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Post by crazy_asian_man on Oct 13, 2010 14:44:19 GMT -5
I tune in occassionally. After hearing how good Season 3 was, during that season, I purposely avoided it so as not to ruin it for myself & wait for the dvds.
As far as the forced return to Buy More:
I wouldn't have minded (in fact I would have preferred) that, after the Buy More blew up.... that- as much as these guys all talk about the Buy More as a terrible place--- that they would have ended up at ANOTHER store, remarkably different but similiar (showing how some people just go in circles in different ways).
That would have had more credibility to me if they HAD to go with so much product placement (aside: the Subway product placement is always HILARIOUS to me.... it's as if they're saying "yes, this is BLATANTLY a product placement!!!!"--- but it works because of the characters who they have eating them. If it were Sarah (the more serious character), it would undermine the seriousness that they (mostly) want us to have for them.)
Sarah and Casey were originally supposed to be extreme types--- when they had more human dimension- I didn't mind that.....so long as they didn't contradict the general characteristics--- but.... I think that they did.
Sarah was always this 'unattainable fairy tale/Fantasy version' of the girl that Chuck (Who was SUPPOSED TO BE AN ORDINARY GUY!!!!) could only charm for awhile, but ultimately could never end up with.
The story (for me and the first season) was about celebrating the ordinary. When it got darker, I was ok with it--- as long as it didn't last too long & had a point. The death of one of the major supporting characters (you know who I'm talking about) last season should have been part of the last chapter......
Trying to go 'dark' and then 'light' again is fine, so long as you don't undermine the believability of the show. The show is now what I was afraid of watching in the beginning when I didn't know what it was; Too serious to be fun at times, too silly to take seriously, too--- when before they had the elements more plausible and I bought it.
Sad.
I do find the whole thing about listening to the fans an odd situation, now, with the iinternet.
Without the internet, the AJ Abrams' Superman wouldn't have gotten killed & we would not have gotten Singer's SR.
Without the internet, WB might not have gotten scared to start/go with MOS.
Anyhow..... I will follow Check to the end, I just hope it's a good one.
Glad you enjoyed it. When it was good, it was GREAT.....
But another one in the style of Chuck?
"Angel" season two - five.
One of the best shows on tv that didn't survive. But, just like any other show--- you do have 'filler' episodes (particularly season five, when the mandate came down to do mostly standalone shows--- 2-5 are mostly arcs), so it's something to see a few episodes consecutively before making judgement.
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Post by stargazer01 on Oct 14, 2010 11:06:41 GMT -5
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Post by crazy_asian_man on Oct 14, 2010 11:25:28 GMT -5
Angel I'd start only with Season Two- then, it's pretty much one big novel- with great smart humor interwoven into it's proceedings. It's to a degree a soap opera- but (unlike Smallville)- it integrates themes that are very contemporary and adult- so that it does leave one thinking about it after the show is over, and - unlike Smallville- characters do die.
It's also a critical darling. To me, it may LOOK like "Twilight" similiarities on the surface, but quickly it's more about adults making mistakes that they can't take back- and tragic consequences that they have to pay for. And to my suprise, the human supporting characters (and their growth) become the ones that really start to shine- the sequence of events in the show are amazing in that the people change greatly- morally from dark to light, light to dark- but it's done in a way that seems VERY plausible- and frightening at times because it feels truthful to what people really could do.
I never minded Smallville going into dark territory- but there's never any real payoff that doesn't get retconned. When it does something successful, then it undoes itself. (Thus, my sheer anger and frustration at that show that does itself in so often creatively, even moreso than straying from the Supes myth)
Anyhow- can't reccomend it high enough. Although it's an offshoot of "Buffy", the main characters are older, and the feeling is different, the stakes are higher, with the characters being fathers and mothers, rather than heartstrucken teenagers.
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ye5man
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Post by ye5man on Oct 14, 2010 17:35:43 GMT -5
Is Brandon still in Chuck?
I've got hold of Chuck 1st season box set; will put the pilot on over the weekend.
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Post by crazy_asian_man on Oct 15, 2010 1:44:32 GMT -5
Nah. He had a short (but pretty good) stint during season 3. If not for the cutoff short order of episodes, it could have been even better if not forced to wrapup certain storylines so quick.
Chuck is either a love/hate situation.
Good to check out the pilot first, though, of course.
Some friends who I've reccomended it to, skipped in/out of different episodes out of order....definitely NOT the best way to experience it.
Curious what you think of the pilot...
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Post by stargazer01 on Oct 15, 2010 11:05:15 GMT -5
Is Brandon still in Chuck? I've got hold of Chuck 1st season box set; will put the pilot on over the weekend. Brandon was in the third season. He was in like 11 episodes or so. He's the longest-running guest star in the show. Nice that you're giving the series a chance. It's a great show for what it is: a spy comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously. It has a little bit of everything: comedy, action, drama, romance, suspense, sci fi and great music. I love the first 3 seasons. The current fourth one not so much so far. Also curious to hear your thoughts on the pilot. Personally, I was hooked with the pilot and couldn't stop watching the other episodes. I just liked everything about it, and it only gets better and better. Such a fun show, imo. Hope you are one of those who likes it.  Definitely. It's a serialized dramedy, so you better watch the eps in order, otherwise you won't get it or enjoy it properly. |
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Post by stargazer01 on Oct 19, 2010 14:38:24 GMT -5
ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/10/19/nbc-picks-up-chase-orders-more-undercovers/NBC just ordered 11 more episodes for this season making it a total of 24 eps! Not bad for a show that was going to be cancelled at the end of season 2. Just hope the writing improves big time. We'll see.. I actually really enjoyed last night's ep. It was pretty Casey centric with no Chuck and Sarah angst. The spy story was solid, I think.
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Post by stargazer01 on Jul 30, 2011 11:58:19 GMT -5
So Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill!!) and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) will be guesting on Chuck this upcoming and final season. They already had Sam Beckett (Quantum Leap's Scott Bakula), Superman, James Bond and Sarah Connor in previous seasons, and now freakin Mark Hamill!! Geekgasm! ;D Chuck really is the ultimate geek show. insidetv.ew.com/2011/07/29/chuck-carrie-anne-moss/I hope the writing improves BIG time because last season was too weak compared to the previous 3, which were very good, IMO. I doubt it though. Any way, I wasn't really planning on watching this final season, but I just might for these new guest stars. I'm not a big Star Wars fan, but Luke SkyWalker is iconic. Trinity is pretty cool too. I guess miss Moss isn't getting many movie roles anymore? |
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Post by Valentine Smith on Jul 30, 2011 12:13:44 GMT -5
I need to start watching this...
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Post by crazy_asian_man on Jul 30, 2011 12:29:10 GMT -5
The comicon presentation is in high quality video at nbc and here: www.aintitcool.com/node/50546Neat that they ARE geeks in charge- but given how bad the show had devolved, I'm not sure if the right people are getting credit for the good shows. The showrunners are the ultimate ones that are carrying the boat, and they weren't fired on season 4, so I dunno.... but then again, it IS neat to be able to see a show where the original creators get to end it the way that they want to.... although I would have ended it with the episode where he finally decides he DOES want to live the life of a spy with the rather weak 'Honeymoon' episode in season 3 towards the end. In any case, why not bring back Brandon from the dead for the last season? He was great & The credibility in the show is already shot anyhow.... |
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Post by stargazer01 on Jul 30, 2011 13:32:19 GMT -5
Val, the show is A LOT of fun., lots of geek/pop culture references, witty writing, and the cast is really charming. Give it a chance, the first 3 seasons are must watch tv, especially for true geeks/scifi lovers. Like I said before, I think the new writer team just don't know the characters and the mythology very well, plus the showrunners really 'tried' to cater to the Chuck&Sarah shippers, but they over did it and badly, imo. The balance was lost in the fourth season, and I don't think next season will be much better, especially with that Morgan cliffhanger... sigh! LOL That would have been a good time to end it, BUT I think they really wanted more episodes to get a better chance of syndication, know what I mean? By the end of season 5 there will be over 90 eps, so I can understand that part. I just wish they had done a better job at keeping the high writing quality from the past. Shaw didn't die... yeah, it'd be nice to see him in a couple of ep in the final season, such a great villain! But I doubt it; the hardcore C/S shippers HATE him, hehe... |
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Post by crazy_asian_man on Jul 30, 2011 18:20:06 GMT -5
Tv shows with that kind of romantic situation seem to almost always be in a tenuous situation, and don't know how to handle getting characters together properly.
Actually, even Lois and Supes are a dead end romantically in the comics! ( Which I find hilarious- as I find so many Superman fans opposed to them having a kid in SR- which would have gave more creative power to their relationship, but were bored out of their minds when they're married without one in the comics for so long, now they need to split them up!) ;P
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Post by stargazer01 on Aug 3, 2011 14:01:34 GMT -5
I was reading Mark Hamill's twitter page. Sweet guy. He has a 23-year-old daughter! Dunno, it seems weird to me since I still remember him as a young guy from the Star War movies! ;D twitter.com/#!/HamillHimself He also has a new movie coming out. Here is the trailer. Can you recognize him? I couldn't till the end! ;D looks ok. |
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Post by crazy_asian_man on Aug 3, 2011 14:28:10 GMT -5
I've heard nothing but great things about Hamill at conventions. The one time I actually ran into him, was when he was 'in character' improvising his mockumentary at Comicon years ago. Fit for his age, but, man, definitely the wrinkles had set in, and it made me very aware of the time that had passed. Hate it when actors age.  |
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Post by stargazer01 on Aug 3, 2011 18:20:16 GMT -5
Aw, nice. yeah, he seems like a very likeable guy. I liked him a lot in the Star Wars movies.
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Post by stargazer01 on Aug 6, 2011 13:20:08 GMT -5
haha, sweet video with Hamill, Zac levi and Josh Gomez:
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Post by stargazer01 on Aug 11, 2011 13:39:39 GMT -5
LMAO! ;D First time I see this vid with Hamill,
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Post by stargazer01 on Aug 17, 2011 22:21:12 GMT -5
From IGN today (interview with chuck co-creator Chris Fedak): Chuck: What to Expect from the Final SeasonIGN: I'm gonna throw out a couple of character names here. I've got to try! Shaw? And I know Jordana Brewster just joined another show [TNT's new version of Dallas], but you and I talked before about the question of where Jill is these days…
Fedak: [Does a series of exaggerated blinks]
IGN: [Laughs] Damn, I don't know Morse code!
Fedak: Ah, if only you knew Morse code then you would have your answer!tv.ign.com/articles/118/1188504p2.htmlAlso from buddytv a few days ago: 'Chuck' Guest Stars: Who Should Return for Season 5?#1 Daniel Shaw (Brandon Routh)
It’s hard to believe that a villain this evil and dangerous could still be alive (you know, especially after Chuck killed him that one time). But he is. Somewhere, deep in the bowels of government incarceration, Daniel Shaw awaits -- possibly still with an Intersect in his head. How much incredibly intense trouble could he cause upon escape? Season 5 really ought to show us. www.buddytv.com/slideshows/chuck/chuck-guest-stars-who-should-return-for-season-5-59151.aspxDunno, but it sounds to me like they're hinting at Shaw's return in the final season? Hope so! |
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Post by stargazer01 on Dec 11, 2011 11:54:53 GMT -5
CAM, guess who's coming back to Chuck in 2 weeks (Friday December 23): www.ksitetv.com/10146/chuck-vs-the-curse-promo-trailer/super excited! The shippers are in complete shock. ;D You know, this final season is actually very decent so far, much better than S4. You should give it a chance. The final ep is in January 20 something. |
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ye5man
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Post by ye5man on Dec 11, 2011 14:59:28 GMT -5
That was lucky they managed to find a space in Routh's schedule!
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Conor
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Post by Conor on Dec 11, 2011 16:54:25 GMT -5
That was lucky they managed to find a space in Routh's schedule! HA!! |
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Post by crazy_asian_man on Dec 11, 2011 23:02:49 GMT -5
As long as it's good writing.
Season 4 was SOOO awful that I almost wish that they just wrapped it all up with Season 3.... if it's a bad script, then I'd probably recommend Brandon to stay away...
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Post by stargazer01 on Dec 12, 2011 12:20:05 GMT -5
As long as it's good writing. Season 4 was SOOO awful that I almost wish that they just wrapped it all up with Season 3.... if it's a bad script, then I'd probably recommend Brandon to stay away... Yeah well I think the showrunners can still turn out good/decent episodes. Even season 4 had a few good ones. The problem with that season was too much focus on the relationship issues of Chuck and Sarah, there was no real tension, so that made for a very bland season. Things were just too safe. And although this season is NOWHERE as good as the first 3, I just find it more entertaining than S4 (of course the hardcore fans of the Chuck/Sarah romance totally loved S4 ya know, lol). Even Morgan with the Intersect wasn't as bad as I was expecting. There is like a more sense of danger right now (especially with Shaw's return and the conspiracy). Carrie-Ann Moss aka Trinity has also been a great addition to the show. Her romance with Casey is really fun. But yes, l hope Shaw's ep turns out to be real good. |
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Post by crazy_asian_man on Dec 12, 2011 15:45:19 GMT -5
I think the delicate balance between the 'reality' of someone with a humdrum 'normal' retail life and the fantasy spy stuff just got obliterated in Season 4 with the Buymore being converted into a covert cia installation (Really? C'mon...)- and Chuck being a 'real' good spy at that point. Chuck was supposed to be an 'everyman' and Sarah a ridiculous 'fantasy superspy' w/a dark past- and it made it both funny and touching..... once that got blurred and both became cardboard superspies, it killed it for me.
I'm glad to hear that Season 5 is better--- I still want to see how it ends, no matter how bad it gets, but it's just a pity that the seasons got shortened/expanded in the past to kill a lot of great ideas (I would have been fine with a whole season of Casey being stuck with a retail existence) that they just flew through.
Season 4 felt like an extra superficial season for a show that's lightweight to begin with.... again, glad if Season 5 is much better.
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Post by stargazer01 on Dec 18, 2011 12:49:23 GMT -5
Here is another longer promo with the return of Brandon to Chuck. Looks super intense! I think this is it for Shaw.  ;D The good news is that critics who have seen it say it's an outstanding ep. Season 4 was weak overall, yes, but I was very happy with the first 3 seasons. I think the character development was strong and logical. Chuck had to do something bigger with his life, and a lot of the fans wanted Chuck and Sarah to end up together. I think the showrunners knew that. Season 5 feels better and more fun so far. But the jury is still out. Time will tell. |
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This is not a soap opera, right? I mean, I don't really care about all that, tbh. I wouldn't mind it IF the relationship was put on the background and the spy story and comedy were more interesting and intriguing. But they aren't so far. Once Chuck and Sarah got together and Chuck became a spy it feels like a lot of the tension disappeared. Chuck doesn't even seem THAT interested in searching for his mom. He's way more into his problems with Sarah... if you call those problems because the whole thing feels forced. He's just so whiny and insecure lately that drives me nuts. ;D If I was Sarah, I'd dump him! 
;D