Favourite TV Series

I endorse all the positive comments about Succession. It really is first class in every way. I watched the last one yesterday evening and will probably start watching the whole thing all over again.

 

There's a, terribly overused, 'trope' in modern drama of THE CONSPIRACY'. What should be a plot device, rapidly descends into a very unsatisfying main theme. Two recent US series have used this device into their central theme and it's working really well (they've both just passed their fourth episodes and I'm still watching them).

The first is City on Fire. Set in New York 2003 the story centres around the shooting of a young student in Central Park. The sprawling narrative takes in the investigating cops, property developers, 'Old Money' and the NY underground scene of that time. I actually though it had 'jumped the shark' by the third episode but I was very, very wrong.

The other series is Silo. The central premise is the lazy sci-fi/space western theme of a toxic dystopian future where an isolated community exists - with a new sheriff in 'town'. The sets are fantastic (really claustrophobic) and the skilful drip, drip, drip of how the society actually functions is delivered by an excellent cast: Tim Robbins is unexpectedly good as 'The Baddie'.

 

Sat and watched Fatal Attraction with the wife and ended up shouting at the screen when the final episode ended. A frustrating load of carp imo.

 

JA could teach Hollywood writers a thing or two about ending a series properly. Yes, I’m looking at you GOT and Breaking Bad

 

I agree it was overall a very strong show, but I thought the final episode wasn't all that good, to be honest.

 

Silo is reviewed in this week's Spectator (see below). I think I'll give it a go.

Back once more to our favourite unhappy place: the dystopian future. And yet again it seems that the authorities have been lying to us about the true nature of reality. This time – in Silo – the lie concerns the nature of the world outside the enormous silo in which our heroes and about 10,000 other survivors have been hiding for the past 100-odd years since some nameless apocalypse. Is it really as dangerous as the Powers That Be say? Or is this an illusion, maintained over a century of relentless official propaganda, designed to keep the enclosed populace frightened and in check?

Silo began life in 2011 as a self-published short story by Hugh Howey – called Wool, not Silo – which he put out through Amazon’s Kindle Direct. But his writing proved so popular that he landed a $500,000 print deal, as well, of course, as selling the film rights, which led to this all-star TV adaptation.

‘The books are SO much better,’ I’m informed by someone who has read them. Well, of course they are. When was this ever not the case? Perhaps you should read them first, but if you haven’t the time or patience I’d say you’ll find the TV version more than intriguing, well-acted and well-realised enough to merit your commitment.

Sure, there are one or two mildly irksome wokeries, such as the implausibility of the main female character, Juliette Nichols. Because of her amazing mechanical skills and physical prowess, Juliette works with the horny-handed sons of toil at the bottom of the silo, where her special task is to maintain the giant turbine on which everyone’s life depends. If such a woman existed in this or any other reality, I imagine she would resemble a Bulgarian shot-putter. Instead, she is slim, elegant and well-spoken and played by the half-Swedish, half-English actress Rebecca Ferguson.

Also, it’s a bit slow in places. I’ve just watched episode four and, no spoilers, I didn’t find myself thinking at the end: ‘Well, that was gripping and eventful and advanced the plot considerably.’ And sometimes it goes too far the other way by seeking to generate ersatz, standard-blockbuster-movie tension, like the laboriously enacted scene where the turbine threatens to break down and it’s a race against time before the whole thing blows…

But – and this is a very important but – I’d say it’s definitely not a show to skip. It has a first-rate cast including Harriet Walter, Iain Glen, David Oyelowo, Tim Robbins and the former rapper Common, and lots of money and effort has clearly gone into the world-building – the look and feel, the direction, the score, and so on. It oozes class rather than early Doctor Who and you do get emotionally invested in the whole Silo concept and in the big question of what really is happening in the world outside, as well as the smaller one of who is committing all these murders that newly elected Sheriff Juliette is required to solve.

I particularly like some of the spooky traditions that have evolved in the Silo over the years, such as the one where if you ever express aloud the desire to leave the Silo that’s it, you’re out. It’s like a death sentence. You’re put into a condemned cell, then kitted out in space gear, and out you go watched by those ghoulishly enthralled Silo denizens who have managed to bag a seat in the café that contains the only viewing window. Its glass is clouded with dust and the condemned, should they so wish as their final act, are encouraged to wipe it clean. Then they walk on a few paces, apparently unharmed, until, all of a sudden, they clutch their throats and drop dead within sight of the now-appalled onlookers. There they lie as a grim warning to all within as to the perils of seeking illusory freedom.

 

What was wrong with the way Breaking bad ended?

 

I loved the series, easily up there in my Top 5 of all time, but I thought the ending was a little thrown together (imho). The M60 in the boot wouldn’t have been out of place in The A Team.

In hindsight I would have put Ozark in my earlier post, rather than BB. That ending annoyed me more

 

Ha ha! You're right, it was a bit bonkers! I think it just about worked though and, as you say, it was a brilliant series

 

New season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson just dropped on Netflix.

Watched a couple of episodes this morning while I fed the little’un some breakfast and I was doubled over laughing, particularly the doggy door sketch in episode 2.

 

Really really liked Colin from Accounts on IPlayer.

Surprisingly brilliant, heartwarming and laugh out loud funny.

 

Yes, agree with that. Covered on this thread by a few likers and detractors from #4590.

 

At 133 pages long not sure if it’s come up before but just started watching Sweet tooth on Netflix , really enjoying it, kind of like the last of us with a bit more humour mixed with a kids programme

 

Is that Tim Robinson the former Nottinghamshire and England opener?

 

Black Jesus on channel 4.

Pretty funny in places.

 

Jury Duty on Amazon is funny. Like a real life, silly Truman Show.

 

It's hysterically funny in places.

 

New Black Mirror series out now, hope to start the new series over the weekend.

 

It’s pretty good isn’t it, reminded me a lot of the US office as well. The real actor guy whose name escapes me is really good in it, as are all of them really.

 

Yes that was peak ITYSL.

I remember watching the show for the first time and finding his performance funny but not being that into it and then everything clicked when I saw the sketch about holding the baby.

 

Yeah, Ronald (lol) comes across really well. Not sure how he didn't twig, mind.

 

Watched the first of the new series of Black Mirror yesterday -am always confused whether I like them or not

 

If you feel uneasy by the end of an episode, it’s probably done its job.

 

The current documentary series on BBC/iPlayer ‘Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland’ is an astonishing, and hopefully award winning, piece of TV.

 

The 10 children of a murdered single mother by paramilitaries being interviewed for the TV is gut wrenching .
A 14 year old girl taking on that responsibility should be rewarded .

 

I can’t tell if you have to like cycling to enjoy Netflix’s French documentary Tour de France: Unchained but it’s great stuff.

Terrific images and well told stories of the stages of the race, with plenty of drama and emotion. Some hardcore stuff, like the pain after the stage when Roglic dislocates his shoulder and shoves his arm back in on the road to continue and fun stuff like the two French teams who, like the rival People’s Popular Fronts for Judea, both feel they embody the spirit of the French in the race.

And then there’s Pinot and his goats to bring a smile.

Epic.

 

I've watched the first 3 episodes of the new series, "Joan Is Awful" is pretty good, "Loch Henry" is a very slow episode, one of the odd Black Mirror episodes that I wouldn't go out of my way to watch. I saw "Beyond The Sea" last night, very gripping and while you can guess what could happen next for most of it, it was a well written story with an interesting ending.

 

The Sixth Commandment on BBC 1 last night was excellent. All 4 episodes are on iPlayer

 

Season 2 of The Bear is just as good as season 1. Highly recommend!

 

This is next for me. Excited

 

It is very good, albeit anxiety inducing in places.

 

Very late to the party but just finished the final season of Succession.

Spoiler

What a show, what a final season and what a finale. Really that is the only way it could’ve ended, that their involvement in the company ended, as the perfect ending, but for so long it seemed like that’s not what would happen. And yes, yes I know Tom will just be a puppet, but the irony that after being such a figure of fun for most of the series, and how Logan wouldn’t even trust his kids with the company, that Tom ends up running it. The only thing I thought was slightly odd was Logan’s death, it was filmed as if the actor had suddenly died in real life, which to the best of my knowledge he hadn’t. I guess the only explanation is they wanted the audience to feel how the kids felt, like did it really happen? Was it really happening? Probably my favourite ever show though, and there was just so much to think about and enjoy in that final season