TV diary 2020- winter and spring
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- CreatorRaphael Bob-WaksbergStarsWill ArnettAmy SedarisAlison BrieBoJack Horseman was the star of the hit television show "Horsin' Around" in the '80s and '90s, but now he's washed up, living in Hollywood, complaining about everything, and wearing colorful sweaters.The final season.
Great show. This last season feels a bit rushed, and the conclusion doesn’t have the finality I would have hoped for. But it finds a good note to leave off on. Bojack is, I think, slowly becoming a better person. He isn’t done making amends and doing penance, and maybe he won’t ever be done. And maybe he’ll backslide again, and maybe again and again. Maybe the next backslide will be the end of him. Life will go on, or for him, maybe it won’t. C’est la vie. Life still has its possibilities and pleasures, and some of the characters have found happy endings, or at least hard-won reprieves for their old mistakes and bad habits. - CreatorPeter BergStarsKyle ChandlerConnie BrittonZach GilfordA drama that follows the lives of the Dillon Panthers, one of the nation's best high school football teams, and their head coach Eric Taylor.Season 2 wasn’t bad per se, but it was a bit of a mess, one made all the worse by a writers’ strike that wrapped things up prematurely. It’s a bit jarring that season 3 doesn’t try to pick up where 2 left off, but that seems to have been the wise course.
Strong season. Season 3 is a show that deserves to be called a classic again. (Season 2 ain’t no classic, achieving at its best the distinction of being “pretty good”, and no more than that.) Now on to season 4. - CreatorJonathan NolanStarsJim CaviezelTaraji P. HensonKevin ChapmanAn ex-CIA agent and a wealthy programmer save lives via a surveillance AI that sends them the identities of civilians involved in impending crimes. However, the details of the crimes, including the civilians' roles, are left a mystery.Season 3. I guess this is just a CBS procedural through and through. Sure, it’s not every cop drama that has a few ideas about our surveillance state and the death of privacy, but the ideas are muddled by the need to create moralistic tales with pat little endings.
By now the show has done every possible variation on its person of the week formula, so to keep things fresh it piles twist on tiresome twist, with red herrings up the wazoo. This results in some dire episodes, like the one with the street smart assistant DA framed for the murder of her husband. Turns out dear old hubby’s still alive, and macking on her bestie, and in the end Reece and Finch... just let the two spouses kill each other? Then there’s the duplicitous rich guy who keeps files on his romantic prospects; one of his girlfriends died, and another has gone missing! But he’s not a serial killer, he just wants to be a daddy! Awwwwwwwww(gag).
This is a show with little faith in the intelligence of its viewers. Few scenes play out without Reese or Finch telling us exactly what’s going on. - CreatorMeredith AverillCarlton CuseAron Eli ColeiteStarsDarby StanchfieldConnor JessupEmilia JonesAfter their father is murdered under mysterious circumstances, the three Locke siblings and their mother move into their ancestral home, Keyhouse, which they discover is full of magical keys that may be connected to their father's death.
- CreatorMichael SchurStarsKristen BellWilliam Jackson HarperJameela JamilFour people and their otherworldly frienemy struggle in the afterlife to define what it means to be good.Too soon, we bid farewell to Team Cockroach, as they in turn head off for their different destinies. A moving finale finds the show at its best, steeped in ribald humor and moral reflection.
- CreatorGenndy TartakovskyStarsAaron LaPlanteLaëtitia EïdoFred TatascioreA caveman and a dinosaur bond over shared tragedy and work together to survive in a perilous prehistoric world.
- CreatorAmy Sherman-PalladinoStarsRachel BrosnahanAlex BorsteinMichael ZegenAfter her husband leaves her, young mother of two Miriam "Midge" Maisel discovers that she has a talent for stand-up comedy. Could this be her calling?Season 3.
- CreatorMaurissa TancharoenJed WhedonJoss WhedonStarsClark GreggMing-Na WenBrett DaltonThe missions of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
- CreatorEric KripkeStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrA group of vigilantes set out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers.Awaiting season 2
- CreatorJ. Michael StraczynskiLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsBae DoonaJamie ClaytonTina DesaiA group of people around the world are suddenly linked mentally, and must find a way to survive being hunted by those who see them as a threat to the world's order.Season 1
- CreatorGenndy TartakovskyStarsPhil LaMarrMakoKevin Michael RichardsonA samurai, sent through time, fights to return home and save the world.Season 4
And now season 5. I knew I should have waited. Those who watched the show when it was first on waited 13 years for the new season. I waited barely more than a day. So I deserve the full force of tonal whiplash. But this is so much more grim than Samurai Jack classic. The animation is crisper and more detailed, though the designs are scrupulously faithful. There’s a bit of the old show’s cheeky absurdist humor, best demonstrated in the premiere in the aggressively French magic robot assassin. He could have starred in an old episode for sure.
But time has passed. Jack has changed, as over the years his quest has taken a toll on him m, and the show has changed, too. I should have anticipated that, respected and waited. But I couldn’t wait. Instant gratification! - CreatorDaniel AbrahamMark FergusTy FranckStarsSteven StraitDominique TipperWes ChathamThe disappearance of rich-girl-turned-political-activist links the lives of Ceres detective, accidental ship captain and U.N. politician. Amidst political tension between Earth, Mars and the Belt, they unravel the greatest conspiracy.Finished season 4 in December of ‘19, actually, less than a month after the premiere. After season 3, which rushed through the events of “Abbadon’s Gate”, it’s a relief that they gave “Cibola Burn” a whole season to play out. Still, things are kind of scattered, with the Rocinante crew mediating a land dispute on the frontier and the other principles scattered through the solar system. The climax on Ilus doesn’t quite measure up to the one in the book, eschewing a thrilling EVA boarding party raid and a daring rescue of the “Barbapiccola”. Frankly, though, the plot with Miller plays out a bit better on screen; it’s still not quite clear what exactly happens, but here we are no more (or less) confused than the characters are.
Still, I may have reached the point where my fondness for the books now exceeds my enthusiasm for the show. - CreatorArmando IannucciStarsHugh LaurieJosh GadZach WoodsThe troubled crew of Avenue 5, a space cruise ship filled with spoiled, rich, snotty space tourists, must try and keep everyone calm after their ship gets thrown off course into space and ends up needing three years to return to Earth.
- CreatorRichard PriceStarsBen MendelsohnBill CampJeremy BobbWhen an insidious supernatural force edges its way into a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy, it leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe in.
- CreatorSimon RichStarsDaniel RadcliffeGeraldine ViswanathanKaran SoniAn anthology series in which a colorful blend of outcasts and iconoclasts confront universal issues across various time periods: love, faith, societal norms, and venturing into the unknown.Season 2 is far weaker than season 1, with a less developed plot and somewhat lazier humor. The anachronistic shtick on display here has been done before, and though there are good gags now and then, and the performers are game for any silliness, the second season has thus far failed to justify its existence.
The cast feels largely squandered here. Ace supporting players Karan Soni and Lolly Adefope are reduced to sounding boards for the leads. Stars Viswanathan and Radcliffe are usually stuck in different plots, brought together only by labored contrivance. - CreatorAndy GreenwaldStarsRosario DawsonJay R. FergusonEdi GathegiA senator's aide unravels a complex web of lies, crimes and conspiracies when she returns to her corrupt hometown -- San Bonifacio, Texas, near the Mexican border--to investigate the death of her sister, a local cop killed by a car bomb.
- CreatorPat BishopMatt IngebretsonJake WeismanStarsMatt IngebretsonJake WeismanAdam LustickA dark, edgy look at life as a Junior-Executive-in-Training at your average, soulless multi-national corporation.Eagerly awaiting season 3. Sadly, I understand that will be the last.
- CreatorMichelle KingRobert KingStarsKatja HerbersMike ColterAasif MandviA skeptical clinical psychologist joins a priest-in-training and a blue collar contractor as they investigate supposed abnormal events, including, demonic possession, and other extraordinary occurrences to see if there's a scientific explanation or if something truly supernatural's at work.Good show. I’m getting caught up. The Kings are some of the best show runners on network tv. And prolific, too. I ought to check out BrainDead, their last tv horror project. Luckily, unlike that one, Evil is poised to stick around for a second season.
Finished season 1. This is a show that’s savvily ambiguous about its supernatural elements, but is no less creepy for all that. Ever since her big scene with the kitchen knife, Kristen Bouchard has been my favorite character on tv. - CreatorLisa HanawaltStarsTiffany HaddishAli WongSteven YeunThe story of two 30-year old bird women who live in the same apartment building.Gone too soon. A fantastic cartoon, one which realizes the limitless possibilities of animation in a way that too few do. A barrage of rapid-fire gags, verbal and visual. I hope Lisa Hanawalt gets a new project going soon, and I hope that show gets a chance to find its audience. But this was a show that knew what it wanted to do and did it, finding its voice right of the bat, so it doesn’t leave you wondering what might have been.
At first this may seem slighter than Hanawalt’s other big Netflix show, the acerbic Hollywoo satire BoJack Horseman, but it doesn’t take long for “Tuca & Bertie” to establish that it too has important things to say, tackling topics like sexual harassment and substance abuse with gusto. - StarsJulian BarrattNoel FieldingMichael FieldingSurreal British comedy in which Vince Noir and Howard Moon have adventures filled with oddball characters while working as Zoo Keepers, before pursuing a musical career and running a second-hand shop.
- CreatorDan HarmonJustin RoilandStarsChris ParnellSpencer GrammerSarah ChalkeThe fractured domestic lives of a nihilistic mad scientist and his anxious grandson are further complicated by their inter-dimensional misadventures.
- StarsMaggie HabermanAzam AhmedBernie SandersThe Weekly is a new documentary TV series from The New York Times, bringing unparalleled journalism to the screen.
- CreatorTara ButtersMichele FazekasStarsAllison TolmanAlexa SwintonOwain YeomanA police chief investigates a case involving a young child found near the site of a mysterious accident.
- CreatorBryan FullerStarsEllen MuthCallum BlueJasmine GuyAfter being hit on the head by a toilet seat that fell from Mir space station, a young temp clerk becomes a grim reaper in death.Season 2. Bryan Fuller left this show pretty early in production of season 1, and since then its quality has plateaued. It’s a strong drama with interesting characters, but it doesn’t really seem to be going anywhere anymore. And that is fine. You’re got Mandy Patinkin as a crotchety grim reaper. You have the divine Delores Herbig. Even Daisy Adair is actually pretty tolerable now that every other line of hers isn’t the name of someone who she has fellated.
- StarsMakoto FurukawaKaito IshikawaMax MittelmanThe story of Saitama, a hero that does it just for fun & can defeat his enemies with a single punch.Season 2 is a mess. A long stretch of episodes finds Saitama easily cleaning up at a martial arts tournament, where everyone is somehow unaware of the rampaging monsters right outside. They really only needed one episode for this; naturally it doesn’t matter who wins a silly tournament when there are monsters wreaking havoc, and the joke of Saitama’s obliviousness to peril would have worked if that setup had been quicker. Much quicker. Tons of characters are introduced who end up getting killed or knocked out; anyway, this is a show that wastes a lot of time on redshirts. The animation is less crisp this season, the fights are manic but their energy is sapped by narration that explains who is winning and why. And the season ends so randomly, with no closure to the Garo arc or that of the Monster Association.
- CreatorOwen DennisStarsAshley JohnsonOwen DennisJeremy CrutchleyVarious people get trapped on a mysterious train with an endless number of cars, each one being its own universe, and they must resolve their psychological trauma and emotional issues in order to get home in this animated anthology series.Book 2, as the new season is styled, has a new hero. Sort of new, anyway. Original protagonist Tulip has left the train for good, and the show picks up with one of her old rivals: Mirror Tulip, her own reflection who came to life last season in the chrome car, now on the run from brutal “Flecks”, bounty hunters who want to bring her back to the mirror world.
Frankly, MT is a stronger protagonist, one who’s at home on the train and yet must continually fight for her place in the world, and her journey is a stronger story than that of Book 1. - CreatorDana TerraceStarsSarah-Nicole RoblesAlex HirschWendie MalickAccidentally sent to the world of the Boiling Isles before a trip to summer camp, a teenage human named Luz longs to become a witch and is aided by rebellious Eda and pint-sized demon King.A new cartoon from an artist who’s worked on Gravity Falls and the Duck Tales reboot.
This was underwhelming. The animation is skillful and the look of the show is unique, but the tone is too silly by half, undermining the awe and horror this fantasy world should evoke. Now, Gravity Falls was a very silly show, but the humor was better balanced there. Strange goings-on were part of the Mystery Shack’s stock in trade, after all. Humor and horror, living in harmony. This is a harder balance to strike in a purely fantastic world, and swinging too far in to jokey territory results in a story with no stakes. A diminutive power-mad demon covets his long lost crown, and Luz agrees to help him get it back, but it turns out it’s a fast food crown, and its magic powers have been overstated. A monstrous shape changing villain is introduced, only to confess a schoolboy’s crush on the witch and get beaten up by a trio of goofy background characters.
Some subpar voice acting doesn’t help. Wendie Malick is bit too glib here, though to be fair that seems to be what the people making the show wanted, and the supporting cast is gratingly wacky. - StarsRowan AtkinsonTony RobinsonTim McInnernyIn the Tudor court of Elizabeth I, Lord Edmund Blackadder strives to win Her Majesty's favour while attempting to avoid a grisly fate should he offend her.
- CreatorSam EsmailStarsRami MalekChristian SlaterCarly ChaikinElliot, a brilliant but unstable cyber-security engineer and vigilante hacker, becomes a key figure in a complex game of global chaos when he and his shadowy allies try to take down the corrupt corporation his company is paid to protect.I want to rewatch from the beginning before I start the final season.
- CreatorNoah HawleyStarsBilly Bob ThorntonMartin FreemanAllison TolmanVarious chronicles of deception, intrigue, and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. All of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota.
- CreatorVince GilliganPeter GouldStarsBob OdenkirkRhea SeehornJonathan BanksThe trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill in the years leading up to his fateful run-in with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.
- CreatorDan GoorMichael SchurStarsAndy SambergStephanie BeatrizTerry CrewsComedy series following the exploits of Det. Jake Peralta and his diverse, lovable colleagues as they police the NYPD's 99th Precinct.
- CreatorGreg BerlantiSera GambleStarsPenn BadgleyVictoria PedrettiTati GabrielleA dangerously charming, intensely obsessive young man goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by.So, this show has some flaws. It’s more of a pulp piece than it needs to be, with a series of hissable villains brought in to make the antihero look better by force of comparison. Still, it manages an impressive high-wire act, thanks in no small part to Penn Badgley’s deft work in the lead: Joe is dangerous and obsessive, but there’s a sympathetic, even a romantic quality to him. At times he is pathetic, or even corny. And he grows, for a bit at least, though he falls back into destructive old habits time and again, and you find yourself rooting for him to be better, or even to get the girl at times. Even when you know you should be rooting for her to steer clear.
- CreatorFrank DarabontStarsAndrew LincolnNorman ReedusMelissa McBrideSheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.Getting a late start on the current season. Thus far Angela Kang is running a tight ship; her first season as show runner last year saw a marked improvement in the show’s quality, even as major cast members exited in droves.
In his lucrative but largely boring tenure as show runner Gimple tried intermittently to slow down the pace of the show and deepen the characters. This resulted in some truly plodding hours of television. Remember Darryl and Beth squabbling at an abandoned moonshiner’s hut? If you do, then you have my condolences. Kang succeeds where Gimple could not, introducing a band of dynamic new characters, and giving us a reason to care about the B-listers who are still sticking around for a change. Daryl finally has a bit of substance to go with his redneck outlaw cool. Michonne, Carol and Ezekiel now have stories worthy of the strength of the performers. Hell, I think I might be beginning to come around on Negan, which is nothing short of miraculous.
Alpha I find kind of grating, especially for her labored South’ron accent. Maybe the Whisperers will grow on me as they take on a bit more personality. - CreatorCameron EspositoRiver ButcherStarsCameron EspositoRiver ButcherZeke NicholsonFollows real life couple Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher as they share their lives as stand up comics who are balancing work, relationships, and the breaking down of gender barriers.Pilot for defunct comedy streamer Seeso. Now on Starz. But wtf is starz lol
- CreatorLauren Schmidt HissrichStarsFreya AllanHenry CavillAnya ChalotraGeralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.Uninvolving swords and sorcery hooie. The pilot put me to sleep. This thing nakedly aspires to be the next Game of Thrones. Good luck with that.
- CreatorJason SegelStarsJason SegelAndré 3000Eve LindleyFeeling as though there's something missing in their lives, four ordinary people stumble across a puzzle hiding just beyond the veil of everyday life, and their eyes are opened to a world of possibility and magic.
- CreatorAlex GarlandStarsSonoya MizunoNick OffermanJin HaA computer engineer investigates the secretive development division in her company, which she believes is behind the disappearance of her boyfriend.FX programming poached by Disney for its failing streamer Hulu. Fuck off with this shit, Mickey.
- CreatorLisa JoyJonathan NolanStarsEvan Rachel WoodJeffrey WrightEd HarrisAt the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, waits a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.
- CreatorJemaine ClementStarsKayvan NovakMatt BerryNatasia DemetriouA look into the nightly lives of four vampires who have lived together on Staten Island for over a century.Fantastic season premiere, with hilarious guest starring turns from Benedict Wong and Haley Jo Osment. I think I may have underrated this show. It’s definitely improved, but it has had some great laughs from the beginning. Needs more Colin Robinson, though. Colin Robinson forever, y’all.
- CreatorGraeme MansonJosh FriedmanStarsDaveed DiggsMickey SumnerAlison WrightSeven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, the remnants of humanity inhabit a perpetually-moving train that circles the globe, where class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival play out.
- CreatorAdam ReedStarsH. Jon BenjaminJudy GreerAmber NashCovert black ops and espionage take a back seat to zany personalities and relationships between secret agents and drones.
- CreatorChris SheridanStarsAlan TudykSara TomkoCorey ReynoldsA crash-landed alien takes on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor and slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth.
- CreatorSimon AllenStarsRichard DormerLara RossiAdam HugillA group of misfit cops rise up from decades of helplessness to save their corrupt city from catastrophe.
- CreatorSeth MacFarlaneStarsSeth MacFarlaneAdrianne PalickiPenny Johnson JeraldSet 400 years in the future, the crew of the U.S.S. Orville continue their mission of exploration, navigating both the mysteries of the universe, and the complexities of their own interpersonal relationships.Poached for Hulu by the mouse. This is one I could honestly do without, a weak Star Trek reprise far too dumb to measure up to its inspiration but too slavish to work as a spoof.
- CreatorJohn LoganStarsNatalie DormerDaniel ZovattoKerry BishéWhen a grisly murder shocks Los Angeles in 1938, Detective Tiago Vega and his partner Lewis Michener become embroiled in an epic story that reflects the troubled history of the city.I’ll catch this when I can.
- CreatorMisha GreenStarsJonathan MajorsJurnee SmollettCourtney B. VanceA young African-American travels across the U.S. in the 1950s in search of his missing father.
- StarsAshleigh CummingsÓlafur Darri ÓlafssonJahkara SmithCharlie Manx, a seductive immortal who feeds off the souls of children, has his whole world threatened when a young woman in New England discovers she has a dangerous gift.Might tune in. Might not.
- CreatorMike FlanaganStarsVictoria PedrettiOliver Jackson-CohenAmelia EveAfter an au pair’s tragic death, Henry hires a young American nanny to care for his orphaned niece and nephew who reside at Bly Manor with the chef Owen, groundskeeper Jamie and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose.
- CreatorBryan AndrewsPaul RudishGenndy TartakovskyStarsTara StrongKevin ThomsBrian PosehnThree young alien beings with the ability to form a giant robotic warrior attempt to blend into suburbia, all while battling the tyrannical forces that ravaged their home world.Too late now, maybe, since I watched the premiere, but I’m gonna try to wait on the final season of Samurai Jack for a bit. This should tide me over for a Genndy Tartakovsky fix. Now bring back Primal already!
It’s silly. Knowingly silly, certainly, if not always winningly. It’s got a “Transformers” in “Riverdale” kinda vibe. The big gimmick may well have inspired Pacific Rim. The pilot recalls a season 4 episode of Samurai Jack, the Star Wars homage where Jack meets alien royals on a mission to save their planet. I wouldn’t have guessed that there was enough story there to sustain a show, and I am yet to be convinced.
I see why Tartakovsky likes projects which don’t require dialog. He is a great minimalist, who accomplishes a lot with a little. That goes for his animation, too. Samurai Jack gets an incredible range of stories out of the old Cartoon Network house style. “Titan” seems to have a bigger budget, with 3D modeling and other more advanced cartooning techniques. The animation is vivid and crisp, but the end product seems... slight.
Also, I’m not won over by the attempts at humor here, except of course for the wonderful deadpan of Brian Posehn. - CreatorMichelle KingRobert KingStarsMary Elizabeth WinsteadDanny PinoAaron TveitA government employee discovers that the cause of the tensions between the two political parties is a race of extraterrestrial insects eating the brains of the politicians.Body Snatchers riff from the Kings. This is a surprisingly great little summer series. It’s too bad that CBS wasn’t down with the four season plan, cancelling it after one strong season. I would be thrilled to see the invaders set their sights on Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and Hollywood. Presumably ratings weren’t robust enough for that.
- CreatorAmy PoehlerMike ScullyJulie Thacker-ScullyStarsAmy PoehlerTy BurrellRiki LindhomeDuncanville is centered around a spectacularly average 15-year-old boy, named Duncan with a rich fantasy life, and the people in his world. He's not exceptional, but he has a wild imagination in which he's never anything less than amazing.Watched pilot. Was ok. A bit too Family Guy-esque, in the animation style and non sequitur humor
- StarsMatt BerryFreddie FoxSusan WokomaDetective Inspector Rabbit, a dedicated, tough, thick, and oft-inebriated Victorian copper, sleuths his way across London with his two young partners: a doofy rookie and a brilliant Black policewoman no one ever believes.
- CreatorTim MillerStarsFred TatascioreScott WhyteJoe ManganielloA collection of animated short stories that span various genres including science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy.Animated sci-fi anthology. I particularly liked “The Dump”, a trashy Tales from the Crypt type yarn about a squatter living in a Texas landfill. This is a Joe R Lansdale story that really captures the voice of the author. And “The Day the Yogurt Took Over” has a great performance from voice actor Maurice Lamarche. Thus far the other chapters haven’t exactly enthralled me, but even in the weakest installments it is a cool animation showcase. (Well... some are. Some feel like a whole movie made of video game cut scenes.) And none are long enough to wear out their welcome. That’s kinda the netflix standard for original programming: content that’s just good enough to hold your attention, and short enough that you’re done and on to the next thing before you get tired of it. Art by algorithm.
- CreatorLaeta KalogridisStarsChris ConnerRenée Elise GoldsberryDichen LachmanSet in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored, a prisoner returns to life in a new body and must solve a mind-bending murder to win his freedom.Season 1. Pulpy scifi noir. I actually read the first book a year or so ago, right before the show premiered if memory serves. Both demonstrate compelling ideas given a somewhat too-conventional execution. The show elevates a certain supporting character to sidekick status, and makes series co-stars of two characters long dead, who appear mostly in flashbacks and “vision quest” scenarios. Goes to show, the writing here isn’t the sharpest. And it’s grim, brooding, ultimately dull.
There are gestures toward a series arc, too, where the novel is more self-contained. Characters and concepts are consolidated. Par the course, I suppose. But not an improvement. - CreatorBill ArhosStarsWillie NelsonLyle LovettJohn PrineEstablished singer-songwriters and acclaimed newcomers perform country, blues, rock, folk, bluegrass, and related styles of music from Studio 6A of public television station KLRU (formerly KLRN) at the University of Texas at Austin.Steve Earle. Good show.
Mitski- her name autocorrects to “mistaking”, which is funny, as someone must be mistaking her for good. This felt like a tiresome bit of performance art. Sort of a sexually provocative Bjork wannabe, with lyrics unworthy of Lana del Ray. But I guess I’m an old who just doesn’t get it.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise- never has a name been less appropriate - StarsBoris KarloffRichard PeelHenry DaniellExperience the complete series of the show that was hailed as the most frightening ever created for television--now available for the first time.
- StarsJohn OliverDavid KayeRyan BargerFormer Daily Show host and correspondent John Oliver brings his persona to this weekly news satire program.Episode on Coronavirus. John Oliver is a national treasure, albeit one on loan from the U.K. In a stupid messed up world where
- CreatorCharlie BrookerStarsWunmi MosakuMonica DolanDaniel LapaineFeaturing stand-alone dramas -- sharp, suspenseful, satirical tales that explore techno-paranoia -- "Black Mirror" is a contemporary reworking of "The Twilight Zone" with stories that tap into the collective unease about the modern world.The Entire History of You- rewatch.
S.O. couldn’t hang with “The National Anthem”, as my warnings on the subject were apparently too oblique. So... if you watch this, do not start with the first episode.
Rewatching season 2. - CreatorNorman LearStarsRedd FoxxDemond WilsonLaWanda PageThe misadventures of a cantankerous junk dealer and his frustrated son.“The Dowry”
70’s sitcom. Picture quality is pretty terrible streaming on Starz via Amazon. Amusing, but not... good enough to get me to watch on the reg. Written by Richard Pryor and Paul Mooney!
Lots of fat jokes, and the butt of those jokes is really not that big. The social consciousness of the Norman Lear sitcom was not concerned with such contemporary sensitivities. This probably wasn’t a representative example of said social consciousness; the Sanfords are plainly poor blue collar guys, and I suppose just their being on television as the stars of their own show may have been a bit radical at the time, but the plot is formulaic and there isn’t much in the way of substance here.
“The Party Crasher”
Story circles: Sanford and son. Protagonist (Fred or Lamont) wants something. Lamont wants meet women; Fred wants money. Their desires push them out of their zone of comfort; Lamont plans a party, Fred negotiates a marriage between his son and Cousin Grady’s stepdaughter. Adaptation is necessary: Lamont must move out to plan a party without Fred meddling; Fred must convince Lamont of the girl’s worth so that he’ll agree to the match. They get what they want: Lamont his party, Fred convinces Lamont to marry; but there is a price: the party is awkward and unsatisfying for all in “The Party Crasher”, and in “The Dowry” the upcoming marriage will force Lamont to move out, leaving Fred all alone. So they return to status quo, where they were at the beginning, changed. Lamont moves back in. Fred makes sure the wedding is called off, both somewhat reconciled to their living arrangement.
Dan Harmon’s story circle idea takes the hero’s journey and shapes it for sitcom writing. - CreatorJed MercurioStarsRichard MaddenSophie RundleVincent FranklinTroubled war veteran turned Police Officer David Budd is assigned to the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Protection Branch.
- CreatorFrancisco AngonesMatt YoungbergStarsDavid TennantBen SchwartzDanny PudiThe comedy-adventure series chronicles the high-flying adventures of trillionaire Scrooge McDuck; his temperamental nephew Donald Duck; grandnephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie; Launchpad McQuack; and Mrs. Beakley and her granddaughter Webby.
- CreatorPhoebe Waller-BridgeStarsJodie ComerSandra OhFiona ShawAfter a series of events, the lives of a security operative and an assassin become inextricably linked.
- DirectorHannah WardStarsAna GasteyerRobert FullerBrian JonesAn intimate look into the weasel family which includes the adventures of a first-time weasel mom, a tiny orphan weasel and the fearless honey badger.On the variety of the Mustelidae family: weasels, otters, badgers and wolverines. Fascinating animals. The crafty honey badger is an especial delight, a escape artist and tool user of surprising intelligence.
- CreatorLeslye HeadlandNatasha LyonneAmy PoehlerStarsNatasha LyonneCharlie BarnettGreta LeeA cynical young woman in New York City keeps dying and returning to the party that's being thrown in her honor on that same evening. She tries to find a way out of this strange time loop.
- CreatorGina RileyJane TurnerStarsJane TurnerGina RileyGlenn RobbinsA mother, her daughter, and their respective "hunks of spunk" negotiate life in suburban Australia.Pilot
- StarsÁlvaro RodríguezShane BlackDamon LindelofA look inside the creative process of writers, creators and filmmakers.
- CreatorChet GarnerStarsChet GarnerDaniel MeceyRichard LozanoExploring Texas isn't a easy thing, it's a lifetime endeavor. But what if you didn't have a lifetime? What if you had only one day? That's where The Daytripper comes in.
- StarsSamantha BrownElizabeth O'LearyEllis O'LearySamantha Brown explores the emotional heart of travel and the people who change, challenge and strengthen a destination.Couple weeks into the pandemic, the only travel one can enjoy is the vicarious sort.
- StarsJim BrehenyAnnie RivasJohn SykesAn in-depth behind the scenes look at the animals of the Bronx Zoo.The dog needs socialization too in this age of physical distancing. So he watches this. He like the monkeys and the Komodo dragons. Or maybe he is vociferous in his hatred for them. Hard to tell.
- StarsJackson GalaxyEric RobertsEliza RobertsJackson deals with cats that are not very well behaved. He helps couples and all sorts of people with their behavioral issues.The dog watches tv, too . He like things with cats.
- StarsCarey JonesHannah FiermanKara KimmerThe fictional Creepshow comic books come to life in this anthology series of terrifying tales hosted by the silent Creepshow ghoul.Pilot: Cheap horror anthology. Some good effects by producer Greg Nicotero’s KNB EFX group, especially in “Gray Matters”. I found “The House with the Head”to be the better story, though, even though if is more sparing with its gore and has a less noteworthy cast; young Judith Grimes in the lead is pretty good though. Still undistinguished, over-reliant on jump scares....Okay, the second episode has a segment I liked a fair bit, “The Finger”. The WWII werewolf thing was cheesy and dumb, but “The Finger” was pretty good. Nice structure, good performance from DJ Qualls, weird and funny in ways that compliment the horror rather than undermining it. This is the series best, from what I’ve seen so far. I have also enjoyed “Lydia Lane’s Better Half” and “The Man in the Suitcase”.
- StarsDavid AttenboroughExplores and unravels the mystery of how and why animals migrate, showing some of the most dramatic and compelling stories in the natural world through spectacular and innovative cinematography.
- CreatorVictor FrescoStarsDrew BarrymoreTimothy OlyphantLiv HewsonSheila and Joel are married real estate agents who live and work in Santa Clarita, California. When Sheila dies, their lives take a dark turn.Season 1. Timothy Olyphant is, apparently, just a helluva comedic talent. I’m personally not a huge fan of Barrymore, but they pair well together here. Her undead and uninhibited Sheila is a fine foil for his loving but overwhelmingly anxious Joel. A husband and wife team of realtors, they find their lives turned on end when Sheila begins to puke up her insides and develops a craving for human flesh. Typically a happy go lucky kind of guy, Joel strains to keep up appearances as her transformation forces him into acts of unaccustomed violence and criminality. Puffing the occasional joint to ease his fraying nerves, Joel nevertheless remains a bundle of bizarrely funny nervous energy. He is a terrible liar, one who feels the need to countenance any confusion or conflict by launching into hilariously stilted excuses and explanations. Liv Hewson is good as well as their teen daughter, who greets these strange changes with a cheerful but unbridled nihilism.
- CreatorJohn BloomAustin JenningsMatt ManjouridesStarsJohn BloomDiana PrinceJohn Patrick BrennanJoe Bob is back! Watching B-Movies and giving background and behind the scenes information. He watches Tourist Trap, Re-Animator and much much more.watched “Castle Freak” from Stuart Gordon, with an interview with his frequent leading lady Barbara Crampton. Briggs is a funny guy with a wealth of horror knowledge, but his good ol boy chauvinism is grating, and he’s prone to long-winded rants that verge on the embarrassing. Hard to tell if he’s sincere or this is a kind of affected persona. Not my preferred way to see a movie. A good movie ought to be a singular experience; utter dreck may deserve MST3K style ribbing; this format was ideal for movies on tv, with interstitial commentary to lull you back in after the commercial break has ruined the spell. Not sure it’ll last in the streaming age.Also saw “Tourist Trap”. Few weeks later, most of the movies I’m watching are off The Last Drive-In, so take my reservations with a grain of salt.
- StarsPaul HollywoodPrue LeithNoel FieldingBakers attempt three challenges each week trying to impress the judges enough to go through to the next round and eventually are crowned Britain's best amateur baker.Preferable to hyperbolic American cooking shows by far, this is a show that is gentle and focused on craft, with judges who are exacting but not unkind and who offer constructive criticism instead of fawning or invective.
- StarsNicole ByerJacques TorresWeston BahrHome bakers with a terrible track record take a crack at re- creating edible masterpieces for a $10,000 prize. It's part reality contest, part hot mess.Closest American equivalent of the British baking show. Craft is a concern here, too, though the baked creations on display here are more an example of what not to do.
- DirectorHuw CordeyStarsStephen FryFrom ruffling their majestic feathers to nailing im-peck-able courtship routines, birds in paradise flaunt their best moves in hopes of landing a mate.
- CreatorPaul E. RaffStarsAfi EkulonaElliot SchiffJeff WildA funny science series that offers an inside look into the lives of the planet's most intriguing animals, with narration provided by a cast of quirky animal creatures, as well as Mother Nature herself.Obnoxiously stupid infotainment thing. “Look at these gross ugly animals! Thank goodness we’re ridding the world of them by destroying their habitats!”
- CreatorPhil HarnageStarsLoretta JafeliceSimon ReynoldsTara StrongMaxie is a straight-A student, cheerleader, and surfer girl who goes to Surfside High School in California. In addition to her life as a typical teenager, she also hosts her own TV show and investigates mysteries with her friends.Painful girly cartoon, deservedly short-lived.
- CreatorJoe PosnerEzra KleinStarsEstelle CaswellSamira WileyMaria BelloA documentary series that looks to explore the big questions of today.Coronavirus special with JK Simmons
- CreatorGreg DanielsMichael SchurStarsAmy PoehlerJim O'HeirNick OffermanThe absurd antics of an Indiana town's public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.COVID 19 relief special. Not a great episode, with piddlingly low stakes. It’s nice to see these characters interact again, but bittersweet for sure; as all the characters are physically distancing, their interaction is limited, and an air of loneliness hangs over the whole thing. Parks and Rec was from a different, more optimistic era, and that optimism was in part a willful blindness: sure, the Gallentine’s day bunch dealt with their share of chauvinist jerks, but here’s Louis CK as a sympathetic cop. And that soft touch is understandable for a comedy show, certainly for a long-running network tv show. But in these dire times, a soft touch doesn’t offer us much.
- DirectorCasper KellyStarsKen DeLozierTara OchsKatelyn NaconA series of montages that parodies the introductory title sequences of generic 70s, 80s and 90s TV shows of various genres slowly turns into an absurdist meta slasher and then the parody becomes even weirder.This keeps me sane sometimes.
- StarsSamantha BeeAllana HarkinMike RubensComedian Samantha Bee gives her own wry commentary to the contemporary issues of the day.
- CreatorJustin HalpernDean LoreyPatrick SchumackerStarsKaley CuocoLake BellAlan TudykThe series focuses on a single Harley Quinn, who sets off to make it on her own in Gotham City.Syfy is airing this. The first season, anyway. It’s fun. It’s a bit like the Batman animated series of yore, just with jarring violence, naughty language and a hearty awareness of its own absurdity. Bell and Cuoco are a great team, yin and yang. Ron Funches is a delight as King Shark. Just an absolute stacked cast, top to bottom.
- StarsAmy SchumerChris FischerJennifer LawrenceAmy Schumer teaming with her professional chef husband Chris Fischer cooking up comforting dishes while quarantined at home.quarantine cooking show
- CreatorSeth MacFarlaneDavid ZuckermanStarsAlex BorsteinSeth MacFarlaneSeth GreenIn a wacky Rhode Island town, a dysfunctional family strives to cope with everyday life as they are thrown from one crazy scenario to another.An occasional episode reminds me that this is not worth watching.
- StarsÁlvaro RodríguezShane BlackDamon LindelofA look inside the creative process of writers, creators and filmmakers.Lotta these sittin’ on the dvr. We saw the one with Megan Amram.
- StarsFletcher MarkleKen CavanaughPierre BertonDocumentary and biography with interviews as the central element of the show.Interview with Alfred Hitchcock, discussing techniques of editing, with a wry demonstration of the Kuleshov effect. On Youtube. Speculation on the future of entertainment as an immersive experience, rather cynical.