Recommended Television Programmes

[johncorrigan]

I'm still following 'The Terror' on Beeb 2, and still astounded by the great acting. Star of the show has to be the wonderfully creepy performance by Adam Nagaitis as Cornelius Hickey. Brilliant stuff.

[LMcD]

I'm still following 'The Terror' on Beeb 2, and still astounded by the great acting. Star of the show has to be the wonderfully creepy performance by Adam Nagaitis as Cornelius Hickey. Brilliant stuff.

Savouring the prospect of catching up with last night's 2 episodes.

[Bryn]

Currently watching Pandemic 2020 on BBC 2, The first of three episodes. It starts off with a young, newly married Wuhan couple's experiences from January last year. So far, so well worth watching. Now moved on to U.K. and Italy (Milan). Warning, it's a harrowing watch.

[oddoneout]

Not necessarily a recommendation but last night I enjoyed a slightly aimless programme about a section of Scottish railway - "Scotland's Scenic Railways" 8pm Channel4 (Sorry can't find link without a great deal of cookie setting faff, and Radio Times has forgotten I've registered with them). Slightly confusing as it featured both a modern stretch of line and also part of a route closed in the 60s. Lots of pictures of glorious countryside, quite a bit of footage of Union of South Africa, but also an interesting bit about problems caused by beavers which had decided to dam a culvert which was meant to drain floodwater away under an embankment which carries the mainline...

[LMcD]

Not necessarily a recommendation but last night I enjoyed a slightly aimless programme about a section of Scottish railway - "Scotland's Scenic Railways" 8pm Channel4 (Sorry can't find link without a great deal of cookie setting faff, and Radio Times has forgotten I've registered with them). Slightly confusing as it featured both a modern stretch of line and also part of a route closed in the 60s. Lots of pictures of glorious countryside, quite a bit of footage of Union of South Africa, but also an interesting bit about problems caused by beavers which had decided to dam a culvert which was meant to drain floodwater away under an embankment which carries the mainline...

Just go to All4 and enter the programme's title under 'Search' - it immediately comes up at the top of the list.

[oddoneout]

Just go to All4 and enter the programme's title under 'Search' - it immediately comes up at the top of the list.

Thanks LMcD, it was one of the ones I looked at but as I say the cookie faffing(I don't accept them, and don't access catch up services so don't need to) for just the one bit of not essential info wasn't worth it. I have a feeling the reason that Radio Times didn't work either is that it has been so long since I last visited the site it had delisted my registration, I'll have to check.

[johncorrigan]

BBC2 finished its run of 'The Terror' last night and although a bit gory it continued to give some very fine performances. Hickey's calm madness with the final offering to the Tuunbaq was great as were his late revelations. But throughout the series the acting has been as good as I have seen in a series for a long time - Jared Harris wonderful throughout, as was Adam Nagaitas' Cornelius Hickey. Also a surprising performance from 'Motherland's' token male, Paul Ready, who seemed to grow into the role as the good Mr Goodsir as the season went on. All in all a very fine bit of TV, taking an interesting slant on a story which has intrigued many.

[LMcD]

BBC2 finished its run of 'The Terror' last night and although a bit gory it continued to give some very fine performances. Hickey's calm madness with the final offering to the Tuunbaq was great as were his late revelations. But throughout the series the acting has been as good as I have seen in a series for a long time - Jared Harris wonderful throughout, as was Adam Nagaitas' Cornelius Hickey. Also a surprising performance from 'Motherland's' token male, Paul Ready, who seemed to grow into the role as the good Mr Goodsir as the season went on. All in all a very fine bit of TV, taking an interesting slant on a story which has intrigued many.

Strongly recommended for anybody who admires top-class TV drama and has a strong stomach. Best NOT watched while snacking or immediately prior to retiring for the night!

[johncorrigan]

Strongly recommended for anybody who admires top-class TV drama and has a strong stomach. Best NOT watched while snacking or immediately prior to retiring for the night!

We watched an episode of 'Spiral' afterwards, L, just to tone down the tension a bit.

[Belgrove]

BBC2 finished its run of 'The Terror' last night and although a bit gory it continued to give some very fine performances. Hickey's calm madness with the final offering to the Tuunbaq was great as were his late revelations. But throughout the series the acting has been as good as I have seen in a series for a long time - Jared Harris wonderful throughout, as was Adam Nagaitas' Cornelius Hickey. Also a surprising performance from 'Motherland's' token male, Paul Ready, who seemed to grow into the role as the good Mr Goodsir as the season went on. All in all a very fine bit of TV, taking an interesting slant on a story which has intrigued many.

The last episode reminded me of Jaws. It was essentially Alien on Ice, but none the worse for that. Ciaran Hinds also an excellent member of the cast.

[cloughie]

Is anyone watching ‘Great British Menu’? I think that Andi Oliver’s role is too intrusive, acting as a second judge rather than an encouraging onlooker.

[antongould]

Is anyone watching ‘Great British Menu’? I think that Andi Oliver’s role is too intrusive, acting as a second judge rather than an encouraging onlooker.

Lady Gould agrees with you ...:: so you must be right ...::

[muzzer]

Those seeking diversion from the news of the day might seek out Hemingway on PBS, the new series by Ken Burns.

[LMcD]

Those seeking diversion from the news of the day might seek out Hemingway on PBS, the new series by Ken Burns.

Radio 3 has now left the rolling news coverage - details on the Prince Philip thread.

[Constantbee]

Deutschland 89, the third and final season of this excellent series, starts on More 4 this Friday at 9pm

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/deutschland-89

Thanks for the reminder, Nick. I'd kept shelving it but finally got round to watching, and found ... a fine series with some fine performances, by Jonas Nay, Sylvester Groth, Ludwig Trepte and the rest, so much so that I was compelled to put the crosswords to one side and catch up with Deutschland 83 and 86. All three series still have the strong didactic feel that most post war German film and TV has, the same sense of shouldering a burden of patronising responsibility to account for the nation’s historical background to viewers who, it is considered, need to be reminded about it.

The cold war themes in ’83 are overemphasised imho. Whether the threat of direct East West confrontation was ever taken that seriously by either side at the time will probably remain unknown and unexplored for years to come as the events are still too recent and documentary evidence is unlikely to become available for some time. In any event it is unlikely that a single mole acting alone, no not even Jonas Nay, could ever single-handedly have intervened in an escalation of violence. It makes for exciting television, though.

The period East German detail is commendable. Love the wallpaper and the acrylic sweaters