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.

CORALINE – Kids’ stop-motion animated horror film from 2009 based on Neil Gaiman’s book. The book remains popular, so I read it for the first time several weeks ago. Naturally, I then had to see the film which I’d also heard a lot about. Fortunately it had dropped on Hulu. It follows the book quite nicely and features some big names…Dakota Fanning, Terri Hatcher, Ian McShane. The button-eye world hiding behind a wall in Coraline’s house is bursting with color to distinguish it from ordinary life and lure Coraline into its realm from which she can never return. Its colors drew me in as well. The story’s a bit far out, but I liked it. So did Mike and Kelly. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

A HAUNTING IN VENICE – Kenneth Branagh returns as super sleuth Hercule Poirot in this film based on Agatha Christie’s murder mystery “Halloween Party.” I’m not really a fan of murder mysteries, but I liked this one because of the ghost story…right up my alley. Branagh, who also directed, is always spot on. Plenty of other big names round out the cast – Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh and Kelly Reilly (who usually spends her time kicking ass on the Yellowstone ranch as Beth Dutton). Jude Hill as the young boy is outstanding. Great Halloween fare. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0.

THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL – Not nearly as good as the original Humphrey Bogart film from 1954, the main reason being this film depicts only the court-martial itself and not the actual events leading up to it. Those facts are all stated, but we need to see them in action to make the production interesting. The performances are good and it’s a decent movie, but it lacks the punch and emotional involvement of the original. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (Addendum) Now that I’ve finished the series and talked with Kelly who watched with me, I have a few things to add. We like the way Flanagan incorporates current events into the story – He bases his Ushers on the Sackler family (Dope Sick); he makes reference to Trump when the Raven says she had a client who thought he could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody without consequence; and there is a nod to AI in the last episode. Lastly, the young actress portraying Lenore is also a standout. Cheers!

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER – Typical Mike Flanagan horror series with his usual cast of actors. Each episode is loosely based on an Edgar Allan Poe story. It’s not as good as the Haunting of Hill House, but way better than Bly Manor. It’s decent and worth viewing if you like the genre as I do. In addition to the veteran cast members of his past productions, there are two new standouts – Bruce Greenwood as Roderick Usher and Malcolm Goodwin as young August Dupin. Mark Hamill features in a lesser role as Pym the attorney. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

LOST – An off-course airliner crashes into a remote island creating a “Lord of the Flies” dynamic among the surviving passengers. Streaming now on Hulu, this series was wildly popular when it originally aired in 2004. Kelly loves it! I’m hooked, too, and viewing it for the first time. The episodes are intense and each one gives us a glimpse into the history of a particular character. Supernatural overtones enhance the suspense and there is plenty of eye candy. The work is excellent. Glasses raised high for this one! Cheers! Boyfriends – 4; Girlfriends – 3.