The TV Series discussion thread

DArtagnan said:

I agree that Sopranos is overrated. It did some interesting things for its time - but I can't get past how much I despise the main character and how it doesn't really get anywhere for the longest time.

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What i like with Sopranos is the amount of interesting and deep characters (i could probably mention around 20), also the character development is pure excellence in this show, not sure i've seen anything that compares to it. Breaking Bad and The Wire are great shows but has too many characters that i really don't care for at all, e.g Stringer Bell in Wire, that utterly boring character got way too much screen time. I can mention maybe 4 characters in these shows that are great, character development isn't even close to a show like Sopranos (for example the kid in Breaking Bad is really boring and doesnt get anywhere, compare it to the kids in Sopranos, very deep characters with great development, at least for A.J).

Oh, Boardwalk Empire is absolutely excellent too, the latest season was especially good, one of those seasons you can spend a whole day watching episode after episode without getting bored.

JDR13 said:

If I had to guess, I'd say you didn't actually watch the games.

Now if you were talking about the Bronze medal game, then yeah, they definitely didn't show up in that one.

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As usual, the guess would be wrong

Sure they weren't pathetic like in the Bronze game, but it was a 'binary experience' - one team dominated, the other managed to keep it from becoming a blowout.

But what I was saying about 'loser logic' was more than often the side that lost brings up all sorts of irrelevant things to either distract from the loss or soften the pain from the loss. When in reality 1-0 or 17-0 doesn't matter. Loss = loss. Neither Russians nor Americans got a medal, in spite of a 'classic' but utterly meaningless game.

txa1265 said:

But what I was saying about 'loser logic' was more than often the side that lost brings up all sorts of irrelevant things to either distract from the loss or soften the pain from the loss. When in reality 1-0 or 17-0 doesn't matter. Loss = loss. Neither Russians nor Americans got a medal, in spite of a 'classic' but utterly meaningless game.

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If you truly feel that Canada "dominated" the US with that 1-0 win then I won't try to convince you otherwise. My opinion is that it was the result of how good Canada played rather than "the US just didn't show up". You seemed determined to take away from both the US and Canada though rather than give credit where credit is due.

JDR13 said:

If you truly feel that Canada "dominated" the US with that 1-0 win then I won't try to convince you otherwise. My opinion is that it was the result of how good Canada played rather than "the US just didn't show up". You seemed determined to take away from both the US and Canada though rather than give credit where credit is due.

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I felt there was little question of the outcome - but it is true that unlike Russia-Finland or US - Finland, at least the game was good ... though not compared to the woman's game!

But it is all kind of silly anyway - it is all NHL vs. NHL vs. NHL ... the US, Canada, Russia labels are all pretty arbitrary. I mean, it was the Boston goalie who shut things down! It makes the whole thing meaningless in terms of actual nationality. I would like to see some sort of rules - Russian medals awarded to US citizens, for example. Canadian medals to people who reside and earned all of their income for the last decade in the US. It is a joke ...

Can we stop the ice hockey discussion? This is the wrong thread for it.

Tried watching TWD for a bit again, and I just can't stay interested. I don't know how I lasted this long, to be honest.

It's so endlessly repetitive and I can't detect a point anywhere. I didn't even get through a single episode.

I guess when something like True Detective is running, I get reminded what quality TV can be.

I'll admit that True Detective makes other shows looks bad simply because of how riveting it is. An hour will just whip by while watching it, and at most it felt like 10 minutes passed. HBO wins again, hands down, it is nice to have yet another great show on the network.

Don't forget tonight Vikings starts again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGHPCuqjuWY

All rights belong to Amon Amarth, History Channel and Odin. Classic

Greatest show ever would be Vikings vs Zombies with Matthew Mchonhay and Woody Harrelson trying to figure out what is going on . Also, dragons would be returning and winter is coming.

There my show kicks your shows ass and there never needs to be any more discussions on this thread. Odin has spoken and his word is law.

Hastar said:

Greatest show ever would be Vikings vs Zombies with Matthew Mchonhay and Woody Harrelson trying to figure out what is going on . Also, dragons would be returning and winter is coming.

There my show kicks your shows ass and there never needs to be any more discussions on this thread. Odin has spoken and his word is law.

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Sorry, zombies makes it an automatic trash pile to me. Never understood the fascination with zombies.

What's to understand? Zombies "respawn" endlessly. You can't stop them from incoming. If you hate that mechanics in games, you'll hate zombie movies. Except Shaun of the Dead - but that's a movie, not series.

wolfing said:

Sorry, zombies makes it an automatic trash pile to me. Never understood the fascination with zombies.

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You must have not grown up in the 1970's. First movie I ever rented was Dawn of the Dead. If a zombie movie or book or TV series is done well it is more about the fight for survival and how fast society can break down. Can also show the best parts of humanity and the worst.

But I understand, there are certain movies I do not enjoy. Like romantic comedies so you can stick with that while I will stick with BRAINS

Strikes me as peculiar just how many well-known, established actors are participating in television now. Kevin Spacey, Woody Harrelson, Mathew McConaughey, Steve Buscemi, & likely more since I don't watch much TV!

...One could infer that they're sick of Hollywood's staleness and want to do something original for a change

An interesting thought, but not entirely spot-on. The names you list aren't really 'big' names. They're well known names, but they're not people who can sell a film simply by their presence.

There's always been actors who float between tv and film in equal quantity, having the lead role in tv but not quite making top billing in a film's credits - Keifer Sutherland, Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean, Rowan Atkinson, Bill Cosby, to name but a few.

Maybe when we get a series staring George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman you might have a more valid point.

It's still a valid point though, there's a lot more money in good tv series than there was 20 years ago.

MinorityReport said:

hen we get a series staring George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman you might have a more valid point.

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These people doesnt sell a movie just be their presenece either (maybe with the exception of Pitt), so your point it pure nonsense.. Also, Mathew McConaughey is one of the biggest names right now.

Woody Harrelson and Steve Buscemi could definitely sell a movie by their name. At least to me, pretty sure i'm not alone They've all been in movies we consider classics, therefore they are big names.

Cameron Diaz? lol.

Your inability to understand the basic concept of a 'hollywood great' just blew my mind.

The walls of text required to explain to you this concept is so large you probably wouldn't even read it.

Ok, here's the test:

Name 5 films where George Clooney has been the 'big name' in a film.

Now:

Name 5 films where Woody Harleson has been the 'big name' in a film.

(and, no, naming 'small time' actors because they are 'big to you' does not count).

As for McConaughey, I just looked at his IMDB and the only two films I recognise him from since 2008 are The Wolf of Wall Street (a film 'staring' Leonardo DiCaprio) and Tropic Thunder (a film 'staring' Ben Stiller).

The movie industry is constantly changing, a big name a few years ago can be a nobody in 2014, a nobody can turn into a big name in no time. That you don't recgonize McConaughey from movies like Dallas Buyers Club or Mud just confirms my beliefs that you're absolutely clueless. Your so called "test" proves nothing.

It confirms you don't know what the term 'blockbuster' or 'A-list' means...

MinorityReport said:

Name 5 films where Woody Harleson has been the 'big name' in a film.

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Can't. I hate that guy, I hate Cheers and I just can't stand seeing him (and will never suggest anyone to watch Hunger Games just because of that). When I see he's in some TV show or movie, I skip it!

MinorityReport said:

As for McConaughey, I just looked at his IMDB and the only two films I recognise him from since 2008 are The Wolf of Wall Street (a film 'staring' Leonardo DiCaprio) and Tropic Thunder (a film 'staring' Ben Stiller).

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Didn't watch those two. He was however brilliant in The Lincoln Lawyer, not bad at all in lousy probably SyFy's Reign of Fire, also not bad in timewaster Sahara (although I watched that one because od Penelope Cruz), was great in Bernie and The Paperboy.
He's IMO a good actor.

MinorityReport said:

Name 5 films where George Clooney has been the 'big name' in a film.

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E.R.?
Wait, I remember he was on a poster of some staring at goats movie… Didn't want to watch that.

The current hollywood A-List:

1. Robert Downey Jr.
The King
He leads the Most Valuable Stars list for the second time, and who can argue?MORE

2.
Leonardo DiCaprio
The Star Who Started Smiling Again
The fun he had in Django Unchained and Great Gatsby was contagious.MORE

3.
Jennifer Lawrence
The Breakthrough BFF
Nobody has navigated instant fame better than her.MORE

4.
Sandra Bullock
The Never-Been-Better Superstar
After a few years of lying low, she came back with a hit comedy and the best-reviewed movie of the year.MORE

5.
Brad Pitt
The Golden Boy
With World War Z, people thought the screen idol had overstepped. Wrong.MORE

6.
Will Smith
The Staggering Giant
After Earth proved he’s not invincible.MORE

7.
Christian Bale
The Man Who Left the Cape Behind
He doesn’t need Batman anymore.MORE
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8.
Denzel Washington
The Consistent Veteran
He hasn’t had a movie open to less than $20 million in a decade.MORE

9.
Tom Hanks
Mr. Nice Guy
A well-loved Hollywood veteran who’s coming back into his own after a few box-office misses.MORE

10.
Johnny Depp
The Wounded Wonder
Still a big name, but his tentpole appeal has taken a hit in recent years.MORE

11.
Hugh Jackman
The Entertainer
He rises on this list by mixing genres and making blockbusters that are especially powerful overseas.MORE

12.
Angelina Jolie
The Ultimate Star
Though she hasn’t been onscreen since 2010, we can assume she’s still huge.MORE

13.
Meryl Streep
The Grand Dame
A living legend who gets bigger every year.MORE

14.
Tom Cruise
The Star Abroad
Americans may be wary of him, but Cruise’s movies still clean up overseas.MORE

15.
Daniel Radcliffe
The Boy Wizard Grown Up
Forget Harry Potter: Daniel Radcliffe is now a daring adult.MORE

16.
Jennifer Aniston
The Potential Comeback
After the success of We’re the Millers, Hollywood hopes her box-office value can finally match her tabloid appeal.MORE

17.
Daniel Craig
The Serious Secret Agent
He’s the biggest Bond ever, but without his license to kill, it’s another story.MORE

18.
George Clooney
The Patron Saint of Hollywood
He’s Mr. Hollywood, a smooth and sophisticated star and creative talent.MORE

19.
Matt Damon
The Star Who Slipped
Studios still love him, but Damon struggled at the box office last year.MORE

20.
Mila Kunis
The Game-for-Anything Gamine
She’s appealing onscreen and even more likable off.MORE

21.
Daniel Day Lewis
The Actor’s Actor
A brilliant thespian coming off a bona fide blockbuster.MORE

22.
Ryan Gosling
The Enigma
He’s got the right stuff to be a studio leading man, but he’s not that interested.MORE

23.
Bradley Cooper
The New Brad
This heartthrob can now be taken seriously.MORE

24.
Anne Hathaway
The Scapegoat
She’s talented and heralded by Hollywood, but the Internet will not cut her a break.MORE

25.
Vin Diesel
The Endless Franchise
Fast & Furious only gets more and more popular, and this time he’s sticking around.MORE

26.
Mark Wahlberg
The Triple Threat
Action, comedy, and drama: He’s got a lock on them all. MORE

27.
Melissa McCarthy
The Sure Thing
She could be the biggest, most reliable comedy star we have right now.MORE

28.
Ben Affleck
The Comeback Kid
Hollywood applauded his Oscar; fanboys went bananas over his Batman casting.MORE

29.
Liam Neeson
The Man With a Gun
It’s been five years since Taken reinvented him as the new Charles Bronson, and he’s only picking up speed.MORE

30.
Cate Blanchett
The Gold Standard
Every great director wants to work with her, and she always dazzles.MORE

31.
Channing Tatum
The Great, Hunky Hope
Can he be the next big male movie star we all want him to be?MORE

32.
Emma Stone
The Glamorous Girl Next Door
She had a slow 2013, but the likable star has a 2014 packed with blockbusters and prestige flicks.MORE

33.
Dwayne Johnson
The Franchise Steroid-Boost
Add his muscles to a strong brand and watch it grow.MORE

34.
Clint Eastwood
The Cantankerous Classic
Still a cinema icon, even if his star has taken a slight hit.MORE

35.
Natalie Portman
The Returning Conqueror
After making 2011 her biggest professional year ever, she returns from maternity leave.MORE

36.
Kristen Stewart
The Image Problem
A major tabloid scandal was the worst thing that could happen to an actress so uncomfortable in the spotlight.MORE

37.
Michael Fassbender
The Stealth Star
He’s one of our most promising actors, but middle America hasn’t gotten the memo.MORE

38.
Chris Hemsworth
The Hammer
Life is good when you have one hit franchise for men (Thor) and one for women (Snow White and the Huntsman).MORE

39.
Chris Pine
The Young Captain
He needs something besides Star Trek to raise his profile. Will Jack Ryan do the trick? MORE

40.
Andrew Garfield
The Second-Wave Superhero
A solid actor who’s still selling geeks on his Spider-Man.MORE

41.
Henry Cavill
The Man in Tights
Will he have a career like Christian Bale or Brandon Routh?MORE

42.
Jeremy Renner
The Fighter
He’s got what Hollywood wants, but how many movies make good use of it?MORE

43.
Adam Sandler
The Aging Man-child
He bounced back from That’s My Boy with Grown Ups 2, but is his brand on the wane?MORE

44.
Tina Fey
The Comedy Role Model
Everything she does is smart, funny, and venerated; her lack of a hit seems incidental.MORE

45.
Reese Witherspoon
The Gossiped-About Good Girl
Don’t you know who she is?MORE

46.
Tom Hardy
The Unmasked Man
Unrecognizable in his biggest role, can audiences spark to this sensitive man?MORE

47.
Steve Carell
The Dialed-Back Funnyman
Burt Wonderstone seems like the last human cartoon we’ll get from Carell for a while.MORE

48.
Zoe Saldana
The Franchise Magnet
She’s the lead in three big sci-fi series, even though two of them totally disguise her.MORE

49.
Robert De Niro
The Renewed Veteran
Silver Linings Playbook reminded us, Hey, this guy can really act!MORE

50.
Julia Roberts
The Mile-Wide Smile
The happier Julia seems, the bigger her movies are.MORE

51.
Emma Watson
The Graduate
She’s done a smart job distancing herself from Hermione.MORE

52.
Robert Pattinson
The Recovering Vampire
He’s gonna need more time to get past Twilight — assuming he ever can.MORE

53.
Cameron Diaz
The Comic Bombshell
She’ll soon start capitalizing on the R-rated success of Bad Teacher.MORE

54.
Kate Winslet
The Drama Queen
This Oscar perennial is taking a dip in YA waters next year.MORE

55.
Jake Gyllenhaal
The Modest Movie Star
He’s found his niche in affordable, gritty thrillers.MORE

56.
Javier Bardem
The Delicious Fiend
His villainous turn in Skyfall helped push its gross past a billion dollars.MORE

57.
Matthew McConaughey
The Good Ol’ Boy Made Good
Hollywood has taken notice of his mid-career comeback.MORE

58.
Chris Evans
The Reluctant Hero
He’s hoping that Captain America will help earn him the edgier roles he wants.MORE

59.
James Franco
The Prolific One
He had two giant hits and a new cult favorite in 2013, but that’s hardly enough for Franco.MORE

60.
Russell Crowe
The Brawler Biding His Time
A supporting player as of late, he’s poised for a big-time moment next year.MORE

61.
Zach Galifianakis
The Off-Kilter Comic
The Hangover series sputtered to a halt, and he needs something else to showcase his talents.MORE

62.
Christoph Waltz
The Mischief-Maker
He’s our go-to euro villain, but at least he’s having fun with it.MORE

63.
Will Ferrell
The Quotable One
Anchorman 2 will keep him in the vernacular, but can he keep his fans loyal beyond Ron Burgundy?MORE

64.
Shia LaBeouf
The Blockbuster Star in Exile
The Transformers actor is now seeking artier fare.MORE

65.
Seth Rogen
The Screw-up Turned Grown-up
Rogen stepped behind the camera and put his career back on track.MORE

66.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
The Renaissance Man
Creative and well-liked, but there’s room to grow.MORE

67.
Amy Adams
The Under-the-Radar Real Deal
She’s doing everything right, even if your mom isn’t sure of her name.MORE

68.
Charlize Theron
The Disappearing Act
Now you see her, now you don’t.MORE

69.
Carey Mulligan
The Class Act
The Great Gatsby finally got her wide renown, but she still prefers smaller, smarter fare.MORE

70.
Ben Stiller
The Hands-On Funnyman
As his career wanes a bit, Stiller casts himself in a potential comeback vehicle.MORE

71.
Ryan Reynolds
The Problem
Once tipped as our next great leading man, nothing has been going his way.MORE

72.
Scarlett Johansson
The Spare Superhero
She’s famous, in demand, talented, and lusted over … but is the audience always there for her?MORE

73.
Jonah Hill
The Surprisingly Serious Comic
Moneyball opened him up to some great projects, but he’s still hedging his comedy bets with 22 Jump Street.MORE

74.
Bruce Willis
The Bored Action Star
His disinterest in bang-bang-boom movies is plain to see. So why does he keep doing them?MORE

75.
Jessica Chastain
The One Everyone Wants
One of our most talented and in-demand new actresses.MORE

76.
Jamie Foxx
The Smooth Operator
After a few years of supporting roles, he came back as a leading man with a hit and a miss.MORE

77.
Kevin James
The Big Dipper
His movie grosses haven’t lived up to the promise he once showed.MORE

78.
Paul Rudd
The Lovable Everyman
And yet, he may not be as widely known as Internet fans would have you believe.MORE

79.
Michelle Williams
The Indie Ingénue
She had a breakthrough with Oz the Great and Powerful, but does she want to keep making studio movies?MORE

80.
Sylvester Stallone
The Still-Potent Punch
He’s not gonna end this comeback without a fight.MORE

81.
Penelope Cruz
The Sex Bomb With Brains
She’s more than just a love interest now, but can she find a studio movie worthy of her time?MORE

82.
Jeff Bridges
The Dude, Now and Forever
The beloved actor and ageless hippie needs to make sure another R.I.P.D. doesn't harsh audience's mellow.MORE

83.
Julianne Moore
The Humble Veteran
You know what you’re getting with Julianne Moore, and you know it’ll be done well.MORE

84.
Jason Segel
The Big Goof
As How I Met Your Mother wraps up for good, he looks for his next move. MORE

85.
Naomi Watts
The Seriously Sad Star
Her movies will be smart, thoughtful, and thoroughly depressing. MORE

86.
Jennifer Garner
The Patient Partner
After standing by husband Ben Affleck through all his triumphs, she's looking for her spotlight roleMORE

87.
Colin Firth
The Solid Stuffed Shirt
The acclaimed, Oscar-awarded dramatic star is figuring out his next move.MORE

88.
Rachel McAdams
The True Love
She scores in romantic comedies and tearjerkers, but the former is a vanishing genre.MORE

89.
Benedict Cumberbatch
The Internet’s Crush
Seemingly in every other Oscar-bait movie this season, the Brit is about to explode.MORE

90.
Keira Knightley
The Corset Queen
Will Jack Ryan reignite her interest in the studio blockbuster?MORE

91.
Jason Statham
The Action Hero in Danger
His solo action films are fizzling, but that could all change soon.MORE

92.
Justin Timberlake
The Moonlighter
He’s determined to find screen success, but can that ever match his music career?MORE

93.
Zac Efron
The Idle Idol
Can he move beyond his romantic niche?MORE

94.
Sean Penn
The Part-Time Great
The great actor has seemed more invested in activism than Hollywood, but he could be taking a Liam Neeson turn.MORE

95.
Kristen Wiig
The Comedienne Who Can’t Be Pinned Down
In the wake of Bridesmaids, she’s favoring independent film over studio movies.MORE

96.
Jesse Eisenberg
The Savvy Savant
Somehow, the actor scored one of this summer’s sleeper smash hits.MORE

97.
Owen Wilson
The Aging Goofball
His Wedding Crashers camaraderie with Vince Vaughn aged poorly in The Internship.MORE

98.
Jason Bateman
The Straight Man
He’s our generation’s Charles Grodin.MORE

99.
Tyler Perry
The Mogul
Gone Girl could do what Alex Cross didn’t: Make him a star outside of his own productions.MORE

100.
Liam Hemsworth
The On-Deck Action Star
He has a key role in the enormous Hunger Games franchise, but he hasn’t had much to do yet.MORE


So, no.57 with the line "Hollywood has taken notice of his mid-career comeback", yeah, all the 'big' stars are just rushing to do tv series… and... yes, lower than Cameron Diaz...