The off topic thread #2

[Buckleys Jocks]

Seriously though, what do you get out of watching these shows from an artistic viewpoint SM? It's just laid on entertainment, that's all. Just some money making scheme that will keep rolling on until viewers dwindle through lack of interest. There's no art involved in it

This is just so unbelievably ignorant that I don't even know where to start. What do you actually watch for you to form such strong opinions on the state of TV?

To say you can't get anything from it but mindless entertainment is just absurd. I'm not a huge music fan like you are but TV is my great love because for as long as I can remember I've been obsessed with story and for me TV is my favourite medium for story telling. That you think successful shows have to appeal to the lowest common denominator and focus on making money rather than storytelling is just incredibly ignorant of the current market and what is actually being produced. Your rant last week about how there's nothing creative or unique in popular music these days couldn't be any further from the truth when it comes to TV right now. In terms of the quality of production and budgets available in TV we really are in a golden era thanks to the overwhelming success of shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and True Detective which have managed to bring complex story telling and extremely high end production values to the attention of the general public. TV has never been more appealing for A grade actors, directors and writers as it is now and we are seeing some quality stories as a result.

Look at a show like Mr Robot which is an insanely ambitious concept that never would have been made even five years ago. This is a show that relies on the intelligence and viewing experiences of the audience to try and follow an extremely complex plot and theme heavy narrative. This show is so self aware that it is actively including the audience at times and the insane level of detail packed into every frame by the creator Sam Esmail is done so because he knows the fans watching along at home are scouring through all of it to find the next big clue. This show is breaking all sorts of grounds and is being backed in for the long run by the network because of this.

If you can't see that quality available at the moment WR then I actually pity you.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

This is just so unbelievably ignorant that I don't even know where to start. What do you actually watch for you to form such strong opinions on the state of TV?

To say you can't get anything from it but mindless entertainment is just absurd. I'm not a huge music fan like you are but TV is my great love because for as long as I can remember I've been obsessed with story and for me TV is my favourite medium for story telling. That you think successful shows have to appeal to the lowest common denominator and focus on making money rather than storytelling is just incredibly ignorant of the current market and what is actually being produced. Your rant last week about how there's nothing creative or unique in popular music these days couldn't be any further from the truth when it comes to TV right now. In terms of the quality of production and budgets available in TV we really are in a golden era thanks to the overwhelming success of shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and True Detective which have managed to bring complex story telling and extremely high end production values to the attention of the general public. TV has never been more appealing for A grade actors, directors and writers as it is now and we are seeing some quality stories as a result.

Look at a show like Mr Robot which is an insanely ambitious concept that never would have been made even five years ago. This is a show that relies on the intelligence and viewing experiences of the audience to try and follow an extremely complex plot and theme heavy narrative. This show is so self aware that it is actively including the audience at times and the insane level of detail packed into every frame by the creator Sam Esmail is done so because he knows the fans watching along at home are scouring through all of it to find the next big clue. This show is breaking all sorts of grounds and is being backed in for the long run by the network because of this.

If you can't see that quality available at the moment WR then I actually pity you.

Another great post (SM are you making notes?).

Ok you got me, I was playing devils advocate to a degree. I'll hold my hands up and say the last TV show I avidly watched was the Inbetweeners. These yank shows, I've perhaps not paid them the respect and attention they deserve.

Ok I will make this pledge. This week I will go out and get a box set of one of these lauded shows. Mr Robot sounds good. Are there any other suggestions?

 

[Zidane98]

Gavin & Stacey is a good show for a laugh WR.

The main character is a Spurs fan

 

[SM]

That's a great response. That's all I was after - an impassioned reply that put me in my place without getting nasty or personal.

I'm in total agreement with much of what you said.

You mean exactly the same thing as I did several hours ago and you chose to ignore?

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Gavin & Stacey is a good show for a laugh WR.

The main character is a Spurs fan

Loads of people tried to get me into it - my gf at the time loved it. I didn't!

 

[SM]

Another great post (SM are you making notes?).

Ok you got me, I was playing devils advocate to a degree. I'll hold my hands up and say the last TV show I avidly watched was the Inbetweeners. These yank shows, I've perhaps not paid them the respect and attention they deserve.

Ok I will make this pledge. This week I will go out and get a box set of one of these lauded shows. Mr Robot sounds good. Are there any other suggestions?

Oh **** off with your condescending shit. I posted posts almost word for word the same as these.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

You mean exactly the same thing as I did several hours ago and you chose to ignore?

Perhaps, but by then you had already chose to engage with me in a negative fashion.

 

[SM]

Perhaps, but by then you had already chose to engage with me in a negative fashion.

No i hadn't.

 

[Zidane98]

Loads of people tried to get me into it - my gf at the time loved it. I didn't!

Really? Smithy is hilarious on the show. They take the piss out of the Welsh too which is always funny.

 

[Sozabarus]

Ok I will make this pledge

Here we go again. Some people never learn.

 

[SM]

This notion that shows have to have a mass-appeal to be successful is also ridiculously dated. Shows on Netflix/Pretso/Stan/Amazon etc. can thrive and do well despite having smaller audiences.

Shows aren't mass-produced in some cookie-cutter style that WR seems to think they are.

Mr Robot, for instance, is a brilliantly thought provoking commentary on the way that technology has pervaded our lives. Has WR given that a go despite our conversations on here about it? I doubt it.

Stranger Things is a great pastiche of 1980's thriller/Sci-Fi and explores a lot of very real themes about the loss of a child while also providing great entertainment and interesting twists.

The list goes on.

But it's the same as with music. We post things that are great and interesting, and he'll refuse to listen, or just say "Nah I don't like it therefore it's bad."

I could think of dozens of examples. Season 1 ended with the President and his entourage being shot at, and the season 2 premiere deals with the fall out from that as one of the cast fights for his life, and there is a very passionate argument/debate about gun control laws and their effects on people.

Charlie, a black intern, assumes he is applying for a job as essentially a janitor, but is given the job of personal aid to the President, and at various times in the show he discusses his upbringing with his mother being a black cop.

A special episode was aired following 9/11 where the role of Muslims in the community and the changing perceptions of them would have a profound effect on people, but that people needed to continue living their lives as normal.

A Hispanic man runs for the Presidency in the final season and deals with all of the racial issues that come with that.

There are plenty more I could list as well but those were the four that came to mind first. I haven't re-watched the show in a number of years, Jatz might be better placed to help you out.

Or, you know, you could watch it.

Do either of these posts look familiar?

Do either of them contain anything aggressive, or negative?

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Do either of these posts look familiar?

Do either of them contain anything aggressive, or negative?

No, but you started the conversation with me in a snide fashion, which was unnecessary. From then on it just becomes tit for tat. When will you learn?

 

[SM]

No, but you started the conversation with me in a snide fashion, which was unnecessary. From then on it just becomes tit for tat. When will you learn?

You mean when you started the conversation by trying to take me down a peg for wanting to talk about West Wing?

It's past 5am there. Log off the computer and go to bed. You've managed to annoy almost every single poster in this thread and yet you still fail to recnogise what you're doing.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

You mean when you started the conversation by trying to take me down a peg for wanting to talk about West Wing?

It's past 5am there. Log off the computer and go to bed. You've managed to annoy almost every single poster in this thread and yet you still fail to recnogise what you're doing.

I'm actually working - night shift.

Never took you down. Page 31 - you started it

 

[Jatz]

This has gone on long enough gents. Move it along or we'll help do it for you.

 

[elhadjihenry]

This has gone on long enough gents. Move it along or we'll help do it for you.

Anyone know any good online shoe stores aside from ASOS and the Iconic?

 

[SM]

I'm actually working - night shift.

Never took you down. Page 31 - you started it

You started it with your idiotic critique of me using "K" to end a sentence.

Drop it.

 

[SM]

This has gone on long enough gents. Move it along or we'll help do it for you.

Thank you.

 

[Jatz]

Anyone know any good online shoe stores aside from ASOS and the Iconic?

What kind of shoes you looking for?

https://www.hypedc.com/

 

[Spanish Sahara]

Thread going beautifully

 

[WealstoneRaider]

You started it with your idiotic critique of me using "K" to end a sentence.

Drop it.

Settle down, Jatz has asked that we stop, so don't try and reignite it

 

[elhadjihenry]

What kind of shoes you looking for?

https://www.hypedc.com/

Black casual shoes that are smart enough to wear to work (in a fairly informal office).

edit: preferably an australian based store so shipping doesn't cost a fortune.

 

[SM]

Yeah I probably need to get new shoes soon, my GF's dog stole the sole out of one of them and I can't figure out where it's gone haha so they're a bit tough to wear.

 

[Jatz]

Black casual shoes that are smart enough to wear to work (in a fairly informal office).

edit: preferably an australian based store so shipping doesn't cost a fortune.

I won't even pretend to suggest any haha.

I wear business shoes, just find them so bloody comfy. Business shoes, black jeans and a polo. For every reason I hate work, the dress code isn't one of them.

 

[SM]

I won't even pretend to suggest any haha.

I wear business shoes, just find them so bloody comfy. Business shoes, black jeans and a polo. For every reason I hate work, the dress code isn't one of them.

Yeah I need to get new business shoes soon but I agree my shoes are pretty comfy too.