Author Topic: The TV shows you've seen recently thread. (Read 2083787 times)

VomKriege · « **Reply #11940 on:** October 25, 2015, 04:21:05 AM »

Quote from: mormapope on October 24, 2015, 08:01:18 PM

I just finished watching Season 1 Fargo, speaking of the devil.

But does it have to tread the same waters as the film ? As long as it doesn't betray the spirit of the original material (and even that can be an acceptable artistic pursuit). The series is Coen Bros medley, really, the Lorne Malvo character is closer to No country for old men than the original gangsters from Fargo and the series draw for some other movies, too. Movies are better at exploring a single or couple themes running through all the characters in some form because of their density, I'm not sure a TV show had had to do though.

By essence fiction tends to create much more ordained stories than the real life it mirrors. What I like about Fargo is that the story design is seemingly pretty loose : The contrivances are fully accepted if not put to the forefront, for instance with the Milos Stavros conclusion. That the story is not airtight allow for some grey areas. Criminal endeavours going horribly wrong because of dim-witted characters and some mundane wrench is pretty true to the film, all in all. Malvo is indeed vastly superior as a criminal, but that's because he don't have any design in mind, he fancies himself as an animal predator, he rolls with the flow and is pretty content to just quench his sadistical thirst.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Plus in the end he get "bested" by Lester and Gus. There's only so many times you can play with fire.

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As to whether it was overrated, I cannot say, as I don't watch enough series to really have an idea as to what the disucssions are in rating them. As you said, it's solid, entertaining and it gave some feels. Good enough for me.

mormapope · « **Reply #11941 on:** October 25, 2015, 04:50:04 AM »

To put it simply, I thought the storytelling itself was great. The story events themselves ranged from good to incredibly dumb. I'm not a snob when it comes to things being entirely believable or not, but honestly Fargo reminded me of Dexter's early seasons. Felt like a lot of stuff was simply "Well, this happened because its a whacky Coen brother's moment."

Characters themselves would stifle or create plot points at whim, in service of the story instead of characterization purposes. Bob Odenkirk's character is probably the dumbest thing I've seen in a good show, words can't explain how bad that characterization was and how they had ten episodes to do it.

I've seen a lot of forum goers rate this show on the same level as The Sopranos, The Wire, The Shield, Breaking Bad. I'd say its solid and entertaining, but nothing really sticks with you. I'd say the same thing for Breaking Bad, but the ride for Breaking Bad was a lot more intense.

mormapope · « **Reply #11942 on:** October 25, 2015, 04:53:51 AM »

Also, the "this is a lovable goof, expect them to die" motif was overused. Felt like a lot of people that died were used for cheap emotional manipulation.

Everyone in the cast did a terrific job with their characters.

mormapope · « **Reply #11943 on:** October 25, 2015, 05:00:24 AM »

Quote from: WRATH VICE™ on October 25, 2015, 04:51:05 AM

I think the first season worked, the second season isn't working, and the movie was great(albeit a bit overrated IMO, still great). I don't care about the exact themes, just saying that I found the second season to not have any of character to either the first season or the movie. It feels like it's own thing outside of obvious references. That's only a complaint cause I'm not feeling this run, and since I'm not just how different it is contributes to my dislike for it.

Then again, I didn't like the first season of Fargo that much either.

The first season works because the formula wasn't worn out yet. Every day somebody meets with a criminal, criminal changes normal person's life, police characters have to solve a mystery, things spiral out of control over time, resolution.

You can't do this over and over, even if the mystery and spiraling are interesting.

VomKriege · « **Reply #11944 on:** October 25, 2015, 05:01:33 AM »

Yeah, I'll give you that the Bob Odendirk was artificially obtuse. In the end though, the procedural aspect of the show is not really what we are here for, so I don't think it was a great detriment.

Quote

Also, the "this is a lovable goof, expect them to die" motif was overused. Felt like a lot of people that died were used for cheap emotional manipulation.

I'd say there's far more lovable goofs that survived than died, no ?

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's the fitness coach and Dmitri. The second is a very bit player in all this. Maybe the FBI agents in a way, but it happens offscreen (? Not sure).

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Most victims are either innocent bystanders or people somehow in the criminal / police trade, IIRC.

mormapope · « **Reply #11945 on:** October 25, 2015, 05:19:01 AM »

Off the top of my head:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Fitness coach
Dmitri
Lester's Asian wife
FBI Agents (was on screen)

Car salesman that Lester sold insurance to in the first episode (Used by Malvo to lure FBI agents, went on a test ride and then took him hostage, gave him demands. Executed off screen. Begged for life before off screen death.

Dale from King of the Hill (the guy Malvo went to Vegas with.)

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Goofy might not be the right word, innocent makes more sense even though some of the people Malvo killed had less severe ties to crime.

Quote from: WRATH VICE™ on October 25, 2015, 05:16:26 AM

Ummm... no? That wasn't what I was talking about. My issues with it have been said before(pacing is out of whack, uninteresting characters, I find the editing to be awful, etc.). The second season is different enough with a great cast, but nothing about it is working. Which to me has nothing to do with it's similarities and/or differences to the first season.

Never said it was, guess I should've said why I don't like the new season.

VomKriege · « **Reply #11946 on:** October 25, 2015, 05:35:37 AM »

I honestly don't think most of the case were just there for cheap sentiment. I would have tuned out of the show pretty fast if it did.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Car salesman may or may not have been killed. I don't think there's any shock value there since it is offscreen. Malvo is impulsive enough that he might just let the guy go.

The Vegas guy was a mark, so you know... It's not a character we were supposed to tie with. The brutal murder of the people in the lift is just Malvo being Malvo. At this point of the show, it is expected. It does emphasize that he will kill anyone, even people he supposedly bonded with for 6 months.

Lester's second wife is pretty heartbreaking, but it does show that Lester is a total self-serving monster by that point.

[close]

No denying it's a violent show, but I think they handled that with restraint. There's a part (when the FBI agents are introduced) which was ostensibly shot in a low key, not spectacular fashion (I would say the same for the last one I mention in my spoiler just there). Most of those you mentioned happened in the last act of the show, when things have gone FUBAR, so I didn't get the impression it was a cynical hook by the writers.

mormapope · « **Reply #11947 on:** October 25, 2015, 05:48:18 AM »

I did marathon through it in a few days, so those deaths happened fairly quickly. Many deaths were intentionally telegraphed, wish some of the deaths played out differently. For me gore doesn't influence how I feel about a character's death... usually.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Fitness Instructor was the worst, as he got shot dozens of times and I'm a big Its Always Sunny fan.

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Stoney Mason · « **Reply #11948 on:** October 27, 2015, 11:24:36 AM »

I continue to love Last man on Earth.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #11949 on:** October 27, 2015, 12:49:26 PM »

IFC has been running 4 hour marathons of That 70's show a couple of nights during the week. I forgot how funny that show was. I missed a couple seasons so some of it is new to me.

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #11950 on:** October 27, 2015, 10:54:28 PM »

Jemma in panties on AOS

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #11951 on:** October 27, 2015, 11:14:11 PM »

AOS

this show really kills

Freyj · « **Reply #11952 on:** October 27, 2015, 11:16:42 PM »

Quote from: Brehvolution on October 27, 2015, 12:49:26 PM

IFC has been running 4 hour marathons of That 70's show a couple of nights during the week. I forgot how funny that show was. I missed a couple seasons so some of it is new to me.

It's one of the better syndicated shows. It felt like it disappeared for 5 or so years a while back.

toku · « **Reply #11953 on:** October 28, 2015, 12:40:17 AM »

Who is overrating that 70's show? People who *only* watch 80s and 90s sitcoms?

Tasty · « **Reply #11954 on:** October 28, 2015, 09:25:45 AM »

Quote from: WRATH VICE™ on October 28, 2015, 12:38:59 AM

That 70's Show is both way overrated and underrated depending on who you talk to.

It's not bad, but it's not great either.

Basically a proto-HIMYM then.

Tasty · « **Reply #11955 on:** October 28, 2015, 10:34:26 AM »

Yeah. Though there was a period of a few years where I couldn't watch Friends either.

Today it's some good background noise with the occasional laugh.

Yeti · « **Reply #11956 on:** October 28, 2015, 01:41:17 PM »

Quote from: TheInfelicitousDandy on October 27, 2015, 11:14:11 PM

AOS this show really kills

Can't believe we have

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ego the Living Planet

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in the MCU now.

Wow.

tiesto · « **Reply #11957 on:** October 28, 2015, 11:40:10 PM »

Saw Moonbeam City for the first time. Apart from the amazing artwork style (I'm huge into the 80's neon look as you could imagine) I just wasn't feeling it. Nothing really 'hooked' me and it was just kinda boring.

Olivia Wilde Homo · « **Reply #11958 on:** October 28, 2015, 11:43:59 PM »

I hated That 70s Show. It felt like a half assed Seinfeld ripoff. Then Freaks and Geeks showed what an actual coming of age TV show based in the 70s should be like.

mormapope · « **Reply #11959 on:** October 29, 2015, 12:56:21 AM »

Agree with all the Moonbeam City comments. First thing I thought was how wasted the awesome art style was for a really sub par Archer clone.

eleuin · « **Reply #11960 on:** October 29, 2015, 04:26:39 PM »

The latest episode of southpark

toku · « **Reply #11961 on:** October 30, 2015, 07:37:34 AM »

Quote from: eleuin on October 29, 2015, 04:26:39 PM

The latest episode of southpark

yea holy shit this was amazing

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #11962 on:** October 30, 2015, 05:34:49 PM »

O shit south park

'What makes the Asians decide who to make gay?'

'Why do the Japaneses make some people gay and not others? Well it all goes back to WW2 and atrocities called the rape of Don King'

seagrams hotsauce · « **Reply #11963 on:** October 30, 2015, 08:41:37 PM »

Nathan For You is just magic. Words cannot express how much I love this show.

Dennis · « **Reply #11964 on:** October 30, 2015, 10:23:00 PM »

Fantastic South Park episode.

The yaoi montage had me rolling.

mormapope · « **Reply #11965 on:** October 31, 2015, 02:31:30 AM »

The Knick continues to be excellent. Human misery at its finest

What's happening to Lucy is delicious. She thought she had an easy way out, to make herself feel better. Nope.

Thackery is running on fumes when it comes to his will to live. If he doesn't find a problem to solve that affects him personally (ego or otherwise), he's completely aimless.

Bertie is going to fuck up whats going for him. Dude wants to break free and live life, while also being afraid of the consequences.

Gallinger is mindfucked by everything.

Algernon is now constantly stumbling into conflict that he himself causes.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #11966 on:** October 31, 2015, 03:04:39 AM »

Promised my bro I wouldn't watch the new ep without him. He won't be ready to watch it until Tuesday

toku · « **Reply #11967 on:** November 02, 2015, 04:44:58 AM »

It's definitely gonna suck. Hell it'll do more than suck, it's gonna be a colossal piece of shit.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #11968 on:** November 02, 2015, 06:20:19 AM »

Finished up the show Wilfred because I tend to be a completionist and not because I really liked it or anything.

Basically this show was always a disappointment. The first season was okay but everything after was meh because it fell into the trap of pretending to be more than what it was and also having a moral of the week centric format to every episode that was very predictable.

The last season is no different and without spoiling anything, the ending is fine I guess, but it sort of betrays everything about the show and when you look back at it, it makes every thing that was one at point interesting actually a colossal waste of your time.

I much prefer the Australian original which removes all the mythos the American version built in and just concentrated on the funny aspects and the slightly surreal aspects.

VomKriege · « **Reply #11969 on:** November 02, 2015, 10:09:12 AM »

That Preacher series looks really bad. Expected, it is not the easiest stuff to adapt, but that is the point : everybody would have been perfectly content with it staying purely a comics ? Extremely skeptical those characters can work live, no matter how ingenious the script would be.

Watched Fargo S2 up to episode 3. So far I do like it but I am eager for the plot to start rolling proper. I am afraid the show is a bit enamored with its own "period piece" aspect, regardless of the actual pertinence it has to the story.

CatsCatsCats · « **Reply #11970 on:** November 02, 2015, 01:31:26 PM »

I mean, preacher MIGHT be good. I would think it pretty difficult to adapt the "edgy" 90s style shit in it, but maybe they can make it good. Maybe.

toku · « **Reply #11971 on:** November 02, 2015, 03:45:38 PM »

I will say one thing, the guy they got for Cassidy has been great in everything I've seen him in. Joseph Gilgun. He was the best part of later seasons of Misfits, he's good in This is England and best part of Lockout.

toku · « **Reply #11972 on:** November 02, 2015, 07:35:53 PM »

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/preacher-becomes-an-amazon-bestseller-following-trailer-debut

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #11973 on:** November 03, 2015, 11:15:22 PM »

Just watched episode 6 of Mr Robot. That shit was hot fire.

I'll probably power through the rest of the season in the next 2 days.

toku · « **Reply #11974 on:** November 04, 2015, 06:15:26 PM »

Soderbergh is exec prod on this but directing and writing are being handled by Amy Seimetz & Lodge Kerrigan

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #11975 on:** November 04, 2015, 07:57:11 PM »

Looks interesting but bummed everyone looks exactly like you'd expect. Skinny white chick and her fellow white friends.

benjipwns · « **Reply #11976 on:** November 07, 2015, 06:31:11 AM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on November 02, 2015, 06:20:19 AM

The last season is no different and without spoiling anything, the ending is fine I guess, but it sort of betrays everything about the show and when you look back at it, it makes every thing that was one at point interesting actually a colossal waste of your time.

But the start of that scene when they come in from downstairs to the intervention...

http://comicbook.com/2015/10/30/exclusive-bd-wong-cast-as-professor-hugo-strange-on-gotham/

Quote

We've known for awhile that Professor Hugo Strange was coming to the show, and now we can exclusively tell you that actor BD Wong has been cast in the role.

I hope he kills it like he has on Mr. Robot. I'll also pretend he's his Law and Order character.

And because I saw it and Justified IS awesome and The Riches WAS too soon:
http://www.vulture.com/2015/10/margo-martindale-people-think-I-play-evil-women.html

Quote

As a huge Justified fan, I wondered if playing Mags Bennett felt like the turning point for you?
Mags of course changed everything — then I got all evil parts. People were like, “Ooh, she’s sneaky.” But it sort of started with The Riches on FX. I’d done 100 Centre Street with Sidney Lumet in 2000, but it was my first series regular [role], and it gave me a chance to build a character on television. It was the beginning of this new thing, and in that time period Alexander Payne also wrote this beautiful part for me in Paris Je T’Aime, an unusual and different kind of part. Then of course it was the thrill of a lifetime to play Mags — the language was so rich and poetic and not cut of anything else, so I could just be whatever I wanted to be. Kind of like playing in my backyard.

So starting with The Riches, it seems like you’ve rode this wave just as television has become a newly golden medium for acting.
I think that’s true. And The Riches was ahead of its time; I thought it was such a delicious show, deliciously clever, and it worked on so many different levels. I’m sorry we didn’t get to really play that one out. It was too early, too early even for FX, maybe. It was the beginning of all the wonderful stuff FX has done.

rip in peace the riches

pilonv1 · « **Reply #11977 on:** November 07, 2015, 07:00:36 AM »

Anyone else watched Master of None? First episode was pretty good, mainly because it had Aphex Twin's Come to Daddy in it

brawndolicious · « **Reply #11978 on:** November 08, 2015, 12:06:49 PM »

Catching up on the last season of Mad Men. Just got to the moon landing episode. :'(

Tasty · « **Reply #11979 on:** November 10, 2015, 02:06:43 PM »

Hype.

toku · « **Reply #11980 on:** November 10, 2015, 03:08:58 PM »

better than the last trailer for sure

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #11981 on:** November 10, 2015, 03:38:43 PM »

I liked the last one better. SO excited for this.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #11982 on:** November 10, 2015, 03:47:08 PM »

I'm one episode behind on the Knick, just watched the previous one last night.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Black Batman's wife

I had a feeling something like this would happen, IE someone or some thing from his Euro past coming back to haunt him. Definitely gonna need more info on this because it kinda felt abrupt.

Gallanger's wife's teeth

Should have just taken her sister to your class reunion bro. It's not like Facebook existed, nobody would have been able to tell.

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benjipwns · « **Reply #11983 on:** November 11, 2015, 10:23:51 AM »

https://twitter.com/Seinfeld2000/status/663398271205965824/video/1

Mr. Nobody · « **Reply #11984 on:** November 11, 2015, 11:36:42 AM »

Narcos was pretty good. Seemed a bit rushed at the end though.

Hope Jessica Jones is good

VomKriege · « **Reply #11985 on:** November 11, 2015, 05:20:40 PM »

So the last episode of Fargo (5, I think) had the action cranking up a notch and the plot starting to take some tight twists. It's all more than competently done (not a fan of the sepia grading tho) but still very on the nose with the whole "it was the time we lost our innocence" (...again) and having Reagan straight up, already lapsing (The scene with Wilson at the urinal is good).

Otherwise my SO is watching the Misfits and meh. Felt very early on the whole thing would fizzle pretty hard and it proved true. Past the first three episodes, the writers had no real idea what to do with the superpowers of their characters and they were used only when convenient and as a lazy cop out : It's mostly a show catered at early adults about maladjusted teens and the tone is way too juvenile for my taste. Also the whole thing seems to have been shot in a couple streets (same locations popping up again and again... and again), it's super grating esp. since they obviously dropped quite a bit on dough on licensing amazing songs. Too bad, because the cast is really good and manages to sell it despite its flaws but even that get messed up as the actors kept jumping ship starting at S3.

king of the internet · « **Reply #11986 on:** November 11, 2015, 05:27:59 PM »

Four episodes into Master of None. Good shit.

It's basically the exact template of Louie only with Aziz and his brand of comedy instead, but it works just as well. Also gonna check out the new Mr. Show thing on Netflix this wednesday.

CatsCatsCats · « **Reply #11987 on:** November 12, 2015, 01:29:14 AM »

Omg Peep Show. First episode of season 9 did not disappoint at all

CatsCatsCats · « **Reply #11988 on:** November 12, 2015, 01:00:39 PM »

Really? I grabbed it off TD last night

toku · « **Reply #11989 on:** November 14, 2015, 01:33:26 AM »

Birtie on The Knick winning

mormapope · « **Reply #11990 on:** November 14, 2015, 02:01:12 AM »

That fucking intro though!

Best surgery moments yet

mormapope · « **Reply #11991 on:** November 14, 2015, 03:06:44 AM »

Great episode, probably the strongest when it comes to pacing yet in the season.

The Knick is shaping up to be a GOAT show. Like, Sopranos, The Wire, The Shield tier show. The consistent quality, each character having interesting shit going on, great balance of humor and misery, the cinematography, the costumes and overall style of the show.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #11992 on:** November 14, 2015, 11:04:24 AM »

Fuck my brother, I'm catching up this weekend.

I agree the show is constantly firing on all cylinders. I wonder how long it can last? 3-4 seasons seems ideal. Maybe 5 depending on how things develop.

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #11993 on:** November 14, 2015, 11:32:51 AM »

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #11994 on:** November 14, 2015, 12:36:40 PM »

I watched S1 of The Knick back when that free preview was up on HBO. I totally agree with mormapope. The cinematography is fucking absurd, the anachronistic score by Cliff Martinez is (unsurprisingly) amazing, the characters are multidimensional as fuck, and Clive Owen does a great impression of Hitler falling apart in his bunker (https://twitter.com/CajoleJuiceEsq/status/658466325245894656).

It has spoiled me for other television. I mean, I've been watching Orphan Black since then, and while Tatiana Maslany is incredible, it's just like "Yeah, this is a TV show." The Knick is Soderbergh making almost every other thing on TV look like trash. I say "look" because it's the direction and cinematography that most separate it (the same goes for True Detective S1).

mormapope · « **Reply #11995 on:** November 14, 2015, 01:31:27 PM »

I'd say there's also a lot of confidence behind The Knick creatively. Not many shows spend as much time with its entire cast of characters like The Knick does. Ensemble casts/characters have always been a thing on TV, but I haven't seen a show that does it as well as The Knick.

eleuin · « **Reply #11996 on:** November 15, 2015, 01:44:26 PM »

Finished Master of None

Loved how the show was shot & like others have said the soundtrack is awesome

Purrp Skirrp · « **Reply #11997 on:** November 15, 2015, 02:27:50 PM »

mormapope · « **Reply #11998 on:** November 15, 2015, 02:45:11 PM »

The newest Nathan for you (Smoking Allowed) has the most cringe worthy moment in the show's history.

"I love you."

"Again."

"I love you."

"Again."

"I love you."

"...again."

"I love you."

"...again ."

"I love you."

"...again."

"I love you."

"....again ."

"I love you."

"..............again."

"There's tears in your eyes"

" :'("

mormapope · « **Reply #11999 on:** November 15, 2015, 02:47:57 PM »

Found a clip of this exchange.

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/cbxlnb/nathan-for-you-the--i-love-you--exercise

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Author Topic: The TV shows you've seen recently thread. (Read 2083787 times)