It’s always nice to know where TV programmes you’d like to watch are hanging out, although I must say, shows have a rather nasty habit of partying somewhere only to cheekily sneak out the door without so much as a by your leave, popping up elsewhere without notice. And sometimes it happens right in front of your very eyes. One Christmas Eve a few years back, my husband and I decided to sit down with a glass of wine and watch a little bit of something for a little bit of a while. It was late because we had, of…
Category: <span>WATCHING</span>
~Orphan Black This is a Canadian production made in partnership with BBC America. It takes off at a Usain Bolt sprint and does not stop. Sarah, a British orphan living in America, is at a train station. Intrigued by a woman calmly removing her shoes and coat, she watches in horror as the woman then proceeds to step off the platform, directly into the path of an oncoming train. But that’s not nearly as horrifying as realizing that the woman looks exactly like herself. But Sarah, never one to miss out on an opportunity (even a morally questionable one) grabs…
~River There is something about this show that just immediately pulls you in and wont let go. Stellan Skarsgard, who plays River, is so raw and mesmerizing. Never before has anyone managed to convey such a wide array of emotions in such a short amount of time without uttering a single word. A momentary flash of happiness will collapse into grief while scorn twists itself into anger and then guilt. And it is all excruciatingly painful to watch. But in a good way. Sort of. River is a brilliant detective with a secret: he sees dead people. There’s a girl from a cold…
Assuming you paid attention in history class, you’ll be aware of the shared (albeit rather ugly) past of England and Australia. There are lingering similarities between the two cultures, certain words for example or a whiff of a biting humour. There are differences too, of course, the main one being the weather. Yep, the Aussies definitely got the better deal there. They’ve been coming out with some really great TV shows, too. Here are three of my favourites. ~Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries This may be set in 1920’s Melbourne but Miss Phryne Fisher cares not a jot for the social…
The world of American TV and film is very different to its British counterpart. Popular American soaps revolve around the glamour of the rich and powerful. Even dramas geared for the teen and pre-teen crowd are awash in affluent kids with deep pockets…and seemingly deeper wardrobes. Based on the never ending parade of expensive outfits dressing stunningly gorgeous girls, these wardrobes must surely have, a Narnia-style hidden door in the back that leads into a department store. If, on the other hand, you’ve spent any time with British TV you will be familiar with the fact that it can be…
~Inspector Morse If ever there was an icon in the annals of British mysteries, it would be Inspector Morse. It has been almost three decades since the late, great John Thaw brought this character to life and in the process created someone beloved enough to create not one but two spin off shows. Gone, but most definitely not forgotten. Inspector Morse is nothing if not a crotchety old bugger. He’s low on patience and high on scorn, has a penchant for classic cars and crosswords and can’t stand the sight of blood — which makes things a touch awkward come murder scene…
~Happy Valley If it’s grit you’re after, it’s grit you’ll get with this show. This series plumbs the depths of human nature with its heartbreak, despair and just sheer stupidity. More than that, it takes a look at the many times a few words or an action can set people off in directions they really had no intention of going. The ripple effects from these decisions leave you squirming in your seat, because…well…you can just see the disaster that’s looming on the horizon. Catherine, played by the incredible Sarah Lancashire, is a cut-through-the-bullshit, hard-as-nails cop. Her teenage daughter committed suicide after…
Should you ever be struck with a sudden inexplicable urge to stand on the northern-most point of the UK you would have to travel to the remote Scottish archipelago, the Shetlands, and it’s tiny rock-island of Muckle Flugga. It features a lighthouse and, well, that’s about it, but its stunning views of rolling Shetland hills and the Atlantic compensate. As far as the most northerly inhabited island, that would be Unst. Unst is a community of about 600 people, lots of cute shetland ponies, a brewery and a distillery. I’m sure the last two are highly vital to remote island…
~Lark Rise To Candleford Think of this show as the BBC version of Little House On the Prairie. It’s all warm and fuzzy and positively bursting at the seams with moral goodness. And I mean that in the nicest possible way because I love both shows. Lark Rise is a hamlet of poorer townsfolk while the market town of Candleford is its wealthier neighbor. Sixteen year old Laura Timmons (Laura Ingalls) is the bridge between the two, her adult voice narrating the stories. She leaves her family in Lark Rise to start a job at the post office with her mother’s…
Martin Clunes is an endearing teddy bear of a man with a warm voice and a gentle soul. At least that is how I imagine he would be. His first television appearance was a Dr. Who episode back in 1983 and he’s been going strong ever since. He’s been in a variety of shows over the years with the most well known being Men Behaving Badly (which I’ve never seen) and the one below which shows a very different side of Martin than everything else he has done. Watch a few…you won’t be disappointed. ~Doc Martin Portwenn is the charming…