Electric Dreams (2017 TV series)

On November 8, 2020November 3, 2020 By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, or simply Electric Dreams, is a science fiction television anthology series based on the works of Philip K. Dick.
The series consists of ten standalone 50-minute episodes based on Dick’s work …

Rotten Tomatoes has an approval rating of 73% — but I’d still recommend it. Especially if you like the similar, but superior, Black Mirror episodes.

Good actors. Good acting. Some interesting dystopian stories.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Tehran (TV series)

On November 1, 2020October 30, 2020 By Rick McIn Islam, TVLeave a comment

One nation I’ve always wanted to visit is Iran. Westerners love it there.

A new TV series on Apple TV+ gives a glimpse of Tehran. I’m sure the religious leadership there has condemned it.

It’s very well acted. But slow in places.

Tehran is an Israeli espionage thriller television series …
… about the Israeli–Iranian conflict …
Protagonist Tamar Rabinyan, a young Jewish woman born in Iran but raised in Israel, is a Mossad agent and computer hacker, sent on a mission to the Iranian capital, assigned to disabling an Iranian nuclear reactor. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Hannibal – season 1

On October 23, 2020October 16, 2020 By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Hannibal (2013) is … is based on characters and elements appearing in Thomas Harris‘ novels Red Dragon (1981), Hannibal (1999), and Hannibal Rising (2006) with focus on the relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychiatrist destined to become Graham’s most cunning enemy and, at the same time, the only person who can understand him.

Whew. That’s a long, packed sentence.

I’ve never like horror. And this series is very gory.

Yet I loved Silence of the Lambs.

This version has a different feel.

Laurence Fishburne and Mads Mikkelsen provide plenty of gravitas. This is serious drama. Well written. Well acted.

Gillian Anderson as Bedelia Du Maurier, Lecter’s psychotherapist is excellent, of course.

I always like Scott Thompson who plays Jimmy Price, one of the crime scene investigators. That group lighten the shows with their dark humour.

Not sure yet whether I could stomach season 2.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

David Attenborough’s A Life On Our Planet

On October 10, 2020October 6, 2020 By Rick McIn government, things getting worse, TVLeave a comment

David Attenborough is now age-94.

His newest work is a “witness statement” — his reflection on his career as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen.

A love letter to Earth from the beloved broadcaster.

The first half is very depressing. Humanity doomed.

But in the second half Attenborough explains how mankind MIGHT possibly survive the next 80 years.

As it seems nations can’t organize to do even the most trivial collective good, I’m not optimistic.

In the USA, the Trump regime has been doing the exact opposite as recommended. In Alberta, the Kenney regime is making the future worse, as well.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Vincent – British TV series

On October 2, 2020September 27, 2020 By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

If you like British TV, you’ll like Vincent. An older series.

Vincent is a British television crime drama series …

… a private detective agency based in Manchester, run by private investigator Vincent Gallagher (Ray Winstone), who alongside with his sidekick Beth (Suranne Jones), junior PI Robert (Joe Absolom) and fellow team members Gillian (Angel Coulby) and John (Ian Puleston-Davies), investigates cases which the police would either refuse to touch, or have been unable to solve.

8 hour long episodes were produced.

The principle attraction of the show for me is actor Ray Winstone. He plays a shambling, troubled, flawed but ultimately charming rogue.

Good dialogue.

Click PLAY or watch a scene on YouTube.

I’m trying YouTube Premium

On September 26, 2020September 25, 2020 By Rick McIn Google, movies, music, TVLeave a comment

CAD $12 / month if I continue after the first free month.

💛 No ads 💛

I’m tempted. I hate YouTube ads, particularly the ones mid-video.

Subscription includes a short list of YouTube Original shows and movies.

In fact, I tried the service to watch the Gymnastics series Defying Gravity.

Better is YouTube Music.

I downloaded the YouTube Music app for my iPhone, as well. I can play almost anything with or without video. Offline if I download.

It does NOT include YouTube TV. That’s OK as it’s only available in the USA and costs $64.99/mo.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Caliban’s War by James S. A. Corey

On September 25, 2020September 20, 2020 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 September 20, 2020September 18, 2020 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 September 6, 2020September 1, 2020 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.