Netflix/Prime/Hulu Discoveries

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Spun Silver

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I was watching Netflix DVDs of an old show (Wish Me Luck). The production values and some of the writing and directing seemed very dated, but I was interested enough in the content to keep watching. However, the disk I had wouldn't play the last two episodes of the first season.

I went online to see if it was possible to watch online and was steered to Acorn. So I signed up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime that included a 7-day free trial of Acorn. However, it turned out that the first and second seasons of Wish Me Luck are not currently available on Acorn either, and although there are other things there I would be willing to watch there was nothing I felt urgent about or willing to pay for another service for the privilege. I will be canceling the Acorn subscription posthaste.

Meanwhile, I still have 27 more days of Amazon Prime. I've been watching Good Girls Revolt, which is lots of fun, even if I do have to watch it on my computer. (My TV seems to have lost its internet connection and I haven't been able to restore it yet.)

So, especially if I am able to connect on my TV, what's most worth binging on Prime before I cancel that/let the free trial expire too?
Endeavour is good. It is a prequel to Inspector Morse, and is rather touching in that regard, but it stands on its own. Also, isnt Justified on Prime? It would be tough to get through it in 27 days but it is one of my all time favorite US TV series. It is sort of a Western set in Appalachia (coal mine Kentucky). Storytelling, characters and actors are all to die for.
 

Tesla

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So, especially if I am able to connect on my TV, what's most worth binging on Prime before I cancel that/let the free trial expire too?
Endeavour is good. It is a prequel to Inspector Morse, and is rather touching in that regard, but it stands on its own.
Inspector Lewis is good, too. It's sort of a sequel to Inspector Morse, in that it focuses on his DS, Lewis.
 

Pretty Vegas

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Just finished binging the new wrestling show on Netflix after reading a lot of excellent reviews about it- Glow. Really enjoyed it. Very 80's, excellent music, a good mix of comedy/drama and some awesome performances from Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin and Marc Maron. It's an easy watch too, only ten episodes and all 30 minutes long.
 

Japanfan

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I binged watch The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu this past weekend. Holy lord, I was speechless during several episode. Excellent production, I never read the book but I think the series allowed for more depth that the book would have allowed.

I would say more breadth, rather than more depth.

As the novel is told from the viewpoint of the handmaid, the reader is immersed in that limited viewpoint and gets a very vivid and visceral sense of the handmaid's reality.

The series takes more of an omniscient narrator perspective, and while the handmaid is still at the front and center of the story, other characters assume more prominence, and the viewer is given a far more complex view of society/this world as a whole. Characters other than the handmaid are more fleshed out - for example, I love how the series explores the reality of the Wives.

This is book that really adapted well to film, although it took over 25 years for someone to realize that.
 
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text_skate

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This is book that really adapted well to film, although it took over 25 years for someone to realize that.

The book has been adapted for film in 1990 by German director Volker Schlöndorff with Natasha Richardson and Faye Dunaway. Screenplay by Harold Pinter. A lot of big names, but the film was not very successful.
 

Aussie Willy

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I watched the first/pilot episode of GLOW last night. Stars Alison Brie (one of my favourite actresses since Mad Men) about a women's wrestling league. Quite enjoyable. Now that I finished Archer (s7), Wentworth (s5), Orange is the New Black (s5) and The Young Pope (s1), need to find some other things to watch. So will look at The Handmaid's Tale as well. Do need to catch up with House of Cards (only got to Ep 3 of Season 3).
 

Japanfan

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The book has been adapted for film in 1990 by German director Volker Schlöndorff with Natasha Richardson and Faye Dunaway. Screenplay by Harold Pinter. A lot of big names, but the film was not very successful.

I know, and I should have said to "a TV series", but was using film in the generic sense of TV/movies as a visual/cinematic medium.

I saw the film and thought it was quite good, actually. Though of course a series does the book so much more justice than two limited hours of cinema.
 

Buzz

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Saw Okja yesterday and OMG what a wonderful movie! Absolutely loved it! :cheer2: But with a $50m price tag it's a little pricey for Netflix ain't it?!

Here is a documentary coming August 4th to Netflix about Russian doping that looks like a must see!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qXoRdSTrR-4

Another great documentary coming to Netflix on July 29th is "Daughters of Destiny". About bring education to some of India's poorest children.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b49QEQsNUj0
 
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CassAgain

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Finished season two of Master of None on Netflix and loved it, especially the episodes Religion, New York, I Love You, and Thanksgiving.

Not sure what to watch next, maybe the latest season of Orange is the New Black. I always end up consuming that show, but it's so depressing. The Handmaid's Tale was outstanding, but also depressing. I need some quality fluff.
 

VGThuy

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I've been watching these Taiwanese drama called Refresh Man on Netflix with Aaron Yan because I need something romantic and light-hearted with a bit of melodrama. Thankfully this one isn't too bad with the OTT melodrama.
 

Tesla

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I started watching Loch Ness/The Loch on Acorn. I think I'm hooked but the daughter is really annoying. I am so glad I subscribed to AcornTV. I wish I could've done it last year when I could've gotten the free month but it just wasn't a good time. Now isn't much better but I thought I would treat myself for $5 a month. :)
 

clairecloutier

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We watched a lot of AcornTV this past week while visiting my in-laws. We saw a very old, but interesting, British series called UXB. Anthony Andrews plays a guy who is assigned to a WWII regiment that deals with unexploded bombs. My husband thought it was boring, but I enjoyed it. Good period flavor.
 

Spun Silver

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I ended up loving Shetland but man, I have never had so much trouble picking up an accent. I missed half the dialogue. Anyway I love the hero's compassion and the way the camera lingers on his face. The show uses silence well.

And now Wentworth is back, yay. The loss of Bea Smith is almost unforgivable, but we still have the wonderful Boomer, Maxie, Franky et al., and the great Pamela Rabe is as monumentally evil as ever. My sister's comment on the season as a whole was "WOW!"
 

smurfy

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I just finished 'The Crown'. I really enjoyed it. I have always enjoyed Jared Harris - but he was so good - and even though I knew what was coming, it was so sad when the King died.

I go to previously tv forums. I am not one to obsess over certain errors or assumptions. We will never now certain things and what really occured and know that creators are making choices to keep us entertained. Some folks were being critical that it did not show Phillip explicity having affairs. I like how subtle it is, like when they are on a plane and Phillip is checking out the stewardess. Sometimes less is more, and things do not have to be explicity shown.

I really think the show really shows how things evolved to how we know Queen Elizabeth now. Knowing from a young age and being so cautious and careful in all her behavior. Also I feel the sexism against Elizabeth by so many of the men in power was good to see. The show demonstrates that Elizabeth is an intelligent person, but lacked a proper education.
One thing I do not like -and many shows do this - the show is made based on knowing where things go - but there were a few too many comments about how she will have long reign. Just seems like taking the easy way out - more the way it is said than the fact of it being said.


I also recently watched Season 5 of Longmire. There is only 1 more season. I really like this show. Longmire is the 'hero' of the show and has a daughter and best friend (Lou Diamond Phillips), and the season really showed how he is distancing himself from the 2 people that love him most. But I still am rooting for Longmire, a very decent person, but going off the rails. The show has done a good job with some minor supporting parts that have become more developed over the seasons and integral to the stories.
A Martinez plays a great character. Initially seemed like the bad guy. Now he is a grey character, likeable in some ways, not completely clean, and has a decent side. One thing that bugs me - the show is set in Wyoming, but filmed in Arizona - sometimes some of the outdoor shots seem dry and less green than they should be.
 

skatesindreams

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We saw a very old, but interesting, British series called UXB. Anthony Andrews plays a guy who is assigned to a WWII regiment that deals with unexploded bombs. My husband thought it was boring, but I enjoyed it. Good period flavor.
One of my favorite series, ever.
It was shown on Masterpiece Theatre years ago; and made me appreciate the hazards of WW II, as few things had.
The average life expectancy of a bomb-defuser was six weeks.

The series introduced me to Anthony Andrews; whose career I have followed, since.
 

Tesla

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I ended up loving Shetland but man, I have never had so much trouble picking up an accent. I missed half the dialogue. Anyway I love the hero's compassion and the way the camera lingers on his face. The show uses silence well.
I love Shetland. I always have closed captioning on. I'm glad Acorn has it.
 

Aussie Willy

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Saw Okja yesterday and OMG what a wonderful movie! Absolutely loved it! :cheer2: But with a $50m price tag it's a little pricey for Netflix ain't it?!
I read about this one and really want to watch it as I love Tilda Swinton. But I am now addicted to The Handmaid's Tale which started in Australia on SBS last night. Watched the first 3 episodes so I will have to binge watch it this weekend.

Love binge watching!!!
 

Aussie Willy

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Saw Okja yesterday and OMG what a wonderful movie! Absolutely loved it! :cheer2: But with a $50m price tag it's a little pricey for Netflix ain't it?!
Just finished watching Okja. The pig was so lovely and the special effects outstanding. The girl playing Mija was really good and Tilda Swinton is excellent as usual. Worth watching.
 

screech

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I just finished GLOW as well. So weird to see Alison Brie NOT as Annie Edison (Community) but she was great in the part. And I'm really impressed with how much the actors go for it with the wrestling. And Kia Stevens who plays "The Welfare Queen" was actually a pro wrestler. I enjoyed it.

Not an online streaming provider, but through my android box I just discovered the 2012/2013 show "The New Normal". I adore Andrew Rannells so decided to watch it, and I really wish I had found it when it originally aired because it is so good!! He and Justin Bartha were so great in it. And Ellen Barkin is hilarious (and has the best euphemisms for being gay).
 

Aussie Willy

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Just finished The Handmaid's Tale last night. Not sure how it was going to finish and it kind of left things open ended (I haven't read the book). But such a well written and well acted show.

However the way the society is drawn up in the show is so relevant to society today. I am sure there are right wing nutjobs in the US who would use the book as a template for how they would like to see society to be.
 

VGThuy

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So there is an anime recently released on Netflix called Little Witch Academia made by independent studio Trigger. They are a talented company of anime artists, one even guest storyboarded one of the best episodes of Steven Universe. It started out as a 30 minute animated short in 2013 about a teen witch in an academy for witches who doesn't have the best grades, is a bit lazy, but has a great spirit and wants to be like her shunned hero, Chariot, who introduced magic to the non-magical people in show form. She has two friends, one a sweeter, quieter bookworm type and the other a slightly devious witch who's more interested in her own experiments and concocting her own potions. There's also a group of three "mean" girls with the main mean girl being "mean" only because she studies really hard, works on her craft, and doesn't appreciate anyone slacking off or not taking magic seriously, or appreciating the history behind it. It was a great introduction to the characters and the animators did an incredibly creative job showcasing the magic.

In 2015, Trigger made an hour-long sequel called The Enchanted Parade that introduced more characters while keeping the same characters from the short. It was partially funded by Kickstarter because fans took to it.

Netflix decided to fund a whole series. The series ret-cons the story and makes new introductions but they are in the same spirit as the anime short and The Enchanted Parade. It already released 25 episodes in Japan while the Netflix release only has 13 episodes subbed and dubbed (whichever you prefer though there is a particular important line that Netflix botched in translation that ruins the meaning of the main theme and affects the story). I ended up finishing the last 12 episodes by streaming it from another source (only subs this time). I loved the original short and The Enchanted Parade, but it took me a while to get into the series just because real life was stressing me out and I felt it was taking a while introducing the characters and making them friends when they were already friends in the short and sequel. But this show ended up being seriously good.

The animation is excellent, the story which drove me crazy with me not understanding how magic worked in this world and didn't answer all of my questions right way ended up being extremely satisfying, and not to spoil it too much but the best thing about this show is that all of the main characters (with the exception of one potential love interest though he's also very interesting and doesn't "mansplain" though he has a personality to do so) are women of different ages. My favorite character is actually an adult professor named Ursula who mentors the main character and seems skittish and careful, but has real secrets of her own. It shows relationships between the female characters and doesn't make it too nice by showing all the personality differences and conflicts that may arise, but at the same time it shows the strength between female camaraderie, mentorship, and how lifelong friendships, which aren't perfect by a longshot, can be formed.
 
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smurfy

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I am almost done watching 'Grace and Frankie' and am loving it. Well acted obviously, and it feels like the actors r really enjoying themselves. Sam Waterstonis so entertaining, and playing a part that to me seems the least like himself of the 4 leads. And I love the 4 adult children, especially Brianna and Bud.

The various guest stars are familiar, nice to see so many older folks, Sam Elliott (swoon), Marsha Mason, Ernie Hudson and Craig T Nelson among others.

The story line is: Jane Fonda (Grace) and Lily Tomlin (Frankie) play women that have been married For 40 Years to Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, respectively ( and lawyers at the same firm) The husbands announce they r gay an in love and want to marry. grace and Lily, who were never liked each other end up living together. I really like how they show the impact the breakup of their marriages have over time on the 2 ladies, their adult children and the guys. Season 3 is about 2 years after. It is like peeling an onion, you keep seeing new layers of everyone and the past and their relationships.
It feels real, but so funny at times.
 
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Anyone else watching Gypsy on Netflix? I wasn't too sure about it at first but by the end of the first episode I was hooked. It stars Naomi Watts and is about a therapist who gets a little too involved in her patients' lives. It's kind of uncomfortable to watch but in the best way possible. I can't really binge it, one or two episodes and I need a break.
 

clairecloutier

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We just finished watching Manhattan on Hulu. A drama about the scientists who worked on the Manhattan atomic bomb project during World War II. We quite enjoyed it. It was the setting/premise that was interesting, more so than the specific characters or storylines. You don't often see shows about scientists. It drew us in, even though there wasn't a main central character to root for (it's more of an ensemble show). Some of the acting was really good--some of it a bit more uneven. Same with the plot--overall good, but some uneven points. Nonetheless, I'd recommend it if people are interested in that era.
 

Japanfan

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Just finished The Handmaid's Tale last night. Not sure how it was going to finish and it kind of left things open ended (I haven't read the book). But such a well written and well acted show.

The book doesn't provide a resolution at the end. The handmaid's diary has been discovered many years after it was written, and it is being discussed at a women's conference. The lack of resolution isn't satisfying, but I assume it was intentional, as women's oppression hasn't ended yet.

The movie made of the book ended with the handmaid being secreted away to a trailer in the mountains, where she is very pregnant with Nick's child.

It seems to me that the second season will focus on the resistance, because the resistance has gotten Offred out, and attention has been given to her husband and Moira in Toronto.

However the way the society is drawn up in the show is so relevant to society today. I am sure there are right wing nutjobs in the US who would use the book as a template for how they would like to see society to be.

Sales of the book skyrocketed after Trump took office in January. It was interesting how it permeated the collective conscience so quickly and intensely. I think Margaret Atwood herself was surprised by this.
 

Japanfan

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Not sure what to watch next, maybe the latest season of Orange is the New Black. I always end up consuming that show, but it's so depressing. The Handmaid's Tale was outstanding, but also depressing. I need some quality fluff.

'Call the Midwife'!

I'm not sure if it's available on Netflex/Prime/Hulu, but very possibly it is, at least the last season.

It presents a syrupy, romanticized view of women's lives in the late 50s/early 60s, but is very well-done and well-acted, with compelling stories, interesting characters, and plenty of romance. It also does touch on themes relevant to women's lives at the times, like birth control and abortion.

We galloped our way through the first five seasons, which I got from the library. Now we're catching up on the current season of '12 Monkeys' and I really just want to be over with that so we can return to Call the Midwife.
 

VGThuy

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'Call the Midwife'!

I'm not sure if it's available on Netflex/Prime/Hulu, but very possibly it is, at least the last season.

It presents a syrupy, romanticized view of women's lives in the late 50s/early 60s, but is very well-done and well-acted, with compelling stories, interesting characters, and plenty of romance. It also does touch on themes relevant to women's lives at the times, like birth control and abortion.

We galloped our way through the first five seasons, which I got from the library. Now we're catching up on the current season of '12 Monkeys' and I really just want to be over with that so we can return to Call the Midwife.

Call the Midwife has been one of my go-to shows every season for the past two years now. I don't even wait for it to be released in the U.S. I watch it a day or so after it airs on British TV thanks to the Internet.
 
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