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

[Spotcheck Billy]

Just finished watching the latest motorcycle adventure-travel docu-series from Ewan McGregor called The Long Way Up. McGregor and Charlie Boorman ride the new electric Harley's from Patagonia up to LA. Pretty difficult charging a vehicle on some areas and the show sort of takes a detour in the last episodes through Mexico but fairly interesting overall.

This continues their previous adventures in Long Way Round and Long Way Down (both on my watch list).

[brewcity77]

What is Ted Lasso on?

And are either Billions or Succession worth binging?

Ted Lasso is fantastic. I was amazed how enjoyable it was and how they basically turned a commercial gimmick into a truly wonderful show.

Billions is great. Well-acted, good characters, and I really like shows where who you root for changes with character development.

I know Succession is popular, but I've really struggled getting into it. Every character is just deplorable. I have trouble watching things where there's no redeeming characteristics in any of the characters. It feels like a poor man's Billions to me.

[SERocks]

My wife felt that way by the end of Virgin River. She did not like any of the characters.  They are all flawed, especially the women.  It started out pretty well...but by the end, it was tough to watch.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I watched the first three episodes of Succession with someone whose been in some of the same kinds of business circles that the characters are portrayed to be in. I couldn't get into it because he kept going "no one in that world talks like that", "this is ridiculous", "that would never happen", etc. I'd guess most people who actually work in the professions portrayed in a TV show probably have a hard time getting into them. I know for me, Law and Order SVU is a guilty pleasure watch because of how poorly they portray the reality of sexual assault cases in both the criminal and Title IX worlds.

[Hards Alumni]

I watched the first three episodes of Succession with someone whose been in some of the same kinds of business circles that the characters are portrayed to be in. I couldn't get into it because he kept going "no one in that world talks like that", "this is ridiculous", "that would never happen", etc. I'd guess most people who actually work in the professions portrayed in a TV show probably have a hard time getting into them. I know for me, Law and Order SVU is a guilty pleasure watch because of how poorly they portray the reality of sexual assault cases in both the criminal and Title IX worlds.

lol yeah if anyone is turning to TV dramas for reality, I'm not sure what to say to them. 

[JWags85]

I watched the first three episodes of Succession with someone whose been in some of the same kinds of business circles that the characters are portrayed to be in. I couldn't get into it because he kept going "no one in that world talks like that", "this is ridiculous", "that would never happen", etc. I'd guess most people who actually work in the professions portrayed in a TV show probably have a hard time getting into them. I know for me, Law and Order SVU is a guilty pleasure watch because of how poorly they portray the reality of sexual assault cases in both the criminal and Title IX worlds.

My issue with that sort of critiques is when you have people complaining, they either fall into two camps: people with legit industry experience who take it far too seriously or literally or younger people looking to flex how knowledgeable they are. 

For example, Billions.  I was a prop trader at a firm for a few years, pursued finance after grad school for awhile, and still have a keen interest in the markets and that world from my pleasure reading to my daily attention.  So I like it a lot cause they approach it diligently with lots of appropriate and accurate terminology and tap heavily into real life scenarios.  Yet I’ve met/talked to various 20 something guys who work for funds or in IBanking who are like “I hate that show. What a joke, that’s NOTHING like our floor”...meanwhile one of my good family friends is a portfolio manager who spent time at a couple big name hedge funds and another associate used to run an internal hedge fund for Goldman in London.  Both love the show, say it captures niche elements of the industry, and given how it was influenced in plot by a couple real life finance stories, think it’s very well done.  Look at it from 20,000 feet and it’s great as opposed to dissecting dialogue or interpersonal reactions cause of course nobody talks like that.  I don’t care if it’s a law show, medical, or about professors at a university, of course TV dialogue is silly in comparison.

Funny with Succession, same sort of thing. Preposterous scenarios and insane conversations, in board rooms or otherwise. Of course. But topically and over arching plot? It’s pretty damn good. Not to reference drop again, but the husband of my GF’s best friend is a Harvard Law -> mega white shoe NY law firm -> corporate counsel path lawyer. For the last couple years, he’s been the in house lawyer/investment lead for a billionaire family’s family office and holding company.  While it’s not NewsCorp and the Murdochs, dude has spent tons of times in the loftiest of board rooms and wading through the muck of wealthy business families. I asked him if he liked Succession, not expecting much. He said he loved it. Said it made him appreciate how relatively drama free his world is, but said the in fighting, the back stabbing, the jostling of less relatives, he’s seen it all the damn time.

[Jockey]

My wife felt that way by the end of Virgin River. She did not like any of the characters.  They are all flawed, especially the women.  It started out pretty well...but by the end, it was tough to watch.

I don’t understand that school of thought. We AREAll flawed - me, you, and everyone else. What really bothers me are shows where the good guys are all good 100% of the time and the bad guys are always bad.

[SERocks]

I don’t understand that school of thought. We AREAll flawed - me, you, and everyone else. What really bothers me are shows where the good guys are all good 100% of the time and the bad guys are always bad.

It is kinda interesting to watch it with her.  The women on the show really piss her off.  Another movie she loves to hate is Gaslight.  When she is watching that she will scream at the dude in the movie because he is such a dick.  I don't know. 

[shoothoops]

It is kinda interesting to watch it with her.  The women on the show really piss her off.  Another movie she loves to hate is Gaslight.  When she is watching that she will scream at the dude in the movie because he is such a dick.  I don't know.

An alternative opinion is that what makes the show better, a variety of flawed characters with various personalities and temperaments.

It's an interesting opinion and choice to me because so many of the darker shows have few redeemable characters. "Virgin River" doesn't fall anywhere near that in my opinion. Not even close.

We enjoyed the first two seasons and we are looking forward to Season 3.

For us it is a fun, quirky, somehwat light show based on the Oregon/California border (filmed in Vancouver) in the Pacific Northwest. Good music too. Nice change of pace from some of the other shows out there.

[Jockey]

It is kinda interesting to watch it with her.  The women on the show really piss her off.  Another movie she loves to hate is Gaslight.  When she is watching that she will scream at the dude in the movie because he is such a dick.  I don't know.

Sounds like my wife. I'm always telling her "they can't hear you!".

[warriorchick]

Sounds like my wife. I'm always telling her "they can't hear you!".

Which is what every wife has to tell her husband when he is watching sports on TV.

[Lennys Tap]

I don’t understand that school of thought. We AREAll flawed - me, you, and everyone else. What really bothers me are shows where the good guys are all good 100% of the time and the bad guys are always bad.

A good writer (a novelist like Richard Ford, a screenwriter like Vince Gillian, etc.) writes complex characters. His “heroes” (like real people) are flawed and sometimes make awful decisions. But if the writer loves his chapters anyway (and he/she is a good enough writer), we will too.

If a writer’s “heroes” are flawless? I agree with you, Jockey - a) they’re not interesting and b) I don’t believe them.

[StillAWarrior]

For some reason, I just haven't finished Succession. If someone asked me, I'd tell them that I enjoy it and would recommend it. I cannot explain why I've never bothered to finish the second season. Kind of strange.

That’s crazy. I can get people not enjoying the show, but S2 was so fantastic. Season 1 was entertaining, S2 was next level.

I'd say get back into succession. S2 is hands down the superior season. The last couple eps are top of the line for tv.

We jumped back into Succession...and I'm glad we did. Last night we watched the episode where the entire Roy clan spent the weekend with the Pierce family. That was fantastic.

[MU82]

On ESPN, 50th anniversary of first Ali-Frazier fight was fascinating.

[Billy Hoyle]

The new Last Chance U dropped. This time basketball (East LA CC).

My wife and I just finished Normal People. Brilliant (as a Irish friend said). Yeah, it's a little bit on the teen drama side but the acting is first rate and really well done. It's a one season and done show too.

[StillAWarrior]

The new Last Chance U dropped. This time basketball (East LA CC).

I've enjoyed the other seasons of LCU, so I'm sure I'll give it a look. I wonder if it will translate well to basketball. Following a football team is just tailor made for episodic television with the one-game-per-week schedule. With basketball, they'll have to figure out logical places to break up the episodes.

[tower912]

Debris is creepy.  I don't see how it can be a long term show.   

[warriorchick]

Started rewatching Mad Men.  It's on Amazon with a few ads.

It originally aired 14 years ago.  The behavior displayed regarding women is even more shocking now.

The clothes are still fabulous, however.

[Billy Hoyle]

I've enjoyed the other seasons of LCU, so I'm sure I'll give it a look. I wonder if it will translate well to basketball. Following a football team is just tailor made for episodic television with the one-game-per-week schedule. With basketball, they'll have to figure out logical places to break up the episodes.

so far they're doing a really good job. The first episode basically fast forwards through the non-conference portion of the season. In California, it's all about winning the state championship.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Anyone watching Season 2 of the Food that Built America?
Two episodes in and more fascinating stories of well know American brand names.
More understandable now why Pizza Hut and Dominos are not very good but they did popularize  pizza throughout the USA.

[21Jumpstreet]

Anyone watching Season 2 of the Food that Built America?
Two episodes in and more fascinating stories of well know American brand names.
More understandable now why Pizza Hut and Dominos are not very good but they did popularize  pizza throughout the USA.

Yes, I really like this show. Also started watching Modern Marvels with Adam Richman again, too.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Yes, I really like this show. Also started watching Modern Marvels with Adam Richman again, too.

I saw the ads.  I plan to check out.

Looks like Episode 4 of Food that Built America is on Pabst.

[Pakuni]

The new Last Chance U dropped. This time basketball (East LA CC).

Best season since Season 1, and perhaps better than that. Super engaging group of players and coaches. 

[21Jumpstreet]

Best season since Season 1, and perhaps better than that. Super engaging group of players and coaches.

Just watched episode 1 with my 14 year-old son, an athlete. We both really liked it.

[21Jumpstreet]

I saw the ads.  I plan to check out.

Looks like Episode 4 of Food that Built America is on Pabst.

It is, and definitely not what I expected. Never had any clue about some of the Pabst history in the episode. Started the next episode, haven’t finished it, Cola Wars, which has always intrigued me. My grandfather was an original bottler of Coke, and my dad worked for Coke while I was growing up.