Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
FFS how disappointing is the Haunting of Hill House? I heard this was a Netflix masterpiece, up there with The Killling (Danish version, series 1)
It's just dreary and meh. Like Eastenders with feeble ghostly effects
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
"Mr Mercedes" is quite good - mostly because of Brendan Gleeson but it's quite a good Stephen King adaptation.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
FFS how disappointing is the Haunting of Hill House? I heard this was a Netflix masterpiece, up there with The Killling (Danish version, series 1)
It's just dreary and meh. Like Eastenders with feeble ghostly effects
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Big Little Lies is perfection. Brilliant, tight plot. You are asked to work out both murderer and victim. It is pure brilliance over five episodes.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
FFS how disappointing is the Haunting of Hill House? I heard this was a Netflix masterpiece, up there with The Killling (Danish version, series 1)
It's just dreary and meh. Like Eastenders with feeble ghostly effects
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Black Earth Rising & Killing Eve both very good. The latest series of The Bridge was very good - Saga is one of the best detectives ever.
The Little Drummer Girl first episode seemed very slow but by the end of Ep 2 we were fully hooked (don't think you can download the whole series yet though)
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed British media.
Sure Trump is box office, and interesting. Yes, it will have some impact on us (er, somehow)
But the fact is America is an ever diminishing power in a multipolar world. On many metrics, China is already much more important, on GDP PPP China is already the world's biggest economy. It will only get bigger and America (relatively smaller) for the foreseeable future.
How much news do we hear from China? Fuck all. Yet British journalists act like it is 1960 or even 1990 and America bestrides the world, and whatever it does must make us all tremble. It's bullshit.
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
It’s not so much laziness. Language is a huge barrier. How many hacks speak and read Chinese? We have an actual PRC citizen working for us in our HK office and the stories she gets are unbelievable. They put us miles ahead of everyone else - and earns a fortune. But she’s doing B2B. She just couldn’t get the stories you can get out of the US. She’d be banned for starters.
Yep. I lived there 7 years, and have the equivalent of 2 years University Chinese. Can I read a newspaper? Not really. Could I write a paragraph? Not above Primary School level. Compare with any European language, or any with a phonetic alphabet TBH. Learning Chinese is a long-term proposition.
Yep. I know two westerners who speak fluent Chinese, one a Brit, the other a Kiwi. They both started young and lived in China for years. I think Mandarin is easier than Cantonese, though.
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed British media.
Sure Trump is box office, and interesting. Yes, it will have some impact on us (er, somehow)
But the fact is America is an ever diminishing power in a multipolar world. On many metrics, China is already much more important, on GDP PPP China is already the world's biggest economy. It will only get bigger and America (relatively smaller) for the foreseeable future.
How much news do we hear from China? Fuck all. Yet British journalists act like it is 1960 or even 1990 and America bestrides the world, and whatever it does must make us all tremble. It's bullshit.
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
It’s not so much laziness. Language is a huge barrier. How many hacks speak and read Chinese? We have an actual PRC citizen working for us in our HK office and the stories she gets are unbelievable. They put us miles ahead of everyone else - and earns a fortune. But she’s doing B2B. She just couldn’t get the stories you can get out of the US. She’d be banned for starters.
Yep. I lived there 7 years, and have the equivalent of 2 years University Chinese. Can I read a newspaper? Not really. Could I write a paragraph? Not above Primary School level. Compare with any European language, or any with a phonetic alphabet TBH. Learning Chinese is a long-term proposition.
English is official in nearly 60 countries and nearly 30 territories/sub-national entities.
Chinese is official in.... China (inc. Hong Kong and Macau)? Oh, and Taiwan, and Singapore...
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Well you won't like the rest then as season 1 is the best season by far. I liked it but gave up a few years ago, which is getting to the point of a lot of shows I used to like a lot, like The Blacklist, Suits or Vikings. I'm still really enjoying The Good Place - a show I genuinely have no idea where it is headed but which is still very funny and like the best comedies (eg Parks and Rec from Season 3 onwards) relies on its great characters to see it through.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Just don’t watch season 2 of true detective whatever you do...
Indeed. Series 1 was genius. Let us not speak of series 2.
Just like Westworld....and they are going to make another 3 seasons of Westworld...shakes head.
I've not seen True Detective, but personally I thought Westworld's fall was very predictable as its first season is very overrated in my book. Stunning production, great acting, great direction...writing was terrible. But I know I am in a minority on that view.
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
It’s not so mun’t get the stories you can get out of the US. She’d be banned for starters.
Then it's laziness, they should learn Chinese.
I wen
You need to learn Chinese first. Right now western Chinese speakers earn shedloads doing other stuff. I have been to Shanghai a few times. The endless procession of huge boats up and down the river is hypnotic and also an immensely powerful symbol of what you talk about. I’m back there again next month for a few days.
That’s no excuse, of course, and in time coverage will improve. But I suspect it’s a next generation thing.
Interesting, ta. I think you are right.
I love Shanghai, by the way. Beijing much less so (tho still fascinating). Chengdu is weirdly marvellous and also horrific. Hong Kong is mesmerising. Kunming is like Miami meets old Zagreb. Macao is crazy. Etc etc etc
There's so much to discover in China, I fail to understand why all western journalists aren't out there, it is clearly where the next global story is being scripted, yet they're all huddling in Washington talking about Trump, It's kind of pathetic,
The bold boys and girls who go East will win the big prizes - but in the next generation, as you say.
Yep, totally agree. I’d definitely take Shanghai over Beijing and HK over both. The only other place I’ve been to in China is Shenzhen. That is an extraordinary place. From a fishing village to a city of 10 million plus and a global high tech centre in under 40 years. Everyone who lives there is from somewhere else. First time I went there I cleverly got my HK hotel to write the name if my Shenzhen hotel in Chinese script to give to my taxi driver when I crossed the border. The plan fell apart, though, because my taxi driver couldn’t read!
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Yes, Arrow is awful.
Sure, but it used to be fun trash, which it isn't anymore.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Yes, Arrow is awful.
Sure, but it used to be fun trash, which it isn't anymore.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
Next you will be telling us Radiohead is massively overrated, especially live ;-)
I love it. Also recommended on Netflix Homeland and The Crown.
I feel like I need to give The Crown another chance, but it is so dull I never made it through the first season. As a patriotic monarchist that is probably wrong of me.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Yes, Arrow is awful.
Sure, but it used to be fun trash, which it isn't anymore.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
If you don't mind subtitles, "Spiral" ("Engrengages") is terrific. Very gritty French police procedural thats shows the cops as being almost as brutal as the crims at times.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Yes, Arrow is awful.
Sure, but it used to be fun trash, which it isn't anymore.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
Next you will be telling us Radiohead is massively overrated, especially live ;-)
Unlikely, I have not knowingly heard a Radiohead song before, make of that what you will!
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Yes, Arrow is awful.
Sure, but it used to be fun trash, which it isn't anymore.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
Next you will be telling us Radiohead is massively overrated, especially live ;-)
Unlikely, I have not knowingly heard a Radiohead song before, make of that what you will!
Careful, I believe that you can have your posting privileges revoked for such an admission....
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Yes, Arrow is awful.
Sure, but it used to be fun trash, which it isn't anymore.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
If you don't mind subtitles, "Spiral" ("Engrengages") is terrific. Very gritty French police procedural thats shows the cops as being almost as brutal as the crims at times.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
FFS how disappointing is the Haunting of Hill House? I heard this was a Netflix masterpiece, up there with The Killling (Danish version, series 1)
It's just dreary and meh. Like Eastenders with feeble ghostly effects
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Black Earth Rising & Killing Eve both very good. The latest series of The Bridge was very good - Saga is one of the best detectives ever.
The Little Drummer Girl first episode seemed very slow but by the end of Ep 2 we were fully hooked (don't think you can download the whole series yet though)
Black Earth Rising was really well done, covering both the worst and best of africa, and of western intervention there. A really interesting exploration of a very dark and ambiguous period of history, and it's echoes over the decades. The acting and graphics were superb, though the story difficult. Plenty of interesting and haunting themes.
Doing Money on BBC was a one off on Monday, but also very compelling viewing.
"The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on"
Trump's reaction to the midterm election results briefly caused the following series to flit through my brain: Hobson's choice. Pyrrhic victory Parthian shot Trump's triumph
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
FFS how disappointing is the Haunting of Hill House? I heard this was a Netflix masterpiece, up there with The Killling (Danish version, series 1)
It's just dreary and meh. Like Eastenders with feeble ghostly effects
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Black Earth Rising & Killing Eve both very good. The latest series of The Bridge was very good - Saga is one of the best detectives ever.
The Little Drummer Girl first episode seemed very slow but by the end of Ep 2 we were fully hooked (don't think you can download the whole series yet though)
Killing Eve was silly, overhyped shite. Sorry. And I loved Fleabag (scripted by the same clever woman).
Well, each to their own, eh? Killing Eve reminded me of Fargo - ott violence played for black comedy rather than realism.
Not as good as Breaking Bad, which I consider one of the top 5 tv shows of all time.
Surely for this site, The West Wing has to be in most people's top 5
I watched every season but at times the show was insufferably smug and the absolute mangling of characters tl when Sorkin left led to the second last season being absolutely dreadful.
X has called for a recount In Florida recount is automatic if margin is 0.5 so no need to call for one Y criticises X for calling for recount, even though there being one is not triggered by a call anyway so who cares
Rick Scott does seem to have a knack for winning tight contests - I think it was said last night he won previous elections with margins around 1%, and now this one even less than that.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
If anyone could recommend any stuff to binge watch I'd be grateful.
I've got access to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
The first season of True Detective is very fine television.
Arrow is utter crap (I say after watching 7 episodes) .
Watched True Detective.
The Arrowverse is awesome.
If Homicide:Life on the Street is available then you should definitely watch that.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
Yes, Arrow is awful.
Sure, but it used to be fun trash, which it isn't anymore.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
If you don't mind subtitles, "Spiral" ("Engrengages") is terrific. Very gritty French police procedural thats shows the cops as being almost as brutal as the crims at times.
Yes. Very much so. Mixes the mystery,action, procedural, political and soapy lives of the protagonists very cleverly too.
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
It’s not so mun’t get the stories you can get out of the US. She’d be banned for starters.
Then it's laziness, they should learn Chinese.
I wen
You need to learn Chinese first. Right now western Chinese speakers earn shedloads doing other stuff. I have been to Shanghai a few times. The endless procession of huge boats up and down the river is hypnotic and also an immensely powerful symbol of what you talk about. I’m back there again next month for a few days.
That’s no excuse, of course, and in time coverage will improve. But I suspect it’s a next generation thing.
Interesting, ta. I think you are right.
I love Shanghai, by the way. Beijing much less so (tho still fascinating). Chengdu is weirdly marvellous and also horrific. Hong Kong is mesmerising. Kunming is like Miami meets old Zagreb. Macao is crazy. Etc etc etc
There's so much to discover in China, I fail to understand why all western journalists aren't out there, it is clearly where the next global story is being scripted, yet they're all huddling in Washington talking about Trump, It's kind of pathetic,
The bold boys and girls who go East will win the big prizes - but in the next generation, as you say.
Yep, totally agree. I’d definitely take Shanghai over Beijing and HK over both. The only other place I’ve been to in China is Shenzhen. That is an extraordinary place. From a fishing village to a city of 10 million plus and a global high tech centre in under 40 years. Everyone who lives there is from somewhere else. First time I went there I cleverly got my HK hotel to write the name if my Shenzhen hotel in Chinese script to give to my taxi driver when I crossed the border. The plan fell apart, though, because my taxi driver couldn’t read!
May I recommend Taiwan if you get the chance? Chinese, but without the Cultural Revolution. Ultra-modern cities with bizarre back alleys where you feel like you've gone back a couple of hundred years in time. Ancient incense filled temples, rainforest, highest mountains East of the Himalayas, gorgeous beaches, the best Chinese food, a rather unexpected avant garde arts scene, and most under 30's speak at least rudimentary English. Friendly people too. Democratic, but without the suffocating conformity of Singapore.
It's one of those shows I remember being great, truly great, yet have not felt the urge to rewatch since it concluded.
Because it is depressing. Not escapist. Has anyone ever re-read Jude the Obscure? No. It's too sad, even if it is a masterpiece.
I've probably watched the Lord of the Rings Movies three or four times. Absurd inane escapism, but great for long haul flights with lots of free booze.
Watched Jude the obscure on BBC eons ago .... I looked it up. My recollection was it was in black and white but can only find the 71 version that doesn't seem to have been monochrome.
Re golden age of telly...HBO is starting to look a bit threadbare.
A few years ago they had tits and dragons, boardwalk empire, Silicon Valley (with erlich), newsroom, treme, true blood and true detective all running at the same time.
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed British media.
Sure Trump is box office, and interesting. Yes, it will have some impact on us (er, somehow)
But the fact is America is an ever diminishing power in a multipolar world. On many metrics, China is already much more important, on GDP PPP China is already the world's biggest economy. It will only get bigger and America (relatively smaller) for the foreseeable future.
How much news do we hear from China? Fuck all. Yet British journalists act like it is 1960 or even 1990 and America bestrides the world, and whatever it does must make us all tremble. It's bullshit.
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
Agreed, the BBC’s coverage of Chinese elections isn’t up to much.
Sure, China is a non democracy. Indeed it is heading AWAY from democracy. But isn't that in itself a way more interesting and important story than some dumb twat winning the deputy governorship of New Dakota North (district 9)?
China is tumultuous and huge and is THE biggest trading nation on the planet. Soon it will be the biggest economy (if it isn't already - choose your measurement). Brits who rely on British TV news are spectacularly ill-informed on these issues. It's just shoddy. Lazy. Wanky.
Spanish newspapers cover Hispanic countries disproportionately. Portuguese newspapers report plenty on Brazil and Angola. French newspapers cover elections in West and Central Africa.
This is normal, unsurprising, and inevitable. At least when India eventually gets around to challenging for supremacy, our journalists might cover it properly.
It's one of those shows I remember being great, truly great, yet have not felt the urge to rewatch since it concluded.
Because it is depressing. Not escapist. Has anyone ever re-read Jude the Obscure? No. It's too sad, even if it is a masterpiece.
I've probably watched the Lord of the Rings Movies three or four times. Absurd inane escapism, but great for long haul flights with lots of free booze.
Watched Jude the obscure on BBC eons ago .... I looked it up. My recollection was it was in black and white but can only find the 71 version that doesn't seem to have been monochrome.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
FFS how disappointing is the Haunting of Hill House? I heard this was a Netflix masterpiece, up there with The Killling (Danish version, series 1)
It's just dreary and meh. Like Eastenders with feeble ghostly effects
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Black Earth Rising & Killing Eve both very good. The latest series of The Bridge was very good - Saga is one of the best detectives ever.
The Little Drummer Girl first episode seemed very slow but by the end of Ep 2 we were fully hooked (don't think you can download the whole series yet though)
Black Earth Rising was really well done, covering both the worst and best of africa, and of western intervention there. A really interesting exploration of a very dark and ambiguous period of history, and it's echoes over the decades. The acting and graphics were superb, though the story difficult. Plenty of interesting and haunting themes.
Doing Money on BBC was a one off on Monday, but also very compelling viewing.
If you want to learn about Africa can I recommend a book (yes, an actual book): Dictatorland.
It's totally terrific, and gripping and shocking, and full of WTF details, like the best history should be.
If you're ever going to Africa, pack it or download it.
I have been to Africa many times, for both work and pleasure, but that does sound an interesting read. I love Africa, but it can be an uncomfortable place to confront the darkness of history.
You might find this one interesting, written as a travelogue over land and history:
It's one of those shows I remember being great, truly great, yet have not felt the urge to rewatch since it concluded.
Because it is depressing. Not escapist. Has anyone ever re-read Jude the Obscure? No. It's too sad, even if it is a masterpiece.
I've probably watched the Lord of the Rings Movies three or four times. Absurd inane escapism, but great for long haul flights with lots of free booze.
Watched Jude the obscure on BBC eons ago .... I looked it up. My recollection was it was in black and white but can only find the 71 version that doesn't seem to have been monochrome.
Maybe you only had a B&W TV?
Yes that did ocvcur to me after I had posted it. My dad got a "Visionhire" 26 inch tele with BBC 2 for the 66 world cup.. but I recall watching test programmes in colour about a dam in Africa and rescuing the animals.. confusing. I recall JTO being very deep.
And hugely recommend Mindhunter. Can't wait for Series 2.....
Peaky Blinders first series was masterful and mindblowing. Again, like so many, it declined seriously thereafter.
I reckon there is real and rare art to keeping a series going, at the same level of dramatic interest, over multiple seasons. The greatest example of this being done successfully is Grays Anatomy, which pumps out 26 episodes a year, and remains wildly watchable (at least as far as series 10 - yes, 10) which is far as I got before I became distracted.
I don't know what drug the writers/producers were taking, but they managed to make major changes at just the right moment, so you shifted your empathy to a new character, kicking off a whole new addiction. It was/is the Instagram/Facebook of TV dramas. High quality, and it knew what buttons to push, and when. Bravo.
The good wife (and it’s spin off) falls into that category. It’s not earth shattering but even after a load of seasons it is still pump out solid episodes.
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed British media.
Sure Trump is box office, and interesting. Yes, it will have some impact on us (er, somehow)
But the fact is America is an ever diminishing power in a multipolar world. On many metrics, China is already much more important, on GDP PPP China is already the world's biggest economy. It will only get bigger and America (relatively smaller) for the foreseeable future.
How much news do we hear from China? Fuck all. Yet British journalists act like it is 1960 or even 1990 and America bestrides the world, and whatever it does must make us all tremble. It's bullshit.
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
I agree that it's absurd. I think it's a cultural cringe brought on by a complete lack of belief in Britain as an independent country. The attitude of the media makes sense if viewed as a pretence that we're basically part of the US, and so it's a sort of domestic news story.
Given the real life going’s on, for those who haven’t seen season 6 of house of cards ...it is going to seem very tame in comparison.
I've not watched season 5 yet, should I binge watch them?
I've got another five and a half months of gardening leave to use up.
I guess so...given you ain’t much else going on. Season 6 is terrible, season 5 no where near as good as the first 2 or 3.
You could go on a manhole cover tour instead....
FFS how disappointing is the Haunting of Hill House? I heard this was a Netflix masterpiece, up there with The Killling (Danish version, series 1)
It's just dreary and meh. Like Eastenders with feeble ghostly effects
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Big Little Lies is perfection. Brilliant, tight plot. You are asked to work out both murderer and victim. It is pure brilliance over five episodes.
Yes, that was very good. Unfortunately, I've watched it already. I do wonder if we are coming to the end of a golden era. For a while it felt like there was magnificent TV everywhere.
Hopefully this is just a hiatus WITHIN a golden age, like that slight dip from 1969-71 between the end of the Beatles and the advent of Led Zep, Genesis, Pink Floyd, then punk.....
Now we have.... Ed Sheeran. *sigh*
If you appreciate great plotting, the first series of Unforgotten is ingenious. Hardly as glamorous as Big Little Lies, but very tightly woven, and engaging. The latter two series fade away.
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Watch Community. Again.
Then do it again. Watch for the Easter eggs and other awesomely cool shit you missed first and second and third time round
Cowboy Beebop is not available on any streaming service without paying but is an incredible animated series with an absolutely killer soundtrack. The whole package is effortlessly cool.
Hopefully this is just a hiatus WITHIN a golden age, like that slight dip from 1969-71 between the end of the Beatles and the advent of Led Zep, Genesis, Pink Floyd, then punk....
the beatles released two albums in 1969 and one in 1970. led zep released their first four albums in 1969-71. pink floyd were becoming tedious by the time they released their fourth album in 1969!
Hopefully this is just a hiatus WITHIN a golden age, like that slight dip from 1969-71 between the end of the Beatles and the advent of Led Zep, Genesis, Pink Floyd, then punk....
the beatles released two albums in 1969 and one in 1970. led zep released their first four albums in 1969-71. pink floyd were becoming tedious by the time they released their fourth album in 1969!
If you like early Floyd, don't miss Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets:
May I recommend Taiwan if you get the chance? Chinese, but without the Cultural Revolution. Ultra-modern cities with bizarre back alleys where you feel like you've gone back a couple of hundred years in time. Ancient incense filled temples, rainforest, highest mountains East of the Himalayas, gorgeous beaches, the best Chinese food, a rather unexpected avant garde arts scene, and most under 30's speak at least rudimentary English. Friendly people too. Democratic, but without the suffocating conformity of Singapore.
SeanT:
As a pro travel writer, I have heard the same. A great destination, weirdly overlooked. Everyone I know who has been there raves about it. But few go. You have reminded me to nudge my editor. I shall demand a commission!
FWIW I have also heard Hainan is alluring (China's other big offshore sunny island). Meant to be very sexy, laid back, amusing, hedonistic - it's where rich Chinese go to party (in China).
You do it. Taiwan would suit you. Drug-fuelled queer rave clubs, Taoist Gods in procession holding up traffic, Lines of Mercedes' and BMW's speeding past old women in coolie hats transplanting rice. Spectacularly noisy and heated elections and demos. Extremely pretty women. Especially those mixing the Chinese and native Polynesian population. Oh, and the National Palace Museum has the treasures of Ancient Imperial China which they wisely nicked. Quite exceptionally impressive. Wouldn't describe it as sunny though...it pisses down a lot, And is viciously humid in Summer.
Final TV recommendation for @TheScreamingEagles on Amazon prime is the Marvelous Mrs Maisel which is about to get its second season. The first season was brilliant.
Final TV recommendation for @TheScreamingEagles on Amazon prime is the Marvelous Mrs Maisel which is about to get its second season. The first season was brilliant.
Yes, excellent. And Tony Shalhoub stole every scene he was in... love the guy.
I agree that it's absurd. I think it's a cultural cringe brought on by a complete lack of belief in Britain as an independent country. The attitude of the media makes sense if viewed as a pretence that we're basically part of the US, and so it's a sort of domestic news story.
I'm in Denmark this week, and watching Danish and German TV. They've been completely transfixed by the US elections (and they're dominating the Danish print media too). The equivalent of BBC2 had 24-hour coverage of them on Monday/Tuesday. So I don't think it's anything much to do with cultural cringe. Rather, most Europeans feel Trump makes a good panto villain, and they were keen to see if he'd get his come-uppance or escape for another episode.
Does anyone have any drama recommendations, or have we finally reached the end of the golden age of TV? I speak as someone flying out to Thailand then Sri Lanka tomorrow, for almost 3 weeks.
I need to download! And my iPad is empty.
Korean drama (preferably on Rakuten wiki, as the crowd sourced subtitles capture the language better, but Netflix is OK otherwise).
As we're doing travel, a personally curious anecdote. I grew up in Denmark, and liked it a lot, but haven't been back very often. I strolled out for a meal this evening, and I last remember walking along this particular bit of the town when I was about 17, 50 years ago. Seeing my former home flash by earlier when someone was giving me a lift; travelling around by local trains and buses, hearing Danish everywhere, and now revisiting an almost unchanged street decades later, I *felt* 17, even down to feeling vaguely uneasy that I'd not called home to my parents to say I'd be out late. It's a very odd mixture - one part nostalgia, one part recapturing youthful energy, one part disconcerted. But mostly just...strange.
It's one of those shows I remember being great, truly great, yet have not felt the urge to rewatch since it concluded.
Because it is depressing. Not escapist. Has anyone ever re-read Jude the Obscure? No. It's too sad, even if it is a masterpiece.
I've probably watched the Lord of the Rings Movies three or four times. Absurd inane escapism, but great for long haul flights with lots of free booze.
Expect a Roger Stone indictment soon, I guess. And Mueller laying out all his evidence in the indictment, along the lines of the Watergate roadmap, and asking the judge to unseal it...
Of course the Republicans remain in control of redistricting, and supervision of elections, so the net effect for 2020 congressional elections might well be a wash. Florida remains perhaps the key swing state for the Presidency.
No, Pennsylvania is now the key swing state for the Presidency, Florida is more GOP than the nation
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed British media.
Sure Trump is box office, and interesting. Yes, it will have some impact on us (er, somehow)
But the fact is America is an ever diminishing power in a multipolar world. On many metrics, China is already much more important, on GDP PPP China is already the world's biggest economy. It will only get bigger and America (relatively smaller) for the foreseeable future.
How much news do we hear from China? Fuck all. Yet British journalists act like it is 1960 or even 1990 and America bestrides the world, and whatever it does must make us all tremble. It's bullshit.
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
Agreed, the BBC’s coverage of Chinese elections isn’t up to much.
Not much to report, the winner is chosen in advance by the Communist Party and if you complain you get shot!
Apparently, the “asked to resign” construct for Sessions’ firing is more than uncharacteristic presidential kindness. Had Trump fired Sessions, Rosenstein would have moved up to AG almost automatically (to stop a hypothetical power-grabbing president by-passing Senate approval by firing people and appointing temporary successors). I can’t find much detail online in this specific case, but the principles were discussed when it looked like Rosenstein was going in September:
I've never quite understood why so many people are willing to resign when they are clearly being fired. I get there can be consequences to standing their ground and making the boss formally fire them, particularly politically, but that's not always going to be the case and it doesn't fool anyone anyway, it just makes the media reporting more unintentionally hilarious as they have to avoid the word sacked. From the last time someone was 'asked to resign' that seems to be the level where the media are comfortable to call it a sacking though.
MONEY and lots of it if they fall on their sword , zilch if they don't.
I know this is a political betting website, so it's bound to be geeky, and obsessed with obscure elections overseas like no one else. but I am buggered if I know why these elex have totally obsessed
I blame lazy hacks, personally.
It’s not so mun’t get the stories you can get out of the US. She’d be banned for starters.
Then it's laziness, they should learn Chinese.
I wen
You need to learn Chinese first. Right now western Chinese speakers earn shedloads doing other stuff. I have been to Shanghai a few times. The endless procession of huge boats up and down the river is hypnotic and also an immensely powerful symbol of what you talk about. I’m back there again next month for a few days.
As a journalist there, though, it’s very tough. You do need the language; then you need to make the contacts. For a non-Chinese that is incredibly hard. If you manage it and start getting uncomfortable stories the chances are you’ll be expelled. The best approach would be to use a team of local stringers and manage them discretely - the challenge there, though, is training people who have grown up in a culture and system where questioning authority is strongly discouraged.
That’s no excuse, of course, and in time coverage will improve. But I suspect it’s a next generation thing.
Interesting, ta. I think you are right.
I love Shanghai, by the way. Beijing much less so (tho still fascinating). Chengdu is weirdly marvellous and also horrific. Hong Kong is mesmerising. Kunming is like Miami meets old Zagreb. Macao is crazy. Etc etc etc
There's so much to discover in China, I fail to understand why all western journalists aren't out there, it is clearly where the next global story is being scripted, yet they're all huddling in Washington talking about Trump, It's kind of pathetic,
The bold boys and girls who go East will win the big prizes - but in the next generation, as you say.
I believe Carrie Gracie's complaint was that as China Editor for the BBC she should have been paid the same as Jon Sopel, the BBC's North America Editor
Comments
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1060256623439110146
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1060256619383193601
The Little Drummer Girl first episode seemed very slow but by the end of Ep 2 we were fully hooked (don't think you can download the whole series yet though)
I've not watched it yet, so can neither confirm or deny.
Seriously though Arrow is a garbage fire of bad writing and bad acting in season 1 so far.
https://twitter.com/NancyPelosi/status/1060275979782967298
https://twitter.com/NancyPelosi/status/1060275980424695808
Chinese is official in.... China (inc. Hong Kong and Macau)? Oh, and Taiwan, and Singapore...
The Man in the High Castle is floundering a bit though.
Come to think of it I thought similar things, for different reasons, with House of Cards, to the point I wasn't much interested even before Spacey was fired.
http://hurryupharry.org/2018/11/06/conspiracy-theorist-selected-as-labour-candidate-in-safe-ward/
Doing Money on BBC was a one off on Monday, but also very compelling viewing.
Moves on"
Trump's reaction to the midterm election results briefly caused the following series to flit through my brain:
Hobson's choice.
Pyrrhic victory
Parthian shot
Trump's triumph
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7673179/labour-islamic-extremist-shakeel-begg/
Wow, just wow
Nobody is in the least surprised....
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/07/politics/florida-senate-race-bill-nelson-rick-scott-recount/index.html
X has called for a recount
In Florida recount is automatic if margin is 0.5 so no need to call for one
Y criticises X for calling for recount, even though there being one is not triggered by a call anyway so who cares
Rick Scott does seem to have a knack for winning tight contests - I think it was said last night he won previous elections with margins around 1%, and now this one even less than that.
https://twitter.com/cjwerleman/status/1059839050985533440?s=19
And hugely recommend Mindhunter. Can't wait for Series 2.....
A few years ago they had tits and dragons, boardwalk empire, Silicon Valley (with erlich), newsroom, treme, true blood and true detective all running at the same time.
This is normal, unsurprising, and inevitable. At least when India eventually gets around to challenging for supremacy, our journalists might cover it properly.
You might find this one interesting, written as a travelogue over land and history:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exterminate-All-Brutes-Sven-Lindqvist/dp/1862075085
Some of his other books are worth seeking out too, particularly Desert Divers.
On South Africa at the end of Apartheid, I recommend Rian Malan's "My Traitors Heart"
https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Traitors-Heart-African-Explores/dp/0099749009
Then do it again. Watch for the Easter eggs and other awesomely cool shit you missed first and second and third time round
https://www.seetickets.com/tour/nick-mason-s-saucerful-of-secrets#
Gary Kemp as Syd Barratt is surprisingly good!
That was my point about Community. They strung out a single joke over 3 seasons, but only if you know it's there.
The level of invention is insane
May I recommend Taiwan if you get the chance? Chinese, but without the Cultural Revolution. Ultra-modern cities with bizarre back alleys where you feel like you've gone back a couple of hundred years in time. Ancient incense filled temples, rainforest, highest mountains East of the Himalayas, gorgeous beaches, the best Chinese food, a rather unexpected avant garde arts scene, and most under 30's speak at least rudimentary English. Friendly people too. Democratic, but without the suffocating conformity of Singapore.
SeanT:
As a pro travel writer, I have heard the same. A great destination, weirdly overlooked. Everyone I know who has been there raves about it. But few go. You have reminded me to nudge my editor. I shall demand a commission!
FWIW I have also heard Hainan is alluring (China's other big offshore sunny island). Meant to be very sexy, laid back, amusing, hedonistic - it's where rich Chinese go to party (in China).
@dixiedean:
You do it. Taiwan would suit you. Drug-fuelled queer rave clubs, Taoist Gods in procession holding up traffic, Lines of Mercedes' and BMW's speeding past old women in coolie hats transplanting rice. Spectacularly noisy and heated elections and demos. Extremely pretty women. Especially those mixing the Chinese and native Polynesian population.
Oh, and the National Palace Museum has the treasures of Ancient Imperial China which they wisely nicked. Quite exceptionally impressive.
Wouldn't describe it as sunny though...it pisses down a lot, And is viciously humid in Summer.
https://twitter.com/JeffFlake/status/1060291790173986816
https://twitter.com/abidhussayn/status/1060278669678182405?s=19
When the hell do you find the time to watch all this stuff???
Lots of good documentaries on the radio iplayer.
Misaeng is brilliant.
Forest of Secrets also.
In all honesty most shows don't take that much time to plough through. Games on the other hand...
Night all.
I loathe Hardy. Some fine poetry, though.
And Mueller laying out all his evidence in the indictment, along the lines of the Watergate roadmap, and asking the judge to unseal it...
Apparently, the “asked to resign” construct for Sessions’ firing is more than uncharacteristic presidential kindness. Had Trump fired Sessions, Rosenstein would have moved up to AG almost automatically (to stop a hypothetical power-grabbing president by-passing Senate approval by firing people and appointing temporary successors). I can’t find much detail online in this specific case, but the principles were discussed when it looked like Rosenstein was going in September:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/24/why-it-matters-whether-rosenstein-is-fired-or-he-resigns.html