Giles

I blame Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz - he really did not make the first season go down easy.

mrcellophane

I agree. Also, Lindsey Knope is much ditzier and more caustic in the first season. The transition between her characterization in the first and second seasons reminded me a lot of Michael Scott in The Office. Both characters became much more likable in the second seasons.

I'm making good progress on the first season of Stargate SG-1 but my word I hope things get better quick. Today's viewing included "Hathor", an episode that made "Emancipation" seem nuanced and sensitive. Thankfully, this is followed by "Singularity" and "Cor-ai" both of which set up much better stories and have something of a followthrough. (Unfortunately, both rely heavily on guest stars, and "Cor-ai"'s Hanno is such a whiny pissant that he almost derails any impact the otherwise intriguing story makes.)

davidh777

Is it recommended to watch the seasons in order, then, to understand character arc?

Qrusher14242

I dont remember the 1st season being that bad. But it has been a while since i've seen it. Now, Babylon 5's 1st season was really hard to get through, but was worth it for what came after it.

BobO'Link

While I wouldn't call it "great" I enjoyed the first season. I did a blind buy of S1 to see if I wanted to purchase more and enjoyed it enough to blind buy S2 & S3. I've not yet watched those 2 seasons and almost opened S2 a day or so back but selected The Office S7 instead. I may watch P&R S2 after that one.

lisadoris

Yep hang in there...Hathor is the last of the really horrid episodes for quite some time.

LJG765

Broke into Firefly and am really liking it. If someone asked, I'd say it's a crossover with the old West type shows and Star Wars-gritty sci-fi. I love the banter.

"I'd do this job for free."
"Then, can I have your share?
"No"
"If you die, can I have your share?"
"Yes."

Watched the pilot and the 2nd show, looking forward to the next!

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I tried watching it in the intended order and never finished the first episode. Some of the characters were just way too obnoxious.

davidh777

If we're still talking about Firefly, you might give it some more time. The first episode is extra long, and it does take a little while to ramp up.

BobO'Link

I tried watching it when it first aired. Of course they started out of order and that episode was more "what is this?" type stuff. Then the airings were hit or miss and the *few* bits and pieces I managed to catch just didn't provide enough consistency to allow me to get into it. It also didn't help that the episodes were out of order. Then I stumbled onto the DVDs for ~$15 at SAMs a few years back, recalled the good buzz, and just made the purchase. I *really* enjoyed the series when watched from the actual first episode. It's a shame it was treated so poorly as it would probably have run for several seasons had it been aired in the proper order and received airings in a consistent time slot.

LJG765

I heard much of the same thing so took the risk when I found it on sale. I'm enjoying it so far but could see how it would be very confusing if you didn't start from the beginning. It probably helps that I know a bit about it just by reading about it online.

Giles

I'm going to try to watch Community Seasons 1 and 2 which I have never seen, fell into watching the 3rd season midway, but it's very interesting to see how the characters interrelate and what storylines I missed.

lisadoris

Starting watching Star Trek: The Next Generation S2 on blu yesterday. It looks good though that doesn't make up for the fact that the episodes themselves are pretty horrid. I watched all of Star Trek last year and found the first 2 seasons of TNG almost unwatchable and my opinion hasn't changed all that much. In fact, that Joe Piscopo episode actually seems to get worse every time I watch it. I should get to "Measure of a Man" today which is the main reason I bought the set.

Travis McClain

You raise an issue that's been on my mind lately. Despite my years-long love for TNG, I only have the first four seasons on DVD at present. I've been debating what to do. Do I start over with season 1 on Blu-ray and just go forward with that? Do I just keep going with DVD? Or do I just wait for season 5 to hit Blu-ray and finish off the series in that format and leave the first four as they are?

The fact that I have absolutely no enthusiasm for the first two seasons has kept me from being particularly keen on upgrading so far, but season 5 is one of my favorite single seasons of any show, ever. It's one I'd be inclined to want on Blu-ray anyway and that's the next one I need.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

The "official" first episode is something like the 3rd or 4th episode but FOX thought it wouldn't be a good first episode, so they switched things around. I might give it another shot but it won't be this month.

Ash Ketchum

I have the "Firefly" box set (my daughter lent it to me). Which is the actual first episode that I should start with?

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly...adcast_history

Just go by the order number.

Darth Maher

I discovered Firefly recently as well . I have the last 8 episodes on the my DVR still to watch. I was hoping that somebody in my family would have taken advantage of the $12.99 Blu-ray price on Amazon around Christmas. But they did not so I hope to watch the rest of the series this month and grab the Blu-ray set when the price drops again.

Ash Ketchum

I see now--the order given on the DVD set is the correct order. The original airdates are in the wrong order. Got it. Thanks.

lisadoris

Question for fellow Trekkies. I think I noticed a small continuity error I never noticed before. In "Time Squared" when Riker makes breakfast for the crew, Pulaski asks Riker were he learned to cook and when Riker explains that his father didn't like to cook and he never knew is mother she looks surprised. Fast forward to "The Icarus Factor" and it turns out that Pulaski and Kyle Riker had a past romantic relationship. Wouldn't she have known that Riker's mother died when he was a child? It's random but it bugged me this time around.

Travis McClain

Hmm. Pulaski was the kind of woman who only revealed what she needed/wanted anyone to know at the moment she needed/wanted them to know it. It's not beyond reason that she didn't want to make a point to Riker about her previous relationship with his dad. She may have even made the inquiry as bait to see if Riker himself had any inkling about their time together.

Also, I can't recall: Was it stated that her relationship with Riker's dad was after his mom passed away?

Ultimately, though, chalk it up to early-season carelessness.

lisadoris

I assumed it was early season carelessness but your explanation makes sense i terms of her character. I think Pulaski said she was with Kyle eight years prior to when the episode is taking place so mom had been out of the picture for quite some time.

Travis McClain

Yeah, in that case I'd say the in-character explanation is just her mercurial nature.

LJG765

I've watched Firefly, now, through episode 7, Jaynestown. I think this is the episode where Jayne finally redeems his jerkness. I've been enjoying it and agree, I think if this had been handled correctly, it could have had a good run. I also wish that they'd drop the Chinese. It just doesn't mesh well with the old West/dirty space goer feel. And while it's getting better flowing the further in to the epis I've gone, it is pretty jarring sometimes when they start to swear in it.

I said it earlier, MinLShaw, you should start over and give the DVDs to me! But honestly, I think my preference would be just to start at season 5 with Blu. And if there was any sales where the first four dropped enough, I'd go back and rebuy.

I jumped on the sale where ST:TOS complete series Blu was about 75.00 at DeepDiscount. Won't get them in time for this challenge, I don't think, but maybe next year!

BobO'Link

I started on Peter Gunn this morning. I'd ordered the complete series from Amazon a week or so ago and it arrived yesterday. As it had several floaters I opened it and started watching. It's somewhat of a blind buy as I was pretty young when it originally aired and don't really recall ever seeing it before but my dad had the soundtrack album. It's quite good. The first episode had a young Gavin MacLeod (he was 27 when it was filmed) as the main criminal. Did the guy *ever* have hair? Jack Weston was also in that episode. The music is great (I can hear the beginnings of the Pink Panther theme at times), the sets atmospheric, and the scripts literate. It's amazing that it's a half-hour program but doesn't feel rushed. So far I've watched 6 episodes and they've all been very good. Another good blind buy...