2018 Fall-Spring TV New/Returning Shows

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topaz

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I don't think I give the writers too much credit. I think that was the idea George R.R. Martin wanted to go with Dany. From how it turned out, I believe series was supposed to NOT be about celebrating the return of the Targaryen dynasty but rather play with people's expectations and see how we celebrated and easily justified taking over other kingdoms/civilizations and rooted for a charismatic beautiful leader who had her own trauma and came into her own agency so long as we have this narrative of good v. evil when we sort of failed to analyze it properly. I think the writers probably failed to properly lead up to these endings so that's why the endings feel unearned, random, and rushed. I don't doubt that the ultimate endings are what was intended for the book series though. I think had Martin written them, it would not have this feeling of dissatisfaction that many have now. I read HBO wanted ten seasons and like a movie to lead to this ending with more episodes in a season but the showrunners were just done with this series mentally. They're not really good writers and without Martin's book as a blueprint, they went off the rails getting to where the plot and characters were supposed to go.


My point was the writers didn't want to go in the direction of building the case for Dany's turn. They have stated they wanted to build "shocking moments". For example, forgetting dialogue from seasons ago when writing this season. Season 8, episode 5 Tyrion tells Jaime about the secret or unknown entrance into the Red Keep so Jaime can escape with Cersei. I was like he knew about a secret entrance and never told Dany and Unsullied? The writers either forgot this little tidbit prior to the episode or they're lazy to bring it up now.

Episode 4 of "inside the episode" the writer explains the reason why Rhaegar(dragon) was shot because Dany forgot about Euron's navy and the Qyburn crossbows. The writers explained including a shocking event to further the story that Dany was pushed into her decision to burn Kings Landing by having traumatic events happen to her in short span of time.

Overall for me it was just a sloppy last few seasons with characters not acting like themselves, creating plot armor just for sake of shock value, writing lines for characters contradicting themselves from past seasons of spoken words.
 

VGThuy

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No I agree with that. I just disagree that Dany wasn't supposed to be some sort of representation of modern foreign policy or people's idea of entitlement to power and having that corrupt because it wasn't really these writers who did that but George R.R. Martin's ideas.
 

VGThuy

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Here's a nice interview with Emilia Clark on where she felt Dany's head space was at or at least what she wanted to portray:

https://www.latimes.com/entertainme...rke-game-of-thrones-emmys-20190520-story.html

The Daenerys we see in that last scene feels like the woman we’ve known for years, not the person who just murdered thousands of innocent people.
I just wanted the audience to have a little reminder of who she was in the beginning. And I wanted that kind of justice for her, if I’m really honest. I wanted the person that he kills to not be a tyrannical dictator. It should just be a girl. It should be a human thing. And I think there’s an enormous amount of that person left. She’s had every opportunity to recover from what happened in King’s Landing. There’s a certain amount of her that thinks she’ll recover from it and everything will then just carry on.

Did her decision to carry on and lay waste to King’s Landing make sense to you?
[Director] Miguel [Sapochnik] suggested that I should play it like she’s an addict. I think there’s a certain kind of just needing to feel something. So you could ask that question to any addict who’s sitting at the bar who has been sober and decides to take up the bottle again. What makes them do it? What makes someone turn and go, “I know this is wrong. I know this is hurting people. I know this is painful. But I have to do it.” And that’s the headspace she’s in at that moment. And the reason why she makes the decision is a lifetime of pain, hurt, misery and disappointment and heartache and that she is never enough. Never enough for love. Never enough to get this throne she’s orchestrated her entire life toward. That’s where it’s coming from. It provides noise when there’s a deafening silence that you can’t get through. If you talk to an addict, what they’re escaping is their own thoughts, their own complete lack of self-worth. She’s creating the noise by laying waste to people she doesn’t need to lay waste to. She’s just a broken woman.
 

mjb52

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This is the third significant time I've seen unbelievable character choices (imo obviously) justified using an addiction metaphor. This is how Willow's break in Buffy S6 was justified (probably the closest to working of the three but still over the top for me), how Jaime's return to Cercei was justified, and now this. I guess my small post on a lightly visited subforum of a figure skating discussion board is unlikely to change anything but I do really wish future writers/directors question whether if the only way they can justify a character's decisions is to be like "they can't help themselves! they're addicted to magic/power/their sister-lover/whatever!" then perhaps they haven't truly laid the groundwork for the storyline they are embarking on.
 

snoopy

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So what is the official post limit for a single tv show in the tv show thread? 1? 3? Didn’t know there was a cap.
 
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VGThuy

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I’m going to buy a can just because I heard so much about it growing up that I want to try it for myself.
 

HeatherC

Searching for Sanity
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I tried to get tickets to see ANW film downtown (its only about a half hour away from me) but I wasn't able to get them even though I got on the waitlist for them the day the list was posted back in the winter. I'm hardcore bummed out. I love that show! :fragile: :wuzrobbed
 

manhn

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Michelle Williams is still doing incredible work. One of the great TV performances of the decade, if you ask me. She has a wonderful ability to play big yet keep it intimate.
 

VGThuy

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Michelle Williams is still doing incredible work. One of the great TV performances of the decade, if you ask me. She has a wonderful ability to play big yet keep it intimate.

Agreed. They gave her so many showcases to not only sing but sing in that Gwen Verdon voice. It's really incredible. My favorite had to be her Gwen Verdon singing response to finding out she's pregnant. It's probably imagined for that scene but I'd like to believe the real Gwen Verdon responded that way.
 

manhn

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Love that reaction from her after hearing she is pregnant.

I do find interesting that pretty much all of the famous people on this show are portrayed as pretty decent--Minelli, Paddy, Neil Simon. Chita Rivera was especially supportive. The only famous people to be problematic are Fosse and Verdon.
 

VGThuy

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Regarding Chita being supportive, after reading that bio (Bob Fosse actually wanted to CUT "Nowadays" and Gwen was emotionally pleading with him to keep it and arguing why it was so important to the show because it was the one sincere, non-cynical song she'd get to sing in that show that became much darker and cynical than Gwen probably imagined), in that scene with Bob and Gwen going back and forth and John Kander/Fred Ebb and Chita just watching and seeing how much Gwen was suffering under Bob undercutting her, Chita slipped a note to Kander/Ebb that said "GIVE HER THE SONG". Chita always had Gwen's back as they grew especially close during that show's run. In many interviews over the years, Chita would be one of Gwen's biggest champions and would always talk about her and how she was the best dancer in Broadway history. I think she truly understood Gwen and loved her.

I think the show is towing a careful line because with Nicole Fosse's involvement, they feel safer showing Bob and Gwen and their complicated and at-times problematic (well regarding Bob, many-times problematic) aspects while they probably don't feel as if they have as much support to do the same with the other characters. The boys club scenes between Neil and Paddy and Bob do have some problematic aspects though.

ETA:

The only issue I have with tonight's episode is that I really wish they allowed Michelle Williams to recreate Gwen Verdon doing the song "Roxie":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz2PULngzug

Just listening to the audio, Gwen Verdon really understood how to play to the audience and they were just eating it up. She had them in the palm of her hands.
 

Susan1

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I tried to get tickets to see ANW film downtown (its only about a half hour away from me) but I wasn't able to get them even though I got on the waitlist for them the day the list was posted back in the winter. I'm hardcore bummed out. I love that show! :fragile: :wuzrobbed
Imagine if you wanted to compete and had to stand in line for 48 hours. ha ha (I still don't understand that.)
 

VGThuy

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One more Fosse/Verdon related post. I think this Vanity Fair article gives so much great background to last night's episode:

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/bob-fosse-gwen-verdon-chicago-making-of-broadway

Fosse’s assistant choreographer, Tony Stevens, told Shelley that the hurt and pain the pair inflicted on one another was apparent in rehearsals. Stevens was surprised, for example, that Fosse asked Verdon to do seemingly degrading routines—but she did them, like a “Funny Honey” routine in which Fosse made Verdon’s character, Roxie, look inebriated. In “Razzle Dazzle,” Fosse staged his wife in the midst of dancers “groaning and humping.” According to Shelley, Chicago co-star Chita Rivera did not approve: “That’s the great Gwen Verdon up there, and look what they’re doing,” she commented to another production member.
 

Susan1

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So.....who else is following James Holzhauer’s winning streak on Jeopardy? He’s at 24 straight wins and $1.8 million won so far! :watch: :D

On a related note, Alex Trebek better beat this cancer. He’s a national treasure!
Everybody who has had to compete against him should be invited back. If they have a usually winning score of $20K, he has $200K. It's not fair. How does he know everything? (I have gotten a couple of the answers that none of them did though!) I haven't read anything about him, and I always flip over to CNN or MSNBC on the commercial before they are talking to the contestants (and somehow plan it right to flip back before the game starts back up). He's a professional gambler. Is he successful at that? Is he going to take his winnings and gamble it all away? Just things I think of while I'm watching.

I enjoyed the teachers' tournament because they all had the same chance of winning. And, yes, I love Alex Trebek!
 

Jenny

From the Bloc
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Holzhauer is playing within the rules of the game, so it's fair. He's not the first to go on a run like this, the show knows it can happen and likely love it because of the extra attention they get.

Always amazes me that Trebek is so popular, because I don't see it. He makes me cringe.
 

tony

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Holzhauer is playing a different game than the ‘formula’ or ‘standard procedure’ that almost all former contestants have adhered to- he always goes for the highest $ questions early, bounces around the board, builds up his lead, and then if/when he does hit a daily double, he can wager a lot more than someone working in the opposite (lowest to highest) manner. That’s how he’s been able to get so far ahead so quickly, and also why we are seeing high final totals game after game. It’s a risk obviously, but he knows his stuff and it’s working just fine for him.

Remember, IIRC Jeopardy films 5 episodes a day, so he’s earned that almost $2 million likely in 5 days.
 

watchthis!!

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I watched Blood and Treasure last night. Thought it was decent, good in the areas of script, acting and directing, but while good, just not...good enough. The highlight was the beauty of the cast. Not really the highest complement for a scripted action drama... :shuffle:
 

vgerdes

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I watched Blood and Treasure last night. Thought it was decent, good in the areas of script, acting and directing, but while good, just not...good enough. The highlight was the beauty of the cast. Not really the highest complement for a scripted action drama... :shuffle:

Huh. I actually enjoyed Blood & Treasure. Yes, it's the kind of show that's been done before, but I was entertained for a couple of hours. I'm going to stick with this one for a while.
 

Susan1

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Is the Farrah Fawcett special tonight the same one that was on a few years ago? The description doesn't say anything about "original air date". I guess this is around the 10th anniversary of her death. It's not like there is anything "new" they can include about her?
 

Susan1

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They are filming American Ninja Warrior in Cincinnati this week. They mentioned road closures down there on our (Dayton) news.

I just picked out some notes from all the articles (without location, road closures, Taste of Cincinnati, ANW history, etc.)

The Cincinnati City Qualifying episode will air July 1

"American Ninja Warrior" will be filmed downtown on Friday and Saturday night.

A Deign & Co., the television casting and development company behind "American Ninja Warrior," has a lottery system for anyone interested in walking on the ANW course.

The walk-on line starts on Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. at Schmidlapp Event Lawn, 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, near the Moerlein Lager House.

Everyone that is on location by the announced time will write their name on a slip of paper or ticket, as provided by production. Production will randomly select 20 names. The winners will be selected as the walk-ons and will be invited to compete in the order that their names are selected.

(me - walk-on line Wednesday night - filming Friday and Saturday? Does that mean they stand in line all day Thursday and Friday? Or they had to be in the walk-on line for days before Wednesday?)

Production does not anticipate being able to accommodate more than 15 walk-ons per city.
(me - they just said they would randomly select 20)

Question - Any special guests? Any Queen City connections - Sure do! We've got local singer Drew Lachey (98 Degrees), and Ryan Sutter (“The Bachelor”).

(me - does that mean they are competing?)

Notable ninjas include Grant McCartney, Jesse “Flex” Labreck, Ethan Swanson, Michelle Warnky and Tyler Yamauchi.

(I don't get a Cincinnati t.v. station to see it on their news.)
 

watchthis!!

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Is the Farrah Fawcett special tonight the same one that was on a few years ago? The description doesn't say anything about "original air date". I guess this is around the 10th anniversary of her death. It's not like there is anything "new" they can include about her?

In one of the ads for this program, they mentioned something about having found a bunch of footage never seen before that will be included in the program. I got the feeling that the whole show is entirely new, nothing from the old program used again. (Although a lot of information will remain the same of course.) I'm watching Paradise Hotel instead. :D

As for American Ninja Warrior...

Question - Any special guests? Any Queen City connections - Sure do! We've got local singer Drew Lachey (98 Degrees), and Ryan Sutter (“The Bachelor”).

I like seeing a few famous people taking a shot at the course. Don't like the idea of random people chosen to get a walk-on spot. Surely they have rankings of people who have competed in Ninja courses around the country. Compiled that list and those with the twenty best rankings are the new people who get a turn. I don't want to see random goofballs falling into the water on the first obstacle. Then the show becomes too much like Wipeout.

I wonder if Ninja Natalie is still able to compete as she moved over to MTV's The Challenge. I hope NBC won't ostracize her for appearing on another network's show.
 

HeatherC

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My friend and I are going to head downtown for Taste of Cincinnati on Saturday aftrernoon and then walk to the Ninja area to see what we can see after we leave the festival that evening. Its better than nothing and hey, at least I'll get to see the course while it's in town (still wish I had gotten tickets but this will have to do). I'll let you guys know what all I see on Saturday! :)
 

love skating

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I wonder if Ninja Natalie is still able to compete as she moved over to MTV's The Challenge. I hope NBC won't ostracize her for appearing on another network's show.

I read that she is back on the next Challenge which is just starting filming this week so I'm guessing she probably won't be on ANW this year?
 
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