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TV Show Recommendations *NO DISCUSSION*
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Title: Conspiracy
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Stanley Tucci, Colin Firth, Ian McNeice
Kevin McNally, David Threlfall.
Description: This is a dramatization of the Wannsee Conference held in Berlin in 1942.
This was a secret meeting of senior Nazi officials where in just over an hour, they agreed to
murder the Jews of Europe. This was known as the "Final Solution of Jewish Question."
Those who took part included Adolf Eichmann and Reinhard Heydrich. This is a brilliantly acted
work that gives a real insight into how with chilling efficiency, an industrial approach was
adopted to attempted genocide.
Seasons: 1 episode of 96 minutes.
Network: BBC / HBO 2001.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wannsee_Conference
[/B]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_(2001_film)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266425/
Watch this if you like:
Quality Drama, World History.0 -
Title: Professional Foul
Cast: Peter Barkworth, John Shrapnel, Stephen Rea, Bernard Hill.
Description: A British professor visiting Czechoslovakia for a symposium
becomes embroiled in an oppressed writer's attempt to smuggle something very
dangerous to the West. From the play by Tom Stoppard.
This was broadcast in 1977 as an episode in the BBC's "Play for Today"
anthology drama series.
Seasons: 1 episode of 85 minutes.
Network: BBC 1977.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Foul
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186466/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_for_Today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Stoppard
Watch this if you like: Quality drama, Cold War Thrillers.0 -
Title: My Zinc Bed
Cast: Paddy Considine, Jonathan Pryce, Uma Thurman.
Description: A recovering alcoholic writer finds himself
the mental plaything of a successful entrepreneur he is sent to
interview. The plot thickens when he meets his subject's beautiful
but damaged wife. From the play by David Hare.
Seasons: 1 episode of 69 minutes.
Network: BBC / HBO 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Zinc_Bed_(television_film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Zinc_Bed_(play)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1056101/
Watch this if you like:
Quality drama, Cracker, Glengarry Glenross (1992 film).0 -
Title: The Challenger
Cast: William Hurt, Bruce Greenwood, Joanne Whalley, Bruce Greenwood,
Brian Dennehy, Eve Best.
Description: In 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just after take off.
All seven people on board were killed, including a civilian astronaut, schoolteacher
Christa McAuliffe. This drama tells the story of the resulting investigation.
One headstrong scientist must overcome a hostile bureaucracy and the dark side of
public relations to find the truth behind the tragedy.
Seasons: 1 episode of 89 minutes.
Network: BBC / Science Channel / The Open University 2013.
Links:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Challenger
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2421662/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_S...enger_disaster
Watch this if you like:
Political thrillers, Quality drama.0 -
Title: Closing Numbers
Cast: Jane Asher, Tim Woodward, Frank Mills, Hazel Douglas, Jamie Glover,
Patrick Pearson.
Description: A happily married woman's world is shattered when she learns of
her husband's secret life. An elderly couple are divided on how to treat their son
now that he is dying from AIDS. I watched this drama on the excellent
Channel 4 on-demand service, 4-OD.
Seasons: 1 Episode of 94 Minutes.
Network: Channel 4 1993.
Links: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/closing-numbers
http://www.youtube.com/show/closingnumbers
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109448/
Watch this if you like: Quality Drama.0 -
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Title: Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Cast: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice.
Description: You've never met anyone quite like Frank Spencer,
and after you have, you'll pray you never will again. He's a walking disaster -
clumsy, accident-prone, totally incompetent and completely unaware of
the chaos he spreads to everyone and everything he touches.
This is a madcap comedy following the life of Frank and his wife Betty as
they try to make a start in married life. Somehow, Frank manages to get
himself into the most outrageous situations in his attempts to find a job,
deal with neighbours, stay in good health and do the best for his wife
and newborn child.
As his long-suffering wife Betty, played brilliantly by Michele Dotrice,
often says "He means well" - but by God does he screw thing
up for everyone else.
Featuring amazing stunts performed by Crawford himself, this is a timeless
classic of British humour, and a masterclass in Physical Comedy.
Seasons: 3 Seasons of 22 Episodes in total.
Network: BBC 1973 - 1978.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Some_Mothers_Do_'Ave_'Em
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069634/
Watch this if you like: Quality comedy, Fawlty Towers, Mrs. Brown's Boys,
Norman Wisdom, Mr. Bean, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton.0 -
Title: A woman called Golda
Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Anne Jackson, Jack Thompson, David de Keyser,
Judy Davis, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Loggia, Nigel Hawthorne.
Description:
This is a biopic of Golda Meir, a politician and diplomat who served as the
fourth Prime Minister of Israel. She played leading role in the creation and
development of the country, and the subsequent wars and diplomatic battles
that sometimes defined the Jewish people. She is often referenced as
one of the most influential and important women of the twentieth century.
However, her great work for her people often come at a significant cost
to her personal life. Featuring actual newsreel footage from the times depicted,
this is an entertaining and easily watchable biography.
Seasons: 2 parts of 100 minutes per part.
Network: Paramount Television 1982.
Links:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Woman_Called_Golda
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084914/
Watch this if you like:
World history, Political drama, Biographies.0 -
Title: The Computer Chronicles
Cast: Stewart Cheifet, Jim Warren, Gary Kildall.
Description: This was a weekly series covering all aspects of personal computing,
video games, business applications, software development, hardware reviews,
interviews and computer industry news between 1981 to 2002.
This show started at the beginning of the personal computing revolution in
the early 1980s, and detailed the amazing developments in microcomputers,
not only in America but all around the world. Later when the world wide web
came along the show kept pace with new technology and the "information
super-highway."
561 of the episodes of the show are available for legal streaming and download
from the excellent archive.org website.
The Computer Chronicles are a wealth of information for anyone researching computing
history and culture, or who has an interest in retro technology.
Seasons: Unknown, but there are 561 episodes on archive.org at 30 minutes per episode.
Network: PBS 1981 - 2002.
Links:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Chronicles
http://archive.org/details/computerchronicles
Watch this if you like:
Computers and Technology, History of Technology,
Retro computing, Tomorrow's World, Micro Men,
Discovery Channel documentaries, Pirates of Silicon Valley.0 -
Title: Pirates of Silicon Valley
Cast: Noah Wyle, Anthony Michael Hall, John DiMaggio, Joey Slotnick
Josh Hopkins, Jeffrey Nordling.
Description: Before the iPhone and the tablet there was the desktop
computer. Before the desktop, there was a group of hippies messing around with
electronics in a garage in California. In a few short years these guys, and a
separate group of devious Harvard drop-outs, formed two companies - Microsoft
and Apple.
This is a made-for-TV movie dramatizing the early years at these two technology firms.
The intense competitiveness and drive of a small number of extraordinary individuals
has changed how we work, play, communicate and shop forever. The film also reveals
the true story of how Apple "invented" the point and click interface we all use today, and
how Bill Gates became the richest man in the world with DOS and Windows.
Seasons: 1 episode of 95 minutes.
Network: Turner Network Television 1999.
Links:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates_of_silicon_valley
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168122/
Watch this if you like:
Computers and Technology, History of Technology,
Retro computing, Tomorrow's World, Micro Men,
Discovery Channel documentaries, The Computer Chronicles.0 -
Title: Copper
Cast: Tom Weston-Jones, Kyle Schmid, Anastasia Griffith, Franka Potente,
Ato Essandoh.
Description: New York in the 1860s is a dangerous place. The only
force for order is the Police, known as "Coppers". While entrepreneurs
search for profit and high society enjoy their indulgences, the poor pay
the price, often in blood. The Civil War rages on, and is coming straight
for New York. Decent performances and high production values make for
a good first series.
Seasons: 1 season of 10 episodes, a second season will broadcast in June 2013.
Network: BBC America 2012.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_(TV_series)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2006374/
Watch this if you like:
Deadwood, Luther, The Americans, Costume Dramas.0 -
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Title: NOVA - Battle of the X-planes
Cast: Narrated by Liev Schreiber.
Description: The American television channel, PBS,
is fantastic. It's a lot like the BBC - publicly funded quality
broadcasting that educates and entertains.
It is available in Ireland on Sky channel 166 as PBS America.
PBS has produces many fine shows through the years - Sesame
Street, Frontline and the show detailed here - Nova.
Nova is a science and technology programme that goes behind
the scenes and science of big stories in technology, business,
politics, health and beyond. Read more here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/
This episode of Nova is called "Battle of the X-planes."
This is a documentary following the US goverment project to select
and build the latest-generation fighter jet known as the Joint Strike
Fighter.
Nova goes behind the scenes at top-secret government sites and
at the two companies selected to build the final prototypes of the
plane. At the end of the competition, one winner will be chosen, and
be awarded the largest military hardware contract in history.
The entire programme, and many other complete shows are available on
youtube:
Seasons: 1 episode of 120 minutes.
Network: PBS 2003.
Links:http://www.pbs.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBS
http://www.youtube.com/user/PBS
Watch this if you like:
Documentaries, How It's Made, Megafactories,
Factory Line, Manufacturing,
Technology, Aviation, Engineering,
Politics, Military history, Tom Clancy books,
Gerald Seymour Books, Frederick Forsyth books.0 -
Title: The Henry Rollins Show
Cast: Hosted by Henry Rollins.
Description: Henry Rollins is a multi-talented musician, actor,
activist and author from America. He has released many books and CDs
of his politically infused stand up comedy featuring wry observations
on life, love, music and everything else. They are generally funny
and very entertaining. He's an interesting guy, whose long career
has taken him all over the planet and gets him into into crazy situations
that make for great stories.
For two seasons, Henry presented his own talk show and music showcase
on IFC in America. Anyone interested in the alternative and indie music scene
that came out of America in the 1980s - things like Grunge,
Pearl Jam, Rock The Vote, Bill Hicks, Dead Kennedys, Sonic Youth etc.
will enjoy this show.
Henry interviews a different celebrity each week. There are also short
political and social commentary pieces. The political viewpoints are not
to everyone's tastes but there are great live music performances, like
this kick-ass one from Sleater-Kinney:
Seasons: 2 seasons of 41 episode at 30 minutes each.
Network: IFC 2006 - 2007.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Henry_Rollins_Show
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0782110/
Watch this if you enjoy:
Talk shows, Live music, Seattle Grunge scene, Alternative Rock,
Hot Press magazine, Liberal politics, Lollapalooza,
MTV when it used to show intelligent shows.0 -
Title: Industrial Revelations
Cast: Mark Williams, Ronald Top, Rory McGrath.
Description: Much of the high-tech world we live in today was
founded in the Industrial Revolution, when people moved from life on the land to
working in factories and buying what they needed. This show is a fascinating look
at the machines, industries and personalities of this energetic time in human history.
Anyone who likes mechanical things or documentaries about industrial history
will love this show. Mark's enthusiasm for bringing the stories and characters to
life is infectious. He travels all over Britain to show us the best of metalwork,
mining, milling, factories, food production and transportation.
Later series feature content from a European perspective. Presenter
Ronald Top brings us on a journey through industry and enterprise on the continent.
From Sweden's waterways to the Eiffel Tower, there are loads of great works
and industrial processes detailed here.
I have not seen the series presented by Rory McGrath.
Seasons: 5 seasons of 36 episodes in total at 30 minutes each.
Network: Discovery 2002 - 2008.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revelations
Watch this if you like:
Documentaries, How It's Made, Megafactories,
Factory Line, Manufacturing, Technology,
Engineering, History, Documentaries, Fred Dibnah,
Steam Engines.0 -
Title: Community
Cast:Gillian Jacobs, Joel McHale, Daniel Pudi, Chevy Chase.
Description: A smarmy lawyer, whose education is deemed void by the bar, is forced to attend a local community college with an extremely eclectic staff and student body.
A wittier self aware version of friends. Community is a sitcom that is as clever as it is sweet. What really sets it apart from other comedies though are the fringe characters. Senor chang and Dean Pelton are hilarious.
Links:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1439629/?ref_=sr_1
Watch this if you like:
Friends, arrested development, it's always sunny in philadelphia.0 -
Title: Louie
Cast:Louis CK
Description:
A 42 year old comedian deals with getting older, being a father and wanting to meet someone. This is a vehicle for the comedian Louis CK and is a new kind of sitcom that deals in subtle humour, highlighting the absurd humour of one mans everyday life, whilst playing around with some of the conventions of tv comedy. This is a must for anyone interested in stand up comedy.
IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1492966/
Watch this if you like:
Cerebral comedy a la Curb your enthusiasm, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle.0 -
Title: The Bronx is Burning
Cast: John Turturro, Oliver Platt, Stephen Lang, Daniel Sunjata, Kevin Conway
Description: Follows the New York Yankees with their brilliant but unpredictable coach, the egomanic owner, sensible team president and prima donna new player.
But it's not just about baseball, there is a backstory of the police hunt for the Son of Sam killer and also regular clips of what's going on in the city such as the 1977 blackout & looting, mayoral elections and more.
I thought the multiple stories worked well and the acting was superb
Seasons: 8 episodes
Network: ESPN
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bronx_Is_Burning
Watch this if you like:
Sports, police dramas. No knowledge of baseball is required.0 -
Title: Survivors
Cast: Carolyn Seymour, Lucy Fleming, Ian McCulloch,Denis Lill and many others
Genre: Post Apocalypse Drama
Description: A virus wipes out 99% of the World's population and the survivors must rebuild humanity in the face of overwhelming odds. 1970s BBC Drama based on a Novel by the same name by Terry Nation (who invented The Daleks and wrote Blake's 7. Well written and acted, thought provoking. Still very watchable. 28 episodes across three series. Runs out of steam slightly in Series 3 but well worth a look
Watch this if you like: Threads, The Walking Dead, Lost, Revolution, The 2008 BBC remake of Survivors
Links: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072572/
http://www.survivorstvseries.com/index2.htm
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Title Shackleton
Cast Kenneth Branagh, Lorcan Cranitch, Kevin McNally, Matt Day
Genre Historical Drama
Description 2002 Channel 4 mini-series (2*100 minutes) which recreates the true story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's problematic 1914 Antarctic expedition. Branagh is terrific in the lead role. Very well shot with some fine performances, an enjoyable watch from start to finish.
Watch this if you like Hornblower, Titanic,127 Hours, Master and Commander, any real life adventure stories or documentaries
Links http://www.channel4.com/programmes/shackleton/4od
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272839/0 -
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Title : Please Like Me.
Cast: Josh Thomas, Debra Lawrance, David Roberts and more
Genre: Comedy/drama
Description:Please Like Me is a deadpan, quirky Australian comedy/drama about the life and loves of Josh, a nerdy guy in his early 20's. It starts when his girlfriend breaks up with him because she believes he's gay.This causes him to reevaluate his life to date and sends him on an awkward but entertaining personal journey to find out just what hes looking for out of life. He meets a few road blocks along the way, including his family, a mum with depression and an over involved dad no longer living with her who hasn't divorced from her emotionally. It meets a few heavy issues head on but handles them nicely with a surprisingly light touch.Over all it's warm. a bit zany,it has heart,its funny,it has that very "real" unpretentious feel australian indie films have and it has very likable characters.
Watch this if you like: Off beat deadpan comedy with heart, indie films, australian films.
Link :http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2155025/
http://www.metacritic.com/tv/please-like-me0 -
Title: Oliver Stone's Untold History Of The United States
Cast: Narrated by Oliver Stone; hundreds of famous/influential people from history appear in archive footage.
Genre: Documentary
Description: Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick show some of the seedier and less famous aspects of the history of the United States, starting point being approximately 1933 up to 2012. The "clean" version most often shown in the history books is eschewed in favour of the dirtier side of US foreign and domestic policy. Interestingly, and unlike most documentaries, there are no interviews at all; archive footage, quotations and narration are used throughout.
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Stone%27s_Untold_History_of_the_United_States
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1494191/
Watch this if you like: Oliver Stone's work, American history, World history, American politics, history in general0 -
Title:Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Cast:Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brandon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head,Seth Green.
Genre: Supernatural Drama
Description:Buffy is no ordinary girl, she also happens to be a slayer, who'd have thought. She regularly encounters all sorts of characters in Sunnydale,most who are hell bent on sucking blood out of her and everyone else, and taking over the joint and destroying it.A great soundtrack with some familiar faces, the show incorprates several genres which perhaps made it so great.
Watch this if you like: Your vampires to be scary....
Veronica Mars, Charmed, True Blood, Scobby Doo.
.0 -
Previously on TV Show Recommendations *NO DISCUSSION*
The Practice
Prison Break
Breakout Kings
Shameless (USA)
Sharpe
Hornblower
Silk
Revenge
The Bridge (Bron/Broen)
Boss
Boss
Last Airbender: Legend of Aang.
The Choice
2 Broke Girls
Take Me Out (Ireland edition)
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Shark
Sherlock
Farscape
Mobs Mheiriceá
Cardinal Burns
Person of Interest
Eli Stone
The Larry Sanders Show
Epitafios
Love/Hate
Bored To Death
My So-Called Life
Jekyll
American Gothic
The Bastard
The Americans
The Americans
The Following
Legit
Titanic Blood & Steel
The Venture Bros
Vikings
The Quatermass Experiment / Quatermass II / Quatermass and The Pit
The Shield
Broadchurch
Tales of The Unexpected
Porridge
The Wire
Restless
The Day of the Triffids
Archangel
Doomsday Gun
And the band played on
Veep
Micro Men
Secret State
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
Portlandia
Edge of Darkness
Traffik
A Very British Coup
The Shadow Line
Yes Minister / Yes, Prime Minister
Operation Good Guys
PhoneShop
Prime Suspect
Cracker
Party Down
Game On
The Critic
Phoenix Nights
The Stone Tape
Abigail's Party
Conspiracy
Professional Foul
My Zinc Bed
The Challenger
Closing Numbers
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
A woman called Golda
The Computer Chronicles
Pirates of Silicon Valley
Copper
NOVA - Battle of the X-planes
The Henry Rollins Show
Industrial Revelations
Community
Louie
The Bronx is Burning
Survivors
Dead Like Me
Title Shackleton
THE 4400
Orange Is the New Black
Wolfblood
Please Like Me
Oliver Stone's Untold History Of The United States
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Some interesting ones in there from Barneysplash (Thanks for the long descriptions, images and video it wasn't too bad getting though each page
) 0 -
Title: Peaky Blinders
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, Helen McCrory, Andy Nyman, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor
Genre: Period drama, gangster
Description: A gangster family epic set in Birmingham just after World War I, based on the historic Peaky Blinders gang. The story centres on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps (hence the title), and their ambitious and highly dangerous boss Tommy Shelby. The gang come to the attention of Chief Inspector Chester Campbell, a detective in the Royal Irish Constabulary who is sent over from Belfast to Birmingham to clean up the city and purge it of the gangs.
Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaky_Blinders_(TV_series)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2442560/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
Watch this if you like: BBC shows, Boardwalk Empire0 -
Title: House Of Cards
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara, Corey Stall, Michael Kelly
Genre: Political drama, political thriller
Description: Set in present day Washington, D.C., House of Cards is the story of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a Democrat from South Carolina's 5th congressional district and the House Majority Whip who, after getting passed over for appointment to Secretary of State, decides to exact his revenge on those who betrayed him. He often breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the viewer, or gives a knowing little look to the viewer. Underwood would make Machiavelli look like a pussy-cat.
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_(U.S._TV_series)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/
Watch this if you like: The West Wing, American politics, The New Statesman, political drama/thrillers, black comedy0 -
Title: The New Statesman
Cast: Rik Mayall, Michael Troughton, Marsha Fitzalan,
Genre: situation comedy, political satire, black comedy
Description: Set in London during the mid-to-late-1980's, it is a biting satire of the Conservative Government of the day. The main character was a selfish, greedy, dishonest, devious, lecherous, sadistic ultra-right-wing Conservative back bencher, Alan Beresford B'Stard (Mayall). The show was mostly set in B'Stard's antechambers in the Palace of Westminster and featured Piers Fletcher-Dervish (Troughton) as B'Stard's twittish upper-class sidekick. The show follows B'Stard as he sleazes and manipulates his way through life with no regard for anyone but himself (meant to be a parallel with the "yuppie" culture of 1980's Britain).
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Statesman
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094519/
Watch this if you like: political satire, black comedy, Spitting Image, House Of Cards0 -
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Title: Lilyhammer
Cast: Stephen Van Zandt, lots of Norse a list actors.
Kathleen Robertson Troy Garity
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Comedy.
Description: Lilyhammer is a Norwegian-American television series, starring Steven Van Zandt, about a New York gangster trying to start a new life in isolated Lillehammer in Norway. The first season premiered on Norwegian NRK1 on 25 January 2012 with a record audience of 998,000 viewers (one fifth of Norway's population). This struck me as a sort of sequel to the sopranos but would not be too similar. Fish out of water black comedy meets the godfather on a budget.
Links: IMDB
Watch this if you like: Sopranos.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeILuYuS5gU
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