I really like the recent trend of serial episodic television. To be honest, I have not been much of a fan of television in general for a number of years now. There was just very little that I found to be worth my time. I felt strongly enough about it that I only really watched ANY television at all when I was home. And as you know, I am rarely home. About 2-3 days a month on average, thus making my true home in my truck. And I have no television in my truck.
But for whatever reason... I have been turned on to some recent shows that have become available on DVDs. Now, this is truly the best way to watch "television" since you get everything completely uninturrupted without commercials... and you don't have to wait until next week to satisfy your often intollerable curiosity. And they sure do build suspense. That is, after all, the point of the serial format. So with great reluctance I am forced to admit that some recent television is pretty good. Strike that... some recent television is pretty fucking awesome.
Examples: "Rome". A mini-series based during the rise, rule, and fall of Gaius Julius Caesar. Fantastic, realistic, MOSTLY historically accurate (they take some liberties but it makes for a better show). It amazes me how some political situations from 2000 years ago can seem so familliar today. Case in point the character Lucius Vorenus. A professional soldier who returns home after Caesar's war to children who barely remember him and a wife who feels alienated by his long absence. Further, he dislikes Caesar's politics... yet agrees to back him out of a sense of duty for the greater good. Or, at least what he is talked into believing is the greater good at the end of the tunnel. How many of our professional American soldiers today don't back President Bush? A lot, I'd wager. Yet they do their sworn duty.
Or how about "Lost"? I ignored this for two years and now I've seen two seasons worth in a matter of a few weeks of intense DVD sessions during my down-time. I could tell you all the great things about it, but it would ruin the fun. Lets just say that all of the overhype surrounding this show is actually well deserved.
I have spoken often of "Battlestar Galactica" in the past. It's the Sci-Fi show that appeals to many NON science fiction fans. What makes the show excellent isn't the futuristic setting, but rather the well developed characters and how they relate and conflict with each other. To be fair, "BSG" isn't quite AS serial format as the other two I discussed. You could watch some of the episodes out of order without completely ruining everything or being hopelessly lost. But there IS an ongoing storyline to follow nevertheless.
There are other excellent series out there that follow this serial format rather than trying to squeeze an entire story into 40 minutes. I'll be very interested in checking out some of the others. Any suggestions?
But for whatever reason... I have been turned on to some recent shows that have become available on DVDs. Now, this is truly the best way to watch "television" since you get everything completely uninturrupted without commercials... and you don't have to wait until next week to satisfy your often intollerable curiosity. And they sure do build suspense. That is, after all, the point of the serial format. So with great reluctance I am forced to admit that some recent television is pretty good. Strike that... some recent television is pretty fucking awesome.
Examples: "Rome". A mini-series based during the rise, rule, and fall of Gaius Julius Caesar. Fantastic, realistic, MOSTLY historically accurate (they take some liberties but it makes for a better show). It amazes me how some political situations from 2000 years ago can seem so familliar today. Case in point the character Lucius Vorenus. A professional soldier who returns home after Caesar's war to children who barely remember him and a wife who feels alienated by his long absence. Further, he dislikes Caesar's politics... yet agrees to back him out of a sense of duty for the greater good. Or, at least what he is talked into believing is the greater good at the end of the tunnel. How many of our professional American soldiers today don't back President Bush? A lot, I'd wager. Yet they do their sworn duty.
Or how about "Lost"? I ignored this for two years and now I've seen two seasons worth in a matter of a few weeks of intense DVD sessions during my down-time. I could tell you all the great things about it, but it would ruin the fun. Lets just say that all of the overhype surrounding this show is actually well deserved.
I have spoken often of "Battlestar Galactica" in the past. It's the Sci-Fi show that appeals to many NON science fiction fans. What makes the show excellent isn't the futuristic setting, but rather the well developed characters and how they relate and conflict with each other. To be fair, "BSG" isn't quite AS serial format as the other two I discussed. You could watch some of the episodes out of order without completely ruining everything or being hopelessly lost. But there IS an ongoing storyline to follow nevertheless.
There are other excellent series out there that follow this serial format rather than trying to squeeze an entire story into 40 minutes. I'll be very interested in checking out some of the others. Any suggestions?
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thanks for your comment about the panorama, if you're interested i have the photoshop template available.