To Watch or Not

Summer is upon us and that means plenty of time to binge watch shows.  Here are a few to consider or not…

Horror/Supernatural/Dark Comedy/Etc.

NOS4A2 (AMC)

Yes! Top pick. Really enjoyed the first episode and hope the show keeps up the momentum.  Great casting with Vic, a working class Massachusetts’ teen, who has the supernatural ability to find lost things. This includes evil. Creepy and human in all the right ways.

Lucifer Season 4 (Netflix)

Yes! Netflix did a good job getting this show back on track. I loved season one but then quickly lost interest. Too many new characters were added, especially supernaturals. The plot strayed from the crime cases and love interest between Lucifer and Chloe, which was why I watched. Season four is solid with only a few minor missteps. I hope it continues.

The Silence (Netflix)

Meh++++. Prehistoric creatures hunt human prey by sound. A deaf teenager and her family try to survive and find safety. If you liked A Quiet Place, you’ll enjoy this movie. I thought it had less plot holes but lacked some of the suspense of A Quiet Place.

The Discovery of Witches (AMC)

Meh. I have to say I went in with high expectations, excited to watch the show, but the books are so much better. Read them instead. Weak characters who fall in love too quickly. Diana Bishop is a witch who doesn’t want her powers, but somehow she accesses to a book, Ashmole 782, that all the supernaturals want. Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode) plays a vampire who offers help and more. I like Matthew Goode, but he doesn’t do it for me as an ancient, mysterious vampire.

Dead to Me (Netflix)

Meh. Christina Applegate does a good job as a grieving woman who lost her husband in a hit-and-run accident, but I couldn’t connect with the characters, their over-the-top grief, or the decisions they made. After two episodes I wasn’t invested and called it quits.

 

Romance

90 Days the Other Way (TLC)

Yes! I love this train wreck of a show. I can’t believe what people will do to have a significant other. A sixty-year old woman develops true feelings with a thirty-year old Indian man. Why not move to India with a life savings of only $6000 to be with him? Nothing could go wrong. Marry that man in South Africa with a gambling addiction and criminal record? Why not. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Isn’t It Romantic (Netflix)

Yes! Critics didn’t like it, but I did. I went into the movie thinking I would hate Isn’t It Romantic and turn it off after a few minutes, but I got caught up. Natalie (Rebel Wilson), an architect,  is overlooked on the job. Knocked unconscious during a mugging, she wakes to find herself the leading lady in a romantic comedy. I enjoyed the satire that pointed out the flaws of romantic comedies while also acknowledging why people love them.

Always Be My Maybe (Netflix)

Meh +++. No surprises but worth watching. A cute, feel good romantic comedy. Childhood sweethearts don’t speak for 15 years. Sasha, a successful chef, runs into Marcus, who works with his dad in their heating and cooling business. Sparks erupt but time and career choices keep them apart. Not much substance but the acting by Ali Wong and Randall Park was on target. I enjoyed it.

Bachelorette (ABC)

Meh. I love to hate it. All the characters keep this season moving along at a decent pace. The men are testosterone filled and Hannah is as silly as she is crazy. DVR the sucker so you can skip the commercials and the boring conversations.  

Wine Country (Netflix)

Yuck. A huge fan of Parks and Rec, I had high hopes for this. I was irritated right from  the start at how frumpy all the characters appeared and how cliche the script was from lost jobs to horrible husbands. As a woman of a certain age, I hope this is not my future.