NBC/Universal's new streaming app, Peacock - the last major streamer - launches July 15, and with it comes the debut of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World adaptation, which... actually looks pretty good? That said, I have no idea if Peacock will allow this and other series to be more like cable, with language and what not - or - if we're in for something more network in tone and censorship. Thankfully, it looks more like the former, but I can't quite tell for sure. Either way, this wasn't at all on my radar, but I'll at least give it a shot now. And yes, that's young Han Solo himself, Alden Ehrenreich...

Brave New World
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9814116/
07.15.20
Peacock

In for the orgy-porgys.

But actually I don't remember the plot from the book at all. I just remember what the world was like and I think the main characters go somewhere where they encounter a "savage"? Maybe that's young Han's character.

Exactly. I don't care what anyone says, it's still a hundred times better than cable or satellite. I watch a ton of TV, and there's no way I would ever be watching shows on all of the streaming platforms at once. Pay $50 or so per month to cover your bases with YouTube TV or Hulu TV or whatever, then have a couple of streaming services active at a time from the rotation, and you're looking at $65-$75 or so per month. Heck, say you did YouTube TV along with all the major streaming services, all at premium tiers...

$50 = YouTube TV
$05 = Apple TV+
$07 = Disney+
$15 = HBO Max
$12 = Hulu
$16 = Netflix
$10 = Peacock

... and you're only looking at $115 per month, which is still less than I'm paying for *just* DirecTV at the moment, and a mid-range package at that.

I actually cut the cord in February and the plan was to get YouTube TV for sports. So I've been saving $50 a month....

During non pandemic times most of my TV hours are sports watching, so it's hard for me to think of adding something beyond Netflix, HBO, and Disney+ . (I've got Prime of course but that hardly counts at this point since i rely on it for food not TV)

I actually cut the cord in February and the plan was to get YouTube TV for sports. So I've been saving $50 a month....

During non pandemic times most of my TV hours are sports watching, so it's hard for me to think of adding something beyond Netflix, HBO, and Disney+ . (I've got Prime of course but that hardly counts at this point since i rely on it for food not TV)

TCTTS said:

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Exactly. I don't care what anyone says, it's still a hundred times better than cable or satellite. I watch a ton of TV, and there's no way I would ever be watching shows on all of the streaming platforms at once. Pay $50 or so per month to cover your bases with YouTube TV or Hulu TV or whatever, then have a couple of streaming services active at a time from the rotation, and you're looking at $65-$75 or so per month. Heck, say you did YouTube TV along with all the major streaming services, all at premium tiers...

$50 = YouTube TV
$05 = Apple TV+
$07 = Disney+
$15 = HBO Max
$12 = Hulu
$16 = Netflix
$10 = Peacock

... and you're only looking at $115 per month, which is still less than I'm paying for *just* DirecTV at the moment, and a mid-range package at that.

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All that is true. But just FYI, DirecTV will likely go much lower if you get ahold of the right person and sweet talk them. One of the only reasons I'm still holding on to it is that it costs me about $40/month.

Honestly, at this point, I'm *literally* ready to cut the cord (I have cables running to every room) and get rid of the equipment. I want to embrace the simplicity that full-on digital offers. The only reason I haven't made the switch yet is NFL Sunday Ticket, as I'm waiting to see what happens with that, what happens with the season, etc, as DirecTV is still the only provider who offers it, and I've had it for years. But even then, the hassle probably isn't really worth it anymore for me.

Probably going to give this "Brave New World" a try.

On the tangent thread ... I cut the cord in the Fall of 2012, I could never go back to cable.
If my news channel would go with their own streaming channel I would not need GoogleTV.

TCTTS said:

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Honestly, at this point, I'm *literally* ready to cut the cord (I have cables running to every room) and get rid of the equipment. I want to embrace the simplicity that full-on digital offers. The only reason I haven't made the switch yet is NFL Sunday Ticket, as I'm waiting to see what happens with that, what happens with the season, etc, as DirecTV is still the only provider who offers it, and I've had it for years. But even then, the hassle probably isn't really worth it anymore for me.

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Talked about it forever and finally did it two weeks ago. You will be surprised at how good it feels to unplug all of that stuff.

Side benefit is that I think it cleared up my wifi network some because my doorbell now stays connected since removing all the DTV crap. I had a DTV video bridge on my wifi for a tv that was totally isolated and unable to be wired.

Remember being amused how New Mexico was portrayed in the book. We read it in HS... in New Mexico.

Will be curious how the material is presented and if it will be faithful to the book.

YouBet said:

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TCTTS said:

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Honestly, at this point, I'm *literally* ready to cut the cord (I have cables running to every room) and get rid of the equipment. I want to embrace the simplicity that full-on digital offers. The only reason I haven't made the switch yet is NFL Sunday Ticket, as I'm waiting to see what happens with that, what happens with the season, etc, as DirecTV is still the only provider who offers it, and I've had it for years. But even then, the hassle probably isn't really worth it anymore for me.

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Talked about it forever and finally did it two weeks ago. You will be surprised at how good it feels to unplug all of that stuff.

Side benefit is that I think it cleared up my wifi network some because my doorbell now stays connected since removing all the DTV crap. I had a DTV video bridge on my wifi for a tv that was totally isolated and unable to be wired.

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One might say it's a... brave new world.

Seriously, though, That's great to hear. I'm finally getting out of the apartment I've been in for the past 12 years and into a house, and will be making the switch then. Can't wait.

TCTTS said:

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Exactly. I don't care what anyone says, it's still a hundred times better than cable or satellite. I watch a ton of TV, and there's no way I would ever be watching shows on all of the streaming platforms at once. Pay $50 or so per month to cover your bases with YouTube TV or Hulu TV or whatever, then have a couple of streaming services active at a time from the rotation, and you're looking at $65-$75 or so per month. Heck, say you did YouTube TV along with all the major streaming services, all at premium tiers...

$50 = YouTube TV
$05 = Apple TV+
$07 = Disney+
$15 = HBO Max
$12 = Hulu
$16 = Netflix
$10 = Peacock

... and you're only looking at $115 per month, which is still less than I'm paying for *just* DirecTV at the moment, and a mid-range package at that.

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I'd suggest looking into alternatives to DirectTV.
I was just shopping the other week and the mid range AT&T TV packages and it was $50-$70. Seems like their DirectTV packages are just ripoffs

TCTTS said:

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Honestly, at this point, I'm *literally* ready to cut the cord (I have cables running to every room) and get rid of the equipment. I want to embrace the simplicity that full-on digital offers. The only reason I haven't made the switch yet is NFL Sunday Ticket, as I'm waiting to see what happens with that, what happens with the season, etc, as DirecTV is still the only provider who offers it, and I've had it for years. But even then, the hassle probably isn't really worth it anymore for me.

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I did it two years ago, assume it is available still, but you can get Sunday ticket stand alone. I think it was ~$350/year and I would stream from my phone to the TV via my chrome cast. Beyond that, the key to proper cord cutting is subscribing, bingeing and cancelling. Not trying to keep all services all the time.

Yeah, I've already decided on YouTube TV. I know enough people who use it and love it, so that's what I'm thinking. Definitely leaving satellite for good.

That's great to know! Hopefully there's still a season to watch...

TCTTS said:

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NBC/Universal's new streaming app, Peacock - the last major streamer - launches July 15, and with it comes the debut of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World adaptation, which... actually looks pretty good? That said, I have no idea if Peacock will allow this and other series to be more like cable, with language and what not - or - if we're in for something more network in tone and censorship. Thankfully, it looks more like the former, but I can't quite tell for sure. Either way, this wasn't at all on my radar, but I'll at least give it a shot now. And yes, that's young Han Solo himself, Alden Ehrenreich...

Brave New World
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9814116/
07.15.20
Peacock

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Wife and I finished it over the weekend. It is not the exact story from the book, but similar including major characters. The acting and story are good which typically conquers all for us. The sets were very utopian. We also liked how they introduce humor into the story especially in the savage lands.

I think they did a good job of portraying the "everyone is always happy utopia". Orgy Porgies were on full display so watchers beware. I know they made a 1970s version that was like watching Star Trek TOS with Spock. This is like watching the Game of Thrones version. Depending on your imagination it fit what I remember reading. I think they left out some of the activities of New London citizens that would be more political. They mostly concentrated on the happy, happy side of things until it wasn't.

The story was tweaked to show a more modern setting and gadgets, although Huxley did imagine helicopters and rocket travel. We are hopeful for a second season to see where it goes from here.

Thanks for the rundown. Great to hear. I'm finally starting it this week.

So is this one the free subscription level?

Duncan Idaho said:

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So is this one the free subscription level?

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We could watch first 2 of 9 episodes for free.
We signed up for $5/mo to watch the rest with commercials. ($10 if they really bother you)
If we don't find something soon we will cancel and wait for next season.
EDIT: For $5 it was 8-9 hours of better stuff than any movie I have seen for a good while. I will admit I am a fan of Huxley's book and similar dystopias.

Thanks. Have enough stuff on hulu, prime and netflix to wide through

Duncan Idaho said:

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Thanks. Have enough stuff on hulu, prime and netflix to wide through

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Heck, one of our shows to watch with our grown son when he's around is Stargate SG1.
Good wholesome 1990s TV with enough SciFi and story to keep us watching.
We completely missed all of the shows based on the okay action movie. Now we have hundreds of episodes when nothing else is going on.

TCTTS said:

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Exactly. I don't care what anyone says, it's still a hundred times better than cable or satellite. I watch a ton of TV, and there's no way I would ever be watching shows on all of the streaming platforms at once. Pay $50 or so per month to cover your bases with YouTube TV or Hulu TV or whatever, then have a couple of streaming services active at a time from the rotation, and you're looking at $65-$75 or so per month. Heck, say you did YouTube TV along with all the major streaming services, all at premium tiers...

$50 = YouTube TV
$05 = Apple TV+
$07 = Disney+
$15 = HBO Max
$12 = Hulu
$16 = Netflix
$10 = Peacock

... and you're only looking at $115 per month, which is still less than I'm paying for *just* DirecTV at the moment, and a mid-range package at that.

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Yeah and really I get "everything" for a lot less than that.

Hulu+Live TV = $55 so I get all locals and networks and sports
Netflix - $15
Apple TV - free*
HBO Max - free**
Amazon - free***

* because i bought an apple device 6 months ago, and i likely will at least once a year between my wife, me and the kids

** because I have AT&T Unlimited cell plan

*** i mean it is included with Prime which I would do for package delivery regardless of whether i got the added streaming stuff or not


Now as for the other platforms. I have done a free week or month on most of them here and there using different email addresses (I have 7 between me, the wife and kids). I wait until there is something queued up on there that I can watch binge style instead of weekly. Or I may occasionally do a month of a service to binge one show and then turn it off.

Disney+ - my kids are college aged so I don't need this constantly did a week for the Mandalorian
CBS AA - did a week for Picard, and I've done a month before for the other longer Star Trek Discovery series
Peacock - currently on the free level doubt i'll ever subscribe depends on streaming EPL games mostly
ESPN+ - i did a month or so for some sports like CFL when JFF was up there

I don't really understand people paying for all of those services all the time. i'm very selective and get what I want to watch at that time mostly. I only have Hulu+Live TV and Netflix and those things I get free all the time.

But I also never run out of stuff between Hulu, Netflix and Amazon content and it's so much better than any network shows. I just use the others services for sporadic must see shows.

As for the one device issue - get a Roku or a Fire Stick and that solves your problem. My wife is as anti-tech and remote illiterate as they come. And she made the transition to Roku so easily. She never could consider what it meant to not channel surf and how to operate a streaming device was foreign. She barely understands her iphone. And anything like changing inputs to a different service was an immediate brain lock for her. But we moved last year and could not get the cable hooked up fo more than 10 days but in the interim I got internet and started streaming stuff with a Roku stick to the main TV. No changing inputs and the remote and interface is so simple. And she just took to it easily. Her new channel surfing is just preview surfing. She clicks around on the menu and watches the little previews of stuff. She gets her morning shows on the locals on Hulu and thats all she needs. She even knows how to access any of them on her laptop now and watches stuff in bed that way. We used to have like 5 TVs and huge cable package with multiple boxes and every subscription channel and sports pack. Well over $200 per month.

Currently there is an issue with both HBO Max and Peacock not being on Roku or Fire sticks but I'm sure it will be resolved some time. People still want that simplicity of never changing inputs for example.

Duncan Idaho said:

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Love me some SG-1. I wish SGU had been given more of a run

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We started with Atlantis after a season we liked the universe so we figured we needed the SG1 backstory.
We have enjoyed both so far. Really good classic SciFi without all of the modern inconveniences thrown into stories today.

Finally gave this a shot. I'm currently through six (of nine) episodes, and it's not bad. It's not great, either, but it looks incredible, the plot and characters are good enough to hold my attention, it's got a great soundtrack, and I'd say it's averaged one orgy per episode so far. In fact, I'm kind of shocked they went there with the nudity and language - I wasn't expecting that from Peacock, which basically feels like NBC on steroids - but it's nice they don't hold back in that regard. The big knock against the show is that we've seen this basic story before (or at least these basic tropes), which is an unfair critique, since Brave New World practically invented this genre. But it's influenced so much since that it feels derivative now (especially in its Demolition Man-ness, which, in retrospect, clearly took inspiration from the source material here). That, and the dialogue can be a little flat at times, while the world as translated to TV is a little thin. But again, overall, it's entertaining enough, and I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the season (series?) unfold. If you're beginning to run out of shows, you may not be wowed by this, but it probably won't feel like a waste of time, either.

Yeah, never mind. Final three episodes are pretty bad. No clue what anyone's actual motivations are, redundant plot points, seemingly no legit stakes until suddenly there are, and just a muddled, cheap-looking mess overall. I hardly remember the book, and I'm sure they couldn't veer much from it, but man, this went from "It's worth a shot" to "This is kind of terrible" in a hurry.

Seems like I should not ruin what was a great book read by watching this!