The TV Discussion Thread

[Spinal]

All done with Slings and Arrows. Boy, that final season gets really painful. I respect the writers a lot for being willing to traverse that territory. I think the emotional final episode justifies the difficult journey. Season 2 is still probably my favorite with the avant-garde Romeo and Juliet, the crazy new age ad guru and the power struggle between Geoffrey and his MacBeth.

[Sven]

Considering I can't stand watching Iron Chef and knowing it's better then all Food shows, I won't watch any. Now many will ask? But why? How you not stand Iron Chef? Well I'm fine with the premise and the dialogue, but I can't watch it cause they prepare food I can't eat and then I eat microwave burritos. I can't handle it. No food network for me.

This is literally the most confounding post I've ever read on this site. Congratulations, F-banks.

[Arthur Seaton]

This is a strange post, given how right Spinal is.
Spinal hates LOLCats and the word "meh." I think he hates smileys, too.

My Five Guys burger didn't taste so good the other day when I was watching Ina Garten make something scrumptous.

[Mara]

Ha! Kenneth believes in phrenology.

[Sycophant]

Is it weird that Slings & Arrows makes me want to go into theater? For all its dysfucntion, it looks fantastic.

Just through episode 4 as of last night. The cast is really superb.

BTW, the extended scene on the DVD of the corporate guy (episode 1) giving the speech about what theater is, and likening it to his daughter wanting to put her pony on the roof, so all the children could be inspired by what she had was one of the heartiest out loud laughs I've had in a while.

[Duncan]

All done with Slings and Arrows. Boy, that final season gets really painful. I respect the writers a lot for being willing to traverse that territory. I think the emotional final episode justifies the difficult journey. Season 2 is still probably my favorite with the avant-garde Romeo and Juliet, the crazy new age ad guru and the power struggle between Geoffrey and his MacBeth.

Real life spoiler:
What makes it even sadder is that the actor who played Lear was actually sick while filming and died shortly after it aired. I think they kind of wrote the whole season for him.

[Spinal]

Real life spoiler:
What makes it even sadder is that the actor who played Lear was actually sick while filming and died shortly after it aired. I think they kind of wrote the whole season for him.

Yeah, I read this in his online bio last night. Glad I didn't know that while watching the show. It might have been too much.

[Amnesiac]

I'm still caught between watching Breaking Bad or True Blood. I know the last time I mentioned this, I was recommended Breaking Bad but every True Blood conversation I skim makes it seem like everyone is having a lot of fun watching this show.

I'm also considering Avatar, even though I haven't watched an animated show (ostensibly) geared toward kids since... I was much younger. But apparently there is a lot to appreciate about this one, regardless of age.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

As a fellow Mad Men fanatic, I would have to enforce that you are probably better off with Breaking Bad, IMO. I still can't understand the True Blood hype, whereas the second season of Breaking Bad was on par with, if not better than Mad Men's monumental second season.

[Mara]

I'd describe True Blood as a guilty pleasure. It's a lot of fun, but unabashedly silly and sudsy. If you're looking for something challenging, probably not. But if you're looking for a little intellectual break and just want to have some fun, have at it.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I'd describe True Blood as a guilty pleasure. It's a lot of fun, but unabashedly silly and sudsy. If you're looking for something challenging, probably not. But if you're looking for a little intellectual break and just want to have some fun, have at it.

Every time I see you post in this thread, I hope it's going to be another Friday Night Lights update. I've been living in a constant state of disappointment for weeks now.

[EvilShoe]

Every time I see you post in this thread, I hope it's going to be another Friday Night Lights update. I've been living in a constant state of disappointment for weeks now.
Did we already discuss cast status for season 4?
Matt Saracen will only be in five episodes. :cry:

[Kurosawa Fan]

Did we already discuss cast status for season 4?
Matt Saracen will only be in five episodes. :cry:

This is my great fear for going further with the series. I really hope they can maintain the level of quality of season three, but I'm really nervous.

Losing Saracen sucks. So does losing Landry, who's my favorite character outside the Riggins brothers. I'm assuming his role will be reduced severely, along with Tara. Luckily I heard an interview with Peter Berg, and he said as long as there's a FNL, there will be Riggins brothers. This gives me hope for the future of the show. If the Riggins brothers are gone, so am I.

[EvilShoe]

This is my great fear for going further with the series. I really hope they can maintain the level of quality of season three, but I'm really nervous.

Losing Saracen sucks. So does losing Landry, who's my favorite character outside the Riggins brothers. I'm assuming his role will be reduced severely, along with Tara. Luckily I heard an interview with Peter Berg, and he said as long as there's a FNL, there will be Riggins brothers. This gives me hope for the future of the show. If the Riggins brothers are gone, so am I.
There's only two seasons left, so I assume that'll help with the quality.

There are descriptions for new characters floating around in case you're interested. I decided to skip them.

Well, Matt's my fav character on the show. So I was fairly bummed when I found out. I figured Riggins'd be the one to go, since Kitch has a movie career now.

Are you sure about Landry? Last I heard it was "just" Tyra, Lyla and Matt leaving.

[Mara]

Every time I see you post in this thread, I hope it's going to be another Friday Night Lights update. I've been living in a constant state of disappointment for weeks now.

I've actually had a hard time getting season 3 in a watchable format. I have it queued up in Netflix, but that means I have to finish the discs sitting at home first. I'm gonna do it, it just might take a little bit.

[Kurosawa Fan]

There's only two seasons left, so I assume that'll help with the quality.

There are descriptions for new characters floating around in case you're interested. I decided to skip them.

Well, Matt's my fav character on the show. So I was fairly bummed when I found out. I figured Riggins'd be the one to go, since Kitch has a movie career now.

Are you sure about Landry? Last I heard it was "just" Tyra, Lyla and Matt leaving.


I'll avoid the new character intros. Don't want to be spoiled. I'm not looking forward to more drama with the McCoy family.

Not totally sure about Landry, but why would he still be around? I mean, he was obviously smart enough to get into a major university, so he shouldn't still be in town. I mean, I'd love for him to be there, but the explanation better be good.

And how dare you figure that Riggins would be gone. Riggins' presence is essential.

[EvilShoe]

I'll avoid the new character intros. Don't want to be spoiled. I'm not looking forward to more drama with the McCoy family.

Not totally sure about Landry, but why would he still be around? I mean, he was obviously smart enough to get into a major university, so he shouldn't still be in town. I mean, I'd love for him to be there, but the explanation better be good.

And how dare you figure that Riggins would be gone. Riggins' presence is essential.
Well, I didn't hear anything about the actor leaving the show. It could also be he leaves at the end of the season.

Kitch is doing John Carter of Mars. That's why.

[Sycophant]

Finished season 1 of Slings & Arrows. I've not done much acting, but I'd imagine acting as an actor acting must be difficult and doing a show where you have to communicate to the audience that the performance of Hamlet you're watching is great is a risky proposition. But everyone's up to the task here. Exhilarating television.

[Eleven]

Eureka / Town Called Eureka anyone? I've basically stopped watching narrative TV regularly, but I'm a sucker for a fish-out-of-water sci-fi comedy with Joe Morton (see also: Brother from Another Planet).

This and True Blood are really the only things I'm following now, and what to my surprise when

Ed Quinn, formerly Nathan Stark on Eureka, shows up as a Dallas vampire on Blood! I was wondering why he left the show.

[EvilShoe]

;185578']Holy shit, Dollhouse 1x13, Epitaph One, is amazing.:eek:
Gah, yes.

What's the story behind this episode? I assume season 2 will ignore it, as it hasn't aired on Fox and is offered as a "bonus" on the DVD set.

Was Whedon planning on having season 2 take place in 2019, with flashbacks filling in the gaps?

Tell me, ETM. You must know. You're the sci-fi guy. Tell me!!

[[ETM]]

Eureka / Town Called Eureka anyone?

Love it. I'm also watching Warehouse 13 and Leverage, which are the same kind of fun, and perfect summer TV fare.


What's the story behind this episode? I assume season 2 will ignore it, as it hasn't aired on Fox and is offered as a "bonus" on the DVD set.

Was Whedon planning on having season 2 take place in 2019, with flashbacks filling in the gaps?

Tell me, ETM. You must know. You're the sci-fi guy. Tell me!!

It was supposed to be the series finale, actually. No need to explain why and how. Whedon was surprised as anyone when Dollhouse was renewed, he joked that "FOX forgot to cancel his show, and told him he had to make more", so he initially pushed for it to be shown on TV. But now I can certainly see why FOX didn't air it. I don't think they'll necessarily continue where it left off, or even "fill in the blanks"... I see it as more of a possibility, a future that can happen, but it's never set in stone.

No matter what, it's awesome, and truly shows the potential of the premise, finally.

[[ETM]]

Holy shit, the nine minute The Prisoner remake clip from Comic Con:
http://seat42f.com/index.php/comic-con/4921-the-prisoner-exclusive-preview-clip-from-comic-con-

In case anyone was wondering, the creepy white balls are intact.

[[ETM]]

The Dollhouse panel is on right now, and it seems I was right re: Epitaph One. From Twitter:
[BIG spoiler alert] Re #EpitaphOne, we see memories set in future but veracity of those memories will be questioned. Not nec "whole truth"

[EvilShoe]

;188018']Holy shit, the nine minute The Prisoner remake clip from Comic Con:
http://seat42f.com/index.php/comic-con/4921-the-prisoner-exclusive-preview-clip-from-comic-con-

In case anyone was wondering, the creepy white balls are intact.
Ugh... :cry:
At least they kept Rover, I guess.

[EvilShoe]

;188043']The Dollhouse panel is on right now, and it seems I was right re: Epitaph One. From Twitter:
[BIG spoiler alert] Re #EpitaphOne, we see memories set in future but veracity of those memories will be questioned. Not nec "whole truth"
Makes sense Whedon conceived it as a series finale. Figured as much while watching it. Also easy to ignore.

I do hope this means Reed Diamond returns to the show in the second season.

[Acapelli]

;188018']Holy shit, the nine minute The Prisoner remake clip from Comic Con:
http://seat42f.com/index.php/comic-con/4921-the-prisoner-exclusive-preview-clip-from-comic-con-

In case anyone was wondering, the creepy white balls are intact.
this looks awesome

[number8]

Fucked up. Futurama voice actors boycotted the Comic Con panel.

[Amnesiac]

I watched the first episode of Breaking Bad. Pretty damn good. Bryan Cranston seems like a stroke of genius in terms of casting. I'm liking the concept and I thought the episode was quite great in terms of setting up Walt's world as well as establishing the impetus for the rest of the show without feeling rushed or really bloated.

The only thing I feel ambivalent about are the musical selections, which I thought were a bit much at times.

[Acapelli]

torchwood: the actor who plays grey is terrible

[[ETM]]

torchwood: the actor who plays grey is terrible

Yeah, they got a dude who sort of looks like he could be Barrowman's brother and that's it. Good thing he's not in it long.

[Amnesiac]

Well, Breaking Bad is really good. Still not finished the first season, but there is some phenomenal stuff here. A lot more dark comedy than I expected, too.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Through episode four of season 2 of Battlestar.

Starbuck's with a group of human survivors, which probably means there are some Cylons chilling with them. Also, Cally just shot Boomer. The suggestion is that it's for revenge, although it's equally likely to me that Cally's a Cylon and eliminated Boomer for spilling vital information.

Rough going for a few episodes, but Thrace and McCormack are keeping me onboard, and Olmos is back on his feet, thank God.

[Mara]

torchwood: the actor who plays grey is terrible

That's all your reaction for season 2? More pls? *puppy dog eyes*

[Amnesiac]

Finished season one of Breaking Bad. I feel like the penultimate episode and the finale should have been switched (with minor adjustments, obviously). Walt triumphantly leaving Tuco's place with the money felt like a much more charged and fitting note to end the season on than Tuco's craziness in the junkyard.

[EvilShoe]

Finished season one of Breaking Bad. I feel like the penultimate episode and the finale should have been switched (with minor adjustments, obviously). Walt triumphantly leaving Tuco's place with the money felt like a much more charged and fitting note to end the season on than Tuco's craziness in the junkyard.
That's not really the writers' fault though, but a result of the writer's strike.
Season 2 has a more... charged ending. It's divisive, not sure how you'll react to it.

Great show, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

[amberlita]

Finished season one of Breaking Bad. I feel like the penultimate episode and the finale should have been switched (with minor adjustments, obviously). Walt triumphantly leaving Tuco's place with the money felt like a much more charged and fitting note to end the season on than Tuco's craziness in the junkyard.

I kind of liked that though. It reminded me of The Wire, the way the penultimate episode was always the most exciting and the final episode was the bookend to the season's story. Feels more like the purpose of each episode is to service the story as it progresses organically rather than ratchet up tension for a cliffhanger.

[Amnesiac]

I kind of liked that though. It reminded me of The Wire, the way the penultimate episode was always the most exciting and the final episode was the bookend to the season's story. Feels more like the purpose of each episode is to service the story as it progresses organically rather than ratchet up tension for a cliffhanger.

Yeah, I see where you're coming from and you certainly bring up a valid point. It kind of adds to a sense of authenticity rather than artificially pointing the show toward a shoehorned finale full of thrills and excitement. So, yeah, I agree with you to an extent, actually, because I did quite enjoy the final episode of the season. But I don't feel that a resonating finale necessarily precludes organic storytelling.

I mean, my favorite TV show is Mad Men. So, I'm not really one who needs finales filled with nonstop tension or thrills. Mad Men's finales feel like natural, organic progressions but they also happen to be aware of their status as final episodes and do go for something a little bit more resonating and intriguing and ambivalent. But, heck, I really don't want to take a stand against Breaking Bad's finale because it just wasn't bad... and to be honest, of the two episodes, the true finale does seem in touch with Mad Men's subdued style but it's also different from it in the sense that it doesn't offer as many resonating moments. I guess I've been somewhat conditioned to expect and like this in my finales. I just felt Breaking Bad's finale was a bit peculiar and perhaps overly subdued. Just a touch. But your comments have certainly made me look back and reconsider. I agree that there is value in such a subdued approach. There is certainly something poignant and intriguing about the way season one ends. I should give it more credit.

Even so, I just thought the order of the episodes seemed a bit odd and perhaps inappropriate, but this is ultimately a trifle matter and doesn't necessarily change the excellence of either episode (event though I prefer one over the other). The order is bothering me less and less the more I think about it, though.

[Acapelli]

That's all your reaction for season 2? More pls? *puppy dog eyes*
i've found both finale's a bit anti-climactic, but overall season 2 is better than the first, with something borrowed being my overall favorite. i really liked the fact that they let rhys keep his knowledge of torchwood and the storyline with owen being dead was a pretty interesting twist. i really wish james had stuck around and become a member of torchwood though

one thing i have noticed about the show is that the sound effects are straight up terrible

i'm already three episodes into children of earth. stakes are certainly high this time around, and there's a palpable sense of urgency that i felt the previous finale's lacked

[amberlita]

Yeah, I see where you're coming from and you certainly bring up a valid point. It kind of adds to a sense of authenticity rather than artificially pointing the show toward a shoehorned finale full of thrills and excitement. So, yeah, I agree with you to an extent, actually, because I did quite enjoy the final episode of the season. But I don't feel that a resonating finale necessarily precludes organic storytelling.

Oh the two definately aren't mutually exclusive, but I'm certainly glad that shows like Breaking Bad and MadMen don't sacrifice the storytelling for the sake of a more dramatic ending. When they can come together they will and I'm anxious to see how you respond to Season 2's finale. I agree though, it was a very off kilter note to leave the first season on though that might have been the intention - to emphasize that Walt isn't in Albuquerue anymore, Toto. Atleast not the one he knew previously.

[Amnesiac]

Yeah, I'm pretty eager to work my through the second season. It's good to have some new, quality television to watch. I just finished watching the season two premiere today. Pretty intense stuff. I felt like this episode made Hank a little bit more sympathetic. He's really obnoxious most of the time but this is mostly tempered by the fact that he doesn't wear the pants in the house and evidently cares about his wife despite her more annoying/unpleasant qualities. I'm curious to see how the tension between him and Marie will pan out as, quite frankly, Marie is a lot more grating and annoying than Hank is and I'm kind of starting to feel sorry for him.

[Amnesiac]

Moved on to the second episode. Unbearably tense.

Can't say I'm going to miss Tuco. Man, I hated that prick.

[Qrazy]

I found Tuco to be utterly hilarious. WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY TIO!!! Blahahahahhaha.

[[ETM]]

Tuco's hilarity is precisely what makes him dangerous. He can either make you breakfast or crush your face in at any given time.

[EvilShoe]

I still don't think the Breaking Bad season 1 finale can be judged either way. From what I've read in interviews it was supposed to end with (Don't read this Amnesiac, unless you want to know what doesn't happen in season 2.)
Jesse dying.

[Sycophant]

I must say, it does kind of feel like season 2 of Slings & Arrows was done almost 2 years after the first, which is, of course, actually the case. The rhythm of the cast, the direction, and the writers just wasn't quite on par with the incredible notes the first season ended on. But by the end of the second episode, it seemed to be figuring itself out again.

I love watching Mark McKinney act.

[Sycophant]

It was recently announced on Telefilm Canada that there will be a new Kids in the Hall television series titled Death Comes to Town. The Kids' Kevin McDonald recently described it as "like a comedy Roots" and stated that it would be an eight-part miniseries airing first on CBC in Canada and then on US television.

Oh my god. IMDb confirms the involvement of all five members.

[Lucky]

Wow. "Epitaph One" is, indeed, fine television. I'm very ready for Dollhouse's second season.

[Acapelli]

:cry:

ianto

[Acapelli]

while i really enjoyed the first two torchwood series, i don't think i'd call it great television. children of earth is truly great television, my heart was absolutely racing for almost the entirety of the last two hours, to the point that i can't sleep right now. i really can't wait for series four

and after reading some of the reactions across the internet, while i can understand why people would be upset over certain character deaths (i know i was), but to stop watching the show because of it is just silly

[[ETM]]

I'm glad you're in tune with what Torchwood has to offer, Pelli.

[Mara]

and after reading some of the reactions across the internet, while i can understand why people would be upset over certain character deaths (i know i was), but to stop watching the show because of it is just silly

I'M JUST TAKING A BREAK WHILE MY HEART HEALS.

Anyway, yeah, I would say that Torchwood is moving out of "guilty pleasure" to genuinely great television.

[amberlita]

Moved on to the second episode. Unbearably tense.

Can't say I'm going to miss Tuco. Man, I hated that prick.

Same here.

He was so obnoxious and over-the-top that he was difficult to watch. I was glad to be rid of him. Served his thankfully temporary service. Not that I feel it was a wrong step to include him by the writers or the actor and how he chose to portray him, but he simply was not an enjoyable character to watch.

[Spun Lepton]

Oh my god. IMDb confirms the involvement of all five members.

:eek::pritch:

[number8]

If anybody would like to hear it, I made an ass of myself when I bumped into Alan Tudyk in San Diego.

[amberlita]

If anybody would like to hear it, I made an ass of myself when I bumped into Alan Tudyk in San Diego.

Yes please.

[number8]

Well, it all started when we went out on the town Saturday night to party. Wandering around the San Diego streets around midnight looking for dance clubs, we stopped because I had to tie my shoes. We had already been drinking at this point.

So while I was down there tying my shoes, I heard the wife say "Thank you for wearing that shirt," to someone passing by and the guy said "Thanks!" One of our friends asked, "What was his shirt?" She said, "It said 'Twilight is Gay'." Twilight was the hatred of the Con this year, and we've ran into so many Twilight haters, so I figured it was just another one. I finished tying my shoes, got up, and my wife looked at me and said, "That was Alan Tudyk."

My eyes bugged out and without realizing it, I yelled, "SERIOUSLY?!!" and looked around wildly. My loud shriek caught Tudyk's attention and he stopped to look back over his shoulder, just as I found him. We locked eyes. I panicked. It's Wash! Alpha! Gah! Not knowing what else to do (and remember I had several tall glasses of rum & coke in me at this point), I bowed down to him. So embarrassing. Without saying a word, Tudyk grabbed Adrienne Palicki and took off.

My friends played it cool and I ruined it. I was made fun of mercilessly that night.

Here (http://twitpic.com/bxsp8)'s the shirt in question.

[Sycophant]

:eek::pritch:

Yeah, this is pretty much the greatest TV news ever.

[Mara]

I panicked. It's Wash! Alpha! Gah! Not knowing what else to do (and remember I had several tall glasses of rum & coke in me at this point), I bowed down to him. So embarrassing.

Don't make me laugh out loud like that at work. It's embarassing.

[Ezee E]

I guess 8 could blame it on the a-a-a-the alcohol.

Uh, I went there. And I loathe that song.

[number8]

I guess 8 could blame it on the a-a-a-the alcohol.

Uh, I went there. And I loathe that song.

If negrep was still here...

[Sycophant]

Watched season 2, episode 5 of Slings & Arrows last night. What a down note to end my evening on. (The evisceration of poor Richard Smith-Jones.) Feeling kinda melancholy this morning as a result.

[Ezee E]

If negrep was still here...
Well deserved.

[number8]

Just saw the Dollhouse pilot and liked it a lot. I facepalm at the idea of that shitty first episode being aired as opposed to this.

[Acapelli]

Just saw the Dollhouse pilot and liked it a lot. I facepalm at the idea of that shitty first episode being aired as opposed to this.
how much footage in the pilot wasn't cannibalized for later episodes?

[number8]

how much footage in the pilot wasn't cannibalized for later episodes?

1/5 by my estimation.

[number8]

Guys, I don't think I can wait any longer for GLEE to start. It's killing me.

September?!! MOTHERFUCKER.

[Thirdmango]

Whoa, I just watched the 13th episode of Dollhouse. :eek: I have no idea what they're going to do with the series now. Total departure from where I thought they were going.

[Mara]

I finally got access to the first five or so episodes of the third season of Friday Night Lights. I'm a little annoyed of how quickly they've shunted Jason Street off the show, considering that the point of his character is that this town no longer has any use for the boys once they can't play football.

The yelling-and-storming-off acting method is getting a little old, too.

Other than that, it's still pretty solid. The main characters are interesting and empathetic, and I find myself really caring what happens to them.

[Spinal]

Guys, I don't think I can wait any longer for GLEE to start. It's killing me.

September?!! MOTHERFUCKER.

Yeah, I'm feeling the same. I need more Lea Michele in my life. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/joel_harmon/blue1.jpg

[Spinal]

I need more Lea Michele in my life.

Like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzSFBDPGkRY&feature=related) for example.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Battlestar Galactica update:

I'm through the news report episode in Season 2 where Lucy Lawless wants to get the scoop on everything. The best thing about the past disc was seeing Adama and Roslin get over themselves and start working together again. Awesome.

The scene with them in the field, looking at the constellations of the zodiac, was awesome, in the classical sense of the word. Seeing them inch closer to our reality gives the show a great sense of direction.

And the stuff about the mom farms? Fucked up. Those Cylons, I tell ya...

But yeah, much of my former doubting is gone, mostly due to the re-teaming of the whole clan. Still not huge on the religious thing, but at least it's interpretable in more than one way.

[Thirdmango]

Dammit Entourage, why are you so addicting, I need to go to bed.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Anybody been watching Tom Jane in HBO's Hung? I've been finding it an enjoyable enough show in its first few episodes, although not really on the same level as HBO's best shows. At any rate, it's something to watch until Mad Men starts back up in a few weeks.

[Lucky]

Anybody been watching Tom Jane in HBO's Hung? I've been finding it an enjoyable enough show in its first few episodes, although not really on the same level as HBO's best shows. At any rate, it's something to watch until Mad Men starts back up in a few weeks.

I've been watching it. It passes the time, but I never actually look forward to it or think about it at all when it's over.

[number8]

Same here. The only time I ever watch the show is at the gym on my iPhone, haha.

[[ETM]]

Hung is always there when nothing else is on, so I watch. It has gotten progressively more interesting, and I wouldn't mind more.

[Sycophant]

I was pretty much in tears throughout the last half of Slings & Arrows's final episode. Incredible show.

[Spinal]

I was pretty much in tears throughout the last half of Slings & Arrows's final episode. Incredible show.

Indeed.

[Mara]

Trying Torchwood Day Five.

Am taking deep breaths.

Oh, great, the aliens are freebasing children. That's just terrific.

[Mara]

You know, a bunch of psychopaths write this show.

You know Dexter? He's a PUPPY DOG in comparison to the writers of this show. He has STANDARDS.

[Mara]

Go Andy! Fight the establishment!

[[ETM]]

Go Andy! Fight the establishment!

He was great. Not very effective, but that was cute.:lol:

[Mara]

Sick, sick, sick.

I don't know what to do with you, Torchwood. You're interesting, and well-acted, and sometimes hilarious, but you are such a huge bastard. In some ways, the endings tend to be too tidy, but tidy in a horrible, painful sort of way.

The rise in quality between the first few episodes and Children of Earth is phenomenal. It was such a dirty little secret, and it's become such a triumph. There's certainly nothing like it on American television.

[Mara]

You know what Jack should do?

He should let his daughter kill him a few times. It might make her feel a little bit better.

Not quite done yet.

[Mara]

Alright, all done. Promise me there's going to be a fourth season? Promise?

Because I'm bipolar like that I and love this show despite everything.

[[ETM]]

You know what Jack should do?

He should let his daughter kill him a few times. It might make her feel a little bit better.

Not quite done yet.

The scene where he's waiting and she turns back is so simple, yet unbearable. I still can't believe Barrowman's the one who uttered the infamous "Megalodon" line before becoming Harkness. It's just too weird.

And I think Davies has hinted enough at a continuation. I think he wanted a clean slate to take it further than ever, and boy is it clean. Though things will be clearer after Tennant's final episodes on Who because Captain Jack is in them.

[Mara]

;192398']Though things will be clearer after Tennant's final episodes on Who because Captain Jack is in them.

Oh really.

I think I'm just a tiny bit behind on Dr. Who. I should catch up.

EDIT: Yeah, I've missed two specials, or something. I'll watch 'em.

[[ETM]]

Oh really.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1415016/ - the episode. DO NOT click if you don't want to be spoiled, though the Comic Con trailer already gives away who is back for the finale.


EDIT: Yeah, I've missed two specials, or something. I'll watch 'em.

Yeah, you missed the Xmas special "The Next Doctor" (good character stuff, awful villain+premise) and "Planet of the Dead" (also some nice stuff but too derivative and silly).

I've actually always disliked Davies' Who specials... always lame cheesy stories, celebrity guests, and huge flashy expensive effects. By far the worst Doctor Who episodes in the new series. The next one is "Waters of Mars" which looks equally silly and expensive, with a strong horror twist. The two part Tennant finale is gonna be something different, but that's in December. :(

I simply can't wait for whole seasons of Moffat's writing, it's gonna be incredible if he can keep it up.

[Mara]

By the way, 'pelli, Jack, Gwen, Ianto and Martha all guest starred in last season's Doctor Who. And Martha, in case you didn't know, was the Doctor's companion for Doctor Who Season 3, which was a very good season.

You can watch the two shows seperately, but they do overlap quite a bit.

[Mara]

;192405']http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1415016/ - the episode. DO NOT click if you don't want to be spoiled, though the Comic Con trailer already gives away who is back for the finale.

WHHEEE!

Okay, that looks like fun.

[Acapelli]

and as far as this article says, there will be a 4th season of torchwood

http://www.comicmix.com/news/2009/07/25/exclusive-torchwood-picked-up-for-another-season-by-bbc/

[Amnesiac]

I posted this back in February:


I haven't watched Dollhouse yet but Whedon should really be giving Alexis Denisof some work.

And it now looks like this has become a reality (http://whedonesque.com/comments/21227). Great news.

[Ezee E]

Alright, the Battlestar Galactica miniseries is on its way...

[[ETM]]

Alright, the Battlestar Galactica miniseries is on its way...

Praise the Lords of Kobol.

[Sycophant]

E, I suspect your reaction to the show will be similar to mine. Not sure why. Still, enjoy.

[Winston*]

The sixth episode of Dollhouse was a big step up. It had Patton!

[Watashi]

I am now done with all of Battlestar Galactica.

I shall begin to read the thread.

[Watashi]

Yeah, that BSG thread is frakked up. Qrazy.... what the hell? The melodrama is the best part and the final minutes of the finale is obviously tongue-in-cheek.

One of the best shows ever.

I can't even fathom to pinpoint a favorite character. I love them all.

[Sycophant]

Tongue-in-cheek or not--whatever. Awful couple of minutes to end a pretty alright show.

[Watashi]

If I had to label a favorite character, it would be Saul Tigh. I loved his arc and Hogan's performance.

[number8]

Mine was Tyrol for the first 3 seasons. Then I switched to Baltar.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I just got through the whole "Pegasus" run of Galactica, and it was fantastic. I love seeing everyone act Machiavellian, and there was some genuinely shocking stuff going on with the Peg's crew. I was surprised to see certain acts depicted with such honesty, then I went online and learned that I was watching extended cuts that were not broadcast on television. Makes sense.

Also, I figured out why I hate Baltar's #6 so fucking much.

Because she's fundamentally an apparition, she can pressure events without ever reaping consequences. In my eyes, that's a dishonest way of using a character - it's constant deus ex machina, an excuse for easy "drama" and lazy writing.

Now that I can fully understand my hatred, I'll stop bitching about it and move on to this observation:

Ronald D. Moore worked on Carnivale too? Guy's pretty much my hero right now.

[Raiders]

Also, I figured out why I hate Baltar's #6 so fucking much.

Because she's fundamentally an apparition, she can pressure events without ever reaping consequences. In my eyes, that's a dishonest way of using a character - it's constant deus ex machina, an excuse for easy "drama" and lazy writing.

Heh. Deux ex machina, huh? You have no idea.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Heh. Deux ex machina, huh? You have no idea.

I'm going to assume this is just you acting smug, and not you hinting that Baltar's a Cylon. Because if that's the case, I'll be very upset with you.

I don't want a response to this post.

[Raiders]

I'll simply say that I wasn't being smug, just that you shouldn't get so mad when the plot line isn't finished yet.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I don't want a response to this post.


I'll simply say that I wasn't being smug...

I guess it was too much to ask for.

[Mara]

Whoa. I finished season 3 of Friday Night Lights and I think they are setting up a KILLER fourth season.

Dillon v. East Dillon showdown? J.D.& his family were a fascinating addition to the cast, and watching this play out should be fascinating. I'm going to really miss Landry and Tyra, whose character arc has possibly been the most interesting in the whole show.

I think having Matt quit school is a stupid decision, and I hope he changes his mind.

I really want Riggins to become assistent coach. We've seen bits of leadership in him. I don't think he'll make it through one semester of college.

[Raiders]

I guess it was too much to ask for.

What do you expect for making mid-series kneejerk reactions to a show that has already run its course? I was just trying to alleviate the hatred and say that you can at least look forward to something being made out of this aspect you despise. I assure you I really haven't given anything away.

[number8]

Yeah, what were you expecting, dude? It's a forum, of course you're going to get replies to your comments. That's the whole point of posting here. It's not like Raiders stated any spoilers. We can skirt around hints, but if you expect us to not say things like "oh man, you have no idea!" then perhaps it would have been wiser to not incite the comment in the first place.

[Ezee E]

Finished the miniseries, or disc 1, and I don't know what to think of the show. There's something about the acting that jerks me a bit, but I think I'm going to keep giving it a try.

My favorite plotline was the ship that picked up the kids, only to have the twist at the end. Sweet.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Whoa. I finished season 3 of Friday Night Lights and I think they are setting up a KILLER fourth season.

Dillon v. East Dillon showdown? J.D.& his family were a fascinating addition to the cast, and watching this play out should be fascinating. I'm going to really miss Landry and Tyra, whose character arc has possibly been the most interesting in the whole show.

I think having Matt quit school is a stupid decision, and I hope he changes his mind.

I really want Riggins to become assistent coach. We've seen bits of leadership in him. I don't think he'll make it through one semester of college.


:pritch::pritch::pritch:

I agree with everything in your spoiler text, except I was a little less impressed with J.D. and his family troubles. Or, to put it more clearly, I thought they were handled poorly.

[Dead & Messed Up]

What do you expect for making mid-series kneejerk reactions to a show that has already run its course?

I don't think my comments directed toward #6 were kneejerk. If anything, my post was intended to clarify and distill earlier kneejerk comments I've made into a better-founded opinion.

What was kneejerk was me taking your response as smugness. One of the things I have trouble with online is interpreting people's tone. I didn't give you the benefit of the doubt, and I apologize for that.


Yeah, what were you expecting, dude?...

I did overreact, but I honestly thought he'd given away a significant piece of information, with his specific choice of words. It was only after a few hours went by that I looked back and saw that what he said could be interpretable as...no hint of any kind.

But I'm going to continue posting my reactions, because I've grown fond of the series, and there have been posts by people that illuminate what I have seen without revealing what I will see. And, evidently, Raiders's post was proof of that.

[Mara]

:pritch::pritch::pritch:

I agree with everything in your spoiler text, except I was a little less impressed with J.D. and his family troubles.

I'm a big fan of Northern Exposure, and so I was very excited to see Maggie from that show playing JD's mom. (And she is still GORGEOUS.) And I think the dynamic that they built between the three of them was fascinating.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I'm a big fan of Northern Exposure, and so I was very excited to see Maggie from that show playing JD's mom. (And she is still GORGEOUS.) And I think the dynamic that they built between the three of them was fascinating.

My biggest problem was..

the way everything was "resolved" after the fight in the parking lot. They went from sitting at Coach Taylor's house, with Katie McCoy talking about leaving her husband and J.D. talking about how much he hates his dad, to both of them being back at home and then hating the Taylors for reporting the abuse in the next episode. There's no explanation given as to why their living back at home with Joe. I thought it was handled very poorly.

Other than that I have no complaints.

[Amnesiac]

I finished up the second season of Breaking Bad a week or so ago. I can see why the ending would be considered particularly divisive...

Especially since those black and white cold openings ended up being a case of slightly annoying misdirection. I don't really have much of a problem with that, though. It's the sheer chance involved in Jane's father being an air-traffic controller and him being responsible for two planes that coincidentally collide right over Walt's house. It's an interesting turn of events, but it's also a little hard to swallow. Reminded me of something from LOST, actually. However, the idea of Walt being indirectly responsible for the death of so many is certainly interesting. I'll see how it pans out in season 3.

I really liked Jane when she first showed up. It's weird how fast that changed when she became a gold digging, black mailing brat. But when she and Jesse shared that quiet little moment in front of his malfunctioning TV where she reaches out and holds his hand... that was a very sweet moment. Also, there's something about Jesse that provokes sympathy. I mean, regardless of how ignorant, annoying or brash he can be, there is this layer of vulnerability and decency that really saves the character from being dismissed as a vapid rap culture moron.

Walt's complicity in Jane's death was a truly horrifying scene. Jesse and him are becoming more and more pitiable as the show goes on.

[Qrazy]

I finished up the second season of Breaking Bad a week or so ago. I can see why the ending would be considered particularly divisive...

Especially since those black and white cold openings ended up being a case of slightly annoying misdirection. I don't really have much of a problem with that, though. It's the sheer chance involved in Jane's father being an air-traffic controller and him being responsible for two planes that coincidentally collide right over Walt's house. It's an interesting turn of events, but it's also a little hard to swallow. Reminded me of something from LOST, actually. However, the idea of Walt being indirectly responsible for the death of so many is certainly interesting. I'll see how it pans out in season 3.

I really liked Jane when she first showed up. It's weird how fast that changed when she became a gold digging, black mailing brat. But when she and Jesse shared that quiet little moment in front of his malfunctioning TV where she reaches out and holds his hand... that was a very sweet moment. Also, there's something about Jesse that provokes sympathy. I mean, regardless of how ignorant, annoying or brash he can be, there is this layer of vulnerability and decency that really saves the character from being dismissed as a vapid rap culture moron.

Walt's complicity in Jane's death was a truly horrifying scene. Jesse and him are becoming more and more pitiable as the show goes on.

I share your reaction to the finale of season two. It works on a thematic level but it's kind of obnoxious on a narrative level.

[amberlita]

Also agreed about the S2 finale. The show's always so great about grounding its story in reality so that final beat is hard to swallow. The show is better at subtle and nuanced, not anvil-to-the-head themes. I'm not really as bothered by it as some but it is disappointing that it's the only misstep in what is a pretty flawless season. Not a good note to end on.

[Mara]

Has anyone seen Hex? It's a show about a girl in Northern England who finds out she's a witch and there are fallen angels and possession and stuff. It's somewhat lame but kind of fun... except that I can't figure out the logic of the show to save my life. It might not have any, but I can't help but suspect that I'm simply not getting it.

The rules for ghosts, possession, etc. seem pretty arbitrary. There's no Giles with a book saying "Oh, of course, ghosts can eat because..."

[Mara]

I'm also bothered by the fact that the main girl, in certain lights and from certain angles, looks just like a young blonde Julianne Moore. Then, in other lights and from other angles, not in the slightest.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/maragirl/Episode4Cassielookingmedievala lmost.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/maragirl/Episode5CassieInHospital.jpg

[Mara]

The rules for ghosts, possession, etc. seem pretty arbitrary.

Where would a ghost get safety goggles? WHY WOULD A GHOST WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES? Wouldn't other people see the safety goggles floating in mid-air, even if they can't see the ghost?

[Amnesiac]

Some spoilers regarding the casting of two particular characters for Breaking Bad's third season:

[THE COUSINS] 20s to Early 40s. Male. Mexican, preferably TWINS. Leaders of a Mexican drug cartel, these two ice-cold, bad-assed Mexican cousins of Tuco (Raymond Cruz) make their way across the U.S.-Mexico border leaving a trail of fear and death in their wake. They think nothing of casually slaughtering anyone who gets in the way of their goal: finding and destroying their hated competitor Heisenberg (Bryan Cranston)

Source (http://spoilertv.blogspot.com/2009/07/exclusive-breaking-bad-episode-301.html).

[number8]

So... This is totally late, but... Epitaph One. WOW.

[number8]

So... This is totally late, but... Epitaph One. WOW.

Oh my god. Topher. :sad:

[Amnesiac]

The ending was kind of cloying, though. Even so, the episode took the concept to an interesting place and it may give the series a darker and more apocalyptic impetus.

[number8]

Can we please recognize how fucking amazing Enver Gjokaj is? I think he's really the only one of the Dolls that could 100% convincingly pull off the different personalities.

[number8]

Not gonna link it, but I just saw a clip from an Italian prank show that's probably the worst candid camera stunt ever. They put a girl in a garage and had some creepy naked dude wearing only a hat and a camera around his neck slowly creep towards her with lust in his eyes. WTF?

[Qrazy]

Not gonna link it, but I just saw a clip from an Italian prank show that's probably the worst candid camera stunt ever. They put a girl in a garage and had some creepy naked dude wearing only a hat and a camera around his neck slowly creep towards her with lust in his eyes. WTF?

Link it!

[number8]

Link it!

I would feel morally responsible. I lost the URL, anyway.

[Mara]

Oh my god. Topher. :sad:

Haven't seen it yet. Please don't.

[Thirdmango]

So I am now 4 episodes into Hung and I find it to be delightful as it's a concept which could be taken much further then it is and yet it has a light hearted tone which I really like. Also I'm glad it's only half an hour.

Watched all the episodes of Warehouse 13 so far, I find it to also be delightful. It's no where near brilliant or any other awesome, but it's got some fun to it and I hope it can keep going.

[Mara]

"It's like having eyes everywhere, but not in a bad way, like that time we spilled a container full of eyes."

Haven't talked about it, but Better Off Ted is still hilarious.

[Mara]

"I think confidence might be one of those things were people can't tell if you REALLY have, or if you're just PRETENDING to have, like the female orgasm."

[Mara]

"I'm a scientist, Lem. I've been a threat to humanity, the environment, even Jupiter once. But never to a hot girl's boyfriend."

[Mara]

Given how much I've been enjoying Better Off Ted, I decided to check out Andy Richter Controls the Universe. It is also very funny.

[MadMan]

Given how much I've been enjoying Better Off Ted, I decided to check out Andy Richter Controls the Universe. It is also very funny.I have found memories of that show, and how funny it was. Alas, Fox decided to cancel it. Too many shows with promise have been axed by that bastard network.

[number8]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3812645821_25c9a21ec6.jpg

[Kurosawa Fan]

I want to give that guy rep.

[EvilShoe]

Given how much I've been enjoying Better Off Ted, I decided to check out Andy Richter Controls the Universe. It is also very funny.
I like it better than Better Off Ted, because Andy Richter >>>> bland guy who plays Ted.

[Acapelli]

I like it better than Better Off Ted, because Andy Richter >>>> bland guy who plays Ted.
the guy who plays ted is pretty charming, but is still agree with you

also the daydream sequences totally make the show. it's a shame that a show like scrubs took off while arctu did this bit (which is a where a huge chunk of scrubs humor is derived from) 10000X better

[Mara]

the guy who plays ted is pretty charming, but is still agree with you

Charming and DEATHLY HOT. Andy (whom I've never seen before, don't watch late night tv) is just as charming and has a more winning personality.

I like Portia as Veronica better than any of the ladies on ARCTU, though. Lem and Phil, who are my favorite characters, are even better than the supporting cast on that show, too.

[Saya]

George RR Martin gives a little update on the A Song of Ice and Fire series.


Yes, three more roles have been cast for the GAME OF THRONES pilot, as David Benioff and Dan Weiss announced over on Westeros.

No, I can't tell you who they are. HBO will make the announcements in due time, I'm sure. When? I don't know. Tomorrow, next week, next month. They don't consult with me. As I write this, I am aware of five parts that have been cast but not yet announced, but there could well be more. Things are moving quickly now. And of course, casting a role is not just a matter of picking an actor. Even after you decide who you want, there are offers and counter-offers, contract negotiations, a whole delicate dance that goes on. It is never wise to leak things prematurely. Sometimes that can actually throw a monkey wrench into the process.

I'm excited about the choices, though.

What can I say? Not much.

Maybe a few hints...

The five roles... well, we have cast Jaime Lannister and Theon Greyjoy, I let that slip in Montreal... the three new ones are all females. A couple small roles, but very important ones. One player has something in common with Ned. One has something in common with Harry Potter. One is not a boney pop singer. Shows can get cancelled and so can characters, but two of them have been seen on American tv recently.

And that's all you're getting from me, until HBO blows the trumpet.

And then a few hours later:


One more part has been cast.

Can't tell you about that one either.
:P

[Acapelli]

i love byron/phil equally. andy's neighbors are pretty great too, and keith is really entertaining

i think you're right about the female characters on the show being the weak links. i much prefer linda and veronica

[Mara]

Ted & Veronica's Jabberwocky (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH0tCtXwekk) presentation. I am begging around for a gif of them dancing.

[Sycophant]

Watched the double-length pilot episode of Due South last night, inspired by my new love of Paul Gross. The show pulled me in a lot of different directions, charming and fun one minute, grating and kinda hackneyed the next (lol, Paul Haggis, amirite?). Hopefully, it irons out some of these problems as it goes on. I'll give it a season or so.

[EvilShoe]

Charming and DEATHLY HOT. Andy (whom I've never seen before, don't watch late night tv) is just as charming and has a more winning personality.

I like Portia as Veronica better than any of the ladies on ARCTU, though. Lem and Phil, who are my favorite characters, are even better than the supporting cast on that show, too.
You might be right about Portia, but I liked the Phil guy better in ARCTU. Him and Lem are the best part about Better Off Ted though.
I need to catch up with the last few eps.

It's a shame Richter's TV career never took off. Andy Barker PI was awesome as well. (Never bothered with Quintuplets.)

[Ezee E]

Anybody watching HBO's School of Hard Knocks? I think non-football fans would dig the show because of how well it's put together. I'm actually interested in the Cincinnati Bengals now.

[Winston*]

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a really good show.

[Hugh_Grant]

Watched the double-length pilot episode of Due South last night, inspired by my new love of Paul Gross. The show pulled me in a lot of different directions, charming and fun one minute, grating and kinda hackneyed the next (lol, Paul Haggis, amirite?). Hopefully, it irons out some of these problems as it goes on. I'll give it a season or so.

It's nothing like Slings and Arrows.
I'll admit it's a guilty pleasure of mine, and for introducing me to Callum Keith Rennie, I'm forever in its debt.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Finished the second season of Battlestar last night. Very good finale. I thought the

one year later

was going to be quick and somewhat contrived, but it seems like they're really going to engage it next season.

[Mara]

Man, that transition blew my mind.

Gaius with his head on the desk-- everything we need to know.

[[ETM]]

The music sold the moment for me. I still get chills when I see it, or listen to the OST.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Man, that transition blew my mind.

Gaius with his head on the desk-- everything we need to know.

Indeed. I just loved how, previous to Gaius's restored win, I was thinking, "You can't steal the election, goddamnit!" Then, by the end of the episode, I was actually starting to consider the possibility that they were justified in stealing the election.

Very curious to see where the third season goes with this.

[Duncan]

I remember liking Due South when I was 8 or 9. Haven't seen it since.

[Dead & Messed Up]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3812645821_25c9a21ec6.jpg

I made this my Facebook profile pic.

[Mara]

Okay, craziness alert.

I just found out that I met Timothy Busfield.

And, no, I don't mean that I just met him. I just found out that I met him.

Look how cute he is!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/maragirl/Tim_Busfield.jpg

I know I had romantical thoughts about him while watching The West Wing, and I may have even entertained an impure thought during Studio 60.

But my freshman year in high school, in 1993, he wasn't really famous for anything. He had recently been part of the ensembe cast of Thirtysomething, and he looked like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/maragirl/busfield-crop.jpg

And he was kind of quiet and nerdy and his hometown happened to be my hometown-- East Lansing, Michigan. So he was home visiting his folks, or something, and spent fifteen awkward moments addressing my theater class full of students who had never heard of him, because we weren't thirtysomething, we were fourteensomething.

And I'm pretty sure I didn't entertain romantical thoughts at all and that now feels like such a waste.

[MadMan]

Oh and I must mention that I've been making my way through all of Red Dwarf, one of my all time favorite shows. I'm about to finish Season 8, thanks to my friend who owns the amazing box set. A thread will eventually be made, provided I stop being lazy and start penning commentary.

[Thirdmango]

I've been watching prison break for the first time lately, currently in the second season, it's nothing really great, but I keep thinking, how can one man have that many tattoos? I think he must have four different arms.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Is Green Wing any good? Anyone? Any of you Brits have an opinion about it?

[Mara]

Is Green Wing any good? Anyone? Any of you Brits have an opinion about it?

If it's a combination of The Green Hornet and The West Wing, I will watch it. If not, someone should make that show.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Television has taken over my life. I'm finishing up my third run-through of Carnivale, I'm deep into Season 3 of Battlestar, and I'm getting my first disc of Twin Peaks in the mail today.

[EvilShoe]

Is Green Wing any good? Anyone? Any of you Brits have an opinion about it?
Only saw a few sodes, didn't think it was very impressive.
Friend of mine really likes it, though.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Only saw a few sodes, didn't think it was very impressive.
Friend of mine really likes it, though.

Hm. It's free on Hulu, so I might give it a go at some point, but I won't rush. Thanks.

[EvilShoe]

Awesome trailer for season 4 of The Venture Bros.:
Here (http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a250aae232d7b51012 32eeeff310004).

[Spun Lepton]

Awesome trailer for season 4 of The Venture Bros.:
Here (http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a250aae232d7b51012 32eeeff310004).

:pritch:

November seems like such a long way away now ... :cry:

[Mara]

HAAHAHAHA I WIN.

I don't get cable in my room, so I have to watch cable shows on the family t.v. or catch up later via internet. The latter is the prefered method because I don't like to compete with my dad for programming.

But the last time "Project Runway" was on, I decided to brave it. Instead of surrendering the television, my dad would sit there and mock it while I watched. At first, he'd leave halfway through, but eventually he got into it, but wouldn't admit it. He'd claim he was just watching for Heidi's legs, but he totally was rooting for certain designers.

Well, the show came back on tonight and I've decided to sit this season out and catch up later for various reasons. But then, fifteen minutes ago, I hear: "Nat! NAT!"

I run out and Dad's like, "Your show is on." I explained that I wasn't watching, and he got all disappointed and sulky and tries to talk me into it. I laughed and came back to my room, but he's still watching.

So, yay, I got my dad hooked on a fashion show. I feel so powerful right now.

[Saya]

More casting news for A Song of Ice and Fire.


HBO appoints subjects to 'Thrones' (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3iebbbd387ec9a77d4420b06999a2 4352b)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau joins Sean Bean in pilot
By James Hibberd
Aug 20, 2009, 11:00 PM ET

HBO is filling out the cast of its fantasy pilot "Game of Thrones" with the addition of former "New Amsterdam" star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and several others.

The group joins the previously cast lead Sean Bean as battle-weary Ned Stark, who leaves his home to serve the king. Mark Addy, Kit Harrington, Jennifer Ehle, Jack Gleeson, Peter Dinklage and Harry Lloyd also star.

In the adaptation of the George R.R. Martin fantasy-book series, Coster-Waldau will play Jaime Lannister, one of the king's guards and a ruthless usurper of the previous king. The actor, most recently seen in Ron Moore's Fox pilot "Virtuality," is repped by WME, Impression and Independent Talent Group.

Another addition is Tamzin Merchant (Showtime's "The Tudors"), who'll play Daenerys, an exiled teenage princess.

Also new to the cast: Richard Madden ("Hope Springs") as Stark's eldest son, Robb; Iain Glen ("Into the Storm") as Ser Jorah Mormont, a disgraced knight; Alfie Allen ("The Other Boleyn Girl") as Theon, Stark's young ward; Sophie Turner ("Doctor Who"), as Stark's eldest daughter, Sansa; Maisie Williams as Stark's young tomboy daughter, Arya.

The group joins the previously cast lead Sean Bean as battle-weary Ned Stark who leaves his home to serve the king, Mark Addy, Kit Harrington, Jennifer Ehle, Jack Gleeson, Peter Dinklage and Harry Lloyd.

HBO still has a few more roles to fill in the large ensemble cast of "Thrones," one of the more buzzed-about titles on the premium network's development slate. The pilot shoots in Ireland in October.

David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Guymon Casady, Carolyn Strauss, Vincent Gerardis and Martin are executive producing.

Some pics to go with the names:

Jaime Lannister
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/image/new-amsterdam/nikolaj-coster-waldau-profile.jpg

Daenerys Targaryen
http://m.blog.hu/so/soborselet/image/GW328H358.jpg


Robb Stark
http://www.troikatalent.com/images/small_images/Madden_Richard.jpg

Ser Jorah Mormont
http://london.broadway.com/photos/3006296.jpg

Theon Greyjoy
http://darkaeon.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/alfieallen380_11207t.jpg

Casting still looks great to me.

[[ETM]]

That's Coster-Waldau in the first pic. He was also captain Pike in the Virtuality pilot. Finally something where his accent is not a problem

[Milky Joe]

It's HBO. I have no doubt the casting will be excellent. The fact that I've never heard of any of those people aside from Sean Bean of course is a good sign, I think.

[Thirdmango]

So I think I finalized what I'm going to do with this after talking it over with friends.

Because I have such a high tolerance for tv overall and because I have recently gained access to it all, I am going to attempt to watch every episode of The Simpsons and do a brief 2-3 line commentary on each episode. That's right, all 20+ Seasons.

[Winston*]

So I think I finalized what I'm going to do with this after talking it over with friends.

Because I have such a high tolerance for tv overall and because I have recently gained access to it all, I am going to attempt to watch every episode of The Simpsons and do a brief 2-3 line commentary on each episode. That's right, all 20+ Seasons.

Good news you you! You've overestimated the scope of your task. There are less than half that amount of The Simpsons seasons.

[EvilShoe]

I really wish Rescue Me would stop with the Tommy/Janet/Sheila drama. This stuff is way too repetitive: Janet acts like a bitch/Sheila acts like a nut/Tommy bangs at least one of them + occasionally other chick.

It would also be nice if the show went back to its roots. Felt more like an ensemble piece in the beginning.

[Ezee E]

I really wish Rescue Me would stop with the Tommy/Janet/Sheila drama. This stuff is way too repetitive: Janet acts like a bitch/Sheila acts like a nut/Tommy bangs at least one of them + occasionally other chick.

It would also be nice if the show went back to its roots. Felt more like an ensemble piece in the beginning.
Yeah, I haven't even bothered with the last two episodes because of this. It was doing so well at the beginning of the season, and has just fallen apart once Sheila's son got into the FD.

I blame the cancer kids.

[Thirdmango]

Good news you you! You've overestimated the scope of your task. There are less than half that amount of The Simpsons seasons.

This is exactly the reason why I want to try this, due to the fact no one now a days even recognizes the past 10 seasons as The Simpsons. I want to see where everything goes wrong enough to the point of alienating all the fans (it happened to me too). And see if any episodes actually past that point actually get better. (I watched some of the episodes in season 21 and they weren't as bad as season 9-10 range.) So it's made me quite curious.

[EvilShoe]

Yeah, I haven't even bothered with the last two episodes because of this. It was doing so well at the beginning of the season, and has just fallen apart once Sheila's son got into the FD.

I blame the cancer kids.
I also blame new Chief and Black Sean.

Franco deserves better than his current boxing storyline.

At least the guy who plays Mike still gets to pimp his crap band. Yes, Apache Stone really exists:
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/33169335/Apache+Stone.jpg

[Ezee E]

It's funny that the show portrays them as being as awful as they really are then.

Yeah, Chief with his Mail Order Bride? What!?
Black Sean is alright, but too one note.
The new guy is simply awful. There's so much that they could do with a Probationary Firefighter.

Yeah, I'll try and catch up, but if it remains the way it's going, I won't even bother next season.

[EvilShoe]

It's funny that the show portrays them as being as awful as they really are then.

Yeah, Chief with his Mail Order Bride? What!?
Black Sean is alright, but too one note.
The new guy is simply awful. There's so much that they could do with a Probationary Firefighter.

Yeah, I'll try and catch up, but if it remains the way it's going, I won't even bother next season.
I just don't feel Chief and Black Sean gel with the cast, probably because they are barely developed.

Next season is supposed to be the final one. I hope that's the case, or else I'm out as well.

[number8]

"Synthetic Self" was hilarious when I heard it on the show. Now that I know it's real, it is not anymore.

[Ezee E]

Black Sean definitely doesn't gel with the cast. The Chief isn't suppose to, and his attempts make the character interesting, but I still don't understand that mail-order bride coming out of nowhere, and outside of the conflict with Tommy (which should really be the focus of the show) he has nothing.

What has happened in the last two episodes anyway?

[number8]

What has happened in the last two episodes anyway?

Janet threatens Tommy to pick between ending things with Sheila or never seeing his kids again. Sheila bangs him. Tommy can't make up his mind, starts seeing crazy new chick. That's it, really. Nothing else is going on with the others.

[Ezee E]

Maybe I'll just avoid those episodes altogether.

[EvilShoe]

Maybe I'll just avoid those episodes altogether.
Wise decision, as they both have 10 minute long monologues by Sheila about how perfect she is for Tommy.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Made it through the boxing episode of Battlestar. That one's a good one, a stylish change of pace.

And I watched the first disc of Twin Peaks, which includes the ninety-minute-long pilot. At first I wanted to switch it off, but by the end, I was getting into the show's weirdo groove. Seems poised right on the line between sincerity and satire.

[number8]

Made it through the boxing episode of Battlestar. That one's a good one, a stylish change of pace.

One of us!

[Acapelli]

I really wish Rescue Me would stop with the Tommy/Janet/Sheila drama. This stuff is way too repetitive: Janet acts like a bitch/Sheila acts like a nut/Tommy bangs at least one of them + occasionally other chick.

It would also be nice if the show went back to its roots. Felt more like an ensemble piece in the beginning.
i thought i was the only one

things started going downhill after garrity's cancer storyline

[EvilShoe]

i thought i was the only one

things started going downhill after garrity's cancer storyline
Yeah, going for a longer season was a terrible idea. Sixth season has a shot at being good if the Sheila/Janet stuff gets wrapped up in this one.

Also suffering from an annoying fifth season: Weeds. It's just a terrible soap opera these days.
If it wasn't for Andy, I'd have stopped watching.

[Ezee E]

I wonder if FX only saw the first half of the season, because they were quick to book another season because they liked how "excellent" it was.

[number8]

Can you imagine what a strong season this would be if they only had 13 eps? Geez.

[Ezee E]

The show still has its inevitable character to kill off.

With the increasing alcohol problem, and the family and friends' ignoring it now, I bet that'll be what gets someone killed. Probably Sheila's son or Black Sean.

[Saya]

Today I received the Twilight Zone boxset and I hope to make my way through the 5 seasons in the coming weeks. I've never really watched an episode of the series before, I've only seen the movie some years ago. What is considered the best season?

[EvilShoe]

Today I received the Twilight Zone boxset and I hope to make my way through the 5 seasons in the coming weeks. I've never really watched an episode of the series before, I've only seen the movie some years ago. What is considered the best season?
I'm about 50 eps in. So far I'd say the second season is better than the first, but not by far.

I need to continue, took a break so I could watch Tales From the Crypt and Futurama.

[EvilShoe]

This week's Rescue Me was a lot better than other recent eps.

Main reason: no Janet or Sheila scene.

[Ezee E]

This week's Rescue Me was a lot better than other recent eps.

Main reason: no Janet or Sheila scene.
I will watch.

[Acapelli]

This week's Rescue Me was a lot better than other recent eps.

Main reason: no Janet or Sheila scene.
yep

and maura tierney still incredibly hot

[Saya]

I'm about 50 eps in. So far I'd say the second season is better than the first, but not by far.


Good to hear. I watched 4 episodes last night (Where Is Everybody?, One For The Angels, Mr. Denton on Doomsday and The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine). I was surprised to find out some episodes were ending on a happy note. I thought all episodes would finish with a doom and gloom ending.

[Raiders]

Today I received the Twilight Zone boxset and I hope to make my way through the 5 seasons in the coming weeks. I've never really watched an episode of the series before, I've only seen the movie some years ago. What is considered the best season?

I've never watched them in order really and there are numerous great episodes strung throughout pretty much all the seasons. Season Four with its hour-long format is the weakest overall and really, I would probably say that episode-for-episode, Season Five is probably the best. Really though, they're all strong. Probably my favorite TV series of all-time.

[Thirdmango]

I'm going to try and see what this love for futurama is, I tried when it was first on and found it to be mediocre but now I have access to all the episodes so I'm going to give it a shot.

Also I'm really not enjoying this first season of The Simpsons.

[Saya]

I've never watched them in order really and there are numerous great episodes strung throughout pretty much all the seasons. Season Four with its hour-long format is the weakest overall and really, I would probably say that episode-for-episode, Season Five is probably the best. Really though, they're all strong. Probably my favorite TV series of all-time.

Season 4 has hour long episodes? I really like the fact that these early episodes only run for about 25 minutes. In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the series. It's gonna take a while, but I'll get to the end haha.

I watched another couple episodes last night and really enjoyed the Escape Clause episode. I loved the tone and humor. "Ethel, you are a potato pancake"

[Mara]

When I'm watching streaming tv online and the video and sound don't match exactly, I like to pretend I'm psychic.

[Acapelli]

When I'm watching streaming tv online and the video and sound don't match exactly, I like to pretend I'm psychic.
one of my biggest pet peeves

finished watching pushing daisies and rewatching season 4 of it's always sunny. need some new tv to watch. any suggestions? not looking for anything that requires too much of an investment

[Mara]

If you liked Pushing Daisies, try Wonderfalls. It's pretty charming and there are only a handful of episodes.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Four more eps of Battlestar. About thirty episodes left. Digging how the "final five" subplot is taking center stage. Adds a good sense of mystery, even with that classic cheat of someone looking offscreen and going, "Oh, I never expected that it'd be you..."

[number8]

In honor of the new special premiering tomorrow, I just rewatched The Office again today. Just... Marvelous ending.

[EvilShoe]

one of my biggest pet peeves

finished watching pushing daisies and rewatching season 4 of it's always sunny. need some new tv to watch. any suggestions? not looking for anything that requires too much of an investment
Recently I rather enjoyed Michael & Michael Have Issues. Only seven episodes.

If you haven't seen Venture Bros. yet, you should watch that. Same with Garth Marenghi's Darkplace.
Hung is decent, nothing great.

Larry Sanders Show is awesome, but there's like 6 seasons of that. So so awesome.

[Acapelli]

Recently I rather enjoyed Michael & Michael Have Issues. Only seven episodes.
been watching it. just got the seventh episode so i look forward to seeing the finale. hope it gets renewed

found season 1 of the larry sanders show so i may do that. or wonderfalls as per mara's suggestion

[EvilShoe]

been watching it. just got the seventh episode so i look forward to seeing the finale. hope it gets renewed

found season 1 of the larry sanders show so i may do that. or wonderfalls as per mara's suggestion
Yeah, Wonderfalls is a pretty good show as well. Recommended if you liked Fuller's other stuff.

[Milky Joe]

In honor of the new special premiering tomorrow, I just rewatched The Office again today. Just... Marvelous ending.

Wait, what new special?

[number8]

Wait, what new special?

It's a reunion special where they gathered the cast to talk about the series and interview random celebs who are big fans.

[EvilShoe]

Rescue Me's series finale was pretty lame. Oh well.

This (http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15053) could be good:

HBO has given the greenlight to 11 episodes of the period drama "Boardwalk Empire" says Variety (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007975.html?categoryid=1 4&cs=1).

Terence Winter ("The Sopranos") created the series which revolves around the life of 1920s Atlantic City bigwig Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi"), a man said to be "equal parts politician and gangster".

Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Dabney Coleman and Stephen Graham will star in the series which begins production later this Fall in New York City for airing next year..
Scorsese directed the pilot and will serve as executive producer on the series.

[Milky Joe]

So Hung is pretty great. Jane Adams deserves an Emmy. And casting Eddie Jemison is a nice little stroke of genius. "I will swallow hot coals for you, baby."

[Dead & Messed Up]

Not sure if anyone here still watches SNL, but they fired Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson. Both were new last season.

I'm a huge fan of the show, currently - the cast is among the most capable the show's ever had, even if they're not always put to good use. Watkins could've been a great returning member. Her impressions of Ariana Huffington and Ann Coulter were awesome. That bums me out.

Casey Wilson, however, was the biggest black hole of comic suck I've ever seen. Good riddance.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Agreed on all counts DaMU. Not sure I have that amount of vitriol for Wilson, but I would have loved to see Watkins come back for another season.

[Benny Profane]

Casey Wilson, however, was the biggest black hole of comic suck I've ever seen. Good riddance.

What about Keenan Thompson?

[Kurosawa Fan]

What about Keenan Thompson?

I think Keenan is bland more often than not, but he has his moments. Casey Wilson brought nothing to the table.

[Dead & Messed Up]

What about Keenan Thompson?

He's still on, but I'm okay with that - he's actually gotten quite a bit better in the past year.

[Spun Lepton]

Not sure if anyone here still watches SNL, but they fired Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson. Both were new last season.

I'm a huge fan of the show, currently - the cast is among the most capable the show's ever had, even if they're not always put to good use. Watkins could've been a great returning member. Her impressions of Ariana Huffington and Ann Coulter were awesome. That bums me out.

Casey Wilson, however, was the biggest black hole of comic suck I've ever seen. Good riddance.

Who? Who?

[Dead & Messed Up]

Who? Who?

Two people funnier than you.

BAM.

[number8]

I think Rescue Me is done at this point.

[Spun Lepton]

Two people funnier than you.

BAM.

Obviously, especially if they weren't even funny enough for a show that ran its course by 1982. :P

[Dead & Messed Up]

Obviously, especially if they weren't even funny enough for a show that ran its course by 1982. :P

The Doumanian years were dark times, indeed.

[Ezee E]

I think Rescue Me is done at this point.
Did it end as bad as I heard?

[number8]

Did it end as bad as I heard?

Teddy blames Tommy for Ellie's death, walks into the bar with the whole firehouse/Gavins all there, pulls out a gun and shoots Tommy twice, then holds everybody at gunpoint. It ends with Tommy bleeding to death on the floor and Jimmy Keefe telling him that he'll be waiting on the other side.

[Ezee E]

Teddy blames Tommy for Ellie's death, walks into the bar with the whole firehouse/Gavins all there, pulls out a gun and shoots Tommy twice, then holds everybody at gunpoint. It ends with Tommy bleeding to death on the floor and Jimmy Keefe telling him that he'll be waiting on the other side.
Well, maybe next season won't have the love triangle?

Very, very bad.

[Acapelli]

i didn't think the ending was as bad as you guys are making it out to me

it's only got a season left anyway, so it's obvious the writers have a plan

[EvilShoe]

I hate cliffhangers like the one Rescue Me had.
As if there's any doubt surrounding
Tommy's fate.

[number8]

I hate cliffhangers like the one Rescue Me had.
As if there's any doubt surrounding
Tommy's fate.

There are already a lot of very dumb fans seriously speculating that Tommy will be a ghost for Season 6.

[Ezee E]

Denis Leary had a few interviews where he talked about "wouldn't it be great if the main character of a show died at the beginning of a season and was a ghost for the remainder?"

Or something akin to that.

[Qrazy]

I watched the first episode of Stella. A couple of jokes hit and sometimes the manic energy works, but ultimately everyone is trying way too hard, the acting is uniformly awful and the direction is piss poor.

[Acapelli]

I watched the first episode of Stella. A couple of jokes hit and sometimes the manic energy works, but ultimately everyone is trying way too hard, the acting is uniformly awful and the direction is piss poor.
stella is really hit or miss depending on your humor. me, i love their stuff, so it pretty much all works for me. i won't argue about the direction, really isn't one of wain's strong suits (if he is the one who is handling the directing duties). it's not enough to diminish my enjoyment of it though

[EvilShoe]

There are already a lot of very dumb fans seriously speculating that Tommy will be a ghost for Season 6.
Yeah, I noticed. Some people are easily fooled.
Don't really know where they're going with this. It reminds me of the season 3 cliffhanger.
I assume Teddy isn't going to survive season 6.

[Ivan Drago]

I'm thinking about starting to watch SNL again for Andy Samberg. Am I the only one here who finds The Lonely Island hysterical?

EDIT: Holy crap, Bill Hader's on the show now, too???

[Sycophant]

I watched the first episode of Stella. A couple of jokes hit and sometimes the manic energy works, but ultimately everyone is trying way too hard, the acting is uniformly awful and the direction is piss poor.

I've watched the first five episodes just recently. There's stuff that works for me in every episode, but the first episode is so far still the best. The biggest problems with later episodes is that--even though David Wain's direction is pretty uneven and poor--the manic energy present in the first episode is never quite recaptured, and the direction is typically even worse.

[Raiders]

EDIT: Holy crap, Bill Hader's on the show now, too???

Um, yeah, for the last four years.

[number8]

Hahaha, that's how he got famous, Ivan.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I'm thinking about starting to watch SNL again for Andy Samberg. Am I the only one here who finds The Lonely Island hysterical?

EDIT: Holy crap, Bill Hader's on the show now, too???

I'm of the opinion that Bill Hader, Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig pulled the show out of its post-Ferrell slump. I really enjoy it right now.

[number8]

They should really add Justin Timberlake as a cast member.

[Dead & Messed Up]

This just blew my mind.

I thought the actor who plays Stumpy (the father/manager of the cootch show) in Carnivale would be perfect for this thing I'm writing, so I looked up his name, which is Toby Huss. Then I double-taked.

Toby Huss played the "Wiz" in Seinfeld, Artie (the strongest man in the world) in Pete and Pete, Cotton on King of the Hill, and he went to the same college as me. This is just too weird.

http://charlesgoyette.com/uploaded_images/seinfeld-wiz-768864.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h68/the_vandal2/artie.jpg

[MadMan]

SNL's overall cast has some really awesome members. Its just that the writing isn't as strong as it used to be. However I tune in every now and then, as there are some funny moments here and there. The one sketch they did lampooning both Bush and the Democrats for the housing failers was not only the most bitting bit of satire they've done in a long time, but also quite hilarious.

[number8]

Lovers of The Wire, Sopranos and Mad Men should join the millions of other Sons of Anarchy (SOA) viewers because FX's latest hit does a great job of doing what those other shows do: present a portrait of men truly being men.

Fuck you, AskMen.com.

[Acapelli]

is the show any good though? i kind of wanted to check it out because of ron perlman

[Ivan Drago]

Hahaha, that's how he got famous, Ivan.

Haven't seen the show in years, and didn't know of him until Superbad.

[Winston*]

Finished Battlestar Galactica. Not sure about that ending...

[Milky Joe]

This just blew my mind.

I thought the actor who plays Stumpy (the father/manager of the cootch show) in Carnivale would be perfect for this thing I'm writing, so I looked up his name, which is Toby Huss. Then I double-taked.

Toby Huss played the "Wiz" in Seinfeld, Artie (the strongest man in the world) in Pete and Pete, Cotton on King of the Hill, and he went to the same college as me. This is just too weird.

Yeah, Toby Huss is the man. He may be my favorite part of Carnivale.

[Sycophant]

Finished Battlestar Galactica. Not sure about that ending...

I'm sure. I severely dislike it. A friend of mine has taken to saying that even though he doesn't like it, he looks that it
drives home the sense of loss of billions better than anything else in the show.

I see where he's coming from, but considering I don't think that's really the intended point, but rather a un/happy byproduct, I don't think I can use the word "like" about it.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Yeah, Toby Huss is the man. He may be my favorite part of Carnivale.

Yeah, I oscillate between him and Tim DeKay's Jonesy.

[Sycophant]

Interview with Bruce McCulloch about the new Kids in the Hall Show, Death Comes to Town (http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/09/08/kids-in-the-hall-death-comes-to-town/), debuting in Canada this coming January.

[Mara]

Guilty confession: Supernatural has gotten really damn good. It was pretty lame at the beginning, but I stuck with it at the urging of friends, and it has really become comfortable in its own skin. It's the same sort of scary/campy/funny mix as, say, Doctor Who. The mythology in the last season, leading up to the series premiere last night, has matured into something really fascinating, and the jokes just keep getting funnier.

I think I ranked it below Angel at some point in this thread. It's substantially better than that now.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Guilty confession: Supernatural has gotten really damn good. It was pretty lame at the beginning, but I stuck with it at the urging of friends, and it has really become comfortable in its own skin. It's the same sort of scary/campy/funny mix as, say, Doctor Who. The mythology in the last season, leading up to the series premiere last night, has matured into something really fascinating, and the jokes just keep getting funnier.

I think I ranked it below Angel at some point in this thread. It's substantially better than that now.

Hm. I watched the first five or so episodes of this a couple years ago and was monumentally disappointed. It seemed like a watered-down, teeny version of The X-Files.

[Mara]

Hm. I watched the first five or so episodes of this a couple years ago and was monumentally disappointed. It seemed like a watered-down, teeny version of The X-Files.

For the first five episodes-- hell, the first 30 episodes-- I would agree with you. It's like they loosened up and started having fun at the same time they started genuinely challenging themselves with the plot.

Anyway, I'm still unsure if I should give it a solid recommend or not, because you have to wade through shallow waters for awhile to get to the good stuff, but I'm too genuinely entertained right now to let my prior opinion stand.

Plus, the boys are hot. Just saying.

[Kurosawa Fan]

For the first five episodes-- hell, the first 30 episodes-- I would agree with you. It's like they loosened up and started having fun at the same time they started genuinely challenging themselves with the plot.

Anyway, I'm still unsure if I should give it a solid recommend or not, because you have to wade through shallow waters for awhile to get to the good stuff, but I'm too genuinely entertained right now to let my prior opinion stand.

Plus, the boys are hot. Just saying.

I don't have it in me to make my way through 30 episodes of that quality. If it were hot girls though, I might suffer through it. I understand your willingness.

[Mara]

I don't have it in me to make my way through 30 episodes of that quality. If it were hot girls though, I might suffer through it. I understand your willingness.

The pretty girls on the show are so freaking disposable. Sometimes they show up for multiple arcs and I can't even remember who they are. I think the casting director has a type of girl, and it's certainly not mine.

The exception being when they cast fanboy picks: Amber Benson, Tricia Helfer, Mercedes McNab, and Amy Acker were all great.

Unfortunately, though, the rumor is they picked up Paris Hilton for a stint on this season. Come on. Gag.