GOOD TV

[Wendyf]

A Sky Arts night tonight if I can stay awake long enough. Emerson, Lake and Palmer at the Isle of Wight festival 1970.

[Stanley]

I watched two Clint Eastwood films, 'Pale Rider' and 'Joe Kidd'.

[Tripps]

Switched on the TV to see a football match from 1974, and to hear the commentator thinking it was worthy of note that goalkeeper Alex Stepney was the 'only Londoner' in the team.

Snooker was good last night - exciting, as it's a sprint - best of just five frames. Mark Allen narrowly beat a good lady player Reanne Evans, 3-2. It wasn't until this morning that I learned he was her ex partner, and they are in dispute over child maintenance payments. I think the modern expression is 'awks'.

[Stanley]

Thanks David, I completely missed the fact that snooker was back on. I have been ODing on spaghetti westerns!

[Tripps]

Unusually - I've watched some football on TV twice today. This afternoon I bumped into the 1979 FA Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester United, whilst 'Match of the Day' is on BBC now. The contrast in all respects, could not be greater. No contest really - it was better, in all respects, in 1979.

[Stanley]

I'm not a football fan David but I find that interesting. Do you mean in style of play and commitment or something more fundamental?

[Tripps]

I thinbk it was mainly the sense of occasion which pleased me. The Cup Final was a cultural reference in everyday life then, like the Boat race and trooping the colour and last night of the proms. I think some clubs would rather win the Cup than the league.

The kit they wore wasn't ridiculous as today and the style of play was different. I saw no lateral passing and steadily working the ball back from the oppostion penalty area all the way back to their own goalkeeper. There were no feigned injuries - known as 'going down' and seemingly an acceptable skill of the game nowadays. I believe RADA are going to introduce a module on their course to cover it.

Pity United lost though.

[Stanley]

[Gloria]

Watched the first of Vigil last night on BBC1, it’s in six parts, second one tonight. It has the makings of being excellent

[Stanley]

Susan flagged it up as well. I shall wait until it is bingeable on iPlayer.

[Gloria]

Well worth watching Stanley.
Did anyone watch Stephen, is that worth catching up on?

[Tripps]

I like 'bingeable' I thought it might be a first, but seems it's been around since 2013.

I tried 'Vigil' but failed to stay the course. It's very well made, but still just another Suranne Jones 'drama'. I'd have said far fetched - but weren't there some strange un-military things goings on, aboard a nuclear submarine a while back?

I gave up on the new 'Vera' too. Too long as always, and formulaic. I read that Brenda Blethyn is in fact 75 years old. Give it a rest pet. Never convincing as a serving detective, and I amused myself by imagining that they got her together with David Jason, and started a new detective agency. A sort of New Tricks meets Hetty Wainthrop. Could be a winner - Suranne could be in it too. She'd have to learn to ride a Lambretta though.

I liked the look of the Collingwood memorial in North Shields though. I've put it on my list.

[Wendyf]

I took against Suranne Jones years ago and find her unwatchable but I can't explain why.

[Stanley]

I thought so to David when I first saw it. The view he overlooks is worth travelling for as well.

[PanBiker]

I gave up on the new 'Vera' too. Too long as always, and formulaic. I read that Brenda Blethyn is in fact 75 years old. Give it a rest pet. Never convincing as a serving detective, and I amused myself by imagining that they got her together with David Jason, and started a new detective agency. A sort of New Tricks meets Hetty Wainthrop. Could be a winner - Suranne could be in it too. She'd have to learn to ride a Lambretta though.

I liked the look of the Collingwood memorial in North Shields though. I've put it on my list.

A friend of ours and a barlick lad who was a mate of our Dan's at school is script editor for Vera. He has done Casualty as well as a few others.

[Tripps]

I heard an interview this morning on BBC Radio 4 with Ann Cleeves the author of the Vera books. It was of course a plugging session for her new book under the guise of a feature - as regularly happens on the BBC. It reminded me that I have a book of hers on my shelf, and miraculously was able to quickly put my hand on it. I'll look at it again and enjoy it, without the woke dead hands of the casting editor or the script writers applied by the BBC. She lives in Whitley Bay which is nice to hear, since her success must surely mean she could choose to live almost anywhere she chose.

[Wendyf]

I'm looking forward to the new series of 'A House Through Time' which begins tonight on BBC 2 at 9pm. This house is in Headingley which is just a few miles from where I was brought up in North Leeds.

[PanBiker]

Second episode of Silent Witness tonight also at 9pm on BBC1. No Clarissa yet in this series but she was mentioned in the first episode but no indication in the plot of why she is away.

[Gloria]

A House Through Time was very well done, and very interesting, well worth a watch.

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Gloria, I'll catch up tonight....

[Wendyf]

A House Through Time was very well done, and very interesting, well worth a watch.

It was a pleasure to watch, informative and understated without the constant repetitions that get so annoying!

[Big Kev]

It's a mighty fine looking house too.

[Tripps]

The tennis very good. . . . .
******************************************************************

PS just realised why I'm enjoying it.

No:-
Line judges in ties and green blazers
Ball boys/girls (well just one)
Towels and wiping their face between every point
Grunting or screaming on serve
Line call disputes
Royal Box
Duke and Duchess of Kent
Celebrities
Meghan Markle.

And the fairy tale ending happened. The British Romanian Chinese lady beat the Ecuadorian Filipina Canadian lady.

I hope she stands the pressure which is surely on the way.

[Stanley]

Couldn't agree more David. What a marvellous match.

[Gloria]

Fantastic result.