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

[Piscian]

Speaking of "prestige television" I finished For All Mankind

It's only 2 seasons, 10 episodes a piece so I can whole heartedly recommend the commitment. In fact each season has an ending with no cliffhanger so it was nice to have a show you can just watch knowing you'll get a full meal however much you choose to watch. It was a fascinating show, following what life would be like if the Space Race continued full bore and what sort of advancements humanity would make during the battle. While I don't want to spoil anything, some of the space technology we have only just started looking at today, in this alternate history they've reached it as far back as the late 1970s. This of course has effects across the globe. Lots of things are different, both good and bad.

This show is definitely not going to be for everyone. Its very much a drama, its what a drama might look if the Band Of brothers writers wrote a TV show about Pacific Rim. You have these massive life shattering events scattered amongst a show about day to day life for Astronauts and their love ones. The writing very much fits that "Prestige TV" moniker. You can really tell the different regardless of budget, when shows are written with "intent". Scenes and dialog leave no room for audiences to blink in confusion and or roll their eyes at character action and plotting. You never for a second wonder where the budget went or why the writing seems disjointed in For All Mankind. If I had a personal complaint the show is very dense with character stories. They all pay off, but a couple of them I just didn't feel all that pertinent to the story. A lot of it is to give you context about how the trials of the astronauts affect the people around them which then makes climaxes and conclusions more impactful. The first season has less climactic moments, but the finale certainly pays-off. You have to grow with the characters and just enjoy being with them to get to the peanut butter center. The second season is full of many more "OH SHIT" moments. Pretty much every episode is a nail biter.

Each season takes place about 10 years apart. That said season 1&2 are a complete story. A third season just got greenlit, I would expect it may focus on a new cast of characters because most of the original characters are dead or retired as season 1 & 2 take place between the 1960s-1995. Theres a timeline if youre just curious how things shake out https://for-all-mankind.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline

 

[Piscian]

You're thinking of Moon Knight. Which I actually liked and do think bucks the trend of being mediocre assembly line Disney+ guff. Yet, there's still parts of the show that indicate the Disney can't quite maintain the needed level of quality from their shows. The PS3 cutscene CGI in particular stands out to me.

If you meant the new show as in yet to release, then that's She-Hulk. Which is enough said I think.

Yeah I was semi-joking, but it legitimately took me more than 20 seconds to remember what the latest show was. I think that's Disneys problem. We're getting quantity or over quality. A gallon of ice cream over a pint of gelato.

I liked Moon Knight, is it prestige television? Not even close. I think what fascinates me about the arguments of CGI quality is that its not just weak or bad CGI. Its just utilitarian. The effects look worse that Jurassic Park or hell Evil Dead 2, because theres no care being given to the audience perspective. The writers throw up a storyboard, they hand it to the animators. The animators have a schedule and an engine and they get it done. It wouldn't surprise me if the director or producer never even see it until they're in the editing room and no ones gonna go back to the execs and say "hey fellas this scene just doenst really work, it looks...fine, but its not great. We need to rethink this.". I think this is a purely a disney problem with their factory line production.

Its not just their shows either. Dr. Strange 2 just felt "meh". I bet theres a ton Raimi would have done differently if it werent a marvel scheduled movie. If some psychopath at Disney just gave him 18 months and 200mil to do a Gothic Horror Multiverse strange movie. Instead, we got teasers, callbacks blah blah blah.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Checked out Peacemaker and it's really damn good.

It's weird, as much as The Suicide Squad didn't work for me, this show does. Despite the obvious crudeness it doesn't feel mean spirited and obnoxious the way the movie does. John Cena is also WAY better then he was in the movie, he's got some real natural loveable goofball energy, and tremendous comedic chops.

I also quite liked how they handled his dad. He's introduced as this 'ha ha, look how racist this guy is', where we're seemingly supposed to laugh at the bluntness of this guy's bigotry, kinda in the same vein as South Park or Community, but then in the next episode we get the cold realization that 'no, this behaviour is actually really fucking sinister, and this guy is plain evil'. And Robert Patrick hasn't looked that scary since Terminator 2.

And the show is really, REALLY, darn funny. Some of the tangents can stretch themselves a tad to much, but it never becomes exhausting.

I also finished Our Flag Means Death season 1, which ends on a very effective cliffhanger. By which I mean 'fuck you for leaving me hanging like that, you dick show'.

 

[Dalisclock]

Checked out Peacemaker and it's really damn good.

It's weird, as much as The Suicide Squad didn't work for me, this show does. Despite the obvious crudeness it doesn't feel mean spirited and obnoxious the way the movie does. John Cena is also WAY better then he was in the movie, he's got some real natural loveable goofball energy, and tremendous comedic chops.

I also quite liked how they handled his dad. He's introduced as this 'ha ha, look how racist this guy is', where we're seemingly supposed to laugh at the bluntness of this guy's bigotry, kinda in the same vein as South Park or Community, but then in the next episode we get the cold realization that 'no, this behaviour is actually really fucking sinister, and this guy is plain evil'. And Robert Patrick hasn't looked that scary since Terminator 2.

And the show is really, REALLY, darn funny. Some of the tangents can stretch themselves a tad to much, but it never becomes exhausting.

I also finished Our Flag Means Death season 1, which ends on a very effective cliffhanger. By which I mean 'fuck you for leaving me hanging like that, you dick show'.

People keep telling me Peacemaker is good and I think I'll check it out when I get a chance. I haven't had a chance to watch it but I've watched the intro like a dozen times and it's really interesrting...entertaining? I have no idea why it's a dance number but you know what, whatever it's doing seems to be working.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

People keep telling me Peacemaker is good and I think I'll check it out when I get a chance. I haven't had a chance to watch it but I've watched the intro like a dozen times and it's really interesrting...entertaining? I have no idea why it's a dance number but you know what, whatever it's doing seems to be working.

I never skipped the intro when watching the show, it gets you every time.

 

[Casual Shinji]

People keep telling me Peacemaker is good and I think I'll check it out when I get a chance. I haven't had a chance to watch it but I've watched the intro like a dozen times and it's really interesrting...entertaining? I have no idea why it's a dance number but you know what, whatever it's doing seems to be working.

Yeah, that intro rocks. I'd say it's almost genius since every prominant character doing a goofy dance gives you a false perspective before they're introduced, but then undercuts who they really are after you get to know them. So watching the intro for each episode adds a peculiar context.

 

[Piscian]

I watched Shining Girls

This is arguably light scifi/horror/thriller faire. Elizabeth Moss plays a newspaper archivist suffering from PTSD after surviving a severe assault and attempted murder. She think she's going insane because occasionally the world will suddenly change around her. Sometimes minutely, sometimes vastly. One day she has long hair and has a cat the next she has a dog and short hair. Stores she shops at will be laundry mats the next day. At the paper she accidently comes upon a murder victim with the exact same cuts as her and she decides to start hunting the man who assaulted her which is when things start tumbling out of control and she starts to think she might not be going crazy after all.

Neat little scifi thriller serial killer show. Reminds me a lot of Stephen Kings stuff. This one is just 8 episodes. I really enjoy these mini-series. Its very clear that this could be condensed into a 2 hour movie, but the plot holes would properly be pretty egregious, the characters lacking depth. I think this is one of the few boons of Streaming television. You can tell the stories that are too complicated to fit on the big screen. I liked most everybody in it. If I had a complaint it would be that Elizabeth Moss is a little too old for the role and doesn't quite fit the character. Elizabeth Moss is 40 and looks it. The character seems like she supposed to be younger like 20s or early 30s. She supposed to very demure and unsure of herself before gradually becoming a force later in the story. Elizabeth Moss mostly pulls it off, she pretty much plays her same angry badger character as she did in Handmaids tale at times its like putting the incredible hulk in a dress.

All that said if you like those serial killer movies like Se7en, along came a spider, Kiss the Girls, Silence of the lambs etc you'll breeze through this. One thing I did like about this is that the Serial Killer isn't some over the top cartoon. He's creepy, but outwardly a very normal, handsome guy and they don't focus on any goofy traits. There's no buffalo bill dance here. I think its largely because this is about Elizabeth Moss character, more than the Killer. Good stuff 8/10. The after credits has a pretty hot Bob Dylon cover -



Bonus: The book appears to be quite different from the movie. Gonna go read it.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Archive 81, episode 1

My wife came across this one, looked interesting, we both like psychological horror and suspense. The first episode introduces this guy who restores old video tapes and for some client sees some weird stuff including references to his own past so it's a big mind-f*** mystery. Cool.
Then I googled the show, saw the season ended in a cliffhanger AND was then canceled.

Honestly... go f*** yourself, Netfllix. If I was running for congress I would campaign to ban cliffhangers on shows that weren't already renewed. We're not gonna watch it any more.
*pouts and grumbles*

 

[Agema]

Then I googled the show, saw the season ended in a cliffhanger AND was then canceled.

I think "cliffhanger" is perhaps an overly strong term.

It finishes with a continuation or "new beginning" designed to lead to a second season, but it also provides sufficient closure for season 1 to survive as a sufficiently satisfying standalone season.

 

[Piscian]

Archive 81, episode 1

My wife came across this one, looked interesting, we both like psychological horror and suspense. The first episode introduces this guy who restores old video tapes and for some client sees some weird stuff including references to his own past so it's a big mind-f*** mystery. Cool.
Then I googled the show, saw the season ended in a cliffhanger AND was then canceled.

Honestly... go f*** yourself, Netfllix. If I was running for congress I would campaign to ban cliffhangers on shows that weren't already renewed. We're not gonna watch it any more.
*pouts and grumbles*

I heard about it on RLM, yeah. Netflix died for me with "I am not okay with this" getting canceled on a hard cliffhanger. This seems to be their whole strategy now.

 

[Agema]

I heard about it on RLM, yeah. Netflix died for me with "I am not okay with this" getting canceled on a hard cliffhanger. This seems to be their whole strategy now.

Netflix started by perhaps persisting with some shows past their shelf life (think Hemlock Grove) but seem to have shifted into a much more brutal culling of anything that falls short of whatever metric they want. I wonder if it doesn't throw out plenty of worthwhile stuff just because it has so many other options it can take a punt on, or at least stuff that could grow to greatness with development even if the first season was shaky.

It reminds me of that Community episode where Abed is getting into this British TV show and looking forward to really binging it, until someone tells him it only has one season with six episodes (because that's very traditional British TV due to it having a different model from the USA).

 

[Piscian]

Netflix started by perhaps persisting with some shows past their shelf life (think Hemlock Grove) but seem to have shifted into a much more brutal culling of anything that falls short of whatever metric they want. I wonder if it doesn't throw out plenty of worthwhile stuff just because it has so many other options it can take a punt on, or at least stuff that could grow to greatness with development even if the first season was shaky.

It reminds me of that Community episode where Abed is getting into this British TV show and looking forward to really binging it, until someone tells him it only has one season with six episodes (because that's very traditional British TV due to it having a different model from the USA).

One of the plots of the current season of "Barry" is an SNL style riff on Netflix. His girlfriend thinks she hit the big time because she got a show on some big streaming service only to find out the hard way the algorithm controls everything. It's funny because I imagine theres a number of shows that didn't really take off until their second season, but Netflix dont play that game apparently.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Checked out the first episode of Ms. Marvel and it wasn't terrible, which is a big step up from Hawkeye and Obi-Wan Kenobi where I couldn't even finish the first episode.

It's nothing too special, but it has a nice pace and actually looks colourful without having that washed out, grey digital filter over it that every Netflix and Disney+ live-action show seemingly needs to have. It's kinda the usual teen shit you always see though; parents don't understand her but mean well so you know that understanding will come eventually, high school friends that are way too supportive to be actual high school friends etc. But it manages to be engaging enough to warrant me checking out the second episode.

So yeah, passing grade on Episode 1.

 

[Kyrian007]

Netflix started by perhaps persisting with some shows past their shelf life (think Hemlock Grove) but seem to have shifted into a much more brutal culling of anything that falls short of whatever metric they want. I wonder if it doesn't throw out plenty of worthwhile stuff just because it has so many other options it can take a punt on, or at least stuff that could grow to greatness with development even if the first season was shaky.

It reminds me of that Community episode where Abed is getting into this British TV show and looking forward to really binging it, until someone tells him it only has one season with six episodes (because that's very traditional British TV due to it having a different model from the USA).

The way I had it explained to me, Netflix's metrics show the announcement of continuations of shows canceled elsewhere has a positive effect on subscriber numbers. Announcing a new show has a positive effect on subscriber numbers. Canceling a show does not have a negative effect on subscribers, but does have a positive effect on engagement... as people look for something else to watch. So basically, they benefit from acquiring or producing new shows... and they pay for those by canceling current shows because there is little harm (and even a little benefit) to them for doing so. Just in general the subscriber numbers only noticeably tumble when there is a price hike. I'm hoping this new enforcement around account sharing will backfire and drop the numbers as well, but they are betting otherwise. And I fear they are right and it will boost subscriber numbers.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

We started For All Mankind season 2 and it continues to deliver: it is just a well-produced, directed, and acted drama. Every episode has a good mix of "oh no how are they going to survive this predicament" tense sequence, some nice character drama, and just the right amount of nostalgia + alt-history guessing for politics nerds.

At the risk of sounding like an old man, it is refreshing to have a patiently told story that isn't leaning on some Cinematic Universe or big name or whatever.

 

[Piscian]

Ms. Marvel Episode 1 Full Review:

 

[Xprimentyl]

The Wizard of Paws: Tears / Great

Derrick Campana runs and operates "Bionic Pets," a mobile prosthetics limb lab/factory for pets.

Jesus Christ, this man is doing God's work.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

The Boys Season 3

They do their version of "Ant-Man goes up Thanos's ass and explodes him from the inside" in the very first episode. So far so good. It's what I like about shows like this and Invincible. Most superheroes in Marvel/DC are fitted with so many flavor of vicious fucking death in the form of brutal strength and unnatural reality-bending powers to super gnarly swords/guns/laser beams yet in practice their use boils down to flinging people up in the air or through cardboard walls, and everything seems to pack the stopping power of a moderately strong punch. And to me that's just dishonest. You're cribbing a cool, badass look for your action figurine without owning up to the deadliness of their powers.

In The Boys lasers cut through faces, heads explode, whole bodies get gibbed or bisected, blood showers whole people, limbs are severed, people are skewered, scarred for life, bones break at horrible angles. And this happens to people - not bullshit mooks like aliens or robots. And not just "people" but actual characters. Fights have impact and death has meaning in this universe in a way that never will in the MCU, and the consequences-of-actions motif rings so much more honest when The Boys does it.

Now about the new season. It feels a little bit late in the game to 1) start making up brand new characters with a supposed storied importance to the already established world and 2) making them critical to the motivations of characters who should've exposed them by now (see MM, Frenchie). I think we're near the bottom of the barrel when c-list characters start getting their own flashbacks. And lastly... I've sort of lost track of the intricate web of threats and blackmail that used to keep everybody and the status quo in check. By now it feels all bets are off and every secret is out but I'm not sure what's keeping half the cast from killing the other half anymore.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

The Boys is one of those shows where they can pretty much do anything and I'll love it.
With the Nazi lady plot from last season they made it both more absurd and more awesome (doesn't hurt that they cast Aya Cash who was fantastic in You're the Worst, a dark comedy with similar dark and cynical humor).

 

[Hawki]

Cobra Kai: Season 2 (4/5)

After three superhero seasons back to back, I needed something more down to earth. By which I mean "two gangs of teenagers start learning karate, because it's cool now." That's, um...realistic?

Anyway, snark aside, this is basically more of the same from season 1, and I mean that in a good way. If I had to rank the first two seasons, I think season 1 takes the win, in part because season 2 spends a slightly inordinate amount of time on relationships, but then, it's not like season 1 really lacked that either.

Anyway, this isn't really a full review, but just random thoughts, so on that note:

-Johnny is the MVP, and if you disagree, you're wrong.

-So, Kreese being back is great, but I'm a bit confused - he's established as living in a homeless shelter, but turns up to help Johnny run Cobra Kai, before taking control. Um, how much does your average sensei get paid, anyway? Because Kreese is established as having had money problems, but then they seemingly go away when the plot wants them to.

-The anti-PC stuff is still delicious.

-So, I'm the last person to discuss the philosophy of martial arts, but I like what the show's going for (least by my reading); that the Cobra Kai style isn't inherently bad, that there's something to be said for offensive karate that can be used to help people as well as win fights, it's just that Kreese takes things way too far. In contrast, Myagi-Do focusing on defence sounds nice in principle, but it isn't always going to work for you.

-So in the Capture the Headband scenario, what was Stingray's plan, exactly? Just wait until the last person turns up to steal their headband? What happens if he got the timing wrong, then he'd need to still fight people who still had headbands.

-So, going by YouTube, this seems to be a subject of some contention, but basically, far as I can tell, there's a lot of people who dislike Sam and like (or are at least sympathetic towards) Tory. Granted, this is me only coming off two seasons, but in that scope...sorry, what?

Tory's a *****. Tory's a psycho. Tory attempts to murder Sam in the season finale. Whatever supposed sins Sam has (and in two seasons, I haven't seen them), she hasn't attempted to murder anyone, or ever instigate a fight. The most sympathetic I can see someone being is that yes, Sam's got a life of privilage, while Tory has it tough (having started season 3, we see how tough), but frankly, when Sam states "everyone has a sob story, that doesn't give them the right to be a bully," I fully agree. I'm kind of wondering if this is the equivalent of the whole "Johnny is the real bully in Karate Kid" meme, but no, people seem to genuinely believe it.

-That party towards the end, why do the cops show up? It seems to take place at Moon's house, so what business do the cops have in stopping it?

-Holy shit the fight scene at the end is awesome. Partly due to how bonkers it is, but also from the craft. For instance, there's a long continuous shot in the same hallway where the camera interweaves through all the different fights going on (you can actually see Tory's actress seemingly waiting for her cue, given how she hesitates). Don't know how much time was spent rehersing that and/or any many takes were required, but it's excellent cinematography.

So, yeah. Pretty neat.