What TV Series Are You Streaming Lately?

[otc]

Survivor Season 28 (Cagayan), which is one of 2 seasons randomly on Netflix.

As a novelty, it features 3 tribes, broken up into Beauty, Brawn, and Brains.

I had never watched Survivor (other than maybe catching some of the first American one back in like 1997), but it is not at all what I expected.

Ended up really enjoying it. It doesn't have most of the crap you associate with reality shows. There were no big sob stories. There wasn't superfluous manufactured interpersonal drama. They didn't spend half the show clickbaity footage like "Coming up after the break..." followed by "before the break..." like all of those shitty Discovery/TLC/History shows do. And watching it on Netflix means it just flows smoothly with no commercials

Whole thing felt much more like an extended game-show (which it is) and the drama came almost entirely from either physical challenges and social/voting strategy. People might make stupid decisions or get mad at each other, but it is understandable rather than like...a producer off screen stirring the pot just to get someone riled up.

Also, the nerd tribe is so hilariously bad...I couldn't stop watching the trainwreck.

 

[edinatlanta]

Survivor Season 28 (Cagayan), which is one of 2 seasons randomly on Netflix.

As a novelty, it features 3 tribes, broken up into Beauty, Brawn, and Brains.

I had never watched Survivor (other than maybe catching some of the first American one back in like 1997), but it is not at all what I expected.

Ended up really enjoying it. It doesn't have most of the crap you associate with reality shows. There were no big sob stories. There wasn't superfluous manufactured interpersonal drama. They didn't spend half the show clickbaity footage like "Coming up after the break..." followed by "before the break..." like all of those shitty Discovery/TLC/History shows do. And watching it on Netflix means it just flows smoothly with no commercials

Whole thing felt much more like an extended game-show (which it is) and the drama came almost entirely from either physical challenges and social/voting strategy. People might make stupid decisions or get mad at each other, but it is understandable rather than like...a producer off screen stirring the pot just to get someone riled up.

Also, the nerd tribe is so hilariously bad...I couldn't stop watching the trainwreck.

"Survivor" is good shit. It's interesting how much the gameplay has changed from SE 1-2 and how Jeff now realizes he's a detached god in the show's mythology. There was also a point, I think around season five or six where it's clear that the show is a different beast from what it was.

Sometimes they go overboard with the twists and lately they kind of have to the point where people are like: can we go back to when it was pure wiles that got you to the end?

I also don't think people realize how much the show is a form of torture. The unrelenting sameness of never not seeing these people you don't know, not having anything to do, not having anything to look forward to except more exhaustion is just brutal. I mean, there's never any relief from any of the game. You're with the same people, doing the same chores, fighting off bugs/vermin and every moment of it all.......scheming. Winning the rewards breeds resentment with the losers and you come back and you're behind the eight ball with the latest allying.

 

[ter1413]

Queens Gambit was outstanding. I've never been so excited watching someone play a game I knew absolutely nothing about.

I played chess when I was younger and then off and on for years. Then I stopped.

After watching QG last month, I started playing again on my computer. It took a while to get back in the flow but I am winning much more than I am losing.

That series was outstanding!

 

[otc]

I also don't think people realize how much the show is a form of torture. The unrelenting sameness of never not seeing these people you don't know, not having anything to do, not having anything to look forward to except more exhaustion is just brutal. I mean, there's never any relief from any of the game. You're with the same people, doing the same chores, fighting off bugs/vermin and every moment of it all.......scheming. Winning the rewards breeds resentment with the losers and you come back and you're behind the eight ball with the latest allying.

Part of why we clicked it is because we've been watching a lot of Alone, which is literally torture. Zero human contact for months (beyond occasional medical checks/camera battery dropoffs), nothing to do, not enough to eat, and it usually just ends with 1 person who hasn't starved to the point where they are pulled by the medical team.

Other reason is that, I realized that somebody from my undergrad was on the show--I remembered people talking about it back in the day but I never actually heard what happened to him (I didn't overlap with him myself)--so I immediately had a connection to the cast.
My wife was similarly connected when she saw that Cliff Robinson from the Portland Trailblazers was in the "Brawn" tribe.

Sometimes they go overboard with the twists and lately they kind of have to the point where people are like: can we go back to when it was pure wiles that got you to the end?

As COVID continues, we'll definitely be checking out some more of the middle-seasons.

 

[javyn]

I watched half of the first episode of The Boys finally. Is Homelander the same actor as Zach Morris in Saved by the Bell?

 

[otc]

"Survivor" is good shit. It's interesting how much the gameplay has changed from SE 1-2 and how Jeff now realizes he's a detached god in the show's mythology. There was also a point, I think around season five or six where it's clear that the show is a different beast from what it was.

I'm curious what changed.

Was the original show more of a typical "reality TV" deal? And then as people started to understand how stuff worked from having seen a few seasons (and the remaining audience was already engaged in the premise) so it started to feel more like a game that people have prepared for.

I'm sure I saw some of S1 live when I was a kid and it was a big enough phenomena that you saw characters on talkshows, parodies on SNL, etc. so you still heard about it even though you didn't watch it....but I always pictured it as more of a vapid reality show than what I saw in S28.

 

[Jr Mouse]

I adore The Crown. Have watched the first couple of seasons a number of times. Season 3 and 4 are excellent too, but I find that part of their lives a little less interesting. Fantastic writing, casting, and acting all around.

Queen's Gambit blew me away. I didn't know what to expect going into it, but absolutely loved the series. Never been so torn in wanting to see more of the characters and world and knowing deep down that they ended it so perfectly that a second season could never do it justice.

Also wallpaper. Jesus did QG have the most amazing set designs. Wallpaper as far as your eyes could see.

 

[Numbernine]

"Survivor" is good shit. It's interesting how much the gameplay has changed from SE 1-2 and how Jeff now realizes he's a detached god in the show's mythology. There was also a point, I think around season five or six where it's clear that the show is a different beast from what it was.

Sometimes they go overboard with the twists and lately they kind of have to the point where people are like: can we go back to when it was pure wiles that got you to the end?

I also don't think people realize how much the show is a form of torture. The unrelenting sameness of never not seeing these people you don't know, not having anything to do, not having anything to look forward to except more exhaustion is just brutal. I mean, there's never any relief from any of the game. You're with the same people, doing the same chores, fighting off bugs/vermin and every moment of it all.......scheming. Winning the rewards breeds resentment with the losers and you come back and you're behind the eight ball with the latest allying.

I've spent enough time in the tropics to know that despite common belief it can be one of the coldest most miserable places on earth. The physical toll of that is difficult for me sometimes to watch. That said I haven't missed a season since the first.A lot of those early players wouldn't even survive the first round of physical challenges.

 

[mhip]

I watched half of the first episode of The Boys finally. Is Homelander the same actor as Zach Morris in Saved by the Bell?

Close!
It's actually Screech.

 

[SixOhNine]

Well, shit. This upsets me. I liked the first season and was looking forward to the new developments hinted at in the finale.

Queen Sono Cancelled: Season 2 Renewal Reversed at Netflix

Netflix’s Queen Sono has been dethroned: The streamer has cancelled its first African original series despite previously renewing it for Season 2.

tvline.com

 

[edinatlanta]

I'm curious what changed.

Was the original show more of a typical "reality TV" deal? And then as people started to understand how stuff worked from having seen a few seasons (and the remaining audience was already engaged in the premise) so it started to feel more like a game that people have prepared for.

I'm sure I saw some of S1 live when I was a kid and it was a big enough phenomena that you saw characters on talkshows, parodies on SNL, etc. so you still heard about it even though you didn't watch it....but I always pictured it as more of a vapid reality show than what I saw in S28.

Among other things: neither the producers nor the competitors knew what they had on their hands.
In SE1 no one seemed to realize they were playing a game. For a million dollars. (Except Richard Hatch). One dude was like "I'm just voting alphabetically". The first season and SE2 a bit less so was more of a nature show almost with a game taking part. It took them a while to realize the environment was as much a character as anyone else. Also sometimes in the early season you have Jeff Probst talking to the teams going "well, uh, let me go and see what I can do." It really can't be overstated how important an assertive, confident Probst is to the show. He knows how buttons can be pushed, how to do it and when to stand back. His smug smirk is like "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're on."

You also had a luxury item for each competitor which they stopped highlighting before eliminating and people had like people with sunglasses which seemed to be slightly cheating. Also they would do things like provide leather work gloves around camp. Some of the challengess were a bit more game like (you have 90 minutes to rescue an injured team mate) than Survivor-esque elements.

So the game play took a while to develop, the narrative aspect took a while to develop and once that happened they went to town. They stopped then restarted doing the you have 90 seconds to build camp based off what you can pull of this boat. If you can only watch the opening of Survivor: Pearl Islands do it. There is some vicious vicious shit it's legitimately awesome to rewatch.

Basically it was never super reality showesque just they didn't know what they had on their hands. There were some real villains who just fucked your shit up hardcore. Johnny Fairplay in Pearl Islands did that better than anyone else.

Now like, because there are idols, exile islands, this that and whatever, you can kind of coast your way to the end. Yeah it's nice to have one or two elements to keep things fresh but knowing every episode that someone has an idol isn't really that thrilling. Also in the last season which was really a let down, they had fire tokens. They explained them at the start, people won them but they realized they were a shitty gameplay element becuase they were basically never metnioned again until the episode they expired when everyone used them.

Another thing is Survivor: Gabon gets hated on a lot but I actually really like it. Not the best season but the winner was good because it really upended the model of who could win.

I really do like Survivor it's worth it to see everyone breakdown in tears when their family members surprise them near the end.

 

[edinatlanta]

I've spent enough time in the tropics to know that despite common belief it can be one of the coldest most miserable places on earth. The physical toll of that is difficult for me sometimes to watch. That said I haven't missed a season since the first.A lot of those early players wouldn't even survive the first round of physical challenges.

Oh dude, i get it. Like when it rains all night, you only have palm leaves as shelter and shorts and a tshirt.....you can really easily remind yourself it's just a game and if you quit there's a warm bed and hot meal waiting for you....

There's also a reason once you leave the show you get a thorough psychiatric evaluation.

 

[Piobaire]

Lily and Dash was cute.

 

[Texasmade]

I really do like Survivor it's worth it to see everyone breakdown in tears when their family members surprise them near the end.

I can tell based on your 3000 word essay on the various seasons of Survivor.

 

[beargonefishing]

I've never watched a single episode of survivor.