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TV Series Thread

Started by PickelledEggs, August 26, 2014, 06:28:36 PM

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Munch

Quote from: trdsf on January 27, 2020, 09:42:56 PM
Well, until they overdid it and just about every character became such a walking pile of angst and neuroses that there was no good reason to think any of them should be alive outside of an institution, much less still be on the side of goodness and light.

The 80s and 90s Marvel comics left a really sour taste in my mouth.  They used to have a deft touch with making supers human and relatable rather than godlike and remote -- who doesn't understand Peter Parker putting up with an asshole for a boss, for example?

Then everyone had to be gritty, miserable and put-upon one way or another... and ended up being remote and no longer relatable.

I mean, when you think about it, the most popular marvel characters of the 80s and 90s were characters with reasons to be that way. Spiderman, the x-men, these two concepts in marvel often had heroes having reasons to be miserable. Mutants because of the public perception of mutants, from rogue unable to touch or get close to anyone to beast being a mutant in physical apperance to wolverine and his screwed up memories. And then of course spiderman and all the shit he dealt with his awful boss and relationship issues and identity crisis.

Looking at the most popular heroes today like the avengers, they aren't really in the same group. What reason does a multi millionaire playboy, an asgardian god, a good soldier type and a family man archer have the same relatable tones to someone like a teenager today? Maybe hulk might be, but even in the last avengers movie they fixed that problem (for now) removing any issues the character has.

Seems theres more attention on popular heroes today without that kind of antsy and dower attitude they had in the 80s and 90s.
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

trdsf

Quote from: Munch on January 27, 2020, 10:22:39 PM
I mean, when you think about it, the most popular marvel characters of the 80s and 90s were characters with reasons to be that way. Spiderman, the x-men, these two concepts in marvel often had heroes having reasons to be miserable. Mutants because of the public perception of mutants, from rogue unable to touch or get close to anyone to beast being a mutant in physical apperance to wolverine and his screwed up memories. And then of course spiderman and all the shit he dealt with his awful boss and relationship issues and identity crisis.
I'll grant you that re: Spiderman and the X-Men originally -- but in the 80s and 90s, Marvel turned it up to eleven.  The original Wolverine, back when he was still wearing (*shudder*) Michigan blue and gold, that was someone I could see having a beer with.  I wouldn't want to be within a cubic parsec of what they turned him into.

And the other part of the equation that contributed to the mess that was Marvel in the 80s and 90s (and from which the print comics have not yet recovered, so far as I've seen) was their attempt to forcibly create a speculators market for Marvel titles.  Three, four, five, six different covers for the same issue.  Five or so titles for one character.  Crossover storylines that required buying two, three, or more titles just to keep up.

I dunno, maybe I was spoiled by growing up on Kirby's Fantastic Four.


Quote from: Munch on January 27, 2020, 10:22:39 PM
Looking at the most popular heroes today like the avengers, they aren't really in the same group. What reason does a multi millionaire playboy, an asgardian god, a good soldier type and a family man archer have the same relatable tones to someone like a teenager today? Maybe hulk might be, but even in the last avengers movie they fixed that problem (for now) removing any issues the character has.

Seems theres more attention on popular heroes today without that kind of antsy and dower attitude they had in the 80s and 90s.

Well, they're attention is always going to be on the 'popular' ones, because that's where their sales are.  I can't address the movies because I haven't seen them, so I have no opinion on their characterization; I was talking about the comics themselves, and I don't know what relation movie canon has to print canon.
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan

Hydra009

#722
Quote from: trdsf on January 27, 2020, 09:42:56 PMWell, until they overdid it and just about every character became such a walking pile of angst and neuroses that there was no good reason to think any of them should be alive outside of an institution, much less still be on the side of goodness and light.
Most of them have dealt with some pretty serious stuff.  It takes a psychological toll.  The whole point is that they're human underneath the masks, right?

QuoteThe 80s and 90s Marvel comics left a really sour taste in my mouth.  They used to have a deft touch with making supers human and relatable rather than godlike and remote -- who doesn't understand Peter Parker putting up with an asshole for a boss, for example?

Then everyone had to be gritty, miserable and put-upon one way or another... and ended up being remote and no longer relatable.
The late 90s overdid the dark and edgier themes, but on the whole, I don't think those decades were that bad.  They really cemented a whole slew of characters, particularly the Avengers and the X-Men.  And the big crossover events like Iron Man's Armor Wars and Infinity Gauntlet/War/Crusade was a nice cherry on top.

The Gold/Silver Age...I mean, I guess they were good for the time, the 60s introduced a hell of a lot of good characters, but I honestly have a hard time with the camp and/or drug-fueled absurdity of that time.  Stuff like Thanoscopter, for example.  And not just that but the whole cultural backdrop is a bit strange and off-putting - flower power, disco (disco-themed mutant?!), bizarre racial stuff.  A lot of that stuff just has not aged well, imo.

Hydra009

#723
Here's more of what I'm talking about with 60s camp:





Is it really necessary to narrate everything with thought balloons?  Sheesh, it's like they were paid by the word back then.  And Iron Man roller skates?!  Oy Vey.


Quote from: trdsf on January 27, 2020, 10:57:03 PMI dunno, maybe I was spoiled by growing up on Kirby's Fantastic Four.
Uggh.

I guess they're alright, but that stuff was like Leave It To Beaver with the addition of superpowers.  I just can't take it.  Hell, I skipped out on The Incredibles because they reminded me too much of the FF.

AcrobaticDetective

The Mentalist is still my favorite show even though it's been off the air for years now. It is on Amazon and I intend to re-watch it like everyone else re-watches the Office.
"I'm a talking chimpanzee in a hat and you're a grown man in a bat suit. Let them have this."

Mike Cl

Quote from: AcrobaticDetective on February 02, 2020, 11:01:15 PM
The Mentalist is still my favorite show even though it's been off the air for years now. It is on Amazon and I intend to re-watch it like everyone else re-watches the Office.
How could I forget that show?  I liked it quite a bit and wouldn't mind seeing some reruns.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Munch

I really need to do catchup on watching all of bojack horseman. The series has ended and I'm avoiding final episode reveals all over youtube and news popups.
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

LoriPinkAngel

Currently I am watching reruns of The Middle.  I enjoy shows about families that are not rich.  I also liked Rosanne.  I do watch The Connors sometimes.

AcrobaticDetective

Quote from: Munch on February 05, 2020, 08:55:07 PM
I really need to do catchup on watching all of bojack horseman. The series has ended and I'm avoiding final episode reveals all over youtube and news popups.

I've never seen it.
"I'm a talking chimpanzee in a hat and you're a grown man in a bat suit. Let them have this."

Hydra009

Star Trek Picard drinking game for Season 1, Episode 3:

Take a shot every time a character refers to Jean-Luc Picard as "JL"
Try to make it to the end of the episode before hospitalization (note that I didn't say 'without hospitalization')

Hydra009

#730
I've been watching Locke and Key on netflix.  Cautiously liking it so far.  7.5/10 sounds about right.

A while back (9 years just flies by!) I told you guys that Fox was going to do a TV adaptation of the comics but they saw the pilot and 86ed it.  :(  A shame really, since the comics were practically begging for a live-action adaptation of some kind.

If you guys haven't read the Locke and Key comics, do yourself a favor and dive right in.  You won't regret it.  Murder + grief + magic keys + lovecraftian horrors = a little light horror that slow burns into something truly special.

Well, I saw the first episode of the TV show and I've gotta say, it's not half bad.  It got off to a really rocky start - the initial horror was really shortchanged and I hope people don't immediately exit out.  The casting is okay I guess, but the characters don't come across as very distinct or memorable, which is a shame because they are distinct and memorable as hell in the comics.  The only character who nailed it was the young'un Bode, who's every bit the inquisitive little brownie he is in the comics.  Aloha!

And as an aside, I friggin' love the anywhere key.  That key is my jam.  You put that key into any door while knowing where you want to go, and bam, just open the door and you're there.  The only downside is that there has to be a door at the other end.  Basically, you can Jumper all over the place.  Super useful.

I'm also a big fan of the head key.  Stick it in the back of someone's neck and you can futz around with the contents of their head - memories as well as personality.  You can even do it to yourself if you're especially adventurous, just be VERY careful in there.  The key has lots of unwritten limitations and unintended consequences, but it's unquestionably effective and extremely useful when used wisely.  Extremely regrettable when used unwisely, though.

Combine the two and you're basically unstoppable.

SGOS

I think I mentioned that I bought the complete series of Smallville.  I bought it used so it wouldn't hurt too much if I made a mistake.  I'm just starting season 4, and I'm almost embarrassed to say how much fun I'm having with it.  Embarrassed because part of it is... well OK, cheesy, but if you can tolerate sci-fi that clearly isn't serious drama and and disregards including some actual science in the stories, its just fun fantasy.  The writing and directing is open to almost any chiche' that will get a chuckle, and sometimes I end up holding my head in my hands while screaming, "Oh No!"  because it's all so obvious.  I still don't know if it's bad directing or bad writing or if the team leaves these things in as a satire of the action genre itself.  Example:  Superman and Lois Lane are attacked by the Black Helicopters, with guys in black suits and helmets rappelling to the ground, or simply jumping.  They are equipped with guns that shoot lightening.  Superman beats the crap out of two of them and shoots down one chopper with his x-ray eyes.  Lois beats the crap out of another one, and they get away.  Now comes another black helicopter with the honcho military guy.  It lands in the aftermath and Honcho gets out with a huge cigar in his mouth, and while he's surveying the carnage, a guy in black runs up to him, and says, "We lost them, Sir."   He takes the stogie out of his mouth and says, "Find them."  I'm already cringing at, "We lost them," since Honcho has been observing the whole thing from the air.  Why is this guy explaining it to him?  I guess I've heard, "We lost them, Sir, " followed by, "Find them," too many times.  But then it turns out that all Clark and Lois did was run back to the farmhouse.  Yeah, like now they're safe because they're in the farm house.  Good Grief.

Still, even with the technical production flaws, intentional or by accident, it's a lot of fun.  More fun than I've had with a series since Breaking Bad.

Sal1981

I've seen the trailer for Locke & Key, might check it out once my addiction to RuneScape fades ...

Hydra009

Quote from: Sal1981 on February 14, 2020, 11:46:06 AM
I've seen the trailer for Locke & Key, might check it out once my addiction to RuneScape fades ...
I can't give away too much without spoiling this, but the TV show is misleadingly tame right out the gate.  Give it some time, at least the whole first episode, if not the tried-and-true 3 episode sampler.  There are some massive twists and turns down the road.

And of course, the first issue of the comic series is a surefire way to know if this is up your alley or not.  The very first issue freaked me out in the best possible way.

trdsf

Not looking forward to the upcoming Foundation series (ostensibly) based on the Asimov books.  As usual for Asimov properties, the show creators got it wrong.  As the announcement put it:

QuoteFoundation, from Skydance Television, David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman, chronicles the thousand year saga of The Foundation, a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.

Uh, no.  Did they actually read the books, or did they just go through and see which names came up most often?  I already suspect the latter.  And who the fuck are 'Brother Dawn', 'Brother Day' and 'Brother Dusk'?  They have no source in the novels.  None.  I know.  I re-read the core trilogy about once a year, and the later additions periodically.

And meanwhile, Harlan Ellison's script for I, Robot remains unproduced...
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan