I am not much of a TV watcher, but I do have streaming video on my iPad, which is great when I’m riding my stationary bike every morning. I’ve caught up on a couple of movies I wanted to see but never got around to seeing, and now I’m watching some television programs I might never have noticed before.

One is Ripper Street. The series is set in London in the late 1880s and filmed in a way that’s reminiscent of the recent Sherlock Holmes movies with Jude Law and Robert Downey, Jr. The stories are brutal, just as you’d expect life in the east end of London, so the series is dark. But it stars Matthew MacFadyen, and who can resist his voice, his diction? And the episodes – even though they are seriously gritty, are compelling. It’s on BBC America, if you can get that channel. 

Of course I’ve been watching Downton Abbey. But I had no idea what the finale was going to bring. I didn’t even notice the foreshadowing that everyone mentioned afterwards. I was disappointed that it ended the way it did, but I’m sure I’ll take my place in front of the TV when Season 4 begins next year.

I am a sucker for post-apocalyptic themes, and I have to admit I watch The Walking Dead. I almost quit after Season 2, because it seemed like nothing was happening, and I got a bit tired of the two lead men posturing with each other so much (who is tougher? who is manlier? who is in charge?) I wanted everybody to just grow up and be an adult. But Season 3 changed all that, much to my satisfaction. I’d like it if they did some “bigger” things – I’d like to know how the whole world is faring during this Zombie apocalypse.

I watched Once Upon a Time for a season or two, but then it started to bore me. Once the spell was broken and everyone knew who was who… well, I just lost interest. And that Mr. Gold character started to grate on my nerves, so I quit watching entirely, and deleted it from my DVR files.

Another really good one is Copper – the story of an Irish immigrant who is a policeman in 1860s New York City – the roughest part of town, of course. And, like Ripper Street, the episodes aren’t easy. The crimes – the victims and perpetrators – are all too real. You can easily imagine how it was back in those days, when law and order meant the law of the streets.

Last, but not least is Grimm. This one grew on me slowly. I thought the first season was a little bit lame, but as they develop the overall story arc, it gets better and better. I’m antsy for the next season to begin.

What shows are on your list of things to watch? I’m going to pick one commenter and send her a copy of my most recent book, The Warrior Laird.