World, Writing, Wealth discussion

I started watching "The Expanse" since it was free on Amazon Prime. I read the first book Leviathan Wakes in the series last year.

How about you?

Now that Season 7 of Game of Thrones is done, I am eagerly awaiting the new season starts of many series:

- LUCIFER: One of my favorite series. Love the humor and acting in it. Tom Ellis is fantastic as Lucifer.
- NCIS: May I remind you that Gibbs and another agent were left in big trouble in Patagonia last season?
- ANTHONY BOURDAIN: PARTS UNKNOWS: Being myself infatuated with good food and travel, I find this show both very entertaining and very educative.
- BULL: A good justice drama show with a good lead actor (Michael Wheterley).
- THIS IS LIFE, WITH LISA LING: A provocative, no-holds-bar documentary-like show on the hidden aspects of life in the USA. Lisa Ling also happens to be a very-nice looking woman (wink, wink).

I was tempted for a while to watch the premiere tonight of THE ORVILLE, the Star Trek spoof, but I am hearing more and more negative things about it.

@_@ Lots to watch!

The first part of Strike: The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith/J K Rowling was shown on BBC TV last night. It was as riveting as the earlier part of the series, The Cuckoo's Calling although more gory.

I am wondering if anyone has watched Quantico. My interest in this is from the structural point of view (the writer in me) - it has different plot lines separated by about 8 months and it hops between them furiously. I personally find this unsatisfactory because very little happens in a clip, and to make sense of it, you have to recall a lot of previous clips, and I don't see the point in making the effort. It seems to me this is NOT a way to write, but what is your view?

I can only say that I watched the first 6 episodes and decided it didn't hang together, so I stopped watching. Pretty good characters and actors, but the writing wasn't good, and that's what keeps me watching.

Westworld is a favorite, I am really looking forward to the second season.

The Young Pope was also excellent, but I think that show was just one season and done. The sets and cinematography were reminiscent of the best Italian film-making; visually gorgeous.

I've been watching Game of Thrones, but to be honest, I don't think I will watch the final season. The whole story just doesn't make much sense anymore; the plot holes really distract me while I am watching. Also, I think that GRRM is waiting for them to finish filming the final season before he releases the next book and I prefer the way he tells it.

Just finished Animal Kingdom, looking for a new watch. I'm thinking Vikings, or The Americans.

I am amused by the latest "American Horror Story" for which we just got episode 1 of the series. It starts, and the horror is caused by - the 2016 election. Neat to have a series with that title just waiting for the next lot.

I've been binge watching anime recently. So I'm on Hellsing after finishing Parasyte both on Hulu.

My anime binge lasted for 5 or 6 years. ^_^ until I cancelled my crunchyroll subscription several months ago. Does Hulu have more non-YA anime? Anime is So addictive. Rampant cliffhangers. The last one I watched a few months ago was the shonen series Twin Star Exorcists. My daughter and I were addicted to World Trigger until they stopped it to wait for the manga series to proceed ahead.

I've been considering getting a premier+ roku box. (It's actually sittting in my Amazon cart.) Anyone have one? I heard the latest roku box (ultra) is too noisy.

About my last remark in message 2 about wether or not I would watch the new sf series THE ORVILLE, I did (try) to watch its first episode but had to quit in disgust. It was well beyond cheesy and was not funny for a second. I predict series cancellation within five episodes.

Scout wrote: "I can only say that I watched the first 6 episodes and decided it didn't hang together, so I stopped watching. Pretty good characters and actors, but the writing wasn't good, and that's what keeps ..."

What do people think writing consists of? The plot and dialogue? Or more like the setting and story universe? How about like action scenes? Or a love scene? Would you consider those kinds of scenes to be part of the writing? Or are they more part of the acting? Or both? Does one outweigh the other?

As far as I can make out, screen-writing requires getting the structure and plot down, and the spoken lines, but I gather action scenes are only outlined, and the actors and Director have to sort that out. I would guess that is the same for love scenes - the writer would indicate roughly how long it it should last, or roughly what is involved, but the actors have to make it look real.

Ian wrote: "As far as I can make out, screen-writing requires getting the structure and plot down, and the spoken lines, but I gather action scenes are only outlined, and the actors and Director have to sort t..."

Ah, good point. Although any dialogue would be scripted.

Yes - that is what I meant by "spoken lines". I have seen one script written by a Hollywood producer, so I expect that was reasonably typical.

Anita wrote: "Just finished Animal Kingdom, looking for a new watch. I'm thinking Vikings, or The Americans."

The Americans was/is excellent.

Also try the Newsroom although its topicality may lose its edge now its a few years old

Just finished Top of the Lake: China Girl. I liked it. Pretty predictable clash between partners that turned into friendship.

I'm also watching King's Mr. Mercedes. Very good adaptation of the novel.

Currently watching Futurama for the thousandth time. :D

Ian wrote: "I am wondering if anyone has watched Quantico. My interest in this is from the structural point of view (the writer in me) - it has different plot lines separated by about 8 months and it hops betw..."

I watched the first season all at one time and liked it. But, if I had watched it as a serial on a weekly basis i would have lost track. The 2nd season i lost interest part way through.

I am watching season 4 of The Blacklist. I really like James Spader..
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Watching Season 2 of Regenesis on Amazon and wishing they would put the rest of Strike Back on Prime..
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Hoping Hulu puts the current season of The Last Ship on.

I dont have real TV anymore. Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu. I also find that living alone i am less likely to watch tv series.

Anita wrote: "Just finished Animal Kingdom, looking for a new watch. I'm thinking Vikings, or The Americans."

I liked The Americans. Waiting for Amazon to out season 5 on Prime. Vikings I watched on Hulu but the most recent season felt like I had enough. The first two season i liked it better.

Lizzie wrote: "Anita wrote: "Just finished Animal Kingdom, looking for a new watch. I'm thinking Vikings, or The Americans."

I liked The Americans. Waiting for Amazon to out season 5 on Prime. Vikings I watched ..."

Vikings...the season you're referring to, is it the one where they shift the focus from Ragnar to his kids? ( I won't be more specific because that would be spoilerish...)

In spite of how geeky this makes me seem.......I have been watching all the BBC Historic Farm episodes. Very educational, I now know how to make my own ammonia and lye. If I can just learn how to make my own Coca-Cola I will be ready for any end of the world scenario.

I only get BBC America here, but I'd love to watch this program. When I was a hippie chick back in the day, I loved reading Mother Earth News and dreamed of living a self-sufficient life in the woods. Didn't happen, but I'm still interested in how people are doing it. I always wondered why someone didn't make a disc like Alka-Seltzer did that you could drop in water and make a Coke :-)

JJ
Somewhere in the 2nd part of season 4, I started getting bored with The Vikings. It started feeling repetitive. I will still watch it, but I am no longer waiting in anticipation.Liz
Liz

Holly wrote: "In spite of how geeky this makes me seem.......I have been watching all the BBC Historic Farm episodes. Very educational, I now know how to make my own ammonia and lye. If I can just learn how to m..."

Cola is great for dealing with rust! Yes, i tried it once.

Lizzie wrote: "JJ
Somewhere in the 2nd part of season 4, I started getting bored with The Vikings. It started feeling repetitive. I will still watch it, but I am no longer waiting in anticipation.Liz
Liz"
Researching my family tree the past couple years, I came a cross speculation that a branch of ancestors were descended from the Vikings. If the link were actually true, that would place me as being descended from Ragnar. Of course, you can guess how much faith I put in that, but following the line along that route was an interesting history lesson. I kind of watch it to see how much they actually follow real history. In reality, Ragnar was killed in Aella's snake pit ( I won't say if/what happened in the show in case people are interested in seeing but haven't yet), and in another interesting note, one of Ragnar's sons married Aella's daughter - I found it interesting they introduced the daughter in the last season, so I'm curious to see if that arrangement transfers to the show.

Right now I'm binge-watching Criminal Minds, following along semi-regularly with South Park and waiting on season 2 of Legion. Tried to get back into Bojack Horseman too but that show...that show is a lot to take in at a time. Used to keep up with Doctor Who and Bob's burgers too but then they switched to another streaming service and I can only afford Netflix.

I also watch cartoons, especially "magical" ones, from time to time. What can I say, gotta research the genre!

J.J., my dad taught me to pour Coke on corroded battery cables. It's not just for drinking :)

I just fininished The Five on Netflix, based on a Harlen Coben novel. Really good, I thought.

Regret not mentioning this one sooner, but I found myself watching Ken Burns' latest documentary on Vietnam.

Scout wrote: "J.J., my dad taught me to pour Coke on corroded battery cables. It's not just for drinking :)

I just fininished The Five on Netflix, based on a Harlen Coben novel. Really good, I thought."

Imagine what it does to your stomach :D

Actually I gave up soda, maybe fifteen years ago or so. Since then, I actually go through periods where I get nightmares about drinking soda.

J.J. wrote: "Regret not mentioning this one sooner, but I found myself watching Ken Burns' latest documentary on Vietnam."

I've been catching pieces of that as well, always love his work. Funny how many similarities there are between war then and war now, as far as government action and how they try to sell it to the public.

I've started Ozark on Netflix, and Vikings on Amazon.

Anita wrote: "J.J. wrote: "Regret not mentioning this one sooner, but I found myself watching Ken Burns' latest documentary on Vietnam."

I've been catching pieces of that as well, always love his work. Funny ho..."

Struck me as well...Can't say I was entirely surprised to hear the leaders were lying back then, I was struck by just how much LBJ was lying. Then found it funny how Nixon sabotaged LBJ's rushed peace attempts for his own political gain, then had McGovern try to do the same to him in '72. Horrible they were playing with lives like that, but funny in the "goes around, comes around" department.

Had to shake my head also that all the leaders went into Vietnam expecting to lose, every president and all the military commanders. We don't even play sports with that mentality and get a good outcome, and they were playing with people's lives!

Just discovered Asian (cos I am yet to Google what the language is but I am suspecting Korean) TV series Ice Fantasy. I've been bingeing on it. Hollywood needs to take note. I was really annoyed that GoT had on 6 episodes after I waited patiently. Ice fantasy has 61 episodes OMG. It has everything I love in Asian cinema, gravity defying jumps, love and betrayal, the most stupid laughter ever, I find how the colour of a prince's eyes changes several times in one scene. After 40 episodes, there's a question I'm hoping to find the answer to.

Seriously, if you love fantasy and Asian cinema, I wholeheartedly recommend Ice Fantasy. Don't take it too seriously too.

The Viet Nam situation was horrible. Westmoreland was put in charge, but his hands were so tied behind his back he was forbidden to do anything that could actually win, and the South Viet Namese were so corrupt that it made no sense to be there. I am not sure the program really showed that properly.

I've recorded the Viet Nam series and will watch in segments when I'm feeling like I can take it. The guys in my high school graduating class barely escaped being drafted, but I've known and talked to many who were there and came home damaged. I have really bad feelings about that war and the lives ruined or lost for no good reason. When I think about those guys fighting and doing heroic things the same as those who fought in the world wars, yet coming home to denunciation, my heart hurts, and I blame the politicians.

I have been watching the first three episodes of Star Trek: Discovery and I am not sure if I want to continue watching it. For any Trekkie fan, this new series will come up as deeply non-canon, with many illogical plots and technical nonsense. Warning, spoilers coming:

I just hate the appearance of the new Klingons. They come out as nearly caricatural in their appearance and speech pattern. They are nothing like the Klingons in the older series.

The holographic communication technology is totally non-canon. This series is supposed to take place a century before the first, original series, yet that technology is more advanced (by a far shot) than the technology used in the other series, like TNG, VOYAGER and DEEP SPACE NINE. There are also details about it that are downright absurd, so illogical they are.

What is happening on the USS Discovery goes against any canon ethical rule of Starfleet. Excusing totally illegal research and command behavior on the need to win a war doesn't cut it.

Overall, I believe that STAR TREK: DISCOVERY will die a quick death at the ratings office, especially since the producers were dumb enough to put it on a subscribe channel.

Michel, if what you say is true, it would probably die anyway because Star Trek has a fairly knowledgable fan base. But putting it on a subscribe channel is dumb. I don't subscribe to that, so I won't be watching, and I suspect there are a lot like me. (You can't subscribe to all of them.)

Michel, I agree with you. I wrote some of this stuff in another thread. Don't like the look of the new Klingons plus, in the first episode, way too much time was spent showing them strategizing (with subtitles). No Trekkie is going to be very interested in seeing that. It's not as if we gained a new understanding of their motives. "We come in peace" were fighting words for them when there was no threat imminent. The captain is no Kirk or Picard, or even close. I've only watched the first episode that was free on CBS, so I don't know about the rest of the series. I won't be subscribing.

Season 4 of Finding Your Roots aired began airing this week on PBS...featured Bernie Sanders and Larry David this week.

I finished the recent season of the Blacklist. I noticed Amazon has put another season of the Americans on prime, but I haven't gotten back to it yet. I decided to catch up on NCIS since I hadn't watched the last 3 seasons while maintaining my current status on Law and Order SVU, keeping up to date on the Orville, and a weekly binge on General Hospital.

I am a Star Trek fan, but haven't seen the new Discovery Star Trek. Smart TV and I stream Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon. I am sure it will annoy me from what I have heard others say. Then again, I am the rare fan who never really loved STNG and I prefer Voyager, DS9, and Enterprise. All but STNG I have watched several times over the years.

If the new series was on Netlix or Hulu where I could easily watch it, I would, because it's Star Trek. But, the more I hear, the more relieved I am that I haven't paid for it.

I am an anime fan. Right now I am watching Your Lie in April. You can watch it on Crunchyroll. Its a story about a bunch of high school kids. One of them was a piano protege when he was in middle school. He loses his talent then the rest of the kids help him gain it back. The story is very moving and beautifully animated. They must have really carefully studied what people look like when they play musical instruments.

Just finished watching Mr. Mercedes, based on the Stephen King novel. It's only available now on DirecTV, but I hope it will go to Netflix so that it will have a wider audience. It's an excellent adaptation of the novel with great actors. Hope you all get to see it eventually.

Joanne wrote: "I am an anime fan. Right now I am watching Your Lie in April. You can watch it on Crunchyroll. Its a story about a bunch of high school kids. One of them was a piano protege when he was in middle s..."

Me too! But then I burnt out on shonen. This drama sounds good.

The Last Post is excellent.

The setting is Aden in the 1960s. Great visual scenes and suberb acting especially from Jessica Raine and Stephen Campbell Moore. The next episode is this Sunday on BBC 1 at 9pm GMT.

Just watching the final season of Orphan Black. Fantastic series, with one amazing actress.