Not-so Guilty TV Pleasures

I read books, I really do. Right now, I’m reading a lot of Hollywood memoirs and labor history for a project I’m working on. But at night, when my poor old stroked-out eyes are tired, I like to watch movies and TV shows. And right now, I’m thoroughly enjoying the Amazon Prime Video series Daisy Jones & the Six, a 1970s-era rock drama loosely based on the wild story of Fleetwood Mac. The first two episodes of Daisy Jones were predictably formulaic and I almost bailed out. But I got hooked after the third and fourth episodes – and I can’t wait until the latest episode premieres tonight.

Part of my enjoyment comes from the two lead actors, Riley Keough (Daisy) and Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne). Yes, Riley is the granddaughter of Elvis Presley and the main inheritor of the King’s estate, but she turns out to be a formidable performer in her own right. As Daisy, she’s tough and wounded and talented. And what can you say about the strikingly handsome actor who plays the L.A. rock star Billy Dunne , except where the hell did he come from? Of course, in real life, Claflin is British – is there any role that the Brits can’t play?

When I’m not absorbed in Daisy Jones, I’ve been watching C. B. Strike – the five-season BBC private detective show starring Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger which is now available on HBO Max. Based on the book series by J. K. Rowling, C. B. Strike is well-acted and well-plotted. And Cormoran Strike himself, as portrayed by the gifted Burke, is properly moody and intelligent, like all great noir detectives should be.

You could do much worse than watching both of these shows. In fact, I have! I‘ve watched Under the Vines in a desperate moment. Now THAT’s a guilty pleasure.

Riley Keough and Sam Claflin in Daisy Jones and the Six