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Reviews
S.W.A.T.: Crisis Actor (2021)
Exitus Sanchez
Interesting case that could have used more in depth exploration, but overshadowed by the heavy-handed, bumbling, and transparent attempts by Deacon and Luca to convince Sanchez to leave. I was waiting for Hondo to perform some undeniably heroic act on live tv to regain his former position. No, HIcks just gives it to him. Hondo´s regaining leadership was inevitable, but nothing that led to his demotion has been resolved. This whole storyarc had no purpose.
The case combines two powder keg issues--fake news as the primary case and then gun control as secondary. Both of those could be stand alone episodes.
SEAL Team: Cover for Action (2021)
Neil Brown Jr continues to knock it out of the park
Remember the days when the show was about the cases instead of the interpersonal drama? I do. I understand the need for the changing relationships and the emotional morass that ensues. I understand and agree with the need to show military service personnel as real people whose jobs have serious, unhealthy effects. I understand that Stella and Naiima demonstrate only the tip of the iceberg of the powerful tides military families struggle with. Still, I prefer the gung ho episodes more.
(And pregnancy? Really? With some many other contextual difficulties those two could have, we have to stretch for a cliche? )
S.W.A.T.: Buried (2021)
Boring
The scene with Hondo and the medic was farce even to my non-military eyes. After all this time we discover Hondo had medical training, but poor training?
Although a trained medic isn't a bad idea, a medic wouldn't have saved Erica. That was a low blow to deal Hondo.
Didn't know what the medic's problem was. She *hadn't* trained with SWAT and it seemed reasonable to me that she hang back until she had. Bad move on her part to go to the Commander about it--seems like an entitled attitude coming from a person with military training and, by her own admission, knowing that she had to prove herself. I don't know if it's the writing or the acting, but there's too much about her that rings false. Unless they plan on having an 8 person squad, she'll have to move out of the way when Luca returns.
The case was boring, the relationships were boring.
The Chris/Molly/Street debacle hopefully ends soon. Street has poor timing to approach a grieving Chris; Chris has a right to be angry that she's in the middle--Street should have approached Molly first before declaring his love for Chris.
That said, are there any regulations about team members dating? Dialogue imples that Chris will head to Germany to be with Luca (and where was all of the TLI-and- go-to-Europe in previous seasons; I digress), so how could they start a solid relationship now?
The trailer hints at a drinking problem, so maybe that or COVID will keep her stateside.
I came for the police work. Yes, the interpersonal relationships and characters need to evolve, but I don't come here for drama. There's plenty of that elsewhere.
Mr. Mayor: Avocado Crisis (2021)
Some improvement
Had given up watching, but I'm snowed in, so why not see if things have improved? The mayor was finally smart and mayor-like. Hokky Hunter is wated un this show. Hard to believe I'm watching the same atress who carried Saving Grace. Both she and Ted are capable of more.
Mr. Mayor: Respect in the Workplace (2021)
better
Much better, although could do without Jayden eating like a dog and being focused on food. Ending was trite, but at least they act like adults in this one and get a deserved comeuppance.
Mr. Mayor: Dodger Day (2021)
Just Mean
Nah, I'm done. Can't stand it. What Bremer did to Jayden is cruel, not funny. The two running around worrying about their love lives are completely shallow and immature.
S.W.A.T.: Crusade (2021)
Wildly different crusades
(Crusade 1) Annie and Deacon are OOC here. Annie makes a unilateral decision after criticizing Deacon for doing the same. In the past the couple has managed to discuss issues with respect and support. It was painful to watch Deacon kowtow to an admissions director, forced to admit that he is "poor" by her privileged standards, and denigrate his professionalism by using it as a "sub-par" offering to please two women. Are there no private Catholic schools in LA? (I reference Catholic because that is Deacon's religion.)
(Crusades 2 & 3) It is the white supremacists' turn on the chopping block. The ramifications of a white supremacist killing a POC--and a successful LEO at that--will last some episodes, I suspect. I don't believe that Thomas et al made that decision lightly. Hope Luca rejoins his grieving team to help deal with this.
The conversation between Hondo and Hicks was also significant.
S.W.A.T.: Under Fire (2021)
Oh geez
The fire department plot was fine. It showcases the show's strength. Relationship drama is not my favorite part of the show, so the Street storyline wasn't my favorite part. Molly was so in the wrong here that I wish the relationship would just end. Hondo does a 180 degree turn on Street's mom? OOC and just to add to an unnecessary plot line.
Hicks may have to pick the guy dating his daughter as the winner of TLI? Optics will be bad no matter his decision there. Too bad Tan dropped out. If the winner of TLI goes overseas, Tan has the better personality to both teach and learn from the Europeans. Also, TLI gave Tan a definitive storyline; hopefully he won't fade into the background. Tan trying to find his place repeats Chris' problem at the beginning of the season. Let's hope he finds a way soon.
Luca overseas is a problem. Several references were made that the winner of TLI will join Luca overseas, so how long is Luca going to be gone? Why the actor isn't on set is personal business, but a missing member disrupts the cohesion of an ensemble cast. Hope he returns soon as indicated.
Mr. Mayor: The Sac (2021)
Naw, this one went backwards
Whatever glimmers I saw last week were gone. First, the mayor's makeup looked awful. Were they deliberately trying to make him orange? The plot with Orly is tired. Why does his staff work for a man they don't respect? I stayed for Holly Hunter, but this kooky one dimensional woman is beneath her.
I can't believe anyone green-lighted this show. Who was so tone-deaf as to think that Americans wanted to watch bumbling, self-centered immature politicians who don't take their jobs and the lives they govern seriously?
Mr. Mayor: Brentwood Trash (2021)
Improving
The Mayor and Arpi's storyline was interesting/amusing and should have been more of the show. The rest was cliche and over-dramatized.
Mr. Mayor (2021)
Needs to improve
Bad timing for a premier--a day after the electoral college certification this show about a rich man who wants to play at politics to impress his kid is released. We came for Holly Hunter--Ted Danson and Bobby Moynihan are also enjoyable. The rest of the mayor's staff looks and acts too immature--college freshmen playing at grownups. Setting it in LA was also a mistake; set it in a generic big city, but LA is far too complex in reality for the suspension of disbelief this show requires. Holly's hair and makeup--perhaps a choice to emphasize her "kooky old woman" self-deprecating comment--do not reflect a City Councilwoman who has been working for 30 years. Either you create a comedy of errors with bumbling oafs who luck into good consequences while acting pluckily and dress like running the city is their second job or you create a comedy around smart but inexperienced professionals who luck into good consequences while acting pluckily and dressing like they have respect for the citizens they represent. This show attempts to have both and it doesn't work. The plots are cliches--who couldn't guess that the mayor would walk away high--but the writing isn't funny for the most part.
Politics isn't funny right now. This show doesn't fit the national mood. We doubt it lasts long unless it becomes either funnier or smarter.
Saving Grace (2007)
excellent early seasons
An improbable but still likable show about a wounded woman and her last chance angel. Grace, whose heart is loving but can't accept love herself, struggles with her life direction while making hard choices. The supporting characters humanize Grace while allowing her to evolve. They allow us to see sides of Grace that prevent her from being a stereotype. The antics of the OCPD bring much needed humor to the show, although they haven't aged well for today's culture. The first two and a half seasons earn the 8 star rating.
The second half of the final season, made when they knew the series was cancelled, is a go for broke resolution of Grace's story, but it loses what makes the show likable. The emotional manipulation of the loss of a major character seems to be the only way shows know how to end--there were other choices. Poor Ham--who was finally given hope for the life he has dreamed about--is the only one who doesn't get a hope of a happy ending. That seems unusually cruel for a character who has already dealt with tremendous grief once. What really stinks is that to everyone who doesn't believe, Grace's ending can be written off as a troubled soul's suicide caused by her inability to fully reconcile with her sister's death.
Supernatural: Carry On (2020)
emotional manipulative
Acted out of the park. Fantastic work done by the crew. Loved Bobby's cameo and the final scene. However, the most emotionally manipulative episode in a show that has done nothing more than emotionally manipulate its fans for at least 3 seasons. The cynical side of me congratulates the writer--he's guaranteed that the show will be fought over for years.