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LeVar Presents: The Very 1st TV Walrus REVEAL
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Not what I was expecting to win the round when I looked at the list of contenders, but one of the most surprising finds of the game
In 1st with 14 points isSineadSpears
The Mill
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2220768/IMDB wrote:The hard labour of cotton mill workers and the abuse they endure.
Have I Seen It Before: No
Episode 1 Rating: 9.9
Episode 2 Rating: 10
Episode 3 Rating: 10
Aggregated Approval Rating: 99.6%
Episode 1: "Episode 1"
Hadn't even heard of this, and to be honest when I saw it was a period piece about the lives of Cotton Mill workers in the 19th Century I wasn't expecting much, but this was incredibly enjoyable, very well done, and a lot more exciting and tense that I had assumed it would be. Quite a few actors I'm familiar with from other shows too, which I find is always a plus with British Dramas. Looking forward to seeing how it plays out.
Episode 2: "Episode 2"
Well this is turning into one of the biggest surprises of the entire Walrus. Back when all the nominations were coming in, I saw this, read the brief IMDB description, and didn't think it'd be getting anywhere in this round, let alone the business end of things. Loving the characters and the pacing, and it's just a really engrossing story. Period pieces for me are generally very hit or miss, they tend to either knock it out of the park or fail to make an impact on me at all, and The Mill so far is up there with the best of them.
Episode 3: "Episode 3"
Another cracking episode, story moves along at a great pace. The acting is great, and its very easy to root for the characters you're supposed to root for, and hate the characters you're supposed to hate. Nothing else to say about this, just captivating from beginning to end.
Final Thoughts:
Definitely gonna be watching the rest of this, even though it's only another seven episodes, as I absolutely loved it. This might be the discovery of the game for me, as I don't think I would have heard of this otherwise. A cracking choice.0 -
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Well played Sinead
Great reveal again ASLB, loving the writeups
Don't think I'll be around for this evening's. I'm not confident, made my wife watch it and she said it was shïte but I think it's hilarious! It takes a while to get into its stride though, so the three episode format may harm my chances0 -
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Electric Nitwit wrote: »There's a part of me morbidly curious to watch this now, how could someone manufacture something bad with those actors?!
Well you liked Wild Palms, so you'll probably love it...
Electric Nitwit wrote: »Well played Sinead
Great reveal again ASLB, loving the writeups
Don't think I'll be around for this evening's. I'm not confident, made my wife watch it and she said it was shïte but I think it's hilarious! It takes a while to get into its stride though, so the three episode format may harm my chances
Only time will tell. Drop back in and catch-up on the next round when you can anyway. Always great to have your running commentary EN... 0 -
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Wild Palms was brilliant!Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »Well you liked Wild Palms, so you'll probably love it...
Only time will tell. Drop back in and catch-up on the next round when you can anyway. Always great to have your running commentary EN...
Ah, I'll definitely check in later tonight. The family have been away and are just back so I'd better spend some time with them
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Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »In 13th with 2 points isDeleted User
Space Precinct
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108938/
Have I Seen It Before: No
Episode 1 Rating: 0.1
You'll be hearing from my solicitor.0 -
The next round is 21st Century Comedy by the way and that's coming up at 6pm as I said...
I'm a big fan of comedies, and so many to choose from, but I think I always try to choose something relatively unknown (or at least underappreciated) for my choices in these previews, so for comedy I would've gone with...
London Irish
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3183264/IMDB wrote:London Irish follows the antics of four ex-pat Northern Irish 20-somethings in London. Written by Derry girl Lisa McGee, someone who knows a thing or two about 'the craic' in world's best city. These four friends don't find navigating their way through London life easy, especially when they're playing by rules only they get, which leads to a load of wrongdoing.
It only lasted 6 episodes, but I thought it was a lot of fun, created and written by Lisa McGee, who also created and wrote Derry Girls, so if you were a fan of Derry Girls, worth checking out her previous work, and if you haven't seen Derry Girls, that's a great one too.0 -
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I thought London Irish was unwatchable, good to know we're on the same page with comedies :eek:Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »The next round is 21st Century Comedy by the way and that's coming up at 6pm as I said...
I'm a big fan of comedies, and so many to choose from, but I think I always try to choose something relatively unknown (or at least underappreciated) for my choices in these previews, so for comedy I would've gone with...
London Irish 0 -
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Electric Nitwit wrote: »I thought London Irish was unwatchable, good to know we're on the same page with comedies :eek:
It's an acquired taste for sure...
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So far:
LeVar's highest average rated round is Round 2 - Adapted for Television - with the average rating across all picks was 88.12%. It was following by Round 3 (Tried and Tested Formula), with average rating of 82.2%, and Round 6 (Underrated & Underappreciated) with average rating of 81.46%.
I do have other stats prepared for the end, but that wasn't one of them, so cheers for that one. 0 -
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Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »I do have other stats prepared for the end, but that wasn't one of them, so cheers for that one.
I was curious with the really high ratings in the last round!0 -
There's one duplicate in the next round, so there'll be 13 placings...
Queue tears and possibly a tantrum from one player as the lowest rated show of the entire game walks into the arena here (yep, that's right, Wild Palms wasn't the worst of 'em)... Apologies in advance to whoever the unlucky person who picked it is...
Kicking off with 7th place in just a moment...0 -
Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »There's one duplicate in the next round, so there'll be 13 placings...
Queue tears and possibly a tantrum from one player as the lowest rated show of the entire game walks into the arena here (yep, that's right, Wild Palms wasn't the worst of 'em)... Apologies in advance to whoever the unlucky person who picked it is...
Kicking off with 7th place in just a moment...
Definitely isn't me this time around.0 -
Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »There's one duplicate in the next round, so there'll be 13 placings...
Queue tears and possibly a tantrum from one player as the lowest rated show of the entire game walks into the arena here (yep, that's right, Wild Palms wasn't the worst of 'em)... Apologies in advance to whoever the unlucky person who picked it is...
Kicking off with 7th place in just a moment...
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The Pitch Meeting makes an early appearance this time around...
In 7th with 8 points isKolido
The Big Bang Theory
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898266/IMDB wrote:A woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.
Have I Seen It Before: Yes
Episode 1 Rating: 8.7
Episode 2 Rating: 9.8
Episode 3 Rating: 8.8
Aggregated Approval Rating: 91%
Episode 1: "Pilot"
For this write-up, I'd like to enlist the help of a Pitch Meeting…- CBS Executive: So, let me get this straight, you want us to put a show about four socially inept nerds and a dumb blonde on prime time television in 2007?
- Chuck Lorre: Yeah, that's about the gist of it.
- CBS Executive: Stereotypical Caricatures that might've been popular twenty-five years ago, but by today's standards could only be classed as humour that is considered lazy and probably offensive.
- Chuck Lorre: Yeah, that's exactly it, what aren't you getting about this?
- CBS Executive: It's 2007, nobody wants to watch that sort of lowest common denominator drivel these days.
- Chuck Lorre: They might not want to watch it, but they will.
- CBS Executive: How do you know that?
- Chuck Lorre: It'll be kind of a guilty pleasure thing, you have my word it'll be one of the top-rated shows on TV for the next twelve years, even if its not particulary clever and more humourous than funny, kind of like Friends.
- CBS Executive: Oh, people loved Friends, so it'll be like Friends?
- Chuck Lorre: Eventually, once we add more characters, but at the start we're only gonna have one female character, and she's gonna be stupid, her whole personality revolves around her being hot, but she'll get smarter and sassier over the years.
- CBS Executive: Like a character arc?
- Chuck Lorre: Not really, we'll just stop writing her as a dummy at some point. The same goes for the nerds, at some point we'll stop writing them to be cringeworthingly inept and they'll mostly become functioning members of society. Don't worry too much about all this stuff, trust me people will love it even though it's basic and dated, and one day someone will have to rank it against other shows and have to admit that despite all of its obvious flaws and problems they've always been a big fan and its just fun switch your brain off TV.
- CBS Executive: That's oddly specific, the ranking it against other show I mean.
- Chuck Lorre: Yeah, don't worry about it thought, it just felt like that point really needed to be driven home, that even though they might point out all of its flaws and admit its not especially funny for a comedy that they still really like it.
- CBS Executive: Sorry, I stopped listening halfway through that last sentence, so yeah whatever, make your dumb show, what do I care? You want to do some cocaine now or what?
- Chuck Lorre: I thought you'd never ask.
Episode 2: "The Big Bran Hypothesis"
I don't care how uncool it is to like The Big Bang Theory (it's uncool to run a TV Walrus and get so invested in boards.ie forum games, so what do I care what's cool or not), this show is a lot of fun, and this episode is great. The Pilot was a bit rough around the edges, but this second episode knocks it out of the park as far as I'm concerned. I watched the show from when it first started airing in the US and downloaded the new episode every week without fail, so I'm enjoying going right back to the beginning to watch it again.
Episode 3: "The Fuzzy Boots Corollary"
Not as good as the last episode, but slightly more enjoyable than the pilot, mostly because I really enjoyed the Sara Gilbert cameo, it's always fun when sitcoms reference or bring in people from one of the actor's previous shows ; in this case Johnny Galecki and Sara Gilbert played a David and Darlene on Roseanne.
Final Thoughts:
It's hard not to really enjoy this show, even if I wanted to come in and absolutely rip it to shreds it'd be hard not to find it incredibly endearing. It's a great switch your brain off sitcom, bright and colourful, and it's just good fun.0 -
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In 8th with 7 points isthe purple tin
Reaper
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0955322/IMDB wrote:On his 21st birthday, Sam discovers his parents sold his soul to the devil before birth and he must now be a bounty hunter for the devil until he dies.
Have I Seen It Before: Yes
Episode 1 Rating: 8.9
Episode 2 Rating: 7.7
Episode 3 Rating: 9.7
Aggregated Approval Rating: 87.6%
Episode 1: "Pilot"
Reaper is essentially the same premise as Brimstone, but done better, and funnier, with a much more endearing cast. The premise is set up succinctly in this episode and it's an enjoyable introduction to all of these characters. Was a big fan of this show back when it first aired, knew half the cast from some of the other shows I was a fan of that they were in prior to this ; Bret Harrison (Grounded For Life), Tyler Labine & Andrew Airlie (Breaker High), Valerie Rae Miller (Dark Angel), Ray Wise (Twin Peaks). It also introduced me to Rick Gonzalez and Missy Peregrym, who have appearad in some great shows since. This is one of those great shows I loved, that got cancelled far too soon, and I've never really gotten over that.
Episode 2: "Charged"
Not as strong as the first episode, it felt like it still needed to get a lot of plot points into place and some of the episode felt a little dragged out as a result. The worklplace elements of the episode were the strongest part and that stuff was really great, the family story had it's moments, but the soul of the week fell a little flat and almost felt like an afterthought by the writers. Still enjoyable, just not great.
Episode 3: "All Mine"
Was a bit worried after the last episode that maybe the series wasn't going to be as good as I remembered it to be, but it bounced back with this one, which was a lot of fun. There was no family aspect this week, so it was really only what was going on at the Work Bench and the soul of the week, which led to a much better flow, and helped keep things light (not that it ever gets especially dark, but so far there has been big emotional beats when it comes to the family stuff). The soul of the week was a lot of fun, and tied in well to Sam being pro-active about his feeling for Andi, so I enjoyed that aspect a lot more than the previous two episodes too.
Final Thoughts:
Been meaning to get around to a re-watch of this at some point, so no time like the present, as it holds up really well, and if memory serves it only get better as it goes one.0 -
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In 6th with 9 points isAlfred Borden
White Gold
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6010920/IMDB wrote:The story of a double-glazing showroom in Essex in 1983, led by charismatic salesman Vincent who will happily break the rules if it guarantees a sale.
Have I Seen It Before: No
Episode 1 Rating: 8.5
Episode 2 Rating: 9.6
Episode 3 Rating: 9.3
Aggregated Approval Rating: 91.3%
Episode 1: "Salesmen Are Like Vampires"
This was really good, it was mostly setting up the premise via lots of exposition, but it was done in an entertaining way which I enjoyed, but didn't leave a lot of time for interaction and banter between the main characters. James Buckley and Joe Thomas are essentially playing alternate versions of their Inbetweeners characters, which isn't all that surprising considering Damon Beesley created both shows, and its not a bad thing either. There's great potential for future episodes to be amazing now that everyone has been introduced and all the pieces in place so to speak.
Episode 2: "Sexy Rollercoasters"
This felt a bit more like an ensemble piece, compared to the last episode which mainly focused on Vincent. Not that this doesn't focus on Vincent, he is the narrator and main character after all, but Fitzpatrick and Lavender get about the same amount of screen-time as him here after only really being briefly introduced in the first episode. Funnier overall and a fair few laugh out loud moments.
Episode 3: "Close Encounters"
Didn't quite live up to the previous episode, but still very enjoyable. The '80s Soundtrack on all three episodes has been great, and really adds a lot to the show. Nothing much else to say on this one, it was fun, and I really liked it.
Final Thoughts:
Definitely will be watching the rest of these episodes. I think anyone who enjoyed The Inbetweeners will really like this show, although based on these three episodes I actually think White Gold is the superior of the two.0 -
Joined in 9th with 6 points each areIrish ArisandSineadSpears
Modern Family
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442437/IMDB wrote:Three different but related families face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways.
Have I Seen It Before: Yes
Episode 1 Rating: 7.9
Episode 2 Rating: 8.2
Episode 3 Rating: 9.8
Aggregated Approval Rating: 86.3%
Episode 1: "Pilot"
A decent enough pilot, it's enjoyable, and having seen the entire series before, if I remember correctly they make a few style changes between this and the second episode. While they keep the talking heads throughout the entire series, they drop most of the other documentary style traits, which are the weakest part of this pilot ; mostly the shaky cam which is quite jarring here. Some of the timing is a bit off here as well, there are good jokes and gags, but they don't land as well as they should, and again I think that's because they're leaning too much into documentary aspect, which works well when the characters are a bit more off the wall or the situation is more absurd, but that's not really the case here, because the characters and the comedy are a bit too safe. It's one of those pilots that can be best described as having all the right ingredients, and while those ingredients are still taste pretty good raw, they'll be a whole lot more satisfying after a few hours in the oven, and I'm the second episode will have that fully baked feeling.
Episode 2: "The Bicycle Thief"
Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if they ever do drop the documentary-style camera work, but it certainly becomes less jarring ; it's already much more natural here. I think the main storyline with Phil and the Bicycle is really strong, but wasn't as gone on the other two stories, although they did have their high moments, with some solid jokes. Actually aside from Phil, none of the characters feel fully formed yet, so the show is getting there, but still not quite hitting all the right notes yet.
Episode 3: "Come Fly With Me"
This was more like it, the actors starting to feel a bit more comfortable in their roles and their mixing up the character interactions a bit more, so it feels a bit more whole and complete than the first two did. Really liked all the different story elements and dynamics, and just in general everything was better.
Final Thoughts:
Some comedies do take a few episodes to find their feet and that feels like the case here. The first two episodes are good, but not quite there yet for me, whereas the third episode things start to click and it all just works for me in that one. I'll definitely do a re-watch of this, as I remember the early seasons being really good overall.0 -
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Someone who has wanted to breathe easy for a few rounds now and not be left until the final six, gets their wish
In 5th with 10 points isNecro
The Office
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386676/IMDB wrote:A mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, and tedium.
Have I Seen It Before: Yes
Episode 1 Rating: 9.3
Episode 2 Rating: 8.8
Episode 3 Rating: 10
Aggregated Approval Rating: 93.6%
Episode 1: "Pilot"
I used to be of the opinion that the US version of The Office doesn't hit its stride until the second season, so I used to just skip the first season of this on re-watches, but that was probably because when I first watched it the UK version was still fresh in my memory. Since I haven't seen the UK series in nearly twenty years, even though this pilot is more or less a carbon copy of their pilot episode, I really enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than I did back in the day, so hopefully the next two episodes will be of the same standard.
Episode 2: "Diversity Day"
Good episode, didn't quite enjoy it as much as the first, I think maybe it might've come a bit too early in the show's run ; probably would've worked much better once the characters and their dynamics with one another were established a bit more. Still very good, and there's some great jokes, just felt a little bit off compared to the previous episode.
Episode 3: "Health Care"
This felt like it had shook off the UK influences and the characters were coming more into their own. Michael felt less like David Brent and more like Michael Scott here, as did Dwight, Jim, and Pam feel a lot less like their UK counterparts. The supporting characters are getting a bit more screen-time and also coming into their own. Everything flows better in comparison to the previous episode, everyone has their part to play, and its much funnier as well.
Final Thoughts:
The first two episodes have a couple of teething problems, which pulls it down the rankings slightly, but the third episode was The Office firing on all cylinders. Having seen the entire series, it does have its low points, but its still one of the best comedies of the 21st Century and always a joy to watch.0 -
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In 10th with 4 points isaaronjennings
Carter
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7083006/IMDB wrote:An actor returns home after a public meltdown. Partnering with his police detective friend, he tries to use his acting experience to solve real crimes.
Have I Seen It Before: No
Episode 1 Rating: 8
Episode 2 Rating: 8.1
Episode 3 Rating: 6.5
Aggregated Approval Rating: 75.3%
Episode 1: "Koji the Killer"
Hadn't heard of this one before, but it's essentially a police version of The Grinder, with Jerry O'Connell playing a TV Detective turned real life Detective instead of Rob Lowe playing a TV Lawyer turned real life Lawyer, and I'm completely on board with that premise. It's fun, silly, and it has a good cast ; wasn't familiar with Sydney Poitier Heartsong (daughter of Sidney Poiter) before, but have always liked Jerry O'Connell and loved Kristian Bruun on Orphan Black, and the chemistry between those three is great. There's a lot of setting up to do early on, so it takes awhile to get really into the swing of things, but once the ball is rolling, it's very enjoyable, and hopefully of sign of good things to come.
Episode 2: "The Astronaut & The Lion King"
Thought the first episode was funnier, although this episode had a stronger overall story, so I'll give it a bit of an edge over episode one. The charm of the cast does a lot of the heavy lifting on this show for me ; if it wasn't for Jerry O'Connell and Kristian Bruun this would just be another generic comedy-crime series. Sydney Poitier Heartsong is great too, but is more of a straight-man for the other two to bounce off of.
Episode 3: "The Farmhand Who Bought The Farm"
Some of the charm may have worn off on me, but I just didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as the first two. The actor-turned-detective aspect is still there, but they're just not leaning into it as much as they probably should be and it's quickly becoming just another generic crime procedural. Still enjoyed it, but not enough to rate it any higher.
Final Thoughts:
Started well, but lost a lot of its steam by the third episode. Maybe that was just a blip and it bounces back again in the next episode, so I'll probably watch a few more to give it a fair shake.0
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