|
|
Post by anthonyuk on Oct 22, 2024 11:35:31 GMT
Sweetpea S1 7/10
Prequel of sorts to the books of the same name telling the story of a wallflower turned serial killer.
I haven't read the books, but I enjoyed this for what it was. The sometimes darkly comic way the story is told, allows it to get away with what would otherwise be some fairly eye raising plot developments, which amongst other things wound up fans of the books. That said I thought Ella Purnell was on form weaving between almost sympathetic to entirely unhinged.
|
|
|
|
Post by Reviewer on Oct 23, 2024 12:23:15 GMT
Sweetpea 6/10
For unknown reasons I read the book at about the same time. It’s one of those adaptations where it’s hard to work out why they did it as an adaptation. It’s almost nothing like the book - backgrounds and motivations are different, events are mostly different etc.
TV show is fine. The book is also fine but has little in common with the TV show.
|
|
|
|
Post by simple on Oct 27, 2024 9:45:19 GMT
The Wrestlers (netflix)
If you liked the way Sunderland Til I Die followed the club and showed the human side of whats going on (or the way Welcome to Wrexham ripped it off) then this is largely that but with wrestling.
Some great characters, some less so, lovely snapshot of a middle America that you don’t see portrayed so sympathetically very often.
Would recommend.
|
|
|
|
Post by simple on Oct 28, 2024 23:05:01 GMT
Showtrial series 2 (iplayer)
There’s a really interesting three-parter here about a controversial high profile trial and what happens when the Police have to investigate themselves. Unfortunately, the series is five episodes long and we get a load of cliched stuff about the difficult personal and home lives of the lawyers as well.
I wish they’d kept the plot tighter and just focussed on the investigation and trial because there was an opportunity to say something there. Instead its a pretty standard BBC Sunday night drama.
|
|
|
|
Post by brokenkey on Oct 29, 2024 14:01:37 GMT
I loved S1 myself - S2 here I come. there's a line in S2 where a character, on the verge of leaving the order, says, "if I leave now, then I'll have wasted the last 20 years" or something similar. That's how I feel about taking my kids to music classes since infants, only to watch each of them ditch their instruments as soon as they leave school. |
|
|
|
Post by gamingdave on Oct 30, 2024 15:45:42 GMT
Only Murders in the Building : Season 4
If you weren't onboard from the previous seasons, this won't change your opinion. In some ways it's the weakest of the 4 but the core cast remain excellent (with some really solid additions) and it's comfort TV for us so hit the spot, and i'll be be back for another season assuming they do one.
|
|
|
|
Post by gamingdave on Oct 30, 2024 16:35:44 GMT
LOST : S1-6
This is one of my partners favourite TV shows of all time, if not her top. I had only watched the first season when it originally aired then bounced out somewhere in season 2. Over the last couple of months we have watched the lot.
Most sessions we would do 2 or 3 episodes at a time, and instead of waiting a year between seasons we generally had a 4 episode session finishing one season and rolling straight into the next in the same night. As a result, I've been watching it without all the water cooler moments that must have come with the original airing, internet discussions week to week, and of course the build up to a new season or finale.
We would chat about things, and she got a kick out of me asking all the same questions that were asked years ago, so I did have some of that interaction, but I also had the benefit of everything being fresh in mind - which is both a blessing and a curse.
A blessing because I'm forgetful and terrible with names, so it really helped me keep track of everything.
A curse because it makes the tonal shifts, and unresolved questions more pronounced.
It also means the seasons have blurred a bit.
Seasons 1 and 2 were great - top tier telly. The format is fresh and it progresses at a solid pace with a nice blend of the island, and the characters' past. There's a real sense of mystery and it plays with your connections with (and emotions towards) each of the characters.
Season 3 started a bit confused, but really gets going at the end and 4 follows it well.
5 is where I thought the tone and focus changed too much and it started to feel like they were making it up as they went along, which only got worse in the final season - though both had some really good episodes.
I had heard that the ending was contentious and I have had a little read up on it all since. I don't see how anyone could be confused by what had happened - it's literally spelled out. I liked the way they got the band back together.
At the same time it also felt like a bit of a let down (a feeling creeping in through S5). It had shifted from a mystery/sci-fi show, to a different one. The ending felt rushed.
The bigger issue was that some of the plots which had been building came to nothing, or were too easily dismissed and the growing cast list didn't help. Too many new locations, characters and concepts were introduced late on (without having been telegraphed) which made quite a lot of what had come before seem less relevant, and so diminished.
Saying that, overall I enjoyed it immensely and am a tad sad it's all over.
It's a great cast of characters generally, with there are a few clear standouts.
Ben and John were amazing in every scene - the best characters by a mile.
Desmond and Hurley were the most lovable and had great stories. Sawyer and Juliet were more complex and had great arcs.
Honourable mentions for Jin & Sun, Sayid, Kate, Faraday, Lapidus, and of course Jim from Neighbours.
Charlie and Claire were more annoying.
Jack is a bellend.
|
|
|
|
Post by dfunked on Oct 30, 2024 16:45:08 GMT
gamingdave sounds like S5 is already on the way. Téa Leoni is a new guest star. Finished watching Rivals over the weekend, and it was surprisingly enjoyable stuff. Pretty much leave your brain at the door as soon as you see that it's set in a town called Rutshire... Solid performances all around with some really unlikeable arseholes played to perfection, some of whom kind of redeem themselves and others just double down on it. Needs more Danny Dyer! 7.5/10
|
|
|
|
Post by Dougs on Oct 30, 2024 17:13:18 GMT
That's on the list after finishing that Netflix show with other dislikeable, beautiful arseholes.
|
|
nazo
Junior Member
Posts: 1,311
|
Post by nazo on Oct 31, 2024 16:24:48 GMT
Only Murders in the Building S4 Continuing on its gentle downslope I think this is probably the weakest season yet. It promised some big reveals but ultimately didn't deliver and the podcast conceit seems almost completely forgotten. Still pretty enjoyable though and I'll certainly watch S5 if I still have D+ when it's released, but won't be too upset if I miss out.
7/10
|
|
|
|
Post by Reviewer on Oct 31, 2024 16:37:17 GMT
Tulsa King S2 4/10
Gave up on this after 5 episodes. The first season was entertaining with reasonably decent writing and action, this season is boring and badly written. Apparently Terrence Winter (Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire) was less involved which is probably why it's gone shit.
|
|
Tomo
Junior Member
Posts: 3,542
|
Post by Tomo on Oct 31, 2024 18:41:34 GMT
Lost is the best TV series ever (fight me). But I could never watch it again. 20+ episode seasons. Absolutely ridiculous.
|
|
|
|
Post by simple on Oct 31, 2024 20:07:28 GMT
When I did my TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise watch through I think that took me a couple of years. 26 seasons of 20+ episodes each.
|
|
|
|
Post by Reviewer on Oct 31, 2024 20:15:48 GMT
I’ve watched 5 seasons of Star Trek TNG in around the last three months.
I like every episode being different, they’re not all great but there’s something nice about a story wrapped up in 45 minutes instead of over 8 hours.
|
|
|
|
Post by Reviewer on Nov 1, 2024 17:36:57 GMT
Dark Matter (AppleTV) 7/10
There was too much of the world visiting in the middle dragging the whole thing out. 4 or 5 episodes and this could have been a 9/10 easy as it starts out really good and ends well.
I do like Joel Edgerton and all the lead performances are great.
|
|
nazo
Junior Member
Posts: 1,311
|
Post by nazo on Nov 1, 2024 21:36:27 GMT
Agatha All Along (D+)
Started off alright, was disappointingly dull for a few episodes, picked up a bit towards the end when Agatha became less of a focus and the side characters got a chance to shine, then fell apart when she became more of one again.
The main problem is that Agatha is such an unsympathetic protagonist I never felt invested in it. She starts off as an asshole and continues in that vein for the whole thing. There's never any real hint that she's putting on a front or has the possibility of redemption, she's just bad. She's not even charismatic enough to suggest she could become an effective anti-hero like Loki, sarcastic barbs and gurning seem to be her only personality traits. They could have killed her off at any point in the series and it wouldn't elicit more than a shrug.
If this is top tier Marvel TV as some have suggested then I don't feel I've missed out skipping most of it.
6/10
|
|
Mark1412
Junior Member
Posts: 2,047
Member is Online
|
Post by Mark1412 on Nov 1, 2024 23:34:07 GMT
Severance.
Commented in the what are you watching thread that I hate to love these speculative what-if stories because they rarely stick the landing. I guess one way around that is leaving on the most infuriating cliffhanger imaginable!
Bloody great though and no idea how I missed it when it came out. One of those shows where all departments are operating in sync and at the top of their game. Brilliant concept, script, set design, acting and soundtrack.
9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by dfunked on Nov 2, 2024 8:41:33 GMT
At least you don't have a massive wait for S2 ahead of you. It's been absolutely agonising!
|
|
|
|
Post by rawshark on Nov 2, 2024 13:33:26 GMT
Chimp crazy - Sky
So imagine a Miss Piggy puppet that had been found in a burned building came to life and started keeping and selling exotic pets, with a penchant for chimpanzees. Yep, it’s Tiger King with monkeys.
What becomes immediately apparent is that keeping lions and tigers is relatively tame and safe compared to keeping a cute baby chimp that turns into a murder machine at adolescence.
There is a story that stretches the four episodes over one particular chimp that seems so well put together you question its authenticity, but apparently it’s all legit. You do wonder if the entertainment factor is detrimental to the documentary though.
Recommended in a “The US is fucking crazy and only getting crazier” sort of way.
8/10
|
|
minimatt
Junior Member
hyper mediocrity
Posts: 1,693
|
Post by minimatt on Nov 3, 2024 22:55:54 GMT
The Diplomat S2 (netflix) 8/10
Seriously good, seriously silly. Binged the bejesus out of this. Over the top political intrigue of House of Cards, over the top terror plots of 24 or Homeland. Does the americans writing about brits thing which always overdoses on twee but here at least presents interesting rounded characters.
TV critics will say "complex multi layered storylines", matt says "as silly as Reacher but makes the audience feel clever for following it rather than feeling dumb for watching big man punch things"
Very strong recommendation, obvs watch first season if you haven't already (and the catchup if you've forgotten most of it as the second cold opens at the - dramatic - end of the first). Only rated as low as 8/10 because it's over the top silly, but it's really good over the top silly.
|
|
|
|
Post by dfunked on Nov 4, 2024 10:58:26 GMT
Agatha All Along - 7.5/10
Entertaining enough, although it did definitely have a weak middle. I personally didn't mind Agatha's character being a colossal cunt to everybody as mentioned above. It made me keener to know why she put up so many walls, which the story was clearly leading towards revealing. She carried it pretty well imo, with the supporting cast all getting a chance to shine.
|
|
technoish
Junior Member
Posts: 2,787
Member is Online
|
Post by technoish on Nov 4, 2024 11:58:08 GMT
I also finished Agatha All Along, last night. Had the usual issues of Disney+ shows of being too long... But I thought it was pretty strong. I liked the twists, and the reveal, and I can't get the song out of my head  Still a millions times better than the falcon and winter soldier. |
|
|
|
Post by dfunked on Nov 4, 2024 12:06:11 GMT
It really is a ridiculous earworm. Written by the Frozen team apparently, which makes sense.
The Lorna Wu version has even ended up on my regular playlist.
|
|
|
|
Post by simple on Nov 6, 2024 23:16:30 GMT
Generation Z (C4)
I really liked this. I’m a big fan of Ben Wheatley’s auteur projects already so this was bound to be up my street anyway but its genuinely really good fun. Nice balance of comedy and horror bits.
Plenty of references and satirical nods to Covid, Brexit etc alongside a fun romp with some nice dramatic touches too. And the zombies are a type that feels fresh and different to what you normally see.
Tonally its probably closest to the Channel 4 era Black Mirror episodes than anything else if that appeals to you.
|
|
|
|
Post by Syrette on Nov 8, 2024 11:21:44 GMT
Pachinko S2 - 9/10Whereas the first series was near-perfect and the easiest 10/10 I'll ever give for a programme, this wasn't quite on the same level. Primarily because the 1989 sections weren't as well-developed or as engrossing as they were in the first series or in comparison to the 30s-50s parts. As a whole it also had real middle instalment of a trilogy vibes. Still the best thing on television.
|
|
loto
Junior Member
Posts: 1,056
|
Post by loto on Nov 8, 2024 12:35:09 GMT
Sweetpea 8/10 (NowTV)
I haven’t read the books and we really enjoyed this 6 part miniseries about an invisible mouse struggling to be noticed at a small town newspaper, until she starts taking lives.
The lead, Ella Purnell is very impressive and there’s a decent supporting cast. It’s dark, black comedy with some decent messsges about women, violence, bullying.
It gets a bit messy & contrived, but the ride is worth it.
Enjoyed it
|
|
nazo
Junior Member
Posts: 1,311
|
Post by nazo on Nov 11, 2024 9:44:55 GMT
Ludwig (BBC)
Enjoyable David Mitchell detective vehicle, although the premise is rather implausible and some of the cases relied a bit too much on coincidence and / or the culprit being incredibly stupid. Looking forward to S2.
8/10
|
|
dam
New Member
Posts: 630
|
Post by dam on Nov 11, 2024 10:01:08 GMT
Pachinko S2 - 9/10Whereas the first series was near-perfect and the easiest 10/10 I'll ever give for a programme, this wasn't quite on the same level. Primarily because the 1989 sections weren't as well-developed or as engrossing as they were in the first series or in comparison to the 30s-50s parts. As a whole it also had real middle instalment of a trilogy vibes. Still the best thing on television. The opening titles never fail to put a smile on my face (and also gets me singing and dancing on the couch...). |
|
|
|
Post by dfunked on Nov 11, 2024 10:22:33 GMT
I love the opening titles, but they just seem a bit out of place to me. There are plenty of little rays of sunshine in the show itself, but that just feels like an OTT 2 minute focussed blast of sunshine. It's a great song. Went straight on my playlist!
Halfway through S1 and we're absolutely loving it so far. It's just such a perfect show.
|
|
|
|
Post by simple on Nov 11, 2024 22:38:14 GMT
Until I Kill You (itvx)
Bleak true-life crime drama based on the memoir of Delia Balmer on her relationship and assaults by the serial killer John Sweeney.
It has a lot of the tropes you’d expect from this kind of programme but the focus is on the impact of the attacks and investigation on Delia rather than the physical violence or crime solving. Beyond recognising Sweeney’s name I didn’t know much about the case. For all it details the trauma and re-trauma of how things go its a surprisingly unsympathetic portrayal of Delia. Don’t cancel me but I assume the real woman is autistic or something because Anna Maxwell-Martin is either playing her like that or as a bit of a nob.
Solid enough stuff, Mrs Simple wasn’t a fan and this is her genre.
|
|
