Good TV (aka, the TV series spamthread), the second series

[Sly Boots]

Eh, good drama is good drama in my book. You don't watch Breaking Bad particularly rooting for any of the pretty unpleasant lead characters (maybe Hank is closest), but it's still one of the best shows ever made.

As a character study and acting tour de force Tony Soprano is brilliant to watch throughout the run.

[Stormbringer]

You don't watch Breaking Bad

You're right, I don't watch Breaking Bad. ¬_¬

[Sly Boots]

You don't watch Breaking Bad

You're right, I don't watch Breaking Bad. ¬_¬

Fair enough. More of a Downton man, then

[Stormbringer]

Actually, yes. ¬_¬

I tend to go for any historical drama that takes place before WW2.

[Snowy]

I do understand your mindset there as regards the mafia Doug - as an organisation they are utterly repellent. Regardless, I do love me a good gangster story, oxymoronic as it might be.

I think for me the draw of The Sopranos (not trying to convert anyone here, purely my thought) is that gangster films often tend to be formulaic (get power, get involved with drugs, downfall) and by their nature only offer a narrow window onto the characters. The Sopranos gives you a lengthy (86 hours in fact) window into the lives of the fictional New Jersey mob - who they are, why they are like they are, their history and the interactions between characters and families - that I really enjoyed.

Sure, the characters are almost all morally bankrupt, with the possible exception of Tony's kids, but that is all part of the interest. His devoted catholic wife for example who while not overtly complicit still knows what her husband does and where the money comes from, making for an interesting character study (one of many).

Tony Soprano himself is an acting tour de force, as Sly rightly says. A character who can make breathing aggressive, and really radiates menace and barely contained violence, yet who has definite cracks in his sociopathic armour.

It won't be for everyone, and the show ends very unusually, but for me it stands up with The Wire and Breaking Bad as some of the best TV ever made.

[Jez]

Totally agree there Ian. The Wire as you say was similar. Same with breaking bad.

[Snowy]

I thought you hadn't watched it Jez?

[Tichinde]

Consumed all of the currently available season 3 of Better Call Saul.
Mind bogglingly good television.

Good Place season 3 has also started, but gonna let that run a bit so we can binge it

[Sly Boots]

Yeah, chuffed to see The Good Place return. I would usually wait, but I couldn't wait and watched the first one last night - gutted when I saw it's currently the only one available

The good news is it's still very, very good and Jason continues to be hilarious.

[Jez]

I thought you hadn't watched it Jez?

As In was agreeing with the general principle of grey areas in the characters neither good or bad per se as they relate to the Wire and BB. It only strengthens my resolve to watch sopranos.

[Drarok]

Slight tangent, but South Park is back! And the first episode is typically dark, oof!

[Stormbringer]

Has anyone watched Altered Carbon?

Is it any good?

[Tichinde]

Has anyone watched Altered Carbon?

Is it any good?

Yes, damn good in fact.
I really enjoyed it.

[Jez]

Thought it was "ok"

[Mantis]

It was a lot better than I expected it to be.