What's on the idiot box... Part 2

[Amentep]

 

Last Man on Earth > Omega Man > I am Legend (movie)

 

I am Legend the movie seemed to actually miss the point of I am Legend the novel, something LMoE got (and, in its way, OM did as well)

 

But I still liked the Constantine movie even if it was nothing like its source material.

 

And this is my point as well. The movie Constantine missed the point of what the character is, why the character is why he is, how he looks and acts, his motives which is a big part of the comic, and pretty much threw the source material out the window.

 

And I understand that; I'd argue though that IAL though is a poor film and a poor adaption; Constantine to me was a decent film that was a poor adaption.

 

If you changed the movie title to Angels and Demons and Constantine's name to Joe Smith but kept everything the same in the movie, you would never know it was based on the comic. The same cannot be said if you changed Batman Forever to Vigilante Superhero and Bruce Wayne to Joe Smith and kept everything the same in the movie. You would know it was based on Batman with how the character looks, his sidekick, the enemies he goes up against.

Actually if you changed the title to Angels and Demons, you'd be wondering what Dan Brown had to do with it all. *ba-dum-dum*

 

And with I am Legend, it has better ratings (critic and user) than Contantine. And if you have no knowledge of either source material, I can see why. But if you have knowledge of I am Legend and no knowledge of Constantine, then you're arguing from a side of bias. It's probably why some people like movies such as X-Men Origins: Wolverine because they've never read or have no knowledge of the source material.

Heck I'm familiar with Wolverine's origin and still liked X-Men Origins: Wolverine (but then I'm not expecting fidelity to the comic books from the X-films; that ship sailed with the first film).

 

The TV show looks to be a very close and near faithful adaption of the comic book, albeit a few changes like changing the setting from England to America. But the character seems to be a lot more faithful to the comic. And that's a good thing.

The TV show does look closer to the comic character; but if its like the new 52 version of the character its a definite pass. Mind you I preferred Constantine in the pages of Swamp Thing as a supporting character than I ever have as a lead.

[Walsingham]

Stretching the point to include the radio, the BBC are airing

 

The Sofa of Time

 

 

Which is sort of Shaun of the Dead with hobbits and swords.

[Hurlshort]

 

Would have preferred if the costume was scarlet instead of maroon, but its not bad that that's my main complaint.

 

Law & Order: Red Streak Edition

 

It does look very good.

[Nonek]

My boy has been realy getting into Asimov lately, which i'm quite proud of, so we watched "I Robot" together tonight. I don't know if it's just me but does the central AI look almost exactly like the female face of Shodan from System Shock 2?

[ManifestedISO]

You know what, planetary scale animation is off the charts. Cosmos is bringing it. 

[Oerwinde]

Stretching the point to include the radio, the BBC are airing

 

The Sofa of Time

 

 

Would love to see this as a TV mini or something.

 

Which is sort of Shaun of the Dead with hobbits and swords.

[BruceVC]

I just started watching a series call Copper, only 2 seasons were made but I am thoroughly enjoying it. Its set at the end of American Civil War in New York and in the very turbulent and violent five points area. Its about an Irish detective who has to solve various crimes, very entertaining

[Oerwinde]

I just started watching a series call Copper, only 2 seasons were made but I am thoroughly enjoying it. Its set at the end of American Civil War in New York and in the very turbulent and violent five points area. Its about an Irish detective who has to solve various crimes, very entertaining

Season 2 isn't nearly as good, and ends on a cliffhanger. The infuriating thing was itwas cancelled before a single episode of s2 was aired, and the reason given was that the producers felt it had reached a good spot to end it on.

[BruceVC]

 

I just started watching a series call Copper, only 2 seasons were made but I am thoroughly enjoying it. Its set at the end of American Civil War in New York and in the very turbulent and violent five points area. Its about an Irish detective who has to solve various crimes, very entertaining

Season 2 isn't nearly as good, and ends on a cliffhanger. The infuriating thing was itwas cancelled before a single episode of s2 was aired, and the reason given was that the producers felt it had reached a good spot to end it on.

 

 

Interesting input. I'll keep that in mind

[Rosbjerg]

Blew through the NBC series "Hannibal" season 1 on Dk Netflix.. Wow, what a mindblowingly good show. I've always been a bit ambivalent towards Mads Mikkelsen in Danish television, but he's really becoming a great great actor on the international stage. He makes Hannibal seem so extremely dangerous - in the words of one reviewer; "He's almost like an alien predator, or a velociraptor in human form. When he smiles, you're probably about to die. Mikkelsen is chilling, funny, and blazingly brilliant." And yet at the same time he's so inviting, charming and interesting.. Like a true sociopath should be.

 

 

Seriously, if you love dark, violent and gritty shows - this is a must see.

[Hurlshort]

I've discovered Veronica Mars on Amazon Prime, and it is fantastic.  I'm almost done with the first season.

[Raithe]

Watch the whole 3 seaons, then hit the film.. Definitely worthwhile.

 

Also watch out for the odd cameos of the likes of Joss Whedon and a few others who likes the show so much they got themselves put in it...

[Labadal]

Watching Silicon Valley. it blows Big bang Theory out of the water. There's a wide gap in quality, in my opinion. (Although, I do admit that Howard in BBT is a favorite character of mine.)

 

Sure, they overdo it a bit in Silicon Valley, but I like the characters and get a lot of laughs out of the show.

[Amentep]

Veronica Mars is awesome.  I still enjoy seeing how the mysteries play out even though I've seen the series before.  And the movie was great (glad I backed the kickstarter).

 

The recent tie-in novel was only okay, but I liked it enough I would get the second one that's coming out.

[ManifestedISO]

Monaco! Awe yeah, mechanical issues for the Red Bull!         Though of course, doesn't take the sting out of Ferrari having lost the plot this year. 66 laps to go, anything can happen ... and it _usually_ does. 

 

 

[BruceVC]

Guys I have just started watching 2 series that  some of you may have seen already but if not and you like your horror\supernatural you MUST watch

 

• Salem

Set in the town during where  the infamous witch trials were held. Its a combination of supernatural, as there are real witches, and historical account of what it was like in those days

 

• Penny Dreadful

Set in  England in the 1890's it has vampires and other beasts from Victorian mythology.

 

I won't say more or I may ruin the excitement

[Amentep]

I'm looking forward to seeing PENNY DREADFUL eventually...

 

 

But there's a part of me that thinks...would it be too much to ask for them to actually add some characters who actually appeared in Penny Dreadfuls? So far it looks to be built more on traditional Victorian age supernatural stories (with the exception of Victor Frankenstein who is pre-Victorian; written in the early 1800s and set in the late 1700s). When it was announced I was almost hoping to see Sexton Blake* punch Varney the Vampire and Spring Heel’d Jack or something.

 

 

*yeah, I know Sexton Blake was in the Harmsworth's half-pennies, but as they were a response to the "evils" of the Penny Dreadfuls, who better to fight their evil in a TV show?

[ManifestedISO]

If 'crumbly' is an adjective for comedy, then I think it describes The Wil Wheaton Project--I laughed for the most part, even as some bits fell off. Still pretty good effort for a premiere Talk Soup-style half-hour. The Neil DeGrasse Tyson bits were the best, drunk and stoned, haha. 

 

If you live in the US, the episode is up on SyFy already. 7/10 Wil watch again. 

[BruceVC]

I'm looking forward to seeing PENNY DREADFUL eventually...

 

 

But there's a part of me that thinks...would it be too much to ask for them to actually add some characters who actually appeared in Penny Dreadfuls? So far it looks to be built more on traditional Victorian age supernatural stories (with the exception of Victor Frankenstein who is pre-Victorian; written in the early 1800s and set in the late 1700s). When it was announced I was almost hoping to see Sexton Blake* punch Varney the Vampire and Spring Heel’d Jack or something.

 

 

*yeah, I know Sexton Blake was in the Harmsworth's half-pennies, but as they were a response to the "evils" of the Penny Dreadfuls, who better to fight their evil in a TV show?

 

I didn't know  historically what a Penny Dreadful was until you mentioned it and I checked. Now it makes sense

[ManifestedISO]

Whew, Summer Glau is glammed up for Arrow. I don't watch this show usually, what with all the perfect cheek-bones on every character, but my Firefly fancy enjoys anything Summer is in.

[ManifestedISO]

I don't know if you Brits that are interested can get American programming, but there's a two-hour NOVA doc on how the seafloor off Omaha and other Normandy beaches is being mapped with high-resolution imaging. They're also bringing veterans out to sea, down into a submersible to see the very ship that was blown up beneath their feet on D-Day. Goes into a lot of the tech used, Higgins boats, transport ships, etc. It is incredible.

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/military/dday-sunken-secrets.html

[Amentep]

 

I'm looking forward to seeing PENNY DREADFUL eventually...

 

 

But there's a part of me that thinks...would it be too much to ask for them to actually add some characters who actually appeared in Penny Dreadfuls? So far it looks to be built more on traditional Victorian age supernatural stories (with the exception of Victor Frankenstein who is pre-Victorian; written in the early 1800s and set in the late 1700s). When it was announced I was almost hoping to see Sexton Blake* punch Varney the Vampire and Spring Heel’d Jack or something.

 

 

*yeah, I know Sexton Blake was in the Harmsworth's half-pennies, but as they were a response to the "evils" of the Penny Dreadfuls, who better to fight their evil in a TV show?

 

I didn't know  historically what a Penny Dreadful was until you mentioned it and I checked. Now it makes sense

 

I am here to educate AND entertain.

[Labadal]

Started watching Breaking bad because everyone seems to love it. It's been decent so far, but I am far from loving it. I'll keep going for a few more episodes or maybe even another season. We shall see, I guess.

[Hiro Protagonist]

Breaking bad is a slow burn that eventually hooks you into the story. I was the same when I first watched it and couldn't see what was so special about it. Once you're into the story, you won't regret it. The thing I don't get is the hate for Skyler as I felt she was a great character as was all the characters. And it's a shame that the actress Anna Gunn copped abuse from some viewers as well.

 

Shows I've finished:

 

Hannibal - Season 2. Overall, the series has been terrific but I do have an issue with how Jack Crawford has been portrayed compared to the movies. I think Jack has been portrayed terribly in this series. He wanders around like an imbecile with no clue of his own on how to solve a case, constantly referring to Will and Hannibal for 'help'. Contrast this to Dennis Farina in Manhunter (who did a better job than Harvey Keitel in Red Dragon. but I blame the script more than anything else) and the superb performance of Scott Glenn in SIlence of the Lambs, Fishburne's Crawford is the worse out of the lot.

 

Grimm - Season 3. This is one of those guilty pleasures of mine. Great supernatural series and renewed for a 4th season.

 

The Mentalist. Season 6. They could have ended this here as it didn't end on a cliff hanger. If it was cancelled It would be okay. It looks like the writers didn't want to take a chance of not being renewed so they gave it a happy season ending. But it appears it's been renewed for a seventh season and is rumoured to be the last season. I hope so because it's now dragging it out.

[BruceVC]

Started watching Breaking bad because everyone seems to love it. It's been decent so far, but I am far from loving it. I'll keep going for a few more episodes or maybe even another season. We shall see, I guess.

 

Yeah Breaking Bad really grows on you, you just need to accept that most of the main characters start descending into this vortex of completely  dysfunctional behaviour and perspective. But damn its fun to watch