TV: The Split, Seasons 1-3

This is a British series about marriage, divorce, and relationships. Almost all the main characters are legal professionals who specialize in family law and so you get to see storylines of marriages coming together and falling apart for one reason or another. The main storyline is about the slow dissolving of the main character’s marriage, hence the title. Hannah and Nathan go through some crazy ups and downs throughout this series. 

The writing is so good and the acting is so good and its starring my new favorite actress, Nicola Walker, from Unforgotten. This is a three-season series. I watched all three seasons on Hulu.

Photo by stevepb

Fall 2023 Cheesy Romance Triple Play

Big Sky River (2022)

Honestly, I don’t know where the title comes from. A recent divorcée travels from New York to spend the summer in Parable, Montana. While there, she falls in like with the widowed sheriff, make some friends, and is enamored by the beauty of Montana. There’s a slight complication because her stepdaughter who comes to visit, feels emotionally attached to her and abandoned by her father. I’m sure you can guess what happens in the end. This movie is based on a book written by one of my favorite romance authors, Linda Lael Miller. The cast features Kavan Smith, frequent Hallmark romantic lead, Lochlyn Munro, who you’ve seen if you watch any TV, and Lucia Walters, who was on the last season of Virgin River! 

Production: Authentic production and styling and a really good but terribly under-used supporting cast. Maybe that means there will be a sequel.
Tropes: Career vs. Love
Diversity: Some representation of BIPOC, but I’m not sure if that’s what Montana looks like!
Production: Front Street Pictures and released by Hallmark Channel.

How’d you watch it: DVD checked out from my local library.

To Her with Love (2022)
I’ve never done this before, but I want to analyze the DVD cover before I watch the movie: This is a Hallmark Mahogany production, Hallmark’s Black or African American line of films. There are two attractive Black people on the cover, and in the background is the brick façade of some kind of institution. There’s some kind of mural (I hope not graffiti) that fades up into the photo of the couple. So I am thinking that they’re playing on the Sidney Poitier classic To Sir, With Love, and the institution-like building is a school. The closer I look at the mural on the cover, I notice that it might have students or kids or people sitting at desks or maybe in an auditorium. I see some hands up in the background so maybe a classroom? But I hope its not an inner city classroom. Please no basic stereotypes!
The movie: Yes! This is an excellent Hallmark cheesy romance movie! No they did not fall for the basic stereotypes! A teacher fills in as the art teacher at her old high school, while she hopes for a job at a better-funded school and/or her dream of teaching abroad comes true. Of course, she meets another very dedicated teacher who also happens to be a handsome single man. I thought the story was unique and I love the throwback to To Sir, With Love. I like that in the end she didn’t have to give anything up and that it wasn’t just romance, but also friendship that she gained. Brittany L. Smith from Sweet Magnolia fame plays the friend in this movie!

Production: The acting was on par for a cheesy romance. The locations and styling looked authentic and the people comfortable in them. The only really bad thing was the lighting, which was off in many scenes. You would think they wouldn’t have such a hard time lighting Black folk since this is a Mahogany.
Tropes: Shared Goal • Return to Hometown • Career vs. Love
Diversity: Yep.
Production Co.: Evergreen Film Productions and released by Hallmark Mahogany
How’d you watch it: DVD checked out from my local library.

Pumpkin Pie Wars (2016)
The children of feuding bakers take up the mantle to win the annual baking competition for their respective parents’ bakeries. In the process, they learn that each of them has a skill that could help the other, so they trade to try to win the contest, and to succeed in their endeavors beyond the contest. Acting is on par with a good Hallmark movie. I found the story charming and somewhat unique with different-than-expected ending. Pumpkin Pie Wars is a good Hallmark movie that I watched on a DVD checked out from my local library.

Production: The production and styling gives a sense of authenticity: The actors look comfortable and familiar with the sets and costuming.
Tropes: Friends to lovers • Secret Contract/Agreement • Family Feud
Diversity: Nope.
Production Co.: Crown Media Productions and released by Hallmark Channel 

How’d you watch it: DVD checked out from my local library.

TV: Ode to Deadwood

 I found this old review I wrote January 5, 2016. Things have changed since! 

I am re-watching Deadwood Season One... It's funny to me how deep I fell into this show immediately even now as I'm watching it for the second time. This is notable because The Wire, which is possibly my favorite TV show, has a slow start each season and it takes about three episodes before you get fully invested and wanting to know what is next.

Deadwood hits you... BAM! Who's this guy who walks funny? Why is that whore so dedicated to that mean dude?  What the heck happened to that family and why is that plotline taking so much time in these episodes?

I think this show is shot beautifully. The cinematography manages to take in the landscape of this mining-camp-growing-up and also focus on the characters. The dialogues are framed really well, and just leave the audience wanting to know who is the real bad guy in this situation. Some scenes are just downright artsy fartsy, but nothing seems out of place.

I particularly like David Milch's character dialogues and monologues in this show. I like the way the word "fuck" is used so artfully and sometimes completely appropriate and intelligently. He does good dialogue, but not always good story as was evidenced in John From Cincinatti, which was the flop-of-a-TV-show he carelessly tossed Deadwood aside for. Butthead.

So, now I'm re-watching and loving Deadwood, a show that will never offer me a finale. A show who's characters are forever stuck in screen-written purgatory. May you one day rest in peace.