UK TV thread

[Daniel]

Been meaning to do this for aaaaaaages but we really should have a thread with links to iPlayer (and other commercial alternatives!!!!) for good programs

To start off we have "How TV ruined your life" by Charlie Brooker

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00y4csg/How_TV_Ruined_Your_Life_Fear/

Watched it tonight and thought it was good, Charlie usually is though :)

[AndySpeed]

This will almost certainly only appeal to a small demographic on this forum but I really quite like Skins:

http://www.e4.com/skins/index.html

Growing up a little bit, Human Planet is a good watch:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00rrd85/Human_Planet_Deserts_Life_in_the_Furnace/

[Bolton Midnight]

Is it worth watching the Trevor Eve thing (Kidnap thing) on iplayer doodahh ITV, I've recorded episode 2 and can tape no. 3 but missed no. 1

[Sonic]

Inbetweeners baby! :D Very funny. And I hear they are making two specials to finish their story off.

[Mark]

Been meaning to do this for aaaaaaages but we really should have a thread with links to iPlayer (and other commercial alternatives!!!!) for good programs

To start off we have "How TV ruined your life" by Charlie Brooker


Got that on the Sky+!

[Dave B]

Impressed as I was with Charlie Brooker's programme it was very much a re-hash of old ground he's already covered. He does it so well that I could forgive him, but the show left me with the impression that it was aimed at people who hadn't seen his work before he became a bit more mainstream.

The one I'm looking forward to is Brian Cox's Wonders Of The Universe (http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/comingup/wonders-of-the-universe/). His last series was staggeringly good, and exactly the sort of thing the BBC should be doing more of: beautifully shot, crediting the viewer with some intelligence, and presented by a man clearly passionate about his subject :up:

[Mark]

The one I'm looking forward to is Brian Cox's Wonders Of The Universe (http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/comingup/wonders-of-the-universe/). His last series was staggeringly good, and exactly the sort of thing the BBC should be doing more of: beautifully shot, crediting the viewer with some intelligence, and presented by a man clearly passionate about his subject :up:

It is an excellent programme, however I always get the feeling watching it that, did they really have to go to yet another exotic location to illustrate a tiny point? I've no objection on financial grounds, I just find it a bit distracting that he spends more time talking about where he's currently at than the subject at hand!

[Daniel]

Very true Dave. But like you say, it's done so well that you can forgive it.

[Sonic]

^^^ yeah. Great show. :)

[AndySpeed]

It is an excellent programme, however I always get the feeling watching it that, did they really have to go to yet another exotic location to illustrate a tiny point? I've no objection on financial grounds, I just find it a bit distracting that he spends more time talking about where he's currently at than the subject at hand!

I think he's been to most of the continents before... all in the space of a single episode! It is a fantastic show though and one of the reasons why I'd rather watch any BBC channel than the commercial alternatives.

[Mark]

I think he's been to most of the continents before... all in the space of a single episode! It is a fantastic show though and one of the reasons why I'd rather watch any BBC channel than the commercial alternatives.

Quite. I'm really enjoying the current series of Horizon too, even though I quite often don't understand a good bit of it :p

[PuddleJumper]

My current favourite is the 2nd series of Great British Railway Journeys showing on BBC2. The wealth of beautiful scenery within our shores is shown to great effect, and in my opinion, the sight of a train running through it makes it all the better. The people Michael meets and the places he visits are all interesting, and there is always something new to learn, be it about making mustard, a rare orchid on Snowdon, or plans to extract energy from coal under the North Sea!

[BDunnell]

My current favourite is the 2nd series of Great British Railway Journeys showing on BBC2. The wealth of beautiful scenery within our shores is shown to great effect, and in my opinion, the sight of a train running through it makes it all the better. The people Michael meets and the places he visits are all interesting, and there is always something new to learn, be it about making mustard, a rare orchid on Snowdon, or plans to extract energy from coal under the North Sea!

Oh, those shows are brilliant, relaxing, lovely viewing. That sort of thing simply wouldn't exist were it not for the BBC, no matter what anyone says. And, as much as it pains me to say it, Michael Portillo presents them very well. He's completely unobtrusive, and his enthusiasm is in no way overbearing. Excellent.

[Daniel]

Must say I'm not as big a fan as some. Not because of the subject matter or how its presented, but just the fact that I've seen that sort of program a few times before in various different forms

[Mark]

Must say I'm not as big a fan as some. Not because of the subject matter or how its presented, but just the fact that I've seen that sort of program a few times before in various different forms

Railway Journies is watchable, nothing more. But I have to agree it's another, travel the country and talk to people sort of thing. We've seen it with the likes of Coast, Countryfile, Rory's B-Road Britain, The Lakes, etc etc. I always leave it thinking, yes the railway line is open, but aren't the trains he's travelling on an absolute pile of turd? I could travel faster on a bicycle. Not to mention it was largely his governments fault!

If we're talking about factual programming then from the past 10 years, Industrial Relevations with Mark Williams stands out for me as being both entertaining and informative, not sure if it's actually ever been shown on terrestrial TV!

[Daniel]

Industrial Revelations is fantastic!

[JasonPotato]

I enjoyed watching the series 'The planets' but its been on at 12am to 1am in the morning on bbc2, im sure its just a repeat but must of missed it when it was on originally.

[wedge]

Railway Journies is watchable, nothing more. But I have to agree it's another, travel the country and talk to people sort of thing. We've seen it with the likes of Coast, Countryfile, Rory's B-Road Britain, The Lakes, etc etc. I always leave it thinking, yes the railway line is open, but aren't the trains he's travelling on an absolute pile of turd? I could travel faster on a bicycle. Not to mention it was largely his governments fault!



Completely agree though travelling by train in the UK still leaves a lot to be desired.

My best holidays involved train journeys. If only the UK could replicate Japan.

[donKey jote]

I watch far more UK TV than Spanish or German (I'm a good immigrant me :p )...
Brian Cox whenever he's on, Horizons, Panoramas, Dispatches, Top Gears, Fifth Gears, Documentaries (currently Arctic and Human Planet for example), QI, Being Human again, HIGNFY when it's on, and basically anything else interesting or funny :)
I've got used to watching many programs between 10% and 30% faster though.. I can't stand how they drag out many of the documentaries to fill up the hour, speaking reeeeaaaaaallllllyyyyyy sllllooooooooooowllllllllyyy and with loads of gaps in the narrative :dozey: :arrows: :p

[Captain VXR]

Inbetweeners baby! :D Very funny. And I hear they are making two specials to finish their story off.

and a film :D

[Rollo]

I'm going to chime in and say that I actually like Outnumbered. Sure the show may be contrived but it's better than the tat on other channels its up against.

[wedge]

Anybody here watch the Gypsy Wedding thingy documentaries?

Supposedly it regularly pulls over 5m.


I'm going to chime in and say that I actually like Outnumbered. Sure the show may be contrived but it's better than the tat on other channels its up against.

The last series wasn't as good as the previous. The kids appear to be losing their innocence, as if they're aware that they're supposed to act funny.

[GridGirl]

Anybody here watch the Gypsy Wedding thingy documentaries?

Supposedly it regularly pulls over 5m.

I love it, but mainly because I find it so funny. I still can't get my head around how people can dress so inappropriately but (claim to) have so many morals. Jeez those wedding dresses are disgusting. I also love the fact that every groom so far has also had absolutely no idea where they were getting married and go lost every time. :D

[Daniel]

Saw Flight 666 on the weekend but sadly it's expired :(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r5ylv

[PuddleJumper]

I caught some of that. Some nice air to air shots of the 757.

Even though Iron Maiden are not my cup of tea, I think Bruce Dickinson is great, and what I saw of the documentary I found interesting and amusing. Hopefully it will be repeated again at an earthly hour.

[Daniel]

I caught some of that. Some nice air to air shots of the 757.

Even though Iron Maiden are not my cup of tea, I think Bruce Dickinson is great, and what I saw of the documentary I found interesting and amusing. Hopefully it will be repeated again at an earthly hour.

One of the nicest bits was when they were in Costa Rica and there were people who had travelled from all around central America and you could see just how much it meant to these people to be seeing what was obviously their favourite band. They weren't well off of course and it was just nice to see people who by our standards don't have a lot to be happy about rather happy about seeing Iron Maiden. I was slightly embarrassed at how the Australians were carrying on though :mark:

I think it possibly could have had a bit more of an aviation angle to it if I'm honest.

[Steve Boyd]

It is an excellent programme, however I always get the feeling watching it that, did they really have to go to yet another exotic location to illustrate a tiny point? I've no objection on financial grounds, I just find it a bit distracting that he spends more time talking about where he's currently at than the subject at hand!
Maybe he was inspired by Spike Milligan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTQtlaofjoI

[stevie_gerrard]

I'm going to chime in and say that I actually like Outnumbered. Sure the show may be contrived but it's better than the tat on other channels its up against.

Totally agree, one of the better comedys on TV. I would also recommend Fast and Loose on BBC 2 on Friday Nights if you liked whose line is it anyway. It is more crude and its nowhere near as good as whose line is it anyway, but the interpretive dance section makes me laugh every time.

[Daniel]

This evenings episode of how tv ruined your life was fantastic.

Louis Theroux's show on Jewish settlers was also great

[Mark]

That reminds me, that's waiting for me on iPlayer!

[Daniel]

That reminds me, that's waiting for me on iPlayer!

If you're talking about the Louis Theroux show then I challenge you not to come out of watching it not thinking that the Daniel guy in there is one of the most dislikeable characters on this planet.....

[Dave B]

I would also recommend Fast and Loose on BBC 2 on Friday Nights if you liked whose line is it anyway. It is more crude and its nowhere near as good as whose line is it anyway, but the interpretive dance section makes me laugh every time.
Sorry to disagree, but for me the Interpretive Dance round is the only thing which stops Fast & Loose from being a complete and utter cowpat of a show, not fit to lick Whose Line Is It Anyway's boots - which is surprising considering it's from the same production team.

If you find yourself at a loose end in London on a Wednesday or Sunday, get yourself down to the Comedy Store and watch the Comedy Store Players, in my humble opinion the best improvised comedy it is possible to witness - especially if you can get a night when any of Paul Merton, Andy Smart, Lee Simpson, Richard Vranch or Stephen Frost are performing.

[wedge]

Loving the Reggae season on BBC4

Gonna have dig out my Trojan and Scratch Perry comps.

[MrJan]

Loving the Reggae season on BBC4

Gonna have dig out my Trojan and Scratch Perry comps.

A bloke at work is well into his reggae (and I mean well into it), he recently bought a bunch of MP3s that were stored on DVDs. i think that it was 36 DVDs with around 1400 complete albums and 6000 singles :eek: His justification for spending £80+ on this collection? "I've probably only got about half of them already."


Back on topic it's ironic that the only thing that I really want to watch at the minute is a Danish crime thriller called The Killing. Well worth catching up with on iPlayer (I think they'll still have the first episodes up)

[thompp]

Is it worth watching the Trevor Eve thing (Kidnap thing) on iplayer doodahh ITV, I've recorded episode 2 and can tape no. 3 but missed no. 1

Bring back Shoestring!

[GridGirl]

Loving the Reggae season on BBC4

Gonna have dig out my Trojan and Scratch Perry comps.

In between baking a chocolate cake with my 4 year old niece last week I was introduced to the CBeebies kids show Rastamouse. Your post just reminded me of it. Rastamouse is a crime fighting reggae loving Rasta mouse with friends called Scratchy and Zoomer. It's a classic, apparently he's even bringing out a single.

[MrJan]

I saw Rastamouse for the first time the other day, the purists will probably hate it but I thought it was great. I'd love to have been in the meeting where they pitched the idea for a stereotypical Jamaican mouse that solves crimes and plays dancehall in his downtime.

[Sarah]

Russell Kane doing Beyonce's Crazy in Love on Lets Dance for Comic Relief - brilliant

[Dave B]

He looked more like Katie Price than Katie Price did...

[Eki]

Emmerdale rulez!

[Daniel]

Hilarious episode of who ruined your life last night :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zg1rh