[worry]

Spoiler

I can see thinking the first ep strained credulity before the David Cameron/pig revelation, but afterward? He wasn't even forced IRL.

edit: added spoiler tag, post is about Black Mirror S1.

This post has been edited by death rattle: 04 March 2017 - 08:26 PM

[Andorion]

Tiste Simeon, on 04 March 2017 - 07:00 PM, said:

Andorion, on 04 March 2017 - 11:22 AM, said:

So I tried to watch Season 1 of Black Mirror and it didn't click.

The first episode was ok, though it strained credulity.

The second and third - basically dystopian sci-fi what-ifs.

I couldn't relate to the show at all.

Oh man disappointing I flipping love that show! The whole premise is basically a dark reflection on society and it's connection with technology. It's great!

IDK, I think it was the super-episodic what-if nature of the show you know. I would have preferred a continuous narrative. And more world-building.

Like episode 2

Spoiler

Cycling generates power - how? Why? Has there been an environmental catastrophe? How can a class of people be subjugated like that, and a structure like the show be imposed? What is the bigger picture?

In a way it reminded me of those YA dystopian books that became ubiquitous in the wake of Hunger Games, and they alway make me cringe

death rattle, on 04 March 2017 - 08:25 PM, said:

Spoiler

I can see thinking the first ep strained credulity before the David Cameron/pig revelation, but afterward? He wasn't even forced IRL.

edit: added spoiler tag, post is about Black Mirror S1.

Spoiler

It wasn't the PM or the act itself, I was more focussed on the public reaction, and the reaction of the PM's wife.

Also literally everyone being indoors so no one picked up the princess?

Plus the finger - it would have been immediately evident if it was male or female, especially if they had it identified by someone who knew her intimately(As they should have)

Also all that security for bringing in the porn star, yet they did not try a more covert entrance, and none of the security thought anything of the random man lounging around near the door?

There were a bunch of little things that broke immersion for me.

[amphibian]

I've been weirded out by Raven this entire time. More so than Corinne. No idea why Nick is into her beyond the possibility that they're both dumb and that can go a long ways.

[QuickTidal]

Okay, I'm now 4 eps into THE MAGICIANS and I'm enjoying. Yes, Quentin is annoying (but not as overly so as I found him when I tried to read the first book)...I think the actor who plays him softens that annoyance a bit. Elliot is a blast, and I really like the Julia Hedge Witch plot line for some reason. I don't like Penny (but that's because I knew dickheads like him in high school and hated them) but I think that's still the point at this point in the story. The pilot was choppy, and rammed a little too full, but from ep 2 onwards it's been much smoother sailing. Alice is great, as are the teachers at Brakebills. If this continues to impress me I'll take a stab at the books again. The magic is cool, the concepts around it is cool, and I like that the school is basically like "we educate you...but after that, you're on your own."...that's KIND of crazy!

But yeah, so far I think I'm sold on this. Quite enjoying it!

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 07 March 2017 - 01:41 PM

[amphibian]

Elliot is the best thing about the show.

I also remind/warn you that the show starts departing rather rapidly from the books right about where you're at. It's better than the books, I think.

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 07 March 2017 - 02:36 PM, said:

Elliot is the best thing about the show.

I also remind/warn you that the show starts departing rather rapidly from the books right about where you're at. It's better than the books, I think.

Oh, good to know. Thanks for the heads up then!

[Andorion]

Me being the slow, behind the times guy that I am, I have started watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Its really quite entertaining

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 08 March 2017 - 05:38 AM, said:

Andorion, on 08 March 2017 - 05:27 AM, said:

Me being the slow, behind the times guy that I am, I have started watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Its really quite entertaining

You ll be in for a really nice time once S1 really picks up(do not go and read the thread I made). Sadly the show hasn't captured that lvl of epicness though it's still fun to watch until S4. I'm actually struggling to watch these eps I have on Dvr. The tie in eps to the movies are fun to see to.

What I appreciate the most about this series is how fast and compact the episodes feel. I always have problems with the movie and show medium - they move at their own pace unlike books where I can read at mine, and they are far too dependent on dialogue unlike books where the narration is often crucial. Slow films and sjows just make me want to fast forward through them.

[Abyss]

Briar King, on 07 March 2017 - 02:30 AM, said:

Well well well hell yeah! No wonder why they announced who the next Bachelorette will be early. I wasn't expecting this tonight and I even jumped off couch on his 1st choice thinking she was the winner. Now my underdog pick gets to go up against the top pick. I hope my underdog gets it but I have a doubt she will.

amphibian, on 07 March 2017 - 03:22 AM, said:

I've been weirded out by Raven this entire time. More so than Corinne. No idea why Nick is into her beyond the possibility that they're both dumb and that can go a long ways.

You are both dead to me.

QuickTidal, on 07 March 2017 - 01:39 PM, said:

Okay, I'm now 4 eps into THE MAGICIANS and I'm enjoying. Yes, Quentin is annoying (but not as overly so as I found him when I tried to read the first book)...I think the actor who plays him softens that annoyance a bit. Elliot is a blast, and I really like the Julia Hedge Witch plot line for some reason. I don't like Penny (but that's because I knew dickheads like him in high school and hated them) but I think that's still the point at this point in the story. The pilot was choppy, and rammed a little too full, but from ep 2 onwards it's been much smoother sailing. Alice is great, as are the teachers at Brakebills. If this continues to impress me I'll take a stab at the books again. The magic is cool, the concepts around it is cool, and I like that the school is basically like "we educate you...but after that, you're on your own."...that's KIND of crazy!

But yeah, so far I think I'm sold on this. Quite enjoying it!

Sfunny, i bailed after ep 3 given the innate silliness of the booksex thing and how utterly flat and predictably the Alice's brother plot was handled. Also the single worse delivery of a Simple Minds song ever, but i digress.

Quentin being annoying was never a problem for me, but then, i read the books and liked that element to the story.

The whole 'we'll teach you and then off you go' thing was a great bit, and it comes back throughout the books in different ways. I liked how it reflects the reality of most schools, and how having magic doesn't set you up for the good life (more or less).

Note, book vs tv overplot SPOILER but no actual spoilers

Spoiler

I found the addition of the 'chosen one' plot to the tv show massively trite and offputting coming from a book series that stays away from or satirizes that sort of thing.

QuickTidal, on 07 March 2017 - 03:00 PM, said:

amphibian, on 07 March 2017 - 02:36 PM, said:

Elliot is the best thing about the show.

I also remind/warn you that the show starts departing rather rapidly from the books right about where you're at. It's better than the books, I think.

Oh, good to know. Thanks for the heads up then!

He was one of the best parts of the books too. Great character arc.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 08 March 2017 - 03:16 PM, said:

Sfunny, i bailed after ep 3 given the innate silliness of the booksex thing and how utterly flat and predictably the Alice's brother plot was handled. Also the single worse delivery of a Simple Minds song ever, but i digress.

Yeah, Alice's brother plot was hackneyed, but I DID like the idea that she wanted him back but he was now a creature of magic, wild and violent. That was cool.

The booksex was silly, but I was able to gloss over it by the fact that I liked the notion that magic books of a set would WANT to be together...weird inanimate object sex aside.

I can’t recall though, was Ep 3 the one where at the end Quentin mouths off to Julia about her being able to only do parlous tricks?

Cause the next ep feeds off that and is lots of fun, and the 5th ep is good too.

Also, you never got to Alice's aunt is bitchy, magic-Diva Tasha Yar, or the grumbly Mad-Eye Moody clone who wants to train Penny as a Traveler (read: Stop him from actually traveling).

Yeah, there are some aspects that were bothersome as things got going, but I think it shakes off the bad stuff fairly quickly.

I’ll chime in as I go through the rest of the eps.

[amphibian]

There is no chosen one thing in the show. It does the same thing as the books and trashes that idea over and over.

[Abyss]

amphibian, on 08 March 2017 - 08:47 PM, said:

There is no chosen one thing in the show. It does the same thing as the books and trashes that idea over and over.

Seemed to be going there with Quentin in the first three eps. If they stayed away, all the better.

[Tiste Simeon]

Finished The OA. That was weird. Enjoyable, yes. Intriguing, definitely. Weird? Yep.

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 09 March 2017 - 07:41 PM, said:

Finished The OA. That was weird. Enjoyable, yes. Intriguing, definitely. Weird? Yep.

Spoiler

I know a lot of people apparently laughed at them doing the Movements at the end of the last ep...but it actually got me quite emotional. In the face of what might have been certain death by shooter...they stand in his face and do that together and it unseats him enough to be stopped. I found it really compelling, especially with the music.

Also, note that the OA woke up in a pure white room after she was in the ambulance...the same style as Homer's afterlife place where he ate the fish. Methinks the movements worked and she ended up in Homer's afterlife/interlife place.

[Tiste Simeon]

QuickTidal, on 09 March 2017 - 07:56 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 09 March 2017 - 07:41 PM, said:

Finished The OA. That was weird. Enjoyable, yes. Intriguing, definitely. Weird? Yep.

Spoiler

I know a lot of people apparently laughed at them doing the Movements at the end of the last ep...but it actually got me quite emotional. In the face of what might have been certain death by shooter...they stand in his face and do that together and it unseats him enough to be stopped. I found it really compelling, especially with the music.

Also, note that the OA woke up in a pure white room after she was in the ambulance...the same style as Homer's afterlife place where he ate the fish. Methinks the movements worked and she ended up in Homer's afterlife/interlife place.

Agreed.

Spoiler

I think her final dream in the bath told her what to do and that she need to die again one more time. If there is a season 2 it will be interesting to see where they take it.

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 10 March 2017 - 06:28 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 09 March 2017 - 07:56 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 09 March 2017 - 07:41 PM, said:

Finished The OA. That was weird. Enjoyable, yes. Intriguing, definitely. Weird? Yep.

Spoiler

I know a lot of people apparently laughed at them doing the Movements at the end of the last ep...but it actually got me quite emotional. In the face of what might have been certain death by shooter...they stand in his face and do that together and it unseats him enough to be stopped. I found it really compelling, especially with the music.

Also, note that the OA woke up in a pure white room after she was in the ambulance...the same style as Homer's afterlife place where he ate the fish. Methinks the movements worked and she ended up in Homer's afterlife/interlife place.

Agreed.

Spoiler

I think her final dream in the bath told her what to do and that she need to die again one more time. If there is a season 2 it will be interesting to see where they take it.

There will be a season 2! Netflix announced it a few weeks ago.

[Tiste Simeon]

Great! I look forward to seeing where they take it. While it is a slow burn, it is obvious a lot of care has been put into it.

[Abyss]

THE CROWN S1...did not expect to enjoy this, but did. Amazing cast, beautifully shot, avoided so many points where it could have dragged interminably. John Lithgow was born (also, aged and got fat) to play Churchill. Damn you Netflix that's another thing without lasers or swords you got me watching.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 10 March 2017 - 11:30 AM, said:

THE CROWN S1...did not expect to enjoy this, but did. Amazing cast, beautifully shot, avoided so many points where it could have dragged interminably. John Lithgow was born (also, aged and got fat) to play Churchill. Damn you Netflix that's another thing without lasers or swords you got me watching.

Yeah, it's stunningly produced. Definitely deserved the Golden Globes it got. I love how COMPLETELY accurate some of the scenes and shots are. We have photographs of these scenes in our actual history and they've recreated them perfectly.

And I think Matt Smith was also BORN to play Phillip surprisingly. He does a splendid job at it.

[Tiste Simeon]

Briar King, on 10 March 2017 - 04:52 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 10 March 2017 - 11:14 AM, said:

Great! I look forward to seeing where they take it. While it is a slow burn, it is obvious a lot of care has been put into it.

OA was superb minus the deeply groan worthy moment in ep 8. The cast played well with each other. Certain characters interaction could evoke some feels from me that few other have been able to do.

Which bit? Trying to think of any cringe bits...