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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.
Anyone else watching Foundation, on AppleTV? We watched the first 2 episodes today and are really looking forward to more!
I've been looking forward to it for a while now, and finally saw the first two episodes myself on Saturday.
I'm cautiously optimistic, and trying hard not to have too many expectations. The books as written are at best a challenging adaptation, and I think I would've preferred an anthology series to better fit the original structure, but I think there's plenty of room to shuffle around individual details while keeping the broader plot points and themes.
I enjoyed the overall design/visuals and acting so far, but felt that the plot/pacing was a bit cramped, some of the romance elements were at best underdeveloped or just filler, and some of the events will need to be carefully justified in the next couple episodes.
On the whole I'm still balanced between "this could turn out pretty decent, maybe even great" and "they've completely missed the point, and this sucks."
I did really like that the Prime Radiant's projection thing seems to reflect a Lorenz butterfly pattern at a couple of points, which was a nice little unspoken nod to the themes of psychohistory and stable attractors in otherwise unpredictable chaotic systems.
Thanks for reminding me to sign up. I've been waiting for this show and just got through all I wanted from Disney+. I'll be watching it soon!
I plan on sitting down and starting it tomorrow night - can’t wait.
A few months ago we started up the Netflix DVD subscription again, and after going through some movies, decided to start watching television series. Yesterday we finished the first disc (season 1, episodes 1-4) of American Gods. Wow. It's crazy and unpredictable, and I only sort of know what is going on. I'm excited to get the next disc.
American Gods is pretty cool. However, Bryan Fuller loves his heavily stylized slow motion scenes. That gets old really fast. Story progresses slowly as well. I bet that had something to do with the cancellation.
Why you gotta do me like this? We've come into this with no expectations, no reading reviews, no having read the original subject matter, no nothing other than having heard it existed and Neil Gaiman was involved.
There is a door. In front of the door, I have not read what you wrote.
What can I say? You are on the internet. It's a good show regardless. Have a great time.
I'm astounded with the 11 Emmys for Queens Gambit. Flabergasted. I mean it's a cool show, but 11 Emmys? Really? Weirdly Anya Taylor-Joy didn't get one, and she deserved the most! Her performance is just out of this world.
Yeah, I think it was just a weak year for TV. So many of the Emmy nominees from years prior were either on extended hiatus due to covid or went off the air in 2019. I've had a lot of trouble finding stuff to watch that isn't trainwreck reality nonsense, especially since we are being bombarded with content across multiple exclusive platforms. Hopefully we'll get a good slate of new and returning shows over the next 6-12 months.
Most of those Emmy's were for technical categories (given at the Creative Arts Emmy's the week before). Gambit was not a show that actors liked. From the wins, it's clear that the actors preferred Mare of Easttown much more. But since everyone is allowed to vote for the Series categories, that's why Gambit won, because of the support it had below-the-line.
We watched the series finale of Brooklyn Nine-nine. They made it their heist episode this year, which was a great way to end the series. I'll miss it, but I'm not sure where else they could have gone with it.
We started season 2 of The Morning Show. It starts off the week of New Year's Eve 2019 and has some not very subtle nods to our ignorance about what was about to happen. I'll just say that it's off to a good start and looks to be a very interesting season.
We watched the apparently controversial episode of Ted Lasso this week. I thought it was a lot of fun. I like coach Beard and thought it was great to see his character developed a little bit.
I don’t understand the controversy around these Ted Lasso episodes. I’ve loved every single one of them.
Also, the morning show season 2 has for sure started off on the correct path.
Scenes from a Marriage is a recreation of Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage miniseries / movie and it is really amazing. Beautifully shot, outstanding performances, the whole nine yards.
That being said, if you went through a messy divorce and aren't totally over it, definitely skip this. Its like staring into a black mirror... but other than that, definitely watch it.
Wu-Tang: An American Saga is my #1 show right now. it isn't perfect, but I love it so much.
Doom Patrol is back! Star Wars: Visions also started... which is alright. The first episode's style is really cool.
Huh, I hadn’t realized the remake was released already. Even though I like Bergman (watched most of his films, apart from a big omissions like The Seventh Seal), I skipped out on The Scenes from a Marriage because it seemed like a perfect film/series for Bergman to indulge his own worst tendencies. I was also afraid it’d feel a bit out of date (and culturally distant), but I guess I could give this modern take a go.
I would say that Scenes from a Marriage, despite being overly long, contains some of the most essential Bergman scenes that every fan should know. You can trace some dialogue straight to Todd Solondz, one of my contemporary favorites. But definitely get the abridged theatrical version if you can find.
One thing about Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage is that it is one of his few most well known films which completely lacks an element of theology, psychologism, fantastical, or mystic. It is, because of that, a much harsher, dry story. You're right there with the characters. A hard watch, no doubt. But definitely worthy.
I would not call it either out of date or culturally distant. If not, it largely remains disturbingly universal.
I do like most of Bergman's work, Persona is one of my favorite films of all time, but I wouldn't be comfortable calling myself a Bergman fan. The reason why I hold Persona to such high regard have more to do with Sven Nykvist than Bergman. I like the formalism of his work, if that makes any sense.
I am glad to hear that he doesn't dwell on the subjects you listed though. Sounds a bit like Autumn Sonata which is probably my second favorite Bergman film after Persona. I don't think script is where Bergman's films shine, but he worked with such great actors who can elevate even the most mediocre script -- as I think was the case with Autumn Sonata.
I'm surprised you brought up Todd Solondz. I'm not familiar with his overall work, but I did watch Happiness, which I remember liking. I'd never in a million years connect his work to Bergman's, but maybe Happiness has fewer of those connections. (Maybe it does, frankly I don't remember much of Happiness.)
Yeah... on an indirect level Solondz is as connected to Bergman as any American director doing intimate dialogue intense drama: through Woody Allen. More directly, they're both actor's directors driving psychologically violent scenes in which the apparent stillness of the action somehow enhances the tensions. They are capable of creating beautiful shots and often do so, but are ultimately devoted to their performers, sometimes at the expense of a traditional narrative.
Ah, the connection through Woody Allen makes more sense. If I recall, Allen was a big admirer of Bergman's work. They didn't approach subjects from the same perspective, but the subjects they usually dealt with had a lot of overlap for sure.
Yes he was, and made a bunch of heavily inspired films to prove that...
Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac really give some of their better performances. I never would have cast them for this, but it works perfectly. It could just be top tier acting, but they have the perfect dynamic.
The original is said to have started a wave of divorces in Sweden. I watched, maybe they divorced out of boredom? Bergman is a master in any case. The Hottest State (Ethan Hawke) ended one of my relationships once, so I'm wary. I may watch that despite the fact that you used the words "beautifully shot". That's often code for "really boring". Oddly enough, Bergman's cinematography was sometimes stunning, but usually quite simple. He was concerned with the performers.
ha. it is beautifully shot, though. Its dialog heavy, but that's to be expected for something like this.
I think the main reason it leads to arguments / divorce / spoiled evenings is that they really cover a wide gamut of transgressions that everybody has experienced.