I got sucked into ABC's The Catch. I initially thought the premise was droll. Rich lady detective gets conned and loses all her money, dedicates her life to finding the bastard and making him suffer. Turns out, it's actually okay. I was afraid that because it was a Shonda Rhymes joint relationships would get "complicated." (Like, 20 years of soap opera twists and turns in a single season kind of complicated. I had to drop How to Get Away with Murder because I just couldn't keep up.)
What I think really kept me watching was the protagonist, Alice Vaughan played by Mireille Enos. For a few episodes it was driving me nuts because I thought I recognized her but I couldn't remember from what. She used to be the lead detective on The Fall. I'm amazed at her transformation between those two characters.
And, just fyi, it does get "complicated." In that she does find the bastard but she stops short at making his life miserable.
I just remembered that CBS is trying to reboot the MacGuyver. I've been watching the MacGuyver original television programme via the Netflix. It's as simple and cheesy as you remember it from the first time you maybe caught a few episodes when it was original and new. I'm still enjoying it.
So anyway. I just remembered the reboot started sometime recently in the very recent past. When I first heard the word I was skeptical, but I figured somebody might watch it for a season or something and maybe it could be something. I also thought that it was more of a sequel type thing, where the titular character was the original MacGuyver guy's son and he got pressed into service for the quasi-government agency.
But that's not true. He's Angus MacGuyver and this, as the Trax nerds would say, is a completely different universe. I'm already, even before 12 minutes in when the first opening credits open, against it. But maybe not completely.
Part of the original premise for the MacGuyver was that he was a No Killing type of hero. I'm not saying people never got killed on the show or that any of the things MacGuyver built never got nobody killed't, but he went to great lengths to not kill anybody, even bad guys. And so it was with most of his recurring allies.
But not this MacGuyver. During the introductions, his good buddy (Jack) is a special forces guy and he sniped a couple of guys. In the opening mission, MacGuyver Guy rigs an escape boat to turn on their pursuers and it killses them dead. (Queue giant explosion and opening credits.)
Oh, and also, the third character introduced in the opening introduction - a lady technical specialist who was providing technical stuff from the van down the road from the mission - gets killed by a seemingly clever bad guy who found the van and waited there for the mission recovery operation. So, dead lady, who just so you know it was important for them to show she and the title character did the ugly bumpings, is dead even before the opening credits.
And a thirdly thing that's really annoying so far is that the show thinks people are stupid idiots. They have to point out the things MacGuyver notices he can use, not through simple camera work and lingering over items, but by outright labeling them. I just looked up at the television and the MacGuyver had cleverly unlocked some handcuffs with a [PAPERCLIP].
Oh, and also, the third character introduced in the opening introduction - a lady technical specialist who was providing technical stuff from the van down the road from the mission - gets killed by a seemingly clever bad guy who found the van and waited there for the mission recovery operation. So, dead lady, who just so you know it was important for them to show she and the title character did the ugly bumpings, is dead even before the opening credits.
I need to addend this. Turns out the lady wasn't really dead! Nevermind how no one knew or suspected that she wasn't really dead because the drama of the reveal is more important. As it turns out she's kind of like the nega-guyver. She has similar ideations of FREEDOM and LIBERTY or whatever, but has a different filter on how to achieve her or her organization's goals. And I'm being charitable at calling her the nega-guyver because I don't think they established that she was a savant at getting a job done in the same way MacGuyver is. She has her computer tech savvy speciality but I think that's the soft limit of her accomplishments.
But still, I'm saying:
Quote:
And while I have your attention: FOX started the television franchise LETHA WEAPON based on the movie property. I was bored and decided to check that out as well. What ever black magic bottled lightning the movie had didn't make it to the little screen. Though it's not as bad as NuGuyver, it's not like a must see or anything. At least for the pilot episode, it was a p much plot by number opening.
The Martin Riggs guy isn't the crazy balls on the edge nuts-o like Mel Gibson's was. Though he still has a devil may care deathwish thing going on. (Because his wife was killed in a tragic car accident on the way to the hospital to have their first child.) Sometimes he's playing more like an aw-shucks, look how charming I am but I'm really a deadly hand-to-hand combat and sharpshooting sniper guy.
Damon Wayans is, well, he's Damon Wayans. He makes a p solid straight man to the supposed antics of his wacky partner. We've established that he had open heart surgery, loves his wife and children, and is an otherwise good cop. Not quite as battle worn as Glover's Murtaugh, but this was just the first episode.
True Fact: Danny Glover was younger as Murtaugh (actual age, not character), 41, than Wayans is, 56. Even so, Wayans looks younger than Glover. Makes me wonder who really is too old for this shit.
I had no interest in the MacGuyver remake when I saw the advertisements for it on the subway. Your description of the show and its level of quality hasn't done anything to alter my opinion.
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Allan Glenn. 1984-2005 RIP
Under no circumstances should Quentin Tarantino be allowed to befoul Star Trek.
There were some brief advertisements that got me interested in at least trying it. My roommate, of course, is just happy something timey-wimey and sci-fi is on television. (As he is fond of saying, "the colors move and things happen.") I forgotted when it premiered but have caught up already on the By Demand on my cable box.
Thanks to a lot of the recent crap that invades the television I wasn't expecting much. I just knew the concept: Some good guys with access to a time machine is chasing after some bad guys with a time machine. It seems there's a lot of that going around these days, or is that just me? No I guess I'm kind of a sucker for that premise.
Welp. The first two episodes were actually entertaining. But. Every time something historical or history adjacent happens around me I have to wonder: WWlD? What Would livius Do?
The first episode takes our heroes back to the Hindenberg times and stuff happens. (I won't spoiler details for those who want to watch.) And the second goes all the way back to when Lincoln was shot. They've already laid on thick arcing subplots and conspiracy details so in addition to procedural formulae they're also trying a deeper story.
We've got the first couple episodes recorded, but haven't had time to watch yet. Finish Luke Cage first and all that. I'm kind of iffy on it, but the SO thinks it looks interesting. Feeling better going into it with the Bort Stamp of I Like It We'll See.
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"Trans Am Jesus" is "what hanged me"
I finally started watching the Voltron reboot. I have to say I like it, even if Lance is irritating as fuck. That being said, the original lions and Voltron look better to me.
Also love that
Pidge is a girl in this! If only I could tell third grade me that she wouldn't have to play the blue lion forever.
It's many weeks too late to get in on the ground floor, but guys. GUYS. Seriously, Emerald City is p good. It wouldn't exist in this style if not for Game of Thrones. My mixed feelings for the HBO of Thrones aside, I'm glad Emerald City came into being. Most of the actors are no-names to me - which could be easy as I don't follow the business too closely. But you have D'Onofrio as the Wizard and Joely Richardson as Glenda (and a real dog as Toto).
But now that it's almost over, my very favorite is Ana Ularu as West and followed very closely with Stefanie Martini as Langwidere. Her masks are truly works of beauty and, as the Dread Pirate Roberts once said, I think they could become fashionable.
If there's anyone who's a purist for the Wizard of Oz (and it's associated books), you prolly might not like it. All the classic characters have been revealed by now, though not in the form with which you're familiar. The melodrama between Dorothy and Lucas (you gotta watch) is a bit much, but the other things going on work well enough (for me) to overcome those bits.
The kid and I just finished all 180+ episodes of InuYasha, plus the four movies. I am going to get her the mangas off eBay. We're also digging the new season of Adventure Time so far too.
I am now up to season 4 of Deep Space Nine. Long-assed seasons back then! After that I am going to check out The Expanse, have season one saved on my expansion drive, arrr.
And also I, Claudius -- am due for another watching of that. Plus Sir John Hurt.
I'm also watching Season 2 of The Magicians- some great lines and moments so far, though it is gory the first few episodes in- to be expected I guess with last season's finale.
I have DVRd Legion and will soon binge on them all. Needless to say, I DVRd the everloving shit out of Feud last night. I have such high expectations despite my issues with Ryan Murphy. It better not disappoint.
Ohh, new shit is starting to come out on network TV, so I sampled 2 shows:
The Orville - this is supposed to be a comedy in the style of a Star Trek parody.
For a "comedic drama" the pilot is intensely unfunny. Oddly, it works better as a serious Trek ripoff. Big turnoff: Seth McFarland as the ship's captain. Will probably not bother with it.
Ghosted - this is supposed to be a comedy in the style of an X-Files parody.
I can't help liking Adam Scott and Craig Robinson, so this is immediately better, but it's ...not great... just OK. It had a few moments that made me smile, but not laugh out loud funny.
It has some potential. Will probably try this again.