The TV thread

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

Anyone else watch this? Had never heard of it until it popped up on a Best TV of 2023 over at The Ringer. On paper the premise seems doomed to fail, or at best not be very entertaining, but that is so far away from the reality. We loved it. Also, had no idea FreeVee existed before this

[beantownbubba]

it's been a while since i've posted here so the biggest challenge is remembering what i've seen. This is a partial list.

Shetland - Considering that Jimmy Perez isn't in it, i think the powers that be did an excellent job continuing and updating the story. I thought the season was good and probably enjoyable for anyone who liked the original perez-led seasons but it wasn't quite at the same level, particularly the very confusing first couple of episodes. The last episode is a real downer, which is not really a negative, it fit the story, but is sort of a warning. Not exactly uplifting.

Reacher - So far, so good.

Annika- The changes from the previous season are not for the better. No better than ok and probably disappointing to fans of the first season.

The Gilded Age - About 4 episodes in I'm "meh" on this one. Definitely not as good as the previous season. The dialog is so wooden and artificial as to be almost painful and the lack of chemistry between the Russell parents is a real hole in the plot. All the major characters veer more towards caricature/stereotype this season which is neither good nor interesting. Just enough goodwill and interesting historical period to keep me watching, at least so far.

Beef - Spurred on by unanimously overwhelmingly positive reviews we eagerly started this one and got 2 episodes in. Let's just say I don't get it.

Slow horses - Was really looking forward to this one and it almost lived up to that 'hype", but not quite. Still, very entertaining and worth watching even if not up to their previous standard, until the last episode that is. That one is unfortunately way too influenced by American style shoot em up excess. Gary Oldman continues to shine as does most of the rest of the cast.

[beantownbubba]

Money Heist: Berlin - Watched the first episode of this prequel to the original money heist and doubt I'll be watching anymore. Boring and dumb. Bad combination.

[pearlbeer]

it's been a while since i've posted here so the biggest challenge is remembering what i've seen. This is a partial list.

Shetland - Considering that Jimmy Perez isn't in it, i think the powers that be did an excellent job continuing and updating the story. I thought the season was good and probably enjoyable for anyone who liked the original perez-led seasons but it wasn't quite at the same level, particularly the very confusing first couple of episodes. The last episode is a real downer, which is not really a negative, it fit the story, but is sort of a warning. Not exactly uplifting.

Reacher - So far, so good.

Annika- The changes from the previous season are not for the better. No better than ok and probably disappointing to fans of the first season.

The Gilded Age - About 4 episodes in I'm "meh" on this one. Definitely not as good as the previous season. The dialog is so wooden and artificial as to be almost painful and the lack of chemistry between the Russell parents is a real hole in the plot. All the major characters veer more towards caricature/stereotype this season which is neither good nor interesting. Just enough goodwill and interesting historical period to keep me watching, at least so far.

Beef - Spurred on by unanimously overwhelmingly positive reviews we eagerly started this one and got 2 episodes in. Let's just say I don't get it.

Slow horses - Was really looking forward to this one and it almost lived up to that 'hype", but not quite. Still, very entertaining and worth watching even if not up to their previous standard, until the last episode that is. That one is unfortunately way too influenced by American style shoot em up excess. Gary Oldman continues to shine as does most of the rest of the cast.

I watched Beef and really enjoyed it. Steven Yeun, in particular has a great performance.


Agree on Slow Horses - it was over the shark jumping top, but Gary Oldman saves every bit of it. He and his character are just fantastic.


Just finished Fargo 5. I've never seen any of the other ones, but WWCD made me watch it. He's right...good lord, I thought it was fantastic.

[chuckrh]

[beantownbubba]

Mr. & Mrs. Smith - liked the movie so figured I'd give it a shot. First episode had enough good things to make us want to continue. The second episode was a big step down, leaving it up to the 3rd episode to determine if we would continue. That would be a big, fat, very loud NO. Terrible. The pacing or rhythm of the show seems to be very intentional and I can't figure out why; it's boring as fuck. And the plot, you ask? What plot? I answer. Not wanting to spoil things for anyone who is not deterred, I will vaguely add that imho 2 major strategic choices they make they get completely wrong.

[chuckrh]

Mr. & Mrs. Smith - liked the movie so figured I'd give it a shot. First episode had enough good things to make us want to continue. The second episode was a big step down, leaving it up to the 3rd episode to determine if we would continue. That would be a big, fat, very loud NO. Terrible. The pacing or rhythm of the show seems to be very intentional and I can't figure out why; it's boring as fuck. And the plot, you ask? What plot? I answer. Not wanting to spoil things for anyone who is not deterred, I will vaguely add that imho 2 major strategic choices they make they get completely wrong.

Agreed. I stopped watching episode 2 & am done with it. Plenty of better stuff in the queue.

[Clams]

Finished up True Detective: Night Country last night and really enjoyed it. Jody Foster is an amazing actress and I wouldn't be surprised to see her win some awards for her performance. A big THANK YOU must go out to the Ringer for its obsessive coverage of the show which helped me to understand (a) what I was watching and (b) everything I was missing- which was a lot, lol.

Although this was season four of the show, it was my first season. So in between the weekly episodes I went back in time and watched season one which is now 10 years old and stars Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConoghey plus an extremely sexy cameo by a very young Alexandra Daddario. Both seasons were really good but I'd say one was better than four (the Daddario factor!).

[beantownbubba]

Finished up True Detective: Night Country last night and really enjoyed it. Jody Foster is an amazing actress and I wouldn't be surprised to see her win some awards for her performance. A big THANK YOU must go out to the Ringer for its obsessive coverage of the show which helped me to understand (a) what I was watching and (b) everything I was missing- which was a lot, lol.

Although this was season four of the show, it was my first season. So in between the weekly episodes I went back in time and watched season one which is now 10 years old and stars Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConoghey plus an extremely sexy cameo by a very young Alexandra Daddario. Both seasons were really good but I'd say one was better than four (the Daddario factor!).

Really liked season 1 and mostly liked season 2 (which I don't remember that well) but then stopped watching for no particular reason. Perhaps it's time to get back on the train.

Currently well into Monsieur Spade but am withholding judgment until I see the whole thing. One thing I can say is that I love the idea of it (Sam Spade retired and living in the South of France forced by circumstances to get back into "the game").

[beantownbubba]

After a long interruption, I was finally able to finish Reacher. I was disappointed. Violence and overcoming daunting physical odds are certainly part of the Reacher character and mystique but if that's all there was, he'd be no different than a thousand other characters. What makes him special are the quirks (acknowledged but imho not played very well), his brain (barely acknowledged) and his sense of humor (I can't tell if this is ignored or if the writers just aren't funny or if Alan Ritchson just can't do humor). The over-reliance on violence (see also my comments on the most recent season of Slow Horses) is clear evidence that the "golden age" of television ignited by streaming is indeed over. Sigh.

[305 Engine]

After a long interruption, I was finally able to finish Reacher. I was disappointed. Violence and overcoming daunting physical odds are certainly part of the Reacher character and mystique but if that's all there was, he'd be no different than a thousand other characters. What makes him special are the quirks (acknowledged but imho not played very well), his brain (barely acknowledged) and his sense of humor (I can't tell if this is ignored or if the writers just aren't funny or if Alan Ritchson just can't do humor). The over-reliance on violence (see also my comments on the most recent season of Slow Horses) is clear evidence that the "golden age" of television ignited by streaming is indeed over. Sigh.

Watching right now. I think there are attempts to give him some depth and good lines but unfortunately Alan Ritchson aint exactly De Niro.

[beantownbubba]

Currently well into Monsieur Spade but am withholding judgment until I see the whole thing. One thing I can say is that I love the idea of it (Sam Spade retired and living in the South of France forced by circumstances to get back into "the game").

Finished Monsieur Spade and we liked it, but neither of us is quite sure why. The main characters are appealing, the dialogue tries for the right tone, the right level of cynicism/hope, the right level of banter and sometimes hits but sometimes misses, too. The references to Hammett, The Maltese Falcon and Bogart are many, which is fun and I'm not sure I caught them all because it's been a long while since I've revisited the origingals in print or on film. But it's also not clear whether they're all intentional: E.g. the ending is suitably convoluted and confusing w/ lots of loose ends left open: An homage to the notorious and glorious end of The Maltese Falcon or just bad writing/structure? LOL, who knows?

BTW, Clive Owen smartly does not try to imitate Bogey. His take is an interesting one and a good subject for discussion (and I would think a good subject for aspiring actors to study) but in the end I'm not sure he nailed it. At the very least it worked well enough not to detract from the enjoyment of the series.

If you like the originals, if you like offbeat takes on classic genres, if you like a little international flavor and if you appreciate good dialog even if it's not constant, I say go for it.

[beantownbubba]

I think there are attempts to give him some depth and good lines but unfortunately Alan Ritchson aint exactly De Niro.

Agreed. It's not always possible to tell where the fault lies.

[pearlbeer]

Masters of the Air - I'm watching it, but for some reason I don't like it. I don't have a particular reason and don't really want to dive in deeper to try and understand why. However, unfortunately, 4 episodes in, I feel like it is my patriotic duty to finish it. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for my country. USA USA.

[chuckrh]

Masters of the Air - I'm watching it, but for some reason I don't like it. I don't have a particular reason and don't really want to dive in deeper to try and understand why. However, unfortunately, 4 episodes in, I feel like it is my patriotic duty to finish it. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for my country. USA USA.

The air battles are great, the stuff on the ground mediocre. I'm going to do the whole series, too.

[beantownbubba]

Masters of the Air - I'm watching it, but for some reason I don't like it. I don't have a particular reason and don't really want to dive in deeper to try and understand why. However, unfortunately, 4 episodes in, I feel like it is my patriotic duty to finish it. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for my country. USA USA.

The air battles are great, the stuff on the ground mediocre. I'm going to do the whole series, too.

Just started this (first 2 episodes) last night. Like it enough to continue but it falls well short of Band of Brothers. Even allowing that BoB is an unfair standard, Masters is, so far, not great tv. Among other things it is literally very dark as in hard to see sometimes. I don't understand that at all - if it's an "artistic effect" I'm not sure what they're going for and if it's not, well that's just bad.

I'm also having a hard time keeping the "mid-major" characters straight and the military lingo is driving me crazy when it comes to stuff like people being transferred to other assignments and the like - wait, did that guy just get promoted or demoted? Did he just do something really good or really bad? Etc.

But of course the story is compelling, and there's a lot of big name talent involved at all levels so I'm still hopeful.

[beantownbubba]

Finished up True Detective: Night Country last night and really enjoyed it. Jody Foster is an amazing actress and I wouldn't be surprised to see her win some awards for her performance. A big THANK YOU must go out to the Ringer for its obsessive coverage of the show which helped me to understand (a) what I was watching and (b) everything I was missing- which was a lot, lol.

Although this was season four of the show, it was my first season. So in between the weekly episodes I went back in time and watched season one which is now 10 years old and stars Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConoghey plus an extremely sexy cameo by a very young Alexandra Daddario. Both seasons were really good but I'd say one was better than four (the Daddario factor!).

So, the tv critic for the Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert, who's usually pretty good, said he loved TDNC up until the last episode which he hated so much it ruined the entire series for him. Thoughts, before i decide whether to take the plunge?

In the middle of a spy show called Hamilton* which we had never heard of before. Verrrry complicated plot but keeping our interest so far. Depending on how the complications play out this can go a lot of ways (both as to plot and quality).

*No, not that Hamilton which is a pretty odd quirk itself since the show takes place in Sweden and the main character is, I think, supposed to be half Swedish.

[Clams]

So, the tv critic for the Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert, who's usually pretty good, said he loved TDNC up until the last episode which he hated so much it ruined the entire series for him. Thoughts, before i decide whether to take the plunge?

Watch it. The finale ties up all the loose ends, which is what a finale is supposed to do. And if you skipped it you'd be depriving yourself of amazing, nuanced performances by Jody Foster and Kali Reis. Honestly that critic sounds like a fuckin asshole.

[beantownbubba]

So, the tv critic for the Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert, who's usually pretty good, said he loved TDNC up until the last episode which he hated so much it ruined the entire series for him. Thoughts, before i decide whether to take the plunge?

Watch it. The finale ties up all the loose ends, which is what a finale is supposed to do. And if you skipped it you'd be depriving yourself of amazing, nuanced performances by Jody Foster and Kali Reis. Honestly that critic sounds like a fuckin asshole.

Thanks. It's now in the queue.

[beantownbubba]

Having caught up w/ Masters of the Air we're taking a break from it because we prefer to watch multiple episodes at once rather than one per week.

However the show turns out from a quality/enjoyment perspective, one thing that just burns through bigger than life is the courage of ordinary soldiers. It's really an extraordinary thing and something I don't think about or appreciate enough, even when I think I do.

[beantownbubba]

In the middle of a spy show called Hamilton* which we had never heard of before. Verrrry complicated plot but keeping our interest so far. Depending on how the complications play out this can go a lot of ways (both as to plot and quality)

Finished season 1 of Hamilton (which might also be called Agent Hamilton, it's hard to tell from the listings). It was entertaining and they did eventually explain most of the complications in the plot but it wasn't particularly good. If you like a show that is based on vaguely threatening conspiracy theories, momentum and the charisma of the lead characters, give it a whirl. If you like things to make sense, think 2x. If it bugs you when they resolve difficult situations by simply cutting to the next scene in which the difficulty has been resolved off-screen w/out explanation, stay away.

[beantownbubba]

Started watching MI-5 (Spooks in the UK). Thought the first season was pretty good, at least good enough to watch the second. The second season started out more or less at the same level as the first, but then came episodes 5 and 6 which may well be the 2 worst back to back episodes of a series i generally enjoyed that i have ever seen. Would have to get way into spoiler territory to explain the whys and wherefores, but man, that is some seriously awful, preposterous, nonsensical, boring (especially ep. 6) doesn't-even-make-sense-w/in-its-own-conventions tv. Because we committed to watching the season and because we were curious which way the remainder of the season would go we're now a couple of episodes further down the road and at least they're more or less back to the previous level. Boy, what a strange interlude.

[pearlbeer]

Masters of the Air - I'm watching it, but for some reason I don't like it. I don't have a particular reason and don't really want to dive in deeper to try and understand why. However, unfortunately, 4 episodes in, I feel like it is my patriotic duty to finish it. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for my country. USA USA.

The air battles are great, the stuff on the ground mediocre. I'm going to do the whole series, too.

Just started this (first 2 episodes) last night. Like it enough to continue but it falls well short of Band of Brothers. Even allowing that BoB is an unfair standard, Masters is, so far, not great tv. Among other things it is literally very dark as in hard to see sometimes. I don't understand that at all - if it's an "artistic effect" I'm not sure what they're going for and if it's not, well that's just bad.

I'm also having a hard time keeping the "mid-major" characters straight and the military lingo is driving me crazy when it comes to stuff like people being transferred to other assignments and the like - wait, did that guy just get promoted or demoted? Did he just do something really good or really bad? Etc.

But of course the story is compelling, and there's a lot of big name talent involved at all levels so I'm still hopeful.

Caught up on a few episodes last night. Latest episodes are way, way better. Much more band of brothers-y. Glad I'm watched for my patriotic duty, as you really see the sacrifices we (used to?) make as a nation to preserve democracy and fight evil. Some tough men and women who shaped history. I'm still a bit annoyed with Austin Butler's performance in the series - he still hasn't shaken the Elvis persona, or maybe it's me. The other actors are largely top flight.

I believe this week hosts the conclusion.

[chuckrh]

Fascinating documentary on HBO. It's almost a thriller.

[beantownbubba]

Hadn't heard of that one Chuck but a quick google search says that your comparison to a thriller is accurate which of course piques my interest.

[beantownbubba]

Caught up on a few episodes last night. Latest episodes are way, way better. Much more band of brothers-y. Glad I'm watched for my patriotic duty, as you really see the sacrifices we (used to?) make as a nation to preserve democracy and fight evil. Some tough men and women who shaped history. I'm still a bit annoyed with Austin Butler's performance in the series - he still hasn't shaken the Elvis persona, or maybe it's me. The other actors are largely top flight.

Finished the series the other night and agree that the later episodes are better. And agree even more that the main impact or message that comes through to me is the sheer sacrifice and bravery of so many ordinary people. Overall, not as good as it might have been but certainly worth watching and, again, i think it would do everyone good to be reminded of those sacrifices, that courage and that devotion to duty and a cause displayed (and backed up with action including the loss of life and limb) by so, so many people.

[pearlbeer]

Decent, a bit unfocused, nothing too surprising, other than just how MANY "oh yeah, I remember that" moments there are.

[tinnitus photography]

Decent, a bit unfocused, nothing too surprising, other than just how MANY "oh yeah, I remember that" moments there are.

big fan of her filmography i see?

[chuckrh]

Decent, a bit unfocused, nothing too surprising, other than just how MANY "oh yeah, I remember that" moments there are.

big fan of her filmography i see?

Hold on, the pizza girl is here....