9
votes
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.
I've been watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, and it has thoroughly ruined all of the network political dramas (Scandal, Designated Survivor, etc.) that I previously used to passively enjoy whenever I visited my mom while she watched them. Not anything to do with the actual politics or moment to moment writing of it, but it's made me realize how many shows use the "everyone will think I'm crazy" or "no one will believe me so I have to go rogue" plot point really cheaply and nonsensically. On Next Generation, no matter how crazy something that one of the crew sees sounds, they immediately tell the captain, and are immediately believed. That degree of professionalism aboard essentially a future navy vessel shouldn't feel startling or radical but it kind of does. Now whenever the main character of one of those other shows calls up their boss and they totally refuse to believe them for one reason or another, I can't help but think, "They've saved your skin a dozen times by now, why are you still totally unwilling to at least entertain their idea?"
That's a great point, and I too love that about TNG. There's respect and trust among crew members.
For another great reversal of expectation, I like this exchange from the excellent Stargate SG-1.
Sometimes you can't just order a problem be solved. Stargate has some really fantastic writing like this.
Is anyone watching Ted Lasso? It's only the greatest feel-good comedy ever.
Yes! I forgot to mention I had watched it this week. It was a little odd to do a Christmas special in the middle of August, but I'll take it!
Me and my girlfriend watched a bunch of Sex and the City. Back in the 90s, I got the feeling that was a show about liberated women having lots of sex in New York City. In reality, it is a relatively traditional romantic comedy, but with foul language and more sex scenes than usual. Maybe with the exception of Samantha (who's awesome), all main characters are looking for marriage and/or traditional relationships, one way or the other. That's kind of a bummer.
The character of Carrie is problematic. Unlike the others, that show greater range, Carrie is consistently toxic and emotionally decompensated. Her actions hurt her and everyone around her. The show frames her behavior as romantic, poetic, and real, but I cannot fail to see someone in serious need of psychotherapy.
For a show so centered on the universe of women, it is not good that the creator and seemingly all the writers are men. A team of female writers would probably have done a better job taking into account a more diverse set of troubles and aspirations that go beyond snatching the man of their dreams.
Even with all that, it's a very engaging show and we keep watching it anyway. But we complain a lot.
That’s the spirit! (I do the same thing. For your next hate-watch, may I recommend Grey’s Anatomy?)
Oh I saw a lot of Greys! But at some point I just couldn't take it anymore.
Hahaha, I was about to recommend that too. We've been watching it from the beginning and are at season 10 now. I still can't believe there's at least 8 more seasons...it's tough at times
We finished up White Lotus. The ending was really good (save for one really, really gross-out moment where they showed some very disgusting stuff that would have been better left out — it was clear what was happening and we didn't need to see that). I was a little disappointed with Rachel's decision, but it was pretty realistic.
We also checked out Oprah's Conversation with Emmanuel Acho who does the wonderful YouTube series Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. It was cringey watching people ask their questions, but it was also great that they were willing to put themselves out there and say, "Yeah, I think I'm failing at this. Why is that?" You can't grow if you won't change.
We also finished up Small Town News on HBO. It's a documentary series about a very small TV station that's trying to break into a larger market in Las Vegas around the time of the 2020 election. It was pretty funny, overall, though I feel bad for most of the people working at the station.
And finally, we finished up Home Before Dark. On the one hand, they tied up all the loose ends very neatly. On the other hand, it's all based on a ridiculous coincidence and not very believable. This may be the last season we watch. I think they're going to run into Twin Peaks Syndrome. They've now solved the central mystery of the show in the second season, so what's the point of the show now? I'm sure they'll come up with more things for the characters to do, but I doubt it will be as compelling.