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Post by Kimby on Apr 8, 2022 14:40:59 GMT
In desperation, due to lack of new releases in the library system, the Kimbys checked out WEST WING. It’s OK. Has potential. Reminds of VEEP and HOUSE OF CARDS a bit.
Rob Lowe is very likeable. Martin Sheen as POTUS seems scripted. But we’re only 2 episodes in. Maybe it will hit its stride.
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Post by casimira on Apr 8, 2022 17:08:49 GMT
I can't believe that you haven't watched West Wing before Kimby. It's very written and the acting is superb. You will learn to love some of the characters.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 8, 2022 17:43:28 GMT
I'm going to assume the answer to my question about Outlander is "no", since no one responded -- a major feature of this "forum".
Cheery, I read the book Life After Life and hated it. It's as though the author had a bunch of ideas and didn't know what to do with them, so created a hugely frustrating book.
I could never bring myself to watch West Wing, although by all accounts it's great. I mostly laughed my head off at Veep, along with gasping with shock at some of the lines.
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 8, 2022 18:46:14 GMT
If I honestly replied "I've never heard of that series" or "Never watched it" about all of the things mentioned here, I would sound like a total ignoramus. And that's probably true of most of the people here. There seem to be a limitless quantiy of programmes to watch now and we have a wide variety of tastes. And that's a good thing.
When every now and then our tastes converge, that's good, too.
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Post by patricklondon on Apr 9, 2022 8:50:53 GMT
Good(ish) news: this week in the UK sees new series of Gentleman Jack (on Sunday) and Derry Girls on Tuesday. It'll be fun to see if Sister Michael is back, since Siobhan McSweeny, who played her, has just been in a very different part in the mystery series Holding. My blog | My photos | My video clips | My Librivox recordings"too literate to be spam"
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Apr 9, 2022 12:55:08 GMT
We're looking forward to Derry Girls too Patrick...I never got on with Gentleman Jack even tho I like the actors in it Bixa...it took me a while to get into 'Life After Life' when I read it..it's not her best work but I do tend to forgive her much because she has written other books that I loved. I'm curious to see how the BBC copes with it without making the first episode a bit repetitive Last ever episode of Killing Eve is on in the next few days..they've not managed to recapture the weirdly jolly horrorific fun of the original series tho.
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Post by casimira on Apr 9, 2022 14:12:14 GMT
I'm going to assume the answer to my question about Outlander is "no", since no one responded -- a major feature of this "forum". Cheery, I read the book Life After Life and hated it. It's as though the author had a bunch of ideas and didn't know what to do with them, so created a hugely frustrating book. I could never bring myself to watch West Wing, although by all accounts it's great. I mostly laughed my head off at Veep, along with gasping with shock at some of the lines. West Wing introduced me to a variety of actors who I never knew of before and since have appeared in a number of different TV series and movies. (Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff and a young Elisabeth Moss) Some other cast whom I really like are Martin Sheen, Stockard Channing and Lily Tomlin.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 9, 2022 14:43:29 GMT
Good(ish) news: this week in the UK sees new series of Gentleman Jack (on Sunday) and Derry Girls on Tuesday. It'll be fun to see if Sister Michael is back, since Siobhan McSweeny, who played her, has just been in a very different part in the mystery series Holding. Only goodish because sadly, it's the last season ever of Derry Girls? Thanks for the heads up on Siobhan McSweeny -- now I want to see Holding. I'm looking forward to Gentleman Jack, not least because I'm a big fan of Suranne Jones, who can play any part convincingly. I wondered all through the first season how closely the show was to the real person on whom it's based. We're looking forward to Derry Girls too Patrick...I never got on with Gentleman Jack even tho I like the actors in it Bixa...it took me a while to get into 'Life After Life' when I read it..it's not her best work but I do tend to forgive her much because she has written other books that I loved. I'm curious to see how the BBC copes with it without making the first episode a bit repetitive Last ever episode of Killing Eve is on in the next few days..they've not managed to recapture the weirdly jolly horrorific fun of the original series tho. I'm not surprised you didn't get into Gentleman Jack, as it is after all a costume drama. I enjoyed the process of the main character masculinizing the fussy women's clothing of the time. My problem with Life After Life is that I knew she could do so much better! I will give the show a chance, though. Killing Eve kind of lost me after the fiirst season. I eventually wandered away & never wandered back. West Wing introduced me to a variety of actors who I never knew of before and since have appeared in a number of different TV series and movies. Thanks, Casimira. I don't know why I'm resistant to certain shows. Often, when I finally watch them it turns out that they're great -- just as everyone claimed all along. I had no idea of those other cast members beyond Martin Sheen!
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 9, 2022 15:02:21 GMT
I have a total aversion to any series about political power, so that has eliminated quite a few series for me.
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Post by patricklondon on Apr 9, 2022 17:19:34 GMT
Only goodish because sadly, it's the last season ever of Derry Girls? Partly, but also feeling a bit off about celebrating relative frivolity when I'd also just been reading about the latest horrors from you-know-where
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Post by lugg on Apr 9, 2022 20:20:06 GMT
here is a new series coming to BBC2 on 19th April, for fans of the author Kate Atkinson (Behind the Scenes at the Museum is one of my favourite novels). Based on Life After Life..the clue is in the title...looks promising. Yeah !!! I agree not her best book but will be looking forward to this nonetheless.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 10, 2022 16:40:12 GMT
Re: my question to Patrick about why the return of Derry Girls was only "goodish" ~ Partly, but also feeling a bit off about celebrating relative frivolity when I'd also just been reading about the latest horrors from you-know-where I understand what you mean. My reading about Ukraine is controlled, as in I avoid following each and every report and studiously avoid photographs and videos of the horrors occurring in that country. Honestly, I think frivolity in our entertainment right now is a good thing. Admittedly, the whole horror of the Troubles lurks behind every thing in Derry Girls, but was only directly addressed in the last episode of the last season, which I found quite moving.
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Post by biddy on Apr 10, 2022 18:31:57 GMT
Can't wait to see season 3 of the Derry Girls. I guess we in the US will get to see it soon.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 10, 2022 22:18:28 GMT
You probably don't even need the closed captions, Biddy! I admit I put them on sometimes when I've had to back up a bit two or three times & still didn't get what was said.
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Post by Kimby on Apr 10, 2022 22:32:23 GMT
We watch with subtitles almost all the time. Besides making it easier to cope with fast talkers, English accents and southern accents, it allows us to keep the volume at a reasonable level despite my declining hearing. Appointment with the ENT on Friday to figure out what’s wrong with my right ear and if a hearing aid will help.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 11, 2022 5:41:22 GMT
I have just watched the second episode of the show Julia, about Julia Child. Having gone into it expecting something cute & maybe a little entertaining, I did not expect to be utterly charmed. Before seeing the show, I was excited by the inspired casting of Sarah Lancashire as Julia. What I didn't expect was to be so carried away by her performance that, upon seeing a photograph of the real Julia after the second episode, I was briefly confused. David Hyde Pierce as Paul Child starts off a little stiffly, but completely relaxes into his role as her warmly loving husband by the second episode. Here is a link with some of the other actors, all of whom are entirely believable. Another thing about the show that really gets me is how completely it reproduces the very early sixties. I wasn't quite into my teens then, but boy do the sets, clothing, etc. bring that era back in the tiniest detail. I love that the women's clothing & hairstyles are not fakely "updated" to supposedly fit better into the present time. Julia's flyaway curls! Her peter pan collared blouses! And mohair, for heaven's sakes! For something charming, touching, amusing, informational, and completely uplifting, I strongly recommend this show.
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Post by patricklondon on Apr 11, 2022 5:50:42 GMT
Ah subtitles. Now that I've accepted they must be done by not very clever machines (and that I wouldn't notice mistakes if I hadn't heard the lines OK since I got a soundbar that can do some jiggery-pokery that prioritises speech and makes it bit more sibilant), I've stopped fuming quite so much, and learnt to laugh a bit. Last night I was watching one of the BBC's Maigret series from the early 60s, and the subtitling just couldn't cope with the French names for people and places. At one point, Maigret picks up a phone and asks to be connected to "Police headquarters, Quai des Orfēvres": which was duly rendered as "Police Headquarters, can you do me a favour?" My blog | My photos | My video clips | My Librivox recordings"too literate to be spam"
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 11, 2022 6:43:53 GMT
Yes because my hearing is declining I use subtitles from time to time and they certainly make for better viewing but as Patrick says some of the mistakes are really funny.
Good to hear the recommendation for Julia as it starts here on Tuesday and I’m looking forward to it.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 11, 2022 6:48:51 GMT
Great, Mick -- can't wait to hear your impression of the show.
Everyone in the whole world should use bluetooth speakers to watch tv (or, like me, to watch laptop). It cleans up the sound and makes it much better, plus you don't have to worry about your speakers bothering the neighbor or a family member.
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Post by fumobici on Apr 11, 2022 14:54:01 GMT
I have just watched the second episode of the show Julia, about Julia Child. Having gone into it expecting something cute & maybe a little entertaining, I did not expect to be utterly charmed. Before seeing the show, I was excited by the inspired casting of Sarah Lancashire as Julia. What I didn't expect was to be so carried away by her performance that, upon seeing a photograph of the real Julia after the second episode, I was briefly confused. David Hyde Pierce as Paul Child starts off a little stiffly, but completely relaxes into his role as her warmly loving husband by the second episode. Here is a link with some of the other actors, all of whom are entirely believable. Another thing about the show that really gets me is how completely it reproduces the very early sixties. I wasn't quite into my teens then, but boy do the sets, clothing, etc. bring that era back in the tiniest detail. I love that the women's clothing & hairstyles are not fakely "updated" to supposedly fit better into the present time. Julia's flyaway curls! Her peter pan collared blouses! And mohair, for heaven's sakes! For something charming, touching, amusing, informational, and completely uplifting, I strongly recommend this show. My aunt worked as an intern or something along those lines for Child. She says Julia was really a fun boss.
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 11, 2022 15:38:04 GMT
I'll be starting season 11 of Death in Paradise tonight. We always get it several months after the UK, even if it is a coproduction. I'm sure that the crimes will be as insignificant as ever, but I like the lifestyles of the characters and of course the setting (filmed in Guadeloupe pretending to be somewhere else).
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 11, 2022 19:29:11 GMT
My aunt worked as an intern or something along those lines for Child. She says Julia was really a fun boss. I can believe it! One of the fun things about the show so far is that it shows her sense of humor. It's a little disconcerting for me, as I tend to see the well-depicted time period from the viewpoint of a 13-year-old, my age at the time. Thus, when Julia and the gang break up laughing over "coq" double-entendres, I am mildly shocked.
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Post by casimira on Apr 12, 2022 14:29:39 GMT
I'm looking forward to viewing Julia too. I was wavering about it but your critique has me sold Bixa. Thanks!
Our dear friend Hank's father was in the OSS at the same time she was serving in the organization. He met her on many occasions at cocktail and dinner parties in D.C growing up. He has recounted to us how jovial and charming she was and always took time to pay attention to him and his siblings. They referred to her as "Aunt Julia".
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 12, 2022 17:26:41 GMT
Oh, that's delightful -- lucky Hank & siblings!
One thing I thought as I watched episode three last night was, "This is definitely written by a woman!". Reading the credits at the end proved I was right. There are subtle things depicted that I doubt seriously a man would have picked up on to incorporate into the show.
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Post by lugg on Apr 12, 2022 18:42:37 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 12, 2022 19:23:20 GMT
Going off in a different direction, I am watching the OCS series Sentinelles about the French troops stationed in Mali in 2013. The women soldiers seem to have a few more doubts than the men soldiers.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 12, 2022 19:28:40 GMT
Rather disappointed that they are running all 4 episodes of Julia between 9pm and 1am. I’ll have to record them.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 13, 2022 15:32:19 GMT
I am not sure if I will be able to view it but I am sold ...I do think Sarah Lancashire is fantastic. Rather disappointed that they are running all 4 episodes of Julia between 9pm and 1am. I’ll have to record them. Mick, are you sure about that? This information is for you, too, Lugg: Julia is making its UK debut on Sky Atlantic on April 12, with the first two episodes airing on the channel; the first four episodes are going to be available to stream should viewers like. After the first week, new episodes will debut weekly on Sky TV. sourceIncidentally, that link also contains this exiting piece of information: Season 3 of Happy Valley is arriving on BBC1 in the UK some time in 2022. (!!!!!) I can't believe it's been three years since the first season of Gentleman Jack! It's possible that I watched it after the season was well over, so not three years for me. Thanks for the mention of The Split, which is not a show I know. Who doesn't love Nicola Walker?! Last night I watched the pilot for Our Flag Means Death because I wanted to be amused. I can't say it wasn't amusing, but somehow, despite what appears to be a giant budget, it's just wasn't amusing enough. All the ingredients are there, but it's somehow not sprightly enough -- one of those shows where every gag is held just that much too long, as though they think we wouldn't get it otherwise. Either that, or they think we're roaring with laughter and want more, more. I may or may not watch one more episode. Here is the trailer ~
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 13, 2022 17:41:28 GMT
Definitely 4, 9pm to 1 am. I have 4 recorded episodes. They lied.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 13, 2022 18:20:05 GMT
They're animals and don't deserve our eyeballs on their programs.
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