TV you've just watched

[njiska]

It gets a lot worse. Most of Season 2 is unwatchable, pandering, soap opera tripe. There's genuine human drama in Season 3, but it's still very up and down between legit drama and melodrama. Personally I have no problem with television as a format because some stories are better told in serial than in 40 act, 9 hour long disjointed messes.

Yeah, this season has been pretty good, though I hoped it would have a more primary focus on Dexter and Deb - between Isaac and Hannah, I feel like the show has already moved past the reveal which was the big part of what I was excited for. It's nice to see the kids again, though - I always felt that they missed a great opportunity by shipping them off right after Rita died.

That said, LaGuerta's side story is picking up steam and I'm psyched about that - especially to see how it will play out for Deb.

I'm loving Issak. Ray Stevenson is a fantastic actor and I think he's more than shown it here. As for the Dex, Deb stuff, it's rearing its head again, though I personally thought that was a bad direction for the series as it was taking things in the soap opera direction.

[Acid King]

I finished OZ recently. Was curious, as I remembered it being the first really big HBO primetime drama back in the 90s, predating The Sopranos (and starring a few of its key actors plus The Wire's). I was too young to have much interest in it beyond "LOL HE POOP IN HE MOUT" (fine scene by the way). First 4.5 seasons were generally excellent. It's obviously not a "realistic" prison drama but artistic license allowed, its atmosphere is consistently discomforting and occasionally horrifying. Tobias Beecher's character development was magnetic, and it does a fine job of creating a memorable, diverse rogues' gallery with good interplay of the inmates' and staff's travails. Kareem Said, Simon Adebisi, Chris Keller, Vern Schillinger, Miguel Alvarez and Ryan O'Reilly - all great characters amongst many smaller but memorable faces. Only thing I disliked was the crazy murderer guy with Sister Peter-Marie, fucking irritating actor. Wanted to strangle his scrawny chicken neck with my dick then drop my balls on his skull shattering it like a lightbulb.

Should've ended after season 4.5's bracing finale as from there it's a slide into rehashing old angles, tedious and anticlimactic plotlines, shitty oversold new characters replacing vastly superior old ones, and ridiculous stories involving turbo aging pills, psychotic nurses, disappearing holy men, an Aryan Brother getting a black man's gums and an EVIL CONSPIRACY AT THE TOP. All ends in a sad, dry, airy fart of a non-conclusion. If in the mood watch up to 4.5, can't recommend the rest outside of curiosity. A "good, better, HOLY FUCK THIS IS GREAT" season progression ala THE SHIELD this ain't.

Oz was one of my favorites when it was on. Considering that there are only 6 seasons, 4 and a half is pretty good, but I agree, some of the plotlines from the end of the series were pretty ludicrous. I think they could have carved the worthwhile stuff from the end, like the conclusion to the Beecher-Schillinger-Keller triangle, and Cyril and Alvarez's stuff, and finished with a strong season 5 though.

[CMoon]

I think I'm just getting really sick of TV formula again. I rarely watch it and the only thing which has completely bowled me over was Breaking Bad. Falling Skies seems like it has its heart in the right place, but its plot is piss poor and like all other tv shows, it has way too many goddamn characters with only about 3 being interesting. *sighs*

[SuperPang]

Peep Show series 8 starts Sunday.

[neorichieb1971]

World without end - Really liked it, 8 episodes. 1200AD England sort of thing. Written and produced by Ridley/Tony Scott.

The Last Resort - USA nukes Pakistan, USA submarine rebels against USA etc etc.


And the usual Dexter, Walking dead and Homeland. Which are all brilliant.

[emphatic]

The Last Resort - USA nukes Pakistan, USA submarine rebels against USA etc etc.

Cancelled already.

[njiska]

The Last Resort - USA nukes Pakistan, USA submarine rebels against USA etc etc.

Cancelled already.

Every time I saw an ad for that show it made me want to watch Crimson Tide, not the show itself.

[lilmanjs]

Going to start watching the Japanese drama show Tobo Bengoshi tonight. I have a couple of other dramas I should probably be watching first since I've had them downloaded a lot longer, but this one interests me. Anyone besides me into the Dramas scene?

[CStarFlare]

I'm loving Issak. Ray Stevenson is a fantastic actor and I think he's more than shown it here. As for the Dex, Deb stuff, it's rearing its head again, though I personally thought that was a bad direction for the series as it was taking things in the soap opera direction.

I'm not fond of the romantic twist, but the season 6 finale was a long time coming and I was hoping it would be the season's central conflict. I feel like Hannah is stealing screen time from that - who really wants Dexter to have another romantic interest? I'll give Isaac credit, it's nice that they've stepped away from throwing silly serial killers into Miami and given us a decent antagonist, but I think the show would be just fine without a seasonal bad guy.

[njiska]

Yeah the Dex, Deb confrontation was a long time coming, but I don't feel it's really gone to the background. The entire Hanna storyline may appear to be about Dexter romancing, but as was shown by the last episode, it's really meant to be a point of stress with Deb coming to terms with his life, the code and the inadequacies of Miami Metro. The tension that relationship is putting on the two of them makes it more than worth doing.

[ED-057]

Going to start watching the Japanese drama show Tobo Bengoshi tonight. I have a couple of other dramas I should probably be watching first since I've had them downloaded a lot longer, but this one interests me. Anyone besides me into the Dramas scene?

I occasionally watch them, depending on who is in it or if it is something awesome like Akihabara@DEEP. Currently watching 結婚しない　and 悪夢ちゃん

[Hagane]

Just finished watching the first season of American Horror Story. It's pretty good as far as horror goes, but it's like reading Lovecraft, in the worst sense. To enjoy it you have to put up with a lot of really unsubtle right wing subtext.

[Rob]

Anyone besides me into the Dramas scene?

Been following them for the past 5 or so seasons. Unreal amount of trash, but some really to pretty good shows scattered about. それでも、生きてゆく is the high water mark. Current season: 遅咲きのヒマワリ, Going My Home and some others I'd be more ashamed to mention.

[Moniker]

Trying to get into Boardwalk Empire. Steve Buscemi, while certainly beloved, doesn't quite convince as a criminal overlord (yet). Really dig the Al Capone subplot, though. Only 5 episodes in, so maybe I'll be turned. Seems to suffer from Game of Thrones's "As Many Titties as Possible" syndrome, though.

[lilmanjs]

Anyone besides me into the Dramas scene?

Been following them for the past 5 or so seasons. Unreal amount of trash, but some really to pretty good shows scattered about. それでも、生きてゆく is the high water mark. Current season: 遅咲きのヒマワリ, Going My Home and some others I'd be more ashamed to mention.

Have you seen Hungry! That aired at the start of the year and it is one of the highlights of this year. Great cast, good story and acting is good. Though I jump around when watching stuff. I though need something else from this year to check out!

[blackoak]

To enjoy it you have to put up with a lot of really unsubtle right wing subtext.

I'd like to hear more of your thoughts on this; not sure if I noticed that outside of the genre-typical "morality punishment." I just finished it too and was unimpressed. Its not like Vampire Diaries level, but its still soap opera horror imo.

[Hagane]

Off the top of my head: anti abortion (generally shown as a terrible crime; the house is cursed due to the abortions made in the basement), anti gay (the gays are promiscuous stereotype, the discussion between Constance and Chad over adoption -which ends with Chad saying he would smother the babies so they stay cute forever-), anti Obama bits (the real state agent commenting that the economy was so bad thanks to the lazy bum in the government; they state how bad the economy is several times through the season)... considering this is a FOX series I doubt all that is coincidence.

I do agree that the drama bits get a bit too annoying (something that bothered me in Breaking Bad season 2 too), and the end is pretty dumb (lol so we got to be happy after all), but otherwise I had a good time with it, I'll watch season 2 too.

[Hagane]

Watched three chapters of Dexter and... while the premise is interesting, the acting is so bad I just can't get into it. Do the actors improve later on or is it that way the whole series?

[Acid King]

I'm now 40 odd episodes in to the Fist of the North Star tv series and it's so fucking good. Like a super gory spagetthi western/Mad Max/Bruce Lee mash up. It's good to finally understand where the characters from the fighting game came from.

Off the top of my head: anti abortion (generally shown as a terrible crime; the house is cursed due to the abortions made in the basement), anti gay (the gays are promiscuous stereotype, the discussion between Constance and Chad over adoption -which ends with Chad saying he would smother the babies so they stay cute forever-), anti Obama bits (the real state agent commenting that the economy was so bad thanks to the lazy bum in the government; they state how bad the economy is several times through the season)... considering this is a FOX series I doubt all that is coincidence.

I didn't really pick up on any right-wing subtext. More than just right wing loons talk about the shitty state of the economy in America, and one jack assed comment about Obama being lazy doesn't make for effective subtext, so much as it is an accurate representation of a lot of people think (I see and hear it everyday). I also think it's funny that you say that it's anti-gay. The show was written and created by a gay man who has been nominated for and received many awards from organizations like GLAAD for television he's written and produced (Glee and Popular). Self hating gay maybe? I certainly didn't get that vibe anyway.

Though FX is owned by Fox, American Horror Story, like a lot of the shows on FX, is actually produced outside of the company. That's part of the reason why they've been able to take chances on shows like Louie, Terriers and American Horror Story. Their investments in the shows is relatively small compared to a network like HBO.

[RGC]

Just finished The Shield season 5. All I can say is...wow. I don't know if I can handle this level of intensity much longer. The outcome with lem/lemonhead/lem-ah-nade particularly did my box.

[emphatic]

The Shield is awesome.

[RGC]

Definitely took a while to grow on me. I took a break for ~6 months after season 3, having come to despise every character except Claudette -- and I didn't care if that was the point. But, now it has well and truly established itself. Can't wait to see how things pan out, but I need to cram in episodes as it'll probably be taken off Lovefilm in a few weeks.

[dan76]

Just finished the first half of season 3 The Walking Dead. Pretty good, better paced than season 2. The first two episodes were particularly good - there is some bold stuff in these 8 episodes. I think this show has got zombies just about right, in that they DON'T RUN, are easy to deal with if there's just a few of them but quickly become dangerous in a large group.

I still think Andrew Lincoln was miscast (there are so many good american actors, why hire a Brit?) - but it's one of the few shows I watch. Looking forward to February when it starts again.

I also really like Homeland. I didn't care for either of the lead actors but they've both won me over with good performances. Only a couple more episodes to go over here.

The quality of good American tv is way above anything produced in the UK.

[emphatic]

The quality of good American tv is way above anything produced in the UK.

Luther is/was an excellent Brit crime series.

[neorichieb1971]

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.

[njiska]

Just got done watching Black Dynamite: The Animated Series. I swear the race war episode nearly killed me with Dr. Wu's Tang Clan.

[RGC]

Just finished The Shield season 5. All I can say is...wow. I don't know if I can handle this level of intensity much longer.

Season 6...faeces recently became actualised

[RGC]

...And finally completed The Shield series 7. I can completely understand why someone might refer to this show as Shakespearean (in terms of drama). It is really very good, and would probably make my top 10, not quite top 5 material but still definitely a worthwhile experience. After completing the series I immediately went back and watched the pilot again, to relive those characters starting out. Occasionally, I find that to be one measure of a show's success in terms of its emotional impact. You may not readily identify with the characters, but for some reason it's hard to let them go. Could just be panic about what to do with those evenings instead!

My favourite shows, excluding sitcoms, are The Wire, Twin Peaks, BSG, I Claudius, DS9, Game of Thrones, and now The Shield. Based on these, is there anything else you guys would automatically recommend? I was considering tackling one of the following next: Fringe, The Borgias, Boardwalk Empire.

The first series of Dexter didn't do much for me. Likewise, the UK drama Life on Mars got tedious half way through the second series, so I gave up on that. I also didn't get too far into Blue Bloods, finding it a bit contrived I guess. Perhaps that one picks up as it progresses. Anyway, suggestions welcome!

[Hagane]

Have you watched Breaking Bad yet? I've watched everything released till this point and it's a masterpiece. Season 2 is a bit slow with maybe too much drama, but everything after that just keeps getting better and better. Excellent characters and acting. Can't wait for the final mini-season.

[RGC]

Breaking Bad was another on the potentials list, as are Deadwood and Walking Dead. So much to choose from. Any comments on the latter two?