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JustV
Apr 23, 2008

Only Literally On Fire

Minimaul posted:

I finally got around to getting Babylon 5. I'm going to start it when I get home from work today. My favorite time to start binging a show is when I'm too hungover to do anything else.

Good times.

If you're going to kick off Babylon 5 with a binge, I hope you have eye sockets of steel. It's an amazing show, but the first few episodes are just horrible. And it doesn't help that almost every character acts like a massive dick throughout most of the first season.

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Minimaul
Mar 8, 2003

JustV posted:

If you're going to kick off Babylon 5 with a binge, I hope you have eye sockets of steel. It's an amazing show, but the first few episodes are just horrible. And it doesn't help that almost every character acts like a massive dick throughout most of the first season.

That's what I've been hearing but if I can make it through Buffy season 1 then I think I can make it through anything.

Bonk
Aug 4, 2002

Douche Baggins
I got through Babylon 5's first season on writing alone. Ignore the acting and characterization for the early stuff. The ongoing plot threads are really interesting and even the one-offs are pretty well written.

Jedi
Feb 27, 2002


Bonk posted:

I got through Babylon 5's first season on writing alone. Ignore the acting and characterization for the early stuff. The ongoing plot threads are really interesting and even the one-offs are pretty well written.

With one glaring exception. TKO. :argh:

Smorgasbord
Jun 18, 2004

Our review identified changes needed to be made and, in Stephen, we have a coach who has a reputation for demanding the highest standards.
I'm binging through The X Files at the moment, and really enjoying it. Pretty good mixture of standalone and arc episodes, and I like how they sprinkle in the odd comedy episode every now and then. I'm in early s3 now, and I have heard that the conspiracy arc goes to poo poo later on, but right now it's pretty awesome. Skinner is my favourite character, loved when he told CSM to 'pucker up and kiss (my) rear end'.

gret
Dec 12, 2005

goggle-eyed freak


I just binged through the complete Six Feet Under series. My god the last 2 seasons or so was just one kick to the nuts after another, and the theme of the episodes all seemed to just be life sucks and then you die. Still, it was a riveting show. I think I ended up hating just about every major character on the show except for Keith and maybe Claire.

gret fucked around with this message at 05:56 on Aug 31, 2009

HeebHustler
Jan 16, 2007

gret posted:

I just binged through the complete Six Feet Under series. My god the last 2 seasons or so was just one kick to the nuts after another, and the theme of the episodes all seemed to just be life sucks and then you die. Still, it was a riveting show. I think I ended up hating just about every major character on the show except for Keith and maybe Claire.

i quit watching half way through because most of the time the show concentrated on the bad aspects of every person in the family.

someday i will finish it, but it is really hard to get motivated to watch people ruin their lives and be bitter about it.

then again, the acting is top notch.

Rapsey
Sep 29, 2005
I just binged through 5 seasons of Project Runway. It was fabulous.

thrakkorzog
Nov 16, 2007

Noxville posted:

I personally thought it went downhill a little after the 4th series, but it gets WAY worse after series 6. Don't watch beyond that, it's just not worth it.

I just watched the first couple of episodes of Series 7. Who the gently caress thought that the assassination of JFK was funny? Even by goon standards, it's incredibly tasteless.

gently caress it, I'm moving on to watching Lost. 'Walkabout' was a pretty cool episode.

thrakkorzog fucked around with this message at 09:15 on Aug 31, 2009

Conduit for Sale!
Apr 17, 2007

I just finished season 3 of Gilmore Girls. The only problem I have with the show is that Rory is just too perfect. I still like her, and they don't go too overboard with her perfection so she's still a believable character, but it wouldn't have hurt if she was a little less perfect. I guess you could call her falling for Jess a character flaw, but she even does that in the most perfect way possible.

I've heard it gets less than good in the later seasons, when does it start getting not good? How not good is it?

EricFate
Aug 31, 2001

Crumpets. Glorious Crumpets.
I'm in the middle of Mad Men season 2, trying to get caught up with it before I continue with Season 3. Just finished with season 1 last week. I knew nothing of this show before Hulu started to offer it, and now I'm hooked.

I also tore through the first season of Kingdom (Stephen Fry) last week. I already have the Series 2 DVD on order, but I'm not sure what I'll have to do to get hold of Series 3 here in the states.

rogue wave
Jul 12, 2005

I GOT CRABBY ABOUT PHONE GAMING

thrakkorzog posted:

I just watched the first couple of episodes of Series 7. Who the gently caress thought that the assassination of JFK was funny? Even by goon standards, it's incredibly tasteless.

gently caress it, I'm moving on to watching Lost. 'Walkabout' was a pretty cool episode.

Oh hell yeah. You're in for a loving ride.

Mu Zeta
Oct 17, 2002

Me crush ass to dust

Trophy Boner posted:

I just finished season 3 of Gilmore Girls. The only problem I have with the show is that Rory is just too perfect. I still like her, and they don't go too overboard with her perfection so she's still a believable character, but it wouldn't have hurt if she was a little less perfect. I guess you could call her falling for Jess a character flaw, but she even does that in the most perfect way possible.

I've heard it gets less than good in the later seasons, when does it start getting not good? How not good is it?

Wait until she meets Logan, he's a bad influence, but this is in one of the later seasons. The show goes downhill in the last season which is when the original show creators/writers leave.

Bozz
Jan 26, 2002

Jarl posted:

To be specific I too came to a halt with the last season. Already before that point the show had started to feel like a chore, but oddly enough I continued. Maybe because of all the time I had already invested in the show. With the last season it simply - as you say yourself - started to feel like regular work. I don't need that.
Was it always this bad or did the show seriously worsen over the seasons I don't know, and I'm not gonna find out. Also we are definitely not alone because allot of my friends had the same feeling only earlier in the show. I must have been blind to the truth.

EDIT:
The downer ending a bunch of you are mentioning is where I stopped. Maybe for the better then.

I think I'm only 4 episodes into the last season. I've watched a couple of them almost halfway through before realizing I had seen them already. Looks like I would have at last 16 more hours of watching the show to go. I'm going to try to make it through them.

Conduit for Sale!
Apr 17, 2007

Mu Zeta posted:

Wait until she meets Logan, he's a bad influence, but this is in one of the later seasons. The show goes downhill in the last season which is when the original show creators/writers leave.

It's kind of funny that they need an outside influence to give the character flaws.

Mu Zeta
Oct 17, 2002

Me crush ass to dust

Trophy Boner posted:

It's kind of funny that they need an outside influence to give the character flaws.

Just pretend it's Rory in Sin City.

spooky wizard
May 8, 2007


Mu Zeta posted:

Wait until she meets Logan, he's a bad influence, but this is in one of the later seasons. The show goes downhill in the last season which is when the original show creators/writers leave.

I think it started going downhill with the whole Chris fiasco during Season 6, and then April showing up out of loving nowhere.

Conduit for Sale!
Apr 17, 2007

RoryGilmore posted:

I think it started going downhill with the whole Chris fiasco during Season 6, and then April showing up out of loving nowhere.

Well, either way, I'm glad I still have a ways to go before it gets less than good.

Is season 7 even worth watching?

SolidRed
Jan 23, 2008
and if you didn't know.... NOW YOU KNOW - Christian Cage
Just started binging through Jekyll! I'm half way done already (3 out of the 6 episodes). My friend also came over with Battle Star Galactica saying I had to watch it. I wasn't too sure, but I did and now I can't stop. Looking forward to watching more of it tomorrow night.

I watched my first episode of Entourage two weeks ago, now I have watched up to episode 3 of Season 6. I can't stop watching this show, it is amazing.

Mitthrawnuruodo
Apr 10, 2007

You have no fucking idea how hungry I am

SolidRed posted:

Just started binging through Jekyll! I'm half way done already (3 out of the 6 episodes).

Are you aware of Steven Moffat's work? I.e. the writer/producer of Jekyll. If not, you've got a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of you.

AFewBricksShy
Jun 19, 2003

of a full load.



Mitthrawnuruodo posted:

Are you aware of Steven Moffat's work? I.e. the writer/producer of Jekyll. If not, you've got a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of you.

Any Recomendations?

Jedi
Feb 27, 2002


AFewBricksShy posted:

Any Recomendations?

Coupling Seasons 1 - 3. It's such a shame they never made a 4th.

It's been described as the British Friends but that's not really an accurate description. Even as someone who enjoyed Friends in it's original run, I don't feel comfortable with that description. It's a comedy about 6 single friends and it loving rules - that's all you need to know.

EDIT: \/\/\/ Beat you, and I don't know what you're talking about. There is no 4th season.

Jedi fucked around with this message at 16:46 on Sep 1, 2009

calandryll
Apr 25, 2003

Ask me where I do my best drinking!



Pillbug

AFewBricksShy posted:

Any Recomendations?

First 3 series of Coupling are pretty good. The 4th just becomes meh. His episodes of Dr. Who are really good also, Blink specially.

Mitthrawnuruodo
Apr 10, 2007

You have no fucking idea how hungry I am

calandryll posted:

First 3 series of Coupling are pretty good. The 4th just becomes meh. His episodes of Dr. Who are really good also, Blink specially.

Jedi is right, there is no 4th series.

Well there is, but it replaces one of the most hilarious creations in comedy with a poor imitation who shouts "craziness!" at awkward pauses. Yup.

Also, if you don't mind watching a children's show, Press Gang is some top-tier television. The show is made up almost entirely of Very Special Episodes (i.e. episodes that deal with social issues), but thanks to some very sharp writing almost completely avoids treating those issues in the heavy-handed way you usually find. Issues dealt with by the supposed 'children's' show include:
- Suicide
- Substance abuse, as well as the people who sell the stuff to young people
- Guns
- Journalistic integrity
- PTSD
- Child abuse (complete with scene of a father sending his wife on a night out and making the child come into his room)

And it's all written in a very adult way. Just happens to be shown at 4:35pm and features teenagers.

As for stuff in a more sci/fantasy vein, I would suggest his two-parter episode "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" from the first series of the revived Doctor Who. If you've never seen the show, there's no continuity, all you need to know is that the main character is called the Doctor, and is an alien who travels in time and space with human companions. Boom.

Jedi
Feb 27, 2002


Mitthrawnuruodo posted:

Jedi is right, there is no 4th series.

Well there is, but it replaces one of the most hilarious creations in comedy with a poor imitation who shouts "craziness!" at awkward pauses. Yup.

Sadly, all our wishing will not make it true :(.

Alas poor Jeffrey, I knew him Mitthrawnuruodo, a fellow of infinite jest. I'm not sure I'd mind Oliver so much if he was there from the beginning, but there was just no replacing Jeff. As strong as the rest of the cast was, it was just too hard to shoehorn a new character into an existing spot. I'm glad they didn't stretch it out any further than that.

calandryll
Apr 25, 2003

Ask me where I do my best drinking!



Pillbug

Jedi posted:

Sadly, all our wishing will not make it true :(.

Alas poor Jeffrey, I knew him Mitthrawnuruodo, a fellow of infinite jest. I'm not sure I'd mind Oliver so much if he was there from the beginning, but there was just no replacing Jeff. As strong as the rest of the cast was, it was just too hard to shoehorn a new character into an existing spot. I'm glad they didn't stretch it out any further than that.

I never did understand why he didn't come back. And you are right Oliver was no replacement.

spooky wizard
May 8, 2007


Trophy Boner posted:

Well, either way, I'm glad I still have a ways to go before it gets less than good.

Is season 7 even worth watching?

Yeah, I think it is. I guess I'm sort of biased because I love the show as a whole, just know that the quality decreases a lot. The first three, maybe four, seasons are where it's at.

Jedi
Feb 27, 2002


calandryll posted:

I never did understand why he didn't come back.

I assume he wanted to go on to other things. Having only caught the show on DVD and not living in the UK, I have no idea if there was some kind of poo poo going on. According to Wikipedia, he decided to go pursue theater work and did quite a bit of it.

Also according to Wikipedia, he'll be in the new Prince of Persia movie and will be playing Moist Von Lipwig in the adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Going Postal - coming to Sky One over Easter 2010. I sincerely hope there'll be a way for those of us on this side of the pond to see that.

Slimy Hog
Apr 22, 2008

Mitthrawnuruodo posted:

Jedi is right, there is no 4th series.

The only redeeming quality of Oliver is his "Bring back Doctor Who" sweater, and this is only because Nu Who started a year later and Moffat started to write for it. I like to believe that Moffat helped bring it back though that sweater.

Mitthrawnuruodo
Apr 10, 2007

You have no fucking idea how hungry I am

Jedi posted:

I assume he wanted to go on to other things. Having only caught the show on DVD and not living in the UK, I have no idea if there was some kind of poo poo going on. According to Wikipedia, he decided to go pursue theater work and did quite a bit of it.

Also according to Wikipedia, he'll be in the new Prince of Persia movie and will be playing Moist Von Lipwig in the adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Going Postal - coming to Sky One over Easter 2010. I sincerely hope there'll be a way for those of us on this side of the pond to see that.

Yeah, I think he just wanted to move on. Did so rather unceremoniously, but you can't blame the man too much - 3 years, 22 episodes is enough. Can't wait for Going Postal, I think he'll be great. With regards to its showing in the US, did you get Hogfather and Colour of Magic? There's your answer.

Jedi
Feb 27, 2002


Mitthrawnuruodo posted:

Yeah, I think he just wanted to move on. Did so rather unceremoniously, but you can't blame the man too much - 3 years, 22 episodes is enough. Can't wait for Going Postal, I think he'll be great. With regards to its showing in the US, did you get Hogfather and Colour of Magic? There's your answer.

It's funny how different things in the UK are. You guys consider 22 episodes a lot, and for the US, that's 1 season on a lot of shows.

I don't know if they aired here, but they're available on DVD and that's good enough for me. I do agree that Coyle will rock in the role.

oh ok
Oct 11, 2004

Alternate... universe... Shauna... fails... BECHAMEL TEST.

(Passim)
Burned through the second series of (UK version) Life on Mars in record time. It has a very different feel from the first series in some ways, but I still liked it. And that last episode had me in tears -- first of sadness, then happiness. :love: I've been trying to figure out why the US version failed so badly when for the first few episodes at least it was close to a shot-by-shot remake, and I think it comes down to a generally lower standard of acting (all of UK Mars' ensemble case is terrific, while only Harvey Keitel really pulled his weight in the US version) and a lack of chemistry between US Sam and US Gene. There was a discussion going on in the Asymmetrical Models thread in GBS about how UK television often uses actors who look like ordinary people, instead of genetically-engineered superattractive clones. I think it's less that than UK tv actors getting work based more on their talent and charisma than their looks. I mean, John Simm is short and skinny and has a weak chin, and Philip Glenister's got an epic beer belly and an unapologetically middle-aged figure; the difference is that they're both also tremendously skilled actors who project so much personality that they immediately become the most interesting thing in the room, and they have fantastic chemistry with each other. The role of Sam has to be one of the most demanding on a tv show ever (Simm is in every single shot of almost every episode) and it was just happy luck that it was taken on by an actor who was talented enough to be equal to the task; even someone as ordinarily good as Keeley Hawes, who I've loved in everything else I've seen her in, couldn't quite pull it off in her distaff turn on Ashes to Ashes. Jason O'Mara never had a prayer of making US Mars a success, he simply couldn't make Sam enough of a three-dimensional, believable person to hold the audience's interest. And the US versions of Annie, Chris, and Ray were textbook examples of casting with an eye to how people look in the publicity photos rather than how well they are going to be able to carry their parts and support the main actors.

Also, Tony and Cherie Blair and their friend Gordon Brown. *snerk*

Mitthrawnuruodo
Apr 10, 2007

You have no fucking idea how hungry I am

Jedi posted:

It's funny how different things in the UK are. You guys consider 22 episodes a lot, and for the US, that's 1 season on a lot of shows.

I don't know if they aired here, but they're available on DVD and that's good enough for me. I do agree that Coyle will rock in the role.

As I understand it, TV in the UK is quite a different beast. I'm actually an Australian, but most (read: 99%) of the TV I watch is from the UK and the US. I think each version of the industry has its ups and downs.

American seasons are longer (great!) but shows can be very inconsistent and will keep going even when they're crap, if they're still getting viewers. Nothing like a good show gone bad, always feels like a compromise when one of your favourite shows isn't good the whole way through. Plus the whole writing team/multiple directors/producers/rotating cast aspect makes it all feel that much more like a business rather than an art form (not that there's a lot of TV that one would call art, but I really believe it can be).

UK series' are a lot shorter and sometimes you feel cheated when a show stops short. However, they often have a single, focused, planned direction from the start, realised by a core team of the same people the whole way through. For instance, all of Spaced is written by Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes, and directed by Edgar Wright, making it really consistent. It also ends very satisfyingly and ties everything up. The need to play it safe for ratings isn't as great for shows that only plan to do one or two series', which is why I feel there's more potential for creativity (not that American television isn't creative, it's just that a hell of a lot of American television isn't creative). It feels more contained and artistic when it's a unified project by one or two people.

Small Strange Bird
Sep 22, 2006

Merci, chaton!
I'm currently having a Mission: Impossible-athon (the avatar might give it away...), having picked up the third season because... I'm not really sure why, to be honest, other than it was going fairly cheap and I wanted to watch something a bit different. Having burned through that pretty quickly I'm now on season 4.

It's a lot of fun. Some aspects are extremely dated (it's got that overlit, somewhat garish look common to a lot of late sixties US TV, the 'high tech' is endearingly quaint, and Jesus, everyone smokes like chimneys!) while others were way ahead of their time. Lots of hand-held camerawork, fast cuts and dialogue-free scenes telling the story entirely visually - and what's rare even today is that it hardly offers any explanations or recaps to the inattentive. If you're not watching closely the whole time, there's a good chance you won't have a clue what's going on. The near-total absence of characterisation is a hell of a thing as well: Phelps, Rollin, Cinnamon, Barney, Willy and Paris may get to play roles themselves within each mission, but about them as people there's basically nothing. It's so different from other shows of the time that it's a wonder it got made at all, never mind became a hit.

Also, the Jim Phelps of the show would never become a traitor and wind up crushed by a helicopter in the Channel Tunnel. gently caress you, Tom Cruise.

Jedi
Feb 27, 2002


That show had a short resurgence in the late 80's or early 90's. All I remember is that it starred the original Jim Phelps with an entire new team, and the missions came on CD's instead of tape. I also remember it being fairly entertaining to my young self.

I doubt it's on DVD though.

calandryll
Apr 25, 2003

Ask me where I do my best drinking!



Pillbug

Jedi posted:

It's funny how different things in the UK are. You guys consider 22 episodes a lot, and for the US, that's 1 season on a lot of shows.

I don't know if they aired here, but they're available on DVD and that's good enough for me. I do agree that Coyle will rock in the role.

I really think 13 episodes is an excellent season. Six can be great but sometimes you want more right away, I'm looking at you Top Gear. Twenty-two can be great if you have decent writers. Unfortunately it seems there is always 2-3 filler episodes in a 22 episode season. I don't see why they don't do 13 episode seasons.

CaptainHollywood
Feb 29, 2008


I am an awesome guy and I love to make out during shitty Hollywood horror movies. I am a trendwhore!

Mitthrawnuruodo posted:

Words

I think that's a lot less true today than it was even 10 years ago. Before the most serialized a show would get would be in a two-part episode, and rarely would there would be any advancement of character growth. I really the whole "TV can be as good as movies" movement started with the advent of the Sopranos. Even American-made comedies started to get 'smarter'.

Jedi
Feb 27, 2002


calandryll posted:

I really think 13 episodes is an excellent season. Six can be great but sometimes you want more right away, I'm looking at you Top Gear. Twenty-two can be great if you have decent writers. Unfortunately it seems there is always 2-3 filler episodes in a 22 episode season. I don't see why they don't do 13 episode seasons.

Most shows on cable have 13 episode seasons. FX, HBO, and Showtime all do this. I agree that it seems to be a sweet spot for decent TV.

LostBanana
Mar 8, 2005

After putting it off for weeks, I finally finished watching Carnivale. I'm so loving depressed that there isn't any more of it. :smith: It's easily my favorite show of all time and I don't give that title out easily.

In other news, I started watching Rome. I'm already three episodes in.

Edit: It took me an entire season to recognize that Ben Hawkins is John Connor from T3.

LostBanana fucked around with this message at 06:23 on Sep 2, 2009

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Meow Cadet
May 2, 2007


friendship is magic
in a pony paradise
don't you judge me

LostBanana posted:

After putting it off for weeks, I finally finished watching Carnivale. I'm so loving depressed that there isn't any more of it. :smith: It's easily my favorite show of all time and I don't give that title out easily.

In other news, I started watching Rome. I'm already three episodes in.

Edit: It took me an entire season to recognize that Ben Hawkins is John Connor from T3.

Ugh. I just finished episode 6 of Carnivale. I know I'm going to be upset when it ends, but I hate hearing it. On the upside, I thought it was only 1 season long, so when I recently learned it was 2 seasons long, I was pleasantly surprised.

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