[Andy F]

For me, the best things this year have been Andor, Obi-Wan, House of the Dragon, The Sandman and Stanley Tucci's Italy.

Biggest disappointment: Rings of Power. Looked nice but absolutely garbage plot and acting.

[steveri]

First one is amazing - been mentioned on here earlier. Second one less so.

Ah shame, might still take a look at some point. I’m a sucker for recent K movies, and zombies are a favourite kind of trash.

[teestub]

Good to see The Bear making it to the top of a lot of end of year lists. Just to bump it as a recommendation here for those who haven’t seen it, as I think it really does live up to the hype.

[TobyD]

The current season of His Dark Materials is great. Its so long since I read the books that I don't know how faithful the TV version is to them, but to my mind it doesn't matter; they're both good in their own right. 

[SA Chris]

Slipped under my radar, but Season 4 of What we do in the Shadows is on Disney+. Watched episode 1 last night, picks up where the last one finished in great form.

[Stuart Anderson]

Kleo (Netflix).

Comparisons are made to Killing Eve (which I've not seen) so make of that what you will. I was after something to kill time so took a punt. So far, so entertained.

Hints of mystery and dark deeds. Funny, disturbing, well acted, likable protagonists (if Stasi assassins are your thing).

Season two has been green lit, which is usually a vote of confidence for things on Netflix.

[Falling Down]

The Detectorists Christmas special was fab.

[steveri]

The Detectorists, Motherland, Gone Fishing and Ghosts specials were all great. Take me to Lofoten!

[shurt]

Good to see The Bear making it to the top of a lot of end of year lists. Just to bump it as a recommendation here for those who haven’t seen it, as I think it really does live up to the hype.

+1 to this

Best thing I saw on TV all year. It genuinely blew me away as I wasn't expecting something that good from a series I'd not heard about on Disney.

[seankenny]

The Bear was very very good but for me Severance was just that bit better. Watch both!

Good to see another Motherland fan, a great show with extra fun for me as it’s partly filmed in my neighbourhood.

[IanP]

Watched start of Happy Valley S3 last night.  Seems like quality is definitely maintained from the previous seasons, first episode was a brilliant intense watch with great characters, superb performances and some cracking dialog. 

[Paul B]

It appears that 1899 will now not be funded for a second series.

[TobyD]

Watched start of Happy Valley S3 last night.  Seems like quality is definitely maintained from the previous seasons, first episode was a brilliant intense watch with great characters, superb performances and some cracking dialog.

Watched the first episode of S1 yesterday on this recommendation as I'd never seen any of it. I also thought it was great  and look forward to seeing the rest.

[slab_happy]

If anyone fancies a classic, the original Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy series (with Alec Guiness as Smiley) is up on iPlayer for a month:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006ylbp/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy

[spidermonkey09]

If anyone fancies a classic, the original Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy series (with Alec Guiness as Smiley) is up on iPlayer for a month:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006ylbp/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy

This is very good, watched it last year. I still narrowly prefer the film, mostly for the Julio Iglesias track on the final scene.

[Moo]

The Detectorists Christmas special was fab.

Only just discovered the detectorists and i'm enjoying it so much.

[webbo]

I must have all series about 5 times now. Apparently in an episode of wurzal gumidge, Macaulays version, in distant field you can see a yellow TVR with 2 blokes with metal detectors.
This could be an urban myth.

[Falling Down]

mostly for the Julio Iglesias track on the final scene.

I think it’s La Mer by Charles Trenet



 

 A brilliant song and so good for that scene.

[Johnny Brown]

I must have all series about 5 times now. Apparently in an episode of wurzal gumidge, Macaulays version, in distant field you can see a yellow TVR with 2 blokes with metal detectors.
This could be an urban myth.

It’s 2023 Webbo, you can look these things up. But thanks! I hadn’t heard.

[webbo]

It gets a bit boring googling everything. Plus sometimes you find out stuff you don’t want know.

[crzylgs]

It appears that 1899 will now not be funded for a second series.

I've also heard this confirmed. Seems very strange given that 'Dark' (1899's creators previous series) was held up by many as the poster child of Netflix's international productions. Sadly because 1899 is a 'Netflix original' development it is now effectively dead. Rather frustrating because I watched series 1 with knowledge that the creators had a story arc planned out for 3 series. Without spoiling series 1 (not that I imagine anyone will watch it now knowing its an incomplete product) it ended on a fun cliffhanger that opened up lots of potential for the future series.

[moose]

Supposedly (i.e. Twitter hearsay) the CCO of Netflix has openly said viewership algorithms are the decider of which shows are considered successful or unsuccessful.  A metric for cancellation is if viewers do not finish the first season within a month of launch. 1899 was launched 3 days before the World Cup started, during the business end of the NFL season... If true, it seems a bit short-sighted - people could get reluctant to ever watch a new series, as they will expect it to be cancelled, leaving plots irritatingly unresolved (absent of massive early hype).

[TobyD]

Supposedly (i.e. Twitter hearsay) the CCO of Netflix has openly said viewership algorithms are the decider of which shows are considered successful or unsuccessful.  A metric for cancellation is if viewers do not finish the first season within a month of launch.

I'd have thought this was obvious, I'm sure other media companies all do the same. (Maybe not the BBC and ch4 to the same extent? ) After all, it's also why newspapers are full of BS about the royal family and culture war rubbish instead of actual news, it's all clickbait. Indeed, I'm sure it's also why Netflix give Harry and Megan wads of cash, huge numbers of people will watch it.

[moose]

I think it's always been a factor but some TV companies have historically been a bit more forgiving, if they believe in the quality of the show (or if it is critically acclaimed). E.g. HBO continued to fund The Wire for 5 seasons, despite it having relatively few viewers and winning no awards during its initial run.  It was only during reruns and when the DVD box sets became available that it became more popular on the back of critical praise.  There are other examples of US programmes that only had a minor cult following for a series or two, before breaking out (usually when repeated / syndicated).

[battery]

Trailblazers on the BBC iPlayer - fucking brilliant. So empowering that it's 3 women. And so honest, watching these 3 women overcome their fears and explore different ways of living and the environment - it's just bloody brilliant.