It: Welcome to Derry

Another top notch entry from HBO, this one deals with the origins of the forces that haunt Derry and created Pennywise the clown. Well written and cast, the series is a must see for Horror Fans. If you liked IT and Stranger things this is probably going to work quite well for you. Not for the squeamish but still highly recommended.

Victoria

Magnificent adaptation of the novel sees Jenna Coleman play Queen Victoria in her younger years chronicles her relationship with Albert and the issues of the time. Coleman is amazing as Queen V and she will make you love her. The sets and costumes are also beautifully done. If you like shows like Downtown Abbey you're probably going to enjoy this. I was upset it got such a short run this show had the potential to run for a number of years, but late in the year of season three you can see it starting to fade focusing too much on Albert and their  children and it gets a bit too melodramatic. Still a fine watch. Highly Recommended.

Emily in Paris

 Emily moves from her marketing job in Chicago to their new offices in Paris and finds new friends and lovers. I avoided this romantic comedy for the longest time, this type of show isn't my thing. However this show has a couple things working for it. First and foremost, Lilly Cooper is absolutely fabulous in every way possible and it's nearly impossible to not be charmed by her and root for her. She reminds all those old enough why Aubrey Hepburn was so beloved. Secondly, this show has some of the best fashion design you will see on TV, period pieces notwithstanding. Her outfits and her shoes are always wow moments and I can't imagine this not sparking fashion trends. Lastly, its beautifully filmed on location in Paris. The combination of Cooper and the setting make this enjoyable from a pure eye candy viewpoint, but if your looking for solid drama this isn't it. Also, Alfie is annoying AF no one in the world of business is this jacked. The only people who are are Actors/Models and professional athletes in other words people who get paid to work out. Secondly Slyvie is way too old to wear some of her outfits. I don't want to see a 65 yr old woman's breasts thank you very much. This is more of a guilty pleasure than a show to be taken seriously. Still worth it because of Lilly Cooper. The boob job she got between s1 and s2 was not a good call. Its obvious and its not like Cooper wasn't a show stopper before them, so I have to question it.

Turn: Washington's Spies 

Really well done drama set during the American revolution about America's first spy ring. Gorgeous production values and solid acting are the hallmarks of this series and it starts out extremely strong but over the course of 4 seasons the plot becomes less and less plausible. By season 3 you are starting to really wonder how in the world this man hasn't been caught yet and by s4 it becomes a real problem and the script breaks down. Still, this is worth the time and it makes for a great companion piece to Ken Burn's The American Revolution which I watched just prior to this. Worth it.

 The Last Frontier

Jason Clarke plays a US Marshall stationed near Fairbanks. When a plane full of federal prisoners crashes near him, it sets off a manhunt. Plenty of twists and turns in this solid offering from AppleTV+. The theme music sounds like a show from the 1970's and the setting of Alaska is quite stunning. Jason Clarke does a great job as the Marshall with a troubled past. It may not be the most realistic of shows but it's good fun and I never failed to stop wanting to watch it. Recommended.

The Abandons

 

Typical western fare, with a typical western storyline, One rich and powerful family run by Gillian Anderson lords over a town and its territory, while stepping on Lena Headley's family and the commoners in pursuit of power and riches. The only thing atypical is the two main protagonists are women and they interjected a Romeo and Juliet subplot. The cast is fine, the scenery is pleasant to look at but the script is recycled from a hundred different westerns and dressed up to be original. This ended poorly. I cant tell if it was a cliffhanger or the director just chose to end it there, but either way, i didn't like his choice. I'm not sure if this is good enough to warrant a second season, so the ending could turn out to be even worse. This is watchable if you like westerns otherwise, I would pass.

Sean Combs: The Reckoning

 An absolutely fascinating documentary about Puff Daddy who was one of the most glorious pieces of shit in human history. Produced by 50 cent, the reckoning pulls very few punches as we see the rise and fall of Puff. This illuminating documentary answers many questions, some of which you didn't know you had. When I began I didn't expect to find out who killed Tupac and Biggie Smalls and why, but through conjecture and first hand accounts it's fairly easy to figure it out. Puff gets released from prison in June of 28 and this documentary ,with god's help, should be the final nail in his coffin and almost guarantees we will never see an act II from "puff daddy". Highly Recommended.