Jan 2, 2020 22:21:16 GMT Emperor said:

This is a common aspect of highly successful TV shows, where logic and nuance is thrown out of the window, to be replaced by OTT nonsense and fan service. Game of Thrones did it. Dexter did it. Breaking Bad didn't do it, thank god. But I've never seen it done so blatantly and painfully as in Season 3 of Stranger Things. And it usually takes a lot longer than 3 seasons to get to that point.

Did people like this?

I am glad you brought up GoT. You are absolutely right about them doing this. It was completely out of character for Jon Snow to pet Ghost after everyone complained about him not doing it in the episode before. That is some seriously BS fan service and it ruined the entire show. It was the very definition of OTT even. Who pets WOLVES for fuck's sake? Jon Snow is a fucking MAN. If it weren't for the crowd-pleasing ways of the writers, that scene would have played out as intended and Jon Snow would have punched Ghost in the face.

His Dark Materials, very good show, stellar cast, my only real fault is Lin Manuel Miranda, just doesn't fit the role as the roguish adventurer. Hopefully step it up in season 2, as good as it is, still falling short of its potential. Like the first season of Black Sails compared to the rest of the series.

Hugely enjoyed the Witcher, haven't played the games or read the books, so I was walking in blind...fantastic action, love the fantasy feel, Geralt is suitably a badass.

Don't Fuck with Cats, crazy little documentary series on the hunt for an animal abuser turned murderer, really is just an insane story.

Third season of GLOW, while the weakest so far, was still a great watch, next season is the last, see where everyone ends up.

One episode into The Witcher... it's bloody and violent, and I'm absolutely loving it.

Finally got a trailer for the long gestating Locke and Key:




Looks good, definitely some changes in there, head key seems to open a revolving door, looks like they're already tackling the origin (originally book 5), but still, hopeful it comes close to the quality of the books. Now that it's definitely happening, just have to hope it's not cancelled.

I finished up the first season of The Witcher, some pretty good stuff. Looking forward to more, can't wait for the second season.

Also watched the first episode of You on Netflix, as a couple of co-workers (one of which is my work bestie) say good things about it, so I guess I'll find out if they were right or not.

I, too, finished The Witcher a couple nights ago. I liked it, but I have to be one of the people to complain about the timeline jumps. They did a real shit job of it. I appreciate the show not holding your hand, but it was so fucking easy to get lost mid-season and I have to believe that a lot of people dropped out or won't bother with season 2.

In one scene we see Yennefer becoming a mage and the very next episode she's a miserable sorceress talking about wandering the world for decades and being done with everything. Then the next episode is a story about something that happened to her and we don't know if it happened before or after the previous episode. Also you don't find out until like halfway through the season that everything happening to Geralt is in the distant past and it's being shown at the same time as present-day Ciri and you think everything is happening at once and it totally isn't.

I didn't totally mind it but it was annoying at times. I just want to focus on the story and I'm having to do fucking algebra to figure out what I'm seeing and when it happened and if it's important to the story or not. I hope season 2 fixes this issue a bit, or at the very least it isn't as jarring now that the main characters are established and we know what to expect.

...

Emperor, re: Stranger Things 3...I didn't enjoy this season very much and wasn't sure why, and I think your post made me realize why I didn't enjoy it. I was watching it with all the flash and campy 80's shit and everything happening and was like "why aren't I enjoying this?"

I did like some things about the season, and the horror was definitely still there (the hospital scene was fucking dope), but season 4 better be better and not more bullshit like you pointed out, or I'm done.

Jeopardy GOAT Tournament. Thought it continued tonight. It didn’t. Turns out it doesn’t come back until Tuesday. Making me wait 5 days for the next game is just cruel.

Going in I predicted lifelong wrestling fan James edging 80s wrestling fan Ken to win it. Right now it’s Ken with 2 wins, including a landslide, James with 1 victory, and poor, overmatched Brad with 0. I would like to see Brad get in the win column at least once to avoid embarrassment.

Jan 11, 2020 2:13:36 GMT Baker said:

Jeopardy GOAT Tournament. Thought it continued tonight. It didn’t. Turns out it doesn’t come back until Tuesday. Making me wait 5 days for the next game is just cruel.

Going in I predicted lifelong wrestling fan James edging 80s wrestling fan Ken to win it. Right now it’s Ken with 2 wins, including a landslide, James with 1 victory, and poor, overmatched Brad with 0. I would like to see Brad get in the win column at least once to avoid embarrassment.

Ken and James are wrestling fans? I guess I could see James, but Ken?

Brad is just up against buzzsaws when it comes to the buzzer. I think Ken especially put in extra practice plus is playing much more aggressively to keep up with James. It could be the winning formula for him.

For my low standards I'm alright at the first 3 clues in categories but am mostly at a loss on the last two, even in categories that are in my wheelhouse. I thought I was even in the right neighborhood on last night's final but was nowhere close with my answers of Guillermo del Toro and Denis Villeneuve.

Jan 11, 2020 2:24:45 GMT Shootist said:

Jan 11, 2020 2:13:36 GMT Baker said:

Ken and James are wrestling fans? I guess I could see James, but Ken?

Brad is just up against buzzsaws when it comes to the buzzer. I think Ken especially put in extra practice plus is playing much more aggressively to keep up with James. It could be the winning formula for him.

For my low standards I'm alright at the first 3 clues in categories but am mostly at a loss on the last two, even in categories that are in my wheelhouse. I thought I was even in the right neighborhood on last night's final but was nowhere close with my answers of Guillermo del Toro and Denis Villeneuve.

James mentioned his lifelong wrestling fandom several times in interviews when he was on his hot streak over the summer. When asked what his dream Jeopardy categories would be, he answered "Pro Wrestling and Guitar Solos." He also credited "memorizing pro wrestling and sports stats as a kid" as something that helped him prepare from an early age for his future Jeopardy success. And I recently discovered he frequently posts wrestling gifs from his Twitter account.  

When Ken was asked what his dream Jeopardy category would be, he answered "80s pro wrestling. That doesn't come up nearly enough." But I suppose it's possible he could have been joking?

Anyway, I usually do fairly well playing at home (though I'm sure I'd bomb on the show due to stage fright, a tendency to panic, and unfamiliarity with the buzzer) but this tournament has been kicking my ass. Like you, I've been getting some of the early 'gimmies,' but I haven't even been able to hazard a decent educated guess for most of the clues. I also blanked on that fairly easy Napoleon/James Madison Final Jeopardy question the other day.

Jan 11, 2020 2:42:28 GMT Baker said:

Jan 11, 2020 2:24:45 GMT Shootist said:

Ken and James are wrestling fans? I guess I could see James, but Ken?

Brad is just up against buzzsaws when it comes to the buzzer. I think Ken especially put in extra practice plus is playing much more aggressively to keep up with James. It could be the winning formula for him.

For my low standards I'm alright at the first 3 clues in categories but am mostly at a loss on the last two, even in categories that are in my wheelhouse. I thought I was even in the right neighborhood on last night's final but was nowhere close with my answers of Guillermo del Toro and Denis Villeneuve.

James mentioned his lifelong wrestling fandom several times in interviews when he was on his hot streak over the summer. When asked what his dream Jeopardy categories would be, he answered "Pro Wrestling and Guitar Solos." He also credited "memorizing pro wrestling and sports stats as a kid" as something that helped him prepare from an early age for his future Jeopardy success. And I recently discovered he frequently posts wrestling gifs from his Twitter account.  

When Ken was asked what his dream Jeopardy category would be, he answered "80s pro wrestling. That doesn't come up nearly enough." But I suppose it's possible he could have been joking?

Anyway, I usually do fairly well playing at home (though I'm sure I'd bomb on the show due to stage fright, a tendency to panic, and unfamiliarity with the buzzer) but this tournament has been kicking my ass. Like you, I've been getting some of the early 'gimmies,' but I haven't even been able to hazard a decent educated guess for most of the clues. I also blanked on that fairly easy Napoleon/James Madison Final Jeopardy question the other day.

I guess I need to visit James's twitter then and that Ken quote does ring a bell.

I tried the various application quizzes in practice mode. I got 70% on the teen, 50-60 on college and around 40 on the proper test, no chance for me.

Jan 11, 2020 2:51:58 GMT Shootist said:

Jan 11, 2020 2:42:28 GMT Baker said:

I tried the various application quizzes in practice mode. I got 70% on the teen, 50-60 on college and around 40 on the proper test, no chance for me.

Never tried this before. Figured I'd give it a shot.
www.jeopardy.com/be-on-j/practice-tests
Got 16/30 on both the Adult and College quizzes. Looks like I'll have to stick with my day job. Although...
I hope they change these every day so I can continue to practice just in case I ever decide to have a Rosie Perez in White Men Can't Jump moment. 

So You on Netflix, that shit is entertaining as fuck, I stayed up til three in the morning Friday night/Saturday morning watching the first season. Then made my way through the second season Saturday/Sunday/Today... I really hope there is a third season, cause I need more of this series.

Jan 14, 2020 4:38:10 GMT Lony said:

So You on Netflix, that shit is entertaining as fuck, I stayed up til three in the morning Friday night/Saturday morning watching the first season. Then made my way through the second season Saturday/Sunday/Today... I really hope there is a third season, cause I need more of this series.

There's definitely going to be a third season. Bit of a fan theory that the next door neighbour is Joe's mum - but I'm not really buying that. 

Well, that was an anti climatic end to the GOAT Jeopardy tournament, it was Ken on steroids foregoing his usual conservative wagers.

Curiously enough I got the 3 hardest Greatest Canadian clues but missed the "easy" ones. At least I can find solace in the fact I got "Aspen" when none of the other guys could. Thanks Dumb and Dumber (oh the irony.)

Jan 15, 2020 5:46:26 GMT Shootist said:

Well, that was an anti climatic end to the GOAT Jeopardy tournament, it was Ken on steroids foregoing his usual conservative wagers.

Curiously enough I got the 3 hardest Greatest Canadian clues but missed the "easy" ones. At least I can find solace in the fact I got "Aspen" when none of the other guys could. Thanks Dumb and Dumber (oh the irony.)

Yeah, Ken dominated. It was far from the epic James vs. Ken showdown I was anticipating.

Think I got every single Great Canadian question wrong and definitely guessed Boston for the Aspen question :lol:  (forget the actual question, but something about it made me think of Massachusetts). But I didn't do too bad outside of those areas. Correctly answered the first Final Jeopardy, for example.

Jan 16, 2020 2:17:51 GMT Baker said:

Jan 15, 2020 5:46:26 GMT Shootist said:

Well, that was an anti climatic end to the GOAT Jeopardy tournament, it was Ken on steroids foregoing his usual conservative wagers.

Curiously enough I got the 3 hardest Greatest Canadian clues but missed the "easy" ones. At least I can find solace in the fact I got "Aspen" when none of the other guys could. Thanks Dumb and Dumber (oh the irony.)

Yeah, Ken dominated. It was far from the epic James vs. Ken showdown I was anticipating.

Think I got every single Great Canadian question wrong and definitely guessed Boston for the Aspen question :lol:  (forget the actual question, but something about it made me think of Massachusetts). But I didn't do too bad outside of those areas. Correctly answered the first Final Jeopardy, for example.

I couldn't think of the character's name at the time ("that guy from Hamlet!") but I would have went with James and said Horatio for the Shakespeare final. I couldn't remember the other final clue.

Terry Fox is ingrained into our psyche from a very young age through history class and his annual Marathon of Hope which I did in elementary school. Much easier than that female author and the Medium Is The Message history moment  that I was trying to draw on. Pearson was a Prime Minister and an NHL award while Glen Gould I read about in a history of the Juno Awards (Canadian Grammys) book.

Jan 16, 2020 2:53:26 GMT Shootist said:

Jan 16, 2020 2:17:51 GMT Baker said:

I couldn't think of the character's name at the time ("that guy from Hamlet!") but I would have went with James and said Horatio for the Shakespeare final. I couldn't remember the other final clue.

Terry Fox is ingrained into our psyche from a very young age through history class and his annual Marathon of Hope which I did in elementary school. Much easier than that female author and the Medium Is The Message history moment  that I was trying to draw on. Pearson was a Prime Minister and an NHL award while Glen Gould I read about in a history of the Juno Awards (Canadian Grammys) book.

Wrong question. I blanked on the Shakespeare one. Never could get into ol' Willie. But I "knew" Iago was the right answer when I saw it. 

The Final Jeopardy I got was the Pan's home/rural paradise question- Arcadia being the answer.

Come to think of it, I didn't get shut out in the Greatest Canadians category after all, correctly (educated) guessing Margaret Atwood. Also "knew" Marshall McLuhan but blanked on his name in the heat of the moment. Fox & Pearson were new to me. 

Fun Fact: For like a decade I thought "Terry" Douglas (it's actually Tommy) was the mastermind behind the Canadian healthcare system. It's only within the past year I learned he wasn't even a PM (though I am now familiar with his work in your home province of Saskatchewan). 

Ahead of the season 5 premier, it's been announced that Better Call Saul has been renewed for a 6th and FINAL season. Been an amazing run so far, see if it concludes as perfectly as Breaking Bad.

Anyone started watching The Outsider yet? I've heard amazing things and plan on watching the first two episodes tonight ... hopefully.

Jan 18, 2020 22:50:03 GMT UT said:

Anyone started watching The Outsider yet? I've heard amazing things and plan on watching the first two episodes tonight ... hopefully.

Very good so far, strong performances across the board, can't say I ever found myself bored while watching.

Just finished watching the new season of Chilling adventures of Sabrina - I’m reviewing it so I got early access to it, and while I love I got to see it early it’s driving me nuts I can’t ask what other people think of it yet.

I’ve watched the first two episodes of Locke & Key for the next show I’m reviewing. Otherwise I’m finally going to get started on The Witcher, and my friends have been bugging me endlessly about checking out Lucifer so that’s also moved up on my list.

Well, shucks...Daybreak got cancelled too.

Daybreak, Deadly Class, Cloak and Dagger...people really hate eccentric shows based on teens.

Hopefully Locke and Key fares better.

Finally finished the Leftovers, great little show with just long enough of a run, first season was solid with an insane climax...but it was really seasons 2 and 3 when the show took off, basically got better with every season. The guilty remnant felt useless after season 1, they dragged those fuckers out too long just for the season 2 finale. But otherwise, the mainlines were consistently compelling, at first I was a little thrown and disappointed in the series finale, but the finale 20 minutes or so pulled it all together and punctuated the series nicely.

I got some more movies to get through, my box is filling up again, but Band of Brothers and the Pacific are after that.

Jan 21, 2020 7:49:55 GMT RagnarokMike said:

Finally finished the Leftovers, great little show with just long enough of a run, first season was solid with an insane climax...but it was really seasons 2 and 3 when the show took off, basically got better with every season. The guilty remnant felt useless after season 1, they dragged those fuckers out too long just for the season 2 finale. But otherwise, the mainlines were consistently compelling, at first I was a little thrown and disappointed in the series finale, but the finale 20 minutes or so pulled it all together and punctuated the series nicely.

I got some more movies to get through, my box is filling up again, but Band of Brothers and the Pacific are after that.

SPOILER: Click to show

Do you think her final story was truth or a lie?

Checked out an episode of Letterkenny. Pretty funny.

Despite the doubt, I'm choosing to believe Nora.

Jan 21, 2020 22:26:54 GMT RagnarokMike said:

Despite the doubt, I'm choosing to believe Nora.

I didn’t even consider idea she was lying upon first watch... now am convinced she was.

It would make sense in response to both Kevin and the Nun's actions, "it's a nicer story," but I'm giving her the same blind faith that Kevin did. Know she might be lying, and choose to believe her.

I started watching this when it first started airing years ago, but after there were no more new episodes it kind of got forgotten about and I intended to come right back to it but it never happened. Until now. And I'm glad I remembered to pick it up again because it's pretty damn good. If you're a fan of The West Wing like I am, then you'll find it's got a lot of similarities to that which is great. Kiefer Sutherland isn't quite the master that Martin Sheen is, but he still does a Hell of a job. This isn't a sheer political drama though. It's got plenty of action thriller elements in it with an ongoing plot against the country ongoing throughout with plenty of tense scenes mixed in throughout the drama stuff.

Unfortunately, as with most action-y shows, some decisions the characters make just seem incredibly stupid but I've learned to live with this. Anything is better than the choices the main character of Blacklist makes, which I've just finished catching up on (though there's still half a season of that left to come). Anyway, yeah, watch this if you like politics and a good drama with action spy kinda stuff. Or just if you like Kiefer Sutherland because he's great.

Got through Godfather of Harlem, nice little gangster show, phenomenal cast, a few rough edges, but a nice start.