Top 10 most popular US shows during the Covid lockdown

[RAMA]

There were a dozen better genre shows than Mandalorian this year alone, much less outside the genre, so it IS a surprise it was nominated for really anything beyond VFX. But of course Hollywood is always trying to push the popular, less demanding stuff, and as I've said before, SW fits the bill, and all are eager to jump on board.

So I'm fine with scifi being recognized, so be it. I feel Picard should have had about 9-10 nominations, and I think "Outstanding Series" was probably not in the cards anyway, as I felt it was only the 4th or 5th best genre show in 2020.

Picard didn't get any Emmy nods for special effects (and rightly so). Its nods were hair-styling, prosthetics, makeup, sound editing. Not quite as wide ranging as they'd have liked I'm sure.

Especially in contrast to something like The Mandalorian which got FIFTEEN nods, including best drama show. Not bad for a show someone on here (@RAMA) said was safe and boring.

Yes, the look was safe and boring, I found it to be entertaining enough, I didn't say it was a bad show like Orville is.

RAMA

 

[Kpnuts]

There were a dozen better genre shows than Mandalorian this year alone, much less outside the genre, so it IS a surprise it was nominated for really anything beyond VFX.

And I think it was the best genre show this year. Opinions!

Mando getting 3x the number of Emmys as Picard is a good indicator of quality. As someone who is always using award nominations as an indicator of production quality I thought you would agree.

 

[RAMA]

I use award nominations as just one barometer over and above my own opinion to Gauge general reaction. I though you understood this by now (clearly not).

Well you're simply wrong, I can easily name much better genre shows and have. Mandalorian was an underwritten, basic scifi in a popular universe. Sort of a fast food burger that goes down well and then you can have a proper meal like Picard or Expanse for dinner.

RAMA

And I think it was the best genre show this year. Opinions!

Mando getting 3x the number of Emmys as Picard is a good indicator of quality. As someone who is always using award nominations as an indicator of production quality I thought you would agree.

 

[Kpnuts]

I use award nominations as just one barometer over and above my own opinion to Gauge general reaction. I though you understood this by now (clearly not).

This might come as a shock to you, but I don't spent that much time trying to make sense of your opinions.

Well you're simply wrong

No I'm not. I'm stating my opinion, just like you're stating yours. Neither of us are "wrong". I thought you'd understood this by now (clearly not)

then you can have a proper meal like Picard

A proper meal that includes plot holes, cliched AI taking over the galaxy tropes, a ship copy and pasted 200 times and hissing tentacle monster bad guys?

 

[RAMA]

Oh that's why you get so much wrong, understood.

This might come as a shock to you, but I don't spent that much time trying to make sense of your opinions.



No I'm not. I'm stating my opinion, just like you're stating yours. Neither of us are "wrong". I thought you'd understood this by now (clearly not)



A proper meal that includes plot holes, cliched AI taking over the galaxy tropes, a ship copy and pasted 200 times and hissing tentacle monster bad guys?

 

[fireproof78]

Well you're simply wrong, I can easily name much better genre shows and have. Mandalorian was an underwritten, basic scifi in a popular universe. Sort of a fast food burger that goes down well and then you can have a proper meal like Picard or Expanse for dinner.

I think the best term for Mandalorian is safe and familiar. It very much comfort food. And that's apparently what many want in shows now.

 

[Kpnuts]

Oh that's why you get so much wrong, understood.

Are you actually (and shamelessly) saying that you think I, supposedly, 'get so much wrong' because I don't listen to you?

 

[Kpnuts]

I think the best term for Mandalorian is safe and familiar. It very much comfort food. And that's apparently what many want in shows now.

You and rama have it all wrong.

There is nothing 'safe' about a low-scale sci-fi series about one man making his way in the galaxy, with minimal characters, and nothing "epic" to be found... in 2020. Especially in a franchise known for galaxy-spanning epic-ness.

What IS "safe and familiar" though is the cliche big budget sci-fi that Trek has become, full of the usual flashy action and AI taking over the galaxy tropes.

 

[Jayson1]

Having a show created around a guy who wears a helmet all the time and sometimes only has a CGI person to interact with is hardly safe.


Jason

 

[Kpnuts]

Having a show created around a guy who wears a helmet all the time and sometimes only has a CGI person to interact with is hardly safe.

Jason

Nor is the totally different soundtrack to the norm. 10x more memorable than New Trek’s.

There’s no other show like Mando atm. New Trek’s brand of sci-fi is a dime a dozen.

 

[Tuskin38]

Well you're simply wrong,

That's an opinion.

 

[fireproof78]

There is nothing 'safe' about a low-scale sci-fi series about one man making his way in the galaxy, with minimal characters, and nothing "epic" to be found... in 2020. Especially in a franchise known for galaxy-spanning epic-ness.

It is the definition of safe. It has familiar pieces, decorations and design. It isn't pushing the boundaries with the character. It's beautiful to look at but it's not risky at all.

And, it works well for that show. But, that doesn't make it any less comfort food TV.

 

[Tuskin38]

It is the definition of safe. It has familiar pieces, decorations and design. It isn't pushing the boundaries with the character. It's beautiful to look at but it's not risky at all.

And, it works well for that show. But, that doesn't make it any less comfort food TV.

I mean, Star Wars has never done a story like The Mandalorian before. It's all new.

 

[fireproof78]

I mean, Star Wars has never done a story like The Mandalorian before. It's all new.

It doesn't feel very new. It's a bounty hunter with a heart of gold type story. It' just...eh to me.

 

[Kpnuts]

It is the definition of safe. It has familiar pieces, decorations and design. It isn't pushing the boundaries with the character. It's beautiful to look at but it's not risky at all.

And, it works well for that show. But, that doesn't make it any less comfort food TV.

Picard and Discovery are the definition of "safe". Frenetic action, cartoon moustache twirling bad guys, evil AI, dystopian future, fleet v fleet finale, consciousness transfer into a synth and yes, even holographic controls. They're all predictable sci-fi tropes and absolutely nothing risky about any of it.

The entire premise and format of Mando is far from "safe". They've taken a franchise known for galaxy-spanning epic-ness to the personal tale of one man. The main character has a mask on the entire time. One of the other two main characters appears in a grand total of 3 out of 8 episodes.

Visiting a desert planet or familiar decorations does not = safe. It's respecting the legacy of the franchise, adding to the world, and telling new stories, in new way, in it.

 

[fireproof78]

Visiting a desert planet or familiar decorations does not = safe.

Yes, it does. A masked character is safe-that is the definition of an "everyman" style character. That is completely safe because it allows audiences to have wish fulfillment through that character. I'm simply not interested in the Mandalorian as a character-he's not interesting enough to me. He is too safe. It's a personal story that SW has done in a similar vein. Just lacks the galactic war backdrop like Luke's or Anakin's or Rey's stories.

Yes, Picard and Discovery are playing with familiar tropes, but its the characters that interest me more, not what tropes get checked off. Those characters are not safe.

It's OK to enjoy safe and comfort entertainment. But, the Mandalorian isn't for me. I hope you enjoy it.

 

[Jayson1]

It is the definition of safe. It has familiar pieces, decorations and design. It isn't pushing the boundaries with the character. It's beautiful to look at but it's not risky at all.

And, it works well for that show. But, that doesn't make it any less comfort food TV.

To me everything has done before so pushing boundaries is often through execution more than anything. For example we all have seen Mafia characters before but the Sopranos allowed us to see one in a more vulnerable way with Tony Soprano. We have seen bad cops who breaks the rules but then Vick Makey still felt different on "The Shield." I think what makes The Mandalorian special is more of a combination of everything coming together in perfect harmony. Which is why nobody would deserve a major acting award for it but the acting is still good, and the action and special effects and world building. They get you feel for a CGI Baby Yoday. Yet it does this while also being a old fashion western that moves at a slow pace while most Sci FI wants to amp things up and always have explosions and flashy stuff happening. Plus it does something Star Wars hasn't done before well and that is make the universe seem plausible. It feels like a place were real people might live once you downplay the Jedi and mystical stuff dealing with the Force. While I don't think it deserves to win I do think it deserved a nomination.


Jason

 

[fireproof78]

To me everything has done before so pushing boundaries is often through execution more than anything

While I don't think it deserves to win I do think it deserved a nomination.

Completely agree. I mean no denigration towards the technical execution or how well the show is produced. It speaks well of Favreau and his team, as well as everyone else at LFL making this happens.

Plus it does something Star Wars hasn't done before well and that is make the universe seem plausible

See, I disagree here. I think that from the word "Go" SW has felt very plausible, very "dirty" universe in which things feel very real. I think that the Millennium Falcon, for all my irritation at the design) is a ship that feels like it is real and used in the world. Same with stormtroopers, weapons and other ships. I think that is where SW succeeded very well. The Mandalorian just is following through on that prior inspiration, and I would say quite successfully, though, again, the "hero" ship irritates me.

They get you feel for a CGI Baby Yoday

See, this is hit and miss for me. There are times where Baby Yoda totally works and I feel for it. And there are others where it feels like a flour sake that characters are playing off of. So, again, a technical achievement that doesn't solidly land for me.

And that's where I am at-Mandalorian looks amazing, fits in universe very well, and is a technical marvel. But, it doesn't land for me in the places that matter, namely the characters. And, for me, characters is the most important thing when watching a show.

 

[Kpnuts]

But, it doesn't land for me in the places that matter, namely the characters. And, for me, characters is the most important thing when watching a show.

That I agree with. Characters should be top priority. It's why Rebels is probably my favourite Disney Star Wars property and why I really enjoyed the sequels (7 and 8 more so than 9), because of the characters. Mando still has work to do there for sure, I agree, even though Kuiil and IG-11 were great + obv baby Yoda.

It's also why I don't really like Discovery, none of the cast resonates with me, at all, and why I'll happily sit through all of Picard's narrative and story-telling missteps, because the characters are at least likeable.

 

[fireproof78]

It's also why I don't really like Discovery, none of the cast resonates with me, at all, and why I'll happily sit through all of Picard's narrative and story-telling missteps, because the characters are at least likeable.

Fair enough. Just flip your misgivings towards the characters in Discovery to Mandalorian and you'll get an idea of how I feel about them.