tv

new and noteworthy tv: 4/11-4/24

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A Very British Scandal

I’ve been culling through the backlog and ticked through Around the World in 80 Days from PBS which was a fun endeavor, Queer Eye Germany to catch a different Fab 5 do their thing, and Queens which was kind of a mess but still fun enough. I’ve still got some more random things on the dvr but excited for Russian Doll on Netflix. Though I still have Ozark in the queue is that too much or just right as a rock block?

  • Hard Cell (Net) Series Premiere, Tuesday 4/12 – A British prison mockumentary set in a fictional female prison, early reviews not amazing.
  • The Family Law (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/13 – Dysfunctional and supposedly heart-warming Chinese-Australian family.
  • Fairwood (Crack) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/14 – The exploits of small town entertainers in this comedy.
  • Killing It (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/14 – Comedy about one man’s quest to achieve the American dram through hunting snakes starring Craig Robinson.
  • Outer Range (Am, 4/15) Series Premiere, Friday 4/15 – A rancher fighting for his land finds a mystery with Josh Brolin.
  • Roar (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 4/15 – Female driven comedic stories in this anthology series.
  • Anatomy of a Scandal (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 4/15 – The privileged life of a wife of a powerful politician unravels.
  • Swimming with the Sharks (Roku) Series Premiere, Friday 4/15 – The darks side of the Hollywood studio system via a assistant turning the tables on a boss
  • The First Lady (Show) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/17 – Anthology with Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford.
  • A Very British Scandal (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 4/22 – The story of the divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll with Claire Foy and Paul Bettany, A Very English Scandal was pretty well done.
  • Gaslit (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/24 – A modern take on Watergate with Julia Roberts and Sean Penn as the couple in the center of the Nixon takedown.
  • Billy the Kid (Epix) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/24 – A drama about how William H. Bonney became an outlaw.
  • The Man Who Fell to Earth (Show) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/24 – Inspired by the novel and Bowie film we foolow an alien looking for help for his species.
  • The Baby (HBO) Series Premiere 4/24 – A woman who didn’t want a baby finds herself with one in this horror comedy, I’m not really sure what that means.

More streaming

  • Smother-In-Law (Brazilian comedy – Net, 4/13)
  • Heirs to the Land (Spanish drama – Net, 4/15)
  • Mai: A Mother’s Rage (Hindi mystery – Net, 4/15)
  • Hidden Assets (Irish drama – Acorn, 4/18)
  • The Marked Heart (Columbian thriller – Net, 4/20)
  • Yakamoz S-245 (Turkish sci-fi – Net, 4/20)
  • He’s Expecting (Japanese drama – Net, 4/21)
  • Les Norton (Australian crime dramedy – Crack, 4/21)
  • Heartstopper (British comedy – Net, 4/22)
  • Hold Tight (Polish mystery – Net, 4/22)

Returning streaming: Balthazar (Acorn, 4/11), Almost Happy (Net, 4/13), The Great Pottery Throw Down (HBO, 4/14), Ultraman (Net, 4/14), Como Sobrevivir Soltero (Am, 4/15), The Real World Homecoming (Para+, 4/20), Russian Doll (Net, 4/20), The Flight Attendant (HBOM, 4/21), Pretty Hard Cases (IMDB, 4/22), Selling Sunset (Net, 4/22).

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, please check your local listings.

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 3/28-4/10

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The Girl From Plainville

I finished up my 2021 movies binge to get my best of list out. Still more movies to see but you gotta draw the line somewhere. I am back to catching up on saved tv shows, Better Things, Killing Eve, Astrid & Lilly, Resident Alien, before I dig back into streaming.

I have also tried a couple new items. Welcome to Flatch which feels like it wants to be funny, not sure if it just needs more time. The Boys Presents the animated bit which didn’t do much in adding to The Boys universe for me. The Thing About Pam which I couldn’t bring myself to give a second episode. I have been hanging in for Law & Order though not with much enthusiasm.

  • The Girl from Plainville (Hulu) Series Premiere, Tuesday 3/29 – Based on the true story of the girl convicted of basically driving her boyfriend to suicide, with Elle Fanning in the title role always worth a look.
  • Moon Knight (Dis+) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/30 – Another Marvel, this one about about a dude sharing a body with a mercenary.
  • Julia (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/31 – Comedy series based on the life of Julia Child.
  • How We Roll (CBS) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/31 – A comedy based on the life of professional bowler Tom Smallwood a man turns to a career in bowling when he gets laid off from an assembly line.
  • Love Me (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 4/1 – When a woman passes away on her 40th birthday she leaves her husband and kids at a crossroads.
  • The Outlaws (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 4/1 – A comedic thriller about lawbreakers thrown together for community service and a bag of cash.
  • Slow Horses (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 4/1 – Based on the novel(s), this espionage series follows a team of British intelligence agents headed up by Gary Oldman.
  • Fallen Angels Murder Club (Life) Series Premiere, Saturday 4/2 – An anthology movie series with Toni Braxton as an ex-con turned amateur sleuth.
  • Harry Wild (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 4/4 – This Irish mystery thriller stars Jane Seymour as a retired professor who gets involved in her detective son’s case.
  • Long Slow Exhale (Spec) Series Premiere, Monday 4/4 – A drama about a women’s college basketball team where a coach gets caught up in a sexual abuse scandal.
  • 61st Street (AMC) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/10, 10pm – Chicago criminal justice system investigates a deadly drug bust in this thriller.

More streaming:

  • Wild Abandon (Turkish drama – Net, 3/30)
  • The Informant (Hungarian spy drama – HBOM, 4/1)
  • The Thaw (Polish thriller – HBOM, 4/1)
  • Tomorrow (Korean fantasy drama – Net, 4/1)
  • Green Mother’s Club (Korean drama – Net, 4/6)
  • The Marked Heart (Colombian thriller – Net, 4/6)
  • Tokyo Vice (Japanese drama – HBOM, 4/7)
  • Dirty Lines (Dutch offbeat drama – Net, 4/8)
  • My Liberation Notes (Korean drama – Net, 4/9)
  • Our Blues (Korean drama – Net, 4/9)

Returning streaming: First Day (Hulu, 3/31), Wisting (SundN, 3/31), Young Justice (HBOM, 3/31), Boarding School (Net, 4/1), Doug Unplugs (App+, 4/1), The Croods (Hulu, 4/5), The Hardy Boys (Hulu, 4/6), Close Enough (HBOM, 4/7), Woke (Hulu, 4/8), Elite (Net, 4/8).

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, please check your local listings.

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best, movies

procrastinator’s must-see movies of 2021

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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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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 3/14-3/27

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Pachinko

After finally wrapping the fun Get Shorty I did a quick spin through Reacher and the new season of Upload which were also pretty enjoyable. This week in addition to maybe Life & Beth, will tune back in to the second season of Mr. Mayor which had potential. And will tune back in for another frothy romp with Bridgerton and long awaited return of Atlanta.

  • DMZ (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/17 – A limited series based on the comic series stars Rosario Dawson searching for her son in Manhattan after a future civil way.
  • Minx (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/17 – Some early positive buzz for this look at the first erotic magazine for women.
  • Welcome to Flatch (Fox) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/17 – Based on a BBC series this mockumentary look at a small-town has enough pedigree to maybe be funny.
  • Life & Beth (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 3/18 – Amy Schumer heads up this series as a ‘successful’ woman forced to look back at her life.
  • WeCrashed (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 3/18 – Based on the podcast, Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway star in this story of the rise and fall of WeWork.
  • Human Resources (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 3/18 – A spin-off of Big Mouth, which has its moments, this follows the creatures like the Hormone Monsters worlds.
  • The Newsreader (Roku) Series Premiere, Friday 3/18 – A six part Australian drama following 1986 reporters.
  • Halo (Para+) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/24 – Based on the video game, if that’s interesting to you.
  • Pachinko (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 3/25 – I really enjoyed this book, hopeful that the series does justice to the story that spans Korea, Japan, and America following generations of a family, early word looks good.
  • The Pact (Roku) Series Premiere, Saturday 3/26 – A drama follows a family in a post-apocalyptic world looking for answers about a fog that drives victims insane.
  • Academy Awards (ABC) Sunday 3/27, 5pm – I’m aiming to put my best movies list out next weekend and have sort of decided to prioritize seeing some of this best pic nominees and calling it a day, our Oscar pool fell by the wayside so I may or may not tune in.

International

  • Pedal to the Metal (Mexican drama – Net, 3/16)
  • Soil (Belgian dramedy – Net, 3/17)
  • Cracow Monsters (Polish horror/fantasy – Net, 3/18)
  • Eternally Confused and Eager for Love (Indian Romcom – Net, 3/18
  • Lust (Swedish comedy – HBOM, 3/18)
  • Standing Up (French dramedy – Net, 3/18)
  • Before We Die (Swedish detective – PBS 3/20)
  • Parallels (French drama – Dis+, 3/23)

Returning streaming: The Bay (Brit, 3/15), Curious George (Pea, 3/17), Jellystone (HBOM, 3/17), Millennials (AllBlk, 3/17), Stillwater (App+, 3/18), Light the Night (Net, 3/18), Top Boy (Net, 3/18), The Good Karma Hospital (Acorn, 3/21), Bloods (Hulu, 3/23), Starstruck (HBOM, 3/24), Bridgerton (Net, 3/25).

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, please check your local listings.

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 2/28-3/13

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Queer Eye Germany

Well I finally kicked out my Top TV list so now back to the riff raff. I am excited for the return of Better Things on Monday for its final season. The returning Canadian show Transplant is still on my season pass. And the fun Upload is returning to Amazon.

  • The Dropout (Hulu) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/3 – The latest limited series focuses on Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes a tale of ambition gone wrong.
  • Joe vs. Carole (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/3/ – More nonsense about these big cat shenanigan, with Kate McKinnon as Carole curious the tone they’ll go for.
  • Our Flag Means Death (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/3 – This original comedy series is loosely based on the 18th century pirate Stede Bonnet and their hijinks.
  • The Tourist (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/3 – A man loses his memory after an epic cat and mouse car chase and the pursuit is not over.
  • The Boys Presents (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 3/4 – I normally pay limited attention to animation but this is set in The Boys universe which is a show I enjoy so maybe a look.
  • Pieces of Her (Net) Series Premiere, – Toni Collette stars as a mother with a dark past whose daughter starts to question after an attack.
  • Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 3/6 – A dramatic retelling about the Lakers in the ’80s.
  • Shining Vale (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 3/6 – A couple whose marriage is at its breaking point move with their kids from Brooklyn to Connecticut buying an old house in this Ghosts-esque comedy, except the ghost might be a murderer trying to possess the wife.
  • The Chelsea Detective (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 3/7 – A detective investigates murders with the usual suspects in supporting roles.
  • The Thing About Pam (NBC) Series Premiere, Tuesday 3/8 – Drama based on a real life murder and the involvement of Pam, the main think I know is that Renee Zellweger stars but people are not happy she’s in a fat suit to do it.
  • Queer Eye Germany (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/9 – In a foreign/reality highlight a local Fab 5 gives this show a go.
  • Bust Down (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/10 – Four casino employees making a mess out of their lives in this comedy.
  • That Dirty Black Bag (AMC+) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/10 – A spaghetti western of a series covers bounty hunters, bandits, vendettas and more.
  • The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 3/11 – Limited series with Samuel L. Jackson among others as an old man with dementia is assigned to the care of a teenager they find a treatment to restore memories.

More streaming (foreign/foreign language) – The global streaming situation is out of control so I’m going to stop trying to detail all of these. For now will list them in case you want them on your radar. Usually if there’s a hidden gem it’ll start to get buzz with some of the critics I follow and I can highlight it at a later date.

  • Business Proposal (Korean – Net, 2/28)
  • Savage Rhythm (Colombian – Net, 3/2)
  • Echos (German – SundN, 3/3)
  • Midnight at Pera Palace (Turkish – Net, 3/3)
  • Lies and Deceit (Spanish – Net, 3/4)
  • Love, Life & Everything in Between (Saudi – Net, 3/10)
  • Once Upon a Time… Happily Never After (Spanish – Net, 3/11)

Returning streaming: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Net, 3/3), A House Divided (Allblk, 3/3), Little Ellen (HBOM, 3/3), The Parisian Agency (Net, 3/3), Power Rangers Dino Fury (Net, 3/3), Star Trek: Picard (Para+, 3/3), Central Park (App+, 3/4) , Dear… (App+, 3/4), An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts (Net, 3/8), Chip and Potato (Net, 3/8), The Last Kingdom (Net, 3/9), Karma’s World (Net, 3/10), Ruthless (BET+, 3/10), The Snoopy Show (App+, 3/11), Upload (Am, 3/11).

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, please check your local listings.

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procrastinator’s top tv of 2021

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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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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 2/14-2/27

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Law & Order

Other than the return of Killing Eve, which I’m always excited about I’ll likely to check out The Endgame and Law & Order. I wrapped up Reservation Dogs which was a fun watch and am about ready to call it on as much tv as I can watch to put out my best of 2021 list.

  • Severance (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 2/18 – Adam Scott plays a man whose company has surgically divided their work and personal memories, and you know there are implications, good early buzz.
  • From (Epix) Series Premiere, Sunday 2/20 – The mystery of a nightmarish town that traps all who enter in this sci-fi horror series.
  • All American: Homecoming (CW) Series Premiere, Monday 2/21 – A spinoff of All American, this one follows students at HBCU looking for sports excellence.
  • The Endgame (NBC) Series Premiere, Monday 2/21 – Heist drama with Morena Baccarin, in!
  • Take Note (Pea) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/24 – A fictional look at a reality singing competition.
  • Law & Order (NBC) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/24, 8pm – The mothership returns for its 21st season, with some familiar faces.
  • Vikings: Valhalla (Net)Series Premiere, Friday 2/25 – I have heard good things about Vikings but didn’t stick with it, this is a take about 100 years later.

More streaming

  • Aftertaste (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 2/14 – Set in Australia, chef turned pariah tries to usher in his pastry chef niece’s glory.
  • Devotion, A Story of Love and Desire (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 2/14 – Spouses tempted by other desires in this Italian romantic drama.
  • Fishbowl Wives (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 2/14 – Six different women in a luxury apartment tower give infidelity a go, this Japanese romantic drama is based on a manga series.
  • Thirty-Nine (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 2/16 – A trio of besties deal with all things in this Korean romantic drama.
  • Conviction The Case of Stephen Lawrence (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 2/21 – The case of the racially motivated murder of an 18-year-old Black student in this three part miniseries.
  • Back to 15 (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 2/25 – A very 13 going on 30 take in this Brazilian teen drama.
  • The Fame Game (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 2/25 – India’s most famous actress goes missing and the truth of her life comes out.in this Hindi language mystery.
  • Juvenile Justice (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 2/25 – A judge balances cases in the juvenile court in this Korean crime show.
  • Merli Sapere Aude (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 225 – This Spanish teen show introduces a new philosophy student.

Returning Streaming: State of the Union (SundN, 2/14), Ridley Jones (Net, 2/15), Swap Shop (Net, 2/16), Trolls (Hulu, 2/17), Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs (HBOM, 2/17) Young Wallander (Net, 2/17), The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Am, 2/18), Space Force (Net, 2/18), Killing Eve (AMC+, 2/20/BBCA, 2/27), Agatha Raisin (Acorn, 2/21), Reno 911! (Roku, 2/25), Van Go (Disc+, 2/25).

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, please check your local listings.

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procrastinator’s best books of 2021

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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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sports, tv

winter olympics

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Winter Olympics

Not quite as much buzz around this. It’s a triple hit because a) I don’t think people are ever as into the winter version b) we’re in a diplomatic boycott because China (human rights abuses, ethnic cleansing, etc.) c) we’re in a pandemic and China isn’t messing around (serious isolation and testing for both athletes and various staff).

So do we let it slide? I mean no. We’re still the most obnoxious country about our team spirit and athletic dominance. So we will continue to give it an eye.

How to watch: All the NBC channels will have pretty serious coverage. NBC, Peacock, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Olympics channel, nbcolympics.com. Sounds like nbcolympics.com will give you the schedule and coverage and you can drill down to any favorites. For most people tuning into primetime and seeing what they want us to see meets the mark.

When to watch: It’s happening! We’ve started competition and the Opening Ceremonies were Friday morning and being telecast tonight at 8pm. Closing will hit Sunday, February 20 at 8pm.

What to watch: I feel like figure skating is the gymnastics of winter. Apparently this year we’ve got a serious contender on the men’s side (though women could reportedly be shutout by all Russians). I still have a soft spot for both the Snowboarding Halfpipe and ‘old guy’ Shaun White trying to keep up with the kids. Who doesn’t want to gander some curling? And do you consider the various bobsleds or speed skating the swimming of the winter?

New competitions: Each Olympics gets to mix it up a bit and this year. Bobsled – Women’s Monobob, Freestyle Skiing – Men’s and Women’s Big Air + Mixed Team Aerials, Short Track – Mixed Team Relay, Ski Jumping – Mixed Team, Snowboarding – Mixed Team Snowboard Cross.

I mean honestly I don’t have time for this so I will admittedly dabble and then catch up on a couple best tv of 2021 candidates before I get that list together.

Are you in?

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new and noteworthy tv: 1/31-2/13

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Inventing Anna

Trying to get it together and focus on a few series that might be on people’s best of 2021 tv list that I get and still haven’t watched. I also have been wrapping up a few things. The latest season of Queer Eye which is a solid mindless distraction, Please Like Me which I turned to after being saddened that Everything’s Gonna Be Okay also with/by Josh Thomas was canceled. And if you like him it’s a sweet and oddly funny show. And wrapped what will apparently be the only season of Cowboy Bebop, I’m not familiar with the source material but it never quite hit its stride for me, if it’s kind of your jam maybe check out Killjoys. Oh and I guess the winter games are coming up, opening ceremony is February 4.

  • Pam & Tommy (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 2/2 – I mean, this, centering around their sex tape, is so campy it’s worth at least a look right?
  • Murderville (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/3 – I don’t normally bother with improv/sketch but the premise here has potential, Will Arnett stars in a weekly detective drama and one celebrity is dropped in as part of the cast without any info.
  • Reacher (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 2/4 – I haven’t read these novels but have been told by people that Tom Cruise was terrible casting and that this new series totally misses the tone, whether it’s entertaining nonetheless is TBD.
  • Suspicion (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 2/4 – Uma Thurman stars in this abduction mystery where people may or may not be what they seem.
  • Power Book IV: Force (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 2/6 – A spinoff of the Power universe where the character Tommy Egan moves from New York to Chicago.
  • Angela Black (Spectrum) Series Premiere, Monday 2/7 – This psychological thriller about a woman whose life appears idyllic but there are secrets that unfurl.
  • The Girl Before (HBOM) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/10 – In this limited series Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars as a woman who moves into a house but must abide by the architect’s rules, played by David Oyelowo.
  • Inventing Anna (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 2/11 – Julia Garner stars as Anna Delvey an heiress(?) who stole from the social elite.
  • Bel-Air (Pea) Series Premiere, Sunday 2/13 – The dramatic version of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, which I believe is just kind of All American.

More streaming:

  • Finding Ola (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/3 – After a life-altering event, Ola goes on a journey of self-discovery in this Egyptian quirky drama.
  • New Gold Mountain (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/3 – A look at the Australian gold rush from the perspective of Chinese miners.
  • Until Life Do Us Part (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 2/10 – Three generations of a family juggle their own lives and their wedding planning biz in this Portuguese dramedy.
  • Forecasting Love and Weather (Net) Series Premiere, Saturday 2/12 – Love at a national weather service in this South Korean romcom.
  • Twenty Five Twenty One (Net) Series Premiere, Saturday 2/12 – Finding connection in times of adversity in this South Korean romcom.

Returning streaming: Gabby’s Dollhouse (Net, 2/1), Raising Dion (Net, 2/1), Dark Desire (Net, 2/2), Meateater (Net, 2/2), Double Cross (Allblk, 2/3), Dragons Rescue Riders (Pea, 2/3), Kid Cosmic (Net, 2/3), Raised by Wolves (HBOM, 2/3), Re(Motel) (Disc+, 2/4), Magnolia Table (Disc+, 2/4), Sweet Magnolias (Net, 2/4), Agatha Raisin (Acorn, 2/7), Social Society (Allblk, 2/7), Catching Killers (Net, 2/9), Disenchantment (Net, 2/9), Odo (HBOM, 2/10), Dollface (Hulu, 2/11), First Time Fixer (Disc+, 2/11), Love is Blind (Net, 2/11), Toy Boy (Net, 2/11).

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, please check your local listings.

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