# Anyone else had their enjoyment of films somewhat ruined by TV shows?



## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

As the title says: Am finding it so weird that everything gets pretty much sewn-up within a couple of hours. Seems rushed. Seems weird!

Anyone?


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## d.healey (Mar 10, 2021)

I've had my enjoyment of films ruined by a lack of good films.


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## Stillneon (Mar 10, 2021)

And don't EVER watch the trailer or that's that: you know it all.


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## dzilizzi (Mar 10, 2021)

I have a hard time staying engaged through a whole film. My husband prefers movies to TV shows, so it gets interesting in our house at times.


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

dzilizzi said:


> I have a hard time staying engaged through a whole film. My husband prefers movies to TV shows, so it gets interesting in our house at times.


Weirdly, although films seem to just zip by, I find myself a little bored. I could happily (Perhaps not the right word) binge a few hours of a show, but be bored an hour into a movie. Perhaps, like Señor Healey, I just need to choose better movies...and shows.


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## dzilizzi (Mar 10, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Weirdly, although films seem to just zip by, I find myself a little bored. I could happily (Perhaps not the right word) binge a few hours of a show, but be bored an hour into a movie. Perhaps, like Señor Healey, I just need to choose better movies...and shows.


This is true. I can watch TV shows for hours. I DVR things then watch multiple episodes at once. But 2 hour movie, nope. Need breaks.


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## companyofquail (Mar 10, 2021)

i definitely know what you mean. my observations:

tv shows are set up in a way that the story arcs over and over and over again in 45 minute intervals. this means that not only do you have more time to develop characters and perform exposition BUT it also feeds a lot of peoples need for resolution(over and over again). movies have to do this with less characters and usually one major plot point/twist/resolve within 90-150 minutes. 

i wouldnt say it has made me like movies less but i do think less great movies are being made because of great series.


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

dzilizzi said:


> Need breaks.


Yeah...Sometimes of multiple days


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

companyofquail said:


> i definitely know what you mean. my observations:
> 
> tv shows are set up in a way that the story arcs over and over and over again in 45 minute intervals. this means that not only do you have more time to develop characters and perform exposition BUT it also feeds a lot of peoples need for resolution(over and over again). movies have to do this with less characters and usually one major plot point/twist/resolve within 90-150 minutes.
> 
> i wouldnt say it has made me like movies less but i do think less great movies are being made because of great series.


Yes, that intuitively makes sense. One thing that drew me to tv shows was that ability to further develop characters and their motivations. but I've started to become quite sensitive to when a show sets out to honour a well-crafted plot/story-line and arc and when it just devolves into becoming a soap opera or procedural, just spinning wheels and making fake drama long enough for a season renewal. They can only play on our need for resolution so much. Mind you, it only takes an attraction to one of the actors to seem to short-circuit that issue e.g getting through five seasons of 'Covert Affairs', cause Piper Perabo 
Still, i wasn't expecting the move back to movies to be quite so jarring. I guess with a bit more practice (And again, better movies) I can re-tune my expectations.


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## dzilizzi (Mar 10, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Yes, that intuitively makes sense. One thing that drew me to tv shows was that ability to further develop characters and their motivations. but I've started to become quite sensitive to when a show sets out to honour a well-crafted plot/story-line and arc and when it just devolves into becoming a soap opera or procedural, just spinning wheels and making fake drama long enough for a season renewal. They can only play on our need for resolution so much. Mind you, it only takes an attraction to one of the actors to seem to short-circuit that issue e.g getting through five seasons of 'Covert Affairs', cause Piper Perabo
> Still, i wasn't expecting the move back to movies to be quite so jarring. I guess with a bit more practice (And again, better movies) I can re-tune my expectations.


I think my problem is I like to read books. Action movies based on comic books that are really short stories work well. Movies (and even some TV shows) based off of bigger books tend to lose something in the telling. And when they change the characters too much, I really lose interest.


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## Sunny Schramm (Mar 10, 2021)

Not at all. Its a completely different thing for me. my last movie was "knives out" and it was a wonderful experience ❤️

It depends completely on what the movie wants to tell. A good action-flick does not need more than 80 or 90 minutes. Sometimes shorter is better because it makes you want to watch it again - like a good short song. a good thriller or scifi-movie can be very good from 90 to 180 minutes and is deep enough without rushing through the story and characters (like "the girl on the train" or the original "the girl with the dragon tattoo").

I never was a series-guy. I´ve watched some but only when I can binge seasons like a long movie. Live on tv and only one episode per week is not my thing at all. Also I like mini-series with 5-6 episodes like "Chernobyl", "Dead Set" or "The End of the fucking world".

I only watched some few series with more than one season - Fleabag, Stranger Things, 4 Blocks, The Walking Dead, Firefly and some more. And sitcoms like Two and a half men, How I met ur mother, Big Bang Theory, South Park, Simpsons, etc. - "The Breaking Bad" lost me with the episode "The Fly". That was so strange and annoying...I never get back to it even when all my friends told me it gets sooo good after that 😂🤷‍♂️ but I plan to buy the complete box of "Games of Thrones" some day.

It also happens that the first season of a series is enough for me (in a positive meaning) like "The Boys", "True Detective", "Westworld", "Mr. Robot", "Fringe", "Killing Eve", etc. - there is so much stuff out there - its mostly overwhelming and sometimes you skip through all the streaming-menues and after two hours you did not watch anything.

I love to buy haptic media like cd´s and blurays. I buy a lot I´m interesting in and have always a little pile with movies I am interested in the most. So I can choose fast and have fun for some hours. Also the streaming sound- and picture-quality is not good enough for big screens and beamer - still much too compressed. I´m very picky with that 

But as always - at the end its just a matter of taste and time...


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

dzilizzi said:


> I think my problem is I like to read books. Action movies based on comic books that are really short stories work well. Movies (and even some TV shows) based off of bigger books tend to lose something in the telling. And when they change the characters too much, I really lose interest.


One example of a graphic-novel/comic-book adaptation that I thought was done really well was 'Preacher'. There'd been a long time between my reading the books and seeing the show (Still need to watch the final season).

One show that did everything wrong was 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' (US) version. They took the quintessentially British, slightly surreal humour of Douglas Adams and gave it a shot in the neck of adrenaline. What an abomination :(


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## Macrawn (Mar 10, 2021)

TV shows have improved exponentially in the past few years. There is so much money being poured into them that they really are in a way very long films ie the Mandalorian, Game of Thrones. Witcher, Westworld and so forth. At least the top tier ones. 

Add to that the fact the a lot of movies are just trash like that new Wonderwoman movie. 

I think the whole model is changing as a lot more money is going to go into high quality tv shows with the intension of carrying on several seasons. I've honestly been a lot happier with those shows than what I'm getting from the movie department.

Even the new Dune movie which I'm looking forward to, probably could or should have been for television. Kinda perfect for that really as it's based on a huge series of books. 

I'm not sure why most movies are bad these days, but over the top action and effects is a big reason. Too safe is another.


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## youngpokie (Mar 10, 2021)

dzilizzi said:


> I think my problem is I like to read books.


I was just typing a similar thought - to me, nothing ruins both movies and TV as much as reading. 

These days I'm only watching TV about once a week and sometimes movies feel as if it's the same single TV episode, repeated over and over again. The same thing, warmed over and repackaged.

The big advantage of reading is that your own imagination gets to work filling in all the details (that are provided visually on the screen in a TV show), and that the pacing seems work on a different level that I cannot quite articulate.... I also find that the more "emotionally" and actively I read, the better it gets...


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

Sunny Schramm said:


> Not at all. Its a completely different thing for me. my last movie was "knives out" and it was a wonderful experience ❤️
> 
> It depends completely on what the movie wants to tell. A good action-flick does not need more than 80 or 90 minutes. Sometimes shorter is better because it makes you want to watch it again - like a good short song. a good thriller or scifi-movie can be very good from 90 to 180 minutes and is deep enough without rushing through the story and characters (like "the girl on the train" or the original "the girl with the dragon tattoo").
> 
> ...


Interestingly (although, maybe not) 'Knives Out' is a film I've been saving because I want to enjoy it without having this same nagging issue. I'm hoping that after a certain amount of movies that I'll get back into the swing of it. 

I do agree with you about Mini-Series', but I also like the Anthology style, e.g Fargo and 'True detective', in which the individual stories are able to run a good arc, without danger of being kept on life-support until eventual cancellation. I also like limited-run multi-season shows, such as the original British 'The Office'. Gervais knew not to over-do it, which is quite surprising for him. 

And I also agree with being happy with just one season of a show. Never felt too compelled to go back to Westworld', though I may do at some point. Disliked the first season of 'The Boys', but not only did i continue watching but eventually started season 2. It took till a couple of episodes in before it grabbed me, then I just binged it till the end :( Was ok with one of 'Killing Eve', but definitely enjoyed 'Mr Robot' till the end (and probably will, again).


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

Macrawn said:


> I think the whole model is changing as a lot more money is going to go into high quality tv shows with the intension of carrying on several seasons


I like the idea of the story being mapped out before shooting. If it takes multiple seasons, then great. As long as they avoid teams of writers coming up with ways to extend a story for nothing more than keeping getting renewed.


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Mar 10, 2021)

I think both movies and shows absolutely suck. Movies more so, however.


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

youngpokie said:


> I was just typing a similar thought - to me, nothing ruins both movies and TV as much as reading.
> 
> These days I'm only watching TV about once a week and sometimes movies feel as if it's the same single TV episode, repeated over and over again. The same thing, warmed over and repackaged.
> 
> The big advantage of reading is that your own imagination gets to work filling in all the details (that are provided visually on the screen in a TV show), and that the pacing seems work on a different level that I cannot quite articulate.... I also find that the more "emotionally" and actively I read, the better it gets...


I used to read a lot more. Then somewhere along the line fiction got replaced with non-fiction and it was no longer any fun. Should probably get back to fiction.


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> I think both movies and shows absolutely suck.


What a surprise


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## Macrawn (Mar 10, 2021)

el-bo said:


> I like the idea of the story being mapped out before shooting. If it takes multiple seasons, then great. As long as they avoid teams of writers coming up with ways to extend a story for nothing more than keeping getting renewed.


I know it. Even when they do a huge Trilogy like the new Star Wars they couldn't map the story out and do it properly.


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## youngpokie (Mar 10, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Should probably get back to fiction.


It will certainly exercise your creative and imagination muscle!


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## el-bo (Mar 10, 2021)

youngpokie said:


> It will certainly exercise your creative and imagination muscle!


I'm sure it will, just as long as I can keep my attention focused for more than half a paragraph


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## MartinH. (Mar 10, 2021)

el-bo said:


> just as long as I can keep my attention focused for more than half a paragraph


Our world is systemically eroding away our ability to focus for longer periods of time. I've linked this one here before and likely will do so again. It's important to be aware of this imho:




Myself I noticed that it's easier to focus on a whole movie when not watching it alone. Together with my girlfriend I can watch a 90 minute thing in one go. Alone I wouldn't even want to start and likely would pause after half of it. I mostly stopped watching 45 min episode shows too, instead I'm watching more 22 min per episode anime shows. I guess the next logical step would be only watching 10 minute long meme compilations on youtube, or 5 min per episode mini-series.


There's also an aspect for me about being familiar with characters already, that I like in shows. I find it somewhat exhausting to start a new show because I don't know any of the characters yet. Once I'm familiar I feel much less resistance towards watching more of it. And I prefer the "monster of the week" style of old shows over modern long story arcs. I'd rather rewatch Star Trek TNG than watch one of those modern from-cliffhanger-to-cliffhanger shows.


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## Rex282 (Mar 10, 2021)

I’m going to go off the rails and change the subject and say music has ruined my enjoyment of TV and movies.Every second is crammed with emotion manipulation sound waves sometimes you can’t even hear the dialogue.Don’t even get me started on those insidious commercials with their gawdawful jingles .I love music ,I hate this barrage of emotion manipulation it deadens the senses and makes a mockery of music.If Silence is golden media music is puke green...rant over..carry on ..my apologies .


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## youngpokie (Mar 10, 2021)

el-bo said:


> I'm sure it will, just as long as I can keep my attention focused for more than half a paragraph


You simply have to visualize or imagine what your reading, as if you’re watching and plan to tell someone later. It’s a subtle mindset shift that I’m probably not explaining well, but it changes how you process what you’re reading. Not mechanical eye movement anymore but an emotional involvement


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## el-bo (Mar 13, 2021)

MartinH. said:


> Our world is systemically eroding away our ability to focus for longer periods of time. I've linked this one here before and likely will do so again. It's important to be aware of this imho:



I've not watched that video (I will do, though), but I am not unfamiliar with the theme. Been looking into this for a while and am determined to do something about it (Not in a global sense; Just in my life). 



MartinH. said:


> Myself I noticed that it's easier to focus on a whole movie when not watching it alone. Together with my girlfriend I can watch a 90 minute thing in one go. Alone I wouldn't even want to start and likely would pause after half of it. I mostly stopped watching 45 min episode shows too, instead I'm watching more 22 min per episode anime shows. I guess the next logical step would be only watching 10 minute long meme compilations on youtube, or 5 min per episode mini-series.


Yeah, you got it bad 

I think the only reason I can make it all the way through shows is that after the first few minutes they get relegated to background white-noise while I focus intently on the seemingly more important job of being distracted and daydreaming  

Got a plan?


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## el-bo (Mar 13, 2021)

youngpokie said:


> You simply have to visualize or imagine what your reading, as if you’re watching and plan to tell someone later. It’s a subtle mindset shift that I’m probably not explaining well, but it changes how you process what you’re reading. Not mechanical eye movement anymore but an emotional involvement


Yeah! It's something I've tried before. Need to also remind myself to think about what I've read after reading it. Maybe I can start filing some of this tuff into long-term memory. if I don't remember the experience, is there any point in having it in the first place?


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## MartinH. (Mar 13, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Got a plan?


Not really, but in general I think it would be good for me to spend less time on forums and youtube, and instead play more games.




el-bo said:


> Been looking into this for a while and am determined to do something about it (Not in a global sense; Just in my life).


What's your plan, if you have one yet?


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## RmPvt (Mar 13, 2021)

I've had my enjoyment of films ruined by TV shows AND my enjoyment of TV show ruined by films. I've guess I've got too used to only watching things for 45-50min, as well as to long-term involvement with specific characters/universes/crew/artistic direction etc. But I also expect tv shows to have high quality cinematography and writing, or at least some personnality and consistency, and not just look and feel like basic industrial products conceived and approved by cynical dudes in suits.

It must be because of author stuff like Mr Robot, The Leftovers and Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul or even Kidding. I've seen what TV could be in the hands of artists (I mean : actual directors who actually write and/or direct most of their episodes). My expectations are way to high now that every single show only exists to serve in the platforms war...

But my brain is still screwed and I can't enjoy movies like I should anymore.


Why the hell isn't there an intermediary format ?


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## Stringtree (Mar 13, 2021)

RmPvt said:


> Why the hell isn't there an intermediary format ?



YouTube. There are some consequences: compression, lousy sound, ads.

In college I would spread out around ten books on a big library table, and refer back and forth to all the various sources. Now the browser is the table; the tabs are the books. 

I feel for ya. Drowning in media availability has had bad effects on my attention span. Listening to an album used to be a listening event. Now I listen to smaller excerpts on-demand. I have noticed a diminishment in my ability to imagine things now that I can call them up. Playlists.

You're right. "Television," or episodic stuff, can be brilliant in the hands of artists. 

Watching a movie now is getting a Blu-ray and having uncompressed 5.1 surround. It's an event, like listening to a great LP.


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## b_elliott (Mar 13, 2021)

Not a movie but an interesting experience pre-internet days. A made-for TV series of John le Carré's "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" (BBC).

It was a 7-part weekly show seen here in Canada. I read the book while the series progressed. 

Funnily enough I found the TV series exceptional as it clarified something which the book left unclear (Note: le Carré helped produce the series). 

There was no binge watching/Netflix back in the day so you could read along at a leisurely pace and stay abreast. So there is one exception.


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## Arbee (Mar 13, 2021)

Thanks mainly to Covid induced lockdowns, I'm swinging the other way on this and preferring "mini-series" to movies. 8 x 1 hour episodes gives a story and characters time to evolve, rather than cram everything into a 90 - 120 minute movie.

Another bonus for me with forced time at home, has been broadening my cultural appetite for non-English content (and music) which I've found very refreshing. 

I suggest the pressure is on traditional "formula" movie makers now, with the surge of streaming and globalisation, to "freshen up" and properly innovate.


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## easyrider (Mar 13, 2021)

No, So many TV shows are 8 hours of filler that could easily be condensed into a quality Film experience....

Plus a lot of these so called high budget Netflix offerings are style over content....

There are some exceptions....Walts journey in Breaking Bad...

The amount of TV shows that I have quit on episode 2 or 3 is huge....due to nothing happening, characters I just don’t care about and crap writing.

The same can be said for Films too...it amazes me how people can sit through the new star wars movies as they are utter Dross....while The Mandalorian was just brilliant....

So it’s not the format...TV or film....it’s the characters and writing and the quality of the performances....Daisy Ridley is such a rubbish actor it amazes me how on earth she got the job....

I seek out European cinema it offers a lot more exploration of the human condition and mostly hits the spot....

Portrait of a lady on Fire is a masterpiece....Another Round was brilliant also....


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## Arbee (Mar 13, 2021)

easyrider said:


> No, So many TV shows are 8 hours of filler that could easily be condensed into a quality Film experience....


True in some cases, but movies based on books often benefit from longer formats. So many great books have been savaged and stripped of all subtlety in a movie.

Sweeping generalisation, but I've also found euro/scandi/middle eastern shows to be better at developing more subtle dynamics in a mini-series format.


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## easyrider (Mar 13, 2021)

Arbee said:


> True in some cases, but movies based on books often benefit from longer formats. So many great books have been savaged and stripped of all subtlety in a movie.



Don’t get me started on the Utter dross of the Lord of the rings films...Read the hobbit as a kid and the films were dragged out nonsense...

So I guess it works both ways...but my tolerance for mediocrity is increasing and I’d much rather be sat around my pond watching the wildlife....



Arbee said:


> Sweeping generalisation, but I've also found euro/scandi/middle eastern shows to be better at developing more subtle dynamics in a mini-series format.


There certainly are some top quality TV shows from across the world worth seeking out.


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## patrick76 (Mar 13, 2021)

No, if anything TV shows have made me realize just how much I do enjoy good films (nothing against TV, have enjoyed Breaking Bad and The Ozarks somewhat recently). It does seem that good films are less often created lately, but they are still made. My nephew asked me a few weeks ago, "doesn't it seem like way more good movies were made in the 90's?" I confirmed his assumption.


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## gsilbers (Mar 13, 2021)

Macrawn said:


> TV shows have improved exponentially in the past few years. There is so much money being poured into them that they really are in a way very long films ie the Mandalorian, Game of Thrones. Witcher, Westworld and so forth. At least the top tier ones.
> 
> Add to that the fact the a lot of movies are just trash like that new Wonderwoman movie.
> 
> ...




I love this channel showing some philosofies about movies/shows etc.


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## Arbee (Mar 13, 2021)

easyrider said:


> Don’t get me started on the Utter dross of the Lord of the rings films...Read the hobbit as a kid and the films were dragged out nonsense...


Not only that but those movies had no chance, regardless of budget, of recreating the visuals that Tolkien put into your head when reading the books. Ironic that those movies dragged out so much yet completely missed so many of the subtleties (e.g. the relationship dynamics between different races).


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## asherpope (Mar 15, 2021)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> I think both movies and shows absolutely suck. Movies more so, however.


I always appreciate your comments- you're an inspiration for jaded, cynical contrarians


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## easyrider (Mar 15, 2021)

Documentaries series work...as they follow the case....Making a muredder and The Jinx....we’re good...


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Mar 15, 2021)

asherpope said:


> I always appreciate your comments- you're an inspiration for jaded, cynical contrarians


It's OK, you don't have to doubt yourself.


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## el-bo (Mar 15, 2021)

asherpope said:


> I always appreciate your comments- you're an inspiration for jaded, cynical contrarians





Jimmy Hellfire said:


> It's OK, you don't have to doubt yourself.


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Mar 15, 2021)

el-bo said:


>



I absolutely hate that song, by the way!


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## el-bo (Mar 15, 2021)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> I absolutely hate that song, by the way!


Of course. But I tried to choose a version I thought you'd hate even more


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## el-bo (Mar 15, 2021)

MartinH. said:


> Not really, but in general I think it would be good for me to spend less time on forums and youtube, and instead play more games.


Fortunately I find gaming too enervating these days. I can enjoy it in small doses, which means I can enjoy it without worry.



MartinH. said:


> What's your plan, if you have one yet?


I've got a few different ideas, but haven't formed them into a workable plan. Might see if I can get it together for the start of Spring.


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## bill5 (Mar 17, 2021)

dzilizzi said:


> when they change the characters too much, I really lose interest.


Anything that isn't faithful to the source material quickly loses my interest.


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## bill5 (Mar 17, 2021)

Macrawn said:


> TV shows have improved exponentially in the past few years.


Anyone else stop there?


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## Macrawn (Mar 17, 2021)

bill5 said:


> Anyone else stop there?


Lol. I was thinking Netflix and HBO which has great series shows. I don't even watch or have main network tv. I'm assuming it's as bad as it has always been. If you thought I meant network tv, my apologies for suggesting it was any good, I don't even consider it tv anymore. It's not worthy of the title. I didn't know people still watched it honestly, football is the only decent program.


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## Stringtree (Mar 18, 2021)

Just a little time in the hospital. TV is all ads. On repeat. Yeccchhh!


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## GtrString (Mar 18, 2021)

Nah, I lost my innocence back in the 90s, taking film classes at uni. After that Ive mostly been interested in the production side. The writing, the main idea, and the storytelling devices they choose to utilize.

Im in the meta-audience, you might say. I find media production fascinating. I don’t get agitated over tv shows/ films I don’t like, I think more about how they could have succeeded, if...


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