I've started watching The Queen's Gambit.

A Netflix miniseries based on a book about a fictional female chess prodigy set in the 60s.

It's phenomenal. The depiction of the chess game, tournaments and the life of a tournament chess player is bang on the money. But it's more than just a show for chess enthusiastics. It is a fantastic drama in its own right, a great biographical character study. Extremely well-crafted. Should appeal to everyone.

We are going to check it out.

We started Season 4 of The Crown where we are introduced to Margaret Thatcher and a young Diana Spencer.

Gillian Anderson is amazing as Thatcher. The cast overall has been excellent since day 1 but I think Anderson takes it to a whole other level.

Queen's Gambit is so good. Likely Anya Taylor-Joy and the show itself will take some awards.

Just watched the final episode of Queen's Gambit.

Beautiful mini-series. The first episode was amazing and it maintained that quality throughout. The final episode was perfect, everything I hoped for and more. The way everything comes together is magical.

Can't praise this show enough.

Such a great show. For those who did not make the connection, the story is heavily inspired by the Bobby Fischer story, particularly his rivalry with Boris Spassky.


Watching Veep now since I missed it the first time around. Freaking hilarious show.

Nov 16, 2020 17:47:56 GMT iron maiden said:

We are going to check it out.

We started Season 4 of The Crown where we are introduced to Margaret Thatcher and a young Diana Spencer.

Gillian Anderson is amazing as Thatcher. The cast overall has been excellent since day 1 but I think Anderson takes it to a whole other level.

Isn't it fantastic? A few years ago I would have laughed if you'd told me that a show about the Royal Family would have been such captivating viewing but I really think it is one of the best pieces of TV ever made. Everything about it is so on point; the casting is amazing (I just can't get over how much she looks like Diana!), the acting is unreal (Gillian Anderson as you say is just incredible, I was a bit too young when the X-Files was a thing but she's been fantastic and so versatile in everything I've seen her in, her scenes with Olivia Coleman are just acting masterclasses), the writing is so good (I love the way they combine events for dramatic and narrative effect, so clever) and obviously the huge budget sets and effects.

I thought the Michael Fagan episode was particularly fantastic - the way they subtly used that storyline to portray the hardships of Thatcher's leadership on the working class; the dole queues, the council flats, the overall dreariness set with the soundtrack of The Cure and Joy Division. 

Agree 100%. I find this season in particular very engaging to the point of making you uncomfortable at times. You have two female leaders that don't necessarily see 'eye to eye'. A beautiful, young Princess who while being unable to capture the heart of her husband, has captured the heart of the people leading to jealousy among the other Royals. An older Princess dealing with age and her place in the family. A middle Princess whose marriage is crumbling and who is questioning her own happiness. A Queen realizing as some would like to put her and the other royals, that she's put The Crown and her duty above all, including her children and wonders if she's failed them. All this during a family death due to Terrorism, an economic recession and a billion dollar War abroad. While we know much of the private interactions are based on speculation, the writing is superb and the characters fully fleshed out. As mentioned, the casting from day 1 has been stellar which I find really lends to the credibility of the show. Not to mention it focuses on pivotal moments in the UK and The Royal's lives.

Solid series finale for Supernatural, not as powerful as Swan Song would have been as a finish, but still found a fitting ending.

For anyone who's a fan of stand up comedy , the history and stories and such - there is an awesome 5 part documentary on Showtime called The Comedy Store about well.... The Comedy Store and Mitzi Shore and a bunch of old and new comics that have came through there. I started it on a whim and couldn't stop watching it. Hilarious , informative , sometimes touching.

I'd say like 99% of comedy legends have parts in there being interviewed. Letterman to Leno and Carrey or Maron. Even Louis CK. It's really an incredible lineup.

2/3’s of the way through Queens Gambit. The chess stuff is riveting but the personal story is boring me. Still a good way to spend some hours.

Nov 21, 2020 14:28:33 GMT UT said:

For anyone who's a fan of stand up comedy , the history and stories and such - there is an awesome 5 part documentary on Showtime called The Comedy Store about well.... The Comedy Store and Mitzi Shore and a bunch of old and new comics that have came through there. I started it on a whim and couldn't stop watching it. Hilarious , informative , sometimes touching.

I'd say like 99% of comedy legends have parts in there being interviewed. Letterman to Leno and Carrey or Maron. Even Louis CK. It's really an incredible lineup.

Yeah, it was a great watch, but crap is comedy tragic. Like every episode there was a suicide or otherwise premature death.

Nov 25, 2020 9:47:25 GMT RagnarokMike said:

Nov 21, 2020 14:28:33 GMT UT said:

For anyone who's a fan of stand up comedy , the history and stories and such - there is an awesome 5 part documentary on Showtime called The Comedy Store about well.... The Comedy Store and Mitzi Shore and a bunch of old and new comics that have came through there. I started it on a whim and couldn't stop watching it. Hilarious , informative , sometimes touching.

I'd say like 99% of comedy legends have parts in there being interviewed. Letterman to Leno and Carrey or Maron. Even Louis CK. It's really an incredible lineup.

Yeah, it was a great watch, but crap is comedy tragic. Like every episode there was a suicide or otherwise premature death.

Yeah the Kinison stuff is bananas , I knew his life was tragic but listening to his best friend tell the story blew me away a bit.

I liked it a lot too because being comedians they didn’t shy away from anything , they shot straight even about Mitzi , who was quite the fascinating person herself.

I also never thought Rogen was that important to comedy so that section surprised me. I knew about the Mencia stuff but not everything surrounding it.

Nov 24, 2020 19:06:51 GMT mikec said:

2/3’s of the way through Queens Gambit. The chess stuff is riveting but the personal story is boring me. Still a good way to spend some hours.

Finished it. A good study in how if you’re the best in the world at something, you can be a completely toxic person and everyone will love you anyway. Unfortunately I don’t think that was what the writer was going for, instead shooting for a world where someone with the smallest semblance of positive personality can generate a loyal band of friends.

The chess stuff is fun though and reminded me (on a much smaller level) of my mediocre run in high school and college debate. You know who the best players are, you get a little excited for the challenge, get crushed by the best, and it didn’t really matter what the best debaters were like, you spoke their name with reverence.

Anyway, it was fine, worth the seven hours for sure. Don’t really understand the awards hype except that we’re starved for solid work right now. They should give an Emmy to whomever came up with all the ways to make watching chess look different each time though.

Nov 25, 2020 14:23:39 GMT mikec said:

Nov 24, 2020 19:06:51 GMT mikec said:

2/3’s of the way through Queens Gambit. The chess stuff is riveting but the personal story is boring me. Still a good way to spend some hours.

Finished it. A good study in how if you’re the best in the world at something, you can be a completely toxic person and everyone will love you anyway. Unfortunately I don’t think that was what the writer was going for, instead shooting for a world where someone with the smallest semblance of positive personality can generate a loyal band of friends.

That's an oddly cynical take on the show. Never heard that interpretation before and I don't really understand it.

Sure Beth Harmon isn't the most outwardly pleasant person, and she has her issues. But she's not a bad person at all, far from it. She doesn't want to be the pill-addled alcoholic, and she resists very hard throughout much of the show, but some bad influences get to her (her foster mother, Cleo). Near the end of the show she finally gives in to the drink, the fame and pressure and failure all overwhelming her. Her friends see the good side in her, the boundless potential, and don't want to see another chess prodigy descend into madness. It's a beautiful story with a perfect ending.

I don't know how you can watch that final episode, the way she honours her deceased teacher Mr. Shaibel to the reporters, and conclude that she has only "the smallest semblance of positive personality".

A flawed hero is far more interesting than a flawless hero.

Nov 25, 2020 20:25:19 GMT Emperor said:

Nov 25, 2020 14:23:39 GMT mikec said:

Finished it. A good study in how if you’re the best in the world at something, you can be a completely toxic person and everyone will love you anyway. Unfortunately I don’t think that was what the writer was going for, instead shooting for a world where someone with the smallest semblance of positive personality can generate a loyal band of friends.

That's an oddly cynical take on the show. Never heard that interpretation before and I don't really understand it.

Sure Beth Harmon isn't the most outwardly pleasant person, and she has her issues. But she's not a bad person at all, far from it. She doesn't want to be the pill-addled alcoholic, and she resists very hard throughout much of the show, but some bad influences get to her (her foster mother, Cleo). Near the end of the show she finally gives in to the drink, the fame and pressure and failure all overwhelming her. Her friends see the good side in her, the boundless potential, and don't want to see another chess prodigy descend into madness. It's a beautiful story with a perfect ending.

I don't know how you can watch that final episode, the way she honours her deceased teacher Mr. Shaibel to the reporters, and conclude that she has only "the smallest semblance of positive personality".

A flawed hero is far more interesting than a flawless hero.

Your argument isn’t really against what I said, or at least my intention.

First of all we watched two different shows if you’re thinking that she worked hard at resisting drug use. Her addiction to the tranquilizers obviously wasn’t her fault, but she abused the pills throughout the story, the chess community knew her as a drunk by the mid-point of the story, etc. She tried hard to resist in the lead up to Paris and through Moscow.

But where we agree- you indicate that her community of friends is trying to keep a prodigious talent from flaming out and that they see her boundless potential. They’re glomming on to those things, the show does little to indicate another reason for the dedication of those around her.

And your proof of her merit comes in the final episode as she’s completing her arc and becoming someone worthy of friendship. My point was without her talent for chess no one would’ve stuck around for the way she treated them to make it to the seventh episode.

I’m not asking for Superman, but being something more than just her talent would make the rest make more sense.

I'm going to chime in on this Queen's Gambit talk once I watch the show because I'm very interested.

...

Vikings
Mrs. RT has watched most of this show but she hasn't seen how it ended, and I've never watched it, so we started it over together. We're almost done season 1 and I'm conflicted. The show itself is okay, but it's all over the place story-wise. It kind of feels like the writers are just doing things because they can, not because they make sense or make the show better. Mrs. RT has told me that it gets better as it goes on, and I'm going to trust her...for now.

WACO
This has been on my Netflix list forever and I'm finally watching it. Just finished episode 3. It's fucking excellent. I was young when it happened, and I'm certain they are taking liberties/exaggerating/glorifying certain things, but the true story captured my attention from a young age and I've always wanted to see something like this, and it's finally here. I love it.

The Good Place
We watched the final season whenever it got added to Netflix and it was fine. I liked the idea of The Good Place turning people into mindless zombies because having whatever you want when you want gets old after an eternity. That was smart. The final episode made me kind of sad, but also was pretty touching in a way. Basically making the argument that knowing death is coming is actually enlightening is an interesting take, and something that made me stop and think real hard...and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Maybe that's the point. All I know is that when Chidi went through, my heart broke.

The Crown
Finished season 4 the other night and this still continues to be the best show that I hate. I hate everything the royal family stands for, and yet I love this show. I hate everyone that is on this show, and yet it's beautiful and so much fun to watch. I fucking hate myself and yet nothing brings me more joy than watching these uptight twats bicker amongst themselves. Gillian Anderson was amazing, the girl they found to play Diana is amazing, Olivia Colman fucking rules...BAH I HATE THEM ALL SO MUCH

Nov 24, 2020 19:06:51 GMT mikec said:

2/3’s of the way through Queens Gambit. The chess stuff is riveting but the personal story is boring me. Still a good way to spend some hours.

Agree completely.  Felt they went too in on the social dysfunction stuff and it was the weakest part of the show.  

Agree with Mike as well, she was totally a toxic person.  And given she was based on Bobby Fischer it was intentional.  Another take is that she had autism, which Fischer was believed to have bad.

That all said, having worked with experts in psych and statistics, in many groups you do find people like this.  Highly brilliant people with utterly shit social skills who are super abrasive that do not realize they are acting abnormal.  They just hyperfocus onto one thing so much that they really start to lack in other areas, usually social ones.  

Nov 26, 2020 2:33:57 GMT mikec said:

But where we agree- you indicate that her community of friends is trying to keep a prodigious talent from flaming out and that they see her boundless potential. They’re glomming on to those things, the show does little to indicate another reason for the dedication of those around her.

And your proof of her merit comes in the final episode as she’s completing her arc and becoming someone worthy of friendship. My point was without her talent for chess no one would’ve stuck around for the way she treated them to make it to the seventh episode.

I'm coming around to your point of view now, but I think Beth does have an inner warmth and kindness that admittedly doesn't come to the surface that often. Her chess talent isn't the reason Jolene sought out Beth Harmon in the final episode. She clearly sees that inner warmth in Beth, otherwise she wouldn't have gone so far out of her way to find her and ultimately help her out.

Not to mention that Beltik and perhaps even Benny liked her as more than just a friend or a talented chess player. You could argue Beltik was plainly in love with her, if I'm remembering correctly. The fact that they all grouped together to help her after she flat out rejected both of them during her drunken period shows that there's more to like about her than just her chess talent.

Nov 26, 2020 19:35:24 GMT Emperor said:

Nov 26, 2020 2:33:57 GMT mikec said:

But where we agree- you indicate that her community of friends is trying to keep a prodigious talent from flaming out and that they see her boundless potential. They’re glomming on to those things, the show does little to indicate another reason for the dedication of those around her.

And your proof of her merit comes in the final episode as she’s completing her arc and becoming someone worthy of friendship. My point was without her talent for chess no one would’ve stuck around for the way she treated them to make it to the seventh episode.

I'm coming around to your point of view now, but I think Beth does have an inner warmth and kindness that admittedly doesn't come to the surface that often. Her chess talent isn't the reason Jolene sought out Beth Harmon in the final episode. She clearly sees that inner warmth in Beth, otherwise she wouldn't have gone so far out of her way to find her and ultimately help her out.

Not to mention that Beltik and perhaps even Benny liked her as more than just a friend or a talented chess player. You could argue Beltik was plainly in love with her, if I'm remembering correctly. The fact that they all grouped together to help her after she flat out rejected both of them during her drunken period shows that there's more to like about her than just her chess talent.

We’re still on the same track. Like I said I don’t believe my take was the writers intention, which to me means that the writer thinks about Beth like you do, but they just didn’t really show it. Which really made Harry look stupid. Benny at least had an interesting flirtation. The Townes stuff at the end was really strange because she rejected him for being gay and then he traveled into Russia to see her play/be her friend.

I don’t think she was intended as a toxic person, I just don’t really remember anything but the toxic.

Maybe my take is connected to the fact that I relate to Beth Harmon a lot, both as a serious chess player (although I am nowhere near her level) and as a human being. That's not to say we are identical, but there are many clear parallels with my own personality and my own journey through life, so I am perhaps biased to see her in a more positive live than others may.

Agreed that Harry looked kinda dumb, but he was always presented as the fairly stereotypical nerdy guy who has the best intentions but is useless at talking to women, so it makes sense.

I found a really awesome show on the decades channel. It comes on at 6 am central time. Show is called The Jeffersons. Its about a couple who are moving on up to the east side. To a deluxe apartment in the sky. They finally got their of the pie.

Solid finale for Fargo, nice step up from season 3, even if it still wasn't quite as good as seasons 1 and 2. I feel Chris Rock was the only major misstep, just never felt he had the the characteristics central to the character, he did fine, but just didn't have that IT factor for the role. Neither the portrayal of wisdom or rage felt more than adequate. But all in all, it was a solid season. Nice rebound.

As for this seasons connection to the series:

SPOILER: Click to show

It's revealed in the post credits scene that the theory about Satchel was true, and it was in fact a young Mike Milligan, who came about his name by taking on the surname of the one man who never seemed to have anything but his best interests in mind (Rabbi Milligan).

Few years late, but I started Hannibal. Goddamn dude is so smooth it's irritating. Very captivating every scene he's in.

Just watched the blood eagle episode of Vikings and this show has gone from 0-100 REAL fuckin quick. My GOD.

Also The Mandalorian might go down in history as the best Star Wars anything ever if they keep this up.

Yeah the Mandalorian has been fantastic.  Name dropping Thrawn got me super excited.

Dec 2, 2020 8:21:07 GMT c said:

Yeah the Mandalorian has been fantastic.  Name dropping Thrawn got me super excited.

Your dream live action Thrawn casting?

I want to say Mads Mikkelsen since his brother voiced him in the show, but he was already in Rogue One and doesn't have the look.

My pick: Bill Skarsgard.

EDIT: Wait, Tobias Menzies would be fucking awesome too. Or Ralph Fiennes.

Yep I'm picking Ralph Fiennes. He'd be incredible.

The first time I watched Breaking Bad, I remember the first half of Season 4 being pretty tedious after a tremendous Season 3 finale.

Second watch...nothing has changed.

That is when the show fell apart for me. I liked Jesse falling apart, but that was really it. Once that arc finished I just stopped watching.

Dec 3, 2020 6:11:52 GMT RT said:

Dec 2, 2020 8:21:07 GMT c said:

Yeah the Mandalorian has been fantastic.  Name dropping Thrawn got me super excited.

Your dream live action Thrawn casting?

I want to say Mads Mikkelsen since his brother voiced him in the show, but he was already in Rogue One and doesn't have the look.

My pick: Bill Skarsgard.

EDIT: Wait, Tobias Menzies would be fucking awesome too. Or Ralph Fiennes.

Yep I'm picking Ralph Fiennes. He'd be incredible.

Missed this but Skarsgard would have been so damn good.  After the finale twist so curious where this goes.  They can attempt to take Mandalore, but can the show work without Baby Yoda?  And if Baby Yoda stays, will that mean that the surprise character is now part of the show?  

Rewatching the Sopranos. It holds up.