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Watched the premiere earlier this morning and I gotta agree that the characters are bland and there were probably a dozen tropes introduced within the first 10 minutes.
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Jan 12, 2014 02:04
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Proposition Joe posted:The actors are all really bad, (especially the head of security and the southern monkey lady), none of the characters are notable, and its really boring. And on top of that there's all that landmass underneath the Antarctic ice, where ANCIENT VIRAL THINGS could come from. poo poo, this almost writes itself!
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Jan 12, 2014 02:47
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Needs more RJ MacReady and flamethrowers and giant beards.
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Jan 12, 2014 03:36
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pentyne posted:As it stands now we have the following major plot elements.
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Jan 12, 2014 04:16
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The whole “everyone makes dumb decisions because horror” is really taken to the extreme. Are we supposed to believe that Linda forgot she was infected by Peter? Or that a world renowned CDC doc would just not disclose she was infected the moment she woke up? I assume they’ll explain it away as a result of being infected immediately makes you try to escape and avoid being quarantined, but it comes off as bad writing for the sake of forcing a plot. Performing surgery without a breath mask on someone carrying a crazy deadly virus? Given the show started with Alan talking about how they have to make extreme choices to save the most lives why would he keep exposing himself to so many potential causes of infection? Oh, and his little “Don’t ever use lethal force against the infected We’re doctors we save lives” diatribe loses a lot of weight given that Peter brutally murdered a guard and cut off his hand and the first three infected were threatening to plunge a needle into Sarah’s neck. Oh look, another mysterious event occurs and an essential resource vanishes and there are no serious repercussions or confrontation, just “Well, I can take you to the monkey graveyard and get another, no big deal.” Pretty much every CDC professional is withholding vital information for no reason from the team leader other than to create drama. Alan even asks Southern Doc about the monkey and rather go “Someone stole the corpse I was using so we went to the monkey graveyard outside for more samples” she just says “Oh we’re working on it.” How many times did they have Alan say “When the satellite comlink comes back up everything will be fine”? It could not have been any more obvious that something would prevent that from happening. This show is hot garbage with nothing else going for it.
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Jan 12, 2014 06:51
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pentyne posted:The whole “everyone makes dumb decisions because horror” is really taken to the extreme. All this of this is compounded by the fact that ouside of Hitake, security guy and soldier dude, everyone else's goals lines up so why are they working against each other? All of the doctors just want to get this under control and get the gently caress out. Southern doc has NO reason not to trust Alan since even he could tell that Hitake is the last person on the base he can trust. He and everyone else figured that out the minute they hit the base.
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Jan 12, 2014 07:12
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Too Poetic posted:Alphas had awful ratings you cant really blame SyFy that no one really liked the show. I and everyone who posted in the thread liked it 
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Jan 12, 2014 07:46
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Kegslayer posted:I and everyone who posted in the thread liked it Alphas was good. That cliffhanger ending still painful. Especially when season two was pretty much awesome front to back.
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Jan 12, 2014 07:55
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I was distinctly worried while watching the two episode premiere that I was somehow watching the wrong show, because I had seen an endless circlejerk of good things about this for the last month. Nope, just turns out that places like io9 are so desperate for "sci-fi" that they'll fellate any garbage. "Put the scientists on lockdown, and make sure that anyone who has to move travels in pairs! We can't have any more situations like this!" *every CDC scientist proceeds to walk around alone* The writing is just insanely lazy, none of the situations have any credibility because they all rely on everyone being completely stupid. How is it possible to pump the entire vent system full of a gas that would knock someone out when there is every indication that there is no way to close vents into the main corridors? Which means that they actually had to flood the entire level with this gas, yet no one in the main corridors was wearing a gas mask, but it seemed vital that they wear one in the vents. I have absolutely zero interest in seeing a 13 hour version of The Thing. I'll be amazed if I find out that the story is anything but "Mysterious group of people want a bio-weapon for reasons that absolutely don't matter to the main characters of the show. Edit: Also "Oh I wonder why the arm is gone? Welp, let's not bother to do the standard procedure and disable a dead person's access." devoir fucked around with this message at 08:42 on Jan 12, 2014 |
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Jan 12, 2014 08:36
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I would seriously love a 13 hour version of The Thing. But this is more like a 13 hour version of Outbreak or The Andromeda Strain and it's boring as poo poo. This show has none of the things that made The Thing awesome and unique. The paranoia of not knowing who you could trust. The "you've got to be loving kidding me" awesome craziness of the monster. This show just has a bunch of people running around bleeding black. A single episode of the X-Files did a better tv version of The Thing than this show. I had high hopes for this but three episodes in plus the season preview and I'm not even close to feeling it.
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Jan 12, 2014 10:56
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Ahhh that was like watching a show after reading the spoilers, its made blander by the lack of surprises since you know what is going to happen. I have not read any spoilers or knew much of anything about the show and its was watching a show after reading the spoilers. It had all the troops you would expect including Moors favorite troop of "nobody telling anyone anything not matter how important cause 'reasons'" as a means of creating false tension, one he abused quite a bit in BSG. On the upside it is kind of an interesting interesting premise and the sound design was sufficiently well done to give me the creeps so thats ok. Will probably watch it so I might be able to see how More tells this story on a budget.
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Jan 12, 2014 14:01
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This sucks. These first three episodes have just been the standard "contagion in a remote location" story that pretty much every sci-fi series does at some point, just stretched out over a whole series. There have been a couple of hints that maybe something interesting is going on, but they're not strong enough to actually hook me and get me interested in the show as a whole. It might also help if the entire cast wasn't just a huge charisma vacuum. I've watched three episodes and can't remember a single name. It's like they're all supporting characters but there's no lead for them to support.
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Jan 12, 2014 14:24
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Everybody go and work alone at all times that is an order!
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Jan 12, 2014 14:32
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Flatscan posted:This sucks. These first three episodes have just been the standard "contagion in a remote location" story that pretty much every sci-fi series does at some point, just stretched out over a whole series. There have been a couple of hints that maybe something interesting is going on, but they're not strong enough to actually hook me and get me interested in the show as a whole. It might also help if the entire cast wasn't just a huge charisma vacuum. I've watched three episodes and can't remember a single name. It's like they're all supporting characters but there's no lead for them to support. They've basically setup the movie "The Thing" in a 13 hour block by forcing all the characters to act contrary to everything that's been established and think people want to watch a insanely slow burn "people get infected, no one trusts anyone, down to the last few survivors and drama" If the writers planned out multiple seasons I would be shocked at their naivete. For any chance of success this show has is to style itself as a "miniseries" like American Horror Story where every season is a self contained plot. The only hope this show has is to go into some crazy experimental territory as this show goes to poo poo and that the cast has some major acting talent to pull off the insanity. Right now everyone is so one dimensional I can't even remember a single main cast name.
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Jan 12, 2014 14:33
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Seriously, how did Hiroyuki Sanada end up in this piece of poo poo?!?!
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Jan 12, 2014 14:49
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I didn't actually think it was that bad. It's one of those shows you just have to put aside the dumb character decisions and plot holes and just enjoy the wackiness. It reminded me a lot of Siberia, which was pretty drat intense by the last few episodes.
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Jan 12, 2014 15:11
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It works better for me to think of this more as "Resident Evil: The Series" instead a 13 episode The Thing.
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Jan 12, 2014 15:16
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Eau de MacGowan posted:Seriously, how did Hiroyuki Sanada end up in this piece of poo poo?!?! He takes plenty of bad jobs like Revenge and 47 Ronin.
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Jan 12, 2014 15:23
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Mu Zeta posted:He takes plenty of bad jobs like Revenge and 47 Ronin. Both of these probably paid well though.
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Jan 12, 2014 15:36
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CODChimera posted:I didn't actually think it was that bad. Siberia was entertaining in a fashion because you didn't know what was coming and the characters had more depth than a piece of toilet paper. This doesn't match that at all, it's so intensely boring and manages to feel more contrived than a fake reality TV show.
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Jan 12, 2014 20:30
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I'm just mad at the science writing. So much bad/needlessly wordy explanations of basic lab stuff. Or just plain WRONG basic science. You'd think if you were making a show about science and the CDC you'd do some research on this poo poo and get the basics right. "I cloned in the jellyfish DNA  " vs "It's a Green Fluorescent Protein-based rapid detection system." Seriously, no scientist talks like they do in this show even when english is their second language. I get that most people don't know this stuff, but saying that one line and then the green glowing should be good for even the dumbest of viewers. I AM MAD ABOUT BAD SCIENCE!
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Jan 12, 2014 20:30
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I'm surprised people are getting SO ANGRY over this, it's a B- at worst.
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Jan 12, 2014 22:30
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haveblue posted:I'm surprised people are getting SO ANGRY over this, it's a B- at worst. It's aggrivating because you have a fantastic lead, an interesting (albeit limited) premise, and a veteran and beloved showrunner... And the whole thing is just bad, bad, bad. I canceled the recording on my DVR. I was going to just unbookmark the thread and be done with it... But it's far from a B-. It's the perfect example of squandered resources, dumb writing, and bad execution. It's tropey and cliché and uninspired. It's really, really disappointing.
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Jan 12, 2014 22:35
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Inspector_666 posted:EDIT: And the writing is pretty goddamn painful. "What you did back there... thank you." "I was just doing my job." I'm only about 30 minutes in and it's so bad. It's like a freshman english major is writing this. This show has a horrible case of "tell, don't show." Everyone is having verbal diarrhea and spewing everything about their backstory, emotions, just everything. So far Sarah seems to exist for no purpose but to make character spill all of their drama and secrets. They've already dropped half a season of backstory in the most uninteresting way. Based on the thread, I'm guessing it isn't going to get any better from here and that's extremely disappointing because it seems like such a cool premise and I genuinely like several of the actors. But the script is just hot garbage. Edit: And the bad science starts. "Well you see, these three rats didn't catch the disease after 10 minutes of breathing the same air as an infected rat. THAT PROVES CONCLUSIVELY IT CAN'T BE AIRBORNE." Jesus. Saltpowered fucked around with this message at 23:12 on Jan 12, 2014 |
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Jan 12, 2014 23:08
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The virus isn't airborne *proceeds to immediately disregard any kind of precautions whatsoever*
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Jan 12, 2014 23:59
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The comparisons to The Thing are particularly damning, since it's one of the movies that gets lauded for how competent it's characters are.
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Jan 13, 2014 01:01
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Jonas Albrecht posted:The comparisons to The Thing are particularly damning, since it's one of the movies that gets lauded for how competent it's characters are. The Thing works as a terrifying movie because it was a team of highly skilled professionals against something they had no idea about that could kill and replace anyone, thus the tension was from "who's safe and who isn't" This show is practically vomiting up explanations about the virus and forcing characters to act inconsistently so that essential decisions are being made without adequate information. There's also the "traitor in their midst" except the audience already knows who it is so Army Guy's blowing up the sat com is completely expected and not at all shocking or dramatic.
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Jan 13, 2014 02:39
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Regy Rusty posted:The virus isn't airborne *proceeds to immediately disregard any kind of precautions whatsoever* Everything about her character screams Pam from Archer except not funny. Large, country, blonde woman who is thoroughly incompetent. Actually, thinking of everyone on this show as a character from Archer makes it much more entertaining. Maybe they'll change writers or something halfway through the season and the show will improve because it's not irredeemable at this point. I like some of the cast, the setting, and the premise. They just need lines that aren't complete garbage. Well, and good character/plot writing too, but just making it so they sound like real people would be a huge improvement. Everything that comes out of Pam's mouth is this wannabe smart-rear end one-liners and she isn't the only one.
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Jan 13, 2014 04:09
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Lawlicaust posted:Everything about her character screams Pam from Archer except not funny. Large, country, blonde woman who is thoroughly incompetent. Actually, thinking of everyone on this show as a character from Archer makes it much more entertaining. Japanese Krieger. Good lord... WE'RE ALL hosed!
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Jan 13, 2014 04:14
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I don't think anyone on this station actually knows what the word security, security team, or even the root word secure means. They should probably stop using them. It's actually getting on my nerves how any time a security team or secure area is mentioned it's a colossal failure. I also lol when the horribly inept head of security says something is too dangerous, rounds up a "security team"consisting of only his terrible self and then sends a doctor in to the dangerous situation. Very amused that someone else saw only Pam as well. I was waiting for her to bust out a sandwich and beer in the rat scene. Needs to be a mini series with real direction and plot lines with a hard end or its going to be a horrific drawn out mess in short order.
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Jan 13, 2014 06:22
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Honestly, third episode (since the first is two episodes) is better. The dialogue is still pretty lovely at times and people make really dumb decisions but characters feel much better. I actually went from hating Pam to tolerating her. The ending of the episode made me want to throw things though. On one hand, I love how incompetent they are by having the test not work. On the other, I hate how blowing up the Satellite apparently cripples communication within the facility. Like they don't have an interfacility comm system or even a loving LAN?
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Jan 13, 2014 06:42
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Lawlicaust posted:Honestly, third episode (since the first is two episodes) is better. The dialogue is still pretty lovely at times and people make really dumb decisions but characters feel much better. I actually went from hating Pam to tolerating her. Plus, I would assume zero contact from the Artic research base during the highly important 1 hour of comms would raise a ton of red flags and prompt the Army to send a team to investigate, and then seeing that someone use military explosives to destroy the only communication would hit the panic button and swarm the base with troops. Generic security chief even comments how essential the 1 hour is for communication, and that they have the most advanced tech for communication available so dead silence from a research facility the CDC was dispatched to would alarm a lot of people.
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Jan 13, 2014 07:43
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Squirrelo posted:I'm just mad at the science writing. So much bad/needlessly wordy explanations of basic lab stuff. Or just plain WRONG basic science. Really hope the pull a V, have the show poo poo canned early but let the writers have enough time to put out some hilarious/cool poo poo to finish up.
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Jan 13, 2014 08:05
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Woden posted:I was always curious why they didn't just take blood samples and scan them for the 16nm worms, like no one even tried. Also when they got the jellyfish test going they only tested random unnamed people instead of everybody in the facility, well until the sparring match got two named people to test themselves. Have it actually turn into The Thing with the virus being some ancient alien that they dug out of the ice. Sanada becomes the final boss and morphs into some giant bloody blob thing of massive arms and teeth. Billy Campbell make it out alive but not before burning everyone and everything in the base alive. Last shot is of the helicopter coming back, we zoom back in on Billy and notice his eyes are just like Hitake's was. CUT TO CREDITS.
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Jan 13, 2014 09:52
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Tokubetsu posted:Have it actually turn into The Thing with the virus being some ancient alien that they dug out of the ice. Sanada becomes the final boss and morphs into some giant bloody blob thing of massive arms and teeth. Billy Campbell make it out alive but not before burning everyone and everything in the base alive. Last shot is of the helicopter coming back, we zoom back in on Billy and notice his eyes are just like Hitake's was. CUT TO CREDITS. This, but with HelixPam in place of Billy Campbell. But we all know the last person standing is going to be Billy Campbell's genius protege who's totally crushing on him.
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Jan 13, 2014 10:14
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Lawlicaust posted:
The writers obviously don't give a poo poo about any of that. Just assume that Satellite was responsible for all communications because it probably was. It's like the complaints about why it's not set in Antarctica instead of the Arctic, who cares? You just know the writers would've set this on the moon if they wanted to.
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Jan 13, 2014 12:21
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I once said that Ron Moore was allowed a few gently caress-ups after so many good Star Trek episodes and Battlestar Galactica. He hosed-up with that weird virtual reality space-ship show (no, not Caprica, the OTHER virtual reality space ship show that got cancelled), but I allowed it because I promised him the benefit of the doubt. So lets see how this show is... I just finished up watching all three episodes on Hulu. Holy poo poo this is terrible. This is reminding me of a few years back when a slew of lovely network sci-fi shows all tried to cargo-cult the success of LOST. No...I'm not talking about Invasion, Threshold, or Surface, those were the first time networks tried it. I'm talking about the really lovely stuff they tried even later...The Event, Flashforward, and V. This isn't as terrible as The Event, but it's drat close, and it's certainly not as fun as Flashforward, so there you go. It's boring and lovely, a terrible combination.
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Jan 13, 2014 18:25
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Is it weird that I didn't think this was that bad? Except for the derpy "well, sometimes we need suits! And sometimes we're just lounging around with no suits! We have absolutely no established standards of practice and safety!" element of things, it actually felt decent to watch. I like creepy science station horror type stuff (The Thing and its ilk, Dead Space, etc.) and this pushed the right buttons. None of the characters bother me, nor does the writing. I can't get over how transparently evil Hitake is, though. "Sure, come research for a cure.... TO YOUR DEATH." "What did you say?" "Oh nothing, nothing at all, just the ice shifting."
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Jan 13, 2014 23:20
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I banged out three episodes of this last night and I am in the camp of "enjoyed it despite it's flaws" - every indication so far leads me to believe they at least have their story figured out. The acting really is bad except for a few exceptions. Dr Hatake was legit menacing and I dug the way he kept staring at people when they weren't paying attention. That made him seem really cold and predatory. Dismissing this show as unwatchable because of the acting doesn't vibe with me because I liked the premise and atmosphere. In my opinion, shows like Stargate or Babylon 5 came off way cheesier, and those had big fanbases dedicated to the lore and world. I'll give the whole season a go but A: I hoped/expected better from Ron Moore and B: I feel like this show will suck to watch week to week but might be exciting and scary to binge through later. Thoughts?
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Jan 14, 2014 01:10
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Pretty much agree with all the criticism posted so far. But still enjoyed binging through it as a comedy for some reason. PamSci and Army were just over the top though.
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Jan 14, 2014 01:26
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