[r-man]

with Gardners' Question Time being in South Yorkshire I was expecting Mr Lee from Sheffield asking a question about a problem he is having with an Austrian Oak

sadly, he didn't feature on the show

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06j67y2

Good job you posted that link, Largers. Otherwise we'd never believe Shark wasn't there...

[Mike Tyson]

Toast of London on Channel 4.

Possibly the funniest thing I've seen in years!

[galpinos]

Toast of London on Channel 4.

Possibly the funniest thing I've seen in years!

Can you hear me Clem Fandango?

Previous two series on All4 if you haven't seen them. Toast and Peep Show on the same night, glorious......

[SamT]

Enjoying the second series of The Detectorists ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06l11tj/detectorists-series-2-episode-1

It makes me feel strangely peaceful.

 

[Rocksteady]

Anyone else watching The Last Kingdom?

Based on the second best series of Bernard Cornwell books (after the Warlord Trilogy), it's been filmed by BBC America on what looks like a pretty decent budget. I think it's absolutely class.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0344rr3/episodes/player

[johnx2]

Anyone else watching The Last Kingdom?

Yeah, it's really good. I like the mix of Scandi accents and highlighting the Naaarth's Viking heritage. In episode 1 or 2 they even went to Loidis (Leeds), collection of tumbledown shacks by a small river. And it wasn't much better back then. Badum tish.

In fact I think we should let Cam and Ozzy have Wessex and bloody Londinium, and secede to Denmark, a life on the pillage, ikea meatballs and grim drizzle ridden crime dramas.

[mark20]

Documentary about rock n roller Wilko Johnson and his diagnosis with terminal cancer. I found some of the cinematography a bit over the top at times but stick with it,  it's surprisingly feelgood...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06qqrk9/imagine-autumn-2015-5-the-ecstasy-of-wilko-johnson
(edit- you'll have to be quick though it's only available until Friday)

[tomtom]

I was going to start a new thread about Netflix/Amazon Prime /streaming series - but figured it works in this one too...
From my last X months of series watching I've especially enjoyed:

Narco's - great drama/documentary (more of the former) about the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar. Superb - I rarely gorge feed on a series but this made me a couple of times

Better Call Saul - not seen any of Series 2 thats just started, but I didnt think I'd like the breaking bad spin off about Saul the lawyer. But its really really good. Quite different from Breaking Bad - though shares the same high production values and quirky twists but far more human and tender for want of a better word.

Seen plenty of others - but these stick out to me.

Also enjoying Deutschland 83

[a dense loner]

Just watched the first episode of trapped. Icelandic murder hunt, looks good

[Will Hunt]

Also enjoying Deutschland 83

I haven't watched this but heard one of the writers talking about it on the radio. The concept came about after their father-in-law told the story of when he worked in a listening post during the Cold War. He was eavesdropping on a Russian facility which was bugged. Every Christmas, or other major holiday, the soldiers he was spying on would talk to him and address him by name, wishing him a merry Christmas/Easter etc. He knew that there was a Russian mole in his listening post, but nobody knew who it was... 

[Tommy]

The first episode of The Night Manager on BBC was superb. Proper good British spy stuff. It's like a cheaper version of Bond, but still done really well on a budget. Best thing I've seen on BBC so far this year?

[moose]

+1 to the Night Manager - a "grown up's"spy story.  I think "cheaper version of Bond" is all for the better, and more in key with our conflicted, depressed age.  A bigger CGI budget would be to it's detriment - there are quite enough films / series that ricochet between action set-pieces like Dodgem's driven by morons.  Also worth watching just to see Tom Hollander out of Rev playing a horribly oily and amoral aide-de-camp to Hugh  Laurie's "lord of war".  That said, there is quite enough time for it to collapse into a confusing mess of unlikely coincidences and men running around and shooting....

Trapped is also very promising - "The Bridge" crossed with the John Carpenter version of "The Thing" - Nordic Police procedural with lots of heavy-set bearded men not knowing who to trust. 

Other recent highlights - the new series of Happy Valley seems as good as good as the last, Fresh Meat is back, as is the reliably good fun Parks and Recreation.

[duncan]

The Renaissance Unchained. A four part series on BBC 4. Waldemar Januszczak bringing fresh insight (why do baby Jesus' always look so ugly in paintings of the time?) to a hackneyed subject. His old-school Catholic upbringing definitely helps here. He occasionally tries a bit too hard to be Jonathan Meades but there are a lot more hits than misses. Slightly tangentially, I couldn't help wonder how many sons of working-class migrants read Art History at University these days.

Not ukb territory as it doesn't involve popular music of the 1990s or SF/fantasy but worth a look.

[SA Chris]

doesn't involve popular music of the 1990s

This does though!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04lllrm/spike-island

Watched most of on Saturday night. Very low maintenance, but good fun.

[Johnny Brown]

Nice! If you watch carefully during the crowd scene you can see Andy Popp not enjoying himself.

[Will Hunt]

I noticed that there is a new series of Raised By Wolves in the pipeline so started watching the old series. It's funny.

[Falling Down]

Nice! If you watch carefully during the crowd scene you can see Andy Popp not enjoying himself.

 

[moose]

I'm enjoying 'the people vs OJ Simpson' - trashy but fittingly so - given the messiness of the subject. As true-crime goes, it ain't 'in cold blood' but it's very entertaining with some ripe acting. Worth watching just to see how John Travolta is turning into his own waxwork - proof that limitless wealth is no protection from ill-advised / poor plastic surgery.

  Incidentally, anyone else think that today OJ would have pled guilty but with diminished responsibility due to brain trauma / encephalopathy - given the seeming rash of nfl players who have committed violent suicide / wife beating.

[galpinos]

.... Also worth watching just to see Tom Hollander out of Rev playing a horribly oily and amoral aide-de-camp to Hugh  Laurie's "lord of war".

He can be quite evil and chilling.

Have you seen Hanna? Tom Hollander playing a psychopathic killer dressed head to toe in pastel Sergio Tacchini

[Teaboy]

He also played the Fucker in The Thick of It but in all these roles I just don't find him convincing to be honest. Not that that detracts from the Night Manager which I'm enjoying. Interesting that they make the villain quite likeable

[chris20]

Also enjoying Deutschland 83

I really enjoyed Deutschland 83 and had planned to watch The lens as a replacement - another Walter presents on All4 but from the Czech Republic, but instead we're getting hooked on the Night Manger thanks to the recommendations here 

Also if anyone missed it, the film documentary on Amy Winehouse is on 4OD http://www.channel4.com/programmes/amy/on-demand/61833-001

[Will Hunt]

Interesting that they make the villain quite likeable

Do they? 
Self interested arms smuggler callously profiting from the bloodshed of others? Not sure I want to go to the pub with your mates!

[galpinos]

He also played the Fucker in The Thick of It but in all these roles I just don't find him convincing to be honest. Not that that detracts from the Night Manager which I'm enjoying. Interesting that they make the villain quite likeable

Hmm, do you mean they make Tom Hollander's character quite likable? I'd say the opposite, lack of physical presence and friendly face add an air of evil to the character.

[rich d]

Just watched the first 2 night managers really good, thanks for the recommendation.
Also if you've got netflix they've just started a crouching tiger hidden dragon series, only been one so far but if you like your spinning, flying kung fu there's very little to complain about.

[slackline]

Valley Uprising now available on Netflix in the UK.