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Post by londonpostie on Dec 26, 2022 22:21:33 GMT
Detectorists: even out of focus, Dr Alice Roberts on the steps of the British Museum was a nice touch ..
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Post by oxfordsimon on Dec 26, 2022 23:40:23 GMT
Maybe not technically festive telly but just watched Glass Onion and it was a thoroughly enjoyable camp romp.
Well constructed writing. Nicely subversive.
Good follow on to Knives Out
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Post by alece10 on Dec 27, 2022 11:01:30 GMT
For any Jeremy Jordan fans out there - The film Hanukkah on Rye starring JJ is being shown on Movies24 (currently renamed Christmas24) here in the UK on Thursday 29th December at 3pm.
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Post by mkb on Dec 27, 2022 14:37:05 GMT
I had never watched Death in Paradise, but I love a good murder mystery and last night's Christmas special promised a cameo from Les Dennis, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about.
Imdb gives the series as a whole an exceptionally high 7.8 rating. Twitter is fulsomely positive about the latest episode.
So I'm rather scratching my head as to how others are seeing excellence in what I found to be utter dross.
The plot, the dialogue, the acting, the direction, the editing: there were no redeeming features, laughably bad in places. I've seen Ralf Little, Don Warrington and Les Dennis on stage, and they each acquitted themselves competently, so the biggest mystery is how it all went so wrong here. Was it lack of budget, or just amateurs in charge? Yet there are legions of fans who adore this programme. I didn't get it.
By contrast, I did enjoy the 1974 film of And Then There Were None on Talking Pictures on Christmas Day night. Not because that was any good, but because it was so deliciously bad. The action is transferred to a hotel in the Iranian desert that is plagued with thunder and lightning in a cloudless sky. Apparently it was pulled from London cinemas after just one week on original release. It really deserves a cult following.
My best Xmas tv:
Inside No. 9: The Bones of St. Nicholas
Only Connect Christmas Specials (two to go still)
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Post by justfran on Dec 27, 2022 17:32:23 GMT
Maybe not technically festive telly but just watched Glass Onion and it was a thoroughly enjoyable camp romp. Well constructed writing. Nicely subversive. Good follow on to Knives Out I thought Glass Onion took a while to get going and I wasn’t too keen on the beginning scenes with it being set during Covid, wearing masks etc (I don’t want to be reminded of this when watching a film). Overall it was smartly done and I would watch it again. Not quite as good as the first Knives Out. |
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 27, 2022 19:18:35 GMT
One of the best things I've seen in the last few days is The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney channel). Haven't seen this promo'd anywhere but thought it very good. Only 45mins (and not animated, only the first few mins). Made me laugh.
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Post by Jon on Dec 27, 2022 19:39:12 GMT
I've been watching The Weakest Link and it is shocking how bad the general knowledge on offer has been.
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Post by marob on Dec 27, 2022 20:06:30 GMT
I've been watching The Weakest Link and it is shocking how bad the general knowledge on offer has been. I watched it yesterday and was quite surprised myself. Made up of daytime TV stars, mostly journalist types, they were only getting 2 or 3 in a row. Hilariously awkward bit where Charlie Stayt was asked the surname of the presenter of Steph’s Packed Lunch. They worked together for years on BBC Breakfast, so an easy question you’d think. No. Took him an age to come up with “McGovern.” Shocking. |
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Post by Jon on Dec 27, 2022 20:41:37 GMT
I've been watching The Weakest Link and it is shocking how bad the general knowledge on offer has been. I watched it yesterday and was quite surprised myself. Made up of daytime TV stars, mostly journalist types, they were only getting 2 or 3 in a row. Hilariously awkward bit where Charlie Stayt was asked the surname of the presenter of Steph’s Packed Lunch. They worked together for years on BBC Breakfast, so an easy question you’d think. No. Took him an age to come up with “McGovern.” Shocking. Journalists and doctors are the ones who tend to do badly on gameshows whereas comedians and some actors do well. The corker they had the other day was Tasha from Love Island saying that the British and French aircraft that hit Mach 2 was Jet2!! Although Hidden Cupboard yesterday from Dr Punnam was a close second. |
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Post by Rory on Dec 27, 2022 21:22:09 GMT
Festive telly is really dire this year
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Post by nicolaa on Dec 28, 2022 14:57:45 GMT
Was forced to watch my first ever episode of Ghosts - the most unamusing 29 minutes I've ever spent. Panto acting and a mirth free script, baffled that this has lasted for a couple of series.
Just reinforced why I've never paid the licence fee.
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Post by FrontrowverPaul on Dec 28, 2022 15:03:08 GMT
Was forced to watch my first ever episode of Ghosts - the most unamusing 29 minutes I've ever spent. Panto acting and a mirth free script, baffled that this has lasted for a couple of series. Just reinforced why I've never paid the licence fee. I think it's generally an amusing sitcom with a unique concept but if you are referring to the Christmas special I have to agree. Mrs Brown's Boys was similarly unfunny. Loved the final Doc Martin though, will really miss that. At least they haven't killed him off so a future revival could still happen. |
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Post by crowblack on Dec 28, 2022 16:25:07 GMT
Was forced to watch my first ever episode of Ghosts - the most unamusing 29 minutes I've ever spent. Panto acting and a mirth free script, baffled that this has lasted for a couple of series. Just reinforced why I've never paid the licence fee. I think it's generally an amusing sitcom with a unique concept but if you are referring to the Christmas special I have to agree. Mrs Brown's Boys was similarly unfunny. Loved the final Doc Martin though, will really miss that. At least they haven't killed him off so a future revival could still happen. The first two series were good, but we haven't got to the end of the third yet - it's amiable enough to pass the time but not essential viewing. |
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Post by Latecomer on Dec 28, 2022 21:18:37 GMT
Was forced to watch my first ever episode of Ghosts - the most unamusing 29 minutes I've ever spent. Panto acting and a mirth free script, baffled that this has lasted for a couple of series. Just reinforced why I've never paid the licence fee. The thing with Ghosts is that you need to know the characters to become fonder of them…..it doesn’t work if you don’t know all the ins and outs. Then you become proper fond of them and start rooting for them…..and it becomes magic. |
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Post by crowblack on Dec 28, 2022 21:45:03 GMT
We've just caught up with the Motherland and Inside Number 9 Christmas specials and recommend them!
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Dec 28, 2022 22:49:59 GMT
Was forced to watch my first ever episode of Ghosts - the most unamusing 29 minutes I've ever spent. Panto acting and a mirth free script, baffled that this has lasted for a couple of series. Just reinforced why I've never paid the licence fee. The thing with Ghosts is that you need to know the characters to become fonder of them…..it doesn’t work if you don’t know all the ins and outs. Then you become proper fond of them and start rooting for them…..and it becomes magic. Great call. It’s wonderful television |
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Dec 28, 2022 22:51:25 GMT
We've just caught up with the Motherland and Inside Number 9 Christmas specials and recommend them! There’s a queue Philip Schofield! |
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Post by sweets7 on Dec 28, 2022 23:10:08 GMT
TV really is rubbish this year. Watched about five minutes of Mayflies before deciding I couldn’t get through the topic without emotional trauma. Looked worthy though. Started watching Escape to the Chateau.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Dec 28, 2022 23:33:40 GMT
TV really is rubbish this year. Watched about five minutes of Mayflies before deciding I couldn’t get through the topic without emotional trauma. Looked worthy though. Started watching Escape to the Chateau. Thought it was great this year. One gem a night. Christmas Eve Paul and Bob Gone Fishing. Christmas Day ghosts and Boxing Day Detectorists. Great television. All I have really watched this Christmas. All I had on the must see list |
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Post by londonmzfitz on Dec 29, 2022 22:54:14 GMT
Was forced to watch my first ever episode of Ghosts - the most unamusing 29 minutes I've ever spent. Panto acting and a mirth free script, baffled that this has lasted for a couple of series. Just reinforced why I've never paid the licence fee. My lad introduced me to the US version of Ghosts this week and it's great! Somehow I found myself watching one UK episode and the US version far superior. |
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Post by Jon on Dec 29, 2022 23:20:11 GMT
I've only seen clips of the US Ghosts but it's interesting how they managed to adapt the show so well considering how British the original is.
In terms of other remakes, the American Shameless has the edge of the original but only because the original went downhill after they expanded the episode count.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Dec 29, 2022 23:22:25 GMT
UK Ghosts for me
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Post by alessia on Dec 30, 2022 16:08:19 GMT
I like Ghosts (only seen the UK one and in general I don't watch remakes) and the special made me tear up. Also Detectorists special, I don't think this one episode was great but I love it anyway because it was so nice to see them all again and listen to the old tune- I'd watch Mackenzie Crook in anything and I had forgotten that the chap playing the club president is the pub landlord in Jerusalem.
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Post by fossil on Dec 30, 2022 16:41:59 GMT
Because my other half wanted to watch it I reluctantly settled down to watch Channel 5's The Canterville Ghost on their My5 catch-up service. This turned out to be a very well made thoroughly entertaining production from BBC Studios. Probably not to everybody's taste but if you want over three hours of harmless family entertainment I would recommend this.
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Post by n1david on Dec 30, 2022 17:04:03 GMT
My highlight of Festive TV has been SMILEY on Netflix. It's a charming and witty series set in Barcelona following the ups and downs of two gay men thrown together by a wrong number. 8 episodes of about 40 minutes each, set over the Christmas period so definitely counts as Festive Telly. The two lead characters are appealing and complex, and there's a hefty mix of supporting characters trying to sort out their own lives, like the lesbian couple trying to deal with changes in their relationship, and the middle-aged couple trying to reconstruct their pre-kids relationship. But it's all great fun and utterly charming, and moves at a speedy pace.
I've watched very little terrestrial TV, apart from the Christmas University Challenges (where institutions appear to be wising up and putting in academic graduates rather than celebrity graduates). Saving Mayflies for when I feel a bit stronger.
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