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@SKT:
There were parts I absolutely loved and parts where I scratched my head. I think the themes reminded me a little too much of what I perceive to be wrong with American culture right now. And I’m sure that was the point but it was uncomfortable to watch. Probably also the point.
It was brutally cynical as a morality play. Again, without spoilers, the end result for both the newly weds horrified Hot Ingrid (who didn’t see it coming), but was a delicious testament to the power that the super wealthy hold over others.
Nice though, that there was that one ray of hope offered by the youngest character.
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Finished White Lotus and thought it was great, though agree it was a showcase for everything wrong with being an entitled American (very much the point). It was fantastic because although it was scathing satire filled with people you can't help but dislike, it managed to maintain a solid comedic tone and provide at least one character who was semi redeemable
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Id argue it wasnt as good as Succession, but it's different and not as light. You've got no one to really root for in WL, except maybe Armond at times, but he's not better than everyone else
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[mention]Joberwocky [/mention] Well said. I think you could root for the spa manager. I think her character was nicely developed as a representative for an entire class of Americans that consistently get let down by the establishment. And then finally she just doesn’t give a shit. Pretty heartbreaking
Also do I need to watch The Expanse? I saw in a previous post you were watching it. Good?
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The Expanse is amazing! Scifi thats not beating you over the head with how futuristic it is, respects you to watch the show and figure out the diverse cultural stuff going on (no episode long exposition dumps) and enough varied and very well written characters that when you hate someone, it's only cause you know their decisions are realistic. It has also managed to stay super compelling through all it's seasons so far without recycling beats. My wife never liked scif, but after I waited and rewatched the first season with her before moving forward, she's been all about it.
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Succession IMO is a mighty high bar @Joberwocky … an excellent dark dramedy. Irredeemable characters whose flaws are the direct result of
Murdoch'sLogan Roy's sociopathy/narcissism and his pitting them against one another for his favor. Jeremy Strong is outstanding and for me it's one of the best dark comedies I've seen in some time.Any I agree with you on The Expanse. It makes me wish I had the time to read the books. It's semi-hard (heh heh) sci-fi, done in a way I appreciate. By this I mean it seems mostly plausible in terms of what the human tech and cultures are (SUPER creative and plausible on the latter). There's no faster-than-light travel or anything like that. I need to tie off on Season 5 since the wife is not around this week.
The Wire and The Sopranos are simply classics. I can't say anything about them that hasn't been said already; I think they just need to be watched, kind of like Breaking Bad, which IMO is the greatest drama in any medium this side of stage (hedging for Shakespeare).
Debt of gratitude to @JDelage for reminding me of The Night Manager. I started it but never got around to finishing it and his description/endorsement is spot on IMO.
I'd missed what @Megatron1505 said about Boardwalk Empire (but just saw it when I was confirming JDelage was the one to credit for The Night Manager), and as someone who has long been obsessed by the mob and especially interested in the figures represented in the series, unfortunately I have to agree with him, as much as it pains me to do so. I think they could have done much better with the cast and historical context than they did.
Finally, props to those Aussie bastards responsible for The Wiggles. My daughter can't get enough of them and I'm ashamed to admit I know some of the songs now.
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Ironically @mclaincausey Ive never watched any of The Sopranos or Breaking Bad. When they came through originally I either was not interested (Sopranos) or missed the boat and felt I didn't have time to catch up (BB) but I'm sure some day I'll watch them.
I'm really looking forward to Succession s3. I never would have predicted in s1 I would be actively rooting for Jeremy Strong, his character work there and the writing is phenomenal
I've wanted to get into the Expanse books as well, and I've heard the show actually does a pretty good job in it's interpretation. Amos and Drummer are great characters. The scifi is, I agree, "semi-hard" ha, just far enough out there to be interesting but close enough to be a believable extension of our modern technology that I accept most things without needing an explanation. It's got aliens and otherworldly tech that are incredibly inhuman without being silly.
I'm still campaigning for What We Do In the Shadows, both the movie and now show. Light, well executed low stakes comedy at its best. Sometimes, just sometimes, my shows don't need existential dread. It can be my "Wiggles" -
For others who enjoy Succession there's a good profile of show creator Jesse Armstrong in the New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/30/the-real-ceo-of-succession
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We are two episodes into White Lotus and I am a bit baffled but kinda hooked.
Although it could be for reasons that are not entirely down to the story
[emoji23]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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@spitfiredealer we finished it last night. Baffled is the right word. It's hilarious (maybe not laugh out loud) and cringe, aimless and odd. hard to watch and harder to look away. some scenes carry on too long, but just when you think you have predicted what happens next, it switches up.
painful and brilliant and I give it a 1 and a 10. I don't recommend anyone watch it, but go watch it.
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Yeah, I felt pretty much the same. Paula had to actually hide behind the sofa for some scenes. To sum, I'm not really sure if I liked it or not, but I have been thinking more about it since I finished than almost anything I've watched before….So yeah, job well done, I guess...
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Absolutely fantastic show and Michael K White was for sure a big reason why
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It’s all in the game.
