Blimey. It’s been a while since I wrote a TV roundup. Partly because I kept forgetting and partly because there’s not been a whole lot on the box. Summer is always a slow time on TV, mainly because you’re meant to be out enjoying the sunshine. But I’ve still found a few gems over the last few months.
TV
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| I completely missed this when it was on (a drawback of watching TV online), but thank goodness for iPlayer! I’m not a massive Sarah Lancashire fan, but she is brilliant in this. The storyline is quite gritty and Lancashire makes for a flawed heroine at times, but it’s well worth a watch if dark dramas are your thing, like they are mine. | Ah, Utopia. My OH suggested I watch series one in advance of series two airing on Channel 4. And I’m really glad he did. It’s an epic show, which covers a very unusual topic. It’s refreshing to watch another great British Drama, something that this summer hasn’t been lacking. Yay! |
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| When I saw this advertised, I knew it would be a great series to watch. I was right. Maggie Gyllenhaal is brilliant, dealing with an always very difficult and very poignant topic of Israel/Palestine. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, there’s a twist and everything is up in the air. If you haven’t been watching – get it on iPlayer. | In every TV viewing, some light relief must fall. I was a huge fan of Seinfeld so thought I’d give Veep a go. I wasn’t disappointed. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is hilarious in this. It’s very Arrested Development in my view, which is another great comedy. I’ve only seen the first series, but I can’t wait to watch the second and third. Fab viewing. |
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| I know I’ve mentioned the Good Wife before, but I’ve been rewatching it with my OH from the very beginning. I’d forgotten how great it was. It’s one of the best dramas on TV right now. I pretty much love every character, though Eli Gold is my favourite because he just shouts at people. (I love a good shout!) If you’ve not watched it, it’s worth signing up to Netflix for. | This was recommended on Twitter and I’ve been aware of it for a while but not watched it until recently. It’s bloody brilliant! Again, it feels a bit like Arrested Development and I can’t decide who my favourite character is, Ron Swanson or Ted Haverford. It makes me laugh out loud and want a job in the Parks & Recreation department. Watch it! |
Film
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| I love Joaquin Phoenix. I think he’s a great actor. He can play such a wide range of characters. Her is no exception. It’s a brilliantly imaginative film, sadly a rarity in Hollywood these days. Her shows a very scary reality of what our future could be like, should Apple ever really get Siri to work properly. I kind of hope they don’t! | Matthew McConaughey can do no wrong at the moment. Everything he touches turns to gold and Dallas Buyers Club is no exception. This is a really moving, scary and insightful look at the Aids epidemic when it first began and the lack of understanding/medicines available. It’s well worth a watch if you haven’t already. There’s no surprise that it did well at the Oscars – well deserved if you ask me. |
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| I saw a load of fuss about this on Twitter, but didn’t really pay it much attention. Then, when we had a dog free day, we decided to go and watch it in the cinema. I love a good comic book film, so was quite content. But it was much better than I thought it would be and I totally understood the hype after watching it. It’s got a much fresher feel than a lot of the other Marvel films & Chris Pratt is great in it. Roll on the sequel. | I remember watching the trailer for this a while back and not really getting it. When we decided to watch it on the weekend, we decided that it’s kind of like the Hunger Games (though not as good) and while it does have that post-apocalyptic vibe and a strong female lead, it’s still really good. Like the Hunger Games, it’s Divergent is part of a trilogy and I can’t wait for the next installment. |
If you have any recommendations of what to watch, I’d love to know. I realise it’s not long until lots of great TV starts again in the autumn (The Walking Dead, I’m looking at you), but there’s got to be a few gems I’ve missed!
I honestly didn’t know how Season 4 could possibly improve on what’s gone before, but boy, it’s really started with a bang. There’s really no telling which characters will make it through to the next episode, so it can be quite a tense watch. At the moment, I feel that there’s lots of stuff going on and its difficult to keep track. Needless to say I cannot wait for each new episode!
great characters. We’ve since bought series 3 and pretty much devoured that while on holiday! If you like The Good Wife and Grey’s Anatomy, then this one is definitely for you.
Now I’m not a massive Hobbit/Lord of the Rings fan and this did nothing to improve that. Long, drawn out, a bit dull, it really wasn’t for me. I can’t believe there’s still another one to go. Needless to say I got plenty of knitting done while watching it.
has an emotional breakthrough about her father. I totally blubbed at the end! Perfect for a Sunday afternoon.
I’ve never seen the original House of Cards, but this version is epic! I am a huge fan of political dramas and House of Cards doesn’t disappoint. The things Frank Underwood will do to gain political success is unbelievable, yet completely believable. My OH felt that there was something lacking from this series, but there’s plenty of action and tension throughout. It’s a bit like a dark West Wing and is totally worth your time. Can’t wait for season 3!
I wasn’t overly keen about watching it, but once I started, I was addicted! It’s like an upmarket soap opera and I gasp ‘No way!’ at least once an episode when I can’t believe how devious one of the characters has been! It’s also got a great soundtrack to boot. The last episode of series 1 ended on quite a knife edge so the opening of series 2 was not to be missed. It’s only a few episodes in, but there’s lots of shock and awe still to be had!
I wasn’t overly fussed on seeing this originally but it had me gripped from the start. It’s pretty action packed, but it also made me feel quite claustrophobic. Because it’s all at sea, there’s no escaping the pirates and as a viewer, you really feel it! It’s very tense, so if you’re looking for something that’s quite easy to watch, this isn’t it. But it does show how real and very terrifying the piracy issue is.
. Enough Said is really heartwarming and funny, all about dating after divorce and sharing the bits of you that you thought no one would ever see again.
