Worth starting to differentiate from the large amount of TV from the USA. Thoroughly enjoying the 2nd series of 'Line of Duty' which is currently airing on BBC2. As mentioned by Val1 and others on previous threads the UK are producing some excellent female led dramas and thrillers, The Bletcheley Circle, being named as one. Well step forward Keeley Hawes. A brief recap - It's great stuff. I'm eating it up. It may not be grittily realistic at times but it does pack a hell of a punch. The interrogation scene in episode 2 was 10mins of outstanding TV.
Hasn't reached here yet but I'll look for it. The first Bletcheley wasn't bad. Scott and Bailey's season has just wrapped up, liked that a lot. Vera...from up your end of the world. Hmmm. come to think of it the women take the lead in all these shows, a change from making tea.
3rd series of Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle started this week. The guys a genius and a bit of a national treasure over here.
37 Days Part of the BBC's commemorative programming around the centenary of the great war. It runs for three consecutive evenings (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and I found it totally absorbing. No one does this kind of thing better than the BBC when they get it right and I think they have it absolutely bang on. From the cast and the sets down to the script and the pace. We all know how it is going to end up but how it got to that in the first place is fascinating. No action set pieces to derail the content but it never feels laboured at any point. The addition of the calendar ticking down is a pacemaker in itself as it leads to the inevitable consequences of the actions of those involved on the screen. I can't wait for tonights episode. Small trailer below
Great thread. Obviously I'm a fan. The greatest strength of British TV, I think, is the freedom that having a 6 episode season gives the writers. Just don't have to have the fluff. I used to laugh at the notion of Fawlty Towers (Watery Twats, anyone?) being two 6-episode seasons 4 years apart, but it helps keep everything fresh. If Black Books, for instance, had been two 22-episode seasons, it would have been unable to carry the burden of zaniness that long. Line of Duty sounds awesome. But since the kids and I are currently watching Babylon 5, with I, Claudius next in line (to my son's dismay), it may take a while before I can get the disks. netflix has been good about getting British drama on instant watch, so I hope they make the move on this series...
Outstanding from start to finish. Line of Duty, and the outstanding Keeley Hawes, are still rattling along at an impressive pace. I'm still enjoying watching Moone Boy. The 2nd series is now in full swing Similar in style to the Beebs recently finished 'Uncle' which I also enjoyed. Moone Boy edges it though with it being more heart felt and more believable mainly due to O'Dowds semi-autobiographical screenplays.
Babylon Watched this 90min pilot a couple of months ago but forgot all about it, which pretty much sums it up really. Conceptually it should have been excellent. Danny Boyle directing. Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong (Peep Show, Fresh Meat, The Thick of It) on writing duties. A comedy-drama about the Met police it manages to excel at neither and ended up being dull and forgettable. Maybe when the series actually starts a reduced running time may benefit it but I'm not sure I'll be returning to it.
Peaky Blinders (the UK's answer to Boardwalk Empire) is returning to BBC2 in the Autumn. Tom Hardy has already been confirmed to be joining the cast for season 2 and now his real life fiance, Charlotte Riley, has also been added.
I don't watch uk television except Premiership football. What the f ck happened to Manchester United's Midfield? I do dig thevoiceUk like it much more then ours. But I will start watching the Uks House of cards soon.
My father-in-law has watched every episode so far and only has good things to say about it. I haven't set it up on Sky+ so I will probably watch it with the On Demand service when it appears on there.
In all seriousness, if you get a chance, watch it. I loved it but then again I am a self confessed Cillian Murphy fan and he was superb throughout.
Well, you're not the only one, tough for me, I guess he'll forever be The Scarecrow, who was always my favorite comic villain for Batman.
Anyone been watching "The Musketeers" on BBC? It's a very conventional, old-fashioned type show, but that is part of its charm. It has a knack for terrific guest stars as well.
This is another one that slipped through the net. I was intending to watch it but missed the first two episodes. Worth watching?
Depends, if you enjoy the old-fashioned charm of the cloak and rapier films, you will enjoy this. However, this is a very conventional show by modern standards. In terms of its tone, it reminds me most of the Count of Monte Cristo movie with Jim Caviezel.
I really like the actors playing Aramis and Porthos. Athos is a bit too sulky-face for my liking, but that might be part of the role, I guess.
I'd imagine it will be too far on now for me to catch on i-player so will need to wait for a re-run most probably. I haven't read any reviews on it and by the same extension haven't heard anyone talking about it, hence why it's probably slipped my failing memory.
I think the pilot wasn't reviewed all too well, but subsequent episodes have gotten more love from the critics.
Land Girls I wanted to like this, I really did. I am apparently rare among guys: I don't mind watching movies/shows about women, by women, for women. If it's not a Lifetime Death of the Week sort of movie. I love Call the Midwife. It's first rate, but in looking for it's "successor" on my queue, I tried Land Girls, and the similarly named, Bomb Girls, both supposedly about the female experience on the homefront. And they both... miss. I think this is because they have to manufacture the drama, in a way that Midwife doesn't. In mostly female story telling, the strength lies in the daily rhythms, and to some degree, a greater verisimilitude than in more mainstream narrative. In Land Girls, the daily rhythms of getting up at the crack of dawn and pulling swedes from the ground is kind of boring, whereas in Midwife the daily rhythm of the show is birth. Plenty of drama there in the most natural of miracles. So, Land Girls has to create tension: one girl gets pregnant in the first episode, another jumps class and helps end the marriage of the lord of the manor, and a third loses her husband. It all seems forced. And lacking that, the show could do a better job of showing the war. This show is just set during the war. At best, the second War to End All Wars is just a backdrop. Compare this to the estimable Foyle's War, where the war itself is actually driving the narrative. The episodes, for instance, that take place during Dunkirk, The Battle of Britain and Normandy could only correlate with those events. There's an interesting passage of time between the episodes, but nothing that means much vis a vis the war. Too bad....
Lewis light machine gun, designed in the US and used extensively by the Brits in WWI replacing the heavier Vickers. Used mainly in the air war. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=p31mw0WPGrk
Haven't seen Land Girls so can't comment on it. Watched the penultimate episode of the excellent Line of Duty this week though. Best thing on British TV right now imo. Finale (episode 6) next week and I can't wait for it. Another brilliant interrogation scene last night. I believe it was just short of 20mins long but it seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. I honestly can't decide if Denton is being set up or if she is the instigator. Regardless, this 2nd series has been as good as the first. Can't quibble about any part of it.
Certain cast members from the original are suggesting both David Tennant and Olivia Colman will be returning for season 2 of Broadchurch