Netflix and Prime show reviews from the pandemic, unemployed, and surgery recovery.

I recently posted asking for recommendations for shows to stream. There were a lot of great suggestions and fun dialogue regarding what people have seen recently. Before the pandemic, I can probably count on one hand how many shows I had streamed. I think the first show was a couple of years ago, when Brian and I became some of the last people on earth to see Game of Thrones (loved btw). Before the pandemic, I was not a huge television watcher. I essentially watched My 600 Pound Life over and over, I was always two or more seasons behind in Grey’s Anatomy (still am), and I have watched every episode of The Office a ton of times.

In the early months of the pandemic, I think we all started streaming shows. It opened my eyes as to how to watch television (I’m always way behind the times). Then on top of the pandemic, I left my job six months ago, giving me even more free time. Really, though, the most binging has come since this last surgery. I’m forced to do a lot of sitting. So, I went from someone who when asked if I had seen this or that, would always say no, nod politely and say I’ll check it out – while having no intention to do so – to someone who can give you this giant list of show. Most of these shows have come via recommendations from friends and many from my Friday night Happy Hour via Zoom, with a couple of my girlfriends from Washington. We talked T.V. again last night. I hope this list gives you some ideas for shows, if you’re looking for something new.

Best Chick shows for streaming:

1. FireFly Lane (Netflix) The show follows best friends, from the time they met, into their forties. The soundtrack is great, and it focusses on how people are extremely complex and human. The only thing I didn’t love, is it was similar to my book in a few ways – so much so, that I had to change something in my own book.
2. Dead to Me (Netflix) Who doesn’t love Christina Applegate? This has a great cast and shows vulnerability in real ways, but it’s also crazy enough that you don’t get too wrapped up in comparing things to your own life. It’s funny, sad, and downright kooky. Oh, and it makes you want to drink wine, because they drink a lot of wine. I mean, unless you’re much stronger than me.
3. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime) I was late to the party on this one, having just seen in the last few weeks. I had heard for years how great it is, but I’m not big into fashion, and it looked a little hokey to me. I was wrong – except I’m still not into fashion. It’s fun to see something from a different era, and you just want to yell WTF a million times. It has a large cast of characters and many different story lines.
4. Modern Love (Prime) It is a series of different episodes, following love stories taken from the New York Times (if I remember right). Each episode has big stars like Anne Hathaway, Andy Garcia, Tina Fey, etc. It’s warm, heartbreaking, true to life. I loved every episode. When I watched it, there was only one season. I’m not sure if it was limited, but you can get wrapped up in it and it won’t take your life away. Maybe this shouldn’t fall under Chick shows. I’m sure some couples would enjoy it together, but my other half isn’t into this type of show.
5. Bridgerton (Netflix) I got sucked in, just like a lot of women. I’m not sure what this says about me, but I didn’t think it was too racy. I would have liked to see more, that’s for sure. But I guess we aren’t all giant pervs like me.

Great Series:

1. The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) I started watching this and waited for the main character to become royalty. I kept hearing about this great show about the royal family and thought this was it… I seriously never would have watched it, if I knew it was about chess. I’ve never played chess and could not imagine it being exciting – now I’d love to learn to play. The story sucks you in from the beginning (especially when you quit waiting for the orphan to become a princess). I would watch this again. Just brilliant.
2. The Crown (Netflix – I think) Sadly, there were no orphan playing chess in this one. Even so, I love learning about history (apparently the earlier seasons are fairly accurate). I have never been a royal watcher and really didn’t know much about the royal family, outside of Princess Diana. I’ll always remember hearing about her death on the radio and crying. Anyway, I learned a lot about historical events, while at the same time, felt sorry for a family one would think has it all. They really do lead a sad existence. Great show.
3. Upload (Prime) This is a far departure from crowns, but makes you think in different ways. I don’t like to know anything about a show before watching, and if I knew the premise of this one, likely would not have watched. A friend recommended, and I was hooked from the first episode. Warning, there is only one season out, which I didn’t know either and was sad when it didn’t go into a new season (but there will be one). It makes you think about what could happen in the future and has a great love story. I ate it all up.

Creepy As Fuck:

1. The Serpent (Netflix) I got this recommendation off my Facebook post. I finished it last week and can’t quit thinking about it. It’s based on a true story, which makes it especially haunting. You are sucked in because you want to see the horrible human beings pay for the things they’ve done. It’s set in different countries (mostly Bangkok), in the seventies and early eighties I think, and it really is fascinating to see the inner working of other countries. I also loved how adventurous some people are and their quests to live their best lives. This is before all of the self-help books and documentaries were in place to tell us these things….. It also goes to show you, while there are truly some evil souls out there, there are also people who will give up their whole lives and happiness just to see justice served for the victims. This is one of the best series I’ve ever seen. It was also nice, because the husband and I watched it together (we don’t often agree on what to watch).
2. Tell Me Your Secrets (Amazon) This also came on recommendation, and a friend living in Washington and I watched it together. We nearly stopped after the first episode. It felt like it was too creepy. We then decided to give it one more and begrudgingly, one more. We were then hooked. It’s fantastic. One of my zoom call friends had quit after two episodes and after telling her to go back, she finished and loved. There’s only one season so far but at least one more to come (but probably many).

      Music Documentaries and/or Concerts:

1. Miss Americana: Taylor Swift (think this was Netflix) I’m a little obsessed with reading or watching about musical artists, especially the song writing process. I’ve always liked Taylor, but I’m far from a “Swifty.” This documentary spent a lot of time showing the song writing and album creating process. It is so well done, that although I like some artists more than Taylor on this list, this is number one. I can tell you though, it has made me a much bigger fan of hers and I do plan on learning more of her music.
2. All I Know So Far: Pink (Prime) This just came out yesterday, and I had been counting down to see it. She is one of my favorite artists. I’ve seen her in concert a couple of times, including front row at Madison Square Garden for my best friend’s 40^th birthday. The concert was simply amazing. This documentary follows a two-week period of time while she’s on the road with her family. It does go back in time some and talk about her past, but it mainly focusses on the balance of the road and family. Seriously, she is Wonder Woman. She balances it all in a very real way, while being a beacon of light for the LBGTQ community. I loved it, but one day, I would love to read about her songwriting process or see something on the story of her songs.
3. The Soundtrack of Our Lives: Clive Davis (Netflix) I don’t know how much I like the guy as a person, but it was fascinating to see his contributions to music over the years and see those interactions with artists. You see up close and personal, the heartbreak with Whitney Houston. It shows the dirty side of the music business and how this dude just kept coming back, no matter what was taken away from him. Just a great piece on music.
4. Five Foot Two: Gaga (can’t remember if Netflix or Prime). I was super PMS’ing the day I started it. I switched it off a half hour or so into it, as I was so pissed that a talent like that smokes so much. (says the woman addicted to food). I wanted to scream at her, but she is so very human – she deals with life in her own very destructive ways and it shows. I went back to it the next day and couldn’t peel my eyes away. I will re-watch this again one day, as well. The talent in this woman is matched by very few in this world. I’ve never been a fan of the super poppy stuff she does, but I have always loved her songs stripped down with just her and a piano. There is a lot of that in this documentary. Fucking loved it.
5. David Foster: Off the Record (Netflix) Once again, I did not care for the person behind the show. He is hard to like, but it is an incredible story. His musical legacy is enormous. He does seem to have some redeeming qualities, and for Katherine McPhee’s sake, I truly hope he does.
6. If You Could Read My Mind: Gordon Lightfoot (Prime) This is the only thing I’ve paid money for, outside of regular subscriptions. It was a $4.99 rental on Prime, but it is now free. I’ve adored Gordon since I was young. I love a singer/songwriter, especially when the songs are stories. The seventies is my favorite musical era, because of this. This was a hard look into the man, and there was an in depth look into some of the songs. I was disappointed when it ended, because I didn’t learn near as much as I wanted. I wish it would have been a series instead of a film. I guess the sign of something good, is when it leaves you wanting more.
7. Here I Am: Dolly Parton (Netflix) I mean….it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love Dolly. Again, I’ve been a fan, since I was a little girl. I learned a lot about her in this film, but she is true to form, in that you can only know so much about her. She is insanely private. While I would have liked to know more about her on a personal level, I’m grateful to have learned what I could about the great Dolly Parton. She is one of the all-time great songwriters, voices, and the woman has a heart of gold. On the same note, I also watched Dolly Parton: A Music Cares Tribute (Netflix). I didn’t love this. Most of the singers are singing, while reading the lyrics from a  teleprompter. It was a huge turnoff to me. I don’t recommend that one.
8. The Show Must Go On: Adam Lambert and Queen  I saw a major Queen tribute band do a concert a couple of years ago. Even that, was fantastic. I can’t imagine having seen the original with Freddy or even now. Queen is gold. This is a great documentary.

Fitness, Health and Wellness

1. World’s Toughest Race: Eco Challenge (Prime) Brian and I used to watch this every year on the Discovery channel, I believe. It has the best overall athletes in the world. These people aren’t doing it for million-dollar contracts or name recognition – they are simply driven by competition with others and themselves. This is the must human competition you’ll ever see. There is a father/son duo, where the father has beginning stages of Alzheimer’s. It is the most touching thing to see. There is another team comprised of former military, where some were severely injured in combat. The love for family and teams in this competition, is unmatched by anything else I’ve ever seen.
2. The Game Changers (Netflix) We all have our own belief systems when it comes to what we think is the healthiest way to eat and live. I feel best when I don’t eat meat, but you would never know that by how much meat I eat. This shows athletes who consume a vegan diet and how it helps them. These are (literally) some of the toughest human beings on the face of the planet. It debunks the myth that vegans can’t be strong. Love it.
3. Everest: Beyond the Limit (Prime) This is a 3-season documentary about climbing Everest. I’ve always been obsessed with Everest (I mean, from a sitting on my ass and watching documentaries about it point of view). It shows the pursuit of Everest from the base camp to the top and back. It breaks your heart, in the most real way, and it has you rooting for every single person – even the obvious pricks of the group. I will never know a passion like these have for climbing this mountain, but I truly admire it.
4. From Fat to Finish (Prime) This follows groups of people from every walk of life on their running journeys and how the love of running (even when it’s new found) brings people together for Ragnar races (I didn’t know what they were before this documentary). There are people of every size, and it’s inspiring on many levels.
5. Brittany Runs a Marathon (Prime) It’s one woman’s story of going from disastrous health to running a marathon. She’s a selfish woman, who needed to go on a journey to become a better person on every level. A friend and I watched this together and it brings forth a lot of things to discuss.
6. Vegucated (Prime) I searched vegan documentaries last weekend, and this was the only one I hadn’t seen over the years. It came out ten years ago, but it does a good job of explaining some of the reasons I believe in a plant-based diet (again, one I don’t currently follow). It’s weaker than many I have seen over the years but good. Forks Over Knives, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, Food, Inc are all some I liked better but has been some time since I’ve seen them.

Documentary Style, Limited Series:

1. Challenger: The Final Flight. Brian and I watched all of these on this list together, which was nice. I had wanted to see this for quite some time, but I really had to ready myself for it. Most of us remember seeing the Space Shuttle Challenger, explode with Christa McCullough (probably misspelled) onboard. It was horrifying. This series was so well done, though. We got to know each of those astronauts, see the eighties through different colored glasses (seeing the racist, sexist newscasts from back then is infuriating), and see just how fucked up the NASA program was. I think there were six episodes or something, but I could have watched fifty. It is all so interesting.
2. The Trial of the Chicago Seven (Netflix I think) We just watched this one the other night. Brian knew the whole history behind it all before we watched (having seen other documentaries and read a book on it). I thought it was going to be about a race riot. I’m such a dummy when it comes to history. There’s a reason this show was nominated for so many awards. It’s heartbreaking to look back and see what our government was capable of and probably still is. I’m admittedly naïve about many things.
3. The Last Blockbuster (Netflix). I could not stop watching this. A lot of us grew up in the age of VHS and DVD rentals. In fact, the video story in our little town in the Midwest, just closed some months ago. It’s fun to go back and see a story on something that was such a big part of our adolescence.
4. This is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist (Netflix) This is one of those shows where there could have been many more episodes. The cast of suspects is crazy and each could have shows just on them. This brazen robbery leaves you again, wondering how the fuck could something like this happen?
5. The Last Dance (Netflix) I remember watching so much of this Bulls dynasty when I was younger. I thought Michael Jordan walked on water and in my teenage years, believing I would name my first son, Jordan Michael. Thank God I didn’t. MJ seems like a real asshole, especially after seeing this. I love seeing the story behind things, and this was really well done.
6. The Social Dilemma (Netflix) This is scary AF. Period. If you’re reading this, you’re on the internet, and should see this film.
7. The Call to Courage: Brene Brown (Netflix) My therapist has long spoken about Brene. I used to think her name was Rene and either I was hearing her wrong or she was pronouncing it wrong. Haha. The woman is brilliant. She’s the type of woman you’d like to sit and have a cup of tea with or maybe a couple bottles of wine.

Movies:

1. Wine Country (Netflix) I rarely watch movies, so this is a short list. I loved this movie. The cast is second to none. Make sure to have a glass of wine in hand when you start it because you’re going to crave it right away (unless you’re not an alcoholic at heart like I am)
2. The Old Guard (Netflix) My cousin was here and we were all in quarantine (Brian had COVID) and she suggested this movie. Charlize Theron is a total badass. I think that says it all. This movie was a great distraction when it was needed most.
3. The Wrong Missy (Netflix) My cousin also recommended this. I put this on here as a joke, but I did laugh my ass off (I had an awful lot of wine before seeing this movie). So, if you want to laugh to stupid humor and become a David Spade fan for an hour and a half, this is your movie.

Currently Watching:

Who Killed Sara (Netflix) I kept thinking the dubbing wasn’t matching up, so would pause and start. Again, I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer – it’s a show from Mexico and has been dubbed in English. It starts great and you’re thinking through, but halfway through, it turns into a full-on Mexican soap opera. I can’t quit watching, though. A friend has had the exact same opinion. You’ll never be bored with this one.

The Blacklist (NBC) Brian and I have watched this since it came out. It’s the only series we follow. You gotta love Reddington.

By now, you’re wondering what the fuck kind of life does Jenn have to sit and write about all of this, and I wonder the same thing. But really, I’m in a walking boot and limited on how much I can do. It was fun to go back and think about these shows. Maybe one day, I’ll do one on books or the best concerts 😊

As always, thanks for reading,

Jenn