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Author Topic: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched  (Read 226367 times)

FLYmeatwad

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2450 on: September 26, 2020, 03:28:32 PM »
I didn't realize that Dunham was in AHS. Wish she'd do another narrative film.

PEN15 Season 2 is pretty remarkable, though apparently it is only the first half of the season with the second to be released some time next year for whatever reason (one would assume that the whatever reason in COVID as streaming services ration out what they have in the can or can resume production on or something), but it's a massive step up in quality from an already really good first season. It does find itself in difficult to navigate waters, as I figured it eventually would have to, given the central conceit of the show where the creator-leads play 7th grade versions (presumably) of themselves while the rest of the cast are all played by the right age actors, but manages them well for the most part. The emotional core of this season, both the central relationship and even the ancillary storylines, works with such confidence, sincerity, and insight that had me more pulled in than I even anticipated. It ends at a satisfactory spot, covering a lot of ground in seven episodes, both for the season and the series, but it's good to know that more is coming if it maintains the quality of this first batch. For sure suggest it, especially if you were in to Eighth Grade or even Mid-90s, though I think it puts a unique spin on even those because of that inner tension that's created with the two leads playing kids.

S1 was most notable, I have gathered, for its AIM episode, which was a very good one, but I feel like this season uses that device in a compelling way as well, along with some other technological artifacts from that time period. Big fan of this show.

The Deer Hunter

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2451 on: September 29, 2020, 12:55:44 AM »
New episodes of The Chef Show out. I continue to love it and wish there was a lot more.

Up to date with season 2 of The Boys as well. Might be the best show on tv.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2452 on: September 30, 2020, 07:21:42 AM »
First episode of Utopia. What garbage. Flynn can't write a conversation here without leaning into all kinds of lazy writing cliches. Add in so many moments that make no logical sense and it's one of the worst written pieces of TV that I've seen in a long time. To top it all off it wants to play the moral high ground is making fun of the comic book nerd while basically being just as trite and shallow as the stories it is mocking.

Eric/E.T.

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2453 on: September 30, 2020, 11:59:46 PM »
I'm rewatching Never Have I Ever. Just did the first two episodes again. Talk about getting your bucket refilled.
A witty saying proves nothing. - Voltaire

oldkid

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2454 on: October 16, 2020, 10:31:55 PM »
I'm rewatching Never Have I Ever. Just did the first two episodes again. Talk about getting your bucket refilled.

I really enjoyed this season.  The characters are fascinating, just this side of being irritating, like Fleabag, but enough charm and cool side characters to keep you going.  This is what I thought Mindy Kaling could do, but never saw her accomplish before.  I love John McEnroe as the narrator-- what a unique idea!

Lovecraft County
This is the series I keep as my treat to watch while I'm exercising.  Every episode is like a mini-horror film, each reflecting a different sub-genre, but all adding to the ongoing story of the whole.  One episode is cult horror, one is body horror, one is erotic horror, one is Indiana Jones-ish, and so on.  But behind it all is white supremacy as the real horror, the ongoing villain. The plot isn't as well thought out as a Jordan Peele film, but it is entertaining, and occasionally really scary.  And it deals with the innate racism of the science fiction/horror genre, while still basking deeply in the pool of that very genre. 

4/5
"It's not art unless it has the potential to be a disaster." Bansky

Eric/E.T.

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2455 on: October 17, 2020, 12:09:40 AM »
I'm rewatching Never Have I Ever. Just did the first two episodes again. Talk about getting your bucket refilled.

I really enjoyed this season.  The characters are fascinating, just this side of being irritating, like Fleabag, but enough charm and cool side characters to keep you going.  This is what I thought Mindy Kaling could do, but never saw her accomplish before.  I love John McEnroe as the narrator-- what a unique idea!

And we come to understand her freakout in the context of his, and start to see they are normal - though they are said to be "inapprorpriate" - they are normal responses to stress situation, and they're very coloful. There's obviously a lot in the irony department with his announcing, but so much does come down to whether you buy into the Devi character. I don't know how you could not. She truly blunders and suffers humiliation, at times from her own very fault. Her pride takes a shot multiple time, and that catalyzes some growth. As far as teenage comedies, this is one of the best written ones I've seen with a hero I truly want to cheer for, warts, and all.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2020, 09:25:33 AM by pixote »
A witty saying proves nothing. - Voltaire

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2456 on: October 21, 2020, 11:02:46 PM »
I've been circling around shows for the past couple of months and nothing has grabbed me (beyond Girl's Last Tour, which I wrote about in the anime thread). Hart of Dixie is pretty forced in setting up conflicts and I got bored. I was enjoying Rectify for a while but I'm not sure I want more story after season one. A few episodes into season 2 but haven't watched anymore in a few weeks. I watched the first episode of South Park which was funny but I just can't see myself watching an animated show with such crappy animation. I know that's part of the charm but damn is that show ugly. I watched the first few episodes of Seinfield because it was a bit before my time and I never saw it and while I find it amusing it has the same problem I have with every sitcom which is that the whole show lacks a meaningful sense of context and could simply be a series of sketches as far as I'm concerned. Finally got around to Dave Chappelle Show which is fantastic but not the kind of thing I can watch when other people are around. Saw some random episodes of The Unicorn, which is surprisingly well-written for the kind of show it is even though some of the characters are extremely one-note.

None of these feel pressing or worth my time. I'll finish up Lovecraft Country now that this season is done. The only other room I can hang out in the house is the living room which my parents are usually in meaning that the TV is always on but I just can't muster myself to get into any TV series. My mom suggested Alias but I found it pretty silly and hard to get invested into which is funny considering I like Chuck and it's basically what Chuck is riffing on but at least that show acknowledges how silly it is.

I should probably go back to my old strategy of sticking in headphones and reading books but the sleep issues I've talked about elsewhere has made reading hard.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2457 on: October 22, 2020, 08:39:00 AM »
First three to four seasons of South Park are definitely very good.

Bondo

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2458 on: October 23, 2020, 06:03:00 PM »
City So Real (Ep. 1-4)

There's a weird dynamic where if you are making a really dynamically crafted argument documentary, it is generally best to keep it on the shorter side and incredibly tight, but once you opt for more of a cinema verite style of documentary, it's a better bet to be extremely expansive. City So Real, a docu-series airing on NatGeo starting next Thursday (and appearing on Hulu the following day) from Steve James of Hoop Dreams fame, fills four hour-long episodes (in festival format, a fifth episode will run on TV) in a manner that is Frederick Wiseman doing Street Fight. It focuses on the 2019 Chicago Mayoral election, but also Chicago a bit more broadly, to provide a feel for a city facing some real challenges. The main aspect that signals this is a constructed work are graphics of the different Chicago neighborhoods, letting you know where in the city each scene is taking place.

The political context here is Rahm Emmanuel did not run for reelection, being deeply unpopular in part because of what was seen as an inadequate response to the murder of multiple Black men by the police. Into that void rush about a dozen people of a variety of backgrounds, ideologies and political styles. In the grand style of Wisemanian excess, you just settle in and get comfortable, and just get struck by various moments based on your own personal sentiments. There's the footage of officer Jason Van Dyke's trial, where he takes the stand, leading me to have doubts as generally speaking the defendant taking the stand in a criminal trial is always a terrible idea. (It was!). There is the millennial candidate whose strategy, as depicted in the documentary, seems to mostly rest on endorsements from Chance The Rapper and Kanye, which was pretty cringe to me. There was the scene from a planning commission hearing where a NIMBY dude complains about the proposed 60-story building across from his 2-story bar that feels cursed, considering this is amid discussions of gentrification and rising prices driving out existing populations. But opposition to development responsive to demand, not gentrification, is usually the cause of the price increases and displacement. There is a scene at a high school where the audience holds up color-coded cards to signal how strong they think the answer is and the candidates themselves have emoji placards to signal things. One of the candidates holds up a poop emoji to signal his displeasure with one of the other candidate's point. Extremely cringe. But putting it all together makes for a based show. I will definitely be tuning in once the fifth episode hits Hulu.

MartinTeller

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Re: Review the Last TV Episode/Season/Series You Watched
« Reply #2459 on: October 23, 2020, 08:16:28 PM »
As a Chicago native, I’m intrigued