chelseapk Reviews

Encanto (2021)

Breaking the cycle

[9/10 · 6 February 2022]

Just watched Encanto for the second time and it takes on such a different meaning now knowing that the film is (at least in my interpretation) about breaking dysfunctional family cycles. I cried at the end the first time I saw it because I was so touched when I realized that the film was addressing an issue that so many of us face privately. Well done, Disney! But for this reason, the film won't be for everyone - viewers who don't identify with the underlying message/metaphor may find it's just an average Disney film (which is why I'm only giving 9/10). For me, it was the best one they've made yet.

Motherland (I) (2016–2022)

Hilarious but with a problem...

[6/10 · 3 June 2021]

Look. This show is funny. Really really funny. But, as a new mum, seeing all these rail thin women run around pretending they're the typical mum is not just frustratingly unrealistic, it's damaging. Between laughs, more often than not, I catch myself thinking "what can I do to be thin like that?" Frankly, I'm tired of television shows not challenging our problematic beauty ideals, and continuing to promote unrealistic (for many) standards. This is particularly important when it comes to mums, whose bodies have often changed significantly, leaving us to come to terms with our new shapes. Do better, Motherland.

The Sinner (2017–2021)

I could only watch half of season 1 (the "best" season)

[2/10 · 4 April 2021]

I love crime dramas and crime thrillers. I was so excited to watch this! The Sinner season 1 started out with an intriguing premise, but by episode 5 of 8 I had to stop watching and read the ending on Wikipedia (gotta know the ending, even if the show was un-finishable, haha). The main problems were that the characters were unlikable, including Cora (boring!) and Harry (could not bring myself to have any interest in him, making his pointless torture fetish scenes all the harder to watch; the writing and character motivations were just weak and at times just bad; and the acting was poor. Not to mention, the actual plot turns out to have massive holes in it. I don't recommend this show at all. Watching it beyond the first couple episodes was not an enjoyable experience.

Bridgerton (2020– )

Just plain boring

[3/10 · 31 March 2021]

I tried to watch Bridgerton twice. The first time I only got through half an episode. After a friend told me she really liked it, I tried again and pushed through to the third episode, but I couldn't go on. This show is just so boring. Nothing happens in the episodes, the characters aren't interesting, and the "drama" (if you can call it that) is so cliché. Not good.

Virgin River (2019– )

I couldn't watch past the third episode

[2/10 · 12 December 2020]

My sister-in-law recommended this, saying it was like This is Us. We tried it. I hated it. It is nothing like This is Us. The dialogue is terrible, the characters are over-acted, the storyline is full of holes and clichés, the music is unnecessarily sappy and overdone. If you like watching good tv... this is not it. It is just bad bad bad. Bad.

Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)

Lots of heart and silly laughs

[10/10 · 5 June 2019]

My husband and I started watching this on Netflix as we were looking for some lighthearted laughs and are fans of Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy's brand of humor. We binge watched it straight through to season 5 and I can honestly say it's one of the shows with the most heart I've seen in a long time. I love watching the characters connect with each other and learn more about themselves. Lots of corny jokes but that's the point, and the actors pull it off immaculately. Most episodes leave me with a little tear in my eye - such a sweet show!

Also, to those trying to compare it to Arrested Development - just, no. Arrested Development (which is also amazing!) didn't focus on character growth and family bonding, it's not a heartwarming show in any way... the unabashed shallowness and self-centeredness of the characters is what makes it so funny. Schitt's Creek takes a very different approach.