Recommended Television Programmes

[jayne lee wilson]

Got the BBC2 Name of the Rose lined up for later.... if John Turturro's in it, I watch it (after his marvellously seedy NY $250-a-throw attorney in The Night Of...(with the lovely Ginger Cat)...

Excellent very extensive doc series on Rolling Stone magazine on Sky Atlantic...(yes, more hippy chick stoners drawling on about sex with Zep etc., but we get past that in ep 2...)

[oddoneout]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0009dkm

France, 1939, from New Year to September's outbreak of war.
So poignant and, I thought, an excellently constructed programme. The clips of ordinary French life brought back a flood of memories to me of regular family holidays which started just 20 years after the events shown.

[gradus]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0009dkm
France, 1939, from New Year to September's outbreak of war.
So poignant and, I thought, an excellently constructed programme. The clips of ordinary French life brought back a flood of memories to me of regular family holidays which started just 20 years after the events shown.

It was an extraordinary and unsettling compilation. I couldn't stay with it so will watch at a more comfortable hour.

[oddoneout]

It was an extraordinary and unsettling compilation. I couldn't stay with it so will watch at a more comfortable hour.

I know what you mean. My responses were somewhat dulled by a combination of severe fatigue and a late beer, and so what I was seeing and hearing didn't fully register at the time, beyond evoking the memories mentioned above. The impact came a couple of hours later when certain parts which came a bit too close to my family's experiences came into focus - the early hours of the morning are not the best time to be doing that!
It was surprising, but also gratifying, to find how much spoken French my brain was able to deal with, even after many years disuse.

[Nick Armstrong]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0009dkm
France, 1939, from New Year to September's outbreak of war.
So poignant and, I thought, an excellently constructed programme. The clips of ordinary French life brought back a flood of memories to me of regular family holidays which started just 20 years after the events shown.

Yes, wonderful and moving

[johncorrigan]

I came across this wonderful programme by chance - a glorious antidote to the League Table mentality that passes itself off as Education:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0008mzr/a-carryin-stream

... sadly, only available until Tuesday (it should be compulsory viewing for any politician, on continuous play without food until the message sinks into even their challenged intellects). A taster here -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07mvfw2

just look at the quality of creative work produced by these 10 - 12 - year-old kids in a rural school in Northern Ireland - gives a good indication of what the programme's about (the i-player blurb doesn't really suggest the gem of a programme that this is).

Thanks for pointing this out, ferney. I was particularly attracted to the term 'Carrying Stream' so was interested to watch it. Mrs C and I were amazed at the work created and the value that this inspirational teacher clearly attached to the children's work. Really excellent exercise in the exploration of place. Good to see you up and around again...hope things are well.

Earlier we had caught this documentary on BBC Alba about Finlay MacDonald on BBC Alba. He was a BBC Producer from the late 40s and also wrote 'Crowdie and Cream' and other stories of the 30s on Harris - like 'The Carryin' Stream' an excellent sense of place and its effect on creativity.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007hv2j

[CGR]

I found this series on British Canals interesting - Channel 5.

https://www.channel5.com/show/building-britains-canals/

...

Some people are even "proud" of being ignorant of science and mathematics.

Yep. Usually the trendy arty, farty types.

[MrGongGong]

Yep. Usually the trendy arty, farty types.

An example?

Most artists and musicians that I ever meet are endlessly fascinated and interested in learning about science and mathematics

[LMcD]

An example?

Most artists and musicians that I ever meet are endlessly fascinated and interested in learning about science and mathematics

Pierre Boulez majored in mathematics.

[Bryn]

Pierre Boulez majored in mathematics.

And as for member Barrett . . .

[LMcD]

Brian May has a BSc in Physics and Mathematics and a PhD in Astrophysics. (Jim Morrison was awarded a BSc in Cinematography but didn't turn up for the degree ceremony.) Then there was the composer/astronomer William Herschel.

[LHC]

Borodin was a doctor and chemist, and made important contributions to research in organic chemistry.

[Nick Armstrong]

'World On Fire' started on BBC 1 last night. A terrific opening episode to Peter Bowker's 7-part WW2 drama following the fortunes of families and individuals against the backdrop of a seismic, and unflinchingly depicted, military conflict. Sean Bean, whose versatility may sometimes is overlooked, is as authentic a bus conductor as was Andre Previn.

Pursuing this with great enthusiasm, I think it’s brilliantly done... deft intertwining of the various interlinked stories and characters. I think Sean Bean is perfectly credible in his role! Acting honours imho go however to Helen Hunt and above all Lesley Manville - absolutely riveting (the silent scene through the window where her character couldn’t react appropriately - or at all - to her son’s departure to war: amazing).

Top class telly

[cloughie]

Borodin was a doctor and chemist, and made important contributions to research in organic chemistry.

...and his tunes were posthumously stolen by Forrest and Wright.

[LMcD]

...and his tunes were posthumously stolen by Forrest and Wright.

Reportedly there are plans to produce a new musical that's designed to appeal to people who dislike Borodin and Shakespeare equally, with the working title 'Kismet Kate'.