Done with Season One

I had the chance to watch Westworld when it was beamed on Astro earlier this year. But I got bored after a couple of episodes. Then, I read a review on YouTube about how good the series was and decided to watch the pilot again.

But this time I downloaded the episode on iTunes using my US account. I got the uncensored episodes and it was a lot different from the one I remembered watching on the local TV.

There were nudity and swearing aplenty - some of which were just plain unnecessary. But some of the dialogue and scene which were cut out were needed to move the plot along. So, watching it the second time around really gave a clear perspective of what was going on.

After watching all 10 episodes, I begin to appreciate just what the buzz was all about. Definitely a fascinating series with superb acting. Both Anthony Hopkins and Thandie Newton definitely gave masterclasses. Haunting soundtrack to boot - who could forget "No Surprises" playing on the background at the saloon. Great stuff.

And the plot twists .... they all made sense in the end. Great television and I couldn't wait for the second season.

Strangely Intriguing

I had been hearing some great things about Stranger Things. It had made a highly acclaim debut on TV and there was plenty of buzz about them during the Emmy earlier this year. Over the last couple of weeks, I managed to catch the episodes on Netflix, and I must say that I was impressed.

The thing I like most was how atmospheric the whole series was. It really transformed me back to the 80s, during my school days. The music, the colour palate, the clothing were just spot on. And the storyline was not half bad either. Watching it in 4K and surround sound was great

I managed to complete the finale last night and it left enough intrigue to lure me to watch the second season. I believe that would be coming in the middle of 2017 ...

Next up for me would be to have a binge on "Westworld". I only managed a couple of episodes while it was playing on ASTRO. Hopefully I can get them through Apple TV.

Catching up with Janeway

I was still an ardent Star Trek fan but lately there had not been any good series. The movies were not bad but it was a different proposition all together.

So, going through my Netflix account, we came across our old favourite. I followed The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine but Voyager was something different. Something about being stranded in alien territory having to fend for themselves while looking for a way home just appealed to me.

I started watching a couple of episodes, but before I knew it, I was hooked. And so was Anita. In fact, she was even worse. With the current renovation we were having at the apartment, we had to be without ASTRO for a couple of weeks due to cabling issue. But our internet were still up and using wifi, we were able to watch Netflix through our TV.

It certainly brought back memories of my final year in Medical School where I went to the video store every other weekend to check out on the new release. They didn't have it on satellite as readily as in the US. Plus due to my limited free time, I preferred to binge watch them and it was certainly a treat. We were already on Season 6. Maybe we would be watching the finale by next weekend ....

Season Three

The fourth season of House of Cards had just been released on Netflix and I was still struggling to finish the third. Too busy basically and not enough time to spend an hour per episode with Frank Underwood....

Best to make time as I have been hearing great stuff about the fourth season.... More scandal and now that Frank managed to plot his way to the Presidency, a lot more cover ups and dodgy dealings awaits....

Goodbye Downton

Finally, I've run out of episodes of Downton Abbey. I watched the final episode last weekend during a night of marathon Doynton watching, downing the last couple of episodes - which lasted around 3 hours on my Apple TV.

It brought closure to most of the story arch, but left enough room in case the production were to go on in the future. Reception, and happy endings. The final episode being a Xmas special featuring a wedding. And no, it wasn't Lady Mary's.

So, finally I completed all the six series, and for good measure we went back to watch its pilot episode, just to see how the story had developed over the years. Yes, the household used to be bustling and with the passage of time, the transformation of the British society as a whole after the World War, the high society had stopped being the norm.

Great series and would be difficult to replicate. At the end of the fifth season I thought the series would expend to the States. But that didn't materialise. Missed opportunity. Great six seasons. And best to leave while it was still on top.