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

[Casual Shinji]

My biggest complaint is that Zoro is way more interesting to watch than Luffy.

So like a true shonen then.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

So like a true shonen then.

This has been on my mind lately. I wonder why mangakas seem unable to write anything interesting for their protagonists, but can for literally everyone else.

 

[Casual Shinji]

This has been on my mind lately. I wonder why mangakas seem unable to write anything interesting for their protagonists, but can for literally everyone else.

This isn't unique to shonen or manga, main characters tend to be written with the broadest appeal, with side characters being allowed the more interesting and risky character traits. And shonen is typically wish fullfilment where the young male reader needs to be able to indentify with the protagonist.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

This isn't unique to shonen or manga, main characters tend to be written with the broadest appeal, with side characters being allowed the more interesting and risky character traits. And shonen is typically wish fullfilment where the young male reader needs to be able to indentify with the protagonist.

I don't mean their overall character, more of just their powers or skills or whatever. Naruto is an obvious example, so is Ichigo from Bleach. There's Gon from Hunter x Hunter, Deku from Boku no Hero, Yuuji from Jujutsu Kaisen, etc. They all basically just punch people really hard for hundreds of chapters, all the while the authors introduce more and more elaborate powers for side character or opponents.

I guess it's a consequence of having to come up with the main characters first, giving you a lot less breathing room when developing their powers later on.

Ironically I'd say One Piece was one of the few to buck the trend, Luffy's power ups are always fresh and enjoyable.

 

[thebobmaster]

Luke Cage: Season 1 (2/5)

You ever watch something (or read/play/whatever) that, for whatever reason, just doesn't connect with you? There's no overt thing it does poorly, on the surface, it seems to be fine, but for whatever reason, it just doesn't seem to work for you? That's pretty much this for me.

Honestly, I was just bored most of the time, and the cracker is, for me, that it feels so trite in a lot of ways. As in, you have what's obstensibly a police/crime show (more the latter), but it has to have superpowers in it (though only one guy with said powers), and as such, feels trite.

Yeah, sorry, I just don't have anything to say, really. Just wasn't my thing.

Part of the issue, at least for me, is that the more interesting potential arc villain in Cottonmouth got killed off early, and Mariah just never clicked as a replacement.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Of all the TV shows I watched, Luke Cage was certainly one of them.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Just saw the first episode of live action One Piece.

I'll reserve judgement until I'm through with the season, but what I want to get off my chest right now: While it has some fantastic visuals in terms of its set and costume designs, those visuals are brought down by some annoyingly poor colour grading. Way too many scenes look way too desaturated and washed out. With something as quirky and cartoony as this, the colours should pop more. It's a noticeable missstep in something I otherwise feel pretty positive about so far.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Way too many scenes look way too desaturated and washed out. With something as quirky and cartoony as this, the colours should pop more. It's a noticeable missstep in something I otherwise feel pretty positive about so far.

Welcome to the world of original streaming content.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Just saw the first episode of live action One Piece.

I'll reserve judgement until I'm through with the season, but what I want to get off my chest right now: While it has some fantastic visuals in terms of its set and costume designs, those visuals are brought down by some annoyingly poor colour grading. Way too many scenes look way too desaturated and washed out. With something as quirky and cartoony as this, the colours should pop more. It's a noticeable missstep in something I otherwise feel pretty positive about so far.

You know what else you're gonna notice? Them shooting scenes with an ultrawide lens that makes everything look like it was shot on an iPhone.

Anyway, I've gotten halfway through season. Yeah, my enthusiasm has died down. It can be fun (again, when Zoro has a fight), but most of the time my finger is itching for the 1.5x speed button. I've just gotten to when Sanji joins the crew, so hopefully it gets better, but I have to agree with one of the review I saw: a lot of the soul of One Piece isn't here. Everything is just too fast and interconnected to make me believe that any of the trademark emotional scenes of the story will feel earned.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Yes, it took me years to start watching it. I'm not really into series, I don't like starting a 60 hours movie, and I'm cautious about spin offs and retroactive character fleshing out. I loved Saul Goodman as a side character and I don't like my side characters to be bobafetted. But so many people were considering Better Call Saul to be superior to Breaking Bad, there was to be something about it.

The good surprise is that it was as much about Mike than about Saul. The bad surprise is that I had waited so long that some background knowledge had faded. No big deal, but details about the background of some cartel rivalry. Anyway, that was a point of my lost. This show seems easy to overlook and to be clear : that's what I had done too.

That’s the thing; it’s a much more character-driven kind of storytelling than BB where they each served the overall plot more. Chuck (Michael McKean) is just so good in it too. Actually there are so many supporting characters that nail it when you think about them. The show is six seasons and they each have what feels like enough time devoted to their respective arcs. It’s a slow burn and best to know that going in, but well worth it.

 

[Dwarvenhobble]

Good Omens: Season 2

(Free on Prime video and at some point on BBC / Iplayer)

Rating: 7/10

Tagline for my thoughts and stuff: an odd change from season 1 compiled from the cutting room floor

Synopsis (sort of):

Ok so this is hard to talk about because the show is basically one giant mystery box show with the core mystery being the Angel Gabriel has turned up bollock naked carrying a cardboard box to the book shop of the Angel Aziraphale oh and he has no memory or who he actually is and only knows he needs to be near some-one. Thinking something has gone awfully wrong somewhere Aziraphale takes him in and the now cut off Demon Crowley whose living in his car is roped in when his replacement on earth (whom Crowley is helping advise on how to exist on earth) mentions that the present lord of hell Beelzebub is looking for Gabriel after news reached him that he'd was on earth. With the forces of heaven also looking for Gabriel Aziraphale and Crowley do a join miracle to mask Gabriel from being identified by either side's forces.

This causes more problems as detecting the miracle, and suspecting that Aziraphale is helping hide Gabriel, the forces of Heaven investigate with Aziraphale having to make up that the miracle was to make two local shopkeepers fall in love. Which now Crowley and Aziraphale have to try and actually get to happen to keep the forces of Heaven off the scent, all while trying to find out what happened to Gabriel based on scant clues and a tune he keeps whistling.

Thoughts:

This feels like a very different series to the first one. Mostly in execution and oddly seems to have adopted some modern TV elements the biggest of which being that while Season 1 was a race against time with the audience knowing far more than the characters. Season 2 is a mystery box show, quite literally via the end in what I'd call one of the best meta jokes I've seen a show pull off in a while. It does feel a bit odd following on from season 1 though, even if I don't know how they could have pulled it off without keeping it a mystery. Shelley Conn in the initial episode seems to struggle to find her rhythm as the new Beelzebub however she quickly settles into the role and gives a pretty amazing performance (bringing this up because it sticks out how awkward she seems initially but how she seemingly ends up almost outshining the rest of the cast by the end).

The show keeps the the flash backs of the previous season to biblical events or just events in the shared history of Aziraphale and Crowley and manages some nice moments of humour.

It should be noted despite being dead Terry Pratchett is still technically a writer on this as it's based on ideas he and Neil Gaiman discussed about alternative ways season the original story could have gone or possible follow on bits. So yeh this is a season very much compiled of the bits from the cutting room floor. Which might be why the story doesn't feel as polished and well executed as the first season but it still works thematically. I'm giving it a 7 due to the lack of polish but it does very much feel like I'm grading it on a curve against season 1 rather than grading it vs other shows as the 7 in this case is because it's still that much above average compared to may other shows which is testament to how the writing is still good despite being the cutting room floor stuff.


Spoiler Thoughts:

(beware I'm spoiling a lot here)

So the theme of the season is Love and we have the initial sort of love story with Maggie and Nina with Aziraphale and Crowley trying to get them together, which btw doesn't actually happen really by the end only the potential of it. This idea sets up nicely the final reveal of Gabriel leaving Heaven because he and Beelzebub had fallen for one another with her planning to leave hell to be with him. The idea being this all came about after their meeting at the end of season 1 where they then had secret meetings to discuss a truce between heaven and hell to try and stop another Armageddon happening, which turned into something more between then as they kept meeting.

The show also seemed like a meta commentary of sorts with the literal end of series reveal being the answer to the whole mystery was contained firstly in a scrawled note on the bottom of a cardboard box and secondly inside a match box that was left discarded.

There's a rather pointed bit of meta commentary from the characters of Maggie and Nina that will likely hit some in online fandoms pretty cuttingly about the idea of shipping fandoms and how they often worryingly don't stop at the show and instead try to manipulate things in the real world to get actual people playing the characters to get together and how messed up that all is. Looking at you Twi-hards and Jonerys shippers...........

Oh one more thought, I actually really liked how some of the bits in the recent series were actually carrying on flashbacks from series 1 and creating their own whole longer mini stories from what happened there, though it does leave the main one of these with an odd lack of closure, maybe for a season 3


Social commentary and thoughts:

Ok it's rare I've had to put one of these in for a while an I can already hear you the person reading this groaning "not more socio-political commentary shut up you stupid Fascist / Nazi / whatever other labels people generally falsely throw on me in current events, we don't need your sort round hear spreading those toxic idea of yours". Well too fucking bad I'm going to and because this season of the show had kicked up a controversy I'm going to dive head first into it, but as it spoils some of the ending and I'll have to spoil more to talk about it well all I'll say is on one hand it's fucking stupid and the people upset for the reason they claim are morons. However there is another angle to this I'd like to address as well as other stuff.

so lets start with the most controversial bit or at least the bit causing most online controversy, Aziraphale and Crowley and that kiss at the end.............So the big controversy round that being the Bible thumpers coming out against it because it implies they're gay lovers and the whole religion hates gay people so an Angel would never kiss a demon or allow that to happen and while I should be more eloquent in this response I don't think I can be other than calling said people fucking morons who are being giant hypocrites. I mean they're objecting to Aziraphale and Crowley who are very clearly placed as "NOT really that full on in with their own sides and regularly acting together often against both of their respective sides" so they were already framed as not really full on with the ideas of the sides. Next really said people take objecting to Aziraphale and Crowley but weren't mad at a fucking Archangel Gabriel and the lord of fucking hell falling for one another? Literally love across a supposed very clear solid divide of what is meant to be good and evil?

Ok that said and enough bashing on overly religious idiots who were oddly fine with all the stuff that I'm sure could be objectionable in season 1 and on to an actual point I feel should be raised and this ties into Maggie and Nina basically chastising Aziraphale and Crowley for trying to ship them together. The part of the shipping fandom that put Aziraphale and Crowley together and apparently seems unable to see two male characters who are good friends without thinking they are shagging which go so bad youtubers like Jacksepticeye and Markiplier have had to ask their fans to stop sending them and their friends slash fiction of them with friends they've streamed with because they don't enjoy it and find it weird especially the implications of people trying to get them together as a gay couple just because they're friends. Aziraphale and Crowley being implied to be potentially more than friends really does feel like it was just giving in to said shippers desires for it to happen and doing so less than willingly considering Maggie and Ninas previous comments about how bad it is to try and make two people into a item. Hell I'd even say making Aziraphale and Crowley an item harms part of the show as one of the running jokes in the show was seemingly people wrongfully assuming they were a couple due to Crowley often calling Aziraphale "Angel" and people misinterpreting that.

I will give huge credit to the show for the Maggie and Nina stuff though because well it's an implied possible lesbian relationship but the show doesn't pretend such relationships are all sunshine and roses and somehow far better than any straight one. No it shows the idea of actually treating them as normal with the same kind of issues as everyone else as Nina's girlfriend (not Maggie) is shown as pretty controlling and unpleasant based on the texts etc we see and possibly not the most stable of partners.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Black Bird (Apple TV+)

Continuing the free trial binge. It's true crime about a serial killer of 14(ish) girls yet somehow not quite as depressing as the other Apple TV+ true crime series about the shrink that leeched off a patient for 30 years, performed in broad comedic strokes by Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell. This one stars Taron Egerton as a convict who gets transferred by feds to a different prison in order to befriend a psycho and get the location of the bodies before the killer gets paroled.

Very good cast - Paul Walter Hauser as the killer, Greg Kinnear as a bookish cop, Ray Liotta as Taron's ailing dad. Dennis Lehane is the showrunner, solid crime thriller author (Gone Baby Gone, The Drop). The show's gritty and methodical, somewhere between Mindhunter and True Detective S1. Mogwai does the soundtrack, which is a bizarre choice, but goes well.

 

[BrawlMan]

Buu Saga Abridged Pt.1

​

 

[Gordon_4]

I'm watching an old police procedural called 'Taggart', set (and I assume filmed) in Glasgow, Scotland during the 1980s. Now its as grim, nasty and unflinching look at the city and the crimes it suffers as you can get. And yet the fucking intro....


This does not scream gritty and hard bitten police procedural. This is fucking Glasgow Vice. I mean, the song is great and I think the lyrics are well reflective especially in early episodes but....it doesn't gel with the tone.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Oh no Ahsoka, what is you doin?!

Dave Filoni, why do you keep insisting on force time travel? It was already dumb in Rebels, just leave it there.

 

[Absent]

And yet the fucking intro....
(...)
....it doesn't gel with the tone.

I have an odd fondness for tv intros that misrepresent the tone of the series. In particular, the action-packed thrilling intros to Space 1999 (just love it), or the 10 first seconds of the Inspector Derrick one (just makes me laugh).

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'm watching an old police procedural called 'Taggart', set (and I assume filmed) in Glasgow, Scotland during the 1980s.

Kept going until 2010, as an aside. I think it had the same (or similar) theme the whole way through, but can't say for sure.

 

[gorfias]

Finished Better Call Saul. It was quite delicious, I love that cinematography. And I was really impressed by the acting. I've checked Rhea Seehorn's filmography and it's a heartbreak. She deserves so much better.
Anyway. Psychologically, humanly more interesting than Breaking Bad, and richer, more relatable. Breaking Bad's characters are way more simple. On the other hand, the richer story means more diverse subplots, and more annoying ones. So the series is more uneven than Breaking Bad, with brilliant bits and boring ones.
It also doesn't really provide a big finale climax as most series, including Breaking Bad, tend to. It does in a way, with the events thar end the 6 prequel seasons, but then you get a couple episodes telling what happens after the events of Breaking Bad, and that's a drop of interest and pace. So it kinda ends on a slower epilogue, which, while required to conclude the story, lessens its impact.
Still, it's indeed a must see for the Breaking Bad public, which tends surprisingly often to overlook it.

Great sister piece to Breaking Bad. If Breaking Bad was about how radically a person can change, in this case, for the worse, Better Call Saul is about a guy that can’t change to save his life. Makes his last sacrifice all the more touching. 9/10 on IMDB. Can be seen on Netflix.

Spoiler

Kim’s breakdown on the bus was worth the price of admission. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.

Luke Cage: Season 1 (2/5)
You ever watch something (or read/play/whatever) that, for whatever reason, just doesn't connect with you? There's no overt thing it does poorly, on the surface, it seems to be fine, but for whatever reason, it just doesn't seem to work for you? That's pretty much this for me.
Honestly, I was just bored most of the time, and the cracker is, for me, that it feels so trite in a lot of ways. As in, you have what's obstensibly a police/crime show (more the latter), but it has to have superpowers in it (though only one guy with said powers), and as such, feels trite.
Yeah, sorry, I just don't have anything to say, really. Just wasn't my thing.

One thing that stung is that we 1st meet this character in the excellent season 1 of Jessica Jones and he is terrific. Then, he gets his own show and

Spoiler

his big thing is he is invulnerable. So they come up with a super duper bullet that can penetrate his skin. I’ll admit the highlight of the series for me was getting the bullet back out.

Another thing that bothered me is you have a few characters that walk around acting really bad-ass but we don’t really ever see them doing anything I’d describe as bad ass. I think one guy points a gun at an unarmed woman: ruthless sure, but not badass.

Interesting that he’s also about the best thing in the meh, The Defenders. Maybe they need to find great ensemble shows for him to be in.

 

[BrawlMan]

Luke Cage: Season 1 (2/5)

You ever watch something (or read/play/whatever) that, for whatever reason, just doesn't connect with you? There's no overt thing it does poorly, on the surface, it seems to be fine, but for whatever reason, it just doesn't seem to work for you? That's pretty much this for me.

Honestly, I was just bored most of the time, and the cracker is, for me, that it feels so trite in a lot of ways. As in, you have what's obstensibly a police/crime show (more the latter), but it has to have superpowers in it (though only one guy with said powers), and as such, feels trite.

Yeah, sorry, I just don't have anything to say, really. Just wasn't my thing.

Luke Cage is fine, but I wouldn't give it a 2/5. I will admit that a lot of the Netflix Marvel Shows have pacing issues, with Jessica Jones Season 2 being the worst and most unfun to watch. Not counting Iron Fist, which just plain boring and bad.

Interesting that he’s also about the best thing in the meh, The Defenders. Maybe they need to find great ensemble shows for him to be in.

Defenders is actually fun. The villain is wasted, but the dynamics between the main 4, and their respective side characters are off the charts. The action is good too. Not as good as Dare Devil, but still good. It's also as close I am going to be to a live-action Streets of Rage show until the movie gets a release date. I need this people!

This isn't unique to shonen or manga, main characters tend to be written with the broadest appeal, with side characters being allowed the more interesting and risky character traits. And shonen is typically wish fullfilment where the young male reader needs to be able to indentify with the protagonist.

So like a true shonen then.

I don't mean their overall character, more of just their powers or skills or whatever. Naruto is an obvious example, so is Ichigo from Bleach. There's Gon from Hunter x Hunter, Deku from Boku no Hero, Yuuji from Jujutsu Kaisen, etc. They all basically just punch people really hard for hundreds of chapters, all the while the authors introduce more and more elaborate powers for side character or opponents.

There's plenty that have bucked this trend. I'll defend Izuku, because at least he uses strategy and is very intelligent. Kenshiro, despite being a guy who just punches people until they explode, is known for is absolute kind heartedness, manly tears, and equal bad-assery. Yusuke Urameshi punches people too, but his unique trait is how goes from delinquent to a decent person that learns to give a shit. That guy did not start off nice, but it was a jerk character arc done right. Unlike Bakugo. In fact, the main 4 from Yu Yu Hakusho all get this right. Though Kurama is already mostly nice from the start when you meet him. Kuawbare improves in strength, kindness (though he wasn't as bad as Yusuke), and intellect. Hiei actually develops the most when you stop think about it. He's better Vegeta than Vegeta. Another shounen character to buck this generic main character trend: Yoh Asakura. Known for being laid back, and using strategy, we have characters known for his kindness and (rightful) forgiveness when it matters. He's more prone to using a sword though, but it is not about how hard he hit with a sword (at least until the original manga/second anime suffers from power-up-itis as well). Ryuko Matoi is actually good subversion of your typical shounen protag as well. She's like the female version of Yusuke, but not as mean in the beginning, but clearly has her own anger issues. Despite that, she does have loyalty to those she cares about, and has to learn she can't rely on anger and blunt stregnth all the time.

Don't even get me started on all the JoJos. Even Jonathan as something unique about him, even though he is a Kenshiro clone that is British. Joseph Joestar is my favorite of all the JoJos though. He's the one to use strategy the most, and rarely relied on just punching people. He's the best trickster throughout the entire franchise.

 

[Hawki]

Snip

Luke's invincibility does kind of add to the issues I had with the show. It's not really the show's fault, I assume it's being faithful to the source material, and it's not like he's the only supe with this issue (e.g. Superman), but as you point out, Luke's arguably at his most interesting when he's at his most vulnerable.