SALTBURN – Psychotic university student, Oliver, insinuates himself into the family of a rich classmate. The dysfunctional, entitled family never see him coming as creeper Oliver stealthily unleashes hell into their lives. Completely unsettling. A real downer. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0. 

DR. DEATH – Docudrama profiling one specific murdering doctor each season. I haven’t watched Season One, but Season Two is horrifying. Kelly said I wouldn’t like it, and she was right! The doctor’s cruelty as he destroys patients’ lives, and gets away with it over and over again, is astounding. Beware. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0. 

THE HOLDOVERS – A handful of boarding school students and staff are forced to remain on campus during the Christmas break. Three of them in particular are broken people struggling to navigate through their pain filled lives. Paul Giamatti heads the cast and newcomer Dominic Sessa shines as troubled student Angus Tully. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH – Silly, fun pirate comedy series with some decent laughs. I was surprised to find myself enjoying this bit of nonsense! It’s quite good and a welcome relief to the heavy drama we’ve seen on screen and in life lately. Plus the episodes are only half an hour long – another reason to toast. Cheers mateys! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

MAESTRO – Bravo!!! An exquisite work of art! Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan are captivating as legendary composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia. I was mesmerized. Expect numerous Oscar nominations for this one. Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1. 

MAY DECEMBER – Loosely based on the MaryKay Letourneau scandal, this film is just as weird and disturbing as the actual events. Also it drags. I didn’t like it. If you’re curious about the shocking 1996 sexual relationship between a 34-year-old teacher and her 12-year-old student, check it out. Otherwise, skip it. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

SALEM – Decent tale of witchery and enchantment…right up my alley, as it were! The story takes place in Salem of 1692 and intertwines a wee bit of history with the fictional script. The set is quite authentic, the story engaging. The problem is the actors. Most of them are good, a few are just okay. But the real culprit lacking in believability is Shane West in the lead role. His delivery is always flat, and there is zero chemistry between he and his leading lady, Janet Montgomery, who is excellent and beautiful. Still, I like the story and I love the genre… so I will see it through all three seasons! Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1.

THE AMERICANS – This show has been on my viewing list since its debut in 2013. Now that it’s dropped on Hulu, I’m finally getting around to watching it with the peeps and I cannot look away! Completely living up to its reputation…it’s gritty, intense, intriguing and fast-paced. Set during the Reagan-era cold war, a pseudo married Russian spy couple infiltrate America along with their Russian spy comrades in order to learn our secrets and disrupt our intelligence. You know, the usual spy things with the usual spy brutality and violence, all while attempting to maintain their cover as a typical American family. Simultaneously, they are forced to juggle false relationships to gain access to our government plus protect themselves within their own false marriage which becomes even more complicated when real feelings develop and infringe on their espionage duties. I know. It’s overwhelming. And if you think it’s a lot to absorb here, you should see it on the screen! I don’t know how factual this drama is in depicting true intelligence/counterintelligence operations, but it sure makes for top-notch, edge of your seat entertainment! One thing I love about the series is all of the Russians actually speak in Russian, giving the story immense credibility. The work is excellent and the peeps are unanimous…vodkas all around! Cheers!! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 1.