What's on the idiot box?

[Raithe]

On tv related matters somewhat, at least it's not a death but still, showing time creeping onwards..

 

Sir David Attenborough reveals he is struggling to recall names as he tours the globe for new tv series

 

 

Sir David Attenborough is taking longer to write the script for his upcoming series because he struggles to recall 'proper names', he has disclosed.

As he continues to travel the globe at 90 years old for Blue Planet II, the naturalist admitted he is "coming to terms" with the fact that when it takes longer to find the right words, you can "run into problems".

 

Speaking to the Telegraph 24 hours after a trip to the Jura Mountains in Switzerland, he added: "There were these searing yellow fields and I can’t think of the damn name. I wanted to say something about it but I couldn’t and it wasn’t until we got quite close to Geneva that I thought, of course, oil seed rape."

 

Sir David also admits that at nearly 91, he does not use the internet or emails, despite working with some of the most pioneering technology in the world to make his documentaries.

In an admission that will no doubt be reassuring for pensioners across Britain, he said: "I’m not a big fan of electronic communication. When it comes to making television programmes, I like to think that I know what the latest gear is and what tomorrow’s latest gear is, but maybe I'm deceiving myself.

 

In last year’s celebrated Planet Earth II series, he appeared on screen only twice, once on a hot air balloon over the Alps at the beginning, and once from the top of London’s Shard. Showing no signs of slowing down, in Blue Planet II, he will make the same number of appearances, from Florida and Dominica.

 

Speaking of one spectacle to be shared with viewers, he added: "I’ve just come back from Florida where we have been filming spinner sharks. There are 20,000 of them and people don’t even know they’re there. From a helicopter you can see this great column of fish and sharks, and just over there, there are people exercising their dogs on the beach."

Despite his age, he remains as dedicated to conserving the planet as ever, adding: "Everyone must do what they can because it’s the most valuable thing we have got, whether your 60 years old or 106."

 

After more than 60 years of unveiling the world’s wonders to the British public, Sir David has witnessed a vast change in the state of the world.

While wildlife programming was once about showing off the simple beauty of nature, now he is criticised for not showing the full extent of the crisis facing many species and habitats today.

 

"Fifty years ago we thought the natural world was invulnerable so never mentioned any problems. The criticism today is you are showing a false impression of the world, you never show any disaster, illnesses, you don’t show poaching; you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

 

"If we only showed the Garden of Eden aspect of the natural world and never any of humanity’s effect on it then we would be culpable, but we do."

Sir David, a former director of programming at the BBC, added that the corporation has a duty to make brave documentaries that challenge public perceptions.

"The moment you say that you’re only going to do the things that people like then you’re in trouble."

 

However, speaking at the Sir David Attenborough Building at an event dedicated to conservation's successes yesterday, he highlighted how important positive stories can be.

Likening conservation to voting, Sir David said: "If you think that there is nothing you can do about an impending disaster then you won’t do anything. If you talk to a psychologist, I think you will find that if you continually bombard people with news of disaster then they will actually freeze and say ‘there’s nothing I can do’."

Professor Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist and psychologist who spoke before Sir David at the Earth Optimism event yesterday agreed.

 

"A number of species have been brought back from the brink of extinction. More land has been set aside for conservation. It’s important to highlight the improvements that have been made because if you sincerely believe that we are doomed, that the world is heading for a horrific apocalypse unless we immediately take steps that we have no probability of taking, then the rational response is 'let’s not even bother'."

 

Speaking to an audience including Princess Michael of Kent yesterday, Sir David told the story of a bridge in Borneo that was abandoned after conservationists warned it would be the final death knell for an already decimated area of rainforest.

 

His closing address followed stories of the black robin and Mauritius kestrel, bought back from the brink of extinction when there was just one known breeding female left.

In his final words at Earth Optimism, he added: "I'm optimistic because of children. I see a lot of children, children write to me, and it is my impression that over the last 60 years, they have become aware, and it is their belief that the natural world is their inheritance."

[Gfted1]

The Flash S3E19

 

 

Emo-Flash literally made me lol.

 

[Zoraptor]

 

Typical Barry though, messes with time and gets emo Barry out of his funk so he can 'vanish in crisis' a few months later. Ironic. He could save himself from depression but not from some sort of multiverse collision/ implosion he probably caused with all his time meddling. Plus Savitar's identity has been narrowed down to people with at least one leg...

 

 

it was the last bit that made me lol. At this point it's just taking the mickey.

[Gfted1]

I'm sure the answer is: because it would screw up the season story line but a couple things:

 

 

 

1) Cisco can only vibe through his (organic) hands? C'mon, seriously? Cant even fire from the stumps?

2) Ffs Barry, just run Isis into the future one day after shes supposed to die.

3) That 2024 tech of "speed force field disruption" smells like a macguffin. Slip it into Savitar's armor and turbo punch his face off?

 

[Obsidian sucks]

I watched the new War and Peace mini series and thoroughly enjoyed it. I havent enjoyed a new series since Stranger Things so this was nice.

[ShadySands]

HN Aliens

[Raithe]

American Gods.

 

Perfectly Gaiman.

[Gromnir]

American Gods.

 

Perfectly Gaiman.

hmmm.

 

we would say instead, "american gods is perfectly fuller."   

 

 

vikings step off boat and get hit by hundreds o' arrows in .2 seconds, plus a punctuation arrow in the foot, followed shortly thereafter by a comic bloodbath and a disembodied sword arm stabbing a viking through the throat.

 

 

 

fuller more than gaiman.  am not complaining, but tone were set early.

 

the book were never our favorite gaiman as it lacked necessary focus, but am s'posing such would actual be a non-problem for a tv show lasting multiple episodes and seasons.  rather than try and capture some kinda non-existent singular american identity, gaiman explored the diversity o' america/americans, which meant he were kinda all over the map both literal and figurative. messy.  

 

however, for episodic tv, having access to a plethora o' unique and colorful characters is gonna be welcome and increase longevity as repetition will be easy to avoid.  gaiman has even added characters for the tv show, yes? 

 

am curious to see how much the show diverges from gaiman and his book, and truth is we is hopeful for more fuller than gaiman as we want a few surprises.

 

oh, and the show were pretty to look at, but am hopeful the show don't eventual become self indulgent with the lavish images and loaded symbolism. 

 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited May 1, 2017 by Gromnir

[Gfted1]

FYI, Lucifer is back from hiatus.

[Gorgon]

The Expanse E13

 

The season finale was awesome. Season 3 was confirmed for 2018 so I have a long wait.

mmm the dilemma felt forced. Why didn't they just go back and shoot the thing 

[Lexx]

I am not sure the hundreds of other ships in the area would really get what was going on?

 

Still sux that Miller is gone. He partly defined the show for me.

 

 

Also learned yesterday that season 2 of Hap and Leonard is out. Cool.

 

American Gods ep1 was... interesting? I've heard / read nothing about it before, so I was left a tad in the dark. The over the top intro was a bit of a "meh", but all right, will see how this is going to end.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Lexx

[Gfted1]

The Flash S3E20

 

 

Finkel is Einhorn!

 

[Zoraptor]

That episode summed up the whole season of Flash. Could have been good, but too drawn out and too much stultifying and senseless relationship d-r-a-m-a in between the good bits.

 

 

Savitar = Barry was actually a decent enough reveal despite it being by far the strongest possibility after Wally got out of being trapped in the speedforce so quickly. It was pretty well foreshadowed even as far back as ep1 (Eobard's "now who's the villain, Flash?" line). But it felt like half the episode was Joe/ GF and Cisco/ Julian drama for absolutely no reason other than to get to the 41 minute mark and I can't help but feel that they've left the reveal an episode or two too late as well.

 

[Leferd]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h3m7B4v6Zc

 

Don't normally like superhero teamups, but sometimes it works.

 

[Blarghagh]

American Gods. Weren't they going to change stuff? First episode is practically the book verbatim, makes me wonder why I bothered watching. Certainly not for the Zack Snyder slo-fast-mo blood spatter nonsense. Skip if you've already read it, it adds nothing of value.

[Oerwinde]

That episode summed up the whole season of Flash. Could have been good, but too drawn out and too much stultifying and senseless relationship d-r-a-m-a in between the good bits.

 

 

Savitar = Barry was actually a decent enough reveal despite it being by far the strongest possibility after Wally got out of being trapped in the speedforce so quickly. It was pretty well foreshadowed even as far back as ep1 (Eobard's "now who's the villain, Flash?" line). But it felt like half the episode was Joe/ GF and Cisco/ Julian drama for absolutely no reason other than to get to the 41 minute mark and I can't help but feel that they've left the reveal an episode or two too late as well.

 

 

I figured HR was Savitar due to him referring to Wally as Wallace, saying "you know me, I love a good story" and the trend of having a new Wells each season. It could still be wells what with him having that tech that makes his face look different.

 

[majestic]

Binged BoJack Horseman. Loved the storyline(s), dialogue and voice acting, didn't really like the animation, but that's a problem I have with a lot of western animation.

Edited May 6, 2017 by majestic

[Gorgon]

I am not sure the hundreds of other ships in the area would really get what was going on?

 

Still sux that Miller is gone. He partly defined the show for me.

 

 

Also learned yesterday that season 2 of Hap and Leonard is out. Cool.

 

American Gods ep1 was... interesting? I've heard / read nothing about it before, so I was left a tad in the dark. The over the top intro was a bit of a "meh", but all right, will see how this is going to end.

I meant when he was stuck behind whatever and the thing was digging into the reactor core. 

[ManifestedISO]

 

That episode summed up the whole season of Flash. Could have been good, but too drawn out and too much stultifying and senseless relationship d-r-a-m-a in between the good bits.

 

 

Savitar = Barry was actually a decent enough reveal despite it being by far the strongest possibility after Wally got out of being trapped in the speedforce so quickly. It was pretty well foreshadowed even as far back as ep1 (Eobard's "now who's the villain, Flash?" line). But it felt like half the episode was Joe/ GF and Cisco/ Julian drama for absolutely no reason other than to get to the 41 minute mark and I can't help but feel that they've left the reveal an episode or two too late as well.

 

 

I figured HR was Savitar due to him referring to Wally as Wallace, saying "you know me, I love a good story" and the trend of having a new Wells each season. It could still be wells what with him having that tech that makes his face look different.

 

 

I'm watching the first two seasons trying to figure out Savitar, but, nothing doing--although it's obvious the writers love to flip the table after setting up certain scenarios, so I wouldn't be surprised if you're right about a double reveal ...

 

Favorite shot from the entire series ... season two, on Earth 2, in Barry and Iris' house, the rotary phone push-button speed dial contact list: "Bruce ... Hal ... Diana"

[Rosbjerg]

American Gods. Weren't they going to change stuff? First episode is practically the book verbatim, makes me wonder why I bothered watching. Certainly not for the Zack Snyder slo-fast-mo blood spatter nonsense. Skip if you've already read it, it adds nothing of value.

Did you turn 30 recently? I swear, you're getting more cynical by the hour

[Gromnir]

 

American Gods. Weren't they going to change stuff? First episode is practically the book verbatim, makes me wonder why I bothered watching. Certainly not for the Zack Snyder slo-fast-mo blood spatter nonsense. Skip if you've already read it, it adds nothing of value.

Did you turn 30 recently? I swear, you're getting more cynical by the hour

 

and to be fair, the viking scene at the start o' the first episode is not how the novel began.  when the viking longboat myth is eventual shared in the book, it is less campy, and is much darker than fuller's version.  laura has also been dealt with different than in the novel. even so, along with a bit o' unnecessary exposition in episode 2, failure to use the longboat story from the novel would be our biggest complaint thus far.  

 

technical boy has clear been updated as well, though am thinking he needed one.  

 

gonna be a multi-season series for a ~450p book?  is gonna be, we suspect, plenty o' new material.  cause for concern and anticipation, eh?

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps am thinking the buffalo-man works better as a buffalo. minor change, but...

 

pps (late edit) is likely other differences, but in the spirit o' full disclosure, even though Gromnir has ridiculous good memory, we read american gods sixteen years ago.  an suspecting we will miss multiple changes.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Gromnir

[Labadal]

The latest Mr. Robot episode I watched was a bit of a mind**** in a good way. I wasn't expecting that. Not watching much TV or anything these days. Black Sails is the next to-watch series for me.

[Labadal]

Sorry about double post. Yesterday, I was out running in summer clothes, today it was freezing and I had to wear a jacket. Funny how weather works. Almost mid May and we're still getting snow. We will spend the entire day outside on Wednesday and the weather forecast is "cold and snowy". 

[Bartimaeus]

I watched all of Stranger Things. I had virtually no interest in it to start with - not really my genre, and so it more or less happened by accident. I have pretty severe difficulties tolerating child actors...

 

It was pretty, uh, pretty good.

[Katphood]