Random TV Show Thoughts

[yeghor]

Here's something to bake one's noodle:

Disney is simply adapting their own freaking movie (since the fable has been told with different variations over time), so they can do what they like with it.

I wonder what the uproar would have been like if their cartoon Ariel had been black, and then they cast her as white for this film.

Probably black people would claim to have been erased, sure.... but I'm pretty sure most of the "purists" complaining about the change in our current timeline would suddenly not care. So it's not really about the purism.

I hope we all get past this someday.

Someone made this thing below as well.

Some of the criticizers say these studios should build new stories, characters and lore centered around new non-white characters rather than race/gender-swapping already established stories, characters and lore because the latter comes across as disingenuous and petty.

Like the new black mermaid not being Ariel herself but some different type of mermaid in the same realm/setting with her own story.

There seems to be some sort of inferiority-complex-driven impulse to grab for oneself what others have that one is lacking and that's what it makes disingenuous and petty.

 

[yeghor]

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

You know that show "What Would You Do?"? - I'm afraid I would come out badly on that one. It is a Fe extravaganza show and I respect the people who step up, but it is really hard for me to intrude that like - especially with parents. Even when I teach I try not to contradict parents even with stuff I really don't like because I think kids are in an entire system that I don't understand and it's not my place to throw a monkey wrench into it.

I would likely say something positive to kid being insulted by a parent, but one episode the parent was arguing with their boy who wanted to be a dancer and they were buying soccer shoes. Even though I hold a personal value of letting a kid do what inspires them, I would never introject those values onto that parent. I don't know what all is going on in that system. For the episode when the mother calls a young girl fat, I would tell the girl she looks so pretty in the dress, but wouldn't have a complex conversation with the mother about parenting.

I think it's good that some people can do this and probably what humanity needs, but the show makes me feel weird because I might be a big fail in some scenarios because I can't act on reality fast and with that sort of social ego certitude.

 

[Totenkindly]

After three really bad episodes, She-Hulk at least returns to average or slightly above form with "Just Jen," episode 6, revolving around a wedding. I actually laughed a few times in this episode, something the last few episodes failed miserably at.

How hard is it to make an actual interesting series, though? Maybe harder than I thought. Like, there are different approaches you can take to She-Hulk. You can handle it more seriously but with interwoven dramatic humor (like Breaking Bad or the film Bridesmaids). Or you can just really double-down on the laughs and work really hard to create something that is ironic, humorous, or just crazy funny like Deadpool or the film "The Heat," even if nothing can be taken seriously and the overall plot is kind of lame. You can also take pains to have regular subplot through-lines that track from episode to episode so that there's a sense of a bigger story spooling out.

So why does this show choose a mediocre, ambling mess of a plot? Not quite funny enough, not quite serious enough, not quite self-referential enough, not quite purposeful enough. It's like it chose the middle road on everything and ends up having nothing about it truly shine, aside from Tatiana Maslany, who is great as the title character but can't carry a show that hands her such mediocre writing much of the time.

It's also been weird seeing Jameela Jamil under so much makeup/wigotry + with a weird voice that I realize mainly is coming from doing an American accent which ends up sounding rather valley/floozy girl at best.

There apparently is some kind of subplot also unfolding here, but the show is so lackadaisical about pursuing it that there is no tension or interest in what it might be.

Again, all the money that Disney has and the resources it could use (who wouldn't want to write for Disney or use them as a stepping stone? They must have people clamoring for involvement), and they never seem to pull in anyone who is anywhere near the quality of their Phase 1-3 teams.

 

[The Cat]

After three really bad episodes, She-Hulk at least returns to average or slightly above form with "Just Jen," episode 6, revolving around a wedding. I actually laughed a few times in this episode, something the last few episodes failed miserably at.

How hard is it to make an actual interesting series, though? Maybe harder than I thought. Like, there are different approaches you can take to She-Hulk. You can handle it more seriously but with interwoven dramatic humor (like Breaking Bad or the film Bridesmaids). Or you can just really double-down on the laughs and work really hard to create something that is ironic, humorous, or just crazy funny like Deadpool or the film "The Heat," even if nothing can be taken seriously and the overall plot is kind of lame. You can also take pains to have regular subplot through-lines that track from episode to episode so that there's a sense of a bigger story spooling out.

So why does this show choose a mediocre, ambling mess of a plot? Not quite funny enough, not quite serious enough, not quite self-referential enough, not quite purposeful enough. It's like it chose the middle road on everything and ends up having nothing about it truly shine, aside from Tatiana Maslany, who is great as the title character but can't carry a show that hands her such mediocre writing much of the time.

It's also been weird seeing Jameela Jamil under so much makeup/wigotry + with a weird voice that I realize mainly is coming from doing an American accent which ends up sounding rather valley/floozy girl at best.

There apparently is some kind of subplot also unfolding here, but the show is so lackadaisical about pursuing it that there is no tension or interest in what it might be.

Again, all the money that Disney has and the resources it could use (who wouldn't want to write for Disney or use them as a stepping stone? They must have people clamoring for involvement), and they never seem to pull in anyone who is anywhere near the quality of their Phase 1-3 teams.

Tbh I feel that they're trying to fit too many season arcs into one season, so tonally, they never pick a lane. Instead they just try to shoe horn as many things that the show could be, so that people will want more. Sort of a desperate... grab, if you will, for more. Audience, money, seasons, buzz? Ive felt for a few years now that shows are being made with shorter run times...once a concept like this would have gotten 24 episode first season which gives the writers 8 mini arcs to intersect with their over all season arc, and each one getting an average of three episodes each worth of focus, regardless where in the run they were introduced, played out, and resolved. Then then season would end with a tantalizing glimpse of what could happen next season, but you gotta renew to know sort of thing.

Now it just sort of feels like. We get 8-12 episodes to tell what you're trying to tell in a 24 episode arc, tbh I dont know why they dont just make these things multiple night miniseries events, and just make a six hour movie and edit it into three 1:30-2 hour broadcast events. but i just feel like they try to piack too much filling into the pastry and wondering why it doesnt look or feel...exactly right. I mean sure its still technically a pie, and its technically not the worst pie in london...but is it worth the cost of a shave? I have my doubts.

 

[Totenkindly]

I dunno. Sometimes it feels like they have no plan at all, let alone trying to do too many things. I mean, the Hawkeye thing was fairly targeted aside from the complete Nothingburger about Swordsman, but it was just not very well written or choreographed. Like, the writers just didn't have the skill to make it interesting.

Plus they are tied to format. Like, some of the shows feel like the story is much shorter but they're stuck making 45 minute episodes of a 9-10 episode season. Their story isn't interesting enough or well-written enough to make use of the time, and there's a lot of crap filler. Or what time they do get is just poorly done -- like in Falcon and WS, the whole USAgent arc is supposed to be really interesting based on the comic and it was totally bungled in the show so that it lost all dramatic tension -- it just seemed psychotic and scatterbrained.

 

[The Cat]

this is true...

I guess I'm less bothered by it than I would have been before watching shows and movies became about mining things for D&D and imagining what the characters got on their dice rolls based off what happens. that...honestly takes a lot of the sting of dissapointment out of the viewing for me...when that fails I imagine what the show/movie looks like in alternate universes.

 

[Totenkindly]

Vince Gilligan Sets Up Series at Apple Starring ‘Better Call Saul’ Alum Rhea Seehorn

Vince Gilligan’s next series has landed at Apple with a two-season straight-to-series order. In addition, “Better Call Saul” star Rhea Seehorn is attached to star in the series in the lead role. Exact plot details are being kept under wraps. Gilligan created the series and will serve as...

www.yahoo.com

 

[Totenkindly]

‘True Detective’ Season 4 at HBO Adds Five to Cast, Including Fiona Shaw and Christopher Eccleston

“True Detective” Season 4 is building out its main cast with the addition of five actors, Variety has learned. John Hawkes (“Deadwood,” “Winter’s Bone”), Christopher Eccleston (“Doctor Who,” “The Leftovers”), Fiona Shaw (“Killing Eve,” “Harry Potter” franchise), Finn Bennett (“Domina,” “The...

www.yahoo.com

 

[yeghor]

First Andor reactions say it’s more like an HBO series than a Star Wars show – and that’s no bad thing

Andor is receiving universal praise from critics

www.yahoo.com

Eh. I dunno anymore. All of the franchise/adaptations are just kind of missing the mark nowadays ("House of the Dragon" might be the rare exception). Most times it's like a "All they could have done, but they chose to do implement the idea like this?" moment.

Here, the thing is that we already know the crux point of the character. He's done bad things in his fight against the empire and is looking to just do one good/right thing to justify somehow all the heartache and sacrifice, so he starts to change a bit in Rogue One and also ends up doing something good even while the piper is paid.

So what is all this? Just all the awful things he ends up doing to get to the film? Or why?

I don't really have a lot of faith in Disney as a company to pull that kind of thing off. AMC has pulled it off sometimes. But most of the big companies are not succeeding well. Disney has been pretty lousy in the last few years with all of the crap they bought and don't know what to do with.

I mean, it would be nice for it to succeed, but I'm not optimistic if Loki and Obi-Wan were the high points.

The first 3 episodes are out and the cinematography and acting seem alright so far. Somethings I didn't like:

-They are using falling or moving objects to create suspense, turns into a video game.
-The police march to the crime scene for 10 minutes instead of using some kind of armoured personnel transport or bikes or smt. allowing them time and losing the element of surprise.
-Police wear light armour vest but don't wear any head protection.
-They don't deploy any police droid or tear gas or aerial drone or something, risking personnel.
-Police officers not positioning in pairs, risking themselves.
-Leaving police vehicle unattended without a droid unit or some kind of protective gear.

It doesn't feel cringe so far though.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

*me educating people who have only watched Fate the Winx Saga on the OG Winx Club*

I
've been watching the new season. It's been decent so far, I like how they made Flora less of a doormat but they still kept her sweet nature. But still, we basically have 2 Floras and no Tecna. That girl has gotten so much neglect, be it the show itself, the merch, the fans. Ughhh.

 

[Totenkindly]

I get that the network footed the bill to make these shows and own them, but the Warner Bros/Discovery merger and resulting practice seems a pretty cynical way to do business in terms of showcrafting. Plus, what creator will ever trust them again? this is an age when everything created is typically available online -- but they are actively throwing things into the void. I would be very careful before working with them ever.

Final Space Creator Voices Pain of Show's Cancellation, Vows to Keep Fighting

The creator of Final Space isn't going down without a fight.

movieweb.com

 

[Totenkindly]

Watched Episode 1 of the Netflix "Dahmer" thing. I have not watched other Dahmer shows. (I didn't watch the Ted Bundy stuff much either.) I would typically much rather watch an actual documentary that isn't hyped up, then watch melodramatic recreations, although I found Fincher's Mindhunter to be pretty great for a semi-fictional approach to how John Douglas' behavioral unit got started.

This first episode (focusing on the incident that led to Dahmer's capture) was actually pretty close to reality and rather chilling. While Peters will be even more known and he's probably getting paid well, it must be pretty awful to live in that head space. Aside from the caveat that we're talking about serial killers, Dahmer was pretty messed up in the head -- higher than average intelligence (serial killers actually aren't super-smart a la Lecter) but underachieving for his entire life, with a lot of schizoid style traits, and extremely lonely and having gotten his wires crossed into necrophiliac urges at a young age. He was basically adrift from human relationship and perceived dead/objectified bodies as the only lovers who wouldn't leave him. He shouldn't have been able to continue as long as he did, except for his location and victim base, and I don't think he was investigated seriously until the incident shown in this episode, when everything blew open. All the evidence was there once the police actually bothered, and he didn't even try to run.

Moments near the end of the episode are why you hire heavy-weight character actors like Richard Jenkins to bring legitimacy to your narrative. He's not on screen long in Episode #1 as Dahmer's father, but he's riveting. the episode is unsettling and atmospheric, and there's a lot of time spent wondering how things will go down and feeling like you're sharing the almost-victim's growing awareness that something isn't right.

The discussion around the show of course has gone in typical directions. Any time anyone makes a show about a tragic event, it sucks for people with emotional/family connections to people in the story. For other people, it's news or a narrative; for them it is real life and real loss that they then need to avoid.

The other weirdness was viewers complaining that the show was unsettling and they couldn't even finish the first episode. Well, what did you expect? It's a show about a psychologically ill serial killer who was eventually beaten to death in prison because other prisoners despised him so much. Dahmer actually did very disturbing things. I think it's a little unnerving that people will tune in to watch this kind of thing, then feel surprised at their negative emotional reaction. How much have we watered down other similar shows in the past that has numbed people to the horrific and psychologically warped nature of the crimes they are viewing? Netflix has made a killing in regards to cheaply made murder shows, along with other channels like ID Discovery, so now making one truer to reality is surprising people?

 

[JocktheMotie]

The first 3 episodes are out and the cinematography and acting seem alright so far. Somethings I didn't like:

-They are using falling or moving objects to create suspense, turns into a video game.
-The police march to the crime scene for 10 minutes instead of using some kind of armoured personnel transport or bikes or smt. allowing them time and losing the element of surprise.
-Police wear light armour vest but don't wear any head protection.
-They don't deploy any police droid or tear gas or aerial drone or something, risking personnel.
-Police officers not positioning in pairs, risking themselves.
-Leaving police vehicle unattended without a droid unit or some kind of protective gear.

It doesn't feel cringe so far though.

The point is, these "police" are corporate rent-a-cop wannabe stormtroopers who act like tough shit but are ultimately weak and pathetic. So all of these "tactical" mistakes make perfect sense.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

The other weirdness was viewers complaining that the show was unsettling and they couldn't even finish the first episode. Well, what did you expect? It's a show about a psychologically ill serial killer who was eventually beaten to death in prison because other prisoners despised him so much. Dahmer actually did very disturbing things. I think it's a little unnerving that people will tune in to watch this kind of thing, then feel surprised at their negative emotional reaction. How much have we watered down other similar shows in the past that has numbed people to the horrific and psychologically warped nature of the crimes they are viewing? Netflix has made a killing in regards to cheaply made murder shows, along with other channels like ID Discovery, so now making one truer to reality is surprising people?

I was just thinking about how people do this too, and how it's funny and endearing when cats do it. And as such, it's easy to comfort them about it. But wow, it can be so annoying when people do it (at least, whenever/wherever it demands our attention and/or that we make concessions to compensate).

 

[Totenkindly]

She-Hulk episode 7: The last 15 minutes are 7/10 (for a sincere admission, plus the humor improved), while the rest of the episode is a 4-5 (due to flat plotting and flat jokes and missed opportunities).

The plot also is taking the most obvious path forward in terms of guessing who the villains are or what's happening.

I feel like they're just half-assing this. I think the intended audience for this show is (1) 25-30+ year old women who (2) aren't really into comic books or MCU films. There's some stuff that seems indicative of a mature woman's life experience but not being particular good or funny, just semi-relatable. It reminds me of the semi-boredom of older woman's get-togethers. Am I being harsh? Maybe. But it could just be so much more while still being appealing to the target group PLUS the wider audience!

I also thought it odd that there were no other women in the support group -- it was entirely men. Did I miss a line of dialogue, or... what exactly?

Case in Point: Conceptually, making the Abomination not be in huge green monster form all the time and instead leading a support group (in human form) is amusing. But the execution? It's just so damned flat. Even the silly stuff just seems dumb, not funny, much of the time. They should be swinging for the fences but are just taking little taps at the ball. They seem to have a big problem with how to do humor nowadays, after it became part of their formula. This whole show could be hilarious, but it's very tame and watered down.

 

[chickpea]

one month

 

[Totenkindly]

She-Hulk E8 was probably the season high-water mark aside from E1. It's cool but kind of sucks that part of its success is another MCU character making a prolonged appearance -- although it's not all just bling, it's because both the characters and the actor/actress actually have chemistry. It's like they don't know what to do with the series/character on its own.

But the opening 5 min is dumb and the ending is kind of like manufactured conflict. Really really dumb:

1. Obviously her having sex with a guy isn't what makes her look bad. She's a grown woman who can be expected to have sex, and whoever took the video and posted it would be seen as the douchebag, not her... even if it is being splashed on huge video in front of her parents....

2. Except that she loses her cool and trashes some stuff. Is that what they mean by her being a monster?

3. But she's obvious related to the Hulk, and the Hulk is VERY WELL KNOWN in his original years for being a rage monster who destroyed a lot of property and losing his cool. She's actually pretty cool-headed much of the time, so why would this make people think, "OMG, She-Hulk is... acting like The Hulk?" Really? This is the big deal that's supposed to mess up her reputation? Everyone already knows she's a HULK!

Anyway, a fairly decent episode overall, but so much of this series was a drag. It's like Rings of Power. There might be occasional moments you appreciate or people can try to provide apologetics in defense of the show... but think about what we could have gotten instead. Both shows should have been knocked out of the park and become permanent fixtures, and instead they will be quickly forgotten.

 

[The Cat]

She-Hulk E8 was probably the season high-water mark aside from E1. It's cool but kind of sucks that part of its success is another MCU character making a prolonged appearance -- although it's not all just bling, it's because both the characters and the actor/actress actually have chemistry. It's like they don't know what to do with the series/character on its own.

But the opening 5 min is dumb and the ending is kind of like manufactured conflict. Really really dumb:

1. Obviously her having sex with a guy isn't what makes her look bad. She's a grown woman who can be expected to have sex, and whoever took the video and posted it would be seen as the douchebag, not her... even if it is being splashed on huge video in front of her parents....

2. Except that she loses her cool and trashes some stuff. Is that what they mean by her being a monster?

3. But she's obvious related to the Hulk, and the Hulk is VERY WELL KNOWN in his original years for being a rage monster who destroyed a lot of property and losing his cool. She's actually pretty cool-headed much of the time, so why would this make people think, "OMG, She-Hulk is... acting like The Hulk?" Really? This is the big deal that's supposed to mess up her reputation? Everyone already knows she's a HULK!

Anyway, a fairly decent episode overall, but so much of this series was a drag. It's like Rings of Power. There might be occasional moments you appreciate or people can try to provide apologetics in defense of the show... but think about what we could have gotten instead. Both shows should have been knocked out of the park and become permanent fixtures, and instead they will be quickly forgotten.

Ive noticed a trend of this over the last decade. Stargate was cancelled. Battlestar Galactica SR decided to end the series a season early because of at the time Sci-fi's attempts to hold shows hostage season by season before telling them they would get a renewed season, was damaging the arc structure of the show's writing. So then The cancel Atlnatis promising a movie. They want to bring a new stargate, but they wanted to make it more like Battlestar Galactica... which regardless of how cool or novel or unique that show could have been. Ultimately Stargate fans didnt want Stargate Galactica anymore than Battlestar fans wanted Battlestar: BS-1. Now it feels like the market has tapped into the popularity of things like D&D and GOT and that is the new corporate synergism. Granted a lot of people who arent fans of LOTR complain about how long and seemingly more about places and history the plot is over the gritty mud blood sex and shit grimdark of GOT. And that's valid. Not every property needs to be handled with the same story structures. I feel like show runners are focused and fixated on the aesthethics and the premise of Game of thrones, but Lord of the Rings. Oooh lets call it Rings of Power! Synergy!

They like to think it has what they're calling "Zazz."

It's not quite like the writers room for Grimlins 2...

yet.
​

But I feel like a lot of these shows are being written around things other than actual writing being the focus. I get the feeling She Hulk(and pretty much all of this latest marvel phase) are suffering from similar problems of market conformity whether consciously or subconsciously intended or not.

 

[Totenkindly]

I am probably going to take shit for saying this, but some of the "woke" complaints are true. I mean, I don't consider that angle to be any worse than the default "bro-boy" angle that TV used to be centered around. But I will acknowledge there's an obvious and concerted effort to present these now in-vogue angles as a main focus, versus just writing a damned story. Bad writing is still happening at an alarming frequency, it is just now happening in service to modern sensibilities rather than the older ones.

Looking at "House of the Dragon" as an example of what actually TO do, in general I think it has been actually a decent show despite having some elements that seem tailored for current sensibilities (hitting on the double standard, a better arc for Laenor compared to the books, and so on) -- because it feels like the story is still actually focused on STORY-TELLING and character development. Like, the issues have not supplanted the character friction and arcs.

But I am honestly feeling like most of these other high-concept franchise shows are all about the high concept / diversification ("Oh, look at how great we are for diversifying") rather than just trying to actually tell a nuanced decent story. I think these new approaches are great in the sense we have not had them before due to stagnant homogeneous writer's rooms and production houses -- but they still cannot take the place of good writing and skilled storytelling. Disney+ often feels like it is trying to substitute this for storytelling in its franchise shows nowadays and it's been awful. Phase 4 has sucked. Am I against deaf Native American heroes, or black Captain America's, or Pakistani teenage female mutants, or female lawyers trying to balance superheroism with the plight of modern woman's interests? Never. But you still need a story!

Some of it is a lack of honed craftsmanship in the writing. Some of it is the format -- Disney is forcing stories to fit formats that end up creating a LOT of filler material. (Hawkeye should have been 3-4 episodes... or maybe maybe 25 minute episodes.) But some of it feels like they are mistaking new approved perspectives for actual content.

It kind of makes me ill to see all the sycophants on Facebook threads posted by comic sites that feel like the review was paid off and the audience is gushing about how great the series is, when it's just filler crap and stuff they won't even remember next month. It's true visual fast food and it will be shat out and flushed to prepare for the next blandly voluminous helping.

Getting back to She-Hulk: Man, this has been pretty blah. There's only been about 30 minutes of content in eight episodes that actually felt exciting. Otherwise it feels like a show where the writers just sat around and glowed over how they could now write a show for women but it's just full of surface level, poorly manufactured conflict or generic "day in the life" events that aren't really about plotting and arcs. Poor Tatiana Maslany has pretty much had to dead-lift and drag this show towards the finish line because the writing hasn't really been helping her. It hasn't even really tried to take advantage (consistently) of the fourth-wall breaking and other funny bits that She-Hulk preceded Deadpool with. I'm not asking for R-rated She-Hulk... just funny, competent, crazy She-Hulk that is fun to watch.