Talk about just about anything else that is non-gaming here, but keep it clean
User avatar
o.pwuaioc
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 8369
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 7:59 pm
Location: I miss NYC already.

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by o.pwuaioc Wed Jun 01, 2022 8:42 pm

Note wrote:My partner and I watched the first seven episodes of the new Stranger Things season. It's been really good so far!

Can't wait for the next few episodes to be released in early July. Anyone else check it out?

I'm ambivalent so far. Season 1 is some of the best TV in years, at least one of my all-time favorites. It's been a slow downhill from there, though. Not that they're bad, but they're slowing losing what made s1 so special: inversion of tropes, smattering expectations, the fellowship of the kids, all wrapped up in an early 80s aesthetic. Well, they kept the aesthetic (some anachronisms aside), but I don't really *feel* the irony come through. The magic isn't quite there for me.

I recently read that they had planned on ending it at season 1, but Netflix pressured them into changing the ending and keeping it going for several seasons, so that's why the seasons don't seem to connect after the second, and why there is some weird, out-of-place plot points along the way.

I'll keep watching it, but I'm not as compelled to binge it as before.
User avatar
RCBH928
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 6037
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:40 am

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by RCBH928 Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:37 pm

@Raging Justice

thanks ! I totally forgot about Lois & Clark. A super hero show was awesome in the mid-90s, just not the kind of tv you would get back then. And there I was wondering where was Teri Hatcher in Smallville because I remember she played Lois in the TV show.

I hate reboots within small time frame difference, its just milking the viewers but I do not blame them it works.

o.pwuaioc wrote:I recently read that they had planned on ending it at season 1, but Netflix pressured them into changing the ending and keeping it going for several seasons, so that's why the seasons don't seem to connect after the second, and why there is some weird, out-of-place plot points along the way.

I'll keep watching it, but I'm not as compelled to binge it as before.


This is why I do not watch tv-shows/films extended for profits. It just totally withers the show as the original writer has ended his story and art piece worth telling/showing but they extend it on purpose as a cash grab. I can't blame the business managers behind it , as all they want is more money and it is working people keep watching but I will not!

Then again, something like Days of our Lives having running since 1965!
User avatar
marurun
Moderator
 
Posts: 11964
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 8:51 am
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by marurun Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:52 am

RCBH928 wrote:This is why I do not watch tv-shows/films extended for profits. It just totally withers the show as the original writer has ended his story and art piece worth telling/showing but they extend it on purpose as a cash grab.


So you don't watch any serialized entertainment at all? A good portion of what is now lauded as classic English language literature was serialized and extended for profit. Charles Dickens mostly wrote works that were paid by word count. In fact, most short fiction today that's published in magazines is paid for the word. Every author ever has to make compromises to fit their vision within some limitation. And good storytellers can easily extend their stories. In fact, most genre fiction these days is required to be a series, because publishers want to sell series as they are more reliable money.

Basically, any commercial art is inherently "compromised". In fact, almost all art or creative endeavors of any sort are compromised. And a lot of times those limitations and compromises actually make things better.
Dope Pope on a Rope
B/S/T thread
My Classic Games Collection
My Steam Profile
The PC Engine Software Bible Forum, with Shoutbox chat - the new Internet home for PC Engine fandom.
User avatar
RCBH928
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 6037
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:40 am

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by RCBH928 Thu Jun 02, 2022 11:50 pm

marurun wrote:So you don't watch any serialized entertainment at all? A good portion of what is now lauded as classic English language literature was serialized and extended for profit. Charles Dickens mostly wrote works that were paid by word count. In fact, most short fiction today that's published in magazines is paid for the word. Every author ever has to make compromises to fit their vision within some limitation. And good storytellers can easily extend their stories. In fact, most genre fiction these days is required to be a series, because publishers want to sell series as they are more reliable money.

Basically, any commercial art is inherently "compromised". In fact, almost all art or creative endeavors of any sort are compromised. And a lot of times those limitations and compromises actually make things better.


I do watch the ones that are higher quality and have something to tell, not just made to make money. Some are made to be series in the first place. Some examples of series that did not wither down (only slightly if you pay enough attention):

1-Breaking Bad
2-Mad Men
3-Sopranos
4-Better Call Saul
5-Harry Potter movies

Here is example of horribly extended for money reasons:-

1-Prison Break
2-24
3-Dexter (didn't watch one episode but everyone saying the same thing)
4-Fast & & Furious

This overlaps with videogame industry franchiess too. Reminds me of Treasure videogame studio that I believe had a policy to not release sequels just to avoid falling into this pit. Not sure if they kept their word.
User avatar
REPO Man
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 4647
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:05 pm
Location: Outer Banks, NC

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by REPO Man Fri Jun 03, 2022 6:24 am

Watched the new South Park special last night "The Streaming Wars".
Limewater
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 3341
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:01 am
Location: Northern Alabama

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by Limewater Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:30 am

RCBH928 wrote:I do watch the ones that are higher quality and have something to tell, not just made to make money. Some are made to be series in the first place. Some examples of series that did not wither down (only slightly if you pay enough attention):

1-Breaking Bad
2-Mad Men
3-Sopranos
4-Better Call Saul
5-Harry Potter movies


Seriously? They explicitly changed their plan and split the last Harry Potter book over two movies just to milk the franchise while padding out the story by trying to be Lord of the Rings.
Honestly, the last four movies in that series were big disappointments to me, but I can only really point to the last two as an obvious compromise as a cash grab.
Systems: TI-99/4a, Commodore Vic-20, Atari 2600, NES, SMS, GB, Neo Geo MVS (Big Red 4-slot), Genesis, SNES, 3DO, PS1, N64, DC, PS2, GBA, GCN, NDSi, Wii
User avatar
marurun
Moderator
 
Posts: 11964
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 8:51 am
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by marurun Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:38 am

RCBH928 wrote:I do watch the ones that are higher quality and have something to tell, not just made to make money. Some are made to be series in the first place. Some examples of series that did not wither down (only slightly if you pay enough attention):

*snipped*

Here is example of horribly extended for money reasons:-

*snipped*

I dunno, that breakdown sounds, to me, like post-hoc explanation. Find examples of series that did OK over several seasons and call those art and find some that maybe didn't fare as well and label them cash grabs. It's all arbitrary. You don't know the full details so you impose your own opinions to categorize these things in ways which may not at all match the real-world circumstances of their creation.
Dope Pope on a Rope
B/S/T thread
My Classic Games Collection
My Steam Profile
The PC Engine Software Bible Forum, with Shoutbox chat - the new Internet home for PC Engine fandom.
User avatar
RCBH928
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 6037
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:40 am

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by RCBH928 Sat Jun 04, 2022 1:21 am

Limewater wrote:Seriously? They explicitly changed their plan and split the last Harry Potter book over two movies just to milk the franchise while padding out the story by trying to be Lord of the Rings.
Honestly, the last four movies in that series were big disappointments to me, but I can only really point to the last two as an obvious compromise as a cash grab.


Well I do not know the details as a viewer and have no read the books but I never felt the Harry Potter movies were stretched out, each one was well made in that universe. Please note I am not a fan of the book or anything, I just saw the movies. I agree splitting the final movie into 2 was stretching it a bit but maybe we can give a little blind eye to that so it wasn't so bad.

marurun wrote:I dunno, that breakdown sounds, to me, like post-hoc explanation. Find examples of series that did OK over several seasons and call those art and find some that maybe didn't fare as well and label them cash grabs. It's all arbitrary. You don't know the full details so you impose your own opinions to categorize these things in ways which may not at all match the real-world circumstances of their creation.


No its not science, and entertainment varies by taste. Some people as it seems enjoys the Kardashians and Jersey Shore. To each his own. To me when I feel the story is being streched just to keep pumping new episodes its when I stop. I only saw the first season of 24 but each time they near the conclusion a new conflict arises and now we have to deal with another 1-2 episodes. Rinse then repeat. Prison break was great and manageable but
After they got out of the prison I noticed following this horrid formula and stopped immediately.
User avatar
REPO Man
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 4647
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:05 pm
Location: Outer Banks, NC

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by REPO Man Sat Jul 23, 2022 6:11 pm

Recently finished the new season of Solar Opposites and before that I finished rewatching Daria. It helps that I can bingewatch shows on my tablet while doing my laundry. I'm currently on season two of The Middle.
User avatar
ElkinFencer10
Next-Gen
 
Posts: 8582
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:34 pm
Location: Henderson, North Carolina

Re: So what have you guys been watching lately?

by ElkinFencer10 Sat Jul 23, 2022 7:41 pm

Watched the new Resident Evil series recently. It was solidly okay. Not great, not terrible. Just okay. Also been watching That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. I've got like...eight episodes left, I think? I'm thoroughly enjoying that anime.
Exhuminator wrote:Ecchi lords must unite for great justice.

Image
Return to Off-Topic / Whatever

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 14 guests