What are you watching? (television thread)

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
Griffith said:
Looking forward to it, and thanks for the heads up. Had no ifea thete was an "uncensored" version.

Yeah, it was pretty controversial within the Batman lore. I'll save that for when you actually watch it though;)
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Johnstantine said:
Yeah, it was pretty controversial within the Batman lore. I'll save that for when you actually watch it though;)

I think I remember you saying this before about it. I'm a little skeptical of the notion it's "controversial." Sounds like a highfalutin euphemism for people not liking it (Mass Effect 3's "controversial" ending =)


I watched premieres of The Simpsons and Family Guy for the first time... in like a decade or more. I found the The Simpsons to be comfortably decent, or decent enough to be comfortable. Yeah, it's not like the old ones where just about every scene is brilliant, but it had a story and wasn't a hot mess like at its nadir, and I'm long over being mad at it for not being the former anymore. Family Guy was of course the big Simpsons crossover episode, which had everything you'd want I suppose, but with a lot you really didn't. I actually liked the starting premise better for just a straight Family Guy episode, which included the perfect-in-context line, "It's not even funny, and I have a great sense of humor!"

Anyway, it started well, but was flat and dragged in the middle as they did all the obligatory introductions/crossover tropes. Meg, Lisa, Chris and Brian really had no place in it (Lois and Marge almost literally didn't, and that was for the better), even Bart and Stewie didn't amount to much. This was Homer's and Peter's show and it picked up again and peaked when it really got to the meat of that and the relationship between the two shows, where they literally and figuratively pull no punches
(Homer: [upon discovering Pawtucket Ale is literally Duff with a different label slapped on] "It's just a lousy rif-off!" Peter: "I used to prefer Duff when I was younger, but I haven’t even had it in 13 years." and the coup de grâce, "You know, when I first met you, I thought, 'Hey! I love this guy. This is the funniest guy I’ve ever met, I’m gonna quote this guy to all my friends. I love his town, I love his family.' But now, I think I speak for all of us when I say ‘I am over the Simpsons."

As always, stories and conflict are interesting, characters randomly hanging out are not. If it had been a half hour of all killer, no filler it would have been a great episode. As it stands, watching the second half in reruns should be a treat. Also, it's a bit disappointing that it's basically just Family Guy doing the Simpsons. I would have liked to see them both do their own episode, which probably would have made for more focused storytelling ironically, but maybe the Simpsons doesn't want Family Guy showing up on their ledger. =)
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
IncantatioN said:
Twin Peaks, confirmed for 2016 at Showtime - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNHsA4WIFvc

This would have been exciting a few years ago, but now that it's already on Netflix, and the full series has been on disc for so long, what's the point?
 
Walter said:
This would have been exciting a few years ago, but now that it's already on Netflix, and the full series has been on disc for so long, what's the point?

They're new episodes, sometime last week Lynch tweeted kinda cryptically about it. According to Showtime's YT link info - The groundbreaking television phenomenon, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winner TWIN PEAKS will return as a new limited series on SHOWTIME in 2016. Series creators and executive producers David Lynch and Mark Frost will write and produce all nine episodes of the limited series, and Lynch will direct every episode. Set in the present day, TWIN PEAKS will continue the lore of the original series, providing long-awaited answers and a satisfying conclusion for the series’ passionate fan base.
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
IncantatioN said:
They're new episodes, sometime last week Lynch tweeted kinda cryptically about it. According to Showtime's YT link info - The groundbreaking television phenomenon, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winner TWIN PEAKS will return as a new limited series on SHOWTIME in 2016. Series creators and executive producers David Lynch and Mark Frost will write and produce all nine episodes of the limited series, and Lynch will direct every episode. Set in the present day, TWIN PEAKS will continue the lore of the original series, providing long-awaited answers and a satisfying conclusion for the series’ passionate fan base.

Experience has sort of shown that the unanswered questions of ended shows are a lot better than the answers we wind up getting when the shows are eventually brought back.

Also, Lynch hasn't directed anything outside of short films since like 2006, so I can't imagine this being very good/necessary.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
IncantatioN said:
They're new episodes, sometime last week Lynch tweeted kinda cryptically about it. According to Showtime's YT link info - The groundbreaking television phenomenon, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winner TWIN PEAKS will return as a new limited series on SHOWTIME in 2016. Series creators and executive producers David Lynch and Mark Frost will write and produce all nine episodes of the limited series, and Lynch will direct every episode. Set in the present day, TWIN PEAKS will continue the lore of the original series, providing long-awaited answers and a satisfying conclusion for the series’ passionate fan base.

Ah. Guess I should have watched the full video. Just clicked and saw a few seconds, thinking it was just being re-aired.

Even being a big Twin Peaks fan back in the day, this news does little to excite me. I'll be interested in hearing if Lynch can recapture the confluence of charm, wit and intrigue that made the original so goddamned memorable. But honestly, I've long since made my peace with how it ended; "long awaited answers" be damned. This show was never about answers. It was about atmosphere. Best way to kill atmosphere? Start turning on the spotlights.
 

Dar_Klink

Last Guardian when? - CyberKlink 20XX before dying
I agree with Walter for the most part. I don't know how they're going to recapture that atmosphere, charm, and certain vibe 25 years later. I'm hoping Lynch and Frost will be super hands-on at least so we don't end up with any mid-season 2 tier stuff. I'll allow myself to be somewhat excited when we learn more about what it's actually going to be, but I wish I could just be shouting WOO GUM I LIKE COMING BACK INTO STYLE DAMN FINE COFFEE with the rest of the internet instead of feeling cynical about it. :sad:
 
Speaking of Twin Peaks http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/twin-peaks-creator-reveal-characters-741319

Now how about some Hannibal Season 3 news http://deadline.com/2014/10/tao-okamoto-cast-hannibal-complications-brent-sexton-joseph-julian-soria-854117/
 
http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/03/syfy-3001/

Syfy to adapt '2001' sequel into miniseries

Syfy’s push to re-conquer outer space with serious drama programming continues: The cable channel is going to adapt Arthur C. Clarke’s novel 3001: The Final Odyssey into a miniseries with Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) on board as executive producer.

The project will bring the never-before-produced final chapter of the legendary sci-fi book and film 2001: A Space Odyssey to basic cable. Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean, Collateral) will write the adaptation and serve as an executive producer.

Official logline: “An epic story of a man lost in time, Arthur C. Clarke’s final Odyssey book resolves the tale that was begun in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Beginning with the discovery of Frank Poole’s frozen body, floating in space, 3001: The Final Odyssey offers an extraordinary range of complex characters with conflicting agendas, stunning visuals, and dark thematic meditations on the final fate of all Humankind.”

Syfy released in a statement that the estates of both famed 2001 director Stanley Kubrick and Clarke have offered their full support for the project. “I have always been a fan of Clarke’s extraordinary Odyssey series, and certainly Kubrick’s adaptation of 2001,” Scott added in a statement. “I am thrilled to be part of bringing that legacy to audiences and continuing the great cinematic tradition that this story and its creators deserve.”

“Arthur C. Clarke is the father of modern science fiction,” said Syfy President Dave Howe. “We couldn’t be more excited to be working with Scott Free and Warner Horizon Television to bring to the screen, for the very first time, the final chapter of this extraordinary masterpiece.”

Syfy is also making another of Clarke’s novels into a miniseries, Childhood’s End. Back in 2000, it was reported MGM and Tom Hanks were in discussions to turn Clarke’s 2061: Odyssey Three and 3001: The Final Odyssey into movies, but the projects never got off the ground.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
IncantatioN said:
http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/03/syfy-3001/

Syfy to adapt '2001' sequel into miniseries

Neat to see Clarke getting some recognition. Some of those books (particularly 2001 and 2010) are phenomenal. 3001 is pretty bad, though... He was past his prime by that point in his career.

But SciFi...? SYFY? Yuck.
 
I haven't read 3001 : / ... how's 2061? They're skipping adapting that, so I wonder if it'll hurt any sort of continuity?

According to Slashfilm - "Some of its notable features include the BrainCap, a brain-computer interface technology; genetically-engineered dinosaur servants; a space drive; and four gigantic space elevators located evenly around the Equator. Human beings have also colonised the Jovian moons Ganymede and Callisto. TMA-1, the black monolith found on the Moon in 1999, has been brought to Earth in 2006 and installed in front of the United Nations Building in New York City."
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
IncantatioN said:
I haven't read 3001 : / ... how's 2061? They're skipping adapting that, so I wonder if it'll hurt any sort of continuity?

It's been more than a decade since I read it, but I remember 2061 being pretty insignificant compared to the other entries. It's almost the connective tissue between 2010 and 3001. I've always felt like 2010 was the last time Clarke invested any real effort into that series, honestly. The movie adaptation of that, btw, distances itself quite a bit from the source material.

THe edition of 2001 that I have has a fantastic intro by him that talks about the creative process he had with Stanley Kubrick. The book and the film were developed concurrently. They came up with the story together, and the later novels flesh out the concepts they talked about then. But, understandably, things changed over the years, and by the end of it, 3001 is pretttttty strange compared to the original concepts.
 
That's pretty interesting, thanks for the info on those later books! I've only read 2001 but watched both 2001 and 2010. I figure I should read them eventually and hopefully before this new series comes out.
 
The first season of The Knick ended a few weeks ago and i can't wait for the upcoming second season.
Just wanna highly recommand this visually superb and pretty solid tv show.
 
ryOtoha said:
The first season of The Knick ended a few weeks ago and i can't wait for the upcoming second season.
Just wanna highly recommand this visually superb and pretty solid tv show.

I watched the first episode when it premiered, was pretty decent. But couldn't follow this weekly. Now that's it's finished and recommended, I'll hit it up - thanks.
 
IncantatioN said:
I watched the first episode when it premiered, was pretty decent. But couldn't follow this weekly. Now that's it's finished and recommended, I'll hit it up - thanks.

I loved the last sequence. Really clever. Anyway, I'll be interested to read your thought.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
VengeanceQuest982 said:
A 2nd Scifi Series heading to HBO ... http://www.thewrap.com/interstellars-jonah-nolan-developing-foundation-series-for-hbo-wbtv-exclusive/

:ubik:

To be honest I'm not sure Foundation is the best choice for an adaptation among all of Asimov's works.
 
Aazealh said:
To be honest I'm not sure Foundation is the best choice for an adaptation among all of Asimov's works.

True. While I'm happy that its finally being made I would have loved to have seen Asimov's The End of Eternity , The Gods Themselves , Nemesis , or Nightfall be adapted as a series or mini-series.
 
ryOtoha said:
I loved the last sequence. Really clever. Anyway, I'll be interested to read your thought.

Nice recommendation. It grew on me after the 3rd episode and I couldn't put it down. Maybe it's the way it's written or Soderberg's direction (and him directing all episodes vs different directors taking on different episodes in other popular shows) or good acting or just all of those put together that makes it a good series. While the end felt natural, it didn't blow me away and I blame the weak episode that built up to it. Overall, this's a series worth checking out. Curious to see what they'll bring to season 2 if
Thackery is gonna be all spaced out in a hospital bed, him not being in the integral part of the story would hurt my enjoyment of the series.

Picking up the first seasons of Rectify, Olive Kitteridge and Transparent for my next watch.
 
IncantatioN said:
It grew on me after the 3rd episode and I couldn't put it down. Maybe it's the way it's written or Soderberg's direction (and him directing all episodes vs different directors taking on different episodes in other popular shows) or good acting or just all of those put together that makes it a good series.

Glad you like it :guts: It's starts slow but the consistency is here.
I really liked the photography and mise-en-scène. For instance,
the first bar fight Edwards has, it's saturated in yellow, and gives a POV view of the brawl. But the POV is disoriented by either the punches or the alcohol that precipitate it. It's pretty cool


IncantatioN said:
While the end felt natural, it didn't blow me away and I blame the weak episode that built up to it. Overall, this's a series worth checking out.

I don't think it was weak and the last sequence wrap things up in a neat/satisfaying way in my opinion.



IncantatioN said:
Curious to see what they'll bring to season 2 if
Thackery is gonna be all spaced out in a hospital bed, him not being in the integral part of the story would hurt my enjoyment of the series.

I confident Thackery will remains an interesting character because the show was well written so far and Clive Owen as a producer and actor is effective. I don't think it will ends like
House M.D (season 6) who checked in a psychiatric hospital and it didn't bring any change at all in the character, the dynamics. That was as pathetic as expected.

I want to start Sorkin's the Newsroom real soon.
 
Just wrapped up 4 seasons of Legend Of Korra. Didn't expect it to be this good because of my love for the original Avatar series. Season 4 was the weakest (as a friend rightfully called it cos the baddie wasn't as much of a threat as the baddies of the first 3), decent end but her trials through all seasons were equally tough. Makes me wanna watch Avatar now, so I can draw parallels between both series. Definitely recommended.
 
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