TV Hits

I don't have a television that receives channels, as you may know. 'Whats the point in that?' you may ask yourself. I ask myself the same thing on a regular basis. I'm stuck in a digital contract without enough signal to watch it.

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To be honest, I've managed so far, and its annoying, but I don't watch much tv anyway. I love my music, and I like to do 'things' with the children, rather than veg out in front of Peppa Pig, although they are indulged occasionally. I'm keen on cooking, and going out when time allows, and I can lose myself on Wikipedia of an evening, if I'm bored, (which I LOVE- seeing who is related to who, pressing links from one page to another, which I have termed my Wiki-Trail!!) the way others can in front of BBC1.
So I suppose, despite the money I'm paying for a service that they can't provide me with (after assuring me they could... grrr) its not a bad system. I get to cherry pick the things I want to watch, when I want to watch them (and lets not mention that you can do that too, with your fancy recording-boxes... that I have... that I can't use...its not important!)

I've been watching bits and pieces recently, without my evil telly, and here are my top TV Hits:

I love a good documentary, all the better if its slightly biographical- I am a little bit obsessed with people's dates, where they come from, which other famous people they met... (authors, artists, muses, musicians). Also, anything cultural, particularly if its based in France, is just my thing.  Enter Vincent Van Gogh, Painted in Words, with the fabulous Benedict Cumberbatch (BTW- what an actor?! Great in everything I've seen him in) as the tortured soul, that was the genius painter.

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Its was bloody good- an excellent portrayal of the man, (she says, like she knew him!) using his own correspondance to his brother, and others, for the dialogue. Its a fascinating time in cultural history, and very sad, but very watchable.

Music is always an excellent idea, but with the Glastonbury shows, I missed so much, because when you can't see it live, its difficult to catch up on something as big as that- suddeny hour-long programmes filled with music eat into your evening (and iPlayer stuff is usually a free-time/ weekend activity for me). I watched what I could (watched being the word with live music), and didn't see half of what I wanted to really- still catching up, however Elbow were great, as I expected, and I enjoyed this band, Stornaway. The first song was a little bit folktastic, and that arrangement didn't live up to the album version, for me, but the second was truly beautiful.

Onwards. I have found something that I have put-by for tonight to watch. Its called Fake or Fortune, and I saw one a couple of weeks ago at my fella's, and it was good. I've only just noticed that others in the series have made it online. Now this kind of programme is worth the licence fee! I really enjoyed the Monet trail, and it was gritty, and interesting, and pretty powerful stuff, watching a couple try to get their painting recognised as genuine, with all sorts of hoops to jump through, in an antiquated system, (ha! literally...) that means that one powerful family have the final decision. Philip Mould and Fiona Bruce take us through it, and she is only mildly annoying, which is good...

 I love Miranda. That is all. Hurry up BBC and get this to the people that can't watch it when its broadcast!

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I'm also kinda enjoying the 3-part series with Guy Chambers (of Robbie Williams 'Angel' fame), called Secrets Of The Pop Song, writing songs collaboratively, and plodding through potted history of pop genres. The first episode was a ballad, writing with the Rufus Wainright's ego, and his lovely voice too. The song turned out a little bit annoying, but it was fascinating to see the process. Part two was the project of writing a 'break-through' single for a new pop act, Tawiah and Mark Ronson. He was quite irritating too, but lets not knock the sound behind so many fantastic singles. Its The Noisettes in the part three, who I really like. Now I say 'kinda enjoying', because the whole process got me asking questions about creativity, and watching it in action, and the different processes it takes is interesting, but thinking about the power and money behind those that say 'you're gonna make it' and those who say 'you're not', and those who can drop aspiring musicians so quickly, is quite some food for thought. I find it hard not to think of them as slimy ruthless business men. Its quite unsettling. On a lighter note, Boy George has some really interesting things to say, rather eloquently... who'd have thought it?!

Remaining at number one for me, so to speak, is The Tudors.

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I blogged about it once before, but it is good enough to blog about again. Oh dear Lord, what am I supposed to do without Henry and his multiple wives to play out their dramatic lives for me?!?! (And the very sexy Henry Cavill!) I have a soft spot for Jonathan Reece Meyers, (and can only hope he finds the strength to get himself back on track very quickly....) I fell in love with him in 'Bend it like Beckham', (with Keira Knightly, in equal measures- not a great storyline I don't think, but she was fabulous to watch) and was waiting for him to get a great role like this one. His very lovely blue-Hugo-Boss eyes catch me every time I walk past Superdrug.
'The Tudors' was a definate Hit for me: the drama, the costumes, the characters, the time-period, so full of rich interesting storylines. I drank them all up, on the BT box very thirstily, and then found that the naughty BBC iPlayer wasn't showing the last series, so I watched them online (legally, but in tantilisingly small chunks as you could only watch about an hour at a time). I finished a week or so ago, and there is a little Tudor size hole left in my life!! I'd love to see them all over again, and may need to invest in a box set at some stage.


And the 'misses'? I was very disappointed with Claudia Winkleman's new programme, King Of, much as I adore her. It was quite a pants set-up, and in their haste to get through the format, they lost alot of her natural humour. She's crazy and lovely, and I was so happy to see that she had her own show, but... no ta. It looks like the viewing figures back me up here.
Lee Mack's All Star Cast was also a bit cringeable. The episode that I watched, like 'King Of', had great guests (in fact, Sarah Millican was in both, and she's fabulous) but I wanted it to end for some reason, in the same way that I couldn't watch 'Noel's Houseparty' once I was old enough to realise that Mr. Blobby was really irritating!


What are your recent TV hits?...


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