TV and film recommendations

Sal

2025 has been a very hard year in the real world for so many of us. Let’s share some film and TV recommendations:

Series

Slow Horses - English thriller. We loved it. Great acting and cast. And theme.
Dept Q - as above but set in Scotland. Not an easy watch but very gripping.
The Great British Bake off and the Great British Sewing Bee - gentle escapism - of the best kind
After the Party - I watched this a while ago but it is streaming internationally now. NZ drama. Very real and confronting.

Film
Tina - NZ film set in a school about a choir. Emotional and heart warming but I cried.
My Brothers Band - French film festival - a most enjoyable drama.
Conclave - thriller about the election of a new Pope - this was stunningly filmed. Really good.
A complete unknown- biopic about Bob Dylan . Thought this was most enjoyable with wonderful performances.

Not sure what to see next - I tried the Four Seasons and it didn’t quite appeal.

5 months ago

Off Topic

31 replies

Latest reply was from Runcarla

LJP

Veteran

Currently watching Dept Q and Your Friends and Neighbors. Love both. Eagerly waiting for Season 5 of Slow Horses!

There's a new movie on some streaming service or another called Echo Valley starring Julianne Moore that is on my radar.

Husband is trying to get us into Mobland but the first episode left me disinterested. I have Helen Mirren fatigue after 2 long seasons of 1923 and need a break from her , lol. I agreed to try it again as it's getting rave reviews. He also pitched A Complete Unknown but I'm not a big Dylan fan and was not feeling it. I'd like to see Conclave one of these days.

NHL playoffs took a LOT of time, lol , so the tv hasn't been on for much other than that recently.

eta to include Severance. I was obsessed with that show. SO good.

5 months ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Nice, Sal!

Seen all of all Slow Horses. Gary Oldman is brilliant as always. Although he and his clothes need a nice long soak and scrub

Ralph Fiennes is awesome in everything! Seen Conclave - and A Complete Unknown. Thought Anora was better, actually! Recommend that. Strong female lead. LOVE that!

I recommend these recently watched shows and have completed all seasons so far:

All Creatures Great and Small (ALL true stories)

Silo (though provoking and fab female lead)

Hacks (extremely good dialogue with two incredible female leads)

Cobra Kai ('80s Nostalgia and I love karate)

Severance (bizarre!)

Shogun (exquisite and another amazing female lead)

House of Dragon (If you're a GOTs fan)

The Bear started off GREAT - but the last season was poor.

Yellowstone is worth watching too. Kevin Costner is outstanding in the show.

5 months ago

Runcarla

Veteran

Late to the ‘Ted Lasso’ party, but it was the perfect thing to start watching at the beginning of the year. News is there will be a new season or spin-off involving a women’s soccer team!

I watched some Monty Don garden shows until I could get out in my own. Haven’t watched much TV otherwise.

Another Downton Abbey movie is coming out in September, and I’ve saved the date for that. Love the fashions/costuming and Julian Fellowes is good for an escapist storyline.

DH has been watching ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ and I’ve peeked in on a few episodes, but I’m not hooked.

5 months ago

Laurie

Veteran

Just finished Department Q - found it pretty violent and very disturbing, but well done. Also a fan of Slow Horses.

"Friends & Neighbors" on Apple TV with Jon Hamm was good.

Watched a cute movie the other night on Netflix or Prime - "Buffaloed", categorized as a "crime comedy".

After I plowed through "Suits" as my show to regularly watch while waiting for my husband to come watch some other show that he greatly preferred, I found "Younger", which has been consistently cute and surprisingly good. Will need something else soon as have almost reached the end of 7 seasons.

5 months ago

RobinF

Veteran

We have seen Department Q and Slow Horses and enjoyed them. We tend to like that type of drama series. Right now watching a similar one called The Survivors. So far I like it but we are only a few episodes in.

Agree Angie, Hacks is really great and we also liked Somebody Somewhere. I liked Ted Lasso, DH not as much. Liked The Bear too but so much yelling! Ugh.

Has anyone else watched the series' Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year? We love these. So much talent.

5 months ago

Helena

Veteran

I recently watched North of North and I LOVED it. Not sure if it's available on Netflix outside Canada but worth looking for ... it's a dramedy about an Inuk young woman in Nunavut navigating some life changes. Highly recommend - heartfelt, funny and such a cool setting.

5 months ago

Sal

Veteran

I have been considering Severance - Jon and Hamish watched it when I was away...

I did enjoy Friends and Neighbours - nice subversive plot - and Jon Hamm who is always good to watch in every sense of the word.....

We have Netflix and Apple - plus free to air. We do not have Amazon Prime, Disney or Neon (which means no White Lotus Season 3 as yet for me)

I watched Season 1 of The Bear. It was good but I didn't go back for other seasons.

5 months ago

pil

Veteran

Resident Alien. An alien (surprise!) sent to destroy earth crash lands near a small Colorado town and takes on the identity of the first person he encounters. The writing is so good and the main character’s mannerisms and inappropriate nature are so funny. Season four just started but I am rewatching prior seasons to refresh my memory.

.https://www.pastemagazine.com/.....n-season-4

5 months ago

kkards

Veteran

Not watching a lot of long form TV or films.

But I’m loving the NYTimes cooking/ food shows on YouTube. Especially love when they visit food places -real people doing real jobs, so much joy and love in each episode

Listening to a lot of audio books, if this is your thing, the Vera Wong series( Jesse Q Sutano is the author) is fun and a great listen. And I’ve been listening to the Bridgerton series

5 months ago

DonnaF

Veteran

For those who liked A Complete Unknown I highly recommend Martin Scorsese’s No Direction Home; it’s even better. I found the DVDs at my library. The biopic has the real Bob Dylan and the real Joan Baez.

But for wardrobe you can’t beat the series Elsbeth on network tv. Her colorful outfits make FarmRio look funereal and she wears a different coat almost every week not to mention her dozens of tote bags.

5 months ago

Runcarla

Veteran

I’m with you kkards regarding audio books! I’ve decided to finish some quilting UFO’s (unfinished objects) and have really enjoyed working while listening to the audio. Discovered M.C. Beaton (Marion Cheney) who has a huge repertoire. The ‘Poor Relations Hotel’ series had me laughing out loud!

5 months ago

JAileen

Veteran

Carla, I didn’t want to mention it because it’s so old (1995!) but we’ve started watching Hamish Macbeth, loosely based on M.C. Beaton’s books. Apparently it’s very loosely based, which annoyed some reviewers. Since I haven’t read the books, the show is pretty enjoyable. It’s taking awhile to cut through the accent, though.

5 months ago

cat2

Veteran

Fun thread. We are enjoying Duster, set in the 70s with a strong female lead and awesome 70s vibe.

We also did some older series: The Thaw (Polish mystery series), and two set in Ireland: Acceptable Risk and The Vanishing Triangle. I can do English and Irish accents but for some reason Scottish wrecks my brain.

Our movies tend to be really old selections; we tend to watch them at the cabin from old DVDs borrowed from the teeny town library. We’ve been making our way through a lot of things we missed at the time. It’s a surprisingly good collection: someone in the area worked in Hollywood and donated review copies of Oscar nominees.

5 months ago

Staysfit

Veteran

I watched Dept Q and liked it. I just finished Ginny and Georgia…it could be disturbing for some because it is dark but it’s a great portrayal of character pathology and family trauma dynamics.

5 months ago

Style Fan

Veteran

We are huge Bob Dylan fans. He may be one of our favourite artists. We have seen No Direction Home. Excellent. We went to A Complete Unknown. Twice. May go again. We went with some friends who are also Dylan fans. They also loved it and have gone twice.

I haven't seen Conclave yet, but it is on my list.

We did see Perfect Days. It is a Japanese film. Excellent. Fantastic acting with amazing music. The story is inspiring.

5 months ago

Kyle

Veteran

Perhaps you would enjoy “Jury Duty” for something fun and funny. “Based on a True Story” is also funny and pure escapism.

We truly enjoyed “The Americans” with Kerri Russell. It’s a great spy story. “Mob land” is very entertaining with standout performances from Pierce Brosnan and Tom Hardy.

5 months ago

Brooklyn

Veteran

We are watching Department Q now. It’s excellent. Very Scandi noir meets British police drama.

I liked Slow Horses but found the plot increasingly hard to believe. The conspiracy elements of the story are almost silly. But the great cast, interesting characters and dialogue save it.

Adolescence is brilliant, chilling and poignant.

Criminal: UK, if you like police procedural dramas like In the Line of Duty (which is great). The British do interrogation scenes so well.

Bosch and Bosch Legacy: US police procedural dramas. Gritty, suspenseful.

The Bear: fly on the wall show about a person starting a restaurant while falling apart. I loved it. Very original, moving and beautifully acted. But slow. Not for those who prefer action.

The Marvellous Mrs Maisel: feel good TV from the makers of the Gilmore Girls. Funny, warm, original, inspiring, brilliant. Eventually I think I will watch it all again.

Stranger Things: fast paced story about young people investigating a malevolent, supernatural presence in a small town. Nostalgic feel, a bit like ET or the Famous Five but much better.

Giri/Haji: dark, brooding British/Japanese police drama with a kind of fantasy twist. Hard to explain. I just love Kelly Macdonald.

The Diplomat: fast paced, interesting (if a little far fetched) drama about diplomatic relations between the US and the UK. Talky. A bit West Wing but with more action. I’m a fan of Keri Russell (loved The Americans) and I love her character in this show.

Fargo (comedy drama series). The latest series with John Hamm is particularly good.

Greyhound (Tom Hanks movie). Excellent show about wartime dual between allied ships and German U-boats. Fast paced.

We started but abandoned Black Doves (too heartless and unbelievable for me). Sophisticated thriller with some black comedy elements. If you like Guy Ritchie movies you might like it.

I am looking forward to watching Etoile: the latest project from the Gilmore Girls writers soon.

5 months ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I talked my husband, who is a huge Dylan fan, into seeing “A Complete Unknown” and we both loved it. Cried a couple of times. Way better than we expected.

“Severance” is still my standout show of the past few years. So weird and brilliant. Visually striking and the performances are so good. Walken and Turtoro are the icing on the cake.

TV I’ve especially appreciated:

Slow Horses
Your Friends and Neighbors
Somebody Somewhere
Andor (the absolute best of the whole Star Wars franchise IMHO, and so currently relevant)
The Pitt (very intense but so well done! Medical drama that’s actually much truer to life than most)
Shrinking
Reservation Dogs
Atypical
The White Lotus
The Bear

Movies:
Will & Harper
Sinners
Conclave

I’ve been a bit more into series than movies lately. Couldn’t get into Anora, despite the love so many people have for it.

5 months ago

Star (Lise)

Veteran

New movie with Julianne Moore 'Echo Valley', harrowing but very good.

5 months ago

doggeh lover

Active Member

We are absolutely hooked on 3 series on Paramount Plus (which is an amazing $12.00 per month for a year in the US and that includes Showtime) The series are 10 episodes per season. PLEEZ watch from beginning episode to get the full picture

Tulsa King stars Sylvester Stallone (Rocky) as a mob boss released from prison after 25 years, banished to Oklahoma from NYC to set up shop there and finds life on the outside a lil different now. 2 seasons available, new season supposedly beginning in September

Mayor of Kingstown (not a political position) stars Jeremy Renner (enough said, lol) it is set in a town where the prison is the main employer and he tries (and often fails) to keep peace between the gangs and people on the outside they're connected to while dealing with new crime bosses trying to move in. It took us a few episodes to get into it, but WOW! 3 seasons available- new one reportedly in October

Landman stars Billy Bob Thornton as the foreman in a Texas oil field, trying to keep things calm, made more difficult by his ex-wife, his newbie son joining the team, others vying for his job and the cartel getting drugs thru their area. Also stars Jon Hamm, features Demi Moore too. 1 season available, new episodes may be available in November

Hope you enjoy them if you watch

5 months ago

Sal

Veteran

Thanks all for the recommendations.

I second Line of Duty (loved it), The Diplomat (such a fun glossy political thriller) and I did like Black Doves (but did not believe it).

I am a bit scared to try Adolescence.

We get rid of Apple TV this week and will likely not get a new streaming service until after our US trip as we have Sky Sport and Jon will be flat out watching Tour de France and Wimbledon.....

5 months ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Adolescence is a heavy watch. Well done but definitely recommend making sure you are in a headspace to go into it.

Doggeh lover, I really liked Mayor of Kingstown! I like Jeremy Renner. I have not yet watched the most recent season — I’ll have to pick that one back up.

I haven’t checked out Landman yet either. I liked BBT in Goliath.

5 months ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Back to say that sometimes I just need a light and funny palate cleanser after watching one of the dramas I so enjoy. Because trust me, it’s really hard to get through bingeing two or more episodes of The Pitt, as good as it is. That’s when I find myself watching some Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place, Ted Lasso…

5 months ago

Sal

Veteran

I want to see The Pitt- as an OG ER fan it is very appealing. But I think it’s on Amazon which we don’t have. And right now I am trying not to spend any money with Amazon - have succeeded except for one kindle purchase in six months.

And I agree that sometimes light is best. I should try Brooklyn 99- another show my family watched years ago without me.

5 months ago

doggeh lover

Active Member

Thanks, Sal! Glad to see another Renner fan Did you know he's also a great singer? Many fans don't. He also writes almost all of his songs too. Hope you do catch season 3, it's very gripping...I'm just finishing his audiobook 'My Next Breath' about his nearly fatal accident where he got run over by his own 14,000 lb snowplow just 2.5 years ago. Dr's had told him he'd never walk again, and if he did it would be a crab-like gait. Amazing recovery, went from wheelchair to walker to cane to *nothing* Really changed his perspective on life...

5 months ago

pil

Veteran

If you’re looking for laughs, I loved Boomers. It’s a British show - about baby boomers - that is on Prime. I was pretty sad after losing one of my pugs and Boomers had me laughing out loud.
Detroiters is also funny - in a ridiculous way. I see it as basically a love letter to Detroit.

5 months ago

Laurie

Veteran

Just watched "Black Bird" on Apple -- heavy. True story. The actor who plays the serial killer won an Emmy and a few other rewards for the role.

I am one episode away from ending the five seasons of "Younger" so am in the market for another lightweight, watch-while-cooking multiple season show!

I really, really want to see "The Pitt" (set and filmed (partially) in Pittsburgh) but am resisting adding another $16.00 USD a month to the ever-growing subscription list. Need to drop something first - like clothes, one in one out?!

3 months ago

judy

Veteran

Recently enjoyed these films, all streaming:

The Ballad of Wallis Island (Carey Mulligan)

The Last Showgirl (Pamela Anderson)

My Friend (Bill Murray, Naomi Watts, and a gorgeous Great Dane)

Also been into watching the US Open. Amazing !

3 months ago

DonnaF

Veteran

KPop Demon Hunters is a fun palate cleanser even if you don't have teens or tweens and need something lighter after watching Adolescence or Social Studies. Catchy tunes. I understand Sony Entertainment sold ALL rights to Netflix for $20 million. Biggest mistake of the century unless they can recoup something from sequels.

DH, who could be mistaken for an unhoused person, likes Project Runway. So many seasons; so much drama. Better than those dating reality shows that DD watches.

3 months ago

Category