Recommended Television Programmes

[MrGongGong]

A similar context featured this week in Gareth Malone's latest attempt to get people singing. this time in the young offenders prison at Aylesbury. Depressing to hear and see what has happened to so many young men but also moving when his efforts succeeded in finding a handful who were willing to give music - other than Drill - a go.

That's the same Mr Malone who refused to put his name behind the campaign to save the music department at UEA where he studied drama ?

Though, having worked in such places in the past, i'm sure it was a great experience

[Stanfordian]

A similar context featured this week in Gareth Malone's latest attempt to get people singing. this time in the young offenders prison at Aylesbury. Depressing to hear and see what has happened to so many young men but also moving when his efforts succeeded in finding a handful who were willing to give music - other than Drill - a go.

Yes, the same context but a very different type of programme.

I worked in a prison chaplaincy for over a decade. It's extremely difficult to arrange attendance for prisoners at this type of event even for those few who do show an interest. Many things get in the way of prisoners attending events such as hospital appointments, illness (including mental health episodes), meal times, lock downs, a myriad of security matters, staff shortages and I'm tempted to say awkward staff.

[Serial_Apologist]

A similar context featured this week in Gareth Malone's latest attempt to get people singing. this time in the young offenders prison at Aylesbury. Depressing to hear and see what has happened to so many young men but also moving when his efforts succeeded in finding a handful who were willing to give music - other than Drill - a go.

There wasn't any music on "Welcome to HMP Belmarsh" - and I very much doubt if there will be in Episode 2, next week. Episde 1 was interesting from one angle, namely that it had Ross Kemp "interviewing" Tommy Robinson, notorious leader of the English Defense League, who was in for a brief period and being held in solitary, during part of which his mates demonstrated outside the prison and scuffled with the police. Interesting because it showed the reality of Robinson as really just an insecure little boy under the muscular exterior, which was just as I had always thought.

[Stunsworth]

A similar context featured this week in Gareth Malone's latest attempt to get people singing. this time in the young offenders prison at Aylesbury. Depressing to hear and see what has happened to so many young men but also moving when his efforts succeeded in finding a handful who were willing to give music - other than Drill - a go.

I was very moved by the two programmes - and though the performances at the end were very good.

[johncorrigan]

I was very moved by the two programmes - and though the performances at the end were very good.

Completely agree. Malone went way up in my estimation for his efforts in incredibly difficult situations. It was amusing to see the choir that operated in a lower security jail, thinking that any of Gareth's crew might be happy to get going on 'Kumbaya ma Lord'.

[ardcarp]

Did anyone watch The Disappearance of Margaret Fleming on BBC2 on Weds and Thurs evening?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000d2cw

It was not a documentary but consisted of real footage inside a Scottish court, plus interviews with those concerned, of a murder trial. It was not sensationalised in any way. To put it briefly, a slightly odd couple had been 'caring for' an adult (Margaret) with 'learning difficulties'. It apparently occurred to locals that no-one had actually seen her for the past 20+ years, hence the arrest of the carers for her murder. While I have no opinion about the culpability of the couple, I do have a very strong opinion that their defence barristers (presumably inexpensive ones paid for by the state) did an awful job. It didn't help that one guy's wig kept falling off. No body was ever found and there were no murder weapons and no witnesses to her murder either. It struck me that the state (police and prosecutors) held all the cards. A more charismatic defence barrister could, IMO, easily have sown doubt in the jury's minds resulting in an acquittal. (BTW, is 'Not Proven' still a possible outcome in a Scottish court?) The couple were indubitably guilty of falsely claiming Margaret's disability allowance; but that is a much lesser crime, of course.

This is not a seat-gripping programme to watch, but all the more telling for being produced in a measured way.

[johncorrigan]

Did anyone watch The Disappearance of Margaret Fleming on BBC2 on Weds and Thurs evening?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000d2cw

It was not a documentary but consisted of real footage inside a Scottish court, plus interviews with those concerned, of a murder trial. It was not sensationalised in any way. To put it briefly, a slightly odd couple had been 'caring for' an adult (Margaret) with 'learning difficulties'. It apparently occurred to locals that no-one had actually seen her for the past 20+ years, hence the arrest of the carers for her murder. While I have no opinion about the culpability of the couple, I do have a very strong opinion that their defence barristers (presumably inexpensive ones paid for by the state) did an awful job. It didn't help that one guy's wig kept falling off. No body was ever found and there were no murder weapons and no witnesses to her murder either. It struck me that the state (police and prosecutors) held all the cards. A more charismatic defence barrister could, IMO, easily have sown doubt in the jury's minds resulting in an acquittal. (BTW, is 'Not Proven' still a possible outcome in a Scottish court?) The couple were indubitably guilty of falsely claiming Margaret's disability allowance; but that is a much lesser crime, of course.

This is not a seat-gripping programme to watch, but all the more telling for being produced in a measured way.

I thought it was fascinating, ardcarp. It did captivate the media when they started to search for Margaret Fleming. It became a regular feature on BBC's 'Reporting Scotland' back around 2016. I found the programme fascinating and chilling, perhaps none more than at the end of part one when the accused agree to an interview with BBC Scotland, and are asked, 'If Margaret was out there looking at this what would you want to say to here?', and the camera pans onto the woman who stares unable to say anything. It was so telling. Really enjoyed the defence lawyers whose only recourse was to try to create enough doubt in the minds of the jury to get the accused off. Yeah, chilling but fascinating.

[alywin]

That's the same Mr Malone who refused to put his name behind the campaign to save the music department at UEA where he studied drama ?

What? When was this? I must read Ziggurat more carefully.

[richardfinegold]

My wife and I were very wrapped up in A French Village, and now feel a terrible void now that we have finished it and a looking for a new series. Any suggestions, please. We prefer period or historical dramas, with little interest in Serial killers and detective shows.

[Nick Armstrong]

My wife and I were very wrapped up in A French Village, and now feel a terrible void now that we have finished it and a looking for a new series. Any suggestions, please. We prefer period or historical dramas, with little interest in Serial killers and detective shows.

Have you watched https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_...le_(TV_series) ?

If not: recommended.

[LMcD]

My wife and I were very wrapped up in A French Village, and now feel a terrible void now that we have finished it and a looking for a new series. Any suggestions, please. We prefer period or historical dramas, with little interest in Serial killers and detective shows.

We've just finished (re)watching the excellent BBC adaptation of Anthony Trollope's 'The Way We Live Now' - highly recommended and available on Amazon.com for $ 2.96 upwards (free if you have a Prime account).

[ardcarp]

My wife and I were very wrapped up in A French Village, and now feel a terrible void now that we have finished it and a looking for a new series. Any suggestions, please. We prefer period or historical dramas, with little interest in Serial killers and detective shows.

How do you watch it? BBC? Netflix? Amazon?

[jayne lee wilson]

No-one else in a fever of anticipation about this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRhZ0mIATrM

First 2 eps tonight. One of the most moving, funny, provoking, visually and verbally striking dramas of the last ten years, whose cast list now includes John Malkovich, Sharon Stone and....wait for it....Marilyn Manson. The Devil really is in the detail here.

From series one....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_vhwZZjgac

[Nick Armstrong]

No-one else in a fever of anticipation about this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRhZ0mIATrM

First 2 eps tonight. One of the most moving, funny, provoking, visually and verbally striking dramas of the last ten years, whose cast list now includes John Malkovich, Sharon Stone and....wait for it....Marilyn Manson. The Devil really is in the detail here.

From series one....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_vhwZZjgac

Yes. Season 1 with Hopkins was a hoot. But is Law’s character resurrected... or merely undead?

Shall have to wait to watch it with an HBO / Sky user though....

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes. Season 1 with Hopkins was a hoot. But is Law’s character resurrected... or merely undead?

Shall have to wait to watch it with an HBO / Sky user though....

No...The Two Popes (with Hopkins) was an entirely different Netflix production.... the first HBO/Sky Atlantic series was titled The Young Pope - The New Pope is its successor.

***

I loved this coupla programmes, but then all catlovers would, wouldn't they....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000crsh

Buchanan is a very engaging presenter, knowledgeable, affectionate and communicative, and we got as many long, loving lingering shots of the big kitties as we could desire...
Is there a more beautiful animal on the planet? I have a lovely big cuddly-toy Lynx and when I'm at home it goes wherever I go.