BBC2 to Screen German ''Band of Brothers''

ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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BBC2 has bought the acclaimed TV series ''Our Mothers,Our Fathers'' which has been described as the German ''Band of Brothers''. It was watched by record audiences of more than seven million when screened by ZDF.

The drama focuses on the lives of two brothers who become Wehrmacht soldiers during World War Two, along with a nurse who is in love with one of them, a singer who dreams of being the next Marlene Dietrich and her Jewish boyfriend.

The three-part drama was described as ''a turning point in German television'' because it shows explicit scenes of violence which German TV traditionally shies away from in war films.

It will be screened on BBC2 later this year,the first foreign language series on BBC2 since 2001.

www.theguardian.com/media/2013/aug/18/bbc-air-acclaimed-german-war-drama
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  • CaltonfanCaltonfan Posts: 6,311
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    will keep an eye out for this, keen interest in world war 2 and loved band of brothers
  • Fairyprincess0Fairyprincess0 Posts: 30,038
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    I've been look out for more forigen Telly since the returned finished......
  • punkyfish50punkyfish50 Posts: 1,652
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    Cue the usual anti-BBC hysteria from the Sun and the Daily Mail who no doubt will see the purchase of a German drama about the German army in WW2 as an act of leftie treason.
  • ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    I seem to recall that when BBC2 showed Heimat and Das Boot they were well received by the critics.
  • farmer bobfarmer bob Posts: 27,595
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    This sounds good. Thanks.
  • Doghouse RileyDoghouse Riley Posts: 32,491
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    Cue the usual anti-BBC hysteria from the Sun and the Daily Mail who no doubt will see the purchase of a German drama about the German army in WW2 as an act of leftie treason.

    It's more about the BBC trying to find something to appease viewers, because they can't afford to make enough programmes, given the amount of our cash they either waste or pay to people "in their club."

    Who'd have thought a few decades ago that the great BBC "the premier broadcaster in the world," would have to rely on foreign imports and endless repeats to fill their schedules because they're unable to budget despite knowing in advance the amount of cash available to them.
    If only companies in the private sector were given this opportunity to predict their income for any year on January 1st.
  • mike65mike65 Posts: 11,386
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    Doghouse, what's wrong with showing such programmes?

    Actually no, don;t bother. You're clearly just having a rant and have decided this is the thread to do it on for some reason..
  • Doghouse RileyDoghouse Riley Posts: 32,491
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    mike65 wrote: »
    Doghouse, what's wrong with showing such programmes?

    Actually no, don;t bother. You're clearly just having a rant and have decided this is the thread to do it on for some reason..

    Oh dear, don't like opinions that don't concur with your own?
    I've grown rather tired of the constant stream of continental subtitled drama series, which are usually longer than many produced in this country. They certainly can fill the schedules for a few weeks.

    If you enjoy them, you welcome more of them and you think the BBC are doing a wonderful job, that's fine by me, so why are you so concerned that I don't and interpret it as a "rant?"

    Seems rather strange.

    I'm actually saddened the way the standard of programming is steadily deteriorating, partly due to mismanagement of our cash.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 82
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    Who'd have thought a few decades ago that the great BBC "the premier broadcaster in the world," would have to rely on foreign imports .

    They always have. I remember an East German Import in the 1960's "The Singing Ringing Tree" that was shown on the BBC just before Blue Peter. That Scared the living Daylights out of me.

    Hope the BBC shows more imports from the Continent.
  • Doghouse RileyDoghouse Riley Posts: 32,491
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    Quinn. wrote: »
    They always have. I remember an East German Import in the 1960's "The Singing Ringing Tree" that was shown on the BBC just before Blue Peter. That Scared the living Daylights out of me.

    Hope the BBC shows more imports from the Continent.


    Hmm.. You're having to go back quite a bit, aren't you?
    Now they've a constant presence.
    I don't remember a time when we had so many, but if you like reading so many subtitles, that's fine by me.
    Why can't we have them with an English language version, if the BBC are buying so many, surely they could influence their production?

    I've the Millennium Trilogy on DVD and I much prefer the dubbed versions than the sub-title option.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 82
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    Hmm.. You're having to go back quite a bit, aren't you?
    Now they've a constant presence.
    I don't remember a time when we had so many, but if you like reading so many subtitles, that's fine by me.
    Why can't we have them with an English language version, if the BBC are buying so many, surely they could influence their production?

    I've the Millennium Trilogy on DVD and I much prefer the dubbed versions than the sub-title option.

    Just showing that its nothing new. They have always had imports from the Continent, Commonwealth & from the former colonies across the water.

    I hope the TV Tax Payers always get to see the best from around the world. Earlier this year I saw whilst in the States "Orphan Black" from the privatized BBC America, great show that the BBC have bought & are importing to be shown on BBC3 later this year.
  • PetingoPetingo Posts: 973
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    I've grown rather tired of the constant stream of continental subtitled drama series, which are usually longer than many produced in this country. They certainly can fill the schedules for a few weeks.


    This reads like a rant for the sake of ranting.

    "tired of the sonstant stream on continental subtitled drama" on the BBC?

    About two hours a week......on a niche Arts channel the BBC operate.

    Catch a grip.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    Well if it's as good as "Das Boot" then its going to be worth a watch. Wonder what theatre of war they will show, I assume 'Eastern Front" so it doesn't upset western viewers.
  • macavity77macavity77 Posts: 404
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    This looks excellent and am really looking forward to it. I hope it is a Sunday evening one. ANyone intersted in this period should try the Philip Kerr books. Not too heavy going but well-researched and offer a German perspective which is not something we often find in fiction.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,429
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    It's more about the BBC trying to find something to appease viewers, because they can't afford to make enough programmes, given the amount of our cash they either waste or pay to people "in their club."

    Who'd have thought a few decades ago that the great BBC "the premier broadcaster in the world," would have to rely on foreign imports and endless repeats to fill their schedules because they're unable to budget despite knowing in advance the amount of cash available to them.
    If only companies in the private sector were given this opportunity to predict their income for any year on January 1st.

    Thirty years ago they aired Das Boot, a critically acclaimed German WWII drama mini-series. If this is anything like as good it will be money well spent.

    Was your post just an excuse to do some BBC bashing?
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    Looking at those posts, it's as if the 6-year Licence Fee freeze and the Government's plundering of the LF had never happened.

    Anyway, this looks like confirmation that BBC Two (HD) will now get the Euro-dramas that used to appear on BBC Four (SD).
  • Doghouse RileyDoghouse Riley Posts: 32,491
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    Thirty years ago they aired Das Boot, a critically acclaimed German WWII drama mini-series. If this is anything like as good it will be money well spent.

    Was your post just an excuse to do some BBC bashing?

    Try and see it in perspective. We've had all sorts of subtitled Continental series on BBC4 for a considerable time now. Some have been excellent but most for me have been so disappointing that I gave up on them. If you enjoy having to spend your evening reading subtitles to enable you to follow pretty "average" drama series, why should I care?

    Picking out the odd acknowledged worthwhile foreign drama, makes no difference. I think there's not enough effort made to produce some home grown dramas, because the BBC haven't the cash, as with all their commitments and their lack of control over costs, they can't afford it.
    Time to get their house in order.
    Oh hang on! How many times have they said they're going to do that?
  • VerenceVerence Posts: 104,575
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    mossy2103 wrote: »
    Looking at those posts, it's as if the 6-year Licence Fee freeze and the Government's plundering of the LF had never happened.

    Anyway, this looks like confirmation that BBC Two (HD) will now get the Euro-dramas that used to appear on BBC Four (SD).

    BBC4 is still the home of Euro-Crime dramas
  • BelligerenceBelligerence Posts: 40,613
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    Remember reading about this in The Economist a few months ago.

    EDIT: (Found the article) http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21574531-new-television-drama-about-wartime-germany-stirs-up-controversy-war-generation

    Look forward to seeing it.
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    Verence wrote: »
    BBC4 is still the home of Euro-Crime dramas

    You are correct:

    http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-03-11/bbc4-buys-new-swedish-and-italian-dramas


    This sentence is revealing too:
    BBC4 has increased its share of the primetime Saturday-night audience from 1% to 3% since concentrating on high-quality drama imports.
  • VerenceVerence Posts: 104,575
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    There was some controversy about this in Poland due to it's portrayal of the Polish resistance movement the Armia Krajowa
  • Jean-FrancoisJean-Francois Posts: 2,301
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    ftv wrote: »
    I seem to recall that when BBC2 showed Heimat and Das Boot they were well received by the critics.



    I don't recall what the critics said about Heimat and Das Boot at the time, they probably praised them both to the skies.
    Both, in particular Das Boot, were unmissable IMO.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,429
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    Try and see it in perspective. We've had all sorts of subtitled Continental series on BBC4 for a considerable time now. Some have been excellent but most for me have been so disappointing that I gave up on them. If you enjoy having to spend your evening reading subtitles to enable you to follow pretty "average" drama series, why should I care?

    Picking out the odd acknowledged worthwhile foreign drama, makes no difference. I think there's not enough effort made to produce some home grown dramas, because the BBC haven't the cash, as with all their commitments and their lack of control over costs, they can't afford it.
    Time to get their house in order.
    Oh hang on! How many times have they said they're going to do that?

    I do have sympathy for your position, especially if, like me, you are a devotee (in the loosest sense) of BBC2 and BBC4. How the BBC feels it can justify the blanket repeats on the latter I really don't know.

    Sadly (or is it happily?), I now spend far more time watching box sets and downloads than I do watching live TV. While the BBC can only take so much of the blame, it is very irksome to see so much of my money being taken from me when the BBC produce so little of what I am actually interested in. The odd BBC2 or BBC4 gem really doesn't excuse its extortionate annual fee.

    It would be great to be sitting here typing a long list of British programmes I love, but whenever I try I know that nothing stands up to American shows like Breaking Bad, Homeland, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, etc. Doctor Who aside, TV companies in this country seem unwilling to risk financing anything that costs a bit of money and is therefore a risk.

    I welcome this German show as, amongst the usual dross, it really ought to be something decent.
  • VerenceVerence Posts: 104,575
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    I
    While the BBC can only take so much of the blame, it is very irksome to see so much of my.

    I pay my licence fee and don't expect to like everything that the BBC makes
  • ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    Well if it's as good as "Das Boot" then its going to be worth a watch. Wonder what theatre of war they will show, I assume 'Eastern Front" so it doesn't upset western viewers.

    It is the eastern front
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