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.

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

Blog Rating: 9.00 out of 10

Starting in 1959, a new series aired, which ran for 159 episodes, almost cult status among fans of the fantastic. Each episode was hosted by the "father of the series" Rod Serling in a nutshell, and then in about 25 minutes, a much better story was told, like a two-hour movie from today. For many guest actors, who later became world famous stars, it was also a stepping stone to the top.

The series was a collection of various short stories ranging from the tragic to the comic. They can be scary or just cause reflection. Most of the episodes have unexpected endings and a moral lesson. But, no matter what, they are "a journey to a wonderful land, whose limits are those of the imagination."

Rod Serling, creator and host of the series, won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing (1960 and 1961) and the 1962 Golden Globe for Best Television Director / Producer.

The typical introductory phrase of the program was:

"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call...the Twilight Zone.

Bloodline - They are not bad people, but they did something bad (2015-2017)

Blog Rating: 9.05 out of 10

The group's black sheep returns home to his family, who aren't exactly happy to see him.

Bloodline is a critically acclaimed Netflix series that has received rave reviews. In the lead roles are actors Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Norbert Leo Butz and Sissy Spacek.

Kyle Chandler as John Rayburn

The story is centered on a family that is doing well, they run their own business in an idyllic setting and several of them have good jobs. But one day the eldest son appears, who has not seen them for a long time.

Danny, who is the black sheep in the family, has a plan, which reflects his past hatred against his perfect family; a very well accomplished character.

Ben Mendelsohn as Danny Rayburn

By gradually revealing the existence of a drama that has marked the Rayburn clan, the series gains intensity and quickly becomes riveting. Aided by the very accurate portrayals of the main cast members, the plot grows throughout the episodes.

Bloodline gets addictive in just a few episodes and once the marathon is on, it will be hard to give up. The threads of Rayburn's story are seamlessly woven, offering each character an interesting role, judiciously incorporating jealousy, resentment, and competition induced by blood ties.

Danny's return causes the family facade to begin to crumble and all the dark secrets threaten to be revealed...

Billions - Power is the ultimate goal (2016-)

Blog Rating: 9.15 out of 10

"Billions" is a story of attack and defense between the powerful United States Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and the billionaire Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis). Chuck is pursuing a federal case against Axelrod and his fund, Ax Capital, driven by any direct evidence of wrongdoing rather than his unacknowledged envy: Chuck's wife, Wendy (Maggie Siff), is an employee of Ax Capital and one of the Axelrod's closest confidants.

Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades

On the Ax side, bottomless pockets are used to reward friends, clear up problems, and resolve old grudges.

While the common man is preoccupied with paying his mortgage, billionaire Bobby Axelrod throws USD 63 million on the table for his new dream home.

Damian Lewis as Bobby Axelrod

Prosecutor Chuck Rhoades will have to take down a big shot, because the media increasingly suggests that justice does not dare to confront the big financial companies. So there will be a fight between the two men. A battle in which many people will be dragged.

It's very rare to find a show with such a diverse cast that they come together so well. Each character is perfectly cast. You don't know which side you are on; all you know is that they are all "right" in their convictions in some way.

Maggie Siff as Wendy

Is the judicial system at the height of this type of heavy weights? Can the legal system misuse its power to fight these kinds of giants? These are questions that can be applied not only in the US but also in any other country where these relationships exist.

A good drama to know details of the intimacy of these little worlds ...

Ray Donovan - The fixer (2013-2020)

Blog Rating: 9.15 out of 10

Ray Donovan is a professional "problem solver". His job is to sort things out when they get tough for the rich and famous in Los Angeles.

Jon Voight

But when his father Mickey Donovan (Golden Globe winner Jon Voight), an Irish gangster, is released from jail, Ray himself has a problem. Mickey not only wants revenge but he also wants his family back.

Eddie Marsan

The glow of the bright world of Los Angeles is deceptive, because while Ray solves other people's problems, his family has more than enough of his own.

Dash Mihok

Starting with his brother Terry (Eddie Marsan), who suffers from some form of Parkinson's, his second brother Bunchy (Dash Mihok), who still suffers from childhood sexual abuse, and his wife, Abby (Paula Malcomson), who is sick of her husband's secrets. All with very diverse roles but with a brilliant and solid performance.

Paula Malcomson

Liev Schrieber is fantastic in the title role, a dark, violent man under constant stress who protects and cares for those he loves, while at the same time projects an aura of violence and danger to those who cross his path.

In short a very good action drama.

Liev Schreiber

Prison Break - A very well crafted story (2005-2017)

Blog Rating: 9.20 out of 10

This suspenseful action series takes place after Lincoln Burrows is wrongly accused of murder and sent to prison. This will cause Michael Scofield to provoke his arrest by committing an armed robbery to come to the aid of his brother Lincoln.

Dominic Purcell  (Lincoln Burrows)

Burrows is convicted of a murder he did not commit, and is now awaiting execution at Fox River Prison. Michael, his only brother, will do anything to free him.

Michael Scofield is an extremely intelligent, extremely motivated and exceptionally resourceful man. He has stealthily hidden the blueprints and other useful information in his body as a series of elaborate tattoos that reveal his true meaning only to Michael himself.

Wentworth Miller (Michael Scofield)

Once inside, Michael, a structural engineer, begins to execute an elaborate plan to get Lincoln out and prove he is innocent.

As Scofield's plan is put into motion, he must deal with a wide range of inmates, guards, and other characters, all of whom have their own motives and roles to play in the escape.

Sarah Wayne Callies (Sara Tancredi)

In prison, Michael befriends Dr. Sara Tancredi when he pretends to suffer from type 1 diabetes so that he can access the prison infirmary on a daily basis.

Dr. Tancredi begins to fall in love with Scofield, both romantically and because of his lies and deceptions as to why he should visit the infirmary regularly.

Prison Break - Instagram


Each character is extremely well written and acted. Rarely has a show been put together as perfectly as this. A highly recommended series.

Vikings - Norse Gods and War (2013-)

Blog Rating: 9.25 out of 10

Vikings is a very well filmed series that manages to reflect in a very real way the brutality and beliefs of those times. The story of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Norse farmer who succeeds in becoming the King of the Vikings. Together with his family and his men he achieves many victories in the historic lands of Great Britain and France.

Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha

Blood and looting are constant in the battles to conquer new territories, but Ragnar tasks his friend Floki with building a ship capable of sailing long distances to the mysterious West.

Ragnar recruits his brother Rollo with whom he will secretly gather a crew for a journey into the unknown.

Gustaf Skarsgard as Floki

The shots of the Viking ship at sea and the natural landscapes are impressive.

The Vikings are pagan believers in the gods Thor, Odin, and others, so their assault on a monastery on the outskirts of England leaves them baffled.

Clive Standen as Rollo

The participation of a monk named Athelstan whom he took as a slave, will keep Ragnar in continuous religious debate between the beliefs of his people and this new religious thought.

Despite all its warfare and bloodshed, Vikings is also a story of family and sisterhood, managing to capture the love and affection between Ragnar and his wife, Lagertha, a respected warrior in her own right.

Trailer Vikings

Facebook Vikings

House of Cards - Intriga política en su máxima expresión

* To read the version in another language, select language in translator (right side of the page)

House of Cards es una historia llena de intrigas que nos hace ver la política de una forma distinta, quizás como es en el mundo real.

Francis Underwood es un congresista estadounidense astuto y despiadado que trabaja con su esposa Claire -igualmente manipuladora- para vengarse de las personas que lo traicionaron. Para cumplir su objetivo Underwood comienza un plan elaborado a espaldas del presidente, con el objetivo final de ganar poder para sí mismo.

Su esposa Claire, dirige una ONG, donde parece usar su caridad para cultivar su propio poder e influencia.

Underwood entabla una relación de conveniencia con Zoe Barnes, una joven y ambiciosa reportera política, con quien hace un trato para que publique historias dañinas que filtra sobre sus rivales políticos. 

Al mismo tiempo, manipula a Peter Russo, un congresista con problemas de alcohol, para que lo ayude a socavar la elección del Secretario de Estado.

Luego de varias manipulaciones, Frank mata a Russo dejándolo desmayado en un garaje cerrado con el auto en marcha. Underwood convence al vicepresidente de que renuncie y se postule para su antiguo cargo de gobernador, dejando abierta la vicepresidencia a Underwood, como fue su plan desde el principio.

House of Cards Theme - Spotify

Netflix cancela el contrato de su protagonista

A fines del 2017, Netflix dejó de trabajar con Kevin Spacey en su programa House of Cards y también se negó a estrenar una película protagonizada por el actor, quien fue acusado de comportamiento sexual inapropiado.

Spacey se disculpó ante el actor Anthony Rapp, quien lo había acusado de intentar seducirlo en 1986 cuando Rapp tenía 14 años. Spacey se reconoció públicamente como gay al mismo tiempo que se disculpaba.

En el año 2000, Spacey ganó el Oscar al mejor actor por su papel en American Beauty, donde interpretó a Lester Burnham, un ejecutivo de publicidad que se enamoró de la mejor amiga de su hija adolescente.

House of Cards - Trailer