Reviews

One of the beauties of Turkish series is they have a large & varied cast - which creates multiple threads of drama within a single series. This creates great entertainment...but can also cause some unsophisticated viewers to miss the "needle in the haystack".

This series has just finished airing in Urdu/Hindi dubbing. As with the other reviews on IMDB, you'll see YouTube comments complaining about the ending not resolving some (ultimately pointless) issues. But I can assure you, without going into spoilers...the ending of this series is beautiful & complete. Especially if you appreciate something poignant about the beginning...

When Umut reaches shore, alone in the boat...Elif is the first to hear his cries. So obviously, it seem as if she has rescued him.

But it's important to recall...at the point that Umut appears, Elif is a broken woman. After two failed births, she seems to have a perpetual sadness & hopelessness.

It's the appearance of Umut that actually rescues Elif. When she holds him for the first time, you see a huge smile & the return of her innocence. Somewhere deep down - she understands that she has only come "back to life" because of this child.

This causes her to lash out whenever her husband Yilmaz suggests going to the authorities or seeking out Umut's biological parents. She uses every "trick in the book" from emotional blackmail to outright threats.

For whatever flaws this series has...the poignant relationship between Elif & Umut isn't made obvious. So many in the audience can superficially view Elif as a villain...as most of the time, she chastises her husband about his uneasiness about the "adoption".

But if you appreciate the "shades of gray" in life...it's clear that despite not biologically having given birth to Umut...circumstances molded Elif into an equal (if not greater) mother to Umut - compared to Derya.

All of what's discussed above takes place in the beginning of the series. When you watch the ending (again, without going into specific spoilers)...there's an appreciation of this fact. Just as in the beginning of the series, we see Elif's eyes go from tears of sadness - to sparkling with happiness & hope.

Despite any other "loose threads" caused by the apparent cancellation of this series...the ending is very satisfying - again, if you appreciate the beginning!

I almost didn't watch this because of the mixed reviews. But put it on with the family, and it was a fun thrill ride. Start to finish, it never had a boring moment. Hollywood is so lost now in over-production & politics, these kinds of effective & straight-forward thrillers are very rare to come across. Wish they made more like this!

This "Dynasty" show reminds me of that new "The Mist" series. You don't have actual characters. You have dorky "symbols" or "avatars", whose sole purpose is to brag, lecture, or preach to the audience. They don't feel like characters. They feel like caricatures.

The Kardashians aren't popular because they're rich, charismatic, woke, or whatever. Even their biggest fans get that they're all stupid & mentally ill. But if you watch their show, you notice they do what FICTIONAL TV used to do. They start with something real & relate-able, amp up the emotion, serve up conflict, and do it all in style.

How did we get to the point where "Reality" shows about fame whores, cake shops, and pawn businesses...are giving people more fictional drama than actual TV shows?

No spoilers. Only a promise. Others can praise all other aspects of this show. But to me, what makes this show transcend...is the ending. It is the bravest thing I have ever seen in a TV series.

There are not too many epic romance series in the world. From what few exist, the trajectory is obvious to all. This is not necessarily a bad thing. We are meant to savour the journey, like an old wine.

You can do all of that on the journey of this series. But in one last episode, you can also consider something poignant, unexpected, and perhaps beautiful. Again, I said no spoilers. Like Kurt Seyit, I will keep my word...as best as this world & fate allow.

I loved the first Bourne movie. Since the later two actually moved the story forward, I didn't mind them as lazy afternoon flicks.

But this...you can't even consider a proper movie. They're literally repeating earlier scenes, stories, and sequences...in different settings, with different supporting actors.

All this movie amounts to is a series of chase sequences. In the past, there were at least compelling peripheral stories & characters who gave it all a point. But in this movie, there peripheral focus is one CIA girl...who has the most bizarre & annoying accent, you have to strain to understand what she's saying.

This was a very painful viewing experience. We only made it to the end because we thought they'd come up with some late development to make the pain worth it. Nope.

Movie did close with that old catchy theme song though. They didn't even use it once during the entire movie. When I heard it in the closing credits, my mood instantly changed because I had flashbacks to the more happier past of this franchise.

Sums up Mr. Robot: "...attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed."

Yes. This show is wrapped in slick packaging. Filmed very well. Great scenery. Slow-moving plot. Lots of (ultimately superficial) introspective monologues.

But none of that masks the central flaw of this show: they're constantly trying to force a square peg in a round hole. Hackers are not military-trained field agents, clever CIA intelligence analysts...or remotely hip people. But this show wants to pretend they're one or all of those things.

You've got Egyptian James Bond, Jewish hipster Barbie, Hijab-wearing Mrs. Spock, Street corner hustler, Bi-Curious daddy's girl...and God only knows how many more Politically-Correct caricatures they've got in store.

Oh, but of course it's the 21st century. So all heroes have to have weird (but ultimately superficial) neuroses. Why? So we can have contrived crying fits, sad monologues, unnecessary arguments...basically drama people.

Is having contrived drama a fatal sin? No it's not. Not when the show is rooted in something real & authentic. But this show is not rooted in anything real.

What I find particularly appalling is the big "Anonymous" logo at the beginning of each episode. With that, and the overarching story-line (Hackers vs. Evil corp)...the show clearly wants audiences to associate the show with the Anonymous/WikiLeaks zeitgeist.

But if you have even a basic understanding of what those movements are, who they compose of, and what they actually do...you have to laugh at nerve of these Mr. Robot people. They're basically doing a Broadway re-telling of 'Oceans 11' or 'Gangs Of New York'...only with hipster hackers as the protagonists.

Wasn't Angelina Jolie ridiculed for similarly ridiculous Hacker movie early in her career? I am sure that if they dragged out the story & hyped up the "quirkiness"...that crap would have enjoyed the same "8.8" rating Mr. Robot currently has on IMDb.

EDIT: I just finished watching "Season 2 - Episode 5". And boy...this one episode completely changes the demeanor of the show. Much of what this show was originally promoting...now looks like a bad dream. This episode allows you to reinterpret everything you've seen in the past (especially the things I criticized in my sarcastic review below). It also opens up the possibility of a broader and richer future for the show and its characters. So do keep this in mind, when reading my review below (which applied to "Season 1").

ORIGINAL REVIEW: Society needs to be reminded...it's the cheaters themselves who are the true victims in all this. Until this show came around, few could contemplate the struggles faced by horny, rich, vacationing, liberal yuppies. I can't believe how judgemental spouses, in-laws, and bratty kids get about an "AFFAIR"!

You expect this kind of judgement from "5-0" (otherwise known as "Po Po" - or "Deacon" from King Of Queens!). Those guys with their "laws" and "investigations". All they do on this show is get in the way of TRUE LOVE!

Why do we give things like "the law" and "detectives" so much power over our lives? This show makes a good point. Why should an innocent 30+ year old grown man have to live in fear...just because he seduced a 16 year old girl? More people should watch 'Pretty Little Liars' and ship Ezra + Aria. Affairs? Statutory rape? Victims? Hardly. The girls on this show are pretty clear that they WANTED IT!

People need to chill. It's 2015. There really are no consequences to actions. So why stress about anything at all? You cheat? Just confess and wait-out your cuckold spouse's pointless tantrum. You cheat again after they take you back? Watch your cuck get even hotter for you! Get an inconvenient pregnancy? As the Planned Parenthood infomercial on this show instructed...schedule an appointment!

This show has made me proud to be a strong, independent, Ashley Madison customer. I also learned that gypsies get really nosey and judgemental about abortions.

I feel bad for all the people missing out on this modern day Romeo & Juliet. So glad they didn't let pesky things like "age", "maturity", "morality", and "responsibility" get in the way of..."THE AFFAIR"!

When the characters interact, this movie is so cute, funny, and charming. When you watch this, you start to realize just how effective simplicity is. Too many writers think that if they pad their stories with extreme, vile, and perverted nonsense...they'll get better feedback from their audiences. It's not true. You just need to be genuine, self-deprecating, kind of dorky, and loving...like this movie.

It's only near the end, where the action sequences begin, that the movie gets dragged down. It goes on a bit too long, and it kind of insults intelligence at times. But by the end, you forgive it because of the good.

Like others have said. This movie is really nice family viewing. It balances the needs of parents and kids perfectly. Cannot tell you how long it's been since we even watched bothered with Hollywood movies. Thanks Kevin James!

In this show, it's like a bunch of ivy-league white people got together and decided to channel their thoughts and ideas through a group of black caricatures.

The end result is so jarring. The diaglogue veers from Suze Orman to Jar Jar Binks in a split second. The characters range from enlightened to slightly retarded with absolutely nothing in-between.

There's absolutely no authenticity in 'Ballers'. It's just annoying and condescending racism depicting the efforts of whites & light-skin blacks...as they attempt to tame & educate the wild dark-skin blacks (who are basically depicted as undeserving lottery winners).

50 Cent rightly called out 'Empire' for its coonery. Let's see if he's man enough to call out a roided up Rock for this crappy show.

There is a fatal flaw in this show that renders it absolutely boring & painful to watch. The problem is...when the writers favour certain characters or factions...they make it ANNOYINGLY clear to the audience.

The action is treated like 1950's children's comic-book fiction...with the hero surviving every absurd murder attempt imaginable. Oh but don't worry, because the action is presented in full-frontal contemporary glory...so you get all the unrestricted CGI & gore modern television allows.

You could forgive that...if the show wasn't always trying to climax in an orgy of violence. But really, everything that happens...happens to setup some monumental fight...where the winner is so obvious & pre-determined.

Why bother watching? The sex?

Okay, there's sex. I remember it being hot maybe one time. But most of the time...it looks sad & pathetic. And occasionally, it looks kind of pedo-like. So for all you poor beta's who like to take out frustrations on even lower-grade sexual partners...this show guarantees you at least 5 minutes of entertainment per-episode.

Really, whatever audience this show has...it has...because its audience seems unaware of Al-Queda propaganda videos & Larry Flynt's pornography company. What this show delivers on TV in an hour...those two deliver in under 5 minutes online.

If you are young (or young-at-heart), this will be a pretty entertaining & engaging show. There's a large pool of characters & personalities, within a constantly unfolding & expanding world, dealing with a variety of dilemmas & threats. And because it's on the CW...tons of "shipping" potential!

However, if you are old...and have been around the sci-fi block...well, most of you have already arrived here at IMDb - armed with 1-star reviews.

IMO, older sci-fi audiences only want extremes: (a) Dumbed-down, tech-no-babble, formula-obsessed shows like 'Star Trek' or 'StarGate' OR (b) Weighty, deep, high art like 'Lost' or 'BattleStar Galactica'.

'The 100' sits somewhere in the middle. What it does is take the lessons of those "weighty, deep, high art" sci-fi shows...but delivers them through the simplified & romantic language of teen melodrama.

Personally, I love this show. There are characters I can relate to, things that happen which excite me, and so many possibilities that get my imagination racing.

'The 100' & 'The Originals' - my compliments to CW!

Watching 'Ravenswood' is like stumbling upon a series nearing its end. The characters and focus are so narrow, you get the feeling you missed important stuff that led us to this point.

So how sad that 'Ravenswood' is only halfway into its first season, and it's taking liberties & shortcuts only long-established shows should be allowed to take.

From the start, 'Ravenswood' makes the assumption that you know & love its characters. Good shows ease into heavy plot, allowing viewers to experience the characters as normal people with real lives/relationships/quirks. Not so with 'Ravenswood'...the show quickly gathers its cast & dumps them into a supernatural mystery.

To make things worse, 'Ravenswood' then makes the assumption that its supernatural mystery payoff is so good...viewers will endure one unexplained supernatural event after another. And that's basically what the show amounts to ("BOO!", 5 minutes later "BOO!", 8 minutes later "BOO!"...tune in next week when..."BOO!"). You are given very little to contextualize what is going on & why, so the show leaves you bored and exhausted.

This was not the original promise of 'Ravenswood'. When the series was first teased on 'Pretty Little Liars'...Ravenswood was presented as a peculiar community inhabited by almost-Amish residents. They seemed to have a unique culture & were fearful of outsiders. You got the sense that whatever their secret was...they were all in-on-it in some way or another. As a viewer, you wanted "in" as well.

But then the series began, and Ravenswood was basically presented like any other podunk town - with mostly boring people, and a couple of creepy weirdos.

I wanted this show to succeed. But as it is executed, I believe it should be quietly brought to an end.

Adults will find this movie quite unbearable. There is absolutely no effort put into story or character. Rather, what the film presents is an unrelenting sequence of horrible clichés & embarrassing dialogue...which briefly interrupt one boring robot-fight scene after another. It is absolute torture.

Children, on the other hand, are inoculated. They don't have the experience or intelligence required to feel the pain this movie insists on bringing. They will be distracted enough by the visual stimulation - & appreciative enough of the strained obviousness of each scene.

It has been a long time since a movie wilfully refused to bridge the gap between these two audiences.

From the fourth episode onwards, 'UnderEmployed' just works. It finds the right tone, the characters become real, and the story arc becomes addictive.

The most important thing you need to understand about 'UnderEmployed' is that it is essentially a "teen" genre show. Given the seriousness of the title & age of the characters, many will likely expect the dark/cynical realism of HBO's "Girls" & "Hung". Instead, a better comparison would be shows like 'Pretty Little Liars', 'Jane By Design', or 'Vampire Diaries'.

If you have watched and enjoyed those teen shows, you will have noticed that most have rough starts. That is usually because the writers struggle with just how "obvious" to make things for a younger audience. The characters are introduced as annoying caricatures…they are either too perky, too morose, or too evil. The stories seem to be going nowhere interesting…there is no compelling arc that makes you excited for the next episode. This was a problem for all the teen shows I previously mentioned...and it is definitely a problem with the first three episodes of 'UnderEmployed'.

Thankfully (like a lot of successfully executed teen shows) 'UnderEmployed' finds itself by the fourth episode. As of this review, episodes 4/5/6/7 have aired. The characters have become comfortable in their own skin, so you begin to admire them as real human-beings. The dialogue has become more subtle & clever, which increases the emotional punch & LOL! factor of the scenes. Most importantly, you notice that each character MATTERS as an individual…despite their friendship, each is on a unique and compelling journey with no guarantee of success. All this leaves you wanting MORE after each episode.

One additional note about "characters"...'Vampire Diaries' viewers will know that the secret of the shows success is that the supporting characters are treated with as much care & respect as the main characters. They don't merely exist as "challenges" to the main characters…they have humanity of their own. I have noticed a similar thing with 'UnderEmployed'. From the fourth episode onwards, Lou & Daphne's bosses get "shades of grey"...and this makes the workplace scenes way more funny & interesting. More importantly, we are introduced to the compelling supporting characters of Jamel & Bekah. They are such unique & developed individuals, you will come to think of them as main cast members.

One note of praise about the acting & writing in recent episodes...there are a series of beautiful scenes between the new character Jamel & a regular character in the series (name withheld to avoid spoilers). The writers could have easily bombarded those scenes with snappy dialogue and raw physicality…but instead, they allowed the actors to employ silence & express awkwardness. As a result, we get scenes of great emotional poignancy & incredible tension. I hope 'UnderEmployed' continues to take creative risks like this.

To think...a few weeks ago, I was about to post a harsh review of this show. Now I am praising it and craving more!.

'Best Friends Forever' is pretty unique. I haven't seen a TV series that delivers both sitcom-style comedy & real emotional drama so successfully.

One minute you're watching funny one-liners & gags...and the next minute you're watching some serious emotional throw-downs. You'd think the transition between these two "worlds" would be jarring...instead, it's totally seamless.

Usually, when a comedy show wants to go anywhere near something "real" (emotionally speaking)...it will do so in a very disingenuous & sarcastic manner (think 'Community'). Whereas, 'Best Friends Forever' refuses to compromise. Each moment is given the levity or gravity it deserves.

Credit should go to the lead actresses. They know how to deliver fun play-fights (comedy) & serious real-fights (drama). And if I've read the credits correctly, they also know how to write interesting characters.

Jessica St. Clair's character is pretty noteworthy. If this was a book, she could easily come off as annoying. Raw text has a hard time delivering subtle sub-text. But when you watch the show, you see that "Jessica" is the age-old story of the "sad clown". Her hyper-activity is a natural reaction to her insecurities & fragility.

Lennon Parham's character is something you almost NEVER get to see on TV...a NORMAL woman. She likes to have fun, but she knows she has responsibilities. She's convinced her boyfriend that taking in her best friend is a burden, but she's way too giddy & giggly in the company of said burden.

So far, the male characters seem to be a bit "unexplored". The danger in this kind of show is that men are treated as the sort of dull sideshows women have been treated as for most of television history. Hopefully, the writers will flesh out Joe & Rav as the series progresses.

As you'll see, there's lots of entertaining stuff going on in 'Best Friends Forever'. There's a lot I haven't mentioned (like the gorgeous filming & hilarious little neighbour). There's nothing else like it on television. Hell, it's one of the best things on television.

If you turn off the audio, this show looks like it accurately depicts the modern generation of twenty-somethings. The settings, fashions, hair-styles & accessories all look relevant.

But once you turn the audio back on, this show sounds like it was made back in the 80's or 90's. The lead characters have one-dimensional pursuits, retro dialogue & totally cynical natures...which all lead you to believe there's a generation gap.

If you're in your mid-late twenties (as I am), then you're part of the most curious & engaged generation North America has ever produced. Those who live it know it, and those who don't are welcome to check academic & public opinion studies on the subject.

This generation has melded sharing & consumption, vanity & morals, & the personal & the civic. They're harnessing their purchasing power to affect the way companies design & produce their products. They're harnessing the very act of being fashionable to make statements. They're harnessing their bodies to fill the ranks of NGO's & social movements like #OccupyWallStreet. And they're harnessing their online presence to push both individuals & society towards pursuing higher standards of quality.

This is not the generation the show depicts.

The problem seems to be the characters of Jason & Tina. Since they receive the most individual & paired screen-time, the problems surrounding their characterizations end up dragging the show down.

The most obvious problem is the bizarre dialogue. Jason & Tina sound like a pair of mid-90's stand-up comics who watched way too many Woody Allen movies. They motor-mouth ridiculously long commentaries, in tones fit for staged theatre rather than naturalistic television. They also blurt out dated pop-culture references (seriously, few people my age even know who Steve Buscemi is...much less bond over him in public parks). None of this is the fault of the actors because it's impossible to deliver that sort of dialogue in any realistic manner.

A bigger problem however is the one-dimensional nature of Jason and Tina. It's impossible to believe they actually grew up in the era of the internet & global awareness. Sometimes, it's even hard to believe they've lost their virginity's. They have no interest in anything...except for mating. It seems like their every word & deed is structured to remind the audience of this shallow fact.

The biggest problem though, IMO, is that the writers might actually despise the very generation they're depicting. Why is it that every twenty-something character Jason & Tina come into contact with is depicted as annoying or stupid? Especially when these characters are reflective of certain mass cultural groups like hipsters, immigrants, environmentalists, & even recently lower class black kids. As Bill Maher said, these people aren't the fringe or counter-culture...they are the culture. If you don't respect them, then you don't respect us.

It's sad, because the actors look good & are definitely talented. But the writers seem to be ignorant about the people they're trying to depict.

On TV, what I like to see are interesting characters who have great interactions & decent evolutions. To my surprise, this show is delivering all of that!

Forget all the gimmicks other reviewers are highlighting. This show is more fiction than mockumentary - the camera-crew are actual characters in the story and they have dialogue. The gore & supernatural elements aren't the reason for the shows existence - they're used to create a humorous & surreal environment.

'Death Valley' IS a great "buddy cop" show. The characters are so charming. Each one is "fleshed out", with his/her own beliefs, quirks, skills. When they start interacting, it's just some of the best television you'll ever see.

The charm of this show is that the comedy is derived from the friendships between these characters...not artificial & annoying conflict. Because of their jobs (& the acting, & the writing)...you see a group that has a believable family bond. But because of their unique cultural, moral, & even sexual baggages...you get hilarious interactions & reactions whenever those baggages are brought up.

Compare this to say...'The Office' (American version). In that show, all they do is parade out any number of ridiculously annoying mental handicaps (Michael, Dwight, Andy, Kelly, etc.). Their unsubtle stupidity & artificial conflicts are supposed to generate comedy.

Another thing I'd like to highlight is that this show actually has numerous arcs!. Everything from the macro (police vs. demons) to the micro (Carla vs. John John) evolves as the show goes on. It's all done subtly, but by the end of the season...there are pay-offs on all these fronts (sort of!).

When you add this show to 'Awkward', MTV starts to look like a formidable & respectable network. This is praise from someone who's never...ever...thought highly of them.