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.
Well, I’ve culled and the fact I’ve culled means that alles in Ordnung now. If I hadn’t been doing some last minute editing of articles for the Financial Times yesterday (ook, hark at me), WHYBW would have been with you then. Now it’s today, so that means I’ve been able to slip a couple more shows into my viewing schedule.
This week I’ve already passed third-episode verdicts on:
- Billions (US: Showtime; UK: Sky Atlantic)
- The X-Files (US: Fox; UK: Channel 5)
- The Magicians (US: Syfy)
- Angie Tribeca (US: TBS)
But I’ll be saving my third-episode verdicts on Stan Lee’s Lucky Man (UK: Sky1) and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (US: The CW; UK: Sky1) until Monday. That means that after the jump you can see what I thought of the latest episodes of American Crime, Arrow, The Flash, Lucifer, Man Seeking Woman, Marvel’s Agent Carter, Okkupert (Occupied), Second Chance, Supergirl and The Shannara Chronicles. This week’s theme? Relationships with fathers. Can you guess which shows feature them? Other than Lucifer, obvs?
I might watch the latest 100 Code tonight. Or I might watch Sicario instead. The latter seems a better a choice. Anyone got any better suggestions?
I’d let you know what I thought of Guy Ritchie’s movie version of The Man From UNCLE, but we only watched 10 minutes of it last night before my wife fell to sleep, which is probably not a good enough sample of it to pass a fair judgement. And to be fair, we both thought it wasn’t bad. Not proper Man From UNCLE and quite silly, too, but interesting in its own right so far, particularly the take on Napoleon Solo, and a good recreation of Berlin and Checkpoint Charlie.
Shows I’m watching but not recommending
Lucifer (US: Fox; UK: Amazon Instant Video)
1×2 – Lucifer, Stay. Good Devil
Well, if you thought Tom Ellis was going over the top in the pilot to the peak of his ability, you were clearly wrong. In episode two, we have a man confident that he’s the best thing about not just a pilot but a whole TV season and all he has to do to maintain that is to have a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the script itself is a little disappointing, giving the two heroes (?) a moderately dull crime to investigate. But the show does remember that it’s dealing with the Devil himself and rather than settle into simple procedural, gives us more than a few things to chew on along the way.
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: First episode
Okkupert (Occupied) (Norway: TV2; UK: Sky Arts)
1×4 – July
The fight back begins and Norway’s Jack Bauer is leading the charge… to quell it. Huh. Didn’t see that coming. But a lot more exciting than the previous two episodes.
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: First episode
Second Chance (US: Fox)
1×4 – Admissions
Format now settled, Second Chance has becoming a moderately engrossing procedural combined with an amiable father-son reconciliation show. A decent enough twist to the central mystery, albeit one that’s become a bit old-hand in the past year (cf Mr Robot, Bron/Broen (The Bridge)), too, and it’s nice to see Tim DeKay getting a chance to do some proper acting for a change. But it’s not exactly edgy, is it?
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: First episode
Supergirl (US: CBS; UK: Sky1)
1×13 – Bizarro
After getting bored last week of dealing with Supergirl, this week the writers decided they’d rather be writing Superman so got Lex Luthor Maxwell Lord to create Bizarro Superman Supergirl. That’s worth four drinks in TMINE’s “Superman/Supergirl drinking game”, I reckon. A decent enough retelling within the parameters of Supergirl but largely inconsequential and powerless, though. Next week, the writers nick Alan Moore’s classic Superman story For The Man Who Has Everything to give us For The Girl Who Has Everything, which also features Superman. You’ll be hammered by the end of that one, I reckon.
Where can I watch it?
Reviews: First episode; third episode
The recommended list
American Crime (US: ABC)
2×5
Wheels turn, everyone doubles down, shit happens. A slight filler episode, but an important one emotionally, particularly for surrogate-dad-to-his-team and actual-dad-to-his-daughter Timothy Sutton.
When’s it airing near me?
Review: First episode; third episode
Arrow (US: The CW; UK: Sky1)
4×11 – Unchained
More returning characters than you can shake a stick at, including someone’s dad, as well as another exciting new relationship with a father for everyone to deal with. Fun, but the show feels like it’s starting to run out of steam a bit. And mothers.
When’s it airing near me?
Reviews: First episode; third episode
The Flash (US: The CW; UK: Sky 1)
2×12 – Fast Lane
In which everyone’s upset by proxy dad/actual dad Harrison Wells’ fatherly and unfatherly behaviour, Joe West gets all fatherly with his son and no one cares about the somewhat rubbish metahuman of the week. But enough good moments that it’s not a complete waste of time.
When’s it airing near me?
Reviews: First episode; third episode
Man Seeking Woman (US: FXX)
2×5 – Card
After last week’s Woman Seeking Man, this episode should probably have been called Man Seeking Work, since there’s almost nothing about Josh’s love life, but plenty about his attempts to kick start his career. Some very funny moments for anyone who’s ever been to an evening class, and a wonderfully refreshing attitude by an American TV series to the idea of ‘following your dream’.
When’s it airing near me?
Review: First episode
Marvel’s Agent Carter (US: ABC; UK: FOX)
2×4 – Smoke and Mirrors
The usual issue of great characters, poor plots, but at least we got some flashbacks to how Agent Carter became the Agent Carter we know and love. Shame she had to be inspired by men to become who she is, but great to have those moments nevertheless. But for anyone who thinks the idea of a 1940s Hollywood actress being a scientific genius is a little far-fetched, allow me to present Hedy Lamarr, who I’m assuming is the inspiration for the character, rather than Natalie Portman.
When’s it airing near me?
Reviews: First two episodes
The Shannara Chronicles (US: MTV; UK: Channel 5)
1×6 – Pykon
Hooray! Another quest! Not content with sending all the main characters off on a quest, now not one but two groups of supporting characters went on quests as well. Of course, everyone died at the end of the episode, so I guess it’s not going to be on next week. Oh well. Do you think they might have a way out of that?
Where can I watch it?
Review: First three episodes
