Category: TV

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

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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.

The Blacklist – season 1

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The Blacklist is a crime thriller TV series. Eight seasons.

Yet I’d never even heard of it.

Yes, it’s silly escapist TV. Very good silly escapist TV.

Great music. Some interesting cinematography.

Of course you have to suspend disbelief. It’s about as realistic as a Road Runner cartoon. 😀

James Spader is excellent as Raymond “Red” Reddington, a former U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal who voluntarily surrenders to the FBI after eluding capture for decades.

… he has a list of the most dangerous criminals in the world … compiled over the years, and is willing to inform on their operations in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

However, he insists on working exclusively with rookie FBI profiler Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). …

Kiefer Sutherland was offered the role first. Not surprising. It reminds me a bit of 24.

Anonymous Girl by Hendricks & Pekkanen

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

I liked the previous book by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen — The Wife Between Us (2018) — and looked forward to their 2019 novel.

It’s even better.

Jessica, a Manhattan makeup artist, signs up for a research study into morality and ethics. She needs the money. It pays $500.

But what does Dr. Shields’ actually want of her?

A TV series based on the book is planned.

Amazon.

20 Minute Workout (1980s TV porn)

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20 Minute Workout is a Canadian-produced aerobics-based television program that ran from 1983 to 1984, in which “a bevy of beautiful girls” … on a rotating platform. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Abaddon’s Gate by James S. A. Corey

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Abaddon’s Gate is 3rd in The Expanse series — preceded by Leviathan Wakes and Caliban’s War. 

James Holden and his crew have been successful in their ship-for-hire business, cashing in on their celebrity …

But things go wrong when our crew goes first through the Stargate called “The Ring”.

They have a camera crew onboard.

Abaddon’s Gate was adapted into episodes 7 to 13 of the third season of the television series The Expanse in 2018, with its title taken for the final episode of that season.

This is one of those rare series where the TV show is better than the books.

I find the books too slow.

Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith

On By Rick McIn books, human rights, TV1 Comment

Troubled Blood (2020) is the fifth novel in the Cormoran Strike series …

I ASSume Galbraith is a moral man — respecting human rights.

Cormoran Strike is as irritable and irritating as ever.

We can’t imagine why partner Robin Ellacott likes him as a boss — or for possible romance.

Happily, Robin finally divorced her husband. What a relief.

Troubled Blood is well written. But I enjoyed it least of the series, so far.

The 40 year old cold case is too long, too slow. I definitely couldn’t get into it.

More insight into Strike’s odd family was interesting. In fact, all the other story lines were engaging.

I’ll definitely be continuing with the series, even if it turns out Galbraith is a horrible person in real life.

The Code (Aussie TV series)

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Because I enjoyed Australian TV series Pine Gap, I went looking for more.

The Code — season 1 2014 — is a six-part series set in both outback and metropolitan areas of Australia.

Very intense.

Fantastic ending.

The main story is brothers Ned (Dan Spielman) — a journalist — and Jesse Banks (Ashley Zukerman) — a hacker — who publish a video of a mysterious outback accident.

Zukerman’s performance a socially dysfunctional genius is impressive and emotional. He was nominated Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama in 2014 in the Aussie AACTA Awards.

I’ll definitely watch season 2.

Pine Gap (TV series)

On By Rick McIn TV1 Comment

Pine Gap is a 2018 Australian television series …

… set around the Australian and American joint defence intelligence facility at Pine Gap, south-west of the town of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.

In fact, I tried it on Netflix because I’d never made it to Alice Springs as a tourist.

Pine Gap is an actual U.S. / Australian satellite surveillance base. The TV series is based around a real thing.

Quite good. Sounds like there might be a season 2 in the works. I’ll probably watch it.

Mark Leonard Winter as Moses Dreyfus, an autistic geek, was easily my favourite character. But many of the personalities are engaging.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

 

Collateral (TV series)

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Collateral is a four-part British television drama first broadcast 2018.

It’s a complicated murder mystery – the inexplicable killing of a pizza delivery driver who is shot in a London suburb. 

All the acting is good. But I liked best Jeany Spark as Sandrine Shaw; a captain in the British Army.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.