What TV are you watching and how would you rate it? [Revive from FRDB]

[dendrast]

Watched "Cardinal" last night. A crime drama set in North Bay Ontario. Cardinal is a detective that picks up on a serial killer. Interesting dynamic with his new female partner. He's kind of a Rockford. Water goes off (freezes), he not only has to crawl under the house to thaw the pump, he hits his head (we all knew that was coming), and finds a dead raccoon under there. Spectacular location shots. CTV, Wed, 10:00 PM. Six part series.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Watching Travelers on Netflix right now. On final episode. This has been a pretty well conceived and written sci-fi show. I am enjoying it a lot. The no-spoiler premise is that there are a group of people who suddenly have very different personalities and an FBI agent looking into what's going on. Though they may falter a little on some of the technical aspects, it's more than made up for by the good writing and human element that's done so well. The spoiler premise is below in spoiler tags.

Show

Spoiler premise is that the "travelers" are time travelers from the future sent back to take over people's personalities right when they were supposed to die. They then perform missions in the past in order to change the future. They work in small groups, each member with some kind of specialty, and aren't given much information except the specific missions they are to perform. There's a reference to a "director" in the future who is giving them the missions, but it isn't always clear to the team why they are doing anything or what impact it has on the future. Some of the technical time travel aspects and issues with paradoxes aren't really addressed, but the plotlines aren't heavily reliant on those so it's acceptable. The characters are well-fleshed out and interact well with each other. Good writing! I hope they make more seasons of the show.

 

[The Colourful Jester]

Riverdale.

Based on the Archie comics, though it's unrecognisable from the comics we read as nippers. Still not too bad, though we've seen it all before. The brand will give it more recognition than it deserves I suspect. Will still watch next weeks episode, so I'm sucked in I guess.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Watching Travelers on Netflix right now. On final episode. This has been a pretty well conceived and written sci-fi show. I am enjoying it a lot. The no-spoiler premise is that there are a group of people who suddenly have very different personalities and an FBI agent looking into what's going on. Though they may falter a little on some of the technical aspects, it's more than made up for by the good writing and human element that's done so well. The spoiler premise is below in spoiler tags.

Show

Spoiler premise is that the "travelers" are time travelers from the future sent back to take over people's personalities right when they were supposed to die. They then perform missions in the past in order to change the future. They work in small groups, each member with some kind of specialty, and aren't given much information except the specific missions they are to perform. There's a reference to a "director" in the future who is giving them the missions, but it isn't always clear to the team why they are doing anything or what impact it has on the future. Some of the technical time travel aspects and issues with paradoxes aren't really addressed, but the plotlines aren't heavily reliant on those so it's acceptable. The characters are well-fleshed out and interact well with each other. Good writing! I hope they make more seasons of the show.

I just finished this. Quite enjoyable. Seemed like they didn't have much for the Carly Shannon character to do in later episodes. She doesn't always seem like part of the story. Aside from that, I really liked how they maintained the presence of the host characters. I would have expected them to maybe highlight a few of their faults/idiosyncrasies and little else. Really good development of Marcy Warton.
Some of the effects looked kind of low-end.

 

[credoconsolans]

Riverdale.

Based on the Archie comics, though it's unrecognisable from the comics we read as nippers. Still not too bad, though we've seen it all before. The brand will give it more recognition than it deserves I suspect. Will still watch next weeks episode, so I'm sucked in I guess.

Did the creator of Archie's comics die? And the producers bought the rights from his heirs? That's the only reason I can think of that they were able to legally take squeaky clean comics for young kids Archie and the Gang into Twin Peaks territory.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Watching Travelers on Netflix right now. On final episode. This has been a pretty well conceived and written sci-fi show. I am enjoying it a lot. The no-spoiler premise is that there are a group of people who suddenly have very different personalities and an FBI agent looking into what's going on. Though they may falter a little on some of the technical aspects, it's more than made up for by the good writing and human element that's done so well. The spoiler premise is below in spoiler tags.

Show

Spoiler premise is that the "travelers" are time travelers from the future sent back to take over people's personalities right when they were supposed to die. They then perform missions in the past in order to change the future. They work in small groups, each member with some kind of specialty, and aren't given much information except the specific missions they are to perform. There's a reference to a "director" in the future who is giving them the missions, but it isn't always clear to the team why they are doing anything or what impact it has on the future. Some of the technical time travel aspects and issues with paradoxes aren't really addressed, but the plotlines aren't heavily reliant on those so it's acceptable. The characters are well-fleshed out and interact well with each other. Good writing! I hope they make more seasons of the show.

I just finished this. Quite enjoyable. Seemed like they didn't have much for the Carly Shannon character to do in later episodes. She doesn't always seem like part of the story. Aside from that, I really liked how they maintained the presence of the host characters. I would have expected them to maybe highlight a few of their faults/idiosyncrasies and little else. Really good development of Marcy Warton.
Some of the effects looked kind of low-end.

I think it was a low budget show, so they had to focus on the human elements and not the effects so much. I agree with your assessment of Carly. It didn't really add much to the show. The other characters' stories were more interesting, especially Marcy.

 

[KeepTalking]

Riverdale.

Based on the Archie comics, though it's unrecognisable from the comics we read as nippers. Still not too bad, though we've seen it all before. The brand will give it more recognition than it deserves I suspect. Will still watch next weeks episode, so I'm sucked in I guess.

Did the creator of Archie's comics die? And the producers bought the rights from his heirs? That's the only reason I can think of that they were able to legally take squeaky clean comics for young kids Archie and the Gang into Twin Peaks territory.

The original artist who drew for Archie Comics, Bob Montana, died over 30 years ago. I believe Archie and Riverdale were pretty much created by committee, and that was over 75 years ago, so I am sure they are mostly all gone by now. Is Vic Bloom still alive? There is no wikipedia page on him, so I am not sure.

That said, Archie has gotten very edgy over the past several years. In the Life With Archie comic book run they introduced an openly gay character, Kevin Keller, and then they had him get hitched in a gay wedding depicted in the comic. Later they had Keller elected to the US Senate, and to end the most recent Life With Archie run they killed off Archie by having him take a bullet for the gay couple.

By far the best Archie comic to come out in recent years is Afterlife With Archie, in which Jughead starts the zombie apocalypse. The writing and artwork on that series are stellar. In addition to the horror theme of that book, the writers present twins Cheryl and Jason Bloom as having had an incestuous relationship. There was also Archie vs Predator, a limited 4 issue series that did exactly what it sounds like, pitting the Archie crew against a (teen-aged) predator. I only made it half way through that series, it just didn't do it for me, but it got good reviews in general.

In short, Archie comics has not been the squeaky clean comics for young kids that you remember from your childhood for at least a decade now. It really hasn't been the same since the '80s, when they started doing crossovers with rock bands like KISS, and super heroes like The Punisher. The new Riverdale TV show having a Twin Peaks angle to it certainly goes along with what the Archie publishers have been doing recently in the comic books. I haven't seen it yet, but have it set on my DVR, and will probably watch the first episode sometime this week.

 

[credoconsolans]

Did the creator of Archie's comics die? And the producers bought the rights from his heirs? That's the only reason I can think of that they were able to legally take squeaky clean comics for young kids Archie and the Gang into Twin Peaks territory.

The original artist who drew for Archie Comics, Bob Montana, died over 30 years ago. I believe Archie and Riverdale were pretty much created by committee, and that was over 75 years ago, so I am sure they are mostly all gone by now. Is Vic Bloom still alive? There is no wikipedia page on him, so I am not sure.

That said, Archie has gotten very edgy over the past several years. In the Life With Archie comic book run they introduced an openly gay character, Kevin Keller, and then they had him get hitched in a gay wedding depicted in the comic. Later they had Keller elected to the US Senate, and to end the most recent Life With Archie run they killed off Archie by having him take a bullet for the gay couple.

By far the best Archie comic to come out in recent years is Afterlife With Archie, in which Jughead starts the zombie apocalypse. The writing and artwork on that series are stellar. In addition to the horror theme of that book, the writers present twins Cheryl and Jason Bloom as having had an incestuous relationship. There was also Archie vs Predator, a limited 4 issue series that did exactly what it sounds like, pitting the Archie crew against a (teen-aged) predator. I only made it half way through that series, it just didn't do it for me, but it got good reviews in general.

In short, Archie comics has not been the squeaky clean comics for young kids that you remember from your childhood for at least a decade now. It really hasn't been the same since the '80s, when they started doing crossovers with rock bands like KISS, and super heroes like The Punisher. The new Riverdale TV show having a Twin Peaks angle to it certainly goes along with what the Archie publishers have been doing recently in the comic books. I haven't seen it yet, but have it set on my DVR, and will probably watch the first episode sometime this week.

OK, good to know. Thanks.

 

[Angry Floof]

Grace and Frankie 9/10 or maybe 10/10

Netflix-binged the first season a while back, and now in season 2. This particular ensemble is the kind that makes me cry for joy. The only things I'd take a point off for would be some awkward moments or timing that I can only chalk up to terrible directing and editing because the performances are just wonderful throughout, consistent, hilarious, touching, and much of it feels unscripted. Everyone has great chemistry with everyone else, at least now developed in the second season if not in the first. Everyone's real and fleshed out (and forgiven - I hated almost all the characters in the beginning).

 

[Underseer]

Voltron: Subtitle Something Oh Who Gives A Fuck?
2/10

Why the hell did I watch this? I don't even like the Mecha genre. Worse, this one is made by Americans and I watched the second season! Why did I do that to myself?

 

[TSwizzle]

Stranger Things; It's an ok supernatural drama but I'm not getting all excited about it. It contains a lot of elements cobbled from other movies like E.T., Close Encounters of a Third Kind spring to mind. I've watched three episodes, I'm not sure I will be able to stick with it. The soundtrack is nice and the young actors are really good.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Stranger Things; It's an ok supernatural drama but I'm not getting all excited about it. It contains a lot of elements cobbled from other movies like E.T., Close Encounters of a Third Kind spring to mind. I've watched three episodes, I'm not sure I will be able to stick with it. The soundtrack is nice and the young actors are really good.

If you are enjoying it even a little so far, I would stick with it. I do think it gets better as the season moves on. But your mileage may vary.

 

[TSwizzle]

Stranger Things; It's an ok supernatural drama but I'm not getting all excited about it. It contains a lot of elements cobbled from other movies like E.T., Close Encounters of a Third Kind spring to mind. I've watched three episodes, I'm not sure I will be able to stick with it. The soundtrack is nice and the young actors are really good.

If you are enjoying it even a little so far, I would stick with it. I do think it gets better as the season moves on. But your mileage may vary.

I've heard so many good things about it that I will stick with it. My teenage daughters were impressed that I was watching it so that makes it worth it.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Voltron: Subtitle Something Oh Who Gives A Fuck?
2/10

Why the hell did I watch this? I don't even like the Mecha genre. Worse, this one is made by Americans and I watched the second season! Why did I do that to myself?

Good question. Voltron was pretty good for a kid, but for an adult, pretty lame with the lion force was the worst.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Voltron: Subtitle Something Oh Who Gives A Fuck?
2/10

Why the hell did I watch this? I don't even like the Mecha genre. Worse, this one is made by Americans and I watched the second season! Why did I do that to myself?

Good question. Voltron was pretty good for a kid, but for an adult, pretty lame with the lion force was the worst.

Ya, the best thing about shows like that are the vague, half-recalled memories from your childhood. I was a huge Thundercats fan as a child and I once made the mistake of watching an episode of it as an adult. Realizing what an absolute piece of garbage it was completely destroyed quite a number of cherished childhood memories. It would have been best to have just left it alone.

 

[migrant]

Television ..... ah yes, I remember.
That little screen in the corner that used to steal my hours and give nothing in return.
I recommend Gerry Manders' book '4 reasons for the abolition of television.'
If you can still read....

 

[Underseer]

Voltron: Subtitle Something Oh Who Gives A Fuck?
2/10

Why the hell did I watch this? I don't even like the Mecha genre. Worse, this one is made by Americans and I watched the second season! Why did I do that to myself?

Good question. Voltron was pretty good for a kid, but for an adult, pretty lame with the lion force was the worst.

Oh, no, in my case it was much dumber than that.

You see, Voltron was after my time. I don't have any particular nostalgia for it.

Further, I didn't particularly like mecha anime even when I was a child living in Japan (I did like Kamen Rider, though), and the mecha genre just seems to get more annoying as I age. I think the only one I sort of liked was Knights of Sidonia.

So there really was no reason for me to watch it, but I did anyway because I'm profoundly stupid.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Good question. Voltron was pretty good for a kid, but for an adult, pretty lame with the lion force was the worst.

Oh, no, in my case it was much dumber than that.

You see, Voltron was after my time. I don't have any particular nostalgia for it.

Further, I didn't particularly like mecha anime even when I was a child living in Japan (I did like Kamen Rider, though), and the mecha genre just seems to get more annoying as I age. I think the only one I sort of liked was Knights of Sidonia.

So there really was no reason for me to watch it, but I did anyway because I'm profoundly stupid.

You poor thing.

Voltron Vehicle Force was the best. I have the entire series on DVD. It isn't for adults, but the nostalgia is there. It plays a lot better than lion force which turned out to be 'how does the princess fuck up this episode' over and over.

I would hack whichphilosophy into tiny pieces to get Force Five out there. That was probably even worse, as I watched that when I was real young, but when you are 6 or 7...

 

[tantric]

Stranger Things; It's an ok supernatural drama but I'm not getting all excited about it. It contains a lot of elements cobbled from other movies like E.T., Close Encounters of a Third Kind spring to mind. I've watched three episodes, I'm not sure I will be able to stick with it. The soundtrack is nice and the young actors are really good.

If you are enjoying it even a little so far, I would stick with it. I do think it gets better as the season moves on. But your mileage may vary.

Show

okay - are y'all with me that demogorgan was 11's unconscious rage? that she and the monster were one and the same?

the magicians is back! yes, harry potter i can related to, because it's about americans and grad school rather than weird english boarding school stuff that i've only previously experienced via pink floyd.

the expanse is back, putting the SCIENCE back in sf, bitches!

 

[Underseer]

Usagi Drop

I'm not going to offer a rating since I've only seen an episode and a half, but I'm addicted! A thirty year old bachelor decides to adopt a child in a moment of rage (he doesn't like how the girl is being treated), then finds out quickly that he's in over his head. The show is adorable and earnest.

The topic of childcare is not very common in Japanese nor American TV, so that alone makes this show unusual and interesting.

https://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1258