What I Watched: Low Winter Sun, a series where every single character is an awful human being. Two police officers murder a fellow officer and try to cover up the crime. The tale includes Eastern European prostitutes, gangs, drug lords, low-rent drug-adjacent persons, bars, drug addled alcoholics, doomed love affairs, bizarre religious outlooks, a police internal affairs investigation, and corruption, duplicity, and disloyalty at every level. One of the worst actions occurred among lifelong friends – it was shockingly callous.
It began as a two-part miniseries on Channel 4 in Great Britain in 2006, then moved on to AMC as a 10-episode series in 2013. Mark Strong plays Detective Sergeant Frank Agnew in both; the first is set in Edinburgh and the second in Detroit. It is the “can’t look away from the car crash” version of television viewing.
What I Read: Defending Danger (Sinclair and Raven Book 10) by Wendy Vella. I have mentioned the Regency series before; this was an especially good book, but you really start at the beginning. The conceit is that Sinclairs save Ravens and are then linked and marry, after mystery, turmoil, and supernatural skills, with a bit of angst thrown into the mix.
I also read Sonya Bateman’s Heart of Stone (The DeathSpeaker Codex Book 10). A very good supernatural series, with fae, gargoyles, old policemen, night terrors, resurrection, underground lairs, fairyland, morgues, soul transit, and a sentient rat. You can get an omnibus of books 1-3 for $4.99 at Amazon, to see if you like them.
And I read Ten Things I Hate About the Duke: A Difficult Dukes Novel by Loretta Chase. Witty, witty banter alert! This is the second book of the series; I skipped book one because it was expensive, and I don’t love runaway bride tropes. Here is the blurb for the book I read:
Bestselling author Loretta Chase continues her Difficult Dukes series with this delightful spin on Shakespeare’s classic, The Taming of the Shrew. This time, who’s taming whom…Cassandra Pomfret holds strong opinions she isn’t shy about voicing. But her extremely plain speaking has caused an uproar, and her exasperated father, hoping a husband will rein her in, has ruled that her beloved sister can’t marry until Cassandra does. Now, thanks to a certain wild-living nobleman, the last shreds of Cassandra’s reputation are about to disintegrate, taking her sister’s future and her family’s good name along with them. The Duke of Ashmont’s looks make women swoon. His character flaws are beyond counting. He’s lost a perfectly good bride through his own carelessness. He nearly killed one of his two best friends. Still, troublemaker that he is, he knows that damaging a lady’s good name isn’t sporting. The only way to right the wrong is to marry her…and hope she doesn’t smother him in his sleep on their wedding night.
What I Listened To: Easy by Mata Hari; 13+ minutes of Chasing It by Bana Stiltz; Santa Cruz Tomorrow by French Cassettes; and Dark Kept Secret by EXUM.
Thank you for playing Brain Drain! How are you, darling, daring, and dashing DeadSplinterites? Do tell!
What I watched: Speaking of David Costbile, I watched Billions. It’s a very good show which does an interesting job of making you not want to root for anyone. I’m a huge fan of Damien Lewis, so it was kind of an adjustment when he left the show to care for his now late wife, but Corey Stoll is also a great actor and the writers did a good job of not just swapping one character for another carbon copy. Looking forward to season 7.
What I read: The light is at the end of the tunnel. I only have ten of the longest pages I’ve ever read in my life to go.
What I listened to: This week’s latest stop on the best engineered albums of all time brings us to the eponymously titled Rage Against the Machine album. Engineered by Stan Katayama, this album took about 30 years before I could listen to it and appreciate the sonics. The drums were recorded particularly well, with solid punch, no ringing in the snare and a great aural image. The bass isn’t mushy and doesn’t interfere with the kick. The vocals sound like they’re coming from their own set of speakers, while not overpowering the rest of the band. I still don’t listen to this album very often, because I really, really, really, really fucking hate rap, but this is one of those albums that stands up sonically against other masterpieces such as Dark Side of the Moon, Rumors and Gaucho.
Can’t wait to hear about the “neverending story” on the 30th. Rage Against the Machine played in our house back in the day, my son liked them…I fondly remember that album.
When that Rage album came out I was completely blown away. It is still my goto album when I need to get psyched to do something that requires anger or adrenaline. I’ve told the story before but that concert was top 3 craziest concerts I have ever seen with the scariest mosh pit ever. The fact they got back together now when we need them most is definitely uplifting!
Ms. Marvel finished its first season and I’ll say again it’s great. The action is the weakest part — it’s pretty bland staging with uninteresting opponents. It’s a problem with a lot of superhero stuff in general. But the story and acting are great.
What We Do in the Shadows is back and good. I’ve also been watching its cousin show Wellington Paranormal which is not as good but still pretty funny in a pretty low key way.
Enough Deadsplinterites have recommended Ms. Marvel that I really need to get over my superhero show hiatus caused by the gore fest of the boys. Is What We Do In Shadows on HBO? I feel like I should have watched it if I had access.
I see it on Hulu
i need to check out low winter sun…that looks plenty good…thank you 😀
anyways what i watched : valley of the dead
its kinda like every other zombie movie…but spanish…its a good watch…just dont expect anything groundbreaking….still the ww2 setting is kinda cool
also watching : resident evil
which so far….all 2 episodes ive seen…..looks pretty solid….surprisingly
and listening to : icespeak
im on a goth pop industrial ish shit bender
You’re the first person I “know” who has watched Resident Evil. Thanks for the feedback. I was on the fence about starting it because I tend to finish any show I start even if it is garbage. Now I’m looking forward to it.
I watched Maggie the tv series about a psychic (Hulu). It was too happy and cheesy for my liking but I finished it anyway.
The latest Jane Austen movie, Persuasion (Netflix), is pretty good if you’re into that kind of stuff (which I AM). I don’t even mind Dakota Johnson as the lead.
I’m almost done with the final season of Killing Eve (S4). It’s been consistently entertaining. I love Sandra Oh and after this I’ll be watching Umma.
I might like Maggie, cheesiness and all. Umma looks really scary!
Maggie had its funny moments. I found it annoying that all the women were gorgeous and the men we average to below average looking. I’m sure that’s a sexist trope but I’m too lazy to look it up or explain it.
Where is Killing Eve streaming? I haven’t seen S4 yet but love that show.
Hulu
@hammerzeitgeist having binged the whole season i feel like i shouldnt comment on anything when im only two episodes in from now on
its pretty messy and gets fairly ridiculous..i also found myself not liking the main character very much
it isnt boring tho…so there is that…i dont think i’d call it good tho
The IC3Peak video is so on-point for the genre – I really like it, such a perfect blend of sweet and evil. @Farscythe.
@elliecoo tbh….all of their stuff is wonderfully twisted
Ended up watching Netflix Documentary The Battered Bastards of Baseball. A look at how Snake Plisskin’s dad poked MLB in the eye with an independent AAA Team.
A couple with whom I am friendly adore baseball. I will let them know of your recommendation.
We’re watching the Tour De France – it’s stage 14 today. It’s been really good – I’m constantly amazed at the stamina of these guys. The scenery is gorgeous too. 7 more stages to go.
Floyd Landis is a local boy who was expelled from that circuit for doping. He now has pot stores in Colorado and hemp stores in Pennsylvania.
I watched: Barry. Not sure why I haven’t watched this before? It has everything, dark humor, violence, great actors and fun plots. Bill Hader, Henry Winkler & Stephen Root are just perfect.
Listened to: New Little Stranger song is fun…
and for my punk rock DS-ers, not sure how this semi-new song slipped past me …
Well rats, Barry sounds good but it is an HBO show (sigh).
and since my coffee & talk of Rage Against the Machine didn’t get me pissed enough…
Christopher Titus is 57 years old. Looking at him, and looking in the mirror, tells me he and I have different diets and lifestyles.
he;s 57???
oh fuck…..i thought he was my age
a ripe old 39
I watched The Bear on Hulu, it’s very good but anxiety inducing. Anyone who has worked in a kitchen will relate.
I also went to see Christine last night. I forgot what a bad movie it is. But hilariously bad. Harry Dean was barely in it, but everyone cheered when he showed up. Off to see Where the Lilies Bloom now.
Have a good time!
I have Thursday’s episode of Old Man to catch up with, and then it’s back to the Brokenwood Mysteries, so I can find out just how many residents of this tiny New Zealand town are going to get murdered.
I hope they have a sister city relationship with Cabot Cove, Maine.
Love Brokenwood; plus the soundtrack is banging.
I just thought of something. On the train heading home from the periodontist (I do NOT need gum surgery, and my bruised and bloodied checking account is grateful for that) two young men got on with a boombox. That can only mean one thing. Break dancing and pole dancing in the narrow confines of the subway car. I will say though that the dangerous and obnoxious break dancing and pole dancing aside, they started off with these really sexy dance steps and I thought, “You’re handsome enough and more than talented enough to become backup dancers, why don’t you pursue that and leave the rest of us in peace?”
Here’s what they performed to:
Ouch the periodontist…please slice up gums for fun.