Best New TV Shows of 2021

*I apologize for the delay in posting. I should have written this before New Year’s Eve.

1. Loki: Tom Hiddleston shines once more as Loki, the complicated immortal who has become much more than the standard antagonist. Forced into new circumstances, he goes on a journey that forever changes him.
2. The Wonder Years: This reboot of the beloved 1980’s/1990’s series is just as poignant as its predecessor. The choice of making the main character and his family African-American only adds to its relevancy.
3. Law & Order: Organized Crime: This spinoff of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit starring Chris Meloni as returning Detective Elliot Stabler is a thrilling and spine tingling hour of television.
4. Ordinary Joe: This new NBC series is the story of one man and three distinct life paths before him. Told concurrently and using different colors for each decision, is is a reminder of how one choice can affect the rest of our lives.
5. Impeachment: American Crime Story: The latest chapter of this long running F/X series focuses on the affair between Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein) and former President Clinton (Clive Owen) and the impeachment trial that followed. Instead of focusing on Clinton, the story is about the women who were directly affected by his less than honorable actions.
6. WandaVision: This first foray by the MCU via DisneyPlus is everything it promised to be. Wanda Maxmioff and Vision (Elisabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany) are living in family sitcom wedded bliss. But it not what it seems to be. With a star making turn by Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, this series is a must see.
7. All Creatures Great and Small: Ths unexpectedly Masterpeice/PBS series is adorable and charming. A rookie vetenarian starts his career in rural Yorkshire in the 1930’s and grows in unexpected ways. The new season starts tonight at 9PM ET/ 8PM CT.
8. Atlantic Crossing: This second Masterpeice/PBS series tells the story of the friendship/supposed affair between Franklin Delanor Roosevelt and Crown Princess Martha of Sweden during World War II. Forgotten for nearly a century, this tale of one woman’s drive to save her nation is truly worth watching.
9. The Book of Boba Fett: This latest entry into the Star Wars universe from DisneyPlus just premiered on December 29th. Though only two episodes have been released, it is already asking questions that are begging for answers.
10. Behind Her Eyes: Based on the book by Sarah Pinborough, this six part Netflix series about a married man’s affair with his secretary has a delicious ending that is jaw dropping and completely out of left field. Few endings have wowed me as this did.

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Atlantic Crossing Review

A mother’s love for her children and a royal’s love of their country is one and the same.

The new PBS/Masterpiece historical drama, Atlantic Crossing, premiered last night. Based on a true story, it starts in 1939. Martha, the Crown Princess of Norway (Sofia Helin) is touring the United States with her husband, Olav, the Crown Prince of Norway (Tobias Santelmann). One of the events on their itinerary is having lunch with the President and First Lady, Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt (Kyle MacLachlan and Harriet Sansom Harris). FDR seems to be taken by the Princess.

A year later, Martha’s idyllic life ends World War II explodes and the Germans invade Norway. While her husband and father-in-law stay protect the nation, Martha and her children first escape to her native Sweden before traveling to the United States. Taking refuge within the walls of the White house, she start to advocate for her native land. This advocacy could be damaging in two equally important areas: her marriage and the tenuous world politics of the era.

The first episode is absolutely brilliant. Helin is perfectly cast as Martha, who could have easily been a shrinking violet, relying on the men around her. But she is smart, tough, and passionate. I wasn’t sure about the casting of MacLachlan and Sansom Harris (who also played the same role in the Netflix series Hollywood) as FDR and Eleanor. But upon seeing the full scene, the spiritual representations of these giants of American history seem to be so far pretty good.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Atlantic Crossing airs on PBS Sunday night at 9PM.

Eleanor Book Review

Some people know from an early age that they are going to change the world. Others simply change their world by being a decent human being and seeing the injustice that is forced on others.

The new Eleanor Roosevelt biography, titled Eleanor, was written by David Michaelis. Published last fall, this is an extensive womb to tomb biography of the late former First Lady. Born in 1884 in New York City to the wealthy and respected Roosevelt family, her childhood was not a happy one. She lost both of her parents and her younger brother by the she was a teenager. As a young woman, she married her fifth cousin and future President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Their marriage not all sunshine and roses. But it became the platform she needed to become one of the greatest social justice warriors of the 20th century. Whether or not she knew it, Eleanor was a proto-feminist while serving as First Lady. Instead of quietly following in the footsteps of her predecessors, she became an activist. While other women were just starting to step out of the traditionally female world, she jumped whole heartedly into the causes she believed in.

This book is a masterpiece. It is gripping, entertaining, and humanizes a giant of American history. I will warn however, that it is far from a short read. But it is completely worth it, taking the reader behind the public image to see real woman behind the myth.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Thoughts On The 77th Anniversary Of Pearl Habor

Dec 7th, 1941, was a day that started like any other. By the time the day was over, the United States, which up to that point has stayed out of World War II, was ready to fight. Over two thousand American soldiers were killed and nearly 1200 were wounded during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt labeled the day as day that would live in infamy.

From our modern perspective, World War II was a clean war. What I mean by a clean war was that the objectives were simple. Protect democracy, protect human rights and fight against those who would be happiest in a world where they alone had political power. The wars that followed World War II were not as clean. There were questions of motives, both political and financial and if the cost of the lives lost was worth the war.

The men and women who fought and died in World War II are called The Greatest Generation. They laid down their lives so we could be free. Today, on the 77th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, we remember them, thank them and hope that they will continue to be remembered for years to come.

Thoughts On The Passing Of Philip Roth

Every genre has their own icon. Philip Roth was one of the icons of modern fiction by Jewish authors or fiction about Jewish characters. He passed away yesterday at the age of 85.

My favorite Philip Roth novel is The Plot Against America.

In the novel, Roth re-wrote history. In 1940, FDR lost the presidential election to Charles Lindbergh. Soon after taking office, Lindbergh not only blamed the Jews for America’s ills, but also negotiated a sort of peace with Germany. The Jews in America, who thought they were safe from the racist, anti-Semitic world that their European brethren lived will soon discover that they will soon be no better off than the Jews of Europe.

We read and re-reading Philip Roth because, like all great writers, he has a way of speaking directly to his readers, regardless of their religious or cultural background.

As they say in our mutual religion, may his memory be a blessing. Not only to those who knew him on a personal level, but also to the millions who have read and loved his books over the years.

Throwback Thursday-Warm Springs (2005)

We have two choices when life throws us a curve ball. We can either roll over and take it or see the opportunities in the curve ball.

In 1921, future President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was crippled by polio. He sought treatment in Warm Springs, Georgia.

In 2005, this period of FDR’s was dramatized in the TV movie, Warm Springs. Stepping into the fictionalized shoes of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were Kenneth Branagh and Cynthia Nixon. While FDR is being treated for polio, he is helping to revitalize the spa and inspire the other patients, in addition to trying to keep his marriage afloat.

In American politics and American history, both FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt are giants. In humanizing the main characters, the audience sees another to the late President and First Lady that only a select few during his time in office saw.

I recommend it.

Thoughts On Fear

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.”-Carrie Fisher

Fear is not a tangible thing. It’s not something we can physically pick up and hold in our hands. But yet feel it. We can smell it, we can taste it.

One of the podcasts I regularly listen to is Problogger (which I highly recommend for my fellow bloggers). One of the things that came up in this week’s podcast was fear. Fear of starting the blog, fear of not being good enough as a blogger, fear that no one will read the blog, etc.

Fear is not entirely bad thing. The fight or flight reflex has been built into our bodies and minds for a purpose. But the question is, when we are looking straight at what scares us, do we have the courage to walk past our fears or do we let our fears stop us?

I know this question is not easy to answer. When faced with the choice of facing our fears or running away, many of us will run.

But what would happen if we didn’t run away, if we faced our fears, not knowing the consequences?

In my own life, I’ve found that when I face my fears, no matter how difficult or scary it seems, I come just a little stronger and a little more confident.

Facing our fears is often the hardest thing we will ever do. But it’s the only way we will ever most past them.

December 7th, A Day That Will Live In Infamy

Today is the anniversary of bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt stated “December 7th, 1941, a day that will live in infamy”.

The Critics Were Wrong (Maybe)- Pearl Harbor (2001)

December 7th, A Day That Will Live In Infamy- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Every generation has that event that forever alters their collective lives. For the Greatest Generation, the event is Pearl Harbor.

The 2001 film, Pearl Harbor, is the story of America’s forced entry into World War II. Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Hartnett) are best friends. Rafe falls in love with Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale).  Rafe is then transferred to England while Danny and Evelyn are transferred to Pearl Harbor.  Things become complicated when Danny and Evelyn’s relationship becomes more than platonic. Then the Japanese attack.

This is a typical Michael Bay movie. The action and special effects are wonderful. The plot needs some tweaking.

Were the critics wrong? Not entirely. Comparisons to Titanic are inevitable (semi weak story, poorly written dialogue, major historical event, incredible special effects, etc). But where Titanic succeeds, Pearl Harbor fails. 

Do I recommend this movie? If the audience is looking for historical accuracy, no. If they are looking for a typical Michael Bay film, yes.

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

In his speech earlier this week, President Obama spoke of fighting the terrorists that are responsible for the deaths of innocents around the world recently. The key phrase that he did not utter, and should have was “extremist Muslim terrorist”.

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

While most people who adhere to the Islamic faith simply want to live their lives as normally and peacefully as possible, some of their religious compatriots have twisted their religion into an excuse to kill and destroy.

I completely disagree with with his choice of words. I understand what President Obama is trying to do, he is trying to smooth the waters as much as possible.  However, when facing an enemy whose singular goal is to destroy the world, kill as many people as they can and then remake the world into their own image, our leaders must publicly and loudly take a stand against this kind of violence.

The Allies understood that during World War II. Led by Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin, the Allies met at the Tehran Conference in 1943 t0 make a public stand against the Nazis and pull their resources together to win the war. The goal of the Nazi party was not that different from from Isis, Hezbollah, or any of the extremist Muslim groups that frequently make headlines. The difference was that the leaders of the then free world understood what was needed to ensure the freedom and security of future generations.

President Obama seems to have his head in the sand in regards to this issue.  I wonder what the history book will say about him in the future. Will be he remembered as the Bill Clinton of his era or the Jimmy Carter of his era? I suspect that many people of this generation will look at him the way that Americans of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s looked at Jimmy Carter.