What was the last TV show you watched?

[Julian Shellhammer]

"Flash" - Jeez Louise... Just how many Speedsters does one city need? They're up to three and counting....

Worf

Agreed! Earth 1, 2, 3, and on and on, all have speedsters. Earth 1 gots lots. Others get only one? I asked my son if the other Earths felt put down not being number 1. He patiently explained how the comic universe doesn't transfer over exactly to television. We did think that despite its predominate theme (run superduperfast) there are clever quips from time to time and the cgi is pretty good for a tv show.

 

[Julian Shellhammer]

This would be my one main complaint about Longmire. In the first season produced by Netflix (Season 4, I think), there were episodes in which ol' Walt seemed to pull the solution to the case(s) out of thin air.

The first couple seasons did seem to focus on solving crimes, with a great deal of characterization and sub-plots thrown in. The last couple of seasons seems to have shifted, in the words of another poster, into soap opera.
Nonetheless, I'm still waiting for the return of the series--

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

The fourth episode of Legion, which continues to be a fascinatingly different and challenging variation on the now overly familiar superhero-discovering-his-powers trope. (*) Dan Stevens is going to be a huge star after Beauty and the Beast makes a gazillion dollars, but he's also giving an unexpectedly sharp and complex performance on this little FX series.

(* This episode cold-opened with a previously unseen character residing on the astral plane[!] breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly[!] about how there are two kinds of stories we tell: The one about a fuzzy little bunny who leaves home, faces challenges, and finds his courage and happy ending; and that of a reckless child who plays too close to the ocean and is dragged under to his doom... And how this particular story is about a fuzzy little bunny... playing by the ocean!)

This all sounds so, so good. It almost makes me second guess jumping ship so soon.

 

[Zombie_61]

The first couple seasons did seem to focus on solving crimes, with a great deal of characterization and sub-plots thrown in. The last couple of seasons seems to have shifted, in the words of another poster, into soap opera...

Especially Season 5, which almost exclusively focused on the problems of the main characters and all but forgot about the show being a somewhat police procedural. If the actors weren't so good at doing what they do I would probably have stopped watching long ago.

 

[Worf]

Agreed! Earth 1, 2, 3, and on and on, all have speedsters. Earth 1 gots lots. Others get only one? I asked my son if the other Earths felt put down not being number 1. He patiently explained how the comic universe doesn't transfer over exactly to television. We did think that despite its predominate theme (run superduperfast) there are clever quips from time to time and the cgi is pretty good for a tv show.

Hmmmm, yeah... right. I was reading comics when they were 10 cents a pop... I ain't quite buying your son's explanation. I think it smells of "running out of fresh ideas" myself. Kinda of like when DC created the "Bat Family" in response to the Comics Code. Flash can be funny at times as for the CGI. Well some episodes it looks great, some errrr (Grod's Army) not so great. I'm still watching but man I hope there's a decent payoff for all this runnin' around.

Worf

 

[Doctor Strange]

Yeah, The Flash has had problems this season with redundant plot points (don't they all know by now that withholding ANY info from ANY of the others always causes problems?!?), instances of bad effects work (what's the point of doing Gorilla City if you can't do it WELL?), and too many regular characters (including too many speedsters) all jockeying for story space. It's been uneven and frustrating, but there are still times when it hits the sweet spot and manages what I consider its most impressive feat: keeping a solid emotional grounding to characters within its absurd SF shenanigans.

I feel that sister series Supergirl has also been similarly uneven, though in that case, some of it's due to the fairly significant retooling of the series for the move from CBS to The CW and associated cast/set changes.

 

[MisterCairo]

The second-last episode (tv movie) of Wallander. I will be sad to see it "finished".

 

[Touchofevil]

A couple of episodes of Fleming on Netflix.

 

[Benzadmiral]

The last and first episodes of Have Gun - Will Travel. The last episode features Paladin in an attempt to discover which member of a gypsy community murdered a local rancher for $10,000 that he, Paladin, is supposed to convey back to the bank. The first, the pilot written by Sam Rolfe, introduces him, his specially designed .45, and his knowledge of military history, as he is off to bring back a dangerous young man (Jack Lord) who has run off with the daughter (Janice Rule) of Paladin's employer.

Quite a contrast in the two views of Richard Boone's Paladin: In the last episode he is clearly older (though wiser) and worn down a bit by his life as an adventurer for hire. In the pilot, he is more neatly turned out, including a rolled-brim "gambler" style hat in black and a short, silvery tie, both of which he wears in at least the next few episodes.

 

[MisterCairo]

The Walking Dead and the Talking Dead.

Overall a very good episode, perhaps a little too "let's talk about feelings at times" but some good walker action.

 

[Edward]

We've finished season one of Hannibal - alas, two and three not yet on UK Netflix. Ezxcellent show. The third episode of SSGB yesterday; a continued slow burn, well done BBC. Also watched episode one of Prime Suspect 1973. A rare thing in our household, enjoying (or even watching) an ITV show, but I found it fun. Herself felt there were a couple of miscastings, though having neither read the book nor, in truth, paid much attention to the Helen Mirren-starring original show, I'm simply enjoying it as a period piece. Amusing and impressing myself with how many of the (mostly British) cars I can identify!

Taboo. season finale. I'm a difficult person to satisfy when it comes to finales. This one didn't clear the hurdle. I was disappointed. Maybe I had an attention lapse, but all of a sudden, Delaney was freed. I need to watch that tribunal scene again, because I don't get it. All this build up, and then no explanation? Was his chanting acting as telepathy or mind control? Wait, that's it? All this, and then he's out...because the story needed him to be out? The writers aren't going to earn it? And the prince regent suddenly wanting him dead? When did his patience run dry? And the fight scene...other than to fill a lot of time and kill off some characters, I thought that was lazy. This show hasn't really been too lazy, but I feel that was. I did like some aspects of this episode, so it wasn't a complete wash. Some great scenes. Some satisfying moments. I hope it comes back for another season, but they tied it up well enough that it isn't necessary. Smart.

Delaney was put in prison on the murder charges, framed by the EIC, because they wanted him dead as that suited their powerplay over the land he has inherited and, more significantly, they believe him to be the only eye-witness who can substantiate Sir Stuart's involvement, personally and as head of the EIC, in the illicit slave trade. Delaney takes the upper hand because he reveals that he has, in the event of his demise, another witness who will step up and give the evidence. Instead, he forces the EIC to do him a deal, for a ship and safe passage out of London. The Prince Regent wants him dead because he thought he had Delaney controlled, as a weapon to bring down the EIC - and suddenly he has been double-crossed.

TL/DR: Politics.

 

[belfastboy]

The second-last episode (tv movie) of Wallander. I will be sad to see it "finished".

The Swedish version or the Kenneth Brannagh?

 

[MisterCairo]

The Swedish version or the Kenneth Brannagh?

Kenneth Branagh. My wife and I have seen promos for it on various dvd and blu-ray disks, and when we saw it was on Netflix we started watching them.

 

[belfastboy]

I completed the 8 episodes of "Badlands, Texas" last night. The purported "documentary" of a killing in remote west Texas. Well folks, the line between documentary, reality show, and scripted soap becomes very blurry indeed. Worth it to see a part of the world I have yet to visit. But trust me, this is as manipulated a "documentary" as they come. The curiously unnamed narrator (all the other players were repeatedly named) turns out to NOT be from the town, is in fact a saloon owner and part time actor. He is truly a character but my spidey senses were engaged as he was just a little toooo good to be true..

 

[belfastboy]

Kenneth Branagh. My wife and I have seen promos for it on various dvd and blu-ray disks, and when we saw it was on Netflix we started watching them.

We will give it a go. Started to watch the Swedish version but my wife did not care for it much.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

Delaney was put in prison on the murder charges, framed by the EIC, because they wanted him dead as that suited their powerplay over the land he has inherited and, more significantly, they believe him to be the only eye-witness who can substantiate Sir Stuart's involvement, personally and as head of the EIC, in the illicit slave trade. Delaney takes the upper hand because he reveals that he has, in the event of his demise, another witness who will step up and give the evidence. Instead, he forces the EIC to do him a deal, for a ship and safe passage out of London. The Prince Regent wants him dead because he thought he had Delaney controlled, as a weapon to bring down the EIC - and suddenly he has been double-crossed.

TL/DR: Politics.

I understand all that, but as it was shown, I thought letting him go and the prince regent giving the order to kill him were sudden and without proper set-up. We all knew they were going to let Delaney go, but BAM! There it was. A prison break out or a side conversation or something to indicate it was happening. Same with the prince regent. He was like, whatever, whatever, and then BAM! Kill him. Maybe it's just me. I understand the situations just fine. The logic is there, but on screen, I felt like there were scenes missing in-between those motions. That they had skipped a scene in each of those situations. One minute he's chanting, then whats his name behind the tribunal is making a face, and then Delaney is walking out the front door. I still haven't watched it a second time, but I felt that sequence was a bit unclear.

 

[Frunobulax]

The Walking Dead and the Talking Dead.

Overall a very good episode, perhaps a little too "let's talk about feelings at times" but some good walker action.

Well, Rick and Michonne weren't always talking, LOL.

I enjoy these departure episodes that give us glimpses into the individuals. Some criticize them, preferring the group focus, but I liked this one, and the previous Eugene episode ("I was gifted these pickles...").

 

[Doctor Strange]

Supergirl, which suddenly finds itself being more politically relevant than when it was written and shot. The plot of last night's episode was about Lex Luthor's mother defying the show's (female) US president's policy of welcoming (space) alien immigrants and refugees, sending out her private army to round up aliens and their families and deport them back to space.

That's some unexpected topicality for an escapist fantasy superhero show. I don't think they intended to take a serious political stand, but on Supergirl, deporting aliens is depicted as the MO of a paranoid supervillain. Just sayin'...

 

[Touchofevil]

The final two episodes of Fleming and one of Marco Polo. Overall entertaining night.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

The Americans