British TV/General Discussion

Thanks Solar. Went to relatives this year, nice to get away with cooking!

Brit, not sure I saw season 4. Thanks. I keep finding it amusing that so much of the police procedurals are soap opera. Doesn't keep me away though, precious little I like on cable.

appara, solar - I read somewhere they are starting another season but it won't be here for 2 years. TWO! Except for the last minute, I quite enjoyed the season. 

Nope, nor I. The father was a very disagreeable character and I didn't like the actor! I also found the connection too far fetched. Hope they come up with a good storyline when they explain it.

I hope Nicola has another show dropping in the meantime.

Brit, now I remember why I left season 4 after 1 episode. I tried ep. 2 and same thing. Tony Manning was too busy with his squicky romance to do his job.

Finally getting caught up with my viewing. Watched the finale of""Annika" ... agree with you all, found her father very creepy - so much so, I can't even imagine that was her father. He raised my eyebrow from the first moment I laid eyes on him and the more I saw of him, the more I disliked him. That certainly was a turn of events at the end! Yes, Solar and Deedee there is A LOT more to this story. It is going to be interesting to see where they go with it.

Deedee, totally agree with you about "The Bay's" Tony Manning. As I said, did not understand where that whole affair came from given the previous storyline. I left Tony at the sideline where he stood for most of the episode, but I was intrigued by the murder storyline and the family dynamic surrounding it. They played that well, I had an inkling of who was involved - couldn't quite put it together though which kept me moving along.

"World on Fire" finale is coming up (next) on my list. Rooting for Lois all the way! 

 Brit  ...   I'd  say  ' World on Fire '  goes down as one of my  favs.  I grade it as such when I stop the  flow (  all Ep. on  DVR )  ta see how far the  blue line has progressed  ,  happy when I'm only half way thru.  lol   still half ta go ,,  GREAT.   lol    Always wish there  was more when I come to the end .    Yes,  Lois  all the  way  .                                   

I'm team Kasia. When she had made her decision to return to Poland and offered her wedding ring back to Harry - that was heartbreaking, those two had chemistry. I just don't see it happening with Lois, but at least Harry is making an effort with his daughter Vera. Lois, to me, is only concerned with Lois, similar personality to Robina. I've heard that there's not going to be another series to wrap up these storylines?

January is a long way off, but looking forward to All Creatures, I think I'm the only to tune into Miss Scarlet, and then way far away at the end of January we be making predictions on who-dunnit on True Detective!

appara, I quite like Miss Scarlet. True Detective? On PBS?

@deedee713 wrote:
appara, I quite like Miss Scarlet. True Detective? On PBS?

True Detective airs on HBO, it is a series that has a few good twists and turns and red herrings. Each season (this is the 4th) is stand-alone. Not sure a new thread should be made, or if we will just kinda take over this one for six weeks. LOL

It's back? Thanks, appara, I didn't realize!

@deedee713 wrote:
It's back? Thanks, appara, I didn't realize!

Deedee, yes, it is! And, I am up for another "True Detective" party. The show certainly had us on a full volume discussion the past seasons. Nothing else quite like it. The stories are so out there. I remember the first season I watched with one eye closed half the time it was so scary, but I was mesmerize by it. 

You know what?! I just realized I skipped S2... never saw it! Don't know why, I guess the storyline didn't entice me the way Series 1 did. I loved S3, I thought that was right on par with S1. Maybe at some point I'll go back and give it a try. In any event, "True Detective" is what I am looking forward to in the month of January.

Appara, we could start the discussion on this thread if we are all going to watch (Solar,are you watching?) - and if it gets too cumbersome we could then move over to a separate one. 

Before I forget to mention it, the finale season of "Doc Martin" is coming up on PBS. I don't know exactly when, it looks like sometime in the early part of next year - they haven't provided a date, but PBS aired a "Farewell Doc Martin" special a week or so ago (I DVR'd it to watch without all the funding talk) to hipe the last season. 

I haven't watched the series much for the last three seasons, The 'Doc and Louisa equally got on my last nerve (Louisa had gotten as bad as Martin in regard to how she dealt with people) and I could never take Penhale - except for the episodes when his ex-wife came back - his slapstick was way too over the top for me. So, I could only survive through an episode here and there to see what was up with the other characters. 

The Special was pretty good and it was rather nice to see scenes from the early days. I plan on giving the finale season a go, I'd like to see how it all ends for Bert, Al, Morwenna, Ruth and Mrs. T. If anyone else is interested, keep an eye out for the first episode drop. I don't know if all local PBS stations will air it at the same time.

World on Fire... Solar, this series was also my fav of all our recent PBS offerings. It really grew on me this season. I can't imagine it is not coming back for another! So many more stories to tell and I read that the series writer has planned on six seasons of storylines. As Appara said, there has been no word as yet on the third season, each has to be commissioned separately, so even though the series has been planned to continue that does not mean that TPTB will give another season a greenlight. I would imagine it comes down to viewer numbers. I certainly hope it does as there is so much that was left dangling.

Appara, I am team Lois in regard to her fight with Robina over Vera. I was not going to stomach Robina taking that child away from her. She had some doubts regarding her ability to give Vera the love and care she required, owned up to these and had the wherewithall to ask Robina to take the child while she got her head together. She needed some time to realize her love of Vera triumphed her doubts about her ability to be a good mother.

By no means do I think she should go back with Harry - I am glad to see them on friendly terms and for him to be embracing his role as Vera's father, but he is not a good match for Lois. He left her on her own to carry that baby and grovel to Robina for the little help she was willing to give her. His only real concern was for Kasia and Jan - Lois was never his priority. She needs to plan a life for Vera and herself without Harry being the center of it. He is always going to sit on the sidelines.

I too, felt it was heartbreaking to see Harry and Kasia parting. Kasia was never going to stay with him, it was clear when she was talking to Jan about going back to Poland after the war - no where in that discussion did she ever mention Harry. They do have chemistry, but her love for her country (and Jan) was greater than her feelings for Harry and she realized that would never change.

You know that feeling when you finish the last episode of a much loved TV series 😟... it has taken quite a while to get through this rewatch, it has been an episode here and there for the better part of two years.  I watched the wedding episode of Niamh and Sean (last episode of S5) last night which is one of my favorites of the series. Everyone was still together celebrating and having a wonderful time. That wedding table/tent is perfection, I love everything about it. Then we come to the first episode of S6, and the end of an era, as Tony Doyle (Brian Quiqley) passed away after the finale of S5.

There were many cast changes during the shows production - and I moved on with each, as for me, he and those close around him, were the heart of the series. Without him it is not the same. Not sure I will carry on, I think I will close this re-watch out and wait a few years to start all over again.

BTW, the Inspector Alleyn series is superb! The quality of the production is right at the top - this is how it should be done. I have enjoyed it so much. 

Loved  the  Inspector Alleyn  series ,  Brit.  His family  was so well  connected .  See if I can find any  Eps. on the  Tube . 

@solar wrote:
Loved  the  Inspector Alleyn  series ,  Brit.  His family  was so well  connected .  See if I can find any  Eps. on the  Tube . 

Solar, that's where I found it originally a number of years ago. What a stellar series, exceptionally well done.

I read good things on FB about the opening episode of Midsomer S24. There were several comments that it has the feel of the older episodes, which (apparently) has been missing in these later seasons. Nice to hear.

I don't know if you read,  Brigit Forsyth who plays Madge, Mavis' sister on "Still Open All hours" died at the age of 83. It is sad news to hear of her passing.

I am still rewatching the show, taking my time watching an episode every other Saturday or so trying to make it last. I get such a kick out of it.  I am up to the Christmas episodes which is so nice. I love seeing a show that includes so many older actors. I still hoped that they would reconsider and give the series another run - or maybe a special episode. Madge will be missed by me and Gastric. RIP Brigit. 

I read good things on FB about the opening episode of Midsomer S24. 

That's good ta hear  Brit .  This series has been in  production 24  years .  This show has had consistently high ratings in the U.K.  If it hadn't , it would have been terminated years ago.  Plan to order  S23  (  S24  when it's  released as  well )  thru  Amazon  after the holidays and add it to my collection .  (  waiting for the Christmas rush ta pass )  

Sorry to hear about Brigit  Forsyth ,  poor ol'  Madge .   Didn't  know  Brit .  Still  Open  ....   great  show.  

Hi all, not too much on the go here. We still have NO snow, and so far it's been a sweater kind of start to the week! Today it's well above freezing, calling for a high of 7c (45F)!!

Not a lot on my screen these days, so I've been watching Foyle's War which has begun from the beginning on my Knowledge network. 

Brit, have you been organizing your suitcases??  I seem to remember you were leaving on a jet plane this month...

Got our first  blast  on  Tuesday .....   heavy  wet  stuff ,  enough ta bring the plows out.  Enjoy  Foyle's War  appara . 

Yes Appara! Just finished packing, leaving Sunday night!  Solar, Foyle's War is one of your favs isn't it? Over Christmas I am going to watch "The Gilded Age" - been saving the episodes for when I get back. 

@BritMystery wrote:
 

Before I forget to mention it, the finale season of "Doc Martin" is coming up on PBS. I don't know exactly when, it looks like sometime in the early part of next year - they haven't provided a date, but PBS aired a "Farewell Doc Martin" special a week or so ago (I DVR'd it to watch without all the funding talk) to hipe the last season. 

I haven't watched the series much for the last three seasons, The 'Doc and Louisa equally got on my last nerve (Louisa had gotten as bad as Martin in regard to how she dealt with people) and I could never take Penhale - except for the episodes when his ex-wife came back - his slapstick was way too over the top for me. So, I could only survive through an episode here and there to see what was up with the other characters. 

The Special was pretty good and it was rather nice to see scenes from the early days. I plan on giving the finale season a go, I'd like to see how it all ends for Bert, Al, Morwenna, Ruth and Mrs. T. If anyone else is interested, keep an eye out for the first episode drop. I don't know if all local PBS stations will air it at the same time.

Brit, solar, appara - if you have NJPBS on your cable, the last season is starting on Tuesday. I hope you all saw the Farewell Doc Martin special, it was delightful. I always find the transformation in Clune's face when he smiles to be amazing. Plus, I love behind the scene shots.

I'm going to miss this show.

I wish Craig McLachlan had an eye for business. Pathetically, he's back after 5 years in a reality show.

@deedee713 wrote:
Brit, solar, appara - if you have NJPBS on your cable, the last season is starting on Tuesday. I hope you all saw the Farewell Doc Martin special, it was delightful. I always find the transformation in Clune's face when he smiles to be amazing. Plus, I love behind the scene shots.

I'm going to miss this show.

I wish Craig McLachlan had an eye for business. Pathetically, he's back after 5 years in a reality show.

Thanks for the update, Deedee. I have the first two episodes set to record while I am away thanks to you. I enjoyed the Farewell Special too.

That whole situation with Craig is a shame. He was cleared of all accusations in 2020 and is still dealing with the fallout. I hope things improve for him and opportunities open up.