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orionquest

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Mar 16, 2022
871
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The Great White North
I put a clear warning in there (read on or opt out) if that's what you're referring to.
Kinda, I skimmed your post. Anyway I'm sort new around here, but familiar with other forum software which allows you to wrap some text in a </spoiler> tag so even if you mention spoiler it's block to readers anyhow. Just found it under more options in the editor tool bar.

Back to the topic.
I kinda agree with your premise of new content based off very popular or well entrenched movies or shows (Star Wars and Star Trek specifically), that the new stuff is just in name only and doesn't even remotely resemble what came before it. I watched a bit of the Mandelorian, it was slow cringe. Never bothered with The Book of Fet, and Obi Wan I have no interest. Similar is being done with Star Trek, discovery is a disaster, and Picard they basically ruined that character and the Borg in 1 fell swoop. It's like someone finally got their hands on a the toy they always wanted and they don't know what to do with it.
 
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pachyderm

macrumors G4
Jan 12, 2008
10,791
5,452
Smyrna, TN
I put a clear warning in there (read on or opt out) if that's what you're referring to.
I don't believe you did.

A lot of your post could hidden by
these spoiler tags
.

That being said, it's too long. They upped the running time for every episode and the last one by a lot. I don't know why they did that, the whole California and Russia story arc feels pointless except for maybe getting the characters out of Hawkins. I have the feeling they had something different planned when they did season 3, because we don't get a single answer how the Russians got to know about the Upside Down, why they were in Hawkins and opened a gate. None of this is of any interest in season 4 so far, so why bother with two story arcs that really don't do anything?

I have the feeling they wanted Anthony Hopkins for the part of Victor Creel and couldn't get him. The whole Silence of the Lambs setup would have worked so much better. And so we have to settle for Robert Englund and Dustin making references to Nightmare on Elm street (it worked!).

I'm not sure I like the Harry Potter reference for Eleven's powers. The sad and angry memory wasn't enough for her. It worked for One for obvious reasons, but Eleven needed a happy memory to make her powers work to the max... this felt too much like a copy of Expecto Patronum in Harry Potter for me.

So here's the problem though, besides the pointless California and Russia plot, the whole thing is obvious. Anyone who pays attention will have figured the whole thing out before they reveal it all in episode 7. It's still very well done and doesn't disappoint, it's just not having this OMG moment at the end they probably wanted.

But with the answers we got about Hawkins and the Upside Down, there are also new questions. Here we go... (either watch it first or go straight in, don't blame me for a potential spoiler :p ):


  • When Eleven fought with One and the portal is opened, did Eleven open it to banish/kill One or did One open it to escape her?
  • Was a portal to the Upside Down really opened or did either Eleven or One create the Upside Down in the first place? One offered Eleven to join him to create a better reality for them in the first place.
  • Did One turn into Vecna on his own or was it the Mind Flayer who turned him?
  • We have not seen the Mind Flayer and even though Dustin has the theory Vecna is one of his generals... is Vecna actually the Mind Flayer just in another form?
  • Is the Upside Down just the past? Nancy confirmed the Upside Down is actually three years in the past compared to the normal world. So the question is, is the Upside Down another dimension in time and space or in time only? This had a bit of a Stephen King Langoliers moment for me. Does the past exist for a while and the monsters are destroying it? There are massive earthquakes as well and parts of the world are actually destroyed.
  • If the Upside Down is the past, did Eleven put One there intentionally, by making him a thing of the past she doesn't have to worry and can forget about?
  • Is Nancy special in some way? Why is Nancy attacked by him in the end? She's still in the Upside Down, so Vecna can't open a new gate to the real world by killing here, which would only work if she's in the normal world.
  • I'm going to make a prediction here based on the Harry Potter moment I described above. At some point Eleven will fight either Vecna or the Mind Flayer and her powers are not enough to win, that's when Hopper will show up for her "happy moment" and give her the additional boost she needs to win.
 

GrumpyCoder

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2016
2,127
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I kinda agree with your premise of new content based off very popular or well entrenched movies or shows (Star Wars and Star Trek specifically), that the new stuff is just in name only and doesn't even remotely resemble what came before it. I watched a bit of the Mandelorian, it was slow cringe. Never bothered with The Book of Fet, and Obi Wan I have no interest. Similar is being done with Star Trek, discovery is a disaster, and Picard they basically ruined that character and the Borg in 1 fell swoop. It's like someone finally got their hands on a the toy they always wanted and they don't know what to do with it.
I've actually enjoyed Picard, but the second season was too long. Mandalorian worked for me, because it was new, it didn't focus on the "Skywalker Star Wars". Fett was different and worked best when the Mandalorian was around. Going back to classical Star Trek doesn't work either as shown by Strange New Worlds which is a total mess. I almost fell asleep during the last episode.
I am into episode 2 of Supernaturals, is this a "monster of the week" formula tv show?
Yes, for now. It changes later, becomes a little boring, then they go back to the roots and find a mix of "monster of the week" and "ongoing story". You just have to get through the Leviathan thing, that was the boring part for me.
I don't believe you did.
But I really did:
But with the answers we got about Hawkins and the Upside Down, there are also new questions. Here we go... (either watch it first or go straight in, don't blame me for a potential spoiler :p ):
I've used the spoiler tags in the past, for the next guy to quote it without spoiler tags, so it's made visible anyway. 🤷‍♂️
And before that, there were no real spoilers.
 
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orionquest

Suspended
Mar 16, 2022
871
791
The Great White North
Watch at bit of Halo esp1 last night. Wow pretty cool, no fussing around. I normaly don't care for Fx or comp visual as it's mostly eyecandy which gets in the way of storytelling, but the suits looked well done, and the covenant were interesting. I don't remember them being that big in the game though. I only got half way through but I liked what I saw.
 
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sjsharksfan12

macrumors 68020
Jun 29, 2020
2,049
2,512
San Jose, CA
I've been watching Stranger Things 4, and tonight I hope to see the Volume 1 finale. It's been good, but there are way too many storylines going on. If they cut out at least two of these storylines, I think the episodes could have been at most an Hour each.
 

MacBH928

macrumors G3
May 17, 2008
8,741
3,902
You may not have reached the Apocalypse issues yet ...

I am not sure what you mean

Leviathan thing

When is the Leviathan thing ends?

---

I am really not into "story of the week" style series, its a relic from the older days. I like to see a full arch story like Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Mad Men. "Story of the week" feels commercial and keep making them up just to keep viewers watching... Thats why I do not watch the walking dead.
 

gigatoaster

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2018
1,654
3,214
France
I really like the new season of Stranger Things, it is very addictive. I like they focus on the main story and no the teenage drama we were used to. I’m very surprised also because I used to love Netflix at the beginning but hated it now for the last few years. But this time with this show, it’s great again.

i watched also BARRY last night. There was a chase, it’s been done and seen a millions times in movies but wow this time, I don’t know it was very magnetic. That show is absolutely amazing, every episodes are better and better. It’s very rare to mention so I really recommend to watch it.
 
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GrumpyCoder

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2016
2,127
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When is the Leviathan thing ends?
End of season 8 if I remember correctly. But if you like a continuing story and not the "monster of the week", then that's what you really want to watch. The whole thing dragged along over several seasons (I think it started in S6).
 

7thson

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2012
1,400
1,562
Six Rivers, CA
Obi Wan Kenobi…. I guess I figured this would be a slam dunk of an assignment for D+, but I was wrong. It’s actually bad. Bad acting, bad characters, bad story. I’m not sure I’m coming back for the rest. I literally fell asleep watching the second episode and it was 3 in the afternoon.
 

orionquest

Suspended
Mar 16, 2022
871
791
The Great White North
Obi Wan Kenobi…. I guess I figured this would be a slam dunk of an assignment for D+, but I was wrong. It’s actually bad. Bad acting, bad characters, bad story. I’m not sure I’m coming back for the rest. I literally fell asleep watching the second episode and it was 3 in the afternoon.
After watching Madalorian and what they have done with the last Star Wars movies, I think I am done with Star Wars as a whole for content.
It's an interesting setting/world/universe that no one outside of Lucas seems to be able to do anything with, well effectively.
 
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rhett7660

macrumors G5
Jan 9, 2008
14,381
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Sunny, Southern California
I am into episode 2 of Supernaturals, is this a "monster of the week" formula tv show?

Aren't most shows in the beginning "monster of the week" type shows? They then figure out what they are going to be and start putting together arc's within the seasons. Especially shows like this...


Currently going through Stranger Things Season 4 right now... Just finished episode 4... I could do without the Russian story arc... Other than that, I am digging it.
 

MacBH928

macrumors G3
May 17, 2008
8,741
3,902
Aren't most shows in the beginning "monster of the week" type shows? They then figure out what they are going to be and start putting together arc's within the seasons. Especially shows like this...

Depends on the show, some shows are made to watch at random with each episode has its own story like Sitcoms and a lot of 90s Shows. Other shows have a "series" to tell a full story like Lost, Breaking Bad, and such
 

TheIntruder

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2008
1,771
1,282
It's not always black and white between being a serial or a standalone.

The typical case-of-the-week shows have serial story lines, even if they aren't their main focus. And vice versa.

One show that blended both to a greater degree, and frequently shifted between them was the The X-Files, which had some standout monster-of-the-week episodes, and some compelling mythology episodes.
 

rhett7660

macrumors G5
Jan 9, 2008
14,381
4,506
Sunny, Southern California
Depends on the show, some shows are made to watch at random with each episode has its own story like Sitcoms and a lot of 90s Shows. Other shows have a "series" to tell a full story like Lost, Breaking Bad, and such

Hence... My comment of "Especially shows like this..." This show isn't a sitcom... But yes, this one is the monster of the week until they catch their footing and start putting in arcs.
 
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gigatoaster

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2018
1,654
3,214
France
Just watched the latest episode of Ob-Wan BBQ: why is it so difficult to make a good show given these characters. Are SW fans too exigent?

🤦‍♂️
 

GrumpyCoder

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2016
2,127
2,707
Just watched the latest episode of Ob-Wan BBQ: why is it so difficult to make a good show given these characters. Are SW fans too exigent?
It starts with bad writing. Without spoiling anything, there's a massive problem with logic with that show that is cringeworthy. The acting isn't great either. So it's just a bad show in the end, much worse than Mandalorian and Fett. If they don't turn this around very soon (we're already half way through it), it's one of these "never should have been made" shows.
 

decafjava

macrumors 603
Feb 7, 2011
5,523
8,045
Geneva
I guess I should be happy with my memories of Star Trek: TOS and TNG. SW was really ruined for me though I enjoyed the Mandalorian well enough. Thankfully Dr. Who has a built in ability to soft reboot every few years.
 

orionquest

Suspended
Mar 16, 2022
871
791
The Great White North
Finished up Halo, thoroughly enjoyed that more then I thought I would. Great cast, well done FX for the small screen, and just enough action with decent enough story to back it up. I guess there will be a season 2 considering how it ended.
 

orionquest

Suspended
Mar 16, 2022
871
791
The Great White North
It starts with bad writing. Without spoiling anything, there's a massive problem with logic with that show that is cringeworthy. The acting isn't great either. So it's just a bad show in the end, much worse than Mandalorian and Fett. If they don't turn this around very soon (we're already half way through it), it's one of these "never should have been made" shows.
Agreed about the writing. I just think the people who hands Star Wars are in probably grew up with it and think they know it and want to push things their own way, and it becomes a mess (Last Jedi). Just a guess.
The only new Star Wars which was kinda close was Rouge One, it was decent.

Maybe if the group behind the Marvel stuff ever moves on, they could tackle Star Wars since it's all Disney.

I would like to see what Seth McFarlane could do if given the chance, he's been great for Star Trek Orville.

Or just hire Lucas to write something, and let Disney produce & direct it.
 

GrumpyCoder

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2016
2,127
2,707
Three years and one pandemic later The Orville is back with season 3... and it still rocks!
23caa41288b0fad68cb854b0523a0dbb3fc90b61_00.gif

Looks like they upped their budget as well, tons of special effects. The first episode is very character driven though and deals with the aftermath of season 2. I like it, a lot. They added a new Ensign navigator as well to the regular series cast. We'll only get 10 episodes, but they also upped the running time for each episode.


Meanwhile at Paramount...
kuhlz4p7162o14b1wgt2xjpz3lgynokc.jpg
 
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