General Television Discussion

[webstar1000]

A friend told me today that I HAVE to watch Gotham....well, I'm glad I read your posts...

Save your time my good friend... watch these instead: Better Call Saul, CHOSEN, Banshee or Flash/Arrow.

[fernandito]

It's because it doesn't have a hook. No cliffhangers. No characters getting killed off. Nothing out of the ordinary to add intrigue. No criminal element. You could say the hook is the advertising world but it's not really much of a hook when compared to what a show like Breaking Bad offers. That's why I like Mad Men so much. It's so good and doesn't rely on anything except it's characters and storytelling to keep people watching. It's the most gimmick free TV show I can think of.

Mad Men is a great show, no doubt, but it most definitely has a gimmick.

Whenever I came across someone who professed their unyielding love for that show, I'd ask them what was so great about it, and the answer was always some variation of "Well their clothing is like, so awesome, and they look so cool when they smoke cigarettes and chug drinks!" I can't recall a single instance of someone mentioning the complexity of its characters. The advertising world is very much its gimmick. The creators aren't dumb, they know that by casting attractive actors/actresses and having them look cool as fuck while smoking cigarettes they'd be able to ensnare the lower common denominator.

And don't forget about Don's mysterious past that gets stretched out over practically the entire show.

I'm glad I caved in and decided to cave in and check the show out for myself though. It occasionally misfires by giving more screen time to characters who aren't all that interesting, but it's by a large an excellently crafted and very compelling show.

[pathoftheturtle]

I'm not surprised that you love "Mad Men," Mattrick. You hate "Big Bang Theory," after all, and the appeal is its perfect opposite.

[Still Servant]

It's because it doesn't have a hook. No cliffhangers. No characters getting killed off. Nothing out of the ordinary to add intrigue. No criminal element. You could say the hook is the advertising world but it's not really much of a hook when compared to what a show like Breaking Bad offers. That's why I like Mad Men so much. It's so good and doesn't rely on anything except it's characters and storytelling to keep people watching. It's the most gimmick free TV show I can think of.

Mad Men is a great show, no doubt, but it most definitely has a gimmick.

Whenever I came across someone who professed their unyielding love for that show, I'd ask them what was so great about it, and the answer was always some variation of "Well their clothing is like, so awesome, and they look so cool when they smoke cigarettes and chug drinks!" I can't recall a single instance of someone mentioning the complexity of its characters. The advertising world is very much its gimmick. The creators aren't dumb, they know that by casting attractive actors/actresses and having them look cool as fuck while smoking cigarettes they'd be able to ensnare the lower common denominator.

And don't forget about Don's mysterious past that gets stretched out over practically the entire show.

I'm glad I caved in and decided to cave in and check the show out for myself though. It occasionally misfires by giving more screen time to characters who aren't all that interesting, but it's by a large an excellently crafted and very compelling show.

Mad Men is essentially a nighttime soap opera. One with a extremely high production values, actors and solid writing, but a nighttime soap nonetheless.

[pathoftheturtle]

A nighttime soap opera and also a period piece. A big part of its popularity seems to be a retreat from shifting values to a setting where crookedness was straight out.

[Jon]

straight out crookedness...hmmm. what a funny language.

[mae]

I'm not surprised that you love "Mad Men," Mattrick. You hate "Big Bang Theory," after all, and the appeal is its perfect opposite.

I love both.

[pathoftheturtle]

I'm not surprised that you love "Mad Men," Mattrick. You hate "Big Bang Theory," after all, and the appeal is its perfect opposite.

I love both.

Yeah; me, too. A little.

[fernandito]

I guess I can understand the appeal of TBBT, but I personally just don't find it funny.

[allasorte]

I started watching "Suits" and it's pretty good. Almost like Harvey is like House in his arrogance. I like the jokes thrown in from movies quotes. Is it awesome; no. But I enjoy it.

[Jimimck]

Just read through the last couple of pages of this thread and sounds as though I am in the minority but I love Gotham. It has a fun feel about it, and is done rather well re budget/set design etc. I'm enjoying it and hope it carries on beyond season one.

[allasorte]

Just read through the last couple of pages of this thread and sounds as though I am in the minority but I love Gotham. It has a fun feel about it, and is done rather well re budget/set design etc. I'm enjoying it and hope it carries on beyond season one.

The ratings drop every week and I know no one that watches it. They all say the same thing of the people I know, "nothing special" or "I watched 3-5 episodes, it sucks, I'm done." I'm stunned there will be a second season. It is so poorly written. When you have a serious episode about a villain named "the goat," the show has gone full retard.

[Jimimck]

Sounds as though people were expecting a more serious show. I like it for what it is, bit of fun, telling a back story for characters we don't know too much about.

[WeDealInLead]

Sounds as though people were expecting a more serious show. I like it for what it is, bit of fun, telling a back story for characters we don't know too much about.

Exactly. I'm into it. The show combines all the elements of previous Batman incarnations. Yes, even the campy Adam West stuff. It's not like the producers took five and someone snuck onto the set and threw together some corny scenes. If it's mindless and corny, it's meant to be mindless and corny. Sheesh. If this is "full retard", than so was Adam West's Batman and all the movies leading up to The Dark Knight trilogy.

Obviously enough people are watching the show if it got renewed. That doesn't necessarily mean the show is quality, but it does prove contrary to when people say that no one is watching it. I wouldn't lose any sleep it was cancelled but I'm not disappointed by the show either. It's FUN.

And here's this: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/gotham/s01/

[pathoftheturtle]

I like gothic more than campy, although it's true that the reverse has always been popular, and characters that have little back story after 75 years probably don't need much.

[allasorte]

Anyone here watch "The Killing" on AMC? I just started watching the first season and so far, so slow. Very slow moving. I noticed 4 seasons and was curious if anyone got that far? I'm not sure what to think of it. It's not a turd.......yet.

[RUBE]

I want to watch it one day but haven't had the chance. I got the impression it was like Twin Peaks without the camp. If its slow because they are trying to make it more like a real murder investigation than all of these unrealistic, CSI-type shows then I would be OK with that.

[allasorte]

I enjoyed the first season of Twin Peaks but the second went way out there as it got too spiritual about other worlds which seemed too off base for me. But I enjoyed it.
The Killing is getting better, but it still is slow moving. Not a fan of some of the characters and I'm not sold yet on liking the 2 detectives either. I still loved the Woody and Matt from "True Detective."

[Still Servant]

Anyone here watch "The Killing" on AMC? I just started watching the first season and so far, so slow. Very slow moving. I noticed 4 seasons and was curious if anyone got that far? I'm not sure what to think of it. It's not a turd.......yet.

I've seen every season of The Killing. The first season is the best, but it left a bad taste in my mouth as well as the mouths of its viewers. They essentially pulled a fast one on their audience. Season 1 was built up as, "Who killed Rosie Larsen?" Everybody was under the assumption we would find out who the killer was at the end of the first season. For some stupid reason, the creators decided to not give us the answer at the end of season 1. This resulted in huge backlash from the fan base. Season 2 premiered with a fraction of the audience and it was all downhill from there. The show was cancelled twice until finally resurfacing on Netflix for its final season. I enjoyed the first and last seasons the best. The other seasons had their moments, but they were uneven. The show is a slow burn, but that never bothered me.

The good news is that anybody catching the series now doesn't have to deal with waiting a whole year between season 1 and 2 to find out who killed Rosie Larsen.

For my more in depth thoughts on The Killing series you can read my blog. There are no spoilers. I know that's not really your thing, but somebody else might find it interesting.

http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/po...Killing/cdp6/1

[allasorte]

Anyone here watch "The Killing" on AMC? I just started watching the first season and so far, so slow. Very slow moving. I noticed 4 seasons and was curious if anyone got that far? I'm not sure what to think of it. It's not a turd.......yet.

I've seen every season of The Killing. The first season is the best, but it left a bad taste in my mouth as well as the mouths of its viewers. They essentially pulled a fast one on their audience. Season 1 was built up as, "Who killed Rosie Larsen?" Everybody was under the assumption we would find out who the killer was at the end of the first season. For some stupid reason, the creators decided to not give us the answer at the end of season 1. This resulted in huge backlash from the fan base. Season 2 premiered with a fraction of the audience and it was all downhill from there. The show was cancelled twice until finally resurfacing on Netflix for its final season. I enjoyed the first and last seasons the best. The other seasons had their moments, but they were uneven. The show is a slow burn, but that never bothered me.

The good news is that anybody catching the series now doesn't have to deal with waiting a whole year between season 1 and 2 to find out who killed Rosie Larsen.

For my more in depth thoughts on The Killing series you can read my blog. There are no spoilers. I know that's not really your thing, but somebody else might find it interesting.

http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/po...Killing/cdp6/1

I don't find the show amazing, but not bad. AMC has done well with their new show programming and current shows. And yes, I feel they dragged it out too long. I like the detectives, but her male partner seems more thug then a true detective. When the show moves slowly I tend to start surfing the internet. The creators figured out a way to make 2 seasons, 26 episodes, to finish one case, so the slow burn is evident there. Not sure where season 3 is going yet, another murder, another slow burn? 'm looking forward to season 4 then.

[RUBE]

Anyone here watch "The Killing" on AMC? I just started watching the first season and so far, so slow. Very slow moving. I noticed 4 seasons and was curious if anyone got that far? I'm not sure what to think of it. It's not a turd.......yet.

I've seen every season of The Killing. The first season is the best, but it left a bad taste in my mouth as well as the mouths of its viewers. They essentially pulled a fast one on their audience. Season 1 was built up as, "Who killed Rosie Larsen?" Everybody was under the assumption we would find out who the killer was at the end of the first season. For some stupid reason, the creators decided to not give us the answer at the end of season 1. This resulted in huge backlash from the fan base. Season 2 premiered with a fraction of the audience and it was all downhill from there. The show was cancelled twice until finally resurfacing on Netflix for its final season. I enjoyed the first and last seasons the best. The other seasons had their moments, but they were uneven. The show is a slow burn, but that never bothered me.

The good news is that anybody catching the series now doesn't have to deal with waiting a whole year between season 1 and 2 to find out who killed Rosie Larsen.

For my more in depth thoughts on The Killing series you can read my blog. There are no spoilers. I know that's not really your thing, but somebody else might find it interesting.

http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/po...Killing/cdp6/1

Funny, that does make it seem like Twin Peaks. The network advertised it as "Who killed Laura Palmer?" when Lynch intended to NEVER reveal who did it. When he didn't reveal the killer in season one the network forced him to do it in season two and it killed the show. It changed the whole dynamic of the show. The finale was Lynch's protest for the way the network treated his work. I wonder how the new Twin Peaks will work?

[Jimimck]

So I have been watching Breaking Bad since October last year, for the first time. I have just watched the last two episodes now. I feel emotionally drained and need a drink.

[Girlystevedave]

Mad Men is essentially a nighttime soap opera. One with a extremely high production values, actors and solid writing, but a nighttime soap nonetheless.

I'd have to agree, I guess. And while I really like Mad Men and think it's a good show, nothing ever really happens on it.
"This week on Mad Men: Pete talks to a client. Joan gets an unexpected visitor." Yet, I keep watching it.

I guess I can understand the appeal of TBBT, but I personally just don't find it funny.

Thank you! I don't get why people think it's funny. And I'm sorry, but the character of Sheldon Cooper is just annoying.

[pathoftheturtle]

I'm going to have to start a spreadsheet for who has what shade of feeling about BBT and MM respectively.

[DoctorDodge]

Mad Men is essentially a nighttime soap opera. One with a extremely high production values, actors and solid writing, but a nighttime soap nonetheless.

I'd have to agree, I guess. And while I really like Mad Men and think it's a good show, nothing ever really happens on it.
"This week on Mad Men: Pete talks to a client. Joan gets an unexpected visitor." Yet, I keep watching it.

The funny thing is that I've learned from quite a few of my favourite films and stories: sometimes, a plot really isn't necessary. Withnail & I and Boyhood are both films where there really is no actual plot as such, and both are films I adore watching. I'll have to start watching Mad Men soon. I'm curious about it, to say the least.

I guess I can understand the appeal of TBBT, but I personally just don't find it funny.

Thank you! I don't get why people think it's funny. And I'm sorry, but the character of Sheldon Cooper is just annoying.

Geeky stereotypes? I'm ok with it for the occasional watch, but there's definitely been a lot better shows that play on nerd culture while being hysterical to watch as well. We both know how awesome Spaced was, Amanda, and I've enjoyed what I've seen of Community so far.

And yes, Sheldon Cooper is more annoying than funny.