What are you watching? (television thread)

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Welp, onto the season finale!

Did the finale correct course for you at all, or too little, too late? As much as I welcomed it, particularly some of the imagery, I'm not optimistic it could act as a panacea if the buildup essentially did nothing for you.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Did the finale correct course for you at all, or too little, too late? As much as I welcomed it, particularly some of the imagery, I'm not optimistic it could act as a panacea if the buildup essentially did nothing for you.

Didn’t end up watching it. But I should still have an appetite after dinner tonight.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Didn’t end up watching it. But I should still have an appetite after dinner tonight.

It will hopefully be a fine dessert of human... meat parts, uh cannibalism?... Ugh. I think they were trying to get Hannibal to slip up through puns. There's only so many euphemisms for eating people before you just come out and say it.

Alternative casting:

 

Oburi

All praise Grail
Funny thing about It's Always Sunny. Loved the first few seasons. Then it got kind of old and repetitive for a while. Then with the latest season suddenly it seemed fresh and funny again, even though it was the same basic formula. I think it's just the pure endurance with which the gang keeps plugging along year after year despite clearly getting older that makes it seem even more ridiculous. They clearly have a blast making the show together.
 
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix. I've watched two episodes and so far it's cool, I like the perspective of camera and look of it - a little bit blurred on the sides, giving it this strange vibe. But ofc it has downsides too so I'm not sure if this is good way to go. I don't know the source for this show - comic book - but I don't really like how witches are portrayed as these Satan worshipers, it probably must be source comic book for this show but I just don't know. Other than that, it's pretty fun to watch.
 
Trailer for Raised by Wolves on HBO Max - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAg6RTQEfeM

Synopsis - Mother was programmed to protect everyone after Earth had been destroyed. When the big bad wolf shows up, she is the one we must trust.

Ridley Scott's producing this and conceptually, it looks a bit like a recent Netflix movie - I am Mother. With Ridley though ... the storytelling might be hotch-potch :magni: ... I'll still check it out I think.
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
I'm pretty late, but The Last Dance is now on Netflix, and it's stunning.

I watched the entire thing in one go. I'm not really into basketball but reliving that level of pure greatness and uncompromising competitive spirit is awe inspiring.
 

jackson_hurley

even the horses are cut in half!
Dark : finished it yesterday. I enjoyed the show overall (mostly s1 and s2 are my favorite seasons). The last 3 episodes got a tiny bit on my nevres. The execution was a bit weird at some point. It felt to me that the show runners were inspired at some point by what happened in Fringed with the Peter Bishop storyline.. I'll have to rewatch the last season to really make my mind about it though.
 
I watched Lovecraft Country last night and thought it was pretty fun. The racist aspect of it had some pretty tense moments. Sometimes scary, sometimes funny.

The 'lovecraftian' part however, felt more B-movie-esque (not necessarily in a bad way, sort of more silly and fun). But as of right now I don't think it's doing Lovecraft justice at all. No real fear of the unknown, frightening atmosphere etc. Just weird monsters and violence. It felt closer to racist Scooby-Doo than Mountains of Madness.

That's not to say it won't. But fuck all really does and most things miss the point completely as it is.

So my overall opinion is, awesome show, just as of episode 1, not awesome 'Lovecraft'. Some interesting potential by the end of the episode though.
 

Looks... meh. They did that same stupid thing Berserk 2016 did where the characters are cel shaded but the monsters aren't, and it annoys me.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Just go play the game. This is inevitably going to suck.

Speaking of playing the game, you were 92% of the way through the show with the same name as this one:

msdos_Hannibal_1992_0.jpg


Did you stay true to form? :griffnotevil:
 
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Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Speaking of playing the game, you were 92% of the way through the show with the same name as this one:

I finished the first season and started the second, then stopped. Just didn’t do anything for me. It still feels like a slightly higher notched procedural.:shrug:

In other news though I’m close to the end of season three of Better Call Saul. I was quarantined after I had Covid symptoms, so I had a solid 2 days of doing nothing but having a fever (test came back negative last night).

Once the show finds its groove, it really does feel like an earnest continuation of Breaking Bad. It fills in the gaps of some of the better side characters, there are a lot of call backs and cameos (some subtle, some definitely not) for fans, and the comedy slots into the same dramatic irony as Breaking Bad. The fundamental difference is the trajectory of the show. Where BB had Walt as the maniacal force unifying every element and ripping things apart every season, in this show Saul shares almost equal screen time with Mike. And because it's a prequel with a very defined finish line that the whole audience is intimate with, neither of those characters are in a hurry to be there anytime soon. Still, it delivers more material for Mike to get into his sneaky, grouchy cowboy routine, what's not to like? So it's very deliberately paced, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But by the end of season 3, honestly not a whole lot has happened.

I ... guess I like it? I'm still watching it, and I'm eager to see the full Saul transformation. And of course, see Gus and Mike court each other. :casca:I think what I like most is that it's a smartly written show that doesn't feel very "showy" about it. There are hidden depths in what it chooses to show of its characters growing and changing, often subliminal, not overstated. But it doesn't inspire much passion, honestly. Still, Breaking Bad fans should (and likely have already :ganishka: ) check it out. It definitely resonated with me more than El Camino, in that regard.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I finished the first season and started the second, then stopped. Just didn’t do anything for me. It still feels like a slightly higher notched procedural.:shrug:

Well, I'm surprised you made it that far, I figured when you didn't write back that it just didn't happen. I can't say you didn't give it a fair shot. It's far more about exploitation and base entertainment than it is high brow themes (with perhaps one exception), so if you're not even getting fun out of that there's little point. To that exception though, since you've seen the beginning of season 2, you already have some idea how it will end, so you might just watch the last 20 minutes of the S2 finale to end on the Hannibal equivalent of the Eclipse ceremony. Might be a therapeutic bloodbath if you didn't like those characters. Of course, there's some pertinent developments along the way you'd be missing, about Will, Hannibal, and probably teacups, but you can do the math and it's the peak of the series if you potentially want some return on your investment. If not though, well that makes sense too! =)

In other news though I’m close to the end of season three of Better Call Saul. I was quarantined after I had Covid symptoms, so I had a solid 2 days of doing nothing but having a fever (test came back negative last night).

Damn dude, glad you're in the clear, but shit luck you had to go through that. Sorry man.

Once the show finds its groove, it really does feel like an earnest continuation of Breaking Bad. It fills in the gaps of some of the better side characters, there are a lot of call backs and cameos (some subtle, some definitely not) for fans, and the comedy slots into the same dramatic irony as Breaking Bad. The fundamental difference is the trajectory of the show. Where BB had Walt as the maniacal force unifying every element and ripping things apart every season, in this show Saul shares almost equal screen time with Mike. And because it's a prequel with a very defined finish line that the whole audience is intimate with, neither of those characters are in a hurry to be there anytime soon.

That's why the Jimmy show never hooked me despite the quality and fact that by the end Breaking Bad might have been the best experience watching a TV show I ever had. There was no urgency, inertia, or consistent dramatic action. It's all texture and no text, and was like seeing a model ship being built in a bottle; it might be beautiful and impressive craftsmanship, I even yearn to see it complete, but I sure don't want to watch it happen. I still want to see the Saul diorama finished someday, but it won't be as easy as it should have been.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Well, I'm surprised you made it that far, I figured when you didn't write back that it just didn't happen. I can't say you didn't give it a fair shot. It's far more about exploitation and base entertainment than it is high brow themes (with perhaps one exception), so if you're not even getting fun out of that there's little point.

I've had my fill :beast:

That's why the Jimmy show never hooked me despite the quality and fact that by the end Breaking Bad might have been the best experience watching a TV show I ever had. There was no urgency, inertia, or consistent dramatic action. It's all texture and no text, and was like seeing a model ship being built in a bottle; it might be beautiful and impressive craftsmanship, I even yearn to see it complete, but I sure don't want to watch it happen.

That's what made it the perfect "trapped in a room" show for me. I had put off catching up for years because of the lack of a natural propellant in the story. But with so much time on my hands, that hardly mattered. Instead of anxiously watching the minutes tick by as Mike uses a metal detector out in the desert, catching up on the day-to-day of Saul and Mike was like a warm blanket, because it's a very familiar feeling show. I do think you'd like it, because it's earnestly a continuation of what they started with Breaking Bad. You just have to get over the point you've already nailed — there is nearly nothing to gain or lose in the telling of this story, because these characters are in stasis.

One thing I didn't mention yet, mostly because it's been told to death, is that Michael McKean is at his career best in this show—particularly in Season 3. He outclasses everyone in his scenes to the extent that it's almost jarring (You... do realize this is a barely-watched prequel show, right Mike?).
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I've had my fill :beast:

But this scene will make you diarrhea blood (I'm past trying to be convincing =)!

That's what made it the perfect "trapped in a room" show for me. I had put off catching up for years because of the lack of a natural propellant in the story. But with so much time on my hands, that hardly mattered. Instead of anxiously watching the minutes tick by as Mike uses a metal detector out in the desert, catching up on the day-to-day of Saul and Mike was like a warm blanket, because it's a very familiar feeling show.

Breaking Bad had it's famous "bottle episode" the Fly, but this is its "bottle series!"

I do think you'd like it, because it's earnestly a continuation of what they started with Breaking Bad. You just have to get over the point you've already nailed — there is nearly nothing to gain or lose in the telling of this story, because these characters are in stasis.

I think I'd like it to honestly, it's just the matter of getting going and through it without that pull.

One thing I didn't mention yet, mostly because it's been told to death, is that Michael McKean is at his career best in this show—particularly in Season 3. He outclasses everyone in his scenes to the extent that it's almost jarring (You... do realize this is a barely-watched prequel show, right Mike?).

I actually hadn't heard that but it doesn't surprise me either. His big season one heel turn is still the highlight of the first two seasons for me.
 
Back when season 5 aired I checked this thread for anything BCS related and it turned out pretty much everyone here disliked the show, I’m glad you gave it a “second chance” Walter.

I think it’s a great show and tells us the story of Saul and Mike very well. While the character development (and the overall plot) can be very slow at times I still enjoy it a lot. Saul’s tragic relationship with his brother getting explored thoroughly is probably one of my favorite plot lines in the series. Shortening that would not have benefited the show.
Not only is Kevin McKean’s acting superb but also that of many other characters. Saul, Mike, Kim and Nacho (was too lazy to google all the actor’s names) are all very believing, as many others.
Nacho is probably my favorite “new” (I think his name was mentioned in BB) character in the series as his scenes are always interesting, he’s doing great acting and tragic lives storylines often attract me the most (what does that say about me? :ganishka:). There were quite a few nerve wrecking scenes with him. I hope BCS gives the actor the recognition he deserves, I want to see him in more movies and series.
The typical BB comedy isn’t missing in the show either. Especially with Saul you get a good portion of that, be it some comedic tragedy happening to him or one of his great (crazy) schemes he’s doing to get more clients. The tragic-comedic scenes often remind me of Walter (White, that is :troll:) and how he was portrayed.

I can see how watching it on a week to week basis might be too slow for some (much faster than Berserk’s pace with its recent release schedule :carcus:) but there’s 5 season’s worth of content and one’s free to wait for the season 6 finale to start watching.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Well, I finally fired up the season 3 premiere of Better Call Saul for the first time, years later, and I have to give it credit for consistency in its identity, as they immediately emphasize that Chuck's incriminating tape, the climatic cliffhanger of season 2, is of no legal value whatsoever (woo hoo, exciting =). I imagine he'll play it for enough people that it becomes public knowledge and get Jimmy in trouble that way, especially with Kim, or even get him to incriminate himself further. Anyway, I already don't remember what Jimmy did in this episode, more of him and Kim not clicking essentially because she's busy dealing with his misdeeds on her own. And the Mike stuff was cool, but again, dramatically speaking he couldn't just find the tracker, drain the battery, and then tail the guy the old fashioned way and find Gus halfway through the episode? This show is all about the means, not the end. =)
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Well, I finally fired up the season 3 premiere of Better Call Saul for the first time, years later, and I have to give it credit for consistency in its identity, as they immediately emphasize that Chuck's incriminating tape, the climatic cliffhanger of season 2, is of no legal value whatsoever (woo hoo, exciting =). I imagine he'll play it for enough people that it becomes public knowledge and get Jimmy in trouble that way, especially with Kim, or even get him to incriminate himself further. Anyway, I already don't remember what Jimmy did in this episode, more of him and Kim not clicking essentially because she's busy dealing with his misdeeds on her own. And the Mike stuff was cool, but again, dramatically speaking he couldn't just find the tracker, drain the battery, and then tail the guy the old fashioned way and find Gus halfway through the episode? This show is all about the means, not the end. =)

Better Call Saul is about as exciting as watching grandpa working on his Firebird engine. But hey, you get to hang out with grandpa! It builds character... :griffnotevil:
 
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