What are we watching these days?

[LennG]

Wow...you killed all 9 episodes over the weekend...I'm impressed. Did your wife watch it too? You had said she doesn't like gory scenes and towards the end of the season, there's a few. Of course, you know that now. I can't wait for season 2 

Yup. I liked it and found time to really watch, and NO the wife wasn't interested at all.

[Moose135]

I've had an old DVD player, probably going on 10 years old. A few months back, it started to make odd noises when playing, and we figured it was getting ready to call it quits. GF suggested getting a Blu-Ray player instead of another DVD player. A few weeks ago, she got us a new Blu-Ray player, and a couple of movies, including the new Top Gun movie. She also got Downton Abbey, which neither of us had seen before. We're a few episodes into season 3, and we're loving it!

[LennG]

Yesterday we finished the second season of "Why Women Kill" and enjoyed it just as much as season one.
The second season was a show entirely different from season 1. New dast, new storyline, new everything, except for the reason Why Women Kill.
In Season 1, they killed because their spouses were unfaithful, but in season 2, the women kill for completely different reasons, mostly selfish ones.
I would highly recommend it. It is light fare, with a few cursings, only a couple of bottoms shown for nudity, and a great storyline. Not an action movie, and not a heavy drama, just some good light entertainment.
Something similar to Murderers In the Building style.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I might give that a chance. A new season of Outer Banks (Netflix original) is back that I've waited quite a few months for. Great show pitting the very wealthy against the poor families..the rich kids are called "kooks" and the poor kids are called "pogues".

In short, the father of one of the pogues was looking for shipwreck containing millions in gold.
But he's been missing for nearly a year and assumed missing at sea and dead. Of course, the rich want the gold as well. The pogues do end up finding the treasure, the wealthy take it from them...and it goes back and forth. There's murder, yacht explosions, horror at sea, betrayals, fist fights, arrests of the innocent who were set up by the rich, etc. There's also a Hatfield and McCoys situation (rich girl falls in love with poor boy) that brings out hostility

Starts slow and seems like a kid's show at first as the main characters are late teens/early 20's type. But if you stick with it, it hooks you and is a dang good series. Season 3 was just released today. Here's a recap of Season 1 and 2 (some spoilers if interested in watching)

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I (and I do mean I) just finished Tulsa King with Sly Stallone. As others have said, I liked this series a lot and Stallone probably gave his best performance in quite a long time. I am a sucker for 'mob' type movies and I fully expected a lot more killings but it was well done and Stallone, sometimes a bit over the top was the entire show.

If anyone wants to know, Stallone is a mob Capo, He spends 25 years in prison rather than ratting out someone. He loses his wife and daughter by not being there. He gets out and wants his due, instead and gets sent to Tulsa to sort of fend for himself. He sets up shop, gets a crew together, and does his thing with several bumps and bruises along the way. It is a NY mobster in cattle country and Stallone pulls it off.
If this is your thing, I would recommend it.

There was some good humor in Tulsa King...made me laugh anyway. After Dwight and Stacy sleep together, she asks him how old he is. He replied, "75" sending her into shock. She said, "I thought you were like a hard 50". He responds with, "is it an age gap thing" and she being disgusted with herself replies, "more like a canyon" before stomping out. Hit me just right as I take a lot of grief for having a girlfriend that is half my age

Another thing that made me laugh is when he was at the DMV getting a license and they snap his picture and he immediately turns sideways for another shot like he's back in prison and the confused guy at the DMV says, "what are you doing?" Just made me laugh

And "Badface" made me laugh as did Bodhi when the FBI asked him what his relationship was with his partner Dwight, and he replies, "well...basically it's extortion" 

Wish the next season was ready. I hate being left on a cliff hanger and told, see you in several months to see what happens next 

[LennG]

Yes, there were a few chuckles along the way. As I said, whenever you put a NY gangster in a situation that he isn't used to, like in a Cowboy setting, it is good for some good laughs, or else they wouldn't have used that setting.
Sly carries it off great.

I also laughed at the mug shot scene.

[LennG]

 I have lots of stuff on my DVR that I have to watch in the next couple of weeks. One is a 3 part series by Ken Burns on PBS  "The United States and the Holocaust".
 
https://www.jta.org/2022/09/02/culture/ken-burns-pbs-documentary-the-u-s-and-the-holocaust-asks-hard-questions-about-how-americans-treated-jews-and-immigrants-during-wartime

As with all of these docudramas by Ken Burns it is so well made and so informative, while still keeping viewers interested in the big story.

We watched the first installment yesterday and look forward to watching the rest this weekend.

In chapter one, it really gets into how many Americans, kind of turned their backs on all immigrants basically from the 1920s and onward. People like Henry Ford was so anti-semitic that he published his own newspaper that just railed against all Jews and it was one of the most popular newspapers in the country for several years.
While watching it, it made me pause and reflect how even 100 years ago, many Americans had the same beliefs that many Americans still have today as far as immigrants. Sometimes we scratch our heads today and say how some of these ultra-wingers, left or right, get to be heard and believed, but it was the same 100 years ago.

Anyway, an extremely interesting series especially if you are a WWII history person as it also delves into life in Germany as Hitler rose to power.

An excellent watch for all.

[LennG]

 I need to further comment on this Docu-drama by Ken Burns--"The United States and the Holocaust". I finished it early this AM, but my wife found it too depressing and quit last night. I found it just completely interesting and should be made universal viewing to people who felt the Holocaust never happened or the part the United States played in it.

It was truly riveting. I always considered myself a knowledgeable guy about WWII. I just cannot get enough info on it, good and bad. I read everything I can and watch whatever is out there and have been to several key places from WWII, but on watching this, I learned several things that I simply never knew before, like how much so many people in positions of power refused any immigration requests, even for children. How many people in power were so anti-Semitic, it counteracted any attempts to get people to recognize what was happening in Germany and thru-out all of Europe? I learned how even Hollywood before the war really started, catered to Germans in that they refuse to air any film, etc that showed Germany in any negative way, except for one major studio, MGM. They even got to the point where there was a German guy to oversee all scripts and if he didn't approve of them, they weren't used.

The one thing that I thought I knew but according to this series, was FDR, who many always considered antisemitic and really didn't want to help the Jews in Europe, here they showed him as very sympathetic whose hands were basically tied by a very conservative Congress.

I would highly recommend this series especially if you want to learn a lot of things about WWII that you never knew.

[LennG]

To further extend this type of programming and trying to clear stuff off my DVR that I've had for a while.

I had this 7 part series from Masterpiece Theater. ' The Atlantic Crossing'

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9348700/

It is basically the story of the Crown Prince and Princess of Norway, who had to flee Norway when the Germans invaded. The Prince relocated to London and the Princess and her children relocated to Washington DC in America, first staying a while at the White House before getting their own home a short distance from the White House.
It delves into FDR and his trying to romance the Princess, the desperate actions by both the Prince and Princess to bring attention to the fate of Norway and trying to organize some form of resistance.
I knew about this Princess and her possible romance with FDR, but all the time her motives were to get Norway's help.

I found it an excellent drama and couldn't wait for the following episode. No real action, but great acting and a storyline I was most interested in.

If this is your thing, I would highly recommend you view it if and when it reappears on TV, or on streaming. Well worth the time spent on it.

[LennG]

And last but not least, I have started watching "1923" with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. I am 4 episodes in and I like it very much. I am watching it on Paramount +.

I have to say I have never watched Yellowstone but it is on the watch list. When I inquired about whether or not you need to have seen that show to enjoy this one, I was told this one stands alone so that was good enough for me.

As I have said so many times, I am a sucker for a good western no matter what the century it is. In 1923 you really have a western-type family living in an age where they are almost relics as they meander down the paved street on horseback all the while cars are whizzing here and there. Everyone is still sporting a side-arm and many still dress in western gear as opposed to many who are now dressed in suits and ties. I loved it when they are strolling down t he street and there is a guy showing them a new-fangled washing machine and a real refrigerator, but you need indoor electric for that.

I have really bought into the storyline and the characters and hopefully will finish this season in a day or two. I like it very much.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

And last but not least, I have started watching "1923" with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. I am 4 episodes in and I like it very much. I am watching it on Paramount +.

I have to say I have never watched Yellowstone but it is on the watch list. When I inquired about whether or not you need to have seen that show to enjoy this one, I was told this one stands alone so that was good enough for me.

As I have said so many times, I am a sucker for a good western no matter what the century it is. In 1923 you really have a western-type family living in an age where they are almost relics as they meander down the paved street on horseback all the while cars are whizzing here and there. Everyone is still sporting a side-arm and many still dress in western gear as opposed to many who are now dressed in suits and ties. I loved it when they are strolling down t he street and there is a guy showing them a new-fangled washing machine and a real refrigerator, but you need indoor electric for that.

I have really bought into the storyline and the characters and hopefully will finish this season in a day or two. I like it very much.

I'm all caught up with 1923 and they release the next episode every Sunday so tonight I'll be watching that one. When this series is done there is supposed to be a second year to continue the series. And there's talk of doing the next generation which would be the 50's I believe. Maybe 1953, my birth year. I don't know if you know it Lenn, but 1883 is the prequel to 1923 and is a good rendition of the real west shortly after the Civil War which still carries mental wounds for some. Moving to the mostly unsettled west was a real adventure and very dangerous

Yellowstone is also very good and still has a western flair, but instead of old Model Ts and other ancient vehicles alongside horses, they have helicopters and modern vehicles, yet the main transportation is by horse. And man, they have some of the very best horses ever trained. In fact, some have called for a sequel just to focus on the horses. Well worth the watch. It's modern, but the old carry a sidearm and shoot your enemy is like the old days of the west

[DaveBrown74]

We have been watching and loving 1923.

My only small knock on the show is I think they have gotten to the point where they're overdoing it a bit with the lovey-dovey scenes between Spencer and Alexandra. I get that their romance plays a role, but the episode before last it was a bit much. The audience gets the point with them by now. We don't need 25 minutes out of the full hour of them smooching and cooing at each other. Some of that is obviously fine, but generally speaking I want plot advancement, conflict, some selectively placed violence, and dangerous situations. If I want to watch two people making out for a half hour believe me there are other things out there I could watch instead, and I'll leave it at that.

Yellowstone is great, but IMO the first two seasons are vastly superior to three and four. Three and four are still very good (four just paused at a key situation), but one and two were lights out.

[LennG]

 I would agree with what you said about 1923 and the 'love scenes'.

As I said, I definitely have Yellowstone on the watch list. Is it similar, in a way like the old Dallas?

[DaveBrown74]

I would agree with what you said about 1923 and the 'love scenes'.

As I said, I definitely have Yellowstone on the watch list. Is it similar, in a way like the old Dallas?

I never really watched Dallas, but I would imagine it was soapier than Yellowstone. Yellowstone is a sharp-edged, action-packed drama with plenty of tough scenes but it also explores the politics surrounding all the land-disputes and other cowboy stuff and what-not. There are certainly romantic sub-plots but nothing like what we have been seeing in 1923. The cinematography is another reason to like it, although you're getting that in 1923 as well. Overall Yellowstone is great. It's popular for good reason.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I would agree with what you said about 1923 and the 'love scenes'.

As I said, I definitely have Yellowstone on the watch list. Is it similar, in a way like the old Dallas?

Nothing like Dallas. Dallas was a soap opera for the evening...affairs, scandals, sleazy business dealings, family infighting, etc.

Yellowstone is a lot like 1923, just in a modern setting. Same ranch, same house, same issues (everyone wants their land), trying to hold on to what their ancestors fought and died for. The entire plot series from 1883 to 1923 to present Yellowstone is about keeping the family land and keeping their lifestyle choice. But there is always someone conniving to get it and to save it requires a bit of killing and operating outside the law