GMG Classical Music Forum

The Back Room => The Diner => Topic started by: Kalevala on October 16, 2024, 08:23:27 PM

Title: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on October 16, 2024, 08:23:27 PM
So suggestions as to what to watch? And is there music that I can listen to....thought that there was an option, but maybe not?

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: NumberSix on October 16, 2024, 09:20:18 PM
You should be able to get COLUMBO episodes on prime, if that's something that interests you.

A couple of TV seasons I have been meaning to try that are supposed to be good:

Fallout
Daisy Jones & the Six


ETA: if you have not subbed to channels, such as MAX or STARZ or Paramount+, most of them have a free week trial for new users. You can subscribe and then immediately cancel. You'll get the week and won't accidentally be charged. LOL
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: NumberSix on October 16, 2024, 09:22:28 PM
All the seasons of Baywatch are on prime, too - but I am guessing you don't want that.  :-[
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on October 16, 2024, 09:46:22 PM
Quote from: NumberSix on October 16, 2024, 09:20:18 PMYou should be able to get COLUMBO episodes on prime, if that's something that interests you.

A couple of TV seasons I have been meaning to try that are supposed to be good:

Fallout
Daisy Jones & the Six

ETA: if you have not subbed to channels, such as MAX or STARZ or Paramount+, most of them have a free week trial for new users. You can subscribe and then immediately cancel. You'll get the week and won't accidentally be charged. LOL
Quote from: NumberSix on October 16, 2024, 09:22:28 PMAll the seasons of Baywatch are on prime, too - but I am guessing you don't want that.  :-[
Thanks for the suggestions.  And I have watched a few episodes of Baywatch back in the day, but no interest now.

Without telling too much, what are those two series about?

K

Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: NumberSix on October 16, 2024, 10:30:51 PM
Quote from: Kalevala on October 16, 2024, 09:46:22 PMThanks for the suggestions.  And I have watched a few episodes of Baywatch back in the day, but no interest now.

Without telling too much, what are those two series about?

K



Fallout is science fiction, an adaptation of a video game set in an apocalyptic future. I don't play games, so I can't say, but this adaptation has been well-received. Stars Ella Purnell in a role that's made her something of a star.

Daisy Jones is about a Fleetwood Mac-esque rock band; I believe it's set in the 70s, but I could be wrong.

Both series are short, 6 or 8 episodes.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: NumberSix on October 16, 2024, 10:33:47 PM
My Lady Jane, I have also seen good things about.

"Are you ready for an epic tale of true love, high adventure, regicidal maniacs, deadpan heroism, devious intrigues, swashbuckling swordfights, a soupçon of magical realism and oodles of yearning, banter and undeniable chemistry? Of course you are. Welcome to My Lady Jane."
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Spotted Horses on October 16, 2024, 10:48:10 PM
I have amazon prime for other reasons I've dipped a toe into prime video but have been frustrated on a few occasions when a series I started watching on prime was suddenly not free on primary anymore (Star Trek Voyager, for example). Best to stick to amazon original series, which don't go away. Amazon prime music is a separate service.

I like Sneaky Pete (an ex-con has to assume another identity to escape mob retribution when he is released from prison, with many complications).

I also liked a series called "The Tick." A superhero series, in which in incredulous civilian finds out that superheros are real (humorous, rather than dramatic).
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on October 17, 2024, 02:55:04 AM
Thank you all for the suggestions!  🙂

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Todd on October 17, 2024, 04:10:42 AM
The first season of The Man in the High Castle is probably the best original series content from Amazon to date, at least that I've seen.  The show declines in quality each season thereafter.

The Outlaws is very good.

Too Old to Die Young is fantastic, but I can only suggest it for people who know and like Nicholas Winding Refn's work.  For those who do not, try one of Refn's movies first.  It is not for everyone.

Fallout is much better than it should be, but it is hard to recommend to many people.

Season one of Hunters is good and has Al Pacino and Dylan Baker (you know him when you see him) chewing the scenery.  I tried season two and it is a flop.

Electric Dreams has some single episodes worth considering.

freevee is owned by Amazon and will be pushed by the parent company in ads.  Jury Duty and Sprung are both excellent freevee original comedies.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: DavidW on October 17, 2024, 05:51:25 AM
Quote from: Kalevala on October 16, 2024, 08:23:27 PMSo suggestions as to what to watch? And is there music that I can listen to....thought that there was an option, but maybe not?

K

It might be gone but I saw a concert of Herreweghe performing Bach's St. John Passion on prime.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Roasted Swan on October 17, 2024, 06:45:27 AM
Quote from: Kalevala on October 16, 2024, 08:23:27 PMSo suggestions as to what to watch? And is there music that I can listen to....thought that there was an option, but maybe not?

K

Regarding music on Prime - say if you are using an Alexa you can say "play Bach" and you will get Bach pieces played in a random order.  If you said "play St John Passion by Bach" you might get one aria or chorus but then other "similar music".  To access exact pieces on demand you have to pay an additional monthly subscription over and above Amazon Prime.

Regarding Prime - if you are a Lord of the RIngs fan then "The Rings of Power" looks gorgoeus even if its rather earnest and quite slow.  At the other extreme "The Boyz" has to be the darkest, most violent dystopian take on the craze for superheroes ever made.  I think it is subversively brilliant but I suspect most people would find it simply too OTT (the premise is babies are injected by a large coporation at birth with a drug that will give them superhuman powers at puberty).  But which powers are unknown at the point of injection.  The coporation then uses those "heroes" to promote anything and everything for financial gain.  The leading "hero" is called "homelander" who is basically a narcissistic psychopath but "marketed" as a kind of USA-lovin' Captain America out of Superman.  Well - I said it was dark......

PS:  Fallout was quite brilliant - an opening sequence where a nuclear apocalypse was accompanied by Nat King Cole singing "Orange colored sky" was genius.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: DavidW on October 17, 2024, 11:08:56 AM
I recommend The Night Manager, Endeavor, Grantchester, Bosch, Broadchurch and Psych on Prime.

Prime's strength is the mountains and mountains of third-party content. Their originals are mostly bad or mediocre.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on October 17, 2024, 11:47:04 AM
Quote from: DavidW on October 17, 2024, 11:08:56 AMI recommend The Night Manager, Endeavor, Grantchester, Bosch, Broadchurch and Psych on Prime.

Prime's strength is the mountains and mountains of third-party content. Their originals are mostly bad or mediocre.
Thanks.  I've watched a number of the Endeavor series and a few of Grantchester.  Don't know the other ones but I'll look into them.

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on October 20, 2024, 07:44:54 AM
I watched The Man in the High Tower (first episode) and enjoyed it.  Also watched the first episode of The Rings of Power with a friend the other night.  Was enjoying it, but dozed off at the very end!  :-[  He was nice and let me doze whilst finishing watching it; a true friend!

Also (tennis fanatic that I've become) watched an *exhibition match in Riyadh.  Sweet to see Novak and Rafa play each other--probably for the last time [**I don't know whether Novak is playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup, but even if the two teams did meet up, there's no guarantee that they'd play against each other.].  They've had a long rivalry...and nice words from Novak towards Rafa and back the other way too.  :'(  *This is why I decided to check out Amazon Prime.  :-[  And the winner of "The Six Kings" walked away with 6 million dollars!

**Nope!  Serbia didn't make it into the final eight.

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Brian on October 20, 2024, 08:25:25 AM
We like a mellow cooking show on Prime called the Great British Menu, where each series the cooks are asked to prepare a celebratory banquet menu around a certain theme (e.g., a farm-fresh local produce dinner hosted by then-Prince Charles, a special meal for D Day veterans, etc.). It takes an absurdly long amount of time to do this. They have regional "heats" in every part of the UK preparing dishes for judges, and then the winning chefs from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Cornwall, London, etc. all go head-to-head in the finals, followed by a documentary showing the winners preparing the final banquet. There's almost never any personal drama, there's no fighting, nothing like that.* It's a rare cooking show that focuses really tightly on cooking. And its UK patriotism is very quaint and a little campy.

*although there is a guy whose idea of a D Day dish is to celebrate the beaches by making a meal of "edible sand"...he gets a 2 out of 10...
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on October 20, 2024, 08:29:53 AM
Quote from: Brian on October 20, 2024, 08:25:25 AMWe like a mellow cooking show on Prime called the Great British Menu, where each series the cooks are asked to prepare a celebratory banquet menu around a certain theme (e.g., a farm-fresh local produce dinner hosted by then-Prince Charles, a special meal for D Day veterans, etc.). It takes an absurdly long amount of time to do this. They have regional "heats" in every part of the UK preparing dishes for judges, and then the winning chefs from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Cornwall, London, etc. all go head-to-head in the finals, followed by a documentary showing the winners preparing the final banquet. There's almost never any personal drama, there's no fighting, nothing like that.* It's a rare cooking show that focuses really tightly on cooking. And its UK patriotism is very quaint and a little campy.

*although there is a guy whose idea of a D Day dish is to celebrate the beaches by making a meal of "edible sand"...he gets a 2 out of 10...
So, does the winner then get hired to cook for the special events?

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Brian on October 20, 2024, 08:38:15 AM
Quote from: Kalevala on October 20, 2024, 08:29:53 AMSo, does the winner then get hired to cook for the special events?

K
Yes, the special banquets happen at the end of each series and four different winning chefs cook the starter, fish course, main course, and dessert.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: drogulus on December 27, 2024, 10:43:12 AM

     My primary use of Prime Video is the MHZ subchannel, a paid service for European TV. I watch shows from France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on December 27, 2024, 10:57:41 AM
Quote from: drogulus on December 27, 2024, 10:43:12 AMMy primary use of Prime Video is the MHZ subchannel, a paid service for European TV. I watch shows from France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
Do you have to pay an additional fee for the MHZ or is it included with Prime?

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on December 27, 2024, 11:03:04 AM
Quote from: Kalevala on December 27, 2024, 10:57:41 AMDo you have to pay an additional fee for the MHZ or is it included with Prime?

K

Ah, never mind; I see that it's an additional paid subscription after 7 day free trial.

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: DavidW on December 28, 2024, 06:42:03 AM
Quote from: Kalevala on December 27, 2024, 11:03:04 AMAh, never mind; I see that it's an additional paid subscription after 7 day free trial.

K

That is the problem with Prime, it is also a hub for other platforms and can be confusing. You have to look for a small yellow shopping bag icon in the corner of the thumbnail.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: drogulus on December 30, 2024, 08:20:45 PM
Quote from: DavidW on December 28, 2024, 06:42:03 AMThat is the problem with Prime, it is also a hub for other platforms and can be confusing. You have to look for a small yellow shopping bag icon in the corner of the thumbnail.

     MHZ is the only paid extra on my Prime subscription. I can't live without my Tatort. They have a pretty deep catalog, too.
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: Kalevala on December 31, 2024, 10:31:32 AM
Quote from: drogulus on December 30, 2024, 08:20:45 PMMHZ is the only paid extra on my Prime subscription. I can't live without my Tatort. They have a pretty deep catalog, too.
I see that Amazon Prime is currently offering a special for MHz.  $1.99 a month/for two months and then $7.99 a month thereafter and says that the offer ends January 2nd.  Might give it a go.

Do all of the shows come with English subtitles?

K
Title: Re: Trying Amazon Prime.....and
Post by: drogulus on December 31, 2024, 11:16:48 AM
Quote from: Kalevala on December 31, 2024, 10:31:32 AMI see that Amazon Prime is currently offering a special for MHz.  $1.99 a month/for two months and then $7.99 a month thereafter and says that the offer ends January 2nd.  Might give it a go.

Do all of the shows come with English subtitles?

K

    Yes. The channel brings international TV to the US and Canada. They have some dubbed stuff, too, but that material is also available in the original language with subs. This is the best way to get your Nordic Noir fix.

(https://stuartreviewsstuff.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/forbrydelsen.jpg)