Anything Good on TV ?

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  • caractacus pottscaractacus potts Orbital communicator, level 10Posts: 3,907MI6 Agent
    is this the correct thread to discuss old shows watched on dvd?
    the title suggest traditional broadcast television, but even if its not on dvd I think a lotta you are watching new-ish shows on nettflixx etc, not cable?
    otherwise, where should discussion of shows watched on dvd be going?
  • caractacus pottscaractacus potts Orbital communicator, level 10Posts: 3,907MI6 Agent
    I just watched season 1 of True Detective, as part of my prerequisites for viewing Bond25.

    Swell stuff, always enjoy those two lead actors, and McConaughey in particular acted up a storm.
    And all the Louisiana landscapes! swamp, bayous, canals, big weird trees, even ugly stuff like the giant refinery(?) that dwarved the police station ... such a sense of place.
    Lots of weird occult imagery to appeal to us fans of David Lynch and Alan Moore.
    and Kevin Dunn from Veep was their boss!

    also, Harrelson is wearing a Division Bell era Pink Floyd concert t-shirt for his undercover scenes! Bonus points for making a character a Floyd fan and remembering the band had just recently toured at the time of the story.


    What here can we hope to see applied to Bond25?
    All those long travelling shots of Louisiana, so vast, so beautiful, so much detail, making the landscape itself a character in itself that overwhelmed the puny humans.
    Please give us similar shots establishing the locations in Bond25, I always complain the modern Bond films don't do enough with the exotic locations.

    All the weird art direction for the ritual killing scenes, the abandoned school, the bad hillbilly's home and tunnel system, and even McConaughey's notebook and locker interior. This was reminiscent of David Lynch, and I'd love to see Bond having to enter such a world.
    I think the shots we've already seen of the Malik character, with his broken mask, promise a bit of a creepy nightmare vibe.
    But imagine if we really did get a Garden of Death set, done with the aesthetics of True Detectives creepier setpieces?

    and if they want to reveal CraigBond is also a Pink Floyd fan, that'd be fine by me.


    some stuff I don't want to see in Bond25:
    All that mumbling, poor enunciation, characters talking with their back to the camera, overlapping seemingly random dialog. That stuff works for Altman ensemble pieces, but not for detective shows where we're trying to hear what the clues are and follow along at home with the train of logic.
    I really had to crank the volume, especially to hear what McConaughey was saying, and had to rewind several key moments three or four times to catch the info delivered.

    Of the eight hours, at least half of it was about the two detectives' personal lives. I am amongst the many who feel the modern Bond films already are too much about Bond's background and feelings. If I understand, Bond25 will begin with Bond's relationship with Swann already in the past, then they are forced to reunite. Craig's already a bit of an embittered brawler, I could easily see transposing Harrelson's personal storyline from True Detective to CraigBond in Bond25, and I really hope they don't waste so much time with such material.


    The six minute tracking shot, which everybody always mentions, was indeed a technical tour de force. But I'm afraid that type of trickery takes me right out of the story. In this case, the story had already radically changed tone in the leadup to that sequence, then suddenly we're several minutes into this very tense complicated scene and all I'm thinking is "waitaminnit how the heck did they film this?". Good filmmaking shouldn't be pulling me out of the story to worry about the mechanics of its artifice.


    What are other folks's thoughts, either about the series in its own right, or aspects relevant to Bond25?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Watching "Picard" on Amazon and honestly don't know how to take it.
    The first episode looked good and moved at quite a pace, the second
    was a bit of a snore fest. Also Patrick Stewart looks really, really old !
    I mean he looks frail at times. Perhaps there's an argument for stopping
    a character, to leave the fans with good memories of a fit and healthy hero ?
    rather than see his declining years ?
    I'll stay with it for a few more episodes.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • caractacus pottscaractacus potts Orbital communicator, level 10Posts: 3,907MI6 Agent
    Watched Fargo season 1
    Hey it's another anthology detective show where each short season is a new story with a new cast of characters, though in this case they live in the same universe as the original film.

    My first thought is this is hardly necessary, as the Coen Brothers film was already perfect as is. This features near identical imagery and tone, and even stars a different pregnant police detective, and a different nerdy coward who sets the chain of violence in motion. And all the "yap, you betcha, aw cheez" dialog everybody loved from the real Fargo.

    Biggest addition is Billy Bob Thornton's character, as a calm, charming and prolific psychopathic killer. He's maybe more like that Sylva dude from No Country for Old Men in terms of how much violence he does ( a ridiculous amount that nobody even seems to notice), except Thornton plays it so mellow and likable, at one point hiding in plain site as a priest and later on as a dentist.

    Irony in casting: shortly after the real Fargo came out, Thornton was in a Sam Raimi film called A Simple Plan which was dismissed at the time as a Fargo ripoff (deep snow and lots of blood and simple folk getting mixed up in crime). But Thornton played a very different character in that film. Just comparing those two roles, he's a helluva good actor!
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Freddie Flintoff slagging off Bond on Top Gear tonight X-( They seem to be rehashing all the old
    challanges, such as getting as close to the cars claimed top speed. Why not try and come up
    with a few new ideas lads.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    I just saw the last ever episode of "The big bang theory". Thanks for twelve funny years!

    big-bang-theory-memes-feature.jpg
  • Mr MartiniMr Martini That nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,698MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    I just saw the last ever episode of "The big bang theory". Thanks for twelve funny years!

    big-bang-theory-memes-feature.jpg


    Saw the last episode when it aired here in the United States last year. Watch the re-runs regularly.
    Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,417Chief of Staff
    Watching the new series of Inside No.9…another great series from Pemberton & Sheersmith -{

    Have just gone back to watch the previous series on Netflix……again :))
    YNWA 97
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Have you heard the radio 4 , sort of behind
    The scenes about writing Inside no 9 ? It's
    Very interesting, you can still get it on the sounds app.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,417Chief of Staff
    Have you heard the radio 4 , sort of behind
    The scenes about writing Inside no 9 ? It's
    Very interesting, you can still get it on the sounds app.

    You mean the Inside Inside No9 podcast?

    Yep…I’m subscribed to that -{
    YNWA 97
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Sorry yes that's it, also a very interesting show, I think they describe it as
    a sort of Director's commentary
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,417Chief of Staff
    Sorry yes that's it, also a very interesting show, I think they describe it as
    a sort of Director's commentary

    It is an interesting podcast, especially to hear their thoughts and processes for each episode and for the series as a whole…I’ve just gone back and watched them from series one again…the level of quality is quite amazing -{
    YNWA 97
  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent
    Freddie Flintoff slagging off Bond on Top Gear tonight X-( They seem to be rehashing all the old
    challanges, such as getting as close to the cars claimed top speed. Why not try and come up
    with a few new ideas lads.

    I saw 'new' Top Gear for the first time on Sunday.

    I didn't think it was too bad though I do find Paddy McGuinness a bit grating.

    I was also shocked to see Damon Hill. Haven't seen him for ages. How grey has he got!!

    I genuinely think there's only so much you can do with a car programme. Most of the time it's about how fast can it go. :))
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I do find the new Top Gear a bit too " Laddish " at times ;)

    Last night I watched the BBC version of A Caribbean Mystery, a Miss Marple adventure and
    later the newer ITV Marple version. Both great productions, I just found it funny ( as a Bond
    fan ) how with the ITV version they had Ian Fleming arrive one night to listen to a talk about
    Birds, from a certain Mr James Bond :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Anyone getting Disney plus when it starts in the UK, it seems pretty good with the
    amount of films they have in their catalogue ?
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    I‘ve been enjoying very much James May - Our Man in Japan in the last days.
    Available on Amazon Prime
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • UnderwaterBattle007UnderwaterBattle007 Posts: 284MI6 Agent
    The BBC in the UK have all 10 seasons of the Spy series "Spooks" on the BBC iplayer. As a person self isolating I'm now up to Episode 4 Season 1, so far I'm enjoying it a lot.
    FRWl, CR, OHMSS, TSWLM, SF, GF, TLD, LTK, TND, FYEO, OP,TWINE, GE, LALD, TB, SPECTRE, DN, YOLT, TMWTGG, QOS, MR, DAF, DAD, AVTAK, NTTD.

    "Do you expect me to talk? "No Mister Bond I expect you to die"
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Great show, I own all 10 series of
    Spooks -{
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent
    Now that I am permanently at home for the time being I have added BritBox. This is really good and I am watching series that I have never seen before like Midsomer Murders. I’m also watching Dr. Who from the beginning in 1963 what great memories that is providing!
    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    {[] I've also been watching Dr Who on Brit Box, not in any order though, I tend to
    jump from Dr to Dr. Although I did start with Jon Pertwee, as He was my first Doctor.
    I've also indulged my love of murder mysteries with loads of Agatha Christie ;) catching
    up on the Miss Marple series with Joan Hickson, which I missed when first shown because
    I was at the age when I wanted car chases, explosions and plenty of fights.

    On Netflix I've been watching Altered Carbon season 2 with Antony Mackie a favourite actor
    of mine, a funny and intelligent guy. Usual Blade Runner type adventure, which I really like.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Asp9mmAsp9mm Over the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,483MI6 Agent
    Anyone getting Disney plus when it starts in the UK, it seems pretty good with the
    amount of films they have in their catalogue ?

    Watched The Mandolorean last night. At last. Proper Star Wars.
    ..................Asp9mmSIG-1-2.jpg...............
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Just started Avengers : Civil War on Disney + , it too looks amazing. I just
    Love Black Widow fighting :x I wish someone would make a new version
    of the 60s tv series The Avengers, with this sort of action/ fighting
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    When I watch Black Widow fighting it looks so good I alosmst want her to beat me up :D
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    That's understandable ;)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent
    Mrs CHB loves watching Keeping Up Appearances on BritBox, slapstick humour is popular here and Patricia Routledge is wonderful, it’s good old fashioned British humour. We’ve highlighted Hetty Wainthropp next!

    We’re also watching Hustle which is my favourite at the moment, Robert Vaughn has always been one of my favourite actors.
    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    :D it's funny how spooks and Hustle
    Are on Britbox, after I made a point
    Over several months of collecting both
    Series on dvd.
    I remember reading that Keeping up
    Appearances, was one of the biggest
    Sellers for the BBC around the world.
    I agree with Asp9mm, about the Disney
    Series The Mandolorean, it's very good
    Indeed.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • tsholdtshold TorontoPosts: 212MI6 Agent
    We watched A Simple Favor last night in our house. Good movie with Anna Kendrik and Blake Lively.
    Shop the latest thing from the SIS Training Collection!
    https://sistraininggear.com
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent
    I’ve watched the first two episodes of Amazing Stories on AppleTV. First episode is excellent, second one is just ok as it’s very much like the movie Ghost.
    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,702MI6 Agent
    I wonder if I live in the only country where this is shown on Saturday night prime time on the biggest TV channel: A short-haired boyish woman with a distinctive dialect, a man from her home town on a synthesizer and an elderly professor talk about language. Stranger still, it works :D
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent
    Have been watching The Stranger on Netflix, only 2 episodes in but we’re liking it.
    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
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