Author Topic: Television tonight: what's worth watching?  (Read 333315 times)

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1250 on: 06 April, 2018, 09:57:00 am »
The City & The City, adaptation of China Mieville's book starring David Morrissey, starts tonight at 9pm on BBC2. I've been looking forward to this for over two years so it had bloody well better be good.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1251 on: 06 April, 2018, 11:36:50 pm »
The City & The City, adaptation of China Mieville's book starring David Morrissey, starts tonight at 9pm on BBC2. I've been looking forward to this for over two years so it had bloody well better be good.
So what did you think?

(How long until someone posts how much stuff they left out  ;D )

I've only read one Mieville book - or rather half of one. How shall I put this; it had a lot of interesting idea. And it wasn't this book.

I'm on the fence about tonight's opener ... I await "expert" reviews ... :)
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

Mr Larrington

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1252 on: 07 April, 2018, 01:31:31 pm »
I know the feeling.  I struggled to reach the end of "Kraken" and Professor Larrington has lent me two more Miévilles, which have been sitting in the kitchen unattended for three months.
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citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1253 on: 07 April, 2018, 03:53:14 pm »
The City & The City, adaptation of China Mieville's book starring David Morrissey, starts tonight at 9pm on BBC2. I've been looking forward to this for over two years so it had bloody well better be good.
So what did you think?

(How long until someone posts how much stuff they left out  ;D )

I've only read one Mieville book - or rather half of one. How shall I put this; it had a lot of interesting idea. And it wasn't this book.

I'm on the fence about tonight's opener ... I await "expert" reviews ... :)

It looks like they've done a good job of interpreting the book and bringing it to life in a reasonably 'naturalistic' way. David Morrissey is good, as ever. Might need to watch the first ep again as I was very tired last night and not really concentrating on it, but it did seem a bit flat, not enough suspense (or is that just because I already know the story and how it ends?).

They seemed to work out the dead girl's identity too quickly, but I suppose that's a necessity when you've only got four episodes to cram everything into.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1254 on: 07 April, 2018, 06:08:24 pm »
Not truly TV, but Amazon

"David and Olivia - Naked in Scotland"

This is a project by local actors fed up with the traditional routes and recorded this themselves

It shows...

The dialogue is far from smooth and it is a little rough around the edges, however I quite enjoyed it and it is refreshing partly because of this


Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1255 on: 11 April, 2018, 11:41:30 pm »
The City & The City, adaptation of China Mieville's book starring David Morrissey, starts tonight at 9pm on BBC2. I've been looking forward to this for over two years so it had bloody well better be good.
So what did you think?

(How long until someone posts how much stuff they left out  :-D )

I've only read one Mieville book - or rather half of one. How shall I put this; it had a lot of interesting idea. And it wasn't this book.

I'm on the fence about tonight's opener ... I await "expert" reviews ... :-)

It looks like they've done a good job of interpreting the book and bringing it to life in a reasonably 'naturalistic' way. David Morrissey is good, as ever. Might need to watch the first ep again as I was very tired last night and not really concentrating on it, but it did seem a bit flat, not enough suspense (or is that just because I already know the story and how it ends?).

They seemed to work out the dead girl's identity too quickly, but I suppose that's a necessity when you've only got four episodes to cram everything into.


I've bought all of Mievilles stuff & enjoyed most of it, but a couple I've abandoned after the first few chapters. 


ISTR enjoying this one, and definitely finished it, but it was a while ago , so I don't remember the finer plot details


What I did enjoy in the first episode was the locations. It was filmed in Liverpools central business district where I work, and most of the exterior shots are very familiar.  I recognise some of the interiors, but guess others are in buildings that I've never been in, or have just been opened for filming.
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mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1256 on: 25 April, 2018, 06:53:33 pm »
After 2 Eps of City and ... I am still totally baffled! But it's intriguing and beatiful, so I shall probably persist for the remaining 2 (?) hours.

Meanwhile, still on the Much Better Than Expected Pile is
Kiss Me First

Virtual reality-based, heavily trailed teen drama? Jeez, this will be awful .. won't it?? Well not so far. Although the VR scenes are the least interesting bit.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
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

Mr Larrington

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    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1257 on: 25 April, 2018, 07:18:31 pm »
My sinister agents tell me that the fourth and final series of "The Bridge" is to hit our shores in "May".

Scandinoir correspondent confirms May 11th.  And it's on BBC2, not BBC4.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Torslanda

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1258 on: 25 April, 2018, 10:21:16 pm »
Steph referred to a killer driver in the motorised moron thread. Following the link to the BBC website led to a BBC Wales prog 'The Crash Detectives' and we've just watched the two episodes available on i-Player.

Well put together, just a shame that people had to die to make it so interesting.
VELOMANCER

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

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1259 on: 27 April, 2018, 10:21:30 pm »
Also a recording, the last episode of “Civilisations”. Some amazing artwork by Anselm Kiefer, Kara Walker and Michal Rovner..
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1260 on: 28 April, 2018, 12:31:44 am »
'Happy'

Possibly one of the best things I've watched in ages. The plot is utterly predictable, but that doesn't prevent it from being enjoyable.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1261 on: 29 April, 2018, 10:30:21 am »
My sinister agents tell me that the fourth and final series of "The Bridge" is to hit our shores in "May".

Scandinoir correspondent confirms May 11th.  And it's on BBC2, not BBC4.

Friday night on BBC2.

Do traditions mean nothing to the Beeb?
“There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that has clearly happened.”
― Douglas Adams

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1262 on: 04 May, 2018, 09:08:43 am »
Secrets of the Super Elements

This was on BBC4 last night, though apparently it was first shown last year, but it's worth watching, especially if you're like me, someone who gave up science after GCSE level, so has a fairly limited understanding of this stuff and needs it to be presented in an accessible format - I mean, I'm sure many of you brainy types are already familiar with the properties of superfluids, but I found some of it pretty mind-blowing...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08rv9r6/secrets-of-the-super-elements

I did find 'Tungsten carbide drills! What the bloody 'ell's tungsten carbide drills?' reverberating around my head a fair bit during it though.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1263 on: 06 May, 2018, 06:56:25 pm »
BBC 4,  Rich Hall on California, 23:30
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1264 on: 06 May, 2018, 07:17:19 pm »
BBC 4,  Rich Hall on California, 23:30
Ooh, ta
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1265 on: 06 May, 2018, 07:40:22 pm »
New! Taskmaster!
Looks like I missed it already but ep 1 is on Dave at 2200 tonight!

Also, looks like little Alex Horne is getting his own series starting the 24th...
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1266 on: 11 May, 2018, 02:25:08 pm »
My sinister agents tell me that the fourth and final series of "The Bridge" is to hit our shores in "May".

Scandinoir correspondent confirms May 11th.  And it's on BBC2, not BBC4.

That'll be tonight then. Yay!
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1267 on: 11 May, 2018, 02:33:25 pm »
Anyone been watching "Salamander"?  Series 2 is well underway on BBC4 on Saturday nights.  Series 1 was a bit different from the standard cop/detective thriller with the unusual back story told in flash backs.  Series 2 is perhaps a bit more formulaic now that we know the history to the saga but they have tied the two series together quite well, the main problem being that as Series 1 was about 4 years ago I can't remember all the plot lines from that one.  I also enjoy the way it switches between Flemish, French and a bit of English!

mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1268 on: 11 May, 2018, 05:22:29 pm »
Friday Night Dinner is back

(Ch4 / E4? Thursday nights (!) I think).
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
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

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1269 on: 11 May, 2018, 10:03:51 pm »
My sinister agents tell me that the fourth and final series of "The Bridge" is to hit our shores in "May".

Scandinoir correspondent confirms May 11th.  And it's on BBC2, not BBC4.

That'll be tonight then. Yay!

So far just about everyone involved is a nutter.  Except Jonas, who's just an arsehole.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1270 on: 12 May, 2018, 10:22:17 am »
I would say Jonas is more a badly written amalgam of arsehole tropes.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1271 on: 12 May, 2018, 10:28:57 am »
He's just in there to annoy everyone, he'll eventually do something good/heroic.

So was it the journalist who got knocked on the head or was it his twin brother?
“There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that has clearly happened.”
― Douglas Adams

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1272 on: 12 May, 2018, 11:02:01 am »
A week too late, I discover that Quest are showing nightly Giro highlights. A bugger I missed the Etna stage. (Yes I know I can watch it in Youtube as well, but I like highlights as opposed to live coverage).
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1273 on: 12 May, 2018, 12:50:10 pm »
A week too late, I discover that Quest are showing nightly Giro highlights. A bugger I missed the Etna stage. (Yes I know I can watch it in Youtube as well, but I like highlights as opposed to live coverage).
Doh  :facepalm:

Noted, thanks  :)

(Here's the catchup link - for St6 as it happens - for other people as stupid as me and rafletcher: https://www.questtv.co.uk/video/giro-2018#5782972666001 )
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
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

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1274 on: 12 May, 2018, 01:05:15 pm »
He's just in there to annoy everyone, he'll eventually do something good/heroic.

Yes, another trope. One that is clearly being telegraphed by his homophobic clichés - he’ll probably save the refugee’s life in some way.

Quote
So was it the journalist who got knocked on the head or was it his twin brother?

I think it was the twin brother but I’m not at all sure.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."