Binge watched tv shows

On “Outlander”, we eventually started fast forwarding through the human monster scenes with Captain Randall. Glad we did because I was ready to give up on the series. In subsequent seasons there still is some violence, but usually quick.

Interesting–we did exactly the same–those scenes with Black Jack Randall were unwatchable. Even to this day, I can’t stand watching Tobias Menzies in anything (Prince Philip in the Crown, for example)! Even watching him play Clare’s husband Frank was uncomfortable as a result.

2 Likes

Sometimes it’s hard to disassociate an actor from a strong role in another series. I’m streaming Travelers and just started season 2 and Keith Mars appears. Well, of course not Keith Mars, it’s Enrico Colantoni, but it’s still hard to think of him as someone else because of my love for Veronica Mars. I am enjoying Travelers.

I had the same problem when Lady Edith Crawley showed up in The Spanish Princess. The day after I watched the first Downton Abbey movie.

It was harder for me to see Doctor Who show up on The Crown than seeing Captain Randall.

1 Like

I think a lot of people felt that way. It’s one time I think I would have preferred they not be quite so faithful to the book. It did seem to have the affect of having them tone down the rape of Brianna by Stephen Bonnet and create the interesting way they handled Claire’s abduction. Both were much less graphic than the descriptions in the book.

1 Like

I think for people to be so repulsed by the character is a testament to his acting abilities. I will admit he does have a bit of a “rogue” look about him regardless of his character.

1 Like

Just watched an episode of Travelers season 2 that was totally surreal. The episode was done back in 2017, but could have come straight from spring 2020 news reports.

1 Like

So tying back to College Confidential, I’m on episode 5 of Friday Night Lights (please tell me this show gets better) and encountered this dialogue with a goof:

Tim: How’s that calculus going?
Lyla: What calculus?
Tim: You know, you were talking about it the other day.
Lyla: Advanced placement trig?

:rage:

Stick with it. Great show!

I second the recommendation to stick with Friday Night Lights. It was the first series that my husband and I did in a binge-ish mode (one or two episodes a night… sometimes flipping right from season end cliff hanger to the next season). We both really liked it.

Season 2 is weak because of the writers’ strike. Don’t give up on it at that point because it gets better in season 3 again.

I finished the original run of Borgen, and then watched Power & Glory. TBH, it would have been fine if they had just ended it with the original run. Unlike the original run, P&G was basically an 8 episode arc, and I got bored with the whole Greenland storyline after the first episode. And other than Birgitte, I don’t think the returning cast aged well.

I was also disappointed not to see Kasper or Henne this season, but liked the addition of Asger. I wonder why they recast Magnus? Perhaps the original is no longer acting?

Trivia note: the Danish title is “Riget, Magten og Æren” which translates “Kingdom, Power and Glory,” which makes more sense, but I guess they wanted something more secular for international distribution.

i will say, it makes you wonder about how realistic other parts of the show are though - when something like that is glaringly off. Like - a HS soccer team that plays in a small fenced area that’s obviously not a real soccer field. I feel like i’ve seen several examples like recently in shows; and i wonder if directors just arent in touch with how those things really are; or if its just easier to make a show like that and just ask people to accept what’s given. ?? but when i see or hear something off - i do end up with doubt over authenticity of it all. OK . rant over!

Around 89-91 there was a sitcom called Doctor Doctor starring Matt Frewer (more famous for playing Max Headroom). He was a Providence pediatrician, but there were palm trees and rugged mountains (Providence, CA??) in the distance outside his office. Being born in RI, I could never get past that gaffe.

At the very least the NBC series Providence would come to town a couple of times a year with the cast to film street scenes that were weaved into the episodes for a sense of reality.

Another groaner is that according to Hollywood, high school cheerleaders go to school in uniform every day, apparently owning no other clothing. Or on Young Sheldon, George Cooper is being fired as the HS football coach, but he apparently isn’t allowed to keep his PE teacher job as a result??

3 Likes

palm trees in providence :slight_smile: - my daughter goes to grad school there. It was lovely last fall to visit, but no palm trees! that’s exactly what i’m talking about! just odd things in shows.

I graduated from Providence College 45 years ago, and you’re right, not a palm tree in sight!!

I’m all for pointing out goofs. After all, we just wrapped up 6 seasons of geographic inconsistencies on This Is Us. But this one is likely not a goof. This is Texas after all. For major HS programs in TX public schools, being the head football coach is the job - and these days, an extremely well-paying one, at least by public school standards… They’re not coaching in addition to teaching PE or remedial math. Now Wayne, as the assistant coach, is a PE teacher. The goof is having us believe there is only one assistant coach, where in reality there is a QB coach, a special teams coach, offensive and defensive coordinators, etc. :grin: These HS football programs have support staff rivaling college programs.

2 Likes

Give it a chance, it’s a great show, one I didn’t watch for years, but SO glad I finally got around to it. The Texas Football culture didn’t attract me, but character development stayed with me long after

1 Like

Gotcha. I suspected that was the case. Now here in New England, high school hockey is probably as big here as football is in Texas, and our hockey coaches also teach, or have jobs outside of school.

As a New Jerseyan, I sometimes noticed gaffes in House. One was that someone (House?) got into a motorcycle accident, and they said it was in Middletown. Okay, cool, I know that town; it’s a a very large town not far from the show’s Central Jersey location. Only it turns out they meant the Middletown in upstate NY. But no one said NY, they just said Middletown. There is NO ONE in New Jersey who would just say Middletown and not mean the one in NJ.

Also, when Cuddy was trying to adopt, she was worried about DYFS checking out her house. And she spoke the letters as separate letters: D-Y-F-S . No one in NJ, certainly no in medicine, would say the letters. Family Services–DYFS-- is always pronounced DYEfuss. Always.

2 Likes