First episode.

Only one I've seen.:lol2:

Meant to go back to it, must have seen something shiny, and got distracted.

I must at some point try the Netflix ones. They're probably very good. I'm also curious to see the stylistic and pacing differences.

There were one or two that didn't grab me as much in the original series, like the Waldo Moment (thought kinda prescient now in some ways) - but some were fucking brilliant.

15 Million Credits was awesome. White Rabbit was disturbing but brilliant. And the Christmas special, with Jon Hamm was a real head fuck.

The "PM fucking a pig" one was good. Didn't see the ending coming, and it was a more subtle message of "look what you miss out on" rather than "hurdy-dur those damn sheeple spend too much time on their phones! They'll get what's coming to them..." It's the only one so far that felt like it could really happen.

I watched maybe 2 or 3 episodes after that, can't remember anything notable about them because, well, I can't remember anything notable about them. I know there was one about people who live in tiny rooms covered with ad screens and ride stationary bicycles for an evil corporation. It was super heavy-handed, not remotely realistic, and I remember thinking the relationship between the two main characters was painfully weak and unjustified.

Then just a couple days ago, I hand-picked "Smithereens" from the middle of the most recent season--because it starred Andrew Scott and I'm hot and bothered for him right now because of Fleabag--and unfortunately he was the only redeeming part of it.

[Highlight for spoilers]
It started okay--the idea of an Uber driver stalking a particular type of rider is interesting, and not something an old-fashioned taxi driver could really pull off. And his panicked "oh shit I had a super well-thought-out plan and it's gone totally awry" monologue was really nicely done, right up until they started shoehorning in lines about 'everyone's always got their screens in their faces!' as if his core motivation were about others and not himself, which of course it eventually was revealed to be. Then they went on these long, self-fellating demonstrations of the Facebook-analogue's super scary technology, like we don't know that text-to-speech algorithms exist, or how easy it is to Google people's names. And then of course Topher Grace's character was super genuine and well-intentioned, just naive and regretful, because he's supposed to represent Us--we just didn't know, we never meant for it to go this far--as if his whining explanation and resolve to do something is the catalyst that will finally get all of us Audience Sheeple on the path of moderation and clean living.

And then! The dude's final act is to secure the password for his Bereavement Group friend, which is depicted as a truly kind and worthwhile thing, without the slightest examination of the woman's desperate need to read her daughter's inbox--an urge that's questionable in both utility and nobility, and one she never could have fulfilled pre-technology. That's what they could have spent time on and built a real episode around: how modern technology has actually changed the process of grieving, rather than preaching yet again about how tech is scary and manipulative and always in the wrong hands.

Sigh. Anyway. I'm on a rant, and "Smithereens" wasn't a complete waste of an hour. I just don't think the show is nearly as earth-shattering as other people do.

Just finished ep 2 of Chernobyl

JFC

Highly effective storytelling.

Good lord

Man, I would never forget that episode, for obvious reasons.

I Am Mother, and Rim of the World, on NetFlix.

I Am Mother was better, between the two of them. Rim of the World is more of a kid's movie than Mother, but some of the language (spoken by the kids) kinda surprised me:

:eek:

I think referencing a dick being put into a child's mouth is a bit much.

Oh, and a Chinese movie, The Wandering Earth:



I watched this movie based solely on the title. Great movie title.

Literally, two solid hours of special effects, I'm not sure there is a genuine live-action scene in the whole movie. This flick grossed $691,000,000 in China alone.

English audio available, btw.

Chernobyl. This was powerful. Now I need a good book on the subject.

Late to the party, I just started watching The Crown. The acting is wonderful - every character so well cast. Not obvious casting either - I mean, John Lithgow as Churchill?

I didn't watch when it aired because Matt Smith was still too much the Doctor in my head. Wow, though, is he brilliant as Philip?

And Foy's Elizabeth is awesome. So's the king (can't recall the actor's name)

Beautifully made show.

I watched the other two episodes of Black Mirror's first season. Meh. I don't think I'll be able to watch these.

I did, however, watch (part of) a Tom Segura stand-up show last night. Quite funny.

Also, I'm caught up on all the Jay Leno's Garage off of YouTube. Am now watching The Straight Pipes (new car drives and reviews).

Anyone seen the new season of Stranger Things? Is it as good as the recent seasons?

Turned on the tube the other day and Tremors 6 had just started. I had to watch. :rolleyes:

I've never seen numbers 3-5.Tremors 2 was so sucky, I never had an interest in seeing more. But this one was actually pretty good. :cool:

I'm watching Designated Survivor on NetFlix.

I'm halfway through the 2nd season.

It's, like, ten times better than I thought it might be. I just decided to try an episode, while I was cooking. It's pretty predictable, but still manages to entertain. Second season is a little more soap opera. The first was pretty damn good.

Also, Kiefer Sutherland is a much better actor than I thought.

I loved that series, but it just died about two-thirds of the way through. Was it cancelled? I never got to see a final episode. :greenface