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

[Xprimentyl]

The best thing on the show is Homelander, I think he's just the greatest and most timely villain of our time.

Agreed. The thing that nabs me most is how much of the runtime I spending wondering where Homelander is and what he's doing. Every episode is basically watching a group of people with their hands in the cookie jar KNOWING the punishing authority could be anywhere at any time. It makes for a very tense watch. As far as its timeliness, well, look at the source material; it's low-hanging fruit. Remove the laser eyes, super strength, the flight, and add 50 years, and you've got our president. He went after South Park for their satirical take on him, not sure what he could possibly say about The Boys' Homelander given it's not really satire so much as it is a fictional depiction of reality.

 

[Gordon_4]

he's sleazy and spineless in like a disarming way. He's a self-proclaimed narcissist

I really like Matthew Macfayden as an actor, but for the life of me I cannot think how this became his type. He does put upon fuck up really well, but sleazy? Doesn't quite have the charisma for that. Hugh Grant can do sleazy but Macfayden seems a bit too wound tight for that.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I really like Matthew Macfayden as an actor, but for the life of me I cannot think how this became his type. He does put upon fuck up really well, but sleazy? Doesn't quite have the charisma for that. Hugh Grant can do sleazy but Macfayden seems a bit too wound tight for that.

I think the trick is that Hugh Grant is always shameless while Macfadyen is always terribly, terribly ashamed.

He was great as Tom in Succession and that has sort of become his thing, playing underhanded misogynists with aw shucks energy who're inexplicably partnered with girlboss types. To Sarah Snook in Succession, to Nicole Kidman in Holland, to Elizabeth Banks in Miniature Wife, to his own wife in Stonehouse...

 

[Gordon_4]

I think the trick is that Hugh Grant is always shameless while Macfadyen is always terribly, terribly ashamed.

He was great as Tom in Succession and that has sort of become his thing, playing underhanded misogynists with aw shucks energy who're inexplicably partnered with girlboss types. To Sarah Snook in Succession, to Nicole Kidman in Holland, to Elizabeth Banks in Miniature Wife, to his own wife in Stonehouse...

I think that’s my issue; I associate sleaze with people who are, if only superficially, charming and witty but as you accurately point out also shameless. The kind of people that remind you that the con in con artist or con job stands for confidence.

But underhanded and passive-aggressive sniping I guess comes off to me as slimy rather than sleazy because it’s done by people who aren’t charismatic and while clever, aren’t nearly so much as they think they are. People whose attempts at charm as so transparent as to be invisible. Okay, I see where you’re going with that now and I understand and agree.

 

[Xprimentyl]

The Boys: S5, Ep5 Something's a' brewing / Great

Homelander is at his most emotionally vulnerable state while his supporting cast of "yes men/women" are at a cracking point facing fear of death versus the right thing to do.

@Johnny Novgorod nailed it that the series is basically spinning its tires for a finale, but this latest episode is easily the most development the supporting characters have received in a while. I've hated Firecracker since she showed up, but in one episode, I'm feeling redemption might be in her path as I see the trench between her faith and loyalty tested.

Homelander showed the only restraint he has ever shown while murderous intent happened around him. Spoiler, he doesn't use his laser eyes at all this episode where we've been led to believe he would have in any other situation. He shows patience, but only just, and this leads me to believe he's more of a powder keg than a calculating person, i.e.: he wants to pull the trigger, but is only waiting for anyone else to get on board. I feel he knows the insanity he's sowed, and wants to own it from a position of dominance... DJT much? Create chaos then reset it to zero to much applause?

They should call this show "Edging" because the death of Homelander will be the most satisfactory experience of my life when it finally happens.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Regarding The Boys, while I agree with everyone on past seasons not moving the story forward. I think it has something to do with the fact that the show has derailed so much from the source material, the showrunners aren't quite sure on where to take the story.

All the casts are fantastic (especially Jensen Ackles), but I just felt it's the same cycle of

• Homelander being an egotistical, man-baby, trigger-happy maniac
• The rest of the seven having their own agendas, but are too chicken-shit to stand up to him, or are too busy glazing him
  • except for Soldier Boy who always seem to be done with HL's shit
• The boys chase potential new lead on killing HL
• The said new lead usually doesn't work, backfires on the boys, or cause even greater chaos
• Some new twist turns up, complicating things.

It seems to be recycling the general plot of the source material again and again, except at this point it's just as crazy in its own way; Dare I say even crazier. And because the story is so derailed, I can't tell if the ending will be the same, especially regarding the faite of the boys (IYKYK). At the same time, it always seems to be a coin-toss on whether each episode is great or not regardless of whether the story bits are original or follow the source material.

Take the new episode for example; The storytelling method was really cool. Like, it didn't move the general plot forward, but there was no need; there were many character developments done super well. At the same time, they are trying to make the show "sort of" follow the original plot, abd pull lines from it. I.E. Stan Edgar is clearly inspired by James Stilwell in the comics, and Stan even says the line from the comic in this episode.

So it sometimes leaves me confused on how I feel about the show in general.

Soldier Boy showing some sort of attachment to his son was surprising, which led to a hilarious level of violence.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Soldier Boy showing some sort of attachment to his son was surprising, which led to a hilarious level of violence.

Yeah, that bit was a tad unexpected. It almost felt like a father who'd denounced his gay son standing up against said son's bullies. Kinda sweet, but also very objectively not given how terrible both Homelander and Soldier Boy actually are.

 

[Bartholen]

Regarding The Boys, while I agree with everyone on past seasons not moving the story forward. I think it has something to do with the fact that the show has derailed so much from the source material, the showrunners aren't quite sure on where to take the story.

Nail on the head on this one. Thing obviously being that even the comic itself is largely episodic despite the presence of a larger, overarching narrative, so it's not like they had a blueprint for multiple seasons to begin with. But the changes they made right from the outset, like making the Boys themselves just normal humans, were so significant that they largely couldn't adapt the comics, even if they wanted to. Then there's the biggest deviation from the comics - killing off Black Noir - that meant that the endgame was always going to be drastically different.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Yeah, that bit was a tad unexpected. It almost felt like a father who'd denounced his gay son standing up against said son's bullies. Kinda sweet, but also very objectively not given how terrible both Homelander and Soldier Boy actually are.

Read up on Soldier Boy's backstory a bit; It's your typical story of growing up in a household under a father who treated him as a constant disappointment, was verbally abusive, and the boy doing everything he can just to get some sort of approval from his father.

In that sense, history seems to be repeating with SB-HL relationship.

The key difference being, SB grew up in an actual househould. An abusive one for sure, but a household regardless. I think he was raised to act like a human being with some sort of code of ethics. I mean ffs, he actually seem to care for SOME PEOPLE in his life, as shown in the past episode where he cried for accidentally killing one of his old friend (while also calling him names)

Homelander grew from a friggin petri dish, and was bred to be a weapon without an ounce of humanity shown to him. I mean just look at how he treats Ryan; He has no idea how to raise a kid, and even ends up beating the crap out of him just because his ego was hurt.

In a way, as much as Homelander gives Soldier Boy some massive headache, ESPECIALLY regarding the whole literal god complex, he still has some fort of love towards his son; A "tough love" that his own father shown him, but part of him still cares

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I liked the last episode purely for the Firecracker plot. The Boys is just doing doughnuts around the same beats over and over: characters joined by a common goal, quibbling over ends and means, and how far is too far; when one finally steps over the line it doesn't matter because some external force moves the goalposts and keeps everything in check. See The Walking Dead, and I jumped that ship early in S6.

But the Firecracker plot bookends ep 5 in a way that I don't think the show has ever really interrogated to its natural conclusion: that unconditional love and devotion simply isn't enough. On a better show Homelander would've forded that river one or two seasons ago, but it is nice that we get it just the same, and I think adequately sets up the character's ultimate unraveling. Here's a dude who's gotten absolutely everything he's ever asked for and more, from climbing the corpo ladder to being annointed a god by a whole nation, and now even when people renounce their beliefs and offer their souls it's not enough. And I liked that, as much as it obviously pained her, Firecracker didn't even get a chance to redeem herself. Just continued to double down on terrible choices.

Deep has had a similar roadmap as Firecracker (he continues to sacrifice parts of himself to Homelander, to no real lasting effect), it's just that by being around since S1 he got to that point of no return early, and the character hasn't had much to do since he completely sold out. I don't find his rivalry with Noir 2 interesting at all.

Nor is Sage's 4D chess plan very convincing. Her goal is to be left alone... whish she was, in the first place?

On the other hand, it is now two episodes in a row where Homelander gets unceremoniously taken down. First it was as simple as walking him into a cell lined with uranium (which he somehow didn't detect), now he gets KO'd by some freshly introduced D-lister's super halitosis.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

The Boys: 5.5


Most of it was pretty meh until the last fifteen or so minutes. Also, sure wasn’t worth it, Firecracker.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Well I loved the last ep of the Boys. It was just fun.
I dunno... I fee like sometimes folks forget this is still a comic book show with vulgarity and gore, at the end of the day. Seeing Soldier Boy and some coke-addled looser rip apart a poker table full of beloved comedic actors made me laugh.

 

[Xprimentyl]

S2E1 of Beef on Netflix. OK, I'm intrigued. Super uncomfortable but intrigued. Like the shifting annual narratives of Fargo or The White Lotus, this 2nd season of the show is an all new story with all new cast. I doubt it can compete with the spectacular S1 but I'll continue to watch. Long story short, you have great leads, including Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan as the head talent at a very upper class golf club vs. 2 at the bottom of the chain at the same club.

I started the first episode of S2, and about 10 minutes in, I decided I'd had enough. The world and life in general is too mentally stressful to seek out mental stress as the core driver in my entertainment. Besides, I've got The Boys and From already testing the boundaries of my mental health; they don't need a third wheel.

Watched the first episode of Half Man, the new depressing thing from the guy that made Baby Reindeer. In this he beats the crap out of his stepbrother (Jamie Bell) on the day of his wedding; the rest of the episode takes place during their adolescence, when he would beat the crap of the other kids who would beat the crap out of him. They come to an unspoken agreement of combining brains and brawn to survive high school and I guess the rest of the show is their highs and lows building up to Billy Elliot's fateful wedding beatdown.

As much as I recognize that they're well written and well acted I'm a little tired of the preponderance of fucked up relationship dramas that make a spectacle of trauma, abuse, toxicity, misery and codependency. I end up feeling alienated by these shows. I had a happy childhood, we all tell each other that we love each other all the time, I just can't connect with the overly bleak stuff.

Thanks for the warning; I won't be watching this one (see my response to Beef S2 above.) Baby Reindeer was a rough watch, and I don't want to see anything else like it ever again. Is Half Man based on true/personal events as well? Because I can't think of many comedians whose whole "thing" is actual and absolute misery.

Anyway, speaking of From:

From: S4:Ep3 *sigh* / Great

Who's The Man In Yellow? Nobody knows, but the mere sight of his signature jacket caused Victor, the man who' been in this nightmare longer than anyone, to literally piss his pants. How much worse can this get??? This is one of few episodes that takes place entirely during the day, obviously establishing the intrigue for whatever is coming next, but it's a credit to the show that they can establish tension without overtly leaning on the antagonists. They are literally so scary, you don't even need to see them to fear them.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Thanks for the warning; I won't be watching this one (see my response to Beef S2 above.) Baby Reindeer was a rough watch, and I don't want to see anything else like it ever again. Is Half Man based on true/personal events as well? Because I can't think of many comedians whose whole "thing" is actual and absolute misery.

I don't know know anything about Richard Gadd's life and for what it's worth his new show isn't being spun as autobiographical, at least not to the degree Baby Reindeer was. It's fueled by a lot of hurt and misery though and there's a lot of weird specific choices that give it a very personal touch.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I don't know know anything about Richard Gadd's life and for what it's worth his new show isn't being spun as autobiographical, at least not to the degree Baby Reindeer was. It's fueled by a lot of hurt and misery though and there's a lot of weird specific choices that give it a very personal touch.

Again, weird turn that an aspiring comic would find his success peddling misery, though the depictions of his comedy in Baby Reindeer lead me to believe he's not very good at being funny; maybe misery IS his forte. Good for him, hard pass for me.

 

[gorfias]

I started the first episode of S2, and about 10 minutes in, I decided I'd had enough. The world and life in general is too mentally stressful to seek out mental stress as the core driver in my entertainment. Besides, I've got The Boys and From already testing the boundaries of my mental health; they don't need a third wheel.



Thanks for the warning; I won't be watching this one (see my response to Beef S2 above.) Baby Reindeer was a rough watch, and I don't want to see anything else like it ever again. Is Half Man based on true/personal events as well? Because I can't think of many comedians whose whole "thing" is actual and absolute misery.

Anyway, speaking of From:

From: S4:Ep3 *sigh* / Great

Who's The Man In Yellow? Nobody knows, but the mere sight of his signature jacket caused Victor, the man who' been in this nightmare longer than anyone, to literally piss his pants. How much worse can this get??? This is one of few episodes that takes place entirely during the day, obviously establishing the intrigue for whatever is coming next, but it's a credit to the show that they can establish tension without overtly leaning on the antagonists. They are literally so scary, you don't even need to see them to fear them.

I once had to explain to my boy why we like things other than comedies. Why do we like watching horror? Black comedy? Satire? Sad dramas or "weepies"? Because they engage us. If you are mad, frightened, stressed, saddened, you are not bored. It can be too much and I get where you are coming from. I was watching a poor TV film about 9/11 and as the terrorists aboard a plane simultaneously from their seats separated throughout the plane began to put on head bandanas, I couldn't take it and shut it off. And I'm told that wasn't even a well made version of the horror.

ITMT: I cannot even tell you what the end of "Beef" was about. What was the overall theme? That life is what happens to you while you are making other plans? OK. I enjoyed it anyway. Onto S4 of Invincible on Prime. It has gone pretty bonkers, but from what I hear of the comics, its pretty tame. Violent, bloody, but not a ton of time and space travel and crazy developments. Just this past episode, Invincible was horrifyingly disemboweled. But he's gonna be OK! C+ so far.

 

[Agema]

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen (Netflix)

Marriage-related supernatural horror. Owes a lot to David Lynch and Kubrick's The Shining, I feel. If you're going to be inspired, better it's by the greats.

After slogging through a few seasons of dead-horse-flogging, stodgy, overwrought, and dull seasons of Stranger Things, finally the Duffer Brothers have been liberated to remind us that they are people with talent who can make good television. Seriously, I can barely remember any of the last three seasons of Stranger Things, except one of them had that Kate Bush song. Long may they not get trapped and weighed down by the crushing inertia of a production with too many expectations to feed corporate profits again.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Caught up on a couple of Apple Originals -

Your Friends & Neighbors

Kinda sputtering and needs something pivotal to happen within an episode or two. Inching along in the direction we’d expect only works for so long. There’s a potential shift in store though, so hoping they make the most of it.


Widow’s Bay

Reminds me a bit of the Stephen King novel The Mist but on an island with a fairly witless twit of a mayor in charge. There is some subtle comedy here that works as a nice little buffer between points of drama, and an equally subtle dose of creep to keep the viewer slightly on edge. Only two episodes in but color me curious for more.

 

[thebobmaster]

Watched the very first episode of Tales From the Crypt, "The Man Who Was Death". I have to say, it took some balls to start off the series with a story so politically charged, and I thought it was quite a good episode. The constant fourth wall breaking was a bit too goofy for me, but William Sadler was a fair bit of fun, and I loved how the story ended, and the message overall was actually made a bit stronger, IMO, by having the victims be not great people themselves. Really drove in the message that NO ONE deserves what happened to them, no matter how bad their actions are.

 

[Xprimentyl]

The Boys: S5:Ep6: Oh Boy... / Great

Welp, here we go....