Television


So...this now makes a ton of sense. I've been really enjoying this season of Big Little Lies, but it still has felt a little off. It still looked a lot like season one to me (now I know why), but the pacing was weird and the editing jarring. Well, that wasn't just me feeling this way for there's a specific reason why. And it's pretty shitty. Mostly the thing that has bugged me is how all the episodes are short, all the scenes are short, and every ep ends awkwardly. We can now pretty safely blame Jean-Marc Vallée for all of that.
 
Funny you should say that. My cousin couldn't get into PnR. I told him to skip season 1. He did and then binged the rest. And loved it. He's on his 2nd time through. We were just talking about our favorite episodes. And it made me think I may need to watch again.

Yep...I tell anyone new to Parks to skip season 1 - or at least slog through it and that it gets so much better on S2.


On their second viewing they can go back and watch it, but it didn't start off well.
 
OMG this is our eternal struggle. We always watch an hour-long drama and afterwards we need something short and light before bed, but there seems to be a dearth of options in that category. Whatever happened to the 23 minute sitcom?

A.P. Bio is pretty funny once it gets going. It's on Hulu.

Just got cancelled after the 2nd season which really sucks.
 
Just finished season 3 of Stranger Things. Thought it was great overall. A couple of small things that I wish had been left out, but, overall. season 3 produced the same shit eating grin that the first two seasons did. It may even be my favorite. Haven't gotten that far yet. Love the mall setting. I grew up in the 80's so all that nostalgia really hit home. Considering the hype that this show has generated, I think they've done a great job living up to it all. The Robin and Erica characters were welcome additions. Interested to see where the story goes from here.
 
I’m sad Hopper died at the end of season 3. Unless he’s not dead.. since they didn’t actually show his passing when Joyce was closing the gate. Either way, they need to figure out a way to revive him for season 4. :(
 
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So...this now makes a ton of sense. I've been really enjoying this season of Big Little Lies, but it still has felt a little off. It still looked a lot like season one to me (now I know why), but the pacing was weird and the editing jarring. Well, that wasn't just me feeling this way for there's a specific reason why. And it's pretty shitty. Mostly the thing that has bugged me is how all the episodes are short, all the scenes are short, and every ep ends awkwardly. We can now pretty safely blame Jean-Marc Vallée for all of that.

Thanks for linking to this article. I was thinking exactly the same thing as you. I was also wondering why there were so many editors listed and Vallée wwas alwways one of them and was disappointed this wasn't the Andrea Arnold season I was so hyped about. Another reason no to like Vallée.

I still like this season though, because the story and performances are great.

I hope Arnold gets to direct her own series soon.
 
Did you watch the sequence during the closing credits of the last episode. I'm pretty sure he's still alive.
I was wondering if Hopper was the American in Russian custody, but I didn't want to get my hopes up only to be disappointed when ST4 drops. However, I find it interesting how El's powers have went away for the time being, because she would have known right then and there if he was alive or not. They didn't show him dead like they did Barb, Billy, and Bob when they died.. So there's a possibility..
 
I was wondering if Hopper was the American in Russian custody, but I didn't want to get my hopes up only to be disappointed when ST4 drops. However, I find it interesting how El's powers have went away for the time being, because she would have known right then and there if he was alive or not. They didn't show him dead like they did Barb, Billy, and Bob when they died.. So there's a possibility..

It seems like most TV shows now will definitely show a body if there's an actual death ... No body, no proof as far as I'm concerned. I didn't think about El's lack of powers preventing her from finding Hopper
 
Stranger Things is great because it’s just fun television. For an 80s kid, it’s a total nostalgia factory. It paints such a great picture of that time even down to a lot of heavy winks about lack of parental involvement or supervision. And the actors are all so well cast. I really enjoyed Maya Hawke’s addition. It’s great to just turn on a show and lose yourself in something fun. TV is such a chore now and the shows are all pretty bleak and joyless. Maybe that’s why Stranger Things resonates so well with me. It reminds of those 80s shows and movies I grew up watching that had serious plots and themes but were done in an adventurous way. Like a mixture of Goonies, ET, Back To The Future, and Dark Crystal all rolled into one. Part of me is really sad I’ve already finished it.
 
Finally catching up on The Handmaid’s Take. I’ve seen negative reactions to this season so I feared it was more stagnant storytelling. But I’ve now caught up to episode 5 (watched that one tonight) and I have to say...I’m really liking it. I feared the worse, but so far it’s a good expansion. Still a little slow moving I guess. But there are interesting storylines and dynamics again.
 
I finished Stranger Things S3 this weekend. I agree with @everyone - great season! It might be my favorite. The mall was a perfect setting. Robin is fantastic.

I'm getting a little bored with both Big Little Lies and The Handmaid's Tale. I'm going to finish both of them but I think me still really enjoying Stranger Things and Dark is making me really procrastinate watching Big Little Lies and The Handmaid's Tale. I don't get as much enjoyment out of them anymore. And I thought it might be because my attention span is only a few seasons long at this point but no, ST and Dark disprove that.
 
We decided we'll just let Handmaid's Tale build up and watch the rest of the episodes we've yet to see the week of the finale. It's just too much to trudge through week to week.
 
I’ve got to get a lot off of my chest with this terrible Euphoria show. Putting it all in spoilers just to keep it so you don’t have to read this lengthy post. I don’t expect anything out of this, other than to get my complaints and critiques out of my system.

Euphoria is a fucking mess. I truly cannot fathom how anyone finds enjoyment out of this, like actual happy enjoyment. It’s so miserably dramatic and awful. And the tone is confusing. Am I supposed to see a character as empowered even though she’s a 16 year old becoming a cam girl? That’s fucked up. Am I supposed to watch a montage of statutory rape scenes and just move on because it seems the characters do and they don’t even call it what it is? Is it supposed to look cool and visually appealing only? What’s the point of the storylines then? It seems to be in your face shocking and awful just because, with no real emotion or point put behind it.

People seem to love this thing but every episode I’ve watched (all of them), I just feel gross and very depressed. But the failure is on the writers to not adequately explore the heavy topics. You can’t throw these batshit insane tragic events at all these kids who are all in high school and then not call things as they are. The cam girl stuff is essentially child porn, and she goes on to hook up with a few older men - again this is statutory rape - but neither of those terms are used. And the show seems to be suggesting I should feel a “you go girl” sort of thing for her situation but I just can’t cause the implications are so fucking heavy and never touched upon.

Ditto to the trans character - who is actually one of the most interesting here, if the writers knew how to better handle her. But the fact that she’s had numerous one night stands with adult men and it’s never referred to as what it is makes me question the entire show. These are real issues and can’t be thrown together and not even touched upon, especially if the attitude from the creator is in essence patting themselves on the back for showing what teens are really like (again I call complete bullshit on that claim). It’s hitting you over the head with trauma in nearly every scene without saying anything close to something substantive.

Yes, I should just stop watching, but at the same time, I am interested to see how this thing progresses. There have got to be consequences for the characters, like the real world closing in on them or something. But I fear the creator/writer hasn’t thought that far. For now it’s just: look at how fucked up teens are, aren’t I edgy?

It’s so empty. No humor, no lightness anywhere, no cleverness, no commentary. Just misery and porn.

But I will say episode 4 provided some good stuff, with beautiful cinematography and camera movements all while this bombastic score plays nearly the full running time. And yet, all the characters and situations are so awful that I just wish all the good technical stuff was in a better show. It can’t be saved on looks alone, which they need to learn before the (ugh) second season.

Anyway...I have many problems with the show, but it’s kind of difficult to put into words why I feel this way. I hope it makes sense. I’m not trying to say “oh it’s so immoral, will someone think of the children?” It’s not like that. It’s more of a i can’t believe this shit is getting passed off as good tv.
 
I’ve got to get a lot off of my chest with this terrible Euphoria show. Putting it all in spoilers just to keep it so you don’t have to read this lengthy post. I don’t expect anything out of this, other than to get my complaints and critiques out of my system.

Euphoria is a fucking mess. I truly cannot fathom how anyone finds enjoyment out of this, like actual happy enjoyment. It’s so miserably dramatic and awful. And the tone is confusing. Am I supposed to see a character as empowered even though she’s a 16 year old becoming a cam girl? That’s fucked up. Am I supposed to watch a montage of statutory rape scenes and just move on because it seems the characters do and they don’t even call it what it is? Is it supposed to look cool and visually appealing only? What’s the point of the storylines then? It seems to be in your face shocking and awful just because, with no real emotion or point put behind it.

People seem to love this thing but every episode I’ve watched (all of them), I just feel gross and very depressed. But the failure is on the writers to not adequately explore the heavy topics. You can’t throw these batshit insane tragic events at all these kids who are all in high school and then not call things as they are. The cam girl stuff is essentially child porn, and she goes on to hook up with a few older men - again this is statutory rape - but neither of those terms are used. And the show seems to be suggesting I should feel a “you go girl” sort of thing for her situation but I just can’t cause the implications are so fucking heavy and never touched upon.

Ditto to the trans character - who is actually one of the most interesting here, if the writers knew how to better handle her. But the fact that she’s had numerous one night stands with adult men and it’s never referred to as what it is makes me question the entire show. These are real issues and can’t be thrown together and not even touched upon, especially if the attitude from the creator is in essence patting themselves on the back for showing what teens are really like (again I call complete bullshit on that claim). It’s hitting you over the head with trauma in nearly every scene without saying anything close to something substantive.

Yes, I should just stop watching, but at the same time, I am interested to see how this thing progresses. There have got to be consequences for the characters, like the real world closing in on them or something. But I fear the creator/writer hasn’t thought that far. For now it’s just: look at how fucked up teens are, aren’t I edgy?

It’s so empty. No humor, no lightness anywhere, no cleverness, no commentary. Just misery and porn.

But I will say episode 4 provided some good stuff, with beautiful cinematography and camera movements all while this bombastic score plays nearly the full running time. And yet, all the characters and situations are so awful that I just wish all the good technical stuff was in a better show. It can’t be saved on looks alone, which they need to learn before the (ugh) second season.

Anyway...I have many problems with the show, but it’s kind of difficult to put into words why I feel this way. I hope it makes sense. I’m not trying to say “oh it’s so immoral, will someone think of the children?” It’s not like that. It’s more of a i can’t believe this shit is getting passed off as good tv.

I don't disagree with you. I do like the way they use music on the show. And I do think Zendaya and some of the other actors are doing a good job with what they are given to work with. I just always feel like I need a shower after watching it.
 
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