[TV/Netflix] Squid Games

[Airlick]

Finally got around to watching the show, and oh boy, was it overrated... The only good thing about it are the visuals. The plot is painfully predictable from start to finish (of course not every aspect, there aren't many "hanging guns" that would let you actually deduce some of the plot points, but if you've ever seen a similar story, you can guess both the ending and single episodes' outlines - there are basically no surprises or real twists), the characters are as cliche as they come, and the VIPs... it's like we're back in 1900, the writers have never even seen a Westerner in their lives and had to portray them based on a few propaganda caricatures they saw hanging on a wall. It's this bad.

Honourable mention for the whole absolutely pointless and dragged out detective guy subplot, which just happened to take up 1/3rd of the entire screentime, have 0 impact on the story and got abandoned with a "twist" you could see coming 3 episodes earlier.

People just like it because they don't bother to look past the gore to see how poor it really is.

[Jotaux]

Hmm. Weird. I really enjoyed this show, but I wouldn't put it as my #1 Netflix original. It would make the top 10, I think, along with The Witcher, Umbrella Academy, Big Mouth and the aforementioned Alice in Borderland to name a few, but not my favorite ever ever. Wonder if it's getting more eyeballs (which seems to be the metric they're using; there's no user rating that I've seen) because of the pandemic and people needing to see others even worse off than they are. heh

I think the thing is they drew some people in with Alice in Borderlands. Those people brought in a few others to watch a subtitled or dubbed show like that. That would have opened up a path for Squid Game to get those viewers plus whomever they convinced to watch even if its not even the same language as Alice in Borderlands.

I know before Alice in Borderlands I wouldn't have bothered with a live action subbed or dubbed show. My friend convinced me to watch it, and I ended up watching Squid Game on my own.

[Benggaul]

People just like it because they don't bother to look past the gore to see how poor it really is.

Nah, I liked it because it's a really good show and I don't play a contrarian on the internet to be the dumb person's idea of a smart person.

[Airlick]

Nah, I liked it because it's a really good show and I don't play a contrarian on the internet to be the dumb person's idea of a smart person.

Yeah, you got me, the only way someone might see this shallow mess for what it is is they are "playing a contrarian".

[Leyre]

Second this. Anyone who liked Squid Game should check out Alice in Borderland. Somewhat similar set-up and it's a lot of fun. There is a really damn good single take shot in the first episode that I rewound and watched three times cause it was so well done. If you are into that sort of thing. Really hope they make a second season of Borderland.

Maybe its just me, but i found the whole beach part extremely boring

[caractacus]

Honourable mention for the whole absolutely pointless and dragged out detective guy subplot, which just happened to take up 1/3rd of the entire screentime, have 0 impact on the story and got abandoned with a "twist" you could see coming 3 episodes earlier.

The use of the detective was a plot device to allow the viewer to discover what is going on behind the scenes, through their eyes.

[Airlick]

The use of the detective was a plot device to allow the viewer to discover what is going on behind the scenes, through their eyes.

Yes. And it was dragged out, had to use enough make-believe to share with 10 other shows and it wasn't even consistent (since there were plenty of times the inner workings of the island were shown without the detective present) or satisfactory. They could as well have a character escape from the dorm and have a tour around the staff quarters and crematorium before getting killed. They even had 2 good picks for exactly that, the doctor and Saebyeok. They would have achieved exactly as much with a 10 minute scene as by devoting 3 episodes worth of screentime for the detective.

[PACOX]

I feel like like people alwats interpret these sort of shows rooted in class struggles differently with entertainment media always gettng it wrong. Tye take is often'I felt sorry for the characters, therefore I am a good person".

Ok show though.

[Jotaux]

Yes. And it was dragged out, had to use enough make-believe to share with 10 other shows and it wasn't even consistent (since there were plenty of times the inner workings of the island were shown without the detective present) or satisfactory. They could as well have a character escape from the dorm and have a tour around the staff quarters and crematorium before getting killed. They even had 2 good picks for exactly that, the doctor and Saebyeok. They would have achieved exactly as much with a 10 minute scene as by devoting 3 episodes worth of screentime for the detective.

That was actually something I was disappointed in because I loved the detective character and wanted to see more with him. Like obviously he couldn't make it out and expose them but they could have taken him prisoner or something.

[Fencers]

I'm into it so far. The dub is fucking horrible though. Makes everything so cheesy and rhe mannerism are laughable in tandem.

They do a good job of hooking you into the narrative. Haven't finished it yet, but 001 is a shady mfer.lol

[Fencers]

Fucking marbles? Bros. I'm shook.

- - - Updated - - -

This show has some of the worst English dubbing I have heard in a long time. As such, the show is equally HILARIOUS and intense.

[Ayirasi]

Fucking marbles? Bros. I'm shook.

- - - Updated - - -

This show has some of the worst English dubbing I have heard in a long time. As such, the show is equally HILARIOUS and intense.

The betrayals and sacrifice were pretty upsetting. 240 we barely knew ye.

Yeah, it's life or death, but 456 and 218 are pieces of shit.

[Fencers]

The betrayals and sacrifice were pretty upsetting. 240 we barely knew ye.

Yeah, it's life or death, but 456 and 218 are pieces of shit.

His embezzling aside, I agreed a lot with 218. I felt, haven't finished the show yet, that 218 is playing this smart.

He already forfeited his sense of decency by joining the games. So might as well play it it as ruthlessly as possible.

I would not have failed the marble or stepping stone games, TBH. LMAO

[hellhamster]

Fucking marbles? Bros. I'm shook.

- - - Updated - - -

This show has some of the worst English dubbing I have heard in a long time. As such, the show is equally HILARIOUS and intense.

Why in the everloving fuck are people watching dubbed movies and tv shows?

Reminds me of Germans and their dubbed movies. A whole generation unable to speak english.

[Koriani]

Fucking marbles? Bros. I'm shook.

- - - Updated - - -

This show has some of the worst English dubbing I have heard in a long time. As such, the show is equally HILARIOUS and intense.

Let us know if you have a different experience with the subtitles - but so far in other places (forums/news articles etc) I'm reading that the subtitles aren't much better. That the translation leaves much to be desired and that the show in Korean is actually written well - but the subtitles 'ruin' the good writing.

I've heard that sentiment through several outlets - so YMMV! I too am preferring subtitles to poor dubs though - even if the subtitles aren't good translations.

[Ayirasi]

His embezzling aside, I agreed a lot with 218. I felt, haven't finished the show yet, that 218 is playing this smart.

He already forfeited his sense of decency by joining the games. So might as well play it it as ruthlessly as possible.

I would not have failed the marble or stepping stone games, TBH. LMAO

I want to say that I'd be ruthless to survive and win, like 218, or make the noble sacrifice, like 240, but I'd probably get my dumb ass Ali'd.

[hellhamster]

I would have killed every motherfucker in my way, no questions asked. All's fair in love and war. A year of depression, sure, but I'd get over it.

We're all animals.

[Progenitor Aquarius]

Is it good? I see many people seem to like it and recommend it.

[hellhamster]

Is it good? I see many people seem to like it and recommend it.

It's good, but watch with the Korean audio. The dialogues are sometimes cringy but it's due to a bad translation most likely. The acting is too over the top, but that's typically Asian.

The only bad thing about this is the ending, and the entire last episode.

[Wilian]

Premise was great but it had too much filler, one relatively unecessary plotline and the last episode was such a S2 bait I cringed. I was about to give it 7 for good effort and when the show was focused it was really entertaining but that last episode dropped the whole thing down to 6 on my scale.