TV Programmes You'd Recommend To A Friend

**SkStu** · 03/12/2013, 2:41 AM

I had to edit my post because of a spoiler. Got carried away! But caught it quickly!

**stann** · 03/12/2013, 6:22 AM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

I quite enjoyed this. All three episodes still on RTEs player for another while for anyone who missed it. BBC 2'll be showing it later this month as well apparently. It's caused quite a wee s**t-storm with a good many Poles who've objected to the depiction of the Polish Partisans as being as anti-Semetic as the Germans.

I thought the title 'Generation War' a little silly just. In German it's known as 'Our Mothers, Our Fathers' which would've done fine.

Would go a bit further than "quite enjoyed" I think, thought it was an outstanding bit of telly, and would highly recommend it to anyone. The five lead actors are superb, the characters nicely shaded, and the action scenes visceral. Every bit as good as 'Band of Brothers meets Heimat' might sound!

Well worth a watch on the player, but better still on BBC if they do eventually show it, which is far from certain apparently, they've form for promising programmes only to quietly forget them later on, and they've still not fixed a date despite flagging it up from last August.

The alternate title is a little clunky admittedly, but it did need to be different. I don't think the original name has the same import outside of Germany - the five kids don't represent our mothers and fathers at the end of the day.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 03/12/2013, 9:12 AM

If the beeb do go ahead and show it it'll be the first non-anglophonic series in a couple of decades apparently. I wouldn't be surprised if they did get cold feet as apparently any number of British-Poles survivors and veterans organisations have complained and objected.

I tend to take with fair sized tumbler of salt any assertion by film makers artists etc that they "wanted to start a discussion" about whatever controvertial topic it is they're broaching -they often want to break the crust, give the ****e a stir and watch their projects profile rise on the added attention. But if that was the intention of the makers it's working to some extent at least.

Anti-semitism existed there as it did here, as it did elsewhere and the idea it was all the nazis idea that they were the root of all ills is very convenient in some ways. A French friend told me a while back that it's only in recent years that people there have begun to examine and face up to uncomfortable facts and solid data about the role of locals in the Nazi administration of occupied France. For example in many areas the Gestapo ordered local officials and the Gendarmerie to draw up lists of local Jews and other "undesirables", set them targets and deadlines for doing so only to have to tell them to cool their jets as they were exceeding the targets and the Germans capacity to process them.

**Neish** · 05/12/2013, 1:16 PM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

I quite enjoyed this. All three episodes still on RTEs player for another while for anyone who missed it. BBC 2'll be showing it later this month as well apparently. It's caused quite a wee s**t-storm with a good many Poles who've objected to the depiction of the Polish Partisans as being as anti-Semetic as the Germans.

I thought the title 'Generation War' a little silly just. In German it's known as 'Our Mothers, Our Fathers' which would've done fine.

Yeah great show, but don't think it really showed the Partisans to be overly anti-semetic. Anti-semitism was very wide spread in those times and if the Poles think there were none in the Partisans they are deluded

**Lionel Ritchie** · 05/12/2013, 9:56 PM

Originally Posted by Neish

Yeah great show, but don't think it really showed the Partisans to be overly anti-semetic. Anti-semitism was very wide spread in those times and if the Poles think there were none in the Partisans they are deluded

My point exactly. You put it more succinctly though. But the Poles are very upset. Their Ambassadors have lodged protests in any territory it's been shown so far. They've pointed out that of the 20,000+ people on Israels list of 'noble gentiles' or whatever they call it (people who helped save Jews from the Nazis basically) that over 6000 of them are Polish nationals.
True I'm sure, but every country has it's mix of heroes and dicks.

**Neish** · 03/01/2014, 4:34 PM

Season 2 of "The Bridge" starts on BBC4 tomorrow night at 9pm. Excellent Scandinavian show anyone who likes "The Killing" or "Borgen" should enjoy it

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01nryd0

**Neish** · 15/01/2014, 10:13 AM

Vikings starts on RTE 26th Janunary, Shot in Ireland staring & Gabriel Byrne been hearing good things about it

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 15/01/2014, 4:55 PM

Anyone watch The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler?

Engrossing stuff. Say what you want about the man, he was a great orator. That's cult of personality at its worst.

**Neish** · 26/01/2014, 5:28 PM

Originally Posted by Neish

Vikings starts on RTE 26th Janunary, Shot in Ireland staring & Gabriel Byrne been hearing good things about it

Reminder this starts on RTE2 tonight at 9:30pm.

Also the excellent Danish political drama "Borgen" starts on TG4 on Thursday 30th Jan. Anyone who likes he West Wing should enjoy

**Neish** · 30/01/2014, 9:55 AM

Borgen starts on TG4 at 11pm tonight. Very good Danish political drama, West Wing fans should enjoy

http://www.rte.ie/ten/listings/41082944_tv_Borgen

**Macy** · 31/01/2014, 8:59 AM

Watched Borgen last night. Enjoyed the first one, although not tempted to pull the trigger on acquiring the whole season(s) yet.

I'm up to mid-season 4 of The Walking Dead. Surprised by how it's pulled me in to be honest. Not one of the all time greats, but pretty bloody good all the same imo.

Just wanted to add, I'm reserving judgment on Vikings. Will be watching episode 2, but it's a bit distracting recognising so many locations within 5 minutes of where we live to be honest!

**SkStu** · 31/01/2014, 3:26 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

Just wanted to add, I'm reserving judgment on Vikings. Will be watching episode 2, but it's a bit distracting recognising so many locations within 5 minutes of where we live to be honest!

Macy, are you only getting the first season of Vikings over there now? We got it here early last year iirc.

It's very good. Gets better as the season goes on. Stick with it.

**Macy** · 31/01/2014, 3:35 PM

Originally Posted by SkStu

Macy, are you only getting the first season of Vikings over there now? We got it here early last year iirc.

It's very good. Gets better as the season goes on. Stick with it.

Only on free tv now, pretty sure it was on a subscription channel (discovery?) last year (I don't do pay TV!).

**Neish** · 03/02/2014, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

Watched Borgen last night. Enjoyed the first one, although not tempted to pull the trigger on acquiring the whole season(s) yet.

Its a bit of a slow starter but get good

**geysir** · 05/02/2014, 11:21 PM

I thought the Generation War series was excellent but seriously marred by its fixation to present the entire Polish nation as either anti-semite or collaborators who would sell you for a piece of bread. The Polish resistance was portrayed as being 100% anti semites, jews were treated worse than poisoned rats.
In most places in Europe 1930's onwards there were varying elements of anti semitism, but for the most part it was only in those countries that Germany occupied was antisemitism empowered to extreme levels of violent hate. The film makers sort of evaded that little detail and presented german antisemitism as if it was just a bit player in the game of widespread antisemitism at that time,. They went further than that when it came to the polish resistance, they sought to portray the polish resistance as worse anti semites than the germans themselves. Well, history doesn't support that. Polish resistance in WW2 was a mixed bag. The leader of the polish resistance got himself interred in Auschwitz to document what went on and send the evidence to the Allied command.

When it came to the Polish resistance we were treated to a very good debate re the morality of resistance actions considering the heavy weight the reprisals by the occupiers but no such very good debate when it came to Jews, it appears all Poland were more anti semite than the Germans themselves.

**gustavo** · 06/02/2014, 11:43 AM

Been watching recently

Parks and Recreation - First 4 or so seasons were great, it's starting to get a bit samey now though
Banshee - Brilliant mindless fun doesn't take itself seriously at all
Mad Men - Really enjoying this - not much happens but I always look forward to the next episode.
True Detective - Just started on HBO two great actors in the lead roles , very atmospheric and intense.

**tetsujin1979** · 06/02/2014, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

Been watching recently

Parks and Recreation - First 4 or so seasons were great, it's starting to get a bit samey now though
Banshee - Brilliant mindless fun doesn't take itself seriously at all
Mad Men - Really enjoying this - not much happens but I always look forward to the next episode.
True Detective - Just started on HBO two great actors in the lead roles , very atmospheric and intense.

True Detective is dark, seriously dark.