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[paw broon]

Started breathing again.  Unforgotten series 4 has finished.  Excellent tv.  Nicola Walker was so good.  This link will let you watch but be aware, start from the beginning if you can. Serious heavy stuff towards the end so don't spoil it.
https://www.itv.com/hub/unforgotten/2a3372
And how good is Sanjeev Bhaskar?  imo, great.

[ComicMike]

For the past two weeks, I've seen 'The Frankenstein Chronicles' and 'Penny Dreadful'. They are horror series, that are set in the Victorian era. The series are rough, brutal, sometimes vulgar and show a very dark, dirty, hopeless London. The series are very well made and was probably weren't cheap to produce. In 'The Frankenstein Chronicles', we see Sean Bean in the lead role, in 'Penny Dreadful' we see Timothy Dalton, Josh Hartnett, Billie Piper and many others. In 'Penny Dreadful', all possible figures of the Victorian age have been summarized, Frankenstein, Dracula, Dorian Gray. . . this is a bit annoying at first, but you get used to it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Dreadful_(TV_series)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frankenstein_Chronicles

[The Australian Panther]

BobS said,

The British Edge of Darkness mini-series is one of my favorites.

You have good taste, that was some kind of Masterpiece.

Was doing something else entirely when I came across this.
frank chacksfield sexton blake [Theme] I love Crime and Noir TV show themes, but I hadn't come across this one before. And it is very good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RKqV_5PisY
So I had to go looking and found one episode.The only episode that still exists apparently.
Sexton Blake TV show episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdBGoDqanRQ

The only surviving episode of the Sexton Blake TV series. The "Find the Lady Affair" part 1, from 25 September 1967, starring Laurence Payne and Roger Foss.

Enjoy!
   

[Andrew999]

Yes - it's a huge tragedy that such a fine TV series was destroyed so the videotapes could be reused. It's just conceivable that copies may still exist where the show was sold overseas - Malaysia etc.

[Captain Audio]

Yes - it's a huge tragedy that such a fine TV series was destroyed so the videotapes could be reused. It's just conceivable that copies may still exist where the show was sold overseas - Malaysia etc.

I remember when the first video taping system was unveiled they claimed each inch of the tape itself cost $50,000 dollars. Only years later did the price come down enough to allow single use tapes.

I remember the first home video outfit I saw, which belonged to a friend, it was built into a pool table sized rig with its own monitor and editing system.

[bowers]

 Been catchin' up on my Brit TV. So far this year, Masterpiece has given us "Miss Scarlet and the Duke" which features a plucky Victorian woman detective. Excellent writing and a lot of fun! Also the newest resurrection of "All Creatures Great and Small" with one of Diana Rigg's last performances. She will be SO missed! Entertaining with a great cast. We'll have to wait until Fall to see the new season of "Unforgotten"- this show is well worth watching! Also the new seasons of "Baptiste", "Granchester", and "Van der Valk". Still waiting for "Call the Midwife". Why can't American TV come up with shows like these?
On the streaming channels, just finished three of the Disworld adaptations- "Color of Magic", "Going Postal" and "Hogfather". Soooo good! Watched all four seasons of "The Last Kingdom" and rewatched "Britannia"- hope there's a second season!
  Hope everyone is well and healthy. Cheers to all, Bowers

[The Australian Panther]

 

  Why can't American TV come up with shows like these?

Why can't Australian TV come up with shows like these?
Well we have made a couple, as has the US. But they are few and far between.
The Dr Blake Mysteries was one. Set in 1950's Ballarat.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375720/
Until it was derailed by Woke complaints about the sexual behaviour of the lead Actor - since thrown out by the court, of course still leaving his career in Tatters.
Then there is the really hard to find but brilliant
Serangoon Road 
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2699780/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
An Australian PI active in Singapore in th 1960's
Actually now I think about it, there have been a few!
There were the Jack Irish series and telemovies about the PI character from Peter Temple's books and Played by Guy Pearce.
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi4004624921?playlistId=tt4905554&ref_=vp_rv_ap_0
This co-stars one Aaron Peterson, whose Mystery Road movies and TV shows where he directs and acts as Aboriginal Detective Jay Swan are terrific!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7298596/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Then there is
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1988386/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

A female sleuth sashays through the back lanes and jazz clubs of Melbourne in the late 1920s, fighting injustice with her pearl-handled pistol and her dagger-sharp wit. 

I've not actually watched this one but it is hugely popular and I have friends who swear by it. 
On this list, last but not least there is
Old School with Sam Neill and Bryan Brown. 

The eight-part series follows the adventures of the retired criminal Lennie Cahill and the retired cop Ted McCabe.   

As you can imagine, with those two leads, it's excellent. Also has the best location shots of Sydney I have ever seen. No harbour bridge and opera house here.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3164100/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3
You will find 'Mystery Road' the series, here, [free]  if you can access it in your countries. may need a VPN.
And some other shows which may surprise you.
https://iview.abc.net.au/

Edit.
Couldn't find this one on IMDB when I first looked. Had to go to Wikipedia and find a link from there.
Excellent show from the nineties. 2 miniseries. Excellent soundtrack which I would kill to find on CD. 
Couldn't leave it out.
Phoenix
TV Series (1992?1993)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103511/
Each whole series was the investigation of one crime. So yes, ahead of its time.   
Found most of it here.
Pretty heavy Aussie Accent in those days. And definitely not politically correct.
Search 'Phoenx -TV series 1992'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLIyxqbmQbw&list=PL_Yiaf8SoBIs5doQneBjc1d7xRmqsbzLy
Cheers!   
 

     
 

[Andrew999]

I watched the first series of Miss Fisher. I liked the staging and the support cast but I found Essie Davis as Miss Fisher a bit too arch for my liking and gave up on it.

I understand that to say you gave up on Miss Fisher is like talking heresy to many Australians who adored the series!

I did like the books though - heart-warming

[bowers]

 Panther, I've watched some really good stuff from Australia and New Zealand. "My Life is Murder" is a favorite- good to see "Xena" back in action! Lighthearted and vey entertaining. I always enjoyed looking for the show's logo hidden in the opening shots.
The first season of "The Level" was just plain awesome but I couldn't get interested in the second season. Also watched "Mr. and Mrs. Murder"- not great but a bit of fun.
PBS gave us "Dr. Blake Mysteries" and "Miss Fisher" and both were well worth watching.
My streaming service carries The Acorn Channel which has mostly Commonwealth stuff, and I was pleased to find both "Mystery Road" and "Jack Irish" are available. Any other suggestions are always welcome!
Currently, the wife and I are watching a Canadian series, "Murdoch Mysteries". Set in the early 1900's in Toronto with "guest appearances" from some historical figures such as Tesla, Edison, Conan-Doyle, etc. Good  lighthearted writing featuring impossible murders, bizzare situations, and such interesting characters. If you can suspend your disbelief, it's an awful lot of fun! It's run for 14 years and we're halfway through season 7. And, yes, we are going to finish it!

[The Australian Panther]

Andrew,
You'll get no argument from me on Miss Fisher. With the little I've seen, that's my opinion too. Pity.
Bowers,

Xena is a Joint New Zealand/US  production. They don't do too badly either. Didn't know it was back in production.
Murdoch Mysteries is quite popular in Australia.
The Canadians for some reason seem to outdo nearly everybody in the production of Science Fiction Series. Many of them relatively unknown.  But that's another post.

[bowers]

Sorry, Panther! I didn't make myself clear. The star of "My Life is Murder" is Lucy Lawless, but I'll always think of her as Xena. Cheers, Bowers

[Andrew999]

I try hard not to think of Xena - it's not good for me - I was particularly fond of Discord and felt she deserved a series of her own.

The guys I felt sorry for were the bunch of former rugby players they employed to be the warriors in any battle scene - they used to be knocked out (by the good guys) or killed (by the bad guys) at least a hundred times during the series. There was one in particular I used to watch out for to see how he would die this week.

[Andrew999]

I'm a big fan of Murdoch Mysteries - I'm on series six at the moment.

I'm not so keen on the Julia character - sorry, but I find her acting a bit wooden - I much prefer the new pathologist - she has lots of zip.

The rest of the supporting cast is terrific - especially Crabtree - and the plots become more-and-more eccentric with each episode - reminds me of Wild Wild West at its best.

I agree - the Canadians do make some great shows - anyone remember Lexx?

[bowers]

Andrew, did you know that Jonny Harris (Crabtree) also does stand-up and comedy writing? I think this really shows in his characterization of long-suffering Constable Crabtree- definitely my favorite cast member! I also agree with your opinion of Julia and Emily, her replacement. Brackenreid is priceless! Also great recurring characters, such as James Pendrick and the oh-so-evil James Gillies. I confess that I always guiltily enjoy the latter's appearances- such a warped but entertaining mastermind! Cheers, Bowers

[The Australian Panther]

Looking for something quite different - Obscure great listening soundtracks actually - I came across this little item.
Alice Through the Looking Glass 1982 Kievnauchfilm, USSR (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOtQx2hqS7A

Alisa v Zazerkal, Алиса в Зазеркалье or Alice Through the Looking Glass, animated adaptation by Kievnauchfilm, Ukraine 1982. This was aired on Childrens BBC, around Christmas time 1986.
English Language version, so may have been edited somewhat.
Eastern European animation is markedly different from US and Western animation, and some excellent work remains relatively unknown and hard to track down.
Enjoy!   

[Andrew999]

I started watching Pennyworth last night - series 1, first three episodes.

It's set in an alternate Britain in the early 1960s which is fun though the period detail is all over the place. The biggest revelation so far has been how good an actor Paloma Faith is - stands out against the rest. The lead's single-tone mock cockney may get a bit irritating after a while - I'll see how it goes

[Andrew999]

No, I didn't know that - thanks for letting me know - it explains Jonny's perfect deadpan comic timing - a real gem of a performance.

I agree Brackenreid is priceless too - I read an interview with him a little while back - he spends six months in the UK and six months in Canada every year - sounds like the perfect lifestyle.

For those just starting out on the Murdoch journey, series 1 takes a few episodes to find its feet but by the middle of series 2, the story is thundering along.......

[Captain Audio]

The guys I felt sorry for were the bunch of former rugby players they employed to be the warriors in any battle scene - they used to be knocked out (by the good guys) or killed (by the bad guys) at least a hundred times during the series. There was one in particular I used to watch out for to see how he would die this week.

They made a time travel/fantasy episode where the modern day cast and crew of Xena was involved in some ancient mystery.
The production had been on hold for weeks and the stunt men were going nuts from inactivity, setting themselves on fire and jumping off cliffs etc.

[profh0011]

Since I've begun buying DVD sets 3-1/2 years ago, I've gotten in the habit of watching each entire series TWICE before moving on... just like they used to run shows in syndication in the late 60s-early 70s.

My current schedule:

UFO  (1st time in 10 years, 4th time ever, 1st time ever UNCUT and in production order-- and BOY does it make SO MUCH MORE sense this way!)

THE FLASH (season 2)

VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA  (season 1-- not sure which of these I haven't seen since the late 60s, before the B&W eps. were PULLED from syndication, and which ones I've NEVER seen before)

LOST IN SPACE  (2nd go-round for the DVDs)

BATMAN  (ditto!)

THE MAN FROM UNCLE (1st season-- pretty sure I've NEVER seen any of these before!!!)

STARGIRL  (just plowed thru season 1, which my best friend sent me copies of-- modern shows like this treat the season-long storylines WAY better than most old movie serials used to in the 30s & 40s)

SHERLOCK HOLMES (currently watching a variety of stuff from the silent era to the 1950s, lots more to come!)

Also, just about to polish off a "swordfighting movie marathon" I've been working on since last summer.  2 more to go and then I need to figure out what's next.

[The Australian Panther]

I do buy DVD's and sets. With two provisos.
One, I rarely buy them new. This is a time when many people are getting rid of their CD and DVD collections and I live in an area where there are a number of secondhand and 'goodwill' stores, so my main problem is self-control. Second proviso, is that I like to be informed and surprised. I love to find things I want to find or know about  but wasn't expecting to find.
Sounds like you are really enjoying yourself, I envy you.
On your list:-
Some of these I never watched back in the day, because I was for long periods, in situations where I couldn't watch TV regularly, not for any other reason.
UFO - have watched a few episodes, looks like it was a good show back in the day.
The Flash - I only watch free to air or what I can buy on DVD and Flash - the current  series is not on free-to-air here. I did watch some of the original series tho, and quite liked it. I presume you are referring to that.
Voyage to the Bottom of the sea - also a good show, but I've never watched much of it. I do like the comics tho.
Lost in Space - A Classic for many reasons. I can't watch many movies or TV shows more than once - some of Lost in Space many times.
The current series - I have watched. Season one is a Curate's egg [ Parts of it were very good indeed] It;s better than it could have been in these WOKE times, but I can understand fans of the original not liking it.
Lost in Space | Official Trailer | Netflix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzmM0AB60QQ
They made it serious, but thanks to the wonderful Jonathan Harris, who stole the show, rewrote the 'Dr Smith' part and made the show his own, it was a comedy. You came home after school to watch DR Smith get his. 
Jonathan Harris Lost In Space Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F16Df3A5uoo
Jonathan Harris on Guy Williams on "Lost in Space"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4pwWio5NGk
I like watching actors spark off each other. Billy Mumy and Jonathan Harris were genius together, made it look straightforward and simple, but that's what made the show so popular.
Lost in Space Exclusive: Bill Mumy Visits The Jupiter 2 ? Robot Surprise
Sorry for the asides, made me realize how good that show really was.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=billy+mumy+2020     
Batman - I was, by the time Batman screened here, a Marvel and Gold Key fan, and didn't have the frame of mind to fully appreciate it's camp approach, but I watched it. Appreciate it more now. I like finding Adam West in obscure episodes of other series. he was a seriously underappreciated actor.
Should have done the 'Stan Lee type cameos' in all the Batman movies.
There is a strong tradition of that in all the Superman TV shows and Movies.
The Man from Uncle - Watched that religiously back in the day, and have since kept an eye on the careers and subsequent work of David McCallum and Robert Vaughn - both of them have rarely been in anything second rate.
Star Girl - Jeff Johns is either terrible or brilliant, Star Girl was one of his 'brilliant' ideas so I will be looking out for this one.
Sherlock Holmes - I have the Basil Rathbone box set and a box set of the Ronald Howard series among otter things.     
   

[paw broon]

I used to love Man From Uncle but nowadays I prefer the comic version.  Robert Vaughn was excellent in Hustle.
I buy certain DVD's, Doctor Who animations of lost episodes, Godzilla, DC cartoons and old British b&w films.
As I've been told Stargirl is good, I'll have to wait till it's on what we call cooncil telly.
We have been watching episodes of Scotland Yard, a 30 minute series from the '50's. Some of the stories are well done and it's surprising who turns up.  Recently we saw two with Roger Delgado.
But if you want tension racked right up, Line of Duty is the biggie right now.  It's getting huge audiences every Sunday evening. Penultimate episode this weekend. There is stuff about the show in papers and on tv news and as the last episode ended in a cracker of a cliffhanger, fans are champing at the bit to find out what happened.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00yzlr0

[The Australian Panther]

I've noticed the attention given to Line of Duty. As I don't watch free-to-air or paid services, I'll have to wait. Sounds like it will be worth it.
Robert Vaughn worked with his mate Steve McQueen in Magnificent 7 and Bullitt. Was in the little known series 'the Protectors' with Nyree Dawn Porter. In 'Hustle' and believe it or not in Coronation Street.  And played in episodes in most US TV series.
David McCallum has been in NCIS since 2003. Has it really been going that long? So says IMDB. Was in 'The Great Escape' 'Kidnapped - the mini-series' 'Sapphire and Steel' Did a lot of voice work in animation, Particularly in Ben 10 and the Replacements. So both of them had memorable careers.
I like ferreting out old British movies too, I'm amazed at how many were out there that I have never heard of.
In my bargain basement trawling I came across three movies that were giveways by the British Daily Mail, Three British War movies,'The long and the short and the tall' '49th Parallel' and 'They who Dare'. I'll put a night aside sometime for those.
Cheers!             

[bowers]

 Panther, it's funny you mentioned "49th Parallel". I just watched that and "Tonight We Raid Calais" last week. I enjoyed "Parallel" because it's one of the few 1940's films to feature everyday Canadians instead of a plethora of singing Mounties! (Although I like them as well!). I read somewhere that writer Enric Pressburger boasted that he wanted to outdo Joseph Goebbels by making his own, better, propaganda film!
Yes, "NCIS" has been on for almost 20 years! I watched the first 13 seasons religiously but quit when my favorite characters left. Didn't care for any of the replacements. David Mc Callum's character, Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard doesn't seem to appear any more though his name is still on the credits. What a career! Cheers, Bowers

[Captain Audio]

I've watched 49th Parallel years ago. Took a bit before I remembered it.
An excellent film in every way.

[profh0011]

I started watching Pennyworth last night - series 1, first three episodes.

It's set in an alternate Britain in the early 1960s which is fun though the period detail is all over the place. The biggest revelation so far has been how good an actor Paloma Faith is - stands out against the rest. The lead's single-tone mock cockney may get a bit irritating after a while - I'll see how it goes

Just saw the pilot thanks to my best friend.

Strangest things that go thru your head.  What it reminded me of the most... was a DARK, nightmarish, nasty, VISCIOUS, bloodthirsty, profane version of an early-1930s "SAINT" story.  I prefer Leslie Charteris' more light-hearted, fun-loving take on this kind of extra-legal crusade against crime.

Alfred's accent reminded me more than anything of MICHAEL CAINE. Which I'm sure was the intent.


Of course, when I think of Alfred, 2 actors come to mind.  William Austen... and Alan Napier.