TV/Movies Megathread

[HVC]

Finished up season 2 of The Crown. I really hope its success spawns more history as drama like this, and less like that silly spy crap about the Revolutionary War.

Switching out the actors next season. I don't know how that will go.

[Sophie Scholl]

Finished up season 2 of The Crown. I really hope its success spawns more history as drama like this, and less like that silly spy crap about the Revolutionary War.

I will eternally hope for, and eternally be disappointed by the lack of, a series based in and around New York before, during, and after the Revolutionary War.

[Josquius]

I finished Black Mirror.
The definitive ranking of series 4. Spoilers may lie beyond:

• USS Callister- One of the best pieces of sci-fi I've seen in recent years.
• Hang the DJ- Tinder is the devil. And the twist of [spoiler]commodified rebellion[/spoiler]. Oh snap. So relevant.
• Crocodile- Very well done, nicely paced, lumbering thriller.
• Black Museum- Some ideas that they didn't think were worth making into a stand alone episode mashed into a unsatisfying connecting story (there's a proper word for that...I can't remember it). The idea has merit though. I'd like to see them do an anthology format again.
• Arkangel- Nice idea, I can see where they are going with it. This is a real thing to worry about. Though the execution and what they did with it wasn't so great.
• Metalhead-Style over substance. Apparently in the original idea it was to be about drones and show you the guy controlling the dog. I like that better. It's a fun watch. But doesn't really make you think about anything.

[Berkut]

I don't mind a historical drama playing loose with historical fact as long as it for a reason that is to serve the medium, ie:

1. Dialogue. Obviously there is plenty of dialogue that has to be basically made up. Ideally, you do so in a way that fits the historical versions of the characters you are trying to portray, and doesn't outright include things that are simply not true, not possible, or that they could not have known, within reason.

2. Actual events can often be fudged with to make the order and presentation "work". I think this probably happens a lot in something like "The Crown" for example, where you want to tell a sequence of stories. In many cases, you need a consistent narrative, so it might make sense to present the history as ABDCFGEJH if ABDFGH is one plot line, and CEJ is another.

3. Introduction of characters that serve only to help narrate the story. This is usually something like some secretary, or assistant, or some other personage who specifically didn't exist, but it is reasonable to assume people like them existed, and it gives them someone to tell the story through.

And of course you have to entertain, so even some entirely made up crap is fine, as long as it is plausible, and not significantly material to the history. That is a fine line of course, but I think of it kind of like "If historians found documents that show that the made up stuff actually happened, would they all run out and re-write history books? If not, it is fine".

[Tonitrus]

Brights.

Good concept, flawed execution.

Probably would have been a better idea as a series (more time for setting/character development), but that would have meant no top billing (so no Will Smith).

A series based on Shadowrun could actually be really awesome (some things might have to be tossed from the setting to make it less ridiculous, though), I think.  In this case, the "fantasy" setting has too...hmm...2-dimensionally forced.

[mongers]

Is the new 'Dunkirk' worth a viewing?

[Admiral Yi]

Is the new 'Dunkirk' worth a viewing?

You are the C4 of movies, as you have never once paid attention to my advice.

I think it will not be much on the small screen.  The story is pretty thin.

[mongers]

Is the new 'Dunkirk' worth a viewing?

You are the C4 of movies, as you have never once paid attention to my advice.

I think it will not be much on the small screen.  The story is pretty thin.

Yes I have, definitely.

Thanks for the advice, will probably give it a miss.

[Eddie Teach]

Is the new 'Dunkirk' worth a viewing?

You are the C4 of movies,

Yi is so old, he remembers when C4 was a Languish poster.

[celedhring]

Season 2 of Dirk Gently manages to be even more over-the-top than season 1. Also it feels too American, you need more British dryness  to get away with so much silliness.

I see it's been cancelled after this season, too.

[mongers]

Season 2 of Dirk Gently manages to be even more over-the-top than season 1. Also it feels too American, you need more British dryness  to get away with so much silliness.

I see it's been cancelled after this season, too.

Did you ever here the radio series?   I rather liked them.

Also bears repeating, but I guess you've seen the early 2010s bbc tv short series?

[celedhring]

Season 2 of Dirk Gently manages to be even more over-the-top than season 1. Also it feels too American, you need more British dryness  to get away with so much silliness.

I see it's been cancelled after this season, too.

Did you ever here the radio series?   I rather liked them.

Also bears repeating, but I guess you've seen the early 2010s bbc tv short series?

No, I'm aware of its existance but it's hard to get hold of relatively obscure BBC shows over here.

[mongers]

Season 2 of Dirk Gently manages to be even more over-the-top than season 1. Also it feels too American, you need more British dryness  to get away with so much silliness.

I see it's been cancelled after this season, too.

Did you ever here the radio series?   I rather liked them.

Also bears repeating, but I guess you've seen the early 2010s bbc tv short series?

No, I'm aware of its existance but it's hard to get hold of relatively obscure BBC shows over here.

Yeah, they haven't been repeated in a while and by the looks of it largely only available as 2nd audio cd sets on amazon.

Though the bbc tv series on dvd should be easier to find.

[The Brain]

The Ken Burns Vietnam documentary was on the telly. Apparently a bunch of weirdos in the administration hurled America into a foreign adventure for poor reasons. A scary thought.

[The Brain]

OMG Sex and the Ciy 2 just started! Saturday night: saved.