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Post by Charles Bronson on Aug 24, 2023 15:13:37 GMT
Some may laugh, but my other half and I are currently watching late at night some of the 'Sofly Softly' police series which ran from 1969 to '76. I missed them first time around. (She particularly likes the show.)
I'm surprised to say that I dont find them bad at all even though there's not as much violence in them as were used too now. I particularly like the performance of Terence Rigby who played the dog handler in the show. I also like actor Norman Bowler who played a CID officer.
Stange to thlnk most of those actors will have passed on now 50 years later, although Norman Bowler is still going at the age of about 90.
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Post by Sam Tyler on Aug 24, 2023 15:59:23 GMT
I remember the series but haven't watched any since they were first broadcast.
I recall watching Z Cars, Softly Softly, Softly Softly Task Force and then Barlow At Large as kid with my parents. The continuity with the likes of Stratford Johns and Frank Windsor (except FW not in Barlow At Large) playing the same characters was unusual.
I also remember Terence Rigby as "Snowie" being a dog handler who'd had two dogs: Inky and Radar - IIRC one of the dogs was shot dead in an episode but can't remember which one.
I wouldn't laugh at your viewing Charles, I may have to revisit the series sometime myself.
Sam
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Post by Charles Bronson on Aug 24, 2023 16:18:10 GMT
We had a few laughs during the episode we watched last night when a few of the coppers used terms which some of the lot that pass for police officers now would possibly arrest you. (Rhymes with beer.)
Charles
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Post by Sam Tyler on Aug 24, 2023 17:58:34 GMT
Cheer? Fear? Steer? Sam.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Aug 24, 2023 19:54:53 GMT
I vaguely remember seeing bits of it, probably early 70s, Dad watched it, TBH, I thought it was a bit unmemorable, and The Sweeney just blew it out of the water.
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Nightfly
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Post by Nightfly on Aug 24, 2023 20:24:15 GMT
Some may laugh, but my other half and I are currently watching late at night some of the 'Sofly Softly' police series which ran from 1969 to '76. Nothing wrong with that, Charles. During lockdown I still had to travel in to work, but it was so quiet I filled in some of the downtime with watching some old episodes and became addicted. Very much of its time, the crimes, the language, the attitudes etc. Nevertheless, an example of great scripts and performances. What I thought was quite unique were the sub plots based around the hierarchy and career progression of the characters. "If you want to make CID I can put in a good word, but you need to show your results as plod. Right, enough of that, there's reports of a flasher on the Common. Better look sharp, get yourself off and catch him...." Pop Goes The Weasel from 1974 is one of my favourite episodes with Paul Nicholas as a pop star who meets his maker when his guitar inadvertently unites him directly with 240 volts. I remember seeing it when it was aired, but was apparently believed to be wiped. However, within a short time of joining this forum, Arthur P found it and pointed me in the direction of Vimeo.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Aug 26, 2023 17:37:27 GMT
Good call. I liked that series and I agree with your character choice.
Must watch a couple of episodes myself.
As for what they say, crazy that speech is controlled so much these days.
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Post by Charles Bronson on Aug 26, 2023 19:17:19 GMT
Yes its a bit hard watching shows like that adjusting to the speech and the priorities of the early seventies. When things were more 'Normal'
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Aug 28, 2023 12:07:33 GMT
It's not just the 70s, last night I rewatched The Full Monty, made in 1997, and there was stuff in that which would now be frowned on. There's also TV and film from the early 2000s which probably wouldn't pass now.
I think life was still relatively normal until the 2000s, then went mad..
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Post by Dirty Epic on Aug 28, 2023 20:21:50 GMT
It's not just the 70s, last night I rewatched The Full Monty, made in 1997, and there was stuff in that which would now be frowned on. There's also TV and film from the early 2000s which probably wouldn't pass now. I think life was still relatively normal until the 2000s, then went mad.. IIRC, the recent Full Monty TV series on Disney+ bombed and that could've been for that very reason Carty. I've not seen it so can't really say whether its better or worse than the film but another aspect is what worked in the mid '90's doesn't work now no more than something from the '70's would have worked in the '90's. If something is real you may not agree with some things (language, stereotypes etc.) in it but you'll like it because it has that authentic feel to it and many great TV show/series have had aspects of that in them. Things which try and please all things to all men/women don't and for me too much of today's film/TV is trying to do that right now.
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