Some *AWESOME* (and not so awesome) TV I Watched in 2018

Maybe it’s the cold, maybe it’s the end of the festive season, but for me, January is the perfect time of year for TV… and also wrap ups. So I decided it was a great opportunity to share some of my TV related thoughts from 2018!

 

The Good Place– wowee! This was one of those GOOD decisions I made in 2018. I adored everything about this: the characters, the storyline and the fact that it delves so much deeper into philosophy than I ever could have expected. I’m actually learning things while I watch- and that’s one of the things that makes this so much more than a regular sit com. I don’t want to say anymore in case of spoilers. ItI’m currently upto season 3 and it’s still blowing my mind! Thanks so much to the wonderful Kat for bringing this to my attention- and if you’re looking for good TV advice, that’s where you need to go too!

Rating: 5/5 bananas

 

Black Mirror– I was reluctant to try this because I’d been told how freaky this was- and as many of you know I don’t do scary. In fact, when I sat down to watch this, I’d already chickened out of American Horror Story- but fortunately this was nothing like that. So if you’re like me, don’t worry! It may get you thinking, yet I’ve never had any problems sleeping after an episode, though I’ll admit it’s not as bingeworthy as the other shows on this list cos I don’t want it to mess with my brain too much 😉 Every episode is different, with some being better than others, however overall the self-contained storylines are definitely one of the show’s strengths. I still have quite a lot of this show left and I’m nervously excited for the Bandersnatch episode!

Rating: 4/5 bananas

 

Peaky blinders– while this takes a lot of liberties with historical accuracy and is incredibly violent, I did find it completely addictive. Tommy Shelby’s dubious character is endlessly compelling- as he never quite fits into the hero/villain mould. I also thought the family aspect of the story is executed perfectly. I fell completely under the story’s thrall- it’s non-stop action all the time. The acting and production values are superb. However, I would be remiss though not to mention the niggling issue I had with the Judas-style-turncoat, bordering on blood-libellous portrayal of Alfie Solomons. And no, having a “hey you’re just as bad as me” moment doesn’t excuse the implications of having a character fall into a racial stereotype. Anyway, as usual, I’m not casting any shade on people who like this, just trying to point out something a lot of people might not have realised. I still think this is great TV… but flawed.

Rating: 3/5 bananas

 

A Very English Scandal– everything about this is amazing.  The acting, the story, the acting, the soundtrack, the way it’s shot. This is why Russell T Davies is the king of TV! Yes, it’s bonkers, but it’s also funny and oh-so-quintessentially British. Underneath the drama (and there’s plenty of drama!), it’s a sad state of affairs that will make you feel all sorts. It was very very very good; I simply had to watch it all in one go.

Rating: 5/5 bananas

 

Luther– what a good old fashioned suspense-thriller! And let’s face it: I ❤ Idris Elba. The titular character makes for a fascinating study. I don’t often watch procedural dramas, but I actually binged the *entire* boxset. Because I had to; there was a gun to my head. O-k-a-y- you got me, there wasn’t… but there was frequently a gun to my lovely Idris Elba’s head and you all know I LOVE him (*ahem*). Oops this went full circle 😉 On the downside, this was on the graphic side for me and it got FAR TOO disturbing by the end. And even if the conclusion was thrilling, I’m not sure I’m totally on board with it. I mean, it makes sense as an ending, but I could have done with *more* than just “makes sense” after what a sensation the rest of it was.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

And since this is (kind of) a wrap up, this was also the year when I rewatched Buffy and fell head over heels for the Last Kingdom! I reviewed those in full, so feel free to check them out.

Alrighty then- have you seen any of these? Do you plan to? And what were your favourite TV shows you watched last year? Let me know in the comments!