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The lockdowns are history, but most current movie releases still suck and U.S. theaters are desperate for business, so Studio Ghibli Fest returns for 2023.

First up, next weekend, is My Neighbor Totoro (1988)…



Be aware, they alternate between subtitled and dubbed, so check the schedule.

The rest of Miyazaki's films will be shown through the spring and summer.

https://gkids.com/ghiblifest/

SPIRITED AWAY: Live on Stage (movie)



Sunday, April 23 at 4:00 PM (with Kanna Hashimoto as Chihiro)
Thursday, April 27 at 7:00 PM (with Mone Kamishiraishi as Chihiro)

Today's broadcast of SONGS OF TOKYO on NHK World-Japan was stated to be the show's last regular episode. Will there be a new music show to replace it, or will they just show more reruns of J-MELO?

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 is amazing. That is all.

^ I think I must've seen every Trek series and movie except for Picard; I haven't seen any of that show. Just the concept of grizzled old people reprising their former characters seems unappealing. Lately though, I keep coming across good reviews, so I'm thinking of checking it out.

You might say my interest has been pique-arded.

Skip the first two seasons of Picard. They're awful and a complete waste of time. All you need to know from them, going into the third season, is:

1) After the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, Riker and Troi served together on the USS Titan until they retired to Nepenthe;

2) After the USS Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant, Seven of Nine was initially rejected by Starfleet (because Borg) and had rough time on her own; and

3) After Picard was promoted to admiral and left the USS Enterprise-E to do other things, he had an assistant named Raffi Musiker.

Seven of Nine and Raffi Musiker were main characters in the first two seasons of Picard, but they've been cut back to supporting characters in the third season. Everyone else from the first two seasons is gone.

Celedam wrote:Skip the first two seasons of Picard.

But maybe do go on Youtube and watch the scenes with John de Lancie. His performance as Q is a standout in season 2.

Tbph I'm not a "skip seasons" type of person, that's partially why I get reluctant to jump into heavy commitment series in the first place. I still appreciate the heads up though, at least I'll know that whatever shite I'm slogging through will get markedly better eventually.

"Slogging through shite" is an understatement. Those first two seasons killed so-called "Kurtzman-Trek". Trek fans could safely ignore Discovery and Brave New Worlds because they were far enough removed from the continuity they remembered and loved, but Picard made it personal.

Seriously, you won't miss anything. Season 3 is an almost completely different show. Different showrunner, different story, mostly different cast, and the cast who did return are playing essentially different characters. Only the title and the lead (but I repeat myself) are the same, and all of the continuity that matters I already gave in my last reply. In reality, it's a reunion season of TNG produced by someone who actually knows and respects TNG (more than Alex Kurtzman and Patrick Stewart ever did), which is why fans are enjoying it.

John de Lancie as an aging Q does have a few good character moments in Season 2, but they're not crucial. Like JonCC said, watch 'em on YouTube.

Celedam wrote:John de Lancie as an aging Q does have a few good character moments in Season 2, but they're not crucial. Like JonCC said, watch 'em on YouTube.

For those interested (in spoilers of course).