What Are You Watching..?

[Robsk II]

Some band played a fairly decent cover of Whiskey in the jar last night. I was in the pub, and had been forced into that worst of things, a mid-night-out ****. My mood was lightened considerably by this track. The singer was no Phil, but, as I say, it helped me curl one out in a more agreeable mood.

[St Landrew]

Put my Guitar Heroes at the BBC into the wrong thread [what film are you watching] last night. Just realised we don't have a thread to alert people to occasional programmes on the TV that manage to get through the Eastenders/Mediocre filter. This one did. Should be on next week too.

 

Here's my post:

 

Guitar Heroes at the BBC. It's pretty damn good too. They're not confining it to rock and pop either. For example, Paco Pena is on now playing some traditional Flamenco music, and brilliantly too, I might add.

 

Blimey, now Whiskey in the Jar - Thin Lizzy. Great stuff. That one used to get played down The Dell loads. I believe we're watching Eric Bell, but Gary Moore is the more famous guitar hero in this band.

[St Landrew]

Well, buggered up that merge. Haven't merged a thread in ages. Hopefully, you get the idea. Robsk's post is in answer to mine. Bloody hell, it even changed the thread start to him. Ah well...

Edited 30 November, 2008 by St Landrew

[Junction 9]

Some band played a fairly decent cover of Whiskey in the jar last night. I was in the pub, and had been forced into that worst of things, a mid-night-out ****. My mood was lightened considerably by this track. The singer was no Phil, but, as I say, it helped me curl one out in a more agreeable mood.

 

What's that?

[St Landrew]

What's that?

 

Can't you work it out..?

[Junction 9]

No.

[St Landrew]

No.

 

No Zahada riddles for you then.

[Deppo]

I prefer to call it a 'pub dump'.

[St Landrew]

Got home from my London trip and fell into the armchair. Watched a recording of tonight's [well last night's as I write] Star Trek Voyager. I don't remember ST-V being so consistently good from when it was first transmitted well over a decade ago. I've been recording them from Virgin every evening, and once I've taken the bloody endless adverts out, they are a pretty fun way to waste 45 mins. By comparison, ST - The Next Generation views like dry sh!te, and is extremely wooden and badly written. Perhaps I just didn't appreciate ST-V enough the first time round.

 

And despite Virgin's eternal entreaties to get me to watch The Sarah Conner Chronicles, and plastering the logo over ST-V episodes - I couldn't be less interested.

[Ponty]

That Terminator series is very good. It's the only US drama series I'll watch at the moment.

[Deppo]

The Wire. Utter genius y'all. More addictive than crack. Well,the stuff I get sold anyway.

[St Landrew]

Well ST-V was a bit of a bummer this evening. Unforgettable, the episode, was just the opposite. Perhaps the writers had a wry sense of humour, at the time. Hopefully, Monday night's episode, Living Witness, will see a return to form.

[St Landrew]

No Voyager this evening, the Beeb's 3 Men In A Boat series was its usual laugh. Being set along the coast of Cornwall brought a bit of grit to the eye. Every time I see footage of Cornwall, it renews my love of the place.

[miserableoldgit]

Have been watching the "WC Fields Collection" that I have been given for Christmas. Wonderful stuff! Looking forward to the "Tony Han**** Collection" that I was also given.

[St Landrew]

Have been watching the "WC Fields Collection" that I have been given for Christmas. Wonderful stuff! Looking forward to the "Tony Han**** Collection" that I was also given.

 

Or as a character humourously wrote in a newspaper review during one of his radio programmes [read out by Sid James]:

 

We are very sorry that we mistakenly called the famous gentleman Tommy Hin****. We were, of course, referring to that well known entertainer, Terry Hankick.

 

That one always gets me.

 

Now onto my watching moment. I found my old VHS recording of The Woman In Black and in superb condition too, just the other day. So I decided to play it to my DVD/HDD recorder before anything bad became of it. And what a superb transfer. Now I'm watching the DVD. Great spooky stuff.

 

Apparently it was only issued on VHS as a prerecording [my recording is from the TV] on a very limited basis, and there has been no official DVD issued. At least, so the website's tell me. So I have a bit of a gem.

[St Landrew]

Following on in my VHS tape rummaging, I've just found an intact episode of The Club, the Meridian TV programme that followed the fortunes of the top club on the south coast, back in 2003..!

 

Loads of stuff on it, including the highlights of two games from the previous season.

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

Have been watching the "WC Fields Collection" that I have been given for Christmas. Wonderful stuff! Looking forward to the "Tony Han**** Collection" that I was also given.

 

I bought a collection of Will Hay films a while ago. Fantastic viewing especially the ones also featuring Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt.

[miserableoldgit]

Or as a character humourously wrote in a newspaper review during one of his radio programmes [read out by Sid James]:

 

We are very sorry that we mistakenly called the famous gentleman Tommy Hin****. We were, of course, referring to that well known entertainer, Terry Hankick.

 

That one always gets me.

 

Now onto my watching moment. I found my old VHS recording of The Woman In Black and in superb condition too, just the other day. So I decided to play it to my DVD/HDD recorder before anything bad became of it. And what a superb transfer. Now I'm watching the DVD. Great spooky stuff.

 

Apparently it was only issued on VHS as a prerecording [my recording is from the TV] on a very limited basis, and there has been no official DVD issued. At least, so the website's tell me. So I have a bit of a gem.

I also have this on VHS. It is a superb bit of ghost story-telling. A ghost story that is actually scary. Really enjoyed the West End production a few years ago as well.

[St Landrew]

Following on in my VHS tape rummaging, I've just found an intact episode of The Club, the Meridian TV programme that followed the fortunes of the top club on the south coast, back in 2003..!

 

Loads of stuff on it, including the highlights of two games from the previous season.

 

Just in case I didn't make it clear, The Club refers to Saints, from the season 2002/03, when the club was finally beginning to capitalise on its status as the Best of the South.

 

You can now all wipe away the tears and blow into your hankies. We were flying at the time, and it shows in the confidence of everyone in the programme..!

[St Landrew]

Yes, I confess it. I've been recording Poldark from UK History onto my DVD/HDD recorder every day so that I can edit out the adverts and burn the episodes to disc. But you've got to realise, this was the sort of stuff that I used to watch just before putting on my jacket and getting down to the pub on a Sunday evening. It evokes superb deja vu..!

 

I'll probably get a lifetime ban for admitting this.

[St Landrew]

Gordon Ramsey's Great British Nightmare was a huge delight this evening. Two restauranteurs who hadn't a screaming clue. One was the Head Chef too, and couldn't cook to save his life; and the other had an excellent head chef who really had had enough of cooking sh!t food, and really let his best mate, the owner, know it. And the guy still wasn't listening. Gordon had the head chef shedding tears when he was building his self esteem back up.

 

I wouldn't know how to run a restaurant if my life depended upon it, so I don't do it. But Gordon really knows what he's talking about and he gets to the heart of the matter. Every word he speaks smacks down hard on the head of the nail. He's been there, done that, written the book and starred in the film.

 

And still they give him grief. Unbelieveable..! Can you imagine how much they would have to pay for his advice outside of the programme..? Well more money than they've got certainly. It's about honesty and huge emotions and big egos. It's desperation, it's fire, it's conflict, it's life.

 

Look past the F-word, it's great TV.

[saint lard]

Gordon Ramsey's Great British Nightmare was a huge delight this evening. Two restauranteurs who hadn't a screaming clue. One was the Head Chef too, and couldn't cook to save his life; and the other had an excellent head chef who really had had enough of cooking sh!t food, and really let his best mate, the owner, know it. And the guy still wasn't listening. Gordon had the head chef shedding tears when he was building his self esteem back up.

 

I wouldn't know how to run a restaurant if my life depended upon it, so I don't do it. But Gordon really knows what he's talking about and he gets to the heart of the matter. Every word he speaks smacks down hard on the head of the nail. He's been there, done that, written the book and starred in the film.

 

And still they give him grief. Unbelieveable..! Can you imagine how much they would have to pay for his advice outside of the programme..? Well more money than they've got certainly. It's about honesty and huge emotions and big egos. It's desperation, it's fire, it's conflict, it's life.

 

Look past the F-word, it's great TV.

 

I concour,superb entertainment tonight, having been in the industry for many years up until recently there are some people misguided enough to believe that they really think they know best and fly in the face of real honest ,constructive critisim.

 

When i was learning the trade,it took me 3 hard yrs to become a chef,this was at Highbury,when it was classed as one of the best.

Nowadays you can work in potwash stick something in a microwave,whilst doing an NVQ then in a few months hey presto you are a chef/restauranter .

 

Ramsey is superb but someone i worked with for a while was Marco Pierre White,he is genius bordering on madness.

[St Landrew]

Ramsey is superb but someone i worked with for a while was Marco Pierre White, he is genius bordering on madness.

 

And Gordon Ramsey's mentor too, as he worked under Marco as he was learning. Something I didn't know from watching the show last night was that the 19 year old Gordon was a completely screwed up kid. Which, incidentally, ties in with his younger brother going off the rails. Anyway, he was talking to the pig-headed head-chef's 19 year old daughter who he had placed all the responsibility for cooking the menu he had devised, and it was quite obvious she was nervous. The way he got her confidence raised, comparing notes etc...was superb. He told her he felt he had to do something positive at 19 or he was screwed. That self-awareness, and his ability to see the wood through the trees, and convey it to others, is what makes him great. Not just the food, but his attitude. Perhaps, some of that is down to Marco.

Edited 31 January, 2009 by St Landrew

[saint lard]

And Gordon Ramsey's mentor too, as he worked under Marco as he was learning. Something I didn't know from watching the show last night was that the 19 year old Gordon was a completely screwed up kid. Which, incidentally, ties in with his younger brother going off the rails. Anyway, he was talking to the pig-headed head-chef's 19 year old daughter who he had placed all the responsibility for cooking the menu he had devised, and it was quite obvious she was nervous. The way he got her confidence raised, comparing notes etc...was superb. He told her he felt he had to do something positive at 19 or he was screwed. That self-awareness, and his ability to see the wood through the trees, and convey it to others, is what makes him great. Not just the food, but his attitude. Perhaps, some of that is down to Marco.

 

If you had see the last series of Hells Kitchen MPW was the excecutive chef,you can see so much Ramsey in MPW and vice versa.

 

They are so similar in their teaching methods and philosophy in teaching others,scare you sh1tless one minute but in the next show an almost affection for the person that has just been rucked.

Everything they say or do has purpose not only the preperation and production of what is being put on the plate but the way they teach and nurture staff.

 

I believe they still go fishing together on MPW's land,even though they still constantly fall out.

[St Landrew]

Made the mistake of flicking through some channels before going to bed. Red Dwarf on DAVE. Haven't seen this particular episode [Polymorph] in donkey's years. Picking my sides off the floor as I type. Brilliant..!

Edited 19 February, 2009 by St Landrew

[St Landrew]

More VHS rummaging has found Auf Weidersehen Pet. Not the original series being repeated at the moment, but that was the spark to have a look through the tapes. This is the one from 2002. [crikey, that long ago..?] I used to get into setting the video a fair bit when I went sailing some years back. Don't bother now as the TV is generally so crap.

 

Anyway, it's where the lads dismantled the Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough, and caused a load of far-from-home Teesiders to phone back to check on the Bridge, because the CGI was pretty good; certainly for the time. Just watched the first and second episodes, and it's better than the original series IMO, and tonnes better drama than anything on at the moment.

[miserableoldgit]

Just finished watching the absolutely superb "John Adams" on DVD. It`s an HBO production telling the story of the American Independence struggle and of John Adams (second President of the USA after George Washington). Recently shown on Channel 4, with excellent performances from Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson, I can`t recomend it highly enough.

[St Landrew]

Coming to the end of my VHS tapes now, and I've found some Dickens classics I had the foresight to record way back when. There's a very good BBC rendition of Great Expectations starring Ioan Gruffudd, which I still haven't watched; and I just transferred BBC's Martin Chuzzlewit from 1994 [Paul Scofield] to HDD/DVD. And I would burn the discs, but after 2½ years, the recorder is about a month into having real difficulty recognising the DVD blanks I'm popping onto its tray - even the Verbatim and TDK ones it was designed to work with. The Targa has been utterly brilliant until now, and thankfully, there's another 6 months to go before the guarantee runs out. Must get that sorted next week.

[Rory]

I don't watch much television but I have just watched the first instalment of the Red Riding trilogy and it was probably one of the best dramas I have ever watched. Can't wait for the next two.

[St Landrew]

I don't watch much television but I have just watched the first instalment of the Red Riding trilogy and it was probably one of the best dramas I have ever watched. Can't wait for the next two.

 

Ah balls. Saw some trailers for that, and wondered whether the content might be worth all the song and dance. Of course, if I was really bothered, there's always CH4's watch again facility. No doubt, it'll be on More4 though later on in the year. All this choice is sooooo taxing.

[Deppo]

Red Riding was brilliant. Watch it, preferably before the other two happen, 'cos some of the characters appear throughout.

[St Landrew]

Looks like I shall shortly be changing my ISP connection, as on watching an 8mb/s connection make nothing of BBC's iPlayer in HQ mode, while showing a programme of ever changing swirling landscapes, it made me realise that mine would have been stuttering every 10 seconds or so in standard quality.

 

How the mighty have fallen..!

[St Landrew]

Just been given 2 DVDs [6 episodes] of Out Of Town, with Jack Hargreaves. I'm absolutely chuffed.

[miserableoldgit]

Just been given 2 DVDs [6 episodes] of Out Of Town, with Jack Hargreaves. I'm absolutely chuffed.

 

 

[St Landrew]

 

 

Amusing, but not a patch on JH. Just watched one item off one of the DVDs. It was pure magic. I reckon I learned about half a dozen new [old] things within the space of 10 minutes..!

 

For example, did you know that a small cider barrel slung around the neck of an agricultural worker is called a Costrel..? Well, I didn't. Boring..? Not when Jack tells you, because he backs it up with all the history and reasons why it came into being. And that's what makes a potentially boring thing fascinating.

 

And I learned why all the small ponds are about where I used to live in Kent. Out Of Town was great TV.

[Ponty]

I used to hate OOT with a passion when I was a kid because it signalled the point of the day where the adults took over the TV.

[Saints1980]

Watched the first series of The Inbetweeners last night. Very good.

[St Landrew]

Wanted to watch something on the BBC iPlayer, but it kept crapping out, so I found solace in Youtube. The first thing I came across was some Marcus Brigstocke standup, and he was funny, in an overtly clever way. Then there was some Michael McIntyre. I've been laughing and snorting pretty much for the last hour or so, and my facial muscles ache. I think that's praise indeed. Ever since McIntyre appeared just a few years back, I've found him reasonably funny, but this has been my first go at properly watching a few of his performances. And he's absolutely hilarious. Excellent comedy.

[Ponty]

I had a stab at Master & Commander (Some contrived long title thing) last night, primarily due to StL's previous lauding of the film. I managed about 45 minutes before I got bored.

[St Landrew]

I had a stab at Master & Commander (Some contrived long title thing) last night, primarily due to StL's previous lauding of the film. I managed about 45 minutes before I got bored.

 

Knowing a couple of your likes and dislikes, I get the impression the subject didn't matter to you. It has to, to carry you through the film. You definitely have to give the film your full attention, otherwise you will become bored.

 

Sorry you didn't like it.

 

BTW, you're on the wrong thread.

[Ponty]

Knowing a couple of your likes and dislikes, I get the impression the subject didn't matter to you. It has to, to carry you through the film. You definitely have to give the film your full attention, otherwise you will become bored.

 

Sorry you didn't like it.

 

BTW, you're on the wrong thread.

Ah, I see, this thread title is in the present tense...

 

Anyway, perhaps you're right about the full attention part, I did have the PC on at the same time, but I was certainly interested in the subject matter and wanted it to work. I may give it another try on its next showing.

[jeff leopard]

State of Play (2003)

 

I missed this when it was on TV a couple of years ago but its just been made into a Hollywood blockbuster so it’s a good time to give it a go. I think the phrase that best suites it is enjoyable hokum. The plot is very silly but the cast is first rate, John Simm and Philip Glenister lock horns in a precursor to their double act in Life on Mars, Kelly Macdonald is still a sexy minx (and talented lady actor) ten years on from Trainspotting and David Morrissey does his classy crying-man routine again, but the stars are undoubtedly Bill Nighy and James McAvoy as the editor and his tear-away son. It races along at 100mph and has more twists and turns than a very twisty turny thing indeed. Ultimately it succeeds because of the balancing act between gritty realism and Hollywood style ridiculousness, a bit like Life on Mars. 7.5/10

[St Landrew]

Splashed out on a couple of DVDs of BBC series I have wanted for a few years. The first one was Middlemarch from 1994. Excellently watchable period piece that only the Beeb seem to know how to pace and present. I find I'm getting the same old emotions, from when I saw it back then, of poor Dr Lydgate having his ambitions twarted, and young Dorothea Brooke marrying the middle-aged scholar Edward Casaubon. There's sub-plot and sub-plot, just like a good period novel should have. No dumbing down from George Eliot [Mary Ann Evans].

 

The second DVD, I'm in the process of watching, having got about half way through; and it's To The Ends Of The Earth from 2004, based on William Golding's trilogy. I missed the first episode the first time round, but got caught up in it from the very first minutes of the second. This time, I have the leisure to watch it at my own pace, but it's so watchable that immediately the first episode finished I was into the second straight away. There's something oddly quirky about it, and the unexpected keeps popping up, which is rather imaginative of Golding, as all the story is centured around the character of one passenger and his interactions with others on an 18th century ship bound for Australia. One thing that truly nails the drama down, [and Middlemarch, for that matter] and gives it real authenticity, is that the actors speak their lines in the manner and language of the time. Too many times in recent years have I seen semi-serious period drama/films staged where the actors speak in modern manner, dialect, and word. And it just completely ruins the whole process. For people who occasionally like their dramas set in other era, these are both recommended.

 

And give them the full attention they deserve.

[RedAndWhite91]

Watched the first series of The Inbetweeners last night. Very good.

 

Inbetweeners is sodding brilliant, I'm watching the first series of that on E4 every Thursday as I didn't get 'into' it until recently. Love it!

 

I'm not watching anything right now however as I am stuck in college for the next 3 hours with nothing to do. What a nice way to spend my last ever day.

[St Landrew]

Just to bump this thread, I've been watching the dear old Onedin Line again, having got hold of series 3 and 4, and series 5 is now available [must get around to that]. It's great stuff too, from the golden era of TV drama.

[Block 5]

I'm watching 'Fringe'.

I missed it whilst it was on Sky1 but found the series torrent.

This is a great sci-fi series from the creator of 'Lost'.

[dubai_phil]

I'm watching 'Fringe'.

I missed it whilst it was on Sky1 but found the series torrent.

This is a great sci-fi series from the creator of 'Lost'.

 

Freaky.

 

Have just finished watching that on download from a mate. It is absolutely fantastic.

 

It's no X Files but has it's own flow and feel so you don't think you're watching a rip off. The crazy Doc is just a fantastic character, and can't decide whether Dunham is the hottest thing on telly or not, she has something about her.....

 

being stuck here we live on DVD's and downloads and so one big difference is when we get a series we tend to watch 3 or more episodes a night until we reach the end.

 

Doctor Who from Chris Ecclestone onwards then morphed into Torchwood in sync is also actually far better when you see the whole thing over about 3 months non-stop - maybe mildly obsessive but you really see the links in the episodes.

 

Similarly Battlestar Galactica once you get through the cr*p on New Caprica and it gets running again.

 

Just started House, I can't believe I saw Hugh Laurie on Jonathon Ross when it first started in the US and we all laughed at his silly accent.

 

In between I now have all the new Top Gear's - something like 9 series and the anniversary Red Dwarf - all 10 series on DVD, God bless Mr Fibble (when not watching sport of course)

 

On THAT note - bl**dy Abu Dhabi just stole the PL rights from Showtime from 2010, oh b*ll*cks. Showtime were excellent we had every PL game live with English commentary and really good studio stuff, of course those guys down the road want to switch that to one ENglish commentary and all the games with Arabic commentary. That's it 2010 season - I'm outta here or it's Justin TV

[Block 5]

Freaky.

 

Have just finished watching that on download from a mate. It is absolutely fantastic.

 

It's no X Files but has it's own flow and feel so you don't think you're watching a rip off. The crazy Doc is just a fantastic character, and can't decide whether Dunham is the hottest thing on telly or not, she has something about her.....

 

being stuck here we live on DVD's and downloads and so one big difference is when we get a series we tend to watch 3 or more episodes a night until we reach the end.

 

Doctor Who from Chris Ecclestone onwards then morphed into Torchwood in sync is also actually far better when you see the whole thing over about 3 months non-stop - maybe mildly obsessive but you really see the links in the episodes.

 

Similarly Battlestar Galactica once you get through the cr*p on New Caprica and it gets running again.

 

Just started House, I can't believe I saw Hugh Laurie on Jonathon Ross when it first started in the US and we all laughed at his silly accent.

 

In between I now have all the new Top Gear's - something like 9 series and the anniversary Red Dwarf - all 10 series on DVD, God bless Mr Fibble (when not watching sport of course)

 

On THAT note - bl**dy Abu Dhabi just stole the PL rights from Showtime from 2010, oh b*ll*cks. Showtime were excellent we had every PL game live with English commentary and really good studio stuff, of course those guys down the road want to switch that to one ENglish commentary and all the games with Arabic commentary. That's it 2010 season - I'm outta here or it's Justin TV

 

The doctor's character is great isn't he? He is very child like one minute and the next he's knocking up a batch of LSD in the lab. Quite bizarre!

Your reference to Torchwood has just reminded me thatI forgot to record the first episode tonight!!!

Thank heavens for BBC iplayer!

[equalizer]

"As seen on TV." Hopefully not for much longer, what a pile of ****! Nice to know all these licence fee increases aren't being wasted! Some nobody presenter who thinks he's funny but isn't surrounded by 6 Z-list celebs who try to answer questions about tv programmes that wouldn't tax a 10 year old!

[St Landrew]

Been watching a little bit of the iPlayer of late, as the TV has been on even less than usual. I'm down to about 6 hours a fortnight, and 3-4 of them are MotoGP every 2 weeks or so. Apart from that it's the usual Coast stuff here and there, and frankly not much else. But I'm really glad I did click onto Breaking the Mould: The Story of Penicillin. Like almost everyone else, I knew Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming, and that was about it, with a few spurious trimmings. So the docudrama was a bit of an eye opener, if it was entirely accurate. Must get around to looking that up. It reminded me of that excellent Horizon programme quite a few years back [probably about 20 or more] about the story of the race to the double-helix. It starred Tim Piggot-Smith as Crick, and a wild eyed Jeff Goldblum as Watson, the discoverers. Now there's a docudrama that could stand repeating. After all, it's historic, so it wouldn't be any more dated than the day it was first transmitted - apart from being in 4:3.

 

I would try The Story Of Maths, but the mere act of thinking about mathematical equations these days makes my eyes glaze over. I can't deny it, I'm simply not that interested in number patterns. Dementia..?