What Are You Currently Watching (on tv/dvd)?

[fish]

I've never seen it. Was only interested in potentially seeing series 3 because I've heard about the lesbians!

Perhaps I'll wait 'till you include that bit in one of your U-tube mv's and I'll watch it there.

corrected a typo

[mpox]

Well, it's got me beaten. I watched a few u-tube episodes of Skins and I'm sure it'll wind up being the most popular show on tv, it has full on positive ratings, everyone seems to think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, and I'm the only one in the universe who thinks it's a pile of shite.

Fart jokes, crowds thinking it's wonderful to be flashed, adults who should have been removed from the gene pool at birth and teenage males who are sure the world revolves around them. The females are decorative but that's about their only purpose in the show.

Well, I did warn you about the beginning being weak and also the assembly scene in particular.

The first few episodes had a good share of "raunchy teen comedy" to them but then it got more interesting. Not that there isn't that element in later episodes as well, it's just not as pronounced. I don't think you can skip those first episodes though because they set up the characters and you probably won't appreciate the way the secondary storylines (which like I said are the reason to watch the show) play out as much if you do.

No blood, no foul though - everyone has different tastes. I considered putting a link to one of the many Emily + Naomi mashups on youtube but I hate spoiling the story as it is a good one. I'm not really into lesbian romances for the sake of girl-girl mashing but they are interesting in the sense they're something relatively new and tend to be an underdog story. It's a bit like the good girl + boy from the wrong side of the tracks story except with (usually) two cute girls instead of just the one.

Looking back I think Moodysson did a good job in FÅ in depicting a believable attraction in such a short amount of time but the two tv series I've seen now have definitely been able to deliver a more nuanced and realistic bonding between the girls, it's not all compressed into a few minutes of onscreen talking and one interrupted kiss.

[fish]

Well, I did warn you about the beginning being weak and also the assembly scene in particular.

No blood, no foul though - everyone has different tastes.

You did, and perhaps I should have picked a couple of the later episodes to watch on U-tube. (I'm assuming they're all there. I didn't check.) Maybe I would have come to a different conclusion about the show.

(Sounds a bit like a basketball background there. Never tall enough to play at a high level but used to enjoy reffing. No blood, no foul was an often used expression in some of the lower grade games. )

[fish]

OK. I concede defeat about Skins. I watched series 3 episode 9, (that's the one with the girls, Ian), and thought it was very good.

The twin's and the other main girl's parts were very well written. The three characters were believable, likeable, had interesting dialogue and were part of a good story line.

The boy's parts were more mixed, some good lines and involvement in this part of the story together with a few weaker ones.

The major weakness was, I think, the roles and dialogue of the adults, parents, teachers, the lot, which were pretty ordinary and detrimental to the episode as a whole.

Shame about that because this episode was very enjoyable.

[mpox]

OK. I concede defeat about Skins. I watched series 3 episode 9, (that's the one with the girls, Ian), and thought it was very good.

The twin's and the other main girl's parts were very well written. The three characters were believable, likeable, had interesting dialogue and were part of a good story line.

I know you don't like the main storyline, but to really appreciate the story of Emily + Naomi you need to watch 1-9. Well maybe not 5 though it's kind of funny. The first episode which I think was the worst you find out a lot about Emily and her relationship with her sister and some of the backstory behind her and Naomi. Even during the assembly scene which was the nadir of the season you have Emily stealing glances at Naomi when she thinks she isn't looking, it reminded me a bit of how Agnes watched Elin when she came in to apologize to Jessica after the chocolate milk incident.

I should add that if you watch no other episodes then you should make it ep6 as that's the crucial Emily + Naomi one and the girls give amazing performances. There are two places where if you don't get a little misty you're probably dead inside.

The boy's parts were more mixed, some good lines and involvement in this part of the story together with a few weaker ones.

The major weakness was, I think, the roles and dialogue of the adults, parents, teachers, the lot, which were pretty ordinary and detrimental to the episode as a whole.

Thomas and especially JJ are good and interesting characters. I could do with a lot less of Freddy though he's definitely less annoying when he's not mooning over Effy in a triangle heavy episode.

As for the adults not being written to the same level, it's a teen drama you can't expect them to devote much time or attention to something outside the storyline. The teachers are mostly kind of lame though the scene where Doug and Panda dance is hilarious. I mostly liked how the parents were written, Emily and Katie's dad: bwahaha.

[fish]

I know you don't like the main storyline but to really appreciate the story of Emily + Naomi you need to watch 1-9.

I should add that if you watch no other episodes then you should make it ep6 as that's the crucial Emily + Naomi one and the girls give amazing performances. There are two places where if you don't get a little misty you're probably dead inside.

As for the adults not being written to the same level, it's a teen drama you can't expect them to devote much time or attention to something outside the storyline.

It wasn't so much that I didn't like the main storyline, I think it was more that I found the boys' to be just so annoying that I didn't give myself a chance to learn what the main storyline was. That was remiss of me.

I will make sure I catch up with all of series 3 at least (and ep 6 in particular) because I have seen enough now to see that it's more than just a shallow wank fest for a bunch of teenage boys.

Fair call about the adults. From my personal viewpoint I would have liked to have seen some level of intelligence and understanding of what the kids were about, but as you say it is a teen drama so I'll just ignore them as best I can.

You do realise that I'll hold you personally resposible if I wind up liking the show so much that I buy dvds of the series.

[Ian]

X Files: Wetwired. Scary, dark episode with subliminal messages being transmitted into people's televisions sending them round the bend (including Scully). Paranoid stuff!

[Rebecka Fan]

Who's the Boss? Season 1. I wish they'd release the other seasons, but they're not. Too bad though.

[Ian]

I agree, I rather liked Who's The Boss?

[fish]

Skins. Series 3. Watched the lot.

Ok, ok, so I was wro.. wro.., (cough), er, a little in error with my previous judgement on this series. (see how I always have trouble with W words. w*rk, wr*ng. You know them.)

I have no idea about the first two series but once I got into how each of the series 3 episodes was used to develop one or two of the main characters and then to fit them into the overall story, it was far easier to put everything that was going on into context. Certainly they were not all likeable, but they were fully developed characters with their flaws and their strengths examined. A microcosm of the human race I guess.

I'm afraid my dislike of abusive, threatening or violently agressive behaviour, particularly in males, was allowed to colour my initial thoughts of the whole series. That's an issue for me. I'll keep taking the tablets.

The storyline I thought was solid, not without its flaws, but complex and willing to explore both highs and lows in adolescent behavour. All in all it was very enjoyable.

My thanks to mpox for twisting my arm and making me persevere.

[Ian]

Watched the first 2 episodes of True Blood last night. Ooh, I like it. Very good so far.

And Anna Paquin is HAWT.

[mpox]

Watched the first 2 episodes of True Blood last night. Ooh, I like it. Very good so far.

And Anna Paquin is HAWT.

She's a cutie but I bailed after the first 1.5 episodes.

Have you read any of the Buffy S8 comics? I've just been casually keeping up but part of the storyline is that vampires have been outted to the general public and Harmony has a reality TV show and they're "cool" while the slayers are seen as the bad guys. Also the big bad is named Twilight. Kind of funny considering the vamp-o-mania going on in popular media.

[Rebecka Fan]

Not Without My Daughter. A really great movie and a true story.

[Ian]

Have you read any of the Buffy S8 comics? I've just been casually keeping up but part of the storyline is that vampires have been outted to the general public and Harmony has a reality TV show and they're "cool" while the slayers are seen as the bad guys. Also the big bad is named Twilight. Kind of funny considering the vamp-o-mania going on in popular media.

Nah, I'm not really interested in the comics. Buffy ended with season 7, alas.

[mpox]

Nah, I'm not really interested in the comics. Buffy ended with season 7, alas.

A friend of mine is a huge Buffy fan and she lets me read them, you can knock one down in like 5 minutes without much trouble. I wouldn't buy them for myself but it's kind of interesting to see what Whedon (I guess, he doesn't write that much of it) wants to do with the characters.