The season finale of SNL with The Rock/Katy Perry had one of the funniest skits I've seen from the show in quite some time, with a very unexpected cameo from a certain breakout character returning from earlier in the season to boot:
I actually wasn't all that impressed with the debut episode (it felt like self-parody at times), but 2, 3 and 4 have gotten progressively better. Still has the potential to be on the same level as Season 1.
TAS resurfaces for his annual/semiannual TV post. I'm bored.
1) iZombie would be the best show on television if its plot were like 15% less complicated. They suffer from Fancy Play Syndrome - a couple twists too many. But it's still pretty terrific. Orphan Black suffers from the same type of thing - although in their case, they could stand to be like 85% less complicated.
1b) iZombie has an interesting problem going forward though, just because I don't see how it can be the same show going forward given what happened.
2) So the best show on television instead is Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. And it's not particularly close. Too many shows try to create perfect characters; it's so nice to see flawed characters being featured on a show, and being upfront about them being flawed. Most honest show on TV.
2b) It's so interesting to compare Crazy Ex-Girlfriend to a show like You're the Worst. Both have crazy and screwed-up characters, more or less....one is very cynical while the other is very upbeat. And while I like You're the Worst, it's so interesting how much more fun it is to watch a show like CEG.
3) Man, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is really a poor man's Parks and Rec. That's a good thing, by the way. The one thing keeping them from getting there is too many of the secondary characters aren't quite there for me. Parks and Rec could create an A+ episode using almost any combination of characters; there's some combinations in B99 that don't work.
4) The best sitcom now is probably The Good Place. I don't think this requires much explanation.
5) I've fallen behind on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. This is a problem.
6) I like Fuller House. Deal with it.
7) TAS watches too much TV, so he's abandoned/about to abandon the following shows: - Archer. I like they tried something different....but that was just terrible. Too much reliance on the audience to understand each character in order to get the humor. Valiant effort, but that doesn't work. - 2 Broke Girls. Okay, I was just watching for Kat Dennings' chest. But it's remarkable how Republican that show felt. That felt like humor catered to lowest common denominator Republicans. It's actually such a fascinating study in how and why people are awful. - Doctor Who. Capaldi was a delight, but the stories/writing lost me. And cramming all these stories into one episode, or the occasional two-parter....too rushed. No more Capaldi (and new showrunner I heard) makes this an easy punt. - Supergirl. I'll catch back up when I get caught up with the other CW shows. - Vampire Diaries/Originals. WHERE ARE THE SEXY FEMALE VAMPIRES DAMMIT - Daredevil/Jessica Jones. Maybe I'll finish S2 of Daredevil....probably abandoning JJ. I've chosen to commit to the CW DC shows instead. - Supernatural. On second thought, nah. I'm pot committed. Hell, 13 seasons of this.
8) Animation is in a weird spot. Setting The Venture Bros. aside, not sure anything's all that great anymore. Bob's Burgers is good, I suppose. That's solid. Simpsons and Family Guys are repetitive at this point and I've lost interest in all the Adult Swim offerings. Crazy can be good, but over the top crazy is bad. Rick and Morty is terrible, and the way they're promoting that as the best offering on that channel....meh. I'm out.
9) 13 Reasons Why. I'm worried that even mentioning this show is going to trigger an Rkod appearance. All I'll say is I'm fascinated by the machinations of the whole situation. There's a lot of trust involved in making this plan work. I envy her. I wish I had her planning skills.
10) I'm trudging forward on Flash/Arrow. S1 Flash, S3 Arrow. The Flash is so much more fun. I'm only a few episodes in, and the tone is just much more cheery there. This is really a better representation of what superhero shows/films should be. No more brooding, kthx.
10b) Arrow is meh compared to it....I've already moved forward on the Flash without keeping up with this show. Two Oliver/Felicity fakeouts is two too many...would be the most ridiculous thing ever. Couldn't we just move her to The Flash? Doesn't that work much better? Felicity Smoak should be traded for Caitlin Snow. Straight-up trade between the shows, who says no?
11) The 24 reboot was pretty much a waste, not much to say. I will say that having
a black gang wipe out most of a terrorist cell
was just an absolute delight. An absolute delight. Wonderful.
12) TAS could use some recommendations. I'm out of the loop recently on what new shows are hip.
Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:52 am
Evil Prevails
Re: The Television Thread
We're so goddamned lucky to have show like iZombie, despite its numerous faults.
Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:57 am
Bandy Greensacks
Re: The Television Thread
TheAsianSensation wrote:
TAS could use some recommendations. I'm out of the loop recently on what new shows are hip.
In order of quality:
- Twin Peaks - The Leftovers (just ended) - Rick and Morty (returns soon) - Better Call Saul (just ended) - Preacher
And this is going to sound crazy, but I actually really liked the recent season of Fear the Walking Dead. It's surpassed the original show by quite a bit.
3) Man, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is really a poor man's Parks and Rec. That's a good thing, by the way. The one thing keeping them from getting there is too many of the secondary characters aren't quite there for me. Parks and Rec could create an A+ episode using almost any combination of characters; there's some combinations in B99 that don't work.
I thought 4x16 "Moo Moo" was as good as the very best of Parks, though I will admit that's possibly the only episode I'd laud in such a manner.
TheAsianSensation wrote:
9) 13 Reasons Why. I'm worried that even mentioning this show is going to trigger an Rkod appearance. All I'll say is I'm fascinated by the machinations of the whole situation. There's a lot of trust involved in making this plan work. I envy her. I wish I had her planning skills.
But, I'm not watching... ooooh.
Don't kill yourself, TAS.
Also, it's slightly amusing to read your reactions to Flash/Arrow, given their current situations. Do yourself a favor and skip the Legends Of Tomorrow spinoff though... it's so bad.
_________________ we sing to ourselves in our cars, music is our sanctuary. anywhere you put it it's ours, our living voice, our living testament
Wed Jul 19, 2017 1:49 pm
wigwam
Re: The Television Thread
TheAsianSensation wrote:
best show on television instead is Crazy Ex-Girlfriend I like Fuller House 13 Reasons Why I'm fascinated by the machinations of the whole situation
agreed
TheAsianSensation wrote:
recommendations. I'm out of the loop recently on what new shows are hip.
Twin Peaks and Riverdale
Wed Jul 19, 2017 1:50 pm
MadMan
Re: The Television Thread
I also have fallen behind on Kimmy Schmidt. They sure pumped out seasons 2 and 3 rather quickly.
You could watch some old work done by Justin Roiland.
Unbelievable Tales House of Cosbys
At the very least it's a compelling look into the beginnings of what came to be Rick & Morty
Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:53 pm
Ace
Re: The Television Thread
S1 of Flash is the best. It's all downhill from there. Same thing with Arrow. It's all dowhill from there. You have chosen poorly in choosing DC shows over Marvel. Because from what I'm reading the only DC show worth watching is Supergirl.
Thu Jul 20, 2017 2:04 am
DJ Rkod
Re: The Television Thread
Ace wrote:
S1 of Flash is the best. It's all downhill from there. Same thing with Arrow. It's all dowhill from there. You have chosen poorly in choosing DC shows over Marvel. Because from what I'm reading the only DC show worth watching is Supergirl.
Fifth season of Arrow is a reasonably impressive rebound in a lot of ways, though I'm a couple of episodes short of finishing it and they could easily botch the landing. Maybe three or four episodes in there that are strong contenders for the series' very best.
Otherwise, yeah, pretty much. Flash is a train wreck, Legends has kinda always been crap.
_________________ we sing to ourselves in our cars, music is our sanctuary. anywhere you put it it's ours, our living voice, our living testament
Thu Jul 20, 2017 2:26 am
TheAsianSensation
Re: The Television Thread
DJ Rkod wrote:
I thought 4x16 "Moo Moo" was as good as the very best of Parks, though I will admit that's possibly the only episode I'd laud in such a manner.
But, I'm not watching... ooooh.
Don't kill yourself, TAS.
Also, it's slightly amusing to read your reactions to Flash/Arrow, given their current situations. Do yourself a favor and skip the Legends Of Tomorrow spinoff though... it's so bad.
Good amusing or bad amusing? I don't want to go down into a hole of regret on these shows.
Bandy Greensacks wrote:
In order of quality:
- Twin Peaks - The Leftovers (just ended) - Rick and Morty (returns soon) - Better Call Saul (just ended) - Preacher
And this is going to sound crazy, but I actually really liked the recent season of Fear the Walking Dead. It's surpassed the original show by quite a bit.
I feel like I'm somehow angering the entire internet by not having watched Twin Peaks yet. The rest shall be taken under advisement except Rick and Morty, which sucks. As someone who found Breaking Bad merely good instead of great and didn't continue on, what should my interest level be on Saul?
Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:24 am
TheAsianSensation
Re: The Television Thread
wigwam wrote:
agreed
Twin Peaks and Riverdale
ok, the universe is telling me to watch Twin Peaks so I will
Ace wrote:
S1 of Flash is the best. It's all downhill from there. Same thing with Arrow. It's all dowhill from there. You have chosen poorly in choosing DC shows over Marvel. Because from what I'm reading the only DC show worth watching is Supergirl.
The Marvel shows are just....so damn serious. Have some fun, dammit. At least that's what Flash and Supergirl seem to be doing.
Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:26 am
DJ Rkod
Re: The Television Thread
TheAsianSensation wrote:
The Marvel shows are just....so damn serious. Have some fun, dammit. At least that's what Flash and Supergirl seem to be doing.
Hmm. You might, oddly enough, try Agents Of Shield if you're actually looking for a decent balance between humor and drama. The first season is a throwaway crapstorm but it picks up a lot after that. (Weirdly enough, the Joss Whedon-helmed pilot is far and away one of the worst episodes.)
Then again, this is coming from someone who's super into three of the four Netflix/Marvel shows as well, so...
TheAsianSensation wrote:
Good amusing or bad amusing? I don't want to go down into a hole of regret on these shows.
More ironic amusing, I suppose? Flash has become bogged down in so many high level science fiction concepts that it can't begin to do justice to them with its limited stable of writers. The second season is pretty good but by the third it's trying to go too grimdark. On the other hand, Arrow is pretty shaky for a couple of seasons, starting about halfway through 3 and bottoming out at the end of 4, until it pulls itself off the garbage heap in 5 (it will always remain brooding though, that's its shtick). So hearing "Flash good, Arrow bad" rings a bit nostalgic. Supergirl is the only DC show that's never let me down for an extended stretch of episodes.
_________________ we sing to ourselves in our cars, music is our sanctuary. anywhere you put it it's ours, our living voice, our living testament
Thu Jul 20, 2017 12:28 pm
Bandy Greensacks
Re: The Television Thread
TheAsianSensation wrote:
I feel like I'm somehow angering the entire internet by not having watched Twin Peaks yet. The rest shall be taken under advisement except Rick and Morty, which sucks. As someone who found Breaking Bad merely good instead of great and didn't continue on, what should my interest level be on Saul?
It sounds like you should kill yourself
Saul's different than Breaking Bad, but they're kind of two sides of the same coin. If you liked the material with Saul and Mike in Breaking Bad more than the Walter and Jesse stuff, you might like Saul more.
As someone who found Breaking Bad merely good instead of great and didn't continue on, what should my interest level be on Saul?
Disappointed to hear that you didn't finish Bad (one of my favorite shows! How far did you get into it?), but, while Better Call Saul, from what I've seen of it, wasn't 100% as compelling as its predecessor, it was still pretty good, and a somewhat different experience, being more of a low-key drama as opposed to the more Crime Thriller-y BB. So, maybe consider giving it a chance sometime, and see how it strikes you.
Hmm. You might, oddly enough, try Agents Of Shield if you're actually looking for a decent balance between humor and drama. The first season is a throwaway crapstorm but it picks up a lot after that. (Weirdly enough, the Joss Whedon-helmed pilot is far and away one of the worst episodes.)
Then again, this is coming from someone who's super into three of the four Netflix/Marvel shows as well, so...
More ironic amusing, I suppose? Flash has become bogged down in so many high level science fiction concepts that it can't begin to do justice to them with its limited stable of writers. The second season is pretty good but by the third it's trying to go too grimdark. On the other hand, Arrow is pretty shaky for a couple of seasons, starting about halfway through 3 and bottoming out at the end of 4, until it pulls itself off the garbage heap in 5 (it will always remain brooding though, that's its shtick). So hearing "Flash good, Arrow bad" rings a bit nostalgic. Supergirl is the only DC show that's never let me down for an extended stretch of episodes.
Man, why am I even bothering with the genre. I should have you retrieve the superhero rants I've gone on in the past. I think I'll just go with the Flash until I get irritated.
Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:37 am
TheAsianSensation
Re: The Television Thread
And ok ok, maybe I need to make a full run thru Breaking Bad and then go to Saul.
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