Do we live in a golden age of television?

[Giggles]

You’d think promotion would be worth more than £1.5m, especially when you spend double that on Will fucking Grigg. I suppose he could have went on strike or something though.

[Foe]

I assume he signed a contract with them to join in the Summer as his contract was expiring and when they realised they attempted to sell him straight away to Bordeaux for as much as possible.

Sounded as though he signed the contract and fucked off. Forcing Sunderland’s hand. I’m not playing for you again so you’d better just sell me now.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You’d think promotion would be worth more than £1.5m, especially when you spend double that on Will fucking Grigg. I suppose he could have went on strike or something though.

Considering he cleared out his stuff from the training ground and flew out to France there wasn't much they could do.

[Shindig]

From the episodes I've seen so far, they seem to always struggle for numbers and haven't bought any defenders.

[Spikey M]

From the episodes I've seen so far, they seem to always struggle for numbers and haven't bought any defenders.

Take it to the Arsenal thread.

[mo]

You’d think promotion would be worth more than £1.5m, especially when you spend double that on Will fucking Grigg. I suppose he could have went on strike or something though.

When U23 players move at the end of their contracts, the compensation agreed by tribunal is fucking pitiful, especially so in the lower leagues. Even worse when it's academy players, although if they do well sell ons can be quite lucrative. If Derby sell their young right back (Bogle? I think) Swindon get something like 20% sell on, but that is a big 'if'.

[Lofty]

Marathoned the second season today, googled Stewart Donald's 'wife' and found out she is a lapdancer he met in Sunderland leaving his wife and mother of his 4 children for :D

[mo]

Marathoned the second season today, googled Stewart Donald's 'wife' and found out she is a lapdancer he met in Sunderland leaving his wife and mother of his 4 children for :D

Oh shit that’s brilliant. I wondered what the story was there as they didn’t all quite look right together.

[John Arne]

When U23 players move at the end of their contracts, the compensation agreed by tribunal is fucking pitiful, especially so in the lower leagues. Even worse when it's academy players, although if they do well sell ons can be quite lucrative. If Derby sell their young right back (Bogle? I think) Swindon get something like 20% sell on, but that is a big 'if'.

I think also the tribunal is only between English teams, so him going to Europe would mean no compensation.

[Manc]

Has anyone watched The Spy?

[mo]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/apr/07/david-squires-on-blaming-football-and-joel-bats-for-covid-19

Squires gets in some nice STID references here - I read the last panel in his voice :D

[Ian]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/apr/07/david-squires-on-blaming-football-and-joel-bats-for-covid-19

Squires gets in some nice STID references here - I read the last panel in his voice :D

Squires is ace. I liked "Souped up hubris chariots" a lot.

Wrong thread though, I feel.

[Shindig]

"C'mon, let's have a whip round! PAY THE REF!" Football does great things to people. :D

[Alex]

I'm a few episodes into season two of Star Trek now and the main new development so far has been the emergence of Mr. Chekhov and his Beetle-mania barnet.

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3KK8G4X5N7A/SHJ68yR8OhI/AAAAAAAABUU/s8_9Z2ETu6U/s400/chekov%2Bcatspaw.jpg

:D

[Shindig]

2 episodes into Season 2 of Sunderland Til I Die. They're a lot more likeable this time around which I guess comes with winning games. I can't really knock Maja moving because it's worked out for him but the way he did it was shite. Fuck agents, basically. Methven's trying too hard at every step of the way, bless him.

[Bernanke]

Has anyone watched Devs?

[Queenslander]

Unorthodox on Netflix is great.

[Bob Sacamano]

Is Money Heist worth it?

[Ian]

Is Money Heist worth it?

I'm curious about this. A girl at work bangs on about it to me but it's dubbed and no subtitles right? I fucking hate dubbing.

[randomlegend]

I'm curious about this. A girl at work bangs on about it to me but it's dubbed and no subtitles right? I fucking hate dubbing.

I watched the first episode of this ages ago under it's original Spanish title (La Casa De Papel) and that was Spanish with subs.

[Bob Sacamano]

There seems to be the option for Spanish with English subs, I'm assuming the girl is going with the dubbed option.

[Ian]

Oh that's alright then. I thought she was saying there weren't subtitles but either she was making shit up or I'm thinking of something else entirely. Once I've caught up with GLOW I might give Money Heist a bash.

[Baz]

Some new Dynamo thing tonight on Sky One.

Looking forward to seeing it - hope he seems okay.

[Bernanke]

I'm curious about this. A girl at work bangs on about it to me but it's dubbed and no subtitles right? I fucking hate dubbing.

Why would you watch it dubbed... The first 1+2 seasons on Netflix are well worth it (it was really one long season on Spanish TV I think). I finished the 3rd season and it was worth watching, but based on the turns it took towards the end and what I hear from people on S4 I think I'm skipping that one completely.

[Bob Sacamano]

Luke O'nien seems like the nicest chap in football.

I did enjoy Methven giving it to that marketing woman about the attendance.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Watched season 2 and 3 of Ozark over the last few days. Wasn't all that keen on season 2 but season 3 was the best stuff they've done so far for me.

Ruth > *.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

There is a new episode of Tiger King it's an interview style thing with Joel McHale talking to the people involved bar Joe (obviously) and Carole Baskin.

[The Merse]

Watched season 2 and 3 of Ozark over the last few days. Wasn't all that keen on season 2 but season 3 was the best stuff they've done so far for me.

Ruth > *.

Huge step up. S1 was run of the mill stuff and a lot of S2 bored me, but the last three or four episodes of this season were amongst the best telly I've seen in years.

[Giggles]

You’d swear the Sunderland owners new Mrs used to have balls.

[Ian]

Season three of Glow is alright but it feels like the wrasslin' itself (not specifically the scenes showing matches but the whole company, drama around getting shows out, etc.) is very much an afterthought this time. I'm four or five episodes in and I think it's come up about twice. It's basically now just a well-acted drama about some folk in Vegas.

[Raoul Duke]

Watched season 2 and 3 of Ozark over the last few days. Wasn't all that keen on season 2 but season 3 was the best stuff they've done so far for me.

Ruth > *.


Huge step up. S1 was run of the mill stuff and a lot of S2 bored me, but the last three or four episodes of this season were amongst the best telly I've seen in years.

I finished it the other night. Holy balls :|

Ruth + Darlene :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Regarding Darlene:

I thought she was shit in season 2 and they had gotten it all wrong by making her MENTAL with no ability to think and she was just a twat compared to Jacob the great. They nailed her in season 3 though. Mad but still with the ability to think cognitively so she's actually dangerous because she's now planning shit out and it sets her up nicely for season 4.

[phonics]

Watching Utopia.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/700817408751042713/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/700829553270063184/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/700829920292634644/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/700831091065618532/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/700832682766106634/unknown.png

Just beautiful misery.

[Don]

You wonder wtf the rest are playing at shooting their dull shit.

[Bob Sacamano]

Goodness Gracious Me :drool:

[phonics]

To be honest, it'd be a dream to do something like that and if I achieved it I'd just off myself soon after. You're not beating it. You've made your masterpiece, now die in a hole.

[Don]

I don't watch much TV at all any more, who is responsible for it and what's the rest of their stuff like?

[phonics]

Every episode is written by different people and the directors are A couple of Modern Dr Who alumni. The ‘creator’ was a part of Pulling though which was also great. It was British downmarket Sex in the City in the best way.

Here is the guy that set up the look: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/utopia-channel-4

[phonics]

Top scene from Pulling.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGDN20JhGfo

[Don]

That reminds me I don't think I finished Catastrophe which was good value.

I started Judd Apatow's Love on Netflix to balance out Utopia and it seems good so far. Pretty obsessed with Gillian Jacobs as she reminds me of my ex and the guy has a nose as big as mine so it's basically a biopic.

[phonics]

I can't stand that Delaney fellow. Just reeks of every prick I went to school with.

[John]

That reminds me I don't think I finished Catastrophe which was good value.

I started Judd Apatow's Love on Netflix to balance out Utopia and it seems good so far. Pretty obsessed with Gillian Jacobs as she reminds me of my ex and the guy has a nose as big as mine so it's basically a biopic.

Community is a much more fun way to indulge your thing for Gillian Jacobs. Judd Apatow exhausted his good ideas in about 2003.

[Don]

Yeah that's where I first discovered her and was a big fan. I binged first three seasons but then needed a cool-off period midway through four. Will finish it for sure.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Shame it (Community) turns to shit though.

[Boydy]

She's not very tick.

[mo]

Shame it (Community) turns to shit though.

Yep. Keith David and Jonathan Banks are both actors I really like, but turns out nothing could fill the Chevy Chase-sized hole.

[Ian]

I'm sure some people reckoned Community got back on form after the "gas leak" season but it really didn't. It was better but 1-3 are the peak.

[Bernanke]

First half of season 5 is better than first half of season 1 and many, many episodes of season 3.

[Queenslander]

Better Call Saul season 5 is a cracker.

[Giggles]

Brooklyn Nine Nine is gone to shit.

[7om]

I binged McMafia on Netflix over the last two days. Anyone else watched it?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Started watching Lost in Space a few days ago and I'm near the start of season 2.

It's ok at best really. The main antagonist is really shit, the character is bland, I hate the actress and I just don't believe in any of her storylines.

Outside of that the rest of the family are alright (especially Penny and Judy) and Don West is good but it's also a little too tame and safe which is a shame as it could be something really good if they just went for it.

[niko_cee]

Has anyone watched Devs?

Burned through the last half of this last night, after watching the first four in a Fibonacci style, so maybe I was being punished for watching all 4 instead of 3, as, in the end, considering it tries to deal with similar themes to Westworld 3, but in a more 'irl' context, I thought it did an impressive job of being less believable than the futuristic theme park androids trying to destroy humanity. I suppose it was enjoyable enough in a pulp fiction sort of way, but, from a sci-fi perspective it felt like they'd skim read a couple of classics (say Slaughterhouse 5) and then attempted to transpose them into a modern context, clumsily.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Someone tell me if Killing Eve three is good (I loved series one and liked series two).

[Limoutsonik]

It's good so far but it's too early to tell.

[Smjffy]

I've just finished the third episode of The Innocence Files on Netflix and you lot need to tune in. This is pretty darn good!

[The Merse]

Second case (4 & 5) was good too, heartbreakingly so. I've watched a lot of docs and read a lot of books around the work of the Innocence Project, and this is some of the more well made stuff I've come across.

[Smjffy]

I ended up watching the whole lot during an all nighter but the first 3/4 of the series is top notch. Crazy Americans!

[John]

Brooklyn Nine Nine is gone to shit.

How many bad episodes in a row do they have to put out before you start digging the grave? This is at least the third time you've had the shovel out and while I haven't seen the last two, the one with JK Simmoms was excellent. It's not what it was, nothing is after 150 eps, but it's far from shit and they still put out the odd cracker

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've enjoyed every episode this season tbh.

I think he just hates Holt for some reason.

[Lewis]

I binged McMafia on Netflix over the last two days. Anyone else watched it?

I seem to remember it being pretty good.

[Giggles]

How many bad episodes in a row do they have to put out before you start digging the grave? This is at least the third time you've had the shovel out and while I haven't seen the last two, the one with JK Simmoms was excellent. It's not what it was, nothing is after 150 eps, but it's far from shit and they still put out the odd cracker

Yeah probably a bit too quick on that one. Like you say, it'll never be as good but it's still better than most things.

[John Arne]

The Last Dance episode 1 is on Netflix now. It's the story of the 90's Bulls, and in particularly Michael Jordan.

[-james-]

The Nest on iPlayer was quite enjoyable. Re: the ending though

Thought it was a bit shit that everyone just lives happily ever after.

[-james-]

Not sure it's one for this thread but also enjoying I'll Get This on the BBC. It sounds shit but they've got the format and line-up spot on. Very much enjoyed how little time Jonathan Ross has for Mark Wright and how apparent he makes it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Some fun-looking lineups, if a bit exactly-two-women-and-exactly-one-black-guy, might give it a try. On that note, can somebody explain how Jermaine Jenas has somehow transitioned into general celebrity status (I know the real answer to this, but come on) and is there any way I can help reverse this process?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Started watching Lost in Space a few days ago and I'm near the start of season 2.

It's ok at best really. The main antagonist is really shit, the character is bland, I hate the actress and I just don't believe in any of her storylines.

Outside of that the rest of the family are alright (especially Penny and Judy) and Don West is good but it's also a little too tame and safe which is a shame as it could be something really good if they just went for it.

Finished season 2 today and it was a lot better than season 1 especially the last few episodes of season 2.

[Boydy]

I enjoyed Devs a lot.

[Don]

The trailer for I'll Get This looked fun so I'll give that a bash. Devs trailer looked like too generic an affair though. And that is the trailer roundup from me.

I had to scroll back a page to double-check but I don't think I've ranted about this on here yet. It' still in early development so I'm yet to fully sit down and analyse the evidence but I really can't be fucked with any of these Netflix TV series'.

I recall Making a Murderer as being one of the early ones we watched together like the gay commune we are. I can't recall any earlier ones but I recall watching The Staircase, The Jinx and Wild Wild Country since.

Now the story and material they're working with is often superb but it's all become very The Apprentice with the artistic uniformity that is present in all of them which really bores me because as good as the stories are, they never warrant the gargantuan hours of TV they're milked for. Wild Wild Country was the last one I saw I think and that became a slog at just six episodes. Now I've just investigated the Jordan one (as that's one that actually piqued my interest and is something I had prior interest in) and it's ten fucking episodes and that's not even his life, just one season. Similarly I didn't bother with the City one (did Liverpool have one too?) even though dressing room footage of top level football is my xvideos.

Do well-focussed feature-length documentaries even exist any more? You just know Dear Zachary would have been split into a 15 parter in this day and age.

[John]

Three Identical Strangers is a brilliant ninety minute documentary.

[Spikey M]

Three Identical Strangers is a brilliant ninety minute documentary.

I spent the entirety of it thinking Andy Samberg was the fourth, and then....

1083373658243022850?s=19

[Boydy]

I find all these Netflix documentaries boring now. I tried Tiger King. I think I watched two episodes and I can't be arsed with any more.

I tried that Wild Wild Country one before and got bored in the first episode of it. What was that other one people raved about, Evil Genius? I watched all of it and thought it was shit.

The best long form documentary I've seen is that OJ Simpson one on the BBC. Instead of just focusing on wacky individuals like the Netflix ones seem to, it properly interrogates the social and cultural context which the events took place in.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm with you on this. 'Strange man is strange' doesn't make a good documentary for me, although clearly it does for everyone else.

[Kikó]

I watched Michael Moore's new doc and it's a bit of an eye opener (obviously a bit of a hatchet job as well). I wonder how much of it is actually America's implementation of green energy v other countries.

[Yevrah]

I love them, but they are increasingly too long.

Tiger King could have easily been 2 episodes shorter, I'm sure some will say more.

[Queenslander]

Wild Wild Country was amazing, Tiger King was fun then got really sad.

[Kikó]

Agree with Yev, needs an editor to make it much shorter. WWC was pretty amazing but as with all of these things, I'm often thinking, this can only happen in America.

[Jimmy Floyd]

95% of American media content is far too long, whether it's sitcom series of 20+, or movies that go on for three hours, or podcasts that dribble on to the point of induced somnolence.

The concept of tight editing is something they have yet to discover as a nation. I think there's just a bigger-is-better mindset.

[Lewis]

I had only started browsing Netflix for stuff recently (I used to just look for specific things on it), and it seems to me that the vast majority of it is filler wank. I think my mother gets Sky and Sky Movies for about thirty quid a month, which seems like an infinitely better deal than a roughly equivalent amount spent on the various streaming packages.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Without wanting to be too red, I would say BBC for the licence fee is better value than Netflix for around the same amount per annum. It depends on one's tastes though. If half-arsed American vampire serials are your thing then maybe the flix is the best.

[Queenslander]

They Shall Not Grow Old is a cracker WW1 film in colour on Netflix.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Was on the normal telly first (here, at least). But yeah, it's great.

[Don]

Netflix and Prime are wall-to-wall shit. iPlayer (whose archived section I only recently discovered) shits on both.

[Bernanke]

You just know Dear Zachary would have been split into a 15 parter in this day and age.

I hate how true this is.

[Yevrah]

Netflix and Prime are wall-to-wall shit. iPlayer (whose archived section I only recently discovered) shits on both.

On that note, this is one of the most engrossing things I've ever seen.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000d27r/storyville-jonestown-terror-in-the-jungle-episode-1

[Disco]

95% of American media content is far too long, whether it's sitcom series of 20+, or movies that go on for three hours, or podcasts that dribble on to the point of induced somnolence.

The concept of tight editing is something they have yet to discover as a nation. I think there's just a bigger-is-better mindset.

On the other end of this argument, whoever thought eight episodes was enough for a proper series needs a swift kicking.

[Alex]

I enjoyed Devs a lot.

Same. The main glaring plot point in the entire thing for me was:

Why did nobody call him out on how fucking creepy that giant statue of his daughter was? We get it Forest, you miss her. But this is excessive. :D

[John Arne]

1083362029333819392


His mum managing to be "half Jewish, half Sicilian" is a new one on me.
Half nationality, half religion.

[mugbull]

That's new to you? Pretty typical way of describing this

[John Arne]

Yes, new to me. What does half Jewish even mean in the context are where someone is from? Or do they just mean Italian who is also Jewish?

As someone who is half English, half atheist, I find this very strange indeed.

[phonics]

You inherit Jewishness through your mother, not your father. Hence how you can be half.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Judaism and Jewishness are separate (ish) things.

[Spikey M]

His mum managing to be "half Jewish, half Sicilian" is a new one on me.
Half nationality, half religion.

Phonics is right Jewish mum, you're Jewish. Non-Jewish mum, you're not. You can't be half Jewish. It's an odd set up, but they're so Insular it probably rarely matters.

That said, so are the Sicilians. It was probably a Mafia type banging his accountant.

Stereotypes. :cool:

[Boydy]

YoU cAn'T bE rAcIsT aGaInSt A rElIgIoN

[Spikey M]

The Mafia isn't a religion mate.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Arancini are though.

[John Arne]

You inherit Jewishness through your mother, not your father. Hence how you can be half.

Got ya. Ta.
Edit: still, being Jewish is a religion/race, so presumably you are still half Italian, half another country, who also happens to be half Jewish? I get that sometimes Jewish means more than religion, but it still doesn't describe a nationhood..?
Edit2: ignore me. She is half America, half Italian. Half Jewish.

Nothing to see here.

[Lewis]

He's probably just speaking generally because his point is that she wasn't actually from a wholly Jewish background. He's not going to break it down into nationality and ethnicity (Sicilian/Italian) is he.

[Spikey M]

Just watched Brexit: The Uncivil War on Netflix. The best thing about it is that they seem to have gone out of their way to find the actor that has the least possible resemblance to Borris and slapped a wig on him. Glorious.

https://tvclips.bradfordzone.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/01/maxresdefault-16.jpg

Cumberbatch makes for a decent Deadly Dom, but being a cunt is a busmans holiday for him.

[Don]

Didn't enjoy I'll Get This enough to warrant watching any more episodes of it.

Speaking of trailers though, this absolute meltfest is out on Sunday.

https://youtu.be/4p5yY0qdsWg

The music, that bitch, everything about it :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I read the book and thought it was excellent, but those fucking wooden actors are getting nowhere near the complexity of the characters if that trailer is anything to go by. Hopefully it's just a pitch for the moron mass audience but I fear not.

[Spikey M]

It's pretty bland. Worse than that, it's a Cumberbatch Vagina Monologues. I haven't checked but I reckon he wrote it. I know Cummins was important to it all, but he's basically a god in this.

[Boydy]

I read the book and thought it was excellent, but those fucking wooden actors are getting nowhere near the complexity of the characters if that trailer is anything to go by. Hopefully it's just a pitch for the moron mass audience but I fear not.
Was it actually good? Everyone wanked on about that book but I couldn't get over the impression that it was essentially chick lit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought it was very good, verging on a modern classic. I'm never quite sure what 'chick lit' is supposed to be (anything primarily about relationships?), but if the subject matter is that, the writing elevates it high above the norm.

[Giggles]

His mum managing to be "half Jewish, half Sicilian" is a new one on me.
Half nationality, half religion.

Celebrity craving attention and being a dickhead. Shocker.

[Lofty]

I enjoyed the Brexit film. The Johnson actor nailed the general mannerisms and speech patters just a shame about his look.

The Platform on Netflix is an interesting concept. Missed Life on Mars first time round so might give it a go.

[Pepe]

Altered Carbon is good.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Altered Carbon is good.

I didn't like the second season very much.

[Pepe]

Not there yet, but sucks to know that.

[Giggles]

The Mandalorian is getting a bit “by the numbers” now. Last two episodes have been particularly weak.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Not there yet, but sucks to know that.

Martha Higareda in the first season though :drool:

[Browning]

The Mandalorian is getting a bit “by the numbers” now. Last two episodes have been particularly weak.

I thought it was fairly by the numbers from the start but enjoyably so. Last week’s episode lost my attention after 5 minutes and never really got it back and went on to be the longest so far. Just ridiculously boring, the novelty of Richard Ayoade showing up aside.

Not watched the latest one yet but I hope it picks up again.

[John]

New episode of Parks & Rec coming out on the 30th of this month.

[Baz]

I just watched The Carter Effect on Netflix. It didn’t really know whether it wanted to really be about Vince Carter, or the Toronto Raptors or Toronto in general, but I enjoyed it.

[Don]

Speaking of trailers though, this absolute meltfest is out on Sunday.

https://youtu.be/4p5yY0qdsWg

The music, that bitch, everything about it :drool:

Episode 1 was top-notch stuff. Book has been ordered, I live for this melty shit.


Three Identical Strangers is a brilliant ninety minute documentary.

This was top class, too.

[Bob Sacamano]

Both Gangs of London and ZeroZeroZero are so good

:drool:

[Luca]

I only just managed to make it through the second season of Westworld - it just got to be a little much. I've heard the third season is awful, so I'll probably pass.

Not sure if anyone else is on Homeland, but it ended on Sunday and had one of the more satisfying series finales in recent memory. Stayed true to the character(s) through and through.

[Ian]

Westworld disappeared up its own arse and became supremely boring. I was never as into the first season as most people anyway and I thought it was always a bit delighted with itself but I don't think I got past the first two episodes of season 2.

[Lewis]

I don't know what to make of the the second series of After Life. It's not as clunky as the first series (half of which was built around his old stand-up), but it's not quite as funny either, and half of the comedy seems out of place (namely the Paul Kaye bits). It all comes across as being a bit phoned in, but then it's probably still worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do.

[SvN]

There was loads of stand-up and podcast material in season 1, and I think there were even a few gags lifted from the Brent stuff they did for Microsoft. I really think he ran out of good ideas over a decade ago.

[phonics]

Merchant was the brains behind the whole operation.

[SvN]

Probably, but his stuff is nowhere near the level of The Office or Extras. Hello Ladies was good fun, but was mostly the same few jokes over and over.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I haven't watched Extras since it was first on, I wonder how well it holds up.

[Spikey M]

I always hear this 'Merchant was the brains' stuff and I have absolutely no idea what people are basing that idea on. There's a reason one of them has had success on his own and the other one has been on the Fucking One Show peddling a god awful Christmas Comedy.

[Lewis]

I think Stephen Merchant is Peter Taylor. He seems to have a better eye for the subtle things, which polishes things up and controls the quality.

[SvN]

I always hear this 'Merchant was the brains' stuff and I have absolutely no idea what people are basing that idea on. There's a reason one of them has had success on his own and the other one has been on the Fucking One Show peddling a god awful Christmas Comedy.

Because Gervais is the bigger star. He was the lead in two of the best comedies of all time.

[Alex]

I don't know what to make of the the second series of After Life. It's not as clunky as the first series (half of which was built around his old stand-up), but it's not quite as funny either, and half of the comedy seems out of place (namely the Paul Kaye bits). It all comes across as being a bit phoned in, but then it's probably still worth a watch if you've got nothing better to do.

Aye. What was all that about? He was nothing like that in the first season. I'm glad it's not just me that noticed this. It's like this had no other reason to keep him around so just decided to turn him into this caricature of toxic masculinity overnight. I thought the second season was decent enough though. It's thirty minute episodes of Gervais being Gervais, so if you like his style it's always going to be at least watchable.

But the actual content of the show is very boilerplate. He's sad his wife his dead. He makes the effort to be normal and/or does something outside his comfort zone. He get's angry or frustrated and calls somebody a cunt. Throw in a weird "newspaper interviewee of the week" encounter and chat with the old lady on the park bench for good measure. Rinse and repeat.

Having his Dad die to pile on the misery was about as predictable as it could have been. Presumably because they can't change the core subject of the show but had to add some other dimension to it other than him beating the dead wife drum constantly. And I get it, grief is a long process. But fuck me. He's almost the villain of the piece for me at this point. I just want to tell him to fucking frame himself.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They started phoning stuff in when they 'discovered' Karl.

[Spikey M]

Because Gervais is the bigger star. He was the lead in two of the best comedies of all time.

Granted. But what has Merchant done to paint himself as the genius of the piece? What has he done sans Gervais?

[phonics]

Literally wrote and directed this that made 5x it's budget.

https://i.imgur.com/szAOaay.png

Was in critically acclaimed Jojo's Rabbit.

That's just a couple things off the top of my head in 2019

[Spikey M]

Gervais has written and been in critically acclaimed stuff too. He's also put out some turgid shite. As has Merchant.

Why can't we just go with '2 great comedians came together to make a great show'? Rather than trying to pile the credit ot one of their doors.

[phonics]

I always hear this 'Merchant was the brains' stuff and I have absolutely no idea what people are basing that idea on. There's a reason one of them has had success on his own and the other one has been on the Fucking One Show peddling a god awful Christmas Comedy.


I have no idea who you think is trying to pile credit at one of their doors here.

[Lewis]

Granted. But what has Merchant done to paint himself as the genius of the piece? What has he done sans Gervais?

Not got as famous. It's like the people who say George Harrison was the best Beatle.

[Spikey M]

I have no idea who you think is trying to pile credit at one of their doors here.


Merchant was the brains behind the whole operation.

.

[Yevrah]

Watched After Life 2 last night and loved it.

Thought it mixed heartfelt and humour perfectly.

[phonics]

.

Yeah because I think Gervais is a bit shit and hasn't done anything good this side of 2007.

[Yevrah]

And Merchant being the brains behind the operation? Rofl.

[Spikey M]

Yeah because I think Gervais is a bit shit and hasn't done anything good this side of 2007.

........ I..... ok.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't know what people expect him to do. The Office was perhaps the best-observed British comedy there has ever been. You can't do anything as good as that again.

Who has had a 2 or 3 decade career in comedy without their output dropping?

[Don]

Shoutout to my boy Charles Chaplin.

[Browning]

I wonder who was the brains behind how great the Office was:

1) The guy who has made other great (if not quite as great) comedy shows and has had some of the most successful stand up tours of all time or

2) The guy who made a wrestling movie.

Tough call.

[mo]

Gosh some of you Gervais fangirls are touchy.

[Spikey M]

So are some of you teachers.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

So are some of you small headed freaks.

[Spikey M]

Alright Stronghand.

[mo]

So are some of you teachers.

I know you are but what am I?

[Ian]

A garbage man.

[Kikó]

The Americans is a great series. You (Boydy?) wasn't wrong with the good praise.

Finished season 1 of Ozark yesterday, pretty formulaic stuff but ended well enough. Ready for the s2 slog. First going to finish off Vikings which is mostly the same twats lobbing people's heads off or burning them to death like in this episode.

[Boydy]

I loved it, yeah, but I think it was maybe John singing its praises.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Started on Peep Show last night, I thought the camera style would put me off but I love it.

[Ian]

Peak Peep Show is brilliant stuff. Tapers off for a bit towards the end (and then actually recovers a bit for the last series) but it's really good.

[Manc]

Started on Peep Show last night, I thought the camera style would put me off but I love it.

You'll be wanking over Dobby in no time.

The Innocence Files is top notch.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You'll be wanking over Dobby in no time.

The Innocence Files is top notch.

Just watched the first episode with her in and you're 100% wrong :uhoh:

[mugbull]

Is Gangs of London worth watching or is it just pointless gore?

[randomlegend]

They've changed the "style" of how they film Friday Night Dinner so it looks more shiny and less documentary. It really takes you out of it.

[Josh]

New episode of Parks & Rec tonight is exciting. Even if it's a bit shit, it will still be nice and familiar seeing everyone again.

[igor_balis]

BCS is fucking amazing. Episodes 8 and 9 of the latest 10 episode season are up there with my favourite episodes of anything ever. What a bloody show.

[Queenslander]

The Micheal Jordan series is chockers full of 90s nostalgia.

[John Arne]

The Micheal Jordan series is chockers full of 90s nostalgia.

I enjoyed the first two, though it did seem to struggle with what it wanted to be... An MJ documentaty or a Bulls Documentary... I think it struggled a little bit to be clear as to what it is. Still thoroughly enjoyable.

Edit: also, how fucking good was Jordan.... So far ahead of the competition at that time.

[Queenslander]

I enjoyed the first two, though it did seem to struggle with what it wanted to be... An MJ documentaty or a Bulls Documentary... I think it struggled a little bit to be clear as to what it is. Still thoroughly enjoyable.

Edit: also, how fucking good was Jordan.... So far ahead of the competition at that time.

Jordan is so much better than Lebron. :drool:

Chicago Bulls was the Jersey of the 90s in Primary School...

[wullie]

It picked up in the third and fourth with emphasis on Pippen and Rodman, although it's still the MJ show as you'd expect. His eyes worry me

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm waiting until they're all out to watch.

I've never been hugely into basketball but Jordan was incredible.

I watched one of the first games back after his stint in Baseball (NBA are putting some great games on their Youtube channel) and he was just incredible.

[Ian]

Jordan is so much better than Lebron. :drool:

I think we all need to wait until Space Jam 2 finally comes out before making any such bold statements.

[Spoonsky]

Anyone seen Unorthodox? Four episodes on Netflix. Really great and subtly done, and the lead actress is phenomenal.

[Spoonsky]

Also that Jordan documentary has been causing pain to all of Utah since they released it.

[Baz]

Anyone seen Unorthodox? Four episodes on Netflix. Really great and subtly done, and the lead actress is phenomenal.Someone at work recommended that to me. :cab:

[mugbull]

Anyone seen Unorthodox? Four episodes on Netflix. Really great and subtly done, and the lead actress is phenomenal.

Yeah I loved it. I can’t believe a human being that small can give birth though

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Finished off Peep Show today. Cracking stuff.

Also, I was very keen on Dobby when first introduced but soured on her quite quickly.

[Alex]

Aye, she's lovely at first and an insufferable twat by the end.

[Manc]

Boxing it off in a week is a top effort.

[mugbull]

I tried to watch Peep Show and I just couldn't, David Mitchell's character was just too fucking awkward and the camera style makes it feel like you're being the awkward one

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Boxing it off in a week is a top effort.

Nothing else to do and there aren't that many episodes.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Aye, she's lovely at first and an insufferable twat by the end.

I found most of the women to be like that and I imagine it's because of the way both of them seem to fall in love instantly so you're only subjected to their good personality traits but by the end all the shit is coming to the front.

[Lofty]

The theme is that Mark and Jez are both cunts in their own ways so their relationships inevitably deteriorate leaving them stuck together.

[Spikey M]

You haven't mentioned Johnson so you're going to have to watch it again.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You haven't mentioned Johnson so you're going to have to watch it again.

He might be my favourite character after Super Hans.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The only female character worth a shit is Soph. Christ it was a rapid rise for Olivia Colman.

[Spoonsky]

Yeah I loved it. I can’t believe a human being that small can give birth though

:D

She’s an incredible actress, never seen a performance quite like that before.

I could never tell if my attraction was shameful lustage or not. She looks like if Scarlett Johansson had stunted growth as a kid.

[Shindig]

She looks like McAuley Culkin before the drugs and hipster renaissance.

[Queenslander]

Anyone seen Unorthodox? Four episodes on Netflix. Really great and subtly done, and the lead actress is phenomenal.

Yep I had to watch it all in a night. Brilliant show!

[Queenslander]

I think we all need to wait until Space Jam 2 finally comes out before making any such bold statements.

Space Jam was peak childhood. Im sure it still holds up.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Space Jam was peak childhood. Im sure it still holds up.

I watched it a couple of nights ago. It does.

[Don]

I've heard good stuff about this Unorthodox, I'll give it a whirl next.

Love was a very enjoyable ride. Third season was starting to get a bit stale but all in all, well worth it.

[John]

The lockdown special of Parks and Recreation was lovely.

[Ian]

Mandalorian finished and I loved it. It's probably as good as any other Star Wars thing that's been put on screen.


The lockdown special of Parks and Recreation was lovely.

What's the best / easiest way to watch this? It's not on Netflix or Prime, is it?

[Giggles]

Definitely got out of it's lull for the last episode.

[John]

Mandalorian finished and I loved it. It's probably as good as any other Star Wars thing that's been put on screen.



What's the best / easiest way to watch this? It's not on Netflix or Prime, is it?

I torrented it, but the whole thing is essentially a very well executed charity appeal so I imagine they'll make it available on as many platforms as possible before long.

I agree on The Mandalorian. I said earlier in the thread that taken as a whole it's the best of all the Star Wars things.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The lockdown special of Parks and Recreation was lovely.

I didn't realise that Offerman and Mullally were actually married. So I was shocked when she turned up during his bit.

They did a tremendous job due to the whole situation.

[Bernanke]

Season 5 of Bojack done and I was semi spoiled on the big episode 11 event which kinda soured it a bit, but even without that I don't think the season held up as well as some of the others.

3 > 4 > 2 > 5 > 1 I think.

[Raoul Duke]

Started on the latest season of The Last Kingdom. Uhtred back to being a badass motherfucker again :cool:

[Giggles]

Monorail is on now :cool:

[John]

Mandalorian finished and I loved it. It's probably as good as any other Star Wars thing that's been put on screen.



What's the best / easiest way to watch this? It's not on Netflix or Prime, is it?

NBC have put the whole episode on their YouTube channel if you can be arsed arranging a proxy.

[Lofty]

Started on the latest season of The Last Kingdom. Uhtred back to being a badass motherfucker again :cool:

It was pretty good.

Watching Celebrity SAS shite, Fashanu still crazy I see.

[Ian]

NBC have put the whole episode on their YouTube channel if you can be arsed arranging a proxy.

I'll have a look. :thbup:

[The Merse]

Season 5 of Bojack done and I was semi spoiled on the big episode 11 event which kinda soured it a bit, but even without that I don't think the season held up as well as some of the others.

3 > 4 > 2 > 5 > 1 I think.

I’d swap 4 and 2 around in the rankings on a very marginal call that 2 had more impact as really turning the show around from passable dark comedy to something more impactful and dramatic, but otherwise totally agree.

This one was definitely more forgettable in places.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Started Detectorists the other night as my first foray back into TV since the lockdown.

It's so, so good. Will confirm after viewing the rest of it, but it might be in the top 10 British sitcoms ever, even though it's only partly laugh-out-loud.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Started Detectorists the other night as my first foray back into TV since the lockdown.

It's so, so good. Will confirm after viewing the rest of it, but it might be in the top 10 British sitcoms ever, even though it's only partly laugh-out-loud.

I absolutely love it.

[Ian]

I've been rewatching Community and have come to the conclusion that while season 4 is obviously the pits it'd started to go downhill during season 3 which is when they started to get more obsessed with the episodes where they were doing a send-up of another genre.

[Josh]

Started Detectorists the other night as my first foray back into TV since the lockdown.

It's so, so good. Will confirm after viewing the rest of it, but it might be in the top 10 British sitcoms ever, even though it's only partly laugh-out-loud.

It's fantastic. Wholesome, easy watching and just plain nice.

After, you should check out Don't forget the driver with Toby Jones. It's nowhere near the same level but enjoyable watching too.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Toby Jones is a joke in it, just so good. Probably dicing with Roger Allam for my favourite actor.

[Ian]

Toby Jones is ace. Did you ever start Endeavour, Jimmy?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I did but didn't get very far until the Great Fiction Blackout of March-April 2020 kicked in.

[Ian]

Ah, okay. How much had you watched? Were you enjoying it?

[Jimmy Floyd]

About three episodes and yes, pretty good.

[Don]

I've been rewatching Community and have come to the conclusion that while season 4 is obviously the pits it'd started to go downhill during season 3 which is when they started to get more obsessed with the episodes where they were doing a send-up of another genre.

Ya, I imagine that had a big part to play in me going off it during S3, it was just back2back2backs of said episodes.

Unorthodox was a worthwhile watch. Nothing special but solid and we'll take that at under 4 hours.

[Disco]

Roger Allam did the voices for Sarah & Duck, a rare children's program that I didn't mind having to watch a million times.

[Baz]

Sarah & Duck, a rare children's program that I didn't mind having to watch a million times.Nope.

[Ian]

Ya, I imagine that had a big part to play in me going off it during S3, it was just back2back2backs of said episodes.

It really is. Which is a shame because those episodes were really good fun when they're more sparing but once the "stuff happening in a community college" episodes became the rarity.... yeah.

Don't really know why this didn't bother me the first time round.

[Boydy]

I finished Narcos Mexico recently. It was good, I really enjoyed. Stands with the original. Does anyone know if there's going to be any more of it? It'd be good if they followed Chapo's rise.

Also started Silicon Valley.

[mugbull]

You'll survive a season and a half before they all become parodies of themselves

[John]

You'll survive a season and a half before they all become parodies of themselves

A solid year longer than it took you.

[mugbull]

Nice one

[Don]

:D

Oi, Giggles, get in here for some 4-way Royal Rumble action, you fucking lepper.

[Giggles]

:D

Oi, Giggles, get in here for some 4-way Royal Rumble action, you fucking lepper.

For what?

[Adamski]

Finished The Good Place last night. Pretty perfect.

[Giggles]

I still need to go back to that as apparently it completely changed and got really good. At the start it was just formulaic ‘sticky situation - phew’ every week.

[Ian]

I liked it from the start. I'm not convinced if you didn't like the start that you'd like it any better later but others may think differently.

[Adamski]

I left it so long I had to rewatch 3 again before I did 4.

I think the end of season 2 was a bit of a slog, if I remember.

[Giggles]

I liked it from the start. I'm not convinced if you didn't like the start that you'd like it any better later but others may think differently.

I didn’t dislike it really, it was more just grand. Nothing awful and nothing that engaging. I stopped watching around the time people from another place were arriving and there was a train or something but I think most say it really improves after it turned out not to be the good place at all.

[mugbull]

I watched two episodes, one of which introduced the fucking tired hurtling traincar philosophy conundrum and thought it was the worst TV i'd seen in years. it's gotten so much hype tho that i'm tempted to try it out again

[Manc]

Finished Ozark season 1. Shades of Breaking Bad. Just as stressful and dramatic imo.

[Queenslander]

Finished Ozark season 1. Shades of Breaking Bad. Just as stressful and dramatic imo.

Jason Bateman is a content king. Have you seen the Outsiders?

[Kikó]

I heard season 2 of Ozark was not as good but I'm 7 episodes into it and I don't see the dip. It's great drama.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I didn't like season 2 because it was too political.

Season 3 though (especially the second half) is great.

[Manc]

Jason Bateman is a content king. Have you seen the Outsiders?

No. Similar themes?

Looking forward to watching The Eddy.

[Adamski]

I didn't like season 2 because it was too political.

Season 3 though (especially the second half) is great.

Yeah agree on this. It wasn’t terrible but not a patch on the first and third.

[Don]

Andy Samberg doesn't have a British wife nor is the type to have fallen onto a serious drug habit. What the sweet fuck is he doing in this Cuckoo with Greg Davies on BBC1 atm? It's shite too but I could watch the sexy charismatic cunt curl one out tbqfh.

[Queenslander]

No. Similar themes?

Looking forward to watching The Eddy.

It is a Stephen King book based around an unsolved murder of a child. Lot of suspense and a wee bit of horror.

Sorry Outsider.

I havent seen the Eddy yet but it is on the list.

[Queenslander]

I heard season 2 of Ozark was not as good but I'm 7 episodes into it and I don't see the dip. It's great drama.

I enjoyed every episode. Probably the best Netflix made series to date.

Laura Linney is brilliant IMO.

[Baz]

Community are doing a readalong thingy.


https://youtu.be/QpRKN3psdX4

No Chevy, soz Don

[mugbull]

I dont think Chevy’s ever been invited to the reunion of anything he’s worked on. Yung dirtbag

[Ian]

I'm nearly at the end of my Community rewatch now and as well as my previous gripe about the latter seasons the Dean is far too central a character. Jim Rash is great but the character is too OTT to be a core part of a majority of episodes.

[Baz]

I dont think Chevy’s ever been invited to the reunion of anything he’s worked on. Yung dirtbagYep. Total dick.

[John]

I'm nearly at the end of my Community rewatch now and as well as my previous gripe about the latter seasons the Dean is far too central a character. Jim Rash is great but the character is too OTT to be a core part of a majority of episodes.

They definitely used the Dean far too much but I'll take that over them going too far the other way and missing out on a moment like him seeing Jeff in aviators or the Payday rap.

[Ian]

Yeah I think them leaning into his weirdness (which often ruins sitcom characters) led to some great moments and then they got too excited with that and decided that we wanted more in both senses.

[Giggles]

The Pike Enterprise show is happening :drool:

[Giggles]

Was Hatton Garden any good when it was on last year? I see VM1 are showing the 4 parts starting on Tuesday here.

[Lewis]

The basketball documentary series is well worth a watch.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Jordan's eyes are terrifying though.

It looks like he has jaundice.

[Lewis]

Yeah he's got a bit of a Zig and Zag look, as if all of his middle age spread settled on his head.

[Yevrah]

The basketball documentary series is well worth a watch.

Finished it tonight.

As per usual too many episodes and the behind he scenes footage of the 97-98 season was pretty lame, but overall a cracking watch.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I haven't finished it yet but fuck Isiah Thomas.

[Mazuuurk]

I finished it as well yesterday. I thought it was absolutely awesome. If anything, it was a little tricky following the timelines, even if I also got what they were trying to do. But like for example the second or third episode focusses on Dennis Rodman, and then the coming 3 episodes take place before he was even there, and it made it all a bit confusing.

For some reason the whole series made me feel inexplicably sad though. I think it's something in the look of MJ's eyes when he's being interviewed present-day. But also just nostalgia I guess.

[mo]

I finished it as well yesterday. I thought it was absolutely awesome. If anything, it was a little tricky following the timelines, even if I also got what they were trying to do. But like for example the second or third episode focusses on Dennis Rodman, and then the coming 3 episodes take place before he was even there, and it made it all a bit confusing.

For some reason the whole series made me feel inexplicably sad though. I think it's something in the look of MJ's eyes when he's being interviewed present-day. But also just nostalgia I guess.

I haven't watched the series but I noticed this with Tiger King - the chronology was all over the shop (knee brace, no knee brace, etc), and it pisses me off. Not sure if it's a growing trend but obviously done to create a more seductive narrative. Or something.

[Utotri]

Just wanted to say I would have made another viewing guide for Eurovision, but it's been cancelled so I didn't feel like it.

[Don]

Might be because of the accompanying lockdown meme but I haven't stopped getting enough of the Icelandic entry for the last month.

https://youtu.be/l8qyhdy0p_A

[Utotri]

Yeah, wasn't fond of that entry but it's obviously entertaining.

For your average British audience here's a selection:

Balkan sluts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y0cczOeznQ
Pretty funny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_dWvTCdDQ4
Trying too hard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KoJfSgBZQ0

Likely winners were Lithuania and Switzerland I'd reckon. I'm not even going to post links, we all know Iceland would have won after going viral.

And a bonus. This one couldn't get out of the Finnish National Final, instead we got some lardass pretending to be Ed Sheeran. Time to just cancel Finland and give it to Estonia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPaFqUMqcJY

[Spikey M]

Take it to DM's you fucking weirdos.

[Baz]

Iceland is outstanding tbf


https://youtu.be/VFZNvj-HfBU

[Lewis]

Back to the basketballing. Given that his legal/personal problems didn't really emerge until the 2000s, was Dennis Rodman's 1990s the best decade anybody will ever have?