Category: TV

Criminal UK (TV series)

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Criminal is a series of four Netflix police procedural anthology TV series set in 4 countries. In 4 languages.

All 4 language series were shot on the same set in Madrid, 

Each episode is a stand-alone psychological drama, consisting of the interrogation of an individual by a team of police investigators. Every scene is confined to just three areas in a single location; a police interrogation room, a darkened viewing room that looks into the interrogation room through a one-way mirror, and the hallway and stairwell outside the rooms.

Dialogue is the story.

Very cool.

I watched 7 episodes of the U.K. series.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Nemesis Games by James S. A. Corey

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Leviathan Wakes

Caliban’s War

Abaddon’s Gate

Cibola Burn

Nemesis Games (2015) is the 5th book in their The Expanse series.

The best, so far, I’d say. (None of the book titles, however, make much sense to me.)

A simpler plot. Our 4 heroes go their separate ways while the Rocinante is down for long-term maintenance.

I new and engaging BAD GUY.

The Expanse TV series is better. Season 5 is based on this book.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

It’s a PAIN having to wait a week between episodes. Season 6 will be the last.

Limitless – season 1

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Limitless is an American comedy-drama television series (2015) based on the 2011 film of the same name,

It stars Jake McDorman as Brian Finch, burnout and struggling musician, who discovers the power of a mysterious nootropic drug by the name of NZT-48.

This drug unlocks the full potential of the human brain and gives its user enhanced mental faculties.

Though it only lasted one season, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Very funny. And great special effects.

Bradley Cooper has a small role, so he must have thought it had potential.

To tell the truth, it was Jennifer Carpenter who I likde best.

I watched all 8 seasons of Dexter. Jennifer played the serial killer’s sister. And later married him in real life.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Superstore – seasons 1 & 2

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

Love it.

What a genius concept. Making fun of stores like Walmart and Target. 😀

I’m definitely going to keep watching.

My favourite character by far is Canadian comedian Lauren Ash who plays Dina Fox.

Excellent too is comedian, actor, writer, and producer Colton Dunn as Garrett McNeil, a vet who’s in a wheelchair.

Sandra is pretty fantastic too.

… and Brett. Brett steals every scene.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

On By Rick McIn books, TV1 Comment

Excellent.

Magpie Murders is a 2016 mystery novel by British author Anthony Horowitz and the first novel in the Susan Ryeland series.

The story focuses on the murder of a mystery author and utilizes a story within a story format.

Susan Ryeland is the editor of the mystery author Alan Conway, who is known for his well-received series of novels centering upon the detective Atticus Pünd and for being very difficult to work with.

Fans are eagerly awaiting Conway’s latest novel, rumored to be the last in the series, but when Susan reads through the manuscript she discovers that it is unfinished.

And that Alan Conway is dead.

Does the manuscript provide clues?

related – PBS Adapting MAGPIE MURDERS as Six-Part Mini-Series

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Imposters – season 1

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

Fantastic TV.

The black comedy follows con artist Maddie, played by Inbar Lavi, who gets involved in relationships with men and women before leaving them “used and robbed of everything – including their hearts“.

Wikipedia

Uma Thurman is hilarious as Lenny Cohen, an assassin.

Though it only lasted 2 seasons, I’d agree with Rotten Tomatoes, 100% fresh.

“Imposters meshes slapstick comedy, top-notch writing, unexpected twists, and a noteworthy lead performance, with satisfying — and surprisingly ambitious — results”.

One scene is set in Port Townsend, WA.

I actually found season 2 to be something of a letdown. Did not finish.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Bletchley Circle – seasons 1 & 2

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The Bletchley Circle is a television mystery drama miniseries, set in 1952–53, about four women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park during WW II.

Seven years after the war’s end, disappointed with police not investigating complex crimes, the women join to investigate for themselves.

It’s quite charming.

A sequel took the ladies to San Francisco.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Michael Connelly‘s new book (2020) is his best — so far — of the 6 featuring attorney Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer.

I’ve never been much of a courtroom drama fan. But this story is excellent.

And well told.

it’s topical, as well, set just at the start of pandemic in 2020.

On the night he celebrates a big win, defense attorney Mickey Haller is pulled over by police, who find the body of a former client in the trunk of his Lincoln. Haller is immediately charged with murder but can’t post the exorbitant $5 million bail slapped on him by a vindictive judge. …

Haller knows he’s been framed, whether by a new enemy or an old one. As his trusted team, including his half-brother, Harry Bosch, investigates, Haller must use all his skills in the courtroom to counter the damning evidence against him.

Amazon

Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

With season 5 of The Expanse arriving Amazon, I read the 4th book in the series as a warm-up. 😀

Cibola Burn (2014) follows the crew of the Rocinante as they join the flood of humanity out into the galaxy, using the gates built by the ancient civilization that also produced the protomolecule. …

Holden arrives on a world on the verge of war.

Yet the biggest danger to the colonists, scientists and Holden is not the human disagreements that they have brought with them but the frontier. …

Season 4 of The Expanse was largely based on this book.

I love the future universe imagined in this series. Like a number of the characters.

But — overall — these are not great books. If the TV series did not exist, I wouldn’t read them.

Season 6 will be last in the TV series.

Marcella season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Marcella is a British detective series first broadcast 2016.

Three seasons announced, so far.

Good TV. Great cast. A sophisticated plot.

BUT — for me this season was far too bleak.

Everyone is dysfunctional. There’s nobody to cheer for. … Aside from the computer nerd.

It’s too complicated, as well. Too many characters.

And seemingly huge plot holes — like Mohammed El-Said, the taxi driver who knew Marcella’s secret. What happened to him? Perhaps it’s explained in season 2.

I had to read this recap to even half make sense of this story.

It stars Anna Friel as Marcella Backland, a former London Metropolitan Police Service detective, who decides to return to work after her husband of 15 years, Jason (Nicholas Pinnock), abruptly announces he is leaving her. 

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.