Plan B Forum

for any down time you might have for the next week:

Netflix:

Two really good new spy thrillers; both have an excellent blend of drama, action and suspense with well developed characters and unexpected plot twists:

Pine Gap (6 Episodes, 2nd season next year probable)

Set in the hidden world of intelligence, Pine Gap exposes the cost of secrecy and the stress inflicted on nations and individuals when our ultimate loyalty is to our country and not to our partner. When a civilian plane is shot down over Myanmar, the search for the true motive threatens the famously strong American/Australian joint military alliance through conflicting interests, personal ideals. - and one tragic mistake.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7371868/

(It only gets a 7.1 IMDB rating, but I'd give it at least an 8)


Bodyguard (6 Episodes, 2nd season next year probable)

Bodyguard tells the fictional story of David Budd, a heroic but volatile war veteran now working as a Specialist Protection Officer for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service. When he is assigned to protect the ambitious and powerful Home Secretary Julia Montague, whose politics stand for everything he despises, Budd finds himself torn between his duty and beliefs. Responsible for her safety, is he actually her biggest threat?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7493974/

(An 8.2 IMDB rating, well deserved)


Two that I really like and recommend that recently had new seasons dropped:

I've talked about this one before:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18324&p=246266&hili ... la#p246266

The gal pals are back and once again on the run:

Wanted (6 new Episodes)

Episode 3.1- Lola and Chelsea are sent back to Australia after being caught by New Zealand police. Weaselling their way out of it once again, the duo set out in pursuit of freedom. However, they are forced to cross a line that means there is no going back.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5193358/

(7.7 IMDB rating which isn't terrible, but I'd still give it at least an 8)



The next one is a really well crafted Sci-fi show I've enjoyed; great action, character development and suspense with a fairly low "camp factor". Season thre just got released in the past couple of weeks; but I'd recommend watching it from the beginning if you haven't been following it :

Travelers (10 new episodes; 34 total for 3 seasons)

Hundreds of years from now, the last surviving humans discover the means of sending consciousness back through time, directly into people in the 21st century. These Travelers assume the lives of seemingly random people, while secretly working as teams to perform missions in order to save humanity from a terrible future.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5651844/

(8.1 IMDB rating; if you like quality Sci-Fi, that has more to it than fighting monsters and non-stop sophomoric sexual innuendo dialog, you'll like this one)

Hulu:

X-Company (8 episodes for season one; season two has been running on Ovation, there are two more seasons not yet available on Hulu)

If you like WWII behind-the-lines intrigue and suspense, I highly recommend this one. We were going to watch just the first episode last night, but wound up watching the first three. the show will draw you in immediately with it's very well paced action, drama and suspense...

Set in the thrilling and dangerous world of WWII, follows the stories of five highly skilled young recruits, torn from their ordinary lives to train as agents in an ultra-secret facility.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4338336/

(7.6 IMDB rating; I think it definitely deserves higher)

Amazon Prime:

We've talked about this one; the Emmy award winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel now has a 10 episode season 2 available:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18866&hilit=The+Mar ... rs.+Maisel

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5788792/

(A well deserved 8.7 IMDB rating)


I don't know what it says ( either about me or about recently produced programs) that of those six shows only one (Mrs. Maisel) is an American production (the others are either Aussie, Canuck or Brit) but Jim Bob says check 'em out...

I started Travelers last night but it didn’t draw me in - possibly just wasn’t anything that could pull me from my post-Americans reverie.

I watched instead a very good Netflix documentary on intactivism called American Circumcision, which I highly recommend. I’ve been an opponent of circumcision since I was a teenager after seeing a Phil Donahue episode with a panel of folks discussing it and becoming deeply upset for every man in my life who had been mutilated without their consent; I’m really glad I never had a son and had to argue with family or medical folks about the decision, which I don’t think parents should be given in the first place. I don’t want to get off track so maybe I’ll start a thread elsewhere where we can debate this issue.

Just wanted to mention the new adaptation of Howards End on Amazon Prime that is very well worth watching - I think even better than the critically acclaimed ‘92 Merchant Ivory film.

Thanks for the suggestions; I will probably be checking out Ms. Maisel next, I loved the pilot many moons ago and just haven’t gotten back to it. I think I need something lighthearted after The Americans.

Hey LJ, wanted to make sure you knew about this new release on Netflix; I haven’t watched it yet so can’t vouch, but the trailer looks good enough especially considering it’s a vehicle for our gal Katee Sackhoff’s acting talent:

Thanks for the heads-up BSG, I'll check it out...

(I'm surprised Netflix didn't put this one on my recommended list or send me an email about it)

HAL Returns: The Revenge

I watched 2036 Origin Unknown on my big screen TV today; my cousins recently upgraded and I got handed down their 55 inch Mitsubishi projection TV - it’s like being at the movies with the same issue that you can’t see the damn picture if the room is lit up much at all, so on bright days I have to lower the shades. Still, some movies really deserve a big screen and this was one of them - some pretty amazing visuals.

A trippy story that I will need to watch again, at least once more, to wrap my head around. It is definitely worth wasting a couple of hours on, anyway!

Loves me some Luther!

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's available in the US yet:

Luther is set to return to BBC One in December but has no premiere date for BBC America or Netflix just yet.

https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/ ... x-45534744

It's enough to make you brood about, like Luther.

Well, BBC America finally has an air date...

Luther is back on the case: The Idris Elba-led cop drama will return to BBC America for Season 5 on Sunday, June 2 at 8/7c.

Not really sure why there needed to be a six month delay between the UK and US debuts of the latest installments, (it's only four episodes fer crissakes) but at least a date has been set...

And the really good news is that this season features the return of the brilliant psychopath and Luther groupie Alice Morgan, one of my all time favorite TV series villainesses...