Netflix/Prime/Hulu/BritBox Binge Watching: Coronavirus Edition

[DFJ]

We binge watched season 3 of Ozark this week. OMG, even more intense than the first two seasons. Ruth by far is my favorite character.

This is a great show. Huge Bateman fan but have to agree with Ruth. Last scene sends a bit of a jolt.

 

[hanca]

Over the last 2-3 weeks I (re)watched The Americans. The episodes I rewatched, I watched in full lengths, no fastforwarding. The writers have done an amazing job in developing the characters, the story lines. The setting is great, same goes for the plot.

While I understand that the showrunners/Network opted for cancelation of the show, I just feel there could be more to tell. Probably set in the late nineties in America as a spin-off with their grown-up kids.

I was always curious what would happen with the daughter and son, staying there on their own, without having any money behind them. The son wouldn’t be able to continue attending his expensive school and whether they would manage to earn enough money (despite their young age) to pay the bills and survive...

 

[Cachoo]

I finally watched the latest season of "The Expanse" and was not disappointed. When science fiction is done well it can so enthralling.

 

[Kasey]

I'm on episode #4 of "The Fall" on Prime, starring Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson. REALLY great acting, good plots, definitely keeps the attention.

 

[skatingguy]

Over the last 2-3 weeks I (re)watched The Americans. The episodes I rewatched, I watched in full lengths, no fastforwarding. The writers have done an amazing job in developing the characters, the story lines. The setting is great, same goes for the plot.

While I understand that the showrunners/Network opted for cancelation of the show, I just feel there could be more to tell. Probably set in the late nineties in America as a spin-off with their grown-up kids.

I was hoping the show would move toward the fall of the Soviet Union, and how the characters, particularly Keri Russell's character, would react to those developments.

 

[mjb52]

I've watched two more episodes of Ugly Delicious and would really highly recommend it. The way men talk to each other (or at least these particular ones) is really fascinating to me, the sort of loving banter/bickering between the two main guys in the show is highly different from how I would ever talk to my own friends for sure, but overall the show has a really heartwarming feel despite its occasional rough edges and the ongoing discussion of issues relating to authenticity and elitism in food culture is really interesting.

 

[text_skate]

I was always curious what would happen with the daughter and son, staying there on their own, without having any money behind them. The son wouldn’t be able to continue attending his expensive school and whether they would manage to earn enough money (despite their young age) to pay the bills and survive...

I'd say Stan looked after Henry. But Paige? What could she do in Washington? There is only so much vodka to drink. The Soviets wouldn't pay forever for a safe house they no longer need.

I was hoping the show would move toward the fall of the Soviet Union, and how the characters, particularly Keri Russell's character, would react to those developments.

This.

 

[tony]

I'm on episode #4 of "The Fall" on Prime, starring Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson. REALLY great acting, good plots, definitely keeps the attention.

First two seasons are amazing and so intense. But I promise you- the third season really bombs.

 

[Kasey]

First two seasons are amazing and so intense. But I promise you- the third season really bombs.

Well that sucks! I’m about to start season 3!

 

[Jenny]

Watched the series finale of Schitt's Creek last night, we laughed, we cried, what a great way to end it. Afterward there was a behind the scenes special that was wonderful. Sigh.

 

[Aussie Willy]

A new season of Nailed It has started on Netflix. Will need to watch it.

 

[canbelto]

Parasite is on Hulu!!!

 

[clairecloutier]

We just watched The Mandalorian on Disney. I really enjoyed it, more than I expected to. Interesting story, lots of action, and great production values. (Plus baby Yoda!)

 

[Yehudi]

Rewatching Pushing Daisies. Ned and Chuck were on to something with kissing through saran-wrap and patting the dog with the fake hand.

 

[Oreo]

I’m becoming obsessed with the Spanish drama/romance “Velvet.” It is set in 1950s Madrid and focuses on a high end dress shop. There is definitely a bit of a haves/have nots vibe between the owners and wealthy patrons who shop at the store and those who work there.

I loved this series! A similar series is The Time In Between or El Tiempo Entre Costuras, which is equally wonderful. It’s about a poor seamstress in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War who comes into some money but is bamboozled and stranded in Morocco by a no good lover. She starts over by sewing couture clothes for the wealthy foreigners—Brits and Germans—living there, eventually becoming a spy during WWII. I think you can find it now on Daily Motion. The book is also translated into English and just as good.

 

[chantilly]

Well that sucks! I’m about to start season 3!

Personally I loved Season Three and and thought Season 2 was pretty weak.

 

[Kasey]

Personally I loved Season Three and and thought Season 2 was pretty weak.

I thought season 3 lived up to the other two really well

 

[VGThuy]

I cannot wait to watch this:

MRS. AMERICA Official Trailer (HD) Cate Blanchett

MRS. AMERICA - 2020 - DRAMA - CATE BLANCHETT Mrs. America recounts the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the unexpected backlash led by...

youtu.be

The story of the battle of the Equal Rights Amendment with the unexpected backlash created by Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett). Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne) is a central character of this limited series with many other notable feminists included including Tracy Ullman as Betty Friedan. One reviewer said Ullman actually gives the best performance as Friedan who feels she's owed more from the movement (the second wave feminist movement) than what she received.

I think this is going to be fascinating and will show how the U.S. got to where it's at now where feminism is such a hot topic issue with so much and us having to deal with the "moral majority". I also think it played out with a recent Presidential race.

 

[annie720]

The hubs and I watched the new Netflix movie Tigertail last night. We both liked it, but it is not at all an upbeat film. It' pensive and wistful. Tzi Ma is great!

And because Netfilx suggested it, we also watched One of Us, the documentary about the 3 people attempting to leave a NYC Hasidic community. It was ok, but there was something about the production that seemed a bit off, like it could have been edited in a different way to make it more watchable.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Just finished S3 of Ozark and this season was SO much better than S2. I needed some brain bleach after certain developments, but everything else was so freaking good. I loved Tom Pelphrey on Guiding Light back in the day, and I always wondered why his career didn’t advance much after that. He better get an Emmy for the role of Ben.

 

[Deleted member 1204]

Have you seen Don't F**k With Cats?

I'm about to start watching Ozark.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

OMG

You have to watch Tickled if you get a chance. Right now it's available for rent on Amazon Prime and you can watch it with Netflix DVD.

Spoiler

"This sick fcuk of a human spent decades targeting underage and low income kids to make tickle videos. He would bribe them with money and gifts and then threaten them with lawsuits when they wanted to quit. He would also post the videos on the internet without their consent. He would send letters to their employers and families that they were pedophiles, etc. Once he sent spam to the White House making it look like it came from one of his torture targets.

When the internet was new, there were probably few laws that could protect people but I would hope that someone could stop him now. Unfortunately, this guy is still out there targeting kids. I imagine most of them do not have the money or know how to stop the abuse once they want to stop the tickle videos.

The journalist that ran all this down found that most of the "legal threats" to him were fake letters from D'Amatto himself rather than from actual lawyers. D'Amatto thrives on threats and abuse.

 

[Kasey]

Episode one of "Unorthodox" on Netflix....so good!!

 

[marbri]

I loved this series! A similar series is The Time In Between or El Tiempo Entre Costuras, which is equally wonderful. It’s about a poor seamstress in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War who comes into some money but is bamboozled and stranded in Morocco by a no good lover. She starts over by sewing couture clothes for the wealthy foreigners—Brits and Germans—living there, eventually becoming a spy during WWII. I think you can find it now on Daily Motion. The book is also translated into English and just as good.

OMG I was watching that series YEARS ago when we had hacked US Netflix but went on vacation and when I returned I no longer had that version of Netflix and have never seen the end of this It was so good and now that you have reminded me of the name I will see if I can locate it somewhere (though I wish I could get it on netflix to remind me where I left off).

I have been watching a lot of Spanish series and movies lately on Netflix and am really enjoying them.

 

[oleada]

I cannot wait to watch this:

MRS. AMERICA Official Trailer (HD) Cate Blanchett

MRS. AMERICA - 2020 - DRAMA - CATE BLANCHETT Mrs. America recounts the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the unexpected backlash led by...

youtu.be

The story of the battle of the Equal Rights Amendment with the unexpected backlash created by Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett). Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne) is a central character of this limited series with many other notable feminists included including Tracy Ullman as Betty Friedan. One reviewer said Ullman actually gives the best performance as Friedan who feels she's owed more from the movement (the second wave feminist movement) than what she received.

I think this is going to be fascinating and will show how the U.S. got to where it's at now where feminism is such a hot topic issue with so much and us having to deal with the "moral majority". I also think it played out with a recent Presidential race.

I started watching this today. It’s excellent. Cate Blanchett is fantastic in it.

ETA: Uzo Aduba is also fabulous

 

[Matryeshka]

I'm really disappointed in Making the Cut. I will finish this season because it's one of the few shows my mom, brother, and I can agree on to watch together (thanks zoom!), but I won't watch a second season. I hate to say this, but after seeing Christian as a mentor, it really exposes some weaknesses in Tim's mentorship abilities. I find I like the more technical critique. The judges are catty as hell, and to me they're often mean to the contestants for the sake of being mean. I don't like the whole "one conversation can change everything" bit. I also don't like the seamstress component, because it's not consistent. At first, I was excited about the idea of a seamstress who would work with the designers and it would truly be a design show. But no. I guess they only have one seamstress who might--or might not--get around to getting to the contestant's garment. Also, it's an international competition and it's unfair to the non-English speaking competitors as the implication is the seamstress speaks English, and sometimes garments aren't done because the contestants don't know the English word for some very technical bit of sewing and they won't know if it's done or not until they open their bag the next day. It comes off as a vanity project for Tim and Heidi than a fashion show, and their contrived "dates" I feel it's overproduced. It doesn't feel fresh. It feels old, but with lots and lots of Bezos $$$. I do like though they can design for men OR women and can come and go as they wish. This to me is a failing of PR that the contestants can't get more fabric, can't take a breather, etc.

I do really like Next in Fashion. Project Runway is still my favorite, but I feel like once Next in Fashion finds its footing...look out. I like the international flair and air of professionalism--clearly there are are no amateurs and the judges/hosts treat them like the professionals they are--but they still have to sew, cut material, etc. I even kind of like no shopping for fabric--fabric is provided and they tell them if they don't see what they need, they'll get it, and there's always the option to make your own print, so it's never about not having enough money/material--you just go get what you need. There's also no so far, surprise! OUTFIT TWO! Surprise--you're now designing for a dog! Surprise--you have challenging models--one the challenge is because the model is just older/bigger, one the model is in a wheelchair, and one the model is an albino albatross who was raised under a rock until yesterday. Hmmm...wonder who is going to win. (Disclaimer: I think inclusivity is important, what I object to is some fashion problems are easier/more expensive to solve than others)

I'm still making up my mind about this season of Top Chef Masters. Usually I remember most of the masters/returning contestants and there's only one or two I don't. This season, I don't know who half of them were, and some of the ones I remember...I wish I didn't. Like Malarkey. Talk about someone aptly named. I think I will enjoy the show better when he leaves. A lot of them are just kind of boring, like they didn't have enough real masters to make a full season so they brought back some yahoos for "color." I think it would have been better had it been a limited season instead of a full season. Like, I really don't need to see the lesser Voltaggio ever again. Or Lisa. Or Stephanie. Just put Karen, Lee Anne, Melissa, Gregory, Eric, Kevin and possibly Nini in a room together and let them chop stuff. Those seven would have been a heck of a season.

LOVE Nailed It! and it is now seriously my dream to be on that show. I love the relentless positivity of the host in spite of some truly epic fails. Nicole Byars is a national treasure and I hope she and Wes one day make beautiful babies together. The chemistry between her and Jaques Torres is quirky but natural. I think I like it for the same reason I like the British Bake Off--they're there because the judges like to eat, and the contestants like to bake. I know this is hokey, but there's a purity about it that appeals to me. It knows what it is, and it's not trying to be anything else.

Loved Unorthodox--the casting and acting were amazing. Hate myself for watching Tiger King and being a citizen of a county that made Tiger King possible--there is not a single redeemable human in that entire show and I hope one day they all die in a hole and are eaten by the tigers they claim to love. I do not understand the free Joe Exotic movement AT ALL and wonder what show those people watched. Loving the first episodes of Mrs. America. Am slogging my way through Schitt's Creek.

 

[VGThuy]

I had no idea Nini was on a new season of Top Chef! Thank you! And thank you for warning me about that new Heidi/Tim show. Honestly, the last season of PR I watched was from years ago after taking a huge break from it (like a decade), and Tim Gunn was not the guy I remembered from the first two seasons I watched. He seemed crabby, cranky, downright mean, and not very helpful.

 

[jeffisjeff]

I had no idea Nini was on a new season of Top Chef! Thank you!

I like Nini, but I am so rooting for Melissa. And I am very happy to see

Spoiler

Jen

go.

 

[Matryeshka]

I like Nini, but I am so rooting for Melissa. And I am very happy to see

Spoiler

Jen

go.

Re: Spoiler. No freaking joke. 100% agree. I don’t know why they keep asking that cheftestant back.

I would love to see Melissa, Karen, Gregory, or Nini win. I hope it’s going to be Melissa v Karen because I think they’re the most knowledgeable about food and I think a final meal for both of them would be epic. I want to try Melissa’s peachy Korean wings SO BAD.

 

[smurfy]

I finished binging 'The Wire' - All the hype is true - one of the best tv shows ever.
Huge cast, great acting, intriguing storylines etc. So many good actors/actresses.
The only negative is - with so many characters - sometimes got mixed up with some people.
But the overall story over 5 seasons was amazing. I would say the last season was the weakest.
There are main characters in all seasons and each season more are added.
The last seasons new characters were hard to warm up to. Also the last season had less episodes.
But still very good.

I loved how grey the characters were - the good guys had bad parts and some bad guys that you root for. It felt like real life. It showed the interconnectedness in so many levels of society. Very well crafted.
Among my favorite characters - Daniels, Omar, Poot, Bubbles, Carver, Landsman, Kima, Pryzbo, Stringer, D'Angelo and Bunk. All the acting was great, but really impressive with the many younger actors (teens).
And the way the show ended was well done.

In some ways I wished I had seen it sooner. But I am finding more now - a show is much more enjoyable binging, than watching one episode a week over several years.

I have always enjoyed cop shows, but wonder now if others will just pale in comparison.