General TV Discussion

Anyone catch the UK premiere of Veep last night? I had it set on Sky+ to record for later but it got cancelled when it clashed with one of my mum's shows on Star Plus or something! Thankfully it was on Sky Anytime so I was able to watch it just now. I'm a massive fan of The Thick of It so I'm hoping this will keep me going until the 4th series is broadcast later on this year.

I really liked the first episode, it definitely felt like The Thick of It and especially In the Loop (good to see Anna Chlumsky back). I will definitely be following the rest of it, especially since one of the later episodes is directed by none other than Chris Morris!
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18634253

I swear, I am finished with TV. Done. Over. Finito. A reviewer hit the nail squarely on the head by describing Dirk Gently as occupying a pleasing middle ground somewhere between Sherlock and Dr. Who. It absolutely did - the tone of Dirk was near perfect and exactly the sort of thing I can really enjoy watching, which is a rarity in itself. Now it's gone.

Goodbye, British television. I hope you enjoy making your mindless switch-your-brain-off-and-judge-people reality and talent show bollocks and point-and-laugh "documentaries" and orgasming over your ratings figures, figures that show little else other than what a nation of complete idiots we've become.
 
All the good shows seems to have left the house. All that I watch from the British side of things is Sherlock, Misfits, Merlin, Doctor Who and Being Human. The comedy has gone to **** as well. With spooks and hustle finished and Fringe ending soon I am losing my favorite shows without anything to replace it.
 
ayase said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18634253

I swear, I am finished with TV. Done. Over. Finito. A reviewer hit the nail squarely on the head by describing Dirk Gently as occupying a pleasing middle ground somewhere between Sherlock and Dr. Who. It absolutely did - the tone of Dirk was near perfect and exactly the sort of thing I can really enjoy watching, which is a rarity in itself. Now it's gone.

Goodbye, British television. I hope you enjoy making your mindless switch-your-brain-off-and-judge-people reality and talent show bollocks and point-and-laugh "documentaries" and orgasming over your ratings figures, figures that show little else other than what a nation of complete idiots we've become.
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Maybe it was just that, though. It was inbetween Sherlock and Who but not really as well-received or well-watched as either of them. Just a thought.
 
Like I care if other people watched or liked it. Other people are idiots. High ratings necessitates appealing to these idiots and making or importing idiotic programmes. Why the BBC even needs ratings when they're publicly funded I don't know - they should focus on making good programmes whether anyone watches them or not.

I liked Sherlock. I find Dr. Who a bit silly. I'm sure they could find the money for more Dirk if they cancelled half the **** on BBC Three.
 
While I don't have television and have never heard of this show, I have a deep personal interest in the strangeness that is the BBC's model of funding itself by sending me threatening letters, and it seems bizarre that despite this unique system it still works exactly like the legitimately commercial channels and is driven purely by popularity. Given the kind of thing that is popular, I'll stick with not using television at all and just buying the BDs for the occasional worthwhile nature documentary they produce ^^;

R
 
Of all the taxes, the licence fee is one of the ones I least object to. At least if even some of my money is being spent on making genuinely entertaining, intelligent programming in a world of reality show and aspirational TV hell I'm happy to pay it. Almost every decent British programme I've watched in the last five years has been made by the BBC. Take my money, BBC. Hell, take MORE! But their drive to compete with the commercial channels when they have no reason to do so is insane. It probably doesn't help that the Tories have frozen the licence fee and would see the BBC dead anyway, replaced with something like Fox News which then makes everybody who watches it even more stupid.
 
Unlike things like vehicle tax though, you're pursued for the TV tax even if you don't use TV at all, which I find very annoying. And even when you tell them, you're still pursued in case you are forgetful or a liar.

It's annoying enough that I too would see the BBC dead, even though it isn't a popular view. Having to waste time sorting things out, and being told I might be visited anyway when I'm lounging around watching anime in my pyjamas, is not welcome (I received another friendly reminder the other day since it was a couple of years since I last wasted time pleading my innocence, so I'm extra twitchy).

R
 
The most prevalent attitude now seems to be that people want to keep the BBC but don't want to have to pay for it, which again, due to the general idiocy of the population is predictable. TV licensing does indeed sound like a pain, I hardly watch any TV myself but I keep paying almost as a form of charity to public broadcasting. A charity with the aim of making people a bit more well informed and a bit less manipulated by corporate interests seems like the most worthwhile of all to me...
 
ilmaestro said:
Did anyone watch Line of Duty? I rather enjoyed it.
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I thought it was really good. It had an unpredictable plot, great characters, and sharp directing. I enjoyed Lennie James's performance as well.

Gina McKee is always gorgeous.
 
I respond more for Vicky McClure, but apart from that I totally agree. :) Lining it up for a rewatch as my Dad wants to watch it, but annoying it doesn't appear to be getting a quick home video release like other BBC shows. :-/ I kept the recordings on my TiVo, but I would like to buy it on BD.
 
In my house the TV license is known as the 'Doctor Who' tax. :p

I don't really like paying it, but its nice to be able some channels that don't show an advert break every few minutes. Also you don't get the same sort of fantastic wildlife documentaries on ITV/4/5.
 
Has anyone been keeping up with Breaking Bad? It's on its last 2 episodes this year and only 8 more after that to tie it up. If you haven't seen it then get to it, it's one of the most beautifully shot and well scripted/acted dramas that is currently airing in the US.
 
I keep on reading good things about it, and it is sitting there on Netflix asking to be watched. I can never quite work out what it "is", though, so I'm not sure if I want to watch it or not.
 
The greatest thing about the series is you're not sure what it's going, although the writers certainly do. Every character is a shade of grey, there isn't any good or bad. It has the ability to surprise you with something while at the same time not feeling out of place within the context of the show. Best of all there are consequences to every characters actions, nothing is throwaway.

I guess if you wanted to know what it technically is as far as genres and such though, it's a crime show with a strong emphasis on analysis of the characters, it's also got a deeply rooted dark comedy element to it. It's really best to just watch the show with no knowledge of what you're getting into.
 
Nnn... OK! They just recently added Season 4 to US Netflix, but I guess there's no massive rush if it's still a year until it will finish.
 
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