We’re excited to start the new Lemony Snickett series tomorrow.
I concur Stranger Things gets better.
Did anyone hear the David Bianculli review of Series of Unfortunate Events on Fresh Air (NPR)? Over-the-top positive. I watched to first episode and saw what he liked about it, but I didn’t immediately watch the second, so that tells you something. I do plan to watch more episodes at some point, though. There’s no question Daniel Handler had a lot more to do with this series than with the movie a few years ago – the voice of the show is very dark and quirky.
Instead of watching more Lemony Snickett, I tried an hour-long comedy/music show, Garfunkel & Oates: Trying To Be Special, also on Netflix. It was absolutely hilarious, roll on the floor funny. (Although – WARNING – language and the content are not for people who feel offended by explicit discussions of sex, or by the suggestion that the anus is “God’s loophole” for religious women who want to preserve their virginity until marriage.) G&O is two 30-something women who show up a lot as secondary characters on TV – Kate Micucci (who has a very distinctive look, and I see her all the time) and Riki Lindhome (who has a very non-distinctive look; I’ve apparently seen her a lot, but never noticed her until now). They write and perform very chipper, clever, sometimes gross songs.
JHS, the NPR piece is what prompted me to ask. I’ve rarely heard a review so glowing. I looked it up online afterward; that is quite a transformation they did on Neil Patrick Harris!
Endeavour for those with the super tall antenna that gets itv.
Homeland previewed the first episode last week so re showing it again tomorrow.
Taboo, a new series on FX starring Tom Hardy as adventurer James Keziah Delaney who builds his own shipping empire in the early 1800s.
Dark, dirty, gritty.
Ok, I finally decided on a series to watch - The Borgias - I’m two episodes in and it has my interest! I’m going to wait on the Crown since a prefer a series with a few seasons out.
Also, with every drama/serious show, I have to simultaneously have a comedy series, something lighthearted and fun, so I’m in season two of How I Met Your Mother.
Homeland, yes.
Let’s try to avoid spoilers for a good while.
I just finished A Series of Unfortunate Events and I loved it. It wasn’t perfect - the pacing is off at points, some jokes fall flat, and the child acting is hit and miss, though it improves through the season. Handler’s dialogue in the books and the show is stylized and somewhat unnatural, and the kids are both pretty inexperienced and sometimes struggle with appropriate delivery. I think Hynes (Klaus) handles the dialogue better but Weissman (Violet) has a better grasp of nonverbal acting. Whoever found the baby should get a medal; that kid has amazing facial expressions. Overall they did very well, given their inexperience.
The best part of the series is the tone, which is the hardest part of the books to adapt and which (I think) Netflix nailed. It’s funny but very dark, with a quirky and intellectual bent. They made certain scenes funnier, which works because the primary comedy in the books was from presentation - even with Lemony Snicket popping in and out of scenes giving his trademark wry narration, it would have been too dark if they’d adapted some of the content straight from the books. They also made good changes to the story structure - the first five or six books are quite repetitive, and while it works in a series of children’s books it would have been a bore to see on screen, so they’ve made some changes to the plot and have added a couple of subplots which did not begin to appear in the books until book the fifth, but it works very well. Episodes 7 & 8 (The Miserable Mill) are especially well done (notable since it was, I think, the weakest of all the books).
Of course, some of this is clouded by nostalgia. I loved the novels and I’m thrilled that they’ve been adapted well and with care to the tone, humor, and message of the books. It is an unusual tone and style that doesn’t work for everyone. That said, everything is explained well and I think non-book readers have plenty to enjoy from it.
HIMYM is one of my go-to shows when I need something light, Parks & Rec being the other.
I love Parks & Rec, I went through that one already!
Good news for fans of another bing watched show, the “Miss Fisher’s Mysteries”, while they aren’t doing a new series boo, they are doing a trilogy of movies to be shot starting later this year. I don’t know if this is like Sherlock (ie doing a 90 minute movie to be shown on Netflix and whatnot ) or if it is to be a theatrical release. I am happy for Essie Davis that the reason they haven’t done more is she is in demand (she is going to be in Game of Thrones ), but still think they should deny her any work until she shoots several series lol.
I really enjoyed The Borgias @Fishnlines29 .
We listened to all the Series of Unfortunate Events books as audiobooks on long car trips when the kids were younger. It will be hard to match what I saw in my head on those trips.
Just started Lady Dynamite on Netflix. I like it so far.
Absolutely gutted by an episode of Offspring today. I haven’t cried at a tv show in a long time. This show is so good. I feel like I know the Proudman clan.
Is it me or does Jason Segel look like or remind you of Judge Reinhold? As I’m watching HIMYM, I keep thinking of the guy in Beverly Hills cop lol. I had to look it up and side by side, not exactly but maybe in mannerisms or something…
Being Tom Hardy’s biggest fan, I had to check out Taboo on FX which @beerme mentioned a few posts back. I’ve only watched the first episode so far. Interesting although very cryptic at this point. Dark and atmospheric. Reminds me a little of Peaky Blinders (same writer so no surprise there. BTW, the writer, Steven Knight, also wrote and directed a great Tom Hardy movie, Locke. Check it out if you haven’t seen it!). Also reminds me a little of Gangs of New York. Looking forward to seeing how it unfolds…
We finished this season of Man in the High Castle, and were really impressed by it.
We tried the pilot of “Travelers” (a Netflix show) tonight. Anyone watched more of it to say whether they’ve liked it?
Just finishing season one of Bloodline. Oh for pete’s sake, I can’t even breathe. My blood pressure must be through the roof. Such a good show.
Haha, psychmomma! I feel the same way! I watched the first episode of the 2nd season, and was so anxious about it, I decided to take a break for a little while.
And started watching Luke Cage. Hubba hubba! I love Alfre Woodard, too, and the rest of the supporting cast is terrific. Oh, and the music is great! But Mike Colter? And his voice?! Yes please!
I thought the second season of bloodline was even more I tense. But so good.