Films and TV (Untagged spoilers)

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2GdZ2ReMQo

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_tVvZMkqOc

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDAwZbwzFRA

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn3GCMjw_T4

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0_aGVzQSFw

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-wYPyhxQ3U

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHKcUVD7ytE

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5vuaR1g6Nk

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peZeWKf89LE

[Ragabul]

I've been rewatching Star Trek: the next Generation for the first time in maybe ten years. It's just a really good show that holds up quite well. That being said, there is nothing quite as campy and bad as bad, campy episodes of Star Trek when it runs off the rails. This time through I've intentionally been searching for what is the absolute worst episode. I'm about 5 episodes into Season 3 and the 3 frontrunners so far are:

1) Wesley is sentenced to death when he accidentally tramples some flowers on a planet inhabited by oiled up, mostly naked aliens with bad tans

2) Troi is impregnated by a wandering sentient space sparkle, said child grows up in a day and then abandons her when it discovers it's accidentally killing everyone on the Enterprise with radiation

3) Riker is infected by some kind of malignant spiky vine and spends the entire episode in Sick Bay having fever dreams which consist of nothing but a jumbled mismatch of images from past episodes

Surely people don't need spoiler tags for this show? If so, I'll add.

[magnuskn]

Don't think we do. ^^

It's often campy and the first two seasons are very preachy and often in the vein of "oh we are so much better and more enlightened". Later seasons really do get better.

Of course nothing beats Deep Space Nine in Star Trek canon. Except Babylon 5, harharhar.

[Ragabul]

The whole Enlightenment thing is just par for the course in Star Trek to me. I think a lot of that is down to Gene Roddenberry being old enough that most of his formative sci-fi was straight out of the pulps and a lot of that stuff very much had baggage from the 19th century still in it. It's kind of funny that even at the time it came out in the 1960s, Star Trek was in some ways dreadfully thematically old-fashioned. Particularly if you compare it to contemporaneous sci-fi novels. And The Next Generation is pretty much just an extension of the original making it even more old-fashioned. It's quaint and utopianistic. But that's what I want from Star Trek. Thematically pessimistic, modern Star Trek would be like putting salt in cookies instead of sugar. It's whole animating principle is an optimistic view of technological and moral progress.

I've never actually watched Deep Space Nine. Was thinking of doing so if I'm not sick of Star Trek when I get through these.

[Mazder]

I've just started watching The Expanse and the aesthetic is just *chef's kiss*.

[Ragabul]

It's a stupidly good series, both the books and the TV Show. I think the latest and last season is out and I've yet to watch. The last book also came out a few weeks ago and I haven't read it yet. It's also got a really great introductory sequence that nails that aesthetic really well. I think I mentioned this before. It's one of the few openings I always watch and never skip. That sort of near future, no faster than light travel space colonization thing has pretty much become my favorite kind of sci-fi, but there's unfortunately not that much of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y4wuVfV5G4

[magnuskn]

I've never actually watched Deep Space Nine. Was thinking of doing so if I'm not sick of Star Trek when I get through these.

It's by far the best Star Trek show ever made (IMO, of course) and tonally very different to TNG, although it also needs two seasons to really get rolling, like TNG did. The only higher recommendation for a TV show I can give is Babylon 5.

[Dragaros]

I've never actually watched Deep Space Nine. Was thinking of doing so if I'm not sick of Star Trek when I get through these.

DS9 has one the highest possible recommendations from me. Great stories, fantastic cast of complex characters, excellent performances, compelling moral and political dilemmas, asks tough philosophical and ethical questions, lots of world-building, introduces an interesting new faction to the setting as well as plenty of new alien races, has one of the best tv/sci-fi villains of all time, and it does wonders for the Klingons, Ferengi, and Cardassians in terms of fleshing out their cultures and showcasing their virtues so they're not just there to be antagonistic foils or counterpoints to the Federation or whatever the problem of the day is. Also, its a series that isn't afraid to push Trek out of its comfort zone, go into grayer or even darker territory, and even critique some aspects of itself, but never in a way that comes across as self-righteous/pretentious/deconstructionist/malicious/patronizing/out-of-place, as it retains the spirit of Trek and still champions its values, themes and principles through it all and has a clear love, understanding and respect for what's come before and why its important.

I've just started watching The Expanse and the aesthetic is just *chef's kiss*.

Oh, you're in for a treat. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43vwGMtHs3w

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRwLyKIBNU8

[Dragaros]

[Dragaros]

[Dragaros]

So what's Boba Fett been up to?

► Show Spoiler

For couple things, he's got a pet Rancor now, and he fought Black Krrsantan.

[Mazder]

Oh, you're in for a treat. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

So people say, but the hype was similar for The Walking Dead and that looks boring as fuck so....time will tell

About to start Season 1 Episode 5.

[Ragabul]

The Walking Dead is a soap opera with zombies. I think I lasted through like half of one season. But then again, I think "serious" zombie anything is almost invariably a joke. "But you don't understand! It's not *really* about the zombies! This one is different!" Yeah, so different. It's not like Night of the Living Dead didn't more or less start the genre with precisely that theme.

[Alienmorph]

I checked out after 3-4 seasons, right before Negan shown up. There's only so many times you can divide the group, get half of them killed and thean tearfully reunite them before it gets boring.

[Mazder]

Well the finale for season 1 of the expanse is difficult for me to watch, thanks emetophobia...

[Ragabul]

I didn't know that was a thing but vomit is pretty much the only thing that induces a gag response in me. Blood, guts, dead things, I have 0 problem with in movies or RL. I'm not actually phobic, but it definitely causes me pronounced discomfort. I will totally skip forward or look away if I know there is vomit in a scene. I also absolutely hate washing dishes and won't do it if the dishes aren't rinsed because all the nasty chunks of food particulate in the bottom of the sink is like vomit. Though reading about it on the wiki, I have 0 worry *I* might vomit and it's all about seeing other people vomit.

[Dragaros]

So people say, but the hype was similar for The Walking Dead and that looks boring as fuck so....time will tell

About to start Season 1 Episode 5.

If it helps allay potential concerns, I never got into The Walking Dead show (I also found it to be boring as fuck, and pretentiously trite to boot), but I'd rank the Expanse as being just under my personal Holy Trinity of Babylon 5, Deep Space 9 and Farscape for live-action sci-fi shows when it comes to my rankings for such things.

I only got into The Expanse after season 5 was already released, so I was never part of or swept up in the initial hype the show garnered for itself that allowed to survive that first cancellation and hop networks. I just constantly heard good things via word of mouth both online and among my friends and family, and finally found the time to sit down watch it. Season 1, as good as it is, is just the beginning. The show gets even better and better as it goes on.

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5TD4VRcSM

Speaking of zombies...

This looks like a live-action Highschool of the Dead, minus the enormous tits that bounce so much they can Matrix-dodge bullets.

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEyyKwVORvo

Jamie and Tywin reunited.

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ43DW5Bknw

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Kqm0qJ9Uc

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F98_Y2DKxso

[Dragaros]

[Mazder]

I didn't know that was a thing but vomit is pretty much the only thing that induces a gag response in me. Blood, guts, dead things, I have 0 problem with in movies or RL. I'm not actually phobic, but it definitely causes me pronounced discomfort. I will totally skip forward or look away if I know there is vomit in a scene. I also absolutely hate washing dishes and won't do it if the dishes aren't rinsed because all the nasty chunks of food particulate in the bottom of the sink is like vomit. Though reading about it on the wiki, I have 0 worry *I* might vomit and it's all about seeing other people vomit.

Yeah, when I talk about it, see it in shows, hear it, see it, I get a tight knot in my chest and have a hard time breathing. My heart rate goes up, I feel quesy sometimes (which doesn't help as then that adds MORE on top of things) and I honestly just feel like utter shit for at least 10 minutes after.
I'm getting better though, but even now I have a slight tension in my chest.

I 100% understand that feeling of wet food chunks.

So people say, but the hype was similar for The Walking Dead and that looks boring as fuck so....time will tell

About to start Season 1 Episode 5.

If it helps allay potential concerns, I never got into The Walking Dead show (I also found it to be boring as fuck, and pretentiously trite to boot), but I'd rank the Expanse as being just under my personal Holy Trinity of Babylon 5, Deep Space 9 and Farscape for live-action sci-fi shows when it comes to my rankings for such things.

I only got into The Expanse after season 5 was already released, so I was never part of or swept up in the initial hype the show garnered for itself that allowed to survive that first cancellation and hop networks. I just constantly heard good things via word of mouth both online and among my friends and family, and finally found the time to sit down watch it. Season 1, as good as it is, is just the beginning. The show gets even better and better as it goes on.

Ah, good.
Apparently the books are great too.

[Alienmorph]

Also, if you are looking for a good zombie show, tp rid yourselves of Walking Dead and the likes, there's Kingdom on Netflix. Currently two seasons and a "prequel" movie/long episode. South Korea in general is putting out so much good stuff, is not just the more memed-on stuff like Squid Games.

[Dragaros]

Well, the Expanse series is now over; it's been a good ride. Really gonna miss that show. (Now, it's time for me to get into books, and see what the show changed and didn't get the chance cover.)

Also, did anyone else catch that Mass Effect easter egg?

► Show Spoiler

Commander Shepard, reporting for duty.

There's a bunch more sci-fi Easter eggs in there, too. Names from Terminator, Aliens, Star Wars, Star Trek, Dune, Battlestar Galactica, Blade Runner, Tron, Galaxy Quest, 2001, Halo, Starship Troopers, Minority Report...

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r_Z-A0gXgk

Going for a more mummy look.

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJFCP-VsfAs

Slap

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4smxT4b764

If Mothra was actually in this show, then I'd consider watching it.

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMkK47pX6HI

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Krla_UxRg

[Ragabul]

In season 5 of TNG now. Adding to list of absolutely cringe episodes is one where Troi falls in love with a Betazoid negotiator sleazeball dude. It's 1/3 boring negotiations over something no one cares about, 1/3 absolutely godawful romance scenes, and 1/3 Ferengi at their most cliche space goblin heights.

Though this occurs in an overall pretty decent set of episodes I'd say "half Romulan daughter of time-traveling dead Tasha Yar" is the single stupidest thing in the series. I totally forgot about that.

I really like TNG but it's fun to pick on.

*Edit*

Okay, just got to video game addiction episode. It can join the pile. Man, that's a stupid premise.

[Dragaros]

In season 5 of TNG now. Adding to list of absolutely cringe episodes is one where Troi falls in love with a Betazoid negotiator sleazeball dude. It's 1/3 boring negotiations over something no one cares about, 1/3 absolutely godawful romance scenes, and 1/3 Ferengi at their most cliche space goblin heights.

Though this occurs in an overall pretty decent set of episodes I'd say "half Romulan daughter of time-traveling dead Tasha Yar" is the single stupidest thing in the series. I totally forgot about that.

I really like TNG but it's fun to pick on.

*Edit*

Okay, just got to video game addiction episode. It can join the pile. Man, that's a stupid premise.

I can't remember where I read this from, but one review I saw ages ago summed up TNG as "When TNG is good, it's REALLY good, but when it's bad, it's REALLY bad."

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpgAhTP6ElA

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM_4-XFeRyA

[Dragaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhqGCPMfkNM

So we have a name.

[Alienmorph]

I have a horrible, horrible feeling about that show, at this point.

[TTTX]

I have a horrible, horrible feeling about that show, at this point.

we'll see, if the writing is great or good most of the time, then it will be worth a watch, if it doesn't well we already know what is going to happen lots of people complaining and a lot of name calling, isms and some other stuff being thrown around, so you know basically Tuesday.

[Dragaros]

[Dragaros]