Any decent TV series?

[melonfool]

I missed that The Detectorists was all being shown on NYE! I went to bed at 11pm, would have stayed up to watch that.

Anyway:

"Last Christmas I bought the box set of "Frasier" and have eked it out over the year, but now coming to the end. Would love a recommendation for another gentle comedy series which can be bought as a set or streamed from Prime."

Ch4 box sets - The IT Crowd, possibly a bit nerdy but I love it.
I've also recently consumed all of The Green Wing which is ace, a bit silly though.
Father Ted is also on there.
Blackadder boxset?
Fawlty Towers?

I have had a recent yearning for Yes, Minister, so am going to buy the set of that I think.

Other gentle comedy - Peter Kay Car Share, this was better than I expected actually.

I can always watch Big Bang Theory, which is lucky as it's always on!

Other 'decent TV series' - Inside Number 9 - I *love* these. It's hard to describe what they are. Black humour I guess. Think this is the 4th series and I've not seen all of them. I bought the second series from the BBC store online, not seen all of the first, saw most of the third and 2016 Christmas special (not remotely Christmassy). They are not connected in any way, except that they all feature the number 9 somewhere/how. They draw in some excellent actors as well (there is a core 'cast' and then guests for the main roles). Some are quite gruesome though. Others less so, just psychologically affecting.

And Fleabag is back soon, the first series in on BBC boxsets. Not for the faint hearted, it's not violent, but it is risque, no holds barred re sex and relationships, but it's fab. Not for people who don't like the 'voice to camera' thing though, it doesn't bother me but someone I know can't watch it at all because of that. You need to watch the whole first series, it's not really a dip in and out thing as it has flashbacks that you need to see in order for it to make sense in the end.

Mel

[Itsallaguess]

After Mel mentioning a few recent comedy series, I'm not sure if anyone has already brought 'Catastrophe' into this thread?

Probably one of the best comedies on in recent years, I think. The female lead was also in 'Pulling' which we also enjoyed. I think she got some awards for that one, but it's an older series now -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catastrop ... _TV_series)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulling_(TV_series)

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[melonfool]

Another of my favourites!

Mel

[UncleIan]

If you like Westerns, and you have Netflix...Godless. Seems alright so far, plenty of horses cowboys and sharp shootin'. Basic premise is a mining town where all the able menfolk get killed in a mine accident, so the women have to carry on running the town. Oh, there are some menfolk, it's not quite orange is the new black but western. There's also possies (I said pOssies), train robberies, people spittin' on the ground, drinkin' whisky etc etc.

As an aside, it's got Lady Mary in from Downton, but she ain't no lady in this, wears trousers and everything.

[redsturgeon]

If you like Westerns, and you have Netflix...Godless. Seems alright so far, plenty of horses cowboys and sharp shootin'. Basic premise is a mining town where all the able menfolk get killed in a mine accident, so the women have to carry on running the town. Oh, there are some menfolk, it's not quite orange is the new black but western. There's also possies (I said pOssies), train robberies, people spittin' on the ground, drinkin' whisky etc etc.

As an aside, it's got Lady Mary in from Downton, but she ain't no lady in this, wears trousers and everything.

+1 for Godless, I loved it!

John

[poundcoin]

Line of Duty is superb but not witty.

Blimey.... have been binge watching the series one of Line Of Duty on BBCIplayer ....its gripping , edge of the seat stuff !
Must have missed it first time round but well worth watching on a bad winters day !

[Mike88]

Line of Duty is superb but not witty.

Blimey.... have been binge watching the series one of Line Of Duty on BBCIplayer ....its gripping , edge of the seat stuff !
Must have missed it first time round but well worth watching on a bad winters day !

With 3 series to go I envy you. If you think series 1 was gripping wait until you see those that follow.

[nimnarb]

Only just got round to this..managed to see the first two series and 2 episodes of Series 3. Downloaded the lot and BBC took them down........

Not bad at all. Will have to wait until it comes back again perhaps...

[melonfool]

Only just got round to this..managed to see the first two series and 2 episodes of Series 3. Downloaded the lot and BBC took them down........

Not bad at all. Will have to wait until it comes back again perhaps...

Some were on YouTube though many have been removed, but worth checking.

Mel

[nimnarb]

Thx Mel..will do.

[Howard]

Very amusing report in the Telegraph today.

As it is behind paywall, the summary is:

Two detectorists find amazing stache of gold Roman coins in field. They mentally estimate that it is worth £250,000 and dream of new cars and paying off mortgage.

They show hoard to more experienced enthusiast who informs them that the coins are imitations. Enthusiast's wife works in Estate Office on local farm and recalls that the field is the one used by the film crew who made "The Detectorists" series. The production company apologises and confirms they may have left surplus coins in field.

You couldn't make it up!

link is:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01 ... old-think/

regards

Howard

[Howard]

Very amusing report in the Telegraph today.

As it is behind paywall, the summary is:

Two detectorists find amazing stache of gold Roman coins in field. They mentally estimate that it is worth £250,000 and dream of new cars and paying off mortgage.

They show hoard to more experienced enthusiast who informs them that the coins are imitations. Enthusiast's wife works in Estate Office on local farm and recalls that the field is the one used by the film crew who made "The Detectorists" series. The production company apologises and confirms they may have left surplus coins in field.

You couldn't make it up!

link is:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01 ... old-think/

regards

Howard

[swill453]

Very amusing report in the Telegraph today.

As it is behind paywall, the summary is:

Two detectorists find amazing stache of gold Roman coins in field. They mentally estimate that it is worth £250,000 and dream of new cars and paying off mortgage.

On the Beeb http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-42887063

Scott.

[Aprilfool62]

I'm not sure if its been mentioned further up the thread, but i am enjoying a series called 'Hard Sun'. Its on the BBC on Saturday evenings but you can get it on catch up. Hard Sun is the name given by MI5 to some sort of impending doom that will hit the planet in about 5 years time, and the story is about the moral responsibility to let the public know. There are other stories about the 2 main characters and their personal/work lives. I found it a bit different.

April

[swill453]

I'm not sure if its been mentioned further up the thread, but i am enjoying a series called 'Hard Sun'. Its on the BBC on Saturday evenings but you can get it on catch up.

It's all available to watch on iPlayer just now, even episodes not yet broadcast.

Scott.

[SalvorHardin]

One thing I've successfully tried in the last few months, whilst laid up with several bad colds, is to rewatch some old American series - shows I haven't seen for many years. Whilst the general quality of TV in the 70s, 80s and 90s doesn't match today's TV, there are some classics which do stand the test of time and are available on DVD (and lend themselves to binge watching).

Even with a good memory things fade over time and I've found that in many cases it's almost like watching a new series - but one where you already know the characters. A case in point is the police show "Hill Street Blues". It's been some thirty years since I saw the last episode but on starting watching I recalled all of the major characters, their strengths and quirks, whilst the specifics of many episodes were vague or non-existant.

For those who've never seen or heard of Hill Street Blues, probably because you're too young, it's the forerunner of much of today's TV; establishing "story arcs" over multiple series whilst having episodes where things weren't nicely resolved up before the credits rolled (unlike every other cop & detective show of that era)..

Anyway, the others that worked well that I've rewatched and can highly recommend are: The Sopranos, Babylon 5, China Beach, Northern Exposure, plus Our Friends in the North and Lovejoy (the two British shows on my list), finishing with the more modern Deadwood where I've just finished the first series.

That said a lot of older series really show their age, particularly the vast majority of 70s and 80s American cop shows.

[UncleIan]

For those of you with Amazon Prime, I think I've found a gem, only two episodes in but...

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

Set in 50s New York, Jewish housewife has everything, two kids, lovely apartment, loving family. She's helping her husband with his fledgling stand-up comedy, when it all starts to unravel, turns out he's a schmuck, and she's the one with all the great stand-up material inside her...

So far, I'm really enjoying it. It looks lovely, high production, like you think 50s New York should look, it's proper funny too, not just the stand-up parts either, and all very sharply written. I hope it carries on this good.

[Itsallaguess]

I can't be the only person who wishes they'd make more Lark Rise to Candleford's, can I?

It caught me completely off-guard just how much I loved watching that.....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[melonfool]

I can't be the only person who wishes they'd make more Lark Rise to Candleford's, can I?

It caught me completely off-guard just how much I loved watching that.....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

I loved it, but haven't they made all the books now? When they try to carry on when the original books have finished, it never goes well!

Mel

[Itsallaguess]

I can't be the only person who wishes they'd make more Lark Rise to Candleford's, can I?

It caught me completely off-guard just how much I loved watching that.....

I loved it, but haven't they made all the books now?

When they try to carry on when the original books have finished, it never goes well!

I think you're right Mel, and agree that they shouldn't do any more if there's no proper material to base it on.

But that still doesn't stop me missing it!

Cheers,

Itsallaguess