What are we watching now?

[la szum]

OMFG! Give me something to throw at the TV. This episode 7 of Daisy (off to Greece to meet a
Prince!) is so Hallmark Channel.

What a random departure from the previous 6 episodes. How come you
didn't warn me @DrewJD82 ??

 

[DrewJD82]

OMFG! Give me something to throw at the TV. This episode 7 of Daisy (off to Greece to meet a
Prince!) is so Hallmark Channel.

What a random departure from the previous 6 episodes. How come you
didn't warn me @DrewJD82 ??

Yeah, they could have done without that episode and the show wouldn’t have been hurt. It gets back on track immediately after, though! I forgot about it until you said something and I think I just watched it less than a week ago.

 

[mbenigni]

I’m loving The Last Of Us. I don’t think it was until Ep 3 that I realized the dude is from the Mandolorian.

Pedro Pascal puts in an amazing performance in TLOU. What an actor. He was also great in (what little screen time he had in) Game of Thrones.

I barely noticed him (despite his starring role) in Mandalorian. Helmet + deadpan delivery were kind of a waste of his talent and charisma. I actually thought he was Timothy Oliphant until the beginning of the second season, when Timothy Oliphant shows up in a different role. (Disclaimer: I didn't make it past the beginning of S2.)

P.S. I was constantly distracted by the fact that TLOU cast didn't look like the character models in the video game. At the beginning of TLOU my brain saw this, and I couldn't unsee it afterward: Pedro Pascal looks like a squished Burt Reynolds LOL.

 

[mbenigni]

That was one thing I noticed in my 20s and 30s when I was visiting a few spiritual/intentional communities. The
creeptastic nature of a lot of those places. A few I visited have had actual crises and outed the offending "leaders"
since then. Shocking.

It's kind of crazy, to think that people have the highest of ideals, and yet it amounts to just another power trip
surrounding sex, money, and authourity. I ended up joking later in life that I would trust a Rock Star more than
a Guru, because one is authentic and the other isn't.

You know the Rock Star wants to f**k you, and he isn't going to give you no BS about his semen being enlightened
or healing your sexual trauma.

This presupposes that "rock star" and "guru" are mutually exclusive...

 

[DrewJD82]

Pedro Pascal puts in an amazing performance in TLOU. What an actor. He was also great in (what little screen time he had in) Game of Thrones.

I barely noticed him (despite his starring role) in Mandalorian. Helmet + deadpan delivery were kind of a waste of his talent and charisma. I actually thought he was Timothy Oliphant until the beginning of the second season, when Timothy Oliphant shows up in a different role. (Disclaimer I didn't make it past the beginning of S2.)

P.S. I was constantly distracted by the fact that TLOU cast didn't look like the character models in the video game. At the beginning of TLOU my brain saw this, and I couldn't unsee it afterward: Pedro Pascal looks like a squished Burt Reynolds LOL.

Yeah, his role in Mando is definitely a waste of his talents. I still have the 3rd episode to watch but from what I‘ve heard it hasn’t made this season any better. Had I not watched Andor right before S3 kicked off I’d probably have no interest at all but Andor was the show that tied all the SW shows/movies together for me. Not sure why/how as I’ve known the timelines of everything for a while, but after watching that series it made me far more interested in the SW universe.

I didn’t even know he was in GoT!

Hahaha I had enough of a gap from playing the game that I couldn’t remember exactly what the characters looked like. I never finished it because the mechanics kept pissing me off (I’m a little bitch about wanting 1st/3rd person only in games) but I started it again after I started watching the show…..and stopped again just because I tend to drop everything around me when I get into a video game and need to be cognizant of how I spend my free time so I don’t piss myself off by not getting other sh*t done!

 

[mbenigni]

Yeah, his role in Mando is definitely a waste of his talents. I still have the 3rd episode to watch but from what I‘ve heard it hasn’t made this season any better. Had I not watched Andor right before S3 kicked off I’d probably have no interest at all but Andor was the show that tied all the SW shows/movies together for me. Not sure why/how as I’ve known the timelines of everything for a while, but after watching that series it made me far more interested in the SW universe.

I'll have to check out Andor... and see whether it pulls me back to Mandalorian. We dug S1 of Mandalorian well enough (liked, didn't love) but S2 just started to feel really predictable: land somewhere, identify monster/ bad guy, kill it. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I didn’t even know he was in GoT!

Yes, he was Oberyn Martell of Dorne (says Google - I'm not that big of a nerd), the bad ass on the right. Obviously LOL:

Hahaha I had enough of a gap from playing the game that I couldn’t remember exactly what the characters looked like. I never finished it because the mechanics kept pissing me off (I’m a little b*tch about wanting 1st/3rd person only in games) but I started it again after I started watching the show…..and stopped again just because I tend to drop everything around me when I get into a video game and need to be cognizant of how I spend my free time so I don’t piss myself off by not getting other sh*t done!

I hear ya. I'm not really into any video games at the moment, and that's probably for the best. :)

I played both TLOU games - Naughty Dog does beautiful work - but they did stress me out a lot. Stealth sections with overpowered enemies and insta-death tend to grind me down. TLOU mixed things up well enough that I could tolerate it, though.

 

[mbenigni]

Stolen Youth: Inside The Cult At Sarah Lawrence

HOLY F*CKING SH*T.

I’ve read a lot of books about all the big cults, watched all the YouTube vids, I’m fascinated by cult leaders, or more the psychological aspects of one person who is ALWAYS the complete opposite of what they’re selling managing to sway people’s minds so heavily they will put their life on the line for them, or end it. I devour that stuff whenever it‘s in front of me, so I figured I’d heard it all at this point.

Nope.

It all starts with a raised eyebrow, like “Really? That’s kinda odd….” then within about 20 minutes you’re just on this elevator in a building where every floor is a different scenario of WTF*ckingF?!?!? and it doesn’t end. My brain actually feels tired after watching all 3 episodes. The dude documented all the sh*t he was doing, so you’re seeing it actually happen. It gets gut wrenching at some points, like I’m seeing a best friend or loved one in that situation and I want to help, but fortunately has a mostly good ending. Kinda. There is no real “ending” for those people, they’re going to spend the rest of their lives unf*cking theirselves.

You said you'd watched The Vow as well, right? I started it thinking it was like a 6-episode Limited Series, and then we got to the end of S1 and saw there were 2 more seasons. I was like, "What the hell did I sign up for??" Within a couple of episodes of S2 it had devolved into real-time footage of people driving around in their cars talking to each other on their cellphones, and I said, "OK I'm out." Does it get any better? The completist in me hates dropping things cold, but damn. Leave a few frames on the floor, guys.

Meta: When deciding to watch a random Netflix series feels like you've committed to a lifetime in a cult LOL.

 

[KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!]

As a Star Trek nerd, I've been actually enjoying Picard season 3. It's not great, and as expected with the modern Trek formula with retro chatacters is relying heavily on easter eggs and nostalgia. But compared to season 1 and 2 (which were shit) it's pretty decent.

 

[DrewJD82]

You said you'd watched The Vow as well, right? I started it thinking it was like a 6-episode Limited Series, and then we got to the end of S1 and saw there were 2 more seasons. I was like, "What the hell did I sign up for??" Within a couple of episodes of S2 it had devolved into real-time footage of people driving around in their cars talking to each other on their cellphones, and I said, "OK I'm out." Does it get any better? The completist in me hates dropping things cold, but damn. Leave a few frames on the floor, guys.

Meta: When deciding to watch a random Netflix series feels like you've committed to a lifetime in a cult LOL.

Man, how meta is this? I don’t recall watching The Vow, but when I looked it up it seems I watched it? So I have partial memories about a show about partial memories?

Maybe I was heavily into the Cheetos that week or something, the story seems familiar to me but I can’t think of watching anything with Channing Tatum…ever? Rachel McAdams on the other hand…

 

[mbenigni]

Man, how meta is this? I don’t recall watching The Vow, but when I looked it up it seems I watched it? So I have partial memories about a show about partial memories?

Maybe I was heavily into the Cheetos that week or something, the story seems familiar to me but I can’t think of watching anything with Channing Tatum…ever? Rachel McAdams on the other hand…

Hold the phone - our lines are crossed here.

Apparently there is a film called The Vow - which I'm only just now hearing of - in addition to the HBO series I was talking about above. And it wasn't you who had seen it (though, on paper, it would seem to be right up your street), but rather @Fireproof:

What are we watching now?

See also Tyler Perry's Straight Outta Compton Featuring Jaleel White.

thegearforum.com

So, @Fireproof, what say you? Does The Vow ever get more interesting than it is at the beginning of S2, or do these randos just start pulling into Starbucks and ordering coffees or something?

 

[mbenigni]

I’ve been loving this show but the last episode didn’t do it for me. Just seemed far too condensed after an 8-episode lead up just to have it all undone in the span of 10-15 minutes. Seems people who have played the game are digging it but stated they did cut a lot out from the game and I’m guessing that’s the hang up I’m having that game players are not.

I actually remember the game having a similarly sudden, roller-coaster wrap up. (I.e. With the "god-mode" shootout.) My biggest issue was that they kind of overstated Joel's emotional turnaround (and too quickly) before things got dark again.

 

[mbenigni]

I thought about grabbing the game but...so this is one of those cartoonish games like the Walking Dead ones where you just kinda pick one thing to do as you go?

No. I know the series of games you're referring to (Telltale Games.) The Last of Us is totally different. It's a very realistic, linear, third person shooter with stealth elements.

 

[DrewJD82]

No. I know the series of games you're referring to (Telltale Games.) The Last of Us is totally different. It's a very realistic, linear, third person shooter with stealth elements.

Yeah, like trying to get around a storage container quietly without alerting zombies just to run into another f*cking zombie on the other side and then have to outrun them all while trying to find a way out of the area you’re stuck in. I have a 3-death limit with zombie sh*t, once I hit my 3rd death in a row I shut it off for a year.

I think it’s largely due to where you end up starting off when coming back to life, if I have to travel through half the level just to get back to where I was I lose interest REALLY quickly. It’s why I play so much stuff on Easy mode; I’m more interested in the story and graphics than learning the right combination of buttons or playing a section over and over to memorize the enemy’s movements.

 

[Fireproof]

Yeah, they could have done without that episode and the show wouldn’t have been hurt. It gets back on track immediately after, though! I forgot about it until you said something and I think I just watched it less than a week ago.

Yep. We just finished that episode. We are digging the show a lot. But that episode was just UGH. And now we have one final episode.

 

[Fireproof]

Hold the phone - our lines are crossed here.

Apparently there is a film called The Vow - which I'm only just now hearing of - in addition to the HBO series I was talking about above. And it wasn't you who had seen it (though, on paper, it would seem to be right up your street), but rather @Fireproof:

What are we watching now?

See also Tyler Perry's Straight Outta Compton Featuring Jaleel White.

thegearforum.com

So, @Fireproof, what say you? Does The Vow ever get more interesting than it is at the beginning of S2, or do these randos just start pulling into Starbucks and ordering coffees or something?

Yes! It does get better. S2 is off to a slow start (first episode or too, if I recall) - and I almost bailed for the same reason - but stuck with it and it pulled me in. It really gets into the sex cult aspect and the manipulation and branding of the women more. And the recordings of his conversations with them is crazy. And what really got me was that he still had staunch defenders trying to protect him / save him /etc.

So I would say stick with it. .

 

[Fireproof]

I actually remember the game having a similarly sudden, roller-coaster wrap up. (I.e. With the "god-mode" shootout.) My biggest issue was that they kind of overstated Joel's emotional turnaround (and too quickly) before things got dark again.

Wow - love that inline spoiler hiding thing you did there!

 

[mbenigni]

Yeah, like trying to get around a storage container quietly without alerting zombies just to run into another f*cking zombie on the other side and then have to outrun them all while trying to find a way out of the area you’re stuck in. I have a 3-death limit with zombie sh*t, once I hit my 3rd death in a row I shut it off for a year.

I think it’s largely due to where you end up starting off when coming back to life, if I have to travel through half the level just to get back to where I was I lose interest REALLY quickly. It’s why I play so much stuff on Easy mode; I’m more interested in the story and graphics than learning the right combination of buttons or playing a section over and over to memorize the enemy’s movements.

Yep. I don't mind a challenge, but stealth and insta-death are generally a turnoff for me. I don't like trial and error gameplay, and I don't like "strategy" that basically boils down to waiting around not playing the game I've paid for and carved out the time to play until such time as the designers feel I should continue.

I am a very busy man after all. These guitars aren't going to not play themselves.

It's a testament to all the things TLOU got right that I soldiered through being killed by a thousand clickers, etc.

 

[la szum]

Yeah, they could have done without that episode and the show wouldn’t have been hurt. It gets back on track immediately after, though! I forgot about it until you said something and I think I just watched it less than a week ago.

Yeah, I powered through and the last episode was fire!

I can so relate to the drugs and interpersonal conflicts and band drama.

 

[laxu]

As a Star Trek nerd, I've been actually enjoying Picard season 3. It's not great, and as expected with the modern Trek formula with retro chatacters is relying heavily on easter eggs and nostalgia. But compared to season 1 and 2 (which were s**t) it's pretty decent.

I could not get even through season one of that series. It's even worse written than "Adventures of Mary Sue" aka Star Trek Discovery.

 

[TSJMajesty]

World War Z

Feels like it's going to be good, starting off with Muse's The 2nd Law: Isolated System (Edit- Oh it's a 'comedy'. Not sure how long I'll last. )

In fact, I've been noticing a LOT of Muse songs on screen. (Good for them!)