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

[JWags85]

Finally got around to Ted Lasso. Wow, what a charming, endearing, delightful show. Truly a joyful experience.

I can’t remember the last time I was so pleasantly surprised about a show that had all the makings of the disaster (making a show years later about a few min segment on YouTube) and still skirted around corny but managed to still be endearing, heartfelt and legitimately hilarious.  There are multiple things that would make a Premier League fan raise eyebrows (the HS locker room for a club of millionaire athletes  .  Looked more non-league football than even the smallest top tier club) but everything else is so damn fun and poignant that it doesn’t matter.

[MU82]

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was very good. Two Oscar nominees for sure, Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman.

[StillAWarrior]

Finished Breaking Bad last night. That was a really well-done show and the ending seemed to "fit" for me.

Gotta figure out what is next. I'm sure eventually I'll get to Better Call Saul (and El Camino), but not sure if I want to jump in to those right away.

[Chili]

Finished Breaking Bad last night. That was a really well-done show and the ending seemed to "fit" for me.

Gotta figure out what is next. I'm sure eventually I'll get to Better Call Saul (and El Camino), but not sure if I want to jump in to those right away.

Better Call Saul > Breaking Bad. This is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

[naginiF]

Better Call Saul > Breaking Bad. This is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

I think the characters were better developed/more interesting in BCS but the story line was better in BB. Makes it a toss up for me.

Disclaimer: I've not watched the final season of Saul - work/kids schedules changed and we've not gone back to it. Not because we don't want to but because our 14 yr old now stays up as late as us and we'd need to watch it with him. Probably circle back to it after we finish Arrested Development with him (btw - watching Arrested Development with someone experiencing it for the first time is awesome)

[PGsHeroes32]

Better Call Saul > Breaking Bad. This is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

For being in the same universe by the same crew the shows are pretty solidly different.

I think both are fantastic.

BB imo is more rewatchable and it broke the ground for everything. But Saul is also amazing and the way it uses the BB blue print while also filling in the cracks is impressive.

[shoothoops]

Finished Breaking Bad last night. That was a really well-done show and the ending seemed to "fit" for me.

Gotta figure out what is next. I'm sure eventually I'll get to Better Call Saul (and El Camino), but not sure if I want to jump in to those right away.

I finished BB recently as well. Very good show. JP was probably my favorite character.

It took a couple of tries at the beginning to get in to it but we settled in after that. I do admit that I was aware of its strong reputation as a show, no specifics or anything prior, and that helped to stick with it. We are glad we did.

We often switch to a lighter show after watching a show like that.

[StillAWarrior]

(btw - watching Arrested Development with someone experiencing it for the first time is awesome)

I've actually never watched Arrested Development...maybe that will be next.

[StillAWarrior]

We often switch to a lighter show after watching a show like that.

Hence my thought (mentioned above) that maybe Arrested Development will be next for me.

[shoothoops]

Hence my thought (mentioned above) that maybe Arrested Development will be next for me.

That may be a good one to try. We have stuck with lighter family dramas(Virgin River, Northern Rescue) in between darker shows. Sitcom shows are very hit or miss for me. But I have heard good things, and, we have enjoyed other Jason Bateman projects.

[muwarrior69]

I have been binge watching Silent Witness on BritBox. It has gone through a series of cast changes over its 23 seasons. Seasons 24 and 25 will air sometime this year and next. It is a show about a group of forensic pathologists solving crimes primarily in London, but a few episodes have taken place in Scotland and even in South Africa. If you have a weak stomach the autopsies can be pretty graphic and the show can be pretty dark at times when they examine young children and even infants; they pull no punches.

[StillAWarrior]

That may be a good one to try. We have stuck with lighter family dramas(Virgin River, Northern Rescue) in between darker shows. Sitcom shows are very hit or miss for me. But I have heard good things, and, we have enjoyed other Jason Bateman projects.

It's hard to know others' tastes -- particularly if they say that sitcoms are "very hit or miss" -- but if you haven't watched it already, I enthusiastically recommend The Good Place. It's not for everyone, but I loved it. It's certainly a light-hearted change of pace from BB.

[naginiF]

I've actually never watched Arrested Development...maybe that will be next.

Watch the first 3 seasons then stop and form your opinion based on that. Seasons 4 & 5 came after extensive breaks and will either strike you as enjoyable because they benefit from the first 3 seasons OR forced and disjointed thus ruining the entire experience.

I fall in the former camp, my wife is solidly in the latter.

[MU82]

For being in the same universe by the same crew the shows are pretty solidly different.

I think both are fantastic.

BB imo is more rewatchable and it broke the ground for everything. But Saul is also amazing and the way it uses the BB blue print while also filling in the cracks is impressive.

Yes, on all of the above. Both excellent.

The most recent season of Saul was as good as any in the "franchise" (for lack of better term) ... and, frankly, one of the best seasons of TV of any show I've watched. Totally engrossing, every episode, with outstanding writing, acting and character development. Can't wait to see what they do with the final season.

[MU82]

We often switch to a lighter show after watching a show like that.

A few recommendations (not knowing your tastes, what streaming services you get or what you've already seen):

Barry (one of HBO's best comedies ever) ... The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (chatty but funny and well acted) ... Dead to Me (great acting by the leads) ... GLOW (surprisingly good and even tender) ... Fleabag (really foul but effen hilarious) ... The Boys (ditto) ... VEEP and/or Curb (of course!) ... Ted Lasso (as others have said, a very sweet show). ... Also, the first few seasons of Shameless before it totally went to shyte.

[shoothoops]

It's hard to know others' tastes -- particularly if they say that sitcoms are "very hit or miss" -- but if you haven't watched it already, I enthusiastically recommend The Good Place. It's not for everyone, but I loved it. It's certainly a light-hearted change of pace from BB.

I watched more sitcoms as a kid than an adult, meaning traditional type half hour sitcoms. I'm open to them but I am more likely to watch a drama or other genre with comedy in it these days than that, or even a romantic comedy.

I think comedy is challenging. Take "Arrested Development" for example. I like Jason Bateman's work, but many of his other works included drama in pieces where he also inserted humor.

I would probably say the same with some movies. One movie thing that isn't for me, are movies that are comedic parodies of television shows or other movies that were originally dramas. It seems to have been a thing for a long time.

Hit or miss would be enjoying "Coming to America" or "Planes Trains and Automobiles" but not really enjoying some others such "The Hangover" or some Adam Sandler movies etc...

Kenan Thompson is often funny when playing specific characters, but less so for me when he does some impersonations. For me impersonations are all about the voice/mannerisms of the person matching the subject.

"Friends" is an example of a sitcom that wasn't for me. I recognize its popularity. "Modern Family" was also something that I struggled to get into at times. It may have been a casting thing for me with those two shows. But I can enjoy both the old and new "Saved by the Bell".....so hit or miss. I enjoyed "Curb Your Enthusiasm" at times. I couldn't get into "Veep" but I only gave it a limited try.

I would like to watch "Ted Lasso" but I don't have Apple TV. I used a free trial on "The Morning Show" a while back, which was more of a drama, and, fine but perhaps not any more enjoyable as the movie "Morning Glory" for me, which was more of a romantic comedy type of movie.  I may have to get Apple TV for a month and watch "Ted Lasso" at some point.

[Warrior Code]

I'll always vouch for Arrested Development, especially seasons 1 - 3. Longtime favorite of mine. It's a show that gets even funnier with repeated viewings as you notice more of the small running gags and little references to other episodes they have littered throughout.

I agree on seasons 4 and 5 as well - some fans were disappointed because they don't "match" the first three close enough, but others really enjoy the new directions the characters go. Depends on personal preferences.

[MUfan12]

A few recommendations (not knowing your tastes, what streaming services you get or what you've already seen):

Barry (one of HBO's best comedies ever) ... The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (chatty but funny and well acted) ... Dead to Me (great acting by the leads) ... GLOW (surprisingly good and even tender) ... Fleabag (really foul but effen hilarious) ... The Boys (ditto) ... VEEP and/or Curb (of course!) ... Ted Lasso (as others have said, a very sweet show). ... Also, the first few seasons of Shameless before it totally went to shyte.

I'll second the HBO series recommendations. I finally completed Silicon Valley as well... it was good, but I prefer Veep and Curb.

[StillAWarrior]

My wife, daughter and I started watching Arrested Development last night. We watched three or four episodes. That is a really funny show. What a great ensemble cast. We laughed out loud several times each episode, and my wife and I literally were in tears during Buster's expletive-laced rants about his mother - Michael's reactions were fantastic.

It's nice to watch something that my wife and daughter are also interested in watching -- GoT and BB weren't really their thing. And I also like watching a half-hour show (which is really only 21 minutes); you can watch several episodes without feeling like a total couch potato.

[PGsHeroes32]

Yes, on all of the above. Both excellent.

The most recent season of Saul was as good as any in the "franchise" (for lack of better term) ... and, frankly, one of the best seasons of TV of any show I've watched. Totally engrossing, every episode, with outstanding writing, acting and character development. Can't wait to see what they do with the final season.

S5 was outstanding. Can't wait to rewatch it once S6 gets more imminent.

The last hanful of episodes of S5 were among the best stretch of tv episodes on any show ever.

[MU82]

S5 was outstanding. Can't wait to rewatch it once S6 gets more imminent.

The last hanful of episodes of S5 were among the best stretch of tv episodes on any show ever.

Agree. Incredible television. When is S6 supposed to air?

[PGsHeroes32]

Agree. Incredible television. When is S6 supposed to air?

No news. I fear at this point probably wont be for another year or so.

Pretty sure they havent started filming yet(could be wrong) and almost positive that every season has always aired sometime in the late winter/early spring slots(right around now) so that leads me to believe sometime February-April of next year.

Would be a long wait but as long as they dont split up the final 13 episodes it won't be too bad.

[Billy Hoyle]

my wife and I are five episodes into Mad Dogs on Amazon Prime. Intense show! I've always been a fan of Steve Zahn and we took our honeymoon to Belize (where the show "takes place") so we are happy it's been an excellent watch so far.

This is the US version. Apparently, there is also a British version also.

[StillAWarrior]

Started Better Call Saul...so that'll be the next couple months for me.

[wadesworld]

What is Ted Lasso on?

And are either Billions or Succession worth binging?