Hi everyone.
Not a game related post today. Apologies but I have been doing very little serious gaming of late. Don’t really know why but I have been using the PS4 for Netflix and that’s pretty much it.
I really need to put aside some time and carry on digging into Disgaea 4 and to start Trine 2: the compete story, but that’s for another time.
So can hear the masses shouting (all both of you) ‘What have you been doing with your time?’
Well, I have been doing a few things. For those of you who follow me on twitter I had a little jolly to IKEA a couple of weeks ago to get some stuff for decorating the back bedroom (sometimes referred to as Phil’s room – because it’s where he usually grabs a couple of hours after our boozey bad film night nights) so there’s that. But mostly I have been catching up on TV I have missed.
the hype train
So, starting with Breaking Bad. It’s good, but I don’t feel like it has hooked me. I’m a couple of series in and it’s good, but I’m not loving it. Part of me suspects this is because everyone tells me I *should* love this, because it’s good TV and everyone thinks it’s awesome I might be back lashing against it. It has it’s moments don’t get me wrong, But there is some spark missing for me that just keeps it below my ‘I need to marathon this’ level.
The characters are engaging, the plot is genius, but still…I’m not lost in it like is was led to believe I would be.
Which leads me to the two other TV shows I have been watching lately.
winter is coming
So, game of thrones. What can I say that hasn’t been said already. This is simply the most gripping TV I have seen for years. I started reading the books for some of the early series but found it was distracting me from the TV episodes. Series 3/4 is the first series I have watched without being aware of most of what is going on. I read one of the books that coincides with the series but not the other one. So I know some of what is happening but not other parts. It’s so much better this way around (and yes, I am the type to read the book first)
This definitely has the spark. What I think is the best about this is that you can see the look on people’s faces on a Tuesday morning is like being in a special club. A look can let you know if someone has seen the episode, what their reaction is or if you need to be quiet around them. Small huddles develop in corners where those of us who are up to date discuss the latest developments in hushed voices so as to not spoil it for those who haven’t had chance yet.
This is how good TV can be. If you haven’t seen it yet. Beg, borrow or steal a copy of it (don’t steal kids, it’s wrong) but watch it.
powerless heroes
So, Agents of SHIELD has finished. I’m quite sad. I really liked this.
The premise is pretty simple. It’s about the agents working behind the super heroes, what happens to them and the risks that they take in a world that has super heroes. They have no special skills, are entirely flawed and it makes for gripping TV. Simple as.
Ordinary people in an extraordinary world. Going about their business, which happens to be cleaning up after issues with super heroes, evil geniuses, and even the odd Norse goddess.
It works really well, even if it is a little dialogue heavy in places. Agent Coulson is a great character and we steadily learn more about him through the series. The overarching mystery is thoughtful and well paced, and although his is a bit of a slow burner the later episodes really go at a fair lick. For those of you who bought into the Marvel universe in, Iron Man/Thor/Captain America/Avengers then you really should watch this. It even ties in with the events of Captain America Winter Soldier. It’s clever and funny and intriguing in turns and is again, a brilliant example of what can be achieved if we ignore the usual churn of talent shows.
The cliffhanger at the end of the series has left me wanting more, and I think it has recently been commissioned for a second series. I can’t wait.
so where next
Well I plan to get back on with the gaming, but I also need to catch up with my reading. I’m a little ahead of my good reads target, but don’t feel like I’ve read much this year so far. So I need to make headway into my pile of books.
And apparently the new House of Cards on Netflix is pretty good, so there’s that…
Right, off to go turn the TV off and do something less boring instead as the theme used to say..