New TV Season 2019-20

West World seemed like an even blend of 90's/00's sci fi concepts explored as lightly as possible with incoherent writing. Played straight, season three could've been interesting, but instead followed the pattern:

1) Oh this new thing could be interesting
2) Reveal!
3) It was dumb and irrelevant all along

It's only narrative value is in a compare/contrast with Devs with Upload as garnish. I don't hate it. The style and performances remain interesting to watch. Just wish it was servicing something.

My hot take on where things will go with Westworld next season, I will spoil tag them, but I will just be guessing. I don't read about the shows I like to watch. So I have no inside info on where things might go.

Spoiler:

I assume everything will have gone to sh*t and from that final scene in the last episode, years will have passed. The world will be post apocalyptic. But I could be totally wrong.

Gaald wrote:

I just finished watching season 3 of Westworld. I am still really enjoying the show. Anyone else watch it?

Yep. Dedicated thread is here.

I liked S3. It had some flaws, and I don't think it was quite as good as S1 or S2. I did like that a lot of it was very cyberpunk. I think my favorite thing about it may have been Thandie Newton's acting.

Currently in the middle of S3 of Killing Eve, I wouldn't be surprised to see both her and Jodie Comer up for another Emmy, and I can't decide between the two.

So I’m thinking of finally starting Snowpiercer. This will be a solo viewing, as just bringing up the film still makes Teresa wince.

I’m just not sure my brain needs the ultimate dystopian nightmare right now. But it might be exactly what it needs.

Jayhawker wrote:

So I’m thinking of finally starting Snowpiercer. This will be a solo viewing, as just bringing up the film still makes Teresa wince.

I’m just not sure my brain needs the ultimate dystopian nightmare right now. But it might be exactly what it needs.

I've just watched the first episode. It's changed quite a bit from the 2013 film (and I assume the comic) and it's a bit uneven. But it is quite compelling. Jennifer Connelly brings a degree of class and sophistication to the whole endevour that certainly raises it above average. There is a clonking great big reveal at the end of the first episode that certainly means it's going to be nothing like where the film ends up.

So the first season of Vagrant Queen is done. I liked it to begin with, but thought it got better as it progressed.

In a case of life imitates art, the season finale turned out to be particularly relevant to current political events.

Spoiler: Season Spoiler

In a flashback, we see that the Queen Mother actually assassinated the King to prevent him from sending military troops to quell demonstrators that were protesting against the monarchy.

Unfortunately, SyFy booted the series from 10PM Friday to 11PM Thursday to finish its first season run, so they're almost certainly going to cancel it.

Sorbicol wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

So I’m thinking of finally starting Snowpiercer. This will be a solo viewing, as just bringing up the film still makes Teresa wince.

I’m just not sure my brain needs the ultimate dystopian nightmare right now. But it might be exactly what it needs.

I've just watched the first episode. It's changed quite a bit from the 2013 film (and I assume the comic) and it's a bit uneven. But it is quite compelling. Jennifer Connelly brings a degree of class and sophistication to the whole endevour that certainly raises it above average. There is a clonking great big reveal at the end of the first episode that certainly means it's going to be nothing like where the film ends up.

Yeah, I’m three episodes in now. I think it is an interesting take. I also think it would have made more sense to lead with that twist. It definitely turns it into a different genre,

Spoiler:

train murder mystery

, that some that were turned off by the film may have given this a chance.

So I've watched through Devs on the BBC iPlayer, it's Alex Garlands latest musing on the nature of human existence and reality following on from Ex Machina.

I really enjoyed it. It's a slow burn, which is so rare these days and it takes time to develop characters as well as the central plot and themes of the show. However, it treads this continual tightrope between thought-provoking intelligent drama and slightly overblown Sci-Fi B movie pretentiousness that I'm not entire sure it always get right. It's certainly not as original or profound as it thinks it is, but it does ask the right philosophical questions and gets you thinking. It's also - as far as I can tell - moderately scientifically literate which helps a lot.

I'd recommend to be honest. Not perfect, but pretty damn good all the same.

I really liked Devs, but I can't quite put my finger on WHY I liked it so much.
Sure, I started watching because of Nick Offerman, who was really, really great.
I also got to enjoy hating Zach Grenier's character; something I've loved doing since 2010 in The Good Wife

I can, in typical 2020 fashion, pin point a number of issues I had with the mini series.
I'm trying to become a better person in 2020 so I won't. Granted, 2020 has lowered the bar significantly on what being a decent person is, but still...

Overall, I'm happy this type of show got made, with this cast and with such production values.
It really does feel like the Golden Age of television when everything gets a chance to reach its audience.

Sorbicol wrote:

Devs ...
However, it treads this continual tightrope between thought-provoking intelligent drama and slightly overblown Sci-Fi B movie pretentiousness that I'm not entire sure it always get right. It's certainly not as original or profound as it thinks it is, but it does ask the right philosophical questions and gets you thinking. It's also - as far as I can tell - moderately scientifically literate which helps a lot.

I'd recommend to be honest. Not perfect, but pretty damn good all the same.

Completely agree. It's right on the line of serious sci fi, but not quite. I think you could tweak some of the sci fi explanations, and edit out 80% of the "ya gotta have conflict" filler, and you'd end up with a classic.

Seems like this last round of tv shows have at least three of them (independently?) exploring the same sci fi conceit. They all have an air of, "this is a neat idea that many people have explored for decades, but we don't wanna have to read so we're gonna wing it."

I'm half way done with season 3 of Black Sails and really liking it. Season 1 was so but season 2 was much better and season 3 is rocking it. Someone just dropped their treasure island name and it was epic.

I thought season one was really weak and bailed out at the time it was airing, but I've added it to the queue (Netflix).

Yeah, season 1 was really trashy, but it changes drastically in Season 2 and beyond. The last season is amazing. I always loved Treasure Island, so a show like that was a real treat for me. I'd almost suggest skipping season 1 and watching a recap to anyone new to it just because it's not representative of what the show becomes.

Lucifer Season 5a is to start on Neflix on August 21st.

Nevin73 wrote:

Lucifer Season 5a is to start on Neflix on August 21st.

WHAAAAA!?

Has anyone watched the new HBO Perry Mason? My wife and I stopped 30 minutes into the first episode because baby woke up and I am not sure if it’s going to be good. The cast are great, the costumes and period is awesome but he’s not a defence attorney. I saw the name and thought it would be on point to do a show where the DA and police were the antagonists over a strict three act structure , but I think that show is only in my head.

DoveBrown wrote:

Has anyone watched the new HBO Perry Mason? My wife and I stopped 30 minutes into the first episode because baby woke up and I am not sure if it’s going to be good. The cast are great, the costumes and period is awesome but he’s not a defence attorney. I saw the name and thought it would be on point to do a show where the DA and police were the antagonists over a strict three act structure , but I think that show is only in my head.

I've been meaning to. Trailer was cool.

Perry Mason is good! It's like watching LA Noire without all the crappy gameplay.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. I watched the season finale tonight and it was certainly dreadful. The build up to what I thought was going to be a crazy climax quickly deflated into a melodramatic mess. Blurgh. I'm done watching this particular series.

tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Perry Mason is good! It's like watching LA Noire without all the crappy gameplay.

Any excuse to watch Tatiana Maslany after Orphan Black.

Rat Boy wrote:
tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Perry Mason is good! It's like watching LA Noire without all the crappy gameplay.

Any excuse to watch Tatiana Maslany after Orphan Black.

Yeah, but she's such an ass in this show so far. I'm guessing she's a very self-aware grifter who isn't remotely religious.

tuffalobuffalo wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:
tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Perry Mason is good! It's like watching LA Noire without all the crappy gameplay.

Any excuse to watch Tatiana Maslany after Orphan Black.

Yeah, but she's such an ass in this show so far. I'm guessing she's a very self-aware grifter who isn't remotely religious.

So, Rachel.

tuffalobuffalo wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:
tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Perry Mason is good! It's like watching LA Noire without all the crappy gameplay.

Any excuse to watch Tatiana Maslany after Orphan Black.

Yeah, but she's such an ass in this show so far. I'm guessing she's a very self-aware grifter who isn't remotely religious.

So, Rachel.

Gaald wrote:

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. I watched the season finale tonight and it was certainly dreadful. The build up to what I thought was going to be a crazy climax quickly deflated into a melodramatic mess. Blurgh. I'm done watching this particular series.

Yeah, I'm not even sure what was happening at the very end. If there is a second season, I may tune in simply because it is a family thing, but it isn't great entertainment.

I'm really liking the second season of the new Twilight Zone. Big improvement over season 1.

The Alienist season 2 starts tonight. I thought this was cancelled. The book is great.

Baron Of Hell wrote:

The Alienist season 2 starts tonight. I thought this was cancelled. The book is great.

The show was so dark that we could get through 3 or 4 episodes before we had to stop.

Baron Of Hell wrote:

The Alienist season 2 starts tonight. I thought this was cancelled. The book is great.

The first book was great, second book was okay, "third" book (not a direct sequel) was bizarre and made it very hard to suspend my disbelief.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Baron Of Hell wrote:

The Alienist season 2 starts tonight. I thought this was cancelled. The book is great.

The first book was great, second book was okay, "third" book (not a direct sequel) was bizarre and made it very hard to suspend my disbelief.

I didn't know there was a third book.