What TV series are you currently watching?

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

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George



Best show on TV right now.




Uncomfortable, adorable fun.
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

Ken B

Enemy At The Door

A British series from the 70s about the Nazi occupation of Guernsey. It really is very good, although there is a tendency to melodrama. I wonder if, had this shown been made now and shown to millennials, how many would have named their child "Oberst".

Daverz

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on May 21, 2019, 02:51:27 PM
Well, we can read the books and see how it really ends. According to my Kindle I've read the first three volumes. That means I read two more volumes, wait for Martin to finish Volume 6, which he has been working on for 8 years, then wait probably another decade for him to finish Volume 7. That's contingent on both of us being alive that long. And it assumes Martin doesn't write Volume 7 and decide that eight volumes will be necessary. Ok. Maybe I accept the TV show ending.

The last 2 volumes were an unpleasant slog.  Martin kept introducing more and more characters that I didn't care for and more sideplots that seemed to go nowhere.  I think he's just bored with the whole thing.

It's been too many years since I read the last book, and my memory of them is contaminated by the TV show (and honestly, I'm not that careful a reader).  It's when I realized that I  would have to reread everything to be able to follow the next book that I decided that I just don't give a damn anymore.

Jo498

yeah, I am very disappointed by GoT. And I didn't even watch the series past season 4 or so (up to roughly when Tyrion has to flee King's Landing). I read the first 4 books early in 2011 before the tv show started and I only had to wait a few months for the 5th book. Even within my first enthusiasm I was disappointed by books 4 and 5 and am extremely annoyed that #6 fails to appear. Although this is somewhat paradoxical because as long as it isn't available one can still hope instead of being disappointed again. Martin did a good to great job for 3 books and kind of lost it afterwards. And the blessing of the success turned into a curse because apparently no editor dared to force him to severely cut superfluous meandering rubbish from books 4 and 5 and get on with it.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

Ken B

I formed an impression on Martin very early, long before the show, that he was really good at coming up with intriguing premises but never had any idea where to go with them. Which is why I gave up part way through book one. Though I was enjoying it, I could see where it (wasn't) heading.

If not for GoT, Druon might not be back in print. I really liked The Accursed Kings series. And it ends!

Sergeant Rock

the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

Quote from: Jo498 on May 22, 2019, 12:22:42 AMMartin did a good to great job for 3 books and kind of lost it afterwards. And the blessing of the success turned into a curse because apparently no editor dared to force him to severely cut superfluous meandering rubbish from books 4 and 5 and get on with it.

That's the crux of it, I think. His publishers originally signed on for a trilogy. When it became a phenomenon they couldn't stop it spreading like a weed.

Ken B

Scarpia's question about the seasons.

Interesting. I had never thought of such a thing, but combining tilt, precession, and eccentricity of the orbit I can imagine unequal seasons being possible, especially if they are defined by the temperature not just hours of daylight. And indeed part of Venus has a long winter. https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/interplanetaryseasons

Score one for JRRM!

Jo498

There is very good SF/fantasy series by Brian Aldiss, "Helliconia spring/summer/winter" that has an astronomically plausible mechanism (double star system) for a macrocycle of seasons and explores the evolutionary and cultural consequences. (Aldis credits a bunch of astronomers and biologists he consulted while writing these novels.)

As Martin, I also have ideas what his main problems are. He had planned with three main strains of action (supernatural threat from the north, politics in King's Landing and the dragon heiress on the other continent) that were supposed to dramatically mesh already in the second (or maybe third) book. But then first the political intrigue got completely out of hand and almost drowned the other strains, he became enamoured with certain characters and gave them too much screen time for irrelevant stuff, he continually enlarged the number of actors and factions in the war/intrigue parts. Then he didn't know what to do with some subplots and "played for time", i.e. writing book 4 which is almost superfluous, in the process creating ever more suplots that needed to be resolved somehow.
Another problem is the many viewpoints technique of writing. For this he introduces unimportant characters in the later books, just to give the reader a "witness" for some goings on at a new place (e.g. Dorne? that southern region). These characters are boring but he feels the need to flesh them out again blowing things out of proportion.
Finally, I think Martin is a better writer of short prose, novellas or short stories. The first and last chapters of some of the books could almost serve as stand-alone short stories or vignettes (they also frequently have a viewpoint character who dies at the end of such an episode). Again, this leads him to dwell too long on episodes he does well but that are quite unimportant and actually distract from the main narrative.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

drogulus


     I'm taking a break from the Stasi soap opera to watch Bleak House, the 2005 production.
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Florestan

As of late, I've been greatly enjoying Poldark, Murdoch Mysteries and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Archaic Torso of Apollo

I'm watching Game of Thrones too, for the first time as it happens. That's just what I do, waiting till a long series is over or nearly so, and then jumping aboard at the beginning. On Season 3 now.

It's an interesting mix of Shakespeare, Tolkien, trash TV and softcore porn. A steaming hot mess. I'm mostly enjoying it, though from a critical, semi-detached perspective ("that part works, that part doesn't, that part makes no sense, hey nice costumes," etc.).

There's a lot of sadistic, seemingly pointless violence. It's like a slasher film, and what's worse, it's often not realistic. For example, if you want to pour molten gold on somebody's head, you need a temperature of at least 1000 C to melt it, and it takes a while, not just a couple of minutes. Also, it's not going to solidify instantly, so you won't hear that satisfying *clank* when the poor guy's head hits the floor.

The plot, as others here have noted, contains various holes and implausibilities, and there are so many characters it's hard to keep track of them. I find myself wondering "is that old guy with the beard and the tattered cloak the same one who was in the scene 15 minutes ago, or is it a different old guy with a beard?"

On the plus side, some of the characters are interesting and well-played, and the production is mostly pretty impressive, particularly the nature scenes. Filming wintry scenes in Iceland is always a good idea. There's enough of interest to keep me watching.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on May 23, 2019, 09:48:55 AM
I'm watching Game of Thrones too, for the first time as it happens. That's just what I do, waiting till a long series is over or nearly so, and then jumping aboard at the beginning. On Season 3 now.

It's an interesting mix of Shakespeare, Tolkien, trash TV and softcore porn. A steaming hot mess. I'm mostly enjoying it, though from a critical, semi-detached perspective ("that part works, that part doesn't, that part makes no sense, hey nice costumes," etc.).

There's a lot of sadistic, seemingly pointless violence. It's like a slasher film, and what's worse, it's often not realistic. For example, if you want to pour molten gold on somebody's head, you need a temperature of at least 1000 C to melt it, and it takes a while, not just a couple of minutes. Also, it's not going to solidify instantly, so you won't hear that satisfying *clank* when the poor guy's head hits the floor.

The plot, as others here have noted, contains various holes and implausibilities, and there are so many characters it's hard to keep track of them. I find myself wondering "is that old guy with the beard and the tattered cloak the same one who was in the scene 15 minutes ago, or is it a different old guy with a beard?"

On the plus side, some of the characters are interesting and well-played, and the production is mostly pretty impressive, particularly the nature scenes. Filming wintry scenes in Iceland is always a good idea. There's enough of interest to keep me watching.

Maybe Kahl Drogo got swindled and his "gold" is mostly lead. :)

Seriously, a TV show about dragons and you are complaining they got the metallurgy wrong?  :laugh: Next you'll be complaining about Walter White's blue meth synthesis protocol!

Anyway, I enjoyed the creation of the pseudo-medieval world and some well-written and well acted characters. Sandor Clegane, Littlefinger, Lord Varys, Brienne, Joffrey, Arya, Sansa (later seasons) Tywin, Tyrion, Jamie. Some were too one dimensional (Cersei, the Kahl and the Kahleesi, Robb, Bran). But it comes down to the fact that there are some wonderful scenes. Joffrey and the butcher's boy, Littlefinger whispering to Sansa at the contest, the Kahleesi's blood rider putting her brother in his place when he threatens her after she stops the Kahlisar, the two scenes involving the Moon Door (you've seen one, I think). Good television. It goes off a cliff when the go past the books, which is a shame.

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on May 23, 2019, 10:23:16 AM
Seriously, a TV show about dragons and you are complaining they got the metallurgy wrong?  :laugh: Next you'll be complaining about Walter White's blue meth synthesis protocol!

Nope, because Breaking Bad hired a chemistry professor to make sure they got the science right. (Not that I would have been able to tell the difference anyway.)

QuoteAnyway, I enjoyed the creation of the pseudo-medieval world and some well-written and well acted characters.

Yeah, the characters and setting are the best thing about it, I think.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on May 23, 2019, 10:23:16 AM
the two scenes involving the Moon Door (you've seen one, I think).

The Moon Door is fun, but I did love those "sky cells" - a simple but chillingly effective innovation. Far more interesting and creative than the uncountable hackings, slashings and burnings that litter the rest of the show!
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on May 23, 2019, 11:02:27 AM
The Moon Door is fun, but I did love those "sky cells" - a simple but chillingly effective innovation. Far more interesting and creative than the uncountable hackings, slashings and burnings that litter the rest of the show!

If you're on season 3 you haven't seen the second moon door scene, I think. I won't give it away.

Todd




Finished the show.  Despite the griping online, it was OK or better, if a pretty big step down from the mid-series peak.  I defy anyone to tell me Cleganebowl, with Qyburn's hilarious demise included, wasn't worth a watch.  Several long-standing themes were wrapped up in the conclusion.   Another couple hours of proper storytelling would have been worthwhile, and I was disappointed to see that The Night King ended up being such a wuss when all was said and done, but for a show where zombies and dragons are important, it was good enough.

Now, do I cancel HBO?  Of course not!  Season two of Succession arrives in August.  That's a much better show.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Quote from: Todd on May 25, 2019, 06:03:53 AM
the mid-series peak

Speaking of which: what do people think is the best season(s) of the show, overall?
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

Todd

Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on May 25, 2019, 09:01:07 AM
Speaking of which: what do people think is the best season(s) of the show, overall?


Three and four for me.  The show killed off multiple major characters in single episodes and story development was quite good.  It started it's slow decline thereafter.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

NikF4

Game of Thrones was a long haul. I initially started watching because my then girlfriend liked it, but in the end I think it was just a habit. Then again, I watched every episode of Mad Men apart from the very last one.

Anyway, apparently there are prequels or spin-offs planned? I think one should feature the adventures of Tyrion, Brienne, Varys and a direwolf, all driving around in a funky coloured wagon, visiting villages and hamlets and solving mysteries. And every time there's a 'humourous misunderstanding' between the characters, the direwolf breaks the third wall by looking directly at the camera and tilting its head.

Also, gratuitous top three -

Melisandre
Sansa
Ros