Recommended Television Programmes

[LMcD]

Simon Callow's 'A Christmas Carol' (BBC4, now on iPlayer)

[pastoralguy]

The Toys that made Christmas.

BBC Channel 4. The laconic delivery of Robert Webb makes it excellent!

[jayne lee wilson]

About to see Watership Down Part 1 (The BBC/Netflix remake)......

The animals will, I'm sure, be great.... the soundtrack might not compete with Bright Eyes.....

[Richard Tarleton]

About to see Watership Down Part 1 (The BBC/Netflix remake)......

The animals will, I'm sure, be great.... the soundtrack might not compete with Bright Eyes.....

An all-star cast of voice-overs - Olivia Colman as Strawberry instantly recognisable, Peter Capaldi as Kehaar hilarious, but too many to single out - I prefer the CGI to the old cartoon. I didn't notice the sound track - there must have been one, but it left no impression whatsoever so no challenge to Bright Eyes

CGI would be the perfect medium for a film of Plague Dogs, Addams at his most misanthropic.....

[DracoM]

Final epis of The Sinner [BBC4] - weirdly unconnected with what we had already seen. And I simply could not get out of my head the creepy, restless eyes and gruntings of the lead detective.
For me, HE was far and away the most sinister element in the whole piece, and obsessed and dangerously obsessed at that. Difference between him and the VERY nasty JD was that nobody caught the latter, and JD did everything the detective couldn't but wanted to, and got his come-uppance.

Phew!

[Braunschlag]

Hiya Braunschlag,

I love 'Berlin Station'. Typically this type of espionage programme is never easy to understand.

I think Richard Armitage would make an excellent James Bond; a return to the suave and tall type that we have lost.

The recent series 'Babylon Berlin' was most enjoyable.

Great ending to Berlin Station, I’m going have to go back to the start again, I’m sure I’ve missed a few earlier hints.

I’ve been trying to find a way to access Babylon Berlin but my BT box won’t broadcast drama series via Now TV, no Sky here. I think a stick is the only solution, I’ll put a query on the tech forum.

Next door neighbour was having an Oxfam clearout so I’ve snaffled Berlin Alexanderplatz, seen it once but I’m sure it’s worth another look.

[Lat-Literal]

Officially, there is nothing in the schedules worth watching on Christmas Day from around 6pm to Midnight.

Absolutely nothing.

However, I have reasonable hopes for this programme which I haven't yet seen. It was broadcast on BBC2 on 23 December:

Chris and Michaela - Under the Christmas Sky

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bwb7p1/chris-michaela-under-the-christmas-sky

Tomorrow night, again on BBC2, two previously lost programmes of Morecambe and Wise which were found in an abandoned cinema in Sierra Leone.

Both from 1968 which was not in their heyday so expectations will need to be managed but fascinating what with the background story nonetheless.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/morceombe-and-wise-lost-episodes-comedy-cinema-sierra-leone-a8651746.html

[Serial_Apologist]

"Shadowlands" the 1993 film, which I had not seen before, was showing tonight on the Paramount Network. Beautifully paced with Richard Attenborough's direction, authentic era-wise, sensitive and emotionally rich, through Anthony Hopkins the character of Oxford professor and theologian CS Lewis was depicted more for his developing relationship with the American Joy Gresham and her young son than for his religious and philosophical beliefs. Sterling backing (literally) from others in the cast.

[LMcD]

Officially, there is nothing in the schedules worth watching on Christmas Day from around 6pm to Midnight.

Absolutely nothing.

However, I have reasonable hopes for this programme which I haven't yet seen. It was broadcast on BBC2 on 23 December:

Chris and Michaela - Under the Christmas Sky

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bwb7p1/chris-michaela-under-the-christmas-sky

Tomorrow night, again on BBC2, two previously lost programmes of Morecambe and Wise which were found in an abandoned cinema in Sierra Leone.

Both from 1968 which was not in their heyday so expectations will need to be managed but fascinating what with the background story nonetheless.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...-a8651746.html

Only Connect (ended 6.05 p.m.)
University Challenge
Upstart Crow

[Lat-Literal]

Only Connect (ended 6.05 p.m.)
University Challenge
Upstart Crow

We wear different watches.

[Conchis]

"Shadowlands" the 1993 film, which I had not seen before, was showing tonight on the Paramount Network. Beautifully paced with Richard Attenborough's direction, authentic era-wise, sensitive and emotionally rich, through Anthony Hopkins the character of Oxford professor and theologian CS Lewis was depicted more for his developing relationship with the American Joy Gresham and her young son than for his religious and philosophical beliefs. Sterling backing (literally) from others in the cast.

Imo, vastly inferior to the television original with Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom.

[jayne lee wilson]

I loved Gordon Buchanan's Grizzly Bear Cubs and Me....
...cuteness off-the-scale with those six little cubs, and when that last released one turned, one final time, to look back at those who had raised him...showing that very moving, connecting response that the Tiger in Life of Pi broke our hearts in having no thought of....

Look at this little face....
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...es-1-episode-2

[johncorrigan]

I'll start by saying that I have never read any of Agatha Christie's 'Poirot' books. I've heard plenty Poirot on the radio, seen him played by the likes of Finney and Ustinov and, I seem to recall, recently by Sir Ken Banana. And of course I've seen a fair few with Suchet, and I recall his version of the 'ABC Murders'. I approached John Malkovich's 'Poirot', dramatized over the last three evenings, with some serious doubt. It was very dark and pretty nasty in places and I was riveted throughout. I have no idea whether the tales of Poirot's past that happen in the programmes exist in Chrisitie's books or not, but I loved it. Some fine performances, but especially from Malkovich himself, and some wonderful sets too. Really enjoyed it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And of course I've seen a fair few with Suchet, and I recall his version of the 'ABC Murders'.

Naughtily scheduled by ITV3 to coincide with the new Beeb adaptation.

Christie's best works remain very good puzzles - but often with weak characterizations (though not as bad as often claimed). The Hickson Marples and Suchet Poirots are remarkable for keeping faith with the plots whilst creating more "rounded" people. To work well now that these have been done, some severe rewriting needs to be done - as appears to be the case in this new Malkovich adaptation (which I haven't watched yet - looking forward to a mini-binge). But this can backfire - last year's Ordeal by Innocence managed to turn one of Christie's better books into the sort of cheap, cardboard amateurish tosh that her more severe critics accuse Christie of always producing.

[antongould]

I'll start by saying that I have never read any of Agatha Christie's 'Poirot' books. I've heard plenty Poirot on the radio, seen him played by the likes of Finney and Ustinov and, I seem to recall, recently by Sir Ken Banana. And of course I've seen a fair few with Suchet, and I recall his version of the 'ABC Murders'. I approached John Malkovich's 'Poirot', dramatized over the last three evenings, with some serious doubt. It was very dark and pretty nasty in places and I was riveted throughout. I have no idea whether the tales of Poirot's past that happen in the programmes exist in Chrisitie's books or not, but I loved it. Some fine performances, but especially from Malkovich himself, and some wonderful sets too. Really enjoyed it.

Totally agree JC .......