TV shows

There's been some interesting TV shows on recently.  Not on the networks, since they're all in repeats for the summer.

On PBS we watched "Man in an Orange Shirt".  This was written by author Patrick Gale and was essentially 2 stories, 1 set in the 1940s and the other set in modern time. The stories deal with love, "gay shame", and families' ways of dealing with gay family members.  The 1st story focuses on Michael Berryman (played by the uber adorable Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and boyfriend Thomas March, both soldiers until the war ended in the mid 1940s.  The 2nd story focuses on veterinarian Adam Berryman (the grandson of Michael) and Steve, the owner of a pet treated by Adam.  Flora Berryman (played by Vanessa Redgrave) is the wife of Michael and grandmother of Adam, and is the connecting thread of the 2 stories.  The stories were sensitive, the acting was brilliant, and the cinematography was lovely.  All in all a very well-done program that left me wanting more.  "Man in an Orange Shirt" can be viewed on-demand from your cable provider or on the PBS website.

On FX we're watching the series "Pose".  Set in the late 80s, this series explores the NYC ball culture, AIDS fear, and the lives and struggles of several transgender characters. The series showcases many transgender actors as well as Tony Award winner (Kinky Boots) Billy Porter who is phenomenal in this role as the legendary ball announcer.  The series is created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, known for their work on "Glee", "American Horror Story" and "American Crime Story". Unlike "Glee", this show takes a deeper look into the complex lives of the characters and is both poignant and fun.  If you're not already watching, you can catch up by watching on-demand.  Current episodes air on Sun nights.


Have you watched either show?  If so, what did you think?