Friday, March 07, 2025

Monday, March 03, 2025

Remote viewing: Some shows I'm currently watching

 Zero Day with Robert De Niro is a political thriller involving hacking of vital US systems, causing massive deaths and injuries. As a former President, De Niro's character is asked by the current resident of the WH to head a committee looking into the situation before it can occur again. A decent thriller but watch it for the star.

Party Hunting on NBC involves a special investigation unit attempting to track down escaped serial killers. These were inmates in a secret government prison where they were kept and interrogated, many had been reported dead or executed prior to this incarceration. Following an explosion and jailbreak, this agency was given authority overriding and local or state law enforcement agencies. We also learn that many leading the investigation have their own agendas and secrets. Better than average network fare. 

Secret Levels is a 15-episode series featuring animated shorts based on existing video games. Not being a gamer, I'm only familiar with a few of these. I'm more knowledgeable of the Warhammer 40K series, as I've read a number of the novels and comics based on the franchise. 

Looking forward to the upcoming Daredevil: Reborn series on Disney+. Appears to occur several years after the previous Netflix Marvel series. 

I'll try to make these posts a bit more frequent, although nerve issues with my right hand does limit the ability to type for long periods. 

Thursday, April 06, 2023

Remote Viewing: Slasher - Season 5: Ripper

 The series Slasher is back with its Fifth season. Originally on Netflix, the fourth and current seasons are now on Shudder. The subtitle for this one is Ripper.


In late 19th Century Toronto, a murder of a young woman reminiscent of the Ripper era crimes is committed. Twelve years later a figure in black widow's garb begins committing a series of brutal murders of individuals who may have had something to do with the earlier crime and the coverup and framing of an innocent man. A young police detective assigned to the case is having difficulty trying to convince his superior that he may have evidence, but he is being blocked by the political and social elite of the city.

As with the previous season streamed on Shudder, which dealt with a family turning on each other to inherit a fortune, this series is more brutal and violent than the earlier Netflix episodes. If blood and gore disturb you then I would pass on this.

One of the interesting things about the series is that like American Horror Story actors often return in later seasons playing completely different characters. A villain in one series might return the next as a suspect or innocent victim. For instance, Christopher Jacot (Eureka, Going the Distance) and Paula Brancati (Being Erica, Dark Oracle) have been in every season.

Gory and realistic practical effects really push this over the top. There are some sexual situations implied in the first two episodes, the only ones I've seen.


 

Saturday, April 01, 2023

Remote Viewing: Cunk on Earth (2022) British TV series

 In Cunk on Earth, streaming on Netflix, Actress/Writer Diane Morgan portrays Philomena Cunk the narrator/host of a program on world history. Think of the "journalists" on The Daily Show doing their interviews with unsuspecting subjects, who probably don't get the joke.


If the professors and experts that Cunk interviews are in on the joke they do so with perfectly straight faces. For example, Cunk asks an expert on music how Beethoven could have written his symphonies as he was dead in later life. When she is corrected that she must mean 'deaf' Cunk pulls out a note from her producer which says he was dead.

I have had to pause and go back several times per episode since Morgan is just so funny and her complete lack of knowledge or interest in most topics is a delight. There are several running gags and her referencing friends, family, and ex-boyfriends make me smile.

Given all this, it really is a fascinating quick overview of world history. Fair warning, the show is VERY British and perhaps a bit too Liberal for some folks, as the program does take aim at various political, religious, and social topics. The pokes at early Christianity and Islam might really tick off some folks, but I found them LOL funny.

Morgan has played the character previously and even wrote a book, Cunk on Everything.