Fun & Games discussion

This is the place to talk about TV shows.

"Sugar" - on AppleTV+

This new detective series stars Colin Farrell as P.I. John Sugar, who specializes in finding missing persons. Sugar lives in a hotel; drives a vintage Corvette convertible; has a woman business manager; is still haunted by something that happened to his sister.....typical detective show tropes.

It has a noirish feel.

The two episodes available so far are pretty good.

I wouldn't mind seeing that, but I don't get Apple TV.

"Prime Suspect: Tennison" - Amazon Prime

This 6-part mini-series is the prequel to Prime Suspect. Jane Tennison is just starting out as a WPC and shows her smarts right off the bat. As expected, Jane's no goody two shoes. LOL

I enjoyed it.

Stars Stefanie Martini, Sam Reid, Alun Armstrong and a good cast

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" - AmazonPrime

In this comedy series, set around the late 1950s, Mrs. Maisel (Miriam) is an aspiring stand-up comic in New York. There's a fun array of supporting characters including Miriam's Jewish family; her ex-husband and ex in-laws; her agent; other comics of the time; etc.

It's entertaining.

Stars Rachel Brosnahan, Tony Shalhoub, Alex Borstein, Jane Lynch, and a good cast.

Barbara wrote: ""Prime Suspect: Tennison" - Amazon Prime

This 6-part mini-series is the prequel to Prime Suspect. Jane Tennison is just starting out as a WPC and shows her smarts right off the bat. As expected, ..."

I love Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren. I even bought the DVDs sometime back when people still bought DVDs.

"A Man in Full"(based on Tom Wolfe's book) on Netflix

Charles Croker, a real estate mogul in Atlanta, is a billion dollars in debt and vengeful bankers are planning to foreclose on his property. Croker maneuvers to stay afloat, no matter what it takes.

Good mini-series. Stars Jeff Daniels, Diane Lane, Tom Pelphrey, and a good cast.

Based off of Barbara's review, I'm giving Resident Alien a view, and I've just started episode 3, and I am finding it great viewing! So funny!

Laura wrote: "Based off of Barbara's review, I'm giving Resident Alien a view, and I've just started episode 3, and I am finding it great viewing! So funny!"

Glad you're enjoying the show Laura. I think it's so funny. 😀

I'm watching season 22 of Midsomer Murders; in each episode Detective Barnaby and his sergeant investigate a murder in one of the villages in Midsomer.

I wouldn't want to live in any of these villages, because three or four resident are murdered (in some gruesome fashion) in each episode. 😏

On Freevee

You are so right about those villages--murders galore. I stopped watching it after Tom Barnaby left though, but I assume nothing has changed.

I'd love to live in an English village, but not one where I'll be murdered! I love Midsomer Murders, though.

The Veil(2024) - mini series on Hulu

A British secret agent (Elizabeth Moss) rescues a female member of ISIS (Yumna Marwan) from a refugee camp in an attempt to learn about a terrorist plot. As they travel together, the women have a kind of mental sparring match, constantly lying to each other.

(Observation: the male terrorists in this show are unusually handsome; I don't know if that's true in real life. 😀)

I'd never watched The Gilmore Girls - "A dramedy centering around the relationship between a thirtysomething single mother and her teen daughter living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut" - so I decided to give it a look. So far I'm liking it.

On Netflix

It's hard to believe the show started airing in 2000. People aren't glued to cell phones. 🙂

"Defending Jacob" - mini-series on Apple+

Based on the book Defending Jacob by William Landay.

A prosecutor tries to protect his 14-year-old son when the boy is suspected of murdering a classmate.

Good suspenseful mini-series.

"Expats" (2023) - mini-series on Prime

Several expat American women in Hong Kong experience drama in their lives, initally triggered by a tragic incident with a child.

As often happens in real life, society's expectations affect the women (e.g. expectations of motherhood; to sacrifice your career for your husband; etc.)

Good show. Stars Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, Ji-Young Yoo and a good cast

I finished the Irish series, Father Ted. I have mixed feelings about this entire show. It is really quite offensive and rather stupid, but also, at times, very funny.

It follows three banished priests, who are stuck in a parish on a God-forsaken isle and their peculiar housekeeper. Ted is banished for "holding" charity donations in his own account while he also went to Las Vegas and gambled them. Father Dougal is so dimwitted and simple-minded, he can't even bathe himself. He is banished for an "incident" that we never quite get clarity on, but he did something pretty bad. Father Jack is an old, dirty, unkempt, lecherous, alcoholic pervert, who is always saying "Girls,! Drink! Panties! Feck!" and other dirty things.

One of the reasons I wanted to continue the whole series, is many now "bigger" stars had their start or early roles on the show: for example, Graham Norton and Maria Doyle Kennedy.

I was a little apprehensive of watching anything with Graham Linehan's name behind it....mainly because I don't want him getting a residual checks from my viewing...but I'm glad I gave this odd and crude show a chance, but I probably never need watch it again

Laura wrote: "I finished the Irish series, Father Ted. I have mixed feelings about this entire show. It is really quite offensive and rather stupid, but also, at times, very funny.

It follows three banished pri..."

I've seen this. It's silly but funny.

"Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge" (2024) - on Hulu

This documentary is about Diane von Furstenberg, who first became famous 50 years ago for designing the wrap dress - which is still popular. Diane had a raucous interesting life and she's still going strong.

Fun fact: Diane's mother was a Jewish Holocaust survivor and Diane's first husband was a German prince, Egon von Furstenberg.

Good documentary. Commentary from Diane, Fran Lebowitz, Barry Diller (Diane's hubby), Diane's kids, and more

Finished watching the 3 part Masterpiece series, Maryland. It stars Suranne Jones and Eve Best as two distant sisters brought together by the death of their mother.

The younger of the sisters (Played by Jones) is contacted by the coroners' office on the Isle of Man and told a body of a woman identified as her mother was found on the beach, but that she must come identify it. She contacts her older sister, who initially rejects her calls, to let her know that their mother is dead.

What happens after is the discovery of their mom's double life and the sister's own reactions to the path their mom's life....as well as their own...have taken.

Was good, but some parts (especially the actors playing both the husbands of the dead mother and the youngest daughter) grated my nerves and felt poorly cast.) Would recommend.

"Collision" (2009) - Mini-Series (on FreeVee)

A mult-vehicle collison on a highway in England results in deaths and injuries. As the police investigate the incident we see the backstories of the people involved as well as what happens after the tragedy.

Good mini-series.

I started the series, Orphan Black: Echos. I really loved the original series, and am trying to watch this as its own separate entity, but I'm having a hard time not comparing. I don't really like the actress playing Lucy. There's something that just doesn't work. The actor playing her boyfriend is VERY weak.


I'm only in the first episode, but.....not sure about this.

Laura wrote: "I started the series, Orphan Black: Echos. I really loved the original series, and am trying to watch this as its own separate entity, but I'm having a hard time not comparing. I don't really like ..."

I liked the Orphan Black series too, Tatiana Maslany was just incredible! 🙂

I finished watching the mini-series "Presumed Innocent" (Season 1) on Apple+

It was a bloated adaptation of Scott Turow's book and they finagled around with the ending. I don't why the producers and writers felt the need to do that. Oh well......😪

The movie Presumed Innocent (1990) is better IMO

"Lady in the Lake" (2024) - mini-series on Apple+

In this program adapted from the book Lady in the Lake a woman fed up with her home life - and aspiring to be a reporter - leaves her husband and investigates the death of a woman who led a rather raucous life.

"Dark Winds" - mini-series on Netflix

Lieutentant Joe Leaphorn and his team, of the Navaho Tribal Police, investigate bank robbery and murder in Arizona.

I was just able to finish the first season of ORPHAN BLACK: ECHOS.


This sequel to the Canadian sci-fi series ORPHAN BLACK follows Kira Manning, the child of Sarah Manning (The main protagonist in the original Orphan Black) 30 years in the future.


Kira has grown up to be a scientist who discovers a way to 3D print organs for transplant patients. This science is however manipulated by a rich tech millionaire, who acts like a savior of the planet, but is really a sick narcissistic (insert all kinds of megalomaniac terms here).

I wanted to like this, but right from the start it didn't work for me, and while I wanted to see how it ended, the ending made me feel that I won't be watching anymore of the seasons. The last episode of this kickoff season left a lot of loose ends. However, I don't really care to see them tied up.

'Midsummer Night" - mini-series on Netflix

Midsummer is a big celebration in Sweden, and 65-year-old Carina brings her family and friends together for a traditional Swedish party.

But Carina plans to use the celebration to impart some personal news to the group. As the party proceeds, there are flashbacks that show almost everyone there has a secret.

Good domestic drama; fun party too. Lots of singing and drinking and games. 😀

"The Capote Tapes" (2019) - documentary on Hulu

This is about the life of Truman Capote, the iconic writer of Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood.

Capote's mother didn't want him, which probably cast a shadow over his very eventful life. To Capote, everything was 'material' for his books, and he eventually betrayed his closest friends.

Good film. Very interesting.

I'm watching season 4 of "Only Murders in the Building" on Hulu.

It's a comedy/mystery about three residents of a luxury building in Manhattan (Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin) who have a podcast about murders in their building. (Not a healthy place to live. LOL)

Fun, well done show.

I started watching season 1 of 'The Old Man' - on HULU.

The premise is that former CIA agent Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges) who retired 30 years ago - and has been in hiding - is being hunted by the agency he once worked for. Dan has now been found, and all kinds of people are trying to catch him.

So far it's good;

I'm watching the 'rerun' of the Emmys (a little at a time) on HULU. I"ve seen some of the nominated shows, but I want to see if there are other programs worth watching.

I like to see the 'jokes' (though lots of them are pretty lame......LOL ) and the clothes and the winners.

I only watch a few categories at a time...and no commercials since it's HULU.

"Loudermilk" (2020-2023) - Netflix

In this comedy series, Sam Loudermilk is a recovering alcoholic and substance abuse counselor who runs an AA support group. Sam navigates his own scrambled life while helping the ragtag group of people he counsels.
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"The Perfect Couple" (2024) - mini-series on Netflix

A mystery writer (Nicole Kidman) and her cheating husband (Liev Shreiber) plan a fancy wedding for their son and his fiancee on a Nantucket estate. Then a mysterious death derails all the plans.

EVERYONE is a suspect.

Did I watch it and like it ?

U*

I liked The Perfect Couple. It's entertanining, and fun to try to figure out 'whodunit.' 🙂

"Clickbait"" mini-series on Netflix

When family man Nick Brewer is abducted for alleged bad acts, and the kidnapping is posted online, his family is thrown into turmoil while the authorities investigate.

I avoided this show for a while because the title led me to think it was about people trolling for 'likes.' Well, I was wrong because this is quite a good mystery program. When Nick's plight is posted, the police (and his family) try every which way to find the perp(s).

Stars Zoe Kazan, Betty Gabriel, Adrian Grenier, and a good cast

Reruns of the vintage show 'The Avengers' with Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Diana Rigg as Mrs. Peel are on Prime.

I loved this show. 🙂

I'm watching season 12 of the 'Great British Baking Show'. This is a great program when you need a spot of relaxation. And the baked goods and desserts look so delicious! 😊🍰🍩🍪🧁🍨😊

"This Is the Zodiac Speaking" - (2024) documentary on Netflix

This 3-part series examines the notorious case of the Zodiac killer. I didn't realize there was a suspect (almost certainly the perp) that the poiice investigated but weren't able to get the evidence.

The suspect was so creepy; an elementary school teacher who ingratiated himself with single mothers and their kid. Name of Arthur Leigh Allen. Some of the 'kids' (now 70- ish) are interviewed. Very interesting.

The Diplomat - (season 2) On Netflix

Kate Wyler, the new(ish) American ambassador to Great Britain gets embroiled in difficult situations. In the early episodes, a cabal in Britain has (secretly) bombed their own ship and murdered their own government operative and Kate thinks the Prime Minister is responsible.

Great characters in this show. 😊

The New Royals: Beatrice and Eugenie - (2023) Documentary on Prime

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have been in the spotlight, mostly because of their parents, Price Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. The princesses are now working and or/involved in a lot of charitable causes. Seem like very nice people. (I feel bad for them with their father's disgrace.....but that's all Andrew's own fault.)

There's a bit in the documentary about the British public resenting 'subsidizing' the Royals (in general), with the big weddings of William and Harry, etc. and the Royals just being costly to maintain. I can certainly understand that.

Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story (2022) - Netflix

Jimmy Savile was a hugely popular DJ and public figure in Britain for decades. He knew myriad public figures and celebrities and was even knighted. There were rumors Jimmy was a pedophile....all swept under the rug. Then after Jimmy's death at the age of 85, the truth of his lifelong 'crime spree' became public.

This is a two-part documentary; 4 hours total.

"D.I. Ray" (2022 - ) Netflix

In season 1, Indian-British DI Rachita Ray is transferred to homicide to investigate a murder in the Asian community. This puts Ray in a tough spot, because she's seen as a 'coconut'....and she doesn't think the Asian prime suspects did it.

It's a good series. Lots of modern interesting police procedures.

I am on Season 1 of "LOST" (2004 - 2010)

anyone seen it ?

Jennifer ✨ wrote: "I am on Season 1 of "LOST" (2004 - 2010)

anyone seen it ?"

I watched all the seasons of Lost. Good show (but the ending is disappointing). Still well worth watching.

"The Great American Baking Show" - 2 seasons on ROKU

I was having withdrawal symptoms from the Great British Baking Show so I gave the American version a look. It has the same two judges, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, and it's okay. Not as good as the British version (fewer contestants; hosts not as funny). But it's okay in a pinch. LOL 😊

"Disclaimer" (2024) on Apple +

This series is based on the book Disclaimer by Renée Knight.

Kate Blanchett plays documentarian Catherine Ravenscroft, whose life is torn apart when a book is published that purportedly reveals an incident in her past.

Shows what happens when someone is bent on revenge. (Warning: explicit scenes).

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron; stars Kevin Kline and Sasha Baron Cohen (who shows his acting chops in this one.)

"A Man on the Inside" (2024) Netflix

This comedy mini-series stars Ted Danson as a retired professor named Charles who takes a job as a 'spy' in a retirement community experiencing thefts. While Charles is 'investigating' he forms relationships with the residents, which is really the crux of the story.

Fun and touching program.