Recommended Television Programmes

[oddoneout]

A plug for Secrets of the London Underground - a series featuring on several channels, hosted by two delightful and enthusiastic presenters, Siddy Holloway - who just happens to curate at the London Transport Museum (nice job!), and her friend Tim Dunn. We are led into hidden worlds of tunnels deep underground to discover often long-abandoned places and disused sections of the tube network including shut stations, revealing customised corridor lining tiles, lift shafts and ticket halls that are no more, fossilized escalators replete with 1930s fittings and posters, tattered remnants of adverts from way back in time, dust-covered machinery, and old technologies. One learns so much about not just the history, but London itself from this unexpected but indispensable perspective. My huge respect goes for all those we owe The Tube to, from the pioneers, planners, technicians and designers to the work forces, past and present.

Some (at least) of the series can be found on this link, and I cannot recommend the programmes on Earl's Court, Paddington and Waterloo stations too highly. - it's free if you wish, but you have to sign on.

http://u.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-...d/watch-online

I've watched some of these in the past but unfortunately can't access its current Freeview home since the last digibox update. As ever when I watch programmes like these, and others on archaeology/ industrial heritage etc I am amazed at how just much structural history is still hidden in such a small and often densely developed country.

[gurnemanz]

Thanks for nudge, SA, re Secrets of the London Underground. I have watched most of the previous prigrammes. A fascinating combination of new insights and unconsidered trifles. The two presenters have an infectious enthusiasm for their subject and play off each other nicely.

I will catch up via Sky on Yesterday channel. Also on Freeview but not HD.

[gurnemanz]

I spotted Melvyn Bragg's Art Matters coming up on Sky Arts next week. Promises to be a significant contribution.

https://www.tvguide.co.uk/schedule/9a95cdf6-96e0-5b74-b207-b3f5f872e8d8/art-matters

[eighthobstruction]

....Champions : Full Gallop https://www.itv.com/watch/champions:...gallop/10a5197 Excellent entertainment value....informative, narrative, a good watch....which did not get much pre screening hype (considiering ITV's means of business, I find they are very poor at delivering pre screening info)

[vinteuil]

on netflix - The Tour de France : Unchained (2022 and 2023)

https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81153133

" Excellent entertainment value....informative, narrative, a good watch... "

( I still don't really understand how the Tour de France works, but these series have been very helpful - very good narrative structure, and you get really interested in the personal stories. It's still a bonkers sport - "an exercise in pointless suffering", as Lance Armstrong put it. )

.

[eighthobstruction]

.....Unchained ....brilliant series....brilliant

[LMcD]

I thought I'd had my fill of wild-life documentaries, but I have to say that the 3-part series on Patagonia currently being (re)broadcast on BBC4 and iPlayer really is exceptional.

[eighthobstruction]

I spotted Melvyn Bragg's Art Matters coming up on Sky Arts next week. Promises to be a significant contribution.

https://www.tvguide.co.uk/schedule/9...d8/art-matters

review of above....https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-r...time-and-money

[gurnemanz]

review of above....https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-r...time-and-money

Yet to watch. Looks to be not essential viewing.

[LMcD]

Yet to watch. Looks to be not essential viewing.

(Never let it be said that MB is prone to hiding his light under a bushel).

[smittims]

I'm watching it . I think his choice of artists is rather odd; they (with the exception of Gormley) wouldn't convince me of the value of art if I wasn't already convinced from childhood. And how sad that a third of the programme was adverts ; fortunately I can edit them out before watching,

[Old Grumpy]

"Strictly"

I can't recommend it because I've never watched it, but I do recommend that it's dropped!

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jul/27/crisis-toxic-strictly-staff-bbc-sexualised-comments-cruelty

[LMcD]

Latest update from Talking Pictures includes a broad hint that they might be bringing us 'Z Cars' before too long.

[burning dog]

A plug for Secrets of the London Underground - a series featuring on several channels, hosted by two delightful and enthusiastic presenters, Siddy Holloway - who just happens to curate at the London Transport Museum (nice job!), and her friend Tim Dunn. We are led into hidden worlds of tunnels deep underground to discover often long-abandoned places and disused sections of the tube network including shut stations, revealing customised corridor lining tiles, lift shafts and ticket halls that are no more, fossilized escalators replete with 1930s fittings and posters, tattered remnants of adverts from way back in time, dust-covered machinery, and old technologies. One learns so much about not just the history, but London itself from this unexpected but indispensable perspective. My huge respect goes for all those we owe The Tube to, from the pioneers, planners, technicians and designers to the work forces, past and present.

Some (at least) of the series can be found on this link, and I cannot recommend the programmes on Earl's Court, Paddington and Waterloo stations too highly. - it's free if you wish, but you have to sign on.

http://u.co.uk/shows/secrets-of-the-...d/watch-online

Siddy Holloway's real name is Sigurbjörg Alma Ingólfsdóttir. Siddy is a nickname based on her first name. The Holloway part is named after Holloway Road tube station!

Nice job indeed!

[Serial_Apologist]

Siddy Holloway's real name is Sigurbjörg Alma Ingólfsdóttir. Siddy is a nickname based on her first name. The Holloway part is named after Holloway Road tube station!

Nice job indeed!

I hadn't known that, so thank you for that information. Siddy has a certain Nordic look about her, although the very perfect RP English she shares with Tim would surely have her down as English-educated, and both almost certainly as being public school.