The TV Series Thread (Fall/Winter 2023)

[ab_grp]

We finished The Expanse yesterday and both thought it was very good.  It sounds as though Season 6 was the end for good, unfortunately.  It left some storylines unresolved, but I think it was at a reasonable stopping point.  There are some differences between the books and the show, but overall it kept to it pretty faithfully.  One big difference, I think, was the emergence of some characters in the show who played more minor roles in the books.  I thought that one really stole the show, and I would have voted for them to be ruler of the universe.  I hadn't realized that one of the main actors got in trouble and ended up being written out of the show, so that storyline changed a bit from the books.  Now in place of that show we are watching the new series Mr. & Mrs. Smith.  I've read that it's boring, and we've only just started, but so far so good.

[hmaria1609]

I watched "All Creatures Great and Small" season 4 finale last night. With the war going, Darrowby's Christmas celebration has a different feel. The Skeldale House residents celebrate at the Drovers. James does make it home and gets to see his newborn son.
No announcement about season 5 for the show. Sigh.

[Sun_Worshiper]

We're four or five episodes into the new season of True Detective. So far it has been great. The actors are terrific all around and it is especially nice to see Jodie Foster in top form. There are probably half a dozen or so episodes to go, so we'll see if it holds up, but for now I have nothing but good things to say.

Apparently there was only one episode to go - and we watched it last night. I liked it a lot (the final episode and the season as a whole). My wife was less enthusiastic, so YMMV.

[Wahoo Redux]

Finally watched the HBO Chernobyl.  Engrossing if very grim.  The casting is amazing when you look at the actual people involved----not typical of American casting.  Highly recommend.

[Sun_Worshiper]

We watched From, on Amazon/MGM+. It is sort of like The Walking Dead and, like that show, the first season was quite good, but the second not so much. I don't think we'll tune in for a third season if there is one.

Last night I watched the first two (of six) episodes of We Own This City, from many of the minds behind The Wire - which I love. So far, so good.

[ab_grp]

Finally watched the HBO Chernobyl.  Engrossing if very grim.  The casting is amazing when you look at the actual people involved----not typical of American casting.  Highly recommend.

Totally agree, this was amazing!

We finished season 1 of Doctor Who (2005- series).  I had been avoiding it.  I have vague memories of my dad watching it when I was a kid, but I thought it was creepy and weird.  I still think it is, but I have to admit that it has grown on me a bit, and I am interested to see what the next doctor (David Tennant) does with the role.  Christopher Eccleston was great in The Leftovers but was just way too much of a muppet in this.  I read about why he left the show, though, and he seems like a good person, so I hate to say that.  The Daleks are my favorite so far.

Speaking of Doctors, several in that role and others from the show were in another recent season 1 we watched, Broadchurch.  I had seen it before but was bowled over by it again, and my husband was as well.  That one is about a small town in the UK where there has been a murder of a young boy.  The local detective involved knows everyone in the town, and the lead detective assigned to the case is an outsider, so they have different perspectives and very different ways of going about the investigation.  It is a very sad story, and the acting is pretty incredible.  But back to overlap with Doctor Who, this show has David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, and Olivia Colman in it, at the least.

Now we are watching seasons 1 of Homicide and Mr. Robot.  I have seen the latter but don't remember much about it.

[hmaria1609]

"Silk" on Kanopy
Maxine Peake and Rupert Penry-Jones are two barristers in a prominent London law firm.
I remember watching the 1st season on "Masterpiece" on PBS. I didn't know there were 2 more seasons of the show but they didn't broadcast here in the US.
I've spotted some familiar faces from other British contemporary and historical drama shows!

[kaysixteen]

Hmmmm... us old-time Gen X PBS-watching Who fans mostly (near as I can figure) just think that the 21st century reboot is just not nearly as good as the classic era Who, say Doctors 3,4, and 5.

[Sun_Worshiper]

I watched the final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, including the final episode, over the last couple of weeks. It was a lot of fun and ended on the right note. It also gave Seinfeld the send off that show deserved. As a long-time fan of both shows, I was actually a little moved.

LD is a comedy legend, Curb is one of the GOAT shows, and the finale was pretty pretty pretty good.

[Hegemony]

I am interested to see what the next doctor (David Tennant) does with the role. 

Some people hold that one of the David Tennant episodes, "Blink," is the best single episode of any TV show. I'd agree that it is certainly the best single science fiction episode of any TV show. Of course maybe I'm overselling it. But see what you think.

[ab_grp]

I am interested to see what the next doctor (David Tennant) does with the role. 

Some people hold that one of the David Tennant episodes, "Blink," is the best single episode of any TV show. I'd agree that it is certainly the best single science fiction episode of any TV show. Of course maybe I'm overselling it. But see what you think.

Okay, I have to say that I am now looking forward to season three and that episode! It's rated 9.8 on IMDB.  "The Girl in the Fireplace" has been a favorite so far.  Thanks for the info!

I watched the final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, including the final episode, over the last couple of weeks. It was a lot of fun and ended on the right note. It also gave Seinfeld the send off that show deserved. As a long-time fan of both shows, I was actually a little moved.

LD is a comedy legend, Curb is one of the GOAT shows, and the finale was pretty pretty pretty good.

Can't wait to watch this season! Sounds great.

[ab_grp]

We have finished a few other series and seasons, so I will recap.  We liked season 1 of Homicide a lot.  My friend likes that show better than The Wire, but I do not (yet?) agree.  Still, very good.  Succession season 2 was also awesome.  That family and surrounding factions are just so awful, but it's all portrayed so well.  I really enjoy all the betrayal and scheming that goes on.  As I think I mentioned above, we are in season 2 of Dr. Who now.

We finished all of Mr. Robot.  That was an excellent series.  It's very clever, intense, and makes good use of music.  I wasn't quite sure how it was going to end up, but I thought they wrapped it up pretty well, and the acting was great throughout.  I'm not sure if I said what it's about, but without giving too much away, it's focused to a large extent on the hacking of a major corporation and the after effects for the perps, corporation, and society.  There are a bunch of groups with warring interests that must try to come out on top.  Some of the episodes were pretty amazing.  After Mr. Robot we watched Fallout season 1.  I am not really into video games, but I would give this very high marks.  Like Mr. Robot in some ways, it makes good use of music and is very clever.  The characters and acting really drew me in, and I really didn't want it to end.  Looking forward to season 2!  Now in place of that one we are watching Person of Interest, which was created by the same folks as Fallout and focuses on cybersurveillance, so also has some overlap with Mr. Robot in a broad sense.  Pretty good so far!

[ab_grp]

Sorry, I realize that I did not say what Fallout is about.  As you might guess from the title, it's a dystopian tale involving nuclear war.  So far, a lot of it has focused on what happened after the bombs fell, as much of it takes place 300 or so years later.  People fared quite differently given their circumstances.  We also find out more about what happened prior to the bombs that sheds some light on these outcomes.  The casting is great.  Lots of lesser known actors are really fantastic in their roles, and Walton Goggins just always hits it out of the park IMO.  It really funny and endearing at times as well as being a fun action/sci-fi show.

[jimbogumbo]

ab_grp: how are you seeing Homicide? I didn't think it was streaming anywhere. It was a favorite of mine.

[ab_grp]

ab_grp: how are you seeing Homicide? I didn't think it was streaming anywhere. It was a favorite of mine.

Sorry, that's one of the series we're watching on DVD (plus Succession, Doctor Who currently).  The recent streaming ones (on Amazon Prime) were Mr. Robot, Fallout, Person of Interest.