Streaming Videos (Netflix/Amazon/YouTube/Hulu Originals, etc.)

I created this topic as we're now at a point where many limited series, movies, etc. don't fit into the norms of TV or Movies. We're even at the point where entire networks and channels are only made available through streaming.

Here's the SuperBowl ad for My Name is Offred, the Hulu Original adaptation of Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, starring Elisabeth Moss.

Hulu Official site

Elizabeth Moss is a decent pick for Offred.

I wonder why they changed the title. That book is practically canonical at this point.

Maybe Atwood didn't approve?

Or because it's a different take from the other adaptation and to differentiate from it?

I dunno. Atwood's pretty outspoken. I'm sure we'd have heard if she didn't approve.

I don't think they changed the name. I think that's the name of the ad, but the series is still called The Handmaid's Tale. I can't see anywhere that it says anything different.

I remember seeing that ad and googling the movie and I was like, "Faye Dunaway is still making movies? Aren't Natasha Richardson and Elizabeth McGovern past childbearing age?"

Have I mentioned how much I love my Acorn subscription?

For those who aren't familiar with it, it's a streaming channel offered through Amazon for $5+/month that carries nothing but TV series, limited series, original movies shown in the U.K. (which includes Australian productions, also). You'll not find raving 5 star Amazon reviews attached to most of these, as they're mostly made up of very talk-y, character concentrated productions. Some are good, some are meh, but when I happen upon a gem... it's terrific and totally worth the price of a fancy cup of coffee per month.

Yesterday, I watched the 2015 Brit production of Jamaica Inn with Jessica Brown Findlay, Sean Harris, Joanne Whalley, etc., and it was outstanding. I absolutely loved Brown Findlay's interpretation of Mary. Not only was it flawless, but it rendered a whole other sense of logic to it. Very atmospheric, muddy, complex treatment. Highly recommended.

second mention of Jamaica Inn I've seen this week, but the first wasn't so flattering. It was part of a story (maybe in The Guardian) about people complaining that they can't understand actors in British TV series because they mumble so much. The main thrust of the story was a new series based on a Len Deighton thriller that was subtitled when the actors spoke German -- but viewers were complaining that even the English language sections needs subtitles. Jamaica Inn was dredged up as another recent series where people had a hard time understanding the dialogue.

That was not my experience, at all. However, I watch a lot of foreign movies and am generally comfortable with subtitles.

I do hate dubbing, though. Can't watch those.

We watched the first season of BBC's "The Level" (co-starring Thomas the butler from "Downton Abbey"), which was okay, but I need something light and entertaining now. The recent BBC "Musketeers" series is on Hulu, so that's today's matinée. I have no great expectations. I'll give it a few episodes and see how it goes.

SS-GB: BBC to re-examine sound after yet more mumbling complaints

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/20/ss-gb-bbc-re-examine-sound-yet-mumbli...

Didn't make it through the first episode of "The Musketeers."

Why can't anyone get that right? My idea of the perfect treatment would be along the lines of the Spanish adaptation of Captain Alatriste.

I'm also still waiting for a cinematic King Arthur which gives the Romano-Arthurian myth an adaptation it deserves.

This is just a conference trailer, but I thought it was fun: Style Frames Design Conference

I loved the first couple of seasons of "Burn Notice" for its clever spycraft stuff and the crazy good chemistry of the three leads, so I wanted to give Hulu's "Shut Eye" a try.

It's about the psychic business run by L.A. gypsies and I've had a great time watching it. It's no award winner just thoroughly entertaining. Sandy from The Americans plays a quirky psychiatrist, Isabella Rossellini plays a gypsy clan's face carving matriarch, and remember Mel Harris from "Thirtysomething"? She gets a juicy part as an elderly focus of a really cruel con.

I saved the final two episodes for today. Then I'll start "Harlots" tonight.

Though I can never get the name right--Big Little Lies, Little Big Lies?--I thoroughly enjoyed it. The storyline about domestic violence was especially well done, and despite my irrational aversion to Nicole Kidman, I thought she did a great job as a wife coming to terms with her abuse.

I've been watching several shows on Netflix (I gave up Hulu, but may eventually need to get it again). Nothing new and exciting. Star Trek Voyager and Gilmore Girls. Also occasionally Archer. And I started Big Little Lies, but haven't finished.

I enjoy binge watching so much that I think it has taken away some of my pleasure of reading. But when I need to turn off my brain (which is a lot these days), tv shows are what I need!

Sister Meg and I binged 13 Reasons Why in two sittings (ugh, we should exercise). It's really good and gosh, sad.

I also liked the first episode of The Son on AMC, but one of the mysteries of my adulthood is my fondness for an occasional western.

About to go nuts over the second half of the Get Down season. Woo hoo, still my favorite show from last year.

I watched The Son with The Dad. He really likes it. I'm along for the ride.

There's a terrific 3 - part documentary about five famous film directors and their experiences with and filming WWII (I forgot the title, but it's the same as the recent non-fiction book it's based on). The first part is kind of slow, but definitely worthwhile.

EDIT: Title is "Five Came Back"

Julie, if you're looking for something especially binge-worthy, I just saw that Netflix has added the Brit miniseries North and South with Richard Armitage.

Thanks, Pat. I've probably watched that before, but I'll check when I get home.

I would watch The Son, but I have the book and haven't read it, of course.

>21 Pat_D: Pat, where did you watch Five Came Back? I'd like to see it.

Five Came Back is a Netflix thing.

Pat, you should read the book. I loved the doc but the book is better (though no footage!). I actually don't love Streep narrating the doc; she does something funny with her ess-es and it made me crazy.

Thanks, DG.

Actually, I thought I'd bought the book, but checking my orders list, I guess not (books still not shelved). I'll definitely have to check it out.

I had started on the Crown a while back and got bored after episode 3. Decided to try again, and oh my god episode four with the pea soup fog....The acting is really so incredible. The scene when Churchill sees the face of his dead nurse had me in tears. Finished the Margaret and Towsend saga last night - how very sad. I remember as a kid hearing there was a scandal about her but never knew the real story.

Started watching Halifax because it had Derrick Jacobi in it - I thought it would have some humor in it like the similar Time Goes By, but its definitely more of a soap opera and gave up

Also discovere the version of Cyrano de Bergerac with Jacobi that I have long sought (from 1991). Someone took all the different acts that were on you tube and put them together. With the amazing Sinéad Cusack as Roxanne. Oh my I just loved watching that (took me a day or so - 3 hour + long)

Cindy, I have to get back to the Crown. I also gave up on it early on, but I will persevere. I had the same experience with you years ago. I had abandoned Richard Powers' "The Time of Our Singing" and you encouraged me to keep at it. I did, and it is one of my favorite books of all time. I trust you. Thanks.

Uh oh, the pressure is on! Hee I forgot about the Powers book gee that was forever ago! Well hope you like Crown, at least through episode 5. Then all bets are off and I deny any responsibiity for the quality thereafter :)

WootheheckHoo! Fortitude is back. The second season is now up on Amazon. I loved the shit out of that freaky, confusing and beautifully atmospheric show.

NOTE: DO NOT read the Amazon watcher reviews. There's some dick on there who keeps giving away the endings, and not knowing the endings is crucial to this show.

Pat, you watch shows I haven't even heard of! I can't possibly keep up! ;) Part of it might be that I rarely look at my Amazon Prime videos.

I did finally start watching Luke Cage yesterday, and I was really enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. The first episode I had seen when it first came out, and that episode is slllloooooowwww. But I enjoyed it more this time and was interested pretty much through the first 4 or 5 episodes. And then I will watch Iron Fist sometime, which has gotten pretty negative reviews. But I also know people who liked it better than Luke Cage, so who knows.

I really liked Jessica Jones, liked Luke Cage almost as much, and found Iron Fist mildly enjoyable. My 82 y/o dad is pretty much relegated to the occasional walk to the mailbox and porch sitting, so since I've retired I try to spend every late afternoon watching something with him. He loves the superheroes stuff, so I'm usually just along for the ride. Before, I couldn't even stand the thought of watching anything to do with Marvel or D.C. comics, but Daredevil (which I think is a cut above all of them) changed my mind.

Julie, Fortitude was originally (I think) a BBC thing made over two years ago. I only watched it because I noted Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion) was in it and I'd read a fascinating review in The Guardian. I originally planned on just checking it out as a possibility and wound up binge watching it in two days. Then Amazon picked it up and I had to wait two whole years for Season 2. It's very weird and very, very atmospheric, so it's not for everyone. I can't be sure, of course, but I just have a feeling you (and Lynn... wherever she may be) would absolutely love it as much as I do.

Here's some streaming news from The Guardian with great potential: "Barry Jenkins, director of the Oscar-winning film Moonlight, reported to be busy turning The Underground Railroad into a drama for Amazon... " A good choice, no doubt, but I thought this had Ang Lee's name written all over it.

Thanks, Pat! I did check out the Amazon Originals yesterday and saw quite a few shows I need to check out. Fortitude was on there.

I've liked pretty much all the Marvel tv series (including Agents of SHIELD). I thought Daredevil was boring at first, but man, I have loved the bad guys in that one. Fisk was amazing. And I love The Punisher so much! Evidently, I am a big fan of some extreme violence, I have discovered. I relish The Punisher kicking ass, I love Preacher (Cassidy is the shit; not Marvel), I love when Carol (the Walking Dead; not Marvel) just goes crazy and kills everyone. I'm a sick puppy.

I really don't like what I call the porno-horror movies... the axe murdering teenager stalker stuff, etc. The gratuitous violence bothers me a lot.

However, I don't have a weak stomach, so the generally gory stuff doesn't bother me. But hooboy the second season of Fortitude?!??? At one point, I actually got up out of my chair and had to leave the room. I've never seen anything like that in a movie or series. Fair warning to all (April, I'll be interested to see if even you could stomach what happens in the next to last episode of Season 2, which, BTW, felt like a completely different show. I'm hoping it's just a sophomore slump).

April > "Thanks, Pat! I did check out the Amazon Originals yesterday"

They only have the pilot available, but make sure you check out Oasis with Rob from GoT. Lots of potential there.

I started Juana Inés, based on the life the Mexican poet and nun. It's not very well acted, but the sets and costumes are beautiful, and it's in Spanish, so I get to practice my listening skills (even if the actors do speak with a Castilian lisp).

>36 Pat_D: Pat, that was Julie, but I'll take your warning about Fortitude. I don't have a weak stomach, either, but... I just told my husband yesterday that there was a show we could try out.

Opps. Thanks for the correction and my apologies to Julie. My head knew it was her but my fingers didn't.

>39 Pat_D: You just got us confused because we're reading sisters. You know, we look so much alike.

Netflix is making a series out of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, directed by Mike Flanagan.

Trailer for the upcoming Spike TV series based on Stephen King's novella The Mist....

The Mist

and with Frances Conroy!

Yep, that was me! But if you say it's that gory, well....I'm going to watch it this weekend! LOL. I'm not really that into gore, but I don't mind it as long as the story is good. Pretty strong stomach. I always say I could watch an autopsy while eating spaghetti (probably not true if I could smell it).

So much tv to watch!

The Handmaid's Tale first 3 episodes are now available on Hulu, so I know what I'll be doing later.

Has anyone checked out Harlots on Hulu? I watched a couple episodes last night. I was kind of meh about it at first, but the last episode I watched got its hooks in me. Samantha Morton's cackle is too good. Both Lesley Manville and she are killin' it. I have to say that Jessica Brown Findlay is becoming an actress to keep an eye on. I really like her.

Wow.

The Handmaid's Tale.

Just wow.

I watched all 3 late last night and can barely wait until next week. This is a superb adaptation.

I don't currently have Hulu, so I guess I may have to get it to watch that show now.

I watched Chewing Gum on Netflix, and it's pretty cute. I wanted more. Super short seasons. And someone recommended the show Glitch on Netflix (she said to watch it without reading anything about it). So much good, new stuff out there, and I'm still trying to force myself through Star Trek Voyager, the Neverending Show.

For fans of GoT and its ilk, the second season of Bernard Cromwell's The Last Kingdom is now available on Netflix, definitely binge-worthy, and better than the first season.

For a variety of reasons, I've been slow to adapt to streaming, in fact have not warched much screen in decades.

So it was a shock to learn I am seduced by some of the "historical" sagas available. I particularly recommend Black Sails. The acting is superb and the story lines unexpected. Oh, lots of blood, too. Good man hair-dos.

Also recommend Vikings, immersive experience (great man hair-dos, too).

Oh hell, The Last Kingdom as well.

The Handmaid's tale is superb in many ways; even the choreography. Could not be streaming at a more apposite time.

Is The Son a western?

Yes, it's based on the book you sent me!

Yippee

Starring in Black Sails is Toby Stevens, Maggie Smith's son. Boy howdy is he hot!

I loved The First Kingdom's 2 seasons and the first three seasons of The Vikings (I thought it lost its way after that), and The Handmaid's Tale. I thought The Son was okay. I was surprised by how much I liked Hulu's Harlots.

Other shows you might want to check out, Kat:

HULU: 11/22/63

NETFLIX: Ripper Street, Penny Dreadful, Marco Polo, Peaky Blinders, Medici: Masters of Florence, Versailles (I'm starting it tomorrow)

AMAZON: Game of Thrones, Rome, Deadwood, The Knick, Wolf Hall, The Ends of the Earth, The Man in the High Castle, John Adams, The Crimson Field, Spartacus, Guerilla, Grantchester, Endeavor, My Mother and Other Strangers, Indian Summers, Poldark, Home Fires

You might also consider subscribing to the ACORN and BritBox channels on Amazon (only $5/month). They have a great selection of period limited series and movies, especially strong mystery/suspense limited series.

So many excellent things to stream.

EDIT: I know you like smart Science Fiction, Kat. Check out The Expanse, Colony, and Humans.

There really is a ridiculous amount of good television and streaming stuff to watch. I can't keep up at all.
I was going to add a couple things to Pat's list, but two of them are already there. The British and Australian series available are often also very good. Happy Valley, Wentworth, etc. Pat knows them all!

Already watching The Colony, The 100, Dark Matter.

Killyjoys is fun. Not sure where it is streaming in the US. I get it via a Canadian streaming service, called Crave.

I'm happily watching Star Trek. I am continually surprised by how much a nerd I am. But I've watched Star Trek for years, and I confess to be happy to be back on a Federation ship.

We just finished 9/10 in the Vietnam series and Kissinger/Nixon combo has me so filled with bile I think I'm going to have a stroke.

Also, Project Runway, This is Us, and The Collection on PBS which looks very cheaply made but it's Nazis and Paris and Frances De La Tour so there's that.

Yes, the Kissinger/Nixon combo is seriously rage inducing. As d.g. pointed out, tons of parallels to whats happening now.

Ooops, this should be in tv. But still, Nixon boo, Fashion, yea!

The Collection is terrible and fun. Poor Mamie Gummer. She just cannot catch a break with a project, though. Each one more forgettable than the last.

I agree. It is so ugly! The sets look like CGI and the American accents are laughable. And yet, I'll be watching.

And we finally get the first full season of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel on November 29. The Amazon pilot is one of my favorite hours of television ever.

Finally got around to watching the Black Mirror episode: "San Junipero" that won two Emmy's and a BAFTA.

For about 2/3 of the episode, I was all "THIS won all those awards???" I mean, it's perfectly good with charming performances by Mackenzie Davis (Cam the brilliant female coder from "Halt and Catch Fire") and Gugu Mbatha Raw, but award-worthy? Nope.

Then the slow reveal began...

Very discussable episode. Has anyone else watched it?

Man, I need to watch Black Mirror. Lots of people love it, I just haven't even tried it yet. (And Mackenzie Davis, sad to say, I always remember from the brilliant (sic) Zac Efron vehicle That Awkward Moment.)

Please Like Me on netflix is a four season Australian series and it is just the sweetest and most beautifully done show around. A colleague watches all of the series on netflix and she was hesitant about this one but I got her to start it and she now thinks it's the best thing she's ever seen. I've only completed season one because I hate binging, but it is really lovely.

I like that series too alan. It is lovely and funny and well worth watching. I was pleased to see it pop up on Canadian Netflix.

I'm watching Mindhunter. It's working as before bed viewing, which is odd considering its subject matter, but it is slow and rather methodical in presentation which suits me just fine.

Did youse see that Hulu is adapting Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man?

>65 alans: I'm not finding Please Like Me on Netflix in the U.S.

I guess it’s not showing there,it’s really wonderful,maybe you can stream it...another way?

It's on Hulu in the US, not Netflix. And it IS charming, though I'm glad each season is short-ish.

Me too-I can't binge watch and if something goes on and on....I just can't follow it.

For those of you with Filmstruck, this week's package is a bunch of Stephen Frears movies, from when he made tough, mean little movies instead of twinkly Judi Dench ones (WHAT HAPPENED?): The Hit, Dangerous Liaisons, Prick Up Your Ears, The Snapper...and the best movie of the 90s, The Grifters. It's quite the anti-Hallmark lineup!

YUM!

More Filmstruck talk from DG; they should just pay me.

They currently have a collection of all ten movies Astaire and Rogers did together (in nice clean prints) and I've been watching them in order. On the whole, I like the earliest ones best, where they weren't QUITE the only things in the movies but either supporting (Flying Down to Rio) or just edging into being leads -- The Gay Divorcee, Roberta. One thing that's true across ALL TEN of them though is that when A&R are not dancing, the movies are kind of terrible. It's amazing how vivid the dancing sequences are and how they're singlehandedly responsible for the movies' reputations. It's been fun watching them, though, so much famous stuff (and Rogers doesn't really dance backwards that much, despite the famous line about that. I took notes!). Warning about The Gay Divorcee: you will sing "The Continental" for eleven days afterwards. The sequence in the movie is SEVENTEEN MINUTES LONG)

It was a very me sort of project, to watch them all. A few years ago, it was all the Hitchcocks, three years ago, all the John Hustons. This one was easier. Filmstruck is good for these sorts of things.

Oh, all RIGHT. I’m getting Filmstruck.

It basically exists for you, me and LuAnn.

I do think it's hard to browse -- sometimes I just go with the FS package they put in front of me and that's it. You just kind of have to decide if you want the Filmstruck stuff ONLY or Filmstruck + Criterion. The FS packages alone would make me do it, but it's nice to have all that Criterion stuff at my fingertips for those times when I want a five hour swedish movie.

And maybe Karen Wall.

Yes, Karen. I was thinking of her too.

I started the Outlander book series but could not read it. Then, I started the TV series and am midway through the second part of season one. Puts Shades of Grey to shame as a wimpy wannabe panoply of multiply gendered S&M with overblown base notes.

So...why are you watching it, with that stellar review? LOL

Stopped wstching midway through seadon 2.

God, I hated those books.

I am totally into Jessica Jones. She kicks ass!

I like Outlander AND Jessica Jones! Although I don't think I watched the last season of Outlander yet. I only read the first three books also. Loved the first two, was not thrilled with the third. Maybe someday I'll read more, but I doubt I'll read them all. I'm terrible at finishing book series unless they are only two books.

I just finished The Alienist (tv show), and it was really good. Not perfect, but good. At least they made it a limited series, and won't decide to make extra seasons of it when there's no book to base it on (a la The Handmaid's Tale).

Do you like Jessica Jones, Julie? I love it.

Is that Outlander series the Diane Galbadon (sp?) one? Her followers are devoted, but I could never get it. Didn't know there was a TV show. But I've seen the Jessica Jones name around. Does she have something on Netflix?

Speaking of which, has anyone seen I LOVE DICK or read the book? I just love Kathryn Hahn, and the show is so, well, different. It's set in Marfa, TX, which is also different. I'm only about 3 or 4 episodes in and I think I've hardly scratched the surface. The characters are so difficult and weird, I just love them. Kevin Bacon is the male lead--Dick.

Kevin Bacon -- CLICK

Lauren, I do like Jessica Jones. She's an unapologetic misanthrope who's not a misanthrope, and I feel a bit of sisterhood with her, though I can't kick anyone's ass like she can, and I can't drink like she can. I had a friend who didn't like this second season, but I enjoyed it. There wasn't as much violence, it seemed, and maybe the storyline about her past and family just wasn't what he wanted.

I keep forgetting about I Love Dick. I saw a clip from it and I've read about it, so I definitely need to watch it. But sometimes Kevin Bacon is in the same role all the time, it seems. This is practically an older version of his character in Picture Perfect, for example. But I also love Kathryn Hahn in virtually everything she does.

So has this thread replaced the TV thread? Because I just discovered it. Where are we going to talk about The Americans come Thursday?

And I see my name was mentioned in my absence. I do want Filmstruck but I don't want to watch on a computer and my HDMI ports are full so I need to get a splitter or something.

We dropped Netflix because we have too much to watch but I want to see season 2 of The Crown so we'll get it back eventually.

Nancy, Have you seen Come Back to the 5 & Dime,Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean? Great Altman movie set in Marfa.

I've decided to finally cut the cable this summer!!! I'm so excited about this. There are so many
excellent streaming sites these days that it just isn't worth the cable anymore-the only thing I care
about is TCM and film noir and there are hundreds of them on youtube so.....
I just joined CBS all-access and it's pretty lousy-at least so far. They have two years of 60 Minutes
which I've never watched in all of these years-and the first two episodes were really fantastic. A
very moving and wonderful interview with the Rosenberg's sons. The younger one looked just like
his mother Ethel.
But I also have two excellent streaming sites through my public library-as I'm sure most of you do
too and I never keep up with them. I think I'm allowed a total of 20 movies or shows a month with
them-it's more than enough.

Oh, karen, I adore that movie. I haven't thought about it in such a long time. Now I have to see it again.

I want to cut cable, but it still seems unfeasible for me. I'll be looking into it, because the cost of cable is outrageous now. But then my internet will be super expensive because it's not bundled. And we'll miss the sports channels, for sure.

We tried to cut off the cable earlier this year, but discovered that it would cost us more to get rid of it if we kept the Internet. But calling the cable company to investigate did get them to offer us a deal.

That is a problem with trying to cut the cable because they have your over a barrel with bundles. Fortunately there are cheaper internet providers I can try.

I cancelled a couple years ago and was able to get a special deal that made Internet only cheaper than a package. You have to ask about the specials, but they have them fairly often.

We are watching Aziz Ansari's Master of None. The first season was good but the second is so much better - much sweeter, much more interesting. Last night was the Lena Waithe-written episode Thanksgiving. It deserved the Emmy it won.

Nancy, have you seen this?

YES! It is excellent. And, of course, I adore Lena.

After a long period of being optioned as a movie and then unoptioned and almost about to start and then canceled, Vikram Chandra's nothing-short-of-fantastic, sprawling Sacred Games is finally making it to a screen near you: an eight-episode series for Netflix, available Friday. I cannot rave about this book enough -- and this production is made by Netflix India, which is extremely promising.

I know! I'm super excited. Fingers crossed it is good.

What?? Oh golly, I'm in. I loved that book.

In the meantime, knock out A Very English Scandal, which is an utter delight. They were really smart to put dark contacts on Hugh Grant's blue eyes -- they remove any charm from him at all. He's like a dead-eyed shark in this. A very horny dead-eyed shark.

Yum.

I am late to the party with Killing Eve but it's so good. Lots of Fiona Shaw too.

I snuck some illegal viewing and saw the first two episode of Killing Eve, but apparently it's appearing on our local streaming service at the end of July, so I'll wait till then to watch the rest. I loved what I aw, and keen to see the rest. SO delighted to see Sandra Oh show her talents in a show that isn't Grey's Anatomy.

I have the final episode of WestWorld to watch and then I'll be caught up with that. I hear it ends on a cliff hanger -- no surprise considering how much still needs to be resolved -- so I'm resigned to that. I enjoy the fragmented timelines and the slowly unpeeling onion of a plot, but there have been some real dud moments and the writers were more ham-handed this season, particularly with the women. Bah.

I will be interested in your thoughts Miriam. We just finished KE the other night. I'm not sure it quite went where it needed to go - I thought of two alternate endings that pleased me more than what we saw but I liked it enough to stick around for season 2.

Yes, it's great to see Sandra Oh.

I really liked that most of the most primary relationships were between women.

Two episodes of Sacred Games down! It's dense and confusing and mysterious (and I read the book!). But it's mesmerizing. Crucial note: the Netflix default in the US is to show you the dubbed version -- go into audio/subtitle settings and choose "Hindi (original)" and then English subtitles. The dubbing will make you crazy and it actually makes things more confusing.

Thanks. I had forgotten how the book begins and when I saw Mr Fufferds face at that first shot, I knew we'd never make it. so I'm watching it on my own.

Oh, yes, you're either in or out based on the first thirty seconds.

I stRted SG last night and was surprised by how quickly plot points came back to me. It seems to be following the same narrative structure as the novel. DG, does it do so through out?

I also dipped my toe into Patrick Melrose. I haven’t read the book — should first?

Sacred Games is pretty accurate to the story as far as I can remember; it's quite faithful to the big set pieces particularly. It's funny though - in the book, I preferred the present-day story, whereas I think in the series, the flashback rise-to-power bits are the real strength.

But I know there's a big push to make it the next Narcos-size worldwide hit, so it'll clearly have to veer from the book in future seasons.

Has everyone watched Nanette?

I was home in bed all day yesterday (not sick, just depressed and worried about my brother's health), and I watched about 10 hours of the 2nd season of 13 Reasons Why. This show just fascinates me, although it's pretty sad and depressing as well. Some of it seems familiar, but high school is so different now! Though this school and town also seem a little unrealistic. (Oh, so you can make t-shirts that say "Assholes" on them and wear them at school? And the principal, teachers, your parents, the guidance counselor...no one says anything? Sure.) But the show is really good.

There are so many things out there I want to watch (including Nanette, Sacred Games, that "Hugh Grant is a closeted homosexual asshole" show, all the other stuff you guys have been watching recently), and it takes me away from reading. But my depression has been a little rough lately, and it's very hard to read sometimes. (That whole "high-functioning depression" stuff that has been in several articles lately is me to a T.)

I feel your pain Julie -- take care of yourself, and know that we're here for you. Let me know if you need to talk and I'll send you my number (this from a person who hates phones). Dealing with the same thing I know that talking doesn't really solve anything but sometimes its useful to talk some of the shit out.

>110 laurenbufferd: I have!

I also watched the first 20 minutes of Sacred Games, but need an evening (or three) to focus on it, so I'm finishing off other shows I started (like Sense 8 --- yes, I'm late to that party).

Amazon's got an adaptation of Ordeal by Innocence streaming now -- it's only three episodes, but it's fun and worth an evening, mainly because you can't go wrong with Anna Chancellor and Bill Nighy. I don't think it has much to do with Agatha Christie -- there are some "fuck"s and a finger-sucking scene - but I think adapting her must be really tough these days.

I thought I read when the Orient Express remake came out that the Christie estate prevents anyone from changing the endings (though it said you could mess around with the plot on the way there), but I guess that was incorrect, because this murderer is definitely different than the one in the book.

I think they signed up for a three-adaptation deal, so I guess there are two more coming (though that might refer to the recent And Then There Were None and Witness for the Prosecution BBC ones). This one looks expensive -- the only time I caught them trying to budget-crunch was during a car-crash scene. I wish they'd attempt some of the ones without famous endings -- I love the Tommy and Tuppence ones, and no one ever adapts those in a big-budget way

Miriam, thank you!! Much appreciated.

I watched the first two episodes of A Discovery of Witches (they're available through Sundance Now, Shudder TV, or Amazon Prime). I only finished the first book in the trilogy which I thought was predictable but pretty readable. The series is very well cast and it looks like a quality production. I like that they're concentrating on character/story development rather than garish special effects. It'll be good for nights I'm too tired to do anything but stare at the TV.

Is anyone watching the Israeli series about Orthodox Jews on Netflix? I hear it’s great fun.

Alan, is that the one called One of Us? It's about Orthodox Jewish women, I think, but I never heard of it described as Fun. So maybe you're talking about something else.

I watched a ton of Netflix lately, because I can't seem to stop being sick. Bird Box, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Dumplin', Maniac (limited series, 10 episodes), and several episodes of Shameless, Ozark, GLOW, Black-ish, Schitt's Creek (all of it, I loved it), and several others I can't think of right now. Ozark is really good, but SO dark. But I just saw that Jason Bateman got nominated for a Golden Globe, and I think that's awesome.

I watched all of those except Bandersnatch, Dumplin', Glow and Schitt's Creek. I saw the first season of Ozark but it was a bit too Breaking Bad derivative for me. I loved Shameless, but I'm behind on the past two seasons.

I've been obsessed with anything Scandinavian, lately. It started with The Bridge, and I've watched over a dozen or so series since. Just can't get enough.

I watched the lovely and insightful Icelandic movie And Breathe Normally last night. Lara is a recovering druggie, a broke single mom, ducking her landlord while desperately looking for work. She lucks out with a training program for airport workers that selects just a few top finishers for permanent positions. While training, she gets evicted, puts everything she owns in a storage unit, spends the nights sleeping in her old VW Rabbit with her young son, drops him at school, and rushes off to work daily. She stores the last of her dope in a jar which she keeps... just in case... but manages to resist temptation despite her rough times.

While training, she sharply discovers a fraudulent passport being passed off by a Guinea refugee. Adja is fleeing her homeland with her sister and her daughter after her lesbian lover was beaten to death for her sexuality. The sister and daughter pass through their line undetected, but because of Lara's catch, Adja first serves a short prison term while awaiting her claim for asylum in Canada, then is moved to a hostel-like facility until her case is determined. The officials know nothing about Adja's sister and daughter, and when Lara realizes the tragic implications of an action that could very well secure her longed-for position on the airport staff, she riskily keeps the knowledge of Adja's sister's and daughter's fake documents to herself.

Lara and Adja run into each other again after Adja settles in at the holding facility, and a testy, complex relationship ensues. When the authorities turn down Adja's asylum bid due to "lack of evidence," and her deportation back to Guinea is imminent (never to see her sister and daughter again and possibly facing violence), she pays a shady dude for a stowaway spot in a ship's potential death-trap container headed for Canada. While awaiting the ship's departure date, Adja sneaks Lara and her son into the refugee detention center nightly when she sees them living in the car.

The viewer knows fairly early on that out of guilt, empathy, and eventually affection, Lara will somehow try to help Adja, even risking the permanent position she is finally awarded at the airport. But the coyote calls with hours' notice, and there are hard decisions to be made.

The performances are wonderful, even Lara's son is a gem, the cinematography and lighting perfectly compliment the story and the ending is very satisfying. ~ Available on Netflix. Highly recommended.

Dumplin drove me crazy with its badness -- it's bad in the exact same way those Hallmark movies are bad, where every single idea just seems half-baked...and worse, entirely borrowed from something else. Plus there's a big plot discrepancy toward the end that had me screaming at the television. I do think Netflix gets a lot of shows right, but their movies are still amateur-hour-feeling. Except for flat-out acquisitions like Roma.

Oh, Roma was excellent.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that felt like Dumplin' was off. It felt ok going down but I felt really sick about 30 minutes later.

the netflix series that takes place among the Orthodox community in Jerusalem is called Shtisl. I don't know if it's on US. netflix as I only get Canadian netflix. My partner who isn't Jewish is insanely in love with this
series-he says it's just amazing. And this morning when I went to visit my GP the first thing he said to me
was-Are you Watching Shtisl? I haven't started yet but apparently it's very intriguing.

alan, I just looked it up and it is available in the US. I'll check it out. Thanks.

It's available but I couldn't get through the first episode last week. Maybe I should give it a longer go.

I did finish watching National Treasure: Kiri because I will watch anything with Sarah Lancashire. This limited series took a lot of flack in Great Britain for its portrayal of a quirky, alcoholic social worker who brings her dog to work and who makes some very questionable decisions re: those placed in her care. One particular decision ends in heartbreaking tragedy. The foster family dynamics come off as a bit too overwrought, but it's Lancashire's character's genuine devotion and longtime effectiveness which makes this series worthwhile for the simple fact that the public almost never sees these cases gone wrong from the social worker's perspective. All of the performances are excellent, but once again Lancashire kills it. You can't take your eyes off her whenever she's onscreen, and even though it's not an attractive role, she lends it humanity and credence. Especially through the scenes in the nursing home with her mother. ~ Available on Hulu. Highly recommended for Lancashire fans.

Depressing and magnificent -- Broken. Not to say timely.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_(TV_series)

I had no intentions of doing so, I was just going to check out the first episode, but yesterday I wound up binge-watching the superb Unbelievable on Netflix (I'd not been familiar with the heralded ProPublica article and podcast it's based on prior to). I have never seen the topic of rape so intelligently, humanely and importantly handled. I've assisted with the rape kit protocol in the E.R. many times, and this series' recreations (there's two starkly different compare/contrast events) really affected me with the service they provide any viewers who still question why some victims don't report. Across the board, the acting is award-worthy, but the standouts are Merritt Weaver ("Nurse Jackie" fame), Toni Collette, Kaitlyn Dever ("Justified" and "Deadwood" great characters), and a very brave, heartbreaking performance by Danielle Macdonald. Please make the time to watch this series. It's not easy viewing (especially for those who've experienced any form of sexual assault), but it really shouldn't be missed. It's never gratuitous and it gets everything associated with the subject absolutely correct. IMO, it's that rare video experience that's both artistic and informative. It's extremely discussable, too, so I hope to see y'alls' thoughts about it.

Trailer

Pat, I was coming here to say something similar. It's a phenomenally good series. I walked out of the room a couple of times because Marie's experience post-rape was so difficult to watch and experience, but that was the point. The acting, writing and direction was exceptional. And, I almost never binge watch anything but I watched the entire series in one sitting yesterday.

My parents just told me to watch this. Now I've gotta.

Mir, I'm going to hold off discussing too much detail until those who'd like to get a chance to watch it, but even a couple days out I still can't stop thinking about it. Don't miss it, Lauren.

I'm with you on that. It's worth watching clean, so to speak.

I appreciated the camaraderie among the female detectives.

And their unassailable dedication to procedure and protocol. One of my favorite scenes is when Duvall rips her team a new one for not following up on the lab report and for not going the extra mile for these victims.

Anybody waiting for the new season of Castle Rock (the Hulu series about the Stephen King multiverse) like me?

Oh y'all can talk about it. I'm totally hooked n the Ken Burns country music series (MAYBELLE CARTER FOREVER) and am also watching back seasons of Greenleaf on the Oprah Channel. The wigs are killer, esp those worn by Lynn Whitfield as Lady Mae, first lady of Calvary Baptist in Memphis.

I'm on board for the second season of Castle Rock. I wasn't in love with the first season, but it kept me watching and Season 2 stars Lizzy Caplan, so I'm there.

I've been recording that, Lauren.

I thought Castle Rock a boondoggle with interesting acrors to watch including one of the apparently numerous Skarsgård brothers.

I started watching Unbelievable last night and got about 30 minutes into it before I had to stop. I do plan on watching it, but I'm going to have to take it in small doses. Holy shit.

It is hard to watch, Nancy, but I hope you do finish it.

Marie's experiences, especially immediately post-rape and from a nurse's perspective, infuriated me, but it was the ultimate abandonment of Marie that just destroyed me. Despite Marie's indefensible treatment, it was Amber that affected me in ways I'm still struggling to articulate. Had it not been for her observations and stoic bravery they never would have caught the rapist. Yet, she's the one I worried about the most at the end.

Nancy, I left the show running and walked out of the room a number of times. The first one is the hardest, and to be honest, I didn't watch the scene where they bully her into saying she wan't raped. I couldn't do it. It gets easier when the 2 cops are introduced in the 2nd episode.

I will finish it, Pat. Just not very quickly. And, mir, thanks for the info that the 1st is the worst--it'll help me persevere.

Binged Season 5 of "Peaky Blinders," and I was exhausted from all the violence. I've no doubt things were like that among that crowd back then, but I missed the attention paid to character development in the first few seasons. Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly is worth the whole lot, but she's not in this season enough. Check out some of her quotes at the bottom of that linked page.

IMO, PB draws a lot from "Ripper Street." Not the storyline, but the atmosphere and character conflict. I can't understand why they canceled RS. That was a terrific show with some of the best dialogue since "Deadwood."

I was really into Castle Rock when it was on last year, but as I have been going through it again I am not as interested. It sounds like Skarsgard might not be in the new season, from what I have seen, and that will greatly disappoint me.

I have been putting off watching the new season of Peaky Blinders. I wasn't as impressed with season four as the first three, and without Tom Hardy I just don't know how good it can be at this point.

Anyone here plan on watching HOB's Watchmen? I have one more load of clothes to fold then I'm going to kick back and watch the pilot. I'm totally unfamiliar with the graphic novel/storyline, so I've absolutely no preconceptions.

I can’t decide! I read the graphic novel a million years ago and it was Very Much Not My Thing. I watched the movie adaptation, which was just a mess. So I suppose logic (if not common sense) dictates that I should not give this a try, but I keep hearing good things.

Okay, I watched the 1st episode and I'm intrigued. I'm also very confused, but I don't know anything about the source material, so I'll just have to figure it out as it goes along. I did see somewhere that this series is not exactly following the graphic novel. Regina King is *killing it* as Angela Abar/Sister Knight. I really liked her character immediately. Jeremy Irons is, as usual, creeping me out.

I was thinking about the couple-of-years-old series Dickensian this morning and it turns out that it's on Britbox (they do that weird thing where they mash twenty episodes into ten, which makes the episodes a little lumpy) so I'll make another push for it! Especially going in to the holiday season, it's a good way to while away the time -- the mystery itself isn't particularly compelling (though it gives Stephen Rea a LOT of stuff to do and he's really so good in it he can just eat a meat pie for an hour and you're FINE with it), but I love the way the series intertwines the backstories of Miss Havisham and Lady Dedlock -- even though making them exact contemporaries really stacks the deck a bit and makes the series end with a double dose of heartbreak. It all falls into place pleasantly, though, like a not-particularly-fiendish jigsaw puzzle. I might even watch it again myself.

I watched it quite a while ago when PBS televised it in weekly installments. I recorded them and then did a binge watch (over a couple of days). I agree it'd make a nice holiday rewatch.

Anyone joining Apple's streaming service this friday? Apart from the new Jennifer Anniston show there
doesn't seem to be anything debuting right away. I have no understanding of their business model.
And they expect to compete with mighty Netflix? Very weird.

I checked it out, Alan. Unless you have an Apple device that you can download the Apple TV app onto, or certain, later model Samsung smart TV's, or the Roku box, you have to purchase the Apple TV box and remote control (reg=$149.00, HD=$179.00, 4k=$199.00 all of these boxes come with 1yr. free Apple TV subscriptions).

I'm undecided. I went to their Website, and I only see 3 or 4 of their original series that interest me. I might wait until Xmas and give it to Dad, as TV/movie viewing is pretty much the only "activity" he can do now (other than his daily crossword puzzles), or wait until they have a larger original library (virtually, everything else they offer we already have).

I also checked out Apple+ today and was planning on subscribing but it is truly paltry and pathetic. Their big show The Morning Show got tepid reviews and there are
a total of maybe four new shows on it, none of which interest me. Maybe they plan growth in the future, but why such a media powerhouse would think anyone would
want to pay for what they are offering is beyond me. Just the worst selection so I'm happy I'm not joining. There is also absolutely no movie library or back catalogue of show, it's dreadful.

And of course The Crown premiers next week on Netflix. I bet a lot of folk will be staying home all weekend for that.

I watched The King today on Netflix. Some might find it a bit slow, but I liked it. The battle scenes are unmistakably influenced by the last few seasons of Game of Thrones. Sean Harris is very good as the Chief Justice.

I have a mad crush on Sean Harris, especially in his Micheletto role in The Borgias. Must have a thing for stone-cold killers.

Did you see him in Southcliffe, Kat? Depressing as all get out, but stunning performances by everyone (Harris, the terrific Rory Kinnear, Eddie Marsan).

I thought The King was a bit of a miss but it did get me to thinking about how it’s a story we don’t see a lot of non-Shakespeare versions of so I ended up okay with it just for that. Pattinson was RIDICULOUS, though.

Yes, saw Southcliffe, worked for me.

I was good with The King ... bleak, dark ... just like me.

So, "Catherine the Great" miniseries started on HBO. I watched two episodes and it's pretty bad. I'm genuinely surprised that Helen Mirren's involved in this thing (she's even listed as an executive producer). The production, the settings, are almost "B" movie quality. Except for Gina McKee (who I think is great in everything) as Countess Bruce, the whole thing feels miscast (Jason Clarke as Potemkin?), and Helen (The Great) Mirren is 74 playing Catherine in a time period when she was around 30- 40'ish. It's almost like everyone can't decide if they're acting in a period piece or a satire. The writing is not good, the dialogue is terrible. I wouldn't even bother mentioning it, except I'm still trying to figure out why Mirren and McKee are even in this thing. I might watch a bit more just to see if I'm missing something here, but I don't think so.

On the other hand, I *can't wait* for "His Dark Materials" tonight. I tried watching the movie once, but I couldn't get past the first half hour. It's a real stinker. The HBO show's trailer is intriguing, plus it has the incomparable Ruth Wilson. Anyone who's seen her in "Luther" knows she can play a villainess like nobody's business.

DG, I see that most of the reviewers agreed with you about Pattinson. But the thing is, I've read a lot of books about that time period and some of the French royalty really were that crazy... as in megapornocruel level cray-cray.

I rented an odd bird from Amazon Prime the other day. Them That Follow is about a religious Appalachian community led by a snake-handling preacher. It centers around the daughter of the preacher, who's promised to marry her father's troubled apprentice, but is in love with her childhood friend, the son of the cult's matriarch. There are snake bites, an amputation (which, thankfully, isn't shown), and lots of unhappiness. Walton Goggins (Boyd Crowder of "Justified" fame) plays the preacher. Jarringly, Olivia Colman plays the dour den mother with an accent that's not too, too distracting. It's a slow-paced, stripped-down production that'd be an okay freebie, but I wouldn't recommend paying for it.

Is anyone watching HBO's version of "His Dark Materials"? I started it merely out of curiosity, not expecting much based on the bits of the movie version I saw. However, now I'm really into it. The casting is brilliant. Mrs. Coulter as played by Ruth Wilson is a complex character who provokes a see-saw of loyalties, Ariyon Bakare is elegantly menacing as Lord Boreal, James Cosmo as the heartbroken, and heartbreaking, Farder Coram manages to make his scenes with Serafina the witch tender and credible, and Ann-Marie Duff as Ma Costa is righteously fierce. All that, and I haven't even gotten to Clarke Peters as Dr. Carne, James McAvoy as Lord Asriel, and the as yet to appear Helen McCrory and Andrew Scott. I'm sad to report that the one weak performance is Lin-Manuel Miranda as aeronaut Lee Scoresby but not so weak as to cancel out his endearing qualities. The absolute revelation, though, is Dafne Keen who is perfectly believable as the alethiometer-reading, Gyptian-leading, Mrs. Coulter-foiling, armored bear-colluding Lyra. It's a lot to ask of a child actor, but she pulls it off.

I've never been a big fan of these books, and confess to not finishing them, but now I want to go back and give them another go. After I finish the few dozen books in my TBR stack, of course.

Other recent stream viewing I'd like to recommend: Amazon's "The Report" with Adam Driver and Annette Bening (who gives a jaw-dropping, imitative performance as Sen. Dianne Feinstein), and Starz' "Dublin Murders."

I finally got around to watching "The Irishman," which I thought was sublime. The understated performances, the artistic and atmospheric settings, the gorgeous lighting, and that jaw-droppingly beautiful guitar solo by Robbie Robertson as the credits roll make for a truly fine cinematic experience. Its pace isn't really slow. Every minute advances the story and character development. It's just quiet for a mob movie. The physical violence is infrequent; practically a footnote, but most fearsome in the deadly looks and nods and codified instructions. Pesci's performance is insidiously threatening, and Pacino hits perfect notes as a man poisoned by power. But it's De Niro's unquestioning loyalty and perverse code of honor as the humble Frank, who manages to elicit disgust, empathy, disappointment, and ambivalent heartbreak. There are many examples I could cite, but if you do watch this, pay attention to the silent acting done by De Niro when he realizes he's being badly used. It's a wonder to behold.

So, for our Christmas Day matinee, we watched the Disney flick Togo with Willem Dafoe, Julianne Nicholson, Richard Dormer and Michael McElhatton (Beric Dondarrion, Lord Bolton from "Game of Throne"), and Christopher Heyerdahl (who's been in just about everything since playing the cuh-razy "Swede" in "Hell on Wheels). It's a stellar cast of cameos because Dafoe and Nicholson comprise most of the story (and Togo, of course).

I'm going to say right off, I love animal movies. So I'm an easy audience for this kind of flick. I've had my perennial favorites ("The Yearling," "Morley and Me," etc.), but I've never had a pooch flick affect me as this one did. To all animal lovers out there: I dare you not to be a blubbering mess by the end of this story. No other flick has managed to convey the incomprehensible loyalty these specific animals have for their loved humans. I honestly believe the depth of loyalty and devotion depicted in "Togo" is an intrinsic phenomenon particular to dogs. All that aside, this is just a wonderful, old-fashioned story perfectly filmed and acted. No doubt this gets added to my Watch-Once-A-Year (at least) list.

Oh, I forgot.

HBO's "His Dark Materials" closed with its first season's final episode, and I'm really, really glad I hung in there with this one. It's waaay better envisioned than the movie.

HBO series on the plot against america starts this Sunday - interesting piece from NYT Plot Against America

I loved that book - although looking back to the Bush years, they seem like such innocent times. I'll be watching.

I just listened to a Wonderful podcast on Ezra Klein's show for fans of Madeline Miller and mythology in general. She did a totally delightful spot—longish, but two 45-minute walks will take you all the way through, and it's highly worth a listen through the end (low-level Communist party functionaries! Mystery cults! Achilles and his mommy!). She got me all fired up to dig out my Stephen Fry and Edith Hamilton, and to get a copy of that Emily Wilson Odyssey translation.

Oh, my. I cannot wait.

‘Hamilton’ Movie Will Stream on Disney Plus on July 3 - "In a surprise move, the film of the original Broadway production is being released 15 months early."

I've watched the "Hamilton" movie 4 times, so far, and it just gets better with each re-watch. Making Hamilton's life story into a Broadway musical full of ear-wormy songs is just so much genius only surpassed by choosing Burr (and the Schuyler sisters) as narrator. Leslie Odom, Jr.'s performance cannot be justly described with words.

Here it is over a month later and I still haven't watched Hamilton. I saw it live in Dallas last year, but for some reason I just haven't started this on Disney+ yet. Weird, because I LOVE it.

I've watched it so many times, I've lost count. Actually, it's more like I put it on and it plays in the background while I'm cooking, folding clothes, etc.

I really enjoyed Unorthodox on Netflix and am now deep into Shtisel which is also about an Orthodox family but in Israel and more matter-of-fact. Less drama, more everyday and in some ways, much deeper and more heartbreaking.

I watched both those series this spring, Lauren, and really enjoyed both of them.

Speaking of which-there is of last week a new Jewish/israeli streaming service. It’s called Chai.
You can test drive it for free for two weeks and then it’s 7.99 a month.
The selection is interesting although not huge and if they don’t continue expanding their library I don’t know if they will survive.

On the What We Are Reading thread I mentioned I had been reading a book called Blacktop Wasteland by Shawn Cosby, and that I kind of fell in love with the author after talking to him for an hour or so at an online event. Here's the link to the recording. Tell me he doesn't come across as just one of the greatest guys ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8QwRzj9gA8

Finally caught up with:

The Expanse
Your Honor
C.B. Strike
The Queen's Gambit
All Creatures Great and Small
The Discovery of Witches

I am still trying to overcome my instinctive resistance to All Creatures Great and Small. It's taking longer than normal.

Those books bring back very warm memories to me. My mother loved them and reread them and reread them many times. Little Women and the All Creatures Great and Small series were her two very best favs. I'm kind of ashamed to admit I've never read Little Women, but since I started watching the PBS series of AGCAS, I've definitely put the books on my radar. I think the TV series is lovely.

Mom and I also read the books together when I was young, and we loved them. But it is also one case where we watched the original series together as well, and just adored it. It's one of the few cases where the video version was as important to me as the book. Probably because of the amazing setting.

Anyway, I'm so emotionally attached to the Christopher Timothy/Robert Hardy/Caroline Drinkwater cast I haven't been able to make myself watch the new version.

I'll have to check that out when I'm done watching this one.

Pat, Little Women is an incredible book. I highly recommend it.

One of these days...

I don't completely love All Creatures (I too have a vivd memory of reading the books when I was younger) and I think it's because they've lowered the stakes a little -- almost nothing ever happens...even while they're talking abut the circle of life, hardly any animal ever dies. I find it all a bit soft in a way the books were not. But! I'm watching every episode, so that's something. The thing it reminds me the most of is the remake they did of Mapp & Lucia a few years ago, where everything felt slightly....off...even though the budget was clearly larger than the first time around.

Has anybody watched Brockmire? It's now on Hulu, but it was originally on some cable station. It stars Hank Azaria, who I heard recently on Fresh Air, which is why we checked it out. His character, an aging alcoholic baseball announcer, is a charming mess of a man. There are 4 seasons, and he goes through quite a lot, while the show jumps in time from about 2000 to 2031. The writing is incredibly good. I don't think there's been anything quite like it before. Highly recommended.

>183 Nancy_Sirvent: I vaguely remember watching a couple of episodes of that, Nancy. I'm not sure why it didn't take.

I am a diehard, obsessive Nordic Noir, Scandi, whatever they're calling it these days, fan. I just cannot get enough of them. Especially the limited series. For me, it all started with "The Bridge" and "Fortitude." I think I've watched just about everything that's available Stateside.

Desperate for a fix, I went searching for something I hadn't seen before (because when it's been too long, I'll even rewatch some of them), when I came upon Greyzone. It's not new, made in 2018. I don't know how I missed this one. There's a couple of award-worthy performances (and that little boy is amazing). Hooboy, was this one bingeable. Once I got to Episode 3 or 4, I couldn't stop watching.

Pat,what streaming service is it on. I subscribe to so many my head spins sometimes.

Amazon, Mhz Choice, Alan.

Have both-mhz is great-but it's hard to say who is the best. I guess netflix
is the king, but mhz is great for all of the international crime.
I just started watching Hidden which is Welsh. I had no idea people spoke
Welsh anymore.

We just watched a limited series on BritBox with Welsh actor Luke Evans that meticulously enacted the investigation which caught Wales' most famous serial killer: The Pembokeshire Murders.

I just started watching I Hate Suzie and am four episodes in which I think is halfway. It's about a former child actress/pop star whose phone is hacked and compromising pictures are published. It's quite good in a sort of painful to watch way, each episode is stylistically a little different ; I suppose its a dramadey - or whatever they call comedies now with serious bits. Or dramas that are kind of darkly funny - like Fleabag.

Anyway, this has Billie Piper who is a co-creator and an actress new to me Leila Farzad who is the best friend/manager and is spectacular. I think the first episode is the weakest, FWIW.

It's on HBO max.

We finished watching HBO Max's "The Investigation," and I think it may be the very best meticulously recreated criminal investigation of a real-life crime I've seen. From the pacing, to the cinematography, to the performances of the unrelenting, dedicated investigators/deep-sea divers/parents of the murdered journalist to the extremely uncommon decision to never show/name/ the criminal, this series really needs to sweep the awards.

Highly recommended. Especially for dog lovers (you'll have to watch it to understand why.).

I saw STRAY! It was such a dog-lover's movie. I loved it. Thanks, Pat, for the rec.

Ooo, thanks for the reminder, Nancy.

This isn’t streaming,but a local channel has started showing Maude from the seventies. I don’t think I’ve seen it since then. Some of the writing is fantastic-Maude tells Arthur to go sit on a taco-and Bea Arthur is exceptional. But of course some of it is dated. Today’s episode was very good. Florida leaves the household for good. I’m surprised because we’re only on season two so I guess the series ran a long time without Florida. Do I remember she gets a new housekeeper-a Mrs. Doubtfire type? Bea Arthur is incredible. I find Arthur quite lecherous, I heard way back then he had boundary issues.

Stray was fabulous! Have you seen Kedi or Los Reyes? Both mentioned a lot in reviews of Stray, and I can vouch that they're both fantastic films along the same lines of really personal, non-sentimental, non-moralistic animal films. Kedi is also filmed in Istanbul and about strays, but cats. Los Reyes is about two stray dogs in a skate park in Santiago and it's just lovely.

Alan, yes, Mrs Naugatuck is the second housekeeper, and she's a drinker. Played by Hermione Baddeley!

Anyone else watching Genius:Aretha? Envio is so incredible in this role, as is the young lady playing young arethra. Actually the acting is top notch all around. Only watched the first episode, eager for the rest

Charmed and made glad by Call My Agent.

>199 laurenbufferd: Loved it and binged the whole thing.

Alright. So I know the new Kate Winslet series on HBO, Mare of Easttown is getting raves across the board, but I have to say I wasn't impressed with the first episode. Winslet's American accent isn't terrible, but for some reason, I find it very distracting. Experience has taught me not to give up on any HBO show until at least the 5th episode.

I'm totally enjoying The Nevers, however. The 2 female leads, Amalia True and Penance Adair, are refreshingly entertaining. I especially like the inventress Adair.

I've also gotten hooked on Starz's The Gloaming, a detective mystery that feels a lot like the 1st season of "True Detective," only with drop-dead, gorgeous Tasmanian scenery.

I like Mare enough to keep going with it but I do think Winslet is overplaying like crazy - feet on the table, a frozen bag of French fries on her ankle, chomping off the top of the Cheez Wiz...ALL AT THE SAME TIME. I mean, Kevin James in The King of Queens wouldn't have even had the nerve to try that and that's basically what his whole terrible show WAS. It's all actorly external fussiness, and Winslet's usually a subtler actor than that. But I'll keep going and see.

I feel the same way about Winslet's performance. It is painful. But I'm hoping she'll pull back a little. I blame the director.

That accent is very specific Pennsylvania and sometimes she nails it and other times it seems to slip away.

I haven't read any of the Leigh Bardugo Shadow and Bone trilogy, but knowing it was hugely popular with the YA set, I decided to give the Netflix adaptation a look-see yesterday. Meh. The sets are impressive but ruined by really dark lighting. I watched 2 episodes but doubt I'll spend any more time on it. It's like a Cossack Twilight Saga. If I was a pre-teen, I'd probably be into it.

I just read my first Bardugo - Ninth House. well outside my genre comfort zone and I enjoyed it immensely.

>201 Pat_D:
I watch The Nevers every week and watch the podcast afterwards. And like you I really like Adair.

>204 Pat_D:
I have read the Shadow and Bone trilogy and I like what Netflix is doing.
And on the plus side, no sparkly vampires. :)

Hacks is TV perfection. That is all.

Tis! Bruce and I just plowed through the 8 episodes in 2 sittings. Jean Smart is a goddess.

chalton, I've heard good things about the Shadow and Bone adaptation.

Jean Smart was so good in Mare of Easttown.

I agree. it’s so great to see her in all these great shows. Really liked her in Watchmen and Legendary as well.

We watched the final 2 Hacks last night. I'd have been satisfied with just one season and wasn't crazy about the cliffhanger but man, it's just about perfect.

Yeah, the last-second clffhanger left a little knot in my stomach -- I would have preferred it end without it and instead on Deborah's "buckle up" line, with all its "All About Eve" loadedness, but it was still a very very satisfying finale.

My favorite little heartbreaking bit was Jane Adams wrapped in the phone cord trying to cancel her husband's baseball channel subscription before contacting any relatives.

In the middle of the night when nobody was in the cable office! What a great character.

She'll always be Dr. Mel Karnovsky to me.

Back when I was working for Karen T selling knitting stuff, we got a photo from someone who had spotted Adams carrying one of our knitting bags. We toyed with going after her and asking her if we could use the photo but then we wondered if having Mel as our spokesmodel was the message we wanted to send...

The original, Danish version of The Killing is finally being reshown on the TOPIC streaming channel (accessed through Amazon Prime or TOPIC Website). They're showing all 3 seasons, a new season starting every Thursday (began last week). This is the series that started it all (Nordic Noir) and made me an obsessed fan. I didn't hate the American remake (I actually thought Kinnaman's performance in the final season was very good), but it doesn't hold a candle to the original one. The entire cast gives award-worthy performances, but Sofie Gråbøl's Sara Lund has become legendary. And rightly so.

Season 1 Trailer

Season 2 Trailer

Season 3 Trailer

Seriously. If you didn't see this the first time around, don't miss it.

Is anyone watching Nine Perfect Strangers? I don't know what it is with pretty people in beautiful locations but I'm all in, despite Nicole Kidman's ''get moose and squirrel' accent and the presence of not one but two magical people of color.

Oh my word. I can't wait to watch the Sopranos prequel which starts streaming on HBO today,

I'm not normally a huge fan of that mob genre, but David Simon's characters were written with uncommon complexity and universal appeal, plus the show was largely responsible for ushering in what many refer to as "The Golden Age" of cable TV. I always imagine cable TV as before or after The Sopranos.

I won't go into any detail so as not to spoil anything, but I thought the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark was a well spent 2 hours. It's spooky how much Michael Gandolfini looks like his father.

Is anyone watching Station 11?

>222 laurenbufferd: We watched it. Though we'd read and liked the book, it took us a couple of episodes to hook into the series. Ultimately, though, we enjoyed it.

I read and liked the book, too, but I fell asleep watching the first episode. I'll give it another go.

Oh, meant to add: I watched a remarkable flick with 3 of my favorite British actors: Jodie Comer, Stephen Graham, and Ian Hart titled "Help." It's the first rendering of some of the healthcare COVID-19 horrors I've seen that felt authentic. It's centered on one group home for Alzheimer's victims and the heartbreaking nightmare they suffer in the early days of no PPE's, no available ambulances, and no vaccines. It probably hasn't been seen by enough people or promoted as it should've been, but IMO Jodie Comer should've been nominated for an Oscar. Don't miss it. It's an important/wrenching watch.

Help

I'm obsessed with HBO's The Last of Us. I never played the game, but my son has and he raves about it all the time. Bella Ramsey (from Game of Thrones) is killing it as Ellie, and I have developed a major crush on Pedro Pascal.

Here for Bad Sisters on Apple Plus. A thriller that makes me laugh. What could be better?

Anyone else watching "1923"? Helen Mirren is utter perfection.

Just finished the latest season of PBS' "All Creatures Great and Small." I won't bore you describing my irrational love for that series. My old lady retired fantasy is to own a huge lot of beautifully wooded land with creeks and streams and mountain trails on which to build a dog sanctuary. I'd take in all strays, animal control removals, and (IMO the cruelest of all) dogs surrendered by families after 8,10,15 years. Something akin to The Asher House.

“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” ~ Gabriel Garcia Marquez

>222 laurenbufferd: Just finished it today, Lauren. Thanks for the rec. I'm really glad I went back and finished it.

I don't know if some of the old-school regulars here remember me raving about the initially self-published SF series Wool by Hugh Howey, but it, eventually, developed a cult-like following. AppleTV has announced an upcoming, limited series based upon the books. I'm not sure how this tale will fall on the general public, but for SF fans, IMO, it'll be Don't Miss TV.

AppleTV Official Trailer

10 Books Coming to TV and Film in 2014

The Library Thief-on amazon or Kanopy is a wonderful series. It takes place in the Swedish national library which is incredibly beautiful. Extremely well done.

Oh, I'm a Nordic TV/Movie/Books fan, but I somehow missed that one. Thanks, Alan. I'll definitely be watching it

There is a Nordic streaming service,a friend subscribes to it. She thinks it’s great.
I’m watching an excellent movie on MUBI. Takes place in Calcutta,the photography is excellent and it’s filmed on an iPhone which astonishes me.

I thought the first episode of the series adaptation of A Gentlemen in Moscow was about as perfect a premier episode as one could be. The cinematography is gorgeous and atmospheric, the character introductions are cleverly and efficiently presented, the casting is brilliant (even though Ewan MacGregor would not have been on my list for the lead, he's surprisingly excellent), the settings look authentic, and the story's intrigue was well served. I have high hopes for this one. It felt very much like reading the opening chapter of an unputdownable book, which, IMO, as a reader, is the highest compliment. I can't wait for the next one.

>235 Pat_D: I liked it all except for the incredibly fake looking snow.

Has anyone watched the series about Coco Channel and ..the other male designer…it’s trashy in a fun way.

Nope. Haven't seen that one, Alan.

I watched another incredible French flick through Amazon the other night that defies description. On paper, the synopsis sounds eye-rollingly silly, but it's not that, at all. I found it mesmerizing with another great Romain Duris performance (I'll watch any movie he's in), and a wonderful turn by Tom Mercier as Fix the Man-Bird. There's a few truly memorable scenes (the visuals are stunning): Francois and his son Emile driving through the forest at night searching for his wife/mother ("Lan Na!" "Lan Na!" "Lan Naaaaa!"........."Mama!"), the bonding between Fix and Emile, and the cornfield chase. Oh, and then there's that gorgeous, Messi-like dog Albert. Seriously. You should give this one a chance.

The Animal Kingdom

Mr Fufferd and I are enjoying the new Ripley quite a bit. And for undemanding feel-good nonsense which we seem to need a lot of these days - Nolly and Funny Woman on public tv and Fisk on Netflix.

I thought The New Look flubbed it a bit the same way the recent season of Feud (the Capote one) did: it failed to really clue you in on exactly how big a comedown Chanel experienced. You never really got a feel for exactly HOW world-changing her work was a decade before the plot of this started so then when she stumbled and fell, it was like, huh, so now she's in just a slightly smaller chic hotel room? Feud did it with Capote too - though it was more egregious. Not once did the show give him credit for what he had done before the story started, nor did it acknowledge that he really was a true genius. The power in both stories - Chanel's and Capote's - is that they did it to themselves. But neither show did a good job showing what they gave up.

All that said: I watched both til their bitter ends!

I really want to watch the Capote one. I tried to read Cote Basque and I found it to be such drivel that I couldn’t continue. The writing seemed so trashy and trite. And Truman thought this was his masterpiece?

For any Capote lovers out there-the entire stage version of tru is on you tube. Robert Morse won a Tony for his performance. I guess his portrayal is authentic but that constant giggle drove me nuts.

I'm totally still engrossed in "A Gentleman in Moscow," and absolutely hating that next week will be the final episode for "Shogun."