What have you been watching on (proper scripted) telly?

[Devon Malcolm]

Anyone watch Genius tonight? I missed most of the first series and although I think Russell Howard should be put on a bucking bronco in a field full of landmines, I really enjoyed this. That guy who came up with over 200 ideas wants to take that frozen soup on to Dragon's Den though, I reckon.

[Georgie Pin]

I watched it and enjoyed it for the most part - I agree about Howard; he's just not funny.

 

I used to listen to this when it was on Radio 4. They only had 2 or 3 ideas per show then so it was a bit more of a slow build. I liked the faster pace of this too though.

[Devon Malcolm]

Didn't know if this perhaps warranted its own thread or maybe even putting in the Kenny McBride bashing thread, but did anyone watch the Scientology documentary tonight?

 

I wasn't entirely sure that this was anywhere near the revelatory show that the first one was, and it was a bit disappointing that most of the points made were already covered by South Park years before. I would have liked more about their drug rehabilitation programs and their anti-psychiatry stances too, so it was a bit of a hollow effort, really. I almost got the feeling it was banking on another Tommy Davis performance.

[Smegma Cake]

Genius was good and I don't like Russel Howard in a stand up sense, but he looked less about 'telling jokes' and seemed more genuine in responses and reacting to what's being said and done. Good show and some of the ideas had me in stitches and the others I thought, shit that's actually quite good!

 

Just watched "Whites" on BBC 2 tonight, Alan Davies and the chick from the IT Crowd in it among others. Bit different, I'm a fan of Alan Davies so I quite enjoyed this. Its not laugh out loud funny but its gentle subtle humor. Easily a decent half an hour watch.

[Dynamite Duane]

Didn't know if this perhaps warranted its own thread or maybe even putting in the Kenny McBride bashing thread, but did anyone watch the Scientology documentary tonight?

 

I wasn't entirely sure that this was anywhere near the revelatory show that the first one was, and it was a bit disappointing that most of the points made were already covered by South Park years before. I would have liked more about their drug rehabilitation programs and their anti-psychiatry stances too, so it was a bit of a hollow effort, really. I almost got the feeling it was banking on another Tommy Davis performance.

I watched it, since not being active in Scientology I did see things a little different. I guess one of the reasons why I've stepped back from it is the money aspect, I have very little and I believe if you genuinely want to help someone and have means to do so, it should be done out of the kindness of your heart not for financial gain, especially if you are a religious organization. Alternatively the donation should be what the individual can afford, as opposed to a set donation.

What I took part in didn't cost me a huge amount of money but felt to try further auditing it would be out of my reach financially.

 

Suppose you're right it didn't really show anything new. I would have been interested to see an investigation into other aspects of Scientology such as the drug rehab unit - Narconon, to see if they work.

 

Maybe I missed it, but did they explain the reasons the "whistle-blower" bloke left?

 

I don't think the BBC would want to delve into the anti-psychiatry area in any great depth, seeing as the beeb is part of the establishment, airing too much on that topic would get the public questioning psychiatry for themselves.

 

It seems that the Church of Scientology is defending itself when they film Sweeney etc, the history is the work of

L. Ron Hubbard has been attacked by the establishment who saw his alternative therapies as a threat to the psychiatry industry. Present day it appears in defending itself CoS has gone too far, a bit like the Jewish nation of Israel, in that the Jews were persecuted and now are the aggressors.

[Devon Malcolm]

Didn't know if this perhaps warranted its own thread or maybe even putting in the Kenny McBride bashing thread, but did anyone watch the Scientology documentary tonight?

 

I wasn't entirely sure that this was anywhere near the revelatory show that the first one was, and it was a bit disappointing that most of the points made were already covered by South Park years before. I would have liked more about their drug rehabilitation programs and their anti-psychiatry stances too, so it was a bit of a hollow effort, really. I almost got the feeling it was banking on another Tommy Davis performance.

I watched it, since not being active in Scientology I did see things a little different. I guess one of the reasons why I've stepped back from it is the money aspect, I have very little and I believe if you genuinely want to help someone and have means to do so, it should be done out of the kindness of your heart not for financial gain, especially if you are a religious organization. Alternatively the donation should be what the individual can afford, as opposed to a set donation.

What I took part in didn't cost me a huge amount of money but felt to try further auditing it would be out of my reach financially.

 

Suppose you're right it didn't really show anything new. I would have been interested to see an investigation into other aspects of Scientology such as the drug rehab unit - Narconon, to see if they work.

 

Maybe I missed it, but did they explain the reasons the "whistle-blower" bloke left?

 

I don't think the BBC would want to delve into the anti-psychiatry area in any great depth, seeing as the beeb is part of the establishment, airing too much on that topic would get the public questioning psychiatry for themselves.

 

It seems that the Church of Scientology is defending itself when they film Sweeney etc, the history is the work of

L. Ron Hubbard has been attacked by the establishment who saw his alternative therapies as a threat to the psychiatry industry. Present day it appears in defending itself CoS has gone too far, a bit like the Jewish nation of Israel, in that the Jews were persecuted and now are the aggressors.

 

The reason Mike Rinder gave was that he had basically found himself increasingly disagreeing with the tactics that the CoS were using in their general affairs. By all accounts, he is now at the forefront of a new branch of Scientology that still follows Hubbard's work but is separate from the CoS. That was where the programme fell down for me because this is the most interesting new development in Scientology and I think the programme should have focused on that, what the CoS plans to do about it, and where this new splinter branch plans to go.

 

But ultimately, they're still people who believe Hubbard's utter lunacy whether they are associated with the main church or not, and I think that Sweeney and the documentary was wrong to paint them as being completely innocent and I think they should still have been questioned over their beliefs even if outwardly they appear to be an altogether more palatable branch of Scientology.

 

As for Narconon, there was a barely a mention of it and I've no idea why. It was pretty disappointing really because some kind of investigation into the company's methods would have been genuinely interesting to see as almost all other Scientology programming that I've seen fails to cover it too.

[Dynamite Duane]

I recall from another programme about Scientology in the past 5 years (not Sweeney's) with the Scottish Sikh comedian (?) there is an already an existing branch of Scientology indepently of the CoS operating in Europe.

 

I say gotta up until seeing last night's programme the whole Xenu thing I thought was simply made up to discredit Scientology, but hearing it from that actor who reached the OTIII level made me see it differently.

 

Saw this by chance via advert on youtube:

CoS fires back at BBC

Edited September 29, 2010 by Dynamite Duane

[Astro Hollywood]

Last night's show was more of a companion piece to the first one, rather than a new investigation. This time, we saw the other side of what Sweeney was seeing before, ie how they were following him, and the emails that were flying from within CoS about the whole thing.

[Smegma Cake]

They had a prototype of the plate smashing vending machine, didn't they? On the first show? Regardless I look forward to the rest of the series. Which guests are you on with, that way we know when to expect you but not what your idea is

[Chest Rockwell]

Oh man.. you've been teasing us with info about this invention of yours for months now; I can't wait to find out what it actually is!

[Dynamite Duane]

Had a bit of campy evening the other night with the missus, watched Gayle Tuesday on Living. I'd seen a bit of her before, years ago, this brand new programme was a reality show spoof. It featured Louie Spence, Paul O'Grady, Ainsley Harriott and Toyah. Good for a chuckle.

 

After that we watched Lauren Harries, boy child genius antique expert, who's now a lady trying her hand at different jobs. You can it catch on obscure and low-budget but sometimes surprisingly good channel Showcase (Sky 201). Lauren is bloody funny.

 

Showcase also airs a few interesting programmes for the inquiring mind, filling a gap since the demise of Controversial TV recently. The paradigmshift.tv slot hosts some good programmes, then there's RichPlanet which is right up my street, set on a virtual flying saucer, where Rich interviews people on various alternative view topics. Most recently interviewed was Ian R Crane, who used to work in the oil industry and has insiders view of world events especially the 1st Iraq war and invasion of Kuwait.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Dynamite Duane

[Gordon_The_Gopher]

Just watched episode one from season 5 of Dexter with a lump in my throat. Still got Boardwalk Empire and House to catch up with before attacking Entourage from the very beginning having not seen a single episode.

[Zebra Kid Mark]

before attacking Entourage from the very beginning having not seen a single episode.

You are in for a treat!

[Dynamite Duane]

Anyone else see Horizon: Is Seeing Believing? Fascinating programme.

[Dynamite Duane]

Recently got into Coach Trip, the mrs is hooked on it! Been Sky plussing them.

 

Recorded The Event off Channel 4, looks promising.