Pindrop

I have been re-watching TNG on Netflix. The major glaring difference between the two shows is in the command structures. In TNG, the command structure is fairly flat and collaborative, with every senior crew member offering advice and information, allowing Picard to come to an informed decision, or defer to someone else's when they have a better understanding. In STD the command structure is hierarchical and combative, with no stock given to the advice of underlings and most relationships between senior crew members being polarised and defined by conflict. It feels very reflective of the societal and political changes in the real world between the two shows. I would like to see a return to the TNG command structure, with a competent leader who recognises that they are only as effective as the sum of the people they work with. The second major difference is that TNG actually explored philosophical questions, interesting scientific phenomena, diplomacy and cultural clashes and the wonder of physical and intellectual exploration; whereas STD is more interested in shooting things and explosions. I would also like a return to TNG on this front.

I stopped watching long before Neegan arrived, and the reason... Rick Grimes. What began as a compelling and well-portrayed character became a tedious, circular, sub-soap opera lurch from one existential crisis to the next. Actually the decline of Rick’s character is largely representative of the show as a whole.

Yes, his apparent character arc seems to have been driven entirely by self-pity since losing his hand. I don't really see that as a noble motive, quite the opposite. But since you have not watched beyond season 4, you should probably be warned that consistent characterisation does not really exist in the later seasons, particularly in the most recent season where half the characters are entirely unrecognisable from one scene to the next.

Yeah, they kinda hand-waved that with the Netflix montage at the start of the first episode. In terms of my comment, I meant both the various blackmailed students agreeing to cooperate with the turdburglar, and the various students/staff/police cooperating with the film-makers. Both seasons rely upon people revealing things they simply would not reveal, whether through human-nature, or because their job would strictly prohibit them from doing so. A policeman would not reveal the details of an ongoing investigation. A school secretary would not reveal the details of a student's calendar... etc, etc ...

Just watched it all, and my thoughts below: - This season was as fun as the last. As with the last season the manner in which events unfold stretches credibility, and relied on excessive coincidence and cooperation from people who simply would not be so cooperative. As with last season, there were also moments of hammy acting. The characters and the subtlety of the hardships suffered and privileges each of them enjoyed were nuanced and well-written (where they could have easily been dumb and reductive), and this elevated the show above the premise. I had two issues with this season (apart from the unlikeliness of the central crime noted by @Miles above), the first is that the culprits were the obvious, and only feasible, suspects from the early episodes, and the wild-goose chases and red herrings were so clearly flagged as such that they never provided a convincing alternative. The second issue was that the final reveal felt as if it were lifted straight from Black Mirror: Shut Up and Dance, only Black Mirror did it with much more poignancy, wit, pathos and in a far shorter running time. The voice over at the end also felt entirely unnecessary and tacked-on, and even undercut some of the nuance and subtlety in the earlier episodes.

Imagine for a moment that an Iphone grew legs and used them to kick you in the shins repeatedly. I think that would be a good episode!

All characters: Oh God, just watched the first two episodes of Paradise PD. Are we done now? Is the adult cartoon genre saturated? Are literal shit jokes for 20 minutes funny as an adult? Can this derivative shit please fuck off?

Hello, I am moving in with you, thanks

Ok, if I had a hot gay mate, I would think, fuck it, I have enough gay in me that we can have fun, but in shows, they always act like Santa is judging them, and Santa is gay!

Yes, Lisa was unbearable, and to return to Peter Griffin being an arsehole, she directly spawned Meg and the years of abuse that followed.

You think? The show was certainly set up with Bart as the main character, but around season 3 Homer moved up to A plots as regularly. I only watched religiously up until Season 8 (when the rot set in), but from the later episodes I have seen it seems to have become The Homer Show. In fact, most of the strongest episodes I can think of had a Homer A plot.

I can't blame Marge's character for it though. Marge was always relegated to the straight-man role, against Homer's buffoonery. When the comic runs out of material, the straight-man has very little to riff off.

This one certainly will be controversial: Rick from Rick and Morty. There is something at the core of his character that feels like an author-surrogate, and that part of the character I find intensely smug and self-satisfied, and above all he is the ultimate Hipster- so desperate is he to be subversive at all times. I noticed it in Season 3, but I am finding him increasingly cringe-inducing and try-hard, or dare I say it, somewhat of a juvenile edgelord.

The Misunderstanding (often the low point of Act 2/3 in RomComs but also seen in many soaps and teen dramas). Features: - The misunderstanding would always take 30 seconds to resolve if those involved actually bothered to converse. In order to prevent the misunderstanding being discovered; either, a) huge contrivances of plot are required, or, b) the characters must behave like astonishingly unreasonable arseholes; the sort of people, who in real life, you would cut out of your social circle instantly for treating you with such contempt, disdain and disrespect. Yet all is eventually explained, forgiven and forgotten despite the unpleasant behaviour of one or all involved, rather than being a thorn of distrust in the side of the relationship, or a seething ball of resentment.

Potentially controversial but: Homer Simpson for the last 20 years and/or Peter Griffin over the last 15 years. Both characters were caring and carefree, had heart, warmth, wit and pathos and were very amusing, long ago. Now Homer has become a dumb and toothless shadow of his former self and Peter has become a spiteful, violent arsehole with no redeeming features; they are like humour vacuums who suck all fun from any room they play in. Both shows desperately need to be cancelled.