My parents--a physician and a nurse who helped with his research--found House frustrating. Mostly, the show was incredibly accurate and detailed when dealing with medical issues, but then made incredible leaps of logic. They could never stop watching the show, but they were never entirely satisfied watching it.
My wife and I watched House early this year. Certainly, it induces hypochondria. A good counterpoint is Doc Martin, another show about a cantankerous physician. This show is more about the relationships of the physician to the small town people he administers, and has little medical mystery.
@Katrina - I think it was me. It was so slow we nearly gave up after the first episode, but it was well worth continuing with. Although this was set in New Zealand, I think, it was a bit liked the subtitled Nordic crime series we are regularly getting - The Killing, The Bridge, Wallander and so on. If you can bear the subtitles these are all well worth watching if you like Top of the Lake.
Freaking subtitles. I need to reset my Roku or something because it suddenly decided we want subtitles in Spanish for no apparent reason. A Google search tells me this is not uncommon.
It's weird to me with Roku/netflix how some things have automatic subtitles and some have to have subtitles turned on. The kids are always yelling at me for leaving on subtitles. Then sometimes something will be not English but not subtitled, but when I turn them on it will just say "speaking Russian" or something like that, so I'm never sure if it was just never meant to be subtititled. Happens a lot with X-Files. I can't remember if they just never did subtitles.
The Spanish subtitles are adding another level of intrigue to House of Cards season 2. Guys are plotting in Chinese and I'm getting Spanish translations, so I, like Frank Underwood, don't know what is going to happen!
I don't recall ever seeing subtitles on X-Files, but it's been quite awhile since I've watched more than an episode or two.
@cafreema I had something similar happen when I was in a hotel in Kentucky watching GoT which was in Spanish. It was weird because only that channel was in Spanish. Thankfully some Googling helped me track down the tv settings.
greg, that's funny - I almost gave up after the 1st episode of "Top of the Lake", also. But since it was in the DVD player and I hadn't quite decided what to swtich to next, I let it continue to play and got drawn in. Then looked it up online & realized Jane Campion had her hand in it. Now I might need to re-watch "The Piano".
X-Files had a marathon on yesterday, all the episodes starting from the beginning. Not sure how long that is going to last. They started repeating some of them later in the evening.
We watched the first two episodes of Honourable Woman last night. It is a thriller set mainly in London with Israel also coming into it. It is still being broadcast, I think four more to go. Although the content is very different to Top of the Lake it is another of those slow series that will build up. Already some false leads are apparent. So far highly recommended with good reviews too.
Thanks for the good wishes, everyone - I would have responded sooner but my weekend got interrupted by spiking a fever and the white coats hauling me in again in an overabundance of caution. No problem though apparently. I've had Lost Weekends in my life that were much more fun though.
We have been off medically themed shows since my mother-in-law's prolonged illness a while ago - my current situation is unlikely to reverse that trend.
Thanks, BT - excellent news. The DVR had wiped the first several episodes of Season 3 I had recorded - anyone else ever had a PBS program that there should have been enough room for that ended up wiping older programs like it was way longer? Happened to me twice. Anyhow I decided after that I would just wait and catch up when Season 3 hit Netflix.
After staying with the new SyFy creepy angel show Dominion I've had it - too little return for the creep factor. Did enjoy seeing Giles as a heavy, but not enough to stay on board.
Am a few episodes behind still, but I confess to Defiance as a quasi-guilty pleasure.
Is anybody watching "Masters of Sex"? I'm not (and indeed can't, because I don't have HBO). But I have a question about it - I assume it has scenes where they are observing couples having sex, hooked up to equipment, etc.
Is that correct? If somebody has seen the show and can let me know, I'd appreciate it. This actually has to do with some research news I am writing up...I want to use a "Masters of Sex" reference, but not sure if it's appropos.
I'm watching it, although it's on Showtime not HBO.
There are indeed scenes were people are observed having sex while hooked up to machines. More often than not they are solo women, but there are couples as well.
Thanks Craig...Can't tell your premium cable channels without cable. Suffice it to say that research in this area is still going on, and in fact using motion-capture technology!
1) Outlander: My wife is a huuuuge fan of the books and has been eagerly awaiting the show. It's on Starz, which means we have Starz now, because she was not going to miss it. It wasn't bad. It's historic fiction/romance with a bit of fantasy thrown in. Main character is a WWII nurse who through some sort of Gaelic magic ends up in 17th Century Scotland halfway through the episode. Her nurse skills keep her alive/not raped, and now she's going to be trapped in a love triangle with her WWII era husband and a 17th Century Scottish rebel. The rebels are being pursued by a captain of the Dragoons who is her husband's ancestor (and played by the same actor obviously). I'm not going to love it, but the wife will so I'll keep watching.
2) The Honourable Woman: A joint venture of the BBC and Sundance, stars Maggie Gyllenhall as the British/Israeli head of a weapons manufacturer founded by her hardcore Israeli father. She's taking the company in a different direction as she believes the best protection for Israel is a wealthy (and thereby less terrorist producing) Palestine, but she has secrets. It's a political thriller, and looks quite good after one episode. Gyllenhall's British accent is actually quite impressive to my American ears, too, which is always helpful. It also stars the father of the murdered boy on Broadchurch as her brother, and the Outlander husband/captain of the Dragoons as her bodyguard (he is also Edmure Tully on GoT).
I've seen the first 5 eps of The Honourable Woman and it's really good. Based on comments by critics who've seen them all, it's holds up til the end. Maggie G is really great, I actually checked her Wikipedia to see if she was English - I'm mean, I knew she wasn't but her accent is very good so I had to check. Stephen Rea is a highlight too.
We've now reached episode 6 of the Honourable Woman - next one on in a couple of days, with final one next week. Superb thriller, fully recommended. The preview suggests American intelligence enters the story in the next episode...
Now upto the penultimate episode of the Honourable Woman. I won't spoil it, but fascinating stuff. Looking forward to the final part on Thursday evening, as I am sure there will be even more twists.
Watched the final part of Honourable Woman last night- some twists and turns but I won't spoil it. If you haven't seen this series it is well worth chasing up if you like slow build thrillers.
I guess being jealous of people with fancy cable. I only have what they "network" stations; whatever that means. Fox, but no FXX. Although I could probably find Fox News for free if I were so inclined; cults are always generous with their material. As for Simpsons episodes, at least I can still scroll a good chunk of them in my head. "Na-na-na-na na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na na-na-na-na, Leader!"
OK Downton fans - the new series started on Sunday with a 90 minute episode. No spoilers, but it was mainly an episode to start new themes running, as well as continuing some existing story lines. I am sure I read somewhere that this series was going to be 8 episodes plus a Christmas special, in which George Clooney appears. As good as ever.
Also still watching House. Thanks a lot Katrina for the massive spoiler re. House and Cutty. But actually waiting for that to happen makes the show more enjoyable. I didn't tell my wife. She still kinda thinks something's going to happen with Cameron. Which maybe it will - don't tell me! Last nights episode featured Dave Matthews as a (literal) half-wit.
I've been watching an Australian TV miniseries called "the Slap." It's based on a novel of the same name about a wild child that gets slapped at a BBQ and his parents go ballistic. Each episode is a different character's POV, sort of like Skins.
My wife and I started watching a Netflix Original series last night called Happy Valley. Set in Yorkshire, England it follows a tough, but empathetic police sergeant as she tries to an effective cop and leader in the face of a lot of challenges. I hate most police dramas, but this one has enough going on to keep me engaged.
Comments
My wife and I watched House early this year. Certainly, it induces hypochondria. A good counterpoint is Doc Martin, another show about a cantankerous physician. This show is more about the relationships of the physician to the small town people he administers, and has little medical mystery.
@ BDB - Best wishes too for a speedy recovery
What a weird glitch.
Craig
I don't recall ever seeing subtitles on X-Files, but it's been quite awhile since I've watched more than an episode or two.
Craig
X-Files had a marathon on yesterday, all the episodes starting from the beginning. Not sure how long that is going to last. They started repeating some of them later in the evening.
We have been off medically themed shows since my mother-in-law's prolonged illness a while ago - my current situation is unlikely to reverse that trend.
After staying with the new SyFy creepy angel show Dominion I've had it - too little return for the creep factor. Did enjoy seeing Giles as a heavy, but not enough to stay on board.
Am a few episodes behind still, but I confess to Defiance as a quasi-guilty pleasure.
Is that correct? If somebody has seen the show and can let me know, I'd appreciate it. This actually has to do with some research news I am writing up...I want to use a "Masters of Sex" reference, but not sure if it's appropos.
There are indeed scenes were people are observed having sex while hooked up to machines. More often than not they are solo women, but there are couples as well.
Craig
1) Outlander: My wife is a huuuuge fan of the books and has been eagerly awaiting the show. It's on Starz, which means we have Starz now, because she was not going to miss it. It wasn't bad. It's historic fiction/romance with a bit of fantasy thrown in. Main character is a WWII nurse who through some sort of Gaelic magic ends up in 17th Century Scotland halfway through the episode. Her nurse skills keep her alive/not raped, and now she's going to be trapped in a love triangle with her WWII era husband and a 17th Century Scottish rebel. The rebels are being pursued by a captain of the Dragoons who is her husband's ancestor (and played by the same actor obviously). I'm not going to love it, but the wife will so I'll keep watching.
2) The Honourable Woman: A joint venture of the BBC and Sundance, stars Maggie Gyllenhall as the British/Israeli head of a weapons manufacturer founded by her hardcore Israeli father. She's taking the company in a different direction as she believes the best protection for Israel is a wealthy (and thereby less terrorist producing) Palestine, but she has secrets. It's a political thriller, and looks quite good after one episode. Gyllenhall's British accent is actually quite impressive to my American ears, too, which is always helpful. It also stars the father of the murdered boy on Broadchurch as her brother, and the Outlander husband/captain of the Dragoons as her bodyguard (he is also Edmure Tully on GoT).
Craig
Craig
Also still watching House. Thanks a lot Katrina for the massive spoiler re. House and Cutty. But actually waiting for that to happen makes the show more enjoyable. I didn't tell my wife. She still kinda thinks something's going to happen with Cameron. Which maybe it will - don't tell me! Last nights episode featured Dave Matthews as a (literal) half-wit.