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Just wondering what everyone here watches. Personally I watch Fox News, Ghost Hunters, the Travel Channel's Haunted Travels, the Samantha Brown show, Great Hotels, the history channel when it has anything about the colonial days in the U.S., loved the George Washington series, and the Girls Next Door.

Barb e (Barb e), Sunday, 10 September 2006 21:35 (eighteen years ago) link

I almost completely stoppped watching TV about 2 years ago, but being in Japan I rediscovered some American TV shows. Now I like ER (I always feel shaken and anxious afterwards, but somehow I get off on that), CSI (but only Las Vegas), Desperate Housewives (my guilty pleasure soap opera - I think I like observing an economy that runs entirely on blackmail), South Park, and sometimes Saturday Night Live. My guiltiest pleasures are Judge Judy and the People's Court, and Maury. At work, my eyes pop from CNN to Fox News, but without audio, closed captioning only.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 11 September 2006 02:25 (eighteen years ago) link

I've been keeping up with Rockstar Supernova (im fascinated by singing). I like to catch various Adult Swim cartoons when I can, like Venture Bros, Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Harvey Birdman Attourney at Law.

I share your reactions for stuff like ER, Matt. Personally I really enjoy Grey's Anatomy.

I've become a lot more emotional about things I see on tv, read in books, and hear in music. I cried listening to Andre Agassi's words to the audience after his last tennis match, and I havent followed his career for very long at all.

My guilty pleasures would be the top 100 lists they crank out on E. I also watch alot of music video top 10's and 50's where they order the lists according to votes - those can be interesting.

Sam Grayson (Sam Grayson), Monday, 11 September 2006 11:05 (eighteen years ago) link

I used to watch E, until I realised it stood for "Evil". Sam, save yourself ... before you become one of them.

Some of Adult Swim's original programming is pretty sweet. Family Guy seems to improve with each season, and I like how Venture Brothers just keeps getting crazier and crazier without sacrificing any of the funny.

Daily Show is still a favourite, despite alot of its best known players leaving. Comedy Central's stand-up comics are usually fun to watch but there's not much else on that channel since Chappelle left (and rightly so, from what I've heard). Drawn Together, however, is great. It's really, really stupid in the most joyus of ways. And reruns of South Park from up until about a year ago = comedy gold.

Simpsons is still good. Not much to say here since it hasn't gotten any better or worse in the years I've been watching.

Food Network has some good stuff on, although alot of their shows try way to hard to be trendy.

National Geographic Channel is kind of a mixed bag. They can go from "educational but fun" to "exploitative reality trash" in the blink of an eye. Their tornado documentaries are usually entertaining and non-sadistic, and they show alot of quality "let's follow around deadly animals" stuff.

Science Channel, baby. Science Channel. Less than half the exploitation you get on National Geographic, Discovery and TLC, with NONE of the home decorating! It's totally worth the price of digital cable. Discovery Times is also interesting, lots of "ancient mystery" stuff (god damn, I LOVE Pyramids, Mummies and Tombs).

My guilty pleasure: anything on G4. All of their original programming is godawful, and I think they know it given how aggressively they've been pimping the Star Trek reruns. On the other hand, they do show alot of clips from video games that look cool but I'll never be able to play since I can't afford a new console. Plus, Blair Butler is funny.

Another guilty pleasure would be Anime Network. They actually have some pretty decent shows, but their specialty is bad shows that for some reason I can't stop watching.

Just as an aside, is the term "guilty pleasure" meant to be taken literally? If you like something, why feel guilty even if you know it sucks?

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Monday, 11 September 2006 17:38 (eighteen years ago) link

For me, it's not that it sucks, it's that it's extremely popular in a way I don't usually identify with, and maybe the show is a little conventional or simplistic. And I suppose I don't really feel guilty about it, either -- it's just my way of saying it's in a different ballpark than Aeon Flux, for example, which I consider to be art and not just a TV show. Is Desperate Housewives art? No, probably not. I just consider it an elaborate soap opera. But I do think it's extremely well made and enjoyable.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:01 (eighteen years ago) link

By the way, I can't imagine getting the same sick feeling I get after watching ER when it comes to Gray's Anatomy... the latter is slick and bubbly, with those "touching moments" here and there. ER, I get a masochistic, depressing pleasure from. There's no "moral of the story" voice over in ER. (Can you tell I'm not a big fan of Gray's Anatomy?)

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 11 September 2006 18:04 (eighteen years ago) link

I've never even seen Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy but I'd probably hate them. However, I don't think that hating a show makes it "not art". The way I see it even something as stupid Plan 9 From Outer Space is art, just really shitty art from my point of view. Nothing's wrong with dissing a show/movie/book you don't like but saying "it's not art" seems wrong. That's like saying "______ is subhuman" just because you hate ______. And please, do not take this as a personal affront and turn this thread into troll hell; just stating an opinion.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Monday, 11 September 2006 19:36 (eighteen years ago) link

Well, I'm not really equating "not art" with "I hate this". I love Desperate Housewives, but though it's technically very well-made, I just can't call it art. That doesn't mean I'm calling it a subhuman, worthless piece of media, it just means that I don't think it's the work of an artist who is trying to express some personal reaction to the human condition (or whatever your definition of art is). Now, here and there you might find a somewhat more artistic episode or scene, but all in all it's just pulp pleasure. To me, stuff like ER seems slightly more in the "art" direction, but not by much.

Summary: not all media needs to be art to be considered good, and non artistic media is not necessarily bad or unpleasant to watch.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 11 September 2006 22:20 (eighteen years ago) link

I think you misunderstood me. I have a very loose definition of what makes something "art". Infomercials and reality shows (I don't watch them anymore but I'll never be able to wash away the shame) are art to me. The keyboard I'm typing on is, in a way, a work of art. I guess we just have different ideas of what makes something art. In my experience everybody has their own unique way of defining whether or not something has artistic value so that's not a bad thing.

This thread has mutated insanely. Maybe a submarine could save it.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Tuesday, 12 September 2006 02:28 (eighteen years ago) link

I’m one of those people who will watch almost anything cartoon. I was watching P.B and J otter, and crap like that in high school. I still like Kim Possible and some of Disney’s better programming.
The grim adventures of Billy and Mandy is a good show, and Avatar: The last Air-bender is simply excellent. I’m very proud of Nick for that.
I like HOUSE, and BONES. Daily show is good, but I watch it mostly in short bursts for some reason. Get my Jon Stewart fix. South Park, of course. Some sitcoms, like Will and Grace, and Malcolm in the Middle. Then adult swim. Anything they put out is usually at least somewhat entertaining. I do like the Venture Brothers, very original show. Some VH1 stuff, and I watch MTV when I am exceptionally bored and don’t feel bad about wasting my time on crap like Next, and whatever other crap they usually have playing.
What happened to MTV anyway? All they do now is try to dazzle pre-teens with repetitive drama, famous people, and mediocre soft-core porn. Oh, but I heard they bought the rights to Aachi and Ssipak, which probably means that they learned from AS that intelligent programming CAN be profitable, and are going to give it another go. Should be cool.
And yes, STARGATE SG-1!! Heh, good stuff.

Josh Aldridge (Josh Aldridge), Tuesday, 12 September 2006 20:51 (eighteen years ago) link

Arrested Development, and now it's cancelled.

It seems all my favorite shows are cancelled - Aeon Flux, Absolutely Fabulous, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Strangers with Candy, Upright Citizen's Brigade...

And I do love Ghost Hunters and South Park, of course. Not to mention The Colbert Report.

Anthoyn (fabhappyfruit), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 19:39 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh man, I totally forgot about Upright Citizens Brigade! That show was so, so good -- I got the season 1 DVD as a christmas present last year and enjoyed the hell out of it. The commentary has some of the funniest shit I've ever heard (it's not constant but it's there). Hoping they'll release the second and third seasons on DVD, I'd love to hear what the actors/writers have to say about the "Technology" episode in particular.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 20:36 (eighteen years ago) link

Aw c'mon, the last season episode of Grey's Anatomy was really sad! I thought they presented some very distressing situations in the last season finale. But yeah the show is slick and bubbly for sure. ER is more heavy handed in a slick way. Its gritty and intense, and I often get a visceral response from it. Both shows give me a sort of emotional fix, one on a more feminine level, the other masculine.

Sam Grayson (Sam Grayson), Thursday, 14 September 2006 02:14 (eighteen years ago) link

Sam, you've got a point... Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives have that same "OMG will they finally get together?!" soap-opera vibe going on, so I really can't fault the former. Even ER has its cycles of incestual workplace romances, I guess I just like the way they handle it. Mostly the show seems pretty pessimistic, and that fits with the anxious, depressing fix I get from it.


(It doesn't help that I once fell in love with a medical intern who now works in an ER in Chicago -- bad memories mix with what's on the screen, and just end up making it worse -- and because of that, for some reason, better viewing.)

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Thursday, 14 September 2006 02:53 (eighteen years ago) link

Sam, I don't get how "gritty" = "masculine" and "bubbly" = "feminine". Did that just come out wrong or is that actually how you feel?

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Thursday, 14 September 2006 19:42 (eighteen years ago) link

I finally got around to finishing watching Gankutsuou, Mahiro Maeda's animated series of the Count of Monte Cristo.... IN SPACE!!

Maeda had asked me back when we finished Animatrix if I'd be up for directing episodes. I declined, being unsure of what he had in mind. Having seen it, I know now, but I really don't know what I might have contributed, since the show has such a distinctive directorial approach.
It was nice getting hooked on an animated show again. Highly recommended.

Peter Chung (Peter Chung), Friday, 15 September 2006 23:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Ashley, I don't mean to say that it can't be feminine to appreciate grittiness, and its not masculine to appreciate bubbliness. It's just that my feminine and masculine sides, as far as I understand them, tend to divide on which of the two shows is more emotionally satisfying.

I've begun watching Gankutsuou. I realy enjoy its surreal intense and unhinged use of patterns and colours in combination with the formality and composure presented in its depiction of a(1800's reminiscent? - my history sucks) high culture.

Sam Grayson (Sam Grayson), Saturday, 16 September 2006 09:47 (eighteen years ago) link

Man, I love this. Lots of stuff to check out via recommendations. Peter, the idea of Gankutsuou, Count of Monte Cristo in space is both intriguing and hilarious. If you got hooked on it it must be something, gonna check that one out.

Anthoyn I loved Buffy too, so disappointed she didn't do the movie. Terrible loss as far as I'm concerned. South Park is good I wish they'd leave off the gross stuff, I really think it would be a better show. I know those guys think if it's offensive it's on the edge but I just like his characters. I wish they'd do them just like cute kids vs the crazy world they live in up there in Colorado, lol.

Love Taps, glad Brian is back.

Barb e (Barb e), Saturday, 16 September 2006 16:24 (eighteen years ago) link

http://verdantmug.blogspot.com/

The "ninjettes" stuff is from my recent animated commercial for S*ny Br*via

Peter Chung (Peter Chung), Saturday, 16 September 2006 17:10 (eighteen years ago) link

"I know those guys think if it's offensive it's on the edge ..."

Yeah, there has been alot of that lately. In the beginning, they didn't seem to care about being "edgy" or offensive just for the sake of being offensive; instead, they seemed to enjoy the simple pleasures of really dirty jokes mixed in with intelligent satire, both of which I deeply appreciate. Now it's become obvious they're just being as gross and controversial as they can be to get attention. It's a sign they're running out of good ideas.


As for the "ninjettes" thing, IT LOOKS AWESOME. Can't wait to see the full version.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Saturday, 16 September 2006 17:57 (eighteen years ago) link

Peter, the pencil test looks great as always. I'm always amazed at how good you can make something so simple or meaningless, like a commercial, look. You really seem to put your best into everything.

As far as South Park, I don't think they've changed substantially. They've always been attention-getting for the sake of it, disgusting, and sharp. Of course, some episodes are always better than others.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Sunday, 17 September 2006 03:00 (eighteen years ago) link

"As far as South Park, I don't think they've changed substantially. They've always been attention-getting for the sake of it ..."

... And that's where we disagree. For me, the earlier episodes were all about having fun with pop culture and shit jokes, and the recent episodes are all about blatant attention-whoring and preaching at the audience. I am glad you can still enjoy them (not being sarcastic here, I really am envious that it's still a good show in your eyes) and since all art is 100% subjective, the show isn't really one way or the other -- it's all just how each of us sees it.

Don't take this personally but I'm now sick to death of talking about South Park and am going to stop.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Sunday, 17 September 2006 04:29 (eighteen years ago) link

It reminds me of the case of George Lucas... a friend of mine hates the new Star Wars trilogy because it seems so different, more cartoony than the old trilogy. I argue (like Lucas does, I think) that that's the sort of thing he always intended, and now that he has the means, he's done it the way it always should have been.

With Southpark, they probably always wanted to do the kind of preachy, over-the-top episodes they've been doing lately, but didn't want to risk it early on because they weren't established, or weren't comfortable enough with the medium yet. But that's just a guess.

Aeon Flux seems to be almost the opposite sort of phenomenon... Started out as sensationalistic as possible, untested, and got "tamer" and more subtle maybe as the series went on.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Sunday, 17 September 2006 06:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Thats interesting about Star Wars. That the directors limited ability to accurately portray his vision led to films that are, at least debatably, better than what he achieved 'with' the ability to accurately portray his vision.

I think that an important part of being an artist is being able to recognise when results outside of ones origninal vision are worth using (I think David Lynch them as "wonderful accidents"). Although I don't want to necessarily fault George Lucas's ability and conviction in terms of finally achieving what he'd always envisioned. Considering the obvious pressure of his position that seems quite respectable.

Sam Grayson (Sam Grayson), Sunday, 17 September 2006 10:10 (eighteen years ago) link

Hey another anime series that I think was brilliant, is Paranoia Agent.

Check review: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/reviews/display.php?id=654

Sam Grayson (Sam Grayson), Sunday, 17 September 2006 10:17 (eighteen years ago) link

Last night my brother came over with a copy he made of an old tv show, Kung Fu (starring David Carridine), they're evidently playing the series once a week on some cable channel I don't get. The episode starred Nancy Kwan, the actress from The world of Susie Wong. I've seen the series on Ebay going for ridiculous amounts, 13 episodes for like two hundred dollars. I'd like to see the series but I'm not wealthy enough, lol. I've not seen the series but heard about it.

Carridine is the guy from Kill Bill. He's just great. Kinda wish they'd play Kung Fu on a more commonly watched cable channel. I don't think tv has to be 'now' to be recognized for quality. You don't go to an art museum and appreciate work from only the last two years or so.

Barb e (Barb e), Sunday, 17 September 2006 18:13 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh yeah, Paranoia Agent was fucking brilliant. Have you seen the version with subtitles? I've only seen the dub they played on Adult Swim, and even with the crappy voice acting it was fascinating. Just a thought: why do you think english dubs of anime are so awful? Is it just a really low-paying, thankless job or what? And don't say "Japan just has better voice actors" because that's untrue and a little racist.


@ Matt: you said "Aeon Flux ... Started out as sensationalistic as possible, untested, and got 'tamer' and more subtle maybe as the series went on."

And I have to disagree with you there, too. There was alot of subtlety in the early episodes (how do you pack that much information into such a short period of time without being very good at subtlety?), and I don't see how the later episodes were any tamer. In fact, "sensationalistic" isn't a word I'd use to describe the series at all. Sure it's over-the-top (in a good, intentional way), dramatic and exciting, and the early episodes are extremely fast-paced, but "sensationalistic"?

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Sunday, 17 September 2006 18:57 (eighteen years ago) link

"Hey another anime series that I think was brilliant, is Paranoia Agent."

All of Satosi Kon's work is brilliant. I would highly recommend Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, and Tokyo Godparents.

Peter, the pencil tests look excellent. I couldn’t imagine what you could possibly be advertising though. I’m assuming it has something to do with the logo on his chest? Anyways, NEAT!!!

Josh Aldridge (Josh Aldridge), Sunday, 17 September 2006 22:30 (eighteen years ago) link

The Aeon Flux pilot episode (the first segment) was about the most deliberately sensationalistic thing I can think of. By this, I mean it was extremely over-the-top, in a way that was meant to draw attention to the parody of action movies that it was pulling off. That first season was created, I think, to attract peoples' attentions, grab them, and make them wonder what was going on (this is exactly what it did to me, years ago -- gave me a reason to stop channel-flipping). I'd call that sensationalism, personally. But I think it had a purpose here, and it worked.


I'm not using "sensationalism" as a pejorative, by the way. From the way you worded your response, I'm assuming you think it is?

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 18 September 2006 03:11 (eighteen years ago) link

"That first season was created, I think, to attract peoples' attentions, grab them, and make them wonder what was going on ..."

Do you think of the pilot/first season as being advertisements for the later episodes, or am I reading you wrong?

"I'm not using 'sensationalism' as a pejorative, by the way. From the way you worded your response, I'm assuming you think it is?"

No, actually I interperated your attitude as neutral. I don't know you, but you don't seem like the kind of person to make snide remarks about a show in the forum dedicated to said show. In fact, you seem like a nice guy; I just disagree with you about alot of things.

My feelings are that there was just as much depth to those first few episodes as in the third season, possibly more so given that so much was communicated in such a small amount of time. I really like the third season, but the episodes without dialogue are my current favourites because of the creativity it took to show, rather than tell, an interesting story. There was also alot of insight into the characters' personalities that was shown via their reactions to and interactions with the other characters in the episode -- dialogue added some more depth, but it was a more conventional method of doing so. For me, seeing how you can tell a story without words is, in itself, entertainment, not to mention the depth of the actual stories being told. All the sex and explosions were just icing on the cake.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Monday, 18 September 2006 11:40 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh yeah, I agree with you for the most part... The early episodes are not just advertising what was to come, they were works in and of themselves, and very subtle, you're right. I just think the first season was consciously trying to use extreme violence and sex to get the viewer's attention. But this seems to have been dropped by the time of the third season. That's all I'm saying. I'm not trying to start a fight or anything.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 18 September 2006 14:39 (eighteen years ago) link

I can see Matt's point. The first of AF were more sensational, if you want to call it that. I got to thinking, what was the order of the episodes? Was War the first? War was pretty sensational, and the idea of an anti-war message these days is really out of kilter with things. I was listening to some old music the other day, (the Beatles White Album to be exact), and thinking how strange, the country used to be fashionably peace-oriented and now the movies are all about violence, they seem to love violence. War, even though it was about violence was an effort to make one think about it.

I didn't get to see the shorts as they were first aired. I joined in when they were into the full blown episodes, and then saw them out of order as MTV was playing havoc with the schedule anyway. They used to come on at 3:am and I was staying up all hours just to see them. But I did get the sense the earlier ones were more sensationally oriented, I see where Matt is coming from.

Barb e (Barb e), Monday, 18 September 2006 15:48 (eighteen years ago) link

"I just think the first season was consciously trying to use extreme violence and sex to get the viewer's attention. But this seems to have been dropped by the time of the third season."

All right, I think I understand what you're saying now. And I still disagree. However, since this is getting us nowhere, let's just leave it at that.

"I'm not trying to start a fight or anything."

It's been pretty obvious since the beginning of this conversation that I have no interest in fighting with you.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Monday, 18 September 2006 17:30 (eighteen years ago) link

Barb, the first season consisted of the pilot episode of about 12 minutes, cut into 6 sections I think. War was one of the second season shorts, I think the last one before the third season (the talkies).

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 18 September 2006 20:29 (eighteen years ago) link

I didn't know the first season was a pilot, huh. Cut into 6 sections, that's news to me. Are the episodes in order on the dvd? One thing about War, Aeon is drawn in what seems to be a better style, her lipstick is pink, she looks good.

Barb e (Barb e), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 16:30 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah Barb, I'm pretty sure the season 1 episodes are in order on the DVD, spliced together to form a single Pilot just like on the tapes. And I agree that Aeon is drawn really, really awesomely in War. Her face is sharp but very elegant and there's a graceful, fluid style to her body movements, almost like swirling smoke. I generally love the design of all the characters in the early part of the series, and I don't think that level of visual quality was matched very often in the talkies. The only third season episode I think looked that beautiful was "The Purge" (one of the many reasons I love it so much; it's also got all the surreal psychological creepiness of the first two seasons plus great dialog). Here's some screenshots:

From "Mirror" (a.k.a. "Night"), 2nd season

From the Pilot episode (I think)

From "The Purge", 3rd season

In my opinion, they are all equally badass. Love that freaky perspective in the "Purge" shot -- and never noticed the guy in the background with the "what the fuck?" expression on his face. You notice something new every day.


In more genaric TV-related news, I've just started re-watching Babylon 5 (we taped the entire series when it was run on TNT a few years ago). The first season makes it seem like just another unremarkable slice of cheese but they've already started dropping hints of what's to come. If you've only seen the first season and have already decided you don't like it, I recommend you stick it out awhile. It does get better. So much better.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 16:33 (eighteen years ago) link

Thanks for putting these up. Man the one from the pilot episode is just outrageous.

Great work there, guys falling all around her in space., that stance of hers, sleek elegance, the look I really love. Movements like smoke, that way she moved really caught your eye. Cat like.

Barb e (Barb e), Friday, 22 September 2006 03:43 (eighteen years ago) link

Well, if you mean "put them up on my website" then I can't take credit for that. They're from dvdrama.net, cyberpunkreview.com and punkasspunk.com respectively. That's why I linked to them instead of just embedding them -- because hotlinking is bad, m'kay?

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Friday, 22 September 2006 07:58 (eighteen years ago) link

Sorry to double-post (can't edit) but just wanted to point out that Aeon is drawn very nicely in parts of "Ether Drift Theory", too.

Here's a screenshot, also from punkasspunk.com

Unfortunately, there were scenes in that episode that featured some of the ugliest animation of the whole series. So uneven, but one I like nonetheless.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Friday, 22 September 2006 08:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Aren't those links to screenshots you're sharing "hotlinked"?

Out of curiosity, I'm wondering what people thought of this version of Aeon? Is this an example of what you'd consider "ugly"? As I've mentioned, I'm currently thinking about how to revamp her design.

Ether Drift screenshot

Peter Chung (Peter Chung), Friday, 22 September 2006 20:15 (eighteen years ago) link

That shot, Peter, also reminds me of the look she had in much of "Thanatophobia". It's okay, it's expressive somehow, but I prefer her as she looked in "Isthmus Crypticus" and "The Purge". Another good look, though different, was in "Chronophasia". The only time I ever really considered her ugly was in stuff like "Reraizure". I hope that helps, let me know if you need clarification.

So, does this mean you're revamping not just her costume or hair, but the style that she's drawn in?

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Friday, 22 September 2006 21:41 (eighteen years ago) link

I imagine it must be very difficult to reinvent Aeon's look after so much thought when in to her first appearance. I think her hair curls are the most recognizable feature. I do agree she looked better in some episodes than others. I really like the way she looked in the shorts overall.

JCrane (Cranes), Saturday, 23 September 2006 01:27 (eighteen years ago) link

I always enjoyed seeing Aeon in her more elegant or casual outfits, such as the dress or the sweater in "A Last Time for Everything". Although I realize that it wasn't necessarily the "real" Aeon who would wear those, I like seeing those sides of Aeon (even if she wouldn't like us to see them). We've seen plenty of Aeon on the warpath, her hair primed for ideological battles. I'd like to see a little more of her tender moments (if she has any), when she lets her hair down.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Saturday, 23 September 2006 01:32 (eighteen years ago) link

"Aren't those links to screenshots you're sharing 'hotlinked'?"

No, linking to the images is okay. Embedding the images in the post, however, is wrong because that means that whenever people look at the thread, they're automatically loading the picture, which uses the bandwidth of the site the picture is on more often than it should be. If you just link to the picture, you're giving people the option of looking at it as opposed to making it automatic, and it's pretty much the same as just linking to the original page the images are on. It took me awhile to learn this lesson; there's a thread on the old Greenspun forum where I hotlinked an image, I'm still emberassed about it.
If anyone from the sites I linked to in this thread objects to my posting links to the individual images, I'll tell the mods to delete the links.


"Is this an example of what you'd consider 'ugly'? [screenshot]"

Nope, that's just fine and dandy. I can't find any really dodgy stuff from Ether Drift Theory on the net but this shot is a little sub-par (maybe just because it's from far away). The animation/drawing style in that episode is at its worst in the scene just after her buddy Lindze leaves her behind, especially the part where she walks up to the port hole and says "Idiots". She's alot less detailed than she ought to be and her face is kind of smoothed out -- that just doesn't appeal to me for some reason. This will sound like ass-kissing, but the show looks best when you have the most involvement.

Funny how there are so many threads that start off talking about the show and end up about something else, and this one started off talking about genaric TV and now we're talking about Aeon Flux again.

P.S. Just out of curiosity, how were you thinking of revamping her design?

P.P.S. Completely unnecessary shot of #16, just because she's so cool.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Saturday, 23 September 2006 03:13 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh yes, I love #16. Alas, we hardly knew her...

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Saturday, 23 September 2006 04:12 (eighteen years ago) link

I think that was kind of the point. If a totally badass cyborg chick with four arms who knows kung-fu makes an appearance, you don't expect her to bite it in her first scene. I also would've liked to see more of her, but I liked the surprise.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Saturday, 23 September 2006 04:55 (eighteen years ago) link

Good point.

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Saturday, 23 September 2006 06:41 (eighteen years ago) link

If it's on television, I'm okay with talking about it, even if it's a movie shown on television. Last night I watched Woody Allen's The Front. I've seen it before but I'm still involved emotionally with Zero Mostel's harrowing suicide scene. What a great actor he was. It was one of these shows where there is a theme and a host for the movie, with comments made about the movie. Evidently Zero Mostel, (generally a comedic actor) had a friend who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era and who committed suicide. The role was personal to him, and his last movie appearance. I think that was really an important 'film' as they say, and I'm really no fan of communists myself, but the fact it was shown on tv in this format is quality television.

But Aeon Flux was made for television, and I don't consider we're off topic but centering on topic, here.

I liked the array of Aeons black outfits, the one in the pilot episode still my favorite. She looked young and fresh, and I think that's why I liked that particular look. On the DVD there is a great drawing of her in a similiar outfit, the cover of Disc 3.

I also liked the blue outfit in Chronophasia and to see her in a dress in Last Time opened up her character for me. If anyone else wears a dress its blaise, but when Aeon did it, somehow it was startling.

Barb e (Barb e), Saturday, 23 September 2006 16:28 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, I'd say she was definitely at her sexiest in Chronophasia (at least, until she went crazy...)

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Sunday, 24 September 2006 02:44 (eighteen years ago) link

one month passes...
This was on TV last week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS75tSPpV7A&eurl=

Peter Chung (Peter Chung), Sunday, 5 November 2006 02:26 (eighteen years ago) link

Wow, that's nuts.

The problem now though is that were stuck in a circle. We can't admit that the election might have been a fraud because it has already happened, but you can't fix something if you don't admit there was a problem in the first place.

I find the concept of a conspiracy a strange and interesting one. In a normal situation, if someone is charged of something like murder or pedophilia, then even if the accusation is wrong, the thought is still implanted into the peoples mind who heard the accusation, and the thought in their subconscious will still guide their actions.
Something changes those rules in situations where a conspiracy is involved though. Perhaps it’s the mere magnitude. Or maybe the involvement of an authority figure. Or the just world principle. Hmmm, DELIBERATION!!!

Anyone got any theories?

Josh Aldridge (Josh Aldridge), Monday, 6 November 2006 03:58 (eighteen years ago) link

two months pass...
Since this column is about television it's a good as any place to mention I've once again been slipping into the escapism of watching Fairly Oddparents. The humor of that show really makes me perk up and laugh. I even purchased their movie, Fairy Idol. It's quality stuff, thanks Butch Hartman.

The winning song of the talent contest, "Give me the wand" was so catchy and had such energy I was actually curious to know who wrote it. Well, it's Guy Moon, and I am amazed this great songwriter writes for kid a show, he's another Barry Manilow as far as I'm concerned. Even the theme song of the show is pretty enjoyable to listen to. I find myself wondering does anyone else get into this kid show? I'm morphing emotionally backwards, is that a good thing? But I'm having so much fun watching I don't care. It's great to leave behind the jaded adult world for some laughs and optimism.

Course by the time Aeon Flux gets back I'll be dying for surrealistic creative stuff again. Either that or I'll be so dumbed down I won't get the plot. Thank god I have this forum to go to, er, in the rare instance that should happen. Lol.

Barb e (Barb e), Saturday, 13 January 2007 00:07 (seventeen years ago) link

I watch Fairly Oddparents sometimes. I can't remember his name, but the male fairy god parent is my faveourite. And the gag where the teacher can't say "Fairy God Parents" without invouluntarily thrashing around always amuses me.

Speaking of kids cartoons, does anyone here watch Drawn Together. A bunch of familiar kids cartoon character parodies are put in big brother reality tv show situation. There is much extremely crude humor - the show does just about anything for a laugh. Mostly I find it severely entertaining.

Sam Grayson (Sam Grayson), Monday, 15 January 2007 01:09 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh yeah, I like Drawn Together alot. They're at their best when they give up that gimmicky "ooh look how offensive we can be" shtick and just start having fun with the characters and whatever premise they've come up with. It's the sheer joy of being silly and gross and dumb simply for the sake of being silly and gross and dumb.

Man, if there ever came into being a TV channel that let shows like Drawn Together and Aqua Teen Hunger Force stand alongside shows like Aeon Flux and Paranoia Agent, delightfully stupid humor and beautifully-crafted fine art entertainment shown back-to-back . . . the sun would explode because a lineup like that is too awesome to exist.

Lately I've been watching alot of Kids in the Hall and Red Dwarf because they're both a pretty good combination of intelligent and stupid humour, and the best attributes of both.

Good to see you again, Sam. Good to see the forums up and running again, too, I waited forever.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Monday, 15 January 2007 05:06 (seventeen years ago) link

Anyone like Heroes?

Matt Rebholz (Matt Rebholz), Monday, 15 January 2007 05:30 (seventeen years ago) link

Another show I watch on occasion is Futurama. The other night I saw an episode in which the characters all went into a giant beehive in space. The honey had some sort of drug properties that caused hallucinations. The episode wound up where it was all a dream. As I watched I thought how nicely done the interiors of the honeycomb were and all the bees flying about. It made me think of Aeon Flux, the one with the bees that were attracted to metal. I wondered if they also were conscious of it because the swarms assumed similar patterns. Anyone see that one and think the same thing?

Barb e (Barb e), Monday, 15 January 2007 20:54 (seventeen years ago) link

"As I watched I thought how nicely done the interiors of the honeycomb were and all the bees flying about. It made me think of Aeon Flux, the one with the bees that were attracted to metal. I wondered if they also were conscious of it because the swarms assumed similar patterns."

Nah, bet it's just a coincidence. Of course it could be a [very] subtle homage, since I don't know if the Futurama people are fans, but it's such an obscure part of "Ether Drift Theory" that I doubt they'd make the association even if they did see the episode -- the only similarities I noticed were that both scenes had bees (or bee-like insects, can't remember what they were called in "Ether Drift Theory").

On a somewhat related note, Futurama's at its absolute best when it's making fun of Star Trek. They had a whole episode about it called "Where No Fan Has Gone Before", which I taped a couple of months ago because it's wall-to-wall comedy gold; the writers (like me) seem to have sort of a love/hate thing with Trek which really comes through in the humor. They really rip into the hokey plots and Shatner's acting (they also throw alot of shit at the obsessive fans, although I guess that's not technically an aspect of the show itself) but seem to enjoy bathing in nostalgia and realize that the intentions behind even the crappiest episodes were basically good, or at least heading in the right direction. That episode makes me laugh so hard my insides hurt.

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 03:01 (seventeen years ago) link

Dammit, I was gonna post a link to a YouTube clip of that Futurama Star Trek episode but forgot. Sorry for the double-post. Here's the video, in case anyone's interested:

Clip from "Where No Fan Has Gone Before"

your hair is good to eat (your hair is good to eat), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 03:05 (seventeen years ago) link

Hey thanks! This IS pretty funny....and when my antiquated system loads the next 60% I can REALLY say so. Only been 20 minutes loading so far...

Barb e (Barb e), Friday, 19 January 2007 23:12 (seventeen years ago) link

Here's something interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aeon+flux&search=Search

Barb e (Barb e), Saturday, 20 January 2007 00:18 (seventeen years ago) link

eight years pass...

Trying tio find somewhere to ask about this.
Is the blood splatter in Supernatural considered a thing?
Seems like the way it's done it might just be something that has become a recognised fan meme or whatever.
It seems like somebody is employed to throw a bucket of blood-looking semi-liquid on a surface in a very amateur way.
So I'm wondering if it is something that people picked up on at a certain stage and started incorporating into fan fiction or whatever meme like images were being circulated.
I don't know anybody else who watches the show and I'm jut starting to get bugged by its regular presence in seemingly every show, done in a similar way.
Looks like it might have just been picked up from earlier gore films or something but it does seem to be a thing that they are at least semi self-aware about.

Thinking that there presumably must be some level of self awareness in order to self parody like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEQMI53cOsI&feature=share

Stevolende, Saturday, 22 August 2015 13:12 (nine years ago) link


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