Discuss and Rate the Last Thing You Watched (non-movies)
- Thread starter Hawki
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Was supposed to be episode 7 but I messed up and didn't notice until you mentioned it.
Not that it matters because I'm out of shits for this show.
An episode of Grey’s Anatomy while my wife and I ate dinner.
Jesus H. Fucking Christ how did this show about a bunch of fucking high schoolers larping as doctors go for 15 seasons? Like ER was not perfect but compared to these morons, they are bastions of professional conduct. Christ even Scrubs, a self professed comedy, makes their doctors come across as better at their job.
If I was a doctor, I would take offence to how my profession was depicted in this show.
Jesus H. Fucking Christ how did this show about a bunch of fucking high schoolers larping as doctors go for 15 seasons? Like ER was not perfect but compared to these morons, they are bastions of professional conduct. Christ even Scrubs, a self professed comedy, makes their doctors come across as better at their job.
If I was a doctor, I would take offence to how my profession was depicted in this show.
Finished Legend of Vox Machina with the last 3 episodes, and yup, they stuck the landing. All the important and memorable moments were there and they adapted the campaign wonderfully. I especially appreciated how they gave the final badass showdown with the main villain to Pike, since Ashley Johnson couldn't be there the first time. I had the privilege of watching it with people with no familiarity with the source material, and I could tell they were hooked. I hoped they'd introduce the Craven Edge and Grog dynamic in the final episode, but the final 10 minutes of the last episode isn't really for introducing new voices like that. But they definitely foreshadowed it, and boy am I looking forward to it.
I'm just wondering if they'll be able to fit the entire next arc into just 12 episodes, since in the campaign it took over three times as long as the one they adapted for this season. They're either looking at removing or streamlining a lot of plot elements, or they're hoping to get Amazon to greenlight a third season, which I'm all here for. Can't wait to find out who they cast as the dragons, those are gonna be some big shoes to fill.
I'm just wondering if they'll be able to fit the entire next arc into just 12 episodes, since in the campaign it took over three times as long as the one they adapted for this season. They're either looking at removing or streamlining a lot of plot elements, or they're hoping to get Amazon to greenlight a third season, which I'm all here for. Can't wait to find out who they cast as the dragons, those are gonna be some big shoes to fill.
Rewatching Mushi-shi, I love how creative the series is with it's creatures and I like how the first four episodes go through the whole gamute of what kind of resolutions to expect from the series, from somewhat scarred but happy to bleak and sad.
It's also a very interesting environmentalist series. It's not about the usual "humans are bad and destroying the environment and animals" but about co-existence and understanding. Lots of the mushi cause terrible things to happen to people but they are a natural aspect of this world and can't be removed and shouldn't as many are part of the natural life cycle of things.
It's also a very interesting environmentalist series. It's not about the usual "humans are bad and destroying the environment and animals" but about co-existence and understanding. Lots of the mushi cause terrible things to happen to people but they are a natural aspect of this world and can't be removed and shouldn't as many are part of the natural life cycle of things.
It was fun enough I must admit. though it felt a bit weird that the last episode was more sort of an epilogue episode rather than a continuation of the big final confrontation stuff. I'm guessing it's setting stuff up for possible future adventures but it did feel a bit odd.
I do hope it gets a 2nd season though as it's fairly decent and entertaining enough.
Season 2 was already confirmed and is presumably already in production. Yes, I suppose the final episode being 60% intraparty character conflict and 40% epilogue is a bit of an odd structure, but it's faithful to the source material. I guess the alternative would have been to have Percy's inner conflict resolved prior to the final confrontation, but that would have been a huge character shift. His arc during the events the series depicts is perhaps the most beloved in all of the fandom, likely including the players themselves. They're definitely foreshadowing things for the second season, but also way further into possible seasons.
Remember that spinning black orb Delilah's ritual brought out, instead of the Whispered One? That's a thing that only comes into play in the very final stretch of the campaign. They're either being really confident about getting more seasons by putting such a long game element in the show, or they're doing a "wanna find out? Read the manga" gambit.
OT: Continuing the 3rd season of Jessica Jones, I've got 2 episodes left. I have to say, what little I can remember of season 2, this feels way better. It's very tightly written, and keeps you on your toes by throwing curveballs at you. Less than halfway it feels like it's wrapping up, but then the rug gets pulled from under you. But jesus christ is it depressing. The previous seasons and Daredevil weren't all sunshine and flowers either, but this feels full on nihilistic at times. This is just completely impossible to reconcile taking place in the MCU, it's probably better to imagine it as one of those alternate Marvel universes. Yet I can't say it feels like gratuitous misery porn either, it's all driven naturally by the characters. There are a couple of elements that feel a little weaker, mainly the tropey ultra-careful serial killer who never leaves any trace and Jeri's motivations switching a bit abruptly, but the latter still feels understandable considering what situation she's in: She's literally dying, she could be witnessing the destruction of her life's work and legacy, and she's lost the favor of her one true love.
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The thing that pissed me off when it first got popular was I was constantly thinking people were talking about the anatomical reference book Gray's Anatomy. I was disappointed to find out differently.
...... Ok, so I just looked up what this show is again and my brain flashed a memory from seeing it without knowing what show it was. Holy crap the "doctoring" was awful in that show, it wasn't just poorly written but everything looked and felt cheap too.
Star Trek: Discovery - Season 3 (3/5)
The good news is that this third STD is the best season so far. The bad news is that it still isn't actually "good," and I'm still left scratching by balls.
Anyway, the Discovery ends up in the 31st century, after which the Federation has collapsed due to "the Burn," where all dilithium simultaniously detonated in warp drives, destroying a number of ships, and in so doing, not only fragmenting the Federation, but also allowing new powers to arise, in a setting where interstellar travel has become a lot more difficult, in a galaxy that's a lot "rougher" than it was before, even if technology has significantly improved. As implausible as the Burn is (and the revealed explanation absolutely nonsensical), I think the setup is pretty good. However, the setup does lead to the issue that this really, REALLY doesn't feel like Star Trek.
And I know, that's a subjective thing to say, and I'm by no means a Star Trek purist - the Kelvinverse films were my 'real' introduction to the series after all. But while everything we see does make sense - lots of violence, lots of "grittiness," insanely advanced technology - none of it "feels" like Star Trek. In the eras of Enterprise-TOS-TNG, there was clear continuity in ship designs and levels of technology, whereas here, we're so far ahead, we also feel so far removed. And look, I get it. Everything I just described makes sense. But even so, there's an "offness" here, even more so than prior seasons where Discovery's level of tech didn't feel congruent with TOS. Also, there's a dearth of worldbuilding in a lot of areas, namely how while we see the Federation capital space station, we don't see any Federation worlds. And apparently, every member of Discovery is "alright, cool" about serving this Federation, despite the time jump. No-one, literally NO-ONE, jumps ship when it visits Earth, for instance, despite the fact that despite being cut off, Earth's fared relatively well.
I could forgive all of this if not for the characters, but they're a mixed bag. Some of the new ones are neat (e.g. Book), some of them are irritating (e.g. Adira), some of them are still "meh" (Burnham), some of them are still pretty awesome (e.g. Georgiou). Ah, Georgiou, who gets a mirror universe duology, which is the best pair of episodes in this entire season. Like season 1, Discovery seems to be at its best when it dives into the mirror universe, and where the regular cast get to ham it up to eleven. Seriously, give me a mirror universe series or something, because the constant violence would feel more at home there.
Alas, Georgiou goes back to the past, stuff happens, we find the source of the Burn, more stuff happens, the Emerald Chain (a kind of criminal syndicate) collapses, and things are looking up, Burnham becomes captain and zzz...I'm sorry, I just don't find myself caring about enough of these characters. One thing I did kind of like is how the show made efforts to highlight third tier characters (e.g. those who are reguarly named, but are generally always in the background), but it's a half-measure at best.
So, yeah. That's Discovery. I commented in my review of season 2 that jumping to the future felt like an overcorrection. That nothing about the show fit with the timeframe it was in, so the writers instead jump to the future. Except it hasn't solved the problem. There's still a feeling of 'offness' throughout the whole thing, and while there's some good characters and good moments, as a whole, it's not enough to save it.
So, yeah. Overall, it's "okay." Still my least favourite Star Trek show (of what I've seen). Enterprise, for instance, had some stumbles, but in season 3, had its best season. TNG, from what I understand, also found its feet in its third season. Discovery...well, not only is there not much actual discovering here, but among the things it hasn't discovered is its own sense of itself. Or if it thinks it has, I can't say I'm fond of the results.
The good news is that this third STD is the best season so far. The bad news is that it still isn't actually "good," and I'm still left scratching by balls.
Anyway, the Discovery ends up in the 31st century, after which the Federation has collapsed due to "the Burn," where all dilithium simultaniously detonated in warp drives, destroying a number of ships, and in so doing, not only fragmenting the Federation, but also allowing new powers to arise, in a setting where interstellar travel has become a lot more difficult, in a galaxy that's a lot "rougher" than it was before, even if technology has significantly improved. As implausible as the Burn is (and the revealed explanation absolutely nonsensical), I think the setup is pretty good. However, the setup does lead to the issue that this really, REALLY doesn't feel like Star Trek.
And I know, that's a subjective thing to say, and I'm by no means a Star Trek purist - the Kelvinverse films were my 'real' introduction to the series after all. But while everything we see does make sense - lots of violence, lots of "grittiness," insanely advanced technology - none of it "feels" like Star Trek. In the eras of Enterprise-TOS-TNG, there was clear continuity in ship designs and levels of technology, whereas here, we're so far ahead, we also feel so far removed. And look, I get it. Everything I just described makes sense. But even so, there's an "offness" here, even more so than prior seasons where Discovery's level of tech didn't feel congruent with TOS. Also, there's a dearth of worldbuilding in a lot of areas, namely how while we see the Federation capital space station, we don't see any Federation worlds. And apparently, every member of Discovery is "alright, cool" about serving this Federation, despite the time jump. No-one, literally NO-ONE, jumps ship when it visits Earth, for instance, despite the fact that despite being cut off, Earth's fared relatively well.
I could forgive all of this if not for the characters, but they're a mixed bag. Some of the new ones are neat (e.g. Book), some of them are irritating (e.g. Adira), some of them are still "meh" (Burnham), some of them are still pretty awesome (e.g. Georgiou). Ah, Georgiou, who gets a mirror universe duology, which is the best pair of episodes in this entire season. Like season 1, Discovery seems to be at its best when it dives into the mirror universe, and where the regular cast get to ham it up to eleven. Seriously, give me a mirror universe series or something, because the constant violence would feel more at home there.
Alas, Georgiou goes back to the past, stuff happens, we find the source of the Burn, more stuff happens, the Emerald Chain (a kind of criminal syndicate) collapses, and things are looking up, Burnham becomes captain and zzz...I'm sorry, I just don't find myself caring about enough of these characters. One thing I did kind of like is how the show made efforts to highlight third tier characters (e.g. those who are reguarly named, but are generally always in the background), but it's a half-measure at best.
So, yeah. That's Discovery. I commented in my review of season 2 that jumping to the future felt like an overcorrection. That nothing about the show fit with the timeframe it was in, so the writers instead jump to the future. Except it hasn't solved the problem. There's still a feeling of 'offness' throughout the whole thing, and while there's some good characters and good moments, as a whole, it's not enough to save it.
So, yeah. Overall, it's "okay." Still my least favourite Star Trek show (of what I've seen). Enterprise, for instance, had some stumbles, but in season 3, had its best season. TNG, from what I understand, also found its feet in its third season. Discovery...well, not only is there not much actual discovering here, but among the things it hasn't discovered is its own sense of itself. Or if it thinks it has, I can't say I'm fond of the results.
Finished Peacemaker. Not much else to say to be honest, it was a very satisfying end to a show that stood out among the mediocre offerings of its genre. The twist about the villains wasn't exactly out of nowhere, but did feel a little unearned. Glad that this kind of TV is being made today.
At this point they're just borrowing from the Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda playbook.
Jump to the future
the
it's up to the ship the
From what I've seen thanks to youtubers like Major Grin they've heavily borrowed stuff from other Sci-Fi series and shows which may be why it doesn't feel like Star Trek because it's not forging ahead with that identity but trying to assemble something out of bits of whatever other shows are popular and whatever it's twitter audience is talking about today.
Star Trek Discovery is an interesting show and I also have "mixed" opinions. But more positive, simply because they are actually telling their own story with a unique tone. Contrast to the schlock of the movies and the boring nostalgia bait of Picard, it's the only good Trek around (I don't watch the animated stuff).
On the one hand, I'm perfectly fine if there was no Trek because I don't think franchises should just grind on but on the other hand, I like that Discovery is all-in on adapting modern identity issues and being set in a time and place that is disconnected from other shows, at least now.
The thing that strikes me the most is how the characters talk openly about their feelings, relationships, and are dealing with things like mental wellness and personal identity. Yes, that's, right, it's "woke," if you will- and I'm here for Euphoria in space. Trek was the promise of doing that stuff back in the '60's so it should be like this now.
On the one hand, I'm perfectly fine if there was no Trek because I don't think franchises should just grind on but on the other hand, I like that Discovery is all-in on adapting modern identity issues and being set in a time and place that is disconnected from other shows, at least now.
The thing that strikes me the most is how the characters talk openly about their feelings, relationships, and are dealing with things like mental wellness and personal identity. Yes, that's, right, it's "woke," if you will- and I'm here for Euphoria in space. Trek was the promise of doing that stuff back in the '60's so it should be like this now.
I will come at you with the animated stuff because Lower Decks at least in season 2 is slowly climbing it's way to being something I'd happily say is a Star Trek show. Season 1 had a lot of issues but Season 2 was quite a course correction.
Also mental health and feelings stuff? TNG literally had a counsellor as one of the core bridge staff.
They are, but I don't hold it against Discovery for the following reasons:
1) Andromeda is the 'child' of Rodenberry, even if he never had a hand in it like Star Trek. It's fairly common for authors to 'borrow' from themselves, so that Star Trek and Andromeda end up exploring similar ideas isn't an issue for me.
2) Even Andromeda aside, Star Trek's considered exploring the decline/collapse of the Federation in works (e.g. the cancelled Final Frontier and Federation series), so that Discovery is the one that runs the ball isn't a mark against it.
3) While Discovery hasn't reached Andromeda at its best, it hasn't matched it at its worst.
Don't bother with Major Grin. He's willingly edited scenes to change the context, and to make Discovery look bad.
There's a lot to criticize about Discovery, but at least be honest with it.
I'm not sure what they've borrowed from other series specifically. You can point to Andromeda, but see above as to why I don't think that's an issue.
That said, whether Discovery borrows from other series or not is academic for me. Discussing season 3 specifically, again, I get why it doesn't feel like Star Trek - that's arguably the point of the season - but what we're left with isn't particuarly engaging.
"Unique tone?" In what way?
It's unique for Star Trek, I guess (far more "gritty," with more violence, death, blood, etc.), but while that might be unique for Star Trek, it's not unique for sci-fi. Watching season 3, references to Andromeda aside, I found myself sort of reminded of Killjoys and Dark Matter, with its "gritty, grimy" look and a setting that's generally grim. Difference being I quite like both of those shows, while Discovery just can't generate the same feeling. Killjoys had lots of grit, and could get dark as hell, but still had likable characters and had 'fun.' Discovery? Eh...
And if we're talking about the "schlock" of the movies...so, the last two episodes of Discovery, which is basically "Die Hard, but on a spaceship," isn't schlock? Some of the schlock is absolute gold (e.g. the mirror universe segments), but apart from that? Frankly, I'd easily put the movies above Discovery - better characters, better themes, and yes, better action.
Such as?
I'll give season 1 some credit - you have nativist klingons that the show sympathizes with (which is part of why I find it bizzare that people accuse Discovery of being "woke" - guys, it's being sympathetic to the people wokeists usually despise), which is certainly a reflection of our times to some extent (there's lots of nativist movements these days), but apart from that, I'm not sure what seasons 2 or 3 can be said to represent in terms of the modern day. There's no real equivalent to a collapsed Federation and hindered travel, for instance.
When has Star Trek not done that though?
I mean, probably many times, but while I think season 3 does this well at times (e.g. I like how Detmer is crumbling under pressure, and eventually goes to see Cubler), I don't think that's particuarly new. For instance, I finished season 3 of Enterprise last year, and one of the most heartbreaking/memorable moments is when Trip breaks down over grief for his sister and deceased crew-members, and is consoled by T'Pol. That, or when they discuss their deceased 'daughter.' I mean, YMMV as to which show does it 'better,' but I don't think this is new for Star Trek. I don't think it's new for shows in general, sci-fi or otherwise.
Does Troi do any actual "counsuling" though?
Makes me wonder - if the humans of the 24th century are meant to be perfect, then what do you need a counsellor for?
I know this has been about Discovery, but having seen the first two seasons of TNG, there's a lot I REALLY dislike about the show. Among them how not only are the characters 'perfect,' but know it. FFS, Picard even says as such to Q in the first episode.
> It's unique for Star Trek, I guess
Yeah, I meant unique for Trek. I'm of the mindset that it's almost impossible for Trek to be truly "unique" since it's such an old franchise, weighed down by its past. New interesting sci-fi isn't going to come from this, so the best we can hope for is interesting iterations. Discovery has been all over the place- I really disliked the season with Pike and a prequel because it was just nostalgia porn. This building a new world with the shift in relationships and dialogue tone they have now is working for me.
And yeah Trek has always dealt with feelings and relationships but Discovery has updated it with modern sensibilities. They have a captain who can be a tough bad-ass while also having an adult romantic relationship and friends, something Trek has always struggled with.
I haven't seen the last few episodes since they came back from break so I can't talk about those.
Yeah, I meant unique for Trek. I'm of the mindset that it's almost impossible for Trek to be truly "unique" since it's such an old franchise, weighed down by its past. New interesting sci-fi isn't going to come from this, so the best we can hope for is interesting iterations. Discovery has been all over the place- I really disliked the season with Pike and a prequel because it was just nostalgia porn. This building a new world with the shift in relationships and dialogue tone they have now is working for me.
And yeah Trek has always dealt with feelings and relationships but Discovery has updated it with modern sensibilities. They have a captain who can be a tough bad-ass while also having an adult romantic relationship and friends, something Trek has always struggled with.
I haven't seen the last few episodes since they came back from break so I can't talk about those.
Star Trek has always dealt with feelings and relationships, just you know, not all of the time like in Discovery. For example, Picard's breakdown in Family is so powerful because he's normally pretty reserved. It's shocking to see him let his defences down.
Yes, she counsels Picard after they rescue him from the Borg, and on two or three occasions she has sessions with Reg Barcley, and I recall her speaking to Worf's son Alexander after his mother died and Worf was injured, she had some scenes with Jeremy Astor after his mother was killed on an away mission. It was not a big part of her character sadly, in fact she spent more time acting as a diplomatic advisor but she DID do counselling.
Free advice from a TNG fan: Season 1 is largely shite and that attitude was tempered in later seasons. No one, not even most of the cast, liked it and the only real loss from it was Tasha Yar. Season 2 gets its shit together a bit, but the show doesn't really become the show its famous for being until Season 3 - though Season 2 has some good episodes such as Measure of a Man, Pen Pals, and Q Who (introduces the Borg). Also the Federation and humanity are not perfect; Measure of a Man is a perfect example of that because a perfect society would not require a legal hearing to determine Data's person-hood: it would have just been assumed he was one. Also perfect people don't have artificial hearts - Picard - because they picked a fight with someone bigger and stronger than them over a matter that could have been diffused in other ways.
But you know what the human beings on Earth aren't doing? We're not killing each other over differences in Holy books. We're not waging wars of aggression to make our nationalist dicks feel big. We're not trading each other as slaves for war, labour or sex. Or pick any number of stupid shit we are currently experiencing.
The Federation and Humanity are better than the current phase of humanity. And sure that sounds condescending but no more than us looking back at the people of the 16th Century and going "Man, we were fucking cunts back in the day". I swear people also forget that the humanity that built the Federation was one that went global nuclear war, and had war of eugenics in their history and had clawed their way back from those. They earned and bled for the future they built and frankly if in 400 years we do go from post-Nuclear holocaust to post-scarcity, physics bending technological and social egalitarian society, the people in it will have every right to look back at us in the 20th-21st Century and say "Man, fuck those guys". Most of us now are looking at ourselves and saying that.
James Kirk's closest friends were Bones McCoy, Spock and Montgomery Scott. Friends he held and spoke to until his death. Jean-Luc Picard was simply not that kind of man, not until the end. And Ben Sisko was married, had a son, lost his wife, fell in love again and was due to have another child and was surrounded by friends.
And the crowning example of this is....Miles O'Brien. Married on the Enterprise, had his first child there, raised her with his wife. Moved to Deep Space Nine, had another child - through extraordinary circumstances - and on several occasions went above and beyond the call for his wife and his children. Cemented life long friendships with Worf and Julian Bashir and Kira Nerys.
Star Trek hasn't struggled with this writing, it just never focused on it exclusively.