It’s “What have you been watching?”, my chance to tell you what movies and TV I’ve been watching recently that I haven’t already reviewed and your chance to recommend things to everyone else (and me) in case I’ve missed them.
The usual “TMINE recommends” page features links to reviews of all the shows I’ve ever recommended, and there’s also the Reviews A-Z, for when you want to check more or less anything I’ve reviewed ever. And if you want to know when any of these shows are on in your area, there’s Locate TV – they’ll even email you a weekly schedule.
It’s actually Saturday evening and I’m writing this
- To make sure you’ve all got something to read (if you want) on Monday, when I’m away
- Because I had a bit too much work to do on Friday, when I should have written this
So that means I haven’t seen this week’s episodes of The Bridge. Otherwise, though, I’m up-to-date with both the new and old shows that are generous enough to air only an episode a week. I’m now about four episodes into The Man In The High Castle, which is fine but stringing things out a bit and – odd accusation though this may seem – painting the Nazis out as more evil than they were, yet missing out on some of their greater evils. I’m also about 10 minutes into Kung Fu Killer, as GYAD recommended (turns out Netflix did have it, as well as Ip Man 2), but I’ll hold off commenting on that until I’ve seen the whole thing (interesting so far, though).
Elsewhere, I’ve already reviewed Telenovela (US: NBC) and previewed The Expanse (US: Syfy), so after the jump, a look at the latest episodes of Arrow, Ash vs Evil Dead, Bron/Broen (The Bridge), Doctor Who, The Flash, Legends, Supergirl and You’re The Worst.
Shows I’m watching but not recommending
Ash vs Evil Dead (US: Starz; UK: Virgin On Demand)
1×6 – The Killer of Killers – 1×7 – Fire In the Hole
Probably most notable for some nudey Lucy Lawless, if that’s your thing. Also, Brucie’s sidekicks are starting to become moderately interesting, but not very interesting. The half-hour format is also starting to fill a little constricting, with stories ending just as they get good. But some enjoyable splatter-comedy, all the same.
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: First episode; third episode
Legends (US: TNT; UK: Sky1)
2×5 – The Legend of Terrence Graves
Giving us some fun flashbacks to the 70s, this time with Sean Bean’s old handler, there are shocks aplenty and the series is now deciding on the format it’s going to take for the rest of the season, which should prove interesting. It does feel a little like the show doesn’t know exactly what should be driving the action forward, but despite that slight listlessness, a very credible little show that’s now easily the second best thing TNT has had to offer in the past decade (The Last Ship being the first)
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: 2×1-2×2
Supergirl (US: CBS; UK: Sky1)
1×7 – Human For A Day
Yet again, I called it, with Kara losing her powers after nu52 solar-flaring it last week. But Supergirl is now reaching the point where despite its residual cheesiness, it’s becoming a credible superhero show with decent special effects and plotting. The reveal of Hank’s deep dark secret was top, and I didn’t see it coming, which was nice. Shame the Tony Award-winning Laura Benanti’s forgotten how to act for some reason.
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: First episode; third episode
The recommended list
Arrow (US: The CW; UK: Sky1)
4×9 – Dark Waters
A slightly anti-climatic mid-season finale, with all kinds of not especially perilous matters taking place. The show’s also clearly realising that John Barrowman is too cheesy to take seriously and so is now mocking him continuously. What this episode also highlights is the peril of the crossover episode, if you’re not prepared to follow though. This week we had Felicity off missing, so who could possibly help out with this big computer problem? How how about Sisco, who you’re bestest pals with and who was only in Star City last week? Could you not at least call him? He can hack confidential databases and correlate results from inside the back of a moving van with no WiFi (cf this week’s The Flash).
When’s it airing near me?
Reviews: First episode; third episode
The Bridge (Bron/Broen) (Sweden: SVT1; Denmark: DK1; UK: BBC4)
3×5-3×6
The show appears to be going in one of two directions (I guess the fact you can’t tell at this stage is half the point): either new boss lady is going to get rid of Saga because she doesn’t like her Aspie ways or Saga is going to have to learn how to deal with other people. I’m assuming the second, since the show’s a little unrealistic (in lots of ways but particularly) in having someone quite so Aspie working as a police detective, a role that needs some good people skills. I didn’t quite guess that Danish guy was Sixth Sensing, which was a nice touch that differentiated him from Martin very simply. I nearly laughed when Saga immediately recognised the brands as “the Babylonian number system”, before remembering that I’d just thought to myself “Hmm, that looks like cuneiform, doesn’t it? I wonder what it is.”
Loving it, basically.
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: First episode
Doctor Who (UK: BBC; US: BBC America)
9×12 – Hell Bent
Another great big fun episode, with some top individual moments (the default TARDIS interior, the switch and bait over who had forgotten whom, the fact that Clara, having metaphorically become the Doctor last season, almost literally becomes the Doctor here, becoming immortal and running away from the Time Lords with a seemingly school-age girl in a stolen TARDIS with a stuck chameleon circuit). But also an episode where not a lot made much sense and that hung together purely because Stevie said it did. Also, having built up the question of how to get Gallifrey back, the nature of the hybrid, and a dozen other things that all could have been very exciting, it’s typical of Stevie to ignore all of them in favour of some intricate bit of nerdery instead.
All in all, a reasonably good season, with at least one truly memorable episode (Heaven Sent) and one with a truly memorable Capaldi moment (Zygion Inversion), but one where Stevie’s worst fanboy instincts got them better of him.
Where can I watch it?
The Flash (US: The CW; UK: Sky 1)
2×11 – Running To Stand Still
Lots of big soapy revelations that should also appeal to Flash fanboys (look everyone – it’s Wally West!), but nothing truly exciting and the big reveal at the end probably came as a surprise to no one who had been paying attention for the rest of the season.
When’s it airing near me?
Reviews: First episode; third episode
You’re The Worst (US: FXX)
2×13 – The Heart is a Dumb Dumb
A lovely end to a lovely season that like the previous episode left me with a little tear in my eye. Despite the title, the show has been cleverly showing that Jimmy and Gretchen are pretty terrible on many levels but are ultimately not the worst and are not only actually very sweet together, but are making each other nicer people. It was also good to see Aya Cash getting something to do after weeks of literally doing virtually nothing (for a reason, of course). All in all, an excellent second season, but I’m hoping the third season gives the couple something to do apart from gazing at both each other’s navels and the navels of their nearby friends, because it’s getting a bit claustrophobic.
When’s it airing near me?
Review: First episode
