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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   3094 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for June 16, 2023

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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If I had to name just one it'd be the Wire, no question about it. Asking people what they like is fantastic for engagement though.

The Wire

  • Has great performance throughout with a diverse cast

  • Operates almost entirely in a morally ambiguous space

  • Keeps characters for an extensive period of time,

  • Gradually ramps up the complexity of the story (introducing whole new societal factions almost each season)

  • Avoids "Jumping the shark" in later seasons for excitement or...

  • Taking the easy way out by having main characters avoid consequences for actions

  • Has a masterful, if cynical, ending

As I've rewatched it over the years, it always has something extra to teach me regardless of where I stand on socio-political issues. It's timeless but also represents the post 9/11 era extremely well.

Other greats:

  • Drama/Serious

    • The Wire

    • Mad Men

    • Succession

    • Dexter (Through S6)

    • Black Mirror

    • Skins (Maybe not good for everyone, but lots of great college memories from it)

    • GBBO

  • Animated

    • Rick and Morty (only just started watching, but love it)

    • The Simpsons (through season 7)

    • Adventure Time

  • Comedy

    • Arrested Development

    • Party Down

    • Veep

    • The Good Place

    • The Inbetweeeners

    • The Office (Till Michael Scott leaves)

    • Parks and Rec (Seasons 2-5)

GBBO

....Great British Bake-Off?

Don't get me wrong, I've always thought it made for unusually appealing TV, but it feels a little out of place on that list.

Yeah the category it's under isn't accurate but I didn't want to make a whole section for "competition shows that are great at pretending the drama and challenge is authentic"

The Good Place is incredible. I wish more shows actually delved into complex philosophical questions, but I suppose it's a niche audience. Also Kristen Bell is super hot.

When I watch Ms. Bell I can't stop thinking about how hot she is. Also one of the many reasons why Forgetting Sarah Marshall is awesome.

Hah, that's my favorite movie! Jason Segal is a fucking gem. You should watch The Muppet Movie and Get Him to the Greek as well if you liked FSM - the latter is actually a kind of sequel in the same universe.

Liked both quite a bit. Had a debate on The 5 year Engagement with my wife last night. Very similar feel in that it took a more realistic view of relationships and grief at them ending/devolving (ironically better than many "serious" relationship movies). But even as a comedy I felt it would have been better if Jason Segel and Emily Blunt hadn't ended up together. I end up feeling more uncomfortable and unhappy at the end of the movie, whereas I've watched FSM at least 6 times at this point (including in Hawaii on vacation).

The Good Place is decent, but anyone thinking of watching should keep in mind that it does bludgeon you over the head with progressive-isms which are immensely hard to ignore. Zero HP Lovecraft, whatever you may think about him, has a pretty good summary of how the ideology is interwoven through the show's plot.

Read the article - well written as always, and agree with most of it. The unredeemable white male character at the end took some very special looking past.

Nice write up, thanks for the link.

So... it does, at least in the second to last season. I toughed it out till the final and appreciated it.

Admittedly this is as an atheist who would have been considered socially liberal 12 years ago. I think I'm sensitive to culture war ham-fists and it had bought enough good will by the end to have me grit my teeth and finish.

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