Behind the Times: Older, popular shows that you're just getting around to watching.

[Shannon L.]

I've started watching older shows that I missed the first time around for whatever reason and have occasionally wanted to remark on them, but the forums are either very slow, or I don't care to comment enough to start long discussions in them. I thought this could be a thread where we can jump in and comment/discuss certain story lines, characters, specific shows, etc.

So far, I've finished Veronica Mars, am 6 episodes away from finishing Gilmore Girls and am still plugging away at NCIS. During quarantine, I started and finished Criminal Minds and have started re-watching the first seasons. I'm thinking of starting Northern Exposure next.

I've thought of making this thread a few times over the past couple of months, but finally decided to start it because I wanted to note that now, in season 11 of NCIS, I'm finally enjoying the show. Before I was hanging in there because my husband really likes it, so I'm watching it with him and I don't hate it, I just don't get the hype.

I haven't found Tony as annoying this season, so far, anyway, and I really liked Ellie from the minute she was introduced.  Please don't tell me she turns into a horrible character--if she does, I'll watch it unfold in real time. I did like Ziva, but I'm not missing her as much as I thought I would. 

[Raja]

Most sitcoms are period pieces by the time I get around to them. 

[festivus]

4 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

I'm thinking of starting Northern Exposure next.

That show is just as delightful as I remembered. And I know it was quirky but it's a bit weirder than I remembered also. Hard to believe it's been almost 35 years. I've only watched the first two seasons but we're about to get back to it. 

[Annber03]

7 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

I've thought of making this thread a few times over the past couple of months, but finally decided to start it because I wanted to note that now, in season 11 of NCIS, I'm finally enjoying the show. Before I was hanging in there because my husband really likes it, so I'm watching it with him and I don't hate it, I just don't get the hype.

I haven't found Tony as annoying this season, so far, anyway, and I really liked Ellie from the minute she was introduced.  Please don't tell me she turns into a horrible character--if she does, I'll watch it unfold in real time. I did like Ziva, but I'm not missing her as much as I thought I would. 

I've seen the occasional episode of that show over the years, because a lot of people who watch "Criminal Minds" (which I watch) also enjoy this show. And my sentiments have tended to be similar to yours, in that I get why it's so popular, but it hasn't really grabbed me the way "Criminal Minds" did*. Mind, I don't know that I've seen some of the more memorable/popular episodes of the show, and I haven't seen some of the latter seasons with the newer characters that came in, either, so maybe that adds to my limited opinion, too. 

As for Tony, again, since the "Criminal Minds" and "NCiS" fandoms tended to overlap a lot, I just remember certain factions of the "NCIS" fandom being SO INTO his character, to the point where it got a little...off-putting? And then I remember hearing about some of the news regarding Weatherly's behavior o another show in recent years, which hasn't helped my view, either. 

*I think that's one reason I'm not bothered by the personal stories with the team members on "Criminal Minds", the way some other viewers were. So many people who watch these kinds of shows are there mainly for the crimes, but I'm more of a character-focused person. If I were interested mainly in the crime investigating aspect, I'd probably watch all these crime dramas that are out there, too, but I don't. I get into the specific shows I do because I want to know more about the characters, and those shows know how to get me invested in them and their lives in ways others may not (or at least, not in a way that would draw me in). 

Anywho, this is a great idea for a thread - I have a tendency to discover shows VERY late much of the time myself, so it'll be nice to have a place to talk about that when possible. 

[partofme]

8 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

I've started watching older shows that I missed the first time around for whatever reason and have occasionally wanted to remark on them, but the forums are either very slow, or I don't care to comment enough to start long discussions in them. I thought this could be a thread where we can jump in and comment/discuss certain story lines, characters, specific shows, etc.

So far, I've finished Veronica Mars, am 6 episodes away from finishing Gilmore Girls and am still plugging away at NCIS. During quarantine, I started and finished Criminal Minds and have started re-watching the first seasons. I'm thinking of starting Northern Exposure next.

I've thought of making this thread a few times over the past couple of months, but finally decided to start it because I wanted to note that now, in season 11 of NCIS, I'm finally enjoying the show. Before I was hanging in there because my husband really likes it, so I'm watching it with him and I don't hate it, I just don't get the hype.

I haven't found Tony as annoying this season, so far, anyway, and I really liked Ellie from the minute she was introduced.  Please don't tell me she turns into a horrible character--if she does, I'll watch it unfold in real time. I did like Ziva, but I'm not missing her as much as I thought I would. 

I started watching NCIS in season 5 and it quickly became my favorite show during the Ziva years.   Ziva is probably my all-time favorite female character, I thought she kicked ass, and I was a huge Tony/Ziva shipper.  The way Cote left the show always seemed suspect to me, I was never completely sure it was her choice, which soured me on the show for a while.   I think the show today is a pale comparison of what it once was.  
 

I loved Criminal Minds for the first few seasons but then it became nothing but torture porn for me and I couldn’t stand to watch it.  Unlike NCIS, it wasn’t a show where I felt much connection to the characters.   
 

Northern Exposure debuted while I was still in high school and we didn’t have cable and there weren’t a lot of options on tv.   I remember being bored out of my mind by it. 

[festivus]

My opinion on NCIS is that I love the current cast the most. I used to watch when Ziva was on, loved her. But when she left I bailed cause I can't stand Gibbs or Abby. Tony wasn't the greatest either. I love it now with Jessica 💖Kasie 💖McGee, Parker, Jimmy. Even Fez is growing on me. I'm only sad about Ducky but they did have him on occasionally before David McCallum died.

[anna0852]

4 hours ago, partofme said:

I started watching NCIS in season 5 and it quickly became my favorite show during the Ziva years.   Ziva is probably my all-time favorite female character, I thought she kicked ass, and I was a huge Tony/Ziva shipper.  The way Cote left the show always seemed suspect to me, I was never completely sure it was her choice, which soured me on the show for a while.   I think the show today is a pale comparison of what it once was.  
 

I loved Criminal Minds for the first few seasons but then it became nothing but torture porn for me and I couldn’t stand to watch it.  Unlike NCIS, it wasn’t a show where I felt much connection to the characters.   

I think we share a brain 😁

[andromeda331]

I just finished 911. I didn't watch it before because every show I like on Fox either gets canceled in the first season or goes off the rails quickly. I really like most of the characters and how they are just one big happy family. I like that one of the characters Eddie has a son with cerebral palsy and he gets a ton of screen time. Although I think it ended I liked that Hen and Karen were foster parents. It didn't go the usual they adopt the first kid they get. It was hard when they had to give her back but they decide to contiune. They foster more children. That's something that rarely if ever happens on TV and I wish it did. It's very important.  

I just started Call the Midwife. I've made it through season three. I know it's really popular and I can see why. It's a really good show too. Given Netflix canceling good shows all the time. I'm surprised it's had so many seasons. I really like most of the characters.  I do wish we saw more of the families in the neighborhood/community after their episode.   

Edited January 21 by andromeda331

[Shannon L.]

8 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I just started Call the Midwife. I've made it through season three. I know it's really popular and I can see why. It's a really good show too. Given Netflix canceling good shows all the time. I'm surprised it's had so many seasons. I really like most of the characters.  I do wish we saw more of the families in the neighborhood/community after their episode.   

I've never truly binged a show, but Call the Midwife the one that I went through the fasted.  I can't believe it hasn't been nominated for Emmys.  Between the acting and the writing, it's a beautiful and at times, heartbreaking show.

I like Criminal Minds because it's one of the few shows where I've liked all of the characters through all of the seasons.  Some more than others, but they've all worked for me.  I also liked the balance of the characters' personal lives vs. what the show is supposed to be about-crime solving. 

I really don't know what to say about The Gilmore Girls.  I've had to take breaks from it for several days at a time because it was getting tough to get through.  I mean, why hasn't Emily shown any growth? Richard show has some growth.  Even Mrs. Kim, who I never really liked, show has shown some growth. And what does Lane, of all people, see in Zach?  Yes, he's turned out to be really sweet, but I've never found them believable beyond her having a crush on him, but not lasting beyond a few dates.  I'm not even going to talk about them having sex only once, her thinking it was horrible and that everyone lied to her, and then not really being able to learn more about that before getting pregnant with twins. 

[JustHereForFood]

16 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Anywho, this is a great idea for a thread - I have a tendency to discover shows VERY late much of the time myself, so it'll be nice to have a place to talk about that when possible. 

Seconded!

[Haleth]

I've been watching Justified for the last couple months and only have a few episodes left.  That was one awesome show with some of the most interesting (compelling, scary) bad guys ever on tv.  Walton Goggins in particular.  Really well done show.

[anna0852]

9 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I just finished 911. I didn't watch it before because every show I like on Fox either gets canceled in the first season or goes off the rails quickly. I really like most of the characters and how they are just one big happy family. I like that one of the characters Eddie has a son with cerebral palsy and he gets a ton of screen time. Although I think it ended I liked that Hen and Karen were foster parents. It didn't go the usual they adopt the first kid they get. It was hard when they had to give her back but they decide to contiune. They foster more children. That's something that rarely if ever happens on TV and I wish it did. It's very important.  

I just started Call the Midwife. I've made it through season three. I know it's really popular and I can see why. It's a really good show too. Given Netflix canceling good shows all the time. I'm surprised it's had so many seasons. I really like most of the characters.  I do wish we saw more of the families in the neighborhood/community after their episode.   

9-1-1 has not ended. They just got moved over to ABC for their seventh season and they premiere in March.

Call the Midwife is not a Netflix production, it’s from the BBC. It airs in the US on PBS in the spring and the new season usually shows up on Netflix about 8 to 9 months later. So no worries about Netflix canceling. The 13th season is airing in the UK right now!

[Annber03]

6 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

I like Criminal Minds because it's one of the few shows where I've liked all of the characters through all of the seasons.  Some more than others, but they've all worked for me.  

Same! I seem to be in something of a minority in that regard in my fandom, 'cause it seems anytime I encounter discussion somewhere someone's always ranting about this team member or that team member they can't stand and so on. 

Meanwhile, I'm over here liking everyone. I'm like that with all my favorite shows, though - sure, I'll have characters that are particular favorites, but I still have to at least be interested in all the other characters to some degree or another. 

[chediavolo]

8 hours ago, Haleth said:

I've been watching Justified for the last couple months and only have a few episodes left.  That was one awesome show with some of the most interesting (compelling, scary) bad guys ever on tv.  Walton Goggins in particular.  Really well done show.

I agree absolutely excellent show with great chemistry between the Olyphant & Goggins.
Don’t watch Justified: City Primeval. It will make you sick. Such utter crap on so many levels.  

[Calvada]

10 hours ago, anna0852 said:

Call the Midwife is not a Netflix production, it’s from the BBC. It airs in the US on PBS in the spring and the new season usually shows up on Netflix about 8 to 9 months later. So no worries about Netflix canceling. The 13th season is airing in the UK right now!

And they have the Christmas special every year, which PBS airs on Christmas night.  I've watched Call the Midwife since the beginning and I've gotten two of my sisters hooked on it.    

I came to NCIS late as well - I think I binged the first 8 or 9 seasons and then became a regular viewer.  I also came to Castle late.  A friend loaned me the first 2 seasons on DVD when I was dealing with a health issue.  I didn't start The Big Bang Theory and The Office until their third or fourth seasons.  

[jah1986]

Love the idea for this thread! I've been with Call the Midwife from the beginning and am always happy when someone else discovers this show. I was always disappointed that Downton Abbey got all the recognition and this show got none.

On topic, I'm almost finished both Monk and Leverage. I missed both shows during their initial runs but am enjoying both, especially Leverage. Adrian Monk I just want to slap sometimes but I do enjoy the mystery of it.

I found Criminal Minds around season 10 and tried to watch the new episodes but just couldn't get into it. For me, the show lost lot when Thomas Gibson's character was written off. To much torture porn as another poster mentioned.

[cleo]

@Shannon L.  the thing with Lane and Zach having sex once was terrible. I didn't mind them as a couple, but how it was handled was awful.

Emily eh. What season are you on, 6? 

I vaguely recall some eps where she was supportive of Lorelai in s6 and 7 but it's hard to recall the details due to the rage blackouts I was having.

I don't know why GG is the one show I just can't get over it lol.

[Shannon L.]

11 hours ago, cleo said:

What season are you on, 6? 

I'm on the final season and have 3 (maybe 4) episodes left.  Emily did have some episodes where I thought she was about to start changing for the better, then she reverted back to her old self.

I forgot another reason I opened this topic:  Because I didn't watch these shows, I have no idea if my opinions on them or their characters and story lines are unpopular or not.  So, speaking of GG, I really like Logan.  He still has some issues to work on, for sure, but overall, I think he and Rory have been good for each other.  He's matured (and still is maturing) with her and she's starting to stand up for herself a bit more.

[cleo]

From what I recall, everyone thought the thing with Lane and Zach was terrible. 

Logan- maybe more of a mixed bag. I can't remember, I didn't pay much attn to Rory's storylines. 

Funny I was considering recently whether I will ever do another rewatch, and I probably will, just not sure when. 

Old shows I am watching- Bates Motel. Man Vera Farmigia is incredible. I'm on season 3 and just watched the ep where Caleb basically collapses saying he's sorry. So intense. I hate this part of the show, bc I hate what ultimately happens to Norma and Romero.

[JustHereForFood]

2 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

I'm on the final season and have 3 (maybe 4) episodes left.  Emily did have some episodes where I thought she was about to start changing for the better, then she reverted back to her old self.

I forgot another reason I opened this topic:  Because I didn't watch these shows, I have no idea if my opinions on them or their characters and story lines are unpopular or not.  So, speaking of GG, I really like Logan.  He still has some issues to work on, for sure, but overall, I think he and Rory have been good for each other.  He's matured (and still is maturing) with her and she's starting to stand up for herself a bit more.

I recommend the Gilmore Girls subforum once you're done watching, it's still pretty active and even has a separate Unpopular Opinions topic.

[Annber03]

6 hours ago, cleo said:

Old shows I am watching- Bates Motel. Man Vera Farmigia is incredible. I'm on season 3 and just watched the ep where Caleb basically collapses saying he's sorry. So intense. I hate this part of the show, bc I hate what ultimately happens to Norma and Romero.

Such a good show, that. I need to do a proper rewatch sometime. Farmiga and Highmore were absolutely superb together, they played off each other so well. 

But yes, even though you know it's coming, everything with Norma and Romero still hits so hard. Speaks to how good the show was that they were still able to make a well-known part of the story feel like a gut punch when it happens. 

[katie9918]

My mom and I just started watching Taxi, after going through OG Frasier, Seinfeld, OG Leverage, How I Met Your Mother, and The Golden Girls/Golden Palace in the past three years.

 

We just started season two and Taxi is my favorite out of all of them so far, though it’s a close call with Frasier in the mix.

[Shannon L.]

I'm rewatching Criminal Minds (skipping the occasional episode for various reasons) and I'm wondering around what season people think it becomes torture porn?  Because there are several episodes in the first three seasons that I thought were really horrible in regards to the kinds of way the unsub was killing/raping/torturing their victims.  One of the reasons I skip the occasional episode is because I can't stomach it again. 

I finally finished Gilmore Girls.  That last season was a slog.  It took me two days to get through the first episode of A Year in the Life.  Was them forgetting about Rory's boyfriend (including Rory) supposed to be funny?  Because I thought it was awful.

I tried the first episode of Northern Exposure and it really didn't grab me. The only character I really liked was the young assistant in the doctor's office.  I may try another episode or two, though, because I know it can take a series time to get it's footing.

I did, however, watch the first two episodes of Lie to Me and really liked them.  I'm going to keep watching that one.

[cleo]

Taxi is great, but the lack of continuity is so weird given how TV evolved. Like I think in one or two eps Tony adopts a kid and then the kid just vanishes. 

[Haleth]

On 1/21/2024 at 10:44 AM, Haleth said:

I've been watching Justified for the last couple months and only have a few episodes left.  That was one awesome show with some of the most interesting (compelling, scary) bad guys ever on tv.  Walton Goggins in particular.  Really well done show.

I finished the series a couple nights ago. That ending?  Perfection. [chef’s kiss]. I don’t know when I was last so satisfied by how a series ended. 

[katie9918]

2 hours ago, cleo said:

Taxi is great, but the lack of continuity is so weird given how TV evolved. Like I think in one or two eps Tony adopts a kid and then the kid just vanishes. 

We just saw that one over the weekend. That did strike me as odd, that we never even got a mention of him again, especially when Tony’s sister came to town and dated Jim. No mention of meeting a new nephew.

But then I usually remind myself it was par for the course back then.

Louie is one of the most entertaining characters ever. His utter hatred of Bobby and Tony is just delicious, considering he treats everyone pretty poorly, but he really hates them. 

[cleo]

I've just started watching Archer and Stranger Things. On the topic of Archer- I'm on season 3 and I just watched the ep where they're taking a terrorist across the border into Canada. 

As a Canadian I have to say- It's completely unrealistic, bc in one scene there are two groups of mounties (one of whom might be terrorists masquerading as mounties) and the two groups pull guns on one another. 

Not one 'I'm sorry, eh' among the bunch. There should be at least 4 or 5 I'm sorry, eh's across the 2 groups as they were facing off.

Yesterday in the grocery store I slightly bumped into this woman while walking by her. I said Sorry. The woman following her (thus walking towards me) then said sorry to me, just in solidarity I guess although she was like a foot away when I bumped into the other woman. 

I managed to not say sorry to the second woman in return, bc otherwise we would've all been there for like half an hour going round apologizing 😆

Edited February 9 by cleo

[anna0852]

I’m two episodes away from finishing the Orville and super annoyed that this is only three seasons long. I’ve never really been a sci-fi fan or into all that Star Trek stuff but man did Seth McFarlane knock this one out of the park. Hits all the right notes. Still crossing my fingers that maybe they’ll get a season four.

[Chaos Theory]

On 1/20/2024 at 6:26 PM, festivus said:

My opinion on NCIS is that I love the current cast the most. I used to watch when Ziva was on, loved her. But when she left I bailed cause I can't stand Gibbs or Abby. Tony wasn't the greatest either. I love it now with Jessica 💖Kasie 💖McGee, Parker, Jimmy. Even Fez is growing on me. I'm only sad about Ducky but they did have him on occasionally before David McCallum died.

I like the new cast too.   The longer NCIS  went on with GIbbs the more depressing it got.    It needed a total course correction.  The new team dynamic keeps the story fresh and the entire focus is no longer on Gibbs and his terrible tragic back story.  

[possibilities]

I love 1970s TV. I don't even know why.

I even like 1960s TV when I can find it-- sometimes entire seasons of shows from the 1960s are on youtube (not "You Tube TV, which is by subscription, but just regular old youtube.com ) if you go looking for them. I watched Julia and Room 222 that way.

Julia is a Black single mom and nurse whose husband died in Vietnam, starring Diahann Carroll-- you would not know the 1960s were a time of social change, everything is sunshine, she's best friends with her white neighbor, etc; the show got criticized for that at the time.

Room 222 is set in a high school. That one hits all the social issues but is still upbeat and somehow simultaneously both sentimental and provocative.

My childhood dog was named after Maxwell Smart, lead character on Get Smart, which was a 1960s tv show, but I have not found that show to see if it's still any good. They did some remake stuff more recently, but I doubt that says anything one way or the other about what I'd think of the originals.

[Annber03]

41 minutes ago, possibilities said:

My childhood dog was named after Maxwell Smart, lead character on Get Smart, which was a 1960s tv show, but I have not found that show to see if it's still any good. They did some remake stuff more recently, but I doubt that says anything one way or the other about what I'd think of the originals.

I love that story about your dog :D. The Decades channel, when it used to be called that, was showing that series for a time within the last few years. It still holds up - if anything, there's aspects of it that would probably be even more relevant now :p. 

[AgathaC]

14 hours ago, possibilities said:

My childhood dog was named after Maxwell Smart, lead character on Get Smart, which was a 1960s tv show, but I have not found that show to see if it's still any good. They did some remake stuff more recently, but I doubt that says anything one way or the other about what I'd think of the originals.

Get Smart came on Nick at Night when I was a kid and I was obsessed. But I’ve always been a sucker for spy or mystery combined with comedy. It’s wacky and silly, but a lot of the humor is actually sophisticated and very sharp. It’s been a while since I last watched, but it held up for adult me.

One I came into late: Dallas. The original. Hubby and I watched it several years ago and are going through it again. It’s a mixed bag, but definitely entertaining. We’re probably not going all the way through. The last season or two were pretty awful!

[bluegirl147]

On 2/11/2024 at 9:53 AM, AgathaC said:

One I came into late: Dallas. The original. Hubby and I watched it several years ago and are going through it again. It’s a mixed bag, but definitely entertaining. We’re probably not going all the way through. The last season or two were pretty awful!

I watched most of Dallas when I was a teenager.  I watched it again when it was in syndication at some point.  Did a complete rewatch of DVDS from the library 11 years ago and did another rewatch during the pandemic.  That show never gets old for me. It's like comfort food for me.  If you are looking for something else to watch may I recommend Falcon Crest, another 80s primetime soap.  It streams on Prime.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

I watched most of Dallas when I was a teenager.  I watched it again when it was in syndication at some point.  Did a complete rewatch of DVDS from the library 11 years ago and did another rewatch during the pandemic.  That show never gets old for me.

For realzies! The original MAGNIFICENT BASTARD--THE VILLAIN YOU LOVED TO HATE: One JR Ewing! Larry Hagman* gave him such nuance and vulnerabilities. He wasn't a one note cardboard cutout of a villain. And the yummiliciousness of one Bobby James Ewing. The original PRIME TIME SOAPY SOAPY SOAP.

The balls that Katzman had and that the network allowed-for the dialogue to show how messy JR and Sue Ellen's toxicity of a marriage and relationship was. You don't see that today. And the production values!

*I've stated previously and many times, it took awhile for me to see Hagman as JR, as he was Major Tony Nelson for me from I Dream of Jeannie as it was in syndication at the time Dallas premiered.

The death of Jim Davis/Jock and how it was handled, always brings me to tears. You can see how ill/sick he was the last year we saw him. But bless him, he came to work until the end of that season. He passed away during the summer hiatus, I think. 

I've been rewatching it but had to take a break because the destruction of Bobby and Pam's marriage is looming and I hated that.

[BlackberryJam]

8 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

 If you are looking for something else to watch may I recommend Falcon Crest, another 80s primetime soap.  It streams on Prime.

I had no idea! I loved FC! Thank you.

[AgathaC]

21 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

For realzies! The original MAGNIFICENT BASTARD--THE VILLAIN YOU LOVED TO HATE: One JR Ewing! Larry Hagman* gave him such nuance and vulnerabilities. He wasn't a one note cardboard cutout of a villain. And the yummiliciousness of one Bobby James Ewing. The original PRIME TIME SOAPY SOAPY SOAP.

The balls that Katzman had and that the network allowed-for the dialogue to show how messy JR and Sue Ellen's toxicity of a marriage and relationship was. You don't see that today. And the production values!

*I've stated previously and many times, it took awhile for me to see Hagman as JR, as he was Major Tony Nelson for me from I Dream of Jeannie as it was in syndication at the time Dallas premiered.

The death of Jim Davis/Jock and how it was handled, always brings me to tears. You can see how ill/sick he was the last year we saw him. But bless him, he came to work until the end of that season. He passed away during the summer hiatus, I think. 

I've been rewatching it but had to take a break because the destruction of Bobby and Pam's marriage is looming and I hated that.

JR and Sue Ellen were like a case study for toxic relationships!

As for Jock, I do feel sad about the loss of Jim Davis, but on this rewatch, I came to see Jock as very problematic and just all-around not a great guy (or not as great as the characters painted him). He was capable of goodness, but he was also a jackass. And I ended up feeling that he was largely responsible for JR with his attitudes and his obvious preference for Bobby.

Anyway, I do like that Dallas was capable of making complicated characters. While I didn’t always like all of them (every one of them had periods or traits that were unlikable), they weren’t boring. Annoying, maybe, but not dull.

Edited February 13 by AgathaC

[JustHereForFood]

I hated Jock and grew to low-key hate Miss Ellie as well. People of their time and place, sure, but they really screwed up the whole family.

[AgathaC]

15 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

I hated Jock and grew to low-key hate Miss Ellie as well. People of their time and place, sure, but they really screwed up the whole family.

Yes! I wanted to like Miss Ellie, but her enabling of JR (most of them did that) and her insistence on her children all living in the same damn house… no. We’re almost to the idiotic Wes Parmalee story that really drove me nuts.

I will say, I still like Clayton, though. I thought he was a big upgrade from Jock.

One thing I appreciated about him, Lucy and Donna — they were characters who were never fooled by JR (I could be forgetting an incident) and didn’t enable him like the rest of the family. I guess Pam fits in there, too, much of the time. I love to hate JR, but it also drives me nuts when they basically sit back and let him continue to put people and the family livelihood at risk. Lucy was a moron in a lot of ways, but she generally saw through connivers. Well, unless they were conning her…

[JustHereForFood]

2 hours ago, AgathaC said:

One thing I appreciated about him, Lucy and Donna — they were characters who were never fooled by JR (I could be forgetting an incident) and didn’t enable him like the rest of the family. I guess Pam fits in there, too, much of the time. I love to hate JR, but it also drives me nuts when they basically sit back and let him continue to put people and the family livelihood at risk. Lucy was a moron in a lot of ways, but she generally saw through connivers. Well, unless they were conning her…

To the bolded - yes, and coincidentally (or maybe not?) those were my favorite characters, along with April and early Pam and early Cliff. 

Lucy was manipulated by JR when he made her agree with her second engagement (I forgot the name of the guy... she got engaged A LOT). She had doubts, but all JR had to do was tell her she can't marry him and as expected, that made her agree to it. I can't really fault her, I know what it's like to self-sabotage just to be contrary, lol.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I loved Jock; warts and all. And while I also loved Clayton (how JR couldn't break him when he was providing shelter to SueEllen when she left him), I just found Jim Davis more sexier.

Whaat?

I also didn't have an issue with the whole family living in the same home. I guess it's cultural for me because growing up, that's how we lived-my grandparents, parents, and us kids.

I also preferred original Digger, played by David Wayne. But after Victoria Principal left, the show just wasn't the same for me, and I pretty much checked out the last two seasons and barely stuck around-mainly for Bobby. But by the end, it wasn't the show I knew and loved. But that theme music! One of the BEST out there-right up there with original Hawaii 5-0!

[Chaos Theory]

If you are looking for two of the greatest sword and sandals  epics you have ever seen I would recommend Xena The Warrior Princess (Amazon) and if you like full frontal nudity (both  male and female) Spartacus (harder to find you need access to Starz or Tubi.

 

 

Edited February 14 by Chaos Theory
My autocorrect couldn’t spell “sandals”

[andromeda331]

On 2/13/2024 at 4:21 PM, JustHereForFood said:

I hated Jock and grew to low-key hate Miss Ellie as well. People of their time and place, sure, but they really screwed up the whole family.

So do I. With Jock no wonder JR turned out the way he did. Miss Ellie likes to act like she's some sweet person and everyone treats her like she's so great. She stole Lucy from her parents'. She had JR do the actual dirty work. But she stole that baby and never faced any consequences for it or cared what she did to Lucy's mother. They even had Lucy's mother thank her for taking care of Lucy. Not that she did a good job at that. Between Lucy and JR I don't know how Bobby turned out so well.

[cleo]

I'm wondering what the Dallas fans think of Dynasty? Original recipe. I tried it a few months ago bc the eps have been airing on TV, but I couldn't get into it, although I'm a soap fan

Not sure if I'm just soaped out or not, but I couldn't get past the first couple eps.

Never saw Dallas, too young.

[Haleth]

I definitely preferred Dallas to Dynasty.  The former had a lot of plotting and intrigue, but only thing I remember about Dynasty was Crystal and Alexis cat fighting in designer couture.

[AgathaC]

5 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

So do I. With Jock no wonder JR turned out the way he did. Miss Ellie likes to act like she's some sweet person and everyone treats her like she's so great. She stole Lucy from her parents'. She had JR do the actual dirty work. But she stole that baby and never faced any consequences for it or cared what she did to Lucy's mother. They even had Lucy's mother thank her for taking care of Lucy. Not that she did a good job at that. Between Lucy and JR I don't know how Bobby turned out so well.

I don’t know why I always forget that — that was awful. Both Jock and Miss Ellie had the power to do the right thing, but, as usual, they just enabled JR and basically endorsed kidnapping. Gary ran off, but it was clear Valene loved and wanted to raise her child.

Miss Ellie herself said they spoiled her (“Those big Ewing men couldn’t say no to her”) while also basically ignoring her. Not a good recipe.

I’ve never seen Dynasty. Hubby and I tried to start it a couple of months ago, but got bored.

[JustHereForFood]

3 minutes ago, AgathaC said:

I don’t know why I always forget that — that was awful. Both Jock and Miss Ellie had the power to do the right thing, but, as usual, they just enabled JR and basically endorsed kidnapping. Gary ran off, but it was clear Valene loved and wanted to raise her child.

It's that entitled mindset that reminds me of a story from 19th century or older when aristocrats would similarly steal a child from their mother if she was some commoner that their precious but naive son would run away with. Of course, a child with their blood can not possibly be raised by some poor peasant. Bleh.

[AgathaC]

Then there was Jock’s focus on having a grandson (because we must have a John Ross Ewing III and Lucy didn’t count — something I’m sure helped her personal development). And when Bobby mentioned adopting, Jock basically told him to keep trying for “a real Ewing.” Good lord. Thank goodness he was gone before Christopher could have been impacted by that gem.

[TimetoShine]

I finished 12 Monkeys last week and I’ve decided it’s going on my top favorites list. I bought the dvds and plan on a rewatch. Slower this time. I binged the first time. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I am watching Orange Is the New Black for the first time. I finished season one. There’s not very much commentary on it in the show thread. I was surprised, as I thought it had been very popular. It’s really just a big soap opera, and the characters speak with too high an education level. Yet it is somewhat compelling. How did they make this run for seven seasons when the real Piper served only one year, I think.  

[Haleth]

I started watching The Wire after seeing here for years how great it was.  I do understand why people loved it, but I don't think it's for me.  It's pretty rough.  However I do want to give young Michael B Jordan a hug.  (And older MBJ too for that matter, but that's a different issue.)