What are we watching these days?

[LennG]

We started watching a short series on Netflix. It is more a documentary type of thing called 'Surviving Death' and it is about people who have died, went to an afterlife and then returned to the living. Believe what you want, but there are actual cases of actual deaths where people came back to life and report what they saw, felt, whatever. One guy drowned, was under the water for maybe 90 minutes, supposedly went to an afterlife, and was told it wasn't his time yet and was returned to the living.

Depending on your beliefs, we have watched 3 out of, I believe 5, shows and find this fascinating.

[LennG]

As the Academy Awards are just around the corner, it's that time of year for me to try and watch as many of the nominated movies, actors and actresses as I can. Some movies, just do not appeal to me and I won't even bother watching, just the ones that I feel I may like.

So far, I have seen Mank, which I did not like, Nomadland which I also wasn't thrilled with (except for the outstanding performance by Francis McDormand. Judas and the Black Messiah just did not appeal to me and the Father also, just too depressing. So last night I watched a movie that I also felt I wasn't going to like but a good friend recommend it to me, saying it was just wonderful, 'Sound of Metal' which is currently on Prime.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5363618/

As far as the cast, I did not know one actor or actress in the movie.

So, the movie is about a hard rock drummer who goes deaf. He tries to cope with his new deafness by going to deaf school trying to save up enough money to have some sort of surgery to implant something to help him hear again. There is a girlfriend along the way also.
Let's call a spade a spade here, I did not like this one bit. In fact, I couldn't wait for it to be over and when it was finally over I said to myself, why did I watch this garbage. Now, as I said, a good friend liked it a lot and, I'm sure many others did also or else it wouldn't be nominated for best picture, but I really do not see why.
Maybe I missed some inner meaning along the way, but I want a movie to help entertain me, so far out of the 3 that I have seen, 2 were so depressing and one was just nonsense. 

So that's it. Next up, hopefully, if the Trail of the Chicago 7.

[LennG]

I am trying to watch as many of the movies that have been nominated for Best Picture at this year's Oscars. Yesterday I watched Promising Young Woman. Another one that just doesn't have 'it'. See my complete review in the Movie thread.

[MightyGiants]

There is a terrific 6 season sitcom called Schitt's Creek that is on Netflix.  It's funny and warm-hearted and well worth the watch

[LennG]

There is a terrific 6 season sitcom called Schitt's Creek that is on Netflix.  It's funny and warm-hearted and well worth the watch

Schitt's Creek has been mentioned many times already as an excellent show that is funny as hell.

[LennG]

Just watched 'Trial of the Chicago Seven' another movie nominated for Best Pix, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. See my full review in the movie thread.

[ozzie]

I have started watching a series on Netflix called "Norsemen". It is a Norwegian show actually called "Vikingane" which is retitled Norsemen and filmed in English for the U.S.
I would call it a dark comedy about Vikings living in the 8th century, but using a lot of today's vernacular and expressions.
Here is someone else's write up about it which I think captures the show very well:

Storyline
Set in 790AD, Vikingane features the daily challenges of people living in a small Viking village, from power struggle, brother rivalry, gender equality, to betrayal and friendship. "It's the story of people from our time, but living during the Viking era. Of course everyday choices have far more dramatic consequences and that makes for great comedy material.

It's dark in some spots with some killings (some comical) and some adult material. There are storylines to follow and it's not a laugh a minute type of thing, but overall I find it pretty funny and different than most of what is on tv today.

[NapoleonBlownapart]

Fawlty Towers. all 13 glorious episodes.  its been a few decades since Basil Fawlty was on my radar.

[LennG]

Fawlty Towers. all 13 glorious episodes.  its been a few decades since Basil Fawlty was on my radar.

LOVED this show. John Cleese at his best.

[LennG]

I was searching for something new to watch and was recommended to a series on Netflix 'Who Killed Sarah'. It is a Spanish series but you can have it in English also.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11937816/

It is a sort of mystery/revenge story about a boy who went to prison to help his 'adoptive family when his sister died from an accident that was soo to become a murder. He was supposed to serve 2 months and instead got 30 years and when he is let out after 19 years he wants revenge on those that betrayed him and killed his sister. So the mystery is who did kill Sarah?

Myself, I LOVE revenge-type movies/series. I am halfway thru season one and I find it interesting enough to keep watching, but the revenge angle, much talked about has yet to take place.
Season 2 of this series is coming out shortly.

[LennG]

I DVRed a new series that is on PBS called 'Atlantic Crossong' on Masterpiece Theater, with one episode to go, I would highly recommend it.

it is the true story (some embellished facts along the way) of the Prince and Princess of Norway and what they went thru before and during WWII to escape the Germans, to send the Princess to America where she got involved with FDR. The writing is superb, the acting, especially who plays FDR is great and the story very easy to follow even though it does cover many years.

It is really hard to describe the relationship between the Princess and FDR as he was a huge ladies man and she was married, with her kids, and always thinking of how better to serve her homeland, Norway.

Since I am a sucker for anything WWII-related, I got into this very early and it has never let down. It is for the entire family, but there are lots of inuendos, suggested killings (as you would expect with the Nazis).

I would highly recommend this series.

[LennG]

It's been a while since we updated this thread and I have been watching assorted stuff so let's see

Right now, I have started a new series, just out, I believe on Netflix called 'Sweet Tooth'. The is the first season and I have watched the first 2 episodes and really think it could be something special.
It is very hard to describe, but let's see. It is a sci/fi fantasy. As far as I know now, there was yet another super virus, wiping out most of the world. But the difference here is that any new babies that are born, are born with animal traits. As the main character, a boy of about 10 is is part deer just facially. Again, it sounds silly, but it works. It is not heavy, some amusing moments and some heavier moments. Again, I am only 2 episodes in but I would recommend this right now.

Let's see, what else.  I tried another series called Zero, Zero, Xero, about drug smuggling which is something I usually like, just not this one. Again, I wasn't a huge fan after the first episode, but I said, let's try another, maybe it will get better, it didn't, so that's it for me.

Another series, that was promoted heavily, I think on Prime, called 'Solo". It is a 6 episode arc with every episode different from each other. They are all science fiction-themed, and each features fairly famous actors and the kicker is they are the only ones on screen, a la 'Solo'. Once again, we watched the first 2 episodes, and TO ME anyway, I found it pretty boring. Now the acting is great as it is a one-man/woman show, but nothing much happens except contact chatter. Others may very well like this, I didn't.

I know it is pretty campy, but I have been a fan of this show from its inception, 'Naked and Afraid' on Discovery (I think). It has been on maybe 7-8 seasons now where two people usually a man and woman, survivalists, are placed in some really remote area and they are naked with nothing more than a fire starter and a machete and have to survive for 21 days. So do and some don't. They also have extended shows, like all-stars and they have to try and survive for maybe 40-60 days, which is what I am currently watching. Again, I know it's campy, but I really enjoy the show and the relationships that these people need to try and survive.

[ozzie]

Thanks for the updates Lenn. I'm thinking I might like to give "Sweet Tooth" & "Solo" a chance. Thanks again for the heads up!

[DaveBrown74]

Apologies in advance if this has been mentioned already somewhere else (either in this thread of a past one), but has anyone watched a Netflix series called "Startup"? I had it strongly recommended to me by a friend who is normally razor sharp with his recommendations, so I'm very interested and surprised I missed it. There have apparently been three seasons so far, and it debuted in 2016. It is some sort of a crime thriller/drama that involves cyber and crypto. It has an 8.0 on IMDB, which is a very strong rating. I'm about to delve in and see if it's good, but I wanted to check with the braintrust here beforehand in case anyone had any direct insights.

[LennG]

My wife and I just started watching 'Manifest' on Netflix and liked it very much. I believe it was an NBC series that got canceled and is getting a re-life on Netflix.

Briefly, a plane takes off with 191 people on board. They have a scare in the air and when it comes time for them to land they find out that 5 1/2 years have passed since they took off and now here they are. Very interesting premiss as to how they and the world adopts to them. Families who thought their loved ones dead have moved on only to have those loved ones return. Twins are now 5 1/2 years apart. Additionally, some of the passengers are having visions of things to come, hearing voices warning them of things to come.
Add to this a few other mysteries and I feel it makes for some decent enough entertainment.

I believe it is 2 seasons for now.