A challenge by
Dreamersdare.
Challenge 2:
Make a Top Ten list for your favourite series and tell people exactly why you love it. This can be in any format - tv series, book series, radio plays, movie sequels, something else not mentioned here.Here is a link with more details, and to post the link to your answers.
I went with TV shows, starting with a few newer ones.
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Squid GameA Korean drama about a secret contest involving children's games, except these versions are deadly, and the last surviving player is supposed to receive a huge prize. In a cramped dormitory-like environment controlled by merciless masked guards, there's a lot of tension, intrigues, alliances and conflicts between the players.
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Alice in BorderlandBased on a Japanese manga series (loosely inspired by Alice in Wonderland). It's also about deadly games, but the action happens in an alternate reality. The games are represented by playing cards, they're more varied and dynamic, and the atmosphere is more relaxed overall, as the characters are not confined to a single area but wander all around alternate Tokyo, with its gorgeous abandoned urbanscapes. (I just started the 3rd season, which is said to be the final one.)
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WednesdayThe newest addition to the Addams Family lore. Wednesday (and later, Pugsley) attends a high school for students with special abities. While not exactly a magic school and not focused on lessons, it fits the "magic school" trope for me. Nevermore has this lovely Dark Academia vibe, and Wednesday herself is perfect, with her extraordinary abilities, skills and willpower, and relentlessly morbid attitude.
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Black MirrorA sci-fi series emphasizing and extrapolating the possible dangers of computer technologies, resulting in dystopias of varying degrees of horror. Episodes are mostly unrelated, although several episodes mention the same technologies. As a fan of cyberpunk and dystopia, I enjoy these creepy glimpses into our possible futures. (I saw seasons 1-5, will continue with 6 and 7 after I'm done with Alice.)
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WestworldA sci-fi series about a Wild West theme park featuring AI-powered androids created for the entertainment of rich guests who are free to abuse and murder the "hosts" any way they want. It raises many questions about AI, ethics, consciousness and reality.
"Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality?" (I admit I quit during the 3rd season because the quality of the show declined dramatically, but the first season was amazing, and the 2nd was still good.)
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Death NoteAn anime based on a Japanese manga series. A high-school student finds a notebook belonging to a God of Death, which allows to kill people by writing down their name and cause of death. He realizes it's a great opportunity to rid the world of bad people. Somehow, the police are not amused, and assign the smartest detective to track this secret vigilante. Following the mind games between two brilliant Chessmasters, Light and L, is incredibly exciting. (Note: there's also a Netflix film but it mangles the story and characters beyond recognition, and is a shame.)
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Breaking BadOne man's journey from a timid and shy school teacher to a ruthless crime boss. Despite the story taking place in the real world, no magic and no puzzles, it's somehow extremely engaging. Watching Walter White's transformation, step by step, makes you wonder where the boundary between good and evil lies, and how far someone can go even when starting with the best intentions. There are several strong and alluring characters (especially Gus Fring: a quiet, perfectly composed villain with impecable style) and a lot of humour.
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HannibalThe early years of Hannibal Lecter, the serial killer, cannibal and psychiatrist, before he became famous in Silence of the Lambs. It's fascinating to watch the development of a close bond between Hannibal and a man who's supposed to be his mortal enemy: FBI agent Will Graham. I'm not a shipper but this is one relationship where the chemistry shoots through the roof. Hannibal is so quietly menacing and sexy. Also, food porn.
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Game of ThronesThe epic history of a medieval-like fantasy world. Not something I'd usually watch, as there are so many plot threads, the story is extremely complicated and there are too many characters to keep track of. But it's so atmospheric and beautifully depicted and dynamic, and so much weird shit keeps happening, that it just draws you in, I guess...
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Star TrekDoesn't need an introduction ;) Actually, I'm only familiar with the first 4 series: TOS, TNG, DS9 and Voyager. I tried watching the next one but couldn't stick with it for some reason. My favourite is DS9, because it's darker and has more continuity in its story arcs (or maybe just because it was my first one...) Honestly, TOS feels so cheesy in comparison. Even so, I especially enjoy episodes like Mirror Universe, where the characters behave in atypically evil ways.
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lannamichaels
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