Homeland vs Hatufim (the original Israeli series)

[Aussie Mark]

I've watched the two series to date of Homeland, and loved it, and then a couple of weeks ago decided to download season one of Hatufim ("Abductees") to compare, given that Homeland is adapted from that Israeli-made series.

Hatufim is superb as well - but in a very different way. Homeland focuses a lot on the CIA side of things, and some regular action (guns, bombs, and sex), whereas in Hatufim the IDF characters are very much secondary characters, with 95% of the focus being on the family relationships for the two soldiers who are returned to Israel after 17 years. That's one of the twists - the captivity is longer than Homeland, and 2 of them (of the 3 who were captured) come back instead of 1. Hatufim is very well done - I'm up to episode 10 of the first season so far, but am struggling to find a download of season two that has English subtitles.

The two actors who play the former captives do a top job. The 18yo daughter in Hatufim who is addicted to shagging older men is good value too.

[uwe]

Homeland just started here too and has won accolades all over. I like Ms Danes (she does that pained/stern look well), always have, ever since Romeo and Juliet.

Didn't know about the Israeli original series, but "young women addicted to shagging older men" is an abstract concept, right?, that really doesn't happen to bassists, does it?

I'll buy the DVD of it when it's out here. Right now I'm watching with Edith something outright corny, "True Blood", that deep down south Vampire series ("I want to do baaaaad things with you ..."). It's full of bad acting, bad interior shots, the worst Southern clichées imaginable, but nicely anit-Evangelical Right ("God hates Fangs!"). Oh, and relatively explicit sex scenes for a US series - golly gosh, what happened to your bigotted prudeness, guys?   No comparison to Homeland of course, True Blood is trash, but it grew on me. Bit like saying you like Black Oak Arkansas!

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Bit like saying you like Black Oak Arkansas!

Black Oak Arkansas is WAYYYY classier than True Blood, which is just BAD hausfrau porn. Fox is currently airing a horrible wannabe, The Following, that combines the worst elements of True Blood and CSI.  Fittingly enough, it stars Kevin Bacon. James Purefoy (poor guy can't seem to get a break in the US) is completely wasted on this crap show. If you like the True Blood formula of sex and violence and complicated morality without stupid vampire gothic homosexuality, check out Banshee.

Homeland is good, with great acting and non-transparent writing and only mild implausibility. I've been a Claire Danes fan since My So-Called Life. She's the only watchable part of the abyssmal Terminator 3, and that IS counting Kristanna Loken's nude strut at the beginning.

[Highlander]

I quite like her role in Stardust...

As I've noted before I still have my "... 1" of Heaven on Earth" certificate from my quad copy of Raunch and Roll...

[Aussie Mark]

Another True Blood fan here, if only because each season gets more and more ridiculous :-)

[Nocturnal]

I'm finished with True Blood. After the 3rd or 4th season I just can't take anymore of it. How many more fantasy creatures can you cram into a TV show??

I'm watching Banshee right now. I kinda like this one so far.

[uwe]

I've heard that things deteriorate badly around season 3, I'm still on 2.

Saw The Samaritan with Samuel Jackson yesterday. A film like a tragic Greek play. (Unwitting) Incest and all. Something different for once.

[Pilgrim]

I'm really enjoying the AMC series Hell On Wheels.  Netflix has all the episodes and I'm working my way through them.  Nicely produced, well cast, and beautifully set in the early West. I'll bet most Americans don't know that the saying hell on wheels came from the railroad camps that followed railroads as they were built across the US...they were indeed a hell that traveled on wheels.

I really find the Bohannon character interesting (right side below) - ex-Confederate soldier, ex-slave owner, tough SOB but with at least some sense of justice.

http://www.amctv.com/shows/hell-on-wheels

[Nocturnal]

H.O.W. is a great show imo. Even my wife likes it and she NEVER likes that kind of show.

[gweimer]

So far, I'm locked on Justified, and Breaking Bad.  The last season of Breaking Bad seemed to push credibility a bit, but I am looking forward to the next season now that the cat seems to be coming out of the bag.  If I had Showtime, I'd be watching Dexter.  The seasons with John Lithgow, and with Julia Stiles, were great TV.

[Pilgrim]

Justified is one that my wife and I both love - it's on the DVR.  

Olyphant is right at home in Raylan Givens' boots and hat!  He is a badass dude.

And the other guy who has surprised me with how tough he can be is Jim Caviezel in Person of Interest. Interesting contrast to playing Jesus.