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News Avoidance: What are You Watching?
Since finishing The Last Kingdom and Band of Brothers, I’ve been looking for less intense, more wholesome TV fare. I’ve subscribed to BritBox in order to get the latest season of Fr. Brown Mysteries and also stumbled onto reruns of The Return of Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett, and Monty Don’s Gardener’s World (51 seasons, woo hoo!!).
On Trink’s recommendation, I’ve also been watching Tony Robinson Walking Through History in the UK. The Chauvinists have done a little touring of the UK, so it brings back fond memories as well as teaches more about the history of the place. It’s very pleasant and well done, although I do find myself nodding off in the last fifteen minutes or so. Not sure what that’s about, except maybe it’s just so relaxing.
Last night, Mr. C and I watched the first episode of Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets. And, let me tell, you’ve never seen white privilege until you’ve seen this! These people will be the first to the guillotine when the revolution reaches Britain! She starts with a visit to Highclere Castle, home of the Downtown Abbey series. Some “country house!” It’s magnificent and so very civilized. I can’t imagine how she’ll follow it up, but we’re going to find out!
And speaking of civilized and shockingly white, we’re also watching the BBC version of Antiques Roadshow. Always entertaining.
So what are you watching instead of the news? Any recommendations?
Published in General
They can’t help it if they’re descendants of the Plantagenets!
Sorry, I saw China and my jet lagged lizard brain jumped straight to that without thought.
Re-watching The Great British Baking Show. All of them.
Sometimes those get a little stressful — especially the baking fails.
Binged Charlie Cox’s Daredevil in preparation for the never announced and much denied revival now that the Netflix two year death clause is ended. The second season held up better than I remembered and even the Defenders was less painful being much further away from the Awful Ironfist
fiascoseries it also drew on. The third season is a perfect companion to this political season, with hardcore gaslighting and government corruption.I liked the first three seasons of Ballykissangel, although the ending was weak and trite. Father Brown was good in small doses, a bit too formulaic to support a proper binge. The Vicar of Dibley and DCI Banks were awful. The next season had new leads and none of the charm and tried for sexy but in a streetwalker kind of way that screams disease vector.
I finished Sanctuary awhile back. I could watch Amanda Tapping read the telephone directory. I’ve started on Warehouse 13 and Boston Legal
Lost in Space, John Adams and Band of Brothers are on deck. And probably the Fox Exorcist series. If I get to House it will probably be a dreaded sign of something or other.
And I’ve been doing random Shakespeare to freshen things up.
As for books, I am reading ‘Salem’s Lot, Taming the Nueces Strip, Love Your Enemies by Arthur C. Brooks, Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul, The Red Book of Guerrilla Warfare by Mao, and On China by Kissinger.
Check out the BBC Apparitions series about exorcism if you’re into that kind of thing. The first two episodes were gripping, but not what I’m going for. Too dark.
I thought the first few seasons were great, but it went downhill pretty quickly.
Apparitions is a great series portraying true heroism. It is dark, but it does not surrender an inch to the darkness.
Oh, I know I got the idea from another Ricochet thread, but Foyle’s War, particularly the first few seasons (which take place during World War II). The apparently emotionless Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle and his methodical approach is contrasted nicely with his eager driver Samantha Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks is just adorable in this role). Initially neither wants to be in the jobs they have, so we see the ways they come to work together.
Yes, we ran through Foyle’s War a few months ago. Fantastic. Loved it.
It’s a wonderful series. Very human.
Just finished all five seasons of Billions. Lots of plot twists and turns.
If you’re still feeling mystery, I would really suggest Inspector Morse (or Lewis, if you’ve seen that). I know you’re not looking for dark, and while the show does have its low moments, it’s not excessively gory and the range of emotions and experience portrayed is satisfying. I wrote a post about it a few days ago that I’ll link here.
And Maigret is also such a hidden gem. I wish they had made more.
I liked it for the most part, but they could have retitled it Introspector Morse for all his brooding. Inspector Morose would have been more accurate. The mysteries were good, though. I preferred A Touch of Frost slightly.
Yes, Minister is hilarious.
Miss Marple and Agatha Christie’s Poirot are big favorites. Especially Miss Marple. Joan Hickson resembled my grandmother even more than John Hopkins’ DS Dan Scott resembles He Who Must Be Socked.
My one beef with Perfect Witness was that whenever they are in the cop shop, the phone will start ringing and nobody answers it. It will ring for minutes at a stretch. Just once, I wanted someone to angrily grab a handset, hold it up to his face, and bellow “What!?”
I scroll through Netflix and Prime offerings searching for something to watch. If I were looking for dark drama or, alternatively, darker drama I would be in luck. But I’m not. With the world in flames and the future scary, I want something lighter!
That would also work, my dad calls it Inspector Grumpy Old Bastard. I’ve seen a bit of Poirot and enjoyed it, I’d definitely like to watch more when I get the chance. Yes, Minister is sublime, I started watching that show as a kid and still love it.
https://youtu.be/cwaX_DgHZkM
If you are looking for offerings that are not dark, I would suggest the following:
1. Rumpole of the Bailey – well- written, wonderfully acted, and includes “She Who Must Be Obeyed”
2. Last of the Summer Wine- I’m not sure what it’s about, but it is very pleasant to watch, and is decidedly not “dark”
3. As Time Goes By-two people who were in love when younger finally find each other when older – nicely done, not dark, and Judi Dench(spelling?) is great!
Just my two cents🙂
Leo McKern as Rumpole. I like them.
I also watch Bob Ross’s painting show whenever and wherever it’s on.
So WC, when you state “the latest season of Father Brown Mysteries” what year would that be? We quit watching two years ago, as we assumed the series had ended as a whole.
We finished 5 seasons of Line of Duty on Brit Box and enjoyed it. I think you can get it through Amazon. Has some good characters that you can like, as opposed to some shows where everyone is disgusting. The premise is a division of the police that investigates corruption within the police ranks. Takes place in Ireland. We thought it very well done.
Thanks for putting this together. Neat summary, and Longmire sounds worth checking out.
One question: How could you bring up “Yes Minister” without mentioning how it is hilarious?
I think BritBox actually has the original and the new version, with the new going up to Season 9. The old version frankly wasn’t very good, but I have very little affection for the new one too; Father Brown doesn’t seem like much of a Catholic, and it gets very formulaic past a point.
I think Jack Taylor, which is a mystery series that also takes place in Ireland, about a former detective is excellent too.
Longmire is probably one of my favorite shows ever. I’ve watched it all the way through 2-3 times now. Very recommended. Makes me want to move to Wyoming (wife already turned down Alaska).
You’re welcome, I’m glad you liked it. I think I’m so used to the show‘s hilarious nature being a known fact, that I completely forgot to mention it.
Longmire wise: The show is excellent and I wholeheartedly recommend it, I think you would really, really enjoy it. The acting, the writing, the scoring, the filmography, it’s all great. But I would also recommend reading the books, at least the first three or four. I’m not a big fan of murder mystery books, or most modern ‘popular’ fiction, but they are extremely well done. Walt Longmire, the titular character, is unique (a well read, widowed Vietnam vet cowboy who would rather stay in his office and read Sherlock Holmes novels than solve crimes) and his relationship with Henry Standing Bear, his best friend since the age of 12 and a Cheyenne Native American, is beautifully crafted and always leaves you wanting more. I’m hoping, because the show diverged significantly from the books at points, that some of them will eventually be made into movies or TV movies, à la Jesse Stone.
I almost forgot Armstrong and Miller and Death in Paradise. The first is a brillant sketch show with two very talented comedians, and the second is a well acted murder mystery dramedy (though I would stick only to the first three seasons).
https://youtu.be/AK84yRphzZs
Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse have also done a couple of hilarious sketch series, together and apart.
It says 2020, but they must have produced it last year when we were still maskless.