January - TV...2019

The Orville has started series 2. The Icelandic series Trapped (S02) has begun on homeground. I hope it's not too long before it shows here. Is anyone looking forward to something due this month?

I forgot it was the start of series 05 of Luther. The first episode was a wowzer! It's on for the next three nights.

Escape at Dannemora. 7 part series based on the prison break in 2015 of two inmates, Matt (Benicio del Toro) and Sweat (Paul Dano), aided by civilian prison worker (Tilly Mitchell (Patricia Arquette). Directed by Ben Stiller, I found it a little slow and drawn-out, but I'm glad I made it to the end. I did invest some emotions in the characters, probably due to the skill of the cast.

>2 .cris: One day, I am going to get the whole series. I have seen the first season but haven't gotten back to it since. I do enjoy him!

I just watched the first series (8 episodes) of Italian drama My Brilliant Friend, the journey of two friends/competitors in a dirt-poor town in the 50's, as remembered by one of the protagonists. Now in her 60's, on hearing her friend has disappeared, she has decided to write an account of their friendship. It felt authentic, watching a naturally clever, passive little girl and her equally smart, brave, fierce little friend. It ends at the wedding of one of the girls. I can't wait for series two. Has anyone read the books by Elena Ferrante?

>5 .cris: I have not read the books but working at the circulation desk, that book series is always being checked out!

New series SBS French Drama Nox first two episodes back to back, looks promising,

The 1940's House
I missed this PBS series when it originally aired but picked up the DVDs at our library. This surrounds a English family that goes to live in a typical 1940 home and live their lives as if it is the 1940's and WWII is going on. The husband has it the easiest but the wife and her teen daughter really work their butts off replicating what it was like during that time period. Very interesting!

>8 JulieLill: I believe there are 3 or 4 of these period houses that families volunteered to live in and be filmed. I know there is one from the 1800's...1880's I believe and one from the early part of the 20th century. Is the 1940's one that took place during WWII? There is also two that was filmed in Wales where several families lived in a reconstructed village and the men and boys worked in a mine, the younger kids and the girls went to a one room school house. The other one was in Wales also but I can't remember much about it now. I believe it was set during WWII also.

Enjoying TV Series of Wolf Hall.

>10 aussieh: Mark Rylance is brilliant in this. I never managed to finish the book...Too many Thomas'. I think it's due a rewatch.
>9 Carol420: I saw these. I remember one of the earlier ones (Victorian?), where one family were working class and the teenage girls had to be maids, and the middle class children never spoke to their parents and the mother had to occupy her time, sitting on her back-side doing needle point and drinking tea.

Has anyone seen the first part of series 03 True Detective? It seems to be told by the detective (Mahershala Ali) over three time periods in his life. I have E02 lined up and ready to roll! So far, so good.

>11 .cris: I saw them all with my mother. I never understood how eventually all of the families complained about the life they were living in the houses. I thought to myself "No one twisted your arm and made you sign up. What did you think you were going to be doing?" The ones in Wales did the least complaining.

>13 Carol420: We're Brits. We're never happier than when we're complaining!

<14 Well you people must have a lot in common with your American cousins:) My grandfather was Scottish and he complained about everything but my tittle Irish grandmother just took life as it came. She said life never threw her anything that a cup of tea couldn't cure.

>9 Carol420: This is the one in England - I don't remember anything about Wales. I thought it was very eye opening and we complain about all the work we have to do now!

>11 .cris: >16 JulieLill: I found the 2 that are like this but was made in Wales. They were both released on DVD in 2017 by BBC and they are called Coal House and Coal House At War.

>17 Carol420: Thanks for the info!

Very moving new series SBS The State

On ABC in America, they showed last night Unfaithfully Yours, a documentary on Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. These were the married evangelists, who made a ton of money promoting God on TV in the 70's and 80's and scamming their viewers out of their money. I had forgotten a lot about their shenanigans but this revived my memories of that time period. If you get a chance -this was one fascinating show. Tammy died of cancer but Jim is still alive and still on air promoting being prepared for the end of life on Earth.

I believe they were the ones that used the money to redecorate their mansion including gold faucets in the bath. She must have spent a fortune on make-up if I remember correctly. She always looked like her face would crack.

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I watched Netflix 6 part Korean series Kingdom. A period zombie story, where the undead, apparently, have trained with Usain Bolt! Great story, fab costumes and a fucking cliff-hanger ending. They start filming series 2 next month. That's so cruel.

Marvel's The Punisher - Season 02. Jon Bernthal continues protecting the weak in this double story 13 part series. His best buddy, turned killer recovers from his coma and comes looking for revenge, and a young girl involved in a blackmail scheme has a religious fanatic on her trail. I liked the start of it, but 13 episodes of The Punisher dishing out beatings, and taking them in return, became a little tiresome. An 8 parter would have been perfect.