TV Show recommendations

[nifan]

Watched the pilot episode of a new show "the americans"
pretty good start, centers around a couple of kgb sleeper agents in the us at the beginning of the reagan years.

If you're interested in that sort of thing
There's an excellent French film,  Farewell (L'affaire Farewell) (2009) http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/farewell_2010/ about a French engineer who was used as a go-between by a Soviet colonel to leak documents to the West, amongst which was a list of the entire Soviet spy network in the USA.
The French, Mitterrand, (regarded as commie by the Pentagon) then passed that info onto Reagan.
The basic facts of the story do hold water but of course it isn't wholly based on fact
As good as, or even better than Le Carre at his best.

Watched this last night - very good. They make reagan look a tit!

[Main Street]

Watched the pilot episode of a new show "the americans"
pretty good start, centers around a couple of kgb sleeper agents in the us at the beginning of the reagan years.

I got round to watching the pilot last night. It does indeed look promising. The central storyline has the makings of a very interesting drama. 

[Main Street]

Over half-way through a French series called 'Les Revenants' (Ghosts) - I'm really enjoying it.  It's set in a small mountainous village - people who have been dead (ranging in time from 2-35 years ago) start coming back to life.  There's no zombie stuff going on; just folk who have passed on, usually by violent/sudden death, just wander back into the village the same as the day they died.  However, time has passed, and though their partners/families/friends are freaked out initially, and eventually glad to have their loved ones back in their lives, problems start to happen.  A twin sister arrives back aged 13; her twin is now 16 and not really able to cope mentally with this.  A man who has died on the day he was supposed to be married arrives back to find that his partner is now in another relationship and about to get married again.  And so on; it's really about how people cope when they find that someone whose loss has devastated their lives, is now back in their life as if nothing has happened - but it has, they have gone through the loss, and all is different.  Oh, and something creepy is happening in the reservoir in the mountains.  Brilliant stuff - reminds me of Twin Peaks at its very best.  Highly recommended.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2521668/

Thanks for the write up Billy, I'll check it out.

I got through the whole series. It was heavy going. Only the last straw, wanting to find out what happens at the end, kept me watching it.
However, I managed to smile once, in the first episode, when the separated husband asked the ex wife's lover, after the reappearance of his dead daughter, "what's the diagnosis doctor? acute resurrection?"

[ziggy90]

Just finished the second series of Borgen, really enjoyed it. Covered a lot of difficult subject matter for the most part sensibly. Shades of the West Wing in its camera work and characterisation (nothing wrong with that). Does anyone know if there's another series in the pipeline?

[Tony Baloney]

Just finished the second series of Borgen, really enjoyed it. Covered a lot of difficult subject matter for the most part sensibly. Shades of the West Wing in its camera work and characterisation (nothing wrong with that). Does anyone know if there's another series in the pipeline?

Season 3 is in the can and on tv elsewhere.

[ziggy90]

Where?

[Tony Baloney]

Where?

Jeez man use google! I am sure there will be a torrent somewhere. It is shown on Nederland 2 channel - guess where? 

[ziggy90]

Thanks for the advice TB, series 3 looks a winner as well. I wouldn't know how to use those torrents so I kind of rely on people like your good self for guidance.

Is it being shown on Wacko's ranch?

[Tony Baloney]

Thanks for the advice TB, series 3 looks a winner as well. I wouldn't know how to use those torrents so I kind of rely on people like your good self for guidance.

Is it being shown on Wacko's ranch?

If I get any more details I will keep you posted.

Like what you did with Nederland 

[Main Street]

I think you'll have to wait a good bit for Borgen 3,
english subs are just not available.

[Billys Boots]

Over half-way through a French series called 'Les Revenants' (Ghosts) - I'm really enjoying it.  It's set in a small mountainous village - people who have been dead (ranging in time from 2-35 years ago) start coming back to life.  There's no zombie stuff going on; just folk who have passed on, usually by violent/sudden death, just wander back into the village the same as the day they died.  However, time has passed, and though their partners/families/friends are freaked out initially, and eventually glad to have their loved ones back in their lives, problems start to happen.  A twin sister arrives back aged 13; her twin is now 16 and not really able to cope mentally with this.  A man who has died on the day he was supposed to be married arrives back to find that his partner is now in another relationship and about to get married again.  And so on; it's really about how people cope when they find that someone whose loss has devastated their lives, is now back in their life as if nothing has happened - but it has, they have gone through the loss, and all is different.  Oh, and something creepy is happening in the reservoir in the mountains.  Brilliant stuff - reminds me of Twin Peaks at its very best.  Highly recommended.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2521668/

Thanks for the write up Billy, I'll check it out.

I got through the whole series. It was heavy going. Only the last straw, wanting to find out what happens at the end, kept me watching it.
However, I managed to smile once, in the first episode, when the separated husband asked the ex wife's lover, after the reappearance of his dead daughter, "what's the diagnosis doctor? acute resurrection?"

Yeah, it got a bit boring towards the end when the emphasis changed to the zombie stuff - I still think it started well.

Am enjoying Engrenages season-4 at the moment.

[Main Street]

Am enjoying Engrenages season-4 at the moment.

I wasn't sure where it was going with the first 2 episodes but I have settled into it after episodes 3&4.
The reappearance of the magistrate Roban (reminds me of Wenger) has brought it on a few notches.

[ballinaman]

What are people making of the Des Bishop show on drink culture in Ireland. 3rd episode is on tonight. Just watched the 1st one on RTE player there, some good insights into things but Dessie is a bit passed his sell by date at this stage IMO, his jokes are fairly well recycled. Still will watch it though I'd say.

[heffo]

Durham county on US Netflix is decent. Drama about a serial killer living in a suburban Canadian community

[Syferus]

Watched the final episode of The Fear yesterday. Really excellent ending that is both tragic and able change the perspective of the mini-series in an instant. Some fantastic performances to boot, none more do than Peter Mullan as the lead.

I've been impressed by a lot of Channel 4's forays into drama in recent years and it's good to see American premium cable quality starting to seep onto shows this side of the Atlantic.