Recommended Television Programmes

[Roger Webb]

Becoming my go-to for opera and concerts, ARTE have this modern dress production of Magnard's 'Guercoeur', an opera I only know from the Behrens/van Dam/Plasson EMI recording.

https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/119033-000-A/alberic-magnard-guercoeur/

[johncorrigan]

Ken Stott's a hard act to follow, in my opinion. I loved his performance as Rebus...world weary, cynical, snarky, funny, drunk. I didn't see the point of more Rebus. However the new version on the Beeb has Richard Rankin playing a younger Rebus, but set in present-day Edinburgh, and I think he's doing a pretty good job of it - he retains that confused link John Rebus has with alcohol and all around him, particularly his colleagues and family. I find myself enjoying this series a lot more than I expected to.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yjr6

[antongould]

Ken Stott's a hard act to follow, in my opinion. I loved his performance as Rebus...world weary, cynical, snarky, funny, drunk. I didn't see the point of more Rebus. However the new version on the Beeb has Richard Rankin playing a younger Rebus, but set in present-day Edinburgh, and I think he's doing a pretty good job of it - he retains that confused link John Rebus has with alcohol and all around him, particularly his colleagues and family. I find myself enjoying this series a lot more than I expected to.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yjr6

as did I John …..

[LMcD]

Just arrived on iPlayer - 'She Fell Among Thieves' - a really enjoyable adaptation by Tom Sharpe of the novel by Dornford Yates. A strong cast headed by Margaret Tyzack, Malcolm MacDowell and Michael Jayston. Mock-Gothic at its very best!

[AuntDaisy]

Just arrived on iPlayer - 'She Fell Among Thieves' - a really enjoyable adaptation by Tom Sharpe of the novel by Dornford Yates. A strong cast headed by Margaret Tyzack, Malcolm MacDowell and Michael Jayston. Mock-Gothic at its very best!

Yes, an excellent production and there's an accompanying "Remembers..." short (... put a sign up & Wales becomes Switzerland).
The scene with Sarah Badel where a knife appears out of the end of the cane; and the swinging across the battlements... beautifully done.

I suspect Dame Eileen Atkins might be a tad miffed. (She's very good in the 1972 "The Duchess of Malfi" as well.)

[Serial_Apologist]

Last night's episode of The Piano was very heavily weighted to the backstory angle - at the risk of sounding snobby I found the music side not very inspiring, modern ballad emote type vocal stuff not being my thing, but the Kenyan lad chosen at the end - Teddy - was interesting, a story of how determination and a dollop of serendipity(music teacher in the right place at the right time) can win through.
I hadn't noticed that a documentary about the previous winner, Lucy, followed this week's episode until it came up at the end, but I'm glad I caught it. A number of important points were covered, quite apart from the human interest aspect of the relationship between teacher and pupil and how it got them to The Piano. The bombshell at the end of the programme about the appearance at Windsor Castle was quite something - I had read about it but to see it played out in the documentary was even more shocking.

For those of us who missed this year's final, here it is. I think Brad's performance was probably the right one for singling out, although that of the young Ukrainian refugee hit me hardest, probably for extramusical "triumph-over-adversity" reasons, but all the performers shone through the well-intentioned flannel and in many ways transcended the material they played. Youll need to register to watch this, but it's an easy procedure.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-piano-signed/on-demand/76891-007

Blank out all the gushery and concentrate on the performances is my advice.

And here is a link to an article with excerpts, catching up on last year's astounding "winner", 13-year old Lucy Illingworth:

http://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/lucy-illingworth-blind-neurodivergent-the-piano/

[eighthobstruction]

....You will find very many Play for Todays on this Utube Channel....very good quality with very few audio gaps( glitches) https://www.youtube.com/@executivedecision6141

[Serial_Apologist]

Right now I'm watching Cold Call - a new 4-part drama on Channel 5 showing until Thursday, almost precisely replicating my own experience of almost being scammed of all my bank savings. I think we can speak of a new category of Cost of Living Dramas, today's equivalent of the 1950s Kitchen Sink dramas.

[kernelbogey]

I'm wondering if we need a thread for TV Turkeys. since I just watched all 6 episodes of Jana - marked for life: a Swedish Noir so noir that its ridiculous plot made you definitely not wish to visit Norrköping, unless you're really into containers, and, of course, wandering with a torch through unlit abandoned industrial buildings.

[LMcD]

Right now I'm watching Cold Call - a new 4-part drama on Channel 5 showing until Thursday, almost precisely replicating my own experience of almost being scammed of all my bank savings. I think we can speak of a new category of Cost of Living Dramas, today's equivalent of the 1950s Kitchen Sink dramas.

This is a repeat broadcast from 2019 of Channel 5's first original TV drama.

[Serial_Apologist]

This is a repeat broadcast from 2019 of Channel 5's first original TV drama.

Missed it first time around then. Surprised that scams identical with mine have been running that long.

[Pulcinella]

Just arrived on iPlayer - 'She Fell Among Thieves' - a really enjoyable adaptation by Tom Sharpe of the novel by Dornford Yates. A strong cast headed by Margaret Tyzack, Malcolm MacDowell and Michael Jayston. Mock-Gothic at its very best!

Loved the bit when the chloroform got poured into the iron cage that the Doge of Venice apparently had used, and also the size of the syringes.
Much enjoyed.

I hadn't realised the connection with Eileen Atkins' 90th birthday:

https://www.thetimes.com/article/ff5c6037-4cf7-4fc3-8e1b-df0a5be36e94?shareToken=69a32b1866638d7cb015ae26d829779f

[LMcD]

Yes, an excellent production and there's an accompanying "Remembers..." short (... put a sign up & Wales becomes Switzerland).
The scene with Sarah Badel where a knife appears out of the end of the cane; and the swinging across the battlements... beautifully done.

I suspect Dame Eileen Atkins might be a tad miffed. (She's very good in the 1972 "The Duchess of Malfi" as well.)

My apologies to Eileen Atkins, and I think I may have misspelt Mr McDowell's surname into the bargain. Nice to see Bernard Hill as the chauffeur.
I think 'camply magnetic' is spot on!

[Nick Armstrong]

... for Maigret on the telly I think the Rupert Davies episodes were comparatively weak. If I remember they were an hour long, which meant the stories were trimmed and scampered through; Rupert Davies himself was all right but the other actors were often abysmal, dragged out of rep - and the cardboard scenery often wobbled. But - they did have some authentic Paris filming. The Michael Gambon series was stronger, but only ran for twelve episodes ; it was mainly filmed in Budapest. The Rowan Atkinson series I gave up on : he just didn't convince as Maigret.

I think the Bruno Cremer series has been outstanding. Tragically he died not long after : in the final episode his voice had to be dubbed because of the the throat cancer that was to kill him.

.

Yes indeed, only that final episode left after tonight

I completely agree with your comments about other attempts to dramatise the Maigret stories.

After next week’s adieu, I shall have 40 episodes as yet unseen residing in the hard drive recorder (I’ve only been watching them sporadically). Rather dreading that last one though…

[LMcD]

'The Outlaws' - I can honestly say that this is the best comedy crime thriller that I've seen in years, with a brilliant script that brought out the best in a uniformly excellent cast. If I was forced to pick one performance in particular, it would probably be Jessica Gunning's PCSO. Stephen Merchant understandably gave himself some of the funniest lines, including 'What a way to go. Death by Tinky-Winky'.