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Reviews
Doctor Foster: Episode #2.5 (2017)
Great series ruined by implausible ending
An otherwise compelling and watchable drama/thriller was ruined by a completely implausible character choice in the finale. We're supposed to buy that the brilliant Dr. Foster, whose career was nearly ruined in the first season by the mistaken notion that she had assisted her dying mother-in-law's suicide, would aim to assist her depressed ex-husband's suicide in such an obvious way? After she has successfully ruined Simon and thwarted his sinister plans to destroy her, she leaves him a supply of loaded syringes and some sort of liquid medication (possibly insulin), complete with handwritten instructions on exactly how to use them to kill himself. There were two likely outcomes to this decision: first, he follows her instruction. His dead body is discovered next to the medical paraphernalia all covered in her fingerprints that will be traced to her, and the note would leave no doubt that she intentionally gave him the syringes for him to use, immediately destroying her life and career and causing their son, Tom, to hate her forever. The second option is that Simon would have realized she stupidly handed him the tools to finally destroy her and instead of killing himself, called a suicide hotline and cry about how he was about to kill himself thanks to his helpful ex-wife, the doctor.
Instead, she changes her mind and rushes back to stop him, not out of realization of what a stupid thing she has done, but because it just wouldn't be fair to Tom, whom she supposedly cares about most of all. It is absurd that she would leave her sobbing, clearly traumatized (if not suicidal himself) son alone with her suicidal husband (who had already abducted him) while she first put the suicide kit in his hotel room, and then secondly left Tom alone in the car when she came back to talk her ex out of killing himself. No mother who had been what she had been through would leave their son alone. This was so stupid. Tom running away, after being ostracized by his friends and neglected/used as a pawn by both his parents, would have been a compelling enough ending. What a disappointment to an otherwise great show.
Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King (2017)
A different kind of stand-up show
This is more of a one-man show than your typical stand-up comedy special. Instead of 25 different bits, Hasan tells different stories about his life, both hilarious and heartbreaking. It wouldn't work if his storytelling ability wasn't so brilliant, but his timing and ability to connect with the audience at each point are spot on. Even if you didn't grow up with immigrant parents, anyone who has ever felt like an outsider will identify with his stories.
The Family (2016)
Good premise ruined by terrible casting and writing
The show took a great premise and ruined it by terrible casting and awful writing. First, the show takes place in Maine, which is the whitest state in the nation at 95+ percent and with a sizable population of people of French Canadian ancestry. Yet the main cast is half black and Hispanic and there is not a single person in the show with a French last name. This is completely absurd. Nor does anyone have any kind of Maine accent, not even the older people who get the occasional line, very bizarre for a small Maine town by the coast. There are other bad casting decisions but I won't list them because of spoilers.
There is nobody in the show who is likable in any way, so you won't root for anybody. The twists and turns themselves are so stupid, and the behavior from the supposed professionals (cops, journalists) is so gross you won't understand why they are still involved with the case at all. The constant flashbacks and time jumps are very distracting, and not done in any kind of intriguing manner at all (think "Lost").
Don't waste your time with this - for a much better series with a believable backdrop that won't make you roll your eyes every two minutes, check out the BBC show "The Missing." That one is already filming a second season while "The Family" seems headed for cancellation for good reason.