It's useful on the overseas stuff, but then it shows up automatically.
Occasionally if it's very heavily accented stuff (like the Sopranos), it's useful.
The issue presented quite annoyingly last night at the rather noisy Burns night do. Nobody had a clue what the piper who stabbed the haggis was on about, but by virtue of the general din, I had to turn my ear rather than my eyes towards the very engaging lady I found myself sat next to, which robbed me of the pleasure of casually admiring her. It's at times like that I think: hearing aid??
Not sure subtitles would help given that mafiosi speak their own language. I’d be terrible as a gangster as I’d miss the subtle intonation that changes “whack him” from giving someone a slap to torturing and killing them.
What RR said, it's really very funny in parts, scathing too.
One of my fave scenes in the whole thing:
Let me tell ya something. Nowadays, everybody's gotta go to shrinks, and counselors, and go on "Sally Jessy Raphael" and talk about their problems. What happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type. That was an American. He wasn't in touch with his feelings. He just did what he had to do. See, what they didn't know was once they got Gary Cooper in touch with his feelings that they wouldn't be able to shut him up! And then it's dysfunction this, and dysfunction that, and dysfunction vaffancul!
Agree. Everything plays second fiddle to The Wire. It's just next level.
But without The Sopranos, you probably never get a Wire or Breaking Bad.
Gandolfini is just superb, if ever a role was made for a person and vice versa.
After that (all 6 seasons) watch the film The Many Saints of Newark
I've tried 3 times with it, I see what the idea was and appreciate the attention to details from the series, and it's great that JG Jr is in it, but it still left me cold. Shame really.
I'd put The Shield in with them too. Slightly more formulaic in terms of episode structure, but as flawed character studies go, Vic Mackey should be up there with Tony S and Walter White.
The relentless darkness took the enjoyment out old BB for me, a bit, but owt is undoubtedly very well played and written. Ozark is VG too, lower key than BB (but even darker).
Ozark was alright, but miscast I thought. Started well but got less and less believable.
Breaking Bad did too, but it retained some element of believability/interest that Ozark didn't, for me. Mostly down to Bryan Cranston, who is a phenomenal actor.
I relished the occasional random intro that explained something that happened in a particular episode. Usually it was a chemistry insight. The finale more a physics insight ‘cooked up’ phenomenal viewing.
The Shield is also a great show with well developed characters, but was more fantastical than the gritty realism of the wire and sopranos. Also Michael Chiklis is not of the same calibre as Gandolfini and Cranston.
Was a genius move on David Chase's part getting c.25-30 of the Sopranos cast from old films of the genre. So many were in Godfather 1/2, Goodfellas, Casino. Made it authentic.
And Lorraine Bracco was an inspired choice for Dr Melfi.
The Shield, even tho it was 3 years after Sopranos, is a example of pre Sopranos telly. Well written and well made, but episodic and formulaic. Still brilliant tho.
The wire gained credit from being the first real series that showed both sides of the story. Other than that it’s a standard police procedural. NYPD Blue was far better, the amazing Sipowicz story arc.
It relies on tension of not knowing what happens next to a much greater degree. Pretty much every episode is a cliff hanger ending . For me this makes it somewhat less rewatchable . In terms of character depth, writing etc it was in my view superceded by Better Call Saul.
Sopranos has mostly dull endings with nothing more exciting than the revelation than for instance the revelation that AJ has started doing the gutters. Instead of tension, it relies on great writing, characters, story telling and (as said above) comedy, hence is way more re watchable which is why so many people re watch it every year . Look at Pine Battens. Widely seen as the greatest episode ever , but it's basically The Fly in terms of what it contributed to the story. Could easily not be in there
Breaking Bad, famously, relied on cliffhanger beginnings not endings. They showed you the end of the episode up front and then showed how they got into the mess.
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Yes. James Gandolfoni, Michael Imperioli, Edie Falco & Lorraine Bracco are all brilliant in it. It's well worth a watch.
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Yes it's as good as the tens of millions of people who say it is brilliant say it is.
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And yes, it was a real game changer of a series. Deserves massive respect for that alone.
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Can it be watched with subtitles these days?
I remember giving up on episode 1 as we could only understand two thirds of what was said. Always wondered about whether that was too rash.
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Do you watch all TV with the subtitles on these days prodders?
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It's useful on the overseas stuff, but then it shows up automatically.
Occasionally if it's very heavily accented stuff (like the Sopranos), it's useful.
The issue presented quite annoyingly last night at the rather noisy Burns night do. Nobody had a clue what the piper who stabbed the haggis was on about, but by virtue of the general din, I had to turn my ear rather than my eyes towards the very engaging lady I found myself sat next to, which robbed me of the pleasure of casually admiring her. It's at times like that I think: hearing aid??
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You're a crafty old horn dog prodders, get the hearing aid and you can sneak a peak at Ethel's norks next time.
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Steven Van Zant (normally the guitarist for Bruce Springsteen) is excellent as Silvio too, given it was his first acting role.
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I always forget how funny it is too. There are some really terrific comedy moments in between the drama, horror, terror and suburban tedium.
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Brilliant series. JG was just so good
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Watched the full thing again last year.
one of the best. has 100% stood the test of time.
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Not sure subtitles would help given that mafiosi speak their own language. I’d be terrible as a gangster as I’d miss the subtle intonation that changes “whack him” from giving someone a slap to torturing and killing them.
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They're speaking english with mild accents and using a few idioms that are easy to interpret in context.
It isn't like trying to watch a black and white french film without subtitles.
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It is good. I slightly dissent from the idea that it’s the best thing ever on TV, but good yes
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D'eyre naat shpeaking Inglish, ya hear me?
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Laz, what is the best TV show ever in your opinion?
Prodigal, I get u re. subtitles. I watched much of The Wire with subs on.
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U struggle with a noo joisey accent? Weirdo.
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Yes, it's great.
I binged-watched ss 1-3 to catch up, then watched ss3 to 6 as they came out.
Just don't see any spoilers for the last ever scene of the last Episode of the last season. 'DING!' It's still a talking point.
Sadly, James Gandolfini died soon afterwards.
After that (all 6 seasons) watch the film The Many Saints of Newark
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It was 6 years but still tragic. What a ledge
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Which series - a surprise that some people can’t understand different accents!
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*eipic series
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What RR said, it's really very funny in parts, scathing too.
One of my fave scenes in the whole thing:
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Best TV series IMHO are The Wire and Last of the Summer Wine
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Agree. Everything plays second fiddle to The Wire. It's just next level.
But without The Sopranos, you probably never get a Wire or Breaking Bad.
Gandolfini is just superb, if ever a role was made for a person and vice versa.
I've tried 3 times with it, I see what the idea was and appreciate the attention to details from the series, and it's great that JG Jr is in it, but it still left me cold. Shame really.
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Breaking Bad. No subtitles needed. Sensational.
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The sopranos blew the doors off for the wire and breaking bad and it more successfully crossed genres imho.
The wire was gritty and realistic
Breaking bad was dramatic and comedic
Sopranos was all of the above and more
All great shows and like picking your favourite child.
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I'd put The Shield in with them too. Slightly more formulaic in terms of episode structure, but as flawed character studies go, Vic Mackey should be up there with Tony S and Walter White.
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The relentless darkness took the enjoyment out old BB for me, a bit, but owt is undoubtedly very well played and written. Ozark is VG too, lower key than BB (but even darker).
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RR what distinguishes your notwithstanding plausible deniability favourite child today.
Today my dementia/UTI impacted father asked who xxxxxx is? She is my sister.
So many shades.
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Ozark was alright, but miscast I thought. Started well but got less and less believable.
Breaking Bad did too, but it retained some element of believability/interest that Ozark didn't, for me. Mostly down to Bryan Cranston, who is a phenomenal actor.
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I relished the occasional random intro that explained something that happened in a particular episode. Usually it was a chemistry insight. The finale more a physics insight ‘cooked up’ phenomenal viewing.
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The wire will always be the king for gritty television but the Sopranos is fantastic and arguably more fun to watch.
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Sil, do you remember your first blowjob?
Yeah.
How long did it take for the guy to come?
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The Shield is also a great show with well developed characters, but was more fantastical than the gritty realism of the wire and sopranos. Also Michael Chiklis is not of the same calibre as Gandolfini and Cranston.
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Was a genius move on David Chase's part getting c.25-30 of the Sopranos cast from old films of the genre. So many were in Godfather 1/2, Goodfellas, Casino. Made it authentic.
And Lorraine Bracco was an inspired choice for Dr Melfi.
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The Shield, even tho it was 3 years after Sopranos, is a example of pre Sopranos telly. Well written and well made, but episodic and formulaic. Still brilliant tho.
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Wasn't far off.
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Had some cracking guest turns as well. Forest Whitaker and Glenn Close especially.
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Individual series of The Wire are good, but taken as a whole it’s over-rated. The port series was particularly weak.
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The Shield is brilliant. It is more poppy than the Wire, sure, but it’s absolutely brilliant nonetheless, and a lot of fun.
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The Shield had a great antagonist name in David Assinvader
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Mad Men is, of course, the best ever.
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The port series was amazing. Come on man.
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All series of the Wire are amazing
I did like Mad Men, but didn’t persist with it - may revisit
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On the first watch of The Wire it's easy to think that the port series (s2) is the weakest. If you watch it all again it's clearly the best.
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It’s either s1 of True Detective or Band of Brothers for me
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What Shatner's said. S2 of The Wire was epic.
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The wire gained credit from being the first real series that showed both sides of the story. Other than that it’s a standard police procedural. NYPD Blue was far better, the amazing Sipowicz story arc.
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LOL
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Another vote for s2 of the wire.
It has one of my favourite lines, when the Greek says "and I'm not even Greek"
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Dalek is very, very wrong here.
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It’s good people like different things.
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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Breaking Bad is very different to Sopranos
It relies on tension of not knowing what happens next to a much greater degree. Pretty much every episode is a cliff hanger ending . For me this makes it somewhat less rewatchable . In terms of character depth, writing etc it was in my view superceded by Better Call Saul.
Sopranos has mostly dull endings with nothing more exciting than the revelation than for instance the revelation that AJ has started doing the gutters. Instead of tension, it relies on great writing, characters, story telling and (as said above) comedy, hence is way more re watchable which is why so many people re watch it every year . Look at Pine Battens. Widely seen as the greatest episode ever , but it's basically The Fly in terms of what it contributed to the story. Could easily not be in there
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Breaking Bad, famously, relied on cliffhanger beginnings not endings. They showed you the end of the episode up front and then showed how they got into the mess.
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There were cliff hanger endings too
In the desert a few times
Better Call Saul also had some of these
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I guess there were both but I'd say BB was more known for the unusual cliffhanger intros.
The sopranos wasn't that sort of show.
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