(no subject)

[glorious_spoon]

 My sinuses are so clogged right now that I actually think it would be less painful to drill a hole in my face.

On that note, anybody got any good TV/book recs? I'm kind of between obsessions right now, and I could use the distraction.

Comments

[flamingsword]

I am really into The Good Place right now, and the first two seasons are on Netflix? If you like old-fashioned screwball comedies, or coming up with unethical solutions to ethics questions this may be the thing for you. Also features a doesn't-realize-she's-bi heroine and a realistic depiction of a character with an anxiety disorder.

[glorious_spoon]

I watched like the first three eps of that and really liked it! I should get back into it.

Also, bisexual heroine yessss please

[sciatrix]

I'm pretty sure it keeps occurring to her, but as someone else who recently binged the whole things: YES IT IS SO REFRESHING OMG.

Eleanor and Tahani are also kind of adorable in the way they circle around each other and then deciding to like each other and flopping in to be Friends. I really like the show's decision to not play on the conflict aspects of their relationship any more than it plays on, say, conflict aspects of Eleanor's relationship with Chidi.

[allheadybooks]

...Killing Eve is on Hulu?

[glorious_spoon]

Ooooh

[sholio]

I just posted a rec for Trollhunters, though I'm not sure if you're into that type of animated stuff. It's good though, and a very brain-candy type of thing.

For an utterly different tone, Husband & I are watching Better Call Saul, which is a lot of fun (although dark). It's a prequel to Breaking Bad but it's working fine for me without having seen that one (husband has, but I haven't). It's also streaming on Netflix.

[glorious_spoon]

I don't usually watch animated stuff of my own free will BUT I am always on the lookout for things I can watch with my kids without stuffing my head under a pillow, so I'm adding that to the queue, lol.

I was wondering about Better Call Saul. Spouse has watched Breaking Bad, but I never got into it. If it's something that's watchable without that, I will have to check it out!

[greywash]

I don't know what sort of thing you're looking for, but I'm super into The Magicians TV show lately—though, caution, it comes with allllllllllllllllllll the warnings (haven't ported this yet, but I wrote a primer about it, including the warnings issue, on Tumblr here [also backed up to Archive.org for the time being]). It's kind of mediocre in terms of plot, but INCREDIBLY engrossing and the character dynamics are *great*, and 3 of the 8 or so main characters are canonically queer, if that's a selling point. 2 of the 3 seasons are already on Netflix and 3 should be soon; Season 4 is scheduled to start airing in January.

[glorious_spoon]

.....OOOH.

This looks like the kind of delightful trash that is right up my alley, actually (having just read your primer). I had heard of it, but I kind of bounced off the books when I tried them, so I hadn't picked it up. I WILL REVISIT THAT.

And canon queer characters are DEFINITELY a selling point. God. It's still so rare, especially with fun sf/f shows.

[greywash]

It's. SO engrossing, God. I'm not sure what happens to my sexual identity when I, functionally a lesbian, watch Quentin's tense little hands while he and Eliot passionately make out [on archive.org], but it's. A thing I like, I think?

The books didn't do it for me. I thought book Quentin was kind of... I mean, he's intentionally unbearable, but oh my God he's unbearable. I enjoy him an awful lot on the show, tho.

[glorious_spoon]

I think I made it like two chapters into the first book before I gave up (I was in grad school, I didn't have time for books that didn't immediately grab me).

And uh. Yeah. I'm in agreement with you on that .gif

[inky_magpie]

My standard recommendations are the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett, Seanan McGuire (she has... three? series. the woman is prolific) Which are:

The Incrypted series which is an urban fantasy Buffy-meets-Steve Irwin. The POV character changes with each book.

Toby Day series, where Toby is a half-fae private detective who's trying to rebuild her life after being turned into a fish for seven years.

I"m forgetting the name of the series, but the first book is Every Heart A Doorway. Which is basically "What happens to the Children Who Go on Magical Adventures after the story ends?" lots of queer representation in this one. The others are more background characters as far as I know.

And I have to mention The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater ... which is best summed up by this NY Times blurb "Four private school boys and a psychic's daughter quest for ancient magic in the mountains of Virginia, uncovering sentient trees, powerful dreams and the devils in themselves." Look up a way to read the first chapter of The Raven Boys to see if it might be for you.

[glorious_spoon]

I've been meaning to pick up Incrypted! I've really liked her writing as Mira Grant, but I haven't tried much of her non-horror writing.

[doughtier]

Show: Red vs. Blue - first seasons are fun trash that are entertaining, and it eventually stumbles upon a plot that’s essentially heart rendering. Very good for colds because the episodes are Very Short

Books: The Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett - ridiculously cool world building and characters
The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells - in which the main character is an accidentally sentient fannish bot
The Touchstone Trilogy by Andrea K Host - about a girl who takes the wrong way back from school and ends up in a completely different world

Feel better soon, do not drill into your face plz

[glorious_spoon]

OH FINE. No amateur trepanning, I guess.

Thanks for the recs!

[doughtier]

How are you feeling? ♥

[glorious_spoon]

Better, actually!

...I passed it on to my husband, though, so now he's miserable. Oops.

[doughtier]

Misery sure does like company!

[spikedluv]

Books: I second the recs of Seanan McGuire's Incryptid and Toby Daye series and Maggie Steifvater's Raven Cycle! Also Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. I also like the Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne (that series is finished now). Have you read The Captive Prince Trilogy by C. S. Pacat?

TV: Since I'm new here I don't know what you're already watching, but have you tried Grace and Frankie (Netflix), Vikings (History), This Is Us (NBC) (do you like to cry?!!), 9-1-1 (FOX) (Peter Krause and Angela Bassett), or The Gifted (FOX) (X-men adjacent)?

[glorious_spoon]

I DO LIKE TO CRY. I haven't tried any of those, thank you so much!

[spikedluv]

I DO LIKE TO CRY

Then 'This Is Us' WAS MADE FOR YOU!!! *g* (It's a wonderful show. Such great characters. And an amazing cast: Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley, Susan Kelechi Watson . . .)

You're welcome!

[glorious_spoon]

:D

[tiltingheartand]

Seconding the Seanan McGuire and The Good Place suggestions.

Also, seeing that you started reading The Magicians and bounced off it it, definitely seconding the TV show suggestion. There were some semi-significant changes from the books to the series, but in my opinion they made the story better. And also made Quentin more likable, whiiich. Helps. (And another character basically got his entire personality changed, but he was one of my least favorites in the books and he’s great in the show.) I think the fourth season might start in a few months.

Otherwise, I don’t know how you feel about cooking shows or competition shows, but The Great British Baking Show is on Netflix and it is so, so great. And incredibly rewatchable. It’s the kindest, most supportive competition I have literally ever watched.

[glorious_spoon]

I keep seeing that come up, so I'll have to check it out now!