Wednesday, November 11, 2020

What's on telly?

What are you watching on telly at the moment? 

2020 has been so dramatically dark I can't watch anything similar as entertainment. So the thought that the new series of The Crown is about Diana and Charles is not, for me, a turn on. I don't want to watch poor Diana being crushed by the royals. I'm already iffy about The Crown anyway, because while it is brilliant, I find it deeply depressing. (Also I'm a republican - small r! small r!)  

In these dark autumn days I don't even want to watch people being faintly miserable. Friends have recommended Us to me but after twenty minutes I switched it off. 

I need fiction not documentaries, and comedy, or comedy drama with a happy ending. And I need something I can tune into every night for an hour before I switch off the light. That way I usually get a good night's sleep. 

Here's what I've enjoyed over the last year: Grace and Frankie, Atypical, Call the Midwife, Virgin River, Call My Agent, The Kominsky Method, and I have a love/hate relationship with Gilmore Girls. All of these are on Netflix - the only streaming channel I have. I know Call the Midwife has serious stuff in it but the whole package is almost always uplifting.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I tried After Life and if the language hadn't been so crude I think I could have enjoyed it even though I find what's-his-name repellent. Yes, I'm picky, but please don't think I mind bad language - the odd fuck is just fine. But I'd welcome suggestions, because tonight I reach the last episode of Atypical series 3, second time of watching, and the next series of Virgin River doesn't start till the end of the month. 

Like Sally Howe in the Plotting books, i still watch Neighbours. Why? I can hear you all shouting (aghast)? Because the characters are familiar and there's the plot that drags you on. I know it's rubbish but it's reliable rubbish and as such it's very comforting. Yes, most of the characters are annoying. Jane is a ninny and Chloe needs a good slapping and sadly resident villain Paul Robinson has lost his evil edge since he married Therese. 

My younger sister feels the same. Every time we chat on the phone we spend ten minutes slagging off Neighbours and we both continue to watch it. Everyone needs a soap in their life, and especially these lockdown days when social life is pared to the bone. 

As for books, I'm rereading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for the nth time. 





I wouldn't be able to watch it on screen because there's so much in it that's heartrending. 

What are you watching and reading? Do you have any suggestions?


5 comments:

marmee said...

hello! here is my two cents worth ( and I am not totally sure i have not suggested this before). So when I really want to in a different space I watch anime movies, and I watch them with the japanese soundtrack and english subtitles . No violence, no sci fi...here are a few that works for me and have been test driven by some family members as well:

Only yesterday ( a young woman looks back on her childhood and finds love and a place in the world) this is the best one by my standards, wonderful subtle drawing of the countryside
My neighbour totoro ...again lovely illustrations, quirky, lovely heart to it.
Whisper of the Heart and When marnie was here are a teeny bit less clever, less insightful
I often watch these on my laptop , actually on my lap while I knit

marmee said...

Forgot to say! I love A Tree grows in Brooklyn! Will go find my copy and enjoy it again

Sue Hepworth said...

Where would I find these anime movies you have watched and enjoyed, Marmee?

marmee said...

Netflix sue...I am in South Africa and they are on "our" Netflix ...hope they are available for you!

Sue Hepworth said...

Yes! Found them!