Cyrus12 wrote:2 episodes of Witcher and I gave up...not sure what the hype is about.

It's a slow burn. You definitely can't judge it on the first two episodes.

Maulbert wrote:

Cyrus12 wrote:2 episodes of Witcher and I gave up...not sure what the hype is about.

It's a slow burn. You definitely can't judge it on the first two episodes.

Also, I think they hype is heavily based on the fact that both the books and the video games have a pretty solid fan base. Two episodes wasn't enough for me. I forced myself to watch 4 episodes before I was ready to willingly see it through.

Cyrus12 wrote:2 episodes of Witcher and I gave up...not sure what the hype is about.

Well, to quote my late mum, we can't all like the same things! There's *so* much to watch these days, anyway. It's judging how long to persevere which is difficult! For instance, I've been told widely I was wise to dump "Under the Dome" after a few episodes, as I was not happy with it at all, being possibly my #3 Stephen King book. But there are other series I started watching and gave up on, then re-tried, and was very glad I'd persisted.

And films... I'm notorious for liking duds and not liking acclaimed of such; I fell asleep during "The Deer Hunter" (that wedding scene which took longer than a real wedding) and "Apocalypse Now" (just bloody-minded about it, after being made to read "Heart of Darkness" at school). It's a miracle I kept my love of reading after high school English, which is compulsory here until you leave school. Having to analyse the living death out of turgid prose you're too young to appreciate even if it is of any worth... UGH.

I will one day try Game of Thrones again (watched first 5 episodes of season 1) and maybe "Castle Rock" (got fed up in first episode). "The Expanse" too - I have five seasons of it on my computer!

Aussie Seahawk wrote:

Cyrus12 wrote:2 episodes of Witcher and I gave up...not sure what the hype is about.

Well, to quote my late mum, we can't all like the same things! There's *so* much to watch these days, anyway. It's judging how long to persevere which is difficult! For instance, I've been told widely I was wise to dump "Under the Dome" after a few episodes, as I was not happy with it at all, being possibly my #3 Stephen King book. But there are other series I started watching and gave up on, then re-tried, and was very glad I'd persisted.

And films... I'm notorious for liking duds and not liking acclaimed of such; I fell asleep during "The Deer Hunter" (that wedding scene which took longer than a real wedding) and "Apocalypse Now" (just bloody-minded about it, after being made to read "Heart of Darkness" at school). It's a miracle I kept my love of reading after high school English, which is compulsory here until you leave school. Having to analyse the living death out of turgid prose you're too young to appreciate even if it is of any worth... UGH.

I will one day try Game of Thrones again (watched first 5 episodes of season 1) and maybe "Castle Rock" (got fed up in first episode). "The Expanse" too - I have five seasons of it on my computer!

Yeah, we don't all like the same thing, but 2 episodes is not enough to gauge The Witcher. Few shows grab anyone that fast. I can only think of one off the top of my head, and that was Firefly. A lot of great shows in history didn't become good until season 2 or 3 (looking at you, every single Star Trek spinoff).

Maulbert wrote:Yeah, we don't all like the same thing, but 2 episodes is not enough to gauge The Witcher. Few shows grab anyone that fast.

Good point. Would you recommend I persist with Castle Rock, if you've seen it?

I watched Pandemic this past week. Certainly relevant at the current time.

Aussie Seahawk wrote:

Maulbert wrote:Yeah, we don't all like the same thing, but 2 episodes is not enough to gauge The Witcher. Few shows grab anyone that fast.

Good point. Would you recommend I persist with Castle Rock, if you've seen it?

I hate to hijack but Castle Rock was really good. The second season was better than the first. I recommend sticking with it especially if you are a King fan. The second season connects to another famous book/movie of his. The first season stars Bill Skarsgård who played Pennywise in the It movies. They also mention certain places associated with his best stories(Shawshank, etc). So keep an eye/ear out for that.

Seahwkgal wrote:I hate to hijack but Castle Rock was really good. The second season was better than the first. I recommend sticking with it especially if you are a King fan. The second season connects to another famous book/movie of his. The first season stars Bill Skarsgård who played Pennywise in the It movies. They also mention certain places associated with his best stories(Shawshank, etc). So keep an eye/ear out for that.

You're not hijacking at all - thank you! My attention span, unless I'm already hooked (like I am on "The Outsider" and was on "Mr. Mercedes") is not good enough. I promise I'll tie myself to the chair and give "Castle Rock" and "The Witcher" at least four episodes, and re-visit "The Expanse."

I'm definitely a King fan, and the town of Castle Rock is of course a major "hub". Like Derry, I can almost imagine walking around its streets...

The Outsider is getting really good, damn it's creepy as hell...........and Mendelsohn is perfectly cast. Just like in Bloodline, he's great at emoting sorrow and sadness, but there's an edge to how he delivers it.

Picard Star Trek anyone? I like it so far. Bit of a darker tone than the TNG series.

Sgt. Largent wrote:The Outsider is getting really good, damn it's creepy as hell...........and Mendelsohn is perfectly cast. Just like in Bloodline, he's great at emoting sorrow and sadness, but there's an edge to how he delivers it.

Agreed.

I know this is a little niche, but anybody watching The New Pope on HBO? I absolutely loved The Young Pope when it came out and patiently waited 3 years for the follow-up and have not been disappointed so far. It's such an immersive, smart, clever series, totally unconventional and unreasonably hip, retro and modern at the same time. Secretary of State Voiello is definitely one of the best characters on TV.

kidhawk wrote:I just heard that the author of two previous series on Netflix, The Five and Safe has a new series called The Stranger coming out on January 30. If it’s anywhere close to as good as the other two I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

Anyone watching this? My wife and I are halfway through and so far I’m enjoying it. Kind of similar to Safe in that it’s all tied into a group of people who are all linked in one way or another. Will have to see how it plays out before I can say for sure if it is/was worth it, but I’m hopeful.

kidhawk wrote:

kidhawk wrote:I just heard that the author of two previous series on Netflix, The Five and Safe has a new series called The Stranger coming out on January 30. If it’s anywhere close to as good as the other two I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

Anyone watching this? My wife and I are halfway through and so far I’m enjoying it. Kind of similar to Safe in that it’s all tied into a group of people who are all linked in one way or another. Will have to see how it plays out before I can say for sure if it is/was worth it, but I’m hopeful.

I watched the first episode and it was ok. I think the premise didn't seem interesting enough to make me want to binge it but I'll probably get back to it and finish it at some point.

Zebulon Dak wrote:

kidhawk wrote:

kidhawk wrote:I just heard that the author of two previous series on Netflix, The Five and Safe has a new series called The Stranger coming out on January 30. If it’s anywhere close to as good as the other two I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

Anyone watching this? My wife and I are halfway through and so far I’m enjoying it. Kind of similar to Safe in that it’s all tied into a group of people who are all linked in one way or another. Will have to see how it plays out before I can say for sure if it is/was worth it, but I’m hopeful.

I watched the first episode and it was ok. I think the premise didn't seem interesting enough to make me want to binge it but I'll probably get back to it and finish it at some point.

If you watched Safe, it's rather like that in it builds more and more each episode. I definitely don't think that any single episode is amazing so far, but I think with the proper conclusion, it could tie all the rest together and make it worth it in the end. Guess I'll know for sure in four more episodes.

Sgt. Largent wrote:The Outsider is getting really good, damn it's creepy as hell...........and Mendelsohn is perfectly cast. Just like in Bloodline, he's great at emoting sorrow and sadness, but there's an edge to how he delivers it.

Agreed on The Outsider and Mendelsohn. The scene where the uhhhh Coco(?) shows up in Ralph and Jeannie's home... good lawd that was creepy. Holly is a great character too and I can't wait for the next episode to see her meeting with Howie and co.

Also, we finally got around to watching The Boys. Two episodes in and I absolutely love the premise and tone of the show and the characters. The Supes are such scumbags, it's great. Homelander keeps getting scarier/creepier with each scene as well.

Stillwater is cold AF.

The very beginning scenes of The Witcher... so well done. If I were a chicken, I'd have laid the same egg three times watching it.

JGfromtheNW wrote:Also, we finally got around to watching The Boys. Two episodes in and I absolutely love the premise and tone of the show and the characters. The Supes are such scumbags, it's great. Homelander keeps getting scarier/creepier with each scene as well.

Stillwater is cold AF.

My two favorite shows of 2019 were Chernobyl and The Boys.............and The Boys is the surprise hit of the year, hands down. Very little buzz and hype for such a highly produced and awesome show.

Fantastic premise, "what would happen if superheroe's were corrupted and amoral a*hole," and even better execution. Dude who plays Homelander is insanely good.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

JGfromtheNW wrote:Also, we finally got around to watching The Boys. Two episodes in and I absolutely love the premise and tone of the show and the characters. The Supes are such scumbags, it's great. Homelander keeps getting scarier/creepier with each scene as well.

Stillwater is cold AF.

My two favorite shows of 2019 were Chernobyl and The Boys.............and The Boys is the surprise hit of the year, hands down. Very little buzz and hype for such a highly produced and awesome show.

Fantastic premise, "what would happen if superheroe's were corrupted and amoral a*hole," and even better execution. Dude who plays Homelander is insanely good.

Those two are definitely up there for my favorite shows of 2019 as well.

We finished The Boys on Saturday. What a twist at the end. Agree that the execution was great. It was smart, funny, dark, had meaningful character growth and emotional moments. Super happy to hear it's already been picked up for a second season.

All the stuff that happened to Deep was hilarious. The dolphin, the lobster, his exile and memoir. Legends say he's still staring at that laptop.

High Fidelity came out on Hulu today. If you're familiar with the movie of the same name from about 20 years ago then you already know what this show is going to be like. I have been cautiously curious about how they were going to do it, but Zoe Kravitz is perfectly cast for multiple reasons. I watched the first episode this morning and so far it's pretty much a carbon copy of the movie. But they've got 9 more hours to fill so I imagine it'll grow into its own over time.

A bit rich, watching The Outsider and developing a rash on the back of my neck. Yuck! Fortunately antihistamines and topical hydrocortisone cream manage it OK. I ended up with a raging infection last time this happened, because I scratched the living hell out of it, before taking said antihistamines. Luckily I can use the non-drowsy ones (fexofenadine) because the dog-biscuit strength ones like promethazine knock me senseless.

Sounds like a fascinating show! A bit graphic.

Narcos Mexico season 2..just got it done. Maybe not as good as s1 but still really good.

New Clone Wars tomorrow (tonight) on Disney+ for those who may be interested in that sort of thing.

JGfromtheNW wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:The Outsider is getting really good, damn it's creepy as hell...........and Mendelsohn is perfectly cast. Just like in Bloodline, he's great at emoting sorrow and sadness, but there's an edge to how he delivers it.

Agreed on The Outsider and Mendelsohn. The scene where the uhhhh Coco(?) shows up in Ralph and Jeannie's home... good lawd that was creepy. Holly is a great character too and I can't wait for the next episode to see her meeting with Howie and co.

The meeting went pretty badly for Holly of course; gripping stuff though. I can't gush enough about this series; it is just so damn good! El Cuco is an amazingly disturbing sharp "focus" on the general "boogeyman" concept, from an Hispanic POV...

One of the most frightening things that ever happened to me was one night when I was a kid, maybe 6 or so - possibly in the fear-of-the-giant-asteroid times, when I thought I'd seen the Boogeyman.

I had a nightmare that there was a hideous face looking in my bedroom window. I woke up in terror, and as the dream faded, I simply HAD to get up, turn my little torch/flashlight on, and shine it through the window to prove to myself there was nothing there.

My father had been up half the night (we often sprayed by night), spraying insecticide on the fruit trees in our rural orchard we lived on in those days. A nasty insecticide called gusathion - an organophosphonate related to human nerve gases. He was completely covered in protective clothing, gas mask, etc.

He was just walking past my window when I shone the torch out... and all I could see was this seemingly disembodied gas-masked face.

I didn't know I could scream that loud, and neither did my father.

I Am Not Okay With This on Netflix. It's like Stranger Things meets The End of The F**** World/Everything Sucks. Couple of the kids from IT. Short episodes. Easy binge. Pretty good so far if you're into that sh*t. Might be "too woke" for some of y'all fruitcakes.

Cyrus12 wrote:Narcos Mexico season 2..just got it done. Maybe not as good as s1 but still really good.

I'm on episode three, and yes while it's still very enjoyable you can tell the writers are struggling to keep all the plaza kingpins in the plot lines, and now trying to integrate the Sinaloanians.

Like our girl Isabella (Ruiz), has pretty much been relegated to a 4th wheel character, as well as some others.........and I don't like that one bit!

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Cyrus12 wrote:Narcos Mexico season 2..just got it done. Maybe not as good as s1 but still really good.

I'm on episode three, and yes while it's still very enjoyable you can tell the writers are struggling to keep all the plaza kingpins in the plot lines, and now trying to integrate the Sinaloanians.

Like our girl Isabella (Ruiz), has pretty much been relegated to a 4th wheel character, as well as some others.........and I don't like that one bit!

I found the same. I still liked it but wonder how it will go for the next season. I'm guessing el chapo will take a central role in the next season.

Well since there is zero sports and soon we will all be sheltered in place....anyone got any new series?

I just got caught up on Picard and so far it's not terrible. Some familiar faces and getting a bit better each episode.

Cyrus12 wrote:Well since there is zero sports and soon we will all be sheltered in place....anyone got any new series?

I just got caught up on Picard and so far it's not terrible. Some familiar faces and getting a bit better each episode.

Just started Dispatches From Elsewhere. It stars and is created by Jason Segel. I don’t know exactly what is going on but I’m super interested and enjoyed the first episode. Reminds me a little bit of the movie The Game with Michael Douglas and Netflix’s The OA. It is on AMC, and I think there are about four episodes out now.

Has anyone seen that Free Solo documentary on Disney? I had a hard time watching it. Palms sweating, feeling of dread all of it. It was really good but I hate heights and I don't know how anyone could do that.

bevellisthedevil wrote:Has anyone seen that Free Solo documentary on Disney? I had a hard time watching it. Palms sweating, feeling of dread all of it. It was really good but I hate heights and I don't know how anyone could do that.

One of the best docs I've ever seen. I saw Alex Honnald at the Oscars last year before watching, and I was STILL freaking out watching him in the doc, even though I knew he survived the El Capitan climb.

In other news, I finished Narcos. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I think the problem with the ending is there wasn't any big shootout or hunt, which is what made season one so good. The arrest and wind down of Walt's story wasn't very satisfying.

But still a great series.

Well I got caught up on walking dead as nothing else going on...this season is one of the better ones in a long time.

I'm sorry The Outsider is over...

[spoiler below, in case some folks haven't watched it (all) yet:]










Just as well I found out about the post-credits scene, at the end of Episode 10, which suggests another season(?)

Cyrus12 wrote:Narcos Mexico season 2..just got it done. Maybe not as good as s1 but still really good.

Watched it ..Season one was better but as you said(still good)

Aussie Seahawk wrote:

Just as well I found out about the post-credits scene, at the end of Episode 10, which suggests another season(?)

You could tell that 2nd post credit ending was shot after the 1st, probably when HBO saw how good the ratings were. They needed to tease another season.

If It's Holly and Ralph (or just Holly) continuing to track down paranormal monsters? I'm all in.............but if they try to continue the same story with El Cuco not dead? That sucks, and I probably won't watch.

I can't stand it when they give us self contained seasons with a satisfying ending, and then do the "no it's still going!"

Sarge - totally agree. Sometimes... enough is enough. One of the masterpieces of Fawlty Towers is exactly what I heard John Cleese say, that the 12 (I think) episodes were... enough.

Of course, you could imagine the flurry if there were "previously thought lost" episodes of Fawlty Towers sudddenly "discovered." It would blow coronavirus off the news for a while at least!

Now, I have to try to discipline myself into giving The Witcher a really good go. And/or brave Manifest again, where I left off (about Episode 10 or so)... and The Expanse... and... maybe social isolation can actually be useful?

We are 4 episodes in to The Outsider, damn good show. And it's starting to get creepier, love hearing Stephen King talk about the show and what he was hoping for with his story etc.

Aussie Seahawk wrote:
Now, I have to try to discipline myself into giving The Witcher a really good go. And/or brave Manifest again, where I left off (about Episode 10 or so)... and The Expanse... and... maybe social isolation can actually be useful?

Ditch the Witcher and give Hunters on Amazon a spin. Awesome premise, great execution. I mean naz** hunters, what's not to like?

I'm three episodes in, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Succession is another fantastic HBO show to check out if you haven't already.

Just watched the first episode of this, and I can already tell its going to be one I won't forget. This guys sums up everything that is so cringeworthy about America.

Hawk-Lock wrote:Just watched the first episode of this, and I can already tell its going to be one I won't forget. This guys sums up everything that is so cringeworthy about America.

Gonna check that out!

Cyrus12 wrote:

Hawk-Lock wrote:Just watched the first episode of this, and I can already tell its going to be one I won't forget. This guys sums up everything that is so cringeworthy about America.

Gonna check that out!

I watched a couple episodes..Unreal $h!t!
I mean it's crazy..But you have to be crazy to raise Lions
and Tigers..Some of the drama is Pe worthy..

IndyHawk wrote:

Cyrus12 wrote:

Hawk-Lock wrote:Just watched the first episode of this, and I can already tell its going to be one I won't forget. This guys sums up everything that is so cringeworthy about America.

Gonna check that out!

I watched a couple episodes..Unreal $h!t!
I mean it's crazy..But you have to be crazy to raise Lions
and Tigers..Some of the drama is Pe worthy..

Just finished it and everyone profiled on this series was a complete lunatic....at least the guy that looked like a fat genie had a harem of brainwashed women...

My Netflix Picks:

Murder Mountain
The Pharmacist
Tiger King

Hawk-Lock wrote:

Hey there all you cool cats and kittens.


Joe actually doesn't have a bad voice, he's just so damn cheesy. This doc is bananas, so nuts that when one of his employees gets her arm ripped clean off by a tiger, they decide to just gloss over it and interview her with no arm.

That's how much crazy redneck insanity is packed into this show, the producers are like "hey she got her arm ripped off.............MOVIN ON!!"

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Hawk-Lock wrote:

Hey there all you cool cats and kittens.


Joe actually doesn't have a bad voice, he's just so damn cheesy. This doc is bananas, so nuts that when one of his employees gets her arm ripped clean off by a tiger, they decide to just gloss over it and interview her with no arm.

That's how much crazy redneck insanity is packed into this show, the producers are like "hey she got her arm ripped off.............MOVIN ON!!"

Sounds just as $h!t as any other country singer....

Just finished "House of Saddam" - highly recommended. As per the title, the rise and fall of Saddam Hussein.

I've now got Season One of "The Man in the High Castle". Haven't started it yet, and can't remember if it was ever discussed on the forum(?) Haven't even watched the trailer! Anyone read the (1962) book, by Philip K. d*ck? Never heard of him, FWIW. But it did win a Hugo.

Stoked for another season of Ozark. Such a killer show.

Aussie Seahawk wrote:Just finished "House of Saddam" - highly recommended. As per the title, the rise and fall of Saddam Hussein.

I've now got Season One of "The Man in the High Castle". Haven't started it yet, and can't remember if it was ever discussed on the forum(?) Haven't even watched the trailer! Anyone read the (1962) book, by Philip K. d*ck? Never heard of him, FWIW. But it did win a Hugo.

I watched all 4 seasons on Prime..
It's pretty good but you have to pay attention because it can
get away as it has a lot of characters.You can imagine it's
not the easiest show to put together after you see a couple of
episodes.