The TV thread

Brooklyn Prince is going to own the world.

 

I still have a softer spot for the Sopranos and for me, the character of Tony Soprano is the most fascinating I’ve seen. The Wire was better acted overall and did a great job (with a few exceptions like Lester) or showing that the characters were flawed combinations of good and bad people. Rawls, for example, could be an asshole, but you could understand he was an excellent cop and justify his motivation (and his scene with McNulty in the hospital was fantastic). I think that Kima and Ziggy (and maybe Shardene) were the only subpar actors in important roles in the first two seasons.

And I really like Marlo and Chris as characters. They were the evolutionary Avon and Wee-Bay.

 

My wife and I just finished The Undoing on HBO. The final episode of the limited series aired Sunday. Overall, it was a good story full of messed-up people. Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman were very good, but I really loved Donald Sutherland as the father of Kidman's character. He has a fantastic monologue in a scene that has him defending his grandson. There is also a moment in the finale when you hear him quietly tell Kidman, "I love you so much" at the absolute perfect moment.

 

That’s my criticism of The Sopranos, I didn’t think they were multidimensional or really self aware. Tony had the chance to be self aware through therapy. And then he could simply have made the independent choice to be Mafia. He never did. I felt no attachment to any character.

Most of characters in The Wire were either self aware or strove for it. Avon and Stringer knew who they were. Avon liked himself as a street hood, but he knew who he was. Stringer wanted more, but knew who he was, he just couldn’t outrun himself.

 

Ted Lasso is great.

 

Watched the first two episodes and will catch the third tonight. Quirky indeed. I love vodka but damn I can't drink that shit straight like she does in the show.

 

And re: The HBO list .... Really glad to see High Maintenance getting some love in the top 25. It's a really good, heartfelt show. One of the sneaky best things on TV.

 

This is the first season that I watched Fargo and I didn't get it. It was beautiful to watch, the cinematography was fantastic, but there didn't seem to be a story other than a lot of people dying.

 

I'm trudging through S4. I really don't care for it. I am uncomfortable with people getting shot for no apparent reason, and really uncomfortable with the way Black people are treated. I know those were the times, but I still cringe at the attitudes and the words.
They seem to tie it all together eventually, but I'm through E6 and I have no idea what's going on with the nurse who bangs her head against the wall and the cop who has to knock 10 times before he opens a door. Gotta be some kind of PTSD, but dragging it along is aggravating.

 

Went back to Schitt's Creek, had only watched maybe 2 episodes and wasn't hooked yet but DAMNNNNNN that's got some funny writing. Thanks to whomever for the enthusiastic encouragement, I feel just as good as when I discovered Parks and Rec and Veep and could look forward to all of those episodes.

Finished Undoing with wifey on Sunday night and am slightly ambivalent. I enjoyed the mood but its pretty shallow in only exploring the uber-rich lifestyle and not really everyone else in NY.

I read The Flight Attendant so that will be fun to see on the screen.

 

Barbecue sauce.

 

They are all fighting to climb a ladder to nowhere.

That’s the theme, I guess.

I enjoyed watching it, but it’s in the Hall of Above Average.