Television, drug of the nation

Caviar canapés vs beans on toast?

There's chefs from all different parts of South Korea from small vendors to Michelin starred chefs competing against each other. Pretty sure the voice over guy is the same from Physical 100.

Keep getting threatening letters from tv licencing latest being they've started 'an investigation into my property' despite me telling them numerous times I don't have a TV. Any suggestions for ending this Kafkaesque insanity?

Ignore them. If they do come round they have no right to enter without a warrant. When I got visited, after years of those letters, the chap just asked if I had a TV, I said no (which was true) and he left.

Although I've just discovered that we are in unexpected company.

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In the company of a racist, who was deem to be too racist for the conservative party.

Wonder if he expensed his TV licence.

Maid Marion theme tune on the radio this morning and now a cracking steam train documentary on 4. Grand day.

Is it me or is it really poor planning to have two if the exact same program come out within 6 months of each other?

A Very Royal Scandal

Scoop

Caught up on recommendations.

Rise of Empires was very good but the first set of episodes was enough, too many impalings…

El Conde era magnífico.

Slip on ITV is pretty fun so far.

I think it's done purposefully to chase viewing figures and cash, like with twin films (Deep impact vs Armageddon / Bugs Life vs Antz / Capote vs Infamous).

And people fall for that?

I guess it must work, else why would they keep doing it, twin films have been a phenomenon for over a hundred years.

and you have the mockbuster which are super low budget and sound similar

Crazy.

Has breeders had a mention?

How about time bandits not getting a second season?

I cancelled mine last month, so I have this to look forward to.

You're allowed to have a TV.

Not having a TV license simply means you're not allowed to watch LIVE broadcasts or stream BBC iplayer stuff.

I've been watching the hundreds of DVDs I bought over the last 25 years and never watched :D

Surely it's just that someone has an idea and then while they're asking around for actors and shit to get it created, other studios hear about it and think "shit, have we got any films about x ready to go yet?"

See also The Terror S1 and The North Water

https://www.theringer.com/tv/2021/8/16/22623929/amc-the-terror-the-north-water-colin-farrell

I don’t know how you can compare these series. The Terror ends around 1850. The North Water starts in 1859. We’re talking pre­–Crimean War and post–Crimean War here. The Terror was adapted from a 2007 novel; The North Water was adapted from a 2016 novel. Both shows revolve around an embittered Irish protagonist who abandons his ship after it becomes trapped in the ice, kills a polar bear–looking creature, becomes the sole surviving member of his expedition, and eventually learns to live with the Inuit. But one was addicted to alcohol, whereas the other was hooked on laudanum (which was only, like, half alcohol). Should I keep pointing out obvious contrasts? I mean, one of these series aired on AMC, while the other premiered on AMC+. I’m sorry, I just don’t see it.

This reminds me of when someone famous dies for examples Sven Goranwhatshischops and the platform has a full leangth documentary ready to air.

Are producers of these shows sat in meeting going “so and sos going to kick it soon we best put a mash up of career highlights together and get that guy from Jonathan Creek to do the voice over”

Well yeah, that's exactly what "twin films" is as a phenomenon. Studios hear about other projects and think "shit, we could do that too, faster and make some money."

Netflix had Sam McAlister with them, Amazon had Emily Maitlis on board. I think both outfits felt that was strong enough to go ahead without worrying about competition. There seems to have been enough of an audience for both.

Jokes. I didn't realise these were two different programmes.

I fell asleep in the Netflix one. No desire to watch the Amazon one.

I watched the Amazon Maitlis documentary and wouldn't really recommend it if you know what happened in the interview.

There was a small bit of interesting detail from Maitlis about the run up to the interview.

The rest of the interesting detail is what happens within the royal family. However you then realise that no one from the royal family was involved and so clearly all of that is the made up bits that have caused them to have a huge disclaimer about being dramatised at the beginning.

Finally finished Seinfeld. I can finally close that chapter of my life.

How did they squeeze 9 seasons out of it. Even for the 90s it was not very funny.

I’m going to try curb your enthusiasm and if I can find it on a streaming service the sapranos