Help! Hubby likes Sci Fi
co-post of TV and movie recommends
Not only did we discover that our hubbies had opposing tastes, so did we. Also, Beth’s post offers more in depth descriptions whereas I like to stick to a self inflicted wordcount rule. Hope you’ll read
version too.Sci-Fi Shows
Beth’s Pick: The Big Door Prize | 2023-Present | [Trailer] | Actors: Chris O'Dowd, Mary Holland, Ally Maki, Josh Segarra, Gabrielle Dennis
The Rationale for Why: It's a mix of sci-fi, mystery, and a relationship-oriented show. It asks the existential "what if" question of how your life would be different if you discovered your true destiny. Secretly, this show is all about its relationships though, so even though the big Morpho machine is shiny and alluring, it’s the characters that you show up for.
Honorable Mention: Severance (psychological thriller of the Eternal Sunshine variety but its setting is in a weird workplace, Silo (post-apocalyptic, dystopian “Brave New World” type vibe).
Hubby and I weren’t fans of The Big Door Prize. Go figure.
Carissa’s Pick: Resident Alien |2021-present| |Trailer| Actors: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Alice Wetterlund, Meredith Garretson, Cory Reynolds, Levi Fiehler
Rationale for Why: Lighthearted sci-fi comedy about an alien who crash lands in a small town and takes over the life (and body) of a vacationing doctor. The alien’s mission? To wipe out humanity. Hubby loves sci-fi while I adore humor. This show has both. Plus, we’ve been fans of Tudyk since he starred alongside Nathan Fillion in Firefly.
Honorable Mention in Sci Fi: Orphan Black is an older show but we binged religiously.
Beth said she admired the acting talent of Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black.
Mindless Network TV Series
Carissa’s pick: The Rookie |2018-present| |Trailer| Actors: Nathan Fillion, Melissa O’Neil, Eric Winter, Alyssa Diaz, Mekia Cox, Shawn Ashmore, Jenna Dewan, Richard T. Jones…
Rationale for Why: Hubby and I are big fans of Nathan Fillion since he starred in the SciFi TV show, Firefly. He reprised his role in the movie version, Serenity. We missed his stint in Castle but decided to try The Rookie and it didn’t disappoint as a mindless, entertaining TV series. It’s a cop drama with a lot of humor. Fillion had the celebrity for its premiere but is just one amongst an excellent ensemble cast. Plus, the women cops/detectives kick butt!
Honorable Mention: Elsbeth is a spin off character from The Good Wife. She uses her charm, humor and uncanny intuition to help solve crimes in NYC. Fun, mindless show.
Beth said that she and her hubby are Network snobs. She picked—
Beth’s pick: The Righteous Gemstones |2019-present| |Trailer| Actors: John Goodman, Danny McBride, Wallon Goggins, Edi Patterson, Adam DeVine
Rationale for Why: Apart from the acting chops, the show centers around a dysfunctional, over-the-top family running a mega church in the South helmed by John Goodman, that’s a bit of a Succession gone wild approach. The adult children are all vying to take over the church and pulling crazy stunts in the name of the father or the Father. It’s hilarious.
Honorable Mention: Like Gemstones, Vice Principals (HBO) stars McBride and Goggins in yet another brilliant, witty comedic pairing of petty people. Goggins, by the way, last seen in Fallout and before that in Justified: City Primeval.
I’m intrigued and will check out Beth’s pick.
Comedies
Beth’s pick: Conan O’Brien Must Go |2024| |Trailer| Actors: Conan O’Brien (and friends/fans, frequent collaborators, like Jordan Schlansky)
Rationale for Why: Watch the trailer and the Werner Herzog intro and you have all you need to know. O’Brien visiting select countries and dropping in on fans of his podcast makes for continuous cultural humor, at Conan’s expense. Highlights were the Thailand and Argentina episodes, but really it’s all good. There is not much Conan won’t do for a laugh in the self-deprecating department.
Honorable Mention: Life & Beth with Amy Schumer and Michael Cera is beautiful and funny - a near perfect dramedy.
We will definitely check out Conan O’Brien Must Go. I would also recommend Eugene Levy in The Reluctant Traveler. We adore funny mixed with traveling. I love everything Amy Schumer. 🥰
Carissa’s Pick: Hacks |2021-present| |Trailer| Cast: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Kaitlyn Olsen…
Rationale for Why: Hilarious lady leads! Funny women creators, Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky (and Paul W. Downs– okay, a dude) were inspired by female comic veterans like Phyllis Diller. In this series, Deborah Vance, played brilliantly by Jean Smart, must invigorate her act in order to re-earn her prime performing time slots at a Vegas hotel. Jeff and I love the characters and jokes that are old school and are learning what’s funny to the Gen Z crowd.
Honorable Mention: Jury Duty– this would have been my top pick but it was released in 2023 and it is unknown if there will be a second season. If you haven’t watched this brilliant show, close this email and do it now. You can thank me later.
Beth is a Jury Duty fan too!
Spy/Thrillers
Beth’s pick: Slow Horses |2022-present| |Trailer| Actors: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowdon, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rosalind Eleazar
Rationale for Why: Gary Oldman is good at playing spooks. Look at him in a very different role in John Le Carre’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (one of the best films ever). As the leader of a division of MI5 misfits/rejects, Oldman as Jackson Lamb is pretty foul, but his brand of tell-it-like-it-is bravado and being there for his team, is notable. Be forewarned: No one is likable here. But, the show is clever, well-paced, and well-acted.
Honorable Mention: Tehran is an Israeli spy thriller series on Apple TV+ starring Niv Sultan as a Mossad agent who was born in Iran, and raised in Israel. It’s fast-paced, compelling and the first season is better than the second, which features Glenn Close, but both are solid.
Slow Horses was too slow for us. Hehe. We love Gary Oldman but we were bored. Tehran was fab. Good to know there’s a season two.
Carissa’s Pick: Special Ops; Lioness |2023-present| |Trailer| Cast: Zoe Saldana, Nicole Kidman, Laysla DeOliveira, Michael Kelly, Morgan Freeman (is there anything he’s not in?)…
Rationale for Why: I have two words for you– Taylor Sheridan. Last year almost every show hubby and I binged on were created by Taylor Sheridan. (Also see an honorable mention below created by this genius.) Lioness is based on a real all women military unit. In season one the women must infiltrate a terrorist network. Haw bad ass can you get? It was renewed for a second season.
Honorable Mention: Mayor of Kingstown (co-created by Sheridan) didn’t make it to number one because it’s a truly dark series but excellent. Mike McLusky, played by Jeremy Renner, is an unofficial mayor as he keeps the peace between the town jail, police and local gangs. It also stars Dianne Wiest. Amazingly, Renner is back for season three after almost losing his life last year.
Do you have similar taste to me, Beth, her hubby or my hubby?
Do you have other shows you watch and enjoy with your spouse/partner? Or have in the past? Share them here.
In Related Posts from Beth
From CK
Love Resident Alien and Hacks... and Severance. Whenever Sci-Fi brings in some levity to temper the dystopian apocalypse, it's such a delightful relief.
Love a good list of TV recs. Resident Alien is bumping up to the top of my list!