I watch less and less "live" TV. But Sunday evenings is a time when traditionally we've chilled out watching something on BBC or ITV as it is being broadcast. Such viewing should be relatively easy to watch, no great intellectual challenge. Maybe a joke or two. When Sundays was a "work" day, with lots of church stuff, by 8pm we were usually shattered, ready to collapse in front of mindless entertainment. Like that Scottish series which ran from 2000-2005, which we referred to as Monica Thurrglenn.
Then we moved on to a new detective series set in the South of France. "Murder in Provence" stars Roger Allam and Nancy Carroll. I was really looking forward to this -
I love Allam's mellifluous tones, whether he is playing Endeavour's boss, Fred Thursday, or narrating the Cbeebies children's show "Sarah and Duck". Nancy Carroll [Lady Felicia in Father Brown] has a cut glass English accent, and a trim figure, always stylish. Her mother is played by Patricia Hodge [now 75] But the slightly peculiar thing is that it is set in Provence and these people with their beautiful English accents are playing French characters.
NC has the slightly bizarre name "Marine Bonnet" which looks like sailor's headgear. Provence looks lovely.
That series was very brief and has been followed by Van Der Valk. Piet is a Dutch copper, living on a houseboat in Amsterdam. More beautiful architecture, and bicycles. As with MIP, VDV has British actors throughout - so we get a range of regional accents - Yorkshire, Cockney, Brummie, Scottish [not heard Norfolk yet] The original Van Der Valk [1992-97] was also done with British actors. This series is perhaps too serious, with a bit too much blood and gore to pass the Monica Test - but we've enjoyed it nonetheless. And unlike the Euro time of Walter Presents, we do not need subtitles.
No, we've never watched Call The Midwife [my own experience of childbirth means I wouldn't find the programme 'light entertainment'!] but I did like Downton Abbey, and All Creatures Great and Small [a new season coming next spring]
Do you have favourite Sunday night shows which pass the Monica Test?
We've enjoyed Van De Valk too; my father (aged 93) didn't get on with it as he remembered the books my Nicholas Freeling and first TV series too well. Have you hunted up Maigrait on one of the catch-up channels? Only a couple of episodes, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI have - but I have to say I think Rowan Atkinson was excellent in the episodes he did.(but I'm a bit biased - he and Bob were in same dramatic society at Oxford)
DeleteI used to love the David Suchet Poirots when they were broadcast at that time. The costumes and scenery were as much fun as the plots.
ReplyDeleteYes they were beautifully filmed, and some very period-authentic properties used
DeleteWe always used to watch the midwife series, because I loved 'going back' to the sixties! I remember VdeV from many years ago, it had a very catchy theme tune. Country File is my husband's favourite programme.
ReplyDeleteThe new VdeV tune has a clever riff on the old one. I remember back then someone wrote less than successful lyrics.
DeleteAt last I've found someone else who couldn't watch Call the Midwife, much as I love my children I'd rather not be reminded of their birth!
ReplyDeleteMidwifery is a hot topic in this family right now
DeleteIf I ever settle down to watch tv I shall have to watch Van der Valk - I am a fan of Marc Warren.
ReplyDeleteHe is a good actor isn't he?
DeleteI wrote about VdV in today's blog post - great minds thinking alike. I have enjoyed it, but as you say, it's not as "cosy" as MotG. We have always enjoyed Call the Midwife - I'm surprised MrFD is as enthusiastic about "the Nurses" as I am. It's a great series, and I heard Heidi Thomas talking to Fi & Jane about writing the series: really interesting (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09g9q22)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteWe also really enjoyed Monica, McDonald & Dodds, Murder in Provence and Van der Valk, and Call The Midwife was of no interest at all to us!
ReplyDeleteAlthough the first three original series of Van der Valk was more or less compulsory viewing in my parent's home, (I even bought the 'single' of Eye Level, the theme tune for my Dad), I didn't bother watching the later two series in the early nineties. I know it sounds daft, but I found Barry Foster utterly repulsive to look at, and it never graced the screen in our own house!
I'm not fussy about the look of Marc Warren either, but I've really enjoyed the two series so far!
The 'new' All Creatures is SO much better than the original, and we're looking forward to that starting again.
I'm not a Downton fan at all, which is odd considering how much I love Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville!
My favourite Sunday evenings were many years ago when our son was at Primary school. As soon as 'the boy' was in bed, the ironing board would come out and I'd do all the ironing whilst watching Jeeves and Wooster, followed by Poirot, they were happy times!
Yes, I agree about "All creatures". I think Sam West is excellent as Siegfried (apparently Robert Hardy was a family friend)
DeleteWe hardly watch TV at all but i am a fan of CTM. I like it for the social history and the fashions. As someone who was never able to repeat the birthing experience after the first time, i tend to shut out the birth parts. Also loved Downton of course. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI think Downton is "Marmite" - a love-it/hate-it programme (I am definitely pro)
DeleteWe are really enjoying this series of Van der Valk, Marc Warren has really made the character his own now. I really do enjoy Call the Midwife and love the historical accuracy of it all as it moves forward through time.
ReplyDeleteMcDonald and Dodds is really unique isn't it and I love his old fashioned detective skills. Another series that I really got into was The Bridge, although I think that might have been on a Friday rather than Sunday ... and it had subtitles!
The only problem about The Bridge is that I can't knit and read subtitles at the same time! I really enjoyed it (but I struggle to drive over the bridge at the Dartford Crossing, I'd NEVER manage a long one across the sea!!
DeleteHave been watching many of these, Downton, McDonald & Dodds, Murder in Provence, but not VdeV - somehow never got into it. Of the older series, yes, Poirot was good, but my all time favourite Agatha Christie series was the Joan Hickson Miss Marples - for me she totally captured the character as I remembered it from the books.
ReplyDeleteJoan Hickson was the best ever Miss Marple. Little details, like her knitting style, were convincing... She had got the complete character
DeleteWe get some of these on Britbox. We did enjoy McDonald and Dodds - Jason Watkins is a real gem of an actor. Must see if Van Der Valk is available. We are currently working through "New Tricks" which can be very humorous.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the first few series of New Tricks - loved the fact that James Bolam's REAL wife plays the SCREEN wife of Alun Armstrong. In later series Dennis, Waterman's dentures play a role of their own
DeleteWe are currently watching Murder in Provence and are going to start McDonalds and Dodds. Recently the daytime drama I have watched since 1972 has decided to go to a streaming channel and everybody is up in arms about it but it is getting to the point that we either stream programs or record them. Very convenient.
ReplyDeleteM&D is good, I enjoy Jason Watkins' acting, and love the Bath architecture. Wondering which daytime series you mean...
DeleteI might try MiP then.
ReplyDeleteI watch Doctor Who when it's on on Sunday but because our stupid TV doesn't do live TV we have to do it via on Demand services so don't just catch things. I've watched and loved All Creatures. I adored the original but love the heart in this one.
I've watched a bit of CTM and enjoyed it.
I really wish they’d have more entertaining shows that were less about murder....I find them depressing and no longer watch them...there’s too much going on in the world. I need happy and light!
ReplyDelete