Comments on: TV series http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:18:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5737 Eugenia Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:07:55 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5737 Yeah, I was thinking earlier that "The Truman Show" is pretty close in the overall "The Prisoner" story and allegory. Yeah, I was thinking earlier that “The Truman Show” is pretty close in the overall “The Prisoner” story and allegory.

]]> By: michael reed http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5736 michael reed Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:53:48 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5736 As others have said, The Prisoner is great. One of the great 60s shows that is still very watchable. In addition to the adventure elements of the series, it contains some clever social commentary. There are even a few in-references to it in the Truman show. As others have said, The Prisoner is great. One of the great 60s shows that is still very watchable. In addition to the adventure elements of the series, it contains some clever social commentary.

There are even a few in-references to it in the Truman show.

]]> By: Jim http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5735 Jim Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:28:12 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5735 The prisoner was very good, you have to remember this is during the cold war and movies like James Bond, shows like Get Smart, Man from U.N.C.L.E. and I SPY that had Bill Cosby as the side kick, but in a serious role, so African Americans were getting parts besides being servants and pimps and with high tech, I had a transistor radio get this you could listen to music with a device that fit in your pocket and had ear buds! Instead of a big cabinet filled with glass tubes on high fidelity AM radio. So the prisoner put forth the idea is how do these secret agents retire? If they retire, then the enemy (meaning the Ruskees) could capture them and learn our secrets (like how the music comes out of a little speaker on the transistor radio) or in general the threat of retired agents posed willingly or not, so we see this community on the sea, that has invisable electronic fencing and is a battle of wits between the captors and the former secret agent and we really don't know who is the captors, the English or the Ruskees. Lots of comedy in it as well. I think it holds up well as does the Avenger with Diana Rigg, I think the first couple of years with that gal that was Pussy Galore on Goldfinger is more like a stage production with video, I am guessing but by the time Diana Rigg came round on the 3rd season it was filmed and it looks great even now. Watch out for robots and giant toys The prisoner was very good, you have to remember this is during the cold war and movies like James Bond, shows like Get Smart, Man from U.N.C.L.E. and I SPY that had Bill Cosby as the side kick, but in a serious role, so African Americans were getting parts besides being servants and pimps and with high tech, I had a transistor radio get this you could listen to music with a device that fit in your pocket and had ear buds! Instead of a big cabinet filled with glass tubes on high fidelity AM radio.
So the prisoner put forth the idea is how do these secret agents retire? If they retire, then the enemy (meaning the Ruskees) could capture them and learn our secrets (like how the music comes out of a little speaker on the transistor radio) or in general the threat of retired agents posed willingly or not, so we see this community on the sea, that has invisable electronic fencing and is a battle of wits between the captors and the former secret agent and we really don’t know who is the captors, the English or the Ruskees.
Lots of comedy in it as well. I think it holds up well as does the Avenger with Diana Rigg, I think the first couple of years with that gal that was Pussy Galore on Goldfinger is more like a stage production with video, I am guessing but by the time Diana Rigg came round on the 3rd season it was filmed and it looks great even now. Watch out for robots and giant toys

]]> By: memson http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5729 memson Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:37:31 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5729 <a href="http://www.spiders.ie/pm/trav-portmeirion.html" rel="nofollow">Port Merrion</a>, where the Prisoner was filmed, still exists. It's in North Wales somewhere. I went there as a teenager some time in the '80's - my parents were getting all excited, because they were in their 20's in the '60's when the Prisoner was on TV. Never seen it, never really wanted to. The Avengers was good. Especially the black and white era. The "new" Avengers is tripe. Blakes 7 is worth watching. Very good. "Snubbed", "snobbed" is nonsensical - a "snob" is a stuck up person or rich aloof and looks down on poorer people. Port Merrion, where the Prisoner was filmed, still exists. It’s in North Wales somewhere. I went there as a teenager some time in the ’80’s - my parents were getting all excited, because they were in their 20’s in the ’60’s when the Prisoner was on TV. Never seen it, never really wanted to.

The Avengers was good. Especially the black and white era. The “new” Avengers is tripe.

Blakes 7 is worth watching. Very good.

“Snubbed”, “snobbed” is nonsensical - a “snob” is a stuck up person or rich aloof and looks down on poorer people.

]]> By: Jim http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5728 Jim Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:41:40 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5728 This is so amazing to me Twin Peaks was literally made in my neighborhood and at my workplace so it is always so strange to watch it because of that. I used to live across the street from the diner and I worked at the police station and I lived a few blocks from the trailer park. So if you get out your maps of the Seattle area, look for North Bend, Wa and that is where the cafe, it is now called the "Mar T" and they used to advertise about being in twin peaks but no longer. Then find Redmond east of Seattle, home to a big software company and my grandfather was its first dentist (was a small town in the sticks until mid 70's) go further east and find Fall City, WA that is where the trailer park is, then go a little more east (stop and see Snoqualmie Falls, to the town of Snoqualmie and the closed down Snoqualmie Lumber Mill Offices is the police station, If I remember right as well, they used the exterior of the old hotel/cafe (whorehouse in the old days) and the interior of the Ioof hall for a dance hall in Fall City as well. They used some old people from the Senior Center for a court scene and most of them were friends of mine and so I get a bit nostalgic, they were really old and I was much younger. So I never got into the drama of twin peaks it was too surreal when your home is a movie set. Then it is weird because in editing they jumble the streets, so you take a left turn and then you are in another town, pretty weird! I used to watch the prisioner with my father when I was young, also the avengers. I always thought the writing was more creative then what we had in the US I spy, Mission Impossible, ok, except that show, they were very clever This is so amazing to me Twin Peaks was literally made in my neighborhood and at my workplace so it is always so strange to watch it because of that. I used to live across the street from the diner and I worked at the police station and I lived a few blocks from the trailer park. So if you get out your maps of the Seattle area, look for North Bend, Wa and that is where the cafe, it is now called the “Mar T” and they used to advertise about being in twin peaks but no longer. Then find Redmond east of Seattle, home to a big software company and my grandfather was its first dentist (was a small town in the sticks until mid 70’s) go further east and find Fall City, WA that is where the trailer park is, then go a little more east (stop and see Snoqualmie Falls, to the town of Snoqualmie and the closed down Snoqualmie Lumber Mill Offices is the police station, If I remember right as well, they used the exterior of the old hotel/cafe (whorehouse in the old days) and the interior of the Ioof hall for a dance hall in Fall City as well.
They used some old people from the Senior Center for a court scene and most of them were friends of mine and so I get a bit nostalgic, they were really old and I was much younger.
So I never got into the drama of twin peaks it was too surreal when your home is a movie set. Then it is weird because in editing they jumble the streets, so you take a left turn and then you are in another town, pretty weird!
I used to watch the prisioner with my father when I was young, also the avengers. I always thought the writing was more creative then what we had in the US I spy, Mission Impossible, ok, except that show, they were very clever

]]> By: tante http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5723 tante Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:19:55 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5723 The Firefly novel is a great read, it's written in a style that matches the original series quite well and has a great story. Plus since it plays before the movie, Wash is still there. It's ~180 pages with not too much text so it won't take more than an afternoon to real it. The Firefly novel is a great read, it’s written in a style that matches the original series quite well and has a great story. Plus since it plays before the movie, Wash is still there.

It’s ~180 pages with not too much text so it won’t take more than an afternoon to real it.

]]> By: Bruce http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5722 Bruce Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:11:50 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5722 I watched every episode of the prisoner when first came out.(I dont know if it ever repeated..would have liked to have watched it again if it had) I never was sure what it was all about. The viewer had to interpret what he or she thought it was going on. Participatory Television..imagine that! I fear a remake would only spoil it. I watched every episode of the prisoner when first came out.(I dont know if it ever repeated..would have liked to have watched it again if it had)

I never was sure what it was all about. The viewer had to interpret what he or she thought it was going on.

Participatory Television..imagine that!

I fear a remake would only spoil it.

]]> By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5719 Eugenia Mon, 11 Feb 2008 10:46:03 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5719 Which is why Lost has an end date, thankfully. As for Twin Peaks, David Lynch apparently wanted the show keep on going too, but obviously this was a series that should not have had more than 16 episodes overall. Which is why Lost has an end date, thankfully. As for Twin Peaks, David Lynch apparently wanted the show keep on going too, but obviously this was a series that should not have had more than 16 episodes overall.

]]> By: Luis http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5718 Luis Mon, 11 Feb 2008 10:41:17 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5718 Twin Peaks is one of the last series I remember watching on TV. At the time it was something really new and amazing. Today it probably won't look as new obviously, but it's still worth watching. First because the first episodes are really nice, and then because it shows the problem with TV shows: they are always artificially long to be able to make them profitable. For me, TV shows of this kind should not last more than 8-10 episodes, and the other kind where each episode is more or less independent should not last more than 2-3 seasons. But for TV executives the mantra is "as long as people watch it, keep it going", which means that until people are not really tired of it and it's become really bad (fans will watch it even when it's been bad for a long time, just on the hope that it will get better again or to see the finale), they won't kill it. It's sad from an artistic point of view, really. Twin Peaks is one of the last series I remember watching on TV. At the time it was something really new and amazing. Today it probably won’t look as new obviously, but it’s still worth watching. First because the first episodes are really nice, and then because it shows the problem with TV shows: they are always artificially long to be able to make them profitable.

For me, TV shows of this kind should not last more than 8-10 episodes, and the other kind where each episode is more or less independent should not last more than 2-3 seasons. But for TV executives the mantra is “as long as people watch it, keep it going”, which means that until people are not really tired of it and it’s become really bad (fans will watch it even when it’s been bad for a long time, just on the hope that it will get better again or to see the finale), they won’t kill it. It’s sad from an artistic point of view, really.

]]> By: Eugenia http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5717 Eugenia Mon, 11 Feb 2008 10:24:14 +0000 http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/02/10/tv-series/#comment-5717 According to Wikipedia it was written in a hurry, in a few days... so I wouldn't expect the end to be very good. :) According to Wikipedia it was written in a hurry, in a few days… so I wouldn’t expect the end to be very good. :)

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