Madam Secretary: Téa Leoni's Best Performance Yet

Snow days have always been one of my favorite things about living in Canada, because every year you can count on them to provide an unexpected (and much needed) break from work and daily life. Today is such a day and, as it looks like the weather will still be the same tomorrow, I wanted to take the time to talk about a TV show since there is nothing better than spending a lovely day at home watching the snow falling, cooking and enjoying great entertainment. Obvious your choice of program is important and I always love shows that are captivating and interesting as well as being funny. As of late, Madam Secretary does it all for me.

The show stars the incredible Téa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the American Secretary of State, and lets us explore the inner workings of the State Department as Elizabeth balances diplomacy and international crisis. All the stories focus on very real problem, making the show really believable and interesting because we can relate episode to real events. All the dialogues are intelligent, it feels like the characters know what they are talking about and have relevant things to say, they are not babbling nonsense. That being said, humour has a place in the show and witty and funny lines have their part in every episode.

A special note has to be made for all the stunning sets and locations. The McCord’s home is beautiful and homey, while the State Department’s offices look dignified and filled with history. They also manage to make all the foreign locations look real and I like how they pay a lot of attention to details so there is a lot to see in every scene.

However, what really makes the show for me is Téa Leoni’s performance, she is amazing!! I mean the way she delivers her lines and her composure really give her the credibility required for the role. I mean she could really be the Secretary of State because she is just so believable. Her performance alone is worth watching the show for.

Madam Secretary has a lot to offer to its viewers, a perfect blend of political drama and family dynamics with a dose of fun and engaging storylines. I enjoyed watching season 1 again after getting it on DVD and so far season 2 has been just as good!

Madam Secretary airs Sunday night at 8PM EST on CBS. Season 1 is available on DVD and on iTunes. 

Scorpion: A TV Action Drama Favorite

Cold weather creates the perfect opportunity for some cozy time at home and to me nothing is cozier than a lovely evening with a good TV show. Ever since last fall I haven’t found that many new shows to love, but a returning one has really stepped up its game for me: Scorpion. Season 2 has been amazing so far and it made me want to re-watch season 1 which is actually much better than I remembered!

The show follows a group of geniuses (team Scorpion) who work together as contractors for Homeland Security in the United States. Every episode, you see them put their minds together to solve problems that no one else can figure out. Walter, Toby, Happy and Sylvester might be super smart but they struggle a lot when it comes to emotions and interacting with "normal" people. Thankfully they have the help of Paige, a waitress turned member of the team because she has great people skills. Agent Cabe Gallo works as their government handler and he also serves as a greater father figure to the team.

The dialogues are witty, the intrigues keep you engaged (you never know how they’ll solve the problems) and the cast has great chemistry. Personally what I enjoy the most is seeing all the geniuses try to deal with the emotional aspect of things, it leads to a lot of funny and very sweet moments on the show. Honestly I cannot recommend Scorpion enough, it’s really great! It also happens to be one of the rare shows I actually look forward to seeing every week because I know I’ll be entertained.

You can catch Scorpion Monday night on CBS at 9:00 ET and Season 1 is available on DVD from Amazon. You can also get it on iTunes.

Getting in the Holiday Spirit with The Secret World of Santa

I cannot believe Christmas is only four days away! December has been going by so quickly and the weather is most definitely not Christmassy. It’s actually been quite warm here in Canada and we’ve barely had any snow… All this to say I have been having a hard time getting in the Holiday spirit, but a little Netflix discovery might be the solution to it all. Say hello to The Secret World of Santa.

                                                                                                                              Source 

This is a French animated series that came out when I was little and I used to watch it every year without fail. It would air every morning in December with a marathon of all the episodes airing on Christmas day. It’s the most amazing and festive show ever! If you speak French then you might recognise it as Le Monde Secret du Père Noël. Every episode follows Santa and his three elves as they get ready for Christmas. The whole series is lovely with cute and funny stories and festive music.    

It honestly brings back so many happy memories and while I think it still airs on TV, I love that I can easily watch it on Netflix this year. If you have kids, are still a kid at heart or are simply looking to get a bit more in the Holiday spirit you have to watch it. As I said, you can catch it on Netflix and I’m assuming it’s available in different countries. You can also get it on DVD from Amazon and it is available on iTunes. Also, if you speak or understand French I highly recommend watching the French version, I just think the voices are much better and it’s a bit more magical that way.

I hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday season. Let me know in the comments below if you have any TV shows or movies you love to watch at this time of the year. 

Apple TV

I have always been a DVD kind of girl, I just prefer watching shows on TV. I know this seems old school now, but I like being able to physically browse through my collection. To be honest I also hate being on my laptop at night because the light keeps me from falling asleep quickly. That being said I do enjoy Netflix and I know many people like to keep their bedroom/space clutter free. This is when the Apple TV comes in, an Apple product that is not talked about much these days.

Granted this little device is not something everyone needs, if you have a smart TV or Blu-ray player, they can probably do the same thing, however there are still advantages that I love about the Apple TV. Now if your television or Blu-ray player is a bit old (I got mine right before all the “smart” ones came out) they might not have functions like access to Netflix and YouTube. That being said, that does not prevent them from being high-quality and performing well. If you don’t want to update them or they are secondary ones (like in a den or bedroom), having an Apple TV is a great way to get access to loads of fun apps and it is a lot less expensive.

The other thing that sold me on it is that you can use it to access all the content you have purchased on iTunes so you can stream your movies, music and shows on your TV. It is very quick and convenient and you can also rent movies right from your living room.

Lastly, as usual with Apple, the design is quite sleek and does not take up a lot of space. Also you only need an HDMI cable and the power cable to make it work: meaning you won’t end up with a tangle of cords.

I know Apple TVs are by no means new, but they are a great product that does not get a lot of buzz. If you are interested, you can read more about it here and it is available from the Apple website and Apple stores.

Covert Affairs

Last summer, I slightly dislocated my hip which meant I couldn’t do much for about a month. This led to some intense marathon viewing of different TV shows. At some point though, I ran out of things to watch and was thoroughly bored until I discovered Covert Affairs. While I couldn’t do any physical activity, this show got my heart pumping.

This is a spy show that follows Annie Walker a new CIA operative, as she discovers what it’s like to work in the field. As far as spy shows go, I was really surprised by how realistic it was, the stories were engaging but never too farfetched. There’s a ton of action so it’s never boring and there’s plenty of laughter (especially in the first seasons) because the show’s writers know how to be funny and incorporate it into the world. The cast does a great job at being credible and the chemistry between them all is great. Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham were real show stealers for me with their incredible performances.

Another thing that I loved is that they shot several episodes abroad, so many of the exotics locations on the show were actually filmed in the real countries. I always appreciate when shows do this as it adds realism to the story and it is beautiful to see on screen. Covert Affairs has fewer episodes per seasons than your average TV show, however it compensates with beautiful locations and stunning visual effects.

If you are looking for new entertainment, I say give Covert Affairs a ago, it’s not girly but it’s not a guys only show either so everyone can enjoy it. The series concluded its final season last year so you can get all five seasons on DVD from Amazon (or any DVD stores), buy it on iTunes or watch up to season four on Netflix. 

Grey's Anatomy

I love television. In fact, love is probably not strong enough to describe how passionate I am about it. Nonetheless, some TV shows leave a more lasting impression than others. The 11th season of Grey’s Anatomy ended two weeks ago and now that the dust has settled, I thought I would share with you my thoughts on a series that is very dear to me.

I discovered Grey’s Anatomy when it was in its fourth season, and started watching season three after a friend recommended it. I still have her note explaining who the characters were because I hadn’t watched the first two seasons. I instantly fell in love with, so much so that as soon as I finished the DVD I had borrowed, I begged my mom to take me to the store so I could get the entire season. Waiting a whole weekend to see what happened next was just not an option.

The premise of the show is that it follows the lives of new surgical residents in a Seattle hospital. Through both their patients and glimpses of their personal lives, you learn and start caring for all the doctors. Life can be complicated but following Meredith Grey can put everything in perspective. I also found all the medical content interesting and as a native French speaker, Grey’s Anatomy greatly helped me improve my English and learn words that were not thought in English class.

I have always been fascinated by biology and so, I wish I had discovered the show earlier because it might have given me the extra push to become a doctor. I heard that quite a few people decided to go to medical school after watching it and I can see why, even though it is far from easy it also seems incredibly gratifying and interesting (you always have to keep learning). For me though, I felt like it was a bit too late to make changes to my school schedule, but had I had that push/motivation before, I would have focused more in math class.

Something else worth mentioning is the music used in the series, it is very unique. You can usually recognize the show simply by hearing its soundtrack because they only use a certain style of songs. You might discover new and less mainstream artists which is always nice.

Even though the more recent seasons of Grey’s Anatomy are not as good as they used to be, it still worth watching if only for those first seasons alone. It is one of those rare television series that will make you laugh and cry and change your perspective on things. I for one, feel much more comfortable being in a hospital (not as a patient) and actually find them calming in a strange way. They feel familiar so I don’t get nervous like other visitors might, because I have a better understanding of how things work there.

You can get Grey’s Anatomy on DVD on Amazon and in stores, 10 seasons are currently available and you can stream them all on Netflix or get them on iTunes. 

Once Upon a Time

Generally speaking, summer tends to be the least exciting season in TV land, most shows have had their season finale and new offerings are quite slim. So I have taken on myself to recommend new shows for you all to watch so you’ll be ready when you feel like binge watching something or when the weather is not on your side.

One that I started (and finished) recently is Once Upon a Time, the story of a small town in Maine called Storybrookes where everyone is actually a fairy tale character but they have no memory of it. Flashbacks allow you to know what happened in the magical world and in the present day we follow Emma Swan as she learns about every character and tries to bring their memories back. The show is full of magic and colorful villains, it is quite funny. Let’s not forget the cast which has amazing actors with great chemistry and comedic timing (Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen is incredible).

I’m not sure why I never watched it before to be honest, the premise is something I would enjoy (and so would any Disney fans) but for some reason it fell through the cracks. Unlike your average TV show, Once Upon a Time gets better every season. I liked season one but did not thinking it was amazing, however I still gave season 2 a shot and it got better and funnier. In the end I really enjoy going back to childhood fairy tales and revisiting the stories with new added twists.

Watch season one's trailer here.

You can find the first three seasons of Once Upon a Time on DVD both in stores and online and you can also watch all the episodes on Netflix. 

My New Love Affair With Netflix

Oh Netflix what am I going to do with you. See Netflix and I haven’t always had the best relationship, when it first came to Canada I immediately subscribed, but the selection of shows and movies was not very good (especially compared to the American one). Nonetheless, over the last few years I restarted my subscription on and off for a month at a time. The service was never a fixture in my life, but last month everything changed.

While suffering from a case of “I have nothing to watch”, I decided to go back to Netflix hoping to discover something new and boy did it deliver. The number of great shows and movies that have been added is incredible! For the first time I finally get all the excitement around it and why procrastination is on the rise. Everything is just so tempting to watch, even though there are probably more productive things to do. I would say however that, if like me English is not your first language, watching programs in English is bound to improve your skills and is thus highly educational (I probably “study” a bit too much though).

In all honesty I have seen many shows on there, but I made quite a few new discoveries that were great and led to some marathon viewing. My current picks would be:

- Once Upon a Time

- The Musketeers

- The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

- White Collar

If your past experience with Netflix left you disappointed, I highly recommend you give it a chance again, it might surprise you. Also, you’ll know who to blame if my posting becomes irregular. 

Veep: My Favorite Political Comedy

Tonight is going to be great one in the television world. The fifth season of Game of Thrones is premiering and everyone, myself included, is super excited to go back to Westeros. That incredible phenomenon of a show aside, today also marks the return of my favorite on screen politician: Selina Meyer. Veep is coming back for its fourth season and I could not be more excited.

If you are not familiar with the show, the story follows the life of Selina Meyer the Vice President of the United States and her staff as they navigate daily life and the political world. The entire cast is hilarious but Julia Louis-Dreyfus steals the show for me, her performance and charisma cannot be matched. Her character is a character itself on the show, she can be awkward and sometimes self-centred but I find that, balanced the other actors, it all makes for good fun. Tony Hale as the VP’s personal aid also deserves a special mention because he is so endearing as well as funny and his relationship with the Veep is unlike any other.

This is by far one of my favorite TV show and seeing it return for a new season brings me a lot of happiness. It always manages to make me laugh by turning serious situations and settings into something slightly ridiculous. They just take everything so seriously that you cannot help but laugh. I already had a fun-filled marathon of the past 3 seasons so I am all ready for the premiere.

You can catch the season premiere of Veep tonight on HBO and you can easily catch up on past seasons as they are all available on DVD and on iTunes. 

Pretty Little Liars

I’m having withdrawals, Pretty Little Liars withdrawals. You see, season 5 ended last week and I can’t wait for summer to come so season 6 can begin. Therefore, it seemed like a good idea to talk about the show and get you all hooked on it.

I actually refused to watch Pretty Little Liars for the longest time because I thought it looked scary and I don’t do scary stuff. In reality, it’s more of a thriller with very tense moments that are balanced out by funny scenes and witty dialogue. The series follows the lives of four friends who start receiving threatening messages from an unknown person named A. As they try to deal with the situation, they realise the whole thing is connected to their friend Alison who went missing the year before and was later found dead. The show is quite unpredictable and likes to throw quite a few curveballs your way, but it all makes for great fun. All in all it’s an addicting show that will keep you in front of your screen for hours at a time, so best to start it on a weekend and be prepared to be thoroughly entertained.

Something I found quite special about the show is the chemistry between the cast members. Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale and Shay Mitchell actually feel like a real group of friends. They also capture the teenager spirit really well and it doesn’t look like grownups pretending to be teenage girls. The chemistry makes you care about them more and I think it’s one the reasons the show is so addictive, because you want to see what happens to them and you root for their success. Having said all of that, you can have a look for yourself and watch the trailer for the first season here.

And do you know what else, the fifth season of Pretty Little Liars comes out on DVD on June 2^nd which gives you enough to catch up on the first seasons and then be all caught up for the premiere of season 6. If DVDs aren’t your thing, you can also get it on iTunes and Netflix. 

The Royals

E! premiered a new TV show this week called The Royals, the story follow the lives of the (fictional) English royal family. It reminds me of Gossip Girl, but set in England and I have to say I really enjoyed the first episode. With the Pretty Little Liars season finale coming soon I’m glad I have something new and entertaining to watch.

Source

The Royals has plenty of drama and the cast is great with actors like Elizabeth Hurley (Gossip Girl), William Moseley (The Chronicles of Narnia) and the endearing Vincent Reagan. More than the story itself, I loved the sets and locations of the show with the stunning Blenheim Palace serving as the royal residence. Having visited Blenheim Palace when I lived in Oxford, this show is nostalgic to me and I can’t wait to see more places I’ve visited on the screen. 

You can catch The Royals on E! Sunday nights at 10:00 and you can also currently download the first episode of the season for free on iTunes. Watch the trailer here. 

Desperate Housewives

I’ve been marathon watching a few shows recently and it’s been loads of fun. It all started when I went on a cleaning spree and needed something to listen to at the same time. I also wanted it to be funny but not something I would get to engrossed in which is why I needed something I had seen before. For these reasons, I turned to an old favorite: Desperate Housewives.

I have watched all 8 seasons of this show over the past few years both while it was still airing and on DVD. In case you don’t know it, Desperate Housewives is about a group of friends who are neighbours and appear to live perfect lives in the suburbs. Obviously, there is a lot of drama that goes on in each house and every season introduces new neighbours that bring dark secrets with them to the seemingly picture-perfect Wisteria Lane. The show stars Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria. The four actresses have great chemistry together and are quite comedic geniuses with a special mention going to Eva Longoria who never failed to make me laugh.  

I highly recommend this show, it has a great mix of comedy and drama making it great to marathon watch because you want to know the answers to the main intrigue and the humorous situations keep the show fast-paced and prevent it from dragging on.  

You can find all of the 8 season of Desperate Housewives on Amazon and from DVD stores (most of them are less than 20$).

What’s your favorite show to marathon watch? 

The West Wing

I have been looking for a new show to watch this summer for quite some time. There is not much on the air right now and I was in need of something smart and witty that I haven’t seen before (I'm experiencing The Newsroom and Veep withdrawals).

This quest led me to The West Wing, which is a political show that follows the lives of the President of the United States and his staff. Visually some might think it looks a bit dated, it started airing in 1999, but the sharp and witty dialogues are very entertaining and the social issues presented are still relevant today. This isn't surprising since the creator of the show is Aaron Sorkin who is also the man behind The Newsroom.

Another great thing about this show is that it is currently on sale in many stores and Amazon for 14$. This is a great deal for 22 40 minutes long episodes and a nice summer treat.

With 7 seasons in total, I think I am set for the rest of summer.

The Newsroom

One thing you’ll probably discover as this blog grows is how passionate I am about television. I just love getting lost in these well-crafted universes as well as how they allow us to connect with the characters and get more involved in the stories because there are so many episodes to enjoy. With this in mind I would like to share with you some of my favorite TV shows in the hope you’ll find something fun and new to watch.

The first one I’ll introduce you to today is one I’ve been watching quite a lot over the last few months: The Newsroom. The title really gives it away, the show revolves around what goes on in a newsroom and follow different protagonists that all work together to create the news (and by news I mean the best version possible). The story is set a few years ago and covers real news events like the BP oil spill and the Fukushima nuclear accident as the story makes its way back to the present. Two seasons have aired (season 1 is available on DVD) and a third season is scheduled to premiere in the fall.

I have to admit that this is my first foray into a HBO show that is not a big production like Game of Thrones and True Blood since Sex and the City and I honestly did not know if I would find it entertaining. Well let me tell you it surpassed all my expectations, it’s witty, fun and you can definitely feel the sense of urgency that comes with creating the best news coverage possible when something happens and information is limited. The fact that The Newsroom is so anchored in reality actually makes me long a news program like it.  The chemistry between Will (Jeff Daniels) and MacKenzie (Emily Mortimer) is undeniable and it really makes the show in my opinion, they are just so fun to watch together because it really does feel like they have known each other for a long time. You can definitely see that there is a lot history there. The rest of the main cast is also great with actors like John Gallagher, Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn and Sam Waterston. The combination of an amazing ensemble cast, a set of which the sheer size is impressive as well as the great camera work actually makes you feel like you are in a real newsroom (there’s not unrealistic embellishments there).

Even though I had my reservations at first, the sharp and funny dialogues have won me over and I cannot wait for season 3! I highly recommend you give this a go as I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

You can find The Newsroom in stores and online on Amazon, iTunes and the HBO website (HBO store and HBO GO).

P.S. It seems to currently be on sale for 25$ at both Best Buy and Future Shop (online and in stores).