I love netflix but unfortunately everything I want to watch is only available on DVD, not streaming. I did watch some of Breaking Bad. Right now watching all the James Bond movies in order and tonight might watch Last Tango in Paris.

I know I sound like a broken record to anyone who reads all my posts-- but tonight I am going to watch the final episode of Foyle's War. Absolutely loved it.

I also loved the binge experience with: Wallander, Orange is the New Black, Chef, Sherlock!, Prime Suspect, Wire in the Blood, Dexter, The Killing, Parenthood and Homeland.

When I was recovering from elbow surgery, I binge watched Rosemary & Thyme.. not what I would call great drama but it was very enjoyable. I loved the opening sequence and the simple, light-hearted murder mysteries.

I tried to watch The VIkings but I despite the absolutely stunning cinematography, I couldn't deal with the violence.

I'd love to watch both Rita and Dicto. Both are coming up in my recommendations-- but I just can't deal with the subtitles right now. I'll save them for when life settles down a bit.

So glad you are able to relax, Daisy.. I am sure you will have ups and downs in the months to come so take the time to relax and recharge when you can!

The movie 'Chef' was great! (The F bomb doesn't bother me when watching without kids.)

Ml

Thanks for the good suggestions. LOL Funky, I'm convinced - Foyle's War is up next.

I love streaming- Netflix and Amazon have amazing shows.

The sooner cable tv dies, the better.

LOL remodelorbuild! I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did.. I mentioned on FB that I was watching the final season and quite a number of people across all avenues of my life popped up to say they loved it also. It's just really well done-- my only complaint is that the (very few) american characters are pretty much caricatures-- loud, crass and swaggering!

I enjoyed the movie Chef, maddielee.. but for binge watching, I was referring to the BBC series.
If you like food related movies mixed with quirky romance, I highly recommend Mostly Martha-- it is a favorite!

I liked Broadchurch and Last a Tango in Halifax. I'm also watching Monarch of the Glen and the one with a title that includes the name Kimmie Schmidt. I'm too lazy to look it up. It's directed by Tina Fey. In movies I really liked Hugo.

Happy Valley for you Sarah Lancashire fans.

Kimmie Schmidt was an unexpected hit for me.

I just watched Tammy today-it was on HBO, so I recorded it. I have to say, despite the bad reviews, I enjoyed it and laughed a lot.

I also loved Lilyhammer- it's truly a departure dark comedy.

Crossing Lines was my latest binge over spring break. Next one will probably be The Fall.

Crossing Lines is really good-love William Fichtner ;-)

I am not sure what I have watched where (netfliz, hbo, showtime, hulu). DH I just finished watching The Affair. I thought it was slow at first, but it picked up. (as someone said above, warning this is not for the kids). I caught a few Nurse Jackie episodes on the plane and am starting to watch that now. DH and I loved the Mindy Project at first but it has kind of jumped the shark.

I'm totally up to name on OITNB and DA and MadMen, the last being my absolute fave.

I actually have an issue with the way these shows are available in bulk. I hesitate to start one, because I am not very disciplined. I watched 2 episodes of the Affair on the way home from Hawaii, and the next 8 over the next few days when we got home, some at 1am!

I know there are a lot of good series out there but I almost hate to start one.

Edited to add: I also saw Olive Kitteridge (HBO?) on a recent flight. I'd read the book. It also started slow but I thought it was excellent!

Usually my Dh is the Netflix guru in our home, but I did just finish watching Forsyth Saga and enjoyed it a lot. I've binge watched White Collar, Bones and a couple of others, but like the Masterpiece Theater collections better on Amazon. Ever since Downton Abby, I've been drawn towards shows from that era. I have Foyle's War on my list as well as The Fall. Glad to see so many good suggestions! I thought Rosemary and Thyme was pretty cute too...

I don't have netflix but wonder where it will take me when I get it. We are fans of Longmire which A&E cancelled, but netflix has picked it up, so I'll be following it there. The only thing is, I have so many hours of viewing already recorded on the dvr that I never seem to get to... expanding that library will only make it worse.

Lukkirish,

My kids (12,13,15) love,love Downton Abbey and were sad to see the season end. I was trying to think of a movie that might have a similar feel, and though of Room with a View (Merchant Ivory), based on the EM Forster novel.

They loved it! In fact my 12yo said it was her new fave movie. It may help a tad if you are feeling DA-deprived. You get grand homes, nice costuming, accents, love interests and a dollop of Maggie Smith. Generally fine for kids, too. except for an extended pond frolic with full frontal male nudity (much giggling ensued here).

dedtired - I thoroughly enjoyed Monarch of the Glen when it first aired and now I'm re-watching the series. I had forgotten that Julian Fellowes played Kilwillie. Will you try and visit to the estate (Ardverikie) when you're in Scotland?

How sad that Foyle's War is coming to an end. February was so brutally cold I also watched quite a few films on Netflix - Quartet, Mrs. Brown, Cheerful Weather for the Wedding, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Owd Bob, Evening, Into the West, Big Night, Life's a Breeze, Shirley Valentine, From Time to Time.

Did anyone see the original British House of Cards? We enjoyed it as much as the Netflix one. But Netflix seems to be taking things a step further.

I go through spurts where I binge watch on Netflix then spend weeks reading books and watching nothing on TV/netflix/amazon prime. I love love love British series and most that I've watched have already been mentioned. One short series that I really enjoyed but hasn't been mentioned is Island at War...about how residents of the Channel Islands deal with German occupation during the war (those who read Guernsey and Potato Peel Pie Society would like this show). The first few seasons of Ballykissangel I absolutely loved, but did not enjoy the last 1-2 seasons as much. I watched this series not long after a trip to Ireland and was dying to return after watching it. I'll have to go through my lists on Netflix and Amazon to remind myself of other series to recommend.

Maire_Cate,

Big Night may be my favorite movie. It is so funny and sweet.

Ever listen to the scene where they are eating? The clatter of silverware was actually composed! (The original music parts were composed by a fellow I knew growing up...)

Agreed on Big Night. It's one I can watch over and over (and generally, I do not like to repeat).

I have to beware of binge watching too-- this week, we watched an episode each night. That wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't also watching more tv. We'll do "binge" date nights which I quite enjoy.. A fire, a couple of episodes, conversation... sometimes I'll make a pitcher of sangria.. or lay out a light meal on a board. It's quiet and romantical.

We finished Foyle tonight. I have recorded Dig but we weren't too keen on the first episode. I think we're going to catch up on some movies and documentaries. BTW Netflix has a great collection of documentaries!

Well, it's probably a good thing that Cdn netflix doesn't have a lot of the shows you all have recommended as I just have one more day of holiday left and I really should be preparing for the next term. I will confess to watching the first episode of Last Tango and will try to limit myself to one episode a week :)

Scott and Bailey, British detective series, really good, also liked Rosemary and Thyme, British. New Tricks, also a British detective series, is serious detective work by retired detectives who must adjust to modern technology, a little poking fun at themselves. There is 13 seasons of this. Another vote for Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren, best ever! I love to binge watch, one can get so much more immersed and lost.

mtnrdredux, also look into The Remains of the Day -- Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson. It's about the the lives of the servants in a manor house, set in the 30s. It's slow moving & subtle, may not be everyone's cup of tea, but a favorite of mine. I love Emma Thompson.

The Remains of the Day

i just recently watched Gilmore Girls. Loved it! there are so many that are good, it is hard to know what people have watched. The most surprising to me was Buffy. I didn't watch it for years because I assumed it was stupid. Probably one of the best shows I have ever seen.

The new Netflix series Bloodline was terrific (I adore Kyle Chandler). The French police procedural Spiral. Any British detective series (although, Acorn.tv has a much better selection), anything with Jason Isaacs (yes, I am watching Dig on USA), Asian police/crime dramas.

Mtnrdredux, thanks for the tip! I will look it up and add it to the list! I think Downton Abby is going to be sorely missed for a long time, but it seems to have given PBS and the Master Piece Theater a new life which is great. For the Mystery Lovers, I really enjoyed Endeavor (Inspector Morse from his younger days), Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis. They're all from the Masterpiece Mystery and on Amazon. Granchester, is the newest series from PBS and still on network tv, but also really well done.

A sleeper of a movie found on netflix is Dean Spanley. I just happened on it last weekend when DH was out of town and a friend was visiting for the weekend. If you like quiet, quirky British films and you are a dog person, this is wonderful. It stars Peter O'Toole, Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, and Jeremy Northam. You will laugh and cry. Be sure to pay close attention to the dialogue. I watched it again with DH last evening and picked up on several lines I had missed when first watching it. There is one line spoken softly by Bryan Brown as he and the Dean are leaving the last dinner that is wonderful. It is a gem of a film.

Oh, and don't look up anything about it. Best to let it unfold as you watch.

Cyn, what ages is it for?

Another movie I enjoyed was In A World. It's about a voice over actor. Strange topic, but good movie.

MaireCate, at this point I have no idea what we are visiting in Scotland!. Well, some, but things are not very organized. I am not in charge or everything would be in place since I am a control freak about these things. I'd like to visit "Glenbogle".

This thread is killing me. I feel like I should be watching more television!

That sounds wonderful, Cyn.. thank you-- and thank you for the tip to not read about it first! I hate when I go into a movie knowing too much.
I enjoyed In a World too.. off beat but good.

I love building a queue for days when I am feeling "off" or when I have some unexpected downtime. Not all end up being hits for me-- but since I tend to binge obsessively (redundant?), that works for me. I get drawn into my favorites and enjoy the rest. Many thanks to each of you.

And speaking of obsessive, I better step away from this thread and finish packing up food stuffs for Easter Dinner. I am expected in an hour!!

Someone above enjoyed Bloodline, good to know: we watched the first episode last night and DH did not enjoy it all that much, the actors are great so I'm thinking we should watch another episode, usually the first episode doesn't grip you right away. It's rather a noir family series, I guess that's a departure from Parenthood etc...

Mtn, I think it is fine for your children, although you may want to watch it first (one sad part, but turns out not to be really, although I well up a bit when I think of it and sobbed like a baby the second time around-email me if you want details. I just don't want to give it all away). No bad language, no sex. Set in turn of the century (19th-20th) England.

I will most likely watch it one more time alone. It really is lovely.

Did anyone mention Enchanted April? You have probably seen it, but that is another delightful small film with Joan Plowright and Miranda Richardson.

I am the one who liked Bloodline. The first two episodes are slow, but stay with it, there is a lot of content you will need later. It does a lot of time shifting, which I don't mind, but I know some people prefer a linear timeline. I wasn't big on Parenthood (and I love Lauren Graham).

Bloodline gets good, really good. The actor who plays the big brother, Danny, is brilliant.

Ben Mendelson, a "must see" in Animal Kingdom, with Jacki Weaver (Bradley Cooper's mom in Silver Linings Playbook).

I also loved both seasons of Derek. Good for Ricky Gervais for going out on top.

For Maggie Smith fans as we go through withdrawal from DA, I recommend The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie from 1969......rated PG. She won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal as an unconventional teacher.

Mtn.....your kids might enjoy it as it takes place at a Scottish boarding school in the 1930's.

I enjoyed In A World, too! Especially with a theater major son who would like to include VoiceOver work in his career.

Just saw "About Time" by the same people behind Love, Actually. It is a new favorite. A young man learns from his dad Bill Nighy that the men in the family have a gift: they can time travel. It's charming, not sci-fi.

Dean Spanley sounds good!

I have watched a couple of the Kimmy Schmidt episodes and they are typical Tina Fey----funny, but you have to be in a certain mood to watch it.

Loved the film About Time, one of my faves of recent movies.

Saw I Am Love, starring Tilda Swinton, was recently added to Netflix. It's a wonderful movie, a little disturbing, def not for kids. She learned to speak Italian with a Russian accent for this film----her process and character portrayals are very intense, I think she is one of the best living actors.

Another movie set in Scotland and starring Colin a Firth is My Life So Far. The child through whose eyes the story is told (and the author of the book by the same title) later became one of the founding members of the BBC and a patron of the opera. He* wrote a wonderful book of opera plot summaries that is really well done, very witty and informative.

*Denis Forman

kswl - I absolutely loved My Life So Far- what a quirky, endearing little film.

We were at our place in the PA mountains in February and it was so cold that we spent a lot of time by the fireplace watching films. A few more that fit that category are: Cheerful Weather for the Wedding; Life's a Breeze; A Month by the Lake; The Station Agent; Enchanted April ( I think I may have mentioned a couple of these upthread).

The Merchant Ivory Productions are usually worth watching too - my favorites are Howards End, the Remains of the Day and a Room With a View. DD joined us for a long weekend and she happened to watch a few scenes from Howards End and then commented "is this another one of those movies where nothing happens?

I found the first season of "Reign" to be excellent as well as very different. A host of young talent for sure. It is from CW television network which is now showing season two. Can't wait for season three.

Saw this thread and thought of DD#1's recent review published in her college paper:

(Not) Movie Review: “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

I’ve been forced to review a television series that isn’t even on TV
due to the crappy quality of the movies that have come out recently.
There is no way I’m going to see “Get Hard” or “Home,” the two newest
movies in theater. So instead, I’m going to take a look at the Netflix
original series, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” this week.

The new series, launched in March, stars the ridiculously adorable
Ellie Kemper, best known for her time playing Erin on “The Office,” as
Kimmy Schmidt, a woman who lived in an underground bunker for 15 years
because of a crazy preacher. Now she’s out, living in New York and
discovering she doesn’t know much about the way the world works.

The show, written by Tina Fey, brings Jane Krakowski and Tituss
Burgess from Fey’s previous project, “30 Rock.” The cast as a general
whole are over the top, but ridiculous enough to be funny and not induce
headaches.

The show’s premise is simple enough. Each episode follows Kimmy as
she tries to get a job, a boyfriend and forget about her past as a “mole
woman.”

This was the first Netflix series I had seen, and I was impressed by
the quality of the show. For the most part the editing and script was
well executed, and the comedic timing was on point.

There were a few times when I thought the comedy went for lower
blows. It’s not an overly intelligent comedy, but it kept a good medium
level, hovering somewhere between gags and full on racism. The show’s
greatest downfall comes in the times when it stoops for the easy laughs
and gets a little too close to insulting. That being said, I appreciate
that the show is aimed for an adult audience, but it doesn’t constantly
rely on awkward sex jokes that seem to be the go-to for current TV
comedies.

Another comedy staple of recent years, the poorly executed
flash-back, was abundant in this show, but I didn’t dislike it. Each
flashback revealed a part of Kimmy’s life in the bunker, which proved to
be material that could be spread throughout the remainder of the
season, and not just used as a one-time bit joke.

The characters are an interesting mix of clichés and new ideas. I
really enjoyed the landlady role of Lillian. She was an interesting take
on a crazy New Yorker who commonly referenced her shady and backward
past.

The show relies on secondary characters to play the role of the
straight man who isn’t in on the jokes. While this works sometimes, it
would be nice to have a more constant role of non-ridiculousness to
compare the rest of the cast to.

Overall, it’s a great show to fill in your hours of boredom, but it’s
not a piece of art. You’re not going to fall in love with the
characters like you do in “The Office” or “Parks and Recreation,” but
you will thoroughly enjoy their quirky personalities and antics.

3.5/5

Mtn and others who like Downton, check out the series North and South, it is definitely age appropriate for Mtn's daughters and is very lovely. Plus, the book is great too!

arcy, How nicely done! Kudos to DD.

Local, I tried to watch that a few years ago and dozed off I must admit. But that was back when a girl had options. I may have to revisit it! Thx

I don't think this series was mentioned - Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The setting is Melbourne in the 1920's and Phryne Fisher is a decidedly single and stylish Private Detective. It's a different take on the normal 'female' crime solver. Phryne is independent, a feminist and choses to live alone and take lovers. She's more James Bond than Miss Marple or Nancy Drew. She's wealthy, lives in an old Victorian and carries a pearl handled pistol in her bag. The settings are realistic and evocative of the 20's and Phryne's costumes are simply stunning.

I second localeater's recommendation of North and South. I loved it. And the book, too.

I'll confess to being a Netflix virgin. LOL

North and South. That brings back memories. I loved that series.

Dicte is fabulous sub titles and all. Love British dramas so I have watched everything British on Netflix and Amazon. Love Vera but very dark for kids. I loved Crossing Lines but it looks like all the great characters are not returning for season 3:-(