TV Series Thread

[Mr.Obvious]

I think i might have a problem then.

I might be a republican, and never knew. :o

[Unbeliever]

Well, who'da thunk it? 🤔 🤣

[Hydra009]

New episodes of Hazbin Hotel!  (It's been a while since the pilot)

Well, I guess Helluva Boss won't get to its 5th season before the first season of Hazbin Hotel airs.  Drats.  Jokes aside, I look forward to Hazbin to really flesh out the setting, especially the Pride Ring (the only part of hell with Sinners).  I demand a cameo by that guy who lovingly killed his wife! (It makes sense in context!  Sort of!)

One last joke: Amazon is an overlord in Hell.  So the partnership makes sense.

[Hydra009]

Watching the new season of Ahsoka.  Episode 1.

I've gotta say, I love the props.  Mando, Boba Fett, and Ahsoka all have that nice lived-in aesthetic where just about everything has a fair bit of wear, but things still work.  I like the acting.  I like the plotline (a continuation of Rebels), although the metal sphere macguffin strikes me as a tad cliched and overdone.

My main gripe is that some big developments are just done in a rushed, too-quick way instead of drawing it out for a bigger impact.

For example, we have the bad guys making their introduction.  They disguise themselves, but then drop the act and almost immediately start stacking bodies.  Not much of an impact.  Instead, I wish they had convincingly lied and fooled both the characters and the audience at least half the episode.  There could be hints sprinkled throughout that fans could pick up on, like details that aren't quite right.  Then, when they drop the act, then it hits the audience hard.

Also, I'm not a big fan of lightsaber duels in chapter 1.  That stuff is normally something you work up to, like Luke or (sort of) Rey.  You don't see Mando lopping off heads with the darksaber in the first outing, cause that'd be insane.  Besides, you kinda gotta grow up to that level.  And it makes sense for Ahsoka, but not that other character.

Also, ain't nobody dying in episode 1.  Put the headstone back, I know all about the magic that is plot armor.  Forshame!

Bottom line: deception-massacre was too quick, figuring out the puzzle was too quick, and duel of the fates was too quick.  Yanno, a little foreplay never hurt anyone!

[Hydra009]

I think I may want to retract (or at least rework) my earlier statement that "too much" happens in Ahsoka's first episode and that it could've been better if drawn out.

I was just watching the first episode of Loki in anticipation of the new season, and holy moley, a TON of stuff happens in the first episode.  They introduce most of the cast, the conflict, backstory - both for Loki himself and the TVA - gadgets and gizmos galore, etc.  That episode is chalk full of important new things, but it doesn't feel rushed or boring.  It can be confusing (that's the intent, to bewilder the audience as much as Loki, so that we're both in the same boat and we empathize with him)

So how come Ahsoka was just okay but Loki was excellent?  Loki challenged pre-conceived expectations (Loki will do what he's always done - trick and betray himself out of his predicament) and more or less reset his basic character so now we don't really know what he'll do next, much less this mysterious bureaucracy or this unknown criminal.  Lots of balls in the air.

With Ahsoka, there just wasn't much going on.  Sure, there are baddies, but they're not total unknowns, we can deduce their intent pretty easily.  Same with the good guys.  There's not a lot of mystery.  Not that straightforward stories can't be good, it's just...I don't know exactly how to phrase this...it's like telling a scary story in the light of day versus telling a scary story at a campfire.  One has a little more of an impact, you know?

[Hydra009]

So I'm watching Star Trek Lower Decks (#3 favorite still-running show) and a Starfleet ensign visits a Ferenginar hotel (the Ferengi are greedy, capitalistic aliens) and casually watches a commercial on the hotel TV.

For him, such a thing is really strange and exotic, like having a pet alligator or wearing ripped jeans.  He can barely even pronounce the word commercial.  It'd be like us using one of those old wooden butter churners or a hand-cranked clothes-wringer.

*watches a soda ad that outright claims that soda drinkers get laid*
"Ha!  So they just lie to you"
*walks away*

And you know what, he pretty much sums it up.  There's slightly more to it than that, but yeah, that's the essence of it.  One thing that amazes me about this show and Trek in general is that even lowly crew in Starfleet are highly evolved people compared to present day.  They study complex fields for fun.  They have healthy relationships.  They move along home in 3 rolls or less.  They go through life-or-death crises without flinching, for the most part.

This stuff is just dripping with optimism.  I truly hope we actually accomplish just a tenth of what the fictional Starfleet accomplished in TOS (Those Old Scientists) era.

[Unbeliever]

I've just discovered Key and Peele! It's pretty funny, I think I'll watch more of it. 🤣

[PopeyesPappy]

Just finished season 2 of Foundation on Apple TV. It is worth a watch. You will be sorely disappointed though if you prefer shows that follow the book story line closely. They took a lot of liberties with the TV series. 

[Blackleaf]

A new YouTube animated series has been making the rounds. Like the others, this one is a dark comedy, but it's surprisingly lacking in curse words. In fact, that plays into the story a little bit. It's only one episode so far, but the premise is promising and the animation is very lively and fluid. Very pleasant to watch these characters move around. It's funny and a little bit disturbing. Just a healthy little dose of existential horror.

I don't want to say too much about the story, because I think it's better to watch it and find out. The jester looking character is just as clueless about this world as a first-time viewer, making them basically a stand-in for the audience and an excuse for the characters to explain what's going on.

[Hydra009]

Loki Season 2 (aka Marvel Doctor Who)

So far, so good.  It's not quite as tightly focused on the titular character (this is a pretty normal thing in shows since they typically focus on the protagonist the first season and then introduce/expand on the secondary characters the second season) and some character motivations are bit...questionable to say the least, but overall it's a truly amazing show.

There's a LOT of plotting and scheming this season, as well as some Sports Almanac hijinks.

My favorite character is still Mobius and I would stick to him and OB like white on rice.  My favorite moment with him is when he suggests getting some pie (and gets chewed out for it) but yanno, sometimes you've done all you can do to help and you just have to put your trust in someone else and the best way to help is to just get out of the way.  It takes a lot of humility and patience to stand aside, and I respect that.  So imho, the flak was completely undeserved.

[Blackleaf]

One of the best episodes in a while, in my opinion. I'm kinda meh on most of the original songs this series has. And I've noticed there have been a lot of them lately. Is Helluva Boss turning into a musical? But the song at the end is a real banger.

Also, love that gag about a minute and a half in. If you're not paying attention, you'll miss the joke.

[Hydra009]

The I.M.P. jingle, Oh Millie, You Will Be Okay, and Loo Loo Land are straight fire imho.  But yeah, they're not all good.

[Mr.Obvious]

Watching a show called ´down the road´. In which a celebrity takes a group of 6 people with down syndrome on an ´adventurous´ trip.

This year, he revealled they were going to canada.

Says one of the girls with down syndrome: ´I don´t believe that.´

Him: ´What do you mean?'

Her: ´Canada. I don´t believe in that.´

Him : ´You do not believe in the country?'

Her: ´I don´t believe it is real.'


Lol

[Hydra009]

After watching the latest Loki episode and the latest Rick and Morty episode, I can safely say that I no longer like spaghetti.

[Hydra009]

I just started Invincible season 2.  Holy moley, this is a fantastic series, easily the best superhero deconstruction to come out since Kick-Ass.

For "superhero fatigue" people or people that don't even like superheroes: this is NOT your granddad's superman.  Yes, it has superpowers and sci-fi gizmos and saving the world and other superhero stuff BUT the story at its heart is a young man growing up not only with fantastic power but also the crushing responsibility that comes with it and the constant struggle to do the right thing and help people.  And it's not easy.  His struggle is just so painful and torturous and kinda tragic - his story emotionally resonates.  No joke, you will likely cry at some point.

And fair warning, the show is also incredibly violent, though usually to make a point rather than just shock value.  Let's just say that you will never see a subway the same way again.

P.S. - I usually sympathize with one character or another in my shows, but it's rare for me to fully see myself as one of the characters.  This is the exception, because personality-wise, I am 100% like Robot and that's not entirely a good thing.