[subego]

Originally Posted by subego 

First episode of Monsieur Spade is excellent. Epic bantz.

Two episodes left. Still holding up.

[subego]

Just finished. Sticks the landing perfectly. Worth the $20 to buy since there’s no rental. I hope they make another season.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by Thorzdad 

So, Shogun wrapped-up last night. Thoughts?

Couple episodes in.

This is good.

[subego]

Started The Hollow Crown, which is a bunch of Shakespeare history plays, starting with Richard II. Richard is played by Q from the Craig Bond films, and John of Gaunt is played by Jean Luc Picard.

It’s not bad, but needed about twice the budget, and only half the cast had the chops to handle the material. Q and Picard in the good half, naturally. Jeremy Irons plays Henry IV in the next one, so I’m looking forward to that.

[subego]

Ironically, I’m skipping Davis-Crawford and starting with the Capote and Swans season of Feud. Elegantly sets the table.

[OreoCookie]

My wife and I have been enjoying Exploding Kittens. Totally hilarious. Tom Ellis (who played Lucifer) is voicing Godcat, which is an inspired choice. The exploding unicorn scene left me laughing uncontrollably on the sofa last night.

[subego]

Saw S2E2 of Feud. This is the bitchiest show ever. Love it.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie 

My wife and I have been enjoying Exploding Kittens. Totally hilarious. Tom Ellis (who played Lucifer) is voicing Godcat, which is an inspired choice. The exploding unicorn scene left me laughing uncontrollably on the sofa last night.

Same, fun so far and actually gets a couple real laughs per episode. It got a TV-MA rating for violence, but the actual content and language are pretty mild.

[andi*pandi]

I am enjoying it also.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Same, fun so far and actually gets a couple real laughs per episode. It got a TV-MA rating for violence, but the actual content and language are pretty mild.

Our daughter is pretty sensitive to blood, but violence has been so over the top and cartoonized (for the lack of a better word) that it didn't bother her at all. She laughed at the exploding unicorn even though she is in a unicorn phase.

[Laminar]

Finished it last night, super fun series and the kids love it. Hope they pick it up for a second season!

[subego]

Watched S2E5 of Feud. Best episode so far. I love this show.

I’ve crossed the point of no return where I can’t read anything Capote writes without it being in his voice. No In Cold Blood for me. As an aside, my dad was discussing the movie adaptation, and I thought he was talking about a movie where Robert Blake played Capote.

While that universe existed for mere moments, I long for it to return.

[subego]

Finished the Capote Feud. Solidly sticks the landing, though it gets pretty dark at the end. Unreservedly recommend.

[Thorzdad]

An animated series called Scavengers Reign just popped-up on Netflix. I guess it originally aired on HBOMax. It’s a sci-fi about a set of ship accident survivors marooned on an alien planet. I’m only two episodes in, but I like what I’ve seen so far. Very imaginative visuals.

[andi*pandi]

I'll look for that one.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Presumed Innocent on Apple TV is pretty fun so far. A batshit performance by Jake Gyllenhaal (when is he not?) in an somewhat paint-by-numbers whodunnit murder trial thriller. Fun so far!

[Brien]

Speaking of Apple TV+… I, like everyone else, just discovered Slow Horses. Scratches the 24/Spooks itch quite well. Gary Oldman!

[andi*pandi]

Slow horses is excellent, I told you!

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is very well done. Shades of Veronica Mars but not as dark - picture season 1 guileless Willow with only one scooby. Netflix.

My Life is Murder. Light detective show with Lucy Lawless. Hoopla/Library

About to start Agatha Everywhere just in time for spooky season!

[Doc HM]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

Slow horses is excellent, I told you!

I shall be desolate when this ends. Just superb. Gary Oldman is epic but everyone else is equally up to the task.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I mean……it is a good show. I don’t think it’s incredible or anything. A little formulaic and the Oldman “homeless man is one genius step ahead” routine gets a bit old. But still good.

[andi*pandi]

I like that it tips some stereotypes on its head.

Ep 3 of Agatha is fun. Some plot twists are telegraphed, but it's a fun ride.

Tried catching up on S2 of Loki. So much technobabble, not enough Lokis.

[Waragainstsleep]

Loki is worth finishing I'd say. It was a slog at times to get there but its worth getting there.

[Thorzdad]

I bailed on S2 of Loki simply because I couldn’t deal with all of the commercial breaks. I’m starting to have the same reaction to Agatha, too. D+ is way worse than even YouTube with the number and frequency of commercials.

[reader50]

If you can watch in a browser, I recommend FireFox with the tab mute button. Which you can engage the easy way with Control-M.

Since they added the tab-mute feature, I've become an addict. It's made YouTube and news sites far more enjoyable. Let the shorter ads play, while viewing another tab or getting a snack. The site cannot tell they're muted - window volume and system volume remain at normal settings. And they won't detect any ad blocking, because the ads are playing. Quietly.

When YT periodically offers those surveys on what ads have played recently, I never answer. Usually can't say what the recent ads were.

... Another vote for Loki S2.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Naw, don’t bother. Go start Industry instead…..

[Waragainstsleep]

Originally Posted by Thorzdad 

I bailed on S2 of Loki simply because I couldn’t deal with all of the commercial breaks. I’m starting to have the same reaction to Agatha, too. D+ is way worse than even YouTube with the number and frequency of commercials.

I don't think my D+ shows me ads but I also think that maybe the ********s have put me on some premium tier without bothering to ask. I have a feeling I'm paying double what I started off at.
I was thinking about cancelling it anyway since I just ordered a 16 Pro Max and my bill will be 50% higher even after I cancel Disney.

[andi*pandi]

I'm paying for commercial free disney.
I refuse to pay for commercial free amazon so the ads are annoying there.
Glad the library still rents dvds!

[Thorzdad]

What does a YouTube sub cost? And does subbing get rid of the ads? Every time I use the YT app, I get a little nudge to subscribe, but the line that says “save up to $35 a month” makes me choke a bit.

[Laminar]

It's like $15/mo. I held out for the longest time but finally subscribed and completely forgot about ad breaks in YouTube videos. Most of my time in front of the TV is YouTube so that made sense.

I have ad-free D+ and ad-full Hulu through Verizon for $10/mo. Verizon has gotten outrageously expensive so I'm looking to get off of that train. I'd likely go ad-free Hulu/D+ at that point.

[andi*pandi]

I have verizon but they didn't offer me $10 disney and hulu... Hmm.

[Laminar]

It was one of the "perks" you could pick when I first signed up for the Unlimited plan a few years ago. I got that and Apple Music/Arcade for another $10/mo.

They locked me in to a 3 year reimbursement plan when I traded in my iPhone X. The new plans are more expensive and worse all around, so I'm shopping around for different carriers.

[subego]

My dad and I want to watch Shogun, but don’t have the appropriate streaming services, and they won’t let you pay for it directly yet.

Arrrrrrrrr.

[Waragainstsleep]

I enjoyed Shogun. Glad season 2 is coming.

[subego]

Just watched the first three episodes of Blue Lights. It’s your standard police procedural with the “twist” being it’s in Belfast, so shit’s a little fucked up. Excellent so far.

[Thorzdad]

Currently watching The Terror on Netflix. It’s a fictionalized drama of the Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage, and is based on Dan Simmons’ novel of the same name. It was originally an AMC series.

It’s a bit slow-moving, and definitely dark, but the uniqueness of the setting adds to the enjoyment.

[Doc HM]

Get yourselves BBC iPlayerwards pronto and binge on series one of Ludwig starring David Mitchell as, well David Mitchell really, but technically the eponymous hero.
Extra points for the most original scenario for a police procedural for a very long time.

[subego]

We’re unfortunately limited to Netflix and Prime, but I put it on the list and will watch as soon as they let it free.

[subego]

Halfway through True Detective S1. So far, it’s as good as everyone says it is.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I just re-watched S1 a month or so ago. It’s really great. Sounds like you missed the original phenomenon. It was definitely one of those exciting serials. Interested to hear what you think about the back half.

[subego]

It’s definitely telegraphing things are going to get crazy.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

What episode you at?

[subego]

Finished E3.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I’m so excited for your follow-up lol

[ShortcutToMoncton]

How’d you like episode 4???

[Brien]

Skeleton Crew. Not bad.

[subego]

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton 

How’d you like episode 4???

I’ve been told that back when the show Cops was on the air, Hunter Thompson said “there should be a show called ‘Real Cops’ where the cops steal your drugs, rape your wife, and shoot your dog.”

I realized this is kind of that show.

[Laminar]

Kind of like The Shield or The Wire?

[subego]

I haven’t seen The Shield. How would you compare it to The Wire in terms of grey morality? I got the impression Chiklis was scummier than the crew from The Wire.

This show is a lot grimmer and scummier than The Wire.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Hmmmm…..hard to tell really, I think they’re in similar territory. Although True Detective focuses almost solely on the police story and not gen pop.

I think Season 1 found some real lightning-in-a-bottle magic between the writer/creator Nic Pizzolato and director Cary Joji Fukunaga, who films with an almost-Denis Villeneuve-esque level of panopticon paranoia.

I don’t have a lot of technical film knowledge, but if you watch True Detective and Sicario I wouldn’t fault anyone for assuming the same origin.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by subego 

I haven’t seen The Shield. How would you compare it to The Wire in terms of grey morality? I got the impression Chiklis was scummier than the crew from The Wire.

This show is a lot grimmer and scummier than The Wire.

If I remember right, in the first episode they urgently need a confession and can't get it, so they call in Chiklis and he heads into the interrogation room with a phonebook to beat it out of the guy, which works. So they set him up as the guy that can get the job done, even if you have to break some rules. There are parallel storylines with the other officers that are trying to do the right thing and dealing with Chiklis' team and how much they knew about them. I watched it back in 2009ish so my memory is foggy.