TV

[francesca]

Time for me to have a rave.

This year is the centenary of Dylan Thomas's birth, so you might guess that here in Wales there have been all sorts of celebrations; Tv, Radio,  stage, festivals particularly in Swansea and Laugharne as you would expect.

Last Week on Tv we had 'A Poet in New York', Starring the lovely Tom Hollander. Very well acted as you would expect though why they did not cast a Welshman ?? Why not Rufus with his connections, I want to know???

But last night BBC Wales crowned everything with a superb production of 'Under Milk Wood' with every Welsh actor you can name and a lot only their compatriots know. ( Again why not Rufus???)
Interesting produced( many of the cast were not in the same country let alone the same studio), wonderfully filmed with shots of Laugharne's castle and estuary and Swansea bay, together with Dylan's beautiful, witty words, this was a treat indeed.

If you love beautiful writing , this is for you.
You can get it on BBC Wales I-Player.

Many Thanks to BBC Wales , you played a master stroke.

[francesca]

I have said this so many times ... I am not sport lover.
This summer with its multitude of sporting events made me almost evil in my resentment.
But last week four days of sport caught and held my attention .
It made me cheer,laugh and cry, sometimes all at the same time.

So I ask ... did anybody else watch Invictus?

For those who may not know, this was a sports meeting for military service men and women  of multi nations who have been disabled while in the service of their country and who sport have helped with their rehabilitation,
I wanted to cry and frequently did at the stories of bravery, courage and determination of these young people.

The logo of the games was InvIctus
                                            AM

It means I am unconquered. and is the title of a poem, the last two lines of which are the motto of the games

'I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.'

[francesca]

Well! Wed. nights are going to be pretty bleak now that "Wolf Hall has finished.

I know that opinions are divided on this but I loved it.
Apart form the masterly performance of Mark Rylance ( I have almost forgiven him for robbing Rufus of his BAFTA in 2005..almost) it had my favourite redheaded man ..Damian Lewis. He has just bumped off Anne Boleyn , so there has to be a sequel, sooner or later.

On Sunday two new series started, both brilliant!
A Casual Vacancy adapted from the book by JK Rowling.. Stealing every Cotswold village scene he is in, is Michael Gambon, surrounded by a flock of best of British.
At the same time Indian Summer totally different ...1930 Raj. with the always delightful Julie Walters, playing a Machiavellian Memsahib.

So it is Watch one , Record one for the next few weeks.

[kissmekate]

Feb 27, 2015 17:08:12 GMT francesca said:

Apart form the masterly performance of Mark Rylance ( I have almost forgiven him for robbing Rufus of his BAFTA in 2005..almost) it had my favourite redheaded man ..Damian Lewis.

WAAAH! Why haven't I heard of this earlier?!

I had seen a trailer for "A Casual Vacancy" on the Web a few weeks ago, and I really hope I'll get my hands on that one. There will surely be a DVD, I hope. Have you read the book, Frannie?

I really envy you Brits your great TV programme. We do have the occasional good TV movie or miniseries, but the BBC is just so much better.

[francesca]

Not Yet Kate, It is in my pile of waiting to be read Books.
At the moment, I am in the middle of a strange book by Jodie Picoult called Leaving Time.
I thought it was a murder mystery involving a psychic but I am more than two thirds through and it appears to be mostly about elephants!!!

[Rachel]

Frannie, you'll love "A Casual Vacancy." I do hope the series goes to DVD, I'd love to see it. Have to echo Kate's sentiments, the BBC and ITV have loads of quality programming. On this side of the pond, you have to pay for the premium cable channels to get the really good programs.

[kygal]

LOL about the psychic elephant thing Frannie.

[francesca]

Feb 27, 2015 20:14:42 GMT francesca said:

At the moment, I am in the middle of a strange book by Jodie Picoult called Leaving Time.
I thought it was a murder mystery involving a psychic but I am more than two thirds through and it appears to be mostly about elephants!!!

I have now finished the above book! .
I will not 'Spoil' it, for any one who might want to read it by revealing the end. Just let it be said I was so outraged that I wanted to throw my Kindle through the window. I actually read the final chapter twice to make sure I had not mis read it.
Pretentious garbage with a cobbled together finish.

if anyone-else has read this book , I really would be interested in your views on it.

[francesca]

I am watching the second series of 'Happy Valley" BBC1
If you haven't seen the first series, do try to get hold of it .


A very dark story, it is a police /murder with threads from the first series , and while it has a fine cast, led Sarah Lancashire and Siobhan Finnegan , who is there stealing every scene she is in?
Shirley Henderson!
James Norton and she give a master class in how to play two people on the brink of insanity or maybe pure evil. Leaning close, whispering . Brrrh!



And what about 'The Night Manager" with Tom Hiddleston. Brilliant

Both BBC and ITV are doing us proud this month.

[Rachel]

Frannie,

You're making me jealous. Nothing nearly as interesting on American TV. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll show them on BBC America. Or, now that Downton Abbey has finished PBS will take a look at some other BBC/ITV offerings.

[kissmekate]

German TV is nowhere as good as BBC and ITV (although they sometimes manage to turn out some decent productions), so we have taken to buying BBC miniseries on DVD. Currently, we are watching the second "season" (just two episodes) of "Luther".