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.
I have to ask. Sophie Turner has been quite... annoying in the few things I've seen her in. How is she in Steal?
How is she in Steal?
Wouldn't say she has been annoying, though I didn't think she was before 🙂 Time will tell !
Wouldn't say she has been annoying, though I didn't think she was before
Time will tell !
Finished Steal and mostly enjoyed it until the last episode. Sophie Turner *is* a bit annoying and I can see how it would grate if it’s something you pick up on 🙂
Watched the first 2 episodes of Under Salt Marsh, latest Welsh noir on Sky. I haven’t been to Wales that much and now I’m scared to go as the place seems to be full of weirdos and murderers. So far a lot of Kelly Reilly wandering around in designer knitwear, which is fine by me. The big star is the location which is spectacular. I’d like to visit, if not for the aforementioned risk of being murdered.
So having started Ganglands I gave up after three episodes, found I just cba’ed with the plot line of ridiculous drug dealers in ridiculous gun fights. Moved onto The crystal cuckoo on netflix which at least appears to have a bit more of a plot so far.
Watched the first 2 episodes of Under Salt Marsh, latest Welsh noir on Sky. I haven’t been to Wales that much and now I’m scared to go as the place seems to be full of weirdos and murderers. So far a lot of Kelly Reilly wandering around in designer knitwear, which is fine by me. The big star is the location which is spectacular. I’d like to visit, if not for the aforementioned risk of being murdered.
I'm enjoying - it's the very definition of slow-burn. Good to see Kelly Reilly out of her Montanian setting.
I think it does seem another green/grey production etc. I liked the scene in the car and the chippy.
I think the UK really only has one look on camera and this is pretty much it.
I can only take so much 'cops with dark problems though.'
Still, slow burn green-grey is okay with me.
I can only take so much 'cops with dark problems though.'
The whole tormented antihero thing has been done to death. It was something new when The Sopranos came out but now it's just lazy. I rewatched Fargo (the original movie) a couple of months back. It was great having a cop who was just a normal decent person as the main character.
I can only take so much 'cops with dark problems though.'
"So did you crack the case with telecoms analysis and DNA?"
"No I walked around being a moody **** and that seemed to do it"
"So did you crack the case with telecoms analysis and DNA?"
"No I walked around being a moody **** and that seemed to do it"
Police work mostly seems to be a case of sticking stuff on a noticeboard (optionally transparent) and staring at it a lot.
Police work mostly seems to be a case of sticking stuff on a noticeboard (optionally transparent) and staring at it a lot.
Nah, it's mostly just a matter of looking at your coworkers and figuring out which one is the serial murderer/sex pervert.
Mr Mercedes has been pretty good
Series one was good, S2 much less so and I gave up after three episodes.
Yeah we enjoyed S1, it was a little slow with some actual character development, tho Hodges was a bit trying with his alternate drunk grump and then sane face. It could probs have got through in fewer episodes, but actually enjoyed the pace in the end.
Have watched S1E1 and not sure that it's pulled us in yet.
All the old Bond stuff has just turned up on my Netflix. Rewatched Goldeneye at the weekend and it remains naff but excellent. A View to a Kill remains naff. We'll attempt the Dalton stuff over the next few weeks...
All the old Bond stuff has just turned up on my Netflix. Rewatched Goldeneye at the weekend and it remains naff but excellent. A View to a Kill remains naff. We'll attempt the Dalton stuff over the next few weeks...
Goldfinger in cringingly bad now and also considerably more hole than plot although it's marginally rescued by the DB5.
The older Bond films become watchable from The Living Daylights, Dalton is still a great Bond and the V8 Volante is at least as cool as the DB5.
Soft spot for A View to a Kill as it was the first time I went to the cinema without an adult. Duran Duran nailed the theme too.
Not sure if it's been mentioned before, but Shrinking is back for a third series on AppleTV. Didn't think I'd like it but it's very watchable - if a bit (very) American.
Watched Sinners and 28 yrs later on Now the other night.
28 years - I have no idea what to make of it, just utter disjointed garbage, almost like they used the remnants of the cutting room floor to cobble that crap together.
Sinners - Equally crap, in fact possibly worse.
I though i'd misread the synopsis, and it was instead Spike Lee does 'From Dusk Till Dawn'/'Crossroads'/Boardwalk Empire mash up.
16 Oscar nominations 🤔
The Steve Rosenberg year in the life from Russia is fascinating.
re the chat above, if you want decent police procedural, where the lead policeman isn't fighting their demons and a functional alcoholic, then Black Forest Murders on bbc iplayer was good (watched it ages ago though). Just methodical police work (FTW)
re the chat above, if you want decent police procedural, where the lead policeman isn't fighting their demons and a functional alcoholic, then Black Forest Murders on bbc iplayer was good (watched it ages ago though). Just methodical police work (FTW)
Duly noted!
I though i'd misread the synopsis, and it was instead Spike Lee does 'From Dusk Till Dawn'/'Crossroads'/Boardwalk Empire mash up.
16 Oscar nominations 🤔
Ha ha spot on. With a bit of Django Unchained.
I can only take so much 'cops with dark problems though.'
The whole tormented antihero thing has been done to death. It was something new when The Sopranos came out but now it's just lazy. I rewatched Fargo (the original movie) a couple of months back. It was great having a cop who was just a normal decent person as the main character.
Two astonishingly good shows.
Sopranos lays the template for me and has the best ending of a show of all time.
I was quite late to Fargo - but season 5 is so imaginative and multi-layered.
Fabulous.
After giving up on Night Manager S02 after two episodes, I thought I'd give E03 a go now the whole lot's available - and watched the lot. Confused plotting that felt like a Bond franchise show at times, but they pulled it off and I'd watch S03 based on that ending.
'Steal' on Amazon prime.
Entertaining and suspenseful this far. Well acted too.
Not long enough to bore your socks off either.
Sopranos lays the template for me and has the best ending of a show of all time.
The problem with Sopranos is that it then ruins the rest of television for you, cos nothing (well, very, very little) is as good
Really enjoyed The Lowdown on Disney+
Currently 2/3rds of the way through Wonder Man, which seems to be a rare occasion where Marvel have made a TV series with a coherent plot and compelling characters! Unless it goes massively off the rails in the last couple of eps, I'd def recommend.
Sopranos lays the template for me and has the best ending of a show of all time.
The problem with Sopranos is that it then ruins the rest of television for you, cos nothing (well, very, very little) is as good
Very true but the landscape is big enough for more classic stuff.
Also I doubt there would have been the Sopranos without Goodfellas.
Sopranos lays the template for me and has the best ending of a show of all time.
Definitely laid the template for a lot of TV that came afterwards. You can see the threads of it in Oz, and obviously The Wire is the better TV show, but the Sopranos was the massive breakthrough that defined appointment to view TV.
It's aged better in some parts than others; S3 with Ralf is a bit tougher watching now, but it gets away with it I reckon.
The Shield is for me the third great TV series after the wire and sopranos - there's some definite shakespearean story arcs in there
The second series of Red Eye (ITVX) is pretty good.
First one was a bit like an ITV (slightly lower budget!) version of a Harlen Coben to the extent it even had Richard Armitage in it. Second series is more murder mystery thriller (and actually RA does appear in a cameo reprising his original role from Series 1).
6 episodes, it's worth a watch. I'm sure I'll forget half of it once it's all finished but it's enjoyable when it's on!
Anyone watching Industry?
The latest series is just bonkers. Pretty much every episode so far has been followed by MrsIHN and I giving each other a look of "WTF just happened?"
I miss the days when it was just incomprehensible financial deals and shagging in the bogs
Anyone watching Industry?
The latest series is just bonkers. Pretty much every episode so far has been followed by MrsIHN and I giving each other a look of "WTF just happened?"
I miss the days when it was just incomprehensible financial deals and shagging in the bogs
^ agree, not the easiest to follow, especially as too often they mimic Mark Rylance 🙄
Still a good soundtrack!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002q765/small-prophets
Every bit as good as you'd hope it to be.
OK not quite as good as Detectorists, but what ever will be?
We are 2 episodes in of His & Hers. Pretty good so far.
just finished this. just about enjoyable, although the morgue/phone ID scene p1ssed me off for being so unbelievably daft but then i had to question whether it was trying to be dark humour or not. i dont think it was, but.....
currently waiting for the second half of bridgerton (thanks mrs punk), and just started After the Flood, bit early to make my mind up on it so far.
just about enjoyable, although the morgue/phone ID scene p1ssed me off for being so unbelievably daft
TBH I’m hard pressed to think of a scene that was not unbelievably daft, not least the ending.
Started Servant on AppleTV. Pretty good so far. M Night Shyamalam directed, so you kind of know what to expect (people really live in such dark houses?!) Good cast too. Not sure how it'll sustain the number of series that are up there.
We're also doing Mosquito Coast, the series, not the film. My other half likes it, but Justin Theroux is just one of those over-actory actors that gets on my nerves a bit. Melissa George just about balances it out 🙂
I just finished the latest C4 'Walter Presents' Danish noir - "The Pushover". It feels a bit different from most of the others in the genre - a bit darker, if that's possible, with bleak scenes and a lot of silence. I like that sort of thing; Mrs J gave up, so I had to watch it on my iPad !
Started Servant on AppleTV. Pretty good so far. M Night Shyamalam directed, so you kind of know what to expect (people really live in such dark houses?!) Good cast too. Not sure how it'll sustain the number of series that are up there.
We're also doing Mosquito Coast, the series, not the film. My other half likes it, but Justin Theroux is just one of those over-actory actors that gets on my nerves a bit. Melissa George just about balances it out 🙂
I enjoyed this version of Mosquito coast.
More straight forward thriller than the film.
Shame they didn't renew it. Theroux is great in the Leftovers.
Justin's uncle Paul Theroux penned Mosquito coast.
Shame they didn't renew it.
Does it actually come to a conclusion? Outer Range, Shantaram.. we've got into a few that have been cut off in their prime!