August 2025 media diet

The Bear, S4 — FX on Hulu | I mostly agree with the critics of this show, who assert that its initial popularity convinced FX to order more episodes, which the creators really didn’t need to tell their story. That in turn gave the directors of each ep the green light to experiment with the medium a bit and the result is something a little less plot-driven than a traditional TV show. Also, I’ll say it again, is everyone who works in the food service industry really so damn insecure?

And Just Like That, S3  (series finale) — Max | Like “Sex & the City” before it, I didn’t really want to like this show, but I did! Michael Patrick King is just plugged in when it comes to rich NYC women and their stories. It’s the role Sarah Jessica Parker was born to play. And even though everyone is filthy rich and money solves a lot of problems, they also struggle in this series finale with health, family, and yes, matters of the heart. 

The Gilded Age, S3 — Max | Carrie Coons is so conniving in this tale of new vs. old money in New York City at the turn of the century that it’s hard to take your eyes off her. And Julian Fellowes (“Downton Abbey”) could write upstairs/downstairs dramas until the day he dies.

Untamed, S1 — Netflix | I guess Netflix now has its own “True Detective” anthology crime series. Curious if season 2 brings back Eric Bana as a federal agent working in Yosemite National Park or if they just reboot with a new cast and new setting. 

The Hunting Wives — Netflix | Daytime soap operas may be dead, but streaming anytime soaps are better than ever! Malik Ackerman and Brittany Snow star in this steamy drama, which had more lesbian love scenes than all the episodes of “The L Word” combined. Great to see creative people making fun of Texas for its gun-loving, reproductive rights-hating culture. 

The Four Seasons  — Netflix | Greta’s July diet reminded me I forgot to include this one last month (or maybe it was June?). Anyway, Carey and I really liked it. Probably helps that the characters are close to our age and everything was very relatable, except Steve Carell having a stereotypical mid-life crisis affair with a much younger woman. It did make me want to watch the original 1981 Alan Alda film, which I’m not sure I ever saw.

Happy Gilmore 2 — Netflix | Was prepared not to like this after reading snippets of reviews, but nostalgia won out, or maybe it was the fact that it was the first movie Lincoln watched with us in more than a year. Some solid slapstick laughs.

Freelance — Netflix | Some month soon I’ll  be mature enough to exercise the appropriate amount of discretion and not watch any films on Netflix produced exclusively for the streamer, even if they star Alison Brie and John Cena. This was not that month.

Flight Risk — Amazon Prime | Enjoyed this one starring Mark Wahlberg and the actress who played Lady Mary on “Downton Abbey,” at least until the end, when the credits told me noted anti-Semite Mel Gibson directed it. 

Divergent — DVD | Fresh-faced Shailene Woodley just kills it in this 2014 movie. Shame the next two mostly flopped, and Lionsgate declined to even make the final movie, after deciding to split the third book into two parts. It all started with an intriguing premise about a future where society is factioned off according to the values of its citizens.

The Shawshank Redemption — DVD | The intent was to expose Greta to this fantastic film at camp, but alas, she fell asleep. Still holds up after more than 30 years; one of my favorite movies ever, based on the novella by my favorite writer ever, Stephen King.

Queen Esther by John Irving | This novel will forever be known as the one I thought I had to read and review for the AP by the Sept. 15 publish date, until the AP killed its book reviews, effective Sept. 1. I generally like Irving, but this was not his fastball. I got excited that it featured the same orphanage from “Cider House Rules,” but it turns out it was only a brief plot point. Bulk of the plot is about a young New Hampshire man studying in Vienna at the height of the Vietnam War and the schemes his two moms implement to try and keep him away from the front lines.

O.A.R. — NYS Fair | As mentioned in the Fair post, this jazzy alternative band that formed in the 90’s and is still touring was really quite impressive. The saxophonist and trumpeter simply slayed, as the kids say.

Melissa Etheridge & the Indigo Girls — Saratoga Performing Arts Center | Three-quarters of a thumbs up for Etheridge, who sang with a gravely gusto and can still play a pretty rocking guitar, but two down for the Girls, alas. Emily Sailers’ voice is shot at the age of 62, so their songs, which were always built on harmonies, just didn’t land. Beautiful late summer night at SPAC though.