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Post by mikegarrison on Aug 11, 2014 1:26:22 GMT -5
Almost done with the 2nd season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I think the significant turn the series takes about 2/3 of the way through is interesting. Angel loses his soul and becomes the vile Angelus again. However, after that, Buffy falls into the Bad-TV-Movie-of-the-Week melodrama trap where everything is about poor little "I lost the love of my life" Buffy...boo hoo. I thought the secret of Giles (the Watcher) was going to be interesting, but it turned out flat. Same with Miss Calendar's gypsy secret. Overall, better than the 1st season, but still lags behind modern day TV shows. I try to watch older TV shows and movies from the POV of the era it first aired. So, when I watch an older TV show, I know the pacing is off and the acting is stiff and the special effects aren't quite special (most are just embarrassingly hiilarious). I keep all this in mind and put my mind in the right context. But sometimes it's difficult. For example, I won't ever be able to appreciate the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band because I can't quite place myself in that time period. I can do it intellectually, but I can't feel it emotionally. I can't seem to erase all the music that came forth since Sgt. Pepper. Well, Buffy is one of the most imitated shows on TV, so some things are going to seem a bit cliched now, even though they weren't back then. The first couple of episodes from Season 3 kick Buffy in the ass for letting herself wallow in that whole "I'm so sad about my boyfriend" thing. In fact, S3e1 is one of my favorite Buffy eps. That being said, a lot of the overall concept of Buffy is to turn our metaphorical demons (like high school being evil, dating when you have teenagers of your own, or boys sleeping with girls and then turning into jerks once they got what they wanted) into physical demons. And then we see that while the physical demons are able to be slain, the metaphorical demons aren't as simple to get rid of. (Oh, and Giles has more secrets, or at least hidden complexities.)
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Post by Wolfgang on Aug 23, 2014 0:14:22 GMT -5
Well, Buffy is one of the most imitated shows on TV, so some things are going to seem a bit cliched now, even though they weren't back then. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the 3rd season. You're generally right when you said Buffy gets better through the seasons, with seasons 2-4 being the best. (I'm not at season 4 so I can't comment on that season yet.) The wife doesn't think seasons 2 and 3 (so far) are better than season 1, even though she did like the alternate reality episode where Anya grants Cordelia's wish that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale. Nevertheless, I guess it says something that she wants to continue watching Buffy, despite all her criticisms. Here are some problems I had/have with Buffy so far: 1. In season 2, I found it absolutely incredible that Buffy would not check to make sure Spike and Drusilla were dead. I forgot the title of the episode but they had a confrontation where a portion of the building they were fighting in were burning down. I suppose you could say that all that fire prevented Buffy and co. from checking to make sure that Spike and Dru were indeed dead. But I thought the only way to kill a vampire was to put a wooden stake through their torso (heart?). So, a fire shouldn't be able to kill them so easily. Isn't this Basic Vampire 101? What is most incredible to me is the fact that Giles the Watcher was there! A guy with his knowledge and training and experience should know better than to leave a vampire like that without a stake through his body. 2. Principal Snyder is such a one-dimensional caricature. He's a one-trick pony. At the end of season 2, I couldn't believe he could expel students on his own like he did with Buffy. He has no such authority! Any U.S. citizen knows this! (Of course, the beginning of season 3 show Buffy and her mother exercising their right to question the expulsion. But the mere fact that they accepted the expulsion is, again, unbelievable. 3. How does Snyder get away with crap like forcing ALL students to sell boxes of chocolates that would benefit solely the marching band? A guy like this would be fired instantly at this day and age. 4. If Kendra the slayer was killed at the end of season 2, shouldn't another slayer be sent in her place? 5. Speaking of other slayers, shouldn't Faith be assigned a new Watcher? (Yes, there was that one episode where a Watcher came to Sunnydale and claimed to be Faith's new Watcher but that doesn't count because she was an "excommunicated" Watcher. 6. I really really really hate that they brought Angel back. It's not that I hate the character. It's just that I think they're spinning their wheels. In Season 1, Angel was the good vampire with a soul. In the middle of Season 2, Angel was "turned" into a bad vampire because his human soul was removed and ultimately killed. In Season 3, Angel returns as the good vampire with a soul. Okay, been there done that. Let's move on. (I generally really hate it when dead people are revived. There should be a rule about death -- it's permanent.)
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Post by Wolfgang on Aug 23, 2014 0:18:09 GMT -5
I'm in Season 5 of Supernatural. Really loving the whole God vs. Devil storyline. And the fact that angels are dicks. I'm glad they sort of addressed (in one episode) the existence of other gods in non-Western or non-Judeo-Crhistian religions and what effect the Judeo-Christian apocalypse would have on them. Nevertheless, they did a piss-poor job. I hate it that Lucifer, who is supposedly just an archangel, would be more powerful than these other gods. Even more powerful than Odin, the Norse god, or Kali?
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Post by mikegarrison on Aug 23, 2014 0:56:24 GMT -5
Well, Buffy is one of the most imitated shows on TV, so some things are going to seem a bit cliched now, even though they weren't back then. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the 3rd season. You're generally right when you said Buffy gets better through the seasons, with seasons 2-4 being the best. (I'm not at season 4 so I can't comment on that season yet.) The wife doesn't think seasons 2 and 3 (so far) are better than season 1, even though she did like the alternate reality episode where Anya grants Cordelia's wish that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale. Nevertheless, I guess it says something that she wants to continue watching Buffy, despite all her criticisms. Here are some problems I had/have with Buffy so far: 1. In season 2, I found it absolutely incredible that Buffy would not check to make sure Spike and Drusilla were dead. I forgot the title of the episode but they had a confrontation where a portion of the building they were fighting in were burning down. I suppose you could say that all that fire prevented Buffy and co. from checking to make sure that Spike and Dru were indeed dead. But I thought the only way to kill a vampire was to put a wooden stake through their torso (heart?). So, a fire shouldn't be able to kill them so easily. Isn't this Basic Vampire 101? What is most incredible to me is the fact that Giles the Watcher was there! A guy with his knowledge and training and experience should know better than to leave a vampire like that without a stake through his body. 2. Principal Snyder is such a one-dimensional caricature. He's a one-trick pony. At the end of season 2, I couldn't believe he could expel students on his own like he did with Buffy. He has no such authority! Any U.S. citizen knows this! (Of course, the beginning of season 3 show Buffy and her mother exercising their right to question the expulsion. But the mere fact that they accepted the expulsion is, again, unbelievable. 3. How does Snyder get away with crap like forcing ALL students to sell boxes of chocolates that would benefit solely the marching band? A guy like this would be fired instantly at this day and age. 4. If Kendra the slayer was killed at the end of season 2, shouldn't another slayer be sent in her place? 5. Speaking of other slayers, shouldn't Faith be assigned a new Watcher? (Yes, there was that one episode where a Watcher came to Sunnydale and claimed to be Faith's new Watcher but that doesn't count because she was an "excommunicated" Watcher. 6. I really really really hate that they brought Angel back. It's not that I hate the character. It's just that I think they're spinning their wheels. In Season 1, Angel was the good vampire with a soul. In the middle of Season 2, Angel was "turned" into a bad vampire because his human soul was removed and ultimately killed. In Season 3, Angel returns as the good vampire with a soul. Okay, been there done that. Let's move on. (I generally really hate it when dead people are revived. There should be a rule about death -- it's permanent.) Vampires can also be killed by beheading. And by being in the sun. And (I think) by fire. Synder does get annoying. But the writers take their revenge on him. What do you think Faith is? She's the new slayer to replace Kendra. And she will get a real new watcher. In fact, lots of funkiness with watchers later. Angel got his own series at the end of Season 3, so he pretty much does leave the show at that point. He only comes back for a crossover or two later on. You have to expect in a show about vampires that a few people are going to come back from the dead! Usually changed, though.... [By the way, you got me watching my Buffy collection again for the first time in about 10 years. I'm 2/3 way through Season 2. I only have seasons 1-4 on DVD, though.]
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Post by Wolfgang on Aug 23, 2014 17:13:23 GMT -5
So far (up to a third of the way in 3rd season), my favorite episodes in Buffy are:
1. The chocolate episode where every adult starts acting like rebellious teenagers. I like it not because of its fine plotting or general craftsmanship, but because of Giles and Buffy's mom. We're seeing a side of them we don't normally get to see. They seem more interesting than normal, especially Giles. I credit the acting skills of the actors who play these characters.
2. The Anya episode where they get to examine an alternate reality universe where Buffy never showed up at Sunnydale. I'm a sucker for alternate reality, parallel universe, and general time travel stuff. This is why I loved Fringe so much. Also, I got to see most of the main characters in Buffy die.
3. The episode where Angel turned into the soul-less Angelus in Season 2.
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Post by mikegarrison on Aug 23, 2014 19:34:05 GMT -5
The Anya episode where they get to examine an alternate reality universe where Buffy never showed up at Sunnydale. I'm a sucker for alternate reality, parallel universe, and general time travel stuff. This is why I loved Fringe so much. Also, I got to see most of the main characters in Buffy die. That episode turned out to be really important to the entire series.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Aug 24, 2014 14:01:46 GMT -5
almost caught up with orange is the new black ... it's a great show. weird that it's nominated for an emmy for 'best comedy.' it's really a drama with sardonic humor. a drama with a sense of humor. but there's a lot of dramas that have that.
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Post by Wolfgang on Oct 2, 2014 21:24:27 GMT -5
The Anya episode where they get to examine an alternate reality universe where Buffy never showed up at Sunnydale. I'm a sucker for alternate reality, parallel universe, and general time travel stuff. This is why I loved Fringe so much. Also, I got to see most of the main characters in Buffy die. That episode turned out to be really important to the entire series. I'm 1/3 of the way into Season 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's possible that this was a groundbreaking show back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially in the way that it thwarted the audience's expectations of what it thought it knew about the genre. But aside from the historical significance (and I use this term very liberally), I just don't think it's a great series. I think some episodes are good and the series overall has a certain allure and, for the most part, it's mindlessly entertaining, but I've seen much better shows that aired around the same time (1997-ish to 2004-ish). For example, Stargate SG1 (a very underrated show) was on from 1997-2007 and kept me perpetually glued to the TV set as I binge-watched all ten seasons (plus its spin-offs, Stargate Universe and Stargate Atlantis). I didn't think I would like Stargate because the movie was so damn awful, but the wife insisted that the TV series was incredibly interesting. Well, I gave it a chance and she was right (except for the pilot episode which sucked). The Sopranos aired from 1999-2007. I'm not sure it's as genre-bending as Buffy but it was considerably more "meaty." There were other shows around the same time, which have been very well-received but which I haven't followed -- Babylon Five, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Voyager, and Beverly Hills 90210. Also, I hear Charmed is not bad. My biggest gripe with Buffy is that each episode contains at least one huge plot hole and numerous logical irregularities. During the viewing of each episode, my wife and I constantly yell at the TV, "Well, that doesn't make sense..." They're little things but there are so many of them. It's very irritating. I wish I had posted some examples after viewing each episode while it was still fresh, but oh well. The characters are mostly flat -- Buffy's mom Joyce, Anya, Tara, Angel (he's very black-and-white good/bad), Riley, Cordelia, Drusilla. Willow gets fleshed out more in Season 4. So does Cordelia by the end of her run (which was around Season 3, I believe). I was, however, impressed with what they did with Xander. He went from a nobody (in my book) in Season 1 to someone mildly interesting/complex by Season 5. Spike is, of course, very complex and probably my favorite character. I don't know why they write Anya as this one-dimensional ignorant. She has lived thousands of years and experienced a lot in her time and yet, she's portrayed as this know-nothing alien who's learning earth customs for the first time. I mean, with her vast knowledge and experience, she should be very wise and insightful. It's very irritating to see her behave like she's fresh off the boat. Buffy also has way too many "Oh, whoa is me" melodrama that is bordering on insanity. Every single character went through that phase -- multiple times! Anyway, we're going to finish all seven seasons. It should take another 2-3 weeks.
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Post by Wolfgang on Oct 2, 2014 21:30:55 GMT -5
I've seen the first season of The Americans. One of my favorite TV shows of all time -- well, Top 10 at least.
I'm also in Season 7 of Supernatural. Incredible show. Very addictive.
Just started The Following. The wife doesn't like it because she sees no redeeming value in watching a cut-n-dried FBI manhunt for a murderous cult.
I'm also in Season 3 of The Scandal. It's such a fake show with fake crap and yet, it's very watchable. Except for the lead Kerry Washington.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2014 22:13:01 GMT -5
Slings and Arrows. Canadian. Very good.
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Post by mikegarrison on Oct 3, 2014 3:04:31 GMT -5
I don't know why they write Anya as this one-dimensional ignorant. She has lived thousands of years and experienced a lot in her time and yet, she's portrayed as this know-nothing alien who's learning earth customs for the first time. I mean, with her vast knowledge and experience, she should be very wise and insightful. It's very irritating to see her behave like she's fresh off the boat. I think that's just Anya's basic personality, rather than anything due to her experiences. Some kind of social disability.
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Post by Not Me on Oct 3, 2014 10:23:23 GMT -5
I have liked NCIS for a while now. And I know that tv shows are not supposed to be realistic all the time.
But, the seasoned opener had some ridiculous tech stuff. First they put a computer in a cage to separate it from the network. An actual physical box. When the virus jumped to the main network (of course) they said it broke out of the box and traveled down the power cord. Really?
By the way, NCIS New Orleans is one of the worst written and acted shows I have seen in a long time. And those horrible fake accents.
My binge watching has me in the middle of "the league". Very funny show.
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Post by elevationvb on Oct 3, 2014 11:32:28 GMT -5
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Post by mikegarrison on Oct 3, 2014 15:23:56 GMT -5
I have liked NCIS for a while now. And I know that tv shows are not supposed to be realistic all the time. But, the seasoned opener had some ridiculous tech stuff. First they put a computer in a cage to separate it from the network. An actual physical box. When the virus jumped to the main network (of course) they said it broke out of the box and traveled down the power cord. Really? By the way, NCIS New Orleans is one of the worst written and acted shows I have seen in a long time. And those horrible fake accents. My binge watching has me in the middle of "the league". Very funny show. Back when I had a security clearance, the rule was that you simply did not network computers in the security area to any computers outside of it. So that did actually put the computers in a physical box (with the engineers who were using them). I'm not sure how it's done now, because that was 25 years ago. But yeah, I'm pretty sure most of the technology used in that show is about as realistic as Harry Potter. Not just them, though. I saw a little bit of another show where the coroner did a DNA match by having the computer project two little double helix staircases and then overlaid one on the other. This is what it actually looks like when you do a DNA match:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2014 15:33:58 GMT -5
Suspect #2!
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