Some of us may not realize right now but
I think we are in the golden age of television.
I think we are in the golden age of television.
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I used to silently and meekly nod when people would say
in an erudite tone they do not watch television as it is all rubbish
but no more.
in an erudite tone they do not watch television as it is all rubbish
but no more.
I can't pinpoint when the tide changed but I hardly go to the cinema anymore. How the heck does anyone expect me to meet someone and then care about their lives after only spending an hour and a half with them??
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I think it started with the Sopranos and Sex and the City when we started connecting directly with people on shows like they were our actual friends.
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And don't forget people change and he might come good again okay?
I have become one of those box set people.
I immerse myself and the TV version of Spock beams me to various time portals and helps me do some tele-visual astral travel. For instance, I am saving Game of Thrones for the next British winter so I have something to look forward to and balance the ecological real world misery and enter a sci-fi world to escape the cold.
I immerse myself and the TV version of Spock beams me to various time portals and helps me do some tele-visual astral travel. For instance, I am saving Game of Thrones for the next British winter so I have something to look forward to and balance the ecological real world misery and enter a sci-fi world to escape the cold.
The theater is good for certain things: a mood, the live analysis and noting when the audience gasps or laughs that differ from yours.
But it is terrible when a huge cranium cramps your view and you leave the theater ringing your osteopath to sort out your hips having leaned to one side for two hours.
But there is a special pleasure in knowing your TV show is on later that day and thinking about making a dessert to enjoy while on the sofa with your favorite throw on your lap.
My new favorite show is Psychobitches shown on Sky Arts.
It is written and acted by some of the best comedians.
The platform is about famous female characters and
their session with a psychotherapist.
I urge you to just click on the links below as
they are only a few minutes each at best.
It is one of the cleverest sketches I have seen.
I tried to pick my top five favorite ones but if you go on YouTube they have plenty of other characters like Edith Piaf, Frida Kahlo, and Sylvia Plath.
It is written and acted by some of the best comedians.
The platform is about famous female characters and
their session with a psychotherapist.
I urge you to just click on the links below as
they are only a few minutes each at best.
It is one of the cleverest sketches I have seen.
I tried to pick my top five favorite ones but if you go on YouTube they have plenty of other characters like Edith Piaf, Frida Kahlo, and Sylvia Plath.
My absolute favorite was Mary Queen of Scots.
Click here for link.
I adore the Stuart monarchs but I must warn you that there is heavy profanity in this one sketch.
Click here for link.
I adore the Stuart monarchs but I must warn you that there is heavy profanity in this one sketch.
Click here for link to see the session with Audrey Hepburn.
Click here for the link about the session with the Bronte sisters -
this was literary comedy at its best. I love the mix of high brow references with a bit of common humour.
this was literary comedy at its best. I love the mix of high brow references with a bit of common humour.
Click here for the link for Margot Fonteyn.
So brilliantly cast that I thought it was her...
One that was very brief was for Princess Di.
( click on her name for link)
But I must warn you that some of you may be offended by this one.
( click on her name for link)
But I must warn you that some of you may be offended by this one.
There are a few older shows that I have been absolutely hooked on. But they stand the test of time and are superb in all aspects: writing, plot, and acting.
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I know there has been a Downton Abbey frenzy which correlated to the revived monarchy but I phased out at the end of season 2.
But the original Upstairs Downstairs trumps Downton Abbey easily in my opinion and is beyond reproach.
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It encapsulates the best of theater and television.
Each and every episode is not only entertaining but a true social perspective of history with a civic stance. It is perfect for family viewing and I have rarely seen better casting from the BBC.
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The house is not an original and a character in itself like Downton and is only a stage set but I dare you not to like it. You can watch the series on YouTube - click here for the very first episode.
Another oldie but goodie from the BBC vaults is I, Claudius.
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Are you or a family member interested in Ancient Rome and
all its shenanigans?
Then this is the show for you.
It is classical acting and rather theatrical so I can't say it has a modern broad appeal. The cast is stellar - in this case the adjective is not a cliche as it has the likes of Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, and Brian Blessed among many others.
It is a bit marmite-y ( you either love it or hate it ) but it is great historical docudrama. But having said that, it was also one of the most successful BBC dramas of all time.
Apparently, HBO is going to remake the show!
It is a bit marmite-y ( you either love it or hate it ) but it is great historical docudrama. But having said that, it was also one of the most successful BBC dramas of all time.
Apparently, HBO is going to remake the show!
Click here for the link to the series also available for view on YouTube.
Well I hope you have a lovely weekend and enjoy some of the snippets! x
Amen! I love the small screen. The bit about desserts on the sofa at the end of the day? I LIVE for that. Such a comfort.
ReplyDeleteI love that feeling of expectation - such a great simple pleasure!
Deletefun)
ReplyDeletemary0tur,blogspot,com
Two shows that I have seen in the last year that really were extraordinarily good were: Sherlock and Black Mirror.
ReplyDeleteI just looked up Black Mirror and they still have it on Channel4! Thanks for the pick
DeleteIt's pretty dark, just to warn you ahead of time.
DeleteOh I loved the Black Mirror! Fantastic stuff, but yes, a bit dark!!
DeleteI am not a big Telly watcher, and there are very few series I follow.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Sex and the City - so fresh and clever.
There is a series in Australia called Offspring. I lived for it every Wednesday evening. However, last night the man-candy was killed off and most of the female population of Australia is baying for the producer's blood and swearing off it.
Might just have to spend the time...I dunno....hanging out with friends/loved ones? Exercising? Doing household chores? Boning up on my Spanish?
I will look out for that show! Yes I know tv seems like an obstacle but I lived with out a tv for two years and I still didn't learn to knit or learn my German verb conjugation so I now have no guilt watching telly! :)
DeleteI just can't commit to a series (except for Mad Men). I must say that I loved the first series of Downton, but then they've gone and sanitised it all, and it's a bit saccharine/ unrealistic for my liking now. I tend to find that with most series. I never watched the end couple of series of Sex and the City - I became bored with the characters (and can't stand SJP)... maybe that's why Mad Men has worked for me. So many unlikeable people that stay that way (just like real life!), lots of unexpected twists, rather than neat tying up of ends (just like real life again). My husband has been glued to Game of Thrones (unfortunately he tends to download series onto his ipad to watch on his plane trips, which means I don't watch them). I'm going to watch a new series called The Vikings. It looks great - very bloodthirsty. Was watching Mr Selfridge on tv, but it's on Channel 7 so they put a million ad breaks in and I became bored and stopped.
ReplyDeleteThink you can conclude that I have no attention span at all. xx
There was a great article this week about sex and the city in the new Yorker. Very interesting indeed. Might write about the show and it's effects. But I love docudramas I think you would love the white queen, look out for it when it comes to oz. I love tv reco's so will look out for Vikings. My dad definitely had Viking blood in him. Never got mr self ridge but I didn't give it a chance. I hate ads on the telly, I would pay extra not to see them! Xx
DeleteHeidi, I'm hanging out for Vikings too!
DeleteThanks for the great recommendation. I hope you're having a great summer!
ReplyDeletexo
Sharon
Hope you like the skits and hope you are having a great summer too x
DeleteWith our mostly miserable weather the telly is the only thing keeping us even half sane. Psychobitches is brilliantly funny and I love it (takes one to know one?)I hated Downton with its terrible acting and story lines. But Upstairs Downstairs is/was a pleasure to watch.
ReplyDeleteUpstairs downstairs really is the best of British! Downton was initially great fun but then it ended up like the bold and the beautiful but with bad teeth but I juiced it for two seasons nevertheless! But game of thrones will tide me over this Xmas :)
DeleteSo jealous you have GOT yet to watch. One of my fave shows ever! A bit of a dodgy first couple of episodes but I was addicted and obsessed while contemplating who would be a better match for me ...Tyrion or Jaime. I decided they'd have to learn to share me! I'm so generous, I know!
DeleteAfter my baby I kind of stopped watching TV for a bit..at night we crept around shhhhh shhhh
ReplyDeleteBack in to it. Love a good comedy sketch. Thanks!
I heard that happens a lot and people just want to sleep as well. But I love a laugh as well. Enjoy the links :)
DeleteAll I watch is trash reality tv lol...like all the housewives! I really need to get into these tv shows! Thanks for sharing! P.S. Lucy is the best...it's too bad they don't show reruns in England:(. You can watch episodes on hulu though:)!
ReplyDeleteI watch housewives as well tho!! Every city, I have no shame...thanks for Hulu never heard of it before x
DeleteJust watched your link to psychobitches. So funny!!! I'm into reality television- The Real Housewives etc. It is tragic.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the links, they are so clever no? Let's just all admit we watch housewives! Although I can't say which city is my favourite. Actually I think it's Miami, those girls don't have much heart...
DeletePsychobitches looks fantastic! Thanks for the intro!
ReplyDeleteI loved Broadchurch, The Bridge, The Killing, Unit One, The Eagle and more recently, Borgen. Hmmm all of these apart from Broadchurch are Scandinavian.....
At the moment we are working our way the entire series of Heimat (German series from the 80s). It is very good.... I'm almost certain that Hanneke got his inspiration for 'The White Ribbon' from it, but I could be wrong.
Hey. I am a telly addict but have vowed not to get in to watching any more NEW TV series, otherwise I will never have time to do anything else. I get very irritated by comedy sketches so programmes like Psychobitches just aren't for me I'm afraid, which is strange because I love watching comedy in films and at theatre and I'm the first to laugh at a crap joke.
ReplyDeleteI didn't watch the first series of Downton, so I watched the second to see what the fuss was about and got hooked. Never warmed to Upstairs Downstairs, but that may be more to do with the channel than the programme. Loved Mr Selfridge, probably more for the 'fashion'. Massive Sex and the City fan, but not enough to have a box set. I'm enjoying Suits, but the series has finished now, caught a bit of the new one in NY. I do watch a lot of the reality shows - yep i'm afraid my evenings are taken up with Big Bro at the moment - I pretend I'm a psychologist whilst i'm watching it.
I'm such a telly addict that I can never comprehend how people don't watch or worse still don't have a TV, but do you know who irritates me the most when they say they don't watch TV or they don't let their children watch TV? Actors/actresses! xx
Love your picks! I must add House of Cards (original and recent remake), The Newsroom, Orange is the New Black, and our latest "find" (two years late to the party) Scandal with Kerry Washington!
ReplyDeleteNow I am off to see the Bronte sisters!
I'm gonna check out Psychobitches. I love psychos. And bitches. Hahaha. I love comedy sketches and been watching these 2 women (sorry forgot the title) who are so good, they're the female version of 'Mark and Jeremy' on Peep Show. I did enjoy The Returned. I haven't been following series shows as I find it resfreshing to be suprised what's on, then I record it. I don't go to the cinema as much anymore also. Why should I when the same films are on my box after a couple of months, and only for £3.50 to rent? I love documentaries so that docudrama would be interesting to see. Thanks for the recommendations! I'm so not updated with new TV shows :D xxx
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is a simple pleasure knowing that your favourite TV show is on later that day. I can't believe that I've still not watched a single episode of Downton Abbey. I really must watch it sometime as everyone I know seems to like it!
ReplyDeleteLoved Mary omg hilarious!! thx for recs. I love call the midwife- so well done. -robyn
ReplyDeleteOh and Calfornication was prob first time I realized there existed actual decent tv writing. Aha moment. -robyn
ReplyDeleteI have not watched TV for 3,5 years. IMO I have not missed a thing. Instead, I feel having more freedom. I recommend : )!!
ReplyDeleteOh ... My favourite subject ... box-sets!!! I am a great fan and am always on the look out for suggestions. What about House of Cards with Kevin Spacey!!!.... it is fabulous I tell you! I was heartbroken when West Wing ended - and also when James Gandolfini died.... I have just received the original Berkeley Square ... and I adored "Call the Mid-wife". Never really got into Mad Men - but as you say - he's just going through a bad phase and his redemption is surely on the horizon?! xx
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post!! I don't watch a lot of TV but there are a few series that we are absolutely glued to: Top Gear, Sherlock, Downton Abbey and What Not to Wear (the US version). I tried watching Mad Men but couldn't get past the incessant womanizing, smoking and drinking. I, Claudius sounds very interesting, as does Mr. Selfridge - off to look them up!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your tips! Sorry I can't reply individually at the moment but I am travelling again at the moment on a short trip to Vienna but I can't wait to compile y to watch list :) xx
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! Love Storm
ReplyDeleteI don't watch television. Honest. Not.:D But I do go to the theatre from time to time, mostly to see a movie that's mostly about special effect to really experience them.:)
ReplyDeleteP.S.: Yeah, I know the winters are a bitch. We had gorgeous weather, not hot at all, just pleasant breeze, but I saw some pictures of Chicago winter when all is frozen - horrific!
Ha I looove Tvshows but I'm not that much into the oldies. However I feel like now every good ones are fibished so I am looking for some new stuff ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the introduction to Psycho Bitches. Too funny/clever. My TV watching is almost zero.
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