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Seems pretty normal? It’s always interesting to compare on a global scale.
In Sweden I payed 3k for fiber installation in my house. (That included some digging + installation)
My current isp has a few bw options, we currently use a pretty low one, 100/100 for 40$.
A 1000/1000 is currently 85$. Since we stream/buffer 100/100 does the trick.
My phone plan is currenly 12$ for unlimited calls but low data.
For 72$ I used to have an unlimited cell phone data plan. (But I almost never used it).
Fair enough, obv. a large housing co-op can negotiate a better discount than individual households.
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Originally Posted by Timbuk2
Yes, I believe rural costs are higher. I imagine Comcast and the like amortize their costs over all their customers to an extent but I'm probably getting a cheaper rate than someone in the boonies. The bigger limit here is availability, in lots of places in the hinterlands broadband access at all (let alone cost) is quite limited.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flixy
My wife and I watched both seasons of I'm Sorry over the last week or two. It was pretty funny, I don't really know Andrea Savage at all, but she was pretty solid.
Too bad they cancelled the third season because of Covid. The episodes were already written, though, so I'm hopeful someone picks it up. I don't even know what TruTV is, but this was a surprisingly fun show.
Yep, it's a compulsory fee. Can't opt-out. But I got some good news -- comcast is giving us a credit around $40 due to covid restrictions (can't watch games that aren't played, right?) But that still doesn't explain why we're forced to pay a Regional Sports fee in the first place. It's the kind of thing only a monopoly can demand and get away with. :down:Quote:
Originally Posted by wiggin
Well, at least you admit that US broadband is crappy AND expensive. :up: You don't have to be poor to see that costs are outrageous, or that "promotional bundles" are convenience schemes that only people of means can afford to pay. It's not really about watching TV, ya know, but affordable access to the internet, and if that should be treated like a Public Utility. ;)Quote:
Sorta 'standard' ~100 Mbps internet is usually $40-50/month and that's what we had until the pandemic, we don't do much more than Netflix and email at home. But with our dramatically increased usage of bandwidth (typically 2-3 videochats at once + heavy use of cloud services) we shelled out for more. The added marginal cost for more bandwidth is quite small; I think it's about $110/month for 1 Gbps. But I frankly don't need the extra bandwidth and can come up with a better use for $150/year. I would consider fiber if it was actually available, but we all know the games Fios plays on that front.
There are promotional bundles with TV that cost similarly but I don't want to deal with the hassle of cancellation and return of equipment once the promo pricing ends... and we really don't miss watching TV.
But we all know that broadband connectivity in the US is unreasonably expensive. For me it's essentially a rounding error compared to the cost of housing, tuition, food, and healthcare (my biggest expenses by far, excluding taxes and retirement) but I imagine it's a substantial burden for people of modest means. There are crappy subsidized versions of broadband for the poor but it's far from ideal.
Reset: I'm looking forward to "Resident Alien" on SyFy. I'll be really pissed if comcast moves that channel to another more expensive "tier" like they did with TCM.
It doesn't work that way in the US.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aimless
Just saw "Oyadeng" (s05e07) and oh my God. Just completely blew me away. Dominique Tipper is just so goddamn' awesome, even if her arc comes with the surly dipshit and the dimestore Antonio Banderas. I did NOT see that coming—even as it was happening. Just a few seconds, but what a journey. A little mad at myself for not waiting for all the episodes so that I can binge...
Come on. You know you couldn't wait. How possible is what she did?
It didn't strike me as being the least bit plausible, and esp. not given how fast it was with the big guy... but I don't care, she's just so goddamn' cool :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazir
We've started watching Wandavision, and, I really didn't expect to like it this much. Slow start, unique vibe, and they have fantastic chemistry—much better than their characters were in the movies. My wife was laughing her ass off. Think we're really gonna enjoy this show :up:
I'm sure it's going to get better but the first episode of WandaVision was empty boomer fan service.
Approximately 5 boomers will see this show, and none will recognize the world it portraysQuote:
Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer
I'm liking WandaVision so far. I appreciate that they're doing their special effects in period-appropriate ways that change with the era they're doing. I watched a lot of old TV when I was younger though, so I recognize the shows they've been using - I think if you haven't seen those earlier shows you probably won't get as much from it.
Episode 3 steps up the horror undertones to all the sitcom content, for anyone waiting for that.
In theory it's possible the way she did it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazir
WandaVision Episode 4 will probably satisfy the people who didn't appreciate the sitcom style.
Watching WandaVision and thinking about how the Avengers teams just sat on this incredible magic all that time and just squandered it in favour of cringey bromantic melodrama and focus-grouped fanservice. I can't believe the sheer dramatic payload they've managed to effortlessly pack into these half-hour episodes.
I'm waiting for the Loki show. :o
WandaVision is basically the Star Trek Dark Mirror episode mixed with the Rick and Morty simulation episode.
I had my doubts about Doom Patrol at first, but it's fantastic. We've binged our way through the first season, and the second season is—if anything—even better. Cyborg sucks balls, and the writing for his scenes gets borderline nauseating in season 2, but the others are excellent—with the possible exception of Mr. Nobody. Jane's overacting was annoying at first, but she grows on you. The show feels like a more well-rounded Dirk Gently, with a better balance between style and substance. Never gets repetitive, even though the millennial/zoomer focus group influence is a little too obvious at times.
Trying to get through The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Apart from Sebastian Stan—and about 5 seconds' worth of moves in one fight sequence in the first episode—it has no redeeming qualities apart from maybe being better than Iron Fist. Basically, Anthony Mackie appears to be playing Redwing—a robot with no charisma and no chemistry with anyone, whom nobody else in the show seems to like. Dialogues involving him read like zoomers trying to make up quotable lines. Zemo's affected body language and facial expressions don't work for the actor and the character. Walker is promising, but obv. not likeable. The terrorists suck, and that entire subplot is Jack Ryan levels of lame at the moment. Sam's family issues and the boat both just feel contrived. Incredibly, the best thing about the show so far—apart from Sebastian Stan—has been... Batroc the Leaper flying in a onesie. Okay, Isaiah Bradley was pretty cool too.
Okay, episode 5 is the first good episode. This might still work out.
It seemed like they had no idea what to do with Cyborg in season 2. His season 1 arc fit the show better, but even then this iteration of the character lacked the charisma and likeability that most versions have. Hopefully season 3 will either figure out what to do with him or replace him with Beast Boy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aimless
Tbf I have never liked Cyborg in any incarnation, but this one is the worst by far—and his interactions with the support group love interest are so painfully bad. I have resolved to skip all their scenes. The second season seems fucking excellent otherwise :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wraith
Nope, it was the only good episode. My God this show sucked. It was painful.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aimless
Warrior Nun. A netflix show that came out last July. I've never wasted so much time on a show that burns so slowly, with a plot twist that's so unsurprising and unfilling before. The fact that this series somehow hit top 10 during summer lockdown just goes to show how fucking bored everyone was.
And it got greenlit for a season 2. Wtf.
OG, I watched warrior nun for the same reason I used to watch Arrow (or really anything from the CW or their ilk). Not because it's good, but because it's mindless and sometimes unintentionally hilarious (in the self important teenager with the weight of the world kind of way). We're you seriously expecting something other than a few hours of medium quality background noise?
I'm not sure what it'i was expecting besides "good". I was hoping for something like supernatural, or even teen wolf. After the first couple of episodes I was even thinking it might have an interesting character driven plot. But holy shit does it fall apart. Nothing happens for a good 75% of the show and the stuff that does happen doesn't mesh with what's been shown previously.
Well. Late to the party I know, but we've been transfixed by The Handmaid's Tale for a couple of months now.
And fuuuuuck me it's good. :eek:
Coming toward the end of S2 now and the story hasn't wavered in its power. Yeeesh good telly.
Also watching The Fall, with Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan of Fifty Shades fame, a serial murder thriller set in Norn Irn. A BBC production but available on Amazon.
Rather good telly too this, a convincing plotline, solid performances, not sure where it's going to go.
Also following Line of Duty, umpteenth BBC tv series about a police internal affairs anti-corruption unit type thing in the Met. A drama which has increasingly captured the UK's imagination over the years, and seems to have everyone talking about it at the moment. I find it all very silly and rather forced, but my wife likes this crime stuff so I abide and try not to snigger too much in the background.
Young Zoomers reward tropes and concepts more than characters and relationships (or, rather, studios believe they do). I'm surprised you were able to stick with it—I think I gave up halfway through the second episode. The setting was annoying, and the mythology didn't look like it would appeal to me, but, most importantly, I didn't like any of the characters or performances (even though the actors were decent). Thing with eg. Supernatural, Teen Wolf, the DC shows, etc. is that they, for all their cheesiness, still manage to deliver characters you can like, played by actors who seem to enjoy playing their parts. The plots work because they involve characters people like. Nobody gaf about any of the characters in Warrior Nun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer
Anyone who hasn't seen Invincible yet is missing out.
Jupiter's Legecy.
It started strong, but the characters quickly fell into rather cookie cutter molds which made every "twist" super predictable. The themes it tackles could be seen as important but it's all hammed up to the point that it's bordering on soap opera level cheesiness.
Season finale was a let down.