TV Series or Show You're Watching

[Av Demeisen]

That's Season 2, Episode 1?

In my opinion, it really picks up from Season 2, Episode 2. Am now up to Season 2, Episode 7.

M.

Season 2 episode 11. I started with season 2 episode 5. It's probably better than season 1, yes.

 

[Av Demeisen]

Watchmen finale was great, but best watched back-to-back with episode 8, I think.

 

[Av Demeisen]

The Expanse season 3 episode 2 now, and I am finally starting to feel exited about this show.

 

[AtramentousFlux]

The Expanse season 3 episode 2 now, and I am finally starting to feel exited about this show.

Yep, I've liked it right from S01E01, but I get that for some people the early seasons were not liked as much.

Watched Episode 1 of Season 4 last night and still loving the show.

 

[Av Demeisen]

Season 4 episode 1 now. Good the show got picked up by Amazon, since it was finally showing its potential by the end of season 3.

 

[Hobbit]

Still Season 2 here, as I am spreading it out at one per day. Mixing it with The Witcher, which I am also enjoying so far.

 

[Av Demeisen]

Mixing it with The Witcher, which I am also enjoying so far.

I'd never heard of it. Have you read the books?

 

[Hobbit]

Not really, though I was involved in giving the Gemmell Award to the first book. Fairly traditional Fantasy, based on Polish legends a little, I believe. You pretty much get what you expect, although so far I am enjoying it more than the last season of Game of Thrones. Suspect that this may be an access point for many.

 

[Av Demeisen]

I looked at the IMDB and wikipedia pages (for the books) and the character names do not seem particularly Slavic. Neither did they use many Polish actors, it seems.

 

[Av Demeisen]

The Expanse season 4 episode 7 now. Typical SF tv writing. Once again, hard to understand this is based on a bestselling series of novels. Mediocre.

 

[ArtNJ]

Not really, though I was involved in giving the Gemmell Award to the first book. Fairly traditional Fantasy, based on Polish legends a little, I believe. You pretty much get what you expect, although so far I am enjoying it more than the last season of Game of Thrones. Suspect that this may be an access point for many.

I'm 4 episodes in, and the show moves FAST. Every episode introduces but doesn't fully explain new magical elements, new kingdoms, peoples and plots. I would say it is anything but what I expected, so I disagree with you there @Hobbit . I don't even really know what the heck it is, much less how it compares to what I may have expected. I don't think there is any other tv fantasy quite like it, not so far at least. Maybe having read the books would help; I imagine that people starting the Game of Thrones tv show might have been very confused for a while. Witcher has much more magic and doesn't feel tightly plotted. Certainly it seems to have a random or chaotic element to it, or at the very least is often hard to figure out because it moves quickly. I'm enjoying it so far. Its not a complete acid trip, but its not your stereotypical fantasy series either.

I would rate the show more highly if the performances weren't generally deficient. Kind of the opposite of GoT in that way. Although the titular character could hardly come across well given that he is supposed to have no emotions. I guess Cavill does as well as one could with *that*. The lack of effort on the casting and details is really pronounced with the bard and his songs . . . which are poorly sung and just annoying even though he is somehow supposed to be a ladies man.

Edit: Well, I'm on Ep 7 now, and still liking it, but the time jumps are handled like s**t. It is like 15 years for the main time jump, and the characters all look the same, and there are no indications when the jumps are happening.

Edit: Done w s1. What a strange ride. I suppose @Hobbit was right, the overplot is perhaps a familiar one. But how S1 gets you there is very unusual, and overall the show felt very different to me. Fast paced, somewhat grimdark, violent, lots of magic, it really passes the time. Its not tight enough or (in the final analysis) original enough to be amazing, but its worth the journey.

 

[Raule]

I watched the 8 episodes of Witcher over the last few days. I read the entire series earlier this year, but never played the games, so I’m judging this as an adaptation of the books.

Henry Cavill is great as Geralt, and I thought the actor who played Jaskier (Dandelion) was just about perfect in his role. The actress playing Yennefer did alright (especially with her backstory), but I felt the chemistry between her and Geralt was a little off and mostly forced. She had a more natural chemistry with Istredd. I thought they made a real hash out of the stories trying to fit was essentially 12 stories and a frame tale into 8 episodes (they completely excised the frame tale). To do the character development and Witcher lore justice, I think they needed at least 10, but 12 episodes would have been ideal. I realize they had to pare things down in the time and budget given, but the way they merged some stories and characters and what they left out was truly exasperating. There are some bad or cheesy moments and special effects (dragons are terrible, e.g.) along with nonsensical internal story logic mostly due to the changes they made. I hated what they did to the Brokilon story. Instead of developing some of the other stories, they included the Battle of Sodden, which happens off page in the books, and it was terribly executed. And oh my god how terrible is that Nilfgaard armor? I also hated how they changed the Doppler story. I will still return for season two, but have lowered my expectations.

 

[Hobbit]

4 episodes of the Witcher to go. Finished the Mandalorean - really enjoyed it.

 

[Gkarlives]

Currently two episodes of the Witcher left and loving it. Patiently waiting for season two of "Love, Death, and Robots". Sigh.

 

[Westy]

Looks like I need to check out this Witcher thing. Also looks like another one of those where the "regular" audience/fantasy fans love it but the critics are ambivalent:

 

[Gkarlives]

Critics suck.

 

[ArtNJ]

Critics suck.

In this case, I understand them. The Witcher is mediocre in many respects in terms of quality, but I found it very enjoyable anyway because its fast paced, action packed and full of unfamiliar magic and other elements.

 

[Gkarlives]

I have seen far worse (Star Wars Prequels) than the Witcher get better ratings so I don't fall into the complaining group. I for one hope it continues on. Also, everyone needs to remember that this is only season one. Most shows do not hit their stride until season three, which I find most people, including myself at times, are not willing to wait for. So many expect shows to hit it out of the park off the bat. Such successes are rare. I will admit there were a few cringe worthy moments, but I was surprised by the amount of past/present switch ups they had without leading the audience by the nose to do so.

 

[Windshadow]

Cavill does a very good job in the title roll.... seems his outing as Superman did not wreck his job prospects ( or is series TV a major step down for him?)

 

[Hobbit]

or is series TV a major step down for him?

I think these days there is less of that feeling. Whereas once TV was a step down from film (or a step towards!), the amount of money Netflix and the like are throwing at series means that the two are more equal. Certainly the global reach of streaming services means that in terms of audiences, Netflix et al win bigtime.

Cavill's last big film role as the baddie in the last Mission Impossible did him no harm at all.