Fleishman Is In Trouble is exceptional. It is very faithful to the book. Episode 6 (Libby's longing/desires) & episode 7 (Rachel's despair) are amazing. I wish there was a TV club (vs book club) to discuss those two women. Also, I love how Seth, Libby, and Toby met in Israel over the summer and how these friends knew each other when they were "full of potential." It's such a specific and popular summer experience for Jewish American teens, and I haven't seen that on TV before.
I would put Hacks Season 2 here though. Ava and Deborah are more developed, and I laughed and cried. It's heartbreaking and hilarious.
Yellowjackets- Very disturbing (think: plane crash, cults, cannibalism). It also merges lots of genres (survival, drama, romcom, horror, comedy). Think Lord of the Files, but it's 1996 and a girl's soccer team are stuck on the island. Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis are amazing and so are the young actresses who play them. I think it really asks what happens in the face of childhood trauma and the different ways adult respond.
Good
Firefly Lane- Season 1 and Season 2. I love any show that explores decades-long friendship. I binged it, and I loved it. It's based on (but differs from) Kristin Hannah's novel. Kate (Sarah Chalke) and Tully (Katherine Heigl) have great friendship chemistry.
I would put Tell Me Lies here. I hated the characters, but I was fully engrossed. Did you know that Katey Sagal is Jackson White's (Stephan) mom on the show and in real life? I read Lucy and Stephan are dating in real life.
I couldn't even watch And Just Like That. I hated it.
I watched season one of Firefly last year so it was on that list. I started season 2 but only got a few eps in so it will have to go on the 2023 list. Where on the list? We will see! The time jumps in the first ep or two are kind of confusing. I agree on the epic friendship stories though. Of course!
And YES on Libby on Rachel and everything they represent, etc. The "all the potential" stuff. Who doesn't feel that at times? So relatable. I love how the person who comes to help Rachel actually isn't a close BFF but is actually barely a friend yet someone who has been in her life. That is how things go sometimes. And as we saw in ep 7, Rachel struggled to make close friends in New York and I suppose always as she always felt she wasn't enough of something. That moment when she says to Libby, "I always liked you, I just didn't think you liked me" is probably how she has felt about every girl/woman ever. It was such a good, vulnerable moment.
OMG, I just love that show. Should I read the book after??? I know that's the wrong order. I also never read Firefly Lane.
I also forgot Severance. It is excellent! I don't usually love sci-fi but this is worth watching. In this show, there is a work self, who exists during the day, and a home self who has no memories of what's happening at work.
Wednesday- I binged this new Tim Burton series with my teen son, and we loved it. Wednesday Adams (Jenna Ortega) is a coming-of-age story- but also a murder-mystery. She is an outsider, and she learns to navigate Nevermore (a boarding school for sirens, werewolves, and physics).
I LOVE every one of the shows I've already seen (HELLO, UHTRED SON OF UHTRED!) and I want to watch the ones I haven't seen yet. I hope your 2022 has been wonderful, and I'm sending love and wishes for a fantastic 2023 to you and yours!
I always love your lists!
Thank you!
Very Good
Fleishman Is In Trouble is exceptional. It is very faithful to the book. Episode 6 (Libby's longing/desires) & episode 7 (Rachel's despair) are amazing. I wish there was a TV club (vs book club) to discuss those two women. Also, I love how Seth, Libby, and Toby met in Israel over the summer and how these friends knew each other when they were "full of potential." It's such a specific and popular summer experience for Jewish American teens, and I haven't seen that on TV before.
I would put Hacks Season 2 here though. Ava and Deborah are more developed, and I laughed and cried. It's heartbreaking and hilarious.
Yellowjackets- Very disturbing (think: plane crash, cults, cannibalism). It also merges lots of genres (survival, drama, romcom, horror, comedy). Think Lord of the Files, but it's 1996 and a girl's soccer team are stuck on the island. Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis are amazing and so are the young actresses who play them. I think it really asks what happens in the face of childhood trauma and the different ways adult respond.
Good
Firefly Lane- Season 1 and Season 2. I love any show that explores decades-long friendship. I binged it, and I loved it. It's based on (but differs from) Kristin Hannah's novel. Kate (Sarah Chalke) and Tully (Katherine Heigl) have great friendship chemistry.
I would put Tell Me Lies here. I hated the characters, but I was fully engrossed. Did you know that Katey Sagal is Jackson White's (Stephan) mom on the show and in real life? I read Lucy and Stephan are dating in real life.
I couldn't even watch And Just Like That. I hated it.
I watched season one of Firefly last year so it was on that list. I started season 2 but only got a few eps in so it will have to go on the 2023 list. Where on the list? We will see! The time jumps in the first ep or two are kind of confusing. I agree on the epic friendship stories though. Of course!
And YES on Libby on Rachel and everything they represent, etc. The "all the potential" stuff. Who doesn't feel that at times? So relatable. I love how the person who comes to help Rachel actually isn't a close BFF but is actually barely a friend yet someone who has been in her life. That is how things go sometimes. And as we saw in ep 7, Rachel struggled to make close friends in New York and I suppose always as she always felt she wasn't enough of something. That moment when she says to Libby, "I always liked you, I just didn't think you liked me" is probably how she has felt about every girl/woman ever. It was such a good, vulnerable moment.
OMG, I just love that show. Should I read the book after??? I know that's the wrong order. I also never read Firefly Lane.
Katy Segal was great in Tell Me Lies!
PS- Under Very good
I also forgot Severance. It is excellent! I don't usually love sci-fi but this is worth watching. In this show, there is a work self, who exists during the day, and a home self who has no memories of what's happening at work.
Wednesday- I binged this new Tim Burton series with my teen son, and we loved it. Wednesday Adams (Jenna Ortega) is a coming-of-age story- but also a murder-mystery. She is an outsider, and she learns to navigate Nevermore (a boarding school for sirens, werewolves, and physics).
Oooh, will put Severance on my to-be-watched for 2023.
I LOVE every one of the shows I've already seen (HELLO, UHTRED SON OF UHTRED!) and I want to watch the ones I haven't seen yet. I hope your 2022 has been wonderful, and I'm sending love and wishes for a fantastic 2023 to you and yours!
YAY!! An Uhtred Son of Uhtred fan! It's definitely not the show on everyone's list.
Sending love to you too! You're so busy with your books. It's incredible!!