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PCF Shows (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter detroitdad
- Start date
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
Being sick all week and only moving from the couch to the bed I was able to finish Battlestar Galactica. Whoever recommended this. Thank you very much. I really enjoyed all 4 seasons. The 4th season felt a little long to me. Was still very solid. I can't say enough for the special effects. They were really impressive for a TV series.
If you're still stuck on the couch try the new series The Expanse from FX. It's available on demand through xfinity and I'd expect through most cable providers. It's a political sci-fi series similar to BSG if a little less campy. At least those are my impressions three episodes in. Good so far.
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
good to hear. I'll stream it. Better quality than on demand. Lol
tommythecat
Flush
Watched the first episode on The Magicians today. I really enjoyed the books so have been looking forward to this one. I feel like they kind of dump you in the world with very little explanation as to who these people are and what is going on. If you haven't read the books you will probably be a little lost for a while. I enjoyed the first episode though and looking forward to the second.
I also watched the first 4 episodes of The Shannara Chronicles when they were available early on demand. Never read the books and the show is a little too targeted at teens for my tastes. It is most definitely an MTV production.
I also watched the first 4 episodes of The Shannara Chronicles when they were available early on demand. Never read the books and the show is a little too targeted at teens for my tastes. It is most definitely an MTV production.
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
Watched the first episode yesterday. Looks solid. I'll continue with it.
Chippy McChiperson
Straight Flush
Anyone watching Man Seekin Woman or Baskets? Man Seeking Woman just had a hilarious Santa Claus episode. Baskets is the new Zack Galifianakis dark comedy about his being a failed clown. It's interesting to say the least (Louie Anderson plays his mother).
Going to get to Baskets soon. Looks great.
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
I'm 6 episodes in. I'm enjoying it. It felt like it had slowed down some. Its starting to pick back up.
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
Love the book, I'll wait until the series is done and binge it
Love the book, I'll wait until the series is done and binge it
You won't have to wait long. Only 8 episodes I think.
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
Love the book, I'll wait until the series is done and binge it
I've never heard of it. I'll look it up. Thanks,
Anyone else powered through the new season of House of Cards yet? Overall I would say below average. The rest of my thoughts are spoilered below.
Things I really liked:
Joel Kinnaman is fantastic as the not-quite-sociopathic-enough Republican challenger. Ellen Burstyn is great also, which is no surprise and Cicely Tyson is good, but isn't given that much to work with.
The return of (some of) the reporters. Would liked to have seen more of Constance Zimmer, but they played that appropriately. I love Boris McGiver (I had to look that one up) as Tom Hammerschmidt, particularly when he's chilling with his black lab.
Doug Stamper nearly killing the sniveling, irritating Seth. Wish he'd just broken that glass and gone full Joe Pesci on Seth's dumb face, though.
Things I hated:
The endless bullshit dream sequences while Frank's awaiting a transplant. This show is at its worst when it thinks most highly of itself and it has never thought more highly of itself than in dream sequences that "reveal" character fears and motivations. It's not as if those fears and motivations are hidden or are in any way subtle at any other point in the show. Horrible.
The prolonged time in which Frank is awaiting a transplant causes the rest of the plotting of the season to be unreasonably delayed. We come much too late to Tom Hammerschmidt digging in and therefore are now waiting for the fruits of his labors until next season. Ditto for the general election. There's no reason all the story archs - the election, the muckraking, the domestic terrorist kidnapping - couldn't have been aligned in the continuity and resolved this season. There's no giant, looming tension having not done it that way and the story lines that actually did take up much of the season - negotiations with Russia, competition for the VP slot - were, in relation to those plot points left unresolved, completely underwhelming.
I saw a lot of reviews say that the show got back to its soap opera roots. When did it forget them? Every season has been completely unencumbered by reality. And its certainly been the better for it, but I don't see how this season is a return to form when they've never felt compelled to locate the show in any recognizable world.
Overall it seems as if they stretched half a season's substance into 13 episodes. And it's about half as good.
Joel Kinnaman is fantastic as the not-quite-sociopathic-enough Republican challenger. Ellen Burstyn is great also, which is no surprise and Cicely Tyson is good, but isn't given that much to work with.
The return of (some of) the reporters. Would liked to have seen more of Constance Zimmer, but they played that appropriately. I love Boris McGiver (I had to look that one up) as Tom Hammerschmidt, particularly when he's chilling with his black lab.
Doug Stamper nearly killing the sniveling, irritating Seth. Wish he'd just broken that glass and gone full Joe Pesci on Seth's dumb face, though.
Things I hated:
The endless bullshit dream sequences while Frank's awaiting a transplant. This show is at its worst when it thinks most highly of itself and it has never thought more highly of itself than in dream sequences that "reveal" character fears and motivations. It's not as if those fears and motivations are hidden or are in any way subtle at any other point in the show. Horrible.
The prolonged time in which Frank is awaiting a transplant causes the rest of the plotting of the season to be unreasonably delayed. We come much too late to Tom Hammerschmidt digging in and therefore are now waiting for the fruits of his labors until next season. Ditto for the general election. There's no reason all the story archs - the election, the muckraking, the domestic terrorist kidnapping - couldn't have been aligned in the continuity and resolved this season. There's no giant, looming tension having not done it that way and the story lines that actually did take up much of the season - negotiations with Russia, competition for the VP slot - were, in relation to those plot points left unresolved, completely underwhelming.
I saw a lot of reviews say that the show got back to its soap opera roots. When did it forget them? Every season has been completely unencumbered by reality. And its certainly been the better for it, but I don't see how this season is a return to form when they've never felt compelled to locate the show in any recognizable world.
Overall it seems as if they stretched half a season's substance into 13 episodes. And it's about half as good.
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
I only made it about half way through S3. I don't have any intentions of watching this season.
Fucking christ, now Garry Shandling's dead. I know Larry Sanders is the best thing he ever did for sure (and overall some of the best shit ever - and streamable on Amazon now, so if you haven't seen it all gogogogogogogo), but the theme song to "It's Garry Shandling's Show" literally always makes me smile. It's not particularly hysterical or anything - just the beat and the absurdity of the song is so perfectly simple.
And on top of the tv stuff, he was a world class stand up.
RIP.
And on top of the tv stuff, he was a world class stand up.
RIP.
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detroitdad
Royal Flush
Watched the first two episodes of "Masters of None". Jake and I really like it. If your looking for a new comedy you should check it out.
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I've been in a bit of a drought lately. Over the past week I've been to the theater twice (both disappointments - the Divergent sequel and I Saw The Light), but only watched two movies at home: The Rainmaker (doesn't hold up) and Primal Fear (definitely holds up). TV has taken some of my movie time away as I'm now currently watching:
The Walking Dead (why?)
Better Call Saul (better than most movies anyway)
The People vs. OJ Simpson (though the finale just aired)
11.22.63 (ditto)
The Path (just started, but is very good so far)
ohio3302016
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Television overall has been better than movies for some time now.
Absolutely wrong imo. The best television has become better than average movies. The best movies still destroy the best television.
ohio3302016
Flush
Collectively television is much better imo.
I think you can only believe this if you've forgotten how much television is produced. Go to your satellite or cable box and scroll through the shows randomly for an hour. You will find barely anything watchable. Literally less than 1% of television programming is tolerable for five minutes. Then go to any bland suburban multiplex. Sure, there will be plenty of junk. But a much higher percentage of movies are tolerable than television.
ohio3302016
Flush
Agree to disagree...
Definitely fair. Given the extraordinary amount of junk produced for television, when you compare the aggregate output of one with the aggregate output of the other, it's not close in my eyes. However, I think if we centered the terms of the debate on the best television versus the best film it would be more debatable.
And then it would come down to what one is looking for. Television is essentially a storytelling medium. It can push plot and narrative in a way that film generally does not care to. It's a writer's medium, which is why the directors have little creative control in television. The control is given to the creator/showrunner and the writers because television is a plot communication device.
Whereas film is a visual medium with strengths not yet shown in television. I have never seen a television show communicate scope and atmosphere as effectively as film can. The closest was probably the first season of True Detective, a quality attributable in large part to having one extremely talented director handle the entire season. And even there it was extremely plot-focused.
I don't mean that one focus - plot or atmosphere - is intrinsically more important, but certainly if you're of a mind to prefer one over the other, it will dictate to a large degree which medium you prefer, film or television.
ohio3302016
Flush
I agree with this but it isn't relevant.
Movies are simply awful right now (overall). While television is better than it has ever been.
What isn't relevant?
ohio3302016
Flush
The difference in mediums.
The problem with TV IMO is a show will start off pretty good, then realize they have a hit and try and drag the series on for 10 seasons completely ruining the story line. (Heroes and Lost come to mind) a movie done right has a much better story as atleast they keep on track and end it.
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