Considering all the shows that premiered January 2020, HBO’s The Outsider was the one I wanted to watch and review the most. It was the combination of Stephen King and HBO’s financial clout which made it stand out. Plus, its cast and crew appeared stellar.
The Outsider is unmistakably a Stephen King story. It shuffles from its shocking real-world setup to a gathering of colleagues that must beat a supernatural foe in a brutal showdown.
The series starts big, with the first 2 episodes being unmissable when watched back-to-back. It’s the kind of start that gets a show added to your watchlist. However, it isn’t all positive.
The series suffers from unfortunate pacing. This is most apparent when watching episodes weekly, but even when binge-watching, the series can quickly get dull. It’s a shame because The Outsider is a must-watch story trapped in a series that does just enough to keep you engaged per episode.
TIP: If the first 2 episodes of The Outsider don’t grab you, stop watching because the next 8 episodes only have about 4 episodes of content worth watching.
This pacing problem begins at around episode 3 and continues up until the finale. It’s easy to see where the series goes wrong. Too many pointless lingering cinematic shots and scenes of characters procrastinating or being dismissive. Plus every episode has at least a couple of cut-aways showing Ben Mendelsohn smoking or looking perplexed. He’s a great actor but this series needed more purpose and less filler.
Despite the pacing issues, don’t dismiss The Outsider. It is a Stephen King adaptation that comes together to create a story worth seeing. None of the episodes are bad, plus every character is interesting and likeable. The best of the bunch is Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo). She is the saving grace during the slow episodes and brings a supernatural intrigue to the series overall.
Other standouts include Jason Bateman as Terry Maitland, his understated and restrained performance fits the bizarre events surrounding his character perfectly. Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) is the struggling detective unable to come to terms with the tragedy in his life and the supernatural evidence.
The character Holly Gibney is also in another Stephen King series called Mr. Mercedes. It ran for three seasons on the Audience network and is now available to stream on STARZ.
HBO Now and Go do not support 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos. It is expected than HBO Max will support these features and that The Outsider will be available in 4K come May 2020 when the new streaming service releases.
We’ll update this review of HBO’s The Outsider with a verdict on how good the 4k version of the series is.
Starring Ben Mendelsohn, Jason Bateman, and Cynthia Erivo
After watching the first three episodes of The Outsider I rated the show as binge-worthy. However, as the series progressed it has kept me engaged, but only just. Therefore HBO’s The Outsider gets a downgrade to Chill status.
Rating reasoning
When updating this review of HBO’s The Outsider and comparing it to Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This, there is a clear difference of objective. The Outsider needs to fill a TV time slot and that means filler shots, scenes et al. This is why The Outsider gets a Chill rating and I Am Not Okay With This is a Binge.
The Outsider has a better story and performances but it’s stretched out over a 10-hour series. I Am Not Okay With This just focused on the story and characters, no filler. If The Outsider was 6 episodes it could have been one of the best shows of 2020.
You can stream every episode of The Outsider on HBO Now and Go. Expect The Outsider to be HBO Max when it launches May 2020. Check out The Outsider official trailer below.
During SNIPdaily’sBinge Kill Chillpodcast (available above), I stated the following:
I was tired of teen angst shows.
That I wasn’t looking forward to I Am Not Okay With This.
And that it was slapped together with ingredients that made The End of the F****** World, IT (reboot), and Stranger Things popular.
In my defense, I’m prone to irrational outbursts just like Sophia Lillis’ character in the show. The only difference between us is that when I rage, I don’t have telekinetic powers, and yes, I do wish that I did.
If you’re here for some analytical depth, you’re in the wrong place. I just say what I think and right now, I think my initial statement was almost perfect.
This series is another teen angst journey, complete with all the usual cliches: Sex, drugs, shitty parents, and even the customary dead one (usually the dad).
It’s clear story plots aren’t the only re-usable aspects in streaming content. Characters are also cut and paste montages from other shows. It’s so déjà vu that even the environments appear over-and-over like Scooby-Doo backdrops. “Oh look, it’s another dull and uninspired town.”
The show does all that in abundance, and for that reason, I wasn’t looking forward to streaming it. When you’ve seen 20 moody teenagers in working class locales, you’ve pretty much seen them all.
Check out the official trailer below:
More than telekinesis
A series is just like a meal: the ingredients, recipe, and chef define how it tastes. For me, the ingredients in I Am Not Okay With This looked good, but the recipe and cooks gave me indigestion.
Having now binged every episode, I can honestly say that show creators Jonathan Entwistle and Christy Hall served up a series that’s surprisingly good. Despite it being “another teen angst journey, complete with all the usual cliches,” and I stand by those words.
What puts this show above others? Three specific elements:
Cliches and stereotypes are hidden behind a narration.
Talking is reserved for those integral to the key character.
Episodes are 20 minutes and the whole series is 7 episodes.
Telekinesis would make the fourth spot on the list, but it’s not one of the reasons I wanted to keep watching. This show is proof that even cliches and stereotypes can turn into something binge-worthy.
In my podcast rant I state The End of the F****** World, IT (reboot), and Stranger Things looked to be this show’s building blocks. I was wrong. Instead, I Am Not Okay With This is Carrie meets Sex Education — and that combination blew me away.
This is the thing: it doesn’t try to revolutionize anything or be something it is not. By this I mean, it knows it is a series, not some political message, or on some social agenda. It wants to entertain, and it does.
Credit: Netflix
What does it do well?
The series uses teen angst and cliches to situate its simple romantic entanglement, a budding friendship, and a newly developed superpower. It mashes everything together with narration that keeps the show moving forwards without dwelling on why unnamed Character X is whispering about something in the hallway. It doesn’t care, because it knows we, the audience, don’t.
This focus on the key character helps the series avoid getting bogged down with unnecessary dialogue or events that aren’t directly related to the bigger picture. Everything links beautifully; even the teen angst works because of it.
Furthermore, this streamlining makes the series fly by. There’s no time to notice the cliches and stereotypes, because it’s on fast-forward. It took less than 2.5 hours to binge the entire season, and I did so with a big smile on my face.
I Am Not Okay With This is in 4K and supports Dolby Vision. It does not, however, support Dolby Atmos, which seems to be a Netflix trend.
I Am Not Okay With This Verdict: Binge
Streaming on Netflix
Created by Jonathan Entwistle and Christy Hall
Starring Sophia Lillis, Wyatt Oleff and Sofia Bryant
It’s obvious I liked I Am Not Okay With This in the end. Sophia Lillis’ character Sydney was performed brilliantly. The actress delivered heaps of emotion, and through her perspective, we were able to understand and follow her character’s development to a bloody and brilliant conclusion.
In my opinion, the star of the series was Wyatt Oleff’s Stanley Barber. Yep, the guy who plays Stanley in the IT reboot. His character embodies innocence, naivete, and a desperation to be fashionable in his own way. His kooky persona balances out the anger and emotion delivered by Lillis’ Sydney. Together, with Sofia Bryant’s Dina, the trio make this show a definite binge.
Overall, I Am Not Okay With This belongs up with Sex Education and Stranger Things in terms of quality. Plus, this series is proof that there’s plenty of life left in teenage angst shows — even if I’m tired of them (almost).
Hunters on Amazon Prime Video starts like it means business. It grabs you by the short and curlies, and within 120 seconds, screams into your face, “Watch me!” In this binger’s opinion, it has the best opening to a show in recent memory.
Two things to know about this Amazon Prime Video Hunters review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free, so this is all opinion.
We watched the whole series, not just an episode like other websites.
The first episode is jam-packed with impeccable character development, action, and twists that not even Al Pacino’s weird-ass accent could stop from being engrossing.
Here’s a quick Hunters synopsis:
“In 1977 New York City […] the Hunters, as they’re known, have discovered that hundreds of high ranking Nazi officials are living among us and conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in the U.S. The eclectic team of Hunterswill set out on a bloody quest to bring the Nazis to justice and thwart their new genocidal plans.”
It sounds bold, and the first episode, where Pacino and Logan Lerman come together, doesn’t let us down. Simply put, Jordan Peele (Get Out) and the unknown David Weil give us one of the best first episodes of 2020.
It’s a 90-minute work of art. It’s an episode that shows, not tells. It has a breakneck pace and a depth of character that every show creator should aspire to. This is how you set up a series. Sadly, the rest of the series isn’t the one promised in the first episode.
Episode 2 of Hunters feels like a broken hodgepodge. A Frankenstein monster released by a chop shop studio for TV shows. It’s a massive disappointment, going from a Tarantino-styled, character-driven conspiracy investigation to a shallow comic book show of heroes vs. Nazis.
Those who made the first episode get an A+. The rest of the crew get a timeout like naughty boys and girls. The biggest issue is that David Weil, the show creator gave us 90 minutes to become emotionally involved with Pacino and Lerman. He then throws several more characters at us to digest in an hour. It changes the show dynamic, and there is no recovery from there.
Too many characters spoil the broth
If these characters are important enough to be included, some of them should have been in the first episode. Instead, we get a disjointed second episode where bits and pieces of backstory poorly pitch strangers to us. It’s boring, and by the end we’re in a repetitive loop, because this format goes on to be the norm.
By the end, it felt like two different productions: A 90-minute movie and a comic book-style series. One is great, the other is unoriginal, and together it’s a mashup that’s not worth your time. Save yourself nine hours and just watch the first episode.
A big problem with the series is that it just feels watered down. It doesn’t have the depth or dialogue of the opening episode. There are too many Hunterswho need to be showcased, and we end up suffering for it. From waffling exposition, to comic book-like cliche sequences, the longer the show goes on, the worse it gets. It’s not bad acting, it’s just shallow, predictable, and loses its menace.
What’s bizarre is how it manages to go from being one show to another so quickly. There is no evolution, it just happens. Like they swapped out the creative A-Team for the D-Squad. If they focused on Pacino and Lerman’s war criminal hunt, and introduced new characters gradually, it could have worked.
In the end, the quality of the initial episode becomes a distant memory. Nine hours of weak cliches, stereotypes, and predictability will do that.
Hunters on Amazon Prime Video looks fantastic in 4K with HDR. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos.
Hunters verdict: Kill
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Created by David Weil
Starring Logan Lerman, Al Pacino and Lena Olin
A show gets greenlighted based on the strength of its pilot episode. So, perhaps Mr Weil came up with a killer first episode, and then Amazon Prime Video decided Hunters needed a dumbed down comic book twist? That’s my theory, and I’m sticking by it.
If you’ve watched Hunters, let us know your thoughts on Facebook, or check out the official Amazon Prime Video trailer below.
Two things to know about this Apple TV+ Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free, so this is all opinion.
We watched the whole series, not just an episode like other websites.
Barely memorable
While watching the show, I wrote in my notes “nothing memorable.” One day after, I couldn’t remember anything but the shovel gags. It’s obviously a negative, but at the same time, the show entertained me enough to binge all nine episodes in one sitting. Many other shows, including Netflix’s well-hyped Locke & Key, failed to do that.
My only thought is that with so many great shows available, it’s harder for decent shows like Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet to stand out.
Built on the industry
Show creator Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) has taken the key roles in a game studio and over-exaggerated them 100 times over. It’s the exact same setup as Silicon Valley, which pairs the real-world tech industry with outlandish character traits and delivers great comedy. The difference is, Silicon Valley became a hit in 2014 — long before Netflix and Co. were delivering big shows monthly.
This doesn’t take away from the interesting characters, quirks, and skewed real-world scenarios Mythic Quest delivers. It’s just not big and bold enough to leave a lasting impression.
Sadly, this isn’t something they can easily fix in Season 2, which has already been renewed. At best, it will be more of the same, and that’s fine for filler.
A little bit of everything
The show begins as the studio is about to release the long-awaited expansion to its hugely popular online game. The blend of characters ranges from the narcissistic, self-absorbed, weak-willed and sociopathic.
This mix gives the show different opportunities when exploring scenarios like women in gaming, streamer influence, and crunch-time chaos. What’s refreshing about Mythic Quest is that they don’t try and give solutions — they just have fun.
The best way this reviewer can describe Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet is by saying it’s a popcorn show. It’s not something any of us will be looking back on in 10 months when writing up “Best of” lists, but for the four hours it runs, it’s entertaining.
Credit: Apple and Ubisoft
4k/HDR/Dolby Atmos
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet looks and sounds fantastic in 4K, with Dolby Vision and Atmos. This is something Apple TV+ has gotten right with their service: their commitment to super-high streaming standards.
Mythic Quest Raven’s Banquet verdict: Chill
Streaming on Apple TV+
Created by Rob McElhenney and David Gordon Green
Starring Rob McElhenney, Elisha Henig, and Craig Mazin
Don’t be put off by the Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet trailer. The show isn’t goofy or some social agenda trip. If you’re a gamer or geek, then you should give the show a chance. It does a good job of taking the industry to task with some smart satire and over-the-top characters.
The biggest issue this show has is that it’s not memorable. You’ll have a decent time while watching and the episodes are short to binge, yet it just doesn’t compete with better shows that are available.
If you’re a gamer, it could easily be binge-worthy. For me, a former gamer and previous games industry employee, the show is filler between other great shows, including The Outsider and The Witcher.
Locke & Key is now available to stream on Netflix. Here’s our quick overview:
The Netflix show is based on Joe Hill’s award-winning graphic novel series of the same name. Joe Hill, who is Stephen King’s son, also wrote the first episode of the show.
The creative team behind the series includes Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House), Carlton Cuse (The Strain), and Aron Eli Coliete (Heroes). All are experienced and talented show creators.
All 10 episodes of Locke & Key are now available on Netflix in 4K with Dolby Vision.
Two things to know about this Netflix Locke & Key review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free, so this is all opinion.
We watched the whole series, not just an episode like other websites.
This isn’t Locke & Key
Locke & Key was the show I was looking forward to watching and reviewing the most this month. With fantastic source material and an experienced creative team, it seemed destined to be in 2020’s Top 10. Unfortunately, with each episode watched, I thought, “This isn’t right.”
Compared to the graphic novel, the show is sterile. For whatever reason, Locke & Key was downgraded from an ingenious and gruesome graphic novel to just another teenage drama. Whoever had the bright idea to make this for a PG-13 audience should be put in a corner with a dunce hat on.
My hopes were high after The Witcher, as Netflix took that source material and made a fantastic TV series without trying to make it for a broader audience. There would have been a revolution if they had messed with it. This begs the question: where’s the revolt over what was done to Locke & Key?
If you’re coming to Netflix’s Locke & Key from the fantastic graphic novels, you’ll be bitterly disappointed. It’s not the same.
Credit: Netflix
Size matters
Making Locke & Key PG-13 is bad enough, but that’s not the only problem. It is also slow. So slow, it lost my 15-year-old daughter’s interest before the end of Episode 1, and she’s a supernatural teen drama fanatic.
No matter which way you slice it, this supernatural teen drama is average at best. This isn’t prejudice against teen-driven shows — Sex Education is one of my favorite shows. The recently released low-budget Ragnarok had me hooked, too. A teen drama can be great when done well — it just isn’t with Locke & Key.
Having watched all 10 episodes of the show, Netflix could have made a better show if they had cut it down to six episodes. They could’ve trimmed away much of the school interaction, and refined it around the star of the show: the keys.
A watered-down adaptation
This is what happens when you adapt a widely beloved story: you have to cater content suitable to the audience you’re now targeting. The issue is that Locke & Key didn’t prioritize quality. Instead, we get cliche antics, with simplistic dialogue dumbing down the characters, all in the name of reaching a wider audience.
It’s not constantly bad, though. There are moments when things work; glimpses of what could have been. But overall, much of the show ends up one-dimensional, oversimplified, and predictable. This just makes it worst when something clever happens with the keys. It’s nagging throughout, and heartbreaking for anyone that is a fan of the graphic novel.
Locke & Key verdict: Kill
Streaming on Netflix
Created by Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House) and Joe Hill
Starring Darby Stanchfield (Scandal), Connor Jessup (Falling Skies), and Emilia Jones (Utopia)
Someone who has no knowledge of the graphic novels might call this binge-worthy. It has high-end production value, and the acting makes what it can with the plot. Overall, the story is coherent, but Locke & Key should have been so much more.
The story of Dan Schneider, The Pharmacist is explosive. There is no better word to describe the events within this docuseries. The progression from senseless murder to the opioid epidemic shows how actions have big consequences.
Movies and books have tried to give a narrative to this, but The Pharmacist does it best. Each episode is its own, contained segment of a bigger story. With each new episode, there is a new angle or hurdle that has to be overcome. The obsession of Dan Schneider is our vehicle as we’re shown, through his suffering, the collapse of a real community.
This docuseries can be summed up with this saying: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. By the end of the fourth episode, you’ll understand why.
Credit: Netflix. Image of Dan Schneider from The Pharmacist.
This is not a docuseries with a happy ending. It’s a realistic take on big problems that will inspire and disgust in equal measure. At no point does it hide from what happened— flaws are shown and ignorance amplified with lingering shots.
If you want to see an American hero, who battled through adversity and his own demons, this is for you.
If you want to see a David vs. Goliath story, where a pharmacist takes down a billion-dollar company, this docuseries is for you.
If you want to see how a God-loving man, with good intentions, is the catalyst for an epidemic, watch The Pharmacist now.
The Pharmacist looks and sounds fantastic in 4K and Dolby Vision. Unfortunately, the docuseries does not support Dolby Atmos.
The Pharmacist verdict: Binge
Streaming on Netflix
Created by The Cinemart
Based on Dan Schneider
From the subject matter to the production quality, The Pharmacist is perfect. There are no lulls, no weak moments, and it fits together to tell an engrossing real-world story.
Having watched Netflix’s The Pharmacist in one sitting, this reviewer highly recommends the docuseries. Definitely add it to your watchlist and binge at your first opportunity.
Check out the official The Pharmacist trailer below.
Avenue 5 combines Armando Iannucci (Veep), HBO, and Hugh Laurie (House) into a science fiction series this stream-addict couldn’t wait to review. Unfortunately, Avenue 5 takes a big wrong turn into Kill-ville.
Armando Iannucci, creator of the highly regarded and truly hilarious Veep, has punched himself in the nuts with Avenue 5. The writing is bad, the setup is uninteresting, and the acting is uninspired. All-in-all, Avenue 5 would be better crash landing in Episode 2 and putting everyone out of their misery.
As a fan of many of this show’s ingredients — HBO, Hugh Laurie, Iannucci himself, et al — the only logical conclusion this reviewer can give is that he’s trying to derail his credibility, This is the guy who co-wrote and directed The Death of Stalin, a funny, smart, and witty movie. Avenue 5 is none of those things.
The only other scenario is that Iannucci’s talent got lost in space, i.e. he can’t do science fiction.
It would be easy to pass the buck onto the cast, but it’s unfair and inaccurate. The simple way to spot who is to blame if a show stinks is if all the cast looks lost. Then, the problem isn’t the acting, but the direction and production.
In Avenue 5, every person on the screen looks uninspired, almost confused, and even a little embarrassed. It’s reminiscent of the Star Wars prequel movies, where superstars looked like wooden marionettes.
I felt sorry for Christopher Lee in the Star Wars prequel movies, and throughout Episode 1 of Avenue 5, I couldn’t stop feeling sorry for Hugh Laurie. A fantastic actor who knows comedy timing like the back of his hand: stuck in this, the most implausibly unfunny show imaginable.
Yoga in space, a gravity fluctuation, a communication delay, and some customer service wranglings as a cruise around Saturn turns into a 3-year prison sentence. That is the setup, and despite watching the episode twice, I cannot find one funny sequence.
At this point, despite writing this review for HBO’s Avenue 5, I don’t know what kind of comedy this is meant to be. It’s not slapstick, despite one scene’s giant bouncing yoga balls. It’s not satirical, despite another scene being about fake marketing. The best way to describe Avenue 5 is that it’s Spaceballs, without the funny parts.
HBO Now and Go do not support 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos. It is expected than HBO Max will support these features and that Avenue 5 will be available in 4K come May 2020 when the new streaming service releases.
Avenue 5 verdict: Kill
Streaming on HBO Now and Go
Created by Armando Iannucci
Starring Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, and Zach Woods
This should have been a fantastic show, but it’s a disaster — even worse than Netflix’s Medical Police. At least in the Netflix comedy series, there were some funny moments, albeit all of them used in the show’s trailer.
The biggest negative is that some of the actors like Josh Gad (Little Monsters) and Zach Woods (Silicon Valley) may end up having their careers irreversibly stained by this show. It really is that bad.
The biggest question is, how and why did HBO greenlight the series after this pilot episode? Simply put, it’s not up to HBO’s typical ridiculously high standard.
If you want a strong space comedy, check out Red Dwarf — or, if you’re feeling brave, you can check out the Avenue 5 official trailer below.
As a self-confessed Star Wars fanboy, I wasn’t really interested in Star Trek: Picard, so writing a review could have ended up biased. However, having watched the first episode on CBS All Access, it’s impossible to come away and not want to watch more.
Two things to know about this review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free.
This review is based on the first episode only.
Here’s a link to the opening episode, which is available to stream for free on YouTube for a limited time.
Star Trek: Picard has some beautiful settings. For example, Jean-Luc’s vineyard is both vibrant and expansive. However, what stands out is the mix of reality and futuristic technology. It’s fantastically cool. This mix happens across most locations visited during the first episode, keeping this reviewer’s curiosity piqued.
It’s almost perfect until large visual effects dominate the screen. It’s in these rare moments that Star Trek: Picard doesn’t hold up visually against some of the recent super-big-budget shows. It is a minor issue, yet it can occasionally break immersion.
Despite this visual issue, my enthusiasm for the show grew throughout the episode. At this point, I can’t help but think the 45 minutes spent watching Picard was a better use of time than the six-plus hours I wasted on the latest Star Wars trilogy.
My biggest takeaway from Episode 1 is that Patrick Stewart makes this a must-see show. It’s understandable why Star Trek fans put the actor on a pedestal; he has depth and likeability on-screen. His old man full of guilt performance is top-draw, and the science fiction story surrounding him makes it a compelling pilot episode.
There’s no doubt Star Trek: Picard Episode 1 is a home run. It titillates visually (for the most part), and it introduces the start of a story arc that science fiction fans will want to see more of. It definitely makes me, a Star Wars fan, want to watch at least Episode 2.
The concern I have for Star Trek: Picard is that it’s reliant on Patrick Stewart to a fault. His costars seem to be delivering performances on the TV soap side of acting. For instance, Isa Briones, who plays a key role in the episode (and show probably), is fantastic in the action scenes, but has moments that reminded me of Joey Tribbiani’s “smell the fart” acting. This is adequate while Stewart is on screen, but what about episodes when he’s not on screen 90 percent of the time?
Unfortunately, Star Trek: Picard is only streaming in HD with 5.1 sound. There is no 4K version available with HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos currently.
Star Trek: Picard Season 1 verdict: Binge
Streaming on CBS All Access
Created by Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, and Kirsten Beyer
Starring Patrick Stewart, Santiago Cabrera, and Alison Pill
This reviewer gives the first episode of Star Trek: Picard a big thumbs up. I do have a genuine concern that this show is resting on the shoulders of an 80-year old and it doesn’t have the budget it needed, yet in terms of a science fiction season opener, it is almost perfect.
My original preconception about Star Trek was, except for the rebooted movies starring Chris Pine, it looks like a cheesy Star Wars on a shoestring budget. Consider this prejudice trashed.
Check out the Star Trek: Picard official trailer below.
Season 2 of Netflix’s Sex Education is now available to stream.
This season could, and perhaps should, have been an Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve (Emma Mackay) love story. Instead, we’re given a growing ensemble of characters that delays what we all want to see happen.
Despite this, Season 2 is bold, poignant and every bit as good as the first.
Two things to know about this review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free, so this is all opinion.
We watched the whole series, not just an episode like other websites.
The big change from Season 1 to 2 is that the focus has moved heavily onto relationships. Not all are romantic, but friendship, family, and unity is put on a pedestal, as is telling the truth. It sounds sappy, but it’s delivered perfectly across the shows eight 50-minute episodes.
Season 2 takes us away from expectations set up in the first season and never gives us the payoff we really want. It shouldn’t work, but it does.
The biggest surprise is that despite veering away from expectations, the season manages to bring us back to the main reason most of us are binging: Otis and Maeve.
For many, this season might end up being considered filler, but having binged all episodes, this is a journey Otis and Co. needed to take. It builds on the first season and should lead to a bigger payoff in Season 3.
There are many outlandish scenarios in Season 2, with oranges and Shakespeare being the most obvious victims of the show’s creativity (neither will ever be the same). The worst victim, however, is Season 3, because adding a potential new love triangle for Maeve is an issue.
This bombshell complicates how Season 3 might be paced. Right now, we fans need that main story arc payoff since Season 2 had conclusions to everything but Otis and Maeve. Simply put, we cannot wait another eight episodes.
Regardless of how good Season 1 and 2 are, Season 3 should be the last in this “will they, won’t they” Otis and Maeve arc. If this new love triangle delays that payoff again, it will be the last time I binge on the show hoping for a satisfying conclusion.
Despite this concern, Season 2 is a brilliantly told story of acceptance through the eyes of numerous well-developed characters.
Starring Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Mackay
Sex Education gives us an opportunity to see what most people don’t talk about. It takes on personal and private aspects of the real world, and not only provides solutions but countless laugh out loud moments.
The combination of great characters, real-world problems, and engrossing personal journeys come together to create a show that is a perfect example of how to tackle social issues without being preachy or pushing blame. Nothing is sacred, nothing is off-limits, and Season 2 is compelling because of it.
Some may say Season 2 was eight episodes of filler that only delay the inevitable. They’re right, but in nearly seven hours of entertainment, the only negative is that we didn’t get the expected payoff. Now that’s what I call amazing filler.
Check out the official Sex Education Season 2 trailer below.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez is a Netflix documentary that draws a complicated portrait of the late NFL star. It’s a somewhat compelling series, but it feels problematic in a variety of ways.
The story covers Hernandez’s childhood and football career at the University of Florida and with the New England Patriots. Red flags abound in his backstory, yet his talent and production on the gridiron allowed him to maintain a disturbing double life, culminating in multiple murders and his own suicide.
Let’s break down Netflix’s Killer Inside in more detail. This will contain spoilers for the docuseries.
The way in: Hernandez’s domestic turmoil, CTE
One way the three-episode narrative tries to generate empathy for Hernandez is through his extensive injury issues, as he was diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease CTE after his death. That’s really not at the forefront until the last 10 minutes of the series. A larger focus is placed on how he grew up.
His father, Dennis, was a running back at Bristol High
School and respected in the community. However, it’s revealed in the first
episode he had a violent streak, and once slammed his wife’s head into a sink
until she was unconscious.
Dennis died during routine hernia surgery, which crushed Hernandez,
as he was close to his father, despite his domestic abuse. Thereafter, his
mother began a relationship with his older cousin’s husband, who then moved
into the Hernandez family home.
The father of Hernandez’s high school quarterback is interviewed throughout, and really drives home how this development rocked the teenager’s world. It led him to stay with his cousin, Tanya Singleton, who became a motherly figure to him.
Upon living with his cousin, Hernandez befriended Ernest
Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, who would later be his accomplices in the 2013 murder
of Odin Lloyd.
A dubious handling of the sexuality subplot
Hernandez’s quarterback at Bristol, Dennis SanSoucie, describes how the two had a sexual relationship, and much of the docuseries hones in on how Hernandez repressed his homosexuality. But it’s all so speculative. A former gay Patriots player, Ryan O’Callaghan offers his opinions to support that thesis, but it all felt a little cheap.
SanSoucie details how Bristol High frowned upon kids who came out of the closet, himself included. Of course, the macho, hyper-masculine nature of football can be perceived a good “cover,” and it was for O’Callaghan.
Nevertheless, again, it all feels speculative. Who’s to say either way? It’s a little too inferred that Hernandez’s homosexuality compounded all the issues in his life, rather than a fact that’s really understood by anyone from his life.
Thatis, until third and final episode finally sheds more light on the issue. It features a clip of his brother, DJ, talking about how Hernandez was sexually abused as a child. That abuse, Hernandez believed, made him confused about his sexuality, and led to his anger problems.
Withholding that extremely vital information until the finale takes one aback for two reasons. One, all the homosexuality speculation in the prior episodes, especially the first, doesn’t feel connected to anything. Two, it feels like a manipulation of information just to have some clever reveal or payoff.
It’s somewhat similar to how the CTE thread of the story is handled, and how Hernandez’s frontal lobe — which informs decision-making — was damaged in a way doctors hadn’t seen before in such a young man. The CTE coverage at least makes more sense, since the story proceeds through Hernandez’s life chronologically for the most part.
A fiancée in denial
Hernandez’s fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, happened to be the sister of Lloyd’s girlfriend. Jenkins’ loyalty to Hernandez is a big point of emphasis. One story beat implies she aided in disposing evidence The jury didn’t see her as a reliable witness, because she had no intention of giving up her husband-to-be.
This all in spite of the fact that Hernandez was implicated in a separate murder case while the Lloyd trial played out. Another indictment for a 2012 double homicide, though Hernandez was ultimately acquitted in 2017.
A lot of audio comes from phone conversations between Shayanna Jenkins and Hernandez while he’s in prison. She passes up a close relationship with her sister and sides with her fiancee instead. They also have a daughter together, which definitely complicates things.
Whatever was happening in their relationship, based on what’s depicted in Killer Inside, it was clear to anyone who knew Hernandez at all closely he was running with the wrong crowds, engaging in illegal activities, doing drugs often, drinking heavily and was prone to episodes of anger and violent behavior.
Additionally, Jenkins sticks with Hernandez even after his conviction.
Final Netflix Killer Inside verdict: Chill
Streaming on Netflix
Directed by Geno McDermott
Starring Kevin Armstrong, Dan Wetzel, Patrick Haggan
Overall, this docuseries holds a viewer’s attention rather well — at least for the first episode and a half. The story is ultimately tragic for everyone involved.
It’s understandable to try to draw a sympathetic portrait of someone in light of CTE and being a victim of a variety of domestic abuses, both personally and as a witness. Between the physical and emotional trauma, Hernandez was obviously dealing with a lot. It didn’t help that his surrogate mother raised him around unsavory influences.
All that said, between the sexuality storyline’s handling and the numerous, horrific acts Hernandez committed, Killer Inside almost feels like it’s reaching at times to side with Hernandez. It feels manipulative at times, and it’s unnecessary.
Perhaps the most jarring part stems from SanSoucie’s father, as touched on before, talking up the super close relationship between Aaron and Dennis Hernandez.
Sure, the former’s mother’s affair with a family member was hard on him. Yet, it also overlooks how disturbing it is that Hernandez was seen as so close to a vicious, alcoholic, abusive father. That sounds more like a traumatic father-son bond. SanSoucie’s father never addresses this further.
In any event, Hernandez’s life was tumultuous, duplicitous and unnerving. If you love true crime stories, maybe Netflix’s Killer Inside is more for you. It gets a “Chill” from me — and while the substance is there, the execution is, well, the headline says it: problematic.
The streaming giant has come out swinging in 2020. There really is too much, so we’ve cherry-picked the shows that interest us most. Next up, is a review of Medical Police. Season 1 is available now on Netflix.
Two things to know about this review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free.
We watched the whole series, not just an episode like other websites.
When Netflix announced its January lineup of new shows, the trailer for Medical Police stopped me in my tracks. It is funny, weird, and mocks something I’ve been screaming about for decades: doctors playing cops.
What’s tragic is that this wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. The show was made by the same guys who did Childrens Hospital; it even starred the same people.
Childrens Hospital on IMDB got a 7.8 rating and is funny, unlike Medical Police.
This isn’t hyperbole: the trailer contains the funniest moments from the show. There is no reason to watch unless you’re curious about how bad it is.
The saying that laughter is infectious can’t be true, because if the cast and crew were having a good time while making Medical Police, then it doesn’t translate into the end product. Instead, the show left this reviewer wanting to quit by the third episode.
Here’s the show’s problem: a 22-minute episode is like an eternity when repeating the same jokes. My best analogy is that the show is like a rookie variety performer who can ride a unicycle and juggle. For a few minutes, you’ll watch, but it gets repetitive fast — and that is Medical Police.
It’s basic maths. An episode of Childrens Hospital is 11 minutes long, half of what an episode of Medical Police is. Netflix should have forced the creative team to stick to what worked for them in the past. Their only hope now is to give out warnings against binging this show, because watching episodes back-to-back amplifies its problems.
Created by Krister Johnson, Rob Corddry, Jonathan Stern, and David Wain
Starring Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Sarayu Blue, and Fred Melamed
Out of all the shows I’ve streamed on Netflix, Medical Police is the biggest disappointment and the worst show I’ve ever reviewed.
There are no redeeming features, the show has few laugh-out-loud moments and they’re used in the trailer. The worst most cringe-worthy scenes from the Scary Movie series are Oscar-worthy by comparison.
My one hope is that the show is not renewed for Season 2 and instead, Netflix license Naked Gun, Aeroplane, and Police Academy, because when it comes to this type of comedy, these are untouchable.
The streaming giant has come out swinging in 2020. There really is too much, so we’ve cherry-picked the shows that interest us most. Next up, is a review of the Dracula miniseries available now on Netflix.
Two things to know about this review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free.
We watched the whole series, not just an episode like other websites.
Sherlock creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat deliver a show that spans three episodes, ranging from good to awful in that order.
Episode 1, titled “The Rules of the Beast,” is the best by far. The BBC clearly spent big and despite not having a well-known cast, the acting is fantastic throughout. Dolly Wells in particular, as Sister Agatha is a standout with some fantastic lines.
What makes Episode 1 good is that it is everything that makes Sherlock and Dracula fun. It’s smart, witty, and gruesome. The storyline, albeit predictable in its path is intriguing enough to keep you watching for the whole 88 minutes.
On paper the second episode sounds perfect. It’s called “Blood Vessel” and has Dracula traveling by boat. It could be the perfect combination of horror and mystery — but it stumbles over itself clumsily.
Rest assured, it has the Gothic style, brilliant production value and strong acting like in Episode 1. The stumbling comes from the dialogue and a story that is stuck between trying to be too funny, intelligent, mysterious and scary all at once. In the end, it meanders as if seasick (or drunk) without ever staking claim of any of the four.
The second episode features numerous cringe-worthy moments, too many flippant quips and a Sherlock-style ending that’s clunky. It’s as if the end were nailed on in an attempt to conclude in typical Gatiss and Moffat fashion.
Despite the negatives, about half of the episode is good.
Episode 3 (“The Dark Compass”) is so bad it should have been canned mid-production and never released.
Everything good in the first two episodes is tarnished. That Gothic style, the tone, and mood? All abandoned for a modern setting. Worst still, the stumbling in Episode 2 completely takes over, wrecking any plot coherence and acting along with it.
Simply put, the only way Episode 3 could be considered a success would be if it had the goal of making you hate everything about this miniseries. It really is that bad.
Starring Claes Bang, Dolly Wells, and Jonathan Aris
Sharpen that stake. Get that garlic ready. Let all the light in. It’s time to kill Dracula.
Within the 264 minutes Dracula runs for, there is a brilliant 140ish minute show. My personal recommendation is to watch Episode 1, avoid Episode 3, and flip a coin over Episode 2.
Watching the last episode changed my perspective on the show. I went from binge, to chill, to kill per episode watched. It’s surprising, but the train wreck of a third episode derails the whole show.
If this Netflix Dracula review could just judge it on 1.5 episodes of the miniseries, then it would be binge-worthy. However, it’s a review that needs to look at all episodes and because of that, it gets our worst rating: kill.
The streaming giant has come out swinging in 2020. There really is too much, so we’ve cherry-picked the shows that interest us most. First up, is a review of Netflix’s Messiah.
Two things to know about this review:
We aim to be 100% spoiler-free.
We watched the whole series, not just an episode like other websites.
When the show was announced in late 2019, some eagle-eyed streaming fans spotted hidden meanings in the marketing. Their tweets were pulled, and it looked like Netflix fumbled big on this series. So, the big question heading into this Messiah Netflix review was: “How does the leak impact the show?”
Honesty, it doesn’t. Throughout the series, I was waiting for the “I knew it!” moment. It never came. What’s fascinating is that the leak actually made me question events more.
Thinking about it, knowing the leak could have inadvertently improved my experience of the show, because I was so sure of what was going to happen. Could this have been a misdirection by Netflix in their marketing? It would make sense considering the mystery surrounding the lead character in the show itself.
There are a few bad aspects to consider. In terms of production, most of the show looks great, even amazing at times. However, some of the show is also clearly made while cutting corners (and costs). If I was a mathematician, I’d say the split is 85/15 in favor of being great. This is a positive split, but the lesser quality production elements stick out even more when they pop up as a result. Hopefully, if Netflix renews. A second season could rectify the corner-cutting.
The bigger issue is in the cast. Some actors are great; others are not. When a bad actor is in a scene cutting corners, it pulls you straight out of the show and distracts from the scene. In comparison, something like V Wars, which is trashy throughout, may have a bad scene, yet it doesn’t break immersion. With Messiah, one moment can wreck a scene that’s meant to have weight and impact. In a story like this, that is a real big negative.
Fortunately, the imperfect storm of bad acting and corner-cutting happens mostly with secondary storylines. This means Messiah, for the majority, is very entertaining.
What you need to know is that the lead Mehdi Dehbi is cast perfectly, and Michelle Monaghan, for the most part, is great. However, the standout is Tomer Sisley. His performance has depth and shows the most character growth from beginning to end.
Normally, when a show has production issues, the visual effects take a hit. That is not the case in Messiah. The visual effects are amazing. The issues are surprisingly around the US portion of the show, rather than the Middle Eastern elements, which are mostly brilliant (except for one actor).
The big problem for Messiah should have been how it delivered the religious elements, but it does so intelligently.
It doesn’t bash any religion, nor does it put any religion on a pedestal. Instead, we see a slice of Middle Eastern fragmentation, nuanced in how it presents terrorism. The same is true for Christianity: we see the devoted and those seeking celebrity, along with those desperately stuck between the two sufferings.
Building on the intelligent religious storylines is the prophecy aspect. The show is careful to avoid saying certain things, while constantly implying who the mysterious character is. It builds on the original leak, as if planned.
Simply put, the main story is smart and engrossing. If the second season can focus on the positives, then it will become a binge-worthy series.
Starring Michelle Monaghan, Mehdi Dehbi, and Tomer Sisley
Having watched Netflix’s Messiah, this reviewer is torn. The show could easily be binge-worthy, but Messiah needs viewer discretion based on the following.
If you’re seeking a great story and can look past a show’s shortcomings, Messiah deserves to be binged on. I watched all 10 episodes in two days, and don’t regret a minute of it.
However, if bad acting and moments of poorly-made filler are enough to turn you off, take Messiah off your watch list. This isn’t trashy TV fan-fiction like V Wars. It’s trying to be serious, and for that, it needed a polished production.
Friday’s Season 1 finale of The Mandalorian‘s brought Star Wars’ first live-action TV series to an epic conclusion, so let’s review Disney+’s smash hit.
Between a compelling central character, an incredible surprise in the pilot episode and intriguing plot twists throughout, this corner of a galaxy far, far away is definitely one fans want to see explored further.
Read on for a full review of The Mandalorian‘s eight-episode debut season, which will spoil very little for the uninitiated!
The Mandalorian is awesome — but relatable
Mandalorians are reputed to be among the best warriors in the galaxy. Based on the trailers and clips, the eponymous character seemed almost too badass so as not to be compelling.
This couldn’t be further from how the show presents the Mandalorian, and in review of all his skirmishes, he doesn’t get the upper hand as often as you’d think.
The archetype of an indestructible action hero tends to plague big modern franchises. It’s not often big IPs are able to nail down a vulnerable protagonist and still make him or her “cool.”
Herein lies one of the main reasons as to why The Mandalorian works so well. Every episode, there’s a real sense of danger. Mando often encounters foes who he can’t quite defeat on his own.
This only builds the conflict, dramatic tension and mystery as to what will happen next. There’s also a lot left to the imagination regarding Mando’s origin, along with what the Mandalorian race is all about. Only morsels of backstory are given throughout Season 1, so stay tuned on that!
Props to lead actor Pedro Pascal for his work in this. He’s hidden behind a mask constantly, yet brings humor and excellent subtext to the role. It could easily come off as goofy or, um, nothing happening. Pascal’s Clint Eastwood, Man with No Name-esque delivery plays into the Wild West type of genre the show is going for.
Baby Yoda IS Star Wars now
Speaking of that pilot episode twist, this is a mild spoiler for the show. However, if you’ve been on the Internet or social media for the past couple months, you’ve almost certainly stumbled upon “the child.” Aka Baby Yoda.
How popular is the little tyke? This meme from Imgur accurately describes the current state of affairs…
Yes, the titular Mando is fun to follow. He goes on all these neat quests to different planets. That said, once he discovered the 50-year-old child at the end of “Chapter 1,” the adorable creature has been an Internet sensation.
It’d be awesome if someone from Yoda’s unidentified species merely existed in the show. Instead, Baby Yoda becomes a primary character who’s already strong in his own ways. That’s an intentionally cryptic description.
This strength first shows in “Chapter 2,” when Mando is in grave danger while fighting a gigantic Mudhorn creature. The baby does something to save Mando’s skin that’s too sweet to spoil here!
Instead of unveiling the rest of Baby Yoda’s awesomeness, trust that he has plenty of cute moments sprinkled in with glimpses of…special abilities. This will indubitably be explored further in Season 2, which creator Jon Favreau confirmed is in production.
Whereas George Lucas’ work on the prequel film trilogy got somewhat bogged down by politics, The Mandalorian actually uses the post-imperial political landscape as an effective storytelling tool.
In this particular part of the galaxy, New Republic control hasn’t really gone into effect. Imperial remnants are still running the show, and self-interested bounty hunters are capitalizing on the destabilized central power structure.
Mando is loosely affiliated with the bounty hunting guild, but kind of operates under his own rules. There are certain cliques within the guild, and anyone can betray anyone at the drop of a hat.
Baby Yoda ends up being the most prestigious bounty target in the galaxy. That puts Mando perpetually in the line of fire, and further complicates his already tense relations with the guild.
Between the lingering presence of the Empire and the bounty guild, Mando has some serious external forces to battle. Then of course, he’s thrust into the role of father figure to Baby Yoda.
Starring Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Werner Herzog
It’s probably not much of a surprise to see the review verdict go this way, but The Mandalorian is a definite binge. The only drawbacks are a somewhat slow “Chapter 4” and underutilized supporting characters.
Overall, though, I envy those of you who’ve held out this long. Now you can plow through the first season all at once instead of waiting a week between episodes. Whether you’re a Star Wars nerd or not, this show is so much fun. It appeals to a wide range of ages thanks largely to Baby Yoda.
Yes, The Mandalorian is grittier and more morally ambiguous than other Star Wars fare, yet it has wholesome heart and plenty of levity and humor to be suitable for younger audiences. There isn’t any gore or anything off-putting like that, either.
The show takes place roughly five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Anyone who’s disenchanted with the sequel film trilogy can find hope in The Mandalorian.
This review of The Witcher is spoiler-free and based on all eight episodes available now on Netflix.
Once upon a time, Netflix and Amazon Prime did battle for the one intellectual property to rule them all. Amazon spent $250 million on The Lord of The Rings license, and Netflix went home disappointed. Smartly, The Witcher license was snapped up, and this reviewer thinks Netflix has come out on top.
It is impossible not to compare The Witcher to Game of Thrones, The Hobbit, and The Lord of The Rings. This is a reflection on the fantasy genre more than the show, yet we do get treated to some glaring similarities. From a burning city to a military force on the move, The Witcher ticks many fantasy big event boxes.
The first time you saw The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring, it was an unbelievable spectacle.Game of Thrones then took that spectacle and evolved what a TV show could be, taking its scale, effects, and budgets to maturer audiences. The Witcher somehow improves on both, delivering better pacing and action.
With all that said, what matters is whether The Witcher has a story and acting worthy of The Lord of The Rings and Game of Thrones.
First the negatives: There are two episodes where the plot jumps about switching between the past and present without warning. Both times, it’s jarring — and now for the positives (yes, those are the only negatives).
There are eight episodes, each roughly an hour-long, and none have pacing problems or pointless exposition. We’re treated to characters that are interesting, defined through decisions, actions, and events. Amazingly, the action sequences flow perfectly with the story and character development. It’s almost as if the story was taken from top-selling books… (it is).
For any fantasy fan, The Witcher will be more than an itch scratched. It’s likely to be the best new fantasy show on the market until Prime’s $1 billion The Lord of The Rings prequel, or HBO delivers a Game of Thrones spin-off. Putting all cards on the table, this reviewer thinks it could be one of the best shows of 2019.
In all honesty, the characters in The Witcher aren’t as good as Game of Thrones. This isn’t a quality issue, but a quantity and variety issue. There are simply more interesting characters in G. R. R. Martin’s on-screen story. The question is, which characters will The Witcher introduce during future seasons? In my opinion, it is unlikely The Witcher has characters that can top Tyrion, Jon Snow, Arya Stark, et al.
From the characters we do get to spend time with, the two leads, Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia and Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, are exceptional. Both deliver believable characters that have rich backstory and motivations. In terms of acting quality, it matches the best of what we see in Game of Thrones. At no point in eight hours will you see weak acting, and that’s a big surprise considering the amazing pace and action on the show.
The Witcher is definitely not suitable for younger audiences, and includes a lot of nudity throughout. There is also a lot of bloody action, which is where the show exceeds The Lord of The Rings and Game of Thrones.
Some will say Game of Thrones is more realistic in its fighting, yet, this reviewer says The Witcher is simply made better. The choreography, the movement, the effects, and the variety leaves other on-screen fantasy tales in its dust.
Another element that makes The Witcher stand out is the variety of adventures and enemies across the eight episodes. This allows the show to deliver unique action sequences that come together to make memorable, visceral moments a regular occurrence. When combined with brilliant pacing and deep character development, The Witcher easily becomes a top contender for the best show of 2019.
Starring Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, and Fraya Allan
Before The Witcher, this reviewer had Chernobyl ranked No. 1 as the show of the year. It beat Season 3 of Stranger Things and The Boys to the top spot.
What makes The Witcher stand out is that the pace, action, plot, and acting come together to make something brilliant to watch. It doesn’t try to tease, or twist, like Apple TV+’s shows, nor does it play out like a Saturday morning cartoon, like The Mandalorian.
The Witcher is Netflix at its disruptive best — and now the ball is in HBO’s and Amazon’s court to see what they can deliver for fantasy fans.
This review will dent my credibility forever, but V-Wars is a show to be binged. Ten episodes in one sitting were no problem. I got through this show easier than The Irishman, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and The Crown. Clearly, I’ve got issues.
This is the thing: I know V Wars isn’t high-quality. Recently, I reviewed Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told and struggled to get through the first few episodes because of clunky acting and a cliche plot. V Wars has both and writing straight out of a Hollywood agent’s bin, yet I couldn’t stop watching.
Firstly, this is why V Wars is entertaining: it knows what it is and goes with it. At no point is it trying to be award-winning — it’s svelte, focused, and serves up exactly what’s expected from a vampire show.
The cast and crew come together to give decent action sequences, moments of horror, and character depth. It’s a B+ for effort, and the only thing holding it back from a higher grade would be a better script and actors to deliver it.
Check out the official V Wars trailer below:
That B-movie vibe
It sounds like a contradiction, but it’s the difference between made-for-TV and made for award season. V Wars is a show on a similar level to X-Files, V, Buffy, et al. It doesn’t need a teleplay or actors better than a B+, because it is giving vampire fans exactly what they want.
The show is bloody, visual, and violent (on a budget). It isn’t suitable for young kids, but could end up becoming a sleeper hit with older teens and parents looking for something to watch.
This is the beauty of V Wars; it isn’t something you have to give 100 percent attention. You can look away for a few minutes and check your phone, or make a drink. Bigger shows demand your full attention. This is just TV-style fun, and Netflix desperately needed that.
Starring Ian Somerhalder, Adrian Holmes, and Jacky Lai
Dr. Luther Swann, played by actor Ian Somerhalder, and bad guy Adrian Holmes, who plays patient zero Michael Fayne, are enjoyable to watch. The surrounding cast varies, from adequate to awful, in a made-for-TV kind of way.
What you see in the first episode of V Wars is as good as the acting and writing get. If you can’t look beyond that, then all the blood and action later won’t improve the show for you.
V Wars is the perfect blend of cheese and horror (if you can call it that). It reminded me of classics like X-Files, Buffy, and even An American Werewolf in London. There’s a lot going on in the show, and despite it being on a budget, it’s well-paced across its seven-hour total binge time (all episodes are available now).
If looking for only high quality, skip V Wars. On the other hand, if you can look past its B-movie traits, there’s a show here that deserves a chance.
Writing a review on the third season of Amazon Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has left this fan torn. There’s a level of loyalty when jumping back into a new season of a show that you’ve binged on in the past. We had already spent two great seasons together; the third was going to be inevitably great.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 3 review is spoiler-free.
The first season was a breath of fresh air. As a huge stand-up comedy fan, Mrs. Maisel was everything desired and more. Show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino created characters we cared about, and then in Season 2, she made them twist. The second outing had uncertainty and conflict, so we were evolving together. However, this is where Season 3 goes rogue.
There’s only one thing worse in a show than filler plotlines, and that’s sacrificing good characters in them. Mrs. Maisel Season 3 does this, and in the process, turns some of its characters into annoyances, specifically the Weissmans.
For those who don’t know, the Weissmans include Abe, Rose, and Moishe. These are Mrs. Maisel’s father, mother, and brother. Abe is stoic and Rose is posh, a real contradiction to Midge (Mrs. Maisel) and the stand-up comedy lifestyle she has found. Yet, that difference made the show compelling during the previous seasons.
Despite Tony Shalhoub, who plays Abe, getting more screen time, the family’s storyline breaks up Mrs. Maisel’s journey. It frustratingly disrupts, making the Weissmans and other characters who end up in that secondary plotline nothing more than annoyances.
Despite the issues, Season 3 remains entertaining when focused on Mrs. Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) and her manager Susie (Alex Borstein). When they’re together on-screen insulting each other, Mrs. Maisel is at its best. There’s a zing to every line and the delivery pulls you in.
If Season 3 was only about their story, it would have been as good as Season 2. There is an undeniable star power about both of them, and watching their stories evolve each of the characters is a joy. We get to see new dimensions being added rather than being reset, like the Weissmans.
Every scene where Mrs. Maisel is on stage or where Susie is figuring out the managerial game is compelling. The question is, do the negatives outweigh the positives?
When it comes to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the positives do outweigh the negatives. However, it is best summarized by saying the leads have outgrown the secondary characters. Hopefully, Season 4 can rectify this split, or just move on.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is available on Amazon Prime Video and you can watch all eight episodes of Season 3 now. Check out the trailer for the latest season below:
The first episode of The Grand Tour Season 4 is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Warning: Episode 1 is car-free and shows a different side to Jeremy Clarkson that some viewers may find disturbing (climate change). If you need wheels, roads, and car facts, this episode is not for you.
Season 4 has done away with the big tent and talk show elements, focusing solely on the big specials where the team travel massive distances using a variety of vehicles. Episode 1 of Season 4 takes the team from Cambodia to Vietnam and looks spectacular in 4k.
Rest assured, the friendship between presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond remains intriguing.
The idiots we’ve come to love
The first episode is titled “Seamen,” and that is enough to summarize the presenters’ personalities. They are fully grown men who behave like children, and because of this, The Grand Tour is Amazon Prime Video’s most valuable show.
After decades with the BBC doing Top Gear, and now onto a fourth season with Prime Video, the truth is undeniable. We watch The Grand Tour because of the presenters. Each is unique, but it’s only when they’re together that magic happens. Granted, it’s often childish and full of cruel innuendo, but whether its car or boat, it remains unmissable.
Clarkson talking climate change
This is the biggest difference in the episode. Clarkson seems to have evolved. There are several moments where a newfound maturity was on show and it’s worrying. A less blunt Clarkson could be a tragedy for The Grand Tour and Amazon Prime Video.
He still makes May and Hammond’s life a misery throughout the journey. Yet there’s self-reflection on climate change, cooking with spices, a love story, and worst still sympathy for his co-presenters. It’s jarring, more so than the entire episode being about boats.
Not as much fun on the water
Despite the beautiful scenery and the usual banter, it just wasn’t as good on the water. There was no technical talk or back catalog of comparisons to pull from. There was something missing and having watched the episode twice now, Clarkson was the only presenter having fun.
By the end of the episode, it was clear, this wasn’t a fun journey. It started with May and Hammond’s lack of excitement and got worst. What comes across is often harrowing and bleak. Plus the final sequence is like an endurance documentary where life is genuinely on the line — and then it made sense. That was the whole point.
The Grand Tour season 4 verdict: Chill
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Created by W. Chump & Sons and Amazon Studios
Starring Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond
When Jeremy Clarkson talks about climate change and the show gives examples that are only relevant to a boat, it all falls into place. It’s a social and political message delivered to a motoring audience via the credibility of trusted and loved presenters. It’s smart.
As someone opposed to using a show or movie to push agendas, this one does make sense. The question is what comes next? If it remains in the political messaging zone, then chill becomes a kill.
It’s fantastic that they’ve done away with the talk show element, but this is a show that should have been a binge. Episode 2 will determine its fate.
Regardless of what happens, we still have the early years of Top Gear and Seasons 1 to 3 of The Grand Tour.
The Dickinson show from Apple TV+ turned me off big-time, but because our Editor gave it a great review, this analyst is going back for a second look review.
Before people judge, let me say: Emily Dickinson is interesting. She’s a 19th-century poet whose perspective on death made her writing genuinely fascinating. A scholar in her youth, and reclusive in old age, the Dickinson dramatization of her teenage years should have been something I binged. Especially with its modern twist.
Here’s my disclaimer:
I’m a 39-year old white man whose wife and daughter call me a caveman.
The original review was written by SNIPdaily Editor Matt Fitzgerald. He gave the show a BINGE rating, which is the highest we give.
This second take is to judge whether I was wrong about Dickinson. Journey good chap.
First impressions
From its first to last available episode, Dickinson has that Apple TV+ shine. Seriously, every show must use the same cinematography playbook. It isn’t a negative, because even clunky and cliche shows like Truth Be Told end up looking superb.
Audiovisual quality aside, Dickinson surprised me. It makes the restrictions, rules, and expectations placed upon women in that era the butt of its jokes. Some even made me, a caveman, chuckle.
As someone who hates social agenda in shows and movies, Dickinson didn’t once make me cringe. Ironically, the pre-release teaser trailer knotted my face into a fist and made me bark like an animal at the screen. Take a second look at that Dickinson trailer below:
Luring in the opinionated
Apple clearly knew what it was doing with that trailer. It targeted a very specific demographic, and with it, drove me away. It made me not want to give the show a chance and in all honesty, Apple did the right thing.
Despite my delight that Dickinson wasn’t social agenda being shoveled down a viewer’s throat, it didn’t grab me. Truth Be Told, which is a worse show, did far more for my attention. Its cliffhangers are amazing and targeted my crime drama needs.
The original review
This Dickinson second look was meant to dispute what our editor said about the show. Yet, having watched all available episodes, some of that original review I agree with.
Although the commentary is rather on the nose, it’s intentionally that way, and it’s often played for laughs. Steinfeld makes it all work in a sincere but sort of passive-aggressive way.
This is the one thing I dispute from the original review. For as good as Dickinson is, the show doesn’t make me want to watch more. Even with the brilliant way Emily Dickinson’s relationship with Death is portrayed, I didn’t want to put it on my watchlist.
At the end of the day, there are different shows for different folks. Despite being 100 percent wrong about this show from the start, in no way is it for a middle-aged, white guy whose family calls him a caveman.
Ghostwriter is Apple TV+’s reboot of the 1990s children’s TV series, and at least after a review of the opening episode, it’s a flop upon launch.
With the new streamer already renewing so many shows, it wouldn’t be a shock if this didn’t earn a Season 2. However, per Rotten Tomatoes, there are allegedly 26 episodes slated, although only seven are currently available. Now that’s spooky.
A number of factors made this new Ghostwriter go wrong, and while the intention was good, the execution wasn’t. Considering the strong quality of Apple TV+ original programming to date, this misfire is puzzling. What went wrong?
The young cast: This ain’t Stranger Things
Maybe we’ve been spoiled by children-driven shows by Netflix’s monster hit. Stranger Things cast some seriously prodigious thespians to carry their show. It seems Ghostwriter hoped to strike gold similarly in its own series featuring fantastical elements.
Unfortunately, those innate expectations, fair or not, were too much for these young actors to live up to. Did Apple TV+ not cast a wide net in auditioning for the leads?
One of children actors’ strengths tends to be their lack of inhibition and natural delivery. They don’t complicate things too much, and that can keep the story momentum going. That’s not the case here.
It’s unclear if Ghostwriter‘s fault is in the writing, and these kids just didn’t elevate the material. That’s hard to do in the first place, but in any event, their acting is just flat, wooden and the chemistry is really off.
Wildly different story — and bad CGI
The original Ghostwriter followed a group of young detectives around a Brooklyn neighborhood where they solved mysteries. This 2019 series is more about characters from books who come to life, conjured by the “ghostwriter” who haunts a local bookstore.
This episode focuses on characters from Alice in Wonderland. There’s a jarring cut from a scene in a cafeteria — with our main quartet of kids coming together — to a certain rabbit in the hallway.
Let’s just say the effects budget had to be limited on this one. The rabbit could’ve been done far better, as it looks like effects from 10 years ago.
Having a rabbit that appears in such a way is a distraction. As a viewer, I’m trying to stick with these kids and give them a chance. That particular feature took me out of the show, which was already tough to stick with.
Ghostwriter review verdict: Kill
Streaming on Apple TV+
Written & Directed by Luke Matheny
Starring Isaac Arellanes, Amadi Chapata, Hannah Levinson
When the backstory of the show’s creator is far more interesting than Ghostwriter itself, something’s not quite right.
Seriously though, Luke Matheny has a fascinating tale. He quit his job, moved to Paris to shoot a film with his friends, went broke and had to live with his parents. He then enrolled as a graduate student at New York University and won an Academy Award for his thesis short film.
Years later, Matheny ended up at the helm of this project. No doubt that stems from his work on a more successful children’s series, Amazon’s The Dangerous Book for Boys.
For whatever reason, Matheny’s piloting of Ghostwriter just didn’t quite land. It’d be great to see him get a shot with different material at another streamer. Winning an Oscar out of grad school is pretty sick, man.
Ghostwriter just seemed a little too formulaic and stilted — at least in review of its first, 23-minute episode. It just didn’t have me wanting more, as opposed to some of the creatively freer original content Apple TV+ and other competitors have put out in recent years.
