The TV Series discussion thread

Yeah I gave up after the first episode of Foundation as well. I absolutely love Harris and rather enjoy Pace as well, yet the first hour was so jarring and completely unlike the book that I couldn't stomach anymore.

I'd rather watch The Terror if I want to see Harris.
What a great mini-series. I never got around to trying season 2.

Finished 2nd season of Casa de Papel, seemed lighter than the first one, reminded me somehow of Prison Break in many moments, still very good overall.
ps dat Nairobi ass ayayay

Originally Posted by danutz_plusplus
I'd rather watch The Terror if I want to see Harris.
What a great mini-series. I never got around to trying season 2.

I remember that being talked about, but I never watched it. I might have to add it to my list.

I plan on giving Foundation another try though.

I found the first series of the Terror far better than the second, yet opinions will likely vary. I've always been intrigued about the mystery of what happened to the HMS Terror and Erebus, so that's a huge factor as to what drew me to the show initially, and being a fan of the biography as well.

Ohhh and I just found one of my all-time favorite shows to watch, Picket Fences! I was working and pretty busy at the time it aired, roughly thirty years ago, so I plan on watching each and every episode all over again!! Who needs might-be-ok shows when you've got certified hits to watch instead!

Whoa…..Expanse did something in the fourth episode, fifth series, very different from how the book went. I wasn't expecting that at all, considering the blokes that wrote the novels seem heavily involved in the show, I'd be most curious as to why it played out differently on the telly vs book form. Perhaps they plan on bringing in a new person for the role, fifteen hours after viewing it and I'm still flabbergasted.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
Whoa..Expanse did something in the fourth episode, fifth series, very different from how the book went. I wasn't expecting that at all, considering the blokes that wrote the novels seem heavily involved in the show, I'd be most curious as to why it played out differently on the telly vs book form. Perhaps they plan on bringing in a new person for the role, fifteen hours after viewing it and I'm still flabbergasted.

It's about time you realized they went completely nuts

Yeah, it changes quite a lot, and they've also reshuffled parts of the seasons, but they did that in the earlier seasons too (such as Avasarala's appearance and the related politics as early as season 1) .

Originally Posted by Carnifex
Whoa…..Expanse did something in the fourth episode, fifth series, very different from how the book went. I wasn't expecting that at all, considering the blokes that wrote the novels seem heavily involved in the show, I'd be most curious as to why it played out differently on the telly vs book form. Perhaps they plan on bringing in a new person for the role, fifteen hours after viewing it and I'm still flabbergasted.

Had no idea that didn't happen in the books (if it's what I think you're referring to). Are talking about… FJ?

Indeed, FJ, and he's got quite the juicy role in the following novel, so….again, I'm perplexed. What they did with him in the books was so satisfying…..after many mentions of how inherently dangerous space travel is, that's how he's done away with in the novels. They alluded to something for quite some time, and in the end the delivery was perfect. I'm just not certain why they deviated, yet for now I'm going with it.

The Expanse is rolling on, I'm up to the ninth episode of the fifth series, and I can see lots will not be included from the book. I forgive most of that though, and I'm impressed to see Irby in the cast here, I've enjoyed his acting since I first saw him in Person of Interest and then later True Detective, yet what he's likely known best for these days is his staunch role in Mayans. Kudos to whomever put this bloke on a flyring rig in space!

Ack, Snowfall….poor Fatback. Tempted by the fruits of a three-way, man, you just know that was never going to end well for him. I do like how Teddy is descending into his own personal heck, that all this CIA shadiness is taking a terrible toll on his life, and yet Gustavo seems to be weathering it all so much better. This is turning out to be a rather good series.

Well, that last episode of Expanse, on the fifth series….ok, I guess the creators are just going to make some HUGE changes from the books, perhaps to lure folks like me in, at this point I give up trying to figure it out, I'm going to accept it. I just didn't expect the pilot to be the recipient of the long foreshadowed realistic issues with taking massive quantities of drugs while space-faring!

And I guess it started a while back, because you've got people like Drummond who are far more relevant in the telly series than they ever were in the novels. In a way I suppose it's kind of bold, not being afraid to make some changes, even though the books aren't exactly old hat. This series really needed a few more episodes though, that whole trek from the prison then to Baltimore and then later the Maine coast happened far too quickly on the show versus the massive journey that played out in the book.

I'm going to guess that Clarissa gets some more training to become the new pilot for Tachi/Rocinate. That look on Holden's face when she showed up on the vessel was totally perfect!!

I think the pilot thing was driven by real life concerns. I heard the actor, Cas Anvar, had a tendency to hit on young female fans and not take no for an answer. This became enough of a problem that they wrote him out of the show, novels be damned.

For me the big and unnecessary changes were already in the 3rd season that includes a part of Abaddon's Gate, where they swapped Bull / Ashford / Camina. It was most confusing. We were also seeing Drapper at other places, whereas she's barely there in the original version.

I find the comments of posters interesting particulary those who have read the books. It feels like their expectations are coloured by what they have read. For me I try to take the attitude that the book and tv series/ film are not related - have no expectations.

Watched the 1st episode of Foundation yesterday and was fairly pleased with the experience. Good production values, good characters and setting the scene. I should add that it has been decades since I read, several times, the books back when I was a teen.

Tried to start the 5th season of "The Expanse" and gave up half way through. I watched the 1st 4 seasons in late 2019 to early 2020. I thought that it was extremely good. Never read the books. Will try season 5 once my wishlist is done. Mood affects what I enjoy watching so it may be a temporary blip.

Wheel of Time - it has been about 4 years since I read any of the books. They are a bit long winded but in the 1990s that was normal. Again I think that the series is very good. They can not show everything that happens in the books - though I sometimes wish they could. Imagine 26 episodes with full in-depth character development.

To any actual readers of this post - Merry Xmas and Happy New Year.

Personally have nothing against TV or movie adaptions of books. My problem is when you edit the plot for modern standards, and decide to change the central characters.

So if Rand isn't the Dragon Reborn but one of the woman, or the whole group it's not Wheel of Time. Also tired of the interviews pushing social agendas for entertainment.

As for me watching another KDrama called Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Tired of US TV.

We watched The Investigation. A Danish show about the investigation into the death of Kim Wahl, a Swedish reporter, living in Denmark, who was murdered by a Danish eccentric on his self created sub.
It was big news in 2017/2018 so we knew the outcome, but this show is only about the investigation, which took several months and we only get to see what the investigators probably have seen. There was no role for the suspect in this tv show and we also don't get to see an enactment of what happened on the small submarine, according to that investigation.
It is slow television, but done very well. A bit of a downside is that there is also the private angle of the one in charge of the investigation and his issues with his daughter, which don't add much, besides preventing you to like the main character.
I enjoyed watching it.

Hi Couchpotato,

I have a lot of sympathy for your views. I read an article (in SFX) about a new series called "Invasion". Initially it was to be a updating of the HG Wells book "War of the Worlds", they even thought of using that in the title but then realised that wasn't what the story was about. Now they talk about "Invasion" being inspired by WotW. An honest approach (though mentioning WotW gets me to want to watch at least the 1st episode).

"The Eye of the World" was written in 1990. 30 years ago the main audience, I guess, would of been white men, like me, so it was ok to ignore the non-whites. I know that sounds harsh but it was just economics - you don't publish novels to make a loss in a capitalist society. Now you need to engage the wider audience to maximise profits. Still I have liked the first 7 episodes and I am looking forward to the season finale on Friday.

On the Rand thing - in the books the men drew from a different part (saidin) of the One Power than the women (saidar). So the Dragon could not be a female. The books clearly state that the Dragon is male. In the TV series I have not heard, (or perhaps missed /forgotten) how they explain the madness that afflicts men who draw on the One Power. This could be one of those "inspirations".

PS I watch TV to be entertained not educated or preached at. Perhaps the younger ones need it. I have stopped watching most of Sky's superheroes TV series because they got cringe-worthy. I sort of understand the backlash to Trump economics but I prefer entertainment to be entertainment.

Don't watch interviews. So no views.

regards

Yep the core of Wheel of Time is magic has been corrupted by Evil. The men become crazy and power hungry so the female side banded together to stop them.

Though a man is prophesied to cleanse the taint and be the Dragon Reborn. There's more to the story I know, but that was the premise of the first few novels.

Eventually it's about destroying the Evil that corrupted magic and the past age.

I did watch the first Wheel of Time episode that came out a few weeks ago, yet found it so unappealing that I've not gone back for a gander at the second offering. Do the episodes actually improve? I had a similar reaction to the Foundation show, tried the first hour yet felt little inclination to go any further.