What TV shows are you watching?

[The JG Man]

Except by episode 6 you've missed half the content of the season, right? Apparently it's really hard to ask for shows to at least maintain some level of consistency. I don't see why that shouldn't be extended to earlier episodes in a run. I understand why that's that much harder, but there's a reason why so many people drop off the first few episodes. Obviously shows evolve and I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about getting everything else right. Getting the context, grounding the characters in your reality, setting the correct tone etc and I imagine that in 20-30 minutes, that must be really hard to do, but it's the challenge you have to rise up to. (This isn't a dig against you, obviously, just general mutterings.)

I understand that remark about the one bored by her boyfriend and I understand her situation, but that doesn't make it any less stupid. Maybe it's just the people I've been around and their situations, but I find someone who has got themselves into that state is a bit of an idiot, needlessly. It didn't help that she also seemed like one of the more reliable/less stupid ones (the main character was clueless about reality, the younger one (Marnie?) was similarly naive, then you had the one who went travelling who seemed about as reliable as a tooth pick propping up a car that you're trying to change a wheel on).

Okay, maybe that's a poor argument. What I mean to say is is that they all felt like four different characters that instead of being individual, were highlighting specific characteristics and championing them until death, when in reality people obviously aren't that simple. The best programmes understand this hook, either detailing how someone has had that one characteristic override others and how it effects those around, or show that people are complex individuals.

Again, that's hard to convey in just under half an hour, but it didn't do anything for me. I don't know what a fair metric is to base watching a full show off of, perhaps it's longer than the first episode, but not in this case. It's funny though because I have watched numerous first episodes that have been sub-par, but I've seen something in them that I'm happy to stick to. This includes New Girl, which should completely suck, but I find hits the sweet-spot surprisingly well most of the time.

[sabrage]

Not feeling Enlightened after a few episodes. All of the characters are annoying (except for Luke Wilson) and I have no idea where it's heading. On to Boardwalk Empire.

[Xercies]

Except by episode 6 you've missed half the content of the season, right? Apparently it's really hard to ask for shows to at least maintain some level of consistency. I don't see why that shouldn't be extended to earlier episodes in a run. I understand why that's that much harder, but there's a reason why so many people drop off the first few episodes. Obviously shows evolve and I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about getting everything else right. Getting the context, grounding the characters in your reality, setting the correct tone etc and I imagine that in 20-30 minutes, that must be really hard to do, but it's the challenge you have to rise up to. (This isn't a dig against you, obviously, just general mutterings.)

Yes you have missed it maybe and I'm not saying you shouldn't watch it I'm just saying that the last half of the season seems to be a lot more confident in its characters and its style and what it wants to focus on. I guess you could say thats a bad thing because it should have been like that from the start but one reason I give it a pass is because its TV and tV can be a bit more fluid then film or even books and its a bit more collabrative(even though this TV is kind of one womans show it still has other people writing it with her) and the idea of what you want t do with it can change I have watched a lot of TV where the first season is good but a bit messy but then it gets stronger in the second season because the writers have gotten into it and know exactly what they want to do with it.

I understand that remark about the one bored by her boyfriend and I understand her situation, but that doesn't make it any less stupid. Maybe it's just the people I've been around and their situations, but I find someone who has got themselves into that state is a bit of an idiot, needlessly.

Eh I guess I didn't think it was to much of a problem because as I said its a flaw but I can sympathise with it and also later episodes again made the characters a bit more 3D another reason why TV is a bit different is that at the start you kind of have to go broad with everyone and then later n put more depth into the characters.

Okay, maybe that's a poor argument. What I mean to say is is that they all felt like four different characters that instead of being individual, were highlighting specific characteristics and championing them until death, when in reality people obviously aren't that simple. The best programmes understand this hook, either detailing how someone has had that one characteristic override others and how it effects those around, or show that people are complex individuals.

I kind of agree the only two characters that seem to be together are the main one and her best friend and t could be a better TV show maybe if they just got rid of the other two because they really don't add that much to it to be honest. I do think again they do a good job of putting the depth in the two friends relationship.

anyway I guess I can't totally convince and to be honest its not one of those shows that I can really say you must watch it because unlike most people critics on the internet I don't think its that important of a show. In fact i do think that might be one of the problems of the show in that there are so many people saying this is a very important show and when people see it they probably see it like I do and say its ok and that kind of annoys them since there like "what are they talking about"

Though saying that the sexist comments are not ok!

[The JG Man]

Yeah, the blatant sexism about the show is pathetic. It's a television show, critique on that, not the sexuality of who wrote it. Not to mention the appearance of Lena Dunham. It's really childish.

It's funny that you say it isn't important because that is how a lot of people are portraying it. I'm not saying it couldn't evolve to be, but so few shows do something important, or revolutionary, and most of the time it's usually one thing they do that's buried underneath the show. Typically they don't do well either. Take Babylon 5 - a successful show in its own right, but it's not a "must see" for everyone, yet it championed the season-length arc and whilst it surely wasn't the first to do so, it did do it well enough that come the 00s, a lot of shows have that season-length arc, if not longer.

I think my problem with TV in general, getting into a needlessly philosophical rant about it all, is that there's so much of it out there and only so little time, I want to watch things that are particularly good, or strike me at the right point. I won't ever say that Castle is the best thing in the world, but for me it just itches that particular scratch. Of course then you can take shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Arrested Development etc. that are the best at what they do and it's kind of like, "Well, why would I want to watch a show that's doing the same/similar thing but is just not as good?" The thing is, Girls is in a good spot, considering there aren't exactly many character dramedies at that age group, this recent, with as much backing as it has. I suppose, in time, I might give it another chance.

To save this and the previous post from wandering off topic, I'll just say that I've been watching Africa, thoroughly enjoying it, although have the last episode to watch, as well as slowly catching up with Utopia. Whilst its second episode wasn't as good as the first, I did still find it excellent and I'm absolutely loving how faithful it is to the comic/graphic novel styling. The cinematography is great.

[onestepfromlost]

On to season 5 of Breaking Bad now. It is amazing, all of the characters are great, and have managed to evolve over the course of the seasons.

[Xercies]

Community is back POP POP!....And...its actually pretty darn good you wouldn't of realized the main writer was gone to be honest, it still has zippy lines, it still has amazing characters that seem to just be great together and you still have a heartfelt story that this week related to me quite well. In fact dare i say it it actually might be funnier then some previous season episodes, because i was laughing throughout. Yep great return I have no idea how well its going to do I suspect that this might be the last season but you never know I hope not since for the first episode its quite good. Bring on MORE.

[Rath]

Take Babylon 5 - a successful show in its own right, but it's not a "must see" for everyone, yet it championed the season-length arc and whilst it surely wasn't the first to do so, it did do it well enough that come the 00s, a lot of shows have that season-length arc, if not longer.

It's interesting to watch it again now and realise that my perceptions of the show have changed over the years, in part due to my being older and having differing opinions than I did when I was watching it for the first time as a teen, and in part due to having read so much background information about all the various production issues and personnel problems they ran into while creating it, especially when you're aware of how the show was originally supposed to be split into two five year arcs, Babylon 5 followed by "Babylon Prime".

It's also sad to note how many of the actors have died since the show ended; G'Kar, Dr Franklin, Zach Allen, Zathras, and most recently Sinclair.

[icupnimpn2]

Community is back POP POP!....And...its actually pretty darn good you wouldn't of realized the main writer was gone to be honest, it still has zippy lines, it still has amazing characters that seem to just be great together and you still have a heartfelt story that this week related to me quite well. In fact dare i say it it actually might be funnier then some previous season episodes, because i was laughing throughout. Yep great return I have no idea how well its going to do I suspect that this might be the last season but you never know I hope not since for the first episode its quite good. Bring on MORE.

Although Chevy was basically phoning it in. He was less interesting and less convincing than in prior episodes. I don't completely understand why the creator left or was forced to leave the show, but I believe it had something to do with Chevy Chase -- so why doesn't he look happy?

[Xercies]

He was never happy with the show to begin with it seems and aparantly he left later on in the season(which might explain why he is played by a different person in Abeds mind) he always seemed to have arguments about his character and thought the comedy was shit. Which is a shame because his character was getting better.

[The JG Man]

It's also sad to note how many of the actors have died since the show ended; G'Kar

Yeah, he was an excellent actor. G'Kar was one of the most interesting characters on the show, full of already interesting characters.

most recently Sinclair.

What?! NO!

He was never happy with the show to begin with it seems and aparantly he left later on in the season(which might explain why he is played by a different person in Abeds mind) he always seemed to have arguments about his character and thought the comedy was shit.

Joel McHale (aka. Jeff) said in a recent Ask Me Anything on Reddit that, along the lines of, when Chevy was in the zone he nailed it. It's weird then that he didn't really like it for so long, but still gave it his all for a lot of the time.

[squirrel]

A Japanese anime Maoyu, or Demon King and Hero. Ongoing and now 6 episodes have been broadcasted.

Background is fantasy world modeled after medieval Europe. Uniqueness of this anime is that characters are not referred to by their names, as if they have no names. They are referred to by their social status or occupation only. In Maoyu world, human world was currently at war with demons from another universe. At the start of the story, human managed to occupy a foothold in the demon world, the Gate City. Meanwhile demons also gained a foothold in human world, the Polar Light Island. Our Hero of human world was sent (in voluntary basis) to fight in duel (actually to assassinate) the Demon King, who happened to be actually a very gorgeous queen. She proposed to Hero that Hero became her possession, to assist her in her mission to bring the new world of peace and prosperity to both human and demons. In return, she offered herself to be Hero's possession, so that they owned each other (actually, the queen had a strong clash in Hero, typical Japanese anime fantasy). After explaining the currently world situation, persuaded though not actually understanding fully, Hero agreed to form a contract binding partnership with the Demon King. The pairs then started their adventure through both human and demon worlds to fulfill their glorious goal.

What make this series shines is that it explained the world issues in modern Economics concepts. How this world is driven by economic forces and how we should do today to improve our future.

[DaftPunk]

X-files season 8,Mulder is recently gone,Scully Dana got new partner. Episodes got even more wierd,which is awesome.

[Rath]

I remember being really put off when they changed the actor for Matthew in Game On between series 1 and 2. Now that I'm re-watching it, I prefer the second guy.

[Timofee]

It's interesting to watch it again now and realise that my perceptions of the show have changed over the years, in part due to my being older and having differing opinions than I did when I was watching it for the first time as a teen, and in part due to having read so much background information about all the various production issues and personnel problems they ran into while creating it, especially when you're aware of how the show was originally supposed to be split into two five year arcs, Babylon 5 followed by "Babylon Prime".

It's also sad to note how many of the actors have died since the show ended; G'Kar, Dr Franklin, Zach Allen, Zathras, and most recently Sinclair.

Ahh, how I loved Babylon 5 and the extended story - indeed its noticeable that arguably the best seasons 2,3 and 4 were the ones which least relied on standalone episodes. I reckon if they remade Babylon 5 today with say 12 episodes per season, and that continuous story, then it would be as popular as something like Game of Thrones.

It was also the first show that really educated me to the fact that story wasn't everything and there were matters behind the scenes (such as actors pulling out, crazy salary demands etc) that had a major bearing on the story I loved - the flip flop between Lita (Leah?) Alexander and Talia Winters was one, as was Sinclair going - that being said I loved mighty Bruce.

I knew about the 5 year arc but wasn't aware of the Babylon Prime thing - any suggested reading resources?

Although Chevy was basically phoning it in. He was less interesting and less convincing than in prior episodes. I don't completely understand why the creator left or was forced to leave the show, but I believe it had something to do with Chevy Chase -- so why doesn't he look happy?

Basically Dan Harmon is hilarious and talented but also acknowledged to be difficult, with a punishing production process. Those factors may well have contributed to why Community was so good, but also why they were only too eager to replace him after he gave them cause, by acting like a complete dick to Chevy Chase.

Chevy Chase on the other hand, is simply being Chevy Chase - its disappointing but not unknown.

Personally, I was delighted to have the show back and that kept me smiling through out, but it was far from their strongest episode, and did seem like a deliberate attempt to 'hit the beats' while missing something of the magic. With anything but the fantastic ensemble they have, I suspect it may have fallen flat.

I remember being really put off when they changed the actor for Matthew in Game On between series 1 and 2. Now that I'm re-watching it, I prefer the second guy.

The best ever example of an established role being recast (as opposed to a pilot) in my mind was Don Cheadle in Iron Man 2 - I loved the direct acknowledgement of it and him saying 'I'm here now, deal with it'.

I also remember being initially annoyed, but later quite pleased, with how they handled it in Due South

The worst, not because the actresses were rubbish, but simply because it was so needless was Stargate and the recast of Dr Weir - they could have simply gone with a new character rather than recast.

[Jesus_Phish]

Dear Skylar White.

Go away.

Thanks.

[Xercies]

My girlfriend thinks the same way when were watching the first season. Also i nearly forgot about the grusome clean up in the second episode which she was not pleased about. I also forgot how blacky comic the first season was which i kind of miss from later seasons

[Rath]

"Butterfly effect, you know, a butterfly in Africa lands on a giraffes' nose, the giraffe sneezes, that spooks a gazelle, the gazelle bonks into a rhinoceros and the rhinoceros blindly stampedes into a phone booth, calls New York somehow and says: "Hey, go kill this idiot Ron for a suitcase", because the rhinoceros speaks English!"

[Fumarole]

Archer is the bestest.

[Lambchops]

Charlie Brooker is suddenly everywhere with Weekly Wipe on (it's good, not so sure about the film review section which falls a bit flat but the rest of it is up to usual excellent standards) and the return of Black Mirror, the first episode of which was somewhat creepy and rather well done.

[Dubbill]

Personally, I was delighted to have the show back and that kept me smiling through out, but it was far from their strongest episode, and did seem like a deliberate attempt to 'hit the beats' while missing something of the magic. With anything but the fantastic ensemble they have, I suspect it may have fallen flat.

Exactly. It felt like they had set out to ape an episode of Community. All the ingredients were present and correct but it was missing the magic. In particular, the brief cartoon segment felt very forced.