Our Winter Watchlist: Favorite TV Shows and Documentaries
By Erica and Karen
Sharing our favorite shows is a winter activity. This year, some are a bit older but new to us. Others are, in least in our lexicon, really new. Don’t forget to share what you’re watching. We’re always on the lookout for what’s next. And, of course, if you have something to say about our list, please do share.
Our new most favorite. The Split. A British series about divorce lawyers, their families and their marriages but really about relationships and aging and changing and evolving. Smart, perceptive, funny. Beautifully cast and acted by actors younger and older. Deborah Findlay shines as a solicitor and mom. If we didn’t know the end, we would watch it all over again. Hulu. Three seasons.
Our second most favorite. Slow Horses. A gripping story of reject spies, their courage and their foibles with spectacular performances by Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas. Three seasons on Apple TV so far. Can’t wait til the fourth.
Two surprising favorites. Welcome to Chippendales. We of a certain time remember the male strip joint. But who knew its absolutely gripping and sordid history. It’s a tale of epic proportions, with an ending that is both in and out of character, and therefore as surprising as the entire series itself. Cute guys, too. Hulu. Three seasons.
And then there is the South Korean series, The Extraordinary Attorney Woo. About a brilliant young lawyer who is also autistic making her way in the professional and relationships worlds. We liked subtitles better than dubbed, but either way it’s wonderful.
Feel good series. All Creatures Great and Small. If you have even a mild love of animals, you will like this lovely tale of English vets in the countryside between the wars. The acting is spot on—so soft and subtle that you don’t even realize you’ve been taken in by these characters and really care what happens. PBS.
We also like another English series, Miss Scarlet and the Duke, not about royalty (whew!) but about a female private detective trying to make her way in a male dominated world, and a cop. It’s algorithmic to be sure, but fun and easy on the eye. Well played. PBS.
Finally, The Lincoln Lawyer. The series, not the movie. A talented lawyer who runs his practice out of his car, and takes on pretty interesting cases. Not rocket science. Entertaining and well done. A second series coming in March. Netflix.
Documentaries. We like three new ones in particular. Richard Branson. Always knew he was a character, never knew how fascinating he is. A normal but not normal person who draws you in because he knows who he is—warts and all. HBOMax.
Pelosi in the House. In this film, made by her daughter, Pelosi becomes more human but, in the process, more amazing. She can count votes for sure, but her passion for governing and helping people and political compromise is comforting. It still exists. Whether you agree with her or not, it’s hard not to be impressed. HBO.
Break Point. If you are, like us, tennis fans but a bit clueless about the up-and-comers, this is for you. Brought to you by the Formula One guys, each episode focuses on a male and a female player. They may not yet be Rafa or Roger, but they have stories and potential, and these episodes are a good introduction to both. What do you think of Nick Kyrgios? Netflix.
Reality TV.
Million Dollar Listing LA. Josh Flagg still engages, as does Tracy Tutor. What can we say? We are suckers for real estate shows.
Network TV. We don’t watch much, but we came upon East New York, about cops on the lower east side of New York, and we liked it. Jimmy Smits still looking good.
What are you watching?
