What is the last Television series you watched?

[Bespin Copilot 9,556]

Rewatched it again and again. I love that series. The fact that John Williams composed a theme for it is also exceptional.

[bollemanneke 3,973]

Family Guy, season 22. A bad season on the whole. Some good jokes, but Brian and Stewie are terribly neglected. Also, the rushed ending of the final episode is unforgivable. I miss the good old days.

[Nick1Ø66 6,711]

The Expanse

S01E01

 

Finally started watching The Expanse after meaning to for years. Damn, after one episode, I'm in.

 

Is the rest of the show this good?!

[bruce marshall 1,438]

WORLD AT WAR

 

Landmark British series is the finest doc. on the subject of WWII.

Great theme music by Carl Davis.

 

BEWARE of cropped versions. Iirc the bluray has tampered with the original 1:33 aspect ratio and cropped it to 1:78.

The DVD box is the way to go.

[Mr. Lovejoy 7,982]

 

Last couple of days I re-watched season 5 of Yellowstone, what was originally supposed to be part 1 of 2. So much for that. Not long afterward there was a Hollyweird strike and we apparently lost Costner too. What a disaster. 

 

This "season" is underrated. It wasn't greatly received in its original airing. The plot didn't advance much, there were accusations that there were too many songs. It was more of a hangout than previous seasons. 

 

I think it's underrated. Sure, there are a lot of songs, but they're good songs. There's a vibe to this season, as the kids are saying these days. A ton of setups, an increasing sense of dread and particularly eerie finality to John Dutton in the final episode. What a cliffhanger. It's all there. A takedown of the Dutton Administration, the Yellowstone cowboys splitting up and removing half the herd to Texas, a Jamie/Beth stalemate. Where the hell do we go from here?

 

I guess we'll find out soon.

 

Also, the OB1 show was fucken' trash. Take it to the train station.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

Only Murders In The Building: Season 4 - Episode 1 x Once Upon A Time In The West

 

Really great opening episode I thought. I was happy they adressed some moments ftom Season 3, to sort of bridge the gap. And it's just so nice to be in the company of these characters again.

 

Thought all the stuff in Hollywood was really great. Molly Shannon, Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy & Zach Galifianakis were all funny. Liked how Mabel didn't just agree but took a bit of time to decide.

I'm pretty sure Oliver was almost proposing to Loretta, which I hope happens, they're a great couple.

 

Then the whole thing with Sazz is becoming a really great set up for tge rest of tge season. The final few moments of the episode were fantastic. I loved how the dog came in to play, as were Saz' photos of her broken bones. Seeing Charles hold the replacements, because they didn't burn away, then looking up and Oliver & Mabel was really really sad. He looked so helpless. Great perfomance by Steve Martin.

Cool to see that the killer this times feels like a real threat and that it has become very personal now. Ups the stakes in a way I really enjoy.

 

Looking forward to the rest of the season.

 

Oh, and I thought it was great that at the party the pianist was the composer of the show, Siddhartha Khosla.

[tee_oh 39]

On 09/08/2024 at 7:51 AM, Nick1Ø66 said:

The Expanse

S01E01

 

Finally started watching The Expanse after meaning to for years. Damn, after one episode, I'm in.

 

Is the rest of the show this good?!

Yes it is! 

 

Have you kept watching? 

[Nick1Ø66 6,711]

2 hours ago, tee_oh said:

Yes it is! 

 

Have you kept watching? 

 

Just finished season 3. On to the Amazon seasons...

[Tallguy 5,500]

On 08/08/2024 at 6:51 PM, Nick1Ø66 said:

The Expanse

S01E01

 

Finally started watching The Expanse after meaning to for years. Damn, after one episode, I'm in.

 

Is the rest of the show this good?!

 

I'd say it's better. It didn't click for me until about the third episode. I love The Expanse and it's bummer that they didn't get to finish it. (Don't worry. The ending is good.)

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

The Umbrella Academy Season 3 & 4

 

I really loved the first two seasons of this, but somehow I never even finished Season 3 when it came out. Now that the final season was out I thought I'd finish it, and maybe I shouldn't have. They should've stopped at S2 because the second half of S3 and the entirety of S4 are awful.

 

Characters act nothing like themselves, the things that made the show so much fun are suddenly gone, the humor falls flat and some of the story choices made for season 4 are just baffling. Truly terrible writing. The ending is a complete dud and totally unsatisfactory.

 

Robert Sheehan's performance as Klaus is still the standout and the only really interesting character throughout 4 seasons and I like the needle drops that they used, but unfortunatly that's about it. Wish this has ended after season 2, so I'm gonna pretend that it did, because then I have a fonder memory of the whole thing. Such a shame.

[Tom Guernsey 3,191]

1 hour ago, JNHFan2000 said:

The Umbrella Academy Season 3 & 4

 

I really loved the first two seasons of this, but somehow I never even finished Season 3 when it came out. Now that the final season was out I thought I'd finish it, and maybe I shouldn't have. They should've stopped at S2 because the second half of S3 and the entirety of S4 are awful.

 

Characters act nothing like themselves, the things that made the show so much fun are suddenly gone, the humor falls flat and some of the story choices made for season 4 are just baffling. Truly terrible writing. The ending is a complete dud and totally unsatisfactory.

 

Robert Sheehan's performance as Klaus is still the standout and the only really interesting character throughout 4 seasons and I like the needle drops that they used, but unfortunatly that's about it. Wish this has ended after season 2, so I'm gonna pretend that it did, because then I have a fonder memory of the whole thing. Such a shame.

I’ve not watched season 4 yet but sounds like your view is similar to the general consensus. I always thought the first season was the best in much the same way as the first season of Heroes (remember that?!) which had a strong narrative drive which they then tried to replicate each successive season to dwindling effect. I appreciate that Heroes was beset by issues outside their control (writer strikes I think) but “save the cheerleader, save the world” is a brilliant tagline and premise and the show lived up to that. 

[Tallguy 5,500]

The first season of Heroes was as perfect a serialized season of television that has ever been made. It ran like a Swiss watch.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

Never seen Heroes, and to be honest I had to look it up because I wasn't sure what it was.

[Edmilson 10,351]

Heroes Season 1 is one of the best seasons of TV I've ever seen. It blew my mind when I saw it as a teenager. When I was 13 or 14 I was certain no show could ever match Lost, but then Heroes came along.

 

I remember I thought Season 2 was acceptable, not as good but still watchable. Then, S3 was absolutely horrible. Just utter and complete garbage. I tried to see S4 but didn't get past, like, episode 3 or 4 or whatever. The only thing I remembered is that it had T-Bag from Prison Break as a villain who ran a circus (?).

 

Didn't even try the revival years later. 

 

Either way, no matter how awful the seasons that followed are, I still think S1 is probably the best live-action superhero TV show ever made.

[Marian Schedenig 10,069]

I don't remember how far I watched Heroes… I definitely saw at least some of S2, but at some point I just didn't bother anymore. But I've been meaning to re-watch S1 for a while.

 

Same with Prison Break by the way… excellent, tight first season, and then it just (not so) slowly fizzles out.

[Edmilson 10,351]

Prison Break was another show I loved as a teenager. Season 1 was spetacular, then 2 started okay but then it became less and less interesting... By the final episode I didn't care anymore.

 

But I still persevered through S3 (which I thought it was the best since the first one) and 4 (meh). Then I think I watched the movie that served as series finale...? Not sure. Once again I skipped the revival.

 

In retrospect, almost all the shows I loved as a teen started great then got gradually worse with each season: Lost, Prison Break, Dexter, Heroes... In comparison to the latter three, Lost was the "least bad" one 

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

Only Murders In The Building S4xEp2: Gates Of Heaven

 

Another great episode. I really loved Jane Lynch in this episode. She's both really funny but also able bring some really wonderful emotional moments. Her scenes with Steve Martin were all very good.

 

Oliver & Mabel's search at the other side of the building was fun. The guest appearances from Richard Kind & Daphne Rubin-Vega were my favorites.

 

I think they're doing an excellent job of setting up and exploring the murder this season. It's feels more dangerous than it has been in previous seasons, so I like that extra bit of stakes. And the way they are able to mix that with the humour is really well done.

 

I also loved that Da'Vine Joy Randolph showed up again. She is such a great character, the way she's so tired of all of this with them is so funny, and I hope we'll be seeing her more this season.

 

There's another guest appearance that I won't spoil for anyone who has yet to see the episode, but I thought it was a mixed bag. The moments the character had with Charles were really great, but there was also some stuff that felt a bit too over the top and didn't fully work for me. The performance was great though and I just really love this show! Ready for more!

[Jay 42,232]

@Disco Stu, check out this Jeopardy! video

 

 

[Edmilson 10,351]

Who?

[Jay 42,232]

Very good

[Naïve Old Fart 11,517]

Currently watching TBBT, the one with JEJ.

To be perfectly honest, I'm only waiting for the footie, but it passes the time 

[Marian Schedenig 10,069]

I just finished a full rewatch of the classic TV series whose main characters are obsessed with coffee, set in a little fictional North American town whose large cast of recurring side-characters is almost as important as the main story itself. It had a one-season revival, filmed and set many years after the main series, which brings back almost the entire recurring cast from the original (even showing a character that was frequently mentioned in dialogue, but never seen in the original episodes) and ends with a line that could either be a cliffhanger or just a deliberate open end. Many scenes are set in a diner (owned by one of the main characters and employing various other recurring characters throughout the show) that is also well known for its pies, with a plot line about turning it into a franchise. Another recurring location is the hotel run by another main character (whose daughter sometimes helps out with the work), with the conventions and events hosted for and by the guests frequently being featured prominently as part of an episode. Actors in recurring roles include Ray Wise, Mädchen Amick, and Sherilyn Fenn. The series has recurring surrealistic dream sequences featuring celebrities playing themselves, and includes several performances by established musicians as part of the background story (including repeated cameos by the woman who co-wrote and performed the famous title song).

 

Followed by the other classic TV series whose main characters are obsessed with coffee, set in a little fictional North American town whose large cast of recurring side-characters is almost as important as the main story itself. It had a one-season revival, filmed and set many years after the main series, which brings back almost the entire recurring cast from the original (even showing a character that was frequently mentioned in dialogue, but never seen in the original episodes) and ends with a line that could either be a cliffhanger or just a deliberate open end. Many scenes are set in a diner (owned by one of the main characters and employing various other recurring characters throughout the show) that is also well known for its pies, with a plot line about turning it into a franchise. Another recurring location is the hotel run by another main character (whose daughter sometimes helps out with the work), with the conventions and events hosted for and by the guests frequently being featured prominently as part of an episode. Actors in recurring roles include Ray Wise, Mädchen Amick, and Sherilyn Fenn. The series has recurring surrealistic dream sequences featuring celebrities playing themselves, and includes several performances by established musicians as part of the background story (including repeated cameos by the woman who co-wrote and performed the famous title song).

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Meredith McKay 7,785]

? Is that spoiler block intended to be blank?

[Jay 42,232]

He's talking about

Spoiler

Twin Peaks and Gilmore Girls

 

[Mr. Lovejoy 7,982]

Went straight over my head. Gilmore Girls? Typical Jayfan. Watch some real television, not soapy chick entertainment. 

[Lady Dimitrescu 9,724]

They should watch 1923. Real manly shows.

[Jay 42,232]

I've never seen Gilmore Girls.

[Marian Schedenig 10,069]

18 hours ago, The Great Gonzales said:

? Is that spoiler block intended to be blank?

 

I don't know what happened to the embedded video. Here's a direct link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYh9lNWvOCM

[Nick1Ø66 6,711]

On 18/9/2024 at 5:32 PM, Marian Schedenig said:

I just finished a full rewatch of the classic TV series whose main characters are obsessed with coffee

 

You just described every Scandi crime drama. Every one.

 

Every. One.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

Only Murders In The Building: Season 4 x Episode 5

 

This was such a funny episode!! How has Martin Short not won an Emmy?!?!?!? He is incredible!

This just again makes it clear that The Bear is at the wrong category at the Emmy's, because it's taking away awards to the actual comedies like this was. 

 

I'm always amazed at how this show is able to balance comedy and drama so well. To have an episode that's this funny while also making us feel some real danger throughout is really well done.

 

I'm again at a point where I don't know who the killer could be. They keep making the mystery so damn interesting and they keep throwing these curveballs. Excellent stuff!

[A24 4,788]

 

After enjoying Ripley (Netflix) so much I decided to watch The Night Of (HBO) again (both are directed by Steven Zaillian). Starts good but gradually gets weaker (but still very watchable).

[Nick1Ø66 6,711]

The Expanse (2015-2022)

 

Why did I wait so long to finally watch this? People had been recommending it to me for years, and I finally got around to it.

 

Simply phenomenal. Instantly one of my favourites. Well-developed characters, tightly written, and fantastically plotted, it’s one of the best sci-fi shows I’ve ever seen. I was hooked from the first episode, and, while it took me a couple of months to get through it, I was sad when it was over. The kind of show that makes anything you watch afterward feel like a letdown.

 

All the major characters were nuanced, and it was difficult to categorize any of them neatly into a box. Not all the military types were shoot-first (though some were), and not all the scientists were noble (though many were). With nuance, the series showed us the point of view of Earth, Mars, and the Belt. Sometimes we sympathized with each, and sometimes we hated each. We saw all three groups from different perspectives. I primarily like character-driven shows best (especially for rewatchability), and in The Expanse, the characters weren’t stereotypes but real people. Most of the characters are likeable, even if you don’t always like the choices they make. You enjoy spending time with them. By and large, the acting was exceptional, with some truly great performances, especially from Jared Harris in a recurring but sadly too infrequent role as a freedom fighter/terrorist.

 

Similarly, the plot is well-paced and kept me engaged throughout, and I was intrigued by the mysteries, even as the show largely avoided the dreaded “mystery box” format. It was episodic enough to make each episode feel complete, but serialized enough to keep you wanting to watch. I haven’t read the novels, but my understanding is the show largely stuck to the books, and it shows. A testament to how good a TV adaptation can be when you have strong source material adapted by creators who love and respect it.

 

The series was largely scripted and aired prior to 2020, and it shows. Politics are a part of the show, but the show isn’t aggressively pushing an agenda. All “sides” are shown sympathetically and judged harshly, and the creators leave it to the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Everyone who does good or bad things has their reasons for doing so. And if there is a message, we’re not hit on the head with it. 

 

It’s also obvious The Expanse, at least the TV series, is seriously influenced by what came before it…and I mean this in a good way. It’s not derivative, but clearly, they’ve taken inspiration from a lot of high-quality sources. Battlestar Galactica is the most obvious example, but careful viewers will see hints of Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Firefly, Alien, Contact, Independence Day, 2001, and even Game of Thrones and Indiana Jones in there as well. And that’s just what I can remember; I think I spotted even more influences as I was watching. It’s military sci-fi, hard sci-fi, epic sci-fi, and space opera all rolled into one. It can also be horror, a police procedural, mystery and a political drama.

 

Technically, the show is a marvel…the title sequence, the digital effects, the practical effects, and Clifon Shorter’s atmospheric score all come together brilliantly. And while no science fiction show is ever going to be 100% accurate, it's obvious they tried to ground the show in scientific accuracy as much as possible.  While there is intergalactic travel, there's no warp or FTL speed, and it was refreshing to see a space sci-fi show set largely in our solar system.

 

It’s not perfect. I occasionally found James Holden (the main protagonist) to be a little self-righteous for my taste. But others may disagree, which is a testament to how nuanced and multidimensional these characters are drawn. I thought Season 4 (the first Amazon season) dragged a bit. And while they mostly stuck the landing (mostly), the truncated final season, while at a natural stopping point, felt a little rushed and left some important plot threads hanging. But these are small complaints. I hope they go back one day and finish the story.

 

Is the show that good, or am I biased because there's so little exceptional sci-fi on TV? Hard for me to judge at the moment. And while I can’t say I liked it quite as much as Battlestar Galactica (2004), which again it’s most often compared to, I will say The Expanse was more consistently good than that show. BSG has higher highs but more weak episodes as well. It’s definitely a Top 10, if not Top 5, sci-fi show for me, and in my opinion the best science fiction show of the last 15 years. And certainly one of the best in any genre during that time. 

 

Verily recommended. 

 

 

 

[Schilkeman 1,436]

On 18/09/2024 at 10:15 PM, John Dutton said:

Went straight over my head. Gilmore Girls? Typical Jayfan. Watch some real television, not soapy chick entertainment. 

JOHN DUTTON!? my word, what a fool.

[Naïve Old Fart 11,517]

I'm currently watching TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY.

I'm only two episodes in, but it's not bad, so far.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

Show is fantastic, finale is a bit of a letdown in certain aspects.

[Marian Schedenig 10,069]

Re Gilmore Girls, I don't think there's a point in arguing with those who would deprive themselves of great entertainment simply because it was supposedly not made for their gender. Suffice it to say that it's as geeky and nerdy a show as any (at a higher intelligence level than some). If it's "chick flicks" I have to watch for a hefty dose of wholesome cynicism, so be it. And if Lauren Graham's excellent performance doesn't count for something for some blokes, surely at least looking at her should be worth something?

 

8 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

I'm currently watching TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY.

I'm only two episodes in, but it's not bad, so far.

 

After GG, continued with my task of catching up with True Detective and binged S3 in two nights. As someone who, unlike many, thoroughly enjoyed the second season, I found the third one excellent - and easier to follow, though still enough work for my poor brain that can't retain names even if there's only a single timeline.

 

To my surprise, I was almost completely unfamiliar with almost the entire cast. The only actor I recognised and could name was Sarah Gadon. I knew Stephen Dorff only by name (apparently I've seen him in Public Enemies, but that was long ago and I barely remember it, and Cecil B. Demented, but that was much longer ago still). And Mahershala Ali was completely unknown to me - and absolutely brilliant.

 

I've only finally started watching the series when I bought the first season Blu-ray last year, so I expect by the time I get around to S4 (when I find a good deal on the Blu), the fifth one will have aired.

 

Next up: Ripley? Or my long awaited Black Sails rewatch?

[Jay 42,232]

12 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

And Mahershala Ali was completely unknown to me - and absolutely brilliant.

 

How in the world have you made it all the way to 2024 without ever seeing one acting performance by this man?  He's been killing it for 20 years!

 

He was in The 4400, House of Cards, Benjamin Button, Predators, two Hunger Games movies, Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Green Book, Leave The World Behind.....

[Marian Schedenig 10,069]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

He was in The 4400, House of Cards, Benjamin Button, Predators, two Hunger Games movies, Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Green Book, Leave The World Behind.....

 

I have no idea… not only was I not familiar with his work, I didn't even know him by name or face, despite his two Oscars!  I have seen him in The Hunger Games, but after the second part of Mockingjay I mostly suppressed my memories of them. And I've seen Benjamin Button once, at the cinema back in 2008. I've had the Blu-ray for years (10+ probably) but somehow still haven't rewatched it. Knowing my luck, the disc has probably already rotted and won't play when I finally get around to it…

[crocodile 9,130]

10 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

I'm currently watching TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY.

I'm only two episodes in, but it's not bad, so far.

Coincidentally, I just finished episode 5. Overall, I think it is pretty good. If nothing else, the setting itself makes it interesting already. And great to see Jodie Foster.

 

Will watch season 3 next.

 

And yes, Mahershala Ali is great. He was also in Luke Cage.

 

Karol

[JibberJabberwocky 12]

wrong thread

[Marian Schedenig 10,069]

3 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

Next up: Ripley? Or my long awaited Black Sails rewatch?

 

Started Ripley. Two episodes in and already *very* unsettled by Andrew Scott.

[Naïve Old Fart 11,517]

Isn't he just doing his Moriarty schtick?

[A24 4,788]

5 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

Started Ripley. Two episodes in and already *very* unsettled by Andrew Scott.

 

Three things stand out. He, the photography, and the direction.

[Marian Schedenig 10,069]

On 26/09/2024 at 4:17 AM, Naïve Old Fart said:

Isn't he just doing his Moriarty schtick?

 

But this time he's the protagonist (I think… or at least the main character). He reminds me of the bad guys in Funny Games (the original; I've not seen the remake). Similarly unsettling even before he actually starts doing anything. The difference is that the Haneke was unforgivingly unsettling to watch and made me not want to see anything else by him, while with Ripley I'm still "entertained" on a meta level.

 

On 26/09/2024 at 6:23 AM, A24 said:

Three things stand out. He, the photography, and the direction.

 

I'm only halfway through so far, but yes. The photography so much so that it feels distractingly show-offy at times (and this is me saying that). Still gorgeous to look at though.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

Slow Horses - Season 1

 

Bloody fantastic!!!!

Tense, expertly written, funny and just brilliant throughout.

 

Can't wait to see the other 3 seasons.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,180]

Slow Horses - Season 2

 

Somehow even better than Season 1!! Just brilliant.

 

Great mystery with great twists and turns and high stakes.

[Naïve Old Fart 11,517]

Is anyone watching THE FRANCHISE?

[Jurassic Shark 14,822]

Which franchise?

[Naïve Old Fart 11,517]

7 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Which franchise?

 

You really are a feckin' eejit, aren't you? 

 

THE FRANCHISE is a six-part series that parodies the superhero film genre.

I've heard that it's good.

 

 

[Edmilson 10,351]

6 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

parodies the superhero film genre.

Isn't that what The Boys is for?