jpelg

The Gilded Age (HBO) - A new series from Julian Fellowes of "Downton Abbey" fame, this time set in late 19th century NYC. This has exceeded my expectations so far, with a much more diversified cast of characters than "DA", and less sentimental (but still romantic) overall. The script is razor sharp, and the fashions are phenomenal - a true treat for the eyes. Here's one promo shot:

Happy Birthday!

Clickbait (Netflix) - a pretty decent drama/thriller about a guy who is kidnapped & accused of killing a woman. Eight eps & no unnecessary filler. We liked.

Around The World in 80 Days - As per usual, PBS rarely disappoints. David Tennant, Ibrahim Koma, & Leonie Benesch make a great, albeit unlikely, team. Recommended for entire family.

Happy Birthday!

"Euphoria" is excellent, very well done on many levels. That being said, it is a difficult watch for me. The sex & drug use amongst teen characters is extreme. That being said, it is still very compelling artistically, which keeps me coming back, despite my internal squirminess. The two Christmas episodes that aired between series 1 & 2, which each focused on characters Rue & Jules respectively, were stellar.

^I need to check out the rest of her catalog. "Lento" is also beautiful:

Happy birthday Ric!

Oh what a difference a year makes... My wife's iPhone 13 Pro Max arrived early this month from Verizon & she is finding that the Mophie goes into blinking (non-charging) mode shortly after placing the new phone on the wireless charging stand. Apparently the Mophie doesn't like the MagSafe tech inside the new phones. The "Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe" seems to garner good reviews. However, my wife is not the most...err, gentle with things, and the Belkin seems to perch the phone rather precariously. I would anticipate frequent droppage off the nightstand, which is not something I want with such a costly new phone. Anyone have any new reco's, other than the "Apple MagSafe Duo Charger" in a combo (phone+watch) charger?

Best ep of the season! Lots of language to mull over...some great lines in there...I should re-watch too.

Yola: Why have I not heard her before?

Upgrade done. Thanks for the input gents. Things seem to be running quite smoothly...snappier even, under Win11. When the MS updates aren't downloading in the background, that is 😕

Any application incompatibilities?

My newish laptop is eligible for the Microsoft OS upgrade. Has anyone bit on the MS free upgrade? Any war stories? Curious...

^I see that the HD6xx are also on sale - lowest I've seen & "cheap as chips", as they say.

So sorry Steve

A friend, Kristen suffered a cerebral aneurysm on Sunday. She was only 44 years old. I say "friend", but I really only knew she & her husband by way of us purchasing our current home from them a few years back. We stayed peripherally connected, as my wife works in the same hospital as they do, running into them every once in a while. As well-regarded local doctors & parents to two young children, they seemed to have it all. This hits particularly hard, as the anniversary of my sister-in-law Tanya's passing from an identical affliction nine years ago at only 42 y/o, approaches in the next days. When tragedy happens so swiftly, one tries to make some sense, if at all possible. Often, there is none. So, in Kristen & Tanya's memory, hug your loved one's a little tighter tonight & tell them what they mean to you.

Happy birthday!

Billions (Showtime) - continuing our exploration into how the one-percenters live/work. Just finished season 1 - crazy fun stuff. Hopefully can get through s2-5 before Succession starts back up next month.

Succession (HBO) - binging on our new guilty pleasure. If Dallas had been made today, this is what it would be. This family be cray-cray, and I can't look away. Season 3 coming soon.

U.S. Open (ESPN) - some great tennis so far this week. More to come.

The Chair (Netflix) - good to see Sandra Oh in something after Killing Eve. An enjoyable watch, even if it is pretty predictable, feeling like I've seen these characters before, just in a different context or something. Good supporting cast, including Bob Balaban & Holland Taylor, among others, to round out the ensemble. A very nice, eclectic soundtrack is notable. Only six eps, so...

Nora from Queens - Awkwafina is raw, but in a so very relatable way, in this comedy series set in Flushing, not far from where I lived. Lori Tan Chinn is a hoot as her grandmother. BD Wong brings his usual high-level in the most subtle of ways as her dad. Easy watch, recommended.

Doubtful, since the young brother is very likeable & quite innocent to what is going on around him. His older siblings realize that. So the hate is not directed toward Beiber, but rather the system that propels him into celebrity.