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some kinda jackal
Feb 25, 2003

 
 
Schitt's Creek.

Went in with zero expectations based on the fact that every comedy in recent memory I can think of which originated in Canada was (imo) borderline unwatchable. Was really surprised to find that it was genuinely funny and endearing.

Was worried it would just be CBC's take on Arrested Development or something but I'm glad to see they took it to interesting places.

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MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

sticklefifer posted:

I'm halfway into Black Mirror season 3 and I find the series overall very hit-or-miss (though season 3 seems more solid so far). My general feeling is that it's good at ramping up, but bad at endings. Every episode leaves me a bit unsatisfied, like it should've had one extra pulling back of the curtain, or a deeper layer revealed. The stories don't go far enough, and often stop just short of their potential. Without that, the stories just happen. You can only do the "welp, people are poo poo, what can ya do" ending so many times before getting diminishing returns.

Counterpoint, Shut Up And Dance

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames
That's actually the most recent episode I had watched when I made that post. Trollface felt like a copout, and I saw it coming that they'd release everything anyway. But they set up a really interesting mystery thriller they had no intention of solving, so like I said, the story just "happened" and that was it.

I did watch San Junipero after that though, and that was a really sweet and :3: story. I wish they'd vary their tone like that more often so it's not all bleakness and misery.

yeah I eat ass
Mar 14, 2005

only people who enjoy my posting can replace this avatar
I finally decided to start watching american horror story for the first time. I just finished season 3 and like it overall, but it has its down points. Especially stevie nix - what was the point of her multiple 2-3 minute song scenes? It didn't feel like it belonged at all and I jumped ahead every time she started singing.

I think season 2 is my favorite so far but it did kind of slump in the middle I felt.

Escobarbarian
Jun 18, 2004


Grimey Drawer

sticklefifer posted:

That's actually the most recent episode I had watched when I made that post. Trollface felt like a copout, and I saw it coming that they'd release everything anyway. But they set up a really interesting mystery thriller they had no intention of solving, so like I said, the story just "happened" and that was it.

But that was the solution. It's about internet vigilante justice being taken too far. I agree with your assertion about a fair few BM eps, but I felt this one had a really strong ending.

bowmore
Oct 6, 2008



Lipstick Apathy

yeah I eat rear end posted:

I finally decided to start watching american horror story for the first time. I just finished season 3 and like it overall, but it has its down points. Especially stevie nix - what was the point of her multiple 2-3 minute song scenes? It didn't feel like it belonged at all and I jumped ahead every time she started singing.

I think season 2 is my favorite so far but it did kind of slump in the middle I felt.
Season 2 is still the best, I have enjoyed them all though

just gotta go in realising they are enjoyable trash

Wafflecopper
Nov 27, 2004

I am a mouth, and I must scream

Rocksicles posted:

Season 4 is FSBae right?

You mean the Russian chick? Yeah. Her dialogue with Scott was some of the cringiest poo poo I've ever seen and I actually got a laugh out of and enjoyed most of his flirtation scenes prior to that. The particular eyerolling part I had in mind was when Stonebridge jumped on the roof of a car that was pursuing them and instead of just firing through the roof the bad guys tried to climb out the window or something retarded and got owned. My suspension of disbelief was already stretched by the increasingly egregious bad-guy aim as the series progresses but that scene was so retarded it completely blew it out of the water. I love some of the improbable bullshit they pull off, like driving a jeep into the back of a plane as it's taking off, but that was just a bit too much. Yeah, I know, it's Strike Back and it's all about guns, tits and explosions, and that's fine, but until Season 4 they managed to keep most of the action scenes at least somewhat credible and the dialogue outside of the cringe-inducing zone but both totally fell apart in that season.

Rocksicles
Oct 19, 2012

by Nyc_Tattoo
The last season is really good. It's like a Bond Movie.

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames

Escobarbarian posted:

But that was the solution. It's about internet vigilante justice being taken too far. I agree with your assertion about a fair few BM eps, but I felt this one had a really strong ending.

Was it vigilante justice though? I didn't get the sense that Kenny was actually looking at kids, they just manipulated events to make it seem like he was (he was watching sexy grown women on TV which prompted him to go wank). Hector didn't actually cheat on his wife, he was just catfished. The other guy he met at the end admitted he was a pedo, but Kenny seemed confused by the assertion that he was doing the same. So is the moral of the story "don't masturbate"? Or "cover your camera"? Or "don't let your sister take your laptop"? Or "don't do things anonymous people tell you to do"? The message, if there is one, is unclear, so it comes off as "lol you thought there was an ending? prankd".

sticklefifer fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Feb 23, 2017

Escobarbarian
Jun 18, 2004


Grimey Drawer
No, he most definitely was doing that thing. We've had this discussion in this subforum enough times. There's the scene where he's at work at the beginning, there's the "it was just pictures!" (which no, does not just mean sexy pictures). He was doing it.

Astrofig
Oct 26, 2009

sticklefifer posted:

Was it vigilante justice though? I didn't get the sense that Kenny was actually looking at kids, they just manipulated events to make it seem like he was (he was watching sexy grown women on TV which prompted him to go wank). Hector didn't actually cheat on his wife, he was just catfished. The other guy he met at the end admitted he was a pedo, but Kenny seemed confused by the assertion that he was doing the same. So is the moral of the story "don't masturbate"? Or "cover your camera"? Or "don't let your sister take your laptop"? Or "don't do things anonymous people tell you to do"? The message, if there is one, is unclear, so it comes off as "lol you thought there was an ending? prankd".

You're supposed to think it's kids, given his interaction with the little girl at the restaurant.

coyo7e
Aug 23, 2007

by zen death robot

Rocksicles posted:

Yes they replace the writing with more shooting !
Also they say gently caress ME a lot more, and get more and more brotastic. Also there's a PTSD subplot that's boring and takes away from the pacing.

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames

Astrofig posted:

You're supposed to think it's kids, given his interaction with the little girl at the restaurant.

So being nice to a kid who forgot her toy = pedophile, but getting visibly turned on by an adult woman on TV and then immediately going upstairs to masturbate doesn't = liking adults in porn? The video was just of him jacking it, not what he was looking at. So I don't really buy that, but anyway my statement wasn't really about what my interpretation of it was, just that I often find the endings unsatisfying.

To be fair, despite its really grim outcome, Hated in the Nation had an ending with a feeling of closure. You don't fully see what happens, but it's enough, which is what I want more often. I was actually saying as I watched it that if they'd left it at Blue's "suicide" it would feel like a typical episode, but instead they went further and I enjoyed that. Had they not, that would be the kind of unsatisfied feeling I've been referring to.

Escobarbarian
Jun 18, 2004


Grimey Drawer
What do you mean you "don't buy it"? It's the entire point of the episode. There's no debate to be had here.

Astrofig
Oct 26, 2009

sticklefifer posted:

So being nice to a kid who forgot her toy = pedophile, but getting visibly turned on by an adult woman on TV and then immediately going upstairs to masturbate doesn't = liking adults in porn? The video was just of him jacking it, not what he was looking at. So I don't really buy that, but anyway my statement wasn't really about what my interpretation of it was, just that I often find the endings unsatisfying.

To be fair, despite its really grim outcome, Hated in the Nation had an ending with a feeling of closure. You don't fully see what happens, but it's enough, which is what I want more often. I was actually saying as I watched it that if they'd left it at Blue's "suicide" it would feel like a typical episode, but instead they went further and I enjoyed that. Had they not, that would be the kind of unsatisfied feeling I've been referring to.

What makes you think it was adult women? There's literally no indication of that....

Michael Corleone
Mar 30, 2011

by VideoGames

Escobarbarian posted:

I stopped after that season for probably the reason you're talking about, but people who kept on with it seem to like it.

Hmm, what did you think I meant? Don't want to spoil anything. On E4 of S6 now, it isn't as good as it once was, but it's still something to watch to waste time.

Mu Zeta
Oct 17, 2002

Me crush ass to dust

The only unsatisfying endings for me was Nosedive and the VR gaming one. Nosedive would have been more effective if it was a 15 minute short film.

ashpanash
Apr 9, 2008

I can see when you are lying.

Mu Zeta posted:

The only unsatisfying endings for me was Nosedive and the VR gaming one. Nosedive would have been more effective if it was a 15 minute short film.

Nosedive was an episode of Community called "App Development and Condiments" and it was fantastic.

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames

Astrofig posted:

What makes you think it was adult women? There's literally no indication of that....

Um, this?

Slightly :nws: http://i.imgur.com/OYHJE7e.png
This is what got him turned on. This is what immediately preceded him going upstairs.

Mu Zeta
Oct 17, 2002

Me crush ass to dust

And then he jerked off to child porn

This isn't really disputed from what I've seen. We're supposed to wonder why he's going so far and then we find out why at the end with the phone call.

coyo7e
Aug 23, 2007

by zen death robot
I'm glad I never watched this child porn show y'all so upset over

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames
I really don't care to argue interpretations either way because as I've been saying from the start, that's not why I felt unsatisfied. I even gave other episode examples. My issue, with a few exceptions, is that the show doesn't go far enough. It's too often twist-based rather than closure-based.

sticklefifer fucked around with this message at 11:30 on Feb 24, 2017

Escobarbarian
Jun 18, 2004


Grimey Drawer
It did seem from your initial post about the episode like the main issue you had involved the fact that this group were targeting the lead for no reason and framing him, which is most definitely not the case.

MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

coyo7e posted:

I'm glad I never watched this child porn show y'all so upset over

You go watch Black Mirror right this instant mister! :mad:

Solice Kirsk
Jun 1, 2004

.
Black Mirror is just OK. I stopped about half way through the second season though so maybe it picks up again.

Norse Code
Mar 10, 2007

DON'T AWOO - $350 PENALTY

Making my way through Shameless right now and I'm really liking it so far. Some complicated poo poo in there, it's hard to watch sometimes but definitely entertaining.

Astrofig
Oct 26, 2009

sticklefifer posted:

Um, this?

Slightly :nws: http://i.imgur.com/OYHJE7e.png
This is what got him turned on. This is what immediately preceded him going upstairs.


So what? He was still looking at kids.....

Otherkinsey Scale
Jul 17, 2012

Just a little bit of sunshine!

Solice Kirsk posted:

Black Mirror is just OK. I stopped about half way through the second season though so maybe it picks up again.

San Junipero is a must-watch IMO. For a lot of reasons, including the bold statement "what if technology...could be good sometimes."

STAC Goat
Mar 12, 2008

Watching you sleep.

Butt first, let's
check the feeds.

Shameless and Black Mirror are both shows that I really, really want to watch but I never feel like I'm in the right frame of mind knowing what I know about them.

In Shameless' case I saw the first couple of seasons so I KNOW its devastating. But with Black Mirror I'm just going off of the impression I've gotten from the web.

Doctor Spaceman
Jul 6, 2010

"Everyone's entitled to their point of view, but that's seriously a weird one."

STAC Goat posted:

Shameless and Black Mirror are both shows that I really, really want to watch but I never feel like I'm in the right frame of mind knowing what I know about them.

In Shameless' case I saw the first couple of seasons so I KNOW its devastating. But with Black Mirror I'm just going off of the impression I've gotten from the web.
It frequently is, yeah. It's definitely not the kind of show I'd binge-watch either.

STAC Goat
Mar 12, 2008

Watching you sleep.

Butt first, let's
check the feeds.

Yeah, I think I need to just go a season at a time with them, but I'm bad about that. I tend not to ever get back to a show I don't finish.

coyo7e
Aug 23, 2007

by zen death robot

MiddleOne posted:

You go watch Black Mirror right this instant mister! :mad:
I kinda want to but it seems as though people itt etc keep placing it up so high I can only be disappointed by what might likely be a bunch of trite wankery. I'm scared to let it not be as cool as most people claim it is :ohdear:

Mu Zeta
Oct 17, 2002

Me crush ass to dust

It has some cool ideas and it's fun and or sad and overall a good time. It's an anthology series so you can skip the bad ones. Just watch 15 Million Merits, White Christmas, Entire History of You, and San Junipero. The most depressing one is the Waldo episode because it predicts Brexit/Trump.

Wafflecopper
Nov 27, 2004

I am a mouth, and I must scream

Mu Zeta posted:

It has some cool ideas and it's fun and or sad and overall a good time. It's an anthology series so you can skip the bad ones. Just watch 15 Million Merits, White Christmas, Entire History of You, and San Junipero, White Bear and Shut Up and Dance. The most depressing one is the Waldo episode because it predicts Brexit/Trump all of them except San Junipero and Nosedive.

Seriously though I found 15MM the most depressing

Doctor Spaceman
Jul 6, 2010

"Everyone's entitled to their point of view, but that's seriously a weird one."
The National Anthem is pretty funny to watch after recent revelations. 15MM is the best.

I thought White Bear fell apart completely after the twist, and I'd rank it near the bottom of the list. The ideas about justice are interesting ones to explore but the whole concept starts getting ridiculous when you have magic mind wipe drugs that appear out of nowhere and a significant chunk of society dedicated to publicly persecuting one person. The end of White Christmas was much more effecting for me, because I find it easier to buy the idea of torture coming from callous disregard.

Doctor Spaceman fucked around with this message at 04:41 on Feb 25, 2017

Mu Zeta
Oct 17, 2002

Me crush ass to dust

Wafflecopper posted:

Seriously though I found 15MM the most depressing

The problem with Nosedive is that it's so loving boring

MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

coyo7e posted:

I kinda want to but it seems as though people itt etc keep placing it up so high I can only be disappointed by what might likely be a bunch of trite wankery. I'm scared to let it not be as cool as most people claim it is :ohdear:

I guess you're not familiar with show-creator Charlie Brooker. Here is some of his other content.

sticklefifer
Nov 11, 2003

by VideoGames

Escobarbarian posted:

It did seem from your initial post about the episode like the main issue you had involved the fact that this group were targeting the lead for no reason and framing him, which is most definitely not the case.
Prior to that I said my issue was that they almost never pull the curtain back enough, which I referenced in the post you're talking about. It was the structure I had a problem with, not so much the content - but I did have issues with the content too, which is why I addressed it. In any case, if this thread's commonly accepted interpretation was indeed Brooker's intent, the video was still only of Kenny, not what he was watching. The threat he was operating under was consistently "we'll release this video of you to all your contacts".

Doctor Spaceman posted:

White Bear/White Christmas stuff
I feel the same way about both those episodes. White Bear was exploitative to a silly degree, White Christmas seemed more personal and direct, and I liked that one a good deal better. Though it's a bit annoying that they reuse plot devices sometimes; those two episodes have a very similar twist, and the memory tech you had an issue with in White Bear is also very similar to Men Against Fire.

I read an interview with Charlie Brooker talking about the overwhelming positive response to San Junipero, and it was funny to see him surprised about it, as if it never occurred to him to have a tonal change every once in a while instead of constant bleak misanthropy.

Wheat Loaf
Feb 13, 2012

by FactsAreUseless
I'm watching The Young Indiana Jones Adventures. Pretty good but I can see why they didn't last - must have been really expensive to produce.

It's a bit disappointing, though, because I have the movie versions which didn't have the bookends with George Hall (and even Harrison Ford, once!) introducing each adventure.

Wheat Loaf fucked around with this message at 21:05 on Feb 25, 2017

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coyo7e
Aug 23, 2007

by zen death robot

Wheat Loaf posted:

I'm watching The Young Indiana Jones Adventures. Pretty good but I can see why they didn't last - must have been really expensive to produce.

It's a bit disappointing, though, because I have the movie versions which didn't have the bookends with George Hall (and even Harrison Ford, once!) introducing each adventure.
Oh man I loved that show as a kid. It was basically McGyver for 10 year-olds who wanted to be explorers instead of engineers.

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