What's currently good on the BBC iPlayer?

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Just watched and enjoyed the heart breaking film 'Nowhere Special' about a lone male parent and his very young son.
There is not much to give away, but if I explain the premice it perhaps ruins the inital slow drip discovery of the full situation for the audience.
Recommended.

 

[Voley]

I've just watched all of the new Rebus series.

Based on the Ian Rankin books. A smashing together of a few storylines from a few novels along with a few downright changes to some stuff (his relationship with his boss; his brother; Malcolm Fox from different novels being there at what is effectively the start of the Rebus novels timeline; lots of other stuff too)

I liked it. I like the books and I like the Ken Stott series from a few years back. It has been set in 'now' (more or less) rather than 'then' (80's onward) so it appeals to a new audience. I'm undecided on whether Richard Rankin (no relation) is the 'right' Rebus, but he's a good Rebus.

Anyone else seen it yet? Ep1 was on BBC Scotland last night and BBC 1 England tonight. All of it is on iPlayer now for your viewing pleasure.

View attachment 424970

Currently in bed with Covid and this has been a fine distraction. Binged first 3 episodes and liked the plot and characters. I've only read one Ian Rankin book but it seems to have captured the atmosphere well. The violence is unexpected and all the more shocking for it. The scene

Spoiler: Spoiler

where he smacks his brother in the face

literally made me go "Fucking hell!" out loud.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Also 'The Duke' with Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.
Enjoyable jaunt.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

The scene

Spoiler: Spoiler

where he smacks his brother in the face

literally made me go "Fucking hell!" out loud.

Sorry to hear about the Covid

But yeah, that scene

 

[skyscraper101]

Linford. A brilliant 90 min doc covering the life of Linford Christie, featuring the man himself, and his kids, ex-partner, and other athletes.

Linford review – the scenes about the racist fetishisation of his genitals are heartbreaking

He may have been one of Britain’s most successful ever athletes, but Christie’s triumphs opened him up to abuse from the press, the police – and sexual harassment

www.theguardian.com

Linford

100m Olympic champion Linford Christie is one of Britain’s most successful athletes. Now, he is confronting his complicated legacy, in a story about race, respect and reputation.

www.bbc.co.uk

I particularly loved this as he was one of my sporting idols when I was a kid. I was a 100m sprinter and wanted to be him. I absorbed everything he did. Some of the stories of what he had to endure, from racial harassment from the met, to tabloid fascination with his genitalia, and the accusations of drug taking are quite heartbreaking. A true hero for overcoming in every sense.

 

[Spymaster]

Linford. A brilliant 90 min doc covering the life of Linford Christie, featuring the man himself, and his kids, ex-partner, and other athletes.

Linford review – the scenes about the racist fetishisation of his genitals are heartbreaking

He may have been one of Britain’s most successful ever athletes, but Christie’s triumphs opened him up to abuse from the press, the police – and sexual harassment

www.theguardian.com

Linford

100m Olympic champion Linford Christie is one of Britain’s most successful athletes. Now, he is confronting his complicated legacy, in a story about race, respect and reputation.

www.bbc.co.uk

I particularly loved this as he was one of my sporting idols when I was a kid. I was a 100m sprinter and wanted to be him. I absorbed everything he did. Some of the stories of what he had to endure, from racial harassment from the met, to tabloid fascination with his genitalia, and the accusations of drug taking are quite heartbreaking. A true hero for overcoming in every sense.

Top watch

 

[T & P]

The US version of Ghosts is on there now.
The original is far superior IMHO but I'm quite enjoying the US one.

We’ve decided to start Ghosts US and it might turn shit later for all I know, but nearly halfway through S1 I am actually finding it not just as good but possibly better than the UK original. Against all my expectations.

 

[T & P]

Also, the actor playing the Viking looks so much like Lionel Messi, it is almost freaky

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

We’ve decided to start Ghosts US and it might turn shit later for all I know, but nearly halfway through S1 I am actually finding it not just as good but possibly better than the UK original. Against all my expectations.

Really? My daughter and I didn't manage to finish the first episode.

 

[T & P]

Really? My daughter and I didn't manage to finish the first episode.

It gets better and finds its feet soon after, for me at least. If nothing else, the dialogue is undoubtedly sharper and funnier than the UK version, with a markedly less U-rate feel of the latter.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Humm, the U rating was probably a good selling point when it first started (and my daughter was younger).

 

[Chz]

Second series of Interview with the Vampire has landed. Rather enjoyed the first one, and I thought the changes from the novel were mostly for the good of it.

 

[Epona]

Second series of Interview with the Vampire has landed. Rather enjoyed the first one, and I thought the changes from the novel were mostly for the good of it.

Agreed, I was dubious at first about the change of era, and took me a while to warm up to the actor playing Lestat, but I grew to love it (and the music is just superb).
Have been eagerly awaiting season 2 to reach iPlayer.
There will be a season 3, at which point the story will loosely cover The Vampire Lestat novel.
AMC bought the rights to 18 Anne Rice novels including The Vampire Chronicles and The Mayfair Witches (one season of which is also available on iPlayer, I do not like that quite so much, I think Rowan isn't quite right and it was a weird move IMO to conflate Michael and Aaron into Ciprien - they should have just had Chirisa play the Michael character and had I think an older person play a separate Aaron character, it would have worked better IMO).

 

[Epona]

Different actor playing Claudia!!
It must be especially hard on young actors when they are in roles that don't age

 

[oryx]

I’m enjoying End of Summer, new Swedish drama. (Made in 2023, released 2024 here).

5-year-old Billy disappears in rural south Sweden in 1984, the police investigation is inconclusive, shattering the family. 20 years later, Billy's sister Vera, meets a hauntingly familiar young man, which forces her to unravel the truth.

Have been watching this and it's really good.

 

[nagapie]

Linford. A brilliant 90 min doc covering the life of Linford Christie, featuring the man himself, and his kids, ex-partner, and other athletes.

Linford review – the scenes about the racist fetishisation of his genitals are heartbreaking

He may have been one of Britain’s most successful ever athletes, but Christie’s triumphs opened him up to abuse from the press, the police – and sexual harassment

www.theguardian.com

Linford

100m Olympic champion Linford Christie is one of Britain’s most successful athletes. Now, he is confronting his complicated legacy, in a story about race, respect and reputation.

www.bbc.co.uk

I particularly loved this as he was one of my sporting idols when I was a kid. I was a 100m sprinter and wanted to be him. I absorbed everything he did. Some of the stories of what he had to endure, from racial harassment from the met, to tabloid fascination with his genitalia, and the accusations of drug taking are quite heartbreaking. A true hero for overcoming in every sense.

Just finished this, excellent documentary. What a guy. So brave going on mainstream television and calling out the racism he was experiencing for what it was.
Loved the end with him reading Maya Angelou's Still I Rise.

 

[nagapie]

This deserves its own thread. Fucking hell this is something else. Having said that nothing surprises me anymore. We often slag off the BBC but this is really good journalism by them for a change.

BBC Three - Body on the Beach: What Happened to Annie?

Hazel Martin investigates the death of a woman on a Scottish beach.

www.bbc.co.uk

It's good investigation but didn't find it very compelling as a documentary. Good, but not brilliant.

 

[savoloysam]

It's good investigation but didn't find it very compelling as a documentary. Good, but not brilliant.

I noticed they hinted a very strong possibility that it was an accidental CIA hit in a case of mistaken identity but didn't push that theory too far although there was more than enough evidence to suggest something seriously doesn't add up here What were your thoughts?

 

[Elpenor]

Linford. A brilliant 90 min doc covering the life of Linford Christie, featuring the man himself, and his kids, ex-partner, and other athletes.

Linford review – the scenes about the racist fetishisation of his genitals are heartbreaking

He may have been one of Britain’s most successful ever athletes, but Christie’s triumphs opened him up to abuse from the press, the police – and sexual harassment

www.theguardian.com

Linford

100m Olympic champion Linford Christie is one of Britain’s most successful athletes. Now, he is confronting his complicated legacy, in a story about race, respect and reputation.

www.bbc.co.uk

I particularly loved this as he was one of my sporting idols when I was a kid. I was a 100m sprinter and wanted to be him. I absorbed everything he did. Some of the stories of what he had to endure, from racial harassment from the met, to tabloid fascination with his genitalia, and the accusations of drug taking are quite heartbreaking. A true hero for overcoming in every sense.

Does it cover the racist shit Coe said about him?

 

[skyscraper101]

Does it cover the racist shit Coe said about him?

I don’t think so? I’m not sure what that was tbh.

 

[nagapie]

I noticed they hinted a very strong possibility that it was an accidental CIA hit in a case of mistaken identity but didn't push that theory too far although there was more than enough evidence to suggest something seriously doesn't add up here What were your thoughts?

I didn't have any other than it seems like something was fucked up and then covered up.
I don't remember the CIA being a part of anything but it didn't always have my full focus.

 

[Elpenor]

I don’t think so? I’m not sure what that was tbh.

There was an athletics meeting - perhaps the European cup - when Linford was captaining the British team and gave a brief speech to the athletes. Captain being a position given to a senior athlete in these points based competitions, as someone needs to receive the trophy if you win

Coe said the following:

Coe said of Christie: "I sat in one team meeting when he made himself deliberately unintelligible to all but those who had a passing knowledge of jive.

BBC SPORT | ATHLETICS | Christie fury at Coe's 'racial' jibe

Typical Tory dog whistle stuff

 

[Silas Loom]

 

[skyscraper101]

There was an athletics meeting - perhaps the European cup - when Linford was captaining the British team and gave a brief speech to the athletes. Captain being a position given to a senior athlete in these points based competitions, as someone needs to receive the trophy if you win

Coe said the following:

BBC SPORT | ATHLETICS | Christie fury at Coe's 'racial' jibe

Typical Tory dog whistle stuff

Was t aware of that. What a knobber.

I was always saddened that Christie had no part in the 2012 opening ceremony. He should be one of our most celebrated athletes but he’s been treated terribly. FWIW I totally believe his side of the story on the Nandralone positive test too.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

One of my favourite films is Manhunter.

The original Hannibal Lector film.

Expires tonight! Get it watched.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Just watched it

Spotted a new (to me) continuity error, and a couple of swears that have been overdubbed

 

[Chz]

Re-watched Cube (1997)

Now I'm not going to claim it's Casablanca, but I do think that stood on its own it's a little slice of perfection. I hear someone remade it recently and cannot imagine that there's any chance of improvement.

 

[belboid]

May (2002)

A horror that just came up on prime. I am normally dubious af about their recommendations, but everything else on that row was actually very good (and I'd seen everything else on that row) so I gave it a go. And, what an excellent move. A young woman suffers from extreme loneliness and isolation and tries to make friends with various folk, but not particularly wisely. Starts slowly but builds into a nicely semi-comic shocker that concludes perfectly. Highly recommended.

The Train (1964)

Frankenheimer & Burt Lancaster in an anti-heist movie. Thats cos it's the Nazis trying to remove the finest works of recent French art just before Paris fell. Another excellent, taut and detailedly textured film on both the nature and purpose of art as well as the bravery of the resistance. Hard to imagine a modern British version, not so much because of the lack of invading armies, but I just can't imagine there being a massive movement to stop the last works of Damien Hirst or Tracey Emin from being lost to the nation.

 

[Epona]

May (2002)

A horror that just came up on prime. I am normally dubious af about their recommendations, but everything else on that row was actually very good (and I'd seen everything else on that row) so I gave it a go. And, what an excellent move. A young woman suffers from extreme loneliness and isolation and tries to make friends with various folk, but not particularly wisely. Starts slowly but builds into a nicely semi-comic shocker that concludes perfectly. Highly recommended.

That sounds up my street, but is it on iPlayer, or Amazon Prime?

 

[Epona]

Second series of Interview with the Vampire has landed. Rather enjoyed the first one, and I thought the changes from the novel were mostly for the good of it.

I have now watched season 2 and IMO it was not as good as season 1 - it all seems quite too modern in setting, found some parts a little dull and some others a bit confusing.
I mean it was still good, but while the changes worked well for S1, I felt it didn't play out so well in S2.

Still highly recommend it mind you, but don't expect it to be anything like the novels at this point.