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The Bear (2022)
Outstanding alternative storytelling; not a comedy.
This series is a gift. Innovative, authentic storytelling that effortlessly weaves around our human condition(s). It is sprinkled with everyday humour - but it's a stretch to call it a comedy.
Sometimes very moving with some delicious performances of three dimensional characters.
It's economically dusted with surprising big name actors at their best.
Love the scenery with episodes sometimes travelling to different geographical locations.
It is also a joy to never know what to expect from each episode, the tempo and focus can change for each one while it matches the subject matter.
A pleasure to see a show that appears lacking in both superficial storytelling and stylistic devices.
Would recommend the film Boiling Point too - which at first appears similar but has its own uniqueness.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
Yawnathon - worst HBO documentary - ever
As others have said, this is nothing but a cash cow for all its financial beneficiaries.
It's beyond comprehension the hype this show and book of the same name has had - and otherwise good critics giving it credence that it really does not deserve.
Far better docs are out there if you are interested in the actual case -- some made before he was caught that never mention this author. Unmasking a Killer and GSK Unmasked or any that are not this one. Also excellent were the 5 Casefile podcast episodes - a 6th after the case was solved (unfortunately not narrated by the original anonymous host) with some nonsense in the intro about the author featured in this TV show.
History appears to have been rewritten because HBO backed and then hyped up what should have been a footnote to this entire case.
The Man (2019)
Terrible, terrible writing - Grange Hill has more truth
Why does the protagonist have a complete absence of common sense and intelligence? A good actor wasted on an abysmal characterisation & plot across all areas.
It's meant to be a psychological thriller but it's more like Grange Hill.
Preposterously childish. Beyond terrible. The 2 stars are for some of the actors who did their best with a cringeworthy script.
We'll Take Manhattan (2012)
Excruciatingly embarrassing to watch - it is THAT bad
Terribly childish script, superficial with very one dimensional characterisations; makes the acting look very hammy. Such a shame - they had all that style and locations to play with - such a waste.
The Disappearance of Maura Murray (2017)
They resort to using a medium; 'nuff said.
A repetitive format and the superficial 'investigation' illuminates nothing.
When they brought in a medium - I thought that just about sums up this 'investigation'; a medium who 'says' she knows nothing about the case. FFS; utter waste of time.
I think some 6th formers could have done better of this 'investigation'.
Why should we think an ex cop's opinion is to be treated as gospel? Was he an exceptional cop? How many similar cases did he solve? How many cases did he solve?!
Why should we quickly skip past Maura's dad's first reaction - that she's ended her own life?
There are opportunities to dig deeper into Maura's life - but that's never given any serious, mature attention.
Criminal Minds (2005)
Formulaic, a bit cringe, decreasing quality, based on many RL cases
Episodes are too short and formulaic to be great TV - it's certainly not Cracker, Mindhunter, Sinner or The Fall but many are based on RL cases and 'some' of the info contained within the short scripts is factual, well informed & researched but too fleeting.
Some of the writing requires a sick bucket - particularly between Garcia & Derek - "baby girl" "mama" - puke. They cover the dodgy nature of this banter in season 10 I think - but it doesn't make it any more palatable. We can do with out it - really. I live in hope that they dispense with it after season 10 - haven't seen following seasons yet.
I agree with other reviewers - the quality of the show has significantly deteriorated over time to become only formulaic.
And of course, the idea that within moments, one person, Garcia, can narrow down potential "unsubs" (most overused word in the show) is ridiculous. As is the idea that criminal profiling reliably works & can be delivered like a fast food meal. But I guess watching this series at all requires suspending belief.
Suitable viewing whilst doing other stuff though as it requires very little attention or thought - most crime junkies will guess the ending well before it ends.
Reckoning (2019)
Some great acting talent wasted in a badly written, cliché ridden production
If you've had the good fortune to watch the far more original Rectify, starring Aden Young, then you will be disappointed by this. Rectify succeeds in many areas that this show fails in, originality and depth for a starter.
Aden Young's character in this show is so badly conceived his behaviour is frequently quite jarring -- he's at once tortured by hunting a serial killer and then being an all round great dad 'fooling around' at the dinner table with his kids; errr, ok.
The drama between the characters lacks any depth and never moves beyond a superficial and unrealistic surface. The small drama scenes between the characters were just so tedious, they offered nothing to me, eventually I skipped some of those.
Shame: I love a good serial killer drama but this was hugely disappointing and it never won my undivided attention; it's been streaming in the background but it still managed to make me cringe with its superficiality. I don't mind an absence of big twists or knowing who the culprit is - as much of it depends on depth of content and execution.
If you haven't watched it already, check out Rectify (no serial killers here but worth a watch) or The Fall (a well written serial killer drama series imo) or The Sinner or... a heap of other better conceived and well crafted shows. I've rewatched each of the aforementioned and Cracker, Mindhunter etc. With those, the biggest disappointment is that they end.
The Hundred Code (2015)
Painfully shallow, lazy script full of clichéd characters, story and turgid 'drama'.
This series mimics the Scandi detective genre -- unsuccessfully. The characters are superficial mongrels possessing traits, flaws and back stories that look like they've been selected from a cheap 'write your own Scandi detective show' manual. Shallow in every respect -- the characterisations of the main detectives and the boss are cringe-worthy. The acting is abysmal too -- but given the script there's not much scope to demonstrate any real acting talent. No insights to be gained from watching this. Dreadful.