The really great TV thread

[webdanzer]

I am interested in Fringe too, been watching it when it's been on and off a few times.

I talked to someone who is a big fan and they've told me don't even bother with season 1, just start w/ season 2.

Is that what you would agree with as well?

... it's well worth sitting through 3 or 4 clunkers (really that's all there is at the most, IMO) for the gems and the overall understanding of what's going down.

It's a JJ Abrams joint, so I doubt making sure you catch all of the backplot is going to do you any favors, given how predisposed he is of discarding, overturning, ignoring, or ret-conning all that has gone before.... (Felicity, Alias, Lost, etc)

[Naples39]

As someone who found Lost infuriating, I don't think Fringe is that bad like at all. The show moves quickly and big mysteries aren't contradicted or simply ignored and lamely patched.

[Danimal]

I am interested in Fringe too, been watching it when it's been on and off a few times.

I talked to someone who is a big fan and they've told me don't even bother with season 1, just start w/ season 2.

Is that what you would agree with as well?

No watch it from the beginning. The first half of season one was ok but then it picked up. It's a tough act to balance procedural and non procedural and that is what I think Fox asked Fringe to do. Finally someone said f*** it and the show went the procedural route and in doing so I think they balanced out what they were originally looking for.

Honestly Season 2 was outstanding and this season has been 90% fantastic.

[XXXIV]

As someone who found Lost infuriating .

I thought I was the only one that couldnt get into that show. It was yucky!

[Lancer]

I think I'm going to be definitely renting Fringe after what some friends told me tonight. This stuff is right up my alley. From what I hear, Nixon defeats JFK in 60, then gets shot in Dallas, and JFK is alive and was president in a later time in history, MLK is alive, Lennon is alive, there are only 48 states in the union, and terrorists destroyed the white house and pentagon and not the twin towers.

What is the current season right now on FOX?


--

damn this is cool :
http://tinyurl.com/23pwm7d

[Lancer]

I think I'm going to be definitely renting Fringe after what some friends told me tonight. This stuff is right up my alley. From what I hear, Nixon defeats JFK in 60, then gets shot in Dallas, and JFK is alive and was president in a later time in history, MLK is alive, Lennon is alive, there are only 48 states in the union, and terrorists destroyed the white house and pentagon and not the twin towers.

What is the current season right now on FOX?


--

damn this is cool :
http://tinyurl.com/23pwm7d

and this :
http://tinyurl.com/4zkelhu - Len Bias Lives!! LOL
http://tinyurl.com/4ea3lfp
http://tinyurl.com/4fd4lr8

[dbdynsty25]

Another stomach punch to fantastic television in 2011...Mad Men isn't coming back until early 2012. Great.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118034602

[RobVarak]

Lancer,

It's not really that straightforward. And you might want to put a spoiler warning on that post.

[jLp vAkEr0]

Another stomach punch to fantastic television in 2011...Mad Men isn't coming back until early 2012. Great.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118034602

That's awful.

[pk500]

Another stomach punch to fantastic television in 2011...Mad Men isn't coming back until early 2012. Great.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118034602

It looks like "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" have swapped season times on AMC. "Breaking Bad" was pushed to July of this year, the old spot for "Mad Men," and "Mad Men" was pushed to "Breaking Bad's" spot in spring.

Bummer.

[greggsand]

Another stomach punch to fantastic television in 2011...Mad Men isn't coming back until early 2012. Great.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118034602

It looks like "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" have swapped season times on AMC. "Breaking Bad" was pushed to July of this year, the old spot for "Mad Men," and "Mad Men" was pushed to "Breaking Bad's" spot in spring.

Bummer.

I was at a poker game Saturday with some guys would work for one of the larger talent agencies. The "rumor" is it's so bad, they said there's a good chance the show doesn't ever come back.

[pk500]

Another stomach punch to fantastic television in 2011...Mad Men isn't coming back until early 2012. Great.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118034602

It looks like "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" have swapped season times on AMC. "Breaking Bad" was pushed to July of this year, the old spot for "Mad Men," and "Mad Men" was pushed to "Breaking Bad's" spot in spring.

Bummer.

I was at a poker game Saturday with some guys would work for one of the larger talent agencies. The "rumor" is it's so bad, they said there's a good chance the show doesn't ever come back.

"It's" being the dispute between Weiner/Lionsgate and AMC, not the quality of the new season, correct?

If AMC can't or doesn't want to find the coin, then I'm sure a major network or premium cable channel like HBO would snap up "Mad Men" in a Madison Avenue second. AMC is insane if it doesn't pay Weiner -- this show put that damn channel on the map, and its absence will move it back to the home of endless "Godfather" re-runs quicker than it thinks.

"Mad Men" spurred all of AMC's subsequent success stories, including "Breaking Bad" and "The Walking Dead." If "Mad Men" flopped, those shows never would have been made.

[RobVarak]

All of the reports I've read today indicate that the rift arises from AMC wanting to make a few production budget cuts and other control issues, not a straight cash type dispute.

[wco81]

Despite the critical acclaim and all the promotion MM gets, especially when a new season starts, does it get a lot of ratings?

Or get new cable subscribers like the Sopranos did (not only get people to install cable but also subscribe to HBO)?

Direct TV doesn't carry AMC HD, even though it's one of the most requested channels. It seems they concluded that it's not enough of a draw or the lack of it isn't going to cause subscriber defection, so they have rejected the carry license fees that AMC is probably demanding.

It may be that MM is like The Wire, critically acclaimed but not a big money-maker. BB may be even worse off, probably not getting the ratings that MM is and despite being one of the signature shows on AMC, it sounds like renewal from season to season isn't automatic.

[pk500]

All of the reports I've read today indicate that the rift arises from AMC wanting to make a few production budget cuts and other control issues, not a straight cash type dispute.

Yep. AMC wanted Weiner to allow product placement, cut two minutes from each show for more commercials and trim two cast members.

[greggsand]

All of the reports I've read today indicate that the rift arises from AMC wanting to make a few production budget cuts and other control issues, not a straight cash type dispute.

Yep. AMC wanted Weiner to allow product placement, cut two minutes from each show for more commercials and trim two cast members.

The problem comes when people like John Hamm (& other stars) are so locked into movie deals, they'll start fighting to get out of their contracts. Hamm, himself, is locked into 5 or so movies. The more the schedule slips, the bigger the pain it is for him.

[pk500]

Good point, man. Never thought of that!

[Lancer]

LIGHTS OUT SPOILERS.........



i finally got around to seeing the lights out finale. What did you guys think? Since it got cancelled, I didnt like how they sort of set everything up for the control of boxing between the promoter and the wiseguy. So Lights is mentally ill now with all the punches to the head? I guess if they did have another season it would be the end of his career. Too bad nobody will pick it up.

[dbdynsty25]

LIGHTS OUT SPOILERS.........



i finally got around to seeing the lights out finale. What did you guys think? Since it got cancelled, I didnt like how they sort of set everything up for the control of boxing between the promoter and the wiseguy. So Lights is mentally ill now with all the punches to the head? I guess if they did have another season it would be the end of his career. Too bad nobody will pick it up.

Yeah...I'm not sure where they were going to go AFTER the big fight, but I can only presume that Lights would have been done and he'd be the promoter that pushed Barry Word out of the game. Seemed like they were going that way with the whole Knights of the Round table dinner they had before the fight with Death Row.

[pk500]

LIGHTS OUT SPOILERS.........



i finally got around to seeing the lights out finale. What did you guys think? Since it got cancelled, I didnt like how they sort of set everything up for the control of boxing between the promoter and the wiseguy. So Lights is mentally ill now with all the punches to the head? I guess if they did have another season it would be the end of his career. Too bad nobody will pick it up.

Yeah...I'm not sure where they were going to go AFTER the big fight, but I can only presume that Lights would have been done and he'd be the promoter that pushed Barry Word out of the game. Seemed like they were going that way with the whole Knights of the Round table dinner they had before the fight with Death Row.

Yep. I don't know if the producers and writers made this season with a portent of doom about low ratings, but the finale was done well as either a season-ender or series-ender.

As a series-ender, we didn't get the perfect "Rocky IV" ending where Lights won the fight as the underdog and walked away with his bride, children and all his faculties into retirement or as Foreman-esque figure thriving as heavyweight champ in his 40s after a comeback. Instead, we saw the concern from the early episodes from Lights' daughter Gabriella become reality; he was going to be damaged goods for life due to this comeback.

Great series. Really bittersweet watching the finale last night, knowing it was one and done. But I smiled during the Knights of the Round Table dinner as current boxers John Duddy (just retired last month) and Paulie Malignaggi (still active) had speaking roles. Paulie was good!

[RobVarak]

Seems like Justified is getting lots of buzz. Any fans here?

[wco81]

Justified is terrific -- great dialog and plot arcs, interesting characters.

Some people compare it to Deadwood because Olyphant is in both shows. But Elmore Leonard source is more interesting. It's not about the wild west -- who knew there were so many gangsters in rural Kentucky?

First few episodes of season 1, they overplayed the "justified" theme -- the main character claiming to his federal marshall bosses that he had to shoot bad guys. But now they're delving into the baggage he's carrying.

[RobVarak]

I love Leonard, one of those guys who is good even when he's off, so I definitely have to get caught up.

[Lancer]

I watched the first episode of Justified and just couldn't get into it.

Anyone here interested in Norm McDonald's new Sports show on Comedy Central? It debut's next Tuesday and He's been on all the networks promoting it. Caught him on Kimmel last night and he was hilarious.

Also found a show this week on Comedy called Workaholics which was very funny.

[greggsand]

Anyone here interested in Norm McDonald's new Sports show on Comedy Central? It debut's next Tuesday and He's been on all the networks promoting it. Caught him on Kimmel last night and he was hilarious.

Oh yeah, any Norm show is a must watch for me. His twitter feed is pretty hilarious, too (if you're into that norm-kind of humor)...

example: @normmacdonald "If I ever got pistolwhipped I'd be all like "hey, enough with the pistolwhipping already."