The TV thread

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has gotten *really* good lately.

 

Looks like The Killing can't die as Netflix rescued it from its cancellation by AMC:


9 Netflix original series to watch in 2014

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/new-netflix-releases-9-original-series-youll-be-watching-in-2014-from-better-call-saul-to-house-of-cards-9056971.html

 

Wife is watching American Idol. While I browse online, I look up whenever the commercial for the new Greg Kinnear show comes on, "Rake." I might check it out.

 

Mae Whitman is amazing. The rest of Parenthood has slipped a bit this season.

 

Her?

No, seriously she's a great actress but it would be nice if they could come up with a story for her that wasn't just an means to an end of her bawling her eyes out. I know she's great at it, but I bet she'd be good at other stuff too.

 

She was terrific with Max for a bit, but they dropped that. This season is way too melodramatic.

 

I see where you're at with that, Vers. I find the Julia-Joel thing, though, to be a pretty well-played presentation of a crumbling marriage, how it progresses. The latter stages of that last night hurt me.

That, plus I never knew Tufts was such a shitty place.

 

The producer for Enlisted was doing some serious social media work leading up to the debut. During a bowl game, I tweeted something about how bad that show looked based on the promos. He tweeted back at me and sent me a link where I could watch the pilot a couple of weeks before it aired. He sent another saying he wasn't happy with the way the network at put together the promos.

 

The Joel-Julia story arc is just so cliched by now.

The arc with Zeek and Camille is a little dicey. Is she going to leave him? He seems to be making an effort in his own way, but is it too late?

I expected the Amber story to be a bit cliched -- goes on drinking binge, gets in trouble, etc -- but going to the bar her dad works at was a bit of a surprise. Giving a great actor like John Corbett some more screentime is a good thing.

Very interesting developments with Drew, Amy and Natalie. For not wanting a relationship, Natalie doesn't seem too happy that Amy's around. And Amy's skipping out on Tufts has its own intrigue. BTW, Drew is badly outkicking his coverage with both.

There wasn't enough of Joy Bryant last night, either.

 

Just plowed through all seven episodes of "Top of the Lake" on Netflix in less than 24 hours. Beautiful setting (rural New Zealand), well-acted (particularly by Elisabeth Moss and Peter Mullan) and just enough twists not to be totally predictable.

The oddball feminism stuff seemed kind of tacked on, but I guess that's to-be-expected with Jane Campion.

 

Loved the scenery, loved the way it was shot, loved the atmosphere, but there just wasn't enough story to 'Top of the Lake.'
I wanted to like it more than I did.

 

old_tony, I thought I would be the only one who thinks Drew's story line is the strongest right now. That was an unexpected turn after more than four seasons of irrelevance.

Joy Bryant. Agreed.