Fans of Television Series

Moneyball’s highly rated by critics - 87 metascore on IMDB. The manager in it had a strategy - using data Analytics to assemble a team within tight budget that could compete with the best. In Ted Lasso on the other hand, one doesn’t find much by way of the coach’s approach beyond ‘being nice’.



The series isn’t about showcasing the brainy side of the agent - it doesn’t even attempt that. On the other hand, it’s about her inner dilemma, her personal struggle and her vulnerabilities. And there’s much more beyond the main character (refer Moktan’s reply).
I have already watched the series, I cant understand how to like a series if the plot has so many holes and why they decided to follow an agent who is dumb and cant think straight. They could have followed another agent while showcasing the culture etc. or maybe made a documentary to showcase the culture.

I think dumb is not the word I was looking for, though that is also applicable in this case. I was looking for the word incompetent. I found this word applied to the agent and the agency perfectly.

Anyways, my expectations while picking up Tehran wasnt a touchy feely story but a thriller, which it most definitely wasnt. I didnt want the highlight to be culture but the plot and acting based on the genre but I guess that is why some series are rated highly some arent.

Also, this is just a personal feedback thread, so one person's feedback is bound to be different from other's opinion
 
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I have already watched the series, I cant understand how to like a series if the plot has so many holes and why they decided to follow an agent who is dumb and cant think straight. They could have followed another agent while showcasing the culture etc. or maybe made a documentary to showcase the culture.

I think dumb is not the word I was looking for, though that is also applicable in this case. I was looking for the word incompetent. I found this word applied to the agent and the agency perfectly.

Anyways, my expectations while picking up Tehran wasnt a touchy feely story but a thriller, which it most definitely wasnt. I didnt want the highlight to be culture but the plot and acting based on the genre but I guess that is why some series are rated highly some arent.

Also, this is just a personal feedback thread, so one person's feedback is bound to be different from other's opinion
 
Also, this is just a personal feedback thread, so one person's feedback is bound to be different from other's opinion
Yes. Just that your feedback, on this, like on another thread, comes across too strongly worded. It’s ok to criticise, but the way you do it, you totally rubbish the the object of your criticism and sound like you are asking other readers, “how the heck could you like something this awful?” It doesn’t seem like you are open to another point of view. Like here, when some of us are saying how we see Tehran more than a spy series, you continue to push on how ‘you’ chose to see it. This is a social forum mate, you got to also be curious to know what/how others see things when they are different from your perspective/belief. And if you come across less heavy with your trashing, there’s a higher chance that others would like to see your POV.
 
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The Family Man - (APV): Continues from where it left off in S01. Manoj Bajpayee (as Shrikant Tiwari) steals the show along with Sharib Hashmi (as JK). But the highlight of Season 2 is undoubtedly Samantha Ruth Prabhu (as Rajelakshmi Chandran aka Raji). S02 also colors a lot of aspects of Shrikant's family life. Especially his struggle as an IT Professional, a job he unwillingly picks up to ensure he spends time with his family. The shades given to Priyamani's (as Suchi Iyer Tiwari) internal battles, given the absence of physical intimacy in her marriage and the unanswered infamous question "What happened in Lonavala?" is palpable. Her interactions with Sharad Kelkar (As Arvind) and her willingness to admit that there is something wrong and the subsequent counseling sessions, underlines that her fight with this struggle is real. And she knows she's losing it. The children have a bigger role to play (Just like how Paige is portrayed in The Americans). The son Atharva (played by Vedant Sinha) is a gem. He is a budding talent, while Dhriti (played by Aslesha Thakur) has shown some promise.

The first season we had J and K, this season we had LTTE and TGTE( a subject I would definitely research and read about) and now the plot has been already set for season 3 with NE in focus.

Whether we remember the characters or not, I am sure none of us would forget the now hugely famous "Sir Chellam", the omnipresent, omniscient, human google, retired NIA officer played by Udhayabanu Maheshwaran. He is creating waves in the social media and has his own fan base now. :)

A good series to watch.
Usually s02 of most of the series crumbles under the pressure of s01. But Raj and DK did a good job in s02, loved it. A differing point there wrt samantha, her character was very 1d, same expression throughout the series, trying to be too serious. Didn't like the writing on her character, she wasn't the highlight. Problem is when you have few dialogues, only good actors can excel, she fails miserably there. Compared to her, Devadarshini was better in her limited role as a police officer. Bajpayee as usual nails the character. Very few series in India match up to the ones outside, happy that family man can compete with the best.
 
Usually s02 of most of the series crumbles under the pressure of s01. But Raj and DK did a good job in s02, loved it. A differing point there wrt samantha, her character was very 1d, same expression throughout the series, trying to be too serious. Didn't like the writing on her character, she wasn't the highlight. Problem is when you have few dialogues, only good actors can excel, she fails miserably there. Compared to her, Devadarshini was better in her limited role as a police officer. Bajpayee as usual nails the character. Very few series in India match up to the ones outside, happy that family man can compete with the best.
I had no idea who the actor playing Raji was when I watched the season. Not being into Telugu/Tamil commercial cinema (though I am a fan of Malayali new age cinema), I discovered she’s the famous South actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu-Akkineni. I agree she didn’t display a wide range of expressions, but I also wonder if she needed to. Perhaps the director intended her to carry the same expression throughout - that made her character further mysterious? Irrespective, I found her greatest strengths in this role were the intensity and physicality she brought to it. That made it believable for me. She was indeed a central figure and the season would have collapsed if she hadn’t carried the character well - and I believe it was a success on both counts.
 
Moneyball’s highly rated by critics - 87 metascore on IMDB. The manager in it had a strategy - using data Analytics to assemble a team within tight budget that could compete with the best.
Resembles me of real life case of Matthew Benham. A career banker turning to developing predictive gambling models based on analytics for a betting company. Moving on to being Investor, Professional gambler. Incredible story.
 
I had no idea who the actor playing Raji was when I watched the season. Not being into Telugu/Tamil commercial cinema (though I am a fan of Malayali new age cinema), I discovered she’s the famous South actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu-Akkineni. I agree she didn’t display a wide range of expressions, but I also wonder if she needed to. Perhaps the director intended her to carry the same expression throughout - that made her character further mysterious? Irrespective, I found her greatest strengths in this role were the intensity and physicality she brought to it. That made it believable for me. She was indeed a central figure and the season would have collapsed if she hadn’t carried the character well - and I believe it was a success on both counts.
agree on the point that if you don't know the actor then it makes their performance better. Having watched samantha in Nee thaane en pon vasantham (don't know why this film didn't become a hit), you will expect something different, particularly if her character is blown all the way in teaser, trailers and sm. As the writers had conceptualised, raji's character is bounded to only anger, frustration and vulnerability. Just look at Bajpayee when he shows frustration, he would look sideways, or his facial features contort, or something subtle happens. I am not looking for over the top but something subtle, right. Samantha was very wooden, mate. And that flannel shirt was, come on, superficial. To each his own, Sachin. Peace. All this frustration because I am her fan :)
 
agree on the point that if you don't know the actor then it makes their performance better. Having watched samantha in Nee thaane en pon vasantham (don't know why this film didn't become a hit), you will expect something different, particularly if her character is blown all the way in teaser, trailers and sm. As the writers had conceptualised, raji's character is bounded to only anger, frustration and vulnerability. Just look at Bajpayee when he shows frustration, he would look sideways, or his facial features contort, or something subtle happens. I am not looking for over the top but something subtle, right. Samantha was very wooden, mate. And that flannel shirt was, come on, superficial. To each his own, Sachin. Peace. All this frustration because I am her fan :)

@Bluesky, if she has acted better elsewhere, then she is capable of emoting. That strengthens the hypothesis that it might have been her brief to look expressionless. I wouldn’t compare Srikant’s angst with Raji’s. While Srikant is frustrated with the system and troubled by relationship issues, he is coping with it and has a lot to look forward to. Raji on the other hand, has gone through much more - kins killed, herself violated - that’s hellish. She has in return killed many in revenge. I won’t be surprised if all that sucks the spirit out of a person and brings that deadpan look on their face. She was about to effect a suicide mission - there seemed to be no other purpose left in life for her. I found Samantha’s lack of expression more effective in making me empathise with the character - to feel its absolute dryness within.

But that’s alright. We all see differently and expect differently. I look forward to watch Samantha in a different role to get an idea of the range of her acting abilities.
 
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Well, I am not sure if its a western drama..but one this is for sure, all those who like this genre may have watched it :) Welcome to the long list of admirers of SoA. My old review here
Come join the murder
Soar on my wings
You'll touch the hand of God
And He'll make you king
And He'll make you king
 
Lupin NF: Starts as a caper drama, but slowly transforms into a revenge story. Like a typical Bollywood film where the hero outsmarts all the bad guys and eventually triumphs over all the wrongs he endured. Lupin talks about a career thief Assane Diop, inspired by Arsene Lupin, a character who is known as the "gentleman burglar", and is a master of disguise, created by Maurice Leblanc somewhere in the early 1900s.

Assane starts off with a plan to steal the same necklace that his father was accused of stealing. His father is coerced to sign a confession on emotional reasons that he is an immigrant and raising a child without his mother. Once he realizes that he had been conned, he commits suicide while in prison and hence as a revenge Assane wants to steal the same necklace. Soon Assane discovers that his father was innocent and now its full-fledged revenge drama.

Nothing new here. There was no need to make a serial like this. I dunno why it was made. To prove a point maybe. Move on to other better ones.
 
Sherni (APV) - I made a mistake of connecting the title to the actress. Like how Mardani is. But this is not about the human Sherni (Tigress), its about the animal (panthera tigris). Loosely based on tigress Avni's killing, Sherni tells us about a DFO, Vidya Vincent who is posted in the jungles of MP. There is a clear human-nature, development-environmental conservation conflict. A balance needs to be maintained. Vidya finds this a tough job, with politics and corruption in the way, its not easy for her to maintain this balance. There is no drama, skin, twists, romance, emotion. Its a straightforward story about how brutal human beings can be. Its a mirror to our greed and insensitiveness. In our ever growing selfishness, nature and animals are paying the price. It is only a matter of time that they strike back.
 
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Murder Among The Mormons (NF): For the uninitiated, Mormons are an offshoot of Christianity other than the much popular Protestants and Catholics. Its a group of people who believe in certain principles and practices. Though the underlying belief still follows the Bible and Jesus Christ, the difference is in the practical aspects and practice. This intro was necessary as it lays the foundation of this documentary. Since this group is so close-knit, all artefacts, documents, relics, symbols etc. are of utmost importance to them. And if available for purchase, they would be bought at a very high price. Collectors, Mormon historians, the Mormon Church (Commonly known as LDS), the Museums all are ready to dish out buckets of cash for the Mormon documents and artefacts. This documentary is about a guy called Mark Hofmann who hunts and finds documents, letters, diaries etc. related to Mormon history. He is in touch with a lot of folks related and working in the Church who are ready to buy this material. One of them is a document collector Steven Christensen, who is murdered by a bomb. Another bomb meant for his employer Gary Sheets, accidentally killed his wife Kathy Sheets. A third bomb almost took the life of Mark himself.

During the investigation, one receipt brings the entire case to a close. Its a gripping 3 part miniseries. If you like this genre, its a taut, short and a fascinating watch.
 
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His Dark Materials (Hotstar): A serial based on Philip Pullman's trilogy of the same name. Movie was "The Golden Compass". Its about an orphan girl Lyra, who on a mission to find her lost friend, uncovers a deeper, darker mystery. Lyra's story set in an alternative world, governed by a religious body The Magesterium and where the human souls are in the form of animals or birds or reptiles known as Daemons. The story jumps from one world to another, the characters physically moving through using a window or an opening in the time fabric. It also tells about Will, a modern day kid who has connection to the alternative world. How Lyra's and Will's path cross, and how they navigate, with each of them fulfilling a prophecy is the plot of this serial. There is magic, witches, demons, talking animals and a lot of CGI. Its a fantasy story which your kids will like as much as I did :)
 
I am not sure if I have written about I'll Be Gone In The Dark (Hotstar). If I have, please read that review, if not, I'll continue. It's about one woman's crusade and obsession to find a lesser known serial killer dubbed as the Golden State Killer. It's based on the book by her with the same name. This 6 part documentary shows the relentless investigation Michelle McNamara and some others did to find this GSK. Michelle's book humanizes the victims, highlights their struggles and puts it there on the table for all to see. It pains to see later in the documentary when each of the victims introduce themselves as "I am number so and so" to the other victims. It is horrifying to know that this killer blatantly continued without being caught for so long. What multiplies the horror is the apathy of the law enforcement. When you watch this you'll clearly see they have missed on so many clues. You as the viewer literally would want to scream and tell them which angle to follow. But, looks like this job was finally done by Michelle and her friends. Sadly, at a price. Somewhere I felt it was too little too late. A brilliant documentary by HBO.
A last episode was just aired, where Joseph James DeAngelo Jr, the Golden State Killer was sentenced. While the Statute of limitations applied to a lot of his rapes and abuses, it was gut wrenching to see victims describing their ordeals to the court as late as 30+ years. Joseph tried to project himself as a frail old man, but the visuals from his cell showed the cunningness and the shrewdness of the man. Finally he accepted all he did and was sentenced.
 
Am watching Agatha Christie’s Poirot, again. I watch it for the lovely locales , the sartorial elegance of Poirot and Captain Hastings and indeed every gentleman and rake that populates this serial. David Suchet , ( like Basil Rathbone or the illustrations of Sidney Paget for Sherlock Holmes ) is what imagines the quintessential Poirot to look like , notwithstanding his elegantly up-twirled hook , which is perhaps a departure from Agatha Christie’s — little man with enormous moustaches.
He has a lovely accent, is impeccably dressed and groomed*, and has good manners to match. The detective work is cerebral , not physical. Poirot also has a great sense of humour as evidenced from his backhanded compliments of the British cuisine , the mental tardiness of his assistant , to name a few.
I have already mentioned the locales , another thing to watch out for is the lovely decor of the period interiors of the British upper crust in the thirties.

*In one episode — think it’s The Adventures of The Western Star, he tells Monsieur Bennet , his barber who on the earlier occasion has cut his left sideburn 3mm longer than the right ( one does expect a great detective to investigate the left-right symmetry of his own coiffure ) - “Let us make the effort to not make a similar travesty today. A haircut is a partnership Monsieur Bennet. It is a joint venture. I bring to it my hair and you your undoubted skills.”
 
It's such a wonderful Series but somehow fell through the crack.

 
The Head (NF): Antarctica, the last frontier. Light for 6 months, Day and darkness for the rest 6, Night. At a remote research station Polaris VI, the Day crew is just about to leave for home, handing over the station to the recently arrived crew for the Night. Thus begins the series. The latest crew has to battle harshest winter man has ever known with mostly the same faces, a few new recruits and different temperaments. Its a huge problem of egos, prejudices, tolerances and fragmentation. Suddenly the entire crew goes missing and incommunicado for 3 weeks. A team arrives for investigation headed by Johan (Alexandre Willaume) and is welcomed by the bodies of the Night team, with only 2 survivors and his missing wife. It's quickly evident that the connection is with Polaris V, a previous Research Station which burned down in an accident. Rest, I will leave it to you, if you wanna watch this. Its an okay-ish series with peppered with flashbacks, but if you pay attention, you'll guess (Read know) who the killer is. Limited series, can be finished in a day or so.
 
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