HALLIE EPHRON: My go-to place for TV diversions is and has always been Public Television. For anyone who's similarly a fan (and too cheap to sign up for BBC), you know that public tv in the summer is the doldrums. Seems like they runs a cavalcade of what they euphemistically refer to as "Viewer Favorites," plus cooking shows and episodes from This Old House and Rick Steves. Zzzzzz.
So I did the happy dance when I saw that they are starting to release new shows for fall 2023. My current favorite, Professor T.
It's a British series (of course) about a obsessive-compulsve (Hello, "Monk"?)curmudgeonly (Hello "House"?) Cambridge University professor--Jasper Tempest--who begins his days ritualistically washing his and donning latex gloves. And has an uncanny ability to interpret crime scenes (Hello "Sherlock").
An added bonus, Frances de la Tour (AKA Madame Maxim from Harry Potter) costars as his (to put it mildly) idiosyncratic mother.
The show is dark, smart, and has a terrific supporting cast. And I'm thrilled that I've only watched 2 of the episodes from Season 2 and I'm on the hunt for where I can stream Season 1.
Also...
I'm excited that we have a 3-parter with Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix! Princess Margaret!) in "Nolly" to look forward to.
And, the (literal) icing on the cake? A new season of the Great British Bake Off is in the offing. And the producers didn't dump my favorite of the co-hosts, Noah Fielding.
I watched the first two episodes of the new Star Trek show, but (been there, done that) didn't like it well enough to sign up for Paramount.
I am going to bite the bullet, however, and sign up for HULU since ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING sounds like one I'll be sorry if I miss.
So do you agree (or disagree) that the offerings on regular TV are looking up this fall, what programs are you looking forward to?
"Professor T" sounds intriguing . . . "Nova" is always a favorite here.
ReplyDeleteI love STAR TREK enough to seriously consider signing up for Paramount . . . .
And all the Harry Potter movies are (or were) on Paramount, too.
DeleteJoan, if you aren't sold on signing up for Paramount+ outright, they usually offer a 7 day trial to try things out.
DeleteThat's good to know, Jay . . . thanks!
DeleteHALLIE: I don't have cable TV & miss watching PBS. I have to pay PBS Passport to watch most shows, and have not done so.
ReplyDeleteI have subscribed to CRAVE tv since 2017 to watch the 5 new STAR TREK shows. But as of September 2023, Canada is joining the rest of the world. All STAR TREK shows/movies are finally moving over to Paramount+.
But like you, I also caved in this week, and (re)signed up to watch OMITB Season 3. In Canada, I watch it on Disney+. Disney+ subscription includes HULU & Star TV channels. It's only $1.99/month for first 3 months. So, I binge watched the first 8 episodes this week, and now waiting for the final 2 episodes. I can also finally watch WILL TRENT too. And some Marvel shows/movies.
And I heard that SLOW HORSES season 3 will air in early December, so I will (re)activate my Apple+ TV subscription to watch that show.
Grace, you are a savv consumer... I'm afraid to sign up because I know I won't remember to (or figure out how to) cancel.
DeleteSince it's usually just 1 (or 2 ) shows that interest me, I just subscribe long enough to (binge)watch & then cancel. The streaming services don't make much money off of me, lol. And I gave up cable TV in 2014 when I moved to Ottawa. The same cable TV provider wanted to hike my monthly rate to $65 month (from $20/month I paid in Toronto), so I was an early cable-cutter, too.
DeleteHallie, stream season one of Professor T with PBS Passport. PBS in my area makes passport available to sustaining members…a monthly contribution of only $10/month and tax deductible! (I do not have cable nor do I subscribe to any streaming services. Full disclosure, I don’t even own a TV. Watch on my iPad or laptop.) Elisabeth
ReplyDeleteSeason 1 - Right ... I started it. Trying to take it slow so I don't run out of shows too quickly.
DeleteHallie, I swore I take season 2 slowly. Ha! Just finished it Thursday night. But going back to rewatch season 1 because the first time it didn’t grab me like the first episode of season 2 did. Elisabeth
DeleteWe have Passport (because of a regular contribution to WGBH), so I'll be watching Professor T. Thanks for the heads up, and about Nolly!
ReplyDeleteLast night I wanted to watch Murder in G Major, the Hallmark Mysteries movie made from Alexia Gordon's very smart Gethsemane Brown series, but we don't get that channel. Did anybody see it?
Apparently Alexia's movie will be on again Sunday night at 7.
DeleteDarn, I wish I could watch this adaptation of Alexia's book. No Hallmark.
DeleteAnd I forgot to mention we're about to dive into a new season of Unforgotten! (British police drama, either PBS or Netflix, I think). Love that show.
DeleteI caught an article about the fifth season of Unforgotten starting recently and it sounded interesting so I went back and started watching the first season. I liked it. But I haven't started the next season just yet.
DeleteUnforgotten is available on Passport too! Sorry if I sound like a shill for PBS support. ;-) Elisabeth
DeleteJay, keep watching Unforgotten through the years. It’s definitely worth it. — Pat S
DeleteNothing wrong with being a shill for public television!!
DeleteWe don't get many American or English TV shows here, but I have to say, on the plane trip when we came, I watched the whole set of the first season of Only Murders In The Building and was hooked. It's brilliant, and I do wish I could see the following episodes, because I read season two didn't disappoint. I'm sure the new season won't, either.
ReplyDeleteYes, seasons 2 & 3 of OMITB are fun to watch.
DeleteWe got worn out with the silliness in the first season, but definitely watching season 3 with Meryl Streep!
DeleteOne of my very favorite actresses,
DeleteFrom Celia: good question, what to watch, what to watch? I threw out cable several years ago as the cost climbed and climbed and installed an Apple TV box. So what we watch is streamed. Right now I’m paying for Apple TV as Extrapolations is complex but most thought provoking with the story too close for comfort after this summer. I think it will go on cancel when hat show is finished. Prime is part of how I shop, not to mention lots of old movies. PBS is supported by us on a monthly donation and we love Prof D, plus catching up on past shows. Maine Public’s Borealis is good. Victor loves MASH which we missed in its original showing and I cancelled Netflix for the summer as nothing was worth watching. Having the Apple TV with my iPhone makes subscribing and unsubscribing very easy which I like. .
ReplyDeleteSubscribers like us who cancel & resubscribe are probably why these streaming channels are not making huge profits, lol.
DeleteI really need to get with sign-up-and-cancel.
DeleteI enjoy Professor T, but his mother steals the show.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't she though! Love the bit where she's paint-balling art works.
DeleteI don't watch TV any more, except for the news. Reading and audiobooks provide my entertainment. I loved TV but lost my desire to watch during the 2016 election cycle and never recovered my joy in watching. When the pandemic hit, that was it. Books. Just books. Maybe I will get my joy of watching back some day. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteJudy: How interesting that you no longer watch, but only read. While I love to read, sometimes I want to just watch -- be entertained, I suppose, without having to even turn pages!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJUDY: It was the opposite for me during the pandemic. Having COVID brain fog for most of 2020/2021 lockdowns meant I could not concentrate enough to read. But I could watch TV...I guess that shows us how mindless TV watching can be! I mostly watch local & national news. As for watching these new shows, the short seasons (6 to 10 episodes) makes binge-watching quite doable. And then I cancel the subscription until another season becomes available a year later.
Deletethis explains why you read so much--a great idea Judy!
DeleteJudy, same here with on-air TV, same reason, except it was 2010. But we do watch streaming services.
DeleteJudy; I am more like you than not but other than the first 10 minutes or so of the network news show and maybe up to an hour of TV shows has been all I watch. I'd really rather read but someone here got me hooked on Ted Lasso and I prefer to watch that over and over, rather than anything else. Maybe my obsession will wane but I'm only on the 3rd time around, so who knows. I do watch with closed captions so I am actually reading that too!
DeleteJudy, I watch almost no television. I wait for Call the Midwife each year, and I enjoy Grantchester. We've been watching Dark Winds, the second season of which is almost too dark for me, and I'm looking forward to the new season of Unforgotten. But what I watch is either PBS or Netflix, or occasionally HBO max, a password we borrow from my son.
DeleteThe last TV show I binge watched was CASTLE. I tried Nathan Filion's next show, which is good but didn't have the appeal. I have loved cop shows and bunches of CSI & NCIS shows but no more. I realize now, that even the books I gravitate most towards have that element of romance that was such an enormous draw for me to CASTLE.
DeleteJudy, we adore The Rookie. It's the only thing we watch on broadcast TV, I think, although who knows when there will be a new season now with the strikes...
DeleteI tend towards gentle stuff with nice people and watch mostly on Canada's CBC Gem app. Escape to the Chateau DIY is my current favourite -- Brits who have bought a chateau in France and then set about renovating it. Endlessly entertaining, with beautiful countryside and surroundings.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I need: The Gentle Stuff with Nice People station... I find so much of the time I turn the program off halfway through when it gets to not-gentle and not-nice.
DeleteTotally agreed on that, Hallie. The nightly news is the only 'not nice' show I watch.
DeleteAmanda, you are braver than I. Nightly news, even from BBC, gets snapped off quicker and quicker with each passing day! Elisabeth
DeleteELISABETH: I think CBC Nightly news is pretty tame compared to daily news shown in other countries. The stories they cover may be grim but they tend to end the broadcast with a positive, light-hearted feature(s) each evening (e.g. Our Moment, the CBC Archives features from the 1980s).
DeleteRight now we are in the middle of the second season of The Lincoln Lawyer, which we like a lot (except for the girlfriend, really?) I think we will hunker down tonight in storm Ophelia and watch Barbie!
ReplyDeleteWishing you safe passage through Ophelia, Roberta!
DeleteROBERTA: Ugh, I missed the news that it has been upgraded into a named storm.
DeleteStay inside for Ophelia indeed!
Barbie! Enjoy!! I actually went to the movie theatre to see it. It's divine.
DeleteStay safe, Roberta, and keep us posted! We haven't started Season 2 of the Lincoln Lawyer yet.
Deletelately there's not much on TV that I watch - I use it more as background noise
ReplyDeleteBackground noise... I used to keep the radio on for that. Makes me feel less alone in the house.
DeleteIt's time for me to trim our streaming services again. My husband will never let go of Netflix, but we also have Prime (I turn it on and off again all the time), Hulu ($2 a month), and both Acorn and BritBox. I keep telling myself, as soon as X series is finished I'll cancel, and then one of these JRW blogs tempts me with a shiny new one.
ReplyDeleteUnless you sign up for an annualized deal, all these services, by the way, allow you to end your subscription, then take it up again later. And I think they make plenty of money, regardless.
So allow me to add to the list of temptations. Mrs Sidhu Investigates just premiered on Acorn, and if the whole show is as good as the first episode it will be a smash hit. Mrs S is a widow and a caterer whose father was a famous police officer; she teams up with a CI who has been having an emotional rough patch. I also started watching The Chelsea Detective, which has a bike-riding, divorcing Chief Inspector currently living on a narrowboat in London. His sidekick is one of the coolest women detectives on TV, too, a new mom with a fabulously handsome husband who is the main carer of their baby daughter.
Mrs Sidhu Investigates sounds like fun... I did like Acorn when I subscribed to it, but found I quickly ran out of shows that held my attention.
DeleteLoved the first season of The Chelsea Detective. The second, not so much, but I will watch just for the Chelsea setting--and I LOVE the houseboat!
DeleteHmmm, I used to be used a Anglophile & watched British dramas (on PBS when it was free). But I tried Acorn & Britbox in 2020/21 & never got into any of the shows so I cancelled.
ReplyDeleteI came across Professor T by accident. I love it and it's my new favorite.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the new series of Father Brown, Death in Paradise, This Old House, All Creatures Great & Small, British Bake Off on PBS.
GBBS only on Netflix now. PBS shows repeats of older seasons.
DeleteIf you watch PBS and haven't watched "The Unforgotten" you are missing a great show. The new season is on now and is just as terrific as the first 4 seasons.
ReplyDeleteI've watched and enjoyed random episodes of THE UNFORGOTTEN. Good recommendation.
DeleteHallie, just a comment that if you’re skipping around on Unforgotten, you’re missing a lot. It’s not just the good character development of the regular cast, but you won’t be able to see the plot develop or start to figure out whodunnit. Over the course of each season, the new characters are revealed to have hinky backgrounds so you have to watch the episodes in order to figure out who’s the hinkiest (inventing a word!). — Pat S
DeleteIf you love the British Professor T, watch the Belgian version (which was first - the Brits copied it). It's also on PBS Passport. It's fascinating to watch the same characters and story line and see the differences, plus you get lovely view of Antwerp. Watched the first episode of Mrs. Sidhu last night, hmmm. I'll give it a go. Unforgotten is also a terrific show. Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteGoing to check it out...
DeleteI loved the Belgian Professor T (which seems a bit darker), but so enjoy watching the British version. Ben Miller is a perfect choice. Charlene Miller-Wilson
DeleteHallie, which new Star Trek show did you try out? There's a number of them right now.
ReplyDeleteWith the strikes still going on, there's not a whole lot of stuff coming back right now. And the stuff that is on regular TV that did get some new material filmed before the strikes, a lot of them I have no interest in. I'll probably check out the NCIS: Sydney show though.
As for streaming services, there's a number of things I'm keeping up with that is "new". I'll save the rewatch stuff until we get to another what are you watching week on here.
But on Amazon, I'm watching the new season of The Wheel of Time. On Disney+, I'm watching the Star Wars show Ahsoka.
And I got a free month's trial to Paramount+ where I watched Season 2 of Joe Pickett and then caught up on the various Star Trek series that have been doing new material.
I watched the last two seasons of Star Trek: Picard, caught up on the last couple of seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks and I'm currently watching the new fourth season.
I'm working on Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 so I can then watch the 5th and final season when that starts.
And I watched Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. And I liked it. Especially Episode 7 "Those Old Scientists" which brilliantly crossed over with Star Trek: Lower Decks, which isn't easy since Lower Decks is an animated series. But it was so incredibly done that it instantly became one of the best episodes of any Star Trek series ever.
And in October, the revival of Frasier will start, so I'll probably be paying for another month as well.
JAY: I agree with you that "Those Old Scientists" was the best episode of SNW (or all Star Trek) period. I re-watched it several times. But as you say, with the SAG/writers strike, the amount of new Star Trek is slowing down. It's not like the past few years when we had 50 weeks of new episodes from the various shows. We were spoiled.
DeleteOh I forgot about the new Fraiser. I look forward to that show, but will miss David Hyde Pierce in the new show.
DeleteThe star trek new episodes I watched was Strange New World (with Chrstopher Pike). It just seemed so predictable and formulaic... but then isn't that what I would hope for?
DeleteI just finished second season of PROFESSOR T on Passport. Since I didn’t like the lead actor when he was in DEATH IN PARADISE, it took me a while to get into it. Now I’m hooked. Thanks for your mention of Frances de la Tour. She’s a wonderful actor and I love her hilarious character.
ReplyDeleteUNFORGOTTEN is my favorite PBS show, although I’m missing Olivia Coleman! Mrs. Sidhu may grow on me. I only watch three shows on traditional networks—YOUNG SHELDON, WILL TRENT (based on books by Karin Slaughter) and Ghosts, although I prefer the British version better.
For me PASSPORT is a bargain. It’s only $10 a month, is tax deductible, and I feel good about supporting public television. I also watch Acorn and BritBox. Yes, I’m an Anglophile.
I agree with you on PASSPORT - I want to support public television. (Same reason I keep on subscribing to my local newspaper). I'll be glad when the writer's strike is over and we start to get some new shows.
DeleteOh, yes, we love our passport, too. But I have to say, you all, I kind of love television.( I guess you would know that since I made my career in TV. )But there are marvelous things on, along with the hideous, ridiculous things. And some days , there is nothing better than curling up in the cozy chair after a long day of making my brain work at top speed,, with a glass of wine, and being entertained by something fabulous on TV.
ReplyDeleteFor instance. Of course, you know, magpie murders. That is a classic and not to be missed. But just less “intellectually” I absolutely love The Morning Show, the series with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. I really enjoyed, The Other Black Girl. Only Murders in the Building is adorable, and the Lincoln lawyer, and as I have discussed here before, Attorney Woo. I honestly could list more, including shows from the UK and Italy and Israel and Spain, not to mention a certain documentary that is just out, called Neither Confirm Nor Deny which we will talk more about next week!
Hands down, "Unforgotten" is the best crime drama to watch. The always-fabulous Nicola Walker star in the first four seasons, and her colleague the Pakistani actor is a good match. The current6 season 5 is the highlight of Masterpiece Sunday night's offerings. It stands on its own, but worth watching the first four seasons. A solid police procedural, wonderful English wettings, uniformly great acting.
ReplyDeleteIm also looking forward to watching Veronica Mars, which was recommended in toddy's NYT Watching column. Anyone else seems it and can recommend?
Hallie, you definitely don't want to miss 'Only Murders in the Building." It's wonderful in every way.
ReplyDeleteMy TV doldrums have been cured by watching Kdramas, which are mostly on Netflix. I don't do the romances, I can't get that interested in watching beautiful young people struggle with love. But I adore the crime dramas, which tend to be much more layered, complex and intriguing. In addition, several that I've watched have a supernatural element and/or time shifting that really adds a zing.
My recommendations: JIRISAN, SIGNAL, STRANGER, and one my Kdrama-watching buddy and I have just gotten into, and it's wonderful: REVENANT. That last is on Hulu, if you've got that instead of Netflix.
Hallie, thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteStrange how my Internet access seems to be connected to Cable. If I want to subscribe to Hallmark Channel on my computer, I have to say which Cable company we have. Really wish that I could watch the mystery movie based on Alexia Gordon's mysteries on Hallmark. Luckily, I am able to get Apple TV + on my Apple iPad. Also can get Netflix and AcornTV on my iPad, not my computer, though.
Watched Two wonderful Documentaries on Netflix last night. A documentary about Rita Moreno, whom I was blessed to meet at the SF Symphony Gala in 2008? 2009? I asked her husband to take a photo of us. She was gracious. And I saw a documentary about Jackie Collins, the author sister of the actress Joan Collins. I learned a bit about her journey as a writer. Very interesting.
Monthly contribution to PBS so we automatically get PBS Passport. I am going to look for the shows you recommended. I think the actor from Professor T was the first detective on Death in Paradise? Grew up with PBS, watching Masterpiece Theater, Classics with Bill Bixby, and Mystery with Vincent Price. Now I cannot get TV reception even though we pay $$$$ monthly for Cable. Perhaps the batteries in the Remote control? I want to keep the TV because it is NOT Flat Screen TV. Really would love to be able to watch the Hallmark Channel and PBS on my TV.
Would love to watch Murder in the Building on HULU. However, I do not have the patience to watch many Ads. I think there is a cost $$$$ if you want to watch shows on HULU without Ads.
Speaking of TV doldrums (love this phrase!), I combat that by reading more books.
Diana
I am hoarding season 3 of Only Murders. My favorite streaming shows lately are Deadloch (Australian) - it's set in Tasmania - it's hilarious, salty, and an excellent mystery, Lincoln Lawyer 2, Dark Winds 2, and After Party 2 (I adore Tiffany Haddish) were also big faves. Looking forward to Bad Sisters (Irish) that I'll start this week, and then Reacher and Slow Horses drop their new seasons in December. Yay!
ReplyDeleteWe loved Deadloch! It's so irreverent, and also the only show we started together that my husband has ever binge watched on his own.
DeleteI have been watching Virgin River because it's a show my mom and I can talk about every week. I have been trying to catch up on my reading so I haven't really checked out any other fall shows yet.
ReplyDeleteWith all the strikes, there isn't much in the way of scripted shows on my horizons, but I've been a Survivor fan since day 1, and my entire family watched The Amazing Race, so it will be nice to have both of those back. And I LOVE LegoMasters, which starts back up on Thursday as well.
ReplyDeleteWe have been on a major Star Trek binge the last couple of months. Season 1 and 2 of Strange New Worlds, which we loved. "These Old Scientists" was such a treat, as was the musical episode! Fabulous! Now we are on Season 4 of Discovery. Season 5 will be the last, sadly. I expect CBS is putting their money into SNG as it's been such a hit.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Welcome to Wrexham and Season 2 has started. Of course I know what transpired, but it's still fun to watch it in progress.
I'll check out Mr. T, Hallie!
Oh, we started Only Murders S.3 but are behind, so maybe when we've finished this season of Discovery we'll binge the rest.
DEBS: True, SNW will be the only live Star Trek show after Discovery Season 5 airs next year for a while. They were not able to start filming SNW Season 3 in Toronto before the writers' strike began in May. So we are going to have a LONG wait to see how the Season 2 cliffhanger is resolved (2025, I guess)! But the Paramount/Kurtzman are still committed to do the Section 31 movie with Michelle Yeoh & the new Starfleet Academy show but they're both in development stage.
DeleteI know, and so disappointed not to have a resolution to the cliffhanger anytime soon!
DeleteYes, it is going to be a good long while before we get Season 3 of Strange New Worlds because of the strike. And it will be the only live action series. But we still have Lower Decks which I love even with the ups and downs episode to episode. I love some and some are merely okay. But such a great voice cast.
DeleteAlso, at some point I hope they find a new home for the animated Star Trek: Prodigy series. It was initially marketed as a Star Trek show that was very kid-friendly but I watched the first ten episodes of the first season and it is really good for any Star Trek fan. Sadly, while the show was originally renewed for a 2nd season, Paramount+ reversed that renewal despite the fact that Season 2 was almost entirely done being produced. The creators of the show are going to try to get it out to the public somehow. But making matters worse was the streamer pulling the first season (20 total episodes) from the platform almost immediately after the cancellation announcement. Supposedly, the last 10 episodes will get a DVD release at some point but until then, I can't see the whole first season. This is why I always buy physical media for those shows that I really love. Streamers can't be trusted.
And though I know that no one here will likely do it, there are plenty of Star Trek adventures to be had in comic books. They have a large variety of shows represented plus some original material that takes characters from different shows and puts them together. Quality varies but it is usually pretty good.
JAY: Agree with you about ST: Prodigy. It just boggles my mind why Paramount+ pulled the plug for its second season when it was almost done. And then abruptly removing season 1 from its streaming service, and not mentioning Prodigy in any recent Star Trek promos makes no sense.
DeleteI agree with you viewing finds, but there are so many to search through!
ReplyDeleteWow! So many new-to-me shows to check out. While I don’t watch much tv, it is nice to find a great show to get lost in from time to time. One that would like to second here is Escape to the Chateau (mentioned above). It’s is feel-good, inspiring, fun, and a great “escape” to the French countryside. There are several seasons to enjoy. It’s was one of the few shows that got me through the pandemic. And if you haven’t watched The Durrell of Corfu, well then lucky you! I wish I could erase it from my memory so that I could rewatch it all over again. It is dreamy, funny, and heartfelt! One of my all-time favorites!
ReplyDelete