tv

new and noteworthy tv: 2/1-2/14

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The Equalizer

I’ve been chipping away on some streaming and the misc. shows around and wrapped the latest season of Big Mouth. While that series isn’t my absolute favorite they do a good job creating that world and voice of awkward kids coming against bizarre coming of age issues.

  • The Investigation (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 2/1 – This six part Scandinavian limited drama series explores the real life investigations surrounding the murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall.
  • Firefly Lane (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 2/3 – This drama follows two besties played by Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke through the years.
  • The Head (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/4 – This Spanish thriller set in an Antarctic research station where a commander returns to a shocking discovery.
  • The Murders (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/4 – A rookie homicide detective in Vancouver is seeking redemption after her negligence results in another officer’s death.
  • Invisible City (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 2/5 – A detective is drawn into an underground realm with mythical creatures in this Brazilian fantasy/drama.
  • Australian Open (ESPN) Sunday 2/7 – First round play begins.
  • Superbowl/The Equalizer (CBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 2/7 – Following the football playing we see Queen Latifah stick up for the little guy in this reboot of the old series.
  • Capitani (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/11 – The suspicious death of a 15-year-old girl in a Luxembourg village is investigated (in Luxembourgish).
  • Clarice (CBS) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/11 – Based on Silence of the Lambs this takes place one year later as she returns to the field.
  • The Luminaries (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 2/14, 9:30pm – Based on the book about New Zealand gold mining and love, murder, and revenge.

Returning streaming: Beachfront Bargain Hunt (Disc+, 2/2), Hawaii Life (Disc+, 2/2), Island Life (Disc+, 2/2), Mexico Life (Disc+, 2/2), Mighty Express (Net, 2/2), Tiffany Hadish Presents: They Ready (Net, 2/2), See No Evil (Disc+, 2/3), Little Coincidences (Am, 2/5), Hache (Net, 2/5), Harrow (Hulu, 2/7), Baltahzar (Acorn, 2/8), Chopped Sweets (Disc+, 2/9), Inside Pixar (Dis+, 2/12), Evil Lives Here (Disc+, 2/14).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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best, books

procrastinator’s best books of 2020

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The Nickel Boys

While these are the best of what I read, in honesty this just continues to be a list of books I read last year. I left them in mostly chronological order and there’s an * next to those that I read for book club, we do a lot of picking from previous year’s top reviewed. This year for book club my one miss was Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo which I bought but just couldn’t get to but the group liked it so in the backlog.

  • The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin* – A much acclaimed sci-fi selection, and I enjoyed it and liked the world created but it felt too much like a setup of the trilogy than a complete first book, and while intrigued my backlog is too great to read on.
  • Luminaries by Eleanor Catton – I started this epic 1866 New Zealand prospecting tale on my trip to New Zealand in 2019 but didn’t finish it at the time, interesting twists of various characters but not the most compelling (I’m sure hindered by my mid book break).
  • Circe by Madeline Miller – A holdover from a missed 2019 book club reading, I found this an enjoyable trip through the stories of the Gods from our protagonists’ POV, and liked the new view on an old tale.
  • Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett* – A depressing but engaging look at family dynamics and the impact of mental illness.
  • Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward – This was much discussed for a book club pick but various people ended up reading on their own, glad to pick it up in between for a tough and interesting portrait of Mississippi family road trip/ghost story, though it didn’t totally pull me in.
  • Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – I actually bought this book for my sister years ago after hearing her speak, and glad I finally picked up her loan back to me for a captivating tale of the young and in love starting in Nigeria, journeys together and apart, with looks at race through relations and locations.
  • Normal People by Sally Rooney* – Some in the book club loved this one (fave of the year), and while I liked this complicated relationship tale, and the tv series that followed, I wasn’t fully drawn in.
  • Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson – This was a pick in book club from before I joined that had come up repeatedly as a fave and I found it incredibly compelling and tough as our social worker and father deals with spiraling personal and professional drama.
  • Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons* – A good smart, fun and funny take from 1932 on a heroine cleaning up her extended family as she heads to a more rural location.
  • Where’d You Go Bernadette – I had heard this book often referenced when people were saying that I want to read something like this, so I felt I should go to the source, and was greatly rewarded by this fun page turner where the what happened format really worked as did the subject layers.
  • Dare Me by Megan Abbott* – I had actually watched the series first, which sadly was canceled, but still enjoyed the source more for the fun of the cheerleading cult than for the mystery.
  • Lucky Alan & Other Stories by Jonathan Lethem – I always enjoy a Lethem though you never know what you’re going to get, his short stories offered a fun look at multiple options.
  • Girl, Woman, Other by Benardine Evaristo* – Some very good elements but a little distracted by less than strong connections and quantity of interrelated stories.
  • Songbook by Nick Hornby – I bought this ages ago and flipped through the music essays, and listened to the included cd, but finally sat down and read through, it holds up and would love more from music fans on music/moments.
  • There There by Tommy Orange – Another book club catch up, for an absorbing ensemble of connected Native Americans, though maybe a little too connected.
  • The Whites by Richard Price* – Enjoyed the place and characters and while I could quibble with a couple of plot elements overall engaged by the cop revenge tale.
  • Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akkner* – This ended up being more depressing than funny, the original goal of this pick, though there were amusing characterizations of the elite, dating apps, and yoga tank slogans.
  • Nickel Boys by Colton Whitehead*– Pretty unanimous enthusiastic recommendation from book club and while it’s a tough, heartbreaking subject the tone and balance make it so readable.
  • State of Wonder by Ann Patchett – I’m a fan of her earlier work and this does not disappoint, what an captivating and intriguing tale of a pharmacologist’s trip to drug research in the jungles of Brazil.
  • Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson* – I thought his earlier work The Family Fang was a lot of fun and this was no disappointment as a follow up, two kids who spontaneously combust and their new caretaker, what a fast and fun and flammable pick.
  • Inland by Tea Obreht* – Two parallel narratives that one could argue either add to or detract from the other, a frontierswoman dealing with drama and the lack of water and an immigrant Muslim and outlaw haunted by ghosts, while I enjoyed many of the parts of this the sum of things didn’t totally capture me.

For this year’s top reviewed you can find a list here. What were your favorites?

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 1/18-1/31

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Walker

Before my Apple + subscription expires I also went through the season of Mythic Quest, which started out annoying me (I have worked with enough people like that I wasn’t looking for that frustration in my entertainment) but grew to really enjoy the dynamic and some of the special episodes including the only pandemic entertainment I thought felt appropriate. I also wrapped the latest season of Umbrella Academy which I have to admit I didn’t care that much about though frustratingly left kind of intrigued as to what they’re going to do next season. And finally got through the rest of Fargo, which really wasn’t my fave season.

  • Daughter from Another Mother (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 1/20 – Switched at birth in this Mexican dramedy.
  • The Inauguration (Various) – Entering a new era.
  • Perfect Life (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 1/21 – This Spanish language series about thirty-somethings finding their way.
  • Walker (CW) Series Premiere, Thursday 1/21, 8pm – Jared Padalecki is no Chuck Norris but no word yet on this remake.
  • 3 Caminos (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 1/22 – I think this Spanish drama about people in three different stages in life.
  • Losing Alice (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 1/22 – A psychological thriller where a 48-year old director becomes obsessed with a 24-year old screenwriter.
  • The Sister (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 1/22 – A person from the past returns to threaten long held secrets in this drama.
  • Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) (Net) Series Premiere, Saturday 1/23 – Things start to unravel for three successful women in this Korean drama.
  • Bridge and Tunnel (Epix) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/24, 9pm – Edward Burn’s latest is a dramedy following college grads in 80s Manhattan.
  • Reunions (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 1/25 – A French drama about half-brothers finding each other after their father dies.
  • 50M2 (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 1/27 – A henchman assumes a new identity to uncover the truth in this Istanbul thriller.
  • Jann (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 1/29 – A Canadian comedy about a look at singer-songwriter Jann Arden trying to make a personal and professional comeback.

Returning streaming: Hello Ninja (Net, 1/19), Call My Agent (Net, 1/21), Gomorrah (HBOM, 1/21), Selena + Chef (HBOM, 1/21), Blown Away (Net, 1/22), Busted! (Net, 1/22), Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous (Net, 1/22), Bonding (Net, 1/27), Top Gear America (MotorTrend, 1/29).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 1/4-1/17

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Mr. Mayor

Discovery Plus launches on Monday with a bunch of new reality fare for $4.99 ads/6.99 ad free, if you know you need more of that. I wrapped up Queen’s Gambit which was very enjoyable and the season of Ted Lasso which was also quite fun, though not Apple Plus paid subscription for me kind of fun. I am excited for the return of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist this Tuesday on NBC.

  • 30 coins (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 1/4 – An eight ep jaunt into horror follows a priest and demonic events, produced by HBO Europe in Spain (en Español).
  • History of Swear Words (Net) Series Premiere, Tuesday 1/5 – This reality highlight features Nicolas Cage hosting the history and impact of notorious bad words.
  • Coyote (CBSAA) Series Premiere, Thursday 1/7 – Michael Chiklis switches sides from Border Patrol to working for the cartel, is he still paying for his time on the job in The Shield?
  • Mr. Mayor (NBC) Series Premiere, Thursday 1/7, 8/8:30 – Ted Danson is back and while I keep my hopes low I’m excited to see what he brings to being the Mayor of LA.
  • Lupin (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/8 – A French (en français) crime drama about a gentleman thief set out to avenge his father.
  • Remedy (Ova) Series Premiere, Friday 1/8, 12pm – Canadian drama behind the scenes of Toronto hospital where the chief of staff oversees three of his sons.
  • All Creatures Great and Small (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/10, 9pm – A remake of 80s drama of a vet James Herriot at that start of his career in ’30s Yorkshire.
  • Trickster (CW) Series Premiere, Tuesday 1/12 – Canadian supernatural drama based on the novel “Son of a Trickster,” about a teen who starts seeing strange things and turns his life upside down.
  • Everyone is Doing Great (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 1/13 – Comedy about two former stars of hit tv show trying to make it work five years after the show ends.
  • Call Your Mother (ABC) Series Premiere, Wednesday 1/13 – Kyra Sedgwick stars as a mom inserting herself back into her adult kids lives in this comedy.
  • Tandav (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 1/15 – Dew Delhi drama looking at Indian politics.
  • WandaVision (Dis+) Series Premiere, Friday 1/15 – Set in the MCU universe Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany pick up their characters (Wanda and Vision) in suburban living.
  • Miss Scarlet & The Duke (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/17 – Victorian England’s first female sleuth solves crimes along with partner and childhood friend.

Returning streaming: The Dead Files (Disc+, 1/4), Monster Garage (Disc+, 1/4), Nailed it! Mexico (Net, 1/5), Dickinson (App+, 1/8), Idhun Chronicles (Net, 1/8), Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons (Net, 1/8), A Discovery of Witches (SundN, 1/9), Finding Joy (Acorn, 1/11), Search Party (HBOM, 1/14), Endlings (Hulu, 1/15), Servant (Ap+, 1/15), Carmen Sandiego (Net, 1/15), Disenchantment (Net, 1/15).

The procrastinator lists mostly scripted items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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