What was the last TV show you watched?

[totallyfrozen]

My wife and I just started watching a series called "Fortitude" on Amazon Prime (I think).
Takes place in the fictitious northernmost village in the world (in Norway). It's a "whodunit" police thriller. So far, it seems well written and fun to watch. Has at least 3 different storylines going at once (I need that to keep from getting bored).


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[totallyfrozen]

We finished watching season three of Black Sails by watching three episodes last night. Great ending for the season. Now, we have to wait (August 29) for the release of the fourth and final season. I already miss it.

Personally, I liked Black Sails but only watched about 2-1/2 episodes because my wife wasn't into it. We usually watch TV together after my daughter goes to bed. I didn't grow up glued to the TV. I grew up playing outside so I've never been much of a TV guy. So I don't really watch TV very often without her. It's one of the pastimes we share.


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[Touchofevil]

Personally, I liked Black Sails but only watched about 2-1/2 episodes because my wife wasn't into it. We usually watch TV together after my daughter goes to bed. I didn't grow up glued to the TV. I grew up playing outside so I've never been much of a TV guy. So I don't really watch TV very often without her. It's one of the pastimes we share.


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Most of what I watch is with Lady ToE. Black Sails was her show first and then I got hooked. There is much more good television nowadays than when I was younger so usually we can find something we both enjoy.

 

[Touchofevil]

A couple of episodes of Fear the Walking Dead last night. Two good episodes making that three in a row now. It is nice seeing Charlie Utter and Joanie Stubbs (at least that is what I call them) back together again.

 

[Touchofevil]

A bit of a binge last night as I could not sleep (stupid hot and humid in hour locale).

My wife and I caught up on the most recent Preacher, so we are now up to speed. Touch of the ol' Evil mentioned he was not overly fond of the more recent episodes, but man we enjoyed the ride!

I also stayed up to watch two more episodes of this year's Into The Badlands. This is a really enjoyable show for me.

And, yes, I had to stay up even later for an episode of Storage Wars...

But note that my tune has changed as of my viewing of the past couple of episodes. We are still behind a couple of episodes.

 

[MisterCairo]

A couple of episodes of Fear the Walking Dead last night. Two good episodes making that three in a row now. It is nice seeing Charlie Utter and Joanie Stubbs (at least that is what I call them) back together again.

Getting GOOD, no?!

 

[Touchofevil]

Getting GOOD, no?!

Yes! I enjoyed season two more than one and had nice expectations for this season. It seems we are now on track after a few monotonous episodes.

 

[Fading Fast]

"Star Trek" the "Bread and Circuses" episode

One quick observation: the incredibly powerful final scene where (spoiler alert) Kirk and Co. learn (owing to Uhura's insight - kudos to the producers/directors/writers for that) that the "Son" being referenced by the upstart religion is not the sun in the sky but the Son of God is beautifully done and a wonderfully Christian moment that snarky, secular and (at minimum) passively anti-Christian Hollywood would never deign to do today. The warmth and bonhomie the crew feels and displays at that moment is infections.

As a secular agnostic, I greatly respect the Judeo-Christian roots of Western Civilization and the US. I appreciate that there was a time that the default setting in this country was respect toward Christianity. I have no issue with a broader approach and with all sides being explored, but today we don't have that so much as a (at best) soft anti-Christian bias in Hollywood. One of the outstanding things about the original "Star Trek" is that, in a less than two-minute scene, it can deliver a powerful rebuke to the racial stereotypes of the day while also dropping in a strong Christian vibe (which some would realize are quite connected).

 

[belfastboy]

Watched the new Netflix offering from Sweden..."The Most Beautiful Hands of Delhi". It is only 3 episodes of an hour each. It has a real charm to it.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

It's difficult to scroll past (quickly) these Game of Thrones posts. I only gots episode one under my belt. I'm considering waiting and binging the other six all at once. It is not easy avoiding all mention of it, though. It's been popping up in the guide as I set recordings...causing a scramble to leave the screen.

 

[Doctor Strange]

"Star Trek" the "Bread and Circuses" episode

One quick observation: the incredibly powerful final scene where (spoiler alert) Kirk and Co. learn (owing to Uhura's insight - kudos to the producers/directors/writers for that) that the "Son" being referenced by the upstart religion is not the sun in the sky but the Son of God is beautifully done and a wonderfully Christian moment that snarky, secular and (at minimum) passively anti-Christian Hollywood would never deign to do today. The warmth and bonhomie the crew feels and displays at that moment is infections.

As a secular agnostic, I greatly respect the Judeo-Christian roots of Western Civilization and the US. I appreciate that there was a time that the default setting in this country was respect toward Christianity. I have no issue with a broader approach and with all sides being explored, but today we don't have that so much as a (at best) soft anti-Christian bias in Hollywood. One of the outstanding things about the original "Star Trek" is that, in a less than two-minute scene, it can deliver a powerful rebuke to the racial stereotypes of the day while also dropping in a strong Christian vibe (which some would realize are quite connected).

Of course, Gene Roddenberry was a hardcore secular humanist who considered all religions to be dangerous, counterproductive superstitions, so it's very odd that this episode ends with a pro-Christian message. Probably they were working so hard to get episodes finished by airtime that he recognized it was a strong Twilight Zone-surprise ending and let it pass... This was also during the second season, when his control over the series against network interference was waning (which would get far worse with the appointment of Fred Freiberger as line producer in the third).

His stance would be much clearer in The Next Generation, where he got to do the show exactly as he wanted without management interference, until his death midway through. See TNG episodes like "Who Watches The Watchers?" and "Devil's Due" for their strong religion-is-superstition stance. And of course, Deep Space Nine - produced after Roddenberry death and largely designed to be anti-previous Trek - would make Bajoran religion a central plot point, which he would never have allowed.

 

[MisterCairo]

A late night for me. After a three hour extended Hobbit (Desolation of Smaug), my wife goes and tells me season five of Ripper Street has been released on Netflix.

How can I let that go without at least one episode? Just the one, though...

 

[LizzieMaine]

Of course, Gene Roddenberry was a hardcore secular humanist who considered all religions to be dangerous, counterproductive superstitions, so it's very odd that this episode ends with a pro-Christian message. Probably they were working so hard to get episodes finished by airtime that he recognized it was a strong Twilight Zone-surprise ending and let it pass... This was also during the second season, when his control over the series against network interference was waning (which would get far worse with the appointment of Fred Freiberger as line producer in the third).

His stance would be much clearer in The Next Generation, where he got to do the show exactly as he wanted without management interference, until his death midway through. See TNG episodes like "Who Watches The Watchers?" and "Devil's Due" for their strong religion-is-superstition stance. And of course, Deep Space Nine - produced after Roddenberry death and largely designed to be anti-previous Trek - would make Bajoran religion a central plot point, which he would never have allowed.

I seem to remember reading that "Bread and Circuses" was the episode that caused a rupture between Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon, who quit as producer during filming or immediately after it was shot, with the point of dispute being the "tone" of the story. It's not hard to imagine that Roddenberry didn't like the "son worshipper" subtext of that script. Me, I liked it most for the really pointed satire of 20th Century television: "You bring this network's ratings down, Flavius, and we'll do a SPECIAL on you!"

There were a few other religious references in TOS, but they went by so quick they were difficult to notice. Kirk's responding to some alien referring to "gods" with "We find the one sufficient" suggests he was deep down a bit Abrahamic. And then there's Spock comparing tribbles to the lilies of the field, who toil not, neither do they spin...

Roddenberry's views nonwithstanding, I thought the handling of religion in DS9 was well done, especially Sisko's visible discomfort with being viewed as, basically, Space Jesus by the Bajorans.

 

[Touchofevil]

A late night for me. After a three hour extended Hobbit (Desolation of Smaug), my wife goes and tells me season five of Ripper Street has been released on Netflix.

How can I let that go without at least one episode? Just the one, though...

I just checked and it is not yet released here. The torture continues.

 

[MisterCairo]

I just checked and it is not yet released here. The torture continues.

After a fun but long day out at the beach (Port Stanley, Ontario on Lake Erie), we relaxed with another excellent episode of Game of Thrones.

I then followed up with episode two of Ripper Street's final season (amazing) and then made the mistake of watching the third.

One, I was getting really tired. Two, I was full of red wine. Three, it was a complicated episode with multiple back flashes to flesh out the history of a secondary character.

I fast forwarded through much of it. I may have to give it another chance during better circumstances.

 

[Benzadmiral]

An episode from 1964 of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour with Patrick O'Neal and Kathie Browne. O'Neal plays a former actor who's managed to marry the boss's daughter (Browne), lives in a very nice house, has an office with a secretary in Daddy's company, etc. Turns out he also has a lady friend. One night, after taking a cab to see her, he finds her shot to death. If his father-in-law finds out -- And the cab driver turns up to indulge in a little blackmail.

Two unusual things about it: It's set in New Orleans, and while nothing was filmed there, the cabbie mentions "nice spots across the lake, like Slidell or Covington." And the blackmailing cabbie is played by, get this . . . George Lindsey, best known as "Goober" from The Andy Griffith Show! Like Edgar Buchanan, who usually wound up playing lovable curmudgeons, Lindsey got typed. Here he is a sleazeball par excellence.

Written by The China Syndrome's James Bridges.

 

[Nobert]

I just watched the first episode of the Stateside Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. It looks as though, for once, Hollywood may have got their hands on a British property that they won't completely screw up.

Although, why is it set in Seattle? Will they please stop setting everything in the Pacific Northwest? They can have their wimpy, sparkly vampires, but Pete's Dragon is set in New England and ain't nobody going to tell me different.

 

[Touchofevil]

The last couple of episodes of this season of Fear the Walking Dead.
Not a bad way to end the season. It would be nice if there were a few more episodes.

 

[MisterCairo]

The last couple of episodes of this season of Fear the Walking Dead.
Not a bad way to end the season. It would be nice if there were a few more episodes.

Good news - that was a mid-season finale, it returns September tenth if I recall...

 

[MisterCairo]

It is filmed in Vancouver, BC, so to be an American location, easier the Pacific Northwest.

Considering the source material is British, they could set this abortion of a show in Botswana for all I care!

I just watched the first episode of the Stateside Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. It looks as though, for once, Hollywood may have got their hands on a British property that they won't completely screw up.

Although, why is it set in Seattle? Will they please stop setting everything in the Pacific Northwest? They can have their wimpy, sparkly vampires, but Pete's Dragon is set in New England and ain't nobody going to tell me different.

I just watched the first episode of the Stateside Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. It looks as though, for once, Hollywood may have got their hands on a British property that they won't completely screw up.

Although, why is it set in Seattle? Will they please stop setting everything in the Pacific Northwest? They can have their wimpy, sparkly vampires, but Pete's Dragon is set in New England and ain't nobody going to tell me different.