***Official Streaming Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and other streaming sites thread***

[visionary]

"Manifest". It is over. The second half of season 4 is on Netflix and this will be the final episodes, hopefully ever. The show starts with an interesting premise. An ordinary flight that was supposed to land in Queens New York never arrives - until 5 years later. For basically 5 seasons viewers follow the antics of one family who was returning from vacation on that flight - or at least part of the family. The mystery is, what happened? What caused it? blah, blah blah. It could have been really good but it devolved into a series of seemingly innocuous "quests" to follow some obscure clue to find out what they mean. After a while that gets boring, predictable, and repetitious. The family trying to figure out what happened receives clues and using some of the weirdest logic ever manages to derive some meaning from the clues that often leave you wondering, what!?

There is some bad acting all around and a lot of goofy dialogue. But there is some "feel good" stuff in there too so you don't walk away angry about how bad everything else is. I guess you could say there is some spirituality going on which you don't often see these days.

The last episode is actually much better than I expected for an ending to a show like this. It is a bit satisfying after a lot of nonsense.

Spoiler

If you are expecting an explanation for what was behind the weird phenomena you see every week, forget it. It never comes. What we surmise is the passengers were tested, but by whom remains a mystery. I supposed the insinuation is it was God testing a group of people to decide if the earth deserved another flood or if good still prevailed among mortals. But it seems to me God would already know that. He was not going to get any great revelations from the likes of Ben Stone. Still, I like the ending. All is good in the world, and everyone who survives lives happily every after it looks like.

I give if a 4 of 10. If there is nothing better to binge, I guess you could try "Manifest", but you will need a good supply of barf bags for the frequent goofy moments.

I agree
I gave up in season 2
Too cheesy and cardboard for me

 

[visionary]

Vortex on Netflix
8.5/10
French short series (6 episodes) with English subs
Sci-fi plot
Good characters and acting and great story
Kept my attention
Definitely recommended @DallasEast

 

[VaqueroTD]

Ancient Armageddon on MAX. Part of their new documentaries they grabbed from Discovery. If you’re into that stuff.

I passed this one up at first because I thought it was another one of those “UFOs in Ancient Civilizations” documentaries. God forbid they actually start producing traditional historical content again, but this is the real deal. Cool documentary about the collapse of the Bronze Era in the Mediterranean. Looks like it’s based on Jared Diamond’s models in his book Collapse, that explores the reasons why civilizations throughout history ceased to exist. Even if not into this stuff, you may remember that book because it was a huge deal 20 years ago, sold a billion copies, and he was on the interview circuit that existed in media at the time. I think he chills in New Guinea now because he enjoys studying and interacting with the last major culture on the planet that never got past stone tools. (Serious)

Explores collapse of the 3 major civilizations that controlled the Mediterranean - Ancient Egypt, Mycenaeans (Early Greeks), and Hitites (Modern-Day Turkey) are examined by experts in several fields of social and physical sciences, all working together and sharing their information. Core samples from caves, pollen and the Nile River. Linguistic experts reading hieroglyphics and ancient texts. Archaeologists and Anthropologists examine changes in the fossils, structures and tools found on site. Earthquake experts and more… Basic conclusion is it was a perfect storm in 1200 BC that led to this total collapse and the first dark ages — climate change causing severe drought, earthquakes ruining infrastructure, people abandoning cities and looting neighbors, ending heavy trade routes in Mediterranean that societies depended on for resources, and revolts from workers. Interesting fact, this is the first recorded strike in labor history. Egyptians have a story on Ramses Temple Wall of the Temple/Pyramid Engineers all striking and sitting all day until the Pharaohs paid them.

 

[Stash]

Ancient Armageddon on MAX. Part of their new documentaries they grabbed from Discovery. If you’re into that stuff.

I passed this one up at first because I thought it was another one of those “UFOs in Ancient Civilizations” documentaries. God forbid they actually start producing traditional historical content again, but this is the real deal. Cool documentary about the collapse of the Bronze Era in the Mediterranean. Looks like it’s based on Jared Diamond’s models in his book Collapse, that explores the reasons why civilizations throughout history ceased to exist. Even if not into this stuff, you may remember that book because it was a huge deal 20 years ago, sold a billion copies, and he was on the interview circuit that existed in media at the time. I think he chills in New Guinea now because he enjoys studying and interacting with the last major culture on the planet that never got past stone tools. (Serious)

Explores collapse of the 3 major civilizations that controlled the Mediterranean - Ancient Egypt, Mycenaeans (Early Greeks), and Hitites (Modern-Day Turkey) are examined by experts in several fields of social and physical sciences, all working together and sharing their information. Core samples from caves, pollen and the Nile River. Linguistic experts reading hieroglyphics and ancient texts. Archaeologists and Anthropologists examine changes in the fossils, structures and tools found on site. Earthquake experts and more… Basic conclusion is it was a perfect storm in 1200 BC that led to this total collapse and the first dark ages — climate change causing severe drought, earthquakes ruining infrastructure, people abandoning cities and looting neighbors, ending heavy trade routes in Mediterranean that societies depended on for resources, and revolts from workers. Interesting fact, this is the first recorded strike in labor history. Egyptians have a story on Ramses Temple Wall of the Temple/Pyramid Engineers all striking and sitting all day until the Pharaohs paid them.

Thanks for that thorough review! I love this kind of stuff as well. I actually have a History Vault subscription so that I can watch all of their old shows. I can’t watch the reality show channel that it’s mainly become today.

 

[CouchCoach]

Thanks for that thorough review! I love this kind of stuff as well. I actually have a History Vault subscription so that I can watch all of their old shows. I can’t watch the reality show channel that it’s mainly become today.

They all eventually end up catering to the lowest common denominator to survive. If Murrow, Cronkite, Brinkley and Huntley could see this now, they would be very sad.

 

[Stash]

They all eventually end up catering to the lowest common denominator to survive. If Murrow, Cronkite, Brinkley and Huntley could see this now, they would be very sad.

The worst thing is that it’s a reflection of our society. These channels only give us ‘what we want’ and what they’ve found out ‘sells’.

It saddens me.

 

[DallasEast]

 

[DallasEast]

Click on poster to view Prime Video series trailer on YouTube (contains language):

 

[DallasEast]

 

[Creeper]

The worst thing is that it’s a reflection of our society. These channels only give us ‘what we want’ and what they’ve found out ‘sells’.

It saddens me.

Even the Cooking channels have abandoned cooking instruction for reality TV type shows and contests.

 

[VaqueroTD]

Thanks for that thorough review! I love this kind of stuff as well. I actually have a History Vault subscription so that I can watch all of their old shows. I can’t watch the reality show channel that it’s mainly become today.

Sadly I agree. There is one new alternative though - Youtube. I subscribe to several amateur or ’semi-pro‘ channels that do a good job on short docs even if they’ll never have that type of financial backing. PBS can still tear it up too sometimes on good insightful analysis. And just to be devil‘s advocate, the one new thing I do enjoy on these documentary channels are these new historical fiction type documentaries. I’m sure you’ve seen them. They’re documentaries, with the famous events filmed by professional actors and directors as if we had cameras in those days. Some good ones that come to mind is a Japanese feudal history series on Netflix, any of the series that deal with Business and Industry tycoons. And of course, my all-time favorite…. Drunk History.

 

[DanteEXT]

If you don't already own the Indiana Jones movies (why would you not?) or subscribe to a streamer that has them, they're on Pluto TV this month. Just an fyi.

 

[rags747]

ARNOLD on Netflix. 3 part series, watched part 1 last night, very well done. If you like Arnold or Greatness, Determination or Bodybuilding you will love this. Have been an Arnold fan for a very long time.

 

[CouchCoach]

Just finishing up the final season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" because I watched the other 4 seasons and I am not sure if I like this or not. Seems a little thrown together at times but they still did a very good job of delivering the lines to her parents and her in-laws and it is worth the watch for that.

However, it still has that West Wing, The Veep feel to it that the lines are delivered too quickly, on top of each other, people are not that fast with no breaks in the conversation.

 

[Runwildboys]

Just finishing up the final season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" because I watched the other 4 seasons and I am not sure if I like this or not. Seems a little thrown together at times but they still did a very good job of delivering the lines to her parents and her in-laws and it is worth the watch for that.

However, it still has that West Wing, The Veep feel to it that the lines are delivered too quickly, on top of each other, people are not that fast with no breaks in the conversation.

I stopped watching after the sanitation musical. Not sure if I'll finish it or not. If this is the final season, I guess I might as well.

 

[DallasEast]

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is back! The Broken Circle episode features a very special guest star, who may possibly become a new regular cast member.

And at the end is an excellent in memoriam tribute to Nichelle Nichols. It is a great start to season two.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is back! The Broken Circle episode features a very special guest star, who may possibly become a new regular cast member.

And at the end is an excellent in memoriam tribute to Nichelle Nichols. It is a great start to season two.

Can't wait to watch! Strange New Worlds has been my favorite of the new Star Trek series

 

[Big_D]

Finished "Ted Lasso" last night and the creators of this got exactly what they wanted, a truly feel good story that they probably could have milked for at least two more seasons but decided to do it right.

They did an excellent job with bouncing from the absurdity, and hilarity, of the Diamond Dogs to real life's issues and the sadness that can bring. They developed characters I cared about and put me on the "feelings roller coaster" that does represent real life's.

This was one of those that I really enjoyed the experience and was sad when it was over because I wanted more. But again, just like real life, you get what's served, not necessarily what you ordered. And this was just right.

Just watched the finale.. definitely sad to see it go! Better to burn out than fade away I guess!


Maybe a Coach Beard or WonderKid spinoff?

 

[Roadtrip635]

Finished watching FUBAR and loved it. Yeah, it's super cheesy at times, but it works with Arnold. It's filled with corny and sometimes groan worthy one liners and "Dad" type jokes, but that's part of the fun.

 

[Runwildboys]

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is back! The Broken Circle episode features a very special guest star, who may possibly become a new regular cast member.

And at the end is an excellent in memoriam tribute to Nichelle Nichols. It is a great start to season two.

Great start to the season...but I'm a bit surprised they didn't know immediately why the Syndicate wanted Federation weapons.