What’s on TV?

[Arkitect]

Honestly I think you are being harsh at least about Downton Abbey. You see there is this house full Lords and Ladies and their easy living lifestyle is threatened by changing times and the fact that there is not enough money in the world to sustain such a lifestyle indefinitely without putting forth effort, and we get to see their struggles. I think the best part of this kind of story is about the help who more realistically deal with their role of a life story centered on 24/7 service, helping those poor rich folk get dressed, prepare, consume their meals and wipe their asses for them. Don’t get me wrong, I see some truths in this historical depiction/fiction about the human condition and lap it up. And no, it it very far from being a complete picture of the human condition but there are glimpses as best as a story like this can be told.

The best one was Gosford Park.
Written by Julian Fellowes, but directed by Robert Altman.

Same setup. Above Stairs/Below Stairs, with a spicey murder thrown in.

But! Altman makes us see the reality of the time. Sure the surroundings may be elaborate, but we see the mud and blood and shit.
These upper crust lords and ladies are monsters. They do not care — except about themselves as they back stab one another for advantage.

Alas, from that grew Downton Abbey. Christ on a bike!

 

[Huntn]

The best one was Gosford Park.
Written by Julian Fellowes, but directed by Robert Altman.

Same setup. Above Stairs/Below Stairs, with a spicey murder thrown in.

But! Altman makes us see the reality of the time. Sure the surroundings may be elaborate, but we see the mud and blood and shit.
These upper crust lords and ladies are monsters. They do not care — except about themselves as they back stab one another for advantage.

Alas, from that grew Downton Abbey. Christ on a bike!

They do not care — except about themselves as they back stab one another for advantage.

You’ve nailed much of the human race.

 

[Arkitect]

They do not care — except about themselves as they back stab one another for advantage.

You’ve nailed much of the human race.

Oooooo! You old cynic you!

 

[Edd]

Atlanta is back! First two eps were typically great TV.

 

[DT]

This looks terrific:

Watch Shining Girls - Apple TV+

Years after a brutal attack left her in a constantly shifting reality, Kirby Mazrachi learns that a recent murder is linked to her assault. She teams …

tv.apple.com

Awesome cast:

• Elisabeth Moss as Kirby Mazrachi
• Wagner Moura as Dan
• Jamie Bell as Harper Curtis
• Phillipa Soo as Jin-Sook
• Amy Brenneman as Rachel

 

[DT]

Atlanta is back! First two eps were typically great TV.

I meant to reply earlier, holy hell, Atlanta, it's so good, I held off on S03, and since Wife missed it the first time I watched, we're re-watching from the beginning. DG's performance is so nuanced, everyone is amazing, and I love the fairytale/ like stories, it's almost not like a real-time POV, it's like someone telling a fable (if that makes sense).

Kind of off topic, but your quote, Wife got me a really neat single malt Irish for my birthday (see car thread for other present), it's amazing, and for some reason, hahaha, when I first tried it, I had kind of an Al Swearengen moment

 

[lizkat]

The best one was Gosford Park.
Written by Julian Fellowes, but directed by Robert Altman.

Same setup. Above Stairs/Below Stairs, with a spicey murder thrown in.

But! Altman makes us see the reality of the time. Sure the surroundings may be elaborate, but we see the mud and blood and shit.
These upper crust lords and ladies are monsters. They do not care — except about themselves as they back stab one another for advantage.

Alas, from that grew Downton Abbey. Christ on a bike!

Yeah but as an escape: the clothes and the food and the landscapes were just what some of us were looking for when Downton Abbey turned up.. I freely confess that from the first episode on, I didn't care if those trappings surrounded a soap opera or a documentary, so I was definitely in their target audience.

 

[DT]

Moon Knight recently premiered on D+, it's a new MCU/Marvel show, starring Oscar Isaac is the titular role, (umm, roles ), Ethan Hawke, week-at-a-time release schedule, season one is scheduled for just 6 episodes.

 

[Cmaier]

Moon Knight recently premiered on D+, it's a new MCU/Marvel show, starring Oscar Isaac is the titular role, (umm, roles ), Ethan Hawke, week-at-a-time release schedule, season one is scheduled for just 6 episodes.

I liked the first episode. Good bits of humor.

 

[lizkat]

Watching episodes of the CNN docu about the Murdochs. since that has been made available on demand as part of the package of CNN's films and TV series on the new CNN+ streaming platform.

Somehow I had managed to forget all about that whole News of the World scandal with the hacked phones. Anyway it's interesting to see how the old guy really has played his kids off against each other over time. What a family. The realities even make the fictional Succession series on HBO Max seem a bit pale sometimes.

 

[DT]

Moon Knight was terrific fun! It was a little off the rails in the best possible way, Oscar Isaac is stellar and you can tell, he's having a blast. BTW, if you like Oscar Isaac, but haven't seen Inside Llewyn Davis or Ex Machina, I'd highly recommend both (and they're radically different movies).

 

[Edd]

Moon Knight was terrific fun! It was a little off the rails in the best possible way, Oscar Isaac is stellar and you can tell, he's having a blast. BTW, if you like Oscar Isaac, but haven't seen Inside Llewyn Davis or Ex Machina, I'd highly recommend both (and they're radically different movies).

Inside Llewyn Davis is mandatory Coen Brothers homework. Oscar Isaac’s musical performances are quite something.

 

[Edd]

Finished season 4 of Yellowstone yesterday. It continues to be bad, yet addictive, television. In the last couple of seasons, particularly, there’s a fair amount of talk about morals being sort of a made up thing which, sure, I suppose that’s correct. But, you know, fuck morals when you need to murder people trying to seize your real estate.

Also, family, land, being a cowboy is a hard life, no girls in the bunkhouse, and “Montana is poverty with a view”.

 

[Alli]

Moon Knight was terrific fun! It was a little off the rails in the best possible way, Oscar Isaac is stellar and you can tell, he's having a blast. BTW, if you like Oscar Isaac, but haven't seen Inside Llewyn Davis or Ex Machina, I'd highly recommend both (and they're radically different movies).

Just started it last night. Wow!

 

[mollyc]

what a great thread. I'll have to read back a bit as my husband and I are always looking for a new show. Right now we've been enjoying The Dropout on Netflix (me moreso than him) and The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray on ATV+. Ptolemy Gray is really good with Samuel L. Jackson in it.

We rarely ever watch sci-fi so that rules out a lot of the more popular shows out right now. Some great suggestion in here though.

 

[Eric]

Yeah but as an escape: the clothes and the food and the landscapes were just what some of us were looking for when Downton Abbey turned up.. I freely confess that from the first episode on, I didn't care if those trappings surrounded a soap opera or a documentary, so I was definitely in their target audience.

Same here, this has to be one of the best shows ever made IMO, so well written and produced throughout. Alas, I had to stop watching after the season 4, episode 3. it's a shame, my wife still wants to watch so it's one of those shows that we do on our own time in other rooms now.

Spoiler

The rape scene was so disturbing that I simply couldn't watch any more, it was way too graphic and violent and I had a hard time sleeping that night. IMO it was far beyond what was necessary to get the point across, to the point of simply being gratuitous. I tried to start the next episode but when I saw she would have to face the rapist again it was the final straw, they crossed the line with me.

 

[DT]

Severance fans, a second season has been ordered

 

[shadow puppet]

Just started it last night. Wow!

Looking forward to episode 2 of Moon Knight tonight!

 

[Eric]

Moon Knight was terrific fun! It was a little off the rails in the best possible way, Oscar Isaac is stellar and you can tell, he's having a blast. BTW, if you like Oscar Isaac, but haven't seen Inside Llewyn Davis or Ex Machina, I'd highly recommend both (and they're radically different movies).

Just started it last night. Wow!

Looking forward to episode 2 of Moon Knight tonight!

I was on the fence but it sounds like I'll have to try it, and convince my wife to give it an episode as well.

 

[Huntn]

I finished Barry Season 1 (2018- HBO)- A former military, now hitman goes to L.A. for a job and stumbles into an acting class. This show has some comedic elements, it’s good and disturbing. I really dislike 30 min episodes, but for this one, I can look past it.

​

Moon Knight was terrific fun! It was a little off the rails in the best possible way, Oscar Isaac is stellar and you can tell, he's having a blast. BTW, if you like Oscar Isaac, but haven't seen Inside Llewyn Davis or Ex Machina, I'd highly recommend both (and they're radically different movies).

Ex Machina was stellar, a wonderful AI story.