I have been working on this post for three months because all I did was rewatch Smallville for a long time. I seem to be able to watch other things now, so hopefully my next post will have more shows (or not, I need to read more!).
Smallville
I accidentally almost watched the Arc of Suck. Picture this. It was Season 8, Clark was finally working at the Daily Planet. He was partners with Lois. They were getting closer and after four seasons of JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY we were so close. They moved in for a kiss and Lana Lang walked in.
I’m sure I’ve said this before, but I’ve never seen a season tank so fast after such a good first half. Except for maybe Twisted? I still think about Twisted from time to time. I think my favourite non-favourite thing about the show was the on-screen hashtags. #PoorJo.
Anyway, I ditched this arc and started watching…
The Undoing (HBO)
I wanted to like this show but I’m so over HBO and their horrible opening themes. They’re horrible. It’s always a white woman singing a depressing song. Or at least I feel like it is? Anyway, the show is…boring. I like Hugh Grant in it, though.
Make It Or Break It (ABC)
This show is perfect cheesy, ABC family goodness! It also has possibly one of the worst characters I’ve ever seen. Her karma comes in form of a heart condition right when she’s training for the Olympics. Instead of letting that stew, she has one of those magical fix all surgeries. Sigh. Overall, though, it’s a fun show about the life and drama of teen Olympic hopeful gymnasts. Unfortunately, it took a nose dive when they put one of the main characters on a bus, but it’s worth watching.
Cocaine Cowboys (Netflix)
… this show was entertaining but…where was the accountability? It was eight episodes of HEH HEH HEH WE SOLD DRUGS AND IT WAS GREAT! UNTIL WE GOT CAUGHT AND THEN… ANYWAY HEH HEH WE SOLD DRUGS! By the time they’re telling us what happened to the titular cowboys, I’d already looked them up because I didn’t trust the documentary to deliver me the information in a serious way. Maybe a scripted series would have worked better?
Dirty John: Betty Broderick Story (Netflix)
Amanda Peet is amazing in this. It was slow in places, but all in all it’s entertaining. The end was abrupt, but they didn’t really have much to go on at that point. Betty went to jail, her husband and his wife were dead. The real story is kind of crazy, tbh.
Movies
Election
What an odd movie. It came on BBC iPlayer and I watched it…it’s interesting, I guess. I wouldn’t watch it again, though.
I feel like this movie could have been ten times better than it was. Instead, they played it straight and after the initial ‘shock’ wore off, it was your typical horror movie. I guess this was for the ones who are obsessed with the idea of an evil Superman.
On an alternate Earth, the Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane, which causes a rampage in the hero. Superman decides to take control of Earth, Batman and his allies will have to attempt to stop him.
I was pleasantly surprised with Justin Hartley in this, but overall… way too much was happening in the movie. Apparently, the game and comments are better. It just seems like DC are trying to cash in on those obsessed with the idea of an evil Superman.
Podcasts
Dirty John
I had never heard the full Dirty John story before and I don’t mean to victim blame or shame, but the whole family just seem off. From the mother taking in this guy, to the daughter learning survival skills from The Walking Dead? Yikes on bikes.
Dr. Death (Season 1)
This is a terrifying podcast. I held off listening because people said it was graphic (it wasn’t for me, but some parts made me tear up). There are some sick people in the world.
Is We Dumb
Funny podcast about dumb people on the internet.
Save Me: The Smallville Anthology
A retrospective look back on Smallville in honour of its 20th anniversary. I’m enjoying listening to it and hearing the old cast interviews. I think my favourite thing was Tom Welling being all I DON’T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CHARACTER when he met Christopher Reeve…who probably still ranks high on the list of Supermen in terms of ability and popularity…I guess that explains why Clark spent seven years fixing tractors on the show.
File on 4 – Hush Money: The rise and fall of an international fraudster
Hushpuppi was not a serious person. Talk about hustlin’ backwards! He forgot the first rule of 419 club – don’t flaunt the wealth!
Slow Burn (Slate)
Season 3 covers Biggie and Tupac and is a good listen. I’m listening to season 2 which is about Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. I guess we’re supposed to feel sorry for her and how she was treated, but I… don’t? Yes, she was young and yes, Bill Clinton took advantage of her and there was a clear power imbalance, but there seems to be some strange need for everyone to take the blame for how she was treated.
The White Saviours (Canadaland)
I remember hearing about this very vaguely, but I wasn’t surprised to hear much of what was presented here. It’s about a Canadian charity that found a way to profit from their so-called charitable endeavours. I also learned a new word from this show. Voluntourism! It’s a very good listen and only six episodes.
Cool Mules (Canadaland)
This podcast is something else. Basically a VICE editor managed to convince people to travel to Australia with huge amounts of cocaine on them. Crazy stuff.
Books
Nothing. I almost miss lockdown because I got so much reading done. Now I’m reading 26 different books at once and it’s a mess.
Does anyone have any podcast recommendations?
supernatural snark 