Random TV Talk III - Do the Russell Coight

[deep]

if they ever kill off Helena for good, I'm done

 

[monkeyskin]

Well this sucks:

http://www.avclub.com/article/nbc-cancels-hannibal-221196

Season 3 will continue to air as scheduled. Remains to be seen if it then gets picked up elsewhere. The production company apparently had a stipulation that the show must air on American network television, not sure if that still stands.

 

[No spoken words]

It's a pretty expensive show, cannot see it getting picked up elsewhere, but, I could be wrong.

Bummed that this will be the last season but it's sort of a miracle they even ok'd a third season, considering the ratings.

 

[monkeyskin]

3 seasons of this show on network television is a minor miracle, agreed.

I don't think they ever managed to get the rights to Silence of the Lambs, so ending after the events of Red Dragon could be a good way to finish the show. I wouldn't want to see this version of Will sidelined and having him go after Buffalo Bill wouldn't be as effective.

 

[corianderstem]

Noooooooo.

 

[Lancemc]

The best shows always die young. and Hannibal was the best thing in TV bar none for the past three years. Here's praying it gets picked up on Netflix or somewhere. if there's any show that can adapt to new deals or budgets or forms, it's Hannibal, so if they made the legal logistics work it could thrive somewhere for sure.

 

[monkeyskin]

More thoughts based on information from the shows Wiki page:

Spoiler

This season is again split in half, with the Italian meal theme titles running in the first half and the Red Dragon storyline commencing in the back half.

These episodes feel like a mash up of Hannibal and Hannibal Rising, with Will chasing Hannibal across Europe and Gillian Anderson filling the Clarice role. Assuming he's imprisoned during the Red Dragon storyline and Will retires afterwards, all that's missing is The Silence of the Lambs. Do we really need another version of that? Mason Verger is due back this season too, so it does sound as if most plot threads will be resolved.

So it's a shame to see the most visually striking and unique show cancelled, but it won't have to suffer a drawn out decline in quality either.

 

[Lancemc]

That's actually totally fair. And I'm sure Fuller and Co. crafted this season knowing cancellation was always a distinct possibility.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

The fact that the near plot-less, hallucinatory fever dream that was the second episode of this season aired on network television...well, that's all we could ever ask for...

 

[djerdap]

Cancelled at the exact day I was planning to start watching the show.

It seems to be worth it despite the early cancellation.

 

[Lancemc]

God yes please watch it anyway. Even if this is the last season, it will be such a fulfilling and complete work in a lot of ways. But already Fuller has come out and said they've been actively pursuing other avenues for the show to continue, and apparently it was fairly cheap on NBC's end in terms of licensing so who knows.

 

[Hewson]

RIP Dick Van Patten.

 

[lazarus]

For some reason thought he was much older. I watched 8IE pretty regularly as a kid.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=vfucRcpQ65I

 

[No spoken words]

I watched it too, but, for whatever reason, I couldn't tell you a damn thing about it. Just don't remember anything specific.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

He was a druish legend

 

[Hewson]

I watched it too, but, for whatever reason, I couldn't tell you a damn thing about it. Just don't remember anything specific.

There were 8 kids, I remember that.

 

[No spoken words]

That seems like more than enough kids, no?

 

[corianderstem]

That's too many cooks kids.

 

[No spoken words]

Cybernetic Operational Optimized Knights of Science.

 

[Hewson]

That's too many cooks kids.

Smarf

 

[deep]

19 minutes into new series on USA, Mr. Robot
And I am ready to call it - a keeper.

 

[deep]

Ok, I will say best series ever on USA network
TV Guide - Mr. Robot Has Landed a Second Season Before It Even Premieres - Entertainment - Bridgewater Independent - Bridgewater, MA

 

[LemonMelon]

Finished the third episode of The Wire season 5, carrying discussion over from RMT:

Spoiler

Still bad.

McNulty drunk fucking some random woman in public was the worst shark jump yet (did Judd Apatow write that scene? What the fuck show am I watching?) but Lester soberly aiding the serial killer plan was about it for me. Like Bunk, I'm out. This is so stupid. If the writers had introduced two anarchists to the show, I could get behind this. But these are two fully-developed characters being used to fulfill some "what if...?!" that the writers dreamed up in their more cynical moments. I don't buy it. Further, Bunk being the aloof and whiny voice of reason (however correct he may be) is a waste. Bunk without swagger might as well not exist.

Then there's the newspaper plot. Holy fuck it's boring. There's so much preaching going on in every damn scene. I don't remember the dock workers or teachers going "boy, it really sucks being a teacher because __________" or "I became a dock worker or teacher because ___________" or "I love dock work or teaching because __________" in the most explicit terms. Hey guys, did you know that newspapers are dying? And that budget cuts force writers to cut corners? No? Well, you'll catch it next time.

And since when did all of the characters sit around and read the Sun all day? The Sun was brought up from time to time in previous seasons, but seldom a means of communication between anyone. Again, fucking stupid. I get that the physical paper is being forced in there to compensate for the lack of work put into connecting the newspaper with the main cast, but that doesn't make the writing any better.

The only thing I'm enjoying is the Marlo/Prop Joe/Omar plot. The police commissioner overhaul is also watchable.

 

[djerdap]

Spoiler

I am with you on Lester. As much as the season has grown on me, that is one decision that I simply cannot take seriously, especially when taking his tension with McNulty in season 3 into consideration.

However, McNulty and his drunken sex escapades are hardly out-of-character. He relapsed, he is behaving worse and more obnoxious than ever before and it's not like this is that far away from the stupid shit he's been doing in season 2.

As far as the newspaper plot is concerned, Clark Johnson's performance is the one reason why I can forgive many of its transgressions. But yeah, it is anything but subtle and Simon holding a personal grudge hurts the show and makes it way too on-the-nose.

In any case, I understand your complaints... but there are good things to come.

 

[LemonMelon]

Spoiler

Yeah, the fucking on a car hood reminded me a lot of the wild brothel sting from season 2. Just a more extreme and nonsensical version. It's not without precedent, just more absurd.

I'm looking forward to seeing how these various plots are executed. They haven't worked for me because they currently are focusing on setting them up and I'm finding the logic of them wanting in certain areas. Once they're carried out, I expect the experience to improve.

 

[bono_212]

Well, episode 4 finally got me a little interested in what's going on, but those first three episodes were a struggle, for me.

Here's my problem, and it's not just this show:

Spoiler

This carries over from a conversation I've had off and on over the years for many different shows that I love. The reason I don't like TV as much, in general, is because it seems like characters never grow. Writers get so comfortable writing what they know, that to change something is just too scary.

It happened on House several times. In the 2nd episode of the show, even, they tried to write a little humanity into the character, but it was never addressed again. In season 4, a long-standing debate about House Vs. Spirituality/God came to a head when he had some sort of near-death experience and saw something, but they never addressed it again. His relationships with drugs and people came to a head in season 6 and by season 7 it finally looked like maybe he'd settle down/find peace. But instead he drives his car through a house by the end of the season. Because, good Lord, Crazy House Brings in Ratings!

Monk: The worst episode of the show involves a BBQ in which people are commenting on how proud they are of him for growing and showing real progress with his crippling OCD. But if he gets better, how can we write funny at the expense of a mental illness? So he immediately reverts after seeing a woman that looks like his dead wife roaming the streets.

And now we have McNulty. Did I find sober, at home McNulty a little dry? Yeah, but there are so many great characters on this show to make up for it, it didn't matter. There was no reason for what happened at the very end of Season 4/Beginning of Season 5, except that the writers don't seem to want to write a character in this world actually making progress. Write what you know, stick with what's familiar. I hate that in shows, and it makes me feel like there's no point in getting invested in a character or caring about their emotional journey, if it's not actually going to go anywhere.

Carv has been a wonderful exception as we have watched him go from a slack off to a wonderful man and police officer. I love his character.

Anyways, I'm intrigued by where most of this is going.

 

[djerdap]

As far as McNulty goes...

Spoiler

The season 2 already has the brothel and his insane car rides and going home with a teenage waitress after having his hangover breakfast...

But the one difference now is that he's a family man again - in fact, it makes his bullshit disgusting (as opposed to comic) since we are familiar with Beadie, who is a sympathetic character. But he was always verging on alcoholism... Now he's relapsed, he has even more self-loathing to do and it seems to me it's perfectly natural to up the ante.

Even more important is that Dominic West is doing what is possibly his best work ever.

As far as characters never growing, I feel this is exactly the opposite with TV, where you can find some fascinating and believable character growth which is not as easy to find on film, since TV has the time aspect in its advantage. If we're sticking to The Wire, Carver and Prez are the best examples of this.

 

[lazarus]

It's not far from Don Draper's relapses/slow road to legitimate breakthrough.

 

[bono_212]

I definitely am just bitching, and I know it. For everyone one example I can come up with, I'm sure there are a handful to refute it. It just sticks out to me when I see such an abrupt shift.

 

[IWasBored]

Well, episode 4 finally got me a little interested in what's going on, but those first three episodes were a struggle, for me.

Here's my problem, and it's not just this show:

Spoiler

This carries over from a conversation I've had off and on over the years for many different shows that I love. The reason I don't like TV as much, in general, is because it seems like characters never grow. Writers get so comfortable writing what they know, that to change something is just too scary.

It happened on House several times. In the 2nd episode of the show, even, they tried to write a little humanity into the character, but it was never addressed again. In season 4, a long-standing debate about House Vs. Spirituality/God came to a head when he had some sort of near-death experience and saw something, but they never addressed it again. His relationships with drugs and people came to a head in season 6 and by season 7 it finally looked like maybe he'd settle down/find peace. But instead he drives his car through a house by the end of the season. Because, good Lord, Crazy House Brings in Ratings!

Monk: The worst episode of the show involves a BBQ in which people are commenting on how proud they are of him for growing and showing real progress with his crippling OCD. But if he gets better, how can we write funny at the expense of a mental illness? So he immediately reverts after seeing a woman that looks like his dead wife roaming the streets.

And now we have McNulty. Did I find sober, at home McNulty a little dry? Yeah, but there are so many great characters on this show to make up for it, it didn't matter. There was no reason for what happened at the very end of Season 4/Beginning of Season 5, except that the writers don't seem to want to write a character in this world actually making progress. Write what you know, stick with what's familiar. I hate that in shows, and it makes me feel like there's no point in getting invested in a character or caring about their emotional journey, if it's not actually going to go anywhere.

Carv has been a wonderful exception as we have watched him go from a slack off to a wonderful man and police officer. I love his character.

Anyways, I'm intrigued by where most of this is going.

Since you mentioned the second episode of House, I'm just going to say that episode was probably my favorite episode of that show. Or at least 2nd best.


Maybe I'll give the wire a shot since I decided to keep amazon prime. I gave the sopranos a chance and ended up loving that (well, I'm still on season 4). I know they're not the same thing, but I avoided them both for the same reasons.