What TV SHOWS are you watching ARCHIVE

Sagrilarus wrote:

SuperflyTNT wrote: If you walked outside just after 9/11 there weren't a whole lot of people.

I was at my daughter's dance recital which was well attended. We went to the park afterwards. I'll admit things were quieter, but they weren't empty, and it wasn't a man fucking a pig showing on the TV.

The nihilist stuff has never impressed me, not even when I was in school. It strikes me as a parody of legit, intense social commentary, a sort of hipster thing.

I don't know if you realize this but the fact that you've written several times (and continue to do so) about a show you claim is stupid, lazy and that you claim to hate... is reason enough for me to check it out. Shows that have no impact on me that I actually hate... I don't write about them beyond a single post or two at most (usually nothing at all). It seems to me that the show has stuck with you whether you liked it or not... that's a good sign.

I think I'd rather watch a show that upsets me and makes me think than something like the Flash or Constantine that I enjoy... but don't really think about afterwards. I know Charlie Brooker's work pretty well and occasionally he is edgy but mostly he makes me think and has a real Marshall McLuhan kind of vibe. Still haven't seen Black Mirror of course but I respect Brooker enough to give it a fair shot for a season or two.

Apparently the episode "The Entire History of You" has been optioned by Downey Jr. for a movie, hopefully he doesn't fuck it up like The Singing Detective, which should have never been a movie in the first place. How do you improve perfection like that?

JonJacob wrote: I don't know if you realize this but the fact that you've written several times (and continue to do so) about a show you claim is stupid, lazy and that you claim to hate... is reason enough for me to check it out.

That's fine with me. I don't mind the debate, that's reasonably entertaining.

For the record I fast-forwarded through much of the middle of it. And I'll concede that it was a pilot episode and the British have this thing for "outrageous" stuff in their television. So I shouldn't be so hard on it.

I think I'd rather watch a show that upsets me and makes me think than something like the Flash or Constantine that I enjoy... but don't really think about afterwards.

I think there's a pretty solid chunk in the middle of those two categories. For the record I didn't last a full episode with The Flash either. Constantine I've been watching and enjoying though I wouldn't say it has stuck with me. Enjoy it well enough when it's on though. It's rare fiction that makes me think about it afterwards. Can't think of a TV show doing that right now. Elementary had an episode two seasons back that I still think about, I'll see if I can find the name of it.

S.

Sagrilarus wrote:
I think there's a pretty solid chunk in the middle of those two categories. For the record I didn't last a full episode with The Flash either. Constantine I've been watching and enjoying though I wouldn't say it has stuck with me. Enjoy it well enough when it's on though. It's rare fiction that makes me think about it afterwards. Can't think of a TV show doing that right now. Elementary had an episode two seasons back that I still think about, I'll see if I can find the name of it.

S.

It's really hard to find any television that makes me think. True Detective, Fargo... both good shows but not overly challenging really. Louie is literally the only show out right now that effects me in this way and I watch all of them at least twice... even the ones that I don't really 'enjoy' in the traditional sense.

Watched the first Agent Carter ep and really liked it. Snappy dialogue and an eminently watchable heroine. Yum.

Black Mirror is mostly an exercise in taking something zeitgeisty and extrapolating it to some horrific extreme. What would it be like if child harmers were actually punished the way people rant on the internet they should be? What if MMO grinding/Farmville were how everyone made a living? What if you could block people in real life the way you block them in Facebook? What if reality TV really were the only way to become famous?

Take any two of these questions, Smash Up style, and make a 48 minute script out of it.

The pig episode was probably the weakest by far, for me, but I think that reference to Princess Diana earlier in the topic was relevant- the reality of that story was nothing like the wailing, national grief that the media portrayed, and have crafted into the narrative since. I see the BM episode as dual commentary on that type of media fiction, merged with the notion that people are more and more obsessed with the 24/7 TV news cycle.

The recent John Hamm episode was excellent. For a different take on British black humour, I'd also suggest "Inside No 9."

I've just downloaded this so glad to see its discussed here. Is it black humour in the style of Chris Morris. The Day Today and Brass Eye are about as good as it gets, so I was hoping for more of the same.

Didn't they ban Brass Eye's episode on paedophilia for UK TV?

Funniest thing I had ever watched (apart from the one on drugs....cake especially)

I think it got canned at some point but I have the DVD box set. Chris Morris is a fucking genius. Think of the children and their soft heads!

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena was a guilty pleasure. A heady blend of ludicrous violence, sadism, softcore porn, soap opera drama, and some decent acting. I haven't seen the final season yet, but otherwise, this was the best season. Just six episodes, but nearly every minute counts.

I thought Spartacus was fucking awesome

After the 7th series/season of Doctor Who was so awful I decided not to watch the 8th until I had assurance it was worth the time. Steven Moffat has already wasted enough of my patience and time and I didn't want to give him anymore. I'd heard that this past season had dialed back on the stupid and wasn't too bad, so I've begun watching it.

I'm only about halfway through (just watched "Kill the Moon") but so far, while it's not nearly as bad as, say, season 6, it's also not very good. We're back to the dull blandness of season 5. Underwritten flat stories with lifeless characters in them. The only real standout is "Robot of Sherwood" which was a hoot. Everything else may have a good moment or two, but is otherwise forgettable. Worst so far is "Listen", which is the worst kind of disjointed and pointless as you can tell it thinks it's Pretty Deep.

I said more on my blog , and I'll see the season out but really, this show needs to get rid of Steven Moffat. His entire run has been just terrible. I didn't think you could overblown and undercooked at the same time but that's the man's talent. It's time for him to move on.

Finished season 2 of Peaky Blinders. Fantastic. Wish there was a third season already released.

Started watching Burn Notice. I'm enjoying it so far, although wishing it had the edge that it would have if it were on Showtime, for example.

Has anyone watched the first couple of episodes of 12 Monkeys? I'm wondering if that's any good, the episodes are still available online for the time being (Showcase in Canada). The Gilliam movie blew me away at 17.

hotseatgames wrote: Started watching Burn Notice. I'm enjoying it so far, although wishing it had the edge that it would have if it were on Showtime, for example.

I watched that whole series. It gets kind of repetitive in later seasons, but I wouldn't say the quality goes down. Had a good finale. I think the main actor who plays the burned spy is a master of the "forced smile", lol.