Current Watching

[Hot Pepsi]

Game of Thrones was HBO, though, wasn't it?

I've heard that 3 seasons is the make / break for Netflix. They have all the analytics, and if they renew beyond that, everyone wants a fat bump. Frankly, we just finished Orange Is The New Black, and it would have been far superior at 5 seasons instead of 7. The desire to stretch things out hurts more shows than it helps.

The Americans, I'll say it again, was one of those shows that I think more people should watch.

HBO is essentially a streaming service. Subscription model.

Indeed, the cost of labor goes up after the third season.

[Sits]

"Ah, nice marmot"

Unbelievably, I had never seen The Big Lebowski until today.* What an absolute gem. Every performance perfect.

*Showtime extreme, whatever that is.

It’s a thing of wonder. Give it a year and you’ll be telling people their latest homewares acquisition really ties the room together.

[Sits]

The ABC (Australia’s equivalent of the BBC, perhaps still a bit more independent?) is re-running the entire Endeavour, weekly since November. Although we’ve seen most or all of them before, we’ve recorded and are now working through them, one per evening. It really is a fine series, and despite the fact Shaun Evans was only six years younger playing young Morse in the latest series (set in 1970) than John Thaw was when Inspector Morse began in “real time” 1987, it works completely. In fairness I think Thaw was a little more “lived in” at 45 than Evans is likely to be at 55, so they could in theory run all the way through.

For me it’s now a clear Endeavour > Morse >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lewis - even before we knew what Lawrence Fox was really like. The Endeavour/Morse comparison is partly about production quality in 2013-20 v. 1987-2000, but IM probably suffered from a few more hammy extras, and some dodgy incidental music in Series 1. Endeavour had the advantage of all the learnings from its predecessors, and was in its stride from Day 1. I also wonder if there was a concerted effort to reassert the quality which had clearly slipped during Lewis.

[Patrick Thistle]

The first two episodes of WandaVision were released on Disney Plus today. Bit bold of Marvel to make a series about two of the least interesting characters in the MCU but whatever. It's pastiching classic US sitcoms from the 50s and has more end credits than I've ever seen on a TV show.

[Eggchaser]

Hugely enjoyed it, Twitter is frankly full of theories and easter eggs.

I have to say I was very impressed with the fellow who spotted the Grim Reaper in the opening credits, plus Wonder Man in the featurette.

For those who aren't nerds, in the comics Vision's brain pattern is taken from a recording of Wonder Man's brain, yes, the dead but of course not dead Wonder Man who did a huge heel face turn before his apparent death (hence he and Vision are "brothers", but Wonder Man also falls in love with his sister in law because she has effectively made herself pretty much irresistible to him, or rather his brother Vision, which makes for a very interesting scenario when Vision loses his emotions and Magneto turns his daughter, the Scarlet Witch, heel again - prior to that he refuses to give his brain pattern back to the Vision to restore his humanity so she drops a cliff on him, which has precisely zero effect because Wonder Man is basically indestructible, consisting entirety of ionic energy). The Grim Reaper is Wonder Man's actual brother, and is both evil, dead and still walking about. All of this is because comics.

[Eggchaser]

Also, in what world are the Scarlet Witch and Vision boring? Je-sus!

[Patrick Thistle]

They barely have anything to do in the MCU films.

Well up to now anyway.

[Eggchaser]

Oh, MCU. Well, yes, they're not exactly major players, although nearly killing Thanos wasn't a bad contribution. I was reading it as Marvel Universe, but in my defence it was late, I had a drink and was also watching Band Candy.

[Foot of Astaire's]

The wife has been hooked on Married at First Sight Australia - it's the trashiest of trashy TV, but I can't take my eyes off it when I'm in the room.

I'm glad it's not just us! It really is the worst of reality TV, dramatic music, snide editing, folk mugging up to the camera but it's damn addictive!

We quite liked the rather tranquil UK version that was on this year and we were genuinely happy for the couple who fell in love and moved in together. This Aussie equivalent seems more intent on keeping them all in a big brother style environment and hoping they kick off. I can't wait for next Mondays episode though!

[Hot Pepsi]

Hugely enjoyed it, Twitter is frankly full of theories and easter eggs.

I have to say I was very impressed with the fellow who spotted the Grim Reaper in the opening credits, plus Wonder Man in the featurette.

For those who aren't nerds, in the comics Vision's brain pattern is taken from a recording of Wonder Man's brain, yes, the dead but of course not dead Wonder Man who did a huge heel face turn before his apparent death (hence he and Vision are "brothers", but Wonder Man also falls in love with his sister in law because she has effectively made herself pretty much irresistible to him, or rather his brother Vision, which makes for a very interesting scenario when Vision loses his emotions and Magneto turns his daughter, the Scarlet Witch, heel again - prior to that he refuses to give his brain pattern back to the Vision to restore his humanity so she drops a cliff on him, which has precisely zero effect because Wonder Man is basically indestructible, consisting entirety of ionic energy). The Grim Reaper is Wonder Man's actual brother, and is both evil, dead and still walking about. All of this is because comics.

These videos are helpful. I never read any of the comics about these characters.

https://youtu.be/vBedaOB2OL4

[Hot Pepsi]

Watching The Commons about a near future Australia where climate change is fucking everything up. Joanne Frogget plays a therapist trying to get pregnant via IVF. Her husband is a scientist studying Chagas’ disease, the awful infection caused by the shit of kissing beetles. It’s generally native to South America but will spread with climate change. Her brother is a rich guy living in a special new part of Sydney for rich people. Her client is a border guard with PTSD. It’s not clear how Australia has a “border.”

I’m into it even though it’s upsetting. I just seem to like shows about Australia.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I'm glad it's not just us! It really is the worst of reality TV, dramatic music, snide editing, folk mugging up to the camera but it's damn addictive!

We quite liked the rather tranquil UK version that was on this year and we were genuinely happy for the couple who fell in love and moved in together. This Aussie equivalent seems more intent on keeping them all in a big brother style environment and hoping they kick off. I can't wait for next Mondays episode though!

In other trashy TV news, the current ITV2 Love Island substitute "The Cabins“ has caused a bit of hilarity round here when it was reported as being filmed in Longtown, which as other posters familiar with this area will know, is hardly the most romantic of locations.

There is if course more to it than that - it was filmed at the (quite upmarket for this area) Hidden River Cabins out in the countryside near the border. There is a restaurant there where my daughter and her mother have gone for afternoon tea in the past, so when they started a new all-you-can-eat pizza night we went out to try it and I was surprised how much money had evidently been invested in the place. I expect they have recouped a fair bit of that for this endeavour, so fair play to them.

[Tony C]

My wife has liked them for a while but over the last few weeks I've really got into the 'Return to the Chateau'/'Chateau DIY' (and other various associated shows) which are shown with alarming regularity on C4 and its offshoot channels. I find it relaxing, easy viewing, love looking at the buildings themselves and I really like watching a clearly very gifted builder/engineer/carpenter like Dick Strawnridge at work. Home DIY is something I have traditionally been very mediocre at and wish I could improve. This gives me a bit of impetus.

[Femme Folle]

I've been watching a series on NatGeo called Life Below Zero, which is about people who live in the Alaskan wilderness. Some, but not all, are completely off the grid and hundreds of miles from the nearest city. Two main thoughts that I have about this: 1) I could never live that way. I'm too anxious about dying and not that crazy about chopping wood, hunting, fishing, etc. Call me soft, but I like city living. 2) Some of these people are definitely the types who invaded the Capitol the other day. They mostly talk about their day to day lives, but occasionally you hear the comment about being self-sufficient and not one of those people who has to depend on the government.

[Hot Pepsi]

Except, of course, they’re all dependent on the government. If it weren’t for the government, Alaska would be in Russia, which probably wouldn’t let them be so “self-sufficient.” Or perhaps Canada or another British colony.

Who do they think built the Alaskan Highway? Insofar as they can live entirely off the land - which I doubt - who is making sure the animals and fish are not wiped out by over fishing/hunting and mineral extraction?

And I suspect they cash the check that comes from the government from the oil it sold so cheaply.

[elguapo4]

There's loads of those programmes going around. Virtually everyone in them seem to be arrogant, unpleasant people.

[Cal Alamein]

Except, of course, they’re all dependent on the government. If it weren’t for the government, Alaska would be in Russia, which probably wouldn’t let them be so “self-sufficient.” Or perhaps Canada or another British colony.

Who do they think built the Alaskan Highway? Insofar as they can live entirely off the land - which I doubt - who is making sure the animals and fish are not wiped out by over fishing/hunting and mineral extraction?

And I suspect they cash the check that comes from the government from the oil it sold so cheaply.

As a former 10 year resident of "Bush" (rural) Alaska fly-in villages, we met a few serious 'off the grid' folks who every few weeks came into our coastal metropolis of 725 to buy supplies, check their mail and then snow machine (winter/spring) or boat (summer/fall) back to their cabin. Back then I don't remember much whining about the government though that is guaranteed to change as FF points out.

There is no state that is so dependent on the federal government. #1 is the subsidized postal service. If Joe 'live off the land' Alaska needs ammo, a part for his boat engine, or some double stuff Oreos, he can thank the government for having postal rates that allow its residents to have mail and freight delivered affordably and reliably, weather permitting. And yes, no way are any of them ripping up their annual PFD (permanent fund dividend) check.

Another example of government propping up the state -- Alaska has a few huge military bases that obviously bring many millions of bucks to the state.

I looked up to see where the 'cast' lives and they definitely are in a very rugged, cold as hell area of Alaska. Some are not too far from Fairbanks, the others are way more remote. More power to them - we enjoyed our time up there, but it's a lot easier when you are younger.

[Sporting]

our coastal metropolis of 725

Population or the name of the town?

[Cal Alamein]

Population.

[elguapo4]

My cousin from Western Canada did all the reality show stuff back in the 80s, working as a cook in the wilds of Alaska and on a fishing trawler. I'd love to talk to her and ask what it was like, unfortunately I've never met her, and she recently refused a Facebook friend request from my sister, so it's unlikely to happen now.

[Sporting]

Yeah, its New Trier, Evanston and maybe a few others.
The number of famous people who went to New Trier is staggering.* (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._School_alumni)
In the US, just because you went to a "public school" doesn't mean you don't have massive advantages.

My school wasn't entirely like that. The income disparity wasn't as wide and wasn't as high on the top end. And we had a pretty large subculture of self-described "hicks." They're rarely represented in classic teen films, unless it's some kind of Americana tragedy like Winters Bone.

But my school definitely looked and sounded like it does in those films - sans the tree in the library. The rows of metal lockers, the tile everywhere, the boring 1960s brick architecture that might generously be called "international style." The boredom punctuated by moments of anxiety and angst. The unearned douchebaggery of the football players. The way wanting the opposite gender to "like you" seemed to be in the subtext, if not the text, of every single interaction with anyone about anything. Nobody had to wear a uniform and what you wore, which often aligned to the kind of music you liked, designated which tribe you were in, although that sort of cafeteria balkanization was not as severe in reality as it is in films.

I alway imagined that I'd gone to a very high-pressure, high-privilege high school, and in the grand scheme of things I did, but then I went to college and met kids who'd gone to the magnet schools in New York or Jefferson in Northern Virginia and realized there was another level. And then I was in Boston and DC and met people who'd gone to fucking Eton and what not and realized there's a whole other level or two beyond that.


*I know somebody who taught there for a while. After realizing she wasn't cut out for teaching in underfunded city schools, she tried Northfield Mount Hermon and then New Trier. It drove her out of teaching.

I just re-read this post and wanted to say that I liked it very much.

That's all.

[Femme Folle]

Compared to the original series, the Life Below Zero New Generation is boring, unless you enjoy watching millennials pat themselves on the back for chopping firewood and foraging for food. I would rather watch Sue Aikens fend for herself all alone on the northern edge of Alaska.

[Cal Alamein]

Compared to the original series, the Life Below Zero New Generation is boring, unless you enjoy watching millennials pat themselves on the back for chopping firewood and foraging for food. I would rather watch Sue Aikens fend for herself all alone on the northern edge of Alaska.

Looking at locations of the cast of characters, Sue Aikens is also in the most remote spot of them all.

EDIT: BTW, we liked FLYING WILD ALASKA, which was a series about a small Alaska Bush airline. We knew the family that was featured and one of the pilots was a former student.

[Femme Folle]

Cal Alamein that sounds like something I would enjoy. Thanks!

[San Bernardhinault]

If this is your thing, you might also enjoy "Alone: The Arctic". We binged the most recent season of it early in lockdown. It's a competition reality show, rather than a real-life reality show. They basically just stick a bunch of people who think they're brilliant outdoorsy types somewhere out on the edge of Great Bear (or maybe Great Slave) Lake just as winter is beginning to draw in, and they have to fend for themselves and the last one who doesn't tap out wins. You have no idea if they're going to bottle out after two days, almost kill themselves with all the crazy stuff they have, or last right into the dead of bitter cold Canadian interior winter. Absolutely fascinating to watch, although you really worry that someone will genuinely end up dead.