|
Post by casimira on Jun 28, 2020 14:28:11 GMT
Some interesting looking recommendations here. Thanks good people.
Kimby, am so glad you enjoyed Peaky Blinders. I've been a faithful fan of it from the start. Love everything about it and binge right through every season as soon as they are available. I need to check and see when the next one is going to be aired. I know that some haven't been as enthusiastic about it but, as a period piece, the writing, characters, music, all of it has sated me. (I believe Lugg is another fan of it as well. Bixa, not so much so if I remember correctly). I need to read this thread more of ten because it's one of those threads that if not read on a regular basis it's real easy to miss good stuff. Then there's the confusion that I find very frustrating about what is a series or a one time only movie etc. I never got it straight in my head when and where to find stuff. The medium that is often times a documentary piece gets posted in other threads and a lot of other mediums get posted in other threads etc.
|
|
|
Post by biddy on Jun 28, 2020 15:28:40 GMT
Currently obsessed with Prisoners of War which is streaming on Hulu. The torture scenes are rough but just love the twists and turns in the plot. I am still waiting for Secret Army to be streamed though.
|
|
|
Post by biddy on Jun 28, 2020 17:17:20 GMT
Imec - totally enjoyed the videos of Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men. I loved them! Also noted the clipped tones of the announcer. Some serious drug taking at the BBC in those days apparently.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 28, 2020 17:36:07 GMT
Casimira, I never could get into Peaky Blinders, although I tried a couple of times. One reason is that I truly cannot stand the lead actor's face. it's real easy to miss good stuff. You need Pocket. Well, everyone needs Pocket. One click on a little icon on your address bar and not only is the url saved, but it's saved on a tile with the full title plus an identifying image. getpocket.com/Both your war dramas look interesting, Biddythemott (nickname?), although Prisoners of War seems awfully harrowing. I have a friend who keeps urging me to watch Israeli tv series. I looked it up and found this nugget of information: The programme was acquired by 20th Century Fox Television before it aired in Israel, and was adapted into the eight seasons and 96 episodes of the series Homeland for Showtime in the United States.Also had to look up Secret Army -- rather old but looks like high-class tv. Amazon Prime offers it, but it's expensive -- 26 bucks for season one. pee ess ~ welcome to anyport!
|
|
|
Post by biddy on Jun 28, 2020 17:57:17 GMT
Imec - totally enjoyed the videos of Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men. I loved them! Also noted the clipped tones of the announcer. Some serious drug taking at the BBC in those days apparently.
|
|
|
Post by lugg on Jun 28, 2020 19:21:28 GMT
(I believe Lugg is another fan of it as well ..yes and I have the last series saved for a rainy day. One reason is that I truly cannot stand the lead actor's face. Woah ... cannot believe that, do you mean Cillian or Tom or even Paul ? Please don't say you mean Tom? And welcome too, to Biddy .. hope is not too presumptuous to shorten your name ?
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Jun 28, 2020 22:21:45 GMT
One of the things to like about Peaky Blinders is that it captures a time and place where every other word wasn’t the F word!
One thing to hate is that awful name, Peaky Blinders! A Freaky Blunder if you ask me. Even after looking up background on what it signifies, I still hate it.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 28, 2020 22:54:43 GMT
do you mean Cillian or Tom or even Paul ? It's Cillian Murphy I don't like to look at, Lugg. I don't know who the others are. Sorry!
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 29, 2020 4:14:14 GMT
Tonight I finished watching Barkskins, against my better judgment. What can I say? I got into the plot, such as it is. The female roles are the most interesting for the most part, as those characters generally show some motivation. The male parts are all over the place, often broad to the point of being cartoonish. I'm putting the blame on the script writer and the director, as it often seems the actors were given little to work with. One major character -- striking because he looks so much like a young Paul Auster -- entirely changes character in mid-stream, which is so puzzling it is distracting. The show takes place in New France, in the the district of Québec. This means that the residents of the town around which the action revolves are French. Despite that, they are all speaking stilted English to each other with some kind of peculiar accent to indicate their Frenchness. There are also some despised Englishmen in the mix. They too speak oddly, but are allowed a larger vocabulary.
There will be a second season, apparently, although I don't know if I can be counted on to review it.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Jun 29, 2020 12:08:26 GMT
There are two series which I thoroughly enjoyed but have yet to find out if they are back on screen with more. First is Vera - which when it first began I was dubious whether I could watch but stuck with it, and the other is Shetland. Nothing much else has got my attention but for "go to sleep" watching I like lighthearted comedy. I even go back to old long forgotten comedy to see what made it funny.
|
|
|
Post by casimira on Jun 29, 2020 12:51:45 GMT
Yes, Peaky Blinders works well as a period piece and the writers did a bang up job of really capturing that time and place in UK history. To take away the title of the series would strip the show of what they are portraying Kimby. (the music is particularly one of the other really intense compliments to the series. I usually skip over the intros in most series that I watch but, the intro to Blinders I never skip over). As far as not liking Cillian Murphy Bixa, too bad. Lugg and I will more than make up for your loss in that department. I started watching Jack Ryan last evening and got hooked. I stayed up quite late and fell asleep so I'm not quite sure where I left off. It's very well done. Paris is a central location from the second episode on. I have to say that after all the years of Kerouac's posts on Paris even I can say I recognized names and areas of the city that sounded quite familiar without ever having been there. So, I can see why it would be tough HTMB on seeing familiar locations and having to watch them being blown up. And welcome Biddy. I hope you hang around with us and join in with all our quirkiness, lively impromptu banter, and all the wonderful, fun topics, conversations etc. of a group of people who have been together for quite some time. It's nice to have newcomers come on board and we will try and behave ourselves as best we can for you to get comfortable and join in the camaraderie. I say "we" hoping the others follow suit...
|
|
|
Post by questa on Jun 29, 2020 13:27:57 GMT
Casi...what about the photos? Biddy, we are lucky enough to have extraordinary photographers and travellers who bring the images of the world into our homes with great skill and sensibility.
|
|
|
Post by monetsmum on Jun 29, 2020 13:47:56 GMT
Over the past 3 nights the BBC have been running The Salisbury Poisonings about the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in 2018 by the KGB. Absolutely riveting and I recommend it highly. Quite terrifying about what might have happened. I watched that Mick. Scary stuff!
|
|
|
Post by monetsmum on Jun 29, 2020 13:51:05 GMT
My daughter recommended Staged to me. I like those two, but I'm afraid my reaction was much like yours lugg.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 29, 2020 16:37:12 GMT
I wish people would stop telling me something is "hilarious", as it usually promises more than what is actually delivered.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Jun 29, 2020 16:45:34 GMT
Peaky Blinders! A Freaky Blunder if you ask me. Even after looking up background on what it signifies, I still hate it Never taken to it. Must be those caps they wear. Really country gentleman - Not!
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jun 29, 2020 17:33:16 GMT
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jun 29, 2020 19:23:14 GMT
I am mildly amused by the trashy Germano-British series now showing on French television. The French title is just Mallorca, but the English title is The Mallorca Files. Even though I watched the first episode, I was clearly not paying attention because I don't have the slightest idea how this German cop guy and this British cop girl end up working under the orders of the Spanish police, but I suppose it is plausible since the police in Paris use foreign police officers in the summer to help with foreign victims or perps (Yes, they use the Romanian police.).
Naturally, the German and British officers disagree about just about everything, but so far they have not dived into bed together, although I'm sure it is inevitable (at least it would be in a French series).
It is basically total crap, just the sort of thing that I like to watch.
|
|
|
Post by lugg on Jun 29, 2020 20:18:26 GMT
My daughter recommended Staged to me. I like those two, but I'm afraid my reaction was much like yours lugg. Glad its just not me Monetmum There's a new 'period drama' on the beeb atm called The Luminaries Jeff's watching it, I'm enjoying the scenery and costumes (set in New Zealand). It's an adaptation of Eleanor Catton's Man Booker Prize doorstopper. It's ok. Watched the first episode and I will watch more . As an aside I am now looking at Anna Wetherell to find any trace of Bono but also to find any semblance of the novel which I read a couple of years ago with my book club.
|
|
|
Post by Biddy on Jun 30, 2020 3:22:35 GMT
Many thanks all for the welcome. I have been dipping into the blog from time to time. Seems like a good bunch of folks here.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jun 30, 2020 3:44:55 GMT
Great to have you here, Biddy!
Echoing Lugg, as I watched the first episode of The Luminaries tonight. The construction of the episode was interesting, with its shifting back and forth to times months apart, and taking its time doing so. By the time it got more interesting toward the end, I was grateful for all the scene setting. And I'll keep watching.
|
|
|
Post by casimira on Jun 30, 2020 5:44:46 GMT
Season 1 of Babylon Berlin had me riveted to the screen. It was very dark and intense. I became fascinated with that era in history and the undertones which the writers so cleverly wove into the plot. The acting was superb. And, the music blew me away.
I tried Season 2 and was lost. I was waiting and waiting for something in the plot that I could recognize as being even remotely connected with the first season and it never happened. I was so disappointed after having loved Season 1 so much.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jun 30, 2020 19:15:15 GMT
So, as I mentioned, I have been watching Torchwood again. Today I watched series 3, which in my opinion is the most devastating (although the end of series 2 was quite grim).
I'll probably finish series 4 tomorrow, but it went too far. If there had been a series 5, it might have been acceptable, but no. Over the top.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Jun 30, 2020 19:39:12 GMT
Finished second season of Peaky Blinders (without seeing the first) and thoroughly enjoyed it. A most satisfying twist at the end. I don’t mind looking at Cillian’s face (Thomas “Tommy” Shelby) at all. But those haircuts!
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Jul 2, 2020 13:02:56 GMT
I’ve just finished watching six seasons of Travels by Narrowboat. Mesmerizing!
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jul 2, 2020 13:23:34 GMT
I've been watching Breeders, with Martin Freeman. I find some of its humour too cruel to enjoy. They have a son in hospital perhaps dying of encephalitis and yet it's supposed to be a comedy.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Jul 2, 2020 15:55:48 GMT
I’ve just finished watching six seasons of Travels by Narrowboat. Mesmerizing! Aha! Another Travel girl! We started watching the Narrowboat travels of Prunella Scales and Timothy ? her husband and then found the gay couple on Silver Fox. They are the best by far. Colin spends an entire day just selecting background music. His camera skills are flawless and as for Sean and their lovely dog Dylan, the whole package is wonderful to watch. I think the fact that we have done Narrowboating on our river in UK makes it all the more wonderful.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Jul 2, 2020 16:31:05 GMT
Prunella Scales, as in "Sybil Fawlty?"
The series I’ve watched are on Amazon by Kevin Shelley, though he’s also on YouTube and Vimeo.
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 2, 2020 17:19:38 GMT
Watching a lovely gentle series of Alan Bennet half hour plays called Talking Heads. Highly recommended. One actor speaking to camera...excellent.
|
|
|
Post by lugg on Jul 3, 2020 11:30:39 GMT
I really enjoyed Talking Heads when I saw it first time round - I must watch it. Quite by chance last night I discovered iplayer is streaming all of Absolutely Fabulous - so I watched the first episode. I had forgotten just how funny it is so I will definitely continue. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b00jm3ms/absolutely-fabulousJust had a look and its also available on netflix
|
|