The TV Thread

Haych

Currently working our way through Culprits on Disney +

I like the premise but some of the characters are really annoying - I don't know if that's deliberate or just a by product of the actors portraying them.

Jenna Arterton, who plays some crime boss who nobody wants to mess with, is doubly annoying - her stony and hard portrayal of her character just doesn't work, especially when they present her as some flawless fashion mannequin with perfect hair, makeup and clothes, although she's not half as attractive as she's meant to be.

It also has some huge holes in the plot, but if you don't engage your brain too much then it remains watchable.

There is a fair bit of intrigue in the story though, so I'm invested in seeing it through.  

Haych

Finished Culprits last night, wasn't as good as it promised to be.  Was all a bit of an anticlimax in the end.

Nitefly

Not seen it mentioned in here, but Our Maud has been watching and enjoying Boat Story on the beeb (and now on iplayer).

EricTheWeary

Nitefly said:

Not seen it mentioned in here, but Our Maud has been watching and enjoying Boat Story on the beeb (and now on iplayer).

Recommended to me by my son as it stars that woman who starred in that other thing that I watched. 



[Daisy Haggard, Back to Life] 

Nitefly

EricTheWeary said:

Nitefly said:

Not seen it mentioned in here, but Our Maud has been watching and enjoying Boat Story on the beeb (and now on iplayer).

Recommended to me by my son as it stars that woman who starred in that other thing that I watched. 



[Daisy Haggard, Back to Life] 

Yep, that's how I usually remember them, too 

stufisher

Currently binge-watching House Of Cards as we didn't pay much heed when it was released almost a decade ago.

It's ludicrous in places but the writing is generally very good and the characters are complex and not always easy to predict. Well into series four now so will deffo watch until the end.

I swithered whether to watch it all because of Kevin Spacey's misdemeanours but ultimately Mrs F said, "he was cleared wasn't he?" so I figured I'd procrastinate no more.

Irrespective of the above, he is fantastic in this series  

fretmeister

stufisher said:

Currently binge-watching House Of Cards as we didn't pay much heed when it was released almost a decade ago.

It's ludicrous in places but the writing is generally very good and the characters are complex and not always easy to predict. Well into series four now so will deffo watch until the end.

I swithered whether to watch it all because of Kevin Spacey's misdemeanours but ultimately Mrs F said, "he was cleared wasn't he?" so I figured I'd procrastinate no more.

Irrespective of the above, he is fantastic in this series  

It's very good.

The original UK one is very good too - just different.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

stufisher said:

Currently binge-watching House Of Cards as we didn't pay much heed when it was released almost a decade ago.

It's ludicrous in places but the writing is generally very good and the characters are complex and not always easy to predict. Well into series four now so will deffo watch until the end.

I swithered whether to watch it all because of Kevin Spacey's misdemeanours but ultimately Mrs F said, "he was cleared wasn't he?" so I figured I'd procrastinate no more.

Irrespective of the above, he is fantastic in this series  

Have you braved the final series yet? I loved the first few shows and Spacey is absolutely terrific in it, along with many of the other cast members. However, I really felt they should have cut their losses after they had to fire Spacey. 

Full marks for effort and bravery, but doing a whole series without the main figurehead of the show was a stretch too far. It's the equivalent of trying to do a series of House but without Hugh Laurie or something like that.

Previous seasons are gripping TV though.

Philly_Q

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Full marks for effort and bravery, but doing a whole series without the main figurehead of the show was a stretch too far. It's the equivalent of trying to do a series of House but without Hugh Laurie or something like that.

They managed to keep Taggart going for decades after Mark McManus died.  I know he wasn't exactly Kevin Spacey.

Brio

Just realised Slow Horses S03 has dropped.

Kilgore

Watched the first episode of Boat Story. I enjoyed it immensely.
Right up my street.

bobblehat

Halfway through Season 3 of Lupin on Netflix. Season 1 and 2 were great and so far this is even better. 

Philly_Q

I've just started Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix.

It's extraordinary how much it feels like the (fictional) TV series.  The games, so far, are identical... nobody actually dies, of course (not in the first two episodes, at least), but it's still surprisingly tense and already there's that backstabbing element where people are plotting against others they see as competition.

The contestants are mostly Americans, with a few Brits, Australians and at least one Italian, and there are a lot of away-from-the-game interviews with people saying why they're there, what they want to achieve etc - which is a little irritating at first but you soon get used to it.

The producers have done a very good job of focusing on people who may (or may not) emerge as significant players in the game, and you quickly get an idea of who many of them are, even though they started with 456 contestants.  It's good stuff.

Jfingers

Also enjoying Boat Story here. Saw a clip of the Squid Game challenge and am slightly tempted.

Still got two Episodes of Marianne left, which is very good.

Tending to fill the 'not enough time before bed for an hour long' slot by ploughing my way through Schitt's Creek which seems to keep getting better. Former holder and probably next holder of that title will be the dependable old favourite Family Guy.

Philly_Q

Jfingers said:

Tending to fill the 'not enough time before bed for an hour long' slot by ploughing my way through Schitt's Creek which seems to keep getting better. Former holder and probably next holder of that title will be the dependable old favourite Family Guy.

I have a "not enough time for a film" slot, which is when I watch the hour-long stuff.  But I often end up watching two episodes, which defeats the object.

Kurtis

Anyone seen "obliterated" on Netflix?

I've watched the first episode and it seems alright. Pretty full on, violence, sex, drugs, decent music too...what more could you ask for?    Basically a team of cool, best, of the best, special ops guys killing baddies and breaking the rules etc. etc.

I actually thought it was a movie at first, it looks pretty big budget.
Keeping me entertained so far. 

vasselmeyer

Philly_Q said:

I've just started Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix.

It's extraordinary how much it feels like the (fictional) TV series.  The games, so far, are identical... nobody actually dies, of course (not in the first two episodes, at least), but it's still surprisingly tense and already there's that backstabbing element where people are plotting against others they see as competition.

The contestants are mostly Americans, with a few Brits, Australians and at least one Italian, and there are a lot of away-from-the-game interviews with people saying why they're there, what they want to achieve etc - which is a little irritating at first but you soon get used to it.

The producers have done a very good job of focusing on people who may (or may not) emerge as significant players in the game, and you quickly get an idea of who many of them are, even though they started with 456 contestants.  It's good stuff.

We've really enjoyed it. You're right about the vibe of the show...it's EXACTLY the same atmosphere as the series. We're getting a lot of vicious enjoyment from seeing some awful people get stabbed in the back. Riveting...

They're already ordered a second series...

sinbaadi

Haych said:

goldtop said:

All the Light We Cannot See (Netflix)

This is a remake of Allo Allo. It's not meant to be, but that's exactly what you get over 4 episodes. Hugh Laurie is Rene, Herr Flick has gone violently psycho, and there's a secret radio in a loft somewhere in St Malo. And the painting of the fallen madonna with the big boobies is replaced by an unfeasibly large and mysterious diamond. There are radios you can repair with chewing gum; secret messages from the resistance in a baguette. (Yes, really.)

The writing budget was spent on unnecessary special FX, the laughs replaced by violence. Unlike Allo Allo, the accents are annoyingly unfunny. All the French people are played with middle-class British accents, I don't think there's a French actor in it.

3/10 (the missus made me watch it!)

Love the review, made me chuckle.

We watched and thought it was ok, actually, but now you're said all that I see it in a different light - you are quite accurate in your conclusions.

I didn't like the ending, mind.  When the blind girl and the German lad finally meet it went a bit "wtf, really?"

Just watched the last episode myself and totally agree.  She behaves out of character.

I thought episode 1 was interesting, but generally it went downhill from there.  

Kilgore

Finished Boat Story. Quirky and entertaining. Stay to the end, it would be easy to miss the scene after the credits on the last episode.

BluesLover

Hidden Assets, series 1 & 2, on BBC iPlayer.
First rate crime drama, set in Ireland and Belgium.