Current fav US TV series

[Hal...]

I love spy stuff. Or to be specific, the kind of spy stuff that seems realistic. A fave movie of mine is Three Days of the Condor. And I really enjoyed the Bourne movies, even tho I always bitch about the editing in them. I even thought The Bourne Legacy (w/Jerermy Renner instead of Matt Damon) was good. Jason Bourne, otoh, was paint by numbers bland. I've liked at least half of the movies I've seen that were adapted from Le Carré novels: The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, both versions of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and A Most Wanted Man were all good. I've seen The Constant Gardener but I can't remember what I thought of it. The Russia House and The Tailor of Panama both kinda sucked.

Some others I enjoyed: Ronin (Jean Reno is excellent in this movie), Charlie Wilson's War, and Syriana, although the latter is more of a political thriller, I guess, which I always kind of see as a sibling of the spy genre. In that respect, The Day of the Jackal (1973) is excellent and is probably my favorite of those listed. I also thought Condor on Epix was great and Rubicon on AMC was superb (best spy show I've ever seen). I did, however, find the Spielberg/Hanks movie, Bridge of Spies, kind of tepid; although I've always wanted to see it again.

Anyway, the point of my post is that Berlin Station (on Epix) is the real deal. In fact, I had started Travelers on Netflix and got through most of the first season before checking out Berlin Station. I watched both for a while before the latter really got me hooked to the point I've temporarily abandoned Travelers. If, like me, you prefer your spy shows/movies to be thrillers rather than action movies you should check this out. If you have Epix, of course. The only caveat I have is there was a moment in one of the first episodes of the second season that required a little suspension of disbelief. Otherwise, this show has been excellent.

[Hal...]

I always watch the opening credits on Resident Alien. I wonder if they're unique to the series or if they come from the graphic novel. Either way, it's a brilliant show.

I believe they're unique to the show because the show is quite different from the graphic novel, which is more of a mystery than a comedy. But that's an assumption.

[Jerjo]

Speaking of spies and the like, Killing Eve has really truly jumped the shark.

[SteveSly]

Agree, the opening credits are often a hoot and vey clever.

So far I am not liking the 2nd season as much as the first. They have made some of the side characters way too over the top (the redhead especially) and I think the show has lost some of it’s focus. We’ll see where it goes from here. If they are going to included so many side character stories I wish we would see more of the Sherriff. That dude is almost as funny as the main character.

[jake]

I love spy stuff. Or to be specific, the kind of spy stuff that seems realistic……

Have you ever caught the British TV series “The Sandbaggers” with Roy Marsden and Ray Lonnen. A really well-written cold-war spy series given a bit of an edge because the writer Ian Mackintosh died before he could finish the story and other writers were brought in to finish the last few episodes but they deliberately left the storyline unresolved out of respect to the original writer. The circumstances of the writers death could be a spy novel on its own - there was even speculation in Britain that he was “disappeared” because he was revealing too much about MI6 operations methods.
It’s on Britbox if your interested.

[interbellum]

Yesterday I watched all 6 episodes of We Are Lady Parts.
Great music, fun and yet a serious touch.

[Hal...]

Have you ever caught the British TV series “The Sandbaggers” with Roy Marsden and Ray Lonnen. A really well-written cold-war spy series given a bit of an edge because the writer Ian Mackintosh died before he could finish the story and other writers were brought in to finish the last few episodes but they deliberately left the storyline unresolved out of respect to the original writer. The circumstances of the writers death could be a spy novel on its own - there was even speculation in Britain that he was “disappeared” because he was revealing too much about MI6 operations methods.
It’s on Britbox if your interested.

Damn. I don't have Britbox. Thanks for the heads up, tho. I'll look to see if it's elsewhere, tho I doubt it.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Ronin is one of my all-time favorite movies. Top ten material for me.

Of course, I'm a sucker for almost anything with Jean Reno. I even went to see The Da Vinci Code because he was in it. Throw in Robert De Niro, Stellan Skarsgard, and Sean Bean, and you've got one hell of a cast. Also Natascha McElhone and Jonathan Pryce, who do a good job. It also has my two favorite car chases...and one of them is through the middle of Paris.

[NogbadTheBad]

Yeah Ronin and The Professional with Reno are superb

[Just Eric]

I love spy stuff. Or to be specific, the kind of spy stuff that seems realistic. A fave movie of mine is Three Days of the Condor. And I really enjoyed the Bourne movies, even tho I always bitch about the editing in them. I even thought The Bourne Legacy (w/Jerermy Renner instead of Matt Damon) was good. Jason Bourne, otoh, was paint by numbers bland. I've liked at least half of the movies I've seen that were adapted from Le Carré novels: The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, both versions of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and A Most Wanted Man were all good. I've seen The Constant Gardener but I can't remember what I thought of it. The Russia House and The Tailor of Panama both kinda sucked.

Some others I enjoyed: Ronin (Jean Reno is excellent in this movie), Charlie Wilson's War, and Syriana, although the latter is more of a political thriller, I guess, which I always kind of see as a sibling of the spy genre. In that respect, The Day of the Jackal (1973) is excellent and is probably my favorite of those listed. I also thought Condor on Epix was great and Rubicon on AMC was superb (best spy show I've ever seen). I did, however, find the Spielberg/Hanks movie, Bridge of Spies, kind of tepid; although I've always wanted to see it again.

Same!! I love the 60's and 70's spy thrillers, the Harry Palmer series with Michael Caine, The Jackal the original one is fantastic. I even have a soft spot for the Bond satires, Flint series with James Coburn (great score by Jerry Goldsmith - talk about hooks and earworms!) and the Matt Helm series with Dean Martin. What I like about Three Days of the Condor and other similar films, is the protagonist is either an everyman or peripheral to spy-dom, i.e. Redford's analyst. I fell in love with Hitchcock for that exact reason, his penchant for putting everyday people in unrealistically thrilling situations.

[Klonk]

Ronin is one of my all-time favorite movies. Top ten material for me.

Greatest car chase scenes ever.

[Scott Bails]

I mentioned this before but I don't recall that anyone commented so I'm asking the fans of Resident Alien if you pay attention during the opening credits? They're like pages out of an instruction manual on what is and isn't considered acceptable behavior.

I think they're funnier than the show and I thought last week's was great:

I always watch the opening credits on Resident Alien. I wonder if they're unique to the series or if they come from the graphic novel. Either way, it's a brilliant show.

Agree, the opening credits are often a hoot and vey clever.

Love 'em. Also just love the whole idea of doing something like that - similar to how Ozark does the pictograms in the "O."

So far I am not liking the 2nd season as much as the first. They have made some of the side characters way too over the top (the redhead especially) and I think the show has lost some of it’s focus. We’ll see where it goes from here. If they are going to included so many side character stories I wish we would see more of the Sherriff. That dude is almost as funny as the main character.

Keep trying to watch the second season, but my GF keeps falling asleep during the first episode. Not due to disinterest - she's just been crazy busy with work and her elderly parents. Hope to catch up some this weekend.

Speaking of spies and the like, Killing Eve has really truly jumped the shark.

Well that's disappointing to hear. We're behind on this one, too.

[Just Eric]

Greatest car chase scenes ever.

Modern era I'll give you, kick-ass 70's car chase has to be Bullitt.

[NogbadTheBad]

French Connection car chase is pretty good

[Klonk]

True and true! What are some other good ones?

To me the greatest car chase scenes in the history of cinema are all in It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World just thinkin' about 'em!

[Jerjo]

I understand that the series Counterpart on Amazon Prime is a good spy/sci-fi show. Two full seasons on Prime.

[mnprogger]

Yesterday I watched all 6 episodes of We Are Lady Parts.
Great music, fun and yet a serious touch.

thanks, this looks potentially pretty good.

Given my lack of ability to see Blake's 7 on Amazon Prime per it's been moved to BritBox exclusively, I went ahead and started 12 Monkeys on HULU.

3 episodes in, it's pretty good, although I wonder how the story will go for 47 episodes, compared to the story with the movie. How long does Cole's body allow him to travel back and forth in time? etc.

I remember the actor, Aaron Stanford best for his performance in FLAKES the Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Lloyd film. Although he reminds me a lot of another Aaron, Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad for some reason in 12 Monkeys.

[NogbadTheBad]

I understand that the series Counterpart on Amazon Prime is a good spy/sci-fi show. Two full seasons on Prime.

It's good but got canceled with no resolution

[Scott Bails]

It's good but got canceled with no resolution

Ugh. That should be illegal.

[Hal...]

Greatest car chase scenes ever.

I'd kind of forgotten about the first one so I had to see what you meant. Yeah, that is a great one. I remember when the movie was released that there was kind of a big deal about the second one because that's the same tunnel Princess Di was killed in.

I ended up watching the whole movie again.

Modern era I'll give you, kick-ass 70's car chase has to be Bullitt.

Bullitt was '68, not '70s. Close, I guess.

French Connection car chase is pretty good

That's another great one.

What are some other good ones?

The original Gone in 60 Seconds, where about half the movie was one long chase scene.

The Seven-Ups has a great one.

The Bourne Ultimatum has a great one too. That's the one with Matt Damon, first on a motorcycle and then on foot, as he tries to save Julia Stiles from the hitman, culminating with the fight in the apartment. That's one fantastic series of scenes from start to finish.

The Blues Brothers might be my favorite, tho. I mean, seriously. How can you not love a chase scene that begins with the line, "there's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark out, and we're wearing sunglasses", includes half of the local and state police of Illinois, various SWAT teams, the National Guard, Neo-Nazis and used 40 stunt drivers and wrecked a total of 104 cars?

Bullitt has the best beginning, tho, when Steve McQueen starts out being followed and then the hitmen lose him, only to find him behind them.

[nycsteve]

French Connection is tops for car chase IMO. A very good one in The Night Of The Juggler. On location NYC , very well done. 7Ups is very good to.

[SteveSly]

I thought the car chase in the latest James Bond flick was pretty sweet.

[progmatist]

I also liked the ensemble cast car chase spoof Cannonball Run. Perhaps my favorite scene was when Roger Moore "put up his dukes" to fight some guy. He says, "I have to warn you, I'm Roger Moore." The guy asks "who?" Roger leans his face in and says "Roger Moore!" Then gets knocked down with one punch.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Greatest car chase scenes ever.

I wrote about that - two really great car chase scenes, especially the one through the streets of Paris -- but edited it out because I was getting longwinded. (Who, me?)

[Burley Wright]

True and true! What are some other good ones?

To me the greatest car chase scenes in the history of cinema are all in It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World just thinkin' about 'em!

There's a wild one in To Live and Die in L.A.