BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)

Subject: BS: Monarch of the Glen
From: RangerSteve
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 08:31 PM

I rented the DVDs of this TV series, which I think is the best show currently available from the UK. I'm in the middle of the second season. I have four more episodes to go, and I was hoping someone from the UK can tell me if there's more. The place I rent from, netflicks.com only has two seasons available so far. THanks, Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen
From: Cluin
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 08:37 PM

Monarch of the Glen... one of my favourite Landseer paintings.

It was a pretty good TV series too. We could sure use more like that on the wasteland television has become lately. Now they're throwing together a "reality" show based on Gilligan's Island. Conny gees a f**kin break!

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 08:55 PM

I enjoy this one. I think we are on Season 3 here in the states. Can't say much without giving away the plot.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Jeanie
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 04:07 AM

A new series has just started here last week on BBC TV, so yes, Ranger Steve, there will be more on its way to the US. A new character has arrived: Hector's younger brother, Donald Ulysses MacDonald, black sheep of the family, played by Tom Baker (who was one of the Dr. Who's).

As you like regional British light TV dramas, watch out for "Doc Martin", starring Martin Clunes and set in North Cornwall. I hope that series will reach the States: good acting, great scenery, good humour.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 05:33 AM

Ranger Steve - like many series there have been changes of characters. The original Laird and "New Laird" are both gone and replaced by other characters. People who were "supporting roles" now take a greater part of the action. This has altered the feel of the original programme. That said, it is still well produced show and still worth watching.

If you like this one, you would probably have enjoyed Ballykissangel - which was set in Ireland, and was a quirky programme. If you are not already aware of it, then it might be worth tracking down.
Quack!!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 07:19 AM

good series but not as good as "Hamish Macbeth" .

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 10:13 AM

I'll agree with that one also.
Quack!!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 10:22 AM

Loved Hammish MacBeth! Loved MotG, too, but we've been without that part of cable for the past year, so haven't seen anything new in ages. The "New Laird" is really gone from the series? What about his scullery maid wife?

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 12:13 PM

The delicious Lexie went with him to NZ, but has mysteriously reappeared at Glenbogle without him. Good riddance to him I say. Lexie lass, I'm yer man........................!

SJ (drooling)

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 12:29 PM

What a load of sentimental, made for export, chocolate box, schmaltzy crap. It is no wonder that people in business overseas do not take Scotland seriously as a place to locate their offices/factories, when this misty eyed crap perpetuates the Celtic Cringe.
The only thing about it that rings true, is that the laird doesn't have a Scottish accent.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 12:44 PM

Giok,
I guess you're not big on "I Know Where I'm Going"...
Do you recommend any other series as more palatable? Now Hyacinth Bucket (it's boo kay) is true to life. I have met a few of her in the states.
Ballykissangel is quirky and surprised me with the affair between the local pub owner and the priest. She of course conveniently died.
SINS

The gamewarden's daughter has been added recently too.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Metchosin
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 01:15 PM

I loved Hamish Macbeth, but sort of lost interest in Monarch of the Glen after the demise of Hector. It became even too saccarine for me and I have been known to suspend belief and watch just about anything with a Scottish flavour that includes terriers.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: RangerSteve
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 02:40 PM

Four letter word that rhymes with "it"!! I wanted to know if there was a third season, and now I've learned way to much. Thanks for the other info; Ballykissangel is available here, so I'll try that one next, and I'll keep a lookout for Doc Martin.

Giok, it occured to me last night that the two episodes I saw were wrapped up too easily and a little too sweetly, but I'm currently in the mood for sweetness right now. There's nothing wrong with escapism as long as you realize it won't really happen in your own life. And I don't think less of Scotland because of the show. Only an idiot would do that.

I'll take any other recommendations you folks have.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Jeanie
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 06:08 PM

I agree with you, RangerSteve: these TV series are "snuggle down on the sofa after a busy day and switch off the brain"-viewing - nothing wrong with that at all !

Another one I'd recommend is Heartbeat - a gentle police drama set in a Yorkshire moorland village (near Whitby) in the 1960's. I don't know whether that has ever made it across the Atlantic ?

Here is the Doc Martin website. Filmed in and around Port Isaac, North Cornwall. Very funny. This is a new series in the UK, so may take a while before it is exported.

Another excellent one, and with a superb cast (e.g. Michael Kitchen, Edward Fox) is Foyle's War - a police drama set during the Second World War in Hastings (south coast of England).

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 04:31 PM

I'm still in two minds about 'Monarch' - the demise of Hector did do something to the programme, but it seems to be getting back on track again. How many illegitimate sons can there be in one family?

It's brought up some great conservation issues recently - the orchid thefts were particularly well done, flower theft is treated as a joke by most people.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 06:22 PM

Deflower of Scotland?

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: JennieG
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 07:35 PM

Shows like "BallyK", "Monarch" and "Hamish Macbeth" make it out here to Oz. I enjoy the first series of these shows....sometimes the second.....but I find that as time goes on the show loses touch with itself as the producers try new and more desperate ideas to keep the show alive. It seems to become more incredulous as time goes on and that's when we stop watching.

But I loved the confessional box in the first ever episode of BallyK!

Cheers
JennieG who watches very little TV anyway.....but likes a good murder story on the box!

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Peg
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 08:29 PM

yeah, it did get a bit cheesy after hector died. I have only seen up through when Duncan and the new cook get together and she leaves...I don;t get BBC America and so onloy watch it on PBS.

I do like it, and consider it a guilty pleasure, given its occasional schmaltziness...but it does contain some very fine acting!!

Not sure if whoever referred to the "Gilligan's Island reality show" was talking about the new series on ABC called "Lost" but it is not at all like that. I've seen one episode and it is just about the most compelling new show I have seen in a good long time. They are rebroadcating the first two epsiodes this saturday at 8 pm on ABC. This one's gonna be one to watch if it stays this good. Very weird and interesting. The characters are not entirely interesting with few exceptions (though the cast is first rate of its kind) but their circumstances have just enough strangeness to keep it edgy...

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Cluin
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 08:36 PM

Nope, Peg. It's a new one called "The REAL Gilligan's Island". They are taking auditions to fill each of the roles and the people even have to dress up as the characters from the show and try to get off the island.


We're getting verrrrrry near the end...

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 04:32 AM

It's entertainment Jim, but not as we know it!

Giok [For Christ's sake beam me up]

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Peg
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:17 AM

wow, that Gilligan's Island idea sounds just awful. Will they at least hire actors????

as for other British shows, there was one on for a while called The Royal about a hospital in the 1970s. I liked it a lot but it's gone now. And one about a father and son who are doctors in a small village in the 1950s, I forget the name...also a good show.

We no longer have Coupling either. I guess I need to buy cable so I can get BBC America so I can also watch The Office...

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:27 AM

There was a brilliant series called Machair - but I'm not sure if there's a version subtitled in English. I saw it subtitled in Irish (it's shot in Gaedhlig).

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: GUEST,Mingulay
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:35 AM

Hope you didn't get delayed too long Giok, I managed to catch the beam in front of yours although I had to stand. It seems that a lot of people want to get away from these God awful shows. Just goes to show that TV in the States must be worse than first thought and to think that here in the UK we only see their "best" shows.

Bring back Dr Finlay's bookcase that's what I say.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 08:51 AM

Monarch of the Glen is perfect Sunday television. By that I mean it's on a par with The Waltons - an ideal way to switch off your brain and laugh cynically at all the syrupy goodness it oozes. I've stopped watching it since the rather lovely Irish gamekeeper and the almost as lovely laird both buggered off to somewhere more remote. Ballykiss-me-arse was worse, because it didn't have the redeeming grace of handsome male leads. Having spent the last 2 days cleaning a house while being subjected to the godawful Radio 4, the BBC aren't exactly impressing me that much these days. Though I like their website. Mostly.

Subject: RE: BS: Monarch of the Glen (TV Series)
From: GUEST,Hugh Jampton
Date: 01 Oct 04 - 09:12 AM

The series "All Creatures Great & Small" about a rural veterinary practise was also good watching and showed off Yorkshire country to its best advantage.