Tellyfier
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Post by Tellyfier on Jul 29, 2019 2:51:57 GMT -5
Ha, for once I'm not 6 months or longer behind the curve, I've actually binged a thing right when it came out! So thanks to an unique heat wave, I have already seen S01 of The Boys.
It's a rocky start, for the first 20 minutes I was quite sure I'd hate it, but then Karl Urban showed up calling people cunts and that was reason enough to keep watching, and by the end of the first episode I was hooked.
The show has it's issues, there's convenient coincidences to move the story along and social media in this universe mostly works like we're used to in the real world but sometimes different when the writers need it to.
One the whole though this was a blast: Lots of gory deaths involving superheroes and their powers, political intrigue, Laser Baby, Haley Joel Osmond in a hilarious guest role, and a beautiful love story (That is between Kimiko and Frenchie, Starlight and Huey's isn't terrible but only exists because of the above mentioned coincidences and it's needed for the plot).
So if you're going to watch it and want to discuss plot details (behind polite spoiler tags, of course) or scream at me for recommending such dreck, this here is the place!
EDIT to add: I nearly forgot the most important thing! I'm so happy to report they have an Aquaman stand-in, called The Deep. And yes, HE SUCKS!
EDIT 2 Electric Boogaloo: Everybody is binging this anyway and it's been enough time so spoil away!
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Post by Prole Hole on Jul 31, 2019 10:10:44 GMT -5
Two episodes in and thoroughly enjoying it so far. I shall update as I go through, but this far Karl Urban has re-established his awesomeness (not that it was ever in any doubt) and it's just really well put together so far.
More to come!
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Ben Grimm
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Post by Ben Grimm on Jul 31, 2019 10:28:04 GMT -5
We're five in and enjoying it. I thought this was something I was going to have to watch while my wife was out but she's loving it.
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Post by Hachiman on Jul 31, 2019 20:24:05 GMT -5
Finished it. Really liked it. Even taking out a lot of subplots, the basic premise of the show asking how much could you really trust a super-powered being was solid.
Plus, it gave Anthony Starr and Laz Alonzo work, so it gets extra points.
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Tellyfier
TI Pariah
Unwarned and dangerous
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Post by Tellyfier on Aug 2, 2019 2:20:30 GMT -5
Finished it. Really liked it. Even taking out a lot of subplots, the basic premise of the show asking how much could you really trust a super-powered being was solid. Plus, it gave Anthony Starr and Laz Alonzo work, so it gets extra points. Anthony Starr is so doing such a great job as Homelander. He's such a pervert douchecanoe with a God (and Ödipus) complex but I couldn't get enough of him still! And since you've seen it to the end of the season: What a ridiculous ending! I guess Butcher needs a new mission if there's another season. (Ok, another mission besides calling people cunts!) |
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Post by Prole Hole on Aug 2, 2019 3:51:19 GMT -5
Up to episode 5 now! Still loving it, great series. Agree about Anthony Starr he's doing awesome work, but I'm really liking Erin Moriarty as Starlight. She's got a touch of the Reece Witherspoon / Alicia Silverstone about her, which I really like, and she's doing the vulnerable / don't take the piss balance very well indeed.
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Post by Prole Hole on Aug 7, 2019 8:50:53 GMT -5
I finished it! Great series, thoroughly enjoyed it and very much looking forward to the second season. The Deep - oh so very self-pitying - shaving himself while Everybody Hurts plays in the background is one of the funniest things I've seen all year.
And damn did Homelander find one way of getting over his mummy issues...
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Post by sarapen on Aug 8, 2019 13:45:36 GMT -5
I also liked it. I don't think I ever finished the comics but I did read them when they were coming out. They changed some stuff, such as making the whole thing less destructively nihilistic and also just less disgusting for the shock value. The story itself was changed but I find the changes reasonable in making each member of the team more involved in the story instead of being just a bunch of killers gathered together. The original was from a mid-2000s context which explains the ooga-booga Muslims thing. I never did finish the series because I lost interest in its excessive violence and misanthropy. Also, I suspect that the producers specifically got Simon Pegg to play the dad because Hughie in the comics was clearly based on him.  It's filmed in Toronto so like other Toronto productions I'm playing the game of identifying the shooting locations. For instance, I'm still banned from that Chinatown grocery store The Female is rescued from. Oh yeah, and those putative Chinese gangsters and the Vietnamese nail salon women were all speaking Filipino. I was kind of surprised and I assume someone on the production had connections with local actors or something. Anyway, yeah I liked the show too. I think season 2 is already filming right now. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2019 9:23:27 GMT -5
Finished it last night. Misjudged how many episodes I was watching in a row to finish it out, ended up being 11pm when I was done. OOPS!
DAMN, really liked this show...that ending was NUTS! I loved Homelander's confrontation with Billy, and how he basically proved to him that he had no reason to hate Homelander (other than him being an obviously insane, egotistical asshole) and every reason to hate Vought.
Also, YAY! It's Lem from Better Off Ted!
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Tellyfier
TI Pariah
Unwarned and dangerous
Posts: 2,552
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Post by Tellyfier on Aug 19, 2019 6:56:19 GMT -5
I finished it! Great series, thoroughly enjoyed it and very much looking forward to the second season. The Deep - oh so very self-pitying - shaving himself while Everybody Hurts plays in the background is one of the funniest things I've seen all year. And damn did Homelander find one way of getting over his mummy issues... We as attention paying audience could, but Elisabeth Shue ...never saw that coming! |
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Tellyfier
TI Pariah
Unwarned and dangerous
Posts: 2,552
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Post by Tellyfier on Aug 19, 2019 7:10:01 GMT -5
Finished it last night. Misjudged how many episodes I was watching in a row to finish it out, ended up being 11pm when I was done. OOPS! DAMN, really liked this show...that ending was NUTS! I loved Homelander's confrontation with Billy, and how he basically proved to him that he had no reason to hate Homelander (other than him being an obviously insane, egotistical asshole) and every reason to hate Vought. Also, YAY! It's Lem from Better Off Ted! Just imagine, your last piece of leverage is gone, your vendetta has failed, all that's left to do is say Fuck This! and push the button... ...and moments later you're not only alive but it's also thanks to that asshole and you now know you got that whole revenge thing wrong from the very start. The only thing we can safely assume at this point is that Billy won't run out of people he can call cunts! |
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ABz B👹anaz
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Post by ABz B👹anaz on Sept 5, 2020 20:11:54 GMT -5
Season two is in progress! Really enjoyed the first three episodes. Stormfront is (horribly) great, Homelander continues to be great.
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Post by Hachiman on Sept 6, 2020 20:38:04 GMT -5
Kimiko's brother has terrible Japanese in that it's almost over accented. It's intelligible but it reminds me of watching a movie with someone doing a bad American accent.
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Post by Superb Owl 🦉 on Sept 9, 2020 20:13:47 GMT -5
I’m so mad that they’ve made Fresca the official beverage of Not Technically Scientology.
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Post by haysoos on Sept 17, 2020 9:29:26 GMT -5
I'm not sure if this counts as spoilers or not, but just to avoid any possibility, I'm putting on spoiler tags (I hope)
In the comics, Black Noir is a clone of Homelander, and has all the same powers and abilities. Presumably his upbringing is equally, if not more fucked up than Homelander's.
Do you think the show's version of Black Noir is also a clone of Homelander? I'm leaning towards no, but have been watching for any real signs of what his powers and motivations are. He really is a fucking enigma, and thus probably my favourite character at the moment. One of my favourite moments in the series so far was when he took over the piano and just started playing at the party for no particular reason.
He's demonstrated super-strength in the fight with Kimiko, and super-durability by surviving the exploding dude, and has Batman-like levels of ninja stealth and martial-arts training. That's about all we know for sure.
He doesn't seem as sociopathic as Homelander. Or rather, he's sociopathic in a totally different way. He comforts the kid with a teddy bear where Homelander probably would have just lasered him in half, and broke down crying when he heard the truth about Compound V, but also has no problem going straight from the kid to exploding dude and dispassionately cutting off his head.
I actually really hope he isn't Homelander's clone. It's kind of a dull, reductive origin and certainly won't be a shocker since that's what already happened in the comic. I actually kind of hope we never find out, and we just keep getting weird, and possibly contradictory clues to Black Noir's past without ever getting a definitive answer. That seems to be an increasingly rare character type these days.
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Tellyfier
TI Pariah
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Post by Tellyfier on Sept 29, 2020 9:59:13 GMT -5
I'll possibly elaborate further here, for now I just dislike to say but must anyway: Five episodes in Season 2 suuuuucks!
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Post by Hachiman on Sept 29, 2020 19:53:27 GMT -5
I'll possibly elaborate further here, for now I just dislike to say but must anyway: Five episodes in Season 2 suuuuucks! You know, a lot of writers are all like "the decision to do a weekly release was the best choice." but I find that this show's narrative style doesn't really work super well for that. Even season 1 had tons of clunky stuff, which managed to get overlooked because it all kind of blurred together in the binge. But, for me, digesting each episode a week at a time has made the show kind of boring and even a bit unlikeable. |
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Post by Prole Hole on Sept 30, 2020 5:09:34 GMT -5
I'll possibly elaborate further here, for now I just dislike to say but must anyway: Five episodes in Season 2 suuuuucks! You know, a lot of writers are all like "the decision to do a weekly release was the best choice." but I find that this show's narrative style doesn't really work super well for that. Even season 1 had tons of clunky stuff, which managed to get overlooked because it all kind of blurred together in the binge. But, for me, digesting each episode a week at a time has made the show kind of boring and even a bit unlikeable. Yeah I'm struggling with this season as well. A lot of what made the first season work feels very rote here. The ultraviolence, for example, was used to genuinely shock in the first season but I feel we're getting extremely explicit and graphic ultraviolence here simply because they can get away with it now rather than because it actually serves any purpose. It's just trotted out because, eh, we can. The storytelling doesn't seem to be going anywhere, and the weekly pacing gives you plenty of time to realise between episodes that, actually, these just aren't enjoyable characters to spend time around. Karl Urban is clearly still having fun, but unlike the first season that fun doesn't seem to be getting beyond the screen. Stormfront is a boring drag whose entire modus operandi appears to be nothing but "what if Homelander, but more?" which isn't changing the dynamic of anything, I don't care about Starlight one itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny bit and The Deep just needs to be written out already. Season One was a gonzo blast - Season Two is a misanthropic mess. I'm not completely out but this isn't a great season of TV though there's still time to turn it round, but I'm also ever-so-slightly hanging on just because Jensen Ackles will be in Season Three. It's... not the most compelling reason (that's no insult to Ackles, who I adore, it's just that one should have a better reason to keep watching than the appearance of a guest star in about five episodes / one year's time). |
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Ben Grimm
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Post by Ben Grimm on Oct 3, 2020 17:35:04 GMT -5
Neil from Community, I'm very disappointed in you.
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ABz B👹anaz
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Post by ABz B👹anaz on Oct 3, 2020 21:27:24 GMT -5
Neil from Community, I'm very disappointed in you. Also, HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!! |
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Post by Angry Raisins on Oct 4, 2020 8:23:30 GMT -5
The whole supes in the military thing, which had lots of buildup in S1, is feeling rather forgotten. I know we had Black Noir's killing spree and Homelander accidentally lasering the guy but that's been about it.
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Post by Angry Raisins on Oct 9, 2020 11:32:39 GMT -5
Spoilery thoughts on the S2 finale:
So, Neuman, eh? All her headsplosions seem to have been for the purpose of protecting Vought from scrutiny, so I guess it's a political ploy? (Being anti-Vought is her big thing, so she doesnt want them brought down before she's ridden that to the top?). Feels a little dry as a villain motivation compared to Stormfront the immortal Nazi though, so hopefully there's more going on.
Speaking of Stormfront, she's presumably still alive (not that Homelander's "undisclosed location" claim counts for much, but we didn't see her die, and she seems capable of healing from a lot). Not sure if we'll see her again though, her arc feels fairly closed.
More curious about whether Ryan will reappear - they could just write him out as "hidden in Nicaragua", but Homelander just letting that go feels like a stretch.
While it's hard to keep track of all Butcher's "Here's why you shouldn't just kill or arrest me right now" meetings, I don't think there's anything stopping Edgar from going after him now (aside from Noir being indisposed). His previous insurance was threatening to reveal Becca and Ryan (no longer an option), and he's just pissed Edgar off by reneging on their deal.
Even given the general cynicism about public opinion, all this bad PR has to be hurting Vought financially, right? In a short space of time they've had Deep's scandals, revealing compound V, Homelander killing the guy, Starlight being a traitor, and now Starlight not being a traitor but Stormfront being a Nazi. For a corporation with so many products centered around the heroic Seven, I don't think it can be brushed off with "it's all about the pharmaceuticals really".
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ABz B👹anaz
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This country is (now less of) a shitshow.
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Post by ABz B👹anaz on Oct 9, 2020 22:18:02 GMT -5
Spoilery thoughts on the S2 finale:
So, Neuman, eh? All her headsplosions seem to have been for the purpose of protecting Vought from scrutiny, so I guess it's a political ploy? (Being anti-Vought is her big thing, so she doesnt want them brought down before she's ridden that to the top?). Feels a little dry as a villain motivation compared to Stormfront the immortal Nazi though, so hopefully there's more going on.
Speaking of Stormfront, she's presumably still alive (not that Homelander's "undisclosed location" claim counts for much, but we didn't see her die, and she seems capable of healing from a lot). Not sure if we'll see her again though, her arc feels fairly closed.
More curious about whether Ryan will reappear - they could just write him out as "hidden in Nicaragua", but Homelander just letting that go feels like a stretch.
While it's hard to keep track of all Butcher's "Here's why you shouldn't just kill or arrest me right now" meetings, I don't think there's anything stopping Edgar from going after him now (aside from Noir being indisposed). His previous insurance was threatening to reveal Becca and Ryan (no longer an option), and he's just pissed Edgar off by reneging on their deal.
Even given the general cynicism about public opinion, all this bad PR has to be hurting Vought financially, right? In a short space of time they've had Deep's scandals, revealing compound V, Homelander killing the guy, Starlight being a traitor, and now Starlight not being a traitor but Stormfront being a Nazi. For a corporation with so many products centered around the heroic Seven, I don't think it can be brushed off with "it's all about the pharmaceuticals really".
This was a good finale. Per Erik Kripke, Stormfront is alive, because it's far more interesting to think of her with her extended lifespan living for centuries as a crippled mess. I agree on wondering how certain characters are going to be anywhere near safe from this point on though. |
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Post by Prole Hole on Oct 11, 2020 5:50:20 GMT -5
Spoilery thoughts on the S2 finale:
So, Neuman, eh? All her headsplosions seem to have been for the purpose of protecting Vought from scrutiny, so I guess it's a political ploy? (Being anti-Vought is her big thing, so she doesnt want them brought down before she's ridden that to the top?). Feels a little dry as a villain motivation compared to Stormfront the immortal Nazi though, so hopefully there's more going on.
Speaking of Stormfront, she's presumably still alive (not that Homelander's "undisclosed location" claim counts for much, but we didn't see her die, and she seems capable of healing from a lot). Not sure if we'll see her again though, her arc feels fairly closed.
More curious about whether Ryan will reappear - they could just write him out as "hidden in Nicaragua", but Homelander just letting that go feels like a stretch.
While it's hard to keep track of all Butcher's "Here's why you shouldn't just kill or arrest me right now" meetings, I don't think there's anything stopping Edgar from going after him now (aside from Noir being indisposed). His previous insurance was threatening to reveal Becca and Ryan (no longer an option), and he's just pissed Edgar off by reneging on their deal.
Even given the general cynicism about public opinion, all this bad PR has to be hurting Vought financially, right? In a short space of time they've had Deep's scandals, revealing compound V, Homelander killing the guy, Starlight being a traitor, and now Starlight not being a traitor but Stormfront being a Nazi. For a corporation with so many products centered around the heroic Seven, I don't think it can be brushed off with "it's all about the pharmaceuticals really".
This was a good finale.
We are not as one. Eesh. Yeah, it's just Jensen Ackles that's holding my interest at this stage. Only Dean can save us now! Or at least, save my interest in this show. |
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Post by Jimmy James on Oct 11, 2020 10:23:47 GMT -5
Spoilery thoughts on the S2 finale:
So, Neuman, eh? All her headsplosions seem to have been for the purpose of protecting Vought from scrutiny, so I guess it's a political ploy? (Being anti-Vought is her big thing, so she doesnt want them brought down before she's ridden that to the top?). Feels a little dry as a villain motivation compared to Stormfront the immortal Nazi though, so hopefully there's more going on.
Speaking of Stormfront, she's presumably still alive (not that Homelander's "undisclosed location" claim counts for much, but we didn't see her die, and she seems capable of healing from a lot). Not sure if we'll see her again though, her arc feels fairly closed.
More curious about whether Ryan will reappear - they could just write him out as "hidden in Nicaragua", but Homelander just letting that go feels like a stretch.
While it's hard to keep track of all Butcher's "Here's why you shouldn't just kill or arrest me right now" meetings, I don't think there's anything stopping Edgar from going after him now (aside from Noir being indisposed). His previous insurance was threatening to reveal Becca and Ryan (no longer an option), and he's just pissed Edgar off by reneging on their deal.
Even given the general cynicism about public opinion, all this bad PR has to be hurting Vought financially, right? In a short space of time they've had Deep's scandals, revealing compound V, Homelander killing the guy, Starlight being a traitor, and now Starlight not being a traitor but Stormfront being a Nazi. For a corporation with so many products centered around the heroic Seven, I don't think it can be brushed off with "it's all about the pharmaceuticals really".
This was a good finale. Per Erik Kripke, Stormfront is alive, because it's far more interesting to think of her with her extended lifespan living for centuries as a crippled mess. I agree on wondering how certain characters are going to be anywhere near safe from this point on though. Stormfront* at the end of this season = Anakin at the end of Episode III. I wager she'll have terrifying cyborg parts if she shows up again. *Random observation that doesn't warrant its own post but I need to share, I liked the detail of her coffee cup saying "Storefront" when she was on the movie set earlier. Starbucks can't get your name right even when you're a famous superhero. |
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Post by Hachiman on Oct 18, 2020 20:47:07 GMT -5
Late to this party but I am pretty much sure that had I binged this I would have enjoyed it more. A week at a time game me too much time to consider most of these characters and how I felt about them. After so many weeks, I was ready to never have to see Butcher ever again. I also still can't quite figure out Frenchie and Kimiko's deal in a way that wouldn't bug me nearly as much had a binged it.
Anyway, I will probably watch season 3 but won't be super excited about it. And I now am definitely pro-binging. Or rather, I am for watching shows weekly that are clearly written with that pace in mind. A show made to basically be watched in as few sittings as possible should just be watched as such rather than stretched out for clicks and content production. I understand why a studio would do this but I still don't like it..
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Post by ganews on Dec 14, 2020 12:30:47 GMT -5
We watched season one this past week, so that's as far as I've read the thread.
Overall I liked it okay, not over the moon but I look forward to the second season. I would slot it below HBO's Watchmen sequel series.
It really wears its influences on its sleeve. My main criticism is that it was much too rushed; backstory exposition gets laid out almost immediately after the initial implications. Is than an artifact of streaming series that expect people to binge instead of theorizing for a week between episodes, or am I just used to a different style of writing? 10 episodes would have been nice to spend more time with some of the more interesting and original ideas, like the collateral damage support group.
The series end with Butcher was really good though. I immediately thought the rape story was off when it was presented, but I guessed Elisabeth Shue's baby would be a factor.
My favorite cameo was Haley Joel Osment. Wifemate spotted cool dude Billy Zane immediately, but she's a big Titanic fan.
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The Boys
Jan 31, 2021 22:04:53 GMT -5
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Post by ganews on Jan 31, 2021 22:04:53 GMT -5
Eh, S2 was okay. Still some overstuffing.
The end felt like a series finale more than a season finale. Everyone seemed to forget about the exploding head thing immediately both times it happened in public, which makes it seem like it won't influence future storylines (even if that's the big set-up). What is Homelander supposed to do now to stave off boredom?
I'm pretty sure in the final Stormfront beatdown, someone called her "mouthy bitch" and I can't shake the feeling that was the reason we were supposed to dislike the character and the secret Nazi bit came later.
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