Apparently Taboo series 2 was actually commissioned way back, but covid and then Took Hardy’s schedule put it on the back burner. Steven Knight has said its pretty much written and they now just have to get the dominoes lined up. Hardy has also thrown some curveballs into the mix – taking about timehopping to Vietnam, the Napoleonic Wars or the American War Of Independence.

I can’t say I enjoyed Boiling Point that much. Much as I like Stephen Graham, I could do with seeing him in a role where he isn’t a depressed divorced dad.The kitchen didn’t look anywhere near busy enough for the number of people in the restaurant, and it was horribly predictable that the nut allergy thing would happen, as soon as that character appeared I was just waiting for the anaphylaxis.

I can’t say I enjoyed Boiling Point that much

I’ve got to agree. I thought it was objectively good, and the single take thing was interesting to watch but there was really no fun to be had. And one of the main plotlines really was painfully telegraphed.

it was horribly predictable that the nut allergy thing would happen

Yeah, that’s when I switched it off

Brendan Fraser and Rachael Weisz together in a movie, why haven’t I heard of this before?

That is a very specific instruction. pic.twitter.com/3WZ40L2ZLd

— National Security Counselors (@NatlSecCnslrs) April 3, 2022

We watched Jellyfish at the weekend – rather good, if a little bleak / sad / desperate. You get the feeling it’s probably quiet an accurate description of some kids lives.

We rather enjoyed Windfall on netflix.

No specual effects or cgi, but some great observations if relationships.

Ian

Did we mention Summer of Soul on Disney+?

Absolutely brilliant documentary about a 1969 music festival in Harlem with Sly Stone, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and loads more. Mixes the music and social history stuff very deftly.

Essential viewing.

The Sparks Brothers is on Netflix as well now, another particularly good music doc.

Anyone watching Slow Horses on Apple? Any good?

Watched the first one and enjoyed it but time will tell if it fulfils its promise. MrsJ has read the books and liked it.

Ipcress File – dire except for the retro fashions

WeCrashed on AppleTV – surely the most unlikeable couple in the history of the world?

My Brilliant Friend – still…. brilliant 🙂

Top Boy – the new seasons are getting into The Wire territory of broader social commentary. But it’s made me afraid to ever go back to Hackney.

Hidden – new season of Welsh Noir. But it’s made me afraid to ever go back to Snowdonia.

Ipcress File – dire except for the retro fashions

Just seems like a standard spy thriller thing, preposterously implausible. Popcorn.

Severance on Apple TV is the best thing I’ve seen in a while. One more episode to go this week, last week’s one ended on a brilliant cliffhanger.

Ipcress File – dire except for the retro fashions

You see my take on it was they hadn’t just recreated the look of a 1960’s programme but also the total disregard for the need for  anything to hold together that I get when I look back at anything made at that time.

Top Boy – the new seasons are getting into The Wire territory of broader social commentary. But it’s made me afraid to ever go back to Hackney.

I think I’ve felt that from the beginning, It’s excellent and never glamorises  any aspect of it but neither does it demonise, really gives you a feeling that given different circumstances this could be your life.

Started Godless last night, 1st episode started slow and jumped all over the place, then it kicked in in the last 15 minutes, so straight on to episode 2. Great stuff.

A bit dark mind.

A bit dark mind.

Yeah, I had to bail after a few episodes of that.

Just finished Pam & Tommy on Disney+, which I didn’t know much about and was really pleasantly surprised by – fun, clever and really well executed.

Gaius Baltar! There? With his reputation?

I thought boiling point was excellent.

And yeah the nut thing was sign-posted but they did avoid any showdown with guns which is what happens in every thriller these days. For that reason, and the single-take achievement I’m an enthusiast.

Apparently they did 4 takes and got it at number 3 I believe.

Just seen trailer for Russian doll series 2 so if you’ve not seen the first series, get that in now!

Hidden – new season of Welsh Noir. But it’s made me afraid to ever go back to Snowdonia.

Another vote for Hidden, currently on S1E5.. Welsh Noir is exactly how I would describe it.

I was wondering why we’d never seen it advertised before, then I realised that (some) Welsh + subtitles probably made it too forrin for mainstream BBC1, and probably ended up on BBC3/4

Quick recommendation for a Prime film that I’d missed.

Copshop.

A bit silly but (violent) fun.

Shades of Assault on Precinct 13 (the proper one) and bits of music reminded me of Dirty Harry, plus they have a great ‘psycho’ who was surely inspired by Dirty Harry? Then some great Blaxploitation references too.

Really enjoyed it. Although it got pretty lame about 2/3 of the way through but picked up towards the very end nicely.

And Alexis Louder is my kind of hero 🥰

For all you Ozark fans the Laura linney impression is spot on:

celebs as my roommates (a series?)

episode one: party prep pic.twitter.com/q7TNkM4SAt

— Mary Elizabeth Kelly (@mare_kell) April 20, 2022

Russian Doll Series 2 ep 1 is up (and good 🙂 )

Sky next week has series 3 of the awesome (well series 1 was anyway) Barry to look forward to.

It’s probably been up a while, but I did really enjoy Hip-Hop Evolution on Netflix, learned a fair bit too.

Also pleasantly surprised by No Time To Die (on Prime now), best Bond film of this century IMO.

I’ve binged Severance on AppleTV. Really enjoyed its weirdness, shot well and hoping for a season 2.

Spoiler:

Just wondering about the worlds strongest tie

Funny how we all like different things. I thought No Time To Die was one of the worst Bonds I’ve seen. Just boring.

Sky next week has series 3 of the awesome (well series 1 was anyway) Barry to look forward to.

Oooh brilliant, take a loose 15.

Severance was the best thing I’d seen for a good while, really well done by Stiller, in the final episode you know what’s coming to an extent but the tension build is great.

Outer Range – entertaining but lots of why would you do that, that’s just stupid scenes. It’s one of those where I wonder if they even know where the show is going out there just making it up as they go along, or they do know where they’re going but it’ll get cancelled before we ever find out.

Tokyo Vice – very good and a bit of an eye opener into how crimes is treated in Japan if it’s anywhere near accurate.

Slow Horses – currently the best thing on, properly gripping right from the get go.

Sky next week has series 3 of the awesome (well series 1 was anyway) Barry to look forward to.

Excellent, thanks for the heads-up. I really admire how Henry Winkler is still doing great work (same with Ted Danson in The Good Place.)

Slow Horses – currently the best thing on, properly gripping right from the get go.

So far, pretty good. I hope it can sustain it (I thought The Ipcress File seemed ok at the beginning, but then it just turned to nonsense at the end.)

Barry is tonight 9:45 Sky Comedy

Watched Boiling Point at the weekend, thought it was very good. That’s ‘very good’ rather than ‘really enjoyable’, but no complaints. As for the nut thing, it’s a classic Hitchcock thing – “in the first act you show a gun on the wall, in the third act you show how it’s used” or similar.

Russian Doll was one of my favourite COVID shows, absolutely nailed it in a week; and really looking forward to watching S2 when we’ve finished Design Masters/ Masterchef/ Narcos Mexico etc.
Also my new “when the wife’s out” viewing is The Boys, and quite enjoying it so far. I dabbled in the Catch-22 series but just don’t feel particularly compelled to watch it, and the same with Peaky Blinders, so I’m happy to have found a new streaming show that I actually look forward to watching the next episode

If you’ve not seen it then ‘Race’ is well worth a viewing

Following Bubba Wallace, the only black driver in NASCAR, with its liking for confederate flags, at the time of the BLM movement

Severance was the best thing I’d seen for a good while, really well done by Stiller

Yes I really like his style, I loved Secret life of Walter Mitty, now this, I must look up and see what else he’s made.

I got on to Severance as something to fill the gaps between Slow Horses episodes, another great show

BCS s6 ep3 (Rock and a Hard place) was absolutely blinding.

Scripting at its best with minimal dialogue and max suspense.

Ozark S4 part 2 today.

Anatomy of a Scandal.
Just binged (6 hr long episodes) that on Netflix. Recommended if you like UK court dramas with a healthy dose of Tory bashing 😉

Twenty Five Twenty One

Drama about a young Korean fencer and her trials and tribulations. Really enjoying it.

We enjoyed CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) on Apple TV+ which lived up to it’s Oscar wins. Although the story is nothing earth shattering, it’s well acted with some great individual performances. Nice feel good movie.

Anatomy of a Scandal.
Just binged (6 hr long episodes) that on Netflix. Recommended if you like UK court dramas with a healthy dose of Tory bashing 😉

… and you don’t mind it hanging on a truly ludicrous plot twist!!

Just started Taboo – good so far, and Jessie Buckley is good as ever.

And on Apple TV there is Slow Horses which is watchable tosh. Finished season 1, and there are 5 more books to go. Also on Apple TV is Shining Girls with Elisabeth Moss

Anyone have a clue what Moonknight was supposed to be about?

Anyone have a clue what Moonknight was supposed to be about?

Yes. Egyptian gods battling each other with a sub-plot around mental health issues. It’s not that complicated.

Ok….not Netflix again but as far as great films go…I give you ” the outfit”
Flippin loved this. Interesting “mob noir” with mark rylance as lead.

Pretty sure I’m not the target demographic but watched and quite enjoyed ‘Heartstopper’

… and you don’t mind it hanging on a truly ludicrous plot twist!!

Oh I don’t know…that plot twist wasn’t anywhere near the most ludicrous I’ve been subjected to!

New Bosch! And We Own This City and The Staircase look interesting.