What I Was Watching ~ Q3 2023

Documenting my days ... what I'm watching, both while working out and as a "date" with Hubs, is part of the timeframe. For the third quarter of 2023, there were eight series, with multiple seasons of a couple shows. Top two rows were watched in the gym while on the treadmill or elliptical, the bottom row was upstairs with Hubs.

• The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: This was my first "YouTube" vlog series. A modern-day adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and I LOVED IT. I actually started watching during a trip to California (just during longer Uber jaunts) and then finished it up at home. So cute. I'm a bit P&P fan and have read many reimaginings of the story. 
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 5 dropped a bit ago and it just took a little time to make it back onto my viewing schedule. I liked it a lot, and it was interesting how they tied everything up to conclude the series. I'll miss it. 
• The Last of Us: Not familiar with the game at all, but lots of familiar faces in the show. I like apocalyptic/vampire/zombie stuff, so this was up my alley. 
• Special Ops: Lioness: A good action series, although a little tough to watch at times (violence, torture and death). Some big names it this one too.
• Living With Yourself: My #3 mentioned this one to me (not so much of a recommendation as a comparison to a book we'd read, Mickey7). It was interesting.
• The Lincoln Lawyer: I remember I watched the movie adaptation a while back, not enough that I remembered the storyline at all to compare. I actually didn't really care for this and had to push a bit to even finish the first season. I don't plan on continuing. 
• Barry (Seasons 3&4): So ... this jumped the shark during season three (I think). Just got way weird. Pushed through to the end, but wasn't really enjoying it anymore. Weird way to end it all to complete the series ...
• Better Call Saul (Seasons 1, 2 & 3): Hubs and I had watched Breaking Bad together years ago, and Hubs had watched the first few seasons of BCS. I knew it had good ratings, but I'm not a fan of prequels, or anything with "spoiler" possibilities. As this happens before BB, we KNOW certain people, no matter how dire the circumstance, will survive, because they are in Breaking Bad, which happens in the future. A little slow moving, but enjoyable and interesting. 

The final five (bottom right corner) were watched upstairs with Hubs. A couple movies were watched on a plane ride, the rest were all in the gym while walking or other exercise. Several with sequels this quarter.

• John Wick (1, 2, 3 & 4): Sometimes you feel you need to watch a movie just to understand some pop culture references. I figured perhaps it was time I dipped into Wick. The first three were on Peacock (with ads, I almost gave up on them then just pushed though) with the fourth(final?) on Paramount. I didn't love these ... the first one just drops you into the world (should I know who John Wick is already? Everyone else seems to) and I wondered if I had started with the wrong one. I'd heard references to "his dog" so that makes sense now. The second ... there is a moment in it (SPOILER if you haven't seen the series I guess ...) where Wick's mark chooses to take control and take her own life, going out on her terms. You know, if WICK had done that just a bit before, then all the death and destruction and disruption of the rest of 2, and then 3 and 4, wouldn't have had to happen. Honestly, was his life worth all it cost? What if he had just said NO and gone out. I guess the franchise wouldn't have been as lucrative. I can't quite believe I continued watching, shaking my head the whole time as he was constantly shot, chopped, hit by cars and thrown off buildings ... yet always survived. The whole "world" was interesting. Was that the final one?
• Creed (1, 2 & 3): I'd watched the original a while back, and did a rewatch of it before moving on to the two sequels. I'm not big on boxing, but I did like these.
• Book Club (1 & 2): I'd watched the original a while back, and did a rewatch of it before moving on to the sequel. Cute enough. I have joined two book clubs this year.
• Interstellar: Lots of big names and familiar faces in this ... I thought perhaps I'd already seen it, but I hadn't. I really liked it. A lot. 
• Hypnotic: This was okay, had some shades of  "Inception" and I'd had a bit of a question about the daughter (she looked very Hispanics for being Ben's daughter with the woman in the picture). I recommended this to my son and he liked it.
• Plane: Lots of action - enjoyable, just suspend disbelief. Action is always good while on the treadmill, gets the adrenaline up and makes me willing to hit an extra gym session to find out what happens. 
• Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris: This was a cute, slow, little show. Hubs happened to go to Paris shortly after I watched this.
• We Have A Ghost: Cute, felt young, but was enjoyable.
• To Kill a Mockingbird: I'd never seen this all the way through. I'd read the book and seen some clips here and there. I'd done a re-read of the book, and read the graphic novel (amazingly true to the source material, more so than the movie) so it was time to give the movie my attention. Borrowed the DVD from the library.
• Stranger Than Fiction: Will Ferrell in a more serious role. Hubs and I had watched this years ago and gave it a re-watch at a cabin get-away. Can't get the kids to give it a go ... I wonder what they'd think of it.
• Mamma Mia: I'd caught Hubs humming some Abba songs and recommended he give this a try. I'd already seen it but was more than willing to give it a rewatch. As cute as Pierce is ... he can't sing.  This and the 2nd Bookclub had a similar "twist" ending. 
• Hercules: Another musical re-watch at the cabin.
• The Nice Guys: I'd seen this, as had Hubs, but I think this was the first time we watched together.
• Emily the Criminal: Just okay - sad. 

I love GoodReads for books, and have received a few recommendations of similar sites to try to keep a record of TV/Movies. Have yet to investigate and commit to one. Until then ... my blog is my backup to help me remember what I watched when.