Television

[Stavros]

I have spent most of the last two weeks watching the Israeli drama Hatufim (Prisoners of War) which aired in 2009 and 2012 and became the foundation of Homeland, Gideon Raff being responsible for both. Hatufim is similar to Homeland, but where the latter is dominated by one of two soldiers who return from captivity (Brody), there are three in the Israeli drama, and a substantial part of both series is occupied by the difficulty the returning soldiers have in adjusting to life after 17 years as hostages. The issue of loyalty is just as keen, but Hatufim does not have the extra layers of drama found in Homeland and is thus more realistic and because of the quality of the writing and in particular, the acting, is superior to the US series. The latter is true of the Arab as well as the Israeli actors. For some reason only one of the two series I think was broadcast in the UK, but I watched them on dvd. There are some flaws, and some weak characters, but I cannot recommend this too highly, it is compelling at every level.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1676462/?ref_=nv_sr_1

[Wendy Summers]

Just starting on Sense8 on Netflix after finishing OITNB Season 3.

[youngblood61]

Looking forward to watching The Strain next month, Penny Dreadful has been good, season finale Sunday. Ray Donovan, Hell on Wheels. Been Watching The Making of the Mob which has been really good.

[Stavros]

The BBC here in the UK is broadcasting The People -vs- OJ Simpson, and I admit to finding it as fascinating as the real case when the same channel produced a one-hour summary every day of the legal proceedings. I don't see this as another round of the 'did he, didn't he' argument, but a drama about the people involved -and without ignoring the fact that two people were murdered. In a trailer, David Schwimmer says it is also about LA, but I don't really know the city (or cities) of LA so I can't comment on that. I think Cuba Gooding is good but too short to be OJ -Gooding is about 5'10" where OJ is around 6'1", and I think Kardashian was much shorter than Schwimmer. But so far the acting has been good -the bizarre John Travolta who seems to make Robert Shapiro look so queer it was a shock to see he has a wife- and the writing. Not sure how Americans who see this are reacting, and whether or not the reaction is shaped by their own views on the case as it was in real life.

[flabbybody]

I give a big thumbs down to the OJ series. couldn't get past 2 episodes.
The acting is so clownish they should have just made a comic parody of the historical events. Travolta is flaming queer as you point out and Schwimmer's dopey facial expressions will forever make him Ross Geller from FRIENDS. The rest of the cast is dreadful except for Gooding who actually captures occasional reminders of the authentic 1990's OJ

[Stavros]

I give a big thumbs down to the OJ series. couldn't get past 2 episodes.
The acting is so clownish they should have just made a comic parody of the historical events. Travolta is flaming queer as you point out and Schwimmer's dopey facial expressions will forever make him Ross Geller from FRIENDS. The rest of the cast is dreadful except for Gooding who actually captures occasional reminders of the authentic 1990's OJ

Ouch! In fact I think it is the theatricality which I like, as I think it puts a distance between the tv drama and the real events. Compared to the alternatives, worthless rubbish like Downton Abbey or House of Cards, this is a welcome hour mid-week, at least until the next series of Game of Thrones gets going...just out of interest, does David Schwimmer have only one facial expression? I don't know much about Friends, but he was as wooden as a plank in Band of Brothers.

I forgot to ask if anyone has ever received a 'Brentwood Hello'...

[BatMasterson]

Just finished watching Marco Polo the other night. Gonna start on the spinoff soon.

[bluesoul]

I forgot to ask if anyone has ever received a 'Brentwood Hello'...

i have although it's no longer referred to as a the 'brentwood hello' but rather 'the steak and bj combo' (there's a restaurant called bj's in brentwood which is what most not in the know will think you're referring to)

btw: i agree with you about this show being really good. with exception to david schwimmer (who has a very hilarious way of saying "juice"), cuba gooding jr. (who obviously can't help but act like cuba gooding jr. instead of oj simpson)

i predict sarah paulson or courtney vance will come out of this with an emmy because they've been remarkable- last episode being of par-ti-cular interest due to her perfect portrayal of marcia's naivity, vulnerability and slight aloofness. it was an incredibly endearing performance.

you said you were confused when schwimmer said in the trailer it's about los angeles. i believe he meant the whole drama of it spiraling into something beyond just a murder case into this epic television event with high powered lawyers, celebrities and the corrupt police department and all the flaws etc.

as to travolta/shapiro's wife: that was the perfect cheryl ladd. i found it somewhat ironic how they made travolta look like the alien bounty hunter from x-files then cast an angel as his wife

i also found it unnecessary how they imply a durden/clark romance thing broiling. sarah paulson is very sexy though. i love her mouth and her sharp eyes.

[crystalsopen]

I have seen the first 3 seasons of Arrow. I love it.

[maxpower]

I have seen the first 3 seasons of Arrow. I love it.

The Flash is great too, and there are several Flash/Arrow crossover episodes in both shows.