The first episode of 'The Luminaries' is a nugget of pure bingeability!

'The Luminaries' has been in the works for quite some time so it made me as cheery as the sun on a June morning to find the whole series available to watch on BBC Iplayer! If you have ever been anywhere near any bookshop in the last few years you will be familiar with the front cover in its book form. It is a series based in 1865 New Zealand where hundreds of people are flocking to benefit and set themselves up for life from the goldrush that is occurring there at this time. We get into this story through the viewpoint of Anna. We meet her in the darkness of night. She is disorientated and her pink dress is tattered, yet glowing like she is somehow bleeding gold. She is being followed by two men. The situation is ominous and there is a dead body close to where she was. She is arrested and is assumed a prostitute and taken to jail where she watches what then happens to the body.

The episode changes pace and the setting switches to a brighter, more beautiful day. Anna is now free and wearing a reasonably pricey striped Edwardian dress looking out at beautiful landscapes of the kiwi coast. There is a man splayed out on the deck who wakes up and walks up to join her. He introduces himself and they hit off and the flirtation in the air is thick, and innocent. It is both of theirs's first sea voyage. There is a level of virtue to both of them yet it almost seems like they both have secrets that suggest this is not the case. They are both bound for New Zealand to dig for gold. Anna gives him a button for his vest which has lost one. He is impressed by this kindness and they arrange to meet at his hotel to get to know each other later in the day.

We are then back to just following Anna and the mystery shrouding her as she embarks in this new place - travelling alone, unmarried, illiterate yet has some means in the form of money and clothing. Her purse is stolen by a thief as soon as she gets onto land.  A woman named Lydia Wells played by Eva Green stops him and makes him drop it. Eva Green maintains her feminine powerhouse type of character that can install fear yet slithery trust in any character she takes under her wing. She is fantastic as that, but equally fantastic is Anna's mistrust of her. She discovers that Lydia reads fortunes and obviously does well looking at the embroidered dress that she is wearing.

People gather in the town square as nuggets of gold are valued and counted. Anna watches on in total curiosity and we are gently reminded of the ominous way her dress had twinkled in the flashbacks. Anna then goes on to try to wait for Emery at the hotel she thinks he is at but is she is cornered and intimidated by men who ask her if she is buying or selling in a classic sexist vulgar way of the decade. We see Emery having funny conversations with his friends who are mocking him for wanting to meet Anna and his sweetness of his character is revealed further by when compared to Romeo, he says "I'd rather be Juliet. Way better lines." He is not a typical man of the period especially due to the colour of his skin, unfortunately. 

Anna escapes to the only contact she has made apart from Emery who is obviously Lydia. Lydia offers her a room. A room her husband clearly is never there to stay in. She has many quirky, expensive items related to planets that Anna looks at in admiration. There is a lot more to Lydia than meets the eye and Anna realises that in these moments that she might be a dangerous but good asset to have.  These are two starkly different women in their outlook, yet deeply similar at the same time. There is much to learn about both of them and the episode does well at portraying that. 

It definitely seems like a stylishly generated show that has potential to hook you in if you love a good period drama.

I will share more TV goodness with you very soon readers!

The Serial Television Watcher

Quick Fire Review: 'Can You Hear Me?' Episode 1

I saw this show in the 'what's coming next week' section on Netflix. I look at that quite often and I was truly interested by 'Can You Hear Me?' had to offer. It is about three friends from a low income neighbourhood who find humour and comfort within each other. I grew up quite poor and I found this subject really relatable and I like shows about friendship that cut through the bullshit and show real strife and reality. Each episode is around twenty-two minutes long and it is a perfect bite of content. It almost has a web-series vibe to it because it comes across more authentic and less sensational. There is such a cute stop animation intro scene which leads into the song 'The best things in life are fee' by Janet Jackson starts. The editing introducing the setting is fun and engrossing and there is a youthfulness to the way areas are being shown in such high energy.

The song mentions money and "that's what I want" and that is an easy, simple way of conveying the character's situations. We meet the first girl who is called Ada who is wearing a nineties-style choker and blagging her way through her therapist meeting. She looks at a chart of an emotional scale and seems to lie and be completely disinterested in being there. Flashbacks show her being the opposite calm- screaming, shouting, whacking people. There is funny editing showing her doing so. I like how this slightly trivializes what she does and shows how non severe she sees her behaviour. We meet another character sat in a car, not answering texts and reading Agatha Christie. Her name is Caro and her car horn doesn't work. She seems more subdued compared to Ada who leaves the therapist's room and presents her middle finger to the people she does not know in the waiting room. She seems very brash and thrill-seeking as she leaves without a car in the world and jumps into the car with Caro.

Initially we see these two young woman as  quite rude characters. Ada gets out of the car and gets a woman who has stopped in her car to move and uses quirky phrases like "move, you big strawberry". This reminds me of the british TV show Skins which uses language like that which actually sound as if young people actually use them. They arrive as a burrito fast food chain and  there is a sadness to Caro because she can't decide on what to eat and you get the feeling it's not just food that she is indecisive about. Perhaps it is her life too. They get shouted at by an employee but  we discover that she is putting on a pretence of what her boss would want to see and she is actually their friend - Fabiola. Ada and Caro sit with their food. Ada steals bites from Caro's meal and the quiet personality with the robust personality makes entertaining and nice viewing. I like the dynamic a lot and even more so when Fabiola gets off her shift and joins them. The trio are three vastly different people and is very representational of different women in society which is a massive "thumbs up" from me if I want to do a "Simon Cowell"!

Fabiola gives them brownies but professes she is on a diet. She is bigger than the other two so she definitely seems to have insecurities about that. They return to Fabiola's flat where her mother is (who appears very ill) and they lounge and chat like regular young girls and they have conversations about pay checks and welfare checks and whether they count as being paid. They don't all agree, but get along so well anyway which is refreshing and realistic.

They go out to the subway and sing together for money with no instruments just acapella voices that don't necessarily go together. The songs being about Jesus is the only way  Fabiola agrees to it. It goes well and they acquire money pretty easily. They are clearly hacking the system and are really resourceful people which excites me about the plots to come. The episode ends with them lying on a train track, running when a train comes and Ada ends up renting movies by showing her breasts to a video store guy. Caro later has a panic attack when reading a text from "Keven" who she has been avoiding. Ada and Fabiola react in different ways but one thing is certain - they both care very deeply for her. I, for one, am exciting to see where this show goes and it is shaping out to be one of my favourites I have seen during lock down!

Have you given this Netflix series a watch yet?

Over and out,
The Serial Television Watcher

Let's get into 'Snowpiercer' episode 1 and what it's all about!

'Snowpiercer' stormed into my Netflix unexpectedly and it made me want to watch it straight away. Most of the shows that I have been watching recently are lacking serious adventure and sci-fi and it seemed like 'Snowpiercer' could shake things up a bit for me like a hurricane in a snowglobe.

The first episode gives you a lot to unpack in its early beginning. It offers you samples of detail that the world has become uninhabitable (a trope, yes, but not a bad one if done well) and we are shown a train of biblical proportions like an ark that towers over the dying landscape like The Polar Express gone wrong. It is 1,001 cars long and like the titanic; there is only so much space. Which leaves a mass of people attempting to board it in desperation. Some people manage to get on the train but the train conductors want to throw them off. A lot of them are butchered apart from those who could hide. The viewer is left to wonder what it is that entitles passage on the train and the biggest answer seems to be class and money like any high value travel or luxury now.

The episode flashes six years forward to the future. The train is full of different parts like classrooms, cafes and poverty areas where people are starving with half rations. In my naïve consuming content brain I was hoping that everybody once on the train would be treated the same but it is not the case. We see the carriage full of the original stowaways which is full of dirt, overpopulation and rising tension. It gives me a bit of 'The 100' vibes mixed with 'Lost In space' but with a train not a spaceship. Times are hard and the situation is cruel and crass as we see that the other areas of the train are starkly different. Bright colours, fancy music...the whole works! It is a utopia of making the best of a situation. Yet there are still political tensions between the different nationalities of people so it's not all perfect but everything is ten times more petty.

We grow attached to the people that are known as The Tails. Andre- an ex-homicide detective is at the forefront of the community and he is encouraging a boy who wants to be an engineer to pursue his dreams of moving up in the train. The community plan to hijack one of the cars in an attempt to rebel from the lack of food and in a way, try and take control of the situation which feels so hopeless. A wrench is thrown into this plan because Andre is taken away and separated from his girlfriend. They take him away from the part of the train that is all he has ever known and experienced there. The budget on this show seems pretty good. There is a cable car which transports people to different carriages which adds dimension to a show that could feel more forced and unbelievable to house so many people. But it all works and seems like a never-ending train which it is supposed to be.

Andre looks outside for the first time at the world that is engulfed in snow and ice. It is terrifying yet it's beautiful with the sun shining down on it and you can see how grateful he is to see it. He almost cries seeing a splice of bread. I like how this shows his humanity and gives more character development to back up his uprising actions. The reason they have brought him out of The Tails is to solve a murder. You don't expect it to turn into murder on the orient express but...it sort of does. Just with less jazziness. But I am not mad at it. However, Andre is and insists to go back at every turn which is annoying as a viewer but endearing to a degree. I feel bad because I agree with the higher ups who believe he should want to get out of where he is. And I think that is a very privileged viewpoint and is exactly what the show intends to target.

One of the people involved in the murder used to be in the The Tails but got a job and got out of it. Her and Andre were in a relationship but it is clear that he resents her for leaving. It raises some interesting questions and the politics of survival and betrayel. The world of the train is fleshed out more by Andre getting see parts of the train which are covered in growing flowers and fruits which is meant to stretch for 130 cars! It is a sight to behold and it feels like as much of a fantasy to me as it does Andre because the way it looks is so different compared to The Tails. Though it is incredible, Cavill brings him back to earth by telling him that it isn't as much as it looks. Though, it is more than he and his community get.

With further research I discovered that 'Snowpiercer' was a film released a few years back starring Chris Evans. I enjoy that this is a prequel to that and better yet, it has been diversified a lot by looking at the cast list of the original film. 'Snowpiercer' has a lot of right elements and it has all the right parts to keep a steady show. I worry that it might become a little lacklustre but it is so hard to tell right now. I like details like how the now oldest man on the earth in the The Tails carriage. It is an interesting detail that makes you think. There are only two episodes up currently because of a delay because of the Coronavirius but I will definitely be checking out the second episode to see how things progress.

Have you seen 'Snowpiercer' yet? Does it "pierce" your heart in a good or bad way?

In a bit,
The Serial Television Watcher

In Review: Little Fires Everywhere Episode 1

Whispers of this show and it's watchability has been travelling through the TV world pipeline for quite some time so I have been anxious to get ahold of it. I have never read the book but I have seen the front cover in the windows of various bookstores and it is popular for a reason that I think comes across very well in the first episode. Let me tell you why.

The episode literally starts with a fancy looking house ablaze and consumed by smoke and fire. And the impression is that many relationships and family ties are also being fried to ash too. It pans to Reese Witherspoon holding her gown closed with eyes swimming with tears. She is a cool contrast to the fire. Her blue eyes are the water that you can see that she wants to put out what has been done, but does not know how. The fire was set with little fires all over the house and a character called Izzy is being blamed.

The first episode is called "The Spark" and the episode goes back in time to four months before. It is 1997 and we see Reese's matriarchal character keeping her busy all American family under wraps during breakfast. She has kids going to orchestra camp. She seems to have everything in a tight schedule. She goes to work but on her way there she sees a car with a woman sleeping in it so she reports it to the police. We see that it is not just one woman but two. They are a mother and a daughter who are getting by and who is shown being careful with money and washing themselves in a public bathroom. They are a completely different family unit to that of Elena's and her brigade of  assumed perfection.

Elena meets the women in person when they come to the house viewing of a place that Elena is renting out. She does this at a lower price and even knocks off a little rent even more for them. The mother, Mia is naturally suspicious and untrusting of Elena, and the suburb in general. We find this easy to understand especially when they are given a book with town history and town rules. It is a very white, and middle-class town. Mia is an artist and doesn't seem to take authority and convention very well. Her daughter Pearl is optimistic and starry-eyed over being able to have her own bedroom. We get lots of scenes that show they are very close, yet very different in their perspectives. They discuss 'finding a bed' in a skip while lying in bed and we feel that like Elena. Mia only wants the best memories for her child.

Themes build up such as class when Elena's husband criticises Elena's charitable acts when he quizzes her with the proclamation "you rented to a homeless person?". Meanwhile while Pearl is putting together her salvaged bed in the front lawn Elena's son Moody comes over to meet her and they strike up a friendship. There is a lovely montage of them picking paint and painting the house together. Though, Pearl only ever paints one wall. As they move a lot and it is easy to revert back, she explains.  Elena's relationship with her children isn't as good as it initially seems. She is disconnected with her youngest daughter Isabelle who prefers to be called Izzy. In TV tomboy style she sets her hair on fire because her mum said it is her best feature and wants to wear black all of the time.

The tension brews like a hot cup of spiked tea between Elena and Mia who meet in the street after Mia finishes work at her part time job. Elena attempts to offer her work at her house like cleaning and Mia is offended by that. Elena also tries to encourage Mia to take up portrait photography as this would be popular in the neighbourhood but it is not the type of photography Mia does. She likes to "show people as they really are" and her voice is shrouded by meaning towards Elena and the mask she seems to wear. Elena means well but she has underlying racism she doesn't realise she has and this is an enticing plot device I look forward to seeing more of. The differences between them are highlighted more and more as the episode continues. The knife is shoved deeper into Mia's insecurity as Pearl gets on very well with Elena. Isabelle longs for no rules whereas Pearl almost wants them and is missing the structure. Both daughters find that in their alternative mothers.

The episode ends with trouble. Moody gets Pearl a bike and he takes her to his den in an old van in a junkyard which they get in trouble for being at. Izzy refuses to play at the orchestra and writes "not your puppet" on her forehead. There is a lot of room for some really interesting developments. I am pumped to see Elena and Mia come to blows, but eventually find more common ground and realise their love for their daughters is exactly the same. I am excited for all of the tension in between. All in all there are eight episodes and I might just binge it all now.

You can delve into 'Little Fires Everywhere' on Amazon Prime!

With love and television buzz,
The Serial Television Watcher

Should you upload "Upload" to your "to watch" list?

I'm not going to lie. I was a little dubious about 'Upload' because I feel like I have seen many different versions of the afterlife in shows like 'The Good Place' and there is a show last year I can't remember the name of which had a man who is quite depressed is cloned and he has to life with his happier alter-ego. 'Upload' is definitely a merge of shows like this and I've got to say that I wasn't really looking forward to it. But woah-ho, I was wrong!

It starts with a short haired girl sat next to an older lady watching '50 First Dates' in a hologram version on a tram. An advert for an idyllic place called 'Lakeside'. She jumps off the tram and runs to work which seems to be the tech agency that provides and manages 'Lakeside' which is more than just the retreat that it seems. In fact, it is an afterlife that you can purchase and be uploaded to when you die. Seconds later, we meet a man racing through the streets and controlling his car with a game controller. So we know who the immediately who the two main characters are going to be.

Police stop him but not in the typical 2020 way. The police officer is not real person. It's a drone with what looks like an iPad attached to it. It is really cool, yet really funny. The show and its lore and the way things make sense doesn't seem too serious which is easy for a sci-fi to slip into. We see such a well laid-out image of how the futuristic world is. With details like seeing bicycles drive themselves home after people get off them and how there are "prioritise occupant" or "prioritise pedestrian" options for your car. It's concepts that are the world is close to now, but still far away enough to feel immersive and cool to watch.

We find out that the man's name is Nathan and we join him at thanksgiving with his family...and his girlfriend who he doesn't want to commit to. A conversation about a relative who is dead comes up and the question "which heaven?" is asked. His girlfriend replies "Lakeside". It is so fascinating that you can pick your own heaven and you don't get the default. It makes me wonder about all of the ways ethics will play into this as the series goes on. The show throws out fun little sweets for the viewer to gather and stuff into their cheeks with  details like how classical dance is now considered to be twerking. It's a jovial experience.

Nathan is scanned at the grocery store and it discovers what you like "You like Cayan. Buy some spinach!" which is so humorous. Shortly after, he dies of a punctured lung because his automated car won't stop. It is hinted that it may have been tampered with. Nora, we discover is a handler who helps people adjust to being uploaded to the afterlife and she is given Nathan to upload. She sees that he is forced to upload by his girlfriend. He is put into a hospital room. He leans forward to see his mother and his head is lasered off to be uploaded to the digital afterlife. It is a ruthless act but it is made better by Nora adjusting his settles and it shows how his appearance can be edited by the person uploading him to heaven. Like fixing his uneven hair. Which she chooses not to.

Nathan is finally uploaded to 'Lakeside' and Nora is there to guide him. She explains how his room is  classic Americana  but to Nathan it appears outdated and they slowly start to warm up to each other and joke together. Nora is the optimism to Nathan's pessimism and it works beautifully. He calls her an angel and in a way she acts in the way because as he lies down and cries when she is gone she comes back and has the ability to send him to sleep. So although they get along so well; they are not equals and this could get messy later.

Nathan settles into his afterlife with items such as fridges you can "swipe left" on like Tinder so it can take you to a new selection of crisps and drinks and a dial that changes the weather outside. There are two men who are high school sweethearts next to him on rocking chairs on the balcony over who uploaded together at the same time. It's all so cute and perfect and we see Nathan try and grapple with why it doesn't feel perfect to him. 'Upload' is very smart because it shows adbots who are personified and walking around the hotel lobby. There is a character in the lift who is in black and white. It is because they uploaded her using a photo from 1961. I enjoy that immensely.

Nathan continues to have a hard time. He can't remember what his job was and his now very much alive girlfriend is possessive and has control of his afterlife account. She tells him she loves him because she can't scare him off now. We see Nora back at home. Her dad is using a food printer which is like a 3D printer. He instantly creates a Jamie Oliver recipe through it and Nora comments that "the fat cartridge might be low" which is hilarious. Her dad seems to be ill and believes in the original heaven because he is convinced that is where her mother is much to Nora's protest.

The dark side of the afterlife is portrayed in so many ways. There is talk about "sui-scan" which is suicide by uploading yourself by scanner. Nathan finds a guy is reviewing Lakeside in front of the lake for his YouTube channel. He explains how the frame rate drops because there are millions people in the same place. Nathan approaches the data torrent so he can die properly however Nora is there just in time to talk him down. She tells him details she is not supposed to and it sets up a strong foundation for where their relationship is bound to go from there. Overall, I am riddled with surprise about 'Upload' and I really, truly believe you shouldn't miss out!

Watch 'Upload''s ten episodes on Amazon Prime!

How does Ryan Murphy's 'Hollywood' shape up next to his other shows? Reviewing the first episode.

Post-war Hollywood is an interesting topic. We tend to see a lot of media around this time of history but I, for one, rarely see it concerning Hollywood before the 50s. We know films were being generated more than ever there but films like 'Hail, Ceaser!" generally centre around the golden age of the 50s and 60s rather than the late 40s.

I am a huge Ryan Murphy nerd as are most TV buffs who have any layer of sense! Shows like 'American Horror Story', 'Pose' and 'The Politcian' have really paved the standard for the way television is made in the 2010s. In fact, Ryan Murphy reached 2020 with his great writing far quicker than anyone else. So, obviously, when I heard that his next show 'Hollywood' was going to be hitting Netflix today I was more than ready to race to my laptop as soon as the sun came up.

Davis Corenswet is the star of the show. I knew that he was familiar and that is because he was river Barkey in 'The Politician'. His chiselled jaw, dimples and deer in the headlights look is perfect for portraying a budding actor in the midst of Hollywood's heydays. The episode starts with Jack (Davis Corenswet) alone in a cinema with a hand full of popcorn watching an infomercial about Hollywood. He is zoned in on the content and it seems to outline his life. The footage shows the ambition of hundreds of people in Hollywood waiting outside the gates of a movie studio. They all have hopes and dreams of being an extra. And Jack is one of them.

The advert transitions into real life and Jack is now within the crowd, cutting through to the front to join his friend. We get the impression that he does this everyday and the scene is painted so well with bright colours, desperation and a lot of trilby hats. The process of a woman with large cat eye glasses pointing people out of the crowd to walk through the gates is daunting. It seems as rigorous as an army and it is designed to come across that way as many people in the crowd have recently come home from war and trying their luck in Hollywood. How seriously people take it is shown to us through Jack's friend who uses lingo like "lensing" and corrects Jack that they are "producing a movie" not "making a movie". It's the detail like that that makes you fascinated as people are chosen and the rest leave like a bizarre enactment of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

Jack has a lot of pride about being an extra. He has dimples and a "can-do" attitude. But he can't get a loan for him and his pregnant wife. He is watched by a silver-haired man at the bar every night and being bought drinks by him. This man is brought to life by Dylan McDermott. (Although no longer wearing a latex suit from his American horror story days.) It is typical Ryan Murphy casting. He recycles actors and actresses in such a thoughtful way. Dylan McDermott's character is called Ernie and he is a brash, and open person to enter Jack's life. He wants him to pump gas at his gas station. He wants someone good looking to do it as this brings good business. Jack agrees, and follows him to the gas station the next day. The gas station brings great nostalgic Americana in its appearance however there are signs that make it seem slightly sexual and innuendo-y. The name of the gas station is "golden tip". And, boy, I am certain that means some things, ya know?

The shots of the show are very clever and sneaky "Lubrication service" behind Ernie when Jack walks out in his new work uniform donning a yellow cap. We find out that the gas station offers male prostitution and Jack is very against it at first but decides to try it because the money is so good. We see themes of masculinity and the pressure to provide in his actions. The music is jolly and familiar when the outrageous act happens and Jack is driven away by an older woman to a hotel. It shows the stark reality of Hollywood but has that "movie magic" glaze over it that makes it seem romantic. I liked that. The woman turns out to be very interesting. She was in silent films but didn't make it into "talkies" because she was a Jew. Jack opens up to her too and says all he had back home were his good looks. Jack's innocence and starry eyed view is apparent in my favourite quote of the episode:

"Movies? you think they matter?" "You kidding? I know they do"

When Jack gets back he is moved on to a man. Not just any man. It's Cole Porter. But Jack recoils and leaves to the anger of Ernie who says he must bring back a replacement or he receives no money for the day. Jack re-joins his wife and they discover they are having twins. Jack faints. There is a little bit of ludicrousy in that but in the best way. It's classic and fun storytelling. Jack knows he needs to do something about the gas station so he dresses as a police man and walks into a gay film with a couple of men watching and masturbating each other. Jack pretends to arrest one of the men who he plans to get to fill in for him at the gas station so he can still get his money.

We discover his name is Archie. He was also in the service and wanted to be a scriptwriter but no one wants to hire a contracted black man. He jumps on board with the idea and becomes a natural at the gas station. There is a whole scene of him tenderly getting to know the first man who picks him up. Gay themes are spot on and treated beautifully. It seems like it will be a humorous mixture of male friendship and sadness sprinkled in. Ernie's isn't well so trouble is definitely brewing and I think that there is only so long that the gas station can stay under the radar. It all seems to be going well....until the end of the episode happens. But I don't want to spoil it for you!

Let me know what you think of it too. Who else can't wait until Darren Criss comes along in the next episode?

Catch the entire season of 'Hollywood' on Netflix now!

Sincerely, The Serial Television Watcher

In Review: Four More Shots Please Episode 1

I am a bit late on the uptake on this show. Because the first season debuted almost a year ago. But I hadn't seen it on my Amazon Prime before so it seems to be pretty brand new romantic comedy series to the streaming service. The synopsis is "Four unapologetic flawed women live, love, blunder and discover what really makes them tick through friendship and tequila in Millennial Mumbai." Needless to say, it perked my interest. My feminist shows to rely on have dwindled a bit over the years. Since HBO's Girls with Lena Durham ended I have been looking for a similar kind of vibe. Maybe this show will be the one. Mumbai too. That is a city, and a country which does make its way into the mainstream that often and I would love if the representation was realistic and a story that people in Mumbai would see themselves in.

The first episode is titled 'Ambitious. Prude. Feminist. Slut." This makes me put my mug of coffee down in anticipation. There will clearly be a conflict between two alternative ways of looking at feminine behaviour and pushback from society around them. The opening credits have lots of empowering messages and the music is funky and creates a fun introduction to the characters that you would look forward to every time you start an episode. Four more shots equals four main characters and they are all different and going through different things. We have Siddhi who is demure and thicker than most women around her and who is primarily focused on marriage, Damini who hardworking is a news editor who is having daydreams about her doctor, Anjana who is a single mother and spunky Umang who works at a gym.

We are allowed windows into the day that all the women are having. There are funny elements like  when Damini goes to the doctor who she can't repress herself from flirting with, writes "bathe three times a day" on her notes. I love the brashness of the humour. The four women all meet up at the end of the day at a bar called 'The Truck Stop' where they all band together and relax, and let loose and be themselves around each other. The actresses are really good at portraying a closeness and a unity between them. They make silly jabs and laugh together and it's a lot of fun to watch. The women use quite a few Americanisms like "kick it in the balls" and "respect, bro!". It shows millennial Mumbai as a multicultural and evolutionary in their language and how they conduct themselves. The bartender judges them slightly but seems to accept them which shows that this isn't normal behaviour for Indian women and some people have to adjust to this. But the bartender willing because he says that they aren't allowed any "sissy cocktails!" This is almost a loving sentence because he doesn't want them to stick to the status quo.

Anjana has a moment which I really like, which is when she drunkenly preaches ""Reason for divorce is marriage" which is modern thinking yet laced with pessimism that seems to poison her mind and exposes the hurt and disappointment that she has deep inside. Even though she seems one of the most enlightened women; she is not the happiest for it and exposes how you can long for tradition even if you know you should be rebelling against it. I like that this show shows that battle even in the first episode. Before they leave Damini has a moment with the bartender who watches her curiously as she lines up shot glasses perfectly but she doesn't notice him. Oh, what's that I spy? Oh, yes, a love triangle. I'm sure we will see a lot of that in the series. That's not my favourite type of story but I think it will be sweet seeing Damini realise someone wants her as much as she thinks she wants the doctor.

The women are so tipsy and confident that they throw a rock and break the neon lights outside of the bar from 'truck' to 'fuck'. They aren't afraid to do things like this which almost shows that they live in a bit of a privileged bubble where there are no consequences in a country full of consequences usually. Because the bartender won't press charges because he likes them they feel that they have the freedom. And they grab at the freedom with all of their might! They all go home to lives with people they care for but which also hold them down or to loneliness. Anjana says "asshole" in front of her daughter who skips around school repeating it. Anjana seems to get a hard time from the other mothers anyway because of her marital status "First she couldn't control her husband now her poor kid". She flips the mothers off which is a deeply gratifying action to watch.

Damini is called a "girl" and not a woman in court and the narrative of gender inequality builds like a flower drenched in fertilizer. My favourite quote of the episode is when Damini and Anjana are walking away from court next to a park full of mostly men and boys and Anjana asks a question: "What is the difference between condoms and men? They are no longer thick and insensitive."
"Anji, that's really sexist."
"2000 years of patriarchy, man."
That interaction and I hope that is one out of many to come in the two series that has been released.

Old traditions seem to hound Siddhi the most who is being forced to take singing lessons to get the interest of potential suitors and being harshly criticised by her mother, The instrument breaks which is a funny moment, but also hints that Siddhi is soon going to break out of the rut of her life. Afterwards she looks at herself in the mirror in a bra and knickers and then gives up and eats a chocolate bar. Everyone in the show is fighting an internal battle. And some are fighting external battles too. Damini is now being forced to censor her stories and Umang yelled at a Bollywood actress at a gym. It seems that she is instantly apologetic because she is famous but it seems deeper than that and if you look more closely, it might be because she fancies her. It only takes a few minutes for this to be confirmed at the end when she makes out with a girl in the bathroom at the Truck Stop. I love that this show doesn't leave out sexuality and it is a brave and bold storyline for a Mumbai filmed show to have.

In conclusion I think 'Four More Shots Please' has a lot to give. If I had to compare it to anything I would say it's 20% Derry Girls meets 50% Sex And The City 30% Girls like I already referenced.

Give it a watch yourself on Amazon Prime.

'Quiz' Episode 1 Review

I have seen a few adverts and various people on my timeline's talking about 'Quiz'. It is a mini series based on the true events of the show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' and the story of the three people that hacked the system and "stole" a million pounds by bending the rules.  'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' is a pretty famous show around the world, but primarily the UK.I watched it a lot as a child because it was one of the only things on in the daytime and after school. I remember the high intensity being a draw for me as a child as I would marvel over how the contestants would know such hard questions and I would get really excited when I would get questions right. It premiered in 1998, and in the years that followed that I remember watching it I would always think to myself "Could the phone a friend just google the answer?" And, even in my young brain, I could fathom the possibility of cheating slipping through the cracks. And it did happen but not in the way that I imagined.

The episode starts with a black screen with the text "We all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realise truth" written across it which fades in a courtroom. The main characters under trial are a couple called Diana and Charles. The viewer ponders the quote as we watch on as flies on the wall into something we are yet to discover. Is the case black and white? it doesn't seem that way. It is every British person's pipedream to win a gameshow. It presents itself as an achievement possible for all kinds of people. The judge addresses the room and says ""Who wants to be a millionaire? well, these three certainly did" and I think that goes for most of the public in the early 00's.  The words have a hint of comedy, yet the gravity of the situation stays with you for the rest of the episode.

The next scenes show ITV aquriring a new director who wants to create more major TV events like the BBC do. I find this interesting to get a glimpse into the competitive nature between channels around this time all vouching to find "the next best thing." There is a charm to watching the teams plan out how the gameshow will work and you see how appealing the whole concept is. It makes you feel like you were there at the time. The USP (unique selling point) of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' is that it will have the largest gameshow prize in the history of television- one million pounds! To even these scenes, we also pop in on the perpetrators back before the show airs. Diana is at a pub quiz with her brother. And we see a kind of disconnect from her husband Charles because he isn't there and it is hinted that he prefers her being at home. A joke is made about her cheating from another player which is a huge foreshadow for the series as it continues on.

We meet Michael Sheen who has been cast as Chris Tarrant and frankly, it works perfectly. He fits the bumbly Englishness so well. (As well he should. He had good practice as Azirphale in 'Good Omens'.) This creates such a thick later of immersion for me and I really recommend watching this show if only to see how spot on Michael's imitation is. I like the little nuggets of information the show hands to the viewer such as how the gameshow 'Mastermind' was created by someone who was interrogated by the gestapo. It really drills in the psychology of television and how things like this are used, and can bring out the best and worst in people.

We as viewers sit beside Charles and Diana as they watch the first broadcast of the show and being affected by the amount of money that is available and the tension of the show. In contrast, we see the showrunners also waiting with baited breath as to whether the show will work or not. And it does. Oh, it does. And escalates more than they ever expect. We see the popularity of the show kick off and people across the country racing to sign up and 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" wins award after award. (Using actual archive footage which I loved!) Then it is sold to America and becomes a global phenomenon. Diana's brother calls in over fifty times. He gets a spot and we see him get beaten to get in the chair much to his disappointment. We witness him start to unravel which is handled in a humanising way that makes you feel for this character as he has racked up so many phone bills he needs to pay and keep his business afloat.

Diana's brother meets a man called Paddy Spooner has gotten to be on the show in the  UK, Ireland and Australia. He tells him that they "don't check" which shows that people are finding loopholes. This is riveting stuff because I wasn't aware of this. The show selects around one hundred people to call back with random questions which hard to get right. They often would rotate the questions so there was a network of a people circulating the answers to each other. It's a big operation which is so fascinating to watch and learn about. And ultimately, it is very impressive, whether it is right or wrong of them. Obviously, this inspires Diana's brother and he starts to obsess and times himself typing answers. He manages to get on the show a total of four times and the fourth time he makes it onto the main show for the real game. This does not go unnoticed by the show's producers and even Chris Tarrant mocks him for it but nobody can work out how it has happened. He loses after 32,000 pounds and is sent home.

It is upsetting that he has tried so many times only to lose. Diana takes on the legacy and gets onto the show too. She also wins 32,000 pounds and offers half of it to her brother to Charles's dismay. I love how dependant and addicted these characters get. At the end of the episode Charles has been signed up by Diana and he gets a call-back confirming he will be on the show. He doesn't want to, but now feels like he has to follow through and Diana tells him that it is "simply his turn" and we know that this is the event that ends them up in court. The question on every character's lips is "is it cheating?" and furthermore it leaves you wanting more of how they did it. I am looking forward to seeing the next two episodes and where it goes from here. Matthew Macfadyen is fantastic as playing the easily swayed husband and father and your heart goes out for him for what it about to happen but he isn't entirely innocent either.

Watch 'Quiz' on ITV Player in the UK

In Review: Unorthadox Episode 1

When I saw this show appear on my Netflix subscription it almost looked like a documentary.  The subject and the thumbnail just made me feel like it should be. As I start watching it there is definitely a feeling of autobiographical significance. Orthodox Judaism isn't something I know that much about (Most of what I know is from shows like 'Transparent' which highlights the better side of Judaism) , and I feel Netflix has done a great thing creating something like this.

Anyway, back to the review. In an arthouse kind of style the episode throws us into the life- and the preparation a young woman called Esty to make an escape from her house. Esty is a sullen character that carries a lot of baggage and a sad glint in her eye. It is obvious that she is suffering yet she is worldly and smart to be hatching an escape plan. We see her interact with other Jewish women and we see very fast that she is an exception to the norm.

With the help of her piano teacher, she acquires a passport and manages to leave New York for Berlin. And we see how her unattendance affects her husband as he goes to a Sabbath lunch gathering and she doesn't turn up. The melancholy in the room is icy and full of expectation and tension and it is no wonder Esty wants to get far, far away. Though the episode doesn't give us an overload of information why.

Even though Berlin isn't that structurally different to New York, it seems that everyhting has changed for Esty. As she is picked up by a taxi, her whole body language changes and she seems lighter and more curious like there is nothing dragging her down. She sits in a square in Berlin and she watches a woman as she waits. I felt as if this might be her mother  but then another woman joins her and kisses her and Esty runs from the scene. I like this as it gives a lot of subtext to how sheltered Esty is and how something as normal as two women kissing would repel her and make her think of sin. So even though she is leaping out of the constrictions she was stuck in, there are still lessons of Judaism that are much harder to shift.

Flashbacks show us so much more of the type of person Esty was pre-marriage. Her looks are completely different. Her hair is long, full, blonde-like a doll! There is a stark change to how she looks in the present with a short brown bob and less fitted clothes. The flashbacks show an undeniable love for her grandma who I assume has passed away. The flashbacks show her being match-maked to her husband and being stared at by family of her soon-to-be husband like she is livestock in a really bizarre scene in a supermarket. Surrounded by Jewish traditional food, Esty is sized up on whether she fits the mould for a good wife.

Halfway through the episode we see Esty navigating Berlin adjusting to the people around her. There are shots of Muslim women and couples making out in coffee shops which paint the picture of things that Esty is not used to yet. There is a juxtaposition of Esty walking through a city with freedom to roam and her husband on the other side of the world sticking to zebra crossings and wondering where he went wrong. There is a sweet scene of Esty entering a coffee shop and asking for a coffee. "Just a coffee" and a man to the side of her suggests that she means an 'americano'. She helps him carry his multiple trays of coffee over to the music institute where he studies around the corner. She watches the group play music and is invited along with them to explore Berlin and to go to the beach. They fling off their outer clothes and Esty is introduced to just being a young person among other young people and how they act. I love all of this.

You see Esty's need for liberation blossom in front of you. She walks into the lake which has a dark history in the holocaust but she doesn't let herself be tied down with the remorse Jews are pushed into. She pulls off her brown hair which you don't quite suspect is a wig and floats on her back and you feel, for the first time in her life, she is relaxed and allowed to be. Another interesting flashback happens with her husband and the first time they have a conversation. He talks about a trip to Europe (slightly foreshadowing there!) and she listens, and replies "You went all the way to Europe and all you saw were graves?" And I think that hits nail on the head of what the show is trying to convey about the religion and the heritage, and everything in between. It is bold, and it is important.

Esty and her husband when they meet seem like kindred spirits but there is still a separation there and I think the answer is the gender gap. The episode delves into more details such as Esty being given piano lessons despite the rules of her sex. We see the repetition of the greeting "good sabbath" and those who do not say it and how they stick out like a sore thumb. All of this adds together like a satisfying puzzle.

Towards the end of the episode it is discovered from a voicemail on her phone she left behind in New York that she is due to have an ultra scan. The men assume this is because of pregnancy but I am not so certain. I feel that it could be fake as Esty leaves the phone on the bed purposefully. But you and I will both have to watch more episodes to see if that theory holds up. The episode finishes with a flashback of her mother giving her documents that she has a right to German citizenship even though she doesn't want it at the time. This seems to have planted the seed that would take place in the years up to her deciding to leave and I love that detail. Finally, the episode is peppered with so many endearing moments with Esty and we feel every moment of her vulnerability and resourcefulness when it comes to finding somewhere to sleep for the night. She is a fascinating character and I think that there is way more to find out.

Check out Unorthdox on Netflix!

In Review: Tales From The Loop Episode 1

To start off from beginning to end this episode was expressively beautiful. Snow is used in a really pretty way in the episode and the special effects are subtle but entrancing. I found myself feeling wined and dined by the use of icicles and the vastness of the locations that were used.

The episode starts with a man staring down the viewer in the eyes. He wears glasses, and has a stern but informative air about him. He enters a sort of soliquay about the mysteries of the universe like an older, and more weathered Lemony Snicket narrating the episode before it begins. I enjoyed the way this set up the episode. The camera slowly zooms into the face of this man and we know that this is an important character and that we should take note of him. Off to a good start,

The next steps of the episode starts with a little girl going about her normal life. In a classroom, walking around her snow-covered neighbourhood and then she comes across a robot that almost looks like a reject from Pixar's 'Robots' in the landscape around her. However she treats this as normally as a tree in a back garden. I wonder why, but the show continues and lets the questions you may have stew and bubble in your brain.

The music in the episode elevates the uncertainty that envelopes the town. The scoring is very similar to "The Leftovers" and it works just as powerfully. We continue to follow the young girl, and how she witnesses a tense conversation between her mother and a mysterious man and alongside her, we try to piece together what is happening through the eyes of a child. The viewer feels just as vulnerable as her as we witness ominous conversations and how something needs to be "put back". But, what is it? The show teeters on with a solemn speed and our questions just pile on top of each other as we sift through the snow with the protagonist.

The little girls discovers that her mother has stolen something and needs to do an experiment on it. In a world of what we have seen in the episode so far - surreal structures, and more- it is easy to believe that are many experiments that take place. Children are usually the ones with secrets but it is the adult in this episode that keeps her cards close to her chest. The episode is layered with very thin horror elements which adds to the ambience of loneliness and fear that the little girl feels. Because the show is clearly not horror-orientated  but it feels almost as if the genre of the show changes according to the mindset that the girl has at the time. This could just be my imagination but I like that the plot is open enough for me to speculate and not be given a clear answer otherwise.

On returning home, her home has disappeared into thin air and her mother with it and the supernatural occurrences are instantly ramped up with snow rising upwards into the air. All that is left is a smooth stone which she then carries with her until she meets a boy called Cole in the forest. At this point, I am grateful for more characters because I love relationships and shows can often feel void if they go for too long without them. A friendship begins between them to find her mother and they also rope in his older brother which gives a little "Stranger Things" vibes meets "The Returned" as they trek through the forest and the town in search for answers.

The episode builds up the tension but it sometimes feels as though it is trying to conceal too many secrets and makes it feel a little dry and like you are waiting a little too long in a waiting room so it takes longer to sink your teeth into but it is worth the patience. It plays with your mind enough not to bore you from the frustration too much. Not to get into spoilers too much but there is a sense that Cole's mother is connected by blood to the girl but she seems to have moved forward in time. This really, really reminds me of Netflix's 'Dark'. And the conclusion of the episode is very remiscient of that. There is an emotional turn of events that I highly recommend you watch for yourself!

Overall, I really liked where this show is going and I will be watching more to see if I continue to like it more. The only bad thing I have to say that vexes me with these noir type of shows is that they make the adults hollow and cold but I think that is mainly for effect and that will change throughout the series. This show seems to be take inspiration from lots of different places but mashes all of them up in a divine treat served on a platter. The information that 'Tales From The Loop' was made from an art book of an alternate version of the 80s is so exciting for me and I have high hopes for what is in store for the show.

You can catch 'Tales From The Loop' on Amazon Prime.

Bonfire Of Destiny' is a crackling gem you wouldn't expect!

During this quarantine, my endless scroll of streaming websites has become more intense and nit-picky. What do I want to see? that? maybe this? maybe. Maybe not. But one perk of being stuck at home is that I am revisiting shows that I didn't give a chance to checking out yet. 'Bonfire of Destiny' is one of those.

I love a good period drama and French television always tends to be pretty good! I had never heard of anyone talking about this show and however that usually checks boxes for me, I was still a little unsure whether to take the plunge because sometimes I come across some really bad doozies. On researching that it was based on a real event 'The Bazar de la Charité' which was an annual charity event organized by the French Catholic aristocracy in Paris from 1885 onwards. It is infamous for the fire at the 1897 bazaar that claimed 126 lives, many of them aristocratic women I was compelled to know more, and see how this unfurls in a reproduction of events.

The show focuses on three main women who are in very different positions and affliction before the fire begins. And their lives are flipped around in the aftermath. I have to really shower compliments to the show for the gradual, and uneasy way they presented the fire and the bad side of humanity from how the crowds race and throw each other aside to an attempt to escape. The acting is so good to the point that I felt ill and I felt my heart beat hard from the claustrophobia and the good use of space and build-up that the creators showed. And from that point, everything in the show is gripping and scenarios of abuse are aplenty and you find yourself rooting for the heroines are every turn to escape their affliction.

None more so then Rose who is kidnapped by a grieving mother who in discovering her daughter died in the fire, desperately takes Rose who has a striking resemblance to her in order to look after her grandson. Rose had been set to leave for new York with her husband so this creates a complicated situation that presents all kinds of morality questions. Should Rose stay and look after this boy and be subjected to unhappiness, or leave and face being rejected by her husband for her burns?

This show is clever and steadfast. I enjoyed the characters - especially the children. Camille - who receives a letter from her mother who is presumed dead from the fire is brave and daring in the face of her father who is violent. The storylines are very interesting and you definitely invest in these women. The costumes are great and the dialogue isn't your standard Victorian style. These characters are dynamic although, at times, maybe slightly inaccurate to real Victorian women of the time but believability is never lost. It comes across as if it is.

Drama that is not in English is sometimes looked over but I would implore you to give 'Bonfire Of Destiny' a go. See what you think, and I would love to hear back from you about what you thought.

Find 'Bonfire Of Destiny' on Netflix now

Malory Towers brings oodles of nostalgia and fresh perspective

If you are a child that grew up in Britain then you would be familiar with Malory Towers. Or, you have at least heard of it. The one with the boarding school? No? well, there are many books like it. However, Malory Towers is one of the most popular. And with good reason.

When I heard that this series was being remade I was eager to see how it would turn out. I was the type of kid who craved going to a faraway school filled with friends who I could have endless fun, and midnight feasts with. Nothing sounded better than having a sleepover with classmates every day! And that is exactly the feeling that CBBC so effortlessly brings to the table. CBBC, you say? They are hardly known for top quality television that should perk the interest of adults. But that is a false statement. And Malory Towers is the perfect example why. Following in the success of products like Sarah Jane Adventures, The Worst Witch...Malory Towers is another notch on CBBC's belt and it should certainly make you race to your nearest device and open BBC Iplayer,

Malory Towers centres around the arrival of Darrell Rivers at Benenden School in the Cornish countryside. And from the get-go there is a flurry of characters at the school that perk your interest as a viewer. From teachers to students there is a wide range of extremely lovable characters to the darn right detestable that make your toes curl. This remains faithful to the greatness and the innocent and vivid descriptions of children's literature that is often tricky to depict on the screen. This version doesn't make you feel like that. In fact, it grabs your face, and makes you never want to leave. Just as Darrell never wants to leave the school. Nothing ever feels strained or forced. It's just all round lovely.

The plot of each episode usually focuses around drama within Darrel and her associates. There is talent that springs from every actress as they weave a web of fun, and relatability. Themes from the painful and awkward ways of making friends-to being scared of ghosts, spiders to more serious topics like estrangement from parents, class divides - Malory Towers has it all. Occasionally television for children can be dumbed down - or bought to extremes in attempts to rehash or modernise classic stories but Malory Towers was directed to perfection. (Just like 'Anne with an E' on Netflix. Add that to your list!)

The filming locations and the glaringly headstrong actresses make every twenty minute episode a delight and it just makes you feel at home. As a viewer, we learn to begrudge yet adore characters like Gwen and it is all done so in a bloody great, feminising experience wrapped up in a bow. I start every episode humming along to the theme tune and feeling like I am skipping into school with them. The escapism is strong in this show and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something that appeals to their inner child. Even if you don't think you are, please do yourself a favour and check it out anyway.

Watch Malory Towers on BBC Iplayer. It's available for a year.

Miss Fisher And The Crypt Of Tears

You have heard of Miss Marple, Nancy Drew, Jessica Fletcher but you have never truly seen the full potential of a female detective until you have seen Miss Fisher and her show named 'Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries'. That is just fact and I would expect to find those words written deep underground in a cave somewhere. Even early human civilisation would agree. If this is the first time that you have heard of Miss Fisher, I would recommend watching the first three seasons of the show first before reading this review about the film that follows it.

For fans of Miss Fisher, it was an agonising wait waiting for the crowd-funded film to be produced and then released across its retrospective countries but anything involving the gold-gun wielding force of nature is worth waiting for. I gathered my things and I set the scene. I dimmed my lights, lit some candles and got myself ready for the engrossing experience I knew I was in for. The film starts with, of course, Miss Fisher racing Palestine to free a girl from unjust imprisonment. In a matter of moments, we are reunited with Essie Davis (Phyrne Fisher) donning a fabulous wardrobe and quick, dry wit and allure with anyone she comes into contact with. Ah, what bliss!

Miss Fisher is a tough cookie to hold down and we are immediately treated with many scenes involving high speed chases, and a classic run across the top of a train! With 'Miss Fisher and The Crypt Of Tears' there is an obvious sense of using crime and detective tropes which the original show tends not to. The juxtaposition of the film with the show is slightly jarring as the plot of the film including mysterious emeralds is almost not good enough for our beloved Miss Fisher. But it is a lot of fun and is a throwback to the detective stories that were actually being written about at the time during the 1920s. And it's almost like Miss Fisher knows it, and is whisking us along for the ride.

After the train escape, Miss Fisher fakes her death and many of the people who have loved and admired her throughout the original series travel to a London estate to pay tribute to her - including her, "will they or won't they?" love interest Jack, and her Aunt Prudence. Naturally, Miss Fisher flies and parks her plane at her own funeral to the shock but not the surprise of her family members. The relationship with Jack is rocky to say the least since we last see them in the series but the love-hate relationship and how Jack always gets roped into Miss Fisher's cases unwillingly is a prime part of the plot. Ultimately, that is what carries the film through the most.

The absence bar from one quick sighting of characters such as Dotty, Hugh and Mr Butler makes the film feel colder and emptier. It is like Buffy without the "scooby gang". These empowering women are fantastic on their own but so much richer with their team around them. And that is what the film sadly lacks. However, it does give well deserved time to Miss Fisher and Jack who are almost on a holiday of sorts together through the film. And the film ends with lots of mushy revelations between them involving an imaginary spider which is thrilling to any fan of the series. I utterly adored that.

The plot was hard for me to care about as much as I did the characters but you can't tick every box. I longed for more but a second film has not been ruled out and there could be much more to come. And the whole film as a package is incredible considering how the film almost appeared from nothing and entirely fan support. The film exudes class and pure cinematic splendour. From golden desserts to zazzy one liners the film is just a good time and a true testament to the investment of the creators. They are not afraid to change things up a bit- in a way that Miss Fisher would be oh so proud of!

Have you seen 'Miss Fisher and The Crypt Of Tears' yet? Are you "yay" or "nay"? Let me know.

'Miss Fisher and The Crypt Of Tears" is available on AcornTV or the Alibi Channel in the UK

'Feel Good' did what it says on the tin!

It's no secret that when I see a gay mini series with a hint of comedy yet realism and grit I will be there. Day or night, I will sniff it out! 'Feel Good' entered my radar a few weeks ago when I saw it on my feed. 'Feel Good' seems to follow a certain pattern of LGBTQ+ shows that I have noticed lately, and it is interesting to think about why this has become popular.

'Feel Good' revolves around a young gay comedian called Mae Martin. With many of Channel 4 Comedies obviously she is struggling quite a bit. Sound familiar? Well, if you have seen 'One Missipi' featuring  Tig Notaro it is a similar formula. But obviously, it works. Female gay comedians are important as they are usually mainstream's gateway to lesbian acceptance. This is highlighted most famously in the case of Ellen DeGeneres. Sandi Toskvig, Hannah Gadsby are a few others that do an amazing job bringing exposure to the masses.)

This is a great thing. Before pressing on episode one I did think to myself that the subject "felt a bit stale" but the trailer looked great and I wanted to see how it went. And I am glad I did. The leading plot of the show is Mae meeting a woman called George at one of her shows and they hit it off from there. Sometimes when I watch a show that portrays the lifestyle that I have, I feel concerned and clammy handed because the expectation is higher. The stakes are higher when you want reality reflected back at you. But that feeling of tension lifted very fast and I grew to love the commentary it had how their relationship begins, grows, and all of the bumps in between.

Mae suffers with an addictive personality and the whole way that this is handled in the show is very great to see. Humour is spread throughout the show peppered around the serious moments like a delicious buffet of script that I wish I could kiss. Little nuances like coming out to family, and your partner's perspective of what their future would be are all explored in such a thoughtful way. The cast brings some unexpected diamonds- such as Sophie Thompson who plays Maggie, Mae's eccentric "sponsor" and amazingly- Lisa Kudrow who plays Linda, Mae's mother. These are two actresses which bring an extra kookiness while helps the shows turn sprints into leaps. Not to mention- Charlotte Ritchie who plays George in an understated and quietly genius way.

Needless to say it's just a good show that hits you in the groin with your feelings. There is nothing shy about this mini-series and the sex talk is also aplenty and gives it an edge and an accuracy to what a real relationship looks like and the trials and tribulations which come with really getting to know someone. It's raw. And it reminded me of my favourite show of all time "Please Like Me" in some ways. I was pleased to have seen this and I think it's one of the best things I have seen from Channel 4 in a while. I consider myself a fan of Mae Martin now too, and I plan on finding more of her stand-up. In a section of media that still thirsts for representation, this is a show I am glad is available for all ages alike to see!

'Feel Good' is now streaming online on All4