TV Show Recommendations – Now And Coming Soon

In today’s post, I have assembled some TV shows for you to ponder. There’s a selection of quality TV drama as well as documentaries, a voyage of music discovery along with some terrifying true crime, which is my thing, for some strange reason. So, there’s a lot to cover. I’ll begin with some nostalgia.

And Just Like that….It’s all over! (available on Now,Apple+ Streaming Service and Sky)

Like most devotees of SATC, I was unimpressed with the first two series. I persevered to the third, hoping for some rose coloured nostalgia.

Throughout AJLT, I felt the storylines were quite weak and uninteresting, and the original characters had lost their oomph. There was little evidence of their younger, feisty selves.  Maybe it wasn’t possible to transfer the glamour, fun and carefree spirit of SATC to the present day. I was secretly hoping for that. Could the missing cog in the wheel be the absence of Samantha Jones?

Midlife brings with it a certainty, and an intolerance to the rubbish that we experienced when we were younger. I didn’t experience this assuredness, here. Instead, there were comedic moments we laughed at certain characters, rather than laughing with them. This made me reach for the remote to fast-forward.

Towards the end of the series, I felt it was just beginning to pick up, especially with the departure of Aiden and Wyaaaat! I was puzzled as Aiden returned to AJLT – transformed from his easy-going, good-natured self in SATC to an annoying, uptight version of himself. Did the scriptwriters forget who he was?

Anthony was another casualty. In the third series, he seemed to be demoted to a side role. I always looked forward to his barbed, street smart, naughty take on events, usually hilarious. Instead, he seemed to be silenced to a milder version of himself. What a disappointment.  Then, we had a few unnecessary woke injections – such as the sex scenes between Miranda and Che. I felt they simply didn’t work, and I’m no prude.

When they announced the show had been cancelled, I was surprised, but not shocked. We were turning off in our droves – and it’s all about the ratings. It looked like the cast didn’t have much forewarning, either. But for all of the disappointments, I will still miss Carrie and Co. and wish this series had worked out.

If they have another roll of the dice, my request to the script writers would be to show the old and new cast members in a more interesting, relatable way. Oh, and less slapstick!

Our personalities don’t change as we age. Instead, we’ve got all this life experience under our belts, making us more self-assured, opinionated, and, hopefully, interesting. We are certainly “Not Dead Yet”! – as the saying goes.

Documentaries

Billy Joel – And So It Goes TV Mini-series – Available to watch on HBO or Amazon prime

While settling down to watch the first episode, I quickly switched off, realising this was a special story to be shared with P, my husband, who is also a musician.

I/we were hooked from the beginning by BJ’s self-deprecating personality and candour. I soon realised I knew little about him apart from a few of his hits and who he had been married to (Christie Brinkley).

We go on a voyage of discovery, covering his relationships, brushes with death, mammoth success, crushing lows and his bumpy ride with mega celebrity.

His ability to write the most amazing songs, along with his genius on the piano, is the mainstay of this documentary. I enjoyed every twist and turn. I got quite emotional, at times, especially when he expressed his struggles through his music, and when describing the lyrics to “Piano Man”. He jokes that, “the audience singing the song takes over for him, now”. This song is one of his more honest works about his struggle to find success. What a super talent he is.

Sadly, it’s recently been announced that Billy Joel has had to cancel all of his upcoming touring concert dates, this summer, following a recent diagnosis of the brain disorder Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). We all wish him well.

The Beach Boys – Available to watch on Disney+

I probably enjoyed this documentary, more, because I am not a die-hard fan and knew little about the individual band members. And, though the darkness and troubling times surrounding the group are well documented, I was interested to find out more.

We learn about the drama and tensions which had such a negative impact on the group as they progressed on their journey to success. But, the documentary makers cleverly prioritised their music and centred on the impact and success it had, at the time, all over the world. Since then, it has continued to reach new generations…. Will those pitch-perfect harmonies ever be matched?

This is for any music fans who want to learn more about the magical music the Beach Boys created and where it originated. My two favourite songs are “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t it be Nice”. Their amazing music makes me want to visit California, be a hippy chick and surf the waves – that would be nice!

Twiggy – Documentary by Sadie Frost – Available to watch on the BBC iplayer (free).

Following a lot of searches over the past months for this documentary, I was so pleased to discover it showing on BBC iPlayer.

It is about the 60’s fashion icon, Twiggy, whose real name is Lesley Hornby, from Neasden, London.

Twiggy shot to fame in the swinging sixties and went on to become a global sensation. At fifteen, she was the first supermodel. And, we, who have watched Twiggy throughout the years, know she is no diva. She still comes across as “down-to-earth” with a good sense of humour and with the most wicked laugh. A hardworking girl who grabbed every opportunity and ran with it.

Throughout the documentary, we see her inner strength and how it helped her when making decisions. This ranged from dealing with her opportunistic manager, breaking into America, and achieving worldwide celebrity status, all before turning 18!

I enjoyed hearing about her overnight stay at her friend’s house – Linda McCartney. In the morning, she and her husband, Leigh Lawson, wandered down to the kitchen where Paul McCartney was preparing breakfast. And, then, nonchalantly, he picked up an acoustic guitar and sang, “Blackbird” to them. What a treat. There is much more to this documentary, the sadness as well as the success. I loved it from start to finish.

More Documentaries To Watch

Victoria Beckham – Netflix Docuseries (3 parts). Released October 9th

If this is anything like David Beckham’s docuseries, I will enjoy it, because I found the latter candid and entertaining. I have always followed VB’s fashion lines. I’m influenced by her style. Though I can’t afford to buy her clothing, I copy with cheaper versions.

The docuseries features the perspectives of her journey into fashion by the likes of Tom Ford and Anna Wintour. And, we also get an insight into Victoria’s life. I have read both Melanie Chisholm’s and Mel B’s autobiographies, and they both say that Victoria is very funny with a great sense of humour, which we saw a glimpse of in her husband’s series. I can’t wait to watch it.

IN Vogue – Six Part Series Available on Disney+

We are being spoilt for choice regarding the fashion documentaries on offer, at the moment. As I love nostalgia, I’m really looking forward to this series, which walks us through the heady world of high fashion in the 90s and the culture surrounding it.

We view it through the eyes of the Vogue editors, designers and some celebrities. I’m curious to see if Anna Wintour is as terrifying as she is rumoured to be in The Devil Wears Prada. We also see the rise of the supermodels, “grunge” and glamour, Cool Britannia and hip-hop.

AKA Charlie Sheen – Netflix

Both of my boys are huge fans of “Two and a Half Men”. I have seen CS in a few films throughout the years and there’s no denying his talent. Here, he talks, honestly, about his addictions and the choices he made, laying no blame on others or the situations he found himself in. He comes across as being totally loved by those whom he has hurt multiple times.

This is an entertaining documentary. He is a charmer and quickly learned how to party, and it obviously got out of hand. I thought he was lucky to have the family and wealth he has.

Ozzy Osbourne – No Escape From Now – Available to watch on Paramount +

Both my husband, P, and I have read Ozzy’s honest, entertaining and funny autobiography. P also saw Black Sabbath play at the City Hall, Newcastle, back in his youth. So we were very sad to hear of his passing. I’m looking forward to watching this documentary of his last few years. R.I.P. Ozzy!

TV Series

The Gold – TV Series – available on BBC iplayer (2 series – 6 episodes each)

This series has an excellent script and a stellar cast. It is loosely based on the Brink-Mat robbery of 1983, where £26 million worth of gold bullion was stolen, (how much would that be worth today?).

The first series follows the complex criminal police investigations following the heist, which sparked large-scale international money laundering. It follows six well-known criminals and a network of villains, some small-time, others big-time. There are names such as Kenneth Noye, who I have heard of throughout the years for other crimes, which sparked my interest in the nitty-gritty of this story, more.

Series 2 begins with an interesting premise: what exactly happened to the rest of the gold?  We are now in the 1990s and follow the various robbers, followed closely by the police, who were determined to bring the main villains to justice. This is great quality British drama, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

The Hack Available on ITV X

This series examines two real-life stories – the work of Nick Davies, a journalist who uncovered evidence of phone hacking at the News of the World, as well as the investigation into the murder of Daniel Morgan, a private investigator.

I have just started the series, so it’s too early to give an honest review.

I’m hoping this series reflects the destruction to people’s lives that hacking into their personal phones did. I can’t understand how they (Fleet Street and their ilk) thought this was a good idea

Cold Water – Six Part Series ITV X

This drama stars Ewan Bremner (Trainspotting) and Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead).

It tells the story of John and his family who move to a rural town and befriend an enigmatic neighbour, Tommy, who hides dark secrets. John’s fascination with Tommy grows as his wife, Fiona becomes suspicious of him and his family. This leads to the dangerous unravelling of hidden truths and repressed anger. I would describe this as a dark comedy, full of secrets and lies. Worth a watch, but I didn’t find it top-notch.

Black Rabbit Netflix

Story is …..When the owner of a New York City hotspot allows his turbulent brother back in his life, he opens the door to escalating dangers that threaten to bring down everything he’s built…..IMDB

Just finished this, and what a rollercoaster of a series. I am a huge fan of Ozark. And I was attracted initially by the inclusion of Jason Bateman and Laura Linney (director). I was hoping for the same calibre. Definitely worth a watch, though not 10/10.

Reality TV

London Housewives – Available on Hayu

I have watched both the New York and Beverley Hills Housewives from the beginning and thoroughly enjoyed their antics. So, I was curious to give this franchise a try. Where do I begin, to express my thoughts about the women who are centre stage, here? Apart from from saying, I don’t know any women like them….and if I did, I would run! If you are still curious, give it a try as it’s only a few episodes in.

The Beverley Hills Housewives – Season 15 – Bravo TV – Release date to be announced

The show’s production has just recently wrapped filming, and Bravo has not released a trailer or an official release date yet.

True Crime

Ken and Barbie Killers: The Lost Murder Tapes – Apple TV+

This documentary is about a glamorous young couple, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.

They fall in love and marry, but, then they become the most notorious killers in Canadian history after murdering three schoolgirls”.

One criticism is that they could have halved this documentary’s time. I found that a lot of facts were repeated or drawn out.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story – Netflix

This is the third season of the American biographical crime drama anthology series.

Monster was created by Ian Brennan. The season focuses on convicted murderer, grave robber, and suspected serial killer, Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam). IMDB. I must confess that I’m a little bit nervous watching this.  Real Heebeegeebeez Stuff!

And on a Lighter Note!

Aha!  He’s back….Alan Partridge, in a new series.  “How are You?” 

I can’t wait to see what he has been up to.  I read a line the other day.  Alan is back where he belongs: at rock bottom. Now, if this were meant for anyone else, it wouldn’t be funny, but Alan’s narcissism, arrogance, and pettiness never falters, and all these factors make it hard for us to feel sorry for him.  I’m looking forward to giving this a watch.

And, if you are still with me, that is it for the moment. As you can see, we get through a lot of television programmes at Midlife Towers. I hope you have found something to tickle your TV taste buds. We are entering into the time to curl up in our cosies with a cornetto – which I love….Enjoy!