TV You Have Watched

[QualityChimp]

Just finished series 4 of Race Across The World (BBC iPlayer) and really enjoyed it again.

I know there must be some logistical bits we dont see, but generally speaking it's pretty real, and the relationships of the contestants are.

This time they were racing across Asia, starting in Japan. Some real mix of personalities and I warmed to all but one pair.

We watched it with our son, but there's some effin' and a jeffin', so be warned!

Eased to hear there's a 5th series and 2nd celebrity series greenlit.

[fuse]

Just finished series 4 of Race Across The World (BBC iPlayer) and really enjoyed it again.

I know there must be some logistical bits we dont see, but generally speaking it's pretty real, and the relationships of the contestants are.

Yeah we continue to enjoy this too; it strikes a nice balance between reality and travel to live through vicariously. There's a reunion episode for this season already, and it does actually go into the logistics of the filming more than it has done previously, which was pretty interesting! It seems a complete logistical nightmare trying to capture everything, and while they do a good job on this front there's also something to be said for finding the right blend of folks to put forward as contestants.

Also watched the second season of Tokyo Vice (BBC). Had enjoyed the first season when it was aired a few years back, but was left a bit high and dry with where it left off, which thankfully is not the case here. Looking around the 'true events' that inspired it you can definitely see some of the liberties they've taken for dramatic effect, but it's pretty compelling stuff. Plus, 90s Tokyo! Period-accurate arcades!

[Neon Ignition]

Ghosts: Series 05
The final run and it's again a solid one that covers some nice moments and manages to nail its ending well.

[QualityChimp]

We've started Outlaws (BBC iPlayer) and it's brilliant!
It's about a group of people brought together whilst on community service for a mixture of crimes.

Wife's seen S1 and 2, but it's good enough for her to watch again.

All the cast are great, but I find myself chuckling to Walken's character the most.

2nd episode was lovely, with some nice moments early on, without having to wait for the season finale for the payoffs.

[Dogg Thang]

I’m well into Scrubs season 9 now. I won’t pretend to know what they should have done here because writing sitcoms well is an art few people can do and it’s so, so difficult and an underrated skill. It’s not a surprise that this was bad. It’s a surprise when any sitcom is good. Scrubs was top notch.

But it is easy to see some ways in which season 9 just didn’t work. The main character is wrong, trying to be another JD. But Braff’s casting made a very tricky character work and getting that idea to work twice was just too much to ask. More than anything else though, the show just doesn’t commit to being one thing or the other. JD leaves and yet keeps turning up and, when he’s not there, other characters keep talking about him. Other old cast members keep showing up but not in any consistent way. It’s med school and so a new format but also some of it is the old format. And some of the new characters are actually great but don’t get the chance to truly own the show. It just doesn’t commit.

[prinnysquad]

As is so often the case, once you change the situation, the comedy isn’t the same. See: Grace and Favour, Going Straight et al. And they had the luxury of the same characters!

Be interested to know your Top 10 episodes, Dawg.

[Dogg Thang]

Be interested to know your Top 10 episodes, Dawg.

I must have a think about this. There are so many greats. You might already know this but Zach Braff and Donald Faison have a podcast called Fake Doctors Real Friends where they talk through the episodes one by one. I haven’t listened to many yet but, so far, it’s great.

[Neon Ignition]

It's that classic case of studio meddling. Apparently Season 09 was designed to pick up the baton and be a spin-off but the network got cold feet and felt that viewers would only be interested if the show served as a continuation. The studio won out, presumably because the show had already been cancelled once so the makers felt like it was best not to push back too hard, and it was reworked to be Season 09 with more connections. The med-school element I think is a result of them filming in a disused hospital for eight years, after filming for the 'real finale' took place in Seaosn 08 the building was demolished so they had no choice but to stick to the new format and location.

[Dogg Thang]

I hadn’t realised season 9 was a short season. Done now. I need another good sitcom. Maybe I’ll rewatch all of Brooklyn Nine Nine next.

[prinnysquad]

I hadn’t realised season 9 was a short season. Done now. I need another good sitcom. Maybe I’ll rewatch all of Brooklyn Nine Nine next.

Top 10 first, Dawg.

[Dogg Thang]

Top 10 first, Dawg.

Oh man. Okay, let me think about it. The ones with Brendan Fraser will be on the list. And also that one with the Men At Work guy and his guitar. And probably a bunch of Janitor episodes. Or with Randall, who they really should have kept in the show. I'll try to find the names of my favourite episodes.

[Neon Ignition]

Scrubs: Never enough Ted but a whole lotta Guy Love

[Dogg Thang]

Top 10 first, Dawg.

Right. Thing is, some of what I love in Scrubs are the individual moments so I struggled a bit to remember my favourites. So many of the ones I listed are the ones that have an emotional gut punch. I remember those stories. I had to go googling to find which episodes they were so hopefully these are correct...

S1 ep22 My Occurrence. And I think the one after that because it was a 2-parter. These are the ones with Brendan Fraser. He was brilliant.

S2 ep1 My Overkill. This one always sticks in my mind because of Colin Hay from Men At Work. That last bit with him and Cox is great.

S3 ep4 My Screw Up. The reappearance of Brendan Fraser.

S5 ep20 My Lunch. This one starts really funny with the chatty blonde woman who was in it a few times but then it gets into the transplant patients and it broke me at the end.

S5 ep9 My Half-Acre. The one with the air band.

S3 ep13 My Porcelain God. The Michael J Fix episode.

S5 ep19 His Story III. This was the one where we focus on the Janitor and he's talking to a patient who has a locked in condition. The Janitor was always great but we see a different side to him in this one.

How many is that? Oh it's not ten. Ummm... I don't know. Whichever episode Cox washes his hands and says "I'm out". And some episode with Randall. Oh, maybe the one where Kelso tries to assess Ted's intelligence by comparing him to his dog Baxter and Ted does that hilarious dog "hello".

Now you!

[Finsbury Girl]

Garouden - The Way of the Lone Wolf - an anime adaptation of some novels I believe. I thought it was pretty good. Some cool martial arts and violence. Hope there is a second season.

[Finsbury Girl]

watched the first 2 episodes of Goliath. Been meaning to watch it for years. Wow is all I can say. Hopefully it can sustain this quality throughout. The entire cast have been pretty good so far but dang Billy Bob and William Hurt are excellent. Hurt channelling his inner Blofeld so far (sans puss)

"No Mr McBride, I expect you to die"

My expectations are now high.