jimmietee Reviews

Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie (2023)

Who was this character

[3/10 · 26 December 2023]

I fully realize every opportunity to make money off of nostalgia is explored and monetized but to recreate a character and leave out all that made it good before is a vast disservice to the fan base.

I was very much looking forward to one more round quirky humor but wondered "how can they do Monk in a world where you are not allowed to find humor in disability, how will they take write OCD lines as funny without causing an outrage?" Answer was, they didn't. They made him a sad, depressed man without any of the quirky humor that offset the troubled mind. Monk was always the only one that didn't realize he was just fine.

Now, he fully makes you believe that it just isn't worth it, solving all the cases, making any effort, you go through this without understanding fully why he is suicidal, but just wishing he would get on with it.

Cringe is what is left. Over the top cringe. Skip this and remember it fondly, don't destroy your memories of Monk with this abomination.

Midnight Mass: Book III: Proverbs (2021) Season 1, Episode 3

3 for a strong ending

[3/10 · 29 August 2023]

Slow pace and poor acting makes it hard to watch. I want to get engaged in the characters but other than a great soundtrack and occasional dialogue snippets that are well written it's hard. Director needs to stop hiring his wife.

And the church seems very catholic then very hail Jesus fundamentalist. So, like the unengaging characters it is hard to follow is this just a generic religion. And my worst worry after three episodes is that this won't be a horror story as much as a diatribe against organized religion. The 1 dimensional Bev is tedious and tiring to have to watch this trope play out in 2023.

I truly think the first 3 episodes could have been a single episode. The only reason to have 3 is so you spend time with tired characters and become attached to them like to that one "friend" that only gets counted as a friend because he is always hanging around.

Ted Lasso: La Locker Room Aux Folles (2023) Season 3, Episode 9

Watching it now. Worried

[4/10 · 26 August 2023]

Ok worried. Keeley is still hong up on the predator boss that paid the start up costs fo a business just to get in her pants. She is better than that. But it does highlight the dangers of the extremely rich.

The. Right into Nate's gold digger girlfriend Jade. (She was rude until she found out he was rich then all over him). He isn't better than that. But he is on the cliched redemption arc. So ambiguous about him being taking advantage of. Maybe it is the PRICE he MUST PAY.

Beats arguing was ok. But his voice was like a teenager out of his mind. But that skit was classic Ted Lasso. How can you forget Eric?

Roy then. He is best in the distance. Worn out jokes. In another room. And to retread the hairy ass joke? Maybe they got a two for one deal from writers.

Trent is best new story this season. That actor rocks though the "I can't accept homosexuality" story is so 2000s. Writers lost track of society 20 years ago.

I am so happy Rebecca (best character this season) told Roy what I was thinking. Get over yourself.

More Nate. Dang. Hopefully he is brilliant enough to realize she is a gold digger. Or Rupert let's him know.

Keeley done with Jack. Good for her. Maybe she can move on and get away from the creep.

Back to the 20 year old story. Boring. Unbelievable. Writers are mailing this one in. Ten percent of the population are gay? They are just making stuff up.

And now I find out Ted lasso not only won't learn the game he is paid to coach bit when his friend who loves the Broncos invites him to watch the Super Bowl he refuses. What an absolute asshole! Ted is terrible this season.

Nate then turns down a good looking girl to be faithful to his gold digger. Paying the price he is.

Roy then shows a sensitive side. Revitalizing his character and now that they have checked gay boxes this Eason he can have a relationship with Keeley. They could have done that without the gay affair.

Midnight Mass (2021)

1 dimensional characters

[8/10 · 25 August 2023]

One dimensional characters and bad writing makes for a predictable, heavy handed, story. Killing pets is shorthand for unredeemable character. Really sad that the new drinking game is "when you see the pasted on diversity character take a drink". But they have to check all the boxes to get greenlit today. This is painful to sit through. I gave it 4 episodes before stopping. I am urging you to skip all these episodes.

Perhaps there is a market for stories that don't make sense ( they are obviously up north because of all the evergreens but it is February or March and they are wearing light jackets on a fall grey day) or misrepresentations ( catholic priest exhorts his flock as if he is a fundamental Baptist preacher). But confirmation bias means if you have hate already formed this will fan it.

Ted Lasso: The Strings That Bind Us (2023) Season 3, Episode 7

Miss this show

[3/10 · 13 August 2023]

This show used to be so enjoyable and I sure miss it. Last episode touched on what used to make it great. Now we have Lasso being there 3 years now and hasn't bothered himself to even learn the game he is paid millions a year to coach. Jack has turned creepy as hell apparently only bankrolling Keeley because she wanted to get in Keeley's pants (and has) seriously that is 1950s type of stuff. And. Nathan has gone on to pursue his dream so his story arc is done. But we still waste time on him. I get that they are bringing him full circle to be bestirs again, but he never was and never will be. He is interested in his career. Unlike Lasso. And his gold digger of a girlfriend that treated him so badly until he became rich and famous? How is that a good story?

The Devil's Hour (2022– )

Decent Series Worth a Watch

[6/10 · 6 July 2023]

Decent series that only ran a bit long in a couple episodes. Great acting by antagonist but not matched by acting of the protagonist kind of defines the show. Main problem is weak characters other than Lucy and Gideon and Gideon isn't strong until episode 6 while Lucy gets more and more acting class assignment level of delivery.

Main plus to the series is the mystery and that it is explained well when it wraps. Left with just a few intentional cliff hangers it ends up making as much sense as science fiction can (you have to accept the new physics but of course that leads to contradictions when considering how actual physics might integrate with it).

But they plan on using those logic holes to create the suspend for next season I am sure. The kids crosses to other dimensions even though it is described as linear time. But that allows the kid to survive to next season and recovering him be the story. Only we already know the story will end a certain way since Lucy's infallibility causes major logic issues itself.

I think if it had limited all but last episode to 45 minutes I would give this 7 stars.

The Devil's Hour: The Half of Ourselves We Have Lost (2022) Season 1, Episode 5

Struggling now

[5/10 · 5 July 2023]

Funny how after 3 episodes I was saying "glad they got at least 1 smart cop" referring to Ravi. Then he didn't just go downhill he jumped right of a cliff.

First he doesn't think anything strange when Lucy knows a lot more about the crimes than she should. As a matter of fact he lets her rampage through the crime scenes, even letting her lead the way.

Then he becomes investigator on his partners murder? Is he the only cop in the area? I guess so because when Lucy calls and demands the address of the brother SHE becomes the lead investigator telling him he doesn't have to go at all. So he gives her the address and then rides along on her investigation. Ridiculous.

This started out promising but weak characters other than Lucy (and Jessica Raine is not enough of an actress to pull off the complex character) has resulted in things going downhill.

The Rehearsal (2022– )

Macbeth said it best

[5/10 · 29 June 2023]

Fielder has good comedic timing and a honed flare for the absurdities of life. When this series started it had a lot of promise to allow ridiculous situations garner ridiculous (and funny and sometimes insightful) reactions by real people. Kor was amazing. Patrick genuinely emotional and turning him into a literal gold digger was funny.

But Angela was a stereotype clearly created by Fielder as a foil to his ideas. We became viewers of Fielder's inner monologue without recourse to anything real. He turned the whole premise of using real world examples into a dream sequence that just undid all meaning. The man could have written an existential book and it had as much meaning.

Macbeth gave a good summation of this show " It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing."

It is a shame that Fielder thought he could act and be taken as meaningful. It is a shame that he took a solid premise and devolved it into some strange dissertation without real or meaningful connections. All it ended up being was a performance art piece. And like most of those it had some good parts. But overall left you feeling was it worth the effort.

Maudie (2016)

Decent but heavily flawed

[5/10 · 20 February 2023]

I did enjoy the basic story, a damaged person making something out of her life. To see her stand up and take charge of her life was inspiring. To see her stand up against her brother and aunt, who looked at her as incapable of self direction, was definitely a feel good story.

My issue is the abuse. It just left me sad overall to see her go from one abusive relationship to another to another. From her brother to her aunt to Everett. To see her trapped with nowhere to go and develop Stockholm Syndrome believing she loved Everett despite his heavy abuse overpowered the feel good parts.

Ethan Hawke was terrible, I saw a moment at the end where the real Everett walked into the tiny home and that Ev actually smiled making me believe (hope) that whatever abusive asshole Ethan was trying to portray in his character wasn't the real Everett. I never could tell what his problem was, was he slow or just scared of the world because of his orphan upbringing or what?

Sally Hawkings as better, or portrayed more depth in her character, but you can tell, when her affliction would go from minor distortion of he body to "oh, look, she's all better" or her speech patterns would change shot to shot the difference between her and an top tier actor.

I blame Aisling, putting his money on hiring Ethan when there was nothing in his character to act, and making it about the abuse Maud put up with from the person she spent her life with, well, it changed it from highly recommend to don't bother.

Prey (I) (2022)

Decent but flawed

[5/10 · 29 January 2023]

Not sure why they picked Comanche if they wanted it to be set in plains. A lot of great Indian tribes inhabited the northern plains but Comanches were not one of them. Sioux. Crow. Nez Perce. Many others would have been historically accurate.

Liked the overall hero journey they placed Naru on. Much better approach than the Mary Sue most female leads sadly are. Super intelligent was her strength. Of course once it is recognized she is on a hero's journey you know the brother is going to die.

They could have. Completely omitted the historically flawed Europeans and it would have been a much better movie. Indian parts were 7.5. European parts were 4.

30 Rock: Aunt Phatso vs. Jack Donaghy (2012) Season 7, Episode 6

I groaned

[1/10 · 21 January 2023]

When hazel, who has never had a good moment even when compared to the sorry state that this show has been in for the last 3 seasons, appeared I groaned. I knew it would be childish writing and horrible drama. Not sure how this woman has a recurring role even in a show that is a fraction of what it once was.

Overall the writers are clearly where 30 rock is saving loads of cash. I suspect they have an elementary school contest for "funny" lines. And the idea has to come from the person playing Hazel, who stopped learning about acting or comedy about that time in her life. Not many episodes left. I can make it. As long as this is the last episode with Hazel as a major character.

Anne with an E: Signs Are Small Measurable Things, But Interpretations Are Illimitable (2018) Season 2, Episode 2

Why not create your own show

[1/10 · 6 January 2023]

If you don't care to tell the story of Anne of Green Gables then why tie your horse to that hitching post. So everything in this story is made up. As in not in the book. But then they twist things for the period. Trinidad got rid of slavery 50 years prior to Bash and Gilbert walking around for some reason the guy with the horse assume Bash is the first slave in decades to show up. But really he only called him boy not slave. So really why did they not assume he was talking to Gilbert who was the one actually messing around with the horse? Forced perspective is bad writing.

And then they visit mom who says you can't visit. And the admit slavery ended 50 year prior but they don't speak to why he can't visit his free mother.

So yeah, they went from a story written in the period to a modern story dressed up in old clothing.

Glass Onion (2022)

Wow. So predictable

[2/10 · 1 January 2023]

How bad do the writers have to be to put up such a predictable show. The one twist that was surprising was the twin . . . But that was the last me that made zero difference to the plot. If it had been a twin or Andi made zero difference.

They are supposed to have a third movie. When they make it and a minority female shows up then you know she will be the hero.

If they could stay away from the political tropes there are a couple of funny parts. They really could make a decent movie but they think it is best to put nonsense in and it makes it horribly predictable.

Gonna skip the third. It will obviously lean into the BS of political correctness at the expense of story.

Only Murders in the Building: The Boy from 6B (2021) Season 1, Episode 7

Gimmick episode early?

[4/10 · 18 November 2022]

A lot of series when they get into trouble go with a gimmick episode. An all musical or a rear window revised. This series is on the first season and was doing decent so not sure why they had to go with the silence gimmick. Especially when it didn't make sense when the POV wasn't from the deaf guy.

The scrabble scene was hilarious though so perhaps it was worth it but I want to watch it for the story, not the coffee house artistry.

Still waiting for the big reveal that will make Mabel and her friends likeable. Because stealing and playing with deaf guy's emotions isn't top tier "these are decent people" actions.

The Expanse: Windmills (2016) Season 1, Episode 7

Weak characters continue

[3/10 · 11 September 2022]

After last episode showing some promise we are back to poor characters. Other than Miller, and he is just written with a slow burn detective noir trope, and Avasarala who really doesn't have anything much to do at this point, the crew continue on the border of incompetence and dysfunction.

Perhaps somewhere they will start acting intelligently rather than like a stoner in a hacker movie. At that point it might become good enough to continue watching.

Sad they saved money by not hiring decent writers and actors. A couple actors show some promise. But not enough at this point. Perhaps in another couple of shows they will develop into something showing a bit of an nteresting motives or actions.

The Expanse: Back to the Butcher (2016) Season 1, Episode 5

Downhill once more

[2/10 · 8 September 2022]

Was a bit hopeful after last episode that they might bring things together and get the crew characterizations at least remotely similar to the books. I mean that was what made the books worth the effort to read them. But no. Writers decided that angry Naomi, idiot Amos, and incompetent Holden is somehow preferable to a team of people working together against long odds.

It isn't. They are very wrong.

But I'm guess if you never read the books and don't know they took the best part out of it then I guess it is some poorly written space opera that is too slow. Sonif that is your thing this is a gem.

The Expanse: The Big Empty (2015) Season 1, Episode 2

So bad I worry about the series

[2/10 · 6 September 2022]

It's like they took everything that was good in the books and changed it "for drama". Crew competence. Gone. Holden sending message because he believes in sharing. Gone. Naomi being great except for not wanting to be leader. Gone. Bunch of squabbling children without any relation to n adult character. Except for the Mary Sue. Don't tear apart the characters and who and why they do things. It is only because of that that the interminable exposition of the books was bearable.

The only character that even resembles the character from the book is Amos Who was never the brightest star but even then they thought "we should make him stupid".

To be fair the authors didn't even try to develop Alex until book 4. But the run away from debris was just stupid

Poor characterization. Manufactured drama. It almost makes me miss the 2/3 of the book you hat just rambled on and on and on. At least then I knew good characters would appear soon. Here nothing to look forward to yet.

So sad.

A Discovery of Witches: Episode #3.6 (2022) Season 3, Episode 6

I blame Harkness

[1/10 · 6 June 2022]

Poor writing is at the story level. Classic evil genius "we have the good guy at our mercy but won't kill him because , uh, we need him". Can she not write a decent storyline or is tired old tropes pulled randomly out of a jar all she can string together?

And what was that dumb fight about? Juliette basically kills mighty Matthew with the flick of a finger but these two need to throw each other around because they learned nothing in centuries of fighting.

Wow. And people paid to have this story told?

How to Get Away with Murder: Let's Hurt Him (2020) Season 6, Episode 12

Ridiculous

[1/10 · 4 June 2022]

So now she is facing the death penalty for things that aren't even a federal crime? Stupid. But it allows her to get on a soap box and play the victim.

What a stupid way of ending this series.

A Discovery of Witches: Episode #3.2 (2022) Season 3, Episode 2

Dumb and dumber

[1/10 · 4 June 2022]

So Matthew has been around for 400+ Living throughout Europe including London. Jack has been heartbrokenly looking for Matthew. For 400+ years. And he ultimately knew that Matthew existed in some form all that time. Probably even visiting the Percy's who Jack was staying with. And the historical Matthew knew his alternate had come back and made major changes. But at no point did they run across each other. And Jack goes 400+ years and then suddenly starts murdering without explanation?

Time travel BS is the worst trope. But you get to ply dress up with your characters so authors love to do it.

Story has really gone down hill. Diane hates murder except when people she "loves" murders innocents. Then she is fine with it. That stain on her honor we are just supposed to accept and think what a heroine? Sick.

How to Get Away with Murder: The Reckoning (2020) Season 6, Episode 11

Soooo downhill

[1/10 · 3 June 2022]

So the FBI didn't get full confessions, video depositions, and voluminous written details from Connor and Michaela before letting them leave the building? They just let them go with a promise to tell us t all later. Lets just do completely unbelievable and stupid stuff to conclude the series.

And then the FBI says go to the person we think had our last informant killed and hang out with her. Because we say so.

But that is how poor writers tie up things I guess.

How to Get Away with Murder: Vivian's Here (2019) Season 6, Episode 2

At least it's the last season.

[1/10 · 29 May 2022]

No idea why someone like Gabriel would hook up with a psycho like michaela. Guess because he has a manipulative mom so maybe he is attracted to crazy.

And if the kid is terrified by ICE picking him up then that is a great indicator he has never really experienced trauma.

At least it's the last season. Hopefully a bomb goes off and wipes the entire evil nest.

The Last Kingdom: Episode #1.8 (2015) Season 1, Episode 8

Bit rough around the edges

[7/10 · 23 May 2022]

Predictably the innocent that was sacrificed was his son. Predictably she gets killed. I'm ok with those. That's how stories work. But there was no reason to make the battle scene so stupid. It was like 300 except 300 was based off comic books so the silly heroics was ok. Here. It was just nonsense.

1883: This Is Not Your Heaven (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

Could they have slowed it down any more?

[1/10 · 11 April 2022]

Dear lord, I just spent an hour, a full hour, watching a melodramatic teenager die. That means over 10% of this entire series was Elsa dying slowly.

And I can't help but think if Shea had shot himself in episode 1 perhaps more than 2 people he was responsible for would have survived. I figure he shot himself over his incompetence.

And how did the indian die? Did he die of a broken heart when Elsa didn't show up? Or is he just a figment of her heaven fever dream imagination?

Finally, glorifying death as the final message isn't something I support. "Death is beautiful" and the incompetent guy killing himself (finally) while looking out over the ocean waves, more than kind of encourages suicide in others.

1883: Boring the Devil (2022) Season 1, Episode 6

So slow I think it went in reverse

[1/10 · 28 March 2022]

So pa tells the story about when he was fighting against the United States because he supported keeping humans as slaves and decided to kill a child that was carrying a flag (US or regimental). And they had sad music on so I think "how sad and wise this slavery supporter was in murdering children for his belief". That is the type of nonsense they write.

The writers can't write a pacing that retains internet and only 20% of the actors can act at the high school level. Of course the result will be a mess.