Haven’t watched any movies in a while as I’m invested in TV shows (old and new) just as the fall season is about to start.
I’m on to season 3 of The Sopranos now. Season 2 was as good as I remember it. A lot went down in both of Tony’s families. He more or less stays on the same level with his therapist and the blackouts keep coming.  Christopher tries to get his foot into Hollywood (with a few cameos) and the stock market and both don’t go too well by pulling in some dummies into the fold. Richie does everything to be a pain in the ass by trying to swing his (non-existent) weight around. He also attracts Christopher’s dummies making for more drama. Tony’s older sister, Janice, is the all-star addition to the season. She’s  a typhoon of a character, just like her mother. Hook her up with Richie and that’s basically a walking heart attack for Tony. Running a gambling ring has many pitfalls, Big Pussy comes back and goes away after walking the line for far too long. Season 2 has it all with mob and family life (looking at you Uncle Junior) constantly crashing together.
I saw that the entire 4 season run of Spartacus is on Netflix, so that enticed me to watch it in chronological order (2,1,3,4). I’ve watched season 1 and 2 more than once, but it’s been awhile. I have one episode left before going to season 3 and I forgot how intense Spartacus is. Everything they do, they do to the extreme. The violence, the gore, the sex, the language (which is actually the tamest with the creative Roman era cursing, it’s rather funny). It’s an unapologetic show and it’s so much fun. The political maneuverings of Batiatus to raise his house into the upper-class realm of the political elite. The back stabbing, the love triangles, the secrets, and the blood-soaked sand of vengeance. Some of the most memorable characters: Crixus, Gannicus, Ashur, Lucretia, Ilithyia, and Oenomaus just to name a few. One of the first shows to use CG blood (and extensive CG sets), it’s interesting to see the show lean on CG gore at first, then pull it back for much more prominent practical blood (300 is clearly an inspiration for the show, but as it goes on, Spartacus finds it’s own visual voice). Some of the best fight scenes in TV or film can be seen in this series (many of the stuntmen and fight coordinators went on to do Daredevil on Netflix). I haven’t watched season 3 or 4 since they aired and while I’m looking forward to it, I know I’m going to miss the late Andy Whitfield all over again.
A lot of the weaker cast members are gone from Face Off, so we’re getting to see some consistently great work now. This week a gantlet of 3 challenges was introduced. which I really liked. Each tested something different and the person with the lowest score at the end was let go. Nice twist of the formula.
The addition of letting the canvas who is voted to have the worst tattoo of the week on Ink Master is really just a way to make someone feel bad. Not a fan, it doesn’t add anything worth while to the show. I like this cast a lot, this week’s departure was a real surprise, it’s just about anyone’s game still with about 4 episodes left.
Fear the Walking Dead and The Strain both remain strong. I’m sensing a major death in The Strain very soon.
South Park returned last night and no one does social commentary as well as Matt Stone and Trey Parker.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has graced us with our presence and I could not be happier. Colbert has kept a lot of what made The Report so great and I think everyone is on board with it. The set looks amazing, the bits are hilarious and the interviews of some of the biggest names on the planet have been fantastic (let’s keep that shmuck Uber CEO off of TV please). I think Colbert and his crew are going to dominate late night for some time to come.
The Fall TV season comes back in full force next week, so there is a lot to look forward to very soon. I have The Bastard Executioner on my DVR which I plan on getting to this weekend. Till then, stay frosty.