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

[nlloyd]

After attempting to watch Schitt's Creek on Netflix once before and giving up on it, we tried it again after recommendations on this forum, and are now really enjoying it. Interesting backstory regarding real life family relationships between some of the actors. Also enjoying Hamish Macbeth on Amazon Prime (but also available on youtube, I believe).

 

[annie720]

After attempting to watch Schitt's Creek on Netflix once before and giving up on it, we tried it again after recommendations on this forum, and are now really enjoying it. Interesting backstory regarding real life family relationships between some of the actors. Also enjoying Hamish Macbeth on Amazon Prime (but also available on youtube, I believe).

Ok, how long did it take you before you started getting interested? We watched only the first episode and neither one of us wanted to continue. I've been wondering if we should try again.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Ok, how long did it take you before you started getting interested? We watched only the first episode and neither one of us wanted to continue. I've been wondering if we should try again.

I don't remember the exact episode but I had it on for noise. I started getting invested in the middle of season 1. Once they got past overplaying Roland's obnoxiousness it got a lot better. I think one of my problems getting invested to begin with is that the main characters were so shallow and annoying. But their growth into better human beings is really well done. Give that time to evolve and you will like them a lot more.

 

[annie720]

I don't remember the exact episode but I had it on for noise. I started getting invested in the middle of season 1. Once they got past overplaying Roland's obnoxiousness it got a lot better. I think one of my problems getting invested to begin with is that the main characters were so shallow and annoying. But their growth into better human beings is really well done. Give that time to evolve and you will like them a lot more.

Thanks. Hubby will probably still be resistant, but I think I'll give it another go.

 

[nlloyd]

We committed to one season because we were looking for a long-standing comedy series and couldn't find anything. Like mpal2, we found ourselves enjoying it midway through the first season. Now we are midway through the second season and have laugh-out-loud moments many times an episode. The character evolution is well done but also the socially awkward moments resulting from a very wealthy family being out of touch with how the rest of the world lives and being forced by circumstances to live that life. The Rose parents' loyalty and commitment to each other in adversity also makes it enjoyable.

 

[VGThuy]

That show had one of the most amazing turns of me simply being entertained by the family to really rooting for them and loving their relationship. I love it when shows have that sort of evolution. IMO, they actually earned the moments of character growth considering how it started. I think the show needed that start in order to get where they ended.

 

[Rob]

We’ve finished Ms Maisel, the Crown, and Victoria until new seasons come out. I loathed Ozark so I quit. Goliath didn’t grab me. Downton Abbey put my husband to sleep. What next? The Americans or Unorthodox? Or has anyone seen The English Game?

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I started watching Humans on Amazon Prime. I tend to enjoy AI and their threats to humanity shows anway. Plus I think Colin Morgan is an amazing actor. I first remember him from the Dr Who Midnight episode. I always had Merlin on for background noise because of him. I will always give anything he's in a shot (Tom Anderson in The Fall ).

 

[nlloyd]

We’ve finished Ms Maisel, the Crown, and Victoria until new seasons come out. I loathed Ozark so I quit. Goliath didn’t grab me. Downton Abbey put my husband to sleep. What next? The Americans or Unorthodox? Or has anyone seen The English Game?

We enjoyed both Unorthodox and The English Game. Unorthodox will likely grab you right from the start (although I preferred Shtisel, also with Shira Haas, in that it seemed more nuanced). The English Game was good, but not as historically accurate as it could have been. It sanitized the working and living conditions of the working class, as depicted in novels by Elizabeth Gaskell and Charles Dickens (despite the sentimentality), and historical documents from that era by and about the working class. The insularity of many upper middle class families was well represented and more plausible, in my opinion.

 

[VGThuy]

The English Game was good, but not as historically accurate as it could have been. It sanitized the working and living conditions of the working class, as depicted in novels by Elizabeth Gaskell and Charles Dickens (despite the sentimentality), and historical documents from that era by and about the working class. The insularity of many upper middle class families was well represented and more plausible, in my opinion.

That seems par for the course when it comes those types of British shows as of late. I ended up looking up information on that show and saw Julian Fellows was behind it, so that explains why the depiction of the working class isn’t accurate. I‘m on series 4 of the original 1970s version of Upstairs, Downstairs and I now realized why some of those fans could not get into Downton Abbey and just dismissed it as soap showing off costumes. Also, I love Elizabeth Gaskell.

 

[CassAgain]

Watched the first three episodes of Normal People on Hulu, downloaded the book, read in about 12 hours, watched the rest of the series. Shook. Dashed. Awashed in feeeeeeeelings.

 

[nlloyd]

That seems par for the course when it comes those types of British shows as of late. I ended up looking up information on that show and saw Julian Fellows was behind it, so that explains why the depiction of the working class isn’t accurate. I‘m on series 4 of the original 1970s version of Upstairs, Downstairs and I realized why some of those fans could not get into Downton Abbey and just dismissed it as soap showing off costumes. Also, I love Elizabeth Gaskell.

I meant to look him up - the name sounded familiar. Now that I have, that makes sense. One other omission in this show (and many others) is religion. Religious belief was more prominent during that era and is often difficult for a contemporary audience to understand. It was only in 1886, for example, that an atheist was able to take his seat in parliament after refusing to take the religiously framed Oath of Allegiance. The representation of upper middle class women and their relationships to their husbands is also anachronistic. I like Gaskell too, especially Mary Barton and North and South.

 

[Buzz]

I have been watching Man In The High Castle and I am in the middle of season two but can’t really get into it.

 

[MacMadame]

I just started watching Killing Eve. I was hooked by 10 minutes in!

But it's not even halfway through season 1 and already the two protagonists know way too much about each other. I'm not sure how they are going to drag this out for 3 seasons.

 

[gkelly]

I have just binged the first 4 episodes of Hollywood on Netflix.

 

[Japanfan]

I started watching Humans on Amazon Prime.

Loved 'Humans'. But it has disappeared/ended, unless it has moved to a channel we don't get. We get only cable - do not have Netflix.

 

[Deleted member 1204]

I have been watching Man In The High Castle and I am in the middle of season two but can’t really get into it.

I'm on season 4 and I only have 2 episodes left - I just want them to be over! Most of the original characters are killed off by season 4 and the story line took a weird twist, but the series is trying so hard to come to a conclusion that I feel like I have to finish it out.

I took a break and watched "The Keepers," a 7-episode series about investigations surrounding a nun's murder but ended up being more of an analysis of abuses and cover-ups within the Catholic Church. Highly recommended!

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I started watching Sleepy Hollow when it first aired but stopped for some reason. I decided to start watching it again on Hulu. It still annoys me that Ichabod won't wear modern day clothes. Out of all the adjustments to living out of your time it seems like that would be one of the least of them. He's trying to do laundry with a washing machine and dryer in season 3. If he can use modern appliances he can get new clothes.

 

[clairecloutier]

We just finished season 4 of Queen Sugar. Continue to really like this show. At times it can get a bit melodramatic, and at times it paints issues in rather broad strokes. However, the characters are unique and interesting, and the acting very strong across the board. The plot keeps churning along too.

What I like best about the show is its continuing examination of how history affects the characters' lives. Both their family history, and the larger history of their region. I really can't think offhand of another show that has had such a strong focus in both areas. And this past season sort of explored how the characters will contribute, each in their way, to writing or making the history of now (current times). It's an ambitious show creatively, which I like.

 

[cocotaffy]

Watched two Amazon series both great with similar stellar acting, a very interesting off beat atmosphere and an intriguing unusual plot and rhythm: Homecoming with Julia Roberts and Tales from the loop which was interestingly inspired by a series of the artwork of Simon Stålenhag.

 

[love skating]

I loved Humans too (also watched on cable) and was sad to see it didn't seem to get picked up again after 3 seasons - would've liked to have a proper ending.

Just signed up again for Amazon Prime so am going to try out Upload. Was going to try Making the Cut too but saw mixed reviews (here and elsewhere) plus my newspaper had a big pic of the winner so I would be spoiled ahead of time.

Homecoming was interesting and I hear a season two will be out later this month (mainly new cast I think) so I'll catch that later too.

 

[allezfred]

Watched the first three episodes of Normal People on Hulu, downloaded the book, read in about 12 hours, watched the rest of the series. Shook. Dashed. Awashed in feeeeeeeelings.

The first two episodes were broadcast here last week and some nutters called into a radio show to complain that it was “pornographic”. It was a real throwback to 1980s Ireland.

Nudity, teenage sex, porno movies and plain old fornication: Liveline has it all

Joe Duffy can’t believe his luck – er, sorry, ears – when callers splutter about Normal People

www.irishtimes.com

 

[CassAgain]

The first two episodes were broadcast here last week and some nutters called into a radio show to complain that it was “pornographic”. It was a real throwback to 1980s Ireland.

Nudity, teenage sex, porno movies and plain old fornication: Liveline has it all

Joe Duffy can’t believe his luck – er, sorry, ears – when callers splutter about Normal People

www.irishtimes.com

Another compelling reason to watch Normal People! (It really is fantastic.)

 

[Matryeshka]

I have become obsessed with Bones which is odd as I don't like police procedurals, I don't like gore/grossness, and I don't share the societal fascination with serial killers. A friend of mine convinced me to watch a few episodes and now I'm HOOKED. The science is outlandish, the technology is laughable, but the characters are really well thought out and I love their interactions. Or, to be perfectly honest, maybe I just want to see David Boreanaz shirtless. (I also much prefer him with Bones to Buffy. Much better match )

 

[jadingirl]

I binged all of Caliphate on Netflix this weekend - it was sooo good but disturbing as well showing how these young girls can be radicalized.

Then for something light I put on Too Hot to Handle lol - just had to see it to believe it. However once the one girl from the US said she didn't know where Australia was I had to turn it off

 

[skatingguy]

I have become obsessed with Bones which is odd as I don't like police procedurals, I don't like gore/grossness, and I don't share the societal fascination with serial killers. A friend of mine convinced me to watch a few episodes and now I'm HOOKED. The science is outlandish, the technology is laughable, but the characters are really well thought out and I love their interactions. Or, to be perfectly honest, maybe I just want to see David Boreanaz shirtless. (I also much prefer him with Bones to Buffy. Much better match )

Enjoy

 

[centerstage01]

I'm enjoying the show "Upload" on Prime so far. Part dark humor, part mystery, part sci-fi.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Finished Humans on Amazon Prime and then found Real Humans on Hulu. It's the original Swedish version and English rights to air it turned into Humans for Australia, England, US and Canada. If you don't mind subtitles it's interesting to see where the storylines originally started.

 

[Yehudi]

Jim Henson’s Storyteller is now on Amazon Prime. Each 30 minute episode is dedicated to a European fairytale/Greek Myth that is very creepy and not Disneyfied. One involves the Cindarella figure almost having to marry her dad.

Theres a reboot with Neil Gaiman and Lisa Henson that hopefully is just as creepy as the original.

 

[love skating]

I finished Upload yesterday - really loved it but now I need a season 2 please!! I need to know what happens next!