2020: What Are You Watching - Corona Edition

LaCroix...LaCroix...Cortado? Pilates, Yoga? LaCroix, Probiotic, Tesla...Tesla LaCroix?

 

Remy.

 

I just finished the first season.

I’ve read all of the Lee Child written Reacher novels. Most twice. There are easily 10+ novels that would make great series.

WRT the first season, I think that Amazon et al did a very good job of capturing the Reacher vibe. They stuck mostly to the source material and where they strayed did not impact the story arc. They had to add subplots to stretch the material into 8 hours of TV.

I have some minor quibbles which I will spoil below and one major quibble … which is the fight scenes got stretched. Reacher in the novels is real wrecking ball, rarely being seriously challenged.

Spoiler

The lead actor, Alan Ritchman, playing Reacher is 6’2” versus 6’5” as in the book. Ritchman is built thick. IIRC Ritchman said he put 30 lbs on for the role. Thus, the show runner did a great job finding an actor to match Reacher fans expectations.

But …

Tom Cruise did not look the part, 5’7” versus 6’5”, but his portrayal matched Reacher to a T.

Ritchman struggled. Some of his lines fell flat.

I think the first season reception should lead to another season or two, so there is hope Ritchman would grow into the part.

Overall, I found the first Reacher season to be good not great and look forward many more seasons to come.

 

I started watching Reacher and have only seen the first two episodes. So far looks pretty good. I never read the novels so didn't know that Reacher didn't look anything like Tom Cruise. Although I did like the movie.

 

@No Worries gave a very good review, in my opinion. My main issue with Cruise is one he pointed out. He’s 5’7”, and I couldn’t get past that. Ritchman in the series can’t touch Cruise as an actor, of course, but he’s good enough, in my opinion. That’s if the scripts can remain good. The writing for the series impressed me.

 

If you end up liking the first season, you might like reading the Reacher novels, 20+ to choose from. If you read them in order, Reacher ages with each novel. The author and Reacher are about the same age, so that makes some sense.

 

Extremely late to the party, but trying to binge watch Netflix's Daredevil and Defenders for the first time before they are removed at the end of the month. Daredevil has been outstanding so far, Luke Cage and Jones are all excellent shows with Iron Fist being the weakest imo.

Vincent D'Onofrio's acting and character portrayal of Kingpin is one of the best villians I've seen in the MCU, almost wanted him to win lol.

Also finishing Ozark Season 4 which improved by leaps and bounds as the seasons progressed.

Along with the Kanye documentary which has had great footage so far.

 

Well said. I need to read more of his books. They're good stuff.

 

For all Mankind season 1 and 2.... B+. Was really good and most of the storylines hit but some of them felt unnecessary. I thought some of the social justice storylines were interesting, but just wish there was more space.

Jack Reacher.... B-. Also really good for what it is. Never read the books, but I thought Ritchson really killed it. Maybe in a few seasons he can top Jack Bauer.

Hard for to think about Ritchson without thinking about his Thad role in Blue Mountain State

 

Vincent D'onofrio as the Kingpin is the GOAT.

 

Has anyone watched The English Game on Netflix? Loved it.

 

Thanks, hadn't even seen that scene yet, wow.

I know he was nominated and won a few, but suprised he didn't win more awards for that role.

 

Donofrio is great in most things.

His Law and Order is my favorite Law and Order.

 

I'll give it a whirl.

 

I have no idea if Yellowstone is any good, but 1883 is one of the dumbest, worst westerns I've ever seen.

 

I see you and raise you ...

 

Just finished Peacemaker. The first episode was slow AF, but it got better.

James Gunn sure has a thing for slo-mo walking scenes ...

 

So far wasted hours watching Dirty John, the Betty Broderick Story on Netflix. I guess its a series... and they focus on different stories. I like Amanda Peet but when Christian Slater's performance appears understated in comparison to Peet's. Wow. True crime story, I will spoil it to spare anyone else from this misery. Slater is a crummy husband who natch replaces the loving but unstable wife with a hotty receptionist. Lots of crazy abandoned wife behavior. Painful court scenes while wife tries to get financial revenge and custody of kids. Wife goes psycho, kills ex-husband and hotty new wife. No one is likeable in this whole thing... not the crummy cheater of a husband, not the psycho ex-wife, not the hotty new wife, not her friends, not his friends, not their kids, or any other family. Not the lawyers, not the judges... heck, I hated people playing extras that just happened to walk in and out of scenes. You sorta hope an earthquake hits and destroys the entire neighborhood. I stopped watching before the final episode. I am guessing she is in jail. Hopefully being forced to watch the series continually, but that may be too cruel a punishment. Maybe.

 

I never watched any of those shows, but I am not surprised, and it seems he is spinning off several other shows, there is a show in development about this family in the 1930s.