Recommended Television Programmes

[kernelbogey]

Well they're filming another Doc Martin in Port Isaac, I be told.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Channel 5 should be renamed Channel Yorkshire. Another new series* starting tonight about - guess where.
Yorkshire has much going for it, and I have enjoyed some of the series but, in the same way that London isn't the only city in the country, Yorkshire isn't the only county.




*Jane McDonald: My Yorkshire

Like Derbyshire - possibly the most neglected of counties ….

Others over - covered Devon , Cornwall and Westmorland and Cumberland ( I have a Ress-Mogg like aversion to Cumbria)

Others unjustly neglected - Durham , Northumberland , Shropshire , Worcestershire ,Herefordshire, Hertfordshire , Norfolk, non coastal Suffolk , Kent , East Sussex , and Dorset except Isle Of Purbeck. ( and Wiltshire )

[Serial_Apologist]

Like Derbyshire - possibly the most neglected of counties ….

Others over - covered Devon , Cornwall and Westmorland and Cumberland ( I have a Ress-Mogg like aversion to Cumbria)

Others unjustly neglected - Durham , Northumberland , Shropshire , Worcestershire ,Herefordshire, Hertfordshire , Norfolk, non coastal Suffolk , Kent , East Sussex , and Dorset except Isle Of Purbeck. ( and Wiltshire )

Judging by the amount of premeditated right wing verbiage emanating from Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Birmingham during phone-ins and on social media more generally, I would not be wishing to live in any of these areas, I have to say.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Judging by the amount of premeditated right wing verbiage emanating from Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Birmingham during phone-ins and on social media more generally, I would not be wishing to live in any of these areas, I have to say.

I think we’re taking about different things but You’ve reminded me that I missed out Surrey. Brum is in Warwickshire another unjustly neglected county by the media esp TV . Indeed Birmingham used to have BBC Pebble Mill and ATV / Central making dozens of programmes locally and for network - all long gone ….

[Serial_Apologist]

I think we’re taking about different things but You’ve reminded me that I missed out Surrey. Brum is in Warwickshire another unjustly neglected county by the media esp TV . Indeed Birmingham used to have BBC Pebble Mill and ATV / Central making dozens of programmes locally and for network - all long gone ….

We used to speak of Birmingham and the Black Country as being at the centre of skilled labour, the "aristocracy of the working class". During the 1970s industrial unrest Red Robbo was appealing as much to his membership's pride in building the area along with its ethos as to any class consciousness. It was no accident that the West Midlands represented the most right wing part (in Labour Party terms) of the trade union bureaucracy, whose legacy is today reflected in the number of anti-Courbynists in the front bench opposition who represent constituencies in that region - people who speak about getting back to the party people once knew. Political memories don't go back as far as Attlee! I well remember overhearing a conversation between two people in the office inside a large manufacturing firm where I worked and had been elected as staff rep - one was saying "You know this bloke's a commie" - they were referring to me: I wasn't "a commie" - to which the other replied, "Yes I know, but at least he'll fight to get us a good wage increase".

[ardcarp]

...and Warwickshire was the county of our (the world's?) most famous bard.

To be picky, Brum may be geographically in Warwickshire, but politically it belongs to the Metropoliatn County of The West Midlands, which (I think) includes bits of Staffordshire and even Worcestershire.

BTW wasn't Peaky Blinders (never seen it) based on Brum?

[Serial_Apologist]

...and Warwickshire was the county of our (the world's?) most famous bard.

To be picky, Brum may be geographically in Warwickshire, but politically it belongs to the Metropoliatn County of The West Midlands, which (I think) includes bits of Staffordshire and even Worcestershire.

BTW wasn't Peaky Blinders (never seen it) based on Brum?

Picture this - in the vicinity of the little village of Birmingham somewhere around 1600: two peasants taking a brief breather from their toil in the fields. One says to the other, "I don't know about you, but I'm sick to death of all this feudalism; I can't wait for the next stage in history to come along and liberate me!"

[RichardB]

Picture this - in the vicinity of the little village of Birmingham somewhere around 1600: two peasants taking a brief breather from their toil in the fields. One says to the other, "I don't know about you, but I'm sick to death of all this feudalism; I can't wait for the next stage in history to come along and liberate me!"

I say something like that to myself almost every day.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Picture this - in the vicinity of the little village of Birmingham somewhere around 1600: two peasants taking a brief breather from their toil in the fields. One says to the other, "I don't know about you, but I'm sick to death of all this feudalism; I can't wait for the next stage in history to come along and liberate me!"

By 1600 weren’t we more or less into early mercantile capitalism? And the emergence of the urban and rural bourgeoisie- people like Shakespeare in fact . Only 50 years away from the diggers and the levellers…I suppose it all depends how you define feudalism.

[Ein Heldenleben]

We used to speak of Birmingham and the Black Country as being at the centre of skilled labour, the "aristocracy of the working class". During the 1970s industrial unrest Red Robbo was appealing as much to his membership's pride in building the area along with its ethos as to any class consciousness. It was no accident that the West Midlands represented the most right wing part (in Labour Party terms) of the trade union bureaucracy, whose legacy is today reflected in the number of anti-Courbynists in the front bench opposition who represent constituencies in that region - people who speak about getting back to the party people once knew. Political memories don't go back as far as Attlee! I well remember overhearing a conversation between two people in the office inside a large manufacturing firm where I worked and had been elected as staff rep - one was saying "You know this bloke's a commie" - they were referring to me: I wasn't "a commie" - to which the other replied, "Yes I know, but at least he'll fight to get us a good wage increase".

I think I saw a bit of research once which linked the political views of shop stewards and union organisers to pay increases. The lefter the higher the increase which is why they tended to get voted in. That’s the free market for you…..

[RichardB]

I think I saw a bit of research once which linked the political views of shop stewards and union organisers to pay increases. The lefter the higher the increase which is why they tended to get voted in. That’s the free market for you…..

I think it's actually called democracy - they get voted in because they do the best job at supporting the interests of the workers they represent, which could be about pay or conditions or anything else of relevance. It's a shame the relationship between the choice of representatives and the interests of those represented doesn't work so well where government is concerned!

[Nick Armstrong]

BTW wasn't Peaky Blinders (never seen it) based on Brum?

Certainly was, I was just about to chip in with that. Have been re-watching in preparation for the final season which will be broadcast next month.

Season 1 in particular really is magnificent, not least visually but also in terms of plot and performances (notably Sam Neill’s gripping portrayal of the monstrous Irish policeman Inspector Campbell)

[Ein Heldenleben]

Certainly was, I was just about to chip in with that. Have been re-watching in preparation for the final season which will be broadcast next month.

Season 1 in particular really is magnificent, not least visually but also in terms of plot and performances (notably Sam Neill’s gripping portrayal of the monstrous Irish policeman Inspector Campbell)

I think it never matched the first series .The sinister Ulster copper never bettered as a villain and Sam Neill magnificent. I found the Jewish and Russian gang rivalry thing just too wacky -“jumping the shark “ as they say….

[Nick Armstrong]

I think it never matched the first series .The sinister Ulster copper never bettered as a villain and Sam Neill magnificent. I found the Jewish and Russian gang rivalry thing just too wacky -“jumping the shark “ as they say….

I rather agree…

[Serial_Apologist]

By 1600 weren’t we more or less into early mercantile capitalism? And the emergence of the urban and rural bourgeoisie- people like Shakespeare in fact . Only 50 years away from the diggers and the levellers…I suppose it all depends how you define feudalism.

As you say, pretty much.