What Are You Watching

[ownedbycats]

Star Trek S3E22: The Savage Curtain

Okay, so season three of TOS. IMO, there's three truly good episodes here: Spectre of the Gun, The Tholian Web, and The Empath. But the rest tend to fall into one of three categories:

- Nonsensical, but fun to watch (Spock's Brain, Plato's Stepchildren, The Way to Eden)
- Kind of see what they were trying to do, but it didn't really work (The Mark of Gideon, The Cloud Minders)
- WTF? (Turnabout Intruder, Whom Gods Destroy)

The Savage Curtain definitely falls into that last category.



Yes, Abraham Lincoln...floating in space.

.

Apparently this rock guy brought Kirk, Spock, Lincoln, and Vulcan Jesus to this planet to fight, because... something about good or evil.



The opposing side is made up of Genghis Khan, some genocidal 21st-century dictator, Klingon Jesus, and... yeah, I don't even remember who the female is. Of course, the white guy is in charge.

So... basically a shittier version of Arena. With Abraham Lincoln and Genghis Khan. And Captain Kirk trying to punch an alien made of lava rocks.



Kirk, don't do that.

[Rumpelteazer]

Last night we finished watching Quiet on Set on HBO. Just wow.

We also watched the first episode of Fallout on Prime. I've never played the game and don't know what's it about. But we both enjoyed the first episode so we'll continue with it.

[mlewis78]

Sunday I watched Call the Midwife and Mr. Bates v. the Post Office.

[Rumpelteazer]

We're still watching Fallout and really enjoying it. We only have three episodes left, so we'll probably finish tonight.

[Hitch]

I am clearly in a weird space.

I am watching Kolchak:The Night Stalker (yes, really) on Peacock streaming and I think it's also on Peacock, oddly enough, Ball of Fire, (1941) with Babs Stanwyck and Gary Cooper.

I love that movie. A film of a far more recent vintage, IQ, reminds me strongly of it. I'm quite certain that one is...homaged...in the other.

Hitch

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

We're still watching Fallout and really enjoying it. We only have three episodes left, so we'll probably finish tonight.

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I've never played the game, for reference.

I'm not usually a fan of gratuitous gore, but I'm willing to overlook it when there's a good sense of humor involved. Like Fallout on Prime and Twisted Metal on Peacock. Perhaps it's just gore that takes itself too seriously that I dislike.

The other thing Fallout has going for it is the cast. Lots of good cameos. And there's not a project Walt Goggins has been a main part of that I didn't like.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm not usually a fan of gratuitous gore, but I'm willing to overlook it when there's a good sense of humor involved. Like Fallout on Prime and Twisted Metal on Peacock. Perhaps it's just gore that takes itself too seriously that I dislike.

The Fallout games have the Bloody Mess perk, which causes enemies to tend to explode into... well, bloody messes.

There was a fun glitch with the Fallout: New Vegas engine where if you exploded an NPC and then did a quick-reload, they'd still be a bloody mess of dismembered parts walking around. It was honestly both hilarious and terrifying.

EDIT: I found a screenshot. Spoilered because... well, bloody mess.

Spoiler:

[mlewis78]

I watched Scoop on Netflix last night.

[poohbear_nc]

Watched Scoop - was underwhelmed - great cast but I found the story/writing flat.


Started Trigger Point on BritBox tonight - urban bomb disposal unit - got my interest - will continue watching

[therealTOEBEANS]

I'm a young person, and I've recently discovered Midsomer Murders! Very good stuff. I don't watch much TV, preferring books, but that's a nice one. Especially the first five seasons.

Cheers.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by therealTOEBEANS

I'm a young person, and I've recently discovered Midsomer Murders! Very good stuff. I don't watch much TV, preferring books, but that's a nice one. Especially the first five seasons.

Cheers.

IMHO--and I'm not a young person!--the first seasons with John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby and the original production crew and writers were the best. I've just never warmed up to the cousin.

I even like the actor, don't get me wrong--Neil Dudgeon (thought he was a hoot as George Moody in the Mrs. Bradley murders with Emma Peel, aka Diana Rigg), but...just have never really been able to feel about him and his wife and his annoying child, BET-TY, as I did for the first DCI Barnaby. Don't know why it is; he's been DCI Barnaby now longer than Nettles was. You'd think I'd have warmed up, but nope.

I also think that the writing has just tapered off. I don't want to say "gone downhill," but that's the gist. The mysteries aren't as mysterious and I don't think I remember the last real locked-room mystery. (Sort of like what's happening with Death in Paradise, too and has already happened with Father Brown.)

I also think that they sacrificed a lot of plot on a lot of other, not-mystery-related stuff, but I'll leave that for another thread on another forum.


PSA: The dreaded Father Brown has been renewed for not one but TWO more seasons, 2025-26. And sadly (sniffle) the same cast and crew have been renewed, too, yes, even including BRENDA and the not-so-divine Mrs. Devine. The announcement said something about Brenda competing nationally on telly as a ballroom dancer, which might be the most ludicrous thing I've ever typed here. I mean, as I and others here have previously discussed, Brenda is a pipeline for dialogue, and not much else as a character, so...well, anyway.

Hitch

[cc_in_oh]

We watched the creepy What Remains, and Without Motive, a detective squad disintegrating under the pressure of failing to solve a high profile case.

Now watching Parish, the AMC remake of The Driver. If nothing else, it's a shoo-in for the Most Executive Producers Emmy.

Toby Jones is great as always in Mr. Bates vs. The P.O. on PBS.

Tried Elsbeth on CBS, not for us but inoffensive, doesn't take itself too seriously and mostly free of the usual in-your-face PC crap.

[Jordan5]

Originally Posted by Hitch

PSA: The dreaded Father Brown has been renewed for not one but TWO more seasons, 2025-26. And sadly (sniffle) the same cast and crew have been renewed, too, yes, even including BRENDA and the not-so-divine Mrs. Devine. The announcement said something about Brenda competing nationally on telly as a ballroom dancer, which might be the most ludicrous thing I've ever typed here. I mean, as I and others here have previously discussed, Brenda is a pipeline for dialogue, and not much else as a character, so...well, anyway.

Hitch

Yeah, worse luck. �� But from what I've heard, there's a very good reason FB keeps getting renewed. It apparently has nothing to do with quality (which it hasn't since S10) Supposedly the producers are able to bring the show in under budget--and as an incentive, the BBC allows them to keep the leftover loot. And said producers supposedly get first-look series options and other goodies. And apparently the producers don't treat the actors well--either you suck up and do what they tell you...or get lost because the show is so "popular" anyone can be replaced.

In short, FB is now apparently just a cash cow--and what's known as a placeholder show. It's not going anywhere no matter how bad till the profits run out. Me--I've switched over to Murdoch Mysteries. Granted the plots are often bonkers. But those creators have well-developed characterization; smart (if goofy) mysteries; and genuine respect for viewers' intelligence and the source material. As well, one of my all-time GOAT shows, Cold Case, is coming back with the original showrunner. Why waste time with crap any longer?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Jordan5

Yeah, worse luck. �� But from what I've heard, there's a very good reason FB keeps getting renewed. It apparently has nothing to do with quality (which it hasn't since S10) Supposedly the producers are able to bring the show in under budget--and as an incentive, the BBC allows them to keep the leftover loot. And said producers supposedly get first-look series options and other goodies. And apparently the producers don't treat the actors well--either you suck up and do what they tell you...or get lost because the show is so "popular" anyone can be replaced.

In short, FB is now apparently just a cash cow--and what's known as a placeholder show. It's not going anywhere no matter how bad till the profits run out. Me--I've switched over to Murdoch Mysteries. Granted the plots are often bonkers. But those creators have well-developed characterization; smart (if goofy) mysteries; and genuine respect for viewers' intelligence and the source material. As well, one of my all-time GOAT shows, Cold Case, is coming back with the original showrunner. Why waste time with crap any longer?

Meh, I was fond of the Murdochs, until this past season. Not the one now, but about two seasons ago and it too sort of jumped the shark. I don't mean in the nutty plotlines--I'm at the point where even time-travel doesn't faze me but they just...IDK, speaking of "lost the plot," they did. The original show had a lot fo creative juice, between Murdoch, George and all that nad it's just...I don't know. Can't describe the loss really but I stopped watching about 3 episodes into the last season last year.

Shrug.

Never watched Cold Case. Some cop procedurals I like and some I don't. Can I explain why I really liked L&O: CI (even with the main charactger/actor Musical Chairs near the end?) and never warmed up to the Sex perverts one with the lady cop? Nope. I can't, but that's how the cookie crumbles. But yes, I agree, if Midsomer Murders' original writers and showrunners and cast (magically) came back, yeah, I'd be on that in a moment. :-) Hell, I still miss Deadwood. LOL.

Hitch

[issybird]

I've never watched it myself, but I know there are a lot of Doctor Who fans here and I thought they might get a kick out of a Guardian article ranking the Doctors Who.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-r...tor-who-ranked