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Reviews
Lykkeland (2018)
This is a wonderful show
I happened upon this title by way of Topic TV. And I know a little about the petroleum business so I watched it. And I was so impressed with the acting and story. Those who played the Americans were absolutely convincing as American oilmen and these young Norwegian actors carried the show. It is a show of drama, mixing of cultures, rapid change and importantly an understated sweet romantic story between Jonathan and Anna and of Anna's patience and resolve through it all. There is a lot we didn't see in their relationship but the two seasons covered 11 years from 1969 until the event. Anne Regine Ellingsaeter is exceptional. I read this is going to a third series to cover 1984 to 2000 and I hope Anna remains a part of the story. I so look forward to seeing where Anna Hellevik-Kay goes in the next chapter. And yes, I had tears in my eyes at the end.
Sexify (2021)
Silly Show
I was interested early but it took a lot of time to get to the punchline. It's an innocuous silly show and while the actresses gave it their all, the material wasn't there. I can say that the three lead actresses are cute and they grew on me over time. And now it sets up for a second season that will likely just revisit season 1 except that these ladies will likely be working to commercialize the app. Unless they can expand that topic there's not much to work with. But it is entertainment. The plot is not nearly compelling as Sex Education.
The One (2021)
Not What I Expected But I Dug It
My preconception was this was going to be a goofy show where "matched" individuals found their soulmates. And I couldn't imagine how that theme could be sustained. But from the get go I despised the antagonist but became ever more interested in story as it unfolded. All these people trying to find their match and then all the ensuing trouble in their lives when they do. And then it is a police mystery with a murder and intrigue associated with it. I thought we were cruising to the logical end in a limited series but then the succession of twists at the end. It is a story that has to continue.
Rebecka Martinsson (2017)
I liked both seasons
First of all I enjoyed both seasons. There overall movement of both seasons was a slow burn but I've learned to love the Scandi Noir projects.
With Season 1 I came to admire the character as portrayed by Ida Engvoll. So I was concerned after reading some of these reviews with the change in actors for the lead role to Sascha Zacharius. I did note her appearance as a minor character in S1. It took getting used to her through episode 1. But beyond that I enjoyed her portrayal of Rebecka. And the plots in S2 remained strong. We got to know the demons Rebecka was dealing with in S2 and that was thanks to the work of Sascha. It's hard to believe that Sascha is about six years older than Ida.
Wanted (2016)
I like it but it is very tedious!
I'm almost through Season 2 and I will finish the show. But it is very tedious with the same antagonists popping up again and again like "whack a mole". Our heroines shouldn't have to defeat the same bad guys time after time after time!
Quicksand (2019)
Very Good Show and a Warning For Young Women
I really liked this show. Excellent acting from Hannah Ardhen. All the high school boy/girl activity early on was tedious for me but as the plot unfolded I forgot about that. But more than anything else it shows how vulnerable a young woman may become in the presence of a domineering and abusive partner. From that standpoint I'd sit and watch it with a teenage daughter. I knew how it was going to end and who would end up the ace prosecution witness.
Oh and the Swedes are very handsome people as we all knew.
Lovesick (2014)
Wonderful Show, But I'm Left A Little Sad
It's a show that evolved from being silly, to a little more serious and then a tear jerker for me. I pulled for the protagonists as likely all did. And I'm quite satisfied with the ending, except for Abigail. And as I've watched a few episodes again I just feel heartbreak for that wonderful character. We saw her early on and then later and then as the character who's perhaps responsible for the outcome. In fact if not for Abigail, who knows how it would have ended?
Edit: And I just seen via IG that Hannah Britland who did such a wonderful job as Abigail has moved on from acting to pursue other dreams. She blew me away with her portrayal of Abigail!
Sex Education: Episode 6 (2019)
This Was A Pivotal Episode
So this is many months past the debut of Season 1 and even after Season 2. But despite the Lilly/Otis silliness this is a pivotal episode in the Maeve/Otis saga. At the start she barely recognizes him when he sits with her at the assembly. But the assembly was important as four people knew who wrote the essay, Maeve, Adam, Ms. Sands and Otis. So when Maeve asked, Jackson didn't want to discuss the the essence of the essay. He couldn't remember anything about it. Later Otis walks to Maeve's locker and tells her he liked HER essay and that he'd not read but heard it. It was very dark and and only Maeve could turn the subject of dreams into existential angst. He told her next time not to give the trophy away. And Maeve, reassured and proud, smiles. It was at the end of the episode she picked up the jumper, closed her eyes and sniffed the jumper. It was at that moment she all in, fell for Otis. It was a very important episode!
Sex Education: Episode 8 (2020)
I'm going to try to hang in there for another year
So in S1E8, I was so bummed out that Otis never knew how Maeve felt. I was so looking forward to S2. And fast forward to the end of episode 8 it was a gut punch for me. I understand as others have stated when Maeve and Otis finally emotionally embrace and kiss that is pretty much the end of the show. It is the reason for the series. While there are many more compelling story lines in this episode and the season, Otis and Maeve are the characters we know best and care about most. And realistically with the huge popularity of this show that may not even happen in Season 3. We know we will have at least three seasons because if this show ended now it'd be a train wreck.
Overall Maeve treated Otis shabbily a lot in S1. In S2 it was the reverse. I could see trouble coming with Issac. Come on, we won't watch this show for another one or two or three years if they are to be the item. So ok, I'll hang in there understanding I'm likely to be twisted into a pretzel for one or two more years before all this plays out. This show has to get these students through the final year of high school so we have some time left. But I thoroughly love the show. I hope it is renewed by mid February. I will watch both seasons again later this year. And from what I read season 3 while not officially green-lighted, is supposed to start production this spring.
Maeve is gorgeous as a brunette by the way! She is so much prettier to me in S2 than S1. And I loved the way they filled out her character this season. She is strong but vulnerable and a really good person. It's hard to understand why it is so difficult for her to just lay out her feelings for Otis. She is so much better than she has been treated by her classmates. Otis, he's ok and will be fine.
Sex Education (2019)
Season 2 A Little Disappointing
I loved this show in Season 1. In it's simplest form it's about whether or not Cupid's arrow will find the heart of Otis and Maeve? All the in between is interesting and a compelling, funny story. So I looked forward to resumption of this story in Season 2. Well as far as I'm concerned it is not resolved and is more complicated and I'm left a little flat. And when this story is finally resolved in Season 3 or beyond the reason for the show will be over. One can only stay in High School for so long. You decide whether or not Cupid hit or missed.
Having had time to review Maeve and Otis's interactions in S1 and understand what Otis was dealing with in S2 and that was being to be true to Ola even as she insisted that he not see Maeve anymore, I'm ok with the ending. Otis tried to do what was right. Ola then dumped Otis and Maeve and Otis simply missed their chance. Maeve gave Otis a pretty rough time a lot in S1.
Luchshe, chem lyudi (2018)
This was really pretty good and Russian women are gorgeous
So I stumbled into this show and decided to give it a try. At first Russian language with English captions was almost more than I could handle. At times I simply froze the screen to read as my eyes spent more time on the bottom of the screen reading than watching the action. Anyway I was all in from the start. Regardless of criticisms about similarity to previous shows or movies the series was interesting and stood on its own. My first impression was with Paulina Andreeva wow, they nailed the casting of the part of Arisa. She in her method of acting was so convincing. In appearance she is lithe and so classically beautiful. She looked like, and don't laugh, a human-sized Barbee Doll. And as the episodes continued I increasingly empathized with and pulled for her. Her interactions with Safronov frustrated me as I couldn't see why she wasn't more than the distraction she seemed to be from the start. And throughout most all situations Arisa was the moral compass in things right and wrong.
So at 16 episodes the show dragged at times but this only detracted in a minor way from my experience. I love these international shows; the themes and getting to know the actors from these other places.
I will say I was frustrated by the ending. I hope there is more story to tell and another season.
And I have some additional random observations. The look of the show and scenery depicting a modern city and future technology and setting was spot on. It surprised me to an extent. Not knowing if this was intended, the male actors looked a bit rugged and scruffy with their five day beard stubble. They at times seemed disheveled. And in contrast the female actors to a cast member were all in their own way just gorgeous.
Roswell, New Mexico (2019)
If You Hang In With it. It's OK
So at the heart of it this is a love story which actually is pretty good. Then there is all of this alien Roswell stuff that has to be in it but seems discordant at times. There are the various relationships some of which are hetero and then not then back again and that's ok. After nine or ten episodes I was a little lost. But the last several episodes closed out the season well and give me a reason to be interested in and see a need for a second season. As an aside, I really do like the cast. I'm not familiar with most so they are fresh faces to me but I liked them. So all in all it was good enough for me. A little cringe worthy at times but I like to be entertained and I was.
Dead to Me (2019)
I loved this show
As implausible as the premise for the story is, I thoroughly enjoyed this series. The interaction of Jen and Judy is impeccable. Jen was tough as nails (and vulnerable) and Judy (also vulnerable) a character with a huge heart and she evoked my sympathy. I really pulled for her. I loved the ending. Don't know where it could go in ten episodes in a second season.
1983 (2018)
I enjoyed this show
I recommend this show. I happened upon it by chance but from the start it is a compelling presentation and moves very quickly. I especially appreciate the theme as told from the perspective of the Polish who were not a free people in the not too distant past. Give it a try!
Ozark (2017)
As we move on to Season 3: A review and a tip of the hat to Rachel!
When Season 2 dropped at the end of August this year I'd not seen season 1. For the next week and a half I watched both S1 and S2. This is not a healthy thing to do because there is way too much turmoil to deal with in such a short amount of time. As has been well documented this is a very dark show with compromised characters with few rays of hope or calm on the horizon. Characters tend to be one-dimensional flawed persons having made bad choices and only trying to survive through the terrible messes they've put themselves in. There is little love passed around. And despite this I loved this show though I was often in a state of binge watching anxiety. I'll have a tough time waiting a year or more for Season 3.
Though most characters were largely lousy people, I came to appreciate the character Rachel and her interactions with Marty. She was a kind of normal person with kind of normal interactions with Marty. She was a ray of light in the darkness. But as we all know anyone in Marty Byrde's orbit ends up in a worse place and Rachel surely did. Her plight was heartbreaking. Fast forward to and through Season 2 where Rachel hit rock bottom and was under relentless pressure. Despite all the turmoil she'd undergone as a result of Marty and what she knew about him, she offered a moment of kindness to him and one where he responded in kind; in an emotional way. Fast forward past the end of episode 8 she is gone ... to Florida?? And with that, I believe their relationship changes. So in thinking about what part my favorite character plays in Season 3, I've come to the realization that she is free from Petty and will be cleaned up (good), in charge of and again owning the Blue Cat outright and with Marty out of the picture (also good). It's possible with the end of season 2; we've seen the last of Rachel and the Blue Cat (unfortunate). If this happens, I'll miss them.