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Spoilers What's on TV?

Scepticalscribe

Scepticalscribe

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Huntn said:
My exposure to English Comedy is limited, and I'd describe it as hit and miss. I thought Monty Python and the Holy Grail was hysterical and fantastic, but I abhorred Benny Hill, which struck me as lame slapstick, which also seemed to be the used as the inspiration on a comedy show featured in the movie V for Vendetta. A Fish Called Wanda (funny), The Full Monte (blah), Shaun of the Dead (funny).

I realize that this topic is very opinionated but the types of comedy that I appreciate besides those above, are in the brief list below (movies included). Note that most of them do not rely on slapstick, but some like Everyone Loves Mary, and Jim Carey vehicles use visual gimmicks. When I think of successful slapstick, it's old silent movies. :)
  • Modern Family
  • All in the Family
  • Everyone Loves Raymond
  • Cheers
  • Seinfeld
  • The Simpsons
  • Will and Grace
  • Everyone Loves Mary
  • Mystery Men
  • It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
  • Ace Ventura Pet Detective
  • Dumb and Dumber
[doublepost=1486741078][/doublepost]

I sampled and abandoned this show, too styilized for me. No judgement or projection of superiority included with this statement. :D
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Hm.

I'm not sure that I would regard The Full Monty as a 'comedy' per se, rather I saw it as quite sharp social commentary addressed in a bitter sweet way, with some very funny observations which served to lighten the mood of the movie, but didn't detract form the underlying seriousness of the story (which was about more than men stripping off; it also looked at the annihilation of the world that had given rise to their way of life, and their increasingly desperate attempts to find self-respect in a world which had changed beyond all recognition).
 
Huntn

Huntn

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Scepticalscribe said:
Hm.

I'm not sure that I would regard The Full Monty as a 'comedy' per se, rather I saw it as quite sharp social commentary addressed in a bitter sweet way, with some very funny observations which served to lighten the mood of the movie, but didn't detract form the underlying seriousness of the story (which was about more than men stripping off; it also looked at the annihilation of the world that had given rise to their way of life, and their increasingly desperate attempts to find self-respect in a world which had changed beyond all recognition).
Click to expand...

Well it's been a while since I saw it. :) Are you or were you a Benny Hill fan?
 
Huntn

Huntn

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Scepticalscribe said:
No, I wouldn't class myself as a Benny Hill fan - and never did.

Now, he was a good actor - he was excellent as the Toymaker in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, - but, to be honest, I didn't much care for his show.
Click to expand...

I remember him fondly although a small part in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965).
 
AVBeatMan

AVBeatMan

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Nov 10, 2010
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Huntn said:
My exposure to English Comedy is limited, and I'd describe it as hit and miss. I thought Monty Python and the Holy Grail was hysterical and fantastic, but I abhorred Benny Hill, which struck me as lame slapstick, which also seemed to be the used as the inspiration on a comedy show featured in the movie V for Vendetta. A Fish Called Wanda (funny), The Full Monte (blah), Shaun of the Dead (funny).

I realize that this topic is very opinionated but the types of comedy that I appreciate besides those above, are in the brief list below (movies included). Note that most of them do not rely on slapstick, but some like Everyone Loves Mary, and Jim Carey vehicles use visual gimmicks. When I think of successful slapstick, it's old silent movies. :)
  • Modern Family
  • All in the Family
  • Everyone Loves Raymond
  • Cheers
  • Seinfeld
  • The Simpsons
  • Will and Grace
  • Everyone Loves Mary
  • Mystery Men
  • It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
  • Ace Ventura Pet Detective
  • Dumb and Dumber
[doublepost=1486741078][/doublepost]

I sampled and abandoned this show, too styilized for me. No judgement or projection of superiority included with this statement. :D
Click to expand...

You omitted my all time favourite, Frasier. Also, some recent and brilliant American comedy; It's always sunny in Philadelphia, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Girls, Curb your Enthusiasm. I also loved (and preferred) The Office US.
 
D.T.

D.T.

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Dave Meadows said:
You omitted my all time favourite, Frasier. Also, some recent and brilliant American comedy; It's always sunny in Philadelphia, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Girls, Curb your Enthusiasm. I also loved (and preferred) The Office US.
Click to expand...

Yes! By my estimate, there are *plenty* of US [originating] comedies that are incredibly smart (and sharp) :)

A very recent addition: Atlanta (FX, written/starring/created by Donald Glover)
 
Scepticalscribe

Scepticalscribe

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Apple fanboy said:
Lion Country: Night and Day.
I love lions. I'd love to go and photograph them, but don't fancy sleeping in a tent whilst they are sniffing around outside!
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Are lions nocturnal hunters? My sense is that they sleep a lot. Other large cats are nocturnal hunters, yes, but wouldn't have thought it of lions, as they they tend to hunt collectively, not as individuals.

Besides, any trip to a place where a pride of lions is likely to be found would, no doubt, be well organised - and (both lions and humans) very well monitored.
 
Apple fanboy

Apple fanboy

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Scepticalscribe said:
Are lions nocturnal hunters? My sense is that they sleep a lot. Other large cats are nocturnal hunters, yes, but wouldn't have thought it of lions, as they they tend to hunt collectively, not as individuals.

Besides, any trip to a place where a pride of lions is likely to be found would, no doubt, be well organised - and (both lions and humans) very well monitored.
Click to expand...
They hunt night and day. Most hunts aren't successful so you eat when you can. They scavenge 40% of their meals.

The impression I got was that at night the lions had the roam of the camp. But yes I'm sure in reality someone was watching.
 
Scepticalscribe

Scepticalscribe

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Apple fanboy said:
They hunt night and day. Most hunts aren't successful so you eat when you can. They scavenge 40% of their meals.

The impression I got was that at night the lions had the roam of the camp. But yes I'm sure in reality someone was watching.
Click to expand...

Yes, I realised (especially, having watched David Attenborough's most recent stunning series) that most hunts weren't successful - for any predator, which disabused any notion of effortless feating by predators.

And yes, I also realised that lions are well able to muscle their way into kills that have been made by others, real schoolyard bully behaviour if anyone else - or anything else - did it, but which, as lions, they tend to be forgiven.
 
Scepticalscribe

Scepticalscribe

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More that I watched something that "used to be" on TV, rather than something that "is" currently on TV.

Anyway, recently, - that is, last night, - I watched a few episodes of the classic British TV series from the 70s, "Colditz".

As the real Colditz lay deep within what was then the Iron Curtain, in farthest East Germany, (the old communist DDR), naturally, there was no shooting on location. That came later, with the possibility of travelling to the old Warsaw Pact countries, - after the Fall of the communist world - and bigger budgets.

Besides, as this was made for TV in the early 70s, budgets were tight.

There is no CGI, and very little violence, although the threat of it is clear. Actors speak English, and speak it clearly. There is little profanity, and no mumbling.

While there is no location shooting, and little by way of outdoor relief, what you have is a tight, tense TV series. What you did have were an outstanding cast, and some advisors who had lived through the experiences described by the TV series, (ex-POWs, including some who had escaped from Colditz, and others who had also served in the war) and were able to offer thoughts, direction, insight, and suggestions on tone.

It conveys the claustrophobia (as being imprisoned there, in a medieval fortress must have been, for both captors and the POWs alike) exceptionally well, and tells its stories with an intelligent literate script, a meticulous mastery of history (most of the episodes are based on true stories), a superb cast, and some excellent - flawless - acting.

And it is utterly brilliant.

Spare me the re-makes, the sequels, the clones, the CGI, the massive budgets, the empty plots. Get good actors, give them good roles - intelligent, well--written ones - and that is all you need to tell a gripping story.
 
bradl

bradl

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Jun 16, 2008
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This, as while the entire series so far has been dark/intense, it is really good.

p12753146_b_v8_aa.jpg


And the good news is that they were just re-upped for 78 episodes for the entire series.. that puts it at 6 seasons, plus the original is coming back, plus Beast King GoLion (the original anime that gave us Voltron) may be coming to Netflix.

BL.
 
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Huntn

Huntn

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Right now Legion is the single best show I'm watching regularity. It's great story telling so far, 3 episodes in. There is a dedicated thread in this forum.

 
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