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It's winter here so I've been watching chilly / depressing television, since that's the vibe. British stuff from the 90s, like Our Friends In The North and Prime Suspect, and this Italian crime drama called Gomorra, based on a non fiction book about the Italian Commora crime family. Might also dip into Cadfael, Cracker, The Shadow Line, that kind of thing. We'll see how it goes. But I'm also (re)watching the US remake of The Killing, whose latter two seasons are really good and whose first two seasons are... look, they're so dreary and miserable that they wrap around to being camp as balls. Every single choice the show makes is the most edgy poo poo imaginable, just random Hallowe'en monster masks and a paedo cleaner and peep holes and bloody mattresses in school cellars and under-age sex and constant, constant loving rain -- on god, this is the wettest show ever filmed because if it's not loving raining (it is, it's always loving raining) then the characters are staring at dead girl swamps or taking long miserable baths or having domestics on house boats or just crying. Every so often the show cuts to what I can only describe as a comedy subplot in sunny San Francisco, where the main character's vaguely patient, vaguely pathetic fiance is slowly developing a drinking problem while waiting for his future wife to finally retire and come hang out with him. Dude's put up a welcome home sign and everything, and every episode it just slides further and further down the wall. So why am I watching? 1. It's a lot of fun, in its own dumb way, and I like seeing a bunch of actors i like in it, like Michelle Forbes, Kacey Rohl, Richard Harmon, etc. Mirielle Enos is doing sterling work with her scenes -- there's this one bit where she's watching child porn on her police computer and has to stroke the screen while saying the words "El Diablo" (for no apparent loving reason) and she somehow makes it mostly not hilarious. Also Joel Kinnaman has never been hotter than in this show, just saying. Or given a better performance, hate to say it. The number 2. reason I'm watching is that the latter seasons, with Jonathan Demme, Amy Semitz, and half the cast of Twin Peaks are genuinely really good TV, and I'm really keen to see them again. Bullet 4ever! Ishamael posted:I have been watching Mrs. Davis and have a couple episodes left. I can't decide if it is smart and clever or dumb and random, but Betty Gilpin is really good in it, and I like the guy who plays J. AcidCat posted:After 3 episodes I settled on dumb and random and dropped it, but ymmv, I know there were several folks in the dedicated thread that really liked it. I didn't love the show, for similar reasons, but I stuck through it and found the final episode to be surprisingly strong in spite of all of that. I don't think I like Lindelof's sense of humour much though, no.
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Jun 6, 2023 22:04
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I binged Extraordinary (Hulu) and Deadloch (Amazon). Two shows that normally wouldn't be on my radar but I checked out after Goon recommendations. Both are gems and worth watching if you're looking for something new. Deadloch might be the first show I've seen that is set, and filmed, in Tasmania.
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Jun 6, 2023 22:13
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I'm a few eps into Ms. Davis. Gonna keep watching but I still don't know why anyone even wants the stupid cup, just make your own. It does seem to be a lot of things happening just because and I'm not really sure what it's trying to say but it's not unpleasant to watch. I started Jane the Virgin recently and I really can't relate to really any part of the show, but it's not unpleasant either but I'm guessing this is literally just a telenovela in English?
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Jun 7, 2023 02:16
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Escobarbarian posted:It can be multiple things! Finished Mrs Davis and felt like it ended up on the side of fun and clever, but I could see how some people would have bailed. The religious aspects of the show were weird but unique and interesting, and the origin story of the holy grail was a cool take on it IMO. And I really liked the guy who played J. But you do really have to just let go and go with the weirdness of the show, or else you won’t get past the part where she is in the Lazarus shroud without walking away. But really the strength of the show was 100% Betty Gilpin, she anchored the show effortlessly and I would watch her in anything now.
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Jun 7, 2023 05:39
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Ishamael posted:But really the strength of the show was 100% Betty Gilpin, she anchored the show effortlessly and I would watch her in anything now. May I interest you in Damon Lindelof's... The Hunt? Amazon's... The Forever War? The 2020 remake of... The Grudge? Gilpin's great, but for whatever reason she's been attached to a lot of stinkers. Hope she gets cast in Bryan Fuller's Friday The 13th show though, I reckon she'd be good casting.
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Jun 7, 2023 05:50
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Open Source Idiom posted:May I interest you in Damon Lindelof's... The Hunt? and don't forget GLOW on Netflix, she rules in that too
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Jun 7, 2023 13:17
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I finished The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel this week. I adored this show from beginning to end, and am genuinely sad to see it go. I didn't see a thread for this show, so I'm posting here, but the ending left some dangling plot threads, but was focused precisely where it needed to be, on Susie and Midge's relationship. I will say the final season as a whole felt like a departure in format since it jumps around time a lot, but it worked and wasn't needlessly difficult to follow. I don't watch Ted Lasso (yet), but it's hard to believe this, Succession, Lasso, and Barry all ended their series on the same weekend. In other news, nearly finished with The Diplomat on Netflix. Surprisingly decent show through seven episodes, even if it is pretty inaccurate on procedures. It's very much political drama wish fulfillment (Keri Russel's Kate Wyler doesn't even have a confirmation hearing for her ambassador post), but it's full of intrigue and pretty well written and paced. Kate's husband, Hal Wyler, is played by Rufus Sewell and he's really great in this show. Actually, I genuinely like the entire cast so far. I also appreciate that none of the characters in the show are portrayed as dumb or as if they didn't earn their post. Everyone is hyper-competent at what they do, so the political wheeling and dealing feel like it has higher stakes and it's not completely predictable like these types of shows can be. Definitely worth a watch if you like political dramas.
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Jun 7, 2023 17:12
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Maisel thread: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3996621
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Jun 7, 2023 17:16
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I went into Dave with zero expectations and have found it to be shockingly good through two and a bit seasons. There's a ton of juvenile humour which may turn some off but it strikes a really nice balance between comedy and drama. It does suffer from deeply unlikeable main character-itis but I don't think it's trying to pretend otherwise.
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Jun 7, 2023 18:04
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It helps that he at least sometimes hates himself so there's occasionally a moment where he's like "ugh I'm the guy who sucks" and you get to go "yeah for real ugh you suck."
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Jun 7, 2023 18:07
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I'm still watching Fringe and the show has been all right but An invoice for 20 pounds of plastic explosives for a private individual? Are you making GBS threads me? What is this writing?
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Jun 9, 2023 02:16
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Finished Under the Dome yesterday night: what a shitshow S1: ok to good, nice story, mostly decent characters, mostly bad acting but still more good than bad S2: when a second season starts unceremoniously killing a main character from S1 (one of the best, even), you know its going off rails. Still watchable with some good moments but it becomes pretty obvious they have no plan, no idea where to take the story. Characters go around doing whatever. Everyone is just a plot device S3: what the hell. Its like they took what was left of the characters and transfered them to this new story that coincidently also happens under a dome. The plot of the old story its remembered here and there with random references to stuff like pink stars and the four hands, but this is a new very dumb story thats basically a unimaginative and badly elaborated alien body snatchers plot, with some matrix thrown in Its a bad show Elias_Maluco fucked around with this message at 12:54 on Jun 9, 2023 |
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Jun 9, 2023 12:44
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Now watch Zoo.
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Jun 9, 2023 13:07
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Just caught up with the latest eps in new season of The Other Two. I want to like the show better because a lot of the social commentary intent behind it feels positive and well-meaning, and I've enjoyed all the inventive surrealistic homages... but the characters are almost all such immensely terrible people and static caricatures that never learn anything from their myriad mistakes and just keep being incredibly dumb and psychotic that it all gets very exhausting. Also the bizarre tonal whiplash of the super serious and tense dramatic arguments that sometimes interrupt the comedy feels nowhere near earned. Will still keep watching for the (very occasional) actual lols because there have been some great ones. And for the very few actually likeable people like Curtis, who is a huge relief from all the assholery whenever he shows up.
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Jun 9, 2023 18:19
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Cary is the worst of the bunch. #standwithBloopy
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Jun 9, 2023 18:41
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I've had the US version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? sitting on my computer for years now and have just started watching from the begining. A few yikes moments when they did games like "Foreign Film Dub" where they have to speak a foreign language and have the other players do the English dubs. A few moments in the "Dating Video" game where they wear different hats and make bad dating videos. Nothing horribly offensive otherwise, so far.
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Jun 9, 2023 23:01
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poronty posted:Just caught up with the latest eps in new season of The Other Two. I swear to god everyone who needs the characters in every show they watch to be “likeable” needs to stay away from the internet
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Jun 9, 2023 23:39
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I love Cary but I'm just a huge fan of Drew Tarver from his work on Comedy Bang Bang. Cary and Brooke truly become worse and worse people throughout the series but that's part of the charm and the commentary.Dr. Yinz Ljubljana posted:Baskets has gone from "laugh at the sad sack wannabe clown" to "I really hope this guy gets help" and that's a neat journey. Zach G is great but Louie Anderson as Christine just continues to be one of the best and most real characters going. RIP king. Baskets has an interesting throughline imo because as the show goes (vague spoilers) the characters really do get their poo poo together and settled into a more comfortable life compared to how huge a mess they are from the beginning. Well, Dale's life falls apart but he sucks so it's hard to care. But it's nice to see Chip and Christine mature and achieve their little scoops of happiness. They start off so miserable and I was worried that Baskets would be nothing but dark comedy. It ends up being surprisingly wholesome!
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Jun 10, 2023 00:04
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Escobarbarian posted:I swear to god everyone who needs the characters in every show they watch to be “likeable” needs to stay away from the internet Seems like a pretty common desire for people to want to spend time with characters they don't hate and actively want to see ruined one way or the other. Getting irritated every time it comes up just seems like you're going to constantly be annoyed at a really regular perspective. Not liking that people don't like characters that are unlikeable is weird because it makes sense why someone wouldn't like a bad person.
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Jun 10, 2023 00:14
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Yeah it’s literally a show about how Hollywood either turns people into self-absorbed monsters or enhances those traits they already had. If you want likeable characters you are fully watching the wrong thing
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Jun 10, 2023 00:14
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Khanstant posted:Seems like a pretty common desire for people to want to spend time with characters they don't hate and actively want to see ruined one way or the other. Getting irritated every time it comes up just seems like you're going to constantly be annoyed at a really regular perspective. I mean if people want that they can just watch Friends reruns or something not come on here and argue like it’s a flaw of good shows that have done it on purpose
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Jun 10, 2023 00:17
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Escobarbarian posted:Yeah it’s literally a show about how Hollywood either turns people into self-absorbed monsters or enhances those traits they already had. If you want likeable characters you are fully watching the wrong thing Actually Chase Dreams and Molly Shannon are both very likable. It’s the other two members of their family that are the problem.
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Jun 10, 2023 00:29
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If a show has done something on purpose it doesn't mean people have to like their choice or that everyone agrees it's a good one. People shouldn't not share their opinions just because you specifically really dislike this particular critique.
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Jun 10, 2023 00:29
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Khanstant posted:If a show has done something on purpose it doesn't mean people have to like their choice or that everyone agrees it's a good one. People shouldn't not share their opinions just because you specifically really dislike this particular critique. “I don’t like The Sopranos because the mobsters kill people! They should give them flowers instead”
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Jun 10, 2023 00:33
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Lol I think I'd actually watch Sopranos if they sold flowers.
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Jun 10, 2023 01:40
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I'm a decade late but I recently started watching Mad Men for the first time. Currently on season 6 and really enjoying it, so many great characters. My boy Pete is always down to fight, and you better not try to derail Meredith's meetings with New News during Old News time.
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Jun 11, 2023 02:53
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MokBa posted:I love Cary but I'm just a huge fan of Drew Tarver from his work on Comedy Bang Bang. Cary and Brooke truly become worse and worse people throughout the series but that's part of the charm and the commentary. Yeah.....I am a big fan of Drew Tarver too. Less from CBB.....way more from his improv podcasts with Big Grande like 'The Teachers Lounge'. Also.....'Bajillion Dollar Properties' was very funny.
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Jun 11, 2023 04:51
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RestingB1tchFace posted:Yeah.....I am a big fan of Drew Tarver too. Less from CBB.....way more from his improv podcasts with Big Grande like 'The Teachers Lounge'. Also.....'Bajillion Dollar Properties' was very funny. Someone else who watched Bajillion Dollar Properties! Yeah that show was really dumb fun and was my first exposure to the guy too. Same with Tawny Newsome.
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Jun 11, 2023 09:33
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Strictly Business with Derek Contrero is a pretty amazing Drew Tarver miniseries podcast. And this stupid thing: https://youtu.be/ZeyN3b4ZMq8
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Jun 11, 2023 14:29
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anatomi posted:Strictly Business with Derek Contrero is a pretty amazing Drew Tarver miniseries podcast. Strictly Business ruled. Rob Dyrdek is a perfect target for satire.
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Jun 11, 2023 21:48
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I finished The Leftovers last night. The show definitely went places I was not expecting, and while it doesn't explain everything, it at least explained Nora's and Kevin's experiences pretty well. I am left confused with Kevin's last death experience. I thought he was supposed to do the exact opposite thing he did to prevent the flood, but instead he does what Patti wants him to do and she's suddenly on his side? Was his father just straight up insane , or did he just have parts of the story wrong?
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Jun 11, 2023 22:35
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Haptical Sales Slut posted:Was his father just straight up insane , or did he just have parts of the story wrong? Yes
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Jun 11, 2023 23:24
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Just finished watching The Bear.. Anxiety the TV show, but really enjoyed it. Wasn't a fan of the ending though.
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Jun 12, 2023 03:22
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Binged through Based on a True Story with my wife who is a true crime junkie herself. Probably would not have enjoyed it quite as much without her doing the Leo DiCaprio meme every two minutes and then crime-splaining to me everything going on. I would have pegged 99% of the references and situations as fake or exaggerated if she wasn’t there to verify them for me. Good performances out of the leads, and some genuinely funny and dark moments. Cuoco really does have good acting chops and also it’s refreshing for a show to be unapologetic about pregnant women actually being something other than just pregnant.
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Jun 12, 2023 05:04
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Jun 12, 2023 08:17
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We don't seem to have a trash reality TV thread, and Reddit is down so ... Been watching the second season of The Ultimatum, which is a dating show with an insane premise that one person in a couple wants to force the other into marriage or they break up completely, so the show's solution to this is to have them both fake marry someone else for a month. Then they live with their original partner for a month. Basically these relationships are doomed from the start because an ultimatum is a bad way to get into a marriage to begin with, much less one delivered via reality TV show. Essentially all these people spend a month with someone else, realize their emotional world did not completely implode without their significant other and maybe they are strong enough to break up, and then go back to their bad relationships anyway. Breaking Up Is Hard: The TV Show Edit: Update since I finished it. 4 of 5 original couples got engaged. In the reunion, 2 of them had broken up between the show and the reunion. Also one of the participants caught a domestic violence charge for throwing poo poo at another one. None of them are actually married yet. A post-reunion-show card says 1 of the remaining 2 couples has broken up since the reunion was filmed. What a horrible idea this show is. Can't wait for Season 3 gimmie that trash. PostNouveau fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Jun 12, 2023 |
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Jun 12, 2023 19:12
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Based On A True Story not a laugh factory, but very funny. Straight lost it when the dog started fantasising about murder.
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Jun 12, 2023 19:41
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After being thoroughly impressed by how season 3 is going, I decided to go through The Other Two again. The first two seasons are good and had some great moments, but season 3 is a remarkable leap in quality.
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Jun 16, 2023 20:46
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Tried The Other Two, couldn't get through the first episode. I remember it airing on Comedy Central I think, and dismissing it outright. There's just nothing there for me. Same with Based on a True Story: almost got through the first episode, then just chucked it. I guess I just don't like characters being horribly stupid just for the sake of the plot. Got through Black Mirror in one sitting. Fairly meager in terms of number and quality of episodes. Great actors, great production values and spot on with the music but not exactly smart or innovative writing. One of the main gags in the first episode is straight from a decades old Southpark episode, for instance. Really feels like Brooker, who I otherwise admire greatly as a satirist, needed some money in a hurry and threw something together that barely makes the cut.
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Jun 16, 2023 23:20
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Open Source Idiom posted:Based On A True Story not a laugh factory, but very funny. Straight lost it when the dog started fantasising about murder. That was a definite highlight for us too. Although I couldn't figure out if it was the dog fantasizing, or Nathan fantasizing that the dog was fantasizing... guess it doesn't really matter for the gag though I liked the show a lot although it was missing a little something and I'm not sure what. Example aside, I think they maybe overused the 'nope, that didn't actually happen' device. I'm also two episodes into the new The Full Monty series. I haven't seen the movie for at least 20 years and my recollection of it being that, although the characters are all going through struggles it's a very funny movie with a) funny parts and b) feel-good parts with the underdogs working together. Soooo... so far there's not a lot of that in the series, which picks up 25 years after the movie with the same cast. The town still sucks, and everyone's life still kinda sucks. It's not completely absent humor but it feels like a light drama. I definitely wouldn't give it a strong recommendation at this point.
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Jun 16, 2023 23:27
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