shows
Early Contender for one of my favorite TV Shows of 2020 – Netflix’s SHADOW Action Series!
The 1st season of THE TERROR, the 1st season of Amazon’s BAD BOYS, and the 1st and only season of BBC’s BODYGUARD on Netflix were my favorite television shows of 2019.
4 episodes in and I am absolutely loving Netflix’s South African action/thriller series SHADOW.
Part EQUALIZER meets WALLENDER meets STRIKEBACK, the other part is its own unique texture and vibe; this series is hitting all the right notes… the actors are fantastic, plots Baroque and strange and compelling, the action riveting. Took a while for me to actually give this series a try, however now it (along with Netflix/BBCs DRACULA) is an early contender for one of my favorite tv shows of 2020.
I really hope both these shows eventually get a Blu-Ray release, complete with special features/director’s commentary. The best of any year deserves the permanence of DVD/Blu-Ray. That said I’m still waiting on season 2 of Luke Cage to make it to Blu-Ray… looking at you Netflix. 🙂 .
2019 Year in Review : Favorite TV Shows
2019 Year in review : Favorite TV Shows
I tried quite a few shows in 2019 UMBRELLA ACADEMY, LUCIFER, GOOD OMENS, THE WITCHER, BLACK MIRROR, GAME OF THRONES but my favorite TV shows, BY FAR, were the following:
THE TERROR 1st Season – One of the most grueling and terrifying and brilliant things I saw on TV in 2019
BODYGUARD 1st and only season- One of the best action/spy shows I’ve seen since SPOOKS and the first season of JACK RYAN.
THE GRAND TOUR – One of the worst mistakes TOP GEAR made was pissing these guys off and forcing them out. TOP GEAR has become an un-watched joke, and THE GRAND TOUR … simply fun and brilliant.
HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE Season 1- After THE TERROR, the 2nd most terrifying tv show I saw in 2019. And that one episode with the reveal of the hanging lady, is just horrible to think about. The more you think about that episode the more effed up it becomes, and the more you feel for that character. A brilliantly written show.
LUKE CAGE Season 2- Speaking of a brilliantly written show, LUKE CAGE season 2 when you get past some cringe worthy scenes in the early episode ( I do not want to see Shades and Black Mariah kissing on each other, the less of that the better) but when you get past that bit of self indulgence, it really takes off and has a story that is more complex than people hitting each other. Which kinda is why I lost interest in the other Marvel/Netflix shows. It is the small moments where this series sings, like the scene of Cage and Rand just talking as they overlook Central Park. That is one of my favorite scenes, and not a punch in it, just people talking. And the Antagonists were so rich, no clear good, or clear evil, but people in varying degrees of pain. Add to that just the best ending/cliffhanger of any of the Marvel/Netflix shows. Really hope this comes to Bluray soon.
MANDALORIAN Season 1 – Baby Yoda Rules! And the show is great, a nice back to basics western in space.
THE BOYS Season 1 – Jaw Dropping, and one of the best examples of the adaptation being superior to the source material. Not a fan of THE BOYS comic, loved this show,
THE EXPANSE (Seasons 1-3) – I’ve praised this show often. It is the best scifi show currently being aired.
PENNYWORTH – Only saw 3 episodes, that was all that was available for free, but what a 3 episodes. Phenomenal and fun and gripping.
WATCHMEN – Only saw the first episode, but what an episode. Had my doubts about this show, the first episode made me a believer.
With an honorable mention to BABYLON 5 as a show I revisited in 2019. Currently on season 4. Holds up as one of the best shows of all time. Straczynski creating the first novel for TV.
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Best Streaming TV Show Week 28 of 2019 Edition: Netflix’s BODYGUARD
Do not watch the trailer. Do not read anything on the show, just go to Netflix, and you will probably end up binging the entire 6 episode season of this show in a couple nights.
WoW.
What a show. The BBC knows how to make brilliant shows. Between this, RIPPER STREET, MUSKETEERS, and the first several seasons of SPOOKS, the British Broadcasting Corporation is producing some of the finest television around. Though to be fair they make their share of misses as well. However, on a whole I find their level of quality, how they are shot, their music, their broad themes, to be more daring than what you will find on traditional broadcast tv.
At their best, they are cinematic in their scope, and far reaching in their impact.
Such as… BODYGUARD.
This six episode season of BODYGUARD, left those of us viewing, after the last episode played,… FLOORED. This is TV on a whole different level to popcorn fluff such as LUCIFER, that some people would call the best show on TV.
Insert rant on LUCIFER here. 🙂
Lucifer is ok at best, it is a very well worn ‘police procedural with spice’ type show, in the vein of tons of other gimmick police procedurals, whether ROSEWOOD or ELEMENTARY or SHERLOCK or FOREVER KNIGHT (Vampire Policeman) IZOMBIE (Zombie Policewoman) or GRIMM. Of these the best is arguably GRIMM.
LUCIFER for me, falls somewhere in the middle of the pack.
Another quick aside about LUCIFER: I can definitely do without the tired dynamic of “lets make the initially strong character of color, a ‘Charlie brown, sad sack’ who we use as a foil and comedy relief for the protagonist, and keep pulling the ball away from like Charlie Brown, and he gets dumped by the girl… etc”.
I like to call it the Worf syndrome 🙂 as you see this in a bunch of shows from STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION to ANDROMEDA to BUFFY. Speaking of BUFFY, poor DB Woodside got this same Charlie Brown dynamic done to him in that show as well. It’s a little thread of minstrel show television that remains… and largely because Americans so little examine the stereotypes they ingest and regurgitate.
Thankfully that is changing because you are getting writers of color writing characters of color more organically, so you get non stereotypical shows like LUKE CAGE and POWER, where writers are not setting up their strong characters of color, just to take them down a peg later in the series.
Aside from that bit of tired, agenda writing. LUCIFER is harmless fun, but great television it is not.
End of LUCIFER tirade. 🙂
For great television go watch… BODYGUARD.
You will thank me later.
This one i hope to purchase on Blu-ray as soon as it is available. It is a show you do not want to leave its availability to the ever shifting waters of streaming licensing deals. It is that good.
TODAY’S MUST WATCH YOUTUBE CHANNELS of WEEK 27 of 2019 IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD!
Love Golden Age comics. So this is a great channel for those older comics of yesteryear.
Mulligan Brothers is a great channel for finding motivational videos. 2 weeks ago, I did not know about David Goggins, now I’m all about his story and his inspiration. And that introduction was thanks to me being subscribed to the Mulligan Brothers Channel. “Whose going to carry the boats?”
And from that Intro I subscribed to the GOGGINS CLIPS which are short motivational clips that appear to come from the man himself.
Streaming Saturdays! Week 17 of 2019! UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Closing out week 17 and entering week 18 of the 2019th year on the Julian Calendar.
This is a list of what is hot and notable in Streaming.Lets get into it:
UNDER CONSTRUCTION COME BACK AT 3PM EST.
What’s Hot and What’s Not STREAMING/VOD Guide Week 11 – AMAZON PRIME Edition
WORTH FINISHING/PRETTY DARN GOOD:
Both movies from the early 90s are of course very dated. Martial Arts had only broken into the main-stream American conscience barely 15 years earlier. And American Martial Arts/Fight Choreography was still finding itself. And we were still in that very formulaic 80s urban crime/ Deathwish style of filming. All those caveats aside the movies remain incredibly entertaining, with a few pretty awesome sequences. Jeff Wincott and Cynthia Rothrock were prolific 80s action stars for a reason. And that reason is on display in these movies. Along with movies such as SILENT RAGE and PERFECT WEAPON and THE LAST DRAGON these films are fun and fine examples of American Cinematic Martial Arts in its early days.
I consider Patrick McGoohan one of the best actors ever. And his SECRET AGENT MAN/ DANGER MAN one of the best TV shows. His fight choreography in that show, which predated the James Bond films, elevated fight choreography. The same way that the first season of ARROW raised the bar. Then the first season of DAREDEVIL raised it even higher. Patrick McGoohan, former soldier, former boxer, brings all that to his roles. And here, a much older McGoohan past throwing punches, is no less, cinematic gold.
Richard Burton in a horror movie? SOLD!
The late 60s and early 70s was such an interesting time for film. Just as borders were being changed and challenged in our world and ourselves, they were also being expressed in our fiction. Particularly our films. There is a malleability and ephemeral-ness to much of the best films from this period. They are not any one genre, or any one thing. Are like our night-scapes, daringly un-solid, and always changing, depending on the viewer, and the viewed. This film will stay with you, long after you have seen it, until you are not sure it was ever a film, but rather maybe a dream, you forgot to dream. The sight of breaking bone, and spurting blood, is everywhere in this film, and no where. A haunting film.
This one does not start well. Took me a couple attempts to finish it. Much like GOATSUCKERÂ that started awful, it just gets better and better, culminating in an impressive ending.
INTERESTING / JURY IS OUT
NOT WORTH YOUR TIME / AVOID
Starts interestingly, but like most failed horror films, loses any concept of common sense by the third act. Is this something any rational person would do? If the answer is no, then do not put such stupid actions in your darn movie. I wanted the time I spent watching it, back. Avoid.
20 Best Youtube COMIC BOOK Channels! Week ending 2 June 2018!
While relatively new to the Youtube Comic Book watching scene, I’ve been a collector for a very long time.
I’m listening and watching these Youtube videos/channels on Comic Books, and these channels are fantastic!
I watch them courtesy of Roku on my Big Screen TV, and I spend more time watching these YouTube channels, than regular TV most days. Much to the chagrin of my better half, who has seen more of these videos than she would like. 🙂
It is just great to see collectors of various ages and backgrounds sharing their passion and finds and tips, on a hobby I also get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
Without further ado, this is this week’s 15 Favorite Channels!(You can find any of the channels just by searching for their name on Youtube. Tell them HT sent ya!)
- SILVER AGED DAVE (best comic book room tours, and essential info on insurance, budgeting, preserving your books, and generally enjoying your collection, along with great hauls)
- SADDLE CITY COMICS – nice coverage of mostly new comics presented by company
- TheKMN1971- Simply has some of the best hauls of bronze age books. Always costs me money when I see his videos. As i’m inspired to go looking for many of the books he shows off. 🙂
- EARL GREY (best coverage of European comics, as well as deep dives into select creators and genres)
- MERCENAUT (very informative, and great selection of books to be on the lookout for)
- GEM MINT (great coverage on Omibus and collected editions)
- REGIE IFBBPRO (great hauls and stories, and passion for this hobby)
- LEEKIRBYDITKO (hands down the best golden age coverage on Youtube, and recently become very interested in Golden Age)
- THULE (Another great Golden Age channel)
- JERNO’S COMICS & POP CULTURE – Recent find. Very informative. I like his recent project, cashing out his Starbuck’s stock (Long before this most recent news issue, I had no interest in Starbuck’s. Like KFC amd Shell Gas they are on my list of companies to not do business with) and putting it into comic books, and making a greater rate of return on comics than with his Starbuck’s stock.
- BOOK ROAST – This one has more to do with Gift Boxes and Harry Potter but it is a nice peacekeeper when you need to break up your comic book watching for your better half 🙂 Also while not a Harry Potter fan, I like this channel as well. Her coverage of different Gift Boxes is interesting, and informative; and her Scottish accent doesn’t hurt. 🙂
- AFTA COMICS –Â Love listening to this guy. He sounds like the late, great Adam West. May he rest in peace. So yeah, I listen to him tell his stories in his Adam West voice, and I’m entertained, and reminded of the late great Adam West. Really like this channel. Covers great Westerns.
- CHYCHO – I like his laid back, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response, a belief that sound can soothe, and in addition create states in the listener where information is more readily absorbed) delivery. Nice coverage of everything from Golden Age to moderns. And his overview and understanding of economic systems, reinforced some things I knew, and really opened my eyes on some other things. His post PERSONAL FINANCE:CURRENCY,MONEY,ECONOMY,P2:GOLD should really be required viewing, by pretty much everyone.
- LUTHER MANNING – Like his CGC hauls
- ALEX THE COMIC HOARDER- like his upbeat coverage of hauls
- WINDY CITY COMIC BOOKS (great coverage of classic comic book magazines)
- GORE VIDAL- Great coverage of Independents, magazines, and hardcovers, with a love for the Spanish and Italian artists. His multi-episode coverage on Dark Horse’s CREPAX is essential viewing. He stopped broadcasting a bit mysteriously a month ago, anyone with his contact info just let us know he is alright.
- GABE INFINITY WATCH – I like his coverage of IDW Artist’s Edition.
- ISLORD372 – New discovery , I really like his collection coverage video.
- SUPERJOE – Nice selection of various comics from various eras. And some books I had not seen before.
Honorable mentions:
- COMIC BOOK FANATICS – Shout out to Ray Jr, who left to do a tour in Afghanistan. Stay safe over there,.
- FOOLKILLER5150 – Appears to be an abandoned channel, but lots of good content still out there.
And this installment’s Public Service Announcement – To everyone out there who has an issue with Social Justice Warriors, first learn to use the whole word and not the acronym, second you may want to choose a different medium if you don’t like Social justice Warriors. Because if you are reading Superhero Comics, the first social justice warrior is Superman. Followed quickly by Batman, Shazam, and all the others. The whole of Superhero Comics built on this bedrock of vigilantes, sticking up for the little guy, and taking it to the fat cats, and the corrupt, system. Social Justice Warrior defined.
Give love to the channels I mention and be wary of cleaning and pressing a comic. If your comic book is a 4.5, It is a 4.5. The attempt to make it a 5.5 in the short term, can be speeding up the process of making it a 1 in the long term.
Ending this on a positive note you 17 channels are always showing me your hauls and recommends, which I greatly thank you for. You’ve put some great books on my radar. Wanted to return the favor. Below is my list of must own comic books, that I think are WAY undervalued and you can still buy incredibly cheaply and will only go up.
Enjoy!!!
DAREDEVIL 126 & 127 – One of the best two parters of all time. I read this back in the day and it still stands up as one of my favorite non-Frank Miller DAREDEVIL comics. TORPEDO is a great bronze age character, and this is him at his best. Sporting great Gil kane covers, and a story by Marv Wolfman (who was also Executive Editor at the time, and art by Bob Brown and Klaus Janson. Wonderful visuals.
THE UNTAMED – Is a beautiful sword and sorcery graphic novel by Sebastian A. Jones and Peter Bergting and Darrell May. From STRANGER COMICS. A quality and very little known collected edition.
DEFENDERS 52- Best Gil Kane Cover. Best done in one story. Best Hulk vs Sub-Mariner fight. One of the Best Keith Giffen and David Kraft co-scripts. From about issue 42 to 52, these guys were on FIRE! Best depiction of the Hulk. Best depiction of Sub-Mariner. Done, done, and done.
ADVENTURE COMICS 431-440 -Michael Fleisher’s stories starring the Spectre, with Jim Aparo art have quite frankly never been surpassed. They are for me, the definitive take on the Spectre as a vengeful Wrath of God, with a more than demented sense of perverse punishments. A lurid and legendary series.
THE SINISTER HOUSE OF SECRET LOVE #1- Dark Shadows meets the House of Mystery? How do you not love that title and that cover. A must own.
I SPY 1-6 – The 60s pushed the envelope in terms of entertainment, writing and scope. Bringing globe trotting adventures into our living room. I SPY along with DANGER MAN/SECRET AGENT MAN and MAN WITH A SUITCASE were some of the best TV shows of the period. to have that great Cosby and Culp series, also as a comic book is a must own. Great photo-covers.
You can get any of the books listed, using the link below. And using the link earns this blog a few pennies to keep the lights on.
Buy comic books here!
Hope you enjoyed this post. if you did, spread the word.
Best TV shows by decade! 1950s to 2017!
Best TV shows by decade!
1950s
DRAGNET
GUNSMOKE
HONEYMOONERS
I LOVE LUCY
THE LONE RANGER
RAWHIDE
RIFLEMAN
1960s
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
RIFLEMAN
STAR TREK
TWILIGHT ZONE
GUNSMOKE
HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL
OUTER LIMITS
THE FUGITIVE (the template for decades of shows to follow, from THE HULK to WEREWOLF)
RIFLEMAN
1970S
SANFORD AND SON
GOOD TIMES
HAPPY DAYS
MASH
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
MORK AND MINDY
UFO
SPACE 1999
1980s
THE COSBY SHOW
SPENSER FOR HIRE
HILL STREET BLUES
MIAMI VICE
QUANTUM LEAP
THREE’S COMPANY
STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION
WEREWOLF (Starred the great Chuck Connors, this short lived series was great!)
ROBIN OF SHERWOOD (Best interpretation of Robin Hood ever!)
1990s
ER
FAMILY MATTERS
FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR
THE SIMPSONS
MARRIED WITH CHILDREN
MARTIN
SEINFELD
WINGS
STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE
BABYLON 5
X-FILES
HOMICIDE
NYPD BLUE
BUFFY
2000s
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
SPOOKS
BREAKING BAD
HUSTLE
TOP GEAR
TORCHWOOD
DOCTOR WHO (The Dave Tennant Years)
THE WIRE
FIREFLY
THE VENTURE BROTHERS
JUSTICE LEAGUE
2010s (There was a while in the 2000s where after the writer’s strike everyone was signaling the death nell of scripted television, as channels ramped up their reality tv programming. Thankfully the 2010s sees scripted television not only alive and well, but thriving on an unprecedented level. The rise of streaming TV has created an unprecedented production of shows to fill the VOD demand.Â
With Streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu becoming world class producers of content, the 2010s sees not only the quantity of Television options at the highest it has ever been in the history of the world (with exoosure to the best TV shows of other nations), but the quality of the programming exponentially better. 2010s is a golden age of TV.
HEMLOCK GROVE
BATES MOTEL
PENNY DREADFUL
ROME
SPARTACUS
BLACK MIRROR
AMERICAN HORROR STORY
HOUSE OF CARDS
DAREDEVIL
RIPPER STREET
LUKE CAGE
JESSICA JONES
SUPERNATURAL
GREEN ARROW
IZOMBIE
ELEMENTARY
THE FLASH
THE GOOD WIFE
LONGMEYER
WALLANDER
THE AMERICANS
LEGION
LUTHER
BADLANDS
ALPHAS
COSMOS
BEING HUMAN BBC 1ST 3 SEASONS ONLY
TEEN WOLF
BLACKLIST
STRANGER THINGS
TOPGEAR BBC ONLY
NARCOS
THE 100
MARCO POLO
GLITCH
SHERLOCK
RECTIFY
HAWAII FIVE-O
LEVERAGE
THE CLONE WARS
ZOO
HELL ON WHEELS
AGENTS OF SHIELD
ASCENSION
CRIMINAL MINDS
TRANSPORTER
BURN NOTICE
HATFIELDS & MCCOYS
BROADCHIRCH
HELIX
INSPECTOR POIROT
JACK TAYLOR
HINTERLAND
THE MAGICIANS
LIFE
YOUNG JUSTICE
DOLLHOUSE
BEING MARY JANE
PERSON OF INTEREST
FRONTIER
THE MESSENGERS
ALMIGHTY JOHNSONS
DARK MATTER
MARSEILLE
THE CLEVELAND SHOW
BOONDOCKS
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES -Nickelodeon
Heroic Times 