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

[Absent]

She also needs to have some reason to be snooping around at all: she isn't a cop.

Actually I like this aspect so far ("so far", in my case, meaning the first three episodes). Her reluctancy, or her easy deterring. It's the opposite of the driven, tenacious sleuth who'll dig all the deeper when faced to threats or open discouragments. She's always on the verge of leaving an unsolved case with a pragmatic "fuck it, let's be real, not worth the hassle".

 

[gorfias]

Actually I like this aspect so far ("so far", in my case, meaning the first three episodes). Her reluctancy, or her easy deterring. It's the opposite of the driven, tenacious sleuth who'll dig all the deeper when faced to threats or open discouragments. She's always on the verge of leaving an unsolved case with a pragmatic "fuck it, let's be real, not worth the hassle".

I like they way they have handled it so far. It absolutely makes sense that she would be on the verge of walking away from unsolved cases. They need to come up with ways the audience will find entertaining and credible to keep her on the case. So far, they're doing it well.

 

[Absent]

Aaaaaah that 4th episode of Poker Face is just my favorite movie ever.

 

[BrawlMan]

​

 

[Xprimentyl]

Breaking Bad: Great / Great

A high school chemistry teacher is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, and in an attempt to leave his family with a comfortable nest egg, decides to cook premium meth using his chemistry background, and things get out of hand almost immediately.

I'm re-watching it after several years with my girlfriend who's not seen it, so it feels less like a re-watch and more like a jarring reminder of how good this show actually is. My gf hasn't wanted to watch it because it hits a lot of nerves given her own recent battle with cancer and having a relative with a meth problem, but it got its hooks into her as she loves shows that challenge her to figure out what's going; now she's asking me to watch more episodes. Bryan Cranston puts on his typical master class. I don't have any evidence to suggest he's underrated, but I anecdotally feel he's not given enough flowers as he's yet to act a role that isn't entirely convincing and engaging.

 

[gorfias]

Breaking Bad: Great / Great

A high school chemistry teacher is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, and in an attempt to leave his family with a comfortable nest egg, decides to cook premium meth using his chemistry background, and things get out of hand almost immediately.

I'm re-watching it after several years with my girlfriend who's not seen it, so it feels less like a re-watch and more like a jarring reminder of how good this show actually is. My gf hasn't wanted to watch it because it hits a lot of nerves given her own recent battle with cancer and having a relative with a meth problem, but it got its hooks into her as she loves shows that challenge her to figure out what's going; now she's asking me to watch more episodes. Bryan Cranston puts on his typical master class. I don't have any evidence to suggest he's underrated, but I anecdotally feel he's not given enough flowers as he's yet to act a role that isn't entirely convincing and engaging.

Hope you get to her to see "Better Call Saul" after. Some argue it is even better than BB. And there is a one shot movie on Netflix with Jessie.

 

[Ag3ma]

Lockwood & Co. (Netflix)

Supernatural YA drama. Set in the UK that appears to have moved on little from the 1980s, ghosts have emerged to run rampage and ruin society, called "The Problem". They can only be effectively fought by children, who can have a talent to see or interact with them which fades with progression to adulthood. Because of course: it's YA. Lockwood runs a private supernatural investigation agency with a staff of three: himself (action hero), George (research nerd), and hires seemingly obvious future romantic interest Lucy, who is a psychic prodigy. Together they take on missions, deal with ghosts, try to get paid, and deal with rivalries from other agencies and the stern views of DEPRAC, the government department that oversees dealing with The Problem.

It's glossier than your average British fare (thanks, Netflix money!) but still a bit dingy if compared to, say, that other Netflix supernatural YA drama that also confusingly starts with "Lock" (Locke and Key). It is however much better than Locke and Key, possibly to do with being overseen by writer/director Joe Cornish, who is really rather good. It's infinitely less annoying, the characters are better written, the plot(s) are more interesting, the acting is decent. Swordplay was slightly slow and hokey, but I'll live. In fact, it's so well done, I barely noticed any of my usual animosity to YA.

 

[Thaluikhain]

In fact, it's so well done, I barely noticed any of my usual animosity to YA.

Oh, that's a ringing endorsement right there.

 

[gorfias]

Friends S2 Ep 14 and 15 HBO Max

My wife is prepping a wedding speech and wants to include a reference to Phoebe's declaration that great lovers are like lobsters, mating for life (not true). So we watched these to review.

I do not like American sitcoms. I didn't like this series. Many "jokes" are not that. Take away the laugh tracks and you have cringe on the vast majority (saw a youtube of this done with Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. An eye opener).

Even so, these two episodes did have a couple of laughs. And were interesting from a few other perspectives.
1) It appears that men and women are allowed to like and be sexually attracted to another. Beauty is allowed. The end goal of these attractions appears to be marriage, families, communities and nations. Is this still a thing in current sitcoms? Dunno as I don't watch. But I am aware of Tucker Carlson's comments on the green M&M.
2) An analysis of Ross, who many find to be engaged in one of the great romances of all time with Rachael, did come across to me as a passive aggressive controlling ass hat.

It was like opening a time capsule and worth watching for this reason.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Take away the laugh tracks and you have cringe on the vast majority (saw a youtube of this done with Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. An eye opener).

If it's the same one I saw, I think that made it better. Someone says something painfully unfunny and everyone sits there awkwardly not saying anything for the duration of what would have been the laugh track.

And, given that laughtracks were first recorded decades ago and they use the same one, a lot of the original laughers are dead, but are condemned to laugh forever at bad sitcoms.

 

[Gordon_4]

If it's the same one I saw, I think that made it better. Someone says something painfully unfunny and everyone sits there awkwardly not saying anything for the duration of what would have been the laugh track.

And, given that laughtracks were first recorded decades ago and they use the same one, a lot of the original laughers are dead, but are condemned to laugh forever at bad sitcoms.

Watching MASH without the laugh track is......sobering. I think it makes both the comedy AND the drama hit harder, but its a hell of an experience.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Watching MASH without the laugh track is......sobering. I think it makes both the comedy AND the drama hit harder, but its a hell of an experience.

I think the laugh track in the final scene of Blackadder Goes Forth helped. Someone makes a comment, and there's a laugh track because it's moderately funny. Then they make another comment and there's no laugh track because it's deadly serious, and they keep mixing it up.

 

[Ag3ma]

2) An analysis of Ross, who many find to be engaged in one of the great romances of all time with Rachael, did come across to me as a passive aggressive controlling ass hat.

Yes: Ross is awful. I think on one level he's supposed to have some puppy-dog cute appeal, but his insecure neediness was toxic and grating to watch. Much of the comedy is of course through the character flaws. But even still, Ross is awful.

I haven't watched it since the original run, but in my memory was Friends ever that funny? It certainly wasn't in later series with inevitable quality drop (and my viewing became especially patchy to nonexistant). I don't think its strength was ever the comedy, it was a broader human engagement with the characters such that the comedy could decline away and the show still survive.

 

[gorfias]

Watching MASH without the laugh track is......sobering. I think it makes both the comedy AND the drama hit harder, but its a hell of an experience.

Fun looking up M.A.S.H. regarding this. They never wanted to use a laugh track, did so in the US, not in the UK, took it out of any operation room scenes. I do not recall the laugh track in later episodes but could be wrong about that. Amazing way back then this show had 11 seasons. Not unusual in today's market but back then, that meant a lot.

From Reddit, " Shit's not funny when I have to listen to a laugh track. It's like hearing the Wilhelm scream over and over. "

 

[Piscian]

I watched the opening scene of Picard S03e01 and immediately shut it off.

They seem just very out of touch with fans, starting off a show with that sort classic 50s scifi tropes of captain power in a shoot out with aliens. This is not to put fans in a box of only wanting science and intrigue. A lot of great star trek starts off with shooting and explosions, but it usually does it to then have a surprise twist or something then roll commercials so that fans of the show, used to intellectual endeavors are like "Oh I wonder where this is going?", but here it's just more generic bad guy stuff. I wasn't even remotely curious or confused.

Whats worse is they immediately that mystery box thing of her locking a mystery person in a room for unspecified reasons. This isn't interesting it's just "WHATS IN THE BOX" bullshit. It would be vastly more interesting if it was an established character and this is out of character for Beverly, but this is the first time were seeing her. I have zero investment in any of this. I simply do not understand the writers perspective on this. Who is this for? What is this storys purpose? Nothing about this enticed me to keep watching.

 

[Thaluikhain]

They seem just very out of touch with fans, starting off a show with that sort classic 50s scifi tropes of captain power in a shoot out with aliens. This is not to put fans in a box of only wanting science and intrigue. A lot of great star trek starts off with shooting and explosions, but it usually does it to then have a surprise twist or something then roll commercials so that fans of the show, used to intellectual endeavors are like "Oh I wonder where this is going?", but here it's just more generic bad guy stuff. I wasn't even remotely curious or confused.

Random bit of trivia, here's Lord Dread from Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future:

Not a Borg rip-off, he was first, though only slightly. ST:TNG seemed to have ripped off that show, which...ok.

 

[gorfias]

I watched the opening scene of Picard S03e01 and immediately shut it off.

They seem just very out of touch with fans, starting off a show with that sort classic 50s scifi tropes of captain power in a shoot out with aliens. This is not to put fans in a box of only wanting science and intrigue. A lot of great star trek starts off with shooting and explosions, but it usually does it to then have a surprise twist or something then roll commercials so that fans of the show, used to intellectual endeavors are like "Oh I wonder where this is going?", but here it's just more generic bad guy stuff. I wasn't even remotely curious or confused.

Whats worse is they immediately that mystery box thing of her locking a mystery person in a room for unspecified reasons. This isn't interesting it's just "WHATS IN THE BOX" bullshit. It would be vastly more interesting if it was an established character and this is out of character for Beverly, but this is the first time were seeing her. I have zero investment in any of this. I simply do not understand the writers perspective on this. Who is this for? What is this storys purpose? Nothing about this enticed me to keep watching.

Did you like the 1st two season? Haters of those two seasons are blushingly stating they liked Season 3:


and


Heh, cheap guy that I am, maybe binge in 7 day trail.

 

[Piscian]

Did you like the 1st two season? Haters of those two seasons are blushingly stating they liked Season 3:


and


Heh, cheap guy that I am, maybe binge in 7 day trail.
View attachment 7948

No I watched a couple episodes of season 1 and 2, but I couldn't get into it. It reminds me a lot of Rise Of the Skywalker and how they are more invested in a nostalgia product than writing a good story with good acting.

That said, theres a lot of Star Trek Fans that are no different than Star Wars fans who cry in public while watching a new trailer. "This is a thing that I'm invested in" fans. If you came out with a new show that followed the same storytelling principals as Star Trek, I'd happily watch it, I don't care what its called. I just don't have the "allegiance" to star trek that would be required to sit through and compare 3 seasons of Picard. "RIKER IS BACK" Fuck off who cares. Riker wasn't in DS9, and it was a better show. Why would having him in this improve the quality? (Note I think evil riker made an appearence, but you get my point).

If someone can say "Oh man this season is a huge step up from that last two." Then I can already tell they are willing to sit through something I'm not.

 

[Thaluikhain]

No I watched a couple episodes of season 1 and 2, but I couldn't get into it. It reminds me a lot of Rise Of the Skywalker and how they are more invested in a nostalgia product than writing a good story with good acting.

That said, theres a lot of Star Trek Fans that are no different than Star Wars fans who cry in public while watching a new trailer. "This is a thing that I'm invested in" fans. If you came out with a new show that followed the same storytelling principals as Star Trek, I'd happily watch it, I don't care what its called. I just don't have the "allegiance" to star trek that would be required to sit through and compare 3 seasons of Picard. "RIKER IS BACK" Fuck off who cares.

If someone can say "Oh man this season is a huge step up from that last two." Then I can already tell they are willing to sit through something I'm not.

Bit off-topi, but is there any big, long running franchise that this isn't true of? It just seems to be a matter of how much they want to burn their fans' goodwill for short term profit, versus keeping it alive to make money from in the future.

 

[Gordon_4]

I liked both seasons of Picard so I’m looking forward to this one.

Strange New Worlds is the current Star Trek MVP though; no contest.