[I think I missed this fad]

35 minutes ago, Butch Griffin said:

Thor was badass in Ragnarok and honestly his development was pretty damn great. I can agree that Thor wasn't the most focused or the most complex of his own movie but Taika made him an outstanding character and Thor was just as badass, If not more in Infinity War. I really hope they aren't done with Thor yet. I would love to see a forth movie with God Butcher. Never read that run before (still waiting for the whole run to be out in my country) but I know that run is considered modern classic. Although I doubt they'd do Jane Thor since Nataline Portman quit MCU. Ragnarok is easily one of my fav MCU movies and I hope you see the full thing?

The whole run is killer, and it's still going. God Butcher was probably the best of Jason Aaron's original Thor run, and the first volume of Jane Foster Thor isn't super amazing, but once he gets the exposition out of the way it picks right back up with Thunder in Her Veins and it's been really fun. Plot can be a bit wonky at times and the dialogue isn't the greatest, but it's just so awesome watching Jane lead Asgardia to war and seeing Odinson riding around on a space goat and wielding a giant axe. Highly highly recommend checking out the whole thing when you can.

Portman was very much wasted in the role and deserved a much better treatment, so I would hope that if Marvel approaches her with the idea to come back and do a Jane Foster Thor movie she'd be open to it because she could be this badass woman thunder god that's proving she's just as strong as any other "true" God and she's doing what she's doing out of a sense of innate goodness and the hope to inspire change at the cost of literally losing her entire identity because becoming Thor is the only thing keeping her alive instead of doing what she's doing because she's an arrogant power hungry egomaniac that just wants people to worship her.

I'll probably catch the full thing eventually, but I'm also still really tired of superhero movies so I'm not sure when I'll sit down and re-watch it.

[I think I missed this fad]

10 minutes ago, Butch Griffin said:

i'm so sorry for your breakup but i'm also glad things are looking good for termi!

Have you got a chance to see Thor: Ragnarok? If so, any thoughts?

I haven't seen all of it - maybe half? My roommates were watching it one day and I caught it right as Thor and Hulk were fighting in the arena and then I watched from there until the end. Really good stuff. I'm glad they addressed the fact that he's the god of thunder and his hammer is just an extension of his powers. He's my favorite Marvel hero and I've been reading Thor comics for years and I was really frustrated for that entire half of the movie when he was like "I'm nothing without my hammer! I'm worthless!". I asked my roommate why he wasn't doing anything and he mentioned that they hadn't dealt with that development in the movies yet, which I guess I forgot - but I'm glad he finally uncovered his true power and I'd love to see where they go moving forward. I think a perfect fourth movie would be adapting the God Butcher arc and having everything ripped away from Thor after he's finally become the God he was always meant to be - not to mention Jane Foster picking up the hammer would be an incredible post-credits scene.

But yeah, action was great, soundtrack was great, visuals were great, humor was great. Hopefully Marvel recognizes the talent they have with Taika and they let him keep being weird. If they don't want to move forward with more Thor I would absolutely love to see him tackle a Nova movie. That'd be wild.

[I think I missed this fad]

29 minutes ago, Butch Griffin said:

Been a while. How have you been for past couple of months? 

Slowly starting to get back into a kind of groove. I went through a really tough breakup and it put a damper on my whole year up until very recently. But, you know, I moved to New York a couple months ago, feeling good about my art, keeping myself busy by trying to craft the perfect breakfast burrito, been finding cool bars and fun trivia nights to go to, seeing friends semi-regularly, getting out and walking around, going to movies and events and whatnot, been writing some stupid poetry and coming up with comic ideas, get to cat sit for a friend next week. Things are pretty alright right now.

[terminoob's Sketchy-Sketchbook]

Gotta love that there GOOD ART.

 

[Movies You Are Looking Forward to in 2018]

Early Man, Incredibles 2, and Into the Spider-Verse are basically it. I haven't heard/seen anything from most anything else, and the stuff I have heard/seen hasn't gotten me very hyped for much.

[I think I missed this fad]

16 hours ago, Katniss said:

I wasn't super digging this season of You're the Worst aside from a few episodes, but I'm hoping next season ends things on a high note?

I feel that. It felt really strange and there were bits I didn't really enjoy (I thought Johnny Pemberton's character was a pretty terrible addition [which is ironic because he's one of my favorite parts of Superstore]), but the bits I did enjoy - Edgar/Lindsay hooking up (and Lindsay in general getting her life sort of on track), Paul being ridiculous, Vernon in general, the season premiere and the finale, the little Honeynutz running gag of him never being around to rehearse, just to name a few things - I really really enjoyed and it was enough for me to overlook the less than favorable aspects of the season (like when Gretchen told that kid she'd blow him if he ate a can of cat food, and then almost did it). I typically really hate when a show/movie/book has the main group break up and go off on their own separate ways, and while it did bother me here (because I'm watching this show for the relationship between Jimmy and Gretchen) I thought it also served the plot really well and I was kinda able to stomach it because I think Jimmy and Gretchen definitely needed the time apart to come to terms with things about themselves/each other and their relationship, which wouldn't have happened if they were together.

I think this is a season that definitely needed to happen, for better or for worse, but yeah hopefully next season is a return to the season 1/season 2 vibe because those were both just amazing.

[I think I missed this fad]

On 1/4/2018 at 7:34 PM, Katniss said:

If you made a best shows of 2017 list, what would be on it?

I think some combination of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Catastrophe, iZombie, Master of None, You're the Worst, Stranger Things, and Superstore (which I really think is one of the best comedies on TV right now and more people should be watching it). I haven't really been digging this new season of The Good Place, especially in comparison to season one - I feel like the stories that can realistically be told are really limiting and there's no real way for these characters to grow and learn from their mistakes and it's lacking the strength of a workplace comedy like Parks and Rec. I have a whole spiel but I won't get into it. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is good as always but, much like The Good Place, it's not really doing it for me this season. I suppose I'd put those two on the list by default, just because there was nothing else and they aren't exactly bad in anyway. I also didn't love the MST3K revival, Friends from College (despite having some great talent in there), or the new seasons of Love and BoJack, but I think one of them would inevitably end up on the list by default as well, just due to needing to fill space (probably BoJack, just because it frustrated me less than Love and Friends from College and it didn't let me down as hard as MST3K).

I do still need to check out Jean-Claude Van Johnson and It's the End of the F***ing World, though, and judging from the trailers I'd imagine both of them would probably be in my Top 10.

[Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation]

2 hours ago, SpongeOddFan said:

wat.

Anyways, I still hasn't seen 2nd one maybe i should watched it before seeing 3rd one someday.

I suggest watching it with the sound off. Better seen and not heard.

[Best and Worst of Entertainment 2017: Episode VI Return of the Lists]

6 hours ago, Katniss said:

Entertainment is often looked towards as an escape, and in 2017, people surely needed an escape from all the lousy things happening in the world. Fortunately, there was a treasure trove of shows to dive into this year. Whether they took you to other dimensions or stayed relatively grounded in our own world, TV has continued to entertain this year like never before. As always, I can’t consume everything, but here are ten shows that really grabbed me this year.

But first, let’s go over a few honorable mentions that just missed the cut:

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One Day at a Time (Netflix)

It's easy to be skeptical of remakes, reboots, and revivals of TV shows. Many of them don't hit the mark quite right. However, this show is an absolute delight. I haven't seen the original 1970s Norman Lear sitcom, but this remake, which focuses on a multigenerational Cuban-American family in Los Angeles (and is also produced by Norman Lear), is an absolute delight. It does such a good job touching on important social issues, from PTSD to immigration, in a touching and engaging way.

Yes, it's a sitcom, but there's a sense of warmth and heart there that’s genuine. And it really is funny, especially Rita Moreno, who steals the show as grandmother Lydia. If you want a feel-good show to binge on, this is it.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)

This show continues to be one of the things that make me smile most in this world. I love the way it's tackled certain issues—the Moo Moo episode. where Terry deals with police brutality/racial profiling, and Rosa’s multi-episode coming out arc have especially been highlights—while never losing its charm and humor. I still adore these characters after all these seasons. And the show even managed to survive losing Gina, who I think is one of the funniest characters (due to Chelsea Peretti's real-life pregnancy) because the rest of the cast is just that strong. 

The Crown (Netflix) 

The second season delves into the late 1950s and early 60s, and oh what a ride that was. It's got a darker tone than the first season and is more entrenched in personal turmoil than ever. I loved the way it dealt with the monarchy dealing with certain events in history, such as the Suez Canal crisis or public critical attacks on the queen, and having to decide how (and if) to change with the times. Though Philip can be frustrating, I do appreciate the attempts to expand his character through backstory. I did miss the greater focus on Elizabeth, but she still gets moments to shine and showcase Claire Foy’s arresting stage presence. And Margaret continues to be a small highlight; the episode where she meets her love interest this season was captivating.

The cast of The Crown is going to be completely replaced next season, as it’s supposed to take place in the 1970s and Queen Elizabeth is aging. I’m looking forward to seeing what the new cast brings, but Claire Foy and Matt Smith will definitely be missed.

Insecure (HBO)

I hadn't watched the first season when it aired last year, which is a shame because I missed out on some fine television. A few years ago I absolutely loved Issa Rae’s web series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, and she brings that same sharpness and hilarity to this series about a black woman in her late 20s who navigates ups and downs in her personal and professional lives while living in LA. It's such a good show that brings the laughs while also serving up some brutal emotional moments.

And it's unapologetically black. It's not totally about black issues but it's very much rooted in black culture (and even touches on some casual racism in the workplace). Though that doesn't mean people of other races can't enjoy it. In the end, it does speak on universal themes of life and love that can apply to anyone.

Skam (NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation)

I've seen many teen shows throughout my lifetime. Gossip Girl. Skins. One Tree Hill. But Skam is something special. It’s a Norwegian show that chronicles the lives of different teens going to a high school in Oslo, and each season focuses on a different character. I inhaled the previous three series (which I watched online because I obviously don't have Norwegian TV) in a matter of days; they were that good. Even though I’m American and the characters of this show are from Norway, Skam really feels like an authentic look at the teen experience in general. I especially admire the way it seamlessly incorporates technology without it looking hokey or unrealistic. (Side note: If I’d watched this last year, it totally would’ve gone on my best list, because seasons 2 and 3 are really good. Heck, season 1 is great too. I just love this show a lot, ok? )

The final season of this show aired this year, and it finely wrapped up the series. This season’s main focus was Sana, a girl who struggles with being Muslim in a Norwegian society. Her friends don’t understand her faith, and she is torn because she wants to fit in but also be a good Muslim, as well as her growing attraction to a boy who doesn’t share her religion. This show did a great job dealing with that culture clash, as well as the problem of cyberbullying and the complex natures of friendship. While I wish we could have more stories with these characters and expand on certain ones who didn’t get whole seasons to themselves, I’m glad Skam was able to wrap things up and make the time we did spend with these characters worthwhile.

 

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And now:

Kat's Top 10 Favorite TV Shows of 2017

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10. Glow (Netflix)

I wouldn’t call myself a wrestling fan. But I love Alison Brie, and her star factor, combined with the fact that this was a comedy-drama set in the 1980s, enticed me to check this out. And I’m so glad I did because this series is delightful. It’s an underdog story about a gang of ladies, along with their director and producer, trying to make a successful wrestling TV show. (I never knew GLOW was a real wrestling promotion/show until I saw this series, and that just makes this all the cooler.)

Watching the behind-the-scenes action involved with wrestling was fascinating and led to some hilarious moments, especially with the colorful personas created by the GLOW girls (Zoya the Destroya and Liberty Belle are an absolute delight). Though I’m glad they touched upon how messed up it was that certain characters had to play certain unfortunate (and racist) stereotypes and how they attempted to subvert them.  And the show often has some tender, emotional moments with regards to friendships and the ladies’ personal struggles outside of the ring. With witty dialogue and a cast of likable characters, this show has managed to capture my heart regarding a subject I wouldn’t normally watch.

 

 

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9. Master of None (Netflix)

I enjoyed season 1 of Master of None, but season 2 took the show into new (and interesting) creative directions. The season starts as an Italian cinematic dream—the first episode, which chronicles Dev’s adventures in Modena, Italy, is filmed entirely in black-and-white. Further great examples of experimentation in this season are “New York, I Love You,” which focuses on the intersecting lives of different New Yorkers, and “Thanksgiving,” a wonderful episode that offers snapshots of different Thanksgivings in Denise’s life as she comes to terms with her sexuality.

Master of None continues to be a candid, funny, relatable show about love (I thought the episode where Dev tries out a dating app was great), religion, and life in general. It's become a more beautiful and captivating show in season 2. Aziz Ansari says he doesn't know when he'll make a season 3, but I'll be waiting excitedly when he does.

 

 

 

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8. Dear White People (Netflix)

This is a show that generated controversy from the title alone and actually got some people to boycott Netflix. But the title didn’t turn me off from watching this show, and I’m glad I checked it out. Dear White People, based on a 2014 film of the same name, is brilliant. The show focuses on a group of black students at a predominantly white, Ivy League-type university who are thrown into upheaval after a racist blackface party is thrown to protest main character Sam White’s radio show, the titular Dear White People, that calls out racist occurrences on campus.

The show is a clever satire of racial relations, politics, and cultural bias in today’s “post-racial” world, though it’s also brutally honest and brings the tension at points, especially during a certain interaction between a black man and a white cop at a party. Dear White People shows that in this society, nothing is black and white (pardon the pun) and nobody’s perfect. Even in trying to do the right thing, sometimes we’re misguided, and there are still issues to be worked on. These messages are so important to hear today, and thanks to this show for presenting them well while being very entertaining.

 

 

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7. American Vandal (Netflix)

The concept behind my favorite new Netflix show of the year can be summed up with one question: Who drew the dicks?

The premise of American Vandal—twenty-seven faculty cars have had dicks spray-painted on them and one student seeks to find out whether the accused vandal, Dylan Maxwell, is really to blame—does seem rather silly. However, this turned out to be a truly engaging show. It’s a satire of true crime documentaries and podcasts such as Making a Murder and Serial while managing to have a genuinely engrossing mystery. There were so many twists and turns in the hunt to find the culprit and I loved it.

American Vandal is also hilarious. Yes, a good bit of the humor involves dick jokes, but they’re actually funny dick jokes. There’s also a bunch of fun jokes poked at the high school experience in general and the nature of the crime that was committed. You laugh at these characters a lot, but you also grow to appreciate them (whether you like or dislike them) as actual people, and not flat high school stereotypes.

Even though the premise may sound awkward (or hilarious, depending on what kind of person you are), this was definitely a worthwhile watch.

 

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6. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

Amy Sherman-Palladino and I have a history. Her show Gilmore Girls was an integral part of my pop culture experience when I was younger and I still adore it today (even if the Netflix revival left me a bit mixed). So when I heard she was creating a new show, I got excited. When I got further detail that it was about a housewife in the late 1950s who enters the world of stand-up, I was pumped. Y’all already know that period pieces are my catnip, especially if they have awesome female characters.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an absolute charmer. Not just visually, though the attention to period detail in this show is gorgeous. But the character of Midge Maisel is a delight. Rachel Brosnahan does a superb job with Amy Sherman-Palladino’s distinct rapid-fire dialogue, infusing Midge with plenty of wit and confidence but also vulnerability. And she’s surrounded by a lovely cast of supporting characters, from Midge’s serious yet hilarious father to Susie Myerson, an employee of The Gaslight Cafe and Midge’s eventual manager.

I love that Midge is so funny, but her journey to become a comedian isn’t a smooth sailing, overnight success kind of deal. She kills it out there, but there’s a bunch of roadblocks she has to overcome along the way, from other characters as well as her own internal struggles. But through it all, Midge remains a great protagonist who learns how to become a more empowered woman.

I’m very glad that Amazon instantly greenlighted two seasons of this show because I can’t wait to see where Midge’s journey takes her next.

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5. Stranger Things (Netflix)

A good sequel takes the characters and situations we know and love and manages to ramp things up in a new and interesting way. The Duffer brothers managed to do just that with Stranger Things 2. The Mind Flayer is a menacing villain and seeing it act as a spy through a possessed Will was chilling (and I've said it before, but can we please give Noah Schnapp some props? He was amazing this season). I loved the way characters and their relationships were advanced—Steve, who was already taking steps in development during season 1, became my favorite character as he grew closer to Dustin and the kids, and Hopper and Eleven’s father-daughter bond was truly touching. I appreciate the way this season touched on how Nancy was struggling with her grief over Barb and the way Will struggled with PTSD after his stay in the Upside Down. I even enjoyed the divisive “The Lost Sister” because of how it helped develop Eleven as a character.

But the old gang wasn't the only good part of this season. The show managed to interest me in some new faces as well. Max is a refreshing female addition to the group and I liked her tough and snarky personality. Bob Newby was an absolute sweetheart. I loved seeing Dustin and Lucas’s families, especially Erica...more of her in season 3, please. And Billy, though I dislike his character, provides an intriguing human antagonist aside the supernatural villains the gang already has to deal with.

I wasn’t sure where the series would go next after season 1 and was delighted by how things played out here. Bring on Stranger Things 3!

 

 

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4. The Americans (FX)

The Americans is coming close to winding down its adventures of Soviet spies living in America, and this penultimate season was an absolute nail-biter.

I've read that people didn't enjoy the slow-burn pace of this season, but I loved it. It made things all the more tense for me. This season shows Philip and Elizabeth growing closer than ever and starting to feel reservations about their spy missions in general, which is a fascinating development from the start, where the couple (especially Elizabeth) were more willing to do the spy work for their country. Seeing their relationship expand and truly feel like a loving marriage was so heartwarming.

Even though there wasn't a ton of action, there was still plenty of plot to keep me captivated. Leave it to The Americans to have me intrigued about Soviet wheat crops. Then there's family drama simmering, some related to spy stuff and others not. So much goes on in only thirteen episodes and yet it still leaves me wanting more.

Though this season was more of the slow side, it's still well-acted and beautifully detailed. It was a good way to start the beginning of the end.

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3. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)

This show continues to amaze me. The back half of season 2 had some quality episodes (big shout-out to “Josh is the Man of My Dreams, Right?” for introducing the Santa Ana Winds), but so far, season 3 has been a knockout. We see Rebecca at her most—well, vengeful and crazy, but I’d also say broken. It's heartbreaking to see her at her lowest point and see the show go darker than it’s ever gone before.

However, throughout all this darkness are some great moments of the show. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has done a stellar job talking about mental illness this season. Rebecca has such a supportive system of friends out there and it warms my heart. However, the other characters aren’t just background pieces to Rebecca’s story; they’re allowed to have their own problems and character development. And the show itself is still as funny as ever and still has engaging, fun, clever musical numbers. Rebecca’s journey to recovery won't be easy; she still has a long way to go. But she's trying, and that's what matters. I appreciate this show for taking the “crazy ex” character and continuing to make her more nuanced and developed as time goes on.

 

 

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2. The Good Place (NBC)

2017 saw The Good Place go from good to great. The latter half of season 1 takes the original premise and creates some entertaining twists and turns. But season 2 is where the very idea of the show gets turned on its head. This series is so crazy and imaginative and always manages to surprise me.

In addition to the madcap antics of Eleanor and company, the show does raise some interesting ethical questions. What does it mean to be a “good” person anyway? Can people truly change? The philosophical queries faced by the characters really adds some depth to this show. It’s wacky and crazy, but also smart and filled with compassionate and tender moments. This show is incredibly creative and thoughtful and I’m glad to be on this wild ride, wherever it may go.

 

It's an odd analogy, but my favorite show of 2017 was one that was like a good, hot bowl of soup, or oatmeal. It was something that warmed my insides and stuck with me for a good bit because I enjoyed it so much. This show was something I truly savored as I watched it from week to week and I'm so glad it was made.

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1. Big Little Lies (HBO)

Here it is, folks. My favorite show of 2017. From the outside, it’s easy to think of this show as a Desperate Housewives sort of deal, with rich women just swanning about in the coastal city of Monterey, California. However, this show, which is based on a novel by Australian author Liane Moriarty, is so much more than that. Yes, you do get huge houses and stunning shots of the beach, but you also get a group of female characters who are very nuanced and well-crafted.

The show starts off with some admittedly amusing cattiness, with Reese Witherspoon’s Madeline Mackenzie consistently getting the funniest one-liners. However, it evolves into a poignant show about how powerful female friendship can be. It also does a good job of tackling the subject of sexual assault in a year where the problem of assault and harassment has become an important issue in Hollywood. It can be chilling and heart-wrenching to watch, but Nicole Kidman portrays the plight of Celeste Wright, who’s stuck in a toxic marriage with her husband, very well.

The central mystery of the series is fascinating. Rather than state that someone was killed and search for the culprit, part of the mystique is finding out who was killed in the first place, with some witness interviews conducted with Monterey residents sprinkled in as potential clues. I found myself sucked into the mystery while also fearing for the lives of the ladies I’d grown to love in only seven episodes.

So many aspects of Big Little Lies are wonderful. Director Jean-Marc Vallée’s cinematography is stunning. Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz deliver excellent performances. The music choices are on point and really add to the mood of the series. I absolutely loved this show.

It was originally planned to be a miniseries, but HBO announced that the show would have a second season. While I think the first season wrapped up nicely, I’m still going to check out another season because I love these characters so much. Big Little Lies is beautiful, captivating, and reminds me of why I adore television so much: because it can richly and complexly bring stories to life.

 

 

And that's all, folks! It was fun talking about all the shows I loved this year. Stay tuned for my best/worst music lists and my favorite movies list still to come.

I could feel the presence of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on this post before I got to it. Such a good show. I agree that Midge is a great character and protagonist, but Susie was the character that kept me coming back. I thought she was absolute dynamite.

[What'cha Reading/Writing?]

3 minutes ago, Metal Snake said:

The book my older brother got me for Christmas, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Just finished reading it. Was not bad.

I also finally got some more volumes of Hunter X Hunter and am now on the Chimera Ant arc.

I definitely recommend the movie if you enjoyed the book. Screenplay was written by the author, and Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller both give pretty good performances.

 

Been doing a deep dive listening to Audiobooks as a way to keep myself entertained while coloring. Finished up The Lies of Locke Lamora a couple days ago (recommended for anyone itching for some fantasy), and just started The Wheel of Time series (juries still out on whether I'd recommend this or not).

 

[What did You Guys Get for Christmas Eve/Christmas]

7 hours ago, The Trickster said:

We don't celebrate Christmas and nobody bought me anything but I bought myself this.

amazing af comic book

My man.

 

Got a new shiny 43" Samsung TV, some cash, gift cards, clothes, and a few other knick-knacks. I've been mostly just buying things for myself so I didn't need/want too much. Gonna try to snag some new Audiobooks and comics and movies and such in the coming days.

[Ready Player One(2018)]

2 hours ago, Polar Claus said:

Yes, i know someone has already made a topic about this but that one seems more like a joke thread than any serious discussion about the upcoming movie so keep that in mind.

We're talking about the book the movie is based off of. Why does that make this a joke thread?

[Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse]

Always been a huge fan of the idea of Miles, but I could never really nail down his personality beyond being a Spider-Man. It never felt like Bendis was ever given any breathing room when writing him - he always seemed to get bogged down in crossovers and events and Marvel's weird retooling tactics and was never able to properly develop Miles (though that may have changed post-Secret Wars; I gave up a few issues in because of the constant crossovers, but existing alongside Peter Parker should theoretically give him development).

I'm interested to see if Lord and Miller can rectify that and give Miles his own personality while being around Peter, because I feel like Peter's personality is so strong and he's such an icon that it might be hard to make Miles shine in his own movie even if Peter is just a side character. Also interested to see if they actually delve into the Spider-Verse and introduce Spider-Ham, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Gwen, ect., or if it's gonna be more in-line with Spider-Men and have it just be Peter and Miles dealing with something.

Really into the animation, too. It looks really slick.

[I think I missed this fad]

On 11/21/2017 at 11:17 AM, Katniss said:

Who's your favorite Stranger Things character?

Hopper, no doubt. His arc has been so good and he's got great chemistry with everyone.

[Pokemon, bitch]

20 minutes ago, Naruto Dies IN HELL said:

Can anyone tell me if this is much different from regular sun and moon that much. Like I'm not sure if I want to pick up US/UM yet. It all depends on how much they changed.

It's the same as every other "third version". Same basic idea, bit of a twist on the story, new post-game, expanded Pokedex. There are plenty of trailers that showcase the story difference, but if you're not impressed by them then I wouldn't bother.

[Stranger Things]

9 hours ago, Clappy said:

Man where do I even start with this season?  It's been the one thing I've been wanting to comment on about here the most since the last time I logged on.

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For starters, I do legitimately love this season.  Not as much as the first one, but I loved the slow build to the back half of this season where all the action happened...well except for that one episode, which I will comment on later.  Most of the characters are still freaking amazing, even though the chemistry still felt a bit off at times.  I get why they had Eleven separated from the group for nearly all of this season, but her chemistry with the guys really helped developed my adoration for this series.  But hey, it's not all bad because her chemistry she developed with Hopper was really special.  Next to Dustin and Steve, Eleven and Hopper were my favorite pairing of this season as we got to see Hopper become a parent again and Eleven have a real parental figure in her life that's not Brenner.  But speaking of Eleven, let's talk about the Upside Down.  One of the things the producers promised to explain more upon this season.  If anything, I understood more about the Upside Down in Season One far more than I did in Season 2.  Hell, I understand Will's connection to the Upside Down far more than I do Eleven's.  Eleven opened and closed the gate and has telekinesis yeah I get all that.  But if she has all that, shouldn't she also be able to destroy The Mind Flayer by association?  Closing the gate shouldn't be the only resolution to getting rid of that damn thing.  That may nitpicking on my part because I saw Eleven take down a demigorgon pretty easily this season.  But Joyce taking five whole episodes to try out her heat theory was insanely stupid when Will mentioned in Episode 4 that The Mind Flayer likes it cold.  Eh whatever.

So let's talk about Max and Billy.  I like the idea behind another new kid to the cast in theory.  But I did not like what Max brought to the table storywise.  She just felt ridiculously forced into everything going on, which at one point I felt like even the series acknowledged that by her constantly bringing up that she wasn't there the first season.  And it's not like Max didn't have chemistry with the gang because she absolutely did.  I just didn't see the point of including her in to everything's going on besides starting up drama between Lucas and Dustin as well as for Eleven to misinterpret flirtation with Mike.  As for Billy, I thought he was more interesting and I wanted to see more about him and what's going on with him.  He's clearly fucked up from growing up in an abusive household and his intense hatred for Lucas.  I sensed a bit of racism far more than I did him being protective of Max.  Out of all the new characters introduced this season, he's the one I want to find out more about in Season 3.

The Nancy/Jonathan/Steve love triangle is still a freaking mess.  Even as someone who shipped Nancy/Jonathan, I just couldn't believe how they treated them post hooking up.  It never got mentioned again and yeah I understand with how everything was picking up afterwards, but not even acknowledging it outside of the two smiling at each other in the final two minutes of the season is definitely not enough.  Hell, to be honest, I think I might have switched ships after this season to Nancy/Steve because Season 2 Jonathan was VERY boring.  If there was any character this season that got less interesting to me, it was Jonathan.  Season 1 Jonathan was charmingly awkward, despite being slightly creepy.  Remember when Jonathan was taking creepy pictures of Nancy last season?  Because this season surely forgot about that.  Steve Harrington on the other hand was the freaking MVP of this season.  Kinda like how Dustin was my favorite of the main cast last year, Steve was without a doubt my favorite of this year.  Even though I thought he redeemed himself last season, it's like the Duffys felt like he needed to be given even more likeable characteristics this season.  Right down to his amazing bonding with Dustin.  The two screen stealing characters from the past two seasons formed one hell of a bond that I can't wait to see more of.  I seriously want to see a more grown Dustin quoting KFC's slogan and spraying Farah Fawcett hairspray in his hair for a whole season like right now.  He was already charming enough and now he's too charming if at all possible, not a complaint mind you.   I've already lost count of how many times I've quoted him from this season on social media to my friends talking about this show.  

Let's talk about the Stranger Things kids.  All of them are such good actors.  We already knew Mike was a freaking rising star and that Dustin was the fan favorite of last season, but I think it's gone under the radar how good Lucas and ESPECIALLY WILL are.  Despite how much more screen time we got of Dustin's home life and his bond with Dart, every time I saw Lucas interact with his sister, it was equally as good.  And despite how useless Max still felt, his chemistry he formed with Max was genuine and real.  It made me happy to see them kiss at the end of the season because that relationship build was worth it.  And dear god Noah Schnapp did a damn good job acting this season.  His seizures scared the hell out of me far more than the jump scares from the demidogs did.  Like I had to mute the television at times and compose myself because they felt so freaking real.  Any thoughts I had about how well Will was going to be integrated in with his best friends for a whole season were immediately nixed.

Okay I pushed this off long enough.  I did not like Eleven's story.  I get why they did it because of course it needed to be built upon, but they could have resolved this in less than an episode if at all possible.  She could have seen what happened to her mom and then just went from there.  That entire Eleven bottle episode did absolutely nothing for me.  It was without a doubt the worst episode of the series, but even then, it wasn't that bad.  We knew that there were ten others out there.  But Christ, I just did not like Eight.  She was not an interesting character with the short amount of time we got to know her and her incredibly uninteresting cast of misfits.  I understand that we needed Eight as a moral compass for Eleven, but you know what could have made her inclusion worth it?  If we got the slightest bit of doubt from Eight as a character that she didn't need to be angry all the time to unleash all this built up anger she has.  Eight was such a fucking brat, which might have been the point, but there wasn't anything interesting enough for me to feel any sort of remorse.  I've read countless of online articles about The Duffy Brothers defending The Lost Sister and I can't say that I completely blame them for trying something new so we don't get more of the same.  But if this was an experiment for a Stranger Things spin-off of some sort, then this didn't work at all.

But yeah, despite everything I've said today, I do love this season.  It was worth the 24 hours of on and off binge watching.  I can't wait to see what's in store for Season 3.  Will the Upside Down be reopened?  Is Brenner still out there?  Are we going to get an entire subplot about #JUSTICEFORBOB (I hope not, Bob got a very good sendoff, even though he's an absolute fool for leaving the gun on the desk)?  Whatever may happen, this is still the best Netflix original series and is worthy of the massive cultural phenomenon that has come with it.

 

Spoiler

I don't think I understand what you're getting at in regards to Eleven v. Mind Flayer. She's able to open and close the portal, but why would that mean she could destroy the Mind Flayer by association? Just because she can close the portal doesn't mean the Upside Down is gone or she has total control over the monsters in there. From my understanding that dimension just kind of exists on its own and she just so happens to have the power to access it (for whatever reason). If you open a door and there's a pack of hostile bears being led by a lion on the other side of it you don't have the power to just will that away. Your best bet is probably just lock the door back up and walk away because you're severely outclassed in that fight. I'm with you on not totally knowing Eleven's connection though - I thought her powers were influenced by the Upside Down or that she was the one manifesting the Upside Down (like her fears and anxieties personified themselves into these things because of her powers and the Upside Down is really a symbol for her subconscious and inner thoughts, which is why she can access it and traverse that weird astral plane and her fears and anxieties were really amplified this season so that'd explain the Demidogs and how powerful the Mind Flayer is compared to the Demigorgon and why Hopper needed to be with her when she closed the portal because she needed that love and security to be able to shut her monsters out for good and whatnot [or maybe it's a place where everyone's fears and anxieties exist, who knows]), but I think she honestly might be nothing more than a key to a lock (why she was made who the fuck knows).

I liked Max's inclusion to the group just because a transfer kid was a very real life thing to have happen (maybe an 80s movie thing too but off the top of my head I can't recall any movies with a transfer kid other than Clueless). I think she could've been integrated better, but I liked the idea to add in a new kid to open up storylines and character relationships. We got a lot out of the dynamics of the group last season, and she was an interesting curveball to throw in there (except for that ridiculous "flirty" scene with Mike because it felt like the only reason that was there was to keep Eleven out of the group just a little bit longer).

Good to hear I'm not the only one that had a problem with Eleven's story this season. One of the biggest problems I had was just how long it took to get resolved. If we didn't get that tease of Eight as the opening scene of the season then I might've liked it a bit more, but having that on the back burner all season was just... an odd story choice. Have that as the stinger at the end of the episode leading into Eleven going to find her, not as the hook of the season that doesn't deliver until the season's almost over. It felt like we should've been introduced to Eight in, like, episode two or something.

 

[I think I missed this fad]

2 hours ago, Dr. WhoBruh said:

have you seen Thor: Ragnarok? 

Not yet. I'm hoping to see it sometime this week though. It's the first time in a while I've been excited about a Marvel movie.

[I think I missed this fad]

19 hours ago, Katniss said:

What others shows have you been watching lately?

Just wrapped up a rewatch of How I Met Your Mother (during which I stopped for about a day to watch season two of Stranger Things) and currently doing a watch/rewatch of The Office because I never caught it in its entirety as it was airing, just some reruns here and there on TBS. Currently also watching You're the Worst, Survivor, Superstore, The Good Place, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and technically Riverdale but I'm letting those episodes pile up so I have something to binge later on. Got some of The Flash to watch from the sound of it, and I sort of started Penny Dreadful but I didn't get too invested in it so I'm gonna go back and try it again. I think I might get back into Brooklyn 99, but I was kind of falling off towards the end of last season and I haven't been missing it too much lately. I'm also super into Great British Bake-Off, but that's something I like to watch with my girlfriend so I have to resist the urge until I'm with her.

18 hours ago, Dr. WhoBruh said:

4 episodes so far but season 4 of Flash has been fucking good. It brought back season 1 feels to me and the main villain actually looks interesting. I love it?

Then it sounds like I gotta check it out.

[I think I missed this fad]

On 10/30/2017 at 6:01 PM, Dr. WhoBruh said:

have you caught up on The Flash s3-4? Also forget everything I said about getting back into Arrow. Season 4 problems are slowly returning in season 6, so it's not worth watching anymore?

I haven't. I will soon. I've got a lot of coloring to do (coincidentally on The Flash) so I'm just knocking back TV shows like no one's business. I'll be sure to get around to The Flash soon enough. Is the season any good?

[Stranger Things]

10 hours ago, Katwoman said:

Ended up finishing the season about an hour ago  

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Holy crap, Noah Schnapp's acting this season was so good. I really felt for Will and what he was going through.

Max is a great new addition to the group and I look forward to learning more about her next season. I agree with termi; I'm curious to see more of her home life. She and Lucas were cute together tbh. Billy, on the other hand, is a straight-up dick. Maybe he gets it from his dad?

I was honestly sad when Bob died because I really grew to like his character. He was kinda dorky but also so nice. #justiceforbob

Loved how Steve took care of the kids and developed a little friendship with Dustin.

I liked seeing Dustin and Lucas's families. Dustin's mom is lovey and Lucas's younger sister was hilarious. 

Hopper is Eleven's dad now and that makes me so happy. Eleven meeting her birth mom was heartbreaking, especially after El got that flashback of her mom and what happened to her after Eleven was taken away

I actually liked Steve and Nancy as a couple so I was a bit bummed to see them break up but I'm okay with Nancy and Jonathan. I'm happy that Nancy got to work out her feelings of grief and somewhat expose Hawkins Lab. Interested in what the ramifications of that tape coming out will be.

I wonder if Kali will come back into play later on. I thought it was interesting to spend an entire episode with Eleven and another girl who was experimented on and the episode was a cool yet unexpected break from the norm.

 

Overall I enjoyed this season a lot. I laughed, I cried, and I was on the edge of my seat. This season was such an enjoyable ride.

(And I recommend watching the Beyond Stranger Things episodes that start playing after you finish the finale. It's a cool little look back at the season with insight and behind-the-scenes info from the producers, creators, and stars of the show.

Spoiler

100% agreed about Schnapp, particularly episodes 5-7 when the Mind Flayer was starting to take over. The seizure he had towards the end of 5 was horrifying.

I would hope Kali comes back into play. It felt like she had unfinished business that Eleven can help her with now that the Upside Down is (seemingly) taken care of - though I'd imagine Kali winds up in Hawkins rather than the other way around. Besides, she's only number 8. Logically there should still be 1-7, 9, and 10 still out there (if not more [unless I missed a bit in season one where they said every other test subject had died]), and if their dad is still alive and the Upside Down is closed, then it'd make sense to explore that plot for at least season three.

 

[Stranger Things]

Just finished season 2.

Spoiler

On the whole this season has been having a good chunk of really amazing cliffhangers and big moments, and the characters are still mostly phenomenal, but I can't help but feel like it's missing the heart of season one. I'm sure they deliberately wanted to do something different instead of just doing more of the same, but it feels like the group is split up for a lot of the season and Eleven is just off doing her own thing. I'm not the biggest fan of that in really anything, because one of the biggest strengths of the show is the chemistry between these kids and I'm mostly just watching to see these kids deal with this shit. As the writing delves deeper and deeper into trying to explain the Upsidedown and Will's condition and other kids like Eleven, it's just starting to get messier and messier and I can't keep everything straight. I still don't totally get why Eleven and the Upsidedown are connected, and they even had a recap at the beginning of the season. The plot was almost incomprehensible to me, but I still really want to see Will, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas just try to deal with it because they're a great group of characters and the actors are all fucking stellar, but when you have Dustin going off by himself and lying to everyone and being selfish and screaming into a walkie talkie for 40 minutes it's just not interesting.

On the topic of Dustin, I thought a bunch of his screentime this season was basically a waste. I thought Lucas and Max pairing off was super obvious, so the resolution of Dustin ultimately failing really put a damper on the finale for me.

I thought Max was a pretty cool addition, but I wish she had been given more to do. I understand that delving into her backstory and home life may have taken away time from other more pressing plotlines (especially because she's a new character and these plotlines have been lingering since season one, so we're not as attached to her as we are to everything else happening), but I think Eleven's story could've cut to the chase a bit faster so there'd be more time for Max. We got a small glimpse, but not enough to paint a full picture and if it doesn't get renewed for season three (or if they had planned on this being the last season) then they either could've cut out her and her brother all together or given us an episode dedicated to them. It felt like there were hints at something darker going on with them and their parents (I was getting the vibe that the dad was more powerful than we saw, like an adult Eleven), but without definitive confirmation one way or the other it was just odd.  If it was just an abusive household then that's an interesting thing to tackle but the time they had was just too limited. I never even understood why her brother hated Lucas so much - I couldn't tell if he was racist or if it was as simple as he just saw Lucas first.

Eleven's plot wasn't my favorite. It was cool to see another girl like her, but there were more questions than answers and nothing really left me satisfied. Like I said above, I wish they had cut to the chase sooner. Maybe have her find her sister in episode 5 and then leave in episode 8 and not have an entire episode dedicated to just that. Everything else was coming to a head at the same time and having a hard cut away from "IT'S A TRAP! GET OUT OF THERE!" to an episode with only Eleven was a weird decision (I guess it works if you binge it but still not my favorite thing).

Bob was a cool character that I wish had survived, but it totally made sense that he was destined to die. Thought him leaving the gun by accident was odd, and would've rather seen him put up a fight and realize the gun didn't work or something, but whattya gonna do.

The Nancy/Steve/Johnathan love triangle this season made the one last season feel like a waste of time (it felt like they went out of there way to make Steve and Nancy work out, so them breaking up so early this season was not my favorite thing), and then it climaxed and nothing was ever mentioned again. I get that there were more important matters to deal with, but Nancy and Johnathan just kind of disappeared from the story after they hooked up. 

Hopper's still my favorite character.

Overall really strong. Don't know if I like it more than season one, though.

[Marvel's Runaways on Hulu]

Don't sleep on the comics. Brian K. Vaughn's run is incredible.

[The Loud House]

2 hours ago, CyanideFishbone said:

Something interesting to note is Chris Savino's Instagram is gone. 

Funny, so is his job.

[Post your Latest Listened to Stations]

On 10/17/2017 at 12:23 PM, Slightly more Spooky Kiyozu♡ said:

for example (doesn’t have to be more than one or Pandora)

except for the lower two (and a Paramore station) I mostly just skip around stations. Pandora has a very limited selection, I just like it because I can browse the web while listening. I don’t think Spotify allows that anyway.

I've literally never run into that problem with Spotify. Is that a restriction on the free version or something?

[Clappy Was Here]

Worth it to pick up a Switch? I was thinking either try to snag one of the Super Mario Odyssey bundles at the end of the month or just go on a Black Friday hunt.