Category: TV

The Diplomat – season 2

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Though I’m no particular fan of palace drama … I do recommend this TV series.

Season 1 is entertaining.

Season 2 centers on Kate Wyler, the new United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, as she helps to defuse an international crisis, forges strategic alliances and adjusts to her new place in the spotlight.

She also manages her deteriorating marriage to fellow career diplomat Hal Wyler.

The plot is interesting. A British aircraft carrier is attacked in the Persian Gulf, killing 41 sailors?

Who is responsible?

Was it Russia?

Or the Prime Minister?

More twists and turns than typical American television.

GREAT cast.

Best is Rory Kinnear as Nicol Trowbridge, UK prime minister.

Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler, Kate’s husband and former US ambassador to Lebanon is excellent, too.

Allison Janney as Grace Penn, Vice President of the United States. Always terrific.

There’s enough humour to keep me amused.

Too much time is spent on the dysfunctional relationships IMHO.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Only Murders in the Building – seasons 3 & 4

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I loved the first 2 seasons, BUT the novelty begins to wear off as the plots get more complex in seasons 3 and 4.

Season 3

This one starts with Oliver’s murder mystery play Death Rattle.

Ben Glenroy, in the lead role, is pronounced dead by the authorities after collapsing on stage.

Turns out his clinical death was due to food poisoning. BUT he’s later murdered in the building.

Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin was probably the highlight for me.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Season 4

The cliffhanger from season 3 is a main plot thread. Charles’ good friend and former stunt double — Jane Lynch as Sazz Pataki — seemed to have been killed in Charles’ apartment. What happened?

Oddly, Hollywood is interested in making a feature film about the podcast murders.

Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep return to the cast.   Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, and Eva Longoria are brought in to star as our trio.

The cameos and pop references kept me going, but this was probably the weakest of the seasons, so far.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Season 5 is in the works.

The Lincoln Lawyer – season 3

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Watch it.

When season 3 dropped all 10 episodes, I was obliged to rejoin Netflix. 😀

I’d say, Lincoln Lawyer season 3 is even better than season 1 and season 2.

Certainly one of the best TV shows of 2024.

The editing is flashier. Dialogue smarter and funnier.

Entertaining — BUT this is one intense courtroom drama. I can’t recall better.

The cast is ALL excellent.

Izzy Letts and Andrea “Andy” Freeman play big roles in season 3. They are not in the book — but certainly add more depth to the primary story line.

Though I love the book — this is one of those rare cases where the adaptation is superior.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – season 1

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

I quite liked the YA books — but wasn’t sure I’d want to watch the TV adaptation.

WHEN it turned out to be Emma Myers playing Pip Fitz-Amobi, I was 100% in.

And it is excellent TV.

Darker than the book, seems to me.

Emma Myers played my favourite character on Wednesday.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a British mystery thriller television series based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Holly Jackson …

Pip Fitz-Amobi is not satisfied that the killing of a local school girl has been investigated sufficiently and takes matters into her own hands …

Rotten Tomatoes 84%

I expect it will be renewed for season 2.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Bad Monkey – season 1

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

Entertaining.

I’m no particular fan of Vince Vaughn — but he’s well suited to the annoying role of Andrew Yancy, a one-time detective turned restaurant inspector in this comedy.

I AM a huge fan of author  Carl Hiaasen who wrote the 2013 novel of the same name.

A severed arm is discovered by a fishing boat off the coast of the Florida Keys.

Ex-detective Andrew Yancy, suspended for having assaulted the husband of his lover, is tasked to deliver the arm to the Miami morgue.

The arm is identified by Dr. Rosa Campesino as having belonged to Nick Stripling and is returned to his wife Eve.

Eve’s step-daughter Caitlin believes she killed her father for his money. …

There’s a parallel story on Andros Island, where fisherman Neville Stafford consults with the local Obeah, the “Dragon Queen” to put a curse on the developers trying to replace his home with a resort. 

Plenty of humour. Quite a few very likeable characters.

Scott Glenn as Jim Yancy, Andrew Yancy’s father, is hilarious.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Slow Horses – season 4

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

The best TV series of 2024 I’ve seen.

The best season, so far.

  1. Season 1
  2. Season 2
  3. Season 3 (weakest)

Of course Gary Oldman — aka Jackson Lamb — and Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho are both brilliant as ever.

JK Coe, as played by Tom Brooke, was introduced in season 4. Fascinating.

Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tregorian is introduced, as well. Very good.

Season 4 is based on the book Spook Street.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Season 5 is already filmed.

IF you don’t have a subscription to Apple TV, you can watch episode 1, season 1 of Slow Horses online for free. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

1st to Die by James Patterson

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

In general, Patterson is the junk food of murder mysteries. Easy to follow. LOTS of action and romance. And very little reality. 😀

Women’s Murder Club is a series of mystery novels by American author James Patterson.

The books are set in San Francisco and feature an ensemble of lead characters.

I’d enjoyed a couple of the recent books — so went back to the beginning.

1st to Die is a 2001 crime novel by American author James Patterson … the first book in the Women’s Murder Club series.

… four friends who pool their skills together to crack San Francisco’s toughest murder cases.

The women each have different jobs: Lindsay Boxer, a homicide inspector for the San Francisco Police Department, Claire Washburn, a medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt, an assistant D.A., and Cindy Thomas, a reporter who just started working the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle. …

Actually, it’s not bad. I’d not agree with this Kirkus Reviews: “bargain-basement plotting, fewer thrills than a tax audit, and cardboard sleuths poised to return for a sequel.” 😀

It’s was adapted for a TV miniseries. 2007–2008.

Cancelled after one season. You can watch the 1st episode free on YouTube.

Actually, Angie Harmon was a terrific pick to play Lindsay Boxer.

The Rings of Power – season 2

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Meh.

The Rings of Power is set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

I got through the second season, but felt it was even weaker than season 1.

Guardian review – Most expensive TV show ever is in its second season, but reviews are disappointing and audiences are staying away

The only character I really found interesting this year is Tom Bombadil.

Though the series is planned for 5 seasons, I wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon cancels.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

In advance of Cross, an Amazon Prime TV adaptation dropping November 14, 2024, I read another of the many books.

Like most Patterson, this one has a plot full of holes. Real murder mystery writers must laugh when reading (the much more successful) Patterson.

If you can suspend belief, this one is more complicated and interesting than most.

Two serial killers. Or is it three?

Alex Cross, Run is the 20th novel in the Alex Cross series written by American author James Patterson. The novel focuses on the protagonist, detective Alex Cross, who must solve three cases at once with the whole city in a frenzy.

Viewpoint – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I can’t particularly recommend this TV show — but, for some reason, I got hooked.

The ending is excellent.

Viewpoint is a British police procedural drama thriller television miniseries …

Surveillance detective DC Martin Young (Noel Clarke) sets up his observation post in the home of single mum and secret voyeur Zoe Sterling (Alexandra Roach).

Zoe’s windows command a panoramic view of Westbury Square, and more importantly provide a direct sightline into the home of missing primary-school teacher Gemma Hillman (Amy Wren) and her boyfriend – and prime suspect in her disappearance – Greg Sullivan (Fehinti Balogun).

While being aired, the star — Noel Anthony Clarke — was accused by over 20 women of sexual harassment and intimidation. Even more women came forward later. Police found that the information did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation.

He’s sued The Guardian for defamation.