Category: TV

Caliban’s War by James S. A. Corey

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Caliban’s War is a 2012 science fiction novel by James S. A. Corey (pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck).

It is about a conflict in the solar system that involves Earth, Mars, and the Asteroid Belt (colonies of people living on asteroids, referred to as “Belters”). …

The series was adapted for television by the Syfy Network, also under the title of The Expanse.

This is the book where the crew surprisingly decides to help a botanist in the search for his young daughter.

Martian Marine Bobby surprisingly goes to work for a senior Earth leader.

I did enjoy the crew finding a super soldier stowaway.  And how they dealt with it.

All those themes of this book made it to the TV series adaptation.

I’m not sure how far I’ll get in the novels.

I have a library hold on book #3 but it will be an 18 week wait before I get it.

Caliban’s War is the second book in The Expanse series and is preceded by Leviathan Wakes.

1 Leviathan Wakes 20h 56m 2011-06-15
2 Caliban’s War 21h 2012-06-26
3 Abaddon’s Gate 19h 42m 2013-06-04
4 Cibola Burn 20h 7m 2014-06-17
5 Nemesis Games 16h 44m 2015-06-02
6 Babylon’s Ashes 19h 58m 2016-12-06
7 Persepolis Rising 20h 34m 2017-12-05
8 Tiamat’s Wrath 19h 8m 2019-03-26

The Expanse – season 4

On By Rick McIn books, TV1 Comment

Amazon picked up the series for a 4th season after it was to be dropped by Syfy.  And it’s renewed for season 5.

Hundreds of years in the future, the Solar System has been colonized by humanity.

The three largest powers are the United Nations of Earth and Luna, the Martian Congressional Republic on Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance (OPA), a loose configuration of the asteroid belt and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

In season 4 there is a potential land rush to NEW habitable worlds.  Possibly.  If they can find a way through the Ring.

The 4th season is getting great reviews.

Personally I found it a bit slower than the previous three. Less action.

Wes Chatham as Amos Burton is my favourite character.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Thomas Jane as Joe Miller, a Belter detective is great, as well.  Actually, all the Belters are interesting.

Cas Anvar as pilot Alex Kamal is engaging.

Frankie Adams as Martian Marine Corps Bobbie Draper is true to the bad ass woman in the book.

I am getting sick of Chrisjen Avasarala, the United Nations Security Council boss.

Whitechapel 1 & 2 (BBC TV series)

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I like a lot of TV shows out of the U.K.

Whitechapel is not as good as others — but it’s still better than most out of America.

Four seasons were produced.

Season 1 was Jack the Ripper.

… detectives in London’s Whitechapel district dealt with murders which replicated historical crimes. The first series (2009) … depicted the search for a modern copycat killer replicating the murders of Jack the Ripper.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Season 2 was the Kray twins.  Better than Ripper.

 

Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Comedienne Chelsea Handler is profane, outrageous, offensive … and very funny.

Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea is her 2008 best-selling book.

…  a collection of humorous and mostly autobiographical essays about her life. …

Amazon

It inspired a TV show called Are You There, Chelsea?

Laura Prepon plays Chelsea in the show.  It only lasted 12 episodes.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

 

TV comedy – Everything Sucks!

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

Awesome. Grade 10 students in 1996.  Nerds. 

Jahi Di’Allo Winston so courageous and confident as Luke O’Neil.

Peyton Kennedy so vulnerable as Kate Messner, the daughter of the principal.

They literally attend Boring High School.

How perfect is that?

Everything Sucks! is an American comedy-drama web television series (2018) .. that parodies teen culture of the mid-1990s. …

The series is set in the real-life town of Boring, Oregon in 1996, and focuses on a group of teenagers who attend the fictional Boring High School as they proceed to make a movie together while dealing with issues such as finding their sexualities, mental health, and growing up.

One small thing I appreciated was the story NOT making a big deal of Luke and his Mom being Black.   Any actor of any race could have been cast in the part.

Sadly, the series was not renewed.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Eco-Challenge Fiji – now on Amazon Prime

On By Rick McIn cycling, TVLeave a comment

Intense. Emotional.

If you’ve never watched an Adventure Race, this is the one.

I binged the 10 episodes over the weekend.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Eco-Challenge Fiji had 66 teams racing non-stop, 24 hours a day, across hundreds of miles of rugged backcountry terrain complete with mountains, jungles and oceans.

Each race team is comprised of four competitors, including at least one member of the opposite sex, and one assistant crewmember that will be helping their team from base camp.

A variety of non-motorized forms of transportation and other various challenges including outrigger paddling, mountain biking, rappelling, climbing, whitewater rafting, paddle boarding, and canyoneering ….

Navigation must be done with a map and compass only and teams will be required to use expedition problem-solving skills in their quest to the finish line.

If any team member quits or is unable to complete the race, the entire team will be disqualified. Only teams that can work together under extreme stress and fatigue have any hope of reaching the finish.

Sound like the TV show is renewed. Next edition will be hosted in Patagonia.

Patriot Games (1987) by Tom Clancy

On By Rick McIn books, movies, TVLeave a comment

Famously popular at the time, I found Patriot Games in 2020 too jingoistic. Also slow paced.

It didn’t help that the audio book is read by Scott Brick, too emotional for my liking.

The origin of character Jack Ryan is interesting. A civilian history professor at the United States Naval Academy (USNA).

He’s the son of a Baltimore police detective and a nurse.

While in London with his family, Ryan stumbles upon a kidnapping attempt on the Prince of Wales and his family, which is orchestrated by Irish terrorist group …

He foils the attack by killing one gunman while injuring another and gets wounded in the process. …

Ryan is later knighted by Queen Elizabeth II …

Acceptable Risk – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Acceptable Risk is an Irish television crime drama series …

… stars Elaine Cassidy as Dublin-based Sarah Manning, whose husband Lee is murdered whilst on a business trip in Montreal. Filmed between Ireland and Canada …

I’ll definitely be watching season 2.

This show has potential.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Gracepoint – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I decided to watch the U.S. remake Gracepoint rather than the British original called Broadchurch.

Both star the same series’ lead, David Tennant (Dr. Who), as Detective Emmett Carver. But the ending of season 1 is different.

Anna Gunn is superb, as usual, as Detective Ellie Miller.

Nick Nolte has a memorable role as Jack Reinhold.

I recommend Gracepoint. Sadly it was cancelled after the first season.

Only 64% on Rotten Tomatoes. Broadchurch is closer to 94%.

Click PLAY or watch a preview on YouTube.

There was NO WAY I could have predicted the killer.

Filming began on January 28, 2014, in Oak Bay, British Columbia. Continued until late-May 2014 in Greater Victoria, the marketplace at Portside Marina in Sidney.

Never Have I Ever – season 1

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

If you liked Derry Girls, you’ll like this comedy series.

Never Have I Ever is an American coming of age comedy-drama television series starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher.

The comedy is partially based on Kaling’s real childhood story, growing up in the Boston area … about an Indian American high school student dealing with the death of her father. …

Diversity of cast is obviously one goal.  The only heterosexual white man with much air time is the hilarious narrator, professional tennis player John McEnroe.

The writing is excellent.  A lot of pop references.

Maitreyi is a natural.  She was picked from 15,000 applicants having put together her audition video at a local library in Mississauga using her mother’s camera.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.