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clairedoobie
Reviews
Star Trek: Discovery: All Is Possible (2021)
If you hate it just watch something else
Please I'm begging you. If you don't like a show which has an apparent lack of straight white men in it, just watch something else and leave those of us who either don't care about the ethnicity or sexuality/sexual identity of the characters or who even appreciate the diversity therein to enjoy it. Extraordinary that this needs saying in the 21st century. Especially as there's so many other programmes to watch, including TOS. I really couldn't be bothered to control watch something I wasn't enjoying; life's too short.
Thank you.
PS this was a good episode with some gripping moments and good character development.
It's certainly as good as much of TNG.
The Control Room (2022)
It's a thriller
I wanted to see this as it got 4/5 stars in a Guardian review. I'm a bit mystified by the reviews here.
Plot holes? Unbelievable premise? Well yeah. But great literature also has massive plot holes and unbelievable plots. Identical twins; one male one female? No, Shakespeare, not going to happen. Don't get me started on the incredible coincidences Dickens gets away with.
Now THIS isn't great literature, it's entertainment. If it were believable it'd probably be very boring, my life's not thrilling either. Hint: this is a thriller.
It's a shame so many reviewers didn't like this but you can't please all the people all of the time. I just can't understand how people seem to get so insulted when there's a tv programme they don't like. Take it as a personal slight. 'How very dare the BBC make a tv show I don't like!'
Now there's been a few series like this, where the main characters get themselves into trouble by not doing the right, obvious thing, and end up in even deeper trouble. I'm thinking Mad Dogs for instance. If he did do the right thing from the start there'd not be much of a programme would there? No doubt many reviewers here would think that's a good thing. But you can always switch it off.
Kept me entertained anyway. Although there were a couple of unbelievable bits. A phone signal by a loch miles in a forest from anywhere? Police letting him wander off at the end when he was a key witness (& probably could be accused of a less serious crime too).
Innocent (2018)
Emotional melodrama
It's got it all. An unfaithful wife. A grisly murder. A smarmy entitled medical consultant. Sibling rivalry and jealousy. Lots of red herrings. Well acted and great scenery. That's season 1, season 2 isn't on Netflix yet so I can't comment on that.
Not sure I understand the reviewer who said it ticks all the woke boxes. Did they watch a different show? Or was it just the presence of a Black detective?
Liar (2017)
Melodrama
Don't bother if you don't like melodrama. Don't bother if you think all main characters have to straight white men. At least one of the 1/10 reviews actually says.'why do we have to have a lesbian police officer, why do we have to have a mixed race couple? It adds nothing whatsoever to the script'. So there we have it. All characters have to be straight and white unless the script demands it.
If you like a melodrama and, in season 2, a whodunnit then you might like this. I did. I was a bit surprised to see they'd made a second series and didn't watch it when it first came out, only when it appeared on Netflix. And was impressed.
Lovely scenery too.
Holding (2022)
I liked it
No ok it's not the best thing ever. But it was a pleasing mystery with great characters and splendid acting from the leads.
I'm wondering what the problem is with some people. So you can't please all the people all of the time and everyone has different tastes. Fair enough. But it appears to me that everyone who complained about 'woke ', 'virtue signalling' and 'shoe horning in characters' were seeing things that just aren't there. No it wasn't all 'white men bad' women all good. Hardly. There were a couple of lovely male characters especially PJ who had his demons for sure but came up trumps at the end. And not all the women were noble and strong. How anyone can come to that conclusion is beyond me.
One reviewer wondered why many high ratings reviews criticised the low reviews. Was it because so many appear to be misogynist, racist or homophonic perchance?
Bridgerton: Capital R Rake (2022)
Loving it so far
For goodness sake vintageek this is NOT Victorian era, what are you like?! It's at least 20 years before Victoria got to the throne. Sorry you don't like the non-scary gentle (genteel even) feminism in this. You can't please all the people all the time. I'm sure there are plenty of other TV shows in which Black people, and female main characters do not appear.
I'm loving the characters in this. The queen with her facial expressions, and Lady Danbury in particular, are favourites of mine.
Star Trek: Picard: The Star Gazer (2022)
Yay! My favourite captain is back.
But confused by the reviews here though. So many 1s and 10s. They can't all be right. Hint. There's a switch on your TV which will endnote you to watch something else if you don't like it. And don't get me started on the racist reviewer complaining about Whoopi Goldberg being in it. Did you not remember her in TNG? Was TOS 'woke' because Nichelle Nicolas was in it? Do you even Trek?
Anyway this is good and I'm loving Captain Rios and that Seven can get to choose her own clothes. Looking forward to the next one.
Clickbait: The Answer (2021)
I liked it
Kept me intrigued. Yes there were some plot holes but it's fiction and I can suspend disbelief with a work of fiction.
Sure some of the characters are unlikable but I still wanted to know whodunnit.
Not the best drama ever but not the worst and it passed the time. I'd give 7/10.
Schitt$ Creek (2015)
A recent favourite
Didn't appeal at first. Annoying characters. But they grew on me and I really missed them when it finished. Good character development and interesting story lines. Ended up loving the show.
The Pact (2021)
Oh dear
I've long been convinced that for some people, the main characters in a tv or film must be straight white men, because, obvs, anything else is just PC/woke/box ticking. It's never occurred to some of you dinosaurs that not everyone in the world IS a straight white man? And that sometimes it makes it a bit different to cast or write a range of characters? Has 120 years of film and, what, 75? Of tv featuring mostly straight white men not enough for you? Oh and if you object to a gay character and claim you're not a bigot, I've got news for you. You are a bigot.
Rant over.
It's not the best tv show I've ever seen but the acting was good (nb just because you don't like a tv show, and fair enough if you don't, it doesn't mean the acting is bad). Locations are splendid. Note - the reviewer who complained about the accents - you do know that not everyone who lives in Wales is actually Welsh, right?
Stay Close (2021)
Enjoyable hokum
Ridiculous plot with lots of plot holes, coincidences and full of things that wouldn't happen in real life.
Bit gory too, plenty of claret.
Yeah, you have to suspend disbelief. It is a fiction after all.
I enjoyed it. Binged in two sessions.
The Wonder Years (2021)
Be honest now
Have you ever noticed. The acting is so often rated 'bad' when an amateur reviewer hates a show. Of course we can only (usually, sometimes it's plain to see) guess what it is about a show that some reviewers don't like, especially when they claim the 'acting sucks' and try to make us think that's the reason.
How can you tell the acting is bad? I'm no expert and wouldn't claim to know the difference. I don't really care tbh if I like a tv show or film I'll watch it. If I don't I'll turn off but I'd never bother to put a review up if I don't like something, because I don't bother watching it.
It seems there are lots of people who are so concerned about 'bad acting' that they sit through a show only to give it a bad review on IMDb.
Or maybe it's something else they don't like? What can that be I wonder? Hmmm.
Look. If you're racist just don't watch this programme. Simple.
Now me, I liked it. It IS well acted as far as I can tell. The characters are fun, warm and interesting. It's a coming of age programme so if that's not your thing don't watch it.
Also it's called The Wonder Years but if you ignore that and treat it like a totally new programme (which it is) you might just like it.
And it's got Dule Hill in it.
The Tower (2021)
Predictable
Yeah, predictable. Not the show itself, the IMDb reviews, at least the ones posted so far. I read a 4/5 review in the paper so decided to give it a go. Intriguing story, well acted as far as I can tell (I'm no drama expert but I know what I like). Just one point, given that there was a fatal incident involving the tower block, why was free access still available to anyone who happens to be passing by? Yes, there's certainly some mistakes made by the police. Does that not happen, ever? I think we know the answer to that.
It's predictable that if the lead in a tv show is not a straight white man, there'll be complaints. It's as if the past 100 years or more of film making and how many (60?) of tv shows featuring almost exclusively straight white men with perhaps a minor role for a woman as someone's wife or the secretary, was not enough. Even today, there is no shortage of tv shows with straight white men in the lead.
Some people are women, some are gay, some are not white. Get over it. Or switch off. It's Not compulsory to watch any particular show. No it is NOT always a gay woman in the lead. Try Lewis. It's got that Laurence Fox in it, I expect he'd meet the approval of one of the reviewers here. Or try Guilt, Shetland or Time.
NB I'm a straight white middle aged woman. I don't care if the lead isn't a straight white man. In fact I rejoice that some of my friends can see someone like themselves on tv occasionally.
Anyone missing Line of Duty will probably enjoy this.
Anne (2017)
Really enjoyed this
Never read the books but I've seen other adaptations. Not sure how this one compared with the books as opposed to the other versions. It's probably modernised too much for some tastes. Whatever. I loved it. Great feisty heroine. Believable young teenage Anne with her temper tantrums. Lovely scenery. Good acting. Engrossing stories. What more do you want.
The Trick (2021)
Climate Change is Real
No surprise here. All the low score reviews are from climate change deniers. Just get with the programme you lot. Most have moved on from 'it's not happening' and 'it's a conspiracy' (why? To what end?) and now are saying 'we'll ok it is happening but what about China it's mostly/all their fault so we in the west don't need to do anything'.
But, what did you think of the film?
Several reviewers barely mentioned the film itself which makes it suspicious that they actually watched it.
I'd give it 6/10 as it's not terribly exciting though very well acted. But I've upped my score to compensate for the idiot reviews.
Vigil (2021)
It's a drama not a documentary
I mean, if you want to know about life on a nuclear submarine watch a documentary. This is a drama and a gripping one, well acted IMHO.
As for the review which hinted at the BBC anti-nuclear stance (after watching just the first episode), we were trying to remember what gave that impression. It must've been the mildly questioning comment a character made, wondering what is the point of nuclear weapons. So. The Beeb is anti-nuclear because of a line uttered by a chapter in a fictional drama? Really? NB It might be worth remembering quite a few ex-services people have also questioned whether nuclear weapons are anything other than a political tool. 'Trident- what the bloody hell is it for' - Field Marshall Lord Carver.
Most of us have no idea how accurate the drama as to the actual inside of a submarine, and it matters little to the actual plot.
Us (2020)
Well we enjoyed it
Yes some of the characters are, almost, unbearable. But we wanted to see how it played out. I'm just glad they're not related to me.
Good acting and great locations.
Dix pour cent (2015)
Love love love
Best thing on Netflix. Great characters. Fun cameos from (mostly French) film stars. Stylish locations. Not to be taken seriously but great fun.
Springsteen on Broadway (2018)
One for the fans
Well I am a fan and I've just read the autobiography so I was interested to see this. When I had 2.5 hours to spare.
It's not just singing, he's also a bit of a raconteur. The stories will be familiar to anyone who's read the book.
He does state right at the start that he'd never worked in a factory and done five days a week ('until now. I hate it'). It's surprising to me that one reviewer is disappointed in this. Somehow hearing that someone is making it all up (writing that is) means they're a fraud. As if a writer cannot use their imagination! And for Springsteen it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to imagine what his life would've been like if he hadn't got the rock 'n' roll bug. Because that was his family background, so yeah why wouldn't he sing about blue-collar working people? Now if he was from a well-to-do professional family that would be different (though surely even the middle classes might be allowed to use their imagination too?).
Recommended especially for fans.