Author Topic: New TV Season  (Read 5367 times)

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Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2017, 09:30:22 am »
Quote from: kimmy


Well, one might argue that that is like saying that after William Shakespeare, there's really been nothing to add to the romantic tragedy genre.
 -k

Right.   Wait, are you saying that is false?

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2017, 09:32:09 am »
On a completely different TV note, Netflix has just delivered Season 2 of "Stranger Things", just in time for Halloween.

The first season of "Stranger Things" was probably among Netflix' most successful creations ever. It was both a critics' favorite and a smash hit for Netflix. I am looking forward to season 2.

 -k

Netflix thread!

Offline SirJohn

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #17 on: October 28, 2017, 12:06:12 pm »
Has anyone caught the new Star Trek? It's... different. The main protagonist is a black woman named Michael Burnham who is not even IN Star Fleet since she was court-martialled and sent to a prison planet. The strange, distant, and possibly crazy captain of the Discovery somehow snatched her off a passing shuttle and is using her to further his development of a new scientific system that lets the ship zip through the galaxy instantly. The first officer is a very tall alien who lacks self confidence. The Science officer is a strange, anti-social guy who is in an openly gay relationship with the ship's doctor, who he lives with on the ship. Burnham's roommate is a naive ensign, who, in last week's episode uttered "This is so **** cool" when looking at an experiment. She then apologized to the science officer, who replied. "That's all right, Ensign. It IS **** cool."

So I noticed that this show had returned now that the holidays were over and was about to PVR it and found myself hesitating, then deciding not to bother.
I don't like this show. The original two part beginer was like the old Star Trek. The new one is like... nothing really. It's dark, moody, and humourless. The characters don't trust each other and often don't like each other. Some may be traitors. The captain is ruthless, and possibly soulless. The security officer might be working for the Klingons, who are on screen too much and boring. The main character is trying to emulate a Vulcan. Which is fine, but there was a reason Spock wasn't the main character and Kirk was. It's hard to identify with someone who shows no emotions. I don't really care about anyone on the show and don't care which or all of them die. I'm bored of the ship's secret mission. There's no exploration involved. It's just dark (both literally and figuratively), sombre preparation for war with a bit of actual shooting. There's no fun in watching this.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2018, 06:18:18 pm by SirJohn »
"When liberals insist that only fascists will defend borders then voters will hire fascists to do the job liberals won't do." David Frum

Offline kimmy

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #18 on: October 29, 2017, 11:27:03 am »
I have watched the 2-part series opener, which introduced the setting and Burnham and explaining why Burnham got courtmartialed, and thought it was pretty good. I gather that the show changes considerably after Burnham's courtmartial, so I wasn't going to comment until I have seen more.

One thing I found weird/distracting is that the main character is named Michael. Every time I heard that, I was trying to figure out if they were really saying "Michael".  I was wondering if maybe they were saying Micah or Nica or maybe a Vulcan name that sounds sort of like Michael.  Nope, it's Michael.  What kind of dip-**** would name their beautiful baby girl "Michael".

During a recent visit to the old farm, I noticed veranda hound referred to it as "Social Justice Warriors: The Next Generation".  I figured, ok, whatever, obviously the alt-right gets mad whenever sci-fi movies or TV shows are centered around somebody who isn't a white male.

But, after watching the intro of the series, I do agree that there's a definite political element there. The Klingon rallying cry is "Remain Klingon!" and they are mobilizing to resist what they see as the cultural imperialism of the Federation. They fear that their own culture will be erased.  It seems to be an obvious parallel to those who oppose immigration and to white nationalists who claim they're trying to preserve their European Christian culture.  The Federation, by contrast, seem like a happy coalition where everybody is equal and valued.  This seems like a rather ham-handed attempt at social commentary.


 -k
Paris - London - New York - Kim City

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #19 on: October 29, 2017, 12:40:51 pm »


That's Michael Learned, from The Waltons.  Had a crush on her when that was on.  Older woman thing.

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #20 on: November 09, 2017, 06:29:51 am »
Ok, we still have separate threads for TV and Netflix.  So be it.

https://www.thebeaverton.com/2017/03/tragedy-milk-bag-spout-cut-wide/

The Beaverton is Canada's news parody beacon with a web and TV presence.  I take the website over the TV one, in terms of funniness, however the TV one actually makes me laugh LOUDLY twice per show.  It's a little different than other fake news shows, in that its humour is more arch and so far more leftist.  I would like them to skewer Jagmeet but I haven't seen it yet.

Watch and comment.

Offline kimmy

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #21 on: November 13, 2017, 12:15:20 am »
Right.   Wait, are you saying that is false?

I recall reading somewhere that there are basically only 7 stories in all of fiction. Everything is just variations on these seven stories. So really, if you look at it that way, there probably hasn't been anything significant added to the world of literature since the ancient Greeks.

Stan Lee is one of those revered celebrity artists that I don't get.  That is partially because I am not a fan of the genre, but also because to me once Superman was out there it was just a matter of imitating and running a kaleidoscope on the original. 

I am not a comic books historian, but I think Stan Lee's main contribution to the genre was in making characters relatable and vulnerable. Spiderman might have amazing abilities, but Peter Parker still has to worry about pimples and zits and his job at the Daily Bugle and looking after Aunt May and a lot of other things that normal people have to worry about too.


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Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #22 on: November 13, 2017, 05:53:48 am »
I recall reading somewhere that there are basically only 7 stories in all of fiction. Everything is just variations on these seven stories. So really, if you look at it that way, there probably hasn't been anything significant added to the world of literature since the ancient Greeks.

I heard William Friedkin say there are two stories only: the crucifixion and the odyssey.  Maybe boil it down to one: Gilgamesh.  I had the officiant read Gilgamesh at our wedding.

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I am not a comic books historian, but I think Stan Lee's main contribution to the genre was in making characters relatable and vulnerable. Spiderman might have amazing abilities, but Peter Parker still has to worry about pimples and zits and his job at the Daily Bugle and looking after Aunt May and a lot of other things that normal people have to worry about too.
 

Poor Peter.  Who is that again ?  Is that his real name ? 

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #23 on: November 13, 2017, 10:41:25 am »
I heard William Friedkin say there are two stories only: the crucifixion and the odyssey. 

Don't forget all the Sven Hassel stuff I read as a teenager...

Offline kimmy

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #24 on: November 13, 2017, 11:36:08 am »
Poor Peter.  Who is that again ?  Is that his real name ?

Peter Parker is Spiderman. He's the nervous kid who gets yelled at by J. Jonah Jameson at work every day.

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In the late 1950s, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz revived the superhero archetype and experienced a significant success with its updated version of the Flash, and later with super-team the Justice League of America. In response, publisher Martin Goodman assigned Lee to come up with a new superhero team. Lee's wife suggested him to experiment with stories he preferred, since he was planning on changing careers and had nothing to lose.[31][32]

Lee acted on that advice, giving his superheroes a flawed humanity, a change from the ideal archetypes that were typically written for preteens. Before this, most superheroes were idealistically perfect people with no serious, lasting problems.[33] Lee introduced complex, naturalistic characters[34] who could have bad tempers, fits of melancholy, and vanity; they bickered amongst themselves, worried about paying their bills and impressing girlfriends, got bored or even were sometimes physically ill.

The first superhero group Lee and artist Jack Kirby created together was the Fantastic Four, based on previous Kirby superhero team Challengers of the Unknown published by DC Comics[35] The team's immediate popularity[36] led Lee and Marvel's illustrators to produce a cavalcade of new titles. Again working with Kirby, Lee co-created the Hulk,[37] Thor,[38] Iron Man,[39] and the X-Men;[40] with Bill Everett, Daredevil;[41] and with Steve Ditko, Doctor Strange[42] and Marvel's most successful character, Spider-Man,[43] all of whom lived in a thoroughly shared universe.[44] Lee and Kirby gathered several of their newly created characters together into the team title The Avengers[45] and would revive characters from the 1940s such as the Sub-Mariner[46] and Captain America.[47]

All these characters had crosses to bear.  The man in the Iron Man suit, Tony Stark, is an alcoholic. The Incredible Hulk is, at its core, about a man trying to deal with mental illness. The X-Men is, at its core, about racism and xenophobia.  Daredevil is blind. Thor and Dr Strange are often egotistical, selfish, and thoroughly unlikable... their greatest enemy is often themselves. And Spiderman is about a young man trying to grow into adult responsibilities, be it the taking care of Aunt May type or the "with great power comes great responsibility" type.

 -k
Paris - London - New York - Kim City

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #25 on: November 22, 2017, 05:18:58 am »
I was old when 'rap' hit, but I liked the Sugarhill Gang and the early waves that came out of New York.  I recently saw the Netflix doc (Rubble Kings) that documented this period of NYC history.  So it's with a heavy heart that I hear "Reverend" Run will have a show on Netflix:

http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/netflix-orders-comedy-series-starring-run-dmcs-rev-run-w512162

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Produced by Amblin and ABC Studios, the series was initially picked up by ABC following a bidding war in 2016, but the network ultimately passed on the project before the pilot filmed. Netflix then swooped in with a 10-episode order to pickup the series.

The Netflix show will be the first scripted series for Rev. Run, who also has reality series like Rev Runs Around the World, Rev Run's Sunday Suppers and Rev Run's Renovations on his filmography.

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #26 on: November 22, 2017, 05:38:27 am »
Also: asking again if the mod will merge this thread with Netflix.  My brain gets confused sometimes.

Rappers on TV part 2:  Snoop Dogg is hosting The Joker's Wild game show.   I can't put it together in my brain.  It's so bizarre but yet it fits. 

I have a strange history with rap.  Nobody would guess that I know anything about it but since I love the arts I try to sample everything including Nu Metal, Ska... you name it.  By the time Snoop came up I was convinced that Rap was doomed to die as gangster's music and I was too old to listen.  I had randomly bought an album called "Da Game Is to be Sold, not to be Told" and happened to hit his worst album ever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Game_Is_to_Be_Sold,_Not_to_Be_Told


Years later, I heard a few from his first few records and realized his greatness.  So now he's part of a game show that is as much as an outlaw as he is.  Remember "Quiz Show" ?  That was the movie about the disgraced show "21" from the 1950s.  Well the host and production company were banned from Hollywood after that scandal, and finally came back from their outlaw status in the 1970s with - you guessed it - The Joker's Wild.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2017/10/27/snoop-dogg-talks-pot-hints-more-jokers-wild-chat-straight-up-hollywood/809085001/

Offline JMT

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #27 on: November 22, 2017, 02:41:31 pm »
I didn't know what you meant the last time you asked me to merge.  I asked you what you wanted but you didn't say.

Offline JMT

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #28 on: November 22, 2017, 02:46:53 pm »
BTW, I don't think I can merge, only split.

guest4

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Re: New TV Season
« Reply #29 on: November 22, 2017, 02:53:37 pm »
BTW, I don't think I can merge, only split.

Thats ok, I like that they are separate.