Hi Mark,
Yes, it is a little dispiriting to find that any discussion beyond sex related topics tends to have a bit of a short shelf life. Makes you wonder why? All small penis guys only ever discuss themselves? I hope not, because, if so, then that might be the reason why people don't get far with women or anybody else for that matter.
Be that as it may.
Brian Cranston, I had to look him up first, then I got it, the Breaking Bad chap. No, the series does have its merrits but it is just not my cup of tea.
The Fugitive, another one I had to look up on IMDB. Ah, 'Auf der Flucht' as it was called in Germany. I remember that. At the time I liked it, these days it seems little more then milking an idea into submission. It was different in the 60s though, you weren't flooded with all those programmes, well, there were only 2 in Germany back then anyway and you were grateful for anything that was different.
As for 'Real Life' TV... They seem to have lost the idea of the 'real' bit a long time ago. I did try and sit through a Big Brother once, some 10 years ago, no don't worry, I didn't succeed. I did manage about 10 minutes of having to listen to mindless drivel from people who couldn't tie their shoelaces. But it is still ongoing I understand and those morons are still being hailed as 'celebrities'.
There was one chick here in the UK that tried to make it as a singer later, don't ask me for a name. She apparently came to perform at one of the nightclubs in town here and they booed her off the stage for her singing, but not before demanding 'get your tits out', which was most likely her true claim to fame.
Don't even get me started on 3D. Paying a premium for the (dis)pleasure of having to sit there with a piece of cardboard nailed to my nose? I don't think so. Quite apart from which, I don't see any 3D anyway.
I don't recall if I ever recommended '
Following (1998)' to you. I think this might be right up your street, talking about dark and brooding.
A little pricy in the US I am afraid, so if you can find it anywhere else but Amazon, you might be in for a real treat.
Check it out on Amazon here:
Amazon.com: Following: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell, John Nolan, Dick Bradsell, Gillian El-Kadi, Jennifer Angel, Nicolas Carlotti, Darren Ormandy, Guy Greenway, Tassos Stevens, Tristan Martin, Rebecca James, Paul Mason (VI), David Bovill, . Oh, just spotted it on sale on Amazon as a second hand for around 5 dollars. Money well spent, believe me.
Made on a shoestring budget of only 6,000$ it is one of the best of its genre, at least I'd like to think so and the end is tragic alright.
What do you mean by poisoning American TV? You surely mean world wide, don't you? I couldn't agree more, there is just so much mindless rubbish coming from the USA these days it is unbelievable. Even my mainstay, documentaries, aren't what they used to be.
I've been a member of the National Geographic since about 1962 if I recall correctly but these days I try and avoid the US versions of their TV programmes like the plague. The difference between UK and US versions is so vast, hard to believe you are watching the same programme.
Worst recent example being 'Around the World in 90 Minutes' about the ISS orbit and what happens on Earth during one such revolution. The US original actually runs for 90 mins, yet contains very little useful information, while the cut to 60 minute UK version I ended up watching twice, information overkill, too much to take in in one go.
But there is still PBS, their NOVA series I sometimes download off the web. There is still room for some braincells in their programmes.
On the whole I think this reflects what Europeans think of the USA being like, a bit of a generalisation, I know, but it does appear that Americans do like simple solutions for very complex problems. Not offence meant.
Right, I have to have another look at one of our cats, limping on the right front paw and also unable to feed properly, looks like he injured himself in the mouth somehow.