Must-See TV

[footfootfoot]

I just watched the latest Broadchurch. That is such a great story. It's tough having to wait a week for the next ep.

[Sundae]

Mum is really grumpy with Broadchurch.
Well, she worked for the Police for years.
"They would never let him be that scruffy, whatever rank he held!"

[footfootfoot]

Waiting patiently, for 30 years, finally the Miami Vice look comes to Broadchurch!

[Sundae]

Well, figure on another 30 til it comes to Aylesbury

[infinite monkey]

The 80s is a mini-series documentary on the decade the 80s (natch.)

I watched the first two that were on free entertainment on demand (they actually play on NatGeo) and it was sort of fun. The first thing they talked about was The Miracle On Ice which sort of set the mood for the rest of the 80s: we needed that win over the Russian Red Soldiers and it was a real boost for our nation, during a very chilly part of the cold war.

Ronald Reagan's shooting was, of course, a topic. He handled that so gracefully. The doctors said that he looked around and joked "I hope you're all republicans" and a nurse said "Today, Mr President, we are all republicans."

Then there was a large boom at some presentation he was giving. NOt sure what happened, something fell over or something. He didn't flinch or miss a beat when he said "missed me."

I skipped the Tony Hawk segment but I'm sure that appeals to some. A lot of stuff on Jobs and the computer revolution. Great footage and commentary of the mix of Run DMC and Aerosmith doing Walk This Way.

It could be a little less VH1-y but it's interesteing; especially for a girl who was 15 when the 80s began.

[Clodfobble]

Have you all watched the comedy series "The League"? I'm looking at you, Jim. I swear, you will laugh so hard you'll pee your pants (like a racist.) Watch it now.

[DanaC]

The League? *scurries off to wiki*

[Sundae]

The Returned.
Although I prefer the French titles Les Revenants.

Gorgeous to watch, cinematic in the location, the quality of the lighting (especially the natural lighting) and the attention to detail.
And I can watch it when I can't sleep because it's subtitled, so I don't even have to worry about waking up the 'rents (it's all about ME, even a TV review.)

It's been suggested that it's about zombies, or at least the undead, but it's much more subtle than that. The people we see returning in episode one seem to look and behave exactly as they did before they died. No spoilers.

You can lose a little on foreign imports, even from countries that speak the same language. It's in the visual shorthand - this family is rich, this girl is an underage drinker, this man has a knackered car, this woman has a common accent. But in general I think more is gained from a totally different style of cinema or programme-making. This series is extremely spare. It's not over-explained, there are enormous gaps in the story-telling and understanding. Which I have no doubt will be drip fed later, unless it's been decided it will leave questions unanswered.

I'm not a Francophile, although I do admire the French. It's just good to hear Fernch spoken on TV (and realise how hopelessly I have lost my ability to speak it) and in such an elegant, emotional and yet quite brutal series.

Eight episodes. Seven to go.

And then Hannibal. For similar yet different reasons.
Like Les Revs, I need to watch episodes more than once. Much is left unsaid, and if it depends on being able to tell the difference between characters I'm at a slight disadvantage. Put people in with the same gender and same coloured hair and I'm unlikely to pick up on plot points because I'm trying to work out who they are.

Lecter's food leaves me drooling, although he does use his fork as a shovel, which I find jarring. This may be my ignorance of dining etiquette across the whole of Europe though, as Lecter is not English (or even Welsh.)

Diz's early morning wake-up calls have me dreaming slightly more coherently than usual. When I watch Hannibal I extend the plot, albeit setting it in my house, or school or anywhere else I used to work. Figs seem to feature quite often, although I think this is because I have also been considering whether the price will drop soon (I like figs and could do with some more fruit in my diet.)

I dreamed in French last night after watching Les Revs. I had to take another peek at it this morning to check that it was set in an Alpine village, not in the Auvergne, and no scenes were set in a high school.

[Sundae]

Les Revs again last night.
A little more explanation, a lot more mystery.

The most notable non-spoiler mystery for me is how Anakin Skywalker was cast when there is obviously a whole world of talented child actors out there.
Victor (one of the names I chose for my never-to-be-conceived sons) is exstrawberry.
As is Camille, although she's older.

In fact I had to pause it last night because I was watching Lena's hair.
It's so long. All I could think of was the weight and heft of it. It's how I imagined Clare's hair to be in The Time Traveller's Wife. I've had hair extensions twicet; it takes a while to get used to.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Sundae

And then Hannibal. For similar yet different reasons.
Like Les Revs, I need to watch episodes more than once.

Yes, very good show. I don't rewatch the episodes, though I'm sure I would catch things I missed if I did.

[Pico and ME]

I've finally caught up with all of Hannibal.

Unfortunately, I tended to watch them on Saturday nights which is when I try to stay up till 6am to switch/start my sleep cycle for the 7:30pm to 6am shift work on Sunday and Monday. I'm usually a bit headachy and stiff from being up for nearly 24 hours, so I'm beginning to be very uncomfortable with the last few episodes watching Will Graham struggling. I'm over-empathizing with his severe discomfort, and its become quite visceral for me.

[Sundae]

I'm up to the one with Eddie Izzard in it.
Or at least the first one with him in it (in case he reappears).
No mistaking him, although the accent throws me off a little. I usually substitute facial recognition for voice recognition.

'Rents are at the hospital today, amy rewatch now. I can dally with y'all later.

[Sundae]

Les Revs just keeps getting better.

SPOILERS
DO NOT READ BEFORE YOU WATCH THIS
IT MAY TAINT YOUR EXPERIENCE














Okay, you're warned.
Although if I were you I'd have skipped this and watched it.
In fact, you're probably skipping this anyway because who wants to read about something they're never going to watch?

Anyway.

We now know how Victor died. And who didn't kill him.
The Returned are beginning to come together. To an extent.
What is happening to Lena? I wondered from the beginning if Lena was really Camille, but I think that was a red herring.
When is Victor from? Vivian came back very, very quickly the second time. He's been back before, why did it take so long?

Is Julie Returned?

And what is happening in the dam.
It must be significant, it's in the opening credits and we've just seen all the animals suspended in it.
M Costa went in there. Why isn't he Returned?

Did Simon really kill himself?

I don't expect to have all or even any of these questions answered.
Love the mystery. Love the French.
Love the series.

[Sundae]

Hannibal: I'm so impressed with myself that I guessed M Izzard would be making another appearance. Okay, it wasn't that unlikely, but I don't usually think ahead or anticipate storylines unless I am bored with a novel/ film/ TV series. Or puzzling it out.

Last night was Izzard's second appearance and I genuinely expect it was his last. Nothing to do with the story, I just don't see him popping up all over the place in future, unlike a certain ungentlemanly gentleman. In fact just as I was patting myself on the back for being able to tell one character from another, Izzard (or Titus Groan or Caligula McKill or whatever his character is called) looked in the rear-view mirror and I thought, hang on. He looked weird there. Was that just the lighting? Was that just me? Then they got to Hannibal's place and I realised, no. It's everyone's favourite GJH. Phew.

Grisliest & most gristly episode yet.
Ick.

Pico I am feeling for Will Graham too. But I suspect it's only because of your post. You made me see it from a very different perspective. I'm so used to glossing over general angst that I perhaps don't always empathise with genuine suffering. Acted/ written/ portrayed I mean. Betrayal and unrequited love hook me through the throat every time though. The bitter-sweet which is like someone vomiting up popcorn.

I can't believe I am dedicating time to two series that have weekly episodes of nearly an hour.
Of course I Sky+ and ffwd the adverts, but Les Revs is something like 70 minutes.

Oh - update on Les Revs.
Still no answer on Simon's death.
His daughter drew a picture of him shooting himself. I think Thomas said he did too.
So why did the medium/ prostitute see him hanging himself. And we instead saw the couple Camille had been talking to hang themselves in place of what she saw? And while we're on the subject, she is the only person who was shown entering or leaving the town. Of course they won't show all the mundane elements of everyone's lives, but is it significant that they showed her arriving?

What did Serge rub into Lena that healed her back enough that she could run?
Could he do the same for Victor? Because he seems to have the same problem, although why he is hiding it from Julie is unclear; has this happened before? Young chap is a wonderful actor but as time passes I am more and more creeped out by the character. He needs to come over and star in Misfits, stat.

Who are the people hiding out in the woods? Is that why the animals were taking swimming lessons? Why haven't they integrated - or tried to integrate - back with their families? Have they been back a couple of times already and realised it's impossible? How long has this been going on (no, stop singing.)

I thought it was all connected with the dam and the drowning of the village, but it may be a localiased phenomenon. Just one that comes in waves. Sorry, water on the brain.

[richlevy]

BBC America is showing In the Flesh. Not a lot of backstory in the first episode but it goes something like, Britain is recovering from a zombie outbreak of about 140,000. However, it is found that with daily medication, zombies can recover brain function and turn into not very sexy pale vampire like (not every undead starts out as an Abercrombie and Fitch model) versions of themselves. The opener is in a British hospital with dozens of recovering zombies in hospital gowns.

The PDS (partially dead syndrome) sufferers are given medicine and counseling and are being reintroduced into society. This includes one angst ridden youth who has flashbacks to being a zombie and eating people. Other than that, he looks a lot like Richie Cunningham. He's also being returned to a rural town that still has a strong anti-zombie militia and is not too happy with the policy. And his kid sister is a member.