When you read Detective Comics your first thought of who the biggest bad ass is Batman…of course. But there may be another, besides Robin, who may be big badder ass. Alfred. Pennyworth. This is an origin story of the man and the legend who raised Bruce Wayne. I love this show. It takes you on a journey that you would never had guessed but then when you see it, your instant response is…of course. This Epix show, (Yeah Epix..I didn’t know that channel either) is in its second season and I don’t know how I missed it when it first came out, but I’m glad I found it!
Grade: A+Author Archive: patrick
Gold Rush
I have been watching this show since its first season many many years ago. The constant in this reality show about mining gold is Parker Schnabel. He started on the show at about age 14 and now he’s around 26 and very successful as a miner. This show goes through the intricacies of mining in Alaska and the relationships of miner to each other and to the land. The latest season (2021) follows 4 different mining operations: Schnabel’s, Rick Ness, Tony, and Fred. Each with their own level of success and expertise. I really enjoy this show as you can tell by my constant viewing every Friday night for many years.
Grade: B+
Cobra Kai
I have been watching Cobra Kai since it started as the foundation of the now defunct You Tube professional content channel. This was by far the only thing on that channel worthy of watching. It has since been picked up by Netflix. I have watched all of the Karate Kid movies, so I know the history of the show which I think is important to this particular show.
The first season is a play on perspective. See the world through an adult Johnny’s eyes. Was Daniel-son the true bad guy?
I really like this show. It has Karate! It has Nostalgia! It has a great story line and is not as hokey as the original movies.
Grade: A-
What I Have Been Watching – January 2021
I recently have cut the cord. No Cable – No Satellite. I only did this because up until now I have had shoddy internet because of living on a farm, but internet options have been expanding for those who can’t get a cable strung to their house. I still use Netflix, Hulu and bunch of other streaming services. I use a terrestrial antenna to get local stations and major networks. I am surprised how well terrestrial TV looks. I have not used it since the 80’s and it is really clear and extremely high definition. For everything else I have a Plex server that I am able to use get shows that may be from other countries or networks that are not terrestrial or on streaming services. So far I am really happy with cutting the cord.
Here are the shows I have been watching in January 2021, these may not be new shows, but they are what I’ve been watching. My goal is create reviews for all of these on the site and go back to what I have watched in the past and review also. The shows that are reviewed will have links to their post and I plan to update this page as I go.
- Cobra Kai
- Gold Rush
- Pennyworth
- The Rookie
- A Discovery of Witches
- The Neighborhood
- All Rise
- Below Deck
- Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
- The Great North
- Mr. Mayor
- Hell’s Kitchen
- The Rook
- Star Trek: Discovery
- Penn & Tellers: Fool Us
- Gold Rush: Whitewater
- Shark Tank
- Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge’s Mine Rescue
- The Good Doctor
- The Resident
- The Goldbergs
- The Clone Wars
- The Conners
- Superstore
- The Chase
- WandaVision
- Star Trek: Lower Decks
- Young Sheldon
- Walker
- B Positive
- The Unicorn
- Catherine The Great
- Small Axe
- FBI
- Bull
- Younger
- Your Honor
- The Stand
- American Gods
2018 Fall New Shows
Each year I check out the new shows coming out in the Fall and choose the ones that I think are promising here’s what I looked at and what I think:
September 4
Mayans M.C. – FX – 9 pm – Stanford student joins a biker gang…or at least that’s what the trailer makes you think. From Son’s of Anarchy creators. I didn’t watch that but this looks watchable.
The Purge – USA – 9 pm – The movies are now a tv show with a deeper look into why people need to purge. Not a fan of horror genre and didn’t watch any of the movies. I don’t like the whole idea of this show. Too many sickos out there that want this to be real.
September 12
American Horror Story: Apocalypse – FX – 9 pm – The cast of this show almost makes me want to watch a horror tv show. I looks interesting but I can’t get over the genre, sleep is too important.
September 14
Forever – Amazon – Starring Fred Armison and Maya Rudolph, probably my two least favorite SNL alums. Ordinary marriage with the monotonous day to day doldrums until something happens to change everything. Would watch with a different cast.
The First – Hulu – Sean Penn leads this cast they venture to be the first to explore some sort of space thing..maybe mars..i don’t know it didn’t tell me in the trailer. Not a fan of Sean Penn, not since Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He always seems depressed in all of his roles, I have enough issues with depression and don’t need Penn’s help.
September 21
Maniac – Netflix – “Multi-Reality-Brain-Shit.” Starring Jonah Hill, Emma Stone, and Sally Field…Yes Please. I will binge this so hard.
September 24
Magnum P.I. – CBS – 8 pm – Not anything like the 80’s show with the same name. I think someone had the idea of a private eye whose main client is killed and took the Magnum P.I. name to get more eyes on the show. No porn-stache, not interested.
Manifest – NBC – 9 pm – Reminds me of Lost but after they come back from the island. I like the idea of a show about a force greater than us all, that is an awesome fictional device.
September 25
F.B.I. – CBS – 8 pm – Looks like another Dick Wolf procedural. Nothing that we haven’t already seen. There is so much out there to spend my time on…this doesn’t look unique enough.
New Amsterdam – NBC – 9 pm – Another medicine show about putting patients first in a system that won’t let them. I do like this idea and it hasn’t been done well yet in my opinion. I’ll give it a chance and see if they can keep me.
September 26
Single Parents – ABC – 8:30 pm – Taran Killam from SNL and Brad Garrett From Everybody Loves Raymond are part of the ensemble of single parents trying to get to the next day in this promising comedy.
A Million Little Things – ABC – 9 pm – Looks like another depressing show. It’s only redeeming quality is that it addresses the taboo topic of suicide. I’m glad it does this, but I wish it looked like a better show. If it makes it to season two I might catch up, but for now it’s a no.
September 27
Murphy Brown – CBS – 8:30 pm – A revival of the original series. I used to watch the original. I will watch the new one take on the Trump administration.
September 28
The Cool Kids – FOX – 7 pm – A comedy taking the stigma out of the nursing home. Looking at the cast you don’t realize that they are old enough for the old folks home: Martin Mull, David Allan Grier, and Vicki Lawrence, but I guess as I get older so do they. I will be watching this!
September 30
God Friended Me – CBS – 7:30 pm – This shows reminds me of a song from the musical Alter Boyz entitled “The Calling.” In Altar Boyz it was a quick song then it moved on to funnier things. This show stays on the same subject that is really outdated. No Thanks.
October 1
The Neighborhood – CBS – 7 pm – Most of my being tells me I shouldn’t like this show, but the 1% won out this time. I will be checking it out.
Happy Together – CBS – 8:30 pm – It’s a modern day Bye Bye Birdie. Rock star moves in with ordinary people. I will check it out, looks funny with Damon Wayans Jr. from New Girl.
October 4
I Feel Bad – NBC – 8:30 pm – Another show about becoming your parents, not interested…it’s been done and from the looks of it has been done better before.
October 5
Into the Dark – Hulu – Not much out there about this show, but it is going to be horror, so I already know it is not for me.
October 10
All American – CW – 8 pm – Taye Diggs, Football, coming of age? This looks interesting. I’ll check it out.
October 12
The Romanoffs – Amazon – This show should be sponsored by Ancestry.com. I know that sounds like a boring concept but it looks interesting and it has everyone in the cast. Literally everyone in Hollywood. I’ll try it out, but if I don’t like it…I’m roamin’ off.
October 14
Charmed – CW – 8 pm – Didn’t watch it then…won’t watch it now.
The Alec Baldwin Show – ABC – 9 pm – Caught this when they did a test run last season. I’ll try it again.
Camping – HBO – 9 pm – Jennifer Garner, David Tenant, and an Airstream. I wonder if the camper is bigger on the inside? Looking forward to this show.
October 16
The Connors – ABC – 7 pm – I’ll continue the journey of this show without Roseanne. I hope they lay off the Trump stuff.
The Kids Are Alright – ABC – 7:30 pm – An interesting 70’s family drama. I can relate to much of this so I will check it out.
The Rookie – ABC – 9 pm – I didn’t want to like this..but I think I do. Captain Hammer is a rookie on the police force, I’m just glad he’s not a novelist anymore.
2017 Fall TV Premieres
Every year I take a look at what’s coming in the fall for our viewing pleasure on the old boob tube. This year I will put a for the ones I plan to watch. Red Are New Shows this Season.
SEPTEMBER
Friday, Sept. 1
Narcos: Season 3 (2017) Netflix
Tuesday, Sept. 5
American Horror Story: Cult (2017) 10 p.m., FX
Wednesday, Sept. 6
You’re the Worst: Season 4 (2017) 10 p.m., FXX
Friday, Sept. 8
BoJack Horseman: Season 4 (2017) Netflix
Fire Chasers: Season 1 (2017) Netflix
One Mississippi: Season 2 (2017) Amazon
Saturday, Sept. 9
Con Man: Season 1 (2015) 10 p.m., Syfy
Sunday, Sept. 10
Outlander: Season 3 (2016) 8 p.m., Starz
The Orville: Season 1 (2017) 8 p.m., Fox (moves to Thursdays at 9 p.m. beginning Sept. 21)
The Deuce: Season 1 (2017) 9 p.m., HBO
Fear the Walking Dead: Season 3 (2017) 9 p.m., AMC
Top of the Lake: China Girl (2017) 9 p.m., SundanceTV
Tuesday, Sept. 12
The Mindy Project: Season 6 (2017) Hulu
Wednesday, Sept. 13
South Park: Season 21 (2017) 10 p.m., Comedy Central
Broad City: Season 4 (2017) 10:30 p.m., Comedy Central
Thursday, Sept. 14
Better Things: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., FX
Riviera, Sundance Now
Friday, Sept. 15
American Vandal: Season 1 (2017) Netflix
Mission Saturn (2017) 9 p.m., NatGeo
Sunday, Sept. 17
The Vietnam War: Miniseries (2017) 8 p.m., PBS
Vice Principals: Season 2 (2017) 10:30 p.m., HBO
Monday, Sept. 18
Dancing With the Stars: Season 25 (2017) 8 p.m., ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 20
The Good Place: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., NBC (moves to Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 28)
Channel Zero: The No-End House (2017) 10 p.m., Syfy
Thursday, Sept. 21
Gotham: Season 4 (2017) 8 p.m., Fox
American Beauty Star (2017) 10:30 p.m., Lifetime
Friday, Sept. 22
Fuller House: Season 3 (2017) Netflix
Transparent: Season 4 (2017) Amazon
Sunday, Sept. 24
Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1 (2017) 8:30 p.m., CBS
Monday, Sept. 25
The Big Bang Theory: Season 11 (2017) 8 p.m., CBS
The Voice: Season 13 (2017) 8 p.m., NBC
Young Sheldon: Season 1 (2018) 8:30 p.m., CBS (preview)
Kevin Can Wait: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., CBS
Me, Myself & I: Season 1 (2017) 9:30 p.m., CBS
The Good Doctor: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., ABC
Scorpion: Season 4 (2017) 10 p.m., CBS
The Brave: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., NBC
Tuesday, Sept. 26
NCIS: Season 15 (2017) 8 p.m., CBS
Lethal Weapon: Season 2 (2017) 8 p.m., Fox
Bull: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., CBS
This Is Us: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., NBC
The Mick: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., Fox
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 5 (2017) 9:30 p.m., Fox
NCIS: New Orleans: Season 4 (2017) 10 p.m., CBS
Law & Order: True Crime: The Menendez Murders (2018) 10 p.m., NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 27
The Goldbergs: Season 5 (2017) 8 p.m., ABC
Survivor 8 p.m., CBS
Empire: Season 4 (2017) 8 p.m., Fox
The Blacklist: Season 5 (2017) 8 p.m., NBC
Speechless: Season 2 (2017) 8:30 p.m., ABC
Modern Family: Season 9 (2017) 9 p.m., ABC
SEAL Team: Season 1 (2018) 9 p.m., CBS
Star: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., Fox
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season 19 (2017) 9 p.m., NBC
American Housewife: Season 2 (2017) 9:30 p.m., ABC
Designated Survivor: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., ABC
Criminal Minds: Season 13 (2017) 10 p.m., CBS
Chicago P.D.: Season 5 (2017) 10 p.m., NBC
Liar: Season 1 (2016) 10 p.m., SundanceTV
Thursday, Sept. 28
StartUp: Season 2 (2017) Crackle
Grey’s Anatomy: Season 14 (2017) 8 p.m., ABC
Superstore: Season 3 (2017) 8 p.m., NBC
Will & Grace: Season 9 (2017) 9 p.m., NBC
Great News: Season 2 (2018) 9:30 p.m., NBC
How to Get Away With Murder: Season 4 (2017) 10 p.m., ABC
Chicago Fire: Season 6 (2017) 10 p.m., NBC
Nathan for You: Season 4 (2016) Comedy Central
Friday, Sept. 29
Big Mouth: Season 1 (2017) Netflix
Marvel’s Inhumans: Season 1 (2017) 8 p.m., ABC
MacGyver: Season 2 (2017) 8 p.m., CBS
Hell’s Kitchen: Season 17 (2017) 8 p.m., Fox
Hawaii Five-0: Season 8 (2017) 9 p.m., CBS
Z Nation: Season 4 (2017) 9 p.m., Syfy
The Exorcist: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., Fox
Blue Bloods: Season 8 (2017) 10 p.m., CBS
Saturday, Sept. 30
Versailles: Season 2 (2015) 10 p.m., Ovation
Saturday Night Live: Season 44 (2017) 11:30 p.m., NBC
OCTOBER
Sunday, Oct. 1
The Toy Box: Season 2 (2017) 7 p.m., ABC
Bob’s Burgers: Season 8 (2017) 7:30 p.m., Fox
Shark Tank: Season 9 (2017) 8 p.m., ABC
The Simpsons: Season 29 (2017) 8 p.m., Fox
Wisdom of the Crowd: Season 1 (2017) 8:30 p.m., CBS
Ghosted: Season 1 (2017) 8:30 p.m., Fox
Family Guy: Season 15 (2016) 9 p.m., Fox
Poldark: Season 3 (2017) 100% 9 p.m., PBS
NCIS: Los Angeles: Season 9 (2017) 9:30 p.m., CBS
The Last Man on Earth: Season 4 (2017) 9:30 p.m., Fox
Ten Days in the Valley: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., ABC
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 9 (2017) 10 p.m., HBO
Monday, Oct. 2
Lucifer: Season 3 (2017) 8 p.m., Fox
9JKL: Season 1 (2017) 8:30 p.m., CBS
The Gifted: Season 1 (2017) 9 p.m., Fox
The Halcyon: Season 1 (2016) 10 p.m., Ovation
Tuesday, Oct. 3
The Middle: Season 9 (2017) 8 p.m., ABC
Fresh Off the Boat: Season 4 (2017) 8:30 p.m., ABC
black-ish: Season 4 (2017) 9 p.m., ABC
The Mayor: Season 1 (2017) 9:30 p.m., ABC
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., ABC
Wednesday, Oct. 4
Nature: Season 36 (2017) 8 p.m., PBS
NOVA: Season 44 (2017) 9 p.m., PBS
Thursday, Oct. 5
SuperMansion: Drag Me to Halloween (2017) Crackle
Scandal: Season 7 (2018) 9 p.m., ABC
Van Helsing: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., Syfy
Ghost Wars (2017) 10 p.m., Syfy
Friday, Oct. 6
Suburra: Season 1 (2017) Netflix
Once Upon a Time: Season 7 (2017) 8 p.m., ABC
Superstition: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., Syfy
Sunday, Oct. 8
Madam Secretary: Season 4 (2017) 10 p.m., CBS
Monday, Oct. 9
Supergirl: Season 3 (2017) 8 p.m., The CW
Valor: Season 1 (2017) 9 p.m., The CW
Tuesday, Oct. 10
The Flash: Season 4 (2017) 8 p.m., The CW
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: Season 3 (2017) 9 p.m., The CW
Wednesday, Oct. 11
Chance: Season 2 (2017) Hulu
Riverdale: Season 2 (2018) 8 p.m., The CW
Dynasty: Season 1 (2017) 9 p.m., The CW
Mr. Robot: Season 3 (2017) 10 p.m., USA
Thursday, Oct. 12
Supernatural: Season 13 (2017) 8 p.m., The CW
Arrow: Season 6 (2017) 9 p.m., The CW
I Love You, America: Season 1 (2017) Hulu
Friday, Oct. 13
Mindhunter: Season 1 (2017) Netflix
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Season 3 (2017) 8 p.m., The CW
Jane the Virgin: Season 4 (2017) 9 p.m., The CW
Saturday, Oct. 14
Queers (2017), 10 p.m., BBC America
Sunday, Oct. 15
Berlin Station: Season 2 (2017) 8 p.m., Epix
The Durrells in Corfu: Season 2 (2017) 8 p.m., PBS
Good Behavior: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., TNT
White Famous: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., Showtime
Monday, Oct. 16
Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., VH1
Tuesday, Oct. 17
Loudermilk: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., DirecTV/AT&T
Wednesday, Oct. 18
Freakish: Season 2 (2017) Hulu
Saturday, Oct. 21
Too Funny To Fail (2017) Hulu
Sunday, Oct. 22
The Walking Dead: Season 8 (2017) 9 p.m., AMC
Graves: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., Epix
Tuesday, Oct. 24
The Last O.G.: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., TBS
At Home with Amy Sedaris: Season 1 (2017) 10:30 p.m., truTV
Thursday, Oct. 26
Drop the Mic: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., TBS
Friday, Oct. 27
Stranger Things: Season 2 (2017) Netflix
Blindspot: Season 3 (2017) 8 p.m., NBC
Monday, Oct. 30
Superior Donuts: Season 2 (2018) 9:30 p.m., CBS
NOVEMBER
Wednesday, Nov. 1
Stan Against Evil: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., IFC
Thursday, Nov. 2
Young Sheldon: Season 1 (2018) 8:30 p.m., CBS
Mom: Season 5 (2017) 9 p.m., CBS
Life in Pieces: Season 3 (2017) 9:30 p.m., CBS
S.W.A.T.: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., CBS
Friday, Nov. 3
Alias Grace: Miniseries (2016) Netflix
Sunday, Nov. 5
The Girlfriend Experience: Season 2 (2017) 9 p.m., Starz
Smilf: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., Showtime
Tuesday, Nov. 7
Teachers: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., TV Land (returning)
Thursday, Nov. 9
Rillington Place (2017), Sundance Now
Tuesday, Nov. 14
Future Man: Season 1 (2017), Hulu
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Mythbusters (2017), Science
Sunday, Nov. 19
Search Party: Season 2 (2017) 10 p.m., TBS
Tuesday, Nov. 21
Marvel’s Runaways: Season 1 (2017), Hulu
Wednesday, Nov. 22
Godless (2017) Netflix
Thursday, Nov. 23
She’s Gotta Have It: Season 1 (2017) Netflix
Sunday, Nov. 26
America’s Funniest Home Videos: Season 28 (2017) 7 p.m., ABC
Wednesday, Nov. 29
Vikings: Season 5 (2017) 9 p.m., History
Happy!: Season 1 (2017) 10 p.m., Syfy
DECEMBER
Friday, Dec. 1
East Los High: Finale Event (2017) Hulu
Wednesday, Dec. 6
Shut Eye: Season 2 (2017) Hulu
Friday, Dec. 8
The Crown: Season 2 (2017) Netflix
Friday, Dec. 22
Bright (2017) Netflix
Monday, Dec. 25
Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time (2017 Christmas Special) (2017) BBC America
The Get Down – NETFLIX – 2016
The birth of Hip-Hop in the disco era? Sure this will be interesting to some but not to the masses…right? Maybe to those from the Bronx that experieced it..but that’s it..right? Wait…what? Baz Luhrmann is attached to the project….take all the money you need to produce this soon to be work of art. It truly is that… a work of art. Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) takes his brilliant story telling with integration of music right at the right time and takes this historical drama into more than a retrospective of the birth of Hip-Hop and turns it into an Everyman tale about coming out of the ashes like a Phoenix.
The story centers around Ezekiel (Justice Smith) who is a talented poet and is seeking a way to showcase his talent to verbalize his words. He meets Shaolin (Shameik Moore) a Padawan DJ, and together with the Get Down crew become legends.
I am usually leery of music shows claiming that the stars have talent and the music is awesome when at best it is usually mediocre lowering audience talent expectations across the world; but The Get Down has the talent with the rhymes, the beat, and the sound…it’s all good.
Netflix is doing something new and releasing 1/2 a season now and the other half in early 2017. I love that the first half felt like a whole story, a 7 hour movie for those who binge watch..I cannot wait for part 2.
Stranger Things – NETFLIX – 2016
Winona Ryder, Matthew Modine, kids on bicycles, and Dungeons & Dragons all wrapped up in the newest Netflix original. This show is reminiscent of a Stephen King story as well as Goonies and Lost. Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) has gone missing after playing Dungeons and Dragons. His mother (Ryder), brother (Charlie Heaton), and friends are looking for him. While out looking the friends run into a girl, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), around their age who is being hunted down by bad guys.
There are a lot of questions to be answered from the first episode that are not the normal questions that come from predictable hour dramas. I am really enjoying this show and it feels nostalgic for those who grew up in the 80’s.
Great cinematography, acting, and direction will keep me watching this entire series and because it is on Netflix I can binge it and wait a year for the next season.
If I Didn’t Have A DVR
If I could only watch live:
Red = New Fall 2016
Click a Day…
If I could watch 2 shows per prime time slot, here’s the B choices: