What TV series are you currently watching?

Started by Wakefield, April 26, 2015, 06:16:35 PM

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aleazk

It has been ages since the last time I watched any type of broadcasted audio visual entertainment. I don't even have a TV or a Netflix account.

Not that I have something against it or people who watch it (or worse, some type of silly purism). It simply happened for one reason or another. :-\

ComposerOfAvantGarde

#641
Quote from: Draško on May 19, 2017, 06:19:49 AM
My first foray into Doctor Who territory, and I like it so far. Probably should have started with season one of the reboot but Netflix has it from here and it doesn't seem to matter much.

Series 5 is wonderful, although 6 is probably the most problematic for me so good luck getting through that if you like what you see so far. :P

But you came in at a good starting point. Doctor Who seems to do that every so often, not necessarily with a completely new cast and showrunner, but just with a new place for newcomers to jump on.....the current series (10th since the reboot) has been designed like that even though the only real change of cast since the episodes preceding it is the introduction of Pearl Mackie playing Bill Potts....

Series 1 to 4 of the reboot have not aged well, and that doesn't seem to be a particularly unpopular opinion. That era of the show has its own fans who barely watch the current Moffatt era anyway, and I suspect the upcoming Chris Chibnall era of the show will be different yet again!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. ;D

Do we have a Doctor Who thread at all?

SimonNZ

Quote from: aleazk on May 22, 2017, 08:11:01 PM
It has been ages since the last time I watched any type of broadcasted audio visual entertainment. I don't even have a TV or a Netflix account.

Not that I have something against it or people who watch it (or worse, some type of silly purism). It simply happened for one reason or another. :-\

I haven't bothered replacing my old CRT since all broadcasts here went digital-only. I can still use it to watch dvds, which is my preferred method for tv show watching anyway.

kishnevi

#643
Quote from: jessop on May 22, 2017, 09:33:52 PM
Series 5 is wonderful, although 6 is probably the most problematic for me so good luck getting through that if you like what you see so far. :P

But you came in at a good starting point. Doctor Who seems to do that every so often, not necessarily with a completely new cast and showrunner, but just with a new place for newcomers to jump on.....the current series (10th since the reboot) has been designed like that even though the only real change of cast since the episodes preceding it is the introduction of Pearl Mackie playing Bill Potts....

Series 1 to 4 of the reboot have not aged well, and that doesn't seem to be a particularly unpopular opinion. That era of the show has its own fans who barely watch the current Moffatt era anyway, and I suspect the upcoming Chris Chibnall era of the show will be different yet again!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. ;D

Do we have a Doctor Who thread at all?

I stopped watching it some years ago.  It lacks a lot of the quirkiness of the original show.  They are certainly running through Doctors at a good clip, which will present them with an important continuity problem relative to the old series: the Time Lords were supposedly limited to twelve regenerations.  And that was an important plot point, since a number of stories in the Baker and Davison eras revolved around the Master's need to find a new body or new regeneration after hitting that limit.  They seem to have ignored the problem when dealing with the Master in the new series, so my guess is they'll do the same for the Doctor.

ETA: I've lost count--how many actors have portrayed the Doctor already in the reboot? If I have it right Moffatt is himself the Twelfth Doctor.

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on May 23, 2017, 09:02:59 AM
I stopped watching it some years ago.  It lacks a lot of the quirkiness of the original show.  They are certainly running through Doctors at a good clip, which will present them with an important continuity problem relative to the old series: the Time Lords were supposedly limited to twelve regenerations.  And that was an important plot point, since a number of stories in the Baker and Davison eras revolved around the Master's need to find a new body or new regeneration after hitting that limit.  They seem to have ignored the problem when dealing with the Master in the new series, so my guess is they'll do the same for the Doctor.

ETA: I've lost count--how many actors have portrayed the Doctor already in the reboot? If I have it right Moffatt is himself the Twelfth Doctor.

The whole limit of regenerations thing (12, resulting in 13 possible bodies) became a big plot point around the 50th anniversary when the Doctor ran out.....I do believe that the Time Lords during the Last Great Time War between them and the Daleks granted the Master a new cycle of 12 regenerations out of sheer desperation and that is what s/he is going through at the moment.....

It is actually hard to work out how many regenerations versus incarnations the Doctor has had since Paul McGann played the 8th doctor but I think it's something like this according to his own timeline of regenerations shown on screen:

8 (Paul McGann) regenerated into the 'War Doctor' (John Hurt) with the help of the Sisterhood of Karn in order to actually fight in and end the Time War. He didn't call himself the Doctor and kept this incarnation a secret.....then later he wore that body out and regenerated into 9 (Christopher Eccleston) who then regenerated into 10 (David Tennant) who was narcissistic enough to regenerate again into the same body, still counted as 10. If I'm correct this makes it his eleventh actual regeneration, meaning he only has one left....which he uses to regenerate into 11 (Matt Smith) and throughout his three seasons playing the 11th Doctor there was a constant overarching theme of his imminent death and potential ways to avoid it. Eventually he was granted another set of regenerations after the writers of the show worked out how to bring back the Time Lords to help Matt Smith turn into Peter Capaldi as Doctor no. 12..........

I do believe that there is a unique quirkiness to the original show that isn't there so much in the new series, but it's actually quite surprising how smoothly the production and style of the show changes over time, including the gap between 1989 and 2005.

I do hope they address what's actually happening with the Master more clearly in the current season. Her current incarnation won't be coming back after this one is finished, which is rather unfortunate because I like her quite a lot and the theme of friendship between her and the Doctor versus the evil manipulative maniac she always turns out to be. But eventually she (maybe he next time around) will run out again and will have to find new bodies to take over all over again. I do miss that element of the Master from the old series.

kishnevi

So that is how they worked it? Thanks for the summary, I had forgotten that John Hurt was a Doctor.

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on May 23, 2017, 03:50:29 PM
So that is how they worked it? Thanks for the summary, I had forgotten that John Hurt was a Doctor.

It is easy to forget considering he wasn't really one anyway. ;D

NikF

#647
I used to watch the original series because I found it exciting and scary. The first doctor I remember was Jon Pertwee. When I was older the doctor was Tom Baker, but by that time my reason for watching was his assistant, Mary Tamm -

- but when she left I did too.

Since it returned I've watched it maybe half a dozen times. I almost consider it a different show and in many ways a superior one. But it's kind of middle of the road/soap opera-ish. In fact, what's the spin-off called? The one with the Scottish guy. I think that show took a few more chances but still managed to remain mainstream peak-time safe viewing.

e: Spin-off = Torchwood. Scottish guy = John Barrowman (met him a couple of times - I found him to be a cool and good guy)
"You overestimate my power of attraction," he told her. "No, I don't," she replied sharply, "and neither do you".

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Mary Tamm, playing the first incarnation of the Time Lady knows as Romana (she has a much longer name that no one can pronounce) began in I think season 16, a fun season for sure with the overarching storyline (The Key to Time) and featuring K9 as well! I think it was also when Douglas Adams joined as script editor and wrote a number of episodes for the show too. 8)

NikF

"You overestimate my power of attraction," he told her. "No, I don't," she replied sharply, "and neither do you".

Todd




Season three of Catastrophe.  Still excellent and witty and real-world scaled, the show has lost just a bit of sizzle, but I think part of that is because so much is crammed into only six episodes, so some ideas and storylines are not fleshed out enough.  Mark Bonnar is superb in his supporting role, often stealing scenes, and some of Carrie Fisher's last work appears in the final episode, where she does fine comedic work. 
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

George




Better Call Saul - Season 3


God, I love this show!
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

Wakefield

Quote from: milk on May 20, 2017, 03:57:42 PM
The Keepers: heartbreaking doc series.

What's gone wrong with people these days? Seems like mass infantilization with the endless popularity of super hero fluff.

Yes, the level of nastiness and cruelty of those two priests (and other adults involved) seems almost surrealistic. Like a novel by Sade.  :o
"One of the greatest misfortunes of honest people is that they are cowards. They complain, keep quiet, dine and forget."
-- Voltaire

TheGSMoeller

Quote from: Draško on May 19, 2017, 06:19:49 AM
 



My first foray into Doctor Who territory, and I like it so far. Probably should have started with season one of the reboot but Netflix has it from here and it doesn't seem to matter much.

Season 5 is one of my favorites, has a real strong 2-part finale. And Matt Smith does a good job of following Tennent.

milk

Quote from: Gordo on May 25, 2017, 09:09:25 AM
Yes, the level of nastiness and cruelty of those two priests (and other adults involved) seems almost surrealistic. Like a novel by Sade.  :o
I didn't know this was going to be about that. One can know about something, yet it's not the same as making yourself sit and listen to the survivors describe it in emotional detail. Whatever else the church is and was, good, great or otherwise, it is/was also evil. And evil in a totalitarian way. If a member tells me how totalitarian evil is the result of atheism I will say: look in the mirror! What is described on this show was repeated how many times in how many places? Oh the (in-)humanity!

NikF

American Gods http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1898069/

So far it seems almost like a demo for the tech involved in shooting it. Actually, that's unfair because as far as this sort of fantasy fluff is concerned it's not the worst. It's nice to watch Ian McShane in a role that is far removed from such as his 'Lovejoy' days. But I consider the standout to be Cloris Leachman. She's playing it completely straight - including firm, nearly understated delivery - and in the process stealing scenes at her leisure.
In contrast (and taking characterisation into account) Ricky Whittle is limited, but he's really only there to be tall and have broad shoulders (his shoulders are better than mine, although mine are great for a 109 year old) and that's pretty much in line with the other cartoon like characters.
I'll keep watching it for now.


^
Not Cloris Leachman.
"You overestimate my power of attraction," he told her. "No, I don't," she replied sharply, "and neither do you".

SimonNZ


Autumn Leaves

Started on Fargo series #3 last week - very impressed so far: I will definetely be watching this one through to the end.
I haven't seen series #1 or 2 yet so will probably get back to them at some stage.

Apart from Fargo Im following Homeland (next I will be watching series #5) and Game of Thrones (awaiting release of series #7).


nodogen

The Handmaid's Tale.

Adaptation of the dystopian Margaret Atwood novel.


SonicMan46

Wife and I have finished watching the newest seasons of TV series that we enjoy together - now trying to find one that I might enjoy, so decided on Dr. Who starting w/ the relaunched 2005 season - watched the first 4 episodes - enjoyed, but not sure 'how long' I'll last since the series is still on-going w/ a dozen or so 'Doctors' in the role - should I just continue or be selective?  Thanks - Dave :)