NFR: but there's nothing worth watching on TV these days

[SP]

I've been trying to fill the void caused by the close season but to little effect.  Can't stand soaps, vampires or reality TV & most of the films made these days leave me cold so what to do?

Stumbled onto re-runs of 'Sykes' on Gold the other day & I have to say it's great, haven't seen this series in 30 years.  The humour of Eric Sykes still holds up well & the frustration of life is a recurring theme.  Sykes wrote the script & clearly enjoyed the whole affair.  Anyone else a fan?

[Whitby Fulham]

Eric Sykes,brilliant I have The Plank on DVD,fantastic

[Burt]

Funnily enough we were talking about this down the boozer recently.

I used to watch Sykes as a kid, along with the Good Life (Felicity Kendall - my first true love), Are You Being Served (Mrs Slocombe and that pussy of hers), Butteflies (had Rodders in it, before his Only Fools and Horses fame) etc.

Following my holiday in Boston/New York/Washington earlier this year, as I had a sherbert or 3 in the Cheers bar in Boston (I sat where Norm used to), we ordered the Series 1 and 2 box sets off Amazon. I had forgotten how good Cheers was.

[jarv]

Yes. He was also a Fulham fan I believe. Often seen sitting on the balcony at the cottage. I have been in the director's box twice. How do you get a seat in the cottage?

Nothing on TV? Over 20 years ago I left UK. I recall looking in the paper at the tv programming, 4 channels, prime time say 7pm to 11 and there was NOTHING worth watching then. (apart from news or sports) 16 hours of tv to choose from and you would be lucky to get one hour.

[Burt]

I hardly watch the TV at all nowadays... The only thing I made time for recently (apart from the football) was Silk, but that series has just ended.

I may have to end up watching Southpark with Burt Jr.

[Jambo]

If you have ESPN they has to series that are very much worth watching.  The first is called 30 for 30, they are 30 sports documentaries made by different directors, yet to see a bad one.  The other is ESPN films, just watched one called "On the dotted line" about sports agents in the US.  Really worth watching. 

[Abbotsbury White]

As someone who has just entered the realms of Saga car insurance,comedy is always worth watching..The inbetweeners? made me laugh the same as Blackadder,Red Dwarf or Bottom..
not new but all available on catch up..

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

Watch Game of Thrones online .............free if you search

[zzamora]

Community. Genius show.

[Jambo]

Deadliest Catch on Discovery is still a good watch.

[ScalleysDad]

Watch Game of Thrones online .............free if you search

One of only three programmes I actively tried to watch and I was quite impressed with myself on how I kept in the loop ........ until the end of the last series. It was a blur and I was somewhat distracted by blondie with the dragons on her shoulder. I suppose I could always impress the two Uni returnees and read the flipping thing before they get back. My attention span is getting more and more limited so if anything is on a channel with adverts in it I usually give up as they tend to come round every twenty seconds. I tried Alcatraz for a week or two but gave up due to adverts. Boxed set of West Wing for Fathers Day so at least I have a fall back position. When the kids come back I'm moving into my shed anyway to avoid the power struggle. I don't care who is in charge as long as I get my tea!!!!

[Lighthouse]

There is Lovefilm and Netflix to catch up on all the series I never saw before. 'Breaking Bad' is ok and am watching 'The Walking Dead' on channel 5. There was a thriller on tonight on BBC 2 'Line Of Duty' which was good, continues next week. I must admit there are no new comedy progs any good. 'Liked the IT Crowd but little since then.

Rented  Game of Thrones and enjoyed it.

[Berserker]

Can you rent Game of Thrones, great news as my brother had told me it was going to be a Sky exclusive :-)

[Rupert]

Sykes' autobiography makes interesting, if somewhat disjointed, reading. He was a very bad boy during the war (and makes no attempt to hide his misdeeds), and I got the impression that he had to cut a lot of it out to avoid legal action from former associates who might still be alive, hence the disjointedness.
Once he moves into his showbiz career it flows a lot easier, lots of interesting anecdotes about himself and various people, Milligan gets a few pages, as do the Goons in general, he clearly had a lot of time for Hattie Jacques, all in all well worth a perusal of your local library to see if they have it.

As for TV in general, well, I haven't owned a telly in over twenty years, the licencing people keep putting me on their "opening an investigation" list, followed a couple of months later by a "final stages" letter, followed by a "what you will need to know when we take you to court" letter, followed by another "opening investigation". It must be costing them a fortune.
As for not having a telly, I don't miss it. I buy the occasional DVD and watch things as and when I fancy, so the already mentioned "Game of Thrones" and "Walking Dead" first series are on my shelf, and I'll be getting series two of each as soon as the boxed sets come out. Most recent purchase was "The Guard", an Irish film, Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, very funny black comedy.

[King_Crud]

If it's not sport or University Challenge then I probably won't be watching tv

[cottage cheese]

breaking bad...best show on at the moment

[MJG]

I'm finding the documentries on London (from the BBC) really good, especally 'The Secret History Of Our Streets'
Stated watching 'Veep' a few weeks ago and while not as good as 'The thick of it' its quite funny and almost West Wing lite.
Can't get into Game of Thrones, have tried but cant get through the first one, will give it another go.
'The walking dead' series 2 got better as it went on and I like some of the stuff I have read about what they are planning for the next series.

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

MJG ...............I saw the Caledonian Road episode, very interesting, as it is an area I refer to as Bandit and only drive through in a locked car !!!
 
If you have not seen it  ??
Great British Railway Journeys  BBC 2 
Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook, travelling the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed Britain 
Great British Railway Journeys Oban to Corrour S2 Ep23 Part1
one of ....................


As for Game of Thrones ................turn the phone off and don't answer the door !!  you have to concentrate !!
I gave  the 1st series to a friend who was distracted by the 'dreadful  violence ' and did not like it,  can't say I noticed 
I was too busy following the plots and the sub-plots.   
Scalley's Dad ................them dragon are getting bigger !!! in the 2 series they burned Daenerys out of certain death.

[Fernhurst]

Did anyone catch "Suits" on the "Dave" channel which finished a few weeks ago. I was hooked.

American lawyer series with implausible premise as a story line but terrifically sharp dialogue and acting which I loved.

Great cast..... if you get the chance to catch an episode in HD give it a go.

The Americans are getting better and better at this type of fast paced well written stuff.

[Vinnieffc]

I hardly watch the TV at all nowadays... The only thing I made time for recently (apart from the football) was Silk, but that series has just ended.

I may have to end up watching Southpark with Burt Jr.

I have just latterly got into Family Guy - I was on holiday in Vegas last week but the Missus broke her arm on day 2 so didn't do much other than telly during the day and casino at night.. .. I always dismissed it as a poor mans South Park but it's actually very good !!