IC Forum Archive

George · Posts: 1656

So we've had several anime threads... how about an HBO thread? HBO shows are the equivalent of an anime OVA, with budgets in between movies and TV, but they also benefit from HBO having some pretty fine taste. This is the place to talk about which HBO shows you like.

I recommend that newcomers start with Band of Brothers, because it's a fantastic, realistic war drama and only 12 episodes. Alternatively, you could start with the Sopranos, because it's HBO's most famous show and something practically everyone loves.

Eventually, everyone should see Oz, a fantastic prison drama. The show kills off a very large portion of it's cast, which one might think makes it hard to get attached to. Just the opposite - you'll pick out favorite characters early on and breath a sigh of relief every time an episode ends and they're still alive.

Another good HBO show is Six Feet Under, a character drama about undertakers (but not really about undertaking).

The HBO show I like the least is Curb Your Enthusiasm, a comedy by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David. He re-uses the premise (basing the show on his real life), some of the plot arcs (like pitching a TV show), and some of the actors, but seems to miss the point. Seinfeld was so enjoyable because it poked fun at the absurdity of everday life, but Larry David's life is nothing like ours. He's filthy rich, incompetent, and an asshole. He's also funny, but that's not enough to make a grade A show. Curb Your Enthusiasm isn't bad, but it's not a classic either.

veen · Posts: 131

I'm the opposite. the dramas don't really engage me, which may or not be their fault; I don't give them much of a chance. but I love curb your enthusiasm. it's middlingly funny, but I like it mostly because I relate so much to larry david. he's really, or at least his character is, an antisocial asshole, always lying to people and trying to manipulate them in pretty naive ways, always assuming everyone else is in the wrong. he's like an old jewish Squall, which is very endearing to me.

most episodes are nothing special, but the hour long "HBO Special" episode was absolutely classic, with his last minute decision to drop everything and run away from all his obligations, lying to everyone along the way. it wasn't in the same kind of quasi-comedy format as the normal shows, and was all the funnier because of it.

BalbanesBeoulve · Posts: 2126

I love Curb Your Enthusiasm. So damn funny. So much horrible stuff happens to him, but you don't feel sorry for him because he's such a douche bag. It's one of my favorite comedies. There's too many good episodes and scenes to mention any specific ones. But if you've never seen it, rent some dvds from Blockbuster of Netflix.

The other HBO show I really really like is Deadwood. The first season is just amazing. I don't really like Dramas, but this show grabbed me. I watched episode after episode non stop. Al Swearingen is one of the best characters ever on television. You meet him as a villain, a horrible horrible man. Pimp, murderer, drug dealer, and all around criminal kingpin. And while he never really changes as a character, you can't help but love the guy later in the series after you get to know him. He's the star of the show, and even though the show makes you think Bullock is the main character at the beginning, it's really all about Al. Bullock isn't nearly as likeable or interesting as Swearingen. But all the other characters are awesome too. The doctor, the reverend, the rich widow, the hooker with the heart of gold, the jew, the scruffy miner, al's thugs, this show has it all.

veen · Posts: 131

the rich opium addict widow is Hawt. I want to do things to her. yeah, deadwood is pretty good. I haven't seen any of the second season, except for half of one episode, where there was a disgusting plot thread involving the previously mentioned female getting married to some bearded old moron for legal/strategic reasons I couldn't quite grasp. so for what I've seen of the second season, I hated it.

BalbanesBeoulve · Posts: 2126

Deadwood Season 1

Deadwood Season 2

Season 2 isn't as good as the first season, but it's still pretty radical.

FortNinety · Posts: 4591

Chalk me up as another big fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm, mainly because as BalbanesBeoulve, he's such an asshole, though I find him absolutely empathetic because I would do the same things in the same situations (which I guess makes me a douchebag as well).

I only saw Deadwood once when I was home for the holidays, but I loved it, and I generally hate anything western related (save for the old Clint Eastwood flicks). I recall the bad guy, some bordello owner or something, being absolutely amazing.

I just helped out the on promotions for an upcoming HBO show which has some potential.

BalbanesBeoulve · Posts: 2126

Oh yeah, and Deadwood has motherfucking POWERS BOOTHE

newave · Posts: 616

Yah one of the reasons i got netflix was just so i could see all the hbo shows out on dvd.....

Six feet under season 4 just came out....

aderack · Posts: 5018

I understand HBO shows are kind of like the American idea of BBC shows.

Which makes me a little interested, maybe.

haircute · Posts: 928

Yeah, The Curb (as I affectionately call it) is one of my favorite TV shows. Larry's terrible luck coupled with the fact he's a jackass make for some Quality TV.

Also, I've run in to a few situations where I felt like Larry. Remember the episode where Larry gets his wife's pube stuck in his throat. I had one stuck in my teeth for a whole day before my then girlfriend told me it was very obviously sticking out. I had went the whole day at work not noticing and wondered why everyone was being extra happy around me. Boy, she thought she was so damn funny.

No wonder we broke up. :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll:

Rud13 · Posts: 3277

stop that.

haircute · Posts: 928

Rud13 wrote:

stop that.

Sorry Rud13.

I was just sharing my experience. It is kind of a gross thing to post in hindsight. Would you mind deleting it?

Seriously.

gunshinji · Posts: 186

Well, this is my first week of actually having HBO, so I'm pretty cited. I used to watch Six Feet Under and the Sopranos at my parents house whenever I could. I had to wait till the History Channel showed Band of Brothers to watch that. I totally skipped the whol Sex and the City thing. Now, I'm just getting psyched up for Rome, hopefully someone will finally show some things done right.

dessgeega · Posts: 3317

gunshinji wrote:

I'm pretty cited.

now you are!

Dark Age Iron Savior · Posts: 3148

I must say I'm somewhat surprised no one has mentioned Carnivàle yet. I didn't see all of the show, but what I did see was pretty damn impressive.

George · Posts: 1656

Hmm, that one's not too famous. Then again, neither is Oz, and Oz is incredibly awesome and something everyone should check out.

kokomo · Posts: 50

Speaking of Sopranos(though we aren't), my grandpa's brother is on the show, Dominic Chianese. So that's my claim to fame I guess, unfortunately it makes it difficult to find good results when I google search myself.

And seeing as I dont have HBO I stick to my FX shows. (Over There is dumb as a button.)

gunshinji · Posts: 186

Is OZ still around? I haven't seen it at all, but I remember everyone used to talk about it.

I haven't watched Carnivale either, though I want to, I thought about going to rent the dvds, think I should?

I wish HBO would bring back tales from the Crypt, I used to watch it all the time, dispite the fact that I was seven at the time. Guess it just goes to show you how fucked up I really am.

As for FX, I only Rescue Me. I tried to watch Starved, but meh, it wasn't all that great.

dessgeega · Posts: 3317

the only episode i've seen of tales from the crypt, i think, is an episode about a model whose abusive boyfriend is killed by a zombie. my friend made me watch it because she thinks teri hatcher is incredibly hot, and that episode has a scene where teri hatcher is tied to a bed.

so i wasn't really very impressed with the show.

however! i happen to think the crypt-keeper is pretty fantastic, despite his frequent puns. i just find puppetry really exciting.

Ashura · Posts: 735

dessgeega wrote:

the only episode i've seen of tales from the crypt, i think, is an episode about a model whose abusive boyfriend is killed by a zombie. my friend made me watch it because she thinks teri hatcher is incredibly hot, and that episode has a scene where teri hatcher is tied to a bed.

so i wasn't really very impressed with the show.

however! i happen to think the crypt-keeper is pretty fantastic, despite his frequent puns. i just find puppetry really exciting.

Tales from the Crypt is great. Even the first season.

Only Sin Deep, Dig That Cat...He's Real Gone (with Joey Pants!), hrm. The Man Who Was Death is also good.

I never got to see the animated episode about the Three Pigs. I DID like the one about the Tales from the Crypt comic artist, though. That, and the one about the soap.

Also, the first Tales DVD has a really cool thing about the origin of the comics, the origin of the comic's code, and the whole deal with SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT.

It actually mirrors the whole VIDEOGAMES ARE EVIL sentiment that's gone on lately. You know, being that was the era of COMICS ARE EVIL.

Mr. Mechanical · Posts: 1890

I've never been one for character dramas but I really enjoyed Six Feet Under the first two seasons I watched of it. It had a good hook for the series with someone dying at the beginning of each episode and then going into how it affected the people who had to prepare that person and their personal lives. Sometimes it had a larger effect and sometimes it didn't, and the show itself always had a way of being "real" even when it was being surreal. I liked that. I think they played the series finale recently so I'm going to start buying the DVDs. Six seasons and I only really saw two.

Occasionally I'd watch The Sopranos too, when I was just flipping through the channels though. I never watched it with regularity. It always seemed to stay fresh and entertaining well into the later seasons. I didn't really watch any of the other HBO dramas, though Rome looks interesting. I don't have cable anymore though, nor do I watch TV much except for the History Channel or the occasional bout of Adult Swim, so I probably won't be watching it anytime soon.

George · Posts: 1656

kokomo wrote:

And seeing as I dont have HBO I stick to my FX shows. (Over There is dumb as a button.)

Who watches TV shows on TV?????

dessgeega · Posts: 3317

Ashura wrote:

SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT.

INJURY TO THE EYE MOTIF.

ryan · Posts: 297

there was one scene of OZ involving a worried guy, a spoon, and grunts of pain that should be shown to everyone even thinking of committing in a crime. unless you're into silverware ripping you up something fierce, it manages to be an effective way of making one to not so much as jaywalk.

I'm pretty jazzed about Rome. And I did enjoy Deadwood until I missed a few episodes and got too far behind to want to watch the newer episodes. Damnation.

gunshinji · Posts: 186

Hey Ryan, you psyched about the hurricane?

Oz seemed to be a pretty distrubing show...

Waffen · Posts: 1638

pretty much all the shows are brilliant.

oz has kinda turned into a gay soap opera.

curb your enthusiasm is awesome.

i'll bet rome is tight too.

all the shows are pretty great.

BalbanesBeoulve · Posts: 2126

aderack wrote:

I understand HBO shows are kind of like the American idea of BBC shows.

Which makes me a little interested, maybe.

Funny that you should say that.

kokomo · Posts: 50

George wrote:

kokomo wrote:

And seeing as I dont have HBO I stick to my FX shows. (Over There is dumb as a button.)

Who watches TV shows on TV?????

mmmmmmmm!

Tales from the crypt was an HBO series?

gunshinji · Posts: 186

Yep, back in 94 in think.