Official TV Show Discussion Thread

[The Swanton825]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="masterded" data-cite="masterded" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="27929" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Did you stop watching Arrow because Billy Wintergreen was not Deathstroke? If you stopped watching I could understand why you would think he was, but if you kept watching you would know he wasn't.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I've never actually watched the show. I was on the fence about the show, I was even going to watch it once I heard Deathstroke was in it. But dividing the character like that (even though it was just a bait-and-switch) seemed pointless to me. I lost interest in watching not long after, petty I know.</p><p> </p><p> BTW, I didn't know Billy Wintergreen was an actual comic character until today, still don't get why Slade wasn't introduced as Deathstroke in his first actual live-action appearance.</p>

[masterded]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="The Swanton825" data-cite="The Swanton825" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="27929" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I've never actually watched the show. I was on the fence about the show, I was even going to watch it once I heard Deathstroke was in it. But dividing the character like that (even though it was just a bait-and-switch) seemed pointless to me. I lost interest in watching not long after, petty I know.<p> </p><p> BTW, I didn't know Billy Wintergreen was an actual comic character until today, still don't get why Slade wasn't introduced as Deathstroke in his first actual live-action appearance.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Arrow over the first 2 seasons have been both an origin story for the Green Arrow and Deathstroke, which has worked quite well. I mean sure some origins shouldn't be changed (Magneto, Batman, Superman) but others are open to new interpretations. If it wasn't for BTAS Mr. Freeze would be a lame villain with a freeze ray instead of one of the more sympathetic and tragic villains in comics. I will say the changes Arrow makes to The Green Arrow's origin are mostly vast improvements. No obsession with a Robin Hood TV show which made him take up archery as a kid, didn't fall of a boat drunk and no one notice, and he didn't decided to be a hero because he like how it felt to bust a drug growing business on an island. They did a good job removing most the dumb parts of his origin and making it seem much more epic.</p><p> </p><p> Also just a random weird thought, in 50 years time the Punsher will be a vet of a war that hasn't happened yet.</p>

[The Swanton825]

<p>I suppose I should at least watch some of the show before condemning it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="masterded" data-cite="masterded" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="27929" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Also just a random weird thought, in 50 years time the Punsher will be a vet of a war that hasn't happened yet.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I'm more curious if, after all Garth Ennis and his warped mind have devised, there will be anything left for the Punisher to do in 50 years.</p>

[BHK1978]

Well Survivor dug up that piece of garbage John Rocker from whatever trailer park he was living in and they made him a cast member on the new season of the show.

[RKOwnage]

I'm finishing up Season 4 of The Wire for the first time and man this show deserves every single bit of credit and praise it's ever gotten. I even loved Season 2 which was, from what I've reading, one of the less-well-received seasons.

 

Sons of Anarchy is back and the second episode bounced back a bit from the boring first episode. It's one of those shows that's desensitized me to violence and deaths, and honestly there aren't many characters that will affect me if they die in the end. Not sure what I'm expecting from the ending but the show's had a good run.

 

Anyone watch Gotham last night? I plan on checking it out today.

[FlameSnoopy]

I'm finishing up Season 4 of The Wire for the first time and man this show deserves every single bit of credit and praise it's ever gotten. I even loved Season 2 which was, from what I've reading, one of the less-well-received seasons.

 

In my opinion the second one was the best season. Overall probably the best series ever, even though it wasn't perfect. So many great characters all-around and if some of the story arcs would've been a bit more polished, in my opinion it would've been perfect. My brother hyped this series for like 2-3 years to me, saying it was the best series ever and after I finished it I wasn't at all disappointed. Well apart from the fact that there will never be anything like it, which is a major bummer

[Jaysin]

Anyone else check out Gotham? I loved it. I was expecting Donal Logue to steal the show(as he often does), but Ben McKenzie's Gordon was incredible. I usually wait until a show's season ends before watching it but I'm going to actually keep up with this one if it continues this quality.

[masterded]

Anyone else check out Gotham? I loved it. I was expecting Donal Logue to steal the show(as he often does), but Ben McKenzie's Gordon was incredible. I usually wait until a show's season ends before watching it but I'm going to actually keep up with this one if it continues this quality.

 

I liked it way more than I thought I would. I just hope they stay away from the Joker. You can show me what everyone else was/did before they were super villains, but you can't do that with the Joker.

[BHK1978]

I'm finishing up Season 4 of The Wire for the first time and man this show deserves every single bit of credit and praise it's ever gotten. I even loved Season 2 which was, from what I've reading, one of the less-well-received seasons.

 

Sons of Anarchy is back and the second episode bounced back a bit from the boring first episode. It's one of those shows that's desensitized me to violence and deaths, and honestly there aren't many characters that will affect me if they die in the end. Not sure what I'm expecting from the ending but the show's had a good run.

 

Anyone watch Gotham last night? I plan on checking it out today.

 

I liked season two of The Wire, in fact there really wasn't one season that stood out to be as being really bad during the whole run of the show. If you like The Wire I think you might want to check out The Corner which was an HBO miniseries that dealt with the impact of drugs on the family. It is from the same people that made The Wire (Well they were both based off books by the same author.).

 

I think with a show like SOA, you can't really expect them to keep the violence up week after week because that would be a high body count to keep up with. I am looking forward to the prequel series that deals with the founding of the club.

 

In regards to Gotham, I felt it was a bit boring but I am not going to give up on it yet. Mostly because there is not much better on television at that time (Yes I know RAW is on and I guess that proves my point.).

[CQI13]

Missed the last two seasons of Surivor - been watching what I can on the CBS app and following online. I wonder how far Rocker will get in the game. I prefer when the 'famous' players are under the radar (or at least not outed) like Jeff Kent and the girl from Facts of Life...there was also the NFL player on Guatemala. Odd how some celebrities are targeted and others aren't.

[Jaysin]

I liked it way more than I thought I would. I just hope they stay away from the Joker. You can show me what everyone else was/did before they were super villains, but you can't do that with the Joker.

 

They said they aren't really going to do the Joker, but they're going to play with the viewers. That's why the showed the awful stand up comedian performing for Fish. It sounds like they're going to show multiple people that could be the Joker, but never actually come out and have the Joker on the show.

[BHK1978]

Missed the last two seasons of Surivor - been watching what I can on the CBS app and following online. I wonder how far Rocker will get in the game. I prefer when the 'famous' players are under the radar (or at least not outed) like Jeff Kent and the girl from Facts of Life...there was also the NFL player on Guatemala. Odd how some celebrities are targeted and others aren't.

 

You should check out last season, the winner played a pretty good game and there were some interesting moments during the season. Obviously I do not want to spoil it for you so that is all I will say.

 

As for the season prior to last season, that was the first Blood vs. Water season. It was an okay season but nothing great. I think who wins a season often colors my views on the season and I hated the person who won the first Blood vs. Water season so that season is a ranked a little low due to my personal bias.

 

Poor Jimmy Johnson had no chance during his season, he was probably the most famous person who has been on the show mostly because he is still on television on a weekly basis.

 

I have to admit I was a little shocked that no many people knew who Blair from the Facts of Life was. I guess because the cast was on the younger side they might have not grown up watching that show when they were younger like I did. I know I would have know who she was right off the bat because I had a crush on her when I was a little kid.

[bigtplaystew]

Anyone watching Gotham? Thoughts?

 

Donal Logue's take on Bullock is fantastic. Otherwise, I'm not nuts about it. I just think conceptually it's a dumb idea. I'd have loved to have been in that pitch meeting.

 

"I'm going to make a Batman show. Only there's not Batman in it. And you know how what makes Batman awesome is that it's an action story about vengeance, grief, emotional trauma, and identifying our defining pain? Well none of that will be present in this show. It'll be a slow police procedural."

 

I don't know who this show is aimed at but the writing is too dumb for it to hold it's own among popular contemporary adult dramas like Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, etc. It's too cheesy. Now one of my favorite shows is Arrow and has it's share of cheesy dialogue, but it's also an ACTION SHOW. It's centered around chasing down and fighting bad guys. This show is a slow drama with almost no action. It's like Law and Order for teenagers.

[Jaysin]

I haven't watched the second episode yet(doing that tonight), but I loved the first episode and the entire cast for the most part. For the first time ever, I actually like Cobblepot as a character. I've always thought Penguin was such a lame villain. I love the concept of the show though. Some people just can't seem to get over the fact that it's not about Batman, but different strokes for different folks and all that jazz I guess.

[djthefunkchris]

I haven't watched the second episode yet(doing that tonight), but I loved the first episode and the entire cast for the most part. For the first time ever, I actually like Cobblepot as a character. I've always thought Penguin was such a lame villain. I love the concept of the show though. Some people just can't seem to get over the fact that it's not about Batman, but different strokes for different folks and all that jazz I guess.

 

I'm going to agree with you 100% (so far). I watched both episodes on demand, and I really liked them. I loved all the little easter eggs, and I actually like Harvey. They are portraying him very similar to the comic, so I don't get the hate there. Selina desiring to be called Cat instead of her name (nod to "The Cat", her first appearances in the comics), Ed Nygma speaking in... riddle's, working in the crime lab. Black and Red wore by the girls on stage at Fish Mooney’s club...

 

Kind of weird having the Dollmaker in Gotham, after already seeing him in Arrow..... must be his father? Could explain the Queen Consolidated logo from Arrow being on a building though.

 

Just so much fun already. So much to speculate, etc. Any fan of CSI I could see getting behind this show to be honest, and that's what I think they were aiming for.

 

I also don't know what else they could have done to let people know that the show isn't a Batman origin story, nor about Batman. They said it in every single article I read, that the show was going to be about Gotham, with James Gordon being the main star of the show. It's going to have origin stories for sure, but they aren't the center part of the show... HOWEVER, they did say they intent to run it all the way up til' Bruce don't the Batman suit.

 

To me... It would be really cool to keep it going from there, having the story centered on Gordon, with Batman running rampant as well.

[BHK1978]

Let me say this first, I do not read comic books so my only exposure to Batman has been through the various movies and the ultra-campy Adam West show.

 

That being said, I do find Gotham to be very dull. I am not sure if it is because of the lack of action as bigtplaystew said or what.

 

I never went into the show thinking it was going to be about Batman's origin because as DJ said it was made clear that it was not going to be about him. It was going to focus more on the backstories of the various bad guys that populate the city.

 

There is something lacking with the show and I am not really sure what exactly it is. I will say this though, I felt the same way about Agents of Shield and they managed to turn that show around once they added the Hydra storyline to the show. Maybe Gotham can do that as well.

 

I will keep on watching it but now that it is going against The Originals I will probably watch it OnDemand instead of watching it live.

[RayW]

Anyone watching Gotham? Thoughts?

 

Donal Logue's take on Bullock is fantastic. Otherwise, I'm not nuts about it. I just think conceptually it's a dumb idea. I'd have loved to have been in that pitch meeting.

 

"I'm going to make a Batman show. Only there's not Batman in it. And you know how what makes Batman awesome is that it's an action story about vengeance, grief, emotional trauma, and identifying our defining pain? Well none of that will be present in this show. It'll be a slow police procedural."

 

I don't know who this show is aimed at but the writing is too dumb for it to hold it's own among popular contemporary adult dramas like Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, etc. It's too cheesy. Now one of my favorite shows is Arrow and has it's share of cheesy dialogue, but it's also an ACTION SHOW. It's centered around chasing down and fighting bad guys. This show is a slow drama with almost no action. It's like Law and Order for teenagers.

I don't think Gotham is meant to be an action show. It's basically a police drama set in a comic book world. Even before the pilot I was expecting a police drama, and I enjoyed the first two shows. I don't think this is any cheesier than Arrow (which sometimes make me cringe), but I think you've gone into this show with false expectation. From the start they said it was about Jim Gordon coming to Gotham and his struggle with dirty cops, etc. of course there will be cheesy moments as it's based on a comic book, but overall, yeah, it's a police drama, not an action show.

[RayW]

Kind of weird having the Dollmaker in Gotham, after already seeing him in Arrow..... must be his father? Could explain the Queen Consolidated logo from Arrow being on a building though.

 

I may be wrong but I'm certain they've said that Gotham isn't a part of the same universe as Arrow and Flash, so any characters that appear in this and those series' aren't the same character.

[bigtplaystew]

Let me say this first, I do not read comic books so my only exposure to Batman has been through the various movies and the ultra-campy Adam West show.

 

That being said, I do find Gotham to be very dull. I am not sure if it is because of the lack of action as bigtplaystew said or what.

 

I never went into the show thinking it was going to be about Batman's origin because as DJ said it was made clear that it was not going to be about him. It was going to focus more on the backstories of the various bad guys that populate the city.

 

There is something lacking with the show and I am not really sure what exactly it is. I will say this though, I felt the same way about Agents of Shield and they managed to turn that show around once they added the Hydra storyline to the show. Maybe Gotham can do that as well.

 

I will keep on watching it but now that it is going against The Originals I will probably watch it OnDemand instead of watching it live.

 

I'm not a huge Agents of Shield fan but that show and this show are almost not even in the same category. I think that's my problem conceptually. It's being compared to this show and "Arrow" and to me, that's nonsense because those are action shows. This is very decidedly not that. I almost view it as an extremely toned-down version of The Wire. Edgy cops dealing with a corrupt infrastructure and extremely powerful criminals with extremely powerful friends.

 

I'll forgive it's slow pace if it ramps up. And (I think) it's a 23 episode season so it'll take it's time getting there. So like you said Shield got great when Hydra showed up. And this could get great when the gangster wars start breeaking out. Or they could keep talking and establishing Gotham as a crappy place to live for 23 hours.

 

The problem here is the acting is pretty awful so far. I simply don't believe a single word any of these people are saying. Everyone who isn't Donal Logue is either over doing it or too wooden. Fish Mooney SUUUUUHUHUHUHUCKs. so bad. Jada Pinket Smith is SOOO bad. In almost everything she does but especially this show. All I can hope for her character is a swift death at the end of the season.

 

I don't think Gotham is meant to be an action show. It's basically a police drama set in a comic book world. Even before the pilot I was expecting a police drama, and I enjoyed the first two shows. I don't think this is any cheesier than Arrow (which sometimes make me cringe), but I think you've gone into this show with false expectation. From the start they said it was about Jim Gordon coming to Gotham and his struggle with dirty cops, etc. of course there will be cheesy moments as it's based on a comic book, but overall, yeah, it's a police drama, not an action show.

 

Oh I knew what to expect. I'm fully aware this isn't an action show. I've said it a whole lot of times already lol. I watch tons of shows that never throw a punch. Those shows rely on good writing and acting, something this show is seemingly in short supply of thus far.

[fullMETAL]

They said they aren't really going to do the Joker, but they're going to play with the viewers. That's why the showed the awful stand up comedian performing for Fish. It sounds like they're going to show multiple people that could be the Joker, but never actually come out and have the Joker on the show.

 

Actually, Joker IS in fact officially planned for a future season, probably *after* the season with Two-Face (who is also planned).

[BHK1978]

I'm not a huge Agents of Shield fan but that show and this show are almost not even in the same category.

 

I did not mean to compare them as being the same. Really I could have plugged any show into that sentence that I was bored watching at first. I was just using Agents of Shield as my example because it was the first show to pop into my head at the time.

 

Did anyone on here watch The Leftovers on here? I thought it was a great show but also a highly depressing show to watch. There were tons of what the hell moments on that show.

[The Swanton825]

Actually, Joker IS in fact officially planned for a future season, probably *after* the season with Two-Face (who is also planned).

 

Being the huge Batman nerd I am, I could rant at length about how wrong it is to use these two. But I'll just restrict it to this question: Why in God's name would you use two villains whose origins both heavily involve Batman in a show that's not about Batman?

[Jaysin]

I got caught up on Gotham last night. Netflix has spoiled me so much. I can't handle cliff hangars anymore. Now I have to wait until Tuesday when it gets uploaded to Hulu

[Imarevenant]

Being the huge Batman nerd I am, I could rant at length about how wrong it is to use these two. But I'll just restrict it to this question: Why in God's name would you use two villains whose origins both heavily involve Batman in a show that's not about Batman?

 

They technically don't have to appear as their villain counterparts. While I still wouldn't add Harvey so early. Joker could make plenty appearances as the Red Hood.

[The Swanton825]

They technically don't have to appear as their villain counterparts. While I still wouldn't add Harvey so early. Joker could make plenty appearances as the Red Hood.

 

I suppose so, but I have too little faith in Fox being that smart.