Wings246

Basic human decency, like common sense, is no longer common in our world, unfortunately.

I seriously believe @Simon Suraci should consider becoming a standup comic. I almost pee my pants from laughing too hard...... 🤣

Now, that is a storyline I'd be very interested in watching. Plots need to be morally ambiguous to reflect the true nature of human beings. Unfortunately, in our politically correct world, stories must be either black or white; no gray area is tolerated. The writer is forcing & lecturing us to accept the morally correct choice as the gold standard. In this case, the baby must be saved at all costs even though such a decision is ridiculously irrational. That's where the story feels like a contrived and trite idea to me. Oh well, it's only a TV show after all. It has to appeal to and appease the majority of the general public. Anything too drastic will get criticized and then cancelled nowadays. So we have to settle for mediocrity.

Spoiler alert: stop reading if you haven't finished the whole series or if you are planning to start. The whole series is just mediocre (at best) to me. It is entertaining mostly, but the basic premise of the show is not novel: people desperate for $$$ are tested to sell their bodies, minds, and souls (and ultimately kill others for it). The Hunger Games, Battle Royale, and countless other TV shows and movies share similar principles. In a way, it's reflective of reality: how many people are slaving over jobs they despise every day just to earn a paycheck and health insurance/benefit in order to survive? The show only dramatizes the concept to the extreme. Overall, it's not gory, brutal, or outrageous enough. Specifically, the ending where the protagonist sacrifices himself to save someone else's baby (who he just knows for under 6 days) is way too far-fetched, illogical, and formulaic to me. I hate it when the writer tries to force-feed moral and ethical standards to the audience and this show does EXACTLY that. I knew the show would end in the most cliche way the moment a pregnant girl was on screen. Then, the show was over the moment the baby was born. I cannot agree more. I can care less about the subplots with the North Korean girl as well. Basically, I am sticking around to watch the actual games and how the contestants are tortured to death. I have never been a fan of K drama. I find the K actors/actresses typically over-act and exaggerate their emotions and expressions. Subtlety is lacking. Even that Cate Blanchett cameo doesn't intrigue me too much. Will I watch an American version if it is made? Probably. Will I have high expectations? Probably not. All in all, it is not time wasted. There are indeed brilliant and exciting moments. But I still feel like the entire series is overhyped and overrated.

And just yesterday, one of the co-creators of the show, the original video game developer, quit before S3 production -- surprise, surprise, surprise! I bet he gets too many hate mails and death threats from the video game community??? Now, everything rests on Craig Mazin. It is a shame because I LOVE his Chernobyl.

S1 = 9 episodes; S2 = 7 episodes

I'd say this is a plausible generalization but a rather dangerous and limiting assumption. I, for one, am not attracted to people of my own race and cultural background. I even half-jokingly tell my friends that I "discriminate" against my own kind because I am bored by and tired of things & people that I am familiar and comfortable with day in and day out. I want new flavors and territories to add excitement and different experiences to my stagnant life. Being gay is already not "fitting in" in the grand scheme of things. So why should we force something that doesn't fit to fit? I know in the perfect world, we want everything to fit flawlessly. Things are already too difficult as is. If I can find someone who fits me, I can care less if he fits in with my family/friends. You may be looking a little bit too far ahead.

Even if he gives you his "real" name, how can you verify that it's indeed real unless he shows you his official government-issued documents? Still, how can you rule out the possibility of a fake ID? I'm just pushing cynicism to the extreme here.

Everyone’s healthcare coverage & arrangements are different. I can only speak about my experience. I have HMO so the PCP and lab visits are integrated. My PCP is allowed to place an unlimited amount of standard HIV, PrEP, and STI lab tests in advance. That was exactly what he did for me. He entered 9999 (the maximum number permitted) in the “quantity” boxes of all these lab tests. Hence, they become perpetual standing orders on my medical record. There is no need for me to contact my PCP. I just go to the lab to get everything done in 1 visit (and as frequently as I wish). Now, if your PCP and lab belong to separate healthcare entities, then I am not sure if your PCP can pre-order indefinite lab tests. You may have to contact the PCP’s office ahead of time each and every time. That really is a hassle.

That's the primary problem with developing a TV show from a video game. Storylines in video games are the ornaments; the gameplay itself is the Christmas tree. While the story is important and keeps the players invested, ultimately, the actions (killing, shooting, hunting, escaping, etc.) are the centerpieces of the game. So, logically, the storylines need to provide justifications for the actions. Violence and vengeance offer the perfect reasons for killing, shooting, hunting, and escaping when the gamers are playing from the main characters' perspectives. For those who don't know, you play as Joel in Part 1 of the game and you play as Ellie and Abby in Part 2 of the game. So in a sense, you can see and understand each character's viewpoint in doing what they have to do. In other words, as a gamer, you immerse yourself in their experiences. Now, the fact that the writers and producers are so gung ho about being faithful to the entire plot of the game is brewing trouble. As a TV viewer, you cannot indulge in the first-person experience as a gamer (as described above). You are a third-person observer of the events. There is a sense of detachment and the intensity of the emotional response is much diminished. I feel the writers and producers are having a tough time reconciling the distinction. I suppose the whole TV series will continue to spiral down unless they can find some magical ways to salvage what's left.

I cannot agree more. Too bad I don't live in his area......

Ashley Johnson. She actually played Ellie's mother in the S1 finale. For the video game, on top of voicing the characters, the actors/actresses actually acted out the scenes for motion capture production and then everything is transformed into the video game with CGI. That's why S2 is hit by a barrage of criticisms. Most die-hard fans of the game agree that the CGI + voice + green screen suit acting in the game is way better than the real-life, on-screen performance in the TV show. What a disaster. The saddest part is that these video game voice actors/actresses probably get paid 100 times less than the TV "stars." How depressing is reality?

Disclaimer: I have zero romantic experience whatsoever and I'm very, very new to his "hobby" (as some of the members here call it). I'm your direct opposite: short & very unattractive & much older than you. So I don't even know if I'm qualified to respond. But those 4 sentences you wrote struck me as I feel more or less the same way (when I'm in a paid situation). A different version of myself -- that I don't know exists -- comes out. "Soft, present, sensual, alive" are understatements. I LOVED (not just liked) who I was in that moment. It's both astonishing and scary to discover an alternative persona just as though I have dissociative identity disorder. I can't help but wonder (for myself and for you, of course): is this the version that the world needs to see in order for meaningful, romantic, and intimate relationships to materialize?

I agree with most people that S3 is a disappointment. That said, Laurie's finale monologue hits me really hard. I am 10 billion light years away from being that filthy rich, but I can identify with her self-reflection in the speech. In particular, I share this sentiment in ways that I cannot describe: “I’m glad you have a beautiful face. And I’m glad that you have a beautiful life. And I’m just happy to be at the table.” Do you think: 1. She has accepted her fate & life and is truly happy and at peace to be at the table? 2. She has honestly accepted that is all that she can ever achieve in her life and that she has begrudgingly conceded that she can never reach the “beautiful face” and “beautiful life” status of her friends? 3. She still harbors some sort of animosity and resentment towards her fate & life and some degree of jealousy towards her friends? 4. A combination of any or all of the above?

The long holiday will be his participation in Season 50 of "Survivor"? 😅 What the hell is he thinking?