repomonkey Reviews

The Veil (2024)

Ignore the ratings - this is a quality spy thriller

[8/10 · 16 May 2024]

Not quite sure why this has been getting such a kicking. Some criticism of Elizabeth Moss's accent, which I really don't understand - I'm British and it sounds fine to me.

Anyway - this is a high quality thriller, kind of like a cross between Tehran, Jack Ryan and Homeland. Acting is excellent, plot is good (if you excuse the odd McGuffin such as a special electronic device that can magically eaves-drop on everything) and locations are top notch.

I almost skipped this, but decided to give the first episode a watch and was drawn in immediately to the protagonist and the action-filled opening sequences. Give it a watch - you'll be glad you did. :)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Subspace Rhapsody (2023) Season 2, Episode 9

Not a fan of musicals, but this was fun ...

[8/10 · 6 August 2023]

Definitely not the sort of person that would willingly sit down to watch a musical, but I gave the producers the benefit of the doubt and watched the episode.

It was really good fun full of little easter eggs for the trekkies and, to be honest, it was worth watching just for that finale with the Klingon ship.

All of the actors can certainly carry a tune and while they won't be making their way onto any of my playlists they were good songs performed well.

The Below Decks crossover remains my favourite episode of this season, but they got a big belly laugh from me with that finale. Looking forward to the season finale now.

Queen of Oz (2023)

Woeful

[1/10 · 17 June 2023]

It doesn't help that I've always found Catherine Tate to be about as funny as cancer, but I was willing to give this new show a go.

Unfortunately, it's one of the worst sitcoms I've ever seen in my life. It's like some awful blast from the past when comedy involved around, just being excruciatingly vile to everybody.

I don't know whether it's because the script for the show was written by Catherine Tates partner, but I find it staggering that the BBC decided to greenlight this nightmarish disaster.

Do yourself a favour and watch literally anything else other than this horrendous excuse for a TV show.

The Diplomat (II) (2023– )

Just brilliant and intelligent television entertainment

[9/10 · 16 June 2023]

The struggle in this household is finding something that my missus and I both want to watch. She likes relationship-focused dramas and I prefer shows that have a bit more going on.

We both liked shows like Ozark, Gomorrah, The Old Man, Dark Winds, Tokyo Vice, Call of Duty and shows of that style. When we do find a show we both like it's a cause for celebration. And we both immensely liked this particular show from the get-go.

The casting here is brilliant with the two leads doing a sensational job. The supporting cast are epic too. The scripts are on-point - fast, well-written, tight and highly entertaining. It's equal parts high drama and laugh out loud moments.

I'd go as far as to say this is my favourite show since Deadwood, though for very different reasons. I'd put it on a par with Ozark, The Americans and West Wing - but it's its own show in every way.

Seriously hoping that Netflix get behind this brilliant show and renew it for a few more seasons at least. Almost worth the subscription fees on its own.

Mocro maffia (2018– )

Like a Dutch version of Gomorrah

[7/10 · 16 June 2023]

I loved the Italian series Gomorrah and was looking for a show to fill its big shoes and saw this recommended on Reddit along with Romazo Crimminale.

It's not as good as Gomorrah, but the script is solid and it shares the same willingness to kill of major characters. In fact the season finales compare well with Gomorrah's in terms of the carnage.

It's a difficult show to get to watch if you're not in Holland, but it's well worth seeking out if you're looking for a gritty drama about the grim realities of the drug trade and the impact that it has on the poor and working classes.

I'm nearly through season 4 and they're currently airing season 5. I think the various story arcs will have run their course at season 5 and I'm hoping they finish there.

Moonhaven (2022)

Don't complain about the lack of originality if you won't give original shows a chance

[7/10 · 28 August 2022]

I'll admit I was surprised by the first episode of this show and I nearly stopped watching at that point. But there was a certain vibe to it that kept me on the hook and I persisted.

This is one of the most original sci-fi shows I've seen in a long time and like many shows that have that unique flare to them, they are misunderstood. There's no way this series deserves its current score and I suspect that people who didn't give it a chance would mark it up if they watched all six episodes.

Yes, there's some weird ideas on the show, but so what? And yes, the 'mooner' speak weirdly, but it's set several hundred years in the future - if you were to listen to someone from the year 1800, they'd sound pretty funny too.

The show has a great plot that makes you slowly invest in the characters. There are some great concepts in here too, based around the all-powerful I/O computer. The CGI is top notch too.

In short I don't suppose they'll renew this because it's not getting the numbers they need. And that will be s a shame because everyone always whinges about the lack of originality in TV shows and then when something original does come along they think it's weird and don't watch it.

Anyway - it gets a big thumbs up from me. Great concept, well executed, well scripted and acted. I just wish there was more effort to push the margins like Moonhaven does.

Code 404 (2020–2022)

Woefully bad

[1/10 · 10 April 2021]

I was attracted to this series by the quality of the cast and the central concept of the show with its sci-fi elements and I had high expectations for it. Unfortunately what I got was one of the worst shows I've seen in a long time - cringe-worthy, embarassing, utterly unfunny and really, really, cheap. Maybe the production team had no money left after they paid the well-known cast, but the setting, the sets, the special effects (or rather the lack of them) made this look like something the BBC would have made on a budget in the early '80s. Stephen Graham seems to make the best of the dreadful dialogue, but Daniel Mays is just awful in this - never mind chewing the scenery, he eats the entire set.

The script appears to have been written by a couple of 13 year olds on a sugar-rush after one too many Red Bulls and the production levels fall short of Sylvester McCoy era Dr Who. I'm a forgiving sort of a bloke when it comes to TV shows and films - I'll put up with all sorts of plot holes and wonky acting if I'm even mildly entertained. But this show is just dire in pretty much every single regard. Never mind Code 404 Not Found, this show's 400 Bad Request.