Topic: The TV Show Thread

@JohnnyShoulder

So I was on the fence about The Mandalorian after season 1. I thought it was fine but very overrated... I did think it started to get good towards the season’s culmination though. The shows main strength for me at that time was that it at the very least ‘felt’ like Star Wars, unlike the prequel and sequel trilogies.

I did enjoy season 2 though, particularly the last 4 episodes. The reason my enjoyment increased is they strayed away from the ‘monster-of-the-week’ formula from early on and just bit the bullet and went all out fan-service. From the ‘The Jedi’ ep on I was fully engaged and that finale was very good. Felt like a conclusive end though, so quite surprised that there will be a season 3. Hopefully they will explore some of the Heir to the Empire trilogy that was briefly teased in the ‘The Jedi’ episode.

@colonelkilgore It took me a few episodes to warm to in the first season. Like you, I appreciated it felt more like the original Star Wars film with what seems like more physical effects being used and with some episodes feeling like the old western films i used to watch with my dad.

I didn't mind the Monster Hunter episodes but was also glad not every episode was like that and later episodes were more like a space/planetary action drama like in the films.

I was ok with all the fan service bits early on as it was all pretty low key stuff, like droids and vehicles from toy ranges and earlier films. But with the second season they upped the ante, with characters popping up from the cartoons and original films. I was fine with this upto a point having never watched the cartoons so that is all new to me. But when they drop in a character from the original films for what seems to the sole purpose of them staring in a new series, I'm not so keen.

Overall I have enjoyed Mando over both seasons and it has restored my faith in Star Wars. I am willing to be quite open minded with the new stuff and take them for what they are. But alarm bells have started to ring with the shear volume of new shows they noticed, and I fear they will be come over saturated and interconnected like with with the Disney Marvel stuff. Of course it is going to be crazy popular and makes Disney huge amounts of money. But that doesn't mean i have to be on board with what they are doing.

@JohnnyShoulder

I get you... and you deffo have the right to be onboard with whatever you like. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the Marvel movies, so from my point of view some inter connectivity (if done tastefully and for the purpose of adding to character and narrative rather than ‘jumping the shark’) is a good thing.

As a massive fan of Star Wars for almost 40 years, I’m just glad that the ‘brand’ seems to be edging back to the track which I feels suits it best.

@colonelkilgore I enjoyed most of the Marvel films but ended up getting fed up of all the inter connectivity towards the end. My favourite ones are non Disney too, Logan and Deadpool. Can't say I'm looking forward to many of the new shows or films either, but I think I'm a little burnt out on them at this stage.

@JohnnyShoulder

Two great movies for sure but it all comes down to personal taste of course. For me:

1. Endgame - you obviously have to have a pretty in-depth knowledge of all 21 movies that came before it to get the ‘absolute’ most from it (there are just so many clever call backs) but that final 45 minutes or so... I literally thought my heart was gonna explode through having to deal with adrenaline overload.

2. Captain American: The Winter Soldier - just the quintessential Marvel movie for me, tight but deep narrative and franchise best performances for Nick Fury, Bucky and Black Widow... ‘maybe’ for Cap too but that scene with Mjolnir during Endgame just (probably) swings it for me through joygasm.

3. Logan - great movie, great character piece and great culmination to Jackman’s (and Stewart’s) almost 20 year take on the character(s).

Finished watching season one of Sweet Home on Netflix recently. Really neat show with some killer monster designs and decent post-apocalyptic drama. It's apparently the first Korean show to hit the top ten on Netflix in the United States, so it's cool to see something evolve from a simple webtoon to an international hit on the world's largest streaming platform. I even watched it with my mother, and I'd have bet money against her ever being willing to watch an asian show like this.

@Ralizah Is it related to the Japanese horror movie and NES classic of the same name?

@nessisonett Nope. Could possibly be a reference by the original author, but I'm guessing it's just pure coincidence, since they're nothing alike otherwise.

I watched through The Thick Of It and In the Loop this week and they are so funny. I know it's dark satire but there were moments that just had me creasing up. I'd seen In the Loop before but it's much funnier when it's watched in the context of The Thick of it. I feel like the UK govts policies, backtracking and general perceived chaos kind of make a bit more sense now that I've seen this show.

There's an American show called Veep made by the same guy (Armando Ianucci) that is kind of a follow up/adaptation with some of the same actors from In The Loop so I'll definitely be watching that when it rejoins one of my streaming subs

Mr Inbetween... a cracking little Australian show. I don’t really watch much comedy as I have quite a dark sense of humour that not much in the mainstream even gets near. This show cracked me up regularly though. The tales of a half-decent Ozzie career-criminal (does a bit of everything beyond the law really) and how his ageing sensibilities and morality clashes with the current age and his criminal life. Brilliant!

@ralphdibny Excellent show. I first saw it after he was in Doctor Who, so all the way through i couldn't get outta my head that Malcom Tucker would go back into his Tardis at the end of each episode.

@JohnnyShoulder haha, yeah it's a bit weird to think of the Doctor being so foul mouthed when he's moonlighting as a government spin doctor.

I just looked up to see if he'd played any other kind of doctor and found out he's actually going to be in the new suicide squad film playing the thinker

@RogerRoger I need to check those videos out, they sound really funny

I finally caught up on Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2, man what a ride. I had already been spoilered about most of the surprises sadly, but still had a fun time watching them being played out!

I'm planning to start binge watching the rest of the Arrowverse asap next, starting with Black Lightning: Season 2.

Other than that, just waiting for Wandavision to come out, super excited to see MCU's first Disney+ live action series.

@ralphdibny Some of his other comedy shows are quite surreal but hilarious.

The Armando Ianucci Show was a weird sort of sketch show and I loved the recurring character of Hugh.

Time Trumpet was another one from the mid noughties which satired those shows where celebs reminisce about the events of years but it was set in the future and looked back on years in the late noughties. Quite weird but hilarious.

Check them out if you like his work. They are a bit more out there than the stuff you mention!

@KidBoruto

I gave up on the Arrowverse around 4 or 5 seasons into Arrow and 2 seasons into The Flash. I do kinda want to watch the seasonal cross-over events... but would feel like I’m missing out on so much of what had led up to them that I doubt it would be worth it.

I’m looking forward to the Disney+ Marvel shows too, pretty much all of them sound interesting but out of the ones that have had trailers, Loki really grabbed my interest.

Just finished Bridgerton, period shows aren’t generally my cup of tea but it was okay. The missus loved it though so there is that... and for all the shows and films she has had to watch that are more my thing I’m glad she enjoyed it.

@colonelkilgore Yeah, my mum and sister have both binged it already. My sister’s in a bubble with my grandparents at the moment and they all sat and watched it together, which makes me cringe as it did get rather saucy in places 😬

@nessisonett

🤣 While I wouldn’t say it gets ‘crazy’... I’d certainly rather not watch it with the grand parents! 🤣

@colonelkilgore That whole storyline about the ‘pull out method’ must have been a nightmare 😂

Trust me I understand how repetitive and never ending the Arrowverse can be...that's partly how I fell so far behind lol. Especially with the annual crossover events that require you to be completely caught up on all the shows.

Loki's trailer was very hype! I'm curious what the TVA will be exactly. Also looking forward to The Falcon and the Winter Solider.

Glad to hear you'll be giving WandaVision a chance! Hope you enjoy it enough to check out the other MCU series (Falcon & Winter Solider, Loki, What If... etc)