We are almost a year into this dumpster fire called Coronavirus, so I thought I would do a little updating about the TV shows I am watching to pass the time through this nightmare. In no particular order, other than how they come to mind, the “winners” are:
All-American: I am watching this on Netflix and am most of the way through Season 2 (although Season 3 is airing now). How I did not know about this show is a mystery. It is a teen drama produced by Greg Berlanti, who also has written and produced some of my other favorite shows (Dawson’s Creek, Everwood, Brothers and Sisters, Dirty Sexy money, Arrow).
Cardinal: This Canadian crime drama is dark and I am into it. I am in Season 2. Hulu only has the first three seasons, although four have been made. Each season only has 6 episodes, which is the perfect length for a TV series. (Fewer episodes seems to be the norm in other countries; a model the U.S. could learn from since many shows suffer a blight of content when they try to include 20 episodes in a season. HBO and Showtime have done better with this than other networks.)
Hackerville: Hackerville was a show released on HBO Europe that followed two police officers (one from Germany and the other from Romania) as they tried to track down a hacker who stole 9.99 euros from a German Bank. The show was fine, not surprisingly only lasted a single season. Although it wasn’t “must-see TV”, it was good enough to watch and kill some time.
Lupin: This Netflix original is inspired by Mauric Leblanc’s master thief of literature, Arsenne Lupin. It was made in France, so unless you speak the language of love, you will need the English audio track or subtitles. This was another good, not great, Netflix offering. They keep putting out more and more mediocre content.
Ted Lasso: Perhaps the best show that has come out in the last year. (And this on Apple TV which has produced some bombs.) Jason Sudeikis plays an American football coach who is hired to coach an English soccer team. Funny, sweet, and just all-around an enjoyable show.
Big Sky: I am currently in the middle of Season 1 of this David Kelley (Doogie Howser, Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Big Little Lies) criime drama. His shows are hit-or-miss for me; loved his earlier stuff, but his recent opus is less than compelling. Big Sky is interesting because of the characters and the acting. Katheryn Winnick and Kylie Bunbury are great, and Ryan Phillipe was a nice surprise. Watching this “live” reminds me of how much I hate waiting for new episodes.
Your Honor: This is a gem. Airing in real-time on Showtime, this is a nail-biter and I can’t wait for new episodes. Bryan Cranston is great (as always). Well worth a watch, although I have no idea how they will make a second season.
I am also watching some garbage that I can’t seem to stop watching. The Resident, The Good Doctor, and The Rookie are in my Hulu recording queue. For Life was good at the beginning, but the last few episodes have been less than awesome.
I also continue to watch the The Bold Type, mainly as a summer show, although it seems to have jumped the shark in the last season or so. If any of the show runners/producers of Younger read this….get on making new seasons of this show!!! I miss Liza Miller, Kelsey, Maggie, and Diana. (Also, more shows need to cast Sutton Foster; bring back Bunheads).