I discovered last night that there's a second season of "Search Party" available on iTunes, so Dave and I gleefully watched a few episodes. I love that show! Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, you've got to buy the season to see it, because it's not on Amazon or Netflix -- at least, not here in the UK. We made the sacrifice. (This is the modern Nancy Drew fable in which a gang of millennials get in over their heads while searching for a missing friend -- very entertaining!)
We've also started watching "High Maintenance," which I read about in The New Yorker, and it's pretty amusing -- a series of individual stories connected only by a single character, a pot dealer in Brooklyn. And we like Netflix's "Black Mirror," a sort of modern (and quite sophisticated) "Twilight Zone," and we like "Grace and Frankie."
We started a show called "The Good Doctor," about an autistic surgeon, but I'm on the fence about that one. The actors are good but the storylines seem frankly a bit silly. We pretty much abandoned "Designated Survivor" for the same reason, and Dave isn't thrilled about the new "Star Trek," though I like it.
So that's where we are on TV, having finished most of our other shows. I even managed to finish "The Wire" and "The OA," neither of which Dave liked, so my viewing time was restricted to periods when I was watching TV by myself -- a rarity!
Otherwise, there's not much happening around here. We're wrapping books again at work -- it's time for our annual "Blind Date with a Book" event with the 8th graders, in which they choose a wrapped book from a shelf, not knowing what it will be, and (ideally) read it over February break. I have so far managed to pawn most of the wrapping off on volunteer parents and a substitute teacher -- I usually can't even bring myself to wrap Dave's Christmas presents. But I did help spruce up the wrapped books with heart-shaped stickers.
I don't get all the outrage about the Republican memo regarding the Trump-Russia investigation. Isn't it clearly a partisan hack job simply meant to advance the Republicans' position and defend Trump? In what way is it so damaging? I didn't understand the controversy before its release, and I don't understand it now. It seems many voters are reacting to it with a shrug, which is essentially my response.
(Photo: Some Queen Elizabeth II and Batman mashup street art in Shoreditch.)
I've been struggling to get my head around this story too but it seems to be of a piece with the strange state of politics in the US. I'm in the middle of reading How Democracies Die which does at least shed a worrying light on events.
ReplyDeleteThe Prof has Netflix . I've downloaded several LGBT movies and not watched any of them
ReplyDeleteI am as pleased as punch to say that none of the TV programmes you mentioned mean anything to me. I have heard the names of a couple such as "The Wire" which I assume is a drama about electricians or perhaps daring circus performers. However, hand on heart, I haven't seen one second of any of the programmes you listed and I am cock-a-hoop about this.
ReplyDeletere the memo, just the continuing 'party before country' of the Republicans to distract and undermine Mueller's efforts. it would be worrisome if they weren't so incompetent. Now that we've caught up on Game Of Thrones, we're back to watching the same movies over and over.
ReplyDeleteI understand absolutely nothing about this memo. Nothing. Except that it would seem to indicate that Trump is desperate for Mueller to fail in his investigation.
ReplyDeleteThe memo was supposed to prove that they mislead the FISA court in order to get wire taps on that guy working on the Trump campaign. They used info from that suspect dossier that was obtained by the former British spy and who the Democrats had hired to did up dirt after the Republicans ha hired him for a similar task. It's all very complicated and the funny thing is, it doesn't really prove anything. In fact it contradicts itself. The scary thing is, that Fox news will run it as proof of a conspiracy against Trump so it will only reinforce the Trump supporters. The rest of the news agencies and saying "ho-hum".
ReplyDeleteYou know how little kids tend to deny blame and set about blaming someone else? Trump never got out of that phase of childhood.
I love Grace and Frankie and I've wondered if Black Mirror was any good.
The memo is scary only in that it puts on full display the attempts by the Republican party to obfuscate and thwart the Mueller investigation. Things are not pretty in Washington these days, and I am truly worried about the state of our country.
ReplyDeleteThe memo, the memo, the memo. I'm so sick of hearing about it. The media these days seems to be like a dog with a rag, just tossing it around endlessly and generally amusing only itself.
ReplyDeleteThe latest thing to be worrying me is that reportedly Trump is learning how not to shoot himself in the foot with crazy tweets and impromptu remarks during speeches. And because of it, his ratings have spiked. I was hoping he would just do so poorly he would implode. Never counted on him learning anything from his mistakes!!
ReplyDeleteThe only show I watch is on CBC via the computer - Schitt's Creek. If you like dry humour it's very good.
Republicans, I understand NOTHING!!! Just bizarre every fugging day. I have banned television watching !
ReplyDeleteSP: I've heard of that book but haven't read it. Surely we're not quite dying. I think we're just ill. I'm not convinced it's terminal.
ReplyDeleteJohn: Some of the LGBT movies on Netflix are CRAP, just FYI.
YP: I don't mind TV if it's good. When I lived in NYC I didn't even own a TV and didn't watch any for years and years, but Dave is a big fan, and now he's got me watching some. It's all about choosing stuff that's worthwhile. I won't be watching "X Factor" or "Strictly" anytime soon.
Ellen: Well, at least the memo seems to have backfired, or at least been met with a collective shrug. The hyperpartisanship is annoying, to say the least.
Ms Moon: He is desperate, that's for sure. If this memo reveals that, I don't see how it can hurt us!
Sharon: The true drinkers of the Trump Kool-Aid will NEVER change their minds about him, no matter what memos are released. I think this whole thing is an exercise in insanity. And it will change absolutely nothing.
Robin: Well, we survived Nixon! Although it's scary to think that if Nixon happened today, the Republicans would stand behind him and accuse the Dems of engineering his downfall.
Catalyst: I agree with you. I think this whole story is blown out of proportion and I think it means absolutely nothing to the average voter. It adds to people's disgust with a national news media that seemingly ignores what's important to them.
Jenny-O: Trump is so ham-handed I don't see him becoming a skilled politician anytime soon. His first and only regard is for himself. There is no innate sense of duty or public service, which I think a good politician needs.
Linda Sue: As I told YP, some TV is worth it, believe it or not! But maybe not the news. :)