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Welcome back to another list of reading recommendations!
My grouped tab of saved links is getting out of hand. So, now seems like a great time to share more of my recent favorite reads with you.
This batch of articles and the like has accrued since my first What I’ve Been Reading post last month. It spans releases of new rom-coms like Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and Picture This. I also keep reading pieces and interviews about Channel 4’s Big Boys, so I include a few. I am utterly obsessed with that show.
It’s only when I gathered all of these reads for this post that I realized that What I’ve Been Reading #2 doubles as some TV recommendations. I know I’m always looking for something new to watch, even if I let it sit on a list long after it loses traction as a trending topic. Maybe one (or more) of these shows will spark your interest. If you’ve already seen them, what do you think? Happy reading!
I’m obsessed with Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple being the first-ever duo of “Barbie role models” in the UK. Reading their reactions to their dolls, which were made to honor friendship for International Women’s Day, is so sweet and wonderful and good.
I enjoyed this interview with Danny Dyer about the evolution of his career and how it led him to the utterly endearing Freddie Jones on Rivals — a show that takes up nearly every blank space in my mind.
I haven’t been able to watch Big Boys Season 3 (It drops on Hulu on March 25 in the United States), but I have read — and reread and shared every I could — this incredible review by Rhik Samadder for The Guardian.
I also liked this interview with the show’s creator, Jack Rooke.
I’ve been reading (and watching) everything I can about Prime Video’s romantic comedy Picture This. I hope to write a post about how much I enjoyed it. This is a great conversation between star and executive producer Simone Ashley and the HuffPost’s Ellen Lee.
As I mentioned, I’m still in my unrelenting love affair with Hulu/Disney+’s Rivals and Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles. I really enjoyed reading about why Rivals could be a part of a larger trend toward valuing books written for women (!) and shows about romance (!). I hope it’s true!
Daredevil: Born Again has become appointment TV for me, which is rare nowadays. But, every Tuesday night, I find myself staring at the Disney+ home screen, waiting for the new episode to pop up. I missed this when it first dropped, so in trying to fill the void between episodes, I went back and read this GQ profile with the show’s star, Charlie Cox. I believe he’s one of the best cast actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I can’t imagine anyone else as Matt Murdock/Daredevil.
At the time of writing, I’m two episodes into the four-episode Toxic Town series on Netflix. It’s very good and eye-opening, and Aimee Lou Wood is absolutely incredible. In researching the history, I found this article from Morgan Cormack for Radio Times about how the limited series based on the true story of the Corby toxic waste case could inspire real-world change.
I refuse to leave my Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy era. So I went back and finally read this Elle profile, written by Olivia Petter, with Leo Woodall, who plays Roxster perfectly in the film. I find his candidness about the often intrusive side effects of fame and its heartthrob status refreshing.
Regretfully, I haven’t watched With Love, Meghan yet. It’s not because I don’t want to. I have been a Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, fan for years. I’ve admired her work, from Suits and The Tig to her humanitarian efforts and podcasts. It’s only that I needed the seasons to change so that I had the motivation to implement the detail-oriented, thoughtful recipes and lifestyle tips Duchess Meghan delivers. The sun is up longer, and the temperatures aren’t freezing, so I’m ready! Reading this list of positive takeaways from the series makes me even more excited to sit back and enjoy With Love, Meghan.
Sticking on With Love, Meghan, I loved this piece in defense of the show by Alanna Bennett.
The Formula 1 season started last weekend, and I’m all consumed all over again. If Daylight Saving Time didn’t mess up my sleep schedule, F1 did. I recently learned that I would have to set an alarm for 3:00 in the morning to catch the Chinese Grand Prix. By the time you’re reading this, I will likely be catching up on the sleep I missed to watch that race. So, lastly, I want to share this Time profile of Formula 1 racer Sir Lewis Hamilton. It’s a long read, but I don’t mind that. There’s certainly plenty to discuss with the seven-time World Champion (!) who recently made the big move from Mercedes to Ferrari (!).
What have you been reading lately?
Until next time,
💌 Shelby