Stranger Things season 5. I got a month of Netflix especially to finish off this show. I think it was the weakest season of all (the 1st and 2nd were the best) but I liked that it wrapped up the storylines and the character development. There was a suggestion at the end credits that the whole thing was merely a game, but that would be too silly. I got a little bored with the characters always staring wide-eyed with horror, or the obvious pauses in the action for pairs of characters to have heartfelt talks. I still enjoyed it though. I can’t decide if I’m fed up yet of ‘Running Up That Hill’ by Kate Bush, which has been played probably a hundred times on the show.

Harry Potter Wizards of Baking season 2. It’s a frivolous but entertaining baking contest for lovers of the books and films, hosted by the Phelps brothers (Weasley twins) with some actor guests from the films. I thought this season was better-organised than the previous one, with really fun themes. I especially liked the magical transport episode. One unlucky team had to make a toilet!

Weirdsister College. I discovered this sequel to the original Worst Witch TV series (based on Jill Murphy’s books). Only one series was made. Mildred Hubble goes to a magic college in Cambridge and ends up in tricky situations. It was interesting that they gave magical studies a scientific basis. Fun fact, Christian Coulson, who plays Mildred’s non-magic love interest, played the teenage Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Toxic Town. This drama series is based on true events in Corby, a former steelworker town in Northamptonshire, UK. Health and safety failings at the council caused birth defects when poisonous dust contaminated the town. The acting is excellent, particularly Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood, Rory Kinnear and Robert Carylyle. The show also pays much attention to detail, which makes it seem very realistic, like a documentary.

And now for a TV show I thought started out well…

The War Between the Land and the Sea. This is a Dr Who spin-off for adults and it seemed to be a decent alternative to the usual sentimental Dr Who Christmas episodes. Evolved beings rise from the ocean and demand that we leave it alone. They even take all the plastic out and rain it down on the land. There were some truly tense scenes, especially the descent to the deepest ocean. It kind of lost me when the romance between two species became a main theme. By the time I reached the final episode and the dogs were being drawn towards the sea, I suspected something horrible would happen and switched it off. Instead, I finished watching series 10 of the original, vintage Dr Who. Catching up on these is a very long-term project!