Box set and binge viewing megathread.

[Funky_Gibbon]

The US and The Holocaust

 

Powerful Ken Burns documentary for PBS, currently showing on BBC4 and all episodes on iPlayer, about the period of US history pre and post-WW2 and beyond and how the ideals and mythology the US wraps itself in stood up to the reality of how the US (as well as other countries) acted with regard to immigration and refugees, particularly Jewish refugees, in the face of the rise of Nazism and anti-semitism and fascism within the US. The ending of the series, showing without comment a montage of clips from much more recent times, makes it clear that the exact same rhetoric, talking points, policies and views being spread in the 2020s when talking about immigration and refugees are essentially verbatim of that used in the early 20th Century to dehumanise entire groups of people.

 

I heard about this documentary after I listened to the equally excellent podcast 'Ultra' that documents the US politicians and organisations in 1930s America that were acting to try and overthrow the US Government, violently and through other means, in order to bring in the same kind of ethno-fascism as had occurred in Germany, Italy etc, how many of them were found to be working directly for the Nazi and how their trial for sedition collapsed due to political interference.

[janie48]

8 hours ago, Funky_Gibbon said:

The US and The Holocaust

 

Powerful Ken Burns documentary for PBS, currently showing on BBC4 and all episodes on iPlayer, about the period of US history pre and post-WW2 and beyond and how the ideals and mythology the US wraps itself in stood up to the reality of how the US (as well as other countries) acted with regard to immigration and refugees, particularly Jewish refugees, in the face of the rise of Nazism and anti-semitism and fascism within the US. The ending of the series, showing without comment a montage of clips from much more recent times, makes it clear that the exact same rhetoric, talking points, policies and views being spread in the 2020s when talking about immigration and refugees are essentially verbatim of that used in the early 20th Century to dehumanise entire groups of people.

 

I heard about this documentary after I listened to the equally excellent podcast 'Ultra' that documents the US politicians and organisations in 1930s America that were acting to try and overthrow the US Government, violently and through other means, in order to bring in the same kind of ethno-fascism as had occurred in Germany, Italy etc, how many of them were found to be working directly for the Nazi and how their trial for sedition collapsed due to political interference.

I watched two episodes of it a few days ago on BBC I Player and intend to watch the final one later.

 

 

It was an excellent documentary and revealed so much that I was unaware of. 

For instance, apart from what you've mentioned there was all that detail about the history of Eugenics in America that had an influence on Hitler.

 

 

 

 

 

[Funky_Gibbon]

Lockwood and Co (Netflix)

 

Based on the YA novels by Jonathan Stroud in which ghosts are publicly known to exist and are a danger to the public and agencies of newly discovered people with psychic powers have been formed to deal with the problem, one of which is a small private detection agency called Lockwood and Co.

 

Overall reasonably entertaining and dark. I wouldn't mind a second season of it but since it's on Netflix it'll probably get cancelled like everything else.

Edited February 1, 2023 by Funky_Gibbon

[wearysmith]

18 minutes ago, Funky_Gibbon said:

Lockwood and Co (Netflix)

 

Based on the YA novels by Jonathan Stroud in which ghosts are publicly known to exist and are a danger to the public and agencies of newly discovered people with psychic powers have been formed to deal with the problem, one of which is a small private detection agency called Lockwood and Co.

 

Overally reasonably entertaining and dark. I wouldn't mind a second season of it but since it's on Netflix it'll probably get cancelled like everything else.

Watched all 8 episodes over 3 days. Reasonably well cast but definitely aimed at young to mid teens.

 

Not too demanding and you could see the main villain galloping over the horizon three episodes away. 

 

Thought the head-in-a-jar bit was too Monty Python.

 

But, as you say, IF there was a 2nd series I'd tune in too.

 

[cressida]

Bought boxset of 'The Good Life' for someone

[Funky_Gibbon]

2 hours ago, wearysmith said:

Watched all 8 episodes over 3 days. Reasonably well cast but definitely aimed at young to mid teens.

Given the swearing used in the series I wouldn't say it's aimed at young teens IMO but it is probably aimed at people who read the books as young teens.

[wearysmith]

This.....

 

 

....based on this....

 

 

...staring the very excellent Gemma Arterton (who some of you may recall as this vixen from the St Trinian's flick a few years back....)

 

 

All 6 episodes over a couple of days. Marvellous adaptation and they stop midway through the book so I'm hoping for a follow-up 2nd series.

[hauxwell]

Watching Breaking Bad after it was recommended by a friend.  I’m on the third episode of series 1.

I haven’t made my mind up if I will  stick with it.

 

[Al Bundy]

On 12/02/2023 at 12:14, hauxwell said:

Watching Breaking Bad after it was recommended by a friend.  I’m on the third episode of series 1.

I haven’t made my mind up if I will  stick with it.

 

Stick with it. It's worth it.

 

It takes a few episodes to get going.

[hauxwell]

On 13/02/2023 at 19:26, Al Bundy said:

Stick with it. It's worth it.

 

It takes a few episodes to get going.

I’m on the second series and I am definitely enjoying it now.   I couldn’t stop watching it on Sunday and Tuesday night.