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ceinwen63
Reviews
Magpie Murders (2022)
What the Brits do best
I loved this show. I haven't read the book so I can't compare but anything attached to Anthony Horowitz is always good. The way the story within a story was done was excellent and the pace was also perfect. Timothy Spall is a great actor but I don't think he could have improved upon Tim McMullan's Atticus Pünd. I would love to see an Atticus Pünd spin-off to fill the gap left since David Suchet hung up his Poirot spats.
The Midwich Cuckoos (2022)
It's OK but too long
I found some of the direction a bit trippy as well as the music being very overpowering and I also found some of the adult characters a bit hard to like apart from Max Beesley and Ukweli Roach. However, it's an update of a classic and who gives a fig about the diverse casting and "accuracy of English village life", so what? This is almost always the case in TV/movies.
Overall I enjoyed it because I did see Village of the Damned in black and white when I was a kid and I don't object to it being updated but I think a shorter movie format would have worked better; I don't think there was enough content to justify 7 episodes.
Moving On (2009)
A plethora of well-known British TV actors
I have been binging this series as I live outside the UK and I have just discovered them on AcornTV. Some great and totally relatable stories and characters and they all have a conclusion (mostly happy-ish endings). I see they also have been directed by the likes of Paul McGann and Johnny Vegas. A fantastic showcase of the very best of British TV.
Burn Notice (2007)
Great show
As many other reviewers have done, I binge-watched this in lockdown.
It has retained it's freshness and the acting all round is great; especially Sharon Gless in the later seasons as a mother who has lost her spark with the loss of a child.
The show definitely gets darker as time goes on but I think that was a natural direction to take.
I would really recommend people catch the show while it's available for streaming whether or not they watched it originally because I do think it stands the test of time and was probably underrated when it was released.
White Lines (2020)
Glad I read the reviews after I watched it
Much of what has already been said is accurate: Many of the characters are really unlikeable but it has a strong ensemble cast of many familiar faces in British TV acting and the initial premise is quite a draw when you initially like Axel because he seems to really love his sister. In common with other reviewers I found that Boxer is the most likeable character even though you see him torture one person and kill 2 people; he is the only one who is a straight up what you see is what you get personality. The locations are great visually. I did binge it over a couple of days and I enjoyed it even with its flaws. I would say that's it's far better than the one and two stars given by some so I give a 10 to up the average.
Strike (2017)
Must watch
There is lots to love about this show. I must admit to finding something really sexy about Tom Burke's portrayal of Cormoran Strike. He shows an innate inner kindness and just deals with what life has thrown at him. I also love the chemistry between Tom and Holliday Grainger. As an ex-pat living in NZ the shots of London make me homesick. The stories seem to be just the right length and not too over-complicated.
I haven't read these books but I did read all the HP books by Jo Rowling and good writing is good writing. There are a lot of familiar faces in the supporting casts which is usually a good sign.
I binged it this weekend and I'm glad to discover there is a 4th book which is going to be adapted. I may have to watch them again in the meantime.
Dérapages (2020)
Don't watch the dubbed version
Eric Cantona holds a good cast together with a great performance but the dubbing really distracts from it. The plot is a bit wild but the cast as a whole make it believable. It's just the dubbing - I really prefer to watch foreign language shows in the original language. Worth a watch if you can find it without the dubbing.
The Blacklist (2013)
Save us all from Lizzy
I was totally addicted to this show and as all reviewers seem to agree; James Spader is outstanding. Elizabeth Keen however is getting more and more irritating. Megan Boone seems to be whispering a lot of her dialogue which seems to be extent of her dramatic range. She is not being well served by her script/storyline either as it is a bit unbelievable that she would embrace the new neighbour in such a way without mentioning it to her friends or the "father" she professes to love. Surely one of them would think to red-flag this woman? Raymond definitely would. I will persevere to the end as I have come this far and I still enjoy Red's cunning genius. I hope James Spader finds another suitable outlet for his acting chops when the show comes to an end but I can see Megan Boone slipping back into obscurity. It's also been great seeing Brian Dennehy as a regular.
Oxford Street 24/7 (2018)
Things you don't even think about
Fascinating inside look at things like rescuing badly treated dogs from beggars to adding extra branches to thicken the Berkeley Square Christmas tree. Managing Oxford Circus station looks like a nightmare as does the installations of Christmas lights. Armies of previously unsung heroes get to show how hard they work. Makes me want to get on a plane back to London.