The best new and returning TV series thread

Where goats go to escape
sockwithaticket
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LoveOfTheGame wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 9:50 am
Insane_Homer wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:36 am Fargo Season 5 (Amazon) has been really good. Fantastic cast. Weekly drops are annoying.
It really does suck balls. One redeeming factor of Netflix is they let you binge watch a whole new season.
I think streaming services are increasingly aware and disatisfied that consumers are only signing up for as long as it takes them to work through the best content in the library, then ditching. Given how many services there are now, the premium content worth subscribing for is pretty thin on the ground, so the return to weekly drops for some things is an attempt to try and spin out how long they keep people on the hook for that sweet, sweet subscription money.

I reckon it won't be long until they require minimum subscription lengths of 4 - 6 months for new customers.
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Uncle fester
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LoveOfTheGame wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 9:50 am
Insane_Homer wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:36 am Fargo Season 5 (Amazon) has been really good. Fantastic cast. Weekly drops are annoying.
It really does suck balls. One redeeming factor of Netflix is they let you binge watch a whole new season.
It's one of the reasons Netflix releases have struggled. Folks binge the whole lot and the impact is diminished.
Jock42
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I quite enjoy weekly releases. If its all released at once we watch the whole lot then have trout to watch for weeks.
sockwithaticket
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If burning through one show leaves you with nothing to watch for weeks, that speaks volumes about the paucity of offering from the main players in the streaming market and why they don't really deserve our business.
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Sandstorm
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Jock42 wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 2:21 pm I quite enjoy weekly releases. If its all released at once we watch the whole lot then have trout to watch for weeks.
2 episodes per week for me please. One is just not enough.
sefton
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Just watching Slow Horses S3, just fucking brilliant.
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Tichtheid
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sefton wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:27 pm Just watching Slow Horses S3, just fucking brilliant.
We finished it this afternoon. I agree with your assessment.

I'm a sucker for anything even slightly resembling the Cold War spy genre so I was always going to love this, but even my wife liked it.
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Tichtheid
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Insane_Homer wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:36 am Fargo Season 5 (Amazon) has been really good. Fantastic cast. Weekly drops are annoying.

I was a huge fan of the film so I watched the first series with a bit of trepidation. It was brilliant. The second was just as good but I don't know why I dropped off the third series. I must go back to it.
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Sandstorm
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Will Trent on Disney+. Fun FBI investigation series, enjoying it.
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Ymx
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Insane_Homer wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:36 am Fargo Season 5 (Amazon) has been really good. Fantastic cast. Weekly drops are annoying.
Fargo season 5! Magic. I’d forgotten completely about Fargo. Not even sure which seasons I’ve watched now, it’s been so long.
sefton
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Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:01 pm
sefton wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:27 pm Just watching Slow Horses S3, just fucking brilliant.
We finished it this afternoon. I agree with your assessment.

I'm a sucker for anything even slightly resembling the Cold War spy genre so I was always going to love this, but even my wife liked it.
My missus loves it.
sockwithaticket
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Sandstorm wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:10 pm Will Trent on Disney+. Fun FBI investigation series, enjoying it.
As someone who's read the books, I can't watch it. The tone of the trailer and the casting of the leads is unrecognisable from the source material. Been burnt by that too many times.

I'm sure if you come into it blind it's decent. I've definitely enjoyed adaptations whose source I'm not familiar with that have attracted flack from fans for their lack of faith to it.
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Sandstorm
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sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 9:48 pm
Sandstorm wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:10 pm Will Trent on Disney+. Fun FBI investigation series, enjoying it.
As someone who's read the books, I can't watch it. The tone of the trailer and the casting of the leads is unrecognisable from the source material. Been burnt by that too many times.

I'm sure if you come into it blind it's decent. I've definitely enjoyed adaptations whose source I'm not familiar with that have attracted flack from fans for their lack of faith to it.
Feels like The Mentalist. If you liked that, this will appeal.
sockwithaticket
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Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:03 pm
Insane_Homer wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:36 am Fargo Season 5 (Amazon) has been really good. Fantastic cast. Weekly drops are annoying.

I was a huge fan of the film so I watched the first series with a bit of trepidation. It was brilliant. The second was just as good but I don't know why I dropped off the third series. I must go back to it.
3 is grand and not just because we get to see Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the bath ( :shock: ). I dropped off series 4 for some reason, 5 feels very much like a return to form.
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mat the expat
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salanya wrote: Sat Dec 23, 2023 2:24 pm

Although the Last Kingdom wasn't perfect, it was very impressive in that it started close to the book, and then developed over the series. It stayed with the spirit and general storyline of the books, but allowed the actors to develop the characters.
Apparently lots of choices were influenced by (lacking) budget too, which explains some of the narrative choices.

Not sure there are excuses to messing up the Winter King.

Anyway, they've started developing the CJ Sansom books for TV now, so fingers crossed they don't feck that up.... 🤞
I think Cornwell helped with the Last Kingdom adaptation. Doubt he did for this one

I've not read those books - worth a go? Which is first?
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mat the expat
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Bullet wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 9:31 pm Know it's not new or returning but boozy afternoon reminded me of wanting to find Water Margin series
I downloaded the lot a few years back!

That's what started my love of Japanese Swords as a kid
Gumboot
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I really enjoyed Giri/Haji. Would love to see a sequel.
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Bullet
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mat the expat wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:38 am
Bullet wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 9:31 pm Know it's not new or returning but boozy afternoon reminded me of wanting to find Water Margin series
I downloaded the lot a few years back!

That's what started my love of Japanese Swords as a kid
Was it a disappointment? Must have been 45 years ago and no idea how it would have aged
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Uncle fester
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sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 9:53 pm
Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:03 pm
Insane_Homer wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:36 am Fargo Season 5 (Amazon) has been really good. Fantastic cast. Weekly drops are annoying.

I was a huge fan of the film so I watched the first series with a bit of trepidation. It was brilliant. The second was just as good but I don't know why I dropped off the third series. I must go back to it.
3 is grand and not just because we get to see Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the bath ( :shock: ). I dropped off series 4 for some reason, 5 feels very much like a return to form.
Was just about to say the same. :grin:
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Dan54
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Gumboot wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:06 am

I highly recommend "Time", a 2021 3-part British drama set in a prison, starring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham. The second 3-part series, also called Time, came out this year and is set in a women's prison. It stars Jodie Whittaker and Bella Ramsey, and if anything it's even better than the first series. Just top-notch, tense-as- hell British drama.
Cheers, mate in Aus has said beasically same thing about Time, unfortunatley can't get first series in NZ. Will definitely have a watch of series 2. I just love almost British drams, and am happy with any recomendations of them!
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Dan54
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mat the expat wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:36 am
I think Cornwell helped with the Last Kingdom adaptation. Doubt he did for this one

I've not read those books - worth a go? Which is first?
[/quote]

Reading the second of the Last Winter series now Matt, loved the first and second is great too.
Got it off daughter who reads and enjoys a lot similar to me. Got Ken Follet's latest of her to read after the last couple of this series. I real keen on his books!
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fishfoodie
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sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:12 pm
Ymx wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 9:41 pm Slow horses series finale today.

Quite a dark season. Some bits lacked realism.

Im trying to decide if I liked it or not. I think it gets the thumbs up. No where near as good a predecessor though.
Certainly the
Spoiler
Show
crack MI5 tactical team being held off and then soundly dealt with by a bunch of the worst regular agents
strained credulity.

Still very much one of the best current shows, though.
Spoiler
Show
They weren't 5, they were the clueless merc's that Duffy, the head dog, constantly treated like shit.

I actually thought the least credible moment was Roddy thinking of anyone but himself & driving the bus into the building :grin:
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Bullet
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We finally watched squid games series for the cash and 2024 ruined already
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Grandpa
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Watched Bodies and quite enjoyed it... now watching DARK... a German series... love it. Grabs me more than Bodies did.
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Uncle fester
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Grandpa wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2024 11:05 pm Watched Bodies and quite enjoyed it... now watching DARK... a German series... love it. Grabs me more than Bodies did.
Dark is one of my all time favorites.
Have you got to the "not where but when" episode with Ulrich and Mikkel?
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Grandpa
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Uncle fester wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2024 11:10 am
Grandpa wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2024 11:05 pm Watched Bodies and quite enjoyed it... now watching DARK... a German series... love it. Grabs me more than Bodies did.
Dark is one of my all time favorites.
Have you got to the "not where but when" episode with Ulrich and Mikkel?
I'm at the start of season 3... so I think so? Season 3 isn't grabbing me after a couple of episodes... it felt like it should have ended at end of season 2... now it feels like padding?
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boere wors
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You watching Dark in german, subtitled? Acting is quite poor, couldnt watch it.
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Grandpa
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boere wors wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2024 2:09 pm You watching Dark in german, subtitled? Acting is quite poor, couldnt watch it.
Yes... I still found it gripping... better than Bodies I thought... Twin Peaks meets Back to the Future.

And Jonas (Louis Hofmann) was in "All the Light We Cannot See" which was also excellent.
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fishfoodie
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Good news Slow Horses fans; Season 5 has been green lit !
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Uncle fester
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Grandpa wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2024 12:32 pm
Uncle fester wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2024 11:10 am
Grandpa wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2024 11:05 pm Watched Bodies and quite enjoyed it... now watching DARK... a German series... love it. Grabs me more than Bodies did.
Dark is one of my all time favorites.
Have you got to the "not where but when" episode with Ulrich and Mikkel?
I'm at the start of season 3... so I think so? Season 3 isn't grabbing me after a couple of episodes... it felt like it should have ended at end of season 2... now it feels like padding?
Season 3 is a little slow to get going but bear with it. Ending of episode 6 is a stonker (with a Bloc Party soundtrack).
Dogbert
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Absolutely the best piece of TV that has been on the British screen recently was " Mr Bates vs The Post Office" - If you have not seen it I cannot recommend it enough

I've followed this story for the last 10 years through Private Eye / Computer Weekly/ Panorama & the BBC Radio documentary. but only in this televised docudrama does the magnitude of the story really come to life.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm ... s-67861886

Mr Bates vs The Post Office tells the story of the long and difficult battle for justice after hundreds of postal workers were accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting.

In 1999, a fault with the Post Office’s IT system (Horizon, by Fujitsu) incorrectly reported cash shortfalls in branches across the country, which led to hundreds of innocent postmasters and postmistresses being dismissed from their jobs, with some taking their lives due to the stress.

Its a discomforting watch
Lager & Lime - we don't do cocktails
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mat the expat
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Gumboot wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 5:15 am I really enjoyed Giri/Haji. Would love to see a sequel.
Agreed - it was very good
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mat the expat
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Bullet wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:43 pm
mat the expat wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:38 am
Bullet wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 9:31 pm Know it's not new or returning but boozy afternoon reminded me of wanting to find Water Margin series
I downloaded the lot a few years back!

That's what started my love of Japanese Swords as a kid
Was it a disappointment? Must have been 45 years ago and no idea how it would have aged
It's dated but still worth a watch
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mat the expat
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Dan54 wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 11:50 pm
mat the expat wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:36 am
I think Cornwell helped with the Last Kingdom adaptation. Doubt he did for this one

I've not read those books - worth a go? Which is first?
Reading the second of the Last Winter series now Matt, loved the first and second is great too.
Got it off daughter who reads and enjoys a lot similar to me. Got Ken Follet's latest of her to read after the last couple of this series. I real keen on his books!
[/quote]

:thumbup:
Gumboot
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I've been a bit ambivalent about the latest series of Fargo. It's been good, but I wasn't overly impressed with episode 7 tbh, and wasn't sure if it was worth persevering with.

Needn't have worried. Episode 8 is terrific!

Sets up the final 2 episodes beautifully...
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boere wors
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Gumboot wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 4:07 am I've been a bit ambivalent about the latest series of Fargo. It's been good, but I wasn't overly impressed with episode 7 tbh, and wasn't sure if it was worth persevering with.

Needn't have worried. Episode 8 is terrific!

Sets up the final 2 episodes beautifully...
Only up to ep 3. At least back to the old Fargo vibe although trying very hard for it
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boere wors
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mat the expat wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 1:50 am
Gumboot wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 5:15 am I really enjoyed Giri/Haji. Would love to see a sequel.
Agreed - it was very good
Haven't heard of it, but will give it a try. Thanks for advice
GrahamWa
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Dogbert wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 1:21 am Absolutely the best piece of TV that has been on the British screen recently was " Mr Bates vs The Post Office" - If you have not seen it I cannot recommend it enough

I've followed this story for the last 10 years through Private Eye / Computer Weekly/ Panorama & the BBC Radio documentary. but only in this televised docudrama does the magnitude of the story really come to life.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm ... s-67861886

Mr Bates vs The Post Office tells the story of the long and difficult battle for justice after hundreds of postal workers were accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting.

In 1999, a fault with the Post Office’s IT system (Horizon, by Fujitsu) incorrectly reported cash shortfalls in branches across the country, which led to hundreds of innocent postmasters and postmistresses being dismissed from their jobs, with some taking their lives due to the stress.

Its a discomforting watch
Agreed, it was very good. What it left me feeling was how much the contractor got away with their behaviour. I would have liked to have seen how the govt (the tax payer) pursued them for failure to deliver a workable IT solution.
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Grandpa
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GrahamWa wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:26 am
Dogbert wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 1:21 am Absolutely the best piece of TV that has been on the British screen recently was " Mr Bates vs The Post Office" - If you have not seen it I cannot recommend it enough

I've followed this story for the last 10 years through Private Eye / Computer Weekly/ Panorama & the BBC Radio documentary. but only in this televised docudrama does the magnitude of the story really come to life.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm ... s-67861886

Mr Bates vs The Post Office tells the story of the long and difficult battle for justice after hundreds of postal workers were accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting.

In 1999, a fault with the Post Office’s IT system (Horizon, by Fujitsu) incorrectly reported cash shortfalls in branches across the country, which led to hundreds of innocent postmasters and postmistresses being dismissed from their jobs, with some taking their lives due to the stress.

Its a discomforting watch
Agreed, it was very good. What it left me feeling was how much the contractor got away with their behaviour. I would have liked to have seen how the govt (the tax payer) pursued them for failure to deliver a workable IT solution.
Did no one go to prison from Fujitsu? Absolute scandal if they haven't been punished at all?
Blackmac
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GrahamWa wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 8:26 am
Dogbert wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 1:21 am Absolutely the best piece of TV that has been on the British screen recently was " Mr Bates vs The Post Office" - If you have not seen it I cannot recommend it enough

I've followed this story for the last 10 years through Private Eye / Computer Weekly/ Panorama & the BBC Radio documentary. but only in this televised docudrama does the magnitude of the story really come to life.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm ... s-67861886

Mr Bates vs The Post Office tells the story of the long and difficult battle for justice after hundreds of postal workers were accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting.

In 1999, a fault with the Post Office’s IT system (Horizon, by Fujitsu) incorrectly reported cash shortfalls in branches across the country, which led to hundreds of innocent postmasters and postmistresses being dismissed from their jobs, with some taking their lives due to the stress.

Its a discomforting watch
Agreed, it was very good. What it left me feeling was how much the contractor got away with their behaviour. I would have liked to have seen how the govt (the tax payer) pursued them for failure to deliver a workable IT solution.
This started just after I joined the CID and we had a few enquiries. A very good friend of mine, who was a senior PF in the Crown Office and praised in the documentary, decided that the evidence in the cases didn't meet the levels of corroborating required in Scotland, so very few were prosecuted. Sadly not the case in England where folk seemed to get prosecuted even though it couldn't be proved that they had benefited in any way.

Very keen to watch this.
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