Finishing a Trilogy just because It's a Trilogy?

[Miss_Woodhouse]

Tad Williams and Robert Jordan cured me of the “have to finish it all” curse. After torturing myself with the entire five book series full of unlikable characters and repetative story lines I was upset that I had read Williams entire series (Don’t remember the name of it. It was some alternate computer universe thing.) I stuck it out to see how it ended. Which is precisely where you know it’s going to end half way through book one.

I don’t think I need to explain why I never finished Wheels of Time. It was the same reason everyone else gave up on it.

After those two, I can happily put a book or series down if I’m not enjoying it. The only ones I have to watch out for now are the ones that implode in the last 50 pages.

I do however still tend to watch a movie I’m not enjoying. I rarely turn one off. Instead my husband and I just sit there and make fun of it.

[jackdavinci]

@RealityChuck

In the case of Three Colors, the three films are not really connected other than in title and the fact that their themes match the colors of the French flag of Liberté, Egalité, and Fraternité.

Yeah, in cases like this I might not bother. But in cases of trilogies that have a more connected storyline I will usually try to complete them.

@RealityChuck

Blue is also the stupidest of the bunch.

@Martian Bigfoot

Blue (which you’re supposed to watch first) is probably the strongest of the three

Great simulpost

[Bryan_Ekers]

@jackdavinci

Great simulpost

And not automatically contradictory, if the trilogy was really bad. Blue could be the stupidest and the strongest of the three.

[Don_t_Panic]

@Two_Many_Cats

I rented Red and White from the library while Blue was unavailable. Nothing on the box said anything about the order in which to watch.

I hope you give them another chance. Forget about that first watching (coming to them like that I can absolutely see how they would make little sense). Just put *Blue *on and get yourself under a blanket with a cup of tea. And don’t worry that much about the plots, just let it all… flow over you.

[Don_t_Panic]

@RealityChuck

In the case of Three Colors, the three films are not really connected other than in title and the fact that their themes match the colors of the French flag of Liberté, Egalité, and Fraternité.

They’re only loosely connected, but watching them together and in order matters. Red, on it’s own, is probably still a good movie. However, it’s a much better movie when it follows *Blue *and White. White, on it’s own, it’s probably just O.K. However, as the middle part of the trilogy, it’s great. Blue, I guess, is probably the one that stands up the best on it’s own - it’s wonderful all by itself.

A bit like different movements in a symphony, I guess.

[amarinth]

@Two_Many_Cats

So I watched Three Colors: Red because it was nominated for Best Director.

I also watched Three Colors: White because it was part of the same trilogy.

For some reason, I never got around to watching Three Colors: Blue

Blue was, by far, my favorite of the three movies. Red was the one I sat through to finish the trilogy out.

I used to need to complete the series. Now, I’m ok with just stopping when I stop enjoying reading or watching.

[jackdavinci]

I suppose I should mention for the record that I saw one of the RedWhiteBlue films, but not the other two. But this was back when getting to see obscure French films was catch as catch can. All I remember is a house on the river. Or maybe a ferry. Being broadcast on TV? I don’t know. But this thread is making me wonder if I should go ahead and watch the others. But I think I’d rather just rewatch Delicatessen.

[Boyo_Jim]

Don’t get me started on Philip Jose Farmer’s Riverworld series…

Too late. I think it was originally planned to be a trilogy, but there must have been too many suckers like me around. I think I stopped at four books. I should have stopped at one. They just kept getting worse and worse and worse.

[what_do_I_type_here]

Sorta. I decided recently that I would try to read all six Dune books. I tried this before as a teenager and I only got partially through book five before giving up. Anyway, I just finished the second which I actually really liked (I know I’m alone on that). I’m about halfway through book three and…ehhh, I’ll finish it just to say I did (and because I paid $8 for it) but then I’m done. Damn, this series gets really boring really fast.