The TV Series discussion thread

[joxer]

So FOX is returning X-Files?
Don't laugh at me, but I hope also for Serenity 2.

 

[wolfing]

So FOX is returning X-Files?
Don't laugh at me, but I hope also for Serenity 2.

There's also a mini-series reboot fro Heroes: Heroes Reborn.
I loved Heroes' first season, but then the writers' strike hit during the second season and it was like night & day how bad the show turned after the strike.

 

[joxer]

Sorry didn't watch Heroes and there's no way I ever will.
The show description smells too much like Tomorrow People.

I did watch and highly recommend something that looks similar but is not (mentioned it already somewhere):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1548850/
Careful however, this show's 4th season is an utter garbage, 5th is okay but... You can't watch the last one it if you skip the 4th one. It was not any strike or something, it's just that this show looks like it wasn't supposed to last for more than three seasons and the authors got into "writers block" then slapped idiotic stuff in the 4th season.

So do try Misfits please and watch only the first three seasons. After you see it, you'll avoid Tomorrow People clones.

 

[txa1265]

There's also a mini-series reboot fro Heroes: Heroes Reborn.
I loved Heroes' first season, but then the writers' strike hit during the second season and it was like night & day how bad the show turned after the strike.

We also loved Season 1 of Heroes ... but I felt like it went 'off the rails' from the very start of Season 2 ... and we just stopped watching after a couple of episodes and never returned.

Will probably give the mini-series a shot ...

 

[Ripper]

I like the look of Wayward Pines. To those watching it, is it still going strong at the end? I fear watching a series just so that Shyamalan can annoy me with a cheesy ending.

 

[Carnifex]

The Wayward Pines show is ok, but pales to the books. Certainly it is heads and shoulders above most of the drek on Fox these days.

 

[joxer]

Oops missed those two posts... Will say a few words tomorrow, but came here to ask something else.

I have an opportunity to watch this one:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3516878/

Sadly, there is absolutely no way to find the original anywhere accessible to me:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3103340/

Should I, just this time, fall under the truck, spit on myself and give the remake a shot?
I'd never ever do that if there was any possibility to watch the original.
Did anyone watch this/these? Both are titled:
Secrets and Lies

 

[wolfing]

watching Sense8 right now, totally digging it (watched 4/12 episodes so far).

 

[joxer]

wolfling, keep it up, it's an unique ride.


As promised, a few words about Wayward Pines.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2618986/

For those who don't know the show's story goes like this:
A secret service agent drives to a smalltown with his partner to investigate something but is involved in a car accident. He manages to reach the town by foot, but there all sorts of strange things happen and it's unclear if he's halucinating or a victim of some bad joke. Whatever it is, he can't possibly leave the town nor contact anyone including his wife and son who also drive to the same area searching for him.
Eventually he'll reunite with his family and discover what's going on.

This show IMO had such a great idea (I haven't read the book!) that could have been the #1 TV material in this year - if it had a proper script writer.

The major problem is inconsistencies or perhaps to say plot holes. The first episode is absolutely incompatible with the rest of the show. For example, there is no way the protagonist could have reach the town as was displayed - he should have awaken in the hospital first. Or another example, he's addressed as a case number over walkie talkie by the town bartender, these numbers are nowehere to be seen later (not in that form) and the bartender later loses his "importance", a sort of like the mentioned scene never happened.

You've read how the story evolves, but when you have a story in a closed "playground", what do you do? You do a bloody character study on as much different people you can. I can't believe this show almost totally escaped from it. There are very rare short scenes with character behavior revelas but it's more like prejudical stuff or stuff from "voodoo cookbooks on how to be likeable to others" than actual psychological analysis worth a discussion.

What a wasted potential, what a wasted opportunity.

What saves the day? Lemme quote a comment imdb users:

A great advantage this series has in my eyes is that you won't find fake people with fake lips, fake tits, etc. Almost 95% of movies & shows you find fake people (Especially women) .. and it's undesirable to watch such film/show while eating. In Wayward pines however, you may notice a slight bit of it but it won't get to you nor your appetite!

Besides that refreshing part, I have to say that Matt Dillon and Juliette Lewis (brief appearance sadly) did a great job in their role, but Melissa Leo is continuing to amaze me with her skills.
Emmy nomination for her is guaranteed.


Based on 9 episodes (the finale still didn't air here):
Wayward Pines is a show that in hands of a proper script writer could have been a masterpiece. But it wasn't completely ruined as the talented cast that keeps the mood through whole series covers for bad writing.
Highly recommended.

———————————————————

I'm bringing up another similar show I wrote about before.
In here the main protagonist also lives through all sorts of strange stuff in a town he can't escape from, but the truth in this one is completely different from Wayward Pines.

This Is Not My Life, a sci-fi masterpiece from NZ, the inventor of IPTV should receive a Nobel prize as this series can't be watched or bought on DVD anymore and anywhere at all, not even in NZ!)

People, I'm serious. It was aired on Fox Crime internationally, dunno if you can find it on any other network.
Get this show in any way you can. Kill something if you have to get it. Pull all your strings, smuggle it if you must. But you need this one in your home DVD collection.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1405466/

 

[Dajjer]

Joxer, "This is not my Life" is available on Hulu. And it also appears that you can watch the show through IMDB. I'll have to wait for my daughter to get back from school, she knows how to skip Hulu commercials on her mac laptop.

 

[joxer]

Didn't know, sorry.
Wait for the daughter. Resist the temptation to watch everything in one day.

 

[Arhu]

Watched the first episode of Sense8. Seems interesting so far. I really dig the scene transitions, which are of course closely related to the subject material. I've only ever consciously seen these techniques used to great effect in 2006's Cyberpunk Anime Paprika (cf. Intro. The latter apparently inspired Nolan's blockbuster Inception (2010), which is why I wasn't blown away by the movie that much, as I was already familiar with the concepts.

Anyway, looking forward to Sense8 episode 2, although I do have to get used to seeing "Sayid" in another role… (that had the same effect on me as seeing Agent Smith as Elrond in LotR).

 

[Myrthos]

Here is the trailer for the second season of Fargo:

The all new “true crime” case in Fargo’s latest chapter takes you back to 1979 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Luverne, Minnesota. “Lou Solverson” (Patrick Wilson), a young State Police Officer recently back from Vietnam, investigates a case involving a local crime gang, a major mob syndicate and a small town beautician “Peggy Blumquist” (Kirsten Dunst) along with her husband “Ed” (Jesse Plemons), the local butcher’s assistant. Helping Lou piece things together is his father-in-law, “Sheriff Hank Larsson” (Ted Danson). The investigation will lead them to a colorful cast of characters that includes “Karl Weathers” (Nick Offerman), the town lawyer of Luverne, Minnesota. A Korean War vet, Karl is a flowery drunk blessed with the gift of gab and the eloquence of a true con artist. Three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett will play “Joe Bulo,” the front man for the northern expansion of a Kansas City crime syndicate. The new face of corporate crime, Joe’s bringing a Walmart mentality to small town America. His number two is “Mike Milligan” (Bokeem Woodbine). Part enforcer, part detective, Mike is always smiling – but the joke is usually on you. Bulo and his crew have their sights set on the Gerhardt crime family in Fargo, currently led by matriarch “Floyd Gerhardt” (Jean Smart). With her husband at death’s door, Floyd takes over the family business, frustrating her eldest son, “Dodd Gerhardt” (Jeffrey Donovan). An impatient hothead with a cruel streak to match his ambitions, Dodd can’t wait for both his parents to die so he can take over and expand their business from kingdom to empire. “Bear Gerhardt” (Angus Sampson) is the middle son, an intimidatingly large man who, although inarticulate, is the most decent of his clan. “Rye Gerhardt” (Kieran Culkin), the youngest of the Gerhardt clan, views himself as a big shot, but in reality he’s just a small dog with a loud bark.

 

[CelticFrost]

Watching now:

Mr. Robot 9.5/10
Halt and catch fire 9/10
True Detective II 7.8/10
Also Suit but starting to lose interest this season.

 

[Corwin]

Strange, I thought Suits was better this year than last!!

 

[joxer]

Watching now:

Mr. Robot 9.5/10
Halt and catch fire 9/10
True Detective II 7.8/10
Also Suit but starting to lose interest this season.

This is interesting... Have to be evil a bit.

Mr. Robot - gave it a chance, watched 3 eps, dropped. An utter garbage with superb main role actor. An insult to anyone who works with computers and to everyone who had any contact with drugs and drug addicts.

True Detective - refused to watch Cheers going crime season 1, won't watch this season either. My #1 show last year was Fargo, don't want to ruin it with any "dark and gritty" mainstream.

Suit... Never heard of it.

 

[ilm]

I'm impressed how you ended up at 7.8/10. Wondering what complex formula is behind it.

 

[wolfing]

This is interesting… Have to be evil a bit.

Mr. Robot - gave it a chance, watched 3 eps, dropped. An utter garbage with superb main role actor. An insult to anyone who works with computers and to everyone who had any contact with drugs and drug addicts.

True Detective - refused to watch Cheers going crime season 1, won't watch this season either. My #1 show last year was Fargo, don't want to ruin it with any "dark and gritty" mainstream.

Suit… Never heard of it.

I started liking Mr. Robot but now ... meh. Guess it's turning too dark for my taste.

 

[Hastar]

One of my favorite book series and authors is coming to TV.

http://www.bbcamerica.com/the-last-kingdom/

HELL YEAH Do yourself a favor and read that series if you never have.

 

[Carnifex]

The Last Kingdom series is a great read, I only hope the tv show is as good. If they do it like the Vikings show is done, all should work just fine.