A Lark Ascending Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 BBC2 to compete for Saturday night audience with season of culture Well, you've got to commend them for going out on a limb in these ratings obsessed times. Though the programmes highlighted all look a bit "Mwa! Mwa! Darrrrling.' Think I might be sticking with my Swedish serial killers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzjet Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 4 hours ago, A Lark Ascending said: BBC2 to compete for Saturday night audience with season of culture Well, you've got to commend them for going out on a limb in these ratings obsessed times. Though the programmes highlighted all look a bit "Mwa! Mwa! Darrrrling.' Think I might be sticking with my Swedish serial killers. BBC4 effectively replaced BBC2 as home of art and culture some time ago so this is welcome news. My worry is that when ratings hit the floor, as they may well do, this will be seen as justification to revert to the lacklustre, repeat-heavy version of BBC2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 (edited) 8 hours ago, Jazzjet said: BBC4 effectively replaced BBC2 as home of art and culture some time ago so this is welcome news. My worry is that when ratings hit the floor, as they may well do, this will be seen as justification to revert to the lacklustre, repeat-heavy version of BBC2. Hopefully there will be some music amongst the pomes and dance. And hopefully they'll realise that running it like one of those Newsnight 'Arts' discussions is a sure way to kill it for the broader public ('critics' falling over one another to be the most unimpressed). In the BBC 'review' earlier in the year there was a lot of fuss by the government about making more 'distinctive' programmes and not trying to compete with ITV on popular TV. I suspect this is a BBC way of finessing that - so it might be given a long leash. Edited September 7, 2016 by A Lark Ascending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Caught up with the final series over the last week. Utterly harrowing. The way some of the characters get triggered into hostility seemingly out of nowhere brought back memories of my teaching career. The final scenes balancing Lol's wedding and reconciliation with her sister against Milky's angst over what he'd had done to Combo were brilliantly pulled off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duaneiac Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 The MST3K version of Gamera Vs. Guiron, which has one of my favorite bits from the whole series: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 Didn't much care for this. Action/shoot-out film (with weak romantic sub-plot) overlain on an historical event. To be fair, checking up afterwards (sorry, I get worried about these things) most of the details were actually based on reality (though there's an irritating oversimplification in the first line of the background information that starts the film) - I'd assumed it was movie bunkum. Cillian Murphy plays his character much like Tommy Shelby at his moodiest in Peaky Blinders - thereby, to my mind, demonstrating the originality and unpredictability of the Peaky Blinders scripts. Not a bad film - just a bit routine especially when you consider the potential of the events it is based on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 12, 2016 Report Share Posted September 12, 2016 (edited) Fascinating five part exploration of where we all came from and how we got to where we are today, working off some of the more recent evidence. As ever, Alice Roberts is a calm but engaging guide. Edited September 12, 2016 by A Lark Ascending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 Keeping up with Mr. Robot and some of the after-shows...the show fascinates me, particularly as it applies to the nuts and bolts of money, currency, finance. Also, the after-shows have helped me to better understand the tech/code/hacker element. Happy to get some insight into that, because it's not my world at all, that stuff. This season reminds me of a David Lynch type story, only based almost entirely in facts, things that are all either happening now or could happen any second now. Overlay that with the surrealistic personality fugues and mysterious "project" that appears to be about some kind of either time travel or dimension shifting, and...whoa. It's a lot to handle, but I love it when a TV show goes there. All you need for greatness is an ending that justifies all of it, really ties it all together, not something too easy or something that is obviously left open-ended so the writers can buy time to figure out what to do next. We know that there will be a Season 3, what I don't know is if that will be a good thing or not. Next Wednesday will tell, hopefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 (edited) Really enjoyed this. Heart-warming, sentimental fairy tale of an alternative family forced to confront the real world. Though they're not as 'alternative' as dad likes to think - his cultural choices for the kids would be standard things to be seen reading or listening to at any of The Man's expensive private schools. Edited September 17, 2016 by A Lark Ascending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 18, 2016 Report Share Posted September 18, 2016 Not one of the BBC's better moments. Implausible plot line; lots of miserable people getting hysterical and shouting at one another. The only people I recall smiling were the police officer and her daughter. Watchable but forgettable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 22, 2016 Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 I've only ever had a peripheral interest in Joplin's music but can't resist a film about music in the 60s/70s. Thought this was excellently done - told the tale in a plain and simple manner via the people who knew her. What a sad, sad life. The pressure to conform with teenage social norms (reinforced by commerce) can be crushing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 More a series of historical tableaux than a developing drama. Beautiful photography. Enjoyed it. Earlier in the week: National Treasure (Channel 4) Robbie Coltrane in a drama based around Operation Yewtree and the other such cases running at present. Haven't seen Coltrane in a drama for a while but the opening episode was very powerful. As one of the reviews said, why is Channel 4 paying excessive amounts poaching off the BBC when it can produce original drama like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 ... and totally wasting their/our money as BBC rejigs Mary Berry into another cooking show and hence trashes the 'Bake Off' franchise/empire/sham. Last night - Keith Richards' pirate all-night broadcast on BBC4. Entertaining ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 Enjoyed a special premier of Falling Water. It's a bit lightweight but also interesting in the LOST category, I think I'll follow it when it starts in a few weeks. Finished watching Arrow, Season 4 on Blu-ray and am now watching Flash, Season 2. I love escaping into these shows, they work for me, brining out the adolescent in me that is always just below the surface, and feeding him so that he can survive til the next time. I've also enjoyed the first two weeks of Project Runway because my wife loves it so. It's great to share her joy that a new season is unfolding. I learn a lot sharing what fascinates and energizes her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 25, 2016 Report Share Posted September 25, 2016 Very moving - an unlikely ending but apparently based on reality. As a kid in the 60s living on the Changi RAF base I used to regularly visit a small museum about the Japanese occupation. One of those things that sticks in your memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinuta Posted September 25, 2016 Report Share Posted September 25, 2016 20 hours ago, jazzbo said: Enjoyed a special premier of Falling Water. It's a bit lightweight but also interesting in the LOST category, I think I'll follow it when it starts in a few weeks. Finished watching Arrow, Season 4 on Blu-ray and am now watching Flash, Season 2. I love escaping into these shows, they work for me, brining out the adolescent in me that is always just below the surface, and feeding him so that he can survive til the next time. I've also enjoyed the first two weeks of Project Runway because my wife loves it so. It's great to share her joy that a new season is unfolding. I learn a lot sharing what fascinates and energizes her. I enjoyed Falling Water too. They've, as yet, sensibly limited it to three intertwining characters, so it was straightforward enough to follow without head scratching and nodding off. The test will be how they develop the story. I'll continue watching. 1 hour ago, A Lark Ascending said: Very moving - an unlikely ending but apparently based on reality. As a kid in the 60s living on the Changi RAF base I used to regularly visit a small museum about the Japanese occupation. One of those things that sticks in your memory. Finally someone else has commented on this one. A powerful story with considerable emotional impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted September 25, 2016 Report Share Posted September 25, 2016 Mr. Robot - season 2 finale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinuta Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 Longmire Season Five Up to episode four. A highly bingeworthy show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, kinuta said: Longmire Season Five Up to episode four. A highly bingeworthy show. I like it too. Currently on Season 4, Episode 4. Edited September 26, 2016 by jlhoots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinuta Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 19 hours ago, jlhoots said: Mr. Robot - season 2 finale I thought season one got very silly indeed towards the end, so I was in two minds about watching season two. Would you say it's worth my time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 (edited) 5 hours ago, kinuta said: I thought season one got very silly indeed towards the end, so I was in two minds about watching season two. Would you say it's worth my time? I will admit that I have to read recaps / reviews after each episode to figure it all out. Nonetheless, I do find it compelling. To be fair my wife hates it. Hope that helps. Edited September 26, 2016 by jlhoots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 Looks like they might be pivoting away from the fintech angle for Season 3, which would disappoint me, but, really who knows? Then again, we're left hanging with "Phase Two" still going forward, so...it's a ride, that's for sure. So far, they've made it worth my while. Everything pays off, even if as soon as it does, it pivots into something else. Whew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 27, 2016 Report Share Posted September 27, 2016 Really enjoying Flash Season 2 on Blu-ray. When broadcast here the picture is not great. I always enjoy CW shows on disc more. Zoom is a lot more bad-ass tun I noticed watching this before, and the soundtrack and effect sounds this year for Zoom is really "cool." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 28, 2016 Report Share Posted September 28, 2016 Gaga for Dada (BBC 4) I don't know much about Dada but this was a nice little survey carried out in a suitably absurd style by comedian Vic Reeves. Never realised how influential it was on the world of commercial advertising - when it's pointed out to you it stares you in the face. And punk was actually a form of neo-classicism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted O'Reilly Posted September 28, 2016 Report Share Posted September 28, 2016 On 26/09/2016 at 9:26 PM, jlhoots said: I like it too. Currently on Season 4, Episode 4. If you've read the books you'll find the casting to be quite wrong. The only appropriate actor/role is the lead Robert Taylor (an Aussie!) as Walt Longmire. The stories, writing, settings, etc are all fine, but the casting...?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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