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Current TV Boxset Addiction

Started by radiator, 20 November, 2012, 02:23:29 PM

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repoman

Quote from: pictsy on 09 June, 2020, 01:27:30 PM
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season One is finished.  I always forget how quickly this show gets good.  Aside from a somewhat clunky, but appreciable finale, the last lot of episodes are interesting, with great ideas and setting the tone of what is to come.  It's the shortest of all Seasons, but it definitely has value.

Season Two is always a joy because... well... Spike.  I like him.  He's a good villain and a good anti-hero.

BTVS was great television but it does lose its way a bit later on when it gets a bit too miserable and they put in that insufferable younger sister.  It never gets bad though.

I met Spike once, he was a great chap.

Are you going to watch Angel too?  And if so, are you going to alternate because they do reference each other.

pictsy

Quote from: repoman on 18 June, 2020, 10:02:00 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 09 June, 2020, 01:27:30 PM
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season One is finished.  I always forget how quickly this show gets good.  Aside from a somewhat clunky, but appreciable finale, the last lot of episodes are interesting, with great ideas and setting the tone of what is to come.  It's the shortest of all Seasons, but it definitely has value.

Season Two is always a joy because... well... Spike.  I like him.  He's a good villain and a good anti-hero.

BTVS was great television but it does lose its way a bit later on when it gets a bit too miserable and they put in that insufferable younger sister.  It never gets bad though.

I met Spike once, he was a great chap.

Are you going to watch Angel too?  And if so, are you going to alternate because they do reference each other.

Dawn is initially insufferable, I agree.  Season 5 could do without her screeching all over it.  Nevertheless, Glory is a fantastic villain so I think it balances out.  There is the "GetOutGetOutGetOut" scene that always sets my teeth on edge.

I'm not doing Angel as well.  It's never as good a show and I find Season 3 unwatchable.  There are things to like about it, but overall it is painful to watch.  I'll have to be in a very curious and masochistic mood to rewatch Angel again.

Tiplodocus

I only ever saw S1 of Buffy and none of Angel.

Wondering if it would be worth the effort or if I stick with more modern fare like Black Sails.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

Funt Solo

I really enjoyed Buffy when it was first on, but I haven't ever re-watched it. I have no idea if modern me would like it as much, or if it was of the moment.
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

pictsy

Quote from: Tiplodocus on 18 June, 2020, 07:22:44 PM
I only ever saw S1 of Buffy and none of Angel.

Wondering if it would be worth the effort or if I stick with more modern fare like Black Sails.

It depends on your tolerance for bad remasters.  The Buffy remaster looks bad.  I hunted down copies of the original, classic 3:4 version that appeared on tele (I generally prefer shows that were made in that ratio to be viewed in that ratio anyway). 

It gets hailed as being quite progressive, but you have to take that like you would viewing Star Trek TOS in 2020.  It's progressive for the time and even then it still has many problematic moments.  You'd also have to be able to tolerate the dialogue.  They use a lot of dorky Whedonisms.

If you were to try it I'd suggest watching the first two seasons to see if you like it.  I'd say it's pretty safe to assume that if you don't enjoy it by the end of season 2 you are not likely going to enjoy the rest of it.

Tjm86

Quote from: Tiplodocus on 18 June, 2020, 07:22:44 PM
I only ever saw S1 of Buffy and none of Angel.

Wondering if it would be worth the effort or if I stick with more modern fare like Black Sails.

I was always curious when it came out because the film itself was one of those curiosities of the early 90's with Donald Sutherland in the starring role.  The whole title screamed 'no, we're not taking ourselves seriously' and it just worked.

Always felt that the telly series lost some of that charm and then crawled up its own posterior.  First couple of series were okay.  If you find it streaming somewhere then I'd say there were far worse things you could spend your time on.

repoman

Quote from: pictsy on 18 June, 2020, 12:20:21 PM

Dawn is initially insufferable, I agree.  Season 5 could do without her screeching all over it.  Nevertheless, Glory is a fantastic villain so I think it balances out.  There is the "GetOutGetOutGetOut" scene that always sets my teeth on edge.

I'm not doing Angel as well.  It's never as good a show and I find Season 3 unwatchable.  There are things to like about it, but overall it is painful to watch.  I'll have to be in a very curious and masochistic mood to rewatch Angel again.

So, oddly I really had no time for Buffy initially and avoided all of it while my girlfriend (now wife) was watching it.  But I caught a bit of Angel s4 and loved the idea of the villain (Jasmine) and that made me watch Buffy/Angel from the start. 

The last series of Angel was a struggle as they completely wasted Spike.

pictsy

Quote from: repoman on 19 June, 2020, 10:19:33 AM
Quote from: pictsy on 18 June, 2020, 12:20:21 PM

Dawn is initially insufferable, I agree.  Season 5 could do without her screeching all over it.  Nevertheless, Glory is a fantastic villain so I think it balances out.  There is the "GetOutGetOutGetOut" scene that always sets my teeth on edge.

I'm not doing Angel as well.  It's never as good a show and I find Season 3 unwatchable.  There are things to like about it, but overall it is painful to watch.  I'll have to be in a very curious and masochistic mood to rewatch Angel again.

So, oddly I really had no time for Buffy initially and avoided all of it while my girlfriend (now wife) was watching it.  But I caught a bit of Angel s4 and loved the idea of the villain (Jasmine) and that made me watch Buffy/Angel from the start. 

The last series of Angel was a struggle as they completely wasted Spike.

Oh you are right, Jasmine was Season 4.  That's the season I found unbearable.  Season 3 must be so boring I just don't remember it.  I agree that they wasted Spike in the last Season and the last time I watched it I wasn't as impressed as the first. 

I did try to alternate between episodes of Buffy and Angel once, but ended up ditching Angel.  That might have been the last time I tried watching it start to finish.

Dandontdare

I had some good memories of Angel till it went off the rails, and I gave it a try following my happy nostalgic Buffy-slog. Turns out though that the good stuff I remembered was all in 1 & 2, rather than over several seasons as I thought (They are long seasons though). Drifted off after s.2 and never mustered the will to resume

Tiplodocus

Quote from: Tiplodocus on 25 May, 2020, 04:08:42 PM
Two episodes in to WHITE LINES on Netflix and quite enjoying. Never been to Ibiza but did have some right good times in Manchester in the 80s and 90s and this nails some of that. There's a simple central mystery that everybody seems invested in (But not in an overwrought, convoluted Harlan Coben way) and some dark humour and good performances.

So made it to the end of this and it wasn't really worth it. There's something in there about dealing with grief and putting people on pedestals  but the humour is mostly lacking, every character turns out to be a dick and you'll know who did it.

I'll forego my usual review, even though it would sooo fit and instead quote from the Grandmaster Flash and   Melle  Mel...

White Lines. Don't do it.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

Anthony Garnon

I really enjoyed watching Angel season 3 weekly way back when (2002?).

Wesley's transformation that series definitely makes it  worth the watch.

I'd even strongly defend season 4 (which most fans agree is the show's weakest)

I'm rewatching both Buffy/Angel atm, with my Mrs seeing it for the first time. She wasn't keen on Buffy s1, thought s2 was just OK... and then Jenny... well, spoiler.

At that moment she said it became a proper adult drama, and now she loves it.

Angel s1 was watched back to back with Buffy s4, but I synced it up so the crossover episodes 'met' as best as possible.

We're about to start Buffy s5/Angel s2. She doesn't know Buffy returns for two more seasons after this... as I'm trying to trick her this is the end... and then surprise her that Buffy returns (literally) when Angel finds out the same news in his own series!

pictsy

Quote from: Dandontdare on 19 June, 2020, 06:37:37 PM
I had some good memories of Angel till it went off the rails, and I gave it a try following my happy nostalgic Buffy-slog. Turns out though that the good stuff I remembered was all in 1 & 2, rather than over several seasons as I thought (They are long seasons though). Drifted off after s.2 and never mustered the will to resume

I can't disagree with this, it seems reasonable enough.  The episodes I think most fondly of are probably in those two seasons as well.

repoman

I had no idea s4 was badly thought of among Angel fans.  I thought Jasmine was a really good baddie.  The idea that people would be completely under her spell just by looking at her was really creepy.

But Angel had the same problem Buffy had.  His kid.  When that guy turned up and was sulking and messing everything up, that was rubbish.

I thought s5 was way worse but again mainly because of them wasting Spike by making him a ghost.

Tiplodocus

Well I went for modern. Sorry Buffy.

Season 1 of Black Sails started - already looks like it will scratch my GOT itch. A prequel to Treasure Island with added shagging and fights? Genius.

And also remembered I still has S3 and S4 of THE EXPANSE to watch. Damn, it's great stuff. Puts the recent Star Trek output to shame. Just watched S3E2 with a spectacularly tense ship to ship combat with the impact of high G manoeuvres adding to the drama.
Be excellent to each other. And party on!

wedgeski

The Expanse is an absolute joy. It's the kind of space opera I love to read (although, ironically, I hadn't found my way to the books before the TV series started), but which hasn't found its way to film or TV until recent years. Long may that trend continue (Apple previewed next year's Foundation series yesterday and it looks fantastic).