Matricians: What are you watching?

[ASR]

I haven't seen Akira. But the Trapper Keeper episode of South Park is awesome.

Speaking of South Park, it's been on a roll as of late. The first episode of Season 12B wasn't all that great, but from then on it's just gotten better and better. "Elementary School Musical" was hilarious and I was just ecstatic that they finally got around to making fun of that joke-of-a-fad. Especially since I've had the idea about Pre-School Musical and Elementary School Musical and Middle School Musical for a while now.

In other news, I finally just finished catching up with Peep Show. Series 5 was GREAT. It's been a long time since I've seen the rest so I can't really judge this season accordingly, but I think it might've been the funniest season.

The last episode was the best, with the most laughs.

Now I'm about to start Chuck.

[Mikero]

I still haven't bothered to watch new South Parks.

[Edgecrusher]

Why do I keep watching Heroes?

I seriously want to know the answer to this.

Also, how is that Terminator show? I was scared away from the IP when the third movie left me wondering what I had just done with two hours of my life.

But I saw that preview at the beginning of The Dark Knight, and I'm starting to wonder if it isn't dead after all.

[Fatso]

It's okay, but even I have difficulty getting myself to watch the show, and in fact I haven't seen any of the new season yet.

Casting was #####ing terrible. Nobody at all looks in place there.



I have no opinion one way or another about the new movie.

[ASR]

All the channels in my area went to a "WEATHER EMERGENCY" screen and stopped broadcasting around 9:30PM last night, so if I had watched Heroes I wouldn't have been able to finish it anyway.

Apparently the composer for Sarah Connor Chronicles is a HUGE MegaMan fan and MM music is a huge inspiration to him.

He also does that SciFi show Eureka and reportedly has popped blatant ripoffs of MegaMan tunes into some of the music for that show because they give him more freedom.

[Fatso]

Wow, now I have to go back and listen for them.

[ASR]

He said something about the first episode of Season 3 and you should be able to easily recognize some tunes, if that helps.


EDIT: Found the source:
http://www.capcom-unity.com/s-kill/blog/2008/11/17/mega_man_music_inspires_tv_soundtracks

[Lunchebox]

Why do I keep watching Heroes?

I seriously want to know the answer to this.

Also, how is that Terminator show? I was scared away from the IP when the third movie left me wondering what I had just done with two hours of my life.

But I saw that preview at the beginning of The Dark Knight, and I'm starting to wonder if it isn't dead after all.

Probably to see what happens next.

Personally, I think the show is better with the father back and being the main villain, since I really felt the show needed a main antagonist.

I really really hate how the speedster girl is suddenly in love with Matt out of nowhere. And the stuff with Sylar.

[Mikero]

HEROES

Contains spoilers.
[spoiler]5:18:24 PM Robbie: so how bout them heroes?
5:18:32 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Mehful
5:26:10 PM Robbie: why is everyone so jaded
5:27:20 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: That episode wasn't really entertaining or anything, and was obvious Hiro was a kid right away, which makes it obvious that he's a kid later on in the future where he thinks Ando betrayed him, who clearly didn't but Hiro doesn't understand because he's 10.
5:27:38 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Only Parkman's stuff, again, was really any good.
5:28:17 PM Robbie: yeah that 3rd part of the formula thing was really lame
5:28:26 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Yeah
5:28:52 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Catalyst being a person sounds pretty garbage too.
5:28:53 PM Robbie: and nathan/nikki v.2 shouldn't even be on the show anymore
5:29:05 PM Robbie: they aren't so useful
5:29:28 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: I don't really mind since they aren't doing anything either way. They're not on for long, so it's not like they're brining the show down.
5:29:40 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: It's just been written sloppily lately.
5:30:08 PM Robbie: last week was way more interesting
5:30:11 PM Robbie: because it DIDN
5:30:18 PM Robbie: 'T deal with the current plot
5:32:36 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Yeah
5:32:56 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: I just hope more people don't end up related.
5:33:17 PM Robbie: daphne is still a mystery
5:33:37 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Yeah
5:33:45 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Should stay that way
5:34:04 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: I still like the show but this season I only really care about Terminator and House.
5:34:27 PM Robbie: i don't watch any other shows
5:34:34 PM Robbie: i pretty much have to make time to watch heroes
5:34:41 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: Yeah
5:34:46 PM m·c·COLLYMORE ☠: You HAVE to love it![/spoiler]


TERMINATOR
If Fatso is talking about Terminator (The Sarah Connor Chronicles or otherwise) he is actually crazy. I know a lot of Terminator ##### and I'm about to school ya.

-First of all, casting. The obvious casting to talk about is Sarah Connor. There's two philosophies I accept on this. The first one, which seems to have main following, is that she doesn't look enough like Sarah Connor in T2; Hard. As. #####.

I personally don't belong to the this camp. The other side is that she looks right for the story. Or at least the start. The show doesn't start off right after the events of T2 at all, there's been a lot of time since then (~10 years), and Sarah and John have sort of settled down while remaining fugitives. 1997 has passed without incident so while they aren't complacent they are under a general impression that Judgement Day won't be happening. I'm not going to get too much into what's happened in the decade between T2 and TSCC, but basically you can assume there wasn't this need for a ridicu-tough bod on this woman. Her actual character however is still pretty tough.

Side note: This is TV and thus she has to be better looking than in the last movie. And I find the woman playing Sarah really, really, hot at times (especially in the "The Mother Of All Destiny" promo image from last year, which is my wallpaper at work... Ahem). She also hasn't been routinely abused in a #####ing mental institution lately either. So come on.

John Connor actually has the best casting in the show and possibly all of the franchise if you look at it the right way. As a sidebar, if anyone else was playing him they probably have him look way too much like a total pussbag. Anyway literally JUST before I started watching the show I watched the three Terminator movies online, and then watched the show's episodes online as well (was doing huge reading projects where I literally was up 24/7 at my table working). One thing I immediately noticed about the show is that John not only looks like the perfect half-way between the John Connor in T2 and the--uhm--"John Connor" in T3 but he actually has faint resemblance to the guy who played Kyle Reese in the original Terminator movie.

Speaking of which, they casted well for him (he's seen once or twice in memories of the future. It's not as convoluted as it sounds) in the show.

The only other real casting thing (since almost everyone else is new characters anyway other than a few T2 characters that show up a bit) would be Summer Glau as Cameron. But that's just a stupid argument because while yes she is a Terminator is does NOT mean she can't be jail bait too. This was the reason she almost didn't audition for the role, as she thought it was for icy blond types a la T3. The idea that she wouldn't look threatening is probably the smartest innovation Skynet has made since the T-1000.

Enough of casting. Although I should mention I think Brian Austin Green is great in it, and instead of seeing David from the original 90210 in Terminator, I see his Terminator character in old 90210 reruns.



-Now, as for how much the show is or is not Terminator. Well, it all is. It's more Terminator than Metroid Prime is Metroid, obviously. It's more Terminator than T3 was that's for SURE and I can really argue it. As far as mythos, the show actually follows the damn POINT of the Terminator series quoted like as if from God to Mary to Jesus to God and back again, the message John Connor (Jesus) of the future sent along with Kyle Reese (God) for Sarah Connor; "The future is not set". Also, the show keeps the tech-noir (a combination of cyberpunk, film noir, and sci-fi coined by James Cameron in "The Terminator", another example of tech-noir is "Blade Runner") feel of the first two as much as it can with the voiceover diary (Chronicles lol) bits that Sarah Connor has.

T3 took a dump on both those concepts by literally such things as "the future was going to happen either way" and having John do the voice over diary stuff, which makes sense, but sounds like ##### (a writing flaw).

Anyway, show content contains a lot of the actual stuff from the movies, and has pretty Terminatorly action at parts, though it is primarily a character driven drama. Over arching stories aside, episodes often have to do with ensuring that Judgment Day doesn't happen by elminating all traces of Terminators (who, since the Connors have re-blipped on the grid I suppose, have been coming back to kill John as well as perform other missions), namely the hand and chip Cyberdyne may one day use to create what will lead to Skynet.

As of season 2, episodes can also deal with ensuring the safety of people who will help John in the future resistance in a notable way, eliminating people who, whether indirectly or with intent, help to create Skynet and/or help Skynet in the future, as well as stopping Terminators with specific missions such as securing a compound or resource for Skynet to use in the future. As well as the "holy ##### there's a #####ing Terminator after me run" stuff.


As for actual quality, well I personally love the show and it's one of the only two (the other is House) shows I care about right now. However, I can see why some people say it's not all that. It can move a bit slowly. The pilot episode has a very Terminator feel in the run-for-your-life aspect, but is kind of bland. The rest of the show is more about the characters and the whole saga than that. If you're versed in Terminator well enough (which means actually knowing what the point is and how it works, which isn't hard to pick up by actually paying attention to the story of the movies) then it's probably more rewarding than if you don't know what this is. It probably helps that I'm a big fan of the first two movies. Still, the worst reviews I've heard of it were "It's OK" so it's at least worth checking it out and see for yourself. Reminder: The pilot/first episode isn't really the flow of the show.




Now then. I'm gonna get more nerdly here. Having no opinion on T4 is what clues me into some FAT kid here not knowing what he's talking about when he talks Terminator. Seems you either like the idea or you hate it, usually. Most people I've met that like the idea don't really know Terminator either but... Well I'm against the whole idea of T4, mainly because it takes place during a war that shouldn't even happen. It's not really T4's fault though, it's T3's. I've said a couple things wrong with T3 earlier, but let me add some more. The Arnold Terminator in it is reprogrammed by John's future wife, no problem there, to stop the T-X (which is lame) from killing her and other future resistance generals, no problem yet, but the stupid #####ing thing about that is that Arnold mentions that he was reprogrammed after he killed John in the future.

RRRREN. Sorry. Nope, wrong. I don't care if John is dead, he's not my boyfriend (YET), but this contradicts a major thing. The entire point of having the final battle of the war fought in our past, is that by the time that Skynet sends back the Terminator from the first movie and the T-1000 (both were sent at the same time, but to different time periods), the resistance already breached Skynet's defences making killing John in the future (or Skynet's present) completely useless; The war has essentially already been won when the Terminators are sent back in time. Also the idea that John's sentiment for the line of Terminators that look Arnold, based on his experiences in T2, is the reason that he was duped and killed by one is some of the poorest writing I could imagine in a Terminator movie.

There's a lot more stupidness in T3 that ruins the whole idea of the thing, and thank John Connor that the show basically says in the first ten minutes "##### the third movie", but I'm gonna move on to my problem with the fourth movie. And it's simple. It shouldn't exist. Since the whole point of Terminator was that you could change the future, that meant that the whole point was also stopping this from happening. The third movie went up to that concept, grabbed it by the balls and whispered "##### you, I hate you, go eat a dick you theme" ever so sweetly in it's ear. The story fourth movie could be entertaining, it could even be good, but it's irrelevant because the war should even happen. It is, without attempt to even hide it, a complete cash grab.

Whatever. I like the show a lot.
I really liked this week and last week's episodes a lot.

[ASR]

I don't even rant like that about Lost.

Speaking of which, I'm going to try and get some friends into pretty soon.

I have a friend who stopped watching the show, and she said she'd sell me her Season 1 and 2 on DVD for $20, which is pretty much the only price I'd pay for them since I normally don't buy dramas on DVD. And that means that I'll want to buy both Seasons 3 and 4, too... but I can live with that since I got the first two half-off.

Basically, I really want to rewatch the entire series before Season 5 starts because I haven't done that at all. I've only gone back and rewatched the first two seasons once, and that was with my mom to catch her up before Season 3.

Basically I just find myself forgetting a lot of things from the show and I've been losing interest lately, so I'd like a refresher because I used to be REALLY into it and want to get that feeling back again.

And it's more fun to watch with other people, so that's my plan. Yeah.

[Mikero]

That was nothing I could do more about almost anything.

I'm watching a Lost rerun right now.
Jealous?

[ASR]

I COULD go on more about almost anything as well, but I don't.

And not really, no.

But yeah, I'm just remembering those classic moments like:
[spoiler]When Hurley is checking the list of passengers and then he comes up to Jack and says "One of them... wasn't on the plane." And then it cuts to Ethan being all creepy.

Or "You've got some Arnst on you."

Or when they blow up the #####ing hatch.

Or when Hurley's CD player dies. Don't ask. I love that part because it carries some odd emotional weight that really gets me.

The whole genuine "What the #####ing ##### ##### #####" that is the opening of the first episode of Season 2.

OR CHARLIEEEE. AND HIS DEATH. MAAAAAN.[/spoiler]

And countless more.

[Mikero]

Charlie was/is the only character I really like/liked.

This episode is the one where I guess it's the first one with Ben since he just introduced himself to Locke with some other name and said he was from Minnesota and crashed on the island "just. like. you."

Meh.

[ASR]

Henry Gale.

[Mikero]

Dontrly Care.

[Edgecrusher]

LOST is another show I haven't seen anything of and know very little about.

I'm told I'd like it, but I'm afraid to watch it because I somehow suspect people don't know what the ##### they're talking about.

I also get bored when plots don't go anywhere.

[ASR]

Lost basically throws so much at you all at once that the plot is always going SOMEWHERE, but rarely in the direction you want it to be going.

I honestly don't know if you'd like it.

Definitely give the first season a try, though. At the very least, watch the pilot.

[Mikero]

Nothing ever happens in lost. Like three times a year something actually happens that CHANGES something. There's new questions (always plural) per episode but when they're finally explained you either don't care anymore or it turns out it's not even close to important.

Also, talking to anyone about what's going on in the show pisses me off so much that I'm actually getting pissed off talking about how talking about pisses me off. But that's just people acting like I'm automatically wrong because they read theories people post on the internet, which is somehow more valid that the theory of their in person actual friend.

BTW dey clearly moved it (you know what I'm referring to if you watched the end of last season) thru time.

Thanks #####heads, now my friend actually believes that. It could be true, sure, but he says that's what happened as if the show actually said that, the #####ing asshole.

I'll watch the show, 'cause I kinda like it. But I won't talk about anything if my opinion isn't respected. And nearly every real life Lost fan I know acts like, and I have no idea why (yet another question the show has brought up).

[ASR]

Yeah, I've encountered people like that. But I've also encountered people unlike that.

And then there's my mom, who hates it whenever something supernatural happens on the show because she has no imagination. You should've seen her face when they showed the smoke monster.

[Edgecrusher]

Something else that scares me away.

[Mikero]

The fact that it's still called a "smoke monster" and not something like... cool at all, kinda isn't helping.

[ASR]

Well, there's probably a better name for it (though it's probably still not cool at all) but they won't reveal it for another 56 episodes.

Or they'll reveal one letter every 22 episodes or something.


OOH LOOK GUYS LOST JOKES

[Mikero]

I got one!

What did Ben say to Locke?

[spoiler]Nothing important! HahahahahahahahaaaaGET IT?[/spoiler]

[ASR]

Why is 6 afraid of 4?

[spoiler]
Because 4-8-15-16-23-42! AAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA.[/spoiler]

[Edgecrusher]

Those numbers are clearly the core values of a mathematical formula designed to predict the end of humanity. Each number representing a human or environmental factor represented as numerical constants.

I mean, obviously.

[ASR]

Just watched the season finale of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

That was one of the funniest things I've watched lately.

Posted on: 22 November 2008, 07:00:17

Started watching Chuck from the beginning. It's actually a pretty good show. Not perfect, but certainly enjoyable.

There was a GREAT Lost reference in the second episode. Possibly the greatest tongue-in-cheek reference to another show that there has ever been.

[Mikero]

I saw an episode of this show called Eleventh Hour recently. It stars the lead from the cult movie Dark City (which is good) and that's why I left it on, since I recognized the guy. It was pretty good. I'd start watching it if I actually knew when it was on.

He's like some really smart doctor working for the CIA or FBI or other three letter high authority. So he has some agent with him who I guess is his handler, but he goes around solving hyper mysterious murders.

[Fatso]

Dark City is good. Sounds intriguing, but then again I don't watch TV.

[ASR]

It sounds like 90% of what's on TV nowadays.

[Mikero]

Yes, it does. But it's actually good. It's more CSI than House, where House combines detective and doctor shows. Except that CSI is awful. Also, whatever it is about this actor, he's really interesting to watch. Or weird. I can't tell.

[ASR]

CSI uses The Who music in all their openings, so when I'm flipping through channels and see the opening on, which is admittedly quite a bit, I'll sit through it all. And then immediately change the channel when the opening ends.

[Mikero]

I wouldn't dislike CSI so much if there wasn't one of the ever growing versions on at ANYTIME. It's like worse than how often Seinfeld and The Simpsons reruns are shown.

[ASR]

I honestly don't see The Simpsons on very often. But yeah, CSI and Seinfeld are insane.

[Fatso]

I just made the unfortunate mistake of watching the first bit of an episode of Heroes.

They lost me at "total annular eclipse." I'm sorry, my common sense is not that willing to go hang.

[Mikero]

Actually I rather liked this week's episode. Either all my expectations are removed, or it was good. But other people liked it too, so I guess it was good. Even though Loeb clearly wrote it ("We have plenty of Red Hulk's"). Seth Green? Yes. Breckin Meyer? Yes.

But let's be real;
The Red Hulk storyline sucked by the way, Mr. Loeb. It was OK at first, until you yanked the reader and wasted six months of his time that summer when I turned 22.

[ChaosVortex]

The last time I turned on a TV that didn't involve playing a game, Obama got elected.

Not really that long ago, but me watching TV is so rare nowadays.

[ASR]

WHO GOT ELECTED WHAT

Posted on: 25 November 2008, 05:22:57

Had a huge Scrubs marathon today. A bunch of us sat and watched the entire seventh season on DVD in one sitting.

I find it humorous, but I know deep down that it's... well... not a good show. But I got into it before I developed what we high society chaps call "good taste," and for whatever reason I still like the show. Even though I know it's not even that funny.

[Edgecrusher]

Sylar has been ruined. If he killing isn't the price of his power, he's boring.

I'm glad they went somewhere with the Speedsters past. I was tired of the constant "We could have you returned to your former life". They seriously beat you over the head with that one.

I will always love Noah.

[ChaosVortex]

I... actually turned on the TV last night and watched The Office.

Turned it off shortly afterwards during a commercial break.

I think I actually just might be hating television. :x

[NovaMan XP]

It was probably just the commercials that you hated.

[ASR]

I love commercials. I don't know what it is about them, but I loooove them. I could watch commercials all day.

[Fatso]

HE'S BEEN INFECTED

DECONTAMINATE!

[ChaosVortex]

It was probably just the commercials that you hated.

Or perhaps the fact I was bored out of my skull watching it.

[ASR]

I haven't watched The Office US in ages. Like, not since the first few episodes of the 3rd season. And I actually enjoy it.

[Mikero]

I disliked it at first, but I've seen a bit here an there lately and enjoyed it.

[ASR]

It's a very different flavor then the original UK version, and once you approach it that way, it's actually pretty good in its own right.

The first American season was such a blatant ripoff of the original that I hated it at first, too.

[Mikero]

I still feel lukewarm on both versions.

[Johncarllos]

So, the new episode of Heroes wasn't bad at all.

It's like they hired new writers or something.

[Mikero]

I really liked it. Even though it STILL had a Loeb reference. Oh Loeb, you fuddy duddy.

Writers' were the same as last episode (obviously), but not new. Just a new team-up.

Still, I would've rather [spoiler]the powers were negated by the eclipse completely (and for the duration of it) so they'd have to spend some more time trying to find a way to get the powers back. I mean it was like "Let's find a way. Oh wait, it'll fix itself whatev."

And my poor Elle.

More;

10:05:09 PM Robbie: pretty interesting episode!
10:05:23 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Yeah I liked it
10:05:29 PM Robbie: elle
10:05:37 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Yeah
10:06:01 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Even with blood all over them I just want to nibble on her sweet legs
10:06:19 PM Robbie: haha
10:06:24 PM Robbie: she has nice ones
10:06:32 PM Robbie: i thought so too, when they were in the supermarket
10:06:33 PM Robbie: lol
10:06:42 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Yeah exactly
10:07:33 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Jeph Loeb put more of his comics in again, with Ultimatum stuff.
10:08:03 PM Robbie: ultimatum?
10:08:27 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: It's the next event in Ultimates or something
10:08:56 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: One of the comics Hiro got, the one that wasn't 9th Wonders! has the Ultimatum banner on top like they do
10:09:12 PM Robbie: i was totally wondering about 9th wonders
10:09:19 PM Robbie: i was thinking... isaac died like 2 years ago...
10:09:27 PM Robbie: i'm glad they addressed that
10:09:28 PM Robbie: hah
10:09:42 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Yeah really
10:09:57 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: But I guess it's only been months since Season 1 to them
10:10:17 PM Robbie: yeah
10:10:20 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: So 9th Wonders would have come out maybe twice since the plaza stuff
10:10:22 PM Robbie: like a year i guess
10:10:36 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Yeah maybe
10:10:54 PM Robbie: now hiro and claire are having a time travelling adventure...
10:10:59 PM Robbie: you know this ain't gonna be pretty
10:11:06 PM Robbie: they are both retards
10:11:06 PM Robbie: lol
10:11:15 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Truf.
10:11:33 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: But I don't know, could be interesting. Their past stuff is usually the best stuff.
10:12:56 PM Robbie: yeah, it should reveal some more interesting stuff
10:13:10 PM Robbie: unlike future... which is just crazy speculation
10:13:43 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: That's just usually a fun aside. Like an act break. Since you know it's not ENTIRELY important.
10:13:58 PM Robbie: yeah
10:14:09 PM Robbie: pretty much thats what they've been for so far
10:14:15 PM Robbie: just some fan service
10:14:22 PM m·c·COLLYMORE (solid god of throwing down) ☠ Who's Gonna Save My Soul?: Yeah
[/spoiler]

[ASR]

You heard it here first, folks! Mike likes to nibble bloody legs!

Posted on:  2 December 2008, 05:15:54

Started Chuck Season 2.

In the first episode, they play a Flight of the Conchords song! Totally unexpected dose of awesome.

The creators of Chuck must have really similar taste to mine, what with all the references to things I like. Though I can't say I care much for Dune and Call of Duty, which get a lot references as well.

But yeah, that was a great season premiere and furthers my high opinion of the show.

I definitely reccomend it, and there isn't much out there yet so it's easy to get caught up. One of the better shows on the air right now. Adam Baldwin's character is great.