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Your favourite dramatic "TV" shows of last decade |
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richardh 
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Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 27958 |
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 Posted: October 08 2020 at 01:48 |
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If you want something deeply warped and darkly funny then check out Ratched on Netflix. Its another 'origins' thing like Bates Motel but this is based on the character of Nurse Ratched that was in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Probably my favourite thing at the moment other than The Witcher.
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richardh
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Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 27958 |
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Posted: October 08 2020 at 01:52 |
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not a description I would use for the former (grim is the word I would use). I dumped it around episode 4 of Season 3. Ozark is indeed great. The last 2 or 3 episodes of S3 is probably the best TV I've seen in years. The dilemma she had with her brother was genuinely heart breaking . The 'surprise' ending I loved as well. Looking forward to S4 when it eventually arrives.
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Logan
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Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Status: Offline Points: 35750 |
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Posted: October 08 2020 at 08:59 |
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I've read The Handmaid's Tale, and seen the film, but didn't manage to get through the show. I like dark, but that I found too depressing before. Margaret Atwood is a writer I highly respect, and I "enjoyed" her MaddAddam Trilogy (Oryx and Crake and follow up novels) very much. Very bleak, but also dark humour. I do hope those (or even just Oryx and Crake) get turned into a series at some time (was in the works before), although I expect that it wouldn't live up to the novels for me.
The Road, Never Let Me Go and Oryx and Crake are three of my favourite "modern" novels, and all of those get very bleak (The Road can be bleak as hell) so I might have expected The Handmaid's Tale to be well within my comfort zone. I will give The Handmaid's Tale series another go. I have it PVRd and saved and its on Crave in Canada. Anyway, two of my favourite recent discoveries are the anime The Promised Neverland, 2019 but only recently dropped on my Netflix, and not from the last decade as in 2010's but 2020, The Third Day (with Jude Law). The Promised Neverland (another series/season will be coming out and is set to debut in January 2021, was delayed due to COVID-19). I really loved the first season. I think it was my favourite anime series that I've seen since Death Note. It did remind me early on of Never Let Me Go and some other things but ended up being quite unique, I felt, and it kept me speculating while not taking me out of the show -- fantastic animation and moving. I watched it in Japanese with English subs. One night one of my children asked me to start on it with them, and we binged it (despite me stating that I did not have the time, and I didn't, but I did anyway). I found it engrossing. As for The Third Day, this immediately brought to mind The Wicker Man and Apostle (and a podcast drama), but that did not take away from it at all, and is its own thing. It's ongoing. I watch it on HBO, and its first four episodes have been shown, plus a twelve-hour live event which I missed. Two more are to come. The first three episodes feel like its own "season". This show has been exciting me like very few do. Dennis Kelly, the creator/writer of one of my very favourite discoveries of the past decade, Utopia, is a creator/writer of The Third Day. |
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SteveG
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Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20604 |
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Posted: October 08 2020 at 09:15 |
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I thought that Chernobyl was the bomb, no pun intended, and Fargo was great. Like you, I liked Game of Thrones when it started out but so much by the end. And I have to give The Leftovers a nod. Great concept but a few silly things like protestors smoking cigarettes. Not sure how killing themselves with cigs accomplished their aim. Maybe vaping would have worked better.
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Argo2112
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Joined: June 20 2017 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 4462 |
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Posted: October 08 2020 at 09:19 |
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^ Chernobyl was the best thing I've seen in a long time. Absolutely riveting!
I'm watching The Expanse right now. The first season is a little slow but it defiantly picks up after that. Edited by Argo2112 - October 08 2020 at 09:22 |
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SteveG
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Posted: October 08 2020 at 09:25 |
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^ Yup, another really good series. Enjoy!
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dr wu23
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Joined: August 22 2010 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 20623 |
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Posted: October 08 2020 at 14:28 |
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Sarah Paulson from Ratched is in most of the American Horror Story seasons...a very good horror drama with a great cast. There's 9 seasons...all well done. I really enjoyed Apocalypse-season8.
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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin |
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richardh
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Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 27958 |
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Posted: October 10 2020 at 01:32 |
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Must admit I stopped at Season 5 or 6 (the Hotel one) and decided that was the pinnacle of it. Paulson is great in that and also Ratched.
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richardh
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Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 27958 |
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Posted: October 10 2020 at 01:37 |
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For those that loved The Haunting of Hill House (I did), then check out The Haunting Of Bly Manor (Netflix). It's set in England . I think it's based on an old Henry James novel . Very promising first episode , lots of stuff with mirrors , gently creepy rather than out and out scary but this could be a nice slow burner hopefully.
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Logan
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Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Status: Offline Points: 35750 |
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Posted: October 12 2020 at 14:21 |
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^. Will do. The Haunting of Hill House is excellent.
The 2020s rather than the 2010s: I said I found this rather too bleak before, but last night I had a sleepless night and ended up returning to HBO’s Raised by Wolves and have very much got into it. Wonderful days for TV/ streaming shows, even though so much had to be put on hold due to the pandemic. Wish I had had the talent, motivation and work ethic to be a working script writer. |
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moshkito
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Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 17502 |
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Posted: October 13 2020 at 13:30 |
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Hi,
I have not had a TV for almost 13 years now, and do not miss it ... but one thing I watched in its entirety was GAME OF THRONES and I ended up getting the DVD's. It was massively well directed for the most part and very sensitive to a lot of things that made us uncomfortable, but could have been said to have been very real ... and it did not shy away from that reality. There have been comments by a couple of folks about some of the nudity, and honestly? ... if you are separating the nudity from the rest of the story, the whole thing ends up being a cartoon and very fake and a typical American TV production ... where everything is done via the peephole so you can't see anything ... it's not about seeing it all ... it's about the continuity and the beauty of the script in its entirety, and it's really hard to focus on that when one's religious ideas gets in the way. In this sense, I miss European shows a lot more where there is a lot less judgement on nudity than here. I would like to have seen some of the others, but all in all, I'm not into Doctor Who, and a lot of the things that copied it, but I miss a few shows here and there ... the one with Helen Mirren was excellent ... and a few other things from Europe ... would like to find/see some stuff from France and Germany but don't know what to get and somehow the pictures and descriptions don't excite me. There was also, before, a very large series with Sean Bean during the time of Wellington in Spain and France, and that show was magnificent and I finally got all 16 DVD's. Loved it all, and it had outstanding acting, though this show might have been before this decade requested in this thread. I watched a couple of things from Netflix, one being about the Medici's and it was very good also ... and in those, the nudity was probably more than it had to be, but I think that it was simply trying to be artsy and show more to help its value. A few good performances there also.
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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richardh
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Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 27958 |
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Posted: October 14 2020 at 17:51 |
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^ Some really good mentions there especially Medici The Magnificient . I loved that and also the adaption of Catherine The Great ( I assume you mean this by the 'one with Helen Mirren') *
One I can guarantee you would enjoy is The Borgias (the Fox version with Jeremy Irons) . I thought this was better than GOT but then I assume Fox just couldn't support the financial outlay any further and it was cancelled after Season 3 . Real shame. If you happen to stumble across it then I also recommend you check out Britannia. Its a slightly bizarre but entertaining take on very early British History (Druids , Roman invasion and all that). * EDIT re-reading your post again you may have been referring to Doctor Who , but check out Catherine The Great if you haven't. It was a mini series and incredibly well done.
Edited by richardh - October 14 2020 at 17:55 |
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richardh
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Posted: October 14 2020 at 17:59 |
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Oh and also The Last Kingdom if you fancy a really engrossing Vikings based drama. Based on the books of Bernard Cornwell who was also behind Sharpe (the TV series with Sean Bean).
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Machinemessiah
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Joined: April 02 2005 Location: Santiago, Chile Status: Offline Points: 594 |
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Posted: March 16 2021 at 09:49 |
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^ Absolute fan of Last Kingdom here, and rarely see it mentioned (or at least that's my impression), much less than, say, Vikings, that I'm almost sure I won't dig. Def. will check out your other suggestions.
Mine:
Ozark Stranger Things Undercover Better Call Saul The Last Kingdom I'm leaving Breaking Bad out as I have the idea is a bit older and widely known and praised (I think), but is absolutely brilliant, one of the best of all time, and for me sort of did open this streaming TV-series era. Same with Downton Abbey. The Dark Crystal - I highly enjoyed it; awesome in regards to its making, very special; though maybe not my favorite genre / type of series, wouldn't say 'favorite'. Others worth mentioning: Conquistadores Adventvm - A wonder about C. Columbus on the more realistic side (as I like 'em). Costume-wise and all wow.. watch caravels come to life on the mythic voyage to the unknown some 500 years ago (though the 'Santa María' in which Columbus sailed I'm reading here it was a "nau" type of vessel, a bit bigger). Also, seeing queen Isabel La Católica, beautiful Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, mounted on her horse, with half battle, half royal outfit, crown and all addressing the troops, an unseen marvel to behold. A bit heavy/downing though, I have to watch it again through. Trust Me - About a nurse that supplants a former doctor's identity. Very enthralling, highly enjoyable, great cast/acting. I think she also is Scottish by her accent, but the plot develops in Edinburgh, to where she moves in shortly after the series begins. Watched only the first season. Show me a Hero - About a politician who runs for mayor on a city in turmoil about a federal-mandated housing development. Also on the realistic side, reminded me of 'The Wire' one of my all-time best series along with HBO's Rome (reading here, it do has a connection: was written by David Simon working with journalist William F. Zorzi, both of whom were also in 'The Wire'). Started watching it but not sure if they took it out from the service I had. Anyway, it's only 6 episodes. Wolfhall - Marvelous medieval ambient, costume design and music. The Thomas Cromwell's cast by Mark Rylance somehow doesn't get me that much, as well as the plot; but everything else really transports you. Edited by Machinemessiah - March 17 2021 at 06:18 |
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BaldJean
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Joined: May 28 2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 10387 |
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Posted: March 16 2021 at 10:00 |
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 A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
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moshkito
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Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 17502 |
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Posted: March 16 2021 at 10:17 |
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Hi, I have all the DVD's from the Sharpe series ... it's really nice!
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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Machinemessiah
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Joined: April 02 2005 Location: Santiago, Chile Status: Offline Points: 594 |
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Posted: March 16 2021 at 15:26 |
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 in fact the Olaf part reminded me of the wonderfully cast Danes from 'The Last Kingdom': [looking up...] Guthrum and Ubba. Sounds really good (don't have Amazon, if I had, I'd already be checking it out; but even then, not all movies and series arrive around here :( ) Coincidentally, and off-topic of course, I am reading Philip K. Dick's 'The Variable Man' short story (or novella as it says on Wikipedia), also about a man from the past (1913) who gets to 2100's, where the story goes, and presumably has the potential of completely altering things up. The book is a short stories compilation by PD I dusted off as have done with a couple others because of PA :) Edited by Machinemessiah - March 16 2021 at 15:45 |
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richardh
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Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 27958 |
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Posted: March 16 2021 at 15:42 |
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Line Of Duty
coming back soon , certainly deserves a nod Other British crime drama treats Unforgotten ( a real under the radar gem) Bloodlands (can't stress too much how good this was for writing , acting and editing. A modern classic) Dennis (David Tennant got massive praise for this quite rightly) The Pembrokeshire Murders (another true life case very well made starring Luke Evans from The Alienist) The Murders at White House Farm (Stephen Graham adds some real clout to another true events story)
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Machinemessiah
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Posted: March 17 2021 at 07:47 |
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70% up into Episode 1, and liking it.   (For some reason on my Netflix it starts from Season 3, but it doesn't appear to be an issue). Forgot an important favorite: The Road to Calvary: About the Russian Revolution; from the point of view of two accommodated sisters. Romantic in style, realistic; two beautiful ladies and their love stories through the war. Beautifully made, music and all; impressive interiors decoration. I learnt with it that there weren't only the reds and the whites on the conflict but also the greens; very hard subject in general and heartbreaking. A couple hard scenes. Sadly, I'm reading Netflix pulled it out last year (damn! it appears to happen to every series I like.. 'Trust Me' was cancelled, though I have to say I haven't watched season 2). There appears to be a site to watch it, if you type 'where to watch' (I tested it and it plays perfectly and smoothly from a browser, in Russian, with English subtitles :) [UPD: it appears to be paid after all.. (if affordable) after a while.. , but at least lets you check it out really well]). Edited by Machinemessiah - March 17 2021 at 09:22 |
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Morningrise
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Joined: March 18 2009 Location: Buenos Aires Status: Offline Points: 2766 |
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Posted: March 17 2021 at 17:25 |
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My favourite dramatic tv show of the last decade must be The Americans. It ranks right up there with my 3 favorite tv shows of all time (Sopranos, Twin Peaks, Six Feet Under).
Honorable mentions go to Hannibal, Fargo and Daredevil (does a superhero show qualify as tv drama? I don't know) Out of the ones mentioned in the op, I do enjoy Black Mirror pretty much (although it's not a show I could binge for hours) Chernobyl was really good. Stranger Things 1st season was great. The 2nd one was a step down and pretty derivative of the 1st. The 3rd one was horrid and I don't even think I'm going to bother watching the 4th. Edited by Morningrise - March 17 2021 at 17:29 |
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