Topic: The TV Show Thread

@RogerRoger You make a good point. Funnily enough here's what Chris Evans had to say about wearing the Capt.'s head gear.

@KratosMD I'm currently watching season 2 and was surprised to see that come up about season 3 as I just assumed every Marvel show on Netflix had been cancelled.

Not hearing great things about the latest series of Black Mirror. A friend who generally has decent taste really isn't impressed with it at all. She says it's gone a bit 'Hollywood'.

Black Mirror.
OK really. The Miley Cirus episode turned out to be the highlight.

Just finished When They See Us.
As if I needed more reason to be thankful that I didn't grow up in America!

Started watching Warrior on Sky One, through Now TV. Apart from some slightly cheesy dialogue in the first episode, I think this is great. The fight scenes are brilliant, best I've seen since The Raid films.

Man it's been awhile, lol.

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix original) Seasons 2 & 3 - I was a big fan of the book series as a kid so I was really excited to re-experience it through this show (watched the first season awhile ago), especially since my memory of the last few books was a bit hazy, and while it was nice reacquainting myself to the series, overall I felt that it was just okay.

Maybe it's because I read the books at a young age, but the Netflix series comes off as much more camp & silly than I had imagined things being when reading the books (though I'll admit to finding Neil Patrick-Harris' version of Count Olaf pretty amusing, and is probably the standout part of the show). Also, I didn't think it had a satisfying ending. I suppose most secrets were revealed, and I don't think it needed to be longer, but it felt like it was missing something, but what I can't exactly pinpoint. Maybe I was just really hoping they would find their parents alive, or expand upon their romantic inteterests upon the end, I dunno.

Overall, worth a look if you're really into the books, but I really can't recommend it otherwise.

Other than that I've recently watched the Last Hope (Netflix original) and a couple of the Netflix exclusive Godzilla films, but as those are all anime I've either already, or will, post more detailed thoughts in the anime thread.

@KratosMD @Frigate Only seen the first and part of the second episode so far, but yeah it is great stuff. I know a few people that really didn't like the 2nd season, but enjoyed it. Admittedly not as good as the first season, but still one of my fave tv shows recently.

@JohnnyShoulder @KratosMD @Frigate I’m one of those that was pretty underwhelmed by Stranger Things Season 2. I never did finish it. I think I made it about 4 or 5 episodes in and I can’t seem to make myself go back and watch it. Maybe hearing that Season 3 is engaging will motivate me to go back to it, but I don’t know.... I really like season 1 but it seems to have been a one-off hit. It seems like the story is going nowhere and doesn’t formulate any desire in me to see what happens. The kids are no longer charming or relatable, and the novelty has completely worn off. Also, I have a hard time staying motivated to watch a series that has no end. The pattern of beating a successful idea until it’s dead and jumped the shark, only to then wrap it up to a hasty conclusion is so off-putting. I want a show that has a beginning and an end and knows where it’s going and won’t drag things out for ratings.

Oh my... I really want off on a rant there. Sorry.

On a related Netflix note, anyone know how much longer the Marvel shows will be available on Netflix or if they will be pulled when Disney starts their streaming service? I’m vaguely interested in watching some of them (if Jessica Jones 3 has an actual planned conclusion this season 😌)

Enjoying Stranger Things Season 3 as well. So far it's been better than Season 2.

Btw, does that one Russian guy remind you of the Terminator? lol

@Th3solution A couple of people have said something similar to season 2, I don't quite understand that though as there had only been 2 seasons. I would understand it more if their had been more seasons, I didn't get the feeling they were flogging a dead horse by that point. The pace did suffer a bit near the half way point in season 2, but did improve in the later episodes. I find most tv shows in recent times are like that though and sometimes you just have to get through those episodes. I think the bar was set so high for season 1 peoples expectations were sky high.

In regards to the marvel shows on Netflix, I've not seen anything if they will be staying or not. From what I've read season 3 of JJ concludes the series in the right way.

@JohnnyShoulder I do admit I’m being hasty in my opinion of the Stranger Things second season. And I should clarify — although I did feel the show dragged a little in the middle episodes, I was really speaking more in general terms about TV shows and their tendency to drag things out. I’ve all but given up on these long TV series because they seem to be eternal; perpetually extending plot until the show is no longer profitable. At least that’s what it seems. Perhaps I was spoiled by Breaking Bad and it’s well delivered conclusion, and ruined by The Walking Dead and it’s never ending slog where the main plot never goes anywhere and as soon as one storyline seems to be concluding they just add more characters, another love interest, a new random baddie, or kill off some character because the actor is sick of it all and just wants to move on.
I’m more inclined to stay interested if I know the writers and directors have a clear vision of a story they want to tell. I didn’t get that impression after watching ST2, despite ST1 feeling very much like a tight narrative that had vision and direction. Someone was trying to sell me on the show Supernatural, and I would say that if a show hasn’t reached a conclusion after 13 seasons, I just simply don’t have the emotional energy nor the time to invest in that. Hopefully I’m wrong about Stranger Things, and I probably am being too hasty, as I said. Because for the simple fact that the kids are growing up, they’ll be unlikely to drag out the story for 13 seasons. If we’re still watching the shenanigans of Mike, Lucas, Dustin and company when they’re 30 years old, I don’t think that will be keeping any fans. My hope would be that Season 3 is the end and plot lines are tied up, but the show is just too popular so I’m sure we’ll get a Season 4.
It’s why I respect (although haven’t watched yet) Game of Thrones. Even though GRR Martin could have kept the script going perpetually given it’s popularity, he chose to have an end, and ultimately that will usually make for a more solid bit of storytelling.

And therein lies my hesitation for the Marvel TV shows - I have been waiting to see if they have an actual meaningful creative direction to the narrative and now knowing JJ3 is the end of it all, I feel more inclined to try them.

@KratosMD I definitely see what you’re saying and I admit that I’m in the minority. And that’s absolutely true that a show with an ending doesn’t inherently make it good. Truth be told, I’m pretty sure that I have a weird quirk with TV shows, because as you say, obviously loads of people adore these long running shows. I don’t mind a sit-com or serial drama to keep going endlessly if it fits the setting and theme. For example, Supernatural probably makes sense because it’s those two dudes investigating paranormal phenomenon, or whatever (my ignorance of the material is clear 😛) but in a show with a central mystery, I like it when we get the satisfaction of getting an answer to what the heck is going on without just endlessly shrouding it in more mystery.
There was a time when I felt like I could pour 1000 hours into a TV series, but I think either I’ve changed, or social media and the internet is ruining my attention span. 😂 That being said, I will try a show with a lot of seasons or one that is ongoing with no end in sight if it piques my interest. Like the aforementioned ST, Supernatural, TWD as well as Ozark, Riverdale, Daredevil, Better Call Saul, Arrow, Once Upon a Time... I’ve yet to find one that I enjoyed as much as BB, and in my mind I attribute the well-crafted ending to its emotional impact on me. But I’ll keep trying. I’ll eventually watch the rest of ST2 and ST3, and probably Jessica Jones, The Umbrella Academy, Lost in Space, Travelers, The Magicians, Punisher, Defenders, Frontier, The Crown .... who am I kidding? I’ll be lucky to watch 10% of what’s in my Netflix list. 😅

@KratosMD Good to know. I’ll move it up the list. I probably need to put Stranger Things above it, but my list is so long I need to prioritize. I have a ton of documentaries and some movies mixed in there too, and it’s pretty overwhelming. That’s why when I pull up Netflix, I usually just shut it back down and put on an old movie instead. All the shows make my brain hurt.

@Th3solution I'll second what @KratosMD said about Lost in Space, brilliant tv.

I tend to only watch stuff I know I will finish and only start something new when I've finished a season or whenever I'm ready to move on, and that tends to be only a handful of shows at a time. Much like my attitude towards gaming, I'll usually watch what I'm in the mood for. I have loads on my list too, but I don't let it bother me or anything as they are only tv shows after all.

I too finished up Stranger Things season 3 (Netflix original).

Absolutely fantastic. There are very few western live action dramas that I absolutely love, but ST is one of those few. Most western dramas are so serious all the time, but ST remindes me a lot of an anime in terms of how it handles itself. It can absolutely be serious & gritty when it needs to be, but it never forgets to have fun & explore the smaller moments.

The Witcher teaser is already out and looks pretty good actually. This is coming from someone who hasn't played the games so I don't know what do fans think about it.

@WanderingBullet I think it looks awful lol. Don't like Cahill as Geralt at all, think he has been totally miss cast. Probably watch it at some point, but not really high on my watch list.

@JohnnyShoulder Haha, I thought he would lose weight or in this case some muscle mass for the role but he still has his Superman body. As for casting, it doesn't bother me that much but that's because I don't play the games or read the books. So I'll be watching it without comparing it to the source materials.

hey anyone see this?

well that was unexpected

@WanderingBullet Yeah I'm just seeing Superman in a wig lol.