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House of the Dragon (2022)
Just a little back-history first...
I didn't watch Game of Thrones the first two seasons because the "dungeons & dragons" genre just isn't my cup of tea. But when season 3 rolled around, my favorite actor, Ciaran Hinds, was due to be in it, so I put it on my list. Just before the start of that season, HBO showed reruns of the first two seasons, so I figured I'd watch a few to get an idea of what was going on, etc., They started with season, episode one, so I tuned in....and I was hooked! Mainly because they didn't play by the rules of successful TV...1. You don't hurt children...at the end of the first episode, Bran gets pushed out a 3rd floor window by Jaime, who's boinking his sister in the tower2. You don't hurt animals... The Mountain decapitates his horse because it caused him to lose the jousting tournament...3. You don't kill off main characters...two words..Red Wedding..two more words...Headless Ned ..and the most colorful cast I've ever seen. Hands down, favorite character, Tyrion Lannister!!! God bless Peter Dinklage!!! Characters you loved, you hated...if they didn't kill off Robert Baratheon, I was going to. I still think Cercei hired the boar to kill him. And I literally got up and danced when Joffery bit the dust. But they also had characters change and grow over the years...Jaime in season 1 was not the Jaime in season 8...
No, I told you all that to tell you this...I always read the user reviews here to get an idea of whether I want to watch a series, movie, etc., but I didn't for House of the Dragon, because it's a prequel to GofT, right, so it has to be good, right?
I've never been so bored in my life...another reviewer mentioned you just don't care about any of these people. There's no one you're rooting for or even care to. I'll watch it through to the end of this season, and I understand there'll be a season 2, but I won't bother with it..
Mr & Mrs Murder (2013)
Why wasn't this renewed!!!!??????
This is just an excellent Australian series...very quick-witted dialogue...wonderful characters...great writing...I just don't understand why it was only on for one season...watch it, you'll love it!
Love the interplay between characters...still trying to fiqure out the pet names of the married couple (he calls her "Fizzy", she calls him "Chaka Khan"), and her niece Jess is wonderful, along with the police detective, who apparently used to have a "thing" for the wife...great interplay between all of them! Interesting modes of death, also, ala "Midsomer Murders"...since it's been 9 years since the last episode, I'm not holding my breath for season 2 on the horizon :-)))
The Power of the Dog (2021)
Be careful who you bully...
...which is a bit of a spoiler, really...
I really wanted to like this movie. I love Mr. Cumberbatch, who, along with Martin Freeman, made the BEST Sherlock/Dr. Watson ever. But this was just terrible. His was the only decent job of acting in the whole cast. The ending was a bit of a surprise (see the review title), but definitely not worth sitting through two hours. Glad I didn't pay for a movie ticket...
Bargain Block (2021)
FINALLY!!!!!!!
Finally, a fixer-upper show with some sense and smarts!
Keith & Evan buy derelict houses in Detroit for next-to-nothing ($1,000 for some), do ALL the work themselves, while living in the houses, then sell them to people for very little profit (doesn't look like the market could stand any higher prices), so that "normal" people/first-time home buyers can get their foot in the door for home-ownership. Some of the designs are a little "out there" (I cringed when I heard "gold cabinets", but I ended up liking them!), but the point is to get houses fixed up, improve the neighborhood, and get people into their own homes.
I also LOVE that they sell the homes furnished...and they hit the thrift stores, Habitat For Humanity's ReStore, etc., and walk out with furniture that they re-upholster, paint, etc. And it goes with the house. And these houses could almost hold their own against other shows that "stage" for several thousand dollars. They re-use as much as they can, which leads me to a major gripe I have...
I think it's terrible that almost all these home remodel shows throw so many things into the dumpster, and off to the land-fill. Some put things on the curb, and people take them off to put in their shop, garage, etc., which is great. Some re-sell on the internet, also great. But there is so much needless waste...Season 1 of "Rock The Block" was absolutely APPALLING!!! My little town of 2,000 on the Oregon Coast has a ReStore, you can't tell me huge cities don't!!!
A really good show!
Unsellable Houses (2019)
Just another decorating show...
Just what we need, another decorating show. With a handful of exceptions, these shows are interchangeable. Every one is done in modern or mid-century modern design. You can't tell one series from another. This one is no different.
Plus, these sisters are the most irritating people ever! They make such a big deal out of being "twins" (fraternal), like finishing each others sentences, etc. Well, my older sister (who lives with me) and I do the same thing. That pretty much comes from growing up together.
And another review mentioned something I hadn't noticed...they don't address any structural issues, just updating the interior.
Of course, bear in mind that I don't like modern design. My favorite series are Home Town, Rehab Addict Restoring Galveston, etc., that restore old houses to their former glory, houses that have some character.
Ozark: Fire Pink (2020)
Where do they get these actors??!!!
Two actors I have never heard of, Julia Garner (loved her from the start) and Tom Pelphrey...I have been impressed with ALL the actors since the beginning (who knew Jason Bateman had this in him?) Tom absolutely blew me away at the start of this episode, and Laura Linney was devastating at the end, taking the only route she could under the circumstances. We watched this episode last night, and I'm still drained this morning. Just don't understand the negative reviews. This has been one of the best series I've ever seen...watch it if you can.
Lakefront Bargain Hunt (2014)
Interesting what's on the market in other states...
This is actually a review of all the HGTV real estate shows (Log Cabin Living, Beachfront Bargain Hunt, etc).
Having been an Oregon coast real estate broker for 17 years, it's fun to see what other states markets are like. It's so funny to hear an Atlantic coast or Gulf coast buyer rave about "spectacular views". Come to Oregon---I'll show you views! And we would never, never turn buyers loose in a house by themselves. We always went through the house with them, to answer questions, pump up the property, etc. My main criticism is regarding the representation of "bedrooms". If a room does not have a closet, it is NOT considered a bedroom...it won't appraise as such, and it's not on the tax rolls that way, either. A recent home was listed as "3 bedrooms", and two of the rooms had no closets. So you're legally getting a one bedroom house, but paying for three.
I don't understand why buyers complain about how small the bedrooms are. These are vacation homes, for the most part. How much time are you going to spend in the bedroom?
All in all, these shows make me glad I'm not in real estate any more.
Big Texas Fix (2019)
A winner for HGTV
These kids are great! They aren't stuck doing modern-contemporary design; they respect a building's design and remodel accordingly, much like "Home Town". The homes aren't cookie cutter like all the other HGTV shows. And Ashley will do anything for ice cream! Watch this!
Living Alaska (2013)
Wish they'd do a follow-up show...
...to see how many of these buyers have bailed out and gone back to the Lower 48. When they say Alaska isn't for sissies, they mean it. When winter temps run in the -40s on down, Floridians and Hawaiians are going to be packing their bags quickly. And coastal towns get more rainfall than Seattle, and that's saying something (close to 200 inches!!!) And winter sees 5 hours of daylight. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see Alaska...but only on a vacation. The scenery is spectacular..when you can see it. I'm curious what the murder-suicide rate is...
Rock the Block (2019)
shocked at the waste...
By 15 minutes into this series, I was shocked by the total waste of materials taken from these houses. Brand new tubs, cabinets, etc. were ripped out and taken to the dump! And wasted space! Leanne tore out a wall to make this gigantic bathroom....does a bathroom really have to be the size of a living room? And Mina apparently hasn't been watching the news, and doesn't know California is going through an horrific drought, so she puts in a shower with four jets, which the inspector told her to take them out, but she left them in anyway.(each uses 13 gallons a minute). There was the usual tough talk from them all, which gets a little old after a while. We'll keep watching (we really like Jasmine), but it's really just the same-old-same-old.