‘Ghostwatch’ (1992) a little-known but highly influential found footage horror film
Frightening Friday (Movie review): This Halloween 1992 BBC movie was a hugely controversial cultural phenomenon in Britain.
‘The Lady Vanishes’ (2013) is a lovely dramatic counterpoint
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): Seventy-five years after the comedic original version, a fresh take showcases the mystery – and Tuppence Middleton.
‘Miss Marple’ (1984-92) stands as the spinster sleuth’s definitive portrayal
Sleuthing Sunday (TV review): Joan Hickson is exactly how I pictured Marple from the novels, and many other actors follow her lead in this standout series.
Documentaries give solid overview of Philip K. Dick
PKD flashback (TV reviews): These three documentaries play well as introductions, and established fans will enjoy putting faces to names.
‘Bodyguard’ an intense, intricately plotted version of what ‘24’ would be like if it cared about details (TV review)
“Bodyguard” (2018, BBC and Netflix), the six-episode British suspense series, starts with police sergeant David Budd (Richard Madden) trying to talk down a terrorist bomber on a train and mostly maintains that level of intensity throughout its run, but in a different way than its obvious point of comparison, “24.” The teeth-chattering suspense sequences are
‘ABC Murders’ miniseries reinvents Poirot
TV review: This miniseries is an interesting experiment. But I can’t shake the sense that John Malkovich is playing PINO — Poirot in Name Only.
Florence Pugh shines as ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ shifts from beautiful to deliciously dreary (TV review)
A friend mistook “The Little Drummer Girl” for a Christmas series, and I explained that’s not what it is. As for what it really is, there’s the short version and the long version. Simply, it’s an espionage drama set amid the forever war between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the 1970s. AMC’s seven-hour miniseries has
John’s favorite TV shows of the Aughts (Commentary)
Next, here are my top 10 TV shows. Some started in the ’90s, but for this list, I am just showing the years they aired during this decade. This top 10 is front-loaded (the most recent shows ended three seasons ago), reflecting the downhill trend as the decade wore on. 1. “Once and Again” (2000-02, ABC) — Remarkably,