Random TV Show Thoughts

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I'm trying to rewatch all of Community before it leaves Netflix.

I watched (Season 1, Episode 4) Social Psychology tonight. I groaned when I realized what episode it was, because I remember not liking it that much. I'm kinder to it now and say that while I don't much care for the A-plot of the social psychology experiment, I do like the B-plot where Jeff and Shirley gossip about Britta's boyfriend. The problem with the A-plot is that it's just one joke, repeated far too many times, with people having tantrums when waiting for something. This was funny when Chang did it, because it happened immediately, but the gag wears out its welcome rather quickly. I like the end where Abed reveals he stayed because he was Annie's friend, which contrasts with the previous episode where he manipulated Britta to get the movie he wanted. But there is too much time spent on a joke that's not that funny.

I tend to find these early season 1 episodes difficult at times, because they haven't figured out what combinations worked well together. The Shirley-Jeff things as an exception; I don't remember them returning to that well too often, and yet it's really funny to watch them be catty together. I enjoy the story arc of a jealous Jeff trying to be better but then being lured to the dark side by Shirley. I am surprised by how rapid-fire and witty even the earliest episodes of this show have proven themselves to be. You watch an early episode of Seinfeld or the Simpson's and they're a little dull; they take themselves too seriously for whatever reason. I would say that while these early episodes are more grounded, there are still many things that make me chuckle.

 

[The Cat]

 

[Z Buck McFate]

Christopher Nolan might remake The Prisoner. I have mixed feelings. I guess if anyone can do it well, it would be him. But I've been a hardcore fan since childhood, and the prospect of it is grating. I like associating the pennyfarthing symbol with Patrick McGoohan and the big weather balloon monster (and all of the other cheesy mechanisms). It's easily one of my top ten favorite series ever.

There was a remake back in 2009, but it was so terrible - and resembled the original so little - that most Prisoner fans could easily ignore it. It even had John Cassaventes as No. 6. Just comically bad. Supposedly. I tried watching it several times (because i do like Ruth Wilson) and never made it past the first episode.

 

[Totenkindly]

I watched (Season 1, Episode 4) Social Psychology tonight. I groaned when I realized what episode it was, because I remember not liking it that much. I'm kinder to it now and say that while I don't much care for the A-plot of the social psychology experiment, I do like the B-plot where Jeff and Shirley gossip about Britta's boyfriend. The problem with the A-plot is that it's just one joke, repeated far too many times, with people having tantrums when waiting for something. This was funny when Chang did it, because it happened immediately, but the gag wears out its welcome rather quickly. I like the end where Abed reveals he stayed because he was Annie's friend, which contrasts with the previous episode where he manipulated Britta to get the movie he wanted. But there is too much time spent on a joke that's not that funny.

I tend to find these early season 1 episodes difficult at times, because they haven't figured out what combinations worked well together. The Shirley-Jeff things as an exception; I don't remember them returning to that well too often, and yet it's really funny to watch them be catty together. I enjoy the story arc of a jealous Jeff trying to be better but then being lured to the dark side by Shirley. I am surprised by how rapid-fire and witty even the earliest episodes of this show have proven themselves to be. You watch an early episode of Seinfeld or the Simpson's and they're a little dull; they take themselves too seriously for whatever reason. I would say that while these early episodes are more grounded, there are still many things that make me chuckle.

i agree about how Community hit the ground running. I mean, I even loved the initial thing with Jeff and Pierce having to do a shared project together for Chang's class and it hooked me immediately; I guess I'm weird but I just couldn't stop laughing at their project, it was so brilliantly over the top, and Chang was so obnoxious. (Ken Jeong is a treasure.)

Yeah, Seinfeld has a tone of its own, and it really took a season or two to establish itself and get the tone down before becoming a ratings juggernaut.

The Simpsons actually was already big from Tracy Ullman, which is why it got a show in the first place, although obviously you can see the humor and the artistic design getting more polished over the first few seasons. I actually watched it as it aired, for the first 5-6 seasons, so there was none of me judging it twenty years later by comparing it to the current humor shows. At the time it aired it was a rare funny animated show on an adult level that kids could still appreciate (and the right-wing get their panties in a wad over) and was just downright funny even then, even though it had a sweet spot later in its run.

Maybe those older shows walked so that Community could run...

 

[Z Buck McFate]

I'm trying to rewatch all of Community before it leaves Netflix.

I watched (Season 1, Episode 4) Social Psychology tonight. I groaned when I realized what episode it was, because I remember not liking it that much. I'm kinder to it now and say that while I don't much care for the A-plot of the social psychology experiment, I do like the B-plot where Jeff and Shirley gossip about Britta's boyfriend. The problem with the A-plot is that it's just one joke, repeated far too many times, with people having tantrums when waiting for something. This was funny when Chang did it, because it happened immediately, but the gag wears out its welcome rather quickly. I like the end where Abed reveals he stayed because he was Annie's friend, which contrasts with the previous episode where he manipulated Britta to get the movie he wanted. But there is too much time spent on a joke that's not that funny.

I tend to find these early season 1 episodes difficult at times, because they haven't figured out what combinations worked well together. The Shirley-Jeff things as an exception; I don't remember them returning to that well too often, and yet it's really funny to watch them be catty together. I enjoy the story arc of a jealous Jeff trying to be better but then being lured to the dark side by Shirley. I am surprised by how rapid-fire and witty even the earliest episodes of this show have proven themselves to be. You watch an early episode of Seinfeld or the Simpson's and they're a little dull; they take themselves too seriously for whatever reason. I would say that while these early episodes are more grounded, there are still many things that make me chuckle.

This show reminds me of the forum, maybe 2012-ish Typo C. Maybe because it was an unlikely connection of very different people having unusually real conversations. For Typo C, it was because of the anonymity. In Community, it's because it's literally a script about an unlikely connection of very different people; fiction is always (?) a speculative 'what if...' examination of some circumstanse. The fighting in Community reminds me of the fighting that would happen here - especially that episode where Troy yelled "I HATE us!" and Jeff asked Abed something like "Why do you have to take everything we experience and shove it up its own ass?" A lot of the conflict here was because of someone or another taking a conversation and shoving it up its own ass, and then someone else shoving THAT up its own ass, etc.

 

[Totenkindly]

You are actually kinda right on that -- I think the same things that make me laugh on Community are similar things to what I remember about the forum's early years and what posting felt like. It is all the same kind of crazy energy with such a variety of people, and so much funny yet dramatic stuff coming out of left field.

I guess everyone just disagrees on who were the Pierce counterparts, though. (Lol, not it!)

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

This show reminds me of the forum, maybe 2012-ish Typo C. Maybe because it was an unlikely connection of very different people having unusually real conversations. For Typo C, it was because of the anonymity. In Community, it's because it's literally a script about an unlikely connection of very different people; fiction is always (?) a speculative 'what if...' examination of some circumstanse. The fighting in Community reminds me of the fighting that would happen here - especially that episode where Troy yelled "I HATE us!" and Jeff asked Abed something like "Why do you have to take everything we experience and shove it up its own ass?" A lot of the conflict here was because of someone or another taking a conversation and shoving it up its own ass, and then someone else shoving THAT up its own ass, etc.

Wait, was that what Function Wars was about?

You are actually kinda right on that -- I think the same things that make me laugh on Community are similar things to what I remember about the forum's early years and what posting felt like. It is all the same kind of crazy energy with such a variety of people, and so much funny yet dramatic stuff coming out of left field.

I guess everyone just disagrees on who were the Pierce counterparts, though. (Lol, not it!)

One thing I remember is taking the typing of fictional characters very seriously. I think, to be honest, the Pierce types tended to be IXTP types, and this was probably why they were constantly getting banned (not "typism"). I don't know why that was; perhaps that's how those people wanted to imagine themselves.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Oh, and I remembered that they did go back to the Shirley/Jeff well. There was the foosball episode which was great.

 

[Totenkindly]

Wait, was that what Function Wars was about?

One thing I remember is taking the typing of fictional characters very seriously. I think, to be honest, the Pierce types tended to be IXTP types, and this was probably why they were constantly getting banned (not "typism"). I don't know why that was; perhaps that's how those people wanted to imagine themselves.

I dunno, I wouldn't call Pierce an IXTP either. He's like like a sour e6 or something.

but I guess you mean that counter-reactive persona, where you always choose the option that is going to cause the most conflict and somehow get a rush out of it or feel like you're accomplishing things by being a naysayer.

Pierce views himself as an outsider and not wanted, so then he seems to take pleasure in reinforcing that in order to regain some level of power and needling everyone around him. He's just counter-establishment, to BE counter-establishment and act like he's choosing that on purpose, because the establishment didn't want him (from his perspective), but he still desperately wants to belong on some level.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I dunno, I wouldn't call Pierce an IXTP either. He's like like a sour e6 or something.

but I guess you mean that counter-reactive persona, where you always choose the option that is going to cause the most conflict and somehow get a rush out of it or feel like you're accomplishing things by being a naysayer.

Pierce views himself as an outsider and not wanted, so then he seems to take pleasure in reinforcing that in order to regain some level of power and needling everyone around him.He's just counter-establishment, to BE counter-establishment and act like he's choosing that on purpose, because the establishment didn't want him (from his perspective), but he still desperately wants to belong on some level.

I was thinking more in terms of who played that role on the forum, not that Pierce was that type. I'm talking about the trolly variety of IxTP, here. (Others may disagree, but I don't think I qualify.)

 

[Kas]

Is 6th season of Community worth watching? I've seen 2 episodes and so far it's no good.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Is 6th season of Community worth watching? I've seen 2 episodes and so far it's no good.

I liked it. If nothing else watch Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care.

I hate Season 4, the "year with the gas leak", though.

 

[The Cat]

Is 6th season of Community worth watching? I've seen 2 episodes and so far it's no good.

Yeah, its got some shining moments.

 

[The Cat]

Elroy and Frankie are the best. I wish we'd gotten more with them.

 

[The Cat]

But I would enjoy Keith David and Pagett Brewster reading the phone book.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Elroy and Frankie are the best. I wish we'd gotten more with them.

Yeah; they're great. I particularly like the Frankie-Abed dynamic.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

I guess everyone just disagrees on who were the Pierce counterparts, though. (Lol, not it!)

Wait, was that what Function Wars was about?

One thing I remember is taking the typing of fictional characters very seriously. I think, to be honest, the Pierce types tended to be IXTP types, and this was probably why they were constantly getting banned (not "typism"). I don't know why that was; perhaps that's how those people wanted to imagine themselves.

Every once in a while, someone would post a "Does the forum seem more hostile than usual?" thread; it was threads like that that had big "sticking a topic up its own ass" feel. And we'd regularly circle back around to the beginning of "Why did this person get banned" (or some variation thereof) every couple months; the same people would show up to say what they usually say. And yes, the drama of the function wars. I remember seeing a tweet a couple of years ago that said, "People think jocks are a nerd's worst enemy, but really a nerd's worst enemy is another nerd who is slightly wrong about something."

I just watched the episode that starts with Pierce saying, "I've prepared a statement..." and then it cuts to opening credits. It gets funnier every time I see it. It's exactly the kind of thing that happened here, regularly.

 

[Totenkindly]

I started watching the Netflix 3-Body Problem (only finished one episode so far). I mean, it's interesting enough to continue to watch.

I see the Chinese version is on Amazon. Maybe it's worth watching them both and comparing them.

 

[SensEye]

I've been watching some video game based series. Halo and ARK: The animated series.

Halo is surprisingly good. Big budget production values and the story line has some degree of depth (I expected a cheesy video game story line). I should note I am not familiar with the Halo franchise story (only played the first release many years ago, and I don't remember much of a story at all). Worth watching if this is your type of genre

Don't know ARK the video game either. The show seems to have a fair number of big name Hollywood types as voice actors (Michelle Yeoh, Russel Crowe and others) so I thought I would give it a look. Just 2 episodes in, and this one has a real cheesy video game story line. I'll probably finish it as it is just six episodes long, but I don't expect much.

 

[Totenkindly]

I started watching the Netflix 3-Body Problem (only finished one episode so far). I mean, it's interesting enough to continue to watch.

I see the Chinese version is on Amazon. Maybe it's worth watching them both and comparing them.

Finished Episode #2 today. There was a lot of the "game" stuff in this episode, and I wasn't that impressed, but I don't know where it is going. It was both unsettling and kind of dumb in execution. (I haven't read the books.)

The modern storyline is okay, but I'm more into the Chinese 1966-1980 sequence. it seems more compelling for some reason -- and I was kinda blown away by the ending of this episode, kind of a jaw-dropper moment. I have no idea what this series is really about now.

Also, I'm hearing Benedict Wong talking with a Brit accent, which still tickles me every time he opens his mouth. I didn't even know he could do that. I guess I'm an idiot, since I realize now he is British in origin (and this is likely his actual speaking voice), but I've only ever heard him in films where they were making him speak English with a heavy Asian accent of some kind. Why the hell would American filmmakers have him do that all the time? (Edit: Intrigued, I called up some interviews with him -- his actual Brit accent is different I think than what he's using on this show.)

EDIT (Sunday): four episodes in. It's improved a bit and it's more clear what this series is about at least. But I'm really curious to see how the book and Chinese series approached this. I find the VR game the least interesting part of the show. Lots of GoT alumni popping up too. Marlo Kelly is an interesting actress, she tends to hold a scene when she's in it.

EDIT2: Episode 5. That was more like it -- same guys who did all the crazy stuff in GoT, and this episode was back in that style at last. I kind of guessed what Ward was up to, but seeing it unfold was not any less horrific. The effects were mind-boggling. Better yet, it was more like the sacrifice of a good chess piece by the other side to win an even greater position on the board. I am really curious how much of this tracks with the book. Aside from the actual horrific jaw-dropping destructive moments, I think what made this sequence the most effective was seeing all the things that WEREN'T people being impacted. It's like watching something you can't see, but you can track what is going on by the signs of its passing, and that is actually more horrific than most of the other moments because it is showing you the inevitable and relentless.

I find Jin believable but not really Aggie as a top scientific mind, honestly.
Clarence Da Shi also had some really great banter lines this episode.