ATD Chat Thread XVIII

[ImporterExporter]

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.

This is spot on. Without the books, D&D's limited imagination were totally exposed.

 

[Professor What]

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.

Oh yeah, I know plenty survived, but it was just a matter of there being so many deaths in the finale that gave me the feel that they just couldn't think of anything better. It's not show that's going to make a favorites list for me, but I'm not really hostile toward it. Still, I think it would have been better served to have just ended rather than have the ending it did. I mean, the Sopranos finale left me wondering what I'd just seen, but it worked in that it didn't outstay its welcome.

 

[VanIslander]

Inspector Gadget

My middle & high school sweetheart loved that show and in Grade 9 i had to endure it, which was okay, because cuddling on the couch made it bearable. Agreed, it is for 10 year olds.

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

Prison Break seasons 1 & 2 are an absolute treat. Season 3 is different, okay, but take it or leave it.

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.

Excellently said. This season felt like a great movie experience. I binge watched it one weekend. I can't imagine the torture of watching it in its original release, having to wait a week for the next episode. I will re-watch that season some day.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

A couple of great shows that haven't already been listed - Firefly and Fawlty Towers (proof, in both cases, that peak trumps compiling).

 

[Professor What]

A couple of great shows that haven't already been listed - Firefly and Fawlty Towers (proof, in both cases, that peak trumps compiling).

Haven't seen Firefly, but Fawlty Towers is quite good. I find Fawlty both sympathetic and revolting at the same time.

I tend to be a fan of classic British comedies. Very different sense of humor from Americans, but very creative.

 

[VanIslander]

#1 tv mini-series of all time: Band of Brothers

In 2002 I delayed going to Korea for my year of English language teaching & travel (was supposed to be only one year) because the series debuted on Canadian TV that fall and i was so hooked!!! I stayed at my dad's, and i'm glad that i did, because those were the last couple of months i ever got to spend with him.

Then in 2005 I bought the DVD set in Seoul and re-watched it.

I think I'll try to get my Korean movie bud to watch it. We tried to watch 24, but we always eat dinner at the same time and that series quickly became too political that we missed important details.

 

[VanIslander]

I tend to be a fan of classic British comedies. Very different sense of humor from Americans, but very creative.

OMG. I totally forgot to mention Spitting Image. That is the only British show that I totally loved.

And that reminds me I couldn't get enough of The Muppet Show.

 

[Professor What]

OMG. I totally forgot to mention Spitting Image. That is the only British show that I totally loved.

And that reminds me I couldn't get enough of The Muppet Show.

Ever seen the Muppets do Bohemian Rhapsody? Cracks me up every time.

 

[VanIslander]

Ever seen the Muppets do Bohemian Rhapsody? Cracks me up every time.

Thank you PW!

I just now watched it and I laughed wholeheartedly at animal's "ma ma?" part, and doubly so at the end of that bit. Beaker and the Swedish chef always make me smile if not laugh, and Kermit actually was funny this time, he usually the Charlie Brown straight man in the comedy.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

A couple of great shows that haven't already been listed - Firefly and Fawlty Towers (proof, in both cases, that peak trumps compiling).

Firefly is all peak though, if they kept making seasons, the show's average would have plummeted.

Speaking of which, I should watch Firefly again. Won't take very long.

 

[Sturminator]

Firefly is all peak though, if they kept making seasons, the show's average would have plummeted.

Yeah...this effect sadly caught up to The Expanse in season 5.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Yeah...this effect sadly caught up to The Expanse in season 5.

The Expanse's peak was definitely seasons 2 and 3, but that whole show was prime (despite a certain season 5 plotline dragging somewhat).

 

[Sturminator]

The Expanse's peak was definitely seasons 2 and 3, but that whole show was prime (despite a certain season 5 plotline dragging somewhat).

The horrible brat and his terrorist father couldn't die soon enough for me. After the first few, I hated every scene they were in. They should have spaced that mall-goth psychopath when they had the chance.

 

[BenchBrawl]

If you analyze TV series, especially "serious" ones like The Sopranos or The Wire, you realize how bad they really are compared to movies. Secondary plots taking forever that nobody cares about. This becomes clear when you re-watch them. Do I f***ing care about Carmella's worries about Meadow or her bitching with other Mafia wives? The f*** not I don't. I care even less about her platonic love affair with the local priest. I just have to take it while waiting for the pay off of seeing Tony run the Mafia.

In a movie, the best moments of series are condensed in 2 hours.

Movies and series are just vibes. You put them on and you enter an atmosphere. A series drags on for those want a constant fix of a particular ambiance.

 

[The Macho King]

Oof I hard disagree, especially w/r/t the Sopranos. Those secondary plots are what makes the world feel real and lived in. They don't all hit of course, but they make all the characters feel three dimensional. Also most of the straight mob stuff kinda sucks in Sopranos. It's been done elsewhere and better. It's the rest of it that elevates it.

I mean - movies and TV aren't in competition to me. They do different things. There's definitely value in a two hour movie's tighter experience, but theres also value in giving the characters time to breathe in longer form storytelling.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

The Sopranos was groundbreaking, but it still had too many episodes in a season, as was the norm at the time.

8-15 episode seasons are so far superior to the old 20-30 standard.

 

[The Macho King]

The Sopranos was groundbreaking, but it still had too many episodes in a season, as was the norm at the time.

8-15 episode seasons are so far superior to the old 20-30 standard.

Sopranos was 13 episodes a season I think (give or take).

Agreed on 20-30 episodes being just too f***ing much though.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Sopranos was 13 episodes a season I think (give or take).

Agreed on 20-30 episodes being just too f***ing much though.

oh yes, you're right. I guess Sopranos was ahead of its time that way, as well.

And yet, there was still filler.

Plus, whatever complaints about the Inaros storyline lasting too long in the Expanse, Tony's fever dreams in the Sopranos Season 6 part 1....

 

[The Macho King]

oh yes, you're right. I guess Sopranos was ahead of its time that way, as well.

And yet, there was still filler.

Plus, whatever complaints about the Inaros storyline lasting too long in the Expanse, Tony's fever dreams in the Sopranos Season 6 part 1....

IDK - it's only filler if it sucks, right? Like The Pine Barrens is barely relevant to the overall plot, and it's the best episode in tv history.

Sopranos definitely missed every now and then, but I give it some slack for being so groundbreaking.

 

[seventieslord]

I remember that when I watched the Sopranos in 06-07, I continually became annoyed at subplots that went nowhere. You're just conditioned to expect that it will at some point become significant to the main story, but they usually don't.

 

[VanIslander]

Enjoy fully or if you are in a hurry...

Fast forward to 7 minutes, 30 seconds..

 

[VanIslander]

Players who never retired...

Valeri Bure?
Dustin Byfuglien?
Patrick Marleau?

It may be better to call it a day.

 

[VanIslander]

How old are you IE?

If over 18 and you are talking to someone under 70, cut the "sir".

Sturm & I and others would be grateful.

 

[ImporterExporter]

How old are you IE?

If over 18 and you are talking to someone under 70, cut the "sir".

Sturm & I and others would be grateful.

I'll never understand the people who get offended by sir. It's meant as a sign of respect. And yet I've been told in person not to do it as if I'm insulting someones mother.

I grew up, being taught to use sir to address your elders. I'm almost 40 and don't care if I'm called that, by anyone. Were my parents wrong?

I also spent time in the armed services in my late teens and early 20's. Another place where sir was used often, as a sign of respect (though more to do with rank as some who had rank were assholes).

If you don't want to hear it, fine. But please, explain to me how the use of that word is disrespectful.

 

[VanIslander]

Yes, sir.

EDIT: We are equal, aren't we? Teenagers calling old men "sir" is apt, but does a 20 year old say that to a 30 year old? Does a 40 year old say that to a 50 year old? ... outside the military, no... i would say it out of respect FOR THE HUGE AGE DIFFERENCE to anyone in their 70s-80s-90s.