My Top 5 Shows of the week ending September 5, 2014

Over all, I think this was a pretty good week of television. Along with my top 5, I started watching a neat show called going Deep with David Rees. It is a show about how things work. I watched an episode about how to shake hands and another on how to make a paper airplane. Pretty cool show on The National Geographic channel for all ages.

Along with that, a show you definitely would not want to have your kids watch, The League started back up. It's a fun show but disgusting at times and in poor taste most of the time, but I feel a bit more in touch with it as I am in a fantasy football league this time around. Maybe I'll learn something I can use in my league.

On to the top shows I watched this week…

Number 5 – Manhattan – S1E6 – Acceptable Limit

This episode sees a field trip by Charlie and Helen to a Tennessee nuclear reactor/plutonium factory that is being prepared to go online. It is the first time we see other people dealing with radiation and just as the folks in New Mexico, there seems to be little concern that things could go wrong. We learn that the medical tests have all been staged and there really is no care for radiation exposure on the base even when someone consumes $1 million in plutonium. Things are getting real as Frank finds out that the Germans are ahead of the team and could have a bomb soon. I expect the next episode may have some dramatic catastrophe at the Tennessee plant. I really do enjoy the historical nature of this drama even though I know what the outcome is going to be.

Number 4 – Intruders – S1E1 – She Was Provisional

This is a new show I started watching – it showed up on BBCA before/after Dr. who and I thought the title and description looked interesting. I'm glad I recorded it. This first episode leaves many questions unanswered and speculating on the answers makes this a fascinating show. I do think it interesting that a BBC show is set in Seattle, but with that setting alone, you get a sense of the show. I look forward to finding out more of what is going on.

Number 3 – The Knick – S1E1 – Method and Madness and S1E2 – Mr. Paris Shoes

This is another new show I started up. This is more of a period piece rather than SciFi like Intruders, but it is compelling just the same. The basic story is that of a hospital in New York during the early 1900s – before most modern medical practices. Racism, drug use, and corruption for the backdrop of attempts to advance medicine. Many people die as the surgeons try to perfect their techniques and the visuals can be disturbing to watch, but the interplay of the doctors, nurses, administrators and patrons drew me in during the first few minutes.

The first episode introduces Dr. Thackery who takes over as chief surgeon after the previous doctor commits suicide. Dr. Algernon Edwards is brought in to be his 2nd, but because Edwards is African-American, conflict ensues. While Edwards is provided an office in the basement, we learn of Thackery's drug addiction. In the second episode, they get electricity in the hospital for the first time and we learn of the corruption of the administrators who allowed crummy wiring (which kills a nurse) so they could get a kickback.

Steven Soderbergh directs this show and you can see the talents he brings to the small screen. Clive Owen and Andre Holland play Drs. Thackery and Edwards, and I think they do a great job portraying leading surgeons from the early 20th century. Definitely an interesting show and one worth watching.

Number 2 – The Bridge – Goliath

My main thought on this episode is that I am glad Fausto made it. While the raid on his hiding place took out most of his minions, he escaped to fight another day. But with his hiring of a hitman to kill Sonya, I don't think he is out of hot water yet. Speaking of which, Sonya is in some serious trouble and she had previously alienated everyone who might miss her – I'm not sure how she is going to get rescued. I do enjoy this show – halfway through the second season and we and the female lead finally learn the details of how Marco is related to the drug lord of the show. And the person to tell her was a troll (I can't get past remembering Abraham Benrubi as Anya's Troll husband in Buffy). This would have been my highest ranked show, but I had a show to watch that I had put off for months.

Number 1 – Dr. Who – The Day of the Doctor

This was an historical episode. The 50th anniversary of Dr. Who. was impressive and I was happy to see all 12 (13) doctors represented. Not only did we have 3 doctors in this episode and multiple crossed timelines, we got quite a few details about the infamous Time War on Gallifrey. They really went all out on this one – the battle scene on Gallifrey had more special effects then I think an entire season usually has. It was nice to see just how different Tennant's and Smith's doctors are, and the War Doctor, John Hurt, was definitely a darker incarnation. Loved the history, loved the story, and I loved the solution. I think we will be seeing this one referenced in future episodes.

September Freatured Link

Looking around for a link today brought up a bunch of references to #GamerGate. I don't know what they are talking about so I figure I should look into it. But in any case, while I look into it, my link today goes to Belghast over at Tales of the Aggronaut and his post from yesterday – Finally Turquiose. In it, he talks about the GamerGate thing and Final Fantasy XVI, but the part of his post that I was interested in was the part about Rift. I too am interested in the Nightmare Tides expansion. I will head there to experience the new content and hopefully make it to max level. One things that I did with my main character there was to level using events, dungeons and rifts. I don't feel that I really saw most of the content so at some time, I need to go through the quest lines and actually “play” the game rather than just leveling.

#TV #TheKnick #Intruders #Rift #TalesOfTheAggronaut #DrWho #Manhattan #TheBridge