Home again…

It was an uneventful trip home with two overnight stops at Holiday Inns. Great weather in Thornbury when we arrived, although I did feel a little chill in my bones as the weather was springlike rather than the Florida heat my body has gotten used to. Catching up with longtime friends this week, including a friend who has just rented a cottage across the street from us for a month this summer and she is coming for breakfast today as she was checking out her rental this weekend. In the meantime, here are some viewing suggestions for you:

Apple

We Crashed (8 episodes) Explores the rise and fall of a company destined to make history, WeWork. It’s a story of hope and hubris, big money and bigger screwups and the lengths people will fo to chase “unicorns.” Stars Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway as the two scammers. Note to self: avoid future films and series about scammers as they are generally about thoroughly reprehensible people.

Pachinko (8 episodes) Based on the NYTimes bestseller, this sweeping saga chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant fairly across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. It is another masterpiece which you will have to watch closely to follow the many time frames through which the movie constantly switches back and forth. You may recognize the actress Youn Yuh-jung as the Older Sunja. She previously won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in  Minari which is also about the struggles of Korean immigrants and she presented the Oscar this year to Best Supporting Actor Troy Kotsur for CODA.

Slow Horses  (12 episodes) Follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Also stars Kristin Scott Thomas and Jack Lowden. We’re in John Le Carre country here but with more black humour. So British!!! Loving it.

Netflix

White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch (documentary, 1 h 28 m) Abercrombie and Fitch conquered malls in the late ’90s and early ’00s with gorgeous models, pulsing dance beats and a fierce scent. But their “all-American” age shattered as exclusionary marketing and hiring practices came to light. A little of this doc went a long way for me.

Hold Tight (from Poland, 6 episodes) An adaptation of a Harlan Coben novel. When a young man goes missing soon after his friend dies life in a tight-knit affluent Warsaw suburb slowly unravels, exposing secrets and lies. Such a weird hybrid of a Coban mystery. I am watching it to learn a little Polish, as I am now fascinated by all things Slavic.

Bridgerton (Season 2) I finally watched Season 2 after poo poohing it after one episode earlier this year. Ridiculous multicultural romances amidst many ball scenes in country houses. If you burn for costume dramas, this silly series may be right up your alley.

The Tinder Swindler (1 h 54 m) I broke my anti-scammer vow and watched about half of this sad film about a man who woos women online and then cons them out of millions of dollars.

FX

Mayans MC (Season 4, 10 episodes) The first episode is total mayhem as war descends on Santo Padre. Brutally violent! I so miss Jax Teller.

Better Things (Season 5, 10 episodes) An actress raises her three daughters while juggling the pressures of working in Hollywood and being a single parent. Pamela Adlon stars in this wonderful series about life in LA.

HBO

The Invisible Pilot (documentary, 3 episodes) Follows the story of a seemingly happy husband and father who unexpectedly jumped off a bridge i 1977, and years later it’s found that there might have been hypnosis, secret identities and a dangerous double life and law-breaking involved. This is an intriguing documentary that takes you on a very different journey than the one you initially expected. Truth is stranger than fiction.

My Brilliant Friend (In Italian with English subtitles, Season 3, 8 episodes) We are now up to the third book in author Elena Ferrante’s quadrilogy. The Neapolitan girls are growing up. One is now a published author and the other still struggles with life in hardscrabble Naples.

Bill Maher  (587 episodes) Returned for its 20th season. Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher discusses topical events with guests from various backgrounds. He is the sneeriest, snarkiest comedian on TV today! You either like him or hate him.

John Oliver (242 episodes, back for Season 9) Along with a series of comic comments on the daily events, Oliver selects a new topic to discuss at length every week. Professorial and profane.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (10 episodes) The professional and personal lives of the 1980’s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties – a team that defined an era, both on and off the court. I confess that I watched this under protest as both my basketball loving husband and son were keen to watch it. I was mildly amused. John C. Reilly Jason Clarke, Gaby Hoffman, Sally Field, Brett Cullen, Tracy Letts, Adrien Brody and Jason Segel star.

HBOMAX 

Julia (8 episodes) Inspired by Julia Child’s extraordinary life and her show The French Chef which essentially invented food television. Delightful! Stars Sarah Lancashire, David Hyde Pierce and Bebe Neuwirth.

Tokyo Vice (10 episodes) A Western journalist working for a publication in Tokyo takes on one of the city’s most powerful crime bosses. I am loving this so far. Ansel Elgort (Tony in West Side Story) will amaze you with his fluent Japanese! Fast paced and enthralling!

ABC

The Good Doctor (Season 5, 12 episodes) Well, as if diseases of the week weren’t enough for this floundering series, now the plot has evolved in exactly the same way as New Amsterdam, with the good doctors rising up to overthrow the corporate titan now running the hospital. I am no longer a big fan of this series about an autistic doctor.

Big Sky (Season 2, 14 episodes) Oh my. This show has deteriorated into an endless cat and mouse game between characters I no longer care about in the slightest. Too bad considering it stars Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) in the lead role. Just absolute dreck.

CBS

FBI, FBI International, FBI Most Wanted (all three Dick Wolf series are unbelievably formulaic; I had to watch Most Wanted to see how Dylan McDermott is introduced as the new team leader after Julian McMahon’s departure). For people who like predictable and formulaic action series.

NBC

Law & Order (Season 21) It’s back! True confession: I have never watched a single complete episode of the original, which I found prosaic and predictable. I know that this show has always been hugely enjoyable for its many fans, so I gave this one a chance. In Episode 1, newly acquainted partners Det. Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson) and Det. Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan) investigate the murder of a notorious entertainer (torn from the headlines about Bill Cosby). A dispute over throwing out a confession creates a rift in the District Attorney’s office. Hugh Dancy is now the lead lawyer for the prosecution, with Camryn Manheim supervising the detectives, and Sam Waterston as the DA presiding over the office. Again, I am finding this show kind of corny with its 1 hour format which neatly wraps up every case. I have now watched the first 5 episodes and if you love your mysteries tied up in a neat bow at the end of every episode, this is your show.

Jeopardy – Weeknights (over 8000 episodes) This nightly venerable game show, is now once again hosted by Ken Jennings, and it continues to amuse, entertain and inform. Now that Ken is back in the host role, all seems right with the world! He makes the job look easy and knows the game inside out. Mayim Bialik actually returned to host the regular nightly shows for a couple of weeks raising lots of controversy as folks either bemoaned her return or praised her. Her hair and wardrobe seem less dowdy than in previous shows, so her stylist is likely responsible.

PBS

Call the Midwife (95 episodes) Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London i the late-1950’s to late-1960’s. Get out your hankies for this unfailingly sentimental series.

Sanditon  (Season 2, 6 episodes) About Charlotte Heywood, a spirited and impulsive woman who moves from her rural home to Sanditon, a fishing village attempting to reinvent itself as a seaside resort. So Jane Austen! You will swoon over the ballroom scenes and Empire style gowns. Slightly less ridiculous than Bridgerton.

AmazonPrime

Outer Range (8 episodes) A rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness. Kind of a spooky Yellowstone! Stars Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Lily Taylor. I am intrigued!

Special Mention

Also, my husband reminds me that I no longer mention my Sunday morning ritual of watching CBS Sunday Morning, the most enjoyable newsmagazine show on the air which has been airing since 1979. Now hosted by Jane Pauley, this venerable series never ceases to delight, inform and entertain with its stories about current events, celebrities, and human interest. I feel better each Sunday for having watched it.

Closing Words

My bags are unpacked and I am looking forward to a week of reintegrating back into my two neighbourhoods in Ontario. The one in Thornbury, 2 hours north of Toronto close to Georgian Bay and our condo in the West End of Toronto that features a beautiful view of Lake Ontario and a grocery store built right into the shopping concourse under our building. Many friends need to be visited!

I’m enclosing a video link to an informative piece on Matzo production! I brought home a huge box of Passover Matzo from Costco to share with friends who have trouble finding it in our local grocery stores.

https://fb.watch/cq5k90jAs7/

Also, I read this delightful article about Pamela Adlon who stars as a very modern Jewish mother on

Better Things:

https:www.kveller.com/better-things-gives-us-the best-Jewish-mom-on -tv

‘Better Things’ Gives Us the Best Jewish Mom on TV

‘Better Things’ Gives Us the Best Jewish Mom on TV

‘Better Things’ Gives Us the Best Jewish Mom on TV

‘Better Things’ Gives Us the Best Jewish Mom on TV

The packing has started…

I have finally started my packing, which for the first time contains much baby stuff that we have purchased to bring back for our first grandchild. I’ll be playing my last rounds of golf, going to my last fitness classes, etc. What seemed like an endless expanse of time at the beginning of the season here is now going by at lightning speed. Also squeezing in some last screen time, of course. Here are some suggestions for you (I have highlighted my top picks with 3 stars: Abbot Elementary, Anatomy of a Scandal, Tokyo Vice and Julia):

Movie Club

CODA (1 h 51 m) I had the great pleasure of screening this for my movie club. I actually enjoyed it more seeing it for the second time. It is a touching family film about a Child of Deaf Adults, Ruby, who is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family’s fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents. The ladies loved this sentimental crowd pleaser that allows viewers to experience what living in a silent world is like. As everyone knows by now, this film won the top Oscar as well as Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur and is remarkable for its use of deaf actors in the leading roles. Get out your hankies for this one!

Disney+

Moon Knight (6 episodes) Steven Grant discovers he’s been granted the powers of an Egyptian moon god but he soon finds out that these newfound powers can be both a blessing and a curse to his troubled life. Stars Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, F. Murray Abraham. Intriguing, especially by Oscar’s British accent. Not bad for a Cuban American.

Streaming

Fresh (1 h 54 m) The horrors of modern dating seen through one young woman’s defiant battle to survive her new boyfriend’s unusual appetites. Yowza! This is one sick puppy of a movie, but it does give the viewer some insight into cannibalism (I’m talking to you, Armie Hammer, whose movie career has stalled in light of the cannibalism fetish described by some of his victims.) You may be both amused and repulsed by this very blackly comic horror film.

Killing Eve (Season 4, 8 episodes) Oh make it end please. One season too many to tie up the loose ends of this increasingly nonsensical series that started as so fresh and new.

Peaky Blinders (Season 6, 6 episodes) Crime series set in 1930’s Birmingham, starring Cillian Murphy. Famous for its over-the-top violence, anachronistic music, and crazy haircuts, you either love or hate this one. Last week was the last episode for this series.

Outlander (Season 6) Oh yes, it’s back, the sexy as hell series about a time travelling English combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743. I can’t stress enough how romantic this series is. 

Raised by Wolves (2 seasons, 16 episodes) Androids are tasked with raising human children on a mysterious planet. Very atmospheric show from the production team of Ridley Scott, so very cinematic.

FX

Better Things (Season 5, 10 episodes) An actress raises her three daughters while juggling the pressures of working in Hollywood and being a single parent. Pamela Adlon stars in this wonderful series about life in LA.

HBO

The Invisible Pilot (documentary, 3 episodes) Follows the story of a seemingly happy husband and father who unexpectedly jumped off a bridge i 1977, and years later it’s found that there might have been hypnosis secret identities and a dangerous double life and law-breaking involved. This is an intriguing documentary that takes you on a very different journey than the one you initially expected. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Bill Maher  (587 episodes) Returned for its 20th season. Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher discusses topical events with guests from various backgrounds. He is the sneeriest, snarkiest comedian on TV today! You either like him or hate him.

John Oliver (242 episodes, back for Season 9) Along with a series of comic comments on the daily events, Oliver selects a new topic to discuss at length every week. Professorial and profane.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (10 episodes) The professional and personal lives of the 1980’s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties – a team that defined an era, both on and off the court. I confess that I watched this under protest as both my basketball loving husband and son were keen to watch it. I was mildly amused. John C. Reilly Jason Clarke, Gaby Hoffman, Sally Field, Brett Cullen, Tracy Letts, Adrien Brody and Jason Segel star.

My Brilliant Friend (In Italian with English subtitles, Season 3, 8 episodes) We are now up to the third book in author Elena Ferrante’s quadrilogy. The Neapolitan girls are growing up. One is now a published author and the other still struggles with life in hardscrabble Naples.

ABC

***Abbott Elementary (14 episodes) Follows a group of teachers brought together in one of the worst public schools in the country, simply because they love teaching. Done in mockumentary style (a la The Office), this wonderful comedy series slyly pokes fun at our expectations regarding teachers. Each character is delightful and the ensemble cast are perfect for their roles. What a surprise this series was! I binge watched the whole thing in 2 days.

The Good Doctor (Season 5, 12 episodes) Well, as if diseases of the week weren’t enough for this floundering series, now the plot has evolved in exactly the same way as New Amsterdam, with the good doctors rising up to overthrow the corporate titan now running the hospital. I am no longer a big fan of this series about an autistic doctor.

Big Sky (Season 2, 14 episodes) Oh my. This show has deteriorated into an endless cat and mouse game between characters I no longer care about in the slightest. Too bad considering it stars Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) in the lead role. Just absolute dreck.

CBS

FBI, FBI International and FBI Most Wanted (all three Dick Wolf series are unbelievably formulaic; I had to watch Most Wanted to see how Dylan McDermott is introduced as the new team leader after Julian McMahon’s departure). Clearly by last Wednesday, I hadn’t yet discovered Abbot Elementary.

NBC

Law & Order (Season 21) It’s back! True confession: I have never watched a single complete episode of the original, which I found prosaic and predictable. I know that this show has always been hugely enjoyable for its many fans, so I gave this one a chance. In Episode 1, newly acquainted partners Det. Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson) and Det. Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan) investigate the murder of a notorious entertainer (torn from the headlines about Bill Cosby). A dispute over throwing out a confession creates a rift in the District Attorney’s office. Hugh Dancy is now the lead lawyer for the prosecution, with Camryn Manheim supervising the detectives, and Sam Waterston as the DA presiding over the office. Again, I am finding this show kind of corny with its 1 hour format which neatly wraps up every case. I have now watched the first 5 episodes and if you love your mysteries tied up in a neat bow at the end of every episode, this is your show.

Jeopardy – Weeknights (over 8000 episodes) This nightly venerable game show, is now once again hosted by Ken Jennings, and it continues to amuse, entertain and inform. Now that Ken is back in the host role, all seems right with the world! He makes the job look easy and knows the game inside out. Mayim Bialik actually returned to host the regular nightly shows for a couple of weeks raising lots of controversy as folks either bemoaned her return or praised her. Her hair and wardrobe seem less dowdy than in previous shows, so her stylist is likely responsible.

Netflix

***Anatomy of a Scandal (6 episodes) A sexual consent scandal amongst British privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake. Gloriously British! Consumed in 1 day.

Our Great National Parks (narrated by Barack Obama, 5 episodes) A five-part documentary series about the world’s most breathtaking national parks and the wildlife the live there. Breath-taking photography!

Hard Cell (mockumentary, 6 episodes) A documentary crew follows the inmates and staff of Her Majesty’s Prison Woldsley while Catherine Tate portrays multiple characters to capture the penal system at its brutal humorous best. Watch for the episodes about the gang putting on a production of West Side Story!

PBS

Call the Midwife (95 episodes) Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London i the late-1950’s to late-1960’s. Get out your hankies for this unfailingly sentimental series.

Sanditon (Season 2, 6 episodes) About Charlotte Heywood, a spirited and impulsive woman who moves from her rural home to Sanditon, a fishing village attempting to reinvent itself as a seaside resort. So Jane Austen! You will swoon over the ballroom scenes and Empire style gowns.

AmazonPrime

Outer Range (8 episodes) A rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness. Kind of a spooky Yellowstone! Stars Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Lily Taylor. I am intrigued after the first two episodes.

HBOMax

***Julia (8 episodes) Inspired by Julia Child’s extraordinary life and her show The French Chef which essentially invented food television. Delightful! Stars Sarah Lancashire, David Hyde Pierce and Bebe Neuwirth.

***Tokyo Vice  (10 episodes) A Western journalist working for a publication in Tokyo takes on one of the city’s most powerful crime bosses. I am loving this so far. Ansel Elgort (Tony in West Side Story) will amaze you with his fluent Japanese! Fast paced and enthralling!

Sally4Ever (7 episodes) For 10 years Sally has lived a dull suburban life with David But on the night he asks her to marry him, Slly has a crisis and embarks o a wild affair with Emma, a seductive, charismatic boho actress, singer mjusician, poet and author. This humour may be too broad and dark for many, but the show certainly pushes boundaries!

APPLE+

Roar (9 episodes) An insightful, poignant, and sometimes hilarious portrait of what it means to be a woman today. Featuring a unique blend of magical realism,*** familiar domestic and professional scenarios, and futuristic worlds. Probably not for everyone, but I found the episodes intriguing and watched the series in one day. The cast includes Alison Brie, Nicole Kidman, Betty Gilp;in Merritt Wever, Cynthia Erivo, Issa Real, Jake Johnson, Hugh Dancy, Daniel Dad Kim, Judy Davis, Justin Kirk, Simon Baker, Alfred Molina.

Pachinko (8 episodes) Based on the NYTimes bestseller, this sweeping saga chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant fairly across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. It is another masterpiece which you will have to watch closely to follow the many time frames through which the movie constantly switches back and forth. You may recognize the actress Youn Yuh-jung as the Older Sunja. She previously won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in  Minari which is also about the struggles of Korean immigrants and she presented the Oscar this year to Best Supporting Actor Troy Kotsur for CODA.

Slow Horses (12 episodes) Follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Also stars Kristin Scott Thomas and Jack Lowden. We’re in John Le Carre country here but with more black humour. So British!!! Loving it.

Special Mention

Also, my husband reminds me that I no longer mention my Sunday morning ritual of watching CBS Sunday Morning, the most enjoyable newsmagazine show on the air which has been airing since 1979. Now hosted by Jane Pauley, this venerable series never ceases to delight, inform and entertain with its stories about current events, celebrities, and human interest. I feel better each Sunday for having watched it.

Closing Words

I’m going to conclude with an obituary for a lovely lady who passed away recently. She was a member at my Toronto golf club and I had the privilege of playing golf with her only one time, but she was an unforgettable character. I was particularly touched by the words of one of her friends about the influence her friend had on her:

Sandy passed away comfortably, with dignity at home, with family at her side after living there for 42 years with her husband, Michael. Her passing was made possible by the willing medical clinicians of MAID.

Sandy is survived by Michael, their daughters, Daphne and Lauryn and her grandchildren, Indigo and Tao. She will be sadly missed by her sister and best friend Linda Crossley and her children Cameron and Chloe.

Sandy’s creativity, sense of style, and flair blossomed during her years living in London and Paris. Her talents were widely acknowledged and publicly recognized on CITY-TV where she appeared as a guest host on Cityline for over thirty years. Her innate talents led her to easily excel in fashion, design, cooking, and all things artistic, however,  her first priority was always her family.

Michael would continually re-iterate his respect for her sound judgement, wise counsel and her unique input on all matters that assisted him regarding family matters and his business career. 

Sandy loved her golf. She delighted in making three holes-in-one within one month at  her club at Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, AZ – where she created the most wonderful home away from home. She will sorely miss all of her incredible friends from there, from Canada , and throughout the world.

A very near and dear girlfriend of Sandy recently  wrote her a cherished note worth sharing.
Because of you…I defied my husband and bought the sofa of my choice.
Because of you…I iron my tea towels.
Because of you…I brought color into my house and sleep with the softness of lavender.
Because of you…I pay more attention to the details of our desert, from cactus blooms to shadows of the sun to desert stars sparkling in the clear night skies.
Because of you…I follow through on my golf swing.
Because of you…I eat marcona almonds and wrap dates in basil leaves.
Because of you…my family loves your Italian Christmas’ and things Italian.
Sandra forged strong bonds that transcended friendship and enriched our lives.

Her parting wish was that human hostilities end forever and there could be  more love, peace, kindness and understanding in this world. 

If desired, donations may be made to Princess Margaret Hospital or Humber River Hospital Foundation, where she received phenomenal care and action.

Dr. Krema, Dr. Bradbury at Princess Margaret and President Barb Collins at Humber and their exceptional teams are applauded.
No flowers please.

The family will celebrate her life with friends at a future date.

The countdown to departure begins…

Well, bocce season ended with our team ending up as runners up to the champions and we celebrated with a final dinner with the other team knocked out by the winners. This week features some golf, my final movie club, dinners with friends and the beginning of our pack up to leave on April 21. It has been a great season here and we will be saying a fond farewell to many friends and neighbours before we head home. Meanwhile, here are some viewing suggestions for you:

Live on Stage

Gulfshore Playhouse Naples

The Invisible Hand by Ayad Akhtar This 4-character play very economically recreates the post-Osama bin Laden era of Pakistan and was written in 2014. It depicts the kidnapping of an American financier who is literally betting his life on making money in the stock market for the Pakistanis. It shows the extreme lengths a human being will go to ensure their own survival. A very taut and suspenseful production.

Amazon Prime

The Outlaws (Season 1, 6 episodes) Seven strangers from different walks of life forced together to complete a community service sentence in Bristol. From the comedic pen of Stephen Merchant (The Office, Extras, Hello Ladies, etc.) This show is absolutely delightful and stars Christopher Walken, and a host of British actors.

All the Old Knives (1h 41m) Two CIA operatives and former lovers, reunite at idyllic Carmel-by-the-Sea to re-examine a mission eight years ago where a fellow agent might have been compromised. Somehow, what could have been a very taut suspense film becomes a muddled mess. Terrible waste of talent here: Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton, Laurence Fishburne, and Jonathan Pryce star.

Apple

Slow Horses (12 episodes) Follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Also stars Kristin Scott Thomas and Jack Lowden. We’re in John Le Carre country here but with more black humour. So British!!! Loving it.

Pachinko (8 episodes) Based on the NYTimes bestseller, this sweeping saga chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant fairly across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. It is another masterpiece which you will have to watch closely to follow the many time frames through which the movie constantly switches back and forth. You may recognize the actress Youn Yuh-jung as the Older Sunja. She previously won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in  Minari which is also about the struggles of Korean immigrants and she presented the Oscar this year to Best Supporting Actor Troy Kotsur for CODA.

CODA (1h 51m) As a CODA (child of death adults) Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the faimily’s fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents. The winner of the best film Oscar, I am showing it to my movie club this week. I hope they enjoy this very sweet and engaging film.

CBS

FBI, FBI International, Good Sam The fact that I watched all three of these formulaic shows illustrates the absolute lack of watchable content that was available this past week. The network television shows have absolutely deteriorated to dreck.

FX

Better Things (Season 5, 10 episodes) An actress raises her three daughters while juggling the pressures of working in Hollywood and being a single parent. Pamela Adlon stars in this wonderful series about life in LA.

ABC

The Good Doctor (Season 5, 12 episodes) Well, as if diseases of the week weren’t enough for this floundering series, now the plot has evolved in exactly the same way as New Amsterdam, with the good doctors rising up to overthrow the corporate titan now running the hospital. I am no longer a big fan of this series about an autistic doctor.

Big Sky (Season 2, 14 episodes) Oh my. This show has deteriorated into an endless cat and mouse game between characters I no longer care about in the slightest. Too bad considering it stars Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) in the lead role. Just absolute dreck.

HBO

Bill Maher  (587 episodes) Returned for its 20th season. Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher discusses topical events with guests from various backgrounds. He is the sneeriest, snarkiest comedian on TV today! You either like him or hate him.

John Oliver (242 episodes, back for Season 9) Along with a series of comic comments on the daily events, Oliver selects a new topic to discuss at length every week. Professorial and profane.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (10 episodes) The professional and personal lives of the 1980’s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties – a team that defined an era, both on and off the court. I confess that I watched this under protest as both my basketball loving husband and son were keen to watch it. I was mildly amused. John C. Reilly Jason Clarke, Gaby Hoffman, Sally Field, Brett Cullen, Tracy Letts, Adrien Brody and Jason Segel star.

My Brilliant Friend (In Italian with English subtitles, Season 3, 8 episodes) We are now up to the third book in author Elena Ferrante’s quadrilogy. The Neapolitan girls are growing up. One is now a published author and the other still struggles with life in hardscrabble Naples.

HBO Max

Moonshot (1h 44m)This romantic comedy with a twist follows two college students as they join forces in order to be reunited with their significant others. Stars Cole Sprouse and Zach Braff. I really wanted to enjoy this teen oriented flick, but tuned out in the first hour. Just bored, really.

Tokyo Vice (10 episodes) A Western journalist working for a publication in Tokyo takes on one of the city’s most powerful crime bosses. I am loving this so far. Ansel Elgort (Tony in West Side Story) will amaze you with his fluent Japanese! Fast paced and enthralling!

Starstruck (Season 2, 6 episodes) I think I could have stopped after the first six episodes, but I continued into Season 2, watched the whole thing, and was much less charmed. Watch Season 1 if you haven’t seen it yet to see a millennial in London who discovers the complications of accidentally sleeping with a film star.

Julia (8 episodes) Inspired by Juia Child’s extraordinary life and her show The French Chef which essentially invented food television. Delightful! Stars Sarah Lancashire, David Hyde Pierce and Bebe Neuwirth.

Netflix

Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale (Documentary, 1 h 18 m) Narrated by Rege-Jean Page. As the Kalahari Desert faces a worsening dry season, prides, packs and herds of all kinds just rely on the power of family to survive. Amazing photography and smouldering narration by the Bridgerton star.

Johnny Hallyday: Beyond Rock (5 episodes) an intimate docuseries that explores the life and career of France’s rock icon through archival film and interviews. I watched the first episode and just got a taste of this French susperstar.

Disney+

Better Nate than Ever (1h 34m) Full disclosure: I had a terrible reaction to my second booster shot and needed to watch something light to distract me from my throbbing arm, fatigue and upset tummy. I watched this and was amazed by the performance of Rueby Wood in the lead role. Lisa Kudrow also pops up in this. Given the current controversy over Disney’s inclusive stance against the Florida antigay and antitrans legislation, this film almost stands as a manifesto for inclusion. The young star is worth watching as a boy who’s gotta sing and dance. If you love musicals, and want to see a star in the making, watch this very sweet family film.

Moon Knight (6 episodes) Steven Grant discovers he’s bee granted the powers of an Egyptian moon god But he soon finds out that these newfound powers can be both a blessing and a curse to his troubled life. Stars Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, F. Murray Abraham. Intriguing, especially by Oscar’s British accent. Not bad for a Cuban American.

NBC

Jeopardy – Weeknights (over 8000 episodes) This nightly venerable game show, is now once again hosted by Ken Jennings, and it continues to amuse, entertain and inform. Now that Ken is back in the host role, all seems right with the world! He makes the job look easy and knows the game inside out. Mayim Bialik actually returned to host the regular nightly shows last week raising lots of controversy as folks either bemoaned her return or praised her. Her hair and wardrobe seem less dowdy than in previous shows, so her stylist is likely responsible.

PBS

Nature: Hippo King (1 h) If you were first enchanted by Fantasia’s playful depiction of hippos, then this wonderful hour is for you. Follows the life of one African hippo from birth to maturity. Amazing photography! Sounds like Daniel Craig is narrating, but I couldn’t find a credit anywhere.

Call the Midwife (95 episodes) Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London i the late-1950’s to late-1960’s. Get out your hankies for this unfailingly sentimental series.

Sanditon (Season 2, 6 episodes) About Charlotte Heywood, a spirited and impulsive woman who moves from her rural home to Sanditon, a fishing village attempting to reinvent itself as a seaside resort. So Jane Austen! You will swoon over the ballroom scenes and Empire style gowns.

Streaming

The Queen of Versailles Reigns Again (sequel to the original film Queen of Versailles, 3 episodes). I watched the first two episodes of this follow-up to the film in which the stock market plunge of 2008 derailed Jackie Siegel’s dream of building the largest home in America in the Orlando area. The original riches to rags story was one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen, so I was looking forward to catching up with this reality series. It doesn’t disappoint in its depiction of a woman driven to build a fantasy of a palace for her family.

Killing Eve (Season 4, 8 episodes) Oh make it end please. One season too many to tie up the loose ends of this increasingly nonsensical series that started as so fresh and new.

Peaky Blinders (Season 6, 6 episodes) Crime series set in 1930’s Birmingham, starring Cillian Murphy. Famous for its over-the-top violence, anachronistic music, and crazy haircuts, you either love or hate this one. Last week was the last episode for this series.

Outlander (Season 6) Oh yes, it’s back, the sexy as hell series about a time travelling English combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743. I can’t stress enough how romantic this series is. 

Raised by Wolves (2 seasons, 16 episodes) Androids are tasked with raising human children on a mysterious planet. Very atmospheric show from the production team of Ridley Scott, so very cinematic.

Special Mention

Also, my husband reminds me that I no longer mention my Sunday morning ritual of watching CBS Sunday Morning, the most enjoyable newsmagazine show on the air which has been airing since 1979. Now hosted by Jane Pauley, this venerable series never ceases to delight, inform and entertain with its stories about current events, celebrities, and human interest. I feel better each Sunday for having watched it.

Closing Words

Have a wonderful week wherever you are. As the news from Ukraine continues to fill us with sadness, I’m including a touching YouTube video that a Ukrainian friend posted recently (stay tuned for the explanation of the lyrics at the end):

Also, on a lighter note, you may enjoy this:

The Slap heard round the world…

Well, it was quite a week! We started last Sunday with a street party with our neighbours which morphed into an Oscar watching party. The week continued with numerous dining experiences with friends, a movie club where I showed West Side Story and then more dining and even dancing at an anniversary party for friends at our golf clubhouse. Here’s my breakdown of what I watched this week:

The Oscars

“The Slap Heard Round the World” was delivered by Will Smith to comic Chris Rock in response to a very bad joke Rock made about Smith’s wife Jada and her shaven head (a result of the hair loss condition Alopecia). The fallout continued all week, concluded by Smith resigning his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. There will be much more to come on this subject as controversy surrounded the standing ovation Smith got on winning the Best Actor Award for King Richard (a very decent film about the father of tennis marvels Venus and Serena Williams). In all, the Oscars show had many ups and downs from lots of unfunny comic bits to over the top production numbers (controversially including the “In Memoriam” segment which was accompanied by a raucous gospel choir that sometimes overpowered the accomplishments of those being eulogized). The fashion featured lots of cleavage and outrageous attire (Dune‘s Timothy Chalamet forgot to wear a shirt under his tiny tuxedo).

Movie Club

West Side Story (2 h 36 m) Directed by Steven Spielberg, this adaptation of the 1957 stage play and 1961 film musical was long delayed in having its theatrical release due to Covid. Now available on HBOMax and Disney+, I was finally able to show it to my movie club. I think it’s a masterpiece with beautiful cinematography, choreography and divine music by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. I thought it was perfectly cast with two relative newcomers, Ansel Elgort (The Fault in our Stars, Baby Driver) and Rachel Zegler (cast from an open casting call). If you despise musicals, this is not the movie for you, but I thought it was beautifully done. Ariana de Bose (Anita) won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar and the now 90-year-old Rita Moreno (the original Anita) appears as the kindly shop owner who employs Tony and who gets to sing the beautiful “Somewhere”. Controversially, for authenticity, the Spanish dialogue which the Puerto Rican characters speak to each other is presented with no captions. When watching this at home, you might want to enable the closed captions to see if they will translate this dialogue which we are supposed to understand from context.

Apple+

Pachinko (8 episodes) Based on the NYTimes bestseller, this sweeping saga chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant fairly across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. It is another masterpiece which you will have to watch closely to follow the many time frames through which the movie constantly switches back and forth. You may recognize the actress Youn Yuh-jung as the Older Sunja. She previously won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Minari which is also about the struggles of Korean immigrants and she presented the Oscar this year to Best Supporting Actor Troy Kotsur for CODA.

Slow Horses (12 episodes) Follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Also stars Kristin Scott Thomas and Jack Lowden. We’re in John Le Carre country here but with more black humour. So British!!! Loving it.

Amazon Prime

The Outlaws (12 episodes) Seven strangers from different walks of life forced together to complete a community service sentence in Bristol. From the comedic pen of Stephen Merchant (The Office, Extras, Hello Ladies, etc.) This show is absolutely delightful and stars Christopher Walken, and a host of British actors.

CBS

FBI, FBI International, Good Sam The fact that I watched all three of these formulaic shows illustrates the absolute lack of watchable content that was available this past week. The network television shows have absolutely deteriorated to dreck.

HBO

Bill Maher  (587 episodes) Returned for its 20th season. Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher discusses topical events with guests from various backgrounds. He is the sneeriest, snarkiest comedian on TV today! You either like him or hate him.

John Oliver (242 episodes, back for Season 9) Along with a series of comic comments on the daily events, Oliver selects a new topic to discuss at length every week. Professorial and profane.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (10 episodes) The professional and personal lives of the 1980’s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties – a team that defined an era, both on and off the court. I confess that I watched this under protest as both my basketball loving husband and son were keen to watch it. I was mildly amused. John C. Reilly Jason Clarke, Gaby Hoffman, Sally Field, Brett Cullen, Tracy Letts, Adrien Brody and Jason Segel star.

My Brilliant Friend (In Italian with English subtitles, Season 3, 8 episodes) We are now up to the third book in author Elena Ferrante’s quadrilogy. The Neapolitan girls are growing up. One is now a published author and the other still struggles with life in hardscrabble Naples.

FX

Better Things (Season 5, 10 episodes) An actress raises her three daughters while juggling the pressures of working in Hollywood and being a single parent. Pamela Adlon stars in this wonderful series about life in LA.

ABC

The Good Doctor (Season 5, 12 episodes) Well, as if diseases of the week weren’t enough for this floundering series, now the plot has evolved in exactly the same way as New Amsterdam, with the good doctors rising up to overthrow the corporate titan now running the hospital. I am no longer a big fan of this series about an autistic doctor.

Big Sky (Season 2, 14 episodes) Oh my. This show has deteriorated into an endless cat and mouse game between characters I no longer care about in the slightest. Too bad considering it stars Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) in the lead role. Just absolute dreck.

PBS

Call the Midwife (95 episodes) Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London i the late-1950’s to late-1960’s. Get out your hankies for this unfailingly sentimental series.

Sanditon (Season 2, 6 episodes) About Charlotte Heywood, a spirited and impulsive woman who moves from her rural home to Sanditon, a fishing village attempting to reinvent itself as a seaside resort. So Jane Austen! You will swoon over the ballroom scenes and Empire style gowns.

NBC

Jeopardy – Weeknights (over 8000 episodes) This nightly venerable game show, is now once again hosted by Ken Jennings, and it continues to amuse, entertain and inform. Now that Ken is back in the host role, all seems right with the world! He makes the job look easy and knows the game inside out. Mayim Bialike actually returned to host the regular nightly shows this week raising lots of controversy as folks either bemoaned her return or praised her. Her hair and wardrobe seem less dowdy than in previous shows, so her stylist is likely responsible.

Streaming

Death on the Nile (2 h 7 m) While on vacation on the Nile, Hercule Poirot must investigate the murder of a young heiress. Directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Sophie Okonado, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Gal Gadot, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French. Awful, just absolutely blooming awful! I must confess that I snoozed through a large portion of this mind bendingly boring film. Kenneth Branagh seems to have temporarily taken leave of his senses (particularly in a year where Belfast was so charming and engaging).

The Queen of Versailles Reigns Again (sequel to the original film Queen of Versailles, 3 episodes). I haven’t had an opportunity to watch this yet, but it’s a follow-up to the film in which the stock market plunge of 2008 derails Jackie Siegel’s dream of building the largest home in America in the Orlando area. The original riches to rags story was one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen, so I am looking forward to catching up with this reality series.

Killing Eve (Season 4, 8 episodes) Oh make it end please. One season too many to tie up the loose ends of this increasingly nonsensical series that started as so fresh and new.

Peaky Blinders (Season 6, 6 episodes) Crime series set in 1930’s Birmingham, starring Cillian Murphy. Famous for its over-the-top violence, anachronistic music, and crazy haircuts, you either love or hate this one

Outlander (Season 6) Oh yes, it’s back, the sexy as hell series about a time travelling English combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743. I can’t stress enough how romantic this series is. 

Raised by Wolves (2 seasons, 16 episodes) Androids are tasked with raising human children on a mysterious planet. Very atmospheric show from the production team of Ridley Scott, so very cinematic.

Peacock

Joe vs Carol (8 episodes) Carole Baskin, a big-cat rescuer, sets out to end roadside zoo operator Joe Exotic’s animal shows and cub-breeding business inciting a bitter 10-year feud that threatens both of their livelihoods. Based on the original reality series Tiger King, this one stars Kate McKinnon, John Cameron Mitchell, Kyle MacLachlan, Dean Winters. If you like watching train crashes about trailer trash, this is your show!

Special Mention

Also, my husband reminds me that I no longer mention my Sunday morning ritual of watching CBS Sunday Morning, the most enjoyable newsmagazine show on the air which has been airing since 1979. Now hosted by Jane Pauley, this venerable series never ceases to delight, inform and entertain with its stories about current events, celebrities, and human interest. I feel better each Sunday for having watched it.

Closing Words

I’m off to Yoga this morning and then to see a matinee at the Gulfshore Playhouse of The Invisible Hand by Ayad Akhtar. In this Pulitzer Prize winning play, American investment banker Nick Bright is held for ransom by a militant group in Pakistan. Then we are going to dinner at my favourite restaurant, Blue Provence! Please have a wonderful week wherever you are. Here’s an inspirational email I received regarding how to keep young (the images are not sending, but the content is still inspiring):

We all need to read this one over and over until it becomes
part of who we are!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG 

1. Try everything twice.
On one woman’s tombstone she said she wanted this epitaph: 
“Tried everything twice. Loved it both times!” 

2 Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)



3. Keep learning: 
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever… 
Never let the brain get idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ 
And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s! 

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. 
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh,spend lots and 
lots of time with HIM or HER.

6.. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only 
person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while 
you are alive. 

7. Surround yourself with what you love:whether it’s family, 
pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. 
Your home is your refuge. 

8. Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it. 
If it is unstable, improve it. 
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9 Don’t take guilt trips.. 
Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign 
country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. 

I love you, my special friend!

11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get 
a second chance.

And if you don’t send this to at least 4 people – who cares? 
But do share this with someone. 

Remember! Lost time can never be found.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting 
some kind of battle. 

Wine does not make you FAT. It makes you LEAN – – against tables, chairs, floors, walls and ugly people.)

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