Discuss and Rate the Last Thing You Watched (non-movies)

[Hawki]

Mega Man: Upon a Star (2/5)

Watching this on YouTube, I saw in the comments from someone about how this was better than the 1994 series. Well, sorry John Doe, but your opinion is bad, and you should feel bad.

Anyway, this is a Japanese OVA that as far as I can tell, is aimed at young uns. Like, really young uns. The type of young uns who aren't going to notice the threadbare plots, or the horrific voice acting, and aren't really going to care about Japanese culture. I mean, okay, maybe they will, but it's such a bizzare mix of using Mega Man to impart these lessons, plus, it's got the ol "sucked out of the videogame" trope that I despise.

I'll give the third and final episode some small amount of credit in that it has some action that's somewhat decent, but this is still an episode whose plot is as asinine as the rest (newsflash, you want to use time travel to stop a villain, go back in time, genius). And okay, sure, this is an IP targeted at kids, and I've come off another Mega Man cartoon targeted at kids, but this is just rock bottom, and I can't, ahem, roll with it.

All I can say that I wished upon a star, and no blue fairy turned up.

Bleh.

 

[Gordon_4]

Good News Week - Paul McDermott/10

These guys, along with Backberner and their legendary predecessor 'The Gillies Report', were pretty much the pinnacle of Australian political satire on the ABC - though Good News Week moved to Channel 10 for a long while - and frankly most that came after them both, regardless of skewing left or right, were just no good. Mind you, its been a real treat getting to see Paul McDermott again. I was lucky enough to go and see a stand up show he did at a pub once and I cherish the memory very dearly because they guy is a fast talking comedy God.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Watching The Undoing on HBO. Director is Susanne Bier who also made The Night Manager. Both very good.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

So Brooklyn Nine-Nine had their season 8 and series finale today. Honestly, kinda disappointed.

I loved Parks and Rec, and B99 always felt like a similar. I much prefer the more wholesome character dynamics to the drama most other sitcoms seem to rely on. The writing might not have been as good as Parks and Rec, very little overarching plot and character development, but I think it's generally much funnier. I could pick out any episode in any season and be sure that I'd enjoy it and actually laugh out loud.

This season though... I don't remember much of it. They announced that the original season 8 was scrapped and the cobbled together the last 10 episodes to reflect post-George Floyd world. And while I think it was definitely necessary for them to address these issues, I don't think they did it very well. It felt like half the season was showing how terrible police are and the other half was the usual episodes that are constant each season (Doug Judy, Halloween Heist, Boyles, etc). The "woke" episodes brought up very relevant issues yeah, but they felt so out of place. When the show tackled social issues before, they made sure it was personal to the characters. Rosa coming out, Terry getting stopped and frisked for being black, etc. It felt earned. Now, someone just says the issue out loud, some caricature villain pops up to demonstrate said issue, the issue is acknowledged, we all move on, and the issue is never brought up again.

One example that really stuck to me was the "Blue Flu" episode. It was bizarre to see the chief of police and the lieutenant directly in charge of uniformed police officers just treat their uniformed officers as the faceless collective bad guy. I'm not defending the practice of blue flu, but you'd think Holt and Amy would at least be disappointed or try to reason with them. These guys comprise the majority of the precinct as far as I know, losing all of them should be a bigger deal. Then they all just eventually... come back. With no repercussions or mentions of what happened. Holt was introduced in season 1 as someone who wanted to turn the 99th back around and into a model precinct. But apparently, he was only talking about his detectives (who are all totally fine people with no problems in real life I'm sure!)

TLDR; It feels like the show ended prematurely, a proper season sacrificed to the altar of performative activism. I can understand that maybe the actors and writers don't want to be linked to the police anymore. I don't think we were owed a "proper" season or anything, but I can't help be disappointed with what we got.

 

[gorfias]

Rick and Morty Season 5 Episode 2 4/5

So meta! For those that think the series is iterative and leading to something. You... are... wrong.

 

[Samtemdo8]

Thinking about the Sopranos.

I am 70% convinced Tony was killed in the end.

But I am also of the opinion of even if he wasn't killed in the Restaurant. He was still on borrowed time because a character that no one thought about has come to later haunt Tony. Carlo, at the end of the final episode was revealed to have turned informant. Tony's Mob Lawyer tells him that the subpoenas are flying and that there is an 80-90% chance that Tony might be federally indicted. And Tony in the restaurant reveals to Carmella that Carlo is going to testify. So the point is, even if it he leaved, Tony's life was over. Whether he was killed by a Mob hit, or arrested and sent to jail by the FBI.

 

[thebobmaster]

Daredevil Season 3. I don't throw this around lightly, but this season was damn near perfect to me. It had several subplots going at the same time, but remembered to make them all interesting and feel satisfying in their payoffs. In addition, Wilson Bethel was a fantastic Benjamin Poindexter, aka Dex, aka Bullseye, easily wiping away the joke of a Bullseye that the movie gave us while portraying a man going through a slow mental breakdown very believably. Add in all the normal cast proving why they were cast in the first place by being fantastic in every scene, and you have my favorite season of any Netflix Marvel show so far, and a burning need to see everyone come into the MCU at some point.

 

[gorfias]

Thinking about the Sopranos.

I am 70% convinced Tony was killed in the end.

But I am also of the opinion of even if he wasn't killed in the Restaurant. He was still on borrowed time because a character that no one thought about has come to later haunt Tony. Carlo, at the end of the final episode was revealed to have turned informant. Tony's Mob Lawyer tells him that the subpoenas are flying and that there is an 80-90% chance that Tony might be federally indicted. And Tony in the restaurant reveals to Carmella that Carlo is going to testify. So the point is, even if it he leaved, Tony's life was over. Whether he was killed by a Mob hit, or arrested and sent to jail by the FBI.

Spoiler

The creator of the show said the start of the last season gave you the hint. Bobby wonders if you even hear the shot that kills you. Appears not. The finale of the show is people entering the diner. A bell on the door rings. Tony looks up. We then see what Tony sees. This happens a number of times as he sees people, including family, enter the diner. Finally, his daughter is entering. The door bell rings. Tony looks up. We see what Tony sees: black. Nothing else. He's dead.

I was told I need to watch Netflix show, "Midnight Gospel".
In the name of all that is holy, what on Earth is this thing?

 

[Thaluikhain]

Zombies of the Stratosphere

Martians (including Leonard Nimoy) hire cowboys to rob a uranium mine, and then when that doesn't work and they need money, they make a robot to rob a bank and a guy with a jetpack has to stop them.

Gave up because they somehow made that boring.

 

[Gordon_4]

Spoiler

The creator of the show said the start of the last season gave you the hint. Bobby wonders if you even hear the shot that kills you. Appears not. The finale of the show is people entering the diner. A bell on the door rings. Tony looks up. We then see what Tony sees. This happens a number of times as he sees people, including family, enter the diner. Finally, his daughter is entering. The door bell rings. Tony looks up. We see what Tony sees: black. Nothing else. He's dead.

I was told I need to watch Netflix show, "Midnight Gospel".
In the name of all that is holy, what on Earth is this thing?

This is what happens when weird auteur artists are let off the chain. Credits said its from the creator of Adventure Time; and it has all the right amounts of pretentious wanker on LSD but now we're allowed to admit it because Netflix.

 

[Dalisclock]

Zombies of the Stratosphere

Martians (including Leonard Nimoy) hire cowboys to rob a uranium mine, and then when that doesn't work and they need money, they make a robot to rob a bank and a guy with a jetpack has to stop them.

Gave up because they somehow made that boring.

Just how?(that's not directed at you, that's directed at the filmmakers)

I mean, if you're going for silly, might as well enjoy yourself while you're doing it.

 

[Dalisclock]

[

I was told I need to watch Netflix show, "Midnight Gospel".
In the name of all that is holy, what on Earth is this thing?

I watched one episode, the one with the zombie apocolypse, and that was pretty much my exact take. "What the fuck am I watching?"

Apparently they started off with a podcast and then built a crazy cartoon around it or something like that. Also, ALL THE DRUGS had to be involved somehow(I'm guessing).

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Add in all the normal cast proving why they were cast in the first place by being fantastic in every scene, and you have my favorite season of any Netflix Marvel show so far, and a burning need to see everyone come into the MCU at some point.

Daredevil really is such a waste if they never bring him into the MCU. Of all the Netflix casting, his and Stick's are the only ones who I associate with their respective characters as much as I do with RDJ and Iron Man.

 

[Chupathingy]

Finished watching Utopia (the Australian one)

First two season were great; very witty dialogue, good satire, fun characters. The last two seasons felt like they had less laughs, and kept retreading the same plot points, but was still solid overall. Plus it's nice to see Dave Lawson in something good.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Nine Perfect Strangers: Wow / Great

If you missed my post after the first few episodes, it's a miniseries about 9 strangers who find themselves at a wellness retreat run by Nicole Kidman. Each of them has a a troubled history they don't want to address (hence wanting to get away to this retreat,) and there's a lot of conflict within the group, but with strict rules and... "unconventional" treatment regimens, things start to open up...

We finished the series (I believe) today, and gotta say, I recommend it. Some really great, convincing performances all around. Over the course of the 8 episodes (streaming on Hulu,) it pulled off a seamless tonal shift from sardonic/awkward comedy to intense drama with a helluva lot of intrigued sprinkled in throughout. Our common sentiment after each episode was "what the fuck?" then got pissy realizing we had to wait another week to find what happened next (you lucky lot can binge all 8 right now.) I was skeptical it was going to go the Lost route and run out of "And theeeeen..." material for a satisfactory conclusion, but it did well. Still some questions, but nothing too offensive and nothing you can't forgive as the substance leading up was worth every minute.

 

[gorfias]

Nine Perfect Strangers: Wow / Great

If you missed my post after the first few episodes, it's a miniseries about 9 strangers who find themselves at a wellness retreat run by Nicole Kidman. Each of them has a a troubled history they don't want to address (hence wanting to get away to this retreat,) and there's a lot of conflict within the group, but with strict rules and... "unconventional" treatment regimens, things start to open up...

We finished the series (I believe) today, and gotta say, I recommend it. Some really great, convincing performances all around. Over the course of the 8 episodes (streaming on Hulu,) it pulled off a seamless tonal shift from sardonic/awkward comedy to intense drama with a helluva lot of intrigued sprinkled in throughout. Our common sentiment after each episode was "what the fuck?" then got pissy realizing we had to wait another week to find what happened next (you lucky lot can binge all 8 right now.) I was skeptical it was going to go the Lost route and run out of "And theeeeen..." material for a satisfactory conclusion, but it did well. Still some questions, but nothing too offensive and nothing you can't forgive as the substance leading up was worth every minute.

Watching on Hulu: Not reading your post in case there are spoilers. I'm watching what I think is the last episode that just dropped today this evening with wife and daughter.

Spoiler

It may fail a black box test of mine. If you base a story on the question, what is happening here, then when you find out, it better be satisfying. For me, the black box is, what will this woman do to really impact these damaged people? So far, the answer has been, drug them. Hoping for more that that. Not a total fail of a show though as there have been many other reasons to watch outside of what she is doing for her clients.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Watching on Hulu: Not reading your post in case there are spoilers. I'm watching what I think is the last episode that just dropped today this evening with wife and daughter.

Spoiler

It may fail a black box test of mine. If you base a story on the question, what is happening here, then when you find out, it better be satisfying. For me, the black box is, what will this woman do to really impact these damaged people? So far, the answer has been, drug them. Hoping for more that that. Not a total fail of a show though as there have been many other reasons to watch outside of what she is doing for her clients.

There are no spoilers in my post, but after you finish watching...

Spoiler

The answer kinda IS she drugged them, but I think what was more important was ultimately the beneficial changes they all went through. My one complaint, as I stated in one of my previous post about the series, is that the 9 strangers are written too accommodatingly, like, most reasonable people wouldn't subject themselves to Masha's methodology, but as this was the tale they wrote, it couldn't exists if they WEREN'T that way, so... yeah. I tell myself each of them were so broken, ostensibly beyond repair, they were desperate to try anything that might help, and that Masha was such a charismatic and convincing (if broken herself) guide to healing, they allowed her methods, like, "what have we got to lose?" And in the end, you see what they gained.

 

[gorfias]

There are no spoilers in my post, but after you finish watching...

Spoiler

The answer kinda IS she drugged them, but I think what was more important was ultimately the beneficial changes they all went through. My one complaint, as I stated in one of my previous post about the series, is that the 9 strangers are written too accommodatingly, like, most reasonable people wouldn't subject themselves to Masha's methodology, but as this was the tale they wrote, it couldn't exists if they WEREN'T that way, so... yeah. I tell myself each of them were so broken, ostensibly beyond repair, they were desperate to try anything that might help, and that Masha was such a charismatic and convincing (if broken herself) guide to healing, they allowed her methods, like, "what have we got to lose?" And in the end, you see what they gained.

Spoiler

My daughter, who has some nursing background, says this sort of drugging is a thing. The end when Yao lets the gang out of the near death simulation was almost comical and very rushed. I think the show worth watching for some terrific characters and an interesting situation.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Spoiler

My daughter, who has some nursing background, says this sort of drugging is a thing. The end when Yao lets the gang out of the near death simulation was almost comical and very rushed. I think the show worth watching for some terrific characters and an interesting situation.

Agreed. Definitely one of those series where the ride is more satisfying than the destination.

As to your daughter's sentiments, that's my exact point as to the 9 stragers' overly-accomodating nature, but they were trying to squeeze a lot into very few episodes, so not much time for more natural, fluid development. I understand it's based on a book; I'd expect a fair amount was abridged for the sake of the screen.

That said, it's a well-done watch. I've certainly seen better but not in recent memory. I stand by my recommendation.

 

[Dwarvenhobble]

Farscape, the entire show including the Peacekeeper wars because Amazon remastered the entire thing to give it nice HD visuals

Still hold up impressively well and even the CGI holds up well enough it doesn't hamper the show much.

Just such a good Sci-Fi show where it really does lean into the weird alieness of what species from a whole other galaxy would look like and.

Also it shows just how good animatronics and puppets are because they really haven't aged much and still look damn good in the show, a true testament to Jim Henson's work.
Honestly having rewatched it all while by modern standards (Game of Thrones etc) it's quite tame it does still have some episodes where it gets close to the "Oh man you're actually doing this and no-one stepped in and said maybe the episode about basically a teenage suicide cult who live on a planet that's a giant graveyard is a little too dark?"

Having heard they were told push it as close to x rated as they could I kinda want to know just what would have happened if it were like HBO paying the bills or something and just went "Go nuts"