TV series recommendations general (excluding Netflix/ Amazon)

[Idris2002]

We also started the Cormoran Strike series, the one based on J.K. Rowling's "adult" books.

Mrs Idris was keen to start it, I was sceptical. She was disappointed, I thought it was better than I expected.

But my expectations were not high.

The one interesting thing I would say about this one is that it depicts a seedy side of modern Britain - cheap caffs, dodgy hostels, run-down office space - that you don't see on the TV much anymore. What it really reminded me of was Shoestring, the early 80s show about the DJ who solved crimes - or was the gimmick that he wasn't a DJ but an actual private eye employed by the radio station (in Bristol, wasn't it) which sent him tramping down mean streets a lot.

Well, mean streets are tramped down in CS as well, by an Afghanistan veteran who gave his leg for Queen and Country, before returning to the usual "homes fit for heroes" welcome (every get the feeling you've been cheated).

The plot is almost incidental, I feel.

You could do worse, but I'm not sure I'd bother.

 

[savoloysam]

I want to watch succession but my internet is down so I'm going to have to invest in the DVD or Blu. It's on the to do list but I have other priorities at the minute

 

[belboid]

What it really reminded me of was Shoestring, the early 80s show about the DJ who solved crimes - or was the gimmick that he wasn't a DJ but an actual private eye employed by the radio station (in Bristol, wasn't it) which sent him tramping down mean streets a lot.

I watched a little bit of Shoestring just the other day, for convoluted reasons that included the fact I should actually have been watching Bergerac, which was itself based on 'the most popular elements of Shoestring.' Excellent show. He was indeed on the radio as an actual PI

Inspired by a sketch of herself made by Shoestring, Radio West's receptionist Sonia proposes that he is hired as the station's "private ear" to present a weekly broadcast entitled 'The Private Ear of Eddie Shoestring', in which members of the public are offered his services in order to investigate cases affecting them, such as disappearances or the unsolved deaths of loved ones

Just your standard local radio fare.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

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

This is on again if you have Sky.
I'm up to ep4 and it's an absolute blast so far. Love it.

 

[Idris2002]

I watched a little bit of Shoestring just the other day, for convoluted reasons that included the fact I should actually have been watching Bergerac, which was itself based on 'the most popular elements of Shoestring.' Excellent show. He was indeed on the radio as an actual PI

Inspired by a sketch of herself made by Shoestring, Radio West's receptionist Sonia proposes that he is hired as the station's "private ear" to present a weekly broadcast entitled 'The Private Ear of Eddie Shoestring', in which members of the public are offered his services in order to investigate cases affecting them, such as disappearances or the unsolved deaths of loved ones

Just your standard local radio fare.

The Shoestring ep I remember involved him investigating a dodgy firm making Scalextric type things that electrocuted people.

 

[The39thStep]

We also started the Cormoran Strike series, the one based on J.K. Rowling's "adult" books.

Mrs Idris was keen to start it, I was sceptical. She was disappointed, I thought it was better than I expected.

But my expectations were not high.

The one interesting thing I would say about this one is that it depicts a seedy side of modern Britain - cheap caffs, dodgy hostels, run-down office space - that you don't see on the TV much anymore. What it really reminded me of was Shoestring, the early 80s show about the DJ who solved crimes - or was the gimmick that he wasn't a DJ but an actual private eye employed by the radio station (in Bristol, wasn't it) which sent him tramping down mean streets a lot.

Well, mean streets are tramped down in CS as well, by an Afghanistan veteran who gave his leg for Queen and Country, before returning to the usual "homes fit for heroes" welcome (every get the feeling you've been cheated).

The plot is almost incidental, I feel.

You could do worse, but I'm not sure I'd bother.

Liked Shoestring but as I haven’t seen it for donkeys years that might be nostalgia . Strike was ok I thought but nothing stood out .

 

[donkyboy]

Silo looks pretty interesting.

​

 

[Spymaster]

"Malpractice" on ITVX.

Medical thriller by the folk who made Line of Duty.

Very fast-paced and excellent.

 

[kabbes]

"Malpractice" on ITVX.

Medical thriller by the folk who made Line of Duty.

Very fast-paced and excellent.

I’ve finished it. It was utter bobbins, just like Line of Duty. The plot made no sense, characters did things that made no sense, it was all just nonsense done for the sake of drama with no semblance of whether real people would actually do those things. And the last episode was a colossal failure to bring any of it together.

I’d say avoid, to be honest.

 

[Spymaster]

I’ve finished it. It was utter bobbins, just like Line of Duty. The plot made no sense, characters did things that made no sense, it was all just nonsense done for the sake of drama with no semblance of whether real people would actually do those things. And the last episode was a colossal failure to bring any of it together.

I’d say avoid, to be honest.

Don't listen to this man!

(Although we haven't finished it yet)

 

[kabbes]

Don't listen to this man!

(Although we haven't finished it yet)

It’s like eating sweets. It feels quite fun at first but ultimately it’s unsatisfying and you just feel disappointed in yourself for doing it so much.

When you’ve finished it, I’ll be interested to know if you think the story actually worked in retrospect.

Also, not one single character was redeemable. They were all awful and that meant I didn’t actually care what happened to any of them.

 

[Orang Utan]

Silo looks pretty interesting.

​

Book is great if a massive rip off of the Fallout series of video games

 

[DaveCinzano]

It’s like eating sweets. It feels quite fun at first but ultimately it’s unsatisfying and you just feel disappointed in yourself for doing it so much.

When you’ve finished it, I’ll be interested to know if you think the story actually worked in retrospect.

Also, not one single character was redeemable. They were all awful and that meant I didn’t actually care what happened to any of them.

I fucking love sweets

 

[kabbes]

I fucking love sweets

I still wouldn’t recommend them as a meal

 

[DaveCinzano]

Ark at Dr Szell!

 

[Nine Bob Note]

I've been watching a lot of the C5 sitcom retrospectives that they've made in recent years. Never liked the Good Life but it made an interesting clip-filled documentary. Didn't realise Paul Eddington, Mister Hacker - the Minister - was a 'leftie' who producers were worried would cause a scene when Dead Brenda showed up for a recording.

 

[marty21]

Lawless Island (TV Series 2015– ) ⭐ 8.2 | Reality-TV

| TV-14

m.imdb.com

We have binge watched this over the last couple of weeks , Lawless Island. We are now obsessed with Alaska

Ist 5 seasons are on Disney +

 

[mojo pixy]

I watched this this week and I thought it was excellent. Better than the more recent australian version (which is pretty good and streamable through ITVX)

De Twaalf

 

[donkyboy]

Silo looks pretty interesting.

​

Liked the first episode. But I know that they are putting poison gas in the protective suits. Pretty obvious.

 

[Sweet FA]

Liked the first episode. But I know that they are putting poison gas in the protective suits. Pretty obvious.

Thanks for that

 

[mojo pixy]

I've just finished and really enjoyed a German series Faking Hitler, dark comedy based on the hitler diaries fiasco of the early 80s. Beautifully made, a nice mirroring subplot with a character whose father is ex-SS. Available through the World category on channel 4.

 

[T & P]

Poker Face. A slick new crime comedy mystery series by RianJohnson starring Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) as a woman with an uncanny ability to know when someone is lying, which she starts to use to solve crimes.

Very enjoyable first episode. Recommended
Available on Sky/ NowTV

 

[Brainaddict]

Poker Face. A slick new crime comedy mystery series by RianJohnson starring Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) as a woman with an uncanny ability to know when someone is lying, which she starts to use to solve crimes.

Very enjoyable first episode. Recommended
Available on Sky/ NowTV

I'm enjoying this. NL is always great. But I also like the settings in marginal america, where people live in trailers or at shitty crossroad towns and so on. It makes a nice change to show those parts of the country. The structure of the murder mysteries is very Columbo, though without NL always knowing who did it immediately.

 

[T & P]

I'm enjoying this. NL is always great. But I also like the settings in marginal america, where people live in trailers or at shitty crossroad towns and so on. It makes a nice change to show those parts of the country. The structure of the murder mysteries is very Columbo, though without NL always knowing who did it immediately.

It is unshamedly a Columbo homage, in more ways than one . But yes, apart from the trait you refer to; she can be deliciously naive regarding the identity of the murderer a lot of the time.

 

[T & P]

HBO comedy-drama crime series Barry seems to have flown under most people’s radar (perhaps because it’s a shit title), but it’s a really good show of the genre. Created and starring Bill Harder as the titular character, it tells the tale of a war vet-turned-hitman who becomes disillusioned and guilty about his life choices, and decides to quit and become an actor on impulse. His past will predictably start to catch up with him soon enough.

Just finished the fourth and final season. Only eight episodes per season and fairly short ones at that, so extremely bingable, and critically acclaimed. On Sky & NowTV.

Barry | Rotten Tomatoes

Disillusioned at the thought of taking down another "mark," depressed, low-level hit man Barry Berkman seeks a way out. When the Midwesterner reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to execute a hit on an actor who is bedding a mobster's wife, little does Barry know that the City of Angels may be his...

www.rottentomatoes.com

 

[T & P]

The new season of the brilliant The Righteous Gemstones has started on Sky/ NowTV

 

[T & P]

New comedy series The Change by Bridget Christie is very watchable so far (1 1/2 episodes in)

The Change review – Bridget Christie’s super-cool menopause comedy is like nothing else on TV

She decides to take back 3.5 million minutes of domestic drudgery, jump on a motorcycle and set off on a voyage of self discovery. Hot flushes have never looked hotter!

www.theguardian.com

 

[donkyboy]

From has been an excellent show. And Silo. Two of my fav shows at the moment

 

[T & P]

We ended up watching the entire season of The Change in one sitting. Very enjoyable comedy.

 

[dogboy_hackney]

Anyone seen Boots Rileys' "I'm A Virgo" on Amazon? It feels like a sister piece to "Sorry To Bother You!". Absurdist anti-Capitalist SF (despite being on Amazon)