I remember as a kid looking so forward to this show because I loved Martin Landau and Barbara Bain on Mission Impossible. And now they were going to be in space!?!? It was just a bit slow for my action packed preferences at that time. 
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I am currently watching Line of Duty Series 4 ā¦ and Iām stunned by the ludicrous plot holes.
Having watched the first 3 series recently, and having found it very entertaining, I thought I should check out further seasons, even though cop shows arenāt really my bag ā¦ plus, there was so much hype about the series when first broadcast, that it put me off.
Anyway ā¦ Iāve been looking online for any comments regarding Thandie Newtonās character, and what happens to her at the cliff hanger end of the first episode - she sustains a potentially life threatening blow to the back of her head that leaves her bleeding and unconscious for several hours ā¦ Episode 2, and further ā¦ there is no reference to this wound, signs of scarring, stitches required, and serious debilitating concussion that would take anyone out of action for weeks. WTF ??? 
All I can find online are comments about the other injury she sustained (scratches on her arm from her assailant) which no one in the drama seems to notice .
Iām wondering is this a case of fans ignoring these gaping writing errors because they are so taken with the show ???
Has anyone else seen this and what are your thoughts ?
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I do happen to remember that. If I remember correctly, their way of dealing with it was for her to suddenly go from wearing her hair in a loose pony tail to a tight bun that would hide the bandages that covered the knot on her head. 
My only explanation is that she was showing the same magical grit that so many other TV and movie characters have shown in the past. She is showing the same grit that allowed Django to keep going after his hands had been stomped on by horses. Sheās showing the same grit that has allowed so many cops and cowboys to get shot in the arm or leg and miraculously stop the bleeding with nothing but a piece of cloth tied around the wound and then proceed on to shoot down every motherās son responsible for their wounds.
In her defense, I once had a friend of mine tell me about his brother who worked on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico right off the coast of Louisiana. Something came loose on the rig and hit him in the head, knocking him cold. They somehow transported him from the rig (boat? helicopter?) to a local hospital. When he finally came to several hours later, he got right out of his bed, put his clothes on, and, not bothering to sign himself out or let anyone know, left the hospital. The next thing he knows, it is two days later and he is in his apartment with no recollection of any of it. This only reason he knew he was in the hospital was because of the wrist band they put on patients. Because of that, he was able to back track to find out what happened to him.
This was told to me as a completely true story though I personally witnessed none of it.
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LOL ā¦ yes I think youāre on to something there ā¦ a severe case of āDjangoitisā 
ā¦ this particular program was supposed to be leaning more toward a realistic approach, but like so many shows, the cracks start to appear after a few seasons - I noticed too that S4 of āLine of Dutyā is directed by the writer/creator, who seems to have limited experience/ability in the ābig chairā.
Some of the direction, or lack of ,makes this installment look quite shaky in places. It has the telltale signs of bad management, getting extras to play non speaking parts ā¦ which is much cheaper on the budget ā¦ but these poor souls look completely out of their depth and therefore stand out like sore thumbs ā¦ they donāt know how to move in the scene or react to the professional actors ā¦ it looks very clumsy - but as soon as you give an actor a line, or even a grunt, they have to be paid union rates, which is probably two or three times the cost. Itās a shame that such a successful series started cutting corners to save a few pennies.
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Just finished series one of āThe Frankenstein Chroniclesā.
Absolutely brilliant! A great twist on the iconic legend. Sean Bean at his bestā¦
I now need to buy Series two on Bluray at a decent priceā¦ 
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The Diplomat was really entertaining.
Mrs. Gringo and I were looking for something different to watch so we delved into the old British TV show Sapphire & Steel on Tubi - if for no other reason than as a bit of a tribute to the late great David McCallum.
I have always been a bit reluctant to watch this one as I thought it would probably be little more than a Doctor Who variation but, after watching the first two series, I will say that I have been pleasantly surprised. Sure, the similarities are there but this show definitely holds up on its own and they made lemonade out of lemons with their low end budget to give the series a truly sinister and eerie feel.
And, Iām not going to lie, Joanna Lumley was really quite fetching back in the late 70s and early 80s.
This is one of those instances that I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. I am looking forward to seeing where the show goes next.
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Weāre about halfway through re-watching Parks & Recreation, and were about 8 episodes from the end of The Walking Dead, a show I abandoned a few years ago but took up again last Autumn or so. Itās turned to dogshit again though so itās proving a struggle, just as it did back when I abandoned it.
Next weāre going to watch 70s sitcom Taxi (a rewatch for me although itās been decades, but a new experience for mrs.caress), and then the original 60s run of The Outer Limits. We control the horizontal! We control the vertical!
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I know it has its issues but I have a huge soft spot for it as it goes back to when I was in my teens when it began and its one of my favourite shows. First 1-6 seasons are the best imo.
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Agree re the first half-dozen seasons. It lost me during the Savior war. Too many contrivances and inconsistencies married to too many episodes of āfillerā, spent with characters for whom I gave not one single bumshit. I heard that things improved with a new showrunner and the Whisperers but I wasnāt moved to try again until a) the end of the show was announced (at one point Iād become convinced that it was going to go on in perpetuity, like a soap opera), and b) that final season actually came to an end.
But for sure, when it was good, The Walking Dead was really good. Some episodes - such as the season 7 opener (iirc) where we bade farewell to Abraham and Glen - are as gripping as anything that has ever aired on television anywhere in the world. 
Yeah, I think you can pick holes in the later ones despite still loving the main characters, but for the first six they are as good as any show though.
My other favourites are Sons of Anarchy, The Sopranos and Breaking Bad. Watched all four multiple times.
Yes, in my humble opinion Breaking Bad is just about as good as television has ever got. Sharp as a tack and didnāt outstay its welcome.
I never caught Sons of Anarchy, and whilst I liked The Sopranos - indeed, I bought the DVD set and Iāve watched it through twice so far - I never truly loved it. Iāll return to it, though. I feel like Iām missing something there.
My personal favourite dramas, currently:
- Breaking Bad (AMC)
- The Wire (HBO)
- Battlestar Galactica (Syfy)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (First Run Syndication)
- The Twilight Zone (1959-1964) (CBS)
- Inside No.9 (BBC)
- Deadwood (HBO)
- ***Top Boy (C4/Netflix)
- The Mandalorian (Disney+)
- Oz (HBO)
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
- The Outer Limits (1963-1965) (ABC)
- Line of Duty (BBC)
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (First Run Syndication)
- Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
- Game of Thrones (HBO)
- Black Mirror (C4/Netflix)
- Star Trek: Voyager (UPN)
- Cowboy Bebop (TV Tokyo)
- Star Trek: The Original Series (NBC)
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Love Oz. Needs a blu ray set! DVDs look pretty dated. Seen that a couple times too. So many good actors.
That is like The Wire for me. Liked it, never loved it. Open to watching it again though as it has been years and it was good.
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Recently got up to date with Fisk, which I find funny (odd Oz humor). I am totally hooked on Kimās Convenience, and about to finish the last season of Seal Team, which I am also totally addicted to. Didnāt think much of Justified: City Primeval. Thoroughly enjoyed The Offer, and just began my foray into the Dutton family saga starting with 1883, the first few episodes of which I find very compellingā¦
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Most definitely. Have rewatched several times and it always holds up. I also feel like the tone, directing, and musical orchestration is much akin to a spaghetti western style. Iād be curious to ask show creator Vince Gilligan of any possible influences from spaghettiās. After all, Sergio Sollimaās āFace to Faceā is about a professor with a lung issue (presumably cancer) who decides to ābreak badā after encountering a criminal and ultimately loses his soul as his thirst for more power intensifies.
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Good connection there. I like that link between them.
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Yeah, neither did I. Was a bit let down by it in all honesty.
I really enjoyed 1883. The narration can become a bit overbearing at times, but thatās really my only minor complaint. 1923 isnāt quite as good and treads some familiar Yellowstone themes (and maybe beats those drums a bit too much), but also worthwhile. Really, Iāve enjoyed most of Taylor Sheridonās work (Tulsa King is solid as well).
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Well, it appears I was in the ballpark. Out of curiosity, I did an internet search and did come across an article stating that Vince Gilligan considered BB a spaghetti western:
I also found a CBS article that begins by stating it is a āmodern spaghetti westernā. I assume they are drawing on Gilligan for that:
Unfortunately, I cannot find the original interview where Gilligan states this. There was an old Reddit post with a video link, but the video is no longer there:
I did also find another video of someone discussing how Gilligan considered āOnce Upon the Time in the Westā one of his biggest influences and would show it to people onboarded to the show.
So, it appears spaghettiās were indeed a big influence on the aesthetic for the show.
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An influence on the director, sure, why not ā¦ but thankfully the series did not try to ape the formula or visual style ā¦ it did have a baddie called, āTucoā though. Who makes the original one look placid by comparison.
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