Television

Indymisanthrope said:
We watched the first two episodes of the new season of Shrill over the weekend. I don't care much for the roommate character or her B-plot, but Aidy Bryant is a treasure.

I enjoy Luka Jones' performance too, but his character sometimes feels like it's been written a little too broad/zany for the show. It's funny, but it also has a been there/seen that quality, in that I've seen this man-child character before, and this is ostensibly a show about a character who we don't usually get to see.
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The roommate is the best part of the show imo.

I really enjoy Shrill, but also feel like its Girls with slightly less girls and a more likeable main character
 
Saw the first 3 episodes of High Fidelity this weekend. I really really like it so far. The music references have felt legit and well written and not distracting, which is always a worry for me when I watch TV/movies about music.

I really liked season 1 of Shrill. I watched the first two episodes of season 2 a while back and it felt way zanier and sillier. Not sure I prefer that ramp up.
 
zombie.modernist said:
Question for the Hulu High Fidelity fans, if I generally dislike the Cusak Fidelity (mostly Cusak and the archetype he represents) do you think this would be a better fit?
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I mean yeah Cusack isn’t in it and Zoe Kravitz is super cool, so there’s that. She is the same character, in a sense, but the sorta “talking down” to people thing Cusack’s character would do isn’t really how the new version of the character is written. Still self absorbed? Yes. Still music obsessive? Yes. Asshole about her music knowledge? No.
 
zombie.modernist said:
Question for the Hulu High Fidelity fans, if I generally dislike the Cusak Fidelity (mostly Cusak and the archetype he represents) do you think this would be a better fit?
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I like the show better than I liked the movie so far. This version of the character is still a mess and a jerk but the character is portrayed in a more vulnerable and interesting way to me.
 
I should clarify, I don't dislike the film, it has just never resonated with me fully. Possibly a generational barrier (which maybe this show is seeking to cross), but Cusak's character just seems really emotionally unintelligent, which I get is the point of his character's arc, but for some reason I just don't give a crap about him getting to his finish line. I do enjoy the structure and direction of the movie though, and the very authentic look at music culture, which is pretty unrivaled.
 
zombie.modernist said:
I should clarify, I don't dislike the film, it has just never resonated with me fully. Possibly a generational barrier (which maybe this show is seeking to cross), but Cusak's character just seems really emotionally unintelligent, which I get is the point of his character's arc, but for some reason I just don't give a crap about him getting to his finish line. I do enjoy the structure and direction of the movie though, and the very authentic look at music culture, which is pretty unrivaled.
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The series is basically the same story down to the same jokes but much less white and they update some of the jokes for a more millennial relevant take. (Instead of Peter Fucking Frampton it’s Boys II Men, etc...) Being a millennial I find it clever but kinda inessential. Though maybe High School kids today will love it like I loved the original when I was in high school. It’s done well it’s doesn’t add anything to the for me.
 
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TenderLovingKiller® said:
The series is basically the same story down to the same jokes but much less white and they update some of the jokes for a more millennial relevant take. (Instead of Peter Fucking Frampton it’s Boys II Men, etc...) Being a millennial I find it clever but kinda inessential. Though maybe High School kids today will love it like loved the original when I was in high school. It’s done well it’s doesn’t add anything to the for me.
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Yeah I almost want to see just to check out how they've adapted it. I'll admit they're targeting people like me because one thing that annoys me about the OG film is the Gen X-iness of it, sort of feels like a generational superiority thing that makes my eyes roll, but porting it over to my generation will probably make it feel even worse...
 
zombie.modernist said:
I should clarify, I don't dislike the film, it has just never resonated with me fully. Possibly a generational barrier (which maybe this show is seeking to cross), but Cusak's character just seems really emotionally unintelligent, which I get is the point of his character's arc, but for some reason I just don't give a crap about him getting to his finish line. I do enjoy the structure and direction of the movie though, and the very authentic look at music culture, which is pretty unrivaled.
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So... here’s my take on this...
Cusak’s character does lack emotional intelligence to the point where he thinks saying he’ll change equals change to him. Cusak doesn’t grow up in the movie.

Kravitz is crippled with the same emotional infancy, but we watch her become able to begin to grow up in the show.

also, she never comes off as snotty as the character in the movie does.

there are also plenty of Easter eggs (read above as the same jokes) for fans of both the book and the movie, but also new stuff.

it’s an admirable adaptation. As to whether you’ll like it, I don’t know. Part of Hornby’s point is that these characters aren’t like you/us despite some similarities.

also Questlove was in charge of music and it shows, so there’s that.
 
I started watching The Outsider, and I’m only two episodes in, but I’m VERY uncomfortable with the creepiness level so far. I’m going to try another episode but I really don’t know how much further I’ll make it. I’m glad it’s not insanely gory or filled with jump scares, but a lot of what’s going on so far is pressing all of my fear and anxiety buttons in the absolute worst way. I kinda love/hate the way the show isn’t shot in a way that’s overtly trying to be scary - it’s very sneaky about being unsettling. Every one of these character seems way too calm and everything is just way too hushed and muted - it’s driving me nuts haha. Maybe that’s just a Stephen King thing.

I’m enjoying how the defense attorney for the Maitlands is the exact same character he was in The Night Of. Can’t get enough of that guy.

But literally everything else about this show makes me so queasy haha. Maybe I’m just too high-strung to enjoy it haha.
 
Bennnnn said:
Yeah the music is great all throughout - just pretty perfect choices in all the scenes.

debating picking this up:High Fidelity – A Hulu Original Soundtrack LP

But it’s not nearly comprehensive so I don’t know
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I got it for free at the weekend as part of a promotional deal they were doing for the show. Its...ok. I doubt I would pay for it.

And here's my take on the difference between the film and the series. The film is about an asshole realizing he's an asshole. The series is about a woman who already knows she's an asshole deciding to stop being an asshole.
 
Ericj32 said:
I started watching The Outsider, and I’m only two episodes in, but I’m VERY uncomfortable with the creepiness level so far. I’m going to try another episode but I really don’t know how much further I’ll make it. I’m glad it’s not insanely gory or filled with jump scares, but a lot of what’s going on so far is pressing all of my fear and anxiety buttons in the absolute worst way. I kinda love/hate the way the show isn’t shot in a way that’s overtly trying to be scary - it’s very sneaky about being unsettling. Every one of these character seems way too calm and everything is just way too hushed and muted - it’s driving me nuts haha. Maybe that’s just a Stephen King thing.

I’m enjoying how the defense attorney for the Maitlands is the exact same character he was in The Night Of. Can’t get enough of that guy.

But literally everything else about this show makes me so queasy haha. Maybe I’m just too high-strung to enjoy it haha.
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I’d say it ratchets up the creepy as it goes.
 
Lee Newman said:
My wife and I binged the first six episodes of High Fidelity last night. I’ll hold off on reading the reviews that have titles leading me to believe they are less than favorable. I dig it. So does she. Really digging the music, which makes sense since Questlove is the executive music director.
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Bennnnn said:
Yeah so I started High Fidelity tonight and already like it quite a bit. I wanted to see what they did different in a tv format but so far it’s very similar to the movie. But I already like Zoe Kravitz a lot so I was into it pretty quickly. Yeah she’s still kind of the sorta jerk that Rob is in the movie (and book) but still incredibly likable. In fact, so far the whole small cast is very likable. The one thing I thought might not have been as good was the music conversations and arguments but so far I have no complaints about that. I dig it.
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tvham said:
I binged all of S1 of High Fidelity over the weekend. I really enjoyed it, despite my initial hesitations to watching it at all as the book and movie mean so much to me.
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swamp jazz box set said:
Saw the first 3 episodes of High Fidelity this weekend. I really really like it so far. The music references have felt legit and well written and not distracting, which is always a worry for me when I watch TV/movies about music.

I really liked season 1 of Shrill. I watched the first two episodes of season 2 a while back and it felt way zanier and sillier. Not sure I prefer that ramp up.
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Well this all gets me super excited. Im tempted to watch the film again first but likely will end up bingeing the tv show.
 
Ericj32 said:
I started watching The Outsider, and I’m only two episodes in, but I’m VERY uncomfortable with the creepiness level so far. I’m going to try another episode but I really don’t know how much further I’ll make it. I’m glad it’s not insanely gory or filled with jump scares, but a lot of what’s going on so far is pressing all of my fear and anxiety buttons in the absolute worst way. I kinda love/hate the way the show isn’t shot in a way that’s overtly trying to be scary - it’s very sneaky about being unsettling. Every one of these character seems way too calm and everything is just way too hushed and muted - it’s driving me nuts haha. Maybe that’s just a Stephen King thing.

I’m enjoying how the defense attorney for the Maitlands is the exact same character he was in The Night Of. Can’t get enough of that guy.

But literally everything else about this show makes me so queasy haha. Maybe I’m just too high-strung to enjoy it haha.
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@nolalady - have a glance at what Eric says about the Outsider. This is the kind of creep it is. Not gory or jumpy. Just subversively creepy.

I much prefer this sort of creepiness than the jump out and scare you. I'm able to suspend disbelief and tell myself it isn't real when I'm not trying to catch my breath because I just jumped up to the ceiling. Lol

Eric, I would say if this is causing you anxiety, the hushed, slow, calm and muted way the characters are, then halt. It continues that way through each episode that has aired. I again have zero idea how this ends or if it gets jumpier and I will absolutely abandon it if it does. But it sounds like you should abandon it now. Lol
 
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