***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 10 *****
A place to discuss what's on TV that might be of interest to others. (exc. Top Gear, F1, for example - which have threads of their own)
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5
Volume 6
Volume 7
Volume 8
PLEASE NOTE:-
To try and maintain some kind of logical order of discussion, if you start a new subject then reply to this post and remember to change the default subject header.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 19 Jun 14 at 10:11
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BBC 2 now, Cold war stories.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 5 Dec 13 at 21:08
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Damn, we're watching some dumb thing in a Jungle...iPlayer it will be then
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 27 Dec 13 at 01:13
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Go to laptop - start watching this programme. Choose to restart programme from start.... pause it. Not sure how long the pause will work for.
Or download/watch on iPlayer when available.
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I'll watch it on the box's iPlayer service tomorrow or Saturday.....
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Very good programme, especially liked the bit about HMS Swiftsure tracking the Kiev, just goes to show how good we were at this.
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The submarines capabilities were not completely described.
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>> The submarines capabilities were not completely described.
>>
Let me guess, you could tell us, but would then have to shoot us.
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'Fraid so, just like the police capabilities you can't divulge in public.
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This is a bit of light bedtime reading, you will be asleep in minutes. :-)
ftp.isif.org/fusion/proceedings/fusion02CD/pdffiles/papers/W1C04.pdf
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I was pleased to read in the conclusion :-
The generalized likelihood ratio test proved to give satisfactory
results, assuming that the way the input data are modelized is suited to the available information.
ZZZZZZZZZZ!
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Thanks for the heads-up - just watched on i-player.
The programme was made all the better by:
a) Not being dumbed down
b) Not being festooned with computer graphics
c) Not being presented by one of the usuals e.g. Richard 'aren't I lovely' Hammond.
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Last night on BBC1 a very nice program of largely "proper" music with a big band and slick dancers.
Old Blue Eyes he ain't, but not bad for one of the new guys!
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Yes, brilliant. I've had his CD Swing When Your Winning in the car for some time now and frequently put it on at full volume for a blast. People compare him too much to Sinatra but he's bringing new blood into appreciation of the classics and does it very we'll too. Thoroughly nice bloke too according to my wife when working backstage at the Brits unlike so many other less we'll known celebs.
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Must be me. I find Robbie Williams a rather mediocre singer. Watched for 10 minutes but couldn't take any more.
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I have a pal in Spain who is just as good as Robbie - in fact more versatile in his repertoire.
He was semi-pro in the UK and had guested in a couple of quite well known big bands.
Wrong time, wrong music for him to hit the biggish time, though.
He's drawing his pension now, but still doing gigs in the area in which we lived.
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Robbie = Cliff Richard for the under 45s.
Nothing wrong with that, but it is just middle of the road stuff again nothing wrong with that if that floats you boat, but I will stick to the Ramones or System Of A Down. or even Simon and Garfunkel.
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A talented showman, but alas, not my taste in music. I watched it to see Rufus Wainwright.
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Caught it on my PVR and thought his voice ain't what it used to be, shame.
Good entertainment though, better than the usual dross.
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>> Caught it on my PVR and thought his voice ain't what it used to be,
>> shame.
We watched it, and thought he was sounding pretty good, although of course singing live means there's going to a certain amount of variation. Not sure the bits with the Muppets were entirely successful...
Good to see him back with top songwriting partner Guy Chambers (also on stage), who does the tunes. Love the current single 'Go Gentle', which IMO is right up there with 'Feel' as a tune; RW wrote the words for his young daughter:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3OWZaIpEDk
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seems to have slipped under the radar on this side of the pond...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25229762
Martin Bashir's on-screen suicide note with a rant against Sarah Palin. Calling her an idiot would be one thing, (and we'd sort of not disagree) but I'd like to know the exact words he used to express the sentiment that she, as the BBC put it, should 'eat faeces'
Last edited by: borasport on Sun 8 Dec 13 at 17:47
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""What is most shocking about Thistlewood’s diary is not simply the fact that he assumes the right to own and possess other human beings, but is the sheer cruelty and brutality of his regime.
In 1756, he records that a slave named Darby ‘catched eating kanes; had him well flogged and pickled, then made Hector, another slave, shit in his mouth.’ This became known as ‘Darby’s Dose,’ a punishment invented by Thistlewood that spoke only of inhumanity.
And he mentions a similar incident in 1756, his time in relation to a man he refers to as Punch. ‘Flogged Punch well, and then washed and rubbed salt pickle, lime juice and bird pepper. Made Negro Joe piss in his eyes and mouth'. I could go on, but you get the point."
Mr Bashir concludes by suggesting that by invoking slavery Ms Palin demonstrates her ignorance and that she should be subjected to the same treatment as the slave in the story he recounted.
"When Mrs. Palin invokes slavery, she doesn't just prove her rank ignorance. She confirms if anyone truly qualified for a dose of discipline from Thomas Thistlewood, she would be the outstanding candidate", he says."
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sun 8 Dec 13 at 17:56
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Whaaa ...
that makes an awful lot of sense. I guessed that what MB had said was 'eat sh!t', but I couldn't see any context for saying that in a news program - I presumed he may have been some version of 'tired and emotional' and it was some sort of random outburst, but its not, it has a relevance that I never knew about
What a world we live in - the sheer brutality of slavery (which certainly goes on today, even if it may not be called that) and the possibilty that Sarah Palin could have been elected......
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Well he said it as he saw it...
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In fact, as I understand it, Sarah Palin was referring to the economic slavery which the current US government are bequeathing to US children and grandchildren by borrowing as they are now.
I have seen the clip, but I can't quite recall her actual words. I do not believe she invoked slavery as practiced in pre-revolutionary America.
Professional "offendees" abound!
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PALIN: "Our free stuff today is being paid for today by taking money from our children and borrowing from China. When that money comes due and, this isn’t racist, so try it, try it anyway, this isn’t racist, but it’s going to be like slavery when that note is due. Right? We are going to be beholden to a foreign master."
TAPPER: Don’t you ever fear that by using hyperbole like that — obviously, you don’t literally mean it’s like slavery, which cost millions of people their lives and there was rape and torture. You’re using it as a metaphor. But don’t you ever worry that by using that kind of language, you — you risk obscuring the point you’re trying to make?
PALIN: There is another definition of slavery and that is being beholden to some kind of master that is not of your choosing. And, yes, the national debt will be like slavery when the note comes due.
TAPPER: So you’re not — you’re not work — I mean I’m — I’m taking it as a no, but you’re not — you’re not concerned about the language –
PALIN: I’m not one to be politically correct, evidently.
TAPPER: OK.
PALIN: And, no, I don’t — I don’t worry about things like that, because no matter what I say, no matter what a lot of conservatives say, they’re, you know, they’ll be targeted and distractions will be attempted to be made to take the listener and the viewers’ mind off what the point is, by pointing out, oh, she said the word slavery in a speech, and, I did say the word slavery, because I want to make a point.
TAPPER: You can understand why African Americans or others might be offended by it, though?
PALIN: I — I can if they choose to misinterpret what it is that I’m saying. And, again, you know, I’m sure if we open up the dictionary, we could prove that with semantics that are various, we can prove that there is a definition of slavery that absolutely fits the bill there, when I’m talking about a bankrupt country that will owe somebody something down the line if we don’t change things that is, we will be shackled. We will be enslaved to those who we owe.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sun 8 Dec 13 at 21:32
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She does not have a silver tongue, does she ?
Perhaps she has a point?
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Oh she's not evil, and I understand the point she's trying to argue, but she isn't really very good at it.
However, taking her inept ability to communicate and seriously trying to turn it into some sort of real slavery comment that one can be offended by is really very silly.
As you say, The Rise of the Professionally Offended.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sun 8 Dec 13 at 21:50
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Just watched the programme about shipwrecks on BBC4.
Interesting, although I felt it missed out:-
When we were told that the ship's chronometer enabled mariners to establish their longitudinal position, the narrator missed a golden opportunity to explain precisely how the use of an accurate timepiece would establish that.
Curiously he was pronouncing the name of the ship 'Grosvenor' the way it is spelt!
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Just in case your box hasn't prompted you, BBC have added HD versions of BBC3/4, along with News, CBBC and CBeebies.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25298109
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Discovered in the news yesterday this was happening. One of the problems with the Virgin box is that it doesn't tell you this kind of thing so I never know there are new channels until I stumble over them somehow, usually six months later.
The other issue is that the channel numbers keep changing - I'd just about remembered that for us 187 was BBC2 HD but now it's moved again, and I can never find them. So to be honest we tend to just watch SD on 101,102 etc. I can find those and the benefits of HD for us are so marginal it's not worth the faff to do otherwise. Not even worth the faff to progam up "favourites" and use that.
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>> The other issue is that the channel numbers keep changing - I'd just about remembered
>> that for us 187 was BBC2 HD but now it's moved again, and I can
>> never find them. So to be honest we tend to just watch SD on 101,102
>> etc. I can find those and the benefits of HD for us are so marginal
>> it's not worth the faff to do otherwise. Not even worth the faff to progam
>> up "favourites" and use that.
For you, they invented the "On screen guide" and ingenious device that lists your channels, tells you what programs are on, and enables you to select them with the flick of a button without the need to remember channel numbers.
No need to thank me.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 10 Dec 13 at 08:13
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Yes, I won't ta. The guide is so long that it you can measure the time taken to get from one end to the other looking for a channel in geological eras, even scrolling down a page at a time. And then you miss it anyway and end up in the Gaelic radio section and have to start again, by which time your programme is over.
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I'm quietly satisfied that I have missed Mandela's planting, Strictly Come Dancing AND Sports Personality Of The Year.
Result.
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There's always the radio..
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Grateful for my Kindle! Nose in "book" = bliss!
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I have a Kindle, love it and use it a lot. But it isn't as nice as a real book, particularly an old book.
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Not as good as a Bookshelf full of them either, but you can't take that on holiday.
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Actually I find the Kindle comes into its own outside school, outside fencing lessons, outside violin lessons, outside parties, etc. etc.
Its nice to have a whole bunch of books available at a moments notice.
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>>Strictly Come Dancing
Last one next weekend ... YIPPEE!
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For those of you who don't see daytime TV this may be more difficult!
I nominate the BBC program "Heir Hunters".
Mostly showing people sitting in an office gazing intently at microfiche readers.
(Please note I do not deliberately watch it - it's just on as background noise!)
Last edited by: Roger on Mon 16 Dec 13 at 09:34
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>>it's just on as background noise!
The missus does that, she'll be 'on' her laptop, or Kindle, and the telly will be on too.
I'll say "you watching that, or that - you can't do both"!
She'll say she can, as she can multi-task ... she's started to refer to me as Hitler btw.
(*_*)
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OMG - you mean you have a clone of mine? Mierda!
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Oh, very good Teddy-my-luv, I don't look un-like our friend Adulphus I sup hose, just need to restyle my hair,
and grow a Basil moustache.
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I enjoyed this film (maybe just because it has Keira Knightly in) but also as part of it is filmed just down the road from me.
Found it quite moving and will definitely watch it again. Hollywood blockbusters rarely do it for me and I prefer the low budget stuff that focus's on the story
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"I enjoyed this film"
Same here - that is why I enjoyed 'Nebraska', but was not particularly moved by 'Gravity', which seems to be generally raved about.
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>>I prefer the low budget stuff that focus's on the story
Me to, I have a penchant for films made in Canada and New Zealand for some strange reason.
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Awful film, wished we'd never now, we could never allow something like that to take place, could we?
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Couple of days left to watch this film on which the Moby Dick novel was based;
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01mq8zp/The_Whale/
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www.radiotimes.com/film/cfk5t/i-am-number-four
"This is not a bad film. It's just not that great. The story feels a bit weak and there are so many plot holes it takes away part of the enjoyment.
I also found myself un interested in the characters, apart from the dog, but who doesn't love a cute dog? It just seemed to be cliché after cliché after cliché. I have to remind myself I didn't go to watch shawshank redemption 2 or a William Shakespeare film adaptation. Instead I watched 90 odd minutes of blah. Good special effects and action sequences plus the added bonus of eye candy were just enough to save it. Just.
If you go to see "I am number four" I suggest you leave your brain at home then sit back and enjoy the pretty lights and moving pictures. Don't expect much and you might actually enjoy it".
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I remember watching this episode nearly forty years ago and then having to go and buy some BBQ spare ribs, such was the power of suggestion. The guy that served me commented 'strange, we've had a hell of a run on these tonight'.
Watch it at your peril!
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Started at 8 but looks like it has good potential - C4+1 at 9 if you want to catch it from the beginning
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Now watching on C4+1. He has just cycled at 100mph on his first real attempt!
No wonder he was shaking - I was just watching.
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Brilliant - a chap with a proper personality who actually does things...good series so-far.
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He appears not to have been accredited with the cycling speed record, despite achieving a higher instantaneous speed, it wasn't over a recognised distance.
The Guinness Book of Records failed to recognise his attempt at aquaplaning a motorbike on water, as he failed to achieve 100M.
Good television, but not record breaking.
Nothing can take away his 2nds and 3rds at the IOM, but I think his TV career is his future.
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I'd have missed this but for a Facebook friend posting about it.
Thoroughly good drama with excellent performances from all three lead characters. The jilted wife was excellently portrayed but Carl and Sally were utterly convincing too.
I observed a handful of real or incipient commuter affairs in 25+ years of zapping in and out of London. Doubt many of them ended as almost happily is this quadrangle did.
I'll miss the people watching on the 17:13 from Euston.
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We watched the part 1 was pretty good with all the attributes that BP describes....the second part dragged a bit for me. Nicely made all the same....although the was a train size hole on the plot at one point !
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>> We watched the part 1 was pretty good with all the attributes that BP describes....the
>> second part dragged a bit for me. Nicely made all the same....although the was a
>> train size hole on the plot at one point !
The historic 'home' town was Canterbury and not Winchester as some assumed. Thus the nearest you'd get to Waterloo was the East station a few seconds before Charing Cross (there's a Haymarket/Edge Hill getting off joke in there somewhere!).
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>> Sheridan Smith is HOT!
>>
Also a very good actress
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Just seen the second episode of this and found it hilarious - SWMBO wasn't amused, I think the dead dog upset her.
Found the first episode on iplayer.
BBC2, Wednesday, 10:pm.
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...or 10pm on Film4+1. Saw most of it in an earlier showing, pretty good; remainder waiting on PVR (just reminded me).
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Second episode last night - brilliant!
Anyone else gripped by this second series?
How do you think its going to pan out?
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www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03yvf3r
With the London games of Twenty Twelve successfully delivered, Ian Fletcher starts a new chapter in his life as head of values at the BBC. Ian's first challenge on arriving at New Broadcasting House, on his brand new and much-improved folding bike, is to find somewhere to sit in a building aggressively over-designed around the principle of not having a desk.
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>> www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03yvf3r
I have seen scenes from this. Now I could stomach Twenty Twelve, because the games is a kind of Abstract fantasy in real life, but this is far too close to reality and therefore far to scary for anyone to watch.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 20 Mar 14 at 01:42
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I missed the broadcast episode, so caught up with it on i-player. I thought it was most probably very true to life at the Beeb - too true for it to be comfortably funny.
I also suspect that a parallel ethos can be found at council offices up and down the country, with their imaginatively titled non-jobs. A note with my new, annual, council tax bill proclaimed that it had been held at zero % for the fifth year in succession. My delight swiftly turned to cynical amazement - why had the bill risen in leaps and bounds for years previous to this? The answer, of course, is that they had built a massive glass-palace for themselves sufficient to put to shame a middle-eastern dictator or, indeed, an Audi dealership!
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>...... is that they had built a massive glass-palace for themselves sufficient to put to shame a middle-eastern dictator or, indeed, an Audi dealership!
I know hat you mean.
Elbridge palace on the lake is in the middle of Esher on a site worth many millions.
www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/ex-sun-editor-kelvin-mackenzie-stand-6858135
"....he would also campaign to scrap the current civic offices, which he described as a "prime piece of real estate", relocating it instead to one of the "poorer areas of Elmbridge".
"I don't wish to see our local government workforce on a prime piece of real estate in the high street," he said.
tinyurl.com/odcl688
( By coincidence I was counting his votes at the previous attempt by him)
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www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03yfwk3
On Monday April 25th 2005, a West Japan Railway commuter train crashed into an apartment building and killed 107 people. Just what pressures made the driver risk so much for such a minimal delay?
(apologies if a repeat)
Last edited by: Focusless on Wed 19 Mar 14 at 20:06
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Just been watching Question Time. One of the subjects has been development in London and the need for more 'affordable housing' in all areas.
Lots of balderdash being said of course. But one thing that really gets up my nose is the term 'homes' when what is really meant is houses and flats.
Those can be built from the ground up or adapted in the carcases of existing buildings. 'Homes' are something else altogether. What is it about leftists in particular I'm sorry to say, but everyone really, that makes them adopt this sentimental mawkish term for units of real estate? Slobbish and a huge PITA.
Tchah!
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 28 Mar 14 at 01:22
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Yeees, that was truly weird......who the hell thought "I know - Lets get Mick Hucknel" Great singer (was- not now) but utterly odious and immoral.
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A very middle-aged bloke with a wispy grey beard and violently ginger hair?
Looks suspiciously as though his barnet colour is artificially enhanced.
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I thought that I must have missed this altogether but, when looking it up on i-player, I realised that I had tried watch it from my warm bed. My wife tells me that I turned it on long enough to curse the smugly, ugly Diane Abbott, then promptly fell into a deep sleep.
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Saw it tonight and found it interesting.Made a note for next week.
Last edited by: Pigs-Might-Fly on Sat 29 Mar 14 at 21:57
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He's odd. I watched it to the point where that Christian bigot was mouthing off her version of morality about gay marriages....she clearly does not realise what kind of guy Jesus was (even if he is fictional).
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Channel 4 tonight at 9:00.
I saw the stage production back in the nineties and it was the best theatre show I've ever seen, if the film version is even half as good (And by all accounts it's a lot better than half) I'll be pleased. It's not often now you get to see a "Proper" ghost story rather than some blood filled horror film, more's the pity.
Recommended viewing.
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I knew there was a 3rd series of Rev on the way, but hadn't realised it had started until after the 1st episode went out last Monday. Surprised the Beeb hasn't given it more coverage - they don't usually hold back on promoting new stuff, or perhaps I just missed it.
Anyway, I thought the first 2 new episodes were well up to scratch, and quite edgy. The first features a culture clash between CofE and Islam, while the second centres around a gay marriage.
Both still available on iPlayer; episode 3 on Monday BBC2 10pm.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0178fhq
Last edited by: Focusless on Wed 2 Apr 14 at 19:40
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It's a fine programme. The second episode was excellent, superb satire on the CofE inexcusable homophobia, with a touching ending.
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It got even better. The penultimate episode, with its subtle treatment of the Good Friday story, was quite superb. For a series that started out along the lines of Open All Hours - warm and wry rather than biting - to develop into something so sharp, poignant and thought-provoking is a tremendous piece of work. Bravo!
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I thought it was stunningly good - interesting too that none of my clergy friends dared comment about it on facebook .....
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I've just watched the BBC's report on the treatment of elderly people in care homes.
I'm pretty cynical and not easily moved, but I confess that this program did upset me.
Maybe it has something to do with MY advanced years ;-).
I think I'll start saving the tablets now, for an self-induced exit if I get to the state of some of those old folk.
Pitiable, they were - and I bet those were not the worst "care" examples extant.
please can you reply to the topmost post in this thread when posting something new, as per
the "please note" request. Thanks. Post now moved to correct part of the thread.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 1 May 14 at 01:11
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Visited a phew 'care' homes when I was in the mobile car tuning game, I just used to waltz through the rooms looking for Mr Car owner.
What I saw (and smelled) back then was enough thanks and I'd rather throw in the towel a bit sharpish, like.
Many care homes are quite okay of course - if you have Lud's sort of money.
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On Quest last night.
Bryan Johnson, singer from AC/DC really is a total car nut. Genuine enthusiasm.
Loved the Mini so much he bought one!
Pat
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Nearly missed this but iPlayed it last night and it's a treat. Lots of Welsh voices and faces, some familiar - Tom Jones, Sian Phillips, Jonathan Pryce, Charlotte Church, Bryn Terfel - some not, but performed with style and evident affection, and accompanied by some beautiful photography.
If you're quick today you can still catch it.
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A particularly special programme - well done Beeb.
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I have a couple of recordings of this work. The Richard Burton, of course, but the other, to my mind, is better.
The whole cast, apart from a small bit by Alan Bennett describing the village, is Welsh. The Burton part is Anthony Hopkins with others played by Freddie Jones, Ruth Madoc, Windsor Davies, Bonnie Tyler. Jonathon Pryce, Harry Secombe, Sian Williams and a dozen or so more. Even Tom Jones gets a look in !
Well worthwhile if a CD is available........mine is on LP and I've not converted it yet.
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Brilliant production - An A-Z of Welsh national and international stars. Never knew that Jonathan Pryce was from just down the road !
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Pick, Freeview 11, are currently showing Super League game Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos, and there was another game before it. Part of the 'magic weekend' apparently.
They usually show stuff like what's on after the rugby, 'Police Ten 7'. Trying to compete with the FA Cup?
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In a recent post Crankcase said that he could not get past episode one.
I began watching when staying with friends in CA a few years ago.....I think I began watching when it had reached series 3. The boxed set of Series1 through 4 was devoured back in the UK and I now only have a few episodes to watch of the 16 which comprised series 5.
For me, it has been the best thing ever on TV. Characters who developed throughout, sudden plot twists and turns, great desert scenery and a feel for that part of the world. Sometimes an episode would be so tense that I had to switch off and watch another day.
Call me sad but I don't care. My boxed set has been loaned out to 4 friends who became equally addicted.
Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 10 Jun 14 at 21:05
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I'm not at all sure about the spin-off though....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Call_Saul
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I think it was excellent. My brother (living in the US) had mentioned it lots. And eventually I started to watch it last year. It is dark if you know what I mean. But really really good.
We watched Happy Valley recently and thought that was good. Very good. And it was violent etc. in parts. The same brother had tried watching it and gave up on episode 1.... then on my recommendation watched it all and thought the series was British drama at it's best. He's probably not seen the like of Broadchurch (UK) version yet though.
I'm not sure about 'Better Call Saul' either.... and you can bet the other actors including Bryan Cranston will appear.... And Cranston seems to be implying his character could appear again after the Breaking Bad timeline :-)
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 10 Jun 14 at 23:02
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I think its addictive quality is its sheer good programme making but it is unsatisfying overall, since it poses little challenge to the brain.
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Just seen this (again, of course) on BBC2. Brilliant stuff and too near the truth, particularly today, to be comfortable.
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We watched the Trooping the Colour this morning and also the edited highlights a few moments ago.
Now, I'm a desperate old cynic and have some doubts about a monarchy in the 21stC, but I must confess to a lump in the throat and a feeling of utter pride in being British.
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I've not done the ex-colonies as much as AC, but in South America it is very easy to be very proud of being British.
And I am. Union Jack on the flagpole, with a Welsh Dragon hanging lower down the pole.
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Submarine documentary. - Old Navy
