TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

[mikechamp]

I'm seriously impressed with how much Justified has improved each year to varying degrees. Last night's finale brought damn near everything from the season full circle. It's a much better show than it was when it started.

First visit to this thread, and I don't plan to frequent it, but I popped in to see if anyone was talking about last night's "Justified".

I, too, felt the season was really good. The writing is excellent. The characters are fantastic, even the minor ones.

They left enough hanging out there (Ava, the baby, Johnny) to hit the ground running for next season, or they could go with a whole new storyline like this season. Either way, I can't wait for it to return.

[ghostrunner]

I'm seriously impressed with how much Justified has improved each year to varying degrees. Last night's finale brought damn near everything from the season full circle. It's a much better show than it was when it started.

It's funny. The general consensus out there is that Season 2 is the best, with 3 and 4 also being very good. I didn't think they hit stride until last season and have more or less continued at that level this year. Though Quarles is still my favorite villain so far. Wynn Duffy is a close second, but was great paired up with Quarles. So many good characters though.

[Vidor]

"Mad Men" comes back Sunday. Yay! Apparently season six starts at the end of 1967.

[JL21]

It's funny. The general consensus out there is that Season 2 is the best, with 3 and 4 also being very good. I didn't think they hit stride until last season and have more or less continued at that level this year. Though Quarles is still my favorite villain so far. Wynn Duffy is a close second, but was great paired up with Quarles. So many good characters though.

Quarles is why I like season 3 the best. I liked Mags a lot, too.

Really, one of the best things that can be said about the show is that every character they've added has been a good addition. I liked Colt a lot this season. Wynn is great, Quarles was awesome, Mags and the Bennett clan were a huge step forward for the show, Limehouse is pretty good, Jim Beaver was awesome as Shelby...

Also, I feel like they're finally using Boyd to his full potential. He's not just Raylan's evil twin anymore. They've given him motivations and massive subplots of his own. The show's almost as much about Boyd now as it is about Raylan.

[Jocephus]

[heyzeus]

Anyone else watch the Mad Men premier last night?

[JackofDiamonds]

Anyone else watch the Mad Men premier last night?

Nope, watched GoT though.

[thrill]

Anyone else watch the Mad Men premier last night?

Yeah. That show is just so rich in subtext. I watched the last 4 eps of the previous season on Netflix on Saturday to catch back up. Don't really have anything to say about the big themes (because the big themes of that show are so [expletive] depressing) of life and death and moments that matter and missing them and the moments you think are going to matter but ultimately don't or all of that stuff, but I'm just glad the show is back. It really keeps getting richer as it goes along. Don Draper is still a magnificent [expletive], Roger Sterling is still funny and sad and Betty is still fat. It was great to see Peggy being great at her job at the new firm too.

[ghostrunner]

Anyone else watch the Mad Men premier last night?

Yeah. That show is just so rich in subtext. I watched the last 4 eps of the previous season on Netflix on Saturday to catch back up. Don't really have anything to say about the big themes (because the big themes of that show are so [expletive] depressing) of life and death and moments that matter and missing them and the moments you think are going to matter but ultimately don't or all of that stuff, but I'm just glad the show is back. It really keeps getting richer as it goes along. Don Draper is still a magnificent [expletive], Roger Sterling is still funny and sad and Betty is still fat. It was great to see Peggy being great at her job at the new firm too.

I do think it's the best writing on TV. Not the best dialogue (Justified), but best writing. Maybe best-authored is the way to put it. You think about what they've done - these aren't doctors, lawyers, crooks, or cops, and there's no high concept to fall back on (zombies, sci-fi, fantasy). It's just regular people living relatively regular lives. Somehow they've made it compelling for 6 seasons without making it like a soap opera. They dip their toe in that now and then, but I think it mostly manages to say new things and explores relationships without getting overly maudlin.

[JL21]

It's a LOT like a soap opera. Less so for the past season or two, but it revels in soap opera tactics. That show runs on adultery and Don Draper's double super secret past life.

That's not to say that I disagree about it being a very well-written show, rich in subtext, etc... But "not like a soap opera" is the last way I'd ever describe it.