Author Topic: Television tonight: what's worth watching?  (Read 333316 times)

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #575 on: 30 July, 2015, 12:05:30 pm »
clarion's Pappano's Classical Voices

Last episode now available.  This one was my favourite (though I may be vocally biased).

I missed these. Only caught the last two minutes of the soprano one. Hopefully they will  get a repeat.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Andrij

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #576 on: 30 July, 2015, 12:31:20 pm »
clarion's Pappano's Classical Voices

Last episode now available.  This one was my favourite (though I may be vocally biased).

I missed these. Only caught the last two minutes of the soprano one. Hopefully they will  get a repeat.

They're still available via iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0615576/episodes/player
Three days left to catch episode 1: Sopranos.
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #577 on: 30 July, 2015, 12:49:35 pm »
clarion's Pappano's Classical Voices

Last episode now available.  This one was my favourite (though I may be vocally biased).

I missed these. Only caught the last two minutes of the soprano one. Hopefully they will  get a repeat.

They're still available via iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0615576/episodes/player
Three days left to catch episode 1: Sopranos.

Ta Andrij I must have missed them when I looked at iPlayer on my telly.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #578 on: 30 July, 2015, 02:56:13 pm »
It's tomorrow, but Ripper Street series 3 starts.
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Mr Larrington

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #579 on: 31 July, 2015, 07:07:22 pm »
As is customary, Google is no help whatsoever in finding the original post but the very splendid Sound Of Song is being repeated in its entirety tonight on BBC4 starting at 21:00.  Neil Brand on sound recording techniques and technology.
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mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #580 on: 31 July, 2015, 07:42:54 pm »
It's tomorrow, but Ripper Street series 3 starts.
Beat me to it!

(already shown on Amazon Prime - apparently it was their first UK commision. But who cares ... )

Happy!
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LEE

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #581 on: 03 August, 2015, 11:47:56 am »
It's over now but thought I'd mention "Humans".

Domestic robots, "Synths", become self-aware and this drama told the story of the problems that ensue when this sort of thing happens.

Christ almighty it was awful.

OK, maybe I'm being unfair but it had all the acting skills and production value of "The Tomorrow People", circa 1972.

Another case of a 90 minute film being stretched too far.

I'm going to count to 10 and see if Kim, OTP, provides a list of technical issues with the program because I thought they were glaring.

Chief amongst the issues I had:

1) I wish our code developers could find defects in code as quickly as the young girl in the show.  In fact everyone seemed perfectly capable of watching a screen of scrolling code flash before their eyes and point out "There's a problem in the code there!"

2) Why can Robots never be made to turn and walk away properly?  Why can they be made with realistic sexy parts and yet, when they turn and walk away, they do it like Robbie the Robot? (In fact I know why, the director told everyone to "Can you do it like you;re a Robot Darling?".

This, and their glowing green eyes, makes them noticeable from 100 yards, when it seems nobody is able to notice it.

Take out the Robot shagging and screen it at 5pm for the kids.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Dibdib

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #582 on: 03 August, 2015, 11:52:44 am »
2) Why can Robots never be made to turn and walk away properly?  Why can they be made with realistic sexy parts and yet, when they turn and walk away, they do it like Robbie the Robot? (In fact I know why, the director told everyone to "Can you do it like you;re a Robot Darling?".

This, and their glowing green eyes, makes them noticeable from 100 yards, when it seems nobody is able to notice it.

Considering the deliberate choices of blue "blood" and vivid green eyes (which Niska deliberately covers with coloured contacts, and which weren't given to Karen) I'd guess the "in-universe" explanation is that they're deliberately programmed to walk "robotically" so that people can tell who's a human and who's a synth. See also the difference in Anita and Mia's body language.

mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #583 on: 03 August, 2015, 01:27:02 pm »
It wasn't great, but it was interesting enough to watch to the end (whilst thinking that, yes, it should have been half the length).

Funnily enough I noticed a completely different set of defects to Lee! The writing just wasnt ... good enough. The finale was pointless and over-egged. The family just didn't .. makes sense, somehow. There were too many strands, none of which were satisfactory. And it felt like it was aimed at people who were completely new to the idea of robots, AI etc; as if Blade Runner had never existed (let alone Terminator and a billion other more mainstream stuffs).

Anyway, series 2 is on its way!
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #584 on: 03 August, 2015, 04:11:39 pm »
I didn't watch Humans but I wonder how it compares in the preposterousness stakes to Wayward Pines...

Wayward Pines finished its 10 episode run last week. It was supposed to be a one-off 'event' but there are rumours doing the rounds of a second series. I have mixed feelings about that. Part of me would like to see what happens next, but on the whole I'm not sure there's enough scope to drag the story out that much further.

Anyway, it was a completely ridiculous series, with a new plot hole appearing in almost every scene, and Matt Dillon hamming it up for all he was worth... and yet I found it strangely compelling.

The first four episodes seem designed to totally bamboozle the viewer. Matt Dillon is a secret service agent who is sent on a mission to find a missing agent, but after a car crash he wakes up in the peculiar town of Wayward Pines, from which no one can escape or even contact the outside world. A lot of stuff happens that doesn't make an awful lot of sense but it's worth sticking with it because it all makes a kind of sense eventually - just as long as you don't ask too many questions about the logic and/or science of it. But I'm not going to say any more than that because spoilers.

All good fun, definitely worth watching on Netflix, if it comes up.

I pretty much agree on all points with this review (no spoilers): http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/05/wayward-pines-m-night-shyamalan/393149/
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Ruthie

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #585 on: 03 August, 2015, 09:58:11 pm »
Flying to the Ends of the Earth, on Channel 4 tonight.   It was episode two, but it's on 4OD.

Arthur Williams uses tiny little planes, DeHavilland twin otters mostly, to fly to the most remote places in Nepal and get an insight into the lives of the people who eke out an existence there.

It was a bit sad really, stories of rank exploitation in sublime landscapes, but it was very good, if only for the take offs and landings on teeny weeny airstrips  dug out of the sides of mountains.  I'll be watching the rest of them.  It's Australia next week.
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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #586 on: 04 August, 2015, 05:24:55 am »
Tonight on Pick (Freeview 11, other viewing wossnames are available) at 23:00 the only and only Sharknado.  "Unmissable!" - Chris Waddle.
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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #587 on: 04 August, 2015, 09:14:33 am »
Tonight on Pick (Freeview 11, other viewing wossnames are available) at 23:00 the only and only Sharknado.  "Unmissable!" - Chris Waddle.

It's not as awful as Pterodactyl (which means it's actually worse).
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Kim

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #588 on: 04 August, 2015, 02:26:02 pm »
TBH, it's probably better to skip the movie and go straight to the final song...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/0fCaU6bV3PI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/0fCaU6bV3PI&rel=1</a>
http://youtu.be/0fCaU6bV3PI

...which is now today's earworm.

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #589 on: 05 August, 2015, 11:00:53 am »
It's over now but thought I'd mention "Humans".

Christ almighty it was awful.

I've now watched the first two episodes. I didn't think it was that bad. I'd say it was aimed at a younger audience though, late teens rather than middle-aged men - the 'issues' are dealt with in a fairly glib and immature way. I don't mean immature as a criticism, just that it lacks the emotional depth and complexity you'd expect of something aimed at older viewers with more experience of the world.

Yes, the story is a bit slight but I think I'm going to continue watching it. It's not Blade Runner and it's not trying to be. I like the domestic setting, I think it works. Especially in the little scenes such as when the boy tries to cop a feel of Anita's tits.

Quote
2) Why can Robots never be made to turn and walk away properly?  Why can they be made with realistic sexy parts and yet, when they turn and walk away, they do it like Robbie the Robot? (In fact I know why, the director told everyone to "Can you do it like you;re a Robot Darling?".

It's just visual rhetoric. You can have too much naturalism in these things. (And we don't actually know quite how realistic the synths' sexy parts are anyway.)

Quote
Take out the Robot shagging and screen it at 5pm for the kids.

So far, I've been pretty disappointed at the robot shagging.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Dibdib

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #590 on: 05 August, 2015, 11:19:23 am »
While I'm glad they've got a second series, I did think the last couple of episodes weren't as strong as the first half of the series. Shame, really.

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #591 on: 05 August, 2015, 09:31:08 pm »
Just watching a recording of 'Dead Man Cycling'. A truly unbelievable story of a man who has overcome disability to be an athlete and paralympian.

Originally shown on BBC2 Scotland. I'll leave the link HERE

I wish that I had one per cent of that man's determination and strength of character.
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Kim

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #592 on: 05 August, 2015, 10:27:49 pm »
Also on a disability theme, http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b064jj14/disabled-in-an-instant wasn't bad (apart from the BBC three soundtrack).  Full marks to Baroness Campbell for telling it like it is.

Best watched with the subtitles on, so you can spot the bit where the voiceover has been edited so as not to offend the government.  It b0rks the sync for the remainder of the programme, but at least this time it was for a good cause.

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #593 on: 08 August, 2015, 01:55:14 pm »
Having binge-watched the rest of Humans on my day off yesterday, I have to say you're all wrong - it's brilliant, and it built up superbly to an excellent ending.

Not especially original, fairly insubstantial, but well made, well acted and a good solid script.

Was genuinely upset when
(click to show/hide)

Kind of wish they would leave it there though - another series might kill it.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #594 on: 09 August, 2015, 07:38:44 pm »
He's right you know.

Andrij

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #595 on: 09 August, 2015, 07:44:46 pm »
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #596 on: 11 August, 2015, 10:43:58 pm »
Last night I watched a couple of episodes of Cordon, in the BBC4 forrin drama from abroad slot.

One day someone will make a programme where people actually do what they're told, apply common sense, and healthcare professionals follow strict infection control procedures even when things get a little bit dramatic.  The outbreak will thus be contained with minimum loss of life, and there will be much rejoicing (at least amongst the scientists and medics in the audience).

That aside, it's a reasonably watchable example of the genre.  The smart money is on the fat kid with spikey hair[1], who got given a detention for being bullied and is now locked in a library with nothing better to do than read about epidemics, as being the most likely to walk out of it alive.  Pregnant Girl is top of the list for having to give birth in gruelling circumstances later in the series.  Old Man Who Breeds Rats is neck and neck with Anxious Primary School Teacher for the Typhoid Mary award for lack of common sense.  Sensible 1337 h4xx0r woman is most likely to do something tragically stupid because of political intrigue and/or her polite ossifer boyfriend later in the series.  And Important Doctor Guy is most likely to be accidentally shot, assuming his implausible failure to use latex gloves appropriately doesn't kill him first.


[1] In a US series, he would be cast as the bully.



Did you watch it to the end? If so, you must feel vindicated, on several counts...  ;D

We just finished watching all of it, often shouting 'Oh for fuck's sake!' every time someone did something particularly stupid, and subsequently died.

Kim

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #597 on: 11 August, 2015, 10:54:16 pm »
Last night I watched a couple of episodes of Cordon, in the BBC4 forrin drama from abroad slot.

One day someone will make a programme where people actually do what they're told, apply common sense, and healthcare professionals follow strict infection control procedures even when things get a little bit dramatic.  The outbreak will thus be contained with minimum loss of life, and there will be much rejoicing (at least amongst the scientists and medics in the audience).

That aside, it's a reasonably watchable example of the genre.  The smart money is on the fat kid with spikey hair[1], who got given a detention for being bullied and is now locked in a library with nothing better to do than read about epidemics, as being the most likely to walk out of it alive.  Pregnant Girl is top of the list for having to give birth in gruelling circumstances later in the series.  Old Man Who Breeds Rats is neck and neck with Anxious Primary School Teacher for the Typhoid Mary award for lack of common sense.  Sensible 1337 h4xx0r woman is most likely to do something tragically stupid because of political intrigue and/or her polite ossifer boyfriend later in the series.  And Important Doctor Guy is most likely to be accidentally shot, assuming his implausible failure to use latex gloves appropriately doesn't kill him first.


[1] In a US series, he would be cast as the bully.



Did you watch it to the end? If so, you must feel vindicated, on several counts...  ;D

I did.   :smug:


Quote
We just finished watching all of it, often shouting 'Oh for fuck's sake!' every time someone did something particularly stupid, and subsequently died.

We decided that making bad decisions was one of the main symptoms of the virus.  Or something.

There's now the CW remake to look forward to.  If you're not familiar with the output of the CW, you can expect just as many bad decisions, a better looking cast with hardly anyone over the age of 30 who isn't evil, a large helping of out-of-place teenage wangst (AKA The Prom Must Go On syndrome), and because it's leftpondian, a lot more guns and fistfights.

The
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will be notably absent.

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #598 on: 11 August, 2015, 11:12:57 pm »
War Book is on now. If you're not into POBI it might not appeal, but its better than average.

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #599 on: 11 August, 2015, 11:23:18 pm »
 ;D



The
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will be notably absent.

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