Good TV

Rinel · Jul 21, 2019, 6:10 PM

I’m getting burnout on a considerable amount of nostalgia bait.

I don't think sequels are nostalgia bait. If every episode is "focus on an old character," then sure--but it doesn't look like that will be the case.

Thenomain · Jul 21, 2019, 6:16 PM

@Rinel said in Good TV:

@Thenomain said in Good TV:

I’m getting burnout on a considerable amount of nostalgia bait.

I don't think sequels are nostalgia bait. If every episode is "focus on an old character," then sure--but it doesn't look like that will be the case.

“Look, it’s 7 of 9! Look, it’s Data! Look, Riker!” That’s bait. It makes me worried that they will focus on these characters and not on exploring new territory.

Or almost as bad: Exploring new territory the same way they did a decade ago.

With the exception of Jeri Ryan, I don’t have faith in the other non-Stewart actors to carry a new series. I know that Paramount/CBS can hire a director good enough to manage it, and Spiner seems to be playing the same ol’ Data from the little bit that we see, so I won’t nay-say it outright, but we’ve been down this road before in different contexts.

We will see.

Auspice · Jul 21, 2019, 6:24 PM

@Thenomain said in Good TV:

@Rinel said in Good TV:

@Thenomain said in Good TV:

I’m getting burnout on a considerable amount of nostalgia bait.

I don't think sequels are nostalgia bait. If every episode is "focus on an old character," then sure--but it doesn't look like that will be the case.

“Look, it’s 7 of 9! Look, it’s Data! Look, Riker!” That’s bait. It makes me worried that they will focus on these characters and not on exploring new territory.

Or almost as bad: Exploring new territory the same way they did a decade ago.

With the exception of Jeri Ryan, I don’t have faith in the other non-Stewart actors to carry a new series. I know that Paramount/CBS can hire a director good enough to manage it, and Spiner seems to be playing the same ol’ Data from the little bit that we see, so I won’t nay-say it outright, but we’ve been down this road before in different contexts.

We will see.

It was a ComicCon trailer. It's sort of the norm to throw in 'Hey! These names you love will be making a cameo!'

And that's what I feel the others are. Cameos. They'll be there, in the background, but certainly not a focus all the time. I mean, we saw other new characters just as much if not more than them in the trailer.

silverfox · Jul 21, 2019, 6:57 PM

I'm ready for some solid nostalgia.I screamed in excitement upon seeing Data in that trailer because I SOBBED for hours after Nemesis.

Rinel · Jul 21, 2019, 8:10 PM

@silverfox said in Good TV:

I'm ready for some solid nostalgia.I screamed in excitement upon seeing Data in that trailer because I SOBBED for hours after Nemesis.

I didn't cry on account of the movie being pretty terrible, all things considered, but I was highly bummed. I really, really like how they're turning Nemesis and the Star Trek reboots into the catalyst for something great.

(Those were Romulans in the trailer, right? And the thing Picard did that was so extraordinary was rescuing them, right?)

Thenomain · Jul 21, 2019, 11:54 PM

@Auspice

Two of the names mentioned are nowhere in the trailer, and I think you missed how I’m still going to wait and see, so, er, yeah.

Ganymede · Jul 22, 2019, 12:26 AM

@Thenomain

The entire series and fan base seems to reek of nostalgia, even though most of the movies and episodes I like are undeniably anti-traditional.

I too will wait and see, but I don’t think I will be disappointed.

fairyknifefight · Jul 22, 2019, 5:58 PM

@Lisse24 - Isn't it? I love the show so much, and unbelievably excited for the 4th season. I hate winter, but I'm really wishing it were December already.

Ghost · Jul 27, 2019, 9:31 PM

THE BOYS is solid, great TV.

Also: THE ORVILLE is a HULU show next season. Ixnay on the OXFay.

tek · Jul 28, 2019, 4:24 PM

I am loving Another Life. Hard sci-fi with incredible representation, freaky body horror, Katee Sackhoff.

Ghost · Jul 28, 2019, 8:12 PM

@tek I love Katee's intensity. I'm also loving that hologram.

tek · Jul 28, 2019, 9:11 PM

@Ghost I love that there's a fat character who is competent, smart, and has a romantic plot. I also love that there's a trans character who just exists without a single line of plot being about how they are trans.

I describe Katee's character as "Starbuck, if she had her shit together"

My only complaints are that the subplots that happen back on Earth are meh and there's only so many times we can have the pressing crisis of the episode be "we have x amount of time before the ship explodes" before it gets old.

Rinel · Jul 28, 2019, 9:37 PM

I'm enjoying THE BOYS so far. It's completely over the top, but I like the Watchmen-meets-Burn After Reading vibe I get from it.

Arkandel · Jul 28, 2019, 9:41 PM

@Rinel The comic was over the top (and amazing) too. It's just how Garth Ennis writes.

Ominous · Jul 28, 2019, 11:15 PM

Crossposting from another tread.

The Boys was good, but really dark. Fortunately there is black comedy throughout that adds some needed levity. It was rather predictable as far as plot (there were two moments that managed to go in directions I did not expect and both were in the final episode), but it was still good. It has a wide cast, so there are plenty of characters to see and they are decently developed rather than just caricatures. Even the rapist dudebro is a bit sympathetic. Which is probably why the show was emotionally draining for me at the end. I kind of want to hug everyone in the series and tell them that it's all going to be alright, even the ones who really should be kicked repeatedly in the nads.

So, all in all, good, but dark. Have a bottle of something inebriating on standby.

Wizz · Jul 29, 2019, 1:17 PM

@Arkandel said in Good TV:

@Rinel The comic was over the top (and amazing) too. It's just how Garth Ennis writes.

Garth Ennis is the comic-books equivalent of a shock-jock radio DJ. He's deliberately offensive and gross on the level of a maladjusted teenager, TBH. He and Mark Millar are two authors whose popularity I will never understand, and Amazon made the right choice in trimming down the content of the series. It's still very explicit and dark, but in a way that is mostly not completely cringey and awful.

(Nobody is cutting their drugs with Maeve's vaginal secretions, thank god.)

Wretched · Jul 28, 2019, 11:37 PM

@Wizz Yeah i remember that scene with Deep and Starlight alone in episode 1 and I remember that very differently from the comics. I was like 'wow they really dialed this back.'

Rinel · Jul 29, 2019, 2:28 AM

Just started episode 2 of Another Life. I like it. I like that there's a nonbinary person on there who, as someone said earlier, just happens to be nonbinary (at least I'm assuming binary on account of the whole beard shadow thing. Maybe gender norms are more flexible in the future HERE IS HOPING). The characters are interesting.

I'm just genuinely enjoying it and wondering where it is going to go, which is a pleasant thing.

Ghost · Jul 29, 2019, 6:17 AM

I really like Another Life, too. Right now I feel like I'm getting some great Sci-Fi TV in (Expanse, Another Life) that is probably the best I've seen since the Reimagined BSG. I like technical, heavy, intense sci-fi.

I know I say this a lot, but it's an amazing time to be a geek. When I was a kid I'd never imagined that indie comics (The Boys, Deadly Class, Umbrella Academy, Hellboy), fantasy novels (LotR, Game of Thrones, Sword of Truth, Wheel of Time, etc), RPG settings (Final Fantasy, Star Wars KOTOR, hopefully more...), and nostalgic video games (Castlevania) are getting some decent live action/animated entertainment love.

We were watching The Boys tonight and had to hit pause to wax poetic on how some of this stuff on TV right now makes stuff like the old Incredible Hulk TV show look like poorly scripted Public Access tv, and not just in terms of technology.

A TV show about a bunch of guys seeking to hunt down and murder super heroes who are mostly sociopathic and accidentally murdering people via collateral damage on TV between 1978 and 2000? Never would have happened. This stuff is awesome.

Arkandel · Jul 29, 2019, 1:17 PM

@Wizz said in Good TV:

Garth Ennis is the comic-books equivalent of a shock-jock radio DJ. He's deliberately offensive and gross on the level of a maladjusted teenager, TBH. He and Mark Millar are two authors whose popularity I will never understand, and Amazon made the right choice in trimming down the content of the series. It's still very explicit and dark, but in a way that is mostly not completely cringey and awful.

It's funny that you mention that because I've been a fan of both writers - Ennis more than Millar - so perhaps I can share my perspective.

Both of these guys rely on shock value at times and they can go too far; in fact some of their finest moments are from when they skirt the line. As such they've both created some amazing comics in the past whose serious moments are right there at the top with any other authors; Ennis' Hellblazer run is downright iconic, his Hitman was so fucking good and in my opinion he created penned the definitive Punisher run as well. Millar I'm more torn on; the first year of Ultimates was pretty well done and then he just seemed to get lazy or too carried away - the second year wasn't nearly as good, and then the whole thing went to hell.

But Ennis has a trait I've seen only rarely - in that way I'd compare him with Terry Pratchett. He can write these weird-ass absurd situations and focus on humor then he can flip a fucking switch and blindside you completely, pivoting into really serious characterization and dramatic, intimate moments for his characters.

@tek said in Good TV:

I describe Katee's character as "Starbuck, if she had her shit together"

I know what all these words mean but what you are describing does not compute.