2018 Fall-Spring TV New/Returning Shows

[gkelly]

She was raised to believe the throne was her birthright.

 

[sk8pics]

Just saw the series finale of The Big Bang Theory. Overall, I liked it but it felt a bit incomplete. They certainly left enough space for a possible reboot, did they?

I laughed out loud for 5 minutes after the big slap at the beginning. I enjoyed it a lot, and got a bit teary eyed at the very end, where they were all sitting together in Leonard and Penny’s living room, just like they did at the beginning, except now everything’s different. Very poetic.

 

[ilovepaydays]

I laughed out loud for 5 minutes after the big slap at the beginning. I enjoyed it a lot, and got a bit teary eyed at the very end, where they were all sitting together in Leonard and Penny’s living room, just like they did at the beginning, except now everything’s different. Very poetic.

Spoiler: Just in case people haven’t seen it yet from last night.

I will admit that I got emotional when Sheldon introduced “Astronaut Howard Wolowitz” during his Nobel acceptance speech.

The one big thing I didn’t like was how “empty” they left Koothrappali. So he ended up just sitting next to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Sarah Michelle Gellar)? Um, okay?

 

[sk8pics]

One more post related to The Big Bang Theory, and that is, the ending of Young Sheldon was a wonderful tribute to the show's characters. I got a bit teary eyed at that, too. Sniff.

 

[Japanfan]

She was raised to believe the throne was her birthright.

Yes, but until the last episode, the audience believed that she would be a just and reasonable queen - at least I did, and I don't think I'm the only one.

 

[snoopy]

I didn’t think she’d be queen as there were too many contenders - and her bend the knee thing was annoying. But the writers sending her on a homocidal rampage - that went on and on and on - was so over the top imo.

Heck miss Arya assassin was foreshadowed to be a nutcase too if we’re going to pull out all the outrageous things people did. Between her list, walking around with the faces of dead people, and feeding someone their ground up children...sheesh.

 

[AliasJohnDoe]

New/Returning Shows for the week Sunday May 19/2019 - Saturday May 25/2019: https://www.cinemablend.com/televis...le-premiere-dates-for-new-and-returning-shows

Monday, May 20
8 p.m. - Beat Shazam Season 3 - Fox

Tuesday, May 21
9 p.m. - BLOOD & TREASURE - CBS (Two-Hour Series Premiere, Special Time)

Wednesday, May 22
8 p.m. - The Amazing Race Season 31 - CBS

Thursday, May 23
9 p.m. - CHRISTINA ON THE COAST - HGTV
10 p.m. - Elementary Season 7 - CBS
10 p.m. - Red Nose Day 2019 - NBC (One-Hour Special Presentation

Friday, May 24
12:01 a.m. PT - She's Gotta Have It Season 2 - Netflix
12:01 a.m. PT - Vida Season 2 - Starz (Streaming Premiere For Eps. 201-210)

Please post any updates I may have missed.

 

[VGThuy]

Someone said it best regarding Dany when they said foreshadowing in of itself does not replace character development and I think it’s true in that case.

 

[judiz]

One more post related to The Big Bang Theory, and that is, the ending of Young Sheldon was a wonderful tribute to the show's characters. I got a bit teary eyed at that, too. Sniff.

Me too

 

[clairecloutier]

There's lots of good opinion articles about Game of Thrones on The Guardian site. I liked this one:

In the end, Game of Thrones needed better writers
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-...e-thrones-bad-writing-season-eight-nick-cohen

 

[alexikeguchi]

Wow, I didn't expect much from the GOT finale, but the episode managed to disappoint even my lowest expectations. I think any two fans could have done a better job with this season than the actual writers. So much WTF

 

[A.H.Black]

"For the People" got the ax. I liked it ok. First season was better than second. One episode called "This is America" was sterling! I have watched it several times...just to watch
Anna Deavere Smith aka Too Tall McCall (The American President) gives an utterly amazing explanation of what America is, and the complexities of being American.

My niece worked on "For the People" (she also worked on Scandal). I also liked the "This is America" episode. I thought this week wrapped things up pretty well and I wasn't left wanting more.

 

[oleada]

Wow, I didn't expect much from the GOT finale, but the episode managed to disappoint even my lowest expectations. I think any two fans could have done a better job with this season than the actual writers. So much WTF

It was awful. The show deserved much better. The writing was awful all season. I could take this ending, if it had been writing well, but it wasn’t.

 

[VGThuy]

I actually don't mind the ending only because it's not like I expected anything better. I think this ending ultimately makes sense even if I have to imagine a better way of how it got there.

 

[AxelAnnie]

My niece worked on "For the People" (she also worked on Scandal). I also liked the "This is America" episode. I thought this week wrapped things up pretty well and I wasn't left wanting more.

Nice. I agree about the last episode. The speech about voting was amazing. I have watched it twice.. they did wrap it up nicely...so nicely I want more and more. Don't see writing like that often.

 

[MacMadame]

A friend of mine loved the ending. She thinks it's because she read the books and the way each character's story ended fit well with the books. Since I've watched a total of 4 episodes, I have no idea if she is correct.

 

[snoopy]

Bran is the least inspired choice for king imo. The dude is insipid. Zzzzzz. Plus it was rather a Disney ending. Everyone easily consents to bran on the throne, no one objects to the north succeeding (or demands the same independence), everyone happy in the end.

Just about every detail in the leaks was right btw.

 

[oleada]

A friend of mine loved the ending. She thinks it's because she read the books and the way each character's story ended fit well with the books. Since I've watched a total of 4 episodes, I have no idea if she is correct.

I’ve read all the books and I didn’t like it.

 

[clairecloutier]

I actually kind of liked the ending. I agree the writing could’ve been better, but the character arcs felt right to me. My 2 cents:

Yes Bran isn’t the most exciting choice as king, but I think that was the point. It was time for Westeros to move on from its long series of charismatic and strong, but too often tyrannical and brutal, rulers. Daenerys would’ve been another of this line. That was the wheel that had to be broken. So I’m pretty okay with Bran being king. There was also a poetic justice to the child who was paralyzed as part of the dynastic struggle, in the very beginning, and written off as dead or worthless, becoming king. The valorous feudal empire being led by a paraplegic and a dwarf.

It’s for the same reason that Jon had to be neutralized and sent North, to break the story/mythology of the destined (genetically superior) ruler. Jon never became king of Westeros, but arguably he sacrificed himself for his country by ridding it of Daenerys. That was a true-king act. What he did for Westeros there was probably more important than anything he might’ve done as actual king.

As for Daenerys, it was sad to see her killed, but you could see how far gone she was in that final scene, although she said it all gently for Jon’s sake. She didn’t show a shred of remorse for killing the citizens of Kings Landing, instead trying to blame it on Cersei (“the things she made me do”). All she could think about was herself and her glorious destiny.

I was glad the dragon survived and left Westeros, after first burning down the Iron Throne (always a symbol of bloodshed and death).

Liked Sansa as queen of the North, and Arya finding a new quest. (After everything Arya saw and had done, “normal” life was never going to be possible for her.)

 

[snoopy]

There were Ser Davos or Brienne or Arya or Sam Tarly as options (characters who actually did stuff). Or they could have just had the council govern with no monarch. Appointing the weird seer kid isn’t exactly novel imo.

There is also the issue if bran played everyone with his knowledge. Could or should he have done more to prevent the massacre or did he play that to his advantage? All that soft power and I’m not sure he did a whole lot of good with it. He made sure the starks were set up nicely however. I guess hereditary lineage in the north is still good.

 

[smurfy]

GOT
I only started watching end of last year. I loved the show.
The last season had weaknesses and was rushed - as if we fast forwarded- but overall I loved the show.
The overall production values and acting(with a few exceptions) were amazing.

Lots of fun articles to read online.

I think on rewatching - Dany will seem different. Early in this season I was thinking she was grieving and then she was reacting to Missendei's Dracarys last words for the episode last week.
The final episode - power corrupts absolutely.
I do read things that it was her destiny - that she grew up believing - but her brother thought the throne was for him.
I do not think she thought about the throne for herself until the time period in the show.

Re - Bran - one of the things - besides the storytelling of him - was the actor not up to it so the writers/producers did not go there? A lost opportunity if they knew that is where they were going.
The council deciding the new ruler - was heavy for the Starks/northerners like Tully and Robyn Arryn. But with the north being separate - no vote, nor someone from the north on the throne?
Favorite thing I read online - that Robyn Arryn was Longbottomed. LOL
And the night watch is not really needed anymore. So the council got one over Greyworm/Unsullied/Dothraki??

And Bronn - master of the coin - I would not trust him.
Happy that Brienne, Davos and Podrick survived and will be ok!
I assume Sansa released Brienne from her pledge and thought Bran needed Brienne more.

One thing I liked - they left the ending as life goes on. And if they want to make money - have some sequels as tv shows or movies like Arya's adventures west of westeros. A sitcom of the privy council would be hilarious.
I know there are prequels in the works - but I do not believe anything with any of the GOT characters.

 

[gkelly]

The final episode - power corrupts absolutely.
I do read things that it was her destiny - that she grew up believing - but her brother thought the throne was for him.
I do not think she thought about the throne for herself until the time period in the show.

I said that here: that she was raised to believe the Iron Throne was her birthright, to make the point that her desire for that power existed all along, not as a result of corruption.

But you're right, it is a little more complicated than that. Viserys raised her to believe that he was the rightful heir. However, implied in that was that the Targaryens were the rightful rulers and Danaerys would likely be next in line. After his death, she said he was no true dragon. But she still intended to go through with the plan of using the Dothraki to restore the Targaryen rule in Westeros, originally for her son and then for herself. The details evolved as she worked to bring that goal closer to reality. But it was already her goal in season 1/book 1. The goal wasn't any more corrupt because she became more powerful along the way. But yes, the methodologies did.

And Bronn - master of the coin - I would not trust him.

He did seem on track to become the new Littlefinger.

 

[VGThuy]

Can someone explain how Cersei became Queen in the first place? That never made sense to me. Also, before they got rid of birthright inheritance for the throne (I can see the next King with a child getting rid of that rule), once Dany made Gendry a noble and recognized him as Robert Baratheon's son, didn't he become next in line or whatever? I mean it doesn't matter since the Council just invented the Electoral College in the original sense.

I think Bran was the most satisfying choice for me. Jon Snow I never bought as being a monarch even when he was King of the North. I like that he sacrificed himself to save the Kingdom but then got to retire with the Freemen of the North with Ghost. I think the show was going towards the he'll never love another person the way he loved Dany so he's fine with not taking a wife or having children. He was pretty happy just being considered a bastard and it wasn't until he found out he was a Targaryen that he started having problems with coming to terms with his identity. I do think he was still in love with Dany which is very Targaryen of him. I'm also glad the Targaryen line ended. I think they were always meant to represent the wheel that had to be broken even though the idea that someone is NOT their bloodline nor defined by their parents is also a strong plot thread that wasn't explored when they decided to make Dany lose control. I guess Jon Snow is supposed to represent that.

Arya being Queen would have been a punishment for her. She wanted her freedom and adventure. As for the others, they seem very content with where they are. Sam annoyed me to the point where I wouldn't have minded if he died in Episode 3, so I'm glad he's not king. I also don't think he has the personality to really be a good leader.

The problem with Bran is that the writers probably KNEW this is how George R.R. Martin wanted to end this, and still had his character skip a season or two. That makes no sense. They should have showcased him throughout the show much more consistently. But him being King is fitting in that the show really started with him and what Jamie did to him starting everything with Joffrey beheading Ned being the thing that lit that bomb that became this show. Have some machine-like person calmly ruling with a stable personality deal with the burden of the throne. Plus, like @clairecloutier said, not everything is "destiny" and people need to break away from the idea that people are just entitled to sit and rule. That whole destiny thinking and might is right is what caused all these problems with the people of Westeros and caused so much unneeded tragedy. Drogon had the right idea when he melted the iron throne. That piece of shit furniture was the death of countless people.

One thing that did confuse me was how much Bran set it up so he'd become King and how much he knew it was just inevitable. I think what he did was he saw all the logical roads that lead towards the end and decided to set this one in motion knowing it was the most likely to happen knowing who the players were and how they'd act. Bran showed some personality at the end again which also confused me because it seemed he didn't care about anything and he obviously was happy being King.

 

[gkelly]

Can someone explain how Cersei became Queen in the first place? That never made sense to me.

As I understand:

She was regent for Tommen at the time that he died, either de jure or de facto (it wasn't clear how old he was supposed to be, but apparently a minor). His claim was through the Baratheon line even though he wasn't really a Baratheon. Everyone else with an obvious claim through that line was already dead. (Except Gendry, whom Cersei probably didn't know about and who was a bastard in any case.) So who was left? Targaryens, who weren't in Westeros at the time or weren't known to exist? Someone obscure with a claim through whoever the Targaryens had deposed 300 years earlier? There wasn't any clear claimant at that point. Cersei was right there and had already been ruling on Tommen's behalf, so she just kept on doing so.

Also, before they got rid of birthright inheritance for the throne (I can see the next King with a child getting rid of that rule), once Dany made Gendry a noble and recognized him as Robert Baratheon's son, didn't he become next in line or whatever?

Only if you believe that Robert's Rebellion had constituted a lawful transfer of power from the Targaryens to the Baratheons. Dany obviously did not hold that interpretation. Maybe someone like Davos or Brienne would have supported a claim by Gendry, but Dany would not.

 

[VGThuy]

Only if you believe that Robert's Rebellion had constituted a lawful transfer of power from the Targaryens to the Baratheons. Dany obviously did not hold that interpretation. Maybe someone like Davos or Brienne would have supported a claim by Gendry, but Dany would not.

That makes sense. I was thinking more like Robert's Rebellion gained the throne through conquest and thus Dany took it back via conquest so both lines being legitimate. Either way, Dany taking it back either by conquest and forming a new line or by conquest and making the former line legitimate and delegitimatizing the entire Baratheon line and claim would make Gendry no threat since he no longer had a birthright claim. Maybe it was Dany's way of showing she had no fear of anyone who had a claim to the throne through the Baratheon line.

 

[snoopy]

The problem with Bran is that the writers probably KNEW this is how George R.R. Martin wanted to end this, and still had his character skip a season or two. That makes no sense. They should have showcased him throughout the show much more consistently.

snip

One thing that did confuse me was how much Bran set it up so he'd become King and how much he knew it was just inevitable. I think what he did was he saw all the logical roads that lead towards the end and decided to set this one in motion knowing it was the most likely to happen knowing who the players were and how they'd act. Bran showed some personality at the end again which also confused me because it seemed he didn't care about anything and he obviously was happy being King.

I think the specific thing D&D had problems with is dialogue, and more specifically, emotional dialogue. Almost anytime there was an emotional revelation, instead of letting us hear the character respond to it or reckon with it, they cut away to an action scene. Only Tyrion seemed to get scenes that grappled with his emotions via words. So maybe they didn't know how to write someone who is mostly in his head.

 

[smurfy]

An assassin was sent for Dany (and her brother?). Reference was made to the Dothraki hoard.
I think it was Robert? and Ned was against going against a child? Not sure if my memory is right. But early on.
As much as the ending was not perfect - I am enjoying reading all the things online and revisiting things to see how they fit in the bigger picture.

 

[VGThuy]

Regarding Dany invoking modern day American interventionist policies in justifying her World takeover, I have to admit something. I used to play Civilization V years ago, and I played the entire World Map. Let's just say I took over whole empires for petty reasons (they denounced me publicly so I'll show them!) or because they tried to attack me first, or thinking since my civilization was more advanced technologically, my cities/kingdoms had way better infrastructure, public education, etc. while the other civilizations were just a level or two above feudalism or whatever, that I was justified going in there and taking those cities over and introducing modern life there. Once I gained nuclear weapons...I was not above using them if it meant less of my own troops would get killed while taking over cities and I'll just rebuild it with people who would be loyal to my Empire. Yes I have somewhat of an active imagination invoking imaginary narratives in a video game, but through that experience, I can see how Dany got a huge ego and got off in thinking she was going to create a better world for people and with her dragon, she felt unstoppable.

 

[topaz]

As I understand:

She was regent for Tommen at the time that he died, either de jure or de facto (it wasn't clear how old he was supposed to be, but apparently a minor). His claim was through the Baratheon line even though he wasn't really a Baratheon. Everyone else with an obvious claim through that line was already dead. (Except Gendry, whom Cersei probably didn't know about and who was a bastard in any case.) So who was left? Targaryens, who weren't in Westeros at the time or weren't known to exist? Someone obscure with a claim through whoever the Targaryens had deposed 300 years earlier? There wasn't any clear claimant at that point. Cersei was right there and had already been ruling on Tommen's behalf, so she just kept on doing so.



Only if you believe that Robert's Rebellion had constituted a lawful transfer of power from the Targaryens to the Baratheons. Dany obviously did not hold that interpretation. Maybe someone like Davos or Brienne would have supported a claim by Gendry, but Dany would not.

Cersei was regent but she was not "ruling". Cersei was technically due to be sentenced when she decided to blow up her enemies at Saep Baelor, including the Tyrell heirs.

Cersei was considered the last remaining Lanisster and she used this as her claim.

Overall, I am extremely disappointed the show decided to take the route. The last two seasons have been rushed. Characters like Tyrion, Varys were shells of themselves. Jon's behavior was just non existent and the sharp turn of Dany's character arc was not well written and did not make any sense.

I undertand that Dany did ruthless things during the seasons, but she also did sympathetic things and acted truly regal at times. The writers seemed to completely "forget" the things the character did to tame her nature aggressive behavior.

She locked up two of dragons because they were becoming a menace in Meereen. Drogon roasted an innocent child and Dany locked up the other dragons as a way to protect the country.

She gave the Unsully the option of joining her or leaving without any harm to them. Daario tell Dany rulers are either "butchers or meat" and Dany is abhorrent to being a butcher of people.

Arya is just as ruthless as Dany, but they used the "nature or nurture" against Dany. They writers felt the way to show she's mad to have her lose EVERYTHING. That's lazy writing. Also, they repeated made it seem like she was unreasonable, impulsive and did not listen to her advisors when in fact episode of season 7, episode 2:
Yara Greyjoy, Ellaria Sand and Olenna Tyrell ALL TELL Dany to take King's Landing ASAP. One of my lines of the whole series is when Lady Olenna tells her "I'm seen my share of "clever men" and I've outlived them all. The lords of Westeros are sheep, are you a sheep? No you're a dragon, be a dragon".
https://youtu.be/KdG06QsLxYY

Tyrion is the one who dissuades her. Dany could have taken KL ASAP, prepared for the long night and etc. Tyrion gives lots of poor advise and contributes to poor military strategy throughout Season 7 and 8.

But they gave "plot armor" to Cersei and made her look like a genius.

The way the writers decided to take the direction of her character felt lazy to me.

I think some folks give the writers way too much credit in what they were trying to convey regarding a modern society or their message.

 

[VGThuy]

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.