What I'm Streaming: What To Watch When Your Back Is Out

For several months, through the holidays I hardly had time to stream anything at all. I neglected my Roku remote, and was painfully out of the loop in regards to any current TV series programming. I suppose life is good when you're too busy to veg out and devote an entire day to binging a program, but I'll admit, I was beginning to miss the familiar thirst for a plot, or connection to a character.

Then I was rear ended on St. Patrick's Day and things changed.

Not immediately. And, as these things tend to go, settling with time, the greater annoyance of my back only came to the surface after bowling the series of my life at a tournament a week after. And yet, it came. The stiffness, achy, miserable feeling of a back that has just had too much. For days I couldn't even lift my laptop and I spent hours in bed just lamenting at the whole 'woe- is-me' situation. Then I remembered my Roku.

I'll be the first to admit it's quite hard to concentrate on anything for long when your can't get comfortable and your whole body seems to be rebelling- but I managed to settle on a rotation of the following 4 shows, all available to stream in their entirety through your friendly media streaming device.

Night Gallery (Hulu, Seasons 1-3)

Rod Serling's Night Gallery is a somewhat macabre vision of the Twilight Zone, in color. When it originally aired in 1970-1973 it's Ripley's Believe It Or Not style short stories captivated and repulsed audiences. Today, of course, the modern viewer can find delight in the campy special effects and cheesy, yet poignantly thoughtful, twists. One main difference between the Twilight Zone and Night Gallery? Twilight Zone focused more on Science Fiction while Night Gallery has a distinctly Supernatural theme. Some episode segments to especially look out for? The Caterpillar, The Waiting Room, and Finnegan's Flight typically top lists of must see segments.

Girls (HBO, Seasons 1-4)

This next one will require an HBO subscription- for those of us without cable you can add HBO Now to pretty much any major streaming service for one monthly fee. Most channels will even offer a 1 week trial, so you theoretically could binge a few premium shows to discover the ones you like before committing to the $8 bucks a month.

I've had an HBO subscription on and off for most of my adult life, not for the films, but for the original series. Girls has been around since 2012 but the marketing for the show never really grabbed me. At first impression it simply seemed like a modern take on Sex and The City. I'll admit the first few episodes were make or break for me. I didn't initially fall in love. The humor was dry and a lot of the show's themes, and characters were crudely crafted and brutally in your face. I consider myself an addict at this point and I still find Lena Dunham's lead role as Hannah a bit hard to swallow at times.

The show's supposed to be the story of 4 young women, presumably friends but at most times enemies as apparently most 20 something women are, struggling to identify themselves and find their own footing in the hectic backdrop of NYC. For me it's surprisingly the show's male roles which draw me an and compel me to continue to consider the female antagonist's potential. Speaking of men- if you're looking for a particularly strange trip into another dimension consider the initial introduction of Adam Driver (Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens) as a crude, awkward, obsessive, chauvinistic partner for the show's lead, Hannah. If you're looking for something you can settle into, Girls is currently airing it's 4th season, and there's plenty of time to catch up before a binge of season 4 is in order this Summer.

Shipping Wars (A&E or Sling TV, Seasons 1-7)

I'll admit, watching fictional programming can become quite exhausting, especially when you try to keep up with multiple plot lines and ongoing series. Sometimes I like to take a break and watch some 'soft' reality TV- you know the kind that feels like it's probably scripted because the characters are so astronomically wild and loud only an actor could conduct themselves on camera with such pride in utter lack of decorum?

Shipping Wars isn't exactly Jerry Springer, but it might be just a step above Storage Wars when it comes to 'reality' quantity. The premise is that pretty much anyone who can rent a trailer and haul it can get paid to transport large and unusual shipments across state, or across the country. The cast features everything from the 'rookie' delivering out of an old bus, to the pro with generations of experience and a top of the line rig. Shipping Wars claims these characters bid on U-Ship.com auctions reserved for the highest tier shippers but I find it hard to believe watching the 'rookie' at times.

In any case it's quite fascinating to see what on Earth people need shipped, and how much they're willing to pay to have it shipped. Even more fascinating is the lengths these shippers will go to to secure and transport  shipment- these 30 minute episodes feature 2-3 shipments and are never dull

Antiques Roadshow (Streaming on PBS, FREE to all)

So, Antiques Roadshow is nothing new to anyone who has owned a television set in the past several decades. I grew up watching it with my mother, and it is now still running, weekly, 37 years after it's first episode! That being said I am constantly surprised how many of my friends and family don't know that you can stream Antiques Roadshow on nearly any media streaming device with the PBS channel for free at any time, no cable service or log in required! You will have to verify your location for local programming, as it is a public supported program, but the hours and hours of new and classic Antiques Roadshow programs are well worth it and the perfect way to pass the time when laid up in bed!

What have you been streaming lately?

What I'm Streaming: Deadbeat- Hulu (2014- )

Momma Told Me: TV is mindless.

I haven't been watching a lot of television lately; despite finally catching up on Game Of Thrones (HBO) and my impromptu celebration for the return of Big Brother (CBS)....okay, and last Sunday's premiere of True Blood (HBO) I have actually been quite busy running around taking photos and whipping up some awesome Summer content I will be able to share with you all soon. None-the-less, I still find my fingers cramped and my mind a little exhausted somewhere around midnight each night when the remote rolls over to my side of the bed amid snores. I don't really care what's on the television, really- I just prefer the ambient noise; and that's how a Hulu 'original' made it's way into my lineup.

Deadbeat, a Hulu Original Series, can be viewed by anything with an internet connection or media streamer. Without being judgmental, that usually has my quality and expectations radar low. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great independent, smaller, projects like Deadbeat can be picked up and actually streamed on digital networks such as Hulu, but that really means that the concept was often too wacky, or just plain offensive, to make prime time networks. In any case, there I was at midnight and there was an entire season of 20 minute episodes of mindless comedy to watch.

If you're up for the dare to take on this, fairly short, season you'll likely enjoy it most while cooking, running a treadmill, or waiting in line at the Dr's office. Essentially, you don't need to pay attention all too well to follow it, and the storyline is much more 'Did they really just do that?' than cerebral twists and turns. The filming is probably comparable to 90's cable sitcoms (don't expect HD), and the 'ghosts' are hilariously filtered in with graphics most high school students could manage in beginning film classes.

Oh, yes, there are ghosts- didn't I mention that? Well Deadbeat is about a broke medium who sells his services as such and inevitably ends up more broke than the beginning of the episode. Essentially each episode has a larger story (quirky romance) that wraps around his individual 'jobs' helping wayward ghosts complete their unfinished business so they can cross over. I have to say the show would be very enjoyable if it weren't for the writer's attempts to make the main character appeal to younger audiences with the casual drug use (primarily marijuana). Perhaps in the second season we will see him reform a little? In all, the show is worth a watch (just don't devote all your attention to it) and free to everyone, offering at least a few chuckles to kill some spare time.

What Daughter Says: I'm grateful smaller fish are having the opportunity to be seen, mindless TV can be good as long as you remember not to take it so seriously.

We Visit The Ultimate Showroom In Search For The Best Electronics Upgrades #Shop

Momma Told Me: Go watch the TVs.

In most households shopping for electronics technology is often for women, the equivalent of men sitting outside dressing rooms in department stores. Let's face it, shopping for electronic devices has long been a male dominated category, where the women begrudgingly agrees to go along, if only to help steer the days purchases within the agreed budget. But times have come a long way since the all day excursions of my childhood. Since I was first tall enough to peer over the sales counters at our local Best Buy my family has been consulting the men and women in blue shirts for each networking, home appliance, and home theater purchase. Their Low-Price Guarantee, bundled with on the spot competitor price-matching made them an easy favorite for Momma. And, when it was time for me to fly the coop and buy gadgets of my own, I naturally continued the tradition.

Don't get me wrong, I've flirted with 'others.' But I know my local yellow and blue inside and out-literally; I once spent nearly 4 days camped out in front of our local Best Buy just to be one of the first to own an XBOX 360 at launch. However, when we shop for any piece of technology, whether it's an inexpensive accessory or a new surround sound system, there's a lot more to consider than price alone. I seek intuitive guidance from knowledgeable staff, a large selection of brands and inventory, and, most importantly, hands on experience with the products that may potentially become our new 'toys.' That's why, the moment my feet hit that besparkled blue tile road, we follow it all the way back to the home theater showroom. With departments chocked full of interactive product displays, it's easy to understand why I can never just 'sneak' out to Best Buy- the family begs to come along!

Recently there's been a lot of talk about 'tax time' and 'returns' in our home; which often translates to 'let's go spend our money on upgrades.' This year, our living room, and the media center was our chosen focus. We sat down as a family and composed a list of things we wish we had for our personal and family entertainment center. While Jay voted for a sound-bar, and I dreamed way outside the budget with a 4K Ultra HDTV, Sabrina hoped for more instant video and streaming options on our standard HD television. Though I had a clear focus in mind, we set out for Best Buy with an open agenda in hopes of exploring these categories and finding #OneBuyForAll. After all, the #CollectiveBias was that Best Buy had everything we were looking for, and more.

As we hit the Magnolia Home Theater department our family began to unravel, a child over there, Jay calling me to follow him here, and my own self falling transfixed into a leather recliner before the most beautiful visual spectacle I'd ever beheld on a screen. As the Ultimate Showroom for home theater equipment, accessories, and upgrades, this particular section was decorated much like a modern living room, and comfortable enough to stop and 'stay a while'. I was in awe of the 4k Ultra HD picture clarity and color vibrancy, but eventually felt guilty for abandoning my party in such childlike wonder.

 

 When I once again reunited with the family I discovered Jay and Sabrina transfixed by their own personal interactive experience. Seated in one of 2 showroom Home Theater Studios, they sat surrounded by 3 complete audio and home theater setups. Each of the projectors, speakers, and televisions inside could be directly engaged with, and even experienced in the privacy of a darkened room with closed doors. This immersive buying experience is precisely the reason we flock to the showroom every visit. We never know what new technology we'll get to try out, or what product will make our ongoing wish list. Best of all, there are employees knowledgeable about the department just outside those studio doors!

As we exited the Magnolia Home Theater department, we wove through several aisles of home theater and personal audio speakers. Here Jay got to explore some more sound bar options, as well as Bluetooth audio options for our stereo system. Every aisle was topped with vital tips about the products below, and every product was represented by a physical unit we could touch and engage with. Being able to have a hands on experience with product size, clarity, weight, and hook-ups is essential when choosing the right home theater equipment for your home.

At the end of the audio department was the famed 'wall of TV's' every adult in my generation recalls as the only feature of such trips, during our own childhood. While it is quite breathtaking to see all of the televisions in synchronization along the entire back of the store; I had to often remind Sabrina this was the only thing for kids to touch and look at, when I was a kid. Of course, no sooner had I said this, than she was off tinkering with personal video cameras, as Jay explored more Smart TV innovations.

Typically it drives my batty when the family wanders off in a store, but these are the trips where I happily make an exception, after all, I want to explore the showroom too! In fact, I spent quite a while turning down associate help requests, and simply enjoying the experience of immersive shopping. In my mind I set a modest 10k budget and slowly built my dream entertainment center from television to gaming center, then found myself back at the center of the store where I found Sabrina engulfed in a Roku display. At the end of the aisle, it's easy to see why this rainbow of a product station had caught her attention. Little did she know this was precisely the type of item we had come to explore in the first place.

As it turns out, there are several modern solutions to the constant technological growth many buyers fear makes their home theater investments 'outdated.' One such solution is investing in an affordable, one time purchase, of a digital streaming box for your HDTV. These streaming boxes act as the 'Smart TV' brain for your modest (non-smart) existing television. They communicate with your home network via WiFi and provide an interface for you to stream online content such as movies, channels, apps, email, and more, directly to your main television screen. There, however, are many brands and models, so, this time, I happily accepted the offer of assistance from a passing employee. We soon learned about the different streaming channels available within each brand, parental control options, and web browsing compatibility. I was especially interested to hear the associate mention additional services offered at our location, including recycling and installation.

In the past, we have often streamed our media content from gaming systems we rarely use. Not only does this frustrate me, when it comes to unplugging and switching inputs, but I hate having to surf through several layers of gaming profiles just to stream my content. However those days are long over with the Roku systems we've now upgraded our home televisions with. Complete with it's own remote, and quick channel buttons, our Roku allows us to view our Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, and even hard drive content, instantly on our home theater TV. Of course, now we'll need to begin upgrading our home theater sound system, and for that, we've already begun browsing the Home Theater Buying Guide- looks like we'll be back at the Ultimate Showroom in no time! And, in the interim, I'll be keeping an eye on our favorite products with Best Buy's Low-Price Guarantee.

What Daughter Says: Shopping for your ultimate home theater is now an experience the whole family will love, with the hands on Ultimate Showroom, at Best Buy.