New season talk type thread thing.

[TezzRexx]

Yeah it went very poor towards the end. Shame really. A one off might be just the kind of a situation it needs to be good again, as it was probably the episodic formula, with most of the good ideas used up and then squashed into half an hour that restricted it so much.

[FatherJack]

Breaking Bad
I'm up to the end of season 4 now, and god damn is this a bloody good show. Great writing, great acting, and real edge of the seat stuff at times.

Still yet to see this despite recommendations from many quarters. I'm not typically fussed about things set in a real, normal world, but this seems to have enough quirks about it that I should take a look.

My nothing-but-soaps-or-Accident-Hospital-or-Period-Drama-or-Christie Mum recently saw Skyfall and rather enjoyed it after she took my general (not Skyfall-specific) recommendation that 'good is good no matter what genre' when I was discussing how I was expanding my own viewing to things she liked, like detective series and Jane Austin stuff. I don't always like things everybody else likes though, and the more vehemently other people like things kinda prejudices me into viewing them more critically.

Castle
Surprisingly still good. I've said it before, but this show will never set the world on fire however it is just down to basics good fun. Lots of nice references in there to other TV shows too (especially Firefly).

I'm finding it hard to determine new episodes from old from the programme descriptions, as they always seem a little vague and I can almost watch a repeat as comfortably-enjoyably as a new show - it's kind of Easy-Watching. I wouldn't say it's a bland show, but as you say it's not one to wait for with baited breath. It is interesting how things like credit-checks and stuff they run on suspects is starting to become more reported in actual real-world investigations such as the suspect's Google search logs in a recent high-profile case.

The Wire
Why has it taken me so long to watch this? I know this is a habit of mine, only getting into things years after they were relevant, but I think I deliberately avoided this just in case it wasn't as good as everyone said it was. Well, it is that good. Only up to season 4, but it's been 100% quality every second I've watched so far.

I got part-way through the first series of this but it kind of fell off my radar. The characters didn't really have any stand-out individuals that I remember now - perhaps too many were introduced too quickly and I never got a clear idea of where each of them stood vis-à-vis the law and the grey area of being in too deep.

Game of Thrones
There's always been a lot of blood, violence, and death since this started, but as series 3 progresses I'm convinced the majority of deaths will be caused by boredom. Jesus, it's gone so fucking dull.

Hmm, just catching up with this. I'm currently reading book 5, so the TV series is in the fairly distant past, but I'm enjoying seeing how they portray the characters and tell the story I already know. The younger (or I should say smaller to encompass Tyrion) actors have particularly impressed me - although (perhaps understandably) they have aged them all by 2-4 years over the books, which kind of breaks the immersion a little in some scenes. I'm not seeing quite the impact in the second series as the first had, though.

[Thompy]

I never got back into Breaking Bad. The (not much of a spoiler)

Spoiler:

collapse of the more ensemble cast and the almost completely separate lives the two main characters started living

really bothered me. Obviously I got something different from the show as while I too recommended it wildly I was most impressed with season 1 whereas everyone else said that was the worst. I really should watch it all though.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIom3LSbB0I[/media]

[spoodie]

Vikings (recently added to Lovefilm)

Watched the first two 45 minute episodes last night and could have easily watched another, it's great. It's very easy to compare it to Game of Thrones, probably not quite as good, but easier to get into. The story is much simpler, so far, but good characters, scenery and costumes, just like GoT. The brief bits of CGI look a bit crappy, but forgiveable.

[HereComesPete]

Game of Thrones

There's always been a lot of blood, violence, and death since this started, but as series 3 progresses I'm convinced the majority of deaths will be caused by boredom. Jesus, it's gone so fucking dull.

I've just watched the latest episode and you are now wrong, all of the wrong.

[Roman Totale]

It has taken them until the penultimate episode to get going though. That aside, it was a cracking episode.

[Roman Totale]

Arrested Development - Season 4

Available in full (15 episodes) on Netflix. It's back, and it's awesome. Minor change to the format in that it all takes place over a small period of time, but each episode focusing on one character's perspective. It took me a couple of episodes to get back into, but god damn it's so rich, layered and funny. I'm watching it through again and you pick up so much extra stuff

[Joose]

Under the Dome

Just started this week. Its based on a Stephen King book, and is being made by Brian K Vaughn. You lot probably would only know of Vaughn as the guy who wrote some of Lost, which would understandably cause concern, but he also writes a lot of comics (Ex Machina, Y: The Last Man, Runaways and Saga) that are all excellent. So he can make a good story.

The show seems to have got off to a fairly good start. Its very much about the characters reaction to the situation rather than the situation itself, and there are a fair amount of characters, so don't be surprised if you are a little lost as to what's going on after the first episode. If its anything at all like the book it should be easy to get used to the large cast after a fairly short time though, as they are all very distinct personalities.

If you have read the book you will probably notice that it diverges somewhat from the source material. That's inevitable when converting any book to tv/film though: some things need to be dropped because of time constraints, so sometimes characters and storylines have to be altered also to make the story still work with the missing elements. Apparently King has been heavily involved and approves of all the changes made.

My only concern is this: I have two major criticisms of Kings books. Although I really enjoy his writing, he has a tendency to lose it a bit towards the end, with a lot of his books ending with a bit of a disappointing "ahh, fuck it, I don't know. Magic and/or Aliens, the end" feeling. Much as I enjoyed the Dome book, it very much had this problem. Strong start, strong characters, strong development of both characters and storyline, sudden slightly crappy ending that comes a bit out of nowhere. The other criticism is that King tends to quite obviously write himself as the main character, but that's not relevant here as the Dome is one of the books where he hasn't done that.

Vaughn sort of shares this tendency. Everyone knows Losts ending was considered by many to be a bit random and wanky. Y: The Last Man was brilliant, but the end was a little "bwuh?" Ex Machina went *seriously* weird towards the end. I'm not sure it was necessarily bad-weird, but it was definitely weird.

So, we have a writer who consistently writes good books with weak endings, and the guy converting it to TV also writes really good things with weak endings. You can see where my concern is.

It says a lot that despite both writers ending problems I still really enjoy the works of both because everything else is so good, but...well, I guess we will have to wait for more episodes to see if that's the case here.

Conclusion: Decent if not pant wettingly brilliant start, high chance of a truly wank season end.

[FatherJack]

So, we have a writer who consistently writes good books with weak endings, and the guy converting it to TV also writes really good things with weak endings. You can see where my concern is.

Indeed, but the odd thing about TV-series is that they often don't end - either because they carry on, or they get unexpectedly cancelled, so maybe with those guys we just have to accept the best bits are through the start and middle.

King is as prolific as he is legendary as a writer and an inspiration to many wishing to take up writing with the clarity he delivers in setting up scenes and moods, as well as the way he brings something a little bit quirky to each new work (like the way he typographed characters thoughts in Carrie, which heavily influenced me into taking more interest in the printed word). When he's not writing, he seems to have an almost full-time job reading and reviewing other people's work, so I guess it's not massively surprising that his novels tend to end abruptly, almost as if he's already more enthusiastically working on that next project, which I can totally understand - he's prolific because he's learned how to get stuff out of the door in an acceptable state instead of setting it aside to be polished ad infinitum to unattainable perfection, when all the publishers want is something to sell now.

[Dog Pants]

I have two major criticisms of Kings books. Although I really enjoy his writing, he has a tendency to lose it a bit towards the end, with a lot of his books ending with a bit of a disappointing "ahh, fuck it, I don't know. Magic and/or Aliens, the end" feeling. (...) The other criticism is that King tends to quite obviously write himself as the main character

Fucking this. I spotted it a few years back and look for it in every book now. You forgot God, he sometimes makes an appearance as a deus ex machina. Him being the main character is, as you say, really obvious. I noticed both these points reading Desperation (main character is a novelist), and I'm currently reading 11/22/63 (main character is an English teacher). Despite it all, the actual bones of the storyline are always enjoyable. My Dad has been recommending reading The Dome ever since he bought me my Kindle.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

I had a realisation last night (on the bog, of course)

I've noticed, that while both in their final seasons, feelings towards Dexter and Breaking Bad are massively different.

I'm finding myself predicting the plot of Dexter fairly reliably and while i'm still watching it, I'm not quite sure why a lot of the time, I kinda just wanna get to the end. Thinking about it a little more, they've done the nearly gets caught thing to death, and while it's not quite turned into an everyplot like house was, it's pretty fucking close to being the same every season.

On the other hand, Breaking Bad is continuing to surprise and impress me, I'm really not bored of it, but I can see why It's ending now, I think it'd degrade like dexter has if they managed to keep it going much longer.

[Roman Totale]

On the other hand, Breaking Bad is continuing to surprise and impress me, I'm really not bored of it, but I can see why It's ending now

I often find myself slack jawed in awe at the end of Breaking Bad episodes. I'm glad they're ending it on a high - too many decent shows drag on so long you end up hating them.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Thinking about it, way, way too many shows have gone that way.

So far this century:
CSI (all of em after 2 seasons)
House (every plot is similar, every plot is great, if it wasn't for hugh laurie, this show would make you irate)
Burn notice (3 seasons was enough)
Chuck (3 seasons I think did it, maybe 2)
Dexter (Good for a start, them meh)
Heroes (One season wonder)
Warehouse 13/Eureka (both good for a couple of seasons, but just... meh now)
Anything with Seth mcfarlane's involvement*


*aside from the cleveland show, that's always been shit.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

http://mobile.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/ ... ening.html

Breaking bad spinoff, better call saul.

I'm scared

[spoodie]

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 9 has recently started. It's brilliant! Although I don't think it's ever been broadcast in the UK, all previous seasons are on Netflix.

Does the name make it sounds "nice"? Because it's not, those people are arseholes.

[Mr. Johnson]

I started watching it after you mentioned it in the pacific rim post, and I have to say I really love it. I'm only up to season 4 or something but it's a simple enough concept to keep going. Also, whilst Charlie Day is supposed to be the most annoying character he is actually the most sympathetic as the others are complete sociopaths. Really loving Devito in this too, he's perfect for the role.

[spoodie]

I'm glad you're enjoying it and I'm surprised it's not more popular. The few people I've got to start watching it have got hooked. DeVito is disgustingly hilarious.

[Anery]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3T-evQZiQo[/media]

So we've already done a bit of sex wee over this right? Because it starts next week.
Can Joss Whedon ever do a series with totally new people he has never worked with? I expect to see at least one Firefly cast member in the series.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Dexter: the final disappointment.

Seriously, it was one of the worst episodes they've made, even compared to that really terrible season with the bloke with 3rd rock from the sun.

The whole thing was a giant cop-out leaving it open enough for another season/spin off.

[fabyak]

I'm just on that series at the moment, got to agree it's not one of the best. Certainly don't watch Dexter for the family moments