It’s almost October…

I can’t believe how quickly this month is flying by. The leaves are changing, the nights are getting cooler… Dreams of Florida are dancing in my head. We will leave a little later this year as George is still awaiting insurance approvals, so we’ll likely be here until some point in November. It was a great week for us as I saw my Mahjong group, my discussion group and attended a very lively disco themed wedding with our Toronto pals. Looking forward to the week ahead as I visit with some longtime friends (including one visiting from Calgary), do a little travelling around Southern Ontario, play golf at our Toronto club, and have dinner with our family tonight. Here are some viewing suggestions for you:

Apple

Extrapolations (anthology series, 8 episodes) Unanticipated stories of how the upcoming changes to our planet will affect love, faith, work and family on a personal and human scale. An all star cast including Kit Harington, Sienna Miller, Diane Lane, Edward Norton, Leslie Uggams, Gemma Chan, Marion Cotillard, Meryl Streep, David Schwimmer, Keri RussellTobey Maguire, Indira Varma, Judd Hirsch, Forest Whitaker, and many others appear in this. So depressing..

The Changeling (8 episodes) Set in an alternate NYC, a father and husband searches through a magical world for his abducted son and missing wife.

Invasion (Season 2, 10 episodes) Mitsuki is taken to an alien ship in the Amazon jungle. Aneesha and her children take refuge with a group called the Movement. So dark and mysterious…

The Morning Show (Season 3, 10 episodes) An inside look at the lives of the people who help 
America wake up in the morning, exploring the unique challenges faced by the team. An all-star cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Bily Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, and new this season, Jon Hamm. I’m not a huge fan of this show and find it incredibly artificial in its stolen from the headlines art imitates life format. Hamm is kind of an even more obnoxious Elon Musk character.

Crave

The Winter King (10 episodes) A former warrior, now turned monk, tells the story of how Arthur became the lord of war despite the illegitimacy of his throne. If you loved The Last Kingdom (about uniting the tribes of England) you may like this.

Disney

Ahsoka (8 episodes) After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tao investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. So Star Wars!!! Stars Rosario Dawson.

Only Murders in the Building (season 3, 10 episodes) I found Season 1 too silly to watch, skipped Season 2 altogether but couldn’t help tuning in to Season 3 featuring Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd. Still so silly, but who could resist?

Netflix

Gangs of Oslo (from Norway, 7 episodes) Policeman Moaz Ibrahim is forced into living a dangerous double life with the criminal gang Enemies as he attempts to keep his shady past hidden from the outside world. I lasted one episode.

Love at First Sight (1 h 30 m) Hadley and Oliver begin to fall for each other on their flight from New York to London. The probability of ever finding each other again seems impossible, but love – and London – may have a way of defying the odds. I loved this romantic comedy that was both romantic and comedic!! 

Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction (from Denmark, 1 h 34 m) When a self-appointed expert on love tries to teach a timid prince the art of seduction, the plan backfires, leading to scandal – and unexpected romance. If you love historical dramas, you may like this one!

Suspect X (from India as Jaane Jaan, 2 h 19 m) a single mother and her daughter who commit a crime and a neighbour who helps them cover it up amidst a police investigation. Very dark film noir suspense film. I kind of liked it, but found the epilogue a little confusing.

PBS

Professor T (Season 2, 6 episodes) Professor Jasper Tempest, a genius Cambridge University criminologist with OCD and an overbearing mother, advises the police. Stars Ben Miller and Juliet Aubrey. A soothing British mystery.

The Unforgotten (Season 5, 6 episodes) Full disclosure: I have never managed to stay awake through a full episode of this series! It’s a cold case show, so no urgency!

Van Der Valk (9 episodes) Stars Marc Warren as a Dutch detective who takes on criminal cases in Amsterdam using insightful human observation and his natural street smarts. You either love this guy or hate his smart alec ways.

Showcase

Based on a True Story (8 episodes) A realtor, a former tennis star, and a plumber seize a unique opportunity to capitalize on America’s obsession with true crime. Stars Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Tom Bateman. Dark and intriguing.

Streaming 

Heels (Season 2, 8 episodes) The brothers are still at it wrestling over their father’s wrestling empire in small-town Georgia. You have to really like Canadian actor Stephen Amell to like this!

Reservation  Dogs (28 episodes, Season 3) comedy series about four Native American teenagers growing up on a reservation in eastern Oklahoma. It grows on you!!

Blue Lights (from Ireland, 7 episodes) Follows rookie police officers working in Belfast, a city in which being a frontline response cop comes with unique pressures and dangers.

Karen Pirie (from Scotland, 3 episodes) After the promotion to Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit, Karen Pirie reopens the cold case of a murdered barmaid. Her investigation unearths flaws in the original 1995 inquiry. Frankly, most cold case dramas, leave me a little cold. What’s the rush?

W

Five Bedrooms (32 episodes, Season 4) Disparate adults share a house in Melbourne, Australia. Full disclosure: I no longer really like any of these characters and no longer care what happens to any of them. They behave idiotically to a person. Loved the first season, but it’s been downhill after that.

Closing Words

I realize that I didn’t remind people that Jeopardy is back with a tournament format for Second Chance contestants. Of course, I continue to watch my info shows like CBS Sunday Morning, Face the Nation, CBS Saturday Morning and CBS Weekday Mornings. Kati Kaye has returned to MSNBC Morning Joe and I am so glad to see her as I have a bit of a girl crush on her impossibly blonde straight hair and very posh accent. I often have my TV tuned to CBC News Network to make sure I don’t miss crucial info re wildfires, Indian assassinations being carried out on Canadian soil, etc. The View is inexplicably back despite the writers’ strike and the girls continue to babble on without writers. I need my Joy Behar/Ana Navarro fix.

I went down the rabbit hole…twice!

OK, in this era of strike delayed new TV production, I actually found two new British shows to binge on. More about those later. I spent a good deal of this past week preparing to host a season ending party for our golf friends which involved arranging dinner for 30, seating, lighting and flower arrangements for our back yard and much praying for a rain-free evening. Everything worked out! No rain, great food and service provided by The Kitchen in Meaford and a lovely group of guests. Even the wasps and mosquitoes cooperated by being extremely unobtrusive thanks to the supply of citronella and peppermint I scattered around the tables. I am now resting comfortably having restored my house and patio to its previous condition (of course, George was very involved in all of the above, especially the heavy lifting of chairs and tables, and is also relaxing with a very sore lower back). Here are some viewing suggestions for you:

Apple

The Changeling (8 episodes) Set in an alternate NYC, a father and husband searches through a magical world for his abducted son and missing wife.

The Morning Show (Season 3, 10 episodes) An inside look at the lives of the people who help
America wake up in the morning, exploring the unique challenges faced by the team. An all-star cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Bily Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, and new this season, Jon Hamm. I’m not a huge fan of this show and find it incredibly artificial in its stolen from the headlines art imitates life format. Hamm is kind of an even more obnoxious Elon Musk character, as though we needed a pale imitation of the real thing.

Invasion (Season 2, 10 episodes) Mitsuki is taken to an alien ship in the Amazon jungle. Aneesha and her children take refuge with a group called the Movement. So dark and mysterious…

Disney

Ahsoka (8 episodes) After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tao investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. So Star Wars!!! Stars Rosario Dawson.

Only Murders in the Building (season 3, 10 episodes) I found Season 1 too silly to watch, skipped Season 2 altogether but couldn’t help tuning in to Season 3 featuring Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd. Still so silly, but who could resist?

Prime

The Wheel of Time (Season 2, 8 episodes) Set in a high fantasy world where magic exists, but only some can access it, a woman named Moiraine crosses paths with five young men and women. This sparks a dangerous, world-spanning journey. If you’re not a fantasy fan, forget about this one. It strs Rosamund Pike.

Wilderness (from the UK, 6 episodes) Follows a twisted love story, where a “happily-ever-after” life quickly turns into a living nightmare. Stars Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen. Twisted and way too long, but I couldn’t look away until the darn thing got resolved.

PBS

Professor T (Season 2, 6 episodes) Professor Jasper Tempest, a genius Cambridge University criminologist with OCD and an overbearing mother, advises the police. Stars Ben Miller and Juliet Aubrey. A soothing British mystery.

The Unforgotten (Season 5, 6 episodes) Full disclosure: I have never managed to stay awake through a full episode of this series! It’s a cold case show, so no urgency!

Van Der Valk (9 episodes) Stars Marc Warren as a Dutch detective who takes on criminal cases in Amsterdam using insightful human observation and his natural street smarts. You either love this guy or hate his smart alec ways.

Streaming

The Lovers (from the UK, 6 episodes) It tells the story of Janet, a supermarket worker who doesn’t care about anything, including her life, and Seamus, a self-centred political broadcaster. They find themselves inextricably drawn to each other. Stars Johnny Flynn, Roisin Gallagher, and Alice Eve. I loved this series, especially Johnny Flynn who maybe has his breakout role in this romantic comedy. I have followed his career (The Outfit, Operation Mincemeat, The Dig, Stardust, Emma, Les Miserables, Vanity Fair, Genius (as Einstein). Lovesick, Beast, et al.) and have wondered why he isn’t a big star yet! This could be the start of something big!

Heels  (Season 2, 8 episodes) The brothers are still at it wrestling over their father’s wrestling empire in small-town Georgia. You have to really like Canadian actor Stephen Amell to like this!

Reservation  Dogs (28 episodes, Season 3) comedy series about four Native American teenagers growing up on a reservation in eastern Oklahoma. It grows on you!!

W

Five Bedrooms (32 episodes, Season 4) Disparate adults share a house in Melbourne, Australia. Full disclosure: I no longer really like any of these characters and no longer care what happens to any of them. They behave idiotically to a person. Loved the first season, but it’s been downhill after that.

Closing Words

Have a wonderful week wherever you are! Many friends are headed off on travels these days, so safe travels wherever you are going. My week will include some golf, some Mahjong and a Zoom call with my TO bookclub on a fantastic book called The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I have also been enjoying Podcasts during my regular (3-5 a.m. sleepless periods). Currently addicted to : The Daily (NYTimes), Honestly with Bari Weiss, The Al Franken Podcast, Strike Force Five, Revisionist History Malcolm Gladwell, The Rachel Maddow Show, Under the Influence with Terry O’Reilly, Smartless, Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stay Tuned with Preet, The Axe Files, etc. No wonder I can’t sleep!!!

I keep missing new content…

I’m so sad about the continuing writers and actors strikes, that I assume there’s no new stuff. There’s now a new series on Apple TV (The Changeling), Prime (The Wheel of Time, Season 2) and tons on Netflix. Who knew? Perhaps I should pay more attention to the summaries of what’s coming on Fall TV more frequently. Forgive my negative tone about some of the shows I watched this past week, but I really didn’t find that much that I really enjoyed. I am, however, reading a new book for my TO book group, called The Latecomer, by Jean Hanef Koretz and I am loving it. Also listening to so many Podcasts (Al Franken, David Axelrod, The Daily from the NY Times, Bari Weiss, etc.)

This is a big week coming up for me as we are back in TO catching up with family and friends and then we are having a big golf-related dinner at our place next Friday. Still running related errands and cleaning madly! It’s the last Friday for my organized ladies’ play so fingers crossed that we don’t get rained out as it will also be our dinner party day and we’re hoping to dine outdoors. Here are some viewing suggestions for you:

Apple TV

Invasion (Season 2, 10 episodes) Mitsuki is taken to an alien ship in the Amazon jungle. Aneesha and her children take refuge with a group called the Movement. So dark and mysterious…

Ghosted (1 h 56 m) Chris Evans and Ana de Armas star in this terrible action flick. Don’t waste your time as it is sheer idiocy.

CBC Gem

A Body That Works (from Israel, 8 episodes) An intimate and sensitive series exploring an often-controversial topic: the bond between an infertile couple and the surrogate mother carrying their future child. Stars Lior Raz (Fauda) as a movie star!!!

Crave

Monsterland (8 episodes) Encounters with Gothic beasts, including fallen angels and werewolves, broken people are driven to desperate acts in an attempt to repair their lives, ultimately showing there is a thin line between man and beast. So sad and scary.

We’re All Gonna Die (Documentary, 6 episodes) Stars Jay Baruchel. This is a terrifying, but surprisingly hopeful investigation into six ways the world could come to an end. I started to watch this on the recommendation of a friend and remembered that I have a Jay Baruchel aversion which ruined my enjoyment of Blackberry. For Jay Baruchel fans only.

Disney

Ahsoka (8 episodes) After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tao investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. So Star Wars!!! Stars Rosario Dawson.

Only Murders in the Building (season 3, 10 episodes) I found Season 1 too silly to watch, skipped Season 2 altogether but couldn’t help tuning in to Season 3 featuring Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd. Still so silly, but who could resist?

FX

Breeders (Season 4, 10 episodes) A couple struggles with the challenges of marriage and parenthood. Stars Martin Freeman, Daisy Haggard, Alun Armstrong, Stella Gonet, Patrick Baladi. Very wry and British.

Netflix

The Nurse (from Denmark, 4 episodes) So reminiscent of so many other similar dramas. A new nurse at a hospital begins to suspect that her colleague’s desire for attention might be tied to a series of patient deaths. I gave up after 1 episode and a serious case of deja vu.

Predators (Documentary, 5 episodes, narrated by Tom Hardy) I had to watch this to attest to Tom Hardy’s very clear enunciation as he is the king of mumble speak. He proves that he can speak the King’s English when he wants to. It follows five predators across changing seasons and landscapes. I gave up on the crocodile chapter where they are munching on helpless wildebeest and zebras. Do not let young children watch this one.

Scouts’ Honour: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America (Documentary, 1 h 34 m) Survivors, whistle-blowers and experts recount the Boy Scouts of America’s decades long cover-up of sexual abuse cases and its heartbreaking impact. Too detailed for me, but a great subject.

Streaming

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (1 h 58 m) a crew sailing from Varna, Bulgaria by the Black Sea to England find that they are carrying very dangerous cargo (Dracula!) As the whole story is told in flashback, it’s a bit hard to build suspense since it’s stated at the beginning that the ship arrived in England with no passengers aboard. Liam Cunningham stars in this lacklustre horror film.

Heels  (Season 2, 8 episodes) The brothers are still at it wrestling over their father’s wrestling empire in small-town Georgia. You have to really like Canadian actor Stephen Amell to like this!

Reservation  Dogs (28 episodes, Season 3) comedy series about four Native American teenagers growing up on a reservation in eastern Oklahoma. It grows on you!!

PBS

Professor T (Season 2, 6 episodes) Professor Jasper Tempest, a genius Cambridge University criminologist with OCD and an overbearing mother, advises the police. Stars Ben Miller and Juliet Aubrey. A soothing British mystery.

The Unforgotten (Season 5, 6 episodes) Full disclosure: I have never managed to stay awake through a full episode of this series! It’s a cold case show, so no urgency!

Van Der Valk (9 episodes) Stars Marc Warren as a Dutch detective who takes on criminal cases in Amsterdam using insightful human observation and his natural street smarts. You either love this guy or hate his smart alec ways.

W

Five Bedrooms (32 episodes, Season 4) Disparate adults share a house in Melbourne, Australia. Full disclosure: I no longer really like any of these characters and no longer care what happens to any of them. They behave idiotically to a person. Loved the first season, but it’s been downhill after that.

Closing Words

Have a wonderful week wherever you are! For my friends and family who are celebrating the Jewish New Year which begins this week, “Shana tova”. Happy briskets to everyone.

Some of these are very cute, especially for those who enjoy a good pun. Clever British shop names:

Discovering new places for content…

Well, I think the actors/writers strikes are deeply affecting the amount of new content available for viewing so I have discovered a couple of other sources. Fall is really in the air this Labour Day Weekend and the nights are getting very crisp. Our son arrives today to finish off the weekend with us and we look forward to dining under the stars tonight and having s’mores around the firepit after. We have been enjoying evening walks to view the Blue Moon from the end of our marina pier as apparently there won’t be another one for about 37 years. Anyhow, here are some viewing suggestions for you:

AMC

Black Snow (From Australia, 6 episodes) In 1995, seventeen-year-old Isabel Baker was murdered. The crime shocked the small town of Ashford and devastated the Australian South Sea Islander county of Elizabeth. A very slow burn of a mystery starring Travis Fimmel.

Dark Winds (6 episodes) tribal policeman Joe Leaphorn investigates the death of a man involved in a mysterious cult, while Ji Chee, moonlighting as a PI works a case of his own. When the investigations collide, Leaphorn and Chee find themselves in grave danger. Stars the great Zahn McClarnon. Very dark and a bit slow.

Apple TV 

Invasion (Season 2, 10 episodes) Mitsuki is taken to an alien ship in the Amazon jungle. Aneesha and her children take refuge with a group called the Movement. So dark and mysterious…

CBC Gem

A Body That Works (from Israel, 8 episodes) An intimate and sensitive series exploring an often-controversial topic: the bond between an infertile couple and the surrogate mother carrying their future child. Stars Lior Raz (Fauda) as a movie star!!!

The U.S. and the Holocaust (from Ken Burns for PBS, 3 episodes) Explores America’s response to the Holocaust, and how it challenged the ideals of democracy. Incredible archival footage. Heartbreaking.

Crave/Viaplay Select

Unit One (from Denmark, Rejseholdet, 32 episodes) A mobile task force is dispatched across Denmark to help local police solve tough cases. Stars Mads Mikkelsen! So Danish!!!

Official Competition (from Spain, 1 h 55 m) A wealthy business man hires a famous filmmaker to help make a smash hit film. Stars Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas. I didn’t last through the entire film, but it was a very funny concept.

Oldboy (2003, from Korea, 2 h) A classic of Korean Cinema. After being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must find his captor in five days. Batshit crazy, but this film did start the popularization of K-film for Western audiences. Famous for many of its eye poppingly violent scenes, but also for a scene where a live octopus is actually consumed on camera. Not for the faint of heart.

Panhandle (9 episodes) Since personal tragedy struck five years ago loquacious, eccentric Bell Prescott hasn’t left the rambling property on the Apalachicola River that he shares with his mother and a pet alligator. Stars Canadian actor Luke Kirby! I wanted to love this but found it over the top silly. If you just watched the storm porn of the last week featuring Hurricane Idalia, you will get a glimpse of the old Florida culture of the area. Carl Hiaasen light!

Face to Face (from Denmark, 24 episodes)Bjorn investigates the killing of his daughter. People around him believe she might have committed suicide, but he doesn’t accept that. Both the stakes and the suspese rise relentlessly as Bjorn inches closer to the truth. Stars Ulrich Thomsen, Lars Mikkelsen, Soren Malling, all very famous faces from Scandi noir films.

Disney

Only Murders in the Building (season 3, 10 episodes) I found Season 1 too silly to watch, skipped Season 2 altogether but couldn’t help tuning in to Season 3 featuring Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd. Still so silly, but who could resist?

Ahsoka (8 episodes) After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tao investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. So Star Wars!!! Stars Rosario Dawson.

FX

Breeders (Season 4, 10 episodes) A couple struggles with the challenges of marriage and parenthood. Stars Martin Freeman, Daisy Haggard, Alun Armstrong, Stella Gonet, Patrick Baladi. Very wry and British.

Justified: City Primeval  (8 episodes) Series based on Elmore Leonard’s novel “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit”. Stars Timothy Olyphant and Boyd Holbrook. So glad to have Raylan Givens back!

What We Do in the Shadows (Season 5, 10 episodes) I keep forgetting to write about this delightful vampire series. Not for everyone, but I find it hilarious. Especially poor Guillermo, the familiar, who is literally dying to become a vampire.

Prime

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart  (from Australia, 7 episodes) Follows a young girl, Alice Hart, whose violent childhood casts a dark shadow over her adult life. Stars Sigourney Weaver (who could have used a better dialect coach), Asher Keddie. Mesmerizing but very dark.

Streaming

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2 h 34 m) Archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford, of course) races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history. Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) is on board as his new sidekick and Antonio Banderas, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies are in smallish supporting roles. The great Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann and Boyd Holbrook are the villains of the piece. Way too long for me. I was so thankful when this finally ended.

Heels  (Season 2, 8 episodes) The brothers are still at it wrestling over their father’s wrestling empire in small-town Georgia. You have to really like Canadian actor Stephen Amell to like this!

Reservation  Dogs (28 episodes, Season 3) comedy series about four Native American teenagers growing up on a reservation in eastern Oklahoma. It grows on you!!

W

Five Bedrooms (from Australia, season 4, 8 episodes) They’re still sharing the house! Hijinks ensue!

YouTube

Innocent (from Britain, 8 episodes) After having their convictions overturned, people wrongly accused of murder rebuild their lives while the police hunt the true culprit. Currently airing on Sundance Now and Acorn, I am patiently trying to find the 3rd episode and beyond.

Closing Words

These are very cute: