@ralphdibny Yep, that's part of the problem, too. I think Disney+ was my "bridge too far" moment, when I simply couldn't keep up with everything on my many watchlists. I still have Amazon Prime (for the delivery convenience more than anything, although they have Picard, a.k.a. the only new Star Trek which really interests me) and Disney+ is an embarrassment of nerdy riches, so Netflix simply wasn't getting a look-in. I was gonna cancel it anyway, but then they announced the price hike, and £16 a month is simply too much to spend on something I barely use any more.
I did try a couple of Netflix heavy-hitters before I made the decision, just in case. I could barely watch the first episode of Altered Carbon (kept having to look away from its gratuitous and immature "streaming edgyness" so turned it off after half an hour) and The Umbrella Academy seemed to be nothing more than hipster X-Men stereotypes and a scarily good CGI monkey.
So I don't think I'm gonna be missing anything. Can always grab a month for anything specific.
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@RogerRoger Picard is finally out on blu ray this month too!
There are far too many streaming services and I hear it's much worse over in America. I didn't know Netflix was so expensive now, I use my dad's account for it so I wonder if he will cancel it soon. I might rush to watch the new series of Disenchanted just in case. Otherwise yeah, it's mainly trash you just put on when your bored. I've watched all of the marvel shows and they're not making any more.
I couldn't get very far into Altered Carbon either, it was the narration that did it in for me. It looks interesting and I like the lead actor so I'd be willing to give it a try some day. I've heard umbrella academy is good so again, i'd be willing to give it a try but I've never been a fan of Elliot page films (except X men 3) and I can't stand that Robert Sheehan guy ever since all those e4 adverts of him smashing his head into a locker on that programme misfits which I never watched. So it doesn't have a lot to tempt me except the positive word of mouth. I haven't read the books either, I've read the milk wars JLA/doom Patrol crossover that Gerard way did for DC but it was confusing and a bit unoriginal in its concept so again, not so keen on watching an adaptation of another of his works!
Out of the new Doctor Who, I'd say Peter Capaldi is my favourite. David Tennant is a very close second. And Christopher Eccleston is narrowly behind in third, who I think is the most underappreciated of the new doctors.
@RogerRoger@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy So I made it through “Dalek” and I think it’s probably the best of the 3 episodes I’ve watched... although that is faint praise indeed.
The Dalek was a weird creature (?) for sure and I do have to say that it was still plenty corny with the voice and the sucker and all. Actually, the best part was when the creature opened the metal casing and exposed itself to the sun and basically surrendered its life. For a brief moment the show actually resonated with me. Yet the campy rendition of Sci-Fi permeated through the episode aplenty, with the relatively nonsensical plot holes and logic defying character reactions. I’m probably coming across overly critical, which I apologize for, but perhaps I’m not in the right state of mind. 😄
Something you both said made me question— Are Dalek’s actually a thing in the UK? I’ve never heard of one before.
Anyways, I’m not sure the show inspired me with adoration yet, but I’m going to try a Tennant episode. However, when I look at the episodes, it looks like he actually appears at the end of season 1. Is this correct? I’m strictly going from the thumbnail photo of the episode but it looks like season 1, episode 13 “The Parting of Ways” has him there. Should I jump to that episode or straight to season 2, episode 1 “New Earth”? (Speaking of thumbnails for the episodes, I can’t help but notice a picture of Dalek, or a Dalek, also present in the photo attributed to “The Parting of Ways”, so I guess he/she/it makes a comeback)
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@RogerRoger Oh, and I will say (because I can’t remember if I said much about it on here) that Umbrella Academy is actually pretty good. It is a little bit like an X-men knockoff, but it’s an infinitely more dysfunctional bunch. The entertainment is largely from the flawed and broken aspects of the family. Anyways, it is quite enjoyable once you get past the first couple episodes where you’re trying to learn each of the characters.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution I guess he “appears” in the final episode of the first series of the reboot as that’s when the regeneration occurs (you know about that whole thing right?).
It was essentially a teaser that he would be the new doctor when the next series started so there’s not much you’ll miss there.
Ha ha I actually started watching Doctor Who last night @Th3solution because of this talk with you in particular and ended up watching the same three episodes as you so far.
I also knew as soon as I saw it again you'd find the Dalek's voice funny... I did think you might find the portrayal of americans in it a bit silly too
Good to see it managed to strike a chord with you sol even if a bit brief! We're making progress!
"The Parting Of Ways" is actually a two parter episode with the previous episode "Bad Wolf" with Tennant only appearing in the last few seconds of "The Parting Of Ways".
Probably best you jump over to Tennant's run in earnest Sol for the time being... The first episode that actually has him/introduces him properly is "The Christmas Invasion" (I'm not sure how cheesy/corny you'd find it though)
If you don't have that episode ... Then you might wanna try "The Girl In The Fireplace"? It's skipping over a number of episodes I know but I'm trying to find one that'll hopefully win you over that you'll consider less campy and corny then some of the others... 😅
@Th3solution Yeah, right out of the gate, I've got to agree with @Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy and recommend you skip the overlong Christmas special and wonky opener to a better Tennant episode, like "Tooth and Claw" or "The Girl in the Fireplace" (because those would be the first episodes you'll have watched which go backwards in time; some of the best Doctor Who episodes are historical, and the blueprint for authenticity set by mappable history is easier to follow than its attempts to replicate big-budget futuristic sci-fi, which we've all seen done better and more convincingly elsewhere).
That is, if you're determined to continue. It could be that Doctor Who just isn't your thing. Heck, it's unquestionably one of the more esoteric examples of the genre, and I know many geeks and nerds who simply don't like it because of its hyperactive inability to pick a lane, so to speak. The fault isn't with you (even though I gather you're under a lot of stress at the moment, which I'm sorry to read about from elsewhere; double kudos for trying something new amidst all that).
But if you're absolutely determined to fall for the show, then perhaps you should skip even further (with apologies to the resident Tennant fans, myself included) and start at the beginning of Season Five, a.k.a. Matt Smith's first episode. By that point, production values had soared, and Smith's casting, coupled with a deliberate slap of the reset button from the outset, new companion and everything, was a deliberate move to make the show more attractive to international audiences. His debut year is quite strong, from what I recall, and was certainly much more of a polished product (for want of a better phrase).
Also yes, Daleks are a thing. Have been since the show started. There were three big cultural "manias" in 60s Britain: Beatlemania, Bondmania, and Dalekmania. They often appear as the most recognisable shorthand to represent the show (most recently in The LEGO Batman Movie).
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@Th3solution Thanks for the thoughts on The Umbrella Academy, by the way. Despite my personal reaction to it, I think I'd recommend @ralphdibny check it out; I actually thought Elliot Page was giving a great performance in those opening episodes (the entire cast did well, that wasn't my problem). The characters are highly dysfunctional and conflicted, and I think that's what dragged me down a little. Under different circumstances I might've stuck around, but I just couldn't find the energy at the time.
Ralph, I've also got the Picard steelbook on pre-order, and am planning a re-watch once I've finished trawling through Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Disney+ (speaking of which, I'm so glad we're getting all of the incoming 20th Century Fox content folded in to that service; I feel sorry for Americans who have to pay for a disjointed Disney / Hulu / ESPN bundle).
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
I figured the Kung Fu monks that appear in that episode alongside the werewolf might've been a bit silly (As I even found that a bit daft) to sol hence why I didn't recommend that episode @RogerRoger... It's a bit hard to guage what he'd find goofy or not though I know especially with everyone else here being big fans of the show 😄
And as for him skipping right to the 5th series... Lol that's where I said for Sol to start in the first place when he said he liked Sherlock so much as I figured with Moffat taking over he'd get more similar vibes from it
Previously known as Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy
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"You don't have to save the world to find meaning in life. Sometimes all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of"
@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy That's true, you did! Having never watched Sherlock, that didn't occur to me.
There was an element of ridiculousness about "Tooth and Claw", you're right, but I remember the werewolf being impressive and the atmosphere pretty decent, so thought it might demonstrate another facet of the show (namely the horror vibe it often aims for) whilst still being early enough in Tennant's run for things to potentially click. You're right, though, it's a really interesting (and tricky) thought exercise, recommending Doctor Who to another culture. There's so much inherent Britishness that we just accept willingly, even if we're rolling our eyes at it. The whole show's one big in-joke at times!
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@Thrillho I think I know about regeneration, although I’m just assuming some things. I have pieced together that the alien being that is the Doctor inhabits various human forms. I just don’t know if it’s as a result of the previous form dying, or if it’s some kind of purposeful evolution or voluntary invasion of someone’s body, or if there’s some other time limit of each physical form.
@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Lol, yeah I thought the voice was pretty goofy alright. It reminded me of the little boy’s voice in The Shining. “Redrum... Redrum” 😅
And the Americans in the episode were certainly unintentionally humorous in their own way. But it fit with the overall camp and datedness of the series. (“I own the internet...” 😂)
Maybe I need to do “The Christmas Invasion” because I did see that one listed. I feel like I need to see Tennant get introduced as the Doctor even if the episode isn’t up to the better standards that follow. I’ll let you know how I get along. 😄
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Not a fan of Sherlock myself @RogerRoger but with Moffat (and Mark Gatiss) running (and I think writing the entire thing too?) there I figured with Moffat at the helm of Series five of Doctor Who (And for the reasons you said of the bigger budget, the more international focus and the likes) it seemed like the better entry point for Sol to ween him into it.
Oh I really quite like "Tooth & Claw" and I think the werewolf was particularly well done compared to some of the other CGI effects/Monsters there's been over the years and it nails the more horror-y vibe the episode has too. Plus that DOES bring in the start of the Torchwood arc and - ... Oh lord Doctor Who is way more interconnected then I gave it credit for ... The Girl In the Fireplace can thankfully be taken as a one off episode!
Previously known as Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy
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"You don't have to save the world to find meaning in life. Sometimes all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of"
@RogerRoger Sorry, my friend - I just now saw your post after writing that above. Yeah, the headspace I’m in atm is weird anyways, so I don’t mind a little trial and error on a couple Who episodes. Namely because my gaming mojo has taken a hit, and so I’ve been dabbling more into TV. I think the fact that it’s more passive and requires less energy as a form of escapism is why I’m gravitating toward TV and movies instead of gaming. Anyways, thanks a ton for all the recommendations. I’ll certainly post thoughts.
And yes — The Umbrella Academy is an acquired taste due the initial frustration of the dysfunctional family dynamic of the characters. But one thing it does is really provide strong characters of wide representation with plenty of diversity. Interestingly I noticed the credits changed from “Ellen” to “Elliot” in the second season (probably have retroactively changed the first season by now) It’s easy to spot because he’s the first name in the end credits usually.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
The fact you're willing to keep engaging with the series despite not fully getting on with it so far is promising @Th3solution even if you end up deciding it's not for you.
At least you can agree it's better then Marmite!
Previously known as Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy
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"You don't have to save the world to find meaning in life. Sometimes all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of"
@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy 😂 Ahhhh, marmite... I’ve suppressed that traumatic experience.
I still have my jar of it. I think the shelf life is like 3 years or something (probably because it has some ungodly preservatives that add to the putrid taste) so I could always open it back up and eat it while watching Doctor Who to get the full effect. I wonder if it will enhance the experience or exponentially nauseate me. 🤔
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
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