It’s “What have you been watching?”, your chance to recommend to fellow TMINE readers anything you’ve been watching this week
This week’s reviews
We’re back to our usual day this week for WHYBW, you’ll be glad to hear, although with the first few days of next week looking particularly busy, I reserve the right to relocate it again to Thursday.
Reviews-wise, over the past week I endured the first three episodes of Apple TV+’s See so you don’t have to and Orange Thursday covered Doctor Sleep (2019) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2018). But that’s been about it.
I did manage to watch the second season of Netflix’s Plan Cœur (The Hookup Plan) over the weekend, so hopefully I’ll be reviewing that some time in the next week. But it might just sit there, lurking in my memory, until there’s a lull in viewing, since this weekend’s looking particularly good…
What’s coming this week
Orange Thursday, tomorrow, will take in Netflix’s The Laundromat (2019), as well as whatever other movie I manage to watch tonight. Hulu’s Dollface is turning up on Friday, so I’ll try to watch that.
However, Lovely Wife has indicated she’d quite like to watch The Mandalorian (US: Disney+) at the weekend, but seeing as season 3 of Netflix’s The Crown is on the way then, too, I’ll try to get her to watch it before the weekend. Of course, she also wants to watch Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, so we’ll just have to see what comes out in the wash.
Whether once I’ve watched them I’ll be able to review any of them or whether I’ll simply be lying in an exhausted stupor at the start of next week will be an exciting voyage of discovery for us all.
The regulars
It’s the usual viewing queue again after the jump, with only Treadstone absent as I reviewed last week’s episode last week: Engrenages (Spiral), Evil, For All Mankind, Mr InBetween, Mr Robot, Silicon Valley, Stumptown, Titans, Total Control and Watchmen.
TV shows
Shows I’m watching but not necessarily recommending
Stumptown (US: ABC)
1×6 – Dex, Drugs and Rock & Roll
Dex’s bisexuality is addressed pretty decently in what is our first proper PI storyline since the pilot. Unfortunately, the actress they picked for her ex was pretty terrible. The episode also did quite a good job of fleshing out some of the other characters.
Otherwise, generally enjoyable, if unremarkable and Jake Johnson is still bad (re)casting for his role.
Episode reviews: Initial
The recommended list
Engrenages (Spiral) (France: Canal+; UK: BBC Four)
7×9-7×10
We’re up to episode 10 and unlike in previous seasons, everything still hangs together pretty well, the plot’s still going at pace, nothing really feels like filler and the storyline still has political relevance. Which is unusual.
Less unusual is the typical French policier attitude that bending the rules is perfectly fine if it gets results. Or having Gilou’s deputy get narked with him for it, which is so Tin-Tin. Who’s back, of course.
I’m not quite sure where they’re going with Karlsson’s storyline, as she seems to switch loyalties, allegiances, employer, office and tactics at least once an episode. But it’s fun watching it.
Evil (US: CBS)
1×6 – Let x = 9
And now we have unveiled the show’s central conceit: (spoiler alert) there’s a secret prophecy the world is about to end . Somehow, in the context of the show’s relentless dedication to ambivalence, alternative explanations, secularism and humour, it gets away with it, since it spends plenty of time poking fun at the Catholic Church while doing it.
Katja Herbers and Michael Emerson’s interactions were delightful this episode, and Herbers’ character went to some interesting places, too…
Episode reviews: Initial
For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
1×4 – Prime Crew
And interesting episode since it makes us look at how alternate a universe needs to be to serve the purpose of For All Mankind. This episode was dedicated to Geraldyn Cobb, a fascinating person in real-life: one of the Mercury 13, she set three world aviation records and ran her own company. Yet you’d be hard-pressed to have learnt any of that in the previous episodes. So the question is given that the Mercury 13 clearly had to be an impressive bunch of women, would the Apollo 15 astronauts have been quite so patronising to the two members who made it this far into the Apollo programme?
I mean, yes, John Glenn turned up and delivered the speech he delivered to Congress, so maybe. But all the same, it feels like it was a simplification of a potentially complex situation.
Also of note: Apollo 13 apparently was a complete success in this universe.
Episode reviews: Verdict
Mr InBetween (Australia: Showcase)
2×9 – Socks are Important
Ray unleashed! Crikey. It starts off as a normal episode and then, well, developments unfold. Quite terrifying on many levels and also good to show Ray’s mate as having some useful skills. Now you understand why he’s there.
Episode reviews: Initial, Verdict
Mr Robot (US: USA; UK: Amazon)
4×6 – 406 Not Acceptable
Lots of people sitting around talking, with Mr Robot providing some narration for a change. Not fabulous and while the character work was fine, the plot is just going nowhere.
Interesting quantum mechanical equations showed up, though, which suggests the show is going to take on that more sci-fi bend season 3 promised.
Episode reviews: Initial, Verdict
Silicon Valley (US: HBO; UK: Sky Atlantic)
6×3 – Hooli Smokes!
The best episode of the season and the one that felt the best researched. Jarod’s feud continues, which makes a change from last season’s plotting.
Titans (US: DC Universe; UK: Netflix)
2×10 – Fallen
Robin goes to jail. Everyone else has fun. There may be some correlation there.
Episode reviews: Initial
Total Control (Black B****) (Australia: ABC)
1×5
I wonder if there’s going to be a bluff or a double bluff in later episodes. Would our heroine so easily believe the opposition guy? Also, that phone better not have an unlock code on it or else she’s screwed.
Episode reviews: Initial
Watchmen (US: HBO; UK: Sky Atlantic)
1×4 – If You Don’t Like My Story, Write Your Own
Nice meta episode title there. Plenty of weirdness in the rest of the story, particularly Ozymandias’ pond. But where or where is it all going?
Episode review: Initial
