UK Book Club discussion

I don't watch much tv but do enjoy period drama ones. I watch Larkrise, have recorded all the Silent Witness series and Hustle but not watched all the Silent Witness and none of Hustle. I have got films from christmas 08 on my BT vision box to watch as well as a few from 09!

I also like Masterchef which I have recorded in case I miss it when working. The only programme I love to watch every week is University Challenge!

I don't like cooking much either but love the idea of the programme and always find someone to cheer on!

Eastenders and Hollyoaks are my guilty pleasures.
I like nature programmes and interesting history documentaries. I like watching The One Show because it has a mix of everything, I always watch it while I'm eating my dinner.
Other than that I mostly watch all the comedy quizzes over on Dave.

I really watch a lot of American crime dramas (like CSI and everything), the British ones just aren't as exciting!

I caught eastenders for the first time in a couple of weeks or more and was shocked to see Bradley was dead! What have I missed? I am not sure I'd want to live in the square!

This made me think, I do love Being Human but tbh I prefer True Blood! I know it's American but Bill Compton is played by a British guy isn't he?

I think the British are good at comedy, there are too many examples over the years but most recently I really enjoyed Gavin and Stacey.

The best drama I saw lately was on BBC4 - there were three stand alone dramas under the heading of "Women we Admired". Jane Horrocks starred in one about Gracie Fields, Helen Bonham-Carter portrayed Enid Blyton and Anne-Marie Duff played Margot Fontein. They were interesting and entertaining I thought.

My guilty pleasure at the moment is The Secret Diary of a Call Girl - saucy and hilarious!

I know it is American but I like the characters in N.C.I.S David McCallam is in it, he's British so does it count??
All the best Paul Rix [old geezer:]

all the bast Paul Rix [oldgeezer:]

I too like Being Human and it's a shame that the series has finished.I watched True Blood's first series but prefered the books.I also watched Survivor which has also recently finished. I don't watch alot else on a regular basis apart from Casualty and Holby -I prefer the latter and the TV Book club when I remember it's on.I admit I do like to watch the X factor too.

I always seem to end up watching X Factor but kind of hate the fact that I do!

Since we got Sky+ last year, I find it infinitely better to just watch the singing and maybe the comments then fast forward all the fillers ie. the presenting, the rehersal, the emotional stuff about how much they really, really want this blah blah blah.... makes it alot more enjoyable for me anyway!

Fiona, I think alot of people feel that way about Piers Morgan!

Ha! Too true... "TV Rage" throwing things at the telly might break it though, stick to verbal abuse only!

I don't watch any of the soaps, not since Bobby Ewing stepped out of the shower and it was all a dream! (Dallas in the 1980's) I know some people on this site were not even born and I was just a kid, but that stretched even my credulity.

Tell you what I did think was good though (and British), on Sunday night The Wonders of the Solar System - really interesting and I might have learned a thing or two as well.

Really, I didn't know that. I liked Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes too.

Thought of another British comedy series which I enjoyed - The Inbetweeners. The humour does lie in the gutter tbh but even so, anyone who remembers school ought to identify with the characters.

Ooooh yeah, the Inbetweeners is good!!

Jo wrote: "Wow i hate that too. All the TV threads are about american tv. Great idea, Fiona! I love Being Human and i am very sad to see the series end :(. I also watch Skins. No one in that can act but i jus..."

I'm so glad to see someone mention Skins because I'm currently obsessed with it! I was afraid I wouldn't love the Series 3 cast as much as I loved the previous cast but I shouldn't have been worried. It's different, of course, but just as fantastic. I'm in the US so I think I'm always about a season behind or so, and I have to hunt around a bit to try and find the original version of the show (the one they play on BBC America is close, but sometimes scenes are edited or include different music, unfortunately). I just bought Series 3 on iTunes and am about halfway through.

(I have to admit that I ordered the Skins novel. Has anyone read it? Is it absolutely terrible or is it okay for a guilty-pleasure, tv-inspired read?)

I also love Billie Piper on Secret Diary, though I think I'm a season or two behind on that one too. We're still waiting for the third season to come out on DVD over here...I tore through the first two books and have Playing the Game on my to-be-read list.

I keep hearing about the Inbetweeners...is that a comedy or a drama?

The Inbetweeners is a comedy series - it's set at a Sixth Form so is about 16-18 year old boys and their obsessions (so mainly trying to be cool, feeling embarrassed by their parents, trying to get served in pubs and find girlfriends). Some might say it's juvenile humour but it always makes me laugh!

I caught a little bit of Being Human being filmed in Bristol train station. I watched the first series avidly but haven't caught the second on yet.

My favorite is Lost (I know it's American!) but I also love Eastenders, Holby City, Spooks and Waking the Dead. Oh and my real guilty pleasure at the moment is Pineapple Dance Studios!

My favourite British tv show at the moment (and usually) has to be Dr Who - any other fans around? I also really enjoy The Thick Of It with Peter Capaldi.

I like Dr Who. Still trying to get used to the new Dr though - David Tennant was awesome in it.

I wasn't too sold on the first episode of this new series Terri but I thought Matt Smith was much better in episode two "The Beast Below." David Tennant left really big shoes Converse to fill though!

i'm a big dr who fan too but i feel that matt smith is trying a bit too hard - unfortunately i don't feel he's as good an actor as david tennant although i'm sure he will grow on me! Enjoyed the story in the second episode and looking forward to the daleks on saturday though!!

Amy wrote: "i'm a big dr who fan too but i feel that matt smith is trying a bit too hard - unfortunately i don't feel he's as good an actor as david tennant although i'm sure he will grow on me! Enjoyed the st..."

Agreed on all counts! Have you seen David Tennant in Hamlet?

Robo wrote: "I wasn't too sold on the first episode of this new series Terri but I thought Matt Smith was much better in episode two "The Beast Below." David Tennant left really big shoes Converse to fill though! "

Very true! Although I kind of feel that Matt Smith is trying to mimic David Tennant's little mannerisms which bothers me slightly. I've only watched Dr Who since it was relaunched with Christopher Eccleston so it may be something that they are expected to do. However I felt David Tennant made the Dr well and truly his own character, not just leading on from Christopher Eccleston's interpretation of him (if you get what I mean!). I would like to see Matt Smith do the same because I'm sure he is a good actor in his own right.

On the other hand, Dr Who is Dr Who and I'll be hooked until the end of the series regardless!

Jo wrote: The Thick of It is pretty funny. I love the main guy that gets really angry!"

He's genius! He really makes me re-evaluate the old saying about bad language not being big or clever.

Amy wrote: i'm a big dr who fan too but i feel that matt smith is trying a bit too hard - unfortunately i don't feel he's as good an actor as david tennant although i'm sure he will grow on me! Enjoyed the story in the second episode and looking forward to the daleks on saturday though!!

It's the 'Don't blink' angels that I love! I really hope they make an appearance in this series. They freaked the life out of me!

I totally agree Terri. Good news as I believe the angels are back next saturday, can't wait!

Terri wrote: "Very true! Although I kind of feel that Matt Smith is trying to mimic David Tennant's little mannerisms which bothers me slightly."

Yes! I feel that too - I don't know if it's maybe a gradual transition thing that will "wear off" as he begins to stamp his own personality on the Dr (although I don't remember that happening with past incarnations) but he is definitely channeling David Tennant.

I remember reading an interview with Stephen Moffat who said that he was hoping Matt Smith would bring a new, darker element to things and I was quite interested to see that. There was a tiny little bit of that on Saturday night towards the end (and I also though he was less manic that in the first ep.) so we'll see, the plan might be for this personality to develop gradually rather than, "Hey! It's a NEW Doctor!"

I hope it is a gradual thing (that makes sense) and I would love to see a darker element coming through with him. I remember when they brought in Catherine Tate I told myself I wasn't going to watch it because she drives me bonkers! I soon scrapped that idea though and thought Donna and the Dr were hilarious together. If she can grow on me, I'm sure Matt Smith can!

Amy - Cushions at the ready for next Saturday then!

I didn't watch the debate either, kind of got put of when I heard David Cameron say 'We're all in this together' sorry but for me it sounds like a school girl wrote his speaches whilst watching High School Musical, I just can't take the guy seriously.
I watched the new Jonathon Creek that I taped over the weekend, did anyone see it?

I've recorded Jonathan Creek but not got around to watching it yet, I loved the last one though so hopefully it ought to be good.

Outnumbered is excellent too, very funny and chaotic which is pretty much how things are in my house anyway. Last nights episode was no exception, the kids find the Readers Digest Circular and think they've won £500'000! Fantastic!

Was that the one on over Easter, I saw that and it's very good, as usual I didn't manage to work out the mystery. I do love Jonathan Creek though, really gets me thinking.

I didn't see it either but from the clips on the news this morning it all looked far too contrived and controlled. I thought the whole point was that it would be an on the spot debate not a pre-planned quiz. Think they get tested more in the Commons than they did there, at least in the Commons it's more spontaneous and they have to think on their feet. And I can't believe the audience weren't allowed to get involved. What was the point in that?

Does anyone watch that Charlie Brooker show?..."

Newswipe...or Screenwipe? Both are great - I love his Guardian columns too. I actually have his latest book in my bookcase but I haven't started reading it yet.

Also, In The Loop is amazing, you should steal back the dvd and watch it immediately!

Ah! Glad to see some folks mentioning Outnumbered, I'd totally forgotten about that programme - the initial series of it were always on at odd times if I remember rightly? The few that I managed to catch were consistently great though, I should see if there's a boxset or something. Is the current series as good?

I also watch Outnumbered, which I find very very funny. Partly because the kids remind me so much of my own children. I love the boy with the wild hair.

I heard somewhere that it's partly improvised. Does anyone know how that works? Is it the adults improvising to the kids reactions?

Terri wrote: I heard somewhere that it's partly improvised"

I remember reading a great bit about that a few months ago - apparently the kids don't actually have a script but a few minutes before they film a scene one of the writers sort of gives them an idea of what to say and then they just run with it. I think that the adults have a script they're trying to stick to/fit in but they also riff off the kids a lot.

Wish I could remember where I read that...may have been in the Guardian somewhere

Yes, I read that too - the kids sound normal because they're improvising more so that regurgitating some middle aged writers idea of what a kid would say. It works well doesn't it?

I love the fact that the parents can't finish a conversation but keep coming back to it at different points after interruptions - it's so funny because it's so true.

Robo wrote: apparently the kids don't actually have a script but a few minutes before they film a scene one of the writers sort of gives them an idea of what to say and then they just run with it. I think that the adults have a script they're trying to stick to/fit in but they also riff off the kids a lot

That would explain why the parents sometimes look like they are about to burst out laughing or are completely stunned! It makes it seem so much more real, which I guess is the point.

Is anyone watching that programme with Heston Blumenthal doing these mad feasts? Last night was the titanic but next week its a Gothic Theme and looks really good.

and I saw the house made of sweets, it looked fantastic but it was on mute because my Mum phoned!

I wanted to try that, looked fantastic.

Jo wrote: Did you watch Dead Set? He directed that. "

I did and I really liked it actually - thought it had some great vicious humour and some parts of it were really scary but, BUT - running zombies are just wrong! Why Charlie, why?

Jo wrote: "You could tell he put himself into that character"

Absolutely, he was so bad taste and his final scenes were hilarious!

I didn't see the documentary but have just watched the news footage and find it incredible! I can't understand why judges are so soft and lawyers can plead insanity to get lesser sentances. These women should just be put on a plane back to Sweden! In fact instead of even treating the injuries at our NI expense just ship them out as they were!

Right off my soap box now - sorry!

I didn't see it but my J (husband) watched it, he'd seen the original programme so was keen to see the follow up, J explained that the girls bizzare behaviours are a twin thing, that sometimes twins can experience strange psycological disturbances when they get together or reunite after a period apart...I don't know whether this was Js take on things or his interpretation of how it was explained in the programme. I watched the original too but always thought they were crack heads.

I do know that when the body is under extreme stress it can developo super strength, think of those little old ladies who've lifted cars off kids!

Yep it's true:) not necessariely little old ladies though, occasionally you get a news item where a car has rolled over and trapped a child/adult/anyone and along comes someone, who seemingly from nowhere deveopes muscles to make iron man look weak and lifts the car. It's universally agreed that the mind,in desperation to rescue the person trapped will overcome the physical barrier of 'not enough strength'

I saw the original programme and this one, it was very strange indeed. I think the psychological condition the "expert" alluded to was that if one twin has a psychological condition they can "infect" their sibling with it,they end up sharing the paranoia or beliefs of the other. It seems to me that this could occur between other siblings or even husband and wife but given they were identical twins they are likely to have similar disposition to developing mental illness. SK is right, given the conculsion of diminished responsibility the judge had no power to give a harsher sentence even though he felt it was deserved.

Would you like my ex hubs number you would make a good pair! He is a spurs fan too, never get anything out of him when they are playing! lol! But I think I'll pass!

We'll watch it here J is a football fan and not just of his own team but any team!!! If it's on we watch it LOL He's currently in mourning though for the demise of Sky Sports News from Freeview:(

My husband's been down in the mouth about losing Sky Sports News too!