Tag Archives: film

Couch Potato Files Vol. 27

Happy April! Did you get fooled?! I love all the pranks, especially with brands that can really pull it off and do something simple but truly fun and clever. I saw a few but it seems many just took the day off from trying. I mean, can you blame them?! There’s A LOT going on in the world so tough to be really glib and creative right now. 

My job search continues to be very good with final interviews wrapping up. I’m still very lucky to have good options and next up will be the difficult decision of choosing one. It continues to be really nice NOT working too – I could totally get used to it. BUT it would also mean I’d have to do more than watch a lot of TV. I have a serious clutter problem and always have so before I go back to work, I need to try to clean up some or at least make a dent in my hot mess or my hubby may finally go out for cigarettes and not come back.

Easter is also this weekend! I love it since for our family it’s just about eating together (a great boozy brunch and then a ham dinner, along with some homemade deviled eggs) and watching silly fun Easter movies and specials like Hop and It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! 

With that, here are some binge-worthy shows and flicks that you should check out. Still chipping away at my BIG list so expect yet another post soon(ish).

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice – Disney+/Hulu

Fun and silly time machine movie with Vince Vaughn, who’s always a treat to laugh with, and James Marsden. It’s great to see James get so much work again. He seemed to be out of the limelight after rocking X-Men’s Cyclops so many years ago. I like to think being the President in Paradise helped put him back in the spotlight. Speaking of Paradise, Season 2 just wrapped and O.M.G.!!! Soooo great! Can NOT wait for the final Season 3! 

Deadloch – Prime – Season 1 – 2

I read about this show and as you know or are just now learning, I love a shiny new object to distract me from finishing MANY other shows. It’s an Aussie production and the first season came out in 2023, the second season just recently. Really fun with lots of mystery, intrigue and comedy. I devoured both seasons in a few days! Really hoping it’s popular enough for a Season 3 too!

For All Mankind – AppleTV – Season 1 – 5

Perfect timing for this show to come back for Season 5 as Artemis II took off the other day – did you see it?! Always the coolest! I love this show and its alternate space program timeline and history in general. It’s glued-to-your-TV great! Season 6 will be the final season too. Bummed to see it coming to a close soon(ish) but what a ride! 

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen – Netflix – Limited Series

Based on all that I read, this show was a big anticipated series that the likes of Stephen King has been watching. It was coo-coo horror great! You know when Jennifer Jason Leigh and Ted “Put the lotion in the basket!” Levine is starring that it’s going to be creeptastic! Man, was it EVER. What is it about taxidermy too that makes your skin crawl…but better yet, of your own pets?! EEKS! I don’t want to give too much away but just give it a shot. It’s nuts!

Bait – Prime – Season 1

I’ve watched an episode and dig it. I’ll get back to it shortly for more. Really fun comedy with a dash of sincere drama. 

Pretty Lethal – Prime

A wannabe John Wick Ballerina flick BUT they got UMA to star!! I mean, C’MON! Big fan so had to watch it and it was crazy fun! 

Shelter – Prime for rent

There’s not a Jason Statham movie that comes out that I haven’t seen. LOVE HIM and his badassery which is likely not really a word but using it in his honor! He’s prescribed himself the same type of action flick year after year but unlike some actors who want to diversify, he’s laughing all the way to the bank and just churning them out and killing it. He’s his own franchise! Sure, there’s A LOT of ridiculousness in every flick but who cares – it’s a riot and so fun to watch! 

American Classic – MGM+ – Season 1

I discovered this show with my MGM+ subscription and have been loving it. Kevin Kline is so great and so is Laura Linney! A really cute feel-good comedy that’s similar to Ted Lasso or Shrinking. If you’re fans of either actor, I also recommend Kevin’s classic flick A Fish Called Wanda with Jamie Lee (I watched it one million times growing up – so fun!) and Laura’s show Ozark with Jason Bateman. Man, that was a show I wish went on FOREVER. Awesome awesome! If I didn’t watch so much TV, I would re-watch it. Very Breaking Bad too!

The Housemaid – streamers for rent, on Starz & still in the theater

Holy shit was this great! I knew when I saw that Paul Feig was directing that it would be – he makes only great and twisty movies that you can’t believe what you’ve just witnessed on screen. Plus, the books are revered, not that I’ve found the time to read any of them but would like to. I know Sydney Sweeney has some mixed reviews but I like her. I think she’s really chosen some interesting roles and is becoming a real force, aside from any of her brand ambassador decisions. This movie is intense and so good! I’ve always been a big fan of Amanda Seyfried too. What a trainwreck of a woman she plays – she’s the best! It was so popular at the theater that they’ve already greenlit a sequel for 2027…and because the author wrote a few books, there’s plenty of material! And, can we just take a moment to talk about Brandon Sklenar’s eyes?? Wowza – every time I see him in anything, he’s truly mesmerizing! Where did they grow him and are there more?! Turns out he’s from Jersey so go figure! Not sure there will be others like him so he may truly be a diamond in the rough!

Marshals – CBS & Paramount+

Alright – so I’m a big Taylor Sheridan fan as I’ve mentioned many times before and watch most all his shows…but this one has been disappointing. Maybe because it’s a network show and I’m just not a fan of their style of shows that are watered down since they’re heavily regulated. If he could have led with it being on Paramount+ first vs CBS, then I think it would have aligned better with Yellowstone. But, here we are. It’s not terrible but it’s not great. And, being that it’s the first Yellowstone spin-off since it was a wrap, I’m really looking forward to others that are coming soon, in particular Dutton Ranch. Beth and Rip are my favorite characters from that universe and that trailer looks like the shitshow I’ve been waiting for! Otherwise, I’ll keep watching Marshals but I’ll also keep judging it! It was already greenlit for Season 2 so others do really like it or are hate-watching it like me because they can’t not!

That’s all she wrote for this post! Thanks for reading and hope you have a hop-tastic holiday. Eat all the chocolate and all the deviled eggs and have the Tums ready!

Leave a comment

Couch Potato Files Vol. 25

Happy St. Paddy’s Day! May the luck of the Irish be with you today and always. I love this day since green is my favorite color. And, as I write this, I’m wearing plenty of it! 

The job search continues with very positive results. Things are lining up nicely and I’m still enjoying being off. It’s funny how much I’ve now realized I really, REALLY needed a break. I’m lucky, pun intended, to be able to take some time off.

My daughter turned 19 on March 11 AND March 15 was 10 months since I lost my ma. The calendar continues to be a blessing and a curse, depending on the day. It honestly could be a random Tuesday and I still miss my ma. It doesn’t get any easier but I’m doing better. I’m so proud of my daughter and finishing up her first year at ASU. It’s been a real experience for her and very different from when I was there thirty years ago – yep, I’m that fuckin’ old! 

I’ve spent A LOT of time catching up on TV and movies (and even reading! Yippee!) and I have a huge list to share. I’m going to break it up into a couple of blog posts though so stay tuned for more!

Anaconda – Streamers

This came out on Christmas and I hadn’t gotten around to watching it. Man, it’s a ton of fun! Paul Rudd and Jack Black and the entire cast are a riot! It’s a literal barrel of laughs. And, if you’re a fan of the original, this one takes it to a new level of craziness!

The Madison – Paramount+

Definitely one of the most-anticipated shows I had on my list for 2026. Another Taylor Sheridan banger and boy is it ever. Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell star. If you’re like me and loved them in Tequila Sunrise waaaaaayyyyy back when, you won’t want to miss this show. Fun Fact: when the AMC Ahwatukee movie theater opened back in college, they had a Kurt Russell movie fest and he was there! I went with my roommate to see Tequila Sunrise but every theater had his greatest hits. He went from theater to theater to introduce each movie. It was great. There’s a photo somewhere in my mess that I snapped of him. We’re talking 1996/1997! Been a fan of him and Michelle for life. Love, love, LOVE them!

Virgin River – Netflix

Season 7 just came out last week on Netflix and there’s already plans for an eighth season. It’s definitely Hallmark-esque and that’s why I love it. Always a lot of drama and romance.

Scarpetta – Prime

Thanks to Jamie Lee Curtis who stars in this AWESOME show with Nicole Kidman, some of Patricia Cornwell’s awesome books are now a series. She produced it with Blumhouse! It’s excellent and really brings to life Patricia’s beloved characters. Already greenlit for Season 2 and Season 1 really, REALLY leaves ya hangin’!! Psychological thriller at its best!

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You – Streamers

Holy shit was this one a crazy ride! Rose Byrne like you’ve never really seen her before and I can see why she was up for ALL the awards. The camera work is seriously impressive too. The whole thing is truly a mindfuck – strap in and watch it for Rose!

Rooster – HBOMax

Steve. Carell. Period. There’s really no other information you need to know to watch it. It’s fantastic!

The Wrecking Crew – Prime

Awesome, awesome buddy comedy – it’s a ton of fun and in a beautiful setting! Great cast of characters and seemed like they were setting things up for a possible sequel!?

War Machine – Netflix

I don’t know about you but even though I LOVE trailers, they typically jump the shark and give too much away. Well, Netflix really, REALLY kept some things under wraps for this movie. It’s got a MAJOR twist. AND, it for sure seems like they’re going to have a sequel. It’s excellent! Plus, Alan Ritchson leads it. He’s bea-u-tiful!

My Mother’s Wedding – Prime

A really sweet movie and the cast is awesome – I mean, c’mon SCARJO. Perfect for a Springtime watch!

Vladimir – Netflix

Rachel Weisz stars and wow – what a wild ride! She breaks the wall and talks to the camera throughout, just like Ferris. It’s really great! Hottie Leo Woodall is in it too and her obsession. Tons of fun based on a bestselling book!

Enjoy and if you’re in AZ, stay cool! Cheers to all things green!

Leave a comment

Couch Potato Files Vol. 19

Friday was my childhood best friend’s birthday. We’ve known each other since we were 8 and next year we’ll celebrate 40 years of friendship. Yes, girl math calculations mean we’re now 47. 

I only have a handful of close friends. Just how I roll and have pruned the list shorter and shorter the older I’ve gotten. Don’t we all do that? Some people just show up for you, for the good, bad and ugly and others come and go. Just human nature. 

As an only child, friends were more like siblings and I chose them wisely. She’s the only one I’ve stayed close with since, aside from the occasional check-ins with others on Facebook or at our high school reunions. She’s been a consistent champion for me and a sister I never had by blood. 

When my ma was sick, she was one of many who consistently checked in and offered to do whatever she could, along with offering to come help, living all the way in the Bay area. She’s a nurse, which comes with the territory of helping people and she’s really great at it. 

We’re counting down the days until early September when we’re tackling the big cleanout of my ma’s house to sell it and she was the first to offer to show up and be there for anything and everything. I’m looking forward to seeing her as it will be over a year since our last visit, even if it’s for shitty circumstances. We’ll make the most of it and the best part is we’ll do it together. My hubby has no idea what he’s in for but he’s a trooper and will roll along with whatever, too.

Aside from that, I’ve been keeping up with my usual Cruise Director calendar and I honestly feel fortunate that I’m always crazy active, packing in as much as I can into a given day/week/month because it’s now serving as a great distraction from constantly being upset about my ma. I still find plenty of time to be sad – driving bubbles up sadness more than anything when a familiar song comes on that we both loved or from a movie soundtrack that we watched and listened to a million times. So don’t get me wrong – I’m grieving plenty. It’s also a reminder that my ma is always with me and riding co-pilot. 

Part of that busy calendar included a night out to celebrate one of my favorite friends this week – another July birthday.  I got tickets to Moulin Rouge at ASU Gammage. O.M.G. It was so awesome! Talk about great music and although it’s based on the movie, which TBH, I wasn’t a huge fan of, they modernized it with even newer music. Major mash-ups and likely a huge expensive royalty list to boot! I mean they had Gaga, Beyonce, Whitney, Tina – all the divas and so much more. The set was incredible, especially for a touring Broadway show. It was like we were in the Moulin Rouge. The cast waa awesome. I just grinned like a Joker idiot the whole time AND I hadn’t looked up anything about it online or seen any clips so I could go in cold and get the full unbiased experience. I can’t recommend it enough. It runs through August 3 and then heads on to the next city. If you ever get a chance to see it on the road or on Broadway, do it!

Here’s what I also managed to squeeze in to watch too, with a heavy catch-up day on Saturday!

The Hunting Wives – Netflix 

I saw this pop-up as a new show and was intrigued because of some of the cast. It’s mildly Hallmark but with more drinking, more redneck vibes and more hunting riffles. It’s fun but I’ve only just started it so we’ll see!

Stick  – Apple TV

Season 1 is a wrap for 10 episodes. Season 2 was greenlit the same day as the finale dropped. Owen Wilson is just the most loveable goofball, as I’ve written about before. It’s super feelgood and still reminds me of my pop. Give it the late summer binge it needs.

Sam Rockwell on Hot Ones  – YouTube

He’s such a truly unique and fun actor and had a lot of great sound bites. He also looked like he was ready to explode, turning very red! This was the first episode I watched that the guest actually requested beer because duh, beer goes with wings, even if they’re ready to melt your face off and the beer doesn’t help put out the fire on your tongue – it’s always milk. Seeing him in anything always reminds me of my very favorite movie he starred in – The Way Way Back. A coming of age tale where he works at a waterpark. It’s great. He recites a favorite song of mine in one scene that to this day makes me laugh every time I’ve been at the top of a water slide, ready to go down. 

Fantastic Four – at a theater near you

Sure, there’s been many movies before that were perfectly fine. This one was a new take and I loved that it was set in the past. The mid-Century modern vibe of it too, along with the cast, was A+++. Maybe it’s because Pedro stars and he can cry on camera LIKE NO ONE CAN. It was all equal parts touching, action-packed, funny, charming and sad. Two-stretchy-thumbs up!  

Happy Gilmore 2 – Netflix

The Sandman is a genius with his empire of funny, always. I LOVE every time I see the list of top earning celebrities and he sits at the very top, wearing swim trunks and a shitty old shirt and doesn’t give a fuck. His production company and Netflix deal was super smart and he makes sure people walk away from his movies having laughed. Nowadays feeling like that goes a long way – they don’t have to be masterpieces or Oscar-worthy. Just entertaining and worth your time to watch. He knows that formula well. 

Part 2 is nearly 30 years after the original, falling into the trend of what’s old is new again and everyone that’s trying to bring the good times back. I saw something online that talked about how sometimes the popularity of a movie originally isn’t just about the movie and its content but the time period it was released in. Sometimes you can’t recreate that magic and draft off of that, especially THAT many years later. But I’ll tell you what: Sandler does a fun job of trying. It was silly and very much like the original and I loved it. Don’t read too much into the garbage that’s out there about it – just watch and enjoy!

Resident Alien – SyFy

The official cancellation just dropped that Season 4 will be it. Man, it was soooo fun! Alan T is a national comedic treasure. I wish more people watched it and maybe if it hadn’t been on SyFy it would have had a larger audience. But, 4 seasons is more than some shows get and I think they were able to wrap it up, knowing this season may be the last. Only two episodes remain. If you need a new show to binge this can be it, especially one that will make you laugh and isn’t heavy at all.

Sunday Scaries time but not really since I’m a week out from vacay! Honestly I am so happy it’s finally here. I’m ready to find sand weeks later in my clothes and body parts! 

Leave a comment

Couch Potato Files Vol. 17

Well, it’s still hot AF here in Arizona but you didn’t come here to read about me bitching about our weather. I am missing the long 4th weekend though – can there be a long weekend on the calendar monthly? Sure is nice. 

Anywho, without further ado, here’s a round-up of some more that I’ve watched over the past couple of weeks.

Call Her Daddy Podcast with guest Charlize Theron

Prior to watching her episode, I only watched one other, when Kamala Harris was the guest. Alex is a pretty fun hostess and while listening to them talk, I looked up more about Charlize and found that her mom shot and killed her dad, an alcoholic, who was hurting them, right in front of her. Crazy! I had no idea – she was 15! She shared all this on the episode and how it of course affected her life – just wild. 

Charlize also likes to say “fuck” a lot and I like her even more now, sharing that she cusses in front of her kids. Same girl, same and I come from a long line of parents who did exactly that and I came out mostly ok, as has my daughter. She really is a badass, like her movie Old Guard, now with a sequel! Netflix should have done some more marketing for it since it felt like it just showed up out of nowhere with no real fanfare, especially for her being in it – and UMA IS IN IT TOO! And, no spoilers, but it does set up the ending for another movie, rounding out the trilogy. It also was #1 on Netflix over the holiday weekend so maybe it didn’t need any marketing? 

Hot Ones Podcast with guest Adam Levine 

Maroon 5 is going out on tour again. Love them! Adam made it through the wing gauntlet but not without some tears. I still laugh every episode when the host, Sean, never skips a beat with his list of questions for the guest and even as they’re crying and complaining, he trudges on and gets the answers. 

Southern Charm on Peacock

Thanks to Mr. Jon Hamm, I’m kind of hooked on this show. I wrote more about it on IG and plan to post more out-of-context images as I work my way through the MANY seasons. It really is a trainwreck like most reality shows. I can see the draw for viewers though – you can make fun of them all, you don’t really need to pay close attention (there’s recaps to help you if you happen to miss any “plot” points) and they’re really just funny noise to have on. 

Good Hang with Amy Poehler with guest Dakota Johnson 

I really dig this podcast the more I watch it. I mean, how can I not – it’s Amy. She recently had Dakota Johnson as her guest, promoting her new movie The Materialists, which is great BTW. Towards the very end of the funny conversation, Dakota dropped that she loved Farmer Wants a Wife. I jumped for joy! I too love it and how gloriously bad it is. 

Deep Cover on Prime

Sometimes you just need a funny and wholesome movie to watch and laugh with and this is it. I loved the cast and the premise. I think Prime has done a really great job of putting a lot of movies out like this, including the even more recent Heads of State. A little bit bigger budget for that one but you can’t beat the cast and maybe the not-so-subtle nudges at our current political landscape. It was perfectly dropped around the 4th of July holiday too.  Fun Fact about John Cena and Idris Elba. Idris was another episode of Amy’s podcast and was fantastic. Amy always invites a friend of her guest to join before she meets with the guest to help her with good questions. Jon was the friend and she reminisced with him about their time working together on Sisters. If you want to laugh until you hurt, THAT’S the movie. John had a small but memorable part and he said he had so much fun working with Amy and Tina and that it ended up being the first vacation he’d had in years, since he only had a few scenes to shoot. 

Amy then went on to talk about John with Idris and they both talked about how great he is to work with and so charming. I think the world over thinks of him as a goofy wrestler but he’s made a huge career out of that and then crossed over into movies and TV. 

Speaking of: if you don’t have Peacemaker marked on your calendar for August 21 to check out the new season on HBO Max, you’re gonna miss out. There’s plenty of time to catch up on this AWESOME show now too. It’s great and if you’re a fan of the DC universe and James Gunn, it’s not to be missed. Talk about goofy fun! 

I feel like this portion of my post just took on a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon life of its own…or I really can’t stay on task AND it’s been so long since I’ve written much fun stuff on this blog that my brain is just exploding. AND speaking of Bacon, he’s got a new(ish) show too, The Bondsman, that I need to get back to watching. I watched a little bit but moved on to helping my ma more and watching a few other things. But it was intriguing – very True Blood like. Ok, I’m really done going down this rabbit hole. On to the next!

Jurassic World: Rebirth – at theaters near you  

Summer blockbuster season and slutty little glasses. Is there anything more perfect?! Sure, it’s not the original BUT man, it gives you all the feels when that familiar John Williams score blasts through the theater speakers AND those dinos start walking through like they’re in the room. 

Takes me waaaayyyy back to seeing the original with my ma and best friend for the first time in a new stadium-style theater in Orange County, California. My aunt and her boyfriend (who she later married) had seen it prior to taking us while we were visiting them during our summer break. Mike kept looking down the row at us as the dinos walked across the screen during that famous scene when all the cast first sees them too, enjoying our reactions and giggling. Dolby surround sound was new too and I’ll tell ya, it was really, REALLY hard to go back to my little twin theater in Bishop to watch other movies. I couldn’t wait to get out of town to these new theaters. Jurassic ruined me! 

So with all that being said, get ruined too and see this flick on the big screen as Spielberg intended! It’s THE best. And about those “slutty little glasses” that would be in reference to Jonathan Bailey – give it a Google search if you’re not familiar. He’s having a moment and everyone is having it with him, men and women alike. And, ScarJo is having her own moment and was just named the highest-grossing actor of all time – that’s right, not female only – ALL ACTORS. Period. Being part of the MCU AND Jurassic franchises was a good move and people keep showing up to see more.   

Clueless – various streamers

The 30th Anniversary of this classic is on July 19 so Fathom Events brought it back to the big screen for two days on June 29 & 30. Paul Rudd truly never ages. I was 17 when it came out so it was perfectly timed for my life then and nothing like what I was experiencing in the small town of Bishop that I grew up in. Beverly Hills was just a distant dream and La La Land of sorts that I envied. I loved anything about Hollywood and still do. It’s always been my jam. But this movie – it was a moment for me for sure. Alicia Silverstone and her one liners are legendary. The cast is just so much fun. The music – all of it. I’ve seen it so many times and my bestie and I of course rolled to the theater in matching shirts and with Clueless swag too. I’m always going to drown in nostalgia! I guess now I know how my ma and pop felt! 

Back to the Future – various streamers

Great Scott! This classic just celebrated its 40th anniversary on July 3.Talk about a Summer blockbuster! I remember seeing it at the twin theater in my small town and being blown away. It was the best thing I’d experienced and I couldn’t wait to then watch it on repeat at home when it eventually was on VHS. And of course then when Part 2 and 3 came out, I beat it to the theater to see them both. The trilogy is one of my all-time favorites. 

Every time I hear rumors that studios are trying to remake it, I love Robert Zemeckis even more when he halts all those rumors. That movie is a classic to never be updated and lives on as exactly that. 

We Were Liars on Prime 

Wow, major, MAJOR plot twist towards the end and I’ll not give it away but tell you that this is a must-watch. I know there are A LOT of these types of shows now, all adapted from Young Adult novels and all wanting to be added to your must-watch list but it’s a formula that works for this Gen-Xer, let me tell you! I love them! Maybe it’s because there weren’t a ton of these types of shows when I was that age so maybe I’m making up for lost time and that’s why I enjoy them so much. Being in my late 40s, I identify with both sides of the cast too – the kids and the parents – it’s kind of weird. Or maybe I justify that to myself and my addiction with these types of shows so it doesn’t sound creepier than it maybe is? Ha! Who knows – I just know that they’re a lot of fun and this one really went there with some crazy stuff. I haven’t read the book so I likely would have known what to expect then but I’m kind of glad I didn’t – it was shocking! Have I sold you enough on watching it, all three of you that have made it to this point in my rambles?! Hope so!


Duster on HBO Max

A trip down memory lane and the setting is in Arizona…and JJ Abrams is behind it too. Really cool mix of fact and fiction or maybe it’s fictionalized fact? Either way, it’s really fun. The first season just wrapped and I really hope enough people cared like me so there’s a season 2! Ohhhh and the opening title sequence is so great! I’ll just leave it at that – must-watch!

Resident Alien on SyFy & Peacock (and I think some other streamers too)

I think Alan Tudyk is one of the funniest human beings on the planet and not just funny ha ha, his ability to nail physical comedy is next level. This show is so much about physical comedy since he plays an alien in a human body. I cry-laugh every episode. The show was truly made for him. He came to Phoenix Fan Fusion in 2024 and his “thing” is when a fan asks him a question, he gifts them random crap he has in his backpack. Typically things like old hotel keys, a shower cap, a receipt. It’s hilarious. 

Alright that’s a lot of a couch and A LOT of potato this time. Double-stuffed like Oreos because it’s been awhile and I’m getting back on the writing train slowly but surely. Enjoy and if you live in AZ, stay cool. If you don’t live in AZ and are somewhere grand that doesn’t suffer from extreme heat, fuck you, errrr, good for you! 😉

Leave a comment

Couch Potato Files Vol. 11

Buckle up for a ride down my Memory Lane! Sounds like a good time, right?!

As I’d mentioned in my last post, I’ve really been enjoying listening to Tom Selleck’s memoir. AND, fun fact: he’ll be 80 on January 29, a day after my birthday! What a career and life he’s lived and keeps trucking with even more awesomeness. Such a legendary actor – I just love him.

Hearing him tell his story has brought back so many memories. At an early age, (no joke, I’m talking 3 – 5 years old), I became a HUGE Magnum P.I. fan. My ma always likes to tell the story that I would hear the intro music of an episode from across the house and make a mad-dash to our den to watch it. I mainly wanted to make sure to not miss his signature eyebrow raise at the end of the opening credits. There’s no way I really understood what was all going on in each episode – how could I?! But, I loved him and the cast. I even had a TV tray with his big photo on it that would allow me to eat in front of the TV, hanging on his every word…along with TC’s, Rick’s and Higgins’s too. And those dogs! My uncle had a doberman pinscher too and they always scared me, even though they were super sweet, because of Higgins and his guard dogs.

I honestly don’t know if the shows would hold up now and still be as fun as they were back in the 80s but I’m going to watch some. It’s been a long time since I’ve rewatched any of them but after hearing all the behind-the-scenes stories from Tom, I need to give him a solid and dedicate some time to rewatching a few and see where I get. There were seven seasons so I might not make it through all of them, given my usual dilemma of too many god damn shows and movies to watch, but I’ll try to watch what I can.

He of course has shared more than Magnum stories and most recently shared the story behind the making of the movie High Road to China which he starred in and was the leading man. I couldn’t wait to see this flick in the theater. It came out in 1983 and I was the ripe ol’ age of 5 and I remember my ma taking me to the big movie theater at one of two malls in San Bernardino, CA, where I was born and lived until moving to Bishop when I was going to start the third grade. So about 7-8 years old.

We usually frequented a twin theater in another part of town that was less busy and easier to get to and where they showed double features of all the Disney animated movies, along with a live action movie that was more family-friendly. We sometimes didn’t stick around for the second live action movie because 1) it was a long time being at the theater and 2) sometimes they were movies that seemed a little on the scary side and I would tell my ma, let’s go. One I remember for sure we left as the opening credits rolled was Legend with Tom Cruise. It looked pretty intense and at my young age, it seemed like the stuff of nightmares.

The little twin theater didn’t really ever play other types of movies or even big blockbusters like Star Wars or Goonies. So we had to venture downtown to the theater at the big mall to see them. At the time, San Bernardino was getting rougher and rougher with crime and that was the reason why we ultimately moved north to Bishop, so it was a pretty big deal to go downtown to see a movie. AND, since this was a long time ago, most movies only had showtimes at night, with the matinees on the weekends. It wasn’t like today where you have a huge list of showtimes all day to choose from along with multiple screens playing the flick you want to see too. If that doesn’t make me old, then checking for movie times in the newspaper really does. It was my favorite thing to do all growing up, aside from looking at the comics and the ads, especially on Sundays.

I have a vivid memory of seeing High Road to China on the big screen and then as soon as it came out on VHS, and our family got a shiny new VCR, I remember renting it over and over again. A few years later, it would then play on Showtime, which we had a subscription for, and I watched it as often as it showed up on the channel. It’s a ton of fun and all that mattered was that Magnum was in it.

I decided to rewatch it the other night and found that it was free to rent on Prime Video. I couldn’t tell you the last time I watched it but it’s been literally decades and likely since I left home for college so yeah, a long time. My hubby had never seen it and complained of course at the quality of the film, since it has never been remastered in HD but he enjoyed the story and seeing Tom very young and funny. It’s an epic adventure movie and has been compared to Raiders of the Lost Ark, which if you know any Tom trivia, you know that he was originally cast to star in it and not Harrison Ford. Pretty wild sliding doors sort of Hollywood lore. He talks about that at length in his book. Just bad timing when he was cast and in contract for Magnum. But, that Spielberg and Lucas both wanted him to star in the movie was a badge of honor he’s carried with him his entire career. I honestly can’t think of anyone else playing Indy other than Harrison but I’m sure I would have come around to it just fine if Tom had played him instead.

If you’re a fan of Tom and haven’t seen the movie or even if you have, give it a watch! It’s free and soooo nostalgic! Cheers to reliving the past for it brings you joy in the present. That should be a bumper sticker, if it’s not already! Or a motivational poster. Or a fortune cookie you despise for not really being a fortune when you crack it open. Alright, that’s all I’ve got for now. Until next time, Happy January, my birth month and the Monday of all months!   

Leave a comment

Couch Potato Files Vol. 9

Here we are! Closing in on Christmas and still so much to do. BUT, I had to take time out to write a little ditty about a favorite show that just ended…yes? No? Maybe? Yellowstone or as my hubby and I like to call it, Jellystone. IYKYK for any Hanna-Barbera Gen X kids reading this.

I’m not on Reddit much but my hubby is and apparently people are boiling about the ending of Season 5 and the last half of the season. It’s still not entirely certain the show is over-over but a spinoff is coming with two of the main characters (Beth & Rip), along with other spinoffs in the world of Yellowstone. AND, Taylor Sheridan continues to conquer the Paramount world and laughs all the way to the bank. Lucky bastard.

I’m not going to spoil anything for anyone that still needs to see the last episodes but I will say that Kevin Costner’s departure from the show didn’t do it any good, no matter how popular it is.

As a whole, I enjoyed the series, A LOT, but he was really, REALLY the show’s backbone so the last half of the long-awaited Season 5 was just meh. They did their best to honor him and write him out but it was just ok. I still love many of the other characters/actors but the earlier seasons are far superior. 

I recognize it was a tough situation for Paramount to be in but I think they fucked up by not working around Costner’s schedule to make sure he could finish the show. There’s plenty of rumors,  articles and interviews with him that say he was ready to finish but they wouldn’t work around his movie schedule – the passion project western series he’s been creating. 

I feel like when a studio and/or showrunner has someone like Costner as their lead star, it requires them to make every possible accommodation, even if he’s maybe more difficult than others to work with – there’s plenty out there that says he can be. He was quite literally the show in this case though and not just any show – a critically-acclaimed fan-favorite. 

Maybe Sheridan is getting a little too cocky on his Paramount pedestal but all us fans, and apparently the angry Reddit mob, would have liked to have seen things play out as planned. And, maybe there’s more to it than the press has been able to dig up. Isn’t there always?  But oh well – Hollywood likes to do whatever they want and sometimes it doesn’t align with the fans’ vision or even close to what should have happened to arguably one of the best shows in recent history. Some article I read this week said it’s the best show but nah, a top one for sure but not the very best. I think The Sopranos and more excellent shows would fight that writer on that. 

I will say shows tend to be judged by the end though – enter The Sopranos. If the finale doesn’t measure up, people are pissed for life. (For the record, I loved The Sopranos’ finale.) Same is true of Yellowstone and what the angry mob is sounding off about. I was just more bummed at the last half of the season’s episodes in general and not seeing the beloved John Dutton ride off into the cowboy sunset with his family after he fucked more shit up. I’ve always said it’s basically The Sopranos of the West. The Montana Mob if you will.

Alright, now I’m just spirling and procrastinating to get out of the big to-do list that’s staring at me. That’s all I really needed to get off my chest about Yellowstone so I appreciate the three of you that read my posts regularly for indulging me. Despite the left turn Season 5 took, it is a fantastic show and if you haven’t watched it yet, it’s worth a holiday binge. I’m actually always jealous of anyone who discovers new-to-them shows and gets to binge them, especially when you have some time off to do so. It’s an excellent way to spend the holidays!

In 2025, I plan to finally watch 1883 and 1923 and maybe even 1923 in time for Season 2 that comes out in February, I think. As a fan, it’s a big void in my pop culture Grinchy heart that needs to be filled…AND, I’m tired of having my hubby bitch at me that he can’t believe I still haven’t watched them. I’m just not a huge fan of traditional Western shows and movies – some more than others but I’ve been all-in with the Sheridan Universe so I might as well pull the trigger, pun intended.

With that, I’m signing off until the new year – seriously too much to do and focus on so this will be a wrap on my 2024 writing. Enjoy the holidays as much as possible and cheers to more great TV (and movies) in 2025!

Leave a comment