Planet Rugby Forum

RuggaBugga wrote:I've been watching a couple of older shows:

Southland after seeing it mentioned on here. I like crime drama/police procedural but not usually the yank ones. This one is pretty good it must be said. Kinda like an LA wire but without so much of the political stuff.

Also been watching Bloodline on Netflix. I find netflix staff is usually pretty shallow, paint by numbers sh*t but this is great. Some great performances in it and a pretty dark storyline. I'm only on season one so not sure if the quality keeps up through seasons 2 & 3.

Looking forward to Travellers returning. There's a bit of a dearth of sci-fi at the moment.

Check out 19-2 if you can find it. Canadian cop show which is a cut above the normal.

Also Counterpart Series 2 has just started.

Dubh01 wrote:

RuggaBugga wrote:I've been watching a couple of older shows:

Southland after seeing it mentioned on here. I like crime drama/police procedural but not usually the yank ones. This one is pretty good it must be said. Kinda like an LA wire but without so much of the political stuff.

Also been watching Bloodline on Netflix. I find netflix staff is usually pretty shallow, paint by numbers sh*t but this is great. Some great performances in it and a pretty dark storyline. I'm only on season one so not sure if the quality keeps up through seasons 2 & 3.

Looking forward to Travellers returning. There's a bit of a dearth of sci-fi at the moment.

Check out 19-2 if you can find it. Canadian cop show which is a cut above the normal.

Also Counterpart Series 2 has just started.

Cool will check it out.

Didn't realise counterpart was back. First series was the shiz.

Quite enjoying Norsemen on Netflix after Vikings and last Kingdom. Vikings in 791 dealing with being Vikings and more modern attitudes.
Trailer here

Skol!

kiwinoz wrote:Quite enjoying Norsemen on Netflix after Vikings and last Kingdom. Vikings in 791 dealing with being Vikings and more modern attitudes.
Trailer here

Skol!

I really enjoyed the first few episodes but then it seemed to ease back on the comedy.

I enjoyed the Extinction movie on netflix. May have got middling reviews since the plot took a few conveniences but the twist was good and I like a good sci fi story.

Toulon's Not Toulouse wrote:Enjoyed Narcos: Mexico, but it leaves one wanting more. Watching El Chapo now, but it's not quite the same, with far more focus on the petty stuff.

I thought Narcos Mexico was the best of the lot. The penultimate episode was awful in terms of how low a human can sink. You really want to wipe these vermin off the face of the earth. Not felt like that so much in the other series.

Enjoyed Narcos Mexico but I wouldn't say it was the best of the lot.

Moved onto Tales from the Tour Bus now. Mike Judge animated documentary series on the best and the baddest of music star stories. Quality stuff.

Has anyone watched Knightfall? I made it through half of the first ep's corny dialogue before fast forwarding to the end battle and gave up.

I find Grail and Robin Hood stories so 'meh' and feel there's real history from the medieval era that could be so much better. I also gave The Last Kingdom a go, and know it's from Cornwell's books, but the older time period didn't interest me (as is the case with the oversaturation of Vikings... which I assume is cheaper to produce given the lack of castles and sizeable towns needed to make it look 'realistic'?)

Nieghorn wrote:Has anyone watched Knightfall? I made it through half of the first ep's corny dialogue before fast forwarding to the end battle and gave up.

I find Grail and Robin Hood stories so 'meh' and feel there's real history from the medieval era that could be so much better. I also gave The Last Kingdom a go, and know it's from Cornwell's books, but the older time period didn't interest me (as is the case with the oversaturation of Vikings... which I assume is cheaper to produce given the lack of castles and sizeable towns needed to make it look 'realistic'?)

Agree on all the above.

The Last Kingdom was decidedly average alright.
Might start The Vikings, it seems like a knock off game of thrones though if I'm being honest.

Floppykid wrote:The Last Kingdom was decidedly average alright.
Might start The Vikings, it seems like a knock off game of thrones though if I'm being honest.

It's not.

I like it

It struggles a bit due to the huge backstory from the books.

I find Vikings a bit meh

Currently watching 'The Fix' on Netflix, Jimmy Carr's new panel show. If you don't like panel shows, then definitely don't watch this, but if they are your cup of tea, then it's worth a watch (a bit Yank-centric, but the lolz flow at a decent enough rate)

6/7 out of 10

Pat the Ex Mat wrote:I like it

It struggles a bit due to the huge backstory from the books.

I find Vikings a bit meh

I was actually meaning that Vikings wasn't a knock off of GOT.

I actually prefer it to GOT. GOT was awesome for a couple of seasons and then only good thereafter.

True Blue wrote:I enjoyed the Extinction movie on netflix. May have got middling reviews since the plot took a few conveniences but the twist was good and I like a good sci fi story.

Shouldn't this be on the movie thread?

Boobs not Moobs wrote:I haven't watched the latest of DD but given JJ second season was pretty damn pants surely that's next for the chopping block.

They're renewed Agent's of Shield for season 7, given season 6 hasn't aired and it's been pretty much in the air as to whether it would be renewed each year perhaps its more family friendly tone is why it's been renewed and conversely why the others have been cancelled as has been mentioned?

Agents of Shield was great for the first three series, Series 4 was all over the shop and Series 5 was unwatchable.

Finally got round to watching Gotham on netflix - I'm now on Season 3 and its getting too comic-booky nonsensical but the guys that play the penguin and Nigma are brilliant

LandOTurk wrote:

Toulon's Not Toulouse wrote:Enjoyed Narcos: Mexico, but it leaves one wanting more. Watching El Chapo now, but it's not quite the same, with far more focus on the petty stuff.

I thought Narcos Mexico was the best of the lot. The penultimate episode was awful in terms of how low a human can sink. You really want to wipe these vermin off the face of the earth. Not felt like that so much in the other series.

Narcos Mexico significantly better than El Chapo (Yet to see someone smoking a cigarette in the latter. Seriously? In Mexico?)

Just finished Bad Blood - okay but a bit meh - Anthony LaPaglia is not a convincing actor.

Did one episode of Pine Gap - truly awful.

Yeah Narcos Mexico is excellent really, Good cast, very well acted, well shot. Haven't gotten through it yet as I've been busy playing RDR2 but I'll try watch an episode a day now over the Christmas period.

Macrosan wrote:

LandOTurk wrote:

Toulon's Not Toulouse wrote:Enjoyed Narcos: Mexico, but it leaves one wanting more. Watching El Chapo now, but it's not quite the same, with far more focus on the petty stuff.

I thought Narcos Mexico was the best of the lot. The penultimate episode was awful in terms of how low a human can sink. You really want to wipe these vermin off the face of the earth. Not felt like that so much in the other series.

Narcos Mexico significantly better than El Chapo (Yet to see someone smoking a cigarette in the latter. Seriously? In Mexico?)

Just finished Bad Blood - okay but a bit meh - Anthony LaPaglia is not a convincing actor.

Did one episode of Pine Gap - truly awful.

La Paglia is best described as a bit wooden.

Jeff the Bear wrote:Currently watching 'The Fix' on Netflix, Jimmy Carr's new panel show. If you don't like panel shows, then definitely don't watch this, but if they are your cup of tea, then it's worth a watch (a bit Yank-centric, but the lolz flow at a decent enough rate)

6/7 out of 10

I agree on the rating.

I especially liked the Hipster Homestead Act (I think that was what DL called it).

Nieghorn wrote:

Floppykid wrote:

Boobs not Moobs wrote:Well I've started watching Brooklyn 99, sick of all the misery murder torture and rape. Took a little while to hit its stride. I think the 'who had the oldest collar' joke was when it did for me.

I find the humour to be a bit to American for my taste in that show.
Andy Samberg is also insufferable.

Sacrilege! He's a delight! ... or if not your thing, there are other types in the show to get behind. Holt's dry and witty, Terry's often the opposite of his looks, Rosa's got the rage but is also mystery that unfolds in funny ways, Amy's the loveable nerd, Charles the annoying nerd, Scully and Hitchcock buffoons ...

I also find it refreshing compared to much of what's out there. It doesn't take itself too seriously (even some 'heavy' moments in the recent seasons are quickly followed with a silly joke or that scene ends and the ep ends with hilarity). And I appreciate that it's one-and-done for the most part, with so many shows being serial nowadays.

Yeah Brooklyn 99 was a really good series to watch as a family - which we recently did over a few weeks. I have a 16 year old daughter and soon-to-be 13 year old son, and whilst we don't have strict rules about what they can watch, it's still more comfortable viewing as a family without strong sex scenes or frequent strong nudity. We love watching shows as a family and The 99 was really good. I agree with all your characterisations, its a great cast.

Just finished S3 of The Travellers, well bloody hell!

If anyone has not watched this, get onto your backsides and do so. Fantastic prog.

UncleFB wrote:

Pat the Ex Mat wrote:I like it

It struggles a bit due to the huge backstory from the books.

I find Vikings a bit meh

I was actually meaning that Vikings wasn't a knock off of GOT.

I actually prefer it to GOT. GOT was awesome for a couple of seasons and then only good thereafter.

I won't bother with GOT until he finishes the books.... I.e. never

Ali's Choice wrote:

Nieghorn wrote:

Floppykid wrote:

Boobs not Moobs wrote:Well I've started watching Brooklyn 99, sick of all the misery murder torture and rape. Took a little while to hit its stride. I think the 'who had the oldest collar' joke was when it did for me.

I find the humour to be a bit to American for my taste in that show.
Andy Samberg is also insufferable.

Sacrilege! He's a delight! ... or if not your thing, there are other types in the show to get behind. Holt's dry and witty, Terry's often the opposite of his looks, Rosa's got the rage but is also mystery that unfolds in funny ways, Amy's the loveable nerd, Charles the annoying nerd, Scully and Hitchcock buffoons ...

I also find it refreshing compared to much of what's out there. It doesn't take itself too seriously (even some 'heavy' moments in the recent seasons are quickly followed with a silly joke or that scene ends and the ep ends with hilarity). And I appreciate that it's one-and-done for the most part, with so many shows being serial nowadays.

Yeah Brooklyn 99 was a really good series to watch as a family - which we recently did over a few weeks. I have a 16 year old daughter and soon-to-be 13 year old son, and whilst we don't have strict rules about what they can watch, it's still more comfortable viewing as a family without strong sex scenes or frequent strong nudity. We love watching shows as a family and The 99 was really good. I agree with all your characterisations, its a great cast.

Was. Still is. New season starts January 10th and should be on SBS Viceland once again.

True Blue wrote:I enjoyed the Extinction movie on netflix. May have got middling reviews since the plot took a few conveniences but the twist was good and I like a good sci fi story.

I enjoyed it as well. Another I found myself enjoying for reasons I cannot explain was Bright.

Floppykid wrote:

Boobs not Moobs wrote:Well I've started watching Brooklyn 99, sick of all the misery murder torture and rape. Took a little while to hit its stride. I think the 'who had the oldest collar' joke was when it did for me.

I find the humour to be a bit to American for my taste in that show.
Andy Samberg is also insufferable.

Nah. He's good value. Enjoyed most of his Lonely Island stuff as well. The whole cast is well conceived and portrayed by the writers and cast alike.

Working Class Rugger wrote:

True Blue wrote:I enjoyed the Extinction movie on netflix. May have got middling reviews since the plot took a few conveniences but the twist was good and I like a good sci fi story.

I enjoyed it as well. Another I found myself enjoying for reasons I cannot explain was Bright.

part 2 will be good too i hear...

have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Saw Jimmy Carr live out here in the US a few weeks back. I'm not his biggest fan, but he was very good. Pretty well-received by the audience too (albeit a small venue, and most likely a high proportion of Brits and Irish, who 'get' his jokes)

Balls Out! wrote:

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Saw Jimmy Carr live out here in the US a few weeks back. I'm not his biggest fan, but he was very good. Pretty well-received by the audience too (albeit a small venue, and most likely a high proportion of Brits and Irish, who 'get' his jokes)

I like Carr, must be strange to see such a big name in the UK being a virtual unknown in the US, doing the smaller gigs like any struggling comic.
I saw one televised bit he did - Roast battle, I think - and not even the judges had a clue who he was. Did pretty well wiping the floor with the opposition in that one.

Watched the Sunderland doc series on Netflix

Pretty good ,probably as I did not know how the season ended until the last episode

Turbogoat wrote:

Balls Out! wrote:

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Saw Jimmy Carr live out here in the US a few weeks back. I'm not his biggest fan, but he was very good. Pretty well-received by the audience too (albeit a small venue, and most likely a high proportion of Brits and Irish, who 'get' his jokes)

I like Carr, must be strange to see such a big name in the UK being a virtual unknown in the US, doing the smaller gigs like any struggling comic.
I saw one televised bit he did - Roast battle, I think - and not even the judges had a clue who he was. Did pretty well wiping the floor with the opposition in that one.

I've seen him back when he was first kind've becoming really huge.
I really liked his live set, but I ten discovered he recycled a lot of it over the years.

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Just watched the first episode and a couple of the Yank guests were on the verge of making decent gags that they then butchered by over-explaining a punchline a Brit comic would trust us to figure out on our own.

One of the girls went on a bit of a personal rant and Jimmy did a deadpan 'Nikki, do you overshare?' Which is a lay up really for an equally deadpan or sarcastic comment like 'Not really' or 'It's been known to happen' which most Brit comedians would pick up on.

It was still pretty funny, but the American comedic style/sensibility is very different.

argus wrote:Watched the Sunderland doc series on Netflix

Pretty good ,probably as I did not know how the season ended until the last episode

I'm 6 episodes in so far, that Coleman guy seems like a right plum.

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Americans are funnier than the British in every single field apart from, perhaps, sketch comedy. They used to be better at short term sitcoms also but I haven’t really seen a good one from anywhere in a while.

In terms of stand up, film, animation and just comedy in general the US pisses over everyone else from a great height and it’s been that way for some time

naki wrote:

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Americans are funnier than the British in every single field apart from, perhaps, sketch comedy. They used to be better at short term sitcoms also but I haven’t really seen a good one from anywhere in a while.

In terms of stand up, film, animation and just comedy in general the US pisses over everyone else from a great height and it’s been that way for some time

So how do you explain how poor yanks seem to be at panel shows, a format specifically setup to bring the best out of comedians? If Americans are so super at stand-up, why do they consistently struggle in a format that relies on being naturally funny and quick witted?

I do think that one answer is that the American comedians that do end up on panel shows are not the best of the best. If, for instance, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock were on there, it may be a better standard...but given how big America is, you'd expect them to be able to output a higher class of comedian who can partake in a bout of witty banter to the mirth of all those watching.

Jeff the Bear wrote:

naki wrote:

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Americans are funnier than the British in every single field apart from, perhaps, sketch comedy. They used to be better at short term sitcoms also but I haven’t really seen a good one from anywhere in a while.

In terms of stand up, film, animation and just comedy in general the US pisses over everyone else from a great height and it’s been that way for some time

So how do you explain how poor yanks seem to be at panel shows, a format specifically setup to bring the best out of comedians? If Americans are so super at stand-up, why do they consistently struggle in a format that relies on being naturally funny and quick witted?

I do think that one answer is that the American comedians that do end up on panel shows are not the best of the best. If, for instance, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock were on there, it may be a better standard...but given how big America is, you'd expect them to be able to output a higher class of comedian who can partake in a bout of witty banter to the mirth of all those watching.

Panel shows are heavily scripted.

Panel shows are awful at the best of times. The writers for those shows are true hacks, and when improvisational show the deficiencies of many comedians in stark relief. The better American comics who WOULD be decent in a genuine, spontaneous panel show would be those steeped in improv and far more likely to something like SNL than a lowly panel show.

I’ve seen QI, Buzzcocks and Mock the Week. They were all terrible, and usually a waste of the comedic talent on display. Are those the best UK panel shows?

naki wrote:

Jeff the Bear wrote:

naki wrote:

comets wrote:have been watching British comedy game shows like mock the week and 8 out of 10 cats do countdown and they are pretty effing hilarious..why can't Americans make something this funny, Carr is a riot, i enjoyed watching his series The FIX, no wonder british comedians are hitting american market, americans are unfunny.

Americans are funnier than the British in every single field apart from, perhaps, sketch comedy. They used to be better at short term sitcoms also but I haven’t really seen a good one from anywhere in a while.

In terms of stand up, film, animation and just comedy in general the US pisses over everyone else from a great height and it’s been that way for some time

So how do you explain how poor yanks seem to be at panel shows, a format specifically setup to bring the best out of comedians? If Americans are so super at stand-up, why do they consistently struggle in a format that relies on being naturally funny and quick witted?

I do think that one answer is that the American comedians that do end up on panel shows are not the best of the best. If, for instance, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock were on there, it may be a better standard...but given how big America is, you'd expect them to be able to output a higher class of comedian who can partake in a bout of witty banter to the mirth of all those watching.

Panel shows are awful at the best of times. The writers for those shows are true hacks, and when improvisational show the deficiencies of many comedians in stark relief. The better American comics who WOULD be decent in a genuine, spontaneous panel show would be those steeped in improv and far more likely to something like SNL than a lowly panel show.

I’ve seen QI, Buzzcocks and Mock the Week. They were all terrible, and usually a waste of the comedic talent on display. Are those the best UK panel shows?

Original Mock the Week with Frankie Boyle guaranteed hard lolling. If you can't watch a 'best of' of that era and not laugh heavily (not withstanding any British-centric jokes that may need a certain amount of cultural knowledge to fully appreciate) l, then I fear that we'll never come to a resolution on this topic.

I think, at their best, a panel show setup should bring a lot more bang for your buck. Have spurious reason to put a bunch load of (supposedly) funny people in a room, give them a topic, let them bounce funnies off of each other. Personally, I think that it is significantly more difficult as well, certainly as compared to a standard stand-up routine where the comedian will have had months and months to craft a routine.

Frankie Boyle is merely an edgelord not quite funny enough to cover for his complete lack of subtlety or depth. If he is the best those panel shows have to offer then that’s all that needs to be said.

I would much rather watch a show featuring the best UK stand ups just conversing and being their normal, presumably funny, selves than the contrived set up of a mostly scripted panel show.

I have remembered a great British panel show though, which was almost entirely scripted. Shooting Stars. Are there any current UK panel shows with that kind of surreal format?