This trailer makes me appreciate the job they did with the movies.
Now, I have only read the first two books, and I am generally unimpressed when adaptations offer a „faithful“ rendering of a book (every scene, every comma…), so I understand that some fans already love this trailer for showing things that were left out in the movies.
But as someone who enjoyed the movies I think everything here looks bland, de-magic-ed (no such word, I know), and it also made me realize how deeply John Williams‘ score was part of what made the films work.
This show seems to be only for the young ones who did not see the films or the total Potter-completists.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season three (Paramount+)
Can this series get any more awesome? This is - strangely enough - Trek that doesn’t take itself too seriously but stops short of parody even in its lighter episodes. Season two already had the brilliant Lower Decks crossover and the musical episode, purely fun scripts lesser sci-fi shows likely wouldn’t have greenlit in the current environment. This third season is brimming with fresh takes on Trek classics (Squire of Gothos, Galileo Seven, Where No Man Has Gone Before) as well as general genre milestones like ALIEN or ENEMY MINE.
The fact it’s ‘only’ ten episodes gives the season direction and the loving detail that goes into it all even makes the intro and end titles worthwhile (don’t miss the intro on Four-and-a-Half Vulcans and the ‘outtakes’ after the end credits). Few shows these days end their seasons and I feel like they could have been double the number of episodes. Strange New Worlds is that rare Trek show that seems to effortlessly hit the sweet spot with old and new fans alike.
Finally got around to finishing Season 1 of The Last of Us here before my HBO subscription expires. Excellent show. In most cases, the changes made to the story of the game were either necessary to adapt from an interactive format to a passive one, or just outright enhanced the material. The lead actors were perfectly fine in their roles, despite the constant chatter to the contrary that seems to come up every time the show is mentioned. Looking forward to how they end up adapting The Last of Us: Part II starting here with the second season, especially with Kaitlyn Dever stepping into the role of Abby.
After „The Pitt“ my wife and I felt like revisiting this breakthrough show, and man, how brilliant this still is, such a fast moving storyline with interesting and engaging characters who do not cater to audiences‘ sympathies, making mistakes, behaving like real people. It is tense, emotional and often extremely funny, changing moods as fast as the camera rushing through those operating rooms.
Still one of the best tv shows ever made, with an ensemble that kept being involving even when actors left and the cast got fresh blood (really firing on all cylinders with puns this morning, am I not?).
One thing, though: There is one episode directed by Quentin Tarantino during his first hype phase, and one can detect how bad he is at this, every instinct to change things up fails. Not a good sign for a director.
Finished Scrubs season 10. I was tepidly optimistic for this as most of the original creative team and cast were involved. But so often, these revivals after 15+ years don’t go well. Fortunately, this one did. Scrubs season 10 felt like a natural continuation of the show and the actors effortlessly slipped back into their roles. It definitely exceeded my expectations. Hopefully, it gets a full 22 season order for next year as Zach Braff wants.
I think there were a large number of viewers that had never played the game. I was a bit disappointed with season 2. I’m very excited though for season 3. Kaitlyn Dever was excellent in season 2 and she’s playing one of the best, most realized video game characters ever created.
Abby’s run of the game is also the strongest stretch of it in terms of its story, so Season 3 should be the strongest season just based on that and having Dever in the lead.
The only problem I sense is that a lot of the excitement for the show seems to have dissipated during Season 2, so I’d be interested to see if they can recapture any of that or if they’ll just rush the whole thing to a conclusion with Season 3 and tack on all of the post-theater showdown material into an episode or two at the end.
Crime Story (1986–1988 NBC series whose executive producer, as with Miami Vice, was Michael Mann, starring Dennis Farina and Anthony Denison): I remember trying to watch this when it first aired and losing interest rather quickly. I was a fan of Miami Vice, and while Crime Story shared some similarities with Miami Vice, it was also very different. Miami Vice was contemporary, while Crime Story was more of a period piece.
From what I’ve read, Crime Story was originally expected to span five seasons, but due to high production costs (like Miami Vice, it was shot on location), it got compressed into two. It’s fairly gritty and believable, and I’m finding it much more engaging now. The set design, hairstyles, wardrobe and music are meticulously rendered and seem to be authentic to the early 1960s.
We’re watching the first season on Plex. One of the striking things is that it moves from Chicago to Las Vegas. I don’t know if this had been done before, but the opening credits for the Chicago segment featured Chicago. When it moved to Las Vegas, the opening credits switched to scenes from Las Vegas.
It’s fascinating to see the revolving door of up-and-comers who starred or appeared in this series. For example, episodes we’ve watched so far have featured Gary Sinise, Stanley Tucci, Lorraine Bracco and Julia Roberts (in her first TV role).
Low viewership led to the cancellation of Crime Story. However, it’s a classic that still holds up today. I can’t recall if I watched the series finale to see how it all ended. I’m looking forward to seeing how they resolve the hostility between Torello and Luca.
When it was aired in The Netherlands I watched it a couple of weeks, maybe months, but than I lost interest too, but I watched it again the last couple of weeks and it had one of the biggest plot twists in a tv series up to that point that I can remember and it gave me a real “WOW!” feeling at the time.
The series was about Farina as a cop Lt. Mike Torello vs Tony Denison’s Vega’s top criminal Ray Luca and the last scene between them realy is the last scene.
I liked Farina very much in the lead. He was also in Miami Vice as a recurring sympathetic criminal.
The beautiful Darlane Fluegel plays his wife, I knew her from movies like “Once Upon a Time In America” and “Though Guys”. I always liked her.
Denison plays the young but very dangerous criminal and it will become a personal vendetta between the two guys.
Stephan Lang plays the first honest and sincere lawyer who however sides with the villain.
I also remember a part for Joseph Wiseman as a big Maffioso and it was cool to see him in another part than the Chinese No, because before this part I only saw him in the Dr. No part and I didn’t know how he realy looked like.
So I recommend to watch the series at least untill the surprising and spectacular ending!
Wasn’t sure whether to put this in read or tv, as he talks to both, but given his relationship to Bond i thought i’d share.
Was glad to hear they are pitching Hawthorne as a series. He did once say Rory Kinnear would be very good as the writer having heard him read the audiobooks. Kinnear who was also a recurring role in a series Jill Green produced…
Should say that these books have been fun as the detective is criticising the one writing the books. Horrowitz took a small bit from Sherlock Holmes and ran with it.
When you have a fairly good control over the judiciary in its supreme authority - minor cosmetic differences apart - you already have everything you need…
