I have Paramount+ so am watching 1883, a Western series which follows the post-Civil War generation of the Dutton family, who leave Tennessee and join a wagon train heading to Oregon. Actors include Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.

Utterly compelling stuff so far (3 episodes in). It’s slow - in a good way. Sometimes one is bombarded by fast-paced shows with lots of cuts. This show, which features some great cinematography, is utterly absorbing. I easily immersed myself in the episodes so far, and Sam Elliott continues to be one of my favourite actors.

I always had this wish about living in those times, the pace of life and free spirit nature of it all appealed to the dreamer in me, but, of course, such a reality would also come with bandits, smallpox, a relative lack of security and so much else. Be careful what you wish for!

Thanks. Yes, I’ve read and seen Lonesome Dove.

A friend asked me why I hadn’t binge-watched 1883. You know, must everything be rushed? Some things, yes. I was so hooked on the third season of Daredevil, that I watched it over 3-4 days. But binge-watching isn’t the default for me. 

With just ten episodes, I could have binged 1883 over the weekend. But what would I have to enjoy now? Another show? Sure, but with great cinematography, writing and performances, I want to enjoy 1883. I want something to look forward to. Spreading it out over ten days means I can appreciate it - and anticipation is key, too. You don’t go to a fair and want to do all the rollercoaster rides within 30 minutes, you want to anticipate and appreciate each one, breaking it up with some chat, walking, games, etc.

For me, Prince Hal, anticipation is underrated. I’m glad I have six episodes of 1883 left to enjoy.

Really enjoying detective drama Death in Paradise. There have been a lot of cast changes - in fact, as Season 9 begins, all the police officers that were there in Season 1 are long gone. In the station, that is, Commissioner Patterson (Don Warrington) has been there since the pilot. But we’ve had four detective inspectors since the first episode aired in 2011.

Soap operas that run for decades aside, are there any shows that had so many changes? The only continuity from the beginning is the aforementioned Commissioner Patterson and Catherine Bordey (Élizabeth Bourgine). Bordey runs the bar and is the mayor.

I could mention the interesting plots, the beautiful Caribbean scenery, the humour and so much else, but there are three things which specifically stand out for me:

1.) The teamwork element/lack of dysfunction between the main characters. The old trope of bickering detectives, or even partners that hate each other, became old hat for me years ago. It was good in its time. But the characters here like and love each other. They socialise outside work. We don’t have some boring cliché, such as the dysfunctional detective who downs a bottle of brandy each night and hates the world. These characters prove to me that fiction needn’t be about characters who hate or tolerate each other.

2.) The commissioner gets to do things other than sit at a desk or bark orders, which must be satisfying for the actor. Years ago, I remember one actor, in a police drama, who left and hinted that he was bored with his character being stuck behind a desk all of the time. On occasion, the commissioner has helped out during a case, spoken to suspects, etc. The show utilises him in different ways at times; in some shows, the police chief or commissioner are just figureheads with little depth.

3.) Character development. When the show started, the commissioner came across as a bureaucrat, more interested in the island’s image (for tourists) and other bureaucratic nonsense. He’s changed over time, in big and small ways. As have many others. Characters gained confidence. They dated. Some pined for home. In some episodes, we get to see some character-driven moments, which are the icing on the cake.

It’s a fun show. And I smile at some inconsistencies. The island seems big, yet there appear to be no middle ranks between the detective inspector/his team and the commissioner. There don’t appear to be any other police stations on the island. Hell, there don’t appear to be any other police officers on the island. And the murder rate is quite high, so I am not sure why people visit/migrate there (so far, there have been 3 murders which have taken place in hotels). All that silliness is part of the charm, though.

Who knew that a member of the Sovereign Citizens was driving a truck in Australia?

Anybody else here watching Mrs. Davis?


If not, you really should. Very - often darkly - funny, and very entertaining. It's really cleverly written and wonderfully performed by a fantastic cast, esp. Betty Gilpin as the main character, Elizabeth/Sister Simone.

(copied and pasted from the Classic tv thread):

Any opinions on Succession, for or against? I see it's received a fair bit of attention with its final episode just having aired last week so I'm wondering if I should give it a try some time.