The TV Series discussion thread

Originally Posted by JDR13
I just finished watching the first episode. I almost turned it off during the first half

Eh?
That part is the best part of the show.
So far… As I'm at episode 6.

Can't speak about potential translation problems as Netflix has subtitles in my language so I watch it with those.
I don't speak korean but at no moment I thought wtf.
These wtf moments do happen when subtitles are lame.
For example english subtitles on old HongKong movies are usually unbearable atrocities. Always check if Criterion rereleased any of those gems, they don't keep horrible translations but make new ones.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
I'm feeling an urge to check out the fifth series of Expanse, knowing it will likely be quite different from the novel, yet curious to see what's different in the telly version.

I'm on the other side, I've seen season 5 but I still need to read the book - I suppose it's Nemesis Games with a few bits of the next one.

Originally Posted by joxer
Eh?
That part is the best part of the show.
So far… As I'm at episode 6.

I meant the first half of episode 1 not the series.

It was just really slow, and the main character was such a loser and unappealing that it annoyed me.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I meant the first half of episode 1 not the series.

It was just really slow, and the main character was such a loser and unappealing that it annoyed me.

He is a loser, which is the point. But I encourage you to keep going. It's going somewhere. Both the show and the character.

I've reached the final season of Silicon Valley, and it's been a lot of fun. As I said, it's lighthearted fun, especially if you're even lightly familiar with the concepts they're working with. And a whole boat-load better than the shitty Big Bang Theory.

Originally Posted by JDR13
the main character was

Was a spitting image of half of your city and half of worldwide phonegames audience. Etc.
The show itself, and some parts of it separately, are extremely metaphorical.
You are not supposed to identify with anyone there, you are not playing the squid game, you are a VIP person watching it.

I've finished it and have to admit - this is one of the best episodic materials I've seen in this year.
No wonder the word spread on internet like crazy - this is not one of those overhyped before released trash shows.

If someone is desperately waiting for soon to be aired next season of Discovery, Expanse and Doctor Who, use that time to watch this dystopian gem.

Originally Posted by JFarrell71
He is a loser, which is the point. But I encourage you to keep going. It's going somewhere. Both the show and the character.

I'm four episodes in now, and it's interesting enough. The game sequences are the best parts so far, and I find myself anticipating each new game. Outside of those sequences, it's wildly uneven.

It's really good at times, but there are glaring plot holes and inconsistencies.

Finished Silicon Valley. Pretty great series overall, and it also had a pretty good ending. I enjoyed it.

Originally Posted by JDR13
it's wildly uneven.

Life is.

Originally Posted by JDR13
It's really good at times, but there are glaring plot holes and inconsistencies.

Inconsistencies is under uneven so read above.

What plot holes.
Where?
Goblin as "the salesman" cameo maybe? It's deliberate and a love letter, or should I say a love tweet, to Goblin fans.

I wrote you above.
You are a VIP person watching a sort of a deadly show. And it's background. For fun.
If you need to identify with someone, there are other VIPs you'll see soon in episode 6.
And my god, they nailed them. Us.
Some were not happy seeing their mirror image.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I'm four episodes in now, and it's interesting enough. The game sequences are the best parts so far, and I find myself anticipating each new game. Outside of those sequences, it's wildly uneven.

It's really good at times, but there are glaring plot holes and inconsistencies.

Episode 6 was my favorite of the series. Episode 7 has one of the best game sequences.

I read an article about how Netflix has got a bad reputation for doing cheap subtitling - apparently Korean-speaking folks are quite irritated that it's missing the real sense of the words. That's frustrating. You'd think they could shell out for a better job - I'm sure there's some Korean-American writers out there who would be happy for the gig.

Originally Posted by JFarrell71
Episode 6 was my favorite of the series. Episode 7 has one of the best game sequences.

I watched those two episodes last night. I liked 6 a lot. It was very well written and quite powerful. There was only one part I didn't really care for.



7 was ok. I think I liked the scenes with the VIPs more than the game.

Originally Posted by JDR13

Spoiler – …

The way Sang-woo tricked Ali didn't seem very plausible.

He didn't strike me as being nearly that dumb.

That, and the fact that the overseers allowed it was kind of weak in my book.

Originally Posted by Ripper
I read an article about how Netflix has got a bad reputation for doing cheap subtitling - apparently Korean-speaking folks are quite irritated that it's missing the real sense of the words. That's frustrating. You'd think they could shell out for a better job - I'm sure there's some Korean-American writers out there who would be happy for the gig.

I really have to say Netflix is not the only one to blame.
Okay, Squid Game I watched with subtitles in my language so can't talk about translation to english for that case.
However, for certain phrases used in my language Netflix subtitles, I have absolutely no idea how to translate any of those on english. If the original counterpart in korean has a similar form and meaning, it might be that some parts simply got lost in translation because of language differences.
To describe it better, a word motherfucker as such does not exist in my language. Combining other words into it is possible, but it doesn't feel as an insult but as a ridiculous attempt of someone illiterate to pretend smart. Goatfucker does exist though as a word with the same meaning and is usually a cause of bans on social media.
So what do translators write when someone says motherfucker in a Hollywood lemonade? They get creative and write something else that's usually even worse insult.

Anyway not only korean, all asian shows and movies from different sources tend to have a total confusion in english subtitles.
You often play a detective and repeat a scene for example on wetv stream trying to make sense of what's written as there is no logic.
Even worse example is AsianCrush with sometimes such atrocious subtitles you'll suspect it was google translate on rampage. Additionally, subtitle fonts they use are mostly an utter fail.
On the other hand, english subtitles on viki, athough subbed by fans who do it to get premium content for free, with a typo here and there, never made me confused. I bet they have a customer feedback there so potentially wrong translations get corrected.

I wrote perhaps too much.
Netflix will continue hiring the same people for translations if noone objects.
So write to them.
A wrong sentence here and there doesn't really matter. But when it happens in key moments needed to understand the rest of the show or a movie, that's a disaster.

Just finished Squid Game. I liked the finale even though the result of the last game was predictable.


Also,
They threw in some nice twists afterwards though. I wonder if there will ever be a sequel.

It's apparently become Netflix's biggest hit to date for a debut show.

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/…debut-n1281415

The wife and I watched Breath, a series from India about a father who has a son in need of a transplantation, but because of the rarity of his blood type isn't likely to receive one. The boy is ranked 4th on the list to receive a donor organ, so daddy goes on a killing spree to get his son to rise on that list.
The idea is quite good, but the acting not so much, which kills the quality of the series. Especially in a dramatic scene the acting is really over the top, which makes it unbelievable. Besides that there are quite a few things that happen and are not making much sense.
It scores an 8.3 on IMDb, but I would give it a 6 max. And that is me being generous.

Been watching For all Mankind, an alternative history based on if the USSR had instead gotten to the moon first, a mere three weeks before Apollo 11. The first season was wonderful, retelling the Apollo missions of our reality with key players and events slightly changed to account for the newly-invigorated Space Race. I am currently watching the second season and, although it suffers a bit from added melodrama, it's still quite enjoyable.

A great show that I often find myself sighing in resignation over. Too often, the potential of humanity is muted through complacency and prejudices - unless there is an even greater perceived enemy to rally around/against.

Originally Posted by Drithius
Been watching For all Mankind, an alternative history based on if the USSR had instead gotten to the moon first, a mere three weeks before Apollo 11. The first season was wonderful, retelling the Apollo missions of our reality with key players and events slightly changed to account for the newly-invigorated Space Race. I am currently watching the second season and, although it suffers a bit from added melodrama, it's still quite enjoyable.

A great show that I often find myself sighing in resignation over. Too often, the potential of humanity is muted through complacency and prejudices - unless there is an even greater perceived enemy to rally around/against.

It's on my to watch list, would you recommend it?

Originally Posted by Pladio
It's on my to watch list, would you recommend it?

Yes, especially if you're into scifi more grounded in the reality of our times.

edit: I *will* say that season 2 is going increasingly off the rails with contrived (and at times cringey) melodrama.