Yakoob on 23/3/2021 at 21:54
I finished the first season of The One on Netflix and it was interesting... but also kind of terrible? Great premise about inventing a DNA matching system to find your "perfect" match you're guaranteed to instantly fall in love with. But there's not enough "what are the social implications of this?" and too much "murder and blackmail!" The framing is also really weird since it pretty much tells you exactly what happened in first episode and then slowly drip feeds more details but... you already know what happened? There aren't any twists (well there is one, but a pretty predictable one) so why is it treating it like a slow unraveling murder mystery when there is no mystery? Just too many unnecessary flashbacks revealing stuff you already knew. I think the creators thought the story was a lot smarter than it actually is.
I now started on Behind Her Eyes and really digging it. Romance drama meets psychological thriller. It's not as deep as it likes to think at times, but the acting is fantastic, creating both charismatic progratonists you root for and psychotic people you want to know more about.
DaBeast on 24/3/2021 at 17:33
Finished series 3 of American Gods; First series was nifty, interesting and had Ian McShane. Second series slowed a bit, got kind of weird, but had Ian McShane. Series three has been kind of dull, occasionally interesting and oddly enough Ian McShane. Not sure if the producers are running out of steam or if it is just accurately following the book.
WandaVision was pretty bad for the first few episodes, then got interesting as the penny dropped, but didn't really feel like it was building until the facade drops toward the end of the series. Very risky taking what must have been either a movie or mini-series idea and stretching it out like that. The initial premise could have been wrapped up and explored more traditionally after the first episode. I don't think I would call it great stuff, but if you haven't fully burned out of MCU and/or need something to watch, its there I guess.
Latest series of Line of Duty started, might wait until the run is finished, its been one of the most binge-able tv shows I've seen.
demagogue on 25/3/2021 at 03:57
I've watched the first couple of episodes of The Terror, about the ill-fated 18XXs expedition to find the NW Passage that left two ships stranded in the ice for several years. It's got supernatural elements; so that's the first line one has to cross with the show. But if you're on board with it from there, it pays off pretty well. It reminds me a little of Picnic at Hanging Rock, another interesting show I've watched this year, that mixes supernatural elements into a real life mystery where people just disappear and no one is left to tell the true story.
It's an interesting slice of life, mid-19th Century British admiralty at the height of the era of exploration, with the pushes and pulls of ego, ambition, despair, and occasionally something of the crew's growing restlessness. I don't know if it all gels together, but the whole bleak setting, personal conflicts, and natural drama make me keep watching it, so it must be doing something right.
Thirith on 25/3/2021 at 13:25
The Terror is worth it already for the impeccable casting and acting. So damn good.
demagogue on 25/3/2021 at 13:50
For the purposes of the point I was making, the "real life" part isn't really the important point, more the fact that it's blurring this line between "this is shot as if it's recounting things that might have actually happened IRL" and vague supernatural elements hinted at behind the scenes, I mean as a kind of storytelling technique if not a whole genre in itself, technically aside from the fact whether it actually did happen or not. These two shows are both in that same kind of vein was the point I wanted to make. But thank you for keeping me honest anyway.
Yes the casting and acting for The Terror is great, even (especially) the obstinate cretins of the crew.
Fingernail on 28/3/2021 at 08:35
Thirding/fourthing(?) recommendation for the Terror, great little series. It's on BBC iplayer right now for UK folks. Fantastic acting and just really immerses you in its world and the terrible situation. In some ways I feel like
the beast and kind of fantasy element wasn't all that necessary, the real situation is more than horrific enough, although I know it's a kind of metaphor and it allows some access to the native mythology and perspective which is interesting.Edit: also meant to say it's a really exciting time as the wrecks of Terror and Erebus are being explored right now, already fascinating footage coming out like this: (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWEtlIZnH9s)
There's a real chance they might discover written documents or other evidence to shed more light on exactly what happened when. Very cool.
Tocky on 31/3/2021 at 03:04
I recall reading about the discovery of Erebus in Archaeology magazine a few years back and what stuck out to me was the speculation that food tainted by lead sealed tins may have played a part in the muddled thinking and lack of a plan to get them out of the situation.
Also in the brief documentary Fingernail posted (fascinating cabin explorations) the woman pronounces bow sprit as if it could shoot an arrow. I always thought it was bow as in bow of a ship being as it is on a ship. I suppose it could be like bowline hitch which is pronounced as an arrow shooting bow though. At least that's how I've heard it. Never a seaman around when you need one.
demagogue on 31/3/2021 at 10:03
OMG this is badass!
[video=youtube;DQcykdQ6xks]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQcykdQ6xks[/video]