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Batman The Animated Series

Here we go! It is time!

What a terrific cartoon. Not only the starting point of modern DC Aminated fare, but a cartoon which to my then Young mind, challenged what kids TV could be.

Having grown up on bright and colourful 80’s stuff? This was dark and moody. And yes, even pretty mature.

This was a bold move, particularly as its contemporaries such as X-Men retained a very colourful palette.

Now I’ll admit the actual animation, at least in this first episode is a bit rougher than I remember, but it’s still strong for its day. Indeed, given it’s done in a muted palette, heavy on shadows it’s still easy to tell who’s who, what’s what, and which guy just got a knuckle sandwich or a strategic, probably medical, kick to the head.

That it kicked off with Man-Bat, who at the time was a “who” more than a who’s who? That was super bold.

Very much the sort of show I’d love to get modern kids’ first reactions to. Because I think it’s aged like a fine wine. One of those shows both instantly timeless, but also was so ahead of its time.


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Oh, and its sense of humour is great.

Robin suggests once they’ve looked for The Joker, they go home, have Christmas Dinner, and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”

To which Batman replies “you know, I’ve never seen that. I could never get past the title”.

Though pretty sure this boxed set has the episodes out of airing order.

Good news for any fans of the Monk series starring Tony Shaloub:

See

Found this fantasy/sci-fi series on Apple TV.

Set on a future earth, where following a plague which reduced mankind to around 2,000,000 people, we also lose our sight.

Jason Momoa is our lead, and it’s, well I guess interesting. He’s the leader of a tribe and adoptive father of twins who can see. Except, having sight is considered Heresy, so there’s Witch Hunters on their trail.


He’s just met the children’s sighted father who lives in hiding. Father tells him “there’s a box like, over there, which contains knowledge. Retrieve it and give that to the kids when they’re 12 summers old”. Reading ahead on Wikipedia, and apparently that box contains books.

No idea who teaches the kids to read though.

It’s better than I’m making it sound,

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury

Not a Power Rangers fan, the idea of a Japanese show where they edit out all the Japanese people never really appealed to me.

But I do enjoy Linkara's History of the Power Rangers videos and I was looking for something mindless.

This is the first streaming-only season, 10 episodes, lots of call backs to older shows (it is itself a sequel to Dino Fury and a bit hard to jump in) but fun.

And mindless.

Won't watch again but good for washing dishes and folding laundry.

Highlander the series season 4.

Episodes 13 and 14 . We get into the dark quickening's. This further develops Duncan and we see that in episode 15.

Sadly Duncan's barge goes up in flames.

This is one of the things I really like about the series. Things change and Duncan has to figure out what to do next and how to move forward.

You’re reminding me how much Inused to live that series. May have to see if the family is interested in that after DS9.


Speaking of DS9, we finally got to the introduction of the Defiant and the Dominion in Season 3. My son had been asking “when Dominion” since before we started watching, so it feels like we’re finally getting to the good stuff. (He wanted to see the Star Trek ancient big bad, in the vein of the Shadows or Goa’uld.)

Then we got an episode with Quark *and* Klingons. What a treat!

Boat Story

Very, very dark comedy from the BBC.

A drug courier boat washes up on the Yorkshire coast. Two strangers find it, and decide to take the cocaine.

What follows is an almost Tarantino styled comedy thriller, with the occasional oddly and unexpectedly violent scene - so not one for younger folks.

I’m into episode 3, and this is definitely worth your time.

First time I saw On Leather Wings - the Animated Batman pilot episode - I was blown away. It captures the atmosphere of 1940s films & weekly serials and blends it with modern 1990s action horror. Given that it was aimed at a young audience, it had exceptional production values and puts the big screen outings to shame.

It’s definitely one of those shows that had no reason to be anywhere as near good as it was.

Kids Saturday Morning? Check!

There to sell toys? Check!

Yet, they chose not to simply phone it in.


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Time

BBC Drama series, examining life in Prison.

Series 1 follows Sean Bean’s character, locked up for killing a cyclist whilst drink driving.

Series 2 follows Jodie Whitaker’s character, locked up for apparently fiddling her electric (basically a form a theft). Also Bella Ramsey and Tamara Lawrence.


Written by Jimmy McGoven, whom you might know from his work on Cracker.

These are kind of bleak, but without overly dramatising. The acting however is absolutely top notch.

Forgot about this thread, but just what I was looking for!

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

This ended up not being what I wanted, but so much better than I hoped for. They did so much to give this entire cast so many great moments. Loved the comic, really enjoyed but was slightly let down by the movie, adore the game but the show is probably where I really found myself loving the whole world.

SamusDrake wrote:
First time I saw On Leather Wings - the Animated Batman pilot episode - I was blown away. It captures the atmosphere of 1940s films & weekly serials and blends it with modern 1990s action horror. Given that it was aimed at a young audience, it had exceptional production values and puts the big screen outings to shame.

Well... sometimes it (and Justice League) are not aimed a young audience.

Particularly for an American Saturday morning Fox Kids show. There's a lot of innuendo, racy moments and even sometimes _blood_.

Its a weird aberration for the time and place.

Bafflingly good compared to most of what's come afterwards, though.

Monarch Season 1

This is the TV show of the Godzilla/Kong movies centering on Monarch, the shady organisation responsible for identifying/destroying MUTOs. There's a lot of timey-wimey flashbacks to Monarch's origins in the 1950's up to present day after the Godzilla incidents. I have to say I am enjoying this way more than I thought I would. The flashbacks work, the special effects are good (especially for TV) and the casting is great. Only 3 episodes in but it is better than I thought it would be.

Dr Who (classic episodes)

Classic Dr Who is now up on i-player. Annoyingly, not every episode but there are some classics on there. I'm currently just working through all of the Daleks episodes but will go back. It's surprisingly dark compared to modern Dr Who. So many deaths, and the Daleks hold up pretty well. The special effects and acting aren't great but the storylines (almost all written by Terry Nation so far) do hold up well. Post Apocalyptic London was actually very well done in Dalek Invasion of Earth.

American Horror Stories, S3

Yay! It’s back!

Only the four episodes, but I’ll take them. Fair amount of camp and creepy. Like Goosebumps, but for an older audience.

Love me some AHS, and this spin off remains a fun addition, and occasionally intersects with the main series, which interlink to varying degrees.

Castlevania: Nocturne

Heard a lot of bad about this one and didn't jump on it, but its.... totally fine? Not sure what all the hate was about (though I have my suspicions...). Overall good setup for a version of Rondo given the world building of the original. A little more action and less philosophy but plenty to build on going forward.

Foundation

On Apple TV, and based on Asimov’s book.

Now, as ever, I’ve not read the source material, so I can’t comment if this is a good translation.

But I’d say it is a perfectly decent bit of SciFi. Production values are solid, acting is solid.

Mostly posting to let folk know this exists, and maybe elicit a response from a fellow viewer who has read the book, who might be able to give a better and more inherently informed opinion.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Foundation

On Apple TV, and based on Asimov’s book.

Now, as ever, I’ve not read the source material, so I can’t comment if this is a good translation.

But I’d say it is a perfectly decent bit of SciFi. Production values are solid, acting is solid.

Mostly posting to let folk know this exists, and maybe elicit a response from a fellow viewer who has read the book, who might be able to give a better and more inherently informed opinion.

I binged this show when season 2 wrapped up earlier this year and I think it's some of the best sci fi I've seen in quite a while. Lee Pace is absolutely killer as Emperor Cleon, really makes me feel like Marvel wasted a great talent playing a 2-bit villain like Ronan. The story is definitely not conventionally told with how... er... generational it is, for lack of a better word, but I think that's part of the charm. The clone dynasty alone is just such a fascinating idea, and I think the show does a great job exploring it.

I haven't read the books, but from what I understand the show is only loosely inspired by Asimov's work. He apparently never finished this series, and the show is drastically different. Some book lovers hate it for that reason, and maybe if I'd read them I'd feel the same way, but I think the show is genuinely great even if it's not what you'd expect after reading the source material.

Pluto

Been looking forward to this one, unfortunately it turned out to be disappointingly average.
It being rather slow and plot-holely didn't matter too much, but the cop-out ending kinda ruined it in my opinion.

Still hoping they do a 20th Century Boys series at some point though.

Combat!

I have been watching Season 1 (of 5) of this early TV war show. S1-4 is B&W and S5 is in COLOR! I love it and have fond memories of watching it with my Dad on a UHF channel. I love it so much, that I even made a wargame version of it for fun.

Therefore, I can not give it an impartial review. It is all free on Youtube if you want to watch. Each episode is about 45 minutes.

Wait, this is 90 minutes so belongs in the movie thread.

 Easy E wrote:
Combat!

I have been watching Season 1 (of 5) of this early TV war show. S1-4 is B&W and S5 is in COLOR! I love it and have fond memories of watching it with my Dad on a UHF channel. I love it so much, that I even made a wargame version of it for fun.

Therefore, I can not give it an impartial review. It is all free on Youtube if you want to watch. Each episode is about 45 minutes.

You can also see it on the Heroes & Icons cable channel at 10pm and 11pm every Saturday (along with Black Sheep Squadron, Tour of Duty, The Rat Patrol and 12 O'clock High).

Highlander the series season 5

Ep 6 Money no object.
4 Immortals in an episode seems to be the formula for Duncan to get wacky. While looking for a very old car and being obstructed by an stubborn mechanic Duncan 'becomes' a famous film director and goes on a rant about perfection and the pain of being a genius. He then proceeds to befriend the mechanic who rushes off to have a look at his books to help this passionate director.

I love this because it's absurd. I wish this worked in the real world.

6 ep. in, this season isn't the best of them but it does have it's moments.

Have you watched the Clue rip-off with Fitzcairn?




Edit: Also, Tour of Duty..... that was solid show IIRC>

 Easy E wrote:
Have you watched the Clue rip-off with Fitzcairn?




Edit: Also, Tour of Duty..... that was solid show IIRC>

At this point I'm not sure. I'll have to go back and have a look at episode names unless it's later in season 5 or in season 6.
Fitzcairn is a really fun character to have around. I do remember a clue episode but I haven't seen it yet again this go round.

A small screen review with a difference...

Monday night, BBC2, Only connect and University Challenge
At 19 and 23 seasons respectively. Mr Amol Rajan has developed into an endearing replacement for Paxman (edit) and Mrs Coren Mitchell is the wisecracking, brainy, scrummy-mummy we all have the hots for.

Monday night is blissful TV.

(edited as my tongue in cheek criticism was made without being aware of Jeremy Paxman's condition)

 warhead01 wrote:

 Easy E wrote:
Have you watched the Clue rip-off with Fitzcairn?




Edit: Also, Tour of Duty..... that was solid show IIRC>

At this point I'm not sure. I'll have to go back and have a look at episode names unless it's later in season 5 or in season 6.
Fitzcairn is a really fun character to have around. I do remember a clue episode but I haven't seen it yet again this go round.

Someone "murders" Fitzcairn and they have to figure out "who done it" set in the 1920s. Perhaps one of the more amusing episodes, and highlights a challenge that Immortals face.

 Easy E wrote:

 warhead01 wrote:

 Easy E wrote:
Have you watched the Clue rip-off with Fitzcairn?




Edit: Also, Tour of Duty..... that was solid show IIRC>

At this point I'm not sure. I'll have to go back and have a look at episode names unless it's later in season 5 or in season 6.
Fitzcairn is a really fun character to have around. I do remember a clue episode but I haven't seen it yet again this go round.

Someone "murders" Fitzcairn and they have to figure out "who done it" set in the 1920s. Perhaps one of the more amusing episodes, and highlights a challenge that Immortals face.

Yes I recall that one. It's in season 5. I don't remember a tour of duty episode unless you're referring to Joe's back story.

No, Tour of Duty was a separate thought about a completely different show called Tour of Duty.

As far as "war" TV shows go, it is pretty good.

 Easy E wrote:
No, Tour of Duty was a separate thought about a completely different show called Tour of Duty.

As far as "war" TV shows go, it is pretty good.

Gotcha. I've heard of it but can't recall watching it.

Who is Erin Carter? (Netflix 7 episodes)

Ex-Pat British school teacher foils armed robbery in Spanish supermarket to protect her daughter. She manages to single handedly disarm and despatch one of the robbers with a cake tester...One of the robbers recognises her and the other escapes. So, who is Erin Carter?

This starts off well, bit of mystery and action. Also has a good cast (Douglas Henshall, Denise Gough (Andor), Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica)) but does become stupidly predictable, a bit silly, and some of the acting leaves a lot to be desired.

However, it did keep me engaged until the end but completely failed to land the ending (in my opinion).

It felt like if the team behind Eastenders had made the Equalizer movies......

Not terrible, but not great either.

Masters of Horror

Nice little grab bag of pic’n’mix horror, brought to us by giants of the genre.

Some are distinctly tongue in cheek. Some are really thought provoking.

Decent stuff if you’re into the genre.