Current TV Boxset Addiction

[Link Prime]

Was the unravelled mystery of 1899 worth the 8 episode investment?

Maybe for those who were punching air after watching the final episode of Lost.

I couldn't even make it to the end of Episode 2!

They are[spoiler] caught in a giant video game[/spoiler]....more or less. not worth the wait.

That would be instantly rejected a too cliched for a Future Shock!

The thought genuinely crossed my mind too.

[Colin YNWA]

Surprised no one has referenced The English yet. BBC TV 6 part western and quite superb.

Anchored on two fantastic central performances from Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer, but elevated by numerous performances and relatively brief appearances that surround it. Its both meladramatic and hyper-visualised and grounded and earthy at the same time. Its plot heavy and character driven and frankly better than Godless if you like your westerns, and I thought Godless was bloody great. I can't recommend it highly enough.

The only misstep is all that bloody lens flare... that aside pretty much the perfect modern western.

Oh and ignore the first like 5 minutes - that's not the series that seems to set it out as and does go near the rancid cliche that suggests it might fall into... and its only 5 minutes, if that, before you get to the good stuff!

[Tiplodocus]

Yeah - utterly fantastic stuff The English.

Spencer's almost monosyllabic performance is spot on... And when he does go verbal it's with good reason and has real emotional weight.

The reveal of "the villain/driving force" is also really well done. Like all good twists it's surprising yet logical. And is it also a metaphor for what happened to America?

I was going to say America has rarely looked so gorgeous but it was filmed in Spain.

[Hawkmumbler]

I was going to say America has rarely looked so gorgeous but it was filmed in Spain.

Truly living up to the grand tradition of all the best Westerns being filmed in Almeria.

[Tiplodocus]

Yeah, I've been to that bit. It's great!

[Proudhuff]

on a Western front, I'm sure I'm fully alone with watching Longmire all the way the sixth series...

[Rara Avis]

Interesting comment - what do you mean what happened to America?

I'm not up on American history but I understand that the Pilgrims left Europe to go to the US because they were religious fundamentalists and wanted to force their way of life onto everyone else (who weren't having it) so they set off to found a new Godlier country elsewhere.

As more people arrived to exploit the continents natural resources they found the Native tribes to be an inconvenience and committed several genocides in order to secure the land for themselves. They convinced themselves that since they were racially, culturally and religiously superior to the indigenous peoples that this was Gods plan and the fact they successed was proof of his approval.

Hasn't America always been this way?

The reveal of "the villain/driving force" is also really well done. Like all good twists it's surprising yet logical. And is it also a metaphor for what happened to America?

[Tiplodocus]

Well without getting too much into spoilers, it became like that after the Europeans arrived [spoiler]making their lusts and wants the cause of the disease that destroys everything even the good/innocent settlers[/spoiler]. But I was only spitballing. I often think I should have paid more attention to the interpretation side of my English lessons.

[Rara Avis]

Ah ok I get you now. Actually as far as I know [spoiler] syphilis existed in the New World in a milder form which became mutated when introduced to Europeans who brought it back with them. There is an analogy there for White Europeans who took what the Natives had and made it worse, corrupted everything they came into contact with etc [/spoiler]

I loved The English, would absolutely recommend but I would disagree with the person who said it was better than Godless.

I'm also blown way by Season 2 of The White Lotus <chefs kiss>

Shining Girls is not bad either ...

Also watched Under the Banner of Heaven .. it was ok .. bit formulaic. Great book though.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

I have been enjoying Slow Horses

Gary Oldman* is in it.....I think. S'Gary Oldman, who can be sure?

*Who is, ironically, younger than Gary Numan

[Tiplodocus]

TOKYO VICE on iPlayer. Stylish and sexy tale of a reporter getting mixed up with Yakuza and Tokyo cops. Fantastic cast, nicely tense when it needs to be but with some laughs also. I count 15 people with the word "producer" in the titles. One of them is Michael Mann (who also directs the first episode)

One other curiosity is the class structure in Japan. It's the sort of thing you only normally see in Agatha Christie stuff here (where the servants are ignored).

[Rately]

Mr Inbetween - slow, slow burn Aussie crime drama with a dose of comedy as a Hitman negotiates the underworld and caring for his Daughter and Terminally ill brother, with Nicholas Cassim putting in an absolutely stunning performance as a man ravaged by MND. Three seasons and done, and going out on a high.

[The Legendary Shark]

Billed as an anthology of darkly comic feminist fables based on the short story collection by Cecelia Ahern, I enjoyed Roar very much. Also, if you like your comedy sci-fi with lashings of Rebecca Front and a lovely big blob of Hugh Laurie then you can do worse than throw your eyeballs at Avenue 5.

(Loved Mr. Inbetween*, thanks for the heads up.)


*It's also worth tracking down the 2005 film The Magician, upon which this series is based.

[Link Prime]

Fargo Season 4.

Halfway through an unexpected W03 2023 binge- it's just amazing.
How has Hawley managed to retain such a high standard over the years?

Unexpected chops on Rock, another Olyphant fan favourite character in Deafy and some scene stealing from Schwartzman and Huston.
Watched the episode last night wherein Josto chews Odis out and dismisses him, only for his retreat to be hindered by the door knocking tick - I don't think I've laughed so loud in over 5 years.

[Rately]

Fargo is incredible.

The Alien TV series just intrigue me so much, because Hawley is a genius at character and grim comedy.