Do we live in a golden age of television?

[igor_balis]

Yeah the Sopranos never delved into "but I don't care about any of these cunts" for me, because of how funny it is. I actually read recently that David Chase originally intended it to be more of a straight comedy-drama rather than a drama with funny bits in. Plenty of likeable secondary characters too I thought.

Breaking Bad had more issues with unlikable characters IMO. Except Mike. The higher proportion of Mike in BCS is probably a big part of why I love it so much. I think, on balance, I prefer it to BB actually. Willing to accept that's insane though.

[Disco]

Breaking Bad suffered from their sympathetic characters (his wife is the prime example) being annoying as hell.

[Lewis]

The Sopranos is the most re-watchable show I've ever seen. It's brilliant - I've watched it through 5 or 6 times in total, and I only saw it for the first time a few years ago. The dialogue is brilliant, and it's hilarious at times.

FUCKIN' QUEERS *throws chair*

Paulie Walnuts is the best one in it, and up there with Niles Crane as best secondary characters.

'Word to the wise. Remember Pearl Harbor.'

[John]

Paulie Walnuts is the best one in it, and up there with Niles Crane as best secondary characters.

'Word to the wise. Remember Pearl Harbor.'

At least half of the reason he was so good is that the actor actually was a mobster for years before going into acting.

[SvN]

Junior in the middle seasons is the best for me. Tony has plenty of great lines too - but he never had the makings of a varsity athlete.

[Alex]

The Sopranos is the most re-watchable show I've ever seen. It's brilliant - I've watched it through 5 or 6 times in total, and I only saw it for the first time a few years ago. The dialogue is brilliant, and it's hilarious at times.

FUCKIN' QUEERS *throws chair*

Excellent choice of reference.

[Lewis]

At least half of the reason he was so good is that the actor actually was a mobster for years before going into acting.

Yeah, the fact he hasn't done anything else made me think he was just playing himself. At the same time, Silvio Dante gurning his way through every scene (no acting experience, really?!) had me hoping he died early doors.

[mikem]

Isn’t Silvio just in it because he is in Bruce Springsteen’s band and it is set in New Jersey?

[John]

Chortle have a load of interviews about the new series of Taskmaster up. In James Acaster's he mentions that Rhod Gilbert and Greg Davies' friendship was fairly prominent, which I hope is a huge overstatement, because the moments in the first series where he made mention of his friendship with Roisin Connaty were just annoying.

Rhod's entry for the very first prize task is a childhood picture of Greg Davies, accompanied by an embarrassing story. Not a great start.

[randomlegend]

Trust you to be angered by friendship.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The picture had nothing to do with their friendship.

The picture and story was part of Greg's latest stand-up...

You've embarrassed yourself here, mate.

[John]

Trust you to be angered by friendship.

Trust you to miss the point and be a tit about it.

The rest of the episode was good, although Jessica Knappett is looking promising as a rival to Aisling Bea as the worst individual contestant ever.

[randomlegend]

You're such a bellend

[phonics]

I've started watching Person of Interest again.

Zoe Morgan How is that woman in her 50s?

[John]

I always mix her up with Dina Meyer.

[Yevrah]

Is Person of Interest really good?

And is it self contained each episode or a story arc?

[Boydy]

Is Person of Interest really good?

And is it self contained each episode or a story arc?

I loved it.

It does a bit of both. The first season is more self contained episodes with a little story arc and then the story arc becomes bigger as the seasons go on.

[Yevrah]

Cheers Boyd.

Is there an ending or was it canned early?

[Alex]

There's a proper ending.

[Baz]

Can anyone think of a character in a tv show that looks like Slavan Bilic?

[phonics]

Cheers Boyd.

Is there an ending or was it canned early?

It ends as deftly as any show of it's type can. That an Justified are my two examples of shows that ended on highs.

[phonics]

Is there new Bake Off on at the moment or am I just being trolled? I can't find it anywhere on torrents.

[Yevrah]

There is.

[Giggles]

Is there new Bake Off on at the moment or am I just being trolled? I can't find it anywhere on torrents.

It's about 3 weeks in. Never worth watching til it gets to 5 or 6 anyway.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bullshit.

Manon and Ruby btw

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm liking the second season of Iron Fist more than the first but it's still the weakest show (bar Defenders) in the Marvel collection. Finn Jones is still a problem but the action scenes have massively improved.

[Reg]

Anyone tried Amazon's thing 'Jack Ryan'? It's based off Tom Clancy characters. I'm just a couple episodes in but it's good so far. It seems John Krasinski can do drama as well, I like him a lot.

[Yevrah]

I've been watching This Life again, which for those who don't know is the mid-90s show about a group of twenty-something lawyers that spawned the careers of Andrew Lincoln and Jack Davenport (amongst others).

It's held up quite well, which may be influence by rose tinted spectacles, but it is interesting watching it again as an actual adult - Andrew Lincoln's character just comes across as a total waster, whereas I was sympathetic to him as a youngster.

[Alex]

I'm liking the second season of Iron Fist more than the first but it's still the weakest show (bar Defenders) in the Marvel collection. Finn Jones is still a problem but the action scenes have massively improved.

I'm quite liking it too. I'm up to episode seven and my main thought so far is:

Toggle Spoiler

Can we just have an entire season of Davos as the Iron Fist? That guy knows how to get shit done. He must have killed about a hundred criminals since he got hold of it.

[Dark Soldier]

I don't watch much TV stuff these days but Maniac is absolutely fantastic.

[Baz]

Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, according to the billboard I drive past everyday. I can’t imagine it being anything other than great, and I’m not being sarcastic.

[Dark Soldier]

Both put in great performances. There's a scene in episode 3 that has me imagining Mahow if we were 30 years into the future.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm guessing it's bad

[Boydy]

The trailer looked class. Can't wait to get stuck into it.

[Giggles]

Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, according to the billboard I drive past everyday. I can’t imagine it being anything other than great, and I’m not being sarcastic.

What?

[Shindig]

Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, according to the billboard I drive past everyday. I can’t imagine it being anything other than great, and I’m not being sarcastic.

And Louis Theroux which I just can't imagine.

[Alex]

And Louis Theroux which I just can't imagine.

Justin Theroux.

They actually related though, weirdly. Cousins I beleive.

[John]

I was well up for a mad, self referential interlude where Louis Theroux makes a documentary about the experiment.

[Clunge]

No Offence is back and it's still great.

[Bob Sacamano]

Is it coming back soon?

Toggle Spoiler

I'm not really sure it will be the same without him, either.

Pretty certain it's back Nov/Dec

Toggle Spoiler

It's one of my favourite shows probably ever but the amount of unessecary deaths is so fustrating, the Conte one still annoys me, he was a great character, there's several that didn't need to die and could have added so much more. I don't doubt they still make a great 4th season though.

I don't think TV death has been as satisfying as Don Pietro's was for me.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just finished American Vandal season 2. I didn't think that the 'crime' was as good as the first season but I felt that the characters came across better. The ending and how it all unravelled was also more entertaining and I just felt it was more complete.

[Shindig]

Justin Theroux.

They actually related though, weirdly. Cousins I beleive.

They looked identical in the promo screenshots I'd seen.

[phonics]

Up to the introduction of Shaw in Person of Interest. So fit.

[phonics]

I see it's been announced that Scandal will not be returning. Praise the lord. What a thoroughly stupid show. Summed up quite well by this review I must say: "It comes to something when the only moral person in the entire thing was a torture addicted government hitman with a dubious love of drills and a severe disinterest in personal hygiene."

[John]

I'll never understand people celebrating the end of things they're not watching anyway. Are you eager to see Kerry Washington take on some weightier material or something?

Anyway, I came here to say Gina is leaving Brooklyn Nine Nine towards the beginning of the upcoming season. Genuinely excellent news. She's been a one note annoyance for about four years now.

[Giggles]

I'll never understand people celebrating the end of things they're not watching anyway. Are you eager to see Kerry Washington take on some weightier material or something?

Anyway, I came here to say Gina is leaving Brooklyn Nine Nine towards the beginning of the upcoming season. Genuinely excellent news. She's been a one note annoyance for about four years now.

Delighted to hear that. Was about the only way they could have improved it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think she works in small doses, but even then doesn't actually add much.

Easily the weakest character.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Enjoying 'Mystery Road', a six part Australian crime drama on the iplayer which I think was initially a film. I love Australian drama, maybe the setting adds something to it but they're really well made.

[John]

Have you seen Secret City, Floyd?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Nope but looks decent.