TV Shows

[DANGERMAN]

I've binged all of series 3 of From. It's still great, it actually kind of have some answers, but possibly doesn't matter in the slightest. I kind of hope the next series is the last, just to ensure they actually finish it 

[Maryokutai]

Watched that Black Doves show Nag mentioned a while ago. It's pretty decent, nothing groundbreaking for sure, but just a well done thriller with a good, but not overbearing sense of humour (Marvel really should hire some British writers). Went a bit too heavy on the flashbacks at times, which results in somewhat bloated 50min episodes, but otherwise I can't complain much, and at a total of six episodes it doesn't overstay its welcome either. 

[Nag]

Yeah I really enjoyed it... one thing nowadays too, choreography is so good they can make literally anyone in to a kick arse fighter... like who'd believe Keira Knightley would murder you in a fight yet it's completely believable in this.

[Pikman]

I would describe this as dumb fun. We also enjoyed it but went in knowing it was going to be nonsense, which helped a lot

[Pikman]

I re-started Ted Lasso last night after not enjoying it the first time.
I think watching it with my wife, who was likely on her phone and not really engaging didn't help.

I ended up watching 5 episodes back to back, LOVE it!!!

[Maryokutai]

I've started Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix but I'm not sure if I'll continue. It's about an Australien woman who scammed a truckload of people by convincing them that her natural healing products are so potent they cured her of cancer (which she lied about having). Based on a true story but this being from Netflix I'd imagine just the foundations of it is true and everything else a fantasy. 

 

It find it revolting to be honest. It's supposed to be a critique but on the way towards that ultimate goal you have to waddle through so much of her (and similar people's) leechy and scammy bullshit that it's hard to digest. To make matters worse the doctors are all played like villains and the rational people in the women's lives lose every argument. I've only started watching it because I really like Kaitlyn Dever (and in her defense she's great because she makes me despise her), but I think I'm over this whole schtick of putting real-life assholes on the pedestral for entertainment purposes. 

[shinymcshine]

On 23/01/2025 at 08:42, DANGERMAN said:

I've binged all of series 3 of From. It's still great, it actually kind of have some answers, but possibly doesn't matter in the slightest. I kind of hope the next series is the last, just to ensure they actually finish it 

 

Really enjoyed this show - got 3 episodes of Season 3 left to watch - but I too hope they have an endgame in sight - rather than dragging it out for too much longer (it seems to just get renewed season at a time - which does mean it could be left hanging one time unless they wrap it up).

[one-armed dwarf]

I just watched the first episode of Mussolini: Son of the Century. However the rest of the 8 episodes turn out, it's a hell of a first impression.

 

It's an Italian language drama which explains the roots of the Italian fascist party post the First World War. It's conceit is that it's this kind of House of Cards style drama, with Benito Mussolini himself addressing viewers as though this were proganda by him enticing you to become a fascist. Which i find a really interesting way to deal with this material, as fascism often works its way into people by this appeal to emotion. Again, it's all extremely ironic with the point its trying to make and is designed to make you feel uncomfortable

 

Its extremely stylish, possibly to a fault but I enjoy the way it does things. Its intercut with period appropriate B&W footage with those transitional irises they use in silent films. Other parts are much more incongruous but in an intentional way, like how the soundtrack pulses so violently and rhythmically. The whole thing reminds me of Fight Club a bit. I was really impressed with it and strongly recommend it.

 

As far as Italian history goes I know nothing, but they do a decent enough job with the 4th wall breaking to explain the geopolitics and social situation of this period of Italy. Apparently some stuff is made up to make the drama just work in this form

 

All 8 episodes are on NOW TV

[one-armed dwarf]

Here's the opening scene to that Mussolini series, sky put it on their youtube channel. I've not actually gotten into the rest yet, sort of have to be in the mood for it I think so I'm taking it slow. Obviously it's a spoiler from the first couple of minutes, but it shows the style they're going for here.

 

Also I consider this a crosspost with the politics thread lol

 

Spoiler

 

 

[one-armed dwarf]

Another list to get pissed off over. Best TV show performances of the century, with the odd caveat that if a series premiered in the previous century, like Sopranos, it doesn't get included. One performance per show

 

https://variety.com/lists/greatest-tv-performances/

 

I feel the Sopranos exclusion makes even less sense when Twin Peaks is on there. It's season 3, I don't care that people call it 'The Return' or whatever 😠

 

Rhea Seehorn is great in Saul tho

 

I ended up pretty lukewarm on The Leftovers, but looking back a bit I think I got that one wrong. It's sort of like what if LOST was more on point with its storytelling, and wasn't left run so many seasons

[Maryokutai]

Seen very little of what's in that list but Leftovers is on my watchlist because I've come to really like Carrie Coon in whatever she's in (and she's an excellent conversationist in interviews, always fun to listen to her).

 

Kaitlyn Dever sitting a bit low for Unbelievable I think, that was a phenomenal performance IMO. Surprised to see Kyle Chandler so high up, never seen a particularly outstanding role from him, but I also have't seen this Friday Night Lights series (doubt I ever will, just not into the whole sports theme).

[mmmark]

Leftovers is so so good even though in my head it didn’t go in the direction I wanted. 
 

S04e04 of mythic quest is great. Tbh the whole show is great.

[shinymcshine]

I've been rewatching the IT Crowd on D+

 

It's a bit hit and miss, some episodes fantastic, some truly unremarkable - but I did note a couple of things.

 

An episode has been removed (S3 Ep 4 'The Speech') which for me was notable as it's the one where Roy & Moss give Jen 'the internet' in a box - but it did contain some anti transgender remarks and violence, which coupled with Graeme Linehan's later trans outburst means it's now deemed unsuitable for viewing.

 

https://screenrant.com/it-crowd-controversy-graham-linehan-april-transphobic-bad/

 

However, what's still in a later episode (S4, Eo 2 'The Final Countdown', originally aired in 2010) is Roy's t-shirt, that didn't age well either (Harris convicted in 2014).

 

[one-armed dwarf]

These aren't really comparable though. Anyway I've never got IT Crowd, never even got to this episode (or the Rofl Harris one). It's just like, really really broad? It reminds me of Mrs Browns Boys or something like that, but with computer jokes.

 

I think the one I liked was the one with a gay musical or something.

 

As far as Glinner's TV goes it's Fr Ted and the first season of Black Books, I like these a lot. Particularly the episode where they drink really really expensive wine and have to make their own and how they setup the Igor joke

[mmmark]

I loved IT Crowed the one time I went through them all donkeys years ago. It’s definitely nothing like or as bad as Mrs Browns Boys though. 

[DANGERMAN]

I'd play down Glinner's association with Black Books. He's credited as script editor but Dylan Moran has since come out and said he didn't do a lot. He apparently has a bit of form for demanding credit for stuff he didn't do a lot of 

[HandsomeDead]

I had the box set of Black Books and even at the time I had a guy at work insist that it was a Linehan joint as much as Ted and IT Crowd but he's barely credited.  It's weird he has such an association with it.

 

The IT Crowd while very broad and has that old fashioned studio sitcom quality it does have a strangeness that elevates it thanks to the cast.  But I think in our time of the world destroying tech bro the nerd isn't as affable as they once were.

[one-armed dwarf]

I'm rewatching Sopranos, hence my youtube recommends getting all mobbed up. I've rewatched the first couple season a few times but it's interesting always to revisit cause seeing it as a teenager I registered it as a mob show, which it is. But watching it now it's also about our obsession with the mob as a cultural artifact, a form of violent myth-making much like the western. At least in its first season anyway, and it captures really well the tension between Tony's different lives or personas or whatever you want to call it, being a family man and a Don and the way they use that to make such a terrible person sympathetic. It's still very satirical and funny, even if this type of TV show anti-hero protagonist got way too overused in the noughties. But they did it better here than they did with Walter White, there's just way more to it beyond the surface which I never felt was the case with Breaking Bad (Better Call Saul is just better)

[mmmark]

I’ve started Slow Horses. Pretty good but it’s gotten a bit complex like 4 episodes in. I’m thick admittedly. 

[radiofloyd]

On 23/02/2025 at 07:38, Maryokutai said:

Seen very little of what's in that list but Leftovers is on my watchlist because I've come to really like Carrie Coon in whatever she's in (and she's an excellent conversationist in interviews, always fun to listen to her).

 

Kaitlyn Dever sitting a bit low for Unbelievable I think, that was a phenomenal performance IMO. Surprised to see Kyle Chandler so high up, never seen a particularly outstanding role from him, but I also have't seen this Friday Night Lights series (doubt I ever will, just not into the whole sports theme).

Been a while since I watched FNL but I think I’ve watched it through twice. I loved it at the time, it’s more about human relationships than sports, and it has an excellent soundtrack by Explosions in the Sky.