Television Binge Watching #MFRWAuthor

For two weeks, I participated in MFRW's 52-Week Blog Challenge on Fridays. I was really happy about the 3rd week's topic--bingeing on TV shows. So happy, I wrote my post before realizing I'd already committed to Chrys Fey's "I Survived" Blogfest last Friday. Waste not, want not, as my mother would say. Even though, it's not Friday, here's my post.

TV Shows I Binge On

If you follow my blog, you know I love watching movies and television. Never ask me to name my favorite book, movie, or TV show. I can’t. My favorites change like Michigan weather. Binge watching takes favorites to an extreme. Let me tell you about some shows I’ve binged on.

photo: IMDB

Firefly: science fiction adventure. Long gone, but not forgotten. After watching the movie Serenity, I found a DVD with all fourteen episodes. Watched them all the way through and then over again several times. What’s not to like about Captain Reynolds (Nathan Fillion)?

photo: IMDB

Stargate SG-1: action/adventure. I missed all ten seasons when they were on originally. I’d catch one here and there, but not faithfully until we got Amazon Prime. Binged on all of them, just not all at once. Interesting premise (traveling via a portal to different planets) and a great cast.

photo: IMDB

Farscape: science fiction, action/adventure/romance. Totally missed this series during its four-season run. Besides the sci-fi aspect, I loved the creatures designed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. The romance started slow and built. I just hated the way the series ended.

The above were shows I binge-watched because they were no longer on. But I have other favs besides science fiction. Here are my current ones. Thank goodness, we’re getting the Ovation Channel now on cable.

photo: IMDB

Murdoch Mysteries (aka The Artful Detective): mystery. My sister gave us the 1st season on DVD for Christmas one year. She is so lucky to live near Detroit because she gets a Canadian channel and watches new episodes as they're released. For ten years, Detective Murdoch, with the Toronto Constabulary, solves crimes in the 1890s using unusual at the time (but commonplace now) scientific methods. Meanwhile, he and Medical Coroner Dr. Julia Ogden danced around each other in a will-they/won’t-they romance. Based on books by Maureen Jennings. Before Ovation came to our cable network, I went to the library and borrowed the DVDs.

photo: IMDB

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: mystery. Another recommendation from my sister. Phryne Fisher of Melbourne solves mysteries in the late 1920s in this Australian three-season series. Based on the books by Kerry Greenwood. I'd read the first book, Cocaine Blues, first in the series before watching the TV series. Love the period costumes, Phryne’s battles over injustice, and her banter with Detective Jack Robinson. I haven't seen all the episodes but, sheesh, would they just kiss!

photo: Amazon

Father Brown: mysteries on PBS. You might recognize the actor who plays the sleuth-priest in a 1950s English village from Doctor Who (Rory's dad) and Harry Potter (Ron Weasley's dad), Mark Williams. He's accomplishes are a hoot. As I've said with regard to most of my favorite shows, it's the cast that makes the show.

See what I mean about not being able to choose one?

Do you binge watch? What are your favorites?

Insecure Writers Support Group - Winter Blahs

It’s the first Wednesday of the month and time for the Insecure Writers Support Group. The purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! A big THANKS to Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts Gwen Gardner, Dolorah, Sarah Foster, and M. Pax!

The groundhog saw his shadow on Monday so it’s six more weeks of winter. No surprise there. In six weeks, spring arrives—whether Punxutawney Phil or Staten Island Chuck see their shadows or not. Spring can’t come soon enough. Although we didn’t get the snowfall Boston and the East Coast did last week, the Super Bowl Snow did a number on Michigan with record snowfalls. Not on the Lake Michigan coast, even if we did get dumped on. After all, our 159+ inches of snow last winter didn't set any records. We’re lucky about one thing, though. They do know how to remove snow here. Even sidewalks. That was a surprise for me last winter. This nifty machine with a plow just drives down the sidewalks along main thoroughfares and removes the snow. I’m not talking downtown either.

Since the snowplows quickly keep our roads clear, there’s no reason for cabin fever. Yet, mentally I feel like I’ve been cooped up for weeks. Am I writing? No. Not really. Okay, I’ve written my blogs (except a week ago Monday). But getting back to my Work-in-Progress? Nope. I’ve gathered tax documents, dug out receipts for taxes (family and my writing), attempted to bring order to my office. And I’ve watched a lot of television. Blame Amazon Prime for offering complete episodes of shows I didn’t watch first time around. Watching “Farscape” could be called research.  Well, I do write science fiction romance.

A new month, a new beginning. I need that proverbial kick in the pants to get back to work.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

P.S. A follow up on last month’s post. I still am overwhelmed by the support, prayers, and well wishes for my sister whose bout with influenza led to pneumonia and serious heart problems. She is doing so much better now. Thank you all very much.