Monday, November 22, 2010

Things I've been thinking about TV shows

I love The Walking Dead, but that really shouldn't surprise anybody. They started off embracing tired stereotypes and have since gradually opened them up. At first it looked like every episode would be all stereotype all the time, but especially this last episode where the Cholos turned out to be running a clinic.

Along those same lines, I was overwhelmed with joy at the zombie episode of Community. I love ABBA. I love zombies. I love Community. I'm not sure how they got inside my brain, but I like it.

BBC's Luther is interesting as hell. The choices they've made on that show are so unexpected I feel surprised with every episode. It's not often you get surprised by TV anymore, especially cop shows.

Until Doctor Who comes back, Stargate Universe has become the show I look forward to the most during the week. The characters make some seriously tough choices, and I am always pleasantly surprised at where the show goes thematically. It is miles better than its predecessors, including the movie.

2 comments:

  1. I've actually been surprised that The Walking Dead didn't have more mixed reviews.

    I've had to convince my roommates to hang in there -- that the first couple issues of the comicbook are retreads of the zombie genre. But it's just setting the stage. (Not all of which is Kirkman's fault. 28 Days Later was released after the first script and layouts for The Walking Dead had been done. Similarities were kind of a sad coincidence).

    I was actually surprised that Darabont slowed down the first episode, instead of just plowing through that material. But, I guess it worked.

    Episode 3 of The Walking Dead is to me, where the series really starts. Where you start getting into the nitty gritty reality of the situation. Where the show i truly at its best -- is in the drama.

    I was glad they managed to push the "wearing the dead" bit into the 2nd episode. That was one of my favorite bits from the comic.

    And the 4th episode really sets the -- anyone is fair game tone that the comic has.

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  2. Just finished issue 79. OMG. Damn you Robert Kirkman!

    Latest Walking Dead tv tonight for us! (Finally caught up with Supernatural last night, watched bunch, starting with great Bobby episode, over last few days. Emily, you are entirely right about the girlfriend, egads she's tedious. I thought we saw last of her at beginning of season, with more of her, they needed to resolve her better, so we like seeing her and believe she'd actually entertain Dean.)

    Totally didn't expect show to be so damn scary. I know, stupid. But jeez it's scary. Black and white ink drawings much easier to pace out and squint at during scary bits.

    Most fascinated by the differences between comic book and show, how has Darabont wrangled the story around episodic tv construct. Chopped hand, fascinating, is that because it injects WD themes/etc into that episode? Do pre-echoes have value in episodic formats? Loved they included the chicks discussing work allotment, not sure about resolving with Shane, but, again, fascinated, by the changes, how they're constructing the story in this medium.

    Mourned Tony Moore's absence from issue 7 onwards. Not until 30 or so did I fully embrace Adlard as artist (now I think it was perfect, Moore to start, Adlard to finish). Charlie Adlard was a zombie of note, btw (gif link).

    Project Runway (every thurs) and Community (/soup cocktail ever friday), the only shows we absolutely watch weekly. Community's gotten so darn strong, and wow do they have fun (and it shows).

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