What TV Series Are You Streaming Lately?

[SixOhNine]

The Orville is better than I expected it to be. It's a comedic homage to Star Trek rather than a spoof. (The plots are serious, but the crew is made comedic.)

Just finished watching the season 2 finale. It's pretty decent. More serious than I expected, but still light viewing. Very Next Generation-like. In fact, I kinda think it's more Star Trek-y than the last 2-3 actual Star Trek shows. I read that it's switching networks from Fox to Hulu for season 3, so it will be interesting to see if that causes any noticeable changes.

 

[Matt]

The Wire. I'm in the middle of the best season of television there's ever been. First full rewatch. Fun stuff.

4?

Malcolm in the Middle, season 6, the episode where Hal and Francis go on their bike trip through the living room.

Big fan of MiM. Kind of got written off as some dumb kids sitcom, but there's a lot of very sharp satire in there. I regularly quote Reese's position on empathy.

As for me - just started season 2 of Umbrella Academy. Not liking it as much as the internet told me I would. Reminded me of a less-good Heroes season 1. Plowing on regardless.

 

[mhip]

4?


Big fan of MiM. Kind of got written off as some dumb kids sitcom, but there's a lot of very sharp satire in there. I regularly quote Reese's position on empathy.

As for me - just started season 2 of Umbrella Academy. Not liking it as much as the internet told me I would. Reminded me of a less-good Heroes season 1. Plowing on regardless.

I just finished season 2 of Umbrella...
As a whole, I liked season 1 better. Stick with it, season 2 gets going. 5 and Lila are the best parts, and the finale has me wanting a season 3.

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

Finished the first season of Jack Ryan. Thoroughly mediocre. Can't seem to find anything I like on TV at the moment. May give Perry Mason a try.

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

View attachment 1426744

BLACK MIRROR!!!

Holy cow, is this good! Why did I wait so long to watch this? Easily the best show I’ve seen in a long, long while. Each episode is like a fully-developed movie, rich with interest, sentiment, pathos, intrigue.

!

San Junipero is definitely up there as one of the greatest television episodes of all time.

 

[Van Veen]

Just finished watching the season 2 finale. It's pretty decent. More serious than I expected, but still light viewing. Very Next Generation-like. In fact, I kinda think it's more Star Trek-y than the last 2-3 actual Star Trek shows. I read that it's switching networks from Fox to Hulu for season 3, so it will be interesting to see if that causes any noticeable changes.

Season 3 is going to be the last. (That's probably a good thing. It's the kind of show that can wear out its welcome.)

 

[Matt]

Season 3 is going to be the last. (That's probably a good thing. It's the kind of show that can wear out its welcome.)

I read somewhere that Netflix is basically going to top out virtually all shows at three series, reason being that anything longer than that looks too daunting to take on to new viewers

 

[venessian]

I read somewhere that Netflix is basically going to top out virtually all shows at three series, reason being that anything longer than that looks too daunting to take on to new viewers

That limitation doesn't much much sense, as an a priori condition, for a business based on content distribution and now production as well. Why the "magic number" 3? The SASers (ShortAttentionSpanners) won't last 0.85 seasons these days, let alone 3.

Netflix's problem lately doesn't seem to be the length of their series as much as the lack of basic quality and originality regardless. Fewer scatter-shot series, with better work, comprising actually compelling first/second/third episodes to engage viewers, and not just shorter-duration middling work, will sustain audiences, so maybe the solution for Netflix is for them to, in the words of Samuel Beckett, "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” But...without unconditional term limits on seasons.



NB: my brother (not a big-wig, but there a long time now) works for NF USA, right in project development and financing. He says he has not heard anything of this "3-season max policy".

 

[edinatlanta]

Finished the first season of Jack Ryan. Thoroughly mediocre. Can't seem to find anything I like on TV at the moment. May give Perry Mason a try.

It was fine for what it was. Neithet wendell nor krasinski were trying particularly hard but for a season of pulp you could do a lot worse. (If they had just cut the stupid side plot of the soldier making amends it would've been a much better season).

 

[kindofyoung]

I really enjoyed the first season of Perry Mason, and it seems like most people who don't expect it to be like the original feel the same. It's apparently also doing really well with HBO customers, 2nd season already confirmed which I can't wait for.

Other than Perry Mason I've been watching the show Rake (the australian original) and man it's so good.
Great courtroom show that doesn't spend all that much time in the courtroom, with lots of flawed but sympatethic characters and something of a bad-boy middle-aged antihero as it's main character. I highly recommended it.

 

[venessian]

...duplicate...

 

[venessian]

Rake (the australian original) and man it's so good.
Great courtroom show that doesn't spend all that much time in the courtroom, with lots of flawed but sympatethic characters and something of a bad-boy middle-aged antihero as it's main character. I highly recommended it.

I have not seen "Perry Mason" but concur that "Rake" (AUS) is fantastic!

 

[Matt]

"Rake" (AUS) is fantastic!

Yeah but the world would have been a better place without that final season

 

[venessian]

Yeah but the world would have been a better place without that final season

Really?
I am still in Season 3.
Is Season 4 good; Season 5 to avoid? I guess I will find out.

"Broadchurch" was like that ime: very good first season, even second, but very bizarre/bad/boring final season.

 

[Matt]

Just finish 4 and pretend 5 isn't lurking out there. You'll start cringing in episode 1 and have a face like a cat's arse by the finale.

5's kind of a modular season, so you won't really miss anything.