TV series recommendations general (excluding Netflix/ Amazon)

[T & P]

i did a search for an existing thread on this but could not find it. Netflix and Amazon have their own threads but there' seems to be nowhere much to put recommendations of series shown elsewhere that do not necessarily merit having their own thread.

For those who get the Fox channel, I thoroughly recommend Brockmire. Starring the great Hank Azaria, it's an expletive-filled dark comedy, funny, easy to watch and undemanding. For some bizarre reason it premieres at 00:00 on Fridays, but it's only on ep. 3 and anyone with a catch-up feature on their TV platform should be able to watch them from the start.

 

[planetgeli]

Keeping Faith is available on IPlayer. It’s a crime/lawyer thing, which doesn’t usually grab me. But this does, or at least was different, because a) its all filmed in Carmarthenshire where I live and is therefore full of beautiful scenery and I can go “ooh, been there” and b) it’s largely done through the eyes of a woman (the lead is a woman and she’s in nearly every scene) and means that when there’s a shower or bed scene we don’t get gratuitous unnecessary shots of her tits.

Fun fact. Was originally shot for S4C in Welsh, then reshot in English. And the lead actor learned Welsh from scratch in order to do it.

 

[Grump]

Braquo. French cop show. Utterly brilliant.

 

[T & P]

Braquo. French cop show. Utterly brilliant.

What channel?

 

[Grump]

What channel?

I think it is on More4 . One episode has the best quote from a cop show ever, after the rogue police squad arrive back at HQ after machine gunning drug dealers in the middle of Paris the chief says to one of them, 'I want a report on my desk first thing in the morning'! The reply, after the cop has stubbed out his fag and starts to walk away is, 'I don't do paperwork'.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Hill Street Blues - see where modern tv drama was invented. The whole thing is on All4.

Hill Street Blues - All 4

 

[sojourner]

Lee and Dean on 4OD was really funny. It didn't look like our kind of thing at all, but it's well worth a watch.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Savage

Thoughtful but brutal New Zealand-set treatise on the cycle of violence, camouflaged as a genre flick but using tropes as shading rather than plot points. Jake Ryan is phenomenal as the sergeant-at-arms of a skeezy, lower division bikie-gang-without-bikes.

 

[Reno]

Netflix recommendations

watched the octupus is my teacher with my 9 year old, both loved it.

www.urban75.net

I'm 2 episodes into Station Eleven and I'm enjoying it a lot. I mentioned it on the Netflix thread but as its an HBO show, I'm taking it here. It's based on the acclaimed novel by Emily St. John Mandel, which was on my reading list but which I never got round to. The timing might be unfortunate for some, as it's a post apocalyptic narrative taking place during and two decades after a pandemic, which wiped out most of humanity. While it is at times sad, it doesn't feel depressing and there are no zombies. Lots of Shakespeare though, so far.

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[Aladdin]

Wrong thread

 

[The39thStep]

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Netflix recommendations

watched the octupus is my teacher with my 9 year old, both loved it.

www.urban75.net

I'm 2 episodes into Station Eleven and I'm enjoying it a lot. I mentioned it on the Netflix thread but as its an HBO show, I'm taking it here. It's based on the acclaimed novel by Emily St. John Mandel, which was on my reading list but which I never got round to. The timing might be unfortunate for some, as it's a post apocalyptic narrative taking place during and two decades after a pandemic, which wiped out most of humanity. While it is at times sad, it doesn't feel depressing and there are no zombies. Lots of Shakespeare though, so far.

​

I polished this off in a couple of sittings. illegal stream mode but there's no thread for 123movies...

I enjoyed it immensely, and the different strands of the storyline are very rich and well done, and I'm sure there's plenty of clever stuff wrt Shakespeare that went over my head. The coincidences do rather stack up, mind you.

Spoiler: Some minor gripes

It ties everything up a little too neatly for my tastes. Could see where it was going with most of the plot lines. Also, what happened to all the mine-wielding kids? One was persuaded to call it off and suddenly there was no threat. Many ends tied up a bit too neatly with the odd one fraying somewhat.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

That's a superb series. I've watched it twice. Can't recommend enough.

 

[Reno]

I polished this off in a couple of sittings. illegal stream mode but there's no thread for 123movies...

I enjoyed it immensely, and the different strands of the storyline are very rich and well done, and I'm sure there's plenty of clever stuff wrt Shakespeare that went over my head. The coincidences do rather stack up, mind you.

Spoiler: Some minor gripes

It ties everything up a little too neatly for my tastes. Could see where it was going with most of the plot lines. Also, what happened to all the mine-wielding kids? One was persuaded to call it off and suddenly there was no threat. Many ends tied up a bit too neatly with the odd one fraying somewhat.

I made a thread for this though:

Station Eleven (post apocalyptic tv show, based on the acclaimed novel)

I finished this last night and it's so good, it deserves its own thread, Station Eleven may already be my contender for best tv drama of the year. The acclaimed novel by Emily St. John Mandel has been on my reading list but I never got round to it, so I don't know how it compares. Station Eleven...

www.urban75.net

 

[Anju]

I've been enjoying Peacemaker, a kind of the suicide squad spin off series. A bit of everything, comedy, drama, violence (cartoony gore) and the odd touching moment.

Peacemaker (TV Series 2022– ) ⭐ 8.3 | Action, Adventure, Comedy

40m | 15

www.imdb.com

 

[The39thStep]

I’ve said this before but if you can find it Godfather of Harlem is a great period piece from the 60s . Also the HBO film No Sudden Move

 

[T & P]

Brand new S2 of the excellent yet little talked about The Righteous Gemstones has just landed on Sky/ NowTV.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Brand new S2 of the excellent yet little talked about The Righteous Gemstones has just landed on Sky/ NowTV.

Really excited about this. I hope it lives up to S1.

 

[T & P]

Really excited about this. I hope it lives up to S1.

I don’t know how far you’ve got, but I’m enjoying it as much as S1.

Danny McBride is a very talented writer and producer. I reckon his always being cast as the arsehole of the group when acting with his Franco/ Rogen gang has given him a lower profile than he deserves.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I don’t know how far you’ve got, but I’m enjoying it as much as S1.

Danny McBride is a very talented writer and producer. I reckon his always being cast as the arsehole of the group when acting with his Franco/ Rogen gang has given him a lower profile than he deserves.

I haven't started yet as I'm waiting for the OH to be available to watch with me. There's a limit to how long I will wait....

I don't know much about Damny McBridge but I do know this show is absolutely one of the best things I've ever watched and very few people seem to know abut it. I don't think S1 was very widely available in the UK though was it? I watched it on a flight.

 

[Epona]

I haven't started yet as I'm waiting for the OH to be available to watch with me. There's a limit to how long I will wait....

I don't know much about Damny McBridge but I do know this show is absolutely one of the best things I've ever watched and very few people seem to know abut it. I don't think S1 was very widely available in the UK though was it? I watched it on a flight.

Honestly my advice is just get on and watch things yourself, I have put aside a few things to watch with OH because he expressed an interest and we never have enough time together to actually watch them, and often if I put something on to watch he ends up asleep on the sofa within minutes because he is tired from work.

Depending upon schedules and viewing tastes, if you wait for someone else to watch something with you, you might have forgotten it existed before that magical moment actually happens. Films work well for watching together even if you are on different schedules. Series, not so much.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Honestly my advice is just get on and watch things yourself, I have put aside a few things to watch with OH because he expressed an interest and we never have enough time together to actually watch them, and often if I put something on to watch he ends up asleep on the sofa within minutes because he is tired from work.

Depending upon schedules and viewing tastes, if you wait for someone else to watch something with you, you might have forgotten it existed before that magical moment actually happens. Films work well for watching together even if you are on different schedules. Series, not so much.

Yeah I think you're right. I've watched 2 or 3 of several things with him and then we never watch any more and I abandon them. He doesn't really engage with TV drama like I do.

I'll try tonight but if it's a no, then I'll crack on with it myself.

I am also a little wary of starting as I loved the first one so much I don't want to be disappointed.

On the other hand, I can't wait to see what Judy Gemstone us up to

 

[T & P]

Finished S2 of The Righteous Gemstones. As good if not better than S1. Deserves more public awareness, really.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Finished S2 of The Righteous Gemstones. As good if not better than S1. Deserves more public awareness, really.

I've still not started this!!!

 

[Epona]

The whole of S1 of Hannibal is currently on My5 - until the 21st March I think, if anyone fancies binging it.

 

[T & P]

Those who enjoyed the Tiger King story might be interested to know there’s a new drama series called Joe vs. Carole about their exploits. It’s on Peacock, which seems to be included in my NowTV package. No idea if it’s any good though.

 

[Epona]

Those who enjoyed the Tiger King story might be interested to know there’s a new drama series called Joe vs. Carole about their exploits. It’s on Peacock, which seems to be included in my NowTV package. No idea if it’s any good though.

I feel like for me this thing has been stretched about as far as I have an appetite for

 

[BristolEcho]

Watched the first 3 series of Britannia over the last few weeks. Set during the Roman invasions of Britain. Absolutely ridiculous, but really enjoyable. I usually hate things with magic etc even though I like fantasy, but this was good. Liked the way they used modern music too.

 

[T & P]

I don’t know how long it’s been on, but I’ve just noticed S4 of A.P. Bio is available on Sky/ Now TV.

I actually thought the first season was pretty good once it found its stride, though it has been a case of diminishing returns with S2, and especially S3. At the end of the day, the main lead works best when at his least likeable as a human being. Anyway, will report on S4 after I’ve watched the first few episodes.