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The TV thread

Started by rollntider, May 28, 2014, 01:06:50 AM

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Rigg44

Quote from: Crewe on December 23, 2019, 06:25:17 PM
never saw Gilmore Girls and I dont know who this lady is but when Im done with Robot, maybe Ill check it out.
My queue is essentially empty. There's some in there Im just hesitant to get ack to, Narcos for one...

Narcos was in my Que forever.  When I gave in it consumed me and I watched it all in like two weeks.  Then I watched Narcos Mexico, it was ok but not nearly as good as the original.

Crewe

Is Narcos Mexico season two?
Ive watched the first episode of season two but it just doesn't grab me.
mainly because I was interested in Pablo

Rigg44

Quote from: Crewe on January 13, 2020, 06:44:50 PM
Is Narcos Mexico season two?
Ive watched the first episode of season two but it just doesn't grab me.
mainly because I was interested in Pablo

I don't know maybe it's after Pablo is dead and its all-new agents dealing with the Mexican cartel.  The guy from Ant-Man is the main agent. I watched it and its ok but not as good as the original Narcos.

Crewe

If I really get bored maybe Ill give it a run, or unless Im told it is really good but I just haven't heard much one way or the other

Crewe

Mandalorian
Pedro Pascal

Our main character, given name Din Djarin, is a Mandalorian bounty hunter.
This series, created by Jon Favreau, is set 5 years after Return of the Jedi and 25 years prior to TFA.
The Republic has restored order to much of the galaxy, sans the outer reaches where this story takes place.
Our Mandalorian accepts bounty jobs from the guild (Carl Weathers) and this particular one is for a small sect remaining from the fallen Empire.
Soon, we discover the package is a baby Yoda, for lack of a species identification.
After the exposition, I really was sort of on the fence about this series for a couple of reasons. One was, I couldn't figure out if it was trying to be serious or not and two, I couldn't latch on to a theme.
The episodes are short and with only 8 of them it is an extremely quick and easy watch.
We see a fusillade of one shot guest appearances from a wide range of actors such as Bill Burr, who I thought did a terrific job, given the thin nature of his script. Amy Sedaris who convincingly plays a shipping bay landlord and Natalia Tena, who by the time she shows up, was the only character that had real zest and appeal in her character.
Gina Carano, who I absolutely love and have followed since her early days at Elite XC plays Cara Dune, a Rebel Shock trooper who is now a mercenary and 
partner with Mandalorian.
Nick Nolte voices (and looks like) Kuiil, a farmer who befriends Mandalorian on one of his early quests and becomes a trusted ally as we move through the story.
The narrative of this series follows the tropes of a space western, but it really seems, I dont want to say pointlesss, because we know the plot, it just feels, compartmentalized. The early episodes were tough for me to be head over heels for because I couldn't grasp any sort of development that was supposed to be occurring within our hero.

Spoiler
The village episode was just sad. Bryce Dallas Howard failed miserably with the battle scenes, unable to structure a believable scenario. An AT-ST is at its desired range to relentlessly fire on defenseless villagers, but waits inexplicably while Dune almost singlehandedly gets it to take the last step, literally, in to the trap they exhaustively set.
Oh and said villagers, women, kids and teenage boys? They were all taught within hours how to fend off said AT-ST and veteran marauders who have raided the village umpteen times.
Ok, that's enough of that....
Episode to episode, we traipse through a new land with new characters in entertaining fashion but to me, the story just feels, simple.
And the entire show feels like a cross between a comic book and Xena Warrior Princess. As an avid Star Wars fan, I allow my minimal frustration to abate and the series does seem to find its legs, much like a successful program might not have a great first few episodes, or first season even until everyone and everything is fleshed out.
By seasons end, the shortcomings are there, but acceptable as we do get an established theme but the character arc is minimal, if it's there at all.

If you are remotely interested in Star Wars, you most certainly should give this a look. If you are fairly unfamiliar with Star Wars, give this a look.
If you hate Star Wars, this I dont even know why you are reading this post.
What's great about it is what we have wanted, for the Skywalker saga to end and the ability to explore the universe and the millions of potential stories out there that are tied to the OT and ST, but are not overstated. Kind of like the Tarantino universe.
The other wonderful instances are that while there are subtle nods to the OT, even as a SW fan, you might not pick em all up, but they are there and its nice to have undercooked nostalgia.
The bad things are really just storytelling bumps but if you look at it on the grand scale of the SW timeline, it certainly has a place and creates a fastener to the established stories we've already been told.
I was so excited for this because I noted that critics and fans alike had this rated wy over 90% and I thought, wow, it's impenetrable to negativity.
As I began watching, I was caught shaking my head more than a few times wondering if I was on a Biff Tannen timeline, but as I said, it works it self out if you give it a chance, and you should.

Spoiler
Who was that leaning over the body of Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen)? Are we to believe that A) Fennec isn't dead and/or that B) that is the much heralded Boba Fett who has returned somehow from the pit of Sarlacc? That would be the biggest return from certain death since Bobby Ewing. It is likely just another bounty hunter on the trail of Mando who arrived late.

This is a bit of a spoiler but not really, but better safe than sorry
Spoiler
I spoke earlier of exploring the vastness of the SW universe and in TFA we realized that it was not common knowledge regarding the Jedi, et al when Rey and Finn encountered Han Solo.
That subject is again approached in Mandalorian when in the final episode, they are discussing baby Yoda force sensitivities (they are ignorant of the force so obviously didnt state it in that manner) with the Armorer and she tells of stories of the Jedi run ins with the Mandalorian (Fett again) and all seem surprised, although Cara shouldn't have been caught off guard by that information.
Mando even asked, "Enemies?"

Ill go ahead and tag this one too
Spoiler
The two Stormtropers who capture baby Yoda in Ep 8 are awaiting clearance to enter the village. While they wait, its an entertaining few minutes as these two bring as much life and story to the screen as Mando did over several episodes.
One of the pair is just dying to take a look at the swaddled up Yoda while the other rejects those requests with an ensuing petulant dialog ripe with humor.

We also see one of those nods to the universe when the two are trying to kill time shooting debris akin to a canteen scene in a western missing wildly, furthering the past evidence that Stormtroopers are terrible marksmen.
While I'm here, Ill throw in this directorial flub that just grinds my gears every single time I see it.
So these two are waiting out in the dunes although quite flat in their visible range. During their discussions, the nurse droid suddenly appears and they are startled, like wth, where did you come from?
As if Ray Charles couldn't have seen nor heard that approach, I mean honestly, get freakin real would you? That occurs in several instances during this series and its just lazy storytelling. Weak weak weak.


Crewe

Haunting of House Hill

This won't be a long harangue ala my Mandalorian review.
Ten episodes at an hour each, easy binge watch.

The Crain family patriarch flips houses which is how they came to Hill House. The 5 kids begin to see things that make them believe the house is haunted, of course mom and dad shrug it off.
Mom starts to devolve somewhat but dad is concerned with the ongoing repairs he has to make to turn the house in to something a buyer wants.

We are shown two timelines, one when they first move in, and one some 20 odd years later so we can see the effects of their experiences and how their lives turn out. Early on its a bit tough, or it was for me, to keep up with the confusing weaving back and forth, mainly because I couldn't separate which characters were which.
Beautifully filmed and edited, Haunting is a creepy watch. Yes it has a few jump scares to get the adrenaline going, but they aren't of the cliche variety, nor are they just for the purpose of the scare. It's a great story, well told and acted.
There will be a season 2, but apparently its going to be of the anthology variety, ala AHS, so for all intense and purposes, the Crains are done...maybe.

Watch this

TheNorm

Not really sure what I'm going to watch now that The Good Place wrapped up it's four season run last Thursday night (loved it). Maybe time to jump back into Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or give Superstore a shot.

Not a big fan of reality shows either other than MasterChef or Hell's Kitchen, but the LEGO Masters show debuting on Wednesday is one I'm looking forward to.
"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr

BojackHorsefella

Bojack Horseman - Season 6, Part 2 - The Final 8 Episodes (and, really just, overall)

TL;DR, this is now my favorite show over Six Feet Under (and same number of seasons, too, I think. Or maybe SFU was only 5....)

The non TL;DR version.....



Anyone who's met me in person at pretty much any point since 20....16, has likely heard me talk about this show. I caught on late. I remember hearing about it, how "serious" it was, how good Will Arnett was, and thinking "that...cartoon show with the talking horse?" I finally caught up on the first two seasons right before the third season released, and then plowed through that season too.

I can't explain what this show meant to me. It's a show overwhelmingly about mental illness. Having been  diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in 2011 and struggled with it since (and, well, before the diagnosis, really), a lot hit home for me. Combine that with the fact that Bojack appeared to also be afflicted with BPD (although, amongst many other disorders) and it's endless parade of general puns, movie/tv-related puns, entertainment industry lingo and general sense of humor, all I can say is I felt a little less alone.

Bojack felt like the kind of show I'd make if I was creative and smart enough to write such a thing. I love movies, everyone knows this about me. And there's TV that I love, maybe not as much but there's definitely shows that are far and above (Six Feet Under, Better Call Saul, Bojack of course, Mad Men) the rest. But while I can be interested in the happenings of a family that owns a funeral home, or a lawyer with issues regarding his ethics, or a 1950s ad man who just wants his privacy (sort of?), nothing ever felt like it was literally made for me like Bojack did.

I hate that expression, "it's like it was made for me." It's pretentious. Yet, those who know me close and have watched Bojack, and it's mile a minute chatter, background easter eggs that you blink and miss and countless references to...goodness, anything pop culture related would probably tell you that sounds like a conversation with me.

When the show goes dark, and really digs into the mental health of its characters and the low, depressing times, the endless anxieties and the feelings of being lesser than those around you, those extremely close to me would say that sounds familiar too.

So there was me, and there was Bojack. Bojack, who through 5.5 seasons to this point, had hit multiple rock bottoms, and yet kept rising above them. He'd fall, get back on his feet, fall, get back on his feet. It reminded me of myself, too. The Navy. My failed move to Columbia. Failed marriage.

Bojack could never let go of his past, though. He carried it around with him. When a character talks to Bojack, they are talking to EVERY Bojack. They're talking to child Bojack, teenage Bojack, adult Bojack, senior Bojack (I mean, senior, he's only in his 50s), all at once. I've been like that too. When you carry your baggage with you every minute of every day, that's what it is.

As far as these final 8 episodes go, I can't go into too much detail. They just released on Friday and I'm not the spoil it for others type. What I can say is that, although there is somewhat of a rushed feel, partially because Netflix cancelled the show and gave them this as their final season (as to why it's rushed), and because it's 16 episodes as opposed to 12 (thus why it's "somewhat" of a rushed feel, they gave them SOME room to breathe), they still brought it home. I don't think the cancellation hurt it, Raphael Bob-Waksberg has said the show ended as he always intended it to. That being said, the final two episodes are...just an absolute masterpiece, while being so terrifying to confront. The need to cut out toxic relationships. The ever looming spectre of death.

And then there's Season 6, Episode 15, "The View From Halfway Down." Somehow, "Free Churro," an OUTSTANDING episode from season 5 lost an Emmy to The Simpsons in 2019. THE SIMPSONS. IN 2019. If The View From Halfway down fails to win an Emmy, I can only assume collusion on the parts of voters. This episode is an absolute masterpiece, and as far as where the title comes from, it's easily the most painful part of the episode. It's that soul crunching nihilism that this show does so well. The finale is the chaser.

I can tell you how I loved the jokes, the visual gags, the psychological and philosophical discussions. I can tell you why I found the characters great, Bojack, despite his proclivities (and, lets remember, none of them are real people), is a fascinating character study. Diane Nguyen, voiced by Alison Brie, proves to be, over time, the heart of the show (something of a mirror to Bojack). Mister Peanut Butter, who Paul F Thompkins brought such life too, and managed to be interesting despite his personality being "dimwitted optimist." He started off as a joke and, like pretty much every other character, became a 3-dimensional character with his own issues and pathos. Todd Chavez, voiced expertly by Aaron Paul, never failed to make me laugh. And Princess Carolyin, Amy Sedaris, the one-woman who could do it all. Princess Carolyn should be everyone's role-model.

Those characters became just as important as our main one, Bojack, but there's simply no way this show could work as well without his voice actor: Will Arnett. Arnett had his own battles with alcoholism and depression, never to the depths of Bojack (at least, I hope). He brings that with him to the show and you can hear it in certain scenes (oh, can you hear it).

This show has absolutely redefined what television can be to me. It's less a TV show than a large, large group of creators reaching out to the world and saying "It's going to be ok. You have the power to get through this." Yes, it's tough at times. No, it's pretty much never easy (although, it gets easier, but you gotta do it every day. That's the hard part).





In real life, you talk about things you enjoy and sometimes you get shut down. Sometimes you get told the things you enjoy are stupid, or ridiculous, or why don't you take an interest in thing x, a real hobby? For about 6 hours, every season (and every rewatched season....), I got to spend my time with people who had all of the same interests as me. They had all of the same fears as me. And they were open and honest  about their issues (well, most of them. Looking at you, Bojack). It's all been conversations I need to hear, wanted to hear, and enjoyed to hear.

Now, it's over. There is no new Bojack Horseman in my future. These writers, these actors, these animators, they'll move on to other things. Maybe some will be better! Maybe some will be worse. But this original cast of characters has cut us out of their lives. We no longer get to look on. I'd be sad, but then again, that was kind of the whole point of the show, to a certain extent. Things move on. They only don't when we cling to them, and if we cling to something that isn't there anymore, we're only hurting ourselves (and, quite likely, those around us). So we have to move on.

But the final moments of the show tell you what you need to know. It'll be hard for me to move on without this show. But watching the final moments, as with so many other times while watching this show and seeing/hearing a sentiment, opinion, etc, I know one thing for sure: the feeling is relatable. As we watch two characters say goodbye, but neither one get up to leave, the moment wavers as "Mr. Blue" plays, it's obvious: as hard as it is for the audience to move on, it's just as hard for them. I'll miss all of them.

Until the next rewatch, Bojack.

Crewe

Might have to actually give this a look.

Cobra Kai
Seasons 1 & 2

Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence renew and age old rivalry and slowly devolve their lives and those around them, back to high school.

Cobra Kai is a love letter to The Karate Kid, to the 80's scene in all its glory, for better or worse.
Now a successful high end automobile dealership owner, LaRusso is high end with the everyday man mentality, so he thinks. With his incessant references to Mr. Miyagi's teachings, you'd expect him to not be such a narcissistic asshole, but he is, indeed.
Then there's Johnny. His life didnt turn out so well. He isn't a bad guy, he's just a caveman. its charming to a degree but it just adds to the cheesy nature of this show. In 2018 a barely 50 year old isn't going to know what a smart phone is or an app, or how to turn on a computer? Yes, really.
80's hair band fill the air waves as do his high school attitudes about women and wimps. At one point, his friend is setting him up on a dating app and asks what are his interests. he thinks for a moment then says, Iron Eagle, pauses, and adds, oh and Iron Eagle 2.
Ok that bit was pretty funny, and most of it is, really, I mean, once you accept the whole Karate Kid world and if you watch for more than five minutes, then just know, you've accepted it.

The series builds nicely and actually has a nice message with recurring themes dating back to the original film.
Story arcs leave a lot to be desired as does the storytelling, but hey, as a guilty pleasure, I think you'll enjoy it. If you liked karate Kid, I promise, you will love it.

But can I just say
Spoiler
that season 2 final episode? LOL What a shit show! I mean really, even for something this inelegant was below par.
You knew Johnny was out as soon as Kreese showed his mug and of course Miguel's mom blames him so now he's all alone as we didnt see where he stood with his son but we did see he wasn't aware Ali responded to him.

There's still some story left to tell as there will be a season 3, well I say that, I dont know for sure, but I do know a series cannot end the way this one did, not intentionally anyway.
I dont even know when or if it's due out but I do know, at 10 episodes and 35 minutes pe, its an easy breezy mindless nostalgic romp that you will probably enjoy.

TheNorm

I loved that show so much, was one of my favorites from the last two seasons. Sure it was cheesy in parts but that's some of the charm I think. Really looking forward to S3 whenever it drops.
"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr

Crewe

Quote from: TheNorm on February 12, 2020, 10:56:39 PM
I loved that show so much, was one of my favorites from the last two seasons. Sure it was cheesy in parts but that's some of the charm I think. Really looking forward to S3 whenever it drops.

yea it works amazingly well, and even when it doesn't, it's not a real blight on the show and just sorta melts away

Rigg44

Quote from: Crewe on February 13, 2020, 03:34:33 PM
Quote from: TheNorm on February 12, 2020, 10:56:39 PM
I loved that show so much, was one of my favorites from the last two seasons. Sure it was cheesy in parts but that's some of the charm I think. Really looking forward to S3 whenever it drops.

yea it works amazingly well, and even when it doesn't, it's not a real blight on the show and just sorta melts away

I loved season one.  I just haven't gotten around to watching season 2

Crewe

Quote from: Rigg44 on February 13, 2020, 04:48:59 PM
Quote from: Crewe on February 13, 2020, 03:34:33 PM
Quote from: TheNorm on February 12, 2020, 10:56:39 PM
I loved that show so much, was one of my favorites from the last two seasons. Sure it was cheesy in parts but that's some of the charm I think. Really looking forward to S3 whenever it drops.

yea it works amazingly well, and even when it doesn't, it's not a real blight on the show and just sorta melts away

I loved season one.  I just haven't gotten around to watching season 2

Id be interested to hear your thoughts. I liked one better, but two was still good.

Rigg44

Quote from: Rigg44 on January 14, 2020, 02:27:54 PM
Quote from: Crewe on January 13, 2020, 06:44:50 PM
Is Narcos Mexico season two?
Ive watched the first episode of season two but it just doesn't grab me.
mainly because I was interested in Pablo

I don't know maybe it's after Pablo is dead and its all-new agents dealing with the Mexican cartel.  The guy from Ant-Man is the main agent. I watched it and its ok but not as good as the original Narcos.

So as a follow up to this season two just came out.  I watched it and it definitely gets better as it goes along.  I think it you liked Narcos you will like Narcos Mexico as well.

Crewe

thats good to know. I liked Narcos because I really enjoyed reading about Pablo Escobar, so I wasn't sure if I would like S2 since he was no longer around ;-)
thanks for the heads up