Do we live in a golden age of television?

The Day of the Jackal seems to have good reviews so far. It’s next on my list when I finish The Bureau (which is tremendous by the way).

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Watching the Lucan thing. It's really well made, but after 1 ep I'm on the side of Taki / bodies of water. See if I can be convinced otherwise.

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Not going to answer this having watched the rest, but it's a super documentary, one of the best I've seen in a long time. About something much bigger than what it purports to be about.

Lt Bookman in the library episode of Seinfeld is right up there in all-timers list of one-off characters in TV.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Not going to answer this having watched the rest, but it's a super documentary, one of the best I've seen in a long time. About something much bigger than what it purports to be about.

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Didn’t want to spoil how good it was for those interested in watching it when I recommended it so avoided saying this before, but I agree completely, it’s brilliant.

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The reveal was incredible, and I feel like Neil is a proper wrong'un all things considered. Alright mate, you miss your adopted - actual - mum, but don't think ruining your family's life on some wank goose chase and harassing some demented old man makes you look like anything other than a mental case.

I saw an article railing against converting a slick film into a 10 hour series for the content mines and I probably agree. I don't need to know the Jackal's life in detail, I just need to see he is a master of disguise and deadly assassin. They even swapped it from a political assassination to a tech baron.

What really turned me against it though was the cunts at Sky using half time coverage of Arsenal v Liverpool to air a full length trailer for the series, fuck off.

I’ve just realised I’ve seen the original remake called “Carlos” with Edgar Ramirez playing the role. It was excellent.

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Originally Posted by Ben

The Day of the Jackal seems to have good reviews so far. It’s next on my list when I finish The Bureau (which is tremendous by the way).

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Is it normal for 5 episodes to be released at once and then weekly thereafter? V annoying

Patiently waiting for The Penguin and Tulsa king to finish up

It’s a stupid HBO thing I think. I don’t watch a lot of HBO stuff but I recall being pissed off by something like this in the past.

They're all at some form of dickheadishness right now.

Disney+ and Prime seem to release 2 or 3 episodes before going weekly and Netflix are splitting the final season of Cobra Kai into three fucking parts.

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Originally Posted by Lewis

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The reveal was incredible, and I feel like Neil is a proper wrong'un all things considered. Alright mate, you miss your adopted - actual - mum, but don't think ruining your family's life on some wank goose chase and harassing some demented old man makes you look like anything other than a mental case.

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I've seen some people say that they think Neil likes the limelight, but I'm not sure about that - I just think that he (like a lot of people) is just far too credulous and gullible about things that he wants to be true, and that that has been exploited by his journo mate who is probably the biggest villain of the piece other than Lucan himself.

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Aye, you can tell his wife is royally annoyed by it. He's too nervous to be chasing the limelight but, without a body, he'll not give it up.

It's quite a good bit of television but there's the sense everyone's stringing someone else along for the ride.

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Originally Posted by wullie

Lt Bookman in the library episode of Seinfeld is right up there in all-timers list of one-off characters in TV.

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Cracking shout, he was amazing.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

Not going to answer this having watched the rest, but it's a super documentary, one of the best I've seen in a long time. About something much bigger than what it purports to be about.

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I'm two episodes in and Bazza Dugel is the best television I've ever watched.

Well, that ends with more unanswered questions. :D

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Christopher whatshisname has more aliases than a chatroom. I was expecting it to end with him being charged with some cold case murders of his own. Also, big nonce/groomed energy from him and his carer Jake.

The moment when he justifies Bezza Dugal by saying 'It's a bit out there as a name, isn't it' was the bit when I realised what the film was actually about.

And the bit on the train when he realises the flaw in Bezza Dugal. Just gold.

Yeah, the Lucan thing was top tv.

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Felt like a lot of it was very set-up in some sort of Truman Show style top trolling effort, the poor bugger just being led up some insane garden path. I didn't really get why they didn't go all Jeremy Kyle and start nicking people's hair for DNA analysis, seeing as they met the brother, and the son, and the old guy, other than that putting it all in the mud quicker than would be desirable. Old Aussie guy was a good character. I see you ya bastard! All the side characters were what made it. Villainous journalist, neckless/clueless old copper, Bezza Dougal, the weird 'carer', so many questions.

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Originally Posted by niko_cee

Yeah, the Lucan thing was top tv.

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Felt like a lot of it was very set-up in some sort of Truman Show style top trolling effort, the poor bugger just being led up some insane garden path. I didn't really get why they didn't go all Jeremy Kyle and start nicking people's hair for DNA analysis, seeing as they met the brother, and the son, and the old guy, other than that putting it all in the mud quicker than would be desirable. Old Aussie guy was a good character. I see you ya bastard! All the side characters were what made it. Villainous journalist, neckless/clueless old copper, Bezza Dougal, the weird 'carer', so many questions.

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That's where I went immediately. Jut get some of his hair or nick a cup and do a DNA test.

Don't really understand the hype with Lucan (1 episode in). Quite difficult to get behind Neil when he has zero personality.

It does start slowly, but stick with it.

I finished it last night. It was decent but I sort of hoped for more. I think it was Jimmy's "it's about more than just its subject matter" that got my hopes up. I was hoping for more of a social and cultural history of the 70s, a bit like how that OJ Simpson documentary had a whole history of racial politics in the US in it.

I thought it was not about Lucan at all but about Neil, human nature and our tragic inability to see beyond what we want to see.

Yeah, I'm not disputing that, it just wasn't beyond its subject matter in the way I had expected/hoped after what you said. There was nothing wrong with what you said, just my notion of what it might have meant was different.

Just finished Lucan and I echo Jimmy's thoughts. It's a great little documentary.

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I don't think you could get a better reveal in non-fiction than a murderous Lord on the run having a spiritualist dragqueen doppelganger. :D

The scenes of the old boy getting confused and angry at the constant accusations were a tough watch. Neil is clearly not the brightest spark and has some pretty major mental health issues, but the various others arround him encouraging him should be fucking ashamed of themselves.

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

Just finished Lucan and I echo Jimmy's thoughts. It's a great little documentary.

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I don't think you could get a better reveal in non-fiction than a murderous Lord on the run having a spiritualist dragqueen doppelganger. :D

The scenes of the old boy getting confused and angry at the constant accusations were a tough watch. Neil is clearly not the brightest spark and has some pretty major mental health issues, but the various others arround him encouraging him should be fucking ashamed of themselves.

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I mean Neil found out his mum was brutally beaten to death and the guy who did it probably got away with it. Developing an obsession with finding Lucan is a fairly understandable reaction.

It was a bit funny when they revealed the old photo of drag queen man from the show and it was blatantly obviously him. You could tell even Neil lost his conviction once he saw that photo given how obvious it was.

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Originally Posted by Boydy

I finished it last night. It was decent but I sort of hoped for more. I think it was Jimmy's "it's about more than just its subject matter" that got my hopes up. I was hoping for more of a social and cultural history of the 70s, a bit like how that OJ Simpson documentary had a whole history of racial politics in the US in it.

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The OJ Doc is one of the most engaging and interesting documentaries I've ever seen.

I've finished Gomorra, it was amazing but the story was kind of bonkers towards the end. The characters really made the show.

To continue my Neapolitan obsession I've started My Brilliant Friend which even has some of the Gomorra characters in it. Really interesting so far.

Lucan is a load of bollocks.

Started a rewatch of I Think You Should Leave and honestly cannot believe how much I enjoy it. So funny.

The Diplomat is toss.

I liked out for the most part, but that ending was so fucking stupid.

Tried again to get in to Taskmaster but it's just a big pile of shite. NPC fodder?

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Originally Posted by Magic

Tried again to get in to Taskmaster but it's just a big pile of shite. NPC fodder?

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Watch I Think You Should Leave.

The penguin is incredible

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Originally Posted by Magic

Tried again to get in to Taskmaster but it's just a big pile of shite. NPC fodder?

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Develop a sense of humour.

Having an early midlife crisis and going to do a "counselling" qualification is about as NPC as it gets to be honest.

This season of Taskmaster pleasantly surprised me, having got fed up with it a few seasons back. Rosie Jones was alright, but her rude ‘humour’ grates a little. Andy Zaltzman was fantastic.

Silo season 2 starts tonight. I’ve read the books since season 1, so I know the general direction of the plot but it’ll be interesting to see how it changes in the show.

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Originally Posted by Magic

Tried again to get in to Taskmaster but it's just a big pile of shite. NPC fodder?

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Agree. I've tried a few times and I just don't get it.

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Originally Posted by Spikey M

Agree. I've tried a few times and I just don't get it.

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Season 2 of the New Zealand one is peak comedy television.

Taskmaster is class, mostly because of Greg Davies. I'm fucked if I'm ever watching an episode with Rosie Jones in it though.

I did last night. She isn't remotely funny and I still can't understand half of what she says (which is somehow an improvement) but her presence didn't ruin the show as much as I thought it would.

The series that had Sally Phillips, Nish Kumar, Bob Mortimer et al was some of the best British comedy TV I've seen. Other series I have found hit or miss and if I don't know the people on it (which is increasingly the case) I can't really be bothered. Zaltzman obviously is one of my people though so might give that a go.

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Originally Posted by Baz

Season 2 of the New Zealand one is peak comedy television.

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Laura Daniel :wub:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The series that had Sally Phillips, Nish Kumar, Bob Mortimer et al was some of the best British comedy TV I've seen. Other series I have found hit or miss and if I don't know the people on it (which is increasingly the case) I can't really be bothered. Zaltzman obviously is one of my people though so might give that a go.

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Yep that was probably peak.

Also, I thought Rosie would be shit in TM and I felt like she was for the first few episodes but I think she grew into it and provided some really great moments (especially in prize and live tasks) by the end. Her rapport with "Jackie" was great too, teaming them up was genius.

I was pleasantly surprised.

Zaltzman (who I didn't know before) and Jackie were my favourites though.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd

The series that had Sally Phillips, Nish Kumar, Bob Mortimer et al was some of the best British comedy TV I've seen. Other series I have found hit or miss and if I don't know the people on it (which is increasingly the case) I can't really be bothered. Zaltzman obviously is one of my people though so might give that a go.

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And yes, season 5.

Aisling Bea was the weakest link and even then she was great value.

Bob Mortimer was always going to be incredible but they also surrounded him with some great people and Mark Watson is the greatest prize tasker of all time.

Agree with that. Currently watching the season with Acaster and Rhod Gilbert. It's ok but the Yorkshire woman's voice massively grates.

I enjoyed the Ardel o'Hanlon one as well (pretty much watching them out of order)

The only season I absolutely cannot stand is season 6.

Russell Howard and Tim Vine (Asim Chaudry isn't great either) are fucking painful to watch.

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Originally Posted by Ben

The Day of the Jackal seems to have good reviews so far. It’s next on my list when I finish The Bureau (which is tremendous by the way).

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Going to try this (the Jackal) tonight. Seems like my kind of thing. Bureau is also my kind of thing so keep posting about it so I remember to start it one day.

4 eps into Jackal, it's pretty enjoyable but feels like it could be a bit tighter, and Lashana Lynch is useless, both actor and character.

Redmayne very good.