The TV thread

I really want to watch this.

Julia Roberts doing TV, with Sam Esmail directing is a perfect match.

 

re: Law and Order, one thing that sets apart the original series is just how measured it seems, as compared to "modern" procedurals. While you knew it was usually a 50/50 airtime split, until the later seasons the "oh my god!" shenanigans were kept to a minimum. Most of the crimes, and the people, seemed believable, and it helped that the cast was usually portrayed as people doing a job; the show wasn't about Person X working through their demons. It feels like the series had its "crisis moment" when they did Criminal Intent - an even more slow-paced, Columbo style 'howcatchem' most weeks - and SVU, which is basically a week to week conventional melodrama now.

 

How many shows today would spend five minutes of screen time going down a plot line that had nothing to do with the final resolution. Ep I saw yesterday they focus on the two shooting vics, find out one of them was sleeping with the boss etc. Turns out they were bystanders for the actual victim who was only casually mentioned/seen in the open.
Kind of on a side track - one of the things I love about The Good Place is that it is unfolding in such an interesting manner, first they think they're one place, then another, they escape, go on various personal missions, all the while unpacking philosophy. Where is it going? I don't know, but I'll keep watching because I know I'll be surprised and it will be interesting.

 

Finally started watching Big Mouth. It's like a twisted, filthy Wonder Years. I love it.

 

This Showtime mini-series based on a real life prison break. is getting good advance reviews. Starts Sunday.

Patricia Arquette Stuns in Showtime’s Escape at Dannemora

 

If you remember The Bridge from FX a few years back a show about a murder on the border in El Paso - you should check out The Tunnel which is a BBC version of the show which was also adapted from a show from Norway I think. The Tunnel is the chunnel and involves a British and French co-investigation. I like that the female cop doesn't have Aspbergers she's just very determined and closed off.

 

The original is a Danish/Swedish co-pro and is one of my all-time favourites (as witness my avatar).

 

Started watching the Kominsky Method last night. Great stuff.

 

Absolutely agree. The Michael Douglas - Alan Arkin friendship is well written and played. Nancy Travis is spot on as the younger girlfriend (in her late fifties, lol). This is a Hollywood story with the two main characters being an ex-actor who teaches acting now and his long time agent and best friend. Cameos from people like Elliot Gould and Ann-Margaret add to the Hollywood feel. Ann-Margaret has to be pushing 80, and still has it. Made me laugh at myself. It wasn't that she was attractive to me so much as it was watching her hitting on an 80ish very recently widowered guy and thinking that he was an idiot for not making a run at her. Completely inappropriate thought, which was what made it uncomfortably funny.

It's eight half hour episodes so it does not require a huge investment to binge it. It took me from laughter to heartfelt tears in half an hour. Good work.

 

2nd tweet

 

We just binged Great News. It was a little too close to 30 Rock a lot of the time, but pretty funny.

I'm watching the third season of The Man in the High Castle on my commute home. I have no idea what's going on half the time but I only have 3 episodes left.

 

Saw S3 E9 (of 10) last night. Things are finally starting to make more sense. Yes, I was pretty well lost through most of the first two seasons but the whole concept of the Allies losing WW2 was intriguing. Still some pretty violent parts.
Surprising that I have heard of very few of the actors, none of the stars. DJ Qualls might be the most famous guy in the cast. The shrink treating John Smith's wife is Jeffrey Nordling, who played the coach in Mighty Ducks 3. And the guy who plays Heinrich Himmler is usually a comedian, Kenneth Tigar. He's been in a zillion sit-coms (I found by a google search of him).