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Regarding the 30 Rock show, my highlites of the first DVD are the inaugural scene, interesting for a pro-liberal show that the first scene is a nice shot at liberal values.

You have a character frustrated by what she seems inequities in the free market (the hot dog stand with people cutting the line) decides to buy the whole batch of food and distributes it to people who did not ask for it or just are wasting them.

Other enjoying moments, the placement product bit,and of course my favourite the exit strategy plan joke.

Edited by Van Basten II
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Not now, but earlier this evening:

"Prog Rock at the BBC" - compilation of prog rock bands performing on various BBC shows over the years (slightly superfluous explanation there...)

I'm not a big fan of Prog Rock, but I enjoyed some of the performances, notably Jethro Tull and Wishbone Ash. Yes, Genesis and ELP I found pretentious and/or bombastic.

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Next up episode 8.

41J13HAXBBL._SS500_.jpg

Absolutely the finest visual account, thorough, grim, relentless and superbly well made.

I recall watching a rebroadcast of that in the late 70s at a time when when I was just starting to teach the First World War (and take trips out to Ypres and the Somme). Very moving and influential.

But...

You might find this book interesting:

41AHPWVSGPL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

It discusses the huge influence the series had along with things like 'Oh, What a Lovely War' (and in the context of Vietnam), drawing much of its interpretation from the perspective of the war poets. Sheffield puts together a very strong argument that it misrepresents the reality of the Great War based on the values of the 60s and bears little resemblence as to how it was seen in the 1920s and 1930s.

I found it a really challenging read because it upset so many of my preconceptions drawn from learning about WWI in the 60s/70s. But he convinced me!

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Next up episode 8.

41J13HAXBBL._SS500_.jpg

Absolutely the finest visual account, thorough, grim, relentless and superbly well made.

I recall watching a rebroadcast of that in the late 70s at a time when when I was just starting to teach the First World War (and take trips out to Ypres and the Somme). Very moving and influential.

But...

You might find this book interesting:

41AHPWVSGPL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

It discusses the huge influence the series had along with things like 'Oh, What a Lovely War' (and in the context of Vietnam), drawing much of its interpretation from the perspective of the war poets. Sheffield puts together a very strong argument that it misrepresents the reality of the Great War based on the values of the 60s and bears little resemblence as to how it was seen in the 1920s and 1930s.

I found it a really challenging read because it upset so many of my preconceptions drawn from learning about WWI in the 60s/70s. But he convinced me!

Picked up the whole series of this via a Daily Mail offer recently for about £9.99. In presentation folder too !

Landmark series for its time. Benefitting also from the fact that it was still within living memory for some of the population.

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Just finished watching Season 4 of The Office on DVD.

Some people like to dump on the fourth season, but I liked it a lot. Yes, there were fewer episodes, but that was thanks to the writer's strike.

I largely agree. It seemed that season four really got off to a slow start, but after the writer's strike the season really started to pick up, but by then the season was just about over.

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Just finished watching on DVD the BBC production of Le Carre's cold war spy classic "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy". Just as great as I remember it being all those years ago and Alec Guiness is just perfect as George Smiley. A highpoint for BBC drama.

Will follow up with "Smiley's People" this weekend.

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