Television thread

[Abagadro]

The book was the first mate's log from the Black Swan which is the slave ship found in the middle of the Island and came from the family of Alvar Hanso whose foundation ran the Dharma project.

I read a post from Damon Lindelof (show runner for Lost and executive producer of upcoming Trek) in some Trek forum interview that this episode (which I thought was absolutely brilliant, the show is always kick-ass when centered on Desmond IMO) is an homage to the series finally of Next Generation "All Good Things..."  He says it is the best series ending episode of all time and they wanted to do an episode like it and didn't want it at the end of the series because that would be too derivative.

[Xanthippe]

Not mad at Lost anymore.  Last episode fixed that.  Best ever, maybe.

[Mrbloodworth]

The book was the first mate's log from the Black Swan which is the slave ship found in the middle of the Island and came from the family of Alvar Hanso whose foundation ran the Dharma project.

Black Rock.

Also, Ep5, did they start, AND end a plot twist in one episode? OMFG!!! (yes i watched it)

[MrHat]

So I missed the first hour of the season finale of Terminator last night.  Caught the second hour though.

The show went from "I like this, look forward to next week" to "Jesus Christ, I like this so much now that FOX has to cancel it."

The scene that moved it for me was when the Cash started playing and you knew all the agents were gonna die, but the way it was filmed w/ the water and muted sounds and the Man Comes Around playing in the background just moved the show to another level for me.

[Bunk]

It seemed a little risky by the director - it could have come off as too pretentious, or just as trying to get around a difficult to film fight scene, but putting Cash in there made it work.

Despite the fact that Signe hates Johnny Cash.

[Triforcer]

I loved the finale.  Fox will cancel it. 

[HaemishM]

Goddamn you, you may be right.

The series has been worlds better than I ever expected it to be. It was a shitton better than the 3rd movie. So yeah, Fox will probably shitcan it.

[tazelbain]

I think they will cancel.  Wikipedia list the ratings for the shows like this:

11.1
6.2
5.3
5.5
5.1
4.9
6.7
7.9
8.2

It did go out okay but the middle is Jericho territory.  No doubt the anti-dvr bias of nelsons is screwing it as well.

[Merusk]

No doubt the anti-dvr bias of nelsons is screwing it as well.

This, more than anything, is what will screw it.  The show is aimed at a demographic that simply doesn't watch TV the way the Neilsons are say viewers watch TV.  The audience's viewing habits have changed due to lifestyle and technology, but let's just continue to assume that all of the US sits down at a regular time every evening/ week to watch their particular show(s).   

[MrHat]

I've actually been doing alot of my tv viewing lately at the respective network websites.  I wonder if they'll start to factor that in.

[Nevermore]

No doubt the anti-dvr bias of nelsons is screwing it as well.

This, more than anything, is what will screw it.  The show is aimed at a demographic that simply doesn't watch TV the way the Neilsons are say viewers watch TV.  The audience's viewing habits have changed due to lifestyle and technology, but let's just continue to assume that all of the US sits down at a regular time every evening/ week to watch their particular show(s).   

If the networks were to admit that, it would completely fuck the way they calculate the prices on their ad space (which us DVR types skip anyway).

[Grand Design]

The Terminator show really has met and exceeded expectations.  Hell, I watched some of T2 last night and for the first time I thought, 'this looks so dated.'

I thought the first hour this week was especially strong.  I want to marry Cameron and have little bionic children.  What?

[Sky]

The irony is that DVR companies could get some golden data from DVRs. Time Warner could see all the crap I've got set to 'record all new episodes' or whatever.

We joke that our 'scheduled recordings' list is a graveyard of quality programming. So many great shows sitting in there, long cancelled...waiting in vain for a next new episode that will never arrive.

[Nevermore]

So I'm not the only one?  Mine is the same way.  Sometimes it pays off, though.  New episodes of The Riches coming soon!

[Sky]

I'm holding out for more Bullshit! and Lucky Louie. Or more than the single episode of Secret Spaces, which highlighted houses with secret chambers. Guess who was the highlight of the one and only episode? Rich Garriot!

[Merusk]

No doubt the anti-dvr bias of nelsons is screwing it as well.

This, more than anything, is what will screw it.  The show is aimed at a demographic that simply doesn't watch TV the way the Neilsons are say viewers watch TV.  The audience's viewing habits have changed due to lifestyle and technology, but let's just continue to assume that all of the US sits down at a regular time every evening/ week to watch their particular show(s).   

If the networks were to admit that, it would completely fuck the way they calculate the prices on their ad space (which us DVR types skip anyway).

Which, I believe, is the one reason they will never ever data mine the DVRs.  Remember the internet ad implosion?  They see that doom coming and are trying to push it way the fuck off so they can continue their handwaving about "x-million see your ad! Ignore the follow-through part that doomed internet clickage!"

[Johny Cee]

It seemed a little risky by the director - it could have come off as too pretentious, or just as trying to get around a difficult to film fight scene, but putting Cash in there made it work.

Despite the fact that Signe hates Johnny Cash.

I had to read this twice,  because the first time I read the bold. 

The Terminator scene was solid.  It didn't hurt that the Cash song always reminds me of the title sequence in the Dawn of the Dead remake,  which was another bad ass use of the song.  It's a solid show.

[Miasma]

Tonight's the last episode of The Wire, I don't think they will be able to wrap everything up to my satisfaction in sixty minutes.  They have to crucify McNulty, reveal the fraud, take out the lawyer, find an informant in the court, prosecute/kill Marlo, prove the reporter to be a fraud, wrap up the Mayor's ambitions and as far as I'm concerned they need to deal with the Greek too.  He's only been on air this season for maybe ten seconds and he's the main guy I've wanted them to nail since season two.  Either I'm not getting all that or the last ten minutes will just be a series of clips set to music of people being arrested/prosecuted/changing careers...

[Abagadro]

It's a 95 minute episode, but knowing Simon he won't resolve everything, which is sorta his point for the whole series.

[schild]

In Treatment might be one of the best TV shows I've ever seen.

[Abagadro]

The Wire finale was a thing of beauty. I'm actually in tears right now both in appreciate and sadness that there will be no more.

[Miasma]

NYT has a review of it up already.

[Mrbloodworth]

So, The Tudors.

Good show. watched all of season 1.

[HaemishM]

I finally got through watching all of Jericho's first season, and I can definitely recommend the show. Good pacing for the season. It does fall into some schmaltzy family touchy-feely TV formula at times, but the story is strong enough to overcome it. The acting is good, and the only characters that are really annoying are ones that are supposed to be.

[Johny Cee]

Top Chef returns tonight,  for all your food porn needs.

[MrHat]

Awesome, I'll check out Jericho.  What time is Top Chef?

[Johny Cee]

Awesome, I'll check out Jericho.  What time is Top Chef?

10 PM on Bravo.

[Tale]

Tonight's the last episode of The Wire, I don't think they will be able to wrap everything up to my satisfaction in sixty minutes.  They have to crucify McNulty, reveal the fraud, take out the lawyer, find an informant in the court, prosecute/kill Marlo, prove the reporter to be a fraud, wrap up the Mayor's ambitions and as far as I'm concerned they need to deal with the Greek too.  He's only been on air this season for maybe ten seconds and he's the main guy I've wanted them to nail since season two.  Either I'm not getting all that or the last ten minutes will just be a series of clips set to music of people being arrested/prosecuted/changing careers...

I'd say they tied up pretty much everything you mentioned except the last, and still did the clips set to music, but for a broader purpose :) It was awesome.

[NowhereMan]

I've watched the first season and some of the early episodes of the second season of Jericho and I'll second the thumbs up. It's does a very good job on pacing as well as keeping a couple of different storylines all going well together. I saw some comparisons on that front with Galactica insofar as they're mixing up survival from hostile forces, internal politics and struggle as well as throwing in some fun conspiracy related story. I also think they handle the setting of post-apocalyptic America pretty well.

[HaemishM]

Having now seen the first episode of Jericho Season 2, I think it's pretty cool that the entire first season was really nothing more than a setup for the events that season 2 is kicking off. 22 episodes of setup. It's like Babylon 5, only with a tighter first season.

[tazelbain]

Then I guess you don't want me talking about about awesome the last show was?  Too bad there is virtually no chance of a third season. I wonder if Sci Fi could pick it up?

[HaemishM]

I doubt Sci-Fi would want to put down the budget for the show, but who knows? They could do one or two less Mansquito movies and get an episode or two out of it. 

[Miasma]

I didn't much like last night's Lost, it was allright though.  What turned out to be the Jin flashback was just a retarded stunt, that whole thing added absolutely nothing to the plot because it was only done to fake out the audience.  Next episode looks solid though, then a hiatus.

[Paelos]

I didn't much like last night's Lost, it was allright though.  What turned out to be the Jin flashback was just a retarded stunt, that whole thing added absolutely nothing to the plot because it was only done to fake out the audience.  Next episode looks solid though, then a hiatus.

I knew something was up. I kept thinking that Jin and Sun couldn't both be the last 2 out of the 6. That wouldn't make any sense in terms of main characters and drama. I think the last one of the 6 is Sawyer. I think Locke gets bumped off here at some point for going on a tyrannical rampage, or Ben whacks him. There's no other main characters left.

[tazelbain]

Well others could live but not leave the island.