Television programmes [2]

{{I only made it halfway through Sword of Shannara before giving up- I dont think I have ever been so disgusted at a book getting published as I was with that one.    If I remember right it has a hero from a small rural village protected and insulated, he gets a visit from a mysterious wizardly type and sent on a quest against a Dark Lord of some sort, to go  into his lands and (presumably this is the bit saved it from litigation) get a magic mcguffin rather than destroy one. Oh and as soon as they leave the rural village at the start they get pursued by mysterious figures in black! That about right? }}}

Yep, that was it. That's why I gave up too. Write by the numbers.

I guess another thing that saved it is that it is set in the Pacific North West

Couldn't stick with that series myself.

I recently watched a TV drama called "The Widower" on ITV3. About a male nurse called Malcolm Webster, he bumped off his 1st wife for money basically, tried to bump off his 2nd ( & failed by the skin of HER teeth ) & tried to marry bigamously a 3rd wife & bump HER off ! He was caught & sentenced to life imprisonment. But the chap who played him normally does comedy yet he did a great job of playing Malcolm Webster.

I fancied the pants off Rowan when he played Tudor Blackadder

I dont see you in pants myself.

Thought this was a film when i saw the clip, but its a series.

I like the look of that Chris

Don't look too bad ay.

Warning, warning.

Lots of money poured into that.

{{ The Colour of Magic as adapted by Sky- I find this a really odd adaptation- its fairly close to the original books, Pratchett had some involvement in it (and makes a cameo) yet it has some of the worst cases of mis-casting I've ever seen (even though the actors cast are good) and one case of spot on casting!
But its the miscasting is the problem as its the two main characters- in the book Rincewind is in his late 20's/early 30's yet they cast veteran comedy character actor David Jason in the role and Twoflower and the Agetean Empire are clearly based on Asian culture- Twoflower is a take the piss of the classic Japanese tourist trope- complete with 'picture box' round his neck and a pair of thick spectacles perched on his face. Sean Astin is pretty much the exact opposite but it doesn't work as an American tourist because the gags were not originally about stereotypical American tourists but Japanese ones and the gags stay the same.
David Bradley is however pitch perfect to the books Cohen- the barbarian legend in his own lifetime, as the world and story demands he be the barbarian legend, despite the fact he is now in his 70's.
Visually its odd too- I find the direction lacklustre and more functional and workman like than inspired in any way or adding to the story telling. Yet the actual effects and physica sets and costumes are pretty good for the most part, its got a stellar cast, and its still the best realisation of Ankh-Morpork on film so far. Worth a watch for the curious and for Cohen or if your a big Pratchett fan. }}

I have that in my netflix queue, might just watch it here instead.

Why does Rincewind have a hat that says "wizard"? That's children cartoon stuff. For preschoolers.

I never picked up on Twoflower as being the Asian tourist type, but I suppose he could be. Not essential. Don't have problems with Rincewind being old, not essential either.

Flipping through: they cut out Hrun! He was my favorite. Pity. But am glad to see Tim Curry being used prominently.

Too much narrative explanation. Too bad they didn't seem to have the budget to get the fight sequences to look realistic, Cohen isn't really sold as a character unless he can fight.

{{{ He has 'wizzard' on his hat in the books too, wizards in Pratchett are said to have the dress sense of a demented magpie.
The Counter-Weight Continent, especially in later books is given a very Asian feel with it Emperor and all.

They switched Hrun for Cohen, for the most part in terms of plotting (I assume on the basis that the jokes more obvious if its sounds like Conan).

I think Discworld shares the narration quality with Hitchhikers, and is why both are hard to successfully adapt. It can bog things down if you leave it in but its difficult to adapt without it.

Not sure budget is the problem so much as it coming back to that lucklustre direction I spoke of- I think had this been in the hands of say a Terry Gilliam it would have worked better.

My personal three favourite adaptations of Discworld are Mort, Small Gods and Night Watch done by BBC Radio 4. Again like Hitchhikers it seems better suited to adapting to radio than film or TV }}}

I think this new batch of the X-files is as good as it's ever been, with the writing, the guest actors, the music. The one I'm watching now I think may class with the all-time great episodes.

But Scully and Mulder, with their age-husked voices and too much self awareness, have sort of become the Statler and Waldorf of the X-files (Muppet Show reference). Some actors age like fine wine, but I'm afraid these two haven't. It's okay, they're a framing device now for what made the X-files great. And it still has the marvellous direction and writing.

https://www.twitch.tv/misterrogers

Twitch is currently showing a selection of 90 episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in honor of his 90th birthday, to be followed by a marathon of all 886 episodes. {{{Rewatching it is always an emotional roller coaster of sorts, though the show itself is extremely positive.}}}

Hmm...going back to watch as an adult.  Somehow I get the feeling Mr Rogers Neighborhood would be really nifty to watch while drunk.

halfwise wrote:I think this new batch of the X-files is as good as it's ever been, with the writing, the guest actors, the music.  The one I'm watching now I think may class with the all-time great episodes.

But Scully and Mulder, with their age-husked voices and too much self awareness, have sort of become the Statler and Waldorf of the X-files (Muppet Show reference).  Some actors age like fine wine, but I'm afraid these two haven't.  It's okay, they're a framing device now for what made the X-files great.  And it still has the marvellous direction and writing.

I forget her name, but the actress who plays... erm... between Scully and Mulder whoever is the woman*, was great in that Northern Ireland-set murder drama, The Fall.

*A true X-Files fan am I, as you can see.

I think the reboot X Files is dire, proof that you can never go back and relive past glories.  um just thought I would throw that out there. The stories are so boring.

Most are boring, but one or two recapture the magic. Just not Scully and Mulder magic.

The only episode I quite liked was the guy who thought he was being chased by spies, 'The lost art of forehead sweat, was quite entertaining.

How about the cult where the member's blood and organs are used to maintain the youth of the leaders? Weak ending, but great personality bits throughout.

haven't seen that one. Scully's wig is really distracting.