The really great TV thread

[Naples39]

I also wrapped up all 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights the other day. Another great show. The amount of empathy and connection to the characters that show built was remarkable.

All true. But there are two words that encapsulate the allure of "Friday Night Lights:" CONNIE. BRITTON.

The uber-MILF of all TV MILF's. I'm watching that hokey-looking soap "Nashville" this fall on ABC just to see her again.

Yes, between her and Hayden Panettiere I've considered watching this show on mute.

[Pete1210]

Sons of Anarchy Season 5 starts tonight.

[RallyMonkey]

Question for the BB vets. Halfway through season 4 now and something is confusing me and perhaps I just missed the explanation somewhere. Why does the wife get her panties in a bunch about "protecting the story" over the $300 bottle of champagne or the $25K Challenger Walt bought for junior but no mention from her about the $800K car wash they bought and the red flags that might throw up?

[wco81]

Because Skyler's a drag.

In the pilot, she henpecked him and then when Walt turned the tables, she's crying about how he endangered their family.

[JRod]

Question for the BB vets. Halfway through season 4 now and something is confusing me and perhaps I just missed the explanation somewhere. Why does the wife get her panties in a bunch about "protecting the story" over the $300 bottle of champagne or the $25K Challenger Walt bought for junior but no mention from her about the $800K car wash they bought and the red flags that might throw up?

It's explained but I'm not sure when I won't dive into it too deep. At some point in that season, they explain the cover up. The car wash "fits" with that story. I say "fits" because it's the story that characters tell. Other viewers may have a different take on the believability of it.

[Brando70]

Finally got around to watching the first two episodes of "Homeland" last night after recommendations here and from other friends.

Holy sh*t -- I understand why this show has received so much acclaim. Fantastic. Great pacing, crisp dialogue with air to breathe (note to Aaron Sorkin), distinct characterization and excellent acting. Claire Danes is wonderful in such a complex role.

I'm hooked.

Glad you like it. I thought it was fantastic and can't wait for season 2.

[webdanzer]

Homeland s2 ep2, wow.

Love this show.

[wco81]

Ending was unexpected.

Stupid way that Nazir escapes.

Looks like they want to keep Brody around at all costs because they got good reviews for Lewis.

[Aristo]

I also wrapped up all 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights the other day. Another great show. The amount of empathy and connection to the characters that show built was remarkable.

All true. But there are two words that encapsulate the allure of "Friday Night Lights:" CONNIE. BRITTON.

The uber-MILF of all TV MILF's. I'm watching that hokey-looking soap "Nashville" this fall on ABC just to see her again.

Then you should really check out the delightfully creepy first season of American Horror Story. Connie Britton is awesome in all of her MILFness. Perfect month to crank it up.

[RobVarak]

Looks like good news for PK and the rest of us in the Connie Britton fan club:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertain ... 1461.story

I've also been enjoying the ridiculous yet thoroughly entertaining Last Resort.

Can't believe that there are potentially two good new network dramas in the same season.

[vader29]

New shows I've added as weekly must sees have been Revolution, Vegas, and Last Resort, will most definitely be checking out Nashville too. Revolution is probably my favorite of them all so far, Giancarlo Esposito as Captain Neville has become just as big of a bad guy so far on this show as his character Gus was in Breaking Bad. Also Jonathan Banks, Mike from Breaking Bad, showed up on Vegas last night as a Chicago mob boss.

[pk500]

Yep, I'm recording "Nashville" tonight. I thought "Last Resort" was ridiculous and cliched and couldn't get into it, despite the presence of the superb Andre Braugher. He'll always be Frank Pembleton to me.

[Aristo]

Enjoying Last Resort, but I found Revolution to be a ridiculous level of bad. If the writing and acting wasn't bad enough, even the sets and costumes are eye roll worthy. I gave up on the show mid way through the second episode.

Its too bad, because the premise is fun.

[Danimal]

Revolution didn't click with me until this week. Which is why I typically gives shows 4-5 episodes before bailing.

Last Resort I am digging because the incredible acting talent on it. I still love Grimm and I'm glad I'm not alone in that fact.

I plan to watch Nashville and for some reason I want to see Arrow on the CW which starts tonight as well.

[Naples39]

I'm trying really hard to like Revolution. I've seen all the episodes so far, but there are so many eye-rolling moments and hackneyed things going on. That and Charlie is incredibly annoying.

I think I've just gotten so used to watching AMC and HBO/Showtime shows, that going back to network dramas just feels old-fashioned and immature.

[Danimal]

I'm trying really hard to like Revolution. I've seen all the episodes so far, but there are so many eye-rolling moments and hackneyed things going on. That and Charlie is incredibly annoying.

That she is. I'm not sure how they are trying to portray her character. She is the bratty kid who doesn't listen and tried to do good. Yeah it's overplayed but I tend to kind of drown her out. When you have Miles, Nevile, hell even her brother is more of a bad ass than her.

I'm hoping last weeks episode will make her a little more tough. I just think this show has room to grow where last Resort which I think is better had no where to go. That's a movie script put into a TV series.

[pk500]

I think I've just gotten so used to watching AMC and HBO/Showtime shows, that going back to network dramas just feels old-fashioned and immature.

BINGO. B-i-n-g-f*cking-o.

Watching network dramas feels like watching local-access cable or a high school play compared to AMC, FX or premium cable shows. Of course, the absence of profanity and nudity kills some of the realism for me. But so do the dumbed-down, cliche-ridden scripts that are a staple of most dramas foisted upon America by ABC, NBC and CBS.

[Brando70]

Homeland s2 ep2, wow.

Love this show.

Agree, a-maz-ing. Love how they have picked up from season 1 while still giving these first two episodes their own vibe. Brody getting to sit in the situation room was a stretch, but a worthy bit of unrealism to keep this great story moving.

[Danimal]

We no longer have Showtime so I can't see Homeland anymore. Great show but not worth paying for Showtime.

[pk500]

We no longer have Showtime so I can't see Homeland anymore. Great show but not worth paying for Showtime.

If there's a will, there's a way.

[wco81]

I'd check out the Blu-Rays when they come out instead of low-bitrate torrents, for the picture and sound quality.

They shot a scene for the past episode in Haifa, Israel. Almost like something out of the Bourne movies, though it would have been more realistic for Brody to warn Nazir well before the operation, not during it. Then of course, there is no operation or Nazir is a no-show and it's not as dramatic.

[Zeppo]

I got caught up with Revolution. I really want to like the show because it has a fun premise, but the details are a mess (no electronics is one thing, no electricity, hmmm ok, but why won't steam engines work any more?) and the acting is mostly awful.

The problem with Charlie isn't how her character is written. It's that the girl is an awful actress with about two expressions and zero range. Esposito is by far the best performer in the cast and the kid playing his prisoner is good as well, but I'm very close to abandoning the thing soon. I see no way this doesn't get cancelled. When you strike out that badly on the casting of your main character, you're in big trouble.

[Naples39]

Revolution has a pretty good chance of sticking around, it seems.

The adults 18-49 ratings for NBC scripted rookie darling Revolution keep falling week to week [4.2, 3.4, 3.2, 3.0] which causes some of our commenters to predict its demise. However, because NBC's scripted ratings are otherwise so completely woeful (only 2 other shows broke a 2.0 rating last week, and one is in its final season), Revolution ratings can still fall a very long way before it's in danger of becoming a meal for the Cancellation Bear.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/1 ... er/151969/

Also I request we keep this thread as spoiler-free as possible. I'm looking at you WCO.

[pk500]

Homeland s2 ep2, wow.

Love this show.

Finally caught up last night. You're right: W-O-W. Claire Danes' name should be etched on the 2013 Emmy trophy already after the first two episodes. She is tremendous.

Shows like "Homeland" make just about every drama on network TV look so ordinary.

[Brando70]

I got caught up with Revolution. I really want to like the show because it has a fun premise, but the details are a mess (no electronics is one thing, no electricity, hmmm ok, but why won't steam engines work any more?) and the acting is mostly awful.

The problem with Charlie isn't how her character is written. It's that the girl is an awful actress with about two expressions and zero range. Esposito is by far the best performer in the cast and the kid playing his prisoner is good as well, but I'm very close to abandoning the thing soon. I see no way this doesn't get cancelled. When you strike out that badly on the casting of your main character, you're in big trouble.

The problem is nearly all the characters suck. The premise is interesting, the production values really good, and I think the way the world has fractured is also creative. I just am having a hard time caring about the characters because they seem like they were designed by programming executives. All great TV dramas, even high concept ones, are driven by characters. So far, while not as bad as Terra Nova, Revolution has many of the same character problems.

Not giving it the heave yet (have only seen first two episodes), but it's on a short delete leash.