TV Shows You're Watching

iank wrote:I've actually been tuning in to Neighbours this week, for the first time in about 13 years. Mainly because they've brought Sky and Lana back for a guest stint. Never expected to see either again, esp the latter, who although somewhat a landmark as the show's first gay character was still only a 3-month guest in 2004/2005. She and Sky were best friends, and she had a massive crush on her but while it teetered on the edge a couple of times they never actually became a couple, which I thought was a huge mistake. But lo and behold, Sky's apparently decided she quite likes going that way after all, and they've come back as a couple and actually got married yesterday.
Must admit, didn't see that coming.

I think the last Neighbours storyline that hooked me was the journey of that cursed rock from house to house, which Hannah had to solve.

Natalie Imbruglia was still in it then.

M.I. High

Danny John-Jules is the head of a top secret spy unit who are made up of three school students. The students are tasked with protecting Britain while making sure their maths homework is handed in on time! This was one of my absolute favourite shows when I was a kid and I'm glad to say that it holds up well. In fact, I probably like it more now than I did then. It's also interesting to look back on how diverse the cast was and how little it really mattered. I don't know why NuWho is always looking for plaudits on its diverse cast when other shows from way back when were doing the exact same thing only without pushing an obvious agenda.

SJA is a good show, but MI High's premise is so much cooler. I love spies and the idea of a top secret spy HQ being beneath a school is just awesome. I went to school everyday wishing that such a thing was real (perhaps it was?). The obvious Bond parodies and its larger than life plots made it feel so different and superior to pretty much every other kids show at the time. CBBC was so imaginative back then and a lot of their shows were worth rushing home from school for. Something tells me this is no longer the case because the BBC have seemingly forgotten how to produce fun, entertaining shows without smearing their political bias all over its content.

Overall, I really like this show. It sometimes plays it safe (the action scenes rarely if ever involve people actually hitting each other) and its clearly aimed at kids, but I've never really grown up so I don't care. I was going to buy the first 23 episodes on iTunes but they're only available for those that shop on the Australian version of the site. I don't understand why the UK version can't have the episodes on their site as well. Why does nothing in this world make any sense at all? Looks like I'll have to make do with the YouTube uploads and the single DVD release.




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Note: Series 1 and 2 are much superior to the rest. I think the show actually finished in 2014, but for me it ended when John-Jules and some of the other regulars left. Although my favourite character stayed on until series 5 it never really felt the same without the other original characters being there.

Pepsi Maxil wrote:M.I. High

Danny John-Jules is the head of a top secret spy unit who are made up of three school students. The students are tasked with protecting Britain while making sure their maths homework is handed in on time! This was one of my absolute favourite shows when I was a kid and I'm glad to say that it holds up well. In fact, I probably like it more now than I did then. It's also interesting to look back on how diverse the cast was and how little it really mattered. I don't know why NuWho is always looking for plaudits on its diverse cast when other shows from way back when were doing the exact same thing only without pushing an obvious agenda.

SJA is a good show, but MI High's premise is so much cooler. I love spies and the idea of a top secret spy HQ being beneath a school is just awesome. I went to school everyday wishing that such a thing was real (perhaps it was?). The obvious Bond parodies and its larger than life plots made it feel so different and superior to pretty much every other kids show at the time. CBBC was so imaginative back then and a lot of their shows were worth rushing home from school for. Something tells me this is no longer the case because the BBC have seemingly forgotten how to produce fun, entertaining shows without smearing their political bias all over its content.

Overall, I really like this show. It sometimes plays it safe (the action scenes rarely if ever involve people actually hitting each other) and its clearly aimed at kids, but I've never really grown up so I don't care. I was going to buy the first 23 episodes on iTunes but they're only available for those that shop on the Australian version of the site. I don't understand why the UK version can't have the episodes on their site as well. Why does nothing in this world make any sense at all? Looks like I'll have to make do with the YouTube uploads and the single DVD release.




[/url]



Note: Series 1 and 2 are much superior to the rest. I think the show actually finished in 2014, but for me it ended when John-Jules and some of the other regulars left. Although my favourite character stayed on until series 5 it never really felt the same without the other original characters being there.

An absolute childhood favourite of mine. Don't exactly know when I stopped watching it though, I think that it was when there was a new cast. But that, Sarah Jane Adventures, Tracey Beaker, Shaun of the Sheep, Raven, Sparticle Mystery, god those were great shows to me as a kid.

SomeCallMeEnglishGiraffe wrote:

Pepsi Maxil wrote:M.I. High

Danny John-Jules is the head of a top secret spy unit who are made up of three school students. The students are tasked with protecting Britain while making sure their maths homework is handed in on time! This was one of my absolute favourite shows when I was a kid and I'm glad to say that it holds up well. In fact, I probably like it more now than I did then. It's also interesting to look back on how diverse the cast was and how little it really mattered. I don't know why NuWho is always looking for plaudits on its diverse cast when other shows from way back when were doing the exact same thing only without pushing an obvious agenda.

SJA is a good show, but MI High's premise is so much cooler. I love spies and the idea of a top secret spy HQ being beneath a school is just awesome. I went to school everyday wishing that such a thing was real (perhaps it was?). The obvious Bond parodies and its larger than life plots made it feel so different and superior to pretty much every other kids show at the time. CBBC was so imaginative back then and a lot of their shows were worth rushing home from school for. Something tells me this is no longer the case because the BBC have seemingly forgotten how to produce fun, entertaining shows without smearing their political bias all over its content.

Overall, I really like this show. It sometimes plays it safe (the action scenes rarely if ever involve people actually hitting each other) and its clearly aimed at kids, but I've never really grown up so I don't care. I was going to buy the first 23 episodes on iTunes but they're only available for those that shop on the Australian version of the site. I don't understand why the UK version can't have the episodes on their site as well. Why does nothing in this world make any sense at all? Looks like I'll have to make do with the YouTube uploads and the single DVD release.




[/url]



Note: Series 1 and 2 are much superior to the rest. I think the show actually finished in 2014, but for me it ended when John-Jules and some of the other regulars left. Although my favourite character stayed on until series 5 it never really felt the same without the other original characters being there.

An absolute childhood favourite of mine. Don't exactly know when I stopped watching it though, I think that it was when there was a new cast. But that, Sarah Jane Adventures, Tracey Beaker, Shaun of the Sheep, Raven, Sparticle Mystery, god those were great shows to me as a kid.

I stopped watching after the first episode of series 3. I never really got over the disappointment of Blane and Daisy being replaced and I just didn't like the new feel of it. This will always be the team for me:




That period really was a golden age for the channel. I was very fond of the Basil Brush show, too.

Miss Marple: A Pocketful of Rye. A children's nursery rhyme takes on a sinister significance when members of a wealthy family start getting murdered. A true classic from the Joan Hickson series, and one of my favourites. I still can't get over how beautiful these look on Blu ray!

The Simpsons. I forgot just how nauseating some of the post season eight episodes were. How did it go from being one of the funniest shows of all time to being unwatchable crap?

Season 9 was fucking mostly dire after the first episode with Lisa The Simpson being the first sign I found myself threatening to jump ship. Most of 10 was solid albeit the Kidney Trouble episode and I still see that as where the show ended.

Have you ever seen Family Guy by the way?

Indrid Mercury wrote:Season 9 was fucking mostly dire after the first episode with Lisa The Simpson being the first sign I found myself threatening to jump ship. Most of 10 was solid albeit the Kidney Trouble episode and I still see that as where the show ended.

Have you ever seen Family Guy by the way?

The Principal and the Pauper was the beginning of the end for me. They really took the piss with that episode.

I have seen some of the Star Wars ones, but not a proper episode. Are you a fan?

I always used to watch Futurama back when I was younger. I've not watched an episode in years, though.

Steven Universe: A Coming-of-Age story about a half-human/half-alien boy named Steven who lives in a quiet seaside town with his guardians in a group called The Crystal Gems. They go on surreal adventures and help each other protect the world from their own kind, the Homeworld Gems, from draining the Earth of its resources.

It's recently ended, and I cannot express how much I love this show. Despite some shortcomings and definite flaws, this show has meant a lot to me. From the wonderful characters and surprisingly mature and realistic character arcs, the most lush backgrounds I have ever seen, great animation, an intriguing plot and mature themes like PTSD, abandonment, grief, relationships and brilliant music from both a lyrical and instrumental sense. I will admit that it does have flaws, no doubt, and some negatives do halt the show, but to me, the positives have more outweighed the negatives, and to me, the positives are some of the finest pieces of television that I have ever seen. It may not be my favourite show, but on a subjective level, it may be the most fun and touching show that I have ever had the pleasure of watching, besides Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and it'll be the show that I'll miss the most.

Pepsi Maxil wrote:

Indrid Mercury wrote:Season 9 was fucking mostly dire after the first episode with Lisa The Simpson being the first sign I found myself threatening to jump ship. Most of 10 was solid albeit the Kidney Trouble episode and I still see that as where the show ended.

Have you ever seen Family Guy by the way?

The Principal and the Pauper was the beginning of the end for me. They really took the piss with that episode.

I have seen some of the Star Wars ones, but not a proper episode. Are you a fan?

I always used to watch Futurama back when I was younger. I've not watched an episode in years, though.

Futurama is a classic series. Hilarious, but incredibly touching and poignant in some episodes. Not going to lie I always cry at the endings of Jurassic Bark, Leela's Homeworld, and Luck of the Fryish. Beautiful episodes all of them.

Katey Sagal is also one of my fave actresses. God her voice is so sexy. (Leela would also be my type if she were a real person LOL.)

The revival of Futurama wasn't quite as up to scratch. It wasn't as bad as the revival of Still Game.

The worst episode was the one with the Susan Boyle parody. What were they thinking? That was such an uncharacteristically nasty and stupid episode for what is normally such a smart, thoughtful show?

It's non canon as far as I'm concerned, but the rest is mostly great.

I'd rank Futurama as one of the best 3 sci fi comedies, the other two being Lost in Space (which is the most mental) and Red Dwarf (which is probably the best overall.)

Pepsi Maxil wrote:The Principal and the Pauper was the beginning of the end for me. They really took the piss with that episode.

I have seen some of the Star Wars ones, but not a proper episode. Are you a fan?


I always used to watch Futurama back when I was younger. I've not watched an episode in years, though.

Principal And The Pauper was crap, but I guess I've become numbed to it's crapness by some of the recent drivel they've passed off as Simpsons. But yeah, there's no denying that was the jump the shark moment for the show.

I thought Family Guy's first couple seasons were alright, not great but highly entertaining, and I rate their Star Wars parodys quite highly but after it was re-commissioned, it became increasingly more unfunny and depressing in it's attempts to be edgy.

Seen a couple of Futurama episodes but I've never properly been a fan of it. Did it ever go to shit as extreme as the Simpsons or did it remain top quality until it's end?

Indrid Mercury wrote:

Pepsi Maxil wrote:The Principal and the Pauper was the beginning of the end for me. They really took the piss with that episode.

I have seen some of the Star Wars ones, but not a proper episode. Are you a fan?


I always used to watch Futurama back when I was younger. I've not watched an episode in years, though.

Principal And The Pauper was crap, but I guess I've become numbed to it's crapness by some of the recent drivel they've passed off as Simpsons. But yeah, there's no denying that was the jump the shark moment for the show.

I thought Family Guy's first couple seasons were alright, not great but highly entertaining, and I rate their Star Wars parodys quite highly but after it was re-commissioned, it became increasingly more unfunny and depressing in it's attempts to be edgy.

Seen a couple of Futurama episodes but I've never properly been a fan of it. Did it ever go to shit as extreme as the Simpsons or did it remain top quality until it's end?

On the subject of Futurama, no it never went to shit. I'd say that as a whole it is consistently great. The thing with Futurama's humour that admittedly I didn't get the first time, is that it's very low brow. Very sarcastic and subtle in how it uses its humour. It's the kind of humour that you smirk at as opposed to outright laugh. But Futurama is just brilliant.

burrunjor wrote:

Futurama is a classic series. Hilarious, but incredibly touching and poignant in some episodes. Not going to lie I always cry at the endings of Jurassic Bark, Leela's Homeworld, and Luck of the Fryish. Beautiful episodes all of them.

Katey Sagal is also one of my fave actresses. God her voice is so sexy. (Leela would also be my type if she were a real person LOL.)

Man, the end of Jurassic Bark is so difficult to watch. He just waits and waits and waits...

Yeah, Katey Sagal is a total MILF if you don't mind me saying I think Leela was a bit hostile at the beginning, but she became one of the coolest characters in the show and the one that kicked the most arse. I never really liked Amy all that much, though.

Indrid Mercury wrote:

Pepsi Maxil wrote:The Principal and the Pauper was the beginning of the end for me. They really took the piss with that episode.

I have seen some of the Star Wars ones, but not a proper episode. Are you a fan?


I always used to watch Futurama back when I was younger. I've not watched an episode in years, though.

Principal And The Pauper was crap, but I guess I've become numbed to it's crapness by some of the recent drivel they've passed off as Simpsons. But yeah, there's no denying that was the jump the shark moment for the show.

The sad reality is that The Simpsons has been crap almost twice as long as it was good. A lot of the new episodes are either misguided or downright mean-spirited. There's no warmth, it just feels hollow.

Pepsi Maxil wrote:

burrunjor wrote:

Futurama is a classic series. Hilarious, but incredibly touching and poignant in some episodes. Not going to lie I always cry at the endings of Jurassic Bark, Leela's Homeworld, and Luck of the Fryish. Beautiful episodes all of them.

Katey Sagal is also one of my fave actresses. God her voice is so sexy. (Leela would also be my type if she were a real person LOL.)

Man, the end of Jurassic Bark is so difficult to watch. He just waits and waits and waits...

Yeah, Katey Sagal is a total MILF if you don't mind me saying  I think Leela was a bit hostile at the beginning, but she became one of the coolest characters in the show and the one that kicked the most arse. I never really liked Amy all that much, though.

Not at all she is a MILF.













Another big nosed beauty.

burrunjor wrote:
Not at all she is a MILF.













Another big nosed beauty.

Nice pics! Into my wank folder they go.

Katy Sagal is probably my favourite actress and a contender with Tim Curry, Peter Cushing and John Hurt for my fave actor overall.

She's played such a wide variety of roles. Peggy Bundy is such an irredeemable bitch LOL. She is on a par with Eddie and Richie in terms of being an unsympathetic character. She is an awful, awful, mother in every way. She picks favourites, neglects them, lies to them, manipulates them, even abuses them in some episodes. She's also lazy, selfish, at times even violent, she even tries to kill her husband at certain points

She is the best female comedy character IMO. I hate the way that female characters in comedy series are often the boring straight character like in One Foot in the Grave, the Simpsons with Marge or Kochanski in Red Dwarf.

I think it's because people are not as comfortable with unsympathetic female characters, or unlucky female characters. I understand. I love the ladies too, but you kind of need to have a comedy character be a berk, or be unlucky in order to be funny, like Rimmer or Basil Fawlty.

Peggy brilliantly subverted thatboring stiff female comedy character by being worse than her husband (who was already pretty vile.)

Cate Hennessy meanwhile from 8 Simple Rules was a traditional, sympathetic sitcom mother, whilst Leela was a more three dimensional character who could be awful (like in The Sting) or sympathetic like Leela's homeworld. Then there is her performance as Cate in Sons of Anarchy, another complicated character.

You wouldn't think it was the same woman in all 4 roles.

She's also an amazing singer too. What's not to like?

Saw the first ep of the 2004 season of Neighbours (which I have managed to... acquire from an internet friend lol) last night. Don't think I saw it the first time - I think it was sometime during the year I started watching again, though I had been intrigued by them bringing in Sky and bringing back David Bishop (and actually played by the same actor as in 1988!). I enjoyed it. Reminded me of how much I liked many of these characters before they were either killed off or completely fucking ruined in the subsequent years, especially David and Liljana, and Sky. Lord, Sky looks so young lol! I don't even mean compared to her recent guest appearance, even compared to the end of 2004 she looks like five years younger!

Seen the first 7 eps of 2004 Neighbours now. Generally very enjoyable so far. The Rocco/Carmella stuff is silly (I still don't get why they were so enamoured with the latter, she's very bland, but oh let's make her a regular and *never* bring back Lana (sorry, still bitter here ) and Trixie is horrible. But the rest of the cast is really strong at this point, so if an episode doesn't have Sky or the Bishops it doesn't matter, because it'll have Max and Steph and Summer and Izzy instead.

I normally don't watch old soap operas, but I caught the old Mad Maya episodes of Coronation Street on Youtube the other day.

I HATED this storyline when it was first on. I was desperately in love with Shobna Gulati as a teenager (still am to be honest. She is a big nosed goddess)





She could be the poster girl for why big noses are so beautiful. It makes her face so striking.

This storyline was basically her being tortured for months on end so naturally I didn't enjoy it LOL.

In the story Shobna's husbands jealous ex Maya, first frames her for something and get's her put in jail on her wedding day. In prison Shobna has a mental breakdown, then after she get's out, Maya attacks Shobna in her home, beats the crap out of her, captures her and then tortures Shobna physically for a whole episode, almost burns her alive, blows up her home before finally almost running her over with a car

It was pretty sensational back in the day. As a young un I was surprised at how brutal the torture scenes were for a soap. Watching it back now however I must say I find it more amusing how campy it is LOL.

As much as I love Shobna, dear god her screaming during the torture scenes get's so fucking annoying LOL. She must have some pair of lungs on her. She literally doesn't stop screaming for 1 second. Even when Maya isn't doing anything to her!

Also I must say I think the guy who directed it had a fetish for bondage.

We have Maya (another gorgeous woman) jump on top of Shobna whilst she is in her bed, mount her (Shobna isn't wearing any trousers either.) She then whilst sitting on top of Shobna starts stroking her hair sensually and says in a breathy tone. "I really, really want to hurt you." I honestly thought Maya was going to say "Let's forget Dev and become lesbians."



Maya and Shobna are both hot. I would still have chosen Shobna though. Maya would have been better for bondage LOL, but Shobna is a more unique beauty which just makes her more beautiful, though even I'd have told her to shut the fuck up when she was being tortured LOL.

I knew I'd seen the actress who played Mad Maya before. She was also the mad bitch in Fires of Pompei too.



I'll never forgive her for torturing Shobna Gulati so brutally LOL, but she is seriously hot and great at playing loonies and villains.

She should be in more.



She'd have made a good Rani.

All Creatures Great And Small: Series 1 (1978)

Lovely vintage BBC period drama about the trials and tribulations of a pre-war time veterinary center in Yorkshire. A childhood favorite that never fails to leave you feeling relaxed after watching.

Indrid Mercury wrote:All Creatures Great And Small: Series 1 (1978)

Lovely vintage BBC period drama about the trials and tribulations of a pre-war time veterinary center in Yorkshire. A childhood favorite that never fails to leave you feeling relaxed after watching.

I love that program too.
Well the first 3 seasons in particular. It didn't seem quite the same when it came back after a long break, with Linda Bellingham instead of Carol Drinkwater.

Still bingeing 2004 Neighbours (sorry ) Stingray is cracking me up. The scene where he's having breakfast with the Bishops was hilarious. Starts rubbing his foot on Serena's, she awkwardly moves away, he tries again and gets David, who think it's Liljana and starts grinning goofily at her, who looks at him utterly bewildered!

Both David and Lil are incredibly underrated, and both really funny too. I loved the scene where they're getting friendly in the surgery/lawyer reception area, and Lil says they'd better stop in case Karl catches them.

David: Doesn't he approve of messing around during work hours?

Lil: Oh no, he does... just not between married couples.

Ouch!

The stuff with Sky randomly running into the guy that shot Kerry (her mum), and the impact it's had on her, has been really strong and powerful. David's also been an absolute star of this too, with some intelligent characterisation of his and Kerry's sibling relationship (esp given I'm 99.9% sure we never actually saw them on screen together). It's also a very effective demonstration of how a long running show can really score with continuity (something Neighbours unfortunately fails at often by blatantly rewriting it, but not here), as this isn't just Sky's back story, this is something we actually saw happen 14 years earlier, which makes it even more powerful.