What are you watching now?

[George K]

I have tried to watch "The Wire" several times. I always got lost in the characters (there are SO MANY bad guys!), the dialog and the slang. Invariably, I'd give up after about 3 episodes.

So, I thought I'd give it another shot, with subtitles.

Very good. Very gritty. Lots of NSFW language, and comments that would get you thrown off the air today.

Started season 2 yesterday, and I think it's better.

[bachophile]

Now binging Lilyhammer on Netflix. Hysterical.

With Steven van Zandt ( guitar for Bruce btw) as a New York mafioso living incognito in Norway.

Italian Brooklyn meets countryside Norway.

Lots of LOL. Recommended.

[George K]

Lilyhammer is a classic. I don't know how you missed it all these years. Paulie Walnuts (from the Sopranos) makes an appearance in later episodes.

The Wire? A masterpiece. So difficult to get into, but it's absolutely brilliant with multiple storylines that intersect. Make the effort.

I've always enjoyed lawyer shoes, going back to LA Law. I (mostly) enjoyed Suits, until Meghan Markle became a major character - didn't like her before Harry, even.

So, I'm binging through "The Good Fight." It's a spinoff of "The Good Wife" which was a lot of fun. If you want to see full-blown TDS, "The Good Fight" has it up to 11. One episode deals with impeaching him, another with the Moscow hookers. They even use the "fine people on both sides" line. If you can get past the horrifying partisanship, it's not too bad - it's popcorn TV, as was "The Good Wife."

"The Wire" is definitely not popcorn. It's steak and a single-malt.

[Mik]

The Defeated on Netflix. Postwar Berlin cop show.

Ted Lasso.

Space Force.

[George K]

@mik said in What are you watching now?:

Space Force.

Is that the "comedy" with Steve Carrell? I gave up after 2 episodes. Silliness without humor.

[Mik]

It has its moments, and occasionally some heart. Overall it is a bit too much like The Office and Parks and Rec which were both about 'ha ha look how stupid ordinary people are'. But there are signs it is improving.

[Horace]

Just finished What Killed Michael Brown?. Had to rent it from Amazon Prime, I don't think there's a free way to see it. Highly recommended. Unless you're a white progressive who enjoys your smug self satisfaction that you're on the right side of history. Maybe that lot should avoid this.

Shelby Steele is great. I'd never heard much of him (of course! he doesn't say the right things about race, so why would I have heard of him?) but the voice-over he wrote for that documentary was chock full of quote-worthy profundity.

[Horace]

@horace said in What are you watching now?:

Just finished What Killed Michael Brown?. Had to rent it from Amazon Prime, I don't think there's a free way to see it. Highly recommended. Unless you're a white progressive who enjoys your smug self satisfaction that you're on the right side of history. Maybe that lot should avoid this.

Shelby Steele is great. I'd never heard much of him (of course! he doesn't say the right things about race, so why would I have heard of him?) but the voice-over he wrote for that documentary was chock full of quote-worthy profundity.

An excellent conversation about the documentary between Loury and McWhorter:

Link to video

[Mik]

May I reiterate my appreciation of Ted Lasso? Great show. best character development of pretty much any show.

[George K]

Binged through "Homecoming" on Amazon Prime.

Premise is that there's an extra-governmental company that is tasked with "helping" veterans deal with PTSD. Their "help" is rather nefarious, to say the least. Lots of time-shifting in the first season, but it works well.

Two seasons, a total of 17 episodes, each about 30 minutes long. Julia Roberts stars in the 1st season. Other cast members are Bobby Cannavale and Shea Wingham (Boardwalk Empire).

Not great, but not bad, especially when you can take it in 30 minute bites.

Link to video

[George K]

City on a Hill:

Link to video

Sounds intriguing - corrupt FBI agent in Boston still interested in solving crimes, while trying to keep his life together.

But...

Kevin Bacon with a 1990s mustache doing a Boston accent? Think Al Pacino in "Scarface," but not as good.

Too many storylines that are only remotely related.

What made "The Sopranos" so good was that, despite Tony's true evil nature, there was just something likable about him and his family. There's none of that likability here - in anyone. Bacon's wife is a simpering whiny bitch, his mother-in-law is a nasty bitch. The DA is conflicted between justice and politics.

And, why set a show in the 1990s? Just to show old unattractive cars and CRT computer screens?

Watched 4 episodes and said "screw it."

[George K]

"The Flight Attendant"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flight_Attendant

American flight attendant Cassie Bowden is a reckless alcoholic who drinks during flights and spends her time having sex with strangers, including her passengers. When she wakes up in a hotel room in Bangkok with a hangover from the night before, she discovers the dead body of a man who was on her last flight lying next to her, his throat slashed. Afraid to call the police, she cleans up the crime scene, then joins the other airline crew traveling to the airport. In New York City, she is met by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents who question her about the layover in Bangkok. Still unable to piece the night together, and suffering intermittent flashbacks/hallucinations about it, she begins to wonder who the killer could be.

Interesting premise, and very poorly executed. You really want to know how it all happened, but the directors' style is off-putting, and the attempt at being a "dramady" fails miserably. I watched about half and said "screw it, I can live the rest of my life without knowing "whodunit."

[Horace]

American flight attendant Cassie Bowden is a reckless alcoholic who drinks during flights and spends her time having sex with strangers, including her passengers

You had me at “American flight attendant Cassie Bowden is a reckless alcoholic who drinks during flights and spends her time having sex with strangers, including her passengers”.

[George K]

Link to video

A remarkable talent - taken too soon (leukemia, iirc).

The composer of "City of New Orleans" and a great gittar picker (just watch the first few minutes.

[George K]

Go to 12:54 for "City of New Orleans."

Go to 22:30 for "Sixteen Tons."

[Ivorythumper]

@George-K said in What are you watching now?:

Link to video

A remarkable talent - taken too soon (leukemia, iirc).

The composer of "City of New Orleans" and a great gittar picker (just watch the first few minutes.

Amazon has a new doc on Harry Chapin that looks good.

We watch M Knight Shyamalan's The Servant, which is so creepy and well done.

I like Billions and Succession. Superpumped was OK, but not really bingeworthy.

[taiwan_girl]

@George-K said in What are you watching now?:

Go to 12:54 for "City of New Orleans."

Is that the train you take on your trips?

(BTW - good song)

[George K]

@taiwan_girl yes, it's one of the trains I've ridden recently. Others that have had more than 1 ride are the California Zephyr and The Empire Builder.

[George K]

@Ivorythumper said in What are you watching now?:

I like Billions and Succession.

Yup. They're fun. I'm going to miss Damian Lewis in Billions.

"Yellowstone" is fun. It's like Dallas, but the people aren't as nice.

[Doctor Phibes]

I just finished "Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story" on Netflix.

I already knew a fair amount of the story, but a truly shocking and horrific sequence of events. When I was a kid, he was enormously well-known and loved by the public, courted by Prime Ministers and Royalty, and yet somehow simultaneously managing to get away with sexual abuse of children on a massive scale.