What are you binge watching?

[Palatine]

A Gentleman in Moscow (2024). It is an interesting way to look at the communist revolution without ever stepping outside of an upscale hotel. The oppression of the soviet people is the unnamed main character of the 8 episodes. It hovers over every scene. We see 40 years pass through the eyes of a disposed gentleman count who is a prisoner in a gilded cage. People come and go. Soviet oppression marches on.

Scotsman Ewan McGregor is the Russian Count Rostov and he does his usual fine turn. The acting is very good only rarely given way to stereotypes. Cinematography, directing, editing, sound is all very good as well. The story does hit some slowdowns but overall maintains pace and delivers a few surprises. It is probably impossible to do these long term pieces without some formula to fall back on. But this is a thoughtful and unique take on a interesting subject done well.

 

[ZooCougar]

Outer Range is back. Brilliant show.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Outer Range is back. Brilliant show.

Saw that. Excited for it.

 

[Bomber36]

Outer Range is back. Brilliant show.

I’ll have to give that one a shot. Glad to hear a recommendation here.

 

[Rich]

The movie sucked because the movie sucked. It had nothing to do with the base material.

Wolfe is a bad fiction writer!?! Come on.

If you went back in time and saw Jimi Hendrix play guitar you would probably swear that you’ve seen better.

Tom Wolfe was one of the best meta fiction writers of the 20th century, hands down I will brook no argument.

'The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test' remains one of my favorite books of all time.

 

[ZooCougar]

I’ll have to give that one a shot. Glad to hear a recommendation here.

It’s like what Yellowstone thinks it is, with Twin Peaks, X Files and maybe Wind River mixed into one.

The narrative is sewn together well, basically with things happening all in the past but actually the future.

 

[storrsroars]

Saw that. Excited for it.

Seems like ages since the last episode... long enough where I'm probably gonna need a refresher because about all I remember is the hole and the girl.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Seems like ages since the last episode... long enough where I'm probably gonna need a refresher because about all I remember is the hole and the girl.

Yeah, I’m watching it right now and there’s a lot to remember. Probably should have read a recap.

 

[UCan3]

I watched the first 2 episodes last night and don't know what to think. I found it annoying that the stalker acted the way she did and that he basically let her. Based on comments here and from others, I assume it escalates (tremendously) from here but the first 2 episodes were meh.

I watched the first 2 episodes last night and don't know what to think. I found it annoying that the stalker acted the way she did and that he basically let her. Based on comments here and from others, I assume it escalates (tremendously) from here but the first 2 episodes were meh.

Just FYI, the show explains all of this (episode 1 / 2) so that makes it makes sense - disturbing series. You were a couple episodes short from it coming together.

IMO likely the best thing since Breaking Bad / BC Saul. Wild unpredictable turns with incredible acting — this is why it is nearly 100% Rotten Tomatoes.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The movie sucked because the movie sucked. It had nothing to do with the base material.

Wolfe is a bad fiction writer!?! Come on.

If you went back in time and saw Jimi Hendrix play guitar you would probably swear that you’ve seen better.

Either you didn't read Bonfire or you are trolling me, because I am 100% certain you would hate the end of the book.

 

[ZooCougar]

Either you didn't read Bonfire or you are trolling me, because I am 100% certain you would hate the end of the book.

I haven’t read it in years. I don’t recall disliking any of the three Wolfe books I read.

 

[HuskyHawk]

We decided to rewatch Outer Range season 1 to make sure the nuances of season 2 make sense. I can see things I missed already.

 

[meyers7]

Fallout. Prime. Started it last night and love it so far. They absolutely nailed it with the look, the feel, the costumes, the music. Ella Purnell is adorable and then some as the young vault dweller. Aaron Moten is solid as member of the Knights of the Brotherhood. Walton Groggins kills it as a Hollywood cowboy actor who mutates into a ghoul and is the Gunslinger. The attention to detail and the visuals are just stunning. I don't know how good the story will be and in some ways it doesn't matter. It's too much fun anyway.

Tried Fallout last night with the wife. Couldn't make it through the first episode. Made absolutely no sense. About half way through wife asks "are you as bored as I am?". "More." And off it went. (and my wife has watched some really boring shows, but this one....ugh)

 

[Rich]

Tried Fallout last night with the wife. Couldn't make it through the first episode. Made absolutely no sense. About half way through wife asks "are you as bored as I am?". "More." And off it went. (and my wife has watched some really boring shows, but this one....ugh)

IMO most of the Amazon stuff is pretty brutal-the exception was 'Homecoming'. If we're talking dedicated streamers I'd go

Apple
MAX
Hulu (but only FX proprietary)
Netflix-they've gotten a lot better
----------------
Paramount+ although I refuse to watch anything that has Taylor Sheridan's fingerprints aside from 'Tulsa King'. Mostly for the Showtime stuff.
------------
Amazon, but only if you're desperate. They're like the WalMart of scripted television.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I haven’t read it in years. I don’t recall disliking any of the three Wolfe books I read.

I thought the end was what we would call “woke” today, and preachy even in the late 80’s. I can just imagine how you would feel about it if you read it again.

 

[ZooCougar]

I thought the end was what we would call “woke” today, and preachy even in the late 80’s. I can just imagine how you would feel about it if you read it again.

I looked it up to refresh. The ending is just ‘80s Walk Street absurdity, It fits with all the crazy characters that were in the headlines back then, Sharpton, Trump, Goetz, Imus, Stern, the ‘86 Mets…

Wolfe has a way of capturing different places, the people and the environment.

He nailed the new south in “A Man in Full”. And even in one of his weakest novels “I Am Charlotte Simmons” he nailed the elite southern college experience.

I actually read A Man in Full at night on a cot in Iraq in 2003. I was pretty easily entertained. I even read two Dune prequels which are critically panned. So the bar was pretty low.

 

[Rich]

I looked it up to refresh. The ending is just ‘80s Walk Street absurdity, It fits with all the crazy characters that were in the headlines back then, Sharpton, Trump, Goetz, Imus, Stern, the ‘86 Mets…

Wolfe has a way of capturing different places, the people and the environment.

He nailed the new south in “A Man in Full”. And even in one of his weakest novels “I Am Charlotte Simmons” he nailed the elite southern college experience.

I actually read A Man in Full at night on a cot in Iraq in 2003. I was pretty easily entertained. I even read two Dune prequels which are critically panned. So the bar was pretty low.

I read Bonfire when I was 12. It inspired me to work on the Street (that and Liars Poker). Best decision of my life. I owe Wolfe a lot.

 

[Waquoit]

Paramount+

FYI, my annual subscription is coming due so I was checking my credit cards for any offers as I've seen them in the past. The only decent one was from Amex offering $11.99 off for 3 months. So I cancel my annual subscription and I get a "Hate to see you go, how about 50% off?" I say sure, so now it's $4 a month. So if you get it, don't reup without cancelling first. It's worth it to me for the soccer alone.

 

[temery]

FYI, my annual subscription is coming due so I was checking my credit cards for any offers as I've seen them in the past. The only decent one was from Amex offering $11.99 off for 3 months. So I cancel my annual subscription and I get a "Hate to see you go, how about 50% off?" I say sure, so now it's $4 a month. So if you get it, don't reup without cancelling first. It's worth it to me for the soccer alone.

If you have Instacart you get paramount free.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Wasted a few hours yesterday watching an HBO documentary series on Stax Records.

I know there are a few on here who are even more into music than I am. I highly recommend this to



Soulsville USA

 

[Rich]

FYI, my annual subscription is coming due so I was checking my credit cards for any offers as I've seen them in the past. The only decent one was from Amex offering $11.99 off for 3 months. So I cancel my annual subscription and I get a "Hate to see you go, how about 50% off?" I say sure, so now it's $4 a month. So if you get it, don't reup without cancelling first. It's worth it to me for the soccer alone.

I subscribed for a single month this Spring to watch 'Tulsa King'. I thought it was great.

I sampled each of the Taylor Sheridan 'Western' series/spinoffs but had difficulty making it through two episodes of any of 'em. Far, far too cookie cutter for my taste....and as far as 1923 was concerned I was extremely disappointed in both Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett. Felt like they mailed in those performances.

'Mayor of Kingstown' I think I got through one episode and my thought was 'this is a complete and utter waste of Jeremy Renner'.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I looked it up to refresh. The ending is just ‘80s Walk Street absurdity, It fits with all the crazy characters that were in the headlines back then, Sharpton, Trump, Goetz, Imus, Stern, the ‘86 Mets…

Wolfe has a way of capturing different places, the people and the environment.

He nailed the new south in “A Man in Full”. And even in one of his weakest novels “I Am Charlotte Simmons” he nailed the elite southern college experience.

I actually read A Man in Full at night on a cot in Iraq in 2003. I was pretty easily entertained. I even read two Dune prequels which are critically panned. So the bar was pretty low.

Wolfe was amazing at capturing the essence of an era, and he wrote incredible characters. If you remember from the books, he could write an interesting small character with depth in two paragraphs, and that character could come back 50 pages later and still have its own voice.

Unfortunately, his plots seemed to spiral in his fiction books. Netflix's "A Man in Full" was a mess at the end, and it was still a huge improvement over the book's ridiculous ending.

 

[Deepster]

Mowed through all six episodes of Tires, the Shane Gillis sitcom on Netflix. 25 minutes an episode. It goes quick. It’s super stupid in plot. Super cheap in production. But I laughed out loud at stupid dude humor a couple times an episode for sure. Mostly all at the hands of Gillis himself, obviously. Worth the quick mindless watch.

 

[Monte]

College Softball tournament

 

[storrsroars]

Mowed through all six episodes of Tires, the Shane Gillis sitcom on Netflix. 25 minutes an episode. It goes quick. It’s super stupid in plot. Super cheap in production. But I laughed out loud at stupid dude humor a couple times an episode for sure. Mostly all at the hands of Gillis himself, obviously. Worth the quick mindless watch.

It definitely is stupid, but it's watchable mainly due to Gillis.

I do think the Gilly and Keeves skits are funnier than Tires. If you haven't yet seen "Only Fans Dad", do it now.