The White Lotus. It’s good! Soundtrack is chefs kiss.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_white_lotus

Gave the Blue Eye Samurai a chance and it fucking slaps.

I’ve finally decided to give Succession a shot. On episode 7 or so atm - so far so good!

I just started rewatching Star Trek: Voyager, for the first time since its original run on TV when I was a kid, thanks to all the damn Star Trek memes on Lemmy.

I am having a great time.

I’ve started Ted lasso. So far season 1 has been better than season 2

I’m watching Loudermilk (I guess because it’s trending right now).

Season 1 had absolutely hilarious episodes, but also some bumps (especially later in the season). Season 2 they made some obvious changes and found their stride. If you stopped or got bored in season 1, push through. It’s worth it

At the Cinema Sweet Sue (2023) - by Leo Leigh (Mike Leigh’s son) - a low key dramedy which walked the line between grotesque and sympathetic characters very well.

TV - The Sandbaggers from 1978. Cold war UK spy drama series focussed on the internal politics and strategising of MI6’s Special Operations Unit. A sharp and Intelligent script is the backbone for this one, overcoming the low budget.

TV - True Detective - season 4 - just the first episode so far. I have not seen any of these other than S1. This is not as intense as the start of that, but is intriguing enough to continue.

I started watching the new true detective. I kinda like it, but there are Soo many haters it’s crazy

I saw a fan-edit of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines called ‘Terminator 3: The Coming Storm’.

It cuts out all the goofy stuff from the original, leaving a tight 90-minute dystopian thriller that I really enjoyed.

It’s only available in DVD-type quality, but I didn’t mind (I’ve only got a 1080p projector).

The Untamed, a Chinese series based on a manhua called Modao Zushi (魔道祖师 / The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). It’s about a quasi-delinquent cultivator going against the grain, using “wicked magic” to get things done and everyone close to him has a shit time and/or ends up dying, and he gets blamed for everything that is bad.

I saw the donghua first (same name as the manhua), and while I enjoyed it a lot, it was difficult to keep up with all that was happening. The live action felt better paced, partly because it’s just longer and gives more room to digest and get used to the characters and names. I was a little unsure about it at first - it seemed a little silly, but after a few episodes I grew really attached to the characters as they were acted and portrayed. For me, the occasional silliness became endearing and didn’t detract from the overall serious, melancholic atmosphere.

I’m binging Chinese productions these days because I’m really bored and sick of Hollywood (and my part of the world sucks at quality TV fiction), and I feel seriously uncomfortable with how underexposed I’ve been to non-western cultures (aside from Japanese). SEA is massively diverse and populated but virtually all I ever see originates from within the Anglosphere or northern/central Europe, and I’m discovering that that’s not for a lack of quality content elsewhere. But I digress.

Basically, 10/10 recommend escaping the Anglo-trap.

Started watching The Head, and must say I’m pleasantly surprised. About 2/3rds through the first season and the story has been building gradually, taking care to introduce the characters properly, and supply a good amount of intrigue. Barring a weak season finale, I’ll continue on to season 2.

Fellow Travelers, based on the book by the same name. Strong recommend.

Past Lives (2023)

and

Pizza, A Love Story

Currently watching a korean series called “The Bequeathed”. I’m just on the 3rd episode but it’s been good so far. It’s giving me True Detective vibes, which is cool because I’m also watching TD Season 4. Still cautiously optimistic because korean shows are notorious for not being able to end properly, but I’m enjoying it so far.

I also saw the 10-minute preview of Dune Part 2 that included an exclusive trailer last night. Got tickets for the early screening on Feb. 25. The hype is real!