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March 28, 2024, 05:33:14 PM

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TV procedurals

Started by Famous Mortimer, March 11, 2018, 01:44:12 PM

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Famous Mortimer

"Unforgettable" is every bit as wonderful as a show based on a short story with the too-daft-to-make-up name "The Rememberer" ought to be. Lead person Carrie is viewed as perfect, despite being a compulsive gambler who ignores every single rule of police practice (she appears to have been hired back as a police officer after years of retirement off-screen after the end of the first episode). The square-jawed love interest is so bland I can't remember his name (irony!) and by far the most interesting character is Roe, aka Kevin Rankin off of "Breaking Bad" and "Justified". He has great chemistry with Carrie but he's only in it for the first season, sadly.

It's absolutely bonkers, and if they'd made the lead character into a "House" sort rather than Sexy McSuperpower it would be a lot more interesting. Still, I'm in for the long haul (all four seasons).

Famous Mortimer

"Unforgettable" has been doing the sub-arc of Sexy McSuperpower trying to figure out who killed her sister back when they were kids. Then, right at the end, they decided to not tell us, as they burned through two very good suspects in two episodes and decided to end things with us still not knowing. No surprises there. So now we're on to season 2, where almost all the supporting cast gets binned off (the dull partner / love interest and Jane Curtin are the only two survivors)

Small Man Big Horse

Surprised to see no mention of the death of Steven Bochco on CaB today, so I thought this might be the best place to discuss his demise. I haven't seen anything he's done in years but I was blown away by NYPD Blue when it first started, and like all straight white men I'm also big fan of Doogie Howser MD. And Hill Street Blues was supposed to be alright too, though that was slightly before my time.

Famous Mortimer

My mum watched "Hill Street Blues", so I caught quite a lot of its later years. Some great actors and performances, way more interesting than any of the other police shows of the time. "Let's be careful out there" was a catchphrase in our house too. Such a great show. I felt the same way you did about NYPD Blue as well, even if David Caruso did become a little tough to take in later seasons.

Just read an oral history of Hill Street Blues which was really interesting too. Thanks due to everyone who gave a damn about making interesting TV.


EOLAN

Just watched latest episode of Criminal Minds on Sky Living. They set up for a huge shift in the make-up show. A big event that could need to go through multiple episodes/cases to revolve  but no. In one episode the group bands together and sorts things out to re-instate the old status. Seemed rather disappointing they didn't play out this idea for longer; especially given how repetitive the show can get.

Not a procedural; but finding similar thing with "Designated Survivor" where major events that would expect to be strung out over several episodes is wrapped up in one episode; and barely a day or two of the show's timeline.

paruses

I enjoyed Designated Survivor too. Found it (lightly) gripping until the middle of S1 - but I suppose it was realistic as things settle down from any crisis and become a bit humdrum. And there was a tendency to wrap up possibly exciting storylines, like the revolt of the National Guard, within an episode. Picked  towards the end and they sacrificed some good characters for a cliffhanger. Then in S1 they wrapped up the exciting storylines in about 5 eps and went for a boring legislative threads so I gave up - but it might have changed, I don't know.

Loved Hill Street Blues. Was an ardent watcher of a Saturday evening with my grandfather. I think I mentioned it much further up the thread.

Watching Homicide: Life on the Street at the moment with a Series 5 find in Crex for a few euros. It's OK. I ordered S1 for not much off Ebay so might put that on instead. S5 is where Captain Holt has just come back from having a stroke at the end of S4 so it's a bit jarring.

Never saw much of NYPD Blue. Think that's my Ebay research for this afternoon.


Sebastian Cobb

Just checking in to point out Columbo is better than everything mentioned so far.

Cheers.

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: EOLAN on April 03, 2018, 12:57:51 PM
Just watched latest episode of Criminal Minds on Sky Living. They set up for a huge shift in the make-up show. A big event that could need to go through multiple episodes/cases to revolve  but no. In one episode the group bands together and sorts things out to re-instate the old status. Seemed rather disappointing they didn't play out this idea for longer; especially given how repetitive the show can get.
I mentioned this a while back, but I think after the excellent arc in the last season, they were trying for another one but it was rubbish so they wrapped it up quickly. The speed of the resolution to it smacks of a sudden pivot back to the status quo - they went to all the effort of setting up a bunch of new actors for the various team members to interact with, then disposed of them straight away. I was looking forward to the further adventures of Quiet Tech Girl, Perd Hapley and That Slob That Prentiss Was Partnered With.

I was a bit bummed out at the change of cast for season 2 of "Unforgettable", but the new ones are actually okay. I miss Kevin Rankin and his sort-of love interest, but the Mayor's assistant guy is excellent.

studpuppet

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on April 03, 2018, 07:37:35 PM
Just checking in to point out Columbo is better than everything mentioned so far.

Cheers.

Yup - and quite a roll call when you list them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbo#Contributors
I haven't got round to listening, but my brother enjoys this: http://columbopodcast.com

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: paruses on April 03, 2018, 03:50:23 PM
Loved Hill Street Blues. Was an ardent watcher of a Saturday evening with my grandfather. I think I mentioned it much further up the thread.

One of the all-time great theme songs too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pThIeuKD6uM

The show I'm looking forward to properly revisiting is "Homicide". So many great characters, but it was on really late at night and I remember falling asleep while watching more than for any other show in history (well, that and "Prisoner: Cell Block H" when I'd get home from work and my Mum would be watching it on Channel 5).

Last time mentioning "Unforgettable" until I've gone through this season, but I noticed an odd credit - "special consultant, Marilu Henner". Huh? was my initial response, until I looked into it and discovered she has the same thing that the character in the show has, the ultra-memory thing that afflicts something like 6 people in the entire world.

paruses

Thanks for putting that up - in all these years it's never occurred to me to look it up on YouTube - those opening bars take me right back to Saturday nights. I think one reason I don't seek it out much is that it might lose its magic.

Lots of turning round to camera in those opening credits which always amuses me and only now I'm probably their age can I see that Frank Furrillo's ex-wife was pretty hot. I would still have preferred the end credits bath with Joyce Davenport though. I wonder if that's where my weakness for girls with long dark hair comes from.

Had forgotten how much I wanted to be JD (Kiel Martin). I watched a few early eps a few years ago and although he was still cool he was basically a corrupt copper and a degenerate alcoholic - which coincidentally I did become (the latter not the former) so now all I need is a haircut and a black friend. Maybe it's still achievable.

Think I might dip in and see if they're still available on All4 although I have the feeling that to really get into it I might have to watch hours and hours of them.

Famous Mortimer

I thought Joe Mantegna had changed on "Criminal Minds", but they made a reference to it - he's stopped dyeing his hair, and now looks more like his actual age (71). I wonder if he's going to retire at the end of this season?

Also, Spencer can be written as a huge douchebag at times. In the most recent episode, someone mentions the flower-in-the-mouth thing of a tango, he goes "er, actually, that's a popular myth" and gives us a minute on the real nature of the dance. But, no-one says "unless the killer is a know-it-all like you, this might still be a clue"; and then later on in the episode he knows exactly how many radio stations there are in Chicago. I buy he's a genius, but...ah, I don't know.

Famous Mortimer

"Criminal Minds" went all out at the end of this most recent season. Turns out there's a cult of serial killers knocking about, hiding in plain sight all this time, and there's an FBI agent who's part of it (they're not one of the main cast members, though). So, next season will either be them trying to track down the remaining cult members, or it'll all be wrapped up inside an episode and they'll go back to the same old thing. Be nice to see "The Following" get a spiritual sequel. Man, "The Following" was terrible, like maybe the worst show I ever watched more than a few episodes of.

paruses

I watched The Following S1 and thought it was good, then alright, then it dragged and it was stupid. For some reason I forgot the last but and started in on S2 (is that the one with the French twins? If not I have watched two whole seasons ffs) - Christ it's awful. I imagine doing the EE adverts are a blessed relief for Kevin Bacon even if he does have to put up with Mitchell's schtick.