TV Show Backlog and a Summer TV DVD Poll...

[shadowkat]

Sleepy. May go to bed soon. Almost went to sleep watching Elementary, the first of the last three episodes of the season. Not Elementary's fault - it was actually a good episode. The Moriarty arc on Elementary is oddly more intriguing and disturbing than it was in previous versions of the Sherlock Holmes tales. Also innovative. Will give Elementary credit for not doing the same thing as everyone else.

I'm wondering if I should bother with Falling Skies - it is threatening to take over my DVR. Has anyone on flist watched this series? Did you like it? Should I save myself the trouble and delete?

Same with Mad Men - I'm currently 10 episodes behind. Is the current season even worth continuing? Or should I just write it off now? My mother gave up on it some time ago.

How about Orphan Black? Good? Worth a watch? I have the whole series saved but haven't seen one episode yet.

Am holding onto Parade's End due to all the great reviews on flist. Waiting to be in the right mood for it. Right now, it just puts me to sleep...but this is admittedly a mood thing.

What TV shows should I rent via netflix this summer? This is when I catch-up on tv shows that I missed during the year, because I can't watch everything.

[Poll #1916515]

I sometimes think I need a TV Slut icon, although I sort of like the one I already have - it's subtle.

Comments

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Scandal is if you're wanting escapist brain candy. It's not deep. You don't have to think about it, just enjoy the twisty-shocks and the chemistry. Everyone is really, REALLY screwed up. I'd say that Olivia/President Grant are a 'so very wrong it's right' pairing ala Buffy/Spike. Those two have a lot of chemistry.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Is the first season worth watching? The second isn't available on DVD yet.
Also do you need to watch the first season to understand/follow the second?
I figure they'll rerun it eventually.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

I'm halfway caught up with Hannibal and am surprised at how much I'm liking it. Disturbing definitely but everything is of top-notch quality.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Seconding the rec for Hannibal

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I clicked both Dexter and Newsroom... I enjoyed last season's Dexter, it was a lot of Debra (who was always one of my favorite characters on that show)... of course that is no guarantee you'll like it.

And I clicked on Newsroom, which I've only begun to watch. It gets very preachy and heavy handed in places, but I like a lot of the characters (maybe you've already watched the first season by now?).

I'd be interested in your review if you watch Homeland, I haven't seen any of that yet.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I did try Newsroom last year - but the preachiness got on my nerves and I lost interest. Am considering trying again - because I do like the actors and I love rapid fire dialogue. Did it get better?

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

you've probably seen more of it than I have, I really have only seen 2 episodes so far(!).

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I gave up after the fifth episode...my attention kept wandering. Too preachy, and the relationship drama jarred. I'm trying to figure out if it got better and I should have stuck with it.

I really need to stick with shows longer than 2 episodes. I regret giving up on Fringe too early, Scandal, and Lost Girl.

[ann1962]

I'm trying to decide whether to continue Falling Skies. Not sure. I fell out of it for a while, and barely even remember how it ended last season. I've never been a huge fan of Wyle, but I very much like Moon Bloodgood. I wanted to see what was going to happen to her.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...weirdly, I'm watching because I like both Noah Wyle and Moon Bloodgood.
Also..there was a blurb in EW that intrigued me about his son Hal - whose girlfriend Kate is taken by the aliens, has a harnass put on, and is basically taken over - to the point she becomes one of the leaders but she has feelings for HAL, who she's implanted a probe in. HAL in an attempt to remove the probe, is crippled. But the probe from her pov means they can still be connected. Okay, that looks intriguing. Reminds me of BSG and Caprica along with Buffy and Sarah Connor for that matter.

But it does depend on how well it is done...and how long it takes them to get there. Only seen one episode so far.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

The first season of Homeland, definitely. Well-written, acted, directed. Later is uneven, but still good acting. And I thought this season of Mad Men was more interesting than last, but not all agree, of course. Not so much new directions as deeper and more twisted. But not sure you'd like the twists.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Won't delete Mad Men then - thanks.

And will try first season of Homeland. That at least is out on DVD now.

[liliaeth]

I always recommend Grimm. And I don't know if you're planning to watch it, but 'In the Flesh' will be airing on BBC America from the 6th of june and it is awesome.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Grimm got the most votes...interestingly enough.

Never heard of "In the Flesh"...what is it about?

[liliaeth]

It's a very good new series. Only three eps so far, but a second series will air in 2014.

It's a post-zombie apocalypse story that's set after the zombies have received treatment and are sent back home in the guardianship of their families.

The main character Kieren, is a teenager who committed suicide after his best friend died in Afghanistan. The writer originally started writing a story about someone with a mental illness who's returning home after being institutionalized due to a violent episode. Then he realized that he could take the concept further if he used zombies as a metaphor.

Anyway, the series deals with depression, suicide, racial hatred, homophobia, ...

Here's a preview



BBC America has a trailer for it, but it doesn't really show what it's about.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Oh that looks clever. I'm admittedly not a fan of zombies - because, eh, gross, and weak stomach for rotting corpses and gore (I did not do well in biology - my partner did all the dissecting, I wrote up the reports).
But...the writer's definitely have a sense of humor about it.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Have you watched "Lost Girl"? I just marathoned my way through it on Netflix Streaming. Very entertaining fantasy series focused on women kicking ass.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

You pretty much need to marathon Lost Girl for it to make any sense. I had to watch the episodes through twice due to a lot of head scratching and working out the hows and whys of stuff.

But Bo is a great character (who doesn't get punished by the narrative for her free-styling sexuality), as is Kenzi.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Ah. I only tried the first three episodes, then got overwhelmed with too many tv series and had to delete before seeing any more. And didn't see any after that. But my co-worker loves it.

That makes sense...if you need to marathon it for it to a)make sense and b) not lose interest.

I'm beginning to think commercials kill certain tv shows. Syfy has more commercials than most networks do...

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Hiatuses also kill tv shows.

This is why I have nixed cable and pay for tv shows individually. No ads. Hiatuses you don't have a choice about if you are watching the current season, but I can go back and rewatch as often as necessary to figure out the details (if I am inclined to).

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think Hiatuses kill tv shows as well. It definitely has hurt LOST and Revolution. They can't build any momentum.

Episodic series like NCIS, Bones, Castle, Elementary...can do Hiatuses without any problems. But it hurts serials. Particularly ones with complicated mythologies.

I'm struggling with what to watch on netflix this summer - I can do Lost Girl - it has 2 -3 season worth of DVDs. Dexter is possible, as is Homeland.

But Grimm and Scandal - only have one season out on DVD. By the time the second is released...it will be the fall and I won't have any time.
Had the same issue with Fringe - was able to watch 1-3 seasons, but got stuck regarding 4 and 5.

I'm afraid pay per tv show bit won't work for me - I'm too omnivorous a viewer and moody. I like jumping around too much and not pre-planning my tv. I struggle with netflix..for some of the same reasons. I need to be able to sample the tv show to know if I'll like it. Without making a full commitment.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Grimm is another show that needs to be marathoned because complicated story arc is complicated.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Apparently it's not the episodic series it claimed to be in the first episode.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

It's about 80% episodic and 20% complicated arciness. I get irritated sometimes by how episodic it is, but I think that's just so noticeable due this arc going on in the background in bits and pieces.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of Fringe. Fringe was 80% episodic to start and 20% complicated arciness. And the episodic bits were difficult to watch (ie. mad scientist gross horror lacking in humor).

I preferred Angel and Buffy's episodic - they were at least funny.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

I've been watching "Orphan Black", like it quite a lot. It's pretty dark and kind of twisted, but it's good.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Will keep it then and try it. Thanks.

[atpo-onm.livejournal.com]

The Moriarty arc on Elementary is oddly more intriguing and disturbing than it was in previous versions of the Sherlock Holmes tales. Also innovative. Will give Elementary credit for not doing the same thing as everyone else.

I'm really hoping you haven't been spoiled for the final two episodes-- things only get more intriguing and the finale is simply stunning.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I know who Moriarty is, but outside of that - nothing. (It was my own fault, I was reading a season finale best and worst list on EW and they spoiled me on who, just nothing else.)