[Peppermint P]

The Queen's Gambit, Netflix. It's basically an underdog story but with better developed characters and fewer cliches than most shows or movies in the genre. One of the best limited series I've seen in recent years.

Agreed. I think it is the best series I saw in 2020. I am not really a binger , and tend to watch only one or two episodes at a time and then come back in a week or two for more. With Queen's Gambit I forced myself to stretch it out over 4 days just to make it last longer because I was enjoying it so much. The only other Netflix series that I ,liked as much was Unbelievable and the first season of Mindhunter. I tend to watch a lot more Amazon Prime than Netflix because I prefer series from UK or Australia , and Amazon has more.UK content. I watched a series Code of a Killer on the weekend (only 3 episodes) starring John Simms It was based on the true story of Alec Jeffreys who was the scientist that discovered that DNA could be used first in paternity cases, and then to help identify as serial killer in Leicestershire .The series showcases his work with the police to develop as system to search and identify a serial killer, thereby changing police identification forever.
I am embarrassed to say that I was unaware of him, as I was also unaware of Alan Turing until I saw Imitation Game, and the amazing black women that made huge contributions to NASA in Hidden Figures.

 

[Mike Lang]

On paper, I shouldn't have like The Queen's Gambit. I still think it could have been shortened a bit, but it was much better than I would have thought.

 

[Phils]

I really like "Death to 2020" on Netflix.

 

[andyk]

Just completed "Halt and Catch Fire" on Netflix. I know it was previously on AMC and few people watched, but it's a great show. Great characters, life challenges, and the computer stuff could be any career path. And being a computer person just made it better for me.

 

[Phils]

Just finished watching Tehran on Apple TV. Brilliant.

Tehran (TV Series 2020– ) - IMDb

Created by Dana Eden, Maor Kohn, Omri Shenhar. With Niv Sultan, Shaun Toub, Menashe Noy, Shervin Alenabi. A Mossad agent embarks on her first mission as a computer hacker in her home town of Tehran.

www.imdb.com

https://www.cineflixrights.com/news/-cineflix-rights-acquires-israeli-public-broadcaster-kans-gripping-new-drama-series-tehran

 

[bluedrongo]

@andyk,

I watched Halt and Catch Fire when it was on AMC, it would have been so much more enjoyable being able to binge on it without commercials.
One of the best shows in the past decade in my opinion.
Fantastic cast and series.

 

[eljay]

The Midnight Sky - The lone scientist at an otherwise abandoned Arctic base attempts to warn a spaceship returning from a scouting expedition to one of Jupiter's moons that a catastrophe has befallen Earth.

Comments: A few clichés and not a lot of story stretched to almost two hours. Meh. But the visuals on the Jovian moon and in and around the spaceship were pretty cool.

 

[eljay]

Escape Room - Six people are lured by the promise of prize money to an escape room that proves to be far more challenging, dangerous and deadly than any of them could have imagined.

Comments: I turned my brain down going into this one and I enjoyed it! It started off slow and the ending was a bit soft but everything in between was decently entertaining.

 

[Mike Lang]

Just finished season one of Warrior on HBO Max.

 

[bluedrongo]

Have been watching Bull on Amazon Prime when I need a filler for an hour.
I wasn't too impressed with the first couple of episodes but it seems to be getting better or at least I am liking it more.
It's good to have something you can go to that keeps your interest when you're trying to decide what to watch.

 

[ExDilbert]

I've watched Bull on TV since it first aired. It's an interesting, if non-scientific, premise but suffers from formulaic plots, actors with limited range and bland locations. The occasional episode turns up a new and interesting twist but it's gone downhill significantly in the past year. I only watch it because another household member likes it.

 

[Mike Lang]

Coyote on CBS ALL Access.

 

[bluedrongo]

I've watched Bull on TV since it first aired. It's an interesting, if non-scientific, premise but suffers from formulaic plots, actors with limited range and bland locations. The occasional episode turns up a new and interesting twist but it's gone downhill significantly in the past year. I only watch it because another household member likes it.

It's not my first choice but it's coming in handy for those times when I can't be bothered looking for something else. I doubt I will ever get through even half the episodes, there seem to be heaps.

 

[bluedrongo]

Last night I started watching 'Younger' in fact I watched the first 8 episodes of season 1.
Had never heard of this series and found it a very pleasant surprise. Am really liking it a lot.
Each episode only lasts for 20-22 minutes.
I'm finding I like pretty much all the characters and actors.
Oh, watching on Amazon Prime.

 

[meshmellow]

Enjoying Superstore on Amazon Prime. I had never heard of it, but gave it a try. Some lovable crazy characters Since it's less than 30 minutes for an episode, it makes an amusing ending for my nightly TV time.

 

[liverpool]

I watched "The Queen's Gambit" limited series on Netflix and it was amazing.

 

[mhill37]

I am presently watching "The Expanse" on Prime Video. Up to Season 2, Episode 8. It started out good, but I am losing interest. Usually I like sci-fi, but it has to have a plausible story. It's starting to get too unrealistic. Too corny. Too many plot holes. Too fantastical.

Actually, it seems to be following the trend of so many other in-house productions offered by the streaming services. Every other series that I started watching that has been produced in-house by a streaming service has disappointed me bad. "The Man in the High Tower" (Prime Video) has a great concept, but I lost sympathy for the characters very early in the series. "Salvation" (Netflix) also was based on a great concept, but then flubbed the story completely. We've already had movies about big asteroids striking Earth ("Deep Impact" and "Armageddon") but "Salvation" was just plain lame. They were rushing to invent new technologies within an unrealistic time frame, getting resistance from bureaucracies, including a romantic element, etc, etc. But there was nothing about the show that was really space-related. The show could have been about any [BIG WORLD ENDING CATASTROPHE] that caused people to panic, create crisis, and raise tension. The space/sci-fi aspect of the show wasn't there. The more of these in-house shows I watch, the more they seem to all follow the same formula regardless of their genre: create a new crisis every week, don't worry about loose ends, include some romantic interest too soon in the show, don't worry about a believable plot, etc. Which is a shame, because these shows actually have some pretty good actors and special effects. Too bad the writing is so weak. (But so far nothing as bad as "Star Trek: Discovery". I love Star Trek but about halfway through Season 1 of this show, it became a chore to watch, not a pleasure.)

 

[bluedrongo]

@mhill37 ,

Have you tried Tales from the Loop on Amazon Prime?
I loved it.

 

[bigdoubledee]

I like The Expanse, one of the best shows on tv right now in my opinion.

As far as you not liking many other shows, my theory is that the 4 major networks haven't had a original idea in 30 years, god, the programming is so horrible the last few years. There is 1 show now I watch on the 4 networks, Evil, the rest of my viewing is other cable channels such as HBO, Netflix and Prime. And the commercials make them even more unwatchable.

 

[eljay]

Hotel Artemis - Despite its strict rules, medical treatment at the Hotel Artemis on this particular Wednesday in dystopian Los Angeles is going to be more complicated than usual.

Comments: This movie was quirky and somewhat dark, the story was thin but reasonably interesting (ditto the characters), the pacing was brisk and the run time was fairly short (~90 minutes). It wasn't great, but it was decent and an easy watch.