Plan B Forum

Been watching a marathon of the original "Mission: Impossible" shows that one of the cable channels — 'Decades', I think they call themselves — has been running as a tribute to the late Martin Landau.

When I watch something like this and see what a combination of high production values, quality writing, and good acting was able to produce — and on a weekly basis — almost 50 years ago, I have to wonder why we are willing to sit still for much of the crap that passes for TV entertainment today.

Sure, we've had things like "Game of Thrones", "Breaking Bad", "The Sopranos", "Lost", and other scripted shows that draw rave reviews today, but they're just not the same.  They're more like a mini-series like "Roots" or "Shogun", or a 1930s Saturday-afternoon matinee serial at the movie theater; you need to watch all of them, in order, never missing a single one, in order to be able to follow the story and enjoy the program.  But "Mission: Impossible", and others such as "Combat!", "Twelve O'Clock High", the original "The Fugitive", and even Robert Conrad's "Wild Wild West" was able to take a recurring cast, add a guest star or two each week, and tell a stand-alone story in the space of one hour ... or on rare occasions, a 'to be continued' two-parter.  And I'm not a bit sorry to say that I miss that.

-"BB"-

Bicycle Bill wrote:... And I'm not a bit sorry to say that I miss that.

And we liked it.

There are plenty of weekly shows like that which are very good; the Law & Order franchise, NCIS, the CSI franchise, House, Crimnal Minds, etc.

Yes, some of those have ongoing character development/storyline growth, but primarily rely on a standalone story in each episode, or occasionally a two-parter - so a new viewer can jump in and enjoy without a lot of backstory, like watching The Fugitive (one of my favorites, by the way).

So I guess I disagree with you.

Such a beautiful summer day yesterday -- after lots of heat and humidity (for which I am not complaining, it's July after all) we finally got the freshening easterly breeze off the water we've been waiting for. I was outside all day, walking, weeding, beaching, swimming, reading, except when I was doing my cooking for the week. And then I had the baseball game on the radio in the background, of course.

What's TV?

Guinevere wrote:Such a beautiful summer day yesterday -- after lots of heat and humidity (for which I am not complaining, it's July after all) we finally got the freshening easterly breeze off the water we've been waiting for. I was outside all day, walking, weeding, beaching, swimming, reading, except when I was doing my cooking for the week. And then I had the baseball game on the radio in the background, of course.

What's TV?

"Meanwhile, in the Philadelphia and shore point regions widespread 7.5 inches of rain fell in the area yesterday and throughout the night with considerable flooding reported in far northern Delaware ... that could experience severe flooding ..."

What's on TV?

I binge watched Stranger Things last weekend. Or at least all but the first episode. (Watched that a few months ago). Another series I'm looking forward to in the fall.



On a somewhat related note has anyone watched the entire third season of Orange is the New Black? The wife and I just got through with episode 8 and I'm wondering if it is at all worth finishing.

Crackpot wrote: On a somewhat related note has anyone watched the entire third season of Orange is the New Black? The wife and I just got through with episode 8 and I'm wondering if it is at all worth finishing.

I think so.

Binge watching raises a question--how many people here do it? Personally, I don't (even though my wife often loves to binge on series), and I usually cannot watch more than 2 episodes at a sitting. I have no problem watching movies, even long ones (I recall watching Bertolucci's 1900 last winter and that runs at least 5 hours), but when episodes come into play I have a big problem watching more than 2 at a time. I'm not sure why, but I think the repetitiveness that is in successive episodes bugs me if I watch too many in a row--these are usually meant to be watched over several weeks, not back to back, and I'd rather watch them that way.

Are there others here who feel the same way?

Long Run wrote:
I think so.

that's a little vague. Do you know where I'm coming from in regards to not wanting to finish the series? Did you also have thoughts of performing arial stunts over aquatic carnivores?

Big RR wrote: Are there others here who feel the same way?

I'm usually the same. Stranger Things was the first time I binged a whole season in one sitting (though it was only 8 episodes long) and I think that had more to with it being literally set up as "chapters" rather than episodes. it's one continuous story that flows together with no "reset" in plot or theme. Very analogous to reading a story before bed and giving yourself the "one more chapter than bed" line.

Big RR wrote: I have no problem watching movies

We have a winner in the "Understatement of the Month" category.

Crackpot wrote: Do you know where I'm coming from in regards to not wanting to finish the series? Did you also have thoughts of performing arial stunts over aquatic carnivores?

If you don't like the story line for the season, your attitude is not likely to change by the end. But there are some more comedic sets, to go along with life and death, to add to the panty line. I thought the second half of the season was stronger than the first half.

Touche LR.