What’s on TV?

[DT]

It’s on my to watch list. I was reminded maybe incorrectly of Preacher (AMC).

At least on the surface, it has a bit in common with Preacher: horror/thriller genre, some implied supernatural elements, obviously the religious theme and nature of the main/one-of-the-main character.

Tonally they're actually a bit different, Preacher is a super dark comedy, it's vulgar, over-the-top action, visually absurd (and I mean all that in the most positive way ), where Midnight Mass is a slow burn, realistically grounded, it's a drama first, while Preacher is very "comic book-y".

Fun Fact: the main character in Flanagan's movie Hush (starring/co-written by his wife, who's also a star of Midnight Mass), is an author, who's last big blockbuster novel was titled, well, yeah, you guessed it ... Midnight Mass

 

[Edd]

The Internet Archive has a certain number of episodes.

Thanks very much for this recommendation. My wife had never seen it and we watched the first two episodes last night. She really liked it. The music was pretty solid so guessing it’s the original. It looks like it might have all of the episodes so I’ll watch as much as I can. I used Airplay from the iPad to Apple TV and it looked pretty good.

I‘d never heard of the Internet Archive so did a bit of research. I’m surprised it’s allowed to exist but works for me. Thanks again.

 

[Thomas Veil]

The Problem with Jon Stewart (TV+) is, as you would expect from the man, impressive as hell. Stewart's Daily Show interviews were always informed and insightful, and he brings that same sensibility to this show.

There's not much comedy here--although Stewart is a jester and occasionally can't resist little gags like suggesting the show title should maybe have a comma in it. But for the most part this is ¹/₆ Last Week Tonight, ¹/₆ Real Time, and ²/₃ 60 Minutes.

Like LWT, there is a main topic, although on this show that single topic consumes the entire show. Like Real Time, there is a panel, although here the panel consists of people intimately involved in that single subject. On the first episode, available as a free preview, the subject is burn pits--war front waste dumps that cause diseases in soldiers--something I confess I hadn't heard about until now. You can see why this subject would have special meaning to Jon: there is a pretty direct parallel to the plight of the 9/11 first responders that he fought for.

I have to admit, the subject can be depressing. I actually stopped the show halfway though and finished it a bit later. And there's an interview with someone from the VA whom you almost have to feel bad for. He can't give Jon a straight answer to anything, and one ends up with the feeling that he is just as perplexed as Stewart on why this problem can't be solved.

Kudos to Apple and Jon Stewart for this series.

 

[User.45]

View attachment 8991​

The Problem with Jon Stewart (TV+) is, as you would expect from the man, impressive as hell. Stewart's Daily Show interviews were always informed and insightful, and he brings that same sensibility to this show.

There's not much comedy here--although Stewart is a jester and occasionally can't resist little gags like suggesting the show title should maybe have a comma in it. But for the most part this is ¹/₆ Last Week Tonight, ¹/₆ Real Time, and ²/₃ 60 Minutes.

Like LWT, there is a main topic, although on this show that single topic consumes the entire show. Like Real Time, there is a panel, although here the panel consists of people intimately involved in that single subject. On the first episode, available as a free preview, the subject is burn pits--war front waste dumps that cause diseases in soldiers--something I confess I hadn't heard about until now. You can see why this subject would have special meaning to Jon: there is a pretty direct parallel to the plight of the 9/11 first responders that he fought for.

I have to admit, the subject can be depressing. I actually stopped the show halfway though and finished it a bit later. And there's an interview with someone from the VA whom you almost have to feel bad for. He can't give Jon a straight answer to anything, and one ends up with the feeling that he is just as perplexed as Stewart on why this problem can't be solved.

Kudos to Apple and Jon Stewart for this series.

I'll check this out! I need something to replace Real Time.

Rant here:
Real Time should be renamed as Bill Maher Whines About Things He Doesn't Understand, Such as Millennials. As an old millennial myself I'm scratching my head as to how Bill Maher manages to equate the present generations with Tik Tok, IG and Twitter, when he himself rides Twitter and would have definitely had a social media career if this phenomenon emerged whenever he was a newcomer to entertainment. His rants about younger generations feel hypocritical, boring and very much pathetic. When I was younger, derisive comments about my generation used to make me angry, but as I've gotten older, transformed to sincere pity when I noticed one very consistent characteristic of these: The complete lack of taking any responsibility in how the next generations are shaped. Never a bit. This is the swan song of the aging narcissist. What Bill Maher is.

 

[Alli]

I have to admit, the subject can be depressing. I actually stopped the show halfway though and finished it a bit later.

Interesting that you say that. I watched the first episode a few hours ago, but it was so depressing I couldn’t get through it. I don’t believe I’ll go back and finish it though. I think I’ll stick with science fiction. It’s more entertaining and far less depressing.

 

[SuperMatt]

I watched the first 3 episodes of The Morning Show and Foundation. I am really enjoying both. Foundation really feels like it’s going to be epic. For the Morning Show, the character played by Steve Carell (which is clearly based on Matt Lauer) is in a disgraced exile after revelations of sexual misconduct, and it’s interesting to see what he chooses to do with his life going forward. It’s just a side story, but with the rest of the show being about the war to win in the cutthroat news business, it’s a really good side story that rounds the show out a bit.

 

[Alli]

I am really enjoying both. Foundation really feels like it’s going to be epic.

If I hadn’t read it, I would think it was too slow to continue with. The books are epic.

Thanks to everyone who recommended Midnight Mass. All I have to do is get past the character of the sheriff being played by the Englishman who played Ravi in iZombie. He’s wonderful. I’m also very fond of the actor who plays Father Paul, who was wonderful in the HBO series The Newsroom. (That’s another one to go back and watch if you can.)

So far the show is a brilliant character study.

 

[Pumbaa]

If I hadn’t read it, I would think it was too slow to continue with. The books are epic.

I haven’t read it and love the show so far. Same goes for a friend of mine, but sure, we’re a little weird. I was planning to read it but will now wait until after the show is over. It’s a really good production and I’d like to enjoy that without letting knowledge about the source material get in the way, same as with The Expanse.

 

[User.45]

If I hadn’t read it, I would think it was too slow to continue with. The books are epic.

I haven’t read it and love the show so far. Same goes for a friend of mine, but sure, we’re a little weird. I was planning to read it but will now wait until after the show is over. It’s a really good production and I’d like to enjoy that without letting knowledge about the source material get in the way, same as with The Expanse.

Have yet to get time to sit down and watch it with my wife. Per my sci-fi geek friend (who also read most of the books), the material "didn't really come in the way" for the making of the series thus far, so you're probably safe.

I've read 12 books from the Robots/Empire/Foundation Universe (there are 14 novels total and all books are set in the same universe). Asimov was the easiest-to-read author I've ever came across, because he wrote each book like a textbook: made sure you understood the story early on and avoided complex sentences and kept the description of the world vague and focused on tech. The Robots books are generally better, with Foundation and Empire being the best book from the Foundation series, and Robots and Empire and Robots of Dawn best in the Robots series.

Interestingly though, Stars, Like Dust is the one that continuously returns to my mind. He spoke out against the concept of race and racism in that book (1951).

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I'll check this out! I need something to replace Real Time.

Rant here:
Real Time should be renamed as Bill Maher Whines About Things He Doesn't Understand, Such as Millennials. As an old millennial myself I'm scratching my head as to how Bill Maher manages to equate the present generations with Tik Tok, IG and Twitter, when he himself rides Twitter and would have definitely had a social media career if this phenomenon emerged whenever he was a newcomer to entertainment. His rants about younger generations feel hypocritical, boring and very much pathetic. When I was younger, derisive comments about my generation used to make me angry, but as I've gotten older, transformed to sincere pity when I noticed one very consistent characteristic of these: The complete lack of taking any responsibility in how the next generations are shaped. Never a bit. This is the swan song of the aging narcissist. What Bill Maher is.

I stopped watching him years ago. It’s like watching the cliche of somebody becoming a conservative as they get older in "real time". Maybe it’s their comedic roots and that generally being associated with the left and having your finger on the pulse of current culture, but both him and Rogan seem to be in painful denial. I know people and can do have mixed views, but when 80%+ agree on one side you should stop claiming you are a proud champion of the opposite side.

 

[Edd]

Tweet from yesterday.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1444280308925337603/

 

[User.45]

Tweet from yesterday.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1444280308925337603/

Agree

I stopped watching him years ago. It’s like watching the cliche of somebody becoming a conservative as they get older in "real time". Maybe it’s their comedic roots and that generally being associated with the left and having your finger on the pulse of current culture, but both him and Rogan seem to be in painful denial. I know people and can do have mixed views, but when 80%+ agree on one side you should stop claiming you are a proud champion of the opposite side.

I sorta agree with you on this. He's claiming "41% of Biden voters want a civil war" in the context of trying to both-sides the hatred while his guest was trying to elaborate on her opinion about how "cancel culture" is not compatible with liberal values. She kept interrupting his guest to go on an on about his viewers that he identified as liberals want to kill Trumpists. I looked up the survey and the question he equated with eagerness for civil war was actually asort of question like "do you agree with the X states should secede" and that 41% includes somewhat agree.

I've been thinking about this a lot since my last Euro trip. In Europe, these 2 parties would be actually be5-6 different parties and on that sort of platform you can expect a consistent value system. With the American two-party system, consistent and coherent value systems are impossible to establish on a party level, and all this ruminating about US politics is just ruminating about this very phenomenon.

 

[Eric]

Third season of Ghosts is out on HBO+. I’m afraid of how the US version is going to look when it’s released.

This has become one of our favorite shows to watch, not just funny but thoughtful and endearing in its own right. The casting here is really well done and while they all seem perfect for their roles, Alison really makes this show for me.

We're in the middle of the second season now and can't wait to see more. It has its own brand of British humor and if that's your thing, you'll love this show. I also saw that they've started an American version but I have no interest in that. We really need to stop robbing them of great show ideas and come up with something original here.

 

[Hrafn]

Finished the one season of Wu Assassin, now back to Into The Badlands.

 

[Alli]

Finished the one season of Wu Assassin, now back to Into The Badlands.

I really enjoyed Into the Badlands.

 

[Huntn]

Ted Lasso sure cleaned up at the Emmy's. Really loving that show.

But something occurred to me that is a bit depressing. When channel surfing I will stop on shows like Cheers or Seinfeld or Friends and watch a few minutes. Not sure we will ever get that with Ted Lasso. Jason Sudekis planned for a 3 season run which at 10 eps a season won't be enough to get it into syndication. And I won't flip over to ATV+ just to watch it when I have a few minutes. So I probably won't ever see it again after we watch it. And that is a bit sad.

Frazier all 10 or 11 seasons is on Amazon Prime. Wife has been binge watching it.

 

[Huntn]

I’m waiting for the wife to get back from a trip and next Sunday to watch the last 2 episodes of Evil Season 2 together.

Third season of Ghosts is out on HBO+. I’m afraid of how the US version is going to look when it’s released.

Would you recommend Ghosts?

 

[Eric]

Would you recommend Ghosts?

I know you're asking Ali but just wanted to throw my .02 in here, one of the best new shows (at least to me) that I've seen in years.

 

[Huntn]

I know you're asking Ali but just wanted to throw my .02 in here, one of the best new shows (at least to me) that I've seen in years.

Any question like that in a forum is really open to everyone.

 

[Alli]

Would you recommend Ghosts?

Great show with a marvelous cast. If you ever saw The Frighteners with Michael J. Fox, it’s a little like that, but without a bad guy.