What are you watching? Readers recommend 'Doctor Who,' 'Longmire'

Monitor TV and movie fans share what they've been watching lately.

I’ve been watching The Crown on Netflix, Rectify on Sundance TV, Broadchurch from ITV, Longmire on Netflix, and Call the Midwife on PBS. I sought out most of those shows because I look for thoughtful, insightful, and creative story lines and productions. “Longmire” – well, that is more because I like the view of Robert Taylor.

– Eve Howard, Napa, Calif.

I have watched Doctor Who, which airs on BBC, for many years on and off.

I recently caught the past season and was reminded why, in this day and age, such a show is so captivating. It asks (and answers) big questions. Each week is an imaginative adventure into the unknown with the constant goal of saving the world. Most episodes address a moral, psychological, or physical dilemma. There is someone out there (the Doctor) doing whatever he can do to save humanity. It’s such a pleasure to watch a TV show that makes you think, wonder, and feel hopeful.

– Kathy Gottberg, La Quinta, Calif.

I’ve been watching the NBC program This Is Us. 

No explanation needed. It’s life.

– Lynnette Mitchell, Sonora, Calif.

Being a bit of an Anglophile, I find The Crown on Netflix is a wonderful – if overdramatized, in my opinion – look at the inner workings of the royal family. The fact that it humanizes such iconic people is really appealing. Claire Foy was absolutely incredible. 

The Americans on FX is really interesting because it, too, humanizes people we’ve long perceived to be our enemies. Russia certainly doesn’t come across as benevolent and appealing, but it’s always helpful to realize that people on “the other side” have their own values as well. Plus, it’s a weekly low-level adrenaline rush. It’s well written and the acting is superb.

– Dan Howard, Fairport, N.Y.

I really enjoy watching TV shows and movies based on history. 

With both AMC’s Turn and Netflix’s The Crown, the characters and the stories are very compelling. With “Turn” I learned about an aspect of the Revolutionary War that I had not heard about before, and with “The Crown,” it is fascinating to see stories I have seen covered in newsreels depicted from the more personal perspective of the queen as she experienced the events. Both leave me wishing for more when I come to the end because they are so enjoyable.

– Stephanie Tickner, Marlow, N.H.

What are you watching?  Write and tell us at whatareyouwatching@csmonitor.com.