Just watched the last episode Not a bad series (wooden acting awful casting) until the joke of a last episode. Where to start, a few things.....the scene in the vest was laughable, how close were they all to him, senior officers would never be on the scene, never mind his Mrs. And then letting him wander around London in an explosive vest, do fuck off! He would never have been able to diffuse it, the main cover would have a trip wire, but they conveniently ignored that so the scene would work. Never mind they would not have let it be diffused next to a block of flats. Then he jumped over the wall and turned up at the women's flat, no coppers chasing him, the Moslem women singing like a bird ( she may of well have said 'if it weren't for those pesky kids I would have got away with it"), do me a favour. I could go on but it lost all credibility trying to make the ending work, shame! So millions watched it did they? We really have embraced mediocrity.
You’re comparing it with the great dramas. Just think entertainment
Just watched the last episode Not a bad series (wooden acting awful casting) until the joke of a last episode. Where to start, a few things.....the scene in the vest was laughable, how close were they all to him, senior officers would never be on the scene, never mind his Mrs. And then letting him wander around London in an explosive vest, do fuck off! He would never have been able to diffuse it, the main cover would have a trip wire, but they conveniently ignored that so the scene would work. Never mind they would not have let it be diffused next to a block of flats. Then he jumped over the wall and turned up at the women's flat, no coppers chasing him, the Moslem women singing like a bird ( she may of well have said 'if it weren't for those pesky kids I would have got away with it"), do me a favour. I could go on but it lost all credibility trying to make the ending work, shame! So millions watched it did they? We really have embraced mediocrity.
You’re comparing it with the great dramas. Just think entertainment
Well if that's the case then you could broadcast this dungpile on weekdays at 2 and neighbours and home and away on prime time Saturday & Sunday nights. I really doubt there's much between them.
Just watched the last episode Not a bad series (wooden acting awful casting) until the joke of a last episode. Where to start, a few things.....the scene in the vest was laughable, how close were they all to him, senior officers would never be on the scene, never mind his Mrs. And then letting him wander around London in an explosive vest, do fuck off! He would never have been able to diffuse it, the main cover would have a trip wire, but they conveniently ignored that so the scene would work. Never mind they would not have let it be diffused next to a block of flats. Then he jumped over the wall and turned up at the women's flat, no coppers chasing him, the Moslem women singing like a bird ( she may of well have said 'if it weren't for those pesky kids I would have got away with it"), do me a favour. I could go on but it lost all credibility trying to make the ending work, shame! So millions watched it did they? We really have embraced mediocrity.
You’re comparing it with the great dramas. Just think entertainment
Well if that's the case then you could broadcast this dungpile on weekdays at 2 and neighbours and home and away on prime time Saturday & Sunday nights. I really doubt there's much between them.
British TV series have a very good reputation here in China and many people consider them as more thought-provoking and better-made than American ones.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
British TV series have a very good reputation here in China and many people consider them as more sophisticated, thought-provoking and better-made than American ones.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
Have you tried 'Unforgotten' Jessie? Three series, each consisting of six episodes. The stories each focus on crimes that have occurred in the distant past and the meticulous investigations required to bring justice about. The lead detective played by Nichola Walker and her sidekick Sanjeev Bhaskar are very likeable which helps, and the series each have a beginning, middle and end and can be watched in any order. I thought they were all excellent, particularly the third one.
British TV series have a very good reputation here in China and many people consider them as more sophisticated, thought-provoking and better-made than American ones.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
Have you tried 'Unforgotten' Jessie? Three series, each consisting of six episodes. The stories each focus on crimes that have occurred in the distant past and the meticulous investigations required to bring justice about. The lead detective played by Nichola Walker and her sidekick Sanjeev Bhaskar are very likeable which helps, and the series each have a beginning, middle and end and can be watched in any order. I thought they were all excellent, particularly the third one.
Aah thanks! I just had a look at it on Wikipedia and it seems exactly what I like. Will try to find it later. Thanks!
left a few very loose ends .. deliberate or just hurried editing/writing ? .. the dodgy PM, the corrupt security services .. perhaps they are left for future series to resolve .. Mercurio does write a lot of too coincidental to be true scripts and VERY unlikely scenarios (the one armed bent copper anyone ?) .. depends if you want reality (boring) or entertaining implausible, BUT just possible stories
To be entertained you have to let yourself be entertained, suspend belief, loosen up
Just this, my Missus would make comments like "you'd never get all that in a bag" while watching Mary Poppins or cover her eyes in some sort of disbelief as a culprit is disclosed in a plot in Eastenders. I love her dearly but for ffs woman, it's a tv programme/film.
Ending was a bit weak, the Muslim bird actually being a wrongen isn’t much of a dramatic twist. Thought the main character played his part well.
odds slashed on being the next Bond apparently. Agreed thought he was a decent actor
Too short and he's Scottish, you can't have a Scot playing Bond...
I also think he's too short. Having watched McMafia earlier this year I think James Norton would be a slightly better choice than Richard Madden.
He was brutal in the first series of Happy Valley but I think his voice is a bit effeminate for Bond. However it's 2018 and we have a female Dr Who so anything goes now!
this - he was quality in that series.
Ok in War and Peace Watchable in Grantchester But not tough enough in McMafia.
He wasn't meant to be particularly tough in McMafia though. I don't think you can rule someone out from being Bond because they haven't been a horrible bastard in everything previously!
To be entertained you have to let yourself be entertained, suspend belief, loosen up
Just this, my Missus would make comments like "you'd never get all that in a bag" while watching Mary Poppins or cover her eyes in some sort of disbelief as a culprit is disclosed in a plot in Eastenders. I love her dearly but for ffs woman, it's a tv programme/film.
I disagree, this show was not a disney show, it was just badly written (especially the ending) and if you have to suspend belief on a contemporary Police/ Special Services drama to make it work, then they may as well have jet packs, light sabres and Lions and Tigers roaming around. It was pony.
To be entertained you have to let yourself be entertained, suspend belief, loosen up
Just this, my Missus would make comments like "you'd never get all that in a bag" while watching Mary Poppins or cover her eyes in some sort of disbelief as a culprit is disclosed in a plot in Eastenders. I love her dearly but for ffs woman, it's a tv programme/film.
I disagree, this show was not a disney show, it was just badly written (especially the ending) and if you have to suspend belief on a contemporary Police/ Special Services drama to make it work, then they may as well have jet packs, light sabres and Lions and Tigers roaming around. It was pony.
Oh come on @Greenie its tv (its entertainment?) an escape from reality. My Missus loves those CSI type programmes but in reality they are a million miles away from what really happens ask anyone that watched an autopsy what really goes on, the real flying squad thought the Sweeney was a joke, the real London Firemen that I knew thought Londons burning was feckin laughable, "Blackwall" or B24 Dockhead as us London fireman in the 1980s knew it as. While we were asking for no more cuts to appliances the council were discussing colour schemes for the fire station with London Weekend tv, the strike by firemen was never discussed around the table at lunchtime, because it wouldnt have made good telly. Most programmes fact or fiction are tweaked to suit film/programme makers and its gone for years. I started to watch the series (The Bodyguard) and drifted out of it by programme 4, does that make it crap? No, it just wasn't for me. It was a drama series made for telly and in my belief it was never going to be 100% factually correct.
To be entertained you have to let yourself be entertained, suspend belief, loosen up
Just this, my Missus would make comments like "you'd never get all that in a bag" while watching Mary Poppins or cover her eyes in some sort of disbelief as a culprit is disclosed in a plot in Eastenders. I love her dearly but for ffs woman, it's a tv programme/film.
I disagree, this show was not a disney show, it was just badly written (especially the ending) and if you have to suspend belief on a contemporary Police/ Special Services drama to make it work, then they may as well have jet packs, light sabres and Lions and Tigers roaming around. It was pony.
Oh come on @Greenie its tv (its entertainment?) an escape from reality. My Missus loves those CSI type programmes but in reality they are a million miles away from what really happens ask anyone that watched an autopsy what really goes on, the real flying squad thought the Sweeney was a joke, the real London Firemen that I knew thought Londons burning was feckin laughable, "Blackwall" or B24 Dockhead as us London fireman in the 1980s knew it as. While we were asking for no more cuts to appliances the council were discussing colour schemes for the fire station with London Weekend tv, the strike by firemen was never discussed around the table at lunchtime, because it wouldnt have made good telly. Most programmes fact or fiction are tweaked to suit film/programme makers and its gone for years. I started to watch the series (The Bodyguard) and drifted out of it by programme 4, does that make it crap? No, it just wasn't for me. It was a drama series made for telly and in my belief it was never going to be 100% factually correct.
It's the simple things that they do so badly that grates with me. Far too many to mention in the bodyguard but a bit more attention to detail wouldn't hurt. I don't class these dramas in the 'take your brain out and pop it on the side for an hour' category. I normally do that when I visit the Valley!
To be entertained you have to let yourself be entertained, suspend belief, loosen up
If I had a pound for every comedy night I've been to where people have stubbornly refused to relax and want a laugh to be forcibly extracted from them I could have retired
Criticism and opinions are fine afterwards but give yourself a chance
One I however support all derogatory comments about reality television. I'm convinced we will see celebrity shit in a bucket before the decade is up If we haven't already on some weird free to air channel
Keep up @Carter, I've only recently forgot the image (and sounds) of Richard Blackwood having a coffee enema...and that was from 2003!
I watched it all in catch up and have only just seen the last episode.
Thought it was just on the edge of beleivability, don’t think anyone would have wandered up to take a look at the suicide vest, would have all been done remotely.
Massively enjoyed it though, whether or not the ‘twist’ of the bomb maker being the previously subservient appearing Muslim woman now jahaddi was enough for others, it surprised me enough to make me at least question how I had been fed her previous persona.
Well I really enjoyed that. Thought the acting was uneven, some really good, some a bit odd, but never mind. The main thing is that after every episode it was "and breathe" time. That's what we want from such series, right? And 10.4m watching live in 2018 is proof of the pudding. Hats off to all concerned.
In the same way 1.5 million buy the Sun every day is proof of its quality, compared to the 135,000 who read the Guardian.
A massive chunk of that is people who buy the sun for dear Deidre and the tv guide.
After the Hillsborough inquest I vowed never to touch that paper again and I haven't. A lot of people also buy it as it can be read on the shitter at work and cafes and waiting rooms must make a fair lump up too.
It's a disgraceful institution and is dying on it's arse
If The BBC, ITV whoever manage to broadcast drama, not sport, that so many people are into have scored a win pulling 10 million live viewers in the age of on-demand tv.
Popularity has never been a good gauge of quality. That’s not to say things that please the masses have no merit, or are always bad (they’re not) but, by my taste at least, some of the worst bits of TV, Film, and music are often extremely popular.
I thought Bodyguard peaked with the very first scene on the train and then it was slowly, but steadily, downhill from there. Had the first episode been of the quality of the final, and weakest, episode, I doubt anywhere near 10m people would have still been watching come episode 6.
If you enjoyed it though, fair enough. It’s all a matter of personal taste after all and there’s no right or wrong opinion. Except mine, of course, which is obviously right.
Popularity has never been a good gauge of quality. That’s not to say things that please the masses have no merit, or are always bad (they’re not) but, by my taste at least, some of the worst bits of TV, Film, and music are often extremely popular.
I thought Bodyguard peaked with the very first scene on the train and then it was slowly, but steadily, downhill from there. Had the first episode been of the quality of the final, and weakest, episode, I doubt anywhere near 10m people would have still been watching come episode 6.
If you enjoyed it though, fair enough. It’s all a matter of personal taste after all and there’s no right or wrong opinion. Except mine, of course, which is obviously right.
Said the same earlier in this thread. They sling the budget at the trailer and the first one or sometimes two episodes and then the rest goes to sh*t. Don't know if this is because they haven't got the budget for the rest of it or the brains to comprehensively finish a story? It happens time and time again with these British peak time dramas nowadays.
There's a new one starting on the beeb this weekend about a missing child. Trailer looks pretty good. Be warned!
Popularity has never been a good gauge of quality. That’s not to say things that please the masses have no merit, or are always bad (they’re not) but, by my taste at least, some of the worst bits of TV, Film, and music are often extremely popular.
I thought Bodyguard peaked with the very first scene on the train and then it was slowly, but steadily, downhill from there. Had the first episode been of the quality of the final, and weakest, episode, I doubt anywhere near 10m people would have still been watching come episode 6.
If you enjoyed it though, fair enough. It’s all a matter of personal taste after all and there’s no right or wrong opinion. Except mine, of course, which is obviously right.
Said the same earlier in this thread. They sling the budget at the trailer and the first one or sometimes two episodes and then the rest goes to sh*t. Don't know if this is because they haven't got the budget for the rest of it or the brains to comprehensively finish a story? It happens time and time again with these British peak time dramas nowadays.
There's a new one starting on the beeb this weekend about a missing child. Trailer looks pretty good. Be warned!
In the same way 1.5 million buy the Sun every day is proof of its quality, compared to the 135,000 who read the Guardian.
well the figures for Bodyguard are unusual in two ways:
- they are apparently the highest figure for a drama in 10 years, and the final episode got the highest ratings, which belies the narrative here of discerning people giving it a try and giving up.
- it was particularly high on people watching live, thus showing that the interminable rise of the box set bingeing and time shift can be challenged - if the drama is compelling enough.
It got me, and I am normally wary of BBC1 drama, I usually go for stuff on BBC2 or BBC4. I enjoyed it far more than McMafia even though the topic of the latter was right up my street.
British TV series have a very good reputation here in China and many people consider them as more thought-provoking and better-made than American ones.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
out of interest what's Chinese TV like? any decent dramas? comedies?
In the same way 1.5 million buy the Sun every day is proof of its quality, compared to the 135,000 who read the Guardian.
well the figures for Bodyguard are unusual in two ways:
- they are apparently the highest figure for a drama in 10 years, and the final episode got the highest ratings, which belies the narrative here of discerning people giving it a try and giving up.
- it was particularly high on people watching live, thus showing that the interminable rise of the box set bingeing and time shift can be challenged - if the drama is compelling enough.
It got me, and I am normally wary of BBC1 drama, I usually go for stuff on BBC2 or BBC4. I enjoyed it far more than McMafia even though the topic of the latter was right up my street.
The high level of live viewing can perhaps be explained by a couple of things.
1) It got a lot of hype and mentions elsewhere in media (social and traditional) and became a bit of a talked about thing. This may sound stupid, but I'd seen it on the iPlayer recommended list but dismissed it. I only decided to give it a go when I heard it get mentioned on both the News Quiz and Mock the Week in the same week (both BBC shows, so perhaps clever marketing on their part). I think up to Episode 4 was available on iPlayer at that time. It seemed like one of those things everyone else was watching and sometimes I like to watch them as they become cultural references, so Mrs Exiled and I caught up over the next couple of weeks via iPlayer.
2) Because it became 'talked about' and because it was on on a Sunday evening, I suspect lots of people watched live because they didn't want to be left out of the conversations at work on Monday and wouldn't have to worry about avoiding spoilers on Twitter and Facebook etc.
I gather it's going to be available pretty much everywhere on Netflix in a few weeks' time, so it'll be interesting to see how it fairs on there.
British TV series have a very good reputation here in China and many people consider them as more thought-provoking and better-made than American ones.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
out of interest what's Chinese TV like? any decent dramas? comedies?
With their series, you watch one then an hour later you want to watch another....
British TV series have a very good reputation here in China and many people consider them as more thought-provoking and better-made than American ones.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
out of interest what's Chinese TV like? any decent dramas? comedies?
Sorry but I don't watch Chinese TV series. In fact I only watch TV here for domestic news programmes. I started to watch American series (and films) at a very early age and I've been used to THAT level of quality for years. The acting, script and almost everything in a Chinese series is poor compared to American and British TV. You'd be wasting your time.
British TV series have a very good reputation here in China and many people consider them as more thought-provoking and better-made than American ones.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
out of interest what's Chinese TV like? any decent dramas? comedies?
Sorry but I don't watch Chinese TV series. In fact I only watch TV here for domestic news programmes. I started to watch American series (and films) at a very early age and I've been used to THAT level of quality for years. The acting, script and almost everything in a Chinese series is poor compared to American and British TV. You'd be wasting your time.
I still remember crouching tiger hidden Dragon being released and thinking a wave of really big budget, ground breaking Chinese films were about to make their way over here and delight me. Sadly while there have been some decent films from the far East for whatever reason we seem to miss out on them.
Comments
I really doubt there's much between them.
I used to only watch American shows but in recent years I've watched a few old and new British ones and thought they were indeed better than a lot of the "fast food" like American series I watched. War and Peace, Line of Duty, McMafia, State of Play, Our Friends in the North are among the best. Some of the lesser-known series/mini-series like Little Boy Blue and Three Girls are also very good.
Bodyguard isn't the greatest I've watched but definitely one of the most entertaining. I loved 24 but still got bored after five seasons. There are not many fast-paced well-made series like it these days. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions because me and my parents absolutely love this kind of series. But good ones are so hard to come by.
It was pony.
I don't class these dramas in the 'take your brain out and pop it on the side for an hour' category.
I normally do that when I visit the Valley!
https://independent.co.uk/news/media/coming-soon-celebrity-detox-129889.html
Thought it was just on the edge of beleivability, don’t think anyone would have wandered up to take a look at the suicide vest, would have all been done remotely.
Massively enjoyed it though, whether or not the ‘twist’ of the bomb maker being the previously subservient appearing Muslim woman now jahaddi was enough for others, it surprised me enough to make me at least question how I had been fed her previous persona.
Good work by the writers and actors imo.
After the Hillsborough inquest I vowed never to touch that paper again and I haven't. A lot of people also buy it as it can be read on the shitter at work and cafes and waiting rooms must make a fair lump up too.
It's a disgraceful institution and is dying on it's arse
If The BBC, ITV whoever manage to broadcast drama, not sport, that so many people are into have scored a win pulling 10 million live viewers in the age of on-demand tv.
I thought Bodyguard peaked with the very first scene on the train and then it was slowly, but steadily, downhill from there. Had the first episode been of the quality of the final, and weakest, episode, I doubt anywhere near 10m people would have still been watching come episode 6.
If you enjoyed it though, fair enough. It’s all a matter of personal taste after all and there’s no right or wrong opinion. Except mine, of course, which is obviously right.
Don't know if this is because they haven't got the budget for the rest of it or the brains to comprehensively finish a story?
It happens time and time again with these British peak time dramas nowadays.
There's a new one starting on the beeb this weekend about a missing child.
Trailer looks pretty good. Be warned!
- they are apparently the highest figure for a drama in 10 years, and the final episode got the highest ratings, which belies the narrative here of discerning people giving it a try and giving up.
- it was particularly high on people watching live, thus showing that the interminable rise of the box set bingeing and time shift can be challenged - if the drama is compelling enough.
It got me, and I am normally wary of BBC1 drama, I usually go for stuff on BBC2 or BBC4. I enjoyed it far more than McMafia even though the topic of the latter was right up my street.
1) It got a lot of hype and mentions elsewhere in media (social and traditional) and became a bit of a talked about thing. This may sound stupid, but I'd seen it on the iPlayer recommended list but dismissed it. I only decided to give it a go when I heard it get mentioned on both the News Quiz and Mock the Week in the same week (both BBC shows, so perhaps clever marketing on their part). I think up to Episode 4 was available on iPlayer at that time. It seemed like one of those things everyone else was watching and sometimes I like to watch them as they become cultural references, so Mrs Exiled and I caught up over the next couple of weeks via iPlayer.
2) Because it became 'talked about' and because it was on on a Sunday evening, I suspect lots of people watched live because they didn't want to be left out of the conversations at work on Monday and wouldn't have to worry about avoiding spoilers on Twitter and Facebook etc.
I gather it's going to be available pretty much everywhere on Netflix in a few weeks' time, so it'll be interesting to see how it fairs on there.