teevee sucks

[wiggin]

Interestingly the hotel wasn't a character in the book. It was the Hendrix hotel with Jimi Hendrix in holo on the facade. Kovacs interacted with it quite a bit, but it did not have a character and no other AIs were involved.

I agree with your analysis - I finished most of episode 2 last night. I'm re-reading the book right now too so it's painful to see the plot and detail changes. The re-read was a mistake, I guess.

I assume they couldn't use Hendrix because of some sort of licensing issue, but Poe was fair game. Making him more central to the story was a bit much but I was sorta okay with that. The aforementioned bit where they screwed up the backstory is 100% the biggest problem. Another issue is the pacing of the climax and ending - not quite Return of the King, but they definitely didn't do a good job with that. The last big problem is what they did with Reileen, which exacerbates the problem where they're turning an antihero into something more like a hero.

Meh. A flawed adaptation of a mediocre book.

[Lewkowski]

I assume they couldn't use Hendrix because of some sort of licensing issue, but Poe was fair game. Making him more central to the story was a bit much but I was sorta okay with that. The aforementioned bit where they screwed up the backstory is 100% the biggest problem. Another issue is the pacing of the climax and ending - not quite Return of the King, but they definitely didn't do a good job with that. The last big problem is what they did with Reileen, which exacerbates the problem where they're turning an antihero into something more like a hero.

Meh. A flawed adaptation of a mediocre book.

Based on what I'm hearing it sounds like a good adaption of mediocre book. Have not read the book, just going off what y'all are saying. Fidelity to the source material isn't necessary unless the source material is near perfect.

[EyeKhan]

Meh. A flawed adaptation of a mediocre book.

I don't think mediocre is fair. The book didn't try to be anything more than it was, and it did what it was very well. I really enjoyed all three of them. I think this adaptation could have been really good if it remained truer to the books - but who doesn't say that about a film adaptation of a book they liked? (Take the Hobbit film trilogy, for instance. What a fucking nightmare (IMO)). I'm having a very hard time judging this series on its own merits because of having read the books.

[wiggin]

I don't think mediocre is fair. The book didn't try to be anything more than it was, and it did what it was very well. I really enjoyed all three of them. I think this adaptation could have been really good if it remained truer to the books - but who doesn't say that about a film adaptation of a book they liked? (Take the Hobbit film trilogy, for instance. What a fucking nightmare (IMO)). I'm having a very hard time judging this series on its own merits because of having read the books.

I just reread Altered Carbon. I stand by mediocre. This isn't to say I didn't enjoy it - it was good pulpy fun. But I also enjoyed Peter F. Hamilton's books, and those are, objectively, pretty awful. It's okay to like a book because it's fun without thinking it's actually any good. A lot of my childhood was spent reading those kinds of books - stuff like the Stainless Steel Rat series, or some of the lower quality Heinlein. It's okay to enjoy it, but it's less okay to think just because you enjoyed it it must be any good.

Oddly, I'm way less forgiving when it comes to fantasy novels. While I really don't mind pulpy SF even if it's derivative and poorly written, I have always been allergic to the same in fantasy: I couldn't stand Brooks, Modesitt Jr., Goodkind (ugh), Donaldson, or Feist. I'm not sure while I'm more tolerant of iffy quality SF, but there it is.

[GGT]

Wish I'd read this thread before binging on the show. I didn't read the books, but agreed with Minx that there was too much soft porn, and killing women, that's become a tired trope for dystopian sci-fi movies. They never really explained the off-planet stuff, or the songspire tree, or the 250 yr gap, so maybe the books are better? Can't really complain tho, it was free on Netflix without commercials

[Lewkowski]

Wish I'd read this thread before binging on the show. I didn't read the books, but agreed with Minx that there was too much soft porn, and killing women, that's become a tired trope for dystopian sci-fi movies. They never really explained the off-planet stuff, or the songspire tree, or the 250 yr gap, so maybe the books are better? Can't really complain tho, it was free on Netflix without commercials

Pretty sure more men die on screen than women.

[EyeKhan]

Wish I'd read this thread before binging on the show. I didn't read the books, but agreed with Minx that there was too much soft porn, and killing women, that's become a tired trope for dystopian sci-fi movies. They never really explained the off-planet stuff, or the songspire tree, or the 250 yr gap, so maybe the books are better? Can't really complain tho, it was free on Netflix without commercials

The songspire tree wasn't well explained in the book either -- not until you read the second do you get a sense of what the Martians are. Same for all the off-world universe, really. The 250 year gap is not in the books at all - it was only a couple years in the book. IMHO, it was completely unnecessary in the Netflix version - no idea why they did that.

[Aimless]

Bones is the first show I've enjoyed as an adult where I didn't feel a need to focus the whole time.

[Hazir]

I did like Altered Carbon quite a bit, but I liked Damnation a lot better. I'm a bit upset that it won't be back for a second season. At least not unless Netflix saves it from the lack of love at USA.

[Hazir]

Everything sucks really is kind of cute. I really went on an all out binge and watched the entire season tonight.

[GGT]

I recently started watching "Black Mirror" on Netflix. It's entertaining but also disturbing. Very disturbing, because the technology capability already exists. I can only watch one or two episodes at a time; any more than that makes it untenable as "entertainment" and makes for some very bad dreams or sleepless nights. It's the kind of show that I love to hate....and they use that to great advantage.

[EyeKhan]

I recently started watching "Black Mirror" on Netflix. It's entertaining but also disturbing. Very disturbing, because the technology capability already exists. I can only watch one or two episodes at a time; any more than that makes it untenable as "entertainment" and makes for some very bad dreams or sleepless nights. It's the kind of show that I love to hate....and they use that to great advantage.

Some Black Mirror is very good. Some leaves you feeling icky. Season 4 had some episodes I really liked.

[GGT]

I get a kick out of these Good vs Bad comparisons. It's interesting to see tv compared to movies, then compared to books, and then connected to food. As if all consumption is the same, and what is "good" is easily defined, because it's all just entertainment anyway.

I suppose that's why theme parks like Disney and Universal Studios make the big bucks.

[Aimless]

Second season of Jessica Jones is the most well-made Marvel show so far. Loving it. Second act is a little worse than the first but they've really worked out the pacing issues and everyone's very comfortable in their roles. Excellent storytelling.

[Khendraja'aro]

Currently watching Westworld.

I have to admit, I didn't see that Episode 8 plot twist coming. Not by a long shot.

[Timbuk2]

Currently watching Westworld.

I have to admit, I didn't see that Episode 8 plot twist coming. Not by a long shot.

Planning to pick this up after I'm done with Stranger Things sII. Here v good things about it.

~

Tried watching Star Trek: Discovery

About 10 episodes in. Got off to a good start, much darker than previous Trek incarnations which I was happy about, and they ... swear

I quite liked the characters. Michael Burnham seemed enigmatic enough.

But then it descended into this ridiculous parallel universe plot sequence over several episodes where the Federation are instead evil Terrans.

The entire storyline around this plot stretched believability one tick too far for me and my interest waned. Not gone back to finish the series and not sure I can be arsed.

[EyeKhan]

Watched Season 1 of Atlanta. An often weird/ surreal, funny, and usually very well done show from black POV in Atlanta. It's pretty hard on white people of all stripes, often in an eye-rolling kind of way. I recommend for sure.

Working my way through The Expanse season 2. I like it a lot, especially the attention to real science - better than any show I've seen before. It's the absolute polar opposite of The Last Jedi's dumb-ass bombers and can't catch 'em chase.

I got hooked on the Great Brittish Baking Show, watched all 4 seasons. Crazy, but I loved it.

Watched the PBS reality series Frontier House and I absolutely LOVED it. I went out and BOUGHT it, no joke, because I loved it so much and wanted to see the extra content. If you can find it, watch it.

I've been keeping up with Dark Matter, and wow what a piece of shit now. Season 1 was good because of all the mystery and it's dark and edgy quality. But I doubt I'll watch a next season.

I watched The Good Place a while back and I really liked it.

[Wraith]

I've been keeping up with Dark Matter, and wow what a piece of shit now. Season 1 was good because of all the mystery and it's dark and edgy quality. But I doubt I'll watch a next season.

You, sir, are a shit person with shit taste.

[EyeKhan]

You, sir, are a shit person with shit taste.

Oh come on. You actually liked Season 3? The acting is often terrible. The characters have all lost their edge. The stories are not particularly imaginative. Blah.

[Aimless]

Saw 12 eps of JJ yesterday and saw the finale today. Yup, def. the best Marvel show so far. Enjoyed it much more than season 1.

[Veldan Rath]

Saw 12 eps of JJ yesterday and saw the finale today. Yup, def. the best Marvel show so far. Enjoyed it much more than season 1.

Not sure that I enjoyed it more, but was just as good...but different, which is where they needed to go.

I'm just sad I don't have any more to watch...

[Wraith]

Legion's back, and I'm very excited to not understand what's going on. Psychic dance battles!

[Aimless]

Season 3 of almost everything sucks. It's practically a law of nature

[EyeKhan]

Season 3 of almost everything sucks. It's practically a law of nature

They've done a pretty good job with The Expanse. I just finished Season 2 a couple days ago and I'm excited for more. Dark Matter? I really wouldn't care if they cancelled it.

[Aimless]

They've done a pretty good job with The Expanse. I just finished Season 2 a couple days ago and I'm excited for more.

That's how it always is. That's what makes the curse of season 3 so thoroughly malicious.

[Wraith]

Just finished episode 1 of Lost in Space. It's trying to reboot it's source in the same way that Battlestar Galactica did. There a few silly moments in the story, but holy crap can you see every dollar they spent on this. It almost feels more like a theatrical release than a TV show.

[Aimless]

Dammit, I was going to post about this yesterday to say that it sucks. So much potential wasted on BS acting, stilted & lame dialogue, depressing cookie-cutter characters that the writers don't have a feel for and an annoying grimdark esthetic saturating everything. Judy, Will & the robot are cool though.

[Wraith]

I've gotten a bit further, and the forced drama and sometimes hammy dialog is starting to wear a bit thin, but overall I still like it. Dr. Smith is cartoonish at times, but I guess that's pretty faithful to the source material. I disagree with Aimless though, Will & Judy are the worst parts of it. The production values still look very high, but I do wish directors would stop with the lens flare.

[Hazir]

I don't understand the premise of the show; they have run away from Earth in search for a new planet to live on. Then they find a perfectly habitable planet and can't decide to stay there rather than stay on an interstellar space ship for god knows how long?

[Hazir]

Well, I made it all the way to episode 8 but I think I'll call it a day. There's only so much suspension of disbelieve I can muster up; the escape from the tar pits was a bit too much really, especially after the black hole AND yet another navy SEAL in a tortured marriage to a woman with a PHD. Interesting by the way how they still sort people by color. Except for that 17 y.o. black physician with the white family.