Season 4-5
In this season (season 1-3 here), Alexa and her friends continue to "assist the police" in Auckland with suspicious or cold cases. It's clever and fun and "low thrill" in that there are no serial killer cases or false cliffhanger stress. A pleasant watch.
4 stars (out of 5)
Season 3
Best cooking show around. Friendly, fun, creative, quick hitting. Same format as first two seasons. We get a couple of theme nights (all Iron Chef winners) and even get host Eric Adjepong taking a turn in the kitchen.
4 stars (out of 5)
A 12 year old (going on 20) is our heroine, as she is dealing with her dad (John Krasinski) going for heart surgery. Especially traumatic since she lost her mom to cancer a few years ago. Staying with her grandmother during the surgery, she is taken back to her childhood as she can see IFs (Imaginary Friends) and gets pulled into a operation with the guy upstairs (Ryan Reynolds) to match IFs with their "kids" who have forgotten them and can no longer see them. In the process, she is reintroduced to her own "12-year-old-ness" and how important it is to be imaginative and have fun. A pretty well executed, if on-the-nose, message movie for teens and adults alike.
4 stars (out of 5)
An L.A. based heist film starring Chris Hemsworth as an expert planner and executor of high end heists. He becomes known as the 101 thief since all of his hits are along the 101 freeway. His MO is that he never hurts anyone, so when his next target is "too dangerous" and he pulls out and his handler gives the job to someone else - who botches it. Enter Mark Ruffalo, grizzled cop and Halle Berry, disillusioned insurance broker. Plan the "walk away" job and find a way to deal with everything that goes wrong. Kinda standard, but it has been awhile since a good heist has come across my eyes, so well worth it.
4 stars (out of 5)
Seasons 1-5
A French television drama following Constance Meyer, a middle aged, second career trainee judge. In the French system, the judges are the investigators who stand between the police and the prosecutors. So basically this is a detective show. Meyer is insightful, uses her life experience to bring a different lens to her investigations, and pushes the boundaries just a bit. She also fills that mother role with her colleagues, who all seem to need it. It is a fun series, not super dark like the British or Scandinavian murder-mysteries tend to be. More like Munch or New Tricks.
4 stars (out of 5)
A one season, amateur detective series from PBS (via BBC). Phyllis Logan (whom you may know as Downton Abbey's Mrs. Hughes) plays Cora Felton. Cora is the British Will Shortz, and has moved to a small village with her niece to get away from the limelight. Turns out she is a decent, if nosy, detective as she helps the marginally competent local police. Similar in tone to New Tricks or Shakespeare & Hathaway.
4 stars (out of 5)
