ATD Chat Thread XVIII

[Sturminator]

I only watch Beavis and Butthead.

 

[Professor What]

Glad to see the love for Corner Gas. I don't remember how I stumbled across the show originally, but very glad I did. Got it all on DVD now.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I only watch Beavis and Butthead.

Say what you want about B&B, I actually have the DVDs at home

If you're gonna watch only one thing, that should be it.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I just had the same reaction!
I have seen every Columbo episode at least two or three times. And the original Hawaii 5-0. And Simon & Simon.

And I forgot about The Flintstones!

Me too, saw every Columbo multiple times. The series has a calming effect.

I can only watch The Flintstones with Quebec French voices. They remind me of my childhood, and the guy doing Fred has that deep, ancestral Quebec voice that reaches the soul.

 

[BenchBrawl]

One thing The Shield nailed is the ending. Much better ending than Breaking Bad, Sopranos, Wire, Dexter and all the other comparable series.

Vic Mackay's confession scene was deeply satisfying.

 

[seventieslord]

Say what you want about B&B, I actually have the DVDs at home

If you're gonna watch only one thing, that should be it.

saw you mentioned TPB earlier in the thread. I am a longtime TPB loyalist - 20 years now! I stumbled upon it late one night on Showcase and was hooked about two years before anyone else knew what the hell it was.

the one time I can truly say "I liked them before they were cool".

I got my mom into them, my dad, my girlfriend at that time, my wife, my stepdad, dozens of friends.... my daughter's just 11 so it's a bit too much for her but she's watched this video multiple times...

 

[BenchBrawl]

saw you mentioned TPB earlier in the thread. I am a longtime TPB loyalist - 20 years now! I stumbled upon it late one night on Showcase and was hooked about two years before anyone else knew what the hell it was.

the one time I can truly say "I liked them before they were cool".

I got my mom into them, my dad, my girlfriend at that time, my wife, my stepdad, dozens of friends.... my daughter's just 11 so it's a bit too much for her but she's watched this video multiple times...

Yeah I remember talking about this with you a few years ago. The entire cast of characters was incredible. I also found it by accident, I don't remember when exactly.

My favorite character will forever be Ray, living in the dump. That's the way she goes.

 

[VanIslander]

The only scene from TPBs i have ever seen was linked by someone and was impressive:

"Is it you or the liquor talking?"
"Randy,... I AM the liquor."

But I have never pursued watching an episode because it seems hillbilly, Appalachian like, and probably as crude as B&B or Cops or that Jersey housewives show, whatever its called.

 

[Sturminator]

But I have never pursued watching an episode because it seems hill billy, Appalachian like, and probably as crude as B&B or Cops.

Philistine.

Beavis & Butthead and Cops have nothing in common.

 

[BenchBrawl]

B&B is a religious experience.

 

[The Macho King]

One thing The Shield nailed is the ending. Much better ending than Breaking Bad, Sopranos, Wire, Dexter and all the other comparable series.

Vic Mackay's confession scene was deeply satisfying.

Amazing ending I'll definitely agree.

 

[VanIslander]

Philistine.

Beavis & Butthead and Cops have nothing in common.

1. Philistine? Lol. That's a first. I have never been accused of not appreciating art and culture. (And coming from a guy who says he "only" watches B&B.)

2. As i stated, what those two shows have in common is a lot of crudeness, and rudeness. I don't smile at things nasty or mean.

 

[seventieslord]

1. Philistine? Lol. That's a first. I have never been accused of not appreciating art and culture. (And coming from a guy who says he "only" watches B&B.)

2. As i stated, what those two shows have in common is a lot of crudeness, and rudeness. I don't smile at things nasty or mean.

It's crude but it's not cruel. There's a real down to earth human warmth to it all that's really hard to describe, but it's there.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

It's crude but it's not cruel. There's a real down to earth human warmth to it all that's really hard to describe, but it's there.

I thought you were avoiding this section

 

[seventieslord]

I thought you were avoiding this section

chat thread is ok.

 

[seventieslord]

Shows that have brought me the most enjoyment over the years. Hard to rank but these come to mind, thinking back all the way to age 10:

Inspector Gadget
Animaniacs
The Simpsons
(EDIT) The Wonder Years
SNL
Trailer Park Boys
Sopranos
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones (last 2 seasons are absolute balls though, like, so bad that it almost knocks it off the list)
The Office (US)
The Office (UK)
Better Call Saul

trying to keep it a small list, but honorable mentions go to so many shows including many that were listed in here: The Wire, Dexter, Flintstones, Family Guy, Fresh Prince, It's Always Sunny, Seinfeld, Kids in the Hall, Eastbound and Down, Silicon Valley, Veep, Six Feet Under, (EDIT) Degrassi Jr. High and Degrassi High.

BCS is the only current show (with an actual story arc) in the above list, but it belongs there no matter what. A handful of current shows have the chance to leave a mark that gets them onto one of the above lists: The Handmaid's Tale, Barry, Succession, Mayor of Kingstown.

In case you're wondering how I didn't mention Oz, Prizon Break, Lost or The Shield... haven't seen them yet.

I've always liked B&B, it just wouldn't be fair to rank it among other shows I've seen hundreds of times. i had very little opportunity to watch it growing up.

 

[ImporterExporter]

1. Seinfeld
-Larry David and Jerry are legends. This sitcom, IMO, blows the lid off the entire genre. Perfectly cast, Jason Alexander being the only one to never win an Emmy is one of the great travesties in TV history. Even the vast majority of the secondary characters are expertly cast, acted, and well timed/placed/etc. This is the pinnacle of comedy for me personally.

2. Breaking Bad
-Que the Seinfeld connection. Bryan Cranston was Dr. Tim Whatley in a handful of episodes, Anna Gunn (Jerry's girlfriend in an episode), Bob Odenkirk (Elaines boyfriend in an episode), you also had 5 other folks who showed up in both. As to the show itself, another brilliant cast, with incredible dialogue and pace. It's pretty amazing this idea was passed over by most of the major networks and landed on AMC, which probably restrained the creative possibilities a bit, and yet they still hit a grand slam.

3. True Detective (Season 1 only)
-Matt McConaughey in peak form. Woody Harrelson was also masterclass and they played off one another brilliantly. In terms of pure acting, this is one of the best seasons I've ever witnessed on TV, across the board. This season is extremely deep and philosophical (right up my alley) and intense. It's not horror but there are multiple seasons and situations that absolutely take you there.

4. Trailer Park Boys
-Only stumbled onto this about 6-7 years back. When Mike Clattenburg was directing and it was on Showcase (seasons 1-7) it was one of the groundbreaking mockumentaries as it pre-dated a lot of the highly acclaimed US shows that came a number of years after. Fell off the rails once Netflix got a hold of it though the final season was pretty good and more of an ode to the early years. Bubbles, Ray, and Jim Lahey were my favorites but honestly, just about everyone was fantastic.

5. Sopranos
-Say what you want, Gandolfini's performance in this is on the Mount Rushmore in the mob genre IMO.

6. Fargo (movie is great, TV series is equally incredible)
-If anything watch season 1 for Billy Bob Thornton. But most of the seasons are top shelf and I love how the Coen brothers tie the seasons into one another through numerous connections, despite decades separating them in some cases.

7. Curb
-It's basically an R-rated Seinfeld with more ad libbing. It's lost steam the last few seasons but the bulk of the series prior to season 10 is fantastic.

8. Parks and Rec
-Ron Swanson is one of my TV heroes. I prefer this to The Office.

9. Game of Thrones (minus the abomination that was the final season)

10. Deadwood
-Shame financial squabbling ended this after 3 seasons. Calamity Jane, Wu, and Al were incredible.

There are many others that I'm leaving out but those are a good chunk of my favorite TV shows/series from the last 30 odd years.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Curb >>> Seinfeld

 

[ImporterExporter]

Curb >>> Seinfeld

Curb doesn't happen without the success of Seinfeld.

At least you didn't say Friends >>>>> I may have to block you if you did

 

[Professor What]

9. Game of Thrones (minus the abomination that was the final season)

Am I the only one with the impression that the ending basically boiled down to "We don't know what to do with all these characters that have been floating around, so let's just kill them?" Not a favorite of mine, but the series certainly had its moments. But yeah, it ended really badly.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Am I the only one with the impression that the ending basically boiled down to "We don't know what to do with all these characters that have been floating around, so let's just kill them?" Not a favorite of mine, but the series certainly had its moments. But yeah, it ended really badly.

TLDR version is the final season (it may have been the final 2 but I can't recall) was the first/only they did without pulling from the books, which have stalled now for some time. That and D&D (creators of the show) had just landed a mega deal to write a new trilogy for Star Wars and flat out rushed the final season. Hence the pathetic writing, the leaving of coffee cups on screen, in final takes, that actually aired. There was so much to tell yet and they rammed through drivel. It's arguably and probably the worst final season to an acclaimed series in history.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Curb doesn't happen without the success of Seinfeld.

At least you didn't say Friends >>>>> I may have to block you if you did

Curb is what Seinfeld would have been if they didn't have to censor for network TV. Plus laugh tracks make me cringe in the 21st century.

Seinfeld is one of the few still-watchable sitcoms of the era, though.

 

[seventieslord]

Am I the only one with the impression that the ending basically boiled down to "We don't know what to do with all these characters that have been floating around, so let's just kill them?" Not a favorite of mine, but the series certainly had its moments. But yeah, it ended really badly.

I mean, lots and lots of characters didn't die. The endings for some were satisfying, but for most they weren't. And the fact that all these endings happened in the context of a completely nonsensical heel turn by one character just killed any semblance of satisfaction there may have been. And of course one character had incredible plot armour for the entire series and clearly had a huge destiny attached to him. Does he save the world? Does he become the rightful king? Does he die heroically trying to do those things? Nah, he just f***s his aunt and then gets a half-assed ending as a punishment for doing the right thing.

Notice how the show just completely disappeared from public discourse? The last two seasons were so badly done, and the ending was so awful, that everyone just wants to pretend the show didn't exist. That they didn't invest so much time in watching the show, and re-watching while waiting eons for the next season, and all the mental energy thinking all week about what is gonna happen next, what so-and-so is planning, what that guy meant when he said that thing.... it was all to get to that ridiculous end.

You know what? f*** that shit. that show doesn't belong on my list.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Curb is what Seinfeld would have been if they didn't have to censor for network TV. Plus laugh tracks make me cringe in the 21st century.

Seinfeld is one of the few still-watchable sitcoms of the era, though.

Well, technically speaking Seinfeld was the 20th century lol but I get your point.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

The plotlines of the last couple of seasons of GOT were cool, but jeez, the show runners had no way to fill in the details without the books.

Too bad, seasons 1-4 were among the best TV ever.