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TV Tuesdays Free Talk
Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.
Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.
After putting it off since its release, my wife and I recently binged Russian Doll on Netflix.
If I'm being honest I didn't care for the first couple of episodes-- namely how the protagonist treats everyone like fodder and speaks in what feels like t-shirt slang lingo-- but it felt like its heart was in the right place the whole time, so we stuck with it and am glad we did. It's a shame there's only eight episodes and they're only 20 minutes long (compared to my wife's recent binge through Riverdale, which is 20+ episodes a season @ 40 minutes each with the worst writing I've ever heard, and felt like an eternity) Now I can't wait for season two.
Apparently the show was originally/ideally conceptualized for three seasons, but it was written in a way that it would've been OK had it been canceled after one, so now we're just seeing it reach (at least 2/3rds of its) full fruition.
+1 for Russian Doll and Maniac. I would also add Altered Carbon to that list as well, but I am admittedly a sucker for cyberpunk scifi so I may be alone on that one.
I wouldn't say it nosedived, but I definitely didn't think the sister added much. And the fate of Poe has left me a bit concerned since he was my favorite character, too. So we shall have to wait and see what season 2 is like. :/
In preparing for El Camino (no spoilers, please!), I'm rewatching Breaking Bad for the first time since the finale. No surprise: It's still a great show!
I'm a little bit surprised about the pacing, though, which is not quite how I remembered it. On the one hand, I'm in season 2 and there's way more stuff already happening than I expected. On the other, wow, it's often slow. Like, there's often several minutes long sequences of barely anything happening at all, just to establish a mood or tease something that will happen later. Those teasers worked a whole lot better when I didn't know the outcome. But still, this show knows how to build suspense!
I'm also surprised how dark the show gets, it often is quite depressing and there's barely a character you truly root for. Again, in contrast to the totally over-the-top scenes that are full of action (and often based on very unlikely coincidences) that sometimes almost go into comedic territory. Lots of ups and downs, but brilliantly done.
I've been watching Anne (or Anne With an E) and it's really good for a show for young people.
Anne is damaged by trauma but the programme gives a better depiction than many TV shows.
I haven't read the books.
I've been working through most of the Virginian -- focusing on the best episodes. Overall, it's an incredibly wholesome series with excellent writing, interesting stories, etc. The episodes are about 75 minutes long and each season has between 24 - 30 episodes per season. The new transfers of the series look great, too.
The Affair is finally wrapping up. Most views of this show have stuck with it purely to get it over with -- but it still has it's moments. The main gimmick of the series is the Rashomon effect. The episodes used to be one story told from different perspectives. As the series has gone on, they've split the stories apart a bit -- so while there is some overlap, it's not nearly as prevalent as the earlier seasons. This last episode was pretty decent, but I still can't wait for it to be over with.
Top Boy is back (well, has been for a while) When it first came out it was partially promoted as 'The Wire UK', which isn't accurate. It focuses on the drug trade, etc. The series ended, but from what I've read, Drake was really into it and was wondering why it ended, invested some money, and ultimately brought it back for another season several years later. It should be decent.
The Deuce is also on it's final season with two more episodes to go. This David Simon series tells the tale of the birth of pornography as an industry. If you like Simon's other work (The Wire, Show Me a Hero, Generation Kill) and you don't mind a good deal of unglamorized sex, then this series is for you! The writing is excellent and the performances are fantastic. Easily one of the better series from the last few years.
Letterkenny is also back and is a perfect binge. If you haven't tucked into this series, it's definitely worth it. I'm not sure if non-Canadians will pick up most of the references, but American pals seem to get enough.
Wu-Tang: An American Saga is a killer series that's definitely worth getting into, regardless of your Wu-fan status. While they deviate a bit from the origins of the Wu-Tang Clan, a lot of it is close enough. Two more episodes left in the season, so it's a perfect time to start. Last week's episode was shot in a series of oners, too, which created a fantastic feel for the episode --- really drew me in.
Lastly, Wellington Paranormal is back for season two. If you like anything from Taika Waititi or Jemaine Clement, the humor in this is right along those same lines. It's basically the opposite of the Fox and Scully, but in the same sort of scenario.
Oh! I should also mention Godfather of Harlem. I think it'll shape up to be a decent series. Forest Whitaker, Vincent D'Onofrio and more familiar faces play out the story of Bumpy Johnson, an iconic mob associate in Harlem.
edit: some extras -- Treadstone (tonight), Watchmen (Sunday)!
I guiltily admit I'm excited for it too, though I'm pretty sure I know exactly how it's going to play out based on my other re-visits to my old TV shows: "aww, I remember this show!...." maybe one episode ends before I start to ask myself what I'm doing with my free time/why should I watch this when it's not nearly as engaging as the other shows I'm watching, the novelty wears off, and I turn it off/switch to something else. Though who knows, maybe I'll keep it on as background noise while I work.