TV you've just watched

[Hagane]

Haven't watched Deadwood, but I didn't like The Walking Dead. I'm most likely in the minority though, but having read the comic I think all the changes in the story and characters are quite bad. I dropped it halfway season 2. They dragged the drama sections and the pacing is awful.

[dan76]

UK production values are totally different than US stylee.

We don't have cops and robbers shooting guns all over the place. We also don't have a reputation for the sort of crimes that are interesting to watch on TV either. The USA does.

That isn't what makes good American tv so much better. For me it's technique, pacing, acting - generally the production. The dramatic situation isn't as important as the handling of it.

[Moniker]

Haven't watched Deadwood, but I didn't like The Walking Dead. I'm most likely in the minority though, but having read the comic I think all the changes in the story and characters are quite bad. I dropped it halfway season 2. They dragged the drama sections and the pacing is awful.

Yeah season 2 was shit. First half of season 3 has been stellar, though. Worth getting back into it.

Deadwood is also really good, chiefly due to a consistently amazing Ian McShane.

[GaijinPunch]

I just wathced TWD Season 3. Agreed -- I thought season 2 dragged serious ass the first half, but picked up towards then and, for me, redeemed itself. The first half of Season 3 was good from start to finish. Wish it had more nudity and less violence though.

Just finished Homeland Season 2. Wow - I thought this was a big improvement over season 1 which wasn't bad in the first place.

[RGC]

Decided to go with Breaking Bad and The Killing in parallel. Saw the pilots of both last night and they seem equally intriguing, and nothing like one another so should be fine.

[GaijinPunch]

Decided to go with Breaking Bad and The Killing in parallel. Saw the pilots of both last night and they seem equally intriguing, and nothing like one another so should be fine.

Nothing is like Breaking Bad. Enjoy the ride. It's awesome... starts pretty balls to the wall, and only goes to new and amazing places each Season.

[GaijinPunch]

Never watch The Family Guy but someone sent me this. Funny... and true.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/family-g ... ho-watch-t

[Skykid]

Folks, pay your respects.



Used to watch this all the time as a kid with my Mum (every Thursday night iirc) and loved it, although now I realise a lot of the subtler humour went over my head at that age.

Revisiting it now, I just burned through the first two seasons in a matter of days. What an incredible show. The writing, performances, casting, production: everything is seriously top tier. All the actors are outstanding, and the fact it's filmed in front of a live audience adds so much energy.
This is some of the best TV ever, and probably the best sitcom ever ('sitcom' is almost an injustice - it works on so many levels.)
Highly recommended. And shit, who knew Ted Danson was so damn cool? Thank god for the 80's.

[RGC]

Never watch The Family Guy but someone sent me this. Funny... and true.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/family-g ... ho-watch-t

But, you know there must be an equivalent for people who say they never watch Family Guy.

[MX7]

Ha, nice clip. To be fair I don't know anyone who doesn't love The Wire unless they haven't seen it. Probably because it's one of the only TV shows to compare to film and literature. It actually makes use of the medium of television rather than condesning everything down into episodic chunks. Not that there's anything wrong with this: currently very much enjoying the hyper-episodic nature of Dirty Pair, but still. Given that The Wire resembles a novel more in terms of structure, I imagine a lot of the people raving about it simply prefer books to television.

Breaking Bad is alright. Watched the first series, would give it a solid 6/10. Definitely felt like I'd had my fill though. Too preachy, too many 'lessons learned'. The scenario was cool if a little WOOOO, QUIRKY!, but without the well-drawn, compelling characters of something like 6 Feet Under. Was nice seeing a US TV show tackling the absurdity of not having a national health service. Maybe with the current disbanding of the NHS, the show will resonate more strongly with me :p

[GaijinPunch]

The first season was good, but the second is better, and the third better than that. I think Jesse really fleshes out in the end of Season 2, and Walter White starts going to really dark places. It definitely finds it's groove, and some of the minor characters that really are the gumdrops on the icing on the cake start to appear.... the bad guys towards the end of season 2 really leave a mark.

The Wire is definitely "grander" with it's character base, but a lot of those miss the mark quite a bit. I think BB destroys it in terms of cinematics though, but that's not so important to everyone. There were only a few episodes of The Wire that I couldn't sleep directly after watching... most episodes of BB are like that.

But hey, to each their own.

[dan76]

@Skykid - Yep, Cheers is as good as it gets. It's on during the day on one of those freeview channels. When ever I come across it I stop what I'm doing and just watch. Amazing.

[GaijinPunch]

@Skykid - Yep, Cheers is as good as it gets. It's on during the day on one of those freeview channels. When ever I come across it I stop what I'm doing and just watch. Amazing.

Watching the first half or so is painful b/c the haircuts are so bad. Funny as shit, but I never found Shelly Long to be anything more than annoying, and I hear she's a cunt in real life. Not that Kirstie Alley is anything to be proud of. Coach was great (RIP) but I thought they did a stellar job replacing him with Woody. I remember how floored I was when I saw Natural Born Killers.

[Skykid]

Watching the first half or so is painful b/c the haircuts are so bad. Funny as shit, but I never found Shelly Long to be anything more than annoying, and I hear she's a cunt in real life. Not that Kirstie Alley is anything to be proud of. Coach was great (RIP) but I thought they did a stellar job replacing him with Woody. I remember how floored I was when I saw Natural Born Killers.

Shelley Long is meant to be annoying! Tbh she's a superb actress, so I got nothing but respect for her... hell they all are, the show's untouchable. The haircuts make it too, Danson's buffon is just awesome.

@Skykid - Yep, Cheers is as good as it gets. It's on during the day on one of those freeview channels. When ever I come across it I stop what I'm doing and just watch. Amazing.

It really is isn't it? I'm shocked at just how good it is - I know I always liked it, but now I know why. Roll on season three, I'm going to dust all 11 of these bad boys.

[GaijinPunch]

Do you remember the ending? Not nearly as bad as the finale of Seinfeld, but I remember it being not so spectacular. George and Cliff make the show.

[Skykid]

Do you remember the ending? Not nearly as bad as the finale of Seinfeld, but I remember it being not so spectacular. George and Cliff make the show.

I only remember it being heavily publicised. Don't give it away, i'll get there.

[xbl0x180]

Teevee I just watched... I cancelled my cable teevee as of the 1st of this year, so I could afford to pay for Internet now that I cannot piggyback off someone else's connection.

Anyone know of any good sites where I can download/stream K-drama

[Skykid]

Anyone know of any good sites where I can download/stream K-drama

[xbl0x180]

I always say, "This'll be the last one" and then I get hooked on another one of those stupid shows

[Skykid]

I always say, "This'll be the last one" and then I get hooked on another one of those stupid shows

They're on everywhere in S.Korea that has a TV: every coffee place, reception area, TV store, restaurant etc. And when you're on the train, about ten people per carriage are watching them on their Galaxy Note II's.

I don't understand why. It looks like the same brain death trash as any other TV soap from anywhere in the world, but with added surgery.

[xbl0x180]

I don't understand why. It looks like the same brain death trash as any other TV soap from anywhere in the world, but with added surgery.

Um, you've also just described everything else on television, including what's supposed to pass off as "news" here. K-drama and its ilk never made any allusions to intelligent television. Surgery? Fuck, it works for some of these chicks. This one has perma-smiling eyes:

[GaijinPunch]

S. Korea should stick to what they're good at.

-Crushing Japan in the electronics industry
-Hating Japan

[xbl0x180]

I'll also take suggestions on good J-drama

[Skykid]

Um, you've also just described everything else on television

Naw, that's a bit unfair on TV. There's lots of TV that outdoes film, even today. Soap opera will always be brain food for the world's proletariat, but I suppose you get a pass if you can beat one out to it.

[xbl0x180]

The American ones are bloody awful, but Melissa Archer and Kelly Monaco made them worthwhile whenever they were on-screen. Eventually, I will buy the whole soap opera series of Brasil's O Clone (the original version)

[GaijinPunch]

I'll also take suggestions on good J-drama

Doesn't exist.

[Moniker]

Marathoned season 1 of Luther.

Great show. I was expecting a sort of edgy police procedural, but it's more like a moderately less absurd variation on Dexter. Dark as hell; they really don't pull the punches.


...I also think I'm developing a mancrush on Idris Elba.

[GaijinPunch]

Never heard of it. Will give it a shot.
Idris Elba... he's a man's man, all right.

[Rob]

I'll also take suggestions on good J-drama

それでも、生きてゆく -- the best j-show I've seen. Great cast/performances, great soundtrack.
鹿男あをによし -- Nara scenery + unique/strange atmosphere.
家族八景 Nanase, Telepathy Girl's Ballad -- dark, funny.
Don Quixote -- much better than the mind/body swap story setup. Funny.
孤独のグルメ (season 1/2) -- food touring, very light on "drama".
胡桃の部屋 -- Nao Matsushita's killer smile + great soundtrack.
タイトロープの女 -- struggling Osaka wire factory. Pretty stark.
Going My Home -- "goes nowhere"/relaxing atmosphere, dry humor.
Boys on the Run -- toy capsule company misfits. Slips after the first 3 episodes, still watchable.
クレオパトラな女たち -- plastic surgery clinic, dark-ish humor.
家族の歌 -- washed up 90s rocker + bastard children. Cute.
遅咲きのヒマワリ　-- absolutely soap-ish, enjoyed nonetheless.
勇者ヨシヒコと魔王の城/悪霊の鍵　-- really dumb, but if you like Dragon Quest/JRPGs you still might dig it.

New line-up of jdramas starting. Hoping for at least one good show.

[emphatic]

Yeah, Luther is off the hook great. I'm watching Leverage now, a fun Mission Impossible/Heist-type show. Lighthearted enough to watch when the kids are awake even.