2016 TV Thread

[panerd]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I just finished racing through The Man in the High Castle. Man, I loved that show. I know they are filming season 2. I'm all in. I need to read the book it is based on now.

The book is fantastic. I'm sure they took some liberties on the show to make it last more than one season but the book definitely had a conclusion. I think I mentioned on the first page of this thread I really want to see this one based on the reviews. Usually Phillip Dick's books' tv and movie adaptations are not very good (with the exception of Blade Runner) but this one is supposed to be really good.

[stevew]

Looks like you can get prime(10.99) or prime video(8.99) by the month now. Might be worth getting prime for a few months at a time if it was hard to justify dropping 99 in a chunk for it

[Radii]

After listening to Louis CK on the Bill Simmons Podcast I went and picked up Horace and Pete. I'm on his mailing list and I wish I had gotten in on this while he was releasing it on a weekly basis. Its going to take me a little bit to get through it, it feels way too heavy for me to binge watch. I finished the 3rd episode tonight and will probably wait a day or two for the next one.

I love the way Louis went about ths just as much as the actual show itself.

Has anyone else gotten in on this? No spoilers please.

[Solecismic]

Back in 2011, The Good Wife was the last drama with a season longer than 13 episodes nominated for Best Drama (24 was the last to win, all the way back in 2006). Last night, it aired its final episode. Mixed reviews, but it was a decent show in an era where everything's a formula procedural or a soap opera on the networks. Will higher quality television ever return to the networks in the 22-24-week format?

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Radii

After listening to Louis CK on the Bill Simmons Podcast I went and picked up Horace and Pete. I'm on his mailing list and I wish I had gotten in on this while he was releasing it on a weekly basis. Its going to take me a little bit to get through it, it feels way too heavy for me to binge watch. I finished the 3rd episode tonight and will probably wait a day or two for the next one.

Just finished the finale to Horace and Pete. I loved it, its a totally unique experience with a wonderful cast, outstanding writing and acting. This show is going to be on a lot of top 10 lists at the end of the year for TV. It wasn't perfect, and like many things Louis CK has done it tests my ability to watch extremely uncomfortable/embarrassing/cringe-worthy moments at time, but damn it was good.

[Honolulu_Blue]

The Preacher pilot was fantastic.

The intro scenes for both Cassidy and Tulip were fucking outstanding.

I am very much looking forward to more of this.

[bob]

Originally Posted by Radii

Just finished the finale to Horace and Pete. I loved it, its a totally unique experience with a wonderful cast, outstanding writing and acting. This show is going to be on a lot of top 10 lists at the end of the year for TV. It wasn't perfect, and like many things Louis CK has done it tests my ability to watch extremely uncomfortable/embarrassing/cringe-worthy moments at time, but damn it was good.

This has a weird pricing model that has kept me from jumping in. $5 for the first episode, $2 for the second, then $3 for episodes 3 - 10.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by bob

This has a weird pricing model that has kept me from jumping in. $5 for the first episode, $2 for the second, then $3 for episodes 3 - 10.

$31 for the season I think yeah. I won't lie, I downloaded it and made sure I liked it before paying.

It will eventually be on Netflix or some other streaming service.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

Back in 2011, The Good Wife was the last drama with a season longer than 13 episodes nominated for Best Drama (24 was the last to win, all the way back in 2006). Last night, it aired its final episode. Mixed reviews, but it was a decent show in an era where everything's a formula procedural or a soap opera on the networks. Will higher quality television ever return to the networks in the 22-24-week format?

While we've certainly seen networks err more towards reality and cheaper plug and play programming, there's a strong argument that the overall content of television is much, much higher than we've ever seen. And with Netflix Originals, Amazon, Hulu, etc., the access and volume of programming is certainly greater than it has ever been. What a time to be alive!

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

Back in 2011, The Good Wife was the last drama with a season longer than 13 episodes nominated for Best Drama (24 was the last to win, all the way back in 2006). Last night, it aired its final episode. Mixed reviews, but it was a decent show in an era where everything's a formula procedural or a soap opera on the networks. Will higher quality television ever return to the networks in the 22-24-week format?

To be honest, I doubt it. The pacing is just much better in a 10-13 ep season. The 22-24 ep seasons just have a lot of dragging moments and is far less focused.

[Solecismic]

vim over emacs? Loved it. At IBM, the emacs people went nuts if you said you used vi. I still do. Can't remember half the commands, but it's pretty much ingrained in my finger memory.

Silicon Valley was good its first two seasons, but it's absolutely Dilberting the computer programming industry this season.

[Groundhog]

I need to watch Preacher again. Decided the best time to watch it was right after I got home from the bar last Saturday, and I don't know if I remember a single thing.

[EagleFan]

That new version of Top Gear is pure rubbish. I'll try to give it a chance to grow but I don't see Leblanc getting any better, he just seems like a brain dead robot reading lines. It almost seemed like they tried to give him as many Jeremy-like lines as possible but he just can't deliver them.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by whomario

I also just saw the 2nd season of Bosch on Amazon. First season was prerry good but felt a bit empty at times, the second corrects that by upping the pace just a bit and having way fewer exposition scenes. Cast is awesome. Not just Welling as Bosch (smartly updated from the novel) but basically all roles are great. Fans of the Wire will find Lance Reddicks character pretty funny (he´s basically playing the same character, only after making rank) while Jamie Hector plays a convincing younger Partner to Bosch (also, Ziggy is in).

The plot is pretty good, i was especially impressed how it held my interest even after the initial reveal and showdown. Cinematography is impressive as well like it was in season 1, but makes even better use of the contrast between the "lightness" of California and the night scenes.

Have 2 episodes left in Season 1. I am a sucker to good cop shows. While not at the same level as The Wire, this is a decent show.

[Logan]

Good lookback on covering TV over the past 20 years from Sepinwall:

From Must-See TV to Peak TV: 20 Years of covering television

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

That new version of Top Gear is pure rubbish. I'll try to give it a chance to grow but I don't see Leblanc getting any better, he just seems like a brain dead robot reading lines. It almost seemed like they tried to give him as many Jeremy-like lines as possible but he just can't deliver them.

Yup. I tried the second episode and it was much worse. Weirdly I didn't mind LeBlanc. It was everyone else that was garbage.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Yup. I tried the second episode and it was much worse. Weirdly I didn't mind LeBlanc. It was everyone else that was garbage.

Watching episode two now. I agree, Leblanc isn't as bad as in episode one but can someone please make Evans shut up.

[spleen1015]

Has anyone else watched Mr. Robot? I saw the preview for season 2 while at the movies last week and decided to see what it was all about. Seems like a decent show. I liked the first episode of season 1.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Has anyone else watched Mr. Robot? I saw the preview for season 2 while at the movies last week and decided to see what it was all about. Seems like a decent show. I liked the first episode of season 1.

Loved it. Thought the finale had some weak elements not worth mentioning now of course, but they did a great job overall. Performances and writing both great.

Believe we talked about it a decent amount in the 2015 TV thread.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Has anyone else watched Mr. Robot? I saw the preview for season 2 while at the movies last week and decided to see what it was all about. Seems like a decent show. I liked the first episode of season 1.

There was a good bit of chatter about it here, nearly all positive. Critical praise and just a fun show to watch both.

[Butter]

Mr. Robot was right up my alley. Maybe the best first season of a show I've ever seen.

[spleen1015]

I'm into episode 4. Rami Malek is awesome.

[cartman]

VH1 is being rebranded as MTV Classic. Going back to the early '90s to show old episodes of Unplugged, Beavis & Butthead, Daria, etc.

‘Beavis & Butt-Head,’ ‘Daria,’ More ‘90s Favorites Returning on New MTV Classic

[thesloppy]

Whar my Undressed?

[Jas_lov]

Anyone watching the HBO series, The Night Of? The first three episodes have been really good. The first episode I thought was the most suspenseful. I read that Turturro's part was originally written for Gandolfini but I can't really picture him in that role.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Anyone watching the HBO series, The Night Of?

I have. I really like it so far.

[cartman]

Evidently there will be a show on Fox Saturday night where a guy jumps out of a plane at 25,000 feet with no parachute or wing suit and will attempt to land on a net.

edit: and it is live (well, a slight delay in case the worst happens)

[thesloppy]

Dear world, you lied to me. Stranger Things was dull & miserable.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Dear world, you lied to me. Stranger Things was dull & miserable.

Incorrect.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Dear world, you lied to me. Stranger Things was dull & miserable.

I'm sorry you have bad taste.

[ISiddiqui]

I haven't yet seen it, but what I have read seems to indicate that "Stranger Things" would appeal to people who are into 80s nostalgia. If you don't like that stuff, you aren't going to like "Stranger Things".

[whomario]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I haven't yet seen it, but what I have read seems to indicate that "Stranger Things" would appeal to people who are into 80s nostalgia. If you don't like that stuff, you aren't going to like "Stranger Things".

Yes, but why wouldn´t you enjoy 80s nostalgia ?

[ISiddiqui]

Overkill?

I mean there have been so many 80s movies reboots and 80s nostalgia trips that it can start to get a bit much, no?

I mean I've heard the "Stranger Things" hype and I was like... oh, 80s nostalgia, well it'll go behind a few other things I have on Netflix (currently its finishing "Lady Dynamite" and moving on to "BoJack Horseman"'s new season before I even think of watching it).

[Young Drachma]

Old but whatever, but I binge watched The Good Wife over the past few weeks and enjoyed it.

Also watched all of BoJack Horseman Season 3 and was gobsmacked by how good it was, but can totally see it as an acquired taste.

Umm...Suits new season is back and it's good, but that show is going to wear thin soon. Watched the final season of House of Lies and thought it went out fast but okay.

Enjoyed more than I thought the two SyFy Canadian shows Killjoys and Dark Matter. I think I liked Dark Matter more at first, but I might be back on the Killjoys side of the house.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I haven't yet seen it, but what I have read seems to indicate that "Stranger Things" would appeal to people who are into 80s nostalgia. If you don't like that stuff, you aren't going to like "Stranger Things".

Kind of. ET & Goonies are the completely obvious comparisons...but with every sliver of humor or joy removed, and set in a universe filled entirely with unhappy & unlikable people.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

Old but whatever, but I binge watched The Good Wife over the past few weeks and enjoyed it.

Also watched all of BoJack Horseman Season 3 and was gobsmacked by how good it was, but can totally see it as an acquired taste.

Umm...Suits new season is back and it's good, but that show is going to wear thin soon. Watched the final season of House of Lies and thought it went out fast but okay.

Enjoyed more than I thought the two SyFy Canadian shows Killjoys and Dark Matter. I think I liked Dark Matter more at first, but I might be back on the Killjoys side of the house.

For me, The Good Wife had some of the best writing for a TV show ever. Cast must have been a pleasure to write for too. I think Killjoys and Dark Matter are some of the best shows SYFY has put put over the last five years. Sadly that's not high praise given what they have put out over the last five years Killjoys has been better than expected, and has one of my favorite actors (Luke MacFarlane-D'avin) on it. The main cast is pretty good together, and there's enough mystery behind them to sustain a somewhat uninteresting plot of being intergalactic bounty hunters.

Dark Matter took a pretty generic theme (throw six people on a space ship with no memory of who they are and see what happens), and created an intriguing world around them. Cast has good chemistry between them, but I'm saddened by what happened to one of them this season. (even if he deserved it )

[Radii]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I haven't yet seen it, but what I have read seems to indicate that "Stranger Things" would appeal to people who are into 80s nostalgia. If you don't like that stuff, you aren't going to like "Stranger Things".

I don't care much about 80s nostalgia, though I'm not turned off by it either, and I absolutely loved Stranger Things. It does do a lot of 80s stereotype stuff but there is a legit good story being told within.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

Also watched all of BoJack Horseman Season 3 and was gobsmacked by how good it was, but can totally see it as an acquired taste.

I'm starting season 1 of Bojack tonight. I've heard too many people whose opinions I trust on TV tell me that I need to watch it.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Radii

I don't care much about 80s nostalgia, though I'm not turned off by it either, and I absolutely loved Stranger Things. It does do a lot of 80s stereotype stuff but there is a legit good story being told within.

Finished this yesterday and definitely agree.

[Marc Vaughan]

Stranger Things is awesome - just one more episode to watch and I'll have consumed everything possible in two days flat

A wonderful mix of ET, The Goonies and X-Files ..

[RainMaker]

So my new TV plan gives me HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax. Any good shows on Starz or Cinemax? I've already seen Banshee.

[thesloppy]

Strike Back is Cinemax's other quality offering. If you've never seen Spartacus you should watch all of that immediately.

[RainMaker]

I saw the first season of Spartacus years ago but didn't follow up because the main guy died in real life.

I need to check out Strike Back. Is The Knick any good?

[thesloppy]

I held off on the Knick for a while, but really enjoyed it when I ended up checking it out. Stuff like Strike Back and Spartacus is easier to recommend, because of explosions and swords and boobs (Spartacus recovers amazingly well from replacing several lead actors along the way FWIW), but The Knick is pretty unique. The quality or tone never really waivers, so you could probably just watch 10-20 minutes of the first episode and trust your judgment whether you'd enjoy the rest.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

So my new TV plan gives me HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax. Any good shows on Starz or Cinemax? I've already seen Banshee.

Showtime

Ray Donovan
Shameless
Homeland

[Butter]

Anyone watch ATLANTA on FX? I thought the first 2 episodes were really good... got through about 10 minutes of #3 last night before I was too tired to continue. Really liked it.

BETTER THINGS on the other hand, really did not like the pilot at all, despite my general enjoyment of most things Pamela Adlon.

[Easy Mac]

I read the synopses for the network Fall TV lineup to my wife the other night. The only one she seemed even remotely interested in was "This Is Us," mainly because I think she has a Parenthood sized hole in her TV watching heart.

Is it just me, or do network TV premises seem to be getting dumber and dumber. Everything seems to need a hook because no one wants to write/watch a normal TV show.

[Butter]

This Is Us looked so terrible during the Olympics. If it had a face, I'd want to punch it.

[RainMaker]

Season 2 of Narcos was a little slow. Still enjoyed it but they seemed to have used up too much material in Season 1.

Spoiler

I sort of wish the show would just end. A 20-episode series about catching Pablo Escobar is perfect. Maybe there are some other great stories to tell but I just don't know how that show moves forward without such a compelling figure like Escobar.

[RainMaker]

Is Bloodline worth watching? Love Kyle Chandler and it seemed to be up for some awards. But I've heard it's not that good from people with similar tastes.

Also are any of the Amazon shows worth the time. I like Man in the High Castle but haven't seen much else. Transparent wins awards but wondering if that's more because of the content it covers. The other shows didn't seem all that appealing although they have some new stuff up.