The Official Good Television Thread

Anyone watching Mad Men? This split season feels like an awful decision. I still enjoy it very much, but the scheduling is hindering it in a big way.

Louie is back. Spotty first few episodes, I feel. It's even less funny than previous years, too. Still the best shot and scored show on TV by miles, even when it's not quite clicking. One thing I caught on 2nd viewing is that you can apparently say "fucked" (as in intercourse) on basic cable at 10/9c time slot in America now.

I like him doing standup but I've never been able to get into his show. Sometimes its funny but most of the time its just awkward.
 
Anyone watch Rome? HBOGO is the single best thing for good television since the inception of Hulu! Watching Rome in HD instead of 2005 quality is awesome, The Wire is on there for you weirdos who haven't seen it yet etc...great stuff--HBO does so many quality shows
 
Mathiäs;10846104 said:
I like him doing standup but I've never been able to get into his show. Sometimes its funny but most of the time its just awkward.
I totally agree.
I think Legit is much better. It won't fit for everyone, it's offensive to almost every group of people, but if it fits for you, you will really laugh.
 
Anyone watch Rome? HBOGO is the single best thing for good television since the inception of Hulu! Watching Rome in HD instead of 2005 quality is awesome, The Wire is on there for you weirdos who haven't seen it yet etc...great stuff--HBO does so many quality shows

Rome is one of my all-time favorite television series, and not simply because I'm a classicist. The show is a spectacle for the eyes, as the set-designs and costuming are painstakingly detailed (and well-researched). The acting is superb, the characters all complex in their own way.

But what most impresses me is how they interwove the fictional plot-lines of the two semi-fictional characters (Vorenus and Pullo were mentioned in passing by Julius Caesar in his Gallic Wars) with those of the historical characters (whose narratives also often departed from historical "truth" but deceptively so), and it made it very convincing that that was how those events actually played out.

Rome had all the same ingredients that Game of Thrones has (except for the plot-lines of child characters), and a number of the same actors (Edmure Tully = Brutus, Mance Rayder = Caesar). It had the potential, and historical material, to keep going. A shame they canned it.
 
Deadwood was fun, and good, but not sure it deserves to be in that category. Never given Carnivale the time of the day, but might after I finish Rome. Not sure you can blame HBO for not getting ratings, TV watching I think now is bigger than during the early 2000's..especially with the 'binge watching phase

HBO definitely has a tight knit family of actors, and produces the best shows by far. Rome is pretty fantastic and I only have like 4 or 5 episodes left
 
Yeah I heard that too. Way too much money to continue even though it was a fantastic show. Been wanting to go back and watch it again. Deadwood was great. Sometimes I felt the highbrow dialogue didn't match the show but Swearengen is one of the more memorable TV characters ever. Carnivale was decent. Seemed to be picking up steam and then got canned.
 
Deadwood is the greatest thing to ever come out of HBO.

The budget for Rome was too high for them at the time, if i remember correctly.

I really liked Deadwood, but Six Feet Under/Sopranos/Wire/Treme/Band of Brothers(does that count?) are all way above it to me. Can't think of anything else off the top of my head
 
I still haven't watched Carnivale and The Wire(outside of a few episodes here and there).

For me Deadwood is sitting at #1, but Rome and Game of Thrones aren't far behind.

I cant imagine how good Rome would have turned out if it hadn't been shafted like that.

Swearengen is one of the more memorable TV characters ever.

Definitely. Ian McShane was outstanding.
 
Im way overdue and will be checking out HBOs Rome series. Was surprised to find out it was just only two seasons. The directors it seemed had original plans for many seasons? My question would be were they able to cram things into a proper finale (in season two), or did it not only end too soon, but more so leave fans somewhat hanging out on a limb? Guessing my answer could be that ill just have to see for myself, but was looking for some insight and slight hints.

Also, are there any who have seen both series of Rome and Spartacus? Spartacus which aired on Starz, is my alltime favorite series...my fri nites just havnt been the same since lol. Other than the obvious epic historic similarities, for those who have seen both series, how do the shows compare, relate, deliver in overall entertainment etc? I know Spartacus had some over the top maybe eye rolling moments, but i loved the characters, the action, how the seasons played out etc...it was one helluva ride imo. Of course having all that comes with the revenge, honor, betrayal, under it all was one loyal powerful love story set from the beginning. Note that a prequel mini season was added appropriately imo wich led directly into season one, the original seed of the Spartacus love story and revenge factor.
 
My question would be were they able to cram things into a proper finale (in season two), or did it not only end too soon, but more so leave fans somewhat hanging out on a limb? Guessing my answer could be that ill just have to see for myself, but was looking for some insight and slight hints.


Well, i don't think they really left anyone hanging, but they definitely did try to cram too much in one season in order to give us a somewhat proper ending. This quote is from the creator Bruno Heller ....

"I discovered halfway through writing the second season the show was going to end. The second was going to end with the death of XXXX. Third and fourth season would be set in Egypt. Fifth was going to be the rise of the messiah in Palestine. But because we got the heads-up that the second season would be it, I telescoped the third and fourth season into the second one, which accounts for the blazing speed we go through history near the end. There's certainly more than enough history to go around."

I tried watching Spartacus a few times and it was like watching a cheap porno ... i might need to give it another shot though.

edited for spoilers, oh and just for a few laughs...

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Well the Hannibal season ending did surprise me. Such a one-sided twist. And once again we don't know who survived the massacre and who didn't so the story is completely open for the next season.
 
Well the Hannibal season ending did surprise me. Such a one-sided twist. And once again we don't know who survived the massacre and who didn't so the story is completely open for the next season.

Will Graham will obviously survive.
They might kill Morpheus even though in the books he's an important character just because Fishburne wants to do other things.
My money is on Will and Morpheus surviving and everyone else dying.
 
I think I'll have to marathon Hannibal online over the next few days since it just started on TV over here.

I'm going to recommend a mini-series called Happy Valley. It's essentially Fargo set in Yorkshire and it's pretty damn good.

Has anyone else checked out Penny Dreadful? It's off to a very strong start.
 
Surprised that in ep4 of Fargo that the two shows are directly related now...still don't see why it's getting a 9.0+ rating on IMDB and everyone loves this show but it's ok..