Category Archives: television

sons of anarchy

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in culture, television, twitter, video

≈ 11 Comments

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It’s like the Sopranos on motorbikes!

A couple of weeks ago Twitter pal Antonio (aka @The_LazyPig) mentioned he was watching the third season of this and was loving it and so – always on the look out for a good series (preferable to films these days) – I got onto Amazon and saw they had a special offer on a season 1 & 2 pack. And today at lunchtime Peter and I finished the last episode of season one, which had a very satisfying cliff hanger.

It’s all very Shakespearean and the acting is great. I am also whisked back to my teenage years when I was 14 and used to hang out with a biker gang. I have no idea if they were up to anything illegal and didn’t actually get that involved, but as I recall they were all rather protective of me. It was also the last time I ever got on a motorbike. Next up: Game of Thrones (the Sopranos in Middle Earth!).

Sons of Anarchy on Wikipedia

the killing

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in films, language, media, spain, teaching, television

≈ 9 Comments

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I’ve been hearing rave reviews about this Danish tv programme for ages so when the first series (it’s now into series 2) became more reasonably-priced on Amazon I decided to go for it. Two episodes in and I’m hooked! And its especially refreshing to see actors that look like real people.

Watching it has also made me wonder why Spanish people are so averse to sub-titles. I’ve been going to sub-titled foreign films since I first found out they existed – I think I was about 16. So I don’t get it when people say it’s “too difficult” to read and watch at the same time. And I really don’t get how not hearing the actor’s real voice isn’t important to viewers.

In Portugal films and tv series are sub-titled and, as a result, most of the population has at least a smattering of English. Unlike in Spain. But I guess Peter would be out of a job if they got wise here and changed their ways. Still, I cannot abide dubbing. Can you?

Guardian review – The Killing

bedroom tv!

07 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in change, films, gadgets, home, television

≈ 16 Comments

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Now that it’s officially autumn – and I’ve even had to get out the duvet! – thoughts of cosying up in bed this winter with a book (or my iPhone) suddenly extended to… watching films in bed! Why had I never thought of  this before? I mean, I already had this smaller flatscreen tv and dvd player inherited from Susan when she moved back to the US.  In the old place they were set up in Nog’s “office” and occasionally got used, but since moving here they’ve been upstairs and weren’t even properly set up. The idea was that someone might want to watch a film upstairs sometime, which has never happened.

And so last night I moved it all downstairs and set it up on my somewhat rickety old bookcase next to my bed, removed one of the shelves to make room, and I love it! This is the first time in my life I’ve had a television in my bedroom – feels rather decadent. And okay, it’s not set up to the satellite service so I will only be able to watch DVDs on it, but it still seems a bit like Christmas.

Do you have a tv in your bedroom?

house and holmes

19 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by in films, television

≈ 23 Comments

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So this afternoon Nog and I were escaping The Heat by staying in and rewatching this rather delightful interpretation of Sherlock Holmes, starring the fabulous Robert Downey Jr.

And during a scene in which Holmes and Watson were bickering I said to Nog – ” Hey, they sound just like House and Wilson!”

And then the penny dropped!

Is House a play on words for Holmes? Both famous for their detective work, and both with a sidekick that has the initials J.W.

What do you think?

Am I on to something? Or have a zillion other people come up with this before me and it’s a load of bollocks?

I have to say that I’m tiring a bit of House as there doesn’t seem to be much development going on there with the various characters and storylines.

On the other hand, I am waiting with baited breath for season two of the fabulous Sherlock, which is a very innovative take on the Doyle classic, taking place in modern day London (and the next season will also have Stephen Fry in it!).

I first read The Complete Sherlock Holmes when I was about 15 and, even though the stories did get a bit repititious towards the end of the two volumes, I enjoyed them very much. He’s still my favourite detective.

Who is your favourite detective?

rick stein

11 Wednesday May 2011

Posted by in food & drink, friends, television, travel, video

≈ 6 Comments

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So there I was watching an episode of Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey the other night, and the Sri Lankan curries looked so amazing I just had to tweet about them, which started up a twitter conversation between myself, @WeeRascal and @Seville_Writer, both of whom have met Rick Stein and used words like passionate, honest, charming and genuine to describe him.

I had to admit that I’d never heard of Rick Stein before watching this series, which is a wonderful combination of glorious travelogue images and amazing food porn, along with lots of good information about  the local dishes, geography and history.

So imagine my complete surprise yesterday when the doorbell rang and I received an Amazon delivery of Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes, courtesy of that rascally friend of mine. I shall have to find a way of “getting him back” when he next visits (possibly in June) but meanwhile I have just finished watching the first segment of the first episode, which took place in Corsica. Next up … Sardinia. I am totally loving this!