Anything Good on TV ?

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  • chrisno1chrisno1 LondonPosts: 3,177MI6 Agent

    @Napoleon Plural Urban Jungle (Wembley) Voodoo Lounge (Wembley) No Security (Edinburgh & Wembley), 40 Licks (Prague) & Bigger Bang (O2) I hope you don't follow me around...

  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent

    I wish these stars knew when to give up and go out with dignity. Paul McCartney, Diana Ross and Rod Stewart just can't do it anymore. When you can't sing your own songs, it's time to retire.

    The only one's who's voices are still really strong is Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. Must be a welsh thing.

  • The Red KindThe Red Kind EnglandPosts: 3,119MI6 Agent

    Agree on Inside No. 9. It's good stuff. Very well acted. Reminds me of a modern day Tales of the Unexpected.

    I'm a fan of Vienna Blood too. Very atmospheric and is a must watch for anyone who's a fan of Sherlock Holmes. I'm surprised with every man and his mate being mentioned as a possible Bond, that Matthew Beard hasn't been mentioned. Not saying he's right, but he's more appropriate than other names being banded around. He's British, 33 Years old and 6'1".


    "Any of the opposition around..?"
  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent

    It's funny you mention Matthew Beard as a potential Bond as I watched the whole of Vienna Blood wondering if he'd be a good Bond or not and I'm still undecided. 😁

    Kind of left field choice that the Bond producers may go for. He's more of the Dalton/Brosnan shape than muscle bound Craig.

  • The Red KindThe Red Kind EnglandPosts: 3,119MI6 Agent

    I'm with you on that. I think he still looks very young despite being almost mid-thirties, so they would easily get three, four, five films out of him. I'm sure he could bulk up a bit as he does look quite lightweight, presently.

    He would make a great Holmes, though.

    "Any of the opposition around..?"
  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent

    Agreed about Holmes.

    At least we have a series 3 to look forward too.

  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    I know it’s hard to believe, but I’ve never seen a soap opera…until now. My parents didn’t watch them when I was a kid and when I left home I didn’t watch much TV anyway. I read about them in the newspapers, that’s all. Anyway, BritBox has put the greatest episodes of soapland onto the platform so I thought I would take a look…

    CORONATION STREET: The black and white episodes have a gritty “kitchen sink” feel. Ena Sharples and Elsie Tanner have an argument in the street (pretty good) and an old lady dies in the pub. Onto a colour episode and Hilda Ogden is having a farewell party in the pub on Christmas Day. The landlord is devising ways of making some more money and his wife is disparaging at his meanness. The acting is basic. Not knowing the characters doesn’t help, of course, so maybe it’s unfair for me to not have much interest in what’s happening.

    CROSSROADS: Meg (I think that’s her name) is getting married. Why there are hundreds of watchers and a police presence is not in the script, presumably word got out and the public attended, but it makes no sense to leave those scenes in. In another episode, some young woman dies and Benny is upset. The acting is simply terrible. If these are the best episodes, then I’d hate to see the worst.

    EMMERDALE FARM: In the first episode there is a funeral and a long lost son returns home. In another episode there is a plane crash in the village, which is quite well done. The acting is basic and it’s not a lot of fun.

    EASTENDERS: In the first episode someone is found dead, probably murdered. There’s a scuffle in the pub. In another episode a 16 year old schoolgirl finds herself pregnant by the landlord of the pub. It’s all very depressing, lots of shouting, miserable characters, basic acting.

    There is no way I could invest my time in watching a soap opera, it’s an endless cycle of plots, regurgitated with different characters. The acting is usually just about adequate, those who are any good go onto better things, those who are not stay for as long as they can. I won’t be watching any more.

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,703MI6 Agent

    Sorry, but Matthew Beats has a babyface. Jakob Elordi is ten years younger, but looks older than him.

  • The Red KindThe Red Kind EnglandPosts: 3,119MI6 Agent

    Didn't say he was right, just surprised he's not been mentioned, as ticks more boxes than many of the other names being thrown around.

    "Any of the opposition around..?"
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    LOST (2004-2010) 6 Seasons

    I’ve just finished rewatching this and my son watched with me for his first viewing. We watched an episode per night over 4 months. It’s a great series and I enjoyed it more this time around, I think seeing it nightly instead of weekly makes the story flow better and less chance of forgetting things.

    A plane crashes onto an island and the survivors stories are told during flashbacks and then flash-forwards and ultimately flash-sideways. It’s a multi-layered series where everything begins to tie itself together as the show goes on. There is a large ensemble cast and the performances are good. It throws out lots of questions, some of which are never satisfactorily answered, but it remains a riveting experience to watch. Many don’t like the ending but I think it’s fine.

    If you haven’t seen it I can highly recommend it, it’s one of the best series ever made.

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,703MI6 Agent

    I'm watching the first episode if Joanna Lumley's Great Cities of the World. This one is about Paris. I love everything she does, including her travel programs. 😃

  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,239MI6 Agent

    I find @CoolHandBond 's appraisals of soap operas amusing. It's like dipping back into the coffees one's had over the years and saying, right, I'll have three of these coffees now and see what I make of them. Nah, nothing. Or watching old football matches, the whole point is it's in the present. You build an interest over time, most of the drama comes from characters' one-upmanship or wrongdoing that needs to be redressed in the next episode.

    The first episode of EastEnders was rubbish, the characters are finding their feet. One worth revisiting might be the Christmas Day special when Dirty Den lands his lush landlord wife Ange her divorce papers. But you have to be invested in the characters, over the weeks, with the sense that everyone around the country is equally invested.

    That said, there are no decent soaps today I'd recommend. I suppose big series like Lost, or Line of Duty are almost like soaps - the first series rocks and then there's the sense the writers are forced to pad it out over several series with lots of red herrings. The first series of Line of Duty is great and series 3 very good but after that I did give it up as it was just padding it out.

    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    McDonald & Dodds - Season 3

    Jason Watkins and Tala Gouvela star as the mismatched cops in this British crime series. It’s set in the lovely city of Bath which is a pleasant change from the usual grimy cities of other series. The first episode of series 3 has more twists and turns than a maze but it holds up pretty well and Alan Davies turns up in a suitably eccentric role as a linguist anthropologist. Undemanding fare, but Watkins is excellent (as usual) as the shy but astute detective.

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    TWELVE ANGRY MEN (1954)

    The 1957 movie with Henry Fonda is one of my favourite films. I knew that it was based on a TV show but had never seen it until now when it has turned up on the Amazon platform. It was an episode in the Studio One series - the first episode of series 7. The plot concerns the deliberations of a jury who are determining the innocence or guilt of a young man accused of murdering his father. It is a powerful piece of television. Robert Cummings takes the role to be later played by Henry Fonda and two other actors play the same roles again in the movie. The script was lengthened for the movie and certain characters are different to the ones in the movie. It is tautly directed by Franklin Schaffer who would go on to direct Planet Of The Apes, Papillon and The Boys From Brazil.

    Well worth watching. Another episode is also on the platform starring Steve McQueen and William Shatner so I will be watching that soon.

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent

    Has anyone seen Murder In Provence on BritBox?

    I quite fancy this, mainly because it stars Roger Allam. It starts tonight on ITV.

  • chrisno1chrisno1 LondonPosts: 3,177MI6 Agent

    There's been a series of documentary and live stuff of the Rolling Stones on the BBC. I'm a fan, but a lapsed one. I watched the 1978 Sone Girls Live concert which was on tonight as I thought it might demonstrate the band at their raucous best, not the over produced CD / vinyl friendly live stuff we usually get. Certainly was raucous. A smaller venue, an indoor theatre in Fort Worth, Texas, and the band working in close proximity. Very seventies set list: eight of the ten tracks from the Sone Girls album get an outing, and a smattering of other fare from Mick Taylor era. Only Honky Tonk Women & Jumping Jack Flash make it in from the sixties. No encores. No introductions. Very raw looking and sounding and pretty good. Would have been nice to have at least Satisfaction or Let's Spend the Night, but there you go . And yes, much more like an actual Stones concert.

  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,239MI6 Agent

    Yeah, I saw a bit of that, the Stones looked young then, and Jagger was almost trying a different persona, sort of make up and New York Dolls thing going on.

    The Charlie Watts strand of the Stones documentary was interesting - his OCD for instance, his particular ways and his many bespoke suits that he got made in a shop on Saville Row that looked like the one in the Kinsgmsan. This doc was made after he died so he wasn't being directly interviewed about it though he didn't seem the most vocally demonstrative fellow, still there were some clips of him chatting. Nothing on Wyman though he was the first to do a somewhat humdrum memoir of his time in the band, of course the grooming scandals that have happened since put his dalliance and marriage to Many Smith in a very bad light, to his credit Watts at the time when asked said he was happy for Bill Wyman but clarified the he didn't think it was a good match, he was offering muted congratulations.

    I will try to catch up with the Jagger one on iPlayer.

    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,703MI6 Agent

    It's summer and there's a football championship going on, so of course there isn't anything good on TV!

  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    JUST GOOD FRIENDS (1983-1986)

    Written by Only Fools And Horses John Sullivan this is an excellent comedy starring Paul Nicholas and Jan Francis and a good support cast. Two ex-lovers accidentally meet a few years after Vince had jilted Penny on their wedding day. Sullivan is excellent at creating characters that you feel for and this series is no exception as over 3 seasons we watch the couple bicker and argue themselves in and out of love again. There are lots of visual jokes and the script is sharp. Very, very good.

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    INSIDE THE RITZ HOTEL (2019)

    A 4-part documentary on the famous Piccadilly hotel. We go behind he scenes as head chef John Williams prepares the delicacies and we see how events are organised and how the Christmas tree is erected and dressed. It’s certainly a different world at the Ritz. I’ve had afternoon tea there in the past, and it’s nice to get dressed up, but it’s not somewhere I would want to frequent on a regular basis, but it’s great for a special occasion.

    Interesting, in a sort of vacuous way.

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent

    I've been buying loads of old TV shows on both download and physical media, like DVD and Blu-ray. Here's my list But

    I'll probably forget something .


    The avengers from season three onwards

    The new Avengers both seasons

    The Saint ( B&W and colour seasons )

    The return of the Saint

    The six million Dollar man ( complete box set all seven series plus movies )

    Mission Impossible the original series box set and the 1980s revival 2 seasons

    Department S

    The fall Guy seasons 1 and 2

    Remington Steele Box set

    Father Brown ( Kenneth Moore 1970s tv series )

    Father Brown all seasons

    Lord Peter Wimsey all five 1970s BBC specials

    Campion bbc 1980s detective series set in the 30s

    The Mrs Bradley mysteries box set

    Star Trek Original three seasons

    Star Trek TNG all 7 seasons

    Are you being served Box set and Grace and Favour the follow up to AYBS 2 series.

    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent


    I'm banned from watching those programmes. I watched the Ritz one and loved the look of the Saturday dinner dance evening they do. As a teat for my birthday my Hubby booked it and we went. Cost him an arm and a leg. It was fabulous though. He wouldn't let me watch the programme about The Savoy 🤣

  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent

    Just watched 3 episodes of The Sandman on Netflix. Absolutely love it so far.

  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    That sounds lovely @Lady Rose Ive promised Mrs CHB to take her to dinner there when we’re next in London. We have had dinner at the Savoy and must admit I wasn’t that enamoured with it.

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent

    That’s a great list @Thunderpussy a few of those are streaming on BritBox at the moment so I’m watching them 😁

    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • chrisno1chrisno1 LondonPosts: 3,177MI6 Agent

    @Thunderpussy yes, a great list. Campion was underrated. Department S is on London Live sometimes. That show is seriously odd.

  • chrisno1chrisno1 LondonPosts: 3,177MI6 Agent

    Van Der Valk - rather good

  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent

    I don't do comics books (or books really) and in some ways I think it's better as I take stuff at face value. I loved The Witcher and knew nothing about it before watching. I think the same with The Sandman. Just finished E6.

  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,418Quartermasters

    Has anyone here watched Slow Horses on Apple TV+?

    It's an adaptation of the first book in a series by Mick Herron, a modern spy series set in London and featuring a group of failed spooks who occupy a shabby building in the Barbican known as Slough House. The books are very entertaining spy novels, brilliantly written by Herron, and with a lot of amusing banter between the ensemble cast of misfits. Their boss is Jackson Lamb, an accomplished agent, but rather a disagreeable human being with some rather unpleasant habits.

    The TV adaptation is very faithful to the book, and is exceptionally well cast with Gary Oldman taking the role of Jackson Lamb, and Kristen Scott-Thomas as the senior member of MI5 who oversees the slow horses. The rest of the ensemble do a really good job too - a standout being Jack Lowden who plays River Cartwright, the closest thing to an action orientated spy in the group, and his grandfather (a highly respected retired spy) is played by none other than Jonathan Pryce, who really comes across very similar to John Le Carre in his senior years. Another nice touch is an original theme song by Mick Jagger who is apparently a big Mick Herron fan.

    I definitely recommend both the books and the TV show. The second novel has already been filmed and is due for release later this year. Subsequent books are shooting soon. I am particularly keen to see how the ensemble of characters grows and develop over the course of the show.

  • chrisno1chrisno1 LondonPosts: 3,177MI6 Agent

    I read Slow Horses and, sorry, could not disagree more. A terrible excuse for a modern day thriller with up-teen cliches and a host of computer geeks doing most of their research in a cafe. Too much chopping and changing of scenes to deliver the necessary literary tension. Mark Herron clearly had a screenplay of this in his head before he wrote the thing down. It's like reading a visual modern TV thriller. No literary ambition other than relate an A to B to Z story. Rubbish.

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