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Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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I'd recommend The Broadchurch to you @MDD, but that's not foreign. Still, insanely good and criminally underrated. It's not a classical whodunit series, it's that but at the same time so much more. Olafur Arnalds made music for it, which is incredible and fits so well.
 

MDD

Elite Member
Jul 17, 2020
1,116 Posts
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Uk
I'd recommend The Broadchurch to you @MDD, but that's not foreign. Still, insanely good and criminally underrated. It's not a classical whodunit series, it's that but at the same time so much more. Olafur Arnalds made music for it, which is incredible and fits so well.

Ive heard that's good. I will add to the ever growing list. Line of duty new season is due soon, so the priority order will change.
 
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Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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Curb Your Enthusiasm is getting a bit worse IMO (I'm at season 5). More and more outlandish scenarios... Kinda feels forced and a bit overboard.
 

MDD

Elite Member
Jul 17, 2020
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Uk
Curb Your Enthusiasm is getting a bit worse IMO (I'm at season 5). More and more outlandish scenarios... Kinda feels forced and a bit overboard.
Still love it. Easy tv and puts a smile on my face.
 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
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Still love it. Easy tv and puts a smile on my face.
Yeah it's by no means bad, it's just that I've become as critical with movies and TV as I am with trance. 👀
 

Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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I finished watching Ted Lasso S1. A comedy from Apple about an American Football coach who becomes manager of an English Premier League team. I would usually never go for this kind of stuff as they are always shit but I loved this one. Just harmless fun, very likeable characters and actually quite emotional at times. Its also the perfect blend of American and British humour. Really surprised at how much I enjoyed season 1.

It started off as an TV advert/sketch 7 years ago which they eventually turned into a show.

 

Hensmon

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How did they manage to turn 3-4 sketches (which were cringe but somehow still funny) into a series? It's really that good?

They made the character shown in the sketches less obnoxiously annoying and more obnoxiously optimistic, which works really well. It doesnt use cringe factor as the driving force which I was glad as its been done to death in British comedy. Its a great season, in terms of easy-watching, harmless fun, underdog stuff. The main character Ted Lasso is outstanding.
 
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Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
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They made the character shown in the sketches less obnoxiously annoying and more obnoxiously optimistic, which works really well. It doesnt use cringe factor as the driving force which I was glad as its been done to death in British comedy. Its a great season, in terms of easy-watching, harmless fun, underdog stuff. The main character Ted Lasso is outstanding.
Never believed you. But then I tried watching the first episode earlier tonight.

So, 5 episodes in, gotta say it's lovely. It's a bit corny at times, but it's just wonderful. Sort of a feel-good, guilty pleasure type of series.
 
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Hensmon

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Yeah man, its really good. Football is not really a part of it, more the relationships, which sounds like a standard or even cliche thing but they do it so well. Ted even has some kind of dark things going on too which I liked. Its the perfect blend of American and British humour
 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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That whole last episode was brilliant. I died at the Lasso Special (SBLII memories), and also at the final scene. Otherwise, a nice way to wrap the 1st season.

Oh, and also:

 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
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The new South ParQ: Vaccination Special was alright, but unfortunately still plagued with the overdramatic music and filler scenes and "shots". Everything just sort of changed for the worse, they are trying to be smart, but it's barely funny anymore. Only a couple of scenes were a bit funny, whereas I can watch the first ~10-15 seasons and still laugh at them, even though they are outdated or stupid or whatever.

Top Gear Season 30 was alright too. What bothers me are the (seemingly fake) laughs from the presenters, which the editors had to leave in because we wouldn't know something was funny otherwise. Regardless, they are starting to gel together, and, as always, Harris is carrying the entire show on his shoulders. The travel restrictions meant they are less ambitious now with their stunts and ideas, which is nice. I always prefer to see them drive cars and talk VS seing a car over which a bike jumps over which a helicopter flies over which a supersonic jet fighter flies over which a space shuttle flies etc.

Last but not least, starting to enjoy SEAL Team again. I was sort of thinking about stopping it, because it's a mediocre overdramatic show about a military unit (from US, no less), so you can sort of imagine how it is, even without seeing a single scene. But then something interesting happens, like a veteran suicide, or an arrest for war crimes etc., which makes it seem like it's a bit more realistic than usual. Still, a stupidly mediocre series, but for some reason I'm still watching.
 

Hensmon

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Finished The Expanse. Excellent series overall, one of my favourite in recent years. Production design of the sets, CGI and UI is so good it completely created a believable world with fantastic characters.

S1 and S2 were the best. S3 had its moments but then took a nose-dive in last 5 eps to truly shocking levels of TV...i think this was when they were about to get cancelled but then boom S4 and S5 completely turned it around for some classic sci-fi TV. S5 tainted by the abrupt killing of a character due to his off-screen personal life 'choices', damn it really ruined some things for me. Currently rating it 8/10, lets if the last season can keep deliver.
 

brandonl

Senior Member
Jul 17, 2020
319 Posts
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Guelph, Ont, Canada
Finished The Expanse. Excellent series overall, one of my favourite in recent years. Production design of the sets, CGI and UI is so good it completely created a believable world with fantastic characters.

S1 and S2 were the best. S3 had its moments but then took a nose-dive in last 5 eps to truly shocking levels of TV...i think this was when they were about to get cancelled but then boom S4 and S5 completely turned it around for some classic sci-fi TV. S5 tainted by the abrupt killing of a character due to his off-screen personal life 'choices', damn it really ruined some things for me. Currently rating it 8/10, lets if the last season can keep deliver.


The Expanse is a truly fantastic sci-fi drama. Honestly its a masterpiece of art. I haven't read the books which the show is based on but am familiar with the books. The Expanse is easily one of the greatest sci-fi shows of all time and the best one currently running on tv. It's honestly a better Star Trek show than Picard or Discovery and it's not even a Star Trek show lol. I can't wait for the final season and a possible spinoff.
 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
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Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and Cosmos: Possible Worlds

Loved the 1st one from almost the time it came out, as it made me fall in love with astrophysics and science in general. The budget for special FX alone seems abnormally high, everything looks stunning, and Neil is amazing in his role. The passion with which he speaks, his voice... A perfect choice.

I started watching the 2nd one as it was coming out, but unfortunately some of the language annoyed me, such as referring to objects with he/she, instead of it, which instantly makes me think PC, which makes me wonder why and was it even necessary, so I stopped mid-way. But I've decided to start over now, and it buffs out quickly (or you just get used to it). It's good, and I've still managed to learn some fascinating things. The only real issue I have with it is that, for flashback sequences, sometimes they go with their animation from S1, sometimes they use claymation w/ stop-motion, and sometimes they use real actors. Why isn't it consistent?

Louie (by and starring Louie CK)

Love the humour. It's not obvious or in your face, features some of his standup as well as acted scenes (probably) inspired by his real life. Manages to inject humour into everyday activities, random acts of weirdness by others and whatnot. Had quite a few hard laughs in the first 5 episodes.
 

Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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Here's some small reviews of things I watched recently

Attack on Titan, Season 4 - Was so unbelievably hyped for this, one of my favourite shows from recent years. Heartbreaking to see the new animation style if i'm honest. The colour grading was so bad I couldn't believe it. The movements of mouths and arms just horrid. The CGI increased but the fluidity of battle scenes lost. Washed out rigid bullshit. Half the time I didn't even know what characters I was looking. @dmgtz96 did you feel similar? Even comparing the intro to the old seasons, its like watching a college students attempt to make something. Even the great music/sound details from the old series are gone. It was like the soul of the show was ripped out for me, found it hard to see past that but I did get used to it just about. The story was very interesting and cool, but rushed and often confusing. The suspense and flow has totally gone. Hmmmm, bit frustrating actually. 7.1/10

Raised by Wolves -
Usually love HBO content but this one I couldn't even finish, watched about 6 episodes. ShockingTV really, very dumb, cliche, poorly acted, embarrassing things to further the plot. Style over substance and not even that stylistic. Loads of the same problems with Alien Covenant in this show, Ridley has lost it I think. 5.4/10

Vinland Saga
- Sweet anime based off a manga. Same studio who did the previous Attack on Titan seasons and you can tell. looks beautiful, lots of fluid movements and the story was cool too. Pretty violent and could get better but the story isnt as interesting as other great animes. 7.6/10

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex -
3rd time rewatching this fantastic anime. So ahead of its time, beautiful visuals and sci-fi concepts, great characters and an interesting main plot. Recommended for any anime lovers. 8/10
 
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dmgtz96

Elite Member
Jul 13, 2020
2,640 Posts
1,499 Thanked
Here's some small reviews of things I watched recently

Attack on Titan, Season 4 - Was so unbelievably hyped for this, one of my favourite shows from recent years. Heartbreaking to see the new animation style if i'm honest. The colour grading was so bad I couldn't believe it. The movements of mouths and arms just horrid. The CGI increased but the fluidity of battle scenes lost. Washed out rigid bullshit. Half the time I didn't even know what characters I was looking. @dmgtz96 did you feel similar? Even comparing the intro to the old seasons, its like watching a college students attempt to make something. Even the great music/sound details from the old series are gone. It was like the soul of the show was ripped out for me, found it hard to see past that but I did get used to it just about. The story was very interesting and cool, but rushed and often confusing. The suspense and flow has totally gone. Hmmmm, bit frustrating actually. 7.1/10
I dropped Attack on Titan S4 like 8 episodes in mainly due to the change in storytelling. Seasons 1-3 were largely linear with a bit of background here and there, but season 4 killed the pace with all these new characters. To be honest, I am not interested in picking it back up, especially given how the manga ended.
 

Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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UK
I dropped Attack on Titan S4 like 8 episodes in mainly due to the change in storytelling.

Say what!? Despite my disappointment its still a fantastic show. The others were 9/10 for me sometimes so not meeting that same level was part of it. The introduction of the new world/characters was excellent I think and about time we learned that side, it all ties in perfectly with the overal commentary of the futility of war. I guess if youve read the manga you know how the story ends, but I have no idea, so still very much interested in how things go on.

Remember though that Season 1 had some of the worst pacing i've ever seen in a show (inner monologues within inner monologues??) but stick with it and it pays off. s4 got much better in the final 6 episodes in the pacing regards too.
 
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