It being New Year’s Eve, it is not a time for serious thinking.
Thus, I take this opportunity to offer my suggestions for good things to watch on television. Or, to put it another way, things that I really liked watching.
My favorite was the Belgian crime series called “Professor T.” on PBS. Do not mistakenly watch the British version. Professor T. is a highly intelligent, neurotic criminologist who solves difficult crimes. The series is urbane, witty, provocative, and sometimes zany. I enjoyed watching Professor T. think, and I liked his taste in music (mostly Bach.)
The best film I have seen lately is Don’t Look Up. It is a terrifying, sometimes hilarious metaphor for our times. It has a star-filled cast (Merryl Streep as a Trump-like President), Leonardo DiCaprio as a scientist at Michigan State, Jennifer Lawrence as a graduate student at MSU). And many more big names (Tyler Perry, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, Ariana Grande).
The story, in brief, is that a grad student observes a giant comet headed directly for earth. A direct hit will extinguish all life on earth in a bit more than six months. She tells her professor and they contact federal authorities,who bring them to D.C. to meet with officials at NASA, the military, and the White House. The White House decides the story should be buried because it might have a negative effect on the midterm elections. They go to the media. The nation’s biggest talk show treats them as less important than a story about a singing star breaking up with her boyfriend. They get low ratings, and the news media decides their story is not interesting; it won’t sell papers. Basically, their warnings are discredited, and no one takes them seriously.
But the President calls them back, says their calculations have been verified by the scientific community, and she deploys plans to destroy the comet with massive strikes of nuclear missiles.
Then the plot changes as a tech genius convinces the President that the comet can be stopped without destroying it, and its minerals are worth trillions. The profit motive brings a sharp change of plans. I won’t tell you how it ends. You should see it. It captures the essence of our celebrity-driven, superficial mass culture, where power and greed outweigh common sense and integrity.
What are your favorites?
“Don’t Look Up” looks a lot like simple reporting on 2021.
András Schiff performs the complete Beethoven piano sonatas, with short lectures accompanying each:
https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/podcasts/andras-schiff-beethoven-lecture-recitals
Free, and breathtakingly good.
YES! I am also hooked on “Professor T,” the Belgian one. I guess it could be described as a comedy/crime drama with sprinklings of Professor T’s hallucinations to jazz things up.
Another good PBS comedy/drama is “The Indian Doctor.”
Yes, I like “The Indian Doctor” too. I’m also totally hooked by “A Place to Call Home” on PBS. Loved “Dead to Me” and “The Morning Show.” Best of all: “Jane the Virgin.”
“Don’t Look Up” was a super satire anchored by some outstanding performances. In my opinion Mark Rylance, a classically trained actor that played Thomas Cromwell in “Wolf Hall,” was a stand out with his portrayal of a detached billionaire looking to monetize the disaster. He managed to channel elements of Musk, Gates and Zuckerberg in his characterization. At one point he is doubting the scientific calculations of an MSU professor, rattling on about his algorithms and refusing to take responsibility for the shortcomings of his technology. Rylance really captured the essence of these out of touch tech moguls in his performance. Kudos also goes to Adam McKay, a Temple graduate, who came up with the idea for the script and directed the film. He really lampoons politics, pop culture and, of course, arrogant billionaires.
All my friends say I MUST watch this. Now I have to.
a movie co-written by David Sirota, a well-known progressive in the Bernie Sanders’ camp
My favorite stupid, funny, escapist movie is What Did You Do In the War, Daddy?. Directed by Blake Edwards, written by William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist), starring Dick Shawn (one of the funniest), James Coburn, Carol O’Connor, and Harry Morgan (role that inspired Sherman Potts). On Prime last I checked. But this is pretty good on a loop too:
Love Professor T, and audience that also loves it … takes a special type of person .. watch the Colin Kaepernick biopic… sadly, it defines our world
I really enjoyed the PBS series “Atlantic Crossing” about the influence of the Norwegian member of the royal family convincing Roosevelt to give aid to Europe before America entered the war.
The American version of “Ghosts” on CBS has some comedic moments. I haven’t seen the U.K. version yet.
If anyone watches the old killer asteroid movie pair “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon” [not light and happy], there is a great line in “Armageddon” that anyone who has worked in a government lab will appreciate. I won’t spoil the scene by repeating the line.
Professor T was a favorite of mine as well. But do not overlook Behzat C.
The British rule the sit-com kingdom, IMHO.
Hands down, one of the most cheerfully enjoyable shows (no politics, no pressure, no deep-thinking required) is “Men Behaving Badly,” starring the magnificent Martin Clines (& Doc Martin is another favorite of mine) & Neil Morrissey as the badly behaved men. It’s been over for awhile now (I believe there were 6 seasons)
I’m sorry: hadn’t finished the comments.
In the first season, comedian Harry Enfield was in it, as well. The wonderfully sarcastic women (beleaguered but not at all beaten by these badly behaving men) are the terrific actresses Leslie Ash & Caroline Quentin.
Worth watching for the opening & closing credits alone (esp. Season 1). Even my husband (who hates British tv) laughed at the opening credit. I first saw all seasons free on YouTube, but don’t know if you still can. It’s on Tubi & on Amazon Prime.
Just finished watching “Don’t Look Up” and immediately told my husband he had to watch it. I wonder how Fox would review it?