True Detective may be over but we're still getting our serial killers fix at our house with Seasons 2 of The Following and the bizarre improbable Hannibal - mostly because Mads Mikkelson is so cool in the title role.
Looking forward to April's returns of Game Of Thrones, BBC-A's Orphan Black, and Continuum.
Waiting on Season 1 of Orphan Black from the library. Hope it gets here before Season 2 starts!
Will have to check out Continuum. Not sure if we get that channel.
I am LOVING this season of The Americans. Actually I checked out Felicity from the library because the actress that plays Elizabeth in The Americans is so good.
I couldn't get past the 1st episode, so just sayin, if you didn't like her in Felicity, she's grown.
This last episode, where she is acting like a victim to get a Navy guy into her tenterhooks, was excellent.
Felicity came out when I was in high school and I LOVED it. Try to get past the first episode .... ;-) Also love The Americans. As someone said on Twitter - Felicity is a spy now, Noel is a spy now (on Scandal) what espionage is Ben up to??
We watched the first couple episodes of Continuum, and just had to stop. The production of the show was pretty neat, but the storyline was filled with too many cliches and the acting was kind of dreadful. Maybe the show got better, and certainly some of the show's flaws that bothered us might not bother others, but we had to move on.
Finished the second season of House of Cards. I still like it, but still think it's more of a B/B-plus kind of show. Something about the clockwork precision of its plot devices sacrifice some of its plausibility. But still, I won't hesitate to watch season three.
Finally wrapped up Breaking Bad. Another show I thought was good, not great. Several times I almost gave up on it, and in retrospect, I'm glad I kept on going. The show wound things up nicely.
We haven't found a new Netflix streaming tv show to watch yet. The Riches is out there, but I don't think my better half will like it. Same with American Horror Story or the The Fall. We'll see.
Episode 9 (Family Time) is much more indicative of the quality of acting and storytelling in Continuum going forward. Rachel Nichols seems more in her element, but there is more development of young Alec that's worth watching. Late in season two, Future Alec becomes too clever ... I'll have to see where his story goes.
Greg: I'm well invested in the series. I just find myself indifferent to Mary's fate or to any possible romance with Matthew. I am more fascinated with the servants' lives and their place in the overall organism of the household.
Season 4 of Downton was a huge upgrade from 2 and 3. It'll never be what it was in Season 1 again, but I too had become indifferent to the family until this past season when that largely changed.
jonah - The Fall is excellent, but incredibly dark (not True Detective dark, but dark). Have you seen The Americans yet? It really is great.
We recently finished Masters of Sex, which was quite enjoyable. It was a nice break from the antihero obsession of so much good TV these days and was really, really well acted. We have 2 episodes of TD left and then will get started on House of Cards Season 2. With both Game of Thrones and Mad Men back next month I don't know when we'll start something new, but Orphan Black is definitely on my short list.
Have I repped Engrenages on Netflix streaming? Recommended if you can tolerate subtitles (or speak French) and don't mind The Shield-esque grittiness and violence. Also gets better after the first season IMHO.
That's right, Lena Dunham knows how awesome the University of Iowa is (at least the Writer's Workshop). Saw the 'Girls' finale last night, and it was weird and cool to see a TV character that excited to get into my alma mater. Really, really hope they take the show to Iowa City for some of next season.
I thought it was unusual, if a bit refreshing, for a tv character to get excited about getting into grad school. It does though seem like a Deus Ex Gradschoolmachina move for this season.
They do enough episodes each year that leave Brooklyn that I wouldn't be shocked if she is in IC for part of the season and NYC the rest (especially since the guy who plays Elijah is now going to be a series regular along with the rest of the cast).
They even got the University of Iowa logo right on the letterhead.
Season 2 of Ripper Street almost over on BBC-A, or summer stock for Game of Thrones. Bronn is a co-star. Jorah Mormont appeared last season; Benjen Stark, and now Thoros of Myr this season, and I think I'm forgetting someone - of course, Ser Barristan Selmy last season. A couple of episodes were slightly snoozy but the end of the season is getting very good.
Okay, I finally was able to watch the first three episodes of the new season of Game of Thrones. I am prepared to chat about it.
Spoilers? Oh yeah.
Skip over this post unless you have an aversion to suspense.
-Okay, first of all, nothing happened. I mean, we watched the first three episodes in sequence, and each time an episode ended, it was like, "wait, it's over already?" Now, part of that is gonna be due to how the intro theme eats about twenty minutes of the hour episode length, but still, it seemed like each episode of previous season left us breathless, thinking, my god, how did they fit all that material in? Now, it's felt more like extended trailers.
-Seriously, that opening theme has got to change. I wouldn't mind it being so long if the music were good. As it is now, we sneak in quick games of Scrabble to kill time until it's over. Boring!
-I swear, every time the show switches to Betty & and the dragons, the life just goes right out of the show. It's obvious the show has more money to spend. The set pieces on her scenes are amazing, and she looks about 40% more pouty. Boring!
-Tyriol the dwarf, definitely my favorite character, continues to have the best scenes. I missed that guy the most.
-Guh, I had forgotten about the creepy red-headed lady, her creepy religion and the Borackian prince out there on the Island of No Charisma. Boring!
-Well well well. They got rid of the Bieber King Jopry. Now, that's an interesting development. Also, quite satisfying. I tell you what, the actor that played the king really seemed to relish his role, as if he wanted to be the biggest bastard in all of television any time he stepped out on screen. Gotta respect that kind of dedication. But I'm glad he's dead. Good riddance.
-I thought it was Sherrie who killed her son, because she was getting pushed aside, losing control over her son and, more importantly, the power, and she could blame Tyriol for the crime. But my wife thinks its the new queen's mother. I can't remember her entire argument, but it was pretty convincing.
-Samsa. So, she's still around. Great. She's had three emotions over the course of the entire show. First, there were three episodes of making a bratty face. Then two episodes of euprhoria when she was ready to be queen. And since then, it's just a blank deer-in-the-guillotine look, lacing all expression, including the fear and horror and tragedy it's probably meant to convey. Boring!
-Okay, so we've got Jamie raping his sister over the corpse of their dead son. Classy. Thank god the show's writers aren't trying to substitute shock imagery for a lack of poetic substance.
-So, five minutes in to the first episode (not including the thirty minute intro), we've got our first orgy. Please refer to "substance, lack of" in the previous statement. Boring!
-So, this new guy and his semi-creepy girl toy from the land of Sand, he's all up in arms about his sister getting raped and killed, but then we get a scene of him chasing down some poor girl and feeding her to his hounds. At least the show's writers are still getting that part of the story right... every castle leader is a piece of crap who deserves to get their throat slit. It's too bad that the show is using Betty and the dragons as the tool of their destruction. Boring!
-Okay, what the fuck! Three episodes in and I haven't yet seen a White Walker! Are you kidding me? I've barely seen any snow! Boring!
-Aria and Dog. Meh, whatever. Underwhelming.
-I am still fond of the new queen's mother. She plays her role nicely, has some good lines. I don't even mind her daughter's character, either, though the girl's shrunken mushroom face is kind of difficult to look at. I have no idea what either of their names are. I couldn't even hazard a guess.
-So, we've got Wildlings running around south of the Wall. Oooooooh, some of them are cannibals! Shocking! No, not really. Boring1
-I thought this season we'd see more scenes at the Wall. But no. If I've got to listen to Joe Snow... no, that can't be right... y'know, the bastard kid... John Stark? Something like that. Anyways, if I've got to watch John/Bob/Joe Stark/Snow brood all over the screen, at least make it happen with a huge Wall backdrop. Boring!
Seriously, I don't even know where to stop here. Nothing happened, and I've got so much to point out. This will be part one. I think I'll be back for more. I'm probably forgetting a few things that I disliked.
Okay, just remembered I got confused about the guy who killed the chick by hunting her. I originally thought it was the Sand guy, but it was really that dude who tortured Theo(?) in the previous season. The scene where that dude's father showed up, and there was some talk about negotiating something with the Iron people... that scene was pretty good. Is the dude who showed up in some way involved with the Red Wedding massacre? Maybe a family member of the king of that castle? I think so.
Anyways, I thought that "hunting" scene happened at Blandings Castle, but I guess it was really happening in whatever keep they were holding Theo to torture him.
Also, while I still despise that whole Fob storyline, the legless Stark's dream sequence is pretty cool, as is that red-flowered tree they found in the snowy landscape. I'm almost certain that the Fob storyline is going to irritate me intolerably, but they do seem to have some cool scenery in their shots. It was too bad that Hodu didn't get any lines.
It's totally worth checking out last night's Parks and Recreation for the 30-seconds of Yo La Tengo performing as Bobby Knight Ranger (Night Ranger cover band dressed as NCAA coach Bobby Knight).
Comments
Craig
Looking forward to April's returns of Game Of Thrones, BBC-A's Orphan Black, and Continuum.
Will have to check out Continuum. Not sure if we get that channel.
I am LOVING this season of The Americans. Actually I checked out Felicity from the library because the actress that plays Elizabeth in The Americans is so good.
I couldn't get past the 1st episode, so just sayin, if you didn't like her in Felicity, she's grown.
This last episode, where she is acting like a victim to get a Navy guy into her tenterhooks, was excellent.
Finished the second season of House of Cards. I still like it, but still think it's more of a B/B-plus kind of show. Something about the clockwork precision of its plot devices sacrifice some of its plausibility. But still, I won't hesitate to watch season three.
Finally wrapped up Breaking Bad. Another show I thought was good, not great. Several times I almost gave up on it, and in retrospect, I'm glad I kept on going. The show wound things up nicely.
We haven't found a new Netflix streaming tv show to watch yet. The Riches is out there, but I don't think my better half will like it. Same with American Horror Story or the The Fall. We'll see.
Cheers.
jonah - The Fall is excellent, but incredibly dark (not True Detective dark, but dark). Have you seen The Americans yet? It really is great.
We recently finished Masters of Sex, which was quite enjoyable. It was a nice break from the antihero obsession of so much good TV these days and was really, really well acted. We have 2 episodes of TD left and then will get started on House of Cards Season 2. With both Game of Thrones and Mad Men back next month I don't know when we'll start something new, but Orphan Black is definitely on my short list.
Craig
Not surprised to hear it gets better. Sometimes it takes a handful of episodes for actors to really sink into their characters.
Cheers.
Craig
They even got the University of Iowa logo right on the letterhead.
Craig
I just started watching The Young Doctor's Notebook on Netflix. Posted more about it over on the Netflix thread.
Craig
Yo La Tengo as "Bobby Knight Ranger" a Night Ranger cover band who dresses up like Bobby Knight. I cannot wait.
Craig
Craig
Pairing Rust Cohle's musings on life and death with Family Circus cartoon panels. It's amazing. e.g.:
Craig
I especially love the stumbling over character names towards the end.
Spoilers? Oh yeah.
Skip over this post unless you have an aversion to suspense.
-Okay, first of all, nothing happened. I mean, we watched the first three episodes in sequence, and each time an episode ended, it was like, "wait, it's over already?" Now, part of that is gonna be due to how the intro theme eats about twenty minutes of the hour episode length, but still, it seemed like each episode of previous season left us breathless, thinking, my god, how did they fit all that material in? Now, it's felt more like extended trailers.
-Seriously, that opening theme has got to change. I wouldn't mind it being so long if the music were good. As it is now, we sneak in quick games of Scrabble to kill time until it's over. Boring!
-I swear, every time the show switches to Betty & and the dragons, the life just goes right out of the show. It's obvious the show has more money to spend. The set pieces on her scenes are amazing, and she looks about 40% more pouty. Boring!
-Tyriol the dwarf, definitely my favorite character, continues to have the best scenes. I missed that guy the most.
-Guh, I had forgotten about the creepy red-headed lady, her creepy religion and the Borackian prince out there on the Island of No Charisma. Boring!
-Well well well. They got rid of the Bieber King Jopry. Now, that's an interesting development. Also, quite satisfying. I tell you what, the actor that played the king really seemed to relish his role, as if he wanted to be the biggest bastard in all of television any time he stepped out on screen. Gotta respect that kind of dedication. But I'm glad he's dead. Good riddance.
-I thought it was Sherrie who killed her son, because she was getting pushed aside, losing control over her son and, more importantly, the power, and she could blame Tyriol for the crime. But my wife thinks its the new queen's mother. I can't remember her entire argument, but it was pretty convincing.
-Samsa. So, she's still around. Great. She's had three emotions over the course of the entire show. First, there were three episodes of making a bratty face. Then two episodes of euprhoria when she was ready to be queen. And since then, it's just a blank deer-in-the-guillotine look, lacing all expression, including the fear and horror and tragedy it's probably meant to convey. Boring!
-Okay, so we've got Jamie raping his sister over the corpse of their dead son. Classy. Thank god the show's writers aren't trying to substitute shock imagery for a lack of poetic substance.
-So, five minutes in to the first episode (not including the thirty minute intro), we've got our first orgy. Please refer to "substance, lack of" in the previous statement. Boring!
-So, this new guy and his semi-creepy girl toy from the land of Sand, he's all up in arms about his sister getting raped and killed, but then we get a scene of him chasing down some poor girl and feeding her to his hounds. At least the show's writers are still getting that part of the story right... every castle leader is a piece of crap who deserves to get their throat slit. It's too bad that the show is using Betty and the dragons as the tool of their destruction. Boring!
-Okay, what the fuck! Three episodes in and I haven't yet seen a White Walker! Are you kidding me? I've barely seen any snow! Boring!
-Aria and Dog. Meh, whatever. Underwhelming.
-I am still fond of the new queen's mother. She plays her role nicely, has some good lines. I don't even mind her daughter's character, either, though the girl's shrunken mushroom face is kind of difficult to look at. I have no idea what either of their names are. I couldn't even hazard a guess.
-So, we've got Wildlings running around south of the Wall. Oooooooh, some of them are cannibals! Shocking! No, not really. Boring1
-I thought this season we'd see more scenes at the Wall. But no. If I've got to listen to Joe Snow... no, that can't be right... y'know, the bastard kid... John Stark? Something like that. Anyways, if I've got to watch John/Bob/Joe Stark/Snow brood all over the screen, at least make it happen with a huge Wall backdrop. Boring!
Seriously, I don't even know where to stop here. Nothing happened, and I've got so much to point out. This will be part one. I think I'll be back for more. I'm probably forgetting a few things that I disliked.
/furniture
-
-
Okay, just remembered I got confused about the guy who killed the chick by hunting her. I originally thought it was the Sand guy, but it was really that dude who tortured Theo(?) in the previous season. The scene where that dude's father showed up, and there was some talk about negotiating something with the Iron people... that scene was pretty good. Is the dude who showed up in some way involved with the Red Wedding massacre? Maybe a family member of the king of that castle? I think so.
Anyways, I thought that "hunting" scene happened at Blandings Castle, but I guess it was really happening in whatever keep they were holding Theo to torture him.
Also, while I still despise that whole Fob storyline, the legless Stark's dream sequence is pretty cool, as is that red-flowered tree they found in the snowy landscape. I'm almost certain that the Fob storyline is going to irritate me intolerably, but they do seem to have some cool scenery in their shots. It was too bad that Hodu didn't get any lines.
Okay, I think that's it for now.
Robson & Jerome - Up On the Roof
Craig
EDIT: Then again, maybe Tyrion doesn't need help: Peter Dinklage. Peter Dinklage.