Bad TV/Good TV

[tboyer]

OK to start a TV thread?

Anybody else watched the Last of Us? I had hopes since it's HBO but I've found it surprisingly dull so far. Maybe because it's based on a video game, not a story. It's like watching the long cut scenes at the beginning of a video game that you're trying to skip through so you can play the game.

And then the show itself feels like a platforming game -- now the pathway is blocked so they have to go into the dark building full of zombies to get to the other side!

And they killed off a bunch of interesting characters which was okay in Game of Thrones because they had a lot more interesting characters. But now we're left with 2 characters and neither one of them exhibits any interesting personality qualities. The tone is totally humorless. Even the fungus-zombies just look silly with shrooms coming out of their heads and their mouths. It has to get better, so I'll keep watching for now.

Meanwhile, good TV -- M Night Shyamalan's "Servant" (Apple) is creepy, sly and darkly funny. Filmed on Spruce Street in Philly. Nell Tiger Free (the increasingly evil nanny) is great, she's going to be a star.

Also there are two amazing Italian productions of Elena Ferrante novels that are incredibly good especially if you're interested in Italian culture and in particular Naples. "My Brilliant Friend" on HBO and "The Lying Lives of Adults" on Netflix. Italian productions, the filming and acting and locations and costumes are just gorgeous..

White Lotus is also great but everybody knows about that one.

 

[Obliviax]

I'd recommend the second season (the first if you haven't seen it) of "Your Honor". It's on Amazon Prime. Also on Prime is the third season of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Lastly, if you haven't seen it, a funny older series by Rob Schneider named "Real Rob" on Netflix. It is a poor man's "Curb Your Enthusiasm". It is a funny show that revisits the role of the male lead in families.

 

[LafayetteBear]

Since this is a general TV thread, my question would be, who here still watches network TV for anything other than sports, and news programming? I may possibly be missing out on a worthwhile network entertainment program, but it seems to me that network TV is generally a complete wasteland of repetitive, boring hospital, cop and fireman dramas, with some boring reality shows mixed in. Complete dreck.

 

[Thomas1945]

Since this is a general TV thread, my question would be, who here still watches network TV for anything other than sports, and news programming? I may possibly be missing out on a worthwhile network entertainment program, but it seems to me that network TV is generally a complete wasteland of repetitive, boring hospital, cop and fireman dramas, with some boring reality shows mixed in. Complete dreck.

I’d say that you’ve pretty much given an accurate description of current network TV.

 

[bdgan]

I'd recommend the second season (the first if you haven't seen it) of "Your Honor". It's on Amazon Prime. Also on Prime is the third season of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Lastly, if you haven't seen it, a funny older series by Rob Schneider named "Real Rob" on Netflix. It is a poor man's "Curb Your Enthusiasm". It is a funny show that revisits the role of the male lead in families.

Networks seem to have mostly given up on new shows. I enjoy The Good Doctor but not much else. I liked The Neighborhood but it's getting old. I just started watching Yellowstone season 5 but that's done. I tried to go watch earlier seasons on demand but they want a subscription.

I'm watching Hacks on HBOmax and that's pretty good. I'm looking forward to Succession on HBOmax and Reacher on Prime. I'm also looking forward to season 2 of Bosch Legacy on Freevee.

 

[Obliviax]

Networks seem to have mostly given up on new shows. I enjoy The Good Doctor but not much else. I liked The Neighborhood but it's getting old. I just started watching Yellowstone season 5 but that's done. I tried to go watch earlier seasons on demand but they want a subscription.

I'm watching Hacks on HBOmax and that's pretty good. I'm looking forward to Succession on HBOmax and Reacher on Prime. I'm also looking forward to season 2 of Bosch Legacy on Freevee.

yep..I am about to "cut the chord". I've been threatening for years but the only thing I watch anymore is sports and the steaming services. I am going to get either Hulu or Youtube basic for sports and put up an antenna to get the four major locals (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX). done. I get 1 gig Wifi for $30 and I'll keep a budget for $70 for TV. So I'll budget $100 per month. My sons do the free starter kits, once a year for disney, hulu, paramount, etc. then cancel before they bill kicks in. They cut you off for a year and then you can do it again. I don't need to be the first to watch a movie or series.

 

[bdgan]

yep..I am about to "cut the chord". I've been threatening for years but the only thing I watch anymore is sports and the steaming services. I am going to get either Hulu or Youtube basic for sports and put up an antenna to get the four major locals (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX). done. I get 1 gig Wifi for $30 and I'll keep a budget for $70 for TV. So I'll budget $100 per month. My sons do the free starter kits, once a year for disney, hulu, paramount, etc. then cancel before they bill kicks in. They cut you off for a year and then you can do it again. I don't need to be the first to watch a movie or series.

I have youtubetv. It includes almost everything cable has including the BiG network. It also includes local networks so no need for an antenna.

I split time between two homes and all I have to do is change the zip code in the app to get the correct local networks.

$70 per month. 4K is extra but not worth it IMO because there's not enough stuff broadcast in 4K.

 

[tboyer]

Since this is a general TV thread, my question would be, who here still watches network TV for anything other than sports, and news programming? I may possibly be missing out on a worthwhile network entertainment program, but it seems to me that network TV is generally a complete wasteland of repetitive, boring hospital, cop and fireman dramas, with some boring reality shows mixed in. Complete dreck.

I haven't watched "channel" TV -- network or cable -- in probably 6 or 8 years now. There are still good shows being made for broadcast but you can often watch them on Hulu or some other streaming service after they run.

We usually subscribe to 3 or 4 streaming services (and we rotate among the choices based on who's got what on). It's not a small amount of money -- maybe $50 a month or so. But it's a lot less than cable these days if you're not paying for sports.

 

[Wandering Spectator]

I have youtubetv. It includes almost everything cable has including the BiG network. It also includes local networks so no need for an antenna.

I split time between two homes and all I have to do is change the zip code in the app to get the correct local networks.

$70 per month. 4K is extra but not worth it IMO because there's not enough stuff broadcast in 4K.

I added 4K for the playoffs. Only Fox was broadcasting in 4K this year and the Super Bowl will in 4K. I added it earlier in the year when PSU had a couple of games on Fox (Purdue and OSU). So I turn it on and off for games. Other than that, I agree it’s not worth it and they make it easy to turn on/off.

 

[tboyer]

yep..I am about to "cut the chord". I've been threatening for years but the only thing I watch anymore is sports and the steaming services. I am going to get either Hulu or Youtube basic for sports and put up an antenna to get the four major locals (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX). done. I get 1 gig Wifi for $30 and I'll keep a budget for $70 for TV. So I'll budget $100 per month. My sons do the free starter kits, once a year for disney, hulu, paramount, etc. then cancel before they bill kicks in. They cut you off for a year and then you can do it again. I don't need to be the first to watch a movie or series.

For sports in a pinch there is an internet thing called streameast though I can't officially recommend it the FBI might burst through your door at any moment and lock you away in Supermax. But it is out there and it works mostly.

Also sometimes entire college football games will be uploaded to youtube a couple hours after the game (before the B1G network or someone calls Youtube to get them taken down). I don't know anything about dark web but there have to be other ways to watch games under the table.

 

[PSUSignore]

yep..I am about to "cut the chord". I've been threatening for years but the only thing I watch anymore is sports and the steaming services. I am going to get either Hulu or Youtube basic for sports and put up an antenna to get the four major locals (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX). done. I get 1 gig Wifi for $30 and I'll keep a budget for $70 for TV. So I'll budget $100 per month. My sons do the free starter kits, once a year for disney, hulu, paramount, etc. then cancel before they bill kicks in. They cut you off for a year and then you can do it again. I don't need to be the first to watch a movie or series.

Where are you getting gigabit ethernet for $30 a month? Is that a new customer promo price? I pay $70 for gigabit Google Fiber.

 

[Obliviax]

Where are you getting gigabit ethernet for $30 a month? Is that a new customer promo price? I pay $70 for gigabit Google Fiber.

Breezeline.

 

[AustinLion81]

I just started watching For All Mankind on AppleTV - It's a show that explores the scenario of Russia being the first to land on the moon and impact on Nasa on future missions.. things like creating a base on the moon, etc. Very well written. Just wrapped up Season 1 and started season 2 last night. There are a total of 3 seasons so far and Season 4 has been announced. I put it in Good TV..

Also watching Tulsa King on Paramount. It's about a mafia guy who spent 25 years in prison, and when he gets released, his mafia family sends him from NY to Tulsa as an outcast and he starts mob activity there. I'd put that one in the middle - maybe Entertaining, but I loved the Sopranos and it's nowhere as good as that.

 

[PSUSignore]

Breezeline.

Not available in my area but regardless, their home page advertises gigabit for $60/month for the first 6 months only, afterwards it's $130/month?

 

[Obliviax]

Not available in my area but regardless, their home page advertises gigabit for $60/month for the first 6 months only, afterwards it's $130/month?

I had 300mb for $60 and got a flier that they’d upgrade me to 1 gig for $30/mo with no contract. My eero mesh won’t go over 500mb though. Regardless, I jumped on it. They had just acquired Wowway so that could have been it.

 

[Lesgo_Brandon]

OK to start a TV thread?

Anybody else watched the Last of Us? I had hopes since it's HBO but I've found it surprisingly dull so far. Maybe because it's based on a video game, not a story. It's like watching the long cut scenes at the beginning of a video game that you're trying to skip through so you can play the game.

And then the show itself feels like a platforming game -- now the pathway is blocked so they have to go into the dark building full of zombies to get to the other side!

And they killed off a bunch of interesting characters which was okay in Game of Thrones because they had a lot more interesting characters. But now we're left with 2 characters and neither one of them exhibits any interesting personality qualities. The tone is totally humorless. Even the fungus-zombies just look silly with shrooms coming out of their heads and their mouths. It has to get better, so I'll keep watching for now.

Meanwhile, good TV -- M Night Shyamalan's "Servant" (Apple) is creepy, sly and darkly funny. Filmed on Spruce Street in Philly. Nell Tiger Free (the increasingly evil nanny) is great, she's going to be a star.

Also there are two amazing Italian productions of Elena Ferrante novels that are incredibly good especially if you're interested in Italian culture and in particular Naples. "My Brilliant Friend" on HBO and "The Lying Lives of Adults" on Netflix. Italian productions, the filming and acting and locations and costumes are just gorgeous..

White Lotus is also great but everybody knows about that one.

Last of Us is fantastic. My son played the video games and said it follows it closely. I believe they brought in the video game director to work with the show. Very well done.

We've seen the first three seasons of Servant and although it starts really, really strong it seemed to lose us on season three. First season really was great and creepy.

White Lotus was fantastic.

If you'd like something different on HBO Max try Primal. Animation that you'd not want to watch around the kids. I thought it was incredible: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10332508/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3