# Rando Recommendations: What Pop Culture Thing Do You Recommend (Not Geek Media)



## Snarf Zagyg (May 4, 2021)

There are always a number of great conversations about geek culture and/or media on enworld, included but not limited to some of the following:

1. The latest MCU TV show on Disney+.
2. Snyderverse ... let's argue.
3. The latest MCU movie on Disney+.
4. Star Wars movies ... let's argue.
5. The latest Star Wars show on Disney+.
6. Books ... does anyone read anymore?
7. The latest 15 Star Trek shows on CBS All... um, Paramount+.
8. The Expanse. Am I still allowed to enjoy it?
9. There's yet another show on Netflix you haven't heard of. It has fantasy/sci fi stuff. Watch it before the next one comes out in 4 hours.
...and so on.

But one thing I was hoping to see is a thread where people on this board go off the beaten path a little, and make a recommendation that isn't your typical "geek media" recommendation. Or, for that matter, isn't your typical "prestige TV" recommendation. Because we're all somewhat up-to-date on the geek media and prestige TV that's out there- or could be.

Instead, I'd like to hear some recommendations for gems that are off the beaten path. Things we wouldn't normally discuss, or that you wouldn't normally watch, but you nevertheless found enthralling. Because I'm all about rules, here's a few to help guide. Feel free to ignore them if you must!

1. NO GEEK MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS. View this as you wish, but that means (for example) no superheroes, no Star Wars or Star Trek, no science fiction or fantasy, no anime. We  already have enough of that ....






2. Suggest TV shows or movies, please. First, no one reads anymore. And by "no one," I mean me. Illiteracy- it's what's for breakfast. Second, I don't want everyone to recommend Dua Lipa. We get it. Future Nostalgia is just straight bangers. But we need something fresh.

3. No "prestige TV." Again, we all know Billions and Succession are "good." We are aware the Alias Grace was tragically unappreciated. But muted color and snappy dialogue isn't everything in life (or so someone needs to tell Snyder and Whedon).

4. It has to be something you have watched. Preferably, something that surprised you with how good it is.


Good?

Okay, so I will start this off with my entry and recommendation:

_Formula 1: Drive to Survive_. Look, I like cars. But I've never been a fan of car racing- NASCAR just seems like a bunch of guys turning left over and over again, and F1 just seems like a bunch of European poseurs driving way too fast.

And you know what? F1 IS a bunch of Euro poseurs (okay, there's an Australian in there too) driving way too fast. But this series (three seasons so far) has made me incredibly interested in a sport that I thought was stupid. Okay, that's not completely fair. I STILL think it's stupid- but it is so GLORIOUS in its stupidity, and pettiness, and politics, and personalities, that I love it.

Somehow, every person I have told about this has also became insanely interested in this; which is to say ... hear me now and believe me later, but this is like some kind of viral drug to get you into the sport. Who knew?

So that's mine. Follow my recommendation at your own risk, lest you start thinking, "Hey, maybe rockin' some cool Ferrari gear wouldn't be so bad?" (Protip: it would be that bad).

What about you? What do you recommend that we don't normally discuss here?


*EDITED TO ADD SUGGESTIONS:*
1. _Formula 1: Drive to Survive _(Netflix) (suggested by me)
2. _Biography: "Macho Man" Randy Savage_ (A&E) (payn)
3. _All Creatures Great and Small _(Reboot) (PBS, Amazon Prime, PBS Passport) (Umbran)
4. _Call of the Midwife _(Netflix) (Sacrosanct)
5. _Doc Martin _(Pluto/Hulu?) (Alzrius)
6. _Aerial America_ (Smithsonian Channel) (Wolfram Stout)
7. Birds, real birds (Your own backyard) (Sabathius42)
8. _Line of Duty _(Hulu) (Morrus)
9. _Brooklyn 99 _(Hulu/Peacock) (Desert Gled)
10. _Crazy Ex-Girlfriend _(Netflix) (TwoSix)
11. _Queen Sono _(Netflix), _Kings of Jo’burg_ (Netflix) _An African City_ (Youtube), _Jinn _(Netflix) (Tonguez)
12. _Naked and Afraid _(Hulu) (Reynard)
13. _Knives Out _(Prime) (billd91)
14. _A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood_ (Prime), _Iron _(fantasy network) (Ryujin)
15. _The Farewell_ (Prime), _Poirot _(Britbox) (Mallus)
16. _Good Eats, Homicide Hunter, Midsommer Murders, Rumble, Later...with Jools Holland, And God Spoke, Spinal Tap, Incident at Loch Ness, Line of Duty, Unforgotten _(Dannyalcatraz)
17. _Best in Show, A Mighty Wind_ (Umbran)
18. _Waiting for Guffman, For Your Consideration _(billd91)
19. _Attacking the Darkness_ (Ryujin)
20. Youtube channels- _Tasting history with Max Miller, The Charismatic Voice_ (Ulfgeir)
21. Endeavour (Amazon Prime), Detectorists (AcornTV) (LoganRan)
22. _Underground, Sharpe's Rifles, Strike Back, Copper _(Mad_Jack)
23. _The Devil All the Time _(Netflix) (Shroompunk Warlord)
24. _The League of Gentlemen_ (Dailymotion) (MattW)
25. National Geographic shows (Disney+), _Chef Ramsay _(HawaiiSteveO)
26. _Murdoch Mysteries_, _Duchess of Duke St_, _Ever After_ (Lanefan)
27. _Samurai Gourmet_ (Netflix?), _Slings and Arrows_ (Youtube/Amazon), _Brother Cadfael_ (Acorn) (Jaegermonstrous)
28. _Todd & The Book of Pure Evil_ (Dannyalcatraz)
29. _The Half of It_ (Netflix), _Fisherman's Friends_ (Netflix), _Unicorn Store_ (Netflix), _Chef _(Netflix), _Tallulah _(Netflix), _Dave Made A Maze _(Amazon) (Jaegermonstrous) 
30. _The Toys That Made Us_ (Imaculata)
31. _Top Gear_, _Hanna_ (Amazon) (Graybeard)
32. _Derry Girls_ (Netflix), _The Detectorists _(Netflix), _Booksmart _(Netflix) (DrunkonDuty)
33. Biography on Wrestler Booker T (A&E) (payn)


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## payn (May 4, 2021)

I actually got hooked into the Macho Man Randy Savage biopic on A&E last Sunday. Was interesting to get a mix of pro-wrestling history and learn some about the Macho Man himself. Also, his wife Miss Elizabeth and women's roles in pro wrestling. I'm not a wrestling fan either so was surprised I kept watching.


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## Umbran (May 4, 2021)

I was pleasantly entertained by the new _All Creatures Great and Small_, which aired on PBS as part of their Masterpiece series.

It's just a period piece.  Not a deep drama, or uproarious comedy, though it has a bit of both.  It fits nicely in the "soothing British TV" category, without being about baking.


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## Sacrosanct (May 4, 2021)

Umbran said:


> I was pleasantly entertained by the new _All Creatures Great and Small_, which aired on PBS as part of their Masterpiece series.
> 
> It's just a period piece.  Not a deep drama, or uproarious comedy, though it has a bit of both.  It fits nicely in the "soothing British TV" category, without being about baking.



My partner and I watched that series.  It was pretty good, even if she kept saying "that wasn't in the books like that at all" lol.  It's also based on a true story, if embellished a bit, and I always enjoy things based on a true story.  Call of the Midwife (on Netflix) is very much in the same vein as this show, and is also pretty decent.


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## Alzrius (May 4, 2021)

I'm a huge fan of the British comedy series _Doc Martin_, which I discovered quite by accident (literally, I was passing through the room while someone else was watching it, and found myself unable to look away). Describing it as "an irascible but brilliant doctor trying to deal with quirky patients" makes everyone think it sounds like _House_, but the general tenor strikes me as being very different, as _Doc Martin_ is more of a comedy than a drama.


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 4, 2021)

Umbran said:


> I was pleasantly entertained by the new _All Creatures Great and Small_, which aired on PBS as part of their Masterpiece series.
> 
> It's just a period piece.  Not a deep drama, or uproarious comedy, though it has a bit of both.  It fits nicely in the "soothing British TV" category, without being about baking.




I didn't know that there was a new one!

Um, I'm wondering how many people out there know that there was an old one ....


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## Umbran (May 4, 2021)

Sacrosanct said:


> My partner and I watched that series.  It was pretty good, even if she kept saying "that wasn't in the books like that at all" lol.




My wife is a veterinarian, and read the books when she was little, so much the same here.  

Happy to report the period veterinary medicine was fairly accurate.


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 4, 2021)

Alzrius said:


> I'm a huge fan of the British comedy series _Doc Martin_, which I discovered quite by accident (literally, I was passing through the room while someone else was watching it, and found myself unable to look away). Describing it as "an irascible but brilliant doctor trying to deal with quirky patients" makes everyone think it sounds like _House_, but the general tenor strikes me as being very different, as _Doc Martin_ is more of a comedy than a drama.




So, in _Doc Martin_, it IS Lupus?


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## Umbran (May 4, 2021)

Snarf Zagyg said:


> Um, I'm wondering how many people out there know that there was an old one ....




Doctor Who fans know, because Peter Davison was on the old one.


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## Wolfram stout (May 4, 2021)

Aerial America, on the Smithsonian Channel.  There is also one for Britain but I have not watched it.  The show is basically aerial shots from a plane flying over a specific state while a narrator tells about the history and geography.  It is incredibly relaxing and informative.  I will watch an episode or two on Saturday mornings while gearing up for the day.

And the best part is, you can turn it over during any part of the show and just start watching.


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 4, 2021)

Umbran said:


> Doctor Who fans know, because Peter Davison was on the old one.




Doctor Who was on before David Tennant?


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## Umbran (May 4, 2021)

Snarf Zagyg said:


> Doctor Who was on before David Tennant?



Only for those who use a linear model of time.


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## Sabathius42 (May 4, 2021)

I'll take this really far off-road....

10+ years ago my wife signed up to volunteer at the local park system.  Her project was maintaining and monitoring bluebird boxes set up in the park.

She still does it to this day, and during all this time accompanying her I have learned a TON about our local bird population.  I can identify most every species found in the park and my backyard  including the birds that just pass through when migrating.

I learned how to identify a bird species based on what their nest looks like.  I learned to identify many species based on their calls.

It wasn't something I ever thought would be interesting , but having absorbed all I have over time I have become a source of BirdID to friends and family whenever they are curious.

Taking the conversation back to DnD....there is always something from any hobby you can use in your adventures.

One notable idea for mining is the cowbird.  It can be found in any large group of blackbirds (starlings and grackles the other two members) and identified by its brown head and black body.  The cowbirds through history developed a lifestyle of following herds of buffalo (or other large hoofed mammals) and living in their wake.  When it comes to egg laying time, the nomadic cowbirds dont have the time to stop, make a nest, lay eggs, and see the young to fledging because they will have been left far behind by the herd they are attached to.

So as a solution the cowbird became a nest parasite.  It just pops in and lays it's eggs in some other birds nest and let's those other birds raise it's young.  There is even a cowbird mafia enforcement sometimes punishing birds that recognize their eggs as foreign and pushing them out of the nest.

Now that cowbirds are mostly just living in our backyards and have no herds to follow they do t NEED to be nest parasites but the instinct still works that way.

This crazy nature factoid is easily the basis for an entire DnD adventure....fey being the most obvious human nest parasite....but there are all kinds of ways you could spin your story.

TLDNR:  Backyard birding is more interesting than you might initially think.


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## Morrus (May 4, 2021)

Line of Duty just finished its 6th season. British show about a police anti-corruption unit. It’s become real water-cooler TV.


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 4, 2021)

Umbran said:


> Only for those who use a linear model of time.


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## Deset Gled (May 4, 2021)

Snarf Zagyg said:


> Doctor Who was on before David Tennant?



You're not a true nerd if you forgot about Christopher Eccleston.   

On topic for the thread: I highly recommend Brooklyn 99.  Interestingly enough, I only enjoyed The Office a little bit (say, 1.5 seasons worth) and couldn't stand Parks and Recreation.  Despite being basically the same formula of a show (I believe a few of the creators overlap), I absolutely loved this variation on the theme.  I think the background of a procedural cop show game the format some much needed structure.  Also, I like a lot of the actors more.


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## TwoSix (May 4, 2021)

My favorite non-geek show of the past decade has been Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (all 4 seasons on Netflix).  Very dark musical comedy which doesn't seem like it will be about mental illness until it is.  Which doesn't sound that fun, but the songs are absolutely hilarious, and the show in general has whip-smart comedic dialogue.


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## Tonguez (May 4, 2021)

Snarf Zagyg said:


> I didn't know that there was a new one!
> 
> Um, I'm wondering how many people out there know that there was an old one ....



I didnt know there was a new one either, I only remember Tristan due to Peter Davidson


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 4, 2021)

So FYI, I have edited the OP to include a running list of suggestions that I will periodically update, with the name of the show, the place you might be able to watch (NO GUARANTEES!), and the person who suggested it.


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## Umbran (May 4, 2021)

Snarf Zagyg said:


> So FYI, I have edited the OP to include a running list of suggestions that I will periodically update, with the name of the show, the place you might be able to watch (NO GUARANTEES!), and the person who suggested it.




Excellent idea.  _All Creatures Great and Small_ ran on PBS (and presumably will again at some point). Currently in the US, it is available for Streaming on Amazon Prime and PBS Passport.


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## Marc_C (May 4, 2021)

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, set in Australia of the 20s. Fun entertainment. Well made. 

_'The series revolves around the personal and professional life of Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis), a glamorous private detective in 1920s Melbourne. Three series have been broadcast, and a feature film titled Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears was released in February 2020. A television spin-off Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries was broadcast in 2019. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries has been aired in over 100 countries and territories.'_


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## Tonguez (May 4, 2021)

due to the wonders of Netflix and streaming in general I’ve been watching African dramas, which have some great offering and provide a good insight into modern life on the big continent.

Queen Sono, Netflix - Queen Sono is a Sth African Spy so a bit geek
Kings of Jo’burg, Netflix - about a family who dominate organised crime

An African City is a Ghanaian show about  group of modern young women living in Accra which appeared on Youtube in 2014, (its the first African show I watched, thus it earns special mention)

oh and for a change Jinn is a Jordanian show on netflix about a group of teenagers who during a school trip to Petra summon a Jinn and must stop it from destroying the world.

(and yes love Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries too)


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## Reynard (May 4, 2021)

This is going to sound stupid, but Naked and Afraid is usually really good. It is at once a compelling reality show about people thrust together, and highly educational regarding survival in adverse conditions. I ignore the show for ages because I thought the premise was dumb, but one day my wife and ended up watching it for a lark and were hooked almost immediately.

I prefer the XL challenges (larger groups, longer challenge) and prefer dry places like Africa to wet places like the Amazon (because moisture does horrible thing to human bodies). There is very little "competition to it and the drama feels like it arises more naturally than in lots of other, similar shows.


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## billd91 (May 4, 2021)

*Knives Out* is a thoroughly enjoyable film with actors from franchises in roles that are notably different (Daniel Craig, Chris Evans) and was directed by someone who took a lot of heat from fanboys from his work in geek media (Rian Johnson). It's streaming on Prime and well worth checking out.


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## Ryujin (May 4, 2021)

A movie that might have flown under the radar of a few people here, that's definitely not the usual fare for this group; "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood." It's on Prime. The somewhat fictionalized story of an investigative reporter for a major magazine, who is tasked with getting an interview from Mr. Rogers. Really well done and Tom Hanks knocks it out of the park, in my opinion. Watch for the little things in this. You'll know what I mean when you see them 

On the other end of the scale, there's a little short film production that was made by a couple of my acquaintances, in Washington State. (I'd like to call them friends but honestly don't know them well enough, at this point, to make that claim) It's called "Iron", is about 15 minutes long, and is the story of a woman who moved to Washington State, during WWI, and took up a "man's job" during the time when so many women did, because so many men had gone to war. You can watch it for free at thefantasy.network by just searching for it. No account or login required. FULL DISCLOSURE: I was one of the original backers of the project, and Samara is gorgeous, so I'm more than a little biased


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## billd91 (May 4, 2021)

Ryujin said:


> A movie that might have flown under the radar of a few people here, that's definitely not the usual fare for this group; "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood." It's on Prime. The somewhat fictionalized story of an investigative reporter for a major magazine, who is tasked with getting an interview from Mr. Rogers. Really well done and Tom Hanks knocks it out of the park, in my opinion. Watch for the little things in this. You'll know what I mean when you see them



Tom Hanks *IS *amazing in this. I can't emphasize this enough. He does a fantastic Fred Rogers.


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## Mallus (May 4, 2021)

The Hercule Poirot series starring David Suchet. My wife and I binged all of it early the Plague Year. It's now one of my favorite performances -- and TV series -- of all time.

A book of short stories: The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson. He's one of the finest American writers of the last 100 years or so. This is his last book, published just after his death.

A non-fiction book: Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino. She writes great stuff about culture and learning to be/being a writer now, in the age of the Very Online. 

The Farewell, starring Awkwafina (aka Nora Lum). Sure, Crazy Rich Asians was fun, but this movie is much, much better.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 5, 2021)

Hmmm....

_Good Eats: _stars Alton Brown.  Teaches you both The HOWs and WHYs of cooking.  There is also a _Reloaded_ version of the series in which he revises and improves episodes from the show’s prior incarnation.

_Homicide Hunter:_ features Lt. Kenda (Ret.). A really good true crime series narrated by a deadpanning grandpa who has seen too much.

_Midsommer Murders:_ a long-running murder mystery series from England.  Midsommer county may be the deadliest place on earth after Cabot Cove, Miskatonic, Castle Rock, and Amityville.

_Rumble:_ a documentary about the history of Native Americans’ influence on rock & roll.  You WILL learn things you didn’t know before.

_Later...with Jools Holland:_ a killer showcase for musicians from around the world, in all kinds of genres. You will hear the familiar and bands and music you didn’t know existed.

_And God Spoke:  _a mockumentary depicting two B-list movie makers and their struggles making of ”the next great hollywood Bible epic”, And God Spoke.  Many surprising cameos.  The more you know movie making, Hollywood, and christianity, the funnier this film is,

_Spinal Tap:_ one of the earliest mockumentaries, and one of the best. Details the trials and tribulations of Spïnal Tap’s attempts do come back and tour in America.

_Incident at Loch Ness: a_ mockumentary starring, produced by and written by Werner Herzog and Zak Penn. The small cast film follows Herzog and his crew working on the production of a movie project on the Loch Ness Monster titled _*Enigma of Loch Ness*_.

_Line of Duty: _brilliant UK police procedural that focuses on the detectives who investigate the police.

_Unforgotten:_ British police procedural about cold-case detectives l


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## Umbran (May 5, 2021)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> _Spinal Tap:_ one of the earliest mockumentaries, and one of the best. Details the trials and tribulations of Spïnal Tap’s attempts do come back and tour in America.




Which you can follow with more work by the same people...
_
Best In Show_: Spinal Tap, but for dog shows. Yes, really, dog shows.
_A Mighty Wind_: Best In Show, but for folk music.


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## billd91 (May 5, 2021)

Umbran said:


> Which you can follow with more work by the same people...
> 
> _Best In Show_: Spinal Tap, but for dog shows. Yes, really, dog shows.
> _A Mighty Wind_: Best In Show, but for folk music.



Don't forget:
_Waiting for Guffman_: community theater
_For Your Consideration_: awards buzz

There's a special brilliance in a lot of these because they're so good at playing things straight while being completely bonkers. And that dates all the way back to Spinal Tap. When Spinal Tap appeared on SNL as the musical guest, it was accompanied by an interview with that week's host Barry Bostwick. I didn't immediately catch on that the band was a gag - I just thought they were really stupid. Admittedly, I was young at the time and didn't recognize Michael McKean and didn't connect Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap to the Nigel Tufnel on my Lenny and the Squigtones album.


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## Umbran (May 5, 2021)

billd91 said:


> There's a special brilliance in a lot of these because they're so good at playing things straight while being completely bonkers.




Much of which can be traced to how the dialog isn't precisely "written".  Most of it is improvised, and that leads it to have tone more similar to actual conversation than "look, it is a joke!"


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 5, 2021)

billd91 said:


> There's a special brilliance in a lot of these because they're so good at playing things straight while being completely bonkers. And that dates all the way back to Spinal Tap. When Spinal Tap appeared on SNL as the musical guest, it was accompanied by an interview with that week's host Barry Bostwick. I didn't immediately catch on that the band was a gag - I just thought they were really stupid. Admittedly, I was young at the time and didn't recognize Michael McKean and didn't connect Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap to the Nigel Tufnel on my Lenny and the Squigtones album.




 _Tonight I'm gonna rock you tonight ... _


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 5, 2021)

I’ve seen all of those except _For Your Consideration, _actually!  They‘re all funny, but Tap is the only one I can quote.


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## Ryujin (May 5, 2021)

billd91 said:


> Don't forget:
> _Waiting for Guffman_: community theater
> _For Your Consideration_: awards buzz
> 
> There's a special brilliance in a lot of these because they're so good at playing things straight while being completely bonkers. And that dates all the way back to Spinal Tap. When Spinal Tap appeared on SNL as the musical guest, it was accompanied by an interview with that week's host Barry Bostwick. I didn't immediately catch on that the band was a gag - I just thought they were really stupid. Admittedly, I was young at the time and didn't recognize Michael McKean and didn't connect Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap to the Nigel Tufnel on my Lenny and the Squigtones album.



To this I would add...

"Attacking the Darkness" - independent film, religious film, role playing gamers, ... The pretty much take the piss out of anything related. Definitely not in any way related to the film, produced by the same people, of the Chick Tract "Dark Dungeons." Really. Seriously. I can't be more emphatic on this point. < Ahem... >


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## Ulfgeir (May 5, 2021)

Marc_C said:


> Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, set in Australia of the 20s. Fun entertainment. Well made.
> 
> _'The series revolves around the personal and professional life of Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis), a glamorous private detective in 1920s Melbourne. Three series have been broadcast, and a feature film titled Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears was released in February 2020. A television spin-off Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries was broadcast in 2019. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries has been aired in over 100 countries and territories.'_



Seen a couple of episodes. Very nice. It is on my long list of things to watch.

I would add the following youtube-channels:

Tasting history with Max Miller. He does like to cook (food from old recipes) and talks about history.. Packaged in small bite-sized episodes.

The Charismatic Voice. A very nerdy opera singer / vocal coach / composer reacts to, and analyzes music videos. Lots of metal-videos. She has done some really good interview as well, where she and the interviewee both go full nerdiness on music and other things.

Also fallen down the rabbithole of a couple of dress historian talking about historically clothing (both in General and in film/tv). Don't know the names of their channels, but look for Abby Cox, Bernadotte Banner, and Karolina Zebrowska.


Edit: added the links for the channels..

Tasting History:               https://www.youtube.com/c/TastingHistory/featured
The Charismatic voice:    https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCharismaticVoice/featured
Abby Cox:                       https://www.youtube.com/c/AbbyCox/featured
Bernadette Banner:         https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSHtaUm-FjUps090S7crO4Q/featured
Karolina Zebrowska:        https://www.youtube.com/user/czekoladaimaslo


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## LoganRan (May 5, 2021)

Long time lurker, first time poster...

Two of my current favs are: Endeavour (Amazon Prime) which depicts the early years of Inspector Morse in Oxford, England and Detectorists (Acorn TV), a show about metal detectors (err...detectorists) and their lives in rural Essex.

I would also give a second recommendation for Doc Martin who is my personal hero.


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## Tonguez (May 5, 2021)

Ulfgeir said:


> Seen a couple of episodes. Very nice. It is on my long list of things to watch.
> 
> I would add the following youtube-channels:
> 
> ...



Yes Tasting History is some great stuff, Max is really entertaining
and I adore Bernadette Banner, her quirkiness is so enchanting (does she count as a celebrity? She’d be my celebrity crush)


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## Ryujin (May 5, 2021)

LoganRan said:


> Long time lurker, first time poster...
> 
> Two of my current favs are: Endeavour (Amazon Prime) which depicts the early years of Inspector Morse in Oxford, England and Detectorists (Acorn TV), a show about metal detectors (err...detectorists) and their lives in rural Essex.
> 
> I would also give a second recommendation for Doc Martin who is my personal hero.



Haven't seen the first, but "Detectorists" is excellent.


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## Eltab (May 5, 2021)

Some of us _do_ read.
Bill O'Reilly's _Killing XYZ_ books.  Each focuses on an individual and the era he lived in.  I re-read _Killing Lincoln_.


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## Mad_Jack (May 5, 2021)

Ulfgeir said:


> The Charismatic Voice. A very nerdy opera singer / vocal coach / composrr reaccts to, and analyzes music videos. Lots of metall-videos. She has done some really good interview as well, where she and the interview er both go full neriness on music and other things.




I love her - she's so enthusiastic about everything, and her facial expressions are freakin' priceless, lol. She also has a great way of explaining things, and you can learn a lot about singing just by listening to her.

My suggestions:

*Underground*: A tv series about escaped slaves, starring Aldis Hodge and Jurnee Smollett... They've only made two seasons of it, and I've only watched the first so far, but the acting and writing on it is _amazing_. The choices of background music are perfect for the scenes, and the supporting cast is _deep_ with great character actors as well - in the first season Christopher Meloni of L&O: SVU/Oz fame plays a bounty hunter who travels with his teenaged son while hunting escaped slaves.
Available on dvd fairly cheaply, and probably to be found on at least one of the streaming services.

*Sharpe's Rifles*:  This is a series of _fourteen_ British tv movies from the '90's based on the best-selling novels by Bernard Cornwell...
Sean Bean of _Game of Thrones_/_LotR_ stars as Richard Sharpe, an enlisted man in the British army during the Napoleonic Wars who gets jumped up to officer rank after saving Wellington's life. It's an excellent historical action/adventure series, full of great battles and good dialogue.
I own the first five collected on dvd. They may be hard to find.

_*Strike Back*_: a co-production between Cinemax and Sky One, about a secret British military unit called Section 20, based on the 2007 novel by Chris Ryan... It's basically non-stop shooting intercut with great character moments and the occasional hot sex scene. It's nothing that hasn't been done a hundred times before, but _Strike Back_ does it damn well and with style.
Available on dvd, and most likely on the streaming services.

*Copper*: About an Irish police detective in NYC in 1864, who comes back from fighting in the Civil War to find his wife missing and his daughter murdered.
Available on dvd and probably the streaming services.


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## DammitVictor (May 6, 2021)

If you enjoy human misery, *The Devil All the Time *(Netflix) is a Southern Gothic piece starring Tom Holland and Robert Pattison and Sebastian Stan. Netflix calls it a "slow burn" and they ain't kidding-- forty six minutes between pushing play and seeing the star-- but the flame that burns slowest burns hottest. I want to find the dialect coach and have _all of their babies_.

This is the movie that made me want to do a "prestige TV" adaptation of the TMNT, based mostly on the Mirage and IDW comics, just so I could stunt-cast Tom Holland as Casey Jones.


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 6, 2021)

Did an update on the OP with the recommendations posted! Unfortunately, I don't have time to hunt everything down, so if someone didn't specifically say what platform it's available on, I haven't been listing where to find it. I guess that's what teh googelz is for.


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## Morrus (May 6, 2021)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> _Line of Duty: _brilliant UK police procedural that focuses on the detectives who investigate the police.
> 
> _Unforgotten:_ British police procedural about cold-case detectives l



Unforgotten is excellent. Slow paced, low-key, character driven, no action, but a great police show with a really strong lead.


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## MattW (May 6, 2021)

Any book by P G Wodehouse (the best comic writer in all of English literature).  If you want a TV adaptation of his most famous work, see "Jeeves and Wooster", which is likely to be on Youtube and stars Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie (pre-House).

Forget any of the Fast and Furious movies. The best heist movie is  "The League Of Gentlemen". Made in 1960, this is a black-and-white film that stars some of the biggest names in British cinema - and is a darkly subversive comedy


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## HawaiiSteveO (May 6, 2021)

Some fun National Geographic stuff on Disney + - we've particularly enjoyed Gordon Ramsay Uncharted.
Mix of amazing locations (Peru's Sacred Valley was my favorite), cooking show, and, well... Chef Ramsay! I've always found him greatly amusing.
Always enjoyed shows like this... feel like I got to 'travel' a little bit and see the world - sigh. Rogue Trip is really good as well.
Tried The World According to Jeff Goldblum one but didn't really care for it.


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## Lanefan (May 8, 2021)

I've a few to toss in the pond here:

TV: _Murdoch Mysteries_ (period detective drama and very Canadian); _Duchess of Duke St._ (British period drama from the early 1970's).

Movies: _Ever After_ (Drew Barrymore as Cinderella); the Brosnan-Craig-era _James Bond_s.


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## Jaegermonstrous (May 8, 2021)

This one could be geek-culture-adjacent, but I'd highly recommend 'Samurai Gourmet' (I think it's still on Netflix). It's a slice-of-life Japanese show about a retired businessman eating good food. It rates pretty high on the food porn, but it's also just a really sweet show about learning to enjoy the simple things in life. It's apparently based on a manga, but I have yet to find any sign of the source material.

I also really love the Canadian series 'Slings and Arrows' (last I checked it was on Youtube and Amazon). I worked in professional theatre for ten years, and I can say with absolute confidence that this show replicates extremely accurately the very bizarre nature of theatre. It's also a very well-done dramedy about a theatre director who might not be all there, the ghost (or perhaps hallucination) of his dead mentor/nemesis, and the shenanigans surrounding three seasons of shows at a repertory theatre.

I really love whodunnits, but there are few I like better than the 'Brother Cadfael' series starring Derek Jacobi (Acorn and Amazon). The premise is a bit goofy - a medieval Benedictine monk who was also a crusader solves crimes during a period of civil war! - but I was surprised how much I liked it. The original books are pretty good too, and the movies interpret them more faithfully than I would have expected.

[Edited to remove GBBO - definitely not off the beaten path, that one.]


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 8, 2021)

I don’t know  if Stoner/heavy metal/occultism humor is geeky or not, but Todd & The Book of Pure Evil was freaking hilarious.


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## Ryujin (May 8, 2021)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> I don’t know  if Stoner/heavy metal/occultism humor is geeky or not, but Todd & The Book of Pure Evil was freaking hilarious.



If you haven't already seen it they made a cartoon movie, a few years ago, to round out the story. I finally watched it about a month back. It's on Prime, at least in Canada.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 8, 2021)

Ryujin said:


> If you haven't already seen it they made a cartoon movie, a few years ago, to round out the story. I finally watched it about a month back. It's on Prime, at least in Canada.



I had heard it was in the works, but not that it had been completed and released.  Thanks!


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## Jaegermonstrous (May 9, 2021)

The Half of It (Netflix)- coming-of-age story that's focused much more on the friendship between the two main characters than the typical romance arc. 

Fisherman's Friends (Netflix)- based on the story of the real-life a capella group of the same name, it's the perfect movie to scratch more of the sea shanty itch if you didn't get enough of them a few months ago.

Unicorn Store (Netflix)- Samuel L Jackson and Brie Larson in a non-superhero movie! With unicorns that may or may not exist.

Chef (Netflix)- A burnt-out chef tries to restart his career by buying a food truck, and repair the relationship between himself and his young son.

Tallulah (Netflix)- Elliott Page and Allison Janney! What more could you want? Another sort of coming-of-age story about a young woman who kidnaps a baby and goes to her boyfriend's estranged mother for help. 

Honorable mention to 'Dave Made A Maze' (Amazon). I'd call it geek media if more people knew about it. Dave, an artist who's never finished anything, makes a maze out of cardboard in his living room. His friends and girlfriend go in after in him, only to learn the maze is much more than any of them anticipated.


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## Imaculata (May 9, 2021)

The Toys That Made Us is a lovely short and humerous documentary on Netflix, about various toy franchises from our childhood and how they got made.


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## Graybeard (May 9, 2021)

I reccomend Top Gear. There have been American versions but, in my opinion, the British version is overall better. Some hosts are better than others. There's just something enjoyable about seeing (mostly) guys driving ridiculously expensive cars and some not so expensive ones and having to complete a bunch of challenges in the process. The original show with Jeremy, Richard, and James as hosts was the best version.


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## Graybeard (May 9, 2021)

Another show I enjoyed on Amazon Prime was called Hanna.


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## Jack Daniel (May 10, 2021)

Just finished watching _Letterkenny _(Hulu). Cannot recommend highly enough. Bloody hilarious, and very cleverly written.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 10, 2021)

Graybeard said:


> I reccomend Top Gear. There have been American versions but, in my opinion, the British version is overall better. Some hosts are better than others. There's just something enjoyable about seeing (mostly) guys driving ridiculously expensive cars and some not so expensive ones and having to complete a bunch of challenges in the process. The original show with Jeremy, Richard, and James as hosts was the best version.



At its best, Top Gear UK is one of the funniest comedies on TV.  The camper trip show had me in tears.  (Hell, I’m giggling just thinking about it.)

Part of the thing is that the original UK show cast had excellent chemistry.  The more recent episodes are getting better, but haven’t gotten there yet.  

The US show’s vibe has never gotten close.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 10, 2021)

Jack Daniel said:


> Just finished watching _Letterkenny _(Hulu). Cannot recommend highly enough. Bloody hilarious, and very cleverly written.



My cousin loves the hell out of that show.


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## DrunkonDuty (May 11, 2021)

_Derry Girls_ on Netflix. Comedy a group of 5 high schoolers and their families. Set in Derry during the Troubles. Netflix.

_The Detectorists. _I'll second (third actually) this one! Very funny but with a lot of heart. Netflix.

_Booksmart_. A movie about the 2 friends graduating high school. Schmalzy ending but still very good. Netflix.


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## payn (May 11, 2021)

The A&E biography on wrestler Booker T was even more interesting than the Macho Man one. That guy has one hell of a life story.


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## Dannyalcatraz (May 11, 2021)

_Detectorists_ took me a bit to warm up to, but I watched the entire series to the end.


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## Snarf Zagyg (May 11, 2021)

Updated OP with recommendations.


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## TwoSix (May 11, 2021)

Jack Daniel said:


> Just finished watching _Letterkenny _(Hulu). Cannot recommend highly enough. Bloody hilarious, and very cleverly written.



Must resist urge to fill thread with Letterkenny quotes.


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## Mallus (May 11, 2021)

I guess it's time for me to watch Letterkenny. Friends have been recommending it for awhile, mainly for all the things the characters do to the English language.

I'll second Booksmart. It manages to be very funny without ever being cruel, which seems damn hard for a film set in high school. 

Mindhunter on Netflix is great. Who knew the guy who sang George III in Hamilton was such a good actor? (probably people who were paying attention...).


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## Ryujin (May 11, 2021)

I've mentioned it before, but I can't watch Lettekenny. Remove the modern conveniences like cell phones and it's where I grew up. It's based in small town Ontario, Canada, and the language used, characters, and situation are far too close to the truth. It would be like having grown up in a specific Manhattan neighbourhood and then being subjected to Seinfeld.


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## TwoSix (May 11, 2021)

Mallus said:


> I guess it's time for me to watch Letterkenny. Friends have been recommending it for awhile, mainly for all the things the characters do to the English language.



Just a note if you watch Letterkenny; the third episode ("Fartbook") is widely regarded by fans as the weakest episode in the show's entire run.  Don't give up on the show if you hate that episode, it quickly rebounds after that.


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## DrunkonDuty (May 12, 2021)

Dannyalcatraz said:


> _Detectorists_ took me a bit to warm up to, but I watched the entire series to the end.




Yeah, I didn't warm to it right away either. It's just different enough that it takes a little time to get into. But once you do you realise it's a great show.


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## Iholdthebananas (Feb 28, 2022)

I loved The Repair Shop, though I only got to see some of the entire series. It was serious comfort tv.


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## ART! (Feb 28, 2022)

_The Great British Baking Show_ aka _The Great British Bake-Off_ is just a delight. It's a reality show with no backstabbing, no gossiping - just charming contestants who actually help each other out when things go sideways. It doesn't hurt that the focus is on making delicious-looking things that (occasionally) inspire me to bake.


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## Rabulias (Feb 28, 2022)

I don't usually get into game shows, but _The Hustler _has been great fun to watch. I get to test my own Wisdom (Insight) rolls and see if I can tell who is lying (spoiler: I am not very good at it!  ). Plus it's hosted by Craig Ferguson, who is always fun. As Wikipedia says:


			
				Wikipedia said:
			
		

> ...it follows five contestants who collaborate to build up a cash prize by answering a series of trivia questions. One of the contestants is secretly designated as the Hustler beforehand and given the answers to all the questions. By the end of the game, two of the honest contestants have been eliminated; the other two must correctly choose the Hustler in order to stop them from winning the entire prize.


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## Undrave (Feb 28, 2022)

Alright, I'm gonna recommend the youtube channels Bedtime Stories and Unclassified Encounter

Bedtime Stories deals in the bizarre, the strange and the frightening, from ghostly hauntings and UFO encounters, but also mysterious deaths and grisely crimes all told in a chilly atmosphere with some amazing artwork. Really solid work. 

Unclassified Encounter is a newer spin-off channel, where the subject are short stories, usually set against a backdrop of WWII, where soldiers have run-ins with the supernatural and the unexplained. They're all bangers so far. 

If you enjoy solid documentary and theme parks, or children's television, I can not possibly recommend Defunctland enough! The started by simply retelling the story of former attractions at Disney and Universal, then went on to full parks (the Action Park one is worth the watch) and then also branched out into nostalgic TV and did this absolutely amazing mini-series on the life and career of Jim Henson that left me in tears at the end, and a full length (90 min) documentary on Disneyland's forgotten sci-fi band. Just quality content all around. 

In the same vein, on the children's television side, the channel Poparena has been doing an amazingly deep dive into the History of the Nickelodeon TV network with the 'Nick Knack' series. It goes over all of their major productions, and many of their important acquisitions, one by one in chronological order and goes into the show's history and the people behind it. It's SUPER fascinating and very well researched, with the author mentioning his sources at the end. I'm not American, so a bunch of these shows I've never watched or even never heard of, but I really enjoy the documentaries nonetheless. They also have a fun series, Monthly Goosebump, that goes over every book in the series one by one. 

I feel like this one might be too famous but what the heck: Jelle's Marble Runs! For years now, Jelle's, with the help of commentator Greg Woods, has been entertaining the masses with his amazing marble races! The sand rally, the Marble League (former Marblelympics) and Marbula-1, all with every-increasing production value and their own dedicated fanbase. (#MomoStrong) It might seem silly at first, but I big you to watch Marble League 2021 to see what it's all about! Who knew you could care so much about inanimate balls?


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## Mannahnin (Mar 2, 2022)

Snarf Zagyg said:


> 4. _Call of the Midwife _(Netflix) (Sacrosanct)



I laughed way too hard at the image of a show that's a cross between _Call the Midwife_ and _The Call of the Wild_.


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## Deset Gled (Mar 2, 2022)

Mannahnin said:


> I laughed way too hard at the image of a show that's a cross between _Call the Midwife_ and _The Call of the Wild_.



Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman?


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## Mad_Jack (Mar 3, 2022)

I guess I'll throw this out there, although it's not a tv show per se...

On Youtube there's a channel called _The Charismatic Voice_. In addition to videos on how to sing, vocal analysis videos, and interviews with singers, the lady (Elizabeth Zharoff, a trained opera singer) also does reaction videos to music.
Not only does this woman know what she's talking about as far as singing, but she is ridiculously cute and _absolutely frakkin' hilarious to watch_: she has the most expressive face you've ever seen, and her reactions are priceless.
Sometimes she bounces up and down in her chair and flails her arms, and often goes off into a full geek-spiral about something while still masterfully explaining what she just found so fascinating.

(On a side note, she also plays D&D...)


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## Ulfgeir (Mar 4, 2022)

Mad_Jack said:


> I guess I'll throw this out there, although it's not a tv show per se...
> 
> On Youtube there's a channel called _The Charismatic Voice_. In addition to videos on how to sing, vocal analysis videos, and interviews with singers, the lady (Elizabeth Zharoff, a trained opera singer) also does reaction videos to music.
> Not only does this woman know what she's talking about as far as singing, but she is ridiculously cute and _absolutely frakkin' hilarious to watch_: she has the most expressive face you've ever seen, and her reactions are priceless.
> ...



She is fun to watch. It is clear that she loves music. And her tea time interviews are top notch. Shee really connects with the interviewee and they can Geek out.


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## Blue Orange (Mar 4, 2022)

_Cobra Kai_. In what's sort of an apotheosis of 80s nostalgia TV (making a sequel to _The Karate Kid_ movies_... with the original cast_) they actually do a good job building the characters, making Johnny less of a villain and Daniel less of a hero and even making Kreese credible, and setting up a new bunch of teenagers to do the martial arts thing. (I'd argue there are even a few somewhat-subversive points in the early seasons, but I'm told Netflix overturns them in the last season.)


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## Mannahnin (Mar 4, 2022)

Mad_Jack said:


> I guess I'll throw this out there, although it's not a tv show per se...
> 
> On Youtube there's a channel called _The Charismatic Voice_. In addition to videos on how to sing, vocal analysis videos, and interviews with singers, the lady (Elizabeth Zharoff, a trained opera singer) also does reaction videos to music.



Zharoff is excellent. I don't watch all of her stuff, but certainly some. 

I never expected to get into the Reaction Video YouTube genre, but for music specifically it can be a lot of fun to watch someone experience and respond to a song you love for the very first time.  It's kind of like introducing a friend to music, except that the reactor is (usually) more focused, and often has some music training and puts some work into understanding and articulating what they get out of it.  And you can watch it while you're on the elliptical or driving in to work.   

It's certainly not AS good as introducing an actual friend to a song and having them geek out over it WITH you, but those experiences are sadly hard to come by for most of us, with adult schedules and lives.

My other top channels in this genre are probably College Students React (Andy & Alex), two younger guys who are also hobbyist musicians and have the vocabulary and critical ears to notice and articulate a lot of details, and Lost in Vegas, a couple of guys (George and Ryan) primarily coming to rock and metal music from a hip hop fan background.  Some of my love for the latter may be linked to the fact that they love Black Sabbath and Alice in Chains as much as I do.  The first vid of theirs I ever saw was them hearing War Pigs for the very first time and absolutely losing their minds over it, especially Bill Ward's epic drumming.  Their BS and AiC reactions are something I can pull up any time I have ten or twenty minutes to spare and need a smile.  Oh, and Ixi Music, which is a newer channel which started out just doing deep dives into Nine Inch Nails, but has branched out a bit since.  Ixi gets deep into the sauce of the chord progressions, changes and songwriting.

Closely related is Rick Beato's channel, where you can watch a professional musician break down a ton of classic songs (like in his What Makes This Song Great? series), some of them using isolated tracks he's been able to obtain thanks to industry/producer connections.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Mar 5, 2022)

Mannahnin said:


> Closely related is Rick Beato's channel, where you can watch a professional musician break down a ton of classic songs (like in his What Makes This Song Great? series), some of them using isolated tracks he's been able to obtain thanks to industry/producer connections.



Great channel!


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## Mezuka (Mar 5, 2022)

*Physical* on Apple TV. Watched the first episode. Stunned and fascinated. I can't say more without spoiling the episode. Adult life themes.


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## Hades#2 (Mar 6, 2022)

I recommend The World According To Jeff Goldblum on Disney+. They had an episode where he talked to a guy that travels around looking for old denim at abandoned mining locations and sells it to collectors.


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## Aeson (Mar 6, 2022)

I've enjoyed a Hulu series called Dollface. It stars Kat Dennings. It's a sitcom for mature audiences. Season 2 just premiered recently. The season 1 finale was Wizard of Oz themed and I thought it was clever.


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## DrunkonDuty (Mar 7, 2022)

Just started watching The Amazing Mrs Maisel on Amazon. A 1950s house wife takes up stand-up comedy after her husband leaves her. The show runner is Amy Sherman-Palladino , of Gilmore Girls.


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## Hex08 (Mar 7, 2022)

TV: I generally avoid comedies but absolutely loved The Good Place. For TV, that's about it since I generally watch mostly genre (geek) TV.

Movies: I recently watched _Faster Pussycat! Kil! Kill!_. It's an older movie, I think made in the 1960's
_I Care a Lot _was really good. It's about a woman who is the legal guardian of elderly people and drains their bank accounts. 
_The Courier_ with Benedict Cumberbatch. It's based on a true story and set during the cold war.
There are two Daaniel Radcliff Movies I would recommend. _Swiss Army Man_ and _Guns Akimbo _(just hysterical).
I also recently rewatched _The Basketball Diaries_. It's an adaptation of Jim Carroll's childhood. I was a big fan of his music back in high school in the 1980's.

If you have time to kill and belong to your local library you can use Hoopla or Kanopy to watch The Great Courses. There are some great lectures there. I'm currently watching _The Skeptic's Guide to American History. _I usually watch lectures on history and science but there is a lot to choose from.


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