British Telly

[DanaC]

Ha! That was great.

[DanaC]

Foot, watch this:



This was a fairly spooky two parter (The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances).

There are also some fairly silly episodes which are very much playing to the younger audience - might be worth watching with the kids.

The episode where the British government is infiltrated and taken over by giant farting aliens crammed into little people suits was very much a kids one.

There have been seven series so far, with 12-13 eps per series for most of them, though one series just consisted of four specials. Altogether, including Christmas specials, there have been about 105 eps of the modern show. Compared to the average US tv show run, that's not a huge amount of catch up. Lost had 125 eps.


Just be aware that it runs the gamut of spooky to silly and back again :p

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by DanaC

The episode where the British government is infiltrated and taken over by giant farting aliens crammed into little people suits was very much a kids one.

Except it gives you Raxacoricofallapatorius which impresses kids no end. And yes I have used it shamelessly.
(I did google the correct spelling, but I can reel it off)

[elSicomoro]

See Dana, this is the shit that starts throwing people off! I thought he was 900 years old...now he's saying he's 2000...the fucker!

[DanaC]

He was when he was Tennant :p He used up quite a few centuries in the Matt Smith era - including about three or four centuries on Trenzalore in his final episode.

[DanaC]

I'm not sure if I've already mentioned this one, but can't be arsed going back through to look :p

Jonathon Creek

The main character is a magician's assistant and expert in illusions and trickery - as a side line he investigates (sometimes reluctantly) crimes which appear to have a supernatural element, or to be unsolvable mysteries. He's helped by his female sidekick - Maddy in the first few series, though the sidekick has changed a few times over the years. Oh yeah and he lives in a windmill.


It's a gentle programme, not the least bit gritty, and a good dose of humour alongside the mystery solving.

Also, the episodes have great titles like 'The Clue of the Savant's Thumb', 'The Reconstituted Corpse', 'The Problem at Gallow's Gate' and 'The Curious Tale of Mr Spearfish'.

Short run series - sometimes 6 eps, sometimes 3, some years just a special, and the odd 2 - 5 year break :p It's been on and off since '97, with the most recent run of three being this year. 25 episodes in total across 17 years.

Series eps are either 60 mins or 50 mins, and specials are usually 90 mins or 120 mins

Here's the first episode of series 2 as a taster - Danse Macabre

(the woman we see waking up is Creek's mystery solving partner)




(also, for Doctor Who fans - note that the producer was Verity Lambert and the vicar at the door none other than the fifth Doctor!)

[Sundae]

Watching Utopia series 2 online.
Advert break.
Loving it so far, even if it doesn't have the immediate grab-down-your-throat-and-pull-out-your-entire-digestive-system shock value of the first episode of the first series.

But they've been there, done that (metaphorically speaking).
It's still hardly sunshine and lollipops, but it is a slower burn, and I would carry on watching if it was my first introduction to the series.

[footfootfoot]

WTF? what kind of gaylord shoots Sophie Wu in the head?

Really seemed they ended that with the idea they'd be back next season. Unless there were of lot of flashbacks with Jay, I'd be ambivalent.

[DanaC]

So - did you not like the show then?




[eta] I suspect had the show got a second series, Jay would have returned as a fade

[footfootfoot]

No, I loved the show! I was just outraged that Jay got a cap in her crown. I was also spending a lot of time trying to remember if the mom was married to Mike Leigh or just in his movies. I finally remembered to google it. She was the mom in Secrets and Lies.

[Sundae]

Possibly NSFW.
Just a little swear but consider yourself warned.

Second episode of Utopia (series 2)
The first was back-story, which was fascinating.
Ep 2 is present day.
Back to eye-popping colours, who-can-you-trust and violence. Headshots a-plenty. Brains on walls.

Arby with a beard.
Kevin fucking Eldon!
Grant in teen mardy mode.
Jessica Hyde... well, scarred. No spoilers.
And I have a new ginger love in my life, Alistair Petrie. He looks about 9 feet tall in some shots. Imagine the tall, pale, red headed bairns we'd have had.

[DanaC]

Kevin fucking Eldon!

I know!!!!


Totes amazeballs.

[Sundae]

Although I can't switch off my continuity button.
Watch Arbie and his plate of quinoa..

[elSicomoro]

Just watched That Summer!, which seems like a cross between what folks do at the Jersey Shore every summer (except in the UK) and the events of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Not a bad movie.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Although I can't switch off my continuity button.
Watch Arbie and his plate of quinoa..

It's a superfood.