Rate The Last TV Show Episode You Watched

[AndyDursin]

Dirk welcome aboard, pleasure to have you here!

[John Johnson]

I've been rewatching my Logan's Run TV series DVD set, which was released on Region 1 a decade ago. I was so pleased when it was released, as it would have been my first exposure to Logan and since entering my forties (I'm now 54 and also recently finished watching my The Fantastic Journey DVDs, that I purchased last year on Region 2), I am nostalgic for series from the 1970s.

I know it was a small budget but the actors essayed their roles appealingly, especially Donald Moffat as REM. Anyway, day before yesterday, I finished the final, fourteenth episode (Stargate) and my young son was pleased as he said he doesn't have to hear the theme tune when I'm watching Logan, when he's gone to bed! It's the 'Pew Pew' bit he doesn't like but I like the theme and scoring a lot. Glad to have FSM's CD of the scores.

I recently rewatched the five original Planet of the Apes films, so it's onto the Apes TV series next, let's see what my son thinks of the theme tune!

As I recall, Logan's Run started it's UK run on a Saturday night. Part of ITV's attempt to viewers away from Doctor Who which aired the same time on BBC1. I'm not sure if the series had already been cancelled by the time they screened it, but I'm guessing it was. The Fantastic Journey was shown by the BBC on a Friday evening. The series often popped up in the morning slot during the school summer holidays. I still have the Logan's Run CD somewhere. I have often wondered if the music tapes to The Fantastic Journey still exist. It's a CD I wouldn't mind having.

[Paul MacLean]

Yes, thanks for joining-up Dirk!

[Eric Paddon]

"Logan's Run" and "Planet Of The Apes" I always felt were basically identical TV shows. Both of them take a successful movie and give us a "Fugitive" type "on the run" premise in which ostensibly there is an end-goal for the protagonist (some computer chip for the astronauts, "Sanctuary" for Logan/Jessica), there is a Lieutenant Gerard like pursuer (Dr. Zaius/Urko, Francis), both add an "outsider" to join the protagonists (Galen, Rem,) and yet despite the need to be truly "on the run" the protagonists are never that far from their starting point and we get a lot of basically puttering around and after the novelty of the premise wears off, the struggle to come up with viable stories for a sustained series becomes more evident. I honestly don't see how they could have lasted more than a half season without seriously shaking up the formats at some point.

"Fantastic Journey" I've always had a problem with because I much preferred how things were being originally set up in its pilot film where there was time travel into the past and future and there was a real "Lost" kind of vibe. But then when NBC decided to make it a series, they ordered the jettisoning of half the cast of the pilot film, significantly the father character. That meant the pilot film had to be re-edited with scenes anticipating the second episode and that also meant cutting out an entire subplot involving a WW2 flyer from "Flight 19" who ultimately kills Ian McShane's pirate. Because of the change in format in series, I admit I couldn't reconnect. As originally envisioned, the show would have been much better IMO.

[Chris Shaneyfelt]

Welcome, Dirk! Your remarks about "Logan's Run" make me want to revisit that series - it's been a long time since I've watched those episodes. I enjoy the music, too - "pew pew" and all!

[Paul MacLean]

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (6.5/10)

One episode in, and I'm not exactly hooked. It's not awful, it's just...unremarkable, unoriginal and a bit stilted.

My impressions based on the trailers were correct. This is more Peter Jackson than JRR Tolkien -- a spinoff more of the movies than the actual books, and as a Tolkien devotee this irks me a bit. Like the films, there are ponderous stretches, and many characters speak very s l o w l y -- much as in lower-grade 50s biblical epics. Like the films, it has that gauzy, diffuse look, and and is overly reliant on green screens.

The interracial casting is silly. Though The Lord of the Rings books did actually refer to "black men" fighting in the wars, the casting in this series isn't believable. A hobbit mother admonishes her daughter that hobbits are not by nature travelers, and need to keep to themselves and their kin. Ok, so how did all these European and African hobbits come to live in the same tiny village? Moreover, the hobbit mother in question is black -- and her daughter white.

I will say that the production is more polished than the movies. Bear McCreary's music is better than Howard Shore's (though not in league with classics like Legend, Krull or The Dark Crystal). There are some really cute girls too (though Galadriel -- who is supposed to be the most alluring woman in the world -- is not among them).

My biggest issue with this series however is it just doesn't have any passion or emotional resonance. I'm just not drawn into the story, and I don't really care about the characters.

I wish it well though -- I like the fantasy genre, and if this proves popular we might get more (and better) such series, but I have no interest in continuing with it.

[AndyDursin]

Great review Paul, thank you!

Doomcock has a less impressed take

[Paul MacLean]

I’ve found that there’s often a difference between fans of Tolkien’s books, and fans of Jackson’s films. There are some who read the LOTR books and did actually like the movies. But I know more more people who loved the films and have never read the books, and I know people gave-up on the books (because they were “boring”) yet loved the films.

I suspect this series will get some viewers though, because there is an audience of people who will watch anything which is “sword and sorcery” related, and who don’t care about Tolkien’s actual work.

I know what he means about the backgrounds look “fake”. They just look like backdrops — not unlike that scene in Return of the Jedi when Hans and Lando talk in the hanger bay.

I don't agree with him about Jackson's film though, which I have never liked. And as I mentioned, one of the problems I have with this series is that it mimics the Jackson style.

[mkaroly]

I am one of the ones who read the books and loved the movies (LOTR). However, that is as fat as it goes for me. I remain staunchly uninterested in anything beyond the books.

[AndyDursin]

TULSA KING

Taylor Sheridan's latest series is a really fun change of pace from "Yellowstone," offering Sly Stallone a plum role of a NY mobster just out of prison after spending a quarter-century behind bars. Despite not ratting out his employers, he's unceremoniously sent to the middle of Oklahoma to take a cut of the latest business phenomena -- pot -- which he does along with a young man who becomes his driver.

Stallone is having fun in a show that's dramatic but not "heavy" in the way Yellowstone can be, offering likeable characters who aren't archly "odd" and a plot that does a nice job kicking into gear at a consistent yet leisurely pace, developing Stallone's lead so he's not a mere caracterture. Now on Paramount+ and, so far, very recommended.

[John Johnson]

TULSA KING

Taylor Sheridan's latest series is a really fun change of pace from "Yellowstone," offering Sly Stallone a plum role of a NY mobster just out of prison after spending a quarter-century behind bars. Despite not ratting out his employers, he's unceremoniously sent to the middle of Oklahoma to take a cut of the latest business phenomena -- pot -- which he does along with a young man who becomes his driver.

Stallone is having fun in a show that's dramatic but not "heavy" in the way Yellowstone can be, offering likeable characters who aren't archly "odd" and a plot that does a nice job kicking into gear at a consistent yet leisurely pace, developing Stallone's lead so he's not a mere caracterture. Now on Paramount+ and, so far, very recommended.

So far, I have enjoyed the series. Good news it's been picked up for a second season. The highlight of my Sunday mornings.

[John Johnson]

"Fantastic Journey" I've always had a problem with because I much preferred how things were being originally set up in its pilot film where there was time travel into the past and future and there was a real "Lost" kind of vibe. But then when NBC decided to make it a series, they ordered the jettisoning of half the cast of the pilot film, significantly the father character. That meant the pilot film had to be re-edited with scenes anticipating the second episode and that also meant cutting out an entire subplot involving a WW2 flyer from "Flight 19" who ultimately kills Ian McShane's pirate. Because of the change in format in series, I admit I couldn't reconnect. As originally envisioned, the show would have been much better IMO.

Nice to see the series is available on DVD. I always hoped FSM would have released the music, it would have made a nice companion piece to Logan's Run.

[jkholm]

SEVERANCE



I didn't want to start writing about this 9-episode series until I had finished it, but fortunately, I can heartily recommend this Apple+ show -- which you think is starting off as one thing and becomes something else altogether -- as easily one of the best I've watched in the last couple of years.

Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller's series kicks off with what seems to be an offbeat premise: a shady corporation offers the ability to sever its employees' brains so their outside -- "outtie" -- lives are unknown to their "innie" office worker selves, who have a shared conscience, it seems, but none of their respective others' personal memories. For those on the outside, this offers them the freedom to live their lives without even engaging in mundane office behaviors -- or being aware of the possibly nefarious activity being carried out inside the controversial "Lumen Corporation."

At the start, "Severance" introduces its principal quartet -- Adam Scott, John Turturro, Zach Cherry and the just-arrived Britt Lower -- as they stare at number patterns being bounced around 1980s-level computer monitors. Why are they there? Why are the surrounding corridors and buildings so cavernous and yet empty? Why does Christopher Walken run his own team on a different floor with equally mundane tasks -- as in restoring weird paintings. And why does "Lumen" corporate goon Patricia Arquette spend her outside time with Scott's "outtie" alter-ego -- spying on his other self without that Scott's knowledge of her true identity?

For a little bit, "Severance" seems like it's crossing LOST with THE OFFICE -- but as the episodes unfold, the show thankfully becomes something much more dramatic and engaging. This isn't just a Shyamalan puzzle type of program, but one in which believable sci-fi elements cross with suspenseful thriller elements and some existential questions about humanity -- especially once the "innies" aspire to more than sitting behind their solitary office cubicle. There's also lots of offbeat humor to go around, subtle as much of it is, especially involving Scott's brother-in-law, a buffoon whose latest self-help book is exalted by Scott's "innie" once it improbably ends up inside the Lumen walls.

The performances are just pitch-perfect, the writing is strong and the pacing of these episodes absolutely on the nose: unlike other streaming shows, there's not a false note or a bloated episode that's needlessly extended. "Severance" builds up a heady dramatic line that culminates in a crackerjack finale leaving you ready for a Season 2 -- and hinting at the larger plot lines the show can run off with. Hopefully it's as carefully constructed, thoughtful and exciting as this first season, which I was sad to see come to an end.

I finished watching Severance last night and agree that it is one of the best shows to come out in a long time. What starts out as a clever and surreal parody of modern office life gradually becomes more disturbing and mysterious as it goes along. I certainly hope the show's creators have everything worked out in terms of plot and that this doesn't turn out like Lost, another show with lots of likeable characters and intriguing twists that ultimately disappointed many fans. It is absolutely worth it to subscribe to Apple TV + just to see this.

[AndyDursin]

That is my worry also John, but I totally agree, SEVERANCE was the best show of last year IMO and one of the best I've seen, period, over the last few. I also hope they have a "plan" and it's not just "making it up as they go", which became the biggest problem for LOST obviously.

We just finished TULSA KING -- which I really, thoroughly enjoyed -- with Stallone doing a great job with another excellent ensemble. I especially enjoyed the cute Tatiana Zappardino as his daughter -- who I recognized as the "New Day USA" pitchwoman! She's actually quite good here. The show seemed a little "light" in the early going but once it got its act together, the backend of the episodes really were terrific. The one element that seems underutilized is Martin Starr as the dispensary owner -- seems like he was cast when the show was maybe going to be more invested in that storyline, but it veered off his character in the second half of the episodes (though there was one hilarious SILICON VALLEY in-joke where he talked about "working at an internet start-up for 5 years").

We're also halfway on 1923. Amazing production value on both of those Taylor Sheridan shows, but especially 1923's African scenes, which play like someone crossed OUT OF AFRICA with GHOST AND THE DARKNESS. Between that and the stellar cast, it's an upgrade on 1883 (at least what we've seen so far).

Also watched the first episode of WEDNESDAY, which was "fine," but felt a little familiar. We aren't rushing out to see more of it, but will put it on the back burner for when there's "nothing else to watch".

[jkholm]

Can you watch 1883 and 1923 without having seen any of Yellowstone?