General Purpose US TV thread

Curiosity · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2017 16:07

Cras wrote:

Findus Fop wrote:

For whatever reason, I just don't find It's Always Sunny funny.

I think I've said this before, but I just can't enjoy a show when I don't like any of the characters. I'm sure it's objectively very funny, but it's just not for me.

The waitress is likeable (from what I've seen).

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Curiosity wrote:

The waitress is likeable (from what I've seen).

Keep watching.

FUN FACT The Waitress is married to Charlie in real life. (And Sweet Dee is married to Mac.)

myp · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2017 16:13

Curiosity wrote:

Cras wrote:

Findus Fop wrote:

For whatever reason, I just don't find It's Always Sunny funny.

I think I've said this before, but I just can't enjoy a show when I don't like any of the characters. I'm sure it's objectively very funny, but it's just not for me.

The waitress is likeable (from what I've seen).

myp · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2017 16:23

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Curiosity wrote:

The waitress is likeable (from what I've seen).

Keep watching.

FUN FACT The Waitress is married to Charlie in real life. (And Sweet Dee is married to Mac.)

Glenn Howerton's wife guest-starred in The D.E.N.N.I.S. System too.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2017 16:54

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Curiosity wrote:

The waitress is likeable (from what I've seen).

Keep watching.

FUN FACT The Waitress is married to Charlie in real life. (And Sweet Dee is married to Mac.)

She's also in the wonderful Santa Clarita diet

RuySan · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 3542

Findus Fop wrote:

For whatever reason, I just don't find It's Always Sunny funny. Not sure why, it feels like the kind of thing I should like. Suspect there may be a Seinfeld-like tipping point where everything slots into place and it all makes sense. But I've not got there yet (have watched half a dozen episodes).

That's what happened to me. I didn't like the first few episodes because I found the humour to be too blunt. But after you get to know the characters you suddenly start to feel everything they do is hilarious like:

-What's the next disgusting or dumb thing charlie will do?
-What's the next horrible sociopathic thing Dennis will do?
-How they will make fun of Sweet Dee next?
-What's the next gay thing Mac is going to say.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Search Party is really good:
http://imdb.com/rg/an_share/title/title/tt5460226/

A group of self-absorbed Brooklyn millenials get drawn into investigating the disappearance of a college friend they haven't spoken to in years. It's true comedy drama, very funny at times but very dark and sad at others. Builds to a fantastic gut-punch of an ending. Alia Shawkat (Maebe from Arrested Development) is fantastic as the lead character.

myp · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2017 23:31

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Search Party is really good:
http://imdb.com/rg/an_share/title/title/tt5460226/

A group of self-absorbed Brooklyn millenials get drawn into investigating the disappearance of a college friend they haven't spoken to in years. It's true comedy drama, very funny at times but very dark and sad at others. Builds to a fantastic gut-punch of an ending. Alia Shawkat (Maebe from Arrested Development) is fantastic as the lead character.

Netflix? Amazon?

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

4od, I think.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

It's got some good elements, but I think it's got a weird scatterbrained tonal inconsistency that's detrimental to the show as a whole.

Hearthly · **Joined:** 11th May, 2008 **Posts:** 13382

I really should make a start on Always Sunny, and it's on Netflix too. Taking on something that's twelve seasons in and still going is quite a prospect though, then again I note the running time of each episode is brief, Wiki says 18-25 minutes.

I'll fire it up tonight in the telly slot, which is once Hearthly Jnr has gone upstairs for her bedtime routines.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

Watched the first episode of Legion. It's promising, but weird as hell.

Malc · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2017 14:19

Cras wrote:

Watched the first episode of Legion. It's promising, but weird as hell.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

Not sure about the action sequence at the end, but yeah I liked it overall.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

LewieP wrote:

It's got some good elements, but I think it's got a weird scatterbrained tonal inconsistency that's detrimental to the show as a whole.

I liked that. Can't explain why, exactly, but I thought it worked.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Sun Feb 12, 2017 13:23

Been watching the recent US remake of Dirk Gently.

First, I can see why MaliA likes it, as Dirk is basically his style guide.

Second, I can see why people might dislike Dirk as being over acted, but I really like him, especially as the series goes on (I think I've seen 5 of 8 episodes).

Thirdly, I think the supporting cast is excellent.

Overall I think it's really good fun, but each episode seems about 5-10 minutes too long. There are a lot of stylised and very 'Max Landis' elements, which I think is just part and parcel of the kinds of things he makes.

I will definitely watch the remaining episodes and will likely watch a second series, which is apparently being made.

Satsuma · **Joined:** 20th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14356

I love Friends (who doesn't) and I've just accidentally turned on The One With Brad Pitt (that's how I know it anyway).

It's almost certainly one of the best episodes they ever done did.

Why couldn't those crazy kids make it work?

(

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Curiosity wrote:

I can see why people might dislike Dirk as being over acted, but I really like him,

This also sounds like Mali.

Quote:

Thirdly, I think the supporting cast is excellent.

So does this.

Quote:

Overall I think it's really good fun, but each episode seems about 5-10 minutes too long.

And, come to think of it, so does this.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

*applause*

myp · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2017 0:15

Yeah that was good. For Chris

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Lonewolves wrote:

Yeah that was good. For Chris

And it would have been world endingly epic for you.

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2017 0:33

Nothing prepares you for a world with MaliA .
Nothing prepares you for a world without MaliA.
Choose wisely.
He doesn't.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2017 0:43

MrChris wrote:

Lonewolves wrote:

Yeah that was good. For Chris

And it would have been world endingly epic for you.

No. It would have been par

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Lonewolves wrote:

MrChris wrote:

Lonewolves wrote:

Yeah that was good. For Chris

And it would have been world endingly epic for you.

No. It would have been par

Only after including your handicap, myp.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:07

Keep those zingers coming, champ

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Lonewolves wrote:

Keep those zingers coming, champ

Curiosity · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:26

In this conversation, Myp appears to be playing the role of Piers Morgan.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:37

Curiosity wrote:

In this conversation, Myp appears to be playing the role of Piers Morgan.

No u

Curiosity · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2017 0:02

Cras wrote:

Watched the first episode of Legion. It's promising, but weird as hell.

Yep!

It's like they let David Lynch direct the X Men.

Really enjoyed it. Something about the action scene was odd, especially about the bullets, but I think the unreality of it fits with the rest of the show.

Plus, are there any shows made without a British lead actor these days?

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:45

Curiosity wrote:

Plus, are there any shows made without a British lead actor these days?

Blacklist.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:17

Grim... wrote:

Curiosity wrote:

Plus, are there any shows made without a British lead actor these days?

Blacklist.

Racist

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38460

I've got a feeling I've asked this before.... but never mind.

I've got a memory from my youth about a made-for-tv movie, which was almost certainly a pilot episode for a show that didn't get picked up. The hero was a (scientist, lab tech, delivery boy, random passerbuy, deliberate lab rat?) guy who was exposed to something that made him able to absorb superpowers from sunlight.

He had three 'phases'. The first was Green. Small exposure to sunlight gave him enhanced mental acuity. Longer exposure bumped him up to Yellow which enhanced his physical strength and agility. If he stayed in the sun for too long he would advance to Red, where he would be super strong, fast and clever, but he would smoke from the ears (no, really) and suffer immense pain.

I remember all of this from one watch-through, but no details of the plot, cast or even the name of the show. Can anyone confirm that this is a real thing and not a fever dream of mine?

devilman · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:38

DavPaz wrote:

I've got a feeling I've asked this before.... but never mind.

I've got a memory from my youth about a made-for-tv movie, which was almost certainly a pilot episode for a show that didn't get picked up. The hero was a (scientist, lab tech, delivery boy, random passerbuy, deliberate lab rat?) guy who was exposed to something that made him able to absorb superpowers from sunlight.

He had three 'phases'. The first was Green. Small exposure to sunlight gave him enhanced mental acuity. Longer exposure bumped him up to Yellow which enhanced his physical strength and agility. If he stayed in the sun for too long he would advance to Red, where he would be super strong, fast and clever, but he would smoke from the ears (no, really) and suffer immense pain.

I remember all of this from one watch-through, but no details of the plot, cast or even the name of the show. Can anyone confirm that this is a real thing and not a fever dream of mine?

Northstar?

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38460

You absolute diamond. That's the one. I'm so watching that on my lunch break.

How did you find it so quickly?

devilman · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:42

I googled 'sun powers anyone remember film' and one of the matches was some bike forum where someone asked the same question.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38460

Google. Is. Magic

Thanks Gaywood!

And Devilman, natch

Satsuma · **Joined:** 20th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14356

I was sick of 2 Broke Girls. Still laughed my goddamn ass off at episode 16.

One word: burlesque.

Grim... · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2017 20:28

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

There's way too much Sophie doing burlesque.

Satsuma · **Joined:** 20th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 14356

There was more!? I was spent after Caroline did her dance.

Hearthly · **Joined:** 11th May, 2008 **Posts:** 13382

I made a start on 'MAKING A MURDERER' on Netflix a few nights ago, currently six episodes in so still four to go.

I've been absolutely gripped by it, and I don't know how it ends either - (as a documentary it'll simply follow the tale to wherever it ended of course) - as I don't remember any details of the case when it originally occurred (or even being aware of it), and whilst I'd heard quite a bit about how good the documentary was supposed to be, I've avoided any real information about it. (More by accident than design.)

The temptation to just Wiki the shit out of it is incredibly strong, but I'm forcing myself to follow the story through the documentary as it unwinds.

But as it stands, I genuinely don't know if he did it or not.

myp · **Posted:** Sat Feb 18, 2017 13:07

It's good up to about episode 7 and then the last three are a bit of a let down.

Kern · **Posted:** Sun Feb 19, 2017 14:44

Some nice Sunday reading for you. Here's a blog post on 'Dirty Feed' looking at differences between the final version of the Frasier pilot and the original script. I've seen this episode many, many times and don't think I'll ever tire of it, especially not the Lupe Valez joke that I've used on occasion as advice for myself and others. I'm really looking forward to revisiting this episode once I've worked my way through the five or so seasons I've got left to watch of its origin story (spoiler: I don't think it's aged well and I'm not sure I can take much more of Carla).

TheVision · **Posted:** Sun Feb 19, 2017 15:29

I'm still watching Vikings as I've got to season 3.

I have many problems with it though. One of the main characters has just taken 2 arrows to the back and has fallen off a castle wall. In the next scene which appears to be a couple of days after, he seems fine! Lying down, but fine!

I know there's problems with killing off main characters but don't make them invincible! One of the other characters got trampled by a horse a few episodes ago and yet here he is, no ill effects at all.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Mon Feb 20, 2017 0:07

If you were worried that the second episode of Legion might start making sense or follow a linear narrative, you can rest at ease. It's as delightfully batshit as the first episode, but even creepier.

Speaking of narratives that veer from the linear, I finished Dirk Gently tonight and it was really entertaining. First few episodes seemed a bit long, but once it hit its stride it was really good and with an excellent cast. Season 2 is coming later this year, so yay.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

I've got up to DS9 on my watching through Star Trek and wow it might be the best one. It's way more overtly political than the rest, and I think some of the stories they probably wouldn't have gotten away with had it been made today.

Hearthly · **Joined:** 11th May, 2008 **Posts:** 13382

I finished MAKING A MURDERER the other day and didn't feel there was any drop-off in quality in the last three episodes.

Questions remain! I'll spoiler-tag this as even though it's a documentary and all a matter of public record, if you don't know how it all pans out I'd say there's some merit in going into it blind.

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

So did Steven Avery kill Teresa Halbach? If he didn't, then who did, and who had the motive to?

The police were dodgy as fuck, there's no doubt about that, and Avery's lawyers proved that Lenk had either lied under oath the first time, or was lying under oath the second time, as to what time he'd arrived at the salvage yard on the day Teresa's car was found. (i.e. Did he have the opportunity to plant Avery's blood in the car?)

If I were putting my amateur detective hat on, I'd think there was something fishy with Teresa's family (I didn't like the brother at all) and her ex-boyfriend.

To my eye, they were most certainly well beyond 'reasonable doubt' as to Avery having murdered Teresa so he shouldn't have been convicted on that basis alone.

I thought his lawyers were superb, Dean Strang in particular.

Also, something that has happened after the documentary was made is Brendan Dassey having had his conviction overturned. I'm amazed he was convicted, the behaviour of the police and his shitheel of a court appointed lawyer (the first one, before he was thrown off the case) was utterly appalling.

Overall, a shocking watch.

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

LewieP wrote:

I've got up to DS9 on my watching through Star Trek and wow it might be the best one. It's way more overtly political than the rest, and I think some of the stories they probably wouldn't have gotten away with had it been made today.

DS9 is objectively the best ST series by a country mile.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

MrChris wrote:

DS9 is objectively the best ST series by a country mile.

If only for when Bald Goatee Hardass Sisko gets the Defiant and the whole show goes into overdrive.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Mon Feb 20, 2017 12:41

I didn't see much of the later series, but the Young Me thought the first couple was far inferior to TNG (an opinion that seemed to be the prevalent one at the time).

Be Excellent To Each Other

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