Watching any good TV?

[The Shoemaker]

Mrs. Kong and I finished Stranger Things season 2 over the weekend. It was OK. It did some things better than the first season, but some things worse.

I thought it handled the "bad men" much better this time around. The over-the-top sinister CIA cliche wasn't as strong. Also, Steve was a champ. Steve's my new favourite character.

They handled the atmosphere somewhat worse, at least in the earlier episodes. The first season's charm came from the elements of the setting being in the background, used to establish atmosphere. In the new season, they were a bit more hamfisted and relentless about it. I expected to see the characters pointing at '80s nostalgic elements and winking into the camera. The soundtrack also leans far more heavily on period pop pieces than the original electronic/synth compositions that I liked about the first season.

I also felt like they didn't really handle Eleven's integration into the story very well (spoiler below on this point):

Spoiler

They devoted an entire episode (the 7th, I think) just to Eleven's side-story to get us all caught up on what she was doing and paving the way for her dramatic return. That plus the fact that it came when the rest of the plot was at a dramatic cliff-hanger seemed like bad pacing.

Yeah I quite liked the second season, but I agree the beginning was a bit hamfisted. I also felt like the beginning lacked that initial mystery the first season had when Will was gone.

I liked the way the rest of the season went. Seems like they're setting the show up to be a multi season show now, which I have mixed feelings about. I did like the 11 focused episode, but overall she didn't have much of anything to do with the central plot until the end.

[Kong Wen]

I liked the way the rest of the season went. Seems like they're setting the show up to be a multi season show now, which I have mixed feelings about. I did like the 11 focused episode, but overall she didn't have much of anything to do with the central plot until the end.

Right, her episode on its own was fine, but in the context of the rest of the season it was like "oh, let's go check on what 11 is doing, and try to shoe-horn her entire arc into 45 minutes."

[The Shoemaker]

I liked the way the rest of the season went. Seems like they're setting the show up to be a multi season show now, which I have mixed feelings about. I did like the 11 focused episode, but overall she didn't have much of anything to do with the central plot until the end.

Right, her episode on its own was fine, but in the context of the rest of the season it was like "oh, let's go check on what 11 is doing, and try to shoe-horn her entire arc into 45 minutes."

Definitely. If anything, seemed like it was just there to set up season 3. I'm not sure if the fact that the season opened with these characters makes it more out of place or less out of place.

[Kong Wen]

This will be the season I finally get around to starting that new Star Trek show. I've been watching The Punisher (again (with Mrs. K this time)) and we have 3-4 episodes left, so after that it's all Trek all the time.

[Kong Wen]

This will be the season I finally get around to starting that new Star Trek show. I've been watching The Punisher (again (with Mrs. K this time)) and we have 3-4 episodes left, so after that it's all Trek all the time.

Wow, I actually kept this promise. We finished Punisher early in the month, and I'm now nine episodes into Discovery (which is where the season broke for the holidays). That means I have three more episodes left until I'm caught up to this week.

After that, I'm going to have to get caught up on the second season of Dirk Gently, which is apparently up on Netflix now.

[The Shoemaker]

I recently caught up with season 7 of Shameless (US) on Netflix. Continues to be a great show, this season in particular had a lot of good developments. I know there's an 8th season but I hope it doesn't go too far beyond that.

[Kong Wen]

Kiwi
Kreegs

Let's talk Westworld.

[Kreegs]

Kiwi
Kreegs

Let's talk Westworld.

YES.

In here or separate thread that is spoiler proof?

[Kong Wen]

Kiwi
Kreegs

Let's talk Westworld.

YES.

In here or separate thread that is spoiler proof?

Here is fine.

Spoiler

Just use spoiler tags.

[Kong Wen]

I'll take that as a "no."

I got caught up on the 3rd season of Better Call Saul, since it was added to Netflix on 23 July. Excellent season. They really ramped up the Breaking Bad backstory with cameos and lots of cartel setup. In some ways this is bittersweet, because BCS is a better show than BB, so I don't want it to get worse the more it insinuates itself. But on the positive side, they are so far only focusing on the good characters and dynamics from BB, which is part of what makes this one stronger overall.

Season 4 is coming out soon (like, this week?) but I won't get to watch it until it hits Netflix, probably next year, unless I download it.