It was so nice of Bad Bunny to let the Seahawks and the Patriots open and close his concert Sunday night! What a performance – I’m still thinking about it. The surprise guests of Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin?! AND, some special cameos hanging out vibing too including Pedro Pascal. Definitely not on my Bingo card. I loved it!
The Olympics have been really great so far too. Poor Lindsey Vonn – she really went for it, even though she was very injured. When the Olympics are your life and only come around once every four years, I can imagine you have to make really tough choices. The good news is she’s won many times previously and hopefully didn’t do some serious long-term damage.
Even though the Olympics will keep me from watching my regular shows, I’ll gladly get behind to keep up on all the action – it’s a ton of fun!
However, if you are in need of some more to watch, in between curling and snowboarding, here are my latest recommendations.
This show is very Hallmark-like and you know how I love some Hallmark. Perfect timing with the Winter Olympics happening now too. There’s really no one I can think of that’s well-known, pretty sure they’re all newbies but could be wrong. It’s no Cutting Edge BUT it’s still fun. And apparently enough people watched it because Season 2 was greenlit.
Ted Danson is just so fun and charming in this feel-good show. If you’re a fan of Ted Lasso or Shrinking, this is very similar. I watched a lot of Cheers growing up with my parents so I’ve been a lifelong Ted fan. You’ll see a lot of other familiar faces in the show too. It would have been a show I would have watched with my ma – she would have loved it and maybe she’s hanging out while I do now anyway. You never know.
Jon Hamm. Do you need more of a reason to watch?! Ok, how about he’s super rich, loses his job, family and much of his status and wealth so he starts robbing his “friends” and neighbors?! Fun, right?! It’s a wild ride. Catch up now on Season 1!
Surprisingly, it was really fun! It’s a very un-Marvel show but really great and set in Hollywood, which I’m a big fan of. Ben Kingsley is back too. It’s been a minute since his character appeared in Iron Man 3.
Mickey Hallar is back for another one of author Michael Connolly’s courtroom crazy adventures in Season 4. I was skeptical of this show when it first came out since I loved the movie with McConahaugh and worried the show wouldn’t be able to match the movie hype. It’s actually really fun and I love the cast. Prior to Season 4 dropping, Netflix already greenlit Season 5 and Season 4 ended with a great cliffhanger, just like all the other seasons. Enjoy some courtroom drama with a comedic twist!
Retta, from Parks & Rec fame, is the hostess with the mostess in one of the few reality shows I watch. My hubby and I enjoy it and he likes to comment on all the houses that aren’t really ugly but more unique…and that he’d live in them. During the most recent season that just wrapped, they visited their 100th house. It’s a lot of fun and the big house make-over in the last episode with this crazy chick from a few other HGTV shows is always worth the wait. When she and Retta get together it’s coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. They also did one season of the Scariest House in America this past October. Worth a watch too!
Of everything that’s come out recently, this was the show I was most excited about. Growing up, I never missed The Muppet Show and over the years there have been a few attempts to resurrect this gem. Well, I think Seth Rogan finally did it. It’s fantastic! There’s even a laugh track. It’s soooo nostalgic. They only released one episode but the ratings and interest was so high that I’m hoping we’re lucky enough to get more. Everyone could use a little Kermit and crew.
I turned 48 on January 28. It was the first birthday without my ma but I convinced myself that both my parents were celebrating with me. In all likelihood they were or at least smiling down at me and happy I was having a good time like I always do for my birthday.
It’s also the first birthday I’ve felt older – not mid-life crisis, fuck me my life is over older, just older. Maybe it’s because of all that I went through with my ma in 2025, maybe it’s because my daughter is halfway through her first year of college or maybe it’s because my hubby and I will be married 23 years this October. I do feel like I’ve unlocked my unhinged era though. With all that’s happening in our country, why not – best time to be even more crazy and give even fewer fucks. And, I think I’m just really, really tired, emotionally, mentally and physically.
Well, that was all kind of deep and depressing but the fingers type what they type sometimes.
Here are some recos to get your February off to a smashing start. Happy Groundhog Day!
I’m really slow at reading the pile of books I’ve enjoyed purchasing since I spend way too much time watching TV shows, movies and doomscrolling social media. BUT I enjoy listening to books through Audible during my work commute and on roadtrips. I just finished this one at the end of January and it’s a wild ride. If you’re a fan of the south and vampires, check it out. I dug it!
Mel will be 100 this June and still is sharp as a tack. What a life and career he’s had! Everything covered was so nostalgic. His movies are legendary like him. The footage that Judd Apatow collected and the interviews he pulled off were all fantastic. Everyone loves Mel so I’m sure they all jumped at the chance to participate. Definitely a walk down Memory Lane for this Gen Xer.
Shrinking – AppleTV, Season 1 – 2, 22 episodes; Season 3, eventually 12 episodes; greenlit for Season 4
Such a great feel-good show that’s back for Season 3…and already greenlit for Season 4. It’ll make you laugh and cry all from the same scene and dialogue. I really love it. The cast chef’s kiss! I mean, C’MON Harrison Ford doing comedy is always, ALWAYS superb. But the whole cast together creates a really special show. If you haven’t checked it out, it should be top of your list.
Fallout – Prime, Season 1, eight episodes; Season 2, eventually eight episodes; greenlit for Season 3
Back for Season 2 and Walton Goggins is still the best thing about the show. I visibly gasped over a scene in a recent episode – no spoilers – but it was crazy and made me worry for his future on the show and I’ll leave it at that. It’s closing in on being a wrap for Season 2 already. Time flies!
Bridgerton – Netflix, Season 1-3, 24 episodes; Season 4, eventually eight episodes; greenlit for Season 5 & 6 (at minimum)
As I type this, I’m wearing one of my most-recent Tar-jay purchases – a Bridgerton sweatshirt. I’m soooo glad this show is back for Season 4, even if they’re only giving us Part 1 now and Part 2 later in February. I’m ready for all the tea to be spilled!! It’s one of the few shows my daughter and I watch mostly together or together-adjacent but we can at least talk about it. The following for this show is huge so if you haven’t already jumped on the horse-drawn carriage, what are you waiting for?!
It’s January, which by scrolling through social media it seems to be the most hated month of the year and basically a giant Monday. Not for me – it’s my birth month! And, just five days before my special day is one of my besties’ birthdays too! We’re fellow Aquarians for life. The Year of the Horse also happens to be my animal so I feel like good things are coming all around – fingers crossed! This year honestly couldn’t top the 2025 struggle bus I was on so hopefully I didn’t just jinx myself into some horrific future. Time will only tell.
I’ve also really gotten into junk journaling. It’s a fun creative outlet that I’m hoping I don’t lose interest in (or get lazy about)…and is easy for me to do while I watch TV. It’s also a great excuse to use a lot of stickers, which could be one of my favorite things ever and fun paper products like washi tape. The more the merrier. I write as part of the journaling too but most just use all the fun stuff and that’s the journal. I suppose it’s up to you and however you want to approach the hobby. I highly recommend it! My ma would have loved it – right up her alley. She was one of the most creative people I’ve known. I think about all these fun things that we could be doing together if she was still here. January 15th was eight months since she passed away. It feels like a really long time, because it actually kind of is, but it also still feels like it just happened.I guess that’s grief for ya. I also oddly look at my hands and I think of her because they look just like hers, only a little bigger. I started noticing it a while ago. I guess that’s genes for ya.
Anywho, enough about all that and on to some TV and movie recos. It’s been too long and it’s a super-sized edition! Enjoy, all three of you!
Holy hockey hotness. The hype is real – follow the masses and watch this, STAT! Season 2 will be around the corner soon enough and the two stars are getting ALL the flowers and then some. Do yourself a favor and check out ALL the social media for this too…and the massive amounts of product. I’m minutes from buying something that says “Cottagecore”.
Season 1 dropped recently and the nostalgia of a 70s CIA/Russian spy dramedy wasn’t on my BINGO card but I binged the whole thing over the long holiday weekend. You’ll recognize the two main stars and the wardrobe department deserves a gold star. It’s a lot of fun and the ending sets things up nicely for a Season 2…that hopefully will happen so add to those watcher-numbers already!
Hot off the presses and brand brand new, Sophie Turner stars. It’s got a real Inside Man vibe about it with lots of twists and turns. Digging what I’ve seen so far and will keep on trucking to the end.
Ben and Matt are back! The movie is a lot of fun. Pretty wild ride and great cast. The press tour was equally as fun to watch across social media. They really are bestie goals – just love them!
Hijack – AppleTV – Season 1, seven episodes; Season 2, eventually eight episodes
Two words: Idris Elba. That honestly should be enough for you to check it out. Like I told one of my good friends early today, I think I’d watch Idris read the phone book. There isn’t anything he’s in that’s bad.
Song Sung Blue – at a theater near you or rent/pirate at home
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson bring to life this beautiful true story of the most famous Neil Diamond cover band. I’m big fans of them both and so happy for Kate and all the award nominations she’s been receiving. She’s excellent and has been for years!
My hubby laughs at me all the time that I watch so much college garbage and miss out on some other big shows. I’ve got news for him – this shit is dark as fuck and fantastic! Makes me glad I didn’t have the kind of crazy fucked-up college experience this cast is experiencing. It also blows my mind that the two main characters who are at odds most of the series are together in real life. Jackson White plays the most miserable asshole character. The type of character that I bet he gets approached in real life and has people tell him how much they love to hate him. He’s so turrible!! And his counterpart I want to roll up and slap in real life and ask her why she keeps going back for more. I’m telling you, this show is a ton of fucked-up fun! AND I’m jealous for anyone who decides to watch it and you can binge SO MANY EPISODES NOW!
Billy Bob Thornton – I honestly wasn’t a huge fan for many years.But giddy-up – this is his vehicle! And Ali Larter is having the time of her life and given the very BEST lines of the whole show. It’s a ton of fun and I really love it. If you want to see more great shows starring Billy, this show is great too, on Prime, and didn’t last long enough, IMHO.
My hubby and I debate often about Taylor Sheridan’s shows and which is our favorite. I think this is mine. I love Jeremy Renner and this super dark fucked-up prison show. I think it’s so great because it feels very real, maybe the most real of all his shows, which is scary in itself. So much murder and mayhem. But man, he came back from a near-death snowplow accident to continue to be the Mayor so I’ll continue to watch. Season 4 aired recently and they announced there’s just one more season. Makes sense because once you watch it, you can’t possibly think there can be more wars to fight but I’m sure they’ve saved the very best for last.
I like to refer to this as Succession for the finance industry…and none of them are family but they all fuck each other over and many episodes have big WTF-just-happened moments like my beloved Succession. It’s fantastic and pretty dark.
It took them 10 years, yes 10 YEARS, to produce a second season. Tom Hiddleston is great and if you’re a fan of John Le Carré’s novels, it’s based on one. So much intrigue and spy shit – it’s awesome! And season 2 is shaping up to be just as great as the first.
Another Colleen Hoover book turned movie but with less IRL Blake Lively legal trouble. Hoover sure is popular. Her content feels a bit like more modern day Nicolas Sparks and maybe that’s what she’s going for. I enjoy the movies though (have yet to read any of her books) and tear-jerker storylines.
Once upon a time I used to try to watch all the award show nominated movies…that lasted a couple of years. I honestly have a hard time watching many of them – maybe they’re typically a little too Indie/art house for me? I was intrigued by this one and knew it had a lot of hype and of course Leo. It’s really great – a super-wild ride from start to finish. Fun fact: the director, Paul Thomas Anderson, is married to Maya Rudolph. What a cool couple!
The Pitt – HBO Max – Season 1, 15 episodes; Season 2, eventually another 15 episodes; Season 3 greenlit
For the record – I’m not a medical drama fan. I quit Grey’s Anatomy after many seasons because I was so tired of Meredith. The episode she nearly drowned in the bay I hoped they were writing her out of the show. I also only watched ER sometimes. I wasn’t a loyalist. So when a really good friend told me about this show I was like hmmm, I don’t know. Well, it’s fantastic and I’m so glad I took her recommendation. Noah Wyle is wonderful and it’s great that he’s back in scrubs after all these years – like 30 some years, I think, AND winning awards left and right, as has the show. So many great other cast members too – it’s glorious hospital chaos…and since I was a HUGE fan of 24, I love the type of series that are all wrapped up in one day’s time. So yeah, The Pitt is very very good! Get on it, STAT.
Wowza – a great show that was a best-selling book. It’s dark and wonderful. So many twists and turns, as a small town murder scenario typically serves up. It’s awesome.
Three cheers for Channing Tatum and his new(ish) movie, based on a true story. That’s the craziest part. I read that they interviewed his character from jail in order to write it all – many, many hours of conversations.
I saved this one to watch until after the holidays. My schedule was packed with holiday movies so just no time otherwise. I’d seen all the hype and the deluge of 50 Cent memes and am here for it all. The level of petty revenge he reached in order to produce that show is next level. I had forgotten how big of an asshole Sean Combs is AND how much dramarama he was part of aside from what he finally got put away for. Insane. All of it. I, like many have posted, hope other people that really deserve it, like maybe in politics, piss 50 off enough so that he does a number on them too. Fingers crossed!
Pretty crazy mindfuck sort of show from the world of Harlan Coben. He must be laughing all the way to the bank. Between all his books that then turn into movies or TV shows, he’s so successful!
Boy – what a directorial debut for Ms. Kate Winslet. A really, really wonderful movie but requires MANY tissue boxes, especially if you have any PTSD about losing a parent. Whew. It’s really well done and I enjoyed it through all my tears and snot.
Eddie Murphy is arguably one of the funniest actors of all time and growing up and to date, I never miss a chance to rewatch any of his library of classics. His laugh alone is enough to make me run for the living room when I hear it and as a kid that’s exactly what I did. This documentary is fantastic and so many people spoke about their relationships with him and how he is so admired – truly a legend. I want to put this out in the universe, since before the pandemic I think it was in the works, but he really needs to do another comedy tour. His stand-ups are quite possibly the funniest comedy he’s EVER done – the specials were unreal. I can’t even imagine how much fun it would be to see him now and I think I’d pay A LOT to make it happen. Like drop a paycheck a lot. Let’s fucking go, Eddie!
Another Harlan Coben book-turned-series and what seems to be tradition now New Year’s Day show. His shows and movies are jam-packed with twists and turns. Someday I’ll finally read some of his books! My stack continues to grow since I watch too much damn TV and movies instead! Oh well!
Whew, this one is great too AND was set up for another season at the end, fingers crossed. I loved Simu Liu – he plays a proper badass. Very Borne Identity-like, if you’re a fan, which I am.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
July must have had someplace to be because we’re already closing in on the end of the month. I’m actually ok with that. That means we’re that much closer to our turrible and long hot Arizona summer being over AND that much closer to getting the fuck out of here and going on vacation. We haven’t gone much of anywhere this year, since there was a lot to take care of with my ma, so my hubby and I are hitting the road soon to sunny (and cooler) San Diego. It’s been a few years and man, I can’t wait. Plus, it’s my daughter’s maiden voyage, staying home alone, and taking care of her fur brothers. Hopefully she won’t burn the place down but honestly, if that happened, it wouldn’t surprise me. Not because she’s not responsible – she is very much so. I just wouldn’t put it past this shitastic year and being on our BINGO card. I’ve knocked on a lot of wood while writing this up so yeah, no worries. It’s all fun and games. 😉
Alight, enough about that, today is FIN-NALLY Shark Week!! Happy 37th to this great week of Discovery Channel TV (HBO Max too) and enjoy watching all the fun. It’s gonna be FIN-TASTIC! Some weeks/years have been better than others, depending on the celebrity hosts, so we’ll see how this year measures up. I’m SO READY! Along with that, here’s some other goodness to watch at home or at the theater.
The third and final season just started this week, dripping out two episodes and then one a week for a total of eleven through September 17. Stretching out the end of this heart-felt series as best they can and man, the love triangle is already off and running once again in just the first two episodes. I envy all the awesome authors who have had their books turned into popular shows or movies. There are so many now! Perfect material and sure beats studios just resurrecting a classic and trying to reboot it. Don’t get me wrong – some reboots are fun but the majority just feel like Hollywood’s being lazy. When you think about the mounds of books with original content that could be adapted for the screen, the sky’s the limit.
I was jumping for joy that this show finally hit Netflix on July 10 and I resisted the urge to binge it. Still watching it, actually, and what I’ve seen so far is everything I hoped it would be and then some. Megan Statler is a comedy gem and bravo to Lena Dunham for recognizing her talent and writing this show just for her…and putting herself in it as a really fun cameo! It’s also nice to see Will Sharpe flex his acting muscles and be something more than Aubrey Plaza’s door knob of a husband on White Lotus. He played it well but his character in this show perfectly meshes with Megan’s crazy.
July 13 was the 40th Anniversary of Live Aid and CNN put together a great four-episode docuseries about how it all came to be. The episodes are being dripped out on Sunday nights and so far what I’ve seen has been fantastic. It’s soooo nostalgic! Seeing some of the most legendary performances, like Queen, is going to be awesome. The footage is perfect! And, fun fact: Phil Collins performed in both London AND Philly. He flew on the Concord to make it to both! If you’re a fan of music and so, SO many huge bands and musical acts, this is worth the watch.
I missed this when it came out at the theaters back in April. Again, just a lot going on with my ma at the time. I really LOVE anything that Blumhouse produces and that the awesome Meghann Fahy starred in it too, double-bonus. It’s a lot of fun – some-edge-of-your-seat fun and some good ol’ fashion jump scares too. AND it’s only 1 hour and 35 minutes. Is it just me or have feature length movies just gotten waaayyyy too long? I mean, I get it, it’s tough to tell your story in under 2 hours but rise to the challenge and try. And maybe studios think they have to make movies pretty long so that people can justify paying to go see one at the theater? So they gotta give them their money’s worth? I think time IS money and I’d rather see a really well-produced flick in under 2 hours any day. Now, sometimes you want more and it’s justifiable. There’s just a lot of fluff to movies though that maybe could have made it on the cutting-room floor and the final product tightened up some. Just saying. Anyway, have some summer thriller fun with this one!!
I’ll admit it. I was really worried about this one but I secretly had high hopes that James Gunn wouldn’t fuck it up. There was soooo much riding on it, especially after the disappointment of finding out that Henry Cavill would no longer be part of any future DC movies…at least at this point. This movie honors the legacy so well and has just the right amount of James Gunn magic and campiness that makes it work perfectly. I couldn’t have been happier. Maybe I need to start going to movies with lower expectations – it’s just not in me though. I literally LOVE movies so I can always find something good, no matter if it was a box office bomb or not. This one just had REALLY big shoes to fill. I’m ecstatic to see it again. It was a major slam dunk for James’ reign as King of DC.
It’s been over a decade since I’ve watched ANY of the Bachelor seasons. My daughter used to love to watch it when she was little and make fun of all the crazy girls and guys. My hubby and I decided to give this one a go and man, it’s been entertaining. Still jam-packed with drama and we still root for the heinous to be roseless and booted from the island. The “Paradise” seasons add even more crazy to the episodes – the producers are clearly working over time, making it as messy as possible. It always reminds me of UnREAL. Basically a fictionalized version of how these types of shows are made, and all the terrible things they do behind the scenes to make for great ratings, and OMG – it was sooo good. Constance Zimmer is forever my spirit animal after seeing that show. She plays such an awesome bitch. Love her!
Slasher Summer Fun, check! Hoping to capitalize on the Scream and Final Destination reboots phenomenon, here’s another one from the same teen slasher film era. It was pretty fun, with throwbacks/Easter eggs to the originals AND of course some of the stars too, along with fun newbies. If you are a fan like me of the OG, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how they included Sarah Michelle Geller, since she of course had a really legendary death in the original. Not quite as great as Scream, since that will always win the top prize IMHO, but still a fun watch. And, no spoilers, but stick around to see the post-credit scene. They’re hoping enough people showed up to this one so they can make more.
That’s all she wrote. I gotta get back to watching some more old Shark Week episodes to prep for tonight. Remember, like SpongeBob always says, Chum is Fum.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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! 😉
It’s nearly July 4th and we’ve entered the half-way point of 2025. I really wish I was on our annual summer vacation right now but I’m happy I’ll be home to watch the Hot Dog Eating contest, Jaws, fireworks (on TV because it’s hot AF) and the new Jurassic movie – Summer Blockbuster Season is officially here!
We pushed our annual Summer trip to early August. With everything with my ma, I’ve just wanted to hide out and run away from all of it so really looking forward to blowing this popstand soon(ish). I’m also really hoping for less tears, less deep sighs and less anxiety and more laughs, more fun and more calm for the second half of 2025. I’d also like to get off the Struggle Bus any time now. I’ve been a passenger for awhile, driving in circles with no real destination. So here’s to better – not the best but just better and trying to enjoy the journey as much I can.
I’ve slowly but surely been turtling my way through the huge pile of shows and movies that have been waiting in the wings for me to care about again. I’m still really, REALLY bad about not finishing some shows, similar to my reading habits, as I’ve gotten older, but we’ll see if I can cross a bunch off my list over the next few months. The NBA playoffs and season are over too, freeing up some more of my viewing time. BIG congrats to OKC. What a great group of dudes! Ok, all that being said, here’s some shows and movies that I have finished or are in the process of watching.
I’ve attempted to get my hubby to watch this show with me since Season 1 Episode 1. He watched that debut episode and it was so chaotic, full of anger and anxiety that he couldn’t stick with it. Maybe that’s why I like it so much. It’s crazy. The filming and choices the creators have made are always fantastic, not to mention the cast and special guests that pop-up often. I don’t think I ever really cared about that sort of thing until seeing a show that pulls it off so well. It’s just a beautiful hurricane. I watched the last episode of Season 4 on Sunday. There are rumors this may be the final season and I’d be ok with that. It had a natural wrap to it, like they planned it to possibly be exactly that, but it could go on for more too. Still kills me, and I’m sure all its competition, they entered all the awards shows as a comedy. It’s way more drama than comedy and I don’t think they can even really claim it being a dramedy but good for them. Whatever works and gets you those very deserved trophies.
Fun Fact: I see Jeremy Allen White posts on the Gram walking with big bundles of flowers all the time. Just this morning I reposted a set that had some context to them. He has a flower market near his home and he likes to get new flowers weekly so that he can arrange them around his home with his daughters. I mean, the Top Dad Award goes to Yes Chef!
In its third season and doling out the episodes weekly like old school days, this show is Bridgerton-like but not as many laughs and not as much smut. Awesome period piece show with society dramarama and trying to fit in, along with some historical elements peppered in that make it feel very legit. The consultants on set clearly made sure they made it as real as they could. There’s some really top-tier cast members too, including Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski. Talk about star-power with that trifecta. I’ve been following Carrie for a long time. One of my favorite short-lived shows was The Leftovers, another HBO Max show. It only lasted three seasons, based on a popular book, or maybe that was enough – I don’t know. I remember wanting more but that they did get to tie things up pretty well, knowing it may only last three seasons. I loved the cast so much and the show premise, as sad and fucked up as it was. Check it out if you haven’t already. I also think Carrie has a deep connection (and long-lasting contract) with HBO since she’s also in the latest season of White Lotus. I’ll write about that another time (since I need to really dig in on all the Mike White awesomeness and not feeling like diving deep today), while wearing my DIFF White Lotus colab sunnies. I waited for MONTHS for them to arrive and they finally did! As my daughter jokes, I’m super extra, like guac.
Smoke is a brand new show starring Taron Egerton along with Jurnee Smollett that just dropped on AppleTV. If you’re familiar with Backdraft, one of Kurt Russell’s very best, this show has a similar premise but man, there’s two episodes so far and a MAJOR plot twist has already been introduced! There will be nine total episodes through August 15, dripping them out weekly, again, old school style. That’s what AppleTV does for all their shows. Unpopular opinion – I’m old and still kind of like that. With as much as I watch (and the rest of my social butterfly calendar that keeps me away from being a 24/7 couch potato) I appreciate a weekly show AND if I decide to let it ride and pile up some, I can binge a few episodes too. So best of both worlds. Can we also talk about how awesome Taron is for a sec? I’m always, ALWAYS impressed by actors who can change their accent for a role. I know it’s kind of part of the gig but it’s crazy to me, especially when some of them have very thick accents. How do they do that?! It’s so cool. If you’re a Taron fan like me, check out his other AppleTV show Black Bird with the awesome and soooo talented Paul Walter Hauser. Do yourself another favor and follow Paul on the Gram. He’s a hoot and I love his posts.
This new Owen Wilson feel-good comedy is a lot of Ted Lasso and a dash or two of Tin Cup. I watch it and cry mostly because I know it’s something my pop and ma would both have loved to see and Owen is just such a charming and genuine goofball. I watched him on Hot Ones and I’m convinced his character in all his roles is really his persona in real life or something pretty close. The show is excellent and so much fun to watch, in between my tears.
F1 is a movie to see on the big screen – it was made for it! And if you can, see it at IMAX! I tried and was a fucking idiot and bought the wrong tickets BUT I still saw it on a Harkins Ciné screen which is bigger.
I’m pop culture obsessed, as is very apparent here and on all my social channels, and I read that Apple and the producers considered Tom Cruise for Brad Pitt’s role but decided to not cast him because it would have been too risky. Tom is always pushing the envelope of potential death (see Mission Impossible, Top Gun, etc) and the studio was like, nah, maybe not. Then, I watched/listened to Brad on Dax Shepard’s podcast and he said that it was the first racing movie where they allowed the stars to be insured and really drive the F1 cars…that on average race at 180 MPH. He said he told them that if they weren’t able to get behind the wheel of the real deal then he was out. Brad also has an over-priced line of clothing. Aside from how pretentious that site looks and the prices are, he does seem like a cool and chill dude. I’m sure Angelina and his kids would say otherwise but George Clooney probably would still testify for him and that’s all that matters.
Sinners will be on streamers soon and we finally saw it over the weekend. Wow – crazy and bravo to Ryan Coogler and also Michael B. Jordan for playing twins! Again, I saw a post and article that they put him in some new camera gear to pull off the filming of that. Long way from side by side merged screens that looked super janky but we loved it anyway because move magic, duh.
I think if Ryan was trying to channel some Jordan Peele and join him in the horror ranks of Hollywood, he achieved that, along with having some legit real-world messaging too, also another technique that Jordan has perfected. I always feel like Jordan gives me a “The More You Know” vibe with all his flicks but waaaayyyy deeper. So check, Ryan, I think you did it and all the love and support you’ve gotten from the world and box office about the movie is a testament to that too.
So not a show or movie but a podcast that I like to watch and listen on YouTube. I’m trying to introduce more podcasts to my routine since there are so many good ones, like Good Hang with Amy Poehler. She’s got a great line-up of interviews and is so funny and genuine. It’s a good time and always great conversations. I watch/listen while working. It’s been a nice change and I highly recommend it!
I recently got to see Amy with Tina Fey on their tour and it was a major bucket list moment. It had been a really rough day, the day I had to get everything set up with hospice for my ma and one of my best friends was with me and we managed to still make it to the show that night. I think I laughed harder than maybe their jokes and stories really were that funny, overcompensating for all that I’d been experiencing for months or maybe slightly unhindged, like Tom Hanks in The Money Pit. There’s a scene where he laughs so hard, physically and loudly, when a bathtub falls through the floor, like to the degree of choking himself – it’s just one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen and I still laugh ’til I cry to this day when I rewatch it. I think I was close to that level of outward crazy laughing without irritating the fuck out of all our seatmates. Laughter truly is the best medicine or like Dolly Parton’s character Truvy in Steel Magnolias said “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” Enjoy your 4th celebration and GO JOEY CHESTNUT!
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!
Happy New Year! We made it and the holidays just blew by. Now that I’m not feeling the guilt of having to watch as many of my favorite Christmas flicks as I was able to pack in during the shortest holiday season I experienced in a long time, I can get back to my always-growing list of shows and movies that I desperately need to catch up on. It’s a literal snowball effect, as more new shiny objects are dropping daily but I have to power through and finish all the others.
The Golden Globes are this Sunday and I sadly have only seen four of the nominated movies…out of eighteen total! Many years ago I attempted to watch all of them prior to the awards but that hasn’t happened since. I am more up to speed on the nominated TV shows, having seen many of them and so excited for the nominees. I fill out my own ballot and play along and even better, I make my hubby cast his vote too. He despises it, rolls his eyes when he sees me coming with the print-out every time but begrudgingly humors me and fills it out. What he doesn’t do is any research on the movies and shows that are getting the most hype OR remembers how they performed at the other award shows since that sometimes dictates how the next group shakes out, with the occasional surprise. Like the cool kids say, it’s my pop culture flex that I typically score better than he does. But, enough about all that. If you’re in need of some new shows to kick off the new year right, here’s some recos.
Virgin River– Season 6 dropped on Netflix right before Christmas so I was only able to squeeze a couple episodes in. When we got back from Cali on the 30th, I promptly binge watched all the rest of the season. This show is very Hallmark, crossed with Gilmore Girls and some Northern Exposure too. I love it and it’s already been greenlit for Season 7 with a couple of big cliffhangers at the end of Season 6. They love to do that.
Shrinking – I also managed to finish Season 2 just this week and man, get a box of tissues. This show has all the feels and Harrison Ford. That’s about all that’s needed for an excellent show, IMHO.
The Sticky – This show is loosely based on some true events and has a couple of my favorite ladies in it. It’s got a Fargo vibe that’s quirky, fun and mysterious. Only six episodes total and what I’ve seen so far has been great.
Black Doves – Netflix dropped this show in December since it does show some Christmas merriment but the show is far from that. Ton of great action and spy intrigue. Keira Knightley needs her own John Wick movie now – that’s how badass she is.
No Good Deed – Lots of hype around this show because the cast is stacked and I dig what I’ve seen so far. Don’t believe some of the haterade that’s out there about it. It’s really fun and a solid Netflix show.
Also, aside from all the TV and movies I consume, I do love to read BUT don’t carve out the necessary time any more to really make a dent in my reading list. Instead, I signed up for Audible and have been listening to books while I drive. The best part is that in many cases celebs read the books, especially their own. I listened to Josh Brolin share his book and am more than halfway through hearing Tom Selleck share his. It’s awesome. I’m really loving it and I have Reese’s Book Club to thank for it. They promote audiobooks to experience their monthly book selections, knowing that many folks struggle with finding time to read and that there’s many ways to “read”. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re a podcast fan and feel like you’ve abandoned books. If you can listen to podcasts, you can listen to books too. Cheers to 2025 and fingers crossed it’s not a total dumpster fire!
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 literallythe 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!
From Rushia With Love 