Television thread

[Yegolev]

There is a Master in the post-Eccleston era?

Yes, at the end of season 3, and he was pretty damn cooky. It was a good ending to another great season, even without Billie Piper.

I am having trouble getting through the, uh, second season (I don't like The Renumbering, I think it's season 28 that is the first Tennant?), not because of anything other than no one else in my house likes Who and I have lots of games to play.  I'll give it another whack now that I know there's a Master in there.

[HaemishM]

The Master's in Season 3 (I guess 29?) but Season 2's ending is really damn good.

[Morat20]

If anyone is looking for something new to watch Psych isn't that bad, it's definitely fits the bill for being entertaining.

The shows are a bit inconsistant, but even the bad ones are better than most of what's on TV.

They're NOT good mysteries -- it's generally easy to pick out who did it from the beginning, and the "how they did it" isn't tough. I know a few people who were expecting good whodunnit TV, and were really disappointed. It's appeal is in the dialogue and characters, and it's really well done. Some really excellent casting and top-notch writing (the psych-outs are hilarious).

Then again, I'm partial to shows that throw in a lot of references (you're not expected to get them ALL!) from the 70s onward. Just as an example, there was an episode that took place at a comic book convention. Of the four possible culprits, three of them shared the same first name as one of the various Robins, which I admit not noticing first time through. The odd man out, of course, did it.

Plus, they mocked Batman and Robin harshly, if by proxy. And that movie STILL has not gotten trashed enough.

[Prospero]

I really like Psych. It is the only TV show that can consistently pull me away from computer games. The only real lull for me was the beginning of the second season where they felt like Shawn had to "lose" for three episodes at the beginning. It's like they were shooting for depth of character or something, and it was weak. Personally I watch the show to watch Shawn bullshit his way through wacky adventures, not to listen to him whine.

[Morat20]

I really like Psych. It is the only TV show that can consistently pull me away from computer games. The only real lull for me was the beginning of the second season where they felt like Shawn had to "lose" for three episodes at the beginning. It's like they were shooting for depth of character or something, and it was weak. Personally I watch the show to watch Shawn bullshit his way through wacky adventures, not to listen to him whine.

Dinosaur episode was awesome -- "Those marks are from the bite of a T-Rex!" (and being RIGHT!). I was a bit sad to see the pregnant interim chief finally have her baby, since frankly the "gigantically pregnant and thus not willing to deal with shit" aspect just worked so well.

[ClydeJr]

A more spoilery version

[MrHat]

lol

[Riggswolfe]

[snip BSG picture]

A more spoilery version

Making me wait a year for half a season has killed my interest in this series. It is reason #94204203572 that SciFi has pissed me off lately.

[stray]

There was some decent growth in the supporting characters (Xander, Anya, Spike),  and "The Body" is a great, great episode.  Much of the rest was pretty meh,  including Glory.

I liked Glory. The actress was good... Just something about the writing, I think. No scratch that. Silly me. It was all Dawn's fault. But I've gone over that.

Speaking of pissed off teens, I'm finally delving a little more into the Conner episodes. Not even close as bad as Dawn. Not sure where you guys are getting at there. The kid was born from two vampires, one of which killed herself to give birth to him; kidnapped by a 18th century madmen who completely warped his mind about his real father; transported into the Hell dimension, and defended his life from God knows what for 17-18 years, etc.. I'd say that he's got a right to be an emo fuckhead, just a bit.

Glad to see Wesley got some consolation after getting the royally fucked treatment of having his throat sliced and losing the waifish girl of his dreams to a thug. Lilah's a good hookup. Pretty milf-y. Though I suspect she'll eventually slice his throat too one day.

[Ironwood]

 Though I suspect she'll eventually slice his throat too one day.

You're funny.  You're going to look back at this quote soon and laugh.

[Evil Elvis]

CBS is going to start playing Dexter

http://tv.ign.com/articles/843/843788p1.html

[Tebonas]

I'm not sure that is a good thing. Don't they have to protect the poor viewers of open channels against those things freely shown on pay TV? Won't they have to make cuts in the series?

[Riggswolfe]

CBS is going to start playing Dexter

http://tv.ign.com/articles/843/843788p1.html

After they edit it each episode will be totally neutered.

[Evil Elvis]

They're going to edit it, and it'll be on at 10 or 11.  It'll be funny to see what they do with Dexter's sister, since every other word out of her mouth is "Fuck".

[Mazakiel]

I picture something like the last part of this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0SfMbQW3Fs

[Teleku]

Anybody else watching American Gladiators so far?  I'm enjoying it quite a bit actually.  They do a great balance of campyness and real physical competition.  Its got a whole running man/smash TV vibe to it (with out the violent death obviously, heh).  Seen the gladiators beat the hell out of the challengers in some hilariously awesome ways, and they must have buffed the eliminator, because everybody is almost dead by the time they finish it.

The only part I don't like about it is the constant interviewing of each contestant at the start and end of every event.  I liked the original where you didn't know fuck about the contestants other than they were random_skinny_dude_in_tights_001 trying not to get smashed by giant muscle men in spandex.  Kind of helped the Smash TV feel to it, heh.  But I guess it can't be helped, but still, they need to realize that when goading these people to talk tough before each event, they end up sounded retarded half the time because they don't know what the hell to say.

But anywho, I'm liking it alot, and have a reason to watch TV again.  Anybody else watch it?

[Evil Elvis]

I saw the first 2 episodes.  Every single person on it looks like an actor, and I wouldn't doubt if the whole thing was fake.

Not really wild about Thunderlips being the host, either.

[Margalis]

It's not bad. Crush is hot and piledrived someone.

I do agree that the interviews sound like people are being fed lines and told to act like characters, and there are too many of them in general. I don't need to hear some dumbass talking about how he is a mongoose or monkey after every event.

[Teleku]

Nah, they were definitely to awkward in trying to come up with lines to be actors.  They all seem to be plausibly normal people to me (except several of them are douchebags).  Plus with some of the massive fuck ups in some of the events on the part of the contestants and the gladiators, I'm sure none of its fake.  The interviews are just annoying.

[Margalis]

Anyone watching Sarah Conner Chronicles?

I haven't seen the promos for it, I have no idea what the gist of the series is. The directing of the action scenes is already annoying me slightly.

[stray]

I'm recording it. Probably will just watch it later in the week.

[Margalis]

Does *everything* these days have to be about teens?

It seems that no matter what the subject matter producers find a way to cast a bunch of good-looking but ill-fitting actors. Sorry but I can't buy a 100 pound 20-something girl as a bad ass.

If Aliens was made today it would be done with the cast of American Pie.

I'm getting sick of being asked to believe that Tara Reid is an archeologist and Denise Richards is a nuclear physicist.

[stray]

I hear ya, but it's all about appealing to the top demographic. I'm sure you know that though.

As for the 100 lb girl, are you talking about Summer Glau? I still haven't watched this to know what you're talking about, but she was cool in Firefly I thought. And no doubt why she was cast here. She was basically the Terminator there.

[Triforcer]

"You may want to put those back in the holster." 

So, how long before the robot discovers it has REAL EMOTIONS and jumps in the sack with Emo boy?

[Margalis]

I'm talking about the good Terminator chick. IMDB tells me that you are right, it's Summer Glau.

Sorry but I don't buy her picking people up and smashing them into walls, nor do I understand why people from the future would send a skinny undersized brat back in time to protect them. It really strains credulity. I'm not a fan of Joss Whedon and he seems to love skinny girls who couldn't punch a hole in a paper bag playing badasses.

It's one thing if she was very quick and feral, I could maybe buy that. But Hulk-like strength? No. Yeah...I know she is a robot blah blah...

Triforcer: Yeah, this series has Emo drama written all over it.

[Trippy]

Terminator 3 was the same way (Kristanna Loken) as was Terminator 2 (Robert Patrick, not that he was a wimp but compare to Arnold...).

[Margalis]

In T2 they at least made up for it with the fact that Robert Patrick did some genuinely cool shit and appeared to be technologically superior. I don't think this series has the budget to do anything similar.

Anyway in this case the person who looks weak is the good guy, which is ok. Fighting an uphill battle makes for good drama. It would probably be better if they played her as much weaker than the baddies, rather than pretty bad-ass herself, and made up some story to explain why she was the best they could do under the circumstances.

[Trippy]

I finished watching it. It's okay so far. It looks like they are going to be playing up the whole time travel bit a lot more in the series. There's also some weird "mysterious past (future)" thing going on with Cameron (Summer Glau's character).

[Bunk]

I think Trippy has the gist of it. I'm sure it will fall in to a whole teen angst angle, but with the time hopping, knowing that John in the future is the one who has reprogrammed some of them, etc, I'm sure there's lots of hidden story to tell.

Plus she's hot, and I always find it cool when Firefly alum show up in shows I'm interested in watching.

[murdoc]

I like how she had a personality when she was just John's classmate, but as soon as she made herself know as a machine, that all disappeared... unless you count eating a potato chip as personality.

I found it meh, but there's nothing else on right now so I'll probably watch a few episodes. Best part about it is that the Wife wants to watch the Terminator movies again.

[tazelbain]

I like the gun that was hidden in the vault.

[stray]

 Though I suspect she'll eventually slice his throat too one day.

You're funny.  You're going to look back at this quote soon and laugh.

Ouch! Didn't see that coming.

[murdoc]

I like the gun that was hidden in the vault.

The gun that was in multiple safety deposit boxes, but the fucking Time Machine was just sitting there in one piece

[Slyfeind]

The gun that was in multiple safety deposit boxes, but the fucking Time Machine was just sitting there in one piece

Because the gun was too big to fit in one box, silly! DUH!

Summer really pulled off the robot thing. I had no problem believing she could push over a truck, or throw Arnold's equivalent through a wall. And she's hot. Problem is, so is Sarah Connor. I don't think Sarah Connor should be hot. I think she should be a ragged warrior and a mom combined in a nearly-psychotic package. But not hot.

[stray]

I recall that Linda Hamilton was considered hot in her day too, especially T2.

I never thought so myself, just saying.


Either way, I don't particularly care for seeing some ugly butch chick on tv every week. Hot is good the last time I checked.