One Day (series): Netflix has released a 14-episode series based upon the book by the same name from writer David Nichols (unread by me) and is a retelling of the story from the 2011 film starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess (also not watched by me). I came into this series fresh, having no knowldge about it, which I think made it more impactful. The story is a romance set in the UK set over 20+ years as these two young people go through their lives, and how they intersect with one another from time to time.

The couple initially meet at an outdoor party in the main courtyard of their university in Edinburgh Scotland. They meet, they walk and talk with the conversation bringing them back to her apartment. They talk some more but are not intimate with one another. They part ways. Then the story, which has some episodes as short as 25 mins, becomes similar to the Neil Simon movie Same Time, Next Year, where we see where the two are each year. This carries on for twenty plus years.

I found that this started off slowly, but the viewer is richly rewarded for the payoff in the last couple episodes where the emotional groundwork has been laid. It seems that this couple is living the Blue Rodeo song Bad Timing, where they are just off. The performances by both of the leads is compelling. We see two people who are real, authentic and flawed. They both spend time trying to find a direction for their lives, with troubles, challenges with families, friends and each other as well as other romantic relationships. It is all very real. The writing is good. I like how despite being separated emotionally and geographically at times, they manage to find a way to connect. They also have direct impact on shaping the life of the other, bringing forth their own observations about their friendship and the person. They both have an ebb and flow in their lives. One can be struggling while the other is finding their stride but then life happens and things change.

The last couple of episodes definitely make the early episodes worth it, with an emotional connection coming forward that was a surprise. Having no knowledge of the story or prior movie, this benefitted me. What I can say is that I think that this is worth a second viewing for me. I think that I will see more, knowing the arc of the story. Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall as the stars have done an excellent job in showing range and growth with these two characters. I expect that there is more work coming from the both of them. Definitely worth your time.

The Day of the Jackal: In 1973, the cerebral British actor Edward Fox starred in the movie based upon the best selling book by Frederick Forsyth. This is a remake of that, and an updating of the story with a cat and mouse game, with a rogue unaffiliated assassin (independent and not part of KGB, CIA, MI6 etc) being tracked by a UK investigative service. The original movie surrounded a plot to kill French President Charles de Gaulle. This effort updates this to a German industrialist looking to be the Chancellor, and later an internet guru with a new tool that is meant to show transparently where money is being hidden throughout the world. Think of it as a target like an Elon Musk who is changing the financial world with a tool soon to be fully released.

Eddie Redmayne plays the Jackal, who leads two lives. In one he is a secretive, known assassin earning millions of dollars for each target. In the other, he is a quiet married man with a young child living in a small town in Spain. He travels a lot and is away from home plenty. His wife isn’t happy at his frequent need to be away during family events. There are many pressures on the Jackal, including a client who is refusing to pay him for the work accomplished.

Redmayne is a master of disguise in many ways like the earlier episodes of Mission Impossible. He researches, he emulates his targets and finds way to get close to his targets. He also has managed to obtain a rifle which allows him to make long distance shots that are unparalleled in history.

These long distance shots are the beginnings of tracking him down by British Intelligence, who are concerned that a rifle like this to allow the shots could be manufactured in Britain. Lashana Lynch plays Bianca, who was in the latest James Bond film No Time to Die. There were rumours back in 2021 that she might actually take on the Bond role, and was actually named 007 in that film with Daniel Craig.

I have finished the first three episodes that have been released. So far I like it. I think that they do a good job at showing the tightening noose for the Jackal. Circumstance seems to find a way to bring the Jackal out of his comfort zone, but the money offered ($100M) is just too rich to pass up. It is early in this series, but it is compelling enough for me to keep watching.

The Ultimatum Season 3: This was just dropped on Netflix and they have not released all of the episodes. This is another buuble gum season of quasi-reality TV where a number of young couples put their romantic relationships on display for all to see and scrutinize. One member of the couple has given an ultimatum to the other; marry me or move on.

The results are predictable with plenty of tears and drama. Of course the flaw in this experiment, is that you have couples who at times have been together for two or three years. They head to this show, and then are expected to split, quickly date others only in this small circle, and then match up in a “new trial marriage” complete with meeting friends and family. How odd? Why get parents and friends involved? They barely know these new people, and they are expected to be living with them. Some aren’t even living with their current partner! The difference in this season is that we have a number of participants who decide quite suddenly that they are not prepared to participate any longer. This leaves a couple of the newly paired people to be on their own, stewing in their own juices. One of those people is a 38yo artist Nick who gave the ultimatum to his 27yo girlfriend Sandy. Sandy is embracing her “new marriage” and this sets Nick tailspinning out of control. Seems he “never expected” that this would be the result. He’s the only one! So this drama continues and further episodes aree to be dropped later this week.