Author Topic: Must See TV Thread  (Read 113430 times)

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Offline imref

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1500: May 26, 2020, 09:20:16 PM »
Grant is fantastic.  Anyone watching it?

Offline Mathguy

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1501: May 26, 2020, 09:32:38 PM »
What network ?

Grant is fantastic.  Anyone watching it?

Offline ajcartwright

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1502: May 26, 2020, 09:55:35 PM »
Grant is fantastic.  Anyone watching it?
why don't somebody make a big deal outta General Lee?

Offline imref

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1503: May 27, 2020, 12:19:13 AM »
why don't somebody make a big deal outta General Lee?

Grant is on the history channel

Lee lost :)

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1504: May 27, 2020, 10:41:41 AM »
why don't somebody make a big deal outta General Lee?
hey, the dude got 130 years of undue positive press until Ed Bonekemper ripped him a new one. 

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1505: May 27, 2020, 10:47:15 AM »
Grant is fantastic.  Anyone watching it?
wish I had known. Grant is a fascinating figure, and his reputation is that he's an extremely clear writer.  Never have read his autobiography, but it is supposed to be one of those where each word is well-chosen.

One Grant story is he supposedly kept a not to bright guy on his army staff and would have him read his orders before Grant transmitted them.  Grant figured if this guy understood the orders, then his field generals would get what he was telling them to do.

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1506: May 27, 2020, 10:53:38 AM »
hey, the dude got 130 years of undue positive press until Ed Bonekemper ripped him a new one. 

Militarily, the busting the myth of him being a good man is more recent - Reading the Man is from 2007, but still hasn't made it's way into school text books

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1507: May 27, 2020, 11:01:53 AM »
Militarily, the busting the myth of him being a good man is more recent - Reading the Man is from 2007, but still hasn't made it's way into school text books
Ed wrote How Robert E. Lee Lost the Civil War I think in the mid to late 90s, I think when he was still at DOT.  Great job by a then amateur historian.  Points out Lee's hyper aggressiveness, even after great strategic victories like 7 days / Malvern Hill and Chancellorsville, cost him too many casualties when he was in a war of attrition, and Lee's strategic blindspot, his view that protecting Virginia was all that mattered, made him blind to the importance of the Vicksburg campaign when he could have done soemthing about it.  In terms of grand stratetgy, his hyperaggressiveness and failure to prevent attrition of his troops blew the best southern strategy, which like Washington was force preservation and a political victory in 1864 when the north would have voted Lincoln out but for Grant's and Sherman's pressing home the advantage on the depleted south.  Bad tactics, bad strategy, and a grand strategy obliviousness.

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1508: May 27, 2020, 11:13:16 AM »
Ed wrote How Robert E. Lee Lost the Civil War I think in the mid to late 90s, I think when he was still at DOT.  Great job by a then amateur historian.  Points out Lee's hyper aggressiveness, even after great strategic victories like 7 days / Malvern Hill and Chancellorsville, cost him too many casualties when he was in a war of attrition, and Lee's strategic blindspot, his view that protecting Virginia was all that mattered, made him blind to the importance of the Vicksburg campaign when he could have done soemthing about it.  In terms of grand stratetgy, his hyperaggressiveness and failure to prevent attrition of his troops blew the best southern strategy, which like Washington was force preservation and a political victory in 1864 when the north would have voted Lincoln out but for Grant's and Sherman's pressing home the advantage on the depleted south.  Bad tactics, bad strategy, and a grand strategy obliviousness.

agreed, the busting of the myth of him as a good man forced into a role is much more recent; it turns out he was actually a heavy handed master who directly contravened the Washington/Custis traditions regarding in keeping slave families intact

Offline imref

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1509: May 27, 2020, 11:32:41 AM »
wish I had known. Grant is a fascinating figure, and his reputation is that he's an extremely clear writer.  Never have read his autobiography, but it is supposed to be one of those where each word is well-chosen.

One Grant story is he supposedly kept a not to bright guy on his army staff and would have him read his orders before Grant transmitted them.  Grant figured if this guy understood the orders, then his field generals would get what he was telling them to do.

Tonight's the final part of the 3-party miniseries at 9 PM, but they are re-airing part one at 5 PM and part two at 7 PM.  You can also stream it at any time if you have History Channel as part of a streaming or cable subscription (https://www.history.com/schedule?month=5&day=27&year=2020).

The commentators are a who's who of historians and military experts including Ron Chernow who wrote a biography of Grant but is more famous for his biography of Hamilton which was the basis for the play.  David Petreaus is commenting as well.

Offline Natsinpwc

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1510: May 27, 2020, 01:32:13 PM »
Ed wrote How Robert E. Lee Lost the Civil War I think in the mid to late 90s, I think when he was still at DOT.  Great job by a then amateur historian.  Points out Lee's hyper aggressiveness, even after great strategic victories like 7 days / Malvern Hill and Chancellorsville, cost him too many casualties when he was in a war of attrition, and Lee's strategic blindspot, his view that protecting Virginia was all that mattered, made him blind to the importance of the Vicksburg campaign when he could have done soemthing about it.  In terms of grand stratetgy, his hyperaggressiveness and failure to prevent attrition of his troops blew the best southern strategy, which like Washington was force preservation and a political victory in 1864 when the north would have voted Lincoln out but for Grant's and Sherman's pressing home the advantage on the depleted south.  Bad tactics, bad strategy, and a grand strategy obliviousness.
Isn’t that like saying the Marlins didn’t win the East last year because of Mattingly as manager.

Offline ajcartwright

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1511: May 27, 2020, 01:58:19 PM »
Ed wrote How Robert E. Lee Lost the Civil War
that's all well and good but there ain't never been no muscle car named General Grant!

Offline imref

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1512: May 27, 2020, 03:45:22 PM »
that's all well and good but there ain't never been no muscle car named General Grant!

I didn't know much about Grant going into this series.  The first episode talked about how he was essentially kicked out of the army for his drinking after the Mexican-American war and was barely surviving doing odd jobs and working for his father.  He was recruited to rejoin the Army after the start of the Civil War and finally found his calling. 

Offline Slateman

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1513: May 27, 2020, 04:13:26 PM »
hey, the dude got 130 years of undue positive press until Ed Bonekemper ripped him a new one. 
For real. Dude was an unimaginative tactician, timid strategist, and lazy leader, but for some reason he's held in reverence.

wish I had known. Grant is a fascinating figure, and his reputation is that he's an extremely clear writer.  Never have read his autobiography, but it is supposed to be one of those where each word is well-chosen.

One Grant story is he supposedly kept a not to bright guy on his army staff and would have him read his orders before Grant transmitted them.  Grant figured if this guy understood the orders, then his field generals would get what he was telling them to do.

Yea, he learned that from Napoleon

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1514: May 27, 2020, 05:24:54 PM »
Yea, he learned that from Napoleon
did they both do it or am I mixing things up?  At any rate, his autobiography is supposed to be one of the best-written by American figures.

Offline Slateman

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1515: May 27, 2020, 07:09:31 PM »
did they both do it or am I mixing things up?  At any rate, his autobiography is supposed to be one of the best-written by American figures.
Napolean would call in the corporal of his guard to shine his boots as his field marshals were explaining battle plans to Napolean. He'd turn to the corporal and ask if he understood it. It he said no, the field marshals had to re-write their plans.

Offline Mathguy

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1516: May 27, 2020, 08:14:47 PM »
You're right - it is great

Grant is fantastic.  Anyone watching it?

Offline Natsinpwc

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1517: May 27, 2020, 10:18:21 PM »
You're right - it is great
Yes, watching the last episode.  Great stuff.  Will have to catch up with the other two. 

Offline bluestreak

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1518: May 28, 2020, 03:03:59 PM »
I just watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for the first time in my attempt to save content for the upcoming drought. For the younger among us who haven’t seen it, it’s a fantastic movie. Surprised me.

Offline Natsinpwc

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1519: May 28, 2020, 04:20:48 PM »
I just watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for the first time in my attempt to save content for the upcoming drought. For the younger among us who haven’t seen it, it’s a fantastic movie. Surprised me.
I watched it recently.  Don’t thing I had seen the whole movie before. Have you watched High Plains Drifter or the Outlaw Josey Wales?  Both very good also.

Offline bluestreak

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1520: May 28, 2020, 04:27:15 PM »
I watched it recently.  Don’t thing I had seen the whole movie before. Have you watched High Plains Drifter or the Outlaw Josey Wales?  Both very good also.

Haven’t. They are now on my list.

The Good, Bad, and Ugly had so many pop culture references. The music, the Mexican standoff, etc. things that are ubiquitous in culture now that I didn’t realize came from this. 

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1521: May 28, 2020, 05:49:20 PM »
I watched it recently.  Don’t thing I had seen the whole movie before. Have you watched High Plains Drifter or the Outlaw Josey Wales?  Both very good also.
one of my favorite lines ever in a film is from The Outlaw Josey Wales.  "Dying ain't much of a living."  Wales says this to a would-be bounty hunter who is pursuing him when bounty hunting was the only way he could make money.  This has become kind of a guiding principle when I hear jobs vs. Environment / Safety / Health measures.  I think of black lung, for example.

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1522: May 28, 2020, 05:54:46 PM »
one of my favorite lines ever in a film is from The Outlaw Josey Wales.  "Dying ain't much of a living."  Wales says this to a would-be bounty hunter who is pursuing him when bounty hunting was the only way he could make money.  This has become kind of a guiding principle when I hear jobs vs. Environment / Safety / Health measures.  I think of black lung, for example.

My favorite line is "I am Ten Bears."  Just the delivery...it was perfect...

Offline ajcartwright

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1523: May 28, 2020, 06:27:21 PM »
I just watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for the first time in my attempt to save content for the upcoming drought. For the younger among us who haven’t seen it, it’s a fantastic movie. Surprised me.

one of my all-time favorite movies - even bought the soundtrack - awesome

Offline bluestreak

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Re: Must See TV Thread
« Reply #1524: May 28, 2020, 07:17:42 PM »
one of my all-time favorite movies - even bought the soundtrack - awesome

Quentin Tarantino has called it the best movie ever put on film. The cinematography is masterful. It’s obvious the influence it’s had on Tarantino’s work.
And that soundtrack is also fantastic. The theme obviously, but the song playing when Tuco is running through the graveyard is a beautiful piece of music.
Just a fantastic movie.