The TV Series discussion thread

I agree with Better Call Saul surpassing Breaking Bad. I could never get over the prior show featuring a scummy drug dealer, and at times seeming to glorify the path he had chosen. I can tolerate a scummy lawyer much easier, and the Kim/Jimmy relationship is one of the most vivid and poignant that I've ever seen portrayed on television or film to date.
 
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I'm going to recommend Happy Valley to you all:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Valley_(TV_series)

It's one of the best crime dramas I've ever seen. Although it's aimed at a female audience, I don't think that will matter, because the show is so good, I think men will like it too.

A word of warning though, the show is set in Yorkshire and the accents are very strong. You might need to turn on the subtitles :)
 
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I agree with Better Call Saul surpassing Breaking Bad. I could never get over the prior show featuring a scummy drug dealer, and at times seeming to glorify the path he had chosen. I can tolerate a scummy lawyer much easier,

I feel the exact opposite, a drug dealer is at least honest with what he's doing.
As for Glorifying it, in the long run perhaps, but that is very realistic too since naturally it's easier to deal with a situation if you persuade yourself into thinking what you are doing is right.

Corrupt people of our society who are supposed to work for the people are really the worst scum imaginable. Drug dealers are probably as low on my list as it goes, when it comes to the scummy factor.
I do however think it's interesting to follow scummy characters (same as it was interesting to watch House of Cards - scummy politicians..) but the scum factor is immense here, only politicians are worse.

and the Kim/Jimmy relationship is one of the most vivid and poignant that I've ever seen portrayed on television or film to date.

Wow, vivid AND poignant??? When? It's as dull as it possibly can get. There seems to be very little feelings involved at all.
 
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I'm going to recommend Happy Valley to you all:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Valley_(TV_series)

It's one of the best crime dramas I've ever seen. Although it's aimed at a female audience, I don't think that will matter, because the show is so good, I think men will like it too.

A word of warning though, the show is set in Yorkshire and the accents are very strong. You might need to turn on the subtitles :)
Can't agree it's aimed at female audience. I mean, I'm not female. :)
It's aimed at audience with taste for uncommon material in a common setting. Or vice versa. It's a wolf can change skin story, but… Told as cop drama. With beliavable characters. Writing and performances are so good, I could swear I've seen exactly the same people in my RL neighborhood.

Season 1 is almost masterpiece, season 2 is not as good but is still great. Is it a tragedy or has a happy ending considering it's title "Happy Valley"?
Watch to get an answer on that question - before you die.

From wiki:
Radio Times called Happy Valley a "word-of-mouth hit"
This is true. Thanks to mainstream garbage agressive commercials, I wouldn't know this gem exists if a friend didn't mention it.
I find it strange that someone would consider Walter White as just a scummy drug dealer, but to each his own.
Didn't watch Breaking Bad, didn't watch it's spinoff and dunno who Walter White is.
Due to certain life choices and elements, happens I'm acquainted with actual drug dealers. No, not pot dealers, pot is a natural product. The laboratory&chems ones. And I don't want to watch anything about those scums.
While I'm against death penatly, all of those mass murderers should be sentenced for life. Don't bother telling me they're still people, no they are not, they're monsters and any attempt to humanize them won't work on me.
 
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It seems like there has been a trend over the last decade for shows to have despicable lead characters: Breaking Bad, Mr. Robot, Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, etc. I just started watching The Strain and the lead in that is an asshole too, good show otherwise.
 
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I find it strange that someone would consider Walter White as just a scummy drug dealer, but to each his own.

Well to be honest there is obviously a story behind every drug dealer, but maybe not so interesting that you could do a TV series about it..

I did use to know both drug dealers and a rather well known Swedish chemist (who was both into research and usage of psychedelic drugs). Wonderful people. Psychedelics was my biggest interest for almost 12 years, i was very involved in the community here, went to gatherings, exchanged experiences etc. But like with many things in life you move on…

@Philistine;. I think people enjoy characters who feels real. Heroes are far more unrealistic than someone that just looks out for himself, does what he needs even though it sometimes might be a gray area morally…
 
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Living near Baltimore in the eighties and nineties gave me a serious complex against anyone that makes hard drugs available to the public. Sure, these poor individuals probably would have found some other way to numb their lives, but that doesn't mean some sicko had to make it even easier for them to do so.
 
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I think people enjoy characters who feels real.
I enjoy realistic characters too... a lot of the other characters in these shows feel authentic too, but they aren't scumbags. When I watch a show, I want a hero I can either identify with, or is appealing enough I want to spend time with them. Watching someone I despise screw up my journey through the story by doing terrible things doesn't encourage me to watch. I endure Eph, Rick, Madison, et al. because the rest of the show is good. I suppose it's a Batman/Superman thing... I've always been a Superman guy.
 
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I enjoy realistic characters too… a lot of the other characters in these shows feel authentic too, but they aren't scumbags. When I watch a show, I want a hero I can either identify with, or is appealing enough I want to spend time with them. Watching someone I despise screw up my journey through the story by doing terrible things doesn't encourage me to watch. I endure Eph, Rick, Madison, et al. because the rest of the show is good. I suppose it's a Batman/Superman thing… I've always been a Superman guy.

I don't think i've ever seen a show where someone is portrayed as a total scum that you are not supposed to be able to relate to in any way, and neither of the shows you mention are like that.
It's very easy to relate to Walter White and his struggle to survive (get money for his expensive cancer treatment). As for Walking Dead, I have no problem relating to most of the main characters there, are they all scum because they have to deal with difficult situations, where it's basically either them or someone else?
 
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Personally, I didn't much care for the Walter White character after the first few episodes. Came off as a wannabe mobster asshole more than anything.

SAY MY NAME! ZZzzz

Mike, Saul's go-to guy, proved to be much more interesting in the end.
 
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"say my name" is way into the series, season 6 i believe. He's far from a "mobster" in the first season/s. There's a ton of characters in BB to enjoy, this is where it far excels Better Call Saul + the character progression is way quicker too which makes it more fun overall. Better Call Saul is perhaps a bit more down to earth, but at the same time much of its focus is on rather boring characters and mundane things that doesn't really go anywhere.

Started watching The Haunting of Hill House.. I've tried watching American Gothic too. I don't know, i think horror is better done as short stories or as a movie. In a series it will be too much time spent of whatever surrounds the horror, mundane tasks, boring shit for 45 mins then perhaps 5 mins of the horror element. I don't think it works that well. It could work if the writing is absolutely spectacular, you have actors which you just can't wait to see more of, but this is never or at least very rarely the case with horror. None of the actors were perhaps bad, but they're also the generic boring characters that you expect. I don't think i can endure something like this.
 
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Thanks! I just watched the first episode and it's really good.

I'm so glad you're enjoying it. But be warned, it's incredibly addicting, it sucks you in and won't let you go.

I was up till 3 A.M one night cause I just couldn't stop watching it (I just had to know what happened :))
 
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I can confirm that, I didn't slept at all last night, watched the entire first season…:S

Thanks again!
 
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Where to find a slowburning thriller with twists not hollywoodized in too many episodes with filler? Well, asian production usually, but since I'm probably the only one here who is not afraid of their works… :p So, where else?

On BBC of course!
Bodyguard is such a cheeky and disrespectful piece of art I still cannot believe someone in UK dared to make such a thing and lived to tell. The writer deliberately put impossible number of females in SWAT teams and elsewhere yet on the other hand didn't care about political correctness towards terrorism but only towards victims - sjw and antisjw at the same time, but in fact he's showing a middlefinger to both extremes while constructing an exciting thriller. That's what I'm asking for all the bloody time.
The cast was perfect I can't even imagine someone could do a better job.
Bravo!

I'm warning you. You'll call this either a masterpiece or biggest trash you've ever seen from being butthurt.
It's neither, it's just a top notch thriller with carefully wowen twists and of course a few possible but can't be proved "plotholes" that are so irrelevant to the story and just can't take away the excitment in the end.

Even if you don't like thrillers, this one is a mustwatch before you die. Assuming you're brave enough to endure this one's 6 episodes.

Instead of an actual trailer, this:
 
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Where to find a slowburning thriller with twists not hollywoodized in too many episodes with filler? Well, asian production usually, but since I'm probably the only one here who dares to enjoy their works… Where else?
Hey, never watched any asian serie, but I liked all Johnny To's movies! Watch show would you recommend?
 
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Never? Then you should start with something light, erm, stuff for all audiences. Family type. Not a thriller though, just a bit of fantasy. ;)
Goblin

Only 16 episodes.
Where to watch legally (free with a couple of ads per episode)? Here:
https://www.viki.com/videos/1115053v-goblin-episode-1
When choosing subtitles, disable learning mode. Available subtitles? Well, pick yourself from the list, not even Netflix has so many choices:
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After completing it, if you return and say you didn't fall in love with the girl I'll call you a liar. :)
Don't even try to tell me Hollywood is capable of something like this in past decade. In times of past Hollywood knew how to do it, now it's just a shade of former glory.

Um… Don't watch specials (episode 0, 17 and 18). Not before the whole series at least.
 
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Another voice for BCS > BB

There's not as much shock value, but the character drama is better.
 
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@joxer;, well thanks!
I'll try that right after finishing Happy Valley.
 
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