procrastinator’s top tv of 2023

I was honestly thankful for the strike to give me a little breathing room (very sad for the strife of workers and glad they came to a resolution). Standard caveats apply, I haven’t seen everything and this list could look very different depending on the day. But here goes:

  1. Shrinking (App+) – This might have been the right time right place but caught this as I was coming out of having Covid and catching up on some Apple TV and I found the characters and situation sweet and funny and Harrison Ford is Chef’s kiss.
  2. The Bear (Fx/Hulu) – This could easily have done a repeat at one, I thought there was no way they could keep up the quality and pace but not only a great season but some amazing individual episodes (which I don’t normally pay as much attention to) now I’m nervous about doing it again in three.
  3. The Last of Us (HBO) – I have honestly been over post-apocalyptic and zombie shows but I will follow Joel and Ellie wherever they go.
  4. The Diplomat (Net) – I wasn’t sure I’d be as enthusiastic about Kerry Russell in anything after The Americans but was immediately pulled into this and the constant issues and relationships at stake.
  5. Fargo (Fx/Hulu) – I had faded in enthusiasm for this show but they came back in fine form bringing midwestern nice back with lots of fun characters and of course bloodshed.
  6. Poker Face (Pea) – I love a good procedural and Natasha Lyonne running away across the country and having individual murder-solving episodes in new towns each with its own vibe is great fun and I don’t even care about the can tell you’re lying gimmick, though you know too many murders for one person to run across.
  7. Somebody Somewhere (HBO) – Bridget Everett and Jeff Hiller show a complicated friendship and their, and everyone else’s, sweet quirks get me.
  8. Gen V (Am) – I was almost giving up on The Boys because of all the brutal violence but I had fun with this new entry into this universe, its supes, and much corruption.
  9. Severance* (App+) – This was technically last year but I did a binge-month subscription, and I certainly don’t know where they’re going with this series but the first season was captivating.
  10. Bad Sisters* (App+) – I don’t know that I want this show to go another season but this unbelievable series of events came to a nice closure.

Last year I added series that had ended in 2022 that may not necessarily have hit the top ten but some are definitely worthwhile so thought I’d do it again (not an exhaustive list) :

  • The Afterparty (App+) – Another binge and again not sure it worked as well from season to season but the multiple POVs and associated styles a fun format for a whodunnit.
  • Barry (HBO) – This show overall was really good, I didn’t love where they went with the final season but I get it.
  • Better Call Saul* (AMC) – Since I was behind on doing Breaking Bad I delayed this but they did a great job of creating a worthwhile prequel and engaging characters, again I didn’t love the final season.
  • The Flight Attendant* (HBO) – The first season of this was a hoot, the second season still intriguing but a little more of a stretch, Kaley Cuoco as a mess really makes it work but also fun supporting cast.
  • Girls* (HBO) – Ugh this show was nearly unwatchable, I don’t need my people to be likable but I kind of want them not to be complete idiots and assholes to everyone.
  • The Great (Hulu) – This was a very fun occasionally true story of Catherine the Great, Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult brought a new side to things, also a fun supporting cast.
  • Happy Valley (BBC) – I was pleasantly surprised to have a third season come back so many years later, I didn’t really remember all the details but a nice conclusion to a terrible story.
  • Lucifer* (Net) – This was a very late pickup for me but what a fun show, they did a surprisingly good job of the story of the devil on earth and various family and implications.
  • The Other Two (Max) – This was a fun sendup of the whole Hollywood thing, great ridiculousness with our two floundering siblings as they try to make it.
  • Reservation Dogs (Fx/Hulu) – This show made my top ten list a number of times, beautifully crafted series following indigenous teens in rural Oklahoma, and ran the spectrum from funny to heartbreaking with wonderful standalone tales.
  • Sex Education (Net) – I didn’t love the final season of this but won’t let that mar the great fun of the earlier seasons as our inept sexpert helps fellow teens with usually helpful advice.
  • Single Drunk Female (Free/Hulu) – A comeback story of a woman trying to rebuild her life after a public flameout, sweet and funny.
  • Succession (HBO) – Well done with great performances but another case of you seeming to be idiots and assholes doesn’t make for my favorite tv or I would think a successful business.
  • Ted Lasso (App+) – You can’t go wrong with Ted, it’s definitely a feel-good show worth watching, it’ll make a soccer/football fan out of most.

* I finished in 2023 but season/series finished earlier

I’d love to hear some of your favorites in the comments.

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procrastinator’s best books of 2023

I usually read at least a book a month with book club (*picks) so my goal with books is always to read more than what I’m reading there. This year I also started doing more targeted walking which brought out audio books. It turns out that works better for me with nonfiction than fiction so I jammed through a few more than normal. It’s fun to read stuff that applies to my work world and might recommend to clients. And it’s inspiring me to get back out to my walking. Since the books I read are rarely current (paperbacks for the win) this is my current fave list of what was really out in 2023.

  • The Final Girl Support Group* by Grady Hendrix – A fun start to 2023, a look at ‘80s horror through survivors that was a page-turner with some flaws.
  • Matrix* by Lauren Groff – A weird but engaging one, I could have used a little more plot but intrigued to watch this woman throughout the life she made herself at an abbey.
  • Cloud Cuckoo Land* by Anthony Doerr – A tale told from disparate stories was initially a little hard to connect with but thought it pulled it off quite well.
  • The Overstory by Richard Powers – This was a solo read (others in book club had read it) and also a connection of disparate stories from multiple points of trees, I thought the writing and characters were great and again pulled it off.
  • The Memory Police* by Yoko Ogawa – A lot of small quibbles but overall I was kind of caught up in this surreal look at a small village and what happens when most people lose kinds of memories and their relation to those who didn’t.
  • Luster by Raven Leilani – While I enjoyed the characters and their entanglements as a single woman starts seeing a man in an open marriage I was never totally feeling it.
  • Children’s Bible* by Lydia Millet – A group of families vacation together and we follow along with the children as things take an apocalyptic turn and they must find their way, surprisingly very fun and allegorical.
  • Down the River Unto the Sea* by Walter Mosley – We were looking for a good mystery by a person of color after hating All Her Little Secrets last year, and read a positive review about the second in this relatively new series, while some of the elements are a little tropeish for a detective novel it was engaging and had good potential for development.
  • Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo – This was a book club pick from last year that I missed, they probably liked it more than I did, a decent fun fantasy but also raised my disdain for the first in a trilogy that doesn’t feel like it wraps things up, I won’t do the next.
  • Trust* by Hernan Diaz – The structure of this with different perspectives to the same people/period was really interesting but the book itself didn’t necessarily draw me in so much.
  • Our Country Friends* by Gary Shteyngart – I haven’t loved Shteyngart and this was similar in that it focused on really annoying people who could at times be amusing, and I’m still not totally vibing with pandemic-setting focused books.
  • The Committed* by Viet Thanh Nguyen – Book club loved The Sympathizer and thought this follow-up really worked, it’s a little dense at times but following this narrator is quite the ride.
  • Sea of Tranquility* by Emily St John Madel – Big fan of Emily, really enjoyed this time travel tale and appreciated the nods to previous works without a dependency.
  • The Marriage Portrait* by Maggie O’Farrell – A fictionalized take on a historical story, I appreciated it but was a little bored with this.
  • Buddha in the Attic* by Julie Otsuka – A really interesting stylistic and somewhat poetic choice to tell the story of the time between US arrival and Japanese internment, intrigued but glad it was a little short.

Nonfiction

  • Promotions Made Easy by Stacy Mayer – Knowing that you want to take control over the steps toward a promotion she lays out steps to take, most of which resonated.
  • Smile When They Call You Sleazy by Mary Cravets – I took a course with Mary and appreciate her approach to creating a successful business, this really felt like a collection of short lessons, very quick.
  • The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrom and How to Thrive in Spite of It by Valerie Young – I thought she was very thorough in her analysis of imposter syndrome and very relatable, some tips as well though I think I’ll need to reread this again.
  • The Science of Stuck by Britt Frank – Lots of reasons why we’re stuck and some examples and exercises of how to break that pattern, probably also worth a reread.
  • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patric Lencioni – A good relatively short scenario where a new CEO works through dysfunctions with the team she inherits, it was nice to see the very specific examples and applications.
  • The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink – A pretty engaging look at regret with lots of science behind it and the ways that we can use it positively to understand and change moving forward.
  • The Joy Diet by Marth Beck – This was a little challenging to read/listen to without kind of practicing each step and while each of the elements make sense I think it might need a little more focused attention to put into practice.
  • Hyper Focus by Chris Bailey – I have enjoyed one of his other books, The Productivity Project, and this was a great insight into really how bad our multitasking and distracted attention is and some tips on both getting into the zone, as well as scatter focusing.
  • Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport – A good complement to the above, I appreciated all the science and realistic look at what tools are working for us and when they aren’t how to scale back, and how to focus on conversations and doing things.
  • Outer Order Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin – I follow Rubin more around her habits and things but a brief but good reminder about some tips and things to keep in mind for clearing of things.
  • 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam – I’ve followed Vanderkam for some time with her time tracking, the book talked about time tracking but also the real work about deciding what’s important to you to decide where to spend your time.
  • Boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr John Townsend – I actually only started this but it was a little too over the top with Christian biblical content.
  • Your Brain at Work by Dr David Rock – This was a fun scenario-based book where we go through the science of the thing and what might be a natural inclination and what is a better approach.
  • Your Brain is Always Listening by Daniel G Amen, MD – This wasn’t my fave, a lot of talk about ‘dragons’ similar to gremlins and saboteurs but then felt like a more abstract concept and then dips into brain science and addiction which felt like a couple different books.
  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo – I had never read this and always kind of meant to, you get a look more into what a character she is, and while I appreciate the gist of things sparking joy and finding a place for everything, maybe a little too particular for me.
  • Set Boundaries Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab – A less religious slant on boundaries, she went through various kinds of boundaries with exercises though I’m still searching for perhaps another slant or layer more applicable to professional and personal boundaries.
  • Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy – This is one of the concepts that I espouse but another book I’d never actually read, the frog is actually only one of many productivity techniques, a nice collection.
  • The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi – I really liked the perspective here about what is the right amount of time and energy to put into things, a little more focused on home/personal but the principles apply regardless.

Would love to hear any books you loved from the last year in the comments.

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procrastinator’s must-see movies of 2022

Prey

The Oscars are out so now it’s my turn. I have a love-hate relationship with doing this list every year. But since it’s all subjective it’s not like there’s a right answer. Standard caveats apply, here goes.

  1. Prey – This may not have been the best movie of last year but I was really won over by the prequel/reinvention in this franchise and Amber Midthunder as our protagonist.
  2. The Menu – The kind of brutal flick I can get on board with, I like some comedy with my horror, and this take on the most exclusive of restaurants hit it just right.
  3. Hit The Road – Iranian family road trip comedy-drama brought out each character and juxtaposed a family trip with a greater drama, with much success.
  4. Kimi – A Steven Soderbergh that went somewhat under the radar, Zoe Kravitz gets in a fix trying to escalate something she hears while reviewing a recording, oh yeah and she’s agoraphobic, quite the thriller.
  5. The Woman King – Badass warrior women protecting an African kingdom and each other as they battle the greater forces of slavery, engaging battles and emotional notes.
  6. Everything Everywhere All at Once – This one you’ve heard of though you may not be able to get the title right, a fun multiverse that felt both epic and personal even if it might be hard to follow.
  7. The Banshees of Inisherin – Weird is the word I find I’ve included when describing this but when these two friends’ relationship changes things go a little too far in this small Irish town.
  8. RRR – I’ve read that this might not be the best representation of Indian films but leaving that aside it was a fun epic buddy film with music, romance, and action.
  9. All Quiet on the Western Front – A brutal look at a young German volunteer for the army and the battles he faces, hard to watch but in many ways beautifully done.
  10. Hustle – Pretty formulaic but formulas work for a reason, Adam Sandler’s as a basketball scout puts it all on the line for a player with extraordinary potential.

Honorary mentions: Bros, Do Revenge, Emily the Criminal, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Good Luck to You Leo Grande, The Gray Man, Nope, Rosaline, Stay On Board: The Leo Baker Story.

For critics’ picks check out Metacritic’s roundup.

What were your faves last year?

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procrastinator’s top tv of 2022

The Bear

TV years have gotten a bit murky. It used to be if it was on broadcast tv you watched it or you didn’t. Now with so much cable and streaming we’re often catching up. I know I am. Including all the cable channels who could watch it all?

And if I had the time I definitely don’t have all the channels. The biggest shift was I finally got HBOMax, but not until late in the year. I have definitely not caught up on all the 2022 fare, though you’ll see I was able to get started. I am also dabbling with getting different options for a limited time (e.g. Paramount+ and Apple+).

Recency bias may have resulted in some of this ranking but as you know on any given day who knows but you gotta land somewhere.

  1. The Bear (Fx/Hulu) – If I’m lucky every season there is something new and special that draws me in, this was it for me this year, a very tense tale of a ‘real’ chef heading home to run a local restaurant after his brother dies and let’s just say things don’t go smoothly.
  2. Hacks (HBO) – I just just finished this but was so drawn into these two women and their dysfunction and personal growth together as they turn an old-school comedian’s act into something new, Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder for the win.
  3. Barry (HBO) – I can’t help myself with these painful shows where you can’t imagine how this is all going to work out, and Bill Hader’s hitman looking for a change in LA does it to a T.
  4. Somebody Somewhere (HBO) – Ok so maybe the new HBOMax subscription was a good idea (and I’ve only scratched the surface); I was really drawn in by this look at a woman’s return to her small Kansas town and her struggle to fit in with family and found family.
  5. Ghosts (CBS) – Based on an English show which I have yet to check out, Rose McIver plays a woman who inherits a family home and can see the undead, it brings lots of fun as we learn more about the long-term residents and watch them try to make a future.
  6. Abbot Elementary (ABC) – You’ve likely heard about this one and for good reason, Quinta Brunson’s teachers in Philly has a ton of heart with its silliness.
  7. Yellow Jackets (Show) – My Paramount+ temporary subscription led me to this (though I tried not to add any new shows) and couldn’t stop watching this time-split tale of present-day and the immediate aftermath of a plane crash filled with a high school girl’s soccer team, I mean that would traumatize anyone right?
  8. Evil (Para+) – I’m a big fan of the King’s series and this is no exception, this show literally creeps me out with its trio of skeptics and believers investigating ‘occurrences’ for the church, and their personal lives are not unimpacted.
  9. Reservation Dogs (Hulu) – Indigenous teens in rural Oklahoma do what they gotta do to make it to California while dealing with family and local drama, a nice mix of off-format, story, and character/relationship focus.
  10. Ink Master (Para+) – This is my favorite reality show and as it was brought back it moved networks and changed judges but they were able to maintain the core of the thing (though I do miss Chris and Oliver), testing the skills of a tattoo artist to see who is the master

A few series that wrapped this year and while the final season might not hit the top ten, the series in their entirety were noteworthy (this is also a bit of a cheat to list more shows):

  • Animal Kingdom (TNT) – I enjoy a good crime drama and this So Cal surfing crime family sure brought the drama, it was a little uneven but I think quite good for what it was.
  • Atlanta (Fx) – Donald Glover really took artistic license but for the most part it was incredibly successful while also building rich characters and an interesting overall arc in this look at an up-and-coming rapper and his manager.
  • Better Things (Fx) – I just love what Pamela Adlon did with this semi-autobiographical dramedy about her family and her life surrounding Hollywood, this show was consistently in my top ten.
  • Claws (TNT) – Ok this was one heck of a campy show but if you want to watch a bunch of over-the-top nail artists take on some serious Florida crime these characters had heart and style.
  • David Makes Man (2021-OWN) – The first season of this was one of my favorite looks at coming-of-age both through the story and visuals and while the second season’s time jump wasn’t as successful for me it was still really interesting.
  • Dead to Me (Net) – Christina Applegate and Linda Cardelini play unlikely friends who won each other and me over with their approach to every ridiculous twist and turn they run into through their start with grief.
  • Deutschland 83/86/89 (2020-Sund/Hulu) – I caught these after the fact but loved the Americans-ish spy drama and the time jumps to see where it all went.
  • The Good Fight (Para+) – Christine Baranski can do no wrong and I enjoyed her years starting over at a new law firm following The Good Wife, they created something new but kept a lot of the elements of what made the former work through quirky characters, cases, and overarching issues, I actually paid to get the rest of this show.
  • Grace & Frankie (Net) – This show wasn’t revolutionary but the throwback feel of a screwball buddy comedy worked with not only great leads of Fonda and Tomlin but a fun supporting cast.
  • Killing Eve (BBC) – Ok this show kind of lost its way but that first season was enough to keep me in for moments of Eve and Villanelle’s relationship, assassins and spies, and some great outfits.
  • Ozark (Net) – This show pushed the edges of dark both metaphorically and visually but this family, with great performances, doing everything they can to survive, and maybe even thrive, through a money laundering entanglement with the Mexican drug lord, don’t get in their way.

Honorable mention: Alaska Daily (ABC), Dark Winds (AMC), Get Shorty (Epix), Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), Professor T (PBS), Reginald the Vampire (Syfy), Resident Alien (Syfy), Russian Doll (Net), Single Drunk Female (Free), So Help Me Todd (CBS), Upload (Am), Welcome to Wrexham (Fx), White Lotus (HBO).

There are also a few shows I am enjoying but not up to date on: Better Call Saul (AMC), Euphoria (HBO), and The Flight Attendant (HBO).

Is this just everything I watched last year? Sadly no. But I admittedly didn’t choose the smallest subset to mention.

For critics’ picks, there’s a good list at Metacritic. What were your faves?

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procrastinator’s best books of 2022

Harlem Shuffle

As usual, I’ll just share all the books I read last year since the list isn’t much longer than ten. And as usual, most of them are book club books*. I didn’t get a ton of outside reading in and I also somehow mostly stopped reading nonfiction which I’ll take a look at this year. And though I’m at least a year behind due to holding for paperbacks, you can check out the critic’s best of 2022 here.

  • The First Bad Man by Miranda July* – My review was ‘it’s not not weird.’ Book club overall was amused and we had a great discussion, overall it wasn’t my fave.
  • Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry* – Two ‘old’ dudes reminiscing as they wait for a daughter, meh, book club may have liked this more than I did.
  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid* – I missed book club for this one but thought this older starlet telling her story to a writer was fun.
  • Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro* – Generally favorable discussion of a unique narrator and her intriguing perspective with limited POV.
  • All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris* – This was a fun book club in that we enjoyed talking about all the things we hated about this book including the so dumb protagonist.
  • All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – A between book club book took me a bit to wrap up around reading, not for lack of interest, a compelling journey with our two main characters during the Nazi occupation of France.
  • Severance by Ling Ma* – For me this was a little ‘too soon’ with the pandemic parallels but I also found the office humor more real than humorous, book club enjoyed it.
  • The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers* – A somewhat interesting setup of different aliens but not enough story or character, etc. mostly I am totally over the first of a trilogy, make a book a book even if there’s more.
  • The Idiot by Elif Batuman* – Some appreciated the book more than others (me less so), decent moments but could have used more editing and story, amused but no LOL for me.
  • Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead* – I enjoyed this tale of a man looking at how to live an honest life in 1960s NY, or is he?
  • (March by Geraldine Brooks*) – I actually read this book ages ago but honestly didn’t remember, and decided my not remembering wasn’t a sign to reread.
  • Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates* – I truthfully finally finished this today, at 738 pages it’s hard for me not to suggest some culling, an interesting look but for a fictionalized version felt like more Marilyn insight was warranted.
  • The Netanyahus An Account of a Minor and Ultimatelyeven Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family by Joshua Cohen* – I was sick for this book club but think the gist which I agree with was that it was a fun fictionalized look into 1950s upstate New York college though at times got a bit academic.
  • Breath by James Nestor – My dentist recommended this and while interesting and jam-packed with history more intrigued by trying some of the breathing exercises in the appendix, which I didn’t really follow through with.
  • Essentialism by Greg McKeown – Very readable and pretty in sync with the Less is More philosophy I work with so many of my clients on, and of course, continue to try to focus on myself.
  • Negotiating with Your Kids by Alice Shikina – A fun addition to the negotiating class, a short book about negotiating with the younger set, with illustrations by her mom.

What were your faves last year?

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procrastinator’s must-see movies of 2021

Together Together

This was another weird year for movies. The theaters did open back up again. But I didn’t go. Partly it was out of Covid conservativeness but I also just felt so behind that when there were windows where things felt safer, I wasn’t sure what to see. And then there were spikes again.

But I did take advantage of more movies being available to stream. And while not everything was available yet to me, I even threw down some cash (well automated charge). I did manage to see all the Oscar nominations and you’ll see that they mostly didn’t make my cut though a few did.

And for some reason I copped out this year and couldn’t bring myself to put them in fave order, maybe because there wasn’t a best standout or maybe because I was drawn to some lighter fare this year. So alphabetical it is.

  • Black Widow – As you’ll hear me say I love an origin story, it’s typically a more standalone story and gets to the psychology of the character, they managed to do that in a story even though we’ve already seen a lot of Scarlett, a few areas where I had to let it go that I couldn’t remember what was up with the greater Avengers universe.
  • Coda – Not only a beautiful look into the deaf world via the story around a ‘child of deaf adults’ but a beautiful look at family and a somewhat traditional coming of age tale that pulls off both a sweet romance and striving for triumph via the school choir.
  • Drive My Car – Admittedly I still think this story could have been shorter but I found the odd journey of this widower and his driver as they both uncover their personal stories and look for new directions to have been rewarding.
  • Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Instead of West Side Story tune in to this musical about a 16-year-old boy’s dream to becoming a drag queen, lots of fun numbers and costumes and again a heartfelt coming of age journey for Jamie and his friends and family.
  • The Harder They Fall – The cast on this fun western from Idris Elba to Regina King to LaKeith Stanfield to… was top notch and I was with them through this action-packed brutal throwdown on the way to revenge, it might also ask bigger questions but you don’t need to ask them to enjoy the ride.
  • Pig – I’m a little bit of a sucker for Nicolas Cage but this odd tale of a truffle hunter getting back into a world he fled from to find his beloved pig somehow rides the line of him both odd and sincere.
  • Plan B – Things don’t go so well for this high school duo trying to get a morning after pill, it’s got Booksmart vibes and I mean that in the best way, while dealing with one of the serious issues of today.
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Origin story alert, what a fun trip with Simu Liu and Awkwafina, as they dig into the past and the mysteries of the martial-arts and underworld, looking forward to this next generation of Marvel heroes.
  • The Suicide Squad – I’m really not sure this should have made my list but I did a watch of Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad and found that they just got better with each one, and felt like it ended on a good romp with the group of supervillains.
  • Together Together – This was an incredibly sweet story about the relationship of a surrogate mother and a middle-aged man who wants a child, I love it when a more independent movie draws me in with the characters and situation.

Oh and while F9 didn’t make it on the list I did do a rewatch of all the Fast & Furious movies leading up to it, and what a ride.

What were your favorite movies from last year?

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procrastinator’s top tv of 2021

Only Murders in the Building

For those who have lost track I am dealing with basic+ cable plus Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. So I am mostly limited from the HBOs and whatnots as well as some other streamers. I did have a free apple+ subscription that I held onto (aka paid for) long enough to finish the second season of Ted Lasso but specifically kept myself from getting into any of their dramas. I am also plotting a quick subscription to Paramount+ to catch up on Evil and The Good Fight since I’ve enjoyed earlier seasons of those (doing some math on just buying various seasons). Oh and I watched Breaking Bad, so you know that took up some time.

So yes I could watch TV for much longer to see all the shows that people proclaim were the best of 2021 but here’s where I ended up. For critic’s picks check out metacritic.

  1. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) – This was just the perfect tone and content for where I was at when I got to this, great star power with Steven Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, and it both poked fun at and told a conveying murder tale with fun twists, can’t wait for another season.
  2. The Great (Hulu) – The occasionally true retelling of Catherine the Great did a fun job of taking us into the second season, lots of hilarity and hijinks here and love/hate people and relationships.
  3. Ted Lasso (App+) – Although I heard some of the rumblings I thought overall they really took the show in a direction that worked as it evolved, will revisit App+ when we get around to another.
  4. Mythic Quest (App+) – The other show I let myself enjoy while I had the subscription, they really mastered the ongoing odd work environment and characters with killer standalone episodes, don’t be put off by the setting of a video game company.
  5. Resident Alien (Syfy) – Alan Tudyk is really such a winner in this role but the whole cast has great charm as we watch this alien become more human and it might even stop him from destroying the world.
  6. Ghosts (CBS) – I’ve appreciated Rose McIver since iZombie and she’s got herself a fun new role in seeing ghosts and translating to her husband, the ghosts themselves do a great job of bringing good characters from different time periods and living pretty full lives.
  7. Big Leap (Fox) – While this isn’t a show for everyone the behind the scenes of a reality dance competition was for me a great balance of looking at the machinations of stirring up reality drama with a sweet side both in front of and behind the cameras, hoping for another season.
  8. Squid Game (Net) – Whatever you want to say about this it sure was compelling, brutal, but compelling, and I’m very curious as to what they’re going to do in a second season.
  9. Sex Education (Net) – I still enjoy my time with these students and their families dealing with sex and relationships.
  10. Lupin (Net) – A good caper can’t be beat and I was happy to take another jaunt in this somewhat ridiculous next chapter.

Honorable: Bo Burnham: Inside (Net), Bridgerton (Net), Everything’s Going to Be Okay (Free), Girls5eva (Pea), Kim’s Convenience (CBC/Net), Leverage: Redemption (IMDB), Reservation Dogs (Fx/Hulu), The Underground Railroad (Prime), What We Do In the Shadows (Fx), We Are Lady Parts (Pea), You (Net).

What were your faves last year?

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procrastinator’s best books of 2021

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

I can’t help calling this best books even though in fact I just list all the books I read last year. I guess that makes them the best. My reading seems to have dwindled a bit though I have been reading more nonfiction which I’ve included as well. Those marked with * are book club reads. I also put off doing this list because honestly I can’t remember what I thought about a couple of them. I had intended to update this list with each book I read so it would be fresh but well, the best laid plans. Maybe for 2022.

  • The Good Lord Bird by James McBride* – We might have read this because everyone wanted to read Deacon King Kong which was only in Hardback, I now own it in paperback but haven’t gotten to it (we make exceptions but for the most part do paperbacks), I also don’t get Showtime but heard that at least Ethan Hawke was good in the series (I honestly can’t recall overall reviews) ok so this book as I recall had a good voice and journey of the characters and battle against slavery.
  • Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett* – Book club overall was not a fan of this one though I thought it definitely had some fun elements and humor in the world of a not so typical family that owns a taxidermy shop.
  • Modern Lovers by Emma Straub – A fun little romp looking at former bandmates living in Brooklyn as they try to move forward and look back.
  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones* – I think book club liked this a bit more than I did, I was a little hung up on some of the logistics of the horror tale but appreciated the writing, characters, and American Indian culture.
  • Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu* – Overall a real crown pleaser, the format of this book was really so much of the story (for good and for bad) but enjoyed the light and heavy take on pop culture and Asian American experience.
  • Chances Are… by Richard Russo – I’m generally a big Russo fan, Empire Falls one of my all-time faves, and this visit with three old friends reuniting and stirring up the past with a little mystery was an enjoyable one.
  • The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel* – Book club and I loved Station Eleven, so happy to revisit Mandel, though this didn’t garner quite the same raves lots to enjoy, and my limited cable also kept the well reviewed Station 11 series off my radar.
  • If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha* – Really interesting perspective from various South Korean women on the pursuits of beauty and life.
  • Fool by Christopher Moore – We had picked this for book club at one point and dismissed for some reason, but I had bought it and hadn’t read any others from Moore, and while this retelling of Lear going for funny wasn’t my fave, I’m curious to dabble in his other sort of genre approaches.
  • The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich* – I’ve read and appreciated much of Erdrich’s earlier works and while this also strong Native American experience with rich characters was much more expansive in scope which it benefitted and suffered from.
  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune* – I thought this slightly YA feeling story of a man observing a school for the ‘gifted’ was a heartwarming delight.
  • On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong* – Better in some parts than others but this less direct narrative style brought some powerful moments and kept me engaged.
  • Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey – Can’t recall who loaned/gave this to me (let me know if you want it back) but thought this translator going to Brazil to find her missing author was a fun endeavor.
  • When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole* – Gentrification just got a little more serious, had a few quibbles but overall loved following these two protagonists on their unreal journey trying to keep a neighborhood together.
  • Writers & Lovers by Lily King* – I don’t normally love when writers write about writers but totally enjoyed this look at a woman trying to get her life and her writing career together, also a fan of author’s Euphoria.
  • White Tears by Hari Kunzru – This book was weird though compelling as we start with two friends and their passion for music and head into a surreal psychological look at race, music, class, history and maybe a ghost story of sorts.
  • The Dutch House by Ann Patchett* – Big fans of Ann Patchett and this didn’t disappoint, a few quibbles on plot but rich characters and a great place created for these siblings and their relationship to this home.

And for nonfiction:

  • So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo – One of my various attempts to focus on topics like race and raise my knowledge and vocabulary, appreciated her approach and personal perspective.
  • The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier – I heard MBS speak and really liked his approach, this book was a helpful list of seven questions that mainly managers could use to coach their employees to greater success, very in sync with the coaching I do and great to see those skills being embraced.
  • Atomic Habits by James Clear – I’m a huge habit fan and had been following Clear for a while, finally going through his deeper look which was much appreciated, lots to revisit here as I work on my own habits and with my clients.
  • High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard – A different take on habits, in this he breaks down the six habits that make people a success, lots of info here to revisit.
  • The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks – This had been recco’d by a few and while not all of this resonated with me I appreciated the approach to upper limit problems and getting in your zone of genius, not just excellence.
  • Decoding Greatness by Ron Friedman – Another person I follow and appreciate, this book ends up being a good take on how not to reinvent the wheel and tips and info on what to do instead.

For critics faves of actual 2021 check here. What were your faves last year?

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procrastinator’s must-see movies of 2020

The Old Guard

Well, I rolled off of my catch-up for 2019 seemingly right into the pandemic. The only movie I remember seeing in a theater this last year was 2019’s Knives Out. Can that be true? Well, someday we’ll be back to feeling comfortable in theaters, until then lots of stuff available on streaming. While I was being relatively budget-conscious this year I did throw down to pay for a couple of last-minute picks because I knew I’d be doing this list but there are certainly more to be seen. For Critic’s picks, you can check out Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes for a consensus.

  1. The Old Guard – This is the first movie I remember watching when I decided I was going to start doing a Saturday Night Movie to give some meaning to my weekends during the pandemic, and I just remember it was fun, I’m totally on board for Charlize Theron taking this immortals(?) mercenaries action series into franchise territory.
  2. Promising Young Woman – Revenge done very wrong, in this thriller masking as a comedy Carey Mulligan does a beautiful job embodying the double life of this cunning young woman so obviously broken by experiences she couldn’t avert, will she or can she get revenge?
  3. Palm Springs – You can’t shake a stick without hitting a time loop movie or tv show but this Adam Sandler and Christin Milioti showcase hit fresh notes through their chemistry and hijinks as well as the more esoteric questions.
  4. The Vast of Night – This ’50s set sci-fi/mystery has such a throwback tone but is oddly compelling as two high school kids chase the source of a mysterious audio frequency, does it get them more than they bargained for?
  5. The Half of It – This Cyrano style romance gives us a new flavor of the take as we’re as captivated by shy high schooler Ellie as her target is by her letters, as she befriends the jock she’s writing for, complications and sweetness ensue.
  6. On the Rocks – Sofia Coppola brings a fun look at a daughter, Rashida Jones, and estranged father, Bill Murray, reconnecting through her suspicions about her husband.
  7. One Night in Miami – Most of these plays turned movies feel stilted but this incredible night of icons Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Malcom X connecting is thoughtfully and beautifully brought to life by Regina King.
  8. Nomadland, Minari, Never Rarely Sometimes Always – These three films bring an interesting look at simpler yet not more straightforward stories of people just trying to make it.

Reply or comment to let me know what some of your favorites were?

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procrastinator’s top tv of 2020

High Fidelity

And we’re back to trying to see enough things that I feel like I have at least a representative sample to throw down. And while I still don’t have premium cable and I’m not in with every streaming service I feel like I’m ready for a good selection. For a look at what the critics picked you can try Metacritic.

  • Bojack Horseman (Net))/The Good Place (NBC)/Schitts Creek (Pop) – Ok so yes this one is a cheat but honestly I’m not sure if the final seasons of these series were the best but they are three of my top series so if you haven’t seen them you’re missing out.
  • High Fidelity (Hulu) – I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this show, I was a big fan of the original book, and thought the movie version did a good job capturing the spirit, and was thoroughly along for this ride on this latest take with Zoe Kravitz in the lead and another round of good friends, they were dumb dumbs to cancel after one season.
  • Ted Lasso (App+) – I got a free round of Apple TV+ with the iPad I bought last year but wasn’t really diving into series because 1) I can’t figure out how to play it on my tv and 2) I didn’t want to get hooked on anything because I am for sure not paying for another streaming series, but I had heard so many good things about Jason Sudeikis’s take on fish out of water that I dove in and it really is the type of positive tv we all need these days.
  • The Great (Hulu) – This ‘genre-bending, anti-historical’ look into Catherine the Great gives quite a fun journey along with Elle Fanning in the title role and her education into taking her position in history.
  • Better Things (FX) – I’m impressed each season with Pamela Adlon’s ability to create both powerful half hours of her fictionalized life as well as the overall characters and story arcs.
  • Queens Gambit (Net) – Watching Anya Taylor-Joy grow into and up as a chess prodigy is worth it for her fashion looks and her withering looks alone, but the chess and personal tension really kept me hooked.
  • Brockmire (IFC) – I watched all of this last year so this is more of a series than a season review but this show was sure willing to take risks in creating and following Hank Azaria as this self-destructive baseball announcer through an unusual personal and professional journey.
  • Dead to Me (Net) – Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini sure know how to get themselves into trouble, and while the show is ridiculous as it follows their friendship and their foibles I for sure couldn’t look away.
  • The Boys (Prime) – Another show I couldn’t look away from, what happens when Superheroes become an industry and what happens when they go rogue, is defeating them at all costs worth it, or possible, the character development has been good to keep things a little nuanced in the midst of all the insanity.
  • Teenage Bounty Hunters (Net) – Ok I had something else in this last slot but this show was honestly one that I enjoyed a lot last year so… the interplay between these twin sisters and their new boss as they get caught up in bounty hunting while navigating relationships and high school brings us another terrible call on cancelling after the first season.

I also finished a few old series that would likely have made the list if I had been any where near timely: Counterpart, Downton Abbey, The Shield, and Veep.

Honorable mentions: Dave (Fxx), Devs* (Fx), The Eddy* (Net), Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Free), Evil (CBS), The Good Fight (CBSAA), Killing Eve (BBCA), Little America (App+), Mrs. America (Hulu), Mythic Quest (App+), One Day at a Time (Pop), Ozark (Net), Sex Education (Net), Trinkets (Net), Unorthodox (Net), Upload (Prime), Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC) – (*not done yet).

What were some of your favorites? What’s next on your list?

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