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Any film recommendations on Netflix/iPlayer/Channel4?
Don't mind if it's cerebral (Train Dreams was just excellent) or dumb-but-decent Mark Wahlberg-type fair, as long as it's a good watch.
Whatever you do, do not watch “Havoc” with Tom Hardy as it is green screened a.i. generated backgrounds and fill ins, utterly utterly banal bang bang bang, blood, brains with a storyline that falls apart within the first few mins - it could well be the worst film of 2026
Working my way through 'The Last Kingdom' - basically the highlights of the Saxons vs the Danes through the eyes of a hybrid Saxon/Dane warrior. Good OTT fun, bit violent, King Alfred is a total arse etc.
So, what are we thinking about the latest series of Stranger Things? Two main things spring to mind for me:
Finally finished this off in the last week. They'd already milked the concept to death by series 3, so just a lazy, all-guns blazing ending to conclude it. And then a LOTR style endlessly drawn out farewells for all the bazillion characters.
Finally finished this off in the last week. They'd already milked the concept to death by series 3, so just a lazy, all-guns blazing ending to conclude it. And then a LOTR style endlessly drawn out farewells for all the bazillion characters.
Sums it up perfectly.
[url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002hzc3/waiting-for-the-out ]Waiting for the Out[/url]
Sums it up perfectly
Not to mention
Nancy and Hopper offing dozens of soldiers with zero repercussions, not to mention Nancy instantly morphing into John Rambo the first time she touched a gun
Death by Lightning. Good cast, decent series based on the real-life rise of US President James Garfield.
Matthew Macfadyen plays a conman declining into madness very well
I thought it was ok, cast was solid but it's based closely on real events so mostly just people talking, zero surprise about how things panned out in the end.
Whatever you do, do not watch “Havoc” with Tom Hardy
I do not understand why people like Tom Hardy, he always seems like he's trying to compete with Nicolas Cage for the award for most acting in a drama, but at least Cage actually nails it about half the time so it's a coin toss whether it'll be good or bad. With Hardy, it always seems to be bad.
Series 2 of Landman has been absolutely superb from start to finish! It’s all been top notch stuff but the final episode is one of the best hours of telly I’ve ever watched.
I just watched it for a second time just to just check I hadn’t missed anything
There’s a lot of other writers could learn a thing or two about how to wrap up a series in such a satisfying way, tying up all the various subplot's, with all the different characters, perfectly. Outstanding stuff.
Series 2 of Landman has been absolutely superb from start to finish!
It is very entertaining, but it's batshit crazy. One review I read asked if they sacked the entire writers' room every episode - there are so many seemingly huge subplots that start but then just vanish without any resolution.
His and Hers in Netflix is quite fun, a cut above Harlan Coben, but only just.
Working my way through 'The Last Kingdom' - basically the highlights of the Saxons vs the Danes through the eyes of a hybrid Saxon/Dane warrior. Good OTT fun, bit violent, King Alfred is a total arse etc.
So, what are we thinking about the latest series of Stranger Things? Two main things spring to mind for me:
Finally finished this off in the last week. They'd already milked the concept to death by series 3, so just a lazy, all-guns blazing ending to conclude it. And then a LOTR style endlessly drawn out farewells for all the bazillion characters.
In what way is he a total arse? (I didn’t watch it, I’m reasonably familiar with the period, and it annoys me when writers and producers start acting fast and loose with real history.)
Alfred had a hunting lodge at the top of town, (Chippenham), the Vikings took the town at one point, and Alfred fought the Vikings at a decisive battle at Eddington, about ten miles away.
Here’s some actual historical information about that whole period of time, including the fact Alfred was in pain through most of his life.
A couple of things I’ve watched recently, are The Rip, police drama set in Miami, Patience, a police drama series set in York, and Last Samurai Standing, set at the beginning of the Meiji period, Japan undergoing a major change in its history and culture, and very violent and bloody.
All rather enjoyable.
Watched Seven Dials at the weekend, which was entertaining Christie-lite. Then Bodkin turned up on our 'your next watch' thing. We're five episodes in already. It's a proper black comedy, about an American true crime podcaster trying to make an episode about a 25 year old disappearance in Ireland.
Watched the first episode of the new season of Hijack on Apple TV. Quite good so looking forward to the second episode tonight.
Patience is spending more and more time devoted to the cuteness of the main character. Which is ok, in its way. I finally twigged where I’ve seen the detective before - Cheryl in Royle Family. Ok, I’m slow.
Then Bodkin turned up on our 'your next watch' thing. We're five episodes in already. It's a proper black comedy, about an American true crime podcaster trying to make an episode about a 25 year old disappearance in Ireland.
We tried it and found it... a bit dull, I guess. None of the characters are massively likeable and bob all seemed to happen, which made it a challenge. Didn't finish it.
Quite enjoying The Residence on Netflix though. It seems pretty bog standard US murder mystery, but is actually quite fun, smartly written. It's like Only Murders in the Building, but I'd argue better
Yeah, I enjoyed The Residence.
Watched the first episode of the new season of Hijack on Apple TV. Quite good so looking forward to the second episode tonight.
Patience is spending more and more time devoted to the cuteness of the main character. Which is ok, in its way. I finally twigged where I’ve seen the detective before - Cheryl in Royle Family. Ok, I’m slow.
I don't know if youve gathered this from the trailers or the promotional stuff but Patience.................... is autistic
another addition to the 'autistic savant police procedural' genre. Chaotic personal life - awkward encounters - visionary police skillz - results. Its a match made in TV heaven
I don't know if youve gathered this from the trailers or the promotional stuff but Patience.................... is autistic
Yes of course I did. Your point being? I also gathered that the actor is herself autistic, which may be an advantage or maybe not. I like this incarnation better than the “original” Astrid.
I enjoyed Bodkin, wouldn't say its fantastic, but quirky and entertaining enough
Now we thought "Down century road" as another Mick Heron (slow horse books & TV series is excellent) would be good. It is so not, what I load of rubbish
Dif’rent strokes :-). We thought the opposite! Down Cemetery Road wasn’t up to Slow Horses but it was quite entertaining whereas Bodkin was (IMO) absolute rubbish.
🤣 indeed different strokes, "one man's trash is another man's treasure"
Lollipop a BBC film that is of the rare, less pretentious genre of BBC collaborations. On i-player https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002pvjy/lollipop
It gives insight into the situation that newly-released-from-prison unsupported people find themselves in, especially where children are involved
Found Down cemetery road entertaining enough, but Slow Horses is much better. Just watched the latest series and really enjoyed it as always.
Watched Waiting for the out recently as well. Thought that was really good, quite understated, in that nothing overly dramatic, or high tension or bombastic happens, but still an engaging watch
Finished Godless on Monday - loved it. Started to watch Dark Winds, I've done a couple of episodes but I think I've given up as it just seems to be A.N.Other detective drama, albeit it with a Native American twist.
Late to the game, but I've started on Better Call Saul.
Waiting For The Out is superb, we have one more to watch.
Who's watching Alex Honnold skyscraper - live free climbing Taipei 101?
I bet the risk assessment for that's a good one.
Think it's tonight/tmw morn 1am?
Please don't die on my birthday.
Actually sat 1am.
Did series 2 of blood coast yesterday and have now moved onto Ganglands on Netflix. Similar, shooty, shooty, guns and gak but this time with Belgians so probably chips and mayo at some point. So far ok to pass the time with.
It's been post-poned hasn't it?
I've lost track of when it's meant to be on.
(Lol he's done it.) Was never going to stay up anyway.
The Rip, police drama set in Miam
I thought it was entertaining. Dumb story but good cast
Yeah, pretty fun watch. I was distracted by Affleck’s dyed/false beard and the cgi dog, but otherwise it was worth watching.
Apologies, just checked, Wilbur was played by Wilbur the dog, so real! Beard was dyed though 😉
We are 2 episodes in of His & Hers. Pretty good so far.
Watched the Netflix Agatha Christie over the weekend - The Seven Dials. It's fine, fairly inoffensive, but not one of the best, and its post-Squid Game, post-Marvel feel is a bit off.
(Lol he's done it.) Was never going to stay up anyway.
Did anyone watch live? I watched knowing the outcome and I was still sweating!
Not sure i can be bovvered with the latest, despite being a Minnie Driver fan
It's not a spoiler to say that she spends the majority of this series in a coma. She's criminally underused, most of her stuff is in flashbacks.
So we have watched a few episodes of RunAway, and i am pretty sure that Minnie Driver is properly method, her acting way better than anyone else. I think the writers room must have been in a coma when they were putting the script together. It is by some way the worst of the Harlen Cobblers we have watched. How they have spun this out to 8 episodes I may never know as not sure i care enough to find out
(Lol he's done it.) Was never going to stay up anyway.
Did anyone watch live? I watched knowing the outcome and I was still sweating!
No I'm never up late.
Actually i thought it was a good watch.
He made it look fairly 'easy'. Save for an absolute disaster - I think he knew he was a shoe-in here.
His wife was remarkably calm.
Enjoyed the production though. Great how he kept talking to the pundits.
Watching Skyscraper now - could do with less of the inane running commentary, particularly the WWE guy comparing his experience of climbing a ladder in a wrestling ring FFS!
Watching Skyscraper now - could do with less of the inane running commentary, particularly the WWE guy comparing his experience of climbing a ladder in a wrestling ring FFS!
Yes he was a bit over the top.
I'm guessing it's pretty hard to keep the chat going so they need some motor mouths.
Mr Mercedes has been pretty good!
Mr Mercedes has been pretty good
Series one was good, S2 much less so and I gave up after three episodes.
Waiting For The Out is superb, we have one more to watch.
Now finished, best thing on telly for a looooong time.
Started Hostage on Netflix, managed about five minutes (I had a suspicion it would be stupid and it lived down to my expectations), so swapped to Blood Coast. Enjoyed it, to be honest it's probably just as stupid as Hostage but at least it sounds cooler in French.
+1 waiting for the out
I couldn't get into it at all.
We watched The Rip last week, you have to hang in there until about 3/4s of the way through and it comes together..
But perhaps you were paying too much attention to what was going on? 😉
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/19/matt-damon-netflix-plot-explained-phones
Just started watching Steal on Amazon Prime - financial heist thriller with Sophie Turner aka Sansa Stark in the lead role. Early days, but the first episode was quite gripping and we’ll be watching more.