# TV Shows



## drpraetorus

Do you have a TV show you love to hate? Are there shows from countries other than your own that you particularly enjoy? What are you viewing habits? 

The History Channel has "Ancient Aliens" It purports to show evidence that we have been visited and evolved by aliens we mistook for gods. This show is so stupid it makes my brain hurt. It gives a whole new depth of meaning to the word gullable. 

The foreign shows we get are mostly from the UK. BBC America and PBS. Why don't they make a full season of shows? This 6 weeks and that's it is annoying. I just get into the show and it's over. Anyway, Dr. Who I like. David Tennant is sorely missed but we must soldier on. "Top Gear" I miss regularly. There was a show called "Keeping up Appearances" That was very funny. "Red Dwarf" was good up till the final couple seasons. I'm worried about the reboot. Age does not sit easily on the stars. How do you explain that Rimmer has aged? He's a hologram!

So, weigh in folks.


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## techniquest

> The History Channel has "Ancient Aliens" It purports to show evidence that we have been visited and evolved by aliens we mistook for gods. This show is so stupid it makes my brain hurt. It gives a whole new depth of meaning to the word gullable.


Why? It seems perfectly plausible to me.



> The foreign shows we get are mostly from the UK. BBC America and PBS. Why don't they make a full season of shows? This 6 weeks and that's it is annoying.


In the UK a 6-week series _is_ a full season; that's how we do things here generally. Possibly one reason for this is that we can compress a lot of our shows into a shorter period because we don't have a vast set of adverts to slot in every 5 minutes.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Doctor Who fan right here. And I don't like David Tennant.


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## Ramako

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Doctor Who fan right here. And I don't like David Tennant.


He wasn't bad, but I think the reason the show has gone downhill is not the actor - Matt Smith is ok - but the writer. The guy (I forget his name right now) was excellent for the odd episode or two, but seems to have let the whole thing fall apart in taking charge from Russel T. Davies. Of course, it going downhill is only my opinion 

Anyway, I like Merlin and The Big Bang Theory. My favourite tv show though was made well before I was born - _Yes Minister_, which is not only still relevant but still hilarious.


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## jani

Conan o brien show!!!
Conan is a freaking golden god in here!!!
Also i love:
The Big Bang Theory
Family Guy
The Simpsons
South park


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## Mephistopheles

drpraetorus said:


> Why don't they make a full season of shows? This 6 weeks and that's it is annoying.


I personally find 6-episode series (although they do often vary between 6 and about 12) more compelling. I mean, think about it, unless you're watching all the episodes online after they've been broadcast, you're already spending 6 _weeks_ making your way through the programme. And US series want you to devote 6 _months_ to a storyline?! A 6-weeker also has far better, far more compact writing that is consistent in quality. Series with 20+ episodes claw at plot like trying to strip meat from an already-finished chicken carcass. Give me any series with that many episodes and I bet everything _interesting_ that happened in it can be boiled down to 6 episodes. You _think_ that you're getting more, but you're actually getting roughly the same amount of content just dragged out to unholy proportions to keep you sat in front of the TV adverts.


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## Cnote11

I personally don't care for multi-season shows. It gets to be a bit ridiculous after awhile! I find it to be the worst with dramas, just because there is a necessary continuity. I agree with Mr. Mephistopheles, somewhat. I'm fine with 20 episode shows in some circumstances. Mind you, some countries broadcast multiple shows a week, cutting down on the time. 

However, when shows here are broadcast once a week it can be grating. Sometimes they go off of air for a break as well in the middle of the season!


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## kv466

(i know Phillip's gonna like this...)

I'm waiting for *"Keeping Up With The Jenners"*!


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## Sonata

Can't stand Family Guy.

Not much TV now that I'm back to work from leave. My husband and I are watching The Guild right now, but we only have another two hours or so to go. My son is getting to the age that we can't have certain shows on when he's up. I usually start watching hockey this time of year, but there is a lockout .

So, a Golden Girls or Futurama episode once or twice a week, but that's about it. Spending more time reading/listening to music/playing around on the keyboard.


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## Ravndal

I'm a tv show addict 

My favourites (just to name a few) are:

Downton Abbey, Game Of Thrones, Adventure Time, The Office.

At the moment I'm watching: Weeds, Suits, New Girl, Modern Family, Downton Abbey (season 3).


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## Cnote11

I just watched the new episode of Downton Abbey this morning.


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## clavichorder

drpraetorus said:


> The History Channel has "Ancient Aliens" It purports to show evidence that we have been visited and evolved by aliens we mistook for gods. This show is so stupid it makes my brain hurt. It gives a whole new depth of meaning to the word gullable.
> .


Those history channel shows are terrible!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Ramako said:


> He wasn't bad, but I think the reason the show has gone downhill is not the actor - Matt Smith is ok - but the writer. The guy (I forget his name right now) was excellent for the odd episode or two, but seems to have let the whole thing fall apart in taking charge from Russel T. Davies. Of course, it going downhill is only my opinion


Steven Moffat's episodes were much better before series 5.

The Emtpy Child
The Doctor Dances
The Girl in the Fireplace
Blink
Silence in the Library
Forest of the Dead

Some of the most memorable episodes from the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant years.

EDIT: also, Time Crash (mini episode) was also pretty entertaining, also written by Steven Moffat.


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## Mephistopheles

Re: Doctor Who, I share the feeling of down-hilledness. Personally, while I don't think that Matt Smith is a bad incarnation, I _do_ think that they need a new Doctor because it looks like the longer he's here, the more they are unconsciously channelling this caricature of the Doctor as some quirky buffoon and all the silly jokes and slapstick is just getting a little too much. I read, though, that he's going to be around until at least 2014.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Mephistopheles said:


> Re: Doctor Who, I share the feeling of down-hilledness. Personally, while I don't think that Matt Smith is a bad incarnation, I _do_ think that they need a new Doctor because it looks like the longer he's here, the more they are unconsciously channelling this caricature of the Doctor as some quirky buffoon and all the silly jokes and slapstick is just getting a little too much. I read, though, that he's going to be around until at least 2014.


2014?! I thought they abandoned the idea of loooong incarnations because 3 years was the ideal length.

One thing that I miss is the very "controlled" nature of the Doctor, and more arrogant too like you had with Christopher Eccleston (who was my favourite since the revival of the series). I thought David Tennant was too _emotional_ and rather god-like and Matt Smith's hyperactive quirkiness does give him more of an _alien_ personality but it can get a little too much sometimes, making him rather boring. What they need is someone straightforward, not too emotional, eccentric (but not too hyperactive) and still quite funny.


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## Mephistopheles

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> 2014?! I thought they abandoned the idea of loooong incarnations because 3 years was the ideal length.
> 
> One thing that I miss is the very "controlled" nature of the Doctor, and more arrogant too like you had with Christopher Eccleston (who was my favourite since the revival of the series). I thought David Tennant was too _emotional_ and rather god-like and Matt Smith's hyperactive quirkiness does give him more of an _alien_ personality but it can get a little too much sometimes, making him rather boring. What they need is someone straightforward, not too emotional, eccentric (but not too hyperactive) and still quite funny.


I agree with that! I recently rewatched some of the Eccleston episodes and thought his characterisation was the best, while Tennant had the better story-lines (though Series 1 was still very good). I'm finding with Matt Smith that while he is quirkily alien, it is, at times, simply not believable that this is a man with 900+ years of experience travelling through space and time.


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## Crudblud

My main problem with Doctor Who is the way it tries to balance extreme goofiness and extreme seriousness; David Lynch is an absolute master at this (in much of his post-Elephant Man work, but esp. in Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks) but it is very difficult to pull off and neither Davies nor Moffat are particularly good at it. Yes, it is partly to do with the tacky special effects like the guys with the pig faces and the horrendous CGI flying Daleks, but the stories don't help either - take the episode where the Master turns the Doctor in to Yoda-like shrivelled up gremlin who is then saved by *people chanting his name*, or perhaps the episode in which he uses the Tardis to pull Earth through space. Most recently I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the baby weeping angels and heard their scuttling little footfalls, I just can't take that seriously as being a threat to anyone on the show.

I say the revival peaked with the first series, which had a good balance of humour and seriousness and some quality character development, and from there it went downhill fast. Not wishing to pile too much blame on the writers, who have proven that they can do good work, I imagine executive meddling is largely to blame for the rapid decline and current mediocrity of the show.

Edit: I see now that I have echoed some of the sentiments of others. I started writing this post about an hour ago and only just got back to it.


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## Mephistopheles

Crudblud said:


> My main problem with Doctor Who is the way it tries to balance extreme goofiness and extreme seriousness; David Lynch is an absolute master at this (in much of his post-Elephant Man work, but esp. in Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks) but it is very difficult to pull off and neither Davies nor Moffat are particularly good at it. Yes, it is partly to do with the tacky special effects like the guys with the pig faces and the horrendous CGI flying Daleks, but the stories don't help either - take the episode where the Master turns the Doctor in to Yoda-like shrivelled up gremlin who is then saved by *people chanting his name*, or perhaps the episode in which he uses the Tardis to pull Earth through space. Most recently I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the baby weeping angels and heard their scuttling little footfalls, I just can't take that seriously as being a threat to anyone on the show.
> 
> I say the revival peaked with the first series, which had a good balance of humour and seriousness and some quality character development, and from there it went downhill fast. Not wishing to pile too much blame on the writers, who have proven that they can do good work, I imagine executive meddling is largely to blame for the rapid decline and current mediocrity of the show.
> 
> Edit: I see now that I have echoed some of the sentiments of others. I started writing this post about an hour ago and only just got back to it.


I think one of the other main problems is that the writers tend to over-reach themselves in the big story arcs, _especially_ to such an extent that there only way out is inevitably _deus ex machina_. I think the series is most successful in the clever, self-contained single episodes, some of which have been written by Moffat in the earlier series, and others by Mark Gatiss who I came to admire through _The League of Gentleman_ (twisted sketch show). Neil Gaiman's contribution was also quite good, I thought.


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## drpraetorus

There is really only one Dr. Who


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## Crudblud

Mephistopheles said:


> I think one of the other main problems is that the writers tend to over-reach themselves in the big story arcs, _especially_ to such an extent that there only way out is inevitably _deus ex machina_. I think the series is most successful in the clever, self-contained single episodes, some of which have been written by Moffat in the earlier series, and others by Mark Gatiss who I came to admire through _The League of Gentleman_ (twisted sketch show). Neil Gaiman's contribution was also quite good, I thought.


Yes, I remember Gatiss' Victorian episode very fondly, a fine ghost tale with a clever premise. Haven't seen Gaiman's work on the show, although I have read some of his comics, still haven't made my mind up about him. Anyway, I definitely agree with you about the self-contained episodes, although I do think the continuity of the Eccleston series was really well done. At the moment it seems stuck in (recurring) monster-of-the-week mode, in which things that happen don't matter much at all because the Doctor can just say "wibbly wobbly timey wimey" or reveal some new and highly convenient function of the Tardis (which will never be brought up again) and retcon his way out of any situation, while the Eccleston Doctor had limitations and actually used his brain to solve problems. I also enjoyed the breadth of the first series, it seemed like the Doctor was doing things for the good of the universe and not just for human beings. Oh well, at least it's not Torchwood.


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## Ramako

drpraetorus said:


> There is really only one Dr. Who
> View attachment 8632


Definitely


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## jani

Sonata said:


> Can't stand Family Guy.
> 
> Not much TV now that I'm back to work from leave. My husband and I are watching The Guild right now, but we only have another two hours or so to go. My son is getting to the age that we can't have certain shows on when he's up. I usually start watching hockey this time of year, but there is a lockout .
> 
> So, a Golden Girls or Futurama episode once or twice a week, but that's about it. Spending more time reading/listening to music/playing around on the keyboard.


I really understand people who hate Family guy ( even tough i like it) They don't like the random non sense humor.
For Example;
Peter: Remember that one time when i used to hang out with Fonzie?
And it has nothing to do with the episodes story line etc...


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I just watched one and a half seasons of Steven Moffat's series _Press Gang._


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## drpraetorus

Family Guy and Simpsons seem to be running out of steam. Especially the Simpsons. Not as funny as they used to be. One of the few shows that gives me belly laughs is Big Bang. The BBC series Bedlam starts next week. Looking forward to that. Also Game of Thrones.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I have never ever seen The Big Bang Theory in my life.


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## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I have never ever seen The Big Bang Theory in my life.


Consider yourself lucky, Chuck Lorre is a menace that must be stopped.


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## jani

Crudblud said:


> Consider yourself lucky, Chuck Lorre is a menace that must be stopped.


No, you are wrong.


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## moody

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Doctor Who fan right here. And I don't like David Tennant.


I agree about David Tennant,too much hysterical screeching. But i thought your favourite show was Lockie Leonard.


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## kv466

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I have never ever seen The Big Bang Theory in my life.


Well,...good for you.



> Consider yourself lucky, Chuck Lorre is a menace that must be stopped.


 because? (i've heard everybody else, just wondering why it would affect the commonfolk so much)


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

moody said:


> I agree about David Tennant,too much hysterical screeching. But i thought your favourite show was Lockie Leonard.


What on earth is Lockie Leonard????


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## Cnote11

I saw two episodes of Dr. Who (the newer ones) and it really was one of the worst experiences I've ever had.


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## Cnote11

Can somebody explain Dr. Who to me? Is it supposed to be a parody? It there some sort of kitsch value it is aiming for? Is it supposed to be "so bad, it's good"? I've seen Dr. Who basement parodies that were better produced. I've seen Dr. Who parodies that make Dr. Who seem like it was actually parodying them instead. 

Being American, the only time I hear about Dr. Who is when I run across a young woman who describes herself as "weird", "quirky", and "alternative", These young women also claim to be in love with British culture, yet they actually know next to nothing about Britain and its culture, historical or present. They make their lofty claims of being avid British television fans, yet if I mention a major British personality or a noteworthy show that all of Brittania would know, they always tell me that they do not have a clue what I am on about.


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## jani

Cnote11 said:


> I saw two episodes of Dr. Who (the newer ones) and it really was one of the worst experiences I've ever had.


I accidentally watched one episode of Jersey shore once, it was 3am and i had MTV on.


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## Mephistopheles

Cnote11 said:


> Can somebody explain Dr. Who to me? Is it supposed to be a parody? It there some sort of kitsch value it is aiming for? Is it supposed to be "so bad, it's good"? I've seen Dr. Who basement parodies that were better produced. I've seen Dr. Who parodies that make Dr. Who seem like it was actually parodying them instead.
> 
> Being American, the only time I hear about Dr. Who is when I run across a young woman who describes herself as "weird", "quirky", and "alternative", These young women also claim to be in love with British culture, yet they actually know next to nothing about Britain and its culture, historical or present. They make their lofty claims of being avid British television fans, yet if I mention a major British personality or a noteworthy show that all of Brittania would know, they always tell me that they do not have a clue what I am on about.


It's a hard one to explain and will be different for different people, but one of the things about Dr. Who is that it tries hard (sometimes too hard) to appeal to anyone of any age, so it can drift off into silliness sometimes for the younger audience. The premise is just a general sci-fi, time-travelling programme with a significant degree of humour, light-heartedness, and sentimentality (something I tend to dislike!). It's not meant to be a parody, although I think that lately it has become one by relying on too many in-jokes, self-references, and caricature (perhaps you would enjoy the earlier stuff? Do you even like sci-fi at all?). It certainly does have a kitsch value, and I imagine is more popular with people who particularly enjoy the feeling of identifying as geeks. It's also internationally popular precisely because it's one of those programmes that's easily transported complete with stereotypes and is not truly representative of British culture. Personally, as far as British television goes, if you don't watch _The Thick of It_, I don't want to know you.


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## aleazk

jani said:


> i accidentally watched one episode of jersey shore once, it was 3am and i had mtv on.


.............................................................................. Mtv?.


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## jani

aleazk said:


> .............................................................................. Mtv?.


I watched the south park marathon.


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## aleazk

jani said:


> I watched the south park marathon.


Well, I can accept that.


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## Cnote11

I do like sci-fi. I generally like just about every genre, as I tend to be quite non-discriminatory. I can imagine that perhaps Dr. Who may have been a programme that was noteworthy, but I couldn't help myself from feeling that it truly was trying very, very hard and that it was most likely past its heyday. For fans, sometimes delving into caricature isn't necessarily bothersome, but for a new comer it doesn't leave a very good impression. I feel that the type of cult that surrounds Dr. Who, at least here in America, actively encourages the show to resort to such measures as extensive in-jokes/self-reference. They really seem to pride themselves on those things.

As for your later statement, have you seen _In the Loop_.


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## Cnote11

jani said:


> I accidentally watched one episode of Jersey shore once, it was 3am and i had MTV on.


The sad thing about this comment is that Jersey Shore isn't even in the bottom tier of horrific American shows.


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## Mephistopheles

Cnote11 said:


> I do like sci-fi. I generally like just about every genre, as I tend to be quite non-discriminatory. I can imagine that perhaps Dr. Who may have been a programme that was noteworthy, but I couldn't help myself from feeling that it truly was trying very, very hard and that it was most likely past its heyday. For fans, sometimes delving into caricature isn't necessarily bothersome, but for a new comer it doesn't leave a very good impression. I feel that the type of cult that surrounds Dr. Who, at least here in America, actively encourages the show to resort to such measures as extensive in-jokes/self-reference. They really seem to pride themselves on those things.


Yes, I think you're right. As Doctor Who is pretty much indefinite, I hope for better things in a few years!



Cnote11 said:


> As for your later statement, have you seen _In the Loop_.


Of course I have!! Does this mean you have watched _The Thick of It_? If you have, I might just love you a little.


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## Crudblud

Mephistopheles said:


> Personally, as far as British television goes, if you don't watch _The Thick of It_, I don't want to know you.


Armando Ianucci usually does quality stuff, although I haven't seen the recent Coalition series. Personally I've always been more a fan of Chris Morris; The Day Today (which Ianucci was involved with, I believe), Brass Eye and Jam are probably the best television comedies we've ever had in this country.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud, you are (as we saw before) an excellent television critique, so tell me, from _Asylum of the Daleks_ what do you think of the next Doctor Who companion who goes by the name of Oswin?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Cnote11 said:


> I do like sci-fi. I generally like just about every genre, as I tend to be quite non-discriminatory. I can imagine that perhaps Dr. Who may have been a programme that was noteworthy, but I couldn't help myself from feeling that it truly was trying very, very hard and that it was most likely past its heyday. For fans, sometimes delving into caricature isn't necessarily bothersome, but for a new comer it doesn't leave a very good impression. I feel that the type of cult that surrounds Dr. Who, at least here in America, actively encourages the show to resort to such measures as extensive in-jokes/self-reference. They really seem to pride themselves on those things.


You need to watch some of the Tom Baker episodes and some of the Christopher Eccleston episodes.


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## Cnote11

Mephistopheles said:


> Yes, I think you're right. As Doctor Who is pretty much indefinite, I hope for better things in a few years!
> 
> Of course I have!! Does this mean you have watched _The Thick of It_? If you have, I might just love you a little.


I indeed have. I've gone through copious amounts of British tele that I'm beginning to feel that I can say I've seen more British television series than I have American, despite having lived here for 23 years. I've never much cared for television until the internet. Would you recommend the film?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

_I_ never really cared much for the internet until television.


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## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Crudblud, you are (as we saw before) an excellent television critique, so tell me, from _Asylum of the Daleks_ what do you think of the next Doctor Who companion who goes by the name of Oswin?


I'm afraid I haven't seen that one, or at least I don't think so, the last episode I saw was called "Angels Take Manhattan", the Doctor Who wiki I found isn't very clear about episode order. From what I just read this Oswin character and her situation sounds interesting, even if the Daleks have been wiped out something like three times since the revival, unfortunately I have little faith in the show right now and can't help but feel they'll screw it up somehow.


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## Crudblud

@CoAG: I can't accept your compliment, though, that "critique" I wrote of Doctor Who was clumsy and agitated, though I can only blame myself for writing it when I was tired.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> @CoAG: I can't accept your compliment, though, that "critique" I wrote of Doctor Who was clumsy and agitated, though I can only blame myself for writing it when I was tired.


Oh well, I think you did an excellent job regardless.


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## moody

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> What on earth is Lockie Leonard????


It is an Australian childrens' TV series about a twelve year old boy adapted from the books of that name.---I bet you knew that!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

moody said:


> It is an Australian childrens' TV series about a twelve year old boy adapted from the books of that name.---I bet you knew that!


I've never heard of it.


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## Mephistopheles

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Crudblud, you are (as we saw before) an excellent television critique, so tell me, from _Asylum of the Daleks_ what do you think of the next Doctor Who companion who goes by the name of Oswin?


I will give my opinion even though it wasn't asked for because I'm so special. In brief, I think Oswin is going to be like marmite - love or hate. And the kind of people who will especially love her will be the kind who read xkcd and like to point out to others that they read xkcd. I think I'll find her tolerable. We'll see!



Cnote11 said:


> I indeed have. I've gone through copious amounts of British tele that I'm beginning to feel that I can say I've seen more British television series than I have American, despite having lived here for 23 years. I've never much cared for television until the internet. Would you recommend the film?


Good! I would recommend the film, yes. It didn't dumb down or get any less interesting for the big screen, there are just some slight character shifts to get used to (e.g., 'the f**ker from the end of Series 3 is now the bumbling politician). In case you haven't watched it, I would also recommend _Veep_, which was Ianucci's American take on _The Thick of It_. The tone of it is different, not quite so sweary and gritty, but I thought it was very good in its own right, unusually so for spin-offs.


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## neoshredder

That 70's Show
All in the Family 
Three's Company
Cheers
Seinfeld
90210 (Yes I admit it) 
Breaking Bad


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## Guest

Anyone watching Game of Thrones?

I've been re-watching the previous seasons as a prelude to watching the final season. My reaction is that it was uniformly entertaining through the first five seasons. The sixth season seemed to be the harbinger of an impending decline, and the seventh season seems to loose the narrative thread, although there are some impressive battle scenes, etc. I'm expecting the eighth and final season to be disappointing, based on reviews.

Any other GoT watchers here?


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## Rogerx

Baron Scarpia said:


> Anyone watching Game of Thrones?
> 
> I've been re-watching the previous seasons as a prelude to watching the final season. My reaction is that it was uniformly entertaining through the first five seasons. The sixth season seemed to be the harbinger of an impending decline, and the seventh season seems to loose the narrative thread, although there are some impressive battle scenes, etc. I'm expecting the eighth and final season to be disappointing, based on reviews.
> 
> Any other GoT watchers here?


Over here Baron Scarpia.

https://www.talkclassical.com/the-movie-corner-music-for-cinema-and-tv/


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## tdc

Baron Scarpia said:


> Anyone watching Game of Thrones?
> 
> I've been re-watching the previous seasons as a prelude to watching the final season. My reaction is that it was uniformly entertaining through the first five seasons. The sixth season seemed to be the harbinger of an impending decline, and the seventh season seems to loose the narrative thread, although there are some impressive battle scenes, etc. I'm expecting the eighth and final season to be disappointing, based on reviews.
> 
> Any other GoT watchers here?


You can find some discussion of it here:

What TV Series Are You Watching?


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## Luchesi

It's sad that many people missed the series "Forever". It might've been a big hit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever_(2014_TV_series)


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## Ludwig Schon

Had the misfortune of watching the new Obi Wan Kenobi TV show last night.

Risible trash for the delusional, ignorant masses…


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## perempe

Started watching The Queen's Gambit, now I can recognise Gnossienne No.1.


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## EvaBaron

Have been watching The Boys lately on Amazon, does anyone else know it?


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