It’s “What have you been watching?”, your chance to recommend to fellow TMINE readers anything you’ve been watching this week
I’ve not actually been watching much TV this week, I’m afraid. New shows have arrived but, honestly, I didn’t fancy them. Apart from maybe Pivoting (US: Fox), but that was only on last night, so I’ve not had time to watch it.
I did watch the latest episodes of The Book of Bobba Fett and Cobra Kai. The former (episode two) shows us there’s going to be a dual narrative in these episodes, with us seeing how Boba Fett got to be bad ass on Tatooine, learning to do his thing and respect the ways of the Tuskan raiders (yes, I’ve probably spelt half of those words wrongly. Sorry Star Wars fans), in the past while the present day narrative sees him trying to establish his new criminal empire and take over from Jabba the Hut as the new ‘daimyo’. It was fine. Quite fun to watch, but nothing too special, mainly because two stories seem to have only half the impact.
Meanwhile, it was more of the same in Cobra Kai as we’re only up to about episode six or seven. Lovely Wife isn’t enjoying this season at all, after loving the previous seasons, so has told me I can watch the rest of it by myself ‘if I want’. But I don’t really want, so I might hold off until she’s ready. I see her point: there’s a lot more nastiness and bullying in this season compared to the previous seasons, which makes it a bit less fun to watch. But we’ll see.
That’s it, though. So here’s what I could have watched if I’d wanted to and why I didn’t bother.
The Cleaning Lady (US: Fox)
When whip-smart Cambodian doctor Thony De La Rosa comes to the United States for medical treatment to save her ailing son, she soon discovers her path won’t be as straightforward as she had hoped. As the system quickly fails her, pushing her into hiding, she resolves not to allow herself to be beaten down and marginalized, and becomes a cleaning lady for organized crime. Using her cunning and intelligence, Thony forges her own path in the criminal underworld, doing whatever she has to to survive.
Why I didn’t watch it
Well, it’s a crime show, which is not my cup of tea any more. It’s also a remake of Argentina’s La Chica Que Limpia. I guess if I wanted to watch this show, I’d watch the original one on All 4 (or I would do it if it was still on Walter Presents).
More importantly, it stars my least favourite actress in the whole wide world: Elodie Yung. I took against her during Daredevil (season two). I really didn’t like her in The Hitman’s Bodyguard. I’m not entirely sure it’s a rational dislike, but it is what it is.
Good Sam (US: CBS)
Dr. Sam Griffith excels in her new leadership role as chief of surgery after her renowned boss falls into a coma. When her former boss wakes up months later demanding to resume his duties, Sam is tasked with supervising the egotistical surgeon who never acknowledged her stellar talent. Matters are complicated further by the fact that the caustic and arrogant Dr. Rob “Griff” Griffith also happens to be her father. As Griff defies Sam’s authority and challenges her medical expertise, the big question becomes whether this father and daughter will ever be able to mend their own relationship as expertly as they heal the hearts of their patients.
Why I didn’t watch it
It’s a CBS medical drama. And a family drama at that. Sure, Jason Isaacs, but life’s too short to be watching CBS family medical dramas.
Women of the Movement (US: ABC)
In 1955, Mamie Till-Mobley’s son Emmett Till was viciously murdered in the Jim Crow South. Her fight to make sure he would not be forgotten and to get justice for him would ultimately help to spawn the civil rights movement.
Why I didn’t watch it
This is, to be fair, the show I came closest to watching. At the very least, it would be good to see Ray Fisher in something, given everything that went down behind the scenes of Justice League. But it’s about an interesting subject, one I don’t know much about, and it’s also about something important, so likely to be made with a decent amount of respect for its subject and audience.
But it’s a mini-series, and I’m generally against those. It’s also Very Important, rather than fun, and I’d rather be watching something fun right now – and Very Important shows also tend to rely on their own importance to entice viewers, rather than things like tight plotting, believable dialogue or convincing characterisation.
Hell, maybe I’ll catch up with as a boxset. Or convince TMINE’s resident movie reviewer to review some TV for a change, since it’s probably right up her street.
