Category: TV Series

Genre: TV Series      

Grade: A+

Notable People: Rick Glassman, Albert Rutecki, Sue Ann Penn, Sosie Bacon, Chris Pang, Joe Mantegna, Created by: Jason Katims

Title: As We See It

Review: Absolutely brilliant half hour dramedy about three twenty-something roommates on the autistic spectrum. This show is alternately funny as hell and heartbreaking. I laughed. I cried. The three lead, young people in the cast (all actually on the spectrum in real life) are prefect-just perfect. And Joe Mantegna has a career defining role. The scripts and dialog are dead on. Hard to not to watch the eight episodes I one or two binge nights. Praying for another season.

Genre: TV Series  

Grade: A+++

Notable People: Ken Burns

Title: The Roosevelts

Review: what is there to say about Ken Burns? By far, the greatest documentarian of our times (maybe of any time and any place) ……the man takes his subjects (baseball, country music, Vietnam, you name it) and brings it to life in a gripping and powerful way. And, then…you have the three Roosevelts- truly giants of our modern world. Cannot even imagine what our county and word would be like if not for them (think lynching, Hitler, bread lines). Given our sad state of current affairs, it is hard not to weep at the extraordinary tenacity, courage and inspirational leadership of Teddy, Eleanor and, especially, Franklin……these were simply amazing people who stewarded the world the most dangerous and chaotic times (and let us not gloss over the role of dear Winston on the other side of The Pond). This seven part, 14 hour epiphany should be required viewing for every American………pure brilliance.

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A

Notable People: Michael C. Hall, Jack Alcott, Jennifer Carpenter, Clancy Brown, Julia Jones, Created by: Clyde Phillips

Title: Yellowstone

Review: Ten years after the demise of the original Dexter ShowTime brought back the inimitable Michael C. Hall to reprise his role in what has been shockingly the most watched show in ShowTime’s history. I was reluctant to think this could be done well, but the end of the original six season series did not end all that well and left fans pretty dissatisfied. It’s now ten years later, and our beloved serial killer has moved to remote upstate New York and started a new life after faking is own death back in the Miami days. He is tracked down and reunited with his long lost son, who appears to have some of the same “Dark Passenger” tendencies as Dexter. Jack Alcott is a revelation as the junior Dexter, with eerie nuances of similarity with his father and Clancy Brown and Julia Jones add gravitas to the cast with their takes on Dexter’s nemesis and love life respectively. The return of Jennifer Carpenter is wonderful as Dexter’s dear departed sister, Deb Morgan. Bringing back David Zayas as the hipster Miami detective from the original, was a stroke of genius. Clearly, one of the top shows of the last year without a doubt.

Genre: TV Series    

Grade: A

Notable People: Kevin Costner, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Gil Birmingham, Created by: Taylor Sheridan

Title: Yellowstone

Review: the just completed fourth season was another barn burner from start to finish as the legendary Wyoming Duttons try to maintain their stranglehold on an old western lifestyle against the forces of change and development. I thought this show was kind of hokey the first year, but the ensemble cat is so damn good, Costner has genuine star power, the cinematography is just magnificent and the writing so compelling, it is hard not to count the days until the next episode. Hauser(Rip) and Reilly may be the couple of the century and every woman I now secretly wants to be Reilly’s’ Badass Beth. Sheridan has created a monster here with a number of offshoots in progress. A season five is lock. If tales of the West interest you, this is a no brainer.

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-

Notable People: Saskia Reeves, Owen Teale, Clare Holman, James Wilby, Sam Heughan, Philip Glenester, by: Andy Harries

Title: Island at War

Review: Extremely well done 2004 British mini- series that tells the story of the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands- only a quick 30 miles from the shore of England and a German attempt to finally invade the Brits, at a time when they were last man standing against the evil empire. It primarily focuses on three local families: the upper class Dorrs, the middle class Mahys, and the working class Jonases, and four German officers of various degrees of allegiance to the Nazi regime. The fictional island of St. Gregory serves as a stand-in for the real-life islands of Guernsey and Jersey and the story is compiled from the events on both islands. Well written and complex story of the strange relationships developed during a wartime occupation and the struggles that some Germans had with their Nazi regime. Powerful and emotionally wrought with a wonderfully British cast and a nice part for the future Outlander star, a very young Heughan. Very unfortunately, this was a one and one mini-series and can be seen streaming on the free IMDB app with commercials.   

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Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-

Notable People: Taylor Kitsch, Michael C. Hall, Logan Marshall- Green, Ellen Hoss Created by: Mans Marlind

Title: The Defeated

Review: German series, originally titled Shadowplay, and taking place in the allied-divided Berlin immediately after the close of the second war- this show is a riveting look at the chaos of the times and the growing imminence of the Cold War. Kitsch shines as a war worn New York cop sent to the American sector of Berlin to train a novice volunteer police force, led by the compelling Hoss. The plot thickens with the underbelly of Max (Kitsch) trying to track down his deranged army-deserter bother, Moritz (Green), who is busy tracing down and creating grizzly deaths for surviving Nazis in hiding. Very well written and a potent glance ta the times. Clearly due for a second season.

Genre: Book   

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People:  Harlan Corbin

Title: WIN

Review: WIN is another intriguing character from the mind of the prolific Corbin, who also writes the Myron Bolitar mystery series (WIN is a fictional chum of Myron’s). WIN is short for Windsor Horne Lockwood III, a top of the line blue blood New Yorker, martial arts expert, borderline personality/narcissist, who unabashedly performs acts of violence in the interest of what he sees as necessary justice, while enjoying a life more or less in the style of Bruce Wayne (if I have to tell you how that is, we are in trouble here). The book has WIN delving back into a fatal bombing by a 60s militant group, woven into a story of the heist of major art works of Vermeer and Picasso, late night exclusive arranged hook-ups for the rich, sex abuse horrors and the mob……it’s a lot folks……but hard to put down. Corbin writes well, if a bit egotistically smug. The book should all be films in my view, and if you like suspense/mystery/wild yarns, give this one  a gander.  

Genre: TV Series

Grade: B+

Notable People: Michelle Terry, Ellie Haddington, June Watson Created by: Michelle Terry and Ralf Little

Title: The Cafe

Review: Cute and quirky English comedy about three generations of very stoic woman running a seaside café in remote Britain. Wonderful cast of zany characters and almost slapstick type of situations. Droll in the finest British comedic tradition. Phoebe Waller Bridge seemed to hone what would become her infamous Fleabag character as aide player on this show. A very nice diversion if you usually watch intense serial dramas , and at around 20 minutes per episode, it’s a refreshing quickie. Two seasons and out, unlikely to return given last season was in 2013.  

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-

Notable People: Daisy Haggard, Adeel Akhtar, Created by: Laura Salon, Daisy Haggard

Title: Back to Life

Review: Really offbeat show- sometimes comical, sometimes very dramatic, starring the wonderful Haggard, who is an undiscovered gem waiting to happen. She plays a 40 y/o woman returning to a staid seaside British community after 19 year in prison for killing her best friend……which it’s very unclear whether she did or not. Her indomitable spirit provides the spark against a series of mountainous adjustments. Akhtar is the gentle neighbor who everyone would want on their side in a crisis. Not sure if this is one series off, but may come back. This one is a sleeper.

Genre: TV Series  

Grade: B+

Notable People: Jeff Daniels, Maura Tierney, Alex Nuestaedtner, Created by: Dan Futtermen

Title: American Rust

Review: Dark and foreboding drama set in the far reaches of Western Pennsylvania coal country. Daniels shines as the lonely and depressed Police Chief, hiding/running away from a past as a Pittsburgh Detective. The critics really did not like this show, for reasons I can’t really understand. It is a bit slow moving, and, at times, a bit predictable. But, Daniels is a tour de force (as always) in a complicated role and the supporting cast is really good. The cinematography brilliantly captures the area’s fade and despair, and the music is dead on. Nuestaedtner shines as confused former town football hero, stuck in his home town and charged with murder. I anticipated Sundays each week to see the next installment. Anything with Jeff Daniels is worth watching. Season finale left the door open for another season.