What TV shows are you watching?

[Guybrush]

Say, what are you watching there?

Yesterday, we saw the first episode of The Last Of Us which impressed me. Definitely a promising start! I felt kinda done with zombies a long time ago, but now I'm hungry for more.

Besides that, we're watching White Lotus, a comedy/drama about staff and visitors at fancy resorts/hotels. First season is in Hawaii and we just started the second which takes place in Sicily.

First season started a little slow, but turned interesting towards the end, although it bugs me a bit how almost none of the characters really seem to enjoy their vacations

[Psy-Fi]

I found a new copy of this complete series for $24 (USD), which I thought was a good deal, so I bought it. I'd already seen about 1/3 of the shows on TV several years ago but they were interesting enough that I thought it would be fun to watch the entire series from start to finish. B&W film noir type police drama which ran from 1958 to 1959 and again from 1960 to 1963. The shows from '58-'59 run 30 minutes each and the ones from '60-'63 run 1 hour each. The show featured a lot of famous actors in guest-starring roles, as well as a lot of lesser-known actors who became stars later on in their careers, so it's interesting to see how many I can recognize. One of the best police dramas ever shown on TV, in my opinion.

[Janszoon]

Say, what are you watching there?

Yesterday, we saw the first episode of The Last Of Us which impressed me. Definitely a promising start! I felt kinda done with zombies a long time ago, but now I'm hungry for more.

Besides that, we're watching White Lotus, a comedy/drama about staff and visitors at fancy resorts/hotels. First season is in Hawaii and we just started the second which takes place in Sicily.

First season started a little slow, but turned interesting towards the end, although it bugs me a bit how almost none of the characters really seem to enjoy their vacations

I couldn't make it past the first episode of that show, but the music Cristobal Tapia de Veer created for it is amazing. The whole soundtrack is on Spotify and well worth a listen, like all of his music.

[Lisnaholic]

I've never come across Naked City, but it looks like the kind of tv prog I like. In fact I thought I was being retro myself because I am currently working my way through Law and Order, from a fairly early season in the Sam Waterson era, which is now available on Amazon Prime. This title sequence is with a slightly different cast line up, and doesn't have the bit about  "...and these are their stories...boom boom.", but I imagine plenty of us can recite that bit from memory if we want to:-

What's to like about Law and Order ? (i) good blend of active cop investigation and linguistic jousting in the courtroom (ii) each episode stands alone so you don't have to remember the kind of complex and far-fetched narrative that often turns up in more modern series - you know, that story about the hero having a nemesis from the past bent on revenge, etc, etc.

[Guybrush]

I couldn't make it past the first episode of that show, but the music Cristobal Tapia de Veer created for it is amazing. The whole soundtrack is on Spotify and well worth a listen, like all of his music.

It has an originality to it that makes it noticeable in the world of tv themes and scores. From the soundbytes you get from the show, I have no strong feelings about it. It doesn't underpin either the comedic or dramatic elements of the show. It just is, but a little mysterious sounding perhaps.

It might work better outside of the show, actually.

Edit:

This was done way better in season 2 where I've no such gripes.

[Janszoon]

Paraíso
I'm only a couple episodes in but I'm enjoying it. Mysterious disappearances, plagues, ghosts, and some very strange people trouble a Spanish seaside town in 1992. For me, it certainly doesn't hurt that this show takes place in the same part of Spain I lived in for five weeks last summer or that the main characters are exactly the same age I was in 1992, but so far it's a good show regardless.

[robhr]

We just finished The Righteous Gemstones and are now watching Your Honor as we wait for The Last of Us to run a few episodes so we can binge.

Your Honor is pretty good but there's some realism errors. Like the judge walking down the same hallways as the mob guy. But I don't hate it.

Love The Righteous Gemstones.

[Marie Monday]

I finally started watching Daria, which is great fun, and I'm hyped for Yellowjackets season 2. I've also re-watched Top of the Lake for the third time recently; somehow despite it being quite dark and disturbing I keep being drawn to it. It's the atmosphere and weird sense of humour I think

[Guybrush]

Oh man, the latest episode (3rd) of The Last of Us was GREAT! Award material for sure. Whoever knew Zach Galifianakis had such acting chops?

By the way, nice to see Murray Bartlett in another role as he was so good in White Lotus s1.

[Toy Revolver]

Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

crazy story that left me wanting to know more about the cult leader

he takes these elite college students and turns their brains into mush

[Guybrush]

Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

crazy story that left me wanting to know more about the cult leader

he takes these elite college students and turns their brains into mush

I do remember the case as the podcast I listen to has episodes on cults and have been giving updates on some existing ones too. I do find it fascinating.

Was it good?

[Toy Revolver]

i liked it - and i understand why but i think it was too protective of the victims

they have an incredible amount of real footage because the cult leader filmed everything so that makes it really unique and powerful but the exact and specific details of some of the ways the victims were exploited are sometimes only hinted at or kind of obfuscated to keep from further exploiting the victims who do generously give long interviews

but it seems transfixed on explaining HOW it happened and instead of WHAT happened

obviously the viewer wants both - without the grittiest details it's kind of like mild chili - it can still be good but it would be even better with the hot sauce

one example is the woman Felicia - she not only had her degree from Sarah Lawrence but also a medical degree from Columbia with all her coursework to earn a license in the specialty of psychiatry

in the court records it was reported that he sent her to truck stops to prostitute herself but in the documentary it just mentions she was exploited sexually

but anyway it's wild how she could be THAT educated and still so completely dominated for years - and she's still pretty but she was gorgeous

in the unrelated book Pimp by Iceberg Slim, a back dude,  he describes how took complete dominance over white women back starting in the 1930's and built a huge stable of mostly white prostitutes over the following decades - he was basically a cult leader but that book, that i highly recommend, does not skimp on the gritty details- he was brutal, manipulative, and like this guy Larry Ray at Sarah Lawrence freakishly intuitive and smart - but Slim cherry picked his victims sort of like Manson but Larry Ray didn't

anyone who accepts that it's acceptable that one person should have power of another is vulnerable

[Psy-Fi]

Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

I'd like to see someone make a show about "Father Yod." 

[Toy Revolver]

Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

I'd like to see someone make a show about "Father Yod." 

yes sir! but there is a lot of good reading material- i think maybe i did see a documentary about him already - yeah i'm sure of it

[Psy-Fi]

yes sir! but there is a lot of good reading material- i think maybe i did see a documentary about him already - yeah i'm sure of it

I read a book about him around ten or so years ago but I can't recall the title. I'll have to search for that documentary.