Random Thoughts

[Zealot]

Trying to make my way through Gundam ZZ and this feels like a slog.

[Salodin]

the public discourse around television is annoying, specifically the complaining about pace and characterization for almost every major show. there is an obsession with plot where people complain constantly about how 'nothing happens' if episodes aren't dramatically propelling the plot forward. and the latter if a character acts in a way people don't like the reflex is usually more of bad writing!!!!!! rather than trying to understand at first why the character is acting that way, the potential reasons the writing had woven in for their behavior.

like some mighty fine shows (TNG, Buffy, Battlestar Galactica) were a combination of serialized storytelling moving the overall plot forward + episodes of the week where the point was spending time with characters you love and exploring some chosen theme. feels like all appreciation for the latter has been lost in the demand for plot. imagine if any of these fuckin yokels had to watch a Tarkovsky film.

Okay but have you considered that a lot of writing and television actually is bad and not that great or worth the time?

Also there's the guilt and fomo of having a universe or series you love but then having to slog through clearly bad writing (and sometimes production) cause you don't want to miss out on the show/universe you like. Currently going thru this with the new Star wars show

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[Salodin]

Trying to make my way through Gundam ZZ and this feels like a slog.

Have you watched enough Gundam yet to notice how many of the main timeline stories are similar?

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[Gredival]

the public discourse around television is annoying, specifically the complaining about pace and characterization for almost every major show. there is an obsession with plot where people complain constantly about how 'nothing happens' if episodes aren't dramatically propelling the plot forward. and the latter if a character acts in a way people don't like the reflex is usually more of bad writing!!!!!! rather than trying to understand at first why the character is acting that way, the potential reasons the writing had woven in for their behavior.

like some mighty fine shows (TNG, Buffy, Battlestar Galactica) were a combination of serialized storytelling moving the overall plot forward + episodes of the week where the point was spending time with characters you love and exploring some chosen theme. feels like all appreciation for the latter has been lost in the demand for plot. imagine if any of these fuckin yokels had to watch a Tarkovsky film.

I feel like monster of the week episodes are fine, but like you said, groundwork for big events has to be laid somewhere. I think these episodes are where there has to be subtle character development between the big moments.

[Zealot]

Have you watched enough Gundam yet to notice how many of the main timeline stories are similar?

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I don't understand what you mean. After a sudden battle breaks out and probable-but-unconfirmed Newtype Amuro/Camille/Judau hijacks a Gundam and then gets drafted into a war, leaving their home to fight Zeon/the Titans/Axis and get Bright-slapped, they're all totally different. For one thing, the Double Zeta has two Zs.

[Gredival]

Have you watched enough Gundam yet to notice how many of the main timeline stories are similar?

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Virtually every alternative timeline is a rehash of the Universal Century Timeline.

Earth vs. Space Colonists
"War is Hell"
Soldiers on both sides are good, Leadership on both sides is corrupt
Sleeper Double-agent ace pilot Char Aznable clone
Space fighting dynamo main character who won the genetic Newtype lottery

[Salodin]

I can't think of a show in the last decade that pulls it off though; usually after N seasons most fans just wish they'd end it already.

I wish GoT ended sooner, Stranger Things, everything Star Wars sans Mandolorian. I feel like this list is much longer than shows that stick the landing.

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[Andalusian girls]

I feel like monster of the week episodes are fine, but like you said, groundwork for big events has to be laid somewhere. I think these episodes are where there has to be subtle character development between the big moments.

that's the point, people shiting on quieter character moments if there isn't plot movement. should go without saying but no one is arguing serialized storytelling is bad.

[Demosthenes]

Okay but have you considered that a lot of writing and television actually is bad and not that great or worth the time?

Also there's the guilt and fomo of having a universe or series you love but then having to slog through clearly bad writing (and sometimes production) cause you don't want to miss out on the show/universe you like. Currently going thru this with the new Star wars show

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It's more than that TV writing has gotten significantly better on average. People keep expecting shit to be breakneck like the later seasons of Breaking Bad. They'd whine about how slow the wire is if it were released today.

[Salodin]

that's the point, people shiting on quieter character moments if there isn't plot movement.

These episodes are fine, but a lot of times they also suck. Xfiles and deep space 9 had plenty of great ones, but then I think of Naruto and the filler prior to Shippuden and ughhh lol.

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[Demosthenes]

Star wars fans are the most insufferable shitters and they wouldn't know good writing if it forced its dick in their throats.

[Salodin]

It's more than that TV writing has gotten significantly better on average. People keep expecting shit to be breakneck like the later seasons of Breaking Bad. They'd whine about how slow the wire is if it were released today.

I'm going thru this with the Bear. Some characters I just loathe; I can't stand their screen time. And the ones I do like? Not nearly as much screen time or development. But it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between I just don't like this character, or the writing and situations are bad. Sometimes it's a little of both.

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[Gredival]

That being said, here's a Tier List

S
Zeta
0079
0080

A
Char's Counterattack
Iron Blooded Orphans
G Gundam
Gundam 00

B
Gundam X
08th MS Team
Unicorn
Victory
F-91
Turn A

C
ZZ
SEED Destiny

D
SEED
0083

[Gredival]

that's the point, people shiting on quieter character moments if there isn't plot movement. should go without saying but no one is arguing serialized storytelling is bad.

Subtlety is lost on most audiences.

[Zealot]

I'm trying to get through the whole Universal Century before I go to the other stuff. I've only ever seen G Gundam before now.

The MS Team one was great, Stardust Memories was also pretty good. War in the Pocket, oof. Gotta squeeze all the trauma of a normal Gundam show into 6 episodes I guess.

[Zealot]

It would be neat if someone on YouTube started an actual channel with dedicated programming blocs that aired at specific times, but I guess the monetization model doesn't support that.

[archibaldcrane]

the public discourse around television is annoying, specifically the complaining about pace and characterization for almost every major show. there is an obsession with plot where people complain constantly about how 'nothing happens' if episodes aren't dramatically propelling the plot forward. and the latter if a character acts in a way people don't like the reflex is usually more of bad writing!!!!!! rather than trying to understand at first why the character is acting that way, the potential reasons the writing had woven in for their behavior.

like some mighty fine shows (TNG, Buffy, Battlestar Galactica) were a combination of serialized storytelling moving the overall plot forward + episodes of the week where the point was spending time with characters you love and exploring some chosen theme. feels like all appreciation for the latter has been lost in the demand for plot. imagine if any of these fuckin yokels had to watch a Tarkovsky film.

Side effect of the absolute reduction of content. If you spend 2 eps in a 22 ep season doing character work or otherwise not pushing the plot it's more accepted than when seasons are 8 episodes long.

We get what we pay for, and we're paying for far less television nowadays.

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[Cail]

i wish netflix/disney+/hulu had a "random episode" for a tv series

[Ksandra]

Side effect of the absolute reduction of content. If you spend 2 eps in a 22 ep season doing character work or otherwise not pushing the plot it's more accepted than when seasons are 8 episodes long.

We get what we pay for, and we're paying for far less television nowadays.

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It always amazes me how 80s cartoons only ran for like 1-3 seasons but had a million episodes and just ran them on syndication for forever.

He-man was only 2 years, but had 130 episodes.

I miss having something to look forward to every week for almost a whole year.

[Zetanio]

That being said, here's a Tier List

S
Zeta
0079
0080

A
Char's Counterattack
Iron Blooded Orphans
G Gundam
Gundam 00

B
Gundam X
08th MS Team
Unicorn
Victory
F-91
Turn A

C
ZZ
SEED Destiny

D
SEED
0083

what about wing.