The TV Thread

[ckn]

We watched the four episodes of the new season of Luther earlier this week.  Still trying to work out whether it was just a confused and disjointed series or if it's truly awful.  I'm leaning towards the latter. 

The first three series of it were good and enjoyable, even if I had to just turn off certain credibility bits of my brain, the fourth was iffy at best, this fifth one was just into lazy writing by people who were obviously struggling to work out how to stretch a one hour core story into four hours.

[Wiltshire Rhino]

11 hours ago, ckn said:

We watched the four episodes of the new season of Luther earlier this week.  Still trying to work out whether it was just a confused and disjointed series or if it's truly awful.  I'm leaning towards the latter. 

The first three series of it were good and enjoyable, even if I had to just turn off certain credibility bits of my brain, the fourth was iffy at best, this fifth one was just into lazy writing by people who were obviously struggling to work out how to stretch a one hour core story into four hours.

Now I'm really looking forward to watching it tomorrow

[Dave T]

Started watching The Good Place on Netflix last week. We are now around 20 episodes in! Always like to have a lighthearted comedy as a wind down in the evening, but this one is pretty addictive and contributed to a couple of late nights last week!

Different, very funny, great acting, including strong female leads.

[DavidM]

When I’m looking forward to a new programme or series I really don’t like telly showing this over long trailer of everything that’s gonna happen . Or at the start of a show when they say ‘ this is what’s coming up ‘ . Why do I want to know  before I watch ? I always flick those bits off or fast forward 

[Bleep1673]

Bought a new TV the other weekend, however I cannot get the DVD player to match up, and they don't do cables for it anymore. 

I could (as you are thinking) buy a new one, because they are cheap enough, but a lot of my DVD's were imported from the USA before they were released in the Cinema here, therefore they are a different region (1) rather than European (2)

[ckn]

7 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

Bought a new TV the other weekend, however I cannot get the DVD player to match up, and they don't do cables for it anymore. 

I could (as you are thinking) buy a new one, because they are cheap enough, but a lot of my DVD's were imported from the USA before they were released in the Cinema here, therefore they are a different region (1) rather than European (2)

You can buy SCART to HDMI adaptors from quite a few places, just search for them on Amazon and you'll get lots of examples.

[Bleep1673]

1 minute ago, ckn said:

You can buy SCART to HDMI adaptors from quite a few places, just search for them on Amazon and you'll get lots of examples.

Got one, ordered it between my posting the last two posts.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Bleep1673

[Bleep1673]

nearly ordered a new DVD Multi-Region Player, but I pulled out at the last minute, only £23.

[Futtocks]

5 hours ago, ckn said:

You can buy SCART to HDMI adaptors from quite a few places, just search for them on Amazon and you'll get lots of examples.

 

5 hours ago, Bleep1673 said:

nearly ordered a new DVD Multi-Region Player, but I pulled out at the last minute, only £23.

Remember, though, that SCART is a legacy connection from the Seventies, converting the video/audio to analogue and at a low resolution compared to any digital connection. Might be time to bite the bullet and go for a new player.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_connectors

[DavidM]

On 1/11/2019 at 12:02 PM, ckn said:

We watched the four episodes of the new season of Luther earlier this week.  Still trying to work out whether it was just a confused and disjointed series or if it's truly awful.  I'm leaning towards the latter. 

The first three series of it were good and enjoyable, even if I had to just turn off certain credibility bits of my brain, the fourth was iffy at best, this fifth one was just into lazy writing by people who were obviously struggling to work out how to stretch a one hour core story into four hours.

Yeah couldn’t get into it at all . There’s drama and there’s stretching belief . Hermione Norris face intrigued me though, looks like some serious work there 

[Saintslass]

Second episode of The Paras - Men of War was on tonight.  Followed the final test, called P Company.  Brutal.

[RidingPie]

Ok I’ve just watched the first episode of season 2 of Star Trek Discovery (oh the joys of being out of contract) and while it’s way better than the start of series 1 ( in fairness that’s a low bar) it still leaves my favourite current sci-fi series as the Orville. 

 

That said aid at least I’m now feeling entertained by it. Early series 1 was a huge chore to watch. 

Edited January 18, 2019 by RidingPie

[ckn]

26 minutes ago, RidingPie said:

Ok I’ve just watched the first episode of season 2 of Star Trek Discovery (oh the joys of being out of contract) and while it’s way better than the start of series 1 ( in fairness that’s a low bar) it still leaves my favourite current sci-fi series as the Orville.  

 

That said aid at least I’m now feeling entertained by it. Early series 1 was a huge chore to watch. 

The Orville just hits it right between story and a bit of humour thrown in.  I think I'd have a fair chance of guessing which one Gene Roddenberry would prefer to watch.

[RidingPie]

12 minutes ago, ckn said:

The Orville just hits it right between story and a bit of humour thrown in.  I think I'd have a fair chance of guessing which one Gene Roddenberry would prefer to watch.

Absolutely, while the Orville might not be full of “perfect people” they all do work together, and after the failed pilot of TOS Roddenberry realised it needed a lighter tone, which definitely covers the Orville

And by god you’d have thought Star Fleet could have afforded a few more lights for the Discovery. It’s such a dingy place to work I’m surprised the crew aren’t suffering from sick starship syndrome, or maybe they are. 

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, RidingPie said:

Ok I’ve just watched the first episode of season 2 of Star Trek Discovery (oh the joys of being out of contract) and while it’s way better than the start of series 1 ( in fairness that’s a low bar) it still leaves my favourite current sci-fi series as the Orville.

I haven't watched S2 yet but my rather perverse (not just my view of the lead) view on series 1 is that its absolute insanity and desire to cram in more plot twists in every episode than some ten series runs manage across their entire span whilst simultaneously making no actual sense and being needlessly a prequel ... that that betrayed a complete lack of confidence in how (or why) to make a Star Trek series.

[RidingPie]

Just now, gingerjon said:

I haven't watched S2 yet but my rather perverse (not just my view of the lead) view on series 1 is that its absolute insanity and desire to cram in more plot twists in every episode than some ten series runs manage across their entire span whilst simultaneously making no actual sense and being needlessly a prequel ... that that betrayed a complete lack of confidence in how (or why) to make a Star Trek series.

Series 1 was pretty bad. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t improve after the mid season break but it was so negative I couldn’t call it Star Trek. 

At least there are no long monologues in Klingon at the start of series 2 (and as an anime fan I don’t mind reading subtitles )

[ckn]

Just now, RidingPie said:

Series 1 was pretty bad. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t improve after the mid season break but it was so negative I couldn’t call it Star Trek. 

At least there are no long monologues in Klingon at the start of series 2 (and as an anime fan I don’t mind reading subtitles )

I still don't see what was wrong with the Cornish pastie Klingons, making them into melted welly faces and having no universal translator working with them was just daft.  I don't need them to impress me with how they've managed to get the actors speaking a made-up language.

[gingerjon]

9 minutes ago, RidingPie said:

Series 1 was pretty bad. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t improve after the mid season break but it was so negative I couldn’t call it Star Trek. 

At least there are no long monologues in Klingon at the start of series 2 (and as an anime fan I don’t mind reading subtitles )

Why make it a prequel? It's just hamstringing everything. There's so much more can be done effects-wise so it makes sense to set it further into the future, and then you don't need to have to tie it back to 'canon' events.

[RidingPie]

2 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Why make it a prequel? It's just hamstringing everything. There's so much more can be done effects-wise so it makes sense to set it further into the future, and then you don't need to have to tie it back to 'canon' events.

I agree and said something similar to a friend last year. He suggested that the federation, by the end of Voyager were pretty much unbeatable and couldn’t be threatened but I disagree. You can always technobabble up a threat level. 

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, RidingPie said:

I agree and said something similar to a friend last year. He suggested that the federation, by the end of Voyager were pretty much unbeatable and couldn’t be threatened but I disagree. You can always technobabble up a threat level. 

Or do an internal threat. Or make up another universe. Or anything. It's science fiction after all.

Anyway, I've now watched the first episode. Ho hum. All it made me think was what was the point of the first series. And why is there twenty minutes of good stuff around which is wrapped forty minutes of phone checking time.

I will await others' views before going back in, otherwise I'm done.

[RidingPie]

35 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Or do an internal threat. Or make up another universe. Or anything. It's science fiction after all.

Anyway, I've now watched the first episode. Ho hum. All it made me think was what was the point of the first series. And why is there twenty minutes of good stuff around which is wrapped forty minutes of phone checking time.

I will await others' views before going back in, otherwise I'm done.

As I said not a high bar but better than last year. I do see there could be promise

[Shadow]

Titans on Netflix is excellent, I watched the whole series in about 3days.

It’s dark in a Daredevil/Punisher style but with some genuinely interesting takes on the Superhero genre

[gingerjon]

12 minutes ago, Shadow said:

Titans on Netflix is excellent, I watched the whole series in about 3days.

It’s dark in a Daredevil/Punisher style but with some genuinely interesting takes on the Superhero genre

I don't watch enough superhero stuff to comment but enjoying it so far.

[RidingPie]

I watched Sex Education on Netflix and found it pretty enjoyable. It may be at least in part because I’ve always had a thing for Gillian Anderson, but also having watched 13 Reasons Why which was difficult to watch, at least Sex education portrays the kids as having some fun. 

[Bedford Roughyed]

5 minutes ago, RidingPie said:

I watched Sex Education on Netflix and found it pretty enjoyable. It may be at least in part because I’ve always had a thing for Gillian Anderson, but also having watched 13 Reasons Why which was difficult to watch, at least Sex education portrays the kids as having some fun. 

I enjoyed it, its funny, Gillian Anderson looking amazing, great sound track and its beautifully shot.  It does conform to cliches and some of the storylines are very generic.  I know its caused some confusion but I do like most of the styling, 1970's colours, 1980's cars, modern phones, the Wye valley looking amazing, but not so keen on the American school aspects (jocks, swim team, etc).  

You could tell they had fun and a bit of licence with the UK/USA bit.