oudeis on 15/12/2009 at 19:08
nigga please- Count Basie and Glenn Miller.
Stitch on 15/12/2009 at 19:17
Quote Posted by fett
On the topic of a new "TV" thread - I've thought of starting one myself because who the hell wants to plow through 30 pages of discussion that's almost 2 years old (or whatever). Music, movies, and TV is ever changing, so I think there's merit to starting a new thread every once in awhile to replace the old one, even if some things get repeated.
I actually think the recent trend towards mega-threads has produced some ridiculously unwieldy results. Discussions you care about become buried beneath those you don't, all of which is punctuated by the occasional drive-by poster who views it as the forum equivalent of a "now listening/playing/watching" livejournal field.
We don't have a limited amount of threads we can create and there is no need to condense everything by medium.
quinch on 15/12/2009 at 19:30
I haven't seen The Shield but I recently binged on The Sopranos, watching all seasons for the first time over a couple of weeks. I didn't think it would be possible, but its overall quality came close to The Wire and even pipped it in some respects. Having me root for, and feel pity for Alpha Male and possible sociopath Tony Soprano for starters. Most of the songs they use for the end credits are inspired. The humour is also so good and consistent you feel it would take minimum effort to turn it into an out-and-out comedy.
Deadwood was great. Similar to The Sopranos in that it constantly surprises and shocks and makes you cringe, and has it's fair share of Alpha Males. Great if you don't mind feeling awkward and nauseous from time to time.
fett on 15/12/2009 at 19:36
I was surprised that I lost interest in The Sopranos pretty quickly, considering it's oft venerated status. It wasn't bad, it just felt pedestrian after a while, and moved too slowly for me, without developing much. I knew who the characters were from the first episode and they never surprised me or challenged my notions of the stereotype well into the third season. I think also I'm a little tired of the whole "Italian mobster" thing where they're sitting around watching Rocky, listening to Sinatra, and eating Cannoli, while plotting the drowning death of two-time Johnny. Maybe it was just too on the nose or something for me. I do plan to finish the series, but I'm not terribly motivated to do so.
Rug Burn Junky on 15/12/2009 at 19:55
Sopranos needs context. It was the prototype for many of the quality shows of the past decade - mainly the other HBO dramas. Because so many others have risen to its level, it gets a little lost at how groundbreakingly good it was - the complex anti-hero that you're rooting for and repulsed by simultaneously was played to perfection by Gandolfini.
It had its ups and downs, and wasn't as consistently strong nor as complex as The Wire, but it had its fair share of story arcs that rival any other show. Even within the mob clichés, it gave some nice twists and payoffs and some great characters.
But comparing it to the Wire is usually getting it backwards. Sopranos set the standard. The Wire may be superior in a lot of ways, but it's still part of the Sopranos legacy.
fett on 15/12/2009 at 20:41
Yeah, I totally get that. I'm having the same hang-ups I've had with discovering that Led Zepplin and The Beatles inspired every band I ever cared about, but I had it backwards for so long, enjoying modern stuff that built on it, that it's hard to go backwards and really appreciate what the original was. I fear it's one of those, "you had to be there" things that I'm only starting to appreciate as I approach 40, but dammit, I'm determined to do so.
Scots Taffer on 16/12/2009 at 03:42
This season of Dexter has been quite easily the worst. It has had only a fraction of the character development of Season 3 and Trinity (while having the edgier benefit of being a serial killer) hasn't been an effective foil for Dexter for the majority of the season since he decided to become his buddy and the writers have taken waaaay too many creative liberties with getting around some of the situations they've put Dex in. Not to mention the subplots in this one have sucked kilometres of donkey dick - Angel/LaGuerta, for example, is alone bad enough to merit this season being the worst and Tits McGee the reporter who also turns out to be someone else.
Granted, they've set things up for an excellent fifth season (Quinn is the new Doakes, can't wait for his SURPRISE MOTHERFUCKER scene; Deb is a curly hair away from realising the truth about Dexter; and we all know what Dex has to come to terms with), which hopefully will be the last because it's definitely running out of steam. I was fucking ready to see Harry die again for all those goddamn redundant "spelling out the plot" fantasy sequences.
Seasons 1 through 3 are a riot though, as long as you've got your tongue firmly in cheek.
I've got two seasons of both Mad Men and Breaking Bad to watch next, which I've heard universally good things about.
As for recommendations, I'll trot out my personal favourites of the past decade:
- The Wire
- Six Feet Under
- Arrested Development
- The Sopranos
- Deadwood
- Rome
DaBeast on 16/12/2009 at 04:41
DEADWOOD
Sulphur on 16/12/2009 at 04:42
Also, Carnivale.
Deadwood and The Wire for sho'.
Scots Taffer on 16/12/2009 at 04:54
I always hesitate to suggest Rome (season one, in particular) and Deadwood at the top of my lists due to the fact that you're left feeling somewhat unresolved despite enjoying some of the best TV there is.
It is staggeringly good TV though.
