Stan has delivered this summer, giving us two days into the new year, The Tourist.
The drama thriller returns (this time to Ireland) starring Jamie Dornan and Danielle Macdonald as Probationary Constable Helen Chambers.
This season we learn Elliot Stanley/Eugene Cassidy's past as we head to Ireland.
The second season comes after an entire year off, so the last time we saw original episodes stream on Stan was 1 January, 2022.
With a decent recap at the top of episode one, we kick into gear in the second season, with loads of bad guys after Dornan yet again. You have to wonder whether a third season is possible? Particularly now we have left the OG idea of an Irish tourist in the Australian outback.
It had a bit of Romeo and Juliet running through the themes of the two Irish crime families. No spoilers here as this literally only landed a minute ago.
However great to see more Australian content on streaming platforms. Stan does excel in bringing us local stories, even though they may be shot in overseas locations.
This hasn't been my favourite of all my Sizzlin' Summer Streaming, however the bar has been set high recently. The excellent second season of Dr Death, Totally Completely Fine, Strife and more.
However there is something about Jamie Dornan. Or maybe I just get too many naughty flashbacks from 50 Shades. The Tourist, season two streams now on Stan.
Wreck (originally titled Wrecked) has been on my ABC iView watchlist for some time.
This British comedy/horror series, stars Oscar Kennedy as Jamie, a young man who takes a job on board a cruise ship in order to investigate the disappearance of his sister.
Originally airing on BBC Three back in October 2022.
Wreck was received favourably by the LGBTQ+ press with Attitude, Gay Times and The Queer Review featuring the series on their lists of Top LGBT TV Shows of 2022.
The show has been renewed for a second series, the same month the first season aired. It must be delayed, as originally it was set for a 2023 broadcast.
So there are spoilers about the season one finale below. Read at your OWN risk!
In Water off a Duck's Back, the season's sixth and final episode. We kick off the episode as usual with a flashback. Pippa texts a mystery person telling them they have enough proof about what is happening on the ship.
Back to the present, Henry reveals that Sam murdered Pippa because she got too close to exposing the operation and then killed Danny out of fear that Pippa had told him what was going on. Henry then murders Sam in front of them for failing.
Beaker almost kills Olly to force Jamie to tell him who else they've been working with, but they are saved by Cormac and Rosie. Lily tells Henry that she wants to kill Vivian that night. Jamie reveals the truth to the rest of the crew who, when backed up by Sophia, convinces them to fight back.
Olly recruits the mafia, who team up with the crew to take down Beaker and the officers while Jamie goes to rescue Vivian. Karen tries to get Henry to evacuate her from the ship, but he refuses. Lily begins hunting Vivian as Jamie, helped by Karen, races to save her.
Lily is killed by her own chainsaw when she is distracted by Jamie bursting through the door. Henry reveals that the Sacramentum is not the only Velorum ship with this kind of operation.
The Whales, angered by what has happened, pick up weapons to kill Jamie and Vivian, but are stopped by the arrival of the crew and are subsequently arrested by the Police. Karen flees the ship in the duck costume.
Cormac and Rosie resume their relationship and Olly tells Jamie that he owes him a date. Jamie and Vivian resolve to take down Velorum, the company that owns the Sacramentum. Watching the boat from afar, Pippa is revealed to still be alive.
Yes it's a wild ride. No it's not a straight up slasher, teen horror series that I thought it was from the trailer. It was a little like Hostel on a cruise ship. It's class warfare on a large life and death scale.
Look I will watch season two (when it ever airs) to see if Pippa and Jamie are reunited.
It definitely is not the series I thought it would be. However I did enjoy the romance between Olly and Jamie, that was a sweet surprise. So as we head into part II of the Australian summer, the Sizzlin' Summer Streaming 24' series is now in full swing.
With finales to air in January like, Found, Paper Dolls, The Curse, Reacher and The Tourist's second season based in Ireland.
Finestkind is another direct to Paramount+ film. Let's just say cinema and films struggled in 2023, I am hoping for a lot more in 2024. This however was a late 2023 viewing for me. It does however star, queen of screen (big and small) of present Jenna Ortega. Who may return for Wednesday, but not the next instalment of Scream.
Finestkind is a crime thriller family drama starring alongside Ortega, Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Ismael Cruz Córdova & screen legend, Tommy Lee Jones.
So whats it about you ask? Should I invest the 2 hour running time?
Look in the old days this would be a straight to DVD or video release. It looks fairly cheaply made, with a fairly average cast. Excluding IT girl, Jenna Ortega.
Based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, this family fishing drama, come crime film doesn't really every reach the highest of heights.
Real life drama has also followed the film, with a cinematographer allegedly they were never paid $25,000 he was under contract for.
Look I had this on in the background whilst I did a summer clean, so I can't say I completely wasted my time.
But Paramount+ need to do a little better with their next original films. 1.5 Stars.
Dr. Death is back. After the first season arrived on my birthday back on 2021, we have waited around 18 months for the second series. Focusing on Paolo Macchiarini.
I will never forget the first series as (it was my birthday) I also had my first COVID vaccine. My fever went sky high. I got halfway through an episode then boom!
So Peacock finally have a series in its second season that has a bit of hype behind it. After a few flops, maybe the streamer finally has a show to brag about. That said Twisted Metal no doubt will also get a bit of hype upon it's return when the second season lands.
So what is Dr Death season two all about? It is the story of Swiss-Italian surgeon and medical researcher Paolo Macchiarini convicted after experimenting on his patients.
Édgar Ramírez plays Paolo Macchiarini, while former Candy singer, Mandy Moore (This is Us) plays Benita Alexander.
Also joining the second seasons new cast, Rita Volk, Luke Kirby, Judy Reyes (Claws and Devious Maids), Jack Davenport, Annika Boras, and Sandra Andreis.
Ramírez is exceptional as the evil doctor. Not only does he play Mandy Moore's Benita for a love fool, what he does to his patients is pure evil.
This was way more frightening than the OG first run.
I would really not be surprised if a third version of the Dr Death series would be in the works. This was also a winner back home in Australia for Stan. Not only did Stand have the fourth run of Bump to keep them going over the holidays, this landed before Christmas. Now Stan has the second season of The Tourist travelling to Ireland, along with Prosper incoming this month.
Either way, well done Stan. A great summer of programming thus far. Dr Death season two is very good!
How did I miss this little gem too? Totally Completely Fine landed on Stan around Easter/April holidays.
Its a (very) dark comedy series from Stan/USA group SundanceNow.
Starring Kiwi Thomasin McKenzie as Vivian Cunningham, the lead in this serious at times, but funny Sydney 6 part series. Not sure if a second season is on the cards, but if it was, I'd watch it for sure.
Vivian, a twenty-something who inherits her grandfather's home which is a popular suicide jumping spot. Her neighbour is super cute, Devon Terrell (who plays Dane, a psychologist who offers his professional help to Vivian). He is also a virgin.
Vivian (McKenzie) learns that her grandad had been talking people out of jumping for years, saving hundreds of lives. After saving the life of runaway bride Amy (Contessa Treffone), Vivian starts to take on the responsibility of helping those who come to the cliff while also adjusting to her new life in "the Crevice".
Vivian's family is also extremely dysfunctional. With two brothers (one gay, one straight), they are left their grandfathers other two less interesting items. Neither of them score some top Sydney real estate. Well a property with some work attached to it.
Vivian has weekly visitors, a sweet paper boy (this is a heartbreaking story BTW) and the brothers family to deal with.
It's a lot.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this series, whilst also smashing it in around 48 hours. I must confess I finished this before 2024, however due to the number of posts I had, it sneaks into the second coming of the Sizzlin' Summer Streaming series. I am thinking at the end of March, early April, combining the two lists for the ultimate summer show. Will see how I go!
Anyone but You is definitely not as bad as I thought it was gonna be! And that my friend is good thing. Starring Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney, this Sydney based film, brings American's to Australia's almost capital city.
Alongside Sweeney, the modern Aussie slang filled rom-com stars Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Griffiths.
Anyone but You was released late December, I saw it just before NYE, however it makes the first Post Strike Cinema 24' post for 2024. And look it wasn't a bad film to kick off 2024 with. Y'all know the last few years between strikes, COVID and lack of new ideas have meant cinema has kind of been average. Or a dying form of entertainment.
In a Tik Tok generation two hour plus films also are resulting in many people just viewing movies at home on streaming services once they land. Not to mention cheaper snacks, bathroom breaks without missing major plot points. This two hour (plus) film duration needs to stop.
Thankfully this film does not over stay its welcome. Despite mixed reviews from critics, I feel alongside Sweeney's fans, this film is actually decent.
If you are in need of some summer lovin', this could be the holiday film for you. It's feel good, with an ongoing "Is that Tasmania" joke the entire film through.
Look it doesn't break any new ground in the genre, however Sydney on the big screen (light rail up George Street and all) looks fairly damn good.
I feel out of Wonka, Aquaman and this little Aussie shot pic, it's the underdog for the holidays. So in that case I am scoring it fairly well with 3 Stars for Sydney Sweeney in Sydney!
Wow that was a lot of TV! Sizzlin' Summer Streaming 23' is now over. Set to be replaced by Sizzlin' Summer Streaming 24' - January to March 2024.
OK so technically the reason there are so many titles here is because, I did start this late series later September. Therefore there has been just over three months to binge, watch, smash my catch up TV for 2023.
Also adding to the large list, was the small number of week to week series along with next to ZERO network (USA) shows to catch up on. The writers strike fully impacted the US TV world by late 2023. Great for me to play catch up on titles I missed earlier in 2023 along with series from as far back as 2021.
There was loads of quality to watch this warm, early, heatwave prone summer. Also the random storms/summer rain made it a perfect time to sit in, catch up on my stories.
Last season it was all about Amazon with the local comedy, Deadloch. This season, another local series takes the prize. An early December release on Binge, Strife. Brilliant series. Catch the trailer below.
If you need more series to catch up on, below are my previous RATED's:
