Reporting from Naples…

We arrived in Naples this past Monday and have so far shopped for groceries at Publix, Aldi and Costco. We have reunited with friends for a few dinners out and basically just reorganized our stuff, set up our lanai, shopped for new carpeting for our bedroom and just settled in. We each played a little golf last week and did lots of relaxing. I have discovered that several of the shows I have been following in Canada, are only available on streaming services we do not subscribe to here, so no more reporting on Let the Right One In (Showtime) and I won’t be able to find The Patient here (Hulu). In the meantime, here are some suggestions for you:

ABC

Alaska Daily (10 episodes) A journalist seeks a fresh start in Alaska working for a newspaper in Anchorage. Stars Hilary Swank. So interesting for Canadians, in that the first storyline deals with disappeared and murdered indigenous women.

The Good Doctor (Season 6, 4 episodes listed so far on IMDB) He’s back, still autistic, many more complicated medical cases to solve, plus the Chief of Surgery now blames him for her paralysis.)

Abbott Elementary (Season 2, 22 episodes) This very sweet mockumentary follows a group of teachers brought together in one of the worst public schools in the country, simply because they love teaching. Great characters and dialogue!

Jeopardy is back Mon – Fri, Ken Jennings is the permanent regular host, all is well with the world!!! Gearing up for the Tournament of Champions and the Second Chance Tournament is coming to a close.

Apple

Shantaram (12 episodes, based on the 2003 novel by Gregory David Roberts) I read this book on my trip to India in 2009, and found it way too long, so I’m not surprised that this sprawling novel will take 12 episodes to spin its tale. Having watched the first three episodes, all I can say is that Charlie Hunnam’s dialogue coach should be fired for letting him use the worst faux Australian accent I have ever heard. The story briefly is of a heroin addict incarcerated for a robbery who escapes prison and reinvents himself as a doctor in the slums of Bombay; his ties to the crime underworld there lead him to Afghanistan where he partners with a mob boss locked in a battle with Russian criminals. Accent aside, Hunnam is a great choice for the role.

CBS

FBI (original) I’m only going to say one thing about these three shows: comfort TV! Everything usually wrapped up smoothly by the end of each episode. So if you like episodic predictable formulaic TV, these are your shows!

FBI Most Wanted

FBI International

East New York (6 episodes) This show flew under my radar and I fully intend to give it a look as it apparently takes a whole other approach than the law and order series currently on the air. This is apparently much more in the NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues mode and not quite so gung ho on police actions as the Dick Wolfe canon of police dramas, which include the other CBS FBI shows that also include FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International as well as the original FBI series itself.

CNN

The Murdochs: Empire of Influence (6 episodes) A fascinating look into the rise of Rupert Murdoch, his influence in the world and his battle of succession. It’s the real Succession!!!

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (Season 2, 8 episodes) He is having the best time ever eating his way through Italy’s many regions and food specialities. I loved the first episode of this season where he takes his parents to Calabria, where both their families originated. I actually went to this part of Calabria for a family gathering and have wonderful memories of the mountain towns and glorious beaches. Stay tuned for more regions.

NBC

New Amsterdam (Season 5, 7 episodes listed so far) Maudlin TV returns. Now Max is mourning the loss of his relationship with Helen, there’s a Bollywood salute, Iggy has a new autistic patient, etc. I can’t look away.

Law & Order (Season 22) Dick Wolf’s original series has now returned for yet another season. Dear friends watch this show religiously, because it’s apparently very satisfying for most loyal viewers to have a drama that neatly resolves most episodes within a one-hour format, dealing with both the arrest and legal proceedings in a timely fashion. Wolf is unabashedly pro-police and the series plots are often stolen from the headlines. I love Hugh Dancy as the lead prosecutor and have always enjoyed Jeffrey Donovan who often plays villains, so I’m willing to go along with this series as it’s often very soothing.

Netflix

The Good Nurse (2 h 1 m) An infamous caregiver is implicated in the deaths of hundreds of hospital patients. Based on a true story. Mercifully delivered in 2 hours. Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain give solid performances. Very well done.

Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (8 episodes) Bizarre nightmares unfold in eight tales of terror in a visually stunning, spine-tingling horror collection curated by Guillermo del Toro. Just in time for Halloween. Horribly gruesome, but great production values. Del Toro is one twisted dude!

Deadwind (Season Three, 8 episodes) When a woman is found in a cage brutally murdered, Karppi and Nurmi focus on learning everything they can about the victim – and her troubled son. So Finnish and dark! Scandi Noir is back baby!

PBS

Annika  (7 episodes) The sharp. witty and enigmatic Di Anika Strandhed, as she heads up a new specialist Marine Homicide Unit (MHU) that is tasked with investigating the unexplained, brutal, and seemingly unfathomable murders.

Magpie Murders  (6 episodes) Editor Susan Ryeland gets drawn into a we of intrigue and murder when she receives Alan Conway’s unfinished manuscript of an Atticus Pund mystery. Stars Lesley Manville.

Miss Scarlet and the Duke (Season two, 6 episodes) Eliza Scarlet joins forces with a Scotland Yard Inspector to solve crime in 19th C. London

Disney Plus

Werewolf by Night (52 m) Follows a lycanthrope superhero who fights evil using the abilities given to him by a curse brought on by his bloodline. Great special effects in this throwback to a James Whale film. Stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly.

Andor (24 episodes) Prequel series to Star Wars’ Rogue One. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero. Stars Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, Genevieve O’Reilly. You can watch this even if you are not a Star Wars aficionado!

HBO/HBO Max

House of the Dragon  (Prequel to Game of Thrones, 11 episodes) This tells the story of an internal succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. Bonus: there are lots of dragons and a shocking amount of state sanctioned incest. Not for the faint of heart.

Pennyworth (30 episodes) The origin story of Alfred Pennyworth, a former special-forces soldier living in London and how he came to work for Bruce Wayne’s father. I love this dark alternate universe story!

**The White Lotus (Season 2, 7 episodes, returns tonight) The resort is in Sicily now. Jennifer Coolidge returns with a new cast that includes F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hollander, Michael Imperioli, Theo James, Aubrey Plaza, etc.) Enjoy!!!

Prime

The Power of the Ring (9 episodes) Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It follows an ensemble cast of characters both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emerence of evil to middle-earth. I now remember why I found the Rings films endless and unrelievedly dull. They are all about Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, harfoots and the like. It is the most expensive TV series ever made, $465 Million for eight episodes. You be the judge, but I simply am not a Tolkien fan. I far prefer shows with dragons. I have continued to watch and find myself after 7 episodes in mainly interested in what is happening with Galadriel’s quest. Last week’s episode was filled with battle scenes against the Orcs and the mystery of Sauron is being explored. Ends with a few beautifully executed twists!

Reginald the Vampire (10 episodes) In a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires, Reginald tumbles into it as an unlikely hero who will navigate every kind of obstacle and discovers he has a few unrecognized powers of his own. 

Aline (2 h 6 m) Bat shit crazy fictionalized version of Celine Dion’s life story. You’ve never seen a biopic like this one which manages to be totally entertaining and original. Valerie Lemercier’s performance is a tour de force!!!

The Peripheral (8 episodes) Set in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality as well as a dark future of her own. Kind of a weird Matrix situation! Chloe Grace Moretz is all grown up in this one!!

Showcase/Peacock

A Friend of the Family (9 episodes) Tells the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” A great illustration of why long form storytelling becomes audience abuse. Do we need 9 episodes of this painful tale? I think not. Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, Anna Paquin star. Watch at your own risk!

Streaming

The Good Fight (Season 6, 10 episodes) After being promoted to top partner at the firm, Liz is forced to accept Ri’Chard Lane as a new name partner brought on to help manage her staff and client load. Meanwhile Diane experiences deja vu. Andre Braugher and John Slattery join the cast. I’m willing to watch, but must confess to a little feeling of deja vu myself. Fingers crossed that this is the last season of this once fine series that has jumped the shark.

Closing Words

Enjoy your week wherever you are! A housebound friend (with a family member in Long Term Care) recently sent this to me (food for thought)!

WHAT A GREAT IDEA !

Here’s the way it should be:

Let’s put the seniors in jail; and 
all the criminals in nursing homes.
This would correct two things in one motion:
Seniors would have access to showers, hobbies and walks. 
They would receive unlimited free prescriptions, 
dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs, etc.

They would receive money instead of having to pay it out.
They would have constant video monitoring, so they would be 
helped instantly, if they fell or needed assistance.

Bedding would be washed twice a week and all clothing 
would be ironed and returned to them.

A guard would check on them every 20 minutes.
All meals and snacks would be brought to them.

They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.
They would have access to a library, weight/fitness room, 
spiritual counseling, a pool and education – and free admission to 
in-house concerts by nationally recognized entertainment artists.

Simple clothing (shoes, slippers, pj’s) and legal aid 
would be free, upon request. 
There would be private, secure rooms provided for all with an 
outdoor exercise yard, complete with gardens.

Each senior would have a P.C., T.V., phone and radio in 
their room at no cost. They would receive daily phone calls.

There would be a board of directors to hear any complaints and 
the ACLU would fight for their rights and protection.

The guards would have a code of conduct to be strictly adhered to, with attorneys available, at no charge to protect the seniors and their 
families from abuse or neglect.

As for the criminals:

They would receive cold food.

Their relatives would never visit.
They would be left alone and unsupervised.
They would receive showers once a week.

They would live in tiny rooms, for which they would 
have to pay $5,000 per month, and

they would have no hope of ever getting out.

“Sounds like justice to me!”

In addition, it is a great gated community.

Bingeworthy…

There has been a real lack of hyper watchable content for a while on Netflix and by chance, I happened upon Ryan Murphy’s latest effort The Watcher. Seven episodes long and I watched it all in one day. OK, it was a crazy day where we waited interminably for our children and grandson to arrive for the big move in to Thornbury. They finally arrived at about 7 pm and we had been waiting for them all day. While their home in Toronto is being renovated they are relocating to our house up north. The contractor has given them a completion date of May 28, 2023, so fingers crossed. We have a short crossover with them this week and then we will depart dark and early for Florida next Saturday morning. In the meantime, here are some viewing suggestions for you:

ABC

Alaska Daily (10 episodes) A journalist seeks a fresh start in Alaska working for a newspaper in Anchorage. Stars Hilary Swank. So interesting for Canadians, in that the first storyline deals with disappeared and murdered indigenous women.

The Good Doctor (Season 6, 4 episodes listed so far on IMDB) He’s back, still autistic, many more complicated medical cases to solve, plus the Chief of Surgery now blames him for her paralysis.)

Abbott Elementary (Season 2, 22 episodes) This very sweet mockumentary follows a group of teachers brought together in one of the worst public schools in the country, simply because they love teaching. Great characters and dialogue!

Jeopardy is back Mon – Fri, Ken Jennings is the permanent regular host, all is well with the world!!!

Apple

Bad Sisters  (10 episodes) Follows the Garvey sisters, who are bound together by the death of their parents and a promise to always protect each other. Delightful black comedy featuring Brian Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Claes Bang, Sharon Horgan. It will make you root for the Garvey sisters as they deal with their horrible brother-in-law. Now that the last episode has aired, I will miss these Irish sisters.

Shantaram (12 episodes, based on the 2003 novel by Gregory David Roberts) I read this book on my trip to India in 2009, and found it way too long, so I’m not surprised that this sprawling novel will take 12 episodes to spin its tale. Having watched the first three episodes, all I can say is that Charlie Hunnam’s dialogue coach should be fired for letting him use the worst faux Australian accent I have ever heard. The story briefly is of a heroin addict incarcerated for a robbery who escapes prison and reinvents himself as a doctor in the slums of Bombay; his ties to the crime underworld there lead him to Afghanistan where he partners with a mob boss locked in a battle with Russian criminals. Accent aside, Hunnam is a great choice for the role.

NBC

New Amsterdam (Season 5, 7 episodes listed so far) Maudlin TV returns. Now Max is mourning the loss of his relationship with Helen, there’s a Bollywood salute, Iggy has a new autistic patient, etc. I can’t look away.

Law & Order (Season 22) Dick Wolf’s original series has now returned for yet another season. Dear friends watch this show religiously, because it’s apparently very satisfying for most loyal viewers to have a drama that neatly resolves most episodes within a one-hour format, dealing with both the arrest and legal proceedings in a timely fashion. Wolf is unabashedly pro-police and the series plots are often stolen from the headlines. I love Hugh Dancy as the lead prosecutor and have always enjoyed Jeffrey Donovan who often plays villains, so I’m willing to go along with this series as it’s often very soothing.

Netflix

Luckiest Girl Alive (1h 53m) A woman in New York, who seems to have things under control, is faced with a trauma that makes her life unravel. Mila Kunis and Finn Wittrock star in this complicated tale. A me too story. I thought Kunis did a great job as the lead.

The Midnight Club (10 episodes) The Midnight Club follows a group of eight terminally ill patients at Brightcliffe Hospice who begin to gather together at midnight to share scary stories. Loving it so far! Watch for Zach Gilford in a supporting role.

The Watcher (7 episodes) A married couple moving into their dream home is being threatened by terrifying letters from a stalker, signed – “The Watcher.” Stars Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Jennifer Coolidge, Margo Martindale, Mia Farrow, Richard Kind, Seth Gabel, Terry Kinney,k Michael Nouri. From the production team of Ryan Murphy. So watchable, you won’t even mind that there are 7 episodes to this true crime story. Great performances from everyone in this! You may think this is going to be another one of those haunted house stories, but it’s engagingly different.

Crave HBO

House of the Dragon (Prequel to Game of Thrones, 11 episodes) This tells the story of an internal succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. Bonus: there are lots of dragons and a shocking amount of state sanctioned incest. Not for the faint of heart.

Two Weeks to Live (6 episodes) A woman sets out on a secret mission to honour her father, who died under mysterious circumstances when she was a young girl. Loved this fast-paced very dark comedy. Stars Maisie Williams (GOT), Sian Clifford, Mawaan Rizwan. So British!!!

Dream Horse (1 h 53 m) Dream Alliance is an unlikely race horse bred by small-town Welsh bartender Jan Vokes. With no experience, Jan convinces her neighbours to chip in their merger earnings to help raise Dream in the hopes he can compete with the racing elites. Typical feel good British story in the mode of Full Monty, Brassed Off, The Englishman who went up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain. It’s an underdog story filled with British character actors. Stars Toni Collette, Owen Teale and a very unlikely Damian Lewis who smiles his head off in this one. Very sweet and entirely predictable (it’s based on a true story, whose characters appear in the final credits)!

Let the Right One In (10 episodes) Follows a 12-yer-old girl who lives a closed-in life after turning into a vampire, only able to go out at night. Her father does his best to provide her with the minimal amount of human blood she needs to stay alive. Stars Demian Bichir, Anika Noni Rose, Grace Gummer, Nick Stahl, Zeljko Ivanek. Based on the film of the same name, Demian Bichir will steal your heart as a man forced to do monstrous things to care for his daughter. I am loving this so far!

CBS

FBI (original) I’m only going to say one thing about these three shows: comfort TV! Everything usually wrapped up smoothly by the end of each episode. So if you like episodic predictable formulaic TV, these are your shows!

FBI Most Wanted

FBI International

East New York (6 episodes) This show flew under my radar and I fully intend to give it a look as it apparently takes a whole other approach than the law and order series currently on the air. This is apparently much more in the NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues mode and not quite so gung ho on police actions as the Dick Wolfe canon of police dramas, which include the other CBS FBI shows that also include FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International as well as the original FBI series itself.

CNN

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (Season 2, 8 episodes) He is having the best time ever eating his way through Italy’s many regions and food specialities. I loved the first episode of this season where he takes his parents to Calabria, where both their families originated. I actually went to this part of Calabria for a family gathering and have wonderful memories of the mountain towns and glorious beaches.

The Murdochs: Empire of Influence (6 episodes) A fascinating look into the rise of Rupert Murdoch, his influence in the world and his battle of succession. It’s the real Succession!!!

PBS

PBS Rivers of Life: Yukon (54 m) Home to bears, moose and salmon, it’s riches have sustained people for centuries. North America’s legendary frozen river.

**Magpie Murders (6 episodes, debuts tonight) Editor Susan Ryeland gets drawn into a we of intrigue and murder when she receives Alan Conway’s unfinished manuscript of an Atticus Pund mystery. Stars Lesley Manville.

**Miss Scarlet and the Duke (Season two, 6 episodes, debuts tonight) Eliza Scarlet joins forces with a Scotland Yard Inspector to solve crime in 19th C. London.

**Annika (7 episodes, debuts tonight) The sharp. witty and enigmatic Di Anika Strandhed, as she heads up a new specialist Marine Homicide Unit (MHU) that is tasked with investigating the unexplained, brutal, and seemingly unfathomable murders.

Sister Boniface Mysteries (from Britbox, 12 episodes) Our local PBS affiliate is running episodes of this. The investigations of Sister Boniface of St Vincent’s Convent – nun, moped rider, wine maker and part-time forensic scientist. Kind of a slapstick version of Father Brown (of which this is a spin off) set in the 1960’s with a nun with a penchant for crime scene investigations (having learned her trade through her service at Bletchley during the war). A very silly spoof of the cozy mystery genre.

Prime Video

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (9 episodes) Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It follows an ensemble cast of characters both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emerence of evil to middle-earth. I now remember why I found the Rings films endless and unrelievedly dull. They are all about Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, harfoots and the like. It is the most expensive TV series ever made, $465 Million for eight episodes. You be the judge, but I simply am not a Tolkien fan. I far prefer shows with dragons. I have continued to watch and find myself after 7 episodes in mainly interested in what is happening with Galadriel’s quest. Last week’s episode was filled with battle scenes against the Orcs and the mystery of Sauron is being explored.

Reginald the Vampire (10 episodes) In a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires, Reginald tumbles into it as an unlikely hero who will navigate every kind of obstacle and discovers he has a few unrecognized powers of his own.

Catherine Called Birdy (1 h 48 m) A 14-year-old girl in medieval England navigates through life and avoiding potential suitors her father has in mind. Full disclosure: I snoozed through a fair bit of this very odd show. Directed by Lea Dunham. Starring Billie Piper Andrew Scott, Lesley Sharp, Joe Alwyn.

Showcase

Midwich Cuckoos (from SkyTV, 7 episodes) A small village in England is completely subdued by an alien presence for an entire day. Upon waking, it is discovered that numerous women in the town are pregnant. Adapted from the novel by John Wyndham (whose sci-fi books fascinated me as a teenager), and previously adapted for film as Village of the Damned. Stars Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley. I loved this spooky series! 

Streaming

Andor (24 episodes) Prequel series to Star Wars’ Rogue One. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero. Stars Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, Genevieve O’Reilly. This has been described as Star Wars without the star wars. You don’t have to be a fanatical SW fan to enjoy this!

The Good Fight (Season 6, 10 episodes) After being promoted to top partner at the firm, Liz is forced to accept Ri’Chard Lane as a new name partner brought on to help manage her staff and client load. Meanwhile Diane experiences deja vu. Andre Braugher and John Slattery join the cast. I’m willing to watch, but must confess to a little feeling of deja vu myself.

Closing Words

Wishing everyone a wonderful autumnal week. The leaves have been glorious here, but the October rain and winds have succeeded in blowing many of them off the trees. We will be starting our drive to Florida next Saturday, so this week we are squeezing in visits with family and friends before we go. My Trivia group meets in person and my Mahjong group will also be meeting. I just received a great Facebook post from a friend about aging which I absolutely loved! Hope you are able to view it one way or another.

Here’s the FB Link (hope it works, if not, google Madam Jeanne Louise Calment and it will inevitably take you to this Facebook link):

Canadian Thanksgiving is here…

Yesterday we did a beautiful fall drive from Thornbury to Uxbridge to have lunch with George’s side of the family. Tomorrow our children (& grandchild) will join us for dinner at our golf club in Toronto. It will be Baby Ethan’s first dining out experience! In the meantime, here are some viewing suggestions for you:

Live on Stage

Mary of Shanty Bay (at the Simcoe Street Theatre, presented by Theatre Collingwood) This is Theatre Collingwood’s last offering from their regular summer season. I had a real curiosity about this play as my sister lived on Shanty Bay Rd in Barrie and their house is on Kempenfelt Bay. I have always wondered how the pioneers to this country made their way to the back of beyond in Ontario’s early years. This play inventively follows the journey of one particular settler from England who comes for a visit with her brother and ends up marrying a fellow settler and moving to Shanty Bay in order to settle the area with new immigrants who have received land grants. The cast of four play several different roles during the play’s course and it is very entertaining to see them switch characters. I really enjoyed this show (although it was perhaps a bit longer than it needed to be) and I look forward to Theatre Collingwood’s next summer season.

ABC

Abbott Elementary (Season 2, 22 episodes) This very sweet mockumentary follows a group of teachers brought together in one of the worst public schools in the country, simply because they love teaching. Great characters and dialogue!

Jeopardy is back Mon – Fri, Ken Jennings is the permanent regular host, all is well with the world!!!

Apple

Bad Sisters (10 episodes) Follows the Garvey sisters, who are bound together by the death of their parents and a promise to always protect each other. Delightful black comedy featuring Brian Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Claes Bang, Sharon Horgan. It will make you root for the Garvey sisters as they deal with their horrible brother-in-law.

Crave HBO

Prince Andrew: Banished (Documentary, 1 h 19 m) Follows Prince Andrew, whose behaviour brought scandal and disgrace to the royal family. Pushing him into it is his developing relationship with the sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell Eventually the. sex trafficking scandal threatens the House of Windsor. He hoists himself with his own petard during a notorious interview with the BBC. Great archival footage!

Let the Right One In (10 episodes) Follows a 12-year-old girl who lives a closed-in life after turning into a vampire, only able to go out at night. Her father does his best to provide her with the minimal amount of human blood she needs to stay alive. Ooh, only one episode in, but I’m completely intrigued!

House of the Dragon (Prequel to Game of Thrones, 11 episodes) This tells the story of an internal succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. Bonus: there are lots of dragons and a shocking amount of state sanctioned incest. Not for the faint of heart.

Hollywood Suite

Line of Duty (Season 6, 7 episodes) Drama series following the investigations of AC
-12, a controversial police anti-corruption unit. Stars Vicky McClure, Martin Compston, Adrian Dunbar, Kelly Macdonald, Anna Maxwell Martin. There is so much police jargon and acronym usage in this, you might want to have your device ready to translate all the British police-isms used in this.

NBC

New Amsterdam (Season 5, 7 episodes listed so far) Maudlin TV returns. Now Max is mourning the loss of his relationship with Helen, there’s a Bollywood salute, Iggy has a new autistic patient, etc. I can’t look away.

Law & Order (Season 22) Dick Wolf’s original series has now returned for yet another season. Dear friends watch this show religiously, because it’s apparently very satisfying for most loyal viewers to have a drama that neatly resolves most episodes within a one-hour format, dealing with both the arrest and legal proceedings in a timely fashion. Wolf is unabashedly pro-police and the series plots are often stolen from the headlines. I love Hugh Dancy as the lead prosecutor and have always enjoyed Jeffrey Donovan who often plays villains, so I’m willing to go along with this series as it’s often very soothing.

CBS

East New York (6 episodes) This show flew under my radar and I fully intend to give it a look as it apparently takes a whole other approach than the law and order series currently on the air. This is apparently much more in the NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues mode and not quite so gung ho on police actions as the Dick Wolfe canon of police dramas, which include the other CBS FBI shows that also include FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International as well as the original FBI series itself.

Netflix

Derry Girls (Season 3, 7 episodes) The exploits of a group of 5 high schoolers as they experience the Troubles in the early 1990’s. This riotous comedy brings its coming-of-age story to a close, along with a chapter in Northern Ireland’s history. The girls’ outrageous antics in this final season include a scam, a road trip, a wacky misunderstanding, etc. all accompanied by extremely salty language. I binged the whole final season last night (I know there was a very sad baseball game airing at the same time as George sat patiently in the living room with his headphones on watching the Blue Jays go down to a gruesome defeat.) If you dare watch this raucous show, look for cameo appearances by many Irish stars including Liam Neeson, Damien Moloney, Emmett J Scanlan, Fatboy Slim, etc.

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (1 h 44 m) When Mr. Harrigan dies, the teen who befriended and did odd jobs for him, puts his smart phone in his pocket and when the lonely youth leaves his dead friend a message, he is shocked to get a return text. Full confession: I think I started watching this way too late one evening, so snoozed through most of it. It’s been compared to The Black Phone, which I loved. Watch this one only when you are fully awake!

PBS

Sister Boniface Mysteries (from Britbox, 12 episodes) Our local PBS affiliate is running episodes of this. The investigations of Sister Boniface of St Vincent’s Convent – nun, moped rider, wine maker and part-time forensic scientist. Kind of a slapstick version of Father Brown (of which this is a spin off) set in the 1960’s with a nun with a penchant for crime scene investigations (having learned her trade through her service at Bletchley during the war). A very silly spoof of the cozy mystery genre.

Van der Valk (Season 2 debuts tonight, 3 episodes) A Dutch detective takes on criminal cases in Amsterdam using insightful human observation and his natural street smarts. Stars Marc Warren. Enjoy Masterpiece Mystery fans!

Showcase

Midwich Cuckoos  (from SkyTV, 7 episodes) A small village in England is completely subdued by an alien presence for an entire day. Upon waking, it is discovered that numerous women in the town are pregnant. Adapted from the novel by John Wyndham (whose sci-fi books fascinated me as a teenager), and previously adapted for film as Village of the Damned. Stars Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley. I am loving this spooky series! 

Mother’s Day (2018, 1 h 30 m) Stars Anna Maxwell Martin and Vicky McClure (who are also both in the last season of Line of Duty). They play very different roles in this drama which focuses on two women living on either side of the Irish Sea and how they are brought together in the wake of the Warrington bombing of March 1993. So touching, as we see the devastating effects of the Troubles on ordinary families living in Northern Ireland and beyond as the film details the campaign led by one ordinary woman when she realizes how many children have been killed in the struggle. Get out your hankies!

Streaming

Andor (24 episodes) Prequel series to Star Wars’ Rogue One. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero. Stars Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, Genevieve O’Reilly. This has been described as Star Wars without the star wars. You don’t have to be a fanatical SW fan to enjoy this!

The Good Fight (Season 6, 10 episodes) After being promoted to top partner at the firm, Liz is forced to accept Ri’Chard Lane as a new name partner brought on to help manage her staff and client load. Meanwhile Diane experiences deja vu. Andre Braugher and John Slattery join the cast. I’m willing to watch, but must confess to a little feeling of deja vu myself.

Prime

The Capture (Season 2, 6 episodes) Invisible assassins stalk London and DCI Rachel Carey is drawn into a case involving a rising politician that brings greater risks than she first imagines. Stars Holliday Grainger, Indira Varma, Ben Miles. Great British suspense series as it details the investigation into the use of deep fakes and artificial intelligence to manipulate events. I can’t believe I binged the whole thing in one day!

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (9 episodes) Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It follows an ensemble cast of characters both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emerence of evil to middle-earth. I now remember why I found the Rings films endless and unrelievedly dull. They are all about Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, harfoots and the like. It is the most expensive TV series ever made, $465 Million for eight episodes. You be the judge, but I simply am not a Tolkien fan. I far prefer shows with dragons. I have continued to watch and find myself after 7 episodes in mainly interested in what is happening with Galadriel’s quest. Last week’s episode was filled with battle scenes against the Orcs and the mystery of Sauron is being explored.

Special Mention 

I still try to maintain 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. Kind of like 60 Minutes lite (which I also watch). I also regularly record and watch Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, John Oliver and Trevor Noah (who just announced his impending departure after 7 seasons) to keep up to date with the news filtered through humour.

Closing Words

Last week I mentioned a crazy theatre experience I had when a drunken lady sitting beside me spilled her drink on me. As a reminder that people are basically good at heart, her companion very thoughtfully sent me a beautiful Thanksgiving houseplant (delivered to the theatre) which my sister-in-law is currently enjoying. What a delightful surprise!

For those of you celebrating a Thanksgiving Dinner this weekend, enjoy. I’m enclosing a link to a YouTube video of Dreams by The Cranberries. It perfectly captures the mood of Derry Girls and serves as a theme song for the series, but you’ll have to go directly to YouTube to watch it, so search for Dreams by The Cranberries. Dolores O’Riordan’s Celtic yodel will haunt you forever!

Hurricane!

Thanks to all of you who were kind enough to enquire about our home in Naples, Florida after Ian blew through. In kind of a funny story, we had good friends visiting Tampa Bay when we heard that Hurricane Ian was supposed to make landfall there. We invited them to stay at our Naples house and they evacuated themselves there. Ironically, the storm actually made landfall much closer to Naples than Tampa, but they sat out the storm there and despite losing power they reported that there was no damage despite many fallen palm fronds and a very small tree that blew over in our backyard. Who knew that the path of the storm would change! Meanwhile, here are some viewing suggestions for you:

Live on Stage

Simply Queen (Tribute band at the Meaford Hall) A very competent Queen tribute band performed to a sold out crowd last night. The first half of the show featured many lesser known songs, but by the second half, they rolled out all the crowd pleasers, including Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are the Champions, Somebody to Love, Fat Bottomed Girls, Killer Queen, Don’t Stop me Now, Another One Bites the Dust, We Will Rock you, etc. So enjoyable! On a personal note, I have to thank the volunteer usher staff who gently removed the woman sitting beside me during the first half of the show who had clearly been over served before the show and who was enthusiastically waving her glass of wine around resulting in those around her getting a bit of a Chardonnay shower.

On the Big Screen

Don’t Worry Darling (2 h 3 m) A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets. Starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan, Nick Kroll. I must admit that after all the gossip surrounding the making of the film (Shia Lebeouf fired early in the production process, director Olivia Wilde and star Harry Styles having an affair, Florence Pugh not on speaking terms with Wilde, etc.) I was intrigued enough to go and see it. Beautifully photographed and art directed, but very peculiar in its message. There’s a real “Stepford Wives” vibe going on, some “Mad Men” ambiance, and an exploration of “gaslighting”. Florence Pugh is fabulous in the lead role, and I thought Styles was very serviceable as the male lead. Wilde apparently based cult leader Chris Pine’s role on Jordan Peterson to some degree. There’s a perplexing ending to this film which is ultimately unsatisfying. Beautiful to look at, the ending of the film is ultimately feels a little unresolved. I wanted to ask the audience to stay and discuss! So go see it with your book group or close friends and meet over a drink afterward to discuss what you think this film was trying to say.

ABC

Jeopardy is back Mon – Fri, Ken Jennings is the permanent regular host, all is well with the world!!!

Apple

Bad Sisters  (10 episodes) Follows the Garvey sisters, who are bound together by the death of their parents and a promise to always protect each other. Delightful black comedy featuring Brian Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Claes Bang, Sharon Horgan. It will make you root for the Garvey sisters as they deal with their horrible brother-in-law.

CNN

The Murdochs: Empire of Influence (6 episodes) It will explore the rise of Rupert Murdoch, his influence in the world and his battle of succession. Advance reports archly observe that Succession is real!

HBO Crave

House of the Dragon  (Prequel to Game of Thrones, 11 episodes) This tells the story of an internal succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. Bonus: there are lots of dragons! Loving this so far!

NBC

Law & Order (Season 22) Dick Wolf’s original series has now returned for yet another season. Dear friends watch this show religiously, because it’s apparently very satisfying for most loyal viewers to have a drama that neatly resolves most episodes within a one-hour format, dealing with both the arrest and legal proceedings in a timely fashion. Wolf is unabashedly pro-police and the series plots are often stolen from the headlines. I love Hugh Dancy as the lead prosecutor and have always enjoyed Jeffrey Donovan who often plays villains, so I’m willing to go along with this series as it’s often very soothing.

Saturday Night Live (returned for the premiere of Season 48 last night) Last night’s show was hosted by Miles Teller and was not one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen. Kendrick Lamar was the musical guest and his bizarre act was performed against a shadow screen. So weird. Anyhow, there’s a very new cast at work this season, including a very handsome young man named Longfellow, who was terrific during the Weekend Update segment. Willing to go along with the show and see if it gets funnier.

New Amsterdam (Season 5, 7 episodes listed so far) Maudlin TV returns. Now Max is mourning the loss of his relationship with Helen, there’s a Bollywood salute, Iggy has a new autistic patient, etc. I can’t look away.

Netflix

The Empress (from Germany with English subtitles, 6 episodes). Two young people meet. A fateful encounter – the proverbial love at first sight. He is Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, she is Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, Princess of Bavaria and the sister of the woman Franz is to marry. Gorgeous costumes and jewellery, a dance scene that is reminiscent of Bridgerton. There’s a surreal air to this series as everyone is larger than life. Based on the true story of Empress Sissi, I think you will either love or hate it, depending on how you feel about costume dramas. I was entertained mostly but did snooze a little through it.

PBS

Sister Boniface Mysteries (from Britbox, 12 episodes) Our local PBS affiliate is running episodes of this. The investigations of Sister Boniface of St Vincent’s Convent – nun, moped rider, wine maker and part-time forensic scientist. Kind of a slapstick version of Father Brown (of which this is a spin off) set in the 1960’s with a nun with a penchant for crime scene investigations (having learned her trade through her service at Bletchley during the war). A very silly spoof of the cozy mystery genre.

Van der Valk (Season 2 debuts tonight, 3 episodes) A Dutch detective takes on criminal cases in Amsterdam using insightful human observation and his natural street smarts. Stars Marc Warren. Enjoy Masterpiece Mystery fans!

Prime

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (9 episodes) Epic drama set thousands of years before the events of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It follows an ensemble cast of characters both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emerence of evil to middle-earth. I now remember why I found the Rings films endless and unrelievedly dull. They are all about Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, harfoots and the like. It is the most expensive TV series ever made, $465 Million for eight episodes. You be the judge, but I simply am not a Tolkien fan. I far prefer shows with dragons. I have continued to watch and find myself after 6 episodes in mainly interested in what is happening with Galadriel’s quest. This week’s episode was filled with battle scenes against the Orcs and the mystery of Sauron is being explored.

Showcase

The Midwich Cuckoos  (from SkyTV, 7 episodes) A small village in England is completely subdued by an alien presence for an entire day. Upon waking, it is discovered that numerous women in the town are pregnant. Adapted from the novel by John Wyndham (whose sci-fi books fascinated me as a teenager), and previously adapted for film as Village of the Damned. Stars Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley. I am loving this spooky series! 

Streaming

Bullet Train (2 h 7 m) Five assassins aboard a fast moving bullet train find out their missions have something in common. A stellar cast includes Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Andrew Koji, Michael Shannon, and Sandra Bullock. Non-stop action and very black comedy. I didn’t snooze once through this action packed film.

Andor (24 episodes) Prequel series to Star Wars’ Rogue One. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero. Stars Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, Genevieve O’Reilly. This has been described as Star Wars without the star wars. You don’t have to be a fanatical SW fan to enjoy this!

The Good Fight (Season 6, 10 episodes) After being promoted to top partner at the firm, Liz is forced to accept Ri’Chard Lane as a new name partner brought on to help manage her staff and client load. Meanwhile Diane experiences deja vu. Andre Braugher and John Slattery join the cast. I’m willing to watch, but must confess to a little feeling of deja vu myself.

CBS

FBI (Season 5, 5 episodes listed so far) From the Dick Wolf production team. This procedural drama about the inner working of the New York office of the FBI is back! So are its sister shows, FBI Most Wanted and FBI International. For those who like their crime series neat and unambiguously pro-police.

HGTV

No Demo Reno (20 episodes) I can’t believe I didn’t know this series existed and now I’m addicted. She redecorates 2 houses in each show. Value for money! Perhaps the most energetic woman on TV, Jennifer Todryk races through each episode showing people how to rejuvenate their homes without necessarily taking down any walls. Love it!

Special Mention 

I still try to maintain 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. Kind of like 60 Minutes lite (which I also watch). I also regularly record and watch Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, John Oliver and Trevor Noah (who just announced his impending departure after 7 seasons) to keep up to date with the news filtered through humour.

Closing Words

Time to start packing for the move to Florida which is now just 3 weeks away. This week we look forward to gathering with family for Canadian Thanksgiving and of course, seeing our adorable new grandson. The leaves are now glorious here and my husband is out golfing on a sunny but very chilly day.

A little late for Rosh Hashanah at the very beginning of the Jewish High Holidays – next comes Yom Kippur on Oct. 4-5, which will be followed by Sukkot from Oct. 9-16, which is a little like a Jewish Thanksgiving celebration – but I did find this little video very sweetly funny: