TomyDee Reviews

The Last Tycoon (2016–2017)

Slow, but captivating.

[7/10 · 1 August 2017]

Just a quick review, as I see many of the stream services shows (except the big ones like Netlfix superhero series and such) do not get many opinions. I have seen the whole season and my feelings are mixed. I mean, it is slow. Very slow. Scenes are basically beautiful people talking about movies of the golden era of Hollywood - from the production side of view. I often found myself wondering what was the point of all of it, and yet... it kept me interested. However, I love classic musicals from the era depicted, and seen and enjoyed most if not all Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Danny Kaye, etc movies, so visiting the period again from a modern perspective is appealing to me. It might not be for all, and I would completely understand if we do not get another season. I have not read the source material the show is based on, and I am unfamiliar with Fitzgerald writings. I will say, nonetheless, that this show requires some patience if great visuals are not enough for you. If on a time constraint and still wanting to see the "whole show", I can safely say that if you just see episode 1 (the pilot), maybe 2 to get to know the characters, and then skip ahead to 7, 8 and 9 you would actually not miss much, as the "central" conflict really just begins at the end of episode 7 (the "big" story reveal for one of the characters). I enjoyed my time watching the rest, however, so the quality is still there... it is just very personal, so I would say you will either like it or not based on the pilot. There are no major changes to the formula after that, so see for yourself and decide :)

Shrink (2017)

Very intelligent humor, likable characters. A surprising(ly) good show

[9/10 · 2 April 2017]

Just a quick review, as I don't see any posted yet and it's a pity, because this show is very good and the lack of publicity that it is getting is not deserved.

I have seen all episodes of the first season and would love if they continued the story, and for that to happen this show needs to get more attention. The writing in this is spot on, really. The humor is often subtle, dark and ironic, and if you enjoy that kind of humor (coming more from the sarcasm of life than, you know, cheap swear words) then you will enjoy this very much.

Characters are also very likable, and I have enjoyed every episode after work as a "treat" to disconnect the mind and laugh. Anyway, I really recommend everyone to check this TV show out if they have the chance, its truly good – check out the pilot online on Youtube and judge by yourself, if you like the first episode you will most likely enjoy the rest.

As for flaws, I think other secondary characters going to the therapy sessions could have been better developed and their stories better fleshed out, I understand that was not the objective of the show but maybe it would have helped to carry the story on, but I get that the story focused more on David than his patients.

The Young Pope (2016)

Brilliant show

[10/10 · 14 January 2017]

I don't usually post my opinions online about anything, but I've seen the entire season (it aired before in Europe) and although this review may be a fair assessment of the first episode, I really think this TV show is a true masterpiece, and after a few years it will be regarded as such. It starts rather slow, true, but once you are invested a little in the characters it picks up an amazing speed, and, at least, the characters are always extremely interesting. You want to see what happens next. Another feeling that stuck with me is that this is entertainment that was made with a strong directorial vision (right or wrong, and not always successful in execution), but it doesn't hover all over the place with its themes, and has a great central narrative. Another point in favor: the story has a beginning and an end, something rarely seen in today TV shows, that usually get cancelled before getting a chance to fully realize their potential. People who are sick of that will appreciate the effort that went into this. Really, it actually says "THE END" in the last minutes. There might be another season, but I don't know what it would be about, something different. Finally, without discussing personal beliefs, the irony of this show is that it will shock believers and non believers alike – and the big hook of the show is actually that the "Pope", the central figure of the Church, is a non believer himself, or so would it seem. Nothing new (historically speaking), but presented in a very thoughtful and attractive manner on screen. This is a show for smart, intelligent and thinking people, and I for once appreciate that.

Dark Matter (2015–2017)

Not a bad start

[8/10 · 13 June 2015]

Not a bad start. I honestly don't understand all the harsh criticism: I know, it wasn't a perfect pilot episode, but all in all it was quite good. It has a great potential to grow and I was engaged from the get go because I wanted to know more about the characters and their back-story. Memory loss is a cliché, yes, but it can be handled appropriately to create a sense of mystery.

At first I was a little afraid all the action would take place on the ship they wake up, but in the end they visit a planet, which I why I love scifi in the first place: discovery. In some ways it reminded me of Firefly (it remains to be seen, of course, if it can reach such a level of greatness - probably not, but never say never). Even some characters, like the young girl with green hair (Jodelle Ferland) has a River Tam kinda vibe. And, you gotta admit, the android lady was a bit creepy, and transmitted the artificial intelligence uncanny valley quite well.

I would say give this TV show a chance before writing it off, maybe wait for a couple of episodes and see how it develops. The screenwriters are allegedly talented people with plenty of experience and if they manage to keep audiences interested, we might be looking at something great here. If not, well, thanks for trying.