Recommended Television Programmes

[Serial_Apologist]

'The Salisbury Poisonings' (BBC1 and iPlayer, 3 successive nights starting yesterday) Absolutely riveting from the start.

I know - I watched "The Queen and the Coup" on Channel 4 instead - all about how the secret services here and in America purloined the name of Her Maj as part of the British-engineered coup to unseat Mossadech in Iran in 1954. And tonight there's another CH 4 documentary about Persian art and the origins of the Persian empire. And then on Wednesday Olusoga's wonderful "A House Through Time" clashes with part 3 on BBC2 - so I am going to have to catch up later, whenever I can!

Good telly programmes are rather like buses, all arriving together after a long wait!

[Flay]

Just begun to watch this, after hearing so much praise for it. Totally agree with Jayne's comments. (If there could be more like this from BBC3, that might compensate to some extent for the likely closure of BBC4.)

The two series of Clique from BBC3 were good (especially the first series). It's still available on iPlayer

[Flay]

And dare I say, I'm enjoying Philharmonia on Channel 4, now that I've got over the awful attempt at conducting.

[vinteuil]

.

... somehow we never saw it when it first came out - but are now revelling in Life on Mars (on i-player - (as recommended by Mark Kermode on the excellent Kermode & Mayo on BBC4) - much the best thing in ages

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t85s

.

[Flay]

Philharmonia, Clique and Killing Eve all feature female psychopaths. They seem to be in vogue.

[LHC]

I know - I watched "The Queen and the Coup" on Channel 4 instead - all about how the secret services here and in America purloined the name of Her Maj as part of the British-engineered coup to unseat Mossadech in Iran in 1954. And tonight there's another CH 4 documentary about Persian art and the origins of the Persian empire. And then on Wednesday Olusoga's wonderful "A House Through Time" clashes with part 3 on BBC2 - so I am going to have to catch up later, whenever I can!

Good telly programmes are rather like buses, all arriving together after a long wait!

For those who might want to watch it, Samira Ahmed‘s series on Persian art (1st episode tonight) is on BBC4, not Channel 4.

[jayne lee wilson]

Das Boot Series 2 (Sky Atlantic) is stunning - best TV thing since Chernobyl. Bingeing it & saw finale episode last night... pulls no punches though, goes into dark regions of the WW2 as Germany sees it.... not always easy to watch but brilliantly made with 3 or 4 intertwined storylines (La Rochelle occupation/resistance, seaborne dramas, shady arms dealings & Jazz Clubs in New York) & very sophisticated dialogue and characterisation.......at times unbearably tense too.

And so much left for another series, as Forster (Gestapo in La Rochelle, ruthless but increasingly agonised beneath the surface, hauntingly played by Tom Wlaschiha, who you may remember as the memorable & mystical Jaqen H'ghar in GoT) is "promoted" - i.e., sent "to the east" to deal with "the Jewish Problem"....

"That sounds....enticing..."... he says with coolly necessary politesse and a pragmatic smile, over dinner to his superior...

***

Soon gave up on the oh-god-please-make-it-stop-colour-by-cliché-numbers Philharmonia, but what is it with I may destroy you? Such high praise everywhere... I just can't get into the thing....what's the key... anyone...?

[gradus]

Haven't seen 2, but I liked the original das Boot and wouldn't at all mind if the Beeb dug out Heimat for a second showing.

[Serial_Apologist]

For those who might want to watch it, Samira Ahmed‘s series on Persian art (1st episode tonight) is on BBC4, not Channel 4.

Oh, thanks!

[Braunschlag]

‘Das Boot Series 2 (Sky Atlantic) is stunning - best TV thing since Chernobyl. Bingeing it & saw finale episode last night...‘

Yes indeed! Only meant to watch one and then binged the lot in one day. Have you done Babylon Berlin? Fantastic.

[Braunschlag]

Haven't seen 2, but I liked the original das Boot and wouldn't at all mind if the Beeb dug out Heimat for a second showing.

All Heimats please (even though I have the lot on DVD). Particularly Die Zweite Heimat, the finest film about musicians I’ve seen, and they all play their own music, a marvellous epic.

[teamsaint]

'The Salisbury Poisonings' (BBC1 and iPlayer, 3 successive nights starting yesterday) Absolutely riveting from the start.

I’m getting texts and emails by the bucket load ( well a few, anyway) from people asking me whether I am watching this. I suppose I’ll have to.

[Dave2002]

I’m getting texts and emails by the bucket load ( well a few, anyway) from people asking me whether I am watching this. I suppose I’ll have to.

Not sure how realistic, but really powerful stuff. Go for it.

[LMcD]

I’m getting texts and emails by the bucket load ( well a few, anyway) from people asking me whether I am watching this. I suppose I’ll have to.

No let up in the tension in Episode 2. I'm glad I only have to wait until 9.00 this evening for the 3rd and final episode! The drama is all the more powerful for being understated.

[Bryn]

No let up in the tension in Episode 2. I'm glad I only have to wait until 9.00 this evening for the 3rd and final episode! The drama is all the more powerful for being understated.

You don't have to wait. All 3 episodes have been on the iPlayer for some days.