[Oldmanmatt]

Loved Salt. Experienced similar places for short periods, they seem other worldly.

In ‘07, the late Mrs OMM, myself and our then 2yr old, drove across the Rub al Kali, from Abu Dhabi ( a short route, not the classic) on route to Salalah in Oman.
I’ve spent a good deal of time in deserts, African, Arabian and North American, but stopping over night amongst the immense dunes, alone with nothing but the sound of the sand shifting in the wind. Amazing.
Camped (RV) in Death Valley as a kid, the Rub is actually even more intimidating.

[SA Chris]

I've been to Etosha Pan and some of the firing ranges in the Northern Cape which are like that and also driven the length of Namibia in a military convoy, as well as crossed the Great Karoo to Augrabies Falls, where there are dead straight roads that disappear over the horizon at vanishing point, or are lost in a mirage.

Some North American deserts are like that, but not the same, likewise the parts of Australia I've been to. They have always just got a bit too much going on.

[tomtom]

OMM and Chris - I thoroughly recommend this book if you’re into your desert exploration tales/experiences. Some amazing stories in here (true)

Libyan Sands: Travel in a Dead World https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1906011338/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iVLAFbH46B2ZF

[T_B]

My Octopus Teacher on Netflix is a wonderful film if you’re into nature/underwater world/having a mid-life crisis.

Mesmerising and hard to fathom how he managed to shoot some of the footage that he did, especially given he didn’t use scuba tanks.

Watched it with the family - 9 year old thought it was brilliant, 7 year old was bored.

[Wood FT]

My Octopus Teacher on Netflix is a wonderful film if you’re into nature/underwater world/having a mid-life crisis.

Mesmerising and hard to fathom how he managed to shoot some of the footage that he did, especially given he didn’t use scuba tanks.

Watched it with the family - 9 year old thought it was brilliant, 7 year old was bored.

Watched this last night. Brilliant

[SA Chris]

Frankie Boyle's New Word Order. closing monologues are beyond belief.

[Ged]

The fantastic When We Were Kings is on iPlayer. Watched it again last night and it was even better than I remembered. If you haven't seen it is well worth it, one of the best sporting/historical documentaries ever made.

That was really good. There's never been anyone quite like Ali has there. For all his faults, his mix of charisma, charm, humour, strong political agenda, and blistering sporting ability was absolutely intoxicating.

[steveri]

Grayson Perry's American Roadtrip is worth a watch. He's got that Theroux like quality of letting people talk and a big disarming stupid laugh.

[slab_happy]

If anyone's got kids around the 8-10 range and fancies something to watch with them, this is a joy:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000gzkx/one-night-in-the-museum

The kids run round investigating and discussing the exhibits for themselves, watched remotely by a cluster of delighted curators who expand on and gently correct their comments where needed (no, this very early car comes from a bit further back than 1995 ...). Highly entertaining for adults to watch, would probably be great for kids in the same age range as the ones in the show.

(I am kid-less but sent this to my sisters for nieces and nephew to watch.)

[seankenny]

I enjoyed "Searching for the Wrong Eyed Jesus" on iPlayer. An impressionistic road trip through the American South and its religious mania. A tad overlong but still totally recommend it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074qfn

[Johnny Brown]

Grimer recommended me that to me a few years back. Magnificent isn't it? A lot of those docs are on iplayer long term.

[seankenny]

Worth watching just for the way some of the interviewees talk. And I love that old American folk music.

I’ve not been to that part of the States and I have to say, it looks like it’s taken the American predilection for a miserably functional built environment and absolutely maxed it out. Nothing human made was at all attractive, and the only things that placed it in 2004 were the gas stations. Otherwise it was like a time capsule from the 70s. I’d love to know if it’s all like that, or just that is what the director turned his camera towards.

[Johnny Brown]

I read Paul Theroux's Deep South a couple of years back, I'm sure there are plenty of modern areas but he didn't have to look too hard to find whole communities abandoned by the state.

[TobyD]

Roadkill basically entertaining drama with some politics tacked onto it, rather than political drama.  Hugh Laurie performs well, and although its a bit clunky in places, its still a decent experience. If you're after something issue lead and serious,  this isn't it, but if you want uncomplicated escapism then it is.

[Steve R]

Would third My Octopus Teacher for anyone with access but not got around to it yet.

Watched The Mole last night, a storyville documentary on BB4.  Absorbing, compulsive and confusing 2 parter.  Incredibly necky seeming shenanigans infiltrating the world's most brutal dictatorship.  Various elements are straight out of a Frederick Forsythe novel.  Left me reeling and a bit bewildered. eg. What drives the mole?  What was Mr James' motivation and why do I want to be him?  Why did I feel a (clearly misplaced) sense of pity for the obnoxious Spanish bloke at the end?  What's next for the mole after all that?   

[TobyD]

The Bridge

Not that new, but if you haven't seen it yet, try it, its absolutely brilliant.  I'm midway  through it at the moment.  Saga is a really interesting character,  and the central buddy cop partnership works well.

[tommytwotone]

Blimey, we're on our 3rd (maybe 4th?) watch of all 4 series!


This time round I've started learning a bit of Swedish on the side beforehand, (Duolingo and a basic textbook), and I can understand a surprising amount.


I thought after Saga / Martin stopped that would be the show's "Jump The Shark" moment, but if anything I think it gets better when Henrick comes along.

[tomtom]

For fans of the Octopus Teacher: this popped up in my email a live talk/q&a with the director.

https://politicalecologynetwork.org/2020/11/25/enchanting-nature-tentacular-storytelling-in-the-great-african-kelp-forest/

[tomtom]

I’ve really enjoyed the first 6 episodes of ‘Money Heist’ on Netflix.

A heist/hostage drama that’s got some good characters and so far a great plot with lots of twists.

Spanish - with subtitles - set in Madrid.

[andy popp]

We watched the first two episodes - "Mangrove" and" Lovers Rock"-  of Steve McQueen's Small Axe series (not the right word) last night. I thought they were superb. This is not directly my history but it is the history of the country I was growing up in in the 1970s. It was revelatory to see it presented in such brilliant cinematic form.

[Andy F]

Raised by Wolves. Thought provoking Sci-fi that asks questions regarding religion and atheism.

[SA Chris]

Not sure where this should go, but the LEGO Star Wars Holiday special on Disney + is great fun.

Unless your kids know the films intimately, a lot of the jokes will escape them, and you will need to do a lot of explaining why you are laughing so hard.

[shurt]

Am really happy there is a new series of The Expanse on Amazon atm (number 5).

I'm not massive sci fi fan but this is simply the best series in that genre I've ever seen. There's another lockdown coming, get onto it, 40 episodes to catch up on!!!

[Oldmanmatt]

I don’t really follow this thread, and reading back through now seems far too arduous for a lazy pre-Xmas morning, so I apologise if I repeat and earlier post.

Raised by Wolves. (On HBO/Sky)

I was quite prepared for standard SciFi fare, possibly even schlock, however this is something else.

Only up to episode 5, so it might ultimately disappoint.

[Will Hunt]

Would third My Octopus Teacher for anyone with access but not got around to it yet.

Watched The Mole last night, a storyville documentary on BB4.  Absorbing, compulsive and confusing 2 parter.  Incredibly necky seeming shenanigans infiltrating the world's most brutal dictatorship.  Various elements are straight out of a Frederick Forsythe novel.  Left me reeling and a bit bewildered. eg. What drives the mole?  What was Mr James' motivation and why do I want to be him?  Why did I feel a (clearly misplaced) sense of pity for the obnoxious Spanish bloke at the end?  What's next for the mole after all that?

Fucking hell. What a madcap caper. Two madlads set up a phony arms deal with North Korea. Seemingly for a laugh. Well, not quite, but the Mole seems to have tumbled down a rabbit hole and not stopped; Mr James must only be an adrenaline junky. He was an ex conman, presumably he just loves the game and this was an opportunity to do it with little prospect of prosecution.

What the hell did the mole's wife think was going on for 10 years?