Category: TV

Maid – miniseries

On By Rick McIn economics, TVLeave a comment

Excellent TV. 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Original. Non-cliche. Surprising, at times.

It reminds me a bit of the film Nomadland.

Real people in America. The USA is a terrible place to be poor.

Main is inspired by Stephanie Land‘s memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive.

Story focuses on a young mother who escapes an abusive relationship, subsequently struggling to provide for her daughter by getting a job cleaning houses.

Margaret Qualley plays the lead. Very compelling. Very real.

She’s a former Pete Davidson squeeze — but who isn’t? 😀.

More importantly, she’s the real daughter of Andie MacDowell, who plays her crazy artist Mom in the series.

If I had any complaint it would be pacing. Too slow. Fewer episodes would have improved the story.

Also — I have to admit that I quit after 7/10 episodes. It hurt too much to see the sincere Mom making mistakes despite her commitment to do it right.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Bombshell (2019 film)

On By Rick McIn GOP USA, government, movies, TVLeave a comment

Great cast. Not much a film, however.

Too preachy. And I felt they tried to include too much. Fewer story lines would have made it better.

 Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie star in this film based on the accounts of the women at Fox News who set out to expose CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. …

After co-moderating the 2016 Republican debate, Megyn Kelly faces numerous insults from Donald Trump, who is upset because she asked him about his offensive comments toward women. …

Fox eventually paid the victims of sexual harassment $50 million, while paying Ailes and O’Reilly $65 million in severance.

wikipedia

Roger Ailes died age-77 in 2017.

Rupert Murdoch hired him in 1996 to become the CEO of Fox News. In 2016 Ailes was fired, taking a $65 million golden handshake. He was under investigation for sexual harassment from Megyn Kelly and many other women.

Other FOX old men accused of harassing blonde women included:

Fox Sports President Jamie Horowitz
Fox Business Host Charles Payne
Fox News host Bill O’Reilly
Fox News Latino vice president Francisco Cortes
Fox News co-President Jack Abernethy

It was the culture of FOX. Hopefully things are better now.

Personally I wish some billionaire would buy FOX News and fire most of the opinion talking heads.

Doc Martin seasons 6-7

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

Doc Martin is still keeping me amused.

Doc and Louisa finally get married. And then, unsurprisingly, separate.

Doc is hopeless.

Eventually … they go to couples therapy.

Over the last few seasons, Jessica Ransom, as Doc’s harried receptionist Morwenna Newcross, has become my favourite character.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Bloodlands – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Bloodlands is a police procedural set in Ireland.

Intense with unexpected twists and turns.

Veteran detective Tom Brannick is still looking for his wife who disappeared 20 years earlier. Her possible assassin, code-named Goliath, might be back.

It’s well done. But too dark for me to continue to season 2.

Also, there’s no character I particularly like.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

London Kills – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I pretty much like any and every British murder mystery TV show.

I picked this show at random out of dozens of options.

And I enjoyed it though the only character that really appeals is Bailey Patrick as Rob Brady. He’s got the look.

Jennie Jacques as Amber Saunders, a street person, is well done too. A well crafted performance.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Doc Martin – seasons 4/5

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

When I get fed up with dark, heavy TV shows I switch back to charmingly hilarious Doc Martin.

Doc is grouchy, abrupt, and lacks social skills. His direct, emotionless manner offends many of the villagers, made worse by his invariably unpleasant responses to their ignorant, often foolish, comments.

None of the townsfolk can understand why the lovely Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz) has his baby — and then tries to marry him. Twice.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Reacher – season 1

On By Rick McIn books, TV2 Comments

I started reading the Jack Reacher books in 2015. Loved ’em from the start.

And there’s much to like in the TV adaptation of book #1.

Alan Ritchson almost lives up to the legend of Reacher.

250 pounds of vigilante justice.

I really liked the badass love interest in this one. Willa Fitzgerald as Roscoe Conklin.

YES the plot is kinda dumb. The book plots are pretty dumb too. Dozens of bad guys who never seem to shoot straight.

But I’m already looking forward enthusiastically to season 2. It got the green light only 3 days after release. This is a hit.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Queens of Mystery – seasons 1-2

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Queens of Mystery is a British comedy-drama murder-mystery series …

Matilda Stone is a young detective who has been assigned to the constabulary in her fictional hometown village of Wildemarsh, England, where she is reunited with her three crime-writing aunts …

“very tongue-in-cheek and cartoonish” …

It’s something of a parody.

I like the odd and interesting cinematography, as well.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I enjoyed season 2, as well. Perhaps not quite as much.

A few of the ongoing stories were resolved.

But Matilda has yet to find out why her mother disappeared. We’ll have to wait on season 3.

Mystery Road – seasons 1&2

On By Rick McIn TV1 Comment

Acorn bills Mystery Road as “Australia’s answer to True Detective,” but if anything, the multiple-award-winning series is even closer in spirit to Bosch …

Paste

That review was enough to get me to click over.

Cinematography is fantastic. I need to get back Down Under.

Mystery Road is an Australian television neo-Western–crime mystery series …

Indigenous Australian detective Jay Swan, played by Aaron Pedersen is the main character … assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of two young farmhands on an outback cattle station, one a local Indigenous football hero and the other a white backpacker. …

I’ll be continuing to season 2.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I continued with season 2, but it wasn’t nearly as good.

Cinematography is equally magnificent. The new actors very good. BUT the story!? 😕

Fire the writers.

Season 3 will be a prequel.