Massive spoilers in that if you haven't seen Season 1.

I want to recommend "Queen of the South" for those who have access to cable. Really a high quality guilty pleasure. Warning: a lot of the best lines are far from original. It is a rags to riches story of a small time black market money changer in Mexico who is forced by circumstances to run drugs in Texas. Sheends becoming a queenpin of crime, controlling the largest drug empire on the North American continent.

It is often funny even though some of the best lines are far from original. The first person narration describes how really this is a classic example of the American dream. And even includes the old cliche (true, but nonetheless cliche) chestnut about "I've been rich and I've been poor and believe me rich is better." But even the most cliched lines are delivered with such elan and such perfect timing that you (well I and in any case) can't help but laugh when laughs are what they are aiming for. In spite of including plenty of humor it is not a comedy.. It is violent, melodramatic, a Narco-Soap. But a really good narco-soap. As I said a high quality guilty pleasure. Perfect pacing, pitch perfect acting.

The writing, often flawed but flawed in a way that is illustrated in a really old story. Back in the days of the pulps, and successful pulp writer took a creative writing class. After the writer turned in his first assignment, the teacher returned it with the following comment "this is garbage, absolute garbage. So why do I keep turning the pages?" In this case I don't think the writing is garbage at all. It is quite good. Just that occasionally the seams show a bit. But in spite of the visible seems, it is addictive. Tune in to the first episode and you won't want to miss the 2nd. Then you won't want to miss the third. And so on.

In case anyone else is already watching: I'm guessing Brenda is doomed. Not right away, but she will eventually get herself killed. Probably by saying the wrong thing ...

Sounds interesting, Typo Boy. Do you remember what network carries it? I might wanna check it out.

Sundance. I intended to mention that in the post, but omitted a key word. (I also sometimes type or say "yes" when intend to type or say "no" which has led to personal difficulties on occasion.)

Apparently QOTS is based on a Spanish-Language Telenovella. "Reoma de la Sur" or something like that. My Spanish is rusty but I do know the English language title is a direct and literal translation of the Spanish title.

"Reina Del Sur" I suppose. Heh, I thought it was a show about beauty pageants.

Fundamentally Soap Operish plot (well Telnovella, not a big surprise) but aiming for a grittier more realistic feel. Think of "Breaking Bad" levels of implausibility with a presentation style reminiscent of "The Wire".

Only the (not yet) Queenpin has so far been an extremely sympathetic character. Stuck in a desperate situation, she is smart, brave, caring - using violence only in self-defense, and even then using it as minimally as possible. Becoming a drug mule is shown as her only real chance for survival. It soon becomes obvious that staying a low level drug mule is only delaying her death -so taking risks and working her way up the drug trade is something she has to do if she does not want to die of a punctured heroin or cocaine filled balloon bursting in her stomach.

Thanks, TB. I think I get that.

Did anyone else watch Preacher?

I did, Dana. I really liked it--the visual style was incredibly appealing to me and the three leads were all great, I thought.

Some movies/shows have created a vital world that, for some reason, just makes me want to live in the screen--not necessarily in the STORY, but in the mood and the image. Desperately Seeking Susan did that to me when it came out. The French film Diva. Mad Men sometimes did it. It's entirely beyond analysis--I just want to consume the feel of the onscreen world. Preacher does that to me as well. Does this happen for anyone else?

Does this happen for anyone else?

Absolutely. I never understood why people called Blade Runner a dystopia - I totally wanted to live there.

Also wanted to live in the worlds of Northern Exposure, Pushing Daisies, Mad Men...