http://www.mooreadamsoncraig.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/head-in-hands.jpg
― pings can only get wetter (Noodle Vague), Friday, 14 March 2014 21:49 (ten years ago) link
have to say that series 2 of 'the line of duty' is hitting the spot at the moment.
so dark and twisted ..
love it.
and yes, despite the media overload, i really enjoyed 'broadchurch'
― mark e, Friday, 14 March 2014 22:12 (ten years ago) link
The Shadow Line was excellent, can't think of much else recently tbh. Fuck the BBC I despise them and that the likes of AMC and HBO make them look shit serves them right for being gutless toadies to successive shit governments.
― xelab, Friday, 14 March 2014 22:44 (ten years ago) link
The Shadow Line was excellent
good call. i had forgotten that ..
― mark e, Friday, 14 March 2014 22:47 (ten years ago) link
fuck the bbc forever but also fuck the british commentariat for all of these fawning articles about hbo
the sopranos is in another category to the rest of these shows
― fedora the implorer (nakhchivan), Friday, 14 March 2014 22:48 (ten years ago) link
I'm sorry to hear that.
― Gibbering Hard Gibberish Soft (Leee), Friday, 14 March 2014 23:18 (ten years ago) link
tbf i've seen one sopranos episode ever and it was more than diverting. h8 the hype most 'big' tv shows get as compared to their reality but that's not an argument for this thread rly. my best friend who knows me well says the sopranos is the one 'big' tv show he can really see me liking
― You cannot interrupt his tea stirring because it is his holy trick (imago), Friday, 14 March 2014 23:25 (ten years ago) link
Yeah, the current series of Line of Duty is brilliant TV. And I'm willing to bet that the US remake of Broadchurch won't be a patch on the original (see also US Life on Mars, US Shameless, US Being Human).
― ailsa, Friday, 14 March 2014 23:48 (ten years ago) link
The "british commentariat" is that people like Brooker gushing on about The Wire and seeding other gushers? I can remember developing a resentment for The Wire because of various hyperbole, before I had seen it.
Broadchurch is like a stretched episode of Midsomer Murders and Life On Mars is garbage. Not a good time for British people to pretend the Beeb still makes great TV or quoting crap examples of US remakes as a rebuttal. The fact is the Americans have made some of the most essential tv series ever in the last decade.
― xelab, Saturday, 15 March 2014 00:42 (ten years ago) link
we have made most of them ever
― j., Saturday, 15 March 2014 00:44 (ten years ago) link
The Office
― sonic thedgehod (albvivertine), Saturday, 15 March 2014 00:44 (ten years ago) link
The brittas empire
― unw? j.......n (darraghmac), Saturday, 15 March 2014 00:51 (ten years ago) link
Haha. I guess The Office is more than ten years old bt I like it on a purely dramatic level prob more than Breaking Bad
― sonic thedgehod (albvivertine), Saturday, 15 March 2014 00:51 (ten years ago) link
My own, probably quite easily taken to fucking pieces on ILX opinion why the beeb is shit. Is that it has been socially firewalled and no mavericks are going to get through the gates. People like Clarke/Loach/Bleasdale don't get a chance anymore.
― xelab, Saturday, 15 March 2014 01:01 (ten years ago) link
yeah, i have posited this as "everything went to shit when they stopped making Play for Today" syndrome
essentially the BBC's best work, bar a few sitcoms, was never its most populist stuff
― pings can only get wetter (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 15 March 2014 09:01 (ten years ago) link
shameless
― massaman gai, Saturday, 15 March 2014 10:20 (ten years ago) link
I was a bit drunk and shouty last night disclaimer.
Re: Some of the BBC's populist stuff from now, once a show becomes a flagship show some terrible complacency creeps into it. An example is The Thick Of It which was dying a death by the last couple of series whereas I feel Veep is in safe hands, because they have a track record of maintaining good shit for 5/6 seasons, without turning shows into self parodic pantomimes.
― xelab, Saturday, 15 March 2014 10:41 (ten years ago) link
it's all been downhill since del boy fell through the bar tbqh
― missingNO, Saturday, 15 March 2014 11:55 (ten years ago) link
trigger warning
― treeship's assailing (darraghmac), Saturday, 15 March 2014 12:30 (ten years ago) link
hahaha
― pandemic, Saturday, 15 March 2014 12:41 (ten years ago) link
tbh the thick of it is as good a shout as i can think of?
― treeship's assailing (darraghmac), Saturday, 15 March 2014 12:54 (ten years ago) link
Maybe the first three series of Peep Show.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Saturday, 15 March 2014 13:46 (ten years ago) link
I know I'm completely out of touch but I have absolutely no interest in (or intention of) watching some fucking TV show what lasts 10 fucking years and has 38 seasons or 42 series or whatever the terminology is. Life's too short.
― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Saturday, 15 March 2014 17:04 (ten years ago) link
i don't necessarily disagree, they still piss on anything produced in this country during the same period
― pings can only get wetter (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 15 March 2014 17:06 (ten years ago) link
life's too short
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRgRs7angW4k70KxNFZEdSh_BEUCt1JSdtAWWBq-kXqnfiCFICW
― post-nodern music player (wins), Saturday, 15 March 2014 17:07 (ten years ago) link
Blimey, I forgot that thing even existed.
― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Saturday, 15 March 2014 17:11 (ten years ago) link
McGovern's The Street was very good from memory, never caught the whole thing, might have to remedy that.
― xelab, Saturday, 15 March 2014 17:18 (ten years ago) link
there was an article on slate that was saying "true detective" rips of "red riding".
― everyday sheeple (Michael B), Saturday, 15 March 2014 20:10 (ten years ago) link
I'm much more concerned about the lack of good British animation tbh
― You cannot interrupt his tea stirring because it is his holy trick (imago), Saturday, 15 March 2014 20:14 (ten years ago) link
http://www.bolexbrothers.co.uk/
― pings can only get wetter (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 15 March 2014 20:28 (ten years ago) link
An example is The Thick Of It which was dying a death by the last couple of series whereas I feel Veep is in safe hands, because they have a track record of maintaining good shit for 5/6 seasons, without turning shows into self parodic pantomimes.
Thank goodness Veep is being made by completely different writers and producers and directors to the smug complacent pack that made The Thick Of It.
― Charles, hatless (sic), Sunday, 16 March 2014 00:08 (ten years ago) link
[smug]Stopped watching The Thick Of It after that superlative 2-hour double-bill Xmas/NY special because it was pretty damn obvious they weren't gonna top it[/smug]
― You cannot interrupt his tea stirring because it is his holy trick (imago), Sunday, 16 March 2014 00:13 (ten years ago) link
In fairness lj you've hardly to spell out the smug tags by now mayne
― treeship's assailing (darraghmac), Sunday, 16 March 2014 00:30 (ten years ago) link
You are so full of shit, the beeb will have a job for you already.
― xelab, Sunday, 16 March 2014 00:41 (ten years ago) link
that's definitely an unwarranted if perfectly-formed rejoinder. history written by the zingers
― You cannot interrupt his tea stirring because it is his holy trick (imago), Sunday, 16 March 2014 00:49 (ten years ago) link
that superlative 2-hour double-bill Xmas/NY special
btw this is not a thing that exists, and the last series was incredible. anyone who'd deny themselves the glory of frustrated non-Opposition Mannion is an enemy of joy.
― Charles, hatless (sic), Sunday, 16 March 2014 02:08 (ten years ago) link
noodle vague there, proving himself the valuable discourse-encouraging ilxor we all know him to be oh hang on
― NI, Sunday, 16 March 2014 02:42 (ten years ago) link
I thought The Thick of It was entirely good up until the last episode, and slightly suspect anyone who doesn't is a miserable nitpicker.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Sunday, 16 March 2014 03:16 (ten years ago) link
loved the last series of TTOI
― Simon H., Sunday, 16 March 2014 03:37 (ten years ago) link
in answer to (perfectly reasonable) op: edge of darkness, state of play and i'd prob say the fall, too. different in pace & scale to yer hbo epics but certainly not 'lesser'
― NI, Sunday, 16 March 2014 03:46 (ten years ago) link
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/noodle_vague/bart-simpson-generator_zpsc16a2928.gif
― pings can only get wetter (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 16 March 2014 09:06 (ten years ago) link
Line of Duty, hmm.
It isn't the Wire. Doesn't need to be. Isn't that sort of thing anyway. More drama than realism. Scope is smaller. Hmm.
To really answer OP's question we probably need to think about this whole 'scope' and 'scale' issue
― cardamon, Sunday, 16 March 2014 12:54 (ten years ago) link
'Socially firewalled' is accurate at least.
― cardamon, Sunday, 16 March 2014 12:55 (ten years ago) link
(Why LoD is not the wire – actor playing Manish doesn't come across as convincingly evil at all, compare and contrast with I dunno anyone on the wire where characters do things that are believable even when they're nailing people up in houses covered in lime - WPC who goes to prison situation is not an accurate depiction of what that would be, more for like, teachers or call centre mangers who feel stressed at work and feel they're being fucked over (and probably are) to look at and 'relate' to – I mean it's still fucking terrifying but ...)
― cardamon, Sunday, 16 March 2014 12:59 (ten years ago) link
idk Breaking Bad was pretty limited in scope. Though I guess it had more episodes than most British shows get.
― I got the glares, the mutterings, the snarls (President Keyes), Sunday, 16 March 2014 13:36 (ten years ago) link
Actually yeah - there's not that many characters in BB
― cardamon, Sunday, 16 March 2014 13:42 (ten years ago) link
Been watching a bit of the US House of Cards and I think the original had a far stronger authorial voice and more cutting humour. Only a few episodes in though (plus I know far more about the mechanics of British politics).
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Monday, 17 March 2014 02:32 (ten years ago) link
The UK House of Cards trilogy is utterly fantastic and anyone who hasn't watched it should, by the way.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Monday, 17 March 2014 02:34 (ten years ago) link
Will second State of Play, even if the resolution lurches forward out of nowhere (my impression of it, anyway).
― Gibbering Hard Gibberish Soft (Leee), Monday, 17 March 2014 18:11 (ten years ago) link
Live Soccer Saturday
― treeship's assailing (darraghmac), Monday, 17 March 2014 18:39 (ten years ago) link
Happy Valley was brilliant. I thought Keeley Hawes and Line of Duty had all the year's plaudits sewn up (rushed ending notwithstanding), but I've had a bit of a rethink of that now.
― ailsa, Friday, 6 June 2014 15:55 (ten years ago) link
so state of play is really fuckin good huh
― nakh is the wintour of our diss content (darraghmac), Wednesday, 10 September 2014 23:59 (ten years ago) link
I liked the Honourable Woman
― Now you're messing with a (President Keyes), Thursday, 11 September 2014 03:04 (ten years ago) link
Both of these are good.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Thursday, 11 September 2014 10:05 (ten years ago) link
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Happy Valley. Starts off as a fairly obvious Fargo ripoff and kind of runs out of steam by the end but Sarah Lancashire deserves all the plaudits she's gotten for it. She is incredible.
Broadchurch, on the other hand, was absolute shite.
― Number None, Thursday, 11 September 2014 10:38 (ten years ago) link
Honourable Woman was absolute garbage
― peligro, Thursday, 11 September 2014 12:29 (ten years ago) link
Britain seems to do better at one-off series with a set number of episodes. Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Edge of Darkness and Our Friends in the North are all equal to or better than any of your US dramas.
― goth colouring book (anagram), Thursday, 11 September 2014 12:47 (ten years ago) link
Honourable Woman disqualified on account of the first three episodes imo
― Abandoned Amusement/FUN SHIRTS (seandalai), Sunday, 14 September 2014 06:51 (ten years ago) link
Is this the closest thing we have to a general British TV drama thread? Anyway, I finished watching Years and Years last night. Fantastic stuff.
― van dyke parks generator (anagram), Thursday, 4 July 2019 07:31 (five years ago) link
I finished it last night too, would not go as far as fantastic, but it wasn't bad, afraid I'm too cynical to buy that ending with the fact that we run concentration camps in the UK of 2019 and nobody seems to care.
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 4 July 2019 08:24 (five years ago) link
- Spoiler alert -
Really good but not fantastic otm. I really enjoyed the series (great cast and wow, Emma Thompson especially was brilliant). The penultimate episode was the best, but I thought the finale with the whole 'liberating Viktor' arch was a bit much. I don't think it's cynical per se: there's concentration camps all over the world (UK and US, too), but it hardly creates the stir it should.
But, as I said, pretty much great acting all around and RTD either got a lot of things right/made them scarily believable. It's just that some things aren't even predictions any more, they're real already :-/
Do wonder if there will be a second season, and if it can be 'not bonkers' after how this ended (with Edith uploaded in water molecules etc)
― Uptown VONC (Le Bateau Ivre), Thursday, 4 July 2019 11:49 (five years ago) link
There will not be a second series.
― quelle sprocket damage (sic), Thursday, 4 July 2019 12:01 (five years ago) link
the resolution will not be televised
― damarraghcas.jpg (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 July 2019 13:14 (five years ago) link
Is this the closest thing we have to a general British TV drama thread?
I tried to get one going a (shockingly long) while back but it didn't take -
Rolling UK drama thread - "Paul Abbot, do you have David Simon's number by any chance?"
― chap, Friday, 5 July 2019 09:45 (five years ago) link
No programme that good should be tucked away on a rolling thread.
― Matt DC, Friday, 5 July 2019 10:05 (five years ago) link