[Yossarian]

I've watched a lot of comedy over the past few months inc quite a lot of stuff which I either missed when it first came out, or things which were on eg Sky and consequently never heard about at the time. Most of the best things are poss towards the darker end of the spectrum / maybe avoid with small children around, etc...

Human Remains
Julia Davis and Rob Brydon did this fly on the wall thing in the very early 2000s. It is very fucking dark. They play a series of couples with problematic relationships, from a pair of Brummie swinging B&B owners to the upper middle-class Flick and Peter. Flick is still obsessed with her dead ex-husband, and she is unable (or unwilling) to have a physical relationship with Peter due to "vaginissimus", which makes "penile accommodation" virtually impossible. The only thing that's bad about it is the fact that it's a reminder that Rob Brydon is a fucking good actor and so why doesn't he do more things like this vs panel shows. (The answer to which is £ I'm sure.)

Camping
Some middle aged friends go camping. Some children are involved. Awful things happen. Also Julia Davis. Not 100% sure, but I think it may well be the funniest thing I've ever watched.

Sally4Ever
Julia Davis again. Completely missed this at the time as it was on Sky. Basically a woman who is about to get married meets the charismatic Emma and then everything starts to go horrendously weird. There is one scene towards the end which on paper sounds like something from the subscription only / hardcore section of a fetish website, but when it actually happens on screen it's just so delightfully funny.

Nighty Night
Probably the best-known Julia Davis thing. (Yes, I got quite obsessed.) Woman whose husband is being treated for cancer pretends he's dead, then starts a war of sexual attrition on the husband of her MS-suffering neighbour.

Flowers
Will Sharpe (who played Ethan in The White Lotus season 2 -  also great) wrote and has great role in this also v dark comedy-drama alongside Olivia Coleman, Julian Barrett, Angus Wright, Harriet Walter, etc. I think I avoided it at the time because it sounded a bit bleak, which it is, but it's also a total work of genius. Very funny, and also very powerful / poignant. Angus Wright's character doesn't have a huge part, but what he does with it is immense. He's like the sexual tyrannosaur Mr Hyde version of the Dr Jekyll he played towards the end of Peep Show. Both of which are here - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiXxq6589eDAxVkhP0HHfsKA34QwqsBegQIDRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F263165522&usg=AOvVaw3HFAGiWTeUuv4LW2aY81At&opi=89978449

More to follow, perhaps including some things which I thought were a bit shit...

[Will Hunt]

When it comes to reality TV I am a complete snob, especially if it looks like the kind of thing where they stick a load of people in a small space and make them hate each other. Despite these misgivings, and some initial concern about the format of the game, we recently watched series 1 of The Traitors. It took a couple of episodes to get going and then I was completely hooked. Absolutely amazing telly, and compelling to the end.

[Will Hunt]

The only thing that's bad about it is the fact that it's a reminder that Rob Brydon is a fucking good actor and so why doesn't he do more things like this vs panel shows. (The answer to which is £ I'm sure.)

Ok here's my not-really-a-claim to fame. I have a mate at work whose father has been played by Rob Brydon in a film (Blinded by the Light). Said father is a very ordinary man from Luton.

[SA Chris]

When it comes to reality TV I am a complete snob, especially if it looks like the kind of thing where they stick a load of people in a small space and make them hate each other. Despite these misgivings, and some initial concern about the format of the game, we recently watched series 1 of The Traitors. It took a couple of episodes to get going and then I was completely hooked. Absolutely amazing telly, and compelling to the end.

Next series coming up. It was filmed near Loch Glass North of Inverness (you can see the "Pink Lodge" as per my pic on IG in one of the scenes).

The Australian one is also compelling viewing with a lot of major twists, well worth a watch.

We tried the American one, but everyone was too American and grated, in spite of Alan Cumming playing an excellent Scottish "host".  And all the challenges were the same.

[tommytwotone]

When it comes to reality TV I am a complete snob, especially if it looks like the kind of thing where they stick a load of people in a small space and make them hate each other. Despite these misgivings, and some initial concern about the format of the game, we recently watched series 1 of The Traitors. It took a couple of episodes to get going and then I was completely hooked. Absolutely amazing telly, and compelling to the end.

Exactly the same here!

Mrs Tone was hooked by S1 which I snootily avoided. She's persuaded me to give it a go with S2 and of course I'm now hooked.

[Will Hunt]

I'm wondering how they might have switched up the format in this one for the contestants who have seen series 1. For instance, I think in series 1 they could always be certain that the last person to walk into breakfast was a goodie - they're one of the two or three people that we saw the Traitors debating over getting rid of and they're brought in last for viewer suspense. There's loads of tells like that which they can pick up on if the producers aren't careful.

[tommytwotone]

Richard Osman and Marina Hyde were saying just that on their podcast this week. Even I spotted that thing about the last person through the door by the second episode!

[IanP]

Ok here's my not-really-a-claim to fame. I have a mate at work whose father has been played by Rob Brydon in a film (Blinded by the Light). Said father is a very ordinary man from Luton.

In our house that's a pretty decent claim to fame, it might be a bit cheesy but we love Blinded by the Light

[stone]

If anyone else never got over the dinosaur fascination they had when they were 5yo or else has 5yos to entertain, then Secrets of the Jurassic Dinosaurs is great https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jfzn.

The presenter Liz Bonnin has an infectious enthusiasm talking to the people digging the dinosaurs up, assembling the bones and simulating them thrashing around etc.

We were prompted to watch it after enjoying Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001txg2

I love the dinosaur stickers on laptops and dinosaur tattoos that some of the boffins have!

[Paul B]

I'm late to the party but The Last of Us (currently on Now TV) was very enjoyable.

Bella Ramsey is great throughout.

Nick Offerman is superb in E03 (this must be the highlight of the season?) which I expected to go entirely differently almost for its entire duration.

Pedro Pascal looks like he'd be great in a Sicario type role/movie after the last episode! Let's hope S02, out in 2025, is as good.

[Bradders]

Pedro Pascal looks like he'd be great in a Sicario type role/movie after the last episode! Let's hope S02, out in 2025, is as good.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2707408/?ref_=ext_shr

[Paul B]

Aha! I watched S01 of Narcos when it came out.

[Bradders]

Worth persisting into season 2, brings things to a satisfying conclusion.

[Duma]

Anyone watched For All Mankind? Seems like I'd like it, trying to work out if it's worth the apple+ faff/getting round it

[Oldmanmatt]

Did Loki make it to this thread? I’m almost at the end of season 2 (Disney +) and it’s pretty good.
I think the writers must have watched Good Omens…

[webbo]

The Princess in the Tower with Phillipa Langley and Judge Rinder.
It’s an investigation in to whether Richard lll did murder his brother Edward lV’s 2 sons.

[teestub]

Did Loki make it to this thread? I’m almost at the end of season 2 (Disney +) and it’s pretty good.
I think the writers must have watched Good Omens…

I really enjoyed season 1 but didn’t get on at all with season 2, I think I’d been multiversed out over the last year!

[IanP]

Anyone watched For All Mankind? Seems like I'd like it, trying to work out if it's worth the apple+ faff/getting round it

I've wondered about this, seems to be quite a bit of good stuff on Apple (Slow Horses anyone?) but the potential faff as an Android/Chromecast users is a bit off-putting.

[Teaboy]

ITV drama are on a bit of a roll it seems. I’m four episodes in to After the Flood and it’s excellent. Also covers some themes that people familiar with Hebden Bridge and the surrounding region will find interesting.

[seankenny]

Anyone watched For All Mankind? Seems like I'd like it, trying to work out if it's worth the apple+ faff/getting round it

Yes I’m on S4. It’s an odd mix of alternative history, science fiction, soap opera and geo-political drama. Not amazing but not bad at all.

The real reason you should be getting Apple TV is for Severance! Also The Morning Show is very good. But Severance is fantastic.

[Bradders]

Anyone watched For All Mankind? Seems like I'd like it, trying to work out if it's worth the apple+ faff/getting round it

I've wondered about this, seems to be quite a bit of good stuff on Apple (Slow Horses anyone?) but the potential faff as an Android/Chromecast users is a bit off-putting.

Isn't it just an app on the Chromecast same as Netflix etc.? I'm tempted as would like to watch Masters of the Air.

[remus]

The real reason you should be getting Apple TV is for Severance! Also The Morning Show is very good. But Severance is fantastic.

Severance is amazing, but...

NSFW  :

Why the fuck did they finish season one there?! It's half way through the fucking story. Waiting years for any kind of conclusion is really annoying.

[IanP]

I've wondered about this, seems to be quite a bit of good stuff on Apple (Slow Horses anyone?) but the potential faff as an Android/Chromecast users is a bit off-putting.

Isn't it just an app on the Chromecast same as Netflix etc.? I'm tempted as would like to watch Masters of the Air.

App is only available on the new(ish) Chromecast with Google TV I believe.  My older Chromecast works by casting from apps on phone or tablet and of course Apple haven't provided an Android app!

Looks like may be able to get it to work by playing on Chrome browser on phone and then casting from browser, not quite as neat but might be a workaround.

[SA Chris]

You can just get a firestick for £60 or so and get all the apps from there.

[spidermonkey09]

We watched Slow Horses by casting it from the Mac to the TV. Worked fine. I do the same with Netflix to get around their password sharing crackdown.