[psmith2.0]

Yeah, it's been a while...maybe 15-18 months? I'm pretty sure it was before last summer. I love his songs/writing. Great stuff. He had a tough go of things in the past 10-15 years (cancer, etc.). Back in the 2004-2008 timeframe I played in an acoustic trio here around town and we did about 6-7 John Prine songs. We loved to play/sing them and the audience always seemed to enjoy them a little more as well.

My mom watches that show. I've only heard of it, but I don't know anything about it. Sounds like the kind of thing, though, I'd never watch in 300 years.

[Matsu]

Yeah. He went early on in the pandemic. The song is from a couple of years before that too. This is the first I’ve learned of either. The show is garbage - one note wallowing sadness-porn. I can’t understand the accolades it gets. The sound track is first rate though a little obvious.

[psmith2.0]

A proper trailer for Stranger Things 4.

Looks like the setting - at least for Eleven - has shifted to California, which will make it easier to crib from those sunny suburban subdivision settings from E.T., Poltergeist, etc. There was a period in the 80's where several of those genre/teen comedy flicks were set in those tightly-packed/every-house-looks-the-same, manicured and sun-splashed neighborhoods, so I think I see what they're going for here.

Looks different, which is a good thing.

Those kids are all growing up. Either they have their butts in college on the next go-around (ST5), or it's gonna start to enter unbelievable 90210 territory where it's impossible to buy any of the main cast as high-schoolers after a certain point. A quick Googling tells me that the main cast is currently 17-20, so yeah...by the time they get around to filming/releasing a fifth installment, considering how much time passes between releases, even the youngest will be knocking on 20. But sending them to college(s) could open up some new storytelling opportunities too, so that may be exactly what they're planning.

[Ryan]

I think the showrunners have already said the show will end after S5, so that should take care of that problem.

[psmith2.0]

Probably for the best. I don't think they'll ever top that initial season for genuine surprise/fun/nostalgia. Get in, get out, before it all becomes a tired, stayed-around-too-long punchline and shell of its former self.

I wish more things - movie franchises, TV shows, athletes, musicians, teachers/professors, elected officials/politicians, etc. - would grasp this concept.

Leave folks wanting more, not asking "WTF is this still doing here?!"

[turtle]

Not so very long ago Mrs T and I watched through "The Good Place" and really enjoyed it. Clearly that was a show that couldn't just keep going just based on what it was centered around. The producers said it was only going to be four seasons and it really was. Could there have been more shows and they be enjoyable, probably. Really though, these people know when to stop.

I do hope they really end Stranger Things well and we walk away looking forward to discovering it again in our libraries rather than cringing about watching it again.

[psmith2.0]

My beloved X Files is the best example I can think of when it comes to a show that stuck around several years too long and just became a convoluted, soap opera-y mess to sit through. And then, even worse, they tried to bring it back several years ago and it was beyond awful/point-missing.

Leave well enough alone, folks.

Chris Carter, Lucasfilm, James Cameron, the Halloween/Michael Myers folks, Dick Wolf (Law & Order), Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones, David Chase (The Sopranos), etc.: learn to say "nah, we've truly said all there is to say...we're done, and we're going out on a respectable high note".

[Mac+]

Seinfeld… although some may debate post LD was even too much.

[turtle]

One series that I see being short for this world is Bull. When it started Mrs T and I were watching NCIS. Michael Weatherly was there and left for the new series Bull.

It is one of the shows that was just interesting to watch but relatively low drama. So there were tense moments but overall engaging for us. This season and last season have gotten heavy into the drama though. TAC is on the edge of closing/bankrupt, the sky is falling, the world is unstable... You get the idea.

When I'm winding down for the night do I want to watch something about the world ending as we know it? Not hardly. We still watch it in hopes it would get better, but I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to hold on.

We stopped watching NCIS long ago because Mrs T hates the death rate of the show. It also got to be REALLY predictable in every way. It was enjoyable, but really is past its prime.

[psmith2.0]

I didn't like the early Seinfelds - too stock/sitcom-y, before they found their DGAF voice and were okay with the four leads being without redeeming values - and the latter ones just seemed too absurd or trying-too-hard? But there was that sweet-spot, somewhere right in those middle 5-6 years, where it was about as perfect and enjoyable as anything. And, to this day, I'll sit and laugh out loud at those episodes, despite having seen them all 800 times.

Nothing makes me laugh harder than Kramer trying to be high-class/professional (Dr. Van Nostrand from The Clinic, or anytime he'd have on an ascot and pipe). And George's "the sea was angry that day, my friends!" story, Elaine's "dancing", "it's a salad...only bigger" and "get out!" pushes. And Jerry just exasperated by all of them. "That's a shame...". And Jerry himself trying to act was always the funniest part, because he really can't. Which somehow just made it all funnier.



Comedy Central just started running them all and I was watching 2-3 in a row the other evening.

"He pulled it out!"

Giddyup!

[Mac+]

I visited my parents the other night for the first time in ages since we’re finally out of lockdown (263 days!) and at the end of the evening ended up going through six Seinfeld episodes at once.

It started with Festivus (I bought an ugly Christmas sweater that featured the pole) and then we followed up with “Serenity Now” (this is you Dad) after which Mum started making requests to see Newman in episodes. The slicer was in the mix too Paul - one of my faves, with the first appearance of Kruger and Kramer as Dr Von Nostrand.

“George, why would I, a Julliard trained dermatologist, send him to another doctor?”

[drewprops]

I am literally watching an episode of Seinfeld now


...

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by Mac+ The slicer was in the mix too Paul - one of my faves, with the first appearance of Kruger and Kramer as Dr Von Nostrand. “George, why would I, a Julliard trained dermatologist, send him to another doctor?”

I love just how obliviously stupid Kramer is. It doesn't even faze him, he's just living life and getting things done. It was the perfect character; he was up for anything!

The other Kramer scenario that cracks me up is when he somehow lands that corporate job and he's wearing a suit and going around with crackers in his briefcase. That montage of him giving a presentation, cutting loose with his co-workers at happy hour, getting on the subway, etc. kills me, with Sheena Easton's Morning Train playing over it.

"Old man Leland is busting my hump about these reports!"

And then he turns in those reports that make no sense and his boss is just trying to figure it all out.

"It's almost as if you've had no business training. I'm sorry, there's just no way we can keep you on."

"But, I don't even really work here!"

"I know, that's what makes this so difficult."



That show had more great lines and genuine laughs in 30 minutes than five years of Two and a Half Men or Everybody Loves Raymond, combined, could ever dream about!

[Mac+]

Absolutely! I’m a big fan of the writing. Often will read scripts just for the lines. Love the economy and punch.

At work I used to lead a Design team and I turned our weekly session into a Deseinfeld themed approach, complete with appropriate (imported) snacks.

In terms of Kramer character, I knew before I even read it, you’d go the corporate job. Such a great premise and that exchange was gold.

Hopefully, you’re across www.penskefile.com.

[psmith2.0]

Just the food jokes/references alone could fill a few Word pages!

Eclair, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Junior Mints, Snapple, Bosco, Entemann's, the old wedding cake Elaine ate, the black-and-white cookie, Kramer's Ritz(?) crackers, cereals, "No soup for you!", muffin tops, Mackinaw peaches, Mr. Pitt's Snicker-eating, marble rye bread, chocolate babka, Elaine's big salad, pastrami, non-fat yogurt, calzones, Drake's coffee cakes, Kramer spilling coffee on himself, lobster bisque, Beefareno(sp?), fusilli, Pez, Kung Pao chicken ("George likes his chicken spicy!"), Oh Henry, mutton, dip (double-dipping!), Papaya hot dog, plantains, Folger's (freeze-dried...put it in the cupboard and forget about it!), risotto...

And those are just the ones I can think of, off the top of my head and barely trying (sad, I know).

I'm sure there are dozens more - easily double the above - that I just can't recall.

Good grief, what a show...we're gonna have to break Seinfeld out into its own separate thread!

[Mac+]

Giddiup! I’m there for it.

[709]

Originally Posted by psmith2.0 My beloved X Files is the best example I can think of when it comes to a show that stuck around several years too long and just became a convoluted, soap opera-y mess to sit through. And then, even worse, they tried to bring it back several years ago and it was beyond awful/point-missing. Leave well enough alone, folks.

On that note, I'm cautiously optimistic about the new Dexter series premiering tonight. Seasons 1-4 were fucking amazing, but the following 4 seasons were iffy at first and a veritable goulash of shit at the end. So I've heard. It got so bad I wasn't even interested in watching any more and literally do not remember where I finally gave up - and it was at one time one of my most favorite shows ever.

Early buzz is positive, so, we'll see.

[psmith2.0]

I think most shows have about 3-5 good years in them. There are exceptions, I suppose, but after that much time, your average cop/medical/legal drama and family/edgy sitcoms have said about all they can reasonably say on their related subject matter, cases, adventures, misunderstandings, etc.

As much as I love watching Law & Order, the fact is that show just churns out the same 6-8 storylines, updating the details to tie in with modern outlooks/events, or “from the headlines” aspects while updating the cop and lawyer roles every few years as well. It's warm comfort food, but even when I stumble across an episode I've never seen, I can pretty much predict/lay out the entire following 55 minutes.

I can’t think of any show - any genre - that somehow got better, or more watchable/dialed-in, after season 4-5. Just doesn’t happen. Retreads and running-out-of-ideas is unavoidable, and that's when you start to see the "out there" ideas/plotlines (aliens and demonic possession on shows where such a thing should never occur ), the stunt-casting, bringing old characters back (even if they died three seasons ago), crossovers, spin-offs, the cliffhanger two-parters and all the other mako-leaping silliness TV shows fall into once they've shot their creative wad.

There should be some sort of Hollywood TV law...you got five years to say all you can/need, then beat it!

[drewprops]

5 seasons is the longest a show should run, period.


...

[709]

Originally Posted by 709 On that note, I'm cautiously optimistic about the new Dexter series premiering tonight.

Pretty great for a premier. A lot of things I didn't expect and a few surprises. 7.5/10 will totally continue watching.

[psmith2.0]

Same cast, premise, writers/creators, etc. as before?

[Ryan]

I can think of a few exceptions. Frasier. MASH. Always Sunny. Archer.

Okay that’s about it.

And Doctor Who, but it reboots itself every few years.

[tomoe]

What is the appeal of MASH?

[psmith2.0]

For me, I only ever watched it for Hawkeye/Alan Alda.

Never thought it was particularly “funny”, and I was far too young to recognize/appreciate any “war is hell” statement-making going on.

I just always liked watching/hearing Alan Alda. He’s one of those “warm blanket” figures for me, his mannerisms and voice. I’ll watch him in anything. Beyond that, I can’t answer for anyone else re: the show itself.

[709]

Originally Posted by psmith2.0 Same cast, premise, writers/creators, etc. as before?

It's pretty much always been a solo show with an outside cast of 'work friends' and a few family members, and whoever he's killing and/or hunting. A couple cast have returned so far from the previous run, but he's adopted a new identity in this season (10 years after the last season) as a normal not killer type of guy – we'll see how that goes. The showrunner/writer from the early, best seasons is back for this season so I'm hopeful.

[psmith2.0]

That's good...that should help with the overall tone/approach remaining familiar and dialed-in.

As for TV in general, I didn't realize there were three(?) Walking Dead shows on AMC. I think the mothership is winding up this season, and then the two spin-offs may continue. I bailed on the main one ages ago, but these others all look very "human"-oriented, as in constantly battling/scrapping with other groups of survivors on the day-to-day.

That's pretty much every TV show in existence, isn't it? Cops/lawyers vs. criminals, doctors vs. patients, firefighters vs. fire, housewives vs. their emotions/urges to bang the poolboy, shitheaded tough-guy bikers and ranchers vs. other shitheaded tough-guy bikers and ranchers, etc.

A show, ostensibly based on a world full of always-hungry zombies/walking dead, should probably make that more of the focus, IMO. Doesn't all the "unscripted" fare - The Bachelorette, Survivor, the various Oversing Your Heart Out! shows, etc. have all the "alliances", backstabbing and ginned-up drama covered? I just want to see zombies fought and killed in increasingly cool, gross ways. I'm a simple man.

The biggest mistake these TWD shows make is thinking anyone really gives a shit about how everyone is feeling, and worrying about their unsteady partnership/alliance with the other group of unshowered (yet perfectly-coiffed) survivors down the road. Nobody signed up for a plodding, morose soap opera, AMC.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by psmith2.0 Probably for the best. I don't think they'll ever top that initial season for genuine surprise/fun/nostalgia. Get in, get out, before it all becomes a tired, stayed-around-too-long punchline and shell of its former self. I wish more things - movie franchises, TV shows, athletes, musicians, teachers/professors, elected officials/politicians, etc. - would grasp this concept. Leave folks wanting more, not asking "WTF is this still doing here?!"

I would bet even money that Netflix will come up with some sort of spinoff. The brand is just too valuable. They've given themselves a lot of openings here.

I could easily see them spinning off any of:

• Steve/Dustin buddy comedy. Honestly a light-hearted "Steve and Dustin Go To College" with goofy Ghostbusters-style paranormal investigations could be a hoot.
• Murray Bowman (the paranoid investigate reporter) in some sort of X-Files-esque monster of the week
• Robin in some kind of girl-power romp
• Sam Owens (the "good guy" government scientist who takes over Hawkins in S2) reveals a bigger-bad that the government is trying to grapple with, in which Dr. Brenner's work was a mere sideshow (sort of a Hobbit/LOTR relationship)
• A show where Scott Clarke (the science teacher) explains the potential science behind various sci-fi tropes, since that was so oven his role on the show. Sort of like Mythbusters but for hypothetical alien technology or whatever. Stuff like "could a lightsaber be theoretically possible?" and then go the the physics of why or why not.

I'm not saying these are good ideas, just that they're tropey enough that even the most clueless Hollywood exec couldn't miss 'em.

And with two seasons yet to go, who knows? I'm guessing they bring back Kali at some point before the show is done. I'd love to see more of Mayor Kline but only because Cary Elwes was criminally underused in ST3.

My problem with a spinoff is this: If the show isn't centered on some teens, it's not really Stranger Things anymore. So either you stick with the current kids and age the show with them, or you bring in new kids. I don't think either can work. The first would get old and you can't pull the same gag twice, ruling out the second.

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, it gets tricky trying to recapture that lightning again. Everything that hit out of the blue once before is tough to replicate without looking like you’re trying to. Which is usually the kiss of death.

They’ll probably try something.

[turtle]

'WandaVision' spinoff 'Agatha: House of Harkness' is coming to Disney+. Not sure how many more ways they can milk this cow, but I'll be up for watching it at some point. I know nothing of Agatha other than what was presented in WandaVision. Maybe she's had a long presence in the comics, I got no clue.

[709]

If it has the same writers and showrunners as WandaVision I'm all for it - Kathryn Hahn is fantastic.

Finally got around to watching Black Widow this past weekend and the end scene with you know who makes me look forward to Hawkeye even more.