I’ve not been doing as much reading this year. Instead I seem to have rediscovered my TV-watching mojo. Or rather, my TV streaming mojo.

A long time ago – before Netflix and the like – I talked about how much I enjoyed binge-watching television series. I pondered if it was akin to an addiction. Back then it was via DVDs and I raced my way through Deadwood, Dead Like Me, The Sopranos and Entourage, but now of course we have a plethora of choices. I only pay for two services (Amazon Prime and Netflix) but have access to AppleTV+ after buying a new phone a few months ago. I’m also a huge fan of Australia’s ABCiView and SBSonDemand (despite its repetitive ads).

I’ve recently rewatched all of the new series of Doctor Who, for example. I’d seen them before but it’s great to go back and rewatch with future happenings in mind.

I’m still slowly working my way through Blacklist. I’m very late to this party and mentioned before I wasn’t James Spader fan. My viewing of it seems less urgent for some reason so I’m pacing myself and given each of the eight seasons has over 20 episodes I’d say I’m doing pretty well to be nearing the end of series five.

Of course there are those channels and platforms that eke out the shows old-skool style releasing weekly episodes. Until recently Friday night was my Ted Lasso and Brooklyn Nine-Nine night, though the latter has finished of course. *sobs*

But without further ado I thought I’d share some faves.

Halt and Catch Fire (SBSonDemand)

Stephen King tweeted that he’d binged all 40 episodes in a short period of time so I thought I’d give it a go. And. I. Could. Not. Stop.

There are only four seasons and each very different. It’s set in Silicon Valley in the 1980s-90s and follows the advent of laptop computers, online gaming, the internet, search platforms and the like. The characters’ arcs are amazing to watch and it wasn’t until the final episode I realised the focus of the series had very much moved from two male leads to the two female leads. It’s clever, annoying, shocking and so so sad. I’d certainly recommend it. It also reignited my love for Lee Pace who I’d loved in the TV show Pushing Daisies.

So much so I’ve started watching Foundation (AppleTV+) in which he appears. It’s based on the books by Isaac Asimov and the first two episodes were released last week. I’m not convinced I’m gonna love it but the second episode ended in an interesting kinda way, so…

Lucifer (Netflix)

I’ve talked about Lucifer here before and was delighted to discover Netflix had extended the series. I loved a lot about this show and though there was much sobbing in this final season I was disappointed there was less of a focus on crime-solving. Neither was I overly enamoured of the direction the storyline took but, it’s done and I think regular viewers will have a sense of closure.

 

Sex Education (Netflix)

I was a latecomer to this so I got to watch seasons one and two consecutively. I wouldn’t have said I was desperately waiting for season three but – as has been the case in the past – once I started I had to keep going. It’s a very charming and inclusive show (in a good way, although it does sometimes feel like we’re being whacked over the head with life-lessons) and certainly has something for everyone.

War of the Worlds (Australia – SBSonDemand – weekly)

I’ve hung in with this as season two kicked off a few weeks ago and I’ll continue to watch it but it doesn’t feel like much has happened for some time. I keep expecting some big reveal about the aliens and how they come to ‘be’ but it feels a bit like we’re spinning our wheels at the moment.

Ted Lasso (AppleTV+)

The name (character and show) on everyone’s lips. I put off watching this for some time as I expected it to be a bit slapstick-like and I hate that kind of humour (ie. almost everything Adam Sandler did a decade or so ago, or those movies about men’s bucks nights). But of course it’s sooooo much more than that. Never has a TV comedy made me cry as much as this has and I know I’m not alone. The writing is clever, story arcs interesting and surprising, and acting great. It’s been sweeping the awards season and deservedly so.

And…. there’s certainly more but this is probably already long enough.

Any suggestions for what comes next? I’m thinking the series Des (starring David Tennant on SBS and The Newsreader (with Anna Torv, who I love) on ABC.

** Pics all from IMDb. Links in titles.