Blog Post
IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN…
by manz
The new series of Twin Peaks debuts on Showtime in less than a week. Yes, that’s right, on Sunday, May 21 folks will be glued to their seats and floating in the magical world of this cult TV show once again. There has been so much buzz about this project since it was announced in 2014. I personally cannot wait.
Peaks first aired 27 years ago in the spring of 1990, and lasted two seasons. It revolved around the murder of teenage Laura Palmer and the subsequent investigation by local law enforcement and an (unforgettable, coffee-loving) FBI agent. The murder was solved, and the series continued, but was then cancelled due to low ratings.
This new television event will consist of 18 episodes that take place 25 years after the original show ended. And after that cliff hanger of an ending in season 2, what will happen?! This new series was developed and written by David Lynch and Mark Frost, so that, along with the return of many of the original actors, is a good sign that it will be something special.
In a town like Twin Peaks, nothing is at it seems, and the quirky characters that paint the scene make it all the more palatable. So put on that pot of coffee, grab a slice of pie, and give yourself time to prepare for and enjoy this historic moment in television.
Blog Post
New TV Shows @ AADL, Pt 2.
by manz
The library is always acquiring additional TV shows and new seasons of them, be they popular, new, or classics. Here are more new-to-AADL series:
The State, The Complete Series
One of the sharpest, funniest, and most underrated shows of the '90s. A comedic gem that rocked Generation X with slapstick, smarts, and witty sarcasm. Originally broadcast on MTV!
The Syndicate, Series 1
Five poor workers in a supermarket in Leeds whose lives turn upside down after they jointly win the lottery.
Striking Out, Series 1
When Tara discovers her fiancé and fellow solicitor Eric has been cheating with a colleague, she leaves him and their prestigious law firm to set up her own practice specializing in family and divorce law. Working alongside her new team, including mentor and friend Vincent and tech guru and private detective Meg, Tara's cases will put her in direct conflict with influential families and the legal and political establishment as well as challenging her own personal morals.
The Art of More, Season 1
The show exposes the crime and intrigue behind the glamorous facade of New York auction houses.
Queen Sugar, Season 1
After a family tragedy forces them back together, the Bordelons must navigate the triumphs and struggles of their complicated lives in order to run an ailing sugarcane farm in the Deep South. Produced by Oprah Winfrey, award winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and Melissa Carter.
Divorce, Season 1
A refreshingly honest new half-hour comedy series about the never-ending process of unwinding a marriage.
Fore more TV shows, be sure to check out AADL’s lists for HOT TV shows, as well as NEW TV shows.
Blog Post
New TV Shows @ AADL, Pt. 1
by manz
And.... we're back! So many new shows have hit the catalog. Here are some new-to-AADL series, everything from old to new!
Martin, Seasons 1-5
1990s comedy series starring Martin Lawrence as a brash radio personality who always speaks his mind, often to the frustration of his feisty but eternally forgiving girlfriend, Gina.
Baskets, Season 1
Chip Baskets (Zach Galifianakis) wants to follow his dream of being a French clown. However, reality keeps interfering. Saddled with financial difficulties and facing an impenetrable language barrier, he moves back home to Bakersfield with high hopes. There, he is forced to confront his past while working as a rodeo clown--and competing with his siblings for his mother's (Louie Anderson) approval and affection.
Home Movies, The Complete Series
Brendon Small is an 8 year old who loves to make movies with his family's video camera. At the same time, he must put up with the adults in his life: his unintelligent soccer coach, and his divorced mother, Paula. Along with two friends, he acts out his fantasies in front of the camera in this dry and quirky animated comedy. (Side note, it’s one of my favorite shows of all time.)
Living Single, Season 1
20-somethings share their lives and loves in a Brooklyn brownstone in this 1990s comedy starring Queen Latifah.
Shooter, Season 1
A conspiracy thriller that follows the journey of Bob Lee Swagger, a highly-decorated veteran who is coaxed back into action to prevent a plot to kill the President.
Close to the Enemy
Intelligence officer Captain Callum Ferguson, is tasked by the army to ensure that a captured German scientist, Dieter, starts working for the British RAF on urgently developing the jet engine. With the background of the emerging Cold War, it's crucial for British national security that cutting-edge technology is made available to the armed forces as quickly as possible.
Fore more TV shows, be sure to check out AADL’s lists for HOT TV shows, as well as NEW TV shows.
Blog Post
TV Spotlight: The Night Of
by manz
The Night Of is a critically acclaimed HBO miniseries that premiered last July. Friends recommended it at the time, but I let it skip by once I was fully immersed in watching Stranger Things. The 8-part crime drama revolves around a young man, Naz, who heads off to a party in his father’s cab and ends up spending the evening with a young woman who he later finds stabbed to death in her bed. Naz wakes up and finds her and has no clue as to what happened the night of.
Once Naz is charged with her murder the series continues with detectives and lawyers trying to solve the case that Naz appears to be very guilty of committing. One of my favorite elements of the show was John Turturro’s performance as one of Naz’s lawyer. (Initially James Galdolfini was to fill the role, but after his death Robert DeNiro was set to replace him. Then due to scheduling conflicts DeNiro was replaced with Turturro.)
I highly recommend this show if you’re into crime dramas, mysteries, or detective shows. It is dark, gripping, suspenseful, and superbly written and acted.
Blog Post
TV Spotlight: Grace and Frankie
by manz
In the television comedy Grace and Frankie… Grace and Frankie’s husbands are friends and coworkers. While the two couples are out to dinner one night the men drop the bombshell that they have fallen in love with each other and are leaving their wives. The two women could not be more different than each other. But now, both being older, newly single, and living in close quarters they have to put up with each other, their ex-husbands, and the four grown children they have between them. They learn that they rely on each other more than they ever thought they would. Seasons 1 and 2 follow the daily lives of the four of them, portrayed by Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston. It’s a funny show!
Blog Post
TV Spotlight: Master of None
by manz
The critically acclaimed Master of None is a brilliant comedy that follows the personal and professional life of 30 year old Dev Shah as he navigates his way through life in New York City. Aziz Ansari, best known for playing Tom Haverford on Park & Recreation, is charming and hilarious as Dev.
He is a struggling actor bouncing from commercial to commercial in between bad dates at good restaurants, and having coffee with his best friends. The show relies heavily on witty dialog and I was delighted to have enjoyed it so much. The show also features Ansari’s real parents as his parents, as well as Eric Wareheim and H. Jon Benjamin.
The 2015 Netflix show was renewed for a season 2 which is set to air later this year.
Blog Post
New TV Shows @ AADL
by manz
The library often acquires additional TV shows and new seasons of them, be they popular, new, or classics. Here are some recent new-to-AADL series:
Animal Kingdom, Season 1
This bold family crime drama centers on teenage J Cody, who moves in with his freewheeling relatives in their Southern California beach town after his mother dies of an overdose. Quickly pulled into the family's life of excess, he soon discovers that it's all being funded by criminal activities. Joining the family comes with more danger and excitement than he might be ready to handle.
Insecure, Season 1
A painfully funny new comedy series which follows best friends Issa and Molly as they navigate the tricky professional and personal terrain of Los Angeles while facing the challenges of being two black women who defy all stereotypes. Insecure explores the black female experience in a subtle, witty, and authentic way, as Issa and Molly stumble their way toward pulling their lives together while trying their hardest to never settle for less.
You Me Her, Season 1
Centers around a three-way romantic relationship involving a suburban married couple.
Schitt$ Creek, Season 1 and 2
When filthy-rich video store magnate Johnny Rose, his soap star wife Moira and their two kids -- über-hipster son David and socialite daughter Alexis -- suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to regroup and rebuild their empire from within the rural city limits of their only remaining asset, an armpit of a town they once bought as a joke. (With Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara)
Six, Season 1
Follows members of Navy SEAL Team Six, modern American warriors whose mission to eliminate a Taliban leader in Afghanistan goes awry when they uncover a U.S. citizen working with the terrorists. Inspired by real missions, the series authentically captures the inside world of America's elite special operations unit, what these SEALs do, their personal lives, combat, and the life-and-death decisions they make.
Fore more TV shows, be sure to check out AADL’s lists for HOT TV shows, as well as NEW TV shows.
Blog Post
My Family and Other Animals
by manz
Last year marked the 60th anniversary of My Family and Other Animals by naturalist Gerald Durrell. This book was the first in a trilogy, followed by Birds, Beasts, and Relatives (1969) and Fauna and Family, AKA The Garden of the Gods, (1978). In the books Durrell tells of the period during his childhood where he and his widowed mother and siblings briefly left England and lived on the rustic island of Corfu off Greece between 1935 and 1939. Gerald found himself surrounded by beautiful creatures and pretty soon the house and surrounding areas are encapsulated by his birds and reptiles.
The memoirs are delightful and the family is a fierce and quirky bunch that makes these books a pleasure to read. Gerald grew up to be a naturalist, conservationist and author of many books.
There have been a few adaptations of the books for television. Notably was the 2005 series My Family and Other Animals, which centers on 12 year old Gerald and his animal adventures, namely from book one. The acting is superb, with Imelda Staunton (Professor Umbridge!) leading the charge as Mrs. Durrell, tyring to rein in her 4 children, while wondering how on earth they turned out the way they did. Larry is a writer, Margo is a teen discovering herself, Larry love his guns, and then there's Gerry and his traveling zoo. There are 3 episodes and I loved it so much I watched them all twice.
Last year came a newer, longer adaptation that involved stories from all three books. This first season of The Durrells in Corfu features 6 episodes, and more emphasis is placed on the mother in this one. As with books and film adaptations, things were changed from the books a bit, but the wonderfulness of Gerald and his family remains. This show was also a pure delight to dive into with the Durrells. Season 2 is in the works.
Blog Post
New TV Shows @ AADL, Pt. 2
by manz
The library is always acquiring additional TV shows and new seasons of them, be they popular and new, or oldies but goodies. Here are more new-to-AADL series:
Victoria, Season 1
In 1837, a diminutive, neglected teenager is crowned Queen Victoria, navigates the scandal, corruption, and political intrigues of the Court, and soon rises to become the most powerful woman in the world.
Masters of Horror, Season 1
They are obsessed by the dark. They share an obsession for terror. Thirteen visionary directors present the first season of an anthology series that challenged the very limits of cable television. Zombies, slashers, creatures and more, each episode is presented uncut and uncensored.
Master of None, Season 1
Aziz Ansari stars as Dev, a 30-year-old actor who attempts to make his way through life in New York City.
Vice Principals, Season 1
Comedy about a power struggle between two high school administrators who are vying for the top job of principal.
Animal Kingdom, Season 1
The series centers on 17-year-old Joshua Cody, who moves in with his freewheeling relatives in their Southern California beach town after his mother dies of an overdose. Headed by boot-tough matriarch Janine "Smurf" Cody and her right-hand Baz, who runs the business and calls the shots, the clan also consists of Pope, the oldest and most dangerous of the Cody boys; Craig, the tough and fearless middle son; and Deran, the troubled, suspicious "baby" of the family.
The Unusuals
A dark and gritty series that explores both the grounded drama and comic insanity of the world of New York City police detectives.
The Syndicate: All Or Nothing
The once-impressive Hazelwood Manor has been in the family of Lord Hazelwood since the eighteenth century. There used to be more than 30 staff at the house, but now, with a mounting debt of 6.5 million, only five remain since Lord and Lady Hazelwood were forced to let the others go. With the future of Hazelwood in question and their jobs on the line, the unthinkable happens, the staff wins the lottery! This is the 3rd installment of The Syndicate, but they are all stand-alone seasons, so you need not have viewed prior series.
Fore more TV shows, be sure to check out AADL’s lists for HOT TV shows, as well as NEW TV shows.
Blog Post
New TV Shows @ AADL, Pt. 1
by manz
The library is always acquiring additional TV shows and new seasons of them, be they hot and new, or oldies but goodies. Here are more new-to-AADL series:
Versailles, Season 1
In 1667, the powerful king of France, Louis XIV, is but 28 years old when he decides to build Versailles, the greatest palace in the world. After draining the budget, affairs and political intrigues complicate things.
Scream Queens, Season 1
A mysterious Red Devil killer wreaks havoc at Wallace University's Kappa Kappa Tau sorority, putting every pledge on edge! Tension mounts as it becomes clear that anyone could be the murderer, or the next victim! Get all thirteen outrageous season one episodes, along with more killer moments and special features that grant the watcher exclusive sorority access into Kappa house.
Fuller House, Season 1
In a continuation of the original 1980s Full House series, D.J. Fuller is a mother of three young boys and is a recent widow. D.J.'s sister Stephanie, her best friend Kimmy and Kimmy's teenage daughter all move in to help raise her sons. (Sounds familiar, eh?)
The Librarians, Seasons 1 & 2
The show centers on an ancient organization hidden beneath the Metropolitan Public Library dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from the secret, magical reality hidden all around. This group solves impossible mysteries, fights supernatural threats, and recovers powerful artifacts, including the Ark of the Covenant, the Spear of Destiny, and Excalibur.
Graves, Season 1
President Richard Graves, a former two-term POTUS, embarks on a Don Quixote-like quest to right the wrongs of his administration and reclaim his legacy 25 years after leaving the White House. With topics ranging from immigration to gay rights, foreign policy to public funding for arts and sciences, Graves holds nothing sacred as he unspools some of his administration's proudest victories.
The Quarry, Season 1
Quarry, a disillusioned Vietnam War vet, returns home to Memphis in 1972 only to find rejection and scrutiny at every step. A mysterious man known only as The Broker gives him an offer he can't refuse - to work for him as a hitman.
Hap and Leonard, Season 1
Based on the novels by Joe R. Lansdale, the six-hour series event follows Hap Collins, an East Texas white boy with a weakness for Southern women, and Leonard Pine, a gay, black Vietnam vet with a hot temper. When Hap's seductive ex-wife Trudy resurfaces with a deal they can't refuse, a simple get-rich-quick scheme snowballs into bloody mayhem.