What TV shows have you been watching ?

  • Unfortunately, there is a factual foundation for the FBI and CIA not sharing information back then.

    Finished The Looming Tower and it left me feeling drained. I'll definitely investigate the Barnford books. If the show is accurately sourced it essentially tells us the CIA knew Al Qaeda operatives were in the US in March 2000 and had Intel that at least two of them were taking flight training, but take-offs only. And not only did they not tell the FBI, they actively withheld it and refused to divulge it when the FBI realised there was activity but some info was missing.


    Not pleasant, but one of the shows of the year. Gripping and horrifying.

    Abandon all reason

  • Started an Italian crime drama Non Uccidere (Thou Shalt Not Kill). It was good, but made very watchable by the lead character simply as she is gorgeous. Yes I'm that shallow.

    Abandon all reason

  • I've restarted on dvd The Wire season 5, the final one. It's reminding me why it's one of my top 3 TV shows of all time.


    It's also making me want to revisit the whole thing from season 1. I'll be patient and do that, exercising restraint by resisting jumping straight into season 2 which is my favourite and a genuinely brilliant few hours of crime drama - though calling it that is to reduce its depth and complexity.

    Abandon all reason

  • If you like Life On Mars, you have to see ATA. The “Sam Tyler” element is in the background the whole series and becomes downright prominent by the end of the 3rd series. In fact, the finale of ATA is really the finale for both series, i.e., everything is explained as much as it could be explained. And it has Keeley Hawes, who is both a great actress and very easy on the eyes. Yes, the cultural aspects (and the appropriate and realistic character flaws) are the source of the humor.

    Reminded of this as I recently started watching Ashes To Ashes on the BBC iplayer - then immediately stopped. I got 2 episodes in and couldn't continue, I disliked it so much. I found it intensely annoying in various ways - the near-constant THIS IS THE 80S IN CASE YOU NEED REMINDING music, the overly prissy take on the lead character, the descent of the male characters into unsubtle full-on caricature, the trying-too-hard humour. Everything grated on my nerves too much for me to want to go any further with it.


    Given your comments about the final episode as an overall wrap-up for all 5 series I'm wondering about just watching that and be done with it.


    EDIT - Blimey. It seems that since July I've just been blabbering away to myself in here!

    Abandon all reason

  • Anyone been watching the BBC's Dracula? I was wary of it, worried it'd be up itself in a Sherlockian way given it's by Gatiss and Moffat, but it's actually good.

    I gave up watching after episode 1. Dracula was too comic to be frightening which dispelled the tension & horror of other scenes, the wise-cracking nun was so convinced of her own brilliance that she was downright irritating, & several scenes including Dracula trying to enter the convent just dragged on too long. It would have worked better as a pantomime.


    Disappointing – expected better from the creators of Sherlock :rolleyes:

  • I gave up watching after episode 1. Dracula was too comic to be frightening which dispelled the tension & horror of other scenes, the wise-cracking nun was so convinced of her own brilliance that she was downright irritating, & several scenes including Dracula trying to enter the convent just dragged on too long. It would have worked better as a pantomime.


    Disappointing – expected better from the creators of Sherlock :rolleyes:

    I haven't watched it yet (though I don't except too much, I find the Sherlock series a bit too clever for it's own good, TBH) but intend to watch ep 2 simply for the first acting role by Catherine Schell (Maya in Space: 1999) in about 30 years.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • I gave up watching after episode 1. Dracula was too comic to be frightening which dispelled the tension & horror of other scenes, the wise-cracking nun was so convinced of her own brilliance that she was downright irritating, & several scenes including Dracula trying to enter the convent just dragged on too long. It would have worked better as a pantomime.


    Disappointing – expected better from the creators of Sherlock :rolleyes:

    I was wary of it precisely because it was by the Sherlock team. I quite like Sherlock and will always watch it, but found it too often overly rather pleased with itself. There was some of this in Dracula but it gradually got better. I was worried it would become pantomimic but it swerved away from that and ultimately it achieved something I hadn't seen before: it made Dracula quite scary and ruthless, which I've never previously found the character to be. So on the whole I ended up enjoying it.


    But I must give special mention to a very overlooked and largely forgotten 1998 C4 series Ultraviolet. It was ahead of the vampire "revival" curve and did a great job of modernising the whole vampire thing, and without ever even mentioning the V-word.

    Abandon all reason

  • I've watched the first two episodes of Good Omens, about an angel and a demon who have to reluctantly work together to protect their own interests. It's a neat idea and I'm a big fan of Michael Sheen and David Tennant who are both in it along with some impressive other names. But I'm struggling with it, it too often tries too hard to be overly quirky. At the moment I'm not sure I'll be going any further with it.

    Abandon all reason

  • Richard Hammond from Top Gear called Big!!!


    Documentary series.

    Three series in and now:


    Series 1


    1.VW car plant

    2.Huge military aircraft, that carries the most cargo in the world!.

    3.Biggest Dam in the world


    Great sense of humour from Hammond!....:)



  • Hubby & I have always enjoyed Hammond's documentaries.

  • Seen the first two episodes of Star Trek: Picard and I really enjoyed it. Still waiting for season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery, I love that show.

    I have to say that "Star Trek: Discovery" has been a very pleasant surprise.


    I had to wait for it to come out on BluRay before seeing it (I loathe having a streaming-only platform available for it - I'm happy for those who enjoy it that way, but I don't feel like being further chained to a smartphone/tablet/computer in order to see it). However, once I was able to watch it, I genuinely enjoyed it!


    I'm glad. I loved the original "Star Trek" TV series and I liked "The Next Generation" very much too - and the movies of both series (I even like the reboot movies, but I know those divide opinion, esp. among the older/original fans), However, I never liked the post-TNG "Star Trek" TV shows (Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, etc.) - they just didn't feel right. "Discovery" feel right, i.e., "Star Trek" done in a Star Trek way and yet enjoyable for those just catching any "Star Trek" show for the first time.


    I'm intrigued by "Picard" - I might have to pick that up when it is commercially released.

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • Yes I mostly like the Trek tv shows, TNG being probably my favourite. I didn't like Voyager at first but warmed to it, although it was largely despite Kate Mulgrew's largely poor performance as the captain. Like you OneForTheVine I never clicked with DS9 or Enterprise. I've seen two episodes of Discovery so far and don't feel any urge to continue with it.


    I'm interested to see Picard, I liked that character in TNG and the associated films, and I like Patrick Stewart.


    I really like the 'reboot' films to date, I think they've been quite affectionate with regard to the original tv show. The 4th in the series is apparently now back on track with the main cast in place, with release in the next 2 years.

    Abandon all reason

  • Yes I mostly like the Trek tv shows, TNG being probably my favourite. I didn't like Voyager at first but warmed to it, although it was largely despite Kate Mulgrew's largely poor performance as the captain. Like you OneForTheVine I never clicked with DS9 or Enterprise. I've seen two episodes of Discovery so far and don't feel any urge to continue with it.


    I'm interested to see Picard, I liked that character in TNG and the associated films, and I like Patrick Stewart.


    I really like the 'reboot' films to date, I think they've been quite affectionate with regard to the original tv show. The 4th in the series is apparently now back on track with the main cast in place, with release in the next 2 years.

    May I please entreat you to go beyond the first two episodes of "Discovery"? It seriously gets better as it goes. There were really interesting plot twists that I simply did not see coming. I'm willing to bet you would get into it the further you went. A humble request...

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...


  • Have you seen Locke snd Key on Netflix? My wife and I just finished the first season. There's only one season released right now. I thought I saw a cameo of Stephen King near the end of the final episode, as he's known to do in his movies. I looked online to see if he wrote the story, and it turns out his son , Joseph Hillstrom King wrote it, and it was his son who had the cameo. Spitting image of his Dad. The series is highly recommended. Great story about a family that moves to their ancestral home after their father is murdered. Plenty of suspense, horror and mystery. Highly recommended!