What I've watched: grief, ugliness and a dominatrix.

I often lose confidence writing regular ‘series’ like these, because despite them getting a fair bit of traffic and the odd comment, they always feel a bit forced after a while. My Recent Reads posts have built up many loyal readers over the years, which is lovely, but sometimes having to write reviews regularly makes me worry I’m not getting through books and putting them up on the blog fast enough. Then there’s the new How, What, Where and When series, which is off to a gentle start, as I’m trying not to put any pressure on myself… but I have big plans for it. 

These semi-regular collections of TV recs (or non-recs), however, are just for fun. And I won’t lie, I really enjoy being perfectly succinct and honest in my mini reviews. 

I know the last post was almost entirely negative, but don’t worry, I have some good eggs in this one… 

(yes, I have broccoli patterned bedding. And what?)

'After Life'

I really do not enjoy Ricky Gervais. To be clear though, I don’t dislike him. I just ‘nothing’ him. He’s not my bag. Same as Miranda Hart, Frank Skinner, the entire cast of 'The Big Bang Theory', but then that whole show is just shit, soooo ANYWAY…

My walls were up when I watched this show. Like, almost impenetrable. I started it mostly to make the family members who’d already watched and loved it happy/get them off my back… but then after the first 3 eps, I had to admit it was alright. And by the end, I was almost a fan.

'After Life' is 6 episodes long, roughly 25 mins per episode.

My rating: about the right level of funny-sad. 

'Ricky Gervais calls 'After Life' the best thing he’s done. This is patently false'; The Guardian.

'The Perfect Date'

Brooks is a young man who will soon be graduating high school and has his heart set on Yale – the issue is, he needs a whole lotta money to get there. Through a happy accident involving a sandwich shop customer’s cousin and a fancy car, he suddenly becomes a boyfriend you can hire for $$$, and customise as you wish. 

The trailer made me think it was a simple teenage rom com with a mildly edgy concept, a very predictable plot and the latest Netflix rising stars playing its leads. Oh, and it was. 

This film is an hour and a half long. (could have just been an hour, tbh) 

My rating: perfect, if you need to switch your brain off, but still roll your eyes a couple dozen times.

''The Perfect Date’ is Netflix’s newest teen movie starring Noah Centineo. It’s fine'; Vox.

(Quote that nails it: ''The Perfect Date' is competent. It is just fine. It’s a perfectly middle-of-the-road teen flick, and it is notable mostly because it gives Centineo plenty of opportunities to do what he does best: gaze longingly at girls.')

'Bonding'

Peter is a waiter, and a wannabe stand up comic. Tiff is a psychiatry student, and a dominatrix. The two were friends back in high school, and now they’re both living in New York. They reconnect when Tiff asks Peter to be her assistant, here meaning someone who goes along to appointments with her, handles some of the equipment… and sometimes pees on her paying clients while singing ‘Happy Birthday’. 

I mean, need I say more? This is definitely one of the weirdest shows I’ve come across in a while, and also one of the best. Please be aware though, it's got a bit of criticism from the sex worker community about how it seems to 'gloss over' and over-simplify certain things in their world. 

8 episodes, each one 15-17 mins – THAT’S IT!! So bloody binge-able.

My rating: very good, Mistress May.  

‘‘Bonding’ is a perfect show to watch if you don’t want a show to watch’; Mashable UK.
(yes, that is Janet from ‘The Good Place’. Contain your squeals)

'Ugly Betty'

Betty Suarez from Queens dreams of being a writer, with books on shelves and a column in a major magazine like Mode, where she’s just been hired as an assistant to the new editor, Daniel Meade – by his dad, who wanted his son to stop shagging his employees.

My absolute favourite show on E4 as a teenager (after 'The OC', obvs) it’s safe to say this box set was one of my favourite Christmas presents in 2018 (good work, sis). It’s a hell of a lot cheesier than I remember, incredibly simple yet also sloppy with storylines, and unapologetically ‘yeah, get it? Do you get it? Do you?’ in its humour… but I still love it. Although watching it again now, I’ve done a full 360 on the Betty/Henry ship. That man is a pile of festering trash.

4 series, 23 episodes, each one 45-50 mins. Your classic American sitcom.

My rating: not ugly… but rather hammy. 

''Ugly Betty’ is still a must see'; Reporter.

Also worth a read is 'America Ferrera's Comments On Revisiting 'Ugly Betty' Shows How Far She's Come Since Playing Betty Suarez’, on Bustle.