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Ted (2024)
Better than I thought
This show was a genuine surprise. I wasn't sure I'd like the actor playing John but he quickly grew on me and his interactions with Ted were fun to watch.
Blaire is the 2020's voice, taken back in time to the 90s to be the counter argument to the old attitudes shown by the dad. But she's equally fun to watch by the end of the season once she's become more than just a nag.
I thought the Dad would grate on me with his shouty "My house" schtick, but the episode with his toy truck was both hilarious and moving.
The mom character could do with more work. She's just overly nice and slightly neurotic. It feels like she's missing a beat.
Ted is the same Ted, just less jaded by life. Which makes him great comedy relief.
In all, it's a 90s sitcom which no-one makes anymore, with MacFarlane's usual 'politically incorrect' humor. I'll definitely watch season 2, its a shame season 1 was only 7 episodes.
Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022)
Just gets better
The only reason this isn't universally rated 10/10, is because unless you're bordering 40 (or past it), these concepts just can't resonate with you.
That's not to say a teen can't understand the feeling of hopelessness, or question their direction and decisions. It's that once you reach this point in your life you've already made your major decisions. You've married, had kids, got 10-20 years invested in a career. Looking ahead doesn't spark endless possibilities, it feels stable, and that can leave you with a sleepwalking unease and question "is this it"?
I wasn't sure going into this whether the 'Divorced dad on the dating scene" would hold my interest. Thankfully, "Fleishman is in trouble" doesn't relate specifically to Toby, it's the whole family in turmoil, and the dating arc is just preface to the actual story.
The whole cast of characters are nuanced and have growth. The acting is excellent with Danes creating many dramatic, memorable and uncomfortable scenes. Lizzy Caplan absolutely stole the show though with her performance. I'd even argue that the real story is Libby's arc and how everything she sees from the lives of those around her help guide her. As much as the Fleishman story is interesting, the Libby (unfortunately surnamed Epstein) arc was far more compelling.
I would love a season 2, but I don't know that there is more to tell.
Foundation (2021)
Stop reviewing the book
As the title says, most of the negativity here is from people who are fans of the books complaining that the TV show isn't accurate.
I personally think there is a good chance most won't have read the Asimov books, and that this series will boost the number of people wanting to read them. Plus everyone knows that books are always better than the TV/movie adaptation.
So the good points. Compelling nuanced characters, who have genuine reasons for their actions. The bad guy isn't just a bad guy.
The visuals are great. Story points are well written and executed. I genuinely looked forward to watching the next episode, and gave it my full attention. No half watching, half phone scrolling.
The bad. Episode 2 and the time shifts might confuse some. The person who was a child is now an adult, but looks the same as the adult he replaces, who is now an old man, replacing the previous old man. The idea is that they are the same person at different stages of their life, but keeping track of their actions is a struggle at first. It does get easier though when you realize their personality at each stage of their life stays generally consistent. Dawn is naïve, Day is ruthless, Dusk is contemplative.
The show is hands down better than most sci-fi. Its political without getting overly complicated or boring. They avoided most tropes by only including humans spanning across the galaxy. There's no Star Wars cantina band and a bar full of aliens. This helps keep the narrative grounded. Although Beki was a welcome addition.
Fool's Paradise (2023)
6.5/10 - Completely misunderstood
Not quite a 7/10 but a 6 seems too low.
A lot of people seem to have missed the point of this movie.
It's a play on Chaplin, cast into the modern vacuous Hollywood machine.
No one listens to anyone else, yes men and agents are just talking at you. Movie stars are too self important to take notice of anything outside of their sphere. No one realises that Charlie Day's character says and does almost nothing. He just gets pushed through the ringer, given stardom and failure all whilst doing nothing.
People project their feelings and interpretation of who others are, without ever actual knowing them or letting them speak for themselves.
It's a parody of the celebrity culture that shines a light on how quick we are to hate famous people, or revel in schadenfreude at their downfall without ever considering if they actually did anything to warrant it.
Is this a comedy? No. It's a farse. It shows the uncomfortable truths while remaining jovial and likeable.
It's also worth noting the stellar cast who clearly read between the plot to the real subtext.
Mad Men (2007)
Watched in 2023 - Not seeing the hype
It's difficult to watch or review something so late after its release.
In some cases, cultures change, what is okay changes.
But this is a series spanning 1950 to 1970, so most aspects of the show that are culturally unacceptable, have been for decades.
Which ties into my first criticism. The lack of believable racism, homophobia or sexism.
I'm not looking for race-hate, or constant in your face reminders, but this was the 50s/60s. Besides one comment of "You can't put a black woman on reception" and a few homophobic opinions, the show seemed to press harder on women in the workplace. Instead of ridiculing out dated opinions, the writers took the safer, less controversial option. This safe, diluted approach stopped there being potentially interesting stories or character arcs.
My second criticism, and probably the biggest, is the lack of ANY likeable characters.
Over 90+ episodes there should be redemption, growth etc. Don should have been a suave, charismatic business man. Effortlessly cool. Instead he's a drunk, angry, nasty, non-character. His only character traits are being drunk, cheating on his wife and talking down to people.
And unfortunately it's the same across all characters.
Peggy went nowhere. She promoted to copy-writer in the first few episodes but that was it until the last episode.
Joan was supposed to be intrinsic to the business and everyone wants/loves her. But she gets dumped constantly by men and shifted around roles like she has no purpose.
Betty was neurotic in the first season, which was interesting. Then they dropped it all, and her personality was just smoking a lot and talking down to people.
Roger was clearly meant to be killed off in season 1. Two heart attacks, then its all forgotten about. Back to drinking, smoking and womanizing constantly. Again, zero purpose.
And that's the real problem with the show. It just wasn't interesting.
The characters are indistinct from each other. There was no real drama. No story arc. Just a small build up over the first season, 6 seasons of exactly the same thing, then "lets tie up their stories" in the last episode and put them in random relationships/marriages/jobs that were irrelevant to the rest of the show.
There was only interesting character and they got rid of him because he cut his nipple off and gave it to Peggy as a present.
Arrested Development (2003)
Great start, dull ending
You can guess how this review will go, if you have read any of the other reviews.
Season one and two were great. A lot of content that really wouldn't be acceptable any more, but doesn't stop it being funny.
Season three went off the rails a bit. It had a few unexpected turns, but it was still funny.
Season four and five... the writers didn't understand the format.
Season 1-3 had an overarching story in each season, but smaller self contained stories in each episode. They all did that thing where they mention or do something at the start of the episode, then at the end they bring it back around to cause some kind of hilarious disaster.
Season 4 and 5 though, was one long drawn out story about building a wall in Mexico. It wasn't entertaining, it was generally a bit of a mess of forgettable situations and unnecessary arguments. There weren't the individual story episodes, everything was just dragged out as a long, dull continuous story over 40 episodes.
They also didn't seem to know how to write the characters any more.
Michael became unlikeable, arrogant and selfish. Lucille lacked the original charm and had far too much introspection. George turned into a cowering mess. Buster became a cartoonish weirdo, but not in a funny way. Gob became a sniveling, pathetic, insecure waste. Gone was his bravado and self belief that made his character believable as being so ignorant. Lindsay didn't show up at all. The content she had didn't fit with the character at all. Tobias even became unlikeable by season 5. He was an educated man who was oblivious to how wrong he always was, but he basically became Buster, just some cartoonish idiot with nonsense scenarios.
The only saving grace was George Michael and Maebe, but even they couldn't prop up the whole show and they both became repetitive.
Watch seasons 1-3. Re-watch seasons 1-3.
Watch 4 and 5 once, if you feel like it.
Hypnotic (2023)
Hard to watch - Made for TV
I'll watch almost anything. But jeez this is a made for TV ham fest.
Not even made for Streaming, this is bad made for TV.
Super human psychics.
Dark brooding detective.
Unstoppable hackers.
Terrible writing.
Lackluster acting.
Awful CGI.
The story feels like they made it up as they go along.
Its clear they wanted to make Inception meets Memento, but they made a nonsense cheese fest.
I am literally sorry I put myself through this. You'll spend more time staring at your phone than the movie.
I don't know how they got Affleck on side either. Maybe Affleck in early 2000s but post Batman Affleck can do better.
Lost: The End: Part 1 (2010)
Explained
Well heres my 2 cents for anyone who didn't understand the ending, this will contain spoilers.
-People seem confused that they were all dead for the whole of season 6 because the flashes to the alternate reality started after the bomb went off. The bomb just put them back in the normal time line and stopped the flashes through time. They continued their lives from then onward but the alternate reality could have started at any point, it simply existed after they died as a way to reunite them.
-The light on the island was there to stop evil getting out into the world, it was more than likely created/found at some point long in the past by Egyptians etc and was just being maintained. Remember jacobs fake mum was on the island before the pregnant woman arrived, she was a remnant of the previous inhabitants making sure it was protected.
-The light turned MiB/Smoke monster guy into smoke because he wasn't a selected candidate when he entered and was characteristically flawed/evil. Jack survived, as would have jacob if he had chose to enter because he is the islands protector.
IMPORTANT!!>>>
-Desmond survived the light chamber because of his natural abilities. The island enhanced peoples natural abilities, eg, Hurley talking to dead people, Locke being able to walk, Miles talking to dead people, Rose not dying of cancer, Walt and his bird thing etc and most importantly desmond and his electromagnetic resistance.
-The smoke monster/MiB was vulnerable once the light was switched off because the light was previously supporting his life. He was inhabiting Lockes body because Locke broke the laws of nature (he died twice and kept his body twice, MiB wasn't allowed that so he hijacked the body when it was returned to the island). Without the light, the smoke abilities were cut off meaning his psyche/mind was trapped inside a mortal body which could die. Jack killed him during this time of susceptibility and then restored the light.
Hope thats helps, there'll probably be some trolls along soon to find more holes but that should answer most of them.