Be Excellent To Each Other

You seem to be confusing it with Harry Potter.

No, because Harry Potter is bloody awful as a series of pieces of literature.

Having not read them, I cannot comment. All I shall say is this: they are full of magic.

You've just said you cannot comment.

All I can say is this: nine of them are my second favourite book of all time.

Anyway, to the book that was actually being talked about, it is magic. 'Magical Realism' to be more precise. Mundane settings for a wonderful storyline in which magical happenings (people unexpectedly turning into a cloud of yellow butterflies, or floating into the clouds whilst hanging out the washing) are just accepted as part of the day's events. The book itself is lovely, and a wonderful place to escape to.

You read a different copy of War and Peace to me

I didn't say originally being talked about.

Yep, totally overrated. I don't dislike the story, but the literary style isn't great.

Exactly the same. The premise and story is great (apart from the boring thousand pages in the woods), but that woman can't write for toffee.

'The Story of Scottish Art' - BBC4 yesterday.

I really enjoyed this. The visuals were amazing and the presenter's knowledge and enthusiasm was infectious. Far better than the Lucy Worlsey show about Russia that followed. I normally like her stuff but this one on Peter the Great felt far too 'Blue Peter'-ish.

флаг отплытия

I love the Worsley

The show did remind me how much I enjoy Russian history. And yes, she is good.

The Age Of Loneliness on the Beeb last night was a real eye opener for me. Simultaneously fascinating and worrying.

We don't have a wireless thread but last night's episode of 'The Archers' was the creepiest yet in the ongoing Helen/Rob storyline. Course, I knew he was evil two years ago.

How is it possible that in this day and age* we don't have a thread for the wireless?

*1951?

Please call it the wireless forever, Kern, you magical man from the past

I hope they don't get rid of him, he's splendidly creepy.

This! It's a superb performance, and a well-written character. I was in the cinema the other week and I convinced myself that he was the mystery voice doing the 'turn your phone off' annoucement.

Mimi, I'm very pleased that today's kids use the term 'wireless', even if they don't mean steam radio.

Tim Watson's dulcet tones turn up in many places (mainly video games according to his IMDB).

It's not been the same since Walter Gabriel died.

Here's a fun piece on Transdiffusion about what you could hear on 7 February 1938.

Stan Lee's Lucky Man is really rather good.

The new series of 'Raised By Wolves' started on Wednesday. Though obviously everyone knew that because you all watched it because none of you are the kind of mentalists who don't think it's amazing. Right?

I was disappointed by it. Hope it gets as good as the first series.

And what the fuck did they do to Grantchester? Depressing, poor plot, poor acting. Must be the 'difficult series two' syndrome.

The Night Manager, on the other hand, is the dog's wossnames.

We watched a BBC junk TV thing called 'who's the Boss?' Or something similar, about team hiring of a new position at Brewdog.

Man, what an insufferable bunch of knobs. The CEO was just a giant penis employing a load of beards with jeans that were too tight.

My ears are burning

Yeah, you'd probably fit in there.

Victoria Coren-Mitchell's interview with Sandi Toksvig on Radio 4 just now was an utter joy.

They are two of my favourite three women on TV. Get Dr Alice Roberts in between them and it'd be the most amazing party evereverever.

Fresh Meat is back, and it's better than ever. I hardly ever hear anyone talk about it, but it's a cracking wee show.

Is that the one with Jack Whitehall?

I find him funny, but also want to bury an axe in his head.

Yes, although he's only 1/6th of the core cast. It also has one of the blokes from The Inbetweeners in it. Probably more relevant in terms of tone, though, is to tell you that it was created by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, who also created Peep Show. What's good about it is that blends some real pathos in amongst the jokes, in that way that only British comedy seems to be able to do. I guarantee Jack Whitehall will make you sad if you get as far as the end of the second season, and I don't say that lightly.

I don't know. I think that shows such as Scrubs have a pretty good blend and balance of pathos amongst the pure comedy.

I've just watched Have I Got News For You from last September (I think) when Jeremy Clarkson was presenting and Richard from Pointless was murdering him at every moment. What a joy to watch. Pointless Richard is just brilliant.

I seem to recall that they are quite good mates IRL.

Fresh meat is awesome. I binged on the first 3 series a few weeks ago. I imagine this one will be the last though as they'll all be done with uni by the end of it.

It's because they are both tall. All tall people are in some weird club of tall people. They have a code.

Can confirm.

Replace Tall with "Rich"

Is what someone said to Mrs Gaywood Snr.

Finished S4 last night. The whole of the last season was notably darker in tone than previous ones, and it was better for it. It delivered possibly the best scene of the show; the kids attempt to convince a cynical 18 year old that he should go to University too, expecting to win him over with shallow "yeah but it's loads of fun," only to have him turn around and point out the job market for graduates has never been worse, graduates are accruing record amounts of debt, and none of them want a career path that's anything to do with their degrees anyway. Like most of Fresh Meat's best bits, it relied on allowing the character's bonhomie to crack and show the insecurity underneath. In fact the whole show is a study in insecurity -- with six characters all papering over their deepest fears in different ways and with different levels of success.

The finale (they all graduated) was rather sad in an end-of-the-road way, especially as you cannot help but think back to your own university experiences.

It really is a great show that built to a fantastic last season, I can't say enough good things about it. It's as good as Peep Show for my money.

Indeed, it was excellent, and I'll miss it, but in the meantime ....... the new series of Plebs has begun. How I missed Grumio, and how pleased I am to see his return.

Aaaaaand, I hope you're all watching The A Word on the Beeb. Christopher Eccleston's one-liners (to his son, 'You'll always be in the medals at the twat Olympics,') are beautifully delivered, and the lad who plays Joe is brilliant.

'No such thing as the news'. It's 'No such thing as a fish', but with pictures.

Started catching up on 'Peaky Blinders'. Need to find time to watch series two of the 'Hollow Crown'.

Had about 30 texts from a couple of my mates last night

They were finding this hilarious and asking me to record it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filt ... -as-a-dog/

One of my mates is coming over Saturday so we will be watching it then as I have Youview and can go back 7 days for most TV

Have a horrible curiosity.............Now its time for dog joke replies

Heh. Might have to give that a go. The show that is, not puppy-play.

BBC Four did another 'Hidden Killers' last night - this time round it was the 1950s. Unlike the Tudor one there were no water sequences with interesting camera angles but it was an enjoyable look at the dangers of domestic life in a different period nonetheless.

For anyone who's not already seen it Alan Partridge's Scissored Isle was glorious.

Finished 'Peaky Blinders' last night. Enjoyed it immensely, and some gripping moments, especially the tension in the railway train scene. Didn't feel as well-paced as the previous seasons but the main cast, the photography, and the soundtrack were as brilliant as ever.

The Tunnel - it's a remake of The Bridge. But in English. And involving The Tunnel, rather than The Bridge. It's a pretty good whodunnit and cast well. Worth a watch.