What's currently good on the BBC iPlayer?

[metalguru]

A 2-parter on Howard Marks aka Mr Nice was an alright watch.

Yes, I quite enjoyed it.

It's not very accurate in some places.

And there's also a bit where this veteran smuggler Roger Reaves says something like 'Meeting Howard Marks was the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life' - but he's actually spent a total of 33 years in prison in a long career starting long before he met Howard Marks, including spells in the US, Germany and Australia penal systems, and previously worked for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel. So I have my doubts...

 

[Oriole]

Irish crime drama Crá set in Donegal is really good. I was feeling a bit under the weather today and ended up binge watching all six episodes. It's in Irish with English subtitles which made it even more enjoyable.

Just started watching and had a "where have I seen him in before ?" moment and it took me a couple of minutes to place Connor from Young offenders.

 

[PR1Berske]

Irish crime drama Crá set in Donegal is really good. I was feeling a bit under the weather today and ended up binge watching all six episodes. It's in Irish with English subtitles which made it even more enjoyable.

I liked the first episode though I'm not sure if I can suspend my disbelief for the second. Mobile phone signals surely can't be that good in the remote bogland of rural Ireland

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I’ve enjoyed watching The Listeners. It’s an intriguing story and one I’ve not seen before. It’s about a group of people who can hear a low frequency hum that others cannot hear.

To be fair, I’d watch Rebecca Hall open a packet of peanuts but that’s just me

 

[metalguru]

I enjoyed the Loaded documentary - Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem. It’s amazing how far away in time certain areas of 90s culture feel now.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I enjoyed the Loaded documentary - Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem. It’s amazing how far away in time certain areas of 90s culture feel now.

Watched that yesterday - very good bit of nostalgia.

 

[DotCommunist]

Wolf Hall the mirror and the light is v.good, forgot how much I enjoy this. There are shots that look like paintings. Might rewatch the OG srs after.

 

[oryx]

Wolf Hall the mirror and the light is v.good, forgot how much I enjoy this. There are shots that look like paintings. Might rewatch the OG srs after.

It's fantastic. Have been thinking exactly the same in terms of the painting analogy/watching the first one again.

Also keep meaning to read the book.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Manhunter is back on there. 27 days left to watch. Based on the first Hannibal Lecter novel, Red Dragon, this is the first cinematic outing for Dr Lecter. I only say this because I feel this film doesn't get enough love

BBC Two - Manhunter

An FBI criminal profiler is called out of retirement to assist on a serial murder case.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[shifting gears]

Manhunter is back on there. 27 days left to watch. Based on the first Hinnibal Lecter novel, Red Dragon, this is the first cinematic outing for Dr Lecter. I only say this because I feel this film doesn't get enough love

BBC Two - Manhunter

An FBI criminal profiler is called out of retirement to assist on a serial murder case.

www.bbc.co.uk

Nothin but love for Michael Mann

 

[May Kasahara]

It's a great film.

 

[Sue]

Manhunter is back on there. 27 days left to watch. Based on the first Hannibal Lecter novel, Red Dragon, this is the first cinematic outing for Dr Lecter. I only say this because I feel this film doesn't get enough love

BBC Two - Manhunter

An FBI criminal profiler is called out of retirement to assist on a serial murder case.

www.bbc.co.uk

And Brian Cox is terrifying, despite his short screentime.

 

[Epona]

Manhunter is back on there. 27 days left to watch. Based on the first Hannibal Lecter novel, Red Dragon, this is the first cinematic outing for Dr Lecter. I only say this because I feel this film doesn't get enough love

BBC Two - Manhunter

An FBI criminal profiler is called out of retirement to assist on a serial murder case.

www.bbc.co.uk

Oh fantastic, I was looking for this the other week because I wanted to watch it.

It's far superior to the other adaptation IMO.

 

[Kaka Tim]

The Renaiscense Dramatised Documentory is rather good - the plethora of talking heads get a bit tiresome - but the actual story of michealangelo and co and the politics and struggle and pschyodrama of the time is an extrodinary tale. ie. He and Da Vinci were arch rivlas and they both get commisioned by the florentinie republic to do frescos on opposite walls of the same hall - working at the same time. This kicks off an intense, genius level art-fight as they try to outdo each other -that alone would make a great film - buts its just one detail in the overall narrative. Really helps you understand the art - and appreciate just how amazing it was/is.

 

[KatyF]

I've just watched all of Smoggie Queens which I thought was great. Lots of funny little bits in that are so true of the North East and made me a little homesick.

 

[Hollis]

Loaded documentary was excellent. The whole Lads mag thing largely passed me by at the time.. but an interesting watch.

 

[PR1Berske]

I've just watched all of Smoggie Queens which I thought was great. Lots of funny little bits in that are so true of the North East and made me a little homesick.

I've watched the first two, it's very funny.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Next Tuesday - December 17th 2024 @ 10pm
Been waiting for this after reading about it a few weeks ago.

BBC Scotland - Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland's Girl Bands

The story of the Scottish girl bands who challenged a male-dominated industry.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[kalidarkone]

Watched this last night and reccomend it.
Triangle of Sadness (crap name) dark dark humour.

 

[rubbershoes]

Watched this last night and reccomend it.
Triangle of Sadness (crap name) dark dark humour.

It's not scared of throwing the viewers a curveball

 

[May Kasahara]

I'm halfway through Triangle of Sadness, it's hilarious.

 

[sojourner]

I'm halfway through Triangle of Sadness, it's hilarious.

Its on my list - might start it tonight actually.

 

[Cerv]

Next Tuesday - December 17th 2024 @ 10pm
Been waiting for this after reading about it a few weeks ago.

BBC Scotland - Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland's Girl Bands

The story of the Scottish girl bands who challenged a male-dominated industry.

www.bbc.co.uk

that was an interesting watch.

thanks for the heads up.
had heard Easton doing promotion for this a while back but totally missed it was going to be on TV now.

 

[T & P]

I'm halfway through Triangle of Sadness, it's hilarious.

Not over dinner, I hope

 

[Bus Honeygun]

Next Tuesday - December 17th 2024 @ 10pm
Been waiting for this after reading about it a few weeks ago.

BBC Scotland - Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland's Girl Bands

The story of the Scottish girl bands who challenged a male-dominated industry.

www.bbc.co.uk

I'd also been looking forward to this mainly as a fan of Lungleg. Was great to see them tell their story on the telly and enjoyed the rest too (still to watch the last 20 mins or so).

I did find a couple of things jarring. I didn't know who Carla Easton was (I probably should, but that's not the point), and unless I missed it at no point did she actually say. She just mentioned the bands she'd been in and that she was now a solo artist.

I also thought the elephant in the room and missing link were the Shop Assistants, who (again, unless I missed it) didn't even get mentioned. I assume that was because the only surviving member of the band who's happy to talk about them also happened to be the only male, so it wouldn't have fitted the brief, but still. The Fizzbombs too could have been included.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Watched this last night and reccomend it.
Triangle of Sadness (crap name) dark dark humour.

I really enjoyed this film.

Next Tuesday - December 17th 2024 @ 10pm
Been waiting for this after reading about it a few weeks ago.

BBC Scotland - Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland's Girl Bands

The story of the Scottish girl bands who challenged a male-dominated industry.

www.bbc.co.uk

I'm looking forward to this. I 'feel' like I might have heard it all before, but let's see. It does say 'untold'.

Plus the Simple Minds film doc is up now too.
Whatever you think of the band it is an decent documentary.

 

[moody]

Watched this last night and reccomend it.
Triangle of Sadness (crap name) dark dark humour.

came here to mention this too.

trippy as fuck!

 

[Cerv]

I also thought the elephant in the room and missing link were the Shop Assistants, who (again, unless I missed it) didn't even get mentioned. I assume that was because the only surviving member of the band who's happy to talk about them also happened to be the only male, so it wouldn't have fitted the brief, but still. The Fizzbombs too could have been included.

self-imposed limitation of doc's remit I think. it was specifically Scottish bands with all-female line ups. not Scottish women in music more generally, or bands with front-women.
so Shop Assistants are out for having a man in. Lulu is out as a strictly solo artist.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

self-imposed limitation of doc's remit I think. it was specifically Scottish bands with all-female line ups. not Scottish women in music more generally, or bands with front-women.
so Shop Assistants are out for having a man in. Lulu is out as a strictly solo artist.

I am only half way through, but this limitation does make it often quite odd and a bit clunky. For instance Strawberry Switchblade may have played their first gig as a girl band, but were quite quickly swapped out for blokes.
The 'narrative' doesn't link anything together in time or scene, it's just a collection of stories, which would be fair enough, but it's quite jarring when the commentary attempts to patch it all together in one continuous flow. The narrators overlong, convoluted and repetitive links (supposedly her own thoughts, but sound suspiciously like a desperate edit producer) makes It feel like it keeps covering the same ground every ten minutes or so. From a TV production point of view, It's a bit 'messy' and all over the place, but the actual segments look and sound good, very polished. Not sure about the extra connecting footage shot of kids dancing around their bedrooms.

Looking forward to Melody Dog. Haven't got to that bit yet.

 

[Cerv]

a fair criticism. I do wonder if the project would have worked better as a short series with a focussed one episode per band.

but not a fatal flaw. still an interesting doc to watch.