Underestimating Middle-America Since 1950: Television Test Thread

[Reply #520 on:]

Molly was really good, I kind of hope they leave this as a one shot miniseries

[Reply #521 on:]

Molly was a supremely likable character. Adorable as well as the smartest person amongst a town of idiots. I'd love to see that actress in other things.

[Reply #522 on:]

I just watched the shorter Flatland. I loved it, which of course means that everyone else in my year hates it and I have now become supremely unpopular.

Just kidding. I've always been supremely unpopular.

[Reply #523 on:]

Anybody watch Utopia? That was bleak and pretty and I can't wait for the second season.

I watched Utopia; it was rather fun in a messed up sort of way!

[Reply #524 on:]

Californication series finale, smell ya later Hanky-panky
(Ok it wasn't a great season but whatevs, still a good show)

[Reply #525 on:]

I used to love Californication. The witty dialogue, the farcial situations, the amazing chemistry between the cast... But then it succumbed to the horrible Showtime curse of being dragged on far too long - WELL past the point of its natural expiry date - and turned to utter shit towards the end (see also: Weeds, Dexter).

Seriously, had Californication ended with its fourth season, it would've had a near-perfect run (not to mention the fact that season 4 mirrored the first season brilliantly, wrapped up pretty much everything from seasons 1-3 and then brought everything full circle at the end in a beautifully bittersweet way - it was THE perfect ending for the show). Then everything that followed was ridiculous nonsense - not to mention almost entirely self-contained, so didn't even serve a point... Aside from the much-appreciated images of a topless Camilla Luddington. seasons 5-7 really had nothing to offer whatsoever. And by the time the show finally did end, I was just happy to see it put out of its misery.

Given that Showtime are currently home to a few of my favourite shows right now, I can only hope that this horrible trend of them "milking the cash cow dry" (as opposed to knowing when to quit and having a finished product we can actually be proud of) ends soon. I fear it's probably already too late for Homeland (which, despite still being good tv, will never match the heights of its first season again), but fuck, at least leave Masters of Sex with some dignity.

[Reply #526 on:]

Avatar: The Legend of Korra is back! Squeeeee!

[Reply #527 on:]

Then everything that followed was ridiculous nonsense

I probably enjoyed the Atticus Fetch season the most of the ones that followed because:
1. Tim Minchin
2. Maggie Grace

But yes they were forgettable otherwise.

[Reply #528 on:]

As much as I like Tim Minchin and Maggie Grace, I felt both were severely underutilised in the Californication universe.

On a side note, I started watching Fargo. Only about half-way through at the moment, but it's really, really great.

[Reply #529 on:]

Really glad the Fargo miniseries is getting the Emmy love it deserves

[Reply #530 on:]

This year's Emmy nominations are a fucking joke.

[Reply #531 on:]

Almost no love for Brooklyn Nine-Nine except Andre Braugher who totally deserves the nomination.

[Reply #532 on:]

Yeah considering it won the golden globe for best show and actor. They really need to stop sucking modern family's dick

[Reply #533 on:]

The judges really need to be more strict with the categorisations. No way is Orange is the New Black MORE of a comedy than it is a drama. And for True Detective to be nominated as a regular drama while other season-by-season anthology shows like Fargo and American Horror Story are relegated to mini-series? Makes no god damn sense.

Agreed on Modern Family. Virtually all their other comedies nominated (save from the god-awful The Big Bang Theory) are of a significantly higher quality. I'm kind of amazed Veep doesn't just clean up in the comedy category every year at this point, to be honest.

[Reply #534 on:]

True Detective should have been nominated (and should win) as a miniseries instead of a drama series...it's unfortunate that it will likely lose out on that front. But I imagine McConaughey has a solid chance of winning Supporting Drama Actor, as he should. Also, Andre Braugher should definitely win for Supporting Comedy Actor.

In other news, I watched the first episode of Extant. It was good and I think it has potential...but that said, I don't know if I can stomach another heavy drawn-out mystery show like it.

[Reply #535 on:]

I don't mind them nominating modern family every year, but when they have more than one entry in the same category, then that just takes away from other people getting a fair shot

[Reply #536 on:]

True Detective should have been nominated (and should win) as a miniseries instead of a drama series...

I'm actually enjoying Fargo a little more overall (almost finished it - just one more episode to go), but both shows have been absolutely incredible.

[Reply #537 on:]

In the end, neither of them were as incredible as they built themselves up to be, but they still both managed to be great. Overall, I thought True Detective had much stronger acting and more compelling characters, though.

Fargo had some pretty noticable flaws in terms of tone at points. For example, while I enjoyed the odd cameos from personalities like Glenn Howerton and Key and Peele, I didn't think they worked entirely as intended comedically. Especially when the latter pair didn't live up to how good Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench were...I think it was a big mistake to lose those characters so early in the series. Also, for a miniseries a lot of the subplots (like the stuff with the supermarket owner) seemed to serve little point or failed to conclude satisfyingly.

Still, the main cast were fantastic and the overall story was a lot of fun. It may have ended sort of unspectacularly, but unlike True Detective it at least didn't feel like it was reaching for something that it didn't quite achieve.

[Reply #538 on:]

I don't think the cameos from comedic actors were supposed to be solely for the purposes of comedy... I thought Glen Howerton, in particular, really proved his chops as a dramatic actor here.

Show spoiler

His death scene was absolutely amazing, in every possible way.

Agreed that True Detective had stronger acting and more compelling characters, but it was a much more understated show whereas Fargo was driven by its (intrinsically weird) plot. I think both shows are spectacular, and certainly a good indicator of the still-somewhat-untapped capacity that the television as a medium can have when it comes to short-term storytelling. But, ultimately, Fargo has just been just a far more engaging experience for me as a viewer.

[Reply #539 on:]

I agree that Mr. Numbers and Mr. Wrench had a lot of nuance and I really enjoyed them as the fill-in Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare. As someone who LOVES Key and Peele I felt that their characters weren't really that necessary nor did they do anything (except tell Molly she's awesome) and by having those two I expected a lot more to come out of it. And while my knee-jerk expectation was for them to be comedic I was enjoying their straight-forwardness and wanted more from them. But oh well.

I love Glen Howerton and support anything he does so I never had a problem with him and I think he fit in better than Key and Peele did.

[Reply #540 on:]

I agree. I did enjoy him in it, and like Beamer said his final scene was great.

[Reply #541 on:]

Nearly finished with Fargo too, so awesome, that Malvo is a slippery snake, Lester is too but in a lucky Walter White kind of way.
Really liked the nods to the movie too with the briefcase.

[Reply #542 on:]

Nearly finished with Fargo too, so awesome, that Malvo is a slippery snake, Lester is too but in a lucky Walter White kind of way.

I like the fact that the four main characters basically equate to:
Incompetent character on the wrong side of the law
Competent character on the wrong side of the law
Incompetent character on the right side of the law
Competent character on the right side of the law

Also, the fake "this is a true story" disclaimer gets funnier and funnier as the series progresses.

[Reply #543 on:]

"This is totes magotes real you guys, srsly!"

Oh yeah and Key and Peele
I need to start watching more of those guys.

[Reply #544 on:]

I wish I was high on pot-enuse.

[Reply #545 on:]

Apparently there is a TV show produced by Michael Bay that some hilarious plotholes and stupid writing: http://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/the-stand-for-morons-the-last-ship-review.php

The writers think that fuses function by holding the electricity in, and that when they “blow” they literally blow out of their slot. And so all that’s needed is for someone to hold them in really hard and wrestle with the electrons until they calm down.

[Reply #546 on:]

Doesn't Bay also produce the surprisingly un-Michael-Bay-like Black Sails?

[Reply #547 on:]

Apparently so, and directed by Neil Marshall, I've read it's "meh" though, which is a shame.

[Reply #548 on:]

Emmy results have been announced.

Some well-deserved (like Breaking Bad pretty much cleaning up in the drama categories), others are just mind-boggling (seriously, Modern Family is not that good).

[Reply #549 on:]

Ya, the only thing Modern Family was better than in that category was Big Bang Theory, everything else deserved to win more by a long shot. What a shame.

[Reply #550 on:]

Fargo won Best Miniseries!

At least Alison Janney and Julia-Louise Dreyfus won in their respective categories. The comedic actresses are a great bunch but those two are excellent. I don't...get...Modern Family winning every year for Best Comedy. I really don't. Also I like Jim Parsons but I don't understand how he's better than Louis C.K. Actually the Emmy noms for Actor in a Leading Comedy were kinda weak. But Andre Braugher totally deserves ALL THE EMMYS.

[Reply #551 on:]

Also I like Jim Parsons but I don't understand how he's better than Louis C.K.

I really don't get the Jim Parsons acclaim. I don't think he's a particularly good actor at all; it just seems to be more of a case of him being ridiculously well cast.

[Reply #552 on:]

He basically acknowledged that he had the easier role, which I guess appeals more to the masses, but still sounds kind of dumb. I've seen more of Big Bang than modern family and I'm not a huge fan of either, but I tend to get angrier at modern family since the Emmys usually fills more slots for that show, pretty much denying anyone else the opportunity to win

[Reply #553 on:]

I don't think there's a worse sitcom than The Big Bang Theory currently on tv (except maybe Two and a Half Men, which I should note, is by the same creator). Modern Family will at least try to do something impressive once in a while - switching up the format or, say, the occasional episode with some rather complex plotting where multiple plot threads come together for one epic punchline at the end (which they used to do a lot in their first season, but eventually stopped in favour of more formulaic storytelling). Granted, it's nothing particularly innovative, and other shows like Seinfeld and Arrested Development do it much better, but the show still deserves some credit for actually being capable of more than your standard family comedy affair.

The Big Bang Theory, meanwhile, is stuck being a mundane, by-the-books laugh track sitcom, rehashing its genre's tropes again and again, despite them having already been rendered moldy and dated a good 30+ years ago. And people actually laud it as some sort of intelligent show just because the writers throw in the occasional science joke. It might not deserve its level of critical acclaim, but I'd still take Modern Family over The Big Bang Theory any day.

[Reply #554 on:]

Nicely said, I agree pretty much wholeheartedly. Except that Two Broke Girls is easily the worst sitcom I've seen in a long time.

[Reply #555 on:]

Except that Two Broke Girls is easily the worst sitcom I've seen in a long time.

That's true. The Big Bang Theory is at least entertaining to some extent.

[Reply #556 on:]

Oh don't get me wrong, TBBT still bothers the hell out of me. But Two Broke Girls is soul-crushingly bad.

[Reply #557 on:]

I haven't seen it, though have heard absolutely abysmal things, so perhaps I jumped the gun on calling TBBT the worst sitcom currently on the air (though I thought Two Broke Girls had finished?).

At least the Emmys generally get the drama categories right. I'm still baffled that the creators of True Detective decided to submit the show as a regular drama and not a mini-series, seeing as they probably would've cleaned up had they done the latter, but I guess it's up to the discretion of the show runner.

Fargo was a well-deserved win, though.

[Reply #558 on:]

I've only seen one episode of two broke girls, it had an a story about coupons and a b story about tampons

[Reply #559 on:]

Looking at the list of Emmy nominees and winners highlights for me how little TV I watch these days. (Mostly that I stick to the same shows that I really like.) I've only seen a handful of these shows and there's quite a few of them that I haven't even heard of.

I've watched all of Modern Family so far. Needless to say, I enjoy it, but I don't think it's win-every-Emmy good. It's a simple feel-good comedy that is nice to watch while relaxing, but it is highly predictable and you can easily call lines and plot points almost a scene before they happen. They have some witty wordplay, but that's about as smart as the show gets. Pay attention and you'll notice several inconsistencies between episodes (or sometimes within an episode). For example, Jay has already told three differing stories on how he met Gloria.

The Big Bang Theory is something I'll watch if there is nothing else on. Mildly amusing but nothing memorable. It's kind of like the Call of Duty of TV shows: produced for the masses, easy to swallow, and technically good, but uninspired and never something I would invest in over other options. The same goes for Two And A Half Men.

I've never seen Two Broke Girls and I don't intend to... especially not after seeing these last few posts.