[Badger Mark]

This weeks episode of The Walking Dead aired last night here in the US. Wow. Probably the most disturbing episode that has ever aired. Excellent and intense.

[Bruvva]

Yeah, THAT happening in the Walking Dead was a bit of a shock. Even though something similar happened in the comic (slight variations in the characters involved) I didn't expect mainstream US telly to actually do what they did.

Anyway, been meaning to say, Community is back up and running in America and, sadly, won't be shown here. Shame that two of the cast have left, hopefully David Glover will be back at one point but sending him off on a round the world yacht trip with LeVar Burton was fantastic. And if any of you haven't watched Community yet, bloody download it.

Also, because I've just found it, I'm putting Troy and Abed's Christmas rap here :

[bmstinton93]

So after hearing so much about this week's episode of the Walking Dead it finally encouraged me to catch up on the 5 episodes I've fallen behind by. I have just finished this week's. Oh my, what a fantastic episode. So deep and so brave! This show is definitely back to its best. I hadn't enjoyed it for a long time.

[Bruvva]

Meanwhile, back in the Arrow universe, if that mysterious former psychotherapist in jail isn't Harley Quinn, I'll sulk and pout.

[bmstinton93]

So has anyone seen the final HIMYM? Thoughts? I'm unsure right now, although I think I liked it!

[dimtimjim]

Not yet Benji... looking forward to it though.

[Bruvva]

Bored so I thought I'd post a list of new, renewed and cancelled US stuff :

New :

Agent Carter : Her from Captain America gets a series about working for SHIELD in the 40s
Constantine : TV version of Hellblazer
Daredevil : Another comic book adaptation
Forever : Ioan Gruffudd plays a 200 year old doctor
Gotham : Bruce Wayne before he becomes Batman, it'll be shit.
Heroes Reborn : A weird decision to revisit this
Last Man on Earth : A story about, well, the last man on earth...
Sense8 : God knows, it's by the Wachowskis though so it'll be odd
The Flash : Bloke in a red suit who can run really fast
The Whispers : Aliens attacking earth via our Children

Renewed :

Agents of Shield,
American Horror Story,
Beauty and the Beast,
Da Vinci's Demons
Game of Thrones (BIG surprise, that )
Once Upon a Time,
Person of Interest,
Resurrection,
Sleepy Hollow,
Supernatural (yay),
Walking Dead

Cancelled:

Community (BOOOO),
Almost Human,
Dracula,
Intelligence,
Revolution,
Tomorrow People

[Misfit]

is anyone watching happy valley? if so, thats where I live, and the cafe bar they were in tonight is where I work! cracking tv show!

[Badger Mark]

Bored so I thought I'd post a list of new, renewed and cancelled US stuff :

New :

Agent Carter : Her from Captain America gets a series about working for SHIELD in the 40s
Constantine : TV version of Hellblazer
Daredevil : Another comic book adaptation
Forever : Ioan Gruffudd plays a 200 year old doctor
Gotham : Bruce Wayne before he becomes Batman, it'll be shit.
Heroes Reborn : A weird decision to revisit this
Last Man on Earth : A story about, well, the last man on earth...
Sense8 : God knows, it's by the Wachowskis though so it'll be odd
The Flash : Bloke in a red suit who can run really fast
The Whispers : Aliens attacking earth via our Children

Renewed :

Agents of Shield,
American Horror Story,
Beauty and the Beast,
Da Vinci's Demons
Game of Thrones (BIG surprise, that )
Once Upon a Time,
Person of Interest,
Resurrection,
Sleepy Hollow,
Supernatural (yay),
Walking Dead

Cancelled:

Community (BOOOO),
Almost Human,
Dracula,
Intelligence,
Revolution,
Tomorrow People

The only cancelled show I'm unhappy about is Almost Human. I know that show just started in the UK, and I was surprised because it started AFTER it was cancelled here in the US. It's a good show IMO, but I think the problem with it was it didn't have a big long story arc running through it. The show's creators wanted a show that anyone could jump in at any point and not have to worry about what happened in earlier episodes. The problem with that approach is that most who like these types of sci-fi genre shows like the big story arcs. Very unfortunate.

Happy to see Agents of Shield renewed. The show started off rather weak, but the 2nd half of it's first season has been fantastic. Don't know if the season finale has run yet over in the UK, but I can say it did not disappoint. There's a new show that just started here in the US on our Showtime cable channel called Penny Dreadful. The cast includes Eva Green, Timothy Dalton, Billie Piper and others. Only two episodes in. Not sure where it's going to go, but my wife and I are intrigued enough to keep watching for at least a couple more episodes.

[R94N]

Silicon Valley is a quite funny new HBO show.

[chrysostom]

Anyone watching the new series of Friday Night Dinner?

I didn't like the episode just gone as it all seemed a bit 'jump the shark'

[Nicola_Red]

I have been watching it. Can't make up my mind if I find it funny or just cringeworthy.

[bmstinton93]

I loved the episode with the Fox! Best episode of it yet in my opinion.

[chrysostom]

It's mega cringe - but I think it's compelling viewing, and taps in to a lot of family nuances

[Nicola_Red]

So has anyone seen the final HIMYM? Thoughts? I'm unsure right now, although I think I liked it!

Is it finally on E4 this week? Even though I deliberately read the spoilers online, I still wanna watch to see it for myself, I suspect I'm gonna feel vastly disappointed.

I watched the Nick Frost comedy-drama Mr Sloane on Sky and was loving it, but then the finale was last week and it was just so disappointing. It was one of those endings that made me go "but what about that? But what's happening with her?" I dunno if they were leaving it open for a second series, but I don't think that's it. I think they just wanted an unexpected non-happy ending, but it wasn't sad either, it was just...nothing much. I was actually still thinking about it the day after I watched it, trying to reconcile it to myself.

[dimtimjim]

Well, seen the last HIMYM... not the ending I was expecting, which is always a nice treat. but overall I thought they wrapped it up very well. Must get the box set on DVD at some point to see any episodes I may have missed over the years.

Quality series, thoroughly enjoyed!

EDIT: Also, only just found out Neil Patrick Harris is gay; obviously no problem with this, just quite surprised given how well he played a serial womaniser!

[bmstinton93]

I'm pretty sure his real life husband is the person who played Lily's ex boyfriend, Scooter.

[Nicola_Red]

He is indeed, and they have twin toddlers. I follow him on Instagram, so I've seen lots of pics!

Now I've seen the ending for myself it was even more awful than I imagined. Just bad on so many levels. I can't even start with it or I'd be typing for hours.

[dimtimjim]

Now I've seen the ending for myself it was even more awful than I imagined.

If you could condense the typing for hours, I'd be interested to know why you didn't like it; as I know I did.

[bmstinton93]

I can completely understand why people wouldn't like it, but I'd like to know what ending they would have preferred. I'm personally very glad that it wasn't obvious and I almost welled up during the final episode so it certainly worked on me.

[dimtimjim]

I'm personally very glad that it wasn't obvious

Ditto.

I almost welled up during the final episode

Obviously I didn't; far too butch and manly for that...

so it certainly worked on me.

Me2.

[Nicola_Red]

Alright, these are direct copies of my posts on the subject from another forum I use:

First post:

It was awful. Why did they stretch Barney and Robin's wedding out for so many episodes and then gloss over so many of the following plot points (their divorce, Lily's third baby, the birth of Ted and Tracey's son, Tracey fallling ill and dying)? Why did they give Barney the baby - what did it add to the story at such a late stage, and why didn't we see even one shot of the mother of his baby? I know they filmed the final scene with the kids (where they are encouraging Ted to ask robin out) back in 2005, to avoid the fact that by now the actors would be mid 20s - but why couldn't they integrate the shots of Ted talking to them more seamlessly? It didn't look like they were even in the same building. AND WHY ALL THE TERRIBLE WIGS?!

Sorry. I have a lot of feels about it. The one thing I will say in its favour is that I liked that they recreated the scene from the first episode with Ted standing outside robin's window holding the blue French horn. But even during that it was bugging me that they had made no attempt to make robin look any older. Just a bit of makeup would have done it. Ack.

Second post:

The continuity was really bumming me out - I know around 4 years were supposed to have passed between Barney and Robin's wedding and Ted and Tracey's wedding, but how long did they actually leave in real time between filming? Enough time for Jason Segel to gain a bunch of weight back, evidently (not that I'm saying that's a bad thing - I thought he looked gaunt early on in the series). I spent almost all the episode trying to work out how much time was supposed to have passed between events, and how much had actually passed between filming. Super distracting.

I don't remember Friends being so bad for this - was it just that they had fewer flash back/forward scenes? I think there's only so far you can push that device before it starts to seem ridiculous if you obviously don't have the budget to 'age' characters like films can. Which is fine, just don't try so much! There are other ways to tell a story.

I think I would have liked Ted and Robin to get together, even though they made it obvious right from day one that she wasn't the mother by referring to her as 'aunt Robin'. But the mother was the title character, and her getting together with Ted, marrying him, having his kids and dying was rushed over in one and a bit episodes. I didn't particularly like the actress or the character (anyone remember Cristin Milioti from 30 Rock? She was SO much better in that) but I still felt like she was given a bum deal. The backstory of her first love dying and her subsequent relationship was given almost as much screen time as her entire relationship with Ted. Not necessary.

Argh, still so many feels. This must be how people who didn't like the ending of Lost felt!

[dimtimjim]

^^^ Interesting reading. You make a few good points, although its obviously subjective if these points are viewed as bad, or good.

I fully 'get' the point behind giving Barney the baby (which you say you don't), but would have been nice to have little more elaboration on that. And same for Tracey's illness/death, a little glossed over; but summarised so as to get to the point.

Regarding your comments about continuity of flashbacks and such like; I think that's just you over analysing things. Relax and understand they're working within the abilities of the budget and continued story development.

And given how the whole 9 series had been building to the one person - I thought Cristin Milioti was a great choice; very naturally pretty, warm and seemingly head-over-heels for Ted. I thought they both played the 'lost in love' very well.

but, that's just my opinion, not trying to oust you as 'wrong', Nic. (although, being a woman, obviously; you're wrong )

[Nicola_Red]

You're right that I over-analyse the continuity. I do that with everything. What would you say they achieved by giving Barney the baby? If they were trying to show that he has grown up or something, it seemed poorly done and heavy-handed.

Something else that occured to me later: if Robin was so absent from their lives following her divorce from Barney (to quote Lily: "a Scherbatsky sighting is rare"), how come she was so close to Ted's kids that they were so knowledgable about her and keen for Ted to pursue her? Are we just supposed to assume that she came back into their lives in the years we didn't see? Again, argh.

[dimtimjim]

What would you say they achieved by giving Barney the baby?

To me it was indicative of a feeling I myself experienced 12.5 years ago.

Barney, the exemplar serial womaniser, suddenly having that moment of realisation as he first holds his own child in his arms... showing the softer side which resides within all men, but is hidden better in some models than others.

There really is no feeling like it and NOTHING can prepare you for exactly how it does feel - but I know all the parents on here will back me up on this. Sorry Nic, I know that maybe sounds like a 'dig' at you for not being a parent, but it so isn't intended that way.