Summer Watch List. Eight Good Ones.
By Erica and Karen
Many people we know are saying that this summer feels a bit “off.” We agree. It’s more than half over, and we haven’t really hit our summer stride. Friends, meals, time away from the city–all seems a bit haphazard, less intentional. Perhaps the pandemic was even more disruptive than we thought.
Though we clearly are not as binge-addicted as we were when we were locked up, we still enjoy our shows. There are some coming back and some news ones to watch out for.
Virgin River. Season 4 premieres on Netflix on July 20. What is Mel going to do with her new life and her embryos? Who shot gorgeous Jack?
The Captain. A Derek Jeter docuseries on ESPN premieres on July 21. A window into what he’s really like– expect to be even more wowed. Nice to have real sports heroes.
The Last Movie Stars. A six part documentary about Paul Newman and Joanne directed by Ethan Hawke on HBOMax. A real live love beats fiction. Their performances continue to blow our minds. Rachel Rachel is still one of our all time favorites.
Black Bird. Apple TV. Based on a true story of a prisoner who moves to a maximum security prison in order to try to elicit a confession, and the whereabouts of the bodies, from another prisoner–who confessed to one crime but is believed to actually be a serial killer. Ray Liotta’s last role.
Grandchester (PBS). The seventh and final season of this feel good series of mysteries solved by a local cop and his sidekick vicar set in the 1950’s village of Cambridgeshire.
Only Murders in the Building. Hulu, Season 2. Who wouldn’t love this team of Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez (we’ve become big fans of hers). This season has a whole new set of cameo appearances–adding to the fun of solving the newest murder–who killed Bunny?
For All Mankind. Apple TV. A soap opera, but with astronauts. Engrossing.
The Bear. Hulu. A soap opera but with cooking. Sounds perfect.
Have you found any good ones?
Seaside Hotel- so far 8 seasons of a group of Danish visitors to a cosy seaside summer hotel. Hilarious and moving. The ninth season will, we hope, be available to stream later this year.
Cook of castermar on Netflix. Spanish series with dubbed English voice overs. Normally I can’t watch dubbed anything but this is not annoying and works. Definitely enjoying it. Deb
Don’t laugh: Rummaging in a store, I found Season 1 on DVD of "Family Affair" and oh my, what fun! Charming & sweet, this popular 1960s TV sit-com series makes me laugh and cry. A New York engineer and uncle of three orphaned siblings (remember actor Brian Keith?) finds himself an unexpected single parent when the kids land on his doorstep.
Bonus points: screen credits show that women wrote or co-wrote some of the scripts, not common for television at that time.
Thanks! Dorothy, funny story!
Just finishing the old man lots of complicated plot twists
Good luck to you Leo Grande on Hulu. Emma Thompson is fabulous. Bares it all body and soul.