The HBO Original Programming Thread

[falafel]

There are lots of places where HBO shows are discussed, but none of them are central like the Netflix/Amazon/Hulu threads.

I finished Perry Mason last night. Loved it. I love the noir setting in 1930s L.A. Matthew Rhys is excellent as Mason, a sad sack private detective who is barely scraping by after coming home from the war, getting divorced, and nearly losing the family farm. He is eventually forced into making a change and taking the bar exam in order to defend a woman that no one else will represent. The supporting cast is great too. The woman cast as Della Street is very good, and Shea Wigham (Nucky Thompson's brother from Boardwalk Empire) is a lot of fun as Perry's investigator. Highly recommended.


Next I think I will give Lovecraft Country a try. I've had a thing for Jurnee Smollet since Friday Night Lights.

[Commando]

So HBO's streaming service has been upgraded from HBO Go/HBO Now to HBO Max, which is HBO programming plus Warner properties, including stuff from TBS and TNT, Cartoon Network, adult swim, etc.

So far, it's definitely an upgrade. It kind of tries to do what Disney+ is doing by grouping the properties into separate things you can explore (HBO, Adult Swim, D.C. Comics, etc). I believe this is HBO's bid to stay competitive with Netflix and Disney+ and to put their history as sort of 'the naughty channel' behind them. Big time influx of other children's programming to go with their acquisition of Sesame Street.

My favorite feature, by far, is the streaming of the entire series of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I had forgotten how fantastic that show was-- it has aged extremely well, despite the 90s throwbacks in abundance. Will Smith is genuinely hilarious and his physical comedy is remarkable-- he had me howling with laughter multiple times per episode. He and Alfonso Ribiera are a comedic duo to be reckoned with.

[Pelado]

So HBO's streaming service has been upgraded from HBO Go/HBO Now to HBO Max, which is HBO programming plus Warner properties, including stuff from TBS and TNT, Cartoon Network, adult swim, etc.

So far, it's definitely an upgrade. It kind of tries to do what Disney+ is doing by grouping the properties into separate things you can explore (HBO, Adult Swim, D.C. Comics, etc). I believe this is HBO's bid to stay competitive with Netflix and Disney+ and to put their history as sort of 'the naughty channel' behind them. Big time influx of other children's programming to go with their acquisition of Sesame Street.

My favorite feature, by far, is the streaming of the entire series of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I had forgotten how fantastic that show was-- it has aged extremely well, despite the 90s throwbacks in abundance. Will Smith is genuinely hilarious and his physical comedy is remarkable-- he had me howling with laughter multiple times per episode. He and Alfonso Ribiera are a comedic duo to be reckoned with.

Does this service replace HBO Go/HBO Now?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Does this service replace HBO Go/HBO Now?

Yes. But not if you use a Roku.

[Paperback Writer]

Yes. But not if you use a Roku.

Hopefully AT&T will reach an agreement soon with Roku and Amazon. AT&T's position is that they want similar treatment to stream using it's own app like Netflix and Disney+.

[BigPiney]

I want to watch the Action Park doc. That place looked awesome.

[Pelado]

There are lots of places where HBO shows are discussed, but none of them are central like the Netflix/Amazon/Hulu threads.

I finished Perry Mason last night. Loved it. I love the noir setting in 1930s L.A. Matthew Rhys is excellent as Mason, a sad sack private detective who is barely scraping by after coming home from the war, getting divorced, and nearly losing the family farm. He is eventually forced into making a change and taking the bar exam in order to defend a woman that no one else will represent. The supporting cast is great too. The woman cast as Della Street is very good, and Shea Wigham (Nucky Thompson's brother from Boardwalk Empire) is a lot of fun as Perry's investigator. Highly recommended.


Next I think I will give Lovecraft Country a try. I've had a thing for Jurnee Smollet since Friday Night Lights.

My mom loves the old Perry Mason series with Raymond Burr. We watched a lot of reruns in my youth.

If it's on HBO, though, I'm guessing it will have a lot of content she wouldn't care for. Is this reboot mother-appropriate?

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[old_gregg]

i like the idea of lovecraft country, but haven't been able to get into it.

[Flystripper]

My mom loves the old Perry Mason series with Raymond Burr. We watched a lot of reruns in my youth.

If it's on HBO, though, I'm guessing it will have a lot of content she wouldn't care for. Is this reboot mother-appropriate?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

She probably isn’t going to like it. My wife loves the old Perry Mason and this one she hates. I guess it is more of a origin series? Perry Mason is a private investigator and not an attorney, at least not yet. I am only a few episodes in, but I like it. It’s dark and Perry Mason in this version is very flawed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[falafel]

My mom loves the old Perry Mason series with Raymond Burr. We watched a lot of reruns in my youth.

If it's on HBO, though, I'm guessing it will have a lot of content she wouldn't care for. Is this reboot mother-appropriate?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

She probably isn’t going to like it. My wife loves the old Perry Mason and this one she hates. I guess it is more of a origin series? Perry Mason is a private investigator and not an attorney, at least not yet. I am only a few episodes in, but I like it. It’s dark and Perry Mason in this version is very flawed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, this isn't your mom's Perry Mason. He's not smooth, he's not put together, he's not a gentleman, he's not ethical.... Basically the opposite of all the things your mom probably loved about Raymond Burr's Mason.

Oh, but wait: how does she feel about sex scenes with strong latina characters?

[Tim]

Perry Mason was excellent. I'm a sucker for any period piece based in pre-war Los Angeles, so I might be biased toward it. But the acting was great, the art and design were beautiful, and the story was compelling.

[Northwestcoug]

Oh, but wait: how does she feel about sex scenes with strong latina characters?

My question has been answered. I will watch it!

[Pelado]

Yeah, this isn't your mom's Perry Mason. He's not smooth, he's not put together, he's not a gentleman, he's not ethical.... Basically the opposite of all the things your mom probably loved about Raymond Burr's Mason.

Oh, but wait: how does she feel about sex scenes with strong latina characters?

I don't think she would do them, but she might surprise me.

[falafel]

My question has been answered. I will watch it!

I didn't say attractive strong latina women, but hey.

[Northwestcoug]

I didn't say attractive strong latina women, but hey.

I'll be the judge of that.