Binge watching

[Parrothead]

The only soap I ever watched was Y&R, mid-80's for a couple of weeks. It was during a hospital stay, the student nurses came in and out of the room to watch.

[SciFi Chick]

The only soap I ever watched was Y&R, mid-80's for a couple of weeks. It was during a hospital stay, the student nurses came in and out of the room to watch.

The only time I watched Y&R was also during a hospital stay, in 1981.

[geonuc]

There was an Australian soap I used to watch - Number 96. It was popular because of the sex and nudity.

[SciFiFisher]

There was an Australian soap I used to watch - Number 96. It was popular because of the sex and nudity.

Sex and Nudity are always popular.

[vendic]

lol.

Number 96 was hilarious. Then they had "The Box".
It had sex and nudity and full frontal's of men and women in a shower etc on free to air TV. Back in the 70's.
Then they had a show called "Sex" in the 90's iirc, which was porn passed off as a documentary/education show that showed closeups of male and female genitals under the guise of sex education and general cleaning and hygiene advice. In oz they have been swearing on TV for a long long time.

It also cracks me up when I get told by Americans that Australia has no freedom of speech given the restrictions the US has on public broadcasts and censorship due to religious origins.

[SciFiFisher]

lol.

Number 96 was hilarious. Then they had "The Box".
It had sex and nudity and full frontal's of men and women in a shower etc on free to air TV. Back in the 70's.
Then they had a show called "Sex" in the 90's iirc, which was porn passed off as a documentary/education show that showed closeups of male and female genitals under the guise of sex education and general cleaning and hygiene advice. In ox they have been swearing on TV for a long long time.

It also cracks me up when I get told by Americans that Australia has no freedom of speech given the restrictions the US has on public broadcasts and censorship due to religious origins.

We can say anything we want as long as we aren't naked on TV.

[Parrothead]

I thought US regulations were similar to Canada's, the only issue being what the networks choose to air.

IIRC, ours are something like this:

5:30 am - 9 pm - networks can only get by with mild swearing, violence. Must air warning, as returning to show (This one falls into all times).

9pm - 1 am - networks are allowed more leniency on swear words, f bomb permissible, as is partial nudity (though this falls usually after 10 pm).

1 am - 5:30 am - they could air soft core porn, if they chose to.

The days of "time-shifting" tv shows, may have network tv shying away from airing content unedited (my assumption).

An example I probably have used before: Years ago, one network was airing "Vanilla Sky". I decided to watch, to see if it was as bad I remembered. It was being aired on a weekday evening 8 - 11pm. Swearing muted out during the first hour, after 9 pm, it ran with commercials but content/language unedited.

Cable/specialty channels have looser regulations, but content warning must be aired, as returning to program.

ETA: The number of channels to choose from, needless to say, has network and some cable channels either re-airing content from earlier in the day or infomercials, in the overnight hours.

[SciFiFisher]

I thought US regulations were similar to Canada's, the only issue being what the networks choose to air.

IIRC, ours are something like this:

5:30 am - 9 pm - networks can only get by with mild swearing, violence. Must air warning, as returning to show (This one falls into all times).

9pm - 1 am - networks are allowed more leniency on swear words, f bomb permissible, as is partial nudity (though this falls usually after 10 pm).

1 am - 5:30 am - they could air soft core porn, if they chose to.

The days of "time-shifting" tv shows, may have network tv shying away from airing content unedited (my assumption).

An example I probably have used before: Years ago, one network was airing "Vanilla Sky". I decided to watch, to see if it was as bad I remembered. It was being aired on a weekday evening 8 - 11pm. Swearing muted out during the first hour, after 9 pm, it ran with commercials but content/language unedited.

Cable/specialty channels have looser regulations, but content warning must be aired, as returning to program.

ETA: The number of channels to choose from, needless to say, has network and some cable channels either re-airing content from earlier in the day or infomercials, in the overnight hours.

We have similar rules for airing TV. Except for the F-bomb. You pretty much only get to hear it on Showtime, HBO, or one of the other “premium channels”. We can see someone getting chopped up alive at 8 PM but no tits thank you very much. I was being somewhat facetious in my previous reply.

[Parrothead]

I finished watching "Charlie's Angels", some time ago. The last season only has a few good episodes. There had been a writer's strike, possibly an actor's strike too, things got delayed. One episode took place at a body building competition. The crowd shots were copied from S2's "Pretty Angels In A Row". The times they came back from the stock crowd shots, I was half expecting to see the body builders break out singing the "Chrysanthemum Festival Pageant" song.

Binge watched most of "Fargo S1 and 2" last weekend, on a cable channel. I still haven't seen the first couple of episodes from S1. Up next for binge watching: "The Night Manager" (uncensored edition). "The Invisible Man (1975), the complete series", starring David McCallum. I haven't seen this since it aired 40 years ago. I started laughing while reading the back cover of The Invisible Man DVD.

Useless Trivia: Some religious groups protested the series claiming it was obscene because it featured a "naked man"

I'll also be watching the following Charles Bronson movies: "The Mechanic", "St. Ives" and "Telefon".

"The woods are lovely dark and deep..."

[geonuc]

The Night Manager is quite good.

[SciFi Chick]

I'm currently binge watching the show "Nashville." Once I realized it was a soap and not a proper drama, I decided to just have fun with it. I really enjoy most of the music. The definition of "country" music seems to have changed though, as a lot of it sounds more indy-alternative than country. Maybe that's why I'm enjoying it so much. Not that I'm opposed to a good, country song. They have a character who sings a lot like Alison Krauss. Quite delightful.

[SciFi Chick]

Useless Trivia: Some religious groups protested the series claiming it was obscene because it featured a "naked man"

That is funny.

It reminds me of when Nashville was canceled last year, and those same religious people were bitching about how ABC keeps all the immoral shows on television, but they cancel, a wholesome, family show. Having watched it now, it's a wholesome family show where I would need a chart to keep track of who's slept with who, people get away with criminal activity, one woman got pregnant out of wedlock, and then became addicted to drugs and alcohol. I could go on and on. Now, I totally have compassion for all these situations, and some of them, I don't consider immoral, but would I watch this show with children? Hell, no!

[vendic]

So some nutters actually complained that the invisible man wore no clothes?
wow.

[SciFiFisher]

So some nutters actually complained that the invisible man wore no clothes?
wow.

How did they know?

[Thumper]

I'll also be watching the following Charles Bronson movies: "The Mechanic", "St. Ives" and "Telefon".
"The woods are lovely dark and deep..."

I really liked Telefon the first time I saw it. Watched it years later and thought it a bit corny. But still good and interesting.

[Parrothead]

"Telefon" - still an enjoyable enough watch. First time I saw it was at a drive-in when it was released. This and "The Mechanic" would play on late night tv, before it became all talk shows and infomercials. I watched "St. Ives" (1976), I think that was one that I hadn't seen before. I liked it. It stars Bronson, John Houseman, Jacqueline Bisset and Maximilian Schell. It also has Robert Englund and Jeff Goldblum in bit parts. The two-sided DVD of "Telefon" and "St. Ives" for under $7 was a good buy. In the trailer for "St. Ives" it describes Bronson as " He's lean, he's mean, he's the go-between. " One of these days I'll have to watch the re-make/re-imagining of "The Mechanic" starring Jason Statham, just to see what they did with the flick.

[SciFiFisher]

"Telefon" - still an enjoyable enough watch. First time I saw it was at a drive-in when it was released. This and "The Mechanic" would play on late night tv, before it became all talk shows and infomercials. I watched "St. Ives" (1976), I think that was one that I hadn't seen before. I liked it. It stars Bronson, John Houseman, Jacqueline Bisset and Maximilian Schell. It also has Robert Englund and Jeff Goldblum in bit parts. The two-sided DVD of "Telefon" and "St. Ives" for under $7 was a good buy. In the trailer for "St. Ives" it describes Bronson as " He's lean, he's mean, he's the go-between. " One of these days I'll have to watch the re-make/re-imagining of "The Mechanic" starring Jason Statham, just to see what they did with the flick.

Sort of a hybrid car chase and martial arts film.

[pumpkinpi]

I got some binging in over the holidays.

11/22/63. An 8 episode Hulu original of a Stephen King book, his first major foray into time travel. Can you guess what it's about? Answering the pervasive question: what if you could prevent the assassination of JFK?

It was my favorite recent King book (in say the last 10-15 years.) A real page-turner, which his usually aren't. The series was a fairly good adaptation--I guess "binge-worthy" is a good equivalent of page turner? Like any adaptation it left some things out, which I missed. One thing I'd like to point out, which I don't think is too much of a spoiler, is what would have happened if JFK wasn't assassinated. (In this story you can go back in time multiple times. So, in the end, maybe he was and maybe he wasn't...) King dedicated a fair amount of the book to that--at least what his interpretation is. I found that fascinating. It was just a quick summary in the show. That's what I won't give away. If you want to know, read the book or watch the show!

The main focus of the movie was digging into Lee Harvey Oswald and his wife's life and personality. It was done well so as to make you believe that's what they were really like. Not just what King thought it might be!

Broadchurch
A BBC murder mystery from a few years ago, starring the 10th Doctor himself, David Tennant. It was a very good whodunnit with exceptional character development and acting. I think it won some awards. This also was 8 episodes, so I was able to finish it in the 1 week I had the dvd set from the library. And last night I got through the 6th/8 episodes of season 2! I think there's a season 3, also.

This is Us
A new NBC drama this season. I watched the first episode when it aired in September, which I thought as a stand alone was fantastic. But I didn't get the sense I'd enjoy it as an ongoing series, so I decided not to commit to the weekly broadcast schedule. But my sister described it as "one that gives you the feels." It's fluff and sappy, but I'm the type of person who can get into that if it's well done. So I decided to go back and catch up. NBC provided a number of its episodes streaming, and then when I got Hulu free for a week to watch 11/22/63, I watched the rest there. The 2nd half of the season starts tonight!

I'd recommend the first two series to anyone. I'd recommend the third only to those who enjoy that type of programming.

This is the most "tv" I've watched in a long time. I also watched the 4 episodes of Gilmore Girls over Thanksgiving. Prior to this I had watched all 6 seasons of Parenthood, from free episodes on Amazon Prime to checkouts from the library. As you can see, I make it a point not to pay for any tv! I had Netflix for a whole month free, and I searched through movies and tv shows a few time, wondering if I might watch it enough to deem the investment worthwhile. But I actually did not find anything else I wanted to watch. I'm sure I'd think of something eventually, but I wouldn't want to pay for a service just to have on hand in case there was a show or movie I wanted to see.

[Thumper]

Uggh, Gilmore Girls. Don't remind me.

[pumpkinpi]

If you did not like the original series (let me guess--The Kid watched it on ABC Family reruns?) Then you would hate the revival. Rory is an awful person, only getting worse with age. Despite her, though, I did enjoy the revival.

[DimSum]

Broadchurch
A BBC murder mystery from a few years ago, starring the 10th Doctor himself, David Tennant. It was a very good whodunnit with exceptional character development and acting. I think it won some awards. This also was 8 episodes, so I was able to finish it in the 1 week I had the dvd set from the library. And last night I got through the 6th/8 episodes of season 2! I think there's a season 3, also.

There is a season 3.... but it's not out yet... I keep checking.... LOL

[Thumper]

If you did not like the original series (let me guess--The Kid watched it on ABC Family reruns?) Then you would hate the revival. Rory is an awful person, only getting worse with age. Despite her, though, I did enjoy the revival.

Mrs. T got a Firestick for (early) Christmas. She played around with Playstation View. They found the original series. Watched the holy $hit out of it. Everytime I came in it was on. Seemed like there were more episodes than MASH. Found that hard to believe from a series I'd never heard of....She was supposed to be researching using the stick and possibly getting rid of cable. But it appears they are going to write their thesis on the show. Didn't help that when my sister came up for Christmas, she urged them on and told them to watch the rest (geeze there's more!?) then watch the revival.....

[SciFiFisher]

If you did not like the original series (let me guess--The Kid watched it on ABC Family reruns?) Then you would hate the revival. Rory is an awful person, only getting worse with age. Despite her, though, I did enjoy the revival.

Mrs. T got a Firestick for (early) Christmas. She played around with Playstation View. They found the original series. Watched the holy $hit out of it. Everytime I came in it was on. Seemed like there were more episodes than MASH. Found that hard to believe from a series I'd never heard of....She was supposed to be researching using the stick and possibly getting rid of cable. But it appears they are going to write their thesis on the show. Didn't help that when my sister came up for Christmas, she urged them on and told them to watch the rest (geeze there's more!?) then watch the revival.....

We did some research on cutting the cord. It’s more complicated than it seems. There are some shows that can only be had on BBC. Which can only be viewed on Cable or Satellite TV. Unless you want to wait (too long) for the episodes to be streamed on iTunes or Amazon. Then there is the medium AKA internet connection with which to stream the shows you plan to watch after cutting the cable. In our area, unfortunately, the only reliable high speed internet provider is ComCast.

And of course, it’s not just BBC. If you want Game of Thrones then you need HBO. If you want to watch Once Upon A Time, Grimm, or the newest fairy tale story on NBC you need a provider who can supply NBC in current and on demand time.

Obviously the solution would be to be patient and just wait for these things to come to Amazon or Netflix. But, it’s somewhat of a crap shoot as to which shows wind up with a specific streaming provider. And of course, everyone is getting on board. You have HULU, Sling, Amazon, and even the individual broadcast networks all doing their own streaming feeds.

[Thumper]

Yep.

[geonuc]

Yep.

We currently have Comcast with HBO, Netflix streaming and Amazon Prime. Plus Hulu but that's a pay per view deal. And Vudu, I think.