We’ve been watching “Best Medicine” on Netflix. It originally aired on FOX. It’s a direct ripoff of “Doc Martin,” a popular British series of several years ago, even to the name of the fictional town. We liked “Doc Martin,” but this Americanized version is awful. The main character is fine, but while the peripheral characters on Doc Martin were quirky and eccentric, they were rarely annoying. In this version, every single one are the most irritating people they could possibly be. They’re all just too over the top. Too American.
I don’t think I’ve seen it mentioned here, but It’s Always Sunny is back on. I watched the first two episodes and the show still seems to be holding up. I think it helps that, at least so far, they’ve gotten back to their roots, so to speak. With episodes taking place in a handful of familiar locations and playing out mostly as you’d expect. By that I mean, you’re not guessing what’s going to happen, it’s just that we don’t end up in Ireland or on a reality show. Speaking of which, I completely forgot about the Carol Kane plotline.
Also, I finally got around to watching the first few episodes of Reservation Dogs.
I’m nearing the end of S4 of Mad Men, and quite frankly I’m getting tired of Don Draper falling into bed with every new female character that shows up. Well, except for Miss Blankenship, but that was pretty much the whole point of her character. He’s worse than Captain Kirk!
But what I’m really hoping is that with Lucky Strike gone, they rehire Sal Romano. I hated to see him go.
“Ripoff” suggests that the American show is an illicit, unauthorized copy, when in reality it’s an authorized adaptation, alongside versions in France, Germany, Greece and other countries. It’s so authorized that Martin Clunes even made an appearance.
His self-destructiveness does get a little repetitive after a while.
I was going to say the same thing. It would be like calling the U.S. version of Ghosts a ripoff of the UK version.
I watched all of Best Medicine and liked it well enough. My mother was a big fan of Doc Martin and I saw a number of them. The U.S. doctor gives off curmudgeon vibes. I thought Clunes version tried to be more Asperger than asshole.
And Roger Sterling’s not much better!
If you like Lucky, you’d probably also like Furious, currently nearing the end of its run on Hulu. The two shows are quite similar: a beautiful brilliant woman (Emily Russo in Furious) is doing nefarious deeds, with a black FBI agent on her case but who is stimied by her superior (for some reason), and another woman on her trail. Both are excellent shows.
An interesting character in Furious is Steve Way, a man crippled by multiple sclerosis and confined to a wheelchair. At first appears that he is being taken advantage of, and falls madly but ultimately foolishly in love. But he’s got some great scenes in the latest episode, playing one of the best wise asses I’ve ever seen. Then he… I predict some Emmy awards coming his way.
Please be careful of spoilers.
I watched an episode of Conan O’Brien Must Go on HBO; purportedly a travel show. I started with S2E1, Spain, and gosh a’mighty, I could not make it through the episode. I learned nothing about Madrid or Spain; everything was just a setup for Conan to be an asshole to whoever was nearby. I’m actually predisposed to like something Conan developed, but this was completely unbearable.
Unfortunately, I agree. He was always, or almost always, pretty entertaining in other countries. Now that it is an extended bit, he comes off annoying and frustrating.
…said everyone who ever watched Mad Men immediately after that episode.
Big Little Lies season 1. If season 1 is supposed to be the “good” season, then I can’t understand how I missed the story of the writers committing mass seppuku out of shame for the second season. Because season 1 really sucked. All the characters sucked and the story was overly long and predictable. I had the principle mysteries solved by the end of episode 2 (who done the thing to the little girl, and which adult had the thing done to them) and the rest of the story was not nearly interesting enough to sustain 5 more episodes. And it wasn’t just the rich characters that sucked: working class single mom sucked too, in part because for all they said about her being working class and single, they never actually showed her being working class. If they hadn’t kept telling me how precarious her situation was, I’d have assumed she was just living off a hefty inheritance.
But as to the mystery, I really hate it when a show begins with “someone died, but we’re not going to tell you who” and then drags on as if that alone should have me hungering for more (looking at you, White Lotus).
Anyway, I give it a 6 out of 10 because at least the acting wasn’t as bad as the story.
Luc! He reminds me of a good friend of mine, both in appearence and attitude. We’ve just started season 4, and there’s only been one significant plot point that we haven’t guessed ahead of time. Definately a guilty pleasure.
That’s one I haven’t been able to finish. I like the actors, I like the acting, I usually like black comedies. But just a continual stream of rich douchebags being douchebags just kinda grates on me. I won’t quite say triggering, but it verges on something like that 
. I’m usually NOT the guy whining that everyone is unlikable - if anything I’m usually that annoying guy quietly rolling his eyes at the people whining that everyone is unlikable. But…yeah, wasn’t feeling it.
Though maybe I’ll go back and give it another chance some day. I disliked the The Royal Tannenbaums way back when it was first released, but very recently gave it another try and decided now I like it after all. So, you never know.
Finally! I watched 2-3 episodes when it was first released and I just couldn’t get into in, though usually I would be a fan. But I’m not one who usually watches stories involving kids in trouble.
Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen on Netflix
A slow-burn horror story with some good (though largely unlikable) characters. The plot revolves around a curse with rules I’m not sure I was ever quite clear on but it kept me engaged through eight episodes.
Yeah, it’s a tale of two Conans. My favorite podcast is ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend’ in which he displays a lightning quick wit, is very funny, and has insightful, thoughtful long-form interviews with his guests.
Then there’s attention whore Conan, who becomes this obnoxious asshole trying to get a cheap laugh at anyone’s expense, and just embarrasses himself, IMO. I’ve seen that Conan show up on ‘Conan O’Brien Must Go’ and that (in)famous Hot Wings YouTube episode. That shtick must work for some people, because he keeps doing it. The Hot Wings episode he was on is their most popular one, I’ve heard. To me it was cringey as hell.
I just watched the new episode where he visits India. He is honestly much better behaved.
Excellent review of Grantchester. It was uneven but despite it’s flaws, was still an enjoyable watch.
I also had no idea this ever happened. I guess I just always assume a British production gets shown over the pond first before airing here. I’ll keep that in mind for future shows.
Finished season 3 of Slow Horses last night. What a great show, I am really enjoying it. Lots of good humor mixed in with the action. Also, I can definitely see why they’ve all been shuffled off to Slough House, because being bright and capable agents is certainly not their strong suit!