World Eater Posted January 4, 2018 Posted January 4, 2018 I thought async had the universal acclaim Agreed with everything you said about Dedicated
montrealxo Posted January 4, 2018 Posted January 4, 2018 Shameless didn't hold my attention this season like it usually does. it just feels phoned in from the actors and the writers. i'm gonna finish the season eventually, i'm just so unmotivated to this go around. still haven't seen This Is Us. I'm gonna watch but I have a feeling i'm going to cry (that's what I keep reading anyway) but I stan Sterling so I'm gonna check it out Mr. Robot was so dope this season. Angela. F**king Angela! Way more character development than usually, stellar performances from the entire cast. It just keep you on the edge of your seat. I think last season was good, but fandom culture ruined by spoiling the twist. it really wouldn't have been so obvious without reddit Fargo is good as always. i'm glad you included New Edition. I'm only doing top 15 so it's not on my list but I enjoyed watching it. it was the first time in a long time that tv felt like an event and wasn't reality tv related i could go on and on. sorry i wrote so much. but i honestly love tv and movies as much as music. i wish there was a tv/film type of atrl
MP2K Posted January 4, 2018 Posted January 4, 2018 Ariel Pink Deer yt pp The New Edition Story, honestly that's going to be a Black Film Classic. Those boys did that and so did the producers.
Wicked Posted January 5, 2018 Author Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) 11 hours ago, AlexisNeiers said: I thought async had the universal acclaim Agreed with everything you said about Dedicated I haven't even seen people discussing async barely, tbh 8 hours ago, montrealxo said: Shameless didn't hold my attention this season like it usually does. it just feels phoned in from the actors and the writers. i'm gonna finish the season eventually, i'm just so unmotivated to this go around. still haven't seen This Is Us. I'm gonna watch but I have a feeling i'm going to cry (that's what I keep reading anyway) but I stan Sterling so I'm gonna check it out Mr. Robot was so dope this season. Angela. F**king Angela! Way more character development than usually, stellar performances from the entire cast. It just keep you on the edge of your seat. I think last season was good, but fandom culture ruined by spoiling the twist. it really wouldn't have been so obvious without reddit Fargo is good as always. i'm glad you included New Edition. I'm only doing top 15 so it's not on my list but I enjoyed watching it. it was the first time in a long time that tv felt like an event and wasn't reality tv related i could go on and on. sorry i wrote so much. but i honestly love tv and movies as much as music. i wish there was a tv/film type of atrl You have to check out This Is Us for Sterling alone, it's pretty much a showcase for him. It's not the best thing since sliced bread but it's good. I'm pretty much feeling the same way about Shameless now, but the beginning of the season was good. Mr. Robot is the reason I don't read episode discussion threads on Reddits; they do way too much. But yeah Angela was great, as was Bobby Cannavale tbh. Whew, say that again about New Edition, I'm glad everyone liked it! Yeah sometimes, but you can always join us over here 6 hours ago, MP2K said: Ariel Pink Deer yt pp The New Edition Story, honestly that's going to be a Black Film Classic. Those boys did that and so did the producers. You're absolutely right, and I'm glad it helped jump start things for a few of them (Algee + the one that played Bobby). Edited January 5, 2018 by Wicked
Wicked Posted January 6, 2018 Author Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) 25. Stranger Things (Netflix) Quote Instead of a sophomore slump, Stranger Things second installment had a sophomore glow up. It finally started building it's legs as an actual show in terms of developing characters & etc,. instead of just being an 80s/90s homage overload. This was mostly noticeable with Hopper & Steve, who might end up being the best written characters in the whole show (sorry, Eleven is kinda overrated). Even still, while Stranger Things really isn't bringing anything new or particularly different to the Sci-Fi genre or whatever it's relatively well done storytelling. It's still predictable in spots, but there's a new feeling of stakes, so I found it overall a lot more enjoyable than S1. But most of all we really can't ignore the painfully accurate, realistic, and moving performance relating to PTSD from Noah Schnapp. If there's any performance awards to be given for Stranger Things, and Noah isn't in the equation it's a no for me. Best Episodes: 'Chapter Six: The Spy', 'Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer', 'Chapter Nine: The Gate' 24. American Vandal (Netflix) Quote When I first got wind Netflix was making a series parodying the recent repopularized true crime genre I was a bit skeptical. Then when I got wind that the basis of the parody would be the question of what high schooler drew dicks on faculty cars, I couldn't quite take it seriously. It sounds like a very bad SNL skit. However, once I actually watched it, it was really so much more than that. While parodying the true crime genre American Vandal also breaks down the inner mechanics of high school hierarchy along the way in tremendous fashion. I'm not quite sure that having it come back for a second season is the right way to go, but I'll give it a peek. Best Episodes: 'Clean Up', 'Climax', 'Premature Theories' 23. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) Quote The long anticipated return of Curb Your Enthusiasm didn't really disappoint. It was however very interesting to watch it after reflecting on it's impact of the 'smart' comedies of today. Curb is at the center of everything from 'Louis' & 'Rick & Morty' to 'Master of None' & 'Eastbound & Down'. This new season the overarching plot was Larry pissing off Islamic leaders and trying to make it up, which eventually leads to a 'Fatwa' play with guest stars Lin-Manuel Miranda appearing. I would probably put this season in the middle range if I had to rank them, which judging by this position is still pretty -pretty- damn good. There were plenty of outrageous bits, like Larry & his leeching but ever hilarious bestie Leon (pictured) discussing if assuming someones race via telephone is offensive or not, to Leon smashing a Yoga teacher Larry gets into an argument with, to Larry offending a Romanian Uber driver by insisting Romanian women 'aren't that attractive'. I think Curb adapted to the more PC-fueled era better than some other comedians of late have. Larry's still stubborn, at times ignorant & never knows when to shut his trap; and that makes for damn fine TV. I'm not quite sure what the TV critics wanted from this current season, but I got pretty much everything I needed. Just because it didn't have a 'Palestinian Chicken' doesn't mean it ain't good. Best Episodes: 'Namaste', 'The Accidental Text on Purpose', 'Running with the Bulls' 22. Man Seeking Woman (FXX) Quote The abrupt cancellation of Man Seeking Woman was the most painful of 2017. The surreal, innovative & almost sketch-like Romantic Comedy from Simon Rich was a joy to watch from beginning to end. With cult-Comedy Film/TV legend Jay Baruchel & Comedy powerhouse Eric Andre it was almost a dream come true. Jay plays Josh, a guy that in the beginning of the three season-spanning surreal comedy goes through a bad breakup + decides to now go on the hunt for true love with his best friend Mike (Eric Andre), the bachelor type along the way. In the very first episode, his sister sets him on a date with an actual, under the bridge troll. That type of ridiculousness is what made the series special. But there was a very pleasant switch, man FOUND woman in season three with new cast member Lucy. Lucy and Josh are a pretty much perfect match, and in the end Josh had finally found his soul mate and got married. I suppose when you look at it like that, FX(X) cancelling it isn't too bad, but exploration of married life tropes through the surreal lens the show likes to use would've been a blast. This will definitely show up in future 'cult comedy show' lists. Best Episodes: 'Blood', 'Cake', 'Horse' 21. Samurai Jack ([adult swim]) Quote I hate having Jack here cause it's rather low, because it was a truly great season, and exceptional end to a classic series (animated or otherwise). This is another show on my list that respectfully & accurately portrays dealing with PTSD. Samurai Jack returns after it's initial cancellation over a decade ago to show Jack, basically miserable/ I won't say too much more regarding the plot, but it was one of the finest things I've seen all year. It also helped that it worked as both a standalone season & continuation of S4. so new and old fans alike wouldn't need to speed through those first four, although they're quality too. The switch from Cartoon Network didn't change anything too much, outside of the mature themes explored and we could now see blood. It will be missed. Best Episodes: 'C', 'XCVIII', 'XCVI' Network Stats so far (Includes HMs) [adult swim] - 5 Netflix - 4 FX(X), Starz! - 3 Showtime, ABC, USA Network, Hulu, TNT, NBC, HBO - 2 WGN America, IFC, BBC Three, VH1, A&E, SyFy, BBC America, AMC, Audience Network, Discovery, CBS All Access, Amazon, NRK, Cinemax, BET - 1 Any guesses on the top 20? Edited January 6, 2018 by Wicked
Wicked Posted January 6, 2018 Author Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) Gonna get sports over with actually I know nobody is here for it so. 1. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai Thai Professional Boxer; Flyweight Division Champion 2017 Accomplishment: Dethroning the P4P King, Roman Gonzalez twice, once by 12 round shut out, the next a fourth round KO The rest, Unranked Gennady Golovkin Kazakhstani Professional Boxer; Middleweight Division Champion Rafael dos Anjos Brazilian Professional MMA Fighter (UFC); Welterweight Division Kawhi Leonard American Professional Basketball player; Small Forward for the San Antonio Spurs Anthony Davis American Professional Basketball Player; Power Forward/Center for the NOLA Pelicans Cris Cyborg Brazilian Professional MMA Fighter (UFC); Women's Featherweight Champion Kenny Omega Canadian Professional Wrestler (NJPW); US Champion AJ Styles American Professional Wrestler (WWE); WWE Champion (Second Reign) Sasha Banks (Fun Fact: Snoop Dogg is her cousin) American Professional Wrestler (WWE) Kazuchika Okada Japanese Professional Wrestler (NJPW); Heavyweight Champion Terence Crawford American Professional Boxer; Undisputed Light Welterweight Champion (moving up to Welterweight in 2018) Andre Ward Retired Professional Boxer; Former P4P King 2017 was a stellar year for Boxing, a down year for Wrestling & a near depressing one (cuz my team was/still is in shambles) for Basketball + MMA. (e,g. the sports I follow, or at least attempt to keep up with) Because of how great a year it was for Boxing specifically, a lot of these moments are from that. Both in and out the ring Boxing delivered the spectacle, controversies, sex tapes, matches & knockouts that everyone wanted. Here's my favorite moments. Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko Spoiler The Heavyweight division has been declared 'dead' for quite a while now, but this fight brought back all the interest. It was a classic hungry veteran competitor vs a hungry young competitor setup. Anthony Joshua made his name over in the U.K. defeating some, to be it frankly, cans (fighters who suck). But taking on the legendary Wladimir Klitschko, who owned the Heavyweight division for over a decade with his superior older brother Vitali, I thought this would be easy work. And for about 11 rounds, it was. AJ looked ever bit of unseasoned as I expected, however every round was still filled with cinematic back & forth trades, knockdowns + it was a huge spectacle (in a good way). My favorite moment of the year. Chris Jericho & 'The List' Spoiler I don't really keep up with WWE anymore, because the writing is full on garbage. It's Jersey Shore level. However, a veteran had one of the best written + best received bits. Also my favorite professional wrestler, Chris Jericho always delivers the goods that made me laugh when I bothered to tune in. They need to treat him better though. Canelo vs. Golovkin Spoiler Quite easily the most anticipated Boxing match since Mayweather/Pacquaio (however NOWHERE near that level), Golovkin vs. Canelo also didn't disappoint... Until it was time to hear the scorecards of course. Golovkin is known as a calculating pressure fighter with hands of steel (I mean, he cracks orbital sockets with one hit) + perfect ring cutting footwork. Alvarez on the other hand has been molding his style to be more slick, akin to the defense of fighters like Floyd Mayweather. Alvarez spent most of his time getting out of the way but Golovkin was able to keep up. Because of one judge's bogus scoring of the fight that was shamed from all boxing higher up + fans alike, this fight was a draw. In my eyes and most, Golovkin won, clearly. There's a rematch in the work for Cinco de Mayo, and I can't wait to see Part 2. This could end up being the iconic boxing saga for our generation. Wilder vs. Stiverne Spoiler Lol, this fight lasted less than one round (3 minutes). Deontay Wilder has been a knockout force in the Heavyweight division for quite some time. He's been asking for a fight with the HW king Anthony Joshua for a while now to prove himself. It is quite a toss up between them, with AJ having the advantage in skill, but Wilder having the power, athleticism & speed. In the Heavyweight division, it truly only takes one punch; which Wilder has. Here though, because his scheduled fight was canceled due to his opponent testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, he had to fight a mandatory he already beat in Bermaine Stiverne on short notice. He decides to make a statement. ALMOST capturing the menacing presence of a prime Mike Tyson, Wilder pretty much steamrolls Stiverne into oblivion in spectacular fashion. It was a meme on black twitter/insta for a while, since it was pretty embarrassing. Hopefully the guys put ego and greed aside and we get the mega fight in 2018. Mighty Mouse Suplex into an Armbar Spoiler https://twitter.com/Mu77med/status/916886984446136320 Really needs no description, Demetrious Johnson aka Mighty Mouse has been the King of his division since its inception. And this is just something else to add onto his incredible reel. Ngannou v. Overeem Spoiler The hardest hitter in UFC history takes out an established name in Overeem in less than one round. It's out of this world. Some of my favorite videos of the year: Top 10 Boxing Scandals of 2017 Top 40 Knockouts of 2017 Boxing 2017: A Year In Review Edited January 6, 2018 by Wicked
Maddox Posted January 6, 2018 Posted January 6, 2018 I haven't finished Curb yet TV twitter was whining abt the 50 min length of the finale so i just forgot abt it... but overall i really liked this season, felt like people were doing too much abt it yet they kept praising the smart absurdist humor in Big Mouth like pls ST, Man Seeking Woman, Samurai Jack, American Vandal
Allstar Posted January 6, 2018 Posted January 6, 2018 Good spot for ST. American Vandal I slept on for a long time but finally caught up on a few weeks ago and it was a great surprise. It moved from parody to drama so sneakily but never lost its pointed satire and really worked so perfectly because we were actually weirdly invested in the character's stakes (or I was). I think a second season could work but I'd want a whole new setting with a whole new cast and I guess that's not what they're going to do nn I didn't finish Curb yet ff and Samurai Jack was amazing, thanks for making me watch it!
Navyofbadgals Posted January 6, 2018 Posted January 6, 2018 4 hours ago, Wicked said: But most of all we really can't ignore the painfully accurate, realistic, and moving performance relating to PTSD from Noah Schnapp. If there's any performance awards to be given for Stranger Things, and Noah isn't in the equation it's a no for me. true whew also agrih with American Vandal
Playa Playa Posted January 6, 2018 Posted January 6, 2018 American Vandal I'm sad it didn't take off the way I was expecting but the acclaim came as a surprise. Jimmy Tatro is up for Best Actor at the Critics' Choice Awards and I won't be mad if he wins. He was so good and important to the success of the show. I'm sad I missed out on Samurai Jack because it sounds like a great season of television. Can't comment on the sports but I love the passion and effort you put in! I did watch the Joshua-Klitschko fight live which was a great moment.
Alessandra Posted January 6, 2018 Posted January 6, 2018 Oh wow, you even did sports Your songs list has given me new names that I need to get into
Wicked Posted January 8, 2018 Author Posted January 8, 2018 (edited) 20. At Home with Amy Sedaris (TruTV) Quote I didn't know Amy Sedaris was stepping back into the television world (as far as being a main character/creator), but I'm glad she did. At Home is a surreal parody of those home & gardening type shows, like Martha Stewart. Amy plays a fictionalized version of herself as our hostess who prepares meals, interviews guests, creates crafts & more based on a different theme every week. It's one of the most creative shows I've seen in a long time, but it's Amy's sense of humor that brings everything together as a off kilter and kinda bitter host. Amy somehow managed to get quite a bit of A-list actors & comedians to guest stars from Justin Theroux to Stephen Colbert which while under someone less seasoned, could've came off like a gimmick but Amy made it work. It also helps in Amy's favor that there's no political undercurrent to the show. While I'm glad a lot of comedy shows on different platforms aren't pulling punches when it comes to the current state of this country, I... don't want to hear a Trump joke every 5 seconds. At Home makes for a good 24 minute escape from the dreadful reality. Best Episodes: 'Murdercide', 'Out of This World', 'Cooking For One' 19. She's Gotta Have It (Netflix) Quote She's Gotta Have It is Spike Lee's first feature film... With a lot of issues. While it was progressive in nature for the first half, it all falls apart by bad writing decisions. Spike decided to right his wrongs and bring it to television; the series makes good on that while updating Nola Darling to fit in the current generation. She doesn't stand out as much as she did back then with shows like Insecure featuring black 20 something women marching to their own drums but it did show Nola still has something different to say. Based around the idea of Nola dating 3 different guys simultaneously (and they know she's seeing other people), each very different from the next, but she has zero desire to settle down with one. The show succeeded in showcasing Nola as an artist, her independence, the celebration of the wide range of black Brooklynites (as in Black Latinos, West Indians, etc which television seems to forget about), general celebration of the city. Even though there's been quite a few series set in Brooklyn like the turrible 'Girls', that isn't really the reality for many so it was nice to see something recognizable, but that's a given with Spike Lee. There were some moments where you could tell the series was written by people older than those on screen, but it wasn't too much of a distraction to make a serious impact. The characters all felt so familiar, as did the smaller situations covered in the show such as a conversation about double consciousness, which is the first time I've seen it discussed on this type of platform (Atlanta, y'all need to cover this). It felt like a one off but thankfully it's coming back + I can't wait! Oh and there was one subplot that was weird and didn't make any sense, so I kinda hope they act like it didn't exist in season two. Best Soundtrack on TV. Best Episodes: '#LuvIzLuv (SEXUALITY IS FLUID)', '#LoveDontPayDaRent (IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME BY KNOW)', '#4MyNegusAndMyBishes (ALL WORDS MATTER)' 18. Big Little Lies (HBO) Quote I'm not sure why critics attacked this series at first because it's about rich white women, when most of television is about people that don't need to worry about money + aren't of color; it seemed like they used BLL as a scapegoat. But anyway, this series marketed as a Murder Mystery but with much more under the surface, was a success for the network after a rather meandering year in 2016. Following a group of housewives with kids in Elementary, it slowly revealed itself as a show really diving into the complexities of the relationships between women, and that women deal with. I enjoyed the miniseries for what it brought to the table & its execution (also, that soundtrack knocks). However, HBO has decided to renew the miniseries for a second season. I'm not sure why, as it's unnecessary and will probably diminish S1. Best Episodes: 'Once Bitten', 'You Get What You Need' 17. The Good Place (NBC) Quote I know I'm gonna get dragged for this placement but I do think The Good Place is GREAT. I just enjoyed some other shows more. This high concept comedy set in Heaven & at its core revolving around ethics was a breath of fresh air in the current sitcom landscape, but it took some time to get itself into motion for me. I didn't really laugh a lot for most of season one, even though I was enjoying it. But by the time the heavily discussed and praised season one finale aired I was fully on board. The second season has been quite good so far too but this position really is mostly based off that finale, it was just that good. Also, we love a show that has POC that don't feel shoehorned in for diversity points or stereotyped. Best Episodes: 'Michael's Gambit', 'Everything Is Great!', 'Janet and Michael' 16. American Gods (Starz!) (Ahh, we love exceptional cinematography) Quote American Gods has a lot of trademarks that started occurring in the third season of Bryan Fullers' Hannibal; the jazz music during random moments + perhaps being more style over substance. But what style it has! Watching American Gods week to week was sublime. I was instantly invested in the characters and the atmosphere. While I understand most people prefer more meaningful dialogue earlier in a season, I don't really mind if I'm immersed in the atmosphere. I read the book previously so maybe it was easier for me to stay invested, but I think the show at its best was the "Coming to America" sequences at the beginning of every episode that introduced a new mythical god and how they came to this country. A show about God's eventually going to battle in Old vs. New fashion wouldn't have really caught my attention if it wasn't for the creators + eventual cast attached. Unfortunately, Bryan Fuller & Michael Green have left the show after one season because Starz! wouldn't give them the amount of money (for the shows budget) as they requested. Since their departure, Gillian Anderson has also left the show. I don't think I'll be coming back, as I don't see how anyone but Bryan Fuller can pull this off. Maybe he'll revisit? Maybe Apple will pick up the show, we know they have the funds to do so. Best Episodes: 'The Secret of Spoons', 'A Prayer For Mads Sweeney', 'Come to Jesus', 'A Murder of Gods' Edited January 8, 2018 by Wicked
Tom Vercetti Posted January 8, 2018 Posted January 8, 2018 I barely watch TV nowadays but I kind of want to get caught up this year or at least try to, so lemme bookmark some of these. I used to have connection with Samurai Jack. I'm glad that was brought back up. I also remember Chris back when WWE stories used to entertain me. Wasn't my favorite but an entertainer nonetheless.
Brandon Posted January 8, 2018 Posted January 8, 2018 The Good Place seems like it would be a pretty good show to watch.
Playa Playa Posted January 8, 2018 Posted January 8, 2018 She's Gotta Have It What's the subplot that you want them to pull a FNL S2 with? They are good spots for BLL and TGP. I bingewatched TGP very late so I didn't really get the *love* until the later episodes especially the finale, and now S2 has just knocked it out the park. American Gods, whew another classic short-lived Fuller show.
Wicked Posted January 9, 2018 Author Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) 15. Richard Dawson - Peasant Progressive Folk, Avant-Folk Singer/Songwriter, Freak Folk, Neo-Medieval Folk, Psychedelic Folk Arguably the most unique album of the year, Richard's album is a wacky take of ogres and other medieval creatures. I loved every second of it. I've never really heard any of his previous work but it reminded me a lot of Joanna's Ys, different but still great. 14. Pugwash - Silverlake Power Pop Psychedelic Pop Ignore the ****ty cover, this is a really good album filled with wonderful harmonies and tight melodies. The group doesn't really like to be compared to The Beach Boys but... 13. Colter Wall - Colter Wall Americana, Contemporary Folk, Country Outlaw Country Colter Wall is a Canadian Country artist, that's something you don't hear of often. But this album alone was enough to convince me that he deserves to be mentioned and grouped with Sturgill Simpson & Chris Stapleton as Country acts that should be on everyones radar. His dysphoric voice is filled with the type of grit & emotion I love to hear, and at just 22 years old it's mind-blowing. He's a pretty good songwriter too; if I had spent more time with this album it might've been higher. 12. Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel Electropop Bubblegum Bass, Pop Rap, Trap I hated Sucker, but after Vroom Vroom I was optimistic about Charli's next album. But at this rate it seems an album is never coming, so I guess she's content on dropping mixtapes & EPs for the time being. Packed with charisma she's made her name off of she probably dropped the best full length project from a 'pop girl' this year. 11. Thundercat - Drunk Neo-Soul, Psychedelic Soul, Funktronica Funk, Funktronica, Progressive Pop, Alternative R&B I always thought Thundercat made some cool sounding music occupying genres I like but not really anything made me go crazy until Drunk. There's not too many artists occupying "R&B/Soul/Alt. R&B" that really stand out anymore and kind of all melt together, but Thunder has shown he's able to stand on his own with this album filled with funky bops. Edited January 9, 2018 by Wicked
Wicked Posted January 9, 2018 Author Posted January 9, 2018 16 hours ago, Tom Vercetti said: I barely watch TV nowadays but I kind of want to get caught up this year or at least try to, so lemme bookmark some of these. I used to have connection with Samurai Jack. I'm glad that was brought back up. I also remember Chris back when WWE stories used to entertain me. Wasn't my favorite but an entertainer nonetheless. Try Stranger Things out. Yeah, Samurai Jack is a classic + I'm glad you liked once upon a time! 15 hours ago, Brandon said: The Good Place seems like it would be a pretty good show to watch. It is!! Just give it a little time to wear on you. 11 hours ago, Topmaster 2 said: Big Little Lies True, hopefully S2 isn't a slump. 4 hours ago, Playa Playa said: She's Gotta Have It What's the subplot that you want them to pull a FNL S2 with? They are good spots for BLL and TGP. I bingewatched TGP very late so I didn't really get the *love* until the later episodes especially the finale, and now S2 has just knocked it out the park. American Gods, whew another classic short-lived Fuller show. Spoiler The ass shots plot, wtf was the point Me either, it really didn't deserve any until later so... It's great now though. Hopefully they work everything out. The world isn't fair that he can't finish a series
Playa Playa Posted January 9, 2018 Posted January 9, 2018 Drunk and N1A Peasant was a unique and great listening experience but I haven't listened to it enough to rate it. 1 hour ago, Wicked said: Reveal hidden contents The ass shots plot, wtf was the point Me either, it really didn't deserve any until later so... It's great now though. Hopefully they work everything out. The world isn't fair that he can't finish a series I thought so. It was played too much for laughs and didn't get the attention it needed but yeah I'd rather they just dead it instead of picking it back up. He's cursed idc. It's why I'm glad he's doing that anthology series because we don't have to worry about the storyline never finishing.
Wicked Posted January 9, 2018 Author Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) 15. Insecure (HBO) Quote Insecure returned for another great season, even though it's not in my top 10 this time around that's not really reflective of it's own quality. Still following Issa & Molly as they try to figure themselves out, we also got to dig deeper into Lawrence situation following his breakup with Issa. He's now -at least externally- everything Issa had wanted but there's still a lot of unaddressed things they'd need to work on. But in the meantime, Issa was exploring her own sexually freedom and most of the time it was a failure lol. Black womanhood & sisterhood hasn't been this explored since the days of Girlfriends, but thanks to this being on HBO they get to cover some other... Interesting topics. The finale for a lot seemed to be a disappointment but I saw it as a cleansing for the character after all the turmoil they've been though in S1 & S2. Can't wait to see where it goes. Still #LawrenceHive tho even if he's a **** boy deep down. Best Episodes: 'Hella Great', 'Hella Disrespectful', 'Hella Perspective' 14. Better Things (FX) Quote Another sad-com... Kinda. One of those half hours they want to call comedies that are barely humorous, that are actually just half hour dramas. Better Things is more focused on the more mundane aspects of motherhood and surrounding situations that can occur. It can get weird, it can get sad, it can get funny but all in a 20 minute time period. It does so successfully, but even more so in its second season. Sam has been a mom for a while but she's learning and adjusting along the way just like her daughters while doing her best to straddle that line of when to intervene in their lives vs letting them figure it out on their own. The second season is when the show really clicked for me, as I was still on the fence about S1. Best Episodes: 'Graduation', 'Sick', 'Phil' 13. Baskets (FX) Quote This sad-com from the generous geniuses over on FX really found its groove and voice in its sophomore year. The dispirited Baskets gives a humanizing voice to groups that aren't afforded that luxury often if at all; the overweight, old & impecunious. Presented to us as a series about a failed professional clown that ends up becoming a rodeo clown, there's much more beneath the surface. The poignancy this season touched me. Zach Galifianakis stepped into his own, playing twin brothers: the broken and defeated Chip as well as insecure and arrogant Dale with such an understated versatility is a marvel on its own. A testament not only to his own growth as an actor but the writers for giving such layered and compound characters to Zach to work with. That also goes for Martha, who has every line of dialogue delivered with the coldest form of deadpan I've ever seen; whose yet another sad character that we sympathize with. But the real standout once again is Louie Anderson as Christine Baskets, mother of identical twins Chip & Dale. A saccharine, loving, hilarious & depressing performance as this morbidly obese mother is soul crushing. Baskets is nothing if not one of the most uniquely surreal, introspective shows on television. There was significantly less chatter about the 2nd season but I'm glad FX is keeping this one going, definitely one of the best on TV. Best Episodes: 'Denver', 'Fight', 'Circus', 'Reverie' 12. Better Call Saul (AMC) Quote The third season of the unfortunately under-viewed Breaking Bad prequel/spin off once again elevated itself for it's own argument of belonging in the television canon. BCS follows the most unlikely candidate from BrBa to get a spinoff: Saul Goodman aka Jimmy McGill. The anything-but straight laced lawyer, the prequel takes place during the time period before he had the Saul Goodman moniker and even though it doesn't hold the same stakes as Breaking Bad, they've done nicely to make it a much more character study that even still has moments & episodes that get my pulse rising. The other Breaking Bad character along for this prequel ride is Mike, who gets to shine so much. The feud between Jimmy and his Brother Chuck hit a boil this season and delivered the finest episodes of the show to date. The quality along with the appearances of fan favorites off BB, this season once again reached new heights. After the season finale, I'm not sure where the fourth season will go, however, if they keep this us expect to see a lot more "Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad" articles + think pieces. Best Episodes: 'Witness', 'Sabrosito', 'Chicanery', 'Fall', 'Lantern' 11. Vice Principals (HBO) Quote Poor those that didn't watch season two of this instant classic. Another gem to be added to the Danny McBride & Jody Hill Hall of Fame, Vice Principals built upon the foundation it set in season one as an examination of power trips, ego & most of all the downfall + trauma that toxic masculinity can cause. It was really Walton Goggins' Lee Russell who got the brunt of the character work this season, but Danny McBride's Neal Gamby was no slouch. While there were trademarks of their previous smash Eastbound & Down, overall Vice Principals is almost a much different kind of show. There's more guilt behind the characters, and even if they're a little cray cray in a lot of instances you can't blame them too much for their actions when looking at the system they're apart of. Still though, the last two episodes have an argument for some of the finest Comedy work HBO has done in a long time. Thankfully, Danny & Jody have yet another Comedy in development at HBO, so I won't miss this too much. Best Episodes: 'The Most Popular Boy', 'Spring Break', 'Venetian Nights', 'Think Change' This was like extremely hard for me, so really just consider this set a tie Edited January 9, 2018 by Wicked
Wicked Posted January 9, 2018 Author Posted January 9, 2018 37 minutes ago, Playa Playa said: I thought so. It was played too much for laughs and didn't get the attention it needed but yeah I'd rather they just dead it instead of picking it back up. He's cursed idc. It's why I'm glad he's doing that anthology series because we don't have to worry about the storyline never finishing. They should redo her arc around body image though, especially in this day and age where if you're not IG model tier there's an issue; but this time around handled with more care. He just might be But then again, he hasn't gone to a Network that will put a type of leash on him. Starz isn't that rich, NBC/ABC can't air certain content (neither Hannibal or Pushing Daisies were ratings magnets because he's niche which was also a factor). So maybe Apple is just right since they won't put a price on budget and can pretty much let him do whatever. Best of both worlds.
Topmaster 2 Posted January 9, 2018 Posted January 9, 2018 Baskets is SO underrated but it's so good! Insecure
montrealxo Posted January 9, 2018 Posted January 9, 2018 just got to check your updates. your taste glad to see Vice Principals getting some love somewhere. it wasn't as funny as the first season but it was still so good
Tom Vercetti Posted January 9, 2018 Posted January 9, 2018 Peasant is something special. Haven't heard anything else like it in 2017. N1A had some highs but ultimately preferred Pop2. Drunk
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