British TV/General Discussion

Yeah  appara  ...   kind of a  dry spell goin' on here.  Next week-end  for  Nolly and  Alice & Jack .  Not sure I'll like either one .  Don't see any mystery in either  but watchin'  the promo of  Alice & Jack on  PBS site , dosn't look like the two leads  are very well suited ..  in some scenes she look older than him , as if she could be playing his mother . Maybe it's just my eyes .  Don't see any mystery in the Bates / Post Office thing  but it still might be interesting .  Ohhh , the  horror  stories  of  Government  agencies  when  computers  first came into use.  

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce7x24ke9dlo

Shetland has been recommissioned for 2 more seasons. Filming starts next month. 

Thanks for the  update  Sheerwater ..   2 more seasons to look forward to .   BBC  saying  Shetland  was the second biggest drama of the year just behind  Happy Valley  is high praise indeed .  Love the scenery , Shetland  Isles  look  fascinating .   Have 3  Eps. in  my  PVR  to be viewed .   

Hi All!

Yes, it certainly has been a dry spell of late, Solar. Still have my oldies to watch. I am on S5 of "Still Open All Hours" and dreading that I am nearing the end. This is my second rewatch, so I will have to put it aside for a while when I finish. I usually watch an episode or two on Saturday nights - it is my "go to" comfort watch (as you know). If only they had done S7 as they had originally planned. One more season to wrap things up would have been so nice. I would gladly take a one-off special, although getting everyone back together would probably be difficult since most of the actors are now working on other projects. 

So anyway, I decided though to give something different a go and I re-watched "Cranford". Kind of shocked myself with that one, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I forgot though that (particularly in the first season) people are dying left and right! My gosh, no sooner is one person gone, there is another tragedy. 

I was trying to remember where we were when Cranford was first aired and I think we had just moved over to the A&E Board - it had to be not long after we got there. I know it wasn't while we were at PBS, we are going back to 2007 and that was the year we moved over.

There is not much that is interesting me at PBS in the near future, I am going to give "Nolly" a go. I think I'll skip Alice and Jack, I feel the same as Appara on that one. I am going to watch "Gilt" (didn't watch S1, but got caught up with S2). "Maryland" looks interesting and I have high hopes for the upcoming "The Marlow Murder Club" coming later in the year. I hope it turns out to be a winner like "Magpie Murders" - and Deedee, I am sure the follow-up, with Anthony Horowitz at the helm, will be just as good. 

Also, I am very glad that we will be seeing a new vicar arrive in "Grantchester" this season. I think he will be a breath of fresh air and give the series the shot in the arm it needs. Maybe I will make it through the whole season - you all know I typically watch an episode or two and then give up. I think I am going to like this new vicar and that alone (with Leonard) will make me stick around. 

Sheerwater, terrific news!! I was hoping we would get more - I really like the Tosh and Ruth duo.

Solar and Appara, I looked up your Knowledge station... it has some good programs airing. A great addition to the PBS lineup.

Oh happy day!  Finally, I have been waiting. And Lord, please don't let me be disappointed, I hope it isn't a bomb (you know how reboots can be, few really do well). 

John Nettles will have a cameo role. Well, they are in discussions regarding this.  Delighted by it (they better make it happen).

"Former BBC series Bergerac set for reboot after more than 30 years

A Bergerac reboot is reportedly "almost a done deal", according to The Sun, with the show set to return with an unnamed streaming service.

The show is set to feature a host of new faces... big name stars such as Happy Valley's James Norton, Doctor Who legend David Tennant and Poldark actor Aidan Turner have all been linked to roles within the Bergerac reboot, The Sun reports.

A source, speaking to The Sun, said: “If all goes according to plan, filming will take place in the summer.”"
 

I can now start planning my Channel Island trip which has been on my bucket list since I first watched the original "Bergerac" (up to S7 in my current rewatch). There is something about it all that just speaks to me. I know...what I am watching on my TV is from the '80's, it isn't going to be the same today. But... I have been waiting for the reboot because there will be more "Bergerac" to see once the reboot happens. Especially if it is a hit. Today, there is little left of the old series except for Diamante Lil's place. Such a shame. 

Still  Open all  Hours  , is a good comfort  watch  for a Saturday night  Brit  ..  nothing  more relaxing than a light comedy  and  David  Jason fits the bill nicely .  Forgot about Cranford  ..  had to look it up   .  filmed between  2007  and  09  .. so , a long time ago.  Yeah , Guilt  is my pick of this bunch with that  Bates / Post Office  thing  coming in second .  Still  picking away at  knowledge.ca   ' Keeping  Faith '   series   ..  S1  E6  will become available  March 19   ...  hate this  ..  talk about a carrot  dangling in front of your face .  Can't let it go ,  gotta get to the end of this mystery .  LOL   

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/unforgotten-season-6-filming-newsupdate/

Filming starts on season 6 of Unforgotten.

Like you say Brit  ..  gotta be careful about these reboots ... seems that most of them fail ,  I think it's because they are  measured against the original  and they almost never measure up.  Nettles who is 80 +  with a cameo .  mmmmmm  not sure this is gonna work .  Probably wouldn't for me.   Visions of Nettles  in his  prime  verses   80 + .  But , will keep an open mind .  Good news  Sheerwater   ,  now there is a show I like how they put together  ...  love how they break away layer after layer  until ya get ta se how all the pieces fit  .   

Unforgotten is one of my faves!  Short and sweet, every episode counts, with the mystery/murderer keeping me guessing till the end. I'm still missing the magic-duo, but by the end of the series5 story I wasn't exactly hating on this new Jessie James as the boss. I think the PTB heard some of us complaining about how unlikeable she was and softened her up by the end?  LOL

Agree, Solar, "Unforgotten's" investigation style of "peeling an onion" is what draws me to this series and as Appara says, it is concise - no added baggage to the stories - each episode does count and they keep you guessing until, in that one moment, it all comes together. 

Sonny and the original team make it work for me, they are the core of this series. I remember I ended last season with a negative impression of Jessie James and making a comment here that I didn't see that changing in the future. I still stand by that, I really took a strong dislike to her and when that happens no amount of making her character more likeable (after the fact) is going to reverse that gut reaction. To me, they made a huge mistake in presenting her character as they did. 

Left  Nollyin  PRV  ...   took A & J  out.   Not much interest in  Nolly , it's what I call  a   ' watch over the Laptop '.  kind of show .  As I said , left it in PVR  to watch when I get to it.  A & J  ...  no  ..   took out of  PVR , nothing  there for  me .  

I'm on the fence about watching the next episodes of Alice &Jack. By the end of this first episode I could kinda/sorta see an interesting story forming, but I'm not going to turn it back on until the whole series is on my PVR. From this first episode I don't see an 'epic love story', I do see a self-centered manipulator working her craft, which makes me curious enough to see where it goes.   Side note Hubs will not be joining me on the sofa for this one, he says I talked to much - and not in a good way!!  LOL

I had never watched the soap, didn't know the character, but Nolly made me laugh out loud a few times. I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts!!

Yea, Appara, "Nolly" is a bright, fun watch. The Hubs caught part of it and even he said the same. I like HBC, so that does move the meter for me. All around good cast as well. Will definitely be continuing. 

On the other hand, I lasted five minutes with "Alice & Jack" and turned it off. Agree with Solar, nothing there for me. Not interested in a dysfunctional love story, even if it rights itself at some point later on. 

Got one more episode of "Astrid" left in the DVR - I know I go on about this series, but it is superb. Solar, I think you would really like it if it wasn't subtitled, the stories are so interesting and unique - it is not the same old/same old detective series (looking at you " Father Brown") - it always has a solid investigation to follow that is never cookie cutter and the personal stories of our lead detectives are an integral part of what makes this series such a standout. I was watching and saying to myself "Solar would love this, but the subtitles would make him crazy", and they would. 

The subtitles are in basic French - typical everyday speech - and I am finding they are helping me to remember conversational phrases. Sometimes I can understand just from listening to them speak - which is great. Gives me confidence that I am not losing all my ability to be polite and express myself.

Appara, did you watch this - I can't remember if you have. 

https://open.spotify.com/show/1o5hlxPvSwTq5pPI5gyEtF

FYI, Solar, this came up today on FB from the Midsomer page - new Midsomer podcast coming soon to Spotify that will be hosted by Nicki Chapman (love her on "Escape to the Country").  

Barnaby #2 will be part of this as a "guest", John Nettles wasn't mentioned, so I don't know if they will only be discussing the later episodes or including the full canon. 

Great news  Brit  ....   gonna sign up  to  Spotify  now that I have a reason . Barnaby #2 is OK  but hope they'll  bring in Nettles for a few  shows as well .   Gonna watch a  Midsomer  today with Warren  Clark  in it.  Hard to believe he's been gone  10  years now .  Do you remember him from his  Dalziel  days ?  

@solar wrote:
Great news  Brit  ....   gonna sign up  to  Spotify  now that I have a reason . Barnaby #2 is OK  but hope they'll  bring in Nettles for a few  shows as well .   Gonna watch a  Midsomer  today with Warren  Clark  in it.  Hard to believe he's been gone  10  years now .  Do you remember him from his  Dalziel  days ?  

Oh my, yes! He was unforgettable as Dalziel - one of my favorite series, particularly the first three seasons, although the opener to S5 is also a good one. Or was that later in S5 (the one where he meets the ex-girlfriend). I need to go check that. 

Okay, it is S5...E3, the fabulous Isla Blair plays the ex-girlfriend with the "missing" husbands. This one was a highlight of the series for me, although it got bad reviews on IMDB, primarily due to an "implausible" plot. For me, It was all about the chemistry between Warren and Isla - they were terrific together on screen. Holes in the plot were of no concern for me. Just goes to show how we all view things differently! 

And ten years...wow, doesn't seem that long ago. He passed shortly after his last scenes in the (new) "Poldark". I remember he wanted to keep working and they made sure to accommodate him given his health at the time. I found that very poignant and fitting for such a great actor. 

  @BritMystery wrote :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    And ten years...wow, doesn't seem that long ago.

Yes Brit  ..  that's why I say   ' Time is a thief '  it creeps along quietly , hardly noticed , until ya  recall an event  and  say   ' Has it been that long '  .   I find I say that more and more as I get older .  

Brit, funny you should mention Father Brown. On one of my PBS channels afternoon lineup they've started Father Brown (2013) from the beginning.

and Yes, I do watch Astrid - no problem reading and watching and enjoying.  A couple weeks ago I started on The Paris Murders, another Walter Presents,  in which the profiler Chloe Saint-Laurent. is similar to Astrid. It airs here at midnight, so it's on my PVR to watch when I'm awake!  LOL

that's why I say  'Time is a thief '...

Solar, when you said it was ten years ago, I was in disbelief, I truly was stunned. In my mind, it could not have been more than five, I remember it all so clearly, how in the world could ten years have passed?! You are right, time is a thief. 

Appara, I thought you watched "Astrid", but wasn't sure. Will certainly check out "Paris Murders" if it comes my way. 

I wish you well with "Father Brown" - it has legions of fans - I am just not one of them. Not for not trying, I tried many times, in fact, I just watched an episode a week or so ago with the newer cast members (who I do think are an improvement in many cases). I did like Lady Felicia of the original cast. There is a long list of issues/dislikes - one being with the Father himself - I have with the show, so obviously, it is just not for me. 

I like Astrid, especially as her relationship with Raphaelle developed.

Anyone catching season 13 of Vera? No comment, and I adore Vera. Two characters are gone, and her question to Joe was the best line so far: "how are Thingey and Whatshername?".