Quiara
Grade School
Posts: 775
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Post by Quiara on Sept 7, 2019 18:35:44 GMT -8
Well, I just called The Americans the "best show of the decade" which means I've triggered the lightning round: what are the best shows of the decade?
And as a subquestion, since "streaming shows" weren't a thing pre-2010s: How, on the whole, do they stack up versus their cable and network counterparts?
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Post by Zarnium on Sept 8, 2019 7:16:50 GMT -8
I mean, Steins;Gate.
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 8, 2019 8:08:40 GMT -8
Not only is The Americans not the best show of the decade, it isn't even the best show of the decade on its own network.
Re: the second question, the best streaming shows tend to be ones with half-hour episodes. Although that's becoming more and more true with networks/cable as well. Haven't been impressed by most of the hourlong streaming dramas.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 8, 2019 15:46:32 GMT -8
Zarnium has excellent taste. I think I'll be ready to answer this in December-when Jeremy inevitably publishes his 'best shows of the decade' list. You're the Worst, Terriers, Justified, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, first few seasons of Archer. Am I missing anything this decade? The Americans was well-done, but nothing that stuck out to me as something truly special. It was also one of those shows where I remember moments being really good, but rarely were episodes spellbinding start to finish. In terms of craft, it's very strong (not in Season 5 though). I'm rambling, and I apologize. Freud, good to hear from you. Glad to know that you haven't disappeared off the face of the Critically-Touched planet (what is the Critically Touched planet called anyway?). |
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 8, 2019 16:11:44 GMT -8
You're the Worst, Terriers, Justified, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, first few seasons of Archer. Am I missing anything this decade? The Americans was well-done, but nothing that stuck out to me as something truly special. It was also one of those shows where I remember moments being really good, but rarely were episodes spellbinding start to finish. In terms of craft, it's very strong (not in Season 5 though). I'm rambling, and I apologize. Actually, I'd probably put The Americans ahead of all of those shows (even Sunny, which had many of its best episodes in the 2000s). But there are still 2-3 other FX shows from this decade that I'd put above it. (I'll get back to you about the planet thing.) |
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Post by Zarnium on Sept 8, 2019 17:01:20 GMT -8
Have you watched Steins;Gate, Flame?
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 8, 2019 21:33:26 GMT -8
Have you watched Steins;Gate, Flame? I have, recently. It's a masterpiece of the highest order. |
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Post by Zarnium on Sept 9, 2019 4:37:44 GMT -8
Ooh, you've got to pop in to the Steins;Gate thread and drop your impressions, then.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 9, 2019 6:23:01 GMT -8
Ooh, you've got to pop in to the Steins;Gate thread and drop your impressions, then. I definitely will. One of these days. It's so good. I was going to change my avatar to Rintarou, but then I remembered you had already done that. So I went with Merlin instead. |
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Post by otherscott on Sept 9, 2019 7:56:10 GMT -8
I think the big advantage of The Americans over those other FX shows is that they had 5 really good seasons (and one miss) compared to the four main contenders I'd have for that title of best FX show of the decade having only 2 each.
That being said, my personal best show of the decade only has 3 seasons, only 2 of which are of really very top tier quality, so I may be a bit hypocritical in that regard.
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Quiara
Grade School
Posts: 775
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Post by Quiara on Sept 9, 2019 8:07:05 GMT -8
I think the big advantage of The Americans over those other FX shows is that they had 5 really good seasons (and one miss) compared to the four main contenders I'd have for that title of best FX show of the decade having only 2 each. That being said, my personal best show of the decade only has 3 seasons, only 2 of which are of really very top tier quality, so I may be a bit hypocritical in that regard. Your favorite show of the decade is American Crime!?!? Stop being so ambiguous, Scott! |
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Post by Jeremy on Sept 9, 2019 8:28:20 GMT -8
No, no, he's obviously talking about Fargo. (I mean, he'd better be.)
I've argued in the past that The Americans has two really good seasons (2 & 4), so I don't know if the quantity argument would work for me anyway. (Of course, the sustainability problem goes far beyond FX. The number of dramas I watched this decade with three or more great seasons is... probably in the single digits.)
In any case, not sure why everyone is so obsessed about the best TV shows of the decade. What we need to discuss, obviously, are the best TV shows of the lustrum.
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Post by Freudian Vampire on Sept 9, 2019 11:47:04 GMT -8
Not the kind of opinion I would have given back when I was a regular on here, but I'm pretty sure the best TV show of the decade is Bojack Horseman.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Sept 9, 2019 12:16:34 GMT -8
Not the kind of opinion I would have given back when I was a regular on here, but I'm pretty sure the best TV show of the decade is Bojack Horseman. That's in my top 5. Probably top 3. |
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Post by otherscott on Sept 9, 2019 12:42:40 GMT -8
I would say it's very close to my Top 5 as well, FV. Definitely top 10.
I think my top show of the decade could be figured out fairly easily but I will leave it in suspense for now.
In terms of The Americans, I wasn't even really talking about great seasons. I think there's only other one FX show I watched this decade that has more than 2 above average seasons. (Justified) I kind of agree with Jeremy that there are only two Americans seasons I find great, except I think it's Season 2 and Season 6 rather than Season 4.
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