I'm currently in love with Tremé, produced and written by David Simon, Eric Overmyer and David Mills from The Wire (otherwise known as the greatest piece of television in history). It's based in New Orleans, post-Katrina and is a celebration of N.O. music and culture, as well as a serious investigation into politics at a micro and macro level, and the lived experience of those affected by the storm. I'm about halfway through the first season and it's great! It's been awhile since I've found a piece of tv as good as this. If Mad Men is the best television has to offer these days, there is a serious famine going on.
Do you watch TV?
Tue, 2010-08-03 14:33
#102
Catchfire
Tue, 2010-08-03 14:45
#103
I watched an episode of "Greatest Tank Battles" the other evening. The episode examined the epic clash of armour at Kursk in July of 1943.
Tue, 2010-08-03 14:48
#104
I've watched a few broadcasts of Elvis Costello's 'Spectacle' recently as well, but I've given up entirely on 'Family Guy.'
Tue, 2010-08-03 19:19
#105
I'm currently in love with Tremé, produced and written by David Simon, Eric Overmyer and David Mills from The Wire (otherwise known as the greatest piece of television in history). It's based in New Orleans, post-Katrina and is a celebration of N.O. music and culture, as well as a serious investigation into politics at a micro and macro level, and the lived experience of those affected by the storm. I'm about halfway through the first season and it's great! It's been awhile since I've found a piece of tv as good as this. If Mad Men is the best television has to offer these days, there is a serious famine going on.
1) How do you compare Treme to the Wire? Or rather, more justly, how do you compare Treme to season 1 of the wire?
2) True Blood > Mad Men, and I like Mad Men... but this current season of True Blood is simply phenomenal. Every episode is like a braingasm.
Tue, 2010-08-03 19:43
#106
No, I do not watch TV.
Tue, 2010-08-03 20:10
#107
Boom Boom
Last night TMN (The Movie Network) had The Last Waltz, and at 9pm tonight they have The Blues Brothers. I play my TV through my 250watt/channel stereo - loud - when these music films play. Last month TMN had both the Michael Jackson and Rolling Stones concert tour movies. Great stuff - I've even come around to liking the MJ flick. 
Tue, 2010-08-03 20:18
#108
I try to watch TV only when it's dead and gone. Right now - [i]Carnivàle[/i] - which ran just two seasons on HBO, 2003-2005. I'm only into early episodes, so haven't got a clue what's going on. Visually stunning, comparisons with David Lynch (and both the positives and negatives that that entails) - I'll let you know.
Tue, 2010-08-03 22:29
#109
laine lowe
Catchfire, we taped/recorded all of Treme while away and just caught up last week. I loved it.
500_apples, I can't compare it to The Wire since I never saw it. I have read reviews that suggest it was better so maybe you won't like it.
I've heard good things about Carnivale, Unionist. It's on a list of HBO series to try to catch up on sometime. Sounds pretty surreal and fascinating.
Tue, 2010-08-03 23:13
#110
Catchfire
It's hard to compare Tremé with The Wire in definitive ways. I think Season 4 of The Wire was the best, and Tremé certainly benefits from the maturity and experience of the earlier series--it's as sophisticated and rich right away, and the dialogues is superb--so in that respect, you could say T is "better."
But so far Tremé is not as "hard-hitting" as The Wire. It's hard to say if the subject material, even something as deep as Katrina, can be as evocative and dense and spectacular as West Baltimore. I mean that the first series lived in the crime television drama genre and exceeded it in every way it could--there's no prerequisite for Tremé, and so it doesn't seem to have the teeth of TW--but not to its detriment. It makes up for it with its unabashed celebration of music--so many New Orleans musicians make cameos on the series. It's amazing. Like TW, the politics are definitely visible, but only in the background. The foreground is music and family drama--not action-packed, ultra-tight cop schlock.
I don't know which is better, but I'm only halfway in.
Wed, 2010-08-04 03:03
#111
Unionist carnivale is really good it takes about 4 or 5 shows to really understand(even sorta) where the show is going. Lots of religious undertones. "management' of carnivale is very interesting. I was going to tell you something, but thought it might ruin one or two reveals. Everyone I know said deadwood was better though.
I was watching an episode of trueblood at a friends house...I'm sorry I had to laugh at the show. While better than twilight it just isn't vampires anymore. Interesting concept. I use to like "Dead Like Me" which was showtime. And I watched 2 seasons of the sopranos in about a week. Liked it, missed 3rd altogther and thought 4th season wasn't so hot so I stopped watching.
Have to hand it to HBO and Showtime. They make some very well written shows. They also don't make them fit an EXACT schedule. So if the show goes over 2 minutes or is 3 short, it ok because thats all the story needed. Less padding and less cutting to fit time slots.
Wed, 2010-08-04 07:21
#112
Maysie
Closing for length. Great thread!
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