What are we watching these days?

[LennG]

 I have finished the first season of Rome and found it very entertaining. I mentioned this show to several friends and they saw it years ago, when it premiered, and loved it. It is only 2 seasons long, and I look forward to viewing the second season.

Since my wife wouldn't go near Rome, we have started watching the White Lotus on HBO. We are about 1/2 thru season one and still not really sold on it, but it is getting a bit more interesting as we watch.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I started watching 1883 on Paramount+ and it has to be the best western show I've watched in years. It's a spinoff and prequel to Yellowstone, a terrific show starring Kevin Costner. There is a sequel to 1883 that is also a prequel to Yellowstone called 1923 that stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as Jacob and Cara Dutton

The Gist of the show: If you've watched Yellowstone, you know that John Dutton (Kevin Costner) owns a huge ranch in Montana where the old laws of the west still apply and people are killed willy nilly with little to no consequence. The Dutton ranch is so large that they use a helicopter to monitor the cattle and includes a Dutton daughter who isn't afraid to prance naked across the screen and is spitfire no one wants to cross

So 1883 is the first Dutton Family (James Dutton played by Tim McGraw; Margaret Dutton played by Faith Hill, and spitfire daughter Elsa played by Isabel May and a small boy) that make their way from "Hell's Half Acre",Texas to Montana where they deal with every adversity one can possibly think of. Like in Yellowstone, killin is willy nilly with zero consequence and there's a whole lot a killin. "Shea", played by Sam Elliot has got to be the best actor ever conceived for an old western with that voice and hard-weathered face that just screams genuine "cowboy". A pissed off and not very law-abiding Sheriff in Fort Worth is played by Billy Bob Thornton who pretty much kills anyone he deems guilty of something and doesn't bother with a court trial. There are flashbacks by Shea to the Civil War that has great scenes that bring out the reality of the horrors of that war

Anyway, if you like westerns, this is a really great one - IMHO. The downside is that you have to have Paramount-plus to watch it. I get it free because I am a member of Walmart+, but anyone can order it. If I didn't get it for free, I'd purchase the service for these shows alone.

Great cast, great story line, top notch production

[LennG]

It is on my list but I am waiting for some deal to get Paramount and then I'll give them all a whirl.

I don't know if anyone is watching White Lotus. We just finished watching season 1 and for a while, it was interesting, not great, but there was just enough to hold our interest, but then after watching the finale of season 1, we were both very annoyed at the ending. Annoyed might be putting it mildly, we were more pissed at what we both felt were huge cop-outs on all the guests.

Spoiler alert if anyone wants to watch

The friend of the daughter, who basically planned the robbery, gets away scot-free
The 16-year-old gets to stay in Hawaii and do what, live where eat how, etc., etc.
The honeymoon wife, who was basically adamant about her future, all of a sudden with no warning, decides she is OK to be that 'trophy' wife she was hating.  BOOOOOO
And maybe the worst BOOOOOO is WTF was killing the hotel manager for. Was that the best they could do to solve that entire mess? And then the spoiled brat of a husband who did nothing but antagonize everyone gets the wife and goes homey as a lark. Why wasn't he even held for killing someone who had no weapon, accident--NO WAY.

Some one said that season 2 was better, I don't know if I can talk my wife into trying season 2 after that fiasco ending for season 1.

[DaveBrown74]

We absolutely loved "White Lotus" season 2. Superb characters, good interweaving plotlines, funny as hell, well written, and even suspenseful at times. I give it a solid A. And I didn't particularly care for the first season. This one was awesome.

[LennG]

We absolutely loved "White Lotus" season 2. Superb characters, good interweaving plotlines, funny as hell, well written, and even suspenseful at times. I give it a solid A. And I didn't particularly care for the first season. This one was awesome.

On your recommendation, I'll try it and hopefully, I can talk my wife into it.

Did you have any problems with the way season 1 ended, as per my thoughts?

[DaveBrown74]

On your recommendation, I'll try it and hopefully, I can talk my wife into it.

Did you have any problems with the way season 1 ended, as per my thoughts?

You know I never even finished season one. I watched 2 or 3 episodes and then got sidetracked and didn't pick it back up again. Overall I wasn't that into it. I do intend to go back to it and give it another shot though.

[LennG]

You know I never even finished season one. I watched 2 or 3 episodes and then got sidetracked and didn't pick it back up again. Overall I wasn't that into it. I do intend to go back to it and give it another shot though.

Sure, now that I spoiled it for you.          

[Jclayton92]

Vienna Blood- German detective show where I psychologist and Police officer team up to solve crimes. Was absolutely fantastic period crime show were each episode is a new murder. 3-4 seasons.

The Recruit Netflix- Think the Rokkie show on Cable TV but for the CIA. Young recruit/legal attache breaking into the job of spying.

Jack Ryan season 3- watched every episode in one sitting.

CB strike, now just called Strike. Is a war veteran turned private investigator with his female partner that solve crimes. The lady that writes the Harry Potter books wrote the books these 4 seasons are based on and its phenomenal.

[DaveBrown74]

It is on my list but I am waiting for some deal to get Paramount and then I'll give them all a whirl.

I don't know if anyone is watching White Lotus. We just finished watching season 1 and for a while, it was interesting, not great, but there was just enough to hold our interest, but then after watching the finale of season 1, we were both very annoyed at the ending. Annoyed might be putting it mildly, we were more pissed at what we both felt were huge cop-outs on all the guests.

Spoiler alert if anyone wants to watch

The friend of the daughter, who basically planned the robbery, gets away scot-free
The 16-year-old gets to stay in Hawaii and do what, live where eat how, etc., etc.
The honeymoon wife, who was basically adamant about her future, all of a sudden with no warning, decides she is OK to be that 'trophy' wife she was hating.  BOOOOOO
And maybe the worst BOOOOOO is WTF was killing the hotel manager for. Was that the best they could do to solve that entire mess? And then the spoiled brat of a husband who did nothing but antagonize everyone gets the wife and goes homey as a lark. Why wasn't he even held for killing someone who had no weapon, accident--NO WAY.

Some one said that season 2 was better, I don't know if I can talk my wife into trying season 2 after that fiasco ending for season 1.

WHITE LOTUS SEASON 1 SPOILERS BELOW:




Lenn,

First off, I never read your post beyond the spoilers warning, so no worries - you you didn't ruin anything for me.

I think you make excellent points in this. I wouldn't say Paula (the friend invited by the rich family) got away entirely "scot-free", as her friend knows the truth and could decide to open her mouth at some point in the future.

I totally agree that it's absurd that the rich brat husband would have been allowed to just leave the state after killing the hotel manager. You would likely get charged with a crime in that situation, and even if you didn't, at the very least you'd be held for a while.

As for the wife reconciling with the husband, I agree that was a little weird, but we need to remember that this young woman did make the decision to marry this guy in the first place, so we're not dealing with someone with the best taste in men in the world. Most nice girls would not even date a guy like this for more than a week or two, let alone actually marry him. So whatever got her to marry him clearly prevailed.

Overall, I am with you: I found this season to be watchable, but not great. Some of the scenes with the rich overweight lady and the spa director were boring and at times painful (I can only deal with so much crying). I also thought the husband who gets the good cancer news was a boring, shallow character and appeared in way too many scenes.

Season 2 is just vastly superior on so many levels. It's hard to believe it came from the same creative mind. I actually cannot recall a single show that had that big of a quality jump from season 1 to season 2.

I just hope season 2 is indicative of where this show will be moving forward and that it doesn't underwhelm in season 3.

[ozzie]

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but I recently watched "The Watcher" on Netflix.
Supposedly "based on actual events", it's about a family that buy their dream home and then begin getting creepy, threatening letters from someone who calls themselves The Watcher.
It is only 7 or 8 episodes, each about 45 minutes long. I don't want to spoil it for anyone in case there are folks who want to watch it, so I won't say any more at this point. I would like to know what others think of it though.

[LennG]

 Thanks for the heads up, Lou. Unfortunately, we are temporarily off of Netflix as my daughter, whose account we were using, has moved and is undecided if she wants it back. As of now, since we are on HBO Max, we have more than enough shows to watch that interest us, so Netflix will have to wait a bit.

[DaveBrown74]

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but I recently watched "The Watcher" on Netflix.
Supposedly "based on actual events", it's about a family that buy their dream home and then begin getting creepy, threatening letters from someone who calls themselves The Watcher.
It is only 7 or 8 episodes, each about 45 minutes long. I don't want to spoil it for anyone in case there are folks who want to watch it, so I won't say any more at this point. I would like to know what others think of it though.

Pretty solid show. I'd give it a B+. Definitely disturbing.

[ozzie]

Pretty solid show. I'd give it a B+. Definitely disturbing.

Are you still watching, or have you finished the series?

[DaveBrown74]

Are you still watching, or have you finished the series?

I finished it. We watched it a couple months ago not long after it first came out.

[ozzie]

I agree it was disturbing, but I was highly disappointed.
As I said above, I don't want to give anything away for those who haven't seen it, so I'll just leave it at that for now.