Recommended Television Programmes

[Serial_Apologist]

Once the Beeb get an idea in their head they do it to death. It seems 20% of the programmes at the moment are about Cornwall.
Similarly, there are very few programmes not presented by Sara Pascoe. I'm waiting for her Cornish programme.

Were it not for lockdown we'd all love to go there, just to exchange our mid-winter pasty pallors for palliative pasties!

I watched last night's documentary on Greta Thunberg with growing respect for, and empathy with Greta - in her dealings with various national and global establishments and abuse in the media, social and mainstream. In it we saw her campaign go from her lonely presence with a placard that became a continual companion, crouched on a pavement outside the Swedish parliament, to mass demonstrations worldwide, starting with other school students. Also a liking for her dad, who came across as wonderfully supportive of his daughter after initial misgivings, presumably. I was left wondering if her parents happen to be separated, or divorced. I identified with Greta's obsession with grammatical correctness!

[gurnemanz]

Our daughter pointed us to the film Bait about Cornish fisherman and even lent us her Amazon Prime password to watch it. Tough and truthful.

[oddoneout]

Once the Beeb get an idea in their head they do it to death. It seems 20% of the programmes at the moment are about Cornwall.
Similarly, there are very few programmes not presented by Sara Pascoe. I'm waiting for her Cornish programme.

Same with Channel 5 and Yorkshire. But if TV companies have to obsess about something I can think of far worse subjects than our lovely countryside and the many pleasant people who occupy it. I've only seen a couple, but the 'Cornwall: This fishing life' series I found interesting - not least given the current 'difficulties'. If nothing else it was a reminder that commercial fishing isn't all about, nor does it have to involve, scraping the seabed of everything and then throwing most away.

[Leinster Lass]

Same with Channel 5 and Yorkshire. But if TV companies have to obsess about something I can think of far worse subjects than our lovely countryside and the many pleasant people who occupy it. I've only seen a couple, but the 'Cornwall: This fishing life' series I found interesting - not least given the current 'difficulties'. If nothing else it was a reminder that commercial fishing isn't all about, nor does it have to involve, scraping the seabed of everything and then throwing most away.

Channel 5 seems very keen to attract railway enthusiasts and RoyalWatchers.

[Dave2002]

We're ploughing our way through Queen's Gambit - nearing the end of the seven part series on Netflix.

We are just about resisting the temptation to binge watch series 8 of Spiral, which is all there on iPlayer I believe. We'll probably succumb in a few days.

[Leinster Lass]

For the first time ever, I've enjoyed and even partly understood a play by Chekhov, thanks to the absolutely wonderful production of Uncle Vanya shown on BBC 4 recently and available on BBC iPlayer for 11 months. Aimee Lou Wood's Sonya is the stand-out performance, but everybody involved in this production has every reason to be extremely proud of it. What happens immediately after the play has ended is particularly inspiring and moving, so don't switch off too quickly!

[johncorrigan]

We're ploughing our way through Queen's Gambit - nearing the end of the seven part series on Netflix.

I thought it was a very entertaining series, Dave. It looked great...made me think that the look, especially interior scenes, had been influenced by Wes Anderson films. Some great characters, and I liked the soundtrack too...lots of good tunes. Wasn't perfect, but lots of dramatic points...I thought the final episode was handled really well. Quite tense. I loved the performance of Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth.

[Dave2002]

I thought it was a very entertaining series, Dave. It looked great...made me think that the look, especially interior scenes, had been influenced by Wes Anderson films. Some great characters, and I liked the soundtrack too...lots of good tunes. Wasn't perfect, but lots of dramatic points...I thought the final episode was handled really well. Quite tense. I loved the performance of Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth.

I wonder if anyone has slowed down the action (a lot) in the chess sequences to check that all the moves were correct. Doesn't affect the storyline, but discussions about famous games and the play might - or or might not - be represented accurately.

Also, were the moves told to and practised by the actors? Fascinating. It could have taken a lot of work to get things done "right".

[Stunsworth]

I wonder if anyone has slowed down the action (a lot) in the chess sequences to check that all the moves were correct. Doesn't affect the storyline, but discussions about famous games and the play might - or or might not - be represented accurately.

Also, were the moves told to and practised by the actors? Fascinating. It could have taken a lot of work to get things done "right".

Garry Kasparov was a consultant to the series, so I’d expect the chess parts to be accurate.

[Stunsworth]

All episodes of the new series of Spiral are now available on iPlayer.

[Dave2002]

Garry Kasparov was a consultant to the series, so I’d expect the chess parts to be accurate.

Maybe, but the moves go so fast that I really wouldn't be sure. Film makers may have taken this into account.

I can't say I've noticed any end game settings - though perhaps most masters and grandmasters don't go there if they realise they're going to win/lose anyway.
End games are mentioned in episode 5.

[gurnemanz]

We're ploughing our way through Queen's Gambit - nearing the end of the seven part series on Netflix.

We are just about resisting the temptation to binge watch series 8 of Spiral, which is all there on iPlayer I believe. We'll probably succumb in a few days.

Just noticed Anya Taylor-Joy (Beth Harmon) is on Graham Norton tonight.

[Nick Armstrong]

Just noticed Anya Taylor-Joy (Beth Harmon) is on Graham Norton tonight.

Delightful she was too. I had no idea she was Argentinian and only learnt English at the age of 8 in London. Nor did I know that the actor playing “Harry” played a character in the Harry Potter franchise... which was instrumental in her language learning, hence her delight at finding herself cast with him in The Queen’s Gambit (which incidentally I did think was an engrossing and excellent series)

[Stunsworth]

Netflix now have have a 15 minute ‘making of’ Queen’s Gambit. Interesting for those who enjoyed the programme.

[kernelbogey]

Cross-posting & bumping this.... tonight 1900 ITV (Ballo in Maschera it's not.)

....I read this review in the Guardian of a Saturday night ITV show, The Masked Singer. (Read the article to find out more.) I then watched one episode last Saturday. It is completely bonkers, but if you are not totally averse to more popular kinds of music, its off-the-wall character is quite amusing, even uplifting.

kb