What Are You Watching..?

[This Charming Man]

Started watching The Newsroom on Sky Atlantic. I highly recommend that.

Jeff Daniels is brilliant in it. Very sharp, quick witted script as well.

[mcjwills]

Started watching The Newsroom on Sky Atlantic. I highly recommend that.

Jeff Daniels is brilliant in it. Very sharp, quick witted script as well.

got it on series link not had a chance to start watching yet. Am watching series 2 of falling skies at the moment

[pap]

I watched a few episodes of "Line of Duty". Been in the mood to watch a British crime drama for a while now, and have enjoyed the three episodes I've watched so far. It focuses on AC12 - the anti-corruption unit, but also has a wider canvas of a police station to draw on. I'm enjoying it a lot. Like The Killing, the whole series is focused on one case. They're going after the copper of the year, who they suspect is "laddering" ( creating multiple charges out of easily solvable crimes and silently putting the harder cases on the back burner).

The series delves quite a bit into the bureaucracy associated with police-work, stuff like rapid response teams filling out risk assessments on the way to an operation. I'd actually be quite interested in the views of our resident coppers on this; it's clear that the writing staff feel coppers waste a lot of their time on bolox tasks. Have any of you seen it? How "on the money" is it?

For everyone else though, I'd recommend it - especially if you enjoy immersing yourself in a nice slow burning drama. Certainly doesn't hurt that Vicky McClure of This Is England fame is in it

[Bearsy]

Never heard of dat one paps!

I was watching Black Mirror on 4od last night, I'd seen the first one before where the Prime Minister gets blackmailed so he has to **** an actual pig live on tv and it was pretty loools so I went on to watch the other 2.

The second one in the series was bout this future world where you has to pedal on excercise bikes the whole time to earn credit things which you need to get stuff, but the stuff you can get is all not-real like new shoes for your avatar or the ability to fast forward adverts. It was probably a satire bout Facebook or something, I'm not really sure.

The third one was bout this future world where you has a chip in your head which records everything you see and hear so you can watch it again laters. That was pretty sweet! This one dude was using it to replay his best bonings to spank off over later. This other dude though was using it to overanalyse stuff his wife said to try and figure out if she's cheating or whatever. He was pretty bummed about it, and I think at the end he tried to cut the chip out his head but I had to turn it off at that point cos I'm squeemish. Squeemish bout blood anyways, I had no problem whatsoever watching the Prime Minister **** a pig!

[Frank's cousin]

Never heard of dat one paps!

I was watching Black Mirror on 4od last night, I'd seen the first one before where the Prime Minister gets blackmailed so he has to **** an actual pig live on tv and it was pretty loools so I went on to watch the other 2.

The second one in the series was bout this future world where you has to pedal on excercise bikes the whole time to earn credit things which you need to get stuff, but the stuff you can get is all not-real like new shoes for your avatar or the ability to fast forward adverts. It was probably a satire bout Facebook or something, I'm not really sure.

The third one was bout this future world where you has a chip in your head which records everything you see and hear so you can watch it again laters. That was pretty sweet! This one dude was using it to replay his best bonings to spank off over later. This other dude though was using it to overanalyse stuff his wife said to try and figure out if she's cheating or whatever. He was pretty bummed about it, and I think at the end he tried to cut the chip out his head but I had to turn it off at that point cos I'm squeemish. Squeemish bout blood anyways, I had no problem whatsoever watching the Prime Minister **** a pig!

Genius

[Jonnyboy]

Black Mirror was quality. Should've got an Oscar or summat.

[pap]

Never heard of dat one paps!

You know what, Bearsy. I've seen this extra 's' lark a couple of times and while I am not as precious as you about such matters, I do now feel it appropriate to outline my next steps should this disturbing trend continue.

I'm just going to keep adding more letters to your name. Maybe not just one either.

We could start with "Bearsey", just for old times sake.

Next move is "Beardsey". Gotta be, and it wouldn't go amiss if you could actually grow a beard. That leads directly to "Beardsley", and inexorably, after several letter additions, to:-

"I am the love child of Peter Beardsley and Janet Street-Porter (but was taught everything I know by Tim Vine)".

As you can see, it's a slippery slope.

[Bearsy]

Sorry pap! I think it's cos you're such a geek, I think of you as a collective. Like the Borgs.

[dubai_phil]

Well, they'd been plugging it on the telly for a month or so now. Nothing in the clips gave ANY clue as to what it was about, what genre or even when.

About the ONLY thing I could glean from the ads was that Jack Bauer was in it.....

Well, of course I missed the first episode, hadn't even crossed my mind. Until I went into my OSN + bit and saw that Episode 1 was on there.

Meh just time to watch that over dinner before FMDP heads out to work the Ramadan evening shift...

What is it? She asks. Well, I have no idea, but I guess it's kinda got to be something decent if Kiefer "gave up" 24 for it.

Well, it has an interesting opening monolgue, some stuff about a lost mobile phone and sort of wobbles around for the first 15 or 20 minutes. You start to wonder is it some form of family drama? Post 9/11 traumatised modern family, but it stays interesting as we hop all over the place...

nd then Danny Glover pops up

And then the final 10 minutes or so pulls it all together and you end with...

Oh yes THIS is going to work, head to FB and put a massive LIKE on it and programme the OSN+ box to make sure we don't miss another episode.

Touch.

Probably going to be on Sky Atlantic.

It shows REAL promise

[dubai_phil]

Oh cut out the krap D_P. It rocked.

It was bound to, it's Tim Kring (Heroes)

Will be an interesting journey

[Lets B Avenue]

We've had all 12 episodes of the 1st series on Sky 1. Found it got a bit dull and predictable after the first few. However, the last couple were OK and I believe a 2nd series is being made.

Have you seen Awake, starring Jason Isaacs?

[dubai_phil]

We've had all 12 episodes of the 1st series on Sky 1. Found it got a bit dull and predictable after the first few. However, the last couple were OK and I believe a 2nd series is being made.

Have you seen Awake, starring Jason Isaacs?

Nope not made it here yet. Is it worth keeping an eye open for?

Our "Season" on telly will probably start as the Schools go back in early September, so was a surprise to find a "Hit" show kicking off over here in Ramadan when anyone with a brain has got away from the 44C heat

[pap]

I've broken bad with this week's episode of Breaking Bad.

This week is a Mike-centric episode, Mike being a former cop turned hit-man for the drug trade. The character was nowhere to be seen in the early days of the show, but has become a staunch fan favourite during its run. I keep saying it, but some great character moments again. The actors in this show give top-notch performances. The writing and directing team have fallen into this really nice habit of having killer openings to their episodes.

The only downer about watching this show is that most other crime shows feel positively formulaic by comparison. Breaking Bad feels organic because a good part of the show is about our protagonists getting themselves out of bother, plus the writers have no problem in making permanent changes in their "universe". Reset button doesn't really apply here.

Vince Gilligan, creator of the show, says his mission is "to turn Mr Chips into Scarface". We're not quite there yet, but it's a genuine case of "so far, so very good".

[LVSaint]

Beer Wars on Netflix. As if we needed any more reasons to loath Bud/Miller/Coors. Some nice insight into some of the brilliant and numerous independent microbreweries here in the States.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Just seen the conclusion to the 2nd season of 'The Killing' (C4 Wednesday) and without giving too much away this series ended with some pretty awesome developments for both Mayor Richmond, and the unfortunate Larson family to deal with. Although in most crime series the victim is often portrayed as little more than a plot element soon forgotten in the cut & trust of solving the mystery, in this series we were never allowed to forget how devastating the loss of a Human life can become to everyone involved - be they the police investigating the case, friends & family of the victim, even the perpetrator of the crime and those drawn into the case as suspects. Ripples in a bottomless pool of grief .......

So was it a good idea to continue the investigation of this one case over to a second series, or should they have started afresh with Linden & Holder investigating a new crime ? Much as I've admired this series I think in the end the plot became rather too convoluted, with the numerous 'twists & turns' of the investigation becoming perhaps a tad much for its audience to follow easily. Real life crime can be convoluted and involved of course, but a more compact narrative may have resulted in a more satisfactory drama in my view. But this series was ultimately still worth the considerable investment in time required to follow it to a conclusion in my view.

PS - I wouldn't be at all surprised to see more of Joel Kinnaman (Detective Holder) in future - this young actor has a certain 'star quality' about him methinks.

[swannymere]

Touch gets very boring after episode 3, not worth sticking with IMHO.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

He may enjoy the limelight a tad too much for some, he probably takes a unwise delight in being deliberately outspoken & controversial, but by thunder anyone who saw Starkey's new history 'The Churchills' (C4 Thursday) will have to concede that he's a historian and broadcaster of the first rank.

In examining the life's of the two most distinguished members of the Churchill family - Sir Winston Churchill and his 17/18th century ancestor John Churchill, The 1st Duke of Marlborough - Starkey drew our attention to just how key Winston's deep understanding of the 1st Duke's role in countering the grandiose military ambitions of Louis XIV became in comprehending the danger (long before others did) that Adolph Hitler posed to Europe in the middle 1930's.

It's a terrible old cliche for sure, but to understand the present you must first seek to understand the past. Louis - the so called 'Sun King' - and Hitler both incubated what we might now call a 'Personality Cult' and each harbored a nationalistic love of military expansionism that reached insane proportions. The persecution these two megalomaniac leaders heaped on their respective oppressed minority populations - be it German Jews or French Protestants - is also a telling analogy indeed.

Amid a sea of Olympic tosh that is dominating our screens, television of this quality shines out like a beacon in the night.

[Bearsy]

Started watching The Newsroom on Sky Atlantic. I highly recommend that.

Jeff Daniels is brilliant in it. Very sharp, quick witted script as well.

There's some pretty dumb broads in that show:

IT guy: Whatever you do don't put an asterisk in ur email address cos that copies in the whole office.
Dumb Broad: Oh noes! I put an asterisk in my inappropriate sex-mail!
IT guy: Why would you do that? What did I just say?
Dumb Broad: I was trying to press "S"

[dubai_phil]

Touch gets very boring after episode 3, not worth sticking with IMHO.

Will see.

Got a load of Series DVD's based on comments by you lot over the past few months

Breaking Bad S1-4, Awake, Homeland, Star Trek S1, Spartacus S1 & 2, and second half of Fringe S4, Missing S1, Once Upon a Time S1 Only the latter two have been shown down here and then only 1st half seasons so far.

Not a huge fan of the gritty Cop Show genres tbh hence why they didn't make the must get list

Will see what rocks out of that lot

[Bearsy]

I'm watching the Garth Marenghi's Darkplace on the 4od! It's totally Gold! I dunno when it was out or why i ain't never heard of it maybe it wasn't a hit show or whatever but it totally makes me lol my arse off!

In the episode i just watched this chick is feeling unnapreciated and gets all pms and develops telekenetic powers which she uses to kill people!

They manage to stop her in the ends, but they learn an important lesson:

GARTH MARENGHI: "Things have got to change. When I next see Liz I'll say she's lost weight or her hair looks nice. Whichever seems more plausible at the time."

So many sweet quotes!

GARTH MARENGHI: "I'm a writer. If I didn't have paper I'd write on my heart. If I didn't have a pen I'd write on the wind. It wouldn't be an ideal way of working..."

[SuperMikey]

Breaking Bad - Dead Freight (S5E5)

Holy f*cking sh!t. This show just gets better and better, then it blows half of a lead character's face off and continues to get better and better.

This episode centered around the methylamine problem encountered when the gang discovered that their supply line had been effectively stopped as the barrels had tracking devices on them. The only solution? Hold up a freight train.

This show specialises in leaving your jaw on the floor after the episode finishes, and this one is no exception. After last week's "...and wait until the cancer comes back" soliloquy, this ending will kick you right in the balls. Guaranteed.

[Bearsy]

blows half of a lead character's face off

Sweet! Hope it's the wife! #shesannoying

[manji]

He may enjoy the limelight a tad too much for some, he probably takes a unwise delight in being deliberately outspoken & controversial, but by thunder anyone who saw Starkey's new history 'The Churchills' (C4 Thursday) will have to concede that he's a historian and broadcaster of the first rank.

In examining the life's of the two most distinguished members of the Churchill family - Sir Winston Churchill and his 17/18th century ancestor John Churchill, The 1st Duke of Marlborough - Starkey drew our attention to just how key Winston's deep understanding of the 1st Duke's role in countering the grandiose military ambitions of Louis XIV became in comprehending the danger (long before others did) that Adolph Hitler posed to Europe in the middle 1930's.

It's a terrible old cliche for sure, but to understand the present you must first seek to understand the past. Louis - the so called 'Sun King' - and Hitler both incubated what we might now call a 'Personality Cult' and each harbored a nationalistic love of military expansionism that reached insane proportions. The persecution these two megalomaniac leaders heaped on their respective oppressed minority populations - be it German Jews or French Protestants - is also a telling analogy indeed.

Amid a sea of Olympic tosh that is dominating our screens, television of this quality shines out like a beacon in the night.

Well said (about the series and the olympics).

[SuperMikey]

Sweet! Hope it's the wife! #shesannoying

If you had a loaded gun with 1 bullet in it, and you were locked in a room with Skyler from Breaking Bad and Lori from The Walking Dead, who would you shoot and who would you bludgeon to death with the butt of the gun?

(Note: Shooting yourself is not a viable option)

[miserableoldgit]

He may enjoy the limelight a tad too much for some, he probably takes a unwise delight in being deliberately outspoken & controversial, but by thunder anyone who saw Starkey's new history 'The Churchills' (C4 Thursday) will have to concede that he's a historian and broadcaster of the first rank.

In examining the life's of the two most distinguished members of the Churchill family - Sir Winston Churchill and his 17/18th century ancestor John Churchill, The 1st Duke of Marlborough - Starkey drew our attention to just how key Winston's deep understanding of the 1st Duke's role in countering the grandiose military ambitions of Louis XIV became in comprehending the danger (long before others did) that Adolph Hitler posed to Europe in the middle 1930's.

It's a terrible old cliche for sure, but to understand the present you must first seek to understand the past. Louis - the so called 'Sun King' - and Hitler both incubated what we might now call a 'Personality Cult' and each harbored a nationalistic love of military expansionism that reached insane proportions. The persecution these two megalomaniac leaders heaped on their respective oppressed minority populations - be it German Jews or French Protestants - is also a telling analogy indeed.

Amid a sea of Olympic tosh that is dominating our screens, television of this quality shines out like a beacon in the night.

It is possible to thoroughly enjoy both as I did.

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2

[richpassivity]

just started watching 'The Wire' from the start for a second time!

[pap]

Breaking Bad - Dead Freight (S5E5)

Holy f*cking sh!t. This show just gets better and better, then it blows half of a lead character's face off and continues to get better and better.

This episode centered around the methylamine problem encountered when the gang discovered that their supply line had been effectively stopped as the barrels had tracking devices on them. The only solution? Hold up a freight train.

This show specialises in leaving your jaw on the floor after the episode finishes, and this one is no exception. After last week's "...and wait until the cancer comes back" soliloquy, this ending will kick you right in the balls. Guaranteed.

Freight was excellent. I love the A-Team improvised crime stuff, but man, what a gut punch at the end. I've seen the following episode too. Breaking Bad is consistently providing excellent opening scenes at the moment. The opener that followed Freight was brilliant; so sensitive to what had just come before. But yep, excellent episode. Really looking forward to the conclusion.

[Lighthouse]

Did anyone watch A Touch of Cloth on Sky 1 tonight, I thought it was hilarious. If you're into your Airplane and Naked Gun style puns, one liners and subtle visual gags you will probably like it. I think Episode 2 is on tomorrow.

[SuperMikey]

Freight was excellent. I love the A-Team improvised crime stuff, but man, what a gut punch at the end. I've seen the following episode too. Breaking Bad is consistently providing excellent opening scenes at the moment. The opener that followed Freight was brilliant; so sensitive to what had just come before. But yep, excellent episode. Really looking forward to the conclusion.

The cold opening from Episode 1 of this season still hasn't been explained - where Walt is in a diner in Arizona (I think) on his 52nd birthday under a false name, with false documentation, hair grown back and a machine gun in the boot of his car. People seem to think it may be something to do with this new dealer from out of town who Mike & Jesse tried to sell their share of the Methylamine to. In two minds whether to stay up til 4 to watch the new episode tonight or to watch it tomorrow morning - either way i'll be writing up my thoughts on here after i've seen it (bet you can't wait, you lucky f*ckers).

[SuperMikey]

Did anyone watch A Touch of Cloth on Sky 1 tonight, I thought it was hilarious. If you're into your Airplane and Naked Gun style puns, one liners and subtle visual gags you will probably like it. I think Episode 2 is on tomorrow.

Anything that Charlie Brooker is involved in has my seal of approval.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I saw 'The Unauthorised Biography of Johnny Cash' on one of the Freeview channels last night. Now as a (strangely music free) TV production this pedestrian effort hardly set any new standards, yet because of its innately remarkable subject it somehow became a worthwhile piece of programming anyway. Surely one of the greatest musicians of our times Cash is a almost unfathomable enigma of man to even attempt to understand, and thus a irresistible subject for this kind of programming.

Good Johnny v Evil Cash was the (trite) way this programme had of putting it, but that merely skims the surface of this complex, troubled & gifted Human Being. Despite being a dedicated admirer of Johnny Cash for many years now, looking back at his loutish & immature behavior back in the late 60's (when his addition problems were at there worst) I can't help but admit that I would probably have found him a hard person to like in all honesty. But even in his darkest moments however - and Johnny had more than his fair share of them - there was still this loving & compassionate side to his nature that shines through & sets him apart from his much less interesting contemporary's. You should walk a mile in another mans shoes before judging him they say ....

Perhaps his brother put it best when he said that Johnny was both the "kindest and meanest person he ever knew". One thing I know for sure is that this world has become a poorer place because of his passing.

[SuperMikey]

Breaking Bad - Say My Name (S5E7)

The net closes in around Mike, Jesse and Walt's relationship becomes fractuous and a deal is struck with a rival for mutual gain.

I don't ever want this show to finish

[swannymere]

Breaking Bad - Say My Name (S5E7)

The net closes in around Mike, Jesse and Walt's relationship becomes fractuous and a deal is struck with a rival for mutual gain.

I don't ever want this show to finish

Can you lot shut up about what's happening in episodes not on TV here yet?

[SuperMikey]

Can you lot shut up about what's happening in episodes not on TV here yet?

Never!

[pap]

Can you lot shut up about what's happening in episodes not on TV here yet?

I've seen the episode. SuperMikey has spoiled very little.

Think most are actually quite sensitive to your needs.

Anyway, my non-specific take on this week's Breaking Bad, and the show in general. The showrunners have a reputation for providing killer openings. This one is arguably the best yet. Major payoff for the fans, and despite everything that our protagonist has done, couldn't help feeling mightily impressed. Very little of the domestic situation being shown at the moment. This could be the point of the show where it becomes "all crime, all the time".

Once again, the show is beautifully shot. I'm a real sucker for a wide-angle; there are a lot of them in this show and the New Mexico backdrop is a willing and glamourous accomplice.

Best thing on TV at the moment. Everything else feels like hamburger to its steak.

[pap]

A season finale to report on. I've just seen the end of True Blood. Really don't want to spoil anything but a superb end to a great season. The show has always been very good. Seems that they have really hit their stride this year. Really looking forward to next year now.

If you haven't seen it and are a bit apprehensive because of the vampires (they do seem to be everywhere), my advice is plough in regardless. It's a broad sexy supernatural canvas. They really do justice to everything they introduce, but I find the vampire stuff to be amongst the best. They're public knowledge (introduced in pilot, spoiler-avoiders), so the politics that surround that make for a completely different treatment to the super-secret creatures of the night.

Highly recommended if you are not yet on it.

[shurlock]

I've seen the episode. SuperMikey has spoiled very little.

Think most are actually quite sensitive to your needs.

Anyway, my non-specific take on this week's Breaking Bad, and the show in general. The showrunners have a reputation for providing killer openings. This one is arguably the best yet. Major payoff for the fans, and despite everything that our protagonist has done, couldn't help feeling mightily impressed. Very little of the domestic situation being shown at the moment. This could be the point of the show where it becomes "all crime, all the time".

Once again, the show is beautifully shot. I'm a real sucker for a wide-angle; there are a lot of them in this show and the New Mexico backdrop is a willing and glamourous accomplice.

Best thing on TV at the moment. Everything else feels like hamburger to its steak.

Agree, though the pacing of this season feels odd by BB standards. The show works so well because it starts slowly and deceptively -lots of unhurried, kitchen-sink scenes, spacious and dreamy camera shots, characters stuck in their own private grooves.

No doubt, this requires the viewer to defer gratification; but the hardwon pacing gives it a realism and credibility so that when various, potted storylines coalesce around episode 6 or 7, the wait is worth it. The viewer is enveloped by the unintended consequences of the characters' various overcalculations, ensuring the finale is an absolute corker, full of focus and intensity.

This season hasn't followed this arc. It has felt a bitty with lots of things dumped on you from above- hence the introduction and artifice of all the new characters.

My other gripe is that in previous seasons, Walt has usually been pitted against a worthy adversary -whether its Gus or Walt's own demons. This cat-and-mouse quality has been missing in the season so far. Mike turned out to be a streetwise but essentially unthreatening pragmatist, Hank has been underused and Jesse, having come of age in the last season, has gone back into his shell. Only Skyler has provided any source of challenge - obviously, things will change in the next half-season -and the pride before the fall logic makes some sense; but a bit more psychological chess would have been nice.

Don't get me wrong, BB the best drama on TV - just judging it by its own ridiculously high standards. Very interested to see what fate befalls Walt. Sopranos did it one way; keen to see how BB squares the hero/monster circle.

[Jonnyboy]

I'm behind the times, just finished series 4 of dexter.

Great show, didn't like ending though.

[pap]

I'm behind the times, just finished series 4 of dexter.

Great show, didn't like ending though.

Neither did I. Season 5 is interesting. I kinda sussed season 6 early on and it was ruined for me thereafter. Great ending though. Stick with it.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I'm much impressed - yet again - with the latest series of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' (BBC1 Wednesday). Last weeks unbearably sad story regarding the life of Greg Wallace's ill-fated Grandfather was genuinely compulsive viewing and this weeks tale of Patrick Stewart (perhaps my favorite actor) and his wife beating/war hero/shell shocked father was equally interesting. Just like life, the closer you look - the more you can see.

Just stop for a moment and think of the level of research that must go into producing a complex programme of this nature. It must take a big effort to find stars with a sufficiently interesting background to be worth pursuing, and then even more time to do the level of in depth background research this format requires. It should go without saying that we 'little people' may also have interesting family histories too, but I suppose basing each programme around a well known 'personality' does boost the audience numbers in todays celebrity obsessed culture.

Highly recommended.

[Nexstar]

Anyone watch Suits? Best thing on TV at the moment for me.

[swannymere]

Anyone watch Suits? Best thing on TV at the moment for me.

Is it a new series? It's ok, saved by the cast IMHO.

[Nexstar]

Is it a new series? It's ok, saved by the cast IMHO.

They've done 10 episodes of season 2, now having a 'mid-season break' until January.
I love it, think some of the characters are just brilliant.

[norwaysaint]

Dr Who was quite spectacularly bad, I thought.

[SuperMikey]

Breaking Bad [S5E8]

Just finished watching it and i'm speechless. This can't be happening. F*ck f*ck f*ck.

I'm going to bed.

[shurlock]

Breaking Bad [S5E8]

Just finished watching it and i'm speechless. This can't be happening. F*ck f*ck f*ck.

I'm going to bed.

'uckin hell. its going to go right off now. that was some turn up for the books if you pardon the pun.

[SuperMikey]

'uckin hell. its going to go right off now. that was some turn up for the books if you pardon the pun.

Takes you one way then throws you the other! Can't believe we've got to wait a year for more...

[Bexy]

I watch very little TV these days, but I made a point of watching The Revolution Will Be Televised on BBC3 tonight. I'm really glad I did because it's the funniest thing I have seen on TV for many years. Get it on iplayer if you missed it - well worth a watch.

[pap]

Finally watched the mini-finale of Breaking Bad. In scope, it's the best yet - and there have been some very good episodes.

[LVSaint]

Just finished Breaking Bad season 1, second series to commence tonight. I like this.

Also Wallander (season 2), pretty good tv but think I would prefer the original Swedish version.