moondancer

It's saying something that this is the only one of the boatload of new tv series launched in the fall of 2018 that we continue to watch ( and it continues to grow on us with each passing episode ). It is both charming and sufficiently off-kilter to keep us coming back even though we are neither single nor parents. It has a great cast all around ( where on earth did they find these kids? ) and we especially look forward to the very special lunacy of the Fogerty family ( Brad Garrett and the Allan twins ).

No Christmas would be complete without a viewing of The Ref, alongside our other fave, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. It features the wonderfully matched sniping of Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis as the couple on the rocks who ultimately learn to come together with the aid of the put-upon criminal ( a wonderful Denis Leary ) who is by far the sanest of the lot. Set this in the weirdly Disneyesque beauty of Niagara-on-the-Lake at Christmas ( yes it really looks like that ), throw in one of the best rants ever delivered in a movie, and you have a near perfect sugar-free Christmas classic. Careful though, it is addictive.

In spite of the horrid title I am growing ever fonder of this little gem of a show with each passing episode. Based on the title and the marketing I feared that this show would embrace those with their heads so surgically attached to a little glowing screen that they wouldn't even notice their own imminent demise. However this show cleverly winnows out both the pluses and minuses of SMOD ( social media obsession disorder - I'm just making that up but if you want to tweet it knock yourself out ) for this very unique take on Pygmalion. The leads are solid (who would have thought John Cho would be right for this but he just is) and at episode 4 the strength of the supporting cast is beginning to emerge. And it is funny. I love the rapid fire swipes at meme-du-jour sprinkled in each episode but now as the characters and situations become more a little more complex, it is truly becoming laugh out loud funny. Yep, out loud. Do yourself a favour and watch it.