BRIDGERTON – The peeps are in full agreement on this one…nothing but love, adoration and toasts all around. Based on the book series by Julia Quinn, it is clever, delightful and engaging – as are all the characters in this show. And it doesn’t hurt that one of the leads, Rege-Jean Page, is exquisitely handsome. He is all the more dashing in his period wardrobe, which is early 1800s. The many actors of color who are cast in this series bring a breath of fresh air to television. Two of my favorite characters, Eloise and Pen, are not the typical Hollywood lookers, making them all the more endearing. The queen, gleefully portrayed by Golda Rosheuvel, is the epitome of campy in this unique portrayal of royalty. Bridgerton captured my heart from the first episode and continued to charm me all the way to the end of the season. Actually rather bummed it’s over. Frannie called it a delightfully beautiful easy romp – a great distraction from today’s pressures. Dana fell in love with everything, especially the duke and the queen. Another peep gushed all the way through. It is, in a word, marvelous! Unanimous toasts to a most binge-worthy show! 1 boyfriend (you know the one), 0 girlfriends. Cheers!

WHAT WOULD SOPHIA LOREN DO – This is a short documentary film that I found delightful. Maybe because I can relate as a mother, or maybe because there have been one or two celebrities who have had a profound influence on my life, or maybe only because ordinary life, family and hardship are realities we all share. Maybe it’s even a combination of all of these. Whatever the reason, the half hour I spent watching this show uplifted me somehow. I could have been sitting at the dinner table with these folks as they regaled me with personal stories of their very Italian families and heritage. Just the kind of thing I enjoy! Two toasts (with chianti of course). Saluti!!

SCHITT’S CREEK – This show has gotten lots of rave reviews and buckets of Emmys. Mirith thinks it’s very funny, as do several other peeps. I watched the first episode and didn’t like it at all. But, I put a lot of stock in the opinion of my good friend Mirith, and I know from experience some shows require at least four episodes to draw me in. So, I decided to give it another shot. I admit I found some funny bits in the next five episodes, but mostly it was just annoying. As I watched episode 8, I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I don’t like these characters and the situations are ridiculous. It’s not worth any more of my time. One toast from Mirith, none from me. And zero boyfriends/girlfriends.

PRETEND IT’S A CITY – I generally enjoy Fran Lebowitz. She is an intelligent, opinionated writer with a biting, caustic wit. When I see her on various shows such as Real Time With Bill Maher, I often find her irreverent humor hilarious and her comments insightful. So naturally I was expecting the same in this mini-series which comprises one whole interview over seven seemingly endless episodes. Conducted by Martin Sorcese in a one-on-one fashion, Fran comments on life in New York City from the time she arrived many years ago until present day. Unfortunately, I found the whole thing boring. The first episode had a few funny comments, but by the second episode I was exhausted. I no longer cared to hear this woman drone on with her opinions and self-serving attitude. I still look forward to Fran’s appearances on talk shows, but I find her more interesting in small doses. Less is definitely better. Toasts- 0. Zero boyfriends/girlfriends.

HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS – I thoroughly enjoyed this series. The laughs are frequent and we actually learn the history of some of our favorite choice words. We also are educated on how their usage has changed since their origin and the myriad ways their meanings are employed in today’s lexicon. Each word has it’s own 20-minute episode (beginning with my favorite, the F-word) hosted by Nicholas Cage, who gleefully embraces his role. He’s a splendid choice for this format. Here’s a snippet of what to expect…..trivia question: Name the actor who has cursed the most in films over his career. Hint: It’s not Samuel L. Jackson (he was my first choice and basically everyone else’s) Alas, he only ranked number four or five. For the answer you’ll have to tune in. Trust me…it’s worth your time. Cheers from all the peeps!! Zero boyfriends and girlfriends, but none needed. Delightful

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – this is a gritty and raw reveal of racism in 1920s America. It’s the story of real life blues singer Ma Rainey, who was popular in the South, as she journeys to Chicago with her band to make records for a white label. Based on the play by August Wilson, it’s disturbing and tough to watch with lots of dialogue. I had never heard of Ma Rainey until I saw this film. I was intrigued by this larger than life woman and her accomplishment in a time when both black folks and women had no opportunity to excel in a white man’s world. Chad Boseman stars in his final film and he does not disappoint. But it is Viola Davis as Ma I found mesmerizing. She literally transforms herself, physically and in her portrayal, into this woman. Her work is outstanding. None of the other peeps watched this film so there is only my commentary today. Cheers to Viola, the cast & crew and their willingness to show us painful truths of who we are.

DEATH TO 2020 – The peeps are split on this parody of the horrendous year we all just endured. I was hoping for lots of laughs. It certainly looked like this piece would deliver based on the cast and trailer. It definitely satisfied my friend Mirith. She thought it was hilarious and laughed her ass off. I was disappointed. There were a few funny bits that made me laugh out loud, but for the most part, I found the humor lacking….which in itself is a testament to 2020. On to 2021. One toast, one no-toast and zero boyfriends/girlfriends.

MANK – this film is a character study into the psyche of Herman Mankiewicz, the actual screenwriter of Citizen Kane. It takes place over the two-three weeks Mank was writing the film and reveals much of his background through flashbacks. I had never heard of Mank or the drama behind the writing of Citizen Kane until I saw this movie. I have no idea if Gary Oldman captures the true mannerisms and behavior of the real person or not. I do know Oldman gives an excellent performance and I suspect he did his homework and is delivering an accurate picture of the man. Filmed entirely in black & white to be indicative of the era, it is a snapshot into 1930s Hollywood. I loved seeing the old movie studios, sets and moguls of the time. The cinematography intentionally employs much of the technique used in the Citizen Kane film which I thought was genius. William Randolph Hearst’s castle is also accurately depicted as are the personalities of Louis B. Mayer and Orson Welles. The performances are top-notch and it was a treat to see Charles Dance as Hearst after seeing him portray Tywin in Game of Thrones for several seasons. Two toasts for this film. No boyfriends or girlfriends necessary.

THE SOCIAL DILEMMA – Everyone needs to see this film. It is a stark warning to all of us using any type of technology. The film weaves scripted storyline into documentary info provided by the wizards who created our social platforms and cell phone capabilities. Even though we are all somewhat aware of the workings of these platforms and the risks involved, the film provides details of exactly how social media captures our information and uses it against us. Informative, scary, depressing, and somewhat hopeful, it is well worth the hour and a half of viewing time. The genie is out of the bottle on this issue, and there is no putting it back in. We are only going to become more dependent on technology going forward. All the more reason to begin employing the tools suggested in this film now. If we do, we have a chance to combat the situation ever so slightly and protect ourselves as much as possible. Daunting though it may be, we have no choice but to try. The alternative is unthinkable. Cheers to all the tech experts who gave an honest account of our predicament (and their part in creating it) and offered encouragement and solutions as we navigate this journey together.

THE CROWN 4 – I’ve already blogged about how much the peeps and I have enjoyed all seasons of the Crown. Excellent work all around even if some creative license has allegedly been taken. Or maybe a lot. Some have claimed it’s downright fiction. Still, it’s top notch entertainment. I would only add for this season Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana are wonderful, both in likeness and talent. I was especially surprised at Gillian’s ability to capture Margaret Thatcher – a challenging role and a huge stretch from anything I have seen her do before. Super casting and great work. Unanimous toasts from the peeps. Cheers!