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procrastinator’s top tv of 2020

February 22, 2021 No Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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, tv

procrastinator’s picks top tv 2019

March 11, 2020 No Comments

TV is becoming like movies where I’ll never finish all the 2019 shows in 2019, and that’s not even taking into account the premium cable channels I don’t get. So eventually one just has to call it a day, draw the line, and of course keep watching. For a look at what critics were picking you can try Metacritic, but below are the gems I thought stood out.

The Good Place (NBC) / BoJack Horseman (Netflix) – Ok I’ve already watched both of these into this year so my take might be a little skewed, each had a disparate take on bigger issues like life purpose and depression with unique and zany worlds, with great cast and creators who could really nail the range, they will be sincerely missed.
Fleabag (Amazon) – I liked but didn’t love the first season of this but the second season really made a great capsule of the torture of our protagonist played by creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge with a style that added to her tale.
Unbelievable (Netflix) – This was a tough run but the back and forth between the detectives and a young victim both pulls you in and was a great showcase for Kaitlyn Dever, Merritt Wever, and Toni Collette.
Sex Education (Netflix) – Funny premise about socially awkward son of sex therapist who gives council to his peers and all the foibles surrounding him with good cast, including Gillian Anderson as the mother, and good moments.
Better Things (Fx) – This is still one of my fave half hours where Pamela Adlon creates as semi-autobiographical show about a single mom raising three daughters and caring for her mother but the mix of random moments are both heartfelt and funny.
Russian Doll (Netflix) – Natasha Lyonne, co-creator with Amy Poehler, plays a woman stuck in a groundhog day loop that leads her into a look at her life and circumstance through what never feels like a repetitive round of events, it just sucks you in, curious what the next season will be.
David Makes Man (OWN) – Oprah describes this show as like poetry and she’s not wrong, created by Moonlight’s Tarell Alvin McCraney the coming of age story of David struggling with his magnet school and life in the projects, it’s as beautiful to watch as it is poignant.
Schitts Creek (POP) – I was behind on this for several seasons but caught up, mostly on a long international flight, and while in the beginning you might not warm to the extremes of the characters, I can’t help but love where they’ve gone in the very funny look at a wealthy family hitting hard times stuck in a small town.
Lodge 49 (AMC) – I wish we were getting more of this series but glad to have spent the time we did as down on his luck Dud joins a lodge and the mundane to possible magical realism the oddball characters chase was a show worth watching.
The Good Fight (CBSAA) – I was a big fan of the Good Wife and other King shows (Brain Dead and Evil), so when they aired the first season on regular network tv they had me hooked and I’ve paid for the second and third seasons through Amazon, I love the characters that made the leap but love even more that they’ve created a truly new law firm world with enough bizarreness and enough anti Trump sentiment to keep me inspired (probably best to watch real time but wondering how much the topicality will weather).
Downton Abbey (PBS/Amazon) – A late entry here this show was one of my catch ups and I was thoroughly brought into the period drama with characters that caused you to care about their journey whether one of privilege or of service (was trying to finish this before the movie but…).

What were your favorite shows last year?

new and noteworthy tv: 1/6-1/19

January 5, 2020 No Comments

Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector

With a lapse in new tv I’ve managed to wrap up the latest season on streaming for Ramy (great elements), Tuca & Bertie (didn’t grab me with its layers like BoJack did), Mindhunter (still good but not as strong for me as the first season), and Glow (enjoyed where they went and the variance of episodes) as well as the series finale of Madam Secretary (fictional political escapism pretty well done). I’m working through the 5th season of Schitts Creek which I won’t hit before the 6th premieres on Tuesday. I’m also super ready for the new season of Ink Master on Tuesday, this theme is ‘Rep Your Region’ with four regional teams.

With not a ton of info on new shows if I were to recommend one show it would be Sex Education (Netflix) which returns for its second season, the first was one of my favorites of 2019 (stay tuned for the full list) great characters and moments.

One Day at a Time (Pop) Promo special, Tuesday 1/7 – With the move to POP for its fourth season here’s a look, this was a good show and I’m glad it got picked up after Netflix dropped the ball.
FBI: Most Wanted (CBS) Series Premiere, Tuesday 1/7 – A spin-off from the FBI show, which never grabbed me.
AJ and the Queen (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – RuPaul stars as as drag queen who travels in her RV with an 11-year old stowaway, sure.
Giri/Haji (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – Tokyo detective goes to London to search for his brother who is in some Yakuza trouble.
Medical Police (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – Two American doctors as a Brazilian pediatric hospital need to find the cure to a killer virus.
Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector (NBC) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – Based on the book (don’t ask me why they didn’t just call it ‘The Bone Collector’), after being paralyzed by a serial killer this former forensic criminologist is dragged back in, these always have potential of being decent procedurals.
The Outsider (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/12 – Based on Stephen King’s novel, and investigation takes an irregular turn into the supernatural.
Sanditon (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/12 – An adaptation of Jane Austen’s unfinished novel.
The New Pope (HBO) Series Premiere, Monday 1/13 – A sequel to ‘The Young Pope.’
68 Whiskey (Para) Series Premiere, Wednesday 1/15 – Army medics in Afghanistan in this comedy-drama, might be worth a look.
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Free) Series Premiere, Thursday 1/16 – Humor to deal with the myriad of problems that deal with a brother being responsible for his half sisters, this network tends to skew a bit young but might be an interesting mix.
Little America (Apple+) Series Premiere, Friday 1/17 – An anthology series looking at immigrant experiences.
9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/19 – A spin-off of 9-1-1 which never grabbed me, this one focuses on Rob Lowe as a character who moves from NY to Austin with his son.
Avenue 5 (HBO) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/19 – Hugh Laurie stars as a captain of a cruise space ship that comically deals with problems on the way to Saturn.
Vienna Blood (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday 1/19 – 1900s Vienna pairs a doctor with an inspector to look at crimes.

Additional streaming:

Jamtara (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/10 – This Indian tv show brings a group of young men into a phishing scheme that gets complicated by politicians and police.
Ares (Net) Series Premiere, Friday 1/17 – In this Dutch psychological horror series a student secret society brings secrets.

Returning streaming: The Brokenwood Mysteries (Acorn, 1/6), Ackley Bridge (Acorn 1/13), Grace & Frankie (Net, 1/15), Sex Education (Net, 1/17).

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.