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

Patooka said:
hurtinbuckaroo said:
Patooka said:
Yep. Riker makes a cameo later in the season and asks Picard "What is Newton's fourth law of thermodynamics", to which Picard responds with, "No good deed goes unpunished"

Me and my flatmates looked at one another in absolute confusion, untill one of them asked, "Hang on, isn't that a Ferengi rule of aquisition?" So we paused the episode as it's been a while since any of us have seen TNG and...nope. Not an insider joke on a holosuite episode. The writers of Picard genuinely believe Isaac Newton discovered the "Four Laws of Thermodynamics"
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Maybe I'm misreading something, but how is that not just an attempt at humor?
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It probably was and it was still badly executed. Here's a clip, the conversation is at the 2 minute mark.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2hI6fdkZU8[/youtube]
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Good or bad, I don’t think it proves the writers are scientific illiterates.
 
Patooka said:
Oh, and if you're waiting for Axanar to come out, don't hold your breath, because you'll be holding it for a very long time. Alec Peters' little con job managed to do serious damage to the Trek fan film universe. For awhile, CBS/Paramount looked the other way while fans produced increasingly elaborate films and series (Star Trek Continues was a standout, for example) so long as they played in the sandbox and didn't try to make money. Peters used the Axanar trailer and teaser (which looked promising) to raise money from fans, and then turned around and used that money to build a for-profit studio which he planned on renting out to other productions.

Big mistake.

As a result, lawyers got involved, and CBS/Paramount has lots more on deck than an independent filmmaker. It didn't help that Peters spent time bragging about how his project was going to supplant the official product. The long and short of it is that Axanar will probably never be made, and his arrogance caused many other dedicated fan productions to be shut down or scaled back.

(full disclosure: I worked for CBS at the time this went down, and formerly worked for Viacom, which owns Paramount...though I was nowhere near the TV or movie parts of the respective companies)
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I did not know that. Thanks for the background. However, Alec Peters is saying something different on the Axanar page so who knows. I wouldn't be comfortable betting against a legion of corporate lawyers however.
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Yeah, of course Peters would say something different. The analogy I used while talking about this elsewhere is that Star Trek (official) was like the owners of a beach house (the copyrights). When they weren't using it - before Discovery launched - they said to fan film producers "hey, you can stay at our house when we're not using it, but there are a few rules. Behave yourself, treat our property with respect, and if you follow those simple guidelines then have a good time and we appreciate your support."

Most fan productions did just that. They did continuations of the original series, or Enterprise, or made up their own spinoffs, but they were all non-profit, respectful to the owners of the beach house, and everything was fine. Alec Peters and company moved into the house, knocked out a couple walls, repainted the kitchen and threw wild parties that trashed the place. Then they bragged about "our beach house" and thumbed their noses when the owners showed up and said "get out."

I realize that people take issue with current intellectual property laws, and big media corporations that own beloved franchises, but the simple fact of the matter is that CBS/Paramount could have easily (and rightly) sued every fan production into oblivion, but they didn't. In fact they were perfectly fine with fans using their IP to create new content...within reason. In the wake of the Axanar debacle, they came out with an exhaustive list of guidelines which are far more restrictive than the previous "light touch" rules. They include limitations on length, fundraising, any sort of revenue generation, merchandising, and well...here:

https://www.startrek.com/fan-films

The sad thing is that almost all of the fan productions were made out of love for Trek, frustration over the long drought of Trek on TV, and disappointment with the direction of the Abrams films. I genuinely believe that had Peters not "poked the bear," fan films would continue to peacefully coexist alongside the official product. Finally, part of my job when I was with CBS was to understand and look out for violations of copyright law and IP, so I can say that in the case of fan films, the companies were being extremely generous with their property...something they did not have to do. Peters took that good will and destroyed it, and in the process fleeced fans out of a million dollars for a movie they'll never see.
 
Mind HUNTERS, FBI criminal division dealing with serial killers. as they develop profiles and the whole new science. Watched the first season last year and it was ok. Watching season 2 now during shutdown. Season 2 took off for me. Maybe because I'm bored, but it is fun to watch. The characters (only three main ones) which is a bit silly, find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of real life manhunts. I would give it a 8.5/10. The serial killers all seem to be really well played. the producers really focused on getting them right and to me the show is well written. Enjoy.
 
OLDMAN said:
Mind HUNTERS, FBI criminal division dealing with serial killers. as they develop profiles and the whole new science. Watched the first season last year and it was ok. Watching season 2 now during shutdown. Season 2 took off for me. Maybe because I'm bored, but it is fun to watch. The characters (only three main ones) which is a bit silly, find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of real life manhunts. I would give it a 8.5/10. The serial killers all seem to be really well played. the producers really focused on getting them right and to me the show is well written. Enjoy.
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I watched it for a while and it was pretty good. Well written, well acted and the cinematography is really good as they capture the 1970s, particularly the cars. I'd give it a solid 8/10.
 
The wife is watching Star Trek Next Generation: Which means I'm watching it. I don't have a lot of interest. The make up is very good....But I've come to realize that security teams aboard the Enterprise are never where they should be....Wouldn't it make sense to post them on the bridge and transporter room see how that is 99 % of their calls.

Also, when they beam down to a planet, there's no video...they have to explain what is going on to the Enterprise verbally. As if Go-Pro hadn't been invented. Yet on the ship everything is recorded. WTF
 
Bosch, season 1, 8/10; Based on Michael Connolly crime novels the series follows detective Harry Bosch as he goes through a wrongful death civil suit and is involved in two intriguing cases. One is a cold case murder and the other is a serial killer that had a similar childhood upbringing to Bosch. Filmed mostly in Los Angeles, the director somehow made LA look somewhat decent. 10 episodes was probably too many as at times things seemed very pedestrian. A lot of people rave about this series and the books. I thought it was pretty good but I don't know if I will go back to it. There's a lot of TV out there.
 
OLDMAN said:
The wife is watching Star Trek Next Generation: Which means I'm watching it. I don't have a lot of interest. The make up is very good....But I've come to realize that security teams aboard the Enterprise are never where they should be....Wouldn't it make sense to post them on the bridge and transporter room see how that is 99 % of their calls.
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That's actually a pretty good point. Granted, with a Klingon usually on the bridge, it could be considered redundant. I can only imagine that Security is in an office several decks away that'd take twenty minutes just to get to where they needed to be.

*Security arrives out of breath*
Security: Got here as fast as we could.
Riker: A bit late now, the Captain's dead.
Security: Did you see who did it?
Riker: The dead guy over there.
Security: Geordi killed the Captain?!
Riker: No! The other dead guy over there.
Security: Ah. Well, I need you to fill out this witness paperwork.

Also, when they beam down to a planet, there's no video...they have to explain what is going on to the Enterprise verbally. As if Go-Pro hadn't been invented. Yet on the ship everything is recorded. WTF
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Stop breaking walls here! Sure, they can magnifying a ship approaching faster than the speed of light, and keep it in focus the entire time, from light years away, but yeah, only audio from the planet the ship is parked next to.

Riker: O'Brien, three to beam up.
O'Brien: You are standing in a group of 41 people... who the heck do you want me to beam up?!
 
New Star Trek Seies Announced

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/OD6kUZwMOjQ[/YOUTUBE]

Fans spoke, Star Trek listened, and a new series aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise is on the horizon! Watch stars Anson Mount (Christopher Pike), Ethan Peck (Spock), and Rebecca Romijn (Number One) excitedly break the big news. Stay tuned for more information on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, coming soon to CBS All Access. In the meantime, stream full episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, exclusively in the U.S. on CBS All Access.
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Fans spoke, Star Trek listened? You didn't need to release a new series to make the crap shows now better.
 
Is Alex Kutzman still in charge? If so, Star Trek most certainly did NOT listen. I don't have a problem with the franchise going in different directions; that happens so often the question of what is "Traditional Star Trek" is a ship of Theseus question. I just don't like terrible storytelling, unrelatable characters and shitty dialogue hidden under lazy special effects and lens flare. That is all Kutzman is able to deliver apparently.
 
After Life, season 2, 7/10; The Ricky Gervais Netflix series continues. It's a weird show to pin down. What is it, a comedy, a drama, a soap opera ? Not sure. But for the most part it is a brilliantly and thoughtfully written piece of work about coping with grief. Season 1 was excellent but season 2 is more mawkish as Ricky spends a lot of time viewing video of his deceased wife and crying a lot. The comedy now seems inserted as an afterthought, seems forced and at times clumsy with Ricky relying too much on the word "cunt" being a punchline. Like when Ricky is interviewing the 100 year old lady in the care home who refers to her fellow residents as "cunts" several times. What a hoot, an old lady saying "cunt". Meh.
 
Raising Dion 7/10 grand daughter was having a sleepover and she was watching this show about a young boy learning to control his super powers, there is a evil force also at work. A lot of the show focuses on his widowed mother and time travels back to when his father was alive. Well written fare for the whole family.
 
Dead to Me. 3 episodes in and it seems to be taking on a soap opera feel. I was ok with Judy's relationship, but when her ex becomes part of it...meh. Might watch one more. Great acting by Ms. Applegate. 7/10 for first two episodes. Should I stay with it?
 
Breaking Bad - Better late than than never huh? about 2 years ago - I had watched right up to the S2 episode before the : "Better Call Saul" episode that introduces the Lawyer and stalled. The show was good but Walt seemed stuck in a "Gilligan's Island" rut, where he could never get ahead - always something seemed to put him back to square one or worse. The I started back a few months ago. Once I got to the jaw dropping season 2 finale, I was really hooked. Up to watching 2 episodes a day with 6 more to go. I'm really happy no one ever spoiled this show for me. One of the best shows I have ever seen.
 
Picard

Finally got around to finishing this series. It was pretty boring. There isn't story there for more than maybe two episodes, but the season goes on for ten. The remaining time is filled with old TNG actors making appearances, Patrick Stewart appearing like a demented old man who wandered off from his wine farm but couldn't find his way back, the rest of the cast fawning over him, and cringe-worthy writing including (but not limited to) "Newton's 4th law of thermodynamics" type of gaffes. Still better than Discovery, but only marginally.
 
Just watched the "organism" episode of Mrs Brown's Boys.

I guarantee whatever you're drinking will wind up in your sinuses.
 
Community

First Three Seasons - 8/10
Final Three Seasons - 3/10

A show about a random group of people who get together in a study group at a community college. Really funny and well written at the beginning, but they completely lost the plot halfway through and, while they kept trying, they never really hit the correct notes after that.
 
Tom Sawyer said:
Community

First Three Seasons - 8/10
Final Three Seasons - 3/10

A show about a random group of people who get together in a study group at a community college. Really funny and well written at the beginning, but they completely lost the plot halfway through and, while they kept trying, they never really hit the correct notes after that.
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interesting note:
community was not a group effort in terms of its creation, it was the baby of the creator and main showrunner dan harmon - who was kind of a cliche of 'difficult artist', notoriously hard to work with and not compliant with direction from the studio execs.
anyways, he got sacked at the end of season 3 and after that the show was run by production assigned by the studio.

he did return to the show on the 5th season but the show was a lost cause by then as issues with the cast started ruining more or less everything.
 
Tales From the Loop on Amazon Prime

Maybe 7 out of 10. Sci-Fi series with most episodes being self contained stories focused on the people who live and work around an underground research facility called The Loop in Mercer Ohio. I thought it would be Amazon's answer to Stranger Things, but it wasn't like the netflix show at all. There's only some tangential overarching connection between episodes, though several of the characters recur in about half the episodes. There's weirdness all around the town, like wandering robots and a mysterious stream and a malfunctioning tractor that just hovers in mid air and rusty pieces of junk that happen to have some odd purpose. The show focuses on the human element and pretty much ignores most of the weirdness. There is no Lost or Twin Peaks or even West World-type effort being made to solve the mystery with new clues revealed like peeling back an onion. Not all episodes resonate, but several were first rate explorations of some quality of our humanity.

The main problem I have with the show though is a complete lack of temporal context. The time frame is supposed to be late 70's/Early 80s (with flash backs and forwards) but there is no mention of contemporaneous events and the show seems rather unrealistically self contained. For such an experimental research facility that is bending reality itself, I would have expected at least a strong military presence as this was still the cold war, and the military uses of this technology could have been profound.
 
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