ICYMI first time round, the BBC is showing Shark once again.
ICYMI first time round, the BBC is showing Shark once again.
Yep, The Responder. We both really enjoyed it.
Reacher is out on Amazon now. Only 10 minutes in, but top notch so far.
Cant see it having being mentioned before but just finished watching “Take Us Home” on Amazon Prime. Absolutely fascinating behind the scenes documentary of Leeds Utd 2018/19 season as they try for promotion to the Premier League after a 16 year absence. Bielsa’s methods are mind boggling! the seres also highlights the deep connection between the board, players and fans
Well worth a watch.
Warrior on Sky, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5743796/, based on writings of Bruce Lee. Excellent martial arts and nice historical context. To see where it's on, https://www.justwatch.com/uk/tv-series/warrior-2019.
This Is Going to Hurt on BBC. Comedy drama about an obstetrics registrar. First episode was very promising, with some genuinely funny comedy and challenging drama.
Cheaters on BBC. Comedy that starts with two people who have random hotel sex in Finland. 10-15 minute episodes, so probably best watched on iPlayer.
Enjoyable, but he’s not the Reacher I’d imagined from the books. Lee Child is an exec producer so I suppose he should know. But I’d imagined someone a bit older, less clean cut and more weathered, more brooding and enigmatic, real world muscles and not superhero steroid muscles, a deeper voice, a bit more gravitas… not a criticism exactly, it’s popcorn tv. But I’d love to see how the Ozark crew would have handled it.
This.
However, I suppose the challenge is finding a middle-aged man, that meets Reacher's description and that can act.
Ok, that last one might not be strictly necessary but YKWIM.
Considering they've moved the timeline up by 20 odd years - it would make Reacher in his mid/late 30s, which matches Ritchson (37) and his appearance in the show.
I do think the whole muscles thing is a bit OTT - nobody get biceps that big just doing "real" work! But I can live with that, though Ritchson is a little too pretty boy for the role.
Overall, I think they've done a good job.
There are 26 books inc 4 prequels to the first one, Killing Floor, which this series is based on. So the character will age over the books. This feels about the right age for someone who was an army brat and was probably able to clock up around 20 years by 37-39 years old. I think they did a v good job in bringing the book to life and I enjoyed the tv series. Reacher was more a natural man mountain than body builder but I'll give them that. He could do with improving his walking gait though :-) It must be quite the thing for Ritchson personally to lead what is turning into a hit series after being an ensemble character in Smallville, Blue Mountain State and Titans.
Another thumbs overall up for Reacher from me.
I don't know how many of the books they'll cover, but it could run for a very long time?
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Watched 'Reacher' - one evening on my iPad.............. and turned in at 4am - all eight episodes watched.
It was very watchable (obv) - but a bit cheesy.
A few parts close to the plot of 'Banshee' - which was better.
Mentioned to my Sister, who watched it over two afternoons - so yes, most people have taken to it.
We really enjoyed Reacher over the weekend. I think he works and this is the earliest of the books. Agree he might have been a bit more craggy but most US officers are pretty clean cut. Makes Tom Cruise seem positively ridiculous (if it wasn't already).
Looking forward to more episodes.
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Good interview with Ritchson if you are interested in some backstory. FWIW he comes over really well. Seems to be the interview from which most of the print quotes comes from unless he's repeated himself constantly.
Just watched the first ten minutes, out of interest. A few details are different from Killing Floor, obviously it's set about 25 years later but the guy who plays Reacher is perfect for the part. Finlay looks too young. I always imagined him as being very like Gus from Breaking Bad. Will watch the rest at an opportune time.
Last edited by monogroover; 10th February 2022 at 12:06.
I've not read any of the books and TBH didn't think Reacher would be the sort of thing I would enjoy. I gave it a go based on the number of positive views expressed here - it clearly doesn't take itself too seriously and is great fun. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.
I love the Reacher books, and really like the series. It is a bit cheesy, but intentionally so, I think.
Also recommend:
- The Responder- a hard watch, but really well acted. Intense. Different side of Martin Freeman.
- The Tourist- great acting, and twisty-turney plot
- Just dicovered Toast- very funny
- And Nighty Night, dark as a very dark thing but funny
- Friday Night Dinner. Proper belly laughs. Genius.
- Archer- silly and dark cartoon spy spoof.
Im enjoying reacher.
Particularly the man mountain.
I’m enjoying the second series of Raised by Wolves.
Loved The Book of Boba Fett too.
Enjoyed 'Reacher' and the Youtube interview.
Sporting a DeepSea...?
I gave up on Reacher by end of ep 2 tbh. Although the lead actor is bigger than Cruise, his acting range is pretty limited. And the direction is a bit second rate tv stuff with added cheese e.g. the ‘flirting’ between Reacher and the female deputy.
Mr Inbetween on Disney+ however is awesome. I watched 3 seasons in 3 days. If you like Reacher you’ll love that. Properly quirky, great characterisation, proper pathos and no Hollywood bullshit. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
'This is Going to Hurt' on BBC.
A slightly close to the bone, dark comedy drama about a maternity department within an NHS hospital with Ben Wishaw as the main character.
We thoroughly enjoyed it, but probably not one to watch if you are expecting an addition to the family at any point in the near future....
Four episodes into Netflix' "Dead to me"....................
Enjoying it so far. The widow nails the cussing! (and 'hot' )
Finished Reacher. Decent, not amazing - a relaxing 'light watch'. Lead actor better than Cruise, but lacks charisma of The Rock or John Cena, similar types of actor.
The dialogue at times in the show was horrendous, I don't mind a bit of cheese but feel the combination of dialogue and delivery at points was pretty awful.
All that said, I will watch another season when it comes - but Amazon have much better with likes of Invincible, The Boys, and another Jack (Ryan).
I recently watched Last Kingdom on Netflix, 4 seasons. Gets a wee bit repetitive when you binge, but largely excellent if you're into Vikings!
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Big fan of the Reacher books, but while the Amazon show was okay, it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped: I thought he was a bit too young and seemed to get knocked around a bit too often in the fights to be true to Lee Child’s character (it was good to see Child in the last episode though).
I agree about Mr Inbetween - cracking show.
“Mr Inbetween”.
It’s absolutely fantastic… Aussies make some fabulously gritty stuff, the cast is truly superb…
Agree wholeheartedly on Mr Inbetween………there’s actually a movie that he did before Mr Inbetween called The Magician, haven’t seen it but fans of the show may be interested.
Letterkenny is one of the best comedies I’ve seen in ages, and nice little 20 min episodes as well.
I’ve wanted to watch letterkenny for ages but can’t find it anywhere in the UK.
How are you watching it??
Cheers, Shaun
That’s great, thanks for the heads-up on that….
sjedwardz - don’t think it is on any of the mainstream services, you might need to get ‘creative’. YouTube has plenty of clips, and it actually started on YouTube before it got a TV slot…….Letterkenny Problems was its name.
Another one for “Mr Inbetween” gritty, funny, sad, shocking and well acted, should replace Pyschopath in Oxford dictionary with one word “Ray” absolutely gripping viewing
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The 2nd series of Resident Alien just popped onto our system, looking forward to it.