Time

TV - BBC

OK so I’m starting with a fairly heavy one as Jimmy McGovern isnt known for laugh a minute and this harsh prison drama is no exception.

I’ll watch anything with Stephen Graham in anything, add in Sean Bean and thats pretty compelling.

Leave the door open

Music - Silksonic

After all the harsh reality of Time I thought I’d go the opposite way with a song.

SilkSonic is the concept project of Anderson Paak & Bruno Mars. Don’t take it too seriously, you’re not meant to.

Renegades

Podcast - Obama & Springsteen

OK so this was mostly recorded in 2020 but I discovered it in ‘21 so its in. This is very much an alone time listen, maybe if you’ve got a long drive but as guys to listen to come, these are up there with the best.

The Morning Show (S2)

TV - Apple+

If you saw season 1 of the morning show you don’t need me to sell this one at all.

As one of the keystone pieces of Apple+ TV you can see there is serious intent gone into every detail of this show.

Like before the fine lines between right/wrong, friendship/abuse are examined in some style and for me the biggest hat tip goes to Billy Crudup who plays Cory the Exec.

New Order

Live - Heaton Park Manchester

I’m cheating here, the video is actually from the O2 later on the same tour.

This was only the second gig we’d been to in 18 months and the idea of New Order doing a hometown gig in a big park in Manchester was too good to turn down.

These have been on my must see list for a long time and they didn’t disappoint.

King Richard

Film

I liked this one so much I wrote a whole separate piece about it.

The Bio-pic of the Williams sisters but almost more of Richard Williams, their dad.

Will Smith bought the rights to this years ago and worked with the family to get it right. He was told from the start that Venus & Serena would work on it but wouldnt put their name to it till they saw it and were happy…

Exec Producers - Venus & Serena Williams

Mailce at the Palace

Documentary - Netflix (Untold Series)

You know a sports documentary is good when you don’t even have to like or understand the sport.

(for the record I do, GO HORNETS!!)

I wont do any spoilers here except to say at one time or another you get the feeling that each person takes turns at being right and wrong.

Meet me at our spot

Music - The Anxiety (Willow & Tyler)

Right so I promise I’m not some fanatic, it just so happens that Will Smith did one of my favourite films this year and his daughter Willow (yes, thats her) did one of my favourite songs.

Incidentally Willow dropped the “Smith” bit a few years ago and has totally gone her own way, could be further from the “whip my hair” days.

It’s a sin

TV - Channel 4

The story of the gay scene in London during the emergence in HIV and AIDS in the 80’s that could only be written this well by Russell T Davies.

Olly Alexander shines in this with some pretty great turns from the likes of Neil Patrick Harris & Stephen Fry. Every Character is here playing a balance of Euphoria, Love, Ignorance & Fear.

James

Live Music - Birmingham

James are one of those bands you’ve probably forgotten from the 90’s but they actually have about 10 songs you love.

Footage here is from Dublin but we saw them in Birmingham with support from the happy mondays.

The world’s a little blurry

Documentary - Billie Eilish - Apple+

Kinda like the basketball documentary above in many ways you don’t have to be a fan to get this.

To my mind anyone who can tap into so many millions of peoples feelings like this has found something. The overwhelming take away here is this is a teenage girl trying to jump between being a teenage girl and a global brand, and of course there’s times that just won’t work.

Succession

TV - Sky/HBO

Yes it was hard to miss the talk about this one in the last couple of months. To be honest I only watched season 1&2 when season 3 came out but boy was it worth catching up.

The genius trick they pull off here…. objectively these are all horrible ego maniacs and the absolute worst of humanity but somehow you end up rooting for them, and by “them” I mean that changes throughout the series.

Spit of you

Music - Sam Fender

Remember I said how I’ll watch anything with Stephen Graham in? Well this one was a total accident. I didn’t see the video till ages after I loved the song.

Sam Fender has been knocking about a couple of years now but this album “Seventeen going under” is a new level. I’ll even forgive him for being a Newcastle fan.

The many saints of Newark

Film

The much hyped Soprano’s prequel only got one thing wrong for me, the told us it was all about young Tony Soprano (played by Michael Gandolphini, James’ son).

Once you realise that this film is really about Dicky Montasanti and the race tensions of New Jersey in the late 60’s it makes much more sense.

Get Back

Documentary - The Beatles - Disney+

Right, let’s get this out there straight away, unless you’re a bit of a music nerd you’ll probably give up on this long before you hit any of the many pay-offs.

This is a long, slow moving detail piece but if you invest the time and attention it’s amazing.

This way up (S2)

TV - Channel 4

Aisling Bea & Sharon Horgan come back with series 2 of This Way Up.

There’s not really a lot I can say except its one of those “my life is a mess” shows but very well done.

Chaise Longue

Music - Wet Leg

Wet Leg are the hipster’s choice breakout band of 2021 with a lot more to come.

This song is kinda stupid but clever, rude but not really, bet you’ll like it.

No time to die

Film

Of course this had to be in there, and it deserves to be.

I’m going to miss Daniel Craig as Bond but he left us with a good one to go out on.