Author Topic: Television tonight: what's worth watching?  (Read 333158 times)

Kim

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1375 on: 27 December, 2018, 02:51:01 pm »
Aye well, according to Netflux's Outlaw Prince, Robert the Bruce occasionally said 'OK'.

If you go back that far the language is going to be basically unintelligible to a modern audience, so I'm reasonably happy to overlook such things, as long as they're not too obvious newspeak.  I'll tolerate "OK" as normal and ordinary part of the English language (though presumably older viewers may consider it a conspicuous Americanism), but Robin Hood talking about "human trafficking" in the recent BBC series grated.

(The Deadwood approach of substituting contemporary profanity of context-appropriate severity for what would have otherwise come across as mild/obscure blasphemy deserves honourable mention for effort, though the end result was equally cock-suckingly distracting.  Cocksucker.)


It's the 20th century stuff where this is pure sloppiness which is more jarring.  If it's pre-war Britain[1], you're not allowed to us USAnian car terminology unless the character is actually an American.

Bonus points to anything getting it wrong where cultural difference is part of the story:  A while ago I watched an initially intriguing mini-series a about a generation starship supposedly launched from earth in the 1960s.  The plot hinged on the crew having been out of contact with Earth since the launch, with their culture and technology developing in different directions.  Which made the use of contemporary computer jargon stick out like a sore thumb.  At least until [soilers] made that the least of the problems.


[1] USAnian writers projecting their own culture onto a Britain they have limited experience of is a separate, and even more hilarious, phenomenon.

Andrij

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1376 on: 27 December, 2018, 08:40:22 pm »
...
Bonus points to anything getting it wrong where cultural difference is part of the story:  A while ago I watched an initially intriguing mini-series a about a generation starship supposedly launched from earth in the 1960s.  The plot hinged on the crew having been out of contact with Earth since the launch, with their culture and technology developing in different directions.  Which made the use of contemporary computer jargon stick out like a sore thumb.  At least until [soilers] made that the least of the problems.

Ascension?  If so, I missed the inappropriate jargon when I saw it.
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

Mr Larrington

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1377 on: 27 December, 2018, 09:32:09 pm »
My in-depth research suggests that the origin of the phrase "vinegar tits" was "Prisoner Cell Block H", which makes it doubly grating :demon:

See also "Are we having fun yet?", which apparently came from a "Zippy The Pinhead" cartoon published in 1979.
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citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1378 on: 27 December, 2018, 09:56:51 pm »
My in-depth research suggests that the origin of the phrase "vinegar tits" was "Prisoner Cell Block H", which makes it doubly grating :demon:

That’s hilarious.

I watched about half of the first episode of ABC before deciding I’d seen quite enough, thank you. Load of old tripe.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Kim

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1379 on: 27 December, 2018, 10:58:50 pm »
...
Bonus points to anything getting it wrong where cultural difference is part of the story:  A while ago I watched an initially intriguing mini-series a about a generation starship supposedly launched from earth in the 1960s.  The plot hinged on the crew having been out of contact with Earth since the launch, with their culture and technology developing in different directions.  Which made the use of contemporary computer jargon stick out like a sore thumb.  At least until [soilers] made that the least of the problems.

Ascension?  If so, I missed the inappropriate jargon when I saw it.

That's the badger.  Repeated use of 'download' for the copying of video recordings to removable media (the nature of which is never made clear), for starters.  I also recall use of 'down' in the some-remote-system-is-not-available sense, though I'm not sure of the etymology of that one - it might have history in radio or aviation that fits.

It also seems conspicuously unlikely that scientists would drop the 'nuclear' from Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in a closed, highly-educated culture that depends on nuclear technology for its very existence.

Anyway, the plot twist ruined it before I got time to be properly annoyed.  :)

fuzzy

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1380 on: 27 December, 2018, 11:38:19 pm »
Late to the party as ever but intrigued by Berlin Station on Channel 4. CIA spooks in Berlin.
I started Friday night and ended up binge watching the first 6 episodes on All 4.

Plot twists on plot twists and doesn't portray the CIA in a good light. The 'good guys' aren't always the good guys and the 'bad guys' are really devious. Reminded me of The ICRESS File, espionage & counter terrorism isn't glamorous.

The first eight episodes are on All 4 and the last two come up this week, there's just time to catch up

Thanks for this Tors- i'm catching up with it. I have just watched the episode about the fallout form the majorly fucked up operation :thumbsup:

mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1381 on: 28 December, 2018, 09:44:45 am »
My in-depth research suggests that the origin of the phrase "vinegar tits" was "Prisoner Cell Block H", which makes it doubly grating :demon:

That’s hilarious.

I watched about half of the first episode of ABC before deciding I’d seen quite enough, thank you. Load of old tripe.
What??

And miss out on a possible plethora of historical gaffs?? Surely worth another 2.5 hours of your time!

Here's a starter: the road-signs in "Andover" looked very iffy to me ...
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mattc

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1382 on: 28 December, 2018, 09:45:24 am »
p.s. Episode 2 boiled up nicely - looking forward to tonight.  :thumbsup:
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 #1383 on: 28 December, 2018, 10:07:30 am »
Poirot and noted dickhead Weasley of the Yard are in a hurry to get to Doncaster from That London for the purposes of Villain Apprehension.  Why, then, did their train cross the Ribblehead Viaduct, unless noted dickhead Weasley of the Yard accidentally led the pair of them onto the Hogwarts Express?

On the plus side, it's got loadsa killin's, but what in the name of dog have they done to poor Tara Fitzgerald?
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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1384 on: 28 December, 2018, 10:27:53 am »
Poirot and noted dickhead Weasley of the Yard are in a hurry to get to Doncaster from That London for the purposes of Villain Apprehension.  Why, then, did their train cross the Ribblehead Viaduct, unless noted dickhead Weasley of the Yard accidentally led the pair of them onto the Hogwarts Express?



I suppose Ribblehead has the advantages of frequent steam excursions, lack of overhead electric gantries and no contemporary distractions. The Glennfinnan viaduct used in the Harry Potter films has similar advantages, but it's in Scotland, not Yorkshire.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1385 on: 28 December, 2018, 10:30:36 am »
Watched the first episode of Berlin Station. Decided that was enough.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1386 on: 28 December, 2018, 02:29:08 pm »
I suppose Ribblehead has the advantages of frequent steam excursions, lack of overhead electric gantries and no contemporary distractions. The Glennfinnan viaduct used in the Harry Potter films has similar advantages, but it's in Scotland, not Yorkshire.

Ribblehead also has the advantage of being closer to ‘Andover’ (ie Saltaire).
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1387 on: 29 December, 2018, 10:12:55 pm »
Black Mirror 'Bandersnatch'

Just brilliant

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1388 on: 30 December, 2018, 09:41:38 am »
Black Mirror 'Bandersnatch'

Just brilliant

I only heard about this yesterday. Sounds great. Will probably watch it tonight.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1389 on: 30 December, 2018, 11:04:21 am »
It took me about 2 hours to go through all the options.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1390 on: 30 December, 2018, 11:45:07 am »
Is that on Sky?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Torslanda

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1391 on: 30 December, 2018, 05:25:34 pm »
Think it might be Netflix but don't quote me...
VELOMANCER

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

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1392 on: 30 December, 2018, 05:27:27 pm »
Is that on Sky?

Netflix. I understand it doesn't work on some devices, eg Apple TV and Chromecast. We get Netflix through the PS3 and I'm not sure it will work on that either. Only one way to find out...
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1393 on: 31 December, 2018, 04:37:39 pm »
Just watched 'Bros, when the screaming stops on iPlayer.

Quite interesting, but by the end of it I was just waiting for them to start fucking each other on stage.

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1394 on: 01 January, 2019, 11:44:48 am »
Watched Bandersnatch last night. It is superb. Didn’t go through all the permutations but ‘Netflix’ was a definite highlight (laugh out loud funny), and I chose the path that took me to the ‘O Superman’ ending, which is heartbreaking.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

T42

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1395 on: 01 January, 2019, 01:57:19 pm »
I'll maybe give it another go.  I tried it yesterday and found it boring.
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fuzzy

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1396 on: 07 January, 2019, 12:27:08 am »
Has Luther 'Jumped The Shark'?

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1397 on: 07 January, 2019, 09:32:31 am »
Has Luther 'Jumped The Shark'?

I thought that happened in series 3 when Alice came back.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1398 on: 07 January, 2019, 11:01:19 am »
I'd never watched Luther, and had only watched season 1 before the current one. I enjoyed the first two episodes of this season, but after that it went off the rails for me - stuff seemed to be happening arbitrarily to move the plot along rather than having any kind of consistency. Of course this means that they will probably try for another season, perhaps starting with Alice back from the dead again and busting Luther out of jail?

citoyen

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Re: Television tonight, whats worth watching
« Reply #1399 on: 07 January, 2019, 11:31:58 am »
Of course this means that they will probably try for another season

IIRC they said there weren't going to be any more after series 4, but then Netflix picked it up and it proved very popular so now there's a financial incentive to keep it going.

To be fair, Luther has always been pretty ludicrous, but that's half the fun of it.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."