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Shardlake (2024) . Episode 1 - good start to a 4 part miniseries.
 
Such a shame that the author CJ Sansom died a couple of days before the series' public screening. Evidently the series did have his approval, despite some plot changes - I'm assuming he did see it before he passed.
 
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Just finished watching Shōgun on Hulu, and it’s one of the best things I’ve watched in a long time! It’s a magnificent costume drama, and tries to be as historically correct and culturally sensitive as possible. They really did a good job. It’s based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel, as was the 1980 mini-series. However, I think this version takes a more subtle and psychological approach to the story.

Hiroyuki Sanada plays the Lord Yoshii Toranaga, who the viewer believes is either a defeated regent who is doomed, or a master of deceptions who is moving all the pieces to suit his ends. Sanada is also the producer of the series as well as being the lead actor. Cosmo Jarvis plays the role of British sailor John Blackthorne, who is definitely a stranger in a strange land trying to find his way. But the most captivating character is undoubtedly Anna Sawai who plays the role of Lady Mariko. She acts as a translator for Blackthorne, but as the series goes on, the depths and backstory of her character are revealed. She plays a pivotal role in the events that transpire.

All of the Japanese characters are played by Japanese actors speaking period Japanese (with subtitles) while dressed in beautifully detailed costumes. There is an “English Dub” version available on Hulu for those that dislike the subtitle-heavy original version.
 
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Acapulco has returned to AppleTV for Season 3. This isn’t genre at all, but it is a lot of fun. It features an older very successful businessman who is telling his young nephew about his youth at the Los Colinas Resort. It’s set in the present and the 1980’s, and the ‘80’s music in Spanish and English is a feature of the show. It’s a warm-hearted comedy that is easy to watch. The first two seasons are available in thier entirety, while Season 3 is dropping an episode per week.
 
Holy good Jaysus! Has anyone watched the new Doctor Who? THIS is how they kick off the series, with a bunch of talking babies in prams, and a god-damned bogeyman? The way the Doctor coos and awws and basically wets himself over the babies is nothing short of nauseating. I stuck about 20 minutes of it then turned it off. This was your last chance, Doctor Who - I was going off you from the last Jodi season. You're done now. You keep the TARDIS, I'll send back the life-size model of Davros. Jesus filling out his tax return! What is WRONG with RTD?
 
Trollheart said:
Holy good Jaysus! Has anyone watched the new Doctor Who? THIS is how they kick off the series, with a bunch of talking babies in prams, and a god-damned bogeyman? The way the Doctor coos and awws and basically wets himself over the babies is nothing short of nauseating. I stuck about 20 minutes of it then turned it off. This was your last chance, Doctor Who - I was going off you from the last Jodi season. You're done now. You keep the TARDIS, I'll send back the life-size model of Davros. Jesus filling out his tax return! What is WRONG with RTD?
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It’s got some interesting subtexts, but I am more interested in The Devil’s Chord which features a new villain and the Beatles. Besides Chuti gets to sport a ‘fro. Gotta give the new seasons a few episodes to see how things are. I was a bit disappointed with Peter Capaldi’s gruffness, but I eventually came around to enjoy his Doctor.
 
Prairie_Dog said:
I was a bit disappointed with Peter Capaldi’s gruffness, but I eventually came around to enjoy his Doctor.
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I am a bit worried that Ncuti may follow a similar route to Capaldi, where he could have been an amazing Doctor but the scripts were generally awful. Even the new villain seems to think screeching is the same as acting. I think the 15th Doctor and his companion are great actors, but like TH, I thought the scripts were dreadful. Was expecting comments today basically saying "Blame Disney", but I think that this one is all/mainly RTD. And there's only 6 episodes to go before the end of the season!
 
I don't have a problem with the new guy necessarily, I have a problem with the old guy. When the season opener features mostly two people goo-gooing and ga-gaing over babies, then that sound you hear is the slamming of a door and I am out of here! What is this: a show for grandmothers?
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Trollheart said:
I stuck about 20 minutes of it then turned it off.
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That was about 10 minutes longer than me, but if in the right mood, I may give it another try.

Edit: OK, I watched the first two episodes and in my opinion, they're both a load of old cobblers' but individual mileage may vary.
 
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Not me. If I never see another talking baby in my life it'll be too soon. I've now deleted the series link. To quote the great Dalai Lama, f**k that for a game of daleks. I'm done. RTD can only push me so far; I've listened to his self-moralising diatribes with decreasing patience over the years, and now he's spouting about the migrant crisis? Do me a lemon. I just came back for me hat. Then realised I don't have a hat. Taxi's waiting, meter's running, gotta go catch it - can't leave those things alone for two seconds!
 
Too many OOOOs! in the baby episode. It bit the big one.
But I've watched Who on and off for too many years to give up.
Even my wife remembers the eras of cheesy sets and gee whiz acting.
And if you EVER wanted good acting, you are watching the wrong series. It's about character and on occasion, wackiness.
Like PrairieDog,I have hopes for the Devil's Chord.
 
Appreciate that, but for me as I said this series has been sliding slowly and inexorably down the toilet for a long time. Without question, there have been good, even excellent, and in some very rare cases, transcendent episodes, but there have been, as we say here, a pile of shite too. Let me have a quick look and give you examples of the ones that contributed to my decision.

We're talking only since its reinvention, now, as I only watched Classic Who as a kid and remember little, and my ill-fated attempt to get to know it better foundered on the sharp rocks of reality and self-preservation of mind and soul.

Right, let's begin by giving credit where credit is due. No real problems with anything from season 1 and 2, and season 3 from "Human Nature" to the end all but perfect. Season 4 also good, could have done without "The Unicorn and the Wasp", but overall impressive. Yes, I'm a Tennant fanboy, what can I tell you? Singling out for particular praise here "Blink" (duh!) and "Turn Left".

Not that I had anything against Matt, and I don't put down the fact that suddenly I see bad storylines as he takes up the mantle - this I obviously blame on the writer(s) - but there it is. From season 5, for me, the rot sets in, with the ludicrous "Victory of the Daleks" (Spitfires in Space, now I ask you!), the equally stupid and cliche "Let's Kill Hitler" (as we move into season 6), 7 seems fine and, um, oddly I don't remember much about season 8 or 9, though I'm sure I saw them. Well I can't pick out bad episodes if I can't even remember them, but I just point out that one with a title like "Mummy on the Orient Express" does not encourage me. Maybe it was great, don't know.

Jodie comes along then as the first female Doctor, and overall I enjoyed her stories but I have to say the whole Flux thing confused and annoyed me, and Jodie's breathless, excited wide-eyed child shtick wore old real quick. Hey hold on! Tennant returned? How much of this did I miss?

Okay that's it: it's clear where my duty lies. Stand by for a retrospective of the reimagined Doctor Who, coming to a thread near you! Um, soon. Ish.

Okay, time to get to work. Big Anton, if you would, please.
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Watched a few episodes of Mrs. Davis on Peacock, which features a Sister and other members of a resistance pitted against an all-knowing AI, and somewhere in there is a subplot about the holy grail. Fun show so far.
 
What have I watched recently? Let's see. I was - and sort of still am - in one of my deep dark depressions, so did nothing much else than watch TV the last few days. So...

Spy/Master: A good Cold War drama about the days of Romanian dictator Ceaucescu and his head of intelligence, who defected (not sure if it's based on real events but I think so). Enjoyed that.

Resident Alien: Watched the whole third series. Gets better every time, though the ending kind of confused me a little.

Rebus: Reboot of the old Ian Rankin crime stories set in bonny Scotland. Good so far; retains the dark, gritty underbelly of society feel of the original.

Poldark: Also a reboot, starting season three. Very good, though you do have to feel he's a bit of a wanker. Worth watching for the lovely Eleanor Tomlinson alone. Rowr!

Double the Money: New reality show where contestants are given a sum of money and you'll never guess what they have to do with it. No really, you won't. Oh wait, maybe you will. If you can read.

The Fortune Hotel: Another reality show where people try to figure out who has the case with the cash in it, and hold on to it.

Van der Valk: Yet another reboot, with Marc Warren in the title role. Pretty good, though each episode is a two-parter, so you have to wait for the second part, which is annoying. I had hoped they'd use that classic theme from the original, but they didn't. Still, there's a motif based on it in there if you listen for it, which is nice.

Blue Lights: Season two of the police procedural set in Northern Ireland. What about ye? Damn good.

An Brontonnas* (The Gift): Irish drama (in Irish!) set in the west I think, crime drama with drugs, death and dwarves. Okay, just the one dwarf. Very impressed. Also, I could catch a few words without the subtitles. Go brea, seo!**

* (On brun-tun-is)
* (Guh bra shuh - That's good)

Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire: Love these documentaries. This one goes from the rise of Rome to, anyone?

Stateless: Drama based around Australia's immigrant camps, and a German/Australian woman who ends up there by mistake. Cate Blanchett stars.

The Rookie Feds: Enjoyable hokum, if you can get past the female lead character's annoying arrogance and love of herself, and her very irritating voice. I did, but it was a struggle. Good enough. You surely don't need me to tell you what it's about, do you?

The 1% Club: Great quiz show that tests more your powers of observation and deduction than general knowledge. Hosted by comedian Lee Mack, one of my favourite shows now (cue cancellation)

The Brothers: Old seventies BBC drama - what they used to call a "serial" - about three brothers running their late father's haulage company. I originally thought it was something else, but I've been drawn in. A young Mark McManus (Taggart) is in it.

Next up or waiting to be seen:

The Outlaws: Season 3 of the show about a bunch of people doing community service who get dragged into a feud with gangsters, or something. Enjoyed the first two seasons, new one began tonight.

The King (Il Re): Second season of the Italian drama set in a brutal prison and centring around the corrupt governor, the king in the title.

The Red King: Looks like a decent serial killer/cold case drama.

The Cleaning Lady: The eponymous worker sees something she's not supposed to and ends up working for the Mafia.

The Responder: Season 2 of the police drama starring Martin Freeman.

The Vanishing Triangle: Irish crime drama (though not in Irish this time) again centring on a serial killer
 
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