Must-See TV
 

Was gonna put this in the Brit tv thread, but I want a general heads up lookit this cool new show type thread anyway, because I fall in love with a new show every five minutes and dont want to start a new thread every time :P

By new I mean 'new' and/or 'new to me'.


Utopia: a new drama from Ch4. They've been trailing it for weeks. By the time it was broadcast I was thoroughly intrigued. Couldn't watch it on the night, but caught up with it tonight. It was excellent!

Here are the two full length trails. Very mysterious. Very strange. Quirky, dark. Funny in places. Not really suitable for younger viewers.

we're gonna get Ripper Street on BBC America and something else...oh yeah, Orphan Black.

I'm gonna watch them both.

game of thrones starts here 3/31

And Dexter starts in JUNE!!!!!

*happy dance*


C'mon Dexxy!


Sad that it's likely to be the last season, but hopefully they'll change their minds and go to 9 seasons after all...and if they don't, well at least they're going to give his story a solid end.


[eta] Don't know about Orphan Black, but Ropper Street is excellent! Its pretty standard police procedural, but done so well and in the early days of policing. The dialogue in particular I love. It's really well written.

I'm looking forward to all of them.

I thought Dex was gonna do two more seasons. you heard different?

There's some discussion about it apparently. The programme makers had planned to end on s7, but Showtime persuaded them to stretch out the story and take it to 8. The makers are now saying that 8 will be the end, but there are also stories circulating that they mayhave been persuaded to go to 9.

Go NINE! go NINE!

but not if it's gonna suck like the Doomsday Killer season.
that season sucked and just b/c you're Tom Hanks' son doesn't mean you can act.

Now, see I really liked that season.

Now, see I heard about Utopia. Probably because Curtis is in it.

SPOILER!!!

He doesn't make it to the end of the most recent series.
He offs himself because he's been bitten by a zombie. Which he brought back to life. Because that was his fucked up talent. Just so you know.

Oh that was a Misfits SPOILER btw. Not about Nathan Stewart-Jarret.
That would just be bloody weird.

I hated it. It was a complete waste of James Olmos.


Have you seen the Hannah McKay episodes yet over there?

I didn;t like the first few eps. Fell off the series for a few months then went back and picked it back up. Really enjoyed it from around ep5 onwards. I totally didn't see the big twist coming on Travis and Geller. And the season ending was the best in ages.

[eta] didn;t really like the Hannah McKay storyline. Thought it was a bit of a rehash of that mad cow he dated through AA.

I LOVED Lila (the mad cow) because she was truly a sociopath but I HATED Hannah and would never, ever, ever, ever trust her.

Plus, didn't the woman own a fucking beige bra? All season long I had to look at that black bra thru that see thru white shirt. shit, son. go buy some lingerie.

A couple more Utopia promos, this time full scenes, so we start toget a sense of it:

@ Sundae: lol

The first ep has the best (most realistic) drunk sex scene I've seen in years with his character.

OMG am watching the programme right now, just popping in here in the ad breaks.
Bloody hell, Curtis has a nice bum!

Loving it, thanks for the ref.

Fuck me.
Intense.
Gutted it was shown on Tuesday - I wanted another ep IMMEDIATELY!

I know right?

Ep 2 tonight!!!!


I am psyched.

Me too.
Already have it in Sky+ because I might not made it all the way to the end tonight (first full day back today and alking in the snow to see the lovely Seb).

Might watch the first ep to catch up again.
Watching through my hands and saying "It's only corn syrup" again.

k. I watched Ripper Street. I'm not some provincial school girl (like I was when I saw Trainspotting) but I understood about 1/2 the dialogue. thick acctents, muddled words, and wtf did he just say?

otherwise, was good. Not great, but good.

Darling I've been to Scotland. You do not have to be thick or provincial not to understand some accents in Trainspotting. I'll try to listen to Ripper Street again with a different ear, but then much of what you don't get is probably London - my family background.

There was a similar joke in Hot Fuzz, where they automatically subtitled the Gloucestershire accent, even in the UK.

But that raises a question. Do you not have subtitles over there?
We use them for everything here. I mean "we" in the broad sense in that anyone I know who has trouble getting the dialogue will immediately switch them on. And "we" as a family. Mum's hearing is sensitive, Dad has two hearing aids and I have trouble distinguishing the spoken word if there is background music when the sound level is at Mum's chosen volume. I also miss plot points and sound effects (leaving me puzzled as to why everyone in the cast looks round in shock).

In Leicester I used them because my flat was on a main road. I could not be arsed to keep flicking the volume up for the speech and down for the music - and adverts. Stick on subtitles, don't miss a thing.

Saving grace I say.

But then I've been watching foreign films since I was 17, so reading and watching isn't an issue. Growing up in Europe is cinematically different than growing up in America, unless you are multilingual. And like most Brits, I am SO not. Altohugh I have a smattering of Merkin now :P

Whay about "Copper"? I saw one season on BBC America and it has disappeared.

I had to look that up, I'd never heard of it.

Turns out it was the first BBC America original scripted programme. Hasn't been shown over here. According to Wiki there's a second season due to air this year.

Re: Ep2 pf Utopia


Fucking hell. I am loving this show!

As far as Trainspotting goes: I had difficulty understanding some of that. Fortunately watched at home so was able to rewind when necessary to relisten. I hate using subtitles. I'd rather relisten four or five times til I get it :p

Which brings me to Ripper Street. I have to relisten to bits of dialogue several times throughout each episode. Not sure why. Don't usually have a problem with southern accents. And it is something that happens with all different characters including the American doctor. It might be something to do with the sound levels on the show.I think some lines are just a little indistinct at times.

The first episode was good. Not great, but good. I think it gets much stronger as it progresses. I've now watched three episodes and am thoroughly into it. There are a couple of interesting character backgrounds being explored and the stories are getting more intriguing. The first was a fairly standard serial killer mutilating women type story. Not so different from modern detective stories (except for the early days of pornography which was a pretty fascinating angle) but the second is more like something from Dickens.

I will re-watch Ripper with subtitles on---I think you're right about the sound levels, too...and even in 'merica we have tv shows where the actors sound like they have a bunch of mush in their mouths (maybe the dialogue is THAT bad or maybe they muffed the line, whatever) one particular show was the West Wing-people said the sound editing was horrid and they couldn't hear half of what was going on.

Utopia----I'll have to see if that's on BBCAmerica.

Utopia is a Channel4 show, so I don't know which channel might pick it up over there.

It's probably available on some streaming sites though...

Wasn't sure of the second ep to start with. Thought all the draw was in the opener.
But it revved up pretty damned fast.

And OMG. The betrayal.
Worthy of Misfits.
And you know in how high esteem I hold that.

Loving Grant.
I've always had a thing for bad boys. They are probably the only creature apart from kittens that evoke a maternal response in me.

Tril - I'm not sure Utopia is your thing.
But if you can get to see it I'd be glad for you to prove me wrong.
If there is any humour in it (and it has made me laugh) it's black as a tumour.
And there are a lot of squinchy moments. But it has to be like that to carry a fantastical narrative.

I would eat it up with a spoon.
'Cepting I know what it's done.

Eww

It's the X Files writ large. Like Romani Ite Domum.
Trust no-one. No. Absolutely fucking no-one.

I need to look up how long this series is.
It is my Wednesday treat at present.

I havent seen 3rd ep yet...I'm gearing up to watch on catch up.

I just DL'd Green Wing. I saw a few minutes of it on Youtube and it looked funny. I think I was searching Daisy Haggard and it came up as a show she'd been on.

Have yet to watch it.

Green Wing was awesome. Shame they only did two series of it. But they told a full story with that (alonside the sketchiness obviously)

Watching the first episode now. The new doctor (Tasmin Greig) reminds me so much of you.

Damn that show is so funny. I love the Scottish HR character.

Green Wing is a stunner. And the cast is stellar.
If you like Daisy Haggard you have to watch Pyschoville. They gift her some very funny lines. Especially about porn dwarves.

Thanks Sundae, I'll check it out. I'm nearly through with Season One of Green Wing. The character development is great. Tasmin Grieg still reminds me of Dana.

I am totally in love with Michelle Gomez's accent. "I don't let the squirrel out for just anybody."

I had a bit of a pervy thing for Dr Alan Statham.
Because Mark Heap played Brian in Spaced. I would have loved to have him under my thumb.

My crush on Mac was wholly justified however.

Oh, you I like. You can definitely stay.

OMFG I love this show.

Portlandia, yes?

Green Wing

I'm in love with Michelle Gomez. Her accent. The whole show is so crazy. It's funny, when I was younger and slimmer I looked a lot like Boyce.

That guy on the left looks so much like Fred Armisen to me.

Holy Christ. You Brits are killing me.

Only two more episodes and I'll be bereft.

I hate you all.

"Yes, yes, that's it you fucking pine knot."

latest episode of Utopia: Wow. I don't think you could get away with putting this out on network tv in the states. The Parents Against Anything Remotely Fun lobby would shit bricks. Could see it working well on a subscription channel though.

Just loving this show. I daren't say anything detailed, in case I accidentally spoilerfy this post...it's funny and dark and delicious. And here look, someone has kindly put the soundtrack on youtube:

Very much gets across the atmosphere of the whole show.

Arby.
Not giving anything away.
I wanted to cry, but the series moves on fast forward.

Oh and in the surveillance scene I recognised, I recognised!
Okay, in this series I am always looking at the background and looking ahead.
But for someone who was able to confuse Brad Pitt with Val Kilmer once upon a time, spotting a man sitting on a bench is pretty damned good.

Although I admit I am having a little trouble tying up all the plotlines and characters.
I need a Letts Guide.

Oh i know!!

What a fucking actor that guy is. The first ep we only heard him say one line. barely speaks, maintains exactly the same facial expression, moves at exactly the same pace throughout, and is utterly compelling to watch.

Sorry, I ETA'd.
For the record the part of the post Dana responded to was unchanged.

I'm so curious now. Could you type it in white text, just so I can know whatever crazy-ass thing they did?

I just DL'd Utopia 1-4. Are there any more? I watched the first one.

Holy crap. Not Green Wing.

How the fuck am I supposed to go to sleep?

It reminded me A LOT of Wild Palms.

@ Clod: A young schoolgirl in her school uniform, executes the man she thinks was responsible for her mother's death

@ Fts: they've only aired 4 eps so far, you's up to date.

@ Clod - in the first ep you see a man being tortured via the eyes. I can't remember the order, something like sand, chilli pepper, bleach... SPOON. Ocular displacement.

OUCH.

My sig has been quotes from the show for the last four weeks. They mean nothing out of context, but they're the ones which have given me a wry grin or a belly laugh.

In the same way I yelled "SPIDER!" at the pantomime last year.
Made my night.
Story I may tell sometime. Not very funny.

Foots did you ever see Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror series? Three separate but thematically linked hour long dramas. Really interesting. Quite dark.

The second series is about to air.

Trailer for the original set of three:



And the upcoming set:

Oh, and a few clipsand trailers from the first series :)






Bing's speech from 15 Million merits:audio only and nsfw

I'm about to launch into the second half of episode 2 of Utopia. I really have to ration my dark. I take doses of Man/Woman to take the edge off.

I just finished episode 4.

Holy Toledo.

When is the next one up?

Ah Foots.
I don't know why a furriner liking something I am obsessed with makes it better. It just does.

I know Dani and I have similar tastes, so I can just assume we're both twisted. Isolated. But a third makes it more normal.

Dani I saw Blsck Mirror trailed (prob during Utopia!) Is good then? You know I hold Brooker in high esteem.

Is it just my download or are the colors in Utopia all wonky in certain scenes? I am assuming it must be some sort of device to create thematic divisions but I haven't really bothered analyzing it too much since I am compelled by the story line.