Hidden Gems on Paramount Plus

I figured we had one of these for the other streaming services and Paramount+ is rapidly adding good content.

Edit - I looked and didn't see a similar thread. If there is this can just die on the vine.

So Halo the Series. I'm not loving it, but I am sort of enjoying it. I didn't think that a Halo series could be a bit boring but here we are. The visuals are great. I even think the cast is good. But a series based on a combat game without a lot of combat? They really need to build up to something great to keep this train running.

Also, does there have to be a spunky teen in everything? I kind of want Soren to just turn her in for the bounty.

I subscribed because I really wanted to watch season 2 of Picard but I haven't bitten on the Halo series yet.

I've watched two eps of Halo and I'm enjoying it. If it was all combat then there would not be much story in it. I think it has done a good job of being sci-fi someone could watch without having to know a lot about Halo. The 2 eps has exposition and examples enough in regards to the Spartans, enemies, war and the state of humanity. Then we have a mystery device and the show expands from there.

Update: I enjoyed the Cortana character in the show. Sassy!

I'm enjoying the Halo show for what it is.

I'm not sure I think it's good, or even if I care, I'm having fun.

They're changing some things, obviously, for the show vs the game storyline but that's fine. Also the time period does mean they could build toward some version of The Fall of Reach as a finale or something.

I don't feel like that's what's coming, but it could be.

Yeah I'd like to see the Fall of Reach.

In the game and books is the UNSC as evil as it is in the show?

Cortana was great in ep 3. I haven’t really played Halo since Halo 3 but definitely into the action scenes so far. The way the UNSC is being portrayed is interesting too.

I'd also like to give some love to Evil and Lower Decks.

Lower Decks is the most I've enjoyed Trek in a long time. Evil is an amazing show with darkness, creepiness, and complex themes. We love it.

We haven't checked out Picard yet.

I'm sorry, but I just can't get over that Master Chief has his helmet off so much.

Evil is pretty good. The first half of the first season they got down then somehow lost a bit of their mojo in the last few episodes. We're watching S2 now and it started off kinda slow but now we're enjoying it.

There's an episode from season 1 we really enjoyed where kids get this song stuck in their head they can't stop singing. Season 2 has a good one with the "elevator game" and another one where they go to a monastery where you have to be silent.

Of course will recommend Survivor on there too. Australian Survivor in particular is really good. The season they did with All-Stars (S4?) was on of the best seasons of Survivor, US or other country.

At least we got some combat in the latest episode of Halo. And man, that teenage character is like nails on a chalkboard.

Overall I liked the first season of Halo. It isn't really a rehash of the game and I kind of like that about it.

A friend of mine just put me onto "Players". It's a mockumentary about a League of Legends team with growing pains made by the "American Vandal" crew. It's not as laugh out loud slapstick funny as AV but all the personalities are still pretty entertaining.

I don't play LoL, and don't know the terms, but they do a clear job explaining what is good and bad through the dialog and players actions.

That looks amusing will put it on my list. Thanks!

Lower Decks is back baby!

Sometime within the past couple of weeks Paramount+ began refusing to play ST: Lower Decks episodes for me, because I have an adblocker installed:

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/URYZp8I.png)

I am a Premium subscriber, which claims to be an ad-free experience (except for live TV and certain shows). Well, I was a subscriber. I just cancelled, letting them know exactly why I was cancelling, and that I would gladly resubscribe if they change their ad policy.

I gave in and turned off the ad blocker. So far, it’s just been one very short ad for another show on the service. Somewhere I found a FAQ about the issue, and their answer mentioned that third party things could show up as well, so I assume this will grow more obnoxious in the future.

EvilDead wrote:

A friend of mine just put me onto "Players". It's a mockumentary about a League of Legends team with growing pains made by the "American Vandal" crew. It's not as laugh out loud slapstick funny as AV but all the personalities are still pretty entertaining.

I watched this a few weeks ago and thought it was excellent. I actually liked it better than AV.

The guy that plays Cream Cheese deserves some kind of award. He played that character perfectly.

absurddoctor wrote:

I gave in and turned off the ad blocker. So far, it’s just been one very short ad for another show on the service. Somewhere I found a FAQ about the issue, and their answer mentioned that third party things could show up as well, so I assume this will grow more obnoxious in the future.

Yeah, I'm doing my part to help stave that off.

Also because there isn't anything I want to watch on P+ right now other than Lower Decks, and frankly that's not enough to hold me as a subscriber.

I Installed the ParamountPlusSKipper extention for Chrome, which automatically hits the skip button when Paramount pops it up. It lets you select skipping ads, next episodes, intros and recaps. Now I just get a very brief flash when these show up, takes almost no time.

I'll agree that it sucks that they force that ad on you when you are a paying subscriber. I will also agree it is like 15 sec and I ignore it anyway.

I continue to pay the sub year round JUST to support the fact that they are making so many Star Trek shows.

karmajay wrote:

they are making so many Star Trek show.

And good ones! It is wonderful to have Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks and Picard.

farley3k wrote:
karmajay wrote:

they are making so many Star Trek show.

And good ones! It is wonderful to have Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks and Picard.

YesYesNo.

EvilDead wrote:

A friend of mine just put me onto "Players". It's a mockumentary about a League of Legends team with growing pains made by the "American Vandal" crew. It's not as laugh out loud slapstick funny as AV but all the personalities are still pretty entertaining.

I don't play LoL, and don't know the terms, but they do a clear job explaining what is good and bad through the dialog and players actions.

I enjoyed it, also. It's kind of like "The League" where you don't have to know much about fantasy football to enjoy the show.

-BEP

Watched Strange New Worlds "All Those Who Wander" last night - it was pretty terrible. It felt like a formula episode. Generic monster, dark corridors, having to "trap" the monster, etc. Just boring in the extreme.
I really hope the last episode of the season it strong.

farley3k wrote:

I really hope the last episode of the season it strong.

I thought it did.

Another thumbs up for "Players". The show was well done and the characters felt believable and the humor was solid.

I adored 1883.

Frasier sequel series greenlit:

The new series will find psychiatrist/radio host Frasier Crane (Grammer) beginning the next phase of his life in a new city. The surviving members of the original cast — David Hyde Pierce’s Niles, Jane Leeves’ Daphne and Peri Gilpin’s Roz — aren’t expected to be regulars, though they could make guest appearances (John Mahoney, who played Frasier and Niles’ father, Martin Crane, died in 2018). The cast will feature new characters who populate Frasier’s life in his new home.
Dyni wrote:
EvilDead wrote:

A friend of mine just put me onto "Players". It's a mockumentary about a League of Legends team with growing pains made by the "American Vandal" crew. It's not as laugh out loud slapstick funny as AV but all the personalities are still pretty entertaining.

I watched this a few weeks ago and thought it was excellent. I actually liked it better than AV.

The guy that plays Cream Cheese deserves some kind of award. He played that character perfectly.

Yeah, so perfectly cringy but I still came out feeling kinda bad for him at points.

bepnewt wrote:

I enjoyed it, also. It's kind of like "The League" where you don't have to know much about fantasy football to enjoy the show.

Totally. If they make a second season I will resubscribe to Paramount.