GOOD TV

[Stanley]

Watched the final instalment of Happy Valley last night. Very powerful drama, I even dreamed about it!

[PanBiker]

Compulsive viewing for me too Stanley. Catherine had a lot to put up with last night. Gritty and believable despite the roller coaster.

[Stanley]

I watched Shetland on UKTV Drama last night and next week they start on series two which I never watched. Wednesday nights at 9PM.

[Tripps]

Dick Barton Special Agent (Freeview Ch 306), continues to be entertaining. There is an announcement in writing, and spoken, at the start of each episode -
"This film contains discriminatory language which some viewers may find offensive"
Well - I've watched it carefully, and apart from him having a strong downer on baddies as opposed to goodies - I can see none. Good to be warned though just in case.

[Stanley]

That takes me back.... I could hear 'The Devil Rides Out' as soon as you mentioned the name!

[Tripps]

"I could hear 'The Devil Rides Out' "

That's the book by Dennis Wheatley - It's the Devils Gallop, and now it's the ring tone on my smart phone. That should ensure that I never hear it again.

[Stanley]

You're right David and I've read it. I went through that phase as well!
I watched the first of series 2 of Shetland on the Drama channel.... I'm into it now!

[Nolic]

There's a third series of a good police drama Line of Duty starting tonight at 9.00pm on BBC2. Good drama focussed on internal invesigations. Nolic

[Stanley]

I have that booked Comrade for Iplayer this evening. I am spending a lot of time on UKTV's Drama channel at the moment and last night watched an old New Tricks at 21:00. I don't know whether it is me but so much of the BBC output at the moment is of no interest to me.....

[David Whipp]

Digging For Britain; archaeology on BBC4. Yesterday's programme featured a dig at the Roman fort at Ribchester. Thought it was right up Stanley's street, as the evidence appeared to point to the fort being used as workshops following the end of military occupation, with different types of manufacturing going on.

[Stanley]

I'll look for it David.

[PanBiker]

I have been recording time shifting and watching the excellent WWII in Colour series shown on CH5. I first saw parts of it when it was first released in 2010. The last broadcast was a couple of weeks ago but it stopped at episode 12 of a 13 part series! Episode 12 was the months up to and including VE Day. Episode 13 is Victory in the Pacific but they have not shown it. I know the result but why on earth would they not broadcast the last one? It's not a scheduling issue. it's just not going to be shown?

I can't find it on 5 catch up either but I have found the whole series online so at some point I will run the last episode myself and Chromecast it to my TV

[Stanley]

The last episode of The Night Manager on BBC was well up to standard. Superb adaptation of John le Carre's book. We need more like this......

[Tripps]

The BBC parliament channel are running the 1966 election results programme. I've been watching it for half an hour now, and just noticed that it's in black and white.
The results graphics look like a supermarket checkout receipt, and they are using black circles (hold), and triangles (gain) for Labour. White for Tories (I think). Interestingly it is 'now' 1.30 AM, and over 400 seat results are in already. I'd say that's quicker than they manage today?

Cliff Michelmore who has just recently died, seems to be in charge. What a very pleasant voice he had. Overall most accents seem to be a lot 'posher' than would be the case today.

[Tizer]

Last night we watched a recording of the programme presented by Alice Roberts based on her searches through the BBC archives for earlier programmes about Stonehenge. I had trouble with some of the early ones featuring archaeology experts disputing the various theories because I was distracted by listening to their plummy voices, watching their serious expressions and noting the lengths to which they went to be (or appear to be) polite to each other.

Unfortunately the programme didn't cover much of the latest research. The arguments about the origin of the `bluestones' continue today. What has recently be proven using the latest methodology is that the hard dolerite rock of which they are composed definitely comes from a couple of locations in a small area of the mountains of Pembrokeshire. At those locations there are ancient quarry sites which reinforce the idea that the stones were quarried out in the Bronze Age and taken to Stonehenge by humans, rather than there being any geological mechanism such as being carried by a glacier. No such identical bluestone has been found between Pembrokeshire and Stonehenge, again ruling out the glacial erratic theory. An idea currently being investigated is that the stones were dug out in those mountain quarries and first used locally to make a stone circle nearby; there is some evidence on the ground and this is being studied. If sufficient evidence is found then it's possible that a circle made of the bluestone was, at a later date, dismantled and taken to Stonehenge. There would be a number of possible reasons for this. For example, the locals might have migrated and taken their `temple' (and it's associated gods) with them, or a tribe from the Stonehenge area might have raided and taken back the stones as spoils of war.

Whatever happened, it was a major feat to move the stones all that distance...but then it could have been done over a long time period. One point that I don't hear mentioned by the archaeologists is that anyone living in the Stonehenge area would have had to travel a very long way to find any hard stone, let alone stone as hard as dolerite. Stonehenge is on chalk and surrounded by it for many miles, and as you move further outwards you meet clays, marls and the like. The carboniferous limestone of the Mendips would probably be your first hard stone, but still nothing like dolerite. And if you use bronze tools what do you sharpen them on? Chalk isn't much good! Bluestone dolerite would have been extremely valuable to those people. Another fact about that particuler dolerite is that when you crack it open and see the unweathered interior it has a characteristic spotted appearance. So if you were a Bronze Age king wanting to buy a few tons of precious bluestone you had an easy way to check its authenticity! Archaeologists believe that ancient people who visited Stonehenge chipped off bits of bluestone to take away with them. Again, the spots would confirm that you had a genuine bit of Stonehenge to show your mates when you returned home. You might even be able to sell pieces because it had its own in-built identification!

[Tripps]

Just watched Mr Bean trying to be Maigret. I think his pipe was a more interesting character. I remember Rupert Davies - whose performance was described as -
he manages to maintain both compassion and a sense of humor as he explores the complex motives that lie behind every crime. Little evidence of either in this performance.

I still don't understand why producers think it adds to the drama by having a scene sprayed with several hosepipes.

[Stanley]

I've been watching Alice Roberts on catch up Tiz. I don't think you'll be surprised to hear that the plummy accents bother me as well. My problem now with old clips is that we see them so often for reasons of economy that they are a dog's breakfast. The early Time Team programmes were good original work and some very down to earth people as well. Spoilt later on by losing those people and the antics of Tony Robinson who at one time argued he had a doctorate after getting an honorary degree....
David, I watched Maigret regularly when it was Rupert Davies.... Loved it. I shall watch last night's episode tonight on catch up....
I've been enjoying 'This Farming Life' on BBC2. Last night was excellent, calvings, sheep lambing and even a Caesarian Section on a heifer. I love the cattle and the dedication of the farmers. A good programme, original and valuable because it shows it how it is.

[Tripps]

I've caught a few episodes of ' This farming Life'. Not quite Countryfile is it?
I'll never look at a label in the butchers saying Scotch Beef the same again.
I had to surrender last night when the Spanish Vet from Barcelona started doing a caesarean section on a cow standing up in a press, with just a local anaesthetic. Ouch!

[Stanley]

I found it fascinating David but then that was my life for such a long time. It's a very accurate prtrayal of what actually goes on, I like the fact they filmed in all weathers as well!
I watched Maigret last night and agree with you that Mr Bean doesn't translate well to Paris. I think that one of the problems is that they have relied on atmospheric shots of back alleys too much. He just isn't French enough, he has yet to go into a cafe in Les Halles and order a Marc at 3 in the morning...... I'll give him a chance but was not riveted.....

[Stanley]

Like may I was bereft last night, no Night Manager. So I watched Undercover. Complicated and I am not sure whether I have grasped the plot so far but it looks promising and I'll give it a chance.

[David Whipp]

In the midst of Dad's Taxi duties (and cinema de-rig) yesterday evening, so Alison set up to record Undercover. It was only about quarter of an hour from the end, when I thought we could start watching it, that we found it hadn't recorded...

[Stanley]

iPlayer on PC?

[David Whipp]

Maybe; Alison's away on a course this week - depends if there's any time at the weekend.

Last night, enjoyed 'Big Engineering' (I think it was), stripping down a Boeing 747 for its six yearly inspection.

[PanBiker]

We did The Durrells on catch up then I was riveted to BBC4, P51 Mustang, 747 refurb then London Underground, all good stuff.

[Wendyf]

I watched the programme on the Vikings with whats'isname. Fascinating subject but the filming was flashy, fast moving and distracting, a bit too fancy for me, I would have preferred them to sit in armchairs and talk about it!