The TV Thread

[Wolford6]

Two vastly-different BBC Shows.

1. The Detectives: Taking Down an Organised Crime Group(BBC & i-player)

A very gritty and scary documentary about tackling and prosecuting a drug and violence-dealing Muslim Gang in Rochdale. Chilling and very recognisable  for anyone who lives across the Rust Belt.

The dedication of the police in the face of zero support from the Crown Prosection Service is really impressive as is the courage of the witnesses.

2. Wales' Home of the Year(i-player)

A bit of light relief after watching The Detectives. Each week, Three homes are selected from an area of Wales and the winner goes forward to the next round. The judges are Owain Wyn Evans, Mandy Watkins - an interior designer and Glen Thomas - an architect.

This week's houses were supposed to be in South East Wales. In fact, they never got within 15 miles of the valleys (they must have something against Council Houses! I can't understand it ). Two of the three were owned by gay people at different ends of the property market. Everything in those were to Owain Wyn Evans' taste and style;  cranking up his gaydar and  making  Rylan Clark seem like John Wayne.

Owain isn't to everyone's taste but he sends himself up and he's a Telly Natural. If you're male and watch this programme with your partner, don't bank on getting the remote back until it's finished.

[Futtocks]

4 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

The Detectives: Taking Down an Organised Crime Group(BBC & i-player)

A very gritty and scary documentary

I don't remember the show being so dark...

[graveyard johnny]

the lighting crew were on  strike

[DavidM]

Get Gotti on Netflix is good . 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

Is 'Succession' really that good? 

Thinking I watching it 

[John Drake]

(Almost) all of Doctor Who, from 1963 to the present day, plus spin-offs, now available on BBC iPlayer.

Feels like Christmas! 

[Futtocks]

Harry Hill and Tim Vine team up for a "Stand up to Cancer" special edition of Gogglebox tomorrow evening.

 

[Stirlin]

All five series of Episodes are now available on i player .

BBC iPlayer - Episodes - Series 1: Episode 1

[Liverpool Rover]

On 31/10/2023 at 21:04, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Is 'Succession' really that good? 

Thinking I watching it 

I'm near the end of the second series. You do have to stick with it for the first few episodes but it does get really good.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

35 minutes ago, Liverpool Rover said:

I'm near the end of the second series. You do have to stick with it for the first few episodes but it does get really good.

Interesting we did two episodes last night and my missis says it's better start getting good .....we both got the feeling we may need to stick with it so we will

I'll let you know LR

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 02/11/2023 at 19:30, Futtocks said:

Harry Hill and Tim Vine team up for a "Stand up to Cancer" special edition of Gogglebox tomorrow evening.

 

I thought I really liked Tim Vine then heard him on Brydon's podcast and he didn't make me laugh once .....also was horrified with his plastic Elvis thing....it's just gom singing Elvis songs....awful 

[Futtocks]

1 minute ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I thought I really liked Tim Vine then heard him on Brydon's podcast and he didn't make me laugh once .....also was horrified with his plastic Elvis thing....it's just gom singing Elvis songs....awful 

He's at his best doing quickfire dad jokes, although he was pretty good in Not going out.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

3 hours ago, Futtocks said:

He's at his best doing quickfire dad jokes, although he was pretty good in Not going out.

I really liked him in Not Going Out, I really liked Not Going Out in general until it was brought back with them having a family and its never been quite the same. I don't think it's been confirmed yet as to whether it's gonna come back for another series, or indeed whether it's been cancelled, it seems to have just gone a bit dormant. 

It's occurred to me in the past that the BBC always seem to need a family based comedy on the go. There was 2 Point 4 Children, then My Family, then Outnumbered, then Not Going Out brought back in its current guise. A new one will appear in the next couple of years but it will be just the same as all these others. 

[Futtocks]

27 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I really liked him in Not Going Out, I really liked Not Going Out in general until it was brought back with them having a family and its never been quite the same. I don't think it's been confirmed yet as to whether it's gonna come back for another series, or indeed whether it's been cancelled, it seems to have just gone a bit dormant. 

It's occurred to me in the past that the BBC always seem to need a family based comedy on the go. There was 2 Point 4 Children, then My Family, then Outnumbered, then Not Going Out brought back in its current guise. A new one will appear in the next couple of years but it will be just the same as all these others. 

Well, those shows all had their own angles, especially Outnumbered. As soon a someone comes up with a new enough approach, the BBC will probably pick it up, either on TV or Radio 4.

ITV and the other terrestrial channels don't seem to be as committed to the sitcom market these days.

[graveyard johnny]

20 hours ago, Futtocks said:

 

ITV and the other terrestrial channels don't seem to be as committed to the sitcom market these days.

the term sitcom actually came from been in the situation cast as the backdrop for humour - a lot of the times the situation was desperation and sadness but always with hope however little as a silver lining to the cloud - the writers didnt "learn to write" at drama school - they were just naturals - galton and simpson - john sullivan - david renwick etc etc - the casting was genius too - nowadays they would be too scared to cast all white or all black "situation" British characters in to a sitcom - concentrating on making it diverse instead of genuinely funny -Desmonds was great comedy but someone would now complain about stereotyping - same with still game etc etc

Edited November 7, 2023 by graveyard johnny

[The Hallucinating Goose]

18 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

the term sitcom actually came from been in the situation cast as the backdrop for humour - a lot of the times the situation was desperation and sadness but always with hope however little as a silver lining to the cloud - the writers didnt "learn to write" at drama school - they were just naturals - galton and simpson - john sullivan - david renwick etc etc - the casting was genius too - nowadays they would be too scared to cast all white or all black "situation" British characters in to a sitcom - concentrating on making it diverse instead of genuinely funny -Desmonds was great comedy but someone would now complain about stereotyping - same with still game etc etc

This is very true. I was reading an article not too long ago written by a young person who had watched Friends for the first time and their criticism of it from a modern viewpoint. One thing they really criticised was how all the characters are white and almost accused the writers of being racist but as was pointed out to the article writer in the comments section by multiple people, it is just a realistic take on a fashionable group of 20-somethings living in one of the trendiest parts of Manhatten. While the article writer did not want to admit it to themselves, it is simply correct that a group of white, middle-class Americans probably would not have any close black friends. 

[graveyard johnny]

5 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

This is very true. I was reading an article not too long ago written by a young person who had watched Friends for the first time and their criticism of it from a modern viewpoint. One thing they really criticised was how all the characters are white and almost accused the writers of being racist but as was pointed out to the article writer in the comments section by multiple people, it is just a realistic take on a fashionable group of 20-somethings living in one of the trendiest parts of Manhatten. While the article writer did not want to admit it to themselves, it is simply correct that a group of white, middle-class Americans probably would not have any close black friends. 

we have all met 100 victor meldrews - their wife is white - their neighbours are white - margarets best friend is white - thats their "situation"  but it would not be cast like that nowadays - making it unrealistic and unrelatable to the viewer thus - unfunny 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 06/11/2023 at 18:28, Liverpool Rover said:

I'm near the end of the second series. You do have to stick with it for the first few episodes but it does get really good.

Oh you were right LR......Succession really does get going .......brilliant 

Just finished the first series with her indoors .....about to start the second series now 

Very very good 

Probably deserves the high IMDB rating 

[ivans82]

When you look down the garbage that passes off as TV entertainment , it`s so bad  nowadays it reminds me of that Alan Partridge scene when he was begging for a new series   ......Monkey Tennis  , Inner City Sumo , A Partridge among the pigeons (set in Trafalgar Square) , Arm wresting with Chas and Dave . What was then a joke , is now not far off what they serve up today..i.e. Any "Celebrity " travels the globe with their husband/wife/mother/father/son/daughter (delete which is not applicable).......such joy !

[FileyBulldog]

Currently rewatching a few shows at once- Flight Of The Conchords, Peep Show, Ray Donovan and Bo Selecta (sod C4)

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, FileyBulldog said:

Currently rewatching a few shows at once- Flight Of The Conchords, Peep Show, Ray Donovan and Bo Selecta (sod C4)

Peep Show, what a classic! I've been thinking of rewatching it myself recently, haven't watched it in years. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

4 hours ago, FileyBulldog said:

Currently rewatching a few shows at once- Flight Of The Conchords, Peep Show, Ray Donovan and Bo Selecta (sod C4)

Peep show I've seen most episodes multiple times....an all time favourite of mine

[FileyBulldog]

2 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Peep Show, what a classic! I've been thinking of rewatching it myself recently, haven't watched it in years. 

Lost track of how many times I have seen that show, probably not a show that would get made with todays wet wipe audiences but man it is always funny on every viewing. Hands down the best British sitcom of the 21st century.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

3 hours ago, FileyBulldog said:

Lost track of how many times I have seen that show, probably not a show that would get made with todays wet wipe audiences but man it is always funny on every viewing. Hands down the best British sitcom of the 21st century.

It is brilliant but I can't quite agree with your last sentence. My favourite sitcom of all time is Plebs, absolutely adore that show and I'm actually watching it as I type this!

[FileyBulldog]

9 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

It is brilliant but I can't quite agree with your last sentence. My favourite sitcom of all time is Plebs, absolutely adore that show and I'm actually watching it as I type this!

Honestly never fancied it. I think we can agree that the 20th century had so many great British sitcoms though, certainly something lacking these days.