[SA Chris]

Season 2 of What we do in the Shadows starts on Thursday.

The original film was on BBC over the weekend, so should be on iPlayer, and season 1 is still there if you fancy a binge watch. IMO some of the funniest recent comedy out there.

[teestub]

Forgot to note last week that Netflix have now added all the seasons of Parts Unknown, with the last one including a Bourdain retrospective. It’s fascinating seeing how it evolved from a great food and travel show into something far more interesting.

[Will Hunt]

Season 2 of What we do in the Shadows starts on Thursday.

 

[SA Chris]

Indeed. Not been this excited since new series of Whitehouse and Mortimer go Fishing.

[TobyD]

Just finished first season of Unforgotten on Netflix. Well worth watching if you like a good traditional slow detection- police procedural drama. I think it was on ITV a few years ago but without ads the episodes are nicely concise  and it's involving but without being excessively complicated. Unchallenging, but I mean that in a good way.

[SA Chris]

Season 2 of What we do in the Shadows starts on Thursday.

 

First episode was excellent. Topher is a great character, must have been fun to play.

[Fultonius]

The Skripals poisoning 3-part series....if you want some highly implausible state issue propaganda.

[largeruk]

The Skripals poisoning 3-part series....if you want some highly implausible state issue propaganda.

I haven't watched this yet. Can anyone point me to any non-hysterical, non-conspiracy theory, relatively dispassionate assessment/analysis of the known facts and the gaps/holes in some of the known/presented 'information'. I'm genuinely interested in reading some analyses so I can watch the drama with a more critical eye.

Thanks to anyone who can help.   

[Ali]

Selma,  the film telling the story of the march from Selma, organised by Martin Luther King, to campaign for voting rights is on iplayer now.
I thought it was a good, though not easy, watch (although I don't know a lot of American history so can't comment on how true to historical fact it is).

[andy popp]

There have been some debates around the historical accuracy of Selma, but to me these debates seemed to be based more in competing interpretations rather than undisputed historical facts - they all seem to revolve around the relationship between MLK and LBJ. In terms of events on the ground, especially the attempt to cross the bridge at Selma, there is a very high degree of accuracy in representing events extremely well documented in film, photograph, and text and to which there are still living witnesses, perhaps most importantly Representative John Lewis.

[danm]

The Skripals poisoning 3-part series....if you want some highly implausible state issue propaganda.

I haven't watched this yet. Can anyone point me to any non-hysterical, non-conspiracy theory, relatively dispassionate assessment/analysis of the known facts and the gaps/holes in some of the known/presented 'information'. I'm genuinely interested in reading some analyses so I can watch the drama with a more critical eye.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

I thought this article was excellent and very interesting. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/23/skripal-salisbury-poisoning-decline-of-russia-spy-agencies-gru

[TobyD]

The Skripals poisoning 3-part series....if you want some highly implausible state issue propaganda.

I haven't watched this yet. Can anyone point me to any non-hysterical, non-conspiracy theory, relatively dispassionate assessment/analysis of the known facts and the gaps/holes in some of the known/presented 'information'. I'm genuinely interested in reading some analyses so I can watch the drama with a more critical eye.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

I have only seen the first two parts so far, I think it's a decent serviceable piece of drama. I really don't understand why anyone would have a particular problem with it. I'm sure it doesn't stick rigidly to the truth indeed it opens saying that its the story of the people in Salisbury.  It certainly doesn't qualify as propaganda unless the third part is very different.

[galpinos]

Staged on the iPlayer.

Of all the "content" produced during the lockdown, this and The Ranganation are the only things that imho have worked. Staged is a bit like The Trip on lockdown, but with more likeable actors (i find Michael Sheen every watchable). Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Catcheemonkey]

Succession

Surprised this hasn’t been mentioned before.

I think this is the one of the best box set / US TV series ever made. I’d put it in my top 3 alongside The Wire and Deadwood.

I've just blasted the 2 series of this in 10 days and have to say it really is great.

The writing is amazing - it has you (and the characters) constantly changing allegiances, sometimes multiple times in an episode. It's properly funny too.

I haven't loved a TV show this much since The Wire.

[Fultonius]

The Skripals poisoning 3-part series....if you want some highly implausible state issue propaganda.

I haven't watched this yet. Can anyone point me to any non-hysterical, non-conspiracy theory, relatively dispassionate assessment/analysis of the known facts and the gaps/holes in some of the known/presented 'information'. I'm genuinely interested in reading some analyses so I can watch the drama with a more critical eye.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

I have only seen the first two parts so far, I think it's a decent serviceable piece of drama. I really don't understand why anyone would have a particular problem with it. I'm sure it doesn't stick rigidly to the truth indeed it opens saying that its the story of the people in Salisbury.  It certainly doesn't qualify as propaganda unless the third part is very different.

Hadn't spotted the replies. I'm going to fess-up - I don't have a TV license, so haven't watched it.

@LargerUK - not many people seem to be dissenting. The only source I've read that really made me question the official reports was Craig Murray:  https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/06/the-miracle-of-salisbury/   I'm always reticent to link to Murray, as he's prone to following a line of thinking, and going, and going. He's very, very anti-establishment and has a big agenda.

That said, he knows the UK FCO inside out, has links to former and current intelligence staff and, as far as I'm aware, has never been proven to make false claims, and has never been sued for libel.

However, he has a massive (maybe justified?) agenda against Bellincat (who was one of the key sources identifying "Petrov"), and also against Luke Harding at the Guardian (who he claims is a MI6 shill).

All I know is, when reading Murray's comments on the Salisbury poisonings, the "official" account began to stink, and I have, as yet, seen nothing to change that. Now...where's my foil hat?

[Yossarian]

Succession

Surprised this hasn’t been mentioned before.

I think this is the one of the best box set / US TV series ever made. I’d put it in my top 3 alongside The Wire and Deadwood.

I've just blasted the 2 series of this in 10 days and have to say it really is great.

The writing is amazing - it has you (and the characters) constantly changing allegiances, sometimes multiple times in an episode. It's properly funny too.

I haven't loved a TV show this much since The Wire.

It’s great, isn’t it...What was your favourite episode? I think Prague might be mine.

[Catcheemonkey]

There are so many great scenes it’s hard to choose - but the season 1 finale stood out for me.

It’s something to create a drama where you simultaneously hate and love the characters so much in equal measure. It really got under my skin.

[TobyD]

Review of Ozark after season one; I thought this was better than many people made out.
It's hardly breaking bad but it's definitely got something about it. The cartel characters are far meaner than in BB in my opinion. Less entertaining, probably more realistic! The plots etc aren't realistic but are entertaining IMHO

[spidermonkey09]

Succession

Surprised this hasn’t been mentioned before.

I think this is the one of the best box set / US TV series ever made. I’d put it in my top 3 alongside The Wire and Deadwood.

I've just blasted the 2 series of this in 10 days and have to say it really is great.

The writing is amazing - it has you (and the characters) constantly changing allegiances, sometimes multiple times in an episode. It's properly funny too.

I haven't loved a TV show this much since The Wire.

My interest has been piqued by the comparison to The Wire. Where can i watch it, Now TV?

[Catcheemonkey]

Yep - it's on Now TV and SKY.

[Oldmanmatt]

Just finished “The Dark” which has come full triangle, over 3 seasons.
German but well dubbed, slight tendency to overdo sex scenes (eventually found myself using the “skip forward 10sec” for most of these) but riveting otherwise.

[ali k]

Just finished a 3 part documentary on Channel 4 - Putin: A Russian Spy Story charting his rise to power. Would have liked it go into more depth in a lot of places as it covers so much ground but it gives a good insight into the man and his willingness to stop at nothing to achieve dominance - whether it’s murdering opposition leaders and oligarchs that speak out against him or weakening the US, UK and Europe through Trump and Brexit.

[SA Chris]

Halfway through watching "Assault on El Capitan" on Amazon Prime, about the 1st and 2nd ascents of the notorious "Wings of Steel". An interesting story.

[Yossarian]

I May Destroy You on iPlayer.

Wow. I’d noticed this a while back but only started watching it because the Guardian told me to...

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jul/11/i-may-destroy-you-why-michaela-coels-drama-is-a-true-tv-gamechanger

Has anyone else got into this? I did the first 4 episodes late last night, and it’s going to be hard work avoiding it till this evening.

Epic soundtrack too...

[tomtom]

I've loved the first two episodes of The Boys on Prime...

A crap title that conceals a novel and dark take on the superhero genre...  The worlds superhero's are managed and monetised by a large multi Bn$$ organisation only interested in clicks, likes and merchandise sales. Beneath a shiny veneer all the superhero's are arrogant wankers, abusing their powers for sex and fame - with a mild mannered anti hero trying to take them down. Great so far...

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190634/