The TV Thread

[Futtocks]

11 hours ago, Jeff Stein said:

Normally I avoid anything with celebrity in the title, but Celebrity Bear Hunt on Netflix is great fun. The celebrities are good value, generally come across well and often funny. The challenges appear tough, but I think not as tough as keeping a straight face when dealing with Bear Grylls. I have never seen any of his other shows, but he does appear to be pompous, humourless and given to making pronouncements, which, if one gives them even one second of thought, turn out to be utterly empty. It is strange for such an entertaining show to have such a vapid central character

Edward Grylls belongs to the same dodgy church as Russell Brand (he even took part in Brand's "baptism"), another human-shaped vacuum. Maybe it's an entry qualification, maybe a symptom?

[Stirlin]

itv/itvx , the latest Unforgotten is certainly living up to expectations .

[ivans82]

Quite enjoyed "Out There " and "North Shore " apart from the so called endings . Out There just ended in mid air with nothing resolved , and North Shore has an interesting finish , but neither drama has apparently had a 2nd season commissioned..............hope this isn`t a trend .

[Jeff Stein]

1 hour ago, ivans82 said:

Quite enjoyed "Out There " and "North Shore " apart from the so called endings . Out There just ended in mid air with nothing resolved , and North Shore has an interesting finish , but neither drama has apparently had a 2nd season commissioned..............hope this isn`t a trend .

Mrs Stein and I enjoyed North Shore, but were a bit non-plussed by the ending. We have noticed this trend on a lot of series on Netflix (albeit mainly Thai) that there is no resolution at all at the end of a series, but no second series ever emerges. It feels then like watching it has then been a complete waste of time.

[Futtocks]

51 minutes ago, Jeff Stein said:

Mrs Stein and I enjoyed North Shore, but were a bit non-plussed by the ending. We have noticed this trend on a lot of series on Netflix (albeit mainly Thai) that there is no resolution at all at the end of a series, but no second series ever emerges. It feels then like watching it has then been a complete waste of time.

Netflix are notorious for dropping shows while they are still building a following. They are a bit too in thrall to their predictive algorithm, according to some in the TV industry.

Plus if a show starts getting popular, the stars start getting a lot more expensive.

[Spidey]

4 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Netflix are notorious for dropping shows while they are still building a following. They are a bit too in thrall to their predictive algorithm, according to some in the TV industry.

Plus if a show starts getting popular, the stars start getting a lot more expensive.

Yep they love to cancel second series when there’s been a cliffhanger

[Futtocks]

Amandaland (BBC1) - a spinoff from Motherland, with ex-Alpha Mater Amanda (Lucy Punch) downsizing in life from leafy Chiswick to somewhat less genteel Harlesden, much to the disappointment of her louche mum (Joanna Lumley).

[Futtocks]

David Squires' cartoon last week about adverts on Aussie TV is pretty close to reality.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/picture/2025/feb/14/david-squires-on-australias-intrusive-sports-gambling-ads

[Futtocks]

A video about the pilot episode of the attempted USA version of The Vicar of Dibley appeared on my YouTube homepage.

In The Minister of Divine, Geraldine and Alice became Sydney and Sally, and were played by Kirstie Alley and Riki Lindhome (the latter from comedy/music duo Garfunkel & Oates).

The cast looked like they were really trying to make it as good as they possibly could, but a series never got commissioned.

[Hanover XIII]

On 13/02/2025 at 16:11, ivans82 said:

Quite enjoyed "Out There " and "North Shore " apart from the so called endings . Out There just ended in mid air with nothing resolved , and North Shore has an interesting finish , but neither drama has apparently had a 2nd season commissioned..............hope this isn`t a trend .

With Out There I quite enjoyed the unresolved ending just because I thought it was better than one of those conclusions where after a decent series everything is ruined in the last half hour by a completely unlikely plot twist just to tidy things up in time. 

[Stirlin]

2100 till 2340 Channel 5......Eric Sykes night

If you are too busy watching men chase an egg it is repeated on Sunday and should be available on My 5

[ivans82]

The Alan Hull story is repeated on BBC4 tonight for anyone who missed it first time round , Lindisfarnes main songwriter and vocalist .

[Futtocks]

Something I just discovered about the old sci-fi TV show Babylon 5.

 

[graveyard johnny]

Countdown without Rachel Riley! what the? who the hell is this drab bloke instead?

[Futtocks]

My YouTube feed just offered up some Nineties/Noughties Sumo Wrestling for me, and I got reminded how awesome Chiyonofuji "The Wolf" was in his prime. And then I find out he died nearly ten years ago. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, Futtocks said:

My YouTube feed just offered up some Nineties/Noughties Sumo Wrestling for me, and I got reminded how awesome Chiyonofuji "The Wolf" was in his prime. And then I find out he died nearly ten years ago. 

What do you watch that means you get suggested retro sumo wrestling?

[Futtocks]

7 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

What do you watch that means you get suggested retro sumo wrestling?

God knows. it might have been some old Channel 4 footage, as they showed Sumo in their early years.

[Futtocks]

Artemis 81 (1981)
A baffling (and long) supernatural TV movie, with Hywel Bennett, Dinah Stabb, Dan O’Herlihy, Sting, Anthony Steel, Margaret Whiting, Roland Curram and Ingrid Pitt. Daniel Day-Lewis has a small part in it somethere too.

 

[Futtocks]

Tomorrow night on BBC1, Imagine... will cover "The Academy of Armando". A look back at Armando Iannucci's career so far.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028nh3 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

I've started rewatching The Cleaner from the start. So funny!

"I don't really remember what happened..."

"You stabbed him! 38 times!"

"Good gosh, I was cross wasn't I?" 

[Futtocks]

2 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I've started rewatching The Cleaner from the start. So funny!

"I don't really remember what happened..."

"You stabbed him! 38 times!"

"Good gosh, I was cross wasn't I?" 

Is that the Helena Bonham Carter one? I loved that!

[The Hallucinating Goose]

56 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Is that the Helena Bonham Carter one? I loved that!

Yep!

[RayCee]

I've just finished watching episode 11 of the US Traitors, the final although there is going to be a review episode I'd imagine. I won't spoil it for any still to see it. 

[JohnM]

On 16/02/2025 at 14:10, Futtocks said:

Amandaland (BBC1) - a spinoff from Motherland, with ex-Alpha Mater Amanda (Lucy Punch) downsizing in life from leafy Chiswick to somewhat less genteel Harlesden, much to the disappointment of her louche mum (Joanna Lumley).

Excruciatingly, embarrassingly brilliant, if a little formulaic.

[graveyard johnny]

anyone who recommends "adolescence"  the new stephen graham "drama " to you - DONT BOTHER - a 4 hour mumbling  borefest on netflix - graham plays his amazing array of different characters - yes ONE- the same one he always plays in everything else - like my nan used to say "they must be getting stuck for stuff to mek"