What Are You Watching..?

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

The Brits Who Built the Modern World (BBC4 Monday)

 

Can you think of one undeniably outstanding contribution that Britain still makes to the world? This is a much harder question to answer today than it was in even the recent past, but perhaps in the field of modern architecture we are still genuine world leaders. This excellent 3 part series has examined the work of a elite group of British architects (led by Sir Norman Foster and Richard Rogers) who through developing a style genericly known as 'High Tech' have indeed made the world a better place than it was before.

 

I grew up in the post war era when the word 'architect' became a term of derision almost as the nation hurriedly reconstructed itself in a 'brutal' concrete form (inspired by Le Corbusier's 'Modernist' style) that some still admire but millions of ordinary people soon came to despise. But starting with revolutionary landmark structures, such as the Lloyd's of London building and the famous Pompidou Centre in Paris (structures that made a feature of their internal workings) a new generation of elite British designers showed the world how via the power of good architecture our cities could be transformed into much better places both to live and work in.

 

I must say however that thinking of the poor/mediocre structures I personally still experience everyday there is still a hell of a long way to go before anyone can say the world has been truly transformed.

Edited 6 March, 2014 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[pap]

Watched the penultimate episode of True Detective. It finishes its eight episode run, and from what I understand, this will be the end of the present story. Next year, True Detective will be a different case with different leads. If they can maintain the quality of this first season, I've no problem with that. I've never really seen a show hit the ground running as effortlessly as this seemed to. Some excellent performances to enjoy from minute one and the narrative structure is genius, allowing the writers to shift time and give the mystery to you in a piecemeal and disjointed fashion.

 

I have no idea what happens next week. Though it's fairly clear who has done what, as a self-contained season, all bets are off in terms of the fate of our characters. I predict shock.

[dubai_phil]

Papster.

 

Now you've finished some proper quality telly, you really MUST download and start watching Helix.

 

We're now up to episode 7. Dude, every time we think we have worked out who is on what side of what conspiracy they throw a new one in. Some episodes so far have had one conspiracy theory being usurped by at LEAST two new ones all in one hour of TV.

 

We still seem to have the rabid Zombies, but FFS now we are trying to work out if the raving Zombies are actually Zombies.

 

What is even MORE disconcerting was that a week ago this was clearly going to be a one season type thing. Now? Fook knows.

 

I am now convinced that the ONLY person with a brain capable of coming up with this Conspiratorial feast is our very own Papster. If it wasn't you then you have a doppleganger mate!

 

(Warning - Helix is NOT deemed to be suitable viewing for Bears (or Monkeys for that matter) as in 7 episodes so far there has been a distinct lack of ANY Bewbs, and any gratuitous Bonking scenes are merely inferred by seeing people tying up their shoelaces. It does however still scare the Bejeesus out of Mrs DP)

 

I also fully expect to see Neil Armstrong having lunch with JFK & Elvis on the Grassy Knoll in Saturday's episode

[Bearsy]

Warning - Helix is NOT deemed to be suitable viewing for Bears

 

this is true, i watched the first episode when you first started going on about it and found it to be v.boring! I mean except for the bit when all the little monkeys escaped but they didn't realise it was middle of artic or whatever, and so when they ran outside they all froze into little monkey statues after 20 yds. That bit was sweet!

[Bearsy]

Watched the penultimate episode of True Detective. It finishes its eight episode run, and from what I understand, this will be the end of the present story. Next year, True Detective will be a different case with different leads. If they can maintain the quality of this first season, I've no problem with that. I've never really seen a show hit the ground running as effortlessly as this seemed to. Some excellent performances to enjoy from minute one and the narrative structure is genius, allowing the writers to shift time and give the mystery to you in a piecemeal and disjointed fashion.

 

I have no idea what happens next week. Though it's fairly clear who has done what, as a self-contained season, all bets are off in terms of the fate of our characters. I predict shock.

 

I dunno if i predict shock, i assumed there was gonna be a big twist like Rust or Marty or Marty's wife is the real killer, i thought that was the point of the show trying to watch out for secret clues, but it seems like it's lining up to end in a realistic + non-surprising oh that makes sense kind of way. I spose one or both of the TD's might get dead tho.

[SuperMikey]

I dunno if i predict shock, i assumed there was gonna be a big twist like Rust or Marty or Marty's wife is the real killer, i thought that was the point of the show trying to watch out for secret clues, but it seems like it's lining up to end in a realistic + non-surprising oh that makes sense kind of way. I spose one or both of the TD's might get dead tho.

 

Marty goes to his ex-wife specifically to say goodbye to her - obviously we're meant to think that he's not coming back one way or another, but I reckon there's something else at play..

[dubai_phil]

this is true, i watched the first episode when you first started going on about it and found it to be v.boring! I mean except for the bit when all the little monkeys escaped but they didn't realise it was middle of artic or whatever, and so when they ran outside they all froze into little monkey statues after 20 yds. That bit was sweet!

 

There you go, you see you even missed the Goddam Monkey Conspiracy.

 

They all ran outside and froze into little Monkey Statues.

Later on they get found and a sample is taken for work in the labs and the Hero/Villain/Good/Bad/Caring/Butchering/Nasty/Smooth/Backstabbing/Best Friend/Superhuman/Wimp bloke goes out and pours petrol over them and lights a match.

 

It is THEN that things start getting all fecked up............. I mean like they were Frozen Monkey Statues right?

[dubai_phil]

This weeks episode 8 finishes.

Mrs DP "Have you ANY idea what the feck is going on?"

 

Me "Nope".

 

Perhaps that is why we are enjoying it. It has a story every week, it seems to move forward, it has action, people getting eaten by Rats or just simply mutilated and yet?

 

From now on we are christening it the WTH show as per the official web site. Seems the sneaky bstds have done this on purpose

 

http://www.syfy.com/helix/photos/helix_questions

 

Question: What are Narvik-A and Narvik-B? What's their true purpose?

Question: Who is Balleseros working for?

Question: What the hell is xxxxx that she can grind her teeth with a power saw?

Question: What did xxxxx want with the frozen head of Dr. xxxxx?

 

[h=2]Questions and AnswersSeason 1Feature Gallery 18 of 22

[/h]

 

 

 

Question: WTH kind of disease is this?

 

 

 

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Some TV I've been watching this week:

 

Salamander - Okay so what if it is only BBC4's eurotrash stand in for my beloved 'The Bridge' this is still a pretty decent series. It turns out that apparently staid and respectable Belgium is actually a hotpot of corruption, but never mind because the intrepid Inspector Geraldi is on the case and he will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately both he, and his family, will have a heavy price to pay for his obsessive nature.

 

The Mentalist - With the dreaded Red John finally dealt with this long running series has undergone a major 'reboot' with several main characters now seemingly gone and Jane (as brilliant and infuriating as ever) working for the FBI - but only under his own terms of course. Too mainstream for the cool kids on here to watch, but I like it.

 

Longmire - About as far from Patrick Jane v the FBI as you could possibly get, nevertheless like some kind of Wyoming version of the mounties Walt Longmire normally gets his man too. His buxom young deputy - and her unsuitably tight shirts - provide yet another good reason to watch this series I must admit.

[pap]

Not a recommendation, but I saw a bit of Fat Families yesterday.

 

It's a show in which an overweight presenter has a go at obese people for eating too much. I'm convinced these shows just exist to make people feel better about themselves. e.g. you're probably not as chunky as the people in this show, your house isn't as much of a sh!t-hole as the faecal-filled horrors in How Clean Is Your House.

[dubai_phil]

Yay! Finally one of my pals here has started watching Helix.

 

He's up to episode 3 and came in today and asked me WTF?

 

Result

[Bearsy]

I'm thinking of watching last episode True Detective in a bit. I'm also thinking of not watching it. I hate it when things end

[Jonnyboy]

So what are peoples' Top Ten must watch Series of 21st Century? For me:

 

1. Breaking Bad

2. Dexter

3. Walking Dead

4. Game of Thrones

5. The Wire? (not watched yet)

6. True Detective? (not watched yet)

7.....

8.....

[SuperMikey]

I'm thinking of watching last episode True Detective in a bit. I'm also thinking of not watching it. I hate it when things end

 

Just finished watching it - not quite what we were expecting but still a good end to a great series. Watched part of it biting my fist with tension!

 

 

Ps: No homo

[Goatboy]

So what are peoples' Top Ten must watch Series of 21st Century? For me:

 

1. Breaking Bad

2. Dexter

3. Walking Dead

4. Game of Thrones

5. The Wire? (not watched yet)

6. True Detective? (not watched yet)

7.....

8.....

Sopranos would be at the top for me. Gamechanger.

[ecuk268]

Sopranos would be at the top for me. Gamechanger.

 

I'd throw Boardwalk Empire in there as well.

[shurlock]

Saw the last episode of True Detective. A strange one.

 

Perhaps the speculation and meta-analysis ran ahead of the show's relatively conventional final arc. That I was somehow expecting a sting in the tail that never came and the bogeyman was straight out of the redneck, Texas Chainsaw Massacre playbook. Unsettling but not in keeping with the insidiousness of the rest of the series.

 

Still there was a lot to like -from the episode's eery naturalism to the ambivalence that solving the case may have just been a temporary or even phyric victory. And of course the pacing allowed the spotlight to finish on Rust and Marty's relationship which was one of the best parts of the show.

[pap]

So what are peoples' Top Ten must watch Series of 21st Century? For me:

 

1. Breaking Bad

2. Dexter

3. Walking Dead

4. Game of Thrones

5. The Wire? (not watched yet)

6. True Detective? (not watched yet)

7.....

8.....

 

1) Breaking Bad is right up there. One of the best arcs on telly.

2) No other show has ever made me care about as many characters as The Wire.

3) No one is safe in Walking Dead (except maybe for Rick).

4) Absolutely no one is safe in Game of Thrones.

5) No show better reflected post-911 paranoia better than Battlestar Galactica.

6) No show hit its feet faster than True Detective.

7) Nothing quite matches the refined quality of swearing in Dead Like Me.

extra!)Nothing quite matches the coarse quality of swearing in Deadwood.

 

No other show has ever been as unfairly dismissed on the basis of its title as Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

9) Rome is in the running for best "two season" show ever.

10) No show's cancellation made me as sad as Firefly's; it was already cancelled when I started watching it. Serenity is pretty good closure though.

[Whitey Grandad]

1) Breaking Bad is right up there. One of the best arcs on telly.

2) No other show has ever made me care about as many characters as The Wire.

3) No one is safe in Walking Dead (except maybe for Rick).

4) Absolutely no one is safe in Game of Thrones.

5) No show better reflected post-911 paranoia better than Battlestar Galactica.

6) No show hit its feet faster than True Detective.

7) Nothing quite matches the refined quality of swearing in Dead Like Me.

extra!)Nothing quite matches the coarse quality of swearing in Deadwood.

 

No other show has ever been as unfairly dismissed on the basis of its title as Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

9) Rome is in the running for best "two season" show ever.

10) No show's cancellation made me as sad as Firefly's; it was already cancelled when I started watching it. Serenity is pretty good closure though.

 

The only one of these that I've seen is Rome, and there won't be any more of those now that the set has burnt down

[pap]

The only one of these that I've seen is Rome, and there won't be any more of those now that the set has burnt down

 

All of those shows have my seal of recommendation, Whitey G.

 

The Wire is hard going the first five episodes the same way it's hard-going to dip into Shakespeare or Hardy for the first time. You can hear the language, but it doesn't really flow and I didn't know what some of it meant. To the show's credit, it lifts the fog factor through context. I didn't have to look anything up, but ended up understanding what everything meant regardless.

 

Breaking Bad is a tour-de-force, a show that seems to have been planned with some sort of diligence (although a few ad-libs became favourites), the complete opposite to the vague mystical boll*cks we got with LOST (which you probably haven't seen). It really becomes something.

 

Loved Rome; thought the lead chaps were top in their roles. Who'd have thought Tommy from Trainspotting (which you probably haven't seen) would be so bad-ass?

 

WG; don't want to impugn your character and suggest that you're not "hip" or "with it", so hand out forum slaps accordingly if you've seen any of the things I've accused you of probably not seeing.

[RonManager]

Gardeners' World.

 

It's the stamen's petals.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I can't deny it, the best US TV drama today is indeed daring to push the boundaries of television to a quite remarkable extent. However methinks they don't have a monopoly on good programming.

 

As far as I'm concerned any list of truly great 21st Century television series that can't find a place for Simon Schama's sublime 'A History of Britain' clearly lacks proper consideration. For that matter the new wave of Scandinavian crime programming (series such as Danish TV's highly influential 'The Killing' for instance) also probably deserve to be included.

 

Push the timeframe back a tad into the 1990's and any history fan will confirm that 'The Civil War' (Ken Burns) and 'The Nazis: A Warning from History' (Laurence Rees) were both quite unmissable. Indeed the latter series may be as good as television gets.

[pap]

Papster.

 

Now you've finished some proper quality telly, you really MUST download and start watching Helix.

 

We're now up to episode 7. Dude, every time we think we have worked out who is on what side of what conspiracy they throw a new one in. Some episodes so far have had one conspiracy theory being usurped by at LEAST two new ones all in one hour of TV.

 

We still seem to have the rabid Zombies, but FFS now we are trying to work out if the raving Zombies are actually Zombies.

 

What is even MORE disconcerting was that a week ago this was clearly going to be a one season type thing. Now? Fook knows.

 

I am now convinced that the ONLY person with a brain capable of coming up with this Conspiratorial feast is our very own Papster. If it wasn't you then you have a doppleganger mate!

 

(Warning - Helix is NOT deemed to be suitable viewing for Bears (or Monkeys for that matter) as in 7 episodes so far there has been a distinct lack of ANY Bewbs, and any gratuitous Bonking scenes are merely inferred by seeing people tying up their shoelaces. It does however still scare the Bejeesus out of Mrs DP)

 

I also fully expect to see Neil Armstrong having lunch with JFK & Elvis on the Grassy Knoll in Saturday's episode

 

Out of respect for your infinite golfing connections and the forlorn hope that they may one day come in useful, I have watched the pilot and the following episode. The good news is that I'm probably going to watch more. The bad news is that so far, it feels very much like a season-long bottle episode. I will probably lose interest if the scope doesn't start to expand, and especially if I hear more dialogue like this:-

 

"The oxygen cleansers are down"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Only if you like breathing"

 

I've also noticed supposedly smart characters doing really stupid things, like the chunky girl keeping schtum about things that she probably be telling her boss about. My fear is that they're just throwing a load of memes du jours at the wall in the hope that some of it sticks. Zombies (ish), conspiracies, black programmes - it's all there. I'm just not sure that they're going to make the best of all those ingredients.

[Whitey Grandad]

All of those shows have my seal of recommendation, Whitey G.

 

The Wire is hard going the first five episodes the same way it's hard-going to dip into Shakespeare or Hardy for the first time. You can hear the language, but it doesn't really flow and I didn't know what some of it meant. To the show's credit, it lifts the fog factor through context. I didn't have to look anything up, but ended up understanding what everything meant regardless.

 

Breaking Bad is a tour-de-force, a show that seems to have been planned with some sort of diligence (although a few ad-libs became favourites), the complete opposite to the vague mystical boll*cks we got with LOST (which you probably haven't seen). It really becomes something.

 

Loved Rome; thought the lead chaps were top in their roles. Who'd have thought Tommy from Trainspotting (which you probably haven't seen) would be so bad-ass?

 

WG; don't want to impugn your character and suggest that you're not "hip" or "with it", so hand out forum slaps accordingly if you've seen any of the things I've accused you of probably not seeing.

 

Spot on mate, the only thing I might have seen is the first episode of LOST but I thought it all a load of pretentious twaddle. Like a lot if these types of show it had all the appearance of being made up as it went along by a team of scriptwriters who didn't really know where they were going. I'm also not a great fan of hand-held jerky zoomed-in camerawork, it gets between me and what's going on so please alert me if this is the case in any of these. W Grandma is a great fan of crime thrillers, especially continental foreign language ones, so my viewing opportunities are limited after football and the odd action film. I rely on my son for recommendations and he sometimes lends me box sets. I'll have a chat with him.

[Goatboy]

Papster.

 

Now you've finished some proper quality telly, you really MUST download and start watching Helix.

 

We're now up to episode 7. Dude, every time we think we have worked out who is on what side of what conspiracy they throw a new one in. Some episodes so far have had one conspiracy theory being usurped by at LEAST two new ones all in one hour of TV.

 

We still seem to have the rabid Zombies, but FFS now we are trying to work out if the raving Zombies are actually Zombies.

 

What is even MORE disconcerting was that a week ago this was clearly going to be a one season type thing. Now? Fook knows.

 

I am now convinced that the ONLY person with a brain capable of coming up with this Conspiratorial feast is our very own Papster. If it wasn't you then you have a doppleganger mate!

 

(Warning - Helix is NOT deemed to be suitable viewing for Bears (or Monkeys for that matter) as in 7 episodes so far there has been a distinct lack of ANY Bewbs, and any gratuitous Bonking scenes are merely inferred by seeing people tying up their shoelaces. It does however still scare the Bejeesus out of Mrs DP)

 

I also fully expect to see Neil Armstrong having lunch with JFK & Elvis on the Grassy Knoll in Saturday's episode

 

I've started watching this. The bird with the shaky hand looks like fun.

[Goatboy]

1) Breaking Bad is right up there. One of the best arcs on telly.

2) No other show has ever made me care about as many characters as The Wire.

3) No one is safe in Walking Dead (except maybe for Rick).

4) Absolutely no one is safe in Game of Thrones.

5) No show better reflected post-911 paranoia better than Battlestar Galactica.

6) No show hit its feet faster than True Detective.

7) Nothing quite matches the refined quality of swearing in Dead Like Me.

extra!)Nothing quite matches the coarse quality of swearing in Deadwood.

 

No other show has ever been as unfairly dismissed on the basis of its title as Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

9) Rome is in the running for best "two season" show ever.

10) No show's cancellation made me as sad as Firefly's; it was already cancelled when I started watching it. Serenity is pretty good closure though.

 

Deadwood is one of my absolute favourites. Some of the best dialogue ever. Such a shame that it didn't run for longer.

[Bearsy]

I've started watching this. The bird with the shaky hand looks like fun.

 

goatboy ur new round here so you prob don't know better, but word of advice from someone who has been member since 2007... Never take tv or movie advice from dp, you will regret it yo!

 

Edit: 2008 yo. i spose 2007 was my deppo account

Edited 14 March, 2014 by Bearsy

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Having remembered viewing it as a young child I made quite sure to obtain the DVD box set of the BBC's mammoth 26 part series 'The Great War' when I found a copy a little while ago. Like me this series dates all the way back to the early 1960's and although time may have taken its remorseless toll on yours truly I can confirm this programme has lost nothing of its awesome sense of scale, solemnity and gravitas over the intervening years.

 

It's a interesting exercise to compare it with Jeremy Paxman's series 'Britain's Great War' that aired recently. Paxman's (much shorter) series unearthed many fascinating insights into life on the Home Front during the war while the 1964 series concentrated very much on the fighting. I hugely impressed with both programmes, but I'm left feeling that perhaps 'The Great War' - with it's unrepeatable advantage of being able to interview the old men who actually fought during WWI - is unsurpassed. Indeed in Television terms I don't believe it will ever be surpassed, the celluloid equivalent of the Cenotaph almost.

 

But I digress, the reason I'm bringing this up now is that tonight BBC2 is showing a series of interviews with (now long gone of course) WWI veterans that were originally made in back in the 1960's for inclusion in 'The Great War' but never actually used. I dare say it will be a privilege to watch.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01tgxt5

[Goatboy]

goatboy ur new round here so you prob don't know better, but word of advice from someone who has been member since 2007... Never take tv or movie advice from dp, you will regret it yo!

 

I will be more careful in future.

[norwaysaint]

True Detective's disappointing (for me) ending means that it won't be taking its place up there with the greats, in fact I think it'll be mostly forgotten in a few years unless they do a killer follow up series.

 

Spoilers:

 

It was just a bloke then, the type of deranged, abused, in-bred redneck freak we've seen many times. Carcosa and the yellow king really weren't any kind of revelation and they were a bit token in that final episode. The high level involvement with the Tuttles and Childress's gives room for further series, but they were just background stuff in how it played out.

 

As with how a lot of dark thrillers with hints of supernatural go, it's a lot more interesting and alluring when it's just hints and shadows, when they have to deal with what's really happening, it's often either disappointing and banal if it's not supernatural, or silly and annoying if it is. Great acting all-round though

[pap]

True Detective's disappointing (for me) ending means that it won't be taking its place up there with the greats, in fact I think it'll be mostly forgotten in a few years unless they do a killer follow up series.

 

Spoilers:

 

It was just a bloke then, the type of deranged, abused, in-bred redneck freak we've seen many times. Carcosa and the yellow king really weren't any kind of revelation and they were a bit token in that final episode. The high level involvement with the Tuttles and Childress's gives room for further series, but they were just background stuff in how it played out.

 

As with how a lot of dark thrillers with hints of supernatural go, it's a lot more interesting and alluring when it's just hints and shadows, when they have to deal with what's really happening, it's often either disappointing and banal if it's not supernatural, or silly and annoying if it is. Great acting all-round though

 

You are aware that the show is an anthology format? Next year is a new cast and a new story.

[dubai_phil]

I will be more careful in future.

 

Ignore Bearsy. I once suggested he watched The Golf Channel to see the follow through in Natalie Gulbis's chest after she swung a driver.

 

He tuned in too late and saw an image of me in a Saints Sash shirt instead. Ericofarabia has been in therapy since it also happened to him back in January this year on Sky Sports so I can understand the Bear's bitterness.

 

Oh and he was also hacked off that I got to watch S1 of Game of Thrones 6 hours before him so was able to see all the Bewbs first.

[norwaysaint]

You are aware that the show is an anthology format? Next year is a new cast and a new story.

 

Doesn't really make a difference to anything I said, does it? A new story with new characters could still be set in the same background.

[SuperMikey]

Latest episode of The Walking Dead - they certainly livened it back up again!

[Jonnyboy]

Latest episode of The Walking Dead - they certainly livened it back up again!

 

Good to hear, been pretty dull so far.

[Jonnyboy]

OK yeah. The old ticker is pounding now!

[Marsdinho]

So what are peoples' Top Ten must watch Series of 21st Century? For me:

 

1. Breaking Bad

2. Dexter

3. Walking Dead

4. Game of Thrones

5. The Wire? (not watched yet)

6. True Detective? (not watched yet)

7.....

8.....

 

1. Life

2. Blue Planet

3. Planet Earth

4. Wild China

5. Ganges

6. Earth

7. Africa

8. First life

[norwaysaint]

The best in no real order:

 

The Wire

24

Entourage

The Office (UK and US)

Archer

Game of Thrones

House of Cards

Spaced

 

special mentions to Suits, The Bridge, Lilyhammer, Sopranos (only watched one series, liked it but never got hooked) and I'm getting back into Breaking Bad and that should probably be in there.

 

 

The worst series that I gave decent time to were:

 

lost

heroes

homeland

 

all of which had a decent early concept that they stretched out further than that concept could manage.

[pap]

LOST never really had a clue. Heroes was superb in season one.

[SuperMikey]

They're bringing back Heroes next year I think.

[Bearsy]

if i was giving awards for tv, and tbh i prob am, these would be my nominees:

 

Best Sex + Violence:

Banshee

Game of Thrones

 

Best Lols:

Freaks and Geeks

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

 

Best Show that when I mention it people give me blank-face

Him & Her

Nathan For You

[norwaysaint]

I like your avatar pap, I watched that film quite a few times as a teenager. Sho Nuff.

[Grey Crab]

Community is the best comedy series currently running.

[pap]

I like your avatar pap, I watched that film quite a few times as a teenager. Sho Nuff.

 

I've seen it loads and don't know of too many people that have.

 

Amazing how repeat watching can turn something into a personal classic. However, we're not alone. It's listed as a cult classic too.

Edited 19 March, 2014 by pap

[pap]

I've been catching up on Walking Dead after much prodding from the missus. I took my hiatus before the Governor episodes and am now three episodes into my backlog, concluding with the mid-season hiatus cliff-hanger. I used to get narked at LOST for all its side-shifting in favour of forward movement, but the show's focus on this thoroughly evil bastard was riveting stuff, from the murdering to the manipulating to the all out war. Very nice trilogy of episodes, and am starting to understand some of the OMGs I saw on Facebook at the time. People died, the fate of many is unknown - and you have to wait a few months to find out. Bastards. That's how they got me with TNG.

 

I must say that apart from the vast majority of people you've ever known being eaten and zombified, and the certain knowledge that you'll be zombified when you die, the world of the Walking Dead does have its positives. With a couple of exceptions, nearly every adult on the planet is attractive. Zombie preference is clearly m!nger.

Edited 19 March, 2014 by pap
Ha! TSW swear filter improperly thought it got some m!nge!

[pap]

True Blood occupied some of my time this weekend. I've mentioned this before. Not a huge fan of vampire shows; ms pap watches quite a few of them. However, this is HBO and as I've said before, True Blood is about more than just vampires; it's a super sexy supernatural spectacular. A lot of time and effort has gone into the world-building. This is a series where vamps are out in the open and even have a lobbying group to represent them on political matters. It is a smart, tight show that has been consistently good throughout.

 

The series has a long-established "big bad" that has been referenced several times that has finally been introduced, on top of another potential "big bad" from created in last year's finale. Given all that, this season has gone in a completely different direction to my initial expectations. Turns out humans are the real bad guys this year, unexpected but hardly shark-jumping. Human-vamp tensions are a plate that the show has been spinning from day one. Thoroughly recommended, as always.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I'm just loving the BBC's latest mini season of medieval programming. To hell with the Tudors and all that renaissance tomfoolery I say, the Middle Ages have long seemed a equally important (if not to say dramatic) period in our long history to my way of thinking.

 

The Plantagenets (BBC2 Monday)

I much enjoyed his earlier history of the Normans, but those who know their Scharma might say that Professor Robert Bartlett's new 3 part history of the Plantagenets was in grave danger of covering some familiar ground I suppose. However in his skilled hands the innate interest of the subject ('great and terrible' rulers such as Henry II and Edward Longshanks) makes such compelling story that a historian of his calibre can hardly go wrong - and indeed Bartlett doesn't here.

 

Highly recommended.

 

The Greatest Knight: William the Marshal (BBC2 Wednesday)

However perhaps because it set off down a 'road less travelled' Robert Asbridge's documentary of the life of William Marshal proved to be even more fascinating television if anything. I must admit my historical knowledge of the period is quite sketchy enough to mean I had hardly heard of this once famous Knight, but after watching this programme I now certainly want to learn more. What a man, what a life! Marshal is perhaps as important a figure in our history as any king was. Indeed more so than most I dare say.

Seemingly fearless both in battle and at the joust, loyal beyond measure almost, Marshal was the very epitome of that impossible chivalric ideal. When as a old man he pledged what little remained of his long life to the service of a vulnerable 9 year old King Henry, during a desperate time for England ... well it brought a tear to the eye of not only those there at the time - but to mine also.

 

Unmissable.

[pap]

The Walking Dead wrapped for the season on Sunday night. It was a bit of a limp finale by Walking Dead standards. The mid-season did better in cliff-hanger standards, but anyone that has read the comic series will know that the tail end of this season has been typical Walking Dead. That all said, it probably featured one of the most emotionally disturbing scenes that the show has ever done, as Daryl's new pals show their true colours.

 

Given the inspiration for the people up at Terminus, can't see them being a big part of next season.

[SuperMikey]

The Walking Dead wrapped for the season on Sunday night. It was a bit of a limp finale by Walking Dead standards. The mid-season did better in cliff-hanger standards, but anyone that has read the comic series will know that the tail end of this season has been typical Walking Dead. That all said, it probably featured one of the most emotionally disturbing scenes that the show has ever done, as Daryl's new pals show their true colours.

 

Given the inspiration for the people up at Terminus, can't see them being a big part of next season.

 

I thought the scene with Daryl's gang meeting Rick's lot was the best of the season - if not just for Rick's badassery.

 

As for Terminus, I was wondering when they were going to bring in this particular storyline. Like you, I can't see it lasting longer than three or four episodes - although there are some characters who aren't there so it may be dragged out for a bit.

[pap]

I thought the scene with Daryl's gang meeting Rick's lot was the best of the season - if not just for Rick's badassery.

 

As for Terminus, I was wondering when they were going to bring in this particular storyline. Like you, I can't see it lasting longer than three or four episodes - although there are some characters who aren't there so it may be dragged out for a bit.

 

Minor spoilers for Walking Dead ahead.

 

A lot of people who've only ever watched the TV show moan a lot when the Walking Dead goes on the road (ms pap's reaction was "no-one got killed", FFS). I think they've got different expectations about what the show is supposed to be about, and miss the point entirely. It allows the show to narrow its focus to develop characters and their relationships; Michonne becoming a surrogate mother/big sister to Carl is a good example of this.

 

I really enjoyed this season. For me, it was all about condensing the show into a leaner, more hardened group of survivors. Apart from the sisters that sheltered the governor, no human survivor we saw in this episode is what you could call innocent. Walkers aren't really a threat unless they have the advantage of numbers and/or surprise. Other humans are the real danger; I don't think any season has managed to convey that with quite as much darkness as this one. It is now on a par with the source material in terms of the moral quandaries it presents. Carol in particular was excellent.