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psych-like

August 12, 2020 No Comments

I was having a happy hour with friends (virtual of course) and mentioned that I was going to dive into Peacock to watch the latest Psych movie. I had recently binged the whole series and wanted to close it out. A friend said his mom has enjoyed Psych and was looking for similar shows to recommend, I think he also mentioned Chuck (which is also super fun) as another good example. So thinking fun, episodic, kind of capery,

I as per usual spaced on anything good. One of the reasons I capture lists in this blog is so that I don’t continually forget things. Another friend suggested Burn Notice which we all agreed was a good choice. But after some time Leverage was announcing a reboot, and I thought that too would be a good option. So with a moment to think here are a few of the shows I wish I could come up with off the top of my head, in alphabetical order of course. They might not all be for every Psych fan but there’s a little something here for everyone.

Bones* (Hulu, Prime) FBI agent and forensic anthropologist crack cases, and while the romance heats up between these opposites attract it’s really her team of scientists that give this a ton of appeal.
Bored to Death (HBO/Prime) Jason Schwartzman decides to become a detective when stifled by his writing, what could be better, well side kicks Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis as his friends who get dragged into the hijinks, great fun.
Burn Notice (Hulu, Prime) A spy recently disavowed by the U.S government uses his special skills and ragtag spy friends to save folks in trouble, funny, charming, and action packed.
Castle* (Prime Purchase) Another opposites attract/partners premise Nathan Fillion as crime writer turned consultant has enough charm to keep things interesting.
Elementary (Hulu) Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu make an updated version of Holmes and Watson consulting with the NYPD and make for a lot of fun solving an odd case or two.
Eureka (Prime) This one is a little more quirky genius scientists than a typical crime buster but the sheriff finds himself investigating one calamity after another that tends to have someone beyond the norm explanations which is good fun.
Firefly (Hulu) This one is actually a bit more space cowboys but take my word for it, it’s full caper fun as Nathan Fillion is on our list again as the captain of a ship filled with an odd group of passengers and crew that is as busy getting into trouble as evading those trying to find them.
iZombie (Netflix) This show is a bit Veronica Mars meets zombies, and while it is a zombie show our protagonist taking on the personality of the victim (yes through eating their brain) each week and helping solve the case is a delight.
Leverage (Prime Purchase) A team of criminals pull off an elaborate con each week, but all in the name of righting a wrong, as noted they’re rebooting this with Noah Wyle replacing Timothy Hutton, still a great team.
Mentalist (Prime) – So you can’t have this list without the comparable premised ‘psychic’ handling cases, but Simon Baker has enough charm to make this less campy version still a lot of fun.
Monk (Prime) Tony Shalhoub carries this former police officer turned police consultant as his character’s OCD, among other things, makes him unbearable but excellent at figuring out what others can’t.
Pushing Daisies (Prime) This piemaker can bring someone back from the dead with his touch, but only for a minute or someone else dies, and he uses it to solve murders along with a fab supporting cast including his love interest who he of course can’t touch.
Sherlock (Netflix) This isn’t quite as campy as some of the others but Benedict Cumberbatch’s detective is a ton of fun and while each season is more of an overarching story there’s just three extended eps per.
Terriers (Hulu) A little grittier than some of the other options but our unlicensed PI ex cop/recovering alcoholic and criminal buddies are such a pleasure to meet and watch then get as much into trouble as out of it.

I’m sure I’m missing some good ones, what would you add? And of course for more bingeable options check out the longer list. Availability as always subject to change. * Full transparency, while I really enjoyed each of these shows for a while I’m not sure I actually stayed with either until the end.

binge season

June 12, 2014 3 Comments

Summer used to be known as a time to get outside because there was nothing on tv (and you know because of the nice weather). But today ‘nothing on tv’ is a little less true and even if you can’t find any live tv what better time to do a little catching up on series you might have missed the first time.

Personally I like to balance my standard catch up and new summer shows with one new series I plan to glut on, and I prefer that new series to be one that has already completed. I also prefer series that are available via one of the mediums I already have access to (I’m not yet ready to pay for a new cable or streaming service unless I’ve exhausted all my other options).

Following are a few of the things I’m considering as well as a few shows I might recommend:

Absolutely Fabulous (BBC) – These ladies are so culturally ingrained but I’ve only seen them outside the actual show.
Big Love (HBO) – Are we intrigued by the polygamists?
Caprica (Syfy) – I wrapped BStarG not that long ago and was wondering if this was worth a follow up.
The Comeback (HBO) – This is an exception to the complete rule because I read that the cancelled show is in fact coming back, what better time to jump in to Lisa Kudrow’s character try to revive her career?
Deadwood (HBO) – Outlaw misfits in the gold rush, oh and Timothy Olyphant, need I say more?
Oz (HBO) – Prison drama, as I understand it a little more serious than current OITNB.
Prime Suspect (Netflix) – I recently started pulling up this one, lady detective not so revolutionary but reminds me a bit of The Closer in the getting to squad to accept her sort of thing, considering putting it back at the top of the queue.
Rescue Me (Fx) – Recently tuned in to Sirens which I enjoyed and was sort of described to me as a lighter version of this.
The Shield (Fx) – Corrupt police with Michael Chiklis might fill my recent gap in police dramas.
The Wire (HBO) – Everyone talks about this but it’s a lot of episodes and until recently hasn’t been available enough without Netflix dvds, but am I ready to finally commit?

And for some of the shows I might recommend if you’re looking for summertime fodder:

Buffy/Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse – No surprise here, last summer’s plan (or the summer before) was to rewatch the previously unavailable to me Joss Wedon series start to finish, totally worth it.
Battlestar Gallactica/Friday Night Lights – Two of my more recent binge shows, very different but both well worth a watch for the characters and drama of their own communities.
The X Files – I’m not sure I actually finished this series once we moved to other players but I’ve recently started to re-gander at this one.
Arrested Development – I redid this one before Netflix picked up the last season, and though the revisit season was worthwhile but of mixed success the original series sure holds up.
Freaks and Geeks/Undeclared – Want to get a taste for early Apatow humor, Freaks particularly worth a look for the great cast in early roles with some teen angst and whatnot.
Don’t Trust the B- in Apt 23 – Recently went back to catch this since I’m not sure they ever aired them all and quite amusing.
Terriers/Saving Grace/The Riches/Chuck – A few series I haven’t been back to but quite enjoyed the first time around.

Not currently as easily available but worth a watch: Beverly Hills 90210 (the original), Bunheads, Flight of the Concords, Gilmore Girls, Men of a Certain Age, The O.C., Pushing Daisies, Six Feet Under, Sopranos, Southland, and Veronica Mars.

Let me know in the comments what you think I should pick next, I think you can tell what I’m leaning toward.

movies, tv

stream it…

December 24, 2013 No Comments

Just in case someone you know recently received or signed up for Netflix streaming, the procrastinator thought it might be time to do a recommendation round up to help with your distractions. For latest movies and all series you still might need to go to the full dvd subscription but I find enough to keep my backlog filled during my regular series downtime. I definitely lean toward the television (at least until I get a couple more series under my belt) but there are a few new and old movie options that are worth a peek as well.

TELEVISION

House of Cards/Orange is the New Black/Arrested Development – Netflix original series might be what drove you to pull the trigger and they’re worth a watch (plus the backlog of earlier AD still hold up).
Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – Sometimes I just like to revisit the Joss Whedon backlog.
Battlestar Galactica/Friday Night Lights/Chuck/Terriers/The Riches/Saving Grace/Freaks and Geeks – These more dramatic series, some cut far too short and some a little long, are good slightly irregular watching.
Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23/My Boys – Some comedic fare for just a little something quick.
Sherlock/Luther/Parenthood/Sons of Anarchy – A mix of dramatic series that are still going and definitely worth a look if you have yet to get on board.
Louie/Wilfred/The League/It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Parks and Recreation – And a little comedy catch up for those also still running.

On my to do list: Mad Men, The Fall, Rescue Me, Top of the Lake

MOVIES

A peek at some more recent releases back into the classics:

The Hunger Games
Safety Not Guaranteed
Jeff Who Lives at Home
Hit & Run
Adventureland
Young Adult
Lars and the Real Girl
Bernie
The Kids are Alright
Zoolander
Being John Malkovich
House of Yes
Lost in Translation
Memento
The Breakfast Club/Ferris Bueller’s Day Off/Clueless/13 Going on 30/Heathers – Some classics never get old.
The Italian Job, Parker, Blitz, Safe – I’ve developed a Jason Statham video weakness.

On my to do list: The American, Being Elmo, Cinema Paradiso, End of Watch, Extract, Flight, Drug War, Hoop Dreams, Melancholia, The Messenger, Our Idiot Brother, The Road, Tiny Furniture

Of course you can check the new releases and recently added to keep up to date. What’s missing from the list?

stream it…

October 30, 2012 1 Comment

Some time ago when the Netflix split of services and cost hike hit many made the decision to lose discs (better selection but they’re just collecting dust) or lose streaming (there isn’t anything really available)… I chose to hold on to the streaming. The thought was that eventually there would be a better selection, I could order stuff via Amazon on my TiVo if I really wanted something new, and I was watching a couple of tv series that were cheaper this way. It’s been a while now and although I do catch the occasional movie I’m mostly watching TV.

What’s worth a watch:

Firefly/Buffy/Angel – They’re cult loved genre shows, but loved for a reason, strong characters, quirky dialogue, and just plain good action, Firefly (the space cowboy show) is probably the best introduction because as sad as I was to see it only go a season, it’s maybe the least uneven because of it, though the seven seasons of Buffy (the Vampire Slayer) and five of the spinoff Angel (that really came into its own), are honestly some great television and I can tune into these at any time like a comfort food.
Battlestar Gallactica – I’m up to season four on this and although it’s maybe not as rock solid all the way through I’ve really enjoyed the political futuristic sci fi struggles of the beleaguered band of survivors, what do you do when you’re struggling for personal and species survival and what makes a person a person, you know with some space action.
Friday Night Lights – I didn’t catch this the first time around, mostly for doubting that I would be that into a football town show, but after season one I’m on board with the small town drama, the primary family and the extended football family center around, well, football but its quickly much more than that.
Luther/Sherlock – My faves of the BBC showings so far, complex gentlemen solving crimes, totally different tones but with a complex leading character who sometimes does things that maybe aren’t always seeming like the right things to do.
Terriers – Critically acclaimed but ratings challenged the single season of this misfit duo doing the detective thing is another one of the shows that was canceled far before its time.
Arrested Development – This may be part of the new model for streaming, not only is this funny show available now, but exclusive episodes (yes, the stories are true, they’re creating new episodes) will be released on Netflix (can’t wait!), and now’s a great time to catch up or rewatch.

Next for me is either Mad Men or Downton Abbey. And a couple people have recently mentioned a couple of unsung shows from their queues Peep Show for awkward buddy comedy and My Girlfriend is a Gumiho a fantastical Korean romance. What’s in your queue?

shutting down the dollhouse?

October 27, 2009 3 Comments

eliza-dushku-dollhouse-2 Friday night was one of the better episodes that we’ve seen of Dollhouse. I’m most intrigued when they explore issues of morality and identity. And I have to say eps with Sierra and Victor interest me more than completely Echo-centric ones. And I am always glad not to see Mellie, though sadly I think we haven’t seen the last of her.

Unfortunately ratings were at their lowest to date. The show will be pulled for November sweeps but they’ve announced the schedule for back to back episodes to air in December (2 per night!). They’ve announced at least through ep 10 but we’re we’ll have to stay tuned to see when the final 3 will follow. Fortunately, although getting the back 9 and certainly renewal look dubious, Fox has agreed to air all of the originally contracted 13 episodes. And since Joss knows the storm is coming he can hopefully leave fans with a tiny bit of satisfaction for what will undoubtedly be the final ep.

So what went wrong? The show seemed to get off to a slow start last year and it wasn’t until the second half of the season that it really felt like it hit its stride. First off of course is the unusual premise of an organization that hires out reprogrammable humans (who agree to give up their personal identities for 5 years), which certainly covers the standard prostitution angle but also tries to dabble in all specializations. Unfortunately this isn’t the sort of show that seems to attract new viewers along the way and the standalone episodes (Echo’s problem assignment of the week) tended to be the least interesting. There’s also the problem that Dushku perhaps wasn’t quite up for the complete absorption into the different characters, but she’s grown on me a little.

The organization itself is interesting, (though one wonders if the security is slipping with all the issues they have) but character development is a little tough when half of your characters are blank slates (between assignments they are ‘wiped’). They have been able to balance that with some actual development as well as enough back story to keep things going. And not all the characters are ‘actives’, and although there’s a bit of a power struggle for blah between Boyd and Ballard these days (Echo/Dushku’s current and former handler), fortunately Topher and DeWitt have stepped up as did Dr Saunders who sadly is off shooting something else somewhere.

So what else is there to do but put it on season pass and enjoy it while it lasts. And as an extra bonus when it comes back in our next two episodes we’ll get a special appearance by Summer Glau (of Firefly and Terminator fame!). Grrr. Argghh.

dr. horrible

July 18, 2008 1 Comment

For those of you who somehow missed it, I am a big fan of Joss Whedon (aka creator of the Buffyverse among other things). Well whilst we wait for his next television endeavor, Dollhouse with Eliza Dushku scheduled for midseason, you can still catch some good stuff.

Joss had a little downtime during the strike so he and some of his friends created a supervillian musical. Yes, you read that correctly. Joss has some musical success with the epic episode of Buffy (they were affected by some sort of magic). And he has a fantastic cast with Broadway and How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris and Firefly star Nathan Fillion, along with the lovely Felicia Day.

For a limited time only the three parts are available for free viewing online releasing July 15, 17, and 19 at http://drhorrible.com/. Each part looks to be under 15 minutes. They’re only up until midnight Sunday the 20th and following that will be available for a nominal download fee from the likes of itunes and eventually on dvd.

the baldwins are back

October 15, 2007 10 Comments

I was recently discussing the funny Alec Baldwin as network exec Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock (someone made the comment that they couldn’t get past seeing him as an older version of the actor he once was…). I then made the comment that Adam Baldwin (early on of My Bodyguard and Full Metal Jacket and more recently of favorite Firefly) was back on television as the NSA agent in the so far quite enjoyable Chuck. Is he one of the Baldwin brothers, I was asked. Yes, was what I replied. Mea culpa I now say, he is not. But really, they could use one more Baldwin who is doing some good work. The other Baldwin who has recently joined our television family, who I neglected to mention in my misinformed conversation, was William/Billy who is now being seen in the scandalously humorous Dirty Sexy Money as tranny lover/senatorial candidate Patrick Darling. Rounding out our cast of four is Daniel (most known to me from Homicide) and Stephen (early on of Usual Suspects and more recently apparently on two rounds of Celebrity Mole). Apparently there is also a cousin out there who goes by Joseph Baldwin, too bad he hasn’t made it to Celebrity Mole.

me and tv

August 21, 2007 10 Comments

Well there are some things that I have to go on the record about if I’m going to share anything I have to say about television. I only have basic cable. There I said it. And I don’t mean everything but HBO, I mean the shows you should get with an antenna but don’t, with a few extras thrown in for good measure. TVland, Food Network, Verses, WGN, and Discovery Channel are the major hightlights. I can’t bring myself to throw down for a greater cable expense and the only reason I buckled on this much was because I could no longer get good reception on NBC. Oh and I thought it would be easier with Tivo.

I heart my Tivo! But I have the old one where you can only record one show at a time. I am tempted to pony up for a new box but I have a lifetime membership which isn’t transferable from my current box. And well clearly I’m cheap. My friend keeps trying to get me to get rid of my vcr but I need it as backup. Little does he know that I have a second vcr that’s not even hooked up to the cable in case of emergencies like the start of the fall season before you settle into shows or shows settle into their final timeslots.

So what’s my tv history? I like a mix of dramas, dramedies and sitcoms. To give you some examples from days of yore, Buffy the Vampire Slayer holds a high bar for strong and sassy leads, but I also hold a dear spot in my heart for Alias, Veronica Mars, and Gillmore Girls (particularly the early years). Of course Buffy lead me into anything by Joss Whedon, and I dug Angel and Firefly (while they let me). I’ve done the whole must see Thursday night TV with Friends and Seinfeld, and always had hopes to be amused by anything else they threw in the lineup. I like the faux smart television of West Wing (also the early years). And I can’t help but love a little cheesy soap, think 90210 and the OC, though they always outlive their best times.

I’m not a huge watcher of reality shows. I got hooked on the early years of Survivor, American Idol, and America’s Next Top Model among others. But I find that they are easier to drop from season to season since there’s no ongoing story or characters to follow, and some of them just became to repititive after awhile. While I accept there are some good ones out there, and that even the bad can often be entertaining, I decided that was where I would draw the line. Did I mention I still can’t stop watching America’s Next Top Model? Well there I said that too.

I like a general crime procedural show but I tend to pick those up during summer reruns. I stay away from gameshows, traditional sports, and generally stay away from daytime tv. Though I’m guilty of the occasional glimpse at The View or Ellen or Oprah on a sick day.

Yes though I’ve really only touched on shows of yesteryear, stay tuned for what I’m most looking forward to returning in this fall season.