Author Topic: Television tonight: what's worth watching?  (Read 333343 times)

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1225 on: 07 March, 2018, 11:44:57 am »
For those who enjoyed “The Vietnam War” by Ken Burns and Lynn Novak, that was on BBC4 last year, PBS America is showing their take on WW2, entitled “The War”.

Oh, and Memento is on BBC2 tonight.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1226 on: 08 March, 2018, 10:30:18 am »
The other night saw Electric Dreams on Channel 4, the first of 10 stand alone adaptations of Phillip K Dick stories. Episode one was The Hood Maker, a story about a future society where telepaths (teeps) seem to be at odds with the world?

Anyhow, ep1 stars features Richard Madden (Rodd "The King in the North" Stark) and Holliday Grainger (Robin Ellacott- the secretary come trainee private dick in Strike) and I enjoyed it. Looking at the IMDb listings, some big names will feature in future episodes.

Eletric Dreams IMDb
So they've finally gotten round to showing the final 3 of these.

Autofac : very very good. :)  :thumbsup:

 Proper modern pacey, clever, witty, stylish SF; a league above the previous episodes (which I thought were mostly watchable but nothing special).
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

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1227 on: 09 March, 2018, 09:59:46 am »
We got our fibre broadband connected yesterday ;D, so it was the first time we'd been able to watch All 4 without the infuriating buffering.  So we came late to the party with The End Of The F***ing World, which was darkly comic and comically dark.  I'm quite sure it's been mentioned upthread, but it's really excellent.  We've only watched 1 20min episode, but looking forward to the next opportunity to catch an instalment.

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1228 on: 11 March, 2018, 10:50:58 am »
Two great musical documentaries last night ob BBC4 and now on iPlayer:

Janis: Little Girl Blue

The life of Janis Joplin. Sad very sad. She comes across as a deeply troubled person. But what a voice !

The Joy of Rachmaninoff

Tom Service's documentary on the life and music of the Russian composer. I didn't know much about him so I found this really interesting.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

ian

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1229 on: 13 March, 2018, 08:31:55 pm »
Binged on the all the Grimms and now there's no more. Oh woes. While conceptually stupid, it was excellent. I, for one, had never realised Portland was so dangerous. No wonder they have such good beer there.

I am being made to watch Star Trek: Discovery now. I mostly don't like Star Trek because of their policy of crewing their ships with space-idiots. Apparently they're flying around the universe on a spaceship powered by fungal spores and navigated by an actual tardigrade.

And that is a sentence even I never thought I'd write.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1230 on: 13 March, 2018, 09:48:40 pm »
Looks up Grimm.
Oh dear.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

ian

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1231 on: 14 March, 2018, 09:38:20 am »
Trust me (which you should), it's as awesome. Of course, to fit with the more cerebral elements of this group, it's more a philosophical investigation of our internalized animal nature. Why, yes it is. And many throats get ripped out.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1232 on: 14 March, 2018, 08:06:34 pm »
FurryBootToon on BBC4 tonight.

ian

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1233 on: 14 March, 2018, 09:40:04 pm »
Apparently they're flying around the universe on a spaceship powered by fungal spores and navigated by an actual tardigrade.

I'm just writing this again because I enjoyed writing it so much the first time. Space mushrooms. I think the writers are having a laugh.

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1234 on: 15 March, 2018, 05:07:36 am »
Jessica Jones Season 2.  Started of pretty well, but has now dug itself into a pretty big hole (episode 9 now). Tempted to skip an episode or 2.

ian

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1235 on: 15 March, 2018, 09:09:15 am »
Jessica Jones Season 2.  Started of pretty well, but has now dug itself into a pretty big hole (episode 9 now). Tempted to skip an episode or 2.

I struggled with the first one tbh. I like the idea and the character but the execution. Firstly, I'm not really sure what her superpower is other than being 'a bit strong.' My wife can arm wrestle me into submission. Second, she spent an entire series trying to get Bad Guy to incriminate himself so the Vulnerable One could get out of her legal pickle. Fine, you may say. The problem was that Bad Guy did have an actual superpower, that being Ultimate Persuasion. So, he'd simply talk his way out of any fate that Jessica set up for him. In other words, he'd have to die. A fact that didn't seem to be recognised until the final episode. It might have worked in the shorter span of a movie, but over many episodes the lack of realisation started to jar. Oh ffs, just kill the git.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1236 on: 15 March, 2018, 10:35:37 am »
Has anyone been watching Mum? BBC sitcom starring Lesley Manville getting used to life after the death of her husband. Also Peter Mullan as husband's best friend.

The first series was on in 2016 and passed me by, but we caught up with it on iplayer ahead of the new series starting a couple of weeks ago. It's interesting. Quite Mike Leigh-ish in lots of ways, but not as good as that makes it sound. All the 'action' is confined to the domestic setting and nothing much happens - they seem to spend most of each episode talking about something they're going to do rather than actually doing it - it's mostly about the relationships and subtexts. There's a strange mix of touching poignancy and rather broad humour - some of the characters are a bit crudely drawn - but it delivers more than the required quota of LOLs so well worth watching. The dead husband's parents are particularly funny.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1237 on: 15 March, 2018, 01:07:48 pm »
Not yet, but I've been meaning to give it a go after Tim Key recommended it

Quote
To illustrate how behind I am with this show, I am recommending the first series even though the second series has just come out and everyone’s losing it about how good it is. Fortunately for me, they’ve popped series one on iPlayer to coincide with these new episodes. It’s a sitcom about a mum (Lesley Manville) keeping a family moving. It’s beautifully written (Stefan Golaszewski), with warm, authentic dialogue and vaguely ridiculous/moving scenarios. You might cry, but it’s also the funniest thing I’ve seen for a long time. And I’ve got nine episodes still in hand.

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1238 on: 15 March, 2018, 04:00:29 pm »
Saw one episode a few weeks ago on iPlayer - the one with the birthday and the bootful of presents - and wasn't quite sure if I found it amusing or not.  Most of the  humour is to do with awkwardness (or, in Kelly's case, obliviousness to awkwardness).  I don't think I LOLled and I definitely didn't ROFL, but it's better than a lot of things on TV.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1239 on: 15 March, 2018, 10:29:47 pm »
It's consistently *quite* funny whilst also being very Sunday-tea-n-crumpets "nice" (this is the closest UK gets to Scandi Hygge (sp?!?) ).

The unrequited realtionship between
(click to show/hide)



At the complete opposite end of the comfort<>crazyviolence scale, Homeland continues to entertain. A really different approach to the FBI maverick agenty stuffs cliche  :thumbsup:
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

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1240 on: 16 March, 2018, 09:09:30 am »
We got our fibre broadband connected yesterday ;D, so it was the first time we'd been able to watch All 4 without the infuriating buffering.  So we came late to the party with The End Of The F***ing World, which was darkly comic and comically dark.  I'm quite sure it's been mentioned upthread, but it's really excellent.  We've only watched 1 20min episode, but looking forward to the next opportunity to catch an instalment.
Watched ep 3 last night  :o :o

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1241 on: 19 March, 2018, 07:10:48 am »
Jessica Jones Season 2.  Started of pretty well, but has now dug itself into a pretty big hole (episode 9 now). Tempted to skip an episode or 2.

I struggled with the first one tbh. I like the idea and the character but the execution. Firstly, I'm not really sure what her superpower is other than being 'a bit strong.' My wife can arm wrestle me into submission. Second, she spent an entire series trying to get Bad Guy to incriminate himself so the Vulnerable One could get out of her legal pickle. Fine, you may say. The problem was that Bad Guy did have an actual superpower, that being Ultimate Persuasion. So, he'd simply talk his way out of any fate that Jessica set up for him. In other words, he'd have to die. A fact that didn't seem to be recognised until the final episode. It might have worked in the shorter span of a movie, but over many episodes the lack of realisation started to jar. Oh ffs, just kill the git.

I don't necessarily disagree, but I liked both characters and thought that Jessica's super cynical one-liners were pretty good over all.

This series, however, was really poor and the actors are struggling with it as well.

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1242 on: 19 March, 2018, 01:20:04 pm »
“The young offenders”, a “Cork lads” version of “Derry girls” sort of.   BBC1 11.25pm

I saw the first 2 or 3.  The gross-out parts were a bit too gross for me, but it was still very funny.  And I caught what I assume was the last in the series yesterday.  The Billy Murphy and the hijacked bus one. I found it very funny throughout, and the one gross-out moment was really quite sweet.

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1243 on: 19 March, 2018, 01:20:43 pm »
I commend to the house - for the second time - the ITV series 'Unforgotten'.

The whole first series (2015?) is currently available on catch up and the second is being broadcast on Thursdays at 22:00 on ITV3.

I'm addicted and found it necessary to watch the episodes several times to find the links between the characters. Enjoyable. Like 'No Offence' without the dark humour.
VELOMANCER

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

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1244 on: 24 March, 2018, 01:43:34 am »
"Better Than The Original" tonight on BBC4. The history of the cover version and its role in popular music, packed with insightful analysis - it's all the better for focusing on ten intelligently chosen classic covers rather than just being a run through of the usual old favourites. Fantastic Friday night telly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06n9q8y
(According to this link, it was actually first broadcast in 2015 but I must have missed it)

Worth watching for the contributions from Deborah Evans Strickland of Flying Lizards alone. Absolutely priceless. My favourite two lines of hers, delivered with exquisitely clipped deadpan poshness:
"I expect you're wondering why we did cover versions. I suppose one answer might be there are plenty of good ideas, why bother to have any more?"
"People may wonder why I speak the songs instead of singing them. The answer is really very straightforward. Um... Singing is more difficult."

I don't think I've ever truly appreciated before quite how brilliant their version of Money actually is. It's a masterclass in how a great idea can overcome a lack of talent.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1245 on: 24 March, 2018, 05:28:53 am »
I liked the other guy's comment about assuming she could sing like Tina Turner  ;D

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 #1246 on: 24 March, 2018, 08:19:12 am »
My sinister agents tell me that the fourth and final series of "The Bridge" is to hit our shores in "May".
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1247 on: 24 March, 2018, 11:56:28 am »
My wife keeps asking me when is the Bridge going to start again. Now I can give her a different answer to “I don’t know.”
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1248 on: 24 March, 2018, 12:28:57 pm »
My sinister agents tell me that the fourth and final series of "The Bridge" is to hit our shores in "May".

 :thumbsup:

Anyone been watching the current BBC4 offering set in the Copenhagen subway system?
“There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that has clearly happened.”
― Douglas Adams

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1249 on: 24 March, 2018, 01:12:42 pm »
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

It's worth watching just to finally figure out which one is Dec.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.