TV Shows Discussion

[mandru]

Who are you?

The new Number Two.

Who is Number One?

You are Number Six.

I am not a number; I am a free man!

(Laughter)

Opening words in every episode and the key to the whole story.

It was corny and low budget but TV like that is very rare these days.

[Fiach]

TRUE BLOOD TV SERIES

I've been watching this for 6 episodes so far, it has two seasons released already, each 12 episodes long.

I was attracted by the intro music sequence, great music and images :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxINMuOgAu8

Here are some clips from Ep 1 :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsyemJj7LzI&NR=1

Its set (I think in Louisiana) in the southern states of the US in contemporary times. Its got his real small town weirdness going on, like Twin Peaks/Blue Velvet, but centres around vampires and humans.

There is alot of racism subtext going on in the way the story is presented, the vampires would be akin to negros (prior to emancipation) in the deep south, in this series, the vampires are trying to gain acceptance among the human population on a political scale, but the storyline is told trhough the interactions of a rural community with a Vampire called Bill Compton and his will she/wont she relationship with a local girl called Sucky (nope I didnt make that up lol :P).

The series is quite violent and with probably as much mature sexual content as could get past the censors without being outright banned, but its all quite tastefully done (umm.. actually thats a lie, its quite vivid).

True Blood is a drink made in Japan, that mimics real blood, but is a man made product, so vampires can drink it, so they have no need to snack on the human population, there is also a drug called "V", made from vampire blood that is quite potent, these two things feature prominently in the series.

its a good series well worth watching, its also different to the usual sci-fi stuff you see lately, its quite gritty, with some memorable scenes and great acting, Buffy this definately isn't.

Definately check out the video at the top though, the music is really good :)

[fragger]

True Blood is a drink made in Japan, that mimics real blood, but is a man made product, so vampires can drink it, so they have no need to snack on the human population, there is also a drug called "V", made from vampire blood that is quite potent, these two things feature prominently in the series.

Please tell me that's fictitious! You never know - this is the country that gave us "Shintaro" as a kid's show, any episode of which had a higher body count than a Rambo film :o

[Fiach]

Hope so LOL :)

[RedRaven]

sad news.....Edward Woodward died yesterday, he was great in "The Equalizer" back in the late 80's. Think thats got to be my next DVD purchase.

[fragger]

Yes indeed, the Equalizer was one of the better TV shows of that type of genre. Edward Woodward was a terrific actor, I also really enjoyed him in Breaker Morant. Sadly missed...

[RedRaven]

Any one been watching Flash Forward ?
  Its worth checking out, its about half way through season 1 at the moment, and so far so good.

[fragger]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this series, "The Pacific", which is due for screening in Oz around March.

I know it won't be to everybody's taste, but I do know that there are some members here who enjoy a good WW2 drama. This one's from the producers of "Band of Brothers" (Tom Hanks/Stephen Spielberg production team). Looks like a very impressive production, from what I've seen so far.

Here's a trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e99B80crU3E

[RedRaven]

Seen a couple of trailers for it and it does look good, if it's anything like Band of Brothers it should be a great bit of TV.

[Art Blade]

Band of Brothers sounds cheesy but it's one of the best war movies (well, mini-series) I know.

[RedRaven]

I like the way you can watch Band of Brothers and the film Saving Private Ryan as a glimpse into the past (albeit a dramatised account), Because they both have Speilberg and Hanks at the helm, and have near enough the same production values and high attention to the actual history of that time.

Tom hanks has a great respect to history, specially American history as can be seen in his treatment of Band of Brothers / Private Ryan but also Apollo 13.

Its got to be said that HBO's involvement says something too as the have done some really good drama's over the years. From the Soprano's through to Rome, which was done with the BBC. Both excellent examples of what TV can do.

[Art Blade]

ROME! I loved those series, got them on DVD  :-X

[Art Blade]

FYI
I've split the discussion to continue with
Science and History (media)

Thank you

[RedRaven]

Not sure if any of you guys have been watching 'The Pacific'.
Seen the first 3 episodes so far and enjoying it alot. Not been a huge amount of action yet, that just means its all still to come. :-X

[Art Blade]

doesn't ring a bell, no

[JRD]

I was just waiting for someone to comment on this serie or I would do it myself.  :-X

For those not aware of it, "The Pacific" is another Spielberg/Hanks joint venture having the Pacific scenario during the WWII as the background for a main storyline.

I see it as a natural sequel of "Band of Brothers" given the success the later had on the TVin the early 2000's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e99B80crU3E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eznAl2QJooQ&feature=channel

Don't know if it is based in true characters and stories as BoB, but it seems to be the most expensive TV show ever made... spectacular visual effects and an overwhelming dramatic screenplay....

I'm really interested in watching this series... the TV, buses, tube, streets are full of posters and billboards of it in the UK... I only miss HBO at home  ::)

Can be a blast or a shot in the foot... either they repeat a successful formula and score big time or the audience will get sick and tired of being fed the same thing again...we'll see!

[Art Blade]

BoB was great. I hope they'll release it on DVD, too, then  :)

[fragger]

I really want to see The Pacific, in fact I've been looking forward to it for a few months now. But they went and screened it here on another channel at the same time as Lost, which is the only series I've gotten into in recent years. I've watched Lost from the beginning and I find it quite intriguing as I love all that twisted time-travel type stuff, and as it's in it's last season now after 5 years, I just have to see how it ends. And since I no longer own a VCR or anything to record TV programs on, I'll just have to wait until The Pacific comes out on DVD. Mind you, I think I'd rather watch it that way anyway - no interminable commercial breaks to get in the way. It looks like a terrific series though, from the trailers and stuff that I've seen. I really enjoyed Band of Brothers, so if the production values are as good in The Pacific or better, I should really enjoy that too.

The Pacific holds a bit more interest for me than Band of Brothers as it portrays events that took place a lot closer to home. I had two uncles who fought in the Pacific theatre, and though they survived that hell, they're no longer with us today. But boy, did they have some harrowing stories to tell...

@JRD, The Pacific is based on real people and events, quite painstakingly so, apparently, as was Band of Brothers.

[JRD]

@JRD, The Pacific is based on real people and events, quite painstakingly so, apparently, as was Band of Brothers.

Cheers mate...  :-X

[RedRaven]

I understood them both to be based on real events & people. At the start of each Band of Brothers they had guys speaking who were actually there. They have done the same sort of thing with The Pacific. There is also a little naration at the start by Tom Hanks too.

Soon as its out on DVD will be getting it and having an all day marathon watching them all again. ;D

[JRD]

Oh man... just found a great TV show to follow... some guys here at the office have some great DVD`s and are kind enough to lend me one box set every once in a while.

MY NAME IS EARL....

Man, what a laugh... the characters and story are a good mixture of absurd and dark humor... I`m currently at the first season 11 out of 24 episodes and can`t wait to see the rest of it.
The show aired for four season and I can understand why it got old after a while, which is a good thing because they (hopefully) killed the show before it turned into crap.
Earl, the main character is played by Jason Lee, an actor I remember from a few movies (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Dreamcatcher) but who never seemed to actually fit into one of those as he does in My name is Earl

Another recent TV show I got my hands on is The Big Bang Theory

Actually, not great... the main character, Leonard, is quite boring really, but his flatmate, Sheldon is priceless.. he steals the show sometimes and is getting more space in the episodes...







Good to have a post like this here so I can check what are the recomendations from you guys and check if someone here already got it or maybe even look for it on the net or shops!

8) :-X

[Ricamundo]

Does anyone here remember an ancient BBC  spy drama from about 1980 called "The Sandbaggers"? I loved it so much, i bought the DVD's a few years ago. :-X It looked to have ben made for about 2 quid per episode, but the writing was exemplary, and the stories seemed very real. The show was a bit of a cult fave, and the producer/writer died under mysterious circumstances. I remember one episode was pulled from broadcast by the BBC after a word from the Govt of the day. ???

[PZ]

I haven't heard of any of those shows, but Ric, your comment reminded me of a few all-time favorites of mine:

• The Saint with Roger Moore
• The Avengers with Steed and Emma or Steed and Tara - never formed an appreciation for the episodes with Steed and Cathy
• Secret Agent with Patrick McGoohan
  

[fragger]

I haven't heard of any of those shows, but Ric, your comment reminded me of a few all-time favorites of mine:

• The Saint with Roger Moore
• The Avengers with Steed and Emma or Steed and Tara - never formed an appreciation for the episodes with Steed and Cathy
• Secret Agent with Patrick McGoohan
  

I remember those well PZ, except for "Secret Agent" with Patrick McGoohan. Unless this is the same show as "Dangerman" (which starred McGoohan) with a different title for the US market.

In a similar vein to the shows you listed, I also used to enjoy "The Persuaders" with Roger Moore and Tony Curtiss.

@JRD: "My Name is Earl" is a really funny show, judging by the few episodes of it I've seen. It cracked me up :-X

@Ric: Can't say I remember "The Sandbaggers" either. Maybe it was never shown here.

[PZ]

Yeah, fragger, I think the show was called Dangerman in the UK.  I don't think I ever watched the Persuaders, but will look it up - if it is anything like the others, it will be good  :-X