Ozark - A tense and entertaining thriller

Blog Rating: 9.15 out of 10

The Byrdes and their teenage children, Charlotte and Jonah, are for all intents and purposes an ordinary family with ordinary lives. Except for the job of Marty, a Chicago financial advisor who also serves as the top money launderer for the second largest drug cartel in Mexico.

When things go wrong, Marty must uproot his family from the skyscrapers of Chicago and relocate to the serene Lake of the Ozarks region of Missouri.

To stay alive, he promised his boss that he could hide several million dollars from the drug business.

However, when they arrive in Ozark, things are not so simple and they agree to take over a strip club to launder the money.

To make matters worse, he gets into trouble with the criminal gang, the Langmores, who want him dead.

Ozark is a rather tense narrative story but very entertaining and easy to follow. Jason Bateman plays a character very similar to the anti-hero of Breaking Bad. Highly recommended.

The Time in Between - El Tiempo entre Costuras

Blog Rating: 8.75 out of 10

The story is set in 1936. Sira Quiroga, 20 years old, the daughter of a seamstress, leaves Madrid to follow the man she loves in Tangier. Abandoned and quickly stripped of the jewelry her father had given her, she must use her seamstress skills to survive.

She opens a fashion house in Tetouan, the capital of the Spanish protectorate of Morocco. Thanks to her clientele, composed mainly of wives of high German officials, Sira has access to very useful information for the British.

"The time in between" is a mixture, half romance and half thriller, that evokes the most outstanding aspects of a problematic period, the one of the civil war, that concluded with the victory of the nationalists on the republicans and the access to the power of general Franco. Then, the Germans tried to take Spain to join them in World War II.

The series only paints a very impressionistic picture of history, but highlights disagreements within the government, shared between support for the Third Reich and cooperation with the United Kingdom.

You can appreciate the care given in the reconstitution of the 30's and 40's, thanks to the correct choice of shooting locations, from Madrid to Tetouan, through Tangier and Lisbon, but also thanks to costumes, accessories, especially cars and the selection of musical illustrations from that era.

The miniseries, which adapts the homonymous novel by María Dueñas, is highlighted by a brilliant photography, a neat artistic direction and an omnipresent music constantly underlining the image.

It is a series well set in the time and with a wonderful music created by Cesar Benito (Spanish composer and director), a work to enjoy.

El Tiempo entre Costuras (Original Soundtrack) in Spotify

Line of Duty - Anti Corruption in the British Police

Blog Rating: 9.25 out of 10

Superintendent Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), head of the anti-corruption unit AC-12, is so impressed with the behavior of Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) that he recruits him for his team. Along with the ambitious Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure), they will investigate the police officers who have violated their own rules.

In 2012, this police series written by Jed Mercurio made his debut on British television (BBC Two). Since then, the series became a regular guest at BAFTA awards ceremonies among others.

A special praise deserves here the quality of the dialogues, through which even about 20 minutes of interrogation sequences remain absolutely exciting.

In the course of the series, a simple low profile policeman Steve Arnott develops, sometimes somewhat arrogant and stubborn, to become a fascinating character. For her part, Vicky McClure, whose Kate as an undercover agent often has to use her own acting, she is also a strong character with a rough personality. 

Adrian Dunbar, the boss Ted Hastings sometimes transcends the boundaries of the correct superior, and gives his character the charisma and humanity to turn him into a true protagonist.

The British crime television series are generally characterized by a high level and this is not the exception. This is one of the best police series of the BBC.

Doctor Who - The Adventures of the Lord of Time

Blog Rating: 8.80 out of 10

"I am the doctor!", "Doctor who?", that's how "the Doctor" shows up anywhere.

The Doctor is an eccentric extraterrestrial scientist from the planet Gallifrey, the planet of the Lords of Time, a race of supreme beings who have discovered the secrets of time travel and never interfere with the affairs of other planets, he only observes and collects knowledge.

Gallifrey planet

The doctor leaves his planet and decides to go exploring the universe aboard a space / time machine known as the "TARDIS" (Time and relative dimension in space) that has the shape of a police cabin of the sixties (larger inside than outside).

TARDIS

Like all the lords of time, the doctor can "regenerate" (change his appearance and personality when his body is worn out and he is mortally wounded). The doctor regenerates in a new way, with the same memories, knowledge and mission, but with a different appearance (and of course, other actors). Every few years, the doctor gets a new face and a new companion, which gives producers the opportunity to adjust the series and keep it fresh, without having to throw too much family information overboard. Each reincarnation of the doctor continues to experience adventures in the future and in the past, with some different eccentricities according to each actor.


Doctor Who Dubstep - Soundcloud

During the many years of the Doctor's travels through time and space, several companions join him in his adventures on other planets and other galaxies.


The Doctor fights against the most evil beings in the galaxy: the Daleks, mutants in robotic bodies bent on exterminating all life in the galaxy (led by Davros), the Cybermen, robotic humanoids of the condemned planet Mondas and many other evil beings.

Daleks

The British series produced by the BBC, was broadcast for the first time on November 23rd, 1963, thus celebrating more than 50 years of transmission.

Over the years, "Doctor Who" has evolved from a children's program to a family program, with many followers, better known as the "Whovians".

Doctor Who - Pictures on You Tube

Cybermen

These are the actors who have interpreted the different doctors from the beginning:

Actor	Playing	Period
William Hartnell	First Doctor	1963–66
Patrick Troughton	Second Doctor	1966–69
Jon Pertwee	Third Doctor	1970–74
Tom Baker	Fourth Doctor	1974–81
Peter Davison	Fifth Doctor	1982–84
Colin Baker	Sixth Doctor	1984–86
Sylvester McCoy	Seventh Doctor	1987–89
Paul McGann	Eighth Doctor	1996
Christopher Eccleston	Ninth Doctor	2005
David Tennant	Tenth Doctor	2005–10
Matt Smith	Eleventh Doctor	2010–13
Peter Capaldi	Twelfth Doctor	2014–17
Jodie Whittaker	Thirteenth Doctor	2018–present

Doctor Who in Pinterest

The Crown - The hard task of ruling (2016-)

Blog Rating: 8.80 out of 10

The Netflix series (released in November 2016) centers on 25-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, who is faced with the daunting task of leading the world's most famous monarchy while building her relationship with the legendary Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. The British Empire is in decline, the political world is in disarray, and an inexperienced young woman must ascend the throne at the dawn of a new age.

Claire Foy

Without wanting to be ultra-political, she relies very lucidly on the intrigues of the halls of Buckingham Palace and takes us to discover the intimacy of the longest-lived monarch in England. The production got it right with the choice of Claire Foy who lights up the screen every second, slipping into the skin of Elizabeth of Windsor with disconcerting ease. She portrays a fragile, determined, loving woman at times, vulnerable and tenacious.

Matt Smith

Next to her, Prince Philip (Matt Smith) is struggling to play his role as Prince consort, her sister Margaret (Vanessa Kirby) is constantly struggling to live the life she wants and the life that her birthplace imposes on her. Her father George VI (Jared Harris) and Winston Churchill (John Lithgow) are trying to rebuild the country at the end of World War II. In short, Elizabeth will have to face many challenges, despite her twenty-five years and her lack of experience.

John Lithgow

The British royal family is very well known and it was necessary to erase everything that is known about them through the media to show the most unknown side of its members, starting with King Philip, who we will learn to know better.

Vanessa Kirby

The Crown shows the British style: its nobility, its comfort, its style and a classy image without being too saturated; it is easy to enter this world and be able to imagine the atmosphere of the 40s.

Victoria Hamilton

From a purely technical standpoint, The Crown is flawless. The visuals are sumptuous, Michele Clapton's costumes are sublime, and Rupert Gregson-Williams' music is perfect. Highly recommended.

Call the Midwife - A beautiful story of joy and kindness (2012-)

Blog Rating: 9.15 out of 10

A beautiful story based on the memoir of 22-year-old Jennifer Worth, who in 1957 leaves her comfortable home to become a midwife in London's East End.

This is how she comes to live in a convent (Nonnatus House), where she will work alongside other very experienced nurses and nuns.

In the England of the mid-twentieth century, the harsh living conditions of the slums are shown, but also the warmth of its people and the courage of their mothers. 

   

Even after Jenny leaves Nonnatus, she continues to recount the lives of the midwives who have become her family.

The first season of Call The Midwife, which debuted in 2012 when Jenny Lee came to Poplar to start work on her, became the BBC's highest-rated drama in a decade.

In its third series, the drama continued to attract more than 10 million viewers every Sunday night.

The characters are very nice and the acting, even by the guest actors, is brilliant. However, the main reason I recommend Call the Midwife is that it is so well written, not avoiding the harsh realities of life, but full of hope and incredible human connection.

CSA - Peaky Blinders - Birmingham gangsters

Blog Rating: 8.85 out of 10

In the wake of World War I in Birmingham, an industrial city in North West London, criminal gangs are waging a merciless war to control the black market, the liquor trade and gambling. Peaky Blinders, led by the Shelby family, whose thinking boss, Thomas (Cillian Murphy), a traumatized war hero, is a respected figure in the slums. But the Churchill government decided to clean up the city, sending a twisted cop from the Royal Irish Police (Sam Neill), who will soon make Tommy Shelby's arrest a personal matter.

Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby

The story, set in 1919, recounts the clashes between criminals, communist militants, members of the IRA and the police, who betray each other, associate or a combination of both.

The city shows mostly workers who live in slums, close to factories, where dirt, pollution and violence play leading roles.

The central character of the story, Tommy Shelby, is a formidable strategist who initially seems unemotional, a romantic, intelligent and highly charismatic gangster. As the leader of the family he is always in search of power and money, trying to extend his gang business to legal horse gambling. Cillian Murphy's performance as a whole is brilliant.

Peaky Blinders is also distinguished by its partly daring soundtrack that gives the story a modern and timeless dimension.

Peaky Blinders Soundtrack in Spotify 🔈

The Mandalorian (2019-)

Blog Rating: 9.15 out of 10

The Mandalorian is one of the last members of a warrior cult, who makes his way across the galaxy as a bounty hunter. His religion is his weapons and armor, he never takes off his helmet in front of others.

His new mission consists of recovering a specimen that turns out to be a baby, with which he develops a relationship of care in the sun and in the shade.

Pedro Pascal as the Mandalorian

Definitely a very good series that manages to capture all the essence of Star Wars, with a credible and lovable character for his values ​​behind the action of each adventure.

Gina Carano as Cara Dune 

A true space western with a bounty hunter who meets new characters in each episode with just the right action to keep you interested and entertained.

The protagonist is allowed to develop the more human side of him, especially in the paternal relationship that he develops with baby yoda.

An adequate amount of resources and weapons that he adds in each chapter that make it similar to a game where the protagonist gains experience and advances stages.

Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett

The fact that the worlds are less elaborate than any of the films, allows us to know other unknown aspects of the different forces that act.

Misty Rosas as Kuiil & Frog Lady

Another novelty is offered at the end of each chapter, in which the black backgrounds are replaced by beautiful illustrations with the most important scenes from the recently completed chapter.

The Mandalorian is a true ray of hope for the Star Wars franchise, as it shows that the universe continues to offer potential for gripping stories as long as they focus on small, engaging side stories.                               

Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon

I, Claudius - Imperial intrigue at its finest (1976)

Blog Rating: 8.90 out of 10

                          

I, Claudius - Emperor and God, produced by the BBC in 1976, based on the novel by Robert Graves.

The series recounts in detail all the conspiracies of the Roman imperial family from the reign of Emperor Augustus to the end of the reign of Emperor Nero. The characters lie, cheat, manipulate, poison and kill in search of power.

                          

Derek Jacobi as Claudius

The story is told from the point of view of the elderly Emperor Claudius, who, on the threshold of his death, makes his final statement to the entire family. In short, he sits in his study and writes his memoirs.

Old, fragile and under the premonition of his own death, Claudius, ruler of the Roman Empire, decides to write the story of his life. Reconstructed from the memory and stories of others, the story already begins with events before his birth, and in the course of the plot a net is deployed tied in three strategic points: intrigue, betrayal and death by accident. If you think your family is bad, you haven't seen anything yet.

George Baker (Tiberius)

The Mater Familias Livia, the wife of Emperor Augustus, is the center of all evil. With the help of manipulation and poison, she knows how to turn everything and everyone around. She is the smartest, but she is certainly not the only bad apple in the imperial family. Her son Tiberius is tough and her great-grandson Caligula is a maniac. Good family members are exterminated one by one. Only the lame Claudius escapes because he consciously stays on the surface and increases his clumsiness. Members of his crime family do not see him as an opponent in the ongoing struggle for power.

Sian Phillips (Livia)

The optical design of the series was extraordinarily spartan; although there are always nice little details to admire, in general, the staging is very unspectacular. Obviously, the creators here were one hundred percent theater-oriented. Some of the sets are so small that apart from a few paper-mâché pillars, a chandelier and black curtains, only the actors can be identified. There are no external recordings at all.

John Hurt (Caligula)

The BBC-produced series contains enough material to keep viewers intrigued throughout its thirteen episodes.

Although viewers today are much more demanding than they were forty years ago, the fact that the entire series was shot in the studio does not detract from the quality. The only thing that can be said to the detriment is that the series is a bit slow at times.

   

The Pillars of the Earth - Power struggles in 12th century England (2010)

Blog Rating: 9.05 out of 10

This series is based on the best-selling book by the well-known British writer Ken Follett, in which he tells the story that describes the entire process of building a cathedral in the English city of Kingsbridge. Ken Follett engages his protagonists in intrigues, allowing them to experience the violence and despotism of those times and reward them for their faith and devotion.

In 1135, King Henry I of England died, leaving no successor. As he only had illegitimate children, as his only legitimate child was killed in a shipwreck, it sparked an endless dispute over the crown. Meanwhile, a bricklayer with his pregnant wife moves through the fields in search of work.

Ian McShane as Waleran Bigod

Tom Builder (Rufus Sewell) is a builder and is looking for a job. With his pregnant wife and his two children, he wanders through the Shiring area when they meet the witch who lives in the forest, Ellen (Natalia Wörner). His son Jack (Eddie Redmayne) is calm and very skilled with his hands. When Builder's wife dies at the birth of the baby, Tom places it in the grave, where a monk picks it up and takes it to Kingsbridge. Local prior Philipp (Matthew MacFayden) wants to rebuild the old cathedral, where Tom takes over the work.

Mathhew Macfadyen as Philip

At the same time a war of succession begins in England between the sons of the deceased king. Stephan (Tony Curran) and Mathilda (Alison Pitt) fight each other in battle, and the church through Waleran Bigod (Ian McShane) eagerly joins in. Nothing works without the approval of the clergyman, who looks out for his own interests, and the construction of Kingsbridge Cathedral is constantly delayed. As a result, the work continues for decades, leaving Tom Builder, Prior Philip, and his assistants more than once with problems that seem impossible to solve.

Evil church servants, bloody battles, intrigue, sex, and tragedy are featured in abundance throughout the series.

Eddie Redmayne as Jack

In this interesting story, the obnoxious bishop of the church, Ian McShane, stands out above all, who portrayed his devious character in an extraordinarily compelling way. But the good guys Matthew Macfadyen or the red-haired Eddie Redmayne dominate their roles with great success. There are also household names like Rufus Sewell and Donald Sutherland, who also contribute to the success of the story. A very well accomplished work...simply unmissable.

Friends - 10 seasons of unconditional friendship (1994-2004)

Blog Rating: 8.95 out of 10

The Friends series, which began in 1994, features the adventures -mostly funny and sometimes emotional- of six friends from New York. Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross and Joey, six strong characters, sources of jokes and misunderstandings.

Joey is the charming and not always the brightest Italian who, for most of the series, performs as an actor in the smallest roles in the world. Chandler, unlike Joey, has less luck with girls and is more fortunate in a permanent job. Rachel is the fashion conscious woman who was about to get married. The big love story of the series is between her and Ross, who is Monica's nerdy older brother. Phoebe is the eccentric woman who usually has an alternate perspective on everyday phenomena.

A comedy that long stood at the top of the audience, it drew dozens of guest stars who sometimes participated for the simple pleasure of performing three lines of dialogue.

There is no doubt that the best seasons are the first ones. The longer you get into the show, the more it begins to deal with family, kids, careers, and other issues of everyday life.

No matter what this group of friends come up with, be it problems at work, on a date, in the family, or with the neighbor, friendship is there to support each other.

During the 10-season series, there are a group of notable guest star appearances including Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Sean Penn, Winona Ryder, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Julia Roberts, Alec Baldwin, and others.