James wrote: ↑Tue Jan 17, 2023 5:34 pm The Orville ended up being fantastic. I did not really expect this. It starts out as a live action dumb-funny comedy built in the spirt of Star Trek, but as the show progresses, it starts to evolve into something excellent, with some really deep, enjoyable storylines. I hope it returns.
Not seen the latest season
The early episodes, I was watching with someone else otherwise I might have stopped but it was only just enough. There were flashes of the spirit, some nice adventures but the jokes were laboured and a bit too captain centric in a negative way. However over time, it has found it's feet, I like the sense of optimism about the universe, it has built up characters better, willing to go and try to face head on issues of our time using it's sci-fi setting, I find it quite thoughtful.
Saw both seasons of Ted Lasso. Not all of the humour is for me, some of the jokes do not land well but it can be amusing, avoids overdoing the "man abroad" an the "don't know soccer" thing while using that factor well. Yhe football isn't done badly but also avoids being so much the focus (more the job) but when they do matches they do some fun things around the fans, nice sense of community. I like a lot of the characters and they have started to bring out more of the team beyond Jamie+Roy after first season, stories generally solid though one or two odd ones near the end of season two and worry about one of them
The thing I loved about the first season, that was only captured at times during second, was that sense of optimism about the world and about people. It could really lift the heart and prevented Ted feeling corny or naive becuase the show also believed in the better parts of human nature, about the kindness people can do.
I've finished The Walking Dead. The first few seasons are still some of my favourite ever TV. Its been up and down since then, but the last season was great & made persevering worth while.
I'm now watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer which is something I'd never seen but always thought I should at some point.
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I don't know how well Buffy has dated but I had a lot of fun with that show
Watched the third season of The Boys. A lot of what it did was very well done, including the longer-term storylines around Homelander, toxic masculinity, how leaders treat people, twists that make sense and the way events have an impact on people. I love their use of the real world, rallies, "fake media", and the hard PR spins (and there are some fun take-offs). The Boys has always been very good at luring in with shock value (superheroes gone bad) and once it lured people in, reflecting on the times we live in while building characters and storylines that pay off. It usually avoids swift easy redemption, using A-train particularly to make a series of points while avoiding cleaning him up or that damage he did in past can be ignored.
Some characters remained to the side which slightly hurts it at times, particularly when they rely on such figures in a key moment. Sometimes payoff was not as strong as the build-up, including the finale which had a great battle but some of the decisions felt underwhelming (while others really landed). I also felt the shock element of the Boys, some moments were very clever or amusing or well used and others just crossed the line for me into "I wish they hadn't gone this far".
Saw the first season of the US version of Ghosts. I love the BBC UK version, it is warm-hearted, funny and sometimes sad as it explores death. It is always a delight when it comes on (and loved what the Christmas one did with the full-hearted embrace of panto). So when the US version was announced, I wasn't too sure. Some new ghosts (with a lot larger cast, helped by having 18 episodes unlike shorter BBC runs here) but a lot that also seemed familiar but with a tweak to reflect US history.
First few episodes? They were clearly well made but for someone who had seen the UK show, it was covering the same ground. It was amusing enough (and perhaps slightly more adult than BBC one), and the characters mostly seemed nice so for someone coming afresh, they might have really enjoyed it. I was having a nice enough time but was hoping it would tread its own ground.
Which it very quickly did and then I was really glad about the show being made. The ghosts do differ, though some of the revamps and new ones do take a fair while to really come into their own, with their own style reflecting the culture and time changes. They move away from team Uk and become their own likeable thing with their own dynamics and personalities. One huge change is the living husband, Mike, in this, he believes and they use that so well, he and the ghosts both want to interact which creates their own dynamics with him (and through the wife), he is more of an active presence and part of the ghost life.
It is what Ghosts should be. Warm-hearted, funny, aimed at young and old, a pleasant half an hour that also talks about death, what lies beyond, and love. But with Mike and very much their own ghosts, it is one that those who enjoy the British version can also enjoy once they get past the opening.
Saw the second season of Chucky the TV show. I have seen the first three Chucky/Child play films and the reboot (which I did like), I enjoy the franchise premise which is usually executed with a bit of humour. I haven't seen the ones with Jennifer Tilly or the ones the second season was playing off but that has not yet mattered, it is accessible to all.
I found the first season was mixed. At times it was great, it has a fun sense of humour, Chucky is a strong interesting presence as a villain while not overused, the famed actress Jennifer Tilly is actually a mass-murdering monster meta stuff is a lot of fun with Tilly throwing herself into it. They change the title sequence every time which is nice, some well-executed kills and a sense of impact on the young leads of what Chucky was doing, and some over-the-top, entertaining good twists.
However, it tended to rush through side characters, getting a good sci-fi channel cast, and doing some promising storylines but when a character dies "well that felt a bit rushed". Not all of the youngsters delivered good performances which was a problem with how much they relied on them at the centre. There was also a strand that was a fantastic nod... but the nods also involved bad acting. So had main strands that were hampered by the cast.
The good outweighed the bad but there was one element that nearly saw us quit. Chucky has always walked a careful line between the lighter side (the humour, the twists, the over-the-top moments, the shots at corporate culture) and the slasher side (brutal kills, Chucky gets hurt quite badly in the films, the isolation of the one seeing deaths around them). Particularly with the whole premise meaning often involving children. Now the children and the adults are handled well but the teenagers? That is where it felt the balance was uncomfortably wrong. That brutality could feel too harsh, that some of what happens felt like it went the wrong side of the line, that the writers perhaps got the balance wrong.
Season 2? It perhaps helped that the teenagers had aged up but never felt that uncomfortableness again. While some of the leads aren't great, the show generally had worked on its flaws, it was not too reliant on figures that couldn't handle it (might have got more impact at some perhaps but...). There is still an element of adult support characters being killed before the full potential of the idea around them has been utilised (one particularly felt like it could have been golden if run with) but they are fun characters.
The set-up episode is a bit mixed but some clever use of comparison between Chucky's day and modern technology being a help for him and it gets the season to its premise. The idea is used well, freshening up the show without forgetting the impact of season one storylines, they use the situations well. Retains the humour, clever use of Chucky as a villain and in unexpected ways, some (you can tell they were proud of it) great kills. Jennifer Tilly remains a fun meta thing and they have some other meta ideas, it is a show not unwilling to experiment and usually pays off. The season ends with... a memorable festive episode and I look forward to season 3.
James wrote:The Orville ended up being fantastic. I did not really expect this. It starts out as a live action dumb-funny comedy built in the spirt of Star Trek, but as the show progresses, it starts to evolve into something excellent, with some really deep, enjoyable storylines. I hope it returns.
So, so so close to being perfect
Just I'm a real stinker for the Prime Directive episodes of "What would the barbarians do with the technology if we gave it to them?" like the option is no help and straight to nukes, no in-between or wind power or solar power that would help people feed themselves which is the direct correlation to whether or not people express themselves in healthy ways, like the studies... I love the show! It's such a pleasure to watch!! First season, not sure if he was trying to bait fans of his earlier work but they found a little identity in there with later seasons, definitely managed to show they had something to say!! I love how they use Isaac to demonstrate that Emotions are very much a physical thing, and even a calmly spoken and reasoned suicidal thought is still cause for alarm that a breach has happened and how to be mindful of that in ourselves and those around us as breaches can be healed.
If becoming enlightened or an intellectual means I must become arrogant and coldly cynical about the world around me then I'd gladly remain a fool for the rest of my life!!
Dong Zhou wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:35 pm
I don't know how well Buffy has dated but I had a lot of fun with that show
In terms of special effects... you can tell it is dated. the first time someone's vampire face appeared it was jarring. But three seasons in & I don't notice that. Otherwise I think it holds up pretty well. I was aware of Buffy being a feminist icon of the 90s and so far nothing I've seen has made me question that.
There is one character I hate though. Please tell me that the fandom does not like Xander?
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Can confirm Xander is the Chronically Self-Friendzoned.
The "I'm here for pure reasons but intermittently going to chance my arm at seeing if I have impressed you as a potential mate, even though you keep telling me you don't have feelings for me" dude.
In reality, his behaviour would erode trust for a lot of women.
If becoming enlightened or an intellectual means I must become arrogant and coldly cynical about the world around me then I'd gladly remain a fool for the rest of my life!!
I completely agree his unwillingness to accept no is problematic. And the way he treats Buffy due to his jealousy towards Angel makes me angry. And that's ignoring the way that he treats Cordelia. Especially after he cheats with Willow. The complete lack of remorse is awful, whereas Willow clearly feels guilty about the pain she causes. I think his meant to be the "nice guy" but there is almost no element of his character that I find likeable.
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But three seasons in & I don't notice that. Otherwise I think it holds up pretty well. I was aware of Buffy being a feminist icon of the 90s and so far nothing I've seen has made me question that.