Current fav US TV series

[adap2it]

I'm 3 of 8 episodes in on The Serpent. It's definitely getting more interesting over time. Thanks for ther rec.

I'm sure you'll enjoy the remaining episodes, it really does look just like the 70's.

[Hal...]

There appears to be a reoccurring theme when it comes to the justice system that is very unsettling.

That's not an understatement, is it?

[Hal...]

This was originally a continuation of my post in the movie thread but wasn't relevant to that thread, so I thought I'd post it here.

It's strange. For the most part, the best comedies are on TV where there's a dearth of decent writers, especially of one hour dramas anymore. But even the few sitcoms I still watch haven't provided me with any real amusement, unless Chuck Lorre is involved. Even then, Mom's been a bit mediocre of late, especially once Anna Farris left the show. In fact, I have numerous episodes of all the sitcoms I record waiting to be watched. And even the past few seasons of Archer have been kinda lackluster. The only thing I really looked forward to seeing each week was Resident Alien.

Speaking of Chuck Lorre, the whole thing with Charlie Sheen left a bad taste WRT Two and Half Men. Just the other day, however, I watched it for the first time in years and, Jesus, that was a funny show.

But if I need my funny bone tickled these days, I'm usually watching reruns of That '70s Show (seasons 1-5) or How I Met Your Mother, a show that seemed to fly under the radar but one that I think is one of the best sitcoms of the past two decades.

Specifically, tho, these days the best comedy shows are on the streaming services or premium channels.

[Hal...]

I noticed on Netflix that there's a new "volume" of Love Death + Robots coming sometime in the unforeseeable future.

And season 3 of The Kominsky Method is due to drop May 28. I've mentioned before that if you like Jewish humor, you'll love Alan Arkin in this show. How he didn't win an Emmy or a SAG is beyond me.

[NogbadTheBad]

I noticed on Netflix that there's a new "volume" of Love Death + Robots coming sometime in the unforeseeable future.

That was terrific

[progmatist]

Speaking of Chuck Lorre, the whole thing with Charlie Sheen left a bad taste WRT Two and Half Men. Just the other day, however, I watched it for the first time in years and, Jesus, that was a funny show.

Charlie insulted everyone under the sun, and that was no problem. But the moment he insulted the producers of the show and the network, "That's it! You're fired!"

[Jerjo]

We just watched episode 1 of the new HBO steampunk/fantasy series The Nevers - a shaky pilot but some really intriguing characters, good production values, and some intrigue. We're going to stick it out and see where it goes.

[SteveSly]

We just watched episode 1 of the new HBO steampunk/fantasy series The Nevers - a shaky pilot but some really intriguing characters, good production values, and some intrigue. We're going to stick it out and see where it goes.

Curious about that one. Keep us updated on how you like it.

[mozo-pg]

I'm sure you'll enjoy the remaining episodes, it really does look just like the 70's.

Dave, we finished the Serpent tonight. It was a exciting ending and the series was quite decent overall. Worth the 8 episode investment of time.

[adap2it]

Dave, we finished the Serpent tonight. It was a exciting ending and the series was quite decent overall. Worth the 8 episode investment of time.

That's excellent! It always feels special sharing the things we enjoy...

[Scott Bails]

We just watched episode 1 of the new HBO steampunk/fantasy series The Nevers - a shaky pilot but some really intriguing characters, good production values, and some intrigue. We're going to stick it out and see where it goes.

Trying to convince my GF to watch this, as it looks like something she may enjoy. I think it looks pretty cool.

We're also interested in Mare of Easttown, 1) because it looks interesting and has a good cast and 2) because it takes place near our home.

[Jerjo]

Trying to convince my GF to watch this, as it looks like something she may enjoy. I think it looks pretty cool.

We're also interested in Mare of Easttown, 1) because it looks interesting and has a good cast and 2) because it takes place near our home.

We watched Mare of Easttown last night. It's a big cast and things were a little confusing at first but by the end of the episode we were very impressed.

[mozo-pg]

I've been watching Them - the story of an African American moving to Calfornia and suffering from attacks from their white neighbours. We're 3 episode in. One women neighbour portays evil very effectively. There are horror elements that I'm still not sure fits into the story.
Also, watching City On The Hill - one episode in - Kevin Bacon is always fun to watch.

[SteveSly]

I've been watching Them - the story of an African American moving to Calfornia and suffering from attacks from their white neighbours. We're 3 episode in. One women neighbour portays evil very effectively. There are horror elements that I'm still not sure fits into the story.
Also, watching City On The Hill - one episode in - Kevin Bacon is always fun to watch.

Been curious about "Them" as Amazon plays trailers before Mr. Robot episodes. We may check that out next.

[mozo-pg]

Been curious about "Them" as Amazon plays trailers before Mr. Robot episodes. We may check that out next.

I meant to say African American family.

[Scott Bails]

We've watched the two episodes of The Nevers and the first episode of Mare of Easttown, on HBO. I prefer The Nevers, as MoE is rather dark and depressing, but both are quality shows.

[progmatist]

I've been watching Them - the story of an African American moving to Calfornia and suffering from attacks from their white neighbours. We're 3 episode in. One women neighbour portays evil very effectively. There are horror elements that I'm still not sure fits into the story.
Also, watching City On The Hill - one episode in - Kevin Bacon is always fun to watch.

One of the funniest episodes of SNL was hosted by Kevin. He did a skit with Kevin Nealon as a musical duo....

[Hal...]

Just started a docuseries on Prime called Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer. You'd think it's about the relationship between Ted and his girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall. But it's much more than that so why that title, I don't know. In fact, after two episodes and 1/3 of the next, you can see how its focus is split between interviewing her (her first interview about him, ever, btw) and the overall story of Ted Bundy.

I've read three or four books on Ted and seen at least one other docuseries (Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes on Netflix), who'd been labelled as the archetype of the modern serial killer because he was "elusive", "handsome", "charming", and "very intelligent". I've since learned most of that isn't really true. Ted wasn't the archetype; he was more an aberration. He wasn't really charming so much as manipulative, as most serial killers tend to be, and while he did have above average intelligence, he wasn't a genius. I read something by one psychologist who questioned how high his IQ really was. Afterall, while attempting to abduct a young woman amidst 40,000 people at a state park, he used his own name; that's how the suspect came to be known as "Ted". How fucking smart is that? And because he was elusive, he was also considered very intelligent for that reason, too. But as I've discovered over the years, SKs with very high IQs like Edmund Kemper and Ian Brady are also aberrations, while the average IQ of most SKs is average [the IQs of Gary Ridgeway (Green River Killer), Arthur Shawcross, and Henry Lee Lucas were below average]. Furthermore, most SKs are unknown or "elusive" simply because of how they go about killing. Not to mention, back in the '70s and into the '80s, cooperation between jurisdictions was practically nonexistent.

Anyway, I'm digressing.

What's surprised me about this docuseries is how compelling it is. Much of it due to interviews with Kendall and her daughter, relatives of the victims and, especially, interviews with victims who lived or escaped, as well as members of law enforcement, et al, involved at the time. And it's so much more in depth than any other book, show, or episode about Ted I've previously seen, even tho I haven't learned very much that's new. A couple other things that elevate this docuseries is all the footage of early/mid '70s Seattle they've used, as well as showing Ted's crimes in the context of the burgeoning feminist movement. I can't say I've heard that aspect ever mentioned before, and it is interesting, but I certainly don't buy it being the motivating factor (if that's what they're trying to imply), but it is something to consider as a factor. Incidentally, I've learned in the past few years that the supposed "killer's triangle" (aka the Macdonald Triad) of the childhood behaviors of enuresis, pyromania, and animal cruelty shared by SKs isn't proven, altho many did exhibit at least two of those behaviors. But what it sort of implies and what has been discovered in more recent research is the significant percentage of SKs who (a) suffered abuse from an early age (typically physical and often severe), (b) had one very domineering parent (typically the mother) and one emotionally negligent or physically absent one, and (c) experienced a "triggering event" that was significant to them emotionally/psychologically that then pushed them to act out their feelings/fantasies.

But, I'm digressing again.

If you have an interest in serial killers or Ted Bundy, you'll find this very informative and compelling.

[Hal...]

One of the funniest episodes of SNL was hosted by Kevin. He did a skit with Kevin Nealon as a musical duo....

That was much better than I first thought that was going to be.

You know he's married to Kyra Sedgwick, right?

I saw the episode of Finding Your Roots with Kevin Bacon and it turns out he and Kyra are very distant cousins.

[hippypants]

Ted Bundy--plus this was before forensics really got going like it is today, and even still it's hard to catch someone sometimes, and some never get caught.

I remember watching a crime show where an otherwise intelligent woman who had a high IQ concocted a plan to commit the perfect crime to kill her husband. She lured a teenage over with sex, however, he wanted no part of the killing. So she killed both of them and made it look like the teen killed her husband, then committed suicide. Forensics prevailed however, and she was found guilty.

[progmatist]

That was much better than I first thought that was going to be.

You know he's married to Kyra Sedgwick, right?

I saw the episode of Finding Your Roots with Kevin Bacon and it turns out he and Kyra are very distant cousins.

Yes, I knew they were married.......case closed.

[hippypants]

I just finished Q: Into the Storm on the whole QAnon movement. Q: Into the Storm is an original HBO documentary in six parts. It’s nearly inconceivable that anyone with a pulse hasn’t heard of the unidentified mystique of “QAnon” and the many dimensions of effect it has had on American culture and politics during the past few years. Don’t begin HBO’s documentary with the expectation of true clarity or resolution. The roots of “Q” are every bit as serpentine as you’d expect. The documentary effectively sketches all the broad strokes, and does an excellent job of filling in known as well as suspected details. The journey is revealed, and obscured, by an assortment of maddening and colorful characters that are engaging, regardless of your political leaning. On occasion they have the quality of a train wreck, in that they’re horrific, but nearly impossible not to observe.

But if you wish to delve into the murky world of the dark web, and most probably, several intelligence agencies and entities, you might find this program frustratingly satisfying. The closing minutes of the final installment suggest a likely identity for “Q” himself.

I'm sort of curious how prevalent that movement is now, however, I'm sure there are still active people that believe all that hogwash and others that just use the propaganda to influence others into believing their agenda. I can't help but believe that the right wing wasn't propping up that 8chan site, though that never came out. There were so many rabbit trails it would be hard to prove soundly who and what was behind all of that.

[SteveSly]

Just started a docuseries on Prime called Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer. You'd think it's about the relationship between Ted and his girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall. But it's much more than that so why that title, I don't know. In fact, after two episodes and 1/3 of the next, you can see how its focus is split between interviewing her (her first interview about him, ever, btw) and the overall story of Ted Bundy.

I've read three or four books on Ted and seen at least one other docuseries (Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes on Netflix), who'd been labelled as the archetype of the modern serial killer because he was "elusive", "handsome", "charming", and "very intelligent". I've since learned most of that isn't really true. Ted wasn't the archetype; he was more an aberration. He wasn't really charming so much as manipulative, as most serial killers tend to be, and while he did have above average intelligence, he wasn't a genius. I read something by one psychologist who questioned how high his IQ really was. Afterall, while attempting to abduct a young woman amidst 40,000 people at a state park, he used his own name; that's how the suspect came to be known as "Ted". How fucking smart is that? And because he was elusive, he was also considered very intelligent for that reason, too. But as I've discovered over the years, SKs with very high IQs like Edmund Kemper and Ian Brady are also aberrations, while the average IQ of most SKs is average [the IQs of Gary Ridgeway (Green River Killer), Arthur Shawcross, and Henry Lee Lucas were below average]. Furthermore, most SKs are unknown or "elusive" simply because of how they go about killing. Not to mention, back in the '70s and into the '80s, cooperation between jurisdictions was practically nonexistent.

Anyway, I'm digressing.

What's surprised me about this docuseries is how compelling it is. Much of it due to interviews with Kendall and her daughter, relatives of the victims and, especially, interviews with victims who lived or escaped, as well as members of law enforcement, et al, involved at the time. And it's so much more in depth than any other book, show, or episode about Ted I've previously seen, even tho I haven't learned very much that's new. A couple other things that elevate this docuseries is all the footage of early/mid '70s Seattle they've used, as well as showing Ted's crimes in the context of the burgeoning feminist movement. I can't say I've heard that aspect ever mentioned before, and it is interesting, but I certainly don't buy it being the motivating factor (if that's what they're trying to imply), but it is something to consider as a factor. Incidentally, I've learned in the past few years that the supposed "killer's triangle" (aka the Macdonald Triad) of the childhood behaviors of enuresis, pyromania, and animal cruelty shared by SKs isn't proven, altho many did exhibit at least two of those behaviors. But what it sort of implies and what has been discovered in more recent research is the significant percentage of SKs who (a) suffered abuse from an early age (typically physical and often severe), (b) had one very domineering parent (typically the mother) and one emotionally negligent or physically absent one, and (c) experienced a "triggering event" that was significant to them emotionally/psychologically that then pushed them to act out their feelings/fantasies.

But, I'm digressing again.

If you have an interest in serial killers or Ted Bundy, you'll find this very informative and compelling.

I will have to check it out. Like you I have watched several Bundy Docs, and just recently finished the book Mindhunter (also saw the Netflix series) in which Bundy is one of the killers profiled. Interesting stuff, and as you say Bundy seems to have been a bit of an aberration in many ways.

[SteveSly]

I remember watching a crime show where an otherwise intelligent woman who had a high IQ concocted a plan to commit the perfect crime to kill her husband. She lured a teenage over with sex, however, he wanted no part of the killing. So she killed both of them and made it look like the teen killed her husband, then committed suicide. Forensics prevailed however, and she was found guilty.

I remember seeing that one too, but do not remember what it was called.

[Jerjo]

I read an article a few years ago about sociopaths and psychopaths. The former are much more common and the later are almost a unicorn. One psychiatrist said that he was convinced that a true psychopath didn't exist. He said his opinion was changed when he met Ted Bundy.