rubendh Reviews

Alice in Borderland (2020– )

Hair-raising, but impressive

[9/10 · 4 January 2022]

While looking for other recommended series on IMDB, I came across this one in particular. After investigating a bit deeply, it gave me at first some "Squid Game" vibes, which I'd observed a few months ago and left me with a very bittersweet experience. However, I decided to give it the benefit of doubt to see how it played out. Eight chapters later, I can say without hesitation that despite not having the high popularity of its South Korean counterpart, "Alice in Borderland" is a superior series and by far.

Although it bears some similarities with "Squid Game" in terms of plot despite being released a year before the latter, the difference is that the creators of "Alice in Borderland" planned and executed it carefully, while maintaining its fidelity to the same-named manga most of the time. As a result, the plot never fell short or felt unstable during Season 1 and the plot twists were literally brutal and surprising. Furthermore, they didn't skimp of creativity, suspense and tension factors (especially when it come to the games), something that kept me glued to the chair to see what happens next.

Regarding the characters, this was perhaps one of the series' characteristics that stood out by far. The creators did a flawless job in the way they were presented to the audience, especially when they gave us the chance to see their life backgrounds through flashbacks, whether they were main or secondary. They also scored high in terms of showing an authentic chemistry between themselves (especially with Arisu and Usagi) to the point of connecting with the audience progressively and the individual character development on each one of them. Here I want to highlight an aspect and is related to Hikari's case. Although I was surprised to find out that she was trans (since I thought she was a woman all that time), the creators of the series didn't excessively focus on her sexuality or gender as it generally occurs in western series, but more on her abilities and capacities like anyone else. So I give them high props.

Ultimately, if you were one of the people who liked "Squid Game" or felt that the aforementioned series partially met or did not meet expectations at the end, I highly recommend that you watch "Alice in Borderland". I assure you that you'll love it. As for me, count me in to watch Season 2.

Squid Game (2021– )

Fair-to-Middling

[6/10 · 17 October 2021]

To be honest, the first time I found out about "Squid Game" was when I was traveling home and a passenger on my bus was watching it on his cell phone. After doing some research to confirm, I tried to avoid spoilers until I could see it, but in less than 24 hours the entire internet was filled with it. That forced me to abstain from watching the series for a few days until the boom subsided.

After finally observing the 9 chapters, I can share the following points. Personally, I really liked the social message that the series shared, of how they gave Korean children's games of the 70s and 80s a dark twist, and the chemistry between the characters and their individual development. I would have easily given it an 8, if not for two downsides.

The first was the way the story was told. At first, it was able to take off without any problem but it became unstable until the end of the season, which in my opinion could have been better. Apart from that, the police side-plot must also have been developed better. They gave him considerable screening time, only to stop with a clichéd Star Wars-type moment? I mean, what the heck?

The second is related to the characters. Although the characters had good chemistry with each other and a good, but slow individual development, the same cannot be said about the audience; since they felt a bit generic and the charisma was almost non-existent (especially with the main character).

In short, "The Squid Game" is not a bad series, but I consider it highly overrated from what I had to see. If in such case Netflix renews it for a Season 2, it is necessary that improvements be made, especially with the writing part. I give it a 6.5/10.

Mr. Mayor (2021–2022)

Hit-and-Miss

[6/10 · 18 September 2021]

I must start this review by clarifying that I originally starting watching this series in mid-July, but I wasn't able to finish it until now due to force majeure reasons. Still, I'll give my personal opinion about it. Although "Mr. Mayor" is not a great masterpiece of series, it isn't trash either as some imply, since it's a good satire of what has become 21st century' politics and issues today, especially in the United States. Nonetheless, I have to flag some aspects.

Although the series creators made a good formula that kept me entertained most of the time generally speaking, I felt that its execution was kinda rocky. In the characters' aspect, while they are interesting enough and had a good interaction between them and with the audience, there's still a lot to do regarding their individual development. As for the comedy factor, it was both a hit and miss, because although there were jokes that managed to pull me some chuckles, other were so goofy and cringy that practically failed.

In the end, while "Mr. Mayor" is a quite OK series with a lot of potential to offer, it requires significant improvements in the writing and humor for Season 2 if it wants to continue in the TV's major leagues for more time. The question is: I would tune Season 2 when it is released? The answer is yes.

The Great North (2021– )

So-so, but passable

[6/10 · 30 June 2021]

I was initially conflicted about giving a chance to "The Great North" after my huge disappointment with "Duncanville", as well as watching some clashing reviews about this particular series related to some of the content and about being a "spiritless Bob's Burgers spin-off". Nowadays, I decided to give it a try in order to see what it had to offer. After watching it for almost a week, I can honestly say that while "The Great North" may not be a major masterpiece as its counterparts, is not terrible either as some people imply.

Although that the series is still finding its firm footing, I feel that it is superior in several aspects in comparison to Duncanville. First of all, the creators managed to keep the series' premise focused at all times towards the main and secondary characters while conveying their social messages in a way that didn't feel forced and imposing. Therefore, it is a clear signal that they managed to create an adequate formula for it and thus avoiding penalizing too much the audience's balance. In that part, I will give them thumbs up.

Secondly, despite the characters brought me some difficulties due to their divergent personalities and interactions, their individual development had a slow, but fair pace during Season 1's run to the point of starting growing gradually within me and even identifying with some of them. Thirdly, the comedy factor was both a hit and a miss, since there were jokes that managed to land and pull me some chuckles/laughs and others that... weren't so gracious at all. If the creators were trying to do a balance between white and black comedy for creative reasons, I respect their decision.

In conclusion, while "The Great North" may have fell short to fill entirely the "Bob's Burgers" spin-off shoe standards, is still an OK series generally speaking, due to the fact that the creators did their best effort to create something different and they managed to make it possible, albeit slowly. The only thing they have to do in order to show the series' full potential is to address and improve all the writing shortcomings before proceeding with Season 2's development. In other words, it's just a matter of letting it develop it well. Therefore, I'll give the series a 6.5/10.

And before you ask, I'll wait for Season 2.

Vice Principals (2016–2018)

Comedy to the square

[9/10 · 23 June 2021]

I was undecided whether or not to watch "Vice Principals", as I didn't knew it if was going to be my type, but I decided to give it a shot after being persuaded by a friend. In the end, I must admit that this particular series is one of the few of the HBO catalogue that I've loved so much to the extent of wanting even more of it. It is also a series that immerses you in the extremely complex world of two gentlemen who, despite fighting each other for the ultimate jackpot at the school (Being Principal) and having some complications in their personal lives, join forces to get their opponents out of the way in order to achieve their goal.

This is a series which I don't have complaints whatsoever, since they developed it perfectly throughout its two-season run: excellent character and plot development, a perfect combination between comedy and drama, a catchy soundtrack that matches perfectly with the occurrences (personally I liked so much the opening theme, since it reminded of my tenure at the school band during my senior year), good plot twists, funny and tense moments, among others. However, I would like to highlight some positive things a little bit more.

In the interaction aspect of the characters, I really enjoyed the chemistry between McBride and Goggins' characters from the very outset, which can be described initially as a frenemy relationship and later as a brotherly one, since it makes you feel a variety of emotions to the point of hooking up with the story. The same can be said with the secondary characters, that there were some that I had an almost instantaneous connection (especially Mrs. Snodgrass) and others that I was satisfied that they got what they deserved...Like Mrs. Abbott, which I started to hate gradually due to her Fatal Attraction-esque attitude. Another aspect I want to praise is the excellent execution of the main characters' side stories, which showed their behind-of-scenes personal problems, as well as their eventual redemptions and triumphs at the end of the series.

While it is a real shame that "Vice Principals" ended so soon, it ended in a very high note to the point of being considered as the perfect comedy series to watch in the scenario of wanting to break a day or week of full boredom. It is really enjoyable!

Eastbound & Down (2009–2013)

A comical, "single hit" series

[7/10 · 13 June 2021]

First of all, I must clarify that this is the first review I've done in a long time due to the fact that I was first busy with other matters and then I was abruptly hospitalized for two weeks due to a case of mild-to-moderate COVID. However, here I am to give my comments on "Eastbound and Down" after watching it for almost three weeks.

I must admit that it's one of the most peculiar, interesting early 2010s series that HBO has done so far, due to the fact that although it begins as a simple and raunchy comedy about a frustrated professional baseball player who wants to return to the big leagues, its tone begins to be complemented with a touch of realism throughout its 4-season run, where the main protagonist will understand (albeit in the hard way) that not all that glitters is gold when it comes to fame and arrogant attitudes, and what matters the most is its circle of friends and family.

While I've no complaints about the unexpected plot twists, balance between comedy and drama, musical score, and plot development, I've to highlight a few observations. On the character development aspect, there were occasions that the characters' personalities were so clashing that the chemistry between them and the story's pacing suffered at times. In the end, however, they managed to settle on solid ground. As for the jokes, although most of them hit the laughter mark, there were others that got lost in the air or were so raunchy that sometimes I had to momentarily stop watching the series.

In the end, while "Eastbound and Down" is not an out of the park-esque series, it is still an enjoyable one that will keep you entertained to the extent of breaking the boring monotony of your daily workday. Furthermore, I would dare to say that this series was the inspiration base of other similar TV shows of the genre that appeared later on the decade, such as Bob-Waksberg's "Bojack Horseman" and Hoffman's "Hoops".

The Righteous Gemstones (2019– )

A quirky, enjoyable dramedy

[9/10 · 24 April 2021]

I must start this review by saying that this series is the umpteenth recommendation that I received from my best friend. I had my doubts regarding "The Righteous Gemstones" at first, since it isn't the usual series that anyone watches given its particular premise...However, I decided to give it a chance to see what it had to offer. In personal terms, this series is so far and without doubt one of the best of the Dramedy genre and HBO's catalogue (even much better and interesting than "Euphoria", in my opinion).

Is a series that focuses mainly on showing through its episodes (albeit with a fictional touch, as well as a more comedic tone) the dark side of real-life televangelists and megachurches that promise to its adepts absolute salvation, but having at the same time and behind the scenes a questionable tradition of ambition, deceit, and betrayals. In this part, I recommend the audience that follows this type of worship taking it with humor and open-mindedness. If not possible, please refrain from watching.

I found Season 1 extremely entertaining due to the fact that it had good plot development, good character development (especially with Jesse, who started out as the worst and ended up improving to the better), good execution of the side stories to the point of converging into one great story at the season finale, a perfect dose of the dramedy genre that it won't let you get off your seat, among others. At this point I would like to positively highlight the move of the series to integrate teachings in the stories of the characters to be better people and to redeem ourselves. At the same time but on the downside, I would also like to criticize somewhat the use of the sex and nudity factor (especially genitalia), as I found it quite bothersome and unnecessary.

In the finals, "The Righteous Gemstones" is a series that, although it is not for everyone due to the fact that it strikes a chord to a certain degree, it is one that has good potential for growth and is entertaining for the average viewer. Definitely, I will be looking forward to Season 2.

Final Space (2018–2021)

Entertaining

[8/10 · 12 April 2021]

To be honest, the first time I heard about "Final Space", it was on my recommendations list that IMDb usually gives me when I'm looking for new series to watch, either voluntarily or following a friend's recommendation. I was skeptical about watching it at first due to several reasons - including if it was going to be my type-, but I decided to give it a shot nowadays to see how it was. The truth is that "Final Space" is a kind of underrated series, since it has shown all the right reasons to belong to Adult Swim's flagship repertoire.

Is a series that I don't have any major complains, since Olan Rogers managed to do a spectacular job creating and perfecting a formula where he combined a little of everything, which is something that most people don't even dare to do due to the complex logistical implications it represents. However, his bet paid well off in the end and resulted in: excellent plot and character development, a perfect dramedy and space opera balance, mind-blowing plot twists, tributes to popular 20th and 21th century cultural references (such as Kenny Loggins' Footlose and Ridley Scott's Alien in Season 2), etc.

Regarding the interaction factor between characters, it was a little difficult initially to make a connection with some of them during the first episodes due to their divergent traits and personalities (especially with Gary and Quinn), but they eventually grew in me to the point of caring much for them as the main story and the backstories of each one of them unfolded throughout Seasons 1 & 2. However, there were others who I was able to develop an instantaneous connection such as Little Cato, Mooncake, and Ash.

In conclusion and despite being an underrated series, "Final Space" has a strong potential to tell an excellent story and thus become a highly successful and recognized series, as happened with Rick and Morty years before. Therefore, it is not unusual that it received the renewal for Season 3 - which I plan to look forward soon- and I hope it gets more renewals, as it deserves it!

BoJack Horseman (2014– )

A brutally sincere, life-changing series

[10/10 · 7 April 2021]

I must admit that I was pretty overdue to watch this series, as several friends had recommended me over the years to watch it, but I always declined due to the fact that I was unsure if it was going to be of my type...How wrong I was. After watching it for almost two months, I can clearly understand why "BoJack Horseman" is not only considered as one of the finest series in Netflix's (or any television/streaming company) history, but also the one that made the greatest innovations in the history of contemporary television and adult animated series.

Despite being a series that starts practically as a silly comedy, its tone begins to distort into realism through a rollercoaster-type ride of six seasons, where it shows through Bojack and the other characters - such as Diane, Mr. Peanutbutter, Princess Carolyn, etc. - some of the crudest and incomprehensible facets about human nature in general; at the same time it analyses profoundly the background of each one of them in order to understand the issues that led to their fall from grace and their subsequent jump from the bottom towards redemption and better days.

Regarding the aspects of character and plot development, execution of side stories, balance between comedy, drama and tragedy genres; unexpected plot twists, and soundtrack, I have no complaints since the creators excelled on each one of them in a way that is hard to describe easily. I understand that there were people who weren't satisfied with the ending, either because it was good or bad according to their own judgement, but we need to understand that this particular series is not like the others since it focuses mainly to our reality, where there's no good or bad, nor inferiority or superiority, and so on.

To put it in simple words, "Bojack Horseman" is a unique and incomparable animated series that will make you rethink and ask internally about your attitude and the ways in which you observe or treat certain people around you for a long time.

Nothing more to say.

Why Women Kill (2019–2021)

Dramedy at its finest

[9/10 · 30 March 2021]

I must start by saying that if "Santa Clarita Diet" and "Dead to Me" were a mind-blowing experience for me due to all the right reasons, "Why Women Kill" elevated that experience to the umpteenth power. In simple but accurate terms, this is one of the best and enjoyable comedy-drama series ever released by a streaming service (In this case, CBS All Access, now Paramount+).

The series is about three women who live in the same Pasadena home, but in three completely different times (1963, 1984 and 2019) and circumstances regarding their relationships. Like the two previously mentioned and reviewed series, I've no complaints whatsoever in this one due to the fact that Marc Cherry managed to create a good formula that attracted all types of audience, which resulted in: excellent character and plot development, good execution of multiple plots that converged into a single but marvelous season finale, perfect balance between comedy and drama, unpredictable plot twists, etc.

As for the stories, although all three seemed good to me and left a kind of teaching, if I had to rate them from the strongest to the weakest, the order would go this way (from my point of view): 1984, 1963, and 2019. I don't intend to reveal the reason for this decision in order to avoid doing spoilers, but I invite you to watch the series so that you may understand my picks. Some may agree, others may not, but I respect that.

In the end, I'm truly happy that "Why Women Kill" got renewed for a second season, since its potential is more than clear. Now it remains to be seen if it can continue to maintain the standards shown in Season 1 at high ground.

Overall, a masterpiece of series.

Emily in Paris (2020– )

Lackluster

[4/10 · 17 March 2021]

Personally speaking, "Emily in Paris" is a series that would easily have given it a 6 out of 10 had it not been for the unfortunate fact that it shines mostly for its flaws rather than the virtues it can offer.

One of the most significant issues that the series had during Season 1 involves the plot development, since although it had its tension and comedic moments, it was clear that the storyline was seriously struggling to take off and maintain afloat; mainly due to the use of excessive French stereotypes/clichés, as well as placing an unrealistic and over-fancy perspective of Emily's Instagram posts, etc...Not to mention the tacky sex and romance factors.

Another problem with Season 1 is that the characters' chemical factor was so difficult to access and understand at times, given the fact that the producers placed so many divergent personalities and characteristics on them. Regarding the musical score and cinematography, they marked high in my evaluation, but unfortunately it was not enough to salvage the experience I had with the series, which was more cringe and boring than interesting.

Last but not least, the series is currently embroiled in controversy due to allegations that the show's developer paid bribes in order to receive its two Golden Globe nominations, which it is enough to tarnish and discredit it. As a result, "Emily in Paris" will need to put a lot of effort in Season 2 in order to redeem itself.

But in my case? Hard pass.

Santa Clarita Diet (2017–2019)

Disturbingly amusing

[8/10 · 8 March 2021]

To start, this is the third TV show recommendation that my closest friend gave to me. I was initially skeptical about watching "Santa Clarita Diet", given the fact that finding an enjoyable series in the horror-comedic genre can sometimes be the equivalent of playing the lottery, but I decided to give it try to see how it was. It can be boldly said that this is one of the best and amusing masterpieces of the genre.

This is a series that I have no complaints whatsoever, since the creators managed to make a formula that was very well implemented and even perfected throughout its three-season run, which resulted in the following: excellent character and plot development, good side story development, a perfect balance between comedy and horror throughout the story, a soundtrack that is well matched to the situations, good mind-blowing plot twists, etc.

Regarding the interaction factor, the chemistry factor between Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant's characters was a complete slam dunk since I enjoyed every moment of their divergent, but understanding personalities, as well as of their misadventures. The same can be said of Abby and Eric, I found their side story quite funny and interesting. As for the secondary characters, although there were some who were annoying and got what they deserved in the end, there were others who I was able to develop an instantaneous or gradual connection to the point of liking them a lot (For example: Gary, Jean, Anne, Ramona, and Tommy).

Although Season 3's finale seemed quite good to me, it is a complete shame that Netflix has canceled it only for following its controversial financial-based algorithm, neglecting the great potential that have shown so far and could had shown in two more seasons (if had received the renewal approval), as well as neglecting the audience support it brewed up and brought to the platform. In conclusion, "Santa Clarita Diet" is a series that met and exceeded all of my simplest expectations.

I hope a TV network picks it up and give it a chance to end properly.

Solar Opposites (2020– )

A fine "Rick and Morty-esque" series

[7/10 · 17 February 2021]

Truly, this series caught my attention and of so many people as it was created by the co-mastermind behind "Rick and Morty" and one of the aforementioned series' most prominent writers/producers. Therefore, the shoes that this new series called "Solar Opposites" had to fill were immense. Generally speaking and after observing it for two days, it managed to do it and even a little more...So much that it could be considered as an enjoyable "Interdimensional Cable" version of Rick and Morty.

Although Season 1 had a somewhat bumpy start in terms of plot development and execution, given the fact that the story gets separated into two arcs from the second episode onwards (The Aliens arc and "The Wall" arc), they manage to stand in solid ground at the mid-season. The comedy factor seemed very good executed, since apart from making me laugh out loud, they managed to break the fourth wall on multiple occasions in a hilarious manner.

As for the characters, although they have a somewhat resemblance - spiritually and characteristically speaking, at least- to those of Rick and Morty, they've still their own essence and identity. Also, they've a good character chemistry factor between them, as well as towards the audience...Even that, you're going to laugh a lot with the The Pupa, as well as of the Mrs. Frankie-Mr. Cook duo.

Although "Solar Opposites" has shown to have good potential to be successful in the future, since it has been renewed for two more seasons, now it has to make an enormous effort to keep continuously improving if it wants to be another good representative of the Roiland-Harmon animated universe. Moreover, I wouldn't be surprised if both Solar Opposites and Rick and Morty get diversified in order to upgrade their stories...and even to the point of making a crossover episode that could be interesting, but given that both series are based on different networks, that remains to be seen.

If you're a fan of Rick and Morty like me, you'll like it and even consider it as a "bridge series" while R&Ms Season 5 arrives to Adult Swim...And if you ask me if I plan to watch Season 2, the answer will be affirmative.

Close Enough (2020–2022)

Awesome

[8/10 · 11 February 2021]

Before starting, I must clarify that this is the second series that I observe thanks to a close friend's recommendation. After marathoning it in the last four days, it is clear to me that "Close Enough" is one of the best animated adult shows that has been released in the last year and I would dare to say that it can also be considered as one of several potential long-term hits for the newly launched HBO Max streaming service.

Although Season 1 has some bizarre moments and others that can be slightly boring, it stayed at all times loyal to the series' original premise and as a result, the final product turned out to be satisfying: excellent plot development and execution, very good and charismatic characters that you will feel occasionally identified (especially the audience that is in my age segment, 18 to 29 years), and funny moments that will make you laugh...And most importantly, you don't necessarily need to be a fan of "The Regular Show" to watch it.

The truth is I'm so happy that the series got renewed for two more seasons, since its great potential is more than clear. Now it remains to be seen if the future seasons can continue to maintain the high standards of Season 1 to the point of being a potential contender to other series of the genre such as Rick and Morty, South Park, among others.

It was a bet that paid off well in the end.

Bridgerton (2020– )

Decent, but...

[6/10 · 6 February 2021]

First of all, I must admit that if it had not been for the recommendation of a friend, I wouldn't have been aware of this series' existence. At the end and after observing it for the last four days, I can conclude that "Bridgerton" is not bad nor good as some people say. In other words, I found it completely decent for my taste.

It is a series that, despite having a good plot, good tension and humorous moments, excellent characters, good cinematography; and a dynamic, interesting score that combines musical pieces of the time and some conversions of the present, stands out more for some of its shortcomings than for its virtues. To be more specific, Season 1's biggest problem was that the plot development felt somewhat unstable, since although there were moments where the story was interesting, there were others that seemed so cringey (especially the sex scenes) and boring that I had to momentarily stop watching.

Another issue that plagued Season 1 considerably was in the chemistry and relationship factors between the characters, since it was noted that between the main themselves and some recurring ones these factors suffered and lagged at times. As a consequence, I had some problems connecting with some of them. Fortunately, the aforementioned issues were able to settle firmly in the last two episodes (albeit too little, too late).

And last but not least, the series has several historical inaccuracies regarding Britain's Regency era due to today's Politically Correct social agenda. Therefore, my advice towards potential viewers that closely follow 19th Century history is to proceed with caution and not set too much expectations from this part. If not possible, please refrain from watching it.

As I previously said, "Bridgerton" is an average series, but also one that suffers a lot of mind-blowing overhype. Therefore, it would need some major improvements for Season 2 in order to solve that problem. Regarding myself, I could look forward for the aforementioned Season 2...But given the fact that Season 1 left me with a somewhat bittersweet experience, that remains to be seen.

Dead to Me (2019–2022)

Hauntingly funny

[8/10 · 31 January 2021]

At first I had my doubts about watching "Dead to Me" after reading its premise, but I decided to give it a shot to see how it goes. It should be said that the bet paid off in the end, since it is undoubtedly one of the best series of the tragicomedy and black humor genre that Netflix has made. It is a series that immerses you in the complicated world of two women who, despite being two completely opposite poles and trying to come to terms with their personal tragedies in their own ways, become good friends...Although with some complications.

This is a series which I have no complaints whatsoever, since they knew how to develop it perfectly through its two seasons: excellent character and plot development, good balance between comedy and tragedy throughout the story, a soundtrack that matches a la "frappe morette" with all the situations, good plot twists, funny and tense moments that will make you laugh most of the time and keep you glued to the couch, respectively; etc.

In the interaction factor of the characters, I really enjoyed the chemistry between Jen and Judy from the very outset, which can be described more as a sisterly relationship than of friendship; it makes you feel more compassionate and understanding as you, and worth the redundancy, understand them. The same can be said with the secondary characters, that there were some that I had an almost instantaneous connection (Especially Abe) and others that although at first they seemed very annoying, they grew in me at the end (Such as Detective Pérez).

In the end, "Dead to Me" is a series that met all my simplest expectations...I'll be patiently waiting for Season 3, which being the last, I hope it maintains the high note that the previous two got.

The Midnight Gospel (2020)

Intriguing

[9/10 · 18 January 2021]

"The Midnight Gospel" is definitely one of the rarest gems that Netflix or any other streaming platform has offered throughout its existence due to its peculiar and successful combination of the podcast interview concept with adventure and surrealism to the extent of attracting more than one viewer.

The series itself, despite of having a somewhat simplistic and bizarre premise, manages to deeply submerge you in various universal topics of life during its 8-episode run and leave you with questions about your current lifestyle status, as well as reflecting about your inner and external persona and what you can do to continue improving to the better.

It's a more-than-perfect series. That's the only thing that I can say.

Duncanville (2020–2022)

Disappointing

[3/10 · 13 January 2021]

Honestly, I spent so many hours trying to process everything I watched in all 11 episodes of "Duncanville" during the last 3 ½ days and how to write it down into this review. But unfortunately, I've reached the same painful conclusion on all occasions: is the clear example of a series that succumbs to its own hype - especially by being promoted as a "From The Simpsons' producers" series- and that big-name critics can no longer be trusted.

I don't understand how important internet pages and media gave the series such a higher praise (even critical acclaims) when it is clearly evident that it suffered from very serious shortcomings during Season 1, especially in the fact that is not clearly known what specific audience type is really targeting. In fact, ¿How is it possible that Fox has the audacity to boldly promote it as an "ANIMATED ADULT COMEDY" series when in fact and watching the episodes, it is not the case? I would say that I don't know, but it's obvious: Fox is facing serious pressure in renewing its series' rooster considering that its big hits will soon enter the sunset stage.

"Duncanville" is unfortunately a triumph of style over substance: Season 1's plot development failed in great part to stay afloat and make you feel immersed in the premise, the characters felt so generic and didn't generate any kind of special connection with me, and the comedy factor - even the darkest and double sense jokes- was poorly executed...So much that if we put it to compete with other new or relatively new series of the genre, they can surpass this one by far and even with the smallest of efforts. In other words, it was not even entertaining.

And last but not least, another point of the series which I'm highly critical was the big push of today's social agenda without a proper formula, due to the fact that I perceived that the series deviated considerably from its premise's north and as a result, the creativity factor and the audience's balance that attracted was greatly penalized. As a person born in 1996 (in the transition era between Gen Y/Millennial and Gen Z), I can tell you that despite having a moderate position on these matters, I don't agree that it should be imposed or forced to people, given the fact that not all will have the same convictions or opinions regarding certain topics.

In conclusion, although "Duncanville" and its creators had the best of intentions to innovate in the animated comedy world with their ideas, something went wrong when developing and putting them into practice...And it just couldn't do the big jump. If you ask me, the truth is that I'm not going to see Season 2 nor the future seasons Fox plans to release, due to the fact this one left me with a disappointing, boring, and cringe experience that'll take a long time to get over.

Russian Doll (2019–2022)

A stormy, but intriguing series

[7/10 · 10 January 2021]

To be clear, "Russian Doll" is one of those series that makes you reflect deeply on life facets - especially in the aspects of death and redemption- and the nature of the human being in general terms. Although I've to recognize that the series itself is good and that it even shares a similar premise and positive aspects of "Maniac" (another Netflix original series that I previously evaluated), I felt that it left a little to be desired in some aspects...At least in Season 1.

The big problem that Season 1 had was that the way the plot unfolded was turbulent and a bit weak, especially in the first two episodes, where Nadia's dynamics were so repetitive that it was frustrating and confusing at times. It wasn't until the third episode -where the co-star, Alan, enters into scene- onwards that the plot begins to settle on solid ground and show off its potential until reaching a successful conclusion. In my opinion, although they done something similar to what "Maniac" did regarding the viewer engagement with the story and the characters, it could have been better.

The characters' development and chemistry factors also suffered during the course of Season 1, mainly due to the fact that by placing divergent personalities in them, they made them (the characters) less accessible mutually and I would say that also with the audience. However, they were able to settle both aspects well in the end. Regarding the rest (cinematography, soundtracks, comedy-drama genre implementation), I give them a high praise.

As I said previously, the series is not bad at all and has good potential, so I'll be looking forward to Season 2. However, there's some improvements that has to be done if it wants to enter the major leagues.

Disenchantment (2018–2023)

A crazy adventure

[8/10 · 6 January 2021]

Despite not being a full-time observer nor fan of The Simpsons and Futurama, I must admit that "Disenchantment" is the first work of Matt Groening that I dedicate full watching time and that really like.

Although the series share some similarities to the aforementioned ones - including the follow-up of the characters' daily life situations-, what makes it unique is that it gives the main characters a specific storyline and goals from the very outset, which develops in a somewhat slow and bumpy way at first but later finds its stability point. Also, it offers very good plot twists, real life satire to the extent of breaking the fourth wall, comedic/tense moments, and diverse scenarios that encourages the audience's exploration factor.

In terms of chemistry factor between characters, I found it really enjoyable, especially when it comes to the Bean, Elfo and Luci trio; who steal the show with their misadventures. However, I have to emphasize in this point that they have to continue working in the interaction part regarding certain characters due to the fact that lags a little behind at times. But perhaps the most interesting factor here is that Groening took some of the good aspects of both Futurama and The Simpsons' golden age era and combined it with Disenchantment's own essence and originality to the extent of creating a curious, eye-catching product.

While I agree with certain people that "Disenchantment" needs to continue working to improve its weaknesses and reinforcing its strengths, it must be recognized that it is a series that has shown a strong potential for success and that it has established a new variation on the Matt Groening's animated universe. But for now, I'll be looking forward Season 2.

The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

Flawless

[8/10 · 1 January 2021]

After marathoning it for a week and a half, I have no doubts in saying that "The Umbrella Academy" is perhaps one of few Netflix original series that called my attention and met almost all my expectations. It is a series that, apart from paying tribute (albeit indirectly) to other famous superhero franchises and the main one on which it is based, immerses you in a somewhat complicated story of seven individuals that fights against unknown enemies, at the same time they try to come to terms with their differences and own internal demons.

And I can assure you, if Season 1 was good, Season 2 was a blast for all the right reasons (especially with that mind-blowing cliffhanger): excellent plot and character developments, superb cinematics, a diverse soundtrack that fitted perfectly with all arising situations, beastly plot twists, comedic moments that will make you chuckle/laugh most of the times, etc.

In the interaction aspect of the characters, although initially I had some difficulties about being sympathetic with some of them (Since I could only connect automatically with Vanya and Allison's sisterly relationship from the very outset), all of them eventually and progressively grew in me as the events of Season 1 unfolded, as well of those from Season 2. Another minor drawback with the series was that its pacing also suffered a bit initally to stay firmly on place, but it managed to overcome that issue.

At the end, is a flawless series that I would recommend to my friends...And yes, I'll be looking forward to Season 3.

The Order (2019–2020)

Not the worst, not the best either

[6/10 · 12 December 2020]

Despite being a series that caught my attention (I, who generally I'm not a fan of vampire nor werewolf stories), that featured its good tension and comedic moments, and a good music score, I feel that The Order suffered from several shortcomings since the outset.

The series' major flaw is related to the plot development, given the fact that during the two seasons, it was painfully clear that the pacing was struggling to settle firmly and was not done in the best way (especially in Season 2's finale, which was very anti-climatic). Consequently, it left more questions than answers, as well as a very bittersweet experience.

Another problem with the series is the chemistry and relationship factors between the characters, because although the main characters had a solid interaction, the same cannot be said when coming to the recurring ones, because it was lagging at times.

And last but not least, although I have a moderate stance regarding the social agenda, it seemed to me that it was not a good idea to implement too much of it in the series, since a balance must be maintained with respect to the audiences, mostly because not all will have the same convictions or opinions regarding certain topics.

Only time will determine if The Order gets rescued by another TV network and renewed for a third season...But for now, I doubt it.

The Queen's Gambit (2020)

Unforgettable

[10/10 · 12 December 2020]

After looking at all 7 episodes, I can undeniably say that "The Queen's Gambit" is by far the best original series I've seen since the premiere of HBO's Chernobyl back in 2019.

It is a series that not only completely immerses you in the somewhat complex world of Chess, but also in a story of self-discovery where one, in order to understand and accomplish its purposes in life, must inadvertently go through a series of personal tests that become increasingly difficult to overcome and that involve changing strategies.

Excellent plot development, good character chemistry, impressive cinematography, and a magistral soundtrack. What more can I ask for? Nothing, because everything fit like a glove.

Maniac (2018)

A dazzling sci-fi masterpiece

[10/10 · 7 December 2020]

After observing the 10 episodes, I can conclude that "Maniac" is one of those series that although they are not widely known, it is very entertaining from the beginning to the end.

Apart from being a series that has a high sci-fi influence and characteristic retro-futuristic aspects of the 1980s, it is one that takes the viewer on a reflective journey regarding the facets of life and the nature of the human being in general...A journey that specifically deals with the sense of loss due to one's own actions and its subsequent path to acceptance and redemption, as well as the socio-psychological distress induced by other people and the ability to face and overcome them.

Regarding the plot unfoldment, character development and chemistry factors (especially with Emma Stone and Jonah Hill's titular characters), cinematography, balance between the sci-fi, comedy, and drama genres; I have no complaints as they were developed very well.

Basically, an authentic piece of art.

Hoops (2020)

Moderately good

[7/10 · 4 December 2020]

Initially seeing the negative reviews, it made me curious to look the series in order to see if those criticisms were completely justified. After giving a shot to Season 1, I've come to the conclusion that "Hoops" is victim of unreasonable judgement from people who think that it doesn't follow "today's humor parameters and standards", without taking into consideration that humor is actually SUBJECTIVE and that every series have its own, different humoristic standards...And this comes from a long-time viewer that has seen far more irreverent, humorous series like Drawn Together, Rick and Morty, and South Park.

Moreover, it is also unfair to make a review after just watching ONLY 1-to-2 episodes and judging it as "garbage", because not only the bias is quite noticeable at first sight, but it also plays down the potential it could have, as well as the opportunity to improve further over time...And that's something that unfortunately has become kind of a hypocritical norm today, given the fact that some today's successful series had a turbulent start on its first seasons. The same can be said of those who complained it was too vulgar, because it was well known from the outset that this was one of several sitcoms aimed towards a public that likes black/transgressive humor and looks for some diverse content in today's politically correct world.

Now, I have to admit that Hoops had some problems in plot development terms, due to the fact that although the creators and producers had good ideas for the series, those just got tangled up when implementing it, therefore causing the series to have a difficult time getting off the ground, but it manages to do it without further issues at the end of the season. As for the characters, although the development of some leaves a little to be desired, I really liked them a lot and even some of them started to grow within me as Season 1 progressed, such as Matty and Scott. Also, I even felt identified with them at times.

And finally but not least, the series' point of controversy: the jokes. Here I'm going to differ greatly from those who gave this aspect a negative score, since although there were jokes that weren't so amusing, there were others that managed to pull a good chuckle/laugh from me; mainly due to the fact that I understood them through immediate reasoning and open-mindedness, apart that I did not set any "general humor parameters" while watching the series in order to enjoy it full-throttle.

I've the hope that Netflix renews it for a second seasons (Or another TV network that is willing to do so, in the scenario Netflix cancels it; such as FOX, Adult Swim, Hulu, or Comedy Central), since it has good potential to be successful in the future, it is simply a matter of giving it a chance to address all the shortcomings and develop to the better. Also because I'm one of several people who wants to know what will happen next in the story after such BRUTAL end-of-season cliffhanger.

PS: Shortly afterwards of doing this review, Netflix cancelled the series, which was very disappointing (but not surprising), given its tendency to take decisions based on its controversial algorithm, an aspect that has caused over time anger and frustrations among the platform's users and creators, respectively. However, I hope that with the renewed public interest, Hoops can find a new home where to demonstrate its full potential through a Season 2 onwards...Obviously, at the end of Netflix's two-year post-cancellation cooling period. But that remains to be seen.