Telly thread

[RedRooster]

On 8/14/2020 at 3:04 PM, DavidB6937 said:

Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but finally watched I Will Destroy You and Normal People on iPlayer. Both series genuinely some of the best stuff I've seen all year. Just the right mix of emotions - hard hitting in places, and funny in others. Both I was sad to reach the end of, and that's rare with shows these days.

I’ve been a bit apprehensive about starting I Will Destroy You because of the subject matter. Is it a difficult watch in that sense?

[SuperBacon]

15 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

I’ve been a bit apprehensive about starting I Will Destroy You because of the subject matter. Is it a difficult watch in that sense?

Can be extremely uncomfortable in places, and one of the great things is that the show makes you reflect on your own behaviour (don't worry, not outing myself as a sex pest, there's enough on here).

But it never babies you or condescends by talking down or moralising, rather showing that nothing is black or white.

Stunning TV.

[DavidB6937]

Yeah to be honest that was why I took a while to watch I May Destroy You but it's dealt with in a sensitive and genuine way. Sure, some of it is uncomfortable - as it should be - but it feels like an honest portrayal with humour etc as well. It's not just a constantly bleak show that lingers unnecessarily on the event itself. It asks questions. It makes you ask questions. And it's just a great piece of television overall. Absolutely one of the best stories of that kind I've ever seen.

[Devon Malcolm]

Halfway through Fringe series 3. Not quite as good as series 2 but still really consistent and easy viewing. The cast are going from strength to strength too.

Nearly finished series 1 of American Crime. It's heavy going in a good way and Timothy Hutton is superb.

Also at the end of series 3 of my latest Seinfeld rewatch. Never fails to amaze me just how high the quality suddenly becomes in that series, it's just one absolute classic of an episode after another.

Oh yeah, and I've been watching all the Takeshi's Castle I can find with my eldest. The Single Roller may be the single most unfair game in gameshow history, completely impossible.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Devon Malcolm

[SuperBacon]

Rewatching The Sopranos again for, I think, the 5th or 6th time, and it is still the greatest TV show of all time. Better people have better things to say on it, but here's a few things I have noticed on this watch (Just started Series 4)

The normality of it all. The biggest stand out this time has been just how normalised and sort of brushed aside Tony's work is by his family, Carmela especially. Pure ignorance or naivety, I can never tell which it is.

And this goes for the wives of the others in the crew as well.To the point where it's almost jarring and disconcerting. Do they know that they murder people on the regular? Does Meadow actually just think he 'brushes up against organised crime'? It's absolutely genius and one aspect that has never jumped out so much to me before.

There's one scene where it cuts from them 'taking care of business' to Sil, Ralph, Tony and the wives having a lovely dinner party and the juxtaposition between the two is where the crux of the show really is. 

The tagline is "If one family doesn't kill him, the other one will" and I always read that and saw it as in, the dysfunctional relationships within the family and their emotions about each other, but the work side of things and how that affects the family this time is what's thrown me.  I don't exactly expect Carmela to ask him as they get into bed "Did you have anyone whacked today?" but the complete silence around it is fascinating.

James Gandolfini. This is the best acting performance of all time, and I think this is the first time I've watched it since he died and it just gets better and better. When I first watched the show, I loved Tony and I really rooted for him, as a sort of 'cool anti-hero'. This time around, I realise what a nasty piece of shit he really is. He is an AWFUL person, but you still sympathise with him, and that's all down to the performance. 

The comedy. It has always made me laugh, but now I actually full belly laugh at it. It's probably the funniest show that there has ever been, and some of the writing is just sublime. No spoilers as some of the best bits are hearing some of it for the first time, but Tony's reaction to Carmela telling him that Jackie Jr took Meadow to see 'Aida' had me full on crying for a good 10 minutes. Just superb.

Arrested Development. Hey brother.

There are no shows or films which you 'have to see'. I'm always being told I need to see Six Feet Under or Mad Men but if I died tomorrow, I doubt it would bother me that I hadn't seen them.

Everyone should make an exception for this. It's a work of art that rewards repeat viewing.

Also watching The Man In The High Castle which is slow going but a decent watch. I've just finished Series 1, so I'll definitely check out the 2nd. 

 

[TheBurningRed]

40 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

I don't exactly expect Carmela to ask him as they get into bed "Did you have anyone whacked today?" but the complete silence around it is fascinating.

He did basically admit to one of his guys being killed in the 12th episode of the second season when he told Carmela “don’t make me make you an accessory after the fact“ when he was strongly hinting at what happened the night before. 

The other wives just get on with it and accept it. Or see religion as way of getting through it and pray the sins away. Also, everyone and their mother knows they whacked Pussy. People talk to much. Mikey Palmice told his wife they were gonna kill Tony. Everyone’s a blabber mouth, like that Bobbi Sanfillipo

 

[SuperBacon]

20 minutes ago, TheBurningRed said:

He did basically admit to one of his guys being killed in the 12th episode of the second season when he told Carmela “don’t make me make you an accessory after the fact“ when he was strongly hinting at what happened the night before. 
 

  Reveal hidden contents

The other wives just get on with it and accept it. Or see religion as way of getting through it and pray the sins away. Also, everyone and their mother knows they whacked Pussy. People talk to much. Mikey Palmice told his wife they were gonna kill Tony. Everyone’s a blabber mouth, like that Bobbi Sanfillipo

 

 

Yep, all good points and it may be that I've just forgotten that I knew all of these things.

I still think, and always have, that Carmela is the biggest hypocrite in the entire thing.

[TheBurningRed]

5 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

I still think, and always have, that Carmela is the biggest hypocrite in the entire thing.

She definitely is. Tony’s mobster ways rubbed off on her. The way she used AJ’s teacher and more or less intimidating her neighbours sister so Meadow could get into a good university. 
 

Also,

The whole teenager, love sick storyline with her and Furio in season 4 is one of the worst things about the show. It’s the only thing I fast forward. Besides Johnny Sopranos ex goomah singing Happy Birthday, Mr President

[DCW]

Ah Carm and the rest of the wives definitely know what the craic is. They just don't come out an acknowledge that their husbands murky, murderous business dealings keep them in fur coats, the best cuts of meat for Sunday dinner and the massive mansions. They are happy to keep up with the illusion (and even with their husbands sleeping around) as long as the cash keeps rolling in. Sad really, reckon that's why she turned into such an annoying cow.

[Little Johnny]

On 8/17/2020 at 12:11 AM, Devon Malcolm said:

Also at the end of series 3 of my latest Seinfeld rewatch. Never fails to amaze me just how high the quality suddenly becomes in that series, it's just one absolute classic of an episode after another.

I’m currently watching the whole thing in sequence for the first time since Paramount aired them daily in 2004/05. What's really surprised me is the quality of Season 6. In my mind, this was the year where the engine finally starts to clank. Before it was a near-immaculate three-season run and after it a necessary re-focus on George's neuroses and Elaine In An Office. On rewatching, I still think that there are a few misfires that feel like episodes of a different sitcom (The Doorman, The Secretary, The Gymnast, The Diplomat's Club) but on the whole, it's still top-notch, for my money.

[SuperBacon]

5 minutes ago, Little Johnny said:

I’m currently watching the whole thing in sequence for the first time since Paramount aired them daily in 2004/05. What's really surprised me is the quality of Season 6. In my mind, this was the year where the engine finally starts to clank. Before it was a near-immaculate three-season run and after it a necessary re-focus on George's neuroses and Elaine In An Office. On rewatching, I still think that there are a few misfires that feel like episodes of a different sitcom (The Doorman, The Secretary, The Gymnast, The Diplomat's Club) but on the whole, it's still top-notch, for my money.

Series 6 gives us Bania, Jon Voights car, the race, Fusilli Jerry and Puddy painting his face. It gets all the stars.

[Little Johnny]

1 hour ago, SuperBacon said:

Series 6 gives us Bania, Jon Voights car, the race, Fusilli Jerry and Puddy painting his face. It gets all the stars.

I actually would have had The Race down as a miss too if it hadn't been for George's fantasy-driven reunion with Jerry and Duncan at Monks. It all feels a bit strained to me - the idea that Duncan can do as he pleases because he "controls the means of production" (in 1994), the final scene with Castro, Jerry's paraphrasing of Calvin Coolidge (in 1994) etc.

Seinfeld never tethered itself to reality too carefully but it's a bit much for me here. Still enjoyable of course but would I want a whole season of it?

[SuperBacon]

The greatest show on TV is back. Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.

I could watch it for hours.

[Mr_Danger]

I’m up to episode 7 of Killing Eve series 3. I can see why it gets all the love l, it’s excellent. I think series 2 was a mixed bag and they had a few missteps, especially with Eve being a total clueless bellend but the way they’ve clawed that aspect back in series 3 undoes a lot of what spoiled series 2 for me. 
 

Series 3 is extremely polished and the story is being told much better, very unBBC in how polished it is. Jodie Comer is well on her way to being a national treasure. Of all her accents it’s a shame her American one was so shit, I can see her getting some big roles over there off the back of this series.

Oh and Kim Bodnia deserves special praise, he’s like a tubby old European Don Draper when he smiles. I want a Constantin spin off detective show where he investigates espionage mysteries across Europe in his mad clothes whilst banging old and young chicks alike.

Edited August 26, 2020 by Mr_Danger

[Devon Malcolm]

Just finished the first series of American Crime and it's a shame it didn't get much attention because it's outstanding work. Really looking forward to the second series.