klamut1960

I saw The Victim starting Elizabeth Montgomery when I was 12 years old. I just watched it again on You Tube and really enjoyed it, 44 years later.

It's an old-fashioned woman in jeopardy suspense thriller and I wish there were more movies like this today.

Elizabeth Montgomery plays Kate, a well to do woman who is concerned about her sister Susan. Susan lives in an isolated house, sounds troubled when she talks to her sister on the phone and a terrible storm is coming. Kate calls her sister back, but the line is dead, which worries Kate. Kate decides to drive to her sister's home in the storm and arrives to find her missing. The storm is in full force, the phone's not working, the power goes out....as a 12 year old, this scared me to death. As a 56 year old, I still enjoyed it. Eileen Heckhart gives a terrific performance as the sister's creepy housekeeper and George Maharis is excellent as the missing sister's husband.

For baby boomers like myself who loved Elizabeth Montgomery on Bewitched and who adored watching The Movie of the Week (a precursor to Lifetime Movies), this one's for you. I truly wish all the old Movies of the Week would be released on DVD or at least as Amazon Prime videos. There's a real market out there among the baby boomers and most of the movies, like The Victim, are really good.

I have watched the first two episodes of Shades of Blue and am completely hooked. It's dark, edgy and tense, filled with complex characters, each with their own secrets and loyalties. Jennifer Lopez owns her role as Harlee Santos, a tough female cop who is also a devoted single mother to her 16 year old daughter, Christina. Ray Liotta is her long-time boss and father figure, Matt Wozniak. Matt is her Lieutenant and he, along with the rest of their unit are her family. Their unit is incredibly successful, but does not hesitate to cross the lines when it comes to justice and self-interest...loyalty is the name of the game and they stick together, no matter what. Matt is the kind of cop and man who is always able to do what is necessary to survive and protect those he cares about - the end will always justify the means.

In the Pilot (which I watched twice), one of the unit members is entrapped by the FBI and faces some very tough choices that instantly change their life. The second episode is even better, but I don't want to give any more away - just watch it and don't listen to the negative reviews. If you liked the Sopranos, NYPD Blue or currently are a fan of Chicago PD, you will love this. My test of a good show is that I'm sorry when the credits are rolling - that's how I felt when each episode of Shades of Blue ended.

I can't wait until next week!

I have been watching Homeland since the beginning and have found every season to be among the best television I've ever seen. The characters are complex, flawed and human, the psychological suspense makes your skin crawl and the performances are astounding. Clare Danes and Mandy Pantinkin are the heart of the show, but every season has introduced new characters that we grow to care about, fear, or even despise. The show addresses the real issues that confront the world today - terrorism, national security and does an excellent job showcasing the viewpoints of both sides. Nothing is "black and white" - there are always shades of gray, which make the show fascinating, both as a thriller and as a character study, particularly of Carrie and Saul, the main protagonists.

This last season was especially haunting, particularly the final episode. I know I will be re-watching the entire season - it's that good. So glad the show has been renewed. Bravo to Showtime for continuing to provide us with intelligent, thought provoking television.