What are we watching these days?

[Bill Brown]

The Bikeriders. Supposed to be based on a true story. I enjoyed it. I thought Tom Hardy did a good job as Johnny, the leader of the club.  I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Bill

[Ed Vette]

I just finished a documentary from National Geographic (also on Hulu) called "Cult Massacre--One Day In Jamestown".
I am a vacuum for anything where I thought I knew something but really didn't and the chance to learn from something like this is right up my alley.

I am sure we all remember the Jamestown Massacre where 900+ people died from the town called Jamestown where they were seduced by Jim Jones into this community and then died there. Again, I thought I knew the basics about this tragedy, but on watching this fascinating documentary, I really knew nothing.

This is a 3-hour (3 parts) and I found it riveting, couldn't wait for the next episode. The documentary tells the story and has some of the survivors and even Jones's son telling the story of what happened that day. I was basically dumbfounded to learn some of these things, and the after-effects, the clean up of the bodies, all done in a way that makes you feel part of this.

 this is part of this country's history, and history is something I always will love and will catch almost anything that will help me expand my knowledge of things I thought I knew. Jim Jones was literally a monster, even his son believes that. He basically killed all those people including about 450 children, but so many things I never knew.

If anyone is interested in this, I would very much recommend this show.

Thanks for recommending it. Like you, so much I never knew. The live footage and then and now interviews was powerful and poignant in exposing everything. I think that the smell will never go away for those in the rescue mission.

It's impossible to know what would have happened if Jones wasn't provoked to the point of completely losing his mind. He truly was a monster. If the Congressman and the reporters had simply left, there wasn't enough exposed with just the few notes to bring back the US Military.

I wonder who shot Jones in the head, or if it was self inflicted. The bodies piled on top of other bodies I suspect were shot. Just horrific and heartbreaking.

Just another day in paradise
As you stumble to your bed
Give anything to silence
Those voices ringing in your head
You thought you could find happiness
Just over that green hill
You thought you would be satisfied
But you never will
Learn to be still
We are like sheep without a shepherd
We don't know how to be alone
So we wander 'round this desert
Wind up following the wrong gods home
But the flock cries out for another
And they keep answering that bell
One more starry-eyed Messiah
Meets a violent farewell
Learn to be still
Learn to be still
Now the flowers in your garden
They don't smell so sweet, so sweet
Maybe you've forgotten
Heaven lying at your feet
Ay, yeah yeah
There are so many contradictions
In all these messages we send
Keep asking
How do I get outta here?
Where do I fit in?
Though the world is torn and shaken
Even if your heart is breakin'
It's waiting for you to awaken
Someday you will
Learn to be still
Learn to be still
Just keep on runnin'
Keep on runnin'
Oh, oh yeah, mm, mm
Just keep on runnin'

[LennG]

Thanks for recommending it. Like you, so much I never knew. The live footage and then and now interviews was powerful and poignant in exposing everything. I think that the smell will never go away for those in the rescue mission.

It's impossible to know what would have happened if Jones wasn't provoked to the point of completely losing his mind. He truly was a monster. If the Congressman and the reporters had simply left, there wasn't enough exposed with just the few notes to bring back the US Military.

I wonder who shot Jones in the head, or if it was self inflicted. The bodies piled on top of other bodies I suspect were shot. Just horrific and heartbreaking.

Just another day in paradise
As you stumble to your bed
Give anything to silence
Those voices ringing in your head
You thought you could find happiness
Just over that green hill
You thought you would be satisfied
But you never will
Learn to be still
We are like sheep without a shepherd
We don't know how to be alone
So we wander 'round this desert
Wind up following the wrong gods home
But the flock cries out for another
And they keep answering that bell
One more starry-eyed Messiah
Meets a violent farewell
Learn to be still
Learn to be still
Now the flowers in your garden
They don't smell so sweet, so sweet
Maybe you've forgotten
Heaven lying at your feet
Ay, yeah yeah
There are so many contradictions
In all these messages we send
Keep asking
How do I get outta here?
Where do I fit in?
Though the world is torn and shaken
Even if your heart is breakin'
It's waiting for you to awaken
Someday you will
Learn to be still
Learn to be still
Just keep on runnin'
Keep on runnin'
Oh, oh yeah, mm, mm
Just keep on runnin'

To me, it was terribly distressing when they reported about the needles in the back of the necks of children. I had always thought they all were somewhat brainwashed and all committed suicide. Now I know differently.

[EDjohnst1981]

We've finally started House of the Dragon. We are about half way through the first season.

I didn't have the time to catch it when it originally aired here. It's alright, my Mrs is more into the GoT type stuff than me but it's watchable and I'm not bored (yet).

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Heads up to fans of the show..."Only Murders in the Building" (season 4) drops tonight on Hulu. Like all the others, you have to wait a week for the next episode, which will drop every Tuesday night. I don't know if they'll drop more than the first episode tonight, but they might...I suppose. Personally, I'll probably wait until all 10 episodes drop so I don't have to wait a week for the next one. I'll see 

[LennG]

Heads up to fans of the show..."Only Murders in the Building" (season 4) drops tonight on Hulu. Like all the others, you have to wait a week for the next episode, which will drop every Tuesday night. I don't know if they'll drop more than the first episode tonight, but they might...I suppose. Personally, I'll probably wait until all 10 episodes drop so I don't have to wait a week for the next one. I'll see 

 You beat me to this one Ric. I only saw the ad yesterday that the new season is starting. AND, like you, it is impossible for me to watch week to week. I don't remember what I had for breakfast and that was only an hour ago, let alone what happened last week. My wife and I will sit back and enjoy the series when it all has played out. so no cheating on who the murderer is.

[LennG]

We've finally started House of the Dragon. We are about half way through the first season.

I didn't have the time to catch it when it originally aired here. It's alright, my Mrs is more into the GoT type stuff than me but it's watchable and I'm not bored (yet).

I watched this first season TWICE and felt the same way but have heart, as the season draws to a close, like the last few episodes it does get much better. I was a huge GOT fan and watched this first season and was a bit disappointed, as I said, until it got going, and then I was hooked. I haven't started season 2 yet, that will happen over this weekend, as I can't watch week to week. Now that the entire season has dropped, I heartily look forward to it. I have heard great things about it so I am prepared and hopefully won't be disappointed.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I won't be cheating Lenn because I'm doing the same thing as you...although, like the last Fargo, I finally gave in after it was 2/3 over. Regardless, NO SPOILERS...that goes for everyone

[Bill Brown]

On Netflix. Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy Wars. The story of the gunfight at the OK Corral and its aftermath. I found it to be interesting with a few things I was unaware of. I'll say it probably interests me more than most because Wyatt, Vigil and Morgan are my 3rd cousins.

Bill

[LennG]

On Netflix. Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy Wars. The story of the gunfight at the OK Corral and its aftermath. I found it to be interesting with a few things I was unaware of. I'll say it probably interests me more than most because Wyatt, Vigil and Morgan are my 3rd cousins.

Bill

What about James?      

[Bill Brown]

What about James?      

He was in Tombstone but wasn't part of the story. Went to California with Virgil before Wyatt started his vendetta.

Bill

[LennG]

 So, I have finished Shogun and enjoyed it very much. I did expect a lot more action as was sort of led to believe from all the trailers, but once you got to know the characters and plotline, it was very intense and very interesting. I would recommend it.

As I have said countless times, I am a sucker for a good, realistic Western, which really have become hard to find. I saw an ad for a new series (at least I think it is a series) on HBO, 'Horizons" by and with Kevin Costner.
 This chapter was 3 hours long and I don't know how they are going to continue the series, but I grabbed my snacks and proceeded to sit down and hopefully enjoy what was advertised as a s true Western.
In the end, I found myself really enjoying this, but it did take a while to make any sense. I won't go into too much detail, but the first, say, 90 minutes is a series of events with completely different casts and different problems. As the movie went on several of these started to tie together and I would assume, by the end, most will all tie together.
I did find the show very realistic, in that most of the cast weren't in shiny new boots, with clean clothes and hats with no sweat stains on them. Here, I believe they tried for a more realistic approach, where the guys mostly had long unruly hair, needed baths, and acted the way you might have expected Western people to have acted. At least that's the way I saw it. Again, since this is right in my wheelhouse, it would really have to be awful for me not to like it, but again, I felt it was worthwhile and enjoyable, once it got going.

How they re going to release the next installments is anyone's guess.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

More good news: The second season of Tulsa King (on Paramount+) will be dropping on September 15

things are picking up, "Only Murders in the Building" (season 4 HULU) has dropped. "Bad Monkey" (Apple+) has dropped. I read that the second season of "The Night Agent" (Netflix) is "in the can", and coming soon, and now "Tulsa King". Also, the second season of "Citadel" has been being produced...not sure when it will drop though. On top of that, "Reacher 3" (Prime) is pretty well produced, but probably won't drop until early '25 

----------------------------------------------------

Now, this last month I've binged two series that were really good. I mentioned the series a while back, but no one commented. Anyway, "Troppo" (Prime) 2 seasons, has a real "Fargo" feel to it, maybe even "Ozark". It's dark. Instead of cold Minnesota or the water world of Ozark, Troppo is filmed in Australia. Dark, but humorous at times

Season 1

Season 2

The other series I've binged is "Almost Paradise" (freevee on Prime), which stars Christian Kane, who you might remember as the muscle in the TV show, "Leverage". Only 2 seasons so far, but I have found it very entertaining

Season 1 trailer

Season 2 trailer

That's all I got 

[LennG]

Myself, as I said, started watching House of the Dragon, the sort of prequel to Game Of Thrones. I waited patiently for all episodes to air before I delved into this superior show.
It does pick up right where it left off in Season 1 and then plays on. I still find it compelling, but just nowhere near the class of GOT.
For any that never watched GOT, I think one of the biggest positives about it, besides just great writing et al, was that it always had several storylines going at one time and always managed for the watcher to follow them all thru almost every episode. We were never left, like we were in TWD, wondering what about those guys who we hadn't seen in maybe 3-4 episodes. GOT had you following every storyline in just about every episode so you always knew about what was going on all the time.
In House of the Dragon, there really is one main storyline, and, to me, is the one detraction I could find. Nevertheless, it does this storyline with great success and as it plays out it does get more and more intriguing.

My wife and I have also started watching the second season of 'Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch' and like the last review, this one picks up right where we were left off at the end of season 1. The craziness continues with more and more 'weird' things happening, and more strange objects and lights being seen in the skies. Unlike the other ridiculous show my wife is making me watch, about Bigfoot, this one has positive proof that what they are filming is fact and not just conjecture and suspicion.

[Ed Vette]

We are nearing the end of season one of Blacklist. It's gotten better as the season progressed. Ten seasons.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blacklist