procrastinationchronicles.com – Page 17 – how television rules my life…

new and noteworthy tv: 6/8-6/21

June 7, 2020 No Comments

I wrapped Ozark which threw down with another dark season, visually and content wise, if this is your kind of show definitely check it out. Things are starting to peter out but one of my fave escapist shows The Bold Type and a very special animated episode of One Day at a Time are on the radar. And this week if you’re looking for a special on the topics of today Monday The Time is Now: Race and Resolution on History/Lifetime/A&E, and Tuesday-Wed on various channels including Own: Own Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?

The Woods (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 6/12 – Based on a Harlan Coben novel, a prosecutor’s hopes rise when a body is found and linked to sister’s disappearance.
Partners in Crime (Ova) Series Premiere, Saturday 6/13 – Based on Agatha Christie’s work and following a crime fighting couple, probably par for this kind of course.
Beecham House (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 6/14 – Not great early buzz for former soldier trying to start a new life but carrying a secret.
Love,Victor (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 6/19 – Inspired by the film Love, Simon this one follows our protagonist while adjusting to a new high school.
Perry Mason (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 6/21 – Matthew Rhys picks up as criminal defense lawyer, with the case of the decade, no early word but I’d give it a shot.

Additional streaming:

Curon (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 6/10 – Teen twins discover secrets when their mother mysteriously disappears in this Italian fantasy series.
Reality Z (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 6/10 – A zombie apocalypse imprison contestants on a reality show studio in this Brazilian Horror series.
Whispers (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 6/11 – A Saudi thriller about a family facing the death of the patriarch as secrets come out.

Returning streaming: Dating Around (Net, 6/12), F is for Family (Net, 6/12), Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Net, 6/12), Pokeman the Series (Net, 6/12), Marcella (Net, 6/14), Hidden (Acorn, 6/15), Mr. Iglesias (Net, 6/17), The Bureau (SundN, 6/18), The Order (Net, 6/18), Summer Camp Island (HBOM, 6/18), Babies (Net, 6/19), Coisa Mais Linda (Net, 6/19), The Politician (Net, 6/19).

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.

new and noteworthy tv: 5/25-6/7

May 24, 2020 No Comments

I knocked off Veep through a free window into some HBO shows, and while it was mostly a hoot I wish the finale could have been both dramatically satisfying and a little less depressing. I also knocked off two adaptations Little Fires Everywhere which I thought lacked the nuance of the book and Normal People which minus a few tweaks in tone mostly mirrored the book which I never quite loved. And the latest season of Sex Education which I’m still enjoying. Queer Eye returns this week as well as a special Family Feud celebrity old vs new cast (ABC, 5/31). I’m also looking forward to Agents of SHIELD which returns for its final season, though it’s been uneven I’ve enjoyed the journey and will give another run at Ramy.

In other tv news, HBO Max is now a thing, kicking off on May 27, but what’s the difference between HBO GO (included with HBO), HBO NOW (standalone streaming and apparently comes with access to HBO Max at launch at no additional charge) and HBO Max? Well Max seems to give you all of HBO plus more including some original series and stuff from WarnerMedia and maybe more? How that ends up shaking out in the long run time will tell I suppose. But until then you’re note a few new originals, most of which seem to yet have any advanced critical review as of yet.

Barkskins (NGC) Series Premiere, Monday 5/25, 9pm – No advanced word on this drama series based on the Annie Proulx novel, a look at the mysterious massacre of settlers in the 1690s New France in Quebec.
Ghosts (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – A comedic take on a group of former inhabitants haunting a country mansion.
Home (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – A comedy that follows a family and the refugee who escapes in their car.
Love Life (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – Anna Kendrick stars in at least part of this comedic anthology series looks at the journey from first to last love, so far not a lot of positivity.
Stath Lets Flats (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – A comedy where a rubbish lettings agent aims to take over the family business.
Trigonometry (HBOM) Series Premiere, Wednesday 5/27 – Three people in a complicated relationship.
Central Park (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 5/29 – Animated release from one of the Bob’s Burgers peeps, and with cast including Daveed Diggs, Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, and Stanley Tucci about a family that cares for and lives in the park and their foe a hotel heiress, getting some early good buzz.
Space Force (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/29 – Following the latest launch 5/27 hopefully that puts you in the mood to watch Steve Carell as a serious military man who swaps his dreams of running the Air Force for running the Space Force, good pedigree but time will tell.
Quiz (AMC) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/31, 9pm – Early good word on this three-part drama series about the people who tried to cheat their way through the British version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Maxxx (Hulu) Series Premiere, Tuesday 6/2 – A comedy about a former boy band star trying to make a comeback, might have some laughs.
In My Skin (Hulu) Series Premiere, Thursday 6/4 – Welsh coming-of-age dark comedy about a teen girl who hides her troubled home life, might be worth a look.
McCallum (Ova) Series Premiere, Friday 6/5 – Motorcycling forensic pathologist, not sure if this is worth finding Ovation or not.
Trackers (Cin) Series Premiere, Friday 6/5 – Six episode crime drama set in South Africa finds a low-level analyst uncovering a conspiracy.
I May Destroy You (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 6/7, 10:30pm – After an up-and-coming writer is assaulted at a nightclub she reconsiders parts of her life.

More streaming

Can You Hear Me? (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 6/4 – Canadian drama about three friends grappling with life.
El Presidente (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 6/5 – A Mexican true crime series inspired by the 2015 Fifa corruption scandal.

Returning streaming: Ramy (Hulu, 5/29), Somebody Feed Pil (Net, 5/29), Baki (Net, 6/4), Queer Eye (Net, 6/5)

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.

new and noteworthy tv: 5/11-5/24

May 10, 2020 No Comments

I’ve been kicking along with some of the shows still airing/wrapping up as well as making some progress on streaming options. I wrapped up High Fidelity which I really liked, thought they captured a good vibe from the source materials which I also really liked. This week a few new things cropping up, Burden of Truth is also back, the Canadian legal drama that somehow got me hooked based on timing as a sort of summer series.

The Great (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 5/15 – A satirical, comedic drama about Catherine the Great played by Elle Fanning, some good initial reviews.
White Lines (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/15 – A woman travels from England to Ibiza when her brother is found dead in this offbeat thriller.
Hightown (Starz) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/17 – No word on this crime drama exploring themes of addiction, recovery and possible redemption.
Snowpiercer (TNT) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/17 – This series has been in the works for a while so I’m a little skeptical particularly since it’s based on what was already an odd film that’s a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller where the remnants of humanity survive on a moving train.
Dead Still (Acorn) Series Premiere, Monday 5/18 – A darkly comic murder mystery set in 1880s Ireland, not sure about the show or where one would actually watch Acorn.
DC’s Stargirl (DC) Series Premiere, Monday 5/18 – A high school sophomore finds a staff and gathers up a team to superhero, I’m not super eager.
Sweet Magnolias (Net) Series Premiere, Tuesday 5/19 – Lifelong friends lift each other up in a small southern town in this romantic drama.

More streaming

Inhuman Resources (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/15 – Out of work and attracted by a job opening that leads to more than bargained for in this French thriller.
The Unremarkable Juanquini (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/15 – A magician makes a kingpin disappear in this Latin absurdist drama.
Control Z (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/22 – A hacker starts releasing high school students’ secrets in this Mexican teen show.
Betaal (Net) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/24 – British soldier unearth zombies when trying to make way for a highway in this Indian thriller.

Returning streaming: Bordertown (Net, 5/11), Magic for Humans (Net, 5/15), She Ra and the Princess of Power (Net, 5/15), Homecoming (Am, 5/22), Trailer Park Boys (Net, 5/22)

new and noteworthy tv: 4/27-5/10

April 26, 2020 No Comments

I got an under desk bike for my apartment which allowed me to watch a couple of series that I was only allowing myself at the gym, so wrapped up very fun The Tick and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, two seasons not enough for one and four seasons probably a little too much for the other. I also wrapped the reboot of Will & Grace which overall I enjoyed but maybe more so in the beginning when it seemed to be dealing with more issues around their new older place in life. And as shows are wrapping for the season, either as scheduled or prematurely, there are still some new things coming our way. I’m going to tune in for Never Have I Ever and Normal People. Also excited to see where season two of Dead to Me goes, the first season was imperfect but I found myself totally absorbed by Applegate and Cardellini and their precarious circumstances. Note for those of you who tuned in or missed Council of Dads on NBC it’s back on Thursday after the Parks & Rec special, it was super sappy but you know if you’re into that kind of thing.

Never Have I Ever (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 4/27 – Hearing good things about this new series from Mindy Kaling about a first-gen Indian-American teen.
Normal People (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/29 – Based on the book (which we just read for book club) the story of a relationship of an Irish ‘couple’ whose lives are intertwined from high school through undergraduate, liked the book and will tune in based on overall positive reviews.
Parks and Recreation (NBC) Thursday 4/30 – Excited to revisit some of our favorite city workers though curious to see what the filmed from their own homes special episode will bring.
Hollywood (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/1 – No advanced word on this new limited series from Ryan Murphy about the “Golden Age” of Hollywood.
Trying (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 5/1 – British comedy about a couple who want kids, no insights as to how funny it is.
Upload (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 5/1 – The premise of this comedy by Greg Daniels (Office/Parks & Rec) is an app developer gets uploaded to a virtual world after a near fatal accident, probably worth a sample.
Betty (HBO) Series Premiere, Friday 5/1 – Intrigued by this look at a group of young women skateboarders, expanding on the world created by the film Skate Kitchen.
Ming’s Dynasty (Fuse) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/3, 11pm – Aspiring rappers return to Toronto to manage the family’s Chinese restaurant.
Bad Mothers (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 5/7 – Australian drama looking at motherhood through four different women.
I Know This Much Is True (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 5/10 – An adaptation of Wally Lamb novel starring Mark Ruffalo as twins dealing with mental illness and other drama, no word but intriguing.

More streaming

Extracurricular (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/29 – Korean teen drama about a student living a double life at school and in the world of crime.
Summertime (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/29 – Italian summer of love for two young adults from different backgrounds.
The Victim’s Game (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/30 – Taiwanese crime drama about a detective with Asperger’s who investigates his daughter’s link to murders.
Almost Happy (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/1 – Quirky Argentinian comedy about a radio host and his family.
Into the Night (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/1 – Belgian thriller about a flight that tries to outrace the sun or face death (in like a supernatural way).
Republic of Doyle (Ova) Series Premiere, Saturday 5/2 – Comedic drama series about a father and son PI agency.
The Eddy (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/8 – French drama about the owner of a jazz club getting mixed up with criminals.
Valeria (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 5/8 – Spanish romantic comedy with four women discovering themselves.

Returning streaming: Wolf Creek (Shud, 4/30), Medici (Net, 5/1), Workin’ Moms (Net, 5/6), Scissor Seven (Net, 5/7), Dead to Me (Net, 5/8), The Hollow (Net, 5/8), Restaurants on the Edge (Net, 5/8), Rust Valley Restores (Net, 5/8)

shelter and binge

April 23, 2020 No Comments

Note: Apologies to my email subscribers, a recent update has caused the emails to contain all(?) of my 2020 postings in addition to the current post. My email subscription service is no longer supported and I was hoping to put off updates so it’ll just take a beat to clean up with a new service. Stay tuned the procrastinator is on it, eventually.

So there’s always more tv than a person can watch these days but as some people find themselves having more downtime, or just different downtime and needing to disconnect, we still find ourselves sometimes needing to find the right show. I find that when I’m looking for something to binge I’m not always looking for the best tv show and might want something a little lighter and ideally that has an entire series so I can mark it as complete. I might be due for a Buffy rewatch, that would keep me busy for a while. In what follows I’m going to lean toward more exhaustive and less detailed on some options but included only things available to stream. There are a few extras happening these days (e.g. select HBO shows available until ~5/15, I’m currently watching Veep) and now might be the time to do a free trial to check out a service you don’t have. For those not streaming take a look at your various on demand services and channel websites for backlogs to varied degrees.

Classic sitcoms new and old – The Carmichael Show (Hulu). Cheers (Netflix/Prime/Hulu)/Frasier (Hulu), The Good Place (Net), Malcolm in the Middle (Hulu), Mary Tyler Moore (Hulu), MASH (Hulu), New Girl (Netflix), The Office (Netflix), Parks & Recreations (Netflix/Prime/Hulu), Scrubs (Hulu), Seinfeld (Hulu), That 70s Show (Net), 3rd Rock From the Sun (Prime), 30 Rock (Prime/Hulu) – While I’m still a fan of watching from start to finish for most of these you can just tune in and out (other than The Good Place which is a can’t miss but needs to be watched in order) I recently redid Cheers which totally holds up
More under the radar – Baskets (Hulu), Better Off Ted (Hulu), Bored to Death (Prime), Community (Net/Hulu), Cougar Town (Hulu), Don’t Trust the B in Apartment (Hulu), Flight of the Conchords (Prime), Happy Endings (Hulu), The League (Hulu), The Mindy Project (Hulu), Party Down (Hulu), Santa Clarity Diet (Net), Schitts Creek (Net), Speechless (Hulu) – I recently finished the very fun Santa Clarita and I tend to find myself always tuning in for a random Cougartown
Less sitcomy – Bojack Horseman (Net), Casual (Hulu), Catastrophe (Prime), Enlightened (Prime), Forever (Prime), Fleabag (Prime), Master of None (Net), One Mississippi (Prime), Sex & the City (Prime), Sorry For Your Loss (FBWatch), You’re the Worst (Hulu) – These all have moments of humor but are capitalizing on the dramedy phase, Bojack just ended but tempted to go back and rewatch that again next
Procedurals/Capers – Bones (Prime/Hulu), Broadchurch (Net), Burn Notice (Prime/Hulu), Chuck (Prime), Crossing Jordan (Prime), Elementary (Hulu), ER (Hulu), Hannibal (Prime), Luther (Prime/Hulu), The Mentalist (Prime), NYPD Blue (Prime/Hulu), Patriot (Prime), Psych (Prime), Sneaky Pete (Prime), Southland (Hulu), Terriers (Hulu), Veronica Mars (Hulu) – I recently finished Psych which was perfect mindless tv, did a rewatch of Terriers before they took it down for a bit and a rewatch of Veronica Mars (not technically done but no new seasons on the way, Luther is also not technically done) before the later season added to Hulu, some of these are more mindless than others and of course some hold up longer in their runs than others but all would be good distractions
Relationships/Soaps – Downton Abbey (Prime), Gillmore Girls/Bunheads (from the Palladinos) (Net/Hulu), Gossip Girl (Net), Greek (Net), Hart of Dixie (Net), The Riches (Hulu) – I recently wrapped Downton Abbey and what great fare but if you just want to curl up with these fluffier bits it makes for some fun, I was going to try The OC but can’t seem to find it for free, alas plenty of other options
Genre – Angel/Buffy/Firefly/Dollhouse (Joss Whedon fare) (Hulu), Battlestar Galactica (Prime), HUMANS (Prime), iZombie (Net), Jessica Jones (Net), Orphan Black (Prime), Pushing Daisies (Prime), Saving Grace (Hulu), The Tick (Prime), The X-Files (Hulu) – I did an X-Files rewatch a while ago and the earlier episodes are fun but it does eventually get a little tedious, Buffy always calls to me
Drama – The Americans (Prime), Breaking Bad (Netflix), Deadwood (Prime), Friday Night Lights (Prime/Hulu), The Good Wife (Prime/Hulu), In Treatment (Prime), Justified (Hulu), Lodge 49 (Hulu),, Mad Men (Net), Rectify (Net), The Shield (Hulu), Six Feet Under/The Sopranos/The Wire (Prime/Hulu) I think of these as the HBO canon) – Though I don’t tend to binge the heavier stuff so much, now is a great time to catch one of these classics, I personally dropped Breaking Bad after the second season and have decided to go back when I finish The Shield

Happy to do any personalized narrowing down! What’s next for you and what did I miss that you’d recommend?

new and noteworthy tv: 4/13-4/26

April 13, 2020 No Comments

Ok now that I’m not trying to burn through movies I’m making a bit more progress on tv. I wrapped my rewatch of Beverly Hills, 90210, which was fun for about the first season and then became sort of an obsessive torture. I’m also digging in to Orange is the New Black, Ozark, Sex Education, Making the Cut, and have started Little Fires Everywhere, I really liked this book and am cautious, and of course Killing Eve which is usually worth it even if it’s not as good as the first season. And wrapped the series finale of Schitts Creek which I thought did a good final leg. I’ll miss those oddballs. It’s a pass for me on Broke and Vagrant Queen, but I’m so far sticking with Motherland: Fort Salem and still tentatively trying Almost Paradise, which I don’t think is good but hoping it might be fun. Next up I’m excited for the return of What We Do In the Shadows which is so odd I can’t stop watching, and the final season of fave cop Bosch.

Paradise Lost (Spectrum) Series Premiere, Monday 4/13 – Couple returns to small town Mississippi and secrets are unearthed starring Josh Harnett and Barbara Hershey among others, who knows.
The Baker and the Beauty (ABC) Series Premiere, Monday 4/13, 10pm – Reads like a made for tv movie, Cuban baker meets a superstar, but for romcom fans who knows.
Mrs. America (FX/Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/15 – The story of the movement to ratify the ERA and the backlash of a conservative, includes a great cast with Cate Blanchett, Margo Martindate, Rose Byrne and Sarah Paulson among others so def worth a look.
Outer Banks (Net) Series Premiere, Wednesday 4/15 – A group of teens unearths a long buried secret, perhaps some potential in this mystery-thriller.
#blackAF (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 4/17 – Comedy series starring Rashida Jones and Kenya Barris based on Barris’ life, who knows.
Defending Jacob (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 4/24 – Based on the novel this thriller about an ADA torn between justice and family with Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery, maybe.
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Show) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/26, 10:10pm – An LA version of Penny Dreadful, no word but if you’re a fan of the original it’s likely a good bet.

More streaming

The King (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 4/17 – A modern-day Korean emperor find himself in a parallel world
Love 101 (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 4/24 – A group of teenagers in Turkey trying to get their teacher to fall in love.

Returning streaming: Fauda (Net, 4/16) Bosch (Am, 4/17), The Last Kids on Earth (Net, 4/17), After Life (Net, 4/24), Hello Ninja (Net, 4/24), The Last Kingdom (Net, 4/26).

best, movies

procrastinator’s picks – must see movies of 2019

April 6, 2020 No Comments

It’s a weird time these days but it did give me a good opportunity to play a little catch up with 2019 movies, lots of stuff is streaming and it felt like a good project. There are fun ways to make your movies a project or more of a community like Focus Features Movie Monday Livestreams or AFI Movie Club or start your own movie club and talk about it with video chat. Or just revisit some old favorites, why not re-watch all The Fast and the Furious films for example. You can also find some critics’ picks consolidated into sites like Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes. So knowing that this list could take various shapes and there are things that I could leave on or off, here’s my ten.

Brittany Runs a Marathon – Our protagonist is the least likely marathon runner but her journey to get her health and her life in order is totally engaging, and you know it’s about more than the running.
Knives Out – This mystery/comedy is a fun romp through the dysfunctional Thrombey family and the investigation into the murder of it’s crime novelist patriarch, the entire family of suspects, with odd but compelling turns from detective and caregiver.
Jojo Rabbit – While the juxtaposition of comedy and the horrors of Hitler and the war might be at odds, for me it heightened the childlike POV and the unbearable.
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood – Enjoyed most of the latest Tarantino with a bit of ramble through the last days of Hollywood including an odd Manson overlap and signature flair for good and for bad, and Pitt and his dog Randy were really captivating.
Booksmart – This coming of age comedy following two potentially too smart for their own goods BFFs through their final days of high school, has lots of hijinks but also lots of heart.
Parasite – Good but odd and not necessarily in the way I expected with the cryptic things I knew about these two alternate class families and their engagement.
Little Women – I think everyone’s got the gist of this tale but the update carried me through the family, the romance, and the tragedy.
The Farewell – Enjoyed the trip to China in this heartfelt family, generational, and cultural tale of a fake wedding as a means to say goodbye.
Uncut Gems – Tense from start to finish Adam Sandler tries to thread the needle with shady deals and bets along with managing his work and family in this gem.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire – The slow burn romance and the journey of the 18th century female painter commissioned to paint the portrait of a reluctant bride to be.

What were some of your favorites?

new and noteworthy tv: 3/30-4/12

March 29, 2020 No Comments

Excited and sad to see the series finale of Schitts Creek coming up on April 7, Killing Eve is back on April 12, and I need to figure out what I’m going to do about the return of The Good Fight (sign up for CBSAA? free trial? wait and pay later on Amazon?). I haven’t even started the latest seasons of Ozark or Sex Education yet, what am I doing?! Well I’ve been catching up on some movies, stay tuned for my 2019 post this next week. I did watch Making the Cut the new Time/Heidi Runwy-esque show, and while certainly enjoyable some pros and cons on this in comparison, will stay tuned and see how it rolls along. As well as the slightly campy but will tune in for another Motherland: Fort Salem about witches training for battle and associated drama. I also wrapped up Arrested Development, I had forgotten the second half of the last season and while the early years were amazing this one back to life is missing a bit of the luster.

Also to note that Quibi about to launch, on April 6. What is Quibi you might ask, I sure did. It’s a new streaming app dedicated to ‘Quick Bites’, shows less than 10 minutes (movies cut up into chapters), and designed specifically to watch on mobile. And yes you have to pay for it, looks like $4.99/mo w/ads and $7.99 w/o. They’ve got a bunch of new content for launch with some stars like Chrissy Teigen, Kevin Hart, Idris Elba, Naomi Watts, and Steven Spielberg. I didn’t highlight the new crop of shows in particular but they of course have a free trial if you want to dabble before committing, I’ll pass at least for now.

Three Busy Debras/Beef House (AdSw) Series Premiere, Monday 3/30, 12/12:15am – I’ve never quite made a connection with Adult Swim but more offbeat humor to be had in these new selections.
Almost Paradise (WGN) Series Premiere, Monday 3/30, 10pm – Former DEA agent attempting the retired life on a tropical island gets pulled back into action, with Christian Kane and by EPs of Leverage and The Librarians looks like good campy fun.
Straight Forward (SundN) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/2 – Danish con woman plots revenge in this international thriller.
Broke (CBS) Series Premiere, Thursday 4/2, 9:30pm – Pauley Perrette plays a single suburban mom who’s estranged sister and family end up broke and on her doorstep, no word on whether the comedy amuses.
Home Before Dark (App+) Series Premiere, Friday 4/3 – A young girl moves to a small town and uncovers a mystery after her father’s death, inspired by real-life pre-teen investigative journalist Hilde Lysiak.
Tales from the Loop (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 4/3 – This scifi drama shares adventures of people exploring the mysteries of the universe whatever that looks like.
World on Fire (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/5, 9pm – An epic World War II drama reportedly good ensemble, layered story, and beautiful set.
The Big Show (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 4/6 – Daughter of a larger than life wrestler returns home in this comedy.
Brews Brothers (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 4/10 – Two estranged brothers use beer to reunite as a family.
The Trial (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 4/10 – The murder of a teen girl impacts those on the case.
Belgravia (Epix) Series Premiere, Sunday 4/12, 9pm – Secrets and scandals in 19th century London in this soapy melodrama six part limited series.

Returning streaming: Kim’s Convenience Store (Net, 4/1), La Casa de Papel (Net, 4/3), Terrace House (Net, 4/7), The Good Fight (CBSAA, 4/9).

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.

best, books

procrastinator’s 2019 books

March 20, 2020 No Comments

Some good picks again this year at a time when one might need a little something to read, mostly from book club options (marked with*). I did skip one book club pick this year, Circe, but picked it up in 2020 (spoiler alert, I liked it). I think the following are noted in the order read, or close to it. Some of the specifics get a little forgettable, this year I am vowing to write this as we go, or closer since it’s already March, which could also help me be timelier.

Who Is Vera Kelly* by Rosalie Knecht – A fun take on spy drama though not quite a traditional mystery we follow our protagonist into Cold War infiltration of a student group in Argentina.
Asymmetry* by Lisa Halliday – Two of the three distinct sections were more compelling but overall worthwhile to look at these stories of people, from a young editor and her relationship with an older known author and an American man detained on a visit to see his brother in Kurdistan, from the relationships themselves to relationship between the various stories.
Freshwater* by Akwaeke Emezi – An interesting and very odd take on the many selves within a woman (literal or psychological?) as we see her raised from Nigeria to the US.
The Witches of Eastwick* by John Updike – This was a holdover from 2018 which I honestly had trouble getting through, though the witchiness will always have an appeal.
The Barbarian Nurseries* by Hector Tobar – This one was also a slow start for me, and I ended up picking it back up after book club, eventually enjoying the tale of a family and their maid’s personal and societal drama and their quest to find family across cultural lines.
An America Marriage* by Tayari Jones – One of my favorites of the year this heartbreaking tale of a newlywed couple where the husband is sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit, we get to know each through their journey together and apart.
The Mars Room* by Rachel Kushner – I appreciated much of this book but never completely engrossed by the relatively brutal story of a woman incarcerated with extenuating circumstances as it goes through multiple POVs that sometimes add and sometimes detract.
Lake Success* by Gary Shteyngart – A novel that is very of the time following a hedge-fund manager at a midlife crisis point that although at times amusing I found our unsympathetic narrator a little off putting.
Transcription* by Kate Atkinson – More espionage, this time our also female protagonist gets involved with MI5 and we see various points of time in this fun enough British WWII and beyond spy novel, told from a nice POV but didn’t fully drawn me in with twists and characters over the years.
My Sister the Serial Killer* by Oyinkan Braithwaite – Oddly light in tone this story of two very different sisters both enmeshed in each other’s lives, one of which has a tendency to kill her boyfriends.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation* by Ottessa Moshfegh – The group was so put off by the earlier reading of Eileen that this got raised a few times before folks agreed, but well worth the push for the dark yet comic protagonist drugging herself through depression.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – Having really enjoyed Everything I Never Told You I was very intrigued by this follow up two families crossing in a suburban community bringing great themes together, very well done (now a Hulu series).
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent – Compelling even with the tough subject matter it creates a world and characters that draw you in hoping for our tough young protagonist.
Tell the Wolves I’m Home* by Carol Rifka Brunt – I quite enjoyed this coming of age tale with a young girl dealing with her favorite uncle’s death from AIDS and her new relationship with his unknown, to her, partner.

For critical picks I’ve gravitated to the consolidated LitHub list, and since we’re at a decade digging into their best novels of the decade. All good fodder for reading in 2020. What were your favorites?

new and noteworthy tv: 3/16-3/29

March 15, 2020 No Comments

So if social distancing is keeping you home in front of the television there’s always something new afoot even if we’re going on a live event hiatus, plus don’t forget about my top tv list. This week I’m most excited about the return of Ozark and the start of Little Fires Everywhere. And glad that the new Heidi and Tim show is following up on the season finale of Runway.

I recently wrapped Sabrina which maintains its appeal but not really enough that I enthusiastically recommend. I was also catching up on State of the Union on Sundance but apparently I should have paid attention to the free episodes expiring but if you have Sundance they’re intriguing short interludes of a couple who are seeing marriage counseling.

The Plot Against America (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 3/16, 9pm – Based on the Philip Roth novel this six-part series imagines an alternate xenophobic reality under president Charles Lindbergh and looks like it hits some good notes.
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/18 – Based on the Celeste Ng book that I really enjoyed, two disparate families led by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington (both EPs) are intertwined, I’m intrigued by the pedigree.
Motherland: Fort Salem (Free) Series Premiere, Wednesday 3/18, 9pm – Another alternate reality this one where witches ended their persecution by cutting a deal and now find themselves on the front lines of battle, we’ll see.
Feel Good (Netflix) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/19 – Stand-up comic Mae Martin dealing with sobriety and relationships in this dramedy that’s gotten some good buzz.
Ruthless (BET+) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/19 – A spinoff of Tyler Perry’s The Oval, something about a cult, maybe if you’re an Oval or Perry fan but no word yet.
The English Game (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 3/20 – 1870s England shows two footballers that bring the sport to the masses, no word yet.
The Letter for the King (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 3/20 – Fantasy series about a young boy on a quest to save a kingdom some middling reviews note there are aspects of appeal.
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam CJ Walker (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 3/20 – A dramatic telling of the first African-American self-made millionaire played by Octavia Spencer, no word yet.
Council of Dads (NBC) Series Premiere, Tuesday 3/24, 8pm – A father’s health scare calls in some back up dad’s just in case in this drama with Tom Everett Scott and Sarah Wayne Callies, limited early reviews not a lacking.
Making the Cut (Am) Series Premiere, Friday 3/27 – Oh Heidi and Tim we’ll follow you anywhere from Project Runway and intrigued to see this mix of fashion and business in sellable pieces (two episodes a week).
Vagrant Queen (Syfy) Series Premiere, Friday 3/27 – I’m game for a new syfy series after Killjoys wrapped, here’s for a look at whether this new trio, a queen, a deadbeat and a mechanic, can earn a place in our hearts, no word yet.

More streaming:

Freud (Net) Series Premiere, Monday 3/23 – A young Sigmund Freud solves crimes in this Austrian thriller.
Unorthodox (Net) Series Premiere, Thursday 3/26 – A young ultra-Orthodox New Yorker starts life in Berlin uncovering mysteries.
Baghdad Central (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday 3/27 – The drama of 2003 occupied Baghdad with no rule of law and chaos of a family in search of a missing daughter.

Returning streaming: Archibald’s Next Big Thing (Net, 3/20), Dino Girl Gauko (Net, 3/20), Greenhouse Academy (Net, 3/20), Yoohoo to the Rescue (Net, 3/25), 7seeds (Net, 3/26), Car Masters (Net, 3/27), Ozark (Net, 3/27), Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (Net, 3/29).

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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