Black Mofoin' MIRROR. And other UK shows.

SubJeff on 13/2/2013 at 09:21

Yeah, on re-thinking it it was actually really good. There are a lot more subtle touches in it than in the others and it's closer to the 3rd episode of series one than the others.

I watch Utopia.

It looks great, the performances are solid, music and atmosphere are spot on too.

But the plot... Meh. So far and imho anyway. I haven't caught up with the latest episode but if it alters my opinion I'll let you know.

Thirith on 13/2/2013 at 10:08

I also thought that Monday's Black Mirror ep was closest to S1E3 - with the difference that I actually cared about the characters. At first I thought the tech was too out there, but in the end I accepted that it was less about the tech than about the process of mourning, in interesting, original and sad ways.

Scots Taffer on 13/2/2013 at 11:06

In concept alone Brooker's stories strike me as a modernised Philip K Dick style take on the future. Getting the new one now! Excited. :)

Chimpy Chompy on 13/2/2013 at 11:22

Quote Posted by dethtoll

I am not a car person by any stretch of the imagination, but I can't get enough of Top Gear's three British jerks driving fancy wheels and making fun of each other.

Same. Supecars don't mean much to me, I just enjoy watching 3 embarassing middle aged dads going on road trips, mock each other then possibly drive into a lake.

I do wonder if the show is in decline, not because I'm a stuffy git who thinks it should be all sensible car reviews, just that it feels a bit lacking somehow. Like they're running low on ideas, or too reliant on scripting (even if it's always been there to some extent). My favourite moments tend to be from around season 8 to 10, stuff like the "prove British Leyland didn't always suck" challenge. But it's still about the only show I bother to tune in and watch at broadcast.

faetal on 13/2/2013 at 13:15

I can't stand Top Gear. Not just because Clarkson is such a smug, right wing prick, but also, the studio sections are cringe-worthy in how blatantly stage-managed and scripted they are.

[video=youtube;xgABbHPdwH4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgABbHPdwH4[/video]

Three amazing UK shows which haven't been mentioned:

The Day Today

Brass Eye

Time Trumpet

SubJeff on 13/2/2013 at 13:33

Quote Posted by Scots Taffer

In concept alone Brooker's stories strike me as a modernised Philip K Dick style take on the future.

Really? Hmmm. I don't see it. Brookers stuff is fairly clean and lean imho, whereas PKD is dirty dirty messyihidethedirtyminutesunderthedirtymattressandtheyaremakingmeitch to me.

I like them both, mind.

Black Mirror does have a lot of depth to it, I'm not saying its simple surface stuff, but it greatly benefits from having the time for its nice leisurely pace. I never got that from any PKD; it's all happening now now now or is it hmmm?

Of course I'm talking about the novels, not the film adaptations. If you're talking about the films - Minority Report, Paycheck, etc - then I get you.

gunsmoke on 13/2/2013 at 13:55

Any opinions on Ripper Street?

Thirith on 13/2/2013 at 13:58

@gunsmoke: It's entertaining enough, in a superficial way, but the plots are largely clichéd (it's basically a late Victorian Total Conversion of basic thriller plots) and the writing is overwrought. Some of the actors pull it off, some don't. I'll be finishing season 1 but I won't be checking out the second season, unless they've got an amazing season finale.

P.S.: It's a shame - I really liked Matthew MacFadyen in Spooks, but I don't think he's particularly comfortable in the part. He rarely makes the dialogue sound anything other than belaboured.

SubJeff on 13/2/2013 at 14:05

I never watched it gunsmoke. Brooker didn't think much it iirc and being the drone I am I'll probably be unable to watch it impartially :p

Seriously though - it never interested me.

Chimpy Chompy on 13/2/2013 at 15:15

If top gear didn't offend guardian readers at least a little, it wouldn't be as much fun.

Clarkson's an opinionated oaf but between the ill advised jeans and breaking down a lot in old fiats, it's hard to see him as some sort of major assault on Liberal Values.