What are we watching these days?

[LennG]

I know we had this topic a while back, but I just didn't see it so let's review.

These days, many of us are going out more and not relegated to just sitting home, going from the computer to the TV. That said, I know we are still watching more TV than we did pre virus and we have watched a lot of pretty good shows, series and movies.

As of now, myself, I am just about finishing up with 'Man in the High Castle' on Amazon Prime. Several others have seen it and some tuned it off after a while, but I have stuck with it and I do like it. For any that may be wondering about it, it is a sort of hypothetical scenario where the Germans and the Japanese won WWII and are occupying the US--German on the East, Japan on the west and there is a neutral zone in the middle. Several people I spoke with about this just didn't like the idea of these enemies at the time winning, but there is much more to it than that. Maybe we didn't lose after all. I find it compelling and a good series if anyone wanted to discuss. It is 4 seasons and the run has ended. I am almost finished with season 4 and I would recommned it.

Another series my wife and I are watching is "This Is Us'. We are watching it on Hulu. This is still an ongoing series that is on NBC and the next season is scheduled for November. Anyway, we are deep into season 3 and it is another series I would highly recommend. This ones much more family-centered. I never knew anyhting about this series, just it received rave reviews every season it has been on, so we decided to try it and we love it. It is all about one family and it takes them thru flashback, to present day and it is intriguing. It continually jumps from maybe husband and wife pre-kids, to new kids, to young kids, to teen kids to present day people and it is done so well, that you never wonder where you are, who is who. There are 5 main characters, husband, wife and 3 kids, (boy/girl twins and adopted Black son) all the same age. There are many other figures who come into the show thru flashback to present day and you just cannot wait for the next episode. We tried it and are hooked and we watch one-two episodes every night. Since it was on regular TV, there isn't any sex, violence etc and each season is much longer than a Cable drama (18 episodes per season). Again, I would highly recommend this show.

In the last thread, I remember mentioning that I am watching Schitt's Creek (my darling wife didn't want to watch, thinking it was stupid). It IS stupid, in a weird way but it is also laugh out loud funny--really. I believe it is 5 seasons and I am deep into season 3. Once you know the characters and their idiosyncracies, watching them go thru a show I start laughing before things happen, just knowing what is coming. Just funny people doing a funny show. A GREAT watch.

I am wanting to see that new Tom Hanks movie made for Apple TV (name escapes me). has anyone seen this and what did they think.

I am also rewatching many movies that I haven't seen in a while. Some old, some new. They ahve a channel on the Optimum line up, I think it is Movies TV or something like that. It is on 113. On certain nites of the week, they show mostly older movies, in Black and white, Film Noir type movies. usually crime dramas, some good and some very good, but I love this genre of movies. I can watch the same type of movie, same type of story, but some great actors and actresses. Guys like John Garfield made a whole career out of them. Just watched Double Indemnity the other day. I have seen this so many times, yet it still facinates me. What a great watch .

[jimv]

I really don't go for Hulu, Amazon, etc. even though I have them.  I've been relying on my movie collection & have been happy to pull some that I haven't watched in a while.

[LennG]

I really don't go for Hulu, Amazon, etc. even though I have them.  I've been relying on my movie collection & have been happy to pull some that I haven't watched in a while.

Jim

Why have it if you're not going to use it?

Really, there is so much out there to watch and explore, it is mind-boggling. I know you cherish your movie collection, but I ahve gotten rid of most of my DVDs as I can basically watch almost every movie I had or want to watch, from one of those services, so why take up space for something I can do otherwise. You know me, I am about as IT deprived as one can get, but I do use Prime, Netflix and Hulu to find so many truly great shows. And, if I tune in and don't like it, I move on to something else. You really are limiting your outlook. There ARE great things out there, that's why I love threads like this where others can give new ideas.

[ozzie]

Lenn, my wife and I started watching Schitt's Creek when it first came on tv. You're exactly right, it's both stupid and laugh out loud funny.
It is so quirky with a lot of understated, subtle humor. After the first couple of episodes we were trying to decide weather to stick with it or not. We're glad we did. We love that show and were sorry to see it end it's run after 5 seasons.
What I have been watching lately is the show DEXTER. It was originally shown on Showtime, but I hadn't ever seen it. Now it's on Netflix.
Basically it is about a serial killer who only targets other serial killers. There's a lot more to it than that and a whole lot of subplots, but that's the basic storyline. I am currently in the middle of the second season. There are a lot of things in it that I know are just ridiculous, but it does keep me coming back.

As for movies, the only newer movies I have seen are Bird Box and A Quiet Place.
Both are on the creepy sci-fi side of things. I enjoyed Bird Box much better, but both were interesting.
Bird Box centers around Sandra Bullock having to get herself and two children down a raging river to safety without ever seeing where she is going due to some supernatural force causing havoc on the planet.

A Quiet Place was a family living in a world where silence really is golden. The alien beings hunting them hunt by sound so any noise at all alerted them to the humans whereabouts.

I know these "reviews" aren't much, but I don't want to give too much away and ruin anything.

[LennG]

Don't apologize for anything, that is exactly what I want and, I'm sure, others also. A quick review just to see if it even sounds interesting enough to tune in. I might like both those movies, but my DW won't.

As for Dexter, it is one terrific series. When I watched it, many years ago, I was hooked, I found it above great and has remained a classic series ever since, Hall was great in the lead and, as the series went on, they had some unbeleivably great villians and great actors playing them. I think it was season 4, they had John Lithgow, as the the Trinity Killer. If you like it now, you will keep liking it more and more as the seasons go on. Some friends say they got bored with the same thing, over and over, and it got too dark, but I never thought that at all. . But not to derail the train, Dexter has one of the worst endings ever for a TV series. But forget that, and enjoy the ride until then. dexter is great.

[jimv]

Lenny, "A Quiet Place" is well worth watching IMO.  You're right about Doris probably not liking it; Marie wouldn't go near it!  I've gotta check out "Bird Box."  I like Sandra Bullock.

As far as my resting on my collection, you know that I'm just an old fart living his memories.

[philo43]

My wife and I  have gone in the opposite direction since the beginning of COVID19. 

We have started to re watch some of the classic TV series.  Using Prime video and CBS all access - we are watching Perry Mason ( don't know why - just absolutely love it) Murder She Wrote and the original Hawaii 50.  We watch 1 episode each night of each of these series

[Sem]

My wife and I  have gone in the opposite direction since the beginning of COVID19. 

We have started to re watch some of the classic TV series.  Using Prime video and CBS all access - we are watching Perry Mason ( don't know why - just absolutely love it) Murder She Wrote and the original Hawaii 50.  We watch 1 episode each night of each of these series

Same here philo. After I got caught up to date with Ozark and Schitts Creek I haven't started anything new this summer. I mentioned PlutoTV before, (a free streaming app/service with over 200 channels), and they recently added a channel that airs Johnny Carson Tonight Shows. Another that airs Dick Van Dyke, My Favorite Martian, The Adams Family, and other oldies. So I've been watching a lot of those shows, some Yankee games, YouTube videos, etc. I'm Network TV's worst nightmare.

[Sem]

Don't apologize for anything, that is exactly what I want and, I'm sure, others also. A quick review just to see if it even sounds interesting enough to tune in. I might like both those movies, but my DW won't.

As for Dexter, it is one terrific series. When I watched it, many years ago, I was hooked, I found it above great and has remained a classic series ever since, Hall was great in the lead and, as the series went on, they had some unbeleivably great villians and great actors playing them. I think it was season 4, they had John Lithgow, as the the Trinity Killer. If you like it now, you will keep liking it more and more as the seasons go on. Some friends say they got bored with the same thing, over and over, and it got too dark, but I never thought that at all. . But not to derail the train, Dexter has one of the worst endings ever for a TV series. But forget that, and enjoy the ride until then. dexter is great.

Dexter was a great show. Season 4, (with John Lithgow), was one of my favorite single season of any TV show. It must have been tough for the writers to follow-up that excellent season. By the last two years I think they just gave up, as they were pretty dreadful.

[jimv]

My wife and I  have gone in the opposite direction since the beginning of COVID19. 

We have started to re watch some of the classic TV series.  Using Prime video and CBS all access - we are watching Perry Mason ( don't know why - just absolutely love it) Murder She Wrote and the original Hawaii 50.  We watch 1 episode each night of each of these series

philo, did you know that "Murder She Wrote" wasn't filmed anywhere near Maine?  It was filmed in California!  Even so, my wife & I did enjoy it.

[philo43]

philo, did you know that "Murder She Wrote" wasn't filmed anywhere near Maine?  It was filmed in California!  Even so, my wife & I did enjoy it.

No I did not know that, but I am fascinated by how many actors / actresses they have on this show.  Each episode is a who's who from the 60's and 70's.

[LennG]

Its funny, I have seen most of the 'old' TV shows mentioned (for some reason, I always hated Perry Mason--don't know why, just did) ( a topic to discuss at a later time _:laugh: ). But I have tried to rewatch several of those 'golden oldies' and I just can't get thru them. maybe they are so dated, but at first, it's great to reminise, but, after several more episodes, I find myself not that interested anymore. What I should watch is Cheers and Frazier, right from the get go. Those series I truly loved (and MASH also), but even Seinfeld, gets boring to me after a while.

I never watched The Office and everyone said that was great, so maybe this winter. It's on my list.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

What I have concluded is that there is an awful lot of crap on television. Thousands of shows available, but almost impossible to find one worth spending an hour or two of your life 

In the past month I've rented several movies from Redbox that were pretty good like: "One Night in Bangkok" which ended up being a very good watch. Also, I enjoyed "The Hunt" as well as "The Gentleman". "Knives Out" was okay. I watched "Rogue" last night and mehh. Did not care for "Money Plane" or "Becky".

On HBO, I ended up loving the new Perry Mason series and was glad to hear there will be a second season. At first it seemed weird and slow, but by the 3rd episode I was hooked and it got better with each subsequent episode (there are 8 episodes in season 1).

On Netflix, I re-watched "Peppermint" and loved it - very violent, but I am drawn to thrillers that have some hard violence. I'd give this movie 5-stars and hope there is a sequel.

On Hulu there was an interesting flick called "Palm Springs", which I believe has been discussed on here. Sort of a modern day version of Ground Hog's Day, but with a completely different twist. I enjoyed it even though it wasn't filled with violence and blood letting LOL 

[jimv]

I don't know if it's on any of the sites mentioned, but if you can get a hold of the series "Person of Interest," I think some of you would like it.  I have the entire five year series & watch episodes from time to time. 

I also have the entire "Kojak" series & all the "Kojak" movies. clothing styles are definitely dated but stories remain real good.

Finally, I have the first five seasons of "Law and Order."  IMO, the hold up really well.

[LennG]

I've ehard good things about Peppermint. I'll add this to my list also. Thanks for the ehads up.