Televisual British SF or fantasy
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Topic: Televisual British SF or fantasy
Posted By: Logan
Subject: Televisual British SF or fantasy
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 14:12
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Sorry putting Tripods and Triffids together... Since we have a few other British telly polls on the loose, I decided to do another. I have included shows that have been special to me, and not bothering with an other option does not mean that you should feel disinclined to mention others shows in a post. I'm sure there are many I forgot, and I'm not trying to be comprehensive, but still I filled every last space. No Red Dwarf as you see, even though I like the show. Torchwood is mostly here for Children of Earth, which is one of my favourite things in the Doctor Who universe (and in Doctor Who, god I loved one of the most recent episodes, Heaven Sent). The poll itself is me trying to give a flavour, or actually many flavours of ones that have meant a lot to me, and by way of such list-making, to get recommendations. I mean Misfits may be a bit of a Misfit as are some others, but I love the show. I would say that if you like or know none of these, though, then it is less likely that an other choice will work as recommendation to someone who likes these. That's a reason why I think other options in polls are not that beneficial, and as I said, one can always include something in a post anyway. Also, don't feel limited to British shows in discussion. I love recent non-British shows such as Real Humans (I don't like the British remake nearly so much) and The French The Returned (I don't like the US remake nearly so much), as well as classic SF/fantasy from the US such as The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Star Trek. I also have been very into some co-productions such as the part Canadian, part German produced series LEXX (well, the mini-series in particular). With Chocky by the way, I include Chocky's Children and Chocky's Challenge. I saw Chocky as a child, and it really resonated with me then, and recently watched all three series with my children. Just before the passing of Gareth Thomas I had decided to watch all of the Blake's Seven episodes. It gave me a renewed appreciation of the show. My avatar is from the show Utopia, by the way. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Replies:
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 15:08
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By the way, I wrote most of that post before putting in the options -- had thought that I would include maybe 15, and although I've watched some of all of these, a few here I haven't watched that much of, nor have they been that special to me as I haven't got to know that well. And I notice a typo, but rather than editing I'll say here, it's Survivors (Terry Nation's). Utopia I've gone on a lot about at PA in the past, as it just stunned me. It can be very violent, and I found it superb. Here's the trailer: Though actually very different, but shares certain thematic elements, for those that like it, I would recommend the Japanese 20th Century Boys film trilogy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwAIzPweL5o" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwAIzPweL5o {Late EDIT to fix youtube embed as you used to be be able to do it two ways and I chose the one that no longer works} ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 16:08
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Life on Mars, one of the finest tv shows to come out of Britain in recent years. ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 17:07
My wife saw the US version on TV and called me to watch thinking I'd like it. It was quite good, but then I quickly discovered the BBC original, and I loved that. It's also been adapted for Russian TV, called The Dark Side of the Moon (apparently named thus because Pink Floyd was so much more more popular in Russia in the 70's than David Bowie). ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
lazland wrote:Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 17:31
| Doctor Who |
Posted By: Guy Guden
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 18:05
| The Prisoner |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 18:15
I'm guessing you are a fan of both the classic and the new series. This long break from the show is hard on my family. I've been a bit worried about Moffat being replaced with Chibnall as showrunner as he hasn't written my favourite Doctor Who episodes. He also wrote for Life on Mars, by the way (I mention because was discussing that before your post). And I was disappointed to find that Capaldi was getting a new companion, as I also wanted him to be companionless (and Heaven Sent may be my favourite Doctor Who episode of all-time). We shall see how it goes. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 18:19
Love the Prisoner. Quoting myself, thus the terrible writing: A man furiously tenders his resignation, is drugged , and wakes up in a strange and sinister place simply known as The Village. The man is numbered 6, and he is The Prisoner! *cue thunder and lightning* Using hallucinogens, psychological conditioning, thought control, and a bevy of other coercive and experimental techniques, his “keepers” try to learn why he resigned. But while they devise schemes to break him, Number 6 plans his escape. But escape from what exactly? The Prisoner is part sci-fi, part spy and psychological thriller, part adventure, part satire, part allegory, and altogether quite original. Symbolism, ambiguity, surrealism, existential angst, and garish costumes are some of the hallmarks of the series. Its seventeen episodes date back to the late 60’s, and whilst the plots were heavily influenced by the Cold war, its underlying themes remain relevant. It’s a very creative, symbolic, and timeless exploration of freedom and individuality; the struggles of one man against most oppressive authority, to be individual, whilst under strict surveillance. Sound familiar? Oh, did I mention that it’s also a lot of fun? The Prisoner Motto: “I am not a number, I am a free man!” The Prisoner Creed: “I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered. My life is my own!” ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Guy Guden
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 18:30
perfect Logan  "Who are you? "The New Number 2." "Who is Number One?" "YOU ARE..."(emphasis, my own)..., Number 6."
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 18:44
Haha, that should come with a spoiler alert. Just adding some more of what I wrote about the Prisoner many years ago for personal nostalgia. "Questions are a burden to others. Answers a prison for oneself" (old Village saying). As you watch The Prisoner you’ll notice that many questions are posed, but few clear-cut answers are given. In fact, it's most likely that you'll have far more questions than answers by the end of it (even when they seemingly offer you some sort of an answer to a long-running question, you can still expect to be baffled by it). Much is left to the viewers’ individual interpretation, and this, I believe, is one of the reasons behind its lasting success and bona fide prime cult status. Several crucial questions are asked in this intro to each episode: No. 6: Where am I? No. 2: In the Village. No. 6: What do you want? No. 2: We want information. No. 6: Whose side are you on? No. 2: That would be telling. We want information, information, information. No. 6: You won't get it. No. 2: By hook or by crook, we will. No. 6: Who are you? No. 2: The new Number 2. No. 6: Who is Number 1? No. 2: You are Number 6. No. 6: I am not a number, I am a free man! Where and what is The Village? Information for what purpose? Who is Number one, and for that matter, who is Number 6? While the prisoner’s number one question is “Who is Number One,” the major piece of information the “keepers” ask No. 6 is “Why did you resign?” Why did he resign? Why is it so important to them? And why does No. 6 under great duress refuse to answer? And who exactly are the “keepers” anyway? once again the show treats you as an individual by allowing you to draw your own conclusions.. But perhaps the most important question of all is "WHY?"* ... Now that would be telling! … but, unfortunately, that’s one question that does not compute. "He has revolted. Resisted. Fought. Held fast. Maintained. Destroyed resistance. Overcome coercion. The right to be person, someone or individual. We applaud his private war, and concede that despite materialistic efforts, he has survived intact and secure!" (The President in Fall Out) "Freedom is myth." (Patrick McGoohan) ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 18:48
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Gerry & Sylvia always had great style, especially the live-action, those old UFOs are priceless camp. And I remember Journey to the Far Side of the Sun [Doppelgänger] as being not bad, even a little proggie. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 19:48
Agree on UFO. I haven't seen that film. Speaking of the Andersons, I just realized that I missed a really big series that I used to watch a lot: [Gonna party like it's] Space 1999 (which they created and were writers on). I forgot that it was a British production (well, and Italian co-production on the first series/ season). ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 17 2016 at 20:39
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And I just remembered another that I should have included as I have re-watched all of those in recent years: The Tomorrow People. That was one of my absolute faves as a child. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 03:05
I was thinking that as I read your option list. On the sub-topic of UK SF made for children's TV, two that have stuck in my mind for the past 40 years are Sky (1975) and Children of the Stones (1977) that were produced by HTV West for the ITV network. Lasting only 7 episodes each and never repeated since both have attained a somewhat cult-following over the years. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Guy Guden
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 03:41
I was also going to mention that show, but thought The Prisoner of far more value. TOMMORROW PEOPLE ran on American Cable Television in the early '80s and I found myself curiously attracted to some of the young girls in the series ( I also thought their was a large amount of scantily clad young boys in the show and wondered how Production thought about this ). Either way, I'm sure Humbert Humbert would have enjoyed this 'family show.' I liked the theme music, electronic. And when I flew to London in 1982 to produce the SPACE PIRATE RADIO video pilot, I found myself, during turbulence in the British Airways flight, silently talking to TIM the computer, that everything was alright.
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 11:32
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I like the anecdote, Guy. I really loved The Tomorrow People. Recall now that I did include it, but accidentally edited it out when I decided to reorder things a bit. Dean: Although not so obvious an omission for me, Children of the Stones is another I later thought of that I wish I had included. I've seen all of those. I didn't watch them as a child, but much later. I started on Sky a year or two ago, and forgot about it, but enjoyed what I saw. I think that many of these children's shows are terrific, well-written, imaginative, often well acted and conceived and do have an appeal to kids and adults alike. I highly recommend Chocky to those that haven't seen it as it's very poignant and moving, well, at least the first two series. Another later children's one I recall had some kind of spacecraft that kids found (a brown and sleek one). For quite a long time I was looking into the children's shows as there was this scene of a pyramid that kids find from I think a British show that was stuck in my head as a child. I seem to remember the Thames theme coming up at the beginning. And no, in case anyone thinks of it,its not from the US Land of the Lost (another fave of mine when young), and it's not Chocky.... ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: emigre80
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 11:39
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I wasn't living in England to see most of these, and never really felt the urge to catch up, but I saw Being Human on Netflicks a few years ago and really liked it. Especially the clever and emotionally conflicted vampire. Although to be fair I might not have noticed him particularly if he had not been so hot. |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 11:48
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Prisoner and Blake's, though to be fair I have not watched all of these ------------- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sQD8uhpWXCw" rel="nofollow - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...Road Rage Edition |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 12:17
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Some of those never made it to the states.....but I have always been a huge fan of Dr Who and The Prisoner as well. I also liked Primevil, Torchwood, and Being Human.....and there was a short lived show called Hex that was interesting because Michael Fassbender played an evil angel. I've heard Utopia is pretty good. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 13:28
Neither of those ring any bells with me. Thames series I do remember are 'Ace of Wands' and 'Shadows', with the latter being an anthology of single episode stories is a possible contender, then "a group of kids find..." is the basic premiss of most kids' SF programmes is it not?  The last children's TV series I watched with any regularity was 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' though I did manage to catch a couple of episodes of 'My Parents Are Aliens' (staring Carla Mendonça and Tony Gardener) and 'The Demon Headmaster' A few from your list that haven't been mentioned yet that I really enjoyed: 'Sapphire and Steel' - aside from the gaff that neither sapphire nor steel are elements it was a pretty cool concept. 'Doomwatch' was essential viewing - especially the episode where Toby attempted to defuse a nuclear bomb, and of course the opening episode (Mutant 59 - The Plastic Eater). I quite liked that it reminiscent of 'Quatermass', though I was too young to have seen the original 'Quatermass' tv series, I had seen all the film versions. By 'Survivor' do you mean either or both of the 'Survivors' by Terry Nation? I haven't seen the recent remake but the original was great. The best SF series of recent years won't fit in with any of your polls because it was a German/British/Canadian production: Lexx ... it went a bit flat later but the first two series were excellent. Oh, I voted The Prisoner ... nothing will ever beat it as far as I'm concerned. A visit to Portmeirion while on vacation in Wales a few years back didn't disappoint either. Unfortunately the reboot was as forgettable as the original was unforgettable. [edit: nnggg...typing this with pre-migraine aura flashing in my field of vision has resulted in silly typing errors and some dreadful grammar, sorry... not looking forward to the next few hours much...
 ]------------- What? |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 18 2016 at 14:29
I'm sorry about the migraine. And Survivor was a silly typo on my part, I meant the original Survivors. That is typical premise, but that's all I remember. I may have dreamed up the pyramid thing as I think it may be an amalgamation of shows that a saw when I was wee. Doctor Who's Pyramid's of Mars meets Tomorrow People meets Land of the Lost, maybe, but I think not. As for the other show, I'm sure I could find that with a quick search. I saw that when I was older. A lot older, looks like it was Acquila from the late 90s. As for Lexx, I was big fan of that show. I forgot that it was part British, so I did add it to the other poll. EDIT: I thought I put lLexx in te other poll, must have edted it out be mistake,like with he Tomorrow People In this poll. I had done some webwriting work for its Canadian production company regarding another show which is how I found out about it. I agree that the first two series were best. I got complaints from a certain actress for photo-shopping in a less than flattering way. I was looking to see if I could find some of those those photoshops, but I lost that image account years ago, and deleted the ones deemed offensive. I did find an exceedingly lame idea of mine for a continuation of the series after the Lexx was destroyed, which is not worth repeating here called The Adventures of Little Lexx: Tales from the Erogenous Zone. http://littlelexx.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=794" rel="nofollow - http://littlelexx.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=794 "There is a third zone. It is a dimension, not only of sight and sound, but of mind. It is a universe found between light and shadow, between the Dark Zone and the Light. They have now entered The Erogenous Zone...." I actually particularly enjoyed the first Lexx series, and for me I Worship His Shadow is one of the best sci-fi debut episodes every made. A quite disturbing, raunchy and very funny show. And yes, the Prisoner is amazing. I'm glad that Patrick McGoohan didn't become James Bond. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: May 19 2016 at 01:00
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I grew up with Doctor Who from the 1970's, but I had to vote for Sapphire & Steel. Never rebooted visually, never bettered. Always mocked by the media but six stories broken down into half hour (For some stories or "Assignments") episodes. Please invest in the complete box set it's really rewarding! Assignment Two really is as great as it's made out to be and you'd never get anything like that from America, or sadly Britain these days. |
Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: May 19 2016 at 01:04
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And series three of Lexx was brilliant! I agree the last series was a push but it had some terrific episodes and is also worth a another look at. Especially the way new Doctor Who and other recent shows were more family orientated than how far Less used to go. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 19 2016 at 05:02
Hmm, Zev or Xev?
 very good, the 7o9 and Brunnen-G spot made me laugh.
agreed.
I think his accent was too Trans-Atlantic/American to have been a convincing James Bond (or Simon Templar come to that) - John Drake's character as an American secret agent was too established for him to have changed roles to the extent that at the time of original broadcast people thought that No. 6 was John Drake (and as The Prisoner confused many who watched it that wasn't that far-fetched an idea). I did like McGoohan in Ice Station Zebra and that remains my favourite adaptation of an Alistair MacLean novel (The Satan Bug is my favourite of his novels but the film adaptation was dire). ------------- What? |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 20 2016 at 06:21
Assignment 2 is great. I'll look into getting the complete box set.
I liked Series 3 a lot too (Prince was a satisfying character), and series 4 is worth looking into again. I think I have all of the episodes on DVD in storage as someone with the series gave them to me. It did have some good episodes. My complaint at the time with Series 4 was that it was too farcical and not satirical enough, but I don't think it was a very justified complaint. Season 4 was a very interesting premise considering the events of season 3. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: May 20 2016 at 06:52
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I loved Survivors when it was first shown but I've bought the box sets and, well let's just say it hasn't aged well like a lot of these programmes. The episode when they were surrounded by "rabid" wild dogs was hilarious (actually a bunch of well-fed dogs sitting around doing nothing).
"Land of the Giants" was one of my favourites.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 20 2016 at 07:05
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^ not ageing well is a common problem, especially on low-budget TV productions. On a related note, it amused me to realise that Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is set in a future that is over 40 years in our past making it an Alternative History rather than Speculative Fiction. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 20 2016 at 07:22
Haha, it was Xenia (Xev). She was nice enough about it, and I felt bad about the unflattering photoshop composites. I thought "Das Boobs" very tasteful, though. ;) Other cast members were much more appreciative.
Thanks. It's not all as bad as I remembered, not that I had remembered it until I saw that site archived it.
One thing I thought great about the first series was the actors who they brought in which all had a certain cult cache which was appropriate because I think Lexx was sure to become a cult show. Barry Bostwick from the first, not that well known generally, but he did play Brad Majors in the phenomenal Rocky Horror Picture Show film. Then three actors that need no introduction, Tim Curry, loved Poet Man, Rutger Hauer, and Malcolm McDowell. Smart casting, I think.
I think you're altogether right about the Prisoner in Bondage (not an original pun of mine). By the way, you probably know this, but his particular Catholic sensibilities meant that he didn't like the promiscuity of Bond, nor did he like guns (despite Fall Out where one may discern in an ironic fashion that not only is all you need love, but happiness is a warm gun). I liked him in Ice Station Zebra too. Haven't read or seen the Satan Bug (know of it, though). I liked him in Scanners, and a particular favourite of mine is Hysteria. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: May 20 2016 at 18:34
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Probably not what you had in mind when the thought of British SF/fantasy was presented but you can't have British syfy without mentioning some of these: Fireball XL5, Stingray or Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: May 20 2016 at 18:39
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^ We got Scarlet years later in the States, but Fireball was very rare. Creepy stuff, gave many a kid nightmares I'm sure. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: May 20 2016 at 18:58
Or even Cold War Postulation. I do sometimes track sci-fi theory to see how well it's doing ~ 2001, Star Trek, whatever ~ and obviously the vast majority of speculative sci-fi has been either wrong and/or still too far ahead to tell. Suffice to say events move (or don't) in unexpected ways and there's barely a sign that intergalactic travel, matter transference, perfect humanoids, or even Arthur Clarke's epic conquest of the solar system will come to pass at any foreseeable time. Even things like Terminator or Blade Runner which have some basis in reality were rosy in their technologic predictions if grim in their societal ones. But that's fine with me-- something tells me life on this good Earth, as is, is much better than anywhere else or other reality. I don't care how many planets I could visit or monsters I could battle. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 21 2016 at 04:19
MacGyver! He disliked guns and always found a way of utilising them in non-firearm ways - one that made me laugh out loud was in an episode (featuring Robert Englund) where a nuclear reactor was heading for melt-down so he dismantled a revolver to use as a spanner...   ------------- What? |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 21 2016 at 08:31
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I don't know if anyone will remember this, but I also liked Orson Welles' Great Mysteries that appeared briefly in the mid-70s. Memorable theme song... ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 21 2016 at 11:08
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^ I remember it - Wells doing the classic Hitchcock introduction at the beginning followed by 30 minute 'mystery' tale with the under-rehearsed acting and poor production values that were very typical of Anglia Television's drama productions ... like their later (and more successful) Tales of the Unexpected series there was a certain kitsch appeal and the Roald Dahl stories were never dull. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 13:53
Late response. Oh yes, MacGyver was very good at jury rigging. It was made locally, so I often saw them filming, and spoke to Richard Dean Anderson at length on a location shoot up a mountain that made me very late for work (my brother became friends with him). Very nice fellow. Anyway, I'm posting because I realize that I missed an excellent zombie meets Big Brother mini-series that I have mentioned before, but only finished watching yesterday: Dead Set, which was created/ written by Charlie Brooker. Charlie Brooker is behind the superb Black Mirror (will be a series 3 this year). Also Psychoville (loved it) and Inside No. 9 should be here (guess I hadn't quite discovered those shows when I made it). And I rather think Garth Merenghi's Darkplace should be here. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 14:58
Was this the series where they accurately predicted Islamic terrorism hitting NYC ? ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 16:13
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I am still working on getting to 40 points to contribute to the polls, but my vote would without a doubt be The Prisoner. I absolutely love that show, it is my favorite television show ever. I have the complete series on blu-ray. I'm a bit obsessed with it, and I have been seen I first watched it as a kid with my dad. My one friend is absolutely obsessed with Doctor Who, she collects anything and everything related to it, I tried to get into it myself but it does absolutely nothing for me. Anyways, a little off topic but another show that I love that is like the prisoner a little was the original Avengers series with John Steed and Emma Peel. |
Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 16:49
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Well, I now reached 40 points so I casted my vote |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 18:50
Been watching it late nights on the weekends, it's a kick, soooo 1960s English kitsch with mind-control and robots and zombies and flesh-eating plants . I'm guessing that's not what Special Branch was really up to.------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 20:17
lol i know, it is so 60s but I just love it. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 20:25
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I wouldn't mind seeing a Victorian-era British spy show, something in the vein of Wild,Wild West but even more steampunk (and not Mycroft Holmes). ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 20:47
You know, I'd totally check that out. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: July 08 2016 at 21:32
Very cool idea, so would I.
I used to obsess over the Prisoner myself. I definitely have more The Prisoner related stuff than with any other show (have lots of books based on it and about it), and a friend of mine used to make The Prisoner related materials such as baby bibs, tee shorts, mugs so she gave me quite a lot of stuff. I was writing a guide for a site with that person, but never completed it. Pet, if you ever read this, sorry for not staying in touch, being lazy, or expressing my gratitude enough. I really should have included the Avengers, I love that show too. I once had a crush on Emma Peel. Other than the Prisoner, the Avengers is my favourite of those 60s spy or spy-ish ones, though I like The Saint, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Danger Man, I Spy, and Mission Impossible if not quite as much as the earlier ones (as well as ones like Wild, Wild West and Get Smart). As for Doctor Who, it really is a kids show (or target audience of 14), but I love it. I wouldn't put it at the same level as The Prisoner. It was part of my childhood, and as an adult it's something that I can enjoy with my kids. Each Doctor brings something different to the table, and for me with the latest Doctor, Peter Capaldi, Heaven Sent was one of the greatest hours of television I can think of (some hate that episode because it's so dark, stagy, and they think there are plot holes). The writing has not been consistently good over the years to say the least. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 11 2016 at 02:10
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Have you guys caught the early b&w Avengers from '61 with a young Honor Blackman? They're pretty strange videotaped affairs, not really watchable - ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 11 2016 at 04:48
I've not seen any of them. I suspect the problem with the videotaped versions is they were originally recorded on the UK 405 line, 50 fields/s PAL system which didn't convert well to the USA standard used at the time (525 lines, 60 fields/s NTSC system). Because of the way the two different frame-rates are converted this means the speed and smoothness of the playback is affected. Episodes filmed on 16mm film are easier to convert by comparison. The last thing I remember seeing Honor Blackman in is the UK version of Who's The Boss with Blackman taking on Katherine Helmond's role. While as I grow older I rarely watch more than a couple of hours a day, my early evening tv schedule for the past few weeks has been re-runs of The Saint (Roger Moore version) followed by The Avengers (Linda Thorson episodes). Initially this was a way of forcing me to stop work at 6pm (one of the pitfalls of working from home) but I've become hooked on the kitsch-style of these 1960s shows. If they put on late afternoon re-runs of Danger Man, Orlando and Adam Adamant I probably wouldn't get any work done at all. Looking at today's listings it seems that The Avengers re-runs have reverted back to showing Diana Rigg episodes (yay!) and now on Mondays I've also got to fit-in watching the return of University Challenge (uk version of the old US quiz show College Bowl) and Only Connect (a quirky game show hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell - daughter of satirist Alan Coren and wife of peep-show's David Mitchell). ------------- What? |
Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: July 11 2016 at 07:13
I've only seen a couple of those episodes but that was so long ago that I couldn't say if i liked them or not |
Posted By: BunBun
Date Posted: July 11 2016 at 07:19
That's awesome. I haven't come across many Prisoner related things, but I know there are stuff online to buy but I'm too lazy to order any of it. I bought this chest at goodwill to store some crap in and I decked it out in prisoner stuff like I printed pictures and collaged the front then I painted the map of the village on top. I'll take a picture of it later and post it. I also have the vinyl of music from the show but thats about it. I'm not into collecting things related to movies or tv shows but since I paint and draw, I just do my own picture if I'm that obsessed over it lol. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: July 11 2016 at 13:36
I've seen quite a few on American television and they are watchable imo.....not sure what you are referring to. ? Like many here probably do ..I own the complete Emma Peel Avengers series and of course The Prisoner on dvd.
------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 11 2016 at 14:52
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^ I mean they're poor; bad picture, confused direction and plot, no real style or action. Of course it was still the early days of British TV and not great transposition to non-UK sets, as Dean points out. But hey those videotaped Twilight Zones suck too. Film is almost always better. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 11 2016 at 15:15
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If they ever try to recreate the classic era, how about these two? - https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjMlaX1qezNAhUE6mMKHXkbA0AQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fentertainment.ie%2Ftv%2Fnews%2FA-new-man-for-Lady-Mary%2F167866.htm&psig=AFQjCNHbzmU6w06RQNfbK8dpAByfMDLVlQ&ust=1468357825493465" rel="nofollow">  https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.entertainment.ie%2Fimages_content%2Frectangle%2F620x372%2FMaryCrawley.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fentertainment.ie%2Ftv%2Fnews%2FA-new-man-for-Lady-Mary%2F167866.htm&docid=WvraEN-D0dyPtM&tbnid=WLyd9V6jELiKUM%3A&w=620&h=372&bih=655&biw=1194&ved=0ahUKEwjNjOWlqezNAhUY5WMKHdrrAG4QMwh7KDowOg&iact=mrc&uact=8" rel="nofollow - - - - https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwiT9J6equzNAhUG5GMKHcspDrgQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fexplore%2Fsimon-pegg%2F&psig=AFQjCNG5ENNSq1V8ksnOcRHbMtq_WYaQ4w&ust=1468358033068810" rel="nofollow">  ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 12 2016 at 00:45
Erm, no. Not wanting to be ageist but Dockery is considerably older than any former Avengers girl, that's not to say she couldn't play the Steed role ... though if we were going for the gender reversal thing I think Rachael Stirling would be more appropriate (and her mother could play Father). The actress to play the "Emma Peel" role should either be a relatively unknown or someone like Talulah Riley or Juno Temple. (there's never been a shortage of posh English twenty-somethings coming out of drama-school ... finding one that can act shouldn't be too difficult... Tuppence Middleton?). Pegg couldn't portray the Steed role with any grace or finesse (he can't act posh) - you'd need someone like Tom Hiddleston (too young) or Rupert Penry-Jones or Rupert Everett. **shudders to think of the fist of it that Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman made of it last time** ------------- What? |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 12 2016 at 01:25
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I was going against type True they could use someone with real martial arts skills-- I love Rigg but the fight choreography in the show was appalling (though Uma Thurman was no better, and not British). Have you caught Rigg playing her real daughter's mom in Detectorists ? Best series I've seen in awhile. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 12 2016 at 01:51
The fight scenes were choreographed by martial arts experts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chee_Soo" rel="nofollow - Chee Soo : "He brought Kung Fu before a western audience years before Bruce Lee had even been heard of. The Guinness_World_Records site states that "In 1965, Dame Diana Rigg (UK) became the first western actress to perform kung fu on Television when the combat choreographers Ray Austin (UK) and Chee Soo (UK/China) worked elements of the martial art into her fight scenes on The Avengers."
I have, that's what made me think of them. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 12 2016 at 18:04
I do think it was the chemistry between Macnee & Rigg that made the show so entertaining, otherwise it's just okay-- much like Streets of San Francisco or Wild,Wild West would've been flat without main characters' appealing relationship. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |