What was the last TV show you watched?

[AmateisGal]

"The Man in the High Castle" Season 2 Finale

• How insanely impressive was the Nazi Party Rally scene in Germany? They've studied "Triumph of the Will" and projected that spectacle forward for how things would be after a WWII Nazi victory

• Obbergruppenfuhrer John Smith and Juliana Crane are the driving foils of the story
  • Smith is the guy you want if you want to win, not if you want moral purity
  • He's a hairsbreadth away from supreme power because he played every thread brilliantly, dispassionately and with comprehensive planning and a Captain Kirk-willingness to take bold risks when he had to
  • Crane's world is getting pretty small - the Resistance doesn't want her, the Germans don't and the Japanese don't - in fact, elements within all three want her dead - finding places to hide, on earth, is getting harder for her
    
  • Smith is a Grandmaster - he sees the board from 1000 feet high and plays a long game with amoral intensity / Crane is a street fighter, hates the game, gropes for morality in an complexly corrupt world and gains victories by throwing intelligent counterpunches engendered by incredible instincts

• Having never read the books, all I know about the films and alternate histories are from this show, but in season 3, they have to start explaining more of that as two seasons is more than enough "believe us this will all makes sense" leeway to ask from your audience

• There is going to be a season 3 - right?

I am *very* excited for Season 3, but like you and Babydoll, I do want some explanations of the two realities. Also, now that Joe knows Julianna is alive, what will be his next move? Assuming he somehow gets out of jail, but I think Smith will neatly arrange something just like he neatly arranges everything else. If Rufus Sewell doesn't get an Emmy for his performance, I will have lost all faith in the awards system (not like I have much faith in it to begin with, but still...).

 

[Babydoll]

I am *very* excited for Season 3, but like you and Babydoll, I do want some explanations of the two realities. Also, now that Joe knows Julianna is alive, what will be his next move? Assuming he somehow gets out of jail, but I think Smith will neatly arrange something just like he neatly arranges everything else. If Rufus Sewell doesn't get an Emmy for his performance, I will have lost all faith in the awards system (not like I have much faith in it to begin with, but still...).

After having seen Rufus in this role, it took a few episodes to get used to him in Victoria. Quite different! (He was also in Parade's End.)

 

[AmateisGal]

After having seen Rufus in this role, it took a few episodes to get used to him in Victoria. Quite different! (He was also in Parade's End.)

Yes! Totally different character for him as Lord M. He's just an incredible actor and I think he's been overlooked for far too long.

 

[Frunobulax]

I have not but will look for it.

I think it was in the book, "Time and Again," that I first read the two theories of time travel distortion. One is the "butterfly flapping its wings" theory which is that any small change will have a major impact on the future and the other is the "pebble in the river" theory which is that most small changes won't impact the big flow of history.

If I think too hard about time travel, my brain just gets wrapped into knots anyway, so I normally just run with the story as presented until it hits a limit - like "The Man in the High Castle" has - which is when I start to expect some reasonable explanations.

Time travel paradoxes can drive you batty. Very few writers can pull off a decent time travel story without falling int a trap. I think you have to limit the scope of the analysis or you get in danger of stepping into a mine field that is ultimately dissatisfying to the reader/viewer.

On a separate note, looking forward to getting the last season of Bates Motel underway tonight.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[MisterCairo]

After having seen Rufus in this role, it took a few episodes to get used to him in Victoria. Quite different! (He was also in Parade's End.)

Yes! Totally different character for him as Lord M. He's just an incredible actor and I think he's been overlooked for far too long.

My first film with Rufus Sewell was the made for tv classic Cold Comfort Farm in 1995, directed by John Schlesinger, and I believe the last thing he directed before his death. Check it out, one of my favourite films!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112701/?ref_=nv_sr_1

 

[AmateisGal]

My first film with Rufus Sewell was the made for tv classic Cold Comfort Farm in 1995, directed by John Schlesinger, and I believe the last thing he directed before his death. Check it out, one of my favourite films!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112701/?ref_=nv_sr_1

I'll do that. Thanks!

I think I first saw him in A Knight's Tale with the late Heath Ledger.

 

[MisterCairo]

I'll do that. Thanks!

I think I first saw him in A Knight's Tale with the late Heath Ledger.

Just edited with a pic!

I saw a Knight's Tale too, also in Zorro 2. Also great in Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter!

 

[MisterCairo]

Last night's The Walking Dead. The stage is being set!

 

[AmateisGal]

Just edited with a pic!

I saw a Knight's Tale too, also in Zorro 2. Also great in Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter!

A young Kate Beckinsale!

 

[Fading Fast]

After having seen Rufus in this role, it took a few episodes to get used to him in Victoria. Quite different! (He was also in Parade's End.)

Yes! Totally different character for him as Lord M. He's just an incredible actor and I think he's been overlooked for far too long.

I know nothing about award shows - haven't watched one in decades, which gives me free rein to say stupid things like this: They should give him a combined award for providing nearly all the energy for "Victory" while being one of the main pillars holding up "The Man in the High Castle," one of the best shows on TV today - and, as AmateisGal said, the two roles require very different and nuanced acting skills.

 

[Fading Fast]

A young Kate Beckinsale!

I know I've seen her fly by in this or that third-tier nothingness, but in truth, she all but fell off the face of the earth after a pretty strong early career.

 

[Fading Fast]

My first film with Rufus Sewell was the made for tv classic Cold Comfort Farm in 1995, directed by John Schlesinger, and I believe the last thing he directed before his death. Check it out, one of my favourite films!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112701/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Sewell matured into his looks. Age worked in his favor.

 

[AmateisGal]

I know I've seen her fly by in this or that third-tier nothingness, but in truth, she all but fell off the face of the earth after a pretty strong early career.

Yeah, not sure what happened there. She went from Pearl Harbor nurse to a vampire in the Underworld series. Her most recent is a period piece, Love and Friendship, that I haven't yet watched, but hope to some day.

 

[Touchofevil]

Hubby's next series of choice? The Killing. Ugh. Trying to hang with it, but just the sheer misrepresentation of our weather is ticking me off to dustraction. IT DOES NOT TORRENTIALLY RAIN NON-STOP HERE!!!

I enjoyed what I saw of the show. At some point, I plan to finish watching it.

 

[Touchofevil]

Sewell matured into his looks. Aged worked in his favor.

And his acting and career choices have improved as well. I find him him much more entertaining nowadays.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Some other worthy Rufus Sewell performances that haven't been mentioned: Dark City, The Illusionist, Amazing Grace, Helen of Troy (TV), John Adams (TV, as Alexander Hamilton)

 

[Touchofevil]

A couple of episodes of the Irish miniseries, Rebellion on Netflix. Concerned with the 1916 Easter rebellion in Ireland. Entertaining enough. Having a hard time liking many of the characters, but finding the story worthy of viewing.
Also watched a couple of episodes of Marcella. Another Netflix viewing. Taking place mostly in London, it is a British noir dealing with a female detective and her attempts to catch a serial killer all the while attempting to keep at bay some serious personal issues.

 

[Fading Fast]

The first episode from the first season of "Endeavor." I know, I know, we are ridiculously behind on this one.

To be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed as the story / plot was, IMHO, overly engineered for surprises. That said, the early character development shows promise and the period sets and details were fantastic.

Definitely willing to give it a few more tries. It does need some regular female characters - not just as guest stars - which I assume, come eventually.

 

[Touchofevil]

Some other worthy Rufus Sewell performances that haven't been mentioned: Dark City, The Illusionist, Amazing Grace, Helen of Troy (TV), John Adams (TV, as Alexander Hamilton)

The Illusionist is a very entertaining movie. Very good story and acting (minus the miscasting of Jessica Biel), and beautiful cinematograph.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Two of the second season episodes of Friends. Yes, I've seen 'em again and again, but the arc where Ross and Rachel are lovers, and the one where Monica is involved with Tom Selleck's Richard, get me every time. It's not that the scenes seemed never to have been written before, as Raymond Chandler said about Dashiell Hammett's work in another time. We've seen romantic tales aplenty before Friends (though the dialogue was, and still is, often very funny). No, it's more that the romantic scenes had never been acted so well on TV and in just that way, with the chemistry between the two sets of leads.

Like the guy with a number of social "ailments," just call me a hopeless romantic.