We're all different. That's a truism. But this doesn't stop me from wanting to share streaming shows I've watched recently on Netflix, Apple TV+, and Hulu that appealed to me a lot, in hopes that maybe others would like them as much as I did.
Here they are.
Slow Horses - Apple TV+
This is a British spy series with an appealing twist. The MI5 agents who are the centerpiece of the show are castoffs sentenced to spy-world purgatory for misdeeds they committed. So they haven't been fired, just consigned to live out their days doing usually boring menial work in a dingy backwater building.
Gary Oldman is terrific as the cynical leader of the group. He casts off humorous insults to his team in a marvelous fashion, though deep down (very deep down), his character loves them. Or at least likes them. Season 2 was better than Season 1, which was very good itself.
The Recruit - Netflix
Another fresh look at the world of spying, this time from the American side of the Atlantic. We follow the ups and downs of a young 20-something lawyer newly hired by the CIA. He quickly learns that in an organization dedicated to scheming, the people he works with can't be trusted because they're schemers.
Just as he is. Like Slow Horses, The Recruit is a pleasing blend of action, humor, and personal relationships. I don't know if it's a realistic reflection of what it's like to work at the CIA, but it rings true to me. I look forward to a Season 2, though I found the final episode of Season 1 to be unsatisfying.
Fleishman is in Trouble - Hulu
A doctor with marriage problems who lives in New York City. Seems like a familiar premise for a show. That's why my expectations for it weren't very high. But Fleishman is in Trouble was enjoyable viewing. Mostly.
I found the darker episodes of the series to be kind of difficult to watch, since they were such a contrast with the lighter, humorous episodes. Clair Danes plays Dr. Toby Fleishman's wife. I'm a big fan of Danes, having loved her in Homeland. Here she's another mentally disturbed character who's fascinating to watch as she emotes her struggles.
What I liked the most about this show was how skillfully it portrayed all the characters as both flawed and virtuous. Just when I thought I knew who the "good guys" and "bad guys" were, I was surprised to learn that the good were also bad, and the bad were also good.
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