Which TV Series Are You Binging On?

[fitshaced]

Just started it today, watched 5 episodes so far and they have done a decent job of it.

I finished watching it and, I agree they did a good job with transferring it from book to tv. But, Titus Welliver is not Bosch in my mind. He's as close as a relatively well known actor could get I suppose but he's still not right. I always saw him as more of a recluse. The guy playing Irving is way off and Pounds is just a bad actor.

Some of the changes to story weren't a good call in my opinion. obviously I won't put spoilers here.

I did like how the series ended in a similar way that the books always do. Not sure if that makes any obvious sense to anyone.

Anyway, I look forward to season 2.

 

[twietee]

Can't believe I turned down watching Homeland back then because I thought the coverwork really bad/mediocre (although, to my excuse, I usually don't read reviews or whatnot)

Just watched Season 1 this weekend and am totally hooked. Perfect.

Shows I can binge-watch (something I generally dislike) every other week:

The Wire
Twin Peaks
True Detective
Homeland

Curb, Seinfeld and Arrested Development in the comedy apartment.

Breaking Bad, as hooked as I was back when it got aired, doesn't really do it anymore. Too much over the top imo. Would have ultimately preferred it if they'd kept it more 'down to earth'. first two or three seasons are great tho. Got a bit repetitive after that.

 

[wborisenok]

The Blacklist is our current binge. So, so good. James Spader is top notch.

 

[AustinIllini]

Can't believe I turned down watching Homeland back then because I thought the coverwork really bad/mediocre (although, to my excuse, I usually don't read reviews or whatnot)

Just watched Season 1 this weekend and am totally hooked. Perfect.

It goes south fast

Breaking Bad, as hooked as I was back when it got aired, doesn't really do it anymore. Too much over the top imo. Would have ultimately preferred it if they'd kept it more 'down to earth'. first two or three seasons are great tho. Got a bit repetitive after that.

Everything went exactly the way it was supposed to, particularly in Season 5. In some ways, that ruined it for me. I like the show, don't get me wrong, but the Wire, Mad Men, and Sopranos are just much more intriguing.

 

[fitshaced]

It goes south fast



Everything went exactly the way it was supposed to, particularly in Season 5. In some ways, that ruined it for me. I like the show, don't get me wrong, but the Wire, Mad Men, and Sopranos are just much more intriguing.

Wrong. Breaking Bad was the perfect TV series. Season four especially was non stop panic. Sopranos is a little overrated in my opinion. They seemed to throw characters in randomly as if they'd always been there and the story never really went anywhere. That's what made Breaking Bad so great. It had a start which developed perfectly to the end as if it was written episode 1 to 60 (or whatever the final count) in one sitting by one genius.

 

[twietee]

Well, that's the popular opinion, Breaking Bad being the best show ever. Doesn't mean you have to agree with that.

It was exciting seeing it the first time - now I have little interest in doing that again - unlike other series. Of course it's a good show but far from the best imo. Walter White got stale and too comical down the road for me. The way he solved problems again and again came across like McGuyver gone bad - and were also extremely luck dependant, which never strikes me as genuine story writing.

It was promising in the beginning when they showed pieces of the world and sick society he produced for and sold drugs to. But that was like what? 2-3 episodes out of 5 1/2 seasons, ultimately it was about him being a ruthless business entrepreneur, fighting his way to the top/bottom, with a lot of action - not that interesting in the grand scope if you ask me.

But you know, 2cents and all..

 

[AustinIllini]

Wrong. Breaking Bad was the perfect TV series. Season four especially was non stop panic. Sopranos is a little overrated in my opinion. They seemed to throw characters in randomly as if they'd always been there and the story never really went anywhere. That's what made Breaking Bad so great. It had a start which developed perfectly to the end as if it was written episode 1 to 60 (or whatever the final count) in one sitting by one genius.

There were so many flat, undeveloped characters in key roles in Breaking Bad. The only villain any of us cared about was Gustavo Fring. Otherwise, all the other characters were throw aways.

There were two main plots that Vince Gilligan could not get tied up together. They killed Fring a season too early so they had to invent new pointless enemies with no actual stories to finish the series. All that so they could figure out how Hank learns about Walt. They missed big time.

I understand why you and many others think Breaking Bad is the best show because most of these people have lived on a diet of bad television. When you have seen The Wire, Sopranos, True Detective, Fargo, and the like you realize that it is far from perfect and not deserving of "the perfect show".

Truth is, the Sopranos is the greatest show in TV history. Every character they "insert" into the Sopranos is even more developed than Anna Gunn's terrible portrayal of Skylar White. In fact, outside of Walt, Pinkman, Fring, and a (completely flat) Saul, there really wasn't a worthwhile performance on Breaking Bad.

Meanwhile Tony, Carmela, Meadow, AJ, Paulie, Vito, Ralph, Jackie Aprile Jr., Junior Soprano, Christopher Moltisanti, Bobby Bacalieri, and Johnny Sack are all further developed than anybody besides Walt and Pinkman.

Stop pretending Breaking Bad is the greatest ever. It's not. It borrows heavily from better portrayals of real evil and suffers from a severe underdevelopment of key characters. The show should have been left more open ended, instead of introducing more and more flat enemies we're supposed to care about.

 

[twietee]

Well said, Austin. Agreed 100%. That's what I meant with 'comical'.

Makes me a bit worried about your Homeland 'it went south fast' comment. But whatever, S1 was (almost) perfect imo so I'm still looking forward to the next ones and just cross fingers we differ on that one.

Have yet to check out the Sopranos but as of now nothing comes near The Wire for me. Formally extremely pleasing with each season having a different theme while staying 100% within the cosmos created in S1. Writing and acting equally flawless imo.

 

[fitshaced]

There were so many flat, undeveloped characters in key roles in Breaking Bad. The only villain any of us cared about was Gustavo Fring. Otherwise, all the other characters were throw aways.

There were two main plots that Vince Gilligan could not get tied up together. They killed Fring a season too early so they had to invent new pointless enemies with no actual stories to finish the series. All that so they could figure out how Hank learns about Walt. They missed big time.

I understand why you and many others think Breaking Bad is the best show because most of these people have lived on a diet of bad television. When you have seen The Wire, Sopranos, True Detective, Fargo, and the like you realize that it is far from perfect and not deserving of "the perfect show".

Truth is, the Sopranos is the greatest show in TV history. Every character they "insert" into the Sopranos is even more developed than Anna Gunn's terrible portrayal of Skylar White. In fact, outside of Walt, Pinkman, Fring, and a (completely flat) Saul, there really wasn't a worthwhile performance on Breaking Bad.

Meanwhile Tony, Carmela, Meadow, AJ, Paulie, Vito, Ralph, Jackie Aprile Jr., Junior Soprano, Christopher Moltisanti, Bobby Bacalieri, and Johnny Sack are all further developed than anybody besides Walt and Pinkman.

Stop pretending Breaking Bad is the greatest ever. It's not. It borrows heavily from better portrayals of real evil and suffers from a severe underdevelopment of key characters. The show should have been left more open ended, instead of introducing more and more flat enemies we're supposed to care about.

Actually, my saying 'Wrong' should probably ha became with a smiley as its tone was more serious than I intended.

Some spoilers

However, Breaking Bad is in fact the better tv series over Sopronos and any of the others you mentioned (True Detectove aside, I haven't watched that one). Which bra me to your point on my diet of bad television resulting in me thinking that Breaking Bad is the best ever. How is that right and how could you possibly know what other people have watched?

They developed other characts outside of Walt and Jesse. The twins, Tuco even Todd and Gael Boetticher. Obviously Hank was a well developed character along with his side kick gomez. These are characters you can relate to in pretty much every episode. Saul Goodman flat? Now you must be trolling. There's a bloody good reason he got his own spin off.

In the Sopranos, a new character comes into it and then that episode or few episodes are about them. They kill them off and onto the next gangster who needs a poppin'. I really liked the Sopranos but you can't say it has more depth than Breaking Bad. It probably had more episodes if that's what you mean. And think of how they ended the Sopranos. Awful ending.

The bad guys in season 5 played it brilliantly. Obviously there had to be someone looking to take over from Fring. Killing 8 guys in prison in two minutes was a bloody good episode.

Walt solving so many problems showed the genius that he is. In MacGyver you'd see some provable science that was only possible because he happened to have table salt, helium balloons and the makings of a miniature motor nearby. In Breaking Bad, the problem solving was far more impressive as it wasn't merely far fetched. Some of it was not possible as proved by Myth Busters. But, it did leave you thinking about Mercury Fulminate or want to get a big batter and destroy some laptops.

My favourite episode of Breaking Bad is episode 6 in season 3. The way he got out of being stuck in the RV, even though it was a simple resolution, impressed me no end.

Genius show.

----------

Well, that's the popular opinion, Breaking Bad being the best show ever. Doesn't mean you have to agree with that.

It was exciting seeing it the first time - now I have little interest in doing that again - unlike other series. Of course it's a good show but far from the best imo. Walter White got stale and too comical down the road for me. The way he solved problems again and again came across like McGuyver gone bad - and were also extremely luck dependant, which never strikes me as genuine story writing.

It was promising in the beginning when they showed pieces of the world and sick society he produced for and sold drugs to. But that was like what? 2-3 episodes out of 5 1/2 seasons, ultimately it was about him being a ruthless business entrepreneur, fighting his way to the top/bottom, with a lot of action - not that interesting in the grand scope if you ask me.

But you know, 2cents and all..

That's not true.

 

[AustinIllini]

Well, that's the popular opinion, Breaking Bad being the best show ever. Doesn't mean you have to agree with that.

It was exciting seeing it the first time - now I have little interest in doing that again - unlike other series. Of course it's a good show but far from the best imo. Walter White got stale and too comical down the road for me. The way he solved problems again and again came across like McGuyver gone bad - and were also extremely luck dependant, which never strikes me as genuine story writing.

It was promising in the beginning when they showed pieces of the world and sick society he produced for and sold drugs to. But that was like what? 2-3 episodes out of 5 1/2 seasons, ultimately it was about him being a ruthless business entrepreneur, fighting his way to the top/bottom, with a lot of action - not that interesting in the grand scope if you ask me.

But you know, 2cents and all..

I'm pretty certain history will be less kind to Breaking Bad than it has been to The Wire and the Sopranos.

 

[rhett7660]

Starting Game of Thrones Season 4........ Received it in the mail tonight and it is already in the player waiting for the play button to pressed!

 

[AustinIllini]

Starting Game of Thrones Season 4........ Received it in the mail tonight and it is already in the player waiting for the play button to pressed!

I love GoT. The effects and the plot are just so much fun and crazy.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I hope I do start to like Game of Thrones after a few episodes, but the pilot for the most part bored me despite the fantastic sets, production, and costumes.

 

[fitshaced]

I hope I do start to like Game of Thrones after a few episodes, but the pilot for the most part bored me despite the fantastic sets, production, and costumes.

You should YouTube Bad Lip Reading Game of Thrones. That will get you into it.

 

[snorkelman]

Binged my way thru Gomorrah(Subbed) over the past two or three days. A hard hitting entirely ficticious look at crime family in Naples. Deals double deals and jostling for position

Had high hopes for this after the movie of the same name and Romanzo Criminale but just didnt hit the same heights as series one of that show.

By epsiode 8 or so (out of 12) it was begining to get into its stride and develop more of a story (and managed to pull off the rest of the series quite well) but boy were those first 7 hours leading up to there hard work!

First seven episodes squashed into a 2 hour pilot followed by another five one hour shows covering eps 8 thru 12 would have served it better.

 

[tayluftwaffel]

I'm pretty certain history will be less kind to Breaking Bad than it has been to The Wire and the Sopranos.

Not that they are ancient history or anything...

 

[rhett7660]

We have yet to start Breaking Bad or The Wire. Both our on are lists, more so with The Wire.

 

[LizKat]

Someone suggested Blue Bloods to me. Wow. I couldn't even finish the pilot. I tried. Couldn't suspend enough disbelief to buy into the array of famliy members in prominent positions in law enforcement in a single city. Back to my quilting project!

 

[JamesMike]

Finished season 1 of 'House of Cards', British version, starting season 2.

 

[Moyank24]

Started Watching Orphan Black last night. Should be caught up well before the new season starts on April 18th.

 

[D.T.]

We started Californication. After more intense series grounded in the real world, we wanted something a little more "escapist" (but not a "genre" show as they say...) So far, it's terrific, tonally exactly what we were hoping for, the umm, lifestyle vibe totally clicks with us, and we're both fans of DD

Finished up the first two seasons over the last couple of weeks (it's a 1/2 hour show, so a 12 EP season goes quick).

 

[mscriv]

Started Watching Orphan Black last night. Should be caught up well before the new season starts on April 18th.

Did you buy the season or are you streaming it through a service? My wife and I watched season 1 on Amazon Prime a few months ago, but didn't find season 2 anywhere.

We started Californication.

Californication is definitely fun in an escapist kind of way.

 

[twietee]

I've heard so much good stuff about The Wire that I finally started watching and I'm hooked. SO good. Just started season 2.

Finally finished The Wire.

Damn, that was quick. 4 Seasons in ~17 days? You're addicted, admit it!

Just started all over again and just about to hit the one with Wallace getting shot..made me cry pretty hard the first time, lol.

-

Never heard about The Killing nor The Fall. Maybe checking it out once finished with Homeland.

Although not binging on this one, I came across an 80s series called The Equalizer which I watch from time to time - the coverwork got me, lol. Quite amusing + well shot. Always good to see NY 80s locations.

 

[diggy33]

Watched season 1 of Black Sails on Saturday with the wife, and then we got caught up on season 2 episodes.

 

[FieldingMellish]

Starting season 4 Game of Thrones. Also at mid first season of Magic City, a Stars original that ran 2 seasons. Miami Beach hotel during the late 50's, slipping into the 60's.