Topic: The TV Show Thread

@KALofKRYPTON If your take on Batwoman turns out to align with my personal opinion of the show when I inevitably watch it, then I'll owe you the tenner back for the warning. Let's call it quits!

@ralphdibny I think a lot of modern television suffers from the same constraints you list for Arrow. The popularisation of serialised storytelling has led to many expositional recaps taking up most of an episode's runtime, because writers / producers / networks live in fear of their shows being described as "inaccessible" to casual audiences. 24 was a major culprit in this regard, but I adored it all the same (because after explaining everything for the third time, they'd pull a major twist, end on a cliffhanger or blow something up... sometimes, all three at once).

Supporting casts also help a lot, especially in comic book shows named after their protagonists. Supergirl and the Flash are known constants, and I'm sure DC and WB have agreements about how much they can deviate from the source material, which are probably quite restrictive. It's good to know they're surrounded by interesting original characters, thanks!

Also, I've no problem with shows recycling particular turns of phrase, as evidenced by this rather marvelous super-cut from my favourite TV show of all time:

Since we're in the television topic, I will say that the highpoint for the Gungans come in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, when they manage to become the only people in the galaxy who've ever captured General Grievous, via the heroic self-sacrifice of Captain Tarpals. A lot of people complained about it underserving Grievous ("Oh, he got beat by Gungans, how stupid!") but I see it as reinforcing and championing the Gungan Grand Army, working to deconstruct the common misconception that those with the most awesome-looking, expensive technology must always win (see also: Ewoks, the Vietcong, etc.) and elevating everyday heroism. But that's just me!

@LN78 On the slim off-chance that you haven't blocked me, and can still read my posts, I sincerely apologise for the obvious frustration I've caused you.

I always replied to you semi-flippantly because, as words on a page with no verbal tone or inflections, I always took your replies with tongue planted firmly in cheek. It's clear that, on the contrary, you take this quite seriously (which is important to recognise; some may just dismiss movies, TV shows and games as "stuff" but I know first-hand how strong a connection people can make with it all) and I'm therefore sorry if I've inadvertently made anything worse, or seemed to be exaggerating anything deliberately. That was never my intention.

Thank you for taking the time to explain everything, and hope this finds you well.

@ralphdibny ah I forgot about Titans. It has its moments, but they are few and far between. I think more than anything, it's just disappointing and tends to drag along.

@RogerRoger I'll take it in Neelix murder tributes!

@RogerRoger voyager took a good while to get good I think, it's probably my least favourite Trek but still has some of my favourite characters in it. I think maybe arrows repeated dialogue is a bit more inexcusable because it is to do with emotional self realisation rather than the matter at hand which the voyager super cut seems to be about.

I always wanted to make a super cut of Riker putting one foot up on the con with his crotch in Data's face. That always made me laugh.

@KALofKRYPTON I'm about half way through doom Patrol now and it is bloody good, a million times better than Titans. It's like a cross between runaways, legends of tomorrow and legion and it is the sum of all it's parts

@ralphdibny I saw some of Doom Patrol. It was good, but I just found Cyborg's budget look too distracting 😂
Have you finished season 2 of Titans?

Also, I assume you've seen this?

@KALofKRYPTON haha nah I haven't seen that, as a larger person I can relate to his unique ways of physically interacting with the world around him (and occasionally causing starships to explode as a result)

Cyborg does look weird, it's mainly the head piece not going all the way to the middle of his head and the way it pushes his scalp down on the top but leaves a gap between the scalp and the head piece at the back. I quite like the characterisation though, it's basically the opposite of the mopey Cyborg from the JL film. But it's not like he's the stand out character, the Doom Patrol steal the scene every second they are on screen.

Nah I haven't seen season 2 at all yet. Probably just going to watch them in the order they came out, so Swamp Thing next and Titans S2 after that. Fudge knows if they are all related but I'd watch them all anyway so it doesn't matter.

@ralphdibny It has something to do with a previous injury Frakes had I think.

Season 2 of Titans is no better really. There are a handful of brilliant scenes though, and
Natalie Gumede makes for a great Mercy.

I hope you enjoy Swamp Thing. Best DC TV show so far. I still can't really get why it got cancelled.

So after last week's really rather terrible plastics episode of Doctor Who, this week we get a slightly better mental health episode. It was still bursting with eye rolling moments, crap villains ultimately easily dispatched but certainly a better thing on the whole compared to last week.

Something I noticed about this week's episode, and thinking back, something true of a lot of 13's run in general, is that the show seems to have quite a problem with pacing and structure.
Episodes generally lack a traditional story act structure, and as a consequence of that - there's no determinate pacing at any point. Rather than the stories unfolding, things just happen as if they're being read out monotonously with no change in speed, inflection or emphasis.

The trailer for next week looks promising though.

@KALofKRYPTON I hope so too, I weren't sure if it was going to be good, I did read something about studio interference and the episode count being cut mid season. Ah well I guess I'll find out soon enough!

@ralphdibny It's a proper drama. Really nicely structured, produced, written and directed. The cast are all good too.

It's mostly a take on Alan Moore's run on the comics I think, truly criminal it was cut short. It was meant to have kicked off a Justice League Dark bunch of shows. I could totally get on board with Deadman, Zatana and Etrigan shows!

@KALofKRYPTON nice, even just a team based JL dark show would be awesome!

@LN78 Come on, that is completely uncalled for. There is absolutely no need to be so unpleasant to @RogerRoger. He's an ace guy, always respectful and is perfectly entitled to enjoy whatever films, games or TV programmes he pleases. If it makes him happy, so what? And if you happen to disagree with his views you can do so respectfully if you so desire, but being so nasty is not on. If it bothers you that much then perhaps you are the problem.

@LN78 Yeah it wasn't cool, maybe you should have just kept it brief and not gone into so much detail, as it came across as quite scathing. He is only being himself and not his fault you do not like the way he comes across on the forum. It is good that you've apologised but maybe bite your tongue the next time you feel the need to do something like that.

Anyone else here watch Vikings? I feel like season 6 has been a bit disappointing except for the last couple of episodes. And it could being great again or it could be a GoT season 8 from what I've heard about that.
That last episode for the mid-season finale really put things back in gear for now though.

I may've read the masked songer (I assume it's meant to be singer) as The Masked Snogger at first @Arugula. That would be quite a different show indeed!

... Wouldn't be surprised if it did exist though somewhere 😂

The Masked Singer is bizarre. It feels like a fake TV show you'd see in The Purge films or something.

@Ralizah I wish all shows like that would get purged. Not that I watch any of them, but I get annoyed at just hearing about them. And don't get me started on Gogglebox. For the life of me I do not understsnd the appeal of something like that.

@Arugula @Ralizah @JohnnyShoulder
I got roped into watching the “Masked Singer” season premiere after the Super Bowl and I quite enjoyed it. Then when I tried to watch the second episode I was already so over it and bored of the clowns on there (Jenny McCarthy looks great but you can only tolerate so much of that Dr Kim guy). I didn’t even make it to the end. Once you know the celebrities in the masks are washed up people desperately hanging on their precious fading notoriety to try to re-kickstart their dying careers, it’s less fun. Also, the show requires too much knowledge of pop culture icons and I just couldn’t relate.

I'm looking forward to the new season of Castlevania next month. First two seasons were a lot of fun.

@Jaz007
Watched all of Vikings except for the latest season, not started that one yet.

Anyone checked put The Expanse? Well worth a look if you love science fiction space drama. This has got great characters and plenty of excitement going on, but at the same time the physics and the science are really on point, far more than most.

@LieutenantFatman I still need to watch the last episode of Castlevania season 2. Season 3 should be great.
And let me know what you think of season 6 of Viking if you remember after watching, I'm curious to hear other opinions about it.