BEST TV Shows to watch... CURRENTLY...

[Taiso]

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Reaffirmed every current feeling I have about the MCU.

 

[famicommander]

First details of the John Wick spin-off TV series coming to Starz:

Lionsgate TV worked closely with Motion Picture Group chairman Joe Drake, president Nathan Kahane, president of production Erin Westerman and president of acquisitions and co-productions Jason Constantine, as well as the films’ producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee at Thunder Road and Chad Stahelski and Reeves, to “find a way in that was additive, didn’t cancel out any other plans that they might have down the road for” future movie installments, Beggs said.

“We took a lot of pitches, and then the creative team from this obscure little show called Wayne that was on YouTube came to us with their take,” he said. “we were really blown away because it solved a bunch of problems and was super exciting, about a crumbling New York in the 1970s with a garbage strike that has piled up bags of garbage to the third floor of most brownstones, the mafia muscling in on that business which is why in The Sopranos he’s in the sanitation business, and other things that are really real as an interesting backdrop to explore the origins of The Continental which is famously within the movie franchise the assassin’s hotel in which you cannot kill anyone on the hotel grounds, but of course if you step one foot off you’re fair game, and that’s employed to great effect in many of the plots in the movies. Running all of that is Winston, who is played by Ian McShane (in the movies).”

McShane previously confirmed that he won’t appear in The Continental but could do voice-over work.

“What we’re exploring in The Continental is the young Winston and how it came to be that he and his team of confederates found their way into this hotel which we have met for the first time in the movie franchise 40 years later,” Beggs said. “That’s the arena. I won’t give away more than that, but Starz really leaned into this take also, and they have been great collaborators. And how we’ve approached this first season is as three essentially 90-minute events which you could construe as a limited series or a limited event series.”

Initially, when The Continental was first announced by Starz in 2018, the network’s brass said that “you can expect to see Reeves at some point on the series.” A year and a regime change later, CEO Jeff Hirsch refused to confirm whether Reeves would appear on the series or not. Deadline asked Beggs to clarify the actor’s participation.

“Keanu is in talks to executive produce,” Beggs said. “Because we’re way back in time, way back pre-John Wick and even pre-young John Wick, that character is not finding his way into the universe. We are in the John Wick universe, but it’s way back in time. Think about the Game of Thrones prequels before you know any of the players, but you do know the world. But Keanu and Chad have read every draft and been enthusiastic supporters of expanding this universe in a meaningful way. So, I never rule out anything, but at this point he’s pretty busy making his movies which are very important to us.”

 

[Taiso]

I am not down for a John Wick TV series.

The longer this film series goes, the worse it gets.

Now, I've enjoyed John Wick just fine but the more nuance they add to their world building, the more absurd and worthy of disregard it becomes.

People need to stop beating these horses dead.

The best thing I can say about John Wick now is that it gives a lot of talented people work.

Weird that Keanu is now considered an action star.

 

[evil wasabi]

Taiso my man, you’re right. But comic book fanbois will gobble any rehashed reheaten shit.

 

[Taiso]

I mean...I don't want to be resentful of fans for propping their shit up.

I will read and love Berserk forever even though Kentaro Miura doesn't seem to care as much about it as I do. Same for A Song of Ice and Fire and GRRM. Makes me love them a little less because they can't commit to doing what needs to be done and ending.

Gundam (UC only, the rest aren't Gundam even if Bandai and Sunrise say they are, even if Yoshiyuki Tomino says it because Yoshikazu Yasuhiko was the real creative genius behind that first TV series, which is still getting spun off over 40 years later) is the only nerd thing I love that I can rely on and expect some level of satisfaction out of. There are a lot of prescient themes nestled in there and I believe it's because the creators vigorously engage with the original series' ideas. It's a fascinating tightrope act, walking that fine line between commerce and art.

People ask me why I'm so turned off by adaptations and sequels and series that just won't die and I say that it's because there's almost always a moment where you can tell they're phoning it in. Gundam, remarkably, has yet to do that for me. Which isn't to say it's all 'perfect'. Some manga, especially, are doing autoplot storyteling such as fan service guest appearances and crossovers and such. But even in, say, Gundam 0083: Rebellion (a fan service heavy 'Origin' style re-imagining of the anime Stardust Memory), all of the original story's themes about warfare, the cost to humanity, the question of who fights for what side and why, the toll it takes on the environment, political differences and division and (most importantly) what happens when newtypes don't play a role (a statement so subtly executed that it's sheer storytelling mastery IMO).

People ask me how I can put the most recent Godzilla movie above some other flicks I've seen in the last few years and my answer is because it vigorously engages with human storytelling despite it's absurdity and incoherence. There's nothing 'human' about the John Wick films after the first one and while I can enjoy them, I can't call them 'good'. What possible hope does a TV series have of recapturing that lightning in a bottle?

We shouldn't be creating disposable entertainment while at the same time pretending it means something. The Russian ballet house in the most recent Wck film reeked of narcissistic self-importance.

 

[famicommander]

We shouldn't be creating disposable entertainment while at the same time pretending it means something. The Russian ballet house in the most recent Wck film reeked of narcissistic self-importance.

Would it help if I told you they're turning that into a spin-off film too?

 

[evil wasabi]

Wait... I’m confused. You’re talking Gundam. I know nothing of this.

 

[Taiso]

Wait... I’m confused. You’re talking Gundam. I know nothing of this.

Sorry, I tend to go stream of consciousness on this stuff sometimes. The price of actively engaging with the themes of a creative work is the risk of insanity.

I was just using it comparatively to explain how it's the only ongoing nerd series that never completely lets me down. Even when I think it's going to become a parody of itself, it tends to save itself in ways that I find comforting.

Not so with most other nerd properties that fans always want more of simply because they don't know how to sever the cord, die a death and gain wisdom from the experience of venturing into the unknown.

 

[evil wasabi]

So are you saying that everything except UC was good?

 

[Taiso]

So are you saying that everything except UC was good?

What I was saying is that I only consider UC to be truly 'Gundam'. Even if some of the themes of the series in general show up in non UC shows, they aren't really the same thing, IMO.

Those shows may be good or they may not. I know a lot of people like Gundam Wing and Gundam 00 has its moments. Even though Gundam Seed is heavily derided, I actually love the art direction of that show.

But the UC is the only 'timeline' that I consider to be Gundam. Think of it as when some people say they don't consider SotN to be Castlevania. It's kind of like that for me.

Many non UC fans might call this being a Gundam 'elitist', and yes these faggor divisions exist within the fandom. There are some FB groups that go back ad forth about it. I am more of a 'UC purist'. It's the only timeline I really care about. I've tried the others and they just don't leave an impression..

G Gundam was great fun if you're into Street Fighter, and it has a Giant Robo: the Animation feel to it which makes sense since Yasuhiro Imagawa was the director.

 

[SouthtownKid]

What I was saying is that I only consider UC to be truly 'Gundam'. Even if some of the themes of the series in general show up in non UC shows, they aren't really the same thing, IMO.

Those shows may be good or they may not. I know a lot of people like Gundam Wing and Gundam 00 has its moments. Even though Gundam Seed is heavily derided, I actually love the art direction of that show.

But the UC is the only 'timeline' that I consider to be Gundam.

I'll take it one step further and say I only consider series/movies/novels done by Tomino to actually be real Gundam. Even stories that take place within UC but done by other writers/producers feel fanfic-y to me, and largely ignore the theme of human evolution. Unicorn was the only non-Tomino project to even really try.

Which doesn't mean I hate everything else. I try to enjoy it for whatever it is, but it's not part of the real story for me. And a lot of it is kind of pointless.

 

[evil wasabi]

What I was saying is that I only consider UC to be truly 'Gundam'. Even if some of the themes of the series in general show up in non UC shows, they aren't really the same thing, IMO.

Those shows may be good or they may not. I know a lot of people like Gundam Wing and Gundam 00 has its moments. Even though Gundam Seed is heavily derided, I actually love the art direction of that show.

But the UC is the only 'timeline' that I consider to be Gundam. Think of it as when some people say they don't consider SotN to be Castlevania. It's kind of like that for me.

Many non UC fans might call this being a Gundam 'elitist', and yes these faggor divisions exist within the fandom. There are some FB groups that go back ad forth about it. I am more of a 'UC purist'. It's the only timeline I really care about. I've tried the others and they just don't leave an impression..

G Gundam was great fun if you're into Street Fighter, and it has a Giant Robo: the Animation feel to it which makes sense since Yasuhiro Imagawa was the director.

Which one has the best writing?

 

[LoneSage]

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Reaffirmed every current feeling I have about the MCU.

Go into it more, bro.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Which one has the best writing?

the novels. You can give everything else a miss.

 

[evil wasabi]

Go into it more, bro.

Yeah Taiso, woke up already.

 

[@M]

"Think of it as when some people say they don't consider SotN to be Castlevania."

I don't even want to know these alleged "people". Sacrilege!!! Do they even lift bottles of holy water, bro?

 

[Taiso]

Go into it more, bro.

Not for free. You want a verbose review of this show, it takes effort.

RE: Gundam side stories being pointless.

Well, I'd rather describe them as 'non essential' but many of the stories actually have a point and consider the conflict from many different viewpoints to provide some interesting perspectives.

Mobile Suit Gundam Aggressor tackles the subject of Zeon defectors fighting beside the Federation and how difficult that might be for them.

Zeonic Front discusses the loyalty soldiers might feel in a hopeless situation unique to Gundam: Zeon bugging out of Earth following their losses at Odessa and Jaburo. The troops that stay behind to defend the last shuttles going back to space are making an honorable sacrifice, knowing they will probably never get back home (Side 3) again.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Blue Destiny addresses the idea of scientists exploiting newtypes not to turn them into weapons of war but specifically for use in killing other newtypes on the fundamental idea that newtypes will be weaponized and there needs to be a stopgap against that. This idea existed 12 years before Gundam UC was pbulished as a light novel, and is a better exploration of the concept of aggressive artificial intelligence detecting and then overtaking military technology to eliminate newtype threats.

MS Igloo shows us how people adjust to warfare when everything they know is rendered obsolete by new technology (mobile suits) and of how a desperate nation will attempt to use the old technology for misinformation, all the while casting the dregs off to 'test' this failed equipment in the hopes that theuy'll get some film reel for their next propaganda war reel.

This is why I say Gundam is the only nerd franchise that keeps delivering. It's the only series I've stuck with that still has so much to say about warfare in space in a future ill prepared for it. Obviously, nobody has to dive into these stories to understand the IP as a whole but I wouldn't call them 'pointless'. It's still, by and large, great material. A lot of it is more eloquent that Tomino's narrative execution, more coherent and, in some cases, satisfying (Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt is a perfect example of this, and also tackles the subject of what it means to evolve in an age of warfare during space colonization.)

 

[LoneSage]

Not for free. You want a verbose review of this show, it takes effort.

Not gonna lie. Sassy Taiso who knows his worth is cool as hell. Fair play, mate.

 

[Taiso]

Not gonna lie. Sassy Taiso who knows his worth is cool as hell. Fair play, mate.

You might be pleased to know I no longer want to retreat from all humanity.

A lot of that was depression stemming from a rapidly deteriorating situation with my mother's dementia as her primary caregiver and POA.

We have her in a Memoey Care Unit now, and she is getting the 24/7 skilled nursing care she needs. My wife and I are also psychologically recovering and on the mend. We have a long road back and people that never had to do this don't understand how dangerous caregiver burnout can be. It's a form of mental illness itself and you go to some very dark places while you're suffering it.

We are starting to wake up and feel alive again. There are a lot of difficult feelings to sort out about the whole thing. Counseling and therapy are in the future.

Now my position is that I want to move away from all the noise but I will bear the torch of good entertainment and preserve it. Woke trash will burn out eventually and when it does, I or those I pass the torch to will keep the 'good shit' alive for a generation of escapist hungry for fiction that doesn't insult their intelligence or waste their most valuable commodity, being time.

 

[LoneSage]

Taiso, you are my friend. Thank you for taking care of your mother. You are a good son. Thank you for not losing your passion in writing. Thank you for not leaving neo-geo.com/forums. starks out.

 

[LoneSage]

Originally posted April 4, 2021:

There's a 4-episode cartoon called Invincible based on some comic book of the same name. It's streaming on Amazon. I saw some clips on youtube and man it is super violent. I know people here like The Boys but this seems a lot better, just a heads up.

Invincible (TV series) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Just saw the latest episode, episode 7 (turns out it's not only four episodes). Man, wow. Wow! No more need be said. Check this cartoon out if you can. Honestly I haven't even watched every episode, just bits and pieces to get enough. But wow!

How in the world have I never heard of Invincible before this? If the comic is just like the cartoon, then it should have been as popular as something like Preacher.

Side note: Amazon is doing the smart thing by doing a weekly release. It's good to see other people understand why releasing episodes weekly is better than going full retardflix all at once where people will binge them in a day and...no hype or discussion follows. The show is definitely building a fan base.

edit: I fast forward through the teenage bullshit

 

[HornheaDD]

Originally posted April 4, 2021:


Just saw the latest episode, episode 7 (turns out it's not only four episodes). Man, wow. Wow! No more need be said. Check this cartoon out if you can. Honestly I haven't even watched every episode, just bits and pieces to get enough. But wow!

How in the world have I never heard of Invincible before this? If the comic is just like the cartoon, then it should have been as popular as something like Preacher.

Side note: Amazon is doing the smart thing by doing a weekly release. It's good to see other people understand why releasing episodes weekly is better than going full retardflix all at once where people will binge them in a day and...no hype or discussion follows. The show is definitely building a fan base.

edit: I fast forward through the teenage bullshit

The comic is great. The show diverges a bit, Debbie doesn't figure stuff out, there's actually a decent long-game joke about someone figuring it out.

It's still a really great show, and pretty faithful to the comic. This first season is gonna be 8 eps total.

It covers about the first 20 or so issues. It rearranges some stuff, and so far has completely omitted one character/villain but the change does make sense. I can only imagine they'll bring that character in later because he's fairly important.

 

[NeoSneth]

I made the mistake of starting to watch Invincible at 11pm last night. Hours and hours later, I am very tired as I watch the last episodes when i should be working.

They get you with a plot right away. This is some HBO level stuff, and I'm actually glad it was done in this animation style.

 

[StevenK]

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.

80s Japanimation based on Mattel's vehicle toy line of the same name, which I loved. I bought the whole series on DVD for about $15--I was surprised that there are 65 episodes total, I don't remember it lasting anywhere near that long when I was a kid. I've only watched four episodes so far, but, they basically fly to a different planet each time, looking for Jayce's father, Audric, and Saw Boss and his Monster Minds (evil sentient plants that transform into vehicles, don't ask) fucks with them in one way or another. I was always disappointed that the toy line had generic dudes in jumpsuits instead of Jayce, Herc (Han Solo wannabe), Flora, Gillian, and Oon from this show. This series is neither great nor terrible, just typical toyline tie-in silliness. Even if you didn't grow up with, or remember, the toys, it's still a decent sci-fi fantasy cartoon.

The thing that always struck me with cartoons as a kid was the lack of a timeline. I don't know whether it was just the order they were shown in on the channels I watched but I don't remember anything ever having a start or an ending, it always just was, and then was not. Nobody ever got anywhere, no one ever overcame anything long term, it was groundhog day across the board.

Did they find the city of gold? Did they escape the dungeons and dragons world thing? Did Willie Fogg make it around the world in 80 days? Did mumra literally live forever?

 

[@M]

That's true, a lot of cartoons don't have true closure, probably because they don't find out that they're going to get cancelled until it's too late. I may be wrong, but, I think I have vague childhood memories of Jayce being reunited with his father eventually. The thirteen episodes I've watched so far are kind of random with plot development. Sometimes they follow a clue that gives them more info about where dad might be, but, mostly they're just fucking around on random planets (especially if Herc thinks he can make some money). It's entertaining, but, rather pointless too, other than serving as half hour commercials for the toys. There's a kind of charm to things never having an end and a new adventure everyday too though.