Television programmes

The late great Spike Milligan, a true original, creator of the Goon Show, and later Q on tv which did what Python would do before they had done it.
What made Spike truly great, and unpc, was he bowed to know one, there were no sacred cows, there was no authority out of reach, no tabu subjects and this complete irreverence to all aspects of life gave Britain its modern 'alternative' comedy, form Python onwards they all owe something to Spike Milligan, the man whose gravestone reads 'I told you I was ill.'

Here's a tv tribute made shortly after his death featuring an array of UK comedy talent recreating his sketches interspersed with sketches from the man himself, but first, in case you have any doubt to his greatness, heres a short clip of him receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Comedy Awards, and receiving a message from Prince Charles and proving age had not his dimmed his attitude, or humour at all-

In honor of the super bowl!!!!!!!

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen hanging out has been one of the most unexpected photo memes for me.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:

Yeah, Spike Milligan is wonderfull. I might have seen that a good while ago, but might give it a rewatch.

I had a quick look on youtube, and if anything sums up his work in television and humour it's this video.



And while I was there I found this account with a shedload of whole Q series episodes. You mihgt give it a look if you haven't seen it.

https://www.youtube.com/user/richeyrich333/videos

My mother got me hooked on the British tv show Doc Martin. Does anyone else here watch it?

Brian Blessed on Have I got news for you.

My mother got me hooked on the British tv show Doc Martin. Does anyone else here watch it?- Bungo

Yeah I watch it, its nicely quirky, generally gentle and good Sunday evening tv.


Ah Brian Bleeesed, bigger than life in every way!   

 

Bigger ... and louder.  

He is brilliant in Brannaghs Henry V as Exeter- you just wouldnt fuck with the guy.

Ooh I liked that ! Havent seen it as of yet so, IL go have a looky ! And thats something else I love about this place.... you get an education, Are shown things you may have missed or may not have know !

Its my favourite of Brannaghs Shakespeare films just brilliant scene after brilliant scene.

Subtitled but only one I could find.

I also thought the BBC Hollow Crown series version of Richard II was superb too, this site seems to work for me ok, but as always when going to unknown sites you'll probably need adblocks and stuff on to stop it being annoying- I dont know, I didnt get any hassles-

http://my.mail.ru/video/list/alixandra/Tom-Hiddleston/20350.html#video=/list/alixandra/Tom-Hiddleston/20350

I had to go to IMDB for a trailer but, its full of well known faces isnt it ! Looks good ! Tom H. looks very Plantagenet ? Thanks for the eye openers Petty !

Yeah he does look the part- Richard II (historically and in plays) has always been presented as either hinting at him being gay or somewhat androgynous. And he plays that perfectly for my money.

He's certainly some character.





And the entirety of his more recent appearance:

And why not the entier first one as well.

Mike McShane.   

Half way through series 2 of House of cards (US).
A vast improvement over series 1 I thought, particularly the story line involving his wife which in series 1 felt like padding and was quite boring (though series 2 being better may be more to do with the original as series 2 of the UK version was also the best series).
But a rare occasion where a show is living up to its hype for me.

I'm only three episodes into the second series so far but I'm really enjoying it so far. I can't say if I like it more than the first season yet, but I hope I do. The first one was quite enjoyable but had its flaws. Although I will say that House of Cards is still not much more plausible than, say, Death Note at times. But it's a lot of fun to follow the twists and turns.

I think the UK version has more relevance not because I think it was better (in some ways it is in others not) but because it related to the experience of Thatcherism which was very raw and real still when House of Cards was broadcast, and took the premise of what would happen if a politician like him took Thatcherism to its logical (or illogical!) extremes.

The US version, being adapted to fit the US political system, doesn't have quite the same resonance for me, although perhaps it does with US viewers.

I'm sure some people consider the US House of Cards to be scarily plausible, but I can't say that I do. Our political system is quite good at rewarding mediocrity in elected officials, and to get to the top of the system requires (comparatively) less backroom dealing than in the UK due to the primary system and national election of the President. Most of Underwood's plans only succeed due to authorial fiat anyway.

Opening episode of the UK version for those who may be interested-

The mood and atmosphere in this creeped me out as a kid and still does today- be warned its both long and not quickly paced. It unfolds at a good novel pace in fact but its a firm favourite of mine, and of the episodes they made this story has stuck with me since childhood.

Sapphire and Steel- Assignment 2



That damned creepy whistling