Recommended Television Programmes

[vinteuil]

There's another Screen 2 offering this coming Wednesday on BBC4 at 10.00 p.m. - 'Hotel Du Lac'. For my money, anything with Anna Massey and Denholm Elliott will be worth watching.

... yes indeed! - not much a fan of Anita Brookner (does anyone still read her?), but an amazing cast list here : Anna Massey, Denholm Elliot, Googie Withers, Julia Mackenzie, Patricia Hodge, Irene Handl...

Set to record

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_du_Lac_(film)


.

[Serial_Apologist]

... yes indeed! - not much a fan of Anita Brookner (does anyone still read her?), but an amazing cast list here : Anna Massey, Denholm Elliot, Googie Withers, Julia Mackenzie, Patricia Hodge, Irene Handl...

Set to record

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_du_Lac_(film)


.

[Nick Armstrong]

... yes indeed! - not much a fan of Anita Brookner (does anyone still read her?), but an amazing cast list here : Anna Massey, Denholm Elliot, Googie Withers, Julia Mackenzie, Patricia Hodge, Irene Handl...

Set to record

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_du_Lac_(film)


.

[Sir Velo]

Painting Birds with Jim Moir (Sky Arts)

Despite a juxtaposition of subject matter and subject lifted straight from the Alan Partridge school of absurd televisual titles (cf "The History of Jets with Jet from Gladiators") this is actually an entertaining show, a cut above the usual celeb led dross with enough zany humour and ornithological footage to satisfy twitchers and fans of the artist formerly known as Vic Reeves alike. Favourite moment - when Jim asks his wife, Nancy, which bird they are going to paint. At her look of blank enquiry, he draws a line around his hirsute chops, at which the penny drops and she exclaims "Oh, the bearded tit".

[Serial_Apologist]

For the first time since I can't remember when - maybe forever - "The Kuenssberg" was prepared to take on the Establishment this morning in her eponymously named programme on BBC1, in the form of government minister Mark Harper, who doubled down in his determination to back his government's line over Hester's "apology" and £10m donation: Harper's bizarre. Unfortunately, any positive consequences of this turn of interview follow so long a record of her soft pedalling the Right by giving them all the time in the world to reiterate their unending tropes and clichés, not to mention feeding them their lines when they forget, should not convince anyone that the BBC has suddenly turned into an institution that stands up to power and wealth and tries to get to the bottom of things that really matter. It shows just how bad it has become when all three representatives on her "chat panel", none of them in any sense Left-leaning, were left to put it to us what a disaster this government has made of running the country.

[LMcD]

For the first time since I can't remember when - maybe forever - "The Kuenssberg" was prepared to take on the Establishment this morning in her eponymously named programme on BBC1, in the form of government minister Mark Harper, who doubled down in his determination to back his government's line over Hester's "apology" and £10m donation: Harper's bizarre. Unfortunately, any positive consequences of this turn of interview follow so long a record of her soft pedalling the Right by giving them all the time in the world to reiterate their unending tropes and clichés, not to mention feeding them their lines when they forget, should not convince anyone that the BBC has suddenly turned into an institution that stands up to power and wealth and tries to get to the bottom of things that really matter. It shows just how bad it has become when all three representatives on her "chat panel", none of them in any sense Left-leaning, were left to put it to us what a disaster this government has made of running the country.

I'm aware that Andrew Marr has his critics, but I never gained the impression that he thought he was as important as, or more important than, the interviewees. I used to record his Sunday programme for viewing later in the day, but soon realized that I wasn't missing much by not bothering now that LK has replaced him.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm aware that Andrew Marr has his critics, but I never gained the impression that he thought he was as important as, or more important than, the interviewees. I used to record his Sunday programme for viewing later in the day, but soon realized that I wasn't missing much by not bothering now that LK has replaced him.

It's that little homily with which she always ends her weekly programme, summing up all the world's problems in trite know-it-all platitudes, that really gets to me. The only reasons I watch these programmes is to reassure myself that I am still sharp enough at 78 to see through all the selectivity and disinformation, and bear (bare?) witness to what the people are being fed politically, albeit merely to satisfy my conscience that I am not deceiving myself.

[smittims]

I suspect a feminist aspect here,a determination to be more domineering than the male. I fet that with Fiona Bruce , smirking as she told us how many had died trom COVID that day.

[smittims]

On a more cheerful note, I don't think anyone has mentioned Andre Previn's 1973 programme 'Who Needs A Conductor?' which is on BBC4 iPlayer. Older viewers will remember seeing it at the time. I don't think it's been shown since. It's a little dated (younger viewers may think it's very dated) but it makes its points well.

Apart from the answer to the question, the most rewarding bit for me was his conducting of the irregular metres in the finale of Bartok's Dance Suite. Here at any rate was evidence of what TV can do for classical music.

[LMcD]

'The Dropout' is an absorbing 8-part series, tucked away late at night on BBC1, about the Theranos scandal. Amanda Seyfried, who plays big-time fraudster Elizabeth Holmes, is mesmerising. All episodes available on iPlayer.

[Cockney Sparrow]

On a more cheerful note, I don't think anyone has mentioned Andre Previn's 1973 programme 'Who Needs A Conductor?' which is on BBC4 iPlayer. Older viewers will remember seeing it at the time. I don't think it's been shown since. It's a little dated (younger viewers may think it's very dated) but it makes its points well.

Apart from the answer to the question, the most rewarding bit for me was his conducting of the irregular metres in the finale of Bartok's Dance Suite. Here at any rate was evidence of what TV can do for classical music.

Thank you Smittims.
I found it by searching "Previn" - not immediately very easy to search and find. Its banner title - its under "Omnibus".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001xhkb/omnibus-andre-previn-who-needs-a-conductor

[kernelbogey]

BBC2 series on surgery at University of Southmpton Hospital (currently on Wednesdays and iPlayer). Gripping stuff - recommended if you would not find it too queasy-making.

[kernelbogey]

I'm late recommending The Gone on BBC, Irish-Kiwi police procedural set in New Zealand, with some fascinating characters and relationships. I hadn't realised how much Maori language there is in everday speech there - including by the white population. The 6 episodes have been broadcast and are available on iPlayer. A second series is reported to be filming at the moment.

[Pulcinella]

The new adaptation of The Talented Mr Ripley on Netflix seems well worth watching.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/apr/04/ripley-review-andrew-scott-is-absolutely-spellbinding

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/405108c8-2fb7-4651-ba7b-42d8a2deb7cb?shareToken=cfc12c2186c529778efbfee264 32e6b3

But the Independent is not so persuaded:

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/ripley-netflix-review-b2522801.html

[Forget It (U2079353)]

Here's the most informative quote from that Independent article

Where Highsmith envisaged Ripley as an eerily calm social climber, who is charming and naive when he’s not beating people around the head with the oar of a boat, Scott plays him as more of an overt ghoul – someone oozing sociopathic menace in the corners of fancy ballrooms. Dressed in a leather jacket and sporting greased-up hair, he looks more like a lost Mitchell brother than a high society interloper. You never quite get used to it.

Ripley has been ideal Radio drama material - where of course you don't see the leather jackets and the deadpan voice is all.