All caught up
That's it, I'm done watching the episodes I missed while I was away, mostly Breaking Bad's "Open House" and "Bullet Points". The latter was simply amazing: a super cool cold open, three great conversation scenes involving Walt (the "bullet points" one being both funny and horrible and almost made me feel sorry for Walt), new heartbreaking Jesse scenes (I wanted to slap Walter for being so selfish and unconcerned with Jesse's distress, and the video game thing just made me so sad), new stellar perfomances from Bryan and Aaron...
Tim Goodman wrote a good analysis of the last two episodes and the themes of season 4 (thanks to hungryhippo11 for the link) and Myles McNutt wrote a great review of "Bullet Points" on his blog.
I really should stop watching any other tv shows when Breaking Bad is currently on. It's so brillant, both in writing, acting and in regard to the cinematography, that it isn't fair to other series to be seen along.
Yet I still watched the True Blood and Torchwood episodes I had missed.
Concering Miracle Day, I must say that the two last episodes showed a certain improvement but that Americanized version of Torchwood just doesn't work for me. The writing is very formulaic and filled with plotholes and predictable stuff and yet lacks the charm the old Torchwood used to have...To tell the truth, I have never been a fan of the show (I can't stand Barrowman but I watched for Gwen and for Owen) -- I much prefer Doctor Who --- and the series was poorly written most of the time (in s1 and 2) but it had a certain crackiness that made me smile, and it has all vanished when crossing the Pond. All that remains is the things I don't like about RTD's writing to which is added an American formula. I really should give up...
As for True Blood, it's a bit less boring now than in the beginning of the season and the series had its moments but it's hardly quality tv. Sure some things work, either as comedy moments (Jason, Jessica) or in terms of plot (King Bill, Antonia) or as acting perfomances ( Sam Trammel baby!), but it's difficult to turn a blind eye on the bad stuff and the clichés. For instance the Sookie/Eric 's first sex scene was terrible, and the aftermaths dialogue in bed was awful. I guess that part of the problem is the poor material the series is based on. From what I have been told the Charlaine Harris' books aren't very good...
Actually the more I watch True Blood the more I admire Joss Whedon's writing on Buffy and how he managed to avoid cliched scenes and create refreshing things, well...most of the time. Just compare his take on things and relationships in season 6 and 7 and compare it to the clichesque versions of this season of True Blood!
Yet, I'm sure that TB is much more popular than Buffy late seasons were...
I'm also watching 90's show these days...
I have been having an OZ dvd marathon (a birthday present!) for weeks and falling in love with the show all over again. It was truly a groundbreaking tv shows and a masterpiece in terms of originality and characters study. Eammon Walker was so gorgeous as Kareem Said, Dean Winters so charming as survivor and Iago-like Ryan O'Reilly, and I love Rita Moreno as Sister Pete, father Mukada...and oh Miguel Alvarez' tragic fate still breaks my heart!
And it's funny to notice that there were so many actors who would be on The Wire years later, who appeared there, either as regulars (Bodie used to be Kenny Wangler!) or guests playing hacks or prisoners (Daniels, Avon Barksdale, Carter, Herc, Lester!). Also, I had forgotten that Battista from Dexter used to be an inmate in Emerald City (when Dexter started I only recognised Gloria) .
Sometimes it's just soooo obvious that there's a huge gap between the greatest tv shows and entertaining and efficient tv shows (which are already so much better than most of the tv crap people watch).
That said, entertainment can be good too, when it's done well. I'm still watching my way through Babylon 5 (currently I'm halfway in season 2) and loving the ride. I wouldn't put the show in my pantheon and it has a bit aged already (much more than OZ), but it's a lot of fun and I've grown fond of the characters who are more subtle than it appeared at first. I rather adore Garibaldi, G'Kar and Lennier, I think that Londo's journey is quite interesting. I'm pleased that Sinclair has been replaced by Sheridan aka Bruce Boxleitner
I know, I really watch a lot of television this Summer...
Tim Goodman wrote a good analysis of the last two episodes and the themes of season 4 (thanks to hungryhippo11 for the link) and Myles McNutt wrote a great review of "Bullet Points" on his blog.
I really should stop watching any other tv shows when Breaking Bad is currently on. It's so brillant, both in writing, acting and in regard to the cinematography, that it isn't fair to other series to be seen along.
Yet I still watched the True Blood and Torchwood episodes I had missed.
Concering Miracle Day, I must say that the two last episodes showed a certain improvement but that Americanized version of Torchwood just doesn't work for me. The writing is very formulaic and filled with plotholes and predictable stuff and yet lacks the charm the old Torchwood used to have...To tell the truth, I have never been a fan of the show (I can't stand Barrowman but I watched for Gwen and for Owen) -- I much prefer Doctor Who --- and the series was poorly written most of the time (in s1 and 2) but it had a certain crackiness that made me smile, and it has all vanished when crossing the Pond. All that remains is the things I don't like about RTD's writing to which is added an American formula. I really should give up...
As for True Blood, it's a bit less boring now than in the beginning of the season and the series had its moments but it's hardly quality tv. Sure some things work, either as comedy moments (Jason, Jessica) or in terms of plot (King Bill, Antonia) or as acting perfomances ( Sam Trammel baby!), but it's difficult to turn a blind eye on the bad stuff and the clichés. For instance the Sookie/Eric 's first sex scene was terrible, and the aftermaths dialogue in bed was awful. I guess that part of the problem is the poor material the series is based on. From what I have been told the Charlaine Harris' books aren't very good...
Actually the more I watch True Blood the more I admire Joss Whedon's writing on Buffy and how he managed to avoid cliched scenes and create refreshing things, well...most of the time. Just compare his take on things and relationships in season 6 and 7 and compare it to the clichesque versions of this season of True Blood!
Yet, I'm sure that TB is much more popular than Buffy late seasons were...
I'm also watching 90's show these days...
I have been having an OZ dvd marathon (a birthday present!) for weeks and falling in love with the show all over again. It was truly a groundbreaking tv shows and a masterpiece in terms of originality and characters study. Eammon Walker was so gorgeous as Kareem Said, Dean Winters so charming as survivor and Iago-like Ryan O'Reilly, and I love Rita Moreno as Sister Pete, father Mukada...and oh Miguel Alvarez' tragic fate still breaks my heart!
And it's funny to notice that there were so many actors who would be on The Wire years later, who appeared there, either as regulars (Bodie used to be Kenny Wangler!) or guests playing hacks or prisoners (Daniels, Avon Barksdale, Carter, Herc, Lester!). Also, I had forgotten that Battista from Dexter used to be an inmate in Emerald City (when Dexter started I only recognised Gloria) .
Sometimes it's just soooo obvious that there's a huge gap between the greatest tv shows and entertaining and efficient tv shows (which are already so much better than most of the tv crap people watch).
That said, entertainment can be good too, when it's done well. I'm still watching my way through Babylon 5 (currently I'm halfway in season 2) and loving the ride. I wouldn't put the show in my pantheon and it has a bit aged already (much more than OZ), but it's a lot of fun and I've grown fond of the characters who are more subtle than it appeared at first. I rather adore Garibaldi, G'Kar and Lennier, I think that Londo's journey is quite interesting. I'm pleased that Sinclair has been replaced by Sheridan aka Bruce Boxleitner
I know, I really watch a lot of television this Summer...