watched?

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Succession 4x3 - Connor's Wedding

 

I know wedding episodes are typically a big deal and are always standouts, but this was insane. I'm a bit shocked and I have to process this. I really feel quite weird.

 

I really loved it, it was very good in every aspect. And I get why this happened but it just caught me off guard so early in the season. It makes sense, the show is called Succession for a reason. But yeah. Wow.

I'm a bit of a wreck

[A24 4,327]

On 09/04/2023 at 3:21 PM, Hurmm said:

Station Eleven.

 

Monumental storytelling and surely one of the best television of all time. 

 

Thanks for the tip. First episode was promising. There are a few striking similarities with The Last Of Us though ...

 

Similarity 1:

 

 

 

Similarity 2:

 

 

 

Similarity 3:

 

[Jay 37,323]

On 03/04/2023 at 10:21 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

Succession 4x2

 

I really loved this.

 

First off, that whole thing about Kelly was kinda hilarious. And how does Greg always gets talked into doing these sort of things?

And I also really like how Tom always gets really insecure and unable to speak a single sentence without a break when he is around Logan. It's both funny and a bit sad.

I did think that the way Logan handled the whole thing with Kelly was weird. Did he think it was bad and wanted he that somebody else told her? Or did he want her to get the job?

And I think that Greg could've handled the talk with Kelly a lot better. It was bad, and he should've just told her that in another way.

 

There's nobody named Kelly on this show.  Her name is Kerry.  This is what happens when you watch TV in the morning instead of the evening  

 

Yes, Tom is so funny around Logan!  I always love it.  That scene season 2 where he eats Logan's chicken is the best.

 

Yes, Logan knew Kerry was bad at being an anchor, and wanted to see who that worked for him would be willing to tell him or would pretend she was good.  He got his answer (both Tom and Cyd pretended she was good), until he made it clear he wanted them to not give the job to her (after he saw Hugo and Gerri laughing at her audition tape)

 

On 03/04/2023 at 10:21 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

Then the whole thing with Connor was interesting. I thing I missed what happened between him and Willa, but he seemed really upset about it.

 

Again, watching in the morning time....

 

She left the rehearsal dinner early, telling Connor that she needed to think about things.

 

On 03/04/2023 at 10:21 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

And his final words before leaving the karaoke room really hit me. I did not see that coming and for me was one of the only times that Connor wasn't a bit of a joke.

 

Right?  He was so good there!  He really is good at understand how people (or at least, everyone in his family) works, even though he's completely deluded about his Presidential chances, lol

 

 

On 03/04/2023 at 10:21 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

 

Now, the whole thing between Logan and Kendall, Roman & Shiv. That was some of the best writing in the whole series and therefore, for me, one of the best episode the show has had.

 

I liked it too, but I dunno, I felt like it went on for about twice as long as it needed to.  I miss the snappiness of the earlier seasons.  This scene at times felt like everyone was just sitting around waiting for a point to be made.

 

On 03/04/2023 at 10:21 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

I really like Shiv, but this episode both she and Kendall were pretty awful. And it's so interesting that Shiv can get into a fight with Logan as much as she wants, but she isn't able to talk to Tom at all.

 

She's always been an awful person.  They all are!  It's really hard to fully get behind any of them because they have all done terrible things.

 

But yea, Sarah Snook is amazing at playing her.  If you like her, you should see the movie Predestination.... and do yourself a favor and don't read anything about it before watching, go in blind!  It's a 90minute lowkey sci-fi movie with her and Ethan Hawke.

 

On 03/04/2023 at 10:21 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

Now I get why Shiv and Kendall are doing what they're doing, because I also had a hard time believing Logan was fully sincere. He's very manipulative and I think that last smile before the credits shows that this time he is winning. He is getting Roman on his side (which I had a bit of a feeling would happen). Roman is so in need of the love of his father, I thought it was actually really sad how he reacted when Logan 'apologised'.

 

Roman is such a weak link!  Ken and Shiv are kind of foolish for trusting him...

 

On 03/04/2023 at 10:21 AM, JNHFan2000 said:

Kendall though...wow! Matsson actually told him, that if the deal doesn't go through he is completely out. Then both Roman & Logan say this is well and he just goes through with it. Shiv doesn't know this, so I get why she's going in so hard, but Kendall should've told her. I feel that after 3 seasons and e erything that Kendall has done and is doing, that he might be the only unredeemable character in the show.

 

It's really weird, it's like he just wants the deal to fall apart no matter what, which would leave everyone unhappy... and him and his siblings with less money!  It's weird.

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

@Jay have you watched episode 3 yet?

I'm gatgering my thought and will post tomorrow and am intetested to hear yours as well

[Jay 37,323]

No, I haven't

[Jay 37,323]

Succession 4x03 Connor's Wedding

 

Well, this is certainly the episode that Snook and Culkin will submit as their Emmy episode

 

Spoiler

Gotta love the shittiness of Logan having Roman be the one to tell Gerri she's fired; A firing which kind of doesn't make much sense considering she absolutely did save their ass with the cruises scandal.  And he wanted Cyd gone too, why?  Was he really going to have Roman take over there?  With Tom being promoted up to the main Waystar board?

 

I was quite surprised that Roman actually called Logan after he did it and left that angry voicemail.  It was nice to see him stand up for himself like that.

 

The kids telling Connor that Logan wouldn't be attending was a good scene.  Connor is so used to being disappointed by his family, he probably almost expected it.

 

Then the death happens.  I've never seen anything like this on TV before.  The fact that it happened off-camera, in a random early/mid season episode, when he was in the middle of the bunch of important storylines, was all surprising.  But more than the surprise factor, was the incredible, A++ acting from everyone who had to react to it.  I don't even know if I can put into words how good all 3 siblings were taking in and processing the news, and talking to their dad through the phone.  It was some of the most impactful television I've ever seen in my life.

 

But beyond the three of them, there were so many other good acting performances to.  Connor taking in the news that Logan was dead was good, as was his discussion with Willa about whether to call the wedding off or not.  But Tom was also stellar in this episode, just in a different way that the siblings were.  He rode such a fine line of being well aware Logan was dead, but knowing not to directly say so to the kids because they weren't ready.  He was kind and caring for long, but probably internally freaking out because Logan was the only one keeping him high up at Waystar.  It was really well done on his part, but gets largely overshadowed by the 3 siblings I think.  Also, Kendall's call to his godfather Frank was fantastic. The way he said "he can't talk, he's flying the plane son" was wonderful.

 

A really interesting scene was when Tom calls Greg, trusts him with the death news, but also tasks him with going to the office and deleting some files off his computer.  I immediately thought back to early season 1, when Tom asked Greg to shred documents, and he secretly kept some instead of shredding them all.  I wonder if he'll do something similar here?

 

This is probably the least funny episode of the entire series, but one funny part was when Kerry comes into the room with all the board members and is smiling in such a weird way.  I couldn't tell if she was happy Logan was dead but couldn't hide it, or if she knew she was completely screwed now and reacts to such things with goofy smiles.  I loved the way the board got rid of her as quickly as they could

 

I also loved that Willa was so open and honest that she does like Connor for the money and safety being with him provides, but says that she is happy as well.  I think these are the two most honest people on the whole show.  Their tiny wedding was really sweet.

 

The most interesting thing the death does is change course for the main siblings.  They went from wanting the company to be sold to cash out and do their own things, to Kendall wanting to sabotage the deal, to now probably all wanting to vie to be CEO again, like seasons 1 and 2.  It's going to be real interesting!

 

I watched the "next time on" preview at the end of the episode, which was actually footage from multiple upcoming episodes instead of just the next one, and there was a lot of exciting ideas teased there.  I wasn't too high on this season after the first 2 episodes, but after watching that teaser, I am quite excited for the rest of the season now!

 

[Jay 37,323]

Ted Lasso 3x04 Big Week

 

I thought this was a really good and interesting episode!

 

The opening was really nifty, with Roy waking Jamie up to train, and then showing that also up super early was Nate preparing for the big game, and Ted and Sassy waking up after hooking up.  I loved how blunt and correct she was to tell Ted how much of a mess he was - and it was funny later that Beard and Roy confirmed it.  I always love those Diamond Dogs scenes!

 

Nate going to pick up food from a restaurant with a hostess he liked was so awkward and funny.  I think the whole season will be about him regretting to leave Richmond to go work for Rupert, who has really become a Star Wars villain on this show now and Nate's look at the end when he saw Rupert with his assistant says it all.

 

All the Nate/Ted dynamics were really interesting.  Nate trying to hide from him in the elevator, then Rupert showing up before Nate can apologize, then Nate seemingly forgetting (?) to shake his hand at the end of the match, only to try to find him to do so, only to be interrupted by Rupert again.  I also thought it was interesting that Ted didn't want to use the footage of Nate ripping the sign to be used to motivate the team, but Beard and Roy thought it would be a good idea, and then that backfired immensely.   That was about the only part of the episode I didn't like; The first half of the game was fun, but then second half was too over-the-top, there was too many violations, why didn't the coaches tell them to stop being so aggressive?

 

The ending scene where Ted calls Michelle was excellent.

[Jay 37,323]

Shrinking 1x08 Boop

 

Jimmy and Gaby talking to Alice about having sex was pretty funny  I also loved Alice introducing Paul to Fun Dip  It was kind of sad that he wasn't there for her as usual due to being pre-occupied with his Meg situation

 

The subplot of Jimmy, Paul, and Brian going to grab Alice after she goes to USC to bang a college guy was pretty good, and Jimmy learning to lay the law down at the end was good.  It's an important part of parenting!  The other subplot of Gaby going to Nicoh's art show was a little strange.  I thought there was chemistry between Gaby and the gallery owner, and didn't see it coming that she was with Nicoh now.  Sean tagging along and constantly peacing out was funny, as was the way Liz tried to back up Gaby at every opportunity.  And her laser pointer!

 

 

[Jay 37,323]

Perry Mason 2x05 Chapter Thirteen

 

Things are really picking up now, this season is turning out quite good!  Of course the Gallardos were hired by someone to kill Brooks, and I loved Drake doing his thing to get to the bottom of it.  He really had to put himself on the line and do things he didn't want to do for the case, I hope its worth it and they win and expose everyone involved...

 

We finally got our answer to whether or not Della dumped her last girlfriend before getting with Anita: she didn't.  Why?  We couldn't figure out why she didn't just dump her?  What are we missing?

 

I liked that the DA tried to offer a deal before Perry uncovered what there is to uncover.  This really just makes Perry want to expose everything more, of course!  I wonder how high up this whole conspiracy goes...

 

I guess the ending scene was meant to be a threat to Perry, specifically that they'd do something to his son?

[Jay 37,323]

Severance 1x09 The We We Are

 

That was an awesome season finale!

 

Spoiler

I loved getting to see Mark, Irving, and Helly's innies experience their outie's lives for a few hours (or less? Not sure how long Dylan held those switches open... I know I wouldn't have lasted too long!)

 

Irving's outie is certainly the most mysterious.  We already knew he was forcing himself to stay awake, and painting an image only his innie should know.  But now we learn he's got a hidden section in a trunk with a bunch of info about Lumon, so it's like his outie wants to take it down too?  He's figured out where bunch of employees live at least.  I like that he was basically drawn to the only thing that gave him real joy in his life, Burt.  I was curious how he knew how to drive a car (did he just figure it out, or is "muscle memory" something kept between innies and outies?), and sad when it seemed that Burt was already in a relationship.  His outie waking up on Burt's doorstop will be interesting if we get to see it!

 

Mark's experience was interesting because unlike the other two, we've been following his outie all season anyway.  I enjoyed his interactions with Devon, who seemed to be understanding of what was happening pretty easily.  Cobel figuring out he was in innie form due to calling her Cobel was pretty good, as was her realizing that meant she had to immediately go find Helena/Helly.  The only part of the episode that was really unnecessary was the momentary drama where they made it seem like she might have taken Devon's baby with her in the car.  I get that it made the episode more exciting, because on paper there really isn't any technically exciting events happening here, just character revelations, but it seems like they could have come up with something better.

 

Helly being Helena Eagan was a very nice "twist" (though if you read my early reviews you know I suspected it for a while; I have no idea how many other viewers did or not).  But that's the thing with good writing: It does not matter one bit if you can guess a twist ahead of time if the twist is logical and makes sense, and takes characters in interesting directions; In other words, twists are bad if they are only there to BE a twist, a gotcha moment, which this was not.  This made complete sense in every way, and was clearly baked into the show's story from the beginning.

 

It was so interesting to see the video clips of Helena talking in a very PR / marketing way; On the surface she says she did the severance procedure to built public support for keeping the procedure legal, but I think there's gotta be more to it than just that.  It's no interesting that this really reveals Helena to be even more uncaring than we expected, willing to torture a soul existing in her own body just to advance her company.  I can't wait to learn more about her.  As the scenes at the gala continued, I was assuming the overtime contingency would get cut off just before Helly could say anything to the audience, so it was great that she actually got to speak her mind!  Can't wait to see if we learn about what happens as a result of that soon, or stick with innie's lives for a while and only learn what they know for a bit.

 

I was also afraid the episode would end without Mark seeing a picture of Gemma and realizing she's Ms Casey, especially when a pic was teased early but not scene.  So it was great that he not only got to see it at the end of the episode, but also got to shout out "she's alive!" before the overtime contingency ended.

 

It was a little goofy that Cobel was even able to talk directly to Milchik right after being fired, but also that it took him so long to cut through the rope Dylan had tied around the door.  I know we needed the drama of not knowing when their innies would get pulled back in, but it was kinda funny how often they cut to the rope being cut.  I liked Milchik bargaining with Dylan about him getting to see his kids more, etc.

 

Boy, just can't wait to see what happens next.  The upside of not watching the show until a year after it came out should normally mean I'd be able to go right into season 2 soon, but nope, look like they only started filming it a little while ago, and it won't be out until 2024.  WTF?

 

I can't wait to see if innie Mark is able to learn that Ms Casey is his outtie's dead wife; if outie Mark and Devon can figure out how innie Mark knows Gemma is alive; Why Gemma is even severed at all, and they faked her death to the outside world; What outie Irving is all about; How Helena will treat her innie publicly speaking out about how bad the innies have it, and so much more.

 

This is really really good TV!

[Edmilson 7,398]

The score for the Severance season finale was one of the best for a TV episode I've ever seen. Shapiro really deserved that Emmy.

 

It'd be great if Apple release one album per episode of Severance like TROP. I'd love to experience the score for the finale isolated from the images.

[Jay 37,323]

I honestly can't say I ever once noticed any score in the show that I wanted to hear outside of it >shrug<

 

But the opening title music is awesome, and I love watching the title sequence every time.  Sometimes when the opening title music was worked into underscore cues it was kind cool, but as the season went on they really overdid it.

[Edmilson 7,398]

The finale is scored kinda like a Nolan movie, where it seems like it is only one cue for the entire running time, always amping up the tension. It is impressively done and less obnoxious than an actual Nolan score (lol).

[Bespin 8,480]

Sorry to show another side of myself.

 

This is a series you probably never see in a recommandation list, but it is "normally" good.

 

Normal people.

 

[A24 4,327]

I did not like episode 2 (too much characters I didn't care about) of Station Eleven but luckily episode 3 (which concentrated on 1 character) was good again. 

 

[Bespin 8,480]

It's a sin.

 

Okay, I saw a lot of movies and series about the AIDS epidemic, and so you probably have.

 

Good taste, bad taste, miserable stories, humorous ones... we've seen everything, but yet I have the feeling the subject is far from being outdated.

 

I was 11 in 1985, I grew up in these horrible years... when it was cool to laugh about gays and the AIDS. At this time I wasn't ever sure of who I was and so  I laughed with everyone.

 

We'll never talk too much of these HORRIBLE years that changed all our lives.

 

That's a modern way to tell the story to a younger audience. That's not particularly sad, but not particularly happy, it's just another way to tell the story using facts.

 

We must never stop to tell this story.

 

Me, it touched me in a way that I was not used to.

 

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

I'm glad you liked It's a Sin, @Bespin. I thought it was terrific - heartbreaking, hilarious, cringy, awkward, imperfect and wonderful. Ultimately a joyous celebration of the beautiful people who were taken by a hideous disease, and their silent champions. I can't bring myself to do a rewatch though, it genuinely devastated me on my first watch.

[crocodile 7,990]

Finished the third season of The Orville. Massive thanks to Seth MacFarlene for honouring Gene Roddenberry when no one else would. Best season yet, really well done. It's the kind of thoughtful but good-natured TV we need right now.

 

Karol

[Jay 37,323]

Perry Mason 2x06 Chapter Fourteen

 

Oooh, another good one!  I finally understand now that Burger himself is under some kind of threat, which Della seems to be figuring out, so the conspiracy is going high indeed.  The reveal that it all has to do with oil is interesting, curious to see where that goes!

 

It was interesting seeing Holcomb getting a big role finally, and leading Perry to the oil stuff.  In fact it was interesting seeing him more or less switch sides to save his own ass!  I have a feeling he could be a casualty before season's end...

 

The court stuff with revealing the Councilman helped cover up Brooks strangling her sister during sex was all well done, and it was cool to see Della get the big moment there.  It was also cool to see her agree to move in with Anita, and FINALLY dump Hazel! I really don't understand what took her so long...

 

Strickland getting hired to snoop on Perry and hurting himself breaking into his home before finally realizing to break into his office instead and finds the murder weapon was a cool ending twist.  Just when it seemed like things were going so well for the case (with one of the Gallardos celebrating too early even) of course something major had to happen.  It was such a bummer that Perry blamed Ginny instead of realizing it was a breakin!

 

One story thread I don't follow at all is whenever Della goes to visit Hope Davis >shrug<

[Bespin 8,480]

15 hours ago, Docteur Qui said:

I'm glad you liked It's a Sin, @Bespin. I thought it was terrific - heartbreaking, hilarious, cringy, awkward, imperfect and wonderful. Ultimately a joyous celebration of the beautiful people who were taken by a hideous disease, and their silent champions. I can't bring myself to do a rewatch though, it genuinely devastated me on my first watch.

 

This series made me incredibly sad, and It's not sad in the way the story is showed, it's pretty non sensationalist and not over dramatic (I saw worse), but the feelings it evokes are incredibly sad. 

[Jay 37,323]

On 10/04/2023 at 5:46 PM, JNHFan2000 said:

I'm gatgering my thought and will post tomorrow

 

Are you going to share these thoughts?

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Ooh. I completely forgot to write something down. I'll do it tomorrow

[Jay 37,323]

I've heard that before!

 

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Succession Season 3 x Episode 3: Connor's Wedding

 

Well, here goes. The main reason why I think this episode is so incredible is because how real it all felt. Unfortunately I've been in a situation like this twice in the last few years. And it felt exactly like how it's portrayed in the episode.

Spoiler

Somebody suddenly dying who is very close to you, is such a shock that you always go through all these different emotions. But the shock on all 4 kids' faces when they heard the news, is something that hit me the most. I just really felt it.

 

This was really an episode for the actors. And Sarah Snook has been a favorite of mine for a long time, but she actually broke me this episode. When she started talking to Logan and called him 'Daddy' with her voice breaking. That was so sad.

And I liked the idea that all 4 kids have a different way of handeling it.

- Shiv just breaks down

- Kendall is the one who is quite clearheaded and tries to stay calm

- Roman is fully in denial

- Connor is sad, but I feel his line about Logan not being proud of him was just so sad.

I am happy that Connor and Willa got married and that she was very honest about why she is with him.

 

And also kudos to Mattbew MacFayden. His acting was also very strong, but in a very small way. He wanted to be honest to the kids but you felt like he didn't want to be the one to have to say that Logan's dead.

 

As for Logan's death itself. The choice to do it of screen was the best choice. I drives home that, even though sometimes it seemed lime he thought it himself, Logan wasn't immortal. And he went out in a very human way. His death so early on does mean that a lot is till to happen.

 

No it's suddenly really about the 'Succession' again. I think it will be a bit of Gerri, Frank & Tom Vs. The kids. But that the kids will also fight among themselves to be the one who ends on top. But I agree with what Logan said last week: tgey're not serious people. And I think neither of them is capable of the job.

 

So yeah. I really loved this episode. Amd like Jay said. This will be the episode that wins all the Emmys.

[Sweeping Strings 2,346]

Wasn't quite sure where to post this, but there's a great docu on ITVX called 'Hollywood Bulldogs' about the British stuntmen from the 60s to the 90s who worked on TV and movies like The Avengers, The Saint, Bond, Indiana Jones etc etc etc. I watched it over the Easter break and enjoyed it muchly. 

Very slight spoiler alert ... they unanimously agree that the worst director to work for was Michael Winner  . 

 

[A24 4,327]

Station Eleven Episode 5: The Severn City Airport.

 

 

Probably the best episode of the series.

[Jay 37,323]

6 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

Succession Season 3 x Episode 3: Connor's Wedding

 

I put the bulk of your post in a spoiler block for obvious reasons

 

If you like Snook in the show you really gotta see Predestination, it will blow your mind.  Just don't look up anything about it first

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

 

If you like Snook in the show you really gotta see Predestination, it will blow your mind.  Just don't look up anything about it first

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check that out

[Jay 37,323]

I recommended it to you previously here as well

[Mr. Who 919]

I have been considering watching Succession but after seeing major spoilers for the latest episode on the internet I probably won't, at least for now. S4 is the final season right? How is the score by Britell for the show?

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

1 minute ago, Mr. Who said:

I have been considering watching Succession but after seeing major spoilers for the latest episode on the internet I probably won't, at least for now. S4 is the final season right? How is the score by Britell for the show?

You should watch it, even when you've seen some spoilers. It's one of the best series ever in my opinion.

 

Britell's score is also incredible! The main title especially is great. But it's all wonderful. Very much influenced by classical music.

1 hour ago, Jay said:

I recommended it to you previously here as well

Aah. I thought I'd seen it before.

That's my bad. My brain isn't fully functioning😖🙃🫠

[Jay 37,323]

1 hour ago, Mr. Who said:

I have been considering watching Succession but after seeing major spoilers for the latest episode on the internet I probably won't, at least for now. S4 is the final season right? How is the score by Britell for the show?

 

Yea, season 4 is the final season.

 

And knowing that spoiler won't affect your enjoyment of the show one iota.  If you already wanted to check it out, you still should

 

Britell's main title cue is legendary and fantastic, the underscore within the show doesn't really matter much, honestly.  It's a show where people talk to each other for an hour, it doesn't really need especially compelling underscore IMO.

[Bespin 8,480]

Is it good?

 

 

[Jay 37,323]

Surely not

[HyenaBoy 29]

I'm currently watching Exedition Unknown on Discovery Plus. It's quite good.

[Bespin 8,480]

3 hours ago, Jay said:

Surely not

 

Horrible indeed, stopped it at the 2nd episode.

[Hurmm 91]

17 hours ago, AC1 said:

Station Eleven Episode 5: The Severn City Airport.

 

 

Probably the best episode of the series.

 

Yes that's probably the best of the series. 

 

I also get that the episodes with the travelling troupe may seem to be the weakest, but I think it ties it up quite nicely, particularly with Kirsten in the mix. Without her, yes the troupe would be much more of a slog. Also, David Cross appears in one or two of the eps and he's always just so watchable. 

 

Many of the episodes have a standalone-ish quality to it while also tying into the overarching story, and it's done in a very subtle and classy manner. 

 

It's a series that deserves to be seen by many more. 

[Bayesian 1,359]

Working my way through season 2 of Flight Attendant. Currently done with episode 5. What a chore. The show has turned into flatly unswallowable nonsense that could have worked if the writers didn’t try to make us believe that the CIA could be that incompetent, that Annie’s hacker boyfriend could pull off his hacker shit in mere seconds, that iPhones never need charging even though they are used almost constantly around the clock, or that someone as absurdly indiscreet as Cassie could ever continue to be used as a CIA civilian asset. It also gets tiring watching Cassie freak out about her life spinning out of control over and over and over. And Blake Neely’s irritating score is mixed way too loud.

 

On the other hand, the costume and set design is sharp. And the way alcohol dependency is used as a plot driver (with the multiple Cassies competing for attention in her mind) was innovative. Also, it was refreshing to see a character actually suffer realistic injuries (tinnitus) after being exposed to an explosion at close range.

 

It doesn’t seem like there’ll be a third season. Probably for the best. 

[Jay 37,323]

Yea its a fun show, but the plot doesn't make a lick of sense if you analyze it!

[Hurmm 91]

Has anyone seen Beef, on Netflix? It's released last week. I saw that Steve Yuen (one of the best actors around currently) is in it and decided to check it out. 

 

It's very, very good. The down-trodden vs the one-percenters. It starts off jovial in tone but gets progressively more serious with heightened stakes. Some whiff of Parasite but spread across 10 eps.

 

I'm still unsure about the last episode, but overall I wholeheartedly recommend this. It's not often that gets said about a new Netflix series. 

[Bayesian 1,359]

Yeah, I've read good things about Beef and plan to check it out soon.

 

Meanwhile, Succession season 4 is rolling along great. It's hilarious and discomfiting at the same time to see Tom and Greg individually -- and so pathetically transparently -- work every Roy they can to grab a lifeline, with no success. I never much liked Tom as a character, so it was awesome to see Karl destroy him in front of the old guard when he had the temerity to suggest he could be interim CEO.

 

But it's Shiv who I guess deserves the most sympathy (relatively speaking; all the Roys are awful in their own ways and would deserve no sympathy from us plebeians if they were real people). She once again gets sidelined and gets to wonder how she'll get fucked over by her family -- which almost certain to happen because neither Ken nor Roman have any backbone when a good deal is offered to them.

 

Really enjoying this show. Just six more episodes before it's all wrapped up!

[Jay 37,323]

Shrinking 1x09 Moving Forward

 

Well damn, so much happened in this episode, it was kinda crazy.  I was surprised that Jimmy was suddenly Brian's officiant again; he is clearly so unstable, it's so illogical that Brian would still want him to do this.  Especially the bizarre wrinkle that Brian has no best man otherwise; I feel like a guy like Brian would have TONS of friends he could choose from.  That was weird.  But it seems to be written this way to give him and his dad a reconciliation arc of some kind.  It was fun to see Brian Howe from Kevin Can Fuck Himself in a different role there!
 

Gaby's scene with Nico was nice, but I dunno about her and Jimmy hooking up again after.  Seems like a recipe for disaster.  These guys should know that friends with benefits never works in the long run, someone always gets hurt, and being coworkers on top is extra risky. Damn!

 

Gaby had her hands in a lot of storylines this week.  Suddenly she wants to be a professor which had not been set up at all prior to now.  Her reasons for wanting it were awesome, but it was a little weird that Paul didn't want to write the letter himself and told her he'd sign one she wrote.  I felt this was out of character for him, who has been portrayed as a good boss and helpful guy until now.  Are we chalking this up to him being distracted by everything happened with Meg?

 

Gaby also helped Sean start a catering business, which was just blazed through at lightning speed.  All of a sudden he has a job with his dad, despite the issues they've had all season, then he hates it right away, then him and Gaby manage to convince Liz and Derek to give him 20 freaking thousand dollars for it?  Starting a small business is no joke and takes a lot of time to set up, this just all felt sort of sitcom-y in a show that has largely avoided sitcom tropes until now.

 

Another distraction for Paul could have been the career achievement reward we learned about this episode (which also maybe shouldn't have come out of nowhere).  I found his reasons for seemingly not caring about it to be interesting, but I also feel like Jimmy and Gaby would have convinced him to go and wanted to go with him when they presumably found out some time ago.  I dunno.

 

Gaby also was involved with finding out that Paul is daring Dr. Julie, and holy hell that whole scene was so funny!!  Jessica Williams might be my new favorite actor and I want to see more of her work now.  I liked the conversation Paul had with Julie about not being at the stage to sit through boring stuff together, and the end of the episode was so adorable when he takes her to the play instead of the award show.  BTW, where does Meg live, exactly?  She's clearly far enough away that she usually flies to visit him, but this episode made it seem like he could just drive there, and that it was less than a drive to Vegas?

 

The bits surrounding Tia and Alice were interesting this episode too.  Jimmy emptying out her closet and looking through a scrapbook, him and Alice remembering their listening parties, only for Alice to realize she forgot Tia's birthday... damn!  I can't imagine how that feels

[Mr. Who 919]

40 minutes ago, Jay said:

Shrinking 1x09 Moving Forward

 

Well damn, so much happened in this episode, it was kinda crazy.  I was surprised that Jimmy was suddenly Brian's officiant again; he is clearly so unstable, it's so illogical that Brian would still want him to do this.  Especially the bizarre wrinkle that Brian has no best man otherwise; I feel like a guy like Brian would have TONS of friends he could choose from.  That was weird.  But it seems to be written this way to give him and his dad a reconciliation arc of some kind.  It was fun to see Brian Howe from Kevin Can Fuck Himself in a different role there!
 

Gaby's scene with Nico was nice, but I dunno about her and Jimmy hooking up again after.  Seems like a recipe for disaster.  These guys should know that friends with benefits never works in the long run, someone always gets hurt, and being coworkers on top is extra risky. Damn!

 

Gaby had her hands in a lot of storylines this week.  Suddenly she wants to be a professor which had not been set up at all prior to now.  Her reasons for wanting it were awesome, but it was a little weird that Paul didn't want to write the letter himself and told her he'd sign one she wrote.  I felt this was out of character for him, who has been portrayed as a good boss and helpful guy until now.  Are we chalking this up to him being distracted by everything happened with Meg?

 

Gaby also helped Sean start a catering business, which was just blazed through at lightning speed.  All of a sudden he has a job with his dad, despite the issues they've had all season, then he hates it right away, then him and Gaby manage to convince Liz and Derek to give him 20 freaking thousand dollars for it?  Starting a small business is no joke and takes a lot of time to set up, this just all felt sort of sitcom-y in a show that has largely avoided sitcom tropes until now.

 

Another distraction for Paul could have been the career achievement reward we learned about this episode (which also maybe shouldn't have come out of nowhere).  I found his reasons for seemingly not caring about it to be interesting, but I also feel like Jimmy and Gaby would have convinced him to go and wanted to go with him when they presumably found out some time ago.  I dunno.

 

Gaby also was involved with finding out that Paul is daring Dr. Julie, and holy hell that whole scene was so funny!!  Jessica Williams might be my new favorite actor and I want to see more of her work now.  I liked the conversation Paul had with Julie about not being at the stage to sit through boring stuff together, and the end of the episode was so adorable when he takes her to the play instead of the award show.  BTW, where does Meg live, exactly?  She's clearly far enough away that she usually flies to visit him, but this episode made it seem like he could just drive there, and that it was less than a drive to Vegas?

 

The bits surrounding Tia and Alice were interesting this episode too.  Jimmy emptying out her closet and looking through a scrapbook, him and Alice remembering their listening parties, only for Alice to realize she forgot Tia's birthday... damn!  I can't imagine how that feels

Gabi’s reactions to finding out about Paul and Julie are hilarious! Her facial expressions alone are really funny!
 

I first saw Jessica Williams in the third Fantastic Beasts movie in which she was very good. I remember that she did some funny interviews for that movie as she’s a massive Potter fan.

[Jay 37,323]

It turns out I've apparently seen her in Girls, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Booksmart, and Twilight Zone, though I guess she didn't make an impression in those. She's so good in this, the breakout star for me (though Brian is great too) 

 

She stars in a movie called The Incredible Jessica James that I rembember hearing about, I want to watch it now just because of how good she is in Shrinking! 

[Jay 37,323]

Ted Lasso 3x05 Signs 

 

Rebecca's story this season has been so random, I don't get it.  So now another thing the physic said has come true... where is this all going?  And why are we getting a storyline where she learns she can't have kids... will the season end with her adopting a kid?  Or becoming a step-mom?

 

Shandy getting fired was overdue, and pretty funny.  She seemed like she'd be an interesting character to have around at first, but she proved so bad at her job I'm glad she's gone.  The lamb poop revenge was kind of funny (But how did 1 tiny lamb poop that much!?), but seemingly only existed to get Keely and Jack together, which is another kind of weird story.  They definitely had electric chemistry, no problem there, but I'm surprised that the show is doing another Boss/Employee relationship after doing Rebecca and Sam last year (and sort of Rupert and his assistant this year).  We'll see if they can make it different somehow!

 

Nate continuing to want to impress the hostess at that restaurant is another kind of weird thread.  This could be because I do not remember at all what the story was with him and her from last season, but she seemed reasonably uninterested in him in her first episode this season and most of this one, so didn't really buy that she'd actually sit down with him after the random model left him.  I dunno

 

Ted's son being a bully was interesting, as was the ending result (he already made friends with the kid he bullied), but I don't get what the point of this plot was. It must parallel something going on this season but I don't get it

 

Zava retiring was a real oddity.  He was a fun character for 3 episodes and really mixed up the status quo; I was expecting him to leave before the end of the season of course, to have the main characters have to win on their own terms without special help, but wasn't expecting it to happen so soon.  I liked Ted's speech at the end, because he's seemed so checked out from actually coaching this entire season (other than the sewer trip)

[Jay 37,323]

Succession 4x04 Honeymoon States

 

Very interesting to spend an entire episode the day after Logan's death, and almost entirely in his apartment, too.  The small amount of actual sibling grieving was nice, otherwise almost everything that happened in the episode was business related; Either to Waystar Royco itself, or people jockeying for their own bits of power where the can.

It was great to see Marcia again, and that she is insisting her and Logan still talked every day - lol.  Also LOL was Kerri showing up to collect some stuff and wanting to find out if Logan had written down that he intended to marry her - also LOL.  Zoe WInters is great and I hope this isn't the last we've seen of her.

 

Shiv being pregnant is interesting.  I wonder if Tom's the father?  I can't remember how long ago we saw her banging other people.  I also wonder when and how she'll tell Tom!  Tom was interesting in this episode; At one point in this episode I thought that if last episode was the one Culkin and Snook would submit as their Emmy episode, this is the one Macfadyen would (it was when he was Shiv and said "don't do that, let me be kind to you").  But then he didn't get to do too much else this episode other than try to get any sibling he can on his side.  Karl laying out how he's an interloper whose only champion just died and ex-wife doesn't even like him was brutal and hilarious and honest.  Poor Tom, at least he still has his Disgusting Brother lol

 

The letter in the safe was an interesting plot device, as was the cross-out that could be interpreted as an underline (yea right! says me).  It was interesting when the 3 siblings sit down and convince Shiv that Kendall and Roman would be co-COO and Shiv would again be left out.  The best part of the episode was definitely the final 10 seconds, when Kendall acts as ruthless as he thinks his father would have wanted him to, blackmailing Hugo into doing the "bad dad" PR in exchange for hiding Hugo's daughter's insider trading.  Succession is back, baby!

[Mr. Who 919]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

Ted Lasso 3x05 Signs 

 

Rebecca's story this season has been so random, I don't get it.  So now another thing the physic said has come true... where is this all going?  And why are we getting a storyline where she learns she can't have kids... will the season end with her adopting a kid?  Or becoming a step-mom?

 

Shandy getting fired was overdue, and pretty funny.  She seemed like she'd be an interesting character to have around at first, but she proved so bad at her job I'm glad she's gone.  The lamb poop revenge was kind of funny (But how did 1 tiny lamb poop that much!?), but seemingly only existed to get Keely and Jack together, which is another kind of weird story.  They definitely had electric chemistry, no problem there, but I'm surprised that the show is doing another Boss/Employee relationship after doing Rebecca and Sam last year (and sort of Rupert and his assistant this year).  We'll see if they can make it different somehow!

 

Nate continuing to want to impress the hostess at that restaurant is another kind of weird thread.  This could be because I do not remember at all what the story was with him and her from last season, but she seemed reasonably uninterested in him in her first episode this season and most of this one, so didn't really buy that she'd actually sit down with him after the random model left him.  I dunno

 

Ted's son being a bully was interesting, as was the ending result (he already made friends with the kid he bullied), but I don't get what the point of this plot was. It must parallel something going on this season but I don't get it

 

Zava retiring was a real oddity.  He was a fun character for 3 episodes and really mixed up the status quo; I was expecting him to leave before the end of the season of course, to have the main characters have to win on their own terms without special help, but wasn't expecting it to happen so soon.  I liked Ted's speech at the end, because he's seemed so checked out from actually coaching this entire season (other than the sewer trip)

I also thought that the Rebecca and Keely storylines have been a bit too unconnected to the main story this season. I hope that it all starts to tie together later in the season.

[Jay 37,323]

Right?  It's different from Shrinking where everyone is constantly popping into each other stories and talking about everthing going on

 

Here you could take Nate's entire story out and not affect anything.  Same with Keely's and Rebecca's.  It's weird.  

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Ted Lasso S3 x Ep. 6

 

I loved this. This was the best episode rhis season and one of my favorites of the whole series.

I might be biased because I'm from The Netherlands myself and it was great to see a bunch of Dutch actors.

 

There are so many great moments and I feel every character or group got an interesting storyline.

 

My personal favorites were Colin & Trent and Roy & Jaimie.

I'm glad that Colin's story unfolded the way it did with Trent. Their conversation by the water was great and had some really strong writing for both of them. The thing Colin said about living 2 lives really hit me and I hope that he gets to live that 1 life before the show ends.

 

Roy and Jaimie's thing was mostly very funny until the moment with the bikes. I'm happy Roy showed some emotion and that he was genuinely happy when he rode the bike. That whole thing was hilarious by the way, the way he fell over and tried to keep his balance. So funny!

Then their talk while cycling was also nice. Glad to get some more history on Jamie's life.

 

Rebecca's story was nice. She had great chemistry with the other actor. My favorite moments where the thing with the song and the whole "Gezellig" argument. It really is a word that only exists in Dutch.

Higgins' whole thing with The Red Light Djstrict and everyone saying "nooo" everytine was funny. And I really liked how both his story and Will's played out.

 

The team's discussion about what to do worked well enough. The chemistry of the whole group is especially great. That's what made this work the most I think. The pillow fight was great.

 

Then Ted's whole thing with the drugs (but then it turned out it wasn't a good batch?). It was a really cool way to get him to really "be a coach". He came up with a strategy, which they're gonna use, and is probably the thing that'll get them back on track without Zava.

 

All in, I loved this episode!

[Mr. Who 919]

I was pretty underwhelmed by the latest Ted Lasso episode. The storylines were again largely unconnected and felt a bit like filler (like the coach Beard episode from S2). Revecka’s and Keely’s storylines are all over the place this season and they don’t feel that central to the main plot. I hope that the rest of the season will be more cohesive.

 

There were funny bits though like Jamie and Roy with the bikes, Ted not wanting to do mushrooms because he hates tea and the mystery of who wrote tulips on the paper lol.