Trollheart

I'm definitely with you there. The problem with Succession is that there is literally nobody to root for. For a while, you kind of felt that Kendall, as the outsider, might deserve sympathy, but his self-satisfied smugness and contempt for everyone which comes clearly through in season three discounts that, and you just hate them all. It's quite a trick: I usually turn off if I can't or don't care about the characters, but this show kept me watching, and I'll be watching season four if/when it airs.

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

adidasss

Yes, same here. I think I made a comment here about how Veep doesn't work for me for that precise reason, there are no likeable characters. I think what makes Sucession different is that unlike Veep, there is a depth to all the characters. Depth of sleaze maybe but they are all much more three dimensional than anyone on Veep. But it's a very different format of course.

__________________
“Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle.

Last.fm | Goodreads | Letterboxd

Trollheart

Well yes, but Veep is a comedy show, so to some extent all the characters are kind of caricatures of people. I mean, nobody would be like Selina Meyer, so wrapped up in herself and ready to do anything to further her... huh? Sarah who?

To a degree then you can sort of forgive the characters for being, shall we say, larger than life. But in Succession, you're meant (I believe) to take it seriously, so the characters should have more depth. You should be able to look at Kendall, or Roy, or Roman, and say, yeah, I could see someone doing/saying that. Which you can, really. Veep is almost a fantasy world, Succession is rooted in the real world, so it's probably unfair to compare them.

That said, yes I did grind my teeth many times watching Selina do something that was so self-unaware and selfish that you just wanted to slap her. You kind of have to wonder what in the hell Gary Cole was doing in such a show?

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

robhr

Lately we've been doing The Leftovers. It's good I like it but I can't help but get the feeling there's a subtle Christianity thing going on, but that doesn't ruin it or anything it's still a good quality show. I just disagree is all.

Trollheart

Can't recommend highly enough Snöänglar (Snow Angels), crime/mystery series from Sweden which follows the disappearance of a baby on Christmas Eve. I'm warning you now, it will tear your heart out, but my god is it well written. One of the best Scandi-dramas I've seen since When the Dust Settles.

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

adidasss

The Andy Warhol Diaries (Netflix)

Really enjoyed it. Gave me a new appreciation of him as an artist. It's mostly focused on the late 70s up until his death in 1987 (so no mention of The Velvet Underground or very much about the Factory in general unfortunately) since this is when he started to write the titular diaries. It doesn't shy away from some of the more unsavory parts of his career.

__________________
“Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle.

Last.fm | Goodreads | Letterboxd

rubber soul

The diaries also covers his two major relationships as well. I enjoyed the mini-series as well. A very interesting man to be sure.

__________________

Lisnaholic

I only knew the basics about Andy Warhol, and like you Adidasss, I was expecting the Factory, the transvestites and Velvet Underground to be the main course meal of the series. It was interesting to discover that The Velvets especially were just a brief peripheral element in this guy's life. As you say, rubber soul, a very interesting man.

The actor who reads Andy's words does a great job of bringing him to life, as I imagine him to have been. I particularly enjoyed the trip to Coney Island, but also the later collab with the young graffiti artist. But most of all I like the message that slowly seeps into your soul from Andy's pages: that good or bad, life goes on. After a worrisome day, I find something very soothing about the deadpan recital, the tone of resigned acceptance, that Andy used for his diaries.

For more on AW, this movie isn't as sensationalised as the trailer suggests. Well worth watching if you haven't seen it already:-

__________________
"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

jadis

Anyone know of any half-decent British (or Nordic or whatever) procedurals on Netflix? If I enjoyed Line of Duty and hated every single Harlan Coben adaptation, then I should like...

Stephen

Watching Ghost Wars. Science portal ghost something something.. yeah it’s not very good.