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I've only dipped in and out of it, but the episodes I've seen have made me feel vaguely sad. Obviously I can't claim any insight into the inner workings of their friendship, but it felt to me like Paul was just not very nice... Seemed to be just bloody grumpy and continually rude / dismissive / disparaging to Bob. Maybe I've just happened to catch the wrong episodes - but, like I said, just made me feel a bit sad...

That’s just their banter I think.

Bob is a silly, and very funny man. Constantly up for mucking about and telling tall tales.

Paul is a very funny man, but is less inherently silly than Bob, giving us a Funny Man/Straight Man dynamic, just dialled down.

They’ve been genuine friends for decades though, so any meanness is definitely just for show and the sake of telly.

Yeah, that's certainly what I hoped was the case!

I don’t know if long-running Youtube series count as TV, but we’ve been watching through Sam Aronow’s history channel in order, and it is as compelling as a drama. Starting from the Chanukah episode, through the Hasmoneans (with the later dynasty’s Game of Thrones antics), through the I Claudius years to the fall of Rome and beyond. And the personalities only get better defined and more clearly drawn the closer to modern times we get. Highly recommended.


Then at bedtime we throw on a couple of the “baby goats” videos by Sunflower Farms Creamery for that critical sleepy time Awwww.

Maybe we should start a Pico podcast reviews - what are you watching on the phone? screen

The Franchise(HBO Max)

Fun little twist of the knife into the struggling superhero genre. Witty, oft times vular and ridiculous, I overall* enjoyed this journey into the soulcrushing life of Hollywood franchise productions. Probably 2 episodes longer than it needs to be, but I tend to say that about most things nowadays. I’ll probably rewatch some time later to try to catch some of the quick one-liners in the background or other stuff I missed. At roughly 30 minutes an episode, its an easy watch.

* Hated the character Dag(so annoying) and the awkward love affair between the directors assistant and some downtrodden extra who hilariously always seems to be wearing a mo-cap suit.

Twin Peaks

Damn fine coffee.

We’re about 6 or 7 episodes in, and if we were watching this weekly I think I wouldn’t have made it this far. It’s not as weird as I was expecting. I understand it gets more surreal later on, but so far I’m watching for the soundtrack and a handful of top notch character actors. With the relationship melodramas and escalating depravity the over-the-top parody elements are starting to kick in more, so I’m sure I’ll make it through. We’re only halfway through season one(?) and Laura Palmer has already undergone quite the transformation. Characters like Hank and Josie seem to keep getting worse/more interesting at an astonishing rate.

My son is quite enjoying it. My wife would hate it, so we can only watch it when she is at choir practice. I hope we’re able to get through all three seasons and the movie by the end of the year…

Rewatched Andor, very good show, I especially like the exchange between Mon Motha and Luthen:

"People will suffer"
"That's the plan"

Guerilla warfare 101, provoke atrocities and repression as a recruitment tool.

Moving on to Rogue One, enjoying it EXCEPT for the soundtrack. It feels like a fan fic where they have to find music that's close to the original but not so close as to cause copyright issues.

Except YOU'RE NOT A FANFIC! Play the dang Imperial March dang it!

Even better, play the version of the imperial march from the trailer. It’s amazing!

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Rewatched Andor, very good show, I especially like the exchange between Mon Motha and Luthen:

"People will suffer"
"That's the plan"

Guerilla warfare 101, provoke atrocities and repression as a recruitment tool.

Yeah, it showing that the original people who formed what would become the Rebellion aren't going to be your idealistic farmboys, but fanatics who are more than willing to use the tools of the Empire for their own ends (for example, did Cinta kill the governor's family on Aldhani to tie up loose ends before she left? It's definitely within the realm of possibility with how careful Luthen's cell is with regards to the security of his inner circle) was a very good choice.

It also helps show resistance toward The Empire at all social levels.

Luthen Rael is clearly a man of means, and by extension influence and connection. He’s also ruthless, see the ends as justifying the means.

Mon Mothma has the most obvious political capital to play with, but is an idealist.

Andor is….just a bloke. Like his country folk, I think he’d prefer to be left alone. This is reinforced with that speech.

And from the wider Star Wars Universe? The Spectres aren’t at all shy at offing people, but tend not to have that as the main plan.

Saw Gerrera is presented as a headbanger.

And of course, we don’t really see the Alliance get its collective arse properly into gear until after Alderaan.

I wouldn't say Andor is just a bloke. He has all the makings of an incredible revolutionary soldier. He is resourceful, incredibly perceptive and a lightning fast learner, to say nothing of his nerves of steel. Within a couple of days on Aldhani he had observed what handedness each of the group was, including that one of them was left handed but favoured his right when shooting, and knew why all that mattered with regards to impersonating imperial soldiers, as well as became completely familiar with the plan of attack which the others had weeks to prepare for.

What Andor isn't is a leader. He's not one who can give a rousing speech to inspire others to rise up. But the important thing is that he knows this about himself, and so he has no ego about it. He can identify others who can do that instead, like Kino on Narkina 5.

Andor isn't your Trotsky who rallies the flagging red army with a speech from the roof of an armoured train. He's Stalin, robbing banks and doing shakedowns and other dirty work to get funds for the cause.

I also like how precocious Mon Motha is with her speeches no one listens to (the scenes of Senators turning off their lights and walking out are great) and her legislation that will never pass.

She's going to get a lesson in how revolutions are not tea parties (to quote Mao).

In other news there's a rumor about Andor's arch nemesis in Season 2.

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:iysr6fagobgeieqiodblyj2s/post/3lc64divxkc24

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I also like how precocious Mon Motha is with her speeches no one listens to (the scenes of Senators turning off their lights and walking out are great) and her legislation that will never pass.

She's going to get a lesson in how revolutions are not tea parties (to quote Mao).

In other news there's a rumor about Andor's arch nemesis in Season 2.

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:iysr6fagobgeieqiodblyj2s/post/3lc64divxkc24

The writers of Rogue One brought that upon themselves and all who were to follow...

Finished Arcane. It's very very good but not the same way season 1 was. Things get more videogamey and the ultimate lesson appears to be that Ozymandias was right. It's great, but never surpasses season 1 for me. Absolutely worth watching whether or not your a LoL fan though.

Chronicles Of Narnia. The BBC production of C.S.Lewis' children's classic, is basically a cross between Oz and Middle Earth. Four children enter a Wardrobe in a game of hide'n'seek and step through to the magical land of Narnia. The forth story in the series - The Silver Chair - allows a good send off for the series, which the film series was tragically denied...

Box Of Delights. 40 years ago this series was shown on BBC1, and was about a young school boy - Kay Harker - who is entrusted with a magic box that is truly full of delights. Whats interesting about this show is that it used a digital effects system that allowed for some rather notable animated sequences, the most memorable is when Kay is transported into the titular box and enters the forest of Herne The Hunter. "Inform the commander that Lord Vader's shuttle has arrived" - yup, that's Herne The Hunter!

I don't watch TV. It's a cultural wasteland filled with inappropriate metaphors and an unrealistic portrayal of life created by the liberal media elite.

I’ve not watched the BBC Narnia shows since they first aired.

But I do remember the younger Pevensey sister being an insufferable stage school type. The sort to demonstrate no emotion hitherto known to man.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Of course, the greater version of Narnia is objectively….

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
I don't watch TV. It's a cultural wasteland filled with inappropriate metaphors and an unrealistic portrayal of life created by the liberal media elite.

Spoiler:

Babylon 5

Nice Babylon 5 reference. One of these days I’ll have to start another rewatch of the series.

Christ, I hated The Young Ones as a child! Ever since that episode where they shove a bin bag over their heads and he keeps sneezing....ERRHHHHH!!! Disgusting!

"Come, have some Turkish Delight!"

The Young Ones is a significant reason for why I am who I am.

Must’ve been a rerun, but my parents let me watch it. And Filthy, Rich and Catflap.

I was probably ok age wise to watch Bottom.

The other two? Serious impact on my fragile young mind ??

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
The Young Ones is a significant reason for why I am who I am.

Must’ve been a rerun, but my parents let me watch it. And Filthy, Rich and Catflap.

I was probably ok age wise to watch Bottom.

The other two? Serious impact on my fragile young mind ??

80’s Alternative Comedy Scene, predominantly The Grate One, Rik Mayall, and Ade Edmondson.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
80’s Alternative Comedy Scene, predominantly The Grate One, Rik Mayall, and Ade Edmondson.

Ookay.... I'm just going to nod my head and slowly back away.

Go look it up on YouTube. See what you make of it.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Go look it up on YouTube. See what you make of it.

Yeah, all of the recorded Bottom Live shows can be found on the 'Tubes and they're great fun. Two perfect partners in comedy just bouncing off each other and occasionally remembering to say an actual line from the play.

I came so, so close to seeing Bottom Live 3 in the theatre.

I’d bought the tickets. The plans were laid. But, on the day? Woke up with a migraine and missed work.

As another work colleague was doing the driving, I couldn’t possibly go see it. So his girlfriend took my ticket.

His awful, unpleasant, cheating nasty girlfriend.

And she never paid me for the ticket.

Bottom...on a friday night. Absolute mint.

Even Guest House Paradiso which is objectively quite crap is a bloody good laugh.

ITS PRONOUNCED THWAITE!

Creature Commandos

Bit of an odd one.
It's basically The Suicide Squad (Which I liked) but animated (Which I also like), so I should really like this, but I don't.
I'm not sure why I don't, I just thought the first two episodes were pretty lousy.

Won't be watching any more, which is a shame because I was looking forward to it.