Tag: TV critic

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

As much as I love reading, I also enjoy watching TV series and so now and again I write about my favourites. Right now, I am still hooked on Big Sky, Motherland and Nine Perfect Strangers. However, there are a few other notable shows that I’d like to mention.

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Not being a massive fan of football, it surprised me how much I enjoyed the first season of this series. It’s about an American football coach who comes over to London and starts managing a failing team. Jason Sudeikis is Ted Lasso, the charismatic, quirky leader who happens to know nothing about soccer at all.

He is joined by the feisty football club owner, played by Hannah Waddingham. She is best known for being the woman who followed Cersei on her walk of shame in Game of Thrones, while ringing a bell and shouting, ‘Shame!’ In this role she is steely but likeable and her character becomes central to the plot.

The footballers have little respect for Ted initially but his enthusiasm grates off on them. With a moving soundtrack and some really heart-warming moments, there is a definite feel-good vibe to this programme. I find myself with tears in my eyes during every episode.

This brilliant comedy- drama is moving, sweet and funny. Currently I am in the middle of season two as it is being released weekly, which is the way I prefer to watch things.

Vigil (BBC)

Source: BBC

A few weeks ago a new series started on BBC iPlayer called Vigil. It stars Suranne Jones, who is famous for Coronation Street and Doctor Foster, alongside Rosie Leslie. Rosie is famously married to Kit Harington and starred opposite him in Game of Thrones. Her character once said, ‘You know nothing, Jon Snow!’

Anyway, the setting is incredible as they have clearly built the interior of a nuclear submarine, stuffed with intricate details. Suranne’s character (DCI Amy Silva) is a police detective winched down into the sub to find out more about a mystery death on board.

The story that plays out involves action on the sub itself but also on land as her sidekick DC Kirsten Longacre (Rosie) rummages around on a navy base and gets to know anti-nuclear protestors who also seem to be involved in the plot.

With DCI Silva’s dramatic past, she is no fan of being trapped in a metal box, deep under the sea. Her anxiety gets the better of her at times. Meanwhile Rosie is pursued by a mystery group as she sets about finding out more about the guy who died.

These two TV series have really got me hooked. Ted Lasso because it engages all of my emotions and Vigil because of the incredible storyline set off the coast of Scotland. For more about other shows I like click here.

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