TV Shows to Binge During Self-Quarantine: Part III (and some book reviews)

Here we are at the end of the alphabet in my list of binge-worthy shows during self-quarantine.

U

Ugly Betty:  This is an American comedy-drama television series that revolves around the character Betty Suarez, who despite her lack of style, lands a job at a prestigious fashion magazine. 

America Ferrera stars as the title character and she is FABULOUS! There are also some bigger names that guest star/have supporting roles- Vanessa Williams and Judith Light. There are four seasons of laughter and drama.

You can watch this on ABC.com & Hulu.

V

Veep:  This is an American political satire comedy series that aired from 2012-2019 on HBO. The protagonist of Veep is Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a fictional vice president. The series follows Meyer and her team as they attempt to make their mark and leave a legacy but often instead become mired in day-to-day political games.

In full disclosure, I have NOT watched this show. However, since I couldn't find a show that begins with "V" that I had watched, John is standing in as my proxy. He loved this show and would highly recommend it.

You can watch this on Hulu, HBO & Amazon Prime.

W

Will & Grace:  I am talking the original Will & Grace- NOT the reboot. (The reboot may not be bad, but I only watched one episode and wasn't overly impressed.)

This is a sitcom that originally aired from 1998-2006 and focuses on four hilarious characters- Grace Adler who lives with her best friend Will Truman. Karen Walker, played by Megan Mullally, is Grace's HYSTERICAL assistant (usually with a martini in hand). Jack McFarland is everyone's friend. They deal with gay relationships, straight relationships, and friendships. It's pretty funny.

You can watch this on NBC & Hulu.

X

I've got nothing for you. (There are shows, but none that I can recommend...Xena: Warrior Princess? Yikes.)

Y

Young Sheldon:  I haven't seen a lot of this show, but what I have, I've liked.

This is a "prequel" of sorts to the TV show Big Bang Theory. It centers around Sheldon (a grown adult character on Big Bang Theory) in his childhood and growing up in the religious South. While a genius even as a child which made him stand out, I feel like this show makes him more "real"/likeable.

You can watch this on CVS, YouTube TV & Amazon Prime.

Z

Another "X"- I've got nothing. I wasn't a big fan of Zorro when I was a kid and I can DEFINITELY say I've not seen Zombie House Flipping...

And now for some book reviews:

Book #15 of 2020: This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber

Summary: The first in the Verity Kent mystery series- a tale of deceit, murder and betrayal set just after World War I. 

Rating: C. It's bad when I've already forgotten what I did/did not like about the book (this is why I need to write the reviews as soon as I finish- UGH!) I just know that I thought it was average.

Book #16 of 2020: The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg

Summary: The Red Address Book is a charming, but very sad tale about Doris, a lonely 96-year-old woman who lives in Stockholm. She reminisces about her life and those individuals she encountered as she pages through an old address book she received from her father when she was young.

Rating: A+. Yes, it was sad (and I bawled at the end), but it was an AMAZING tale of a woman's life and the characters that came in and out of it the tale that was woven. Read it- it's just plain great.

Book #17 of 2020: Amnesty by Aravind Ariga

Summary: This book focuses on Danny- an illegal immigrant living in Sydney, Australia. He works as a house cleaner and gets caught up in a friendship with one client that leads him down a dangerous road.

Rating: D+. This was just an odd book that didn't capture my attention. It moved too slowly and none of the characters were likeable.