Series
Bloodlines Season 2 Netflix
The dream of you and your partner living in the Keys, running a hotel on the beach, with your own pier for fishing and boating might be changed after watching the intense family drama Bloodlines. Set in the middle Keys and Miami, the series follows the murder of the black sheep of the family. The small town politics unfold as the detectives are usurped by the FBI solving the case. Haunted by childhood secrets and vying for attention, this season the Rayburn siblings get messy in their cover ups and lies. The layers of the oldest Rayburn son played by hunky Kyle Chandler are peeled back to reveal ambition and the superman syndrome. Sissy Spacek returns as the matriarch replacing her loss of a son with love for a found grandson, and her “mother knows” suspicions. Is she confused or in denial of her family’s misdeeds?
Rome Season1: Amazon Prime/HBO
Body armor with pecs, sandals, exotic strong women, and flowing robes, this 2005 series hit is an epic. Rome is strong, lusty, gory and twisted with power and brawn. The series depicts the transformation of Roman Republic into the Roman empire. Caesar and Anthony fight for their places while the women strategically position friend and enemies to hold place in the hierarchy. Caesar is royally played by the captivating Irish actor Ciaran Hinds. Atia of the Julii, Caesar’s niece, is played by Polly Walker, notably one of the hottest female leads in HBO series history. Scenes of military triumph, severed heads, bloody battles, and celebrations of victory make this series larger than a television tale. Over 4,000 pieces of wardrobe were made or found. The set design must be seen to be believed. If you liked the entry scene of Elizabeth Taylor in the 1963 hit Cleopatra, Rome is for you!
Subscription Services
Amazon Prime instant video
Amazon Prime instant video is the streaming service that comes with the annual Amazon Prime subscription. The service offers free delivery of Amazon shopping and is becoming more and more popular way of purchasing household items and pantry filling. The streaming service is easy to operate and contains a good library of movies. Amazon Prime instant video is also a good source for research videos, travel, cooking and do it yourself. Amazon has few original series, the Golden Globe winner, Transparent being the most popular. Amazon Prime is accessed using Smart TVs, Fire TV or Apple TV. The membership fee for Amazon Prime is $99 per year or $10.99 per month. The first 30 days of the annual subscription are free, and you can cancel anytime.
Hardware
Smart TVs
Looking more like a giant iPad or 60-inch computer monitor, the home base television is more than just the screen for cable. It is now your streaming platform for media brands. Connected to your home Wi-Fi, the smart TV can be your source for streaming music, watching YouTube videos, connecting on Facebook, shopping and surfing the Internet. The reliability of the connection and the ease of use are some of the challenges, but the technology is constantly improving. The basics are that the smart TV’s hub or streaming dashboard is like having a Roku or Chromecast installed. Upon selection of the app menu, you can connect to your subscribed channels. Some of these are free while others require a monthly subscription. The biggest challenge is using search. The search interface for Smart TVs are tough to manipulate with most television remotes.
