TV Shows Discussion

[nexor]

You guys see TV shows and movies we never heard of and will never see, SABC top brass getting to a high salary and expense accounts for them to afford to bring in decent stuff. SABC have three stations SABC 1(soccer and soccer), SABC 2 local productions available in nine of the eleven official languages English and Afrikaans excluded, SABC 3 during the day until 7pm soapies like B&B and All My Children, only after 7pm news and till 11pm on some evenings we might see something they haven't screened before, during weekends they ship movies around from one station to the other and then back again just in case you missed it, a while ago they screened TJ Hooker and The A Team again, lately it's MacGyver again    :'(

[fragger]

Bloody hell, didn't they acquire any shows after 1986? ??? :D

We have about 16 free-to-air stations, but that doesn't mean we get quality programming. If one is not into sports, "reality" drivel, witless sitcoms, CSI-style dramas or talent shows scouting for The Next Big Flash-In-The-Pan, there's not much left to choose from. There is one channel that shows lots of old TV shows and classic movies but having one's eardrums assailed by banks of infuriating commercials every few minutes tends to detract somewhat from any entertainment value one might otherwise extract, so this one doesn't bother.

I love documentaries, but I live in faint hope of ever seeing very many on TV, being as they are apparently outside of the lowest common denominator paradigm. Once in a blue moon a David Attenborough doc might appear, or one of Billy Connolly's travelogue series, but even then the interminable commercial breaks do the televisual equivalent of farting in the viewer's face every few minutes.

Thank heavens for DVDs :-()

[Jim di Griz]

...and even DVDs are starting to show adverts in the middle of the new release previews...

[nexor]

SABC's schedule for Friday evening........ :'(

Spoiler

SABC 1
18:00   Bold And The Beautiful - 2012 (Eps 5994-6
18:30   Jam Alley S26 Local Documentary in all languages except English/Afrikaans
19:00   My Perfect Family S2 Local Serial in all languages except English/Afrikaans
19:30   Zulu News 2012
20:00   Generations S21 "SABC 1?s popular soap also now repeats on SABC 3. Local
Series  in all languages except English/Afrikaans
20:30   Tshisa S3(Have no Idea)
21:00   LIVE (Have no idea what it is)
22:00   FOREIGN MOVIE
   
SABC 2
18:00   Voetspore S3 A local nature program

18:30   7de Laan S13 Local Serial
19:00   Nuus(News)
19:30   Lerieke Raai (A local Afrikaans musical program just starting)
20:30   Setswana/sotho Daily actuality news reports from around the world and locally
21:00   Mokgonyana Mmatswale (have no idea)
21:30   Powerball Inserts (Lotto)
21:34   Mmalonya S1(another program in black language)
22:00   Paralympics

SABC 3
18:30   Little Mosque On The Prairie S1
19:00   News @ 7
At 19:00 is the main bulletin of the day.
19:30   Isidingo S15 A daily SA serial which is set in a mining village.
20:00   Chuck S3
21:00   Run's House S5
21:30   Real Housewives Of New Jersey, The S1
22:30   Sportwrap 2012

[Art Blade]

whenever I see actual TV somewhere I glance at it, see either a news anchor (don't they all look the same), commercials, or some kind of yucky program I don't want to know what it is or, finally, some old series/films they have been airing for the last three decades.

Then I turn away and think to myself what a happy life one can lead without any TV. And, for that matter, without any radio, too.

^-^

[mandru]

It was way back in the 70's - 80's that I noticed that Friday nights have always suffered from a lack of good programming content.  Probably a truism no matter where you go.

I always took it as a death knell when a show or series I was enjoying was kicked to a time slot on Friday evenings.  :-\\

I wonder if it's because the execs who set up the program scheduling think that most people have other things going on so they have a free hand to take that opportunity to either dump their well sponsored but least watchable shows or to intentionally drive down the numbers of a show's existing viewers so that there is a lot less squawking from the public when it hits the chopping block.  :-\\

[nexor]

My guess is those assholes have their pockets lined too well to worry what's on TV, they not watching it anyway  >:((

In 2009, the cash-strapped SABC got a R1.47 billion bailout from the government after it reported a R910m loss in the same year and the government gave the loan under strict conditions...... ???
The SABC board is investigating its group chief executive Lulama Mokhobo and chief financial officer Gugu Duda for allegedly authorising the spending of R3 million on the controversial ICT indaba, organised by the Communications Department, she was axed because of that............ :-(

Then this joker Phil Molefe was made acting CEO for about a year and hoping it will be permanent...
There are stories going around that the SABC board will pay Phil Molefe R7-million.
He didn't get the job.............. :-\\

Instead, this joker Solly Mokoetle got the CEO job...........

The New Age newspaper reported on Thursday that Embattled former SABC CEO Solly Mokoetle was "laughing all the way to the bank after securing a massive golden handshake to leave the corporation", following Wednesday's announcement he had stepped down.
It said lawyers representing him agreed on the settlement, believed to be around R30 million....... :o

[Art Blade]

effin' hell.  :D

[Jim di Griz]

...The really scary thing about broadcast television is that it's being broadcast not just around the world but out into space in all directions...are now over 60 light-years away and expanding bubble-like in all directions. Which means that Lucille Ball and Howdy Doody are just two of humanity's ambassadors to the stars...Maybe there's a good reason why intelligent aliens haven't made contact with us yet - they've watched our television shows and they think we're nuts...

that's why I like Galaxy Quest and there have been a couple of SF novels based around that idea too  :-X

Other than the game, no one has mentioned The Walking Dead TV series yet...at least I don't think so. I got to watch the first season last year whilst season two was about to air in the US.

Wow, what a great series it is shaping into! I knew Andrew Lincoln from another programme he did some years ago called Teachers - a comedy of sorts; so quite different from this new role and I must say, I'm very impressed with how he handled this too.

It's a post apocalyse zombie scenario, but one that has made the genre more accessible for everyone. It has a very human story that isn't focused on solely hunting the undead down, or tough-nut teams who specialise in this kind of thing. A lot of thought has been put into the story itself, its cinematic presentation and a myriad of little details that make the atmosphere so plausible - touches like mouldy bread left on the baking trays of an office canteen; or zombies that just sit and wait in busses (no matter that they're burnt out) because it's what's familiar to them.

There is genuine human dignity and pathos shown for the zombies in this too - they are after all victims of circumstances beyond their control and Andrew Lincoln's character a small town Deputy Sherrif, takes it upon himself to remind other of that; even performing mercy killings when necessary. I will say here that it is a necessarily gory series, with plenty of no compromises camera w@&k. I'm glad they didn't clean that up or tone the imagery down to a 'perceived level of decency' for gore that the networks feel the public might comfortably be persuaded to endure.

So that was the first series: six episodes culminating in some fairly tense situations and that panicky kind of action that's tense and has you feeling that it could all fall apart at any second - good stuff therefore. Yesterday we got season two (a bit short of cash lately, so we had to wait until the price had dropped...)

So, five episodes of thirteen watched already...

The pace has altered and the story is developing a few diverse threads, some of which are carrying on from season one while the rest appear as the main story moves forward. No spoilers but some are damn uncomfortable moments - just people being people really, but powerful reminders all the same.

So far, tension has been the main and over-riding feeling throughout the atmosphere, rather than the constant fear and desperation from the first series. The episodes have had the tranquility of nature to them, yet you always feel the threat of what might happen hidden under the surrounding insect buzz.

Really enjoying it still and I'm curious as to where the rest of the series will take us and of course, series three is now airing...

Really going to have to get that game now.

[fragger]

I haven't actually heard of that series, I'll have to give it a look-see. Sounds like a refreshingly different take on the zombie theme :-X

[Jim di Griz]

That it is Fragger - I hope you enjoy  :)

Here's a little known Scottish series that's just started its third season: Burnistoun.

I found out about this after the first series had aired and the following sketch got onto YouTube. It's basically all you need to know - it got me watching it.

Burnistoun - Voice Recognition Elevator in Scotland

[Art Blade]

hehehe  :-D

[Fiach]

That it is Fragger - I hope you enjoy  :)

Here's a little known Scottish series that's just started its third season: Burnistoun.

I found out about this after the first series had aired and the following sketch got onto YouTube. It's basically all you need to know - it got me watching it.

Really enjoyed that, cheers :)

[fragger]

Funny stuff, good one

[Jim di Griz]

 :) Always a pleasure to share. Sad thing is, not long after posting that, the Burnistoun FaceBook page announced that series three would be the end of it all...

[fragger]

I just got the whole Babylon 5 works in a boxed set from ebay Oz, which includes all seasons plus ALL the movies plus the Crusade series, the lot for AUS$139.95.

[smg id=4798 width=600]

I've seen very little of this series in the past (what I have seen really intrigued me, even though it was in the middle of the run so I didn't get a lot of what was going on) and I've seen none of the films, but according to an online B5 aficionado the whole w@&k is best watched in this order:

----------------------------------------
1. Watch the B5 movie "The Gathering"
(The Babylon 5 pilot movie The Gathering was originally broadcast in 1993 a full year ahead of the regular show).
2. Season 1
3. Season 2
4. Season 3
5. Watch Season 4 up to episode "The illusion of truth"
6. Watch the B5 movie "Thirdspace"
7. Season 4: continue with episodes 9-22
8. Watch Season 5 up to episode "Objects at Rest"
9. Watch the B5 movie "River of Souls"
10. Watch the B5 movie "In the Beginning"
(This is a prelude set 10 years before Babylon 5. Against the logic of the title, I would strongly recommend seeing it at this stage. Should one see it before Season 1, much of the suspense in the main series would be ruined).
11. Watch the B5 movie "A Call to Arms"
(This movie lays the groundwork for the spin-off TV series "Crusade").
12. Watch the B5 movie "The Lost Tales"
13. Watch the B5 movie "The Legend of the Rangers"
14. Season 5: watch final episode "Sleeping in light"
15. Watch Crusade Series

The question which is debated in several other reviews is: Despite the release dates of the material produced, in what order should it be seen? In particular, if the viewer is a total newcomer to the series. The above is an attempt to give some structure to great content so it is more enjoyable as a complete w@&k.
----------------------------------------

May I ask what B5 fans' thoughts are on this?

[Fiach]

I dont think I ever watched a full episode of the series, but you got a helluva bargain there !  :-X

[fragger]

Seller was within Oz too, so it arrived just three days after I ordered it :-X

[Fiach]

Cool, I have to say I always had good experiences with EBAY. :)

[fragger]

I'm quite enjoying B5. I'd heard that the first season is a little clunky while the production was finding its feet before it begins to smooth out during season 2 (where I am now). There are some great-looking visuals considering that this show was made almost right at the dawn of CG (and on an Amiga-based system!) and they just get better as the show progresses. But mostly I like the unfolding story which has lots of interwoven arcs that thread through the entire series and were obviously well thought out from the beginning, unlike Lost (the only other TV series I've watched in recent years) which I'm sure the writers were making up as they went along during the last few seasons.

I'm glad I got the whole thing on DVD as opposed to watching it on TV as I can better appreciate the coherency of the interwoven story by watching multiple episodes back-to-back (the expression in that context should really be "back-to-front" but then it sounds as though I'm watching it in reverse order :-())

Cool show, a little corny and silly on occasion but overall a pretty slick production, entertaining and surprisingly engrossing :-X

[Jim di Griz]

Our first car was called Kosh and our second, Delenn. It's a fine series alright and you do get past the total CGI experience as the plot and entwined tales snare you.

The next two cars though were named after characters from another series. I'll let you guess: The Major and Batou.

[Art Blade]

Fragger, I got the entire B5 collection one box at a time back then and I loved it. I too have the movies but I skipped the Crusade series.

As you said, I agree, the first season is not as good as the rest, a bit amateurish even, but nevertheless quite amusing and well worth watching. After that, it goes on really smoothly and I admire the quality of its visuals (let alone the make-up) both on stage and CGI, everything considered.

It is probably the best SF series I know.  :-X :)

[fragger]

 :)

It gets better and better as it goes along :-X

[Jim di Griz]

Just watched Dead Set again, forgot to mention it in the list of good series out there.

Written by Charlie Brooker, a comedian and an ascerbic hater of human society in general does commentary on how useless TV has become - an example: Charlie Brooker on My Sweet 16

With such a background, he wrote a script for a zombie apocalypse outbreak set during a Big Brother season :) He really went to town and enjoyed himself with his wry social commentary about how worthwhile everything in society really is. Here's his commentary on Celebrity Big Brother from 2007: Screen Wipe - Celebrity Big Brother 2007

So with that in mind, here's the trailer for the TV series he wrote:
Dead Set | Trailer | E4

Anyway, it's on DVD now.

[Art Blade]

no matter what, whenever I see something TV-related (not counting films) I can't stand it. Even a short while is already enough to make me want to puke. TV makes my brains melt, so I better stay away from it which I have for well more than a decade now :)