Discuss and Rate the Last Thing You Watched (non-movies)
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Ep 6 of Beasts, by Nigel Kneale
This one was fairly decent. Starts off good, with some great stuff about the washed up actor, then the utterly predictable takes over and it's just ok from then on.
This one was fairly decent. Starts off good, with some great stuff about the washed up actor, then the utterly predictable takes over and it's just ok from then on.
I started watching Amphibia, and it's pretty damn good. I know when it comes to Disney shows The Owl House is taking up the spotlight now, but so far Amphibia is quite a bit better.
The Flash: Season 5 (3/5)
Perhaps the best thing I can say about this season is that it disproves the maxim that a hero is only as good as their villain. Then again, that isn't really much of a complement.
I'm going to briefly touch on the one bright spot of this seaon, and that's Nora. Now, I've got the sense that a lot of people don't like Nora, and watching this, I really don't get why. I mean, she's not absolutely the best character in the history of anything ever, but she's pleasant, has a reasonable character arc, and her fate and final message got me in the feels. I have a sense that a lot of the dislike comes from disliking Iris, which I think I touched on in my review of season 4. Bottom line is, Nora's cool, and you guys are just being mean.
Right, now that I've said something nice, I can get into tearing this season a new one.
Nothing about this season works. Seriously, there's so little to reccomend it. Cicada is a terrible villain, and easily the worst (main) villain the series has had. A metahuman Jack the Ripper? Awesome. His mere presence causes metas to lose their powers? Nice. The execution of him as a villain? Terrible. I don't know whose idea it was for the constant growly, raspy voice, but it doesn't feel intimidating, it feels like parody. Also, his costume isn't even a costume, the whole "shoot up into the air at the end of each confrontation" is silly, and it keeps saying "Ci-CAY-da," not "Ci-CAH-da." So not only do I get to deal with a terrible villain, I have to deal with American English as well. Which may not be the worst thing in the world, but "oh GOD, STOPPPP!" Also, Cicada II isn't much better. She at least drops the raspy voice, but it's too little, too late.
Season 5 also has the same problem of Season 3 in that the time travel rules seem to operate on the premise of whatever the plot requires. I'm not going to bother looking into the contradictions of Thawne's plan and why cause and effect only seems to apply some of the time, and not others, but yeah. And if we're talking about characters, none of them really change or have arcs. There's no standout moments for anyone. Cisco has a kind of arc, but the whole relationship thing with Camilla is underbaked and underutilized. Sherloque is fun (I have to give kudos to the Harrison actor across the series, as he's had to play a variety of characters and make each feel unique), but nothing special - he's no HR or Harrison Wells. Ralph Dibney is just sort of there, not doing anything, except figuring out the season mystery at the last moment through means that are never fully explained. This season is...nothing. That's the word for it. NOTHING. Again, I've criticized prior seasons, and stated that each season has been worse than the preceeding one (with the exception of season 2 being slightly better than season 1 IMO), but each of those seasons, including 4, had something to reccomend. All I can reccomend for this season is that...Nora's a decent character? I dunno, "decent character" should be a requirement, not a selling point for fiction.
Anyway, less of a flash, more of a sizzle. The only reason why it isn't rated lower is that there's nothing outright obnoxious about it. But again, it's just...nothing.
Perhaps the best thing I can say about this season is that it disproves the maxim that a hero is only as good as their villain. Then again, that isn't really much of a complement.
I'm going to briefly touch on the one bright spot of this seaon, and that's Nora. Now, I've got the sense that a lot of people don't like Nora, and watching this, I really don't get why. I mean, she's not absolutely the best character in the history of anything ever, but she's pleasant, has a reasonable character arc, and her fate and final message got me in the feels. I have a sense that a lot of the dislike comes from disliking Iris, which I think I touched on in my review of season 4. Bottom line is, Nora's cool, and you guys are just being mean.
Right, now that I've said something nice, I can get into tearing this season a new one.
Nothing about this season works. Seriously, there's so little to reccomend it. Cicada is a terrible villain, and easily the worst (main) villain the series has had. A metahuman Jack the Ripper? Awesome. His mere presence causes metas to lose their powers? Nice. The execution of him as a villain? Terrible. I don't know whose idea it was for the constant growly, raspy voice, but it doesn't feel intimidating, it feels like parody. Also, his costume isn't even a costume, the whole "shoot up into the air at the end of each confrontation" is silly, and it keeps saying "Ci-CAY-da," not "Ci-CAH-da." So not only do I get to deal with a terrible villain, I have to deal with American English as well. Which may not be the worst thing in the world, but "oh GOD, STOPPPP!" Also, Cicada II isn't much better. She at least drops the raspy voice, but it's too little, too late.
Season 5 also has the same problem of Season 3 in that the time travel rules seem to operate on the premise of whatever the plot requires. I'm not going to bother looking into the contradictions of Thawne's plan and why cause and effect only seems to apply some of the time, and not others, but yeah. And if we're talking about characters, none of them really change or have arcs. There's no standout moments for anyone. Cisco has a kind of arc, but the whole relationship thing with Camilla is underbaked and underutilized. Sherloque is fun (I have to give kudos to the Harrison actor across the series, as he's had to play a variety of characters and make each feel unique), but nothing special - he's no HR or Harrison Wells. Ralph Dibney is just sort of there, not doing anything, except figuring out the season mystery at the last moment through means that are never fully explained. This season is...nothing. That's the word for it. NOTHING. Again, I've criticized prior seasons, and stated that each season has been worse than the preceeding one (with the exception of season 2 being slightly better than season 1 IMO), but each of those seasons, including 4, had something to reccomend. All I can reccomend for this season is that...Nora's a decent character? I dunno, "decent character" should be a requirement, not a selling point for fiction.
Anyway, less of a flash, more of a sizzle. The only reason why it isn't rated lower is that there's nothing outright obnoxious about it. But again, it's just...nothing.
I'd agree that Nora's story arc is probably the best element of a pretty weak season. At the time I think I gave Flash more credit than it really deserved since Arrow season 7 was so much worse.
On a related note I finally watched the Batwoman episode of Crisis on Infinite Earths, which in the UK was broadcast about half a year after the other 4 episodes. Overall, Crisis was a case of great cameos, everything else terrible.
I watched the first season of Cobra Kai, and I quite enjoyed it. I can't believe Johnny and Daniel are played by the actual actors from the original Karate Kid. They aren't especially great actors, but they've essentially had no major roles for 30 ish years, and yet they seem like they never stopped.
The show has an insane amount of cringe in it, but always in an enjoyable way. Johhny is an asshole, a very politically incorrect person, but there's no real malice in him. You can see that he is a product of terrible parenting (he gets two terrible fathers, lucky guy), and what makes his racist, sexist, multiple other -ist behavior tolerable is that he's constantly learning from his young pupils and genuinely trying to become a better person. Daniel on the other hand is still a good person at heart, but is just as stuck in the past as Johnny is. Its always enjoyable to see just how much being a rich asshole has changed him into a petty dick who's forgotten the struggles of the working class.
The ending is not so satisfying, and honestly the karate is average at best, but I enjoy seeing the growth of the characters in the show.
Also, unlike most Netflix shows, each episode is mercifully only 30 mins long. An easy binge watch.
The show has an insane amount of cringe in it, but always in an enjoyable way. Johhny is an asshole, a very politically incorrect person, but there's no real malice in him. You can see that he is a product of terrible parenting (he gets two terrible fathers, lucky guy), and what makes his racist, sexist, multiple other -ist behavior tolerable is that he's constantly learning from his young pupils and genuinely trying to become a better person. Daniel on the other hand is still a good person at heart, but is just as stuck in the past as Johnny is. Its always enjoyable to see just how much being a rich asshole has changed him into a petty dick who's forgotten the struggles of the working class.
The ending is not so satisfying, and honestly the karate is average at best, but I enjoy seeing the growth of the characters in the show.
Also, unlike most Netflix shows, each episode is mercifully only 30 mins long. An easy binge watch.
I also just watched Cobra Kai, and it was a real rollercoaster for me. The Karate Kid was a movie I loved as a kid when it came out... but when I watched it as an adult my reaction was, "I don't remember it being this terrible." So Cobra Kai was actually kind of a morbid curiosity watch initially. But as Bob said, Zabka and Macchio step back into those roles very well and the show is compelling.
But the part I care about is adult Daniel and Johnny. So when the show's focus then changes and begins featuring instead the new teenage characters... I start to lose interest. But I keep watching for the "good parts." And then something strange happens. I start to care what happens to the new Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do students. Which is really strange because they are stupid, annoying teenage characters. And like most teen characters, mostly caricature rather than well characterized.
And yet it was well written enough to make me care at least a little. And then the ending of season 2... wow. Pretty daring, for a teen action show. Really impressed the writers "went for it" like that. And I hope they keep it up, I can see some really cool places the story can go from here... if they have the guts. I'm interested and looking forward to season 3. And going in, I never would have thought that would be my reaction.
I don’t think Daniel has forgotten the struggles of the working class, he just doesn’t care for Johnny’s struggles.
I started thinking about Chris Morris's sketch comedy series Jam again, and had to go back and watch some of it. I still love it. Lots of comedy might pride itself on being edgy, but none of it has anything on Jam, which revels in excruciatingly uncomfortable renderings of depraved mundanity. A couple persuade a family friend to seduce their son's gay lover. A man is diagnosed as being in a coma despite being fully conscious. A man is interviewed about witnessing another man commit suicide by repeatedly jumping from a first floor balcony. This is just a small selection of the sketches from the first episode, all played with a nightmarish straightness by the cast, accompanied by a gentle synth soundtrack. It's a superior kind of cringe comedy that lets the awkwardness flow more easily into laughter by elevating it to absurd, horrifying heights.
I'm not so sure. Even after his "we don't have enemies" revelation he's still pretty comfortable ignoring his career (and wife) to keep teaching at the dojo. Not really in line with a working class mentality. More in sync with someone who is out of touch because they own a business that will support him and his family without his input (whether or not that is actually true, he's supposedly really good at selling cars.)
I think Daniel is more in line with someone who grew up working class, but has mostly transformed into rich asshole mode. And only occasionally shows working class tendencies. Like apparently not shelling out for the insurance on outdoor advertising, and sending his minions to repaint the billboard rather than calling the ad agency and having them fix it.
I mean... the dude endangered the livelihoods of the tenants of a whole strip mall just to fuck with his childhood enemy. If that doesn't scream "blinded by privilege", I don't know what does.
Anyway, I finished season 2, and hoooo boy do I fucking hate tv shows ending their seasons on a cliffhanger. I still really enjoyed season 2, but I kinda feel nothing has been accomplished. That was a pretty shocking twist for a finale though. I wonder if I'll even remember this show when the next season comes out next year.
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That’s more blinded by irrational rage - though his moneyed position meant the reach of his attempt at vengeance had consequences beyond its intended target.
TNG Season 7
So the show ends with a final skills check. Q gets involved and says it's a final exam. A test for humanity. For some reason he doesn't bring up how in this season Picard had to be convinced out of ethnic cleansing and genocide in two separate instances. Like, WTF Q? Picard is a bad guy. He makes the murderers of Tuvix seem nice in comparison. He makes Sisko’s sanctioning murder seem normal. Also, is there any none-bloodthirsty admirals in Star Fleet? Because a lot of senior Star Fleet officers seem to have taken training from Kissinger - pretend to be nice but really liking the murder for political gain
That pretty much sums up the show. Star Fleet is way too keen with the murder and genocide. It makes Star Fleet of Picard (the show) time seem nice. Also, after this rewatch, I does make Picard’s attempted rescue of the Romulans laughable. Rescuing a peoples from utter destruction is NOT what Picard does.
As to storytelling, this was actually just behind season 6. The last two seasons are significantly better than most, with season 3 being third. You can skip pretty much every other season. They gave an arc to Troi and Crusher but that left the boys with pretty much nothing.
Have decided on whether I'll watch the movies next. First Contact is the only Instance where Picard and the crew actually get tested across the whole series. I am keen for that... But not for the other three
So the show ends with a final skills check. Q gets involved and says it's a final exam. A test for humanity. For some reason he doesn't bring up how in this season Picard had to be convinced out of ethnic cleansing and genocide in two separate instances. Like, WTF Q? Picard is a bad guy. He makes the murderers of Tuvix seem nice in comparison. He makes Sisko’s sanctioning murder seem normal. Also, is there any none-bloodthirsty admirals in Star Fleet? Because a lot of senior Star Fleet officers seem to have taken training from Kissinger - pretend to be nice but really liking the murder for political gain
That pretty much sums up the show. Star Fleet is way too keen with the murder and genocide. It makes Star Fleet of Picard (the show) time seem nice. Also, after this rewatch, I does make Picard’s attempted rescue of the Romulans laughable. Rescuing a peoples from utter destruction is NOT what Picard does.
As to storytelling, this was actually just behind season 6. The last two seasons are significantly better than most, with season 3 being third. You can skip pretty much every other season. They gave an arc to Troi and Crusher but that left the boys with pretty much nothing.
Have decided on whether I'll watch the movies next. First Contact is the only Instance where Picard and the crew actually get tested across the whole series. I am keen for that... But not for the other three
Broke down and got a Hulu subscription so I could catch up on "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia;" I've missed most episodes since Season 10. I'm so happy right now.
You should look into getting physical copies of the seasons. They have DVD's (seaons 5-8, and the Christmas special come on Blu-Ray too) of all seasons up to 13, with the first nine having a full set of special features (after that, with the exception of season 10, which only has the blooper reel, just have the episodes only).
Oh, want to and will eventually, but am waiting for the show to end so I can't get the inevitable "complete" set so I can own them all in a uniform format.
Dinotopia
The 3 part mini-series vaguely based on the book series, except set in the modern day with annoying American teens. It's alright, I guess.
The 3 part mini-series vaguely based on the book series, except set in the modern day with annoying American teens. It's alright, I guess.
I fucking hated that mini series with a passion. I sincerely hope that David Thewlis was extremely well compensated for embarrassing himself in it. I mean of all the fun shit Dinotopia has in it - and it does have some fun stuff - this is what they made?
The first two episodes of Lovecraft Country
Really impressive production values, not very good plot. Not particularly scary either. Terrible music, sounds like somebody playing the piano with boxing gloves on.
Really impressive production values, not very good plot. Not particularly scary either. Terrible music, sounds like somebody playing the piano with boxing gloves on.