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| knox |
 Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 12:24 pm |
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Joined: 18 Mar 2010
Posts: 1245
Location: St. Louis
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| P of I had quite the finale. Harold loses his beloved library, everyone goes underground, a monster AI that thinks 24 million Americans are "deviant" is set loose. Terrifying and fascinating. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 12:54 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| It looks like a whole new setup for the next PofI season, but at least all our heroes survived (including Bear, who got to be involved in the action this time). It was a bit weird switching to "Frontline" on PBS during the commercials--it was about the NSA's rise to power and how the word got out. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 8:47 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6944
Location: Black Hills
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| Wow. The "Vigilance" guy's rhetoric sounded familiar, that's for sure. Good to see Bear get some more interesting chew toys. Nothing wrong with a rawhide bone, but sometimes there's nothing like a juicy villain to gnaw on. I wonder if the fake ID's for our team means that Harold won't have access to his wealth. Some serious improvisation will be needed and that should make for good tv. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 10:08 am |
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| Arrow ended this year's series very well. They wrapped up things very well, though someone they should have killed may come back next season somehow. I've always hated when shows left things hanging till the next year. It does seem like they don't do that anymore (mostly). Thank goodness! |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Fri May 16, 2014 9:51 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6944
Location: Black Hills
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| If you haven't checked out the first season of The Americans, and enjoy a good spy drama, it may be worth your time. Be warned, some of the violence is pretty graphic. Fans of "Person of Interest" may want to give it a try. (I note that Susan Misner, John Reese's ex-GF in PoI, also has a recurring role in TA, as the unhappy wife of FBI agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich, who is outstanding)). One aspect of TA that adds to its success as an acting showcase, is that the two leads play, in a sense, multiple roles as they often have to assume other identities. Welsh actor Matt Rhys is particularly chameleon-like in this regard. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 7:32 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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If The Americans only existed as a spy drama it would be good but not necessarily must-see viewing. What makes it extraordinary--in fact, one of the best television series of the past decade--is the fact that these Russian spies are posing as a nuclear American family, raising two teenagers who are their biological children even though they had the ultimate "arranged" marriage. It's a unique series, easily outstripping its prototype Homeland, and although Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich are giving fantastic performances, everyone else is almost equally amazing, including Keri Russell as the other lead (besides Rhys) and Richard Thomas as Emmerich's boss at the FBI. Also love Susan Misner, who needs to be given more to do, and Alison Wright as Rhys's fake wife (no time to explain).
Gossipy aside: Rhys and Russell have reportedly hooked up in private life. Hope their real-life relationship doesn't go south, because their on-screen chemistry is palpable. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 10:07 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6944
Location: Black Hills
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What he said!
Alison Wright is terrific. She projects this innocence and naivete, but at the same time you feel like she understands things and perhaps her lack of guile actually is just one layer over some....unconscious guile? Obviously, I'm having trouble putting it into words. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 10:11 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| Is anyone else watching "Penny Dreadful"? With near-free Showtime at the moment, I had been looking forward to it, and the first episode was pretty intriguing, but with the third episode this weekend I've begun to think it's too dark, grim, and creepy for my taste. So far they've introduced young Victor Frankenstein (and two of his creations) and Dorian Gray, with a hint of Dracula soon to appear, but the plot is so convoluted and the images often so nasty (really, do we need so many bugs?), that I'm wishing they had some of the Doctor Who writers involved. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat May 31, 2014 7:27 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Talk about great season enders: Mad Men and The Americans both scored so heavily I am in awe, shock, and wonder. The fact that after all these years, Matthew Weiner finally remembered that Robert Morse used to be "Bobby" Morse, Broadway musical star, and let him dazzle us with a swell version of "The Best Things in Life Are Free" was the icing on the cake of an episode that should (if there is a God in heaven) seal Jon Hamm's claim to a belated victory in the Emmy sweepstakes now that Bryan Cranston is no longer competition. Hamm's wordless reaction to Megan on the telephone alone was as eloquent as any Shakespearean meltdown Cranston ever handled.
About The Americans, what can I say? Shockeroo, and beyond that my lips are sealed. |
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| mitty |
| Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 11:54 am |
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Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 1359
Location: Way Down Yonder.......
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We've watched the first season of "Blacklist", with James Spader. Absolutely loved it. At least Spader is fantastic, the actress that plays Lizzie is a bit weak IMO. But ok.
We have watched the preceding 6 seasons of "Mad Men"' but not the new one....yet. I like to watch them all at once. I thought it was great. |
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| mitty |
| Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 11:57 am |
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Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 1359
Location: Way Down Yonder.......
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bartist wrote: Wow. The "Vigilance" guy's rhetoric sounded familiar, that's for sure. Good to see Bear get some more interesting chew toys. Nothing wrong with a rawhide bone, but sometimes there's nothing like a juicy villain to gnaw on. I wonder if the fake ID's for our team means that Harold won't have access to his wealth. Some serious improvisation will be needed and that should make for good tv.
We love this show! At first I was nervous about Bear....for his well being, but they handled it beautifully. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 7:43 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6944
Location: Black Hills
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Hi, Mitty. You, then Grace...all the AWOLs are showing up. Yay. P of I seemed like maybe it was dumbing down just a bit early in the season (Shaw, cleavage, etc.) but then seemed to get back on course. Carrobin, Knox, Grace, and I are all devoted fans. I don't follow the tweeting, but I have heard that Bear has a twitter account. His official name, IIRC, is Bear deHond.
The new "24," against my better judgment, seems to be sucking me in even as it strains my credulity. Carrobin is right: Stephen Fry just pops up everywhere - on the new series, he's the PM, trying not to start a panic as hijacked armed drones converge on London. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| mitty |
| Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 5:21 pm |
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Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 1359
Location: Way Down Yonder.......
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Hey Bartist. 
Honestly, I didn't notice the "cleavage", I think Shaw is a great character, and love the way they've developed her. And explained her detachment. Really interesting.
I almost felt sorry for the Vigilance guy. He'd been so used and hoodwinked, but it still didn't excuse his actions.
Don't know a thing about tweeting, online computer is enough for me. 
Haven't' seen the new 24....I think I haven't seen the last season either. Bauer just got too much for me, finally. That heart attack thing in, I think the 5th season was a deal breaker for me. Way overboard. Even for Bauer.
In a way Bauer's character was reminiscent of Mel Gibson's (seeming) fetish in films about hurting himself. He just enjoyed it too darned much. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:59 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6944
Location: Black Hills
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Yeah, Bauer should have severe dementia by now, just from all the concussions he's gotten.
I parted from the series long ago, mainly due to such plausibility problems and the sheer quantity of torture scenes and general brutality. I only looked in on the new one because I found the hacked drone theme interesting. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:24 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| What can I say, I love "24." Of course it requires an inordinate amount of suspension of disbelief, but the pace is riveting--no sooner do you take a breath of relief as Bauer and friends evade one near-fatal mishap than another looms straight in front of them. I did worry when Jack was pursued by the drones and was driving through beautiful streets with lovely London architecture. I wanted to shout Hey Jack, head for the City! I tend to agree with Prince Charles about all those glass skyscrapers. |
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