OUR GIRL AND CAPTAIN JAMES THREAD L

[Ilovelblue]

Can you believe we are on thread 50! This is for all discussions on the BBC series Our Girl and any possible future series. Reference to Captain James is particularly welcome.

On another subject, I watched that film with Iwan Rheon on Netflix - 'Hurricane' - thinking it would be right up my street with its Battle of Britain setting. It was a good attempt to highlight a little appreciated aspect of that battle - the major contribution of the Polish pilots and squadrons - sadly, some of the historical inaccuracies made me a bit cross and I shook my head and tutted a lot (WAAFs didn't wander into the men's barracks to drink, dance and even a bit of the other and vice versa). Needless to say, there was also a lot of CGI involved in the aerial dogfights and, unfortunately, it showed. I also thought the modernish swearing didn't seem right for the period. As for Iwan - he spent half the film speaking Polish, which sounded OK to me, but then his German was diabolical, so now I'm not sure if the Polish was any good either. On the plus side, all that manic staring from OG was put to good use as he did lots of it in his cockpit. Review over.

Are we on for episode 6 next week? I haven't watched that one yet, so may do a preliminary viewing beforehand, or possibly just go with the flow and enjoy the surprise.

Ahem Rhu, I left the DVD running after our watchalong tonight and am now 3/4 of the way through episode 6!

Donna is at her worst in this one and I know I've said it before, but she could be the twin sister of a Geordie woman I used to work with, both in looks and attitude.

Morning everyone. Have read all your comments from watchalong. We are all coming to the exact same conclusion re how Soldier Soldier has covered army things so much more fully than OG did. Thinking back series 1 and 2 of OG were good although maybe not so in depth as Soldier Soldier in that not so many army personnel were ever present. That was probably down to budget restrictions!

However when in came to series 3 of OG it certainly was a very pale shadow of what had gone before. Almost felt like everything was being done on a shoe string and story lines cobbled together. Considering Soldier Soldier was produced in the nineties they handled the PTSD in a much more believable way. Not only in the episode you watched last night but in later ones too.

Let's hope that series 4 of OG gets its act together so to speak😏

Is this Sgt Lewis any relation to Inspector Morse's Sgt Lewis?

Just asking.

I'm going to be out this Thursday - 14th Feb, and no, not that sort of out, unfortunately - so any chance of re-scheduling? I could do Tuesday?

Hi eejit - I am fine with Tuesday night. How about Rhu?

Yes, I can do Tuesday eejit and ilove - better move my previewing forward.

Ladies, have you seen the army recruiting adverts - white text on black - for example, 263 British soldiers are protecting refugees in south Sudan, or 649 British soldiers and peacekeeping wherever?
My immediate thought? Let's hope Georgie Lane is not amongst them!

Well the numbers seem better eejit - not just five squaddies, a Captain and a "top of the range" medic. Oh no let's not forget a Brigadier! 😳

Don't let's forget the Brig when he's John Michie!

My DVD of series 4 of Soldier Soldier arrived earlier in the week and I have watched 7 episodes from it now. I'm just at the episode where Robson and Jerome sing at their CO's wedding and are then discovered as singing stars and go on to further stardom.

It's only watching all these old episodes that makes you realise just how wide of the mark OG has been. There was a brilliant episode where the sergeant major was suffering from previously undetected PTSD. TG take note!

Magi did you say you've done all seven series now?

Yes ILove I found I just had to keep going with it to the end as it really was (as you say) addictive! I am now finding that each time you do a watchalong it quickly it brings it back to me immediately and I realise how different lots of things are from the early episodes to the later ones. Not surprising when you remember the 7 series covered a period of about 8 years in filming. Not only fashions and hairstyles change but of course opinions and even styles of acting differed.

A really interesting exercise in tv viewing.

What a good way to look at it Magi! Makes it seem more than just an hour's TV viewing when you term it 'exercise'.

Which was your favourite series? I'm particularly taken with this one I'm on now (4) but they've all been good so far.

Oh that's a hard question ILove. I do remember enjoying series 4 and as you mentioned the much better handling of the sergeant's PTSD. I think the progression of the army's coming to terms with modernising itself and paring down certain shall we say 'traditions' was covered. Mind you in a later series you could see some of the writers getting carried away a bit and putting out stories that were slightly more 'hard to believe". Then it seemed to get back on track again and wound up on a very believable note. You can tell I enjoyed it 😄

Lots of pics of BA on Instagram today. The publicity for Pennyworth has launched this morning and there is a small explanation from him on his role as Thomas Wayne. Looking very suave as required and mentions that TW is a billionaire business man etc. Maybe a little "square" but not "uncool". Must say these pictures certainly fit that description and the moustache is a triumph👌

Thanks for the tip off Magi.

Are we ready for tonight's watchalong?

Yes, I'll be with you at 9pm.

Ready and waiting.

Ready and reporting for duty ladies!

And we're...off

Let's go!

Yay!

I'm so far ahead now on series 4 that I've forgotten where we're up to here.

Everyone debus...bit of bag rugby. Oh dear, Tucker has been a numpty.