Recommended Television Programmes

[LHC]

Do we have an Unrecommended ..... thread?
My reason for giving a thumbs down to both The house of Guinness (binge watched over a few nights, partly as I'm a bit of a fan of James Norton) and Death by lightning (first two episodes watched last night) is the (to my mind) completely unnecessary and surely inaccurate use of the f word so often, especially when women are present in the action.
Does this merely represent a failing/inadequacy of the scriptwriters? I can't imagine Netflix's US audience being that impressed.

If you are offended by bad language, I suggest you avoid the HBO western series Deadwood. It was famous for its extensive and extravagant use of profanities. According to Wikipedia:

"The word "f**k" is said 43 times in the first hour of the show.[9] It has been reported that the series had a total count of 2,980 "f**ks" and an average of 1.56 utterances of "f**k" per minute of footage"

[vinteuil]

If you are offended by bad language, I suggest you avoid the HBO western series Deadwood. It was famous for its extensive and extravagant use of profanities.

... well, Deadwood is, after all, based on the real life character (played here by Ian McShane) -

"Ellis Alfred Swearengen (July 8, 1845 – November 15, 1904) ... an American pimp and entertainment entrepreneur who ran the Gem Theater, a notorious brothel, in Deadwood, South Dakota, for 22 years during the late 19th century."

[Pulcinella]

If you are offended by bad language, I suggest you avoid the HBO western series Deadwood. It was famous for its extensive and extravagant use of profanities. According to Wikipedia:

"The word "f**k" is said 43 times in the first hour of the show.[9] It has been reported that the series had a total count of 2,980 "f**ks" and an average of 1.56 utterances of "f**k" per minute of footage"

It doesn't particularly offend me, but it strikes me as mostly unnecessary (and, as I hinted, possibly a reflection on the poor quality of the script overall).

[Ein Heldenleben]

Do we have an Unrecommended ..... thread?
My reason for giving a thumbs down to both The house of Guinness (binge watched over a few nights, partly as I'm a bit of a fan of James Norton) and Death by lightning (first two episodes watched last night) is the (to my mind) completely unnecessary and surely inaccurate use of the f word so often, especially when women are present in the action.
Does this merely represent a failing/inadequacy of the scriptwriters? I can't imagine Netflix's US audience being that impressed.

Its terrible for all sorts of reasons - the history , the street scenes don’t look like Dublin , the variable accents . On the F word Molly Bloom uses it several times in her celebrated stream of consciousness ending to Ulysses. I’m not sure it was that taboo in 19th century Dublin or indeed how much Nora Joyce the “model” for Molly swore .
It always amazes me that the Father Ted writers got away with using “ Feck” so often - maybe it just doesn’t have the force of the ur- word. I am constantly amazed these days just how much some people swear.

[LMcD]

It doesn't particularly offend me, but it strikes me as mostly unnecessary (and, as I hinted, possibly a reflection on the poor quality of the script overall).

I recently watched a TV series that was written by Andrew Davies and concerned an affair between two members of the jury at the Lady Chatterley trial, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect language-wise.

[smittims]

Returning to LMcD's recommendation of The Picnic,I watched it this morning and thought it was excellent: a stimulating plot and a first-rate script, two areas where TV drama , in my opinion, so often fails miserably, the ghastly Channel 5 'Forsytes' for example. .

[Nick Armstrong]

... Rory Kinnear just wonderful as the Prime Minister

On the other hand Aidan Turner as the supposed MI6 hunk is a real let-down : whenever he's on scene the atmosphere just drains away...

.

Yes Kinnear is outstanding, as is Alison Janney whose arrival near the end of the previous season took the entire thing up a notch or two: I was glad to see her enhanced role early in season 3.

Hmmmm haven’t met Mr Turner yet … he’s always excited my 80 year old auntie but I have yet to see the interest; what on earth is he doing there? Another bit of meat to dangle in front of the apparently-separated Ambassador, presumably…

[Serial_Apologist]

Do we have an Unrecommended ..... thread?
My reason for giving a thumbs down to both The house of Guinness (binge watched over a few nights, partly as I'm a bit of a fan of James Norton) and Death by lightning (first two episodes watched last night) is the (to my mind) completely unnecessary and surely inaccurate use of the f word so often, especially when women are present in the action.
Does this merely represent a failing/inadequacy of the scriptwriters? I can't imagine Netflix's US audience being that impressed.

We are of such stuff as old fashioned folks who believed in basic good manners are made of. I remember the late saxophone player Kathy Stobart relating how, in the deeply masculine dominated world of 1950s Soho jazz, fellow musicians would do their utmost to tone down the expletives and shield them from "dirty jokes". However this would today be seen by many as being condescending and over-protective!

Surely the worst over-use of the f- word came in the opening moments of Four Weddings and a Funeral, uttered by one of the many toffs, whose pretentiousness was only outdone by that of the film itself.

[LMcD]

We are of such stuff as old fashioned folks who believed in basic good manners are made of. I remember the late saxophone player Kathy Stobart relating how, in the deeply masculine dominated world of 1950s Soho jazz, fellow musicians would do their utmost to tone down the expletives and shield them from "dirty jokes". However this would today be seen by many as being condescending and over-protective!

Surely the worst over-use of the f- word came in the opening moments of Four Weddings and a Funeral, uttered by one of the many toffs, whose pretentiousness was only outdone by that of the film itself.

In the film of the play Glengarry Glen Ross, which I saw many years ago and have no wish to see again, it occurs 138 times in 110 minutes.
It's the gratuitous over-use of the word, rather than the word itself, which really annoys me (and the same goes for similarly over-used more polite words).

[Maclintick]

Surely the worst over-use of the f- word came in the opening moments of Four Weddings and a Funeral, uttered by one of the many toffs, whose pretentiousness was only outdone by that of the film itself.

Faced with an evening of unattractive contemporary fodder recently, I made the mistake of re-viewing FW&F for the first time since it came out, when I had found the film intermittently amusing, but the principal characters annoying. Boy, has it not aged well ! By contrast, Notting Hill still charms, due to the on-screen chemistry between the leads, excellent supporting rôles, better scripting and direction, and crucially a lower toff-count. Anyone seen Peter's Friends recently ?

[smittims]

I don't think I would enjoy Peter's Friends now, though I did then.

I think Stephen Fry is a sort of Wagner character, in that I expect a lot of people cannot stand him (as they couldn't Wagner) whereas others see that despite his many faults he has something unique to offer. Ironically this happens most when he's not acting and speaks, or writes sincerely.

[LMcD]

I don't think I would enjoy Peter's Friends now, though I did then.

I think Stephen Fry is a sort of Wagner character, in that I expect a lot of people cannot stand him (as they couldn't Wagner) whereas others see that despite his many faults he has something unique to offer. Ironically this happens most when he's not acting and speaks, or writes sincerely.

I would imagine that he's sincerely worried about the Canaries' current form.

[cloughie]

I would imagine that he's sincerely worried about the Canaries' current form.

Yes, even the Owls got a point from them!

i have not really been a fan of SF over 5he years but I think I warmed to him a little in the Traitors!

[Maclintick]

Yes, even the Owls got a point from them!

i have not really been a fan of SF over 5he years but I think I warmed to him a little in the Traitors!

I suppose 13m viewers can't be wrong but The Traitors, in its celebrity incarnation or that of "ordinary folk" joins a long list of TV programmes and films I have never watched.These include Strictly Come Dancing, X-Factor, Love Island, I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here...anything with Michael McIntyre or Jeremy Clarkson...any of the Star Wars franchise...

[kernelbogey]

I suppose 13m viewers can't be wrong but The Traitors, in its celebrity incarnation or that of "ordinary folk" joins a long list of TV programmes and films I have never watched.These include Strictly Come Dancing, X-Factor, Love Island, I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here...anything with Michael McIntyre or Jeremy Clarkson...any of the Star Wars franchise...]
I watched the first series of The Traitors, and while enjoyable, I didn't need to watch another. I've recently watched a couple of episodes of 'Strictly', just to see what the fuss is about. (Answer; not much.)

I watched the first series of The Traitors, and while it was enjoyable, I didn't need to watch another. I've recently watched a couple of episodes of 'Strictly', just to see what the fuss is about. (Answer; not much.)