tv_talk | Speak Up Saturday

The Circle S7: watched the first few eps and am liking it so far, I definitely have some favourites I hope stay to the end.

Human Error S1: first ep, new Australian detective murder/crime thing set in the Melbourne suburbs.

Return to Paradise S1: first ep, another Aussie detective thing, its a spin off from the UK show Death in Paradise.

Slow Horses S4: first couple of eps, really good as usual.

Only Murders in the Building S4: I was going to watch this, but am waiting until its all dropped to binge it.

Coming this week I am looking forward to Moonflower Murders, and of course Agatha All Along.

I've set Moonflower to record as I quite liked the first season. I'll need to wait on Slow Horses, and have not yet started Only Murders. Am also watching Return to Paradise which has been fine. I'm only partway through S1 though.

I'm waiting for all of Slow Horses to drop before I jump in. Mainly because I want to know what will happen next too badly and refuse to wait.

I am also looking forward to Agatha All Along when it drops on Disney (in US).

I'm about halfway through season 5 of Outlander right now, and

jo was right on the money so far! I really enjoy Roger's character arc this season again, and I think I might actually like Bree and him better as a couple than I do Jamie and Claire.

Because they feel like they have an arc as a couple in ways that Jamie and Claire never really did, to me? (Sure, there's the separation and getting used to each other again after, but I never felt like Jamie and Claire changed as a couple, despite that).

And having just begun episode 6: I hope we get more Jocasta this season at least because I genuinely like her and her Mackenzie sneakiness.

I admittedly haven't gotten past S1 yet, and read the first book, then flipped through the others - but I think the problem between Jamie and Claire as a romantic couple is their conflict is mainly external not internal. It's either they are separated by time, or that she's married to another man in another time - who happens to be a descendant and dead ringer for the guy who (spoilers) hurt Jamie. As opposed to the more internal ones. So as a couple they don't change much - it's just split apart by circumstances (somewhat beyond their control) and brought together again (by circumstances somewhat beyond their control). I know that was my difficulty with the romance. That it was dependent on time travel - and she chose to keep going back in time - to a time in which women had less rights and less agency, and there was horrible medicine, and far more chance of being violated etc to be with Jaime - as opposed to staying in her own time with her husband who she loved. That I struggled with in the book and series - although in the television series - it's made more palpable and understandable by the actor who plays Jaime. I bought it better in the television series than the books. Also the actress who plays Claire sells it.

So as a couple they don't change much - it's just split apart by circumstances (somewhat beyond their control) and brought together again (by circumstances somewhat beyond their control). I know that was my difficulty with the romance

These are both excellent points, and I think you've nailed why I find them less compelling (the focus on external change, rather than internal growth). In some ways, they remind me of couples in medieval romances, insofar as they are both rather static characters (i.e. their main character traits always stay the same, more or less). I think I like couple dynamics where external change and internal growth are entwined better, on the whole.

And yes, I agree: Catriona Balfe and Sam Heughan's acting does a lot of the heavy lifting to sell Claire/Jaime.

It's the reason I couldn't get into the books, (well that and the fact the author likes to use rape as a means of furthering character development, to the point in which it is just absurd.) And rape is also an "external" action that "happens" to the characters, which causes conflict. I honestly think the author of the books went overboard with it - I discovered it via the reviews. (It's actually my main stumbling block in continuing watch the series, which I may just hand wave eventually (I can always fast-forward through it)- because I like some aspects of it, and am curious about them.)

In some ways, they remind me of couples in medieval romances, insofar as they are both rather static characters (i.e. their main character traits always stay the same, more or less).

I would agree. It is very medieval. Their courtship, their conflicts, all of it - remind me of Medieval romances that I've read in Fantasy, Historical and the Romance genres.

The actors do a lot to sell it. I also think the series is written better than the books - or I liked the first season a lot better than I liked the first book. It's adaptation that improves on the books as opposed to the opposite.

(It's actually my main stumbling block in continuing watch the series, which I may just hand wave eventually (I can always fast-forward through it)- because I like some aspects of it, and am curious about them.)

If this is triggering for you, I would suggest that you fast-forward through the second-to-last episode of season one and skip the last episode. While it is the only rape scene in the series that has genuine narrative heft, IMHO, it is also not worth getting triggered over.

And the TV series is trying to improve on the books and often seems to, so I also think that I'm less interested in reading them than I thought I would be.

I already saw S1. :-) (I did watch it, but I also fast-forwarded through part of it.) How are the later seasons in this respect?

There is a non-consensual encounter in every season from two to four, so far, and even as someone who likes non-con in fic, I thought that was pronounced, bordering on excessive. The fact that none of them have as much narrative weight as the one in series one makes it worse. The genuinely most interesting aspect of all of them was how Jamie uses his own experiences to help other characters make sense of and deal with theirs.

Yup, that's the same as the books. Sigh. I wish I was surprised, but I know from seeing BSG, DS9, and Caprica that Ron Moore likes that particular trope. A lot of creators do, apparently. But if you use any trope (not just that one) excessively? It detracts from the story and becomes more of a distraction.

Yup, that's the same as the books. Sigh. I wish I was surprised, but I know from seeing BSG, DS9, and Caprica that Ron Moore likes that particular trope. A lot of creators do, apparently. But if you use any trope (not just that one) excessively? It detracts from the story and becomes more of a distraction.

Yes, exactly! At this point, the trope just makes me roll my eyes and go: "Another one?"

The reviews of the Outlander books, the later ones, is kind of hilarious? I read one - which went on a kind of snarky rant about how many times the writer relied on that trope to further plot.

It's lazy writing or lazy plotting in my opinion.

It's lazy writing or lazy plotting in my opinion.

I agree. Because even if you like a certain trope a lot, as a writer I'd try to get some variation in (if only to make my favourite trope count in the narrative when it does appear!)

As a writer, you kind of have to be careful with tropes, particularly over using them.

The difficulty with sex scenes in books or television/film - is they are kind of boring and pointless, unless there's conflict or something happens to change the characters or move them forward in the story. Sex scenes are kind of similar to fight scenes - you use them sparingly, and to move plot and character forward, or not at all. If you are going to do car chase after car chase after car chase - at least provide a good reason for it, and have the characters move forward - which is done beautifully with the Mad Max films. Same with sex scenes - have a reason for the sex scene, a conflict, something that changes the characters involved. And unfortunately a violent sex scene is going to do that better than a non-violent one in a book or film or show. There's conflict, there's suspense, and there's a fight. It writes itself. Plus you move the characters forward - how do they react to it? Were they in love? Does this break them up? Does it traumatize them? What are the consequences? So much to play with. While having two people make love for about the third time? Who cares? Unless of course it is an illicit affair and someone walks in on them?

We need dramatic conflict. And unfortunately that's easier to do with a fight than a love scene. Not impossible with a love scene, just easier with a fight.

Love Next Door: Considering that it is a light, low-conflict show, I really dislike the "blast from the past" we got in the recent episodes. I spoiled myself for the end of episode 8, and what the fuck?! I was hoping for things to get cute and fluffy finally! This is not what I signed up for.

No Gain, No Love: Not a fan of episode 5. Really liked the twist at the end but some parts I simply found way too dramatic for something as ridiculous as this show. I'm mainly in it now for 2FL/2ML shenanigans but even those took a hit when we learned more about the excessive actions of our 2ML and their psychological impact on 2FL. Episode 6 was a lot more fun. I particularly liked FL being openly petty and ML talking about why FL is the one for him (surprisingly, it made a lot more sense than I thought it would!). A small point of annoyance: Where is Baby?!

In other TV news: It was announced this week that one-half of my daily soap crack OTP returns after 4 years. The other half is still in the show and busy being cheated on by her current partner. It's been hinted that she will be involved in his comeback story and I'm hyped as hell even though I haven't actively watched this show for a couple of years now. Strongly considering jumping back in asap just to be able to write fanfic once my guy returns at the end of December. I've even updated my fan Tumblr.

Sidenote: I've been hoping for this ship since 2012 when she accidentally killed his wife and tried to cover it up. That's why I call it a "crack ship". Both didn't have a major story together until 2020 when they finally became friends. At the end of 2020, after some light teasing of the pairing by TPTB and the actors (there was an interview about a potential romance between the two and the official show insta page adopted the pairing name), his character left the show for pandemic-related reasons. No idea if this is a long-term comeback or not but I'm :D :D :D

Edited 2024-09-14 14:56 (UTC)

I spoiled myself for the end of episode 8, and what the fuck?! I was hoping for things to get cute and fluffy finally! This is not what I signed up for.

I knooow! I'm a bit dismayed by this development -- this show was supposed to be my happy place. Hopefully they won't make too big a thing of it? /o\

That's so cool about your soap OTP! I hope it comes together in a super-satisfying way. :-)

Oooh, the return of the players in an OTP! That's so exciting. I was watching YouTube clips of my favorite 80s soap opera ship earlier this week! I hope you get some good plot lines to enjoy.

Ah, i was kind of low-key side-eyeing Love Next Door, but if it devolves into too much drama, I'll probably just leave it be.

Haha, I love soap crackships. Some of my favorite otps were from soaps, and i always went all in while they were together and then promptly ignored the whole show again once they were over. :D

Ah, i was kind of low-key side-eyeing Love Next Door, but if it devolves into too much drama, I'll probably just leave it be.

It has gotten better in the last two episodes! However, they touched upon some topics I would've liked to avoid altogether. So, at this point, I feel like I'm over this show. It simply wasn't what I wanted it to be.

and i always went all in while they were together and then promptly ignored the whole show again once they were over. :D

That's absolutely what I'm planning to do! I haven't watched this show in a few years because the writing got so bad. I'm giving it another chance for fandom nostalgia and the off-chance that I've got another fanfic in me. After that, I can finally give up on this terrible show (but I probably won't).

I finished watching the "Classic" Father Brown adaptation from the books and then the TV adaptation from the adaptation. The basics of the first episode are the same for both -- boor of a local Lord killed with a hammer. The new series is much more flushed out in terms of characterization but there are other significant changes:

Father Brown is not a passing figure.
The nature of certain interactions have changed. For example the blacksmith's wife has a much larger role and there is no village idiot in the story.
The blacksmith is not a religious zealot but instead a gambler who has left his household in debt.
The murder victim is not married.
There is also now an immigrant housekeeper and a gay storyline.

It's certainly a better told story, but the purpose of the murder and the purpose of the confession is far less altruistic. There is also virtually no time spent on discussion of the weapon used and the improbability of its effectiveness whereas this is a big part of the original story.

Overall as poorly filmed and cartoonish as the first version's episode was, in some ways I thought it was better.

As I mentioned a while back, the 1950s seems to be the new 1920s when it comes to period adaptations. I noticed the new series has jumped ahead several decades whereas the classic show was set in its original time period.

In the next episode of the new Father Brown, I noticed that the police now have a central role as opposed to Father Brown's friend, a private detective, Flambeau in the original stories. Plus as Father Brown is no longer a transient figure there has been a regular cast developed for the show. There also seems to be more writing for visual, such as more foot and road chases.

I finished off the Inspector Lynley series. I thought the final season was a mixed bag. The resolution was very rushed in the first episode. The second one tried to defy expectations but I didn't like how it left off the relationship between Havers and Lynley.

Also finished the latest season of McDonald & Dodds, which was fine. I found the final episode rather improbable (and the resolution kind of expected) but I did like the dream interpretation element.

I've been watching The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes which is an interesting concept, doing an anthology of other famous stories and detectives from period sources. The second episode with Mr Carrados, the blind detective was interesting to see, although the episodes have been a mixed bag overall. Some are just kind of meh, others too forced and caricatures as much as characters. But there have been a couple that were quite good stories, it's just that the 70s style of filming and performances took away from what was probably a lot of psychological tension in the books.

the 70s style of filming and performances took away from what was probably a lot of psychological tension in the books

Good point. 70s detective dramas weren't much on subtle.

Still watching For All Mankind (currently very aware that it's about the logistics and politics of space travel, not at all about the wonder and excitement of it ;-p), and Bad Monkey. Started season 2 of We Are Lady Parts (no spoilers, please!) and finished season 2 of Ted Lasso (rewatch).

Still going on the same Kdramas as last week.

Still watching All American S6. The most recent episode I watched felt nearly like a finale, so I've gone and looked up what's going on bts, and huh.

I started Rings of Power S2 and immediately got confused and then distracted.

Also started and got nowhere with: The Acolyte, The Impossible Heir.

Yeah, I think I am going to rewatch the last couple of episodes of Rings of Power season 1 before I try season 2.

I had the same problem with Rings of Power S2. It took me a while to figure out where and who everyone was again. And my attention wandered. I did a lot of rewinding. It may be way I keep watching other things? I don't really want to rewatch the first season of Rings again.

Rings was however less problematic in this regard than The Witcher. Honestly they need to have less time between seasons, or I need to wait until all the seasons drop before I watch. One or the other.

Acolyte - is this the lastest Star Wars series? I also got nowhere with it. Watched one episode and couldn't get into a second one. Gave up. That was back in May I think.

1. The Perfect Couple on Netflix US, stars Nicole Kidman and Liv Shrieber, also an unrecognizable Isabelle Adjani ( a famous French Actress). It's adapted from the novel of the same name - and a friend who read the book and saw the whole thing, said it follows the book closely, except that the series has a more omnipresent pov, while the book was told in the Bride's perspective. I've seen two and a half episodes so far. It's funny in places. The most likable characters are probably, the police and maybe Liv Shrieber and Isabelle Adjani.

The setup? Someone is killed at a wedding of well-to-do son of a famous author on Nantucket, at the family estate where the wedding is being held. Much chaos ensues. Kidman is an icy as ever - also I think she's had too much botox, as has Isbaelle Adjani. Please stop actors. Let yourselves get old.

2. Hacks S3 on Max - this is good. I just saw the first episode of S3, and still has it. The chemistry between Ava and Deborah is still there. It made me laugh. There's a great sight gag not far into it - that made me laugh and rewind several times. Crisp writing, and good performances all around. It could give The Bear a run for its money at the Emmys.

3. Still watching Rings of Power. I need fantasy recs. Too many shows are like the Perfect Couple (that's a popular genre, which I'm okay with, but..)

Wooohoo, I finished 4 Minutes, which everyone now already knows already because I posted a review (to my journal and to this comm here).

I also watched four more eps of Somebody Somewhere season 1, and while I like all the characters (except Fred - not Fred's fault, I think, but Murray's), I feel like the storylines are somewhat superficial. It feels like they're just summing them up instead of really diving in. Nothing wrong with that in a short format like this, but a bit unexpected. This makes it sound very negative, but I actually really like it and will keep watching.

I should watch more Parallel World so I can keep ahead of the watchalong, but only managed one ep. I didn't have time for any To Ship Someone eps at all this week.

I watched two eps of Spy X Family, liking it a lot more again now that there's spy stuff to do again instead of school stuff. (And a bit less now that Hoshino Gen's song has been replaced by something else.)

Finished Bridgerton season 1 rewatch with the SO and happy we've enjoyed it so much again. We'll continue with season 2 soon - which is an exception. We've never watched more than one season of anything together before. Not in the last 15 years anyway.

I tried the first ep of Only Murders in the Building, but the fact that it's not on any of my streaming services and a hassle to get means that I'm going to drop it again after this. It hasn't gripped me enough to go to the trouble. I feel like it's a show where one is a bit removed from the characters, all a bit quirky, all a bit reserved and not talking to each other honestly - and that's not something I feel drawn to right now.

Aww, too bad that you don't enjoy Only Murders in the Building.

It's a pity. I do like Steve Martin, so I'd been looking forward to watching it. If it was on Netflix and I could just leisurely click through it like I do with Spy X Family for example, I would totally watch it as a fallback show.

Back at the office this week so my energy for new TV went down the drain again. I did manage to start the new series of Sherwood (BBC), however. About halfway through it. The only other new thing I watched was a 2-part true crime documentary from Netflix, Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter. Other than that, I managed a couple more episodes of Bad Monkey.

As for what I'm excited about, there's a new series starting tonight on the BBC called Nightsleeper that sounds like fun, so I will be torrenting that one. There's a new US network series (can't recall which network, mind you) starting this week that might be OK, called High Potential. I wouldn't say I'm "excited" about that one, but it's always good to have new content that doesn't require too much focus. It stars Kaitlin Olson (from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"). The premise sounds lame (she plays a single mom who works as a cleaner in a police station, but she's like, a genius or something, and spots things the cops miss and solves their crimes for them, etc.), but I like Olson, so I will at least check it out.

I started watching Twisted Metal and it's nuts. I think I expected something along the lines of Fallout in terms of tone. Nope. It's more humorous than I thought it would be, but also rather crass. It's gory and sometimes pretty disgusting tbh. But I kinda like it (after 4 episodes). I'm glad I waited this long to watch the show because for once I know that the show has already been renewed.

Before that I watched My Lady Jane which was already canceled -.-
It reminds me a lot of Galavant and I loved it just as much. The leads have an insane amount of chemistry that I have not seen in a while.

I do enjoy watching Only Murders in the Building from week to week. With the big temperature drop last week, it's the perfect show at the moment.

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