Homeland
Episodes: S8, 13 (final season)
Where to watch: Showtime
Rating: Satisfying
After a long layoff, Homeland returned for the final season. I reckon the extended layoff prior to the final season hurt the show a bit because it was a bit difficult to get back into. Similar to Game of Thrones. However I enjoyed both and found both satisfying. People went apeshit over GoT, but I had zero problems with it, and actually liked it. Let's agree to disagree. Homeland was great early on. The first two seasons were terrific. I was invested in Carrie and her struggles between her working for the CIA, her mental health issues, family affairs, and the crux of the show - her relationship with Saul. This season was uneven, but I was very satisfied with the conclusion of the show. No spoilers!
Memorable Line: We are just strong enough to never lose and just weak enough to never win.
Love is Blind
Episodes: S1, 11
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Amusing
I love reality dating shows. Everybody knows that. The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise (my favorite), Blind Date, First Dates (UK). Love is Blind sets people up, but the key is that they can't see each other. The contestants have to get to know each other without ever seeing the other person. The idea is to form an emotional connection rather than one based on physical attraction. 5-6 couples end up getting engaged and the show follows them up to a show reunion one year later. Interesting concept. The whole thing is kinda similar to online dating. If you meet someone on a dating app, you know they probably posted their most flattering photos, and you hope they look something like that, but you never know what you're going to get. Beware of the catfish.
Memorable Line: Which strip club do you work at?
FamilyKarma
Episodes: S1, 8
Where to watch: Bravo
Rating: Charming
Get a taste of some spicy Indian drama with this reality series from Bravo. Amanda and I were disappointed this season was only 8 episodes. Family relations, engagement party, and a weekend trip to Key West were some highlights of S1, which is based in Miami, although I don't think many of them actually live there. I enjoy Vishal, he cracks me up.
Memorable Line: I had an astrologer tell my parents that I had snakes in my chakra.
Tiger King
Episodes: S1, 8
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Appalling
Disheartening documentary about the underworld of big cats in the U.S. Most of the people are despicable. We had to watch out of curiosity factor. The ultimate aim of the show, I suppose, is to raise awareness of the cruelty of private zoos and black market for big cats in America.
Memorable Line: Ladies and gentlemen, before you hear it on the news, I'm going to tell you myself, about an hour ago, we had an incident where one of the employees stuck their arm through the cage, and the tiger tore her arm off.
In Treatment
Episodes: S1,2,3,108
Where to watch: HBO
Rating: captivating
Gabriel Byrne stars as psychotherapist Paul Weston in this half hour drama. I went IN on this show and watched all 108 episodes! I'm shocked too. I read a book about psychotherapy and became fascinated by it, so I ripped through this show. I also watched Couples Therapy on Showtime. Each season of In Treatment follows a handful of patients with different issues that they're trying to work out, and an end of the "week" therapy session of Paul's own with his therapist. Some characters are more interesting than others, but there was only one I wasn't into, which is only about 5 episodes out of the 108 I watched.
Memorable Line: The only power we have is how we treat other people and how we treat ourselves.
High Maintenance
Episodes: S1, 6
Where to watch: HBO
Rating: Curious
A weed dealer goes around meeting customers and finds himself in one awkward situation after another. Some are absolutely hilarious, like the one with the swingers. The premise is a little antiquated since you can buy marijuana recreationally now, but I still appreciated it. We'll probably watch S2 I think there's 3 seasons.
Memorable line: Sometimes your best is just putting your pants on for the day.
McMillions
Episodes: 6
Where to watch: HBO
Rating: Deplorable
I always knew the McDonald's Monopoly game was rigged, and this documentary tells the story of the crooks involved. These scoundrels scammed millions out of the game. McDonald's didn't seem to know or care.
Memorable line: The FBI told us the game pieces are being stolen.
Top Chef
Episodes: S17
Where to watch: Bravo
Rating: Tempting
Another reality show I like. I like reality contest shows where the winner ultimately determines their own fate. For example, Survivor and Big Brother (my brother loves it) enrage me. I haven't watched either show that much. Survivor twice maybe, and I think BB only once. They both determine the winners by having the bitter, sore, eliminated losers vote for the winner, which is completely stupid if you ask me. I'm enjoying Top Chef slightly less since I've been vegetarian. The best thing to come out of Top Chef was pineapple upside-down cake. I'd never had it, but somebody on the show made it. Amanda said she didn't like it. So, in typical Gemini fashion the next day she ordered a special large muffin baking pan and when it arrived she made six mini pineapple upside-down cakes. They were delicious.
Back with the Ex
Episodes: 8
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Bewildering
7 Aussies and 1 American reunite with their exes to give love a second chance. It seems like people usually break up for good reasons. I've never gotten back together with anyone. There are some pretty shocking moments. One bloke does not even have plates in his apartment, and makes his ex eat chicken wings with toilet paper wrapped around the bone handle. There's also a proposal.
Memorable Line: She hasn't seen this body in 5 years, she's been missing out.
Euphoria
Episodes: S1, 8
Where to watch: HBO
Rating: Intense
Unflinching glimpse into high school life - sex, drugs, violence (physical, sexual). One of the more intense shows I've watched in quite some time. The characters and the story are engrossing. I watched it while I was riding the exercise bike and I couldn't wait to watch it each day. Hoping it comes back.
Memorable Line: Every time I feel good, I think it'll last forever, but it doesn't.
RUN
Episodes: S1, 7
Where to watch: HBO
Rating: Unusual
Amanda and I feel similarly about this show. We don't like either main character, but we want to know what happens. The premise of the show is a unique one. Long ago, like 15 years, the main characters split up, but made this pact. One of them will text "RUN" to the other, and if the other returns the text then they meet at a predetermined spot and take a train across the country. Needless to say, they RUN.We keep watching to find out what happens. Amanda was not happy with the ending. I thought it was fine. People expect too much from finales.
Memorable Line: Remember me well because I'm the love of your life.
I am not ok with that ending. Ruby was the worst character of ALL TIME and didn’t even get hers! Fuck that show. Laurel & Babe Cloud were the only likable people and had two episodes. #RUNHBO— amanda dupont (@mandy__dupont) May 25, 2020
Too Hot to Handle
Episodes: S1, 8
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Horny
10 horned up singles rendezvous at some sunny resort are competing for 100k. Not sure if it's Aussie dollars, but that would make it 1.5x more than American. I guess they will share the remaining prize at the end. There are rules. Each time someone kisses or has sex a certain amounted is deducted from the group's prize. So individual actions hurt the group, which leads to some shameful moments. We were genuinely happy for one couple at the end.
Memorable Line: Let's be honest, having an English accent in America is like having a 12 inch dick.
The Politician
Episodes: S1, 8
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Sordid
High school drama about an ambitious kid who has his sights set on attending Harvard and being president. I didn't know it was a high school drama - I just saw that it came from Ryan Murphy so I clicked on it. That guy knows how to make entertaining TV. I was a big fan of Nip/Tuck, Glee I never got into but people seemed to love it, and both seasons of American Crime Story were excellent (O.J. Simpson and Versace).
Memorable Line: Being lame was liberating.
Rise of Empires Ottoman
Episodes: S1, 6
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Historical
The conquest of Constantinople by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed. I've been interested in the Ottoman Empire for about 15 years ever since I took a class on it. This is a turning point and gives rise to the Ottoman Empire for the next few hundred years. It's about half re-creation/half scholarly commentary. If it wasn't 6 episodes, I probably wouldn't have watched the whole thing.
Waco
Episodes: S1, 6
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Calamitous
Dramatization of the events in Waco in 1993 showing the siege of the Branch Davidian (David Koresh) compound by the FBI and ATF. The show is based on two books. One by the FBI negotiator and the other by one of the survivors who was inside the compound. The government is portrayed as aggressive. This was coming off another disastrous siege at Ruby Ridge in Idaho in 1992. 82 people were killed at Mount Carmel in Waco when a fire started in the compound after the FBI fired tear gas in.
Goliath
Episodes: S2, 9
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Rating: Scandalous
I love Billy Bob Thornton in this role. He plays a hard-drinking, hard-living lawyer who comes out of "retirement" to take a case defending a friend's son who is accused of murder. There's a lot of twists and turns and corruption along the way. Season 2 is good. Episode 7 is great television. It is unsettlingly disorienting and paranoia-inducing.
The Last Dance
Episodes: 10
Where to watch: ESPN
Rating: Nostalgic
There's never been another athlete in my lifetime as electric as Michael Jordan. The only person that comes close is Tiger Woods, but golf is not nearly as popular as basketball, and Jordan never had a humiliating fall from grace. Re-living the Bulls dynasty was fun. MJ's image has always so polished that I never heard him curse before. The ESPN 2 uncensored version really made it much more enjoyable. I had one pair of Jordans. The 6s from 1990. I felt so cool in 5th grade.
The New Pope
Episodes: S2, 9
Where to watch: HBO
Rating: Irreverent
Season one, called The Young Pope, with Jude Law was really good. Season 2 brings in John Malkovich. Season 2 is a little slower developing and more artsy. A "what's in the box?" situation develops in season 2.
Memorable Line: She's worn out, wasting away like a candle.
American Horror Story
Episodes: S1, Murder House
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Scary
Amanda called the show a mindfuck, and the resident horror buff in my family, my brother Mike, said S1 was too weird for him. I've never been a big horror fan, but since an astrology reading I was told part of my mission was to bring light to the dark side, and since I've watched some things that I would never have watched before. I enjoyed S1 of the anthology series. I watched it during the day, but if I was watching at night with the lights out perhaps I would have scared the shit out of myself. Amanda bailed on S2, Asylum, because it scared her. So, I feel like I have to challenge myself.
Memorable Line: The darkness is in me.
Six Feet Under
Episodes: S1, 13
Where to watch: HBO
Rating: Philosophical
The show takes on some big issues, life, death, love, commitment, mental health, homosexuality, capitalism, and drugs. I sorta watched it back when it was on, so everything was a little familiar, I don't think I ever finished season 1 originally, but that was almost 20 years ago! 2001. I love the show, so I'm going to try and watch the whole series.
Memorable Line: When someone sees you as you really are, and wants to be with you, thats's powerful.
Ozark
Episodes: S3, 10
Where to watch: Netflix
Rating: Tense
Ozark is back for more money laundering, bizarre family dynamics, backstabbing, violence, and OMG moments. Marty and Wendy's relationship isn't the only relationship that is fascinating. There's several relationships you have to wrap your mind around this season. Season 3 starts off slow, but picks up fast, and leads an exciting, tense final couple of episodes.
Memorable Line: Fighting for your life makes everything you've done before extremely dull.
What's in the queue:
Six Feet Under S2
American Horror Story S2: Asylum
Goliath S3
Succession
I know This Much is True
