Hoarders : Buried Alive

At least you know where to go when you need an empty milk jug. ::big grin::

Fargo

Almost done with the first season. Great characters.

love all three seasons. Definitely keeping the Coen vibe.

Late to the game but i did a binge of Hill House. I enjoyed it much and jumped on more than one occasion.

Shameless

Pretty good season so far... still doing the mix of humor and drama well.

Matlock

Yeah for like the first 5 seasons the show was one of the best on TV. I just checked the wiki and Season 5 is actually where I wish I stopped watching. I believe I watched an episode from season 8 and the tone was all off. More comedy and the show wasn't as dark or spooky as the early seasons.

I would still recommend people who haven't seen it before to watch those first 5 seasons and stop there. It was a really good show then. I think Grimm was pretty good too. I need to catch up of that one too. I stopped when another girl Grimm showed up.

Dateline -

I've watched a few of these recently but I think I'm going to stop. The episodes that I've seen are all murder stories. It's basically a retelling of a reality show. The last one I saw was really bad about the murder of a High School girl I think in Virginia.

They actually have a wiki on the story here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Skylar_Neese

Re-watching Face Off.

Always loved the video magazine news of 60min, 20/20, Dateline, etc. But ya, over the last few years Dateline is repetitive on depressing murder stories. Now many many years ago, I think it was Dateline, they'd do excellent murder court cases. Where I'd watch the first half and think, ya, this guy's getting convicted, and then watch the second half, and think, ah ha, there's all the reasonable doubt in the world here. I'd watch a new one of those anytime. But haven't noticed any.

Season finale of The Masked Singer

Was totally surprised who the winner was!

The Orville.
Well...that was some kinda turn of events.
An almost zero comedy episode too.

Part 2 of ^that^.
Holy shit...what a great two parter, and locks in something I have (among many others) been saying for a while now - This show honestly IS the new Star Trek.
It's gone completely there at this stage.

I mean not only does Brannon Braga of Trek Godhood work on the show...
We have one regular cast member played by Penny Johnson (Cassidy Yates - DS9)
We've had Johnathan Frakes (Riker - TNG)
and Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris - Voyager)
both guest direct...
We've had appearances by Robert Picardo (The holo Doctor - Voyager)
James Horan (er...Star Trek EVERYTHING), and an upcoming appearance of Marina Sirtis (Troi - TNG) as well.

Johnathan Frakes has directed/produced some damn quality episodes in this show and the various Trek shows alike, and continues to.
Seth McFarlane himself has appeared on Star Trek, and has been a Trek freak as well...there's even some student film with him and another guy starring in their own Star Trek story. He's clearly got some passion here, and this might be the show that has been waiting for him.

Not that all this means anything too much outside a bit of fandom...but it's nice to see and I don't believe many of the ST folks would take part in something they weren't behind in terms of quality sci-fi, so it's also something of an assurance.

See...I like Discovery...but this show, feels much more like home to my TNG/DS9/VOY level "upbringing" on Star Trek shows.
It's not "lesson of the week" but it does touch on social issues and delve into some thought provoking subject matter - not to mention the many nods and Trek-isms in the episodes, all done well and without being on the nose.

At this point, the shift away from comedy for the last two episodes especially...has worked fucking wonders on the show. It got like...impossibly dark.

It's honestly one I look forward to week after week.

Last night we caught up on a few episodes and "leftover half watched" episodes.

Gotham - I like what they've been doing, though my interest in the show is currently waning. Just got past the episode where *someone* has blown up the "sanctuary". I saw some trailer with ?Bane? in it earlier, could be interesting. Penguin still steals the show.

The Good Doctor - Same old same old. His friend is dying. Few eps behind. Solid enough show, better than I thought it'd be.

Star Trek: Discovery - I like Pike, and that they've finally given us more of a look-in at this long standing character and some of his adventures. This season hasn't quite grabbed me like the last one did but it's still a very watchable show to me, and yeah I'm just glad to be watching Star Trek again...no matter what the nitpicky nerds say.

Russian Doll - This is...a pretty fun show actually. Almost like elements of Groundhog Day and Final Destination mixed in. Unravelling mystery. Started off a bit shallow (but fun) but it's getting a bit into the deep end now. I'm enjoying it.

Just started on this over the weekend been enjoying it so far. A lot better than I thought it would be I just chucked it on to fall asleep to but got sucked into it.

Umbrella Academy was a well made mystery. The end was a bit predictable, but after 8 eps one probably should be figuring things out anyway.

Every time I see commercials for The Orville it reminds me of that knock off Star Trek movie with the actor that was playing a Captain but it turned out that the ship or something about it was real.

Yeah the one with Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Sam Rockwell?
Galaxy Quest.
I actually loved that myself, and I think it's both a good piss-take on relevance/ego and sci-fi shows we've all seen.
It was maybe...one of the best spoofs I've ever seen.
Simple. Entertaining.
I guess if it's along similar lines, that could be part of the appeal, for me at least.

In my mind, the "funny" part of Orville, that being most of the first season, probably isn't as good as Galaxy Quest was. It could be just me, but...bit of a high bar.

The "non-funny/darker" part of the show that seems to be striving to just be a competent sci-fi show with occasional laughs, I'd say is...hmm...I really loved Galaxy Quest...maybe not just as good? But good.

Galaxy Quest was a real surprise. Really liked it. I think it's one of the best 'spoofs' too. Allen has actually done a lot of surprisingly good films. I was impressed with Santa Clause as well.

I think I saw all or half of Orville's first ep, and it didn't grab me. When the Cpt reviewed his new lined-up crew, especially the odd/funny alien, I was turned off. Looked like it was going to be what I disliked most about the Star Trek spinoffs, it seemed very cliche and I didn't really find anything particularly funny. So I didn't give it much of a chance, but you go with your tastes.

I get that, and I know this following line is nearly always thrown out to someone that hasn't enjoyed a show, but... "it gets better".
In the first 1-2 episodes, I remember what you're talking about - in fact, I didn't really like the show at this point, it seemed to me like it was Seth McFarlane just doing another one of his shows, but in space...which kind of annoyed me...though I found it inoffensive enough easy watching.
Then, he cut the shit...seems like there was a realisation somewhere that he didn't need to pander to his cartoon audience, and the show started making much more positive strides. Of course there was still a portion of idiot humour - but there was also more character depth, and better storylines.
Season 2?
Keeps on going down the same path, but really. Aside from the cast you'd think it was a different show...major changes have happened with the tone and writing.

I'd say the same thing to you as I did my brother, who like you avoided the show on largely the same reasons (and in the last week has watched all of the show)...give it a chance, even as background noise for a bit. You'll see it improve.
Ha or don't.



Last night we caught up on "The Good Doctor" a bit.
I gotta say, I'm a little tired of them specifically doing the tear-jerker stuff in every. fucking. episode. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but this fucking emmy bait show manages to get me all the time.
For a medical procedural, it's not bad. Some interesting cases. Some ridiculous ones.
This show is a great example of diverse casting, and they play off each other pretty well.
Never saw "Bates Motel" but the dude does a pretty good job with his character here.
So he's just been fired after having an outburst...this should be interesting moving forward.
The show has a tendency to have characters you really hate for a while...



STAR TREK DISCOVERY.

I'm sorry but did anyone fucking NOT love this episode?
Cements which "universe" this show takes place in (original timeline, cool), and just...it's giving Pike a chance to shine, which aside from short spurts, he's never really had before...and Anson Mount is cast perfectly in my mind.

The actual "previously on Star Trek" footage of the original pilot "The Cage" put a huge grin on my face...and going back to Talos IV...wow.
Anyone who knows their ST knows "what happens in the end" with Pike and Talos IV which is probably one of the nicest and most well done write-offs of a fucked over character in history - but to see the trio and Vena again, was very cool.

...and of course, the inevitable clash between Tyler (which in my mind is one of the most interesting characters in Star Trek history) and the "reborn" Culber didn't disappoint - in fact, the little guy got his fucking shots in, didn't he?
Then in the end, to see how just...lost...both of the characters are in their own skin...kinda sad...but yeah, very well played out scene.

I'm a little tired of seeing how many "Star Trek purists" attack this show...yet something like Enterprise was embraced...it's like, I'm just happy to have Star Trek on tv again. So many nitpickers.

Growing pains

Love the story line going back to Talos4. I was hoping they'd stick with the unisex look of the original Talosians, where you'd had hard time determining if the actors were male or female. The pilot was a fine episode; but I don't remember how it ends. Ill enjoy watching the ep again.

Was well done fight scene. Nice to see a Pet Semetary breakdown. I just assume the doc wants out or off the ship. I remember the actor from My So Called Life. Good actor, but more than not liking the character, the storyline has bored and annoyed me.

To be honest the whole mycelium network stuff has bored me, from this, to Tillys ghost...I think the only interesting thing has been the "spore drive" navigational technology. It's one thing I'm hoping they make less of a focus in future episodes.

Buddy vs Duff

Buddy's a fucking sore loser

Galaxy Quest. That's it. Maybe I just don't like Star Trek spoofs that much. They seem to be made to make fun of people who like Star Trek. Even Shatner is in on the jokes some times. I remember he also made a cop joke show with Eddie Murphy and Robert De Niro

But I think there are more Star Trek joke shows than Star Wars. Even though both movies series are kind of an in joke now. I don't like the new Star Wars movies. And I've seen the two recent Star Trek movies and I'm not that fond of those either. I'll check out Star Trek Beyond one day but I'm not in a hurry to see it. From what I understand, the performance of that movie + the money demands from the actors potentially shut down the next Star Trek movie.

Perhaps it's just that the themes or feel of the original show & Next Generation bored people who thought they were too smart for that sort of thing. But they are supposed to be moral tales and you never really get too old or smart for those. If so, we wouldn't be fighting wars and having so many pointless political conflicts.

But anyway, I'm old enough to remember Deep Space Nine and how they wanted to show a part of the Star Trek universe that wasn't "perfect" or something to that nature. I never really watched Voyager. I thought it was kind of silly that they found an actress with big boobs to wear a skin tight suit. And that was another show that wanted to show conflict in the Federation and had the guy with Native American tattoos as part of some off shoot group.

I thought Enterprise was a joke in that I remember they didn't even want to put the Star Trek name in the titles at first. Like they wanted a different audience. I only watched a few episodes of that.

I want to see Star Trek Discovery eventually. I saw the the original trailer and it looked pretty good. I heard it was going to be different than the new movies which was a good thing to me. And Michelle Yeoh is in it so at least she should have a good character.

She has a good...two characters ;)

Scrubs.
The first say, 5 episodes.

I remember loving this show (til the last couple seasons including the "new" cast)
...and while the main character (JD) can be a little grating at times, it's just a great watch.
Heartfelt and funny, and for as surreal as it can be, definitely throws measures of "real" in too. It's actually quite well written for a comedy of this type, and at a glance you'd think it was just, all buffoonery...but there's depth too.

It's funny to think, even based on these first few episodes that this was created/written by the same guy that later gave us the pretty lacklustre "cougar town"...you wouldn't think so.

Good show. Nice sitting down to it. Very easy watch.

The Twilight Zone, 2019. 6/10

Supernatural is finally going to end.

I remember when Supernatural first started, it was more just 'the monster of the week' kind of series, like The X Files, and Kolchak: The Night Stalker before that. I was getting bored with that, so the story arcs were welcome (It's what kept X Files going too). Liked Super's humor and music, but it got old. I bailed on both shows after a few seasons. Thought X Files was consistently much more entertaining, the humor never got old, had better tension.

Star Trek Discovery.

What an episode...while I have loved that this season has allowed the Christopher Pike character some much deserved exposure, what happened in this episode both sealed this right into TOS continuity and showed Pike to be one of the most selfless and heroic captains to have ever graced Star Trek.
Tragic, brave, inspiring...the speech he gave himself to carry on and rise to the challenge was...hauntingly amazing.

This show continues to wow me.

Game of Thrones

Quicksand, 2019. 7/10

Swedish~NetFlix


https://66.media.tumblr.com/8b5a73aa...6426o1_400.jpg

X-Files got bad after the movie. I think it was when the T-1000 showed up that the show really went downhill. I stopped watching that one too. I did watch the second movie and it was almost shockingly bad. I still haven't seen the newer recent episodes. I kind of wanted to go back and see the bunch of seasons that I missed. But I'm not sure. I'm not in an X-Files mood right now.

It seems like with many shows and other entertainment things, the people in charge just try to keep it going. Not really having an ultimate objective. So you start to get stuff that doesn't make sense and is out of character. I remember in the second X-Files movie credits they are actually waving at the camera on a boat. The actual characters of Mulder and Scully. How silly is that? It's one thing to have something like the credits of Predator which is a really good B-Type movie. And the credits are like theater performers taking a bow.

I really liked the first film. Thought it was well done. I remember it was about a conspiracy of alien invasion. Was that the one that ended with an underground complex under the snow, and it collapses?

I don't really remember the 2nd film, just watched the trailer, which is in a snowy environment, but it doesn't look familiar. Maybe I'm mixing the end of Believe with the 1st film. ::big grin:: Might have to see those again.

I wasn't a dedicated watcher of the X-files out of the gate. I came late and would just watch from time-to-time. Wasn't until I saw this one funny ep where Mulder and Scully each told their own version of what happened (and the show would show it as flashback with some narration) that I started watching more regularly. That ep really cracked me up.

I don't know if I'd go back and watch it either, but at that point in the show ('telling their own version' ep) it was a good show.


I haven't seen any of the new shows. I see there was 6 eps in 2016, and 10 eps for 2018. If you see one, let me know what you think. The 2016 did well in ratings, strange they skipped a year.

Rewatched.
Gah.
1:38 embodies ST ideals

That's it. It was an alien ship that was taking off if I remember correctly. The first movie is pretty good. It kind of feels like a TV movie and not a real movie in parts. But that happens with a lot of TV shows that become movies. When I watched it originally, I felt that it didn't do enough to push the characters into a different place. And I was right as when the TV show started after the movie it still didn't seem like a lot happened even after witnessing a real alien ship. I believe Scully was passed out during that scene as she was just rescued.

The second movie is just bad. They tried to make it a thriller mystery type. It really isn't worth the time.

I started the show late as well. Probably after the first or perhaps second season. But I got a bunch on VHS back then and watched reruns to catch up. It was one of the best shows on TV early on and up to a season or so after the first movie.

If it was a funny episode you watched, that sounds like the vampire episode. Was there a magic fingers bed in the episode?

Yep, she was passed out and didn't see the ship. It was pretty much just two TV eps together, except for a few moments of nifty sets and FX.

I'll probably checkout the 2nd movie, give a few minutes. I just kind of dig their rapport.


Actually, I did a google search and found this ep was in a fav moments list. Yep it's a vamp ep: