The Lemon Fool

nimnarb wrote:Can you watch Peaky Blinders(and understand whats it all about) without having seen any of the previous series?
Thx.

Yes.

nimnarb wrote:Can you watch Peaky Blinders(and understand whats it all about) without having seen any of the previous series?
Thx.

Yes, though this does mean that you'll miss quite a few things in series four (a lot happened in in the first three series). Given that series 1 to 3 are easily obtained I'd recommend starting with the first series if you can.

The BBC has all of series 3 on iPlayer. It's a pity that they don't have series 1 episode 1 as this would give people an easy way to decide if they like the show (or not) within a few minutes. Link below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079vtpm

Netflix has series 1 and 2. Amazon has series 1 to 3 as a combined DVD box set for £19.99. And it looks like BBC Four is showing series 1 starting 10th December

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01fj94w

Thx..will give it a go.....

Clitheroekid wrote:

JMN2 wrote:Detectorists new episodes on BBC4 starting 8th November 10pm.

I was delighted to see that the new series was up to scratch. It really is one of the best `sitcoms' - in fact one of the best things on TV - that I've ever watched, and I was sad to hear that this will be the last series.

I put the word `sitcoms' in quotes as this is about as far removed from the average crappy sitcom as can be imagined. Although there's a lot of gentle and subtle humour it's also profoundly moving at times.

I found the time shift sequence at the end remarkably affecting. If you don't want to watch the full episode the sequence starts at around 23:30 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... -episode-1

TV treasure in every sense.

CK

Thank you so much for this recommendation. I hadn't come across this series before, but as soon as I watched your link to the time series I was hooked. Mrs H and I have watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. (Most recent episode is recorded for this evening with a glass of vino).

Last Christmas I bought the box set of "Frasier" and have eked it out over the year, but now coming to the end. Would love a recommendation for another gentle comedy series which can be bought as a set or streamed from Prime.

But nothing too violent or dark. A mild mannered friend recommended "Breaking Bad" and we were horrified at the graphic violence. I finished watching the first series (I'd paid for it!!) but Mrs H refused to watch, not her idea of pleasant viewing. The dark humour wasn't enough to compensate for the gore.

Howard

PS If there are any other Frasier fans reading, I see that Kelsey Grammer is on Desert Island Discs tomorrow.

Howard wrote:Would love a recommendation for another gentle comedy series which can be bought as a set or streamed from Prime.

But nothing too violent or dark.

"Corner Gas". A Canadian comedy about life in the small town of Dog River (pop. about 500) in rural Saskatchewan, centred on the local petrol station.

In Dog River as the theme song says "there's not a lot going on". The cops spend most of their time goofing off, drinking coffee and occasionally trying to justify their jobs. The recent arrival from Toronto tries her hardest to bring a bit of big city culture to a town that doesn't really want it. And everyone gossips. Lots of gentle sarcastic humour, no violence and no laughter track.

It is very Canadian with lots of references about ice hockey, curling and even Canadian Football. Unlike almost every sitcom Corner Gas actually acknowledges that people often talk about sport, local politics, films, TV, music and comic books (the gas station owner loves his comic books). Many famous Canadians appear on the show, including two recent Prime Ministers.

Unlike most American sitcoms, the characters in Corner Gas live realistic lives so no-one has a lifestyle that they couldn't pay for given their job (or unemployment). Corner Gas is the show that gave us the word "Staycation", from an episode where one of the characters can't afford to go on holiday so he instead stays in Dog River and everyone pretends that the postcards they get from him are genuine.

107 episodes in 6 series. I can't comment on the DVD's sold in the UK as mine came from Canada (they seem to be generally region code free though some computers won't play them treating them as non-region 2 discs).

Five years after it finished everyone came back to do a Corner Gas movie. Now normally film versions of sitcoms are not very good; this was as good as the series.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corner_Gas

Opening scene from the first episode

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Veu-Cm7aHMw

Howard wrote:Would love a recommendation for another gentle comedy series which can be bought as a set or streamed from Prime.

But nothing too violent or dark.
Howard

Hi Howard. If you can both get your asses out of bed by 06.00 tomorrow you will be able have a 3x1/2hr of 3rd Rock From The Sun (John Lithgow), 3x1/2hr of Everybody Loves Raymond (Ray Romano) and a bonus 2x1/2hr of Frazier all on channel 4. Way to go Sunday morning.

SalvorHardin wrote:"Corner Gas". A Canadian comedy about life in the small town of Dog River (pop. about 500) in rural Saskatchewan, centred on the local petrol station.

Seconded. A great antidote to harsher US comedies. Your post reminds me that I need to find access to the final series. Before Blinkbox folded, all six were available there. I watched about 5 1/2 before it evaporated, so still haven't made it through. As for Wullerton (spit), ...

In a similar Canadian humour vein, I'd suggest The Red Green Show if you can find it. This ran seemingly forever on US PBS (probably because once PBS had bought it they had no money left for anything else). The example Handyman's Corner segment here will give a flavour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLBDqchND0s

Salvador, Panama and Ted

Many thanks for the recommendations. Corner Gas sounds fun. I will have a look at the links you have posted and record Channel 4 tomorrow.

Your recommendations appreciated.

Wine is chilled and after Mrs H watches Strictly we are going to settle down to the Detectorists.

regards

Howard

Thanks for the Detectorists recommendation. Just watched a couple of episodes so far, and enjoying it a lot.
I might see about getting a boxed set for Xmas to catch Series 1 and 2, as they don't seem to be available on Sky Catch-Up or Boxed Sets.

Another sitcom which sprang to mind as I was out for a walk is the New Zealand-American "Jack of all Trades".

A historically anachronistic sitcom, set in 1801 on the French East Indian island of Palau-Palau, which for reasons that are never explained is vital to the French war effort. So vital that Napoleon spends quite a bit of time there and has installed his brother as governor.

American secret agent Jack Stiles is sent there by Thomas Jefferson to work for British superspy, businesswoman and inventor Emilia Rothschild in thwarting Napoleon's schemes. A lot of the humour comes from the clash between Emilia's subtle methods (she has the governor wrapped around her little finger) and Jack's brash way of doing things.

Jack is played by Bruce Campbell, Napoleon by Verne Troyer (Mini Me from Austin Powers), the show is littered with double entendres and modern references whilst several historical characters turn up on Palau-Palau from time to time (some of whom (e.g. Catherine the Great) were dead in real-life, but this isn't the sort of show that worries about that).

The show borrows quite a bit from Zorro so whilst there are a lot of swordfights they aren't bloody, and there are a lot of visual jokes. Almost every Frenchman is incompetent, except for the Captain of the Guard and of course Napoleon who when not planning the invasion of England, is doing one or more of: getting drunk, fornicating, eating, fighting, lusting after Emilia, bullying his brother, strutting around and being imperial.

And then there's the French resistance parrot, Jean-Claude, who works with Jack.

22 episodes in total. Only available on region 1 DVD, though the entire series is on Youtube. Below is a link to episode 1.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7kYNzJh6fC4

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_of ... (TV_series)

Panamagold

Thank you for the recommendation of Everybody Loves Raymond, within 10 minutes we were hooked! Seems to be gentle humour which travels well across the Atlantic. A bit like Frasier.

The bonus was that we started on episode 1 of 25. All to be recorded from Channel 4.

Even better, I see that there are 210 episodes if we want to get the box set.

regards

Howard

You're welcome Howard. Hope the both of you enjoy the following 207 episodes.

zico wrote:Thanks for the Detectorists recommendation.

My pleasure, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I watched the final episode of series 3 (sadly the last series) last night and it was about the nearest I've ever come to perfect TV. I honestly can't think of a series that I've enjoyed so much for years. To use the old cliché it was worth the licence fee by itself.

The people I really envy are those who have never watched it at all. They have 18 episodes of sheer delight to look forward to.

Clitheroekid wrote:

zico wrote:Thanks for the Detectorists recommendation.

My pleasure, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I watched the final episode of series 3 (sadly the last series) last night and it was about the nearest I've ever come to perfect TV. I honestly can't think of a series that I've enjoyed so much for years. To use the old cliché it was worth the licence fee by itself.

The people I really envy are those who have never watched it at all. They have 18 episodes of sheer delight to look forward to.

Only moment with this series that I was disappointed with was the last final minute, other than that, perfect TV indeed.

I wanted to see Toby Jones's face that last one minute. What an actor.

JMN2 wrote:Only moment with this series that I was disappointed with was the last final minute

It just goes to show ... I thought the ending was one of the best I've ever seen. One of the many brilliant aspects of the series was that it was happy to let the viewers' imagination work, rather than spelling everything out as most TV series do. For me, imagining the look on their faces as the gold coins rained down was probably better than actually showing it.

I also loved the tiny but wonderful touches such as the lens flare creating a rainbow effect over the tree as the camera zoomed out - the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Such subtlety and care in making a programme is a rare delight. And I also noticed that the song at the end - yet another factor adding to the enjoyment - had slightly different lyrics to signify that it was the final episode.

And finally, thanks to the BBC for not interrupting the final credits with a continuity announcer. I think this is one of the very few times I've sat through all the credits, wanting to extract every last, precious moment.

I don't know how Mackenzie Crook can top this.

thx to the poster for the peaky blinders series.............watched the first 2 series yesterday..what a marathon.....probably too much in one go as its all is becoming a bit of the same..............however, excellent acting, photography and music and probably will watch the next to series in the next 24 hours....glutton for punishment......but one of the best dramas I have seen for ages.

Just watched the last two series of Peaky Blinders....really, really good. CK and others have recced the Dectorists so will see if I can get this on the iplayer. Anything else to see that's new..action, good acting, etc, etc................?

Happy new year to you all...............

Just seen that Amazon prime have the first two series free, so looking forward to seeing this.........never was interested as I thought the title said it all....another detective series......? Metal detecting, now that's a different story. Actually always wanted to have a go myself, one day.

For those of you spending New Years Eve at home and not wanting to watch the usual Hogmanay Fare, BBC4 have nailed it. They are showing the complete last series of Detectorists starting at 10:00m and finishing at 00:30

What a lovely gentle way to see in the New Year.