The Eye of the Storm - about a Scottish painter James Morrison. It'll run out on iPlayer soon, though it might, perhaps continue on Youtube for a while.
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A strange mix of "reality" and fantasy - we watched all of them. Why Nicole (Svenja Jung) put up with Martin once she found out he'd killed a few people was odd, but then it was odd that she managed to arrange a trip to Romania and also shoot at least one person dead. Was she perhaps also a trained agent? Lenora seemed almost indestructible, and like Martin was often reinventing herself. Although some of this was fantasy - perhaps people in some of the situations which were presented would actually have behaved in ways similar to the series. Fritz was a bit of a conundrum - in the end not sure which "side" he was on - he seemed really keen on his strange "iMac" inventions - even though he had effectively stolen/bought the idea from a couple of young entrepreneurs, and of course we now know that "he" wasn't wrong about how those would eventually become fashionable.Originally posted by Constantbee View Post
A good watch, though I'm not sure we'll watch it again. Right now we're still working our way through Bosch.Comment
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Fantastic programme, for which many thanks for the prompt, without which I wouldn't have known about this artist.Originally posted by Dave2002 View PostComment
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Still available on the iPlayer for the next 9 days, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...e-of-the-stormOriginally posted by Serial_Apologist View PostComment
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On BBC FOUR, now, "The 1951 Festival of Britain: A Brave New World". Shortly before my 3rd birthday, I was rushed to hospital with appendicitis and peritonitis. During my recuperation from the appendectomy and associated surgery, I was taken on an extended family outing to see the Skylon. I have no memories of the latter but can still clearly remember being in the hospital, having my temperature taken, and even the lights in the operating theater before I went under. Great to finally see what I missed of the Festival of Britain.
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Much enjoyed: I was five when the Festival of Britain took place, but my memories are of things rather peripheral to what the event was mostly about - new street lights resembling beakers on poles topped with inverted saucers - the street lights in our neighbouring side streets were still gas lit - and the all-aluminium District Line carriage. We also visited the Festival; Pleasure Gardens in Ba'ersea Park, probably on another occasion, where I remember the hall of mirrors and the Caterpillar, referred to by one old dear who mentioned having her first kiss with a boyfriend under the cover! I was too scared to go on the Big Dipper, which, when you see pictures of it today, looks pretty innocuous compared to what the public expects at fairgrounds today! I found a copy of the festival booklet when going through my fathers effects, which I have kept. What struck me was how young some of those reminiscing were, until realising that the programme was in fact ten years old. But still...Originally posted by Bryn View PostComment
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Jabbed! Inside Britain's Vaccine Triumph
10 May 2021 - 10:00pm - 11:05pm
A brisk guide (I was quite glad of the ad breaks!) to the timeline and people involved in getting the vaccine developed and available to the public. It would seem that although the methods by which Kate Bingham was appointed were perhaps unorthodox(if justified by the circumstances) she seems to have been very much the right person. For me, at a time when the news has seemed so unremittingly awful on many fronts, it was good to see the side of this country that can still do things right, although it did very much highlight the extent to which that requires politicians to stay well away. KB is a force to be reckoned with and I couldn't help wondering if the likes of Matt Hancock found the meetings she insisted on harder work than they were used to - although it might have been a relief to be dealing with a competent clear-sighted grown up rather than an entitled self-absorbed toddler?Comment
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She came across very well in an edition of "Political Thinking" with Nick Robinson. I'm sure we gained immeasurably from her experience in Biotech and her extensive contacts.
Having read (I've given up now) dismissive comments about public servants* on the comment section of the Times, it was a pleasure to hear her fulsomely appreciate the sacrifice and dedication to the task and the quality of their contribution. I'm sure she had people from enterprise and academia on her team - and I'm sure they were just as committed.
*I've always known, since the days of Thatcher, that Conservatives starting position is to despise public servants, and we've seen evidence how they will avoid their use if at all possible. They've disseminated that attitude to their caucus - everything that goes wrong can be blamed on national and local government workers (not on crap IT contracts/butchering of budgets/policy failures by Ministers......etc etc ).Comment
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'Motherland', followed by 'Inside No. 9' (BBC2 and iPlayer) - 2 very different comedies, both the product of what I can only describe as unrelieved brilliance by writers and casts.Comment
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Very similar to my own memories, the clearest of which is travelling along the Victoria Embankment by bus and looking across the river to the Skylon as well as visiting the site soon after the Festival ended.Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
I think we could do with a Festival of Britain now post-Brexit and, taking up the sentiment if not the words yesterday of Gordon Brown, to remind people of what a United Kingdom can achieve.Comment
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Not quite sure yet about The Pursuit of Love (BBC1 Sats 9pm) - great characterisation, wonderful costumes and locations, and anything that mocks the mores and manners of the upper classes is up my estate driveway. That said, the ballroom scene seemed gratuitously lacking in authenticity. At one point early one one of the characters spoke of "chilling out" - this together with a 1920s party with a doo-wop band on stage - doo-wop wouldn't be invented for another 30 years. I now see another forthcoming period drama with a rock music theme - I hope they aren't going to make a habit of this, as it undermines whatever serious points such programmes can make. Also the Uncle Matthew character scarily reminded me of my father's brother-in-law: as tetchy as nitroglycerine, and as nasty and reactionary.Comment
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What impressed me was the way she was able to identify and get on board the "right" people for the various sectors of work she had identified. It was also evident that for her there is no "I" in team to quote an irritating bit of jargon/cliche which happens to be apt - the success was not down to her, it was a group effort in her view.Originally posted by Cockney Sparrow View PostShe came across very well in an edition of "Political Thinking" with Nick Robinson. I'm sure we gained immeasurably from her experience in Biotech and her extensive contacts.
Having read (I've given up now) dismissive comments about public servants* on the comment section of the Times, it was a pleasure to hear her fulsomely appreciate the sacrifice and dedication to the task and the quality of their contribution. I'm sure she had people from enterprise and academia on her team - and I'm sure they were just as committed.
*I've always known, since the days of Thatcher, that Conservatives starting position is to despise public servants, and we've seen evidence how they will avoid their use if at all possible. They've disseminated that attitude to their caucus - everything that goes wrong can be blamed on national and local government workers (not on crap IT contracts/butchering of budgets/policy failures by Ministers......etc etc ).Comment
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... very sure about The Pursuit of Love on BBC1. In the immortal words of Alan Sugar - a load of tutOriginally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
So pleased with itself - so self-indulgent - trying too hard - so 'look at me' : this sort of thing only works if it's as light as a soufflé.
Andrew Scott (who usually can do no wrong) just walking thro' his part ; Dominic West a mere panto villain.
And on a practical level - neither of us here could hear half of the dialogue - most of the whispering sequences totally lost.
Lily James of course a delight to look at - had it not been for her would have given up much earlier. But I'm a sad old perve...
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I think it's divided opinion quite sharply. The Guardian crit gave it 5* but comments BTL were split, in particular about 'true to the book' and music choices. I couldn't see what the "take" was, and ended up thinking that perhaps it didn't know what it wanted to be - true to the book(virtually impossible these days seemingly when it seems mandatory to shoehorn in modern issues regardless) or a somewhat quirky off beat reworking, neither worked as far as I am concerned. I agree about not being able to hear the dialogue (pretty self-defeating given the nature of the book IMO)and in the end just let it wash over me without engaging brain, enjoying the scenery(natural, built, costume and human) which as it happened served a purpose that evening. I won't watch any more episodes, but might see if I can get hold of the book to read again.Originally posted by vinteuil View PostComment
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It was alright and some of the book's sly humour certainly got through and I will persist as I liked the acting and enjoyed Dominic West's relishing of his role.Originally posted by vinteuil View Post
I have to thank Alan Bennet for introducing me to the book on that programme where people choose and read their favourite passages from literature - it was the passage where Brenda the mouse is described as 'more interesting than white mice—though I must frankly say, of all the mice I ever knew, Brenda was the most utterly dismal', that hooked me.Comment
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