WOLDUM TV

The stories currently filling my spare time

One of the first questions I ask people when we’re catching up is “What have you been watching?” Not only am I genuinely curious and always looking for recommendations, but I find their answers are a revealing glimpse into their current world. The shows we watch are a big part of our daily lives, especially since spending more time at home in the past two years. As a working-full-time, stay-at-home mom, my life is fairly routine. Sometimes, when people ask me what I’ve been up to, the only thing that’s changed since the last time we talked is the shows I’ve been watching.

So here’s my current, ongoing watchlist — and a little bit of insight into my mood, my interests, and mental state of late.

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul is a spin-off of Breaking Bad that takes place before the events of the show and explores the “origin” story of crooked lawyer Saul Goodman. Bob Odenkirk reprises his role, genius director Vince Gilligan is once again at the helm, and a handful of other memorable supporting characters from Breaking Bad make appearances – Mike Ehrmantraut, Gus Fring, Hector Salamanca. Rumor has it that even Walter and Jesse will appear in the final episodes of the show, which wraps mid-July after six seasons.

Everything — and I mean everything — about Better Call Saul is working at the highest level of its craft. The acting is natural, nuanced, and surprising; the writing tight, funny, and heartbreaking, and the plot simultaneously realistic and dramatic. Thanks to Odenkirk’s comedic chops, the tone is lighter than Breaking Bad, rendering the show more bingeable. I can’t think of any other show that’s so enjoyable to watch and also makes me feel smarter for doing so. Nor can I recommend Better Call Saul highly enough — it’s every bit as good as its predecessor and should go down in the books as one of the best television shows of all time.

Home Town

On a totally different note, I’ve also been watching the renovation “reality” show, Home Town. Home Town follows Ben and Erin Napier, an endearing thirty-something couple who make a living restoring historic homes in their small town of Laurel, Mississippi. They find promising houses in need of a facelift, pitch them to a family looking for an upgrade, and renovate them from top to bottom.

What makes Home Town better than similar shows is that the end results are actually sustainable – no janky hacks, tacky DIYs, or gimmicky décor. The Napier’s rebuild with quality and class, are honest about the less glamorous repairs and do whatever they can to preserve the historical integrity of the spaces they’re fixing up. Each episode features a salvaged carpentry project and a locally-inspired art project, which serve as a mini history lesson about the town, its industrial history, and its native plants. Best of all, the show blessedly avoids manufacturing “drama” for the sake of entertainment, and Ben and Erin are 98% devoid of cheesy banter. Not only is Home Town relaxing and stress free entertainment, but I actually feel like I’ve learned practical tips about restoration, décor, and carpentry.

The Staircase

documentary of the same name, HBO’s recent miniseries follows the same story of the Peterson family. According to patriarch Michael Peterson, he came in from the pool after a night of drinking with his wife to find her dead at the bottom of their stairs. But due to the extremely bloody scene of the accident (and a history of public lying), Michael was arrested for the murder of his wife and prolonged trial ensued.

This version dramatizes the events with an allstar cast and explores the effect that the making of the documentary had on the case.

Colin Firth, who most know as the original (and best) Mr. Darcy, is exceptional — I didn’t think I could ever hate the amiable, bumbling Brit, but I found myself repulsed by his character. Toni Colette, Sophie Turner, Parker Posey and Juliette Binoche bring unexpected pathos to their supporting roles, and the series effectively handles the ambiguities of the case. Each new episode had me changing my mind about whether Michael was guilty, and each theory about what really happened that night is presented with equal plausibility.

Up Next

The two shows I’m most eager to view next are Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and the adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversation With Friends.

Obi-Wan Kenoboi

Though my fandom started at age four with the original trilogy, I came of age during the Ewan McGregor/Hayden Christensen prequel era of Star Wars. I vividly remember sitting in French class in high school, day-dreaming about Anakin Skywalker, convinced I could love him better than Padme and sure that the power of our love could save him from the Dark Side. It’s with great investment that I await Hayden’s shot at redemption, and a chance to see expanded versions of the characters I once swooned over. I was overall impressed with The Mandalorian though disappointed by The Book of Boba Fett, so I’m preparing myself for a mixed reaction.

Conversations with Friends

In 2020, Hulu released an adaptation of Rooney’s second novel, Normal People, and it was about as perfect a rendering of the source material as artistically possible. Released during peak pandemic and featuring two lonely twentysomethings, the show came at the perfect time. But Conversations with Friends is Rooney’s inferior first novel, and, in my opinion, will be much harder to adapt — the characters are less likeable, and much of the relational drama happens over email or text message. Still, I know I’ll probably watch the entire season in a matter of hours as soon as I get the chance. 