Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

You cannot love your country only when you win.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

He really is that stupid.

It is not hopeless, and we are not helpless.

Fight them, without becoming them!

The desire to stay informed is directly at odds with the need to not be constantly enraged.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Bark louder, little dog.

Beware of advice from anyone for whom Democrats are “they” and not “we.”

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

Their boy Ron is an empty plastic cup that will never know pudding.

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

“I was told there would be no fact checking.”

You are here: Home / Medium Cool / Medium Cool with BGinCHI – Recommendations

Medium Cool with BGinCHI – Recommendations

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In case you’re new to Medium Cool, BGinCHI is here once a week to offer a thread on culture, mainly film & books, with some TV thrown in.  We’re here at 7 pm on Sunday nights.

Medium Cool with BGinCHI – Recommendations 3

We’re running low on TV series, so let’s make this week’s Medium Cool a survey of what you’re watching. Give us likes, dislikes, near misses for TV and film. If you recommend something, make sure to indicate where it’s streaming, or what channel, etc.

Reader Interactions

143Comments

  3. 3.

    Chetan Murthy

    @BGinCHI: On a depressing night when I can’t get to sleep, and chew over angry thoughts about the state of our country and whether I should be only a little afraid, or a lot afraid, I watch Letterkenny and that makes it all feel just a little bit better.

  4. 4.

    BGinCHI

    We’re currently watching Invasion (see above, on Apple+). I was so turned off by reviews I almost didn’t give it a try. Glad I did. While there isn’t anything super fresh about the plots, it’s a solid show that focuses on characters and relationships rather than the actual aliens. The invasion provokes chaos, and we follow characters around the world as they cope. Great cast, good production values, and some really excellent scenes.

    It’s a good, basic story.

  7. 7.

    dmsilev

    Currently watching: Foundation (Apple TV+, first season will finish in a couple weeks if binging is your preference)

    Waiting for: Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime, starts November 19th)

    Was thinking about giving Invasion a try, but haven’t gotten around to it.

  9. 9.

    BGinCHI

    We also started the 4th and final season of Goliath (Prime) last night. If you liked the first 3, I think you’ll like this one, though we’re only 2 eps in. Set in SF, it’s super noir and moody, with already some excellent casting decisions (I won’t spoil). I’ve always been a Billy Bob fan, so this hits my sweet spot.

  11. 11.

    Chetan Murthy

    I’ve enjoyed watching Shetland (now watching season 3) a bit.  They chose well for everybody associated with visuals — they’re sumptuous, even though (IIUC) the Shetlands is cold, rainy, and foggy.

  13. 13.

    FelonyGovt

    We’re enjoying Acapulco on Apple TV. Very light, engaging, not quite as dopey as I thought it might be

    Getting thoroughly tired of The Morning Show but will probably finish Season 2.

  15. 15.

    MattF

    Also watching Foundation, not particularly happy with it. Quite different from the books, but has the same structural flaw— no protagonist.

  16. 16.

    prostratedragon

    Only this week got around to Atonement, now streaming on Prime. Good enough that I want to see it again soon to follow certain aspects. Similarly A Most Wanted Man. I hadn’t known that was a John LeCarre story, but by the end it was an easy guess. For gentler but still thought-provoking fare, the recent Mark Williams Father Brown mysteries are on Britbox.

  17. 17.

    mali muso

    Slowly working my way through Schitt’s Creek on Netflix as it passed me by during its initial run. I appreciate the cozy, low stakes mild humor. I can’t handle much at the moment in the way of angst or drama.

  18. 18.

    James E Powell

    I am enjoying Foundation. I did not read the books, so I can’t be disappointed by any deviations or omissions. I also listen to the official podcast with the show runner, David Goyer.

    I also enjoyed Dune. I re-read the book last year in anticipation of the movie – or film as we artsy types prefer to call them. A lot was cut from the book’s characters & plot, but it’s still 2-1/2 hours long. I hear it’s like three years till Part 2. By then we should have feelies, right?

  19. 19.

    VeniceRiley

    Fell asleep during Invasion.
    Jury out on Foundation, but I’m still tuning in.
    Loving this season of The Morning Show! Steve Carell did a great job turning the character into an ultimately sympathetic redemption arc. (Plus I am not above some lesbian smexy eye candy. What can I say?)
    Finished Ted Lasso but cannot remember the finale to save my life.
    Every single version of Walking Dead is boring me to tears.
    Would give a digit for a new season of Hacks.

  20. 20.

    wonkie

    I like dark humor so Wayne. However it didn’t get renewed so that kind of unsatisfying, We are also watching The Watchmen, Community, Handmaids Tale, Lucifer, and Sweettooth. I recommend Sweet tooth highly as a fundamentally sweet show but with a definite dark side.

  23. 23.

    Suzanne

    @prostratedragon: I actually got to see A Most Wanted Man in a movie theater, which means I got to see the whole thing. I very rarely get to choose the movie or actually finish watching it. I love all those John Le Carre things. And PSH was so good.

  25. 25.

    Miss Bianca

    Currently making my way through one re-watch (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and one new (to me) watch (Parks and Recreation). Also, just binge-watched The Mandalorian (both seasons) with my niece and her family. Almost enough to make want to stream the Disney Channel for Season 3 and the new Boba Fett series that’s going to drop in December.

    Almost.

  27. 27.

    prostratedragon

    @Suzanne:  There seemed to be enough going on visually that it would be worth while to see it on a proper screen should I have the chance. Right now I’m making do with my 32in monitor.

    And yes, he’s good enough that it made me kind of sad all over again knowing that that’s about it, yet it’s a memorable last major role.

  28. 28.

    thruppence

    There’s a trilogy of mystery thrillers set in the Basque region of Spain on Netflix: The Invisible Guardian, The Legacy of the Bones, and Offering to the Storm. I thought they were really well done and they immerse you in another part of the world. 

  29. 29.

    zhena gogolia

    We’re always far behind everyone else, so we’re in season 2 of The Crown. I enjoy it thoroughly for the fabulous acting, costumes, and sets, but it’s kind of icky colonialism all the time. So I’m curious about the new film about Diana, Spencer, because A. O. Scott says it’s a “rebuke to The Crown.” And I love Jack Farthing (Charles) and Stella Gonet (Elizabeth). But I’m not going to theaters so I’ll have to wait.

    I got tired of Guy of Gisbourne with my lunch, so started The Souvenir, which seems really interesting. (A film, not a series, though, so I’m OT.)

    ETA: The Crown is Netflix, The Souvenir is on Prime. But only till 11/14.

  30. 30.

    Yutsano

    For the Trekkies among us, I’m gonna throw a recommendation to Star Trek: Prodigy. There are only two episodes on Paramount+ (three since the pilot is two episodes smashed together) and right now the pilot is on YouTube for free. It’s written for a younger audience, but it is definitely Star Trek through and through.

  34. 34.

    HeleninEire

    Is there a good Britbox cosy’ish mystery similar to Midsummer Murders? Everything solved in one episode, and kinda funny?

  35. 35.

    Craig

    Watching Hill Street Blues on Hulu is kind of surreal. Some of it holds up great, some doesn’t, but that first season really changed network TV a lot.

  36. 36.

    sab

    We are loving Ghosts on CBS. Young couple in a haunted house she inherited. Many ghosts only she can see who all died on the property and are ghosts until they resolve their issues. Oldest is a viking named Thorfinn. A Native American who has been there 500 years, having to deal with Thorfinn. A boy scout leader accidentally killed by one of his troop with an arrow. A sleazy stockbroker who died in flagante ro delicto so he has a suite jacket shirt and tie but no pants. And others. It’s hilarious.

     

     

     

     

  37. 37.

    Miss Bianca

    @Craig: Didn’t David Milch (of Deadwood fame) work on Hill Street Blues? 

    I remember that show being a must-view when I was in high school (or was it college? – damn – well, it was the very early 80s, anyway)

    @sab: Oh, that one sounds like fun!

  38. 38.

    FelonyGovt

    Oh, and having just gotten Hulu recently we caught up on Little Fires Everywhere. Definitely cringe-y to watch, but well done and great acting.

  40. 40.

    zhena gogolia

    @FelonyGovt: I wish I knew what “cringe-y” was. One of my students just informed me that they consider Hamilton and Lin-Manuel Miranda cringe-y now. That made me sad.

  42. 42.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @HeleninEire:

    Everything I think of turns out to be on Acorn. But Poirot is on BritBox. Mostly very good Agatha Christie mysteries with David Suchet as the Belgian detective. Great production values.

  43. 43.

    Tony Jay

    @sab:

    That sounds like an American remake of the British ‘Ghosts’, unless we stole the idea from you guys.

    Exact same concept, except our oldest is a Stone Age guy who has been haunting the site for millenia. A headless Tudor lord. A Stuart Era victim of the witch hysteria. A very naive late 18th century girl. A Regency poet. An Edwardian Grey Lady. A WWII Captain. A 1980s Scout leader (with the arrow) and a trouserless Tory MP.

    We love it.

  44. 44.

    There are those who call me...tim... (Still posh)

    The wife discovered BBC’s “Miranda”, which was great, and featured Tom Ellis, which led us to “Lucifer”, and O His Dad, what a talent! Dude does it all. The plots are more criminally insane with each season, but it’s worth it just to watch him work. Of course, the whole cast keeps up, and Dennis Haysbert is, well, God.

  46. 46.

    andy

    Loved Squid Game, an almost note-perfect commentary on late stage capitalism. Really liking Midnight Mass. Just when you think it’s a meditation on faith it turns out to be about vampires! Really liking Prodigy, too. Definitely Star Trek.

  48. 48.

    NotMax

    Noted that the snarkolicious Corner Gas (the live action version) is back — this time on IMDb TV (which comes for no extra cost along with Prime).

    And an early mention of something different: Cumberbatch channeling Eastwood? Coming to Netflix December 1st, The Power of the Dog.

  49. 49.

    Pharniel

    Disappointed in Foundation, not because it doesn’t have a protagonist, but because it misses the core point of how empires fall. It’s gone all “Super weapon!” instead of “too many fires to put out created by the side effects of core values that allowed the empire to become an empire in the first place but in the new context are liabilities”

    Legends of Tomorrow continues to be, just, great. Completely out there w/out a single fuck given.

    Doom Patrol continues to be hearbreakingly great and a highlight of my week.

    Star Trek: Lower Decks just ended, and that show has absolutely no right being as good as it is. The season finale was 110% uncut distilled TNG at its best.

    Waiting for The Boys S3, Wheel of Time, and Hawkeye. Oh, and The Mandolorian: The Book of Boba Fett

  50. 50.

    prostratedragon

    @HeleninEire: ​ MM does dominate that niche doesn’t it, especially if you want contemporary. The above-mentioned Father Brown has some of that quality as well, and though the title character is Catholic of course and he generally interprets his concern for people in terms of their souls, there is room for other voices and ideas of the soul. One thing I like about the earlier episodes in particular is the view of changing Britain in the early post-WWII era. There are a lot of damaged people, and feelings about refugees, Germans, and so on still run high.

    A straight drama and not a mystery, but one I just discovered last night on tv is The Indian Doctor. Sanjeev Bhaskar from Unforgotten plays a doctor who, with his very urban wife, finds himself as the only practitioner in a small Welsh mining village in the early 1950s. His apparent antagonist is a mine operator played by Mark Williams of all people. The doctor and his wife might be undertaking a kind of civilizing mission of their own, it seems. The overall tone seems rather gentle. It is streaming on Prime, or if you’re in Chicago at least, showing on WTTW Saturdays.

  52. 52.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Not as sci fi oriented as some of you. I recommended Astrid on Prime in WG’s thread last night.

  55. 55.

    Kalakal

    @HeleninEire: You could try Death in Paradise, like Midsomer it has georgeous locations, cozy plots and does not take itself seriously. A lot depends on wether the hunour works for you.

    Someone mentioned Johnathon Creek, that’s fun

  56. 56.

    Mousebumples

    Literally watching the second half of Leverage – Redemption right now. Thinking of watching The Librarians next.

  67. 67.

    Mike in NC

    @Tony Jay:  Yes, it’s apparently almost a direct copy, but the reviews for the original are far superior. The American version of Ghosts is boring to me, though the wife loves it. Go figure.

  69. 69.

    Chetan Murthy

    65 comments in, so I’ll risk an OT question/bleg.  It’s about divertissement anyway, sooo …..

    I spent basically my entire adult life not vacationing.  Just too focused on work.  Now I’m quasi-retired, and once covid is over, I want to learn how to do it.  Do you-all have suggestions for books to read, or maybe tours to take, to learn the skill?  I mean, it -is- a skill.  I lived in Paris for 3yr, worked my bloody ass off, and basically never saw any of France (or Europe).  Just worked.  What a *waste*.  So if I were to go back to France, what would I do (today)?  I’d sit in a cafe and do the same thing I’m doing here: surf the web.  Again: what a *waste*.

    Clearly I need to learn how to do it, and I’m sure there are resources that teach the skill/art.

  72. 72.

    trollhattan

    Started “Sex Education” this weekend, the hook primarily being Gillian Anderson as mom. Good series four shows in, although parents of HS kids might consider waiting a year or three before watching (shagging, it’s a thing). The discussions revolving around relationships and interpersonal perception are absolutely on point and insightful. Also, Gillian Anderson.

  76. 76.

    NotMax

    Unexpected harmless pleasure: Drop the Dead Donkey on Tubi.

    Also on Tubi, am rewatching* Misfits, which must give a foreword saying it will not be everyone’s cup of [insert beverage here]. Plays absolute hob with the premise of being granted superpowers.

    *Yay for being able to watch on the big TV as opposed to viewing it the first time on the computer monitor.

  77. 77.

    Brachiator

    @Yutsano:

    For the Trekkies among us, I’m gonna throw a recommendation to Star Trek: Prodigy.

    ST: Prodigy is fun, even though it requires a super heavy suspension of disbelief. But I don’t judge it too harshly.

    The show is pitched to kids, but I couldn’t find any reviews that included the reaction of its target audience. Every review was from grizzled veteran fans looking for a nostalgia fix.

  80. 80.

    Suzanne

    @Chetan Murthy: Plan specific things you want to see. When I go on an urban vacation, I pack the days full of museums, attractions, restaurants, shows. I don’t like tour groups as a rule, but I do make my own itinerary.

  82. 82.

    eclare

    @Chetan Murthy:  I went to Croatia for two weeks several years ago, and IMHO it takes at least three days to fully relax and get into vacation mode.  I’d also recommend going to places where Europeans vacation, when they vacation, they *vacation*.

    For example, my friend who went to Croatia with me was the only one on the beach with an iPad.  Everyone else had old school books, magazines, some played cards.  Very relaxing

    Plan one thing per day.  That will get you up and out, and maybe you’ll find other stuff to explore along the way.  To me, more than one thing feels like a work conference.

  84. 84.

    eclare

    @Gin & Tonic:  Rick Steves books are very helpful, full of advice on how to see the big attractions without the big crowds and little semi-hidden gems that are worth it.

  85. 85.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Chetan Murthy: Not a book or video, but my experience.  Don’t try to do too much.  Always tell yourself that you will come back and see the things you missed.  Leave time for surprises or for doing nothing but sitting in a sidewalk cafe or browsing a used book store.  Stroll, don’t rush.

  87. 87.

    Brachiator

    @Chetan Murthy:

    Do you-all have suggestions for books to read, or maybe tours to take, to learn the skill?  I mean, it -is- a skill.

    What an interesting opportunity! I hesitate to give advice, because it ends up being what I would do. And I bet that others have great insights.

    I was not big on conventional 2 week vacations and often did not take them. But in my 30s I had got lucky with investments and quit my job and did not work for 2 years. I did have a part time seasonal job in what became a new career and I took UCLA Extension classes in Ethics, Classical Music and a few other subjects. I did some deep travel in Mexico and later India.

    One fun thing is that I ran into a motley group of seasoned travelers and observed and talked with them. Some liked to travel with family or friends. Others traveled alone because they didn’t want to have to argue about what to see next or where to go. Others deliberately got outside their comfort zone.

    One thing. If you have time and a good situation, you can nibble. Try a few small things that seem like fun.

  88. 88.

    Miss Bianca

    @NotMax: I watched the first two (or was it three?) seasons of Misfits, then most of the main characters whom I’d really liked exited, stage right, and I just somehow couldn’t make myself go on. You’ll have to let me know if the later seasons are worth picking it up again for.

  89. 89.

    eclare

    @NotMax: Interesting interview!  I didn’t see any horses and wagons, and the food was outstanding, but on a hill overlooking Dubrovnik, we were warned to stay on the path lest we step on ordnance left over from the Balkan wars.

  92. 92.

    Suzanne

    All I get to watch are Shaun the Sheep, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and the occasional Pixar movie.

    Shaun the Sheep is actually funny.

  93. 93.

    Miss Bianca

    @Suzanne: Agreed about Shaun the Sheep. I got to watch some of those on a flight from London a few years back and they are really great.

    I got introduced to Peppa Pig while I was Over There as well.

  94. 94.

    Yet Another Haldane

    After almost 20 years without, I’m about to get a TV, so this is excellent info, thanks, everybody!

    I’ve seen an episode or two of this and that in hotel rooms over the years, and I’d really like to fill in the gaps of _His Dark Materials_ and _Watchmen_. Also, reaching back a bit, _Luther_ looks excellent. (Ruth Wilson scares the bejeepers out of me.)

  95. 95.

    NotMax

    @Miss Bianca

    There was a season (fourth maybe?) when the original powers that be left and the series seemed headed hellbent for leather into the crapper.

    Those folks then came back and managed to right to ship, as it were.

    In case you’ve never seen it, the non-episodic short outlining what became of Nathan.

  96. 96.

    Steeplejack

    More on BritBox:

    Shakespeare and Hathaway. Somewhat scruffy private detectives. The first couple of episodes are bumpy, but it gets better after that.

    New Tricks. Retired detectives called back to work on cold cases. Many seasons.

  97. 97.

    trollhattan

    @Suzanne: ​

    @Miss Bianca: ​
    Everything Nick Park is amazing and must be watched. Kids? Absolutely need to see them but adults need not scrounge around the neighborhood to find a kid or three to watch with. They stand on their own.

    Happy 40th anniversary of “Time Bandits.”

  98. 98.

    Miss Bianca

    @NotMax: Oh, hey – I think I did see the one about Nathan, thanks! : )

    Huh, nice to know that Misfits managed to come back around. Maybe I’ll have to give it another try.

    @Yet Another Haldane: I’ve only managed to get through two seasons of Luther despite my love of All Things Idris, because that show was just a little too intense for me. Ruth Wilson being one of the major reasons of that.

  100. 100.

    lashonharangue

    I’ve been binge watching past seasons of Line of Duty on Netflix, a British crime procedural. It has some of the visual style and pacing of 24 Hours and a story line that is QAnon adjacent. But since its British the large acting cast are all quite good, diverse, and not Hollywood pretty.

  101. 101.

    Laura W.

    @HeleninEire: The Mallorca Files. English female detective partners with German male detective on the island of Mallorca. Absolutely beautiful scenery.

  105. 105.

    StringOnAStick

    For movies, we saw the indie film The Alpinist last week and I’m still thinking about it.  Even though it’s about a guy who free Simon’s (no rope) rock, ice and alpine climbs, it wasn’t filmed to show you huge exposure and freak the viewer out; it really is the story of this amazing young Canadian living life on his terms.  If you know the sport then you know he died in an avalanche along with his climbing partner, and the movie addresses that since it happened as they were making final  edits.  

    Every other film I’ve seen about people who free solo treats it either as a freak show or opportunity to make the audience ill with fear, and this movie didn’t do that. It was about the spirituality of this climber and what drove him.  It’s also an interesting look at just how on the financial edge really serious non-sponsored climbers are, living in a stairwell or a tent in the woods.  This guy had zero interest in doing the promotional stuff that could have supported him financially.

  106. 106.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @delk:

     LESS COZY: Vera, Prime Suspect, A Touch of Frost

    Heh. I rewatched (most of) Prime Suspect last year. It much “less cozy” than I remembered.

    Talk of Ruth Wilson makes me want to dial up Luther again. I kind of feel like I should watch something as opposed to rewatching.

  107. 107.

    Suzanne

    Soooo it has been a somewhat trying day. I got flu shot and Covid booster yesterday, both in my left arm. I am right-handed and I have tendonitis in my right shoulder, so I got both shots in my left. Anyway, I am somewhat sore. So of course, Spawn the Youngest has been like a heat-seeking missile, jumping on me and smashing into the injection site. Awesome. Then she kicked me in the teeth. Twice. I am emotionally done and I am going to go lie down in bed and try to calm down.

  108. 108.

    Dan B

    @Chetan Murthy: Universities run tours that can be great since you learn about interesting things.  Rick Steves tours get raves for local insights.  His books provide context and insight.  Another option is volunteering with organizations.

  109. 109.

    Suzanne

    I warned Mr. Suzanne that I needed to get away before I ended up online shopping too much. I get stressed out and packages start arriving.

  110. 110.

    frosty

    @HeleninEire: ​I don’t know if it’s BritBox; and it may not be particularly funny, but I really liked Foyle’s War, set in WWII England. All the historical background is accurate.​

  111. 111.

    frosty

    @Chetan Murthy: I like Fodor’s Guides as a resource. Lonely Planet is good too. As far as the skills, who knows? Find a place you’d like to go, check out guides and apps for what to see and places to stay and take off. That’s pretty much what I’ve done all my life. And follow Rule One:

    “Make a plan but stay flexible”

  112. 112.

    billcinsd

    @HeleninEire: I don’t know if it is on Britbox, but I quite enjoyed The Queen’s of Mystery. A young female detective returns to her hometown and 3 aunts that raised her after her mother died. The aunts think it is their job to help the young police detective solve her cases. Her boss does not want this. The characters are quirky nd fun, the main episode mystery gets solved every show, and their is a longer term mystery about the death of the detectives mother. Quirky, funny, cosyish.

    I also liked New Tricks (which was mentioned earlier), particularly the first few years

  114. 114.

    Helen

    @Chetan Murthy:  Something I have done when traveling and spending a few days in a city is sign up for a couple of day tours. These are tours of various sizes that can last from a few hours to a whole day involving a specific site or a trip into the countryside. Then you have time to relax and explore on your own along with short tours. It all can be arranged before leaving home.

  115. 115.

    persistentillusion

    @frosty: Foyle’s War is lovely and it’s a primer on later BBC stars.  Look for a young anybody who you’ve enjoyed watching on the Beeb, and they’ll turn up eventually.

  116. 116.

    Fake Irishman

    @Suzanne:

    In addition to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, mine loves the new Magic School Bus on Netflix. It’s extremely well done and I’ve actually learned quite a bit…

  117. 117.

    janesays

    @Payingattention: Dopesick is terrific, but it really makes me want to see the entire Sackler family lined up against a wall and summarily executed for the hundreds of thousands of lives they’ve destroyed with their greed. Same goes for their chief enablers in the FDA.

  119. 119.

    planetjanet

    So I have become wrapped up in watching “Rake”. It is an Australian series about a horrible human being, but somehow is a good lawyer. Richard Roxburgh is the lead actor. I remember being completely fascinated by him many years ago and thought I would check it out and am now hooked. Roxburgh’s character Cleaver Greene is a complete mess, gambling, drugs, in love with a prostitute. Yet for all his inability to be stable person, he does understand the messiness in others and can turn this into successful defenses of some extraordinary defendants. The first episode starred Hugo Weaving as a cannibal. It is a wild ride.​ It is on Neflix through the end of November. Can I get through five seasons before then?

  120. 120.

    randy khan

    @Chetan Murthy:

    I don’t know if I’d say we do it right, but there are a few things I’d suggest for vacations:

    1. Figure out what kind of vacation you want it to be – the kind where you’re more or less just relaxing (for me, going to the shore – for a Jersey boy, it’s always the shore, not the beach – eating good food and reading books) or if it’s one where you’ll be doing things.
    2. If it’s a doing things vacation, figure out the best things to do wherever you’re going.  We’re inveterate museum goers – when we go to Paris, we see several a day (and a lot of small museums are really interesting), but you may like theater or gardens or shopping or something else.
    3. Take the time to walk around and just look at things.  It’s always worth it.  This also relates to item 5.
    4. Eat local food.  Not always fancy food, but stuff the people who live there eat.  Going back to Paris, for me that means lunch from a bakery (including pastry!), crepes, some slightly dark restaurant with a prix fixe menu where nobody really speaks English well.  Don’t go places that tourists frequent to eat.
    5. Be open to serendipity.  If you run across a market on your way someplace else, take a few minutes to see what’s there.  If something catches your eye as you’re walking past a shop, stop in.  You never know.
    6. Don’t do things because you’re supposed to do them.  Do them because you want to do them
    7. A very specific item:  If you are a museum person, check in advance to see if there’s some citywide museum pass.  Most of them let you skip the lines, which is really good, and justifies the price even if you don’t go to as many museums as we do.
  121. 121.

    Fake Irishman

    @Helen:

     

    @Chetan Murthy:

    Agreed with Helen. My wife and I will usually explore most sights on our own, but schedule a half-day tour for something requiring lots of specialized knowledge: we’ve done food tasting tours in Seville, Istanbul and Mexico City that have helped us get an idea of what makes each place’s food tick and shown us places we never would have thought to try on our own. In Mexico City I remember waiting in line to try some street food from a woman who had been at that spot on the sidewalk since the 1960s. I turned around and asked the folks in line behind me how often they purchased from her, and was amazed when they said every week since 1985.

  122. 122.

    frosty

    @Chetan Murthy: Helen had a good suggestion. We’ve done hop-on-hop-off bus or boat tours in Boston, Charleston, London, Paris, and Quebec City. It’s a good way to see the sights and find something you might want to return to without being part of a tour group.

  123. 123.

    Chetan Murthy

    Thank you all for your suggestions!  I’ll keep this thread for when I can travel — hopefully soon(ish)!

  124. 124.

    dm

    I don’t watch enough TV to have any recommendations, though I guess Heike Story on Funimation is worth recommending: it’s an animated retelling of the Heike Monogatari from Studio Saru and one of the great directors to emerge out of Kyoto Animation.

    It’s a bit confusing if you don’t know the story, though (I don’t, and I am confused). Think War and Peace only you’re tackling it without having heard of Napoleon.

    Really, I’m here because I just finished HHhH by Laurent Binet, a topic from a week or so ago.

    I’m grateful for the topic — it meant I reread Binet’s The seventh function of language, which is most definitely worth a re-read, because boy, howdy does Binet have fun with modern European intellectuals. Now I want to re-read The name of the rose thanks to a throwaway line set in an Italian train station.

    And then I read Binet’s Civilizations, a you-just-have-to-suspend-your-disbelief alternative history in which Columbus gets lost, and Europe is conquered by the Inca. Things turned out different. Three quarters of the way through the book there’s an interesting exchange of letters between Thomas More and Erasmus on the subject of Henry VIIIths establishment of Incan Sun Temples in England. More is horrified, Erasmus is syncretic.

    Finally, I took on HHhH and I consider it the weakest of the three books, even though the story it tells is perhaps the strongest (the assassination of Reihard Heydrich, the Nazi Butcher of Prague by members of the Czech resistance). The authorial presence is too much for my tastes. It’s an interesting experiment, but one that doesn’t work that well for me.

  125. 125.

    Groucho48

    Surprised no one mentioned Only Murders in the Building, on Hulu, with Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez. They all live in the same, very posh, apartment building in NYC and come together when there’s a murder in the building and they decide to do a podcast about their attempts to be detectives and find the killer. Lots of fun, though it probably would be better if they’d done it in 8 episodes instead of 10.

  127. 127.

    eclare

    @Groucho48:  As soon as I finish the latest season of GBBS on Netflix, which is annoyingly only releasing one ep per week, I am switching to Hulu to watch Only Murders in the Building.

  128. 128.

    Czar Chasm

    @trollhattan:  The series is great!  It can be a bit extra at times & stretch suspension of disbelief, but otherwise does a great job with modern teenage sexuality.

  129. 129.

    PJ

    @Chetan Murthy: I second the recommendation to only plan one “site” or activity per day, but would also recommend picking out one restaurant to eat in, and maybe one evening activity, depending on your interests (theater, music, sports).  And spend the rest of the time walking around in interesting neighborhoods and going where your eyes, ears, or nose lead you.  If you don’t see the site, or dine in the restaurant, or see the show, it’s no big deal, you can do it tomorrow, but it gives the day a focus it might not otherwise have.

    If you have enough time before your trip, I would also recommend learning enough of the local language to be able to have a basic conversation with the locals.

  130. 130.

    Czar Chasm

    Right now, we’re alternating between What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu; I love how they subtly establish the parameters for vampires) and Big Mouth (Netflix; better comprehensive sex ed than most courses in high schools).

     

    Succession (HBO Max) is a great deconstruction of what happens to family relationships and dynamics when financial dependence is never a factor.

     

    Attack on Titan (Hulu, Crunchyroll) is an anime adaptation of the manga series.  The series takes so many crazy twists and turns  that one’s mind is regularly blown, and the titular creatures continually elicit discomfort via body horror.  *chef’s kiss

  131. 131.

    meander

    Two documentary series that I enjoyed recently (though not every episode was equally enjoyable):

    Icon: Music Through The Lens – a PBS 6-part series on rock-and-roll photography: album covers, concerts, iconic shots, etc. It looks like it’s all in the Passport library now, but doesn’t Amazon Prime have PBS access?

    This Is Pop – a Netflix multi-part series on various aspects of the pop music universe. I especially enjoyed the auto-tune and Swedish producers episodes.

    And a documentary-ish series on Netflix: Pretend It’s a City. Writer Fran Lebowitz opines on art, New York City, books, and most often other people. Martin Scorsese is the interviewer and director, and he seems to be having fun. She might not be to everyone’s taste, but to this grumpy misanthrope she makes a lot of great points.

  132. 132.

    meander

    @persistentillusion: ​
      Another vote for Luther. Intense, but worth it. Idris Elba is a force of nature, and I think Ruth Wilson gives one of the all time great performances in a crime drama.

  133. 133.

    Craig

    Dead thread. I went to a long dinner.

    Hooper is on HBO Max. Long unavailable, Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham ode to Old Hollywood stuntmen. A little dated, but just damned cool. Jan Michael Vincent as the young gun badass stuntmen, Burt as the old Legend, Brian Keith as the Legends Legend. Sally Field shows up. There’s cameos from the best stunt people, and easter eggs about them. Weird, great movie.

  134. 134.

    Steeplejack

    @meander:

    [. . .] doesn’t Amazon Prime have PBS access?

    Amazon Prime does have a PBS Passport channel, but it’s an extra-cost subscription.

  135. 135.

    JAK

    Streets of Berlin. Mhz, streaming. Gritty. One of the Tatort series. German with English subtitles. No humor.

    The Undertaker. Mhz, streaming. Ex cop takes over father’s undertaker business. Swiss German with English subtitles. Some humor.

    Alexandra Elle. Mhz, streaming. Medical examiner investigates suspicious deaths. Some humor. French with English subtitles.

    also available from Amazon Channels.

    Netflix: Lupin, Babylon Berlin. Subtitled versions.

  136. 136.

    charon

    Gomorra on HBOMax.  Italian with subtitles set in Naples.  Like a blend of The Wire, The Godfather and Mayans MC.  Was a huge hit in Italy, first two seasons were on Sundance here, then the whole series moved to HBOMax.

     

    The Gloaming on Starz.  Series of murders connected to a spooky cult and its guru.  Detective show

     

    Babylon Berlin on Netflix, in 1930ish Berlin.  Detective stuff, interesting setting.

  137. 137.

    Kingeider

    Korean series

    Vincenzo, Korean consigliere returns to Seoul and helps a ragtag group of misfit business owners in their battle against political and economic elites. It’s magnificent!

    Crash Landing on You: romance and intrigue across the N/S Korean border. Great humor and story.  Plus a couple of incredibly beautiful lead actors.

  142. 142.

    no comment

    @Czar Chasm:  I binge watched Attack on Titan on Hulu, and am impatiently waiting for new episodes. I haven’t read the manga, so I have no idea what will happen next! (No spoilers, please!) Not happy with the main character’s stated plan; hoping he is bluffing or will change his mind before the end of the series.

  143. 143.

    no comment

    Currently watching: Schitt$ Creek (Netflix)

     

    On my list to watch:

    Netflix: 2nd season of Locke & Key

    3rd season of Dead to Me coming out soon

    Hulu: Only Murders in the Building sounds like a fun watch

     

    Recommendations:

    Netflix: inside job – Kind of an adult Gravity Falls. (Which I also recommend. Occasional episodes air on DisneyXD on cable. Maybe on Disney+ ?) Alex Hirsch, who created Gravity Falls, is an executive producer. inside job is an animated show about a company that controls conspiracies. I was hesitant to watch because of all the real life conspiracy theories that are affecting people’s physical & mental health currently. But it wisely avoids the Qanon crap. More old school conspiracies. Lots of references to the 80s and 90s. Makes fun of several famous people.

    Trese – Based on a graphic novel inspired by Filipino mythical creatures. Animated. Alexandra Trese is an ambassador between humans and supernatural beings in Manilla. It starts a little slow, because as an ambassador, Trese’s first step is to calmly remind everyone of the peace treaty they signed whenever a problem arises. But she’s willing to fight when necessary. Only 6 episodes. Story really gets going by episode 3. Lots of flashbacks to Trese’s childhood. Beautiful artwork of Manilla at the beginning of each episode.

    Derry Girls – Comedy about Catholic teenagers in 90s Northern Ireland. I probably missed a few jokes due to not knowing much about Northern Ireland, its history, Catholicism, and deciphering their accents. Still plenty of comedy to go around. Teenagers dealing with typical teenage stuff, plus situations unique to the time period and area.

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