General Open Thread – TV Shows (3)

[nerys @nerys]

Has anyone been watching Picard this season and finding it … well, a little off? It feels very different to me … and not in a good way. Season 2 is really lacking the serenity of Season 1, IMO. And what on earth did they do to the opening theme music?

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@nerys Yes, I tend to agree. I was intrigued by the beginning, and up until they arrive in 2024. But when they started to cram all the actors from the future into the past, and and invented a Picard family history, the story seemed to crowded and sort of…disingenuous. There is nothing like the episode “Nepenthe” in this series.

[nerys @nerys]

@blenkinsopthebrave I keep hoping things will improve, but it just doesn’t feel like the same series at all. It was telling that I didn’t even recognize the opening theme music. I had to give the old theme another listen to remember what it sounds like. Why they felt they had to replace it with that overly dramatic mishmash is beyond me.

Last year, I measured Picard against the mixed success of Discovery. I liked the first season of Discovery, but then was put off by the Marvel Comics cloning combined with the “we must connect every last friggin’ dot to the original Star Trek series” approach in Season 2. That, along with the forced insistence on making the lead character more appealing by directly relating her to Spock, all felt very hyper-paced and derivative, while failing to bring many (any?) original ideas to the table.

Once they got themselves unchained from their current time stream in Season 3, that’s when I felt Discovery finally came into its own as a series, and I was happy to sit back and enjoy it. My verdict is still out on this season. It’s not coming together for me in the same way. But I’ll see it through to the end before making a final decision.

So you can understand why, in comparison, Season 1 of Picard felt like a breath of fresh air. I appreciated the slower pacing, and I thought it did a wonderful job of bringing new and familiar characters into the story without telling us to care about them, but showing us (through good writing and acting) why we should. Sadly, much of that is missing this season.

Has anyone watched Gomorrah? I should warn you: If you are not into violence, do not watch this series. Think a more authentic Godfather … on steroids … in Italy.

We just watched the last episode … and I’m still processing it. One thing that struck me was the production values. I really haven’t felt that way about a TV series since Miami Vice. For better or worse (and Miami Vice was a very uneven ride, especially after the first season), it did change network television by filming each episode like a movie: Framing shots in artistic ways, creating beautiful interiors and utilizing exterior locations to their maximum effect, incorporating original and recorded music, etc. I found each episode of Gomorrah similarly riveting. The emotional intensity between the characters, combined with exquisite cinematography and set design, created an amazing television series that, unlike Miami Vice, actually got better as it went along.

I have read that Season 4 of Westworld is due out this summer. Again, be forewarned: Violence … on steroids … on an island (well, at least in the first two seasons). I loved the first two seasons and, while I liked the third season, I felt that by reducing the number of episodes, HBO forced the writers to compact the story and push it along too quickly. As a result, I didn’t feel the same connection I felt to the first two seasons. Still, Season 3 of *Westworld* is better than 90 percent of what’s on these days, so … who am I to complain? Hopefully they don’t repeat that in Season 4.

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@nerys The other TV show I have been watching (on Apple) is the spy mystery “Slow Horses” with Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas. And I am really enjoying it. Gary Oldman is very good as the irascible head of a group of agents who have been demoted from MI5 for past mistakes to a grim office where they are delegated menial tasks, but who are drawn into solving a potential terror event. In terms of approach, imagine a cross between John le Carre and Armando Iannucci.

[janetteB @janetteb]

@blenkinsopthebrave. “Slow Horses” sounded interesting. I will look out for it

@nerys we have not started watching series 2 of Picard yet. Son and fiancé are currently watching it and say it is not as good as series 1 but they are still enjoying it. I really liked series one but feel that its strength was that the series was shaped around a single story and am not surprised at all that series 2 does not match up.

We have been watching the animated Star Wars series, Rebels and Clone Wars and really enjoyed them. Book of Bobba Fett was highly forgettable however but still looking forward now to Obi Wan Kanobi. (and given time I might even know how to spell the names.) In the meantime we are back to watching Dr Who, working through Matt Smith’s first series.

Oh and our last podcast was on Catweazle from the 70s. The younger generations did not share our love of it. (unsurprisingly) but we talked for well over an hour so I have a lot of editing to do so probably won’t be watching anything for the next couple of nights.

Cheers

Janette

 

 

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@janetteb, @nerys, Here is a brief taste of “Slow Horses”

 

[winston @winston]

@blenkinsopthebrave   @nerys   and @janetteb     Lots of new ideas for future viewing!  We really liked Picard series 1 but have not watched 2 yet. Here’s hoping we will like it. Mr likes Westworld but I give it a miss because it is just too violent for me. I am looking forward to Obi Wan as an old but sincere Star Wars fan.

I have been watching a BBC? show called Ghosts that is made by the same bunch that do Horrible Histories so it is funny and well written but definitely family friendly. Sometimes I just want to watch something nice and easy and this fits the bill. If you can find a new Canadian show called “Son of a Critch” you will love it. It is a sweet and funny sitcom about growing up in Newfoundland. It even has Malcolm McDowell as the grandfather while Mark Critch , the writer,  plays his own father. As my Mother used to say “good clean fun”

stay safe

[Albert @albert]

I like Ghosts and Horrible Histories, they are both funny.

Have any of you watched Torchwood, Class or the Sarah Jane Adventures?

I have watched a bit of the Simpsons: it’s ok.

If therd is anything else you recommend please tell me.

Albert.

[nerys @nerys]

@blenkinsopthebrave You mentioned that Slow Horses is on Apple TV, which we don’t have. I will have to seek it out via some other network (which might be possible in Canada).

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

Just finished watching the first season of “Slow Horses” with Gary Oldman. A really enjoyable and excellently plotted spy series. It is based on the first novel in a series by Mick Herron. Was pleasantly surprised to discover at the end of the last show a teaser trailer for the second season (with the same cast) based on the second novel in the series. Obviously, I cannot reveal the twists and turns, but suffice to say that the show continues a sort of vaguely Le Carre tradition of the immorality of insiders vs. the morality of outsiders. But with a bit more humour than one finds in Le Carre. Highly recommended. Here in Canada it is available on Apple TV.

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

Peter Capaldi. Steven Moffat. Time.

Coming soon.

[janetteB @janetteb]

and Sue Vertue. (I think it a little ironical that Moffat is accused of misogyny in his writing when he is frequently working for his wife. Kind of think she might call him out if he was being misogynist. )

It sounds interesting and with that cast cannot be bad surely? Will watch out for it. Thanks for the link, @blenkinsopthebrave.

Cheers
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Janette</p>

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

… and for once this is exactly the right forum (not that that ever stopped anyone) –  by total coincidence I’ve just this minute finished watching the first episode of Sherlock, written/produced by, of course, Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue and Mark Gatiss.   I have to say it’s pretty good.   I’ve had the box set sitting on the shelf for a year and for some curious reason never got around to watching them.   The Guardian interview with the Moff yesterday brought it to mind.

I have to say the dialogue doesn’t sparkle quite the way Capaldi’s Doctor Who did, but maybe that’s because Sherlock is actually a more grounded series, or maybe because it has two male leads (Holmes and Watson) rather than having a male and female (as in Doctor and companion).   I have this feeling that having a male-female pairing lightens the tone, or maybe I’m quite wrong and talking nonsense, I dunno.   Cumberbatch and Freeman are very good in it, though.

But anyway, back to that trailer for The Devil’s Hour, it reminds me again what a marvellous actor Capaldi is.   Just his voice makes me want to hear more.   Some actors are lucky that way.

 

[winston @winston]

@blenkinsopthebrave   That looks very interesting and I put it on my watch list. Thanks.

@dentarthurdent  I am a massive fan of Sherlock and have watched it all a few times. It modernizes the characters and stories excellently, bringing Holmes and Watson to life in our time. It also has a really good cast! Have fun watching.

Stay safe.

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

@winston   I just watched Sherlock episode 2, I can see why you’re a fan of it!   Well-written and suspenseful.   And you have to watch every minute or you might miss something (though watching on DVD is good, I often find myself freeze-framing to catch something).

[nerys @nerys]

Earlier I mentioned Westworld. Season 4 did indeed air, and I felt it was every bit as good as the first two seasons. Sadly, though, I think most viewers lost interest during Season 3, which left the park in a somewhat muddled storyline. So viewership was way down this season. I hope HBO renews it for a fifth and final season. I would like to see Deloris’s version of the story. But we may not get that chance.

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

I just watched Sherlock s2 ep 1, Scandal in Belgravia, and what an absolute cracker of an episode! It was full of flashbacks – but so well put together that they didn’t cause any confusion in following the complex plot – and original visual tricks like having Irene Adler and the sofa she was sitting on transported to the field of the crime scene. And speaking of Irene Adler, her first entrance was spectacular, since she was wearing nothing – she certainly got Holmes’ attention, and Watson didn’t know where to look. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen nudity handled so skilfully – it wasn’t gratuitous (Irene did it deliberately to confront Holmes and it demonstrated her supreme self-confidence). The ep also showed Holmes’ ruthless side – even if you’re a CIA operative, you do not abuse Mrs Hudson, lest you ‘fall out of the window’ as many times as is necessary.

This calls for a re-watch.

[winston @winston]

@nerys  It is good to see that you were not too damaged by Fiona.We have family in PEI that had some bad damage and others in New Brunswick who got heavy rain and some flooding. Since there are so many family members there, they will all help each other till things are cleaned up.

I will tell the mister about Westworld, he likes it. It creeps me out!

@dentarthurdent  That was a great episode but most of them are. I love Mrs. Hudson and often quote her to the mister ” I’m not your housekeeper dear”.

Stay safe.

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

@winston   I’ve just realised I’m almost half way through all the episodes I’ve got of Sherlock (being Season 1-3).   Messrs Moffat, Gatiss and Vertue obviously decided to go for quality rather than quantity.   But they did pack a lot into each episode.   I’ll have to take my time watching them.

[Dentarthurdent @dentarthurdent]

So I just re-watched Scandal in Belgravia and I’m even more impressed.   Even on a re-watch, it was never slow, even for a moment – it was full of things happening and blink-and-you-missed-it details.   Beautifully written, beautifully acted, and there was a real electric feeling between Holmes and Irene Adler.   This had a real feature film feeling to it, just so much more than a TV series episode.

[nerys @nerys]

@winston I’m so sorry about your family and friends who must deal with damage from Fiona. I’m still waiting to hear back from a friend in Kissimmee, Florida, about how his home fared with Ian. Sadly, rising sea temperatures mean there will be more of these damaging storms in the areas that have been hurricane-prone before, and they will be more common in places that used to be more or less protected by cooler North Atlantic temperatures.

[Oochillyo @oochillyo]

hey everyone 🙂 how are you all 🙂

I just saw an advert for a new T.V. series called May Flies 🙂 on Wednesday 28th of December at 9pm in England 🙂

I tried searching for May Flower cause typing this as quick as possible before I forget the name and got flower in my head which lead me to a bunch of 2 years or more shows and couldn’t find it but got it now :

May Flies seems very good its maybe a drama with family values and dealing with the impact on family and friends after a medical problem in a nice sea side village 🙂

The main thing is it has Tony Curran in it 🙂 the actor who amazingly portrayed Vincent Van Goth in Doctor Who 🙂

So I am definitely gonna check this out 🙂 and wanted to share it with all of you 🙂

(172379) Mayfiles Trailer – YouTube

Take care everyone stay positive hugs 🙂

Regards – Declan Sargent

[nerys @nerys]

Well, Picard, husband and I have given up. Season 3 starting out engagingly enough, and we were looking forward to something closer to Season 1’s beautifully rendered story. The all-but-missing theme music, which I felt they ruined last season, should have been a clue.

Starting with the second episode, things got predictable, to the point where by the third episode we knew what was going to happen long before it happened. The heaping helping of fan service might be great for those who watched the original series (which I did not), but it quickly grew tiresome for us.

We don’t even feel like finishing out this season … which is frustrating. Season 1 remains one of my favorite television-viewing experiences. They gave an inspiring fresh take on an old character. But, at least for me, that ended with Season 1. All that followed has felt less than inspiring. Almost like all the good ideas were used up in Season 1, and now what?

At the time, the ending to Season 1 was so satisfying that we both agreed, “You know, they could end it right here.” Now it seems they should have.

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@nerys I know what you mean. I, too, really enjoyed the first season for the reason you noted: “an inspiring fresh take on an old character”. Indeed, the episode “Nepenthe” is one of my all time favourite TV viewing experiences. I gave up on Season 2. So far, with Season 3, I am willing to persevere (although the plot devices to bring back old NG characters seem to stretch credulity).

But what happened to all the light bulbs in Season 3? Everything is so dark I am surprised that the actors don’t keep bumping into the furniture. I know it is all about creating an “edgy” atmosphere, but still.

 

[nerys @nerys]

@blenkinsopthebrave I wish I didn’t feel this way, but I do. I was really hoping for something closer to that first season.

Is the darkness supposed to mask the fact that the Next Generation actors are aging? If so, that’s too bad. After all, they are aging. Given the scarcity of light, I hope none of them have cataracts.

The flashback scene between Picard and Riker was odd. Almost like they used a combination of makeup and de-aging CGI to make them look younger … and didn’t succeed.

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@nerys (and everyone else)

I just rewatched my all time favourite episode of ST: The Next Generation:”Identity Crisis”  from season 4  or, as I like to call it” Geordie turns blue”. It is about humanity  and commitment and it is perfect. It is my desert island video of choice and I could watch it forever.

 

“Identity Crisis”

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@nerys

Well, I am here to report that Mrs Blenkinsop and I just watched episode 4 of the new Picard and it was really very good indeed. The show has redeemed itself! I strongly suggest you give it a go.

 

[winston @winston]

@blenkinsopthebrave   Coincidentally we have been rewatching STNG episodes for some winter fun and I think we have season 4. I will see if we have that episode and watch it again. We love all Star Trek,  new and old, and all other series in between but NG is my personal favourite.

I have watched all of  Picard so far and I agree that it has been a bit sketchy with story lines and characters dropped with no explanation. Series one was good but 2 was just strange and then 3 is something completely different. I am  loving this series so much! I want to see all the old familiar faces and see their stories continued. What a great opportunity to visit characters we enjoyed in the past when we were all much younger. I also think it has been a very exciting series so far and I can’t wait to see more.

“Live long and prosper”

[nerys @nerys]

@blenkinsopthebrave OK, that’s reassuring! I will watch it tomorrow. If I like it, then I will recommend it to my husband. Thank you for letting me know!

[nerys @nerys]

@blenkinsopthebrave Well, I watched it. I agree that it was better, but I can’t say that I was as taken with it as you were.

I think my problem is that I never followed the original Next Generation series with any regularity. I tuned in now and again, when nothing else that interested me was on, and never made any commitment to it. (The only Star Trek series I watched from beginning to end was the mother ship that aired when I was a kid.) When Picard‘s first season aired, I knew enough about the character to be intrigued, but was happy that it wasn’t imperative to know the entire backstory in order to understand what was happening.

This season has changed all of that. I’m sure that it’s very satisfying for people who followed the original series, but it leaves me trying to fill in gaps that I don’t really want to fill.

My husband followed Next Generation and the various spinoff series far more closely than I ever did, but I think he was happy to be freed of all that history in the first season, and has felt a bit dismayed to see it take center stage this season. So I think we are not really Picard‘s target audience.

[janetteB @janetteb]

Greetings all.

Well I finally got around to watching Devil’s Hour which is very much a dark alternative Dr Who story. At one point a character offers another a jelly baby just to make the connection clear. There are shades of Heaven Sent about it and Capaldi is fantastic as always. I was initially a little put off by the “Kitchen sink” setting with elements of police procedural (neither of which is my “thing”)  but it is certainly not that kind of show though drawing upon aspects of both. Good scripts, great characters all of them, and a teasing mystery and very obviously to some degree inspired by Dr Who. Dr Who in negative perhaps.

Also we have been watching Andor (The Scottish Star War’s series as I am beginning to think of it). It is surprisingly good and stands alone. It need to be set in the Star War’s universe to “Land”.

Cheers

Janette

 

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