TV you've just watched

[S_Fang]

I'm watching Mindhunter alongside my family..

Best thing Netflix has put out by a fairly huge margin.

I need to see that, but the problem being is, my mother watched episode 1 and hated the hell out of it, despite liking stuff like that.

Is undersantable, the slow start can be a turn off for many, as well the main characters that require to be used to (meaning that you have to tolerate their acting and akward writing).

[GaijinPunch]

I'm watching Mindhunter alongside my family..

Best thing Netflix has put out by a fairly huge margin.

I need to see that, but the problem being is, my mother watched episode 1 and hated the hell out of it, despite liking stuff like that.

Given what one of the subjects does to his mother (and how much they talk about it) maybe you should opt for something else to watch with her.

[GaijinPunch]

I'm barreling through Season 8 of The Walking Dead. Boy does it suck. I feel like Larry David when he said, "I have friends I can't stand. When I make a commitment, I'm in it 'til the end".

[neorichieb1971]

Feel sorry for you watching the walking dead. I was late to the party watching the supposed big wow moment in the last episode. Did nothing for me. I just thought "Oh well".

Someone at work introduced me to a show called "Black mirror". Its a bit like "Alfred Hitchcock presents" for the modern age. All episodes are not connected in any way. Most of the episodes explore futuristic technology within the realm of VR, but there are other things thrown in. I've almost watched all the episodes out there, which isn't many. There is only a few episodes per season. I don't think any of the imdb scores for each episode got under a 8.0. If you want to go on weird twisted adventures, watch Black Mirror.

[GaijinPunch]

Feel sorry for you watching the walking dead. I was late to the party watching the supposed big wow moment in the last episode. Did nothing for me. I just thought "Oh well".

Oh, don't -- I'm totally self-inflicting this pain for some unknown reason. I guess I can always say it's to make the other stuff look better.

Someone at work introduced me to a show called "Black mirror".

Do you work in a cave on Mars? I haven't been able to escape talk about it ever since the original English series went to Netflix (about 4 years ago). The current season has been advertised heavily as well. I've only watched 3 of the 6, but they've all been great.

On a similar note, Dick's Electric Dreams is supposed to be of equal caliber... I could get the torrent but guess I'll just wait for Prime to stream it here.

[neorichieb1971]

As for the walking dead, I binged most of it. The battle scenes made me cry with all those bullets hitting absolutely nothing. Not even the windows of the cars they were hiding behind got hit. Far too much talk the talk, battle cry talking and bullshit going on forever. They even have episodes where music plays for 2 minutes as you see slow mo's of the charactes. What are they thinking?

I've almost watched all of Black Mirror now. I'm very impressed. The reason I didn't watch it is because my focus is on torrent and American gritty shows. I really liked Wayward Pines with its Matrix style puzzle and Black Mirror is like that every episode. I seem to be strangely attracted to a lot of the women in BM as well.

I watched one episode at work of Electric dreams. The one with the train that goes to a place that doesn't exist. It was ok, but not as good as BM. Although ED seems not to focus on a futuristic "technology lets you see everything" vibe.

[BryanM]

Just watched the Star Trek episode of Dark Mirror. It was nice.

I like how they create movie posters of each episode. It is cool and classy.

[emphatic]

Just finished season two of Stranger Things. Jeez, that gang of MTV styled misfits was very cringey, otherwise, very good.

[BrianC]

As for the walking dead, I binged most of it. The battle scenes made me cry with all those bullets hitting absolutely nothing. Not even the windows of the cars they were hiding behind got hit. Far too much talk the talk, battle cry talking and bullshit going on forever. They even have episodes where music plays for 2 minutes as you see slow mo's of the charactes. What are they thinking?

Dragon Ball Zombie?

[neorichieb1971]

Just watched the Star Trek episode of Dark Mirror. It was nice.

I like how they create movie posters of each episode. It is cool and classy.

Not one of the happier endings. Along with White Christmas it had to go down as one of the most terrorizing things ever.

To think at least some of this tech might become real is frightening in itself.

[BryanM]

I really do think of each of them as their own movie, really. ~40 to 70 minutes, that's more than enough to be considered a full length feature. (Why even still have theaters?)

These kids these days. Don't know how they make it. 1 hour is the limit my old man bladder can make it.

Not one of the happier endings.

Wat.

It's the possibly the happiest ending of all time. Of anything, ever.

Roko's basilisk has no right being that groovy. No right.

[BrianC]

It's the possibly the happiest ending of all time. Of anything, ever.

Was there laughing at the end? It can't be the happiest ending of all time without laughter at the end.

[neorichieb1971]

You screwed up f*cks (in a jokey way) . The idea of eternal isolation just makes me cringe. Listening to Slades "Its Christmas" for almost an eternity is not cool. Not even to write about it.

Just watched the episode called "Hang the DJ". I thought it was very cleverly done. I never saw the ending coming and it just syncs up very well. Good writing there.

I've got a bad case of the flu in case anyone is wondering. That's why I am on a binge watch. I love it when your ill and you suddenly get matched to your perfect game or TV show. Its like it was meant to be.

[GaijinPunch]

As for the walking dead, I binged most of it. The battle scenes made me cry with all those bullets hitting absolutely nothing.

They're paying homage to The A-Team.

The review (singular) I read (some of anyway) about this latest batch of BM was that it was good but fell behind the other seasons. I'm finding it to be of equal caliber as previous seasons, even if the USS Calister did have one major element derived from a previous episode.

[neorichieb1971]

The review (singular) I read (some of anyway) about this latest batch of BM was that it was good but fell behind the other seasons. I'm finding it to be of equal caliber as previous seasons, even if the USS Calister did have one major element derived from a previous episode.

It depends on the viewer I think. Whilst I believe the caliber is equal to previous seasons there are definitely episodes I care for and ones that I do not. Previous seasons had less episodes so the quality could probably remain high throughout. I believe the new writers and American influences on some of the episodes might have turned off some. I perused through imdb.com and couldn't find an episode that got less than 8.0. I would give the show a 9/10. I have 2 more to watch before i'm done.

I might try the Bastard Executioner TV show after this. An article I read said its a good Game of Thrones alternative.

[BryanM]

The idea of eternal isolation just makes me cringe.

But, that isn't how the Star Trek episode ends. Happy endings for everybody.

[GaijinPunch]

The idea of eternal isolation just makes me cringe.

But, that isn't how the Star Trek episode ends. Happy endings for everybody.

Spoiler

Eternally stuck in a game dealing with American online gamers... happy ending indeed.

[BryanM]

Wait wait wait, I just saw a promo poster of Walking Dead TV.

Rick doesn't punch a dude in the head so hard that his hand explodes???????!?!

.... what... what's even the point.......

Spoiler

Eternally stuck in a game dealing with American online gamers... happy ending indeed.

Spoiler

I'm sure there's simulated NPCs in there who aren't terrible. And there could be one or two gamers in there who aren't completely awful.

That last scene is more of a joke anyway. A VRMMORPG wouldn't be like just another Everquest, EVE or Diablo clone. The primary reward structure in those kinds of games is making the numbers go higher, and the farming go faster. A reality simulation would include more visceral reward structures (being able to eat as much food as you want without getting fat or killing yourself, for one) and thus appeal to a broader spectrum of people than just OCD sperglords.

Any of them could start a farm or a water park on some moon. There could even be video games there, man. Better games than that piece of crap that weasel snob Wesley refused to play. Plenty of years to enjoy what they can from what lives they have.

But an "eternity", they don't have. One day the game will be obsolete, and eventually shut down. Their flesh and blood doppelgangers might outlive them, significantly. But compared to the lifespan of the average Sim, they'll be like Methuselah times a million.

[neorichieb1971]

Finished all of Black Mirror now.

Can you explain the significance of the teddy bear ending?

I found something from the Express UK newspaper -

Quote

"However, the teddy bears were eventually decided upon because they were the only “soft and comforting thing” in the entire episode, which is harsh and gritty both tonally and in terms of subject matter".

Yeah because soft and comforting is worth dying for. Quite a gripping episode and very well done but surely the reward for such caveats would be something greater. Like medicine to save a life?

________________

Watched 2 episodes of the Grand Tour from this new season. Was ok at best. I suppose Richard is handicapped so that makes it hard to put constructive episodes together.

[SuperPang]

International friends, “The End of the F***ing World” is now on Netflix and it is a masterpiece.

[neorichieb1971]

The grand tour s2.

I stopped the Grand tour mid season on its debut season. The reason being is that I found some of the changes from Top Gear to be a bit on the bad side.

S2 improves on the bad areas of S1, but it introduces a lot of fluff as well. There really isn't much car information any more. Its more on "lets see if this car can go up the mountain quicker than skateboarders can go down it". Which I find a bit silly. Ep5 has Clarkson kill 11 sheep with a Subaru Impreza. After looking it up I can't find definite proof that he actually did that or it is a joke. Considering nobody from the RSPCA has kicked up a storm I assume its fake. Its in bad taste either way.

[neorichieb1971]

International friends, “The End of the F***ing World” is now on Netflix and it is a masterpiece.

I saw this advertised on facebook and now that you said its out I went and watched it.

A few gripes. The episodes are so short you might as well of made a movie of it. It works out about the same length of time at around 160 minutes. I Am not sure if the 8 episodes will end it though. I liked the content, I felt disconnected to the characters but strangely curious enough to see how far they would get. There are quite a few coincidental meetings to drive the story along. Its as if the writers of the comic its based on just put these interesting characters in place to drive a sub plot, when done with them move on to another interesting character which drives another subplot. And so on. Netflix seem to be borrowing quite a few characters from Game of Thrones lately, 2 different characters used in Black Mirror and now another one in this.

The actor that plays James in this show, he reminds me of a young John Hannah (the guy who plays the brother in law in the Mummy movies 1999).

Its worthy of a watch if you want to get into the minds of 2 demented 17 year olds that have suffered a life under bad parenting conditions.

[BryanM]

Some talk out there about making a USS Callister series.

Perhaps we're not living inside Roko's basilisk, after all?

[BrianC]

I watched a Perry Mason episode where a someone sald "I would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for your meddling". The case of the frightened fisherman. The funny thing is that the episode was from 1964, a few years before Scooby Doo.

[GaijinPunch]

Finished all of Black Mirror now.

Can you explain the significance of the teddy bear ending?

I found something from the Express UK newspaper -

Quote

"However, the teddy bears were eventually decided upon because they were the only “soft and comforting thing” in the entire episode, which is harsh and gritty both tonally and in terms of subject matter".

Yeah because soft and comforting is worth dying for. Quite a gripping episode and very well done but surely the reward for such caveats would be something greater. Like medicine to save a life?

That's not really the significance of the Teddy Bears though.

Spoiler

The significance is that 3 people gave their lives (in pretty shitty ways) to make the final days of (presumably) a child a little easier. Before they went into the warehouse, the black guy asked if they were not wasting their time, as this person probably only had days, to which home chick replied "what if what's in there makes those days easier?" You presume it's medicine or something, but they don't tell you until the very end, at which point you realize they were doing all that only to pacify a most likely dying child.

[lilmanjs]

Star Trek: The Next Generation
This is quite the jump in quality over netflix like when netflix switched over to the HD remasters. In the middle of season 2 and really it looks amazing, but that pen pals episode is so awful. The only thing that saves it is Wesley Crusher's side story.

[Vexorg]

Sherlock:

Watched the first episode of this last night, definitely plan to watch more. Not sure I care much for this show's version of Moriarty, but Bedraggled Compulsion seems to do well in the title role. I'd rather watch this than the RDJ movie version of the character.

[Skykid]

Got Netflix access, so checked out some shows starting with The Punisher.

The Punisher is shit. By the fourth ep I jacked it in. Treacle slow, aimless and really dull, it's only propelled by moments of violence which are too few and far between. It's strung out with filler and takes ages to move anywhere. The arab woman police detective is a seriously shitty actor and fucks up every scene she's in, which is far too many, and the casting is generally a bit iffy.

Anyway, moving on from that one I started Black Mirror and it's absolutely superb from the get go. Only did the first two episodes so far, but it's brilliantly written and acted and has Charlie Brooker's wry black humour all over it. Like a modern-day version of the Twilight Zone with an emphasis on technology. Looking forward to episode 3.

[emphatic]

You should have started with Daredevil season 1, as it builds up to the introduction to Punisher in season 2. There were stuff I didn't like in The Punisher season 1, but IMHO, having seen his fantastic arch in DD S2, it's more like a nice addendum.

[Skykid]

You should have started with Daredevil season 1, as it builds up to the introduction to Punisher in season 2. There were stuff I didn't like in The Punisher season 1, but IMHO, having seen his fantastic arch in DD S2, it's more like a nice addendum.

I heard DD is good,but then ppl also told me the Punisher is good when it's objectively not. It's hollow and lacks a sense of intrigue or momentum. I'm comfortable leaving it behind now.

Black Mirror is fantastic though. I'm on S2 EP2 now and it's holding up.