Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace: '80s BBC horror drama satire from the early '00s, and I think it used to be more popular but has fallen out of the zeitgeist just based on its age, space ghost: coast to coast.
That show was a hoot. I couldn’t get into Garth’s recent novels though. ☹️
Loved Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law
I think it was a satire less of BBC horror drama and more of author-branded spooky anthology series like The Ray Bradbury Theater and Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected. But done by someone who’s part terrible horror author like Shaun Hutson, part terrible 80s action movie hero. (Full disclosure, I would read Hutson schlock like Slugs etc as a kid in the 80s.)
But that’s just my tuppence.
Started rewatching it last month, saving the last episode.
I think it’s going to get more attention now because it’s finally been released on streaming (Peacock in the US IIRC).
I’ve still never seen the spin-off, Man to Man with Dean Learner
I think the choice of a hospital in particular may have been influenced by the 1994 show Riget, directed by Lars von Trier, which was brought to English-speaking countries under the name The Kingdom (not to be confused with the 2014 show about MMA fighters someone else mentioned in a thread here). It’s a horror show set in a hospital, and also kind of a soap opera, and also it’s kind of supposed to be funny sometimes? That show…I guess I felt like it tried very hard, but also that conspicuous effort isn’t a good look for something that’s supposed to be unsettling. Which is kinda the feeling that Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place takes the piss out of so effectively. I dunno, maybe it’s my imagination, but I can’t help but see them as connected.
I think you’re right, it reminded me of watching Dark Shadows and other similarly written and shot old soap opera reruns with my grandma. But it’s really closer to the horror anthology single creator style like the influences you mentioned. There’s an in-character commentary track too that’s pretty good
Utopia (Brittish version), interesting cinematography vis-a-vis colour usage, quirky soundtrack and amazing dialogue. Not sure if this counts as obscure though.
I definitely think it counts. I watched it back in the day and even I routinely forget of its existence (only just remembered again thanks to your comment).
Tried to watch this and the school shooting scene turned me off of it.
I liked “the colony”, but apparently I was the only person to do so.
I loved the first season but the 2nd was rough.
Mabye you’d like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silo_(TV_series)
I feel like Black Books was very underrated. A drunken Irish misanthrope runs a bookshop with an idiot for a sidekick
Tbf idk that Mannie was ever an idiot
Naive and well-meaning but not stupid
It’s not his fault, he’s got Dave’s syndrome
Misfits. I went back and watched the entire thing again a couple of years ago and it was still so funny. I’m not sure it could get made in today’s world, it was so delightfully mean and rude.
I was gonna mention Misfits. I enjoyed they show, but the quality dropped after they finish the time travel loop storyline.
The drop off wasn’t as bad as I remembered when I went back and watched it (I actually thought some of the later seasons were the funniest) but the departures of key cast members definitely derailed the superhero storyline they were building up.
The Shield is an amazing, gritty series about The Strike Team, a special unit in an LA police department. The writing is tight, the story threads are engaging, and the end of every episode makes you want to immediately start another one just to see how it all plays out. It was seven seasons long, and they all connect from the first episode to the last one.
It’s on Hulu in the US, and well worth the watch.
Better off ted deserved more than what it got.
I knew if I scrolled long enough I’d find this show mentioned. As someone who works in the biological sciences, I recommend this show to my coworkers all the time.
Mission Hill. It was 90s era animated sitcom that was taken off the air before the first season finished, resulting in the last few episodes never getting animated.
Today it stands as a really engaging period piece, and if you ever wanted to see Spongebob (Tom Kenny) as a flamboyant gay man or a violent teenage ne’er-do-well it’s well worth the seven or so episodes.
Danger 5
South Australian tv show that is a “what if Charlie’s angels tried to kill hitler” presented as a bad Spanish soap opera from the 70’s in the first season and a shitty action drama from the 80’s in the second.
Deliciously bizarre, infinitely quotable, phenomenal soundtrack, very hard to explain. Think power rangers levels of drama with tastefully absurd offensive elements (blackface, misogyny, nazis) played for perfect comedic effect. Seriously one of a kind show.
Both seasons are posted as one 6hr video on YouTube. - https://youtu.be/vFzCQcHglFA
a likely story; it was a reading show on wcvb (like reading rainbow) about a woman - alison martin - who was a librarian who drove a bookmobile around and read to kids. i watched it every day.
https://collection.oldfilm.org/Detail/occurrences/56859
https://oldfilm.org/more-than-the-news-programming-from-wcvb/
It’s a skit comedy show but The Upright Citizens Brigade was hilarious! In the vein of The State or Kids in the Hall.
Dead Like Me
On that note, Pushing Daisies.
Came here for Pushing Daisies. Whenever I see Lee Pace on Foundation I call him Emperor Pie Maker.
First time seeing him in the marvel movies was really funny as well.
Snuff Box. Only 6 episodes but infinitely quotable. The theme song also fucking slaps. It’s the only show’s theme song I actually occasionally listen to.
Damn this thread about to make my “Watch Later” list twice as long