Tag: Disney

Two TV Shows Worth Watching

Lately I have been watching a lot of TV, trying to catch up on all the series that I love. Some are shows that I have seen before, like the third season of ‘Emily In Paris’ and others are brand new, like ‘Wednesday’ (both of which are on Netflix).

I thought I would highlight a couple of brilliant TV shows that I am currently enjoying. These have been really entertaining in their own unique ways. So if you want to open that box of chocolates that is left over from the holidays and find some really good TV shows to watch, hopefully I can lead you in the direction of some that are both satisfying and moreish.

Andor (Disney Plus)

As a massive Star Wars fan, it was inevitable that I was going to check out the latest Lucasfilm production which is set during the times of Emporer Palpatine.

Andor even has Storm Troopers in it.

Having watched and enjoyed ‘The Mandalorian’ as well as ‘Obi-Wan’ but not been so keen on ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, Andor could have gone either way.

Luckily, its twelve episodes were cleverly written and its lead characters were compelling. Cassian Andor had a difficult past, being rescued from his troubled planet by Maarva Andor (played by the ever-brilliant Fiona Shaw) who brought him up on the industrial planet of Ferrix.

A Great Plot!

Cassian started the story searching for his sister but became wound up in a mission to destroy an Empire fortress on a planet not unlike Scotland. With a secretive Luthan (Stellan Skarsgard) directing him initially, he finds that later his efforts are being sniffed out by a formidable Empire Supervisor. Denise Gough plays the very serious Dedra who is determined to get to the bottom of stolen resources.

The story is captivating, full of twists and turns and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. With a stand-out performance by Andy Serkis (of Lord of the Rings) and such an incredible cast, this is by far the best series that the Star Wars people have made and I cannot wait until season two.

Young Royals (Netflix)

If this were a book it would be a YA fiction novel. We are now on the second series of Young Royals and I feel that the drama has got even better. Willhelm – the eventual Crowned Prince of Sweden – is at a private school and secretly fell in love with another student, Simon.

Not wishing to spoil anything but their love affair is the main context for the TV show and was explored in season one. Watching the students go through Swedish traditions, whilst negotiating going into adulthood is interesting and fraught.

The Queen was initially not impressed to find that Willhelm’s affair had been exposed by a mystery cameraman. Willhelm gave a statement to deny that it was him rolling around with poor Simon. The story then intensified from that point. I am currently midway through the action as twists and turns take these brilliant actors through fun, awkwardness and turmoil.

If you are not a Swedish speaker then obviously this is well subtitled. I find it hugely entertaining and great to see LGBTQ lead characters in a story about modern royalty.

In A Nutshell

In my opinion, both of these programmes are wonderful in their own distinct ways. Young Royals is modern and fresh, making my own stuffy royal family look very stale. This series explores great characters, beautiful settings and introducing us to swedish culture.

For meAndor is slow to start (as it needs to be) before charging full throttle. It whips us through a whole host of adventures at light-speed. The script is penned so that you often wonder why some remote bits are happening and then later realise they are all cleverly interwoven into the plot, connecting all of the dots in a thrilling narrative.

Final Thought

I hope that I have given you some ideas for interesting TV shows to view tonight. Maybe they will keep you coming back for more. They definitely kept me entertained as they drew me into their intriguing plots.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post. I hope that you will comment your thoughts underneath and consider following my blog for more book and TV reviews as well as environmental articles.

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More Great TV Shows

TV has already been brilliant this January and now we enter February I have added even more great TV shows to my recommended list. The choice of quality and fun series feels better than ever after a slow down in production during the pandemic. I am still registered with a TV Extra agency and the shear amount of offers I have received lately is great. Sadly I just don’t have time to do them as I no longer work part time and haven’t done for a while.

Anyway, the following TV shows have got my attention and sustained my interest so far. If you are looking for new shows to grab your interest, then these are definitely worth a try.

Casting agents have been doing a great job lately, especially in the shows I have reviewed.

Trigger Point – ITV

This show was always going to be good. It is produced by Jed Mercurio, of ‘Line of Duty’ fame, and stars Vicky McClure, with a guest spot by Adrian Lester. All about a bomb disposal team who are dealing with some challenging times, this series is thrilling and fascinating.

Vicky plays Lana, who is a strong female lead that is trying to solve a puzzle related to recent bomb discoveries in London. Alongside this, she is dating a Police detective, making work and personal life an interesting balance. Also the loss of a close friend and colleague provides more incentive to rid London of the preceding threat.

Only two episodes in, but this masterpiece of an ITV drama is compelling and well written, with fully rounded characters. The gritty subject matter makes this unsuitable for kids but as far as storyline goes it had similar ingredients to the incredible ‘Bodyguard’ series, also penned by Jed Mercurio.

The Book of Bobba Fett – Disney

Oh my goodness! For any Star Wars fans, there have been some brilliant series coming out since Disney Plus emerged onto the streaming market. First we had ‘The Mandalorian’ (reviewed here), which was followed up with a second season and now we have ‘The Book of Bobba Fett.’

Baby Yoda, otherwise known as `Grogu’ is a regular Mandalorian character.

I don’t want to give any spoilers for proper Star Wars fans but can say that these two series are linked in several ways. In the six episodes of Bobba Fett we find out what happened to him after he was thrown into the Sarlak pit during ‘The Return of the Jedi.’ Let’s face it – we were all wondering if that was the end of him or not.

Bobba had already appeared in the Mandalorian series and now we get to find out about how he dragged his way out of a pit (literally!) and quickly became a big player in Mos Eisley, the town that Jabba once ruled. The other main characters are well cast (especially Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand – Bobba’s loyal deputy) and help to make this narrative interesting and entertaining. There are many flashbacks and connections to the original George Lucas movies, too.

Both of my recommendations are six part series so can be spread out or easily watched in binges. I absolutely love Trigger Point for its unpredictability and pace. Bobba is all about Star Wars nostalgia and filling in the gaps of ongoing stories. Created by Jon Favreau, this series is another example of Lucasfilm magic.

I hope that you enjoyed these brief reviews and consider checking out my blog for similar future content. As well as TV show reviews, I also write about books and the environment.

Disney Is Magical – But Why?

When I was little I wrote to Disney magazine and asked if I could work for them. The response was a lovely letter and some really cute Disney character transfers, which helped me get over their subtle rejection. Many years after that I am still incredibly impressed by what Disney has achieved and the fact that the company keeps reflecting and building upon what Walt originally established. In my opinion, Disney is magical and this is why..,

Imaginative teams create these lasting delights.

From animated movies to TV series and documentaries, Disney has a way of making stories that entertain while asking questions, challenging perceptions and allowing viewers a great deal of escapism. I feel as though this is turning out like an advertisement but really I wanted this article to draw attention to some small Disney Plus programmes which focus on different aspects of the Disney organisation.

The little documentaries that I enjoy most are the ‘Disney Insider’ short programmes which are roughly 20 minutes long each. They give insights into the making of new Disney projects and behind the scenes at some of the most famous attractions at the theme parks. From finding out how animations are made to learning about some of the delicacies available at Disney Land, these shows have segments about all sorts of things.

Disney owns ABC television and produces books, toys and all sorts of audio output as well as theatre shows and cruises. So there is plenty for the Insider shows to cover and I look forward to what they choose to celebrate next. Within the Disney umbrella is Pixar too and they have a similar show called ‘Inside Pixar’ which allows us inside the amazing Pixar studios and provides us with extra details about their story making and creative processes.

History of Disney

As well as these little insights, there is also a documentary about how Walt started everything off and began to put together a team to design and visualise. ‘The Imagineering story’ tells us how his visions were translated into films, theme parks and a Disney culture. A group of elite artists, called Imagineers, have been coming up with ideas and concepts that have underpinned the Disney narrative ever since Walt got them started.

To add to this, a series of programmes about how some of the best known attractions came into existence is also available on the Disney Plus platform. ‘Behind the Attractions’ is great because it takes us on the journey from inception to opening day for features such as ‘It’s a Small World’ and ‘Star Tours.’ I especially loved learning about how the hotels developed over the years and the introduction of the monorail.

This set of programmes about how the magic of Disney continues to evolve is really interesting and satisfies my need to know details. Perhaps you also believe that Disney is magical or otherwise. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments. I hope that you enjoyed this post and consider following my blog for more articles about entertainment, books and the environment.