TV and Streaming: The Thread

[Gfted1]

I watched the first four episodes of The Expanse. Im purposely trying to pace myself so I don't blow my wad.  

[Blarghagh]

9 hours ago, injurai said:

Are any modern works of Star Wars not fan-works?

Does KotOR II count? 

[uuuhhii]

expanse always feels so slow

almost nothing happen in every episode

but also feel like something epic are about to happen

[Lexx]

Season 4 certainly felt slower, but that wasn't a problem to me. Bit of a shame we only got 10 episodes, though. Honestly I'd love to re-watch it right away, but I don't want to burn myself out on it. I'll wait half a year or so before doing another run.

 

/Edit: One thing I still don't like is the "martian stealth tech" ... because there is no stealth in space.

Edited December 16, 2019 by Lexx

[Maedhros]

Last episode of Watchmen was satisfying enough. One of the best tv shows this year for me, and much much better than the film.

[Zoraptor]

Have to admit I wasn't that impressed with Watchmen. It's always been something I've liked the idea behind more than the actual implementation, but when it comes to the TV show... I just really don't like narrative determinism ("this had to happen because it had to happen") much at all and by its nature there's a lot of that.

While I know a lot of people loved the later episodes it basically fell off a cliff for me as soon as Dr M turned up. Also, Ozy getting smacked on the head at the end is not exactly in character.

[algroth]

For a decades-long bounty hunter, Mando sure has a problem with killing. Overall probably the 'best' episode so far, but it's hardly saying much, and again, his character is a mess, a walking contradiction of a central conceit that mandates amorality and a spineless approach to the material that demands he be a 'good guy'. Mando's whole character is a long case of "Greedo shot first".

[Gfted1]

I finished up The Expanse. This season was alright but not as gripping to me as previous seasons. I mean, I watched 10 episodes since Monday so it isn't terrible, just something is different.

And I agree that

Martian stealth spray painted onto asteroids is dumb.

[majestic]

Color me orange and call me Sunkist... this week's The Mandalorian was actually decent. Who knew using a few semi-developed characters and having them interact would prove to be more interesting entertainment than a bunch of enemies of the week. It's a pity it took the show 7 episodes to get to this point.

Still don't care for the implication that baby Yoda's species has some innate super control over their force prowess. It diminishes Luke's interactions with Yoda.

Edited December 19, 2019 by majestic

[Gorgon]

10 mins into Witcher on Netflix and you can tell it's going to be good. Superman guy is a convincing Geralt. 

[Gorgon]

20 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

I finished up The Expanse. This season was alright but not as gripping to me as previous seasons. I mean, I watched 10 episodes since Monday so it isn't terrible, just something is different.

And I agree that

  Reveal hidden contents

Martian stealth spray painted onto asteroids is dumb.

 

Next books in the series are much stronger. I hope they stretch them out over two seasons. 

It's just a bit weak, and the episodes seemed a little short. They should probably have skipped the Ilus storyline or cut it down some.

 

[InsaneCommander]

The Expanse:

The stealth paint must be to reflect radar and laser to another direction. Still dumb...

Can't believe they gave the massive spoiler in the end. Regardless of the plan working or not, the intention is revealed much later in the books.

[Lexx]

The problem with the stealth in space is that it just doesn't work. Whatever tech they are using now, it's just space-magic and not better than... I don't know, light sabers or something.

[Gorgon]

Why didn't they carve the asteroid into radar reflecting shapes, a la the martian frigates.  

[Gfted1]

2 hours ago, Lexx said:

The problem with the stealth in space is that it just doesn't work.

Why wouldn't, for example, radar work in space?

[ShadySands]

[LadyCrimson]

Tried to watch the 1st episode of The Witcher. I'll agree Cavill fits the role/does a decent job but even from the very start action sequence I felt like I was watching SyFy or CW but with even less budget. Nothing wrong with that if the show is good overall (hey I still watch ST:OS right) but for me the pacing was a bit off and much of the dialogue and other actors felt rather stilted/shallow. There's nothing extremely "wrong" but things just feel a little off somewhere. I'll try to watch more later ... I've heard the last few episodes "get better".

This is from someone who hasn't played the games (outside of an hour or two of TW3) nor read the novels, tho.

Edited December 21, 2019 by LadyCrimson

[Gromnir]

6 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

Why wouldn't, for example, radar work in space?

radar (radio) works in space, but in a vacuum you need be aiming the radar signal direct at the object you is intending to illuminate. radar waves. is an electromagnetic wave issue. think o' it like trying to use a laser pointer to find an object in a dark room...  relative small object in an extreme large room. 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Edited December 21, 2019 by Gromnir

[Guard Dog]

2 hours ago, LadyCrimson said:

Tried to watch the 1st episode of The Witcher. I'll agree Cavill fits the role/does a decent job but even from the very start action sequence I felt like I was watching SyFy or CW but with even less budget. Nothing wrong with that if the show is good overall (hey I still watch ST:OS right) but for me the pacing was a bit off and much of the dialogue and other actors felt rather stilted/shallow. There's nothing extremely "wrong" but things just feel a little off somewhere. I'll try to watch more later ... I've heard the last few episodes "get better".

This is from someone who hasn't played the games (outside of an hour or two of TW3) nor read the novels, tho.

I completely agree with every word!

[Maedhros]

Episode 1 was terrible. Luckily it got better after that.

[Lexx]

8 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

Why wouldn't, for example, radar work in space?

Check out There Ain't No Stealth In Space, it's pretty good at explaining everything. There's also lots of stuff about combat in space in general - it just doesn't work like in Star Trek, Star Wars, or most other sci-fi shows.

[Skarpen]

The Witcher netflix series is a little messy and some of the choices are rather questionable. As someone who read all the books I must say first and foremost I can imagine someone not familiar with the books might be heavily confused on the timeline of the story. Netflix series shows events that are decades apart basically back to back with no indication what happens when, short of a a line or a character that is younger/older which is easily spotted by someone familiar with the story but a new person would certainly miss. I understand that showrunners wanted to have Geral/Ciri/Yennefer in basically every episode, but it could be done so much better. 

On a technical note Witcher series adapts 5 (out of 7) stories from Last Wish book and 2 (out of 6) stories from Sword of Destiny. Characters and some events are taken from stories that are not adapted. Basically whole story involving Yennefer (basically everything involving Yennefer without Geralt ) and Nilfgaardians is made up by showrunners. Selection is decent, my only concern would be lack of the story "Shard of Ice" which would make sense between episode 5 and 6 as it covers the time when Geral and Yennefer lived together, and is btw the one Istredd is from. Without it it makes little sense there is even a relationship between the two. Adaptations of the stories are laughable and I think it shows. Just look at the prime example of the story where

Spoiler

Geralt and Jaskier are hired to track the "devil".

What was in the books a deeper story about human/elves conflict full of meaningful dialogs and a good dose of humor is cut into "in and out Rick and Morty 3 minutes adventure". No offence to Rick and Morty. The best aspect of Witcher stories are humor and dialogues and details that give the events meaning and proper context. And it's sadly mostly gone. I bet no one that did not read the book could figure out why

Spoiler

Geralt fought with Renfri and her crew in Blaviken

as there is omission of a few very important facts. All in all I think it wasn't the best idea to cram both books in to a single season of only 8 episodes.

Casting is in most cases all right. Cavill is really good, outshined only by Joey Batey playing Jaskier which I consider the best casting choice of the series. My only pet peeve with casting is that I was pretty sure after LoTR/Hobbit we finished with casting little people in the roles of Dwarves in fantasy movies. Or maybe if you do at least cast the guys that look the part? 

I will rate it 6/10 and hope season 2 will be more comprehensible when they will cover the novels instead of stories.

 

Edited December 21, 2019 by Skarpen
spelling

[Gromnir]

4 minutes ago, Lexx said:

Check out There Ain't No Stealth In Space, it's pretty good at explaining everything. There's also lots of stuff about combat in space in general - it just doesn't work like in Star Trek, Star Wars, or most other sci-fi shows.

one big mistake with the article linked. scanning entire sky current takes four hours. it then takes months (and sometimes years) to actual analyze all that data. again, you gotta be looking right at an object to see it. 

am suspecting practical "stealth" will actual be opposite o' what folks expect. combat is gonna be happening at such vast distances, stealth, for all intents and purposes, will be making self look so big that practical targeting becomes near impossible. polar bear in a blizzard.

we will say, every movie and tv space combat we has ever seen described looks wrong on so many levels. again, combat will be taking place at incredible distances, so no view screens or close ship-to-ship battles with broadsides o' torpedoes and lasers and railguns. 

HA! Good Fun!

[Gorgon]

7 hours ago, LadyCrimson said:

Tried to watch the 1st episode of The Witcher. I'll agree Cavill fits the role/does a decent job but even from the very start action sequence I felt like I was watching SyFy or CW but with even less budget. Nothing wrong with that if the show is good overall (hey I still watch ST:OS right) but for me the pacing was a bit off and much of the dialogue and other actors felt rather stilted/shallow. There's nothing extremely "wrong" but things just feel a little off somewhere. I'll try to watch more later ... I've heard the last few episodes "get better".

This is from someone who hasn't played the games (outside of an hour or two of TW3) nor read the novels, tho.

Boy the siege and battle scene was terrible. Everyone just flailing away at each other with no plan. At one point they run up to the castle gates with the apparent plan of standing in a big blob staring at while being attacked from above. 

[Gorgon]

7 hours ago, LadyCrimson said:

Tried to watch the 1st episode of The Witcher. I'll agree Cavill fits the role/does a decent job but even from the very start action sequence I felt like I was watching SyFy or CW but with even less budget. Nothing wrong with that if the show is good overall (hey I still watch ST:OS right) but for me the pacing was a bit off and much of the dialogue and other actors felt rather stilted/shallow. There's nothing extremely "wrong" but things just feel a little off somewhere. I'll try to watch more later ... I've heard the last few episodes "get better".

This is from someone who hasn't played the games (outside of an hour or two of TW3) nor read the novels, tho.

Boy the siege and battle scene was terrible. Everyone just flailing away at each other with no plan. At one point they run up to the castle gates with the apparent plan of standing in a big blob staring at while being attacked from above.