General Television Thread

[Summers]

Last Resort ended fantastically. I know it got hate, but I really enjoyed that series. Autumn Reeser is her underwear loads helped, but there was some good writing, great acting and interesting stories.

Gonna start The Following later maybe.

[Benjamin]

So I finally finished all four completed seasons of Parks and Rec, and am now on episode 9 of season 5. I gotta' tell you, that horrible first season nearly made me miss what turned out to be a fantastic show.

Besides that, caught up on Shameless, which was an amazing thrill ride

Also, new season of Spartacus just started And Community starts next week!

Basically, I'm loving TV right now

[Summers]

I kinda wish they'd just cancelled Spartacus. Liam McIntyre just doesn't make me enjoy the show like Andy Whitfield did.

Crixus, Gannicus and even Agron are at least interesting now. It's just kinda hard to get behind the show the way I did previously when the title character now just seems bland, dull and devoid of passion.

[Jimmy]

And it's free for everyone to watch even without a Netflix account. So hey.

Is this just a US thing? I wanna watch it alot.

[Josh]

I watched the first 6 episodes of House of Cards yesterday. I hope to watch the rest sometime between now and . . . Tuesday, maybe?

It's worth the watch, though I had my doubts at times during the first couple of episodes. I suspect that won't be a popular sentiment though, as it was an issue of the show relying heavily on establishing form - not even an issue of exposition, just "here's the unique way WE tell a story". I'm betting it will actually grab more casual viewers who give the first couple chapters a go. That said, once things get going it becomes less superficial, and therefore more interesting.

One thing I'll say for certain: the show is extremely well-cast.

Once I've finished the season, I hope to give more detailed, spoilered thoughts.

And as a sidenote, if a show like this can take off it will mean very promising things for the future of "television" programming models.

[LL!]

And it's free for everyone to watch even without a Netflix account. So hey.

Is this just a US thing? I wanna watch it alot.

I dunno, but I should've specified that it's just the first episode that's free.

[Jimmy]

It's cool, me and my friends are gonna chip in for an account for a month and watch it together.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

It's cool, me and my friends are gonna chip in for an account for a month and watch it together.

First off, as long as you have a credit card, the first month on Netflix is free and you won't be charged anything if you cancel within 30 days.

Second, I'm 5 episodes in and I really like it a lot. Spacey breaking the fourth wall can be confusing at times, especially at first, because you aren't quite sure who he's talking to at times. This series is best made for binge watching because story lines usually carry over from episode to episodes and in each new episode they don't rehash every storyline by resetting the exposition. I'll second the thought about the casting. Given a few episodes in, these characters (especially Peter Russo) turn out to be more well-rounded then you ever would have thought. My only gripe is that I was so disappointed when I found out that Reg E. Cathey was just playing the owner of a rib joint. Because he was so awesome as Norman Wilson as a political operative in "The Wire" that I got so excited when I saw his name in the credits because I thought we were going to see Norman Wilson reborn.

[Benji]

True Blood Season 3 Finale...

I don't get it. Why didn't Russell just call one of his progeny when he was in trouble (or why didn't any of his progeny sense his danger, as established throughout the series?), and why were none of his wolf pack hunting him out?

Not a bad season, but not really as good as the first two. Still has massive potential for season four, which is recording this week.

[Ruki]

Just watching the first episode of Girls..I enjoy it...but MAN. I really hate the British-artsy-traveler-chick.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I dug the post-Super Bowl Elementary, but apparently critics did not. Or at least the AVClub didn't. I get that the whole point of the episode was that it was a bit more.. generic, I guess? was to try and draw new viewers into watching it in its regular timeslot, but I thought it was a perfectly acceptable episode despite that. Kind of curious as to how first-time viewers felt about it, though.

EDIT:

Unrelatedly, woah wait what, they're making a TV series out of the Stephen King book Under The Dome?!

[Josh]

Finished Season 1 of House of Cards.

In a word, it's Shakespearean. And not just in the generalized, watered-down, "high praise for performed art" sense, but in a very literal way. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the series is based on actual Shakespearean text in some manner originally. It's intricate, but epic. A very good series so far.

[Damian WayLNKe]

Unrelatedly, woah wait what, they're making a TV series out of the Stephen King book Under The Dome?!

It's a 13-episode miniseries

[livid]

Unrelatedly, woah wait what, they're making a TV series out of the Stephen King book Under The Dome?!

It's a 13-episode miniseries

Actually, when CBS ordered it to series, they didn't make the distinction that it was a mini-series (like it was supposed to be at Showtime) so it could go longer than the initial run. I imagine it will depend on the ratings it gets.

Also, House of Cards is tremendous. I'm up to Episode 9 now and it's fantastic. And of course I love that they released all the episodes at once. The only issue with that (or the fact that it's on Netflix in general) is that it's not eligible for the Emmys at all.

[Josh]

Finished Season 1 of House of Cards.

In a word, it's Shakespearean. And not just in the generalized, watered-down, "high praise for performed art" sense, but in a very literal way. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the series is based on actual Shakespearean text in some manner originally. It's intricate, but epic. A very good series so far.

Here's some random, but more specific, spoilered thoughts for anyone else who has seen the entire first season and cares to read/discuss:

- As said before, the first couple of episodes don't quite hold up to the rest, as they spend so much energy on establishing form. It does feel very "Fincher Lite", so to speak. The use of graphics when people are texting and Frank's occasional direct address are the major symptoms here. However, to the show's credit, it handles the initial base of exposition rather well. It rarely felt like "okay, so we gotta get this out of the way if this whole thing's gonna make sense."

- On a related note: the Direct Address. I was extremely leery of it at first, as it initially felt like the flipside of the exposition issue, i.e. rather than showing you these things, here's a few sentences that relay the info quickly. I'm often let down when TV shows, films, or plays use narration or its close cousin, direct address, as it often is a crutch for lazy storytellers. However, as the season progressed, I came to realize these weren't strictly narrative breaks - they're asides, and very much in the tradition of Shakespeare's.

Frank is treating the audience as his one true confidant. The things he tells us are his private thoughts that would otherwise go unspoken entirely. He's (mostly) not catching us up, he's working things out. The church scene in Chapter 12 (I think?) toys with this whole idea, bending it, and perhaps ends up a little too on the nose or lost in its own brilliance. Ultimately though, this is possibly the biggest sign of Shakespearian influence. (Sidenote: It's possible that I'm using Shakespeare alone where an entire class of playwrights should be acknowledged, but it's at least a nice shorthand.)

- To further that idea, when watched through binge viewing (preferably even all in one shot), the show doesn't feel that different from a classic 5 Act Elizabethan Tragedy. The length may be longer, but - for all intents and purposes - not by much. And the viewer gains a lot through that method of viewing.

The show finds a way to straddle the line between Episodic and Climactic (there are smaller stories told with each hour that can almost operate independently from the whole, but there is still a constant construction of the grand scheme), so in one episode you'll get a clearly important seed for something that doesn't sprout until at least (and often in) the next episode. The origami runner is a lighter example of this, but there are many.

On the flipside, the show is careful to give you diversions from the main story (that still serve the main story) within each episode, so you never get drained by a monotonous harping on the grand scheme. The library dedication episode exemplifies this well. There are even thematic runners contained within episodes that bolster the mood or story for an just the hour, without getting off topic from the larger themes of the show. To again use the library dedication episode (can't recall which chapter), everyone we're following is confronting their past and must choose to either embrace or release it.

But yeah, it's an epic multi-party story about power with far-reaching consequences, clearly focusing on one deeply flawed protagonist, carefully layered and constructed, lasting hours, dipping in and out of varying themes, and all observably leading to a major milestone for the main character.

- And on the topic of binge viewing, this show may be better built for that than any I've seen. It doesn't necessarily make it a better show overall (Treme CAN be binge viewed, but doesn't necessarily gain as much from it), but it does greatly improve the experience. I think watching each episode a week apart might remove a good deal of cohesion, and you're obviously picking up on themes and runners more carefully when watching straight through. Game of Thrones is the only show I can think of that MIGHT benefit as much from binge viewing - but even it's not as careful to give episodic diversions from the grand scheme that still feel worthwhile.

- The Cast: Overall, I'm hard pressed to find a weak link. Even the secondary recurring characters bring something wonderful to the table. Michael Gill as President Walker I suppose strikes me as passable more than great. Hopefully that impression will change with the next season.

Spacey is fun and handles the style well. I feel like he actively sees and enjoys the commonalities with Shakespeare.

Robin Wright is just plain phenomenal. I really, really love her character, and I honestly cannot imagine anyone playing it better. Give her all the awards.

I honestly don't remember Corey Stoll from anything before this, but I won't forget him now. He and Robin Wright give far and away my favorite performances on this show. Again, all the awards.

- Complaints: Not many. The one sore thumb for me is an obvious background detail (if such a thing exists) - portrayals of media outlets. This isn't always an issue, as the apparent working relationship with CNN has really benefitted the show. It feels as real as the rest of the world. However, pretty much any other depiction of a TV program - local or national - feels half-assed. The bit that was clearly meant as a Glenn Beck/Sean Hannity/etc. rip-off was a glaring example of this.

Then there's the ending of Season 1. I did think we would see more loose ends wrapped up, but we at least now know that Frank achieved the goal of entering the upper level of the current administration. Plus, the alliances have been redrawn satisfactorily. I suppose I'm saying I'll take this ending, but a tad more closure may have felt better.

Otherwise, the show does exhibit some of the male view sensationalism that most shows fall victim to, but less than you usually find.

Again, not many complaints, at least that come to mind.

Obviously, I'm very impressed and can't wait for more. Everyone that likes drama should at least be trying the first four episodes.

[Lint]

I dug the post-Super Bowl Elementary, but apparently critics did not. Or at least the AVClub didn't. I get that the whole point of the episode was that it was a bit more.. generic, I guess? was to try and draw new viewers into watching it in its regular timeslot, but I thought it was a perfectly acceptable episode despite that. Kind of curious as to how first-time viewers felt about it, though.

EDIT:

Unrelatedly, woah wait what, they're making a TV series out of the Stephen King book Under The Dome?!

Started watching Elementary on demand last week...I like the series so far but thought the post-SB episode was rather lackluster. Didn't even keep my attention like the other episodes did

[GoGo Yubari]

Yeah, I haven't watched the post-SB episode yet. Last Thursday's was good, though.

[RFP.]

Finished Season 1 of House of Cards.

In a word, it's Shakespearean. And not just in the generalized, watered-down, "high praise for performed art" sense, but in a very literal way. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the series is based on actual Shakespearean text in some manner originally. It's intricate, but epic. A very good series so far.

Here's some random, but more specific, spoilered thoughts for anyone else who has seen the entire first season and cares to read/discuss:

- As said before, the first couple of episodes don't quite hold up to the rest, as they spend so much energy on establishing form. It does feel very "Fincher Lite", so to speak. The use of graphics when people are texting and Frank's occasional direct address are the major symptoms here. However, to the show's credit, it handles the initial base of exposition rather well. It rarely felt like "okay, so we gotta get this out of the way if this whole thing's gonna make sense."

- On a related note: the Direct Address. I was extremely leery of it at first, as it initially felt like the flipside of the exposition issue, i.e. rather than showing you these things, here's a few sentences that relay the info quickly. I'm often let down when TV shows, films, or plays use narration or its close cousin, direct address, as it often is a crutch for lazy storytellers. However, as the season progressed, I came to realize these weren't strictly narrative breaks - they're asides, and very much in the tradition of Shakespeare's.

Frank is treating the audience as his one true confidant. The things he tells us are his private thoughts that would otherwise go unspoken entirely. He's (mostly) not catching us up, he's working things out. The church scene in Chapter 12 (I think?) toys with this whole idea, bending it, and perhaps ends up a little too on the nose or lost in its own brilliance. Ultimately though, this is possibly the biggest sign of Shakespearian influence. (Sidenote: It's possible that I'm using Shakespeare alone where an entire class of playwrights should be acknowledged, but it's at least a nice shorthand.)

- To further that idea, when watched through binge viewing (preferably even all in one shot), the show doesn't feel that different from a classic 5 Act Elizabethan Tragedy. The length may be longer, but - for all intents and purposes - not by much. And the viewer gains a lot through that method of viewing.

The show finds a way to straddle the line between Episodic and Climactic (there are smaller stories told with each hour that can almost operate independently from the whole, but there is still a constant construction of the grand scheme), so in one episode you'll get a clearly important seed for something that doesn't sprout until at least (and often in) the next episode. The origami runner is a lighter example of this, but there are many.

On the flipside, the show is careful to give you diversions from the main story (that still serve the main story) within each episode, so you never get drained by a monotonous harping on the grand scheme. The library dedication episode exemplifies this well. There are even thematic runners contained within episodes that bolster the mood or story for an just the hour, without getting off topic from the larger themes of the show. To again use the library dedication episode (can't recall which chapter), everyone we're following is confronting their past and must choose to either embrace or release it.

But yeah, it's an epic multi-party story about power with far-reaching consequences, clearly focusing on one deeply flawed protagonist, carefully layered and constructed, lasting hours, dipping in and out of varying themes, and all observably leading to a major milestone for the main character.

- And on the topic of binge viewing, this show may be better built for that than any I've seen. It doesn't necessarily make it a better show overall (Treme CAN be binge viewed, but doesn't necessarily gain as much from it), but it does greatly improve the experience. I think watching each episode a week apart might remove a good deal of cohesion, and you're obviously picking up on themes and runners more carefully when watching straight through. Game of Thrones is the only show I can think of that MIGHT benefit as much from binge viewing - but even it's not as careful to give episodic diversions from the grand scheme that still feel worthwhile.

- The Cast: Overall, I'm hard pressed to find a weak link. Even the secondary recurring characters bring something wonderful to the table. Michael Gill as President Walker I suppose strikes me as passable more than great. Hopefully that impression will change with the next season.

Spacey is fun and handles the style well. I feel like he actively sees and enjoys the commonalities with Shakespeare.

Robin Wright is just plain phenomenal. I really, really love her character, and I honestly cannot imagine anyone playing it better. Give her all the awards.

I honestly don't remember Corey Stoll from anything before this, but I won't forget him now. He and Robin Wright give far and away my favorite performances on this show. Again, all the awards.

- Complaints: Not many. The one sore thumb for me is an obvious background detail (if such a thing exists) - portrayals of media outlets. This isn't always an issue, as the apparent working relationship with CNN has really benefitted the show. It feels as real as the rest of the world. However, pretty much any other depiction of a TV program - local or national - feels half-assed. The bit that was clearly meant as a Glenn Beck/Sean Hannity/etc. rip-off was a glaring example of this.

Then there's the ending of Season 1. I did think we would see more loose ends wrapped up, but we at least now know that Frank achieved the goal of entering the upper level of the current administration. Plus, the alliances have been redrawn satisfactorily. I suppose I'm saying I'll take this ending, but a tad more closure may have felt better.

Otherwise, the show does exhibit some of the male view sensationalism that most shows fall victim to, but less than you usually find.

Again, not many complaints, at least that come to mind.

Obviously, I'm very impressed and can't wait for more. Everyone that likes drama should at least be trying the first four episodes.

I've only watched the first episode so far; but does the dialogue stay pretty consistent? It's pretty hammy in the first episode, which isn't necessarily a bad thing...

[MalaCloudy Black]

Unrelatedly, woah wait what, they're making a TV series out of the Stephen King book Under The Dome?!

It's a 13-episode miniseries

Actually, when CBS ordered it to series, they didn't make the distinction that it was a mini-series (like it was supposed to be at Showtime) so it could go longer than the initial run. I imagine it will depend on the ratings it gets.

I hope it does well, I enjoyed the book. Apparently it didn't start filming until this month, though, so it'll still be a while until it's actually out I suppose.

[livid]

Not that long, June 24th actually.