Looking for new series to watch

[dtown]

May get roasted for this but oh well, flipping through channels last night, came across Lip Sync Battle on Spike...shit was pretty good for what I had anticipated. Hosted by LL Cool J and basically a spin off of the bit on Jimmy Fallon. Some funny shit on the two episodes I saw but not really a Game of Throwns type of show. Still good to melt the mind for a bit.

[babybear]

Anyone watched the nova 3 part series "making north america"

Excellent graphics and story. New show but I think all 3 parts on pbs on appletv now

[mcski]

Anyone watched the nova 3 part series "making north america"

Excellent graphics and story. New show but I think all 3 parts on pbs on appletv now

Any naked Indians?

[NW_SKIER]

Mcski asking the important questions.

[dgilligan02]

I don't have cable, only Netflix, which is fine by me. I just finished all 3 seasons of House of Cards. I'm still waiting for the second half of season 7 of Mad Men to appear.

So now what series to watch? Not into rom-coms, horror flix or cop shows. Do I dare start Game of Thrones? For humor, what about Parks and Rec?

I like drama, complex character building, sci-fi, comedies, nothing too far-fetched....

Have you tried Bloodline? Peaky Blinders wasn't too bad either.

And yeah, Fargo is brilliant.

(I'm assuming you've been through Breaking Bad)

[Lindahl]

The Killing - awesome series

[bgrayvy]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but I just finished "River" on Netflix and enjoyed it thoroughly. But I'm a sucker for noirish schizophrenic cop murder mysteries with a dash of Irish family fuckedupness.

[danmelon]

If you have netflix and like to laugh check out w/ Bob and Dave.

Sketch comedy by David Cross and Bob Odenkirk and a bunch of writers from the Mr. Show.

They even have a skiing bit that made me lol. you'll burn through it fast though. Only 5 episodes.

[Sirshredalot]

The pilot/test episode was really good. Whole season out today.

Based on a great book.

I watched the pilot episode of the man in the high castle last night. I was really impressed. I havent read the book though.

[up an down]

I watched the pilot episode of the man in the high castle last night. I was really impressed. I havent read the book though.

The book was very good....thanks for recommendation for the show.... And...another vote for Fargo!! Above and beyond excellent this season!!

[neckdeep]

I finished The Man in the High Castle last night, a few observations. I liked the exquisitely detailed world building of the setting, some of the acting was truly top rate and the central mystery drew me in.....but, on the other hand, I can see why this was released in toto. It was hard enough for me to follow binge watching in three chunks. Spread out over ten weeks, it would have been nearly impossible to maintain interest.

The conclusion was so nebulous, so utterly ambiguous that this series is virtually spoiler proof. Its hard to drop spoilers when the truly big mysteries remain unanswered and then are doubled down on with an unexpected (and inexplicable) metaphysical twist in the final scene. Don't spend 10 hours on this show in the hopes of getting to some sci-fi explanation underlying everything that happens. Early on in the series a character says something along the lines of "if you came here looking for answers, you are going to be disappointed." Truer words were never spoken. I had to read about 20 pages of literary theories online just to make some sense of what I had just watched. That's how fucking confusing this show is after the final act. Its a real head-scratcher, thats for sure. You could easily write a master's thesis on this one. I have to say, if Amazon really thinks the typical television viewer is this cerebral and this comfortable with ambiguity, they aren't going to be making shows for very long. This show appeals to a very, very small minority of viewers. Is it a drama? Yes. Is it a period piece? Yes. Is it science fiction? Not really, but sort of. I would call it speculative fiction because the setting was the main thing going on here. In addition to P.K. Dick, Harlan Ellison came to mind while I watched this.

So, in conclusion, if you love speculative fiction and you are really fascinated by how the Axis would have reshaped the world had things gone differently, you are going to love this show. The rest of us are going to be scratching our heads after 10 hours. I don't regret having watched it; Rufus Sewell's performance as Obergruppenfurher Smith alone was worth it. But, if you just want entertaining science fiction for thinking folks, you'd probably do better watching Rick and Morty, the best ever parody of sci-fi tropes combined with scathingly dark and profane humor.


Update. Now I learned that this was just the first season and there is more to come. I guess that let's the show off the hook somewhat regarding its ambiguity as I thought ep 10 was an actual conclusion. That said, I'd rather I started this after the second season had provided some answers about the origins of the mysterious films that serve as the mcguffin for most of the show.

[Danno]

I don't have cable, only Netflix, which is fine by me. I just finished all 3 seasons of House of Cards. I'm still waiting for the second half of season 7 of Mad Men to appear.

So now what series to watch? Not into rom-coms, horror flix or cop shows. Do I dare start Game of Thrones? For humor, what about Parks and Rec?

I like drama, complex character building, sci-fi, comedies, nothing too far-fetched....

Obviously, for Netflix, start here: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...nstaView-rec-s

Comedies: Archer, Parks and Rec (2nd season on) (since you specifically asked about it, I think it's a great show; very wholesome and sappy, yet it manages to pull it off and be really sweet and funny and quirky), The League, Master of None is good so far (I'm 2 episodes in, and people are raving about it)
Drama: Breaking Bad obviously, Orange is the New Black, West Wing if you like political stuff,

[Mike Pow]

I finished The Man in the High Castle last night, a few observations. I liked the exquisitely detailed world building of the setting, some of the acting was truly top rate and the central mystery drew me in.....but, on the other hand, I can see why this was released in toto. It was hard enough for me to follow binge watching in three chunks. Spread out over ten weeks, it would have been nearly impossible to maintain interest.

The conclusion was so nebulous, so utterly ambiguous that this series is virtually spoiler proof. Its hard to drop spoilers when the truly big mysteries remain unanswered and then are doubled down on with an unexpected (and inexplicable) metaphysical twist in the final scene. Don't spend 10 hours on this show in the hopes of getting to some sci-fi explanation underlying everything that happens. Early on in the series a character says something along the lines of "if you came here looking for answers, you are going to be disappointed." Truer words were never spoken. I had to read about 20 pages of literary theories online just to make some sense of what I had just watched. That's how fucking confusing this show is after the final act. Its a real head-scratcher, thats for sure. You could easily write a master's thesis on this one. I have to say, if Amazon really thinks the typical television viewer is this cerebral and this comfortable with ambiguity, they aren't going to be making shows for very long. This show appeals to a very, very small minority of viewers. Is it a drama? Yes. Is it a period piece? Yes. Is it science fiction? Not really, but sort of. I would call it speculative fiction because the setting was the main thing going on here. In addition to P.K. Dick, Harlan Ellison came to mind while I watched this.

So, in conclusion, if you love speculative fiction and you are really fascinated by how the Axis would have reshaped the world had things gone differently, you are going to love this show. The rest of us are going to be scratching our heads after 10 hours. I don't regret having watched it; Rufus Sewell's performance as Obergruppenfurher Smith alone was worth it. But, if you just want entertaining science fiction for thinking folks, you'd probably do better watching Rick and Morty, the best ever parody of sci-fi tropes combined with scathingly dark and profane humor.


Update. Now I learned that this was just the first season and there is more to come. I guess that let's the show off the hook somewhat regarding its ambiguity as I thought ep 10 was an actual conclusion. That said, I'd rather I started this after the second season had provided some answers about the origins of the mysterious films that serve as the mcguffin for most of the show.

Well written and well said.

The short version would be same shit, different day and going nowhere fast.

After two episodes you know they're aiming for a multi-season run.

[neckdeep]

After thinking on it some more, I would watch the next season just to see more of Rufus Sewell's performance. I read the book synopsis so now I despair of ever getting the answers I desire. As for Sewell, it is one of the most nuanced portrayals of villainy I can recall. Obergruppenfurher Smith is not a sociopathic man of the id like Tony Soprano, Walter White or Nucky Thompson. He's not a stock character, SS elite psychopath like his adversary Obergruppenfurher Heydrich or the familiar Amon Goeth character from Schindler's List. He's not really the "banality of evil" either; he recognizes his own responsibility. He pragmatically chooses to be evil because he sees it as the transitional state leading to a peaceful, orderly world led by the ubermensch (and he's very good at what he does). It's quite strange that the last couple episodes try to force the viewer to empathize with Smith and Kido (who have overseen the execution of millions of Americans) and to root for Hitler to maintain his grip over the world. I guess if your goal as an author is to question what is reality, one method would be to invert morality and have the fate of the world thrust into the hands of the characters you set up as the villains.

[up an down]

No specific answers...as you say...., the book is ambiguous almost to a fault...dick was supposedly a bit outside the norm even before he became a heavy drug user...and most of his novels ask what is reality.....and uncertainty and paranoia are the most common mental states of the main characters....lots of significant changes from book to the series.....especially Hitler watching the movies!!!??.....but in my opinion changes are necessary to try to succeed as more than a 3-5 hour show that would be adequate to faithfully recreate the book.....the thing that struck me as I watched was that my fave series have a lot of integral humor included....this show is decent but is a psychological downer because of that...not even a sliver of humor in the book and I don't expect any in the show...understandable with the theme..I kind of expect some more alternate reality travel by the characters next season...and second season will be be uncharted territory since the books actions are 99% covered in season 1

[Tippster]

Started aa new thread on The Man in the High Castle but might delete and avoid this thread due to spoilers. Yes I know I can watch the whole season at once, but I prefer not to. Skipped over your posts for that reason.

[neckdeep]

Childhood's End gets my nod of approval. SyFy channel mini-series (6hrs) adaptation of a very famous Arthur C. Clarke novel. Juxtaposes traditional human conceptions of God, the Devil and the Rapture in a tale about an invasion of benevolent, all powerful, omniscient aliens. Gets a tad slow in the second act but the first and third acts are really, really good. Bonus: stars Game of Thrones standout Charles Dance as the Earth's alien supervisor. Avoid seeing any images of his character or else you spoil the big payoff reveal for the first act.

[PB]

Whoa .... going against the tide (generally weak final episodes), the Knick blew me away. Every single sub-plot hit it out of the park. Farewell, Thack .... may your cocaine supply be inexhaustible.

[DJSapp]

I watched the pilot episode of the man in the high castle last night. I was really impressed. I havent read the book though.

Enjoyable, good performances and atmosphere, but the pacing is just too damn slow for me. I went 3 for 3 in dozing off in the last 15 minutes and took that as a sign to move on to something new.

[Ripzalot]

i have very high hopes for this one....

[PNWbrit]

Mozart in the Jungle on Amazon prime is far better than I was expecting.. great sound too on our new TV room system.

[AK47bp]

Billions is very very good. Showtime show. The very first scene of the first episode sets the tone.

Also. The Affair is really good too. Billions is better.

The Americans is back in FX soon, hands down my favorite show right now.

[ticketchecker]

Mad dogs on Amazon prime

[oftpiste]

Mad dogs on Amazon prime

binged that whole series the other night. good fun, though I kept wondering how any group of educated, adult men could be so stupid so frequently.

[PNWbrit]

I kept wondering how any group of educated, adult men could be so stupid so frequently.

Ha!

I'll add it to list.

I see it's based on a British original from 2011.. that might be interesting to dig up and compare?