The TV thread

The Tuskeegee angle is about right, they had to do the lead up to D-Day and the development of the P-51 Mustang and the 332nd wasn't part of the early stuff. They do have 3 episodes now to do them right. Plus the 332nd zipping around after the bombers had to fly naked is eye-opening.

BTW, Shogun is fascinating and well done without the "White Savior" angle.

 

Well, not 3 episodes. The finale is this week. So 1. i.e. they won't do them right. I was really looking forward to this series and while some parts have been pretty good I've been underwhelmed. Of course, hard to compare to Band of Brothers.

 

I thought there was 10 episodes, and I thought I just saw them in No. 8. Oh well. Yes hard to compare to B of B (or even the Pacific). I've enjoyed the ride.

 

They did, but I feel like the mystique of the Red Tails was how well they guarded bombers. Now they are trying to use the pilots in other ways, which is fine, but I wish we got more of the dog fighting first. That, however, is one point on a list of "I wish they added more."

 

Spoiler: Masters of the Air spoilers

It is hard to compare because Band of Brothers was so groundbreaking for what it was. It really was fantastic. But I feel like they've left a lot of meat on the bone with Masters of the Air. They spent several episodes establishing that the bombing runs were suicidal and that war was hell. Then they started rushing. They had the pilots escaping from occupied Europe and a little of the resistance, but then suddenly they're back. I wish they spent more time on that escape. And the fact they slept through D Day was a disservice. Sure it was covered in Band of Brothers, but man, they couldn't show the most iconic invasion at least a little bit? Now they have the Bel Powley being a spy for (probably) the British, but I'm worried they are going to waste it. I feel like it's going to be like the Simpsons Lord of the Flies episode where they decide that Moe is the one who rescues everyone but they're out of time so they don't show it.

 

as someone who largely hated the SOA finale and thought Mayans had big holes are various points in its run, I thought they really stuck the landing. It was excellent

 

To be fair to the show, it had problems to overcome that Band of Brothers did not. First off, everyone pretty much looked alike, high and tight hair, pencil thin moustache or clean shaven. Even Bucky and Buck, probably the two most identifiable, were hard to tell apart in the planes. Now add a hat, goggles maybe, an oxygen mask and headset. Instead of a company, they were ten guys to a bomber, so if one went down you lost a bunch of men at once, and that unit suffered a very high casualty rate.

They made some choices that made things worse, but the basic structure required to tell the story anywhere near accurately made it hard for them.

 

It’s just plain (or plane) clunky.
Bucky disappears for episodes on end; they build up the escape of the two downed pilots only to pay it off in an afterthought voiceover…not to mention the lack of action set-pieces as the series trudges on. Yes, I’m disappointed.

 

If anyone here is a big Larry Sanders fan, and I have a hunch there are one or two, this is a very affectionate look back on the show in general and the finale.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7uDImSNBBKQUddR6gTezzC?si=0wgIMwIjRfOsRA4vZ-NtSQ

Also on other podcast platforms.

 

Shogun through 4 episodes has been the best thing I’ve seen on TV in a while.

We are watching The Gentlemen as well. I’m not sure the Guy Ritchie style will hold up over 8 episodes but so far it’s good.

 

Couldn't get past the first 1.5 episodes of the Gentlemen.

Newest season of Girls 5 Eva is off to a great start.

 

Is L&O going to make the DA more a part of the story? There has always been some friction between the DA and the and the others, but it was low key, a scene in which they debate some important issue of law, but the last episode set it up to be more contentious.