What are you currently watching on TV?

[epilogue]

I love movies and television. They both scratch different itches for me. And I don't have a problem with either format when either format is done well. I probably prefer TV at this point (in general) because of the way shows are trending toward long-form, continuous storytelling. The age of the stand-alone is rapidly fading and I love that.

Mad Men will likely remain the greatest show of all time in my mind because it was able to navigate that thin bridge between stand-alone, episodic storytelling and more long-form continuity. It jumps in time, often inexplicably and unexpectedly. It is possible to watch an episode here and there (and because the overall quality of the art direction, writing, acting, directing is so staggeringly brilliant) without feeling too lost. However, the constant viewer is heavily rewarded by watching the entire show in order. Just fucking brilliant. It's like one awesome, epic, 67 hour movie.

...aaaaaand of course I fucking HATE that. Perhaps the single biggest problem with the TV format. Whatever happened to catharsis?

I don't see how these are mutually exclusive.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[Monkey_Driven]

I love movies and television. They both scratch different itches for me. And I don't have a problem with either format when either format is done well. I probably prefer TV at this point (in general) because of the way shows are trending toward long-form, continuous storytelling. The age of the stand-alone is rapidly fading and I love that.

Mad Men will likely remain the greatest show of all time in my mind because it was able to navigate that thin bridge between stand-alone, episodic storytelling and more long-form continuity. It jumps in time, often inexplicably and unexpectedly. It is possible to watch an episode here and there (and because the overall quality of the art direction, writing, acting, directing is so staggeringly brilliant) without feeling too lost. However, the constant viewer is heavily rewarded by watching the entire show in order. Just fucking brilliant. It's like one awesome, epic, 67 hour movie.

...aaaaaand of course I fucking HATE that. Perhaps the single biggest problem with the TV format. Whatever happened to catharsis?

I would argue TV provides some of the best moments of catharsis because you become so attached to the characters. It can build and build over time.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[LoathedVermin72]

The argument that more time allows for better character development is the biggest fallacy in the entire TV-vs-film debate.

[epilogue]

The argument that more time allows for better character development is the biggest fallacy in the entire TV-vs-film debate.

I don't think that it automatically does but it certainly can. I mean... duh. But it certainly doesn't preclude it.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[LoathedVermin72]

The argument that more time allows for better character development is the biggest fallacy in the entire TV-vs-film debate.

Not better, just different. I see no debate here. We're comparing apples and oranges.

There is no difference. Only time and formula.

[Monkey_Driven]

The argument that more time allows for better character development is the biggest fallacy in the entire TV-vs-film debate.

Your face is a fallacy.

[LoathedVermin72]

The argument that more time allows for better character development is the biggest fallacy in the entire TV-vs-film debate.

Your face is a fallacy.

Unfortunately, my face is true.

[tragabigzanda]

Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

[Monkey_Driven]

The argument that more time allows for better character development is the biggest fallacy in the entire TV-vs-film debate.

Your face is a fallacy.

Unfortunately, my face is true.

[The Argonaut]

3 eps in, and I'm really digging Big Little Lies, the HBO miniseries on TV right now. It is occasionally silly and it seems to be set up to live or die on its ending, but I'm into it. I wouldn't fault anyone for not liking it, though. Some of the characters are built to be as insufferable as possible, and even the good guys are constitutionally annoying. But for me, that's part of the charm.

[epilogue]

Man, I want to watch that so badly.

[Monkey_Driven]

3 eps in, and I'm really digging Big Little Lies, the HBO miniseries on TV right now. It is occasionally silly and it seems to be set up to live or die on its ending, but I'm into it. I wouldn't fault anyone for not liking it, though. Some of the characters are built to be as insufferable as possible, and even the good guys are constitutionally annoying. But for me, that's part of the charm.

I like it too.

[doug rr]

3 eps in, and I'm really digging Big Little Lies, the HBO miniseries on TV right now. It is occasionally silly and it seems to be set up to live or die on its ending, but I'm into it. I wouldn't fault anyone for not liking it, though. Some of the characters are built to be as insufferable as possible, and even the good guys are constitutionally annoying. But for me, that's part of the charm.

I like it too.

me too

[RussellManiac12]

3 eps in, and I'm really digging Big Little Lies, the HBO miniseries on TV right now. It is occasionally silly and it seems to be set up to live or die on its ending, but I'm into it. I wouldn't fault anyone for not liking it, though. Some of the characters are built to be as insufferable as possible, and even the good guys are constitutionally annoying. But for me, that's part of the charm.

I like it. One of those shows/movies where the setting adds a lot. The Monterey area is so beautiful, I drove that highway a lot when I lived in the Bay Area.

[lennytheweedwhacker]

i've had twin peaks playing in the background most of the day, starting from the pilot

[E.H. Ruddock]

Humans

[Bammer]

Portlandia is still as amazing as ever.