TV You Have Watched

[QualityChimp]

Finished off Gold (2023 via iPlayer) last night and it was a decent series.
I didn't know anything about the Brinks Mat robbery, so all of it was fresh.
Probably could have done with a summary card at the end as there's a whole other story to be told like how the effects of the robbery brought in bank changes internationally or the fate of the robbers (one stabbed someone in a road rage incident, another was shot 3 days after release).

Still, the wife and I thought it was a decent series to watch together.

[fuse]

Oh bloody hell, House of the Dragon fell further from my graces and has just made me angry.

From a visual perspective, it is an infuriatingly dark show at the best of times, sapped of colour for want of a particularly moody presentation, but episode 7 took things to a whole new level. A quick look online and yes, there are articles all over the internet about how many people complained about this being borderline unwatchable - unmarked spoilers abound in most of these, but: Den of Geek, Digital Spy, The Verge, The Independent, to name a few. Turns out it was directed by the same guy who also directed a particularly pivotal episode in the last season of GoT which was also complained about for being far too bloody dark to see anything. Not only is this black-and-white = art shtick total nonsense, but it certainly does not take into account that people have to watch this thing on a lossy streaming service and that we don't all live in an underground bunker of an editing suite with fully calibrated displays and no hint of an outside light source. Even if you did have these things I'd wager it was still a painful experience. How did they let him do this again?!

A lot of those articles also tried to balance it out by saying the (total lack of) visuals betrayed the great storytelling of the episode. I also disagree with this!

->Open Spoiler<-

There's an overly long section which spends far too long having periphery characters staring at each other where I assume you're expected to cross-reference the family tree it expects you to have internalised, so you can read between the lines of how they each feel about each other. Then there's some more CG dragon-ing, then some more incest, and oh GOD just please do something new.

[QualityChimp]

Finished "The Last of Us" (2023 via NowTV) and absolutely loved it. There's some real heart in the show and loved the tender moments as much as the action.
Personally, I enjoyed Black Summer (via Netflix) even more, with some long single takes and a switching narrative meaning no character is safe.
S2 has a change of pace, but thought the scenes in a house where trust erodes was some seriously tense television.
I'm glad both shows exist and I'm not saying either is better, but if you enjoyed TLoU, then please check out Black Summer as if enough people watch it, we may get the most fabled of televisual events, a 3rd Netflix season!

[Finsbury Girl]

b2b the latest 2 episodes of Mando - thankfully only a wee bit of the bollocks on Coruscant (spelling whatevs). Otherwise really liking the emergence of Bo-Katan (she could get a spin off show easily) would like more Grogu development but overall it seems the series is building to an epic climax.

[QualityChimp]

We watched Joe Lycett's Late Night Lycett.
By no means perfect telly, but it totally captured that kind of telly you'd put on late Friday night when you come in from a night out.
Anarchic and rude, with all the pros and cons of live telly, but we had a proper chuckle at it.
It's the kind of show I can't remember seeing since the 90s.

[Finsbury Girl]

Finished Agent Elvis - this really is my kind of show. I absolutely loved it, very many LOL moments, Matthew McConaughey played the part perfectly.

[fuse]

It's been too long for me to remember the details of movie High Fidelity, but I can remember enough to know that the TV version is not doing very much to deviate it aside from swapping out John Cusack for effortlessly cool Zoe Kravitz. Lots of direct-to-camera monologuing, "top 5" lists, and dropping pop culture references like hot potatoes. On one hand it's trying a bit hard, but it's also good fun and generally quite watchable.


Also watching the new season of Race Around the World. It feels like an unwritten rule that most of the shows people talk about here are narrative-driven, and yeah, for shame, this definitely falls more into the reality camp. But I do like the concept - a range of two-person teams are brought to a location, stripped of smartphones, bank cards, and so on, and have to journey through various checkpoints to a particular destination on land with the same budget that it'd cost to fly. First two seasons were good fun and through a number of countries, whereas this new one that's running now is all about crossing Canada. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a [MENTION=9333]kryss[/MENTION] cameo.

[fallenangle]

I saw an earlier Race Around The World and despite my aversion to reality shows with members of the public taking part over-sharing their lives, inner thoughts and almost always crying at some point or getting over-emotional on camera the concept worked and entertained me enough to keep watching. This one likewise.

It showcases Canada and its, mostly, decent people very well. The landscapes and wildlife are often stunning and there's always the chance a cougar, moose or bear is going to maul or chase one of the contestants. That potential jeopardy adds an interesting twist to the competition.

[kryss]

It's been too long for me to remember the details of movie High Fidelity, but I can remember enough to know that the TV version is not doing very much to deviate it aside from swapping out John Cusack for effortlessly cool Zoe Kravitz. Lots of direct-to-camera monologuing, "top 5" lists, and dropping pop culture references like hot potatoes. On one hand it's trying a bit hard, but it's also good fun and generally quite watchable.


Also watching the new season of Race Around the World. It feels like an unwritten rule that most of the shows people talk about here are narrative-driven, and yeah, for shame, this definitely falls more into the reality camp. But I do like the concept - a range of two-person teams are brought to a location, stripped of smartphones, bank cards, and so on, and have to journey through various checkpoints to a particular destination on land with the same budget that it'd cost to fly. First two seasons were good fun and through a number of countries, whereas this new one that's running now is all about crossing Canada. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a [MENTION=9333]kryss[/MENTION] cameo.

I wouldn't sign the release for the footage of me to be shown for The Amazing Race a few years back, so there's little chance of that.
I've not even heard of this show.

I do often walk past reporters doing live segments while on my way to work.

[fuse]

The first episode, and the first scene in particular really didn't convince me that Shrinking was going to be particularly good, but you all said it was good, and heck, you were right. Quite a few episodes in now and it's got a lot of laughs out of us both.

[Neon Ignition]

Shrinking: Season 01
It's neither as funny as Scrubs nor as endearing as Ted Lasso but it's more measured and thought out in terms of the psychology of the characters which makes sense given the subject and title. Plenty road for a second run to use up as well, nice show.

Rick and Morty: Season 06
Solid run for the most part, the last two episodes lose momentum as the show is at its best when taking an idea and playing with it per ep rather than getting mired in its own canon. But generally consistent with the seasons before quality wise.

Yellowjackets: Season 01
Take Lost, reduce the mystery, reduce the answers, increase the depictions of surviving in the wilderness and you end up with Yellowjackets. A team of girls travelling to match final survive a plane crash landing in a forest with dangers lurking in the shadows. The show is massively less interesting in its mysteries than it thinks it is, it gets bogged down in teen drama and the home life dramas of the adult versions of the characters far too much. Ironic considering the show it's aping but this is a very lauded show and whilst it's solid it isn't deserving of its praise. Hoping that the second run both moves faster and also gets to the point faster.

[Neon Ignition]

Lost: Season 05
Still probably the best run of the six season they had even if it contains a hint of the Jacob elements that soured the final season

[QualityChimp]

All o'er the shop this last week.
Ash Vs. Evil Dead S1 - (Netflix)
Heard this was leaving Netflix at the end of April, so trying to binge it, but doubt I'll finish it. First episode, directed by Sam Raimi was immense. It's frustrating that just as you're about to love Ash, he'll do an Ash and make you roll your eyes.

Race Across The World S2 (BBC)
This has been a fun watch with my son and we've all been quite invested in the teams and had our faves.
There's a mum and her son with ADHD and she is amazing. Total MVP, speaking Spanish, finding jobs and managing his triggers, but I've found him a bit frustrating because he doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes and having ADHD seems to be a catch-all excuse for everything and never grows because his Mum will always flex for him.
However, it's been a great show and I'll probably watch the first show on my own (my wife has seen it) then the three of us start S3 together.

The Cleaner S1 (BBC iPlayer)
Just needed an easy watch and this was a great choice.
Pretty surprised to hear Helena Bonham Carter taking a dump, though.

Colin From Accounts S1 (BBC iPlayer)
Saw this recommended and it's good fun.
Australian comedy where a student doctor distracts a driver and she makes him hit a dog, which they can't face putting down so have to take turns looking after him, whilst inadvertently getting to know each other.

[fallenangle]

I might try Colin From Accounts - I just happened to see the end of Tuesday's broadcast episode on BBC2 whilst flicking through the channels and, from what I saw, the humour clicked with me.

[Atticus]

Ash Vs. Evil Dead S1 - (Netflix)
Heard this was leaving Netflix at the end of April, so trying to binge it, but doubt I'll finish it. First episode, directed by Sam Raimi was immense.

That pilot ep is outstanding. Up there with anything in the film series. My fave shot is Ash's goofy grin when he puts his false teeth back in I enjoyed the show ... it found its rhythym as a bit of a dirty Buffy the Vampire Slayer ... but nothing matched up to that pilot ep.