PHN Quarantine Blog Day 4: Bingewatch Recommendations, Send Beer

Pittsburgh Hockey Now is still quarantining in preparation for our coverage of the Qualifying Round from Toronto. Per Canadian government rules, they allowed us mangy mutts into the country as essential workers but the voluntary quarantine you and I went through in western PA is nothing compared to the heavily enforced mandatory quarantine for newbies in the Great White North.

I had to read a statement to the border guards before I could be allowed into the country. The fines for breaking this isolation begin in the thousands and escalates to $1 million.

“…We’re Americans, with a capital ‘A’, huh? You know what that means? Do ya? That means that our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country in the world. We are the wretched refuse. We’re the underdog…” says John Winger.

After several days, I’m finding a rhythm, but my body clock is also losing its bearing as I’m stuck in this bedroom. The rules are so strict that even taking a walk is forbidden.

Ugh.

Tonight was Thai food delivery from the vibrant Toronto Asian community. Who doesn’t love a good Basil Chicken with level 9 spice?

As my body clock begins to spin off it’s poorly regulated axis, let me offer a few recommendations:

Hunters (Prime Video)

It’s an absolute tour-de-force of talent and stylized 1970s period drama of Jewish Nazi-hunters. Carol Kane and Saul Rubinek (you’ll know him when you see him. He was Donnie, Daphne’s fiancee on Frazier, and on Person of Interest) are a treat as a married couple. They give incredibly emotional performances. Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother) is weak, but Al Pacino also gives his best performance since Godfather II.

Pacino is really that good.

I can’t tell you if the series is satisfying, as I haven’t hit the end, but the Concentration Camp flashbacks are powerful. The history and the atrocity are perfectly blended into the present-day thriller.

Seamen (Prime Video)

It’s the tongue-in-cheek titled (or was that tongue-in-cheek?) fourth season of Grand Tour, otherwise known as the former Top Gear crew led by Jeremy Clarkson. Except this season was a two-hour feature and they tried to use boats to get through Vietnam and Cambodia.

Clarkson is funny, and what they did to Hammond’s boat was classic. It’s worth a couple of hours.

Dexter (Netflix)

I finished my binging on Day 1, up here. You know what–the final two seasons hold up much better in review. When I watched the show for the first lap, a few years ago, I joined the cacophony of fans who were disappointed by the final season.

On the second lap, it was much better. I’m all for the years-long attempt at season 9.

??

*I’m a couple of episodes into Hand of God (Prime) about a corrupt judge using religion to get revenge (we’ll see).

I found Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix) too dry. Without Robert Stack in a trench coat and fog, the show lacks that scare factor which was fun. I fell asleep during every episode before I gave up.

What else have you got??

I’ve got a massive headache but I can’t pop down to the store for aspirin. So, send Advil and beer…