
It’s “What have you been watching?”, your chance to recommend anything you’ve been watching this week
This week, I’ve managed to catch three new shows, all of which I’ve reviewed elsewhere:
- Caught (Canada: CBC)
- The Looking Tower (US: Hulu; UK: Amazon)
- Good Girls (US: NBC)
Heathers, of course, got postponed following the school shooting in Parkland, so I’m holding off on previewing that until there’s a new airdate.
Season two of Marvel’s Jessica Jones is out tomorrow on Netflix – yes, I know that’s a Thursday, but it’s to coincide with International Women’s Day – so have a guess what next week’s Boxset Monday will be. I’m sure there’ll be some more new shows for me to talk about in the next week, too – at the very least, Life Sentence is starting on The CW tonight, but there are probably more.
But for now, let’s talk about the usual regulars: Black Lightning, Corporate, Counterpart, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and The Magicians. SEAL Team and Will & Grace also made their return, as did The Good Fight for its second season. High Maintenance turned out to have finished last week after only six episodes, which sort of makes sense in terms of some of the themes of the episode, but it’s not like it went out with a bang.
I did give the second episode of Living Biblically a try, but when I realised “Do not worship false idols” was the theme of the episode and its target was smartphone-use, I decided that the word ‘literally’ in the phrase “literally following the word of the Bible” was being stretched far more than common decency should allow, so decided to switch it off pronto.
TV shows
TMINE recommends has all the TV shows TMINE has ever recommended and TV Reviews A-Z lists every TV show ever reviewed here
Shows I’m watching but not necessarily recommending
Black Lightning (US: The CW; UK: Netflix)
1×7 – Equinox: The Book of Fate
A somewhat disappointing episode that fumbles the ball passed to it by last week’s events. True, James Remar gets to be a bad ass and once again, Black Lightning proves to be the best dad in the world. But, largely daft, especially the lightning guns and (spoiler alert) (spoiler alert) the very weird supernatural stuff that appeared at the end. And let’s not overlook the musical interlude, either, just as it seemed to be escaping the shadow of Luke Cage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPqUOuBCbf4
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (US: The CW; UK: Sky1)
3×13 – No Country For Old Dads
Delightfully potty episode made even better by centring it on the under-used Brandon Routh, as our heroes do a Counterpart and return to 1960s Berlin to do a bit of spying. Their only obstacle? The younger, bewigged (cf the episode title) Damien Darhk is also in town. Wally West joins the Legends, too, Sara’s got dating opportunities, and there’s a killer gorilla around as well, but it’s largely Routh – and Neal McDonough – who get to shine.
SEAL Team (US: CBS; UK: Sky1)
1×14 – Call Out
After what’s seemed an awful long time of faffing around back home, angsting, the show finally remembers it’s about the military and puts in a couple of really good fight scenes. Nothing game-changing, but at least we’re on track for excitement again.
Recommended shows
Corporate (US: Comedy Central)
1×8 – Society Tomorrow
A reasonably funny spoof of, erm, people obsessed with peak TV shows, some of the worse kinds of peak TV shows (especially sci-fi), and the social exclusion that can still stem from not having watched them.
You know that’s why you have to keep reading TMINE, don’t you?
Counterpart (US: Starz)
1×7 – The Sincerest Form of Flattery
Mainly a flashback episode that gives our mole motivation, as well as really delving deeply into why the counterpart universe diverged from the main universe. However, after an episode that walks through all the standard spy tropes concerning what to do when you discover a mole’s identity, the ending is something of an existential surprise that should open up all manner of possibilities.
The Good Fight (US: CBS All Access; UK: More4)
2×1 – Day 408
The return of one of TMINE’s top shows of 2017 sees a general mixing up of the format, as new characters get introduced and other characters get shunted towards the exit, in an effort to perfect it. This includes giving Delroy Lindo something more to do, which is a good move.
As always, though, both smart and funny, with plenty of astute commentary on the Trump era of politics (hence the episode title). Start watching if you haven’t already.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naLhFU4uKvc
The Magicians (US: Syfy; UK: Channel 5)
3×8 – Six Short Stories About Magic
As well as an episode that plays around with form, this is a surprisingly important affair, as we learn the background to at least two major supporting characters, as well as what Jamie Ray Newman’s been up to all this time. What it all means in the long-run, though, is anyone’s guess.
Will & Grace (US: NBC)
9×12 – Three Weiss Men
One of those rare, Grace-centric episodes that’s somewhat ruined if you read a plot summary (as I did), since it’s all about surprises. What I can say is that Barry Bostwick turns up, which is always welcome, even if it’s not on his flying motorcycle.
Episode reviews: 1