Quarantine TV Bingeing

[Kevin Gallagher]

 Well gang I was wondering what, if anything you guys are watching while we are inside. I've been doing a lot of Netflix and came across two very good Australian series. One is Pine Gap and the other is The Secret City, both are spy dramas. Also watched something called Badland about a bounty hunter chasing after Confederate war criminals. The English game, also on Netflix has caught my eye and although I am not a sports fan at all I am really enjoying it. Lastly, The plot Against America on HBO is one of the most unsettling things I have seen in a very long time. I've not read the book but they have done a great job of creating the 1940's with the cry, dress, etc.

[Robert Roaldi]

Several that we enjoyed, in no particular order:

The Sinner, all 3 seasons, US with Bill Pullman, crime drama, more on the psychological side, no shoot-outs or chases.

The Slap, Australian series, family drama, very well done.

Save Me, British series, drama.

The Casual Vacancy, UK Britis, based on the J.K. Rowling book. Skewering of social mores. Hilarious scene near the end with Michael Gambon sitting on the throne in the ensuite.

Versailles, high court soap opera drama, rampant sex, intrigue, decadent, escapist

Alibi, UK short series, twisty plot, good characters

Undercover, UK series, see Alibi

Cardinal, seasons 1-4, set in North Bay, based on the novels by Giles Blunt. Bitter cold temperatures, black flies, it has it all. No shoot-outs, intrigue.

Bancroft, UK series about a crooked cop. One of the most evil characters ever.

Broken, UK series about a priest with a past. Complex adult drama.

Patrick Melrose, based on real life of author, messy life, drugs, drama. Slow at first but then gets really interesting.

Collateral, terrific British cop drama.

Worricker Trilogy, old spy drama with Bill Nighy, more twists than you can imagine.

Unforgotten, UK cop series, low-key human drama.

Line of Duty, UK cop internal affairs show, glued to the screen rivetting. Fantastic interrogations scenes.

[Redcrown]

At age 73 I'm finding it more and more difficult to find movies, TV shows, and books I like. I tell myself that is because most new plots are too easy to recognize as old plots simply reworked. I've got dozens of reasons to NOT watch/read something. Shoot-em-up, blow-em-up, chase scenes galore are just no longer tolerable. That said, here are a few winners I've found in recent months.

On Amazon Prime USA

In Treatment - Psychiatrist therapy sessions. No action, no chase scenes, no CGI, just pure and outstanding acting, all done in the doctors home office.

Silent Witness - British version of CSI.* only much better. Apparently old, 21 seasons, 10 shows per season, 2 shows per story line.

The Suspicions of Mr. Wicher - British cop/detective circa 1860. Only 4 shows, all stand alone. The obvious suspect is always replaced at the very end by the real killer. Very well done. Good characters, good acting. Excellent period piece.

This Giant Beast That is the Global Economy - Documentary, 8 shows narrated by Kal Penn. Subjects you've probably never thought about.

The Conspirator - True story behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln told via the trial of the woman who ran the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth was living. 5 stars.

Hanna - 8 part action drama, young girl raised off the grid by special ops "father" who teaches her survival skills and martial arts. They re-enter society and go after the bad guys who had used her and others for evil intentions.

Love & Mercy - Good semi-fictional drama about the life of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson.

Robot and Frank - aged ex-jewel thief gets an AI robot gift from his son. After rejecting it, he enlists the robot in a new criminal scheme. Comedy staring Frank Langella.

The Report - Outstanding drama about a journalist's investigation into the CIA's post 9/11 detention and interrogation program at Gitmo.

The Newsroom - 3 seasons. If you haven't seen this, shame on you. Along with West Wing, the best TV dramas ever made.

Goliath - 3 seasons. Scrappy lawyer (Billy Bob Thornton) fights against evil corporate empires. Season 1 was outstanding. Seasons 2&3 not as good, but still watchable.

On Netflix USA

Bonfire of Destiny - French drama following a fire at a charity ball in Paris circa 1897. Focus is on 3 women who survived. Dubbed in English, but very good dubbing.

Unorthodox - 4 part series about a girl who escapes a strict Hasidic community in New York. Amazing description of life inside such a cult.

Dirty Money - Documentary, 6 episodes, different topics about corporate corruption.

For the Love of Spock - Documentary about Leonard Nimoy and the Star Trek Spock character. I was intrigued to "remember" that the original TV show only lasted 3 years, and then lay dormant for a decade before cable and syndication brought it back to life and led to the major movies.

[Alan Klein]

My wife I just binged three seasons of Ozarks about an American family involved with the Mexican drug cartel in hillbilly country. On Netflix.

[Alan Klein]

My wife I just binge three seasons of Ozarks about an Aamerican fmily caight up with the Mexican drug cartel in hillbilly country.

At age 73 I'm finding it more and more difficult to find movies, TV shows, and books I like. I tell myself that is because most new plots are too easy to recognize as old plots simply reworked. I've got dozens of reasons to NOT watch/read something. Shoot-em-up, blow-em-up, chase scenes galore are just no longer tolerable. That said, here are a few winners I've found in recent months.

On Amazon Prime USA

In Treatment - Psychiatrist therapy sessions. No action, no chase scenes, no CGI, just pure and outstanding acting, all done in the doctors home office.

Silent Witness - British version of CSI.* only much better. Apparently old, 21 seasons, 10 shows per season, 2 shows per story line.

The Suspicions of Mr. Wicher - British cop/detective circa 1860. Only 4 shows, all stand alone. The obvious suspect is always replaced at the very end by the real killer. Very well done. Good characters, good acting. Excellent period piece.

This Giant Beast That is the Global Economy - Documentary, 8 shows narrated by Kal Penn. Subjects you've probably never thought about.

The Conspirator - True story behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln told via the trial of the woman who ran the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth was living. 5 stars.

Hanna - 8 part action drama, young girl raised off the grid by special ops "father" who teaches her survival skills and martial arts. They re-enter society and go after the bad guys who had used her and others for evil intentions.

Love & Mercy - Good semi-fictional drama about the life of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson.

Robot and Frank - aged ex-jewel thief gets an AI robot gift from his son. After rejecting it, he enlists the robot in a new criminal scheme. Comedy staring Frank Langella.

The Report - Outstanding drama about a journalist's investigation into the CIA's post 9/11 detention and interrogation program at Gitmo.

The Newsroom - 3 seasons. If you haven't seen this, shame on you. Along with West Wing, the best TV dramas ever made.

Goliath - 3 seasons. Scrappy lawyer (Billy Bob Thornton) fights against evil corporate empires. Season 1 was outstanding. Seasons 2&3 not as good, but still watchable.

On Netflix USA

Bonfire of Destiny - French drama following a fire at a charity ball in Paris circa 1897. Focus is on 3 women who survived. Dubbed in English, but very good dubbing.

Unorthodox - 4 part series about a girl who escapes a strict Hasidic community in New York. Amazing description of life inside such a cult.

Dirty Money - Documentary, 6 episodes, different topics about corporate corruption.

For the Love of Spock - Documentary about Leonard Nimoy and the Star Trek Spock character. I was intrigued to "remember" that the original TV show only lasted 3 years, and then lay dormant for a decade before cable and syndication brought it back to life and led to the major movies.

Binge?  It looks like an epidemic. 

[PeterAit]

Fargo on Hulu. Loosely based on the movie of the same name. Each season is a completely new story. Well done with some clever twists IMO.

[Robert Roaldi]

The three seasons of True Detective were ok to good. Season one was very good entertainment, very unpredictable, but got cute in the very last 20 min of the final episode. Season 2 was so-so, a bit clichéd. Season 3 was very good, very complex story.

Based on real life these two British series were very good, Mrs. Wilson and A Very English Scandal.

I liked the Kennth Branaugh Wallander series but my wife wasn't keen. But I'm a sucker for Scandi-noir.

Inspector George Gently was good too, with a very obnoxious sidekick.

[Peter McLennan]

Line of Duty, UK cop internal affairs show, glued to the screen rivetting. Fantastic interrogations scenes.

Agreed.  Every episode.