The TV you like thread - The Bear and Badger

tin_robot

I've not seen the finale of Legion yet - though I'm aware of what happens as someone at work had reasons to tell me a spoiler. The reason I haven't got there yet is partly because it's been a bit of a hard sell for my wife, who admires it, but doesn't exactly enjoy it - and I'm a bit worried that the ending will only compound that.

However, as both of you have said, I think it's a pretty extraordinary show. There's nothing quite like it out there at the moment - from the pitch perfect casting to the exquisite and bizarre visuals.

The first series left me with some conflicting views on its handling of mental illness, and it sounds like this season's going to leave me equally, if not even more, conflicted. But if nothing else, it's rare to have a show that evokes any kind of emotion other than numb comfort these days, so to have something that regularly tosses you out of the complacent narrative structures we're used to (whilst looking so damn good doing it) is quite the thing.

The Daddy

I’m not there yet either, mainly because of the World Cup and other distractions. Two or three episodes to go.

g.man

...and for a show that consistently killed it in the soundtrack department, the reworking of this in the finale

Spoiler:

was a stroke of absolute genius.

poprock

tin_robot wrote:

The reason I haven't got there yet is partly because it's been a bit of a hard sell for my wife, who admires it, but doesn't exactly enjoy it …

That’s exactly the reason I haven’t watched past episode one of season two. Sarah’s just not into the surreal approach, and TV is generally a shared activity for us. Gotta be something we both enjoy.

mannaboy

Legion can go in the same bin as Westworld, style over substance.

Spoiler:

Just like Preacher.

Tempy

It has plenty of substance though, and style to boot. Westworld (S1 at least) was a show about dolls trying to be cleverer than you. Legion actually cares about it’s characters, and does some great things. The episode in Season 2 where David imagines his possible lives with his sister has more substance than anything Westworld managed to comjour over a whole season, it’s the most human a superhero show has ever been.

mannaboy

David’s imagination doesn’t equate to real development of the character, the first season dealt very well with his emergence from mental illness, the second didn’t go on from there the way I (and the many viewers dropping the show) wanted.

poprock

poprock wrote:

Watched the first episode of Sharp Objects tonight, on Sky. Pretty good. Tense, atmospheric, and mostly well acted. Definitely has potential. Stars Amy Adams and based on a book by the same author as Gone Girl.

Quoting myself for the page turn because I’m still thinking about this show the morning after, which is a good sign.

Think I’m in for the season. It’s only eight episodes.

Struggling to think of a simple comparison, but it terms of atmosphere it’s somewhere between Big Little Lies and True Detective. It’s claustrophobic and tense.

n0face

I think Atlanta is the best thing on TV at the moment.

nick_md

I don't mind it (Atlanta) when I watch it but when I finish I have no inclination to watch more. I've seen about 5 eps. I dunno, it just seems very *shrugs shoulders and makes face*

mistercrayon

So I think it’s episode 6 or 7 of Riverdale series 2. The second series has been moderately janky but this episode. I am totally in bits thinking about it. The actor that plays Betty does such great sad face. (Much like alysson hannigan in the buffy era)

Dark Soldier

Is Legion a superhero thing

Tempy

Yes, essentially, but it’s by the Noah Hawley who did the Fargo TV series and steers well clear of any of that Marvel TV stuff. It’s generally just a weird, slow show with odd visuals, a neat aesthetic, smart musical choices, and an interesting set of characters. Closest analogue is Hannibal really, for how it takes something that’s well established and shifts all the pieces around until it’s something totally different.

Dark Soldier

Cheers, I'll give it a yarr later and check it tomorrow

poprock

Aye. It’s a superhero thing, but an arthouse superhero thing.

Tempy

I gave up on the Marvel TV series after series 2 of Daredevil but I liked Legion a lot which gives you a perfectly fluent axis to work from

Dark Soldier

If it's more Thelma than Marvel I'm game

Tempy

Season one features the unmoored consciousness of a person who is mentally stuck in the 60s living in a giant floating ice cube on the astral plane, so it’s hard not to recommend

Gremill

Tempy wrote:

Season one features the unmoored consciousness of a person who is mentally stuck in the 60s living in a giant floating ice cube on the astral plane, so it’s hard not to recommend

Pitch it to me.

Tempy

I think G did it better last page but it’s basucalky a superhero show about the most powerful mutant in existence dealing with his mental health problems and the monster(s) he might be.

Dark Soldier

so it's emo superhero then

Tempy

Nah

actually a little bit

Aaroncupboard

poprock wrote:

Watched the first episode of Sharp Objects tonight, on Sky. Pretty good. Tense, atmospheric, and mostly well acted. Definitely has potential.

Stars Amy Adams and based on a book by the same author as Gone Girl.

Spoiler:

And the final moment was a real OH FUCK.

I tentatively recommend it. Could be the next True Detective, or it could nosedive and be as bad as True Detective season two. Too early to tell.

Watched this tonight and absolutely loved it. Very atmospheric and slightly odd. Felt quite gothic in a way...

g.man

Tempy wrote:

Nah actually a little bit

with a healthy measure of...

and a twist of...

Dark Soldier

This clips and vid thumbnails aren't selling it to me lads

g.man

Give episode 1 a watch. If you don't get on with that then it's unlikely you'll get anything out of the rest.

Gremill

Tempy wrote:

I think G did it better last page but it’s basucalky a superhero show about the most powerful mutant in existence dealing with his mental health problems and the monster(s) he might be.

Sorry, I was being facetious- I know exactly what it is, just that I thought your wee description was brilliant and exactly the kind of thing I would commission if i was in tv. Which makes it surprising that it ever did get made.

EvilRedEye

mistercrayon wrote:

So I think it’s episode 6 or 7 of Riverdale series 2. The second series has been moderately janky but this episode. I am totally in bits thinking about it. The actor that plays Betty does such great sad face. (Much like alysson hannigan in the buffy era)

Yeah, it never picks up to Season 1 level. Apparently they had to ditch a Sabrina arc at the last minute because Netflix bought it not the CW so they struggled a bit.

RamSteelwood

FYI...moved on to season 2 of Parks and Rec and those of you that said to stick at it were right. Definitely an improvement and more enjoyable to watch.

Moot_Geeza

poprock wrote:

Watched the first episode of Sharp Objects tonight, on Sky. Pretty good. Tense, atmospheric, and mostly well acted. Definitely has potential. Stars Amy Adams and based on a book by the same author as Gone Girl.

Quoting myself for the page turn because I’m still thinking about this show the morning after, which is a good sign. Think I’m in for the season. It’s only eight episodes. Struggling to think of a simple comparison, but it terms of atmosphere it’s somewhere between Big Little Lies and True Detective. It’s claustrophobic and tense.

I'm in for the season, very strong start. Has a few aspects I'm not sold on yet, but there's plenty of wiggle room.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories