The TV Series discussion thread

[Dajjer]

I haven't watched Childhood's End, forgot about that one while I was out on vacations. As for the Expanse, I don't have a problem with characters, as I never care about characters (in fact, I prefer shows where characters don't have 'script armor' so anybody could die any moment).
I haven't checked the Magicians either, didn't know it's based on some books. I don't care if they are anyway, I always judge a series on its own. If the series is good (like Game of Thrones) then it's good, regardless if they follow the books religiously or not.

Word soup, my man word soup.

I can tell by the shows you like you care about characters (Game of Thrones, STNG, Deep Space 9). All those shows are character driven. And the only way effective story telling works is when you do care that the character dies so help me Ned Stark and all those dead characters in Downton Abbey.

But I do like the term script armor, and the best stories are when anybody can die. But in order for that to be effective you have to care about the character.

BTW, just finished completely catching up with The Expanse, and I finally found a character that is compelling to me. Amos Burton, the ship mechanic and knuckle dragger. They opened up his back story and he seem to me the most iron willed in the group. He should be the captain.

 

[joxer]

maybe if there is heavy martial arts, or heavy revenge action but watching reality based crime drama is usually not for me.

The Raid (Serbuan Maut) and The Raid 2 (Berandal).
Rent. Now.

If not available where you are, grab the movie from my avatar (Ajeossi)!

BTW, just finished completely catching up with The Expanse, and I finally found a character that is compelling to me. Amos Burton, the ship mechanic and knuckle dragger. They opened up his back story and he seem to me the most iron willed in the group. He should be the captain.

I don't have it yet available, but what I've read about it so far is encouraging to give it a try.

While I'd probably ditched it if there weren't entries about it flying around because on pics it seems like yet another let's make cuties fight then win noncutes, male and female, apparently the show has a very interesting story and beefed episodes (those would be kinds that you can't fastforward through and still get everything like in classic soaps and B materials).

 

[lackblogger]

There's been some interesting drama put out by the BBC over the Christmas period for which my picks would have to be:

War and Peace (still running)
And Then There Were None (3 parter now finished)
World's Sneakiest Animals

The first speaks for itself, but the presentation is well above par although it does speed through the story.

The second is an all-time classic and one of the best selling books of all time as Agatha Christie blends horror and whodunnit on a deserted island in the 1930s

The last is just a pleasure to watch as we learn why Cuttlefish skin can replicate its surroundings like a futuristic cloaking device and how to barter with thieving monkeys amongst many, many others.

I could watch all three again and again and with them all being such short, one-off series, there's no excuse for lack of time.

 

[joxer]

And Then There Were None (3 parter now finished)
…an all-time classic and one of the best selling books of all time as Agatha Christie blends horror and whodunnit on a deserted island in the 1930s

Sorry but that's something I'll never watch.
The book was so unbelievably good I just don't want to ruin it. It's one of those cases where I believe no screen can outdo the book.
Maybe it's great series, maybe it's not, but this tile, please, read the book. Even if you're not into books get this one. You won't be able to stop reading and there is no way you'll "solve the puzzle" before the end.

 

[wolfing]

I can tell by the shows you like you care about characters (Game of Thrones, STNG, Deep Space 9). All those shows are character driven. And the only way effective story telling works is when you do care that the character dies so help me Ned Stark and all those dead characters in Downton Abbey.

I don't know what you mean by 'character driven'. Obviously all shows are character driven if what you mean is that there are characters there. To me what I like about them is the stories. My favorite episode in TNG is Darmok, I loved the story and think it would have been just as good regardless of who was stranded in that planet.

I guess what I mean is that I don't have to 'care' about any character to enjoy a show. My favorite character in TNG was the captain, but if he died in one episode and some other captain (or Riker) replaced him, I would have continued watching all the same.

 

[lackblogger]

The book was so unbelievably good I just don't want to ruin it.

Ohhhh, I've read the book (twice), seen the movies (various), played the video game (it's a bit crap), been to the theatre, so it was nice to see the TV series I thought they did a very good job, or as best you can without using your own imagination like with the book.

 

[Dez]

Well not putting fellow gamers in a box, it's just that by association I would think people who like RPGs also would like shows that are like the RPGs they play (which is majority sci-fi or fantasy), but like I said, looks like I'm wrong.

Well why should this come as a surprise? Most of us like good stories and quality drama like Fargo or the wire is all about the story.

I do like scifi series, but quality scifi is really the rarest thing. Give me an other Babylon five, Farscape or battlestar Galactica and I'm sold. Sadly most scifi series kind of suck.

That Expanse looks promissing though, but too early to tell if it will last.

 

[CelticFrost]

The movie is just very odd.

I don't think Coen brothers movies are odd, just very creative and bring some sort real feeling to them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coen_brothers_filmography

 

[Dajjer]

The Raid (Serbuan Maut) and The Raid 2 (Berandal).
Rent. Now.

If not available where you are, grab the movie from my avatar (Ajeossi)!


I don't have it yet available, but what I've read about it so far is encouraging to give it a try.

While I'd probably ditched it if there weren't entries about it flying around because on pics it seems like yet another let's make cuties fight then win noncutes, male and female, apparently the show has a very interesting story and beefed episodes (those would be kinds that you can't fastforward through and still get everything like in classic soaps and B materials).

Saw Raid 1 by accident in when it came out. I rave about it to anyone who might hold an interest. Spectacular martial arts-crime movie. And its helped me in my workouts. Every morning when I do my morning workout regime, when ever I slag off, I think of that guy in the movie who was doing his morning workout before he went to work. And he was basically the sole survivor. So I go on . . .

Of course I saw Raid 2 - excellent recommendation.

As far as Expanse - imo, it's pretty balanced in the looks department. Not everyone looks like they came out of GQ or Glamor. The lead ground based character is regular looking and the current captain looks like a twerp. The female engineer is kinda hot but she has done absolutely no fighting. And the pilot looks like a cleaned up stoner. Just regular folks in my book.

 

[Dajjer]

I don't know what you mean by 'character driven'. Obviously all shows are character driven if what you mean is that there are characters there. To me what I like about them is the stories. My favorite episode in TNG is Darmok, I loved the story and think it would have been just as good regardless of who was stranded in that planet.

I guess what I mean is that I don't have to 'care' about any character to enjoy a show. My favorite character in TNG was the captain, but if he died in one episode and some other captain (or Riker) replaced him, I would have continued watching all the same.

About 3 months ago my wife and I were channel surfing and came across a TNG episode we really liked. It was the one where Data breaks the prime directive and is in communication with a little girl on a planet that is about to explode. Data by bits and pieces convinces the captain to break the prime directive and save the planet. There was one line in the show though where Picard finally has to go all the way and he says to Riker - "in for a penny, in for a pound". An old cliché that expressed the moment perfectly. We went on to watch about 5 more STNG episodes that weekend. The show still holds up.

But Darmok . . . Wow, one of the best science fiction episodes ever. Of any show. Beautifully acted and written. And turning the English language into a foreign language was brilliant. I will say no more. However, 5 years prior there was a movie with a similar feel to the Darmok episode. It was called Enemy Mine (with Dennis Quaid and Lou Gosset) , If you liked Darmok then you need to check out Enemy Mine.

 

[luj1]

Hey guys whatsup



Don't watch the new X files if you value your IQ

 

[txa1265]

Don't watch the new X files if you value your IQ

So I've heard ... which is disappointing but perhaps it was good that it was on late at night, meaning I wouldn't watch it 'live' anyway.

 

[joxer]

Don't watch the new X files if you value your IQ

What, they added bits from Donald Trump campaign?

 

[lostforever]

Hey guys whatsup



Don't watch the new X files if you value your IQ

Is it based on just one episodes or after 3 or 4? I hope its just one and things improve!

 

[luj1]

Ugh…. I dunno guys…… the acting is atrocious …. its like they gave Mulder and Scully 50 bucks and told them lets do this…… feels horrendously rushed

What, they added bits from Donald Trump campaign?

Maybe…. they added an Alex Jones type of character , and mashed together all conspiracy theories from youtube in 1 episode

 

[CelticFrost]

Hey guys whatsup



Don't watch the new X files if you value your IQ

I am sorry you are completely wrong, it is no worst or better than it was 14 years ago. It is a show that is full of actors that can't get jobs in movie with a script that suits shows that Fox pushes.

 

[luj1]

Its a lot worse than it used to be, don't be sorry. The acting and writing are ATTROCIUS. Hope the monster episodes will be better than this rushed trash

 

[luj1]

Also, I watched the shannara chronicles. Big fan of the first book, couldn't believe this show passed under my radar. My impressions after 3 episodes


+ great art direction
+ great costumes and makeup
+ impressive use of natural scenery combined with CGI
+ some solid leads (Manu Bennet)
- weak writing, weak acting overall
- questionable script
- ruined by teenage romantic BS
- music is absolutely HORRID
- series opening is a terrible hipsterish idea


but Ill watch just coz Gimli and Crixus

and Raiden!

 

[CelticFrost]

Its a lot worse than it used to be, don't be sorry. The acting and writing are ATTROCIUS. Hope the monster episodes will be better than this rushed trash

I wish I could stir you in the right direction, though I know I can't. The only reason the X-Files were any good to begin with as it was the beginning of TV shows without laugh tracks and something different to offer.

Go back and watch a few of them, they were showing them all on the space Network the last few days, I found them almost unwatchable. Though I am not in college any more smoking pot, so maybe they were never any good...

 

[CelticFrost]

Also, I watched the shannara chronicles. Big fan of the first book, couldn't believe this show passed under my radar. My impressions after 3 episodes


+ great art direction
+ great costumes and makeup
+ impressive use of natural scenery combined with CGI
+ some solid leads (Manu Bennet)
- weak writing, weak acting overall
- questionable script
- ruined by teenage romantic BS
- music is absolutely HORRID
- series opening is a terrible hipsterish idea


but Ill watch just because Gimli and Crixus

This is a show made for teenage girls to get all excited about. What is this really saying about you. I spent a lot of time in the past in Fork's WA, does that name get you all excited. It is a shithole in the middle of no where, but if you like that show I am sure you are a fan of Twilight.