The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[WDW1974]

(!)

It's going to take 80 million to retrofit!?!? This is without needing to construct a show building or design/building a ride system?!?!??! This is completely unsustainable. There's no way anything can be cost-effective with that kind of price tag. If this is what it takes to retrofit one of the shortest, smallest dark rides at Disney World, then there is no hope of anything big or ground-breaking ever having the numbers balance out to justify a green-light.

Something is seriously, seriously rotten in the state of Imagineering. If this is the case, where even the smallest of experiences costs more than it takes most parks to put up multiple rides, then the WDI house needs to cleaned out and started over. I don't care what some of our hero imagineers cost, there's no way ethically to justify that kind of spending.

Disney spends plenty.

Disney spends plenty irresponsibly.

This can be seen on everything from NGE to Mommy Bloggers to any/every parks project.

This will never change based upon a culture that is untouchable unless management is completely replaced.

 

[WDW1974]

BTW, due to my absence I neglected to note this Spirited thread going well over one million views. Thanks for taking part. And for all those readers out there. We know you are here.

I wonder what happened to the 8th Wonder. Guess folks tired of talking about DVC expansion and hotel occupancy and being forced to stay on topic.

 

[John]

He has sworn on his podcast before and sometimes it hasn't been bleeped out. I find it hard to believe that the swearing has anything to do with it. Simmons looks good. ESPN looks bad. Roger Goodell looks worse. Anytime you come down on the side of the abuser you have a hard case to make. In this situation Simmons is the only one that isn't giving Ray Rice any slack.

Being from Baltimore....no one is giving Rice any slack ( nor should they) I haven't heard anyone defend Rice. Simmons IMO is right. Goodell lied about what he knew and didn't know. Everyone knew what happened in the elevator. Seeing the video doesn't make one difference. Ozzie Newsome the Ravens general manager said that Rice told the truth. Rice said that he struck his fiancé. Newsome attended the meeting with Goodell. You think Newsome didn't tell Goodell what he knew? of course he did. I also believe that someone in both the NFL office and the Ravens office seen the video. Did Goodell or the Ravens owner see the tape? They both said they didn't. But that doesn't matter. When Goodell handed down a years suspension to Sean Payton over the bounty gate case. He told Payton that Ignorance wasn't an excuse after Payton said he didn't know that it was going on.

No everyone involved knew what happened in that elevator. He handed down a two game suspension and hoped the whole thing would blow over. As we all know it didn't. He should have suspended Rice for a year, came out and said we will not tolerate this type of behavior. BTW I don't think that Rice should be banned permanently from the NFL. IMO there have been worse cases where players have been involved with and were allowed to play again. By all reports Rice has been a model citizen other then this one horrendous mistake. He has lost millions of dollars.....again well deserved.

 

[WDW1974]

I liked Gotham. If they can sustain the vibe and story long term...I'm in.
Shield was good. Really a different show since last spring's events. Fun show.

Blacklist...I'm about to watch my first episode. I expect good things.
Sleepy Hollow...another fun show. Didn't see the premier yet, but I enjoyed last year.

Eager for Walking Dead.

Upcoming....Farrell and Vaughn in True Detective 2.0. If it's only half as good as last year, it will still be one of the best shows on TV.

I liked Gotham too, so did most critics. But they also pointed out what I did, and that is having a story that you know the ending to is a very difficult thing to write. I don't really want 5-6 seasons of Oswald turning into The Penguin or Selena turning into the Catwoman while tween and teen Brucie learns about his changing body down in the batcave where Alfred can't find him, ya know?

One of the many problems with the last Star Wars trilogy was you knew where the story had to end. That little kid who couldn't act would have to become the 20-something, who also couldn't act, who had to turn into the father of Simba. Sure, those films sucked. But I don't know how great they ever could have been with those restraints. I'm just not sure how many years of watching Two-Face or Commissioner Gordon, before they were, I can take, no matter how rich the setting.

I don't care about SHIELD, plain and simple. My Marvel inner fanboi began with Guardians of the Galaxy. Ridiculous fodder such as Cap America 2 just doesn't work for me.

I hope you started with last season's first episode of Blacklist as while it has elements of a procedural it also is more like an X-Files as it has underlying storylines that carry on. You sorta miss that if you just start with season 2.

Walking Dead, I am looking forward to.

 

[WDW1974]

Keep in mind, the assault being perpetrated Maelstrom will require a lot of extra costs. Removing existing scenery and props, refurbishing the show building, etc. They can blow through $75mil very easily on a job like this.

I have been told that Georgie K has been allowed to see the plans and really loves them.

To be fair, I'll never forget when DL renovated the DLH rooms about two times ago and they added the Tinker Bell with trailing pixie dust in fiber optics and he seemed like a fanboi while telling me about the effect before showing it to me.

 

[WDW1974]

If I were ESPN, I'd let him, and their other personalities, keep talking. The negative PR surrounding the recent controversies will hurt the NFL's bargaining position when they renegotiate their broadcasting deals. It is in the best interest of all the networks to utilize this to reduce the increases in programming costs. Just a thought.

The NFL will come out of this just fine. And with the ratings/$$$ they bring in, I don't see any reductions in rights fees, just ever increasing ones.

And let's not BS each other, this crap has been going on in the NFL for decades. It just took one particular story (with vicious video) to blow it up into an international story.

People sort of ignore things until the media harps on them 24/7.

BTW, kudos to the NYT this week (as the Jewish community celebrates the New Year) to point out the scary rise in anti-semitism in Europe again (story focused on Belgium, France and Germany).

 

[WDW1974]

just a note here, but if you tried to get my attention prior to the last five or so pages, I apologize but I don,t have the time to attempt to catch up, so you may want to try again now that I am. Thanks.

 

[stlphil]

I liked Gotham too, so did most critics. But they also pointed out what I did, and that is having a story that you know the ending to is a very difficult thing to write. I don't really want 5-6 seasons of Oswald turning into The Penguin or Selena turning into the Catwoman while tween and teen Brucie learns about his changing body down in the batcave where Alfred can't find him, ya know?

One of the many problems with the last Star Wars trilogy was you knew where the story had to end. That little kid who couldn't act would have to become the 20-something, who also couldn't act, who had to turn into the father of Simba. Sure, those films sucked. But I don't know how great they ever could have been with those restraints. I'm just not sure how many years of watching Two-Face or Commissioner Gordon, before they were, I can take, no matter how rich the setting.

I don't care about SHIELD, plain and simple. My Marvel inner fanboi began with Guardians of the Galaxy. Ridiculous fodder such as Cap America 2 just doesn't work for me.

I hope you started with last season's first episode of Blacklist as while it has elements of a procedural it also is more like an X-Files as it has underlying storylines that carry on. You sorta miss that if you just start with season 2.

Walking Dead, I am looking forward to.

Speaking of Blacklist, as you and others have pointed out Spader has been amazing. Do you have any thoughts on why he wasn't even nominated for an Emmy?

 

[Goofyernmost]

I DVR'd "Forever" the other day because the ads seemed interesting. I watched the first 20 minutes and just couldn't get my "suspension of disbelief" to kick in. Turned it off, erased it from my DVR and went on with my life.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

So how about Shanghai?

 

[Lee]

I hope you started with last season's first episode of Blacklist...

I did. Watched the first three episodes. I'm in.

 

[TeriofTerror]

Being from Baltimore....no one is giving Rice any slack ( nor should they) I haven't heard anyone defend Rice. Simmons IMO is right. Goodell lied about what he knew and didn't know. Everyone knew what happened in the elevator. Seeing the video doesn't make one difference. Ozzie Newsome the Ravens general manager said that Rice told the truth. Rice said that he struck his fiancé. Newsome attended the meeting with Goodell. You think Newsome didn't tell Goodell what he knew? of course he did. I also believe that someone in both the NFL office and the Ravens office seen the video. Did Goodell or the Ravens owner see the tape? They both said they didn't. But that doesn't matter. When Goodell handed down a years suspension to Sean Payton over the bounty gate case. He told Payton that Ignorance wasn't an excuse after Payton said he didn't know that it was going on.

No everyone involved knew what happened in that elevator. He handed down a two game suspension and hoped the whole thing would blow over. As we all know it didn't. He should have suspended Rice for a year, came out and said we will not tolerate this type of behavior. BTW I don't think that Rice should be banned permanently from the NFL. IMO there have been worse cases where players have been involved with and were allowed to play again. By all reports Rice has been a model citizen other then this one horrendous mistake. He has lost millions of dollars.....again well deserved.

Here is what I don't understand: why are the Ravens and the NFL acting like the elevator tape is such a revelation? Even if they hadn't seen it (which I don't buy for a second), what information did they posess upon viewing it that they didn't already have? They knew Rice had hit her hard enough to knock her unconscious. That was never in dispute. What did they think they were going to see on that tape? Why did they think everyone was disgusted by the slap on the wrist Rice received? If Goodell and Baltimore management couldn't figure out what was on that tape without watching it, they were about the only people in America who couldn't.

 

[John]

Here is what I don't understand: why are the Ravens and the NFL acting like the elevator tape is such a revelation? Even if they hadn't seen it (which I don't buy for a second), what information did they posess upon viewing it that they didn't already have? They knew Rice had hit her hard enough to knock her unconscious. That was never in dispute. What did they think they were going to see on that tape? Why did they think everyone was disgusted by the slap on the wrist Rice received? If Goodell and Baltimore management couldn't figure out what was on that tape without watching it, they were about the only people in America who couldn't.

You are exactly right....which leads me to believe that the NFL and as much as I hate to say it the Ravens are just a complicit as Rice himself. Everyone involved in this case is guilty. With this Goodell has lost all creditability.
But he will survive. His job is safe as long as the money keeps pouring in. His bosses....the 32 NFL owners will not fire him because then they would have to admit he failed. The public upheaval just isn't there like it was for Rice himself.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

So how about Shanghai?

Yes please. Any construction news?

Here is what I don't understand: why are the Ravens and the NFL acting like the elevator tape is such a revelation? Even if they hadn't seen it (which I don't buy for a second), what information did they posess upon viewing it that they didn't already have? They knew Rice had hit her hard enough to knock her unconscious. That was never in dispute. What did they think they were going to see on that tape? Why did they think everyone was disgusted by the slap on the wrist Rice received? If Goodell and Baltimore management couldn't figure out what was on that tape without watching it, they were about the only people in America who couldn't.

They got caught. Simple as that. They got caught giving him a slap on the wrist when people actually SAW the video and went "omg, he seriously knocked her out then dragged her out of the elevator" if folks didn't get twisted up about it, (not only would it be sending a horrific message that we don't care, but) the nfl would have continued on, continuing on, as is, with this far back in the rear view mirror.

They got caught, simple as that.

 

[KYWDW]

The NFL will come out of this just fine. And with the ratings/$$$ they bring in, I don't see any reductions in rights fees, just ever increasing ones.

And let's not BS each other, this crap has been going on in the NFL for decades. It just took one particular story (with vicious video) to blow it up into an international story.

People sort of ignore things until the media harps on them 24/7.

BTW, kudos to the NYT this week (as the Jewish community celebrates the New Year) to point out the scary rise in anti-semitism in Europe again (story focused on Belgium, France and Germany).

Just like with pop radio, they play an absolutely horrible song until it's so engrained its blown up into a whirlwind of popularity. Sounds like something Disney just did with a kiddie coaster.

 

[culturenthrills]

I really liked Gotham, although I have always preferred DC to Marvel anyway. I hope it sticks around for a while, I think they could do a lot with it.
Blacklist was amazing, as always. Definitely one of the best shows on tv right now. Haven't had a chance to watch Sleepy Hollow yet, it's disappointing to hear you didn't like the premier. I very much enjoyed the first season, and was hoping for an even better second.

I just don't get Sleepy Hollow at all. I tried watching it the first season and it just bored me to tears. I just thought it was silly.

 

[Bairstow]

One of the many problems with the last Star Wars trilogy was you knew where the story had to end. That little kid who couldn't act would have to become the 20-something, who also couldn't act, who had to turn into the father of Simba. Sure, those films sucked. But I don't know how great they ever could have been with those restraints.

Probably as good as Titanic or The Ten Commandments.
Just because the viewer knows what will happen doesn't mean you have to disappoint her with the how.

 

[Bairstow]

Jim Hill just got some press kit for the new Star Wars show that's some serious snark bait for people who don't like him.

I'm really digging this.
The idea that the Empire is still around and has enough bureaucracy to operate a press corps really appeals to me.

 

[StageFrenzy]

I just don't get Sleepy Hollow at all. I tried watching it the first season and it just bored me to tears. I just thought it was silly.

I went in to SH thinking I would hate it and only watched it to see how bad it was. Surprisingly I enjoyed to take they had on it and the little curveballs they threw. Production values also were pretty good so I stuck with it and I am glad I did. I prefer bonkers to silly when describing the show, but everyone has their own taste and that’s great. I am meh on Forever, as Andy Greenwald put it the main character "sherlocks". As in he observes some small thing and then infers their attitude on the life, the universe and everything.

 

[StageFrenzy]

@WDW1974 you weighed in on most of the dramas how about the comedies-ish. Ever tune into You’re The Worst? Anyone else watch Intruders on BBC America?