Rise of international TV (1 Viewer)

[mattCR]

Originally Posted by Hanson /t/280499/rise-of-international-tv/30#post_3885407
Did they turn off and turn it back on?

No. we just had someone who had a moment like this:

 

[WaveCrest]

TVShowsOnDVD news article, posted on their website yesterday, about Above Suspicion:


Above Suspicion: Set 1 - TVShowsOnDVD.com news article

 

[WaveCrest]

Originally Posted by mattCR /t/280499/rise-of-international-tv#post_3876748

The strongest version of Law & Order anywhere in the world right now is L&O:UK, it's a good way to look at old L&O cases in a whole different light. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Have you seen the sixth series of Law & Order: UK (aka Series 3, Volume 2)? Paul Nicholls is becoming a very welcome addition to the main cast. The episode "Immune" was excellent.

Didn't start watching the 'mothership' until towards the end of the eighth season, so I haven't seen a lot of the episodes the Law & Order: UK episodes have been rewrites of. That was, until the most recent episode "Haunted", which was a rewrite of Law & Order episode "Ghosts" (when it was Green and Fontana as the detectives).

Surprised why Bradley Walsh hasn't won an award yet for his role as Ronnie Brooks. Didn't think he would be able to play a straight role, as I've been used to seeing him as a comedian. But he has been very surprising.

Still think though that the second half of Law & Order: UK is the weakest part of the show.

 

[mattCR]

you mean the trial? Now, the one thing I really like aout L&O:UK is that the trial and back and forth is so different from the US version. I find it oddly compelling, and I tend to enjoy the look at something different. I have to say, they kept up the job of casting cute assistant DA's (or whatever). I was sad to see Jamie Bambier go, but I do like the track of the season so far. I haven't seen the latest episode, it's in my que. I normally take Sundays and watch. I also really like the visual style of the UK version - the series beginning, where the "killer" confessed and they cut him a deal and then had to backdoor it in -- one of the better episodes of the series.

 

[WaveCrest]

Yes, the second half of the show, the legal side. It does have it's moments, but I find the actors on the detective side more compelling. "Immune" was one of my favourite episodes so far this series, partly because it was one of those episodes (like in the 'mothership') where the detectives appeared in the second half as well. The next new episode sounds intriguing (Toby Stephens guest stars).

Am starting to warm to Peter Davison on the show. Freeman Agyeman is easy on the eye, but she can act. Still not sure about James Steel's replacement Jacob Thorne.

Regarding how it's doing in the ratings, read on Digital Spy that "Survivor's Guilt", the second part of the two-part story which started with "Deal", got just under 5 million viewers. Haven't read anything yet about ITV renewing Law & Order: UK for a fourth produced series (Series 7 & 8). ITV have been moving the show round the schedules with the last two or three series. They moved DCI Banks from Monday to Friday nights for the first series (the pilot episode was shown on a Monday I think), losing viewers (however, a second series of that show is in the works, probably being filmed around late winter-early Spring this year). Remember when ITV aired Law & Order: UK against one of the BBC's big drama series New Tricks, losing out in the ratings battle.

 

[WaveCrest]

Matt, have you seen a series called Whitechapel? The third series started tonight (on ITV1).

 

[mattCR]

Originally Posted by WaveCrest /t/280499/rise-of-international-tv/30#post_3892706
Matt, have you seen a series called Whitechapel? The third series started tonight (on ITV1).

No, I may check and see if it's available on Netflix.

 

[WaveCrest]

The paranormal drama series Afterlife was very good. It aired on ITV for two series from 2005-06, and starred Lesley Sharp (Scott & Bailey) and Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead).

 

[mattCR]

I've heard that.. one thing I will say: Biggest Loser Australia is such a completely better show then the US version, it makes the US version unwatchable. I can't watch any of the US version, the Aussie version rotates between funny and educational and it's at least watchable.

 

[WaveCrest]

Not sure about Region 1, but both series of Afterlife are available on Region 2 (separately and together in one boxset).

Also, being shown soon on ITV1 is the Titanic mini-series, with Linus Roache and Toby Jones among the cast.

Technically this isn't an international show in the works, but a while back I read that BBC America are making their first TV series, called Copper (starring Franke Potente).

Was interested in seeing the series The Crimson Petal and the White, but I can't stand Mark Gatiss (his series A History of Horror with... was good though).

 

[WaveCrest]

Who is showing the mini-series/TV series Hit and Miss, starring Chloe Sevigny, in the US? Read a while ago it's being shown in the UK on Sky Atlantic in May.

 

[WaveCrest]

Has Law & Order: UK been axed by ITV? Seems to be stuck in limbo at the moment. Wouldn't normally recommend quiz shows on here, but Bradley Walsh presents a UK quiz show called The Chase. Have read this past week in a newspaper that he could be (not sure if it's definite) filming a pilot for a US version of The Chase. Meanwhile, Paul Nicholls debuts this coming week on the Casualty spin-off Holby City, and will be appearing on the series for a few weeks. And I read among the description of a new show starting in the fall on a US TV network, that Law & Order: UK (and Doctor Who) actress Freema Agyeman is in the cast.

So it's making me wonder if ITV have no plans to order further episodes of Law & Order: UK. A pity, as the sixth series (aka Series Three - Volume Two) ended strong. The penultimate episode didn't live up to the hype (the detectives and the CPS were juggling more than one case in the same day), but the season finale which centred around Paul Nicholls' character getting involved with a female attack victim was much better.


Also, and I have posted about it in the Homeland thread, the first series of Prisoners of War is being released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK, with a release date of Monday 16th July (source: Amazon UK, HMV.com and Play.com).

 

[mattCR]

I'm waiting on Hit & Miss, but I hope that's not true on L&O:UK.. flat out, outside of Top Gear and a few others, it's one of my favorites..

On a side note, I think the new season of Merlin is going to get underway I know they started filming series 5 in March, I'm ready for that to start up again

 

[WaveCrest]

Couple of new one-off specials/series starting in the UK in the summer:

Falcon (airing on Sky Atlantic in September) - starring Emilia Fox (Silent Witness)
A Touch of Cloth (airing on Sky 1 in August) - parody of detectve shows, starring John Hannah (Rebus) and Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey).

 

[WaveCrest]

Wouldn't quite call it quality TV, but it's so bad it's good and entertaining (especially the last hour or so with the voting). Airing on BBC One tonight is the annual Eurovision Song Contest. Representing the UK this year is...Engelbert Humperdinck.

 

[WaveCrest]

A new cop/crime series starting soon on the BBC (in a fortnight's time) is Line of Duty. Also premiering in the UK soon is Good Cop.

Good Cop is getting a Region 2 release on Monday 29th October, and the detective show parody series Vexed is being released on Region 2 on Monday 3rd September (source of both release dates: Amazon UK).

 

[mattCR]

While it's Canadian (Showcase), their new series "Continuum" needs to be picked up somewhere, or made into something else. I have no idea if this works out longterm, but it's an interesting concept

 

[Josh Dial]

Originally Posted by mattCR /t/280499/rise-of-international-tv/30#post_3937979
While it's Canadian (Showcase), their new series "Continuum" needs to be picked up somewhere, or made into something else. I have no idea if this works out longterm, but it's an interesting concept

I have the first episodes recorded, and am hoping to watch them this week.

 

[WaveCrest]

Originally Posted by mattCR /t/280499/rise-of-international-tv/30#post_3937979
While it's Canadian (Showcase), their new series "Continuum" needs to be picked up somewhere, or made into something else. I have no idea if this works out longterm, but it's an interesting concept

It's got a good cast and the concept of the show is interesting enough. Have had a read of the first episode's synopsis, and this is the sort of show I could like. Now when I say it reminds me of the film Jason X (2001), it's because an actress from it stars in Continuum and the time travel story device is done the other way round with this new TV series. Don't know if it will get shown in the UK, but Universal Channel show another Canadian series, Rookie Blue. So this might get shown on there.


*****

The Listener returned for a third season on Canadian TV channel CTV two weeks ago. No date for when it starts in the UK on Universal Channel. Did get the first season on Region 2, but I don't know when (or if) the second season is going to be released. Has the first season been released on DVD elsewhere? The Region 2 set was barebones, but still worth getting (the series reminds me of Early Edition).

 

[WaveCrest]

As well as the series Good Cop, the BBC have recently shown a trailer for another new series starting this autumn, called Hunted. It's from the makers of Spooks and stars Melissa George. Was impressed by her acting in the horror drama/thriller Triangle (2009), so will be looking forward to this TV series.