Caroline Elliott

I live in SW Morocco and haven't got TV but I do have Netflix on my Macbook - specifically for documentaries and crime series'. Having devoured all the good versions of those genres currently available, a few days ago Toy Boy dropped. "This'll be a laugh for a couple of hours" I thought. Three days later - and I've binged the lot! What starts out like some kind of Dynasty/Chippendales/MTV fusion actually develops into a pretty decent (if somewhat drawn out) glitzy thriller - the basic premise of which is as per the description above - but somewhat more convoluted. It's Spanish - but unusually, given that particular nation's penchant for speed-speaking and histrionics, it actually plays out at a much slower pace - with some genuinely hilarious quips. Yeah, there are the inevitable brooding looks, closing-of-teary-eyes-and-sighing, laughably implausible scenes - and jamón. And queso. But quality queso. It's set in millionaires' club Marbella, on Spain's Costa del Sol, and like much of the real-life town, Toy Boy has got the lot: Money Heist's María Pedraza for starters plus designer, well, pretty much everything, corking choreography performed by four and a half (you'll see) fabulously fit blokes, steamy slightly-soft porn, classically corny characters - all ramped up by polarizing filters bringing out the bling and bolstering shimmering vistas. And best of all - a bloody brilliant soundtrack. It ain't going to win any TV awards for sure. But I'm not entirely convinced that was the intention. So if you're up for an enjoyable romp of a who-dunnit (even though you'll probably suss the perp from several continents away) - give it a go. I, for one, am actually looking forward to the, hopefully, next season.

Just binged the second series. It's now 2am. I've just spent the last three hours alternately cackling, cringing and sobbing my heart out. This is the second (and probably last) of a masterful exploration of human emotions; craftily capricious in that by turns it's empathetic, excruciating, crude, cynical, wise, witty, heartbreaking, and absolutely bloody hilarious. Mr Gervais and your brilliant cast - thank you.

Right - firstly GOOGLE - as per your description this series is made in Belgium. The series is set in Ghent - the capital of the province of East Flanders. In the Flemish region of Belgium. There are constant references throughout to 'Flemish' and the Belgian French language. Hence the language is Flemish - NOT Dutch. Sorry to be pedantic, but as world leader of all things Internet and multimedia (offering a public review service), it's about time that you got this frequent error correct. Meanwhile - I've just binge-watched the entire 10 episodes (with subs), and despite now having a couple of hanging questions (probably me being thick), was thoroughly gripped throughout. Without giving away any spoilers - it's essentially an extremely well produced and scripted court drama - focusing not just on the twisty case(s) at hand but mostly on the (oft dysfunctional) lives of six of the jurors - and how their personal experiences influence deliberations and verdicts. There are brilliant turns by an excellent cast (rarely have I hated or felt sorry for a particular character as strongly as here), complex (but never confusing) plot lines, and just the right number of herrings to keep you guessing. Cheery it ain't - but its unique, multilayered approach, astonishing performances, and cleverly balanced 'lives of strangers vs. crime mystery' storyline, in my book sets The Twelve (De Twaalf) way above any court drama in recent years.

I was going to scribe a massive review. But Jessica Iwachiw's (2nd below) pretty much sums up what I would have written. However, for the sake of the 'doubters', I would just add that this is not a radical "feminist" documentary - as seems to be suggested in other reviews by certain, perhaps, more blinkered viewers. More that, ironically, the unique onus on the female perspective actually succeeds spectacularly in giving a hitherto unseen insight into the true mindset that propelled the manically manipulative Bundy. Additionally, director Trish Wood's stunning use of archival footage, personal photographs and brilliantly re-imagined scenic shots, giving a fascinating historical and cultural context to this era - are also key to what sets her extraordinarily well-plotted, never sensationalist, documentary way ahead of the rest.

So glad I plugged into Netflix tonight over here in the wild west of Morocco - just as this long-awaited season 2 popped up on the schedule (which naturally I've binge-watched). Bloody splendid sequel that once again completely captures 80s UK (for me at least). Brilliant attention to detail by show helmer Damon Beesley: The costumes, make-up, bang-on tacky sets, a real-life 80s housing estate location and also the skewed attitude of that era. In particular the misgivings regarding the advent of the 'revolutionary' double-glazing market vs. the misguided euphoria of investing in a certain other industry that at the time was currently booming on the Costa del Sol (no spoilers!). The script too is excellent - audacious, smutty, witty and with loads of crack-up moments - as is the acting - many of the characters remind me of folk I used to know in a similar area way back then. And not forgetting the stonking soundtrack. I do hope we get to see Vincent, Brian, 'Lavatory', Walshy, Ronnie & Co. again. Absolutely fabulous!

Bloody hell! That was fantastic! I haven't seen a sports documentary as good since Leon Gast's 1996 epic When We Were Kings (about the1974 Muhammad Ali/George Foreman 'Rumble in the Jungle'). I'm English so have never really been an NBA fanatic but obviously I knew a bit about Magic at the Lakers, nutcase Rodman and the thrust of this documentary, the very great Michael Jordan (admittedly the latter being mostly because of the best-selling Nike trainers). And during the Chicago Bull's 'Last Dance' sixth season was probably too busy being peed off about England getting booted out of the World Cup by Argentina to notice anything else. It was all the media attention surrounding the tragic demise of Kobe in February (and that I'm currently in lockdown in a fishing village in SW Morocco) that prompted me to watch this brilliantly plotted documentary, which instead of doing a straight chronological account cleverly zips backwards and forwards along Jordan's career line. Accompanying the behind-the-scenes cameras that followed the Bulls during that seminal last season, there's tons of candid to-camera interviews with an amazing array of players, coaches, sports-casters, friends and family. And naturally stacks of footage of the games themselves - the last three of which literally had me leaping about and screaming at my computer. I learned so much from this fascinating insight. Now I feel pretty ashamed that I hadn't previously clocked what an incredible player and leader Jordan was. And, like Ali, a first-class personality - who, without the benefit of social media, managed to generate such fervour and propel the NBA into the world arena. Even now 20+ years since his retirement, 'the black cat' clearly still maintains his doggedness and wry sense of humour. Meanwhile, I gave up supporting my home country football team years ago - but I would recommend that it take a leaf out of the Bull's small forward Scottie Pippen's book; keep supporting your team mates - when you're actually badly injured - instead of limping off at the first sign of a grazed knee. And then you might actually win!