The best new and returning TV series thread

[sockwithaticket]

Just watched a few trailers for upcoming series and I always pay a bit more attention to horror or horror adjacent stuff. Apparently there are new Addams Family and Interview With A Vampire adaptations on the way, both of which look crap. The former is focused purely on Wednesday and looks like Riverdale (I will never forgive an ex for exposing me to this rubbish) meets Harry Potter. Catherine Zeta Jones has the misfortune of being Morticia to Luis Guzman's Gomez. The Interview footage made the leads seem unwell and fey rather than consumed with the ennui of eternal life. Not sure anyone was expectng them to hold a candle to Cruise and Pitt, but they seem particularly insipid. Of course there's been some race swapping too which is whatever normally, but a bit odd for Lestat given that he's supposed to have been a plantation owner in the late 18th century and they don't seem to have shifted the time frame.

Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities looks promising, though. A long overdue foray back towards proper horror, hopefully his recent projects haven't blunted what he's capable of.

Sharon Horgan's next project Bad Sisters looked alright and she has a great track record.

[Ymx]

For all the brilliant writing of Better Call Saul, they really could have done better than the last few episodes. How disappointing

[Marylandolorian]

House of the Dragon .

What does everyone think about this first episode? Personally I was disappointed and thought the characters were very unappealing (compared to GoT)

[Slick]

Ozark Season 4 kicks off next week. I normally lose interest by season 4 of just about everything I've watched. But I enjoyed the first 3 seasons hugely.

I'm on episode 5 of the first series and really struggling to be honest. I've only got this far because I found the first 4 or 5 of Breaking Bad a bit tough before it became utterly brilliant so hoping for the same.

[Grandpa]

House of the Dragon .

What does everyone think about this first episode? Personally I was disappointed and thought the characters were very unappealing (compared to GoT)

Yes... no humour at all so far.... also lacks nudity and foul language...

[FalseBayFC]

House of the Dragon .

What does everyone think about this first episode? Personally I was disappointed and thought the characters were very unappealing (compared to GoT)

Yes... no humour at all so far.... also lacks nudity and foul language...

It feels more like an adaptation of a Hilary Mantel novel. Fairly dry and businesslike. You're right about the humour bit. GOT just had so many characters who could deliver little gems; the Hound, Tyrion, Olenna Tyrell, Littlefinger.

[Grandpa]

House of the Dragon .

What does everyone think about this first episode? Personally I was disappointed and thought the characters were very unappealing (compared to GoT)

Yes... no humour at all so far.... also lacks nudity and foul language...

It feels more like an adaptation of a Hilary Mantel novel. Fairly dry and businesslike. You're right about the humour bit. GOT just had so many characters who could deliver little gems; the Hound, Tyrion, Olenna Tyrell, Littlefinger.

Maybe they'll come out in time... do we know if they used the same writers? Benioff and Weiss wrote most of each season's episodes for GOT... but I can't see if they have been used again?

[Marylandolorian]

Benioff and Weiss that screwed up GoT are not part to this show

[Grandpa]

Benioff and Weiss that screwed up GoT are not part to this show

Hence the lack of humour?

[Uncle fester]

Benioff and Weiss that screwed up GoT are not part to this show

Hence the lack of humour?

The humour got very cheap as the show neared the end.

Best gags were GRRM's anyway.

[C69]

I enjoyed HOTD so feck the lot of you.

[FalseBayFC]

Who are the villains going to be? Daemon Targaryan I see as a a kind of Jamie Lannister type. Conflicted sort who flip flops between good and evil.
I see a bit of screeching on twitter about the gender based violence aspect. They're saying that since its a made up world it shouldn't contain it. I'm OK with it. If we pander to that sentiment we'll eventually end up with a sanitised and sterile My Little Pony type of storytelling. My eighty year old mum is a true crime TV fanatic. Just loves to watch shows about the FBI catching psychos who murder young women. I saw a study where they found out that women make up a much bigger proportion of the audience of these type of shows. Not because they get off on it but because it shows justice being meted out in the end.

[Grandpa]

Who are the villains going to be? Daemon Targaryan I see as a a kind of Jamie Lannister type. Conflicted sort who flip flops between good and evil.
I see a bit of screeching on twitter about the gender based violence aspect. They're saying that since its a made up world it shouldn't contain it. I'm OK with it. If we pander to that sentiment we'll eventually end up with a sanitised and sterile My Little Pony type of storytelling. My eighty year old mum is a true crime TV fanatic. Just loves to watch shows about the FBI catching psychos who murder young women. I saw a study where they found out that women make up a much bigger proportion of the audience of these type of shows. Not because they get off on it but because it shows justice being meted out in the end.

But who is going to be the whoring, wise cracking Tyrion type!

[C69]

Who are the villains going to be? Daemon Targaryan I see as a a kind of Jamie Lannister type. Conflicted sort who flip flops between good and evil.
I see a bit of screeching on twitter about the gender based violence aspect. They're saying that since its a made up world it shouldn't contain it. I'm OK with it. If we pander to that sentiment we'll eventually end up with a sanitised and sterile My Little Pony type of storytelling. My eighty year old mum is a true crime TV fanatic. Just loves to watch shows about the FBI catching psychos who murder young women. I saw a study where they found out that women make up a much bigger proportion of the audience of these type of shows. Not because they get off on it but because it shows justice being meted out in the end.

The gender based violence was in the first epidode just like in GOT disproportionately against men.
The male genital mutilation and brutilisation of men and not women was clear in the episode.

[Ymx]

I enjoyed HOTD so feck the lot of you.

Yeah it's great. Better than expected. The bad guys are going to be the birds only they done made be that way by the men. That's my prediction. The Rhys Ifans and Dr Who were brilliant. Considine was a bit overwhelmed at times. Not sure what the shite online about the two young actresses was as they were good as well. Apparently the nerds/incels got in a lather about them

I also liked the first episode. It felt a little predictable, but still liked it.

[Uncle fester]

Who are the villains going to be?

If it in any way follows GRRM's writing, the villains will be the nice, well-meaning saps who let things get out of hand because they didn't have the stones to do what really needed to be done.

[Slick]

Never watched the first series but feel I may need to.
The Great ..... a little bit of Catherine the Great in a light hearted manner.

Watched the first one and it was pretty good actually. Got a bit samey towards the end and I haven't bothered with the 2nd series but my wife is loving it.

[Tichtheid]

I enjoyed the GOT spinoff, it's much the same.


We're halfway through Irma Vep - a slightly unstable director is remaking an old French silent movie classic about a group of gangsters known as The Vampires. The actors he has assembled have their own baggage, none less so than the star, an American played by Alicia Vikander, who is broken hearted after a recent breakup and struggling with her own career.
Vikander is superb in this, I also liked her in The Man From UNCLE, but here she really carries the show.

[Guy Smiley]

For something different,

Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

I've watched 4 episodes so far and come away happy and amazed every time.

[weegie01]

I have quietly enjoyed Shetland, although in the last season and this it came to rely a little too much on character traits to move the plot on rather than actual storyline.

With Douglas Henshall moving on from the main character there was a bit of interest in what happens next for the series. Then the last episode threw in a massive 'WTF?' Despite the murders that make Shetland almost as dangerous a place as Midsomer, it has always been a fairly gentle programme. Which made this truly shocking.

[vball]

I have quietly enjoyed Shetland, although in the last season and this it came to rely a little too much on character traits to move the plot on rather than actual storyline.

With Douglas Henshall moving on from the main character there was a bit of interest in what happens next for the series. Then the last episode threw in a massive 'WTF?' Despite the murders that make Shetland almost as dangerous a place as Midsomer, it has always been a fairly gentle programme. Which made this truly shocking.

Spoiler Alert .... might not be as bad as it seems. Or it might be. No idea really.
You are right though in terms of the future of the series. It is a bleak and barren place without a lot going on. Apart from the murders of course .... !

[Uncle fester]

Is there any riding in it?
Always wondered about the mechanics of elf sex. Probably a bit Handmaid's Tale-like.

[Jethro]

Lord of the Rings. Opinion in. Its shite. Now its a nuanced shite rather than straight up sewage. First off it looks every dollar pound they put into it: amazing. The screen glows with its magnificent. The story could have been something we rode along with and the vibe is good with some of the acting sound. The problems start with the explanatory scenes not being explanatory enough. Juxtapositioned beside some of the sound acting is some really stilted efforts and the hobbit harfoot lads have been given these Hollywood diddly dee Irish accents. Probably alright for foreign lads but to the Irish ear is grating. It so suffers from that Wheel of Time problem of things looking a little too perfect where GoT's nailed how a person would really look living in a forest or a mountain. I found that the meandering story line became very snoozy. On the ever present issue of race that has been brought up the problem isn't having black actors in it for me it's that they are just suddenly sprinkled throughout and you have white kids with black parents and random kids with inter race dwarfs and that defying of logic. Didn't particualrly bother me as I am not a racialist but just seems stupid and counter intuitive. Anyway it's not the main problem or anywhere near it.

Would agree its real nice to look at but the plot is meandering at best. The central elf chick is a Mary Sue, never explained how she learnt to fight or exactly how she came to lead armies - which she doesn't as she has spent decades on a personal quest, maybe Elf command systems are different to what one might expect. The hobbits were freaking annoying to me for some reason, couldn't quite put my finger on why but they were. Notably besides that one elf dude, every one thinking there's trouble brewing is female for some reason.

Not really bothered to watch the next episode to be honest, seems a few billion has been spent on a pretty average show.

[Grandpa]

I have quietly enjoyed Shetland, although in the last season and this it came to rely a little too much on character traits to move the plot on rather than actual storyline.

With Douglas Henshall moving on from the main character there was a bit of interest in what happens next for the series. Then the last episode threw in a massive 'WTF?' Despite the murders that make Shetland almost as dangerous a place as Midsomer, it has always been a fairly gentle programme. Which made this truly shocking.

The series has actually made me want to visit there now... I thought there'd be nothing there... but it looks quite interesting...

[robmatic]

Lord of the Rings. Opinion in. Its shite. Now its a nuanced shite rather than straight up sewage. First off it looks every dollar pound they put into it: amazing. The screen glows with its magnificent. The story could have been something we rode along with and the vibe is good with some of the acting sound. The problems start with the explanatory scenes not being explanatory enough. Juxtapositioned beside some of the sound acting is some really stilted efforts and the hobbit harfoot lads have been given these Hollywood diddly dee Irish accents. Probably alright for foreign lads but to the Irish ear is grating. It so suffers from that Wheel of Time problem of things looking a little too perfect where GoT's nailed how a person would really look living in a forest or a mountain. I found that the meandering story line became very snoozy. On the ever present issue of race that has been brought up the problem isn't having black actors in it for me it's that they are just suddenly sprinkled throughout and you have white kids with black parents and random kids with inter race dwarfs and that defying of logic. Didn't particualrly bother me as I am not a racialist but just seems stupid and counter intuitive. Anyway it's not the main problem or anywhere near it.

It might be shite but I'm obviously still going to watch it.

[Insane_Homer]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

[Ymx]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

Thanks for the tip. Never heard of it either.

[Grandpa]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

[Uncle fester]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

You know it was a mock documentary?
The rough look was by design.

Plus it's set in keeweeland.

[Ymx]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

It has that low budget kiwi humour about it. Which I noted as it’s by Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement.

[robmatic]

Lord of the Rings. Opinion in. Its shite. Now its a nuanced shite rather than straight up sewage. First off it looks every dollar pound they put into it: amazing. The screen glows with its magnificent. The story could have been something we rode along with and the vibe is good with some of the acting sound. The problems start with the explanatory scenes not being explanatory enough. Juxtapositioned beside some of the sound acting is some really stilted efforts and the hobbit harfoot lads have been given these Hollywood diddly dee Irish accents. Probably alright for foreign lads but to the Irish ear is grating. It so suffers from that Wheel of Time problem of things looking a little too perfect where GoT's nailed how a person would really look living in a forest or a mountain. I found that the meandering story line became very snoozy. On the ever present issue of race that has been brought up the problem isn't having black actors in it for me it's that they are just suddenly sprinkled throughout and you have white kids with black parents and random kids with inter race dwarfs and that defying of logic. Didn't particualrly bother me as I am not a racialist but just seems stupid and counter intuitive. Anyway it's not the main problem or anywhere near it.

It might be shite but I'm obviously still going to watch it.

I've now watched the first episode and it certainly looks good, although not the most compelling story-wise.

[Insane_Homer]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

The movie is more like a rough low budget pilot. The TV series is significantly & consistently better.
When you start drawing guest stars like...
Kristen Schaal, Nick Kroll, Craig Robinson, Donal Logue, Mark Hamill, Greta Lee, Scott Bakula, Fred Armisen, Benedict Wong, David Cross, Tilda Swinton, Evan Rachel Wood, Danny Trejo, Wesley Snipes, Dave Bautista et al

you're doing something right.

[sockwithaticket]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

I think it's a bit over-hyped, but it was still pretty funny.

Production values are definitely higher for the series and the humour's a bit broader than Taika Waititi's particular sensibility.

[yermum]

Lord of the Rings. Opinion in. Its shite. Now its a nuanced shite rather than straight up sewage. First off it looks every dollar pound they put into it: amazing. The screen glows with its magnificent. The story could have been something we rode along with and the vibe is good with some of the acting sound. The problems start with the explanatory scenes not being explanatory enough. Juxtapositioned beside some of the sound acting is some really stilted efforts and the hobbit harfoot lads have been given these Hollywood diddly dee Irish accents. Probably alright for foreign lads but to the Irish ear is grating. It so suffers from that Wheel of Time problem of things looking a little too perfect where GoT's nailed how a person would really look living in a forest or a mountain. I found that the meandering story line became very snoozy. On the ever present issue of race that has been brought up the problem isn't having black actors in it for me it's that they are just suddenly sprinkled throughout and you have white kids with black parents and random kids with inter race dwarfs and that defying of logic. Didn't particualrly bother me as I am not a racialist but just seems stupid and counter intuitive. Anyway it's not the main problem or anywhere near it.

but on the plus side there are lots of random black characters that will annoy the fuck out of racists and kill any enjoyment they might get out of it.

*puts on wizard hat and cloak*

the period in this is when they were all living large and the elf and dwarf kingdoms were at their zenith. so it should be quite bling.

the men are abit more grotty.

/nerd

[Grandpa]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

It has that low budget kiwi humour about it. Which I noted as it’s by Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement.

I grew up with that schoolboy humour.. didn't find it funny as a kid.. and still don't... I don't mind low budget if it's funny...

[Grandpa]

What we do in the Shadows, can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this hilarious gem. Season 4 imminent on the beeb.

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

I think it's a bit over-hyped, but it was still pretty funny.

Production values are definitely higher for the series and the humour's a bit broader than Taika Waititi's particular sensibility.

I'll give it a bash... Sometimes Kiwi shows get it right

[FalseBayFC]

The original film was terrible.. was like a high school production.. and not very funny.

Is the TV series a big improvement then?

I think it's a bit over-hyped, but it was still pretty funny.

Production values are definitely higher for the series and the humour's a bit broader than Taika Waititi's particular sensibility.

I'll give it a bash... Sometimes Kiwi shows get it right

Flight of the Chonchords. sp? Was class. I'm tempted to try more Kiwi and Oz show. But often I'm put off by cultural cringe. Don't watch our domestic stuff for the same reason. Its a pity but I rather prefer seeing our actors in US and UK productions. Aus leading the way with actors. Why do they do so well abroad?

[Grandpa]

I think it's a bit over-hyped, but it was still pretty funny.

Production values are definitely higher for the series and the humour's a bit broader than Taika Waititi's particular sensibility.

I'll give it a bash... Sometimes Kiwi shows get it right

Flight of the Chonchords. sp? Was class. I'm tempted to try more Kiwi and Oz show. But often I'm put off by cultural cringe. Don't watch our domestic stuff for the same reason. Its a pity but I rather prefer seeing our actors in US and UK productions. Aus leading the way with actors. Why do they do so well abroad?

Yeah, my brother loves that Chonchords show... I can only handle it in small doses... dunno what it is... but I find it exhausting to watch...

Now Brokenwood Mysteries I like... though probably because it doesn't try too hard...

[Ymx]

I was going to say - I thought it was you who recommended broken wood mysteries.

Wellington paranormal was another I think you recommended.

[Grandpa]

I was going to say - I thought it was you who recommended broken wood mysteries.

Wellington paranormal was another I think you recommended.

Wellington Paranormal I lasted about ten minutes..

I quite liked The Almighty Johnsons.