TV Shows... What's good, what's not and everything in between...

[Selbiene Raveren]

Why them dirty bastards!

1899 cancellation proves a sad truth about Netflix

Back in 2017, Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese changed streaming audiences’ perception of international TV with Dark, the mind-bending German time travel series. After three successful seasons, it seemed like its creators would have a blank check to create a new franchise.

Their follow-up was 1899, a multi-language maritime thriller and one of Netflix’s most anticipated shows. Like Dark, it was a slow-burn “mystery box” show, ending with a shocking reveal that was practically begging for a Season 2 renewal. But now the series has been unceremoniously canceled. What happened to prompt a flop from such proven talent? The issue isn’t the show itself, but the environment it was released into.

Go figure! >_< 

I just finally got around to watching it and literally just finished this show today. I was thinking to myself, 'I wonder if they'll do a second season. It was pretty good.'

If anyone else liked this show, I recommend The Devil's Hour on Amazon. It's the sort of show that I found myself re-watching the first couple episodes of after finishing the last because all the little random details at the beginning finally made sense.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Why them dirty bastards!

1899 cancellation proves a sad truth about Netflix

Back in 2017, Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese changed streaming audiences’ perception of international TV with Dark, the mind-bending German time travel series. After three successful seasons, it seemed like its creators would have a blank check to create a new franchise.

Their follow-up was 1899, a multi-language maritime thriller and one of Netflix’s most anticipated shows. Like Dark, it was a slow-burn “mystery box” show, ending with a shocking reveal that was practically begging for a Season 2 renewal. But now the series has been unceremoniously canceled. What happened to prompt a flop from such proven talent? The issue isn’t the show itself, but the environment it was released into.

Go figure! >_< 

I just finally got around to watching it and literally just finished this show today. I was thinking to myself, 'I wonder if they'll do a second season. It was pretty good.'

If anyone else liked this show, I recommend The Devil's Hour on Amazon. It's the sort of show that I found myself re-watching the first couple episodes of after finishing the last because all the little random details at the beginning finally made sense.

I watched that show a few months back. First new mystery show I've watched where you really have to pay attention. Her son (little boy) had me guessing right until near end. Really right up to last episode had me engaged and rare show these days where the ending has closure, but left wide open for a second season.

The Devil’s Hour season 2 and season 3 have been confirmed by Prime Video

[EndtheMadnessNow]

I started watching "Shining Girls" (2022 Apple tv series) stars Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale) Years after a brutal attack left her in a constantly shifting reality, Kirby Mazrachi an archivist at the Chicago Sun-Times, learns that a recent murder is linked to her assault. She teams with a veteran reporter to understand her ever-changing present and confront her past as they begin the hunt for a mysterious serial killer. Based on the 2013 novel of the same name by South African author Lauren Beukes. Crime thriller with supernatural and in less than 10 minutes you get the first paranormal hit of a time shift.  IMDB




In the first episode they left her ID on screen for a lengthy time.



In the movie "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" (2019) Jesse Pinkman gets a new identity and his new social security number is 141-18-6941.

[BIAD]

This one caught my eye when I was a young man...


The Flipside Of Dominick Hide.

IMDB Link:

[StrommSarnac]

Why them dirty bastards!

1899 cancellation proves a sad truth about Netflix

Back in 2017, Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese changed streaming audiences’ perception of international TV with Dark, the mind-bending German time travel series. After three successful seasons, it seemed like its creators would have a blank check to create a new franchise.

Their follow-up was 1899, a multi-language maritime thriller and one of Netflix’s most anticipated shows. Like Dark, it was a slow-burn “mystery box” show, ending with a shocking reveal that was practically begging for a Season 2 renewal. But now the series has been unceremoniously canceled. What happened to prompt a flop from such proven talent? The issue isn’t the show itself, but the environment it was released into.

More than just rumor has it that they knowingly stole the story for 1899 from someone they used to work with and got it greenlit in Europe expecting doing it there would protect them.  So Netflix not just canceled more seasons, but also blacklisted them.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Why them dirty bastards!

1899 cancellation proves a sad truth about Netflix

Back in 2017, Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese changed streaming audiences’ perception of international TV with Dark, the mind-bending German time travel series. After three successful seasons, it seemed like its creators would have a blank check to create a new franchise.

Their follow-up was 1899, a multi-language maritime thriller and one of Netflix’s most anticipated shows. Like Dark, it was a slow-burn “mystery box” show, ending with a shocking reveal that was practically begging for a Season 2 renewal. But now the series has been unceremoniously canceled. What happened to prompt a flop from such proven talent? The issue isn’t the show itself, but the environment it was released into.

More than just rumor has it that they knowingly stole the story for 1899 from someone they used to work with and got it greenlit in Europe expecting doing it there would protect them.  So Netflix not just canceled more seasons, but also blacklisted them.

Looks like you are correct.

Netflix series '1899' accused of plagiarism

Just shortly after the new Netflix series "1899" launched, Brazilian comic book writer Mary Cagnin came forward and claimed several parts of the series were stolen from one of her works.

"I'm shocked," Cagnin wrote on Twitter, "that the series '1899' is simply identical to my comic 'Black Silence,' published in 2016."

Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese, the makers of "1899" and the international hit series "Dark," feel they have been wrongly accused and say they were not aware of her work. The pair stated that they would never steal from other artists, since, after all, they are artists themselves. The case is now in the hands of lawyers.

Another article: Was ‘1899’ on Netflix Plagiarized?

[Freija]

After last night's 80 minute pilot episode on HBOmax, I am hooked.

The Last of Us

[VioletDove]

After last night's 80 minute pilot episode on HBOmax, I am hooked.

The Last of Us

I thought about watching this one, I may give it a look.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

After last night's 80 minute pilot episode on HBOmax, I am hooked.

The Last of Us

I never played the game but the opening dialog had me intrigued & hooked. Thumbs up thus far.

I believe the largest, most massive living organism on earth, a fungus, "Humongous fungus" was discovered in eastern Oregon. The size is something like 4 square miles. Been there & walked on parts of it.

[Ninurta]

After last night's 80 minute pilot episode on HBOmax, I am hooked.

The Last of Us

One of my relatives from The Long Ago was a guy named Jacob Honaker. He was, among other things, a rifle maker in these hyar hills, and has an entire town named after he and his family - Honaker, VA, that used to be called "New Garden".. In Williamsburg, VA, is a display case showcasing a rifle he made, and that flintlock in a case that appears at 1:02 and again at 1:42 of the promo reel looks an awful lot like that cased rifle.

I'll never know, as I don't have access to HBO stuff on my Window on the World.

.

[Freija]

Three episodes into The Last of Us and wow, I'm surprisingly entertained and engaged. This episode sold me.

Don't usually go for things being pushed at me, especially things I've never heard about but tonight on Amazon Prime, I clicked play on one of their top tier promoted new releases called "Vengeance".

It is something I think Rogues might like? It is witty, intelligent and topical and it made me think and it made me laugh. There's a lot of stuff in it I think might go over people's head or that they might miss that our fellow bright folks here in the Nation would find hilarious? It is billed as a dramedy and the story is good and the way it is told along with "the characters" is done cleverly and there are some great performances.

I should add in the caveat that I drank 4 beers and smoked a bowl before watching it. YMMV!



Within the last few days, I've also watched two movies with war on Netflix. Narvik and All Quiet on the Western Front. Brutal and gritty, like war is...moving.

[Freija]

Part two because you can only post two videos at a time.



Because sci-fi, I watched Jung_E. It was okay and fairly decent and entertaining. It was about what I was expecting.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Jan 30, 2013: Ten years ago today, The Americans premiered on FX Networks. (2013–2018)





The premise of this series is partly based on the true story that broke in 2010 of a cell of Russian Sleeper agents who had been "hiding in plain sight" in the United States for decades (also known as the "Spy Swap of 2010"). Several of them had children, coworkers, friends, and neighbors who all had no idea that they were spies. These agents were ultimately returned to Russia in a trade for some Americans that Russia was holding. They were also known as the "illegals" Russia's elite spies.

Joseph Weisberg who created the show and studied Soviet history and politics at Yale, and was a job counselor to Soviet émigrés, a CIA case officer back in the early 90s, and a novel writer. As a former agent, any script written by Weisberg must go in front of the CIA Publications Review Board. President Obama was such an avid fan of the series he invited stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys to a state dinner at the White House. Much of his storyline for the show came from the Mitrokhin Archive which was hand delivered to the British spooks by KGB archivist Vasili Mitrokhin when he defected to the UK in 1992.

Mikhail Anatolyevich Vasenkov who was the senior KGB spy in the "Illegals Program" that inspired the series, died in Russia on 6 April 2022 at age 79.

Agent Frank Gaad (played by Richard Thomas), his last name is a derogatory term in Russian and translates to reptile or snake.

The after party for the season 1 premiere was, appropriately, the Russian Tea Room in New York City.


Circled is Joseph Weisberg.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Had to add this one.






When you find out you're a communist.



IDK, maybe communism only works post-apocalyptic.

[Freija]

I just finished the eight episode series of The Diplomat on Netflix.

I didn't really think I was going to like this but decided to give it a chance and am glad I did. I liked Keri Russel in The Americans and Rufus Sewell as a Nazi in The Man in the High Castle so I dived in.

Keri Russel as the newly appointed US ambassador to the UK was absolutely outstanding in the role and worth the watch in itself. The entire cast was great making the whole thing come together.

Story begins with a British carrier getting attacked with all fingers pointing at Iran and retaliation for the loss of 41 lives at the flashpoint of setting off a broader conflict. Diplomacy and back-room dealings diffuse that situation with new evidence pointing to Russia's involvement raising tension and potential consequences even higher. Then, a new twist stirs things up.

Again, Russel alone makes this worth a look. It ended in a cliffhanger so I really hope there is more. Being Netflix, who knows but if there is another season, I will watch it.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

First poster for "THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY" series premieres on June 18 on AMC. How many spin-offs has this show had?!




"BLACK MIRROR" Season 6 will have 5 episodes. All episode descriptions, cast and titles are listed here.


The first trailer for "FOUNDATION" Season 2 has been released. The series premieres on July 14 on Apple TV+.




Poor Things - From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter's protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation. —Searchlight Pictures

The film releases on September 8 in theaters.

Some visuals of "POOR THINGS":

Clint Eastwood Looking to Direct Final Film of His Career at Warner Bros.

As for the plot of Clint Eastwood’s final film, sources say he is working on a thriller that is currently titled “Juror #2.” The story is said to follow a juror on a murder trial who realizes that he may have caused the victim’s death and must grapple with the dilemma of whether to manipulate the jury to save himself, or reveal the truth and turn himself in.

While sources say Eastwood is definitely looking to direct, what cannot be certain is Eastwood sticking to the idea of this being his final film. Even though this is how the project is being internally billed, there’s still a small chance that Eastwood decides to tackle another feature after Juror #2. Ultimately, though, with the four-time Oscar winner approaching the age of 93, we’re being told that Eastwood’s current plan is to retire completely after the creation of this film.

A platform combining Hulu and Disney+ will launch by the end of 2023.


Disney+ Sheds 4 Million Subscribers in Second Straight Quarterly Drop, Streaming Losses Narrow by 26%


The new trailer for "GREMLINS: SECRETS OF THE MOGWAI" has been released. The series releases on May 23 on HBO MAX.


"Secret Invasion" (TV Mini Series; June 21, 2023 on Disney+, filmed at Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, UK) starring Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Emilia Clarke. IMDB | Trailer


Transformers: Rise of the Beasts new trailer in theatres June 9.


The first trailer for "ARNOLD" has been released. The 3-part docu-series releases June 7 on Netflix. I would have been excited for this like 30 years ago.


New image for "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE" (Mission: Impossible 7)- release date July 12. Budget of $290,000,000.




New poster for Wes Anderson’s next film "ASTEROID CITY" in theaters June 23.



Looking forward to this film with Scarlett Johansson.




First trailer for "The Crowded Room" (TV Mini Series) premiering June 9 on Apple TV+.  "In Manhattan in the summer of 1979, a young man is arrested for a shocking crime, and an unlikely investigator must solve the mystery behind it before the true criminal strikes again." IMDB


Christopher Nolan's OPPENHEIMER - New Trailer -  in USA/UK/Finland/CA, etc. theaters July 21, starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Gary Oldman.




Pedro Pascal (HBO’s The Last of Us) has been cast in Zach Cregger’s next horror film WEAPONS.


George R.R. Martin says the writers room for the "Game of Thrones" prequel "A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS: THE HEDGE KNIGHT" has closed until the writers strike concludes with fair pay for writers.

Nic effin Cage in "LORD OF WAR" is reprising his role as arms dealer Yuri Orlov sequel is in the works titled "LORDS OF WAR" with Bill Skarsgård set to star as his son.



RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK limited re-release is returning to Theaters in June 4 & 7th. "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" will be released in theaters June 30th. On June 6th, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will all be getting their first-ever individual 4K disc releases.


The 2023 Film Release Date Guide

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Citadel Episodes 1 & 2 Explained: Who founded Manticore & what is Citadel X-case?



Finally, the magnum opus of the Russo Brothers' spy-thriller series- Citadel was released on Amazon Prime Video on April 28, 2023, and in no time it became the talk of the town in many countries. Marked as Priyanka Chopra's digital debut, Citadel is a spy-thriller that also includes Game of Thrones fame actor Richard Madden as Mason Kane, Stanley Tucci as Bernard Orlick, Lesley Manville as Dahlia Archer, Ashleigh Cummings as Abby Conroy, and more in the lead roles.

What is Mantocore and who founded it?

Manticore is a rival spy agency of Citadel founded by eight of the wealthiest families in the world. Their mission is to manipulate world events in order to amass more wealth and power. On the other hand, Citadel's foundation was not revealed, however, it was indeed mentioned that Citadel did not work for the CIA or any other government's secret organization. It also mentioned that Citadel was created to keep the wrong things and decisions away from the world order.

What is Citadel X-case?

As mentioned in the series, Citadel X-case is secret that could hold a nation hostage and wreak havoc across the globe as well as the codes for all the nuclear weapons in the world. Notably, Dahlia says that she wants Mason alive along with the X case meaning there could be something linked between the two.

Not the greatest script/acting, nor anything original, like the SPECTRE/Hydra-lite Manticore logo to the absurdly MacGuffin-y main plotline involving a long-lost secret briefcase containing the nuclear codes, and the adversaries, a nefarious assemblage of oligarchs calling themselves "Manticore", but you'll at least get some photogenic eye candy.




No secret the aristocrats/oligarchs associate themselves with lion symbolism going back thousands of years, and they do eat their own.

However, the conspiracy ranks right up there in real world mysteries as with many similar movies/series. Aside from powerful secret societies within secret societies, the part about US nuclear codes held hostage is a real world conspiracy that some researchers say took place on 9/11.

IMDB

[Freija]

I've been watching Citadel. It is entertaining enough to keep watching but I would agree, it isn't the most original although there have been a few plot twists I didn't see coming.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

We got a long wait but somehow DiCaprio rolled into my stream.






Based on David Grann’s broadly lauded best-selling book, “Killers of the Flower Moon" is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation ("People of the Middle Waters"), a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror, sparking a major FBI investigation involving J. Edgar Hoover. Director Martin Scorsese spent several hours together with Chief Standing Bear to convince the Osage Nation to help with the filming. Runtime: 3 hours 26 minutes. IMDB

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

We got a long wait but somehow DiCaprio rolled into my stream.






Based on David Grann’s broadly lauded best-selling book, “Killers of the Flower Moon" is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation ("People of the Middle Waters"), a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror, sparking a major FBI investigation involving J. Edgar Hoover. Director Martin Scorsese spent several hours together with Chief Standing Bear to convince the Osage Nation to help with the filming. Runtime: 3 hours 26 minutes. IMDB

I loved that book. I am going to have to find the movie. I hope they did it justice.

Waiting for the second season of "Reacher". I read all 40 of the series. And waiting for the next book.

Waiting for the next "Black Mirror" season, which is supposed to be coming up soon as well.