Many, many people have ditched cable and are now watching TV via the internet, using a Roku or other streaming device. Ann and I do so...and the catalogues of various internet channels are pretty vast. We watch a lot on Netflix -- and have recently added another inexpensive channel, Acorn, to our line up. Acorn specializes in British TV, including shows from other parts of the British Empire such as Canada and Australia.
Tonight, I am sharing some Tales from Down Under...Australia and New Zealand.
Programs are below the orange squiggly thing...
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Kitchen Table Kibitzing is a community series for those who wish to share part of the evening around a virtual kitchen table with kossacks who are caring and supportive of one another. So bring your stories, jokes, photos, funny pics, music, and interesting videos, as well as links—including quotations—to diaries, news stories, and books that you think this community would appreciate. Readers may notice that most who post diaries and comments in this series already know one another to some degree, but newcomers should not feel excluded. We welcome guests at our kitchen table, and hope to make some new friends as well.
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The Almighty Johnsons
Stories about myth seem to be made in New Zealand, given the beautiful landscapes there. First there was Hercules, the Legendary Journeys, then Xena, and most impressively, The Lord of the Rings. Maybe that's why the idea for this show was a natural. The premise? In the mid 1800s, the Norse Gods decide to walk the earth as humans and board a ship to New Zealand. Ever since then, their descendants have reincarnated as different members of the Norse pantheon, coming into some limited powers on their 21st birthdays. This story is about the four Johnson brothers, Mike, Anders, Ty and Axl. The eldest, Mike, is really Ullr, the god of the hunt. He is not only good at tracking -- he wins any games that he plays. He cannot lose. Anders is Bragi, god of poetry. He can smooth talk anyone into anything. Naturally, he works in public relations -- and he is a real jerk, especially to women. Ty is Hod, god of all things cold and dark. His gift is a great misery to him because the cold around his person prevents him from smelling and tasting and he cannot be close to mortals without freezing them. He is a very lonely guy who works as a refrigerator repairman. Lastly, there is Axl who we meet on his 21st birthday when he learns all about this god thing. As it turns out, the youngest of the brothers is really Odin, the All Father of the gods. And prophecy says that if he unites with his beloved, the goddess Frigg, all the Norse gods will come into their full powers again. Let the Frigg hunt begin! This show is very imaginative, quite raunchy (sex, nudity and some strong language) and absolutely hilarious, not to mention adictive. I highly recommend it. The first season is available on Netflix. The second season is currently running on the SyFy Channel I understand and is available for purchase on Amazon. I haven't located the third season yet but I am looking...
Some episodes from the first two seasons of The Almighty Johnsons can be found here. Here is a trailer for the first season:
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ANZAC Girls
ANZAC Girls is a dramatization of some true stories about the women who left New Zealand and Australia to serve as nurses in WWI. The series, available on Acorn, follows the women to Cairo and the island of Lemnos, where they care for the wounded from Gallipoli, to France where they care for the wounded from the Somme. It is a centennial tribute to the brave women and men who served in that awful conflict. Keep your hanky handy.
The Sapphires
This is another biographical tribute, written by a descendant of one of the four women portrayed in the story. It is the story of four Aboriginal Australian women who sing country songs together but who cannot get a gig because of racial prejudice. Enter an Irishman, lost in a bottle and somewhat adrift, who becomes their manager. He convinces them to try American Soul music and gets them a job in Saigon, entertaining American troops in Viet Nam. They don't stay just in Saigon and almost don't survive the experience. But it is a good thing they do for each and every one of these women go on to work for rights for Aborgines back home. Here is a trailer:
Now, back in time to 1920s Australia...
Miss Fisher Mysteries
I have written about this one before but I love it so much I am including it here. Based on the books by Kerry Greenwood, this cozy series is extremely enjoyable. Miss Phryne Fisher is an independent woman who loves adventure and solving crimes. She can fly a plane, handle a gun, and has impeccable style. Oh, the hats! The fact that the actress who plays her, Essie Davis, reminds one of a young Diana Rigg, only adds to the fun. Both seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix and Acorn.
Come in, make yourself comfortable at the table, and tell us about your day and weekend plans. And if you have any movies or shows to suggest, we would love to hear about them!
Prior Streaming Movies on a Friday Night subjects:
At the Table
Ghosts
Resilient People
Love
Food and Our Health
Cozy Mysteries
Playing Shakespeare
For Children
Romantic Comedy
Pirates and Thieves
Fantasy Adventures
Spies
Funny with a touch of religion/spirit
Cheaters Never Prosper
Hotels
Sex is not Simple