TV Stuff

[shapinglight]

Since coming back, I've been trying to catch up with TV stuff I'd missed, plus anything new that seemed of interest.

Vague spoilers for some of them behind cut, including BBC dramas The Bodyguard, Black Earth Rising, Informer and The Little Drummer Girl, also Doctor Who and The Good Place.

The BBC do seem to be doing some good dramas at the moment, though imo The Bodyguard, which - so I understand - everyone in the UK had been raving about in my absence, wasn't actually one of them. I did get through it quite quickly, so I guess even I found it binge-worthy, but I thought the plot ludicrous and the characters very unsympathetic. The Informer, on the other hand, strikes me as much more believable, and I feel very sorry indeed for the main character (Raza, that is, not Gabe, who, after watching episode 4, I pretty much loathe, have to say).

S and I are two episodes in to Black Earth Rising, a mystery story about the fall out of the Rwandan genocide, which we have to try and finish before it vanishes off the BBC's catch-up service at the end of the month. This is a pretty tall order for us given how little time we have to watch TV together. I'm not sure we're going to manage it. It would be a pity if we don't, because so far I think it's brilliant - and I really, really want to know what's going on.

We are usually at home at the time The Little Drummer Girl airs. It's very well done, and though I haven't read the book, I've seen the old film that was made of it (featuring John Le Carre's half-sister Charlotte Cornwell as Charlie) so I know what to expect pretty much. That said, I spent all of episode two just willing Charlie to tell the Mossad recruiters to fuck off and walk out on them, even though I know she's not going to. Oh well.

As for Doctor Who, I'm still enjoying it, though I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who is. :(

I'm also enjoying The Good Place season 3 very much, while wondering if this is meant to be the final series. Anyone know? It's still bloody excellent, but I begin to feel the conceit it's based on may have run its course.



In other TV news, The Last Kingdom season 3 will go up on Netflix on Saturday.

"The Last Kingdom season 3 trailer" (Watch on YouTube)

Looking forward to that. Also looking forward to The Marvellous Mrs Maisel season 2, which goes up on Amazon on December 5th.

Still no news about who will air season 4 of Lucifer in the UK.

I'm also really excited about this Loki TV series starring Tom Hiddleston, even though I haven't the least clue how I'll ever watch it.

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

I'm an episode behind on Good Place but expect to catch up today or tomorrow. It's rather intriguing in the way that each season is a sort of different format for the show. If they keep doing so I could see it going on for some time but that might also decrease interest among viewers who were intrigued by the original premise.

I have seen the first episode of Who and have the rest stored up to watch. Part of the delay is that Mike was interested and he also has very little viewing time. Black Earth Rising sounds intriguing though it's the first I've heard of it.

I have The Bodyguard in my Netflix queue but haven't started it yet. I'm a few episodes into the final season of House of Cards instead.

[shadowkat]

Also an episode behind on The Good Place.

I enjoyed the first two episodes of Doctor Who, if that counts? (which tends to be typical of me, anyhow..I like half the episodes, I don't like half of them.) Also elsi seems to be loving it.

Curious about The Bodyguard -- my co-workers appear to love it. Little Drummer Girl -- is coming to the US in 2019, I think. It will come, but hasn't crossed the pond quite yet.
Nor has Black Earth Rising.

Netflix is annoying in that I've no idea when anything is going to pop up on it. So too is Hulu.

And, I'm right there with you on the Loki series...I'd like to see it but no idea how. This is also true of Discovery of Witches, Star Trek: Discovery, The Good Fight, and Tell Me a Story...I can't afford all these frigging streaming channels. Have too many as it is.

[beer_good_foamy]

Wait, a third season of The Last Kingdom? Over here Netflix hasn't even put up the second one yet. :/

[dalmeny]

We're enjoying both Dr Who and The Good Place. And we're finally caught up on the last season of Brooklyn-Nine-Nine.

[orangerful]

We just *started* Last Kingdom this week LOL, my Mom texted me about season 3 because she was excited and I was like "We've never watched it." I think we are three episodes in now, good to know it is worth the time. :)

I am loving this season of 'The Good Place' and I have no idea what they plan on doing with the show. I am hoping they know how they want to end it and when, just because I don't want them to just run it into the ground. As much as I love seeing that gorgeous cast on my TV each week...

[shapinglight]

That's strange. Are you sure?

It's because they're scared you'll all make fun of it, is it?

[shapinglight]

Good. I feel a lot better about Doctor Who after making this post. Seems lots more people like it than I realised.

Having said which, I think the scripts could do with some improvement. So far, I've only really liked the two historicals.

[shapinglight]

I think we are three episodes in now, good to know it is worth the time. :)

It is. In fact, it's very good, I think - though it does share a fault with the books (a fault that's prevalent in all Bernard Cornwell's work), which I won't spoiler you for.

I am hoping they know how they want to end it and when, just because I don't want them to just run it into the ground.

Me too. I really hate it when things don't end properly - or go on for longer than they should. Not that I think that's happened with The Good Place yet. It's still great telly.

[shapinglight]

It's rather intriguing in the way that each season is a sort of different format for the show. If they keep doing so I could see it going on for some time but that might also decrease interest among viewers who were intrigued by the original premise.

I agree that they've managed to ring the changes very successfully so far, and I'm sure it's just lack of imagination on my part that I can't think of a further iteration of the premise. ;)

Black Earth Rising sounds intriguing though it's the first I've heard of it.

It's really good! We're five episodes in now and it just gets better and better.

[shapinglight]

Curious about The Bodyguard -- my co-workers appear to love it.

Lots of people did. Have to say, it's a mystery to me as to why. I've finished The Informer now, though, and that really is good.

And, I'm right there with you on the Loki series...I'd like to see it but no idea how.

It'd be one thing if it would ever come out on DVD/Blu Ray, but it probably won't. :(

[yourlibrarian]

One thing I really liked is that this season has showed us we can still get flashbacks to their time in Michael's world, which was always so imaginative and fun. But given how things have evolved I'm fairly sure the writers might yet have surprises up their sleeves.

[shapinglight]

Yes, me too - plus the endless reboots give them plenty of things that we didn't see that they can refer back to.

Re: Black Earth Rising, btw. S and I are now at episode 7 (there are 8 altogether). It really is very good - and I've discovered it's a BBC/Netflix co-production, so at some point Netflix in the US will air it.

[yourlibrarian]

That's good news, yes!

[shadowkat]

Haven't heard of The Informer.

I don't know...there's a possibility they will put the Loki series and others on DVD...as extras to the films in the future. The series aren't supposed to be more than six episodes each. And I can totally see them putting them on a DVD release to make a ton of money after they run their course on streaming.

[shapinglight]

Here's hoping.

[sibilant]

Totally agree with you on the Bodyguard - what an overblown, ridiculous load of nonsense! I am ashamed to say I had to watch it all just to see where the silly conceit would go. Of course it always went to the stupidest place possible.

I am watching the Little Drummer Girl, which is beautifully done, but so utterly repulsive overall in its cynicism that I find it quite difficult to like. But anything with Michael Shannon is worth watching to the end.

Waiting to binge on the good place when my husband gives in. He's not a fan - I think it's a bit too meta and arch for him. But I love it, and all the cast are delightful.

[shapinglight]

Totally agree with you on the Bodyguard - what an overblown, ridiculous load of nonsense! I am ashamed to say I had to watch it all just to see where the silly conceit would go. Of course it always went to the stupidest place possible.

Yep. A very fair assessment, IMO. No idea what made the country go so mad about it - though a glance at the news quickly shows me how out of tune I am with so many people in the country, so it shouldn't really be a surprise. ;)

Agree about The Little Drummer Girl. The story is repulsive. It's meant to be, of course. I stick with it because it's so very well acted and looks amazing.

Waiting to binge on the good place when my husband gives in.

I hope he gives in soon. It's such fun!