November media diet

Nobody Wants This, S1 — Netflix | We finally capitulated and watched this buzzy rom-com starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody and enjoyed some chuckles. By episode 10 it’s a little annoying how insecure she is, but the dialogue is sharp and it has a whiff of Sarah Jessica Parker’s iconic character in Sex & the City, updated for the podcast age.

The Old Man, S2 — Hulu | The showrunner might need to rethink his title, as this season really spotlighted the female lead in this series based on the 2017 Thomas Perry novel. Jeff Bridges shines as the title character and John Lithgow continues his late-career dramatic run. Oh, and Amy Brenneman returns! Anybody remember “Judging Amy?” (She’s 60 now!)

Flora and Son - Apple TV | Picked this one because it stars Eve Hewson (Bono’s daughter), whose acting I really enjoy on “Bad Sisters,” and was happily surprised. Funny, emotional, and authentic.

Trap — Max | Josh Hartnett and his super dark pupils enjoy themselves in this M. Night Shyamalan thriller that also stars the director’s daughter as a Taylor Swift-like pop star. Good cinematic tension, too often broken up by our tiered Max plan cutting to commercial at odd points!

Even the Rain — Netflix | A movie within a movie about Bolivian water politics, starring Gael Garcia Bernal. The autocratic overtones were a little strong less than one week removed from America’s disastrous general election, but what can we do, hide and not consume any media for four years? Better to learn from cautionary tales like this one.

Woman of the Hour — Netflix | I’ll watch anything starring Anna Kendrick, but didn’t really know how creepy this true drama was until watching it. Based on a 1970’s serial killer who actually appeared on an episode of The Dating Game, it at least had a satisfying ending. It was also Kendrick’s directorial debut.

My Old Ass — Amazon Prime | Bezos was marketing this one pretty heavily, so we gave it a shot after our early Thanksgiving feast. It must say something that I didn’t fall asleep. Neat gimmick of an 18-year-old Canadian young woman, played by Maisy Stella, who gets to talk to her 39-year-old self, played by Aubrey Plaza.

The Diplomat, S2 — Netflix | The inimitable Keri Russell, and her hair, returns! A little tough to follow the rapid shifts in geopolitics, but it’s not out to change the world, just entertain.

Lazarus Man by Richard Price | America’s foremost urban storyteller weaves another novel set in the wake of a building collapse in East Harlem, circa 2008. Lots of interconnected stories, all of which Price manages to make seem authentic. | My AP review.

That Deserves a Wow by Chris Myers | I’m a sucker for sports broadcasting memoirs, but this one was middling. Maybe because this ESPN/Fox Sports guy is not famous enough? He’s seen a lot up close and personal though — from the earthquake that halted the 1989 World Series to the Centennial Park bombing at the 1996 Olympics — and he’s interviewed thousands of famous athletes, so that’s fun. | My AP review.

Bellevue by Robin Cook | The king of medical thrillers returns with a creepier-than-usual tale set in the East Side hospital that consumed the infamous Bellevue Psychiatric Center, long rumored to be haunted. Turns out they weren’t just rumors. | My AP review.