What I'm listening to/Watching at the moment

LMSC

Doram

Just finished watching The Father with Anthony Hopkins. Very powerful film. Thought it was really excellent.

DavecUK

Doram Just finished watching The Father with Anthony Hopkins. Very powerful film. Thought it was really excellent.

I was going to watch that, but with my mum in a care home, with dementia, I thought it might be upsetting for me..ATM there is Covid in the home, so they have closed to visitors, been 3 weeks now.

Doram

DavecUK I was going to watch that, but with my mum in a care home, with dementia, I thought it might be upsetting for me..ATM there is Covid in the home, so they have closed to visitors, been 3 weeks now.

Really sorry to hear that Dave. This can definitely be upsetting (and quite terrifying if I am honest). It is such a good film, so can be hard to watch.

Pompeyexile

I know everything is subjective, but I thought I’d give (as many seem to think it is great) the American version of The Office a go.

I know for the first few series they uesd the same story and script from the Brit version and tweaked it a bit for the American market which is fine, but it was the actors playing the parts for me that made it virtually unwatchable.

Carell just wasn’t funny or more importantly as cringingly embarrassing as Gervaise made him coupled with the pathos, and as for the guy playing the part of Gareth…just awful.

Same story, same lines but terribly delivered.

Many moons ago, Steve Coogan had a character whose catchphrase was ‘Bag-O-Sh*te!’ Sorry, but that is exactly what I thought of it.

Tin Hat on…

Norvin

Pompeyexile

I loved the original Gervais Office but didn’t get past the first 15 minutes of the American version, just didn’t find it funny at all. I didn’t realise that they used the same scripts in the early episodes.

I find most of the American sitcoms not very funny and I find the overblown canned laughter very annoying. I tried watching Schitt’s Creek once after seeing good reviews, even endured about three episodes hoping that it would improve, it never did.

Doram

Pompeyexile I know everything is subjective, but I thought I’d give (as many seem to think it is great) the American version of The Office a go.

I know for the first few series they uesd the same story and script from the Brit version and tweaked it a bit for the American market which is fine, but it was the actors playing the parts for me that made it virtually unwatchable.

Had the exact same experience as you. Felt like I am watching a high school band trying to reproduce the Beatles. Watched a few episodes and gave up.

The people who recommended it said I have to persist because it gets better, but I couldn’t be bothered. Watched the good version again with the children instead. :-)

Re persistence needed: Started watching Breaking Bad a few years ago. Saw three episodes and gave up. But people insisted it was one of the best shows in history and I just needed to persist. So tried again and persisted all the way to the end. Still didn’t like it.

And that’s the thing with American shows: they make so many seasons with so many episodes. It is very rare that this sort of length is justifiable for me (although there are a few exceptions). I much prefer the British format - more concise without painfully stretching everything to death just so they can sell more advertisement.

Pompeyexile

That’s ‘subjective’ right there, because I thought Breaking Bad was brilliant. I’m not right and others who think differently are wrong, because as Python once said…'You’re all individuals!'

I still think Lee Evans was one of the best visual and funniest comediens ever, who actually had me almost crying with laughter….I know some people who couldn’t stand him. There are only a few ‘stand up’ comedians I can think of today who make me laugh out loud, Lee Mack, Ed Byrn and Greg Davies, as for all the others, rarely a titter and my most unfunny of all, who for me is stealing a living…John Bishop (who is also cr*p in Dr Who) and yet others love him.

Horses for courses as they say.

DavecUK

Pompeyexile There are only a few ‘stand up’ comedians I can think of today who make me laugh out loud,

I like Peter Kay, he is very good indeed….as is Gervais in stand-up. Alf Garnett (Warren Mitchell was very good as well).

Systemic

Having ditched the licence fee a couple of years ago - still wondering why I persisted with terrestrial TV for so long. Guess old habits die hard - something the BBC is happy to milk.

BBC will be celebrating its centenary this autumn, so expect big helpings of self congratulation and fawning adulation from the usual suspects. Will the BBC survive? Who knows. A few weeks ago a YouGov poll found that only one in four people aged 18-30 watch the BBC every week. A third of them never watch it at all. Chilling news for the top brass at Broadcasting House.

Streaming services like Netflix with mega budgets will leave the BBC in its wake unable to compete.

LMSC

Systemic Having ditched the licence fee a couple of years ago

How did you manage it? I thought the licence fee gets the free to view including the BBC channels, which we can’t watch unless we pay the licence fee. 😊

We got rid of Sky completely last year, saving £60 a month, after keeping it and wasting money for 20 years. Never missed it.

Rob666

Systemic I think perhaps you are forgetting the sheer breadth of the BBC’s output. Radio 4 and 4 Extra are good examples. Then there are the music radio stations that cater for most tastes. R1, R2, R3 and R6 not to mention the sport channel. No licence fee? Good bye to all that. Then there are the documentaries, current affairs and dramas on TV. Some of the most respected web material too.

Systemic

Sheer volume of choice on streaming services like Netflix is positively daunting. Having dipped our toes chasing Scandi Noir output, over the last couple of years, we’ve enjoyed great entertainment from from different countries. One thing about that has struck me is how different cultures go about making drama is subtle different ways. Watched a few Turkish dramas and been struck with the way dialogue is used in almost a poetic way - fascinating.

The other big thing about streaming is the 4k output which will never be available to terrestrial TV. Add to that the arrival of Dolby TV and Atmos sound and you have the option, equipment permitting, to enjoy stunning 4k imagery and surround sound to rival, but not quite meet, cinema experience.

Currently watching final series of Ozark and the mini series Understanding Anna which, IMO, is pin sharp.

Systemic

LMSC How did you manage it? I thought the licence fee gets the free to view including the BBC channels, which we can’t watch unless we pay the licence fee. 😊

We got rid of Sky completely last year, saving £60 a month, after keeping it and wasting money for 20 years. Never missed it.

We had Virgin basic package and binned it. We use a MiFi set up courtesy EE for £25.00 a month with unlimited data. We get speeds of 80-85mbps download speed more than enough for 4k viewing. We stream via an Apple 4k although the TV has apps for most streaming services - Netflix, Amazon etc. We share the Netflix contract with our son so it’s a win, win for us.

DavecUK

LMSC How did you manage it? I thought the licence fee gets the free to view including the BBC channels, which we can’t watch unless we pay the licence fee. 😊

You can still watch almost 90% of everything you want to watch if you don’t pay the Licence fee…I stopped it and so glad I did. The rules are simple.

You cannot watch any Live broadcast TV, or I player…this includes +1 channels as they are effectively live broadcast (or Netflix Amazon live broadcasts). That’s it!

You can legally watch…

any catch up service - except I-player…most “live” broadcasts are available on catch up immediately after they have been shown
Any Youtube stuff, even that produced by the BBC and live broadcasts by YouTubers, Talk Radio etc.. but again no live broadcasts from proper TV stations

TV Licence is 158 per annum. I share Amazon Prime with a mate (Prime totally allows it). Disney+ seems to as well and were trying that out…if its good and I like the National Geographic stuff it works out as, Plus I have NF

£5 NF
£4 Amazon Prime (with all the benefits of prime)
£3.60 disney+

This equals £151.20 for no adverts at all, more content than I can ever watch. Much cheaper than the Licence fee. Plus I have YT as well, which is the only place I see adverts, it’s also where I watch the news (not live). I don’t feel I am missing a thing, and really I found myself watching almost nothing on BBC. They don’t make programs for me, it’s mainly now for young people who don’t watch BBC. Plus a load of trash to keep the talent paid too much money. Strictly Dancing, masked singer, East Enders, celebrity game shows, home decorating shows, Kirsty Walsh (doping something boring), Rylan…etc.. etc.. Really not stuff I actually want to watch…Oh and loads of repeats.

The only amazing thing about the BBC, is how they manage to do so little with so much, so badly.

I think the BBC like a lot of companies that provide “services to the public” have got very complacent..I was once a staunch defender of the BBC…Over the last 5+ years, I have been less and less impressed. They like all other services we buy need constant evaluation to ensure you are leveraging the best deal.

I am paying less for house/contents insurance now, than I did in 1995
I Pay|£26 per month for 150 MB/S unlimited, including phone line for incoming only, but went Smarty and use no data for mobile unlimited calls and Texts for £5
My car insurance is £260 per month for slightly better cover than Quote me Happy (£380) ad I also get any excess refunded. QMH instead of rewarding my loyalty for many years, kept hiking the price, the previous year it was more than I am paying now and then they hiked it by another £100 during a time when no one had been driving cars very much…so I moved.

The BBC is no different.

Pompeyexile

DavecUK I like Peter Kay, he is very good indeed….as is Gervais in stand-up. Alf Garnett (Warren Mitchell was very good as well).

Now you come to mention them yes Peter Kay and Ricky do make me laugh out loud.

Going back years then, I thought Alf Garnett was brilliant…I think people today who say that is not acceptable are missing the point with him, because more often than not he made himself look like an absolute idiot exactly because of his bigotry and points of view.

One of my all time favourite oldie comedy programmes… Steptoe and Son.

Gagaryn

This is a really common misconception. People seem to think you only need a TV licence t watch the BBC - so they tell themselves that if they don’t watch the BBC then they don’t need to pay it.

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works - you should hold a TV licence if you watch ANY channel of LIVE TV - including ITV, CH4, Sky etc., or if you watch live broadcasts, like sport or news for example on a streaming service like Youtube or Amazon prime. Or if you record any of those live to watch later.

Doesn’t seem fair but that’s the rules. Look out for those mythical detector vans! :)

Doram

DavecUK My car insurance is £260 per month for slightly better cover than Quote me Happy (£380) ad I also get any excess refunded. QMH instead of rewarding my loyalty for many years, kept hiking the price, the previous year it was more than I am paying now and then they hiked it by another £100 during a time when no one had been driving cars very much…so I moved.

The only way to not get stung by insurance premiums going up was to move every year. I have read that now this is supposed to change because Insurance companies will not be allowed to offer renewals at a higher price than what they offer to new customers (or something like that).

I don’t know how this will work for everything, but I just got a renewal offer for home insurance from Quote me happy. It was only £1 higher than last year’s premium. Not only that, it was £20 cheaper than the best offer I found on a comparison site. For the first time ever, I did nothing and let them auto-renew my policy. Is it possible the messiah will be coming next?

DavecUK

Doram Is it possible the messiah will be coming next?

I got mine from Direct line, the one that’s not on comparison sites…unbelievably they were much, much cheaper than anyone else! £136, home and contents.

Doram

DavecUK I got mine from Direct line, the one that’s not on comparison sites…unbelievably they were much, much cheaper than anyone else! £136, home and contents.

This is going off topic for this thread, so will keep it short and should probably end it here, but I got curious so went to get a quote from Direct Line just for the sport. They want £213.92. I paid £88.58 for the same cover at QMH. Go figure.

LMSC

Hmm. Some smart folks here. 😊

Still pay TV licence as my wife watches most of them live - Strictly, Voice, Bake off, I Players, etc
Netflix - we share with our daughter as multi view license
Prime - default and good
A couple of Asian packs for £150 a year : keeps my wife happy
Car insurance Aviva - we pay £160 a month for 3 cars. My daughter’s car alone costs £100 off £160. London postcode. She needs it for her weird and long hours at the hospital.
Home insurance - expensive as only Aviva underwrites it. It is a special cover for contents as I can’t get at the same rate else where. We pay £500 a year (building, contents and accidental damages).
Road-side recovery is separate
Virgin business grade broadband £32+VAT 350 down / 20 up.
Council tax is £280 a month - gone up 40% in 5 years.
Water £42/month after water meter from £84/month without
Gas and Electricity £162 a month

OMG …living cost is expensive 🤣 We don’t know how to reduce the bills.

DavecUK

Doram This is going off topic for this thread, so will keep it short and should probably end it here, but I got curious so went to get a quote from Direct Line just for the sport. They want £213.92. I paid £88.58 for the same cover at QMH. Go figure.

I figure they saw you coming

Pompeyexile One of my all time favourite oldie comedy programmes… Steptoe and Son.

Are we still allowed to say we like that….I don’t think TV companies will ever show it again?

« Previous Page Next Page »