What are you watching in 2020 (or re-watching)???

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

My personal take on these situations is always if this were a movie based on my life how much fictional/creative liberty would I be cool with them taking?

I also think Wags' point about a reversed situation, not even necessarily a white person, but say a Hispanic actor/actress playing an Asian or black non fictional character wouldn't go over well so I don't think it's offensive to at least have a discussion of "well maybe this should be a two way street"

I'm not the arbiter of what's right, but the queen character was depicted as a gossip, concerned with love matches and on the hunt for a tabloid writer.  It's basically a fantasy world created in the loose bounds of a time period and Jane Austin like fiction.  So it's not even a 'real person' being depicted in this case. 

I get the debate, but the fantastic nature of the fiction made it work just fine in my viewing.

BTW I also loved Hamilton (ducks)

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

It's an interesting discussion. Personally, I think since this show is so clearly fantasy, I don't have an issue with it. If it was trying to depict itself as historically accurate whatsoever, I would have some concerns.

[GooooMarquette]

It's an interesting discussion. Personally, I think since this show is so clearly fantasy, I don't have an issue with it. If it was trying to depict itself as historically accurate whatsoever, I would have some concerns.

Agree. If it's straightforward fiction or fantasy with no real effort to pass itself off as 'authentic,' I am not bothered by 'historically inaccurate' racial casting. On the other hand, I would be more critical if it's a documentary or even a more serious piece of historical fiction.

[JWags85]

Julia Quinn and others disagree. Anyone w/even the slightest familiarity of Shonda Rhimes' work knows how she works.

Many period pieces have historical inaccuracies, The Crown etc...where's the outrage. Bridgerton has modern music and some have mentioned the interesting physical depictions of the White Elizabethans in the show. I believe you called the historically inaccurate music "incredible" in a recent post.

It's often interesting what does and doesn't bother some people.

It doesn’t “bother” me, I just found it silly. I still watched the entire season, enjoyed it.  But I also smirked to my GF how most of the male leads were ripped, which is wholly out of character as well, but such is modern TV.  And I DGAF how Shonda Rhimes “works”, that doesn’t mean she’s immune to critique.  Everyone knows how Tarantino works but he makes decisions in films that make people go, ummm.

And it was classical music, even if the melodies were modern pop songs. That doesn’t strike me as inaccurate unless it’s solely supposed to be licensed classical composer’s tunes.  It’s not like the parties were soundtracked by electro pop.

I'm not the arbiter of what's right, but the queen character was depicted as a gossip, concerned with love matches and on the hunt for a tabloid writer.  It's basically a fantasy world created in the loose bounds of a time period and Jane Austin like fiction.  So it's not even a 'real person' being depicted in this case. 

I get the debate, but the fantastic nature of the fiction made it work just fine in my viewing.

BTW I also loved Hamilton (ducks)

This is a fair point.  A few episodes in you just kind of accept it for what it is, but initially, the show is peppered with historical references and dates,  actual London locations and their importance to the era, etc... it doesn’t necessarily feel like a GoT or the like where England/London and the era is more of a nebulous thing. 

The difference with this and Hamilton for me was Lady Danbury making a comment about the Queen being a POC opened up the courts for others like her. And it was just a quick throw away conversation and it was like umm..

Either way, it’s a fun watch, I’d recommend it to others, it’s all just minor commentary, I wasn’t clutching my pearls and disgusted at such an affront.  As someone who is very much an Anglophile in my TV/movie consumption, it was just kind of curious to me

[warriorchick]

The difference with this and Hamilton for me was Lady Danbury making a comment about the Queen being a POC opened up the courts for others like her. And it was just a quick throw away conversation and it was like umm..

To be fair, there are some historians who believe that Charlotte, the queen portrayed in Bridgerton,  was of Moorish descent.  It is far from a consensus opinion, however.  This is a portrait that was painted of her:

[muwarrior69]

Do you remember the Cherrios "mixed race ad" and the "controversy" it caused?  That was only seven years ago.

https://www.today.com/news/cheerios-ad-mixed-race-family-draws-racist-responses-6C10169988

And now, you see mixed race couples in ads all over the place.  Which is absolutely fine of course, but it shows how much things have changed in less than a decade.

Yes, even those Lilly white cheesy Hallmark channel Christmas movies have interracial, gay and lesbian couples over the last seasons.

[JWags85]

To be fair, there are some historians who believe that Charlotte, the queen portrayed in Bridgerton,  was of Moorish descent.  It is far from a consensus opinion, however.  This is a portrait that was painted of her:

Fair point. I believe it is due to her Portuguese descent, I’ve always been more familiar with portraits depicting her in this way



I had friends who lived near and very much loved Kew Gardens, and she was a major supporter of its expansion at the time, so there was plenty of portraits of her I encountered when I visited with them.

It’s funny, you read, and the theories bounce all over the place before getting very slanted either way.  Not surprising given British history

[Jockey]

I don’t know why any of this matters. At least to me.

Although I’m not naive enough to think that some filmmakers aren’t trying to make a political point.

[JWags85]

I don’t know why any of this matters. At least to me.

Although I’m not naive enough to think that some filmmakers aren’t trying to make a political point.

It doesn’t really  it’s all just discussion. I’m not gonna seek out thinkpieces on it, or would I blog about it if that was my medium. But it’s just chewy discussion about an otherwise fairly light and airy show.

As for the second part, that I agree on.

In a completely different direction, not sure if I’ve mentioned, but if you’re a fan of gritty organized crime dramas and are ok with subtitles, Suburra on Netflix is tremendous.  Kind of a Wire/Zero Zero look at crime from a variety of vantage points. A pair of organized crime families outside Rome, inside the police and its corruption, corrupt politicians, and the influential arm of the Vatican.  It’s gripping, entertaining, and pretty fun despite being dark and violent

[Jockey]

It doesn’t really  it’s all just discussion. I’m not gonna seek out thinkpieces on it, or would I blog about it if that was my medium. But it’s just chewy discussion about an otherwise fairly light and airy show.

As for the second part, that I agree on.

In a completely different direction, not sure if I’ve mentioned, but if you’re a fan of gritty organized crime dramas and are ok with subtitles, Suburra on Netflix is tremendous.  Kind of a Wire/Zero Zero look at crime from a variety of vantage points. A pair of organized crime families outside Rome, inside the police and its corruption, corrupt politicians, and the influential arm of the Vatican.  It’s gripping, entertaining, and pretty fun despite being dark and violent

Those are generally shows I look for. I'll give it a try.

[StillAWarrior]

Finally started Breaking Bad last night. Three episodes in. So far, so good. I started watching it a couple months ago, but 10 minutes in I realized it was a bad time for me to start that particular show. I was pleased to see it is only five seasons with 62 episodes. That's doable. Some of these shows with 100+ episodes are a little overwhelming to get started.

[cheebs09]

Finally started Breaking Bad last night. Three episodes in. So far, so good. I started watching it a couple months ago, but 10 minutes in I realized it was a bad time for me to start that particular show. I was pleased to see it is only five seasons with 62 episodes. That's doable. Some of these shows with 100+ episodes are a little overwhelming to get started.

Such a great show. I had a little trouble getting past the first four episodes for awhile, but finally bought the DVDs of the first season and went through it from there.

We just finished Schitt’s Creek (yes, behind the times). We were a little unsure after the first few episodes but once we got to know the characters, we loved it.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Prime released the entire 6.2 season of Vikings before the episodes will air on History.  Seasons 1-6.1 all aired on History.   Interesting move.

[PGsHeroes32]

Finally started Breaking Bad last night. Three episodes in. So far, so good. I started watching it a couple months ago, but 10 minutes in I realized it was a bad time for me to start that particular show. I was pleased to see it is only five seasons with 62 episodes. That's doable. Some of these shows with 100+ episodes are a little overwhelming to get started.

You should be golden then.

I for one never had any issues with S1 of BB. But lots of people are similar to Cheebs comment below you in that it took a few eps(if not the full first season) too really get into the show.

If you already enjoy it you will be in for a ride.

[MUfan12]

Did a Ted Lasso re-watch... still loved it, but one thing that jumped at me the second time around was Jamie's ridiculous fake Mancunian accent. I couldn't get past it.

[shoothoops]

You should be golden then.

I for one never had any issues with S1 of BB. But lots of people are similar to Cheebs comment below you in that it took a few eps(if not the full first season) too really get into the show.

If you already enjoy it you will be in for a ride.

I’m one of those people. Half way through Season 1, and, it’s taken me multiple viewings just to do that so far. It’s been one of the highest recommended shows to me so I keep trying to push through the first season every so often. It isn’t bad. But it isn’t much more than that for me this far.

[StillAWarrior]

I for one never had any issues with S1 of BB.

My issue was based on ignorance of the show. I made the bone-headed decision to download and start watching it on a flight out west to attend the funeral of a family member who had died of cancer. The epitome of "too soon."

[mu_hilltopper]

I started watching Amazon's Counterpart, 7 episodes in.   It's intriguing, will definitely finish.

Roughly, sometime in the 1990s the world was copied and a portal discovered between them.  Everyone has a person who is a copy of themselves.    But that's the extent of the science fiction part.   The protagonist meets his copy who up until 30 years ago was the same person, but one turns out meek, the other not.

Interesting concepts. 

[PGsHeroes32]

My issue was based on ignorance of the show. I made the bone-headed decision to download and start watching it on a flight out west to attend the funeral of a family member who had died of cancer. The epitome of "too soon."

Oh yeah that would be terrible. Sorry to hear that.

Good that you are able to watch it at a better time now. Because it really is one of the best shows ever for an entire run.

[shoothoops]

Finished Cobrai Kai Season 3. They continue to do a nice job bring back as many people as possible from the first two movies, and, successfully blending them with the new cast.

[muwarrior69]

I started watching Amazon's Counterpart, 7 episodes in.   It's intriguing, will definitely finish.

Roughly, sometime in the 1990s the world was copied and a portal discovered between them.  Everyone has a person who is a copy of themselves.    But that's the extent of the science fiction part.   The protagonist meets his copy who up until 30 years ago was the same person, but one turns out meek, the other not.

Interesting concepts.

Actually it was on StarZ or Showtime. Good series.

[Silent Verbal]

I’m one of those people. Half way through Season 1, and, it’s taken me multiple viewings just to do that so far. It’s been one of the highest recommended shows to me so I keep trying to push through the first season every so often. It isn’t bad. But it isn’t much more than that for me this far.

I was the same way when I first started it.  Watched the first 4-6 episodes, then lost interest and didn't pick it back up until a few years later when I was bored and looking for something to watch.  Is it as good as The Wire, Sopranos, or Deadwood?  I don't think so, but it's definitely in the conversation.

Better Call Saul is also one of the better spinoffs of all time, IMO.  Best role Michael McKean's ever had.  Always great to see a somewhat overlooked actor get a role late in his career that he can really sink his teeth into.  That dude has some acting chops.

[brewcity77]

Checked out the new MCU Legends on Disney+. No new material, but nice short primers on Wanda and Vision. Really looking forward to the first episode on Friday and the first new MCU content in what feels like forever.

[mu_hilltopper]

OMG, we are watching Wonder Woman 1984. 

Awful from the very first minute.  All 4 of us agreed to fast forward an hour .. see if it got better.  It did not.

They are lucky the pandemic closed theaters and this is streaming on HBO.

It's just atrocious. 

[Sir Lawrence]

OMG, we are watching Wonder Woman 1984. 

Awful from the very first minute.  All 4 of us agreed to fast forward an hour .. see if it got better.  It did not.

They are lucky the pandemic closed theaters and this is streaming on HBO.

It's just atrocious.

You were warned.