The Golden Age of TV. So, what are you watching?

[ashmie]

I'm very keen to see Stranger Things but don't have Netflix right now. Has anyone watched Preacher yet? What are your thoughts?

Lovejoy: Hope you're feeling better. I was concerned. Also I wanted to tell you I watched the best episode of Lovejoy the other day called Flying the Flag. It deals with antiques from the War of Independence and the Boston Tea Party. The episode features a tabletop reenactment in the garden with real rocks and dirt, H.G. Wells style. In fact all of you guys should see it. Micheal Horden appears also.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0637192/

[me_in_japan]

@ashmie: Stranger Things would be right up your alley. One to watch for.

Re. preacher: yeah, I've up to episode 5 or so. It's pretty good, albeit the story is very different to the comic. Some stuff is the same, but characters and events are shifted around dramatically, and some stuff is just plain made up. So far, though, I like the principle cast, and the change in story keeps me watching. Defo worth checking out, I'd say, jut don't expect a carbon copy of the comic.

[ashmie]

We are re watching Game of Thrones from the beginning because neither of my parents have seen it. I'm reading A song of Ice and Fire alongside and really enjoying it a lot more as a result.
Thoroughly enjoyed Stranger Things.
Just started trying out shows on Amazon. I'm enjoying Preacher, Fear the Walking Dead (a fresh take on a slightly tired show), Vikings Season 2 and the new episodes of the X Files. Very impressed with episode 1.
I've dipped into The Man in the High Castle also. Although I enjoyed the book I'm not sure I want to dedicate all that time to exploring the topic for more than one season. It's like a season of Schindler s List. Very hard to watch imho, not sure my Grandad would approve and to be honest I find it all a bit in poor taste although they have handled the story well so far. Not exactly entertainment though rather alternative reality nightmare horror. I may stay with it I'm not sure. I do feel slightly glum after having watched these shows as good as they are. Preacher is the only thing that has me laughing and feeling entertained.

[Konrad]

Just got done with "Stranger Things". Loved it! E.T meets X-files. I think we all identify with the main characters rolling dice down in their parents' basement . Great cast. Great characters.
Just watched the first episode of "Luke Cage". Stokes and the crooked city councilwoman are just delicious baddies. The rest of it has not grabbed me yet. I almost fast-forwarded through the obligatory Luke-busts-up-local-thugs-extorting-from-landlord scene. But it took a couple of episodes for "Jessica Jones" to get rolling, so we'll give it a couple more episodes.

[me_in_japan]

odd that. I came here to post about my latest TV viewings, but saw Konrad had posted yesterday. How come for so it didn't show up in my "recent posts" click? Hmmn? riddle me that...

Anyway, In connection with what ser konrad just wrote, I have been watching a bloody large amount of TV of late. In no particular order...

Stranger Things: very good, start to finish. Everything Konrad said, basically.
Gotham, season 1: also very good. Think of it less as a Batman TV show than as a somewhat noirish detective procedural. It's a good show, peppered throughout with well known characters. The chap playing newly-minted detective Gordon is a bit meh, but Jada Pinkett Smith as his evil gangster nemesis Fish Mooney is excellent, and Sean Pertwee shines as a grumpy Alfred to a still-a-wee-boy Bruce Wayne. Definitely worth a watch. Season 2 is done on regular TV, but is yet to make an appearance on J-netflix.
Game of Thrones Seasons 2-6: Um. yeah. Everybody should watch this. I put it off for ages because, frankly, I couldn't be arsed catching up on 5 seasons worth, but eventually bit the bullet due to season 6 taking place further down the timeline than any of the books and I wanted to know what happened next. Tbh, the show handles the events of A Dance With Dragons better than GRRM does, introducing far fewer unnecessary characters and cutting out a lot of pointless travel related meanderings. There are a number of standout episodes, but Battle of the Bastards (seaon 6 ep 9) devotes about 40 minutes to the best depiction of a close combat melee I've ever seen, including Holywood's best offerings. The cast is stonking, the plot is twisty, and there are fricking huge great battles against hordes of the undead. And also dragons. Huge great flying fire breathing destructo-beasts. great stuff
Luke Cage: Currently on ep 9 (of 13). It starts somewhat slow, but really improves after a few episodes. As with Gotham, the villain(s) engage you more than the hero, but hey ho, nowt wrong with cheering for the bad guys

overall, yes indeedy, we are living in the golden age of TV

ps, I have been hearing good things about a show called The Expanse, and hey ho guess what...http://deadline.com/2016/10/space-drama ... 201834745/
So, early November it is then

[Primarch]

Gotham is really good if you ignore Jim Gordon. Aside from the fact that he has as much charisma as a shop mannequin, the writers really don't know what to do with him. He's a black and white character in a world full of vibrant, colourful and exciting villains. When the writers do try to make him edgy, he just comes across as woefully inconsistent.
Episode 1 - I will never betray my morals.
Episode 2 - Betrays morals.
Episode 3 - I will never betray my morals.
On the other hand, Ed, Oswald and later Hugo are all amazing characters. Fish is good too, Mrs Smith clearly showing where the talent lies in that family.
Sean Pertwee is a great actor, but his Alfred is a little too salt of the Earth to be honest. The Alfred in the comics always had a sense of class about him, a real Gentleman's Gentleman. Pertwee's interpretation will "Tuck you up like a kipper, my son." Good actor, good acting, but probably the one that falls furthest from the books.

Recently, I haven't been watching a lot. There are a few things I want to see, but nearly all my free time is being spent on stuff for Overlord. The only time I watch TV is when I do the ironing, so I can only see a couple of hours a week.
I'm currently up to the middle of season 4 of Vikings. I've heard some criticism of it, but I'm really enjoying it. To begin with it mainly focuses on the Vikings themselves, but later expands to a larger cast including Saxons and Franks as well. As with a lot of recent shows, GoT seems to have had some influence on it, (everyone is sleeping with everyone and then betraying them), but it manages to be something different and doesn't mow down cast members by the dozen, so you actually care when someone does die.

[ashmie]

Recently enjoyed: Stranger Things, Preacher and Walking Dead season 6

Stranger Things has been the highlight this year, it's perfect and does everything any self respecting fan of 80s nostalgia and Stephen King would want it to.
Walking Dead finally picks up the pace again with season 6 and we get the best season since 3 imho. Epic stuff.
Preacher does what is says on the cover and offers you a nicely condensed version of the comics in one season. We meet most of characters from the whole stretch of comics. Slightly drawn out maybe but I guess they want to make the story last several seasons. In the words of my brother in law "I haven't seen it yet but I heard the girl who plays Tulip is black! Nothing wrong with that of course, just I was surprised". Oh Devon. Bless.

Keen to see Gotham, Dark Matter and Black Mirror. Also very excited for doing a Halloween marathon this year for movies.

Currently watching Game of Thrones season 5 and the last Downton Abbey (no spoilers please).
Game of Thrones really gets better and better on production value doesn't it. Didn't enjoy 4 as much but this season seems to have a finer edge to the acting and cinematography.

[Konrad]

I don't know if my nerves can handle another season of Walking Dead. Season two of "Ash vs Evil Dead" ought be be starting any day now, right?
I should check out Preacher. I never read the comic, but I was a huge John Constantine fan. I hear it was in the same vein. I should give "Constantine" a watch, for that matter.
Looking forward to more "Game of Thrones". The bit at the end with the (don't mind me while I chop this spoiler, eh?-MiJ) was a bit clumsy, but oh man that final scene of the (and this wee bit, too) , dragons swooping overhead, yes indeed, the production is just top notch.

[Spevna]

Black Mirror.

Each episode is a one of story, and there's nothing connecting any of the stories or characters.

Each story deals with the impact of technology on our lives and covers everything from people's dependency on "likes" to the integration of virtual reality and the military.

Well worth a watch, but not when the kids are around.

[Konrad]

Black Mirror.

Each episode is a one of story, and there's nothing connecting any of the stories or characters.

Each story deals with the impact of technology on our lives and covers everything from people's dependency on "likes" to the integration of virtual reality and the military.

Well worth a watch, but not when the kids are around.

Holy crap, yes. I just watched the first two episodes. Twilight Zone for the 21st (and quite likely 22nd) century.