So, what are we thinking about the latest series of Stranger Things? Two main things spring to mind for me:
- turns out some of the youngster actors from the earlier series unfortunately didn't turn out to be terribly good adult actors (I'm looking at you, the fellas playing Will and Lucas...)
- without wanting to give any spoilers, it was fairly unbelievable that 'spooky goings on' in a town that's been wracked by similar spooky goings on were chalked up as nothing to worry about, and just kids being kids, by characters who have been intimately involved in said goings on since they themselves were, you know, a younger kid.
....says Mike, who then thinks nothing of it, even though he's literally spent four series battling monsters
TL:DR - two and half episodes in and, well, meh. I'll watch till the end as I'm invested now, but it's three series too long.
I think it works as a portrayal of someone with serious psychiatric issues. The Beast in Me is about two quite crazy people at loggerheads.
Yeah, this - what did you really expect ?
urns out some of the youngster actors from the earlier series unfortunately didn't turn out to be terribly good adult actors (I'm looking at you, the fellas playing Will and Lucas...
None of the original quartet, with the exception of Gaten Matarazzo, were ever that good. And obviously none of them are good at looking like youngish teenagers. They should have gone full 'IT' and had a compulsory time jump.
On the subject of IT - Welcome to Derry is pretty good fun, with a ST season 1 vibe, and some nice references from the rest of the Stephen King 'universe'.
also watched Trespasses with Lola Petticrew, the same actress,
Seems like a fairly small cadre of NI actors, lots of Blue Lights actors in Say Nothing as well
Trespasses will be next on our list I think.
So, what are we thinking about the latest series of Stranger Things? Two main things spring to mind for me:
Loved the first series as it was fresh, unique and interesting with excellent soundtrack.
Second series was more of the same but I stuck it out and enjoyed it
Third series?….I watched it whilst browsing on iPad and Elle making that constipated face with arms outstretched whilst fighting monsters soon got boring. But I still finished it.
Fourth series?…..watched it but absolutely no recollection as to what happened, but I guess Elle killed a demigordan or two
Fifth series?, not watched any yet but I’ll wait till a shitty day in February then attempt a marathon session
So, what are we thinking about the latest series of Stranger Things?
I'm looking forward to season 2 of dorohedoro.
Kaiju number 8 on crunchyroll was an enjoyable watch.
2nd'd.
Also for those that like anime (some of these are available outside of Crunchyroll):
- Solo Levelling
- Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
- Demon Slayer
Haven't tried frieren yet.
Delicious in dungeon and apothecary diaries were good.
Delicious in dungeon
So good I've been buying a few of the books.
Sakamoto Days is worth a watch, latter episodes fail but the earlier ones are good.
Make sure not to let Netflix autoplay the next episode as there's often stuff after the titles.
So, what are we thinking about the latest series of Stranger Things?
It's not as bad as the one with the escape from the Russian prison. They should have trimmed the cast by killing some of the more annoying characters off. Murray would be a good one to start with. Steve was a great heel, he's boring as a face, they should have kept him a bit more ambiguous.
I've been watching Mr Mercedes on Netflix - it's very good IMO.
Probably mentioned already (?) but I finished MobLand on Paramount this week, and found it very enjoyable.
Incredible cast and some great performances, even if the core plot is a little cliched.
The latest series of Dark Winds on Sky is really rather good.
Any idea which part of Sky it's on? I've got Sky Atlantic but not the other wafer-thin slices of channels for which it charges various premiums.
Finally got round to watching The Tomorrow War on Prime. Decent enough fun, sci-fi action-ish type stuff that leaves you thinking and working out the way time travel works - even if the final 35 minutes is pretty unnecessary.
Solo Levelling
- Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
- Demon Slayer
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, is excellent.
One punch man deserves a look.
I really enjoyed Delicious in dungeon, so funny. Got me kinda hooked on animes that involve cooking, like Campfire Cooking in Another World
But my main recommendation is KonoSuba for pure daftness
Tonight's viewing for me will be the new Knives Out which was released on Netflix today. It's supposed to be very good.
Tonight's viewing for me will be the new Knives Out which was released on Netflix today. It's supposed to be very good.
Yes, a friend saw it at the cinema and said it's excellent.
Might save it for Xmas though.
We went to the posh cinema in Cheltenham to see it (even tho we have netflix) and it was my fav of the three. I think his accent has got even stranger tho!
I'm quite enjoying Invincible - adult superhero cartoon type thing.
The latest series of Dark Winds on Sky is really rather good.
Does it have subtitles? I found the last series REALLY hard to understand without. (On alibi ??)
I enjoyed the new Knives Out last night. It's a long film though, 2.5hrs! Thankfully, Netflix are obviously assuming an audience that is actually watching it rather than half-watching while playing on their phones because the dumbing down and blatant exposition to explain the plot for those only half paying attention was minimal. And there are some genuinely funny deadpan moments.
Fallout Season 2 is screening now on prime
Oh cool, saw that season 1 had shot up the viewers' charts in preparation.
Funny that the film about the Salt Path has also shot up the viewing chart since the documentary about it being all fake was aired on Sky. People must be like , wassat about den? Can't say I'm bothered meself.
Pluribus is a bit of fail for me.
I love the general slow-burn and landscape of NM but there's literally no drama or engagement despite everyone's best efforts. And whereas random characters worked well in BCS - they become grating in this.
It has its moments and will finish it, but it's not compelling.
I enjoyed the new Knives Out last night. It's a long film though, 2.5hrs!
We saw it at the weekend. It was good, but would have benefitted from some editing, it's 45 minutes too long
Home for Christmas (Hjem til Jul) a Norwegian Christmas mini-series on Netflix just watched series 3 which popped up after a few years gap. It sounds far worse than it actually is, it's less cliched than most Christmas things can be!
Sakamoto Days is worth a watch, latter episodes fail but the earlier ones are good.
Couple of episodes in now - very funny.
Also, Kotaro Lives Alone was a good slow burn.
I enjoyed the new Knives Out last night. It's a long film though, 2.5hrs!
We saw it at the weekend. It was good, but would have benefitted from some editing, it's 45 minutes too long
Agreed. Well. 20 minutes too long. A snip here and there. Still very good though.
Just finished the latest Dark Skies. Enjoyed it, but I read the books ages ago and I’m a sucker for anything set in the desert SW USA.
Just finished the latest Dark Skies
Mean Dark Winds? That was a brief cameo from Robert Redford in the prison I just saw wasn't it?!
Just finished the latest Dark Skies. Enjoyed it, but I read the books ages ago and I’m a sucker for anything set in the desert SW USA.
I'm totally with you on that last line.
Well, watched the Stranger Things finale last night, and I shall review it thusly:
For the love of god, would you please just get on with it.
Mean Dark Winds? That was a brief cameo from Robert Redford in the prison I just saw wasn't it?!
Sorry - I keep calling it Dark Skies for some reason. Yes, Robert Redford and also I think the other player was the scriptwriter (not the books' author)
I just finished The Lowdown with Ethan Hawke playing a "truthstorian" who stumbles onto a major conspiracy. Great cast, lots of quite weird characters, very entertaining.
I've just started on the new* Harlen Coben, Run Away.
So far it's exactly like every other Harlen Coben although this one doesn't have Richard Armitage in it. It does have James Nesbitt though, so some normality is restored.
* I realise that "new" doesn't describe it very well given that there seems to be a new one every month or so.
I've just started on the new* Harlen Coben, Run Away.
So far it's exactly like every other Harlen Coben although this one doesn't have Richard Armitage in it. It does have James Nesbitt though, so some normality is restored.
Is it any good then? 🤣
Is it any good then? 🤣
If you generally like HC stuff, you'll sit through this, it's enjoyable enough and within a couple of days, the plot and locations will have blended into the previous 5 or 6 adaptations and you won't remember a thing about it.
If you don't like HC stuff, it'll be the same absolute nonsense that he always churns out.
HTH. 😉
"We are making a film about Mark Fisher".
Is it any good then? 🤣
If you generally like HC stuff, you'll sit through this, it's enjoyable enough and within a couple of days, the plot and locations will have blended into the previous 5 or 6 adaptations and you won't remember a thing about it.
If you don't like HC stuff, it'll be the same absolute nonsense that he always churns out.
HTH. 😉
I watched about half an episode of one of those things once. It wasn't even enjoyably bad, it was just utter drivel. It felt like some sort of cultural self harm.
Netflix:
The Abandons. Good cast, reasonable series, similar story to one or two others
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
Watched 1 & 2 of the new Night Manager yday evening......
Not totally convinced.... Plot feels a little too easy, not quite convincing. Not quite sure but it's a bit off compared to the first series.
I watched about half an episode of one of those things once. It wasn't even enjoyably bad, it was just utter drivel. It felt like some sort of cultural self harm.
James Nesbitt phoning in another performance of being James Nesbitt? I think I’ll pass on that thanks, but fair play to him. He must be making an absolute killing from repeating the same part in the same ridiculous nonsensical story for however many he’s contractually obliged to do. Doesn’t HC churn out about 3 books a week, so he should be busy for a while.
I just finished The Lowdown with Ethan Hawke playing a "truthstorian" who stumbles onto a major conspiracy. Great cast, lots of quite weird characters, very entertaining.
We've watched one episode so far and not felt the need to go back. It was mildly entertaining, not particularly funny, and not really gripping. I've read nothing but 5* reviews for it; but then one was from The Guardian which reckoned Task was just too dark and miserable to be any good, so I guess that's a pointer...
James Nesbitt phoning in another performance of being James Nesbitt
Phoning it in?
Gave Penguin a go.
Way better than I expected it to be.
Glad to see my concerns with Run Away reflected above, are all the Harlan Coben books, programmes the same?
I think we tried to watch one with Dexter in it last year and gave up quickly, started on Run Away the other day and it's just ridiculous. All contrived, lots of daft plots, none of the characters believable?
I love crime fiction, but it has to be grounded in some sort of reality, surely?
more of a film than a Netflix thing but saw Sinners last night and the music was pretty awesome. And with an odd twist.
I love crime fiction, but it has to be grounded in some sort of reality, surely?
Either that or it has to be entertaining enough that you just suspend disbelief and accept the internal (il)logic warts and all, because that's the deal - see for example Slow Horses or Ted Lasso or any number of other excellent TV dramas. I guess the problem with the Harlan Coben stuff is that it doesn't have much to offer apart from the plot, so you notice it more.
Don't know if it's been mentioned but Pluribus on Apple+ is another superb series, my top pick of 2025. Rhea Seehorn is perfectly cast for the lead.
Also been watching some older series, 'The Leftovers' is another great watch, with S2 and S3 being a complete reboot from S1.
Currently on S3 of Mr Mercedes, another oldie, which is based on a Stephen King novel and stars the ever great Brendan Gleeson.
Quite enjoying Pluribus - easy watching and quite fun pointing out the obvious nonsense. Certainly watchable
we’re also enjoying welcome to Derry more than I expected to. Standard light weight Stephen king fayre and doesn’t attempt to be more than it is - perfectly enjoyable and easy
Is it any good then?
IMO everything Coben does is cliched garbage.
Also tried the Ethan Hawke thing and watched 2 episodes before binning it. Tied in the the Disney plus bug via Amazon firestick and also ending The Bear season 4, so sacked Disney+. The Bear remains the TV show to beat, but I love the music, the cast and cooking, not that it's all about cooking really!
The Bear remains the TV show to beat,
currently watching this due to it being recommended on the christmas thread. mainly because the jamie lee curtis/christmas dinner episode (s2 e6?) was described by a couple of posters as the best ever episode of tv or something.
just goes to show...... we're really enjoying the show, but that particular episode we found one of the worst tv episodes ever 😀 last 20 minutes were gripping, but the first 40 minutes was just constant shouting, 'fk you jagoff, no fk you jagoff, motherfker, no youre the motherfker' type nonsense, a real borefest. each to their own tho.
Good God, I've watched two, and they're both in the "best of the bunch" category.
I really enjoyed Black Rabbit (Netflix)
its similar to Ozark in that Jason Bateman and Laura Linney are all over it and the main characters are anti heroes/deeply flawed and dodgy. Plus they do the thing of illustrations at the start of each episode that give clues to whats going to happen.
Also, have to say - Jude Law is amazing . I'm predisposed to dislike him what with the primrose hill set etc. But he's a helluva actor
Plus , nice to see Manhattan (or is the restuarant on the other side of Brooklyn bridge?) actually feature in a mini series for once. Im sure there's been a backlash to actually basing stuff in New York
Standard light weight Stephen king fayre
Kids being massacred in the cinema in episode one. Classic light weight fayre 😆
I guess the problem with the Harlan Coben stuff is that it doesn't have much to offer apart from the plot, so you notice it more.
All he has is his "infamous" plot twist(s) and the only way to do that is via increasingly confusing flashbacks, omissions to the storyline that miraculously appear later and unexplained goings-on that are revealed 5 episodes later.
Much like Jack Reacher, the author has found a way of writing the same book in 47 different ways.
Good God, I've watched two, and they're both in the "best of the bunch" category.
I think i've watched at least 3 of those Harlen Coobens, but I can't remember which ones. Not sure i can be bovvered with the latest, despite being a Minnie Driver fan
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.
the first 40 minutes was just constant shouting, 'fk you jagoff, no fk you jagoff, motherfker, no youre the motherfker' type nonsense, a real borefest. each to their own tho.
I started watching The Bear as it was recommended but stopped as they all came across as a bunch of poor sweary arseholes, and I thought I don't want spend my evenings in their company. I felt the same way Succession except they were rich sweary arseholes, so the common factor wasn't their economic background.
Totally agree fooman. But then there’s The White Lotus - full of hateful people, but riveting and engaging due to brilliant casting, script and music (and locations!) Loving it second time around.
Just watched Der Tiger/The Tank which popped up on Prime - quite interesting, not the German version of Fury that I was perhaps expecting.
I started watching The Bear as it was recommended but stopped as they all came across as a bunch of poor sweary arseholes, and I thought I don't want spend my evenings in their company. I felt the same way Succession except they were rich sweary arseholes, so the common factor wasn't their economic background.
they're very good at being sweary arseholes though, that's the point.
I gave up on The Bear mid way though S3 Ep1 though. I think they should have wrapped it up in two seasons. I hear it improved in S4, maybe I'll try again.
I think Succession went on too long. It was good, but they could have done it all in two seasons (basically, just cut everything not related to Cousin Greg or Ron Rockstone.)
Just started in Blood Coast on Netflix, not too bad so far. Brent french police in Marseille, gang war, violence etc, did the first three episodes in one sitting so quite engaging.
I gave up on The Bear mid way though S3 Ep1 though
I re-watched that the other day. If I'm right it's the episode that Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor score. It's like a work of art, almost no dialogue, just atmosphere and well shot scenes. I love it, both my wife and I saw it the first time and really enjoyed it. I like when something different and dare I say it something beautiful is created. It's not your average episode of a TV drama.
I definitely heard bad things about S3 of The Bear, but I must be blind to the flaws and happy in my ignorance 😀
Just started in Blood Coast on Netflix, not too bad so far.
Agree, though the Marseille tourist office may not... Not to oversell It but it tonks along nicely and I like the Frenchness. Series two I think is slightly better as there's less of main cop and implausible Parisienne.
We also watched the Disappearance (Disparue) on Prime, on a Frenchie note. A lot less fun, but twisty turny tale of a missing teenager in Lyons. Either way we got to the end.
Just started in Blood Coast on Netflix, not too bad so far.
Agree, though the Marseille tourist office may not... Not to oversell It but it tonks along nicely and I like the Frenchness. Series two I think is slightly better as there's less of main cop and implausible Parisienne.
We also watched the Disappearance (Disparue) on Prime, on a Frenchie note. A lot less fun, but twisty turny tale of a missing teenager in Lyons. Either way we got to the end.
If you can ever find it I recommend the film La Balance, very good french detective movie (Also Mesrine: public enemy #1 and 36 Quai des Orfevres; I do like a french flic flick)
Watched 1 & 2 of the new Night Manager yday evening......
Not totally convinced.... Plot feels a little too easy, not quite convincing. Not quite sure but it's a bit off compared to the first series.
Indeed, obviously not based on anything by Le Carre.
Possibly slightly out of the ordinary but...
Can You Keep A Secret (BBC iPlayer)
Sitcom with Dawn French, it has a little bit of the Vicar of Dibley about it but it's about various mistakes and cock-ups along the line of her husband dying and being declared dead and then a mix-up at the funeral parlour and everything goes through officially - except he's not actually dead so they take the life insurance payout and just try and live normally. It's actually got some very funny moments, seems to be that genre of fluffy warm inoffensive TV that your Nan could watch.
Got good reviews in both the Guardian and the Telegraph, it's quite rare that those two agree!
Land of Sin - Scandi noir on Netflix. Quite original, portrayal of rural Sweden.
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.
The Runaways on Netflix with James Nesbitt, apart from one bit in episode two (that later became clear) is excellent.
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