Reviews

Ricky Gervais plays a guy who turns bitter at the world after the tragic loss of his wife. True to his style, Gervais' character spirals into moralizing the various noxious people that intrude into his bubble of grief. Now generally I like Gervais' take on anything including religion. But there is a fine line between being snarky and full on antagonistic.

Most of the other characters in the show have their flaws exaggerated to caricature levels to make the protagonist seem more impressive. They are almost exclusively lined up to get knocked down sometimes by cruel, cheap shots. Like the go to ammunition for the men in the protagonist's crosshairs is "loser" (usually implied) while for the women it's "loose" (can't reproduce the actual word but it's used repeatedly). Tragic lack of imagination. And the dis fest expands its scope making victims even in the ranks of people that are not actually harmful but trendy to bash such as horoscope followers or feminists.

There is the "good guy" version of our main character shown through the videos recorded while enjoying happy times with his wife. We are repeatedly reminded how "lovely" he was but there is not much to back that up. The only thing memorable was his penchant for practical jokes. And when his reawakening kicks in, everyone keeps saying this word "lovely" as response to his roundabout way of displaying not actual kindness but rather basic decency.

This show feels like an ode to Gervais due to how much of him there is while not enough actual character. Because it also has the characteristics of a stand up routine I can't get angered by it, but other than the occasional chuckle, I can't take it serious or praise it either. Which is not a problem given how the supporting characters do that last part for me.

A cynic doesn't partake so easily in the behaviour he/she is contemptuous of. That's a hypocrite. Also occasional bouts of consideration don't make up for long stretches of cruelty. And finally coarse humour isn't optimal when broaching the subject of love in a philosophical manner. But I guess, none of this matters as once again using insults at the drop of a hat secures an outrageous rating for such a superficial comedy/drama.

...it sure makes women look unnecessarily hollow. The situations occurring between the two leads are interesting, good I might say. The crime angle is solid. So is the cynical humour. But it doesn't matter how fleshed out and interesting the protagonists are. Not if everything is undermined by condoning the unacceptable behaviour of their significant others while being overly criticizing of their own. I know nowadays making decent female characters is off putting for some viewers. But tipping the scales in the other direction to not ruffle feathers, especially if it doesn't help the plot is arguably worse. As a guy I really don't need my ego stroked. What I do need however is not having my intelligence insulted with scenes where characters ridicule the hate the other woman routine in one second while playing the very same routine the next.

Interesting story supported by good acting but driven down by wearisome subtext probably meant to appease the man's man. But I guess that last part actually worked due to the ludicrous rating this show has.

This show received a lot of praise. Most of it well earned. The shifting relation between a security services agent and her target, a female assassin, made for an intriguing concept. Like I said, reminiscent of 2013 Hannibal due to how they developed a codependent bond: the agent is increasingly attracted to her target and the killer recognises and nurtures the dark impulses in her pursuer.

The female attraction aspect stays for the most part pretty high brow, to which I am grateful. The inner workings of both spy agencies and shadowy organised crime, while a bit simplified at times to not induce sleep, were compelling. The action, or rather murders involved a mix of creativity (the calling card of the assassin protagonist) and shock while not amping up the violence needlessly.

Now the humour aspect is hit or miss. Hit when it's dry, obvious or anything in between. Both protagonists are endearing. Especially the psychopathic killer when she messes with her handler. However when she is used as a vehicle for black humour all I can think to myself is "was that supposed to be funny?" as I get chills down my spine.

Another aspect that rubbed me the wrong way was the "filler killings". While most if not all of the important victims are men of power, the lesser relevant to the plot victims are women. Maybe the show just emphasises that both the assassin and her superiors are willing to kill anyone, man or woman, but I suspect a subtle jab at female authority. And I'm a guy who should appreciate this, i guess?

These are my two criticisms. Without these two elements I personally would have rated 2 stars higher since everything else is immensely enjoyable! For me, at least, the show picked up considerably after the first season.

The opinions on this anime are polarized. People either enjoyed it for its goofiness and warmth or they hated it because it's not an accurate representation of an MMORPG. To the latter group I can only tell you this: it's not really supposed to be accurate.

The whole premise is based on a good natured girl, who hardly played any video games, that opted for a personal approach rather than an established one for her VR MMORPG experience. So expecting things to go according to gaming standards would be a fool's errand.

Although the protagonist's unique progression path is taken initially because of inexperience and aversion to pain - she maxes defence and ignores every other stat at character creation - she sticks to it even after witnessing "the right way" to play the game. Her capacity to think outside the box leads her to overcome insurmountable obstacles in the most unconventional of ways.

For a very inaccurate show about MMORPG's, this anime nails class roles surprisingly good though. The protagonist is a "tank". Most of her base skills are standard to defence classes, like blocks, counters and taunts. Her good nature intertwines perfectly with the great shield class she chose. Like for instance in some MMO's the tank acts also as a bodyguard for its frailer companions.

The female MC picks skills suited for this selfless play style throughout the show. She does that either actively, because of her desire to protect her in game friends. Or by chance, because she can't ignore even an NPC if it's in distress. Her few very overpowered and accidentally aggressive skills are gained by unorthodox and hilarious methods.

All of her abilities combined turn her into a power house that really should not work at all. Yes it's convenient verging on the absurd. But people! She's breaking the game with kindness and ridiculous counters! Much to the shock and admiration of just her real life friend at first, a girl that is actually well versed in video games. But as the show progresses the MC attracts a few other players to her side. She wins them over first with her altruism and afterwards nurtures their unique qualities. So the social aspect is used to depict a necessary game component as well as a delightful story of friendship.

My one criticism is directed at the Asian MMORPG industry rather than the show. The anime just incorporated two elements that I truly dislike from said industry. First is the insertion of concepts that clash with the fantasy theme of an MMO: I couldn't help but sigh when seeing what the protagonist got from the level 3 area boss. Second being some very... generous body features characters tend to have. A certain healer from the show would make even adult entertainment actresses agree her figure is unrealistic.

But even with that in mind, everything else was thoroughly enjoyable! The PVE related antics were funny, especially when the protagonist resolved things by being unintentionally quirky. The PVP portions of the show (which were the most important) were gripping and touching at the same time. That's because beside the action and the strategy elements they also explored subjects like loyalty, determination for the sake of your friends and not holding grudges.

Truly a superb show if you enjoy watching a heroine bring out the best in herself and the people around her - video game related or otherwise!

A human male attends a school almost exclusively populated by anthropomorphised animals. He is also severely annoyed by them. The central comical aspect of the show is his inability to spend time with the only other human at this school, who just so happens to be an attractive girl, due to the crush a lone wolf girl has on him.

Just like many anime before this one, all the elements for a funny/feel good show are there but it doesn't know what it wants to be. The slice of life portion of the anime, crowned most of the times by a lesson in friendship is t-boned immediately by sleaziness.

The fact that the male animals in the show resemble real ones while the female ones are basically human girls with animal ears and tails confirms fan service right from the start. Which would be fine if it didn't cross the line: putting girls in leashes (not the first anime to do this) edges on perversion.

Gender roles enforcement tries to be sneaked "here comes the air plane" style at first but later on it's just jammed down the viewers throat. I mean why does fighting prowess has to be at odds with femininity? Especially when female hyenas are used as reference, some of the most efficient killers in the wild. The show relays actual facts about wildlife, usually as a build-up or an explanation for a funny scene. Ironically, some times it blatantly neglects information to not contradict beloved anime cliche such as the subdued damsel.

The humour itself again suffers from being spread too thin and never committed long enough to a specific type of jokes. The Cooking Club, where 2 humans along side a bunch of animals learn to enjoy what's different about each other, is maybe meant to be an amusing metaphor for friendship. The romance aspect is endearing enough to support this general vibe. But afterwards the realm of the suggestive comes crashing in, most of the times culminating in a sexually depraved joke (i.e. pleasure in being dominated or indecently exposed).

The relationship dynamic between the main characters is inconsistent. Both the wolf and human girl are loyal to the protagonist who's only redeeming feature is his knowledge of animals. He uses said knowledge to fix situations, some of which he puts off until they almost turn into disasters. The wolf female is also the subject of treatment that ranges from neglect to physical abuse. In typical anime fashion, that makes her even more infatuated with the too cool for school human.

With everything working against this show, there are still moments of enjoyment. Like when all the shenanigans emphasize the idea of acceptance and companionship. Or when the jokes actually land and are just the right amount of indecent.

There are 4 supernatural female characters attending the same school: 2 angels and 2 demons. The protagonist's name is Gabriel (go figure). After she was sent to the human world she became a dispassionate slob. Her friend, might I add her ONLY friend, is a good natured demon named Vignette. The somewhat inversion of roles provides some humour right from the start of the show. The aspiring queen of hell, Satanichia, is putting up an evil front while in truth she struggles with all things diabolical. The same could not be said about the second angel in the show, Raphiel, who is manipulative and set her sights on torturing Satanichia to alleviate her boredom.

You might say the pieces are starting to form a cheerful show, right? Wrong. The dominant source of comedy is malice. The protagonist is nonchalant about everything and everyone to the point of casually voicing her desire that every human should die. Even the apocalypse is carefree brought into conversation. While these types of jokes may be funny, overuse hammers the comedy out of dark-comedy. Not to mention the way Raphiel toys with Satanichia made my blood boil. While Satanichia states on multiple occasions that she is Gabriel's rival, in fact she is nothing more than a nuisance. Every action the protagonist takes against said "rival" is blown out of proportion reaching the level of viciousness. When Vignette joined in the bullying I simply had to stop watching...

It seems the creators thought that repeatedly showing a self proclaimed evil person up is acceptable. After the few episodes I saw it became visible that this anime's shtick is violent harassment loosely supported by few and far between sharp witted scenes.

The abysmal score is a consequence of viewers who were expecting something like Sailor Moon. In fact the tone and execution of this anime of pretty grim. I won't go as far as saying is profound but it touches the uneasy subject of misery. Girls who experienced unspeakable suffering at the hands of other people were selected to receive magical artefacts, or "sticks", as compensation. But that's just the surface of the story. Naturally the next plot waypoint is revenge.

And here is where, I guess, the dregs of the anime fandom got on their high horses and brought the show's rating even lower. People who watch harem anime on a regular basis are squeamish at the concept of revenge apparently. One reviewer, most likely a guy due to the vehement but dull rhetoric, was appalled that the girl characters engaged in retaliation. He considered them worse than their aggressors. Guess his expectations for typical anime eye candy thralls were not met.

In my opinion the story arced pretty well in tandem with the character development. Without giving anything away, throughout the entirety of the episodes the moral argument over revenge and victimhood will be touched. Consequently characters will alter their reasoning, some in a more believable fashion than others. Unlike what another reviewer stated, the protagonists are not all violent. At least not in an irrational way. Just one can be unreservedly be classified as a cold blooded murderer. The MC, for example, is an obnoxious paragon of righteousness. Her newly acquired best friend, on the other hand, is a vindictive realist. The show created a pretty good relationship dynamic, the two girls lending each other their strengths while alleviating their faults.

One minor criticism that I have for this show is that it utilises a couple of anime tropes like characters narrating their actions while in the middle of a fight. There is the matter of a rather... unfortunate choice of a wearable stick. While it did provide some good chuckles, its comical nature detracted from its importance plot-wise. The last episode also was a bit on the deus ex machina side, but not enough to become unpleasant.

The series conclusion was rewarding, announcing more things to come if the show ever gets a continuation. My verdict for this anime: it's really good. Although it would have benefited greatly by tipping the scales a little more in favour of vengeance rather than to saintly forgiveness. The satisfaction of seeing a certain antagonist getting properly disciplined was immeasurable. The same could not be said about the enemy turned ally of circumstance getting a happy ending.

This anime was delightfully bitter. Something I truly never expected to find in this genre of all things.

Let's get the bad out of the way first: the claim that this anime is offensive. That's somewhat true. Sexual assault is trivialised with humour voiced by the female MC. There is also some fan service - a minuscule amount but totally ill-suited for the scenes they're in. Also the show gets very preachy, over using the "woman of loose morals" slur to make a point. This is hypocritical considering we're dealing with the nation that took objectification to an art form.

And now for all the good aspects. Regarding this anime as offensive towards people who suffer from social anxiety is actually a plus in my book. Not because it's actually true but because it proves the show pulled no punches when it came to how it dealt with the subject. The anguish, embarrassment and loneliness the heroine experiences were impactful for me. Tomoko's habit of conceiving plans to quickly rise to popularity at times got her comically humiliated. As a loner myself, this had the effect to thoroughly relate to her. Her witty inner monologue, sprinkled with anime and video game references, presents her as a reclusive nihilist. However she quickly morphs into a shy optimist every time one of her harebrained schemes to get accepted might have a chance to work.

And this is how the show tugged at my heartstrings... Tomoko transitions from resenting the happiness of others to briefly being hopeful for her own happiness and ultimately to deep sorrow, as things don't go her way. Stylised animation and the music score are sometimes used to emphasise these emotions. This unbearable sadness becomes bittersweet in the rare moments when Tomoko skips that whole emotional roller coaster and is sincerely acknowledging her pure need to be desired. When all of these pieces come together they make for one hell of a show.

As a final commendation for this anime all I can say is that I've never felt such a need to give a hug to a fictional character before. It absolutely deserved a more rewarding conclusion!

The show has 4 nerdy characters split into two couples. The supporting lovers, who run hot and cold, are supposed to contrast the typical "sweet" romance developing between the protagonists. Nothing original but could have been enjoyable. I mean 4 otakus ineptly navigating through the subtleties of a romantic relationship should equal something funny and endearing. But it was a gigantic let down for me. It slid into generic anime "romance" so fast I got nauseated. Both the male characters wield insults as a method of being charming or manly. And the ladies love it! The worse they are treated the harder they are falling for the guys.

A bit later into the show the imbalance between the status of a male otaku and a female one was spelled out for the viewer: a male otaku has way more options. I had to stop watching from that point on. Honestly the light-hearted anime "Teasing master Takagi-san" portrays affection and comedy a million times better. "Teasing master Takagi-san" even went as far as parodying everything wrong with rom-coms with the comical "100% unrequited love" show within a show. The swooning of the heroine, the cruel attitude of the hero and rejection having the effect of an aphrodisiac were all hilariously hyperbolized. Or so I thought at the time until I started scraping the bottom of the rom-cam barrel...

If you want a juvenile fantasy were women ask to be hurt, at times even physically, then yeah this anime is for you.

All the required ingredients were there. The main character was loveable. Although she was swooning over the manga artist, she was also self aware. Which transitioned perfectly into another more profound type of awareness: that of the defects of romance manga. The show tried and even succeeded at times to make fun of the shallowness of this genre. But ultimately succumbed to what I consider being the capital sin when aiming to include or even cater to female viewers: misogyny. The oblivious tomboy is considered an "ogre" for her carefree way of acting. But the guy who inflicts actual physical violence on a girl gets praised by the same girl who suffers the abuse. Ironically enough the funniest scene in the show for me, the one with the bull mask, involves the very same two people. Furthermore it seems like the whole romance manga angle of the show is distorted. For all the funny situations that the artist gets himself into so he can make his manga appealing to girls, only male oriented themes such as the harem or how the heroine is secondary to the hero are present in his work. And if subtle sexism wasn't enough, it's even spelled out for us: "bratty teenage girl" is used as a derogatory remark by a guy in the business actually marketing FOR teenage girls. Which is sad since when the show is not trying to push outdated concepts like compliant femininity and machismo there is some great humour and romance.

The premise of a mysterious girl secluded atop the immense library of St. Marguerite Academy who forms a bond of convenience with a marginalised exchange student promised interesting things. The choice to weave history elements into the main story right from the start was also a surprise. The show delivered almost everything I could want too.

Victorique is a highly intelligent, beautiful but initially glacial girl surrounded by a myth. The exchange student from Japan, a boy named Kazuya Kujo, while scholarly is not exactly a genius who is also weighed down by a myth of his own. What sets him apart from Victorique however is his sense of justice and compassion. They complete each other while they solve intricate mysteries. Their personalities differ but at their core they are kindred spirits which is portrayed in many situations, many of which end up being funny or touching. The generally collected Victorique betraying emotions like excitement over sweets, embarrassment over day to day mishaps or genuine affection towards Kujo made me melt. The supporting characters are also very good. Probably the best in my opinion was the girl from England, which unfortunately was introduced way too late into the show. Although there are quite a few of episodic characters, some carry over significant pieces of the plot forward. And the story is not exactly rosy. There is quite enough sadness but it's usually bittersweet.

However sometimes the gloomy mood is artificially altered. Also, victims of circumstance are spun into villains and vice versa. These are the critical failings of this show. In a few episodes the spotlight was shifted from atrocious actions to trivial ones. Making a big deal about the theft of priceless objects but mentioning the perpetrators also made countless girls' lives hell for profit only as an afterthought made me sick. At the end of the show quite a few of the villains, except the main one, are miraculously redeemed. The one that genuinely made me furious had his murderous jealousy filtered thorough rosy glasses to make it look like love.

The good elements of this show still manage to not be overshadowed by the bad. The episodic cases are intelligent and provide a firm foundation for a good main story. The characters involved, despite what some might say, develop nicely. Although in some cases that happens a bit erratic. But the most important aspect of this show is the messages it's trying to relay and their corresponding emotions which are, for the most part, truly wonderful.

I generally dislike anime. A few however manage sometimes to break from the norm and genuinely impress me. So I gave pure romance anime a chance for a change. To the most that I've watched I just gave a rating. But I stopped to review this one because of its capacity to leave me the very best and worst thoughts about it at the same time. So here it goes.

The inhabitants of the luxury apartment complex are all interesting. I wasn't sure what to expect at first about their trace of supernatural blood that allows them to transform into creatures from legends. However it blended nicely with the rest of the story. Almost all of the characters won me over either by being adorable, quirky or both. The operative word here being "almost". Keep this in mind. The central characters are the socially inept Ririchiyo and her inappropriately subservient yet caring bodyguard. Their clumsily budding romance was filled with heart felt affection, devotion and humour that ranged all the way to being subtle (remember to keep an eye on the screen in the supermarket displaying a dog breeds documentary). Most of the supporting characters are an integral part in the development of the protagonists' love story. They each have a certain allure. My favourite is the adorable girl who thoroughly enjoys food. Although she has her head in the clouds to such extent that she creates weird situations for herself, she is uncannily empathetic and caring. Which makes her terrifying supernatural form quite a contrast to her good nature. There is also her good friend who nurtures romantic feelings for her and puts up a tough front to make up for his not so tough supernatural form. All characters residing at the complex are delightful or funny. Even the attractive blonde secret service lady who can't stop making, what I thought at first, were pretty sleazy remarks and advances towards the other girls in the complex is adorable. There is nothing dark or disrespectful in her over the top sexuality.

Which makes this the right time to move to what this show actually gets wrong. The blonde secret service lady is often used for fan service or as a transition to it. Which in itself is not something I am opposed to if it's contained within certain bounds of respect. However she is just the first piece in the domino effect. She is also used to degrade an attractive, yet cute at the same time, maid. The show just had to have a woman in a maid outfit in a demeaning situation... What's worse they also made her dumb.

The final straw was the introduction of the sadist who also views everyone as either sadists of masochists. Remember the innocent, food loving girl? She was debased by him to sickening levels while still being the least explicit scenes in the show. Without spoiling anything I can just say it's not violence which makes it even worse because it's not actually denounced. In fact it's quite condoned because the girl is showed in a character slide later exactly in the same circumstances. I am not the cleanest guy in the world, but that was just revolting.

So in conclusion this anime is like a really good fruit that I love right to the point where I bite out a rotten piece. Both the good parts from before the spoiled piece as well as the tasty portion after just don't taste the same any more...

Wrote a review for this anime that didn't get posted for some reason. I feel obligated to do it again since it's one of the few I liked from this genre. The premise is that god needs to pick a successor. So he pits 12 people out into the world against each other in a last man standing game, the winner getting to ascend to godhood. They are also each equipped with a diary that gives them glimpses into the near future. There are 2 main protagonists interlocked. The first one is a reclusive high school boy named Yukiteru that is utterly incapable to do harm even to protect himself. The second one is his classmate, the beautiful Yuno that is more than capable and willing to kill for Yukiteru, because she claims she loves him. Even though they hardly interacted in the past. The relationship dynamic between the two main characters is what hooked me: an unstable stalker protecting the kind but also non combative boy she loves, from various would be killers. Throughout the series the link between the two protagonists changes them, reaching a deeply moving conclusion. It's a story about loss, suffering and how love can overcome all of that. However the violence and cruelty inflicted for the sake of the one you care about is clearly emphasized. It made me contemplate morality in situations where anything should technically be allowed. And this is why this superb series didn't get a higher rating. One reviewer even went as far as calling it an "anime hell". While I don't generally judge the tastes of other people I can't help but wonder if that person was expecting just another typical anime. Ironically it doesn't even feel like an anime. There are very few tropes used. There are a few explicit images but they serve a point. Characters grow throughout the show, their reasoning changes and therefor things might not go as you predicted. That's not a "logical mistake" it's called having a plot. For the most part the flashy absurd fighting visuals specific to anime are replaced by more believable and shocking violence. The one genre specific cliche used however was the physical design of one of the opposing contestants. She looked like an absurd oversized toy. It is the only reason why I can't rate this show a perfect ten due to how she clashed with the seriousness of the theme. I cherish this show and what it instilled in me so much that I frantically searched for other anime that could make me experience the same feelings. All paled in comparison...

The premise of the movie is that a regular guy, defeated by life, happens to antagonise trolls on the wrong streaming service. As it so happens the gladiatorial show runner decides to throw our unwilling hero into the carnage to teach him a lesson. The movie relies heavily on violence and cheesy comedy. There are some interesting moments such as when the protagonist relays misconceptions about guns and injuries through his funny monologue as he discovers them himself. The problem however is that comedy was pushed too far in some situations. Nix's showdown with another key psychopath was too wacky. The main villain's lines again were too much. But overall it was a lighthearted fun ride.

The review that popped up first was complaining that the movie was unpleasantly preachy about how bad the internet is. I guess the trolls' favourite slur, showed in the movie, "triggered" got some friendly fire. Afterwards he or she continued to just pin absurd things on this movie when it really doesn't take itself too serious. It doesn't pretend to know the real truth about violence in society or mock millennials. When a clearly unpleasant character makes an unsavoury remark about millennials it's not an actual criticism intended by the movie. If you believe otherwise then I question your intelligence. But most importantly it does not hold contempt towards gamers. The movie is quite the love letter to them!

The general consensus is that season 1 was a Sci-Fi masterpiece and the dastardly Netflix ruined it with its cliche following season. Let me start by saying that the first season was mostly a detective show. Which by the way reviewers are not shy to point out. So to be upset when there is actually Sci-Fi in your Sci-Fi is a bit funny. Also purely from the perspective of a detective show, it wasn't as brilliant as people led me to believe. It relied heavily on red herrings. Take those out and you could probably see something similarly banal on the news. The few and far between Sci-Fi elements made this entertaining for me though. As for the acclaimed noir aspects, they were closer to pulp. The particular type of violence displayed in season 1 was not dark but rather cheap thrills. It's not even shock value due to how the season romanticized the sadism of the Meths and the villain who enabled them.

Moving on to season 2. It's hated by the initial fans of the show but appreciated by the critics. The recurring attack towards this season is that it's "woke". Maybe they didn't like Tak's new sleeve? Guess a Japanese - Slavic person getting resleeved into a Caucasian is acceptable as it doesn't messes with the desired demographic for the protagonist actually seen on screen. But the thing that is more concerning is that the poor reception is also based on the fact that season 2 actually explores other original ideas (albeit modified) from the source novels. An alien home world, stacks and orbitals technology - these apparently are cliche while preying on sex workers has never been done before.

In conclusion I can only say that these 2 season are indeed different from each other. They have some shared elements however, most notably being the over the top action scenes which were pleasant to watch. But for the genres they represent, the latest season did way more for Sci-Fi than what season 1 did for noir detective shows.

An unpopular opinion which ultimately will be drowned out by the voices of viewers demanding more of the same exploitation content. I am grateful to Netflix for sometimes catering for people with their eyes in the stars like myself.

I tried posting a review previously but i guess it didn't make the cut for some reason. So anyway Star Trek Picard! In most ways the spiritual successor of The Next Generation. The one key difference is the focus on just one main plot line as opposed to the prolific classic's ability to tackle many subjects. But what I loved from the oldie is still present in this iteration: a sense of awe, strange alien cultures, otherworldly technologies, captivating characters.

However this show is not for those with prejudices of any kind. Which is a strange thing to even consider since the whole premise of the series explores the negative effects of prejudice against synthetic life and Romulans. What were people expecting? Another criticism brought against this show was that the focus on politics and drama somehow makes it less Star Trek. To paraphrase that particular reviewer he or she believed this makes ST: Picard just another cookie cutter show. Obviously this person skipped many episodes of The Next Generation that were very focused on exactly those aspects. Nowadays viewers believe a modicum of depth or, heavens forbid, the presence of a moral compass is too woke.

Unlike The Next Generation however Picard adds a layer of complexity to its characters. In the previous show the men and women of the various species portrayed had issues but, from what I remembered, weren't affected by them at the natural intensity a real person would. They kind of glided through them without getting really impacted.

The story progression is perfect: each episode gives enough to satisfy without revealing too much. While the story itself is intriguing to say the least: a multi pronged conspiracy involving multiple species.

If you loved The Next Generation, you will definitely love Star Trek Picard as well.

A man is accused of a brutal child killing but there is irrefutable evidence for conviction and acquittal at the same time. Something unnatural is apparent from the start. While a show about investigators caught in something they can't explain logically isn't exactly new, the atmosphere is what sets this production apart. Another strong suit of this show is that it makes the supernatural fascinating due to its subtlety. Like how the police although gathers considerable amount of evidence, most of it is beyond explanation. And this is the hook of The Outsider: the world of police investigators that needs facts to function versus the supernatural that can pervert them. So far 4 episodes aired and due to their good pacing, they maintained a good plot reveal to secrets kept ratio.

PRE SEASON 4 REVIEW - WEATHER THE STORM... I went into this animation expecting a simplified entry in the Star Wars saga since it was targeted for children and young adults. It started so with the first episodes of the first season but then it got... weird. Just when the story started to get fleshed out and the characters broke out of their one dimensional shells the show outlined its leitmotif: war - good, pacifism - bad. Or at the very least responding to aggression with aggression yields better results than seeking peaceful solutions. The show so far favours specific ideals over others. The effort to take Separatist people prisoners but denying battle droids the right to surrender further consolidates this. The one good thing about these initial seasons is the fact that life in the galaxy is varied and the Force doesn't discriminate in any category. POST SEASON 3 REVIEW - THE STAR WARS WE LOVE This is basically the turning point of the show. Everything that made this animation non enjoyable for me ended with the season 3 finale. The characters are no longer just vehicles for one idea. They now resemble complex, believable beings. This affects mostly the recurring secondary characters. The Duchess of Mandalore and her Death Watch antagonist are prime examples. With good characters invariable comes a good story. The later seasons' deeper exploration of the motivations and personalities of the good, the bad and the morally ambiguous people in the galaxy led to better quality story arcs. The Force mythos also gets an increase in spotlight time. It was severely neglected prior to this point. Those attuned to the Force now are very easy to empathize with. But the most important improvement is shedding light on the negative aspects of war in general and, more importantly, the Clone Wars specifically. Star Wars fans know what they're actually about. The overly optimistic tone in which they were presented at first gave the show a vibe incompatible with the Star Wars universe. I can honestly say that now I'm committed to the show's final season and very attached to the characters. Welcome back Ahsoka!

... it would be a mermaid: some parts are beautiful like the seductive woman half while the rest are like the repulsive scaly half. I haven't read the books so I can't compare them to the show. The games however I played. On this aspect, I can say the show is slightly better. They cleaned up the unnecessary shock value elements like the overuse of torture or the fondness for misogyny. I mean I get it: it's a medieval dark fantasy setting - times are grim, but they can't be that grim... There are plenty to enjoy in this show. The production values are decent for the most part. The story is entertaining and the characters are likeable. Now for the flip side... When the technical aspects are lacking, boy! You WILL notice them. I got to see one of the rarest, most majestic creatures in The Witcher universe, and when that moment happened... I laughed out loud! Then I got sad... I said the story is entertaining. But I went into the show with a warning from someone who already seen the season, regarding the timeline. Without that little nugget of information these episodes would have been a whole lot more confusing and frustrating. Moving on to the characters. Geralt gave a little speech about how "evil is evil, greater, middling, small". So naturally I expected a moral compass from him. But he shifts from callous jerk to hero, back to callous jerk again so fast it makes my head spin. Guess the show tries to play the "nothing is black or white" card. But most times it fails and it makes every character seem inconsistent. I liked how in one episode Yennefer after a traumatic yet eye opening fight had a monologue about how the world uses up women, and regards them as only vessels. I found that bit very profound and respectful towards the struggle the fairer sex endures. Aaaand then in another episode she was topless in preparation for a magical ritual. I mean the actress is very good looking, I'm not complaining, but the magical drawings were on her stomach area so that scene was pure fan service. Also, maybe I'm overthinking this, but she was going to turn herself into a vessel for power. But we are talking about a pretty self serving character. Which begs the question: why do the morally lacking characters in this show exhibit sudden flashes of moral clarity while the "good guys" do out of character a-hole moves? My opinion on the first season of The Witcher is that it's not bad, but certainly is not worth the hype it's receiving.

...older fans maybe? "Back in my day horror was artistic, abstract nothingness culminating in an underwhelming ending". That was The Shining... The best thing since sliced bread... Doctor Sleep however employs more clear supernatural aspects. The antagonists are also clearly discernible. Probably that's why the low rating: old fans of The Shining were expecting more of the same slow burning, undefined psychological bad trip. Doctor Sleep is not lacking in refinement though. The depictions of astral projection and mindscapes were truly awe inspiring. And here lies the problem: The Shining and Doctor Sleep have a few points of intersection; before and after those, they continue to be pretty much independent films placed at a considerable distance to each other on the horror spectrum. The first is a psychological thriller with almost indiscernible supernatural elements. The latter is a full blown supernatural horror. The one thing I can't express an opinion is how faithful any Stephen King films/shows are to his novels. When Mr. King became a sensation, I'm sad to say, his works weren't widely available in my country. But based only on the cinematographic aspects, Doctor Sleep is a perfect balance of entertainment and artistic value.

Who doesn't like a bad boy? Well, I don't! I had to sit through 2 episodes to get to the Mandalorian's moral turning point. Everybody, I think, was expecting it. But it got segmented into two episodes. Two short episodes... Why didn't they conceive this show with episodes of an hour? As they stand they don't have the actual air time to present a fully developed segment of the story. Each one of them presents the viewer a small adventure. And here lies the problem: not many things happen in one "chapter". It makes the Mandalorian's actions seem unimpressive. He enters the stage, does ONE thing and then he flies away in his ship. This show has potential but it suffers from its blitzkrieg presentation.

... and one heck of a red herring. The premise of the first season is more of a vehicle for a spiritual journey. As such the ending won't match the begging of this season because it evolves along with its characters. If you're into the more metaphysical aspects when you're looking for a show then THIS is for you. However if you're more into clear cut concepts like good and wrong well... the last 2 episodes will make you curse under your breath.

Aside from one clear, very non PC villain, I perceived everybody as innocent and guilty at the same time. I guess this show tries to work the clash of civilisations angle? The civilisations in question are represented by the flawed English sailors and the impassive Eskimos. But that is oversimplifying it.

There is a major supernatural element in this season but it's more on the spiritual side. Everything on this season has a subtext. I'm not ashamed to admit that most of it is lost on me: either because I don't understand it or when I do pick up on it I don't approve of it. There is one discussion between certain key Eskimos close to the end of the season that really didn't sit right with me. I won't spoil it but I will say that the terrible loss of life depicted in season 1 takes the back seat in favour of some abstract idea of balance.

For me, the more I progressed through the season the harder it became to sit through it. That is because the basis of the show gets over weighted by constant layers of, some times, artificial depth. Kind of too much of a good thing type of situation. I mean does every character have to be overly complex? And why does this complexity comes to light only in the face of imminent danger? Dude, there's a creature trying to eat you and NOW you're going all philosophical on us?

This show starts as a slow paced space drama. It's not! It just eases you into its universe and slowly introduces the characters. But not too slow, as you will see. Some degree of patience is required for a maximum of 3 episodes. But oh boy does it pay off! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect such an interesting and dramatic story progression! Yet it doesn't get too confusing. I am keeping this as vague as possible since the enjoyment of this show comes from experiencing the complete ride. Suffice to say that its builds on layers of SCI-FI. Starts tame, then gradually as the viewer progresses through the story, pieces of the ultimate puzzle fall into place to reveal something completely unexpected. If you are worried however that you might not have the patience to make it through to the big reveal, the characters interactions, their backstories and the social and political settings are some of the best in the last decade. So by the time the big mystery gets revealed you will be just as invested in the characters and their adventure. Another thing The Expanse does right is maintaining an aura of mystery but at the same time revealing enough to keep you entertained, fulfilled even. However you will be craving for more when the credits start rolling in as the story keeps getting more intriguing. While most episodes end in cliffhangers, a lot of events take place in them. So naturally the endings match the episodes' intensity. This show is a SCI-FI fan's dream come true. If you haven't seen it by now, I envy you, because you can binge it!