DEBORAH CROMBIE: The real title of this post should be HELP ME OR I WILL HAVE TO WATCH SCHITT'S CREEK ALL OVER AGAIN!
I confess I have become a terrible TV wimp since the pandemic began. A show or series doesn’t have to be all cheer—I’m up for a good drama like THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT—but I don’t want to watch things that don’t have some sort of positive resolution. And funny and sweet is even better. Dark crime dramas are just not my thing at the moment.
We have watched all six seasons of SCHITT'S CREEK, and I really would watch it again, because the writing and the performances are so good, and I would watch Dan Levy read the phone book.
Then there’s TED LASSO, which makes me wonder if Jason Sudeikis didn’t have some sort of ESP that clued him into just exactly what we would need when he created this show. But the second season is being doled out one episode at a time, so once we’ve had our weekly fix, what then?
We’ve watched an episode of DERRY GIRLS, which was cute, but I’m not gripped. We’ve watched one episode of CALL MY AGENT, the French show on Netflix, and that one I would keep watching (I mean, Paris!) but I don’t think the hubby was that interested.
So, suggestions, dear REDS?
Or maybe I’ll just stick to old episodes of GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF…
JENN McKINLAY: Hub and I have rewatched all nine seasons of THE OFFICE. Like you, we’re doling out TED LASSO episodes. The most gripping thing we’ve watched is OZARK but it might be a bit dark for you. BOSCH was also a favorite.
And the Hooligans have recommended that we watch BARRY with Bill Hader and Henry Winkler so I’ll have to report back on that one. I have watched all of the Marvel shows on Disney Plus and WANDA VISION blew me away. Highly recommend it! Oh, and our own Jay Roberts recommended RESIDENT ALIEN, which is delightfully hilarious and twisted.
RHYS BOWEN: I don’t know about you but I’m all Olympicked out! For the first few days I watched canoe and beach volleyball and even handball. I loved swimming and track and water polo but now it’s things like marathon swims and funny walks and I’ve had enough.
One aim for this year is to rewatch the Good Place because I know I missed seasons. And Debs, I can rewatch the British Bake-off any time!
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: in the welcoming comfort zone of jungle road, I can admit to you, dear friends, that Jonathan and I watched the entire six seasons of LINE OF DUTY. yes, we did, and we are admitting it. And we loved it!
Again, because I know there are no judgments here, I am also in love with SCHMIGADOON. I’m sorry, I know it is ridiculous, but it is quite hilarious. If you love musicals, you will laugh and laugh.
We also watched THE MOSQUITO COAST, The new one, and we should talk about it at some point after you all see it.
And oh! We discovered BANCROFT. It’s on BritBox, I think, and we really enjoyed it. It’s a female police official, and more I cannot say.
And add us to the TED LASSO list , I loved that from the beginning.
But I keep thinking there is something, something fabulous, that we don’t know about! So eager to hear what you all have to say. I mean, there are 900 channels, right? So there must be something…
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Between the girls and I, we have Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus and Disney +, and I still am constantly hearing about shows I’d love to watch on other streaming services. Has anyone ever successfully tried that “sign up for one month and binge” hack? I mean, we were going to do that with Disney +, but then they kept coming out with things I had to see…
So, great recent shows? LOKI, on Disney +, was addictive - Tom Hiddleston is an amazing actor playing a genuinely difficult character, and it’s a delight to watch, especially with Owen Wilson along for the ride. I came back to THE EXPANSE, which I had stopped for some reason, and raced through all five seasons, which means I’m now impatiently waiting for the sixth to drop. It’s not just spaceships whizzing around, for those of you dubious about science fiction - it’s a deeply political show, with a realistic look at the jockeying for power between three governments spread throughout the solar system.
And, because I read “what to watch if you liked The Expanse,” I found my current binge, also on Amazon: COUNTERPART. It’s a very stylish spy-vs-spy thriller set in Berlin. Two Berlins, in fact, in two different universes branching off from a single timeline in 1987, each now struggling for an advantage over the other in a cold war almost no one knows is going on. It stars JK Simmons (and JK Simmons) and you should watch it ASAP.
DEBS: Oh shoot, Julia, Rick watched THE EXPANSE without me. Maybe I'll have to make him watch it again!
READERS, what's on your radar in this last long month of summer?
We always watch “Jeopardy!” . . . we enjoyed “Wanda Vision” and “Loki” [and most anything else on Disney] . . . we Olympic-watched right up until this weekend . . . .
ReplyDeleteI think I must be the only person that doesn't watch Jeopardy. I'm usually still working when it comes on, and then I just don't think about it.
DeleteLoki and Wanda Vision up next!
I keep missing Jeopardy, and want to see the celebs. But I think you have to watch it when it's on. In this house, good luck with that!
DeleteHank, you are not alone in your love for SCHMIGADOON. My sister, her husband and I have been watching it together. It's so silly but so much fun if you're into musicals (why, yes. Yes, I am).
ReplyDeleteWhat service is this on? Sounds delightful.
DeleteIt's on.. Apple TV? Is that right? It's HILARIOUS if you love musicals. And oh, I feel better, Other Lisa, thank you!
DeleteIt's not light and funny, but we're watching Unforgotten, with the unforgettable Nicola Walker. SO good. I'm jonesing for a season of Call the Midwife, but I haven't yet heard when it's coming out.
ReplyDeleteYou turned me on to Call the Midwife last year, Edith, and now I miss it SO MUCH.
Delete"Unforgotten" is not to be forgotten. My favorite scene involves Nicola Walker and the towel. We've watched it twice.
DeleteI've only watched the beginning of the first season of Unforgotten, and I love Nicola Walker, so I guess I should stick with it.
DeleteHaving watched ALL of this season's Unforgotten...it will be unforgotten for a long time. I would like to know each of our Writers' opinions of this season, once you all have watched it...speaking as writers and as audience. It has been one of the BEST series I have watched in a very long time, but then...it is PBS, so of course it is great. As to Summer, we have been baking in 100+ for most of the season, plus the horrible fires here in the West have made the air very smoky...so Autumn will be most welcome when it arrives.
DeleteThank you, Melissa for the comments on Unforgotten. I will definitely stick with it. And please stay safe in the hot and fiery west.
DeleteUnforgotten is superb. Love Midwife too. Atlantic Crossing on PBS was very good, first two episodes were riveting
DeleteWell, nothing is going to top Schitt's Creek. Everybody knows that ;) But I heartily recommend a subscription to Britbox, where you can binge on about a zillion seasons of old favorites like Morse and Inspector Lynley, as well as some newer (and really good) series like Shetland and Bay. I also found The Last Detective, which is absolutely delightful. And on the grittier side but totally compelling is River.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, I have done the one-month-free-and-binge-like-crazy hack. The trick is to remember to cancel! (I put a reminder on my phone's calendar).
Will check out The Last Detective. Thanks, Amy! And River.
DeleteWe have Britbox and Acorn here in Michigan and we watch a show every night. Friends put us on to Death in Paradise which features a British Detective that ends up on assignment in the Caribbean. SO funny and different. Even the changes in a few seasons have made it better. We have loved Shetlland (new episodes coming), Vera, Brokenwood (New Zealand), Lynley, New Tricks...Agatha Raisin is cute...
DeleteThese shows have helped me look forward to evening time tv again.
There is more Shetland coming??????
DeleteYep! Filming on Season 6 wrapped in mid-July. (I know because I follow Henshall on Twitter. :) )Should be screening by the end of the year, he says.
DeleteThe Last Detective? I will look!
DeleteAmy, I do the same thing. We try to keep our list of streaming services to a max of three, so I drop and pick up Acorn, Britbox, and Prime all the time (in addition to Netflix), as we exhaust the shows I like to keep up with. Recently it's been Acorn, so I caught up with the rest of the latest Miss Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, which is delicious for the eye candy of '60s costumes and gorgeous actors.
ReplyDeleteThe Brokenwood Mysteries is excellent, and there is another season coming soon. My latest fave is Whitstable Pearl, about a woman in a small fishing village. She owns an oyster bar and runs it with her mother and son, and solves crimes on the side. Naturally, she is drawn to the complicated, prickly, but dishy new detective from the big city.
And if you have not yet watched The Good Karma Hospital, what are you waiting for? It's fabulous.
You've sold me, Karen. Acorn is my next binge!
DeleteI have Acorn but haven't been checking offerings lately. So adding Whitstable Pearl and The Good Karma Hospital!
DeleteI'm loving these suggestions. I just finished Bosch and am watching Midsomer Murders now. I've gotten through 6 seasons, but have begun picking and choosing episodes. I'm thinking of picking up BritBox. Oh, one very funny thing for those of us of a certain age who may have missed it first time around - A Very Brady Renovation - wonderful for the trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteBtitbox for Line of Duty! the best police series!
DeleteSO agree. THE BEST.
DeleteCandice Renoir on Netflix, about a French police detective with four kids, an ex, and a love interest. Gorgeous south of France location.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds really fun!
DeleteSounds tres fantastique!
DeleteNot watching TV. Don't know when I'll want to watch again. Almost 1-1/2 years now. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI have not watched TV since 2010, only streaming services. My life is way more peaceful without hateful political attack ads.
DeleteWe are all streaming but we have a Tablo which lets us get local network TV. But the only thing I'm watching on network tv is Master Chef.
DeleteI watch PBS nearly exclusively, except for local news at 5:00. I lost interest in US network programs a long time ago, and though I have Acorn, I don't watch many shows as either I am deep into a book or am watching PBS.
DeleteWe have Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO and Netflix. I have been streaming The Boys, mainly due to the acting, but the violence (exploding human heads + whales) is troubling. I loved Lupin, a robin hood story made in France. I relax with the DC shows that stream on Netflix.If I am watching on Sunday, it is documentary day, mostly on Hulu or HBOMax. Question to self, how do I get other things done?
ReplyDeleteI have up on The Boys, although I think Rick may have watched more of it. A little too violent for me.
DeleteWe loved Lupin! I hope they do another season. Omar Sy is just fabulous.
I meant "gave" up. I wish Blogger would let us edit without deleting...
Delete
ReplyDeleteGreat British Menu on Prime
Mum on Britbox.
Upstart Crow, also on Britbox, absolutely brilliant, as is Mum
For an evening of absolutely off the wall uninhibited "watch after the kids are in bed" fun, check out Mrs. Brown's boys, also on Britbox.
Doc Martin, on Acorn, start at the first episode and watch all 8 seasons. Or is it 10? Maybe 11
Binge watch The Fall with Gillian Anderson -- dark and evil
Or try Mare of Eastwood, brilliant.
The Indian Doctor, Britbox again
The Heart Guy, google it for where to watch
The Royal, Britbox
We are very good at subscribing for a free week, most recently Peacock for the Olympics, being a cable free environment here. And I think Schitt's Creek deserves rewatching.
Schitt's Creek definitely deserves re-watching. Thank you for the list, Ann. I am obviously not taking advantage of my Acorn and Britbox subscriptions. I don't actually watch much TV during the week and usually try to pick things on weekends that Rick will like, too, and he's not as big on British or historical shows. But I will look all these up. And of course I love Doc Martin but it would be fun to go back and watch in order.
DeleteMum, for the win! I had no idea Lesley Manville could be so humorous.
DeleteMare, definitely!
DeleteThe Indian Doctor ended way too soon! Such a great show.
ReplyDeleteI gave a couple of series a second try where I had originally judged the first episode over the top, and they became favorites--Schitt's Creek and The Office (I'm only on season 5 so far of the latter, and I'm listening to the Office Ladies podcasts as I go for all of the backstage info). And I have to be patient until Fridays when I can view the new episodes of Ted Lasso (sublime!) and Schmigadoon (yes, silly, but also fun). Last night I discovered The Movies That Made Us. I don't know how long it's been on, but I couldn't stop watching--Jurassic Park, Pretty Woman, Back to the Future, Dirty Dancing, and Forrest Gump. They are 50 or so minutes each and are so fascinating, delving into everything you wanted to know about the making of these movies. I hope there are lots more because I am hooked!
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't yet watched Mare of Easttown and Hacks, I recommend them highly as well. I've even watched and enjoyed series for which I am definitely not the target demographic, such as Never Have I Ever.
I heard Never Have I Ever was good. But it seems like it was on something we didn't have.. And what is The Movies That Made Us streaming on? (Not sure about my grammar there!)
DeleteNetflix!
DeleteWe watched Shadow and Bone on Netflix, and while it's not as good as His Dark Materials, we enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend we started The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Good but hard to follow if you've forgotten all your Marvel history...
Debs,
DeleteDid you watch Discovery of Witches on Sundance Now? I loved the series.
Diana
If you liked Independence Day, you'll like The Tomorrow Wars. That's either Netflix or Amazon. I've been eagerly awaiting each episode of A Discovery of Witches on AMC and following Manifest to Netflix with the 3rd season on Peacock (I've got the free version). Whitstable Pearl was good. I enjoyed the Modern Ms Fisher Mysteries. The first season was a little slow to get into but be patient. I'm wishing I had some of those 60s fashions again. SyFy has a cool humorous paranormal show called Surreal Estate. Wonderful snarky humor. And Resident Alien. Too funny. I just finished two seasons of a French series called Black Spot which is like Twin Peaks for weirdness but much darker. As in if there really is a town called Villefranche in the forest I am staying well away from it.
ReplyDeletePat, I saw The Tomorrow Wars and enjoyed it - I mean, I'll watch anything with Chris Pratt AND JK Simmons in it, but it was great action-thriller-fun-moving family story.
DeleteGoing on the list!
DeleteMany wonderful Recommendations. Though we would LOVE to watch BOSCH and the MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, unfortunately they are on Amazon and we are boycotting Amazon for many reasons.
ReplyDeleteLast binge was BERGERAC on Britbox. Recently, I have been reading a lot of books instead of watching movies or tv. Look forward to watching CRUELLA on Disney Plus at the end of August. It costs more money to watch the Premier now.
Watched MODERN MYSTERIES OF MISS FISHER on Acorn TV. Loving the GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF on Netflix.
Diana
Debs, I'm a third of fourth vote for RESIDENT ALIEN - it's so funny and delightful. Alan Tudyk continues to be a national treasure, and not just for those of us who are Browncoats.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you want to laugh until snot comes out your nose, you have to see THE MITCHELLS VERSUS THE MACHINES. It looks like a kids movie, and it kind of is, but it's really for anyone who has ever been part of a family. Or been a robot, I suppose. Set up a watch party with Kayti - as an added bonus the dad's name is Rick!
JULIA,
DeleteMatt Haig recommended the movie because he and his family loved the movie. Based on his recommendation, I watched THE MITCHELLS VERSUS THE MACHINES and I loved the movie.
Diana
Will do!
DeleteWill watch the Mitchells.
DeleteWarning that I've generally HATED all the "popular" series, i.e., Schitt's Creek, The Queen's Gambit, etc. and I LOVED Derry Girls and re-watch it whenever I need to laugh. So with those caveats, I recommend the show Lovesick which I also loved; it's on Netflix. It's perhaps a bit different, but especially as an Anglophile, you may enjoy it. It's funny and heartwarming. Also on Netflix, try Kim's Convenience. I found it generally amusing.
ReplyDeleteAnd just in case you missed it, although it's not always a happy, uplifting show, I recommend Outlander. The first four seasons are available on Netflix, the fifth, most recent season, is on Starz. You can get lost in the spectacular settings and gorgeous production in addition to superb acting. I read all the Outlander books and liked them, but I actually prefer the show.
Just my two cents....
I have never been able to get past the 4th Outlander book. I adored the first three. And we did watch the first season of Outlander but only had free Starz for a while, for some reason, and we never got back to it. Now that it's on Netflix maybe we will pick up again.
DeleteWell, OUTLANDER. Oh, yes, THE BEST.
DeleteI'm looking forward to watching my spiritual boyfriend, Tom Hiddleston, in Loki. I just have to get rid of my TBR pile first. I'm a Kansas City girl so I LOVE all of the Lasso references to that fabulous city, especially the barbeque references. I want to cry after each episode, I miss the food so much. I'm a greyhound owner, so the first five minutes of Lasso 2nd season was a mixture of laughter and horror. I also have to recommend Bridgerton if for no other reason than the beauty of the show, and I just ain't talking about the duke. To my utter horror I am recommending the NetFlix Will Farrell movie, Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga. It is delightful, plus its only a one shot deal. Speaking of Hiddleston (can we please, with photos?), try to find LeCarre's The Night Manager on AMC. Olivia Coleman also appeared and picked up an award or two for doing so. Not many episodes. I'm not being very helpful, but I read more that watch TV, which is a response I'm sure you will often hear in these comments.
ReplyDeleteWe did watch The Night Manager. So good.
DeleteSorry, late to the party! We watched one episode of Ted Lasso and deemed it too silly. And John tried Schitt's Creek, ditto. Maybe we'll try again. Adored Mare of Eastham. And now we are in to Foyle's War. Foyle is a police detective during WW2 in England. He's such a lovely character, and so are his sidekicks. Have you tried that Debs? I think it would check your boxes!
ReplyDeleteI think Foyle's War was one of the BEST programs ever made. Superb acting (I would watch Michael Kitchen read the phone book...he was delicious in Enchanted April !) by all participants, accurate in its portrayal of the time, and always gripping...and intelligent program as well as entertaining.
DeleteLucy,
DeleteFOYLE'S WAR is wonderful. I have not seen that for a while and I think they still have that on ACORN TV. Perhaps when I am in a reading slump again would be a good time to watch the series again.
Diana
I love Foyle's War, Roberta. I think I have them all on DVD, even. I agree it was one of the best crime shows ever made.
DeleteYes, Schitt's Creek is silly. But it's clever and the family story arc through the series is just lovely, so moving. All the cast is brilliant, but by the end of the series I think Annie Murphy, who plays Alexis, was my favorite.
Ditto Ted Lasso. It's all about the relationships and character development. And, Roberta, you would get a kick out of the therapist in series 2.
Yes, so agree, Foyle's War is perfection. And we could not watch Schitt's Creek either. SO weird--I did not think it was one bit funny.
DeleteI haven't really been checking out much in the way of new stuff as of late.
ReplyDeleteI've been rewatching Bones again. And Cheers and House. I'm getting back into my rewatch of the original Magnum, P.I. too. Oh and another run through of M*A*S*H* too. Before I go to work in the morning I've been catching episodes of Night Court, which I've loved but has been kind of sad to watch since Charlie Robinson (who played Mac on the show) died recently and just yesterday Markie Post (who played Christine) passed away.
The one "new" show I've checked out is Titans. It's based on the DC Comics franchise (there's a lot of different series featuring the Titans characters. The show's first season is airing on TNT on Monday nights and I've been checking it out because I haven't got any other new summer shows that interest me.
I did see the trailer for Y: The Last Man recently. It will air on FX in September or October. It's based on another comic series and the story is out of nowhere, EVERYTHING with a Y Chromosome just dies. Except this one guy. So the women are left to try to figure out what happened and how to reverse it because without a means of reproducing, humanity will die. The guy needs to be protected but there are those out to kill him as well. I haven't read the comic series but the trailer sure did make it look like the show could be pretty good.
I do want to see Leverage: Redemption on IMDBtv. And I would love to see the rest of Bosch, which I haven't seen since Season 1.
And it was only a couple of days ago that they started filming Season 2 of RESIDENT ALIEN which will be my most anticipated show when that starts airing. Oh and the new season of Doctor Who whenever that shows up. They've announced the worst kept secret in Britain that Jodie Whittaker will be leaving the role after three movie specials next year and the showrunner Chris Chibnall, who's made an abysmal mess out of the show is leaving too.
Jay,
DeleteNO! I cannot believe that Markie Post passed away yesterday. Too young. I remember when Charlie Robinson passed away.
Diana
Jay, you've sold me on Resident Alien.
DeleteI agree on Chris Chibnall. I gave up on Doctor Who even though I like Jodie Whitacre. Fingers crossed they do better on the new showrunner.
Diana, apparently she'd been fighting cancer for more than 3 years.
DeleteDeborah, while Jodie Whittaker had some good episodes most of her run has been like Peter Capaldi's run. She did a great performance with pretty mediocre material overall. Chris Chibnall spent so much time trying to make whatever points he was aiming for that he forgot to tell compelling stories around the point. I will be glad when he's gone. Of course, the argument about who should replace Jodie is falling along the expected lines.
I’m assuming everyone has watched Lucifer? Victor had us repeat for a second run after we had finished the first run. I’m thinking third time coming up. Professor T on PBS is delightful. Another really quirky character. Hustle and New Tricks are both funny and clever but are old shows from the UK. As V and I are old it all fits.
ReplyDeleteCelia, I LOVED Hustle. You must be the only other person I know who's seen it! So good!!
DeleteCount me as having watched Lucifer. I can't wait for mid-September when Season 6 (aka the final season) starts.
DeleteI love Lucifer!
DeleteHere's another one who's seen and LOVED Hustle!! I, too, have never known anyone else who ever saw it. And similarly, I ADORED Leverage. Such a creative, well-done show.
DeleteOh, if you love fashion the second season of Making the Cut was a great unexpected ending and some really cool clothes to imagine myself wearing. I’m off to buy undies with sequins - See yeah!
ReplyDeleteNetflix?
DeleteOH! Where is that???
DeleteAmazon Prime, sorry to say that the look I wanted was already sold out!
DeleteWe are always looking for new shows as well! We loved Lupin--there are two seasons now. Also No Offence (spelled the British way) was excellent (British police officers with female boss). We loved Flack about PR agents--funny, dramatic and slightly raunchy so beware!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I read somewhere that Flack was fun. Adding that and No Offence!
DeleteI loved No Offence! Those bathroom conferences are priceless.
DeleteWatched a wonderful movie on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteHOME AGAIN with Michael Shannon, Reese Witherspoon and Candice Bergen.
Diana
I'm another vote for Resident Alien. Right now I'm watching the last season of Younger (tv land) because . . . Sutton Foster. Anyone who can headline a series called Bunheads is brave.
ReplyDeleteI was just about to suggest Younger! (And I probably still will.) I just realized, last night, that Laura Benanti (another big Broadway name) has been playing Quinn! She's so completely different in that role!
DeleteI am currently watching Unforgotten, starring Nicoli Walker, so you know it's good. I'm actually doling it out one episode every Sunday on PBS, even though I have so many streaming places, I think I could watch more of it. I like having it to look forward to on Sunday evening. Also on Sunday evening on PBS is No Second Chance. It is based on Harlan Coben's novel, and like others of his that have been adapted to the screen, it's a foreign production, this time in French. The subtitles don't bother me though, as I usually have closed caption on for my poor hearing. I did go ahead and stream all of the episodes of it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've started the first season of Levinger, as friends Aubrey and Lesa recommended it so highly. I've watched four episodes so far and really like it.
ReplyDeleteRhys, I watched all the seasons of The Good Place this last year, and I'm so glad I did. I just loved it. I even recently purchased a Funko Pop figure for Janet. It's the hot one to get from the show, and I paid way too much for it, but it makes me happy. Debs, I've been saving Ted Lasso, but I didn't know it was only one episode being released at a time this season. I absolutely adored Ted Lasso first season and binged it. And, I imagine that I will one day watch all of Schitt's Creek again, as it was such a favorite of mine. Jenn, I can't believe I haven't watched Barry yet. Bill Hader is wonderful, and Henry Winkler is always a welcome addition. Hank, I will have to look up SCHMIGADOON. It sounds like something I could love. Julia, I know I want to watch LOKI soon.
Ones with new seasons I'm looking forward to are Outlander, Ozarks, and Agatha Raisin. Also, Stranger Things, season four, will be out next year. And, when will a new season of Call the Midwife be out? I want to watch Mare of Easttown sometime, and I think I should probably check out Line of Duty. There's Vera that I need to get back to. I think I paused at season 5 or 6.
There'll be new Outlander? Hurray! And CANNOT WAIT for new Ozark.
DeleteWe watched ATLANTIC CROSSING via the PBS app and loved it. It's set in WWII and involves FDR and an exiled Norwegian princess he invited to live in America with her children while her husband the Norwegian crown prince worked with the government in exile in London.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm sure someone's already mentioned HACKS but it's worth a watch for fun. We're also watching THE WHITE LOTUS, which is kind of funny-dark.
We loved Bosch, both my husband who's read all the books, and me, who has not. And we loved The Kaminsky Method. I'm not always a fan or Michael and I still loved it. And we are hooked on Call My Agent. Almost everyone in the story is slightly crazy and very entertaining. Also I just watched, on video, a real PBS Masterpiece classic I had never seen - I, Claudius. Yes, it was just as great as I had always heard. Horrible people, as I knew because I've read the books, but not close to are time and place, so an escape.Yet resonant in some ways. And the usual outstanding Brit actors, too
ReplyDeleteTriss, we loved the Kaminsky Method, too. I Claudius - we watched that in grad school, a group of us meeting at the house of the only friend who had a television!
DeleteTYPOS FIXED We loved Bosch, both my husband who's read all the books, and me, who has not. And we loved The Kaminsky Method. I'm not always a fan of Michael Douglas and I still loved it. And we are hooked on Call My Agent. Almost everyone in the story is slightly crazy and very entertaining. Also I just watched, on video, a real PBS Masterpiece classic I had never seen - I, Claudius. Yes, it was just as great as I had always heard. Horrible people, as I knew because I've read the books, but not close to our time and place, so an escape.Yet resonant in some ways. And the usual outstanding Brit actors, too Adding one more; I got a free trial sub for Acorn so I could watch Modern Ms. Fisher. It is a tv spinoff off the popular book/tv series Miss Fisher - Phryne had an unknown niece who inherits everything when Phryne's plane is lost over Papua. ( Wonder if they hope to have her return?) Niece is undereducated and drifting but like Phryne, daring, cleverand up for anything including fun. It's the mod 60's, great fun to watch.
DeleteI am now hooked on Doctor Who. Streaming on HBO Max. And I love the first two seasons of the spinoff, Torchwood. The last two seasons, not so much. It's like the creator of the series was determined to kill off all the characters. On Acorn TV, just watched Keeping Faith for the umpteenth time.
ReplyDeleteFirst the television started getting noir, then it lost its picture, then I lost the remote. So, haven't had the TV on in a month. Don't miss it.
ReplyDeleteYes to THE EXPANSE, BOSCH, and RESIDENT ALIEN! Also love Sex Education with Gillian Anderson on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteI'm 12 episodes away from finishing my rewatch of The Mary Tyler Moore season. And almost done with season 5 of Diagnosis: Murder. Both things got put on hold for the Olympics. As far as current shows, I have been addicted to Superman and Lois. Great writing and acting. Two episode left in season 1, and I can't wait to find out how it ends.
ReplyDeleteGreat recommendations here! My husband is tired of what he calls death and sex, referring to all the thriller & cop shows, even detective ones now. He's watching mostly Nat. Geo nature shows. Talk about sex and death! I'm a big fan of Bosch, Kaminsky Method, Lupin(!!!), Hacks, Lucifer, and yes! Making the Cut. I love fashion and that's so addictive. My favorite, as good as Foyle's War, is the Unforgotten. Just finished it. Cried like a baby. But the tears felt good. Kind of washed away a lot things. If you know what I mean. ;)
ReplyDeleteI've become addicted to Yellowstone (Kevin Costner has aged quite nicely). The Undoing with Nicole Kidman and a very old looking Hugh Grant is spectacular for a murder/suspense/thriller -- I think 8 episodes. And finally Bryan Cranston's His Honor about a by the book judge who isn't so by the book when it involves his son - - 10 episodes. And I don't know if you can get Cardinal in US (it's a Canadian-based series, detectives in Algonquin Bay, based on the books by Giles Blunt) but it's excellent and great adaptation of the books.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend Younger (the combination of Sutton Foster and Debi Mazar is delightful). Mare of Easttown is some of the best TV I've ever seen, though it's definitely not light. Similarly, but in a totally different genre, Watchmen may be *the* best TV I've ever seen, though the first two episodes didn't make sense to me until I'd accidentally watched Episode 8, "A God Walks Into Abar." After seeing that I continued with Episode 3 and felt like I was on much stronger ground.
ReplyDeleteA few people have recommended The Expanse, which I agree with, but I'd recommend watching each episode of the first season twice before moving on to the next. There was a *lot* of plot development starting very early on, but the Belters' dialect made it very difficult for me to understand what was being said and, thus, what was going on. Watching each episode twice fixed that for me (and after the first season I didn't need to do that any more -- though there are definitely episodes I've watched more than once just for fun).
And, for a complete change of pace, Hacks on HBO. I watched that right after Mare of Easttown (I was having a bit of a Jean Smart binge, I guess) and it's wonderful. I've rarely seen women portrayed so honestly, even though there are definitely some cringeworthy moments.
Finally, for another completely different type of series, Ragnarok on Netflix. It's a Norwegian series but reading subtitles is absolutely worth it. Even if you're not up on Norse mythology the story is well told enough to be able to follow along. If you *are* up on your Norse mythology then it's an even better treat. Season 2 just dropped recently and now I'm eager to get back to it.
I love the different murder mystery series on Britbox: Shetland (read the series), Death in Paradise, Rosemary and Thyme, and Midsommer Murders.
ReplyDeleteI'm also enjoying watching Downton Abbey on blu-ray. On cable, I am watching my favorite re-read several times The All Souls Trilogy series now in its second season - A Discovery of Witches.