Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - The Stolen Girl - Miniseries

The Stolen Girl is trashy little UK miniseries based on the 2020 novel Playdate by Alex Dahl.

Starring Denise Gough, Holliday Grainger and Ambika Mod. With Aussie Xavier Samuel starring the handsome, Marcus Turner.

The five episodes dropped on Disney+ in mid-April.

Elisa (Gough) allows her daughter Lucia to go for a playdate with her new friend Josie. Josie’s mother Rebecca/Nina (Grainger) is charming, affluent, and her house is spectacular – Elisa instantly feels at ease and agrees to Lucia staying overnight for a sleepover. 

The next morning, when she goes to pick her daughter, she finds the house empty with no sign of Nina, Josie or Lucia. What started out as her daughter’s first ‘playdate’ turns into every parent's worst nightmare.

SPOILER ALERT! In the fifth episodes, we get a flashback to five years earlier, Turner and Elisa are shown starting their affair. She explains her difficult upbringing in the commune and that her father is now terminally ill. 

They agree to visit him together with Lucia. At the visit, it is revealed that Elisa suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her father when young and in an angry confrontation, he falls down the stairs and dies. The collision is then shown: Nina and Josephine had got out of the car because Josephine was ill and the Range Rover driven by Turner to the commune earlier is seen hitting the Thibault's parked car and then driving away. 

In the present the UK police are now aware that Selma and Elisa have flown to France, who are in Toulon and searching for where Nina lives. They start looking around the local schools for Josephine but realise that she is likely to be homeschooled and go to the Mayor's office to find out, where they find Nina's address. Nina gets the fake passport but has been spotted and reported to the local police. 

Lucia opens Nina's lockbox and sees photos and that they had been artificially altered. She leaves the house and discovers the well containing Matkovic's body. She meets a neighbour on the way back, whom she asks for help, but they are intercepted by Nina. 

Lucia runs out of the house again, then Elisa and Selma arrive. Nina and Elisa meet and argue; it is revealed that it was Elisa, not Marcus Turner, who was driving the car which killed Nina's daughter and husband, and Turner had taken the blame because Elisa was pregnant with George, their son. 

Elisa searches for Lucia and finds her safe and well. Nina and Josephine are seen driving away together.

Three months later Fred and Elisa meet at and discuss her pending sentencing; she has told him about George. Elisa is sentenced to six years in prison for her crimes.

It all wraps up nicely, after the we start to see Elisa as maybe not the innocent victim we thought she was from the earlier episodes.

Rebecca AKA Nina also has a very different side. This was an easy, yet forgettable watch. One more UK miniseries to go before I move onto to something new. Enjoy the weekend, stay warm dear readers!

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes - Miniseries

Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes is a British miniseries based on the 2005 killing of a Brazilian electrician by London police. 

Written by Jeff Pope, starring Edison Alcaide, Daniel Mays, Russell Tovey, Laura Aikman, Alex Jennings, Conleth Hill, Emily Mortimer & Max Beesley. 

The four episodes landed on Disney+ on late April. June - September is my TV catch up peroid, so expect some serious catch up posts for the next few months.

Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes documents the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes by officers of the Metropolitan Police Service at Stockwell station on the London Underground after he was wrongly deemed to be one of the fugitives involved in the previous day's failed bombing attempts.

This is not the first series based on Jean Charles de Menezes.

Back in 2006, the Panorama episode "Stockwell – Countdown to Killing" was shown on BBC One. The shooting was the subject of an hour-long factual drama titled Stockwell, first broadcast in 2009 in the UK on ITV1.

More recently in 2024, a two-part documentary titled Shoot to Kill: Terror on the Tube, first broadcast on Channel 4, seeks to set the shooting in the context of the fear-filled atmosphere in London in July 2005 and includes an interview with the police officer who killed Menezes.

While Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio has said the series, which starts with armed police shooting an unarmed man, was inspired by the shooting of Meneze.

This was a shocking event in history. The series was a full on watch. However the performances were incredible and this is a story that needs telling. All four episodes stream on Disney+ now.

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - SkyMed - Season Three

I really vibed seasons one and two of Canadian medical series SkyMed, however season three was a little patchy. Life, death, and drama at 20-thousand feet. A new medical adventure about a group of young first responders in the remote North, where help - and survival - are thousands of miles away.

Nicola Correia-Damude joined the series as Chief Nurse Marianne Fereira, a nurse who and PR expert who comes to head up the SkyMed nurses and runs them strictly. Marianne was one of the main plot points of this season.

Also interesting to point out, earlier this month, the series was renewed for a fourth season only on Paramount+. But with how the ninth episode wraps, who will return?

Joining Nicola Correia-Damude, Natasha Calis (Nurses) as Hayley, Morgan Holmstrom (Day of the Dead) as Crystal, Praneet Akilla (Nancy Drew) as Chopper, Mercedes Morris (Ghosts) as Lexi, Thomas Elms (The Boys in the Boat) as Nowak, Kheon Clarke (Riverdale) as Tristan, Sydney Kuhne (Ginny & Georgia) as Stef and Aaron Ashmore (Ginny & Georgia) as Wheezer. 

The recurring cast was comprised of “Ace” Aason Nadjiwon (The Twilight Zone) as Bode, Emilia McCarthy (Zombies) as Madison, Anthony Grant (V-Wars) as TJ & Braeden Clarke (Outlander) guest-starred as Jeremy.

Th season starts with the arrival of a new Chief Nurse Marianne Fereira, who throws the whole SkyMed flight crew off-balance, until an unexpected accident causes a shocking loss.

Now a brief spoiler alert following this trailer.

In the last episode, things wrap up fairly nicely, as Bodie's wedding celebrations take an unexpected turn, forcing the SkyMed flight crew to race to save one of their own.

However the finale also could double as a series finale, with lots of loose ends being wrapped.

Episode six, Wheezervision is the most cringe, however with bombs on board planes, a random camping trip and the SkyMed documentary storyline, things do get a little silly from time to time across this nine episode drop.

Fingers crossed the next eight episode fourth season drop is stronger. This is not my only Canadian series I have jumped into, with Sullivan's Crossing also screening currently on Stan.

Until next time, see you soon!

Logies 2025 - My Picks

Yesterday, The Logies nominations were announced. Here is my yearly tradition of "My Picks" in Red + BOLD, let's see how I go. 

The ABC plus streaming (particularly Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar) did exceptionally well with the nominations yesterday.

Stan were the real streaming losers with very few nominations across multiple shows. Randomly US series Good Cop/Bad Cop got a few more nods than the final run of Bump or the recent gay drama Invisible Boys. Was Ten Pound Poms, Scrublands and Black Snow all released too late too?

Binge did well with the return of crowd favourite Colin From Accounts, which luckily has already been renewed for a third season. The Twelve also scored a couple of nods.

Voting is now open, so get cracking people! The ceremony will be broadcast on Sunday, August 3. A little earlier than last year.

Here we go, my picks below!

TV Week Gold Logie – Most Popular Personality on Australian Television

Ally Langdon, A Current Affair, The Olympic Games Paris 2024, 9Network

Hamish Blake, Lego Masters Australia, 9Network

Julia Morris, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10

Lisa Millar, Back Roads, ABC News Breakfast, Muster Dogs: Where Are They Now, Muster Dogs: Collies & Kelpies, ABC

Lynne McGranger, Home and Away, Seven Network

Poh Ling Yeow, MasterChef Australia, Network 10

Sonia Kruger, The Voice, Dancing With The Stars, Logies Red Carpet Show, Seven Network

Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter

Hamish Blake, Lego Masters Australia, 9Network

Julia Morris, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10

Ricki-Lee, Australian Idol, Seven Network

Sonia Kruger, The Voice, Dancing With The Stars, Logies Red Carpet Show, Seven Network

Todd Woodbridge, Tipping Point Australia, Australian Open, The Olympic Games Paris 2024, Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, 9Network

Zan Rowe, Take 5 With Zan Rowe, ABC New Year’s Eve, ABC

Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent

Guy Montgomery, Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee, ABC

Hailey Pinto, Home and Away, Seven Network

Jenny Tian, Taskmaster Australia, Network 10

Kate Miller-Heidke, The Voice, Seven Network

Kylah Day, Territory, Netflix

Sofia Levin, MasterChef Australia, Network 10

Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter

Ally Langdon, A Current Affair, 9Network

David Speers, Insiders, ABC

Michael Usher, 7News, 7News Spotlight, Seven Network

Peter Overton, 9News, 9Network

Sarah Ferguson, 7.30, ABC

Tara Brown, 60 Minutes, Dangerous Lies: Unmasking Belle Gibson, 9Network

TV Week Silver Logie – Best Lead Actor in a Drama

Lloyd Griffith, Return To Paradise, ABC

Michael Dorman, Territory, Netflix

Robert Taylor, Territory, Netflix

Sam Corlett, Territory, Netflix

Sam Neill, The Twelve, Binge / Foxtel

Tai Hara, Return To Paradise, ABC

TV Week Silver Logie – Best Lead Actress in a Drama

Alycia Debnam-Carey, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Anna Samson, Return To Paradise, ABC

Anna Torv, Territory, Netflix

Ayesha Madon, Heartbreak High, Netflix

Kaitlyn Dever, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Lynne McGranger, Home and Away, Seven Network

TV Week Silver Logie – Best Lead Actor in a Comedy

Aaron Chen, Fisk, ABC

Ben Miller, Austin, ABC

Clancy Brown, Good Cop/Bad Cop, Stan

Luke Cook, Good Cop/Bad Cop, Stan

Michael Theo, Austin, ABC

Patrick Brammall, Colin From Accounts, Binge / Foxtel

TV Week Silver Logie – Best Lead Actress in a Comedy

Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts, Binge / Foxtel

Jenna Owen, Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story, Stan

Kitty Flanagan, Fisk, ABC

Leighton Meester, Good Cop/Bad Cop, Stan

Sally Phillips, Austin, ABC

Vic Zerbst, Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story, Stan

TV Week Silver Logie – Best Supporting Actor

Ashley Zukerman, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Darren Gilshenan, Colin From Accounts, Binge / Foxtel

Glenn Butcher, Fisk, ABC

Mark Coles Smith, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Matt Nable, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Sam Delich, Territory, Netflix

TV Week Silver Logie – Best Supporting Actress

Aisha Dee, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Chloé Hayden, Heartbreak High, Netflix

Julia Zemiro, Fisk, ABC

Marg Downey, The Newsreader, ABC

Michelle Lim Davidson, The Newsreader, ABC

Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Best Drama Program

Bump, Stan

Heartbreak High, Netflix

Return To Paradise, ABC

Territory, Netflix

The Newsreader, ABC

The Twelve, Binge / Foxtel

Best Miniseries or Telemovie

Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix

Critical Incident, Stan

Fake, Paramount+

How To Make Gravy, Binge / Foxtel

Human Error, 9Network

Plum, ABC

Best Entertainment Program

ABC New Year’s Eve, ABC

Australian Idol, Seven Network

Countdown 50 Years On, ABC

Dancing With The Stars, Seven Network

The Voice, Seven Network

Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight, 9Network

Best Current Affairs Program

60 Minutes, 9Network

7.30, ABC

7NEWS Spotlight, Seven Network

A Current Affair, 9Network

Australian Story, ABC

Four Corners, ABC

Best Scripted Comedy Program

Austin, ABC

Colin From Accounts, Binge / Foxtel

Fisk, ABC

Good Cop/Bad Cop, Stan

Melbourne International Comedy Festival, ABC

Optics, ABC

Best Comedy Entertainment Program

Gruen, ABC

Hard Quiz, ABC

Have You Been Paying Attention?, Network 10

Sam Pang Tonight, Network 10

Thank God You’re Here, Network 10

The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, ABC

Best Competition Reality Program

Alone Australia, SBS

Australian Survivor: Brains V Brawn II, Network 10

Lego Masters Australia, 9Network

MasterChef Australia, Network 10

My Kitchen Rules, Seven Network

The Block, 9Network

Best Structured Reality Program

Farmer Wants A Wife, Seven Network

Gogglebox Australia, Network 10

Married At First Sight, 9Network

Muster Dogs: Collies & Kelpies, ABC

Shark Tank Australia, Network 10

The Real Housewives of Sydney, Binge / Foxtel

Best Lifestyle Program

Better Homes and Gardens, Seven Network

Do You Want To Live Forever?, 9Network

Gardening Australia, ABC

Grand Designs Australia, ABC

Restoration Australia, ABC

Travel Guides, 9Network

Best News Coverage or Public Affairs Report

Betrayal of Trust, Four Corners, ABC

Building Bad, 60 Minutes, 9Network

Courage & Science, A Current Affair, 9Network

Cyclone Alfred, 7NEWS, Seven Network

Melbourne Protests, Sunrise, Seven Network

Trump Assassination Attempt, 7News, Seven Network

Best Factual or Documentary Program

Big Miracles, 9Network

Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story, Seven Network

Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian, ABC

The Assembly, ABC

Tsunami: 20 Years On, 9Network

Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story, 9Network

Best Sports Coverage

2024 AFL Finals Series, Seven Network

2024 State of Origin, 9Network

2025 Australian Open Finals, 9Network

Australia v India: Border – Gavaskar Trophy, Kayo Sports / Foxtel

CommBank Matildas V China PR, Network 10

The Olympic Games Paris 2024, 9Network / Stan Sport

Best Children’s Program

Bluey, ABC

Ginger and the Vegesaurs, ABC

Hard Quiz Kids, ABC

Little J & Big Cuz, NITV / ABC

Play School, ABC

Rock Island Mysteries, Network 10

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - Good Cop/Bad Cop - Season One

Good Cop/Bad Cop is The CW/Roku/Stan co-production, whilst filmed in QLD, Australia.

The first eight episodes follow Lou (Leighton Meester) and Henry (Luke Cook), a sister and brother detective team in a small Pacific Northwest police force who must contend with colourful residents, a serious lack of resources, and their very complicated dynamic with each other and their police chief, Big Hank (Clancy Brown) – who happens to be their father.

Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester as Det. Lou Hickman, a 7-year veteran of the Eden Vale P.D. who was the sole Detective of her small town police force until she convinced her father, the Chief of Police, to hire some help. Due to her department's small budget, Lou leans on her sunny disposition to solve the varied crimes in town. She harbours feelings for Shane, played by Devon Terrell.

Det. Shane Carson, a member of the Sheriff's Department who frequently works with Lou when she works outside the Eden Vale city limits. He is separated from his wife and fancies Lou. He is able to help Lou and Henry's investigations due to his better budget.

Then there is Luke Cook as Det. Henry Hickman, Lou's younger brother and Big Hank's estranged son who left home after writing an editorial criticising his father. 

He returns to Eden Vale after being offered a promotion to Detective by his father–a promotion he was unable to secure while working on the Seattle Police Department due to his lack of interpersonal skills and terrible bedside manner. He is still in love with his ex-girlfriend Dr. Marci Laine who he left in the town to pursue his career in Seattle.

Clancy Brown as Big Hank Hickman, the Chief of Police in Eden Vale and father of Lou and Henry. He freely admits to redrawing the town borders to ensure that his town is considered low-crime, as well as routinely providing favours for his friends. Lastly, Blazey Best plays Nadia Drozdova, Big Hank's Russian girlfriend.

This is a very sweet series filmed locally which I do really hope gets a second season. Given the CW hasn't made announcements about how its October - December 2025  lineup will look.

Given this show has a famous face and former CW Gossip Girl legend, Leighton Meester, the fact it is filmed down under, here is hoping they can make a second season.

I know cash is strapped in the USA for network TV. Particularly The CW and FOX.

Good Cop/Bad Cop is one of the best things I have seen on Stan (or The CW for that matter) for a while. Stan needs more local content, actually more content in general.

This was a super easy watch in under around 7 hours! That's an entire day in the office, shit!

Film Influencer 2025 - Dangerous Animals

Dangerous Animals is a 2025 

What is with Aussie survival horrors in 2025? Bring her Back, the rebooted I Know What You Did Last Summer, Ok so it's a US film, however filmed here, with an Aussie crew, including my neighbours GF.

So back to Dangerous Animals.

The film directed by Sean Byrne and written by Nick Lepard. Starring Hassie Harrison, Josh Heuston, Rob Carlton, Ella Newton, Liam Greinke & new villain energy by Jai Courtney.

Dangerous Animals had its premiere at the Directors' Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival last month, then landing on Aussie screens this Thursday.

Dangerous Animals has received generally positive reviews from critics. With Hassie Harrison as Zephyr playing a solid lead with Jai Courtney as Tucker, almost giving Mick Taylor (John Jarratt) backpacker hater energy.

Heartbreak High hunk and real life model, Josh Heuston as Moses is a sweet real estate agent come hero, while Ella Newton as Heather & Liam Greinke as Greg star in the terrifying opening scene.

Aussie legend, Rob Carlton (who recently was spotted on the third White Lotus scene) plays Dave. Who is usually drunk on a boat next to Tuckers.

Basic plot? Trapped on a killer’s boat with hungry sharks circling below, a surfer must outwit a predator more dangerous than the ocean itself. Thi is Sean Byrne third visceral feature.

OK so part shark film, part crazy ass Aussie killer horror film. This was actually way better and more crazy than I expected.

It also doesn't out stay it's welcome at just over an hour and a half.

For anyone who needs more local horror after Bring Her Back. This is fairly damn good.

Dangerous Animals rates a heart stopping 3 Stars. Yes I jumped in my seat multiple times. Great to see a few good local films at the cinemas back-to-back!

Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - Heartstopper - Season Three

Heartstopper's third season I have been waiting to catch up on, originally streamed last October.

So while I look after my neighbour's cat, it's time to catch up on my Netflix stories, as I completely dropped this streaming service!

Back in April, Netflix ordered a feature-length Heartstopper film that would act as the series finale, in place of a fourth season.

Season three explores some dark issues for Charlie (Joe Locke), while Nick (Kit Connor), does his best to be a sweet, supportive boyfriend throughout the season.

The rest of the friendship group Tao Xu (William Gao), Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney), Isaac Henderson (Tobie Donovan), Tara Jones (Corinna Brown) & Darcy Olsson (Kizzy Edgell) have a lot going on!

In the finale, Charlie's mother apologises to him and shares her difficult relationship with her overbearing mother. 

Nick, Elle, Tara, and Imogen take a road trip to visit university options. At the University of Oxford, Imogen tells Nick she does not like boys and has been struggling with compulsory heterosexuality. 

Tara realises she does not like Oxford and ponders her future. Having preferred the University of Leeds to schools closer to home, Nick expresses his fears of being away from Charlie to the girls, who encourage him to branch out. 

Charlie prepares to play the drums with Sahar's band at a summer fete. Charlie encourages Tori to share love with others, especially Michael. Nick and the girls fight traffic to see the band's performance. Elle tells Tao she wants to study elsewhere in Europe. 

Charlie's parents let him sleep over at Nick's, where Charlie takes his shirt off and the two have sex.

I have a feeling the finale/film will possibly land this year concluding another one of Netflix's legacy series. With Cobra Kai & You already concluding, Stranger Things ending later in three parts, and Squid Game ending this month, the streaming service is saying goodbye to some of their most successful series.

So expect a You catch up, along with a quick Squid Game binge. Damn those two shows were particularly addictive!

Catch ya soon dear readers!