What are we watching these days?

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I binged an 8-episode series on Netflix called, "Pieces of Her" (not to be confused with "Pieces of a Woman") and I liked it. Says, "Warning: Nudity, Sex, Language, Violence"...which to be honest, got me to watch it in the first place...LOL. Anyway, hardly any nudity and sex (like 2 seconds in the 5th episode), but it sure had plenty of violence. I think those of you who like thrillers and unraveling mysteries would like it. I did

MY quick summary: Mother and daughter (daughter is 22 and returned to living with her mother), but the daughter starts to figure out that her mother is nothing who she thought she was...and she is right. After the mother kills a man in front of her daughter like it was nothing, it makes the daughter wonder how her mother could do that. The mother has a dark past and kept it completely hidden from her daughter. After her mother kills the guy, her face is shown on television as a hero. But unbeknownst to the daughter, they are in witness protection and now that the mother's cover is blown, all hell breaks loose. The daughter goes on a venture around the country trying to piece together everything that she has not been told. She finds guns, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and is continually stalked and a lot of people get killed throughout the show. I wouldn't say it's an "edge of your seat" thriller like a Tom Cruise movie, but it's a complex plot that keeps it interesting and makes you want to figure it out. I'd give it 4 stars out of 5

This (the only ) trailer does not do the show justice. Piano playing is almost entirely irrelevant to the story, but the trailer makes it seem like it's a big part of it. The big part is the daughter trying to figure out who the hell her mother really is, and also who she is herself...without getting killed in the process

[edit: you have to get used to "time jumps" that can be confusing, but without them, the mystery couldn't have been solved. Spoiler alert...the WHOLE mystery has not been solved; hence, a season 2 is underway]

[LennG]

 I finished Lioness and liked it a lot. I was a bit disappointed in the entire ending, but overall, a very good watch.

As Lou said, I would believe that real fans of Justified might be put off by the new series. Especially since it moved locales from the sort of backwoods of Kentucky (I think that's where it was) to Miami. Raylon was a sort of high-tech backwoods marshall, so how he fairs in Miami is open.

I opted to start Fargo, and I am only 1 episode in but I am already hooked. There is just so much to like about this entire series, the quirkiness, the dialogue, the cinematography, and especially the characters. It is just that down-home, mid-western charm and speech that gets you, and then the killings start. I forget how great this series is, even in the opening credits when they say the names have been changed to protect the dead.
I cannot binge-watch it, in the sense that I will enjoy it more with one episode a day if I can stand that.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I've still held off on starting "Fargo"...not easy. I couldn't hold off from "Reacher 2", and now I have to wait for the last 3 episodes, and it sucks. I should've held off, but I made the mistake of watching the first episode just to get an idea of how the show would go. It's great and I couldn't help watching the next few episodes. I have the same problem with "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" (Apple+) and am really into it, but have to wait a week for each new episode 

I hope when they finally drop the second seasons of "1923" and "Tulsa King 2", they drop the whole series. Probably not though 

[LennG]

I've still held off on starting "Fargo"...not easy. I couldn't hold off from "Reacher 2", and now I have to wait for the last 3 episodes, and it sucks. I should've held off, but I made the mistake of watching the first episode just to get an idea of how the show would go. It's great and I couldn't help watching the next few episodes. I have the same problem with "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" (Apple+) and am really into it, but have to wait a week for each new episode 

I hope when they finally drop the second seasons of "1923" and "Tulsa King 2", they drop the whole series. Probably not though 

I think more and more series are being dropped a little at a time instead of them dropping the entire season at one time. The one thing I always hated about them dropping all at one time is you wait sometimes 2 years for a series to come back and then watch it in 2 days, then another year or two. That really sucks.

[ozzie]

I think more and more series are being dropped a little at a time instead of them dropping the entire season at one time. The one thing I always hated about them dropping all at one time is you wait sometimes 2 years for a series to come back and then watch it in 2 days, then another year or two. That really sucks.

You may be right about that. I know I have lost interest and stopped watching a few series because to this.
Sometimes the show is just not worth the wait. Fed to me a little at a time I find it much more tolerable.

[LennG]

 Spoiler alert

I am 4 episodes into Fargo and it has gotten weird to say the least. Killings haven't stopped but certain things sure haven't been made very clear, as of yet. Still very interesting.

[LennG]

I never saw Justified when it was in its original run, but I have friends who raved about it. So, when Justifed Primeval came on, I made sure to check it out. I enjoyed it, but at the same time thought to myself that some of it just didn't make much sense (as far as decisions being made my certain characters under certain circumstances).
Speaking with my friends, they weren't too impressed by it. They thought this storyline had Raylan change too much and that he wasn't the "same old Raylan" from the original series.
Like I said, I enjoyed it enough, but to the die hard fans I know, it fell short of expectations.

I just started the new Justified. It does not take place in Miami, although Raylon lives there now. It takes place in Detroit, and to be a bit honest, Raylon seems out of place here. Stories like this have been done many times in the movies, where 'hick' law enforcement people are thrown into a big city sort of environment and they usually come out on top.

Anyway, I am 2 episodes in and I still like this show. If you have never seen Justified, I would watch some of the past seasons to get acquainted with Raylon and his sort of justice and then move into this newer version set about 10 years further along.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I watched the new Justified in Detroit and enjoyed it. Didn't really see the purpose of bringing his daughter along. Seemed more like a side story that didn't fit. Still, I'd suggest it to anyone who enjoys crime/drama/violence. I know I do

[LennG]

No spoilers here


Two more episodes into Fargo (6 so far) and what was weird after episode 4, has cleared up and these last 2 episodes are some of the finest work on Fargo so far. Lots of sort of story lines and will wait to see who gets their come-uppence at the end.
What I thought was an 8-episode season which prompted me to start watching, is a 10-episode season which means I will have to wait a week or so to see how it ends. As of now, I am watching one episode a day to expand the joy of this show. It is tough to just watch that one show a day, but when I sit down every day to watch my daily dose, I couldn't be happier.

John Hamm as the Sheriff from North Dakota and Jennifer Jason Leigh as the rich 'grandma' are absolutely terrific in their roles.

[LennG]

 I am 3/4 of the way thru Justified and it gets better as it goes on.

Has anyone watched 'A Murder at the End of the World (2023)" on Hulu? There as scads of ads for it all through Fargo and it does look interesting, but I wanted another opinion about it.

[DaveBrown74]

Needless to say, I'll definitely be watching this.

This is up there among my favorite shows ever. Probably the only comedy series I have truly loved. My favorite series of all time, "The Sopranos", is very funny at times, but it is not a comedy. "Curb" is a pure comedy, and it is great. It's a shame to see it ending, but it had to end at some point.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AR9Dqi3CVc

[LennG]

 I, also love 'Curb'. I did find it got a bit off track in the last couple of seasons. I was always disappointed Larry never got back with his wife and still feel LeRoy's character is a bit too much for me many times. That said, and you are correct, it sure is funny.

[LennG]

I finished Justified last night and was completely satisfied with the entire run. I would recommend this series to one and all.
I don't know who or how many watched Justified when it was originally on, but I sure don't remember all these killings in any of the seasons.

And to think Boyd is back on his way, probably onto next season, well I can't wait.

[Sem]

If you like mysteries with plot twists Netflix has a deal with novelist Harlan Coben to produce Netflix Original short series based on his novels. To date there are eight 8-episode series available, apparently with more to come. I've watched four so far, and while I wouldn't call them must-see TV, they've been intriguing enough to keep me watching.

I've seen:
The Stranger
Safe
Stay Close
Fool Me Once (which was my favorite of the bunch).

https://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/81180221

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I finished Justified last night and was completely satisfied with the entire run. I would recommend this series to one and all.
I don't know who or how many watched Justified when it was originally on, but I sure don't remember all these killings in any of the seasons.

And to think Boyd is back on his way, probably onto next season, well I can't wait.

Lenn, have you watched Reacher 2? (Prime)

It has run alongside Fargo, which I am now going to start. Reacher 2 is 8 episodes, 7 of them are up and the finale is this Thursday. I haven't heard you talk (seen you write, lol) about Reacher at all and it's one of the best series on TV. If you haven't ever watched it, start with Reacher 1 of course, then delve into 2. It's not the movies with Tom Cruise - that confuses some people