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

[Old_Hunter_77]

I agree and I'm in it basically for the chemistry between everyone and the Scrubs comedy timing and because it's fun to pretend Harrison Ford is just some actor in a sitcom but past a certain point I start resenting everyone's Instagram energy, and how equal parts phony and short-lived the dramatic beats are.

Also I get unreasonably emotional seeing Neil Flynn hanging out with Ford because that's a send up to a Scrubs joke from over 20 years ago, itself a meta joke to Flynn's bit part in The Fugitive 10 years before that.

It's also a show I think that benefits from weakly viewings. Though in general I've moved away from "binge" mentality. But it's like eating too much sweets- it's nice once in a while, but makes you sick if you inhale a lot at once. We use shows like Shrinking and Abbott Elementary to scrub our eyes after watching something more intense like Squid Game or whatever.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Squid Game season 2, episode 1

Like everyone else I was intrigued and entertained by the first season as it was this new crazy thing that executed on a gimmick well. But it really felt to me like a one-off and I was already not excited about more. But wife and I gave the new season a shot and we were turned off by the first episode enough to just stop watching.

It's just torture porn at this point.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Squid Game season 2, episode 1

Like everyone else I was intrigued and entertained by the first season as it was this new crazy thing that executed on a gimmick well. But it really felt to me like a one-off and I was already not excited about more. But wife and I gave the new season a shot and we were turned off by the first episode enough to just stop watching.

It's just torture porn at this point.

Wasn't the first one just torture porn as well?

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Wasn't the first one just torture porn as well?

Well not "just" torture porn- there was a hooky premise and personal drama. And even if it is mostly torture porn, it was done in a novel attention-grabbing way. But that only goes so far.

Kind of like the first Saw movie. It was vicious, but new and interesting and kind of clever for its time. Then they made like, I dunno, 6 more or some crap. And while I watched the third Saw movie I had that same feeling- like, ok, enough of this.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Kind of like the first Saw movie. It was vicious, but new and interesting and kind of clever for its time. Then they made like, I dunno, 6 more or some crap. And while I watched the third Saw movie I had that same feeling- like, ok, enough of this.

Ah, I get what you mean; I had an identical experience with Saw. I made it halfway through the third film where it was just making me nauseous for nausea's sake, and decided I'd had enough. I really hope Squid Game doesn't go a similar route, but now given how similarly align with Saw, I won't be surprised or disappointed if it does.

 

[Bedinsis]

Ah, I get what you mean; I had an identical experience with Saw. I made it halfway through the third film where it was just making me nauseous for nausea's sake, and decided I'd had enough. I really hope Squid Game doesn't go a similar route, but now given how similarly align with Saw, I won't be surprised or disappointed if it does.

I've seen Saw, Saw II and Saw V, and halfway paid attention through either Saw III or Saw IV. My experience mirrors yours, in that they felt more interested in making me feel disgusted than anything else (the brain surgery was just gross) so I gave up on it until Saw V was on the telly some day. That one was decent, in that half the movie was about five people stranded in an obstacle course of rooms to get out of with a higher emphasis on the challenges and the drama than on the gore. The other half was some story I honestly did not understand that was all about tying that entry into the rest of the franchise.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Caught up in Landman.

It’s funny how Sheridan’s work seems to be increasingly dichotomous with its character portrayals. The wife and daughter rich/bimbo combo is played to such an exaggerated effect it makes the cliche blush, and depending on the legs planned for this show their time for displaying any kind of an arc may be running out. Kinda frustrating because the rest of it is generally solid. The old folks home bit was a hoot though.

The show’s writers are clearly trying to appeal to a broader audience than the subject matter would let on, but it only works about half the time. The budding romance between Cooper and Ariana has been nicely handled, but Angela and Ainsley need far more work. Although I will say Ali Larter does the best with what she’s been given, and she’s certainly stayed in great shape over the years.

Billy Bob’s character is fittingly the most fleshed out and true to the show’s title, and his boss (Hamm) plays his part well if not garnering as much sympathy from viewers as the writers seem to be hoping for. Yes, he generally has a bum ticker and running an oil company must be stressful, but so much so it leads to another hospitalization after your hand is forced to cough up to families of the deceased what a company like this probably makes in a few hours? Ok, sure.

Maybe if he survives he’ll learn something from the surprisingly tender words of wisdom given by Jerry Jones of all people.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Squid Game 2, Ep 1-4: Alright so far / Great

The winner from the first Squid Games is hell bent on finding the people behind the games so he can stop them.

@Old_Hunter_77, while this isn't necessarily a resounding endorsement, I'd argue there's something worth watching here; it's not just "more Squid Games." Yes, there was an interesting gimmick the first go around, but this is different enough in that being in the know and still coming back to the same place is a story unto itself. There's intrigue when you think you know what's coming, but the antagonists still manage to stay one step ahead. I'll finish the series, but I completely understand anyone who felt the first round was enough.

 

[BrawlMan]

Squid Game season 2, episode 1

Like everyone else I was intrigued and entertained by the first season as it was this new crazy thing that executed on a gimmick well. But it really felt to me like a one-off and I was already not excited about more. But wife and I gave the new season a shot and we were turned off by the first episode enough to just stop watching.

It's just torture porn at this point.

A lot of Running Man style media does nothing for me now, aside from two exceptions.

Kind of like the first Saw movie. It was vicious, but new and interesting and kind of clever for its time. Then they made like, I dunno, 6 more or some crap. And while I watched the third Saw movie I had that same feeling- like, ok, enough of this.

Ah, I get what you mean; I had an identical experience with Saw. I made it halfway through the third film where it was just making me nauseous for nausea's sake, and decided I'd had enough. I really hope Squid Game doesn't go a similar route, but now given how similarly align with Saw, I won't be surprised or disappointed if it does.

I've seen Saw, Saw II and Saw V, and halfway paid attention through either Saw III or Saw IV. My experience mirrors yours, in that they felt more interested in making me feel disgusted than anything else (the brain surgery was just gross) so I gave up on it until Saw V was on the telly some day. That one was decent, in that half the movie was about five people stranded in an obstacle course of rooms to get out of with a higher emphasis on the challenges and the drama than on the gore. The other half was some story I honestly did not understand that was all about tying that entry into the rest of the franchise.

I stopped after Saw V. It was at that point they were just stretching things out and they didn't care anymore. I can't even stomach going back to III.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Black Doves, 5/5

I mean no it's not really "perfect" 5/5 but wife and I really enjoyed it so a 5/5 in terms of entertainment value.
It's The Americans, but British, and The Americans heckin' ruled and Brits have that deadpan dry wit so there's that.
Keira Knightly and Ben Wishaw play two skinny spies that can kick ass despite their slight frames. Knightly really brings the iron lady routine and is able to sell the whole you-think-she's-sweet-but-will-rip-your-balls-off routine, and there are also other skinny white girls who are good at kicking ass if you're into that.
Wishaw is one of my favorite actors so I'm never gonna complain about his presence.

Yeah the plot gets unbelievable but so what this show is about style, suspense and action and it delivers on those fronts which is what matters.

Hmm I guess between this and Jackal I'm really feelin' by spy thing right now...

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Squid Game is more like emotional torture porn than the graphic Hostel/Saw version. 100% of deaths are you get shot for losing (or maybe, sometimes, fall to your death). Torture and/or death is rarely really built into the game as a natural part of it, unless it's one of the two games that are played over a chasm. But there's no Jigsaw bullshit like chopping off your leg and playing hopscotch, or having to pluck out an eyeball and play marbles with it.

It's a show built on cruelty because all the people who get killed are just schmucks who really need the money and past round one are willing to die for it. And it's always 80% poor bastards who're deep in debt and the other 20% are assholes who of course have to last the majority of the season. But that aspect of "Maybe I'll be the one to survive" feels much more cruel than the run of the mill Jigsaw victim, who does not want to be there in the first place.

Ultimately I think that's what's so upsetting about the show. It likes to revel in the hopelessness of every situation before playing it completely straight. And it lives for those moments where friends and family have to backstab each other, or sacrifice for one another, only for most of those excruciating moments to be pointless anyway.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Watching The Night Of because it's been in my backlog forever and currently nothing else interests me across like half a dozen streaming services.

It's very, very good. Developed by Steven Zaillian, who is a name that usually pops around Spielberg or Scorsese projects, and you have Richard Elswit (Paul Thomas Anderson's DP) and Freddy Elme's (Lynch's and Jarmusch's DP) working the camera. The nighttime work is gorgeous and the first episode alone basically works as one of those "everything in one night" movies where things are always getting complicated and the walls are always closing in.

Great cast led by John Turturro, Riz Ahmed, Michael K. Williams. Smattering of Sopranos alums here and there. The show works simultaneously as a good police procedural, legal drama and prison thriller.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Squid Game 2, Ep 1-4: Alright so far / Great

The winner from the first Squid Games is hell bent on finding the people behind the games so he can stop them.

@Old_Hunter_77, while this isn't necessarily a resounding endorsement, I'd argue there's something worth watching here; it's not just "more Squid Games." Yes, there was an interesting gimmick the first go around, but this is different enough in that being in the know and still coming back to the same place is a story unto itself. There's intrigue when you think you know what's coming, but the antagonists still manage to stay one step ahead. I'll finish the series, but I completely understand anyone who felt the first round was enough.

Finished season 2, and I maintain that if you liked the first season, you'll likely enjoy this second one. Once it showed its hand, the first season was about the gimmick and the ever increasing cruelty of the games; with that firmly established, this second season focuses more on the drama of the players, their forged allegiances, and their plot to subvert and end the games once and for all. It was good, and ends on a cliffhanger, I'm sure will bring people back for the third season.

Recommended.

 

[BrawlMan]

What a wonderful Season 2! There is no time wasted, nor does this season feel rushed. I have 0 complaints. Nocturne has pretty much surpassed the original Castlevania for me.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Landman season finale.

Did what it needed to in the face of an expected renewal.

 

[FakeSympathy]

What a wonderful Season 2! There is no time wasted, nor does this season feel rushed. I have 0 complaints. Nocturne has pretty much surpassed the original Castlevania for me.

Hell the fuck yes, that was a good season! Olrox continued to be my favorite character. Turns out he did have a heart after all

 

[Gordon_4]

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (episode 1).

A very charming opener to what I feel will be a solid one off series. This one is pitched a little lower than stuff like Mando or Andor so it’s a good one to watch with younger kids.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Hijack, AppleTV+. 4/5

Idris Elba on a hijacked plane, that's the show.
It felt like something out of the early 00's- a basic premise that spirals out of control with plot holes as the twists keep coming and the villains' absurdly complicated schemes are revealed piecemeal, but it's ok because it's just an opportunity for the suspense. Similar to how most video game plots are just excuses for the player to do stuff, some TV/movie plots are just excuses to see the characters react to their situation. So if you're good for some kinda-old-school suspense/thriller, where nothing on screen is wasted and everything drives the action forward then you're gonna get a quality 7 hours of entertainment here.

The hook is that Elba's character is a business negotiator not some action hero or cop or soldier so it's about him using his smarts to assess the situation and confident charm to convince people to do stuff.

On a more personal note, it was surreal watching a show about a hijacked plane which of course referenced 9/11 a lot, an event I lived through as I entered adult-hood. I remember watching TV/movies in the late 80's and 90's that would reference the Vietnam war or Watergate, events that for me were "history" because they were before my time but for many alive were just events from their own past. And now this is me- seeing a TV show where people on a hijacked plane are worrying that they're gonna be used for a suicide terrorism attack, the thing that literally happened to my home city and I remember clearly, while for a younger viewer it's just "history." Wild.

 

[BrawlMan]

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[hanselthecaretaker2]

American Primeval.


Not bad, Trebek. After a couple episodes it makes room for itself in a very crowded genre by dishing out some low key grit and intensity at the right moments, with a through line of just how vicious the oft untold players had the potential to be back then. We’ll see what else happens.