Octopus Overlords

Malificent wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 10:39 am BTW, I super recommend the TV Time app (https://www.tvtime.com/) - I use to keep track of what I'm watching and what I want to watch and it notifies me when new shows get started. It happily reminded me that Upload started and wife and I watched the first 2 season 2 episodes last night. I had forgotten how quick the episodes go.

Anyway, it's a very good app. Also does movies, although I use Lettrboxd for that.

That is awesome. I have been tracking this stuff manually in a Note and this feels like magic.

coopasonic wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:19 am

Malificent wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 10:39 am BTW, I super recommend the TV Time app (https://www.tvtime.com/) - I use to keep track of what I'm watching and what I want to watch and it notifies me when new shows get started. It happily reminded me that Upload started and wife and I watched the first 2 season 2 episodes last night. I had forgotten how quick the episodes go.

Anyway, it's a very good app. Also does movies, although I use Lettrboxd for that.

That is awesome. I have been tracking this stuff manually in a Note and this feels like magic.

That is awesome. I have been tracking this stuff manually in OneNote and this feels like magic.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:37 pm

Max Peck wrote: ↑Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:59 am

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 11:42 pm Four episodes into Reacher. I read the first book years ago, but don't really remember much of it. But watching the show, one thing stood out: Reacher is blatantly autistic.

I'm not sure that "blatantly" is quite the term I'd use. A lot of people agree that the character appears to be on the spectrum, but as yet there is no clear indication that it is an intentional aspect of the portrayal. Apparently Jack Reacher is something of a Mary Sue, so perhaps a more interesting question would be "Is Lee Child autistic?"

In the books, maybe (again, it's been a decade + since I read the only one of the series I read.) But as someone who spends every day surrounded by autism (and soaking in it), I felt the portrayal was pretty blatant.

The internalized emotion combined with a flat demeanor, the blunt, overly-to-the-point responses (something I've learned to watch for, as it is something I do far too often), the literalness, the way he obsesses over a few narrow interests and views, the way he comes off as both clueless and brilliant at the same time, the social awkwardness. Some of that is the character as written, but a bunch of it is in the portrayal.

And, to be honest, it's kind of awesome. There are few enough 'good' examples of what it's like to be autistic. It'll be nice to have people able to say, "Like Jack Reacher" instead of invoking Sheldon Cooper (whose mannerism aren't autism, they're dickism.)

I watched the first couple of episodes today. I see your point.

Max Peck wrote: ↑Wed Mar 23, 2022 12:31 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:37 pm

Max Peck wrote: ↑Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:59 am

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 11:42 pm Four episodes into Reacher. I read the first book years ago, but don't really remember much of it. But watching the show, one thing stood out: Reacher is blatantly autistic.

I'm not sure that "blatantly" is quite the term I'd use. A lot of people agree that the character appears to be on the spectrum, but as yet there is no clear indication that it is an intentional aspect of the portrayal. Apparently Jack Reacher is something of a Mary Sue, so perhaps a more interesting question would be "Is Lee Child autistic?"

In the books, maybe (again, it's been a decade + since I read the only one of the series I read.) But as someone who spends every day surrounded by autism (and soaking in it), I felt the portrayal was pretty blatant.

The internalized emotion combined with a flat demeanor, the blunt, overly-to-the-point responses (something I've learned to watch for, as it is something I do far too often), the literalness, the way he obsesses over a few narrow interests and views, the way he comes off as both clueless and brilliant at the same time, the social awkwardness. Some of that is the character as written, but a bunch of it is in the portrayal.

And, to be honest, it's kind of awesome. There are few enough 'good' examples of what it's like to be autistic. It'll be nice to have people able to say, "Like Jack Reacher" instead of invoking Sheldon Cooper (whose mannerism aren't autism, they're dickism.)

I watched the first couple of episodes today. I see your point.

After reading these comments (and watching the series when it came out) I can agree. I also would like to throw out there that despite the complete lack of emotion he portrays, in a VERY odd way this has impressed me even more with his acting range. I mean, this is the same guy who played Thad in BMS, and those are about as polar opposite as you can get in terms of character portrayals....

stessier wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 7:12 am

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:59 pm Upload season 2 is almost as good as season 1. I was worried that it might veer off course, but I’m enjoying the heck out of it. It’s like Ted Lasso for me. Both shows aren’t always laugh out loud funny, but they’re witty without being cruel, and I just feel good about the world after watching them.

Thanks for mentioning this - I've been waiting for Season 2 and hasn't realized it was already out! Season 1 was really great while also being disturbing.

Finished Season 2 - not as good as Season 1, but not bad.

Yeah, the seven episode season was a shitty thing to do to the show. I really hope it gets a season 3 as it really picked up in the last few episodes of season 2.

I will say that the actor playing Luke continues to make me laugh the most.

I see you, Gurney Halleck!

Master

All the Old Knives

Daehawk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 07, 2022 7:21 pm

Been watching Outer Range and if you like X-Files or Fringe it's definitely worth checking out.

I finished episode four last night. I think it may appeal to fans of The X-Files or Fringe, but it's a different style of show. It's more family drama/aspiring prestige thriller than it is mystery/sci-fi (so far). Weird fiction may be a better label than sci-fi. (It nails the eerie feeling really well.) But it plays its cards close to its chest in that regard so far and only dribbles out the spooky and strange bit by bit. I feel like it tries too hard to be quirky and bizarre sometimes. On one hand you have Josh Brolin doing his gruffest impression of Josh Brolin, the most grounded of men trying to make sense of events he can't comprehend while his family and his ranch fall apart. Meanwhile, Will Patton is behaving like an unhinged lunatic auditioning for a David Lynch project. And it's fun, but at times seems tonally discordant or forced. Meanwhile, the (presently) more grounded plot threads feel like they could have been yanked out of any prestige thriller from the last decade. (But that doesn't mean they're not enjoyable.)

There's definite star power in the cast. The score is frequently surprising and delightful. I hope its last four episodes deliver.


Edit: Episodes 5 and 6 continue down the same path and I found them very enjoyable. I'm not always sure about the plot, but the acting carries it.

Most interesting to me is that Moondog's High On A Rocky Ledge and Leonard Cohen's Avalanche have shown up both in Our Flag Means Death and this series. There must have been a deal on licensing.

Outer Range final episodes, 7 & 8:

I Love America

Emergency

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sat May 14, 2022 11:50 pm Emergency

I loved that TV show back in the 70's.

Just watched the first episode of the new Kids in the Hall series.
So great to see them, actually more than I'd like to, back.
Them there Canucks got balls.........literally,

I need to watch that. Scott Thompson is one of the most seriously underrated comic actors of our time.

That just made me remember that I used to call Theohall. The Kids in Theohall

100% RT currently, FWIW (the 2022 documentary, to be clear).

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 2:12 pm I need to watch that. Scott Thompson is one of the most seriously underrated comic actors of our time.

The way they go about the concept of resurrecting the series is inspired writing.

stimpy wrote:Just watched the first episode of the new Kids in the Hall series.
So great to see them, actually more than I'd like to, back.
Them there Canucks got balls.........literally,

I was not expecting thar right out of the gate.

My god, that was hilarious. The reasoning had me in stiches. “They’re looking for two guys wearing clothes, right?”

In other news, I started Night Sky. This is the kind of science fiction I like. A riddle in the form of something that shouldn’t exist, and two world class actors right in the middle of it all.

It feels like a Stephen King piece so far.

I put the Night Sky in my watchlist just because J K Simmons. I have many things in my watchlist.

Watching the entirety of Buffy and Angel (again) kinda sucks all the blood out of my TV time.

That’s from the days of two dozen or so episodes a season. Between those two, you’re looking at a couple hundred hours of tv. I’m not surprised you don’t have time for anything else.

hepcat wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 9:23 pm That’s from the days of two dozen or so episodes a season. Between those two, you’re looking at a couple hundred hours of tv. I’m not surprised you don’t have time for anything else.

Indeed, but you don't need anything else when you got your Buffy AND your Angel. We're almost at the end of Buffy S6 and Angel S3, so the ride is winding down.

hepcat wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 8:29 pm It feels like a Stephen King piece so far.

In terms of being a short story bloated into a 1500 page book?

I finished 3 episodes. I'm trying to summon the interest to watch more...does it ever move any faster, or does it just go at the pace set by the elderly characters?

Jeff V wrote: ↑Sun May 22, 2022 11:34 am

hepcat wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 8:29 pm It feels like a Stephen King piece so far.

In terms of being a short story bloated into a 1500 page book?

I finished 3 episodes. I'm trying to summon the interest to watch more...does it ever move any faster, or does it just go at the pace set by the elderly characters?

I lasted about 10 minutes into alpaca village. Not even Simmons can save this. To say the pace is glacial would be an insult to fast moving ice packs.

Jeff V wrote: ↑Sun May 22, 2022 11:34 am

hepcat wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 8:29 pm It feels like a Stephen King piece so far.

In terms of being a short story bloated into a 1500 page book?

I finished 3 episodes. I'm trying to summon the interest to watch more...does it ever move any faster, or does it just go at the pace set by the elderly characters?

It could be worse. It could have been written by that hack Brian Herbert.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Sun May 22, 2022 11:52 am
I lasted about 10 minutes into alpaca village. Not even Simmons can save this. To say the pace is glacial would be an insult to fast moving ice packs.

The slow pace isn’t bothering me. I don’t need constant ‘splosions and gunfights to keep my interest. I’m only two episodes in, so it may resolve its mystery in a crappy way and lose me. But the story is interesting enough so far that I’m curious to see what is behind all this.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Sun May 22, 2022 11:52 am I lasted about 10 minutes into alpaca village. Not even Simmons can save this. To say the pace is glacial would be an insult to fast moving ice packs.

Glad I'm not the only one. I'll try again maybe when the kids are at school and wife is sleeping and I have no marching orders to accomplish -- you know, the fantasy trifecta.

I've watched the first three episodes. A couple weeks ago I was talking about Outer Range being a slow burn. If it's a 5/10, this show is a 2. It seems to actively rebel against the trends of high-stakes drama. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. But so far it isn't clear whether the slowly developing story elements will pay off. Character-driven is great only as far as the characters are interesting.

The main premise seems like something pulled from a creative writing exercise. Again, not necessarily a bad thing. But it's so hard to tell at the beginnings of these types of shows whether it's a tightly spun work of genius or just a bunch of meandering nonsense. Usually they leave you hanging at the end of the season and get cancelled before the biggest payoffs happen.

I will say I've found alpaca village the far more interesting plot so far.

Sudy wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 6:42 am The main premise seems like something pulled from a creative writing exercise.

Not sure if that's good or bad as I could say that about almost anything.

In any case, I’m five episodes in and it’s still got me interested as to the nature of the driving plot device. However, if it ends up being treated as a Macguffin, I’ll be pissed. Still, I enjoy watching two really great actors playing off each other.

I can’t seem to stay awake for Night Sky at all but I find it really relaxing to have it on. My partner seems to like it, so I’m game to see how it ends.

Now I feel like I have to watch it.

It is slow. That I admit. But I don't mind slow as long as the payoff is fun and/or they don't pad the show by failing to reveal anything about the mystery behind it all for long stretches. So far they've been doling out bits and pieces that shed some light on things. But I've stuck with shows for much longer that were just as slow. So it doesn't bother me that much.

Also, it's J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek. That's like a dream team. Even if J.K. Simmons is animated.

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 7:42 am

Sudy wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 6:42 am The main premise seems like something pulled from a creative writing exercise.

Not sure if that's good or bad as I could say that about almost anything.

Yeah, but some things more than others. What I mean to say is that the premise feels like it may be underdeveloped, and that the character writing needs to do the heavy lifting as a result. Which may work, but it may also leave the audience frustrated, especially if it's a MacGuffin as you say. Some things just sound like they were born on a cue card. But that doesn't mean you can't make something amazing out of them. It can make for a nice alternative to formulaic fiction. But that doesn't mean I have an open mind toward, "Senior couple witnesses robot finch emerge from overripe avocado. Can travel through time, but only backwards. Helps them reconnect with workaholic daughter." (This is not the plot by the way, for others reading. I think it's Batteries Not Included.)

I’m not so sure that that mystery is supposed to be the main draw at this point. I was hoping it would be initially as it was a striking image in the first episode. but I’m still not calling the show a failure. I believe the time they’ve spent focusing on the secret organization that keeps its secrets may be the real mystery now.

The X-Files and Fringe dragged on for years on the back of unresolved mysteries. Fringe did a pretty decent job wrapping things up eventually. X-Files, not so much. I can give Night Sky a little longer to find its voice/decide what it wants to be when it grows up.

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 4:04 pm Also, it's J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek. That's like a dream team. Even if J.K. Simmons is animated.

But he's animated in the sense that zombies are animated dead...

Sorry, that was a callback joke from a while back. It isn’t what you think.

I came across Undone in a review of Love, Death, and Robots S3. All I can say is that I was immediately blown away and hooked, and binged the first (short) season immediately. Hooked so much so that I'm making a dedicated thread.

Just had to pop in here and let you all know how disappointed I am that there's been zero discussion of this show previously.