Topic: The TV Show Thread

@Yousef-
True Detective seasons seem to have the same number curse of the Star Trek films but in reverse where the odd ones are better than the even. Season 1 and 3 are good. Season 2 kind of sucks, and Season 4 has it's fans but is incredibly divisive. It's been renewed so we will see if Season 5 continues that trend.

@Yousef- The first season of True Dick is one of my fave tv series. It maybe go deep with the philosophical monologues for some, but i found it riveting from start to finish.

Season 3 of "Industry" just dropped on BBC iPlayer in the UK... a pretty solid show, almost like a UK-based finance/stock version of Succession (although obviously nowhere near as good as that absolute masterpiece!)

Kit Harrington joins the S3 cast, and I am astounded genuinely by how great he is. He plays silver-spooned nepobaby, dripping in 'old money' and using his status to push a new green-based energy IPO to market....an amazing mix of childlike petulance with a tinge of menace. I never really rated in Kit in GoT, but he is so in his element in Industry S3!

Plot threads are strong so far, and its definitely an entertaining watch. The drugs/sex seem a little overforced, as they did with previous seasons, but ultimately I am loving the ride.

Been looking forward to this season for a while.

@JohnnyShoulder that’s what made me gravitate towards it. “Weird detective” dramas are typically my thing, the monologues are the best parts.

@CJD87 For a surprisingly funny turn from Kit Harrington, check out the excellent 7 Days in Hell, a mockumentary about the world's longest tennis match.
Will check to see if "Industry" is available in my neck of the woods. Now, I'm that one person in the world that didn't like "Succession" as I'm completely burnt out on shows and movies where every single character is a deplorable a$$wipe and there's no one to root for, so if "Industry" is similar in that regard, it may not be for me.

@Yousef @JohnnyShoulder @PegasusActual93
I'd rank the True Detective seasons as follows:

Season 1
Season 3
Season 4
Season 2

What that doesn't really tell you is how much better that first season is compared to the rest. It also doesn't tell you that the 3rd and 4th, while wildly different, are imo hard to rank against each other. It's almost a tie honestly. This list also makes it seem like maybe season 2 sucks but it doesn't. Season 2 is just the most un-True Detective of them all. So watch it like a crime thriller miniseries that's not at all associated with anything and appreciate what are some pretty incredible performances.

Edit: sorry I wrote 4 but meant 2, now fixed

This. I don't mind an anti-hero but this thing where everyone is just a disgusting human being... I just can't. Feel like I'm exposed to plenty of that irl.

@zupertramp Yeah season 2 i still enjoyed but was nowhere as good as the firt season. Vince Vaughn's performance is almost worth watching it. I've yet to see season's 3 and 4.

@Yousef- If you’re looking for detective things then definitely watch Perry Mason, it’s brilliant and I’m still gutted that it got cancelled after 2 seasons. I really loved Penny Dreadful: City of Angels as well despite not loving the parent show but that’s another one that got cancelled too soon and got a bit of review bombing.

@nessisonett
Perry Mason and Tokyo Vice both being cancelled were the two biggest blunders on HBO's part lately for me. But at the same time both shows ended with just about every ongoing plotline tied up so it's not like we were left hanging on a cliffhanger or anything. Therefore I still recommend watching both shows if you like crime dramas/detective shows.

@FuriousMachine I'll check out 7 days - just did a quick check and the cast list is insane! (Jon Hamm... Michael Sheen... Karen Gillan!)

OK so Industry isn't quite as malicious as Succession, and there are genuinely a few characters to root for, but it might not be for you. Give it a whirl and watch the first couple, if it doesn't click then give it a miss mate

I dunno if it says something about the state of the BBC’s output but I’ve really been enjoying BBC Two and Four’s delving into the archive. TOTP has become a weekly routine, into 1996 now which is super fun. Think it was Life on Mars that got the reunion introduction this week on Four, which I was too young to watch at the time but should really get to. BBC Two’s Kirsty MacColl night was great too, kinda forgot just how many great songs she had.

@CJD87 I see the first two series are available on Max here, so I'll give it a try when I next have an active Max subscription

@PegasusActual93 I've avoided the second season of both due to fears of them ending with cliffhangers (little frustrates me more), but thanks to you, now they are back on my list.
I would love for there to be a site where one could check to see if a given show that has been cancelled/ended has a satisfying conclusion or not, spoiler free. Maybe a rating that gives an indication of how wrapped up a show feels. I don't mind if a show leaves things open for a season that never shows, as long as things serve well as an ending.
For example, "The Passage", a vampire show based on some of my favourite novels, ends the season on a massive time jump to set the stage for the second season, but that "tag" also serves as a satisfying ending, allowing the viewer to imagine what that future looks like.

But, until such a site is found, I think I'll just ask here in the future

@FuriousMachine I can't stand cliffhangers. When there is one at the end of an episode, I have to watch the next one until there is a statisfactory outcome. Ones at the end of a season as there is not much you can do about it, apart from not watching it in first place, but I never look into that kind of stuff.

@JohnnyShoulder I don't mind a cliffhanger as long as I know it will be resolved at one point (I can even stand waiting for that to happen the following season), but, alas, all too often, shows are cancelled without any resolution.
The CW was consistently good at handling that problem for a while, with renewing a series for a shortened season or a TV movie in order to tie up any loose ends and allowing the showrunners to end a series gracefully. As a result, it was easier to take a chance on a new show, because it felt fairly certain that you wouldn't be cheated out of a proper finale (whether that finale was any good or not, was another matter, though).

I gotta say The Penguin on Max is genuinely fantastic television. I'm always interested to check out DC stuff as I feel like they usually take a lot more risks, and this is one of those occasions where it has really worked out. Just an incredible cast of characters delivering great writing combined with gorgeous visuals throughout. I was afraid the second episode wouldn't live up to the highs of the first, but the show didn't slow down in the slightest. Aside from Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti is also just an absolute standout. She deliciously chews the scenery with Sofia and I can't get enough of her on my screen. I don't think that comes as a surprise to anyone familiar with her previous work however, but I'm glad she got a great role to work with here.

@Tjuz Agreed, Milioti is fantastic (and scary) in this! Third episode doesn't drop here until tomorrow, but I'll be all over it when it does. Excellent so far.

EDIT: I was also very pleased to see Theo Rossi, Clancy Brown and the always brilliant Shohreh Aghdashloo in this

@Tjuz I’ve been completely out on DC shows and I am intrigued by The Penguin. Does it have any important connections to the other DC live action shows or can it be watching independently? I haven’t watched Pennyworth, Watchmen, Doom Patrol, Peacemaker, any of the CW shows except the first couple seasons of Arrow, etc. I have seen The Batman, however.

@FuriousMachine As far as I've now read from critics, it sounds like the whole season is very tightly paced and a very well constructed package. I guess that means we won't have to worry it suddenly starts dropping off at some point in the season! The third episode just dropped here today as well, but I haven't seen it yet. Excited to dig my teeth into it. And I agree, Shohreh Aghdashloo is fantastic and I hope they give her some good scripts to work with here.

@Th3solution It's completely disconnected from any of the other shows. I think I'd be horrified if Stephen Amell were to suddenly show up, haha. All you'd need to know is The Batman (though they anyway recap the relevant events at the start of the season), so you're good to go and jump in. Let us know what you think! (And watch Watchmen already, it's incredible)