Watchable telly

[Bob The Badger]

7 hours ago, Anag Ram said:

I’m holding back on watching the whole series as I’m still pining for Succession.

Everything else will seem very mediocre ?

Succession was great although not watched Season 3 yet, but Gomorrah is better imho. In my top 3 or 4 of all time.

Just finished the latest Narcos - 8.5/10 - every single season has been outstanding with some absolutely world-class acting. Nothing has quite matched the first 2 with Escobar, but that's like complaining Igor Stimac wasn't quite Colin Todd.

[Chester40]

8 hours ago, Bob The Badger said:

Succession was great although not watched Season 3 yet, but Gomorrah is better imho. In my top 3 or 4 of all time.

Just finished the latest Narcos - 8.5/10 - every single season has been outstanding with some absolutely world-class acting. Nothing has quite matched the first 2 with Escobar, but that's like complaining Igor Stimac wasn't quite Colin Todd.

Totally agree.

Succession is a comedy at its heart for me, so it never resonates or hits home in the same way as a drama or thriller does. 

Its clever and kinda makes me feel good that I'm understanding it. Something like The Office was the same, where  I admired it's subtlety and patted myself on the back that other people thought it was boring or strange.

But I ultimately prefer action that is high quality drama and doesn't need me to think too much, I can just sit back and be blown away.

As @Mostyn6says the characters aren't 'real' in Succession because that's what gives it the satirical edge, Gomorrah has characters that just feel so real that you get totally immersed in a world that feels like you are living it yourself. 

It's my favourite series ever I think..only True Detective series 1 compares recently,  otherwise you are going back to the Sopranos maybe. I'm just saving this series cos when it's gone, its gone.

I've watched Narcos, Narcos Mexico   El Chapo...all great.

 

[Bob The Badger]

5 minutes ago, Chester40 said:

Totally agree.

Succession is a comedy at its heart for me, so it never resonates or hits home in the same way as a drama or thriller does. 

Its clever and kinda makes me feel good that I'm understanding it. Something like The Office was the same, where  I admired it's subtlety and patted myself on the back that other people thought it was boring or strange.

But I ultimately prefer action that is high quality drama and doesn't need me to think too much, I can just sit back and be blown away.

As @Mostyn6says the characters aren't 'real' in Succession because that's what gives it the satirical edge, Gomorrah has characters that just feel so real that you get totally immersed in a world that feels like you are living it yourself. 

It's my favourite series ever I think..only True Detective series 1 compares recently,  otherwise you are going back to the Sopranos maybe. I'm just saving this series cos when it's gone, its gone.

I've watched Narcos, Narcos Mexico   El Chapo...all great.

 

Have you seen Spiral, the French cop drama? I intend to but haven't yet because there's something like 15 seasons and since I got back fro the States there's always other stuff I want to watch where I don't have to hand over the next 3 months of TV watching.

My sister reckons it's the only thing she's seen that's better than Gomorrah and it get's an insanely high (for something that's not currently running) 8.5 on IMDb.

There is so much high quality accessible drama at the moment that it's mind blowing. I'm frequently wondering to watch, not because there is nothing, but because there is so much amazing choice.

[Chester40]

2 hours ago, Bob The Badger said:

Have you seen Spiral, the French cop drama? I intend to but haven't yet because there's something like 15 seasons and since I got back fro the States there's always other stuff I want to watch where I don't have to hand over the next 3 months of TV watching.

My sister reckons it's the only thing she's seen that's better than Gomorrah and it get's an insanely high (for something that's not currently running) 8.5 on IMDb.

There is so much high quality accessible drama at the moment that it's mind blowing. I'm frequently wondering to watch, not because there is nothing, but because there is so much amazing choice.

Don't think so...I will stick it on the list....

What elevates Gomorrah are all the touches that keep it grounded. In Narcos etc the gangsters eventually end up like Scarface in huge mansions snorting Coke and ordering hits. In Gomorrah they still meet in jeans and a leather jacket under concrete underpasses and live in grim tower blocks but with horribly tasteless interiors with no permanent money ever made.

[therealhantsram]

FWIW - my top telly of the year...

It's a Sin - Easily the best thing I've watched. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Telly at it's best. (C4)

Mare of Easttown - Gritty murder mystery (Sky)

Unforgotten - Intelligent cold-crime murder investigations (ITV)

WandaVision - Really clever stuff. A super-hero series with virtually no super-hero action. (Disney+)

Only Murders In The Building - Enjoyable, topical dramedy from Steve Martin &Co. Great ensemble piece. (Disney+)

 

[NottsRam]

12 hours ago, Bob The Badger said:

Succession was great although not watched Season 3 yet, but Gomorrah is better imho. In my top 3 or 4 of all time.

Just finished the latest Narcos - 8.5/10 - every single season has been outstanding with some absolutely world-class acting. Nothing has quite matched the first 2 with Escobar, but that's like complaining Igor Stimac wasn't quite Colin Todd.

Out of interest, what else is in your top 3 or 4 as we seem to have similar tastes Bob

[Bob The Badger]

3 hours ago, NottsRam said:

Out of interest, what else is in your top 3 or 4 as we seem to have similar tastes Bob

The usual suspects that I'm *guessing* you like.

Breaking Bad

True Detective (I think it was you mentioned that too)

Mindhunter

The Wire

Now I realise how stupid it was to say I had a top 3 or 4.

We should start a separate thread where people can list their top 10, but even that would be tough

[Chester40]

17 hours ago, Bob The Badger said:

The usual suspects that I'm *guessing* you like.

Breaking Bad

True Detective (I think it was you mentioned that too)

Mindhunter

The Wire

Now I realise how stupid it was to say I had a top 3 or 4.

We should start a separate thread where people can list their top 10, but even that would be tough

I would read that thread. Mine are mostly mentioned already. Only complication is that... I enjoy series for different reasons at different times, whilst some hold up better to repeated viewing, some are more 'of their time' and have aged badly and some started off amazing then seriously tailed off.

Walking Day series 1 was amazing, 24 was brilliant for a time, Dexter I really love but it's a guilty pleasure in comparison to something weighty like The Sopranos.

Last thing, Gomorrah with no Ciro is a lesser being....

[Bob The Badger]

2 hours ago, Chester40 said:

I would read that thread. Mine are mostly mentioned already. Only complication is that... I enjoy series for different reasons at different times, whilst some hold up better to repeated viewing, some are more 'of their time' and have aged badly and some started off amazing then seriously tailed off.

Walking Day series 1 was amazing, 24 was brilliant for a time, Dexter I really love but it's a guilty pleasure in comparison to something weighty like The Sopranos.

Last thing, Gomorrah with no Ciro is a lesser being....

The first 2 or 3 of seasons of 24 were brilliant even if Chloe was the worst over-actor ever! I even bought the 2nd and 3rd on DVD because we missed them.

But you're right, drama has got so gritty and realistic, I think I'd find them cheesy now.

I never saw The Sopranos and when I went to try and get into it about 5 years ago I just couldn't.

I think it was a combination of low-def which really bugs me now, and it feeling dated.

I know I missed out with that.

Having said that, I bailed out of Breaking Bad a couple of times and I nearly quit Bosch after the first season and both turned out to be great.

I found Schitt's Creek the same, I thought it was a bit childish half way through the first season, but my wife liked it so I hung in there. Now I think it was brilliant and I'm gutted it ended.

Good characters and writing take time to develop. 

[Bob The Badger]

Jim Gaffigan's latest comedy special on Netflix.

Gaffigan is the only comic I have seen live who used material I'd already heard before (if you know it, he did the hot pockets sketch), although he was still good.

He seemed a bit edgier in this than he normally is, even alluding to his dislike of Trump saying his wife blamed him for Trump getting elected as well as the Kavanagh hearings. 

Typical Gaffigan for me, some laugh out loud stuff interspersed with filler that didn't really go anywhere and possibly the most obvious call back to end a show I have ever seen a top comedian do.

Still well worth a watch though and whereas I often think he's missed an opportunity to take a good set into a great set, I've always had a good laugh watching him.

Family friendly too (with just one bar steward) which is a rarity for comedy specials.

Phil Gee/10 - great and not so great.

[Bob The Badger]

Word War II in colour.

My knowledge of 20th Century history is pretty poor prior to Thatcher becoming PM, so I thought I'd check this out.

I expected to maybe last half an episode but I was utterly hooked and have a much better understanding of how the disparate elements of the war fit into place.

Using actual footage that has been colourised and interweaving it with expert commentary and other footage that I presume has been taken from movies and/or films specifically, it really is riveting.

I've watched the first 5 and I'm left with the overwhelming feeling that we were really, really lucky.

A lot of that luck was the multiple times Hitler hesitated from Dunkirk, to the Eastern Front against the Russians, to giving the go ahead to build more U-Boats rather than war ships, his indecision saved us.

Some interesting facts that I didn't know.

The noise the Stuka dive bombers made was artificially generated to make them sound more scary. They were kinda scary anyway.

The Americans biggest losses after Pearl Harbor came when they were attacked by the French in North Africa because the French were still pissed at Churchill for attacking their navy.

The battle of the Atlantic kicked off after a German U-Boat sunk the civilian SS Athenia by mistake.

Montgomery's hesitation almost meant a loss in North Africa, but Patton kinds bailed him out.

Half the Nazi high command were raving narcissists.

Ok, maybe the last one was kinda obvious.

 

 

[i-Ram]

Just completed Series 1 2 & 3 of Succession. Enjoyable romp. Took me a while to get into it, and there were a couple of duff episodes along the way, but worth the investment in time for the good episodes, and some really clever acting by a good number of the cast. It was a gripping conclusion at the end of Episode 3, and I look forward to seeing how they take the next step forward. Jesse Armstrong suggested it might be “as good as he has got” in relation to the 3rd series. That is not true. Clearly different genres but I don’t think Succession is as good as either Peep Show or The Thick of It (although Armando Iannucci might have been the stronger writing influence in the latter).

[JoetheRam]

1 hour ago, Bob The Badger said:

Word War II in colour.

My knowledge of 20th Century history is pretty poor prior to Thatcher becoming PM, so I thought I'd check this out.

I expected to maybe last half an episode but I was utterly hooked and have a much better understanding of how the disparate elements of the war fit into place.

Using actual footage that has been colourised and interweaving it with expert commentary and other footage that I presume has been taken from movies and/or films specifically, it really is riveting.

I've watched the first 5 and I'm left with the overwhelming feeling that we were really, really lucky.

A lot of that luck was the multiple times Hitler hesitated from Dunkirk, to the Eastern Front against the Russians, to giving the go ahead to build more U-Boats rather than war ships, his indecision saved us.

Some interesting facts that I didn't know.

The noise the Stuka dive bombers made was artificially generated to make them sound more scary. They were kinda scary anyway.

The Americans biggest losses after Pearl Harbor came when they were attacked by the French in North Africa because the French were still pissed at Churchill for attacking their navy.

The battle of the Atlantic kicked off after a German U-Boat sunk the civilian SS Athenia by mistake.

Montgomery's hesitation almost meant a loss in North Africa, but Patton kinds bailed him out.

Half the Nazi high command were raving narcissists.

Ok, maybe the last one was kinda obvious.

 

 

Try watching the other series of WW2 in colour as well. Covers the more major battles.

[Mostyn6]

Just stumbled across Misfits on Netflix. Whilst not groundbreakingly sophisticated, I’m finding it entertaining and it’s passing time. 

[sage]

On 27/12/2021 at 11:03, Bob The Badger said:

Word War II in colour.

My knowledge of 20th Century history is pretty poor prior to Thatcher becoming PM, so I thought I'd check this out.

I expected to maybe last half an episode but I was utterly hooked and have a much better understanding of how the disparate elements of the war fit into place.

Using actual footage that has been colourised and interweaving it with expert commentary and other footage that I presume has been taken from movies and/or films specifically, it really is riveting.

I've watched the first 5 and I'm left with the overwhelming feeling that we were really, really lucky.

A lot of that luck was the multiple times Hitler hesitated from Dunkirk, to the Eastern Front against the Russians, to giving the go ahead to build more U-Boats rather than war ships, his indecision saved us.

Some interesting facts that I didn't know.

The noise the Stuka dive bombers made was artificially generated to make them sound more scary. They were kinda scary anyway.

The Americans biggest losses after Pearl Harbor came when they were attacked by the French in North Africa because the French were still pissed at Churchill for attacking their navy.

The battle of the Atlantic kicked off after a German U-Boat sunk the civilian SS Athenia by mistake.

Montgomery's hesitation almost meant a loss in North Africa, but Patton kinds bailed him out.

Half the Nazi high command were raving narcissists.

Ok, maybe the last one was kinda obvious.

 

 

If you really want to dig into it, there is a YouTube channel called WW2 week by week. 15-18 minutes each week based on each week of the war. Some big events like Pearl Harbour get extra episodes. Its currently on late December 1942. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Babylon 5 is available on Amazon for free so we've been giving it a rewatch.

The Corps is mother! The Corps is father!

Trust the Psycorps.

Edited December 30, 2021 by RadioactiveWaste

[Bob The Badger]

Who will be watching this when it finally airs? 

 

[Mostyn6]

3 hours ago, Bob The Badger said:

Who will be watching this when it finally airs? 

 

When does it air?

[sage]

5 minutes ago, Mostyn6 said:

When does it air?

It was supposed to be announced in the trailer. All I have read is early 2022 and they are still filming. A little contradictory. 

[Bob The Badger]

8 hours ago, sage said:

It was supposed to be announced in the trailer. All I have read is early 2022 and they are still filming. A little contradictory. 

Really??

Are you sure it's not the movie they're filming?

I got the impression it would be out this month, February at the latest.