Wednesday 25 September 2019

What I'm Watching - September 2019

TV and film that I've been watching this month.


I enjoy watching documentaries about true crime, how the investigation is led and what leads to an arrest being made, so when I saw A Confession, a drama based on a true crime being advertised, I immediately knew it would be something I'd enjoy watching. The cast includes Martin Freeman, Siobhan Finneran and Imelda Staunton and is based on the story of the disappearance of Sian O'Callaghan who went missing in Swindon in 2011. Martin Freeman takes the part of Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher, who breached police protocol to catch Sian's killer. I must say that knowing the events actually happened makes for uneasy viewing.


As well as true crime documentaries, I also enjoy watching medical documentaries. The Big Hospital Experiment is a four part documentary, inspired by a social care programme in Germany, where young people work as volunteers in hospitals to deliver patient care. The Royal Derby Hospital have recruited fourteen young volunteers and this documentary follows them as they're put to work on the wards. At first, I wasn't sure how this experiment would work, but as you see how the volunteers blossom in their roles, and also the additional care and companionship which the patients receive, it's a win win situation. I'm loving this series. The final episode is to be shown tonight.


Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens. The launch show was a couple of weeks ago and now the series has begun properly. Each celebrity danced with their professional partner on Saturday night and their scores will be added to the scores they receive this week before someone leaves the show. Already I can see some promising dancers, I'm looking forward to watching how they all progress throughout the series.


I missed Bohemian Rhapsody at the cinema so I've been waiting for it to be released on Sky, which it was last weekend so we sat down on Saturday night to enjoy it, and enjoy it we did. I thought the casting was amazing, it was like watching real life footage when they were on stage, and the acting was excellent, even down to the mannerisms of all the characters. I found the film skipped over events at record speed, but there's only so much time to slot in a man's whole adult life. I found it rather sad knowing how it all ends, especially when Freddie Mercury had so much more to give, Queen's final album, recorded during Freddie's final weeks is testament to this. I'd definitely recommend this film if you haven't yet seen it.

Have you been watching any of these? What else have you been watching this month?

26 comments:

  1. I haven't seen any of these. I am not keen on true crime as I used to work in a forensic medicine department, which put me off for life. I was tempted by the hospital series but forgot to tune in. I do love medical documentaries. Although it is great to see volunteers work and blossom in their roles and I have indeed been grateful to encounter such volunteers myself, it is a real shame that volunteers are needed for patient care. I would love to watch Bohemian Rhapsody, missed it at the cinema, too. As for Strictly, you might be interested in an episode of Women's Hour last week, which was dedicated to the programme. It made me think that I should watch, very interesting. I just finished watching a comic sci fi series on Netflix, the Umbrella Academy. It was quite funny.

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    1. I'm fascinated by true crime, I always wonder what makes people tick and what leads them to commit such horrendous crimes, though I love medical documentaries too. I know exactly what you mean about it being a shame that volunteers are needed for patient care, I felt the same before I watched this programme, and still do, but on the other hand, the volunteers have gained so much themselves from the experience too. My Netflix subscription has been a little neglected lately, there's been so many other things I've wanted to watch this month. I shall have to see if I can find time to listen to the Woman's Hour programme about Strictly.

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  2. I'm behind with Confession, but I will catch up. Saturday night is Strickly in this house, it took years for hubby to get hooked, we love it. I loved the queen film, the pace was fast as you say skipping over things, but we did enjoy it.
    I am hooked on The Repair Shop on BBC2, I love seeing old items being returned to their former glory.

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    1. I'm an episode behind on A Confession too, there's quite a lot of things on at the moment so I need to catch up. I used to watch Strictly on my own but both Mick and Eleanor are watching it this year too. I've never watched The Repair Shop but my dad absolutely loves it and often regales me with anecdotes about a recent episode.

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  3. I've always been a fan of Queen. I haven't seen the film though. It's hard to believe it's almost 28 years since Freddie died :( You're right, he had so much more to give, but life dealt him a cruel blow :( Best, Jane x

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    1. It's unbelievable to think how long ago Freddie Mercury died, so sad. Definitely watch the film if you get the chance, I thought Rami Malek was fantastic.

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  4. I do so love these posts. I haven't had the time to watch anything this month but I shall be lining these up to watch when things are a little quieter round here.

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    1. The darker evenings are on their way, that's when I find more time to watch TV, though I haven't done bad this month, there's so much on at the moment.

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  5. It's sports season here . . . when all the good sports are on TV at one time . . . football, baseball and hockey. It consumes most of my TV time. LOL

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    1. I'm not into sport but Mick is so we have to share the TV. I tend to do other things when he's watching.

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  6. Yes, we do have to share the tv, don't we??? But isn't that wonderful???? It means we are not one of those families, with a tv in every room! -giggggles-

    A tv in every room, says "conspicuous consumption" to me. That's why I said that. It's their money, and they can spend it, on whatever they choose. But so many things, like a tv in every room, seem silly to me. Showing my old-fashioned-ness!!!!! -grinnnnn-

    Back on topic! Haven't watched much, in a while. Did enjoy a couple of Miss Marple's with another actress. But mostly, I've read. Or watched our baseball. Which is about over now, though.

    Lovely to hear, that others are finding something to enjoy. Whether film, or books. Never know when we will find a great suggestion.

    🍂🍁🍂

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    1. There's quite a few things on TV at the moment that I want to watch but there's only so many hours in the day, there's lots of other things I want to do too as well as follow certain TV series. I try to do a little of everything.

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  7. Yes, my Saturday seat on the sofa is booked for Strictly! LOL!

    All the best Jan

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    1. It looks like it's going to be a good series. I don't know many of the celebrities but it's fun getting to know them over the course of the series.

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  8. I've been enjoying The Confession and Strictly too. Strictly means Christmas is just round the corner though!

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    1. I thought the same thing. We've got to get to Blackpool and Halloween yet though.

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  9. I liked Bohemian Rhapsody too. I saw it in the theatre when it was first released. Like you, I thought the casting was spot on! Are you a fan of Downton Abbey? I am and can't wait to watch the movie 😀
    Kavitha

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    1. I thought Rami Malek was brilliant in the role of Freddie Mercury, the casting was spot on. I love Downton Abbey but I rarely go to the cinema so I'll probably wait for the film to be released on Sky.

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  10. We've recently got one of those boxes from our internet service provider where you can record, scroll passed adverts etc. We have inbuilt Freeview television, but this package gives us more channels including some of the arts programmes I find interesting. We also got a television with a bigger screen after our television of over ten years stopped working. Our daughter helped us sort this out when she was here to stay in the holidays and I must say television watching is so much more enjoyable. There are quite a few new series coming up for the autumn season. We enjoy Strictly and now Doc Martin has started. The Confession has been interesting too as all the actors are so talented and it's thought provoking to know that this drama is based on a real criminal investigation that happened a few years ago. Fortunately Mr P and I enjoy the same sort of programmes although I do record a movie so that he sometimes sits and relaxes in an afternoon whilst I might read or doze off for a bit.

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    1. I love being able to scroll through adverts, in fact, I rarely watch anything these days at the time it's shown on TV, I record just about everything so that I can whizz through the adverts. I've never watched Doc Martin, which is a shame really as I do like Martin Clunes. There's some really good actors in A Confession, it's harrowing to think what those poor girls went through and also what the poor families left behind have had to endure. Mick often says he doesn't want to watch something I've taped but I put it on anyway and he's engrossed. I think I know what he enjoys more than he does himself.

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  11. I've been watching A Confession, too. Martin Freeman is brilliant but Imelda Staunton almost tore my heart out. It's one of the rare programmes which my husband and I are both watching at the moment. I missed Strictly as I was away last weekend but I'm hoping to catch up with it tomorrow. I often say that it's the only bit of glamour in my life! We're also watching Peaky Blinders, from the beginning; some of it is too violent for me and I don't think I'd watch it on my own but my husband is keen. Of course, there's also the Great British Bake Off, even though I rarely bake - our trade off is that I can watch that and my husband can watch Match of the Day. Finally, I never miss Question Time and I'm glad it's come back early from the summer break. x

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    1. Imelda Staunton did the same for me, she's playing her part brilliantly. It's heart wrenching to think what that poor woman has gone through. I've never watched Peaky Blinders but I've heard so much about it that I'm wondering whether to start watching from the beginning, but I don't like violence so I'm not sure it would really be for me. I'm enjoying Bake Off too, but I only catch Question Time occasionally, Mick enjoys it though.

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  12. I'm a strictly fan and I just loved Bohemian Rhapsody too, it took me right back to live aid!xxx

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    1. The Live Aid scenes in Bohemian Rhapsody were so real, I could just picture Freddie back in 1985.

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  13. Strictly really means autumn has begun for me. Andy and I sit down to watch it every weekend without fail. I liked James Cracknell but I do think he was the right choice to be the first to leave, so often the worst dancers don't go out until much later.
    I loved Bohemian Rhapsody, I watch a lot of films and so many just fill time but this was a delight to watch!
    xx

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    1. Strictly definitely heralds the onset of autumn. I started off watching it on my own but Mick watched the last series or two and now Eleanor's back home from uni, she's watching this series with us too. James Cracknell was definitely the right choice to go this week. I thought the casting in Bohemian Rhapsody was brilliant, it was just like watching the band, not actors playing them.

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