A Month of Faves is hosted by Girlxoxo, Traveling with T and Estella’s Revenge

FRI. Dec 21 – #AMonthofFaves On the Screen – What did you watch this year that you absolutely loved and did you see any movies inspired by books you’ve read – what did you think.

I am more of a TV watcher than a movie watcher these days. But here I should also add that by TV I really mean whatever is available on Netflix and Amazon Video. Because we don’t have cable TV or satellite or whatever else one can get TV from.

So here are some shows that I have been absolutely addicted to this year! (Yeah I realize that I’m quite off-topic this time 😂)

Terrace House: Opening New Doors

Oh man I love this show. At first I didn’t quite understand the setup. It’s a reality TV series in which six strangers (3 men, 3 women) live together in a beautiful house, this one in Karuizawa, Nagano (there are 3 other seasons, the first in Tokyo, and the second in Honolulu). They are free to go out and about, out to eat, shop, whatever, some of them work or study or both. Sometimes it feels like certain people are on the show more to promote themselves or their brand really. The six people in the photo above are the original cast members: two models, one inspiring chef, one snowboarder/waiter, one ice hockey player/gym staff, one writer trying to start her own lingerie brand.

Then there are also the six hosts, also three women and three men, who provide commentary in between shots of the cast members. That was the part I found very strange at first but then I grew to love hearing their comments, jokes, criticisms, and I think I learnt quite a bit more about Japanese culture from these hosts. It’s like sitting there and watching it with a group of friends, and I guess that’s why they make the set look like a living room.

The Great British Bake Off

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF 2018 (photo by Radio Times)

It moved to Netflix this year and the amazing thing was that the current British series was available on Netflix just a few days (I think?) after they announced the winner. I really love this series, it’s always heartwarming to see it, and while I still miss Mel and Sue and Mary Berry, I think this latest season has some amazing contestants! I especially was a fan of Kim-Joy, who made things like pandan chiffon cake and tangzhong bread, both things I’m a big fan of. Of course Paul Hollywood decidedly did not like the taste of pandan, probably losing tons of fans in Southeast Asia as a result :p

Homecoming

This series about a facility designed to help veterans stars Julia Roberts and while that was initially a draw, I realized that one of the recurring cast members was Jeremy Allen White, who played Lip on Shameless, another series I love. Also, Homecoming has that fantastic “What in the world is going on?” kind of feel, the good kind, that is. There are some shows that frustrate you and you stop watching it, but this is the kind that makes you want to keep watching, to figure out what’s going on. Roberts’ character now seems to be working as a waitress and has seemingly no memory of her time at the facility. Or is she pretending? One of the veterans wonders if they’re really in Florida. Or is this just a facility designed to make them think they’re in Florida??