Monday Musings: Spotlight on Mrs. Maisel & Succession, My Easy Breezy Gnocchi Recipe 🍝 ‘The Bodyguard’

‘The Last Thing He Told Me' Was….Let The Wine Breathe 🍷

Cheers To A New Week 🍸 !

Did you catch any of the new premieres over the weekend? What did you think? I was pretty impressed by most everything I streamed, with a few minor critiques. Here’s what I’m musing over this overcast Monday. 

Happy Birthday Jennifer Garner! 🎉

Today, the 13 Going on 30 star turns a very young 51. I streamed the first two episodes of The Last Thing He Told Me that are up on Apple TV+ now. I did read the novel last year and have to say that it’s pretty true to the book. I can see where people might think that some of the decisions her character Hannah makes early on are not realistic, however the series hasn’t quite revealed a lot of her backstory yet that will help to justify her choices. Originally Julia Roberts was to star, but backed out before production began. I think Jennifer is great in this role and I’m curious to see how they are going to stretch this story out into seven episodes. I read the book knowing it was going to be a TV series and wondered if it would be better as a movie since it didn’t seem like it had seven hours of story to tell, but we’ll see. I’m intrigued so far. 

You can also see Jennifer Garner in: 

• Party Down streaming on STARZ

• Juno streaming on HBO Max

• Alias streaming on Freevee 

Florida Man was Meh 🐊

I watched the first episode of this and then stopped. I felt like I was watching a bad movie from the 1980s where it was filled with clichés and troupe after troupe. The characters were cartoonish and the writing was mediocre. Maybe the second episode is better, written by Nikki Toscano who also wrote episodes of The Offer and Revenge which I like. Not sure if I’ll revisit — I still need to finish You and The Crown on Netflix. 😬

Succession - A Perfect 10 (Spoilers Ahead!)

The prior week’s episode of Succession (you know the one that everyone is talking about) has scored a perfect 10 rating on IMDB. The only other episode to ever achieve that is from Breaking Bad - Season 5: Episode 10 (the one where Walt survives the gun battle in the desert). I thought this Sunday’s episode was also very well done. The episode takes place at Logan’s penthouse, and even though there are so many different side dramas, the writers stay focus on the main theme of the series which is Succession is not about the Roy kids taking their father down, but the constant need for them to have his approval, even after his passing. The use of the note that Logan left in the safe as a device to suggest who should take over the company minutes before the board met was convenient, yet at the same time quite brilliant because it made for a powerful moment when Kendall just stood there staring at it as if it was decades and decades worth of loss love finally appearing to him in the form of his name handwritten by this father that was arguably either crossed out or underlined (the writers left that up for the audience to decide). 

Tiffany’s Writing Corner - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 

I love talking about writing, whether it is good or bad writing it doesn’t matter. Unless it’s horrible (like the HBO Max remake of Gossip Girl which was unwatchable) I will usually watch a series until the bitter end because there’s a lot of lessons to learn from bad writing too. However, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has next level writing. It is such a joy to watch this series and one of my favorite writing techniques that writers Amy and Daniel Pallandino so brilliantly use is the art of misdirection. Misdirection in a scene is often used as a way to avoid a talking heads scene — just two people talking without anything else going on. A scene using misdirection can be as simple as two people having an argument at a dinner table, but one of them is having trouble shaking the ketchup out of the bottle — misdirecting the audience from the conversation to the bottle. It adds another layer to the scene that can reveal more depth to the character or in the case of Maisel, the location becomes another character in itself. A memorable scene in last season (Season 4: Episode 1 Rumble On The Wonder Wheel), Midge surprises her family and in-laws on Coney Island. The scene takes place on The Wonder Wheel where the characters take their conversation from the line to the ride, each on different ferris wheel carts, conversing back and forth while in circular rotation, the camera panning to a different cart each time someone speaks. I loved that scene, such creative execution of misdirection.

In this new season, episode 2 you can see the misdirection in the scene where Midge and Sylvio (played by Milo Ventimiglia) travel through the vintage subway car arguing about how he lied to her about being married. You’ll see kids with balloons flying in Sylvio’s face as he tries to talk to Midge, getting accused of assault from a passenger and then finally getting approached by a police officer all while in the midst of conversation. That whole sequence for me was so well written and I appreciate the writers always taking those risks and not being conventional and boring. 

New Trailer Drop - The Idol 😳

Ciao House 🇮🇹 - Would I Have Been Eliminated? 

I was able to watch Food Network’s new food competition series Ciao House, where chefs from across America (okay, mainly NYC) are pitted against each other to cook up dishes inspired by the Tuscan countryside where they compete while living together at a farmhouse. I’m pretty surprised that they eliminated Justin who according to the judges prepared a delicious risotto, but an overcooked lamb shank while another contestant took an hour to puree a can of cannellini beans and sauté some kale, leaving his frozen langostino lobster on the grill. The judges expect the contestants to make their pasta fresh in under an hour (that’s pressure!). I feel pretty confident that I wouldn’t have been eliminated the first round even though all of my ingredients are from Trader Giotto’s 😂. 

Here is my Easy Breezy Gnocchi Recipe! 🍝

In a large sauté pan (I love The Always Pan!), add Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi, two spoonfuls of sun-dried tomatoes, frozen artichokes, frozen organic peas, fresh organic zucchini, organic spinach, a little olive oil, and half a jar of pesto sauce. Feels super light with all the veggies. Add spices like Italian, Basil, Oregano, Garlic and that Soffritto Seasoning Blend from Trader Joe’s for a little kick. 

On My Bookshelf: Black Cake 📚

I just finished this novel which I really enjoyed. The entire story is framed around a mother’s audio file that is left for her children after she has passed. On it, she reveals secrets about her childhood and early adult years that could alter the course of her son and daughter’s life forever. It was first a Jenna’s Book Club pick (The Today Show) and now it is soon-to-be a Hulu series produced by Oprah Winfrey. I like that part of the book takes place in Orange County, my hometown which is pretty rare, considering most books in California take place in Los Angeles or in Northern California like The Last Thing He Told Me. 

Just Breathe - Daou’s The Bodyguard - Red Blend ($39.99) 🍷

I was really excited to try this wine. Daou is one of my favorite wines out of Paso Robles. I opened it up before I started the first episode of The Last Thing He Told Me, but I wasn’t too impressed until the second episode’s glass. It needs to breathe a bit. The second glass really hit all the notes. It’s a red blend with big fruits — cherry, cranberry and plum. Before the first sip, you’ll get a touch of dark chocolate and blueberry on the nose. It’s a good wine, but not my favorite. I still love their under $25 Cabernet that you can find at most every grocery store. 

Streaming Monday & Tuesday!

April 17

• Better Call Saul: Season 6 (Netflix) 

• How To Get Rich (Netflix) 

• Longest Third Date (Netflix) 

• New Girl: Complete Series (Hulu)

• Para - We Are King (HBO Max) 

• Till (MGM+)

April 18

• Alex Borstein: Corsets and Clownsuits

• Bugs Bunny Builders: Season 1 (HBO Max)