Halo the Series

[Tking22]

Caught the second episode and I'm still really liking what I'm seeing, the pacing is a bit slow but I'm enjoying it overall, special effects shots look better then most in episode 1. I'm guessing season 1 will end with the fall of Reach and Chief on the Pillar of Autumn coming across the first Halo ring, we'll see though. 

[sh9000]

 

[sqidd]

22 hours ago, Mog said:

Heard about it and semi-familiar with some of the stories.  Just haven’t had the chance to sit down and watch it.

Just know it’s freakin’ good.

A lot of people will argue it's one of the best shows ever made.

[sh9000]

 

[Tking22]

3 hours ago, sqidd said:

A lot of people will argue it's one of the best shows ever made.

Lol I don't think anybody will do that, reception has been pretty lukewarm, 6 or 7 at best on most sites for the two episodes out. Regardless, it was already renewed for a second season so we've got more on the way.

[anime52k8]

45 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

Lol I don't think anybody will do that, reception has been pretty lukewarm, 6 or 7 at best on most sites for the two episodes out. Regardless, it was already renewed for a second season so we've got more on the way.

I think he was referring to The Wire

[Mog]

Yeah, we went on a Baltimore-related tangent there for awhile.

Carry on.

[sqidd]

3 hours ago, Tking22 said:

Lol I don't think anybody will do that, reception has been pretty lukewarm, 6 or 7 at best on most sites for the two episodes out. Regardless, it was already renewed for a second season so we've got more on the way.

 

2 hours ago, anime52k8 said:

I think he was referring to The Wire

You are correct sir.

[sh9000]

 

[Tking22]

On 4/2/2022 at 10:06 AM, anime52k8 said:

I think he was referring to The Wire

 

On 4/2/2022 at 11:41 AM, Mog said:

Yeah, we went on a Baltimore-related tangent there for awhile.

Carry on.

 

On 4/2/2022 at 12:33 PM, sqidd said:

 

You are correct sir.

Woops, yup, missed that completely. Agreed though, The Wire and Sopranos are some of the best TV ever on TV. 

[sh9000]

 

[Tking22]

I really liked episode 3, Cortana looks really good in live action, and they did her right overall. As I figured, most fan complaints about the show before they had actually seen it were pretty off-base and mostly ungrounded whiny nonsense, but that's gamers and gaming these days in general. the series is very much Halo, I'm enjoying it. 

[Big s]

1 hour ago, Tking22 said:

I really liked episode 3, Cortana looks really good in live action, and they did her right overall. As I figured, most fan complaints about the show before they had actually seen it were pretty off-base and mostly ungrounded whiny nonsense, but that's gamers and gaming these days in general. the series is very much Halo, I'm enjoying it. 

Even the people that have seen it seem to dislike it on YouTube and such, but it seems like the more rational folks here appear to enjoy it. I don’t have paramount and don’t know anyone that does, so personally I can’t judge for myself, but I only played the first couple games and am pretty sure I’d be ok with it since those games didn’t really get too into who the main character was anyway. I am curious about the show and maybe when paramount goes under the show will end up on a service I do have

[azrael]

My only complaint about Cortana is, they need a better wig on Ms. McElhone. Or a better hair style, like somewhere close a Halo 4/Halo 5: Guardians-hair style or less volumizing shampoo.

2 hours ago, Big s said:

 I am curious about the show and maybe when paramount goes under the show will end up on a service I do have

They did offer Episode 1 on Youtube for free. But it was only available for 2 weeks.

[sqidd]

5 hours ago, Tking22 said:

I really liked episode 3, 

Me too. It feels like it's getting in its groove now.

[anime52k8]

58 minutes ago, azrael said:

My only complaint about Cortana is, they need a better wig on Ms. McElhone. Or a better hair style, like somewhere close a Halo 4/Halo 5: Guardians-hair style or less volumizing shampoo.

They did offer Episode 1 on Youtube for free. But it was only available for 2 weeks.

Cortana is being played by Jen Taylor, not McElhone.
 

Finally having Cortana around really has been the highlight for me. I like that she has shades of Weapon to her personality in the show.

[sh9000]

 

[azrael]

2 hours ago, anime52k8 said:

Cortana is being played by Jen Taylor, not McElhone.

'Could've sworn I read McElhone was playing Cortana and Jen Taylor was voicing...Guess I read that wrong. Regardless...awful styling on the wig.

[sqidd]

8 hours ago, azrael said:

'Could've sworn I read McElhone was playing Cortana and Jen Taylor was voicing...Guess I read that wrong. Regardless...awful styling on the wig.

Natascha McElhone is playing Dr. Catherine Halsey (and her clone).

Cortana is voiced by Jen Taylor. From what I can gather she did the motion capture work too which may explain why Cortana looks more like Taylor than McElhone.

I kinda like McElhone’s wig. But I have a huge weakness for cosplay girls, mid 20th century hair styles and visual items that most think are weird, fake looking or stand out. Also, not germane to this particular look, I’m a sucker for tattoo’s on women too.

[sh9000]

 

[sh9000]

 

[sqidd]

This latest episode was weak. I actually fell asleep. And I'm not digging the "side quest". I don't care about the little kid and his friend even a little. Seems like a complete waste of time.

Edited April 15, 2022 by sqidd

[azrael]

The A-story (Master Chief) was a lead-up story so I'll let that one go. The Madrigal girl B-story is un-interesting. If they did away with it, I wouldn't notice it since it's that boring. In the game timeline, the Covenant glassed Madrigal. That would redeem that storyline now.

[anime52k8]

I'm still holding out hope they'll be glassing reach by the end of the season. we shall see.

[renegadeleader1]

4 hours ago, azrael said:

The A-story (Master Chief) was a lead-up story so I'll let that one go. The Madrigal girl B-story is un-interesting. If they did away with it, I wouldn't notice it since it's that boring. In the game timeline, the Covenant glassed Madrigal. That would redeem that storyline now.

I desperately want to see Kwan gutted by an Elite at this point. This whole

 

"I want to rebel and free Madrigal from the evil UNSC that are fighting the aliens that killed all my family even though I know the entire resistance is dead or supporting the new fascist government!"

 

Is really getting on my nerves. Unfortunately with this writing crew the only one on Madrigal that is probably going to get glassed is Soren.

[sh9000]

 

[Thom]

I thought it was a good one, esp getting deeper into John's backstory and seeing just how far back Halsey was grooming him. Good to see he is not so trusting of her now.

The side-quest with Kwan on Madrigal is okay. As in any fight, there are multiple fronts, and right now she wants to get rid of Vishner, esp considering how much of a monster he is. But even more, all of his actions are being backed fully by the UNSC, which does make them evil in this case. You can bet they know what he is doing, and knowing that unity against the Covenant is important, them not forcing him to lighten his touch, is only fermenting Kwan's drive to overthrow their puppet. She knows they see the people of Madrigal as disposable. So, if the UNSC is not going to fight for them, and Vishner is not going to fight for them, then who does..? Sure, she wants to beat the Covenant for what they did, but that's not as important to her as freeing Madrigal.

But the stand-out for this episode, IMO, is Kai! Wow. I'd have to say that her parts in this episode were the most compelling and interesting. She pulled that pellet out, and now her mix of brash-innocence was neat to watch.

[anime52k8]

1 hour ago, Thom said:

But the stand-out for this episode, IMO, is Kai! Wow. I'd have to say that her parts in this episode were the most compelling and interesting. She pulled that pellet out, and now her mix of brash-innocence was neat to watch.

I do like her, I still think it's really weird that they made all new characters for Chief's fire team instead of just making them blue team.

[azrael]

Episode 5
A-story. Progress! And some 'good olde Master Chief action.
 

Spoiler

And Grunts, Jackals, and a Brute! Fun.

B-story. Madrigal is beyond boring now. Glass the planet so we never have to see it again.

[Dobber]

3 hours ago, azrael said:

Episode 5
A-story. Progress! And some 'good olde Master Chief action.
 

  Hide contents

And Grunts, Jackals, and a Brute! Fun.

B-story. Madrigal is beyond boring now. Glass the planet so we never have to see it again.

Finally caught up on this series. I really like it and completely agree with the sentiments about the B story Madrigal rebel kid stuff. Man is she just annoying. Completely not interested in that storyline. 

Chris

[Tking22]

5 hours ago, azrael said:

Episode 5
A-story. Progress! And some 'good olde Master Chief action.
 

  Hide contents

And Grunts, Jackals, and a Brute! Fun.

B-story. Madrigal is beyond boring now. Glass the planet so we never have to see it again.

Good lord can't agree enough, the B Story with Kwan has been painful, it's dragging the entire show down. Everything else has been pretty great IMO, Chief is more fleshed out in 5 episodes then he was across 6 games. 

Spoiler

Also, yes, Grunts and Jackals for the win, the Brute was a nice surprise, good lord are they gigantic!

 

[sqidd]

I'm not what you would consider a "Halo Fan". I played the first game all the way through when it was released and that is all I know about the universe. So effectively nothing. Which of course leaves me with a different perspective because I have zero story-line and nostalgia to work from. 

I don't like the show. And I don't dislike the show. I'm going to say it's a 5 out of 10 for me. Enough to watch right before I go to bed or something. But nothing I would go out of my way for. Aside from having to grind my teeth through the side quest malarkey I'm having a real hard time with the tactics (complete lack of them) and "realism". They're incredibly unrealistic and the Spartans come off as complete goofballs. Not super duper troopers. And as an example of 100 small things that drives me crazy is how do the show runners not come up with something Master Chief can do with his helmet when he takes it off? One, he takes it off every 3 seconds. Tactically, stupid. Once it's off he just stands there with it in his hand. Again, tactically stupid. Now only doesn't he have his helmet off, which shorts him a whole lot of data. But his head is completely exposed. With it in his hand he has now shorted himself 25-50% of his combat capacity (depending on if you include his legs or not). Dumb. The show runners could have simply made it so his helmet clipped to his armor when off to at least make it so he doesn't look like a idiot standing there with it in his hand.

Long story short the Spartans in no way shape or form make me think "baddest super soldiers in the universe". Which is a massive percentage of their identity. 

[Corrinald]

I've been a Halo fan since the original game (ugh 20+ years ago...getting old). They said they were doing their own story with this show, so I tried to keep an open mind when watching.

Five episodes in my honest opinion is that I don't love it, but I don't hate it. It has a high production value and everything looks great - costumes, weapons, vehicles, sets, aliens...obviously a lot of work and money went into it. They just went to a lot of trouble to have a weird take on the universe and the characters. Master Chiefs character is completely wrong and they didn't really get the Spartans right either. I understand they wanted to make Master Chief into a character, but he really does spend an excessive amount of time with his helmet off.

Makee's story is not my favorite thing forced into this universe and I don't really care about Kwan. Having Jen Taylor voice Cortana made the show feel more like 'home' so that and the intense action is fun enough to keep me watching. Otherwise was this show worth waiting 20 years for? Ehh....

[sh9000]

 

[sqidd]

New episode dropped last night. Going to watch it tonight. If it doesn't get any better I'm canceling my Paramount+ subscription and I'm out.