Author Topic: The TV shows you've seen recently thread. (Read 2083180 times)

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3360 on:** November 05, 2011, 09:35:10 PM »

Quote from: ZephyrFate on November 05, 2011, 08:51:56 PM

Quote from: Stoney Mason on November 05, 2011, 06:03:09 PM
One of my pet peeves is demanding "likeable" characters. Watch the other one billion shows on tv with likeable characters.
I'm asking for characters who are complete pieces of shit but have reasons to be endearing. I would care about Jesse but he's such a pathetic piece of shit who continuously fucks himself over every time he wants to "change" and he bends to Walt's will like he's taking his dick up his ass.

Compare this to Mad Men, where most everyone is a fucking asshole but they're written in such a way that there are moments where you genuinely care about them and want them to succeed despite the fact that succeeding is letting them continue to be assholes. Breaking Bad really has none of that.

I really disagree with that. S3 and S4 of Breaking Bad pull off many moments when you genuinely care about character's well being, at least to me. bah

I'm not sure any of these shows compare to The Shield in this regard though.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3361 on:** November 05, 2011, 10:38:32 PM »

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #3362 on:** November 05, 2011, 11:21:42 PM »

Quote from: ZephyrFate on November 05, 2011, 08:51:56 PM

Quote from: Stoney Mason on November 05, 2011, 06:03:09 PM
One of my pet peeves is demanding "likeable" characters. Watch the other one billion shows on tv with likeable characters.
I'm asking for characters who are complete pieces of shit but have reasons to be endearing. I would care about Jesse but he's such a pathetic piece of shit who continuously fucks himself over every time he wants to "change" and he bends to Walt's will like he's taking his dick up his ass.

Compare this to Mad Men, where most everyone is a fucking asshole but they're written in such a way that there are moments where you genuinely care about them and want them to succeed despite the fact that succeeding is letting them continue to be assholes. Breaking Bad really has none of that.

I'm a few seasons behind on Breaking Bad so I can't speak intelligently to that show. I hear what you are saying but I guess I just have issue with that word "likable" as it may mean something different to each of us. The characters in the Sopranos were nearly all either self deluded or reprehensible pieces of shit. But I liked the show. Something like Walking Dead where I feel some of the characters are purposely written to be likable annoy the shit out of me. ( I mean some of the characters not the full show.) As long as characters in a show are well motivated, well acted, or well characterized, then that's what pulls me in. I also agree with you about Weeds. That show fucking makes me angry and then I get angry at myself for having watched that show for the full run. I hope they fucking throw Nancy in jail again and all the kids fucking go to prison. But I hate that show because the writers don't know what the fuck they are doing and they have no idea what to do with the characters anymore.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3363 on:** November 05, 2011, 11:28:29 PM »

For me I kind of penciled out Walt and Jesse's motivations at the end of the first season. Now I'm a quarter into the third season and little has changed aside from both of them digging themselves deeper.

And getting just the best luck in not getting caught.

Seriously, Skyler should just fucking turn him in. No bullshit.

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #3364 on:** November 06, 2011, 01:08:10 AM »

Is your arguement about BB is that the characters stay static and see no lasting repercussions from their choices...wat wat wtf?

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3365 on:** November 06, 2011, 01:12:51 AM »

Quote from: Mamacint on November 06, 2011, 01:08:10 AM

Is your arguement about BB is that the characters stay static and see no lasting repercussions from their choices...wat wat wtf?

Good character development means significant changes. Not just making your characters more and more douchebaggy just because.

I get that BB's shtick is having morally repugnant human beings as main characters. But it's not clicking with me at all.

etiolate · « **Reply #3366 on:** November 06, 2011, 06:45:42 AM »

omg Chardee Macdennis is awesome

new party game

chronovore · « **Reply #3367 on:** November 06, 2011, 08:56:46 AM »

Fringe s4 ep. 5 was one of the best written episodes of the series. The show likes to take the single-episode arc and send its theme into the larger story arc, which can be ham-handed in many cases. This week's was handled really well, I felt.

Poor Peter. Poor all-of-them, for that matter.

Also, I wish they'd gone and brought Asa Kira in for the shapeshifter role. I liked it when Space Above and Beyond had Ashlyn Gere on as their pornstar-cum-death-dealing-synthetic-lifeform.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #3368 on:** November 06, 2011, 08:59:03 AM »

Parks and Rec is still awesome. And hulu puts up producer's cuts which are longer and better than the aired episodes.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/296695/parks-and-recreation-end-of-the-world-producers-cut

Also Rashida Jones is hot.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

Barry Egan · « **Reply #3369 on:** November 06, 2011, 09:16:42 AM »

Quote from: ZephyrFate on November 06, 2011, 01:12:51 AM

Quote from: Mamacint on November 06, 2011, 01:08:10 AM
Is your arguement about BB is that the characters stay static and see no lasting repercussions from their choices...wat wat wtf?
Good character development means significant changes. Not just making your characters more and more douchebaggy just because.

I get that BB's shtick is having morally repugnant human beings as main characters. But it's not clicking with me at all.

This is funny, because in my mind BB is one of the only television shows willing to devote multiple episodes to characters coping with a recent trauma and ultimately reaching some kind of resolution through action. The start of season 4 for instance, has Jesse

spoiler (click to show/hide)

coping with killing Gale

[close]

and Hank dealing with his attack by becoming obsessed with minerals. The character's decision to break out of their respective ruts is what keeps the plot moving forward. The thought put in to character transformations on Breaking Bad is second to none.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3370 on:** November 06, 2011, 01:51:28 PM »

I will admit that Jesse's speech to Walt midway through season 3 (despite going back to him anyway because why actually change your life?) was pretty powerful. You say these characters break out of their ruts but I think they don't; they just keep going back to what ails them.

I'm still only watching for Gus.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #3371 on:** November 06, 2011, 02:45:57 PM »

Sorry.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3372 on:** November 06, 2011, 03:05:38 PM »

TEEEPO · « **Reply #3373 on:** November 06, 2011, 03:25:53 PM »

Quote from: My F*cking Grandpa on November 06, 2011, 09:16:42 AM

This is funny, because in my mind BB is one of the only television shows willing to devote multiple episodes to characters coping with a recent trauma and ultimately reaching some kind of resolution through action. The start of season 4 for instance, has Jesse

it's not just in your mind, it's a fact. you'd have to be incredibly dense to see otherwise.

zephyer should just use his time more wisely and rewatch a disney cartoon.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3374 on:** November 06, 2011, 03:29:34 PM »

Quote from: TEEEPO on November 06, 2011, 03:25:53 PM

Quote from: My F*cking Grandpa on November 06, 2011, 09:16:42 AM

This is funny, because in my mind BB is one of the only television shows willing to devote multiple episodes to characters coping with a recent trauma and ultimately reaching some kind of resolution through action. The start of season 4 for instance, has Jesse

it's not just in your mind, it's a fact. you'd have to be incredibly dense to see otherwise.

zephyer should just use his time more wisely and rewatch a disney cartoon.

Ahahaha, wow, that's the lamest insult I've ever seen.

Himu · « **Reply #3375 on:** November 06, 2011, 03:33:49 PM »

Mad Men > Breaking Bad for the reasons Zephyr highlighted but I disagree with him in regards to BB's characters.

TEEEPO · « **Reply #3376 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:21:40 PM »

if anything throughout the years, i've viewed breaking bad and mad men as a litmus test for those who are incapable of seeing the world in any shade but black and white.

Himu · « **Reply #3377 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:22:38 PM »

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3378 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:23:22 PM »

Quote from: TEEEPO on November 06, 2011, 04:21:40 PM

if anything throughout the years, i've viewed breaking bad and mad men as a litmus test for those who are incapable of seeing the world in any shade but black and white.

I agree with the latter but not the former. Mad Men is genius.

Himu · « **Reply #3379 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:25:06 PM »

Disagree. BB and its characters are a nice shade of gray. Not as much as Mad Men's but few tv shows are.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3380 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:34:53 PM »

Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 06, 2011, 04:25:06 PM

Disagree. BB and its characters are a nice shade of gray. Not as much as Mad Men's but few tv shows are.

I don't see this at all and I don't know why people think this. Walt is a psychopath, even when he tries not to be. Jesse is pathetic, even when he tries not to be. There's no grey here, it's just a lack of dynamism.

Don't even get me started on Skyler. She's written about as annoyingly as Betty Draper.

Barry Egan · « **Reply #3381 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:50:54 PM »

You just tried to show breaking bads characters have less depth than mad men by using a mad men character as a standard for bad characterization.

Himu · « **Reply #3382 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:52:56 PM »

Quote from: ZephyrFate on November 06, 2011, 04:34:53 PM

Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 06, 2011, 04:25:06 PM
Disagree. BB and its characters are a nice shade of gray. Not as much as Mad Men's but few tv shows are.
I don't see this at all and I don't know why people think this. Walt is a psychopath, even when he tries not to be. Jesse is pathetic, even when he tries not to be. There's no grey here, it's just a lack of dynamism.

Don't even get me started on Skyler. She's written about as annoyingly as Betty Draper.

But Betty Draper is an example of a well-written character.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3383 on:** November 06, 2011, 04:56:11 PM »

She was well-written for three seasons, then season 4 rolled around... thank god the rest of Mad Men's cast is perfect.

Mupepe · « **Reply #3384 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:05:22 PM »

Breaking bad season 2 finale... I would have been fucking pissed if I saw it on TV and had to wait. Wtf? Tease me with a scene all season, showing me bits and pieces. Start it and then oops... Out of time. Fucking cock tease of a cliffhanger. Jesus.

Himu · « **Reply #3385 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:08:08 PM »

Quote from: ZephyrFate on November 06, 2011, 04:56:11 PM

She was well-written for three seasons, then season 4 rolled around... thank god the rest of Mad Men's cast is perfect.

I thought it was consistent. It shows that she is a woman with an unfulfilled life. What's wrong with Betty's character in season 4 compared to 1-3?

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #3386 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:09:59 PM »

I always got the sense that Betty Draper was initially written to be empthetic but they ended up turning her into a child-bitch because that's what January Jones is like in real life.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3387 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:10:38 PM »

I'll agree that in hindsight, BB's S2 finale was kind of lol worthy. Not a fan of the level of coincidental nonsense that put that in motion.

S3 is a masterpiece though. Definitely a member of my patented God Tier of television series, alongside (in no particular order)

The Wire S3
The Wire S4
The Shield S5
The Shield S7
24 S5

I'm forgetting something..

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3388 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:12:11 PM »

The fly episode is pretty

.

You're forgetting every season of Mad Men, PD.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3389 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:15:28 PM »

me and my brother watched S1 of Mad Men, and some of S2. I'll have to start from the beginning since it was so long ago

the fly ep=one of the best BB eps

Himu · « **Reply #3390 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:15:32 PM »

i liked mad men season 3 more than 4, but s4 has the two best eps in the series

also, the wire s2 should be up there

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #3391 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:21:05 PM »

Season 2 of Breaking Bad is still my favorite, but yeah, the finale is dsajfhdslkjghlasgdweruawoiyfsaglkjsf

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3392 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:21:45 PM »

Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 06, 2011, 05:15:32 PM

i liked mad men season 3 more than 4, but s4 has the two best eps in the series

also, the wire s2 should be up there

I remember that you are one of the few others who thinks The Summer Man is fucking brilliance. Which it is. I've never seen better writing anywhere else in the history of TV.

Himu · « **Reply #3393 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:30:42 PM »

Yeah like I said on SA, The Summer Man is my favorite episode in the series. The Suitcase is good -- great, even -- but The Summer Man contains a full arc in one episode of 40-something minute television. Brilliance. I wouldn't say it's the best written thing I've seen on tv, but it's up there.

Himu · « **Reply #3394 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:48:31 PM »

Also, Zeph, I think it's unfair to compare Mad Men to Breaking Bad at all. They are two completely different type of shows. BB is an action drama, whereas MM is a straight drama, and a character study at that. It is unique in that, unlike most critically acclaimed and well written recent tv, it contains zero action scenes -- Korean war flashback aside. MM is wholly defined by the characters and their development, and how the relationships weave in and out with one another. MM lives and dies by its characters. BB, on the other hand, is mostly defined by its plot, so it doesn't really devote nearly as much time towards its characters as MM does.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3395 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:55:11 PM »

Well I like BB's action scenes, and as everyone else notices, it has absolutely amazing cinematography. I just don't feel nearly as much connection to its characters as Mad Men, which subtracts from my enjoyment of the show.

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #3396 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:59:24 PM »

I disagree that BB isn't a character study. It may be more plot centric that MM, but the plot is largely defined by the character's decisions, rather than vice-versa.

Himu · « **Reply #3397 on:** November 06, 2011, 06:07:58 PM »

True enough. Not to take away from BB's excellent characters, I'm merely expressing that I find the two shows completely dissimilar despite any initial similarities, and are appealing for completely different reasons. The end result, no matter what, are two high brow television series better than anything else on tv that I can think of currently that makes efforts like The Walking Dead feel even more pedestrian, giving off the quality of a network television drama.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3398 on:** November 06, 2011, 06:19:31 PM »

the montage of the prostitute going down on people and doing drugs with that song

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3399 on:** November 06, 2011, 07:05:02 PM »

second to last episode of S3

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3400 on:** November 06, 2011, 07:09:09 PM »

Told you

Eric P · « **Reply #3401 on:** November 06, 2011, 08:16:53 PM »

god, I LOVE american horror story.

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #3402 on:** November 06, 2011, 08:17:56 PM »

I.F.T

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3403 on:** November 06, 2011, 10:01:56 PM »

Summary of The Walking Dead, using its own captions:

(urinating)

Himu · « **Reply #3404 on:** November 06, 2011, 10:03:50 PM »

Anyone watching hell on wheels?

Himu · « **Reply #3405 on:** November 06, 2011, 10:16:23 PM »

Oh shit, they said chink

Diunx · « **Reply #3406 on:** November 06, 2011, 10:16:35 PM »

The latest american horror story was insanely awesome!

chronovore · « **Reply #3407 on:** November 06, 2011, 11:05:32 PM »

Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 06, 2011, 10:03:50 PM

Anyone watching hell on wheels?

I tried to watch a preview for it, but the preview was blocked for Japan. I really, really hate this trend in content management. "OH NOEZ, DON'T EVEN WATCH A TRAILER FOR THIS NEW SHOW, DIRTY FOREIGNER!"

srsly, wtf.

etiolate · « **Reply #3408 on:** November 07, 2011, 04:10:55 AM »

Homeland has a weird sex scene every episode.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #3409 on:** November 07, 2011, 04:19:55 AM »

Quote from: chronovore on November 06, 2011, 11:05:32 PM

Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 06, 2011, 10:03:50 PM
Anyone watching hell on wheels?

I tried to watch a preview for it, but the preview was blocked for Japan. I really, really hate this trend in content management. "OH NOEZ, DON'T EVEN WATCH A TRAILER FOR THIS NEW SHOW, DIRTY FOREIGNER!"

srsly, wtf.

Well, you know how shows like Lost and 24 get sold to Japanese firms and subtitled in Japanese and people watch them and they top the DVD rental charts for months....? Might have something to do with it.

etiolate · « **Reply #3410 on:** November 07, 2011, 06:01:12 AM »

I'm not sure what to make of American Horror Story. I wonder if they managed to pull off the sincerity of a show trying to be serious while knowing full well that the show and lines are ridiculous. Dylan McDermott just drop kicked a trick or treat bag and I'm laughing my ass off.

edit: "I don't want to be Snoopy, I want to be a pretty girl!"

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3411 on:** November 07, 2011, 03:05:23 PM »

Spartacus' renewed for season 3
http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/11/07/spartacus-renewed-for-season-three/

that was quick

Himu · « **Reply #3412 on:** November 07, 2011, 03:12:30 PM »

When does s2 air

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #3413 on:** November 07, 2011, 03:31:23 PM »

Quote from: Stringer Bell on November 07, 2011, 03:12:30 PM

When does s2 air

january

Hock · « **Reply #3414 on:** November 07, 2011, 05:15:18 PM »

Is the new season of The Walking Dead any good so far? I thought the first season turned out to be just okay. My main gripe was with the characters, what a completely dull group of people.

To be fair, I didn't get past the second volume of the comics either so I guess it isn't the show's fault.

Oh, and hello, I'm new here.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3415 on:** November 07, 2011, 05:49:13 PM »

It's alright, but in terms of progression the season has been stalled since about the second episode. Sunday's episode was pretty anticipated, at least for me because the previous one ended on quite an interesting note. But instead of building on that, we got a reserved, emotional episode that featured a couple stupid side stories (including a walker stuck in a well...).

I'm not going to argue the show shouldn't do emotional, dramatic things, or that it should be straight up zombie killin/runnin. There has to be a balance though, because these characters are not interesting for the most part. The show has been unable to really make me care about anyone, or get to know them enough to sorta-care. I really like Dale, but it's not like we know much about him and he's just the fatherly type guy.

ZephyrFate · « **Reply #3416 on:** November 07, 2011, 06:13:11 PM »

TWD is full of one-dimensional characters in a zombie apocalypse that hasn't felt like a zombie apocalypse since the pilot episode thanks to a lack of zombies and a huge cut in funding, yet people jizz all over it because it's the only zombie TV show on and it's on AMC.

Basically, it's got high production values, shitty acting, one-dimensional characters, and a lack of zombies. They spent 15 minutes coming up with the stupidest plan to get a bloated zombie out of a well and then ended up fucking up the water supply in the well by accident anyway (and considering the look of said bloated zombie it was probably contaminated already).

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #3417 on:** November 07, 2011, 06:33:13 PM »

That was one of the most worthless scenes I've seen in awhile. As if that zombie didn't already have multiple lacerations that must have been contaminating the water. Hell, what logical person would cleanly remove a zombie from a well and think "oh hey, now we can drink the water!"

Also I'm guessing that barn has zombies in it..

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #3418 on:** November 07, 2011, 10:44:58 PM »

dexter was pretty awesome this week, totally did not see that swerve coming

Enl · « **Reply #3419 on:** November 07, 2011, 11:01:42 PM »

I agree on Dexter. The twist at the end was something I was kind of hoping they would do ever since the end of the first season. I just hope they push forward with it and not sweep it neatly under the rug like they've done with so many other plot points in the past.

News:

Author Topic: The TV shows you've seen recently thread. (Read 2083180 times)