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The TV Thread


RelentlessOblivion

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18 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

Jeez, I meant to respond to this almost a month ago... British TV puts most American TV to shame. Haven't seen Escape To The Country, I'll look for it. I enjoy Neil Dudgeon's character; he's more of a sarcastic prick than I thought he'd be at first. If there's one criticism I have, it's something he can't do anything about - the guy has the most forgettable face I think I've seen on TV. I seriously have to make an effort to call his features to mind. My wife and I just finished the last season currently available on Netflix. It seems like they're branching out with the plot lines, which is to be expected after 19 years. The "new parenthood" subplot struck me as out of character, but I suspected (correctly as it turns out) that they had to do it to accommodate Fiona Dolman's real-life pregnancy. I'm looking forward to the newest season becoming available. Until then,I suppose I'll waste my time painting and reading books... :D

Just to be clear "Escape To The Country" is a property show.  Not like "Midsomer..." at all - unless you count rural locations as a tenuous link?  Nobody dies in the show, not out of immortality or anything more out of viewing figures and target audience requirements I suspect.

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On 21/03/2017 at 2:38 PM, FatherAlabaster said:

Jeez, I meant to respond to this almost a month ago... British TV puts most American TV to shame. Haven't seen Escape To The Country, I'll look for it. I enjoy Neil Dudgeon's character; he's more of a sarcastic prick than I thought he'd be at first. If there's one criticism I have, it's something he can't do anything about - the guy has the most forgettable face I think I've seen on TV. I seriously have to make an effort to call his features to mind. My wife and I just finished the last season currently available on Netflix. It seems like they're branching out with the plot lines, which is to be expected after 19 years. The "new parenthood" subplot struck me as out of character, but I suspected (correctly as it turns out) that they had to do it to accommodate Fiona Dolman's real-life pregnancy. I'm looking forward to the newest season becoming available. Until then,I suppose I'll waste my time painting and reading books... :D

Yeah, it isn't quite the same without good old what's his name. It's still a good show though and it knows which side of its bread is buttered.

Escape to the Country is the precursor to those American 'Holiday House on the Lake' type shows. Except it's good. 

Its basically an excuse to look at English country homes. I must be one of the few under 50s in the world who likes it along with my wife. It's been going for god knows how long too, like Midsomer.

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Brit T.V. is usually better than American, that's due to focusing on quality rather than quantity. But it sucks when you really like a show and they only make 12 episodes. Faulty Towers being a case in point.

Really liked Being Human, really got into it, then the last season was so bad I couldn't finish it. The Young Ones and Black Adder are two of my favorite Brit shows.

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Been watching quite a lot of comedy recently. A couple of British Trailer Park Boys-inspired shows - This Country, People Just Do Nothing. Vice Principals is quite good, by the same people as Eastbound and Down. American Dad, Lillyhammer, Toast of London... Been re-watching a lot of Only Fools and Horses, and Beavis and Butthead. 

Also been re-watching some 80s cartoons lately - Dungeons and Dragons, Mysterious Cities of Gold. And Columbo. Other recent guilty pleasures have included Spartacus, and Pablo Escobar: El Patron Del Mal.

The Young Pope is pretty great, so far at least. The first seasons of True Detective and Bloodline are well worth a watch. Better Call Saul is ok, not as good as Breaking Bad though I don't reckon. Looking forward to starting Ash vs Evil Dead.

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If you haven't tried it, You're the Worst is excellent. Calling it a romantic dramedy probably paints a much different picture than what this show is about, but that's what it is. It has some fucked up parts that delve into mental illness and broken pasts, a really heartfelt and quirky relationship dynamic, and a lot of ridiculous comedy that had me rolling.

 

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

So my wife and I have been watching Outlander and we just finished season 2 last night.

It's the show based on the books by Diana Gabaldon about a woman in the 1940s who goes back in time to 1740s Scotland and has to adjust to life there. The first season was brilliant, the first half of the second season was bollocks, but the last half and in particular the last episode of season 2 was simply amazing. What an incredible last episode. Incredible as in one of the single greatest episodes of a TV show I've ever seen incredible. 

Anyone into history and willing to sit through a touch too much romance would do well to check it out. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Started watching "Iron Fist", initially it was ok but it since has descended into a rather chaotic and flitting storyline.  I will stick with it however.  Also I am pleased to announce that the last two episodes of Doctor Who have actually been decent.  Capaldi's last season anyway and I hope beyond all hope they get someone in who will take the character off in a darker direction.

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On 25/04/2017 at 6:48 PM, MacabreEternal said:

Started watching "Iron Fist", initially it was ok but it since has descended into a rather chaotic and flitting storyline.  I will stick with it however.  Also I am pleased to announce that the last two episodes of Doctor Who have actually been decent.  Capaldi's last season anyway and I hope beyond all hope they get someone in who will take the character off in a darker direction.

I saw the first episode of the current season of Dr Who and it was awesome. I really like his new sidekick Bill. She's surprisingly engaging. I started watching the second one the other day by Mrs Requiem wanted to watch this cooking show called My Kitchen Rules which is all the rage here in Australia. So alas, we changed the channel, but I vowed, then and there, that one day I would watch the second episode of Dr Who. It's a vow I intend to keep. I love Dr Who, it's awesome. At least Capaldi is old and cool. I found the last two guys (Smith and... can't remember - the guy who played Hamlet) to be too young and nerdy. 

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9 hours ago, Requiem said:

I saw the first episode of the current season of Dr Who and it was awesome. I really like his new sidekick Bill. She's surprisingly engaging. I started watching the second one the other day by Mrs Requiem wanted to watch this cooking show called My Kitchen Rules which is all the rage here in Australia. So alas, we changed the channel, but I vowed, then and there, that one day I would watch the second episode of Dr Who. It's a vow I intend to keep. I love Dr Who, it's awesome. At least Capaldi is old and cool. I found the last two guys (Smith and... can't remember - the guy who played Hamlet) to be too young and nerdy. 

Good lord you poor soul, missing Doctor Who for My Kitchen Rules. That's like missing a day at a carnival for a week of waterboarding. 

I agree on Capaldi, he feels a little more like an original series Doctor when compared to Smith or Tennant. Also he plays a red SG with a whammy (I think a 70's model maybe) and on that alone he is awesome.

Not sure what I think of Bill yet.

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13 hours ago, Will said:

Good lord you poor soul, missing Doctor Who for My Kitchen Rules. That's like missing a day at a carnival for a week of waterboarding. 

I agree on Capaldi, he feels a little more like an original series Doctor when compared to Smith or Tennant. Also he plays a red SG with a whammy (I think a 70's model maybe) and on that alone he is awesome.

Not sure what I think of Bill yet.

I don't know, MKR isn't that bad, although I'm sure I wouldn't watch it if the missus wasn't into it. It's the final on Sunday by the way, Will, so make sure you check it out. 

Did you see that Dr Who episode where he is playing the guitar in a middle ages context. I can't remember the details but it was cool. Dr. Who is amazing because every episode has some new and exciting historical/science fiction context. I guess everyone knows this, but I just felt like reinforcing it. 

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On 4/27/2017 at 8:41 PM, Requiem said:

I don't know, MKR isn't that bad, although I'm sure I wouldn't watch it if the missus wasn't into it. It's the final on Sunday by the way, Will, so make sure you check it out. 

There is a slim chance of that happening. I'm not a huge reality TV fan.

On 4/27/2017 at 8:41 PM, Requiem said:

I don't know, MKR isn't that bad, although I'm sure I wouldn't watch it if the missus wasn't into it. It's the final on Sunday by the way, Will, so make sure you check it out. 

Did you see that Dr Who episode where he is playing the guitar in a middle ages context. I can't remember the details but it was cool. Dr. Who is amazing because every episode has some new and exciting historical/science fiction context. I guess everyone knows this, but I just felt like reinforcing it. 

I think I vaguely remember that episode, I think that the Doctor was going to die for some reason and was going out with a bang and for some other reason Missy was at the time working with Clara. I could be remembering stuff wrong though.

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On 26/04/2017 at 10:28 PM, Will said:

 

I agree on Capaldi, he feels a little more like an original series Doctor when compared to Smith or Tennant. Also he plays a red SG with a whammy (I think a 70's model maybe) and on that alone he is awesome.

Not sure what I think of Bill yet.

Tennant for me was the last great doctor, Smith was terrible and I found Eccleston really unconvincing.  Capaldi has definitely improved things after Smith but he has been let down by some terrible writing (last year's Xmas Special in particular) and that has been my overarching memory of him.  He's a good actor but I do find he hams it up a little too much sometimes.  I hope his last season is his best though.

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8 hours ago, MacabreEternal said:

Tennant for me was the last great doctor, Smith was terrible and I found Eccleston really unconvincing.  Capaldi has definitely improved things after Smith but he has been let down by some terrible writing (last year's Xmas Special in particular) and that has been my overarching memory of him.  He's a good actor but I do find he hams it up a little too much sometimes.  I hope his last season is his best though.

That's fair, I don't really remember last years Christmas special but after looking it up I remember the plot. I must have missed the bits you were talking about.

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On 2017-4-27 at 11:53 PM, Will said:

There is a slim chance of that happening. I'm not a huge reality TV fan.

I think I vaguely remember that episode, I think that the Doctor was going to die for some reason and was going out with a bang and for some other reason Missy was at the time working with Clara. I could be remembering stuff wrong though.

I was joking about expecting you to watch MKR. 

I've also been enjoying Great Railway Journeys and there's a new series on SBS called Italy Unpacked which is awesome. 

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21 minutes ago, Requiem said:

I was joking about expecting you to watch MKR. 

I've also been enjoying Great Railway Journeys and there's a new series on SBS called Italy Unpacked which is awesome. 

Ah, I think I chose to read it in the wrong tone.

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