Recommended Television Programmes

[muzzer]

Closing in on the final episode of Funny Woman... well, it has deepened a little, but no radical change of pace or tone. What is clear is that Arsher Ali as Dennis is carrying the drama at least as much as Gemma Arterton. Among all the cyphers and stereotypes, he brings warmth, depth and complexity of character to the narrative which would otherwise be lacking; an effective foil for Arterton's more volatile and spotlighted highs and lows (which she does well, without too much self-parody...).....

Cliffhanger at the end of ep. 5....so (even if I think I've guessed it out...) at least I'm keen to see the dénouement now.... but which way will it go? My late night treat....

I thoroughly enjoyed this all round. Perfect for February.

[kernelbogey]

Channel Four tonight - piano talent show from 'public' pianos...may interest some!

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-piano

[Serial_Apologist]

Channel Four tonight - piano talent show from 'public' pianos...may interest some!
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-piano

I shall watch. Sadly all the pianos in S London "train stations" locked up during the pandemic have remained so.

[johncorrigan]

I thought the Piano was very entertaining, and very moving too in places. I will definitely watch it again.

[gradus]

I enjoyed it too. Lang Lang was excellent but my knowledge of current popular music is very poor and I confess to never having heard of his partner judge. Altogether a heart-warming programme.

[Serial_Apologist]

I enjoyed it too. Lang Lang was excellent but my knowledge of current popular music is very poor and I confess to never having heard of his partner judge. Altogether a heart-warming programme.

I was pleased that the winner was the young bloke who rapped over his own piece - I must hear that again.

[alywin]

Enjoying this ballet on BBC four.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001hqnt

Birmingham Royal Ballet perform Don Quixote in a production by Carlos Acosta.

Based on Spain’s most famous novel, the classic ballet follows Don Quixote’s extraordinary adventures as he helps young lovers Kitri and Basilio find happiness.

Yes, it was fun. Most people agree that the production is better than his earlier one for the Royal Ballet.

I think BBC four should broadcast all the proms and Covent Garden productions, surely that is the kind of thing BBC four was meant to do eh

Exactly

I have avoided cloud 'services' from the start. My backups are local and disconnected from the internet, generally.

Me too.

Actually, going back to Talking Pictures, we've been enjoying watching The Onedin Line on Sunday nights. Fascinating to see all the social problems of Victorian society that it manages to deal with. Particularly stomach-churning was the one the other week with the "ghost ships": unscrupulous ship owners would just overload old, no-longer-seaworthy, ships and send them out round particularly nasty stretches of water so that they would be sunk and the owners could claim the insurance on them. No thought for the dozens of men killed every time ...

[smittims]

I think this is the fourth time I've seen 'The Onedin Line' but it never pales. A splendid cast; Jessica Benton, for instance; never saw her in anything else, can't think why.

Apart from the old BBC Forsyte Saga, my favourite TV drama of all time was 'A Family at War' (Granada, early 1970s). Wonderfully true to life and credible (unlike so many others) and again a splendid cast: Leslie Nunnerly, Colin Campbell, Coral Atkins and Colin ? who played the father.

[Bryn]

Last night, I watched the repeat of the first episode of Edge of Darkness. Great that it was broadcast but what about episode 2? Episodes 3 and 4 are down to be broadcast next Wednesday, with episodes 5 and 6 the following Wednesday. However, only the one episode, the first, was broadcast last night and the iPlayer gives no clue as to when/if episode 2 will b available on air or on demand. Indeed, where the other episodes are given future broadcast information, episode 2 is not. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001j61n shows the first episode as being available and the next being episode 3. What's going on?

Fortunately, episode 2 can be found online at https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3hhwp7 Except, that turn out to be the episode broadcast last night. Curiouser and curiouser.

[Nick Armstrong]

Last night, I watched the repeat of the first episode of Edge of Darkness. Great that it was broadcast but what about episode 2? Episodes 3 and 4 are down to be broadcast next Wednesday, with episodes 5 and 6 the following Wednesday. However, only the one episode, the first, was broadcast last night and the iPlayer gives no clue as to when/if episode 2 will b available on air or on demand. Indeed, where the other episodes are given future broadcast information, episode 2 is not. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001j61n shows the first episode as being available and the next being episode 3. What's going on?

Fortunately, episode 2 can be found online at https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3hhwp7 Except, that turn out to be the episode broadcast last night. Curiouser and curiouser.

I think the confusion is in the listings: it seems that Episodes 1 & 2 were in fact conflated last night into one double-length episode. On the iPlayer mobile app it’s described as “Compassionate Leave/Into the Shadows” - the titles of episodes 1 & 2 - and as being 1 hour 42 minutes in length. Episodes 3 onwards are all 50 minutes long.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think this is the fourth time I've seen 'The Onedin Line' but it never pales. A splendid cast; Jessica Benton, for instance; never saw her in anything else, can't think why.

Apart from the old BBC Forsyte Saga, my favourite TV drama of all time was 'A Family at War' (Granada, early 1970s). Wonderfully true to life and credible (unlike so many others) and again a splendid cast: Leslie Nunnerly, Colin Campbell, Coral Atkins and Colin ? who played the father.

A Family At War had a far better theme tune than Onedin.The big E major tune form Vaughan Williams 6 vs Spartacus. I can’t bear the latter whereas the former is one of the great symphonic themes.

[Bryn]

I think the confusion is in the listings: it seems that Episodes 1 & 2 were in fact conflated last night into one double-length episode. On the iPlayer mobile app it’s described as “Compassionate Leave/Into the Shadows” - the titles of episodes 1 & 2 - and as being 1 hour 42 minutes in length. Episodes 3 onwards are all 50 minutes long.

Thanks, that makes complete sense. I joined it late and was taken aback to find the same scenes when I accessed the Dailymotion offering of Episode 2 this morning. I wonder how Radio Times handled the listing? The series remains as relevant today as it was some 37 years, or so, ago.

[Nick Armstrong]

I wonder how Radio Times handled the listing?

Good point! Like this:



Still confusing: “1&2”, okay… first two episodes together. But “/3”…? When there are 6 in all, as originally broadcast.

I suspect the “3” suggests there will be 3 double-length episodes…

[Bryn]

Good point! Like this:



Still confusing: “1&2”, okay… first two episodes together. But “/3”…? When there are 6 in all, as originally broadcast.
I suspect the “3” suggests there will be 3 double-length episodes…

Thanks. If last night's showing is anything to go by, only the first episode of each pair will have its title displayed onscreen.

[french frank]

Apart from the old BBC Forsyte Saga, my favourite TV drama of all time was 'A Family at War' (Granada, early 1970s). Wonderfully true to life and credible (unlike so many others) and again a splendid cast: Leslie Nunnerly, Colin Campbell, Coral Atkins and Colin ? who played the father.

The following message comes from the ether, directed at smittims and whoever. I assume this is where it belongs:

"Colin Douglas played Edwin Ashton in A Family At War"
E&OE