The TV Thread

boogieman · March 2023

Just binged Litvinenko on ITV Hub, it’s only 4 episodes though. David Tenant is good as the title character who’s the ex KGB operative who was poisoned with pollonium in London. All of it is allegedly based on real contemporary interviews and evidence. I enjoyed it, although some of the actors playing the police detectives were a bit weak.

ennspek · March 2023

Still working my way through Rings of Power on Amazon. I know they spent a fortune on it and while it does look amazing I think most of the budget went on anvil heavy exposition.

Philly_Q · March 2023

ennspek said:

Still working my way through Rings of Power on Amazon. I know they spent a fortune on it and while it does look amazing I think most of the budget went on anvil heavy exposition.

What are you watching, an episode a month, or did you only just start? (I gave up after two episodes)

munckee · March 2023

Philly_Q said:

ennspek said:

Still working my way through Rings of Power on Amazon. I know they spent a fortune on it and while it does look amazing I think most of the budget went on anvil heavy exposition.

What are you watching, an episode a month, or did you only just start? (I gave up after two episodes)

It gets better and is more interesting if you have delved into Tolkien a bit more, the silmarillion or the additional parts of the lord of the rings books.

Not as good as the game of thrones prequel but worth watching.

ennspek · March 2023

Anyone tried Yellowstone? Seems to be quite popular but not my usual cup of tea.

Philly_Q · March 2023

munckee said:

Philly_Q said:

ennspek said:

Still working my way through Rings of Power on Amazon. I know they spent a fortune on it and while it does look amazing I think most of the budget went on anvil heavy exposition.

What are you watching, an episode a month, or did you only just start? (I gave up after two episodes)

It gets better and is more interesting if you have delved into Tolkien a bit more, the silmarillion or the additional parts of the lord of the rings books.

Not as good as the game of thrones prequel but worth watching.

It's been discussed elsewhere, but I read the Silmarillion when it was first published decades ago and found it super boring. I know in the TV show they've messed about with the characters and timelines but I don't really care about any of that, I just thought the whole thing was dire.

boogieman · April 2023

Just finished The Night Agent on Netflix. Sort of a Jason Bourne/FBI conspiracy style show. Decent enough, although there are a few plot holes and the inevitable “hero just happens to meet someone with amazing skillz”. Also what is it with Govt agencies who can track baddies within seconds but are completely oblivious to the hero sitting outside their HQ in a car or sauntering through a train station in full sight?

Left slightly hanging at the end, so there could be another series.

Haych · May 2023

So we've just finished watching Catastrophe on Netflix.

When we started I didn't realise that it's a couple of years old now, but it hasn't aged at all.

Four seasons so would make a good binge watching sesh.

In a nutshell, Sharon (played by Sharon Horgan) is a primary school teacher who meets an American businessman, Rob, at a bar in London on a night out (Rob is played by Rob Delaney) and they have a week long fling with lots of sex.

At the end of the week they go back to their respective lives and Rob clears off back to America.

Then he gets a phone call from Sharon to say that he's got her pregnant. Rob flies back to London and meets with Sharon, they decide to get married and start a life together and the rest is just a story of them trying to make a life together. Rob and Sharon have some very strange friends, too, to make things a bit more interesting.

It's brilliant. It's funny, well written and the on screen chemistry between Horgan and Delaney makes it sad to think they're not an actual real life couple.

Highly recommended, if a bit sweary in places.

LastMantra · May 2023

I watched the Woodstock 99 thing the other night.
Wow, worse than I had imagined!
The way the organisers seemed to be in complete denial about it all was pretty shocking too.

AlbertC · May 2023

The Diplomat on Netflix
This has surprised me. I thought this was going to be hammy, cliched nonsense but it's actually pretty well written and acted nonsense that I'm finding very entertaining. I can even overlook Rufus Sewell's iffy American accent.

Magpie Murders on BBC iPlayer
Binged this on flights to and from Porto. An entertaining and fun whodunnit, which is what you expect from Anthony Horowitz and he delivers. A classy cast too. This is what BBC used to be good at all the time. Well worth a watch if you're fond of Agatha Christie type plots.

RobDavies · May 2023

ennspek said:

Anyone tried Yellowstone? Seems to be quite popular but not my usual cup of tea.

Yes. It’s brilliant…like The Sopranos with horses. And then the prequels, 1883 and 1923 are also excellent.

Taylor Sheridan has produced some incredible television- I’m halfway through the first series of Mayor Of Kingstown and it’s on a par with The Wire for drama and grit.

BigBearKris · May 2023

RobDavies said:

ennspek said:

Anyone tried Yellowstone? Seems to be quite popular but not my usual cup of tea.

Yes. It’s brilliant…like The Sopranos with horses. And then the prequels, 1883 and 1923 are also excellent.

Taylor Sheridan has produced some incredible television- I’m halfway through the first series of Mayor Of Kingstown and it’s on a par with The Wire for drama and grit.

I liked both seasons of "Mayor...". Not in the same league as The Wire but I do second your opinion about the grit and drama. Good writing...
Haven't seen Yellowstone - heard mixed reviews but I'm encouraged by your opinion.

RobDavies · May 2023

BigBearKris said:

RobDavies said:

ennspek said:

Anyone tried Yellowstone? Seems to be quite popular but not my usual cup of tea.

Yes. It’s brilliant…like The Sopranos with horses. And then the prequels, 1883 and 1923 are also excellent.

Taylor Sheridan has produced some incredible television- I’m halfway through the first series of Mayor Of Kingstown and it’s on a par with The Wire for drama and grit.

I liked both seasons of "Mayor...". Not in the same league as The Wire but I do second your opinion about the grit and drama. Good writing...
Haven't seen Yellowstone - heard mixed reviews but I'm encouraged by your opinion.

Mayor Of Kingstown update: (possible spoilers)…

First series done. A tremendously good crime drama that turned into a slightly predictable action movie…

Haych · May 2023

We've just watched FUBAR on Netflix, Arnie's latest thing.

It is completely ridiculous!

Arnie pretending to be much younger, and failing. The amount of belief one has to suspend to just imagine the stunts, tech and plot are remotely feasible, and the stupid interpersonal relationship bollocks that we are meant to believe is happening in an elite CIA squad - give me a break.

But, I really enjoyed it. Arnie still cannot act and that's worth watching just on its own. Despite its ridiculousness it also quite funny and highly entertaining. Unless Arnie dies in the meantime there is almost certainly going to be a season 2, and I can't wait.

EricTheWeary · June 2023

I haven’t watched loads of TV in the last few weeks (didn’t have access to a TV for four weeks) but caught the rest of the world up by watching all of Happy Valley on iPlayer.Got a bit soap opera/ dragged out maybe although maybe that’s just a consequence of watching episodes back to back but otherwise highly recommended. Although unpleasant at times and I wouldn’t assume that everyone will find it comfortable viewing.

This week the final special episode of There She Goes. The two series were great and this rounded things off, also I think watchable as a one off if you haven’t seen it previously. Comedy drama and I cried quite a lot with sadness and joy. Always interesting to read comments on Twitter from families with a child with learning disabilities about this who sing it’s praises and as someone who worked with adults with LD and their families at points in my career it’s not hard to see why. Fine writing and fine acting make good TV for me.

Philly_Q · June 2023

EricTheWeary said:

This week the final special episode of There She Goes. The two series were great and this rounded things off, also I think watchable as a one off if you haven’t seen it previously. Comedy drama and I cried quite a lot with sadness and joy. Always interesting to read comments on Twitter from families with a child with learning disabilities about this who sing it’s praises and as someone who worked with adults with LD and their families at points in my career it’s not hard to see why. Fine writing and fine acting make good TV for me.

Funny you should mention that, I'd never heard of it until yesterday when I read a rave review in the Guardian, and it turned out they were talking about the final episode.

BluesLover · June 2023

They all came out to Montreux. A 3 part documentary on BBC iPlayer on history of Montreux Jazz Festival.
Songbirds on Amazon prime. A fascinating but frustrating documentary about a guitar museum.

EricTheWeary · June 2023

Philly_Q said:

EricTheWeary said:

This week the final special episode of There She Goes. The two series were great and this rounded things off, also I think watchable as a one off if you haven’t seen it previously. Comedy drama and I cried quite a lot with sadness and joy. Always interesting to read comments on Twitter from families with a child with learning disabilities about this who sing it’s praises and as someone who worked with adults with LD and their families at points in my career it’s not hard to see why. Fine writing and fine acting make good TV for me.

Funny you should mention that, I'd never heard of it until yesterday when I read a rave review in the Guardian, and it turned out they were talking about the final episode.

One of those you might see trailed and think it’s a bit ‘worthy’ but it’s just very well done and some great acting.

boogieman · June 2023

EricTheWeary said:

I haven’t watched loads of TV in the last few weeks (didn’t have access to a TV for four weeks) but caught the rest of the world up by watching all of Happy Valley on iPlayer.Got a bit soap opera/ dragged out maybe although maybe that’s just a consequence of watching episodes back to back but otherwise highly recommended. Although unpleasant at times and I wouldn’t assume that everyone will find it comfortable viewing.
This week the final special episode of There She Goes. The two series were great and this rounded things off, also I think watchable as a one off if you haven’t seen it previously. Comedy drama and I cried quite a lot with sadness and joy. Always interesting to read comments on Twitter from families with a child with learning disabilities about this who sing it’s praises and as someone who worked with adults with LD and their families at points in my career it’s not hard to see why. Fine writing and fine acting make good TV for me.

We binged Happy Valley a little back. Somehow we’d managed to miss the first two series but saw lots of people raving about the last one. It’s superb, if anyone else has missed it, watch it!

BigBearKris · June 2023

Season two of The Bear is available now.
I enjoyed first one so Will check the S2 out as well.

fretmeister · July 2023

I'm currently going through Man Men.

I missed it on release. I'm really enjoying it - it tracks the events and attitudes of the day as it moves through time very well.
The casting is spot on. The social attitudes from season 1 are quite shocking these days but of course accurate for the time. It's great. The little things are done as well as the main points. The delivery of their first photocopier was spot on, about the size of a car, taking up most of an office.

I'm in season 6 at the moment so about 1.5 seasons left.

I'm also watching the new series of Jack Ryan.
It's almost back to the form of season 1 after S2 and 3 being a bit crap considering the source material.

Philly_Q · July 2023

As usual I'm about ten years late, but I'm watching Banshee.

I wasn't too sure at first, there's lots of nudity and violence - so that's good - but I was finding the characters unlikeable and various subplots irritating. But it seems to be rapidly gaining some layers of sublety and complexity, and I've been told the later seasons are better than the first.

usedtobe · July 2023

Haych said:

So we've just finished watching Catastrophe on Netflix.

When we started I didn't realise that it's a couple of years old now, but it hasn't aged at all.

Four seasons so would make a good binge watching sesh.

In a nutshell, Sharon (played by Sharon Horgan) is a primary school teacher who meets an American businessman, Rob, at a bar in London on a night out (Rob is played by Rob Delaney) and they have a week long fling with lots of sex.

At the end of the week they go back to their respective lives and Rob clears off back to America.

Then he gets a phone call from Sharon to say that he's got her pregnant. Rob flies back to London and meets with Sharon, they decide to get married and start a life together and the rest is just a story of them trying to make a life together. Rob and Sharon have some very strange friends, too, to make things a bit more interesting.

It's brilliant. It's funny, well written and the on screen chemistry between Horgan and Delaney makes it sad to think they're not an actual real life couple.

Highly recommended, if a bit sweary in places.

Watched Catastrophe ages ago - at least it feels like ages ago.. we loved it..
Recently watched Colin from accounts, which we really enjoyed, and Deadloch, which was really funny, but extremely sweary, which were fine with, but won’t suit everyone..

BluesLover · July 2023

I agree Deadloch (Amazon prime) is funny and sweary. I needed subtitles on to understand some of it!
Recommended. Stick with it as it gets better as it progresses.
Just started season 2 of Star trek: strange new worlds on Paramount (via Amazon) and that's really good too.

Chalky · July 2023

Philly_Q said:

As usual I'm about ten years late, but I'm watching Banshee.

I wasn't too sure at first, there's lots of nudity and violence - so that's good - but I was finding the characters unlikeable and various subplots irritating. But it seems to be rapidly gaining some layers of sublety and complexity, and I've been told the later seasons are better than the first.

Very flawed at times (plot holes, how did that character get there, where is character X and how could they not be in this scene, character Y just happens to be an expert? Etc.) But truly brilliant at other times with some great characterizations. Occasionally outrageous and you can see how Anthony Starr moved to his Homelander role in The Boys (more outrageous). Will rewatch it in future.

Have you tried Justified with Timothy Olyphant?

Philly_Q · July 2023

Chalky said:
Have you tried Justified with Timothy Olyphant?

I haven't, is it any good?

I'm much more into films than series really - I don't like to commit to anything with dozens of episodes - but my brother's been telling me for years to watch Banshee. And I am a fan of The Boys so the presence of Antony Starr is a selling point.

damodai · July 2023

Really enjoying "Mayor of Kingstown" on paramount+.

Dav275 · July 2023

Just watched the first episode of David Jason's Secret Service (Amazon Prime). Interesting info about the origins/background of spying, with a touch of gentle humour from Jason.

munckee · July 2023

damodai said:

Really enjoying "Mayor of Kingstown" on paramount+.

It’s on my list to watch but had never heard from anyone who’s seen it before. I like Jeremy Renner and it’s written by the guy who writes everything on Paramount, Yellowstone and its prequels and tulsa king among them.

fretmeister · July 2023

I finished Mad Men.

Loved it.

I need something new now.

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