Bingeworthy · Classic TV · Media · Movies · TV

Catching Up

In the midst of Hollywood Strikes there are still options for viewers

A recent article in the New York Times (read here) is a reminder that even though we are not being inundated by new shows, there is still a lot to watch. A lot.

And you know what? That is a good thing.

One of the things I hate about cable is the dearth of material which results in jacking up the monthly bill. There is nothing like a 3 figure monthly bill for a majority of stuff I don’t have any interest in. 🙁 Streaming can be a bit of a mine field, too.

But here we are with a plethora of material that had been relegated to the ‘I’ll Watch that later’ list. Or, we’ve taken the time to brows our various streaming services (free or paid for) and found a whole host of things we’d forgotten we wanted to see. Now is the time!

And, if you were sharp eyed you discovered that many of your free services had materials that also appear on some of the paid platforms. !!!!!!

Yep, it is true. Granted you might not find all of a series, but you could find just what you want to see and watch enough to determine if adding the subscription cost to your budget is worth it or not. I recently discovered that several series I used to pay for are now available for free elsewhere. Jaw dropped. Money saved.

Another thing I have taken advantage of is the search feature on imdb.com to find out where I can watch something and what it will cost me. I use the same feature on my Roku box. It can be eye opening to see the options.

So, pull up your watch list, grab a pen and paper and make a list of what you want to watch while we wait for Hollywood to sort itself out. Catch up without the need for frustration and annoyance that everyone else has already seen it before you. Who cares?

Grab the popcorn!

Bingeworthy · Books · Classic TV · TV

From The Reading Table: The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive Inside Story

The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series by Jessica Radloff

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I’m savoring this gem!

First, I love the extras you could get on DVDs that told behind the scenes stories about the main feature.

Second, I’ve had the pleasure of spending time on some TV and motion picture stages and the experiences were not only fun, but educational.

Third, I came to The Big Bang Theory late, but when I discovered it, I dove in with both feet.

Put all this together and you will understand why reading this book is such a pleasure. If you like learning about how TV shows are made, curious about actor’s method and process, and want to know some of the behind the scenes events that added and aided the creation of a great series, this is your book.

There is a lot of detail here. The tidbits you will discover could make you sit back and shake your head.

Even if you aren’t one of us extras-on-the-DVD people, you might find this an interesting read.



View all my reviews

Bingeworthy · Classic TV · Cord Cutting · TV

Discovering Classics

One of the unexpected surprises of cord-cutting and streaming is the ability to dig out classic TV or movies and discover just how good (or not) they are. PlutoTV has been updating its service and some of the updates have been quite surprising. And enjoyable.

While I’m astounded that it took so long to get a 24/7 I Love Lucy channel – considering how many other similar channels are available – I found myself with a bit of a grin and a touch of anticipation when I heard about this new addition to the service. If you are a fan, you understand, if not it won’t matter.

This evening, over on the Classic TV channel (still part of Pluto TV) I was surprised to find a stack of episodes from The Avengers and I took the time to indulge in a couple. I’ve heard of the show my entire life but never took the time, or had the opportunity, to actually watch. I’m glad to say I understand the furor over the show (my episodes were pre-Diana Rigg) and enjoyed them very much.

I’ve spent time recently looking over the several free platforms that are on my Roku Channel Guide – even the Roku Channel itself. There is a lot of material out there and some of it is worth getting out the popcorn, etc. and diving in.

You don’t need a Roku, if you have a Smart TV, you’ll probably already have apps on it, or you can use your Amazon Fire TV Stick. My point is that there is a huge variety of material if you are willing to do a bit of digging. 😉

What’s next? I have no idea. That is the fun of the hunt. Enjoy!

Bingeworthy · TV

Throwback TV: Cro

Way back in the 1990s, when ABC TV still had a Saturday Morning Cartoon line up, Cro was a favorite of mine.

Produced by the Children’s Television Workshop – the same folks who produced Sesame Street – Cro focused on a group of characters who showed problem solving. While that might not sound all that exciting, the series took a collection of interesting characters, set in an unusual time period, and tossed in the time travel trope to capture the interest of a young audience. Or, in my case, a not so young audience.

You can learn more about Cro by clicking HERE. You can watch the episodes by going to YouTube and searching for Cro ABC, which will bring you to a couple of collections of the episodes in addition to individual episodes.

I found this gem on YouTube recently and found myself revisiting Phil and Dr. C, not to mention Cro and his friends and family. The stories are interesting, the topic is presented in a captivating manner, and the fun is the twist on animal intelligence.

Sadly, the series is not available on DVD, or it would be on my shelf. Like The Magic School Bus, it is one of those wonderful series that combines great viewing with great learning without your being aware that you actually have learned something. 🙂

Check it out!

Bingeworthy · Classic TV · TV

The End of My Summer Binge

It came as a bit of a surprise.

I have come to enjoy that rerun period between May and September by engaging in a binge of something. One year, it was Agents of SHIELD, which led to Agent Carter and so on. Another it was Once Upon A Time. And, again, one year it was Only Murders In The Building.

As you can imagine, all these binges led me to watch the full series, something that I really enjoyed. This year, however, the options for new(ish) series that I’d not seen just wasn’t all that captivating. Until…

This year, MeTV brought back Perry Mason Mysteries and I eagerly dove in. I’d seen many, if not all, of them when they were first broadcast. All that being said, I enjoyed each of them for pretty much the same reasons, and a couple in spite of some weak writing. <shrug> 😉

Well, the last of the series aired on October 30th. In the credits was a tribute to Raymond Burr, who passed away after the episode was filmed. Knowing that he was ill during the production of these movies was always in the back of my mind.

All that being said, watching these films is watching a who’s who of the era. The guest cast is astounding. But it is really Perry and Della who steal the show, each and every time. That story is one for the fans.

I’m pretty sure MeTV will continue to air the films and they are worth watching. But for me it was a wonderful Summer Binge that is much appreciated.

Bingeworthy · TV

Signora Volpe – Bingeworthy TV

I admit I get a bit fussy about what I watch on TV. For some reason I don’t really care to consider, I no longer care to spend time on shows that don’t really catch my attention or interest longer than the first 10 minutes or so. That leaves a lot of shows on the wayside, believe me.

I came across a posting about Signora Volpe on AcornTV recently where the comments were exceptionally favorable. Granted depending upon the location of the ‘post’ comments can, and should, be questioned. I decided to give it a try and see what happened.

Let’s just say it was a pleasant afternoon spent not dealing with a heatwave, but good stories set in beautiful settings told by great performances from excellent writers. Yeah, I liked it!

Check out the information about the show and AcornTV here: https://acorn.tv/signoravolpe/

Before you ask, no I’m not affiliated with AcornTV and I’m not being paid to post this piece. I’m just a long time subscriber who happens to enjoy good TV.

I hope you find it enjoyable, too! Me? I’m hoping for season 2.