Counting Cars

This is a show for people who like nice cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Especially if you like seeing old vehicles resurrected and restored to better than new. This showcases the skill of the folks at Counting Cars in Las Vegas, NV. following their projects to a shiny, mechanically perfect completion and the problems they face getting projects finished. The show is also about the people involved as far as what they do and how they get along.

As with most of these type of shows the drama between people is often obviously planned, and usually overplayed. That is a turn off but putting up with that soap opera BS(means ‘bad stuff’ kids) is the price to pay for the wonderful vehicular art presented. I enjoy this show a lot.

Cast includes: Danny Koker aka. The Count,

Available on: Amazon, Netflix

American Pickers

Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz travel all over America in their Mercedes Sprinter van looking for people with cool stuff they can look threw and pick out and purchase items they can sell and make money on. In the beginning they are based in Le Claire, Iowa at a shop called Antique Archeology, and later at a second location in Nashville, Tennessee. Frank Fritz has his own place in Savanna, Illinois called Frank Fritz Finds. In later episodes they switch to a Ford Transit van.

It is fun to watch these folks digging through stuff and coming up with treasures. A lot of the stuff looks like junk but I get surprised when they say what the value actually is. Maybe my spouse will let me collect more junk now! Maybe if I get her off of ‘Hoarders‘ first…hmmm…

Cast includes: Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz, Danielle Colby-Cushman, Lauren Wray, Robbie Wolfe, Dave Ohrt

Available on: Amazon, Yidio, Google Play, Netflix

American Restoration (TV Series)

From the History Channel.

American Restoration is the daily operation of Rick’s Restorations in Los Vegas, Nevada. Rick’s Restorations restores all manner of antiques and collectibles. The variety of items that come through the shop is amazing. The techniques used to restore items is both entertaining and informative. There are even short ‘how to’ segments done by Rick explaining the best methods to use to accomplish desired results.

American Restoration, Counting Cars, Pawn Stars, and American Pickers are all offered by the History channel and cast members often have cameos on other shows. I can’t stand an excess of profanity and unrealistic emotional outbursts in reality shows and this show has achieved a balance of those that allows me to enjoy the program. I enjoy this show.

Cast Includes: Rick Dale, Tyler Dale, Kowboy, Brettly Otterman, Kyle Astorga, Ted Hague, Ron Dale, Kelly Mayer, Rick Harrison, Austin ‘Chumlee’ Russell, Danny Koker, Corey Harrison, Bob Yuhas, Chris Matthews, Horny Mike, Niko, 

Available on: Amazon, Google Play, Yidio, Netflix

Futurama

Fry is a pizza delivery boy. Moments before the year 2000, Fry is frozen in time for the next 1000 years.  In the year 3000, he refuses to return to being a delivery boy, and meets a new friend named Bender by accidentally stepping into a suicide booth. They both live and decide to mooch off of his living distant nephew, Dr. Farnsworth, incidentally Dr. Farnsworth is looking for a delivery team for Planet Express. Leela the career assignment officer decides to abandon her job, and joins Fry and Bender on the Planet Express team. Fry meets Dr. Zoidberg the Planet Express doctor who is an lobster-like alien, and Amy Wong a rich engineering student at Mars University. The main plot revolves around the Planet Express company and it’s employees and the central group (Fry, Leela, and Bender).

Voice Actors: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman.

WE LOVED THIS SERIES! Mostly me though. I was so thrilled when I saw the ending, which is a real tearjerker and an utter surprise at that. Even though this show had lots of crudeness it was maybe one of the best endings to a TV series that I’ve ever seen. I was very pleased that it didn’t end on a cliff hanger.

Available on: Netflix, Google Play, and Amazon.

House (TV Series)

Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) an unconventional doctor with amazing skills at a fictional hospital (Princeton Plainsboro) in New Jersey. He works as the head of Diagnostic Medicine with his team working on the most puzzling cases, . He deals with constant pain from muscle damage by popping pain relievers. His physical disability causes him to be depressed and moody, as a result Dr. House is not exactly a ‘people person’, quite the contrary, he is frequently quite offensive to people around him but his medical brilliance and dedication tend to overshadow his rudeness.

I love watching House even if it’s the reruns, but I think it might be an acquired taste for many. The cases they face can be quite amazing! I was surprised how good Hugh’s American accent was, since he is British, it was spot on.

Cast includes: Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Peter Jacobson, Kal Penn, Olivia Wilde, Amber Tamblyn, Odette Annable, Charlyne Yi

Available on: Netflix, Google Play, Amazon

Crossing Jordan (TV Series)

Jordan Cavanaugh is the only child of a widowed and retired ex-cop. She is a forensic pathologist who can’t help getting involved in the cases of the deceased victims she sees in front of her everyday. She is a rule breaker when it is necessary, and is very direct when dealing with people. Dr. Jordan works in the Boston morgue with a crew of unique individuals who are all great at what they do.

I don’t have the foggiest idea how I missed this show when it first aired. Crossing Jordan is a forensic procedural drama. It is well acted, and well written. It is fun to watch.

Cast includes: Jill Hennessy, Miguel Ferrer, Ravi Kapoor, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Valentine, Jerry O’Connell

Available on: Netflix, TV.com, TV Muse

Longmire (TV Series)

Walt Longmire(Robert Taylor) is the sherrif of the fictional Absaroka County in the state of Wyoming. He leads his office against the criminal element in his area. Walt is a widower but has one grown daughter. With only four police officers available the Sherrif’s office personnel are in high demand even though it is a rural area. With big ranches,indian reservations, and industry nearby racial, and environmental tensions cause problems too.

The Longmire TV series is based on the book series called The Walt Longmire Mysteries written by best selling author Craig Johnson. The show obviously has a old west feel with all the western trappings such as horses, cowboy boots, and cowboy hats. The main character even reminds me a bit of Matt Dillon(James Arness). As a matter of fact the show is a lot like Gunsmoke just adding in a few modern conveniences and production advances. I like it.

Cast includes: Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff, Bailey Chase, Adam Bartley, Cassidy Freeman, Lou Diamond Phillips

Available on: Google Play, Amazon, Netflix

Foyle’s War

Christpher Foyle(Michael Kitchen) is a Detective Chief Superintendant in Hastings, Sussex, England during World War Two. As such he fights against crime that frequently takes advantage of the war-time condition such as pilfering, the black market, profiteering and murder. Foyle is assisted by Detective Sergeant Paul Milner(Anthony Howell) and a driver named Samantha Stuart(Honeysuckle Weeks).

I really enjoy Foyle’s War. It must be quite a challenge to make films about the past when it comes to sets, props, wardrobe and slang used at the time(or banter for you Monty Python fans). I am impressed by the job these folks have done making season after season always maintaining a high level of attention to details even when it comes to the background of shots, especially when shooting outdoors. That is representative of the overall quality of Foyle’s War.

The Official Foyle’s War Fan Site

Cast includes: Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks, Anthony Howell

Available on: Hulu Plus, Google Play, Yidio, Netflix

Caprica

Caprica is about two families on the planet Caprica the Greystones and the Adamas. Both families are among those devastated by a terrorist attack. Each family responds to the attack in their own way. The attack is found to be the work of a small group advocating the worship of one God over the worship of many Gods which is the norm on Caprica.

With major advances in virtual reality Daniel Graystone decides to attempt to build an VR avatar of his daughter and offers the same to Joseph Adama but the one God group has different ideas for the VR technology. Greystone’s company is working on battle robots for the Caprican government and in an attempt to bring his daughter into the real world he attempts to install the avatar of his daughter into his prototype.  Here ends the spoilers!

Caprica is a 2010 spin-off prequel of the Battlestar Galactica series. It is set about 50 years before the Battlestar Galactica timeline. The show has a very complicated storyline but it holds together well. Effects are good enough but not amazing. There is some decent action but a lot of dialogue getting to it but a complicated storyline requires a lot of plot and character development. Caprica did and does offer the science fiction fan a few new ideas and that is rare. This is a really good show.

Cast includes: Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Paula Malcomson, Alessandra Torresani, Magda Apanowicz, Sasha Roiz, Brian Markinson, Polly Walker

Available on: Google Play, Amazon, Netflix

Doc Martin (TV Series)

Doc Martin Ellingham(Martin Clunes) is a General Practitioner doctor with a practice in the Cornish village of Portwenn. He is quite a good doctor in most respects, but is ill tempered, rude, lacking in social graces and to top it off can’t stand the sight of blood! Yet inside…perhaps deep inside there is a caring and brave person. The villagers of Portwenn and environs offer Dr. Martin quite a variety of challenges.

Doc Martin is good clean family fun. The show has loads of humor and well acted characters you may identify with especially if you live or have lived in a small community. Sets are wonderful, camera work is superb, and scripts well done and fun. This is a show I have used after a difficult day to improve my attitude, watching grumpy Doc Martin seems to take the grumpy out of me. Have fun.

Cast includes: Martin Clunes, Caroline Catz, Ian McNeice, Joe Absolom, Selina Cadell, Jessica Ransom, Annabelle Apsion, Stephanie Cole, Katherine Parkinson, Louise Jameson, Eileen Atkins

Doc Martin fan site click here!

Available on: Hulu, Netflix, ITV