Take a break from “what’s his name” for a while……….
……….and tell us what you’ve been watching, binging, or sampling, that may be worthy of our time too.
I’ve never written a diary like this before, so I’m riding without training wheels.
I just wanted to bring to your attention an Amazon Prime show that my wife and I have been enjoying for about a week now. We were late to the game. But we liked it so much, that we are on our second binge of it. The second binge was not only because it’s the best show we’ve seen in a long time, but because the plot is purposely, hilariously convoluted, and impossible to discern, the first time through. Filled with multiple MacGuffins, too.
It is a comedy/drama, emphasis on the comedy, and it’s got some serious violence too.
It is about a NOC (pronounced “knock”), which stands for “non-official cover.” NOCs are the most covert of any intel agency's operatives, working in jobs with no connection to the U.S. government. They get reconnaissance help, logistical help, etc., but if they get caught, they are on their own.
His Dad is his boss.
It is a weird show. Wonderfully weird. It isn’t for everyone.
Think “Grosse Pointe Blank” meets “Fargo” meets “Three Days of the Condor” meets “The Royal Tennenbaums” meets “Ishtar.”
I know, weird.
And the soundtrack is stellar.
Townes Van Zandt
Kinks
Vashti Bunyan
Ennio Morricone
Bob Dylan
Antonín Dvořák
Cetano Veloso
The Yamasuki Singers
The Clash
Moondog (!!!)
Queen
Amedeo Tommasi
The protagonist is flawed. He does some heinous things. But he’s trying. He has PTSD and gets his feelings out in unusual ways.
The writing is superb. Has rhythm to it. Many great quotes.
Fabulous ensemble cast.
It is about:
Getting things from A to B
The structural dynamics of flow
Dysfunctional families
Nuclear capabilities
A red garment bag
And at its base, it is about something else altogether. I’ll leave it to y’all to find out what that is.
And it surprised me at least five times, each episode.
If you need a trailer, here is a good one. if you’d rather be completely surprised, skip it.
I told you. Flawed. Heinous things.
If you like the first episode (pilot), you will LOVE the rest of it.
Two seasons so far.
Created by, directed by, written by Steven Conrad
Oh, it’s called “Patriot”
What’s the best Show You’ve Been Watching?