JimCT Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 34 minutes ago, Jimmy James said: Boy I'm setting myself here, but No. Or this? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JoleBlonAlba Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Finally got the chance to see "Good Omens" - a treat to see with Michael Sheen and David Tennant, even if I thought the latter's twisty strut as Crowley would do him a mischief:-) It's always a very good thing to see Miranda Richardson at work too - she's great! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marilla Gorilla Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 On 4/6/2020 at 2:10 PM, JimCT said: I see this is available thru my cable system A rich family takes control of one of the world’s two superpowers and rules for generations with the aid of a compliant Senate. https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2020/04/02/why-you-should-be-watching-i-claudius That is not the plot of a 21st-century political satire but of “I, Claudius”, a British television drama of the 1970s about the Roman imperial family, based on novels by Robert Graves. The series features some terrific actors such as John Hurt (as Caligula), Patrick Stewart (as Sejanus, a scheming consul) and, in the title part, Derek Jacobi as the stuttering, lame emperor. Brian Blessed, normally a very hammy performer, is marvellously effective as Augustus. Siân Phillips plays his tricksy wife, Livia. Apart from the acting, two things make the show a pleasure to revisit in isolation. The first is that this is just the right kind of history to dramatise: familiar-sounding but only half-remembered. Most people will have heard, if dimly, of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Nero; the Roman Empire is still revered. Second, this is soap opera on a grand scale, featuring murder, madness, incest and betrayal. It is “Game of Thrones” without the dragons and direwolves. The story is told in flashback by the aged Claudius as he recalls the (literally) poisonous feuds that engulfed his family and resulted in his unlikely ascent to the imperial throne. Indeed, he only becomes emperor because the praetorian guard needed a ruler to justify their existence, after the assassination of Caligula. In a speech to a doubtful Senate, Claudius says: “As for being half-witted: well, what can I say, except that I have survived to middle age with half my wits, while thousands have died with all of theirs intact. Evidently, quality of wits is more important than quantity.” Many scenes stick in the mind 40 years after they were first broadcast. In one, Livia carefully explains to Augustus how she has poisoned him with fruit from a fig tree, as Mr Blessed stares in mute, unblinking silence for what seems like five minutes. In another, Claudius’s mother, Antonia, imprisons her daughter, Livilla, after the latter killed her own husband. As Livilla screams, Claudius asks, “How can you leave her to die?” “That’s her punishment,” his mother answers. “How can you bear to sit out here and listen to her?” Claudius says. Antonia replies, “And that’s mine.” Gulp this down now, and you will need to make allowances. The 1970s were an era of limited budgets, so the series was shot in the studio; vast Roman legions are represented by half a dozen soldiers. But the story is so compelling that it overcomes these shortcomings. It is, above all, a meditation on the corrupting influence of absolute power. Place all authority in the hands of one individual, and society is at risk from his follies and petty jealousies. Even the well-meaning Claudius is betrayed by almost everyone he trusts and, in his dying moments, learns that his dreams of a restoration of a republic will be dashed. I, Claudius is terrific. I remember watching as a child but didn’t really understand it. I watched it again in the 90s and really loved it. Here is Patrick Stewart as Sejanus. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmy James Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Just finished The Stranger! Great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dr winston oboogie Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Very disappointed that my favourite daily series was curtailed to less that 20 minutes on Friday, with no interaction, and has been cancelled on Saturday and Sunday, hopefully it will return and be as entertaining as ever tomorrow. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rizla Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Just finished my rewatch of 'The Last Kingdom' in time for series 4 which arrived today Looking forward to seeing more of Uhtred In some ways I wish they had released one episode a week, but I shall limit myself to no more that one episode a day to make it last. Sadly I don't know anyone else who watches this terrific story, and there will be online fans who have binged the whole thing on the first day, so there will be spoilers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrilliantDisguise Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Watching Season 2 of this great little CW show...In the Dark. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
THUE Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 On 4/15/2020 at 4:52 PM, Jimmy James said: Just finished The Stranger! Great. We just watched this. Very good. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SteveJhb Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 About to get stuck into Season 6 of one of my favourite TV Series. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheBoss Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Just finished watching BBC TV serie Normal People. Really liked it. As a side-note: actor Paul Mescal looks very much like Sam Springsteen. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stevie54uk Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 now tv has a 2017 CNN doc Soundtracks Songs That Defined History, interesting and some Bruce content on BITUSA and Rising Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Judgeb Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Currently watching the second season of What We Do In The Shadows on FX. The first season is available on Prime. I love it. It’s like Seinfeld, except the characters are vampires. Hysterical. They live on Staten Island. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
soulcrusader78 Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Alfred Hitchcock Presents; I have the first couple seasons on DVD, and saw many episodes of the show (and of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour) on TV many many years ago (as in around 30) But now some of the episodes are free on the Peacock Channel on cable (as well as the Alfred Hitchcock Hour) I just saw three I don't recall ever seeing, I looked for the highest rated ones on IMDB; Bang! You're Dead (S7, E2) - Billy Mumy doesn't know the gun he's got is not a toy, and the bullets are real too of course. The Right Kind Of House (S3, E23) - starring the guy who was the Man In A Hurry from the Andy Griffith Show (my fave episode of that series) and the woman who played Granny Hart in Jess-Belle (The Twilight Zone). Very interesting, both of these were good, very good, but... Man With A Problem! (S4, E7) - MAGNIFICENT! Fantastic, incredible! (starring Gary Merrill of All About Eve fame, with Elizabeth Montgomery as his wife) Best ending in the WORLD! ha ha ha!!!!!! I have to see more... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
soulcrusader78 Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 after a couple more Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes I had to see this masterpiece again: The JAR. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
riverdude2 Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 On 5/9/2020 at 4:16 PM, TheBoss said: Just finished watching BBC TV serie Normal People. Really liked it. As a side-note: actor Paul Mescal looks very much like Sam Springsteen. Just finished watching this, really enjoyed it, great performances from the two leads. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
soulcrusader78 Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Daisey Jeep Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 On 4/7/2020 at 5:26 AM, Jimmy James said: Finished last night. WOW, I really didn't think people like that lived. It was so sad and disgusting, I had to keep watching. And needed to stick my finger down my throat a couple times. we didn't get past the first epodode but it was number one in NZ netflex the first week of lockdown 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Daisey Jeep Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 On 5/15/2020 at 10:02 PM, soulcrusader78 said: after a couple more Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes I had to see this masterpiece again: The JAR. my sister used to stay up and watch these with dad 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SteveJhb Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Started watching the first season of Broadchurch again. Still a damn good show and Olivia Coleman really is magnificent in this. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stevie54uk Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 just binge watch the 2 series of Gavin and Stacey, brilliant stuff and not normally a fan of that sort of comedy, brought back so many memories for me 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheBoss Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Dublin Murders. Great stuff, in my opinion. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Declansk Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Just started Boardwalk Empire last week. First 4 episodes so far have been really good. Terence Winter, the shows creator was one of the writers for the Sopranos so I’m expecting great things. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
riverdude2 Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 21 hours ago, Declansk said: Just started Boardwalk Empire last week. First 4 episodes so far have been really good. Terence Winter, the shows creator was one of the writers for the Sopranos so I’m expecting great things. Fantastic series. Wish I was seeing it for the first time again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balboa08 Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Been watching Suits since the last couple of weeks.Not seen before. Advantage of coming so late to the party is that now i can binge watch and finish the whole series.. Also, now that Western Stars is up on Amazon , i might watch that again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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