Streaming the police procedural

     

    I envy anyone who has the opportunity, the means and the motive to get out to see a Broadway show or a revival performance of "Long Day's Journey". In a former lifetime I was on assignment in London during a coal strike and power outage when one could walk up to any box office 30 minutes before curtain and get orchestra seats. For several months running I went every Friday night to see "Jesus Christ, Superstar"---maybe my first experience in the phenomenon of "binge-ing". Now, for the better part of every week I am in my owner built home in a Texas hay field where my internet transceiver sits atop a water tower several thousand feet away. It's fair to say that I'm into streaming.

    Most every weekend I'm in Dallas with my SO. Streaming with a partner can be a troubled experience, as there is often motive and opportunity but the means aren't always clear. SO will not watch anything with subtitles---which right away eliminates half the available content. And she doesn't like musicals. Once she fell asleep during a performance of the Rockettes at Radio Center Music Hall. As streaming has come along with Netflix, etc., we had a number of sour discussions following my attempts to interest her in stuff I was watching. My strategy now is to watch only 10 minutes of Episode 1 of a series before introducing it. What works is discovering shows together. Some particular successes have been the two houses---"House of Lies" and "House of Cards". And, of course, "Wallander."

    By "Wallander" I mean the PBS series with Branagh. (By the way, Season 4 is upon us). But there's a great deal more of Henning Mannkell available. But---problems with subtitles as well as actor identification---3 actors have played the role of Kurt. I'm not bothered by different actors. In fact, my favorite in the role of Kurt is Rolf Lassgard, an early three episode series available from Amazon DVD's. If you add all the available episodes, PBS and the Swedish series, there are 47 Wallander episodes.. (eat your heart out, Fargo).

    As a quick note, Krister Henriksen is in Season 1,2, and 3, 34 episodes in all. Season 1 can be seen on Hulu. I like Season 2 better (Netflix and multiple sets from Amazon---be careful of format), partly because it also stars Lena Endre as the Prosecutor/ love interest. (She played the Editor in the Dragon Tattoo series). I haven't watched Henriksen in Season 3 (Netflix, Hulu and Amazon DVD).

    Here are some picks, mostly procedurals, and perhaps as series, not as well known as shows like Thrones and the Walking Dead.

     

    "Line of Duty. May replace "Prime Suspect" as best all time BBC. Keeley Hawes gives the performance of a lifetime in Season 2.

    Night Manager   New Show, excellent potential, Hugh Laurie as villain.

    Spiral.   French Grit, Grime and Crime. Great series.

    Rectify   Great acting, the prison flashbacks are almost too tough to watch.

    Bosch   . Good series. Nostalgia. Great L.A. filming

    The Fall. Strong female lead. Gillian Anderson in a psychological thriller.

    19-2 Canadian. A cop show with some great depictions of actual daily routines.

    .Janet King. Australian Barrister. What's not to like about Marta Dusseldorp. (she's also in "A Place to Call Home---available on Acorn TV).

    Making of a Murderer. Watch it.

     

    Other general picks are:

    Offspring  Australian dysfunctional family. With award winning Asher Keddie as Nina Proudman. o.k., she sends me.

    Rake, the Aus. version  If you like the likes of Larry David, you'll like this show.

    The Affair  The best of T.V drama.

    House of Lies. Well, what can I say. We love it.

     

    Comments

    tmc, I know you love Wallander. Did you know PBS season 4 is upon us? And I did all this extra research on Wallander just for you.


    I do love it, it is my undying head-over-heels love for Mr. Branagh, OMG. It's the only thing my husband has going for him, he is the spitting image of Mr. Branagh. laugh. I can't wait, I'll be watching for sure.

     

    Thank you for all of this!!!!!! You rock Mr. Mora. 


    I think I'm outnumbered on Branagh. .There's no way anyone else could be Wallander.


    Try her on Pitch Perfect (not pitch perfect 2) or Sweeney Todd or Moulin Rouge or Dancer In The Dark. And Marilyn Manson's short vignette as Marilyn Poppins is an ever endearing crowd pleaser, fun for the whole family.


    Sweeny Todd, that'll hit all the right notes.

    I had a narrow escape the other night when Kristin Bell in House of Lies performed a rap number with two executives as a spoof on the over-hyped "corporate product announcement"


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