What was the last TV show you watched?

[Ernest P Shackleton]

Top of the Lake: China Girl. Well done. Elisabeth Moss was very good (not great). Interesting story with some interesting questions, but also some lazy devices nearing the end. Don't use four hours establishing a character and then have them flip into inconsistency on a dime. I like how they screwed with the audience with the Puss character. Is he purely an evil sociopath? Or is he a social fighter who sees the means justify the ends? They either squandered the final hour or needed another hour to finish the story properly. I actually liked the final moments, and I usually don't care for that type of "what happens next"?

The Strain. series finale. I knew the ending was going to be a letdown, and they did not disappoint. I don't know what I was hoping they'd do. It's good that it is over.

Ray Donovan. I'm enjoying this season, but the formula is old. I'd like to see them try another season without the ultra rich. I understand that it is his job, but it's stale.

 

[Fading Fast]

The 2nd episode of The Untouchables, focusing on Eliot Ness's battle with Ma Barker and her boys. It starts with Ness and his Feds cornering Ma and two of her boys in a house in Florida; lots of machine gun bursts ensue. Then, flashback to show how it all got started, with Ma encouraging her boys in lawlessness. Ma was played by Claire Trevor of Key Largo fame, and the hatcheck-girlfriend of one of the sons was played by . . . Louise Fletcher, who was a major hottie in 1959. I always get her mixed up with Ellen Burstyn, whom I've seen on a couple of old Perry Masons and who was pretty scalding herself back then.

I've also taped (I hope) the 2nd episode of The Fugitive, and plan to watch it this week and report.

I can't swing a dead cat lately without hitting Claire Tevor. In the past month (at most), I've seen her in "Key Largo" (no surprise there, but she is outstanding in it), "Murder My Sweet," "Borderline" (this weekend - good flick with Fred MacMurray) and, slightly older, in an "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" where she - as many former movie stars do - outshines the TV actors. She was a talented actress.

 

[Zombie_61]

...I'd planned to watch the second episode of The Orville to see if it's still worthless, but the ball game ran long and as of 8:30 it hadn't started yet...

If you're still interested, you can watch it on Fox's website. I thought it was a little better than the first episode, but it seems they still hadn't decided whether the show is supposed to be a parody, an homage, or just another predictable run-of-the-mill sci-fi series created to fulfill MacFarlane's desire to be on Star Trek without actually being on Star Trek (his brief appearances on Enterprise excepted, of course).

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

Vietnam Ken Burns. Is this every night? If so, I question that schedule. I would think it much better to do it once or twice a week. Every night for a couple weeks is a relentless hammering. How many people would make it through the full documentary? I sometimes binge watch, but I also know that I usually appreciate time to think and absorb. Binge watching is that impulsive, immediate reward thing that isn't always the best method, and every night is akin to bingeing. I should look up the schedule, but I noticed episode 2 is airing tonight. Making some assumptions here.

 

[Doctor Strange]

If you're still interested, you can watch it on Fox's website. I thought it was a little better than the first episode, but it seems they still hadn't decided whether the show is supposed to be a parody, an homage, or just another predictable run-of-the-mill sci-fi series created to fulfill MacFarlane's desire to be on Star Trek without actually being on Star Trek (his brief appearances on Enterprise excepted, of course).

Did it run ANYWHERE on Sunday or was it just a local NYC disruption? If it didn't run at all, I'm curious to see if they rerun this episode next week, because if they're expecting everyone who would've seen it in The Simpsons timeslot to watch it on demand, that's not gonna happen. I mean, it doesn't matter: the show is an embarrassing misfire that will undoubtedly be canceled quickly.

And I wouldn't wait for the show to "figure itself out", it's clearly just a vanity project for MacFarlane to cosplay Star Trek. A reward from Fox for 15 years of Family Guy.

And re the Ken Burns Vietnam doc, I don't think it's on QUITE every night - I think the weekends are off. But you know, with a TV audience that's largely become used to binge-viewing, the intensive schedule probably makes a lot more sense than spreading it over six or eight weeks. And haven't most/all the earlier long Burns documentaries initially aired across a few days?

 

[Fading Fast]

"Mighty Trains: The Shinkansen" Japan's bullet train.

The "Mighty Train" series is good not great, but certainly fun for train fans (like me). One really neat thing in this one is when they show that each train car banks independently and at an amount specific to each car as the train goes through curves to keep the passengers level.

It's all sensors and hydraulics, but well advanced from the days of banking the track or just apply a generic tilt metric to the train. The result: the train goes through curves at ~170mphs and the passengers don't shift or slide.

Japan had the vision in the late '50s to build a dedicated high-speed train line and they are still reaping the benefits - wish we had done the same in the US. And today, they continue to devote time, money and effort to maintaining and improving it.

 

[Touchofevil]

A couple of episodes of season 5 of Ripper Street. Glad to see Shine back. A rotten guy, but
He does it so well. A lot of fun!

 

[belfastboy]

Season one of The Durrells in Corfu. Once I got past the annoying children I find it a delight. The actress playing Mrs Durrell is marvelous, esp after seeing her in Line Of Duty in a completely different role. She is a master class in acting.

 

[Zombie_61]

Did it run ANYWHERE on Sunday or was it just a local NYC disruption? If it didn't run at all, I'm curious to see if they rerun this episode next week, because if they're expecting everyone who would've seen it in The Simpsons timeslot to watch it on demand, that's not gonna happen...

It did air here in southern California, but started nearly 40 minutes late because of the football game. I doubt it will be rerun, at least not this week. Fox is moving the show to Thursday nights this week, and the schedule lists the synopsis for the third episode.

 

[MisterCairo]

A couple of episodes of season 5 of Ripper Street. Glad to see Shine back. A rotten guy, but
He does it so well. A lot of fun!

Enjoy the ride. I certainly did...

 

[MisterCairo]

Episode one of series four of "A Touch of Fry and Laurie".

Emphasis on the quotation marks.

If you are a fan, you will get that.

Soupy twist...

 

[Doctor Strange]

It did air here in southern California, but started nearly 40 minutes late because of the football game. I doubt it will be rerun, at least not this week. Fox is moving the show to Thursday nights this week, and the schedule lists the synopsis for the third episode.

Okay, I watched it on demand last night... and I'm still beyond underwhelmed. Way beyond.

Thanks for pointing out the day change, I'll probably DVR it since I am hooked on the Ken Burns Vietnam doc...

 

[Fading Fast]

Season one of The Durrells in Corfu. Once I got past the annoying children I find it a delight. The actress playing Mrs Durrell is marvelous, esp after seeing her in Line Of Duty in a completely different role. She is a master class in acting.

Agree completely. I saw recently that a season 2 is coming to the US in a month or so.

 

[Benzadmiral]

A portion of 77 Sunset Strip's second episode of their last, 1963-64 season. The show was helmed at this point by Jack Webb, so gone was the light touch of the previous seasons, including all the cast except Stu Bailey (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.). Stu apparently now has a small Chandler-esque practice in NYC instead of California. A local cop (Richard Conte) doesn't like him, and we get more film-noir atmosphere as Stu sits in his office with a neon sign blinking outside the window. The second ep had a raft of well-known TV names: Victor Buono, Diane McBain, Wally Cox -- and William Shatner, who in his brief 5-minute scene fairly leaps off the screen with energy. Not overdoing or overacting -- but you can't take your eyes off him for the entire time.

Since Stu appeared to have abandoned LA, it wasn't 77 Sunset Strip any more. Perhaps in later stories he returns. But this was more Stu Bailey, Private Op.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I would imagine Vietnam DVD box sets would be great fundraiser items, and PBS is strapped for budget. Our stations seem to have a fundraiser a month. Push out the airing so you can push out the manufacturing so you can push it during fundraisers. I don't say that in a negative way. They have to be smart with these things, and that seems smart to me.

 

[Zombie_61]

Okay, I watched it on demand last night... and I'm still beyond underwhelmed. Way beyond...

Yeah, I'm still on the fence. I find it just entertaining enough to keep watching, at least until they completely insult my intelligence or it stops being entertaining.

 

[HadleyH1]

"Crime Investigation" on cable.

 

[MisterCairo]

Three part miniseries Sense and Sensibility, 2007 BBC/PBS production.

I had seen it before, but had forgotten all the great actors in it who are more well known now - Dominic "Preacher" Cooper as Willoughby, David "The Governor" Morrissey as Colonel Brandon (also great in Our Mutual Friend, 1998), Dan "Mathew Crawley" Stevens, Mark "Arthur Weasley" Williams as Sir John Middleton, and others.

 

[Fading Fast]

Three part miniseries Sense and Sensibility, 2007 BBC/PBS production.

I had seen it before, but had forgotten all the great actors in it who are more well known now - Dominic "Preacher" Cooper as Willoughby, David "The Governor" Morrissey as Colonel Brandon (also great in Our Mutual Friend, 1998), Mark "Arthur Weasley" Williams as Sir John Middleton, and others.

I have not seen that version, but will now look for it. If you've seen it, how does it measure up versus the 1995 movie with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet? I thought that was a well-done version.

Also, in the last month or so, I caught the '40 "Pride and Prejudice" movie in which Greer Garson and Edmund Gwenn own every scene they are in. I hadn't seen it in a long time and really enjoyed it / forgot how well done that version is.

 

[MisterCairo]

I have not seen that version, but will now look for it. If you've seen it, how does it measure up versus the 1995 movie with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet? I thought that was a well-done version.

Also, in the last month or so, I caught the '40 "Pride and Prejudice" movie in which Greer Garson and Edmund Gwenn own every scene they are in. I hadn't seen it in a long time and really enjoyed it / forgot how well done that version is.

I love the movie too. I would say it compares quite favourably with the film. Eleanor's actor is much closer in age than Emma Thomson was (not that Emma wasn't brilliant, she played it well), and man, how could I have forgotten - Dan "Mathew Crawley from Downton Abbey" Stevens was Edward Ferrars, who played it more "manly" than Hugh Grant did (not over the top). I enjoyed Grant in the film, but found him a bit too milquetoast.

Kate Winslett I would say was the better Marianne, but this one (the two lead Dashwood sisters are probably the least well known actors oddly) is still very good.

Screen writer Andrew Davies (1995 Pride and Prejudice (Ehle and Firth), Bleak House 2005, Brigit Jones' Diary, etc.) said in the featurette he deliberately made Ferrars more action oriented, finding it a big flaw in the film he otherwise enjoyed.

The whole miniseries is only three hours, so not overbearing. Check it out for sure...