Best TV of 2019!

I don't know whether it's a good idea to admit to loving TV! There's nothing I like better at night than to curl up on the sofa and watch a good series. I'm not a fan of some of the very popular programmes such as Eastenders, Coronation Street or Emmerdale (I did watch Eastenders years ago and was completely hooked), The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, et al, but I do like a good drama, something that keeps me riveted and that I can look forward to after a day at work! I hardly ever watch television during the day but if I do it's usually after I've come out of the shower, and I like to watch Homes Under the Hammer while I'm getting dressed! I sometimes even record the programme if I know I'm going to miss how the houses are transformed!

This year I gave up watching Neighbours after decades of following the show, primarily because I thought the storylines had become stupid and obsessed with sex, but I was also very upset about the death of Sonya, which I thought was horrible. There's enough bad news facing us every day and I loved that Neighbours was a cheery, happy show with plenty of sunshine and great characters!

Sophie and I are fans of lots of shows and the following are what we've loved this year:

Big Little Lies
90 Day Fiance - Before the 90 Days (guilty pleasure!)
Say Yes to the Dress
Deep Water
Grand Designs
The Affair
Two and a Half Men (Amazon Prime)
Chernobyl
Masterchef
Killing Eve
Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild
The Island with Bear Grylls
The Widow
Gold Digger
Delicious
Travel Man
Ugly House to Lovely House
Your Home Made Perfect
Fake or Fortune
Not Going Out

Plus, I love catching up with the old shows being shown on channels such as Dave - Butterflies, As Time Goes By and The Good Life. I never tire of seeing old re-runs.

This year I've had fun introducing Sophie to some old films and we've enjoyed Vertigo, North by Northwest and Rear Window, all directed by Alfred Hitchcock. We love trying to see his cameo appearance in each film! We also enjoyed Indiscreet starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman but Sophie said she prefers James Stewart to Cary Grant! We're going to try and watch more old films in 2020 and I'm looking forward to seeing To Catch a Thief, Marnie and Suspicion.

In the run-up to Christmas we have to watch Christmas with the Kranks (obligatory), The Holiday and any cheesy film that's being shown - Channel 5 had one on every afternoon this holiday season and although I said I was going to indulge in a couple while I was on holiday, I never did!

I've yet to watch It's A Wonderful Life with Sophie, mainly because I know I would embarrass her by crying all the way through, even though I have watched it so many times!

We also came up with the idea of watching all the James Bond films and then going to see the next one in the cinema - Daniel Craig's last outing as the spy hero!

I think we have fantastic television in the UK and now I have Amazon Prime (and the kids watch Netflix). I'm looking forward to many more evenings curled up on the sofa with a drink and some great TV!