Not watching anything special right now. Nothing I'm willing to admit to, at least. Just a carefully-curated selection of utter trash TV, and various weekly favourites / comedy / podcasts.

The last proper show to blow me/my household away was that League of Legends (aka: modern-ish game which I've never seen or played, and are unlikely to ever) -based show of whose name I can't recall offhand. That was really cool, as much for the visuals as the story.

Looking forward to the next + I assume final season of Better Call Saul.

Also found myself watching more Youtube lately. The algorithm has me, I've been borged. + enjoying watching some gaming, which is pretty new to me. NES Tetris matches are hypnotic.

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-03-24, 23:23:

appiah4 wrote on 2022-03-24, 21:37:

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-03-24, 14:36:

Currently watching Game of Thrones. Never finished the series when it originally aired, so I finally decided to go back and watch the whole thing.

You are kind off better off not actually finishing it..

I'm actually really curious to see what is so bad about the last couple seasons. I'm going in with morbid curiosity. 😁

The whole sentiment of GoT's ending being "omg the worst ending ever!" is partly an outraged counter-hype to the whole "omg this is the best thing evar made!!" fan feast that accompanied the first several pristine seasons.

Neither is true, imo. It was merely an entertaining watch, which lost some quality and coherence towards the end. "A TV show", in other words.

Shreddoc wrote on 2022-03-25, 00:10:

The whole sentiment of GoT's ending being "omg the worst ending ever!" is partly an outraged counter-hype to the whole "omg this is the best thing evar made!!" fan feast that accompanied the first several pristine seasons.

Neither is true, imo. It was merely an entertaining watch, which lost some quality and coherence towards the end. "A TV show", in other words.

This is more or less my expectation. I'm not wholly invested in the show, other than it being just an entertaining fantasy/drama.

Going in with lower expectations for the last couple seasons, I might even end up pleasantly surprised. 😉

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-03-25, 00:15:

Shreddoc wrote on 2022-03-25, 00:10:

The whole sentiment of GoT's ending being "omg the worst ending ever!" is partly an outraged counter-hype to the whole "omg this is the best thing evar made!!" fan feast that accompanied the first several pristine seasons.

Neither is true, imo. It was merely an entertaining watch, which lost some quality and coherence towards the end. "A TV show", in other words.

This is more or less my expectation. I'm not wholly invested in the show, other than it being just an entertaining fantasy/drama.

Going in with lower expectations for the last couple seasons, I might even end up pleasantly surprised. 😉

I hope so! Expectations play a big part. I'm a big reader, so my expections of the ending were modest. (why? because it's initial rollicking success came due to it being an exceptional-in-its-genre, written story. But the final parts of the TV show, however guided by the author they may be, were still not subject to the entire authorial process, and therefore did not truly exist! in the way the initial seasons did; therefore, we "got" exactly what was possible under the circumstances - something functional but obviously less-than-ideal...)

Stiletto wrote on 2022-03-24, 23:14:

Otherwise, Star Trek Picard Season 2, trying to get my ducks in a row to finally knuckle down and watch Star Trek Discovery so that I can watch Star Trek Strange New Worlds, and maybe catch up with Star Trek Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy.

Why do you hate yourself so much 🤣

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-03-24, 23:23:

appiah4 wrote on 2022-03-24, 21:37:

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-03-24, 14:36:

Currently watching Game of Thrones. Never finished the series when it originally aired, so I finally decided to go back and watch the whole thing.

You are kind off better off not actually finishing it..

I'm actually really curious to see what is so bad about the last couple seasons. I'm going in with morbid curiosity. 😁

I wouldn't say Martin is the best fantasy author ever or anything, but he writes some lengthy books that are quite witty and coherent, so the showrunners had a lot of content and inspiration to draw from for the vastly better first half of the show. As soon as they waded into territory that required them to a) go by Martin's apparently not well freshed out ideas/notes/drafts b) make their shit up, they took the plunge into the pit where most shows tend to devolve into: Lack of coherence, broken characters, fan service, immature handling of fairly complicated themes and really annoying narrative tools Deus Ex Machina, Mary Sue, etc. All these combined brought GoT to a finale that was less satisfactory and far less agreeable (and not in the sense that it is too dark, but in the sense that it in many ways broke my suspension of disbelief) than, say, Lost. There, I said it. Lost ended better than GoT. So make of that what you will..

appiah4 wrote on 2022-03-24, 09:08:

I will probably watch "The Mandalorian" Season 1 next.

This is the way!
Never was much of a Star Wars fan, but the new shows are really good.
Don't forget to watch the post credits scene of season 2. It's the introduction to Book of Boba Fett.

Cuttoon wrote on 2022-03-24, 15:09:

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-03-24, 14:36:

Currently watching Game of Thrones. Never finished the series when it originally aired, so I finally decided to go back and watch the whole thing.

Oh, you're in for a treat!
In the 8th season, Sauron dies and Skyler White comes out as lesbian, it's a riot!

8th season? What are you talking about?
The show ended after season 6, when Daenerys sailed to Westeros.

schmatzler wrote on 2022-03-24, 23:51:

For me, the whole last season of GoT was a massive disappointment. I've invested so much time into this show and they just got some jackasses writing the ending in what felt like two minutes. There's no reason to even start it at all.

They were offered 10 seasons, but these fools said: "Na, 7 1/2 seasons is more than enough."
They were offered a Star Wars trilogy, so they had to speed things up. Luckily that deal vaporized after this disastrous ending.

I didn't watch Breaking Bad when it launched so I'll finish up the 5th season in April. Have Money Heist on my next watchlist

Lately I watched a couple of films that were advertised at the cinema when I was at uni 1979-82, but I never saw released. Then I saw they are now on Amazon Prime: Inseminoid, and Incubus. Inseminoid is rather dated with pretty low production values, but Incubus is quite watchable - the acting is decent and overall it's like a better type of Hammer film.

Also been trawling AP for Lovercraft inspired films so watched 3 or 4 renditions of The Color Out Of Space and a few others besides. This week we watched Intersect, which overall was pretty good (obviously as a heavy HPL fan of yore - at uni I read almost everything he wrote, instead of economics texts like I was supposed to... - there were a few annoyances but on the whole, it's good - and to be fair didn't claim to be Lovecraft-inspired but to my mind clearly was).

On DVD I bought The Water Margin a while ago - I watched the series back in the 1970s with my dad, but so far I've only managed the first DVD this time round. "Do not despise the snake for having no horns, for who is to say it will not become a dragon. So may one just man become an army."

DosFreak wrote on 2022-03-29, 20:22:

Whenvever I see Ember I think of the books and tv show The Magicians. Worth watching if you like a darker Harry Potter.

[reply transplanted from another thread]

I found the TV show a struggle and tapped out partway. The story was fine, but the (to me) "Dawson's Creek vibe" that encapsulated the TV show's style prevented me from appreciating it on a deeper Epic Fantasy level.

Still, got the books on my to-possibly-read-one-day list. As a Constant Lifetime Fantasy reader, the series is one of the rare holes in my otherwise broad coverage of toplist (& beyond) works. I've heard that it gets very good towards the end/3rd book. Something to look forward to.

Cuttoon wrote on 2022-03-24, 22:59:

Oh, there's a second season? That series is creepy AF, watch at your own peril. […]
Show full quote

Repo Man11 wrote on 2022-03-24, 22:55:

I'm enjoying Raised by Wolves and was disappointed to realize today that last week's episode was the second season's finale.

Oh, there's a second season?
That series is creepy AF, watch at your own peril.

Just discovered that Apple TV's "Foundation" eventually did get released in autumn after quite some covid delay. Really hope it's any good...

Update on season 1 of "Foundation":

It builds up reaaaaaally slow.
And it's convoluted AF, about half as bad as "Dark" or the second season of Westworld, meaning "utterly unwatchable for the casual viewer".
But if you're into any degree of "very high concept epic science fiction" than it has some rather rewarding tropes.

Like, really without spoiling anything here, "Commander Data on crack and steroids while doing John Wick bareback."
You'll figure it out.

I'd enjoy Foundation.

The emperor is an interesting character:

Cleon the 13th, Cleon the 12th and Cleon the 11th.
When the kid comes of age he ascends to the throne, the former emperor becomes the advisor, the old advisor is vaporized and they clone a new Cleon. 😁

RaiderOfLostVoodoo wrote on 2022-03-31, 04:30:

I'd enjoy Foundation. […]
Show full quote

I'd enjoy Foundation.

The emperor is an interesting character:

Cleon the 13th, Cleon the 12th and Cleon the 11th.
When the kid comes of age he ascends to the throne, the former emperor becomes the advisor, the old advisor is vaporized and they clone a new Cleon. 😁

Mate, however obvious in hindsight, don't state any facts. Let people find out on their own!

RaiderOfLostVoodoo wrote on 2022-03-31, 04:30:

I'd enjoy Foundation. […]
Show full quote

I'd enjoy Foundation.

The emperor is an interesting character:

Cleon the 13th, Cleon the 12th and Cleon the 11th.
When the kid comes of age he ascends to the throne, the former emperor becomes the advisor, the old advisor is vaporized and they clone a new Cleon. 😁

Makes no sense.. When does the kid come of age? Because this cycle would mean the advisor should never be older than roughly 60, and that guy looks like he's 80..

appiah4 wrote on 2022-03-31, 10:50:

Makes no sense.. When does the kid come of age? Because this cycle would mean the advisor should never be older than roughly 60, and that guy looks like he's 80..

Lee Pace (l'empire de jour) is 43, Terrance Mann (old fart) is 70 and the kid might be ten. So, rather correct, actually.
Also, you can't have another actor for every age of every character. I'd say they got it right, probably better than the Stark kids.

Also, I could explain more, but we should not give away the details here, you know, it's a TV show on demand and many have not seen it yet?

Cuttoon wrote on 2022-03-31, 11:02:

appiah4 wrote on 2022-03-31, 10:50:

RaiderOfLostVoodoo wrote on 2022-03-31, 04:30:

I'd enjoy Foundation. […]
Show full quote

I'd enjoy Foundation.

The emperor is an interesting character:

Cleon the 13th, Cleon the 12th and Cleon the 11th.
When the kid comes of age he ascends to the throne, the former emperor becomes the advisor, the old advisor is vaporized and they clone a new Cleon. 😁

Makes no sense.. When does the kid come of age? Because this cycle would mean the advisor should never be older than roughly 60, and that guy looks like he's 80..

Lee Pace (l'empire de jour) is 43, Terrance Mann (old fart) is 70 and the kid might be ten. So, rather correct, actually.
Also, you can't have another actor for every age of every character. I'd say they got it right, probably better than the Stark kids.

You misunderstand me; if the kid comes of age at 18, and the advisor is vaporized, then the oldest an advisor will ever live is 18x3 = 54 years. That old fart is 70+. You seee the issue?

appiah4 wrote on 2022-03-31, 11:04:

Cuttoon wrote on 2022-03-31, 11:02:

appiah4 wrote on 2022-03-31, 10:50:

Makes no sense.. When does the kid come of age? Because this cycle would mean the advisor should never be older than roughly 60, and that guy looks like he's 80..

Lee Pace (l'empire de jour) is 43, Terrance Mann (old fart) is 70 and the kid might be ten. So, rather correct, actually.
Also, you can't have another actor for every age of every character. I'd say they got it right, probably better than the Stark kids.

You misunderstand me; if the kid comes of age at 18, and the advisor is vaporized, then the oldest an advisor will ever live is 18x3 = 54 years. That old fart is 70+. You seee the issue?

No, I don't.

"Coming of age" means "coming of age" - the age is undefined. There are weird places on earth where people can't buy booze at 18.

Atlantis series

Sadly quite short and ending is not satisfying

AVGN

Ancient DOS games

Lady Decade

Andrians Digital basement

PBS newshour
————
Need to add an update

Stiletto wrote on 2022-03-24, 23:14:

Otherwise, Star Trek Picard Season 2, trying to get my ducks in a row to finally knuckle down and watch Star Trek Discovery so that I can watch Star Trek Strange New Worlds, and maybe catch up with Star Trek Lower Decks and Star Trek:

I couldn’t get through season 1 Picard
RLM covered it well enough

Finally got past episode 3 of Discovery and watched the rest.
I find being on the edge of sleep is needed to watch Discovery as they have too many contrived this happens so moments.
Lack of respect for the audiences intelligence.

The various Animated Star Treks had too many spastic characters but maybe if I revisit I could slog through

Watched Halo, lots of manbabies raging about it not following the last 20 years of lore.
Only Halo I liked was RVB and this series so far is boring but not enough to give up yet.
If they aren’t going to follow official “lore” they could at least have a little fun throwing in unrelated Halo universes like Tex or Tucker, takes itself too seriously for what it is while not taking the established tropes as being useful for character development.

Ah well

I hate tv but have watched more in the last year then the prior 30. The shows I watch are Parks and Recreation, Community, the Office, and Scrubs. To it's credit, in my remembrance there was only 1 scene in a sitcom that had me choking and with tears streaming out of my eyes, and that was in an episode of Community. A lot of it is kind of dry, but it's probably the most innovative show out there. It's the only show that I purchased the full series of dvds.

Cuttoon wrote on 2022-03-24, 15:09:

Last fictional show was "The Expanse" - highly recommended.

My brother was watching that. I hadn't realized at the time that it was a video adaptation of books by James Corey iirc. I read 1, Cibola Burn, wasn't a tough read, but it was way more down to earth, and political, then most scifi. I may give the show a shot, but would rather read more of the books before that.

I'm waiting for the next seasons of Foundation, Cobra Kai and Spy Racers.

I've finished "Covert Affairs", "Carmen Sandiego", "The Last Dance", "Fuller House", "Lost In Space", "Designated Survivor" and "Downton Abbey".

Meanwhile I'm watching "The Ranch", "The IT Crowd" and I just finished another season of "Drive To Survive". Netflix sure loves to make some fake drama with the F1 drivers. I can understand why Verstappen and Norris aren't happy with the series.

Severance is a very good new series. Final episode of season 1 drops in a few days, so it's a good time to start binging.