Here’s what the HerCanberra team is reading, watching and listening to
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At a loose end this week? Feeling the need to stay indoors, Netflix and chill? We hit you up with our current TV, literary and podcast obsessions.
You’re welcome.
Emma Macdonald (Associate Editor)
What I’m Watching
The Diplomat
If you haven’t binged on The Diplomat then are you even a Canberran? I must confess, I was an early adaptor of Keri Russell, loving her as Felicity, well before she became a Russian agent in The Americans, much less the American Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Kate Wyler, in The Diplomat.
This production sees Russell as executive producer and main star, and she is brilliant. Between the political instability of her marriage, much less Europe, there is a lot going on and no spoilers shall be written here. But thank heavens Netflix has confirmed Season Two will be completed next year (which gives you all time to watch the other stuff she’s been in).
Slow Horses
It’s not that I am obsessed with the British Secret Service, but I kinda am. Gary Oldman is in charge of a band of misfit would-be spies at the reject centre for MI5, Slough House. The characters are superb, the plot intriguing and we soon learn that Slough House has talent among its motley crew.
The Unforgotten
Oh what a slow, unfurling joy this show is, even if it deals with decomposing bodies, paedophiles, psychopaths and murderers. If you haven’t seen Seasons 1-4 then please go back to the start before tackling Season 5, and watch Nicola Walker play lead detective for a series of cold cases. The writing of this show is among the best I have ever enjoyed. Intricate, interwoven stories surround each death and only at the very end, when everything is gently solved and unravelled can you appreciate how brilliant it actually is.
What I’m Reading
Still Life by Sarah Winman
There is a joke in my family that it has taken me six months to read this book. It’s not that I am a slow reader, it is that I am forcing myself to limit the pages I get through so the book never ends. It is a beautifully evocative and meandering tale of a British soldier who survives World War II and takes a ramshackle band of friends to establish a B&B in Tuscany. Every word of this book is a gem, and I spend an equal amount of time laughing as I do crying. While my husband keeps asking me to finish up and hand it over for him to read, I feel I may well start again at Page one the moment I am finished—such is the richness of the experience.
What I’m listening to
I only have ears for Sarah Wilson since I started listening to her Wild podcast a few months ago. To be frank, my self-protective mechanism often prevents me from fully exposing my brain to the big issues of our time (how long does the planet have? Will AI end in singularity? Why is there so much suffering out there?) lest I bring on an existential crisis (because, to be fair, I am but one mortal woman trying to do her bit and some days that bit is a fairly ordinary effort). But somehow Sarah manages to inform me and inspire me at the same time. She tackles the very biggest issues with the very biggest brains around the world, questioning everything and doing so with kindness and an openness to understanding.
I particularly love her episodes with Margaret Atwood, Helen Lewis (on Jordan Petersen and Andrew Tate) and Marcus Buckingham (discussing the paradox of female unhappiness). There are gems of learnings in every one of these podcasts and if you still don’t know which way to vote in the referendum on The Voice, her talk with Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man Thomas Mayo is one to listen to. Just dive into the series anywhere. You’ll come out feeling infinitely better for it.
Erin Cross (Editorial Coordinator)
What I’m Watching
FUBAR
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, this spy thriller packed a serious punch. A tongue-in-cheek and totally cheesy TV show on Netflix (and they know it’s cheesy) I was honestly laughing through a lot of the show. Without giving too much away it follows an overbearing dad and butt-kicking CIA agent (Schwarzenegger) who discovers his daughter also works for the CIA. What follows is an undercover mission turned dysfunctional family affair that causes a little chaos. Don’t blame me of you watch it in one night.
Queen Cleopatra
It might have caused some controversy, but as someone who was deeply fascinated with Greek and Egyptian history growing up, I really enjoyed the Queen Cleopatra docuseries on Netflix. Exploring and reassessing the life of one of the world’s most famous queens, while the script (and acting) wasn’t Oscar-worthy, the commentary of academics was so detailed and nuanced I couldn’t help but be sucked into the story—even learning a few things along the way. I binged all four episodes in one day and have no regrets.
What I’m Reading
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
At the time of writing this I’m only about halfway through Ninth House, but oh my lord—this is everything I want in a fantasy novel and more. Funny and mesmerising, Bardugo’s world feels so real that if you went to Yale yourself, you might just stumble across the eight secret societies that are using occult magic for slightly…nefarious…reasons. Following Galaxy ‘Alex’ Stern as she tries to keep an eye on the societies while solving a murder mystery (there’s so much more I can add here, but I won’t), it’s raw, dark and has totally sucked me in.
Bunny by Mona Award
This book was unhinged, plain and simple. Best described as Heather’s meets Mean Girls with a splash of classic horror elements, Bunny was not what I expected at all. Chronicling the female experience—including friendship, loneliness, and desire—it follows Samantha Heather Mackey as she tries to stay afloat in a highly selective MFA program at New England’s Warren University. Repelled by the rest of her fiction writing cohort (a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who call each other “Bunny”), it’s less Secret History and more of a modern millennial classic with prose that is just as bizarre as the plot.
An example? “Why are you apologizing, Samantha?” Creepy Doll says, her breathy voice full of demonic emoticons flanked by winking smileys.”
Without giving too much away, expect sacrificial cults, exploding heads, and lots of (you guessed it) bunnies. Either you’ll love it or hate it and I think I kind of loved it—just don’t blame me if you think you’ll need a lobotomy after reading it.
Emma by Jane Austen
I have something embarrassing to admit—this is the very first Jane Austen book I’ve ever read. I’ve seen and enjoyed all the adaptions of her books (Clueless will always be the best and most iconic) but now I can finally say that I’ve read Austen, which was a very important thing to cross off my bucket list before visiting Bath in 2024 #kickinggoals.
Full of sarcasm, wit, and very human characters (you can’t tell me anyone actually thinks Emma is a nice person who does things for anyone other than herself) I enjoyed Emma and the uniqueness of the heroine—a headstrong, misguided, self-confident and honest woman who knows what she wants. I can see why it’s a classic and I’ll always worship at the feet of Austen for her work as a writer, but I’ll be honest: I don’t think I’ll be reaching for it again anytime soon—I can just watch Clueless for the 250th time.
What I’m listening to
The Psychology of your 20’s
I’m totally addicted to this podcast. Exploring the confusing conversations, we don’t (but should) have in our 20’s, The Psychology of your 20s is hosted by Jemma Sbeg, a mental health advocate and psychology grad who wanted to help explain the weird, transitional and wonderful experiences of being a young adult. Touching on topics ranging from anxiety to friendship breakups, loneliness, body image, full-time work, and even soul mates, it’s both therapeutic and informative. Fun fact: it began here in Canberra!
Squiz Today
On the days I can’t stand the idea of watching the doom and gloom headlines of the news (you know what I mean), or I just haven’t had time for a scroll through the ABC website, The Squiz has been a lifesaver. It’s the day’s headlines in a digestible format and a brilliant way to keep up with an increasingly overwhelming world.
Sliding Doors with Elle Ferguson
I love finding out how people got started in their dream job—which is probably why our How I Got Here series has been one of my favourite projects to work on. Sliding Doors with Elle Ferguson is kind of like that, but instead of focusing on Canberra locals (obviously) the Australia influencer and beauty brand founder chats with inspiring people from the world of fashion and beauty. From Miranda Kerr to Jen Atkin, it’s a great glimpse into the world of working in the industry.
