The Netflix/Hulu/Prime Thread

[The Eristic]

That looks like Blade Runner mixed with that movie that came out a couple years ago with Ryan Reynolds and Ben Kingsley where Kingsley's consciousness gets put into Reynold's body. I have no idea what that movie was called. It wasn't very good.

I'm hoping it's more like the one where Lily Tomlin gets control over half Steve Martin's body and shenanigans ensue. Or maybe that one with Chris Rock and the dead white guy.

Gonna hit up Electric Dreams tonight. Some of my friends are saying it's more poorly written than this season of Black Mirror, which is concerning, but they also have A: limited exposure to sci-fi beyond Star Wars and video games (and I think were just expecting more overtly edgy Black Mirror-style stuff from it), and B: no taste, so I dunno. Fingers crossed for solid PKD vibes, at least, not too dry or self-serious.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I've not heard good things and love PKD so I've been staying away. Interested to hear more thoughts!

[behndy]

i am unsure about watching Altered Carbon because i LOVE Richard K. Morgan. and the book (it's the first in his Takashi Kovaks series) is GOOOOOD.

have been avoiding trailers too. because. you know.

...... i still need to watch Preacher. was skipping it for the same reasons, but a friend i trust who adores the graphic novel series said they did a good job. so..... i guesssssss?

[jrfox92]

Update: for some reason the US version of Electric Dreams isn't in the same order as the UK version (it's not a big deal, since the series is an anthology, but it makes looking up details confusing). I've currently watched Real Life, Autofac, and Human Is.

I suppose my main issue with it is that (especially when compared to Black Mirror) it seems to take itself too seriously.
Black Mirror had this biting, dry humor underneath everything, which is likely why it ended up being so successful.
Electric Dreams just has that "something's missing" feeling throughout the episodes I've seen so far.

Also, having, at least, one sex scene in each episode isn't something I care for in sci-fi shows.

[MechaGodzilla]

I know exactly what you mean about the humour in Black Mirror, and that's what I felt was mostly missing from the last batch.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Also, having, at least, one sex scene in each episode isn't something I care for in sci-fi shows.

This annoys me about so much modern TV. Don't need that!

[behndy]

lol. i think the epitome of that for me was Spartacus. silly, cheesy fun show. but man. if you fast forward past the BOOBS OUT scenes you have about 30 minutes of content every hour.

..... fast forward the generic fight scenes, about 12 minutes of content.

[Achtane]

At least game of thrones seems to have been progressively lowering the titty pandering in favor of other cool stuff happening.

[BetterOffShred]

Ok so first of all yeah the new HBO or Starz or whatever shows have a ton of sex .. but I'm not going to fast forward titties.. just saying. Secondly, Xena showing her cans .. Yeah I'll watch that. Sorry. That's just how it is. Game of thrones had way too much raping. I can't get behind that. I think people are having a hard time being original so they just show titties and rapes and weird shock shit to make people gawk.. it seems it's a good stopgap for actual story.

[behndy]

i dunno man. i mean. yeah. titties? WOOT.

but there's PORN. so...... so much PORN.

i feel like it's rarely useful to the story to have all the titties and dongs and vagoos and butts (as nice as they may be to look at). and like.... if i want nekid, pron.

Creep was good. super involving. first half should have been called Cringe. reminded me a bit feel-wise of Maniac, the fps thing Frodo Stabbins did?

Creep Dos is next for me.

[jrfox92]

Beyond my general, "I came here to watch a TV show/movie, not a porno" sentiment, there's also the fact that sex scenes almost never contribute to the story in any way.
Even in dumbass teenage-CW-type shows.
Oh, they had sex? Okay, cool, let's move on.
But it always seems these directors require a 5 minutes sex scene that does nothing but make you bored or uncomfortable and only serves as time filler.

Hey, you're about to figure out that dude's a robot?
Sorry, no. You're gonna have to sit through this porno first.

I'd rather have them just put a 5 minute infomercial in, instead.
At least I'd be somewhat entertained.

[jrfox92]

Ha, exactly.

[BetterOffShred]

Are you guys saying you don't want to watch titties unless it's actual porn? I'm not judging I'm just trying to understand your statements. I'd watch titties in a Buick commercial.. not sexual or anything, but .. titties.

[jrfox92]

I don't care about seeing tits.
It doesn't even phase me.

I'm talking about when there's basically a full-on soft-core porno in the middle of a TV show I'm watching.
As in, the only thing that really distinguishes it from actual porn is that you don't the P&V (or whatever, it seems like these shows believe that sex scenes are more palatable if they're lesbian ).

[BetterOffShred]

That's a good point. It's obviously heavily targeted and my point was that it's kind of cruise control. Tits. Boom, everyone looks. I don't seek out softcore titties, but like I said if Oprah had a freestyle titty bar or whatever, I'd probably look at it if it was on. It's kind of irritating the way these big budget shows compensate for all the short comings with breasts. I love breasts, but you have to bring something else for me not to turn the channel.