Category: TV

Cardinal – season 1

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

One of the best TV seasons ever. 

And it’s Canadian. Unapologetically  Canadian. There’s no effort to puff it up for the American market.

I highly recommend the 6 episode opening season. Be warned … it’s violent.

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

Cardinal is a Canadian crime drama television series, which premiered January 25, 2017 …

The series is an adaptation of Giles Blunt‘s crime novels about police detectives John Cardinal (Billy Campbell) and Lise Delorme (Karine Vanasse) in the fictional city of Algonquin Bay.  …

The first season is based on the novel Forty Words for Sorrow, about the investigation of the murder of a young girl.

Veteran actor Billy Campbell plays the title role perfectly.

Karine Vanasse from Québec is superb as Cardinal’s young new partner. That subplot is fascinating. Canadian Brendan Fletcher is believable, too, as a young serial killer.

Critics have called it plodding. Too slow paced.

I’d disagree. It’s superb. No filler. The plot is excellent. I’ll definitely be downloading series 2.

Rectify season 1 (2013)

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I downloaded Rectify because of great reviews.

Daniel Holden was imprisoned as a teenager for the rape and murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend, Hanna.

After nineteen years on death row, analysis of DNA evidence from his trial contradicts the prosecution’s case, and an appeals court vacates the judgment of his original trial.

Daniel is allowed to return to his hometown of Paulie, Georgia. The subsequent adjustments and events in the lives of Daniel, his extended family, and the townsfolk are explored as a character study in a slowly unfolding Southern Gothic story.

It is very well done. Subtle. A slow burn.

The pacing is very slow. Too slow for me, in fact. But most everyone who gets through the full four years feels it’s a masterpiece.

Abigail Spencer as Amantha Holden, Daniel’s younger sister, is my favourite character.

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

recommended – Halt and Catch Fire

On By Rick McIn Apple, internet, TVLeave a comment

I watched all 4 seasons of Halt and Catch Fire. It’s certainly one of the very best series I’ve seen.

… the series depicts a fictionalized insider’s view of the personal computer revolution of the 1980s and later the growth of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s. …

The cast is all excellent. In season 4 I was won over by newcomer Susanna Skaggs  who played a brilliant but socially confused teenager perfectly.

Very believable.

Susanna Skaggs

If you hate technology don’t be dissuaded. This series truly isn’t about TECH.

“Computers aren’t the thing,” … “They’re the thing that gets you to the thing.”

I hate football. Yet loved Friday Night Lights. This series is similarly excellent.

I agree with a number of reviewers who felt season 4 was best. And that season 4 tied the story together very well.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – NY Times review – How Failure Made ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ Great

The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Only my second Michael Connelly book, I’m impressed.

The Wrong Side Of Goodbye is the 29th novel by American crime author Michael Connelly, and the nineteenth novel featuring Los Angeles Police Department detective Harry Bosch. It was published in 2016. …

I loved Titus Welliver as Bosch in the TV series. The character in the book is just as good.

Folks at goodreads love the book. It’s rated 4.35 / 5.00.

Streamlined clean storytelling. An excellent plot.

This book features Bosch’s paternal half-brother Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer. Haller is even more entertaining than Bosch.

Read the NY Times review.

I’ll definitely be reading more Michael Connelly.

Halt and Catch Fire – season 3

On By Rick McIn Apple, Google, internet, TVLeave a comment

Not nearly as good as the previous two. I found myself losing interest. The move to California was not nearly as expected.

Too much drama. Not enough tech.

Rotten Tomatoes has it 95%, however.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Should I continue to the 4th and final season?

… I guess so.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Halt and Catch Fire – season 2

On By Rick McIn Apple, Google, internet, TVLeave a comment

Season 1 was great. But everyone agrees season 2 was much better.

One of my favourite shows ever. I’ve already started season 3.

Click PLAY or watch a review on YouTube.

Halt and Catch Fire is an American period drama television series … that aired on AMC from June 1, 2014, to October 14, 2017.

Taking place over a period of ten years, the series depicts a fictionalized insider’s view of the personal computer revolution of the 1980s and later the growth of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s.

Audiences give it 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Halt and Catch Fire (season 1)

On By Rick McIn Apple, TVLeave a comment

Halt and Catch Fire … depicts a fictionalized insider’s view of the personal computer revolution of the 1980s …

Fantastic.

Even if you hate computers, you’ll love this show. It’s extremely well done.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Not many people watched season 1, but those who did rated it 93% of Rotten Tomatoes.

Planet Earth II

On By Rick McIn travel, TVLeave a comment

Planet Earth II is a 2016 British nature documentary series produced by the BBC as a sequel to Planet Earth, which was broadcast in 2006. The series is presented and narrated by Sir David Attenborough …

FANTASTIC

The series comprises six episodes plus the compilation episode “A World of Wonder” …

“Islands”

“Mountains”

“Jungles”

“Deserts”

“Grasslands”

“Cities”

IMDb has it rated the best TV series all time. It’s hard to disagree.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Planet Earth III is planned. But will be another 10 years in the making.

The Expanse – season 2

On By Rick McIn TV1 Comment

The Expanse is an American science fiction television series on Syfy

The series received positive reviews from critics, who highlighted its visuals, character development, and political narrative.  …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Brilliant in many ways, visually superb, season 1 was too slow and confusing. Ratings were mixed. The plot needlessly sprawling and complicated.

Season 2 is at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Much improved.

It kept me going to the end. But I sure wish they would hire more skilled writers. Are the Game of Thrones folks available?