Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Israel is using food as a weapon of war. Unforgivable.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Accountability, motherfuckers.

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

Consistently wrong since 2002

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

President Biden is doing good where he can, and getting it done.

Stamping your little feets and demanding that they see how important you are? Not working anymore.

I have other things to bitch about but those will have to wait.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Someone should tell Republicans that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, or possibly the first.

Motown is Joe-Town!

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / The Lincoln Lawyer vs. The Lincoln Lawyer

The Lincoln Lawyer vs. The Lincoln Lawyer

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So I watched Season 1 of The Lincoln Lawyer series on Netflix while walking on the treadmill, and I thought it was terrific.  Thanks for the great recommendation.  The characters, the acting, the music, the photograph, everything.  I thought Micky Haller was terrify.  Serious, smart, sincere, charming.  Too bad they won’t start shooting Season 2 for another month or so, which of course means it won’t be out in 2022.

I was so taken with the show that I decided to watch The Lincoln Lawyer movie.  I could either pay to rent it / buy it (on various platforms) or I could get a one week free trial for HBO Max as part of Prime.  I got the free trial, watched the movie, and then cancelled HBO Max. .

I much preferred the series to the movie, but maybe it’s like your mom’s spaghetti sauce or stuffing or macaroni and cheese – the one you had first is the “best” one?  I thought the series was 10x better than the movie.  The characters were so different in the movie and the series!  For the first half of the movie I thought Micky was slick, kind of sleazy, not sincere, and not really likable.  Halfway through I started to like it better, so maybe it took that long to get used to the new Micky Haller?

I need something really gripping to entertain myself on the treadmill.  No comedy, no subtitles, nothing dubbed.  My treadmill successes so far have been Longmire, Bosch, Bad Sisters, The Lincoln Lawyer and the other Lincoln Lawyer.  I tried Training Day and bailed after about 20 minutes.  Now I’m trying Molly’s game because Idris Elba.  SLOW start with all the skiing stuff, almost bailed but – Idris Elba.  Looks like it might be interesting.  I need something new for after that, so all suggestions welcome.  I have Netflix and Prime.

It’s fair to say that this has been a tough week, and grades are due tomorrow, so I let BG off the hook.  We are plotting the next few Medium Cools, though, even on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

263Comments

  1. 1.

    WaterGirl

    For anyone who watched both Lincoln Lawyers, which did you like best and which did you see first?

    If you’ve read the books, I would be curious to hear whether the series or the movie more true to the characters in the book.

  2. 2.

    Joseph Patrick Lurker

    BG gets more time off from Balloon Juice than Johnny Carson did from the Tonight Show near the end of his tenure.

    WG, why don’t you just take over from BG altogether?

  7. 7.

    WaterGirl

    @Joseph Patrick Lurker: Because I don’t bring to the culture threads what BG brings!

    Plus, he’s writing a book and that’s a challenge, so I think we can cut him some slack for a few months.  When his new book is a bestseller, we can say we knew him when.  :-)

  10. 10.

    citizen dave

    @Joseph Patrick Lurker: I like this joke as a fairly big Carson fan.  The pedant in me is compelled to say, subject to check (sould this phrase now be ‘subject to googling’?), but I think Johnny’s time off got egregious in the 1970s into the 1980s.   Like he would be there 3 days and have guest hosts the other 2 days.   But I think as he got near the end he actually did 4 shows a week with a rerun on Mondays.  As far as how many entire weeks he had off I have no recollection.  It’s funny how much Johnny admired how much Redd Foxx F’d with the NBC execs with so many many contract and other demands, when Foxx would be on Johnny’s show.

    Very recent netflix watches have been the movie Emily the Criminal.  It’s a serviceable drama.  I love Aubrey Plaza so watched due to that.  We started the series The Watcher last night.  It seems like it will be bonkers.

  11. 11.

    WaterGirl

    @zhena gogolia: I think I saw Up in the Air as a choice when I was going through Netflix today, and I couldn’t remember if it was Up in the Air that everyone was recommending recently, or if that was UP, which I think was a totally different movie.

    What is Up in the Air about?

    edit: Netflix is *not sharing anything about the plot, but is that George Clooney in the picture?  He is easy on the eyes, even if he’s not Idris Elba!

    edit 2: I realized that it’s just a different interface on the computer than on a tablet. On a tablet, the info about the show is right there, but on a computer you have to click something else in order to get the info about wha the show is about.

  12. 12.

    JoyceH

    I got the Black Friday Hulu deal and now I’m glutting out on The Rookie. I’m really liking it, though it’s fairly standard network cop fare. Core group of characters dealing with crooks and also their personal lives, you know the stuff. I try to slow down watching a show, but I just can’t find the self-control. At least it has no calories.

  13. 13.

    raven

    @WaterGirl: We’ve just watched a few. The tech giant is annoying as hell and it’s interesting that he’s Hispanic and his investigator is “Cisco” and not hispanic (he’s also the crazy ass brother in season 2 of Fargo”. It’s OK but not on par with Bosch.

  14. 14.

    Ohio Mom

    I’m having an unsalvageable molar pulled tomorrow morning so I spent the day doing laundry and otherwise battening down the hatches. I bought coffee ice cream to eat for lunch, looking forward to that.

  16. 16.

    WaterGirl

    @citizen dave: I added Emily the Criminal to my list.  I’m getting more open to giving stuff a try, and more brutal about ditching it if a show doesn’t turn out to be my thing.

    But it’s so great to find something like Lincoln Lawyer that was just so good on so many levels.

    Characters and story line aside, I didn’t think the movie was anywhere near as visually and aurally interesting as the series was.

  19. 19.

    WaterGirl

    @JoyceH: I get the Rookie shows confused.  There was Rookie Blue that I really loved, The Rookie with Nathan Fillian which is fun, and another one whose name I can’t come up with.

  20. 20.

    WaterGirl

    @raven: I really liked the actor who played the tech giant from when he was in Covert Affairs, a show I really liked.  So I started off liking him because of that.

    Cisco has a really interesting voice.

  21. 21.

    piratedan

    i would recommend  Resident Alien, from the SYFY channel. the story, characters and acting are not exactly your standard fare, I mean this in a good way, no random quirkiness, just wholesome, people are just a bit off because that’s who they are quirkiness.  It has the awesome Alan Tudyk as the lead (Firefly, et al).

  22. 22.

    SFBayAreaGal

    If you like mysteries Three Pines an Amazon Prime original is pretty good. It’s based on the Louise Penny books.

    Albert Molina plays Inspector Gamache.

  23. 23.

    frosty

    We loved Wednesday. A little bit comedy, a little bit mystery. Lots of cool callbacks to the previous show and movies.

    But I gotta say, nobody but nobody beats John Astin as Gomez. I didn’t like the new guy at all.

  24. 24.

    WaterGirl

    @piratedan: That’s crazy.  I loved Firefly and I don’t really remember him in that at all.  I’m sure it would all come rushing back… was he the fellow with the sister?  I miss Firefly.

  29. 29.

    Mike in NC

    @piratedan: Alan Tudyk played an insanely racist baseball player in “42: The Jackie Robinson Story” (2013) which starred the late Chadwick Boseman. We were used to him in comedy roles only.

  31. 31.

    Joseph Patrick Lurker

    @citizen dave:

    Yeah you’re right.  During the last few years , Carson’s attendance improved. The period from the late 1970’s extending into the 1980’s was terrible for anyone hoping to catch him on the air.

  32. 32.

    JPL

    @WaterGirl:  Three Pines is based on Louise Penny’s books and season 1 consists of three-story lines.   Each story has two episodes.  At least that was what I was told.

    I’m going to finish her latest mystery before I watch though.

  33. 33.

    oldgold

    I avoided watching Mare of Eastwood for a long time. I did not want to watch a series about a horse.

    Finally, at my nayyyybors insistence, I gave it a try.

    I highly recommend it.

  34. 34.

    WaterGirl

    @Joseph Patrick Lurker: Speaking of late night, I’m really sorry to see him go, but I think it’s really interesting to see Trevor Noah leaving while he’s still so young.

    He and Seth Meyers are my favorites.  Though I had to quit watching the late night shows because I couldn’t bear to hear Trump Trump Trump all the time.  And I haven’t gone back.

  42. 42.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    @WaterGirl: He’s the pilot married to Gina Torres;

    Spoiler alert:  He dies at the end of the movie.

    I really like him too.

    ETA: or what #41 said :-)

  43. 43.

    Joseph Patrick Lurker

    @WaterGirl:

    I’m very upset about Trevor Noah’s departure from the Daily Show.  When he began his run following Jon Stewart, I was quite skeptical of him but he quickly proved me wrong and did a truly masterful job anchoring the program.

    I loved his closing address to the audience on the finale broadcast

    What Did Trevor Learn from The Daily Show?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga9iYR1_v8k

  46. 46.

    Tom H

    Try Slow Horses on Apple TV.   As usual, the book(s) are better, but Gary Oldman and the rest of the crew put on a fine acting show.

  47. 47.

    SuzieC

    The movie is more faithful to the book than the series.  The series combines a couple of Michael Connelly’s books–not sure which ones.  I agree the series is better, but as a one-off, the movie is a pretty accurate telling of Connelly’s first Lincoln Lawyer book.  I cannot wait for season 2.

  49. 49.

    Meskin Murkin

    @WaterGirl: Watched both and preferred the movie. Haller is a far more confident and decisive character in the movie. The TV Haller spends a lot of time agonizing over things.
    But I liked the book more than the televised versions. Michael Connelly’s characters are fully developed unlike the flashy TV images we get from adaptations of his work.

  50. 50.

    raven

    @WaterGirl: It’s hilarious and. . .

    The title track “Strange Game” was performed by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who wrote the song exclusively for the show[14] together with the show’s composer Daniel Pemberton.

  52. 52.

    WaterGirl

    @Meskin Murkin: Interesting!  I assume you read the books first, but between the series and the movie, which did you watch first?

    To me, Haller in the movie seemed more slick and smug, and it seemed more like a game to him.

    Haller in the series seemed like a good guy who is trying to do the right thing.  Not smug, not a game, but real people he was trying to help.

  53. 53.

    Meskin

    @WaterGirl: Watched both and preferred the movie. Haller is a far more confident and decisive character in the movie. The TV Haller spends a lot of time agonizing over things.
    But I liked the book more than the televised versions. Michael Connelly’s characters are fully developed unlike the flashy TV images we get from adaptations of his work.

  54. 54.

    WaterGirl

    @SuzieC:

    The movie is more faithful to the book than the series.

    I am glad to know that.  When I started the movie I wondered if it was going to be the same story, but it wasn’t at all, so they must have been based on different books.

    It’s strange when you know an author’s works so well, and then they make a movie and it’s pieces of two different books.  I think they did that with one of the Jesse Stone movies, and it’s kind of disconcerting.  At least it was for me.

  57. 57.

    Mr. Bemused Senior

    @frosty Yes, to me John Astin is Gomez, but I have to say that Raul Julia was very good. Ditto Anjelica Huston.

    @WaterGirl I see that Person of Interest is available on Amazon freevee, so if you don’t mind commercials I can recommend that.

  59. 59.

    Meskin

    @WaterGirl: I watched the movie first and judged that it more closely described the man created by the author.

    In the book, Haller is a pain in the ass to the legal system that he deems unjust and arbitrary. His public persona is that of a wiseguy who just happens to be right most of the time. The public never sees him struggling to find ways to defend his clients.

    The TV version Haller is an attempt to create an Everyman which the book Haller and the movie Haller are not. Connelly is a better writer than whoever concocted the script for the TV series.

  60. 60.

    WaterGirl

    @JoyceH: I confess to liking shows that have good people who try to do the right thing.  That’s why I liked the new Magnum PI.  A whole bunch of interesting characters, and they get into scrapes and get themselves into trouble, but they are always trying to help people and do the right thing.

    Shows don’t have to be sappy about it, of course.  I’m never gonna be a person to Breaking Bad or a show like that where there’s no one I can relate to.

  62. 62.

    zhena gogolia

    @WaterGirl: George Clooney travels around the country firing people on behalf of cowardly bosses who can’t do it themselves. For reasons he gets teamed up with a callow Anna Kendrick. He’s also involved with traveling businesswoman Vera Farmiga. It mixes comedy and sadness. It’s from 2009 or so but I just watched it recently.

  65. 65.

    Honus

    Watching Phantom of the Opera from 1943.  Can’t believe how much Claude Raines reminds me of Dennis Hopper. Same looks, same expressions.

  69. 69.

    WaterGirl

    @Meskin:

    In the book, Haller is a pain in the ass to the legal system that he deems unjust and arbitrary. His public persona is that of a wiseguy who just happens to be right most of the time. The public never sees him struggling to find ways to defend his clients.

    I think you could say all those things about the series Haller, too.  Except I might trade “wiseguy” for “pain in the ass”.

    I also preferred the rest of the cast in the series.  I liked the investigator better, I liked the ex-wife better, I liked the woman who runs the office better.

    I guess I’m just not a fan of arrogant, or slick, or sleazy.  I thought movie Haller was dishonest and was scamming people.

  70. 70.

    Layer8Problem

    @Honus:  Wow, now I’m trying to visualize Claude Raines in Easy Rider.  Who’d get Peter Fonda’s role?  Gotta be his dad.  Ok, so who would replace Jack Nicholson?

  71. 71.

    PJ

    If you haven’t seen it already, The English on Amazon Prime is a very good six-part Western series starring Emily Blunt, about an aristocratic Englishwoman who journeys to the American West in 1890 to find and kill the killer of her son.  She quickly comes into harm’s way after trying to rescue a Pawnee ex-US Cavalry scout, and the two end up teaming together on the journey northward to Wyoming.  Mostly, it’s about the brutality towards Native Americans in the settlement of the West, but also the potential for compassion and community in the face of rapaciousness.  The climax in the last episode is a bit of a disappointment, but the acting is excellent, and the cinematography (it was shot in Spain) is beautiful.

  72. 72.

    Mr. Bemused Senior

    @zhena gogolia:

    I wrote (approximately), Clooney’s character is a downsizing consultant, flying around firing employees (humanely) on behalf of companies in trouble.  That is only the start of the story.

    [avoiding any spoilers…] he learns about himself.

  73. 73.

    Poe Larity

    something really gripping

    You probably already know Peaky Blinders. Newer, I’d say Slow Horses, The Peripheral (any naysayer has never read Gibson), the new Bosch series. Dark Winds is serviceable Tony Hillerman.

  74. 74.

    WaterGirl

    @Mr. Bemused Senior: I watched Person of Interest when it was on network TV.

    In the later years of the show, it would have easier to watch with streaming.  It seemed like there was too much time between seasons and it got to be harder to track.

    Kind of like LOST was great, and maybe you would jump between parts of the island, or you would jump around in time, but after awhile they jumping in too many directions and it was like “wait, what?

    Same with the sci fi show in space with a whole bunch of different planets, and by the time you got to season 2 or 3 it was like “which planet is this, which people are these?”

  76. 76.

    trollhattan

    Great, now I’m going to have dreams of Abe vs. Abe caged kung-fu fights. “Which Lincoln, shall reign supreme?!?”

    ETA, Bad Abe will sport goatee.

  79. 79.

    Emily B.

    Sorry to bring up a really sad topic, but I could use some advice and good wishes. My partner’s dog, Montcalm, an 11-year-old pit-boxer mix, has lymphoma but has been getting chemo, and until a few days ago was in full remission.

    This weekend, however, we realized that the cancer is back: he’s now glued to his bed and his cheeks are swollen again. He yelps if he turns his head too quickly or if you happen to brush the side of his head, however lightly, so obviously there is some pain there. Tonight he got up to drink some water and almost collapsed on the kitchen floor because his legs splayed out under him. But he did eat a full dinner and then made it out for a quick walk.

    We’re going to call the vet first thing in the morning, but in the meantime, we’re wondering what the hell we can do to keep him comfortable right now—and also, what we can expect in the days (or hours?) to come. If anyone has any experience with nursing a dog with lymphoma, I’d be very grateful to hear your thoughts.

  84. 84.

    trollhattan

    @Emily B.: Terribly sorry to hear this.

    Have not dealt with lymphoma, but other cancers. Something to consider is a sick dog reflexively seeks a safe, secure place and I made sure that my sick doggies had a “nest” in a quiet, secure, comfy setting. Add warmth as it seem warranted, since we’re in the times of long, cold nights.

    Best wishes to you.

  85. 85.

    NotMax

    No comedy, no subtitles, nothing dubbed.

    My oh my, talk about constricting. A few:

    Prime: Goliath, The Romeo Section, Hustle (Freevee), She-Wolves: England’s Early Queens.

    Netflix: <Alias Grace, Halt and Catch Fire.

  89. 89.

    Krish

    @WaterGirl:

     

    @Krish: not sure why my replies aren’t threading properly. Jack Ryan is good and good time pass. Three pines inspector gamache.also try the expanse on prime. I loved it and im usu not a fan of syfy.

  90. 90.

    FelonyGovt

    @WaterGirl: The name Slow Horses comes from the fact that these spies are people who washed out of the big time, and are essentially in the minor leagues with no chance to come back. Also a play on the town where they’re based, Slough.

  91. 91.

    SuzieC

    @WaterGirl: Hmm, good people who try to do the right things.  Have you checked out Bosch, also based upon Michael Connelly’s novels?  (He is my favorite author.)  Detective Bosch’s motto is: Everyone matters, or no one matters.  He is a knight errant who rights terrible wrongs.

     

    I loved Breaking Bad and I love The White Lotus because dark tragicomedies are my jam.

  92. 92.

    WaterGirl

    @Emily B.:  That’s heartbreaking.

    Do you have an emergency vet in your area?  I think that’s what I would do.  Right away if you can.  This doesn’t sound like a wait until morning thing.

    In the meantime, I would lie by his side and keep a hand on him so he knows you’re there.

    Also, if you happen to have some Rescue Remedy in the house, put a few drops in your hand and rub it on his nose and the pads of his feet.

  94. 94.

    FelonyGovt

    @Emily B.: My cat died of lymphoma, which was really traumatic for me because my mom did as well, years before. If it’s returned I suspect you don’t have much time left, sadly. I’m so sorry.

  95. 95.

    trollhattan

    @Layer8Problem: Liked “The Peripheral.” A visual and auditory feast (they did a good job with the 5.1 audio) I came around to the characters–good and not so–and the season ended “too soon”–always a good sign.

    If “inspired by” Westworld it’s not all that similar. Also, there are zero name actors, so I didn’t spend any time comparing Ed Harris roles.

  98. 98.

    piratedan

    @Redshift: great suggestion, Broadchurch is a very good whodunnit, British style.  there’s loads of good to great British crime procedurals out there, some are more accessible than others… depending upon your comfort with the British vernacular, I would suggest something with good subtitles as a fallback in case you have issues unraveling what is being said.

    If you like some lighthearted with your mystery, could do far worse than Hamish MacBeth (with the awesome Robert Carlyle).  If you’re into watching the drama, I would suggest DCI Banks.  If old school suspense is your thing, the first three season of MI-5/Spooks are worth your time.

  99. 99.

    MomSense

    I preferred the Lincoln Lawyer series to the movie.
    I’m watching Slow Horses on Apple TV and it is fantastic.

  100. 100.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    Expanding on #90, Wikipedia explains it pretty well:

    Slough House is an administrative purgatory for MI5 service rejects who have somehow bungled their job but have not been outright fired. Those consigned there are known as “slow horses.” [A play on the fact that “Slough” is pronounced “slow.”] They are expected to endure dull, paper-pushing tasks, along with occasional mental abuse from their miserable boss, Jackson Lamb, who expects them to quit out of boredom and frustration. Life in Slough House is defined by drudgery. And yet the slow horses somehow get involved investigating schemes endangering Britain.

  101. 101.

    WaterGirl

    @SuzieC: Yes, loved Bosch.  And Bosch: Legacy.  Looks like season 2 of Bosch: Legacy won’t be out until sometime in 2023.  They don’t even have a trailer for season 2 out yet.

  108. 108.

    piratedan

    @FelonyGovt: The books are really good, realistic workplace and personal interaction and the unusual indictment that those in charge rarely have a clue on wtf they’re doing.

    Kind of waiting on someone to adapt Ban Aaronovich’s Rivers of London series, as I think that would be a visually fun time indeed.

  110. 110.

    JoyHC

    My students recommended The Derry Girls on Netflix and i was skeptical but I absolutely loved it. It’s set in Northern Ireland during the 1990s.  A mix of both history and coming of age.

  112. 112.

    Barbara

    @MomSense: ​I’m reading the books that the TV show is based on. They aren’t my favorite spy/mystery series, but they are very good — laugh out loud funny and acerbic, but with enough character development to maintain interest.

  114. 114.

    WaterGirl

    @Krish: The Expanse!  That’s the sci-fi show I was referencing earlier only I couldn’t recall the name.  Yeah, that’s a show that would have been better to stream than to watch on TV.  They had months and months and months between seasons and we would kind of forget the planets and the plot lines on each planet.

  116. 116.

    trollhattan

    Teevee Shows.

    On the light side, have enjoyed binging “Abbott Elementary.” Super cast and very funny. They manage to pull off “big city school” with no sticky sentiment–one roots for the teachers, staff, students and parents, warts and all. Lots and lots of warts.

    “Wednesday” grew on me with time. Starts light and comedic–Addams Family (films) and Hogworts mashup and as it proceeds, adds doses of first, “Stranger Things” and eventually “Game of Thrones.” The last is not a comment on Principal Brienne of Tarth but its turning Wednesday into Arya Stark. Second season will need to shuffle the deck, because reasons.

    The star may well be Thing. In sum, fun enough to keep me engaged.

  117. 117.

    Barbara

    @Emily B.: If the dog is in a lot of pain I would consult an emergency vet. Otherwise, keep him close and try to follow his lead about what he finds most comfortable.

  122. 122.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @trollhattan:

    The star may well be Thing. In sum, fun enough to keep me engaged.

    okay, you may have just hooked me

    if you tell me Lurch is in it, I may have to start tonight

  128. 128.

    cain

    If you want to see a very odd series check out White Lotus. It’s about a bunch of stories about vacationers in Maui. It isn’t a comedy but there is something weird and black about it.​
     
    Eta too bad you canceled hbo max as it was on there.

  130. 130.

    Krish

    @WaterGirl: yeah, I binged it so was able to keep track of it. Honestly it was the first syfy that I totally enjoyed. But I can see why it would be hard to keep track of all the planets if there were long gaps.

  133. 133.

    Layer8Problem

    @trollhattan:  It’s been a while since I’ve opened anything by Gibson.  I have fond memories of his early stuff and it worries me that if I opened, say, Neuromancer, I’d be disappointed.  The Peripheral sounds like a go.

  137. 137.

    FelonyGovt

    Possibly more of a comedy than you would like, and maybe most suitable for people from Los Angeles, but I liked This Fool on Hulu. Young Mexican-American guy still lives at home in his 30’s and works for a non profit offering services to former gang members. Great cast of supporting characters.

  138. 138.

    WaterGirl

    @Krish: It looks like Line of Duty costs on Prime, you have to buy by the episode or the season.

    Unless it’s on some channel that you can add to Prime?  Do you happen to know?

  139. 139.

    Steeplejack

    @piratedan:

    Funny. I started binge-reading Rivers of London right after I binge-read all of the Slow Horses novels. Currently beached in the middle of False Value. Sometimes when I binge too fast I get overloaded and have to take a break. And I got this growing feeling that Aaronovitch was spinning out “content” in a “Marvel cinematic universe” kind of way. The novels began to feel like they went on for a while, just stopped, and then another one started. Like a Dickensian mega-serial. Plus he’s throwing out side pieces like The October Man and The Furthest Station that you have to read for continuity and details. I had to consult Wikipedia to keep them all straight.

    Anyway, they’re pretty good, and I’ll finish up the series. Just taking a breather right now. They could be done very well as films with the current state of special effects.

  140. 140.

    JoyceH

    @WaterGirl:

    I confess to liking shows that have good people who try to do the right thing. That’s why I liked the new Magnum PI. A whole bunch of interesting characters, and they get into scrapes and get themselves into trouble, but they are always trying to help people and do the right thing.

    Shows don’t have to be sappy about it, of course. I’m never gonna be a person to Breaking Bad or a show like that where there’s no one I can relate to.

    SO many TV producers don’t seem to get that! You can get away with a movie about unpleasant people, maybe, but in a TV show you want the viewers to come BACK, and to do that, you need characters we like! I love the Stargate television franchise, but I could NOT get into Stargate: Universe, because I didn’t like any of the characters!

  141. 141.

    James E Powell

    @trollhattan:

    I liked Peripheral, too. It’s not the kind of thing I usually go for. The executive producers of Peripheral are the creators of Westworld, but there is no relation between the stories.

    It’s based on a book by William Gibson, a major figure in science fiction.

  142. 142.

    Tom H

    @WaterGirl:  The name is supposed to both resemble the characters, people who are consigned to an outpost of MI5 in Britain b/c they fucked up in some way.   And the name of that outpost is Slough House, which sound kinda-sorta like Slow Horse.

    The reason to read the book and watch the series is in great part for the character Jackson Lamb, the leader of the outfit, someone who motivates his crew by being as awful a boss as humanly possible, in a way that will sometimes leave you in stitches.  You can get a sense from the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9ZJChzPn0U

  145. 145.

    JoyceH

    @WaterGirl: ​
     

    Is Dead To Me…

    Creepy? Funny? Scary? What’s the premise?

    It’s billed as a ‘black comedy’. I wouldn’t call it creepy or scary, and it’s not grossly violent, but part of the plot involves things like disposing of a body.

    It’s basically a girl power thing, sort of like Grace and Frankie, but with a lot more plot twists and, um, lawbreaking. Jen is a very angry widow whose husband was killed in a hit-and-run that has never been solved. She meets Judy at a Grief Group, and Judy has a lot of secrets. There tends to be one or more gasp-making plot twists per episode. I found it quite engrossing.

  149. 149.

    NotMax

    Unrelated to WG’s query.

    Went for the Black Friday special and signed up for discounted MHz Choice, mostly because several later seasons of shows I liked a lot when they briefly showed up some time back on other streaming services are available only there. So much else intriguing from which to choose. Definitely not for those who eschew subtitles, as it’s (mostly but not exclusively) European and Scandinavian fare; no dubbing. Even has a raft of choices under the description “bloodless crime.”

    Never read any of Gunnar Staalesen’s crime novels so cannot say whether the character in the two-season eponymous Norwegian series Varg Veum (which I’ve newly become a fan of) adheres closely to that in the books. Former child welfare social worker turned hardbitten P.I. Gritty isn’t quite the right word for that as that implies an ingrained level of seediness; rather call it increasingly intense, although some suspension of disbelief as to things such as circumstantial intersections being sometimes too pat or recovery time from physical injury received too brief is in order. Also somber (but not depressing) and soggy (it apparently rains a lot in Bergen). Six movie length episodes per season. Trailers for season one and season two.

    FYI, as is the case some other streaming channels offered as add-ons to existing services, signing up via Prime is treated as a separate, independent account from one signed up through the service’s own web site — and concomitantly the choices of programming may possibly differ.

  150. 150.

    James E Powell

    @SuzieC:

    Have you checked out Bosch, also based upon Michael Connelly’s novels?  (He is my favorite author.)

    Have you checked out Connelly’s podcast, Murder Book?

  151. 151.

    Honus

    @Layer8Problem: oh , no Bogart would get Fonda’s role.  Can’t you just see him at the commune saying “they’re gonna make it” in the graveyard in NOLA, and in that Diner with the rednecks.

    Peter Lorre or Walter Brennan would get the Nicholson part, depending on how the director wanted to play it.

  153. 153.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Barbara:@Emily B.: If the dog is in a lot of pain I would consult an emergency vet. Otherwise, keep him close and try to follow his lead about what he finds most comfortable.

    I can’t offer better advice, so I’ll just send my best thoughts to Montcalm and his people

  154. 154.

    Poe Larity

    @Layer8Problem: While it is moded it is as true to the author’s themes as any series I have seen since Lonesome Dove.

    If you haven’t read the book, it won’t be as much a stretch to grok as Neuromancer was in the 80’s.

    As much as I was This Is A Sin Against God And Nature when I heard of a Cowboy Bebop live action, I have to give them credit. The show was really good other than the weird decision to make a formerly background antagonist a primary character. I assume this was because of John Cho’s injury and they just had a lot of extra film to burn.

  157. 157.

    Steeplejack

    @Tom H:

    I haven’t watched the series, but that trailer is remarkably faithful to the books, even to the dreadful mise en scène of Slough House itself. Looks good.

  158. 158.

    WaterGirl

    @JoyceH:  Wait, I think I have seen that.

    Highlight the blank pace below for my question to  Joyce.  Do not click if you haven’t seen the show.

    Is this the show where we find out that one of them was the one who killed the friend’s husband in the hit and run?

  160. 160.

    Larch

    Another good series (besides Vera and Shetland I mentioned in the thread a few days ago), I also recommend Endeavor, on Amazon Prime. It’s about the later-Inspector Morse’s early years on the police force.

    What was particularly interesting to me was the way each season is set is a different year, starting in 1965 IIRC. The 1st season, everyone’s quite buttoned-up, literally as well as figuratively, conscious of social roles, the way things are to be done, etc. Each season/year that unravels a bit more. Since the seasons are quite short – usually 4 90-min episodes – the impact of the accumulated changes quickly becomes stunning. The attention to detail is great – the cars, clothes, hairstyles, even the wallpaper changes as well as everything else, and the acting is great, too.

  165. 165.

    pieceofpeace

    @piratedan: I liked Broadchurch as well.  Another good Brit police-type is Whitechapel, although I didn’t look to see if/where it’s available.

    Recently watched Criminal: France and Criminal: UK, the other two, Germany and Spain didn’t do as well.  More of a police procedural-type show, with twists and excellent acting.

    More recently, (well, it’s raining a ton here) I watched Sir on Netflix and enjoyed viewing the complete crazification factor of R. Downey, Sr., who lived his life as he chose.  I remember Robin Williams mentioning that everyone should be crazy every so often and Sir is a display of that idea as a constant.  I loved it.

  166. 166.

    Watership

    While your 10-day HBO max trial is still active, watch The Leftovers. Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, and a who’s who of producers including Damon Lindeloff, Peter Berg (who also directs), Mimi Leder and Tom Perotta (who wrote the book). It’s mysterious, haunting and season 1 is relentlessly bleak, but if you want gripping, it will hit the mark. The story begins 3 years after a still-unexplained event similar to the rapture, during which 3% of the global population disappeared. I say rapture just to explain, not to indicate that it’s a religious concept like the Left Behind book series or anything.

  168. 168.

    Evap

    Spouse and I are watching Catastrophe on Prime with Sharon Hogan (from Bad Sisters).  She’s an Irish teacher in London who hooks up with an American there on a business trip and gets pregnant.  He moves to London to be with her.  It’s very funny. A bit raunchy, but in a good way (for us).

  170. 170.

    zhena gogolia

    Just watched the first episode of Harry & Meghan. It’s well done. If you like that sort of thing :)

  172. 172.

    WaterGirl

    @zhena gogolia: Is Harry and Meghan about their lives

    Never mind, I found it and answered my own question.  They do seem to have a love for the ages, does that come through in the show?

    I presume it’s interesting an not hokey?

    edit: I really enjoyed Meghan’s interview with Oprah.

  173. 173.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @WaterGirl: ​
      Come on, we should clearly fire BG from his highly lucrative side gig of voluntarily coming up with cultural topics for discussion on Sunday evenings. I mean, fuck that guy for having a life.

  178. 178.

    FelonyGovt

    @NotMax: So much good stuff on Mhz. Try Tandem, about French cops who work together and are divorced from each other; and OVNI(s) (UFO’s), about a French government agency in the 1970’s that investigates sightings of extraterrestrials.

  179. 179.

    Steeplejack

    @NotMax:

    Varg Veum is very good. I need to look at the MHz site to refresh my memory on other series. It has been several years (at least) since I had MHz.

    You raised an interesting question. I would like to know whether it’s better to subscribe to a service through Amazon Prime or directly through the source. Applies to BritBox and some others, as well as MHz. I’ve never been able to find a good answer.

  181. 181.

    zhena gogolia

    @WaterGirl: They share a lot of their own personal pictures and videos, and it’s actually quite touching. It’s kind of a docu-sequel to The Crown.

    ETA: It’s not hokey at all, but you have to have some minimal interest in them. I’m interested in the race angle.

  182. 182.

    prostratedragon

    @Honus:  Goodness, I haven’t seen that O Henry in ages. I see it’s rentable on Prime …

    BTW, another vote for Elvis Mitchell’s Black Enough documentary.  An important point he made was that the main characters engaged the world, rather than being alienated, or antiheroes.

  186. 186.

    zhena gogolia

    @WaterGirl: One of my friends keeps recommending it. But like you, I’m kind of allergic to subtitles. Maybe because it’s too much like my day job.

  189. 189.

    NotMax

    BTW, WaterGirl, so long as you can live with short and infrequent ads, a reminder that signing up with Tubi costs nothing and it is chock full of stuff both nostalgic and/or more current, some found nowhere else at present.

    You might find something like Criminal Justice engrossing. Two short seasons, totally unrelated plotlines and cast for each season.

    Nitpicks: User interface is, shall we say, cluttered, and the inability to toggle off autoplay for whatever is immediately adjacent is irksome.

  190. 190.

    WaterGirl

    @zhena gogolia: I am generally not at all interested in the British royalty.

    But I really liked her on Suits and I am definitely on Team Meghan in terms of the attacks by the media and second-class treatment by the royal family.

    So I may try it.  Not gripping enough for the treadmill, but I am allowed to watch some shows when I am not on the treadmill.

    But the treadmill shows? I ONLY get to watch those when I am on the treadmill, and I have to walk extra if I want to see what happens next on a treadmill show!

  191. 191.

    Gretchen

    @Emily B.: I’m so sorry. I second the suggestion of an emergency vet if available. I’ve done this a couple of times when a dog took a turn for the worse overnight. They are expensive but I found them kind and compassionate.

  195. 195.

    Gretchen

    @WaterGirl: i enjoyed the Meghan/ Harry Netflix special. A lot of the commentary is about how awful they are about the royal family, and that’s not true at all. Much of it is how horrifyingly intrusive the British press is, even when Harry was a young child and Diana was trying to get them to leave her kids alone and let them ski or go to school in peace. He had to work a rope line with the public after his mom died! I was struck by the similarity of commentary about Meghan and Brittney Griner this week.

  196. 196.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    MHz (“Megahertz”) is a lesser streaming service that specializes in European series and films, mostly non-English-language. It used to be available on some cable systems, which is where I first discovered it. It’s also available as a channel on Amazon Prime. If you can stand subtitles, there is a lot of great stuff. Also some clunkers, of course. It’s particularly strong in Scandinavian noir stuff. And, as I’ve said a million times before, there is the sublime Italian series Detective Montalbano. (Should be Inspector Montalbano—curse you, bad translation!)

  197. 197.

    NotMax

    @WaterGirl

    Not free anyplace at present. Six seasons available to buy on Prime.

    Based on my viewing habits, gotta chuckle when a mid-1990s show is described as old.

    ;)

  200. 200.

    Scout211

    @WaterGirl: I really liked that series. It looks like it may be free on Tubi.

    ETA:  Nope.  Currently unavailable on Tubi.  Sorry

    It seems to be PPV on streaming services.

  201. 201.

    Barbara

    @Gretchen: ​I didn’t watch but a few articles noted that the documentary brings out that Harry and friends believe that his “acceptable” love interests prior to Meghan were driven off by the relentless media attention. In other words, he could have married anyone, white, aristocratic, whatever, and he would still suffer the same fate. Instead of leaving him, Meghan enabled him to leave the toxic culture that they apparently couldn’t change.

  202. 202.

    Dagaetch

    Flashpoint, a Canadian show from a decade ago now. Follows what is basically a SWAT team, but they always try to deescalate situations. Very well done, has some ongoing character threads but standalone episode plots mostly. One of my favorite casual watches. Looks like it’s on Paramount Plus right now.

  204. 204.

    Gretchen

    I enjoyed Indian Lawyer. It’s about a Canadian detective whose Indian father shames him into coming to visit in Mumbai after the detective has a work setback. He gets recruited to solve a case there by a beautiful lawyer-neighbor. Just one season so far but quite good.

  205. 205.

    NotMax

    @Steeplejack

    Another “lesser” streaming service with a strong slate of international offerings which has piqued my interest (though am not yet a subscriber*) is Topic.

    *2023’s COLA for social security might offer some budgetary wiggle room when it comes to deciding on any additional streaming.

  206. 206.

    lurker dean

    there was a thread on twitter recently where i heard about warrior nun on netflix.  we enjoyed that, although i’m not sure if it’s treadmill material.  that thread also mentioned resident alien on paramount channel, which we receive free through our cable company.  that’s pretty amusing.  i see other people recommended that as well.

  207. 207.

    Steeplejack

    @NotMax:

    I’ll check out Topic.

    Lately I’ve been binge-watching some subtitled stuff on PBS Passport: Astrid (French) and Luna and Sophie (German). The former very good, the latter pretty good.

  209. 209.

    Dagaetch

    @Barbara: ​
      it definitely wasn’t a great strength of the show, but I thought it gave the characters just enough personality to be acceptable.

  210. 210.

    Gretchen

    After Life. Ricky Gervaise plays a widowed journalist at a small paper whose friends are trying to help him keep going. He had a happy marriage and there are tapes of his wife telling him what she hopes for him after she’s gone. Netflix.

  212. 212.

    pieceofpeace

    @NotMax: Just received mine, nearly $100 more/month as of next month, so yes.  Hmmm, need to check if that’s after insurance has upped its share.

  213. 213.

    Jackie

    Open thread?

    US Planning to Announce “Fusion Energy Breakthrough”

    ”The Department of Energy plans to announce Tuesday that scientists have been able for the first time to produce a fusion reaction that creates a net energy gain — a major milestone in the decades-long, multibillion dollar quest to develop a technology that provides unlimited, cheap, clean power.

    The aim of fusion research is to replicate the nuclear reaction through which energy is created on the sun. It is a “holy grail” of carbon-free power that scientists have been chasing since the 1950s. It is still at least a decade — maybe decades — away from commercial use, but the latest development is likely to be touted by the Biden administration as an affirmation of a massive investment by the government over the years.”
    Much more at the link:
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/12/11/fusion-nuclear-energy-breakthrough/

  214. 214.

    Redshift

    @frosty:

    But I gotta say, nobody but nobody beats John Astin as Gomez. I didn’t like the new guy at all.

    I didn’t love him, but I have to admit he looks more like Mr. Addams from the cartoons than anyone else who’s played Gomez.

  217. 217.

    rikyrah

    Binged over the last two weekends

    The Professional on CW

    The Winchesters on CW

    Wednesday on Netflix

    Riches on Amazon Prime

     

    Liked them all

  220. 220.

    frosty

    @Redshift: That’s an interesting take on it. I haven’t gone back to look at the cartoons vs. the shows but I can’t imagine Addams drew Gomez looking as handsome as Astin.

    Last I heard, he was still teaching theater at Johns Hopkins.

  221. 221.

    kalakal

    @Larch: I’ve just finished rewatching Life on Mars – British tv cop show set in 1973 ( & 2003 – is the main character hallucinating in a coma/time traveled plot). It’s a fantastic recreation of England ( & the series The Sweeney where John Thaw of Morse made his name) in the 70s. I love it. Now to rewatch the sequel Ashes to Ashes – equally good set in the 80s. They’re a real nostalgia fest for me.

    In a more light hearted vein New Tricks & Shakespeare and Hathaway are fun

  223. 223.

    kalakal

    Non-fiction but I enjoyed Goodnight Oppy – documentary about the Mars rovers Spirit & Opportunity. Really well done with excellent CGI and mix of interviews and live historical footage of the people involved

  224. 224.

    Kelly

    We also enjoyed “Wednesday” and are hoping for another season. It was fun!

    Just finished “Night Sky” on Netflix. Good acting. The story kinda wandered but came together in the end. They accomplished a nice bit of world building which seemed to set up a good season 2. Alas there will be no season 2 so I really can’t recommend “Night Sky”.

  225. 225.

    thruppence

    Late to the party (I usually work nights), but if you haven’t seen the series Leverage, I think you would like it. I believe it’s on Prime.

  226. 226.

    prostratedragon

    @prostratedragon: ​ Just caught the ending of Three Strangers, where Peter Lorre’s character tries to restrain Sydney Greenstreet’s , of all people, from proclaiming the gospel in a public square, and I could imagine Lorre as that kind of guy.

  227. 227.

    Regine Touchon

    I’ve just logged on , so l don’t know if anyone recommended this season of White Lotus. I didn’t particularly care for season one, but this one grabs you. If you liked Bad Sisters , I think you’ll appreciate this show.

  228. 228.

    LeftCoastYankee

    I think someone on a similar thread had recommended the Brokenwood Mysteries on Acorn, and I’ve been enjoying those immensely.  There was a little dip in quality in one of the middle seasons, but it bounced back.

    I can’t do murder mystery bingeing for a long period so I did slip in some films and Wednesday on Netflix, and Andor on Disney.

    Both of those were recommended (for different reasons).  I also watched the Winx Saga on Netflix (hot mess), and Warrior Nun (strangely unsatisfying).

    All of those last 4 are remakes or add-ons to existing franchises.  The balance of giving enough nods to the franchise for the hardcore fans, and telling a coherent standalone story for the new viewer seems to be elusive in many cases.

  229. 229.

    Chetan Murthy

    Surely doesn’t need to be mentioned, but just in case:

    • Letterkenny
    • Shoresy

    Canadian comedy.  Pretty gentle stuff, but pretty funny.

  230. 230.

    way2blue

    Yikes.  Two hundred plus comments…  Have you watched ‘The English’ on Amazon Prime?   Or ‘Three Pines’?  Very different yet both very captivating.

  231. 231.

    NotMax

    @Layer8Problem

    Okay, I’ll play along.

    Robert Ryan, William Holden and Dick Powell.

    Will leave it to the reader to determine who would have played the Fonda, Hopper and Nicholson parts.

  236. 236.

    the antibob

    @raven: Fargo is one of my top 5 of all time. Season 1 is the weakest. OD’ing on Legion now. For my money, Noah Hawley is the best writer/director in television today.

  237. 237.

    thruppence

    I’m going to double down on Leverage, since WaterGirl said she enjoyed shows of people doing good for others (though will she be reading this thread so late so far down?). Stars Timothy Hutton who leads a team against powerful people and corporations who have victimized others. Head writer John Rogers, who coined the crazification factor. Several seasons available for free on Prime.

  238. 238.

    BamaLib

    Every show on your list of successes was a “can we watch one more?” hit with my wife, so I’m going to recommend her latest love, Motive.  It’s a Canadian police procedural that identifies the killer and victim before the opening credits, then tells the story of the murder.  (one downside: you will frequently find yourself rooting for the killer to get away with it

    On Prime (via Freevee, with commercials)

  240. 240.

    WaterGirl

    @eclare: I only made it through about 4 episodes of the wire.  I felt like I walked into a class in college that had 3 prerequisites that I hadn’t taken.  I quit watching.

    Folks here tell me that I should give it another go because it takes about 5 episodes to figure out who’s who and what’s what.

  247. 247.

    WaterGirl

    @BamaLib: You are right on re: my taste!  Loved Motive when it was on network TV.  I don’t remember 4 seasons, though.

    Okay, I googled and found that it was only on ABC for 2 seasons and then USA picked it up.  I will check out a show on season 3 and a show on season 4 to determine whether I have seen the last 2 seasons already.

  249. 249.

    Watership

    Oh, I should also mention Patriot on Prime. I watched it all the way through twice in a row. It really became one of my all time faves. The log line might be kind of a turnoff – Follows the complicated life of intelligence officer John Tavner, whose latest assignment–to prevent Iran from going nuclear–requires him to forgo all safety nets and assume a perilous, non-official cover – but I promise you, it is not like a Tom Clancy spy thriller. Nothing like that at all. Just do yourself a favor and turn it on for a while. You’ll see.

  251. 251.

    NotMax

    @Watership

    Lurve Patriot, prime (no pun) example of a program whose second season managed to advance the ingenuity of the first and have promoted it here often in the past.

    However, WG specifically said “no comedy” so chose in this case to not bring it (along with more than a few other fine examples infused with dark comedy) #8212; think Rake, for one) to the fore.

    Very glad you mentioned it though, as it served as reminder the lead actor in it previously starred in another personal favorite which holds up well to multiple viewings, the Australian period Western (for want of a better word) dramatic series Wild Boys, whose sole season is currently on Freevee.

  252. 252.

    Emily B.

    Thanks for the good wishes for Montcalm! He surprised us by making it upstairs to the bedroom during the night and then had a good sleep-in this morning. Off to the vet now.

  253. 253.

    Mary Richman

    I only have Netflix and (like you) use it for  exercise —on a little bike. I liked Lincoln Lawyer— have seen and enjoyed Hollywood, Lupin, Inventing Anna, Maid, When They See Us, The Irishman, Donnie Brasco, Hit and Run, Cable Girls, Bridgerton, Orange is the New Black, Marcella, Queen’s Gambit, She’s Gotta Have It, Unorthodox, The Chair, Da 5 Bloods, Borgen, Shtisel… you can get the few foreign language films dubbed as well as subtitled.

  255. 255.

    Jay C

    @cain:

    The Winchesters ? Is this a follow up on the two brothers in the horror comedy series ?

    No: their parents, actually.

    But given the somewhat, errr… lax approach to timelines in the Supernatural series, familiar characters,

  256. 256.

    jhwbiz

    Netflix – Dead to Me, movie Good Nurse, the Defeated

    Prime – the Village, the Devil’s Hour, the Outfit, movie Electrical Life of Louis Wain

  260. 260.

    agorabum

    @Layer8Problem: I’d recommend The Peripheral.  It pulls you in quickly and then gets to the exposition to flesh things out later. Interesting near and further out future sci-fi

  261. 261.

    louc

    Since you like the Lincoln Lawyer and Longmire, I’m going to recommend Jack Reacher.

    Also second Three Pines. Much better than the movie adaptation from a few years ago. Albert Molina is fantastic.

    Since everyone is mentioning British detective shows, I’m going to bring up Brokenwood Mysteries, set in a New Zealand town. The lead detective is a country music fan.

  262. 262.

    Susan

    If you are looking for a short description of a movie/series and where you can find it for streaming look it up on imbd.com  Look something up then click on the popularity ranking bold number and it will give you a list of all movies or tv shows in ranking order (at that time).  I’ll watch anything that gets an 8 and most things that get a 7.  I’ll drop down to the sixes if its a genre I particularly like.  While I mostly agree with the ratings they can be off, for me, for comedies and romcoms which I like sometimes.  Great series: Line of Duty is avail with britbox on amazon and is one of my all time faves.  DH and I still argue about season 6. I also like The Fall which is set in Ireland.  Marcella, Body Guard (British), Unbelievable, The Americans.   I watch way too much TV.  Also, Blood Work is also by Connelly, not as great as the others and Tell No One is excellent (as is the book) but it is subtitled, so unless you are fluent in French. . .

  263. 263.

    Watership

    @NotMax: He was in a pretty good indie movie called “Triangle” too, although I think he gets killed pretty quickly. Might be the first one to go

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