What are you watching?

[Nearly Sane]

On TV, streaming or other media?


I've started watching Dad's Army from the start on Britbox. Not sure if I've seen the first series before. It's really very good. The 5th episode The Showing Up of Corporal Jones is a stand out.

[Aruntraveller]

I've just signed up for BFI Player which has a host of goodies on it to watch. Just saw the Almodovar-produced portmanteau film called "Wild Tales". I found it very, very funny.

On terrestrial TV "Happy Valley" remains consistently brilliant as well as being brilliantly acted.

Somewhere at the other end of the scale of my viewing habits, I have a liking for "quirky"  US sci fi/horrror TV series. Although more accurately I should call them Canadian as that is where they all seem to be made. SO don't judge but "Haven", "Eureka" & "Supernatural" all of which are about a decade old now and more latterly a programme called "Upload". All of these float on and off Amazon. They are, I have no doubt, undemanding tosh, but I enjoy them. 

[Nearly Sane]

On the basis of liking your other 'tosh' will look out for Upload.

Haven't managed to psych myself up for Happy Valley. The first 2 series were brilliant but it's a proper oxymoron.

[Sebastian Toe]

I've just signed up for BFI Player which has a host of goodies on it to watch. Just saw the Almodovar-produced portmanteau film called "Wild Tales". I found it very, very funny.

On terrestrial TV "Happy Valley" remains consistently brilliant as well as being brilliantly acted.

Somewhere at the other end of the scale of my viewing habits, I have a liking for "quirky"  US sci fi/horrror TV series. Although more accurately I should call them Canadian as that is where they all seem to be made. SO don't judge but "Haven", "Eureka" & "Supernatural" all of which are about a decade old now and more latterly a programme called "Upload". All of these float on and off Amazon. They are, I have no doubt, undemanding tosh, but I enjoy them.

Undemanding tosh is my go to genre!
I'm currently watching Haven.
Prime have had some great IMO series.
The Boys, American Gods,. Reacher(done properly with a tall lead!).
 My favourite up to now is Preacher.

[Nearly Sane]

Watching the Murdoch Mysteries which fits Aruntraveller's undemanding Canadian tosh. Others that qualify in the datedmgory are Lost Girl, Sanctuary, Continuum, and Regenesis

[Nearly Sane]

Watching Comfort and Joy - available on iPlayer


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_and_Joy_(1984_film)

[Nearly Sane]

And watched The Banshees of Inisherin. Hmmm... Really not sure. Of his three previous films, I've loved one - In Bruges, disliked and was bored by one 7 Psychopaths, and thought 1 was good - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and this I think fits into third place, some good bits but didn't fully work
 

[Nearly Sane]

An 'alternative' view of Happy Valley. Rather it feels like a use of Happy Valley to promote an already touted viewpoint. I think that it makes valid points that some of the praise is over the top but it does it while praising the acting and the writing, and indeed holds up another series with the same actor and writer as being worthy of the praise.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/arts_ents/23307695.happy-valley-sums-wrong-british-tv/?ref=twtrec

[Aruntraveller]

I think that it makes valid points that some of the praise is over the top

About the only thing it gets right.

Don't want to put out spoilers as I know NS hasn't watched this yet, bu the ending was so unexpected, given all the speculation beforehand, that it was brilliant. It was not  "car chases, doors getting kicked in, hard-boiled cops, and two-dimensional bad guys."

The ending was intimate, two characters interacting, and anything but two dimensional.

This is a hack playing devil's advocate. Badly.

[ad_orientem]

Been watching A Touch Of Frost on ITVX.

[Nearly Sane]

Been watching A Touch Of Frost on ITVX.

I never quite warmed to Frost.

[SteveH]

'Mandy', with the brilliant Diane Morgan, whose other alter ego is the equally great Philomena Cunk; 'Call the Midwife', which is always entertaining, especially for old farts like me who are old enough to remember 55 years ago. I love the late-60s look. I wish they'd give Vanessa Redgrave her P45, though: her glutinously sentimental voice-overs at the beginning and end are deeply irritating, and, since young Jennifer left years ago, having her as old Jennifer is increasingly silly.

[Nearly Sane]

'Mandy', with the brilliant Diane Morgan, whose other alter ego is the equally great Philomena Cunk; 'Call the Midwife', which is always entertaining, especially for old farts like me who are old enough to remember 55 years ago. I love the late-60s look. I wish they'd give Vanessa Redgrave her P45, though: her glutinously sentimental voice-overs at the beginning and end are deeply irritating, and, since young Jennifer left years ago, having her as old Jennifer is increasingly silly.

I think you can hear how frail Redgrave is in the voice-overs. I suspect the BBC don't want to axe her a week before she dies. I also suspect that the next series will be the last. We are approsching the time where Nonnatus House will be an anachronism as has already been flagged in recent episodes.

[Aruntraveller]

I never quite warmed to Frost.

Me neither. But then I'm the only person in the UK who doesn't like David Jason's acting.

So both this and that supposedly funny show "Only Fools and Horses" leave me cold.

[Nearly Sane]

Started watching this - excellent.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0dm3cbt/the-us-and-the-holocaust

[ad_orientem]

Me neither. But then I'm the only person in the UK who doesn't like David Jason's acting.

So both this and that supposedly funny show "Only Fools and Horses" leave me cold.

Everyone has their own opinions, obviously. I'm not an expert on acting. For me, David Jason is part of my childhood. Watching Open All Hours, OFAH, Darling Buds Of May, and Frost brings back memories. I'm not one for getting too upset with the deaths of celebrities but when his time comes, I think I'll be genuinely gutted.

[Nearly Sane]

Call the Midwife renewed for two more series.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64618977

[Nearly Sane]

Started watching this - excellent.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0dm3cbt/the-us-and-the-holocaust

The bits on Germany are great but as it's covered the US there seems to be a lot of blaming the US more than seems rational.

[Nearly Sane]

The magnificent Edge of Darkness is available on iPlayer



https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001j61k/edge-of-darkness-series-1-1-compassionate-leaveinto-the-shadows

[Aruntraveller]

So more out of hope than expectation I watched the first episode of the third series of "Star Trek: Picard" yesterday.

Given the complete mess of the previous two series my expectations were not high. However, pleasantly surprised thus far.

A return of familiar faces and more humour certainly leavened the sticky doughy plotting and underlit sets that the current showrunners think constitutes Star Trek.

[Nearly Sane]

So more out of hope than expectation I watched the first episode of the third series of "Star Trek: Picard" yesterday.

Given the complete mess of the previous two series my expectations were not high. However, pleasantly surprised thus far.

A return of familiar faces and more humour certainly leavened the sticky doughy plotting and underlit sets that the current showrunners think constitutes Star Trek.

I made it to the end of the first series and couldn't raise the enthusiasm to watch the second.

[Aruntraveller]

I made it to the end of the first series and couldn't raise the enthusiasm to watch the second.

You really did not miss much. An overplayed sub plot about his "mother issues" was deadly dull, and the main plot, which had potential, was badly handled.

I do think this third series is worth a punt though, it feels much more Next Generation-y. That's not only due to the returning cast, but a lightest of touch that wasn't on offer in the first two series.

[Nearly Sane]

You really did not miss much. An overplayed sub plot about his "mother issues" was deadly dull, and the main plot, which had potential, was badly handled.

I do think this third series is worth a punt though, it feels much more Next Generation-y. That's not only due to the returning cast, but a lightest of touch that wasn't on offer in the first two series.

That sounds like I can just skip the second series? If so, might give the 3rd a try as the trailers looked ok.

[Aruntraveller]

That sounds like I can just skip the second series? If so, might give the 3rd a try as the trailers looked ok.

As far as I can see so far there is no need to know anything about the second series.

[Harrowby Hall]

I wouldn't know.

I was disappointed that the first series ignored the fact that Data had been Lucasian Professor at Cambridge. And I don't think that I made it to the end of the first episode of he second series.