The Cathode Ray Mission: The Misc. Television Thread

[Tubesock Shakur]

Angry boys is tits. Chris lilley deserves an Oscar.

[chairmenmeow47]

Such a joy. The look, feel and sound of it is all kinda familiar, because it's all filtered down through so much pop culture, but at the same time when you actually watch the thing, it still feels keen as a blade. Everything is very black and white and stiff, but that just makes everything that little bit more eerie and off kilter. You'd think the formal old timey language and staging would be offputting, but it just gives everything a kind of Shakespeary, Biblical portent.

It's neat. It's really neat.
Rod Serling could describe the living shit out of things.

patrick is right; in today's context, some of the episode's are clunkers or too obvious. but you have to take the time into account. little girl lost still to this day scares the shit out of my mom because she saw it as a child during the dawn of the space age.

i also love that it's one of the few black & white tv shows that shows REAL people. criminals. single people. bad mothers. people and story lines you never saw on i love lucy or dick van dyke.

love me some twilight zone <3

here's my thread on the twilight zone, which also has spoilers

[MissingPerson]

Portlandia seems like a show I'd really like, and I'm tempted to give it a shot, but I completely and utterly despise Fred Armisen in every way possible. Is he bearable in it? Or does he try to be funny with little to no result?

I gave it a go just for the Battlestar Galactica bit, and it was funny enough, but it all felt like it could have been better or leaner or sharper or something. Then the BSG actors showed up and were instantly way more naturally funny in a couple of seconds than the show's actual cast had been for what felt like two hours.

[Premium Roast]

haven't seen Portlandia, but my fave Fred Armisen was in European Gigolo. The mexican talk show host on SNl also pretty funny. Likin the first two Napolean Dynamite's episodes btw. "I'm Kip Create"...haha.

[faxman75]

I just started watching Portlandia. Some of the sketches get run into the ground but it's not before several laugh out loud moments. I think the range of characters they play is rather impressive.

I found this to be funnier than most things. Also, thanks to Hand Banana for turning me onto The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. Another newer funny show.

Portlandia.

[MissingPerson]

RageAgainstTheAoki, if you're out there, have you seen Acorn Antiques, and have I ever asked you this before?

[RageAgainstTheAoki]

Present.

No, I've never even heard of it. Just wiki'd it. Sounds funny. Details, please.

[MissingPerson]

Was just watching some of it again, and it struck me as your bag for absolutely no reason other than our frequently overlapping Britcom tastes.

It's a Victoria Wood parody of incredibly inept old British soaps, which were set in incredibly boring settings like antiques shops but were nonetheless plagued by shady exotic relatives, spies, explosions, amnesia and dramatic inheritances. It's particularly aimed at Crossroads, but like, I've never seen Crossroads, and it still makes me absolutely cry laughing. Everything down to the shitty blocking and terrible extras and appalling continuity, it's got the kind of gag density you don't really see much nowadays.

Dunno if this link will work in your neck of the woods, and I'm not sure watching it on Youtube does the rhythm of it justice, but give it a go anyway and lemme know what you think.

[buddy]

More than halfway through Pulling, and i'm enjoying it. I read something from one of the co-creators about how females get laughs in most comedies as secondary characters, so it's nice to see a show where they are the focal point. Plus, it's just funny.

[Cameron Frye]

winter X games!!!

let's backflip a snowmobile, YEE HAW

[MissingPerson]

I wish somebody would rescue Jewel Staite from terrible SyFy films.

[zircona1]

So I bought season 2 of Archer and this from Amazon the other day:



Yea, I'm a sucker for old Tom and Jerry cartoons. Used to watch them all the time as a kid.

I seriously wish they'd put out a collection of Tex Avery's cartoons (like they did with the Droopy collection a few years ago).

[MissingPerson]

Dude, did you guys know Zac Efron was in Firefly?

[SoulDischarge]

I'm still not really sure who Zac Efron is, honestly, except a lot of annoying gay dudes want to see him naked.

[Cameron Frye]

Dude, did you guys know Zac Efron was in Firefly?

goes that mean he has some geek cred?

[RageAgainstTheAoki]

Was just watching some of it again, and it struck me as your bag for absolutely no reason other than our frequently overlapping Britcom tastes.

It's a Victoria Wood parody of incredibly inept old British soaps, which were set in incredibly boring settings like antiques shops but were nonetheless plagued by shady exotic relatives, spies, explosions, amnesia and dramatic inheritances. It's particularly aimed at Crossroads, but like, I've never seen Crossroads, and it still makes me absolutely cry laughing. Everything down to the shitty blocking and terrible extras and appalling continuity, it's got the kind of gag density you don't really see much nowadays.

Dunno if this link will work in your neck of the woods, and I'm not sure watching it on Youtube does the rhythm of it justice, but give it a go anyway and lemme know what you think.

Sorry, MP, not feeling it. Love Julie Walters, though.

[RageAgainstTheAoki]

Big news...

In what many are describing as the biggest gay rights achievement of the Obama administration yet, today the White House confirmed that Shirley MacLaine will be joining the third season of PBS's Downton Abbey. MacLaine will play the American mother of Elizabeth McGovern's Lady Grantham. As per President Obama's executive order, legendary Oscar winner MacLaine will be involved in several fiery confrontational scenes with Dame Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess. "From Lawrence v. Texas to MacLaine v. Smith. How far we've come..." remarked Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign.

(there we go. in the right thread now.)

[frizzlefry]

Portlandia was alright tonight. some funny parts but I only remember laughing out loud when someone get hit by a car. Annie was gorgeous, I was disappointed I didn't her sweet voice though, props to her on the commercial!

[digitaldragon03]

Anyone else watching The River? It's supposed to be Lost meets Paranormal Activity, but the first episode was nowhere near as good as either. The second episode has really picked up the creepiness factor though.

[HunterGather]

Started watching SHAMELESS (U.S.).
Such a good show!
I like that Van from REBA shows his peen and ass in the show, too.

[Alchemy]

During my wisdom teeth downtime, I watched the first season of Portlandia and all of Party Down. The former was pretty good, but Party Down was infinitely hilarious - especially the first season (I had to get used to the changes in the second season, but as things start to settle more like the first season, it became crazy funny). It is a genius show that could have run a bit longer.

I also started watching United States of Tara, but after three episodes in, I've got to say that I'm not really impressed. It's not funny enough to be funny, and it's not serious enough to be serious. Its only interest for me is watching Toni Collette act like different characters. Mostly, everything around her dissociative identity disorder is bland, like her stupid family.

[RageAgainstTheAoki]

There was a new episode of AbFab on BBC America this weekend. I'm sure it will be repeated. Speaking of which, MP? You here? Have you seen this show? It looks really good. Sort of melancholic and understated. A whole other side of Joanna Lumley. She's so lovely here.

[Alchemy]

They should make a boxset of every single Looney Tunes episode, restored on blu-ray. That's something I would save up for. I don't want to get a compilation only for them to release another compilation with some new restoration, and episodes not included in the compilation that I already bought (which seems to be happening with the dvds that they've been releasing). I mean, they should just go for it and complete it all... Or Netflix should get them for Instant Watch.

[Phenomena]

Been rewatching the X-files on Netflix and I kind of miss a show like that. Fringe sort of does that but I don't know, it's trying too hard that it feels bland at times. Some of my friends have recommended Supernatural but it's a CW show and usually they're shit. Any suggestions?

[Alchemy]

Last week's episode of Fringe was actually pretty great. At least, the first half of it was. It was incredibly eerie and Twilight Zone-ish. The second half of if it went back on the usual rails, but it's been my favorite episode of the season so far.

Alcatraz is sort of X-Files-esque, but, naturally, it's also kind of like Fringe. It isn't so varied though. It's always some prisoner or somebody out being a serial killer. I haven't seen Supernatural.

[lehorne]

channel flipping the other day and there's a new reality show with girls in bikinis giving haircuts. This senior citizen man, sitting in the lobby waiting, had his face covered from the camera with a magazine as three of the barbers chatted amongst themselves. "When do I get serviced?".

[buddy]

Found the first season of Luther on netflix instant. Stars Idris Elba as a detective, who many people know as Stringer Bell on The Wire, so it's funny to see him play someone on the opposite side of the law. The character is even a bit like McNulty in that his life is in shambles, is a bit self-destructive, and is great at his job. That last part actually has more common with the current show Sherlock, as he's more of a savant when it comes to solving crimes. Elba's character can be over the top at times, as was drunk McNulty, but it's easy to see why he won a Golden Globe for his performance. So, if you enjoy Sherlock, The Wire, or just like crime shows give it a look.

[zircona1]

They should make a boxset of every single Looney Tunes episode, restored on blu-ray. That's something I would save up for. I don't want to get a compilation only for them to release another compilation with some new restoration, and episodes not included in the compilation that I already bought (which seems to be happening with the dvds that they've been releasing). I mean, they should just go for it and complete it all... Or Netflix should get them for Instant Watch.

Agreed 1000%

[Phenomena]

Found the first season of Luther on netflix instant. Stars Idris Elba as a detective, who many people know as Stringer Bell on The Wire, so it's funny to see him play someone on the opposite side of the law. The character is even a bit like McNulty in that his life is in shambles, is a bit self-destructive, and is great at his job. That last part actually has more common with the current show Sherlock, as he's more of a savant when it comes to solving crimes. Elba's character can be over the top at times, as was drunk McNulty, but it's easy to see why he won a Golden Globe for his performance. So, if you enjoy Sherlock, The Wire, or just like crime shows give it a look.

Luther is a good show. Need to get season 2 before they close down anymore sites.

[guedita]

Ugh Parenthood is so good. If there isn't a season 4 I'm going to throw things in a rage.