Just finished watching all three series of Happy Valley on catchup. Stunning script and stunning acting. Award winning.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3428912/

Some recent TV series watches:

Citadel (Amazon Prime) - like, easy watch, recommended, Priyanka Chopra looks amazing, can't wait for the next ep to drop

Dead Ringers (Amazon Prime) - not so much after one ep, despite being a big Rachel Weisz fan...if the original movie with Jeremy Irons grossed you out, take a pass on this

The Last Thing He Told Me (AppleTV) - yawn, super-disappointing for a Jen Garner fan (Alias) after two or three eps (I'm not sure when I fell asleep)

On 5/1/2023 at 8:16 AM, Craig Sawyers said:

Just finished watching all three series of Happy Valley on catchup. Stunning script and stunning acting. Award winning.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3428912/

Finished the first season. It was so good as True detective, Fargo or Mare of Easttown(always the first seasons) or better. I always thought tv shows are something like chewing gum most of it are but there are exceptions. So I am watching a few lately.

Second season of Happy Valley is better, and the final season is totally awesome.

Only 6 shows per season - so 18 in all. Sarah Lancashire is one of the best actors around. The writer Sally Wainwright specifically wrote the script with Lancashire in mind as the lead character.

As I thinking about the show the similarities with Mare of Easttown strucked me a bit late. Can not be a coincidence I do not know which was first. It does not matter both are phenomenal.

And both because of the lead actress mostly.

ps.: I am not the first who discovered the similarities and Happy Valley was the first I see.

Edited May 5, 20233 yr by judo
ps

On 5/1/2023 at 11:56 AM, jpelg said:

Dead Ringers (Amazon Prime) - not so much after one ep, despite being a big Rachel Weisz fan...if the original movie with Jeremy Irons grossed you out, take a pass on this

I don’t remember much about the Cronenberg film, and as always different strokes, and thanks for letting me know this existed.

I though had the opposite response to the pilot and found it electrifying and honestly at times brave. Some of this stuff, around women’s expectations, bodies and sexuality, especially surrounding reproduction/birth, is rarely talked about, not really, which is really pretty strange, but probably also why it’s ripe for horror-kinda-ish stories, and was well executed, I thought, here in a tight opening episode. And the dialogue… 

She’ll like you. She likes smart women. 
Who doesn’t?
Men and most other women. 

Now, considering the source, it’s pretty likely going to fly off the rails at some point, but that takes nothing away of riding that line for awhile. It may be happening already by the second episode where they throw a full deck of big pharma donor wildcards into the mix, but then again that’s all potentially interesting commentary too. I can’t wait to watch more. 

 

^I think the whole, twin-switching is pretty cringe-worthy. Not sure if the professional/patient switching, or the personal/sexual partner switching is moreso. Is that a positive commentary or reflection somehow? Not sure how "brave". They just seem to hate men.

Edited May 6, 20233 yr by jpelg

MUCH prefer something along these lines:

which has been a treat to nearly all the senses & non-sensibilities.

1 hour ago, jpelg said:

^I think the whole, twin-switching is pretty cringe-worthy. Not sure if the professional/patient switching, or the personal/sexual partner switching is moreso. Is that a positive commentary or reflection somehow? Not sure how "brave". They just seem to hate men.

Yeah, that’s fair. The twin stuff isn’t new or brave, though as always allows two approaches to each issue and a protective bond that everything else external competes against. The “women’s issues” (used uncomfortably) are the brave explorations, starting with the shown miscarriage right up front. 
These are overwhelmingly women’s perspectives (pro and con, at least so far and again used uncomfortably). I’m not sure the creative team is going to put a lot of time and resources into protecting men and positive feelings towards them, but do scenes of conflict with males, and generally they’re between females here, seem unfair?   
 

Also: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrzXgq9OygW/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== 

Edited May 6, 20233 yr by blessingx

28 minutes ago, blessingx said:

but do scenes of conflict with males, and generally they’re between females here, seem unfair?   

The antagonistic scenes with males (the guy in the diner, the father in her office, come to mind) all seem convenient scenarios of the character's making. Provoked responses...self-fulfilling prophesies, stemming from earlier damage.

When I see characters like this, I don't think of them as brave, empowered, or enlightened. I am reminded of the scene in the movie Disclosure where the lawyer says: "Ms. Johnson, the only thing you have proven is that a woman in power can be every bit as abusive as a man!"

 

I know it's weird, but Rachel Weisz played such a despicable character in 2003's The Shape of Things, that I can't help but dislike her in everything she's in.

~I~ 

Edited May 7, 20233 yr by blessingx

Back on the Ted Train for season three - and it is not disappointing. 

Second season of Somebody Somewhere here. Also doesn’t disappoint. 

Fifth season of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

I've found it better than the two previous ones. Or more interesting in the worst case.

Finished Night Agent and my long-lasting impression is that Luciane Buchanan is hella cute.  The show was a nice little popcorn muncher -- I enjoyed that they had a female president without overly patting themselves on the back for that.

Spoiler

And that she wasn't the villain this time!

Need to get back to Because This is My First Life, Udemy, &c. ...but I need a mindless guilty pleasure like that one for this time of night.  Recommendations accepted.  I'm thinking Beef since it gets "dark", according to the 30-words-or-less description.  And since I've been having my own rage incidents.

Just finished The Diplomat

Better than I was expecting, looking forward to season 2

A few recent watches:

On AppleTV, Silo - why are people living underground in this dystopian future?

On Hulu, The Class of 09, an interesting portrayal of how a surveillance-state develops:

Also started on AppleTV, High Desert, for some comedy:

Decent, if not great watches so far - soft recommendations, all. They could all use some tightening up, storywise. But then they'd be movies instead of a series, I guess #shrug.

Citadel would have been better if the guy from Violent Night (the actor guy, not the Santa guy) was playing the male lead.

@jpelgI have been watching Silo, I thought it was a bit of a slow starter but has picked up since.

I suspect we will find out why they are underground as the series progresses.

Edited June 9, 20233 yr by rod

Black Mirror season 6

 

The Bear season two. Episode six, Fishes, is a crazy, guest star filled, holiday flashback. Add this to your annual holiday watch. 

Guess this actress. All your guesses all at once. 
Damn, I could have made a Wanda joke. 

Edit: Here’s a great opinion piece - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/opinion/the-bear-fx-grief.html 

Edited June 26, 20233 yr by blessingx

Adds to list. 
 

We’ve just finished binging High Desert.  Patricia Arquette plays such a fantastic crazy person.  
 

I'm not sure she's acting!