Julius Posted July 21 Posted July 21 (edited) Great to see the love for The Bear, keep the thoughts coming @Hero-of-Time and @drahkon get on S3 so we can hear your thoughts on it some heavy and uncomfortable stuff at times, it's not without certain issues or quirks for me but I think it's great. Also, has someone who cooks quite a lot, I've lost count at the number of times I've paused an episode and started walking around my living room with a pen and paper in hand brainstorming something I want to try and whip up – and so far, to great success I can't imagine anything more meaningful than a show about a craft inspiring it's viewers to go and craft for themselves. Completely unrelated, but I started and finished The Boys S4 last week (in the space of a couple of days...whoops; though, that's just how I watch most things these days!), and yeah, it carries on from S3 where my main issue with it is while there's some great stuff there, it's kind of overshadowed by the times they unrelentingly are going for shock value with certain scenes and depictions of events. There's also a string of episodes for a certain character where I can't believe you'd put them through that string of events as a creative, let alone try to justify some of it as being funny when it's anything but, which was a huge yikes from me for Kripke. Glad it's ending with S5 because S4 finally remembered it needed to set it up at the death and holy cheese balls does it, but this wait is going to be painful. S4 was a dropoff from S3 for me, similar to how S3 was a dropoff from the quality of S1 and S2. Also watched Gen V a couple of weeks back to prep for watching S4 of The Boys, and yeah, some weirdness to it - I swear the creators of Gen V/The Boys come across as straight guys who haven't figured out that just talking about and showing dicks all the time makes them appear very incel-ish - but it was good fun, weird pacing and some more questionable decisions aside. Also, I need Maddie Phillips as Emma Frost in the MCU, so Kev if you aren't already mate get on that, please and thank you (she'd also make a great Lady Maria/Doll from Bloodborne if Sony are still planning to go ahead with that, js) Edited July 21 by Julius 2
drahkon Posted July 21 Posted July 21 7 hours ago, Julius said: @drahkon get on S3 so we can hear your thoughts on it My plan for today is: play some Jeanne d'Arc watch F1 watch the last 3 episodes of Severance If I have time for The Bear S3 tonight, I'll start watching it then
Julius Posted July 21 Posted July 21 1 hour ago, drahkon said: My plan for today is: play some Jeanne d'Arc watch F1 watch the last 3 episodes of Severance If I have time for The Bear S3 tonight, I'll start watching it then
Hero-of-Time Posted July 21 Posted July 21 Halfway through the second season now and I don't think it's as good as the first. It lacks the raw energy and intensity that was is the first season. The story is a bit disjointed as well, with all the characters off doing their own thing. Doesn't feel as intimate.
drahkon Posted July 21 Posted July 21 Season 3 is seemingly going nowhere given that nothing really happened in the first 4 episodes. It could also do with a lot less music. It's getting too artsy for its own good.
drahkon Posted July 21 Posted July 21 Just as I was about to lose hope that S3 will be good...Episode 6 comes around. Wonderful
drahkon Posted July 22 Posted July 22 On 7/21/2024 at 10:33 AM, drahkon said: watch the last 3 episodes of Severance Well, watched the final episode just now and as always: Easily one of my top season finales. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I was still on the edge of my seat. Can't wait to watch it again before S2 drops very early next year
Hero-of-Time Posted July 22 Posted July 22 Gotta say, there's just no need for the f-bomb to be used so many times in The Bear. Watching episode 6 of the second season and it's just a constant barrage of it.
Hero-of-Time Posted July 22 Posted July 22 I didn't care for episode 6 at all but loved episode 7 (Forks). Seeing Richie's transformation was great. The peeling mushrooms scene...these are manly tears. Leave me alone! 1 1
drahkon Posted July 22 Posted July 22 Season 3 done. Eh It had two good episodes, the rest was pretty inconsequential.
Hero-of-Time Posted July 22 Posted July 22 1 minute ago, drahkon said: Season 3 done. Eh It had two good episodes, the rest was pretty inconsequential. That's kinda how I'm feeling with season 2. Episode 1-6 were pretty drab and lacking in anything that really moved things forward. 7 and 8 were great though.
drahkon Posted July 22 Posted July 22 4 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said: That's kinda how I'm feeling with season 2. Episode 1-6 were pretty drab and lacking in anything that really moved things forward. 7 and 8 were great though. Well, S3 is pretty much the same. The final episodes at least progress a little bit of the plot, but not by much
Julius Posted July 22 Posted July 22 49 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said: I didn't care for episode 6 at all but loved episode 7 (Forks). Seeing Richie's transformation was great. The peeling mushrooms scene...these are manly tears. Leave me alone! Yeah, Forks is easily one of the strongest episodes in the show. Was definitely fearful when he was driving around a bit recklessly towards the end of the episode blasting Taylor Swift, though. My face was buried in my hands waiting for something bad to happen 11 minutes ago, drahkon said: Season 3 done. Eh It had two good episodes, the rest was pretty inconsequential. As someone with a mixed relationship at the best of times with certain family members, I felt absolutely dreadful watching certain episodes of S3 – I love it, but it's a little too accurate for it's own good at times Felt the same way about a lot of S3, though I think there's a structural reason for it which will make sense in the wider show but zoomed in as an individual season, it doesn't reflect well. Same goes for @Hero-of-Time saying the same about S2, I think there's a bit of a meta creative decision behind what they're doing with both compared to S1, but it's hard to get into without a spoiler tag (and doesn't really get into the actual quality and pace of the show even if it is purposeful) 2
Hero-of-Time Posted July 22 Posted July 22 Just finished season 2. Yeah, the second half was much better than the first. The last episode was pretty heartbreaking. The freezer and Pete talking with the person outside were pretty emotional. Oh, and the chocolate banana. 😭
Hero-of-Time Posted July 22 Posted July 22 Went straight into season 3... I hate it when tv shows do that. Like, at least sort out the stuff that happened at the end of last season before starting with the flashback scenes. I guess they are building to Carmy drawing inspiration from his various mentors but still. Think I'll call it a day and pick it back up tomorrow.
Hero-of-Time Posted July 23 Posted July 23 I'm still thinking about episode 7 from season 2. Such an amazing bit of TV. I may watch it again once I finish season 3. Watched another episode of season 3 before heading to work today. Spoiler Carmy is turning into a bit of a prick. He's really gone off the deep end micromanaging everything. I just hoping Richie doesn't fall of the rails due to all of this because I love how much progress he's made. Even though I didn't care for the episode (7 Fishes), it was an important one to have to show the upbringing these guys had and it does explain why Carmy is the way he is. He's very self destructive.
Hero-of-Time Posted July 23 Posted July 23 Episode 5 of season 3 was slow at the start but turned out to be hilarious once the Faks got together and started buffing the floor. Loved the inclusion of another Fak.
Hero-of-Time Posted July 23 Posted July 23 Episode 8 (Ice Chips) was brilliant. The back and forth between Sugar and her mom (freaking amazing actress who I respect immensely for letting herself age gracefully) was fantastic to watch. The camera work was really well done, with a lot of the time it being focused on close ups of each of the characters faces as the other was telling a story. I was looking at the awards the show has won, of which there are many, but why is it classed as a comedy? Sure, they are funny moments but it's more like a drama to me.
Julius Posted July 23 Posted July 23 31 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said: I was looking at the awards the show has won, of which there are many, but why is it classed as a comedy? Sure, they are funny moments but it's more like a drama to me. Haha, welcome to the world of comedies-going-unrecognised-at-the-awards nonsense (same goes for the Golden Globes, which has had the exact same issue in the past; reminder that The Martian won a Golden Globe for Best Comedy). The show broke the record for the number of nominations (23) for a comedy at the Emmy's this year, it's kind of ridiculous. But yeah, anyways, I totally agree. For me it's simple – what's the intent of the comedy in The Bear? Is the focus of The Bear purely on providing laughs, or are the comedic elements there to provide moments of relief from the show's more serious tone and moments? It's so obviously the latter with The Bear that it's not even funny, I don't know who the award organisers are trying to fool here. The crazy thing to me is that I don't even think it's close to being contentious. Something like Fleabag? I'd be much more willing to hear out an argument for it being in either a drama or a comedy, but the truth is I think there's something about these events - similar to the Oscar's - where they simply don't want to recognise actual comedies and view these shows with 35+ minute long episodes and a bit more pretentiousness or calculation about them as being above them. "They can't all be recognised, The Bear deserves some love but something like Succession is clearly going to run away with it or the two will split the votes – hey, The Bear makes me laugh sometimes, how about we throw it in as a Comedy so they both win?"
Ashley Posted July 23 Posted July 23 Comedies = 30 minutes Dramas = 60 minutes That really is pretty much the extent of their classification.
Julius Posted July 23 Posted July 23 10 minutes ago, Ashley said: Comedies = 30 minutes Dramas = 60 minutes That really is pretty much the extent of their classification. Not sure if you're referring to the actual classification, because if you are, this (30 minute episodes or less = comedy) hasn't been the case for a few years now. Either way, The Bear does that thing I hate where episodes fluctuate in length pretty greatly (this season episodes ranged from 28 to 43 minutes long, which would include credits) and it definitely wouldn't fit into the 30 minute definition for a comedy from before because of this. I don't think it's a coincidence that so much quality television was put out with the limitation of having X amount of minutes to fill
Ashley Posted July 23 Posted July 23 Oh it's not an exact classification, but it pretty much is along those lines when it comes to awards. It's why something like Desperate Housewives was classed as a drama and sure it had (melo)drama but it was a comedy.
Julius Posted July 23 Posted July 23 6 minutes ago, Ashley said: Oh it's not an exact classification, but it pretty much is along those lines when it comes to awards. It's why something like Desperate Housewives was classed as a drama and sure it had (melo)drama but it was a comedy. It actually was the classification previously, I remember them making a whole fuss about it when the change first took place and then when it got removed (source for the curious: THR) – it was in effect from 2015 until the change to the rules in 2022. Shows longer than 30 minutes at the time could appeal to be considered a comedy but were automatically assigned as a drama, and vice versa. Orange Is The New Black I'm pretty sure wanted to remain a comedy (because of the near guarantee of awards considering they'd gained some in the comedy section before) but their appeal ended up getting rejected. Either way, I think every definition they've come up with has missed the mark and similar to a lot of issues I have with the Oscar's (where anime is doomed because you're asking 60+ year old white men to check that out instead of having their kids watch a Pixar film) I think it's something which has long needed to be reconsidered, and not just because of the sheer number of things you could call a dramedy these days. It's like talking about Action and Action-Adventure game awards at The Game Awards – the winner of the latter almost always takes home GOTY, yet as subgenres they're both incredibly stupidly named and defined.
Hero-of-Time Posted July 24 Posted July 24 8 hours ago, Julius said: Either way, The Bear does that thing I hate where episodes fluctuate in length pretty greatly (this season episodes ranged from 28 to 43 minutes long, which would include credits) and it definitely wouldn't fit into the 30 minute definition for a comedy from before because of this. Yeah, I'm not a fan of the fluctuating run time either. I don't mind if the season finale is longer but jumping between different lengths throughout a season is pretty annoying. The first season was pretty consistent, with all episodes apart from the last being half an hour long. It's season 2 where the run times start to be all over the place.
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