Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
WHY BONER NOW
Mar 6, 2016

Pillbug
I blew through the first two seasons of veep on Amazon prime to realize...it only has the first two seasons available :smith:

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

STAC Goat
Mar 12, 2008

Watching you sleep.

Butt first, let's
check the feeds.

Yeah, Amazon seems to have some kind of a "give them just enough to entice them to pay for the extra Amazon Prime Channel" deal with HBO/Cinemax. I have HBO so I don't notice it with their shows but Cinemax STILL doesn't have any decent stand alone streaming option in 2019 so its annoying that I can watch like the first two seasons of Banshee or Strike Back easily and conveniently but then if I want the rest it gets more complicated.

mystes
May 31, 2006

If they don't have a standalone streaming platform, can't you subscribe to Cinemax through Amazon?

STAC Goat
Mar 12, 2008

Watching you sleep.

Butt first, let's
check the feeds.

Yeah, but I have a cable subscription with Cinemax so obviously I'm not gonna pay extra for it as an Amazon channel. Understandably Amazon's deal is to try and get you to subscribe to those channels, though.

The issue is that Cinemax DOES have a streaming app, MaxGo, and as a Cinemax subscriber I have access to it on a computer, phone, or tablet. But it doesn't have Chromecast capabilities and there's no FireTV app so the only way to watch it on a TV screen is to Chromecast from a computer (and the website is real shaky).

Its obviously a first world "complaining I can't get wireless while I fly through the sky like a bird" problem but its like one of the only cases of that left I can think of. I find it really weird they haven't updated that by now.

Meatgrinder
Jul 11, 2003

Te Occidere Possunt Sed Te Edere Non Possunt Nefas Est
Watched the new Black Mirror episodes. They felt less poignant, with more comedy and upbeat stories, but were pretty entertaining, especially because of the performances of the 'celebrity' actors. None of the episodes were particularly bad, even if they were a bit off brand for the show, but neither were any particularly good.

Couldn't really get into Mr Mercedes, which I saw mentioned in the thread and decided to give a shot. I was three episodes in before I caught on that it was some Stephen King trash, which explained the gutless, uninspired story and simplistic characters. Great cast though. Sat through the first season, fast forwarding through the finale and the first episode of the second season, hoping it would take a turn somewhere and grab my interest, but that didn't happen.

Laterite
Mar 14, 2007

It's Gutfest '89
Grimey Drawer
Inadvertently binging through Dead To Me and drat is this show amazing.

JBP
Feb 16, 2017

You've got to know, to understand,
Baby, take me by my hand,
I'll lead you to the promised land.
I'm smashing through Designated Survivor S3 and this show has become absolutely epic lmao

wormil
Sep 12, 2002

Hulk will smoke you!
Netflix recommended How to get away with murder but I couldn't get through the pilot, too American. Every scene had to be the most intense and dramatic scene of the most intense and dramatic show with most intense and dramatic (and ultra cliche) characters you will ever see. I considered it would probably settle down in the series but the actors defaulting to angry for most emotions made them incredibly unlikable. Authority is not anger, projecting your voice isn't hollering.

Mrenda
Mar 14, 2012

wormil posted:

Netflix recommended How to get away with murder but I couldn't get through the pilot, too American. Every scene had to be the most intense and dramatic scene of the most intense and dramatic show with most intense and dramatic (and ultra cliche) characters you will ever see. I considered it would probably settle down in the series but the actors defaulting to angry for most emotions made them incredibly unlikable. Authority is not anger, projecting your voice isn't hollering.

I didn't realise this was why I turned it off half-way through, intending to go back to it, but never did. You're exactly right though. All stakes are high stakes, woooo! kind of drama. Even the opening (?) scene with the hoohaa about the class being the most super important hardest class ever had me rolling my eyes. Like most of the people wouldn't be doing enough to get "just" a decent grade in the class leaving more room to focus on the rest of their classes.

mcmagic
Jul 1, 2004

If you see this avatar while scrolling the succ zone, you have been visited by the mcmagic of shitty lib takes! Good luck and prosperity will come to you, but only if you reply "shut the fuck up mcmagic" to this post!
I seem to be watching Outlander. It's stupid and bad and I will probably finish it in a week...

-Blackadder-
Jan 2, 2007

Game....Blouses.
Watching Outlander because sci-fi time travel is my fav genre and then slowly realizing over the course of several episodes that I was actually watching a female audience-targeted pulp romance novel adaption was hilarious. I think it was the episode where the female protagonist get's basically coerced into marriage then locked in a room to have, initially hesitant (ofc), sex for literally the entire episode that finally got me to say "wtf am I watching" and go searching on wikipedia.

mcmagic
Jul 1, 2004

If you see this avatar while scrolling the succ zone, you have been visited by the mcmagic of shitty lib takes! Good luck and prosperity will come to you, but only if you reply "shut the fuck up mcmagic" to this post!

-Blackadder- posted:

Watching Outlander because sci-fi time travel is my fav genre and then slowly realizing over the course of several episodes that I was actually watching a female audience-targeted pulp romance novel adaption was hilarious. I think it was the episode where the female protagonist get's basically coerced into marriage then locked in a room to have, initially hesitant (ofc), sex for literally the entire episode that finally got me to say "wtf am I watching" and go searching on wikipedia.

LOL this is pretty much what happened to me too allthough I found it on Ronald Moore's IMDB. And the part of the show where it's a pulp romance novel isn't the dumb part.

mystes
May 31, 2006

-Blackadder- posted:

Watching Outlander because sci-fi time travel is my fav genre and then slowly realizing over the course of several episodes that I was actually watching a female audience-targeted pulp romance novel adaption was hilarious. I think it was the episode where the female protagonist get's basically coerced into marriage then locked in a room to have, initially hesitant (ofc), sex for literally the entire episode that finally got me to say "wtf am I watching" and go searching on wikipedia.
The type of sci-fi time travel that's concerned more with the mechanics of time travel is pretty difference from the type of time travel story that's focused on what it's like for a modern person to live in the past. It's OK to not like the latter category without trying to turn it into a sexist thing.

Baudolino
Apr 1, 2010

THUNDERDOME LOSER
Outlander is decent entertainment tough. I have seen worse historicallyish dramas (which is basically is plus a 20th century woman in the middle of it).
Personally i don`t quite buy that her husband nr 1 would take her back but whatever, some people let themselves be taken advantage of, that is just life.

Wallet
Jun 19, 2006

mystes posted:

The type of sci-fi time travel that's concerned more with the mechanics of time travel is pretty difference from the type of time travel story that's focused on what it's like for a modern person to live in the past. It's OK to not like the latter category without trying to turn it into a sexist thing.

It's based on a romance novel and the major character beats bend to that genre's conventions, I don't think it's a sexist thing?

Rocksicles
Oct 19, 2012

by Nyc_Tattoo

Wallet posted:

It's based on a romance novel and the major character beats bend to that genre's conventions, I don't think it's a sexist thing?

stfu and cook me porridge, Sasanach

mcmagic
Jul 1, 2004

If you see this avatar while scrolling the succ zone, you have been visited by the mcmagic of shitty lib takes! Good luck and prosperity will come to you, but only if you reply "shut the fuck up mcmagic" to this post!

Wallet posted:

It's based on a romance novel and the major character beats bend to that genre's conventions, I don't think it's a sexist thing?

I think the show's gender politics are pretty complicated. It's trying very hard not to be sexist but it's not always successful.


BTW I would highly recommend watching Dark Season 1 before Season 2 comes out next week. The show is excellent.

mcmagic fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Jun 14, 2019

Rocksicles
Oct 19, 2012

by Nyc_Tattoo

mcmagic posted:

I think the show's gender politics are pretty complicated. It's trying very hard not to be sexist but it's not always successful.


It's set in the 1700's and at the latest the 1970's. Of course it's sexist. It's about a female nurse who travels back in time and place where gender roles are virtually set in stone. She gradually chips away at it until people take her seriously.

Retrowave Joe
Jul 20, 2001

I watched the first season and enjoyed it. She fretted a lot about being a bigamist and an adulterer, but is it really cheating if you’re stuck two hundred years in the past, though?

Wallet
Jun 19, 2006

Rocksicles posted:

stfu and cook me porridge, Sasanach

Yeah, no, the show definitely dips into sexism at times, but mystes seemed to be suggesting that recognizing the genre of the source material was sexist.

Rocksicles
Oct 19, 2012

by Nyc_Tattoo

Wallet posted:

Yeah, no, the show definitely dips into sexism at times, but mystes seemed to be suggesting that recognizing the genre of the source material was sexist.

Period romance = bad, gotcha.

Chairman Mao
Apr 24, 2004

The Chinese Communist Party is the core of leadership of the whole Chinese people. Without this core, the cause of socialism cannot be victorious.

Rocksicles posted:

Period romance = bad, gotcha.

jesus loving christ

showbiz_liz
Jun 2, 2008
My biggest problem with Outlander (I read the book a while ago, haven't seen the show) is the fact that the main villain turns out to be an evil gay rapist who kidnaps, rapes, and tortures the male main character for days, all of which is described in the book in graphic detail, and then the female main character cures the male main character of his post-rape PTSD via rough sex. People told me this book was "cute."

WeedlordGoku69
Feb 12, 2015

by Cyrano4747

showbiz_liz posted:

My biggest problem with Outlander (I read the book a while ago, haven't seen the show) is the fact that the main villain turns out to be an evil gay rapist who kidnaps, rapes, and tortures the male main character for days, all of which is described in the book in graphic detail, and then the female main character cures the male main character of his post-rape PTSD via rough sex. People told me this book was "cute."

shockingly, most suburban wine moms are massive homophobes.

Wallet
Jun 19, 2006

Rocksicles posted:

Period romance = bad, gotcha.

I actually thought the show was alright until it got into weird rape land, personally. I have not previously made any statements of preference for/against this show.

Wallet fucked around with this message at 21:01 on Jun 14, 2019

Justin Godscock
Oct 12, 2004

Listen here, funnyman!
I started watching The Hot Zone just now because I guess I'm on a miniseries kick because I finished Chernobyl. I guess I just enjoy the format's no-nonsense and direct narrative approach because they don't have a promise of future seasons and get everything done right in a handful of episodes the first time. I guess you can call it a binge because I'm likely pounding through all these episodes in a day or two.

Rant aside, this is a really solid and tense series that I really get the impression is going to get more visceral later on.

mcmagic
Jul 1, 2004

If you see this avatar while scrolling the succ zone, you have been visited by the mcmagic of shitty lib takes! Good luck and prosperity will come to you, but only if you reply "shut the fuck up mcmagic" to this post!

showbiz_liz posted:

My biggest problem with Outlander (I read the book a while ago, haven't seen the show) is the fact that the main villain turns out to be an evil gay rapist who kidnaps, rapes, and tortures the male main character for days, all of which is described in the book in graphic detail, and then the female main character cures the male main character of his post-rape PTSD via rough sex. People told me this book was "cute."

Season 4 gets REALLY dumb.

Cactus
Jun 24, 2006

The Americans.

It's in my top five or ten all time greatest things I've ever watched.

When you binge a series, how often do you feel like you want to know what happens next?

Because this show put all of that into overdrive

Cactus fucked around with this message at 01:44 on Jun 16, 2019

showbiz_liz
Jun 2, 2008

Cactus posted:

The Americans.

It's in my top five or ten all time greatest things I've ever watched.

When you binge a series, how often do you feel like you want to know what happens next?

Because this show put all of that into overdrive

My roommate and I just started watching this and we're blazing through it.

wormil
Sep 12, 2002

Hulk will smoke you!

Justin Godscock posted:

I started watching The Hot Zone just now ...

Rant aside, this is a really solid and tense series that I really get the impression is going to get more visceral later on.

Don't google anything about the real life events until after you watch the series because it will spoil it in more ways than one.

It's not a documentary.

The TV version is a bunch of bullshit and makes the scientists look like morons.

And, the show gets Cabin Fever level of stupid after ep2

Mu Zeta
Oct 17, 2002

Me crush ass to dust

I thought it was weird how the protagonist would talk about how it's the most urgent problem they ever faced but there's 6 episodes so nothing happens for a long time. A strange lack of tension throughout. In terms of storytelling and drama I prefer Outbreak and Contagion.

wormil
Sep 12, 2002

Hulk will smoke you!
From context it seems the series covers several months at least (quarantine was 21 days) but the two Chicken Littles are freaking out the entire time when literally nothing is happening. The CDC doc keeps pointing out that nothing is happening but the show portrays him as an rear end in a top hat. And Jahrling is portrayed like an incompetent man child but in real life he was the main guy and the scientist who identified the species of Ebola.

Trig Discipline
Jun 3, 2008

Please leave the room if you think this might offend you.
Grimey Drawer
Oh poo poo I forgot there was a Hot Zone series. I've read that book a couple of times, it's scary as poo poo.

Trig Discipline
Jun 3, 2008

Please leave the room if you think this might offend you.
Grimey Drawer

Trig Discipline posted:

Oh poo poo I forgot there was a Hot Zone series. I've read that book a couple of times, it's scary as poo poo.

And now I'm most of the way through the last episode and holy poo poo this sucks lol

Red Dad Redemption
Sep 29, 2007

Old news I guess but just binged through Chernobyl fully expecting, when I started, for it to be some caricatured anti Soviet screed, and I could hardly have been more wrong. Excellent cast, performances, writing, effects. Even the topical elements felt fitting and not overly heavy handed, despite being directed at current events.

Big Bad Voodoo Lou
Jan 1, 2006
I just bought and binged through the first and only season of Mob City, a 2013 neo-noir TNT series set in L.A. in the late 1940s. I love that era and everything associated with it -- hard-boiled crime/detective fiction, the aesthetics, the clothes, the music, everything. James Ellroy is my favorite novelist, L.A. Confidential is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I even liked Gangster Squad, which covers the same era and some of the same characters.

Anyway, Frank Darabont was the Mob City showrunner, and the show was really well-made and looked extremely expensive. The cast was awesome, too: Jon Bernthal as the conflicted lead cop (who even gets into a brutal shoot-out on a merry-go-round, pre-Punisher), Alexa Davalos as the knockout damsel in distress/femme fatale (why did she never make it big?), Simon Pegg, Ed Burns, and three of my favorite character actors, Neal McDonough (in a rare straight man role), Robert Knepper as a psychopath prone to monologuing (too bad he turned out to be such a piece of poo poo in real life), and Patrick Fischler as a quietly intimidating Meyer Lansky.

Sadly, TNT canceled it, so we only got those six episodes. It ended on a decent note, but set up all kinds of angles for a second season that never happened. I tend to enjoy those low-key TNT period piece miniseries, like The Alienist and I Am the Night. They always look great and are well-made, but they never get the buzz that HBO, FX, AMC, and even Showtime series get. But I really enjoyed this one. You can purchase the whole season as a download for $4.99 on Amazon.

The weird thing is, I know I watched at least the first two episodes when they first aired, and some parts of episodes 3 and 4 seemed really familiar -- maybe from similar scenes in Gangster Squad or Ellroy novels. But I don't know why I never finished it back when it aired, because it was extremely my poo poo.

Big Bad Voodoo Lou fucked around with this message at 13:55 on Jun 18, 2019

-Blackadder-
Jan 2, 2007

Game....Blouses.
I remember watching Mob City back when it first came out, quite liked it, especially the big gun fight at the end and how it tied into real world history. Jon Berenthal was dope.

Nice flashback for the thread. I find there's a lot of these little shows, miniseries and otherwise, that show up, are actually really solid, and then they just kind of get forgotten about. So it's nice to hear about them again so you can go back and check them out.

Another good that one that deserves a (re)visit is 11/22/69, man this one hit me like a truck, really good.

Cactus
Jun 24, 2006

showbiz_liz posted:

My roommate and I just started watching this and we're blazing through it.

A feeling I found that this show evoked quite strongly, is the one where you find yourself in the middle of the fourth or fifth season, and you think back to the things that were happening in the first one or two seasons, and despite the fact that it was only a couple of days ago (I binged all 6 seasons in about 4 or 5 days) it feels like all that stuff happened months ago. I think that's a sign of really good plotting and pacing, where enough stuff has happened and enough paradigm changes have occurred that it can actually mess with your retro-active perception of the time you've spent watching.

Another observation I made about The Americans was that although it's a fantastic show in many ways, to me it feels really cold and uninviting - which I suspect was by design because of the subject matter. It was one of those shows that when I was watching it I was fully immersed and all in to see what would happen next to these characters, but when I wasn't actively watching, the urge to pick it back up again was dampened because for me that warm comfy feeling I get with most shows I like when I'm thinking about them just wasn't there with this one.

But after the GoT finale disappointment I needed to watch something that I knew would end well, and this definitely does that. We're not going to get one, but I would watch a Paige spinoff in a heartbeat.

dudemanbudguy
Jan 2, 2008
guybudmandude

Cactus posted:

A feeling I found that this show evoked quite strongly, is the one where you find yourself in the middle of the fourth or fifth season, and you think back to the things that were happening in the first one or two seasons, and despite the fact that it was only a couple of days ago (I binged all 6 seasons in about 4 or 5 days) it feels like all that stuff happened months ago. I think that's a sign of really good plotting and pacing, where enough stuff has happened and enough paradigm changes have occurred that it can actually mess with your retro-active perception of the time you've spent watching.

Another observation I made about The Americans was that although it's a fantastic show in many ways, to me it feels really cold and uninviting - which I suspect was by design because of the subject matter. It was one of those shows that when I was watching it I was fully immersed and all in to see what would happen next to these characters, but when I wasn't actively watching, the urge to pick it back up again was dampened because for me that warm comfy feeling I get with most shows I like when I'm thinking about them just wasn't there with this one.

But after the GoT finale disappointment I needed to watch something that I knew would end well, and this definitely does that. We're not going to get one, but I would watch a Paige spinoff in a heartbeat.

Yeah, those are great points. It has this weird vibe of cold terror that permeates the entire series. I can't figure out why, but apparently we both felt it. It might be one of the best shows I've ever seen at building characters you absolutely love who do some absolutely wretched things. Definitely a severely underrated show.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

RestingB1tchFace
Jul 4, 2016

Opinions are like a$$holes....everyone has one....but mines the best!!!

Trig Discipline posted:

Just watched Chernobyl in a 24 hour period and hoooo poo poo that is some good TV.

Yup. It was amazing television. I caught the first episode and then fell behind by a couple.....so I just held off so that I binge the entire five episodes. It's going to clean up at the Emmy's this year. Jared Harris has correctly stated that he really isn't that interested in making movies anymore, because television has eclipsed film in every way. And he's a really fantastic actor. He's been great in everything I've seen him in. Mad Men, The Terror, now Chernobyl. If he can keep making these great one off series, I'd say he's got it made.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply