Television reviews – Page 34

“Peaky Blinders”—A View of Injustice

Written by diana on December 15, 2014. Posted in Television reviews. 1 Comment on “Peaky Blinders”—A View of Injustice

Peaky Blinders This BBC television drama series starring the amazing Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders gang, is Britain’s answer to “Boardwalk Empire”. Netflix released the first six episodes comprising Season One this past September and the next six of Season Two in November. Taking place immediately after the...

“Olive Kitteridge”—Scenes from a Marriage, or A Bitter Edge

Written by diana on November 7, 2014. Posted in Television reviews. 1 Comment on “Olive Kitteridge”—Scenes from a Marriage, or A Bitter Edge

The HBO mini-series based on Elizabeth Strout’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “Olive Kitteridge” delivers big time! With a stellar cast led by the astounding Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins, we see the two main characters Olive and Henry vacillate between love and despair, kindness and absence of human connection. Scenes from a marriage...

“Happy Valley”-No One’s Idea of Happiness

Written by diana on September 10, 2014. Posted in Television reviews. 4 Comments on “Happy Valley”-No One’s Idea of Happiness

This compelling and addictive police drama stars Sarah Lancashire as the middle-aged Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood, who struggles daily between remembering the suicide of her teenage daughter and developing love for the young boy her daughter left behind. Divorced and estranged from her son partly because of that tragic...

“The Fall” (mini-series) — “Prime Suspect” Revisited

Written by diana on July 20, 2014. Posted in Television reviews. 1 Comment on “The Fall” (mini-series) — “Prime Suspect” Revisited

In this Netflix Original production distributed by BBC Ireland, (not to be confused with the 2006 movie of the same name–see August 16, 2011 review), the story unfolds, not as a mystery to be solved, but as a contrast between two obsessive personality types. One is Detective Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson of “X-Files” and...

“The Escape Artist”–Thrilling Escapism

Written by diana on June 29, 2014. Posted in Television reviews. 5 Comments on “The Escape Artist”–Thrilling Escapism

In this two-part mini-series aired on PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery Theater over the past two weeks, Will Burton (David Tennant of “Broadchurch”, “Dr. Who”, and “Harry Potter” fame) is London’s top-ranked criminal defense barrister. Maggie Gardner (Sophie Okonedo, 2014 Tony-award winner for “A...

Netflix Instant Queue–My List

Written by diana on April 28, 2014. Posted in movie reviews, Television reviews, Unhealed Wound. 1 Comment on Netflix Instant Queue–My List

My last blog on the pleasure of curling up to watch past episodes of favorite TV programs or programs and movies you missed while they were being released for the first time was on February 6, 2012 (“Netflix Instant Queue”–BBC’s Your Best Bet). Netflix is now a juggernaut. For me the pleasures of Netflix downloading has...