Binge Watching Series Recommendations

[j44ke]

Just finished watching Occupied, a Norwegian television series that portrays the events associated with a peaceful occupation of Norway by Russia with the complicity of the EU after a "green" Prime Minister is elected and declares Norwegian oil production to be finished in favor of pursuing a newly developed clean form of energy production.

I'd say the acting is okay, but the dramatic tension is well done. And whoever wrote the script has been studying Russian tactics in Georgia and Ukraine, and their "soft pressure" intimidation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. A bit heavy-handed in spots, but pretty perceptively rendered otherwise.

Also a couple weeks ago, my wife and I watched The Crown. We had just finished watching PBS Masterpiece's Victoria which was sort of Downton Abbey: The Queen's Version. Meh. But The Crown is actually pretty interesting historically. The personalities feel pretty realistically portrayed, John Lithgow plays a pretty great Churchill as an old man grasping at power, and the actress who plays Princess Margaret is one of the more beautiful women I've seen in a while. Plus she can act, as can the actress playing Queen Elizabeth II and the one playing the Queen "Mum".

Both of these are on Netflix.

[zetroc]

If you have Hulu, I recommend The Path, about a new-age spiritualist group in modern New York. The acting is superb and the show is paced very well. Currently halfway through the second season but this is the show I crave week after week.

On Netflix, The Grinder is very funny and extremely silly, starring Rob Lowe as an actor who retires from a legal procedural drama but moves in with his brother, a lawyer at their father's firm. Hilarious. Fred Savage is the brother and he plays a convincing straight man and foil to his somewhat manic brother. 20-ish episodes, though it got cancelled at the conclusion of the first season.

Also on Netflix, Better Call Saul is very good if you've seen Breaking Bad. And I'm currently halfway through Santa Clarita Diet, which is simultaneously funny and gruesome, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant. It's from the creator of Better Off Ted which I also liked very much.

[rwsaunders]

My wife and I have enjoyed the Crown and I especially enjoyed history/fact checking with the iPad while the show was on. If you ever followed Inspector Morse (1987-2000) Inspector Morse (TV series) - Wikipedia, the prequel Endeavor Endeavour (TV series) - Wikipedia, is absolutely fabulous.

[PDAR]

Black Mirror on Netflix. 21st Century Twilight Zone.

[TMB]

Trapped.

It's on Netflix and only 1 season but really good. It's Icelandic, so unless you speak the language you actually have to watch to read the sub-titles.

Occupied was very good.

[TMB]

Another one I enjoyed was Shetland. Two seasons, takes place in the Shetland Islands.

Supposedly in English, sub-titles would have helped.

[vertical_doug]

Another one I enjoyed was Shetland. Two seasons, takes place in the Shetland Islands.

Supposedly in English, sub-titles would have helped.

Trapped is good. Shetland was good. You will also like Hinterland. It takes place in Wales so both English and Welsh languages in the film.

[j44ke]

Another one I enjoyed was Shetland. Two seasons, takes place in the Shetland Islands.

Supposedly in English, sub-titles would have helped.

Most things are captioned in English, even if they are supposedly already in English. You just have to figure out how to switch them on. Sometimes varies from provider to provider.

Anyone watching The OA?

My favorite series was The Americans but they jumped the shark in season 2 and I had to turn it off (I blame Oliver North who came on as a consultant.) Season 3 was supposed to be better and this season seems to be getting high marks. Anyone watching now?

[Brandon White]

Netflix:
Peaky Blinders
The Break (French but English subtitles)
Borderline (short season comedy like The Office)
Black Mirror

Amazon:
Patriot
Goliath
Hannibal
The Americans

[j44ke]

Speaking of French series, Spiral is super intense. In France, it was called Engrenages. Netflix has the first 4 seasons.

[robin3mj]

Timely.
I watch almost zero current TV shows as they happen besides the Yankees (though my wife and I got into Designated Survivor about a month ago and we’re glad it’s coming back soon.)

The Night Manager
Patriot (like a cross between John LeCarre and Wes Anderson)
And I just started watching Homeland while on the rower. Only about 6 episodes into Season 1, and it’s enthralling but seems like it could jump the shark pretty quickly/soon.

[mnoble485]

My wife and I have enjoyed the Crown and I especially enjoyed history/fact checking with the iPad while the show was on. If you ever followed Inspector Morse (1987-2000) Inspector Morse (TV series) - Wikipedia, the prequel Endeavor Endeavour (TV series) - Wikipedia, is absolutely fabulous.

Robert,
I thought I was the only one that watched TV with an Ipad in my lap. Agree about the Crown.

Goliath was good.
Series based on Harry Bosch character was also good.

Mike

[defspace]

Anyone watching The OA?

Yeah, thought it was alright. Not a bad way to kill an hour on the rollers. Stranger Things is probably up your alley if you're into sci-fi thrillers (or 80's nostalgia).

When it comes to Netflix, I have yet to see anything that tops Broadchurch.

[TMB]

Trapped is good. Shetland was good. You will also like Hinterland. It takes place in Wales so both English and Welsh languages in the film.

Just watched the first episode of it on he weekend.

[atw]

If you like the UK theme:

Grantchester - the local vicar and his detective friend solve crimes near Cambridge just after WW2
Bletchley Circle - again just after the war, several of the women code breakers after the war solving mysteries
Endeavour - prequel to Inspector Morse, a favourite

Others of note:

Better Call Saul, even better then Breaking Bad in my view
Fargo seasons 1 and 2 (season 3 should be out soon)
Vinyl, ok the plot was terrible, but the music was great

[zeroking]

A Very Secret Service (Netflix)

It's French. It's funny. It's secret.

[nash]

Peep show, another brilliant Brit show

[TMB]

A Very Secret Service (Netflix)

It's French. It's funny. It's secret.

Watched this on the weekend. Really good.

Another one is Marseilles. Again, French, but quite good. Easier to understand than Shetland(!).

[Matthew J]

Two series I enjoyed via MHZChoice are:

Un Village Francais - a show depicting life in a small french village during WW2 German occupation. Acting, writing and production values all first rate.

Weisensee Saga - which follows the family of a senior Stasi official in 1980s East Germany. Again, very well done all around.

Believe all seasons of a French Village are available on DVD. Not sure where you might find captioned Weissensee Saga episodes short of signing up with MHZ.

[davids]

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - deleriously funny.
Catastrophe - the best written, best acted comedy about modern romance
Archer - perverse, childish, hilarious
The West Wing - I started watching this, again, when the podcast started. But only one episode a week? Nah.