Weekly Digest – TV Special

While avoiding the World Cup and not watching Love Island, I’ve been doing far more intellectually significant things, obviously, such as watching these naked, lying under a fan and eating Wispas.

GLOW – Season 2

Liberty Bell and friends are back in the ring though things are far from plain sailing for any of them. Ruth (Alison Brie) becomes a problem for Sam (Marc Maron) when she gets ideas above her station and directs a really quite good promo video for the GLOWs. She also flirts with a cameraman and tries to rebuild her friendship with Debbie/Liberty (Betty Gilpin), which is easier said than done.

Deb, meanwhile fights for her Producer role (and to be heard as a woman) and is forced to examine the message the GLOWs are sending out to America when it is accused of being too sexy. Meanwhile, Sam struggles with newfound fatherhood and the girls are required to compete with one another to get in the show week on week, which causes friction, who knew.

GLOW is wonderful Technicolor goodness all round – bright, female popcorn viewing and it’s an easy watch, which means a lot on a Sunday afternoon.

The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling

Good Girls

I’m already fully addicted to Good Girls, the Mae Whitman/Retta/Christina Hendricks starring comedy/drama about three mothers struggling to make ends meet. When they knock off a grocery store they could never dream they’d end up on such a roller-coaster ride, inadvertently involved with gangsters and trying to get straight despite every single obstacle that keeps popping up.

Or are they about to go a different way? If Beth’s head for lady boss business has anything to do with I think we have our answer.

The women are amazing, not only dealing with the drama but also their own lives. Beth is working through the aftermath of her husband of 20 years’ affair plus four children; Ruby has a sick daughter and needs to find a way to pay for experimental treatment, while Annie and her daughter Sadie have to face bullying as Sadie works out who she is.

It’s fantasy stuff I suppose but it’s fun and I like fun.

Preacher – Season 3/Luke Cage – Season 2

I’m only one episode in on each other these but so far so good.

Luke (Mike Colter) is a celebrity right now in his neighbourhood and Harlem is abuzz with his heroics. How long will this last and what are Mariah (Alfre Woodard) and her reluctant man toy Shades (Theo Rossi) up to? Meanwhile, Misty Knight (Simone Missick) comes to terms with the loss of her arm (pretty well if the above image is anything to go by) – and something terrible is surely about to happen for Claire (Rosario Dawson) and Luke because they’re so blissfully happy together. I can’t handle it!

While I am quite done with the Marvel Netflix shows, I really enjoyed the last Luke Cage and some of the episodes are directed by some great female directors, including Lucy Liu and Kasi Lemmons. Can’t say cooler than that.

As for Preacher, Jesse (Dominic Cooper) and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) rush to save the life of Tulip (Ruth Negga) as is hangs in the balance. Sadly this requires the assistance of Jesse’s heinous family and some supernatural ju-ju. What could possibly go wrong? I’m delighted we’ve finally got to this point in Preacher, in the graphic novel my favourite parts revolve around the swamp lands and Jesse’s evil grandmother (played by Split‘s Betty Buckley). So consider me sitting here with high hopes.

What are you watching?

Hannah Gadsby: Nanette

I really want to talk about Nanette without actually talking about Nanette, which is going to be a bit hard. But going into this stand-up special with little to no knowledge about what it’s about means you’ll be hit with the power of it.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that this blew me away and has remained in my thoughts ever since I saw it. I’ve also recommended it to a heap of people and I’m recommending it to you too, dear reader because I believe everybody should see it, no matter who they are or what they stand for.

Hannah Gadsby is an Australian comedian and TV writer. I hadn’t heard of her before but I hope Nanette helps the right people find her because she is brilliant. She’s astute, eloquent and her observations are both hilarious and sharp as hell. Hannah also shares deeply personal moments of trauma and it’s difficult to hear but imperative that we do. She talks about (but not limited to) mental health, being medicated, unsolicited advice (mostly from men), art history and every moment is a joy.

Not to spoiler this but there were a couple of segments that spoke profoundly to me and one of them was about being described as sensitive. This is definitely a word that has been used to label me, particularly by my family and Hannah does a whole bit about why this has to be perceived as a bad thing – and why being insensitive would be something to strive for. Reader, I felt seen and heard in a way I can’t describe.

Hannah also talks about letting anger go and although I’ve always subscribed to the anger can be a good motivator strategy, she really made me consider this from another point of view. Honestly, drop everything and get Netflix on now, please.

What are you watching?

Ta Ta For Now, Emily Gilmore

Bottoms Up, Bitches

I watched the last episode of Gilmore Girls last night and it went exactly as you’d expect. Me sobbing into my tea while my husband mocked me. But I’m not sorry at all to have formed such an attachment to some of the show’s key characters.

*SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE FINAL SEASON YET*

An attachment to Emily and Richard, to Lane Kim and Paris Geller. To Miss Patty and Babette. I’m into Lorelai perhaps because I identify with that need to wisecrack at all times, though mine is bourne of awkwardness.

Even “Is he/Isn’t he hot?” Luke Danes, the schmuck who just wants Lorelai to be happy and in the end, was she?

Let’s just say I was satisfied with who said and did what, who didn’t end up together, the choices these people made.

I agree with what my friend Meghan says here, Lane deserved better but in the end, she was happy and rebelling in her own sweet way, so I’m not even that mad. I’m kind of pissed that Sookie got knocked up again because Jackson lied about his vasectomy, I’d have cut off his junk and fed it to Paul Anka.

I was sad to see Logan go (though was Boring Rory ever going to make any other choice than the one she did?) and ecstatic for Paris, my second favourite character in the whole outfit. She’s so difficult and relentless but she’s loved and loves back. It’s a beautiful thing.

Don’t be fooled, she’s a monster. And she’s fabulous!

Sadly, Taylor wasn’t hung out in the square to be pecked to death by crows, as he would have been if I’d written GG. Kirk‘s final big stunt, the Blaine-esque art installation killed me. All in all, I’m happy.

I am also bereft because now what do I do with my time and energy? Is there another show that will warm my cockles in the same way? Freaks & Geeks has just made its way onto Netflix and that could do in a pinch, but it’s only 18 episodes.

But you know what, don’t worry about me. I’ll find something else to bring me the comfort Gilmore Girls has. To make me shout at the screen in fury, cry when one of the pricklier characters gives an uncharacteristic speech to their daughter. To invest so much in another will they/won’t they/why the fuck is she doing that? I’ll let you know when I find it.

Of course there is a silver lining and that’s the prospect of four brand new Gilmore episodes coming in November. On my birthday, no less. I know darling Richard won’t be there (RIP Edward Herrmann) but I cannot fucking wait to see what became of the rest of them.

My hopes as follows:

• Lorelai and Luke are still together
• Emily is still caustic as fuck and possibly even remarried but to an equal, no wet blanket for old Em
• Maybe even someone without money would be good for her
• Lane’s dumped the zero (Zack) and got with the heroes (Pussy Riot). Kids are on tour with mama, obvs
• Rory’s finally become interesting
• Babette and Miss Patty are now in a romantic relationship with each other
• Taylor’s been run out of town by the residents of Stars Hollow, I don’t care how or why, just begone you horrible old fool!
• Lulu‘s ditched Kirk, the ungrateful toad

What shall I watch next then, eh? ❤