What are you watching?

[Luke]

Cross-posting from Ukraine.... It's truly an astonishing story. And the TV show is really good and funny!

Servant of the People (Ukrainian: Слуга народу, Russian: Слуга народа, sometimes translated as Servant of the Nation) is a Ukrainian political satire comedy television series created and produced by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who stars as Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko, a high-school history teacher in his thirties who is unexpectedly elected President of Ukraine after a viral video filmed by one of his students shows him making a profane rant against government corruption in his country. The series is produced by Kvartal 95, which was founded by Zelenskyy. It would become much more involved in Ukraine's actual politics; on 31 March 2018, a political party named after the television series was registered with the Ministry of Justice, and Zelenskyy was actually elected President of Ukraine on 21 April 2019 with over 70 percent of the second-round vote. Servant of the People aired on the 1+1 channel in Ukraine. The studio also posted all episodes for free on YouTube. The show is available for streaming and download on Netflix in some countries. [Not the US that we could find]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_of_the_People

2017 story about it: https://www.cinemaescapist.com/2017/06/ ... al-comedy/

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Series ‘Servant Of The People’ Sells To UK’s Channel 4 And Others
By Max Goldbart March 2, 2022 2:57am

Global networks including the UK’s Channel 4 have picked up Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s comedy series Servant of the People. The 2016 satirical show, in which, unbelievably, Zelensky played the President, before launching a campaign to become the real President three years later, has also been sold by distributor Eccho Rights to MBC in the Middle East, ANT 1 in Greece and PRO TV in Romania. Channel 4 will air the comedy from this Sunday along with documentary special Zelenskyy: The Man Who Took on Putin. Eccho Rights has, meanwhile, removed all Russian-owned and produced series from its catalogue and donated €50,000 ($55,500) to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society.

Produced by Zelensky’s Kvartal 95, Servant of the People ran for three seasons on 1+1 Media along with a feature film and all are available to license from Eccho Rights. “The series is a comedy but also an important document of where Zelenskiy comes from,” said Eccho Managing Partner Nicola Söderlund. “His fictional president is a normal man, who grows into his role as a heroic and adored leader. While the real world scenario facing Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian people is far more grim and appalling than the comedy of the series, there are obvious parallels with the real world situation.”

51 episodes, from 2015-2019.
A political comedy about an ordinary schoolteacher becoming the President of Ukraine. He tries to live an ordinary life without all the 'President's privileges' and works very hard to build a new country and fight the army of corrupt and deceitful bureaucrats.—Olga Rudenko

Servant of the People S01, it's a playlist. You may have to set English subtitles but it has them. We're watching this one. It's a comedy show, it's just nuts!!
Maria Mihaela 1 / 49




ETA: There were subtitle issues on 2 episodes and somebody kindly uploaded them. The show is hilarious. Feel so bad for what this guy is going through now.

E4:




E7:

[Kendra]

Coming this weekend - Outlander is back!

Open, open open.

[AndyinPA]

Coming this weekend - Outlander is back!

Open, open open.

[neonzx]

OMG

Netflix has "Knight Rider" -- holy hell, so cheesy all around. I cannot believe I thought this was cool in my younger years.

It's making me laugh though, so all is good.

[RVInit]

I finally got around to watching Brittania. I know, I am almost always years behind.

If you haven't seen it, I am finding it really engrossing. It's an historical fiction kind of thing. Mix in some magical characters and enough humor to keep it from being overly dark.

Two of the most fascinating characters are played by Mackenzie Crook, who played Orell in Game Of Thrones. I loved him as Orell, but as Veran/Harka in Brittania he really shines, and I'm looking to watch more of his work. Harka doesn't come in until Season 2, but when he comes along the Veran mythology really gets fleshed out. David Morrissey is General Aulus Plautius of Rome, who brings his army to Britannia. I'm into Season 3 now, where we find out the General has a wife, and she's bringing a new kind of danger (quite dark) to the story.

Time to head upstairs to the office.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

My MIL and I are watching the Olympics and Paralymics during the day, then we switch to Perry Mason (Raymond Burr ) or The Dick Van Dyke Show.

[AndyinPA]

Mostly by accident, I caught Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall, parts one and two. It's a heinous murder, so probably not for everyone, but it was a fascinating documentary about a psychopathic Danish millionaire and the well-respected young journalist he brutally murdered.

[June bug]

Mostly by accident, I caught Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall, parts one and two. It's a heinous murder, so probably not for everyone, but it was a fascinating documentary about a psychopathic Danish millionaire and the well-respected young journalist he brutally murdered.

I did exactly the same thing, Andy. Found it by accident and then was hooked. I think it’s very well done, especially the way the filmmakers have woven together the viewpoints and observations of the people participating.

[Kriselda Gray]

I haven't started "Vikings: Valhalla" yet, but will be as soon as I get a day where I know I can stay awake for the whole series, since I'll almost inevitably binge it

The new season of "Top Chef" just started - their 19th. The first episode was pretty good - this year's cast seems to be a fairly good group.

I'm also watching Food Network's "Tournament of Champions III" which is just a lot of fun - IF you can tolerate Guy Fieri. It's a bracket match, sudden-death setup, so if you lose your first battle, you're just out of the game, which adds a bit more weight to each match-up. It has the feel of a boxing tournament, with Guy announcing the contestants with boxer-like nicknames. One interesting (well, to me, anyway) thing is that typically when Top Chef people are on a Food Network show and they're listing their accomplishments while introducing them, they've avoided any mention of Top Chef. On TOC III though, their participation and placement is listed along with anything else they've done, like James Beard nominations, Michelin stars, etc.

[RVInit]

I just found the announcement for Ozark Season 4 Part 2. It's going to drop on 4/29/2022, just another month and a half to wait.

[Slim Cognito]

My new guilty pleasure: Peacemaker. Funny AF (and, yes, that is appropriate). It's a spinoff of Suicide Squad but it's a comedy. The opening sequence is a hoot, my new favorite replacing the opening credits from Dead Like Me.

And the pet (CGI) eagle is adorbs.

[keith]

Whaddya nmean what am i watching?

There is only NCAA basketball to watch.

[RVInit]

The Dropout is on Hulu. It's pretty good. I work in the medical lab industry and have lots of insight into Elizabeth Holmes Theranos fraud. She got away with an awful lot of the charges. Charged with 11 counts, the jury found her guilty of only four counts. As soon as I heard that she was going to take the stand, I actually thought she might just get away with all eleven charges, not because she should have gotten away with any of them. She bamboozled some pretty savvy investors, the jury was no match for her ability to bullshit her way through anything. At one point, her board voted no confidence and she brazenly lied to them (as she pretty much does every time she opens her mouth) and talked her way right out of being replaced as CEO.

Anywho, the series if pretty good so far. 6 Episodes have dropped so far, I'm not sure what day the new episode comes out, but I just check in from time to time to see if there is a new episode. They leave out some details, there is far too much for them to get every tiny detail, but it's based on John Carreyrou's excellent investigative journalism and also two whistleblowers that turned her in to government agencies for her company's fraudulent activities. I recommend it!

[Phoenix520]

I’ve discovered Outlander! I had confused it with The Highlander Séries and so hadn’t checked it out before.

I like it! I like the actors, I like the story, the characters are believable, and I even like the sex scenes (of which there are a lot in Season 1). Perhaps I like them because they’re written and directed by women.

I almost always find something else to look at when sex is on the screen. I find most of them excruciating (oh please she would never say that IRL). They’re nearly universally written for a male audience and directed by men. They’re not usually romantic. But these are.

[AndyinPA]

Yes, they are definitely different. I think there's only one more season after this one.

[Slim Cognito]

Just watched the cutest little funny ghost movie on Prime. It's called The Selling about an honest realtor who gets stuck with a haunted house to sell. Very low budget, but well written and acted (I think I read it was crowd funded). Only 90 minutes and lots of fun.

[AndyinPA]

It was funny. Reminded me of Surreal Estate on SYFY.

[Kriselda Gray]

I’ve discovered Outlander! I had confused it with The Highlander Séries and so hadn’t checked it out before.

I like it! I like the actors, I like the story, the characters are believable, and I even like the sex scenes (of which there are a lot in Season 1). Perhaps I like them because they’re written and directed by women.

I almost always find something else to look at when sex is on the screen. I find most of them excruciating (oh please she would never say that IRL). They’re nearly universally written for a male audience and directed by men. They’re not usually romantic. But these are.

I've been debating watching that one. I'm still putting off starting Vikings: Valhalla - I just know I'll end up binging it all in one day and haven't had a day yet where I was willing to give up that much time.

I just subscribed to Apple + TV and am looking forward to checking out "WeCrashed" about the rise and fall of "WeWork". It looks very interesting.

[keith]

IMHO... Outlander >>>>>>>> Vikings

But that is clearly just personal preference.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

I am watching the Hallmark Channel with my mother-in-law. Before you throw up, think back to the days in the 50's and 60's when The Hallmark Hall of Fame had a special every three months or so. That quality film is available NOW!

Last night we watched Anna Paquin, yes, that Anna Paquin, perform in The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler. She helped 2500 Jewish children escape from the Warsaw Ghetto when the Nazis started sending Jews to concentration camps. I usually don't watch WWII history that I "know". I was hooked instantly. The cinematography is perfect! The coup de grace is a clip of Irena at the end of the film. She won a Nobel Peace Prize.

https://www.hmnow.com/details/VIDEO/item/MVMZ3035

There are the usual romantic comedies yet the structure and character development is more refined than you might expect. There is a farce named "Meddling Mom" involving a Latinx family which has lush visuals and some wonderful Latin dancing. Sonia Braga is the meddling mom.

https://www.hmnow.com/details/VIDEO/item/MVMZ3341

[RVInit]

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler sounds like something I need to watch. Thanks TRL, I will check it out.

[Kriselda Gray]

OOh! Season premiere tonight for Forged in Fire! That's one of my faves. Of course, I have a thing for skilled competition shows - except talent/singing shows. No idea why I don't like them, but I don't. But give me something like pottery making, glass blowing, makeup application, clothing design, cooking/baking*, jousting**, marksmanship/trick shooting***, furniture building, tattooing and probably a few more I can't think of, and I'll likely be there

*I love almost any kind of cooking show, even though I'm such a fussy eater that I have yet to see something made on a regular cooking show or cooking competition that I'd have any interesting in trying - at least not without some modifications first.

**Yes, they really did a jousting show

***I was surprised at the fact I even decided to check out Top Shot, much less enjoyed it given that I have serious gun issues after a high school friend came close to potentially killing me with a gun she thought was unloaded.

[Phoenix520]

[RVInit]

OOh! Season premiere tonight for Forged in Fire! That's one of my faves. Of course, I have a thing for skilled competition shows - except talent/singing shows. No idea why I don't like them, but I don't. But give me something like pottery making, glass blowing, makeup application, clothing design, cooking/baking*, jousting**, marksmanship/trick shooting***, furniture building, tattooing and probably a few more I can't think of, and I'll likely be there

*I love almost any kind of cooking show, even though I'm such a fussy eater that I have yet to see something made on a regular cooking show or cooking competition that I'd have any interesting in trying - at least not without some modifications first.

**Yes, they really did a jousting show

***I was surprised at the fact I even decided to check out Top Shot, much less enjoyed it given that I have serious gun issues after a high school friend came close to potentially killing me with a gun she thought was unloaded.

I love Forged in Fire!

[SuzieC]

I haven't started "Vikings: Valhalla" yet, but will be as soon as I get a day where I know I can stay awake for the whole series, since I'll almost inevitably binge it

The new season of "Top Chef" just started - their 19th. The first episode was pretty good - this year's cast seems to be a fairly good group.

I'm also watching Food Network's "Tournament of Champions III" which is just a lot of fun - IF you can tolerate Guy Fieri. It's a bracket match, sudden-death setup, so if you lose your first battle, you're just out of the game, which adds a bit more weight to each match-up. It has the feel of a boxing tournament, with Guy announcing the contestants with boxer-like nicknames. One interesting (well, to me, anyway) thing is that typically when Top Chef people are on a Food Network show and they're listing their accomplishments while introducing them, they've avoided any mention of Top Chef. On TOC III though, their participation and placement is listed along with anything else they've done, like James Beard nominations, Michelin stars, etc.

Me too Kriselda. I'm an enthusiastic home cook and I just love to watch professional chefs cook with the finest ingredients on the finest equipment. Also going to watch the new Julia Child series on HBOMAX.