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- CreatorDavid LevyStarsJohn AstinCarolyn JonesJackie CooganThe misadventures of a blissfully macabre but extremely loving family.Snap your fingers and enjoy the show
Two seasons of this black and white sitcom, totaling 64 episodes, are one of my favorite childhood memories. Perfect casting, perfect morbid-comic atmosphere, brilliant dialogues and replicas, and seductive Carolyn Jones. An unforgettable experience, partly because it's so good, and partly because I can't forget something that I rewatch every couple of years.
9/10 - CreatorDavid CroftJeremy LloydStarsGorden KayeCarmen SilveraVicki MichelleIn France during World War II, René Artois runs a small café where Resistance fighters, Gestapo men, German Army officers and escaped Allied POWs interact daily, ignorant of one another's true identity or presence, exasperating René."Listen carefully, I shall say this only once"
During WWII, Rene Artois and his wife Edith run a café where members of the Gestapo and French Resistance pass by each other daily, which, combined with Rene's adultery, provides an inexhaustible source of entertainment. Excellent script, character diversity, brilliant comedians, extremely witty dialogues and catchy replicas that will be remembered forever, make "Allo Allo!" one of the best sitcoms of all time. Many of us have watched a bunch of random episodes when it was run on TV, but watching this show in its entirety in a period as short as possible is a phenomenal experience that I gladly return to every few years.
9/10 - CreatorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsLeslie NielsenAlan NorthEd WilliamsSight gags, puns and non-sequiturs ensue as bumbling Sgt. Det. Lt. Frank Drebin and his colleagues at Police Squad solve various puzzling cases.Overrated
This show was canceled after just six episodes and, I must say, it's justified. Although "Naked Gun" franchise that I love is based on this show, this was pretty much boring to me. If I saw it as a kid back in 80's I would probably be thrilled, but I do not see how anyone passed elementary school could like this. I cannot say it's crap, but it is overrated and I think the main reason for its cult status is the very fact it was canceled so soon. People have strange habit to oppose and many shows grew instant popularity as soon as they were canceled. In some cases, like with Firefly, it's justified, but in this case, the only credit this show deserves is for spawning "Naked Gun" franchise.
5/10 - StarsVelimir 'Bata' ZivojinovicRajko ProdanovicZarko LausevicVery grim and naturalistic description of life in the reform school.After first episode I was about to quit, but I didn't and soon I was hooked. Even if story isn't "your cup of tea", realistically dark atmosphere is strong enough to keep your attention on its own. In just 12 episodes they succeeded to develop characters deep enough to make you feel you were there. This is thanks to good script, but also to fact that cast is made mostly of the most famous names on YU scene. For many of them this show was jumping board for their careers. And not to forget legendary song "All I Want in This Moment". They slightly spoiled it with last episode, which is, in my opinion, complete failure, but all in all, it's one of the strongest shows in history of YU television.
8/10 - CreatorTom PatchettPaul FuscoStarsMihaly 'Michu' MeszarosPaul FuscoMax WrightWhen an ugly creature, who loves eating cats, crash-lands into the Tanner family's garage, they treat him as a guest and allow him to live with them as he comments on the stupidity of mankind."Ha! I kill me!"
The spacecraft of Gordon Shumway, a hairy and chatty glutton from the planet Melmac, crashes to Earth, straight through the roof of the garage of the average American family, which from that moment on becomes anything but average. They decided to keep him and gave him the name ALF, short for Alien Life Form.
As a child, I never missed an episode. My sister and I loved it. I mean, how can you not love the bad-mannered and narcissistic, but good-hearted alien, which is an inexhaustible source of laughter and who's continuously trying to eat the house cat, in every way making it difficult for his hosts to hide him from the public eye. A few years ago, I re-watched all four seasons and enjoyed it even more than when I was a kid, because as a seven-year-old I couldn't quite understand every joke and gag. The movie that came out instead of the fifth season, to complete the story because the series was canceled, you can freely skip, and the cartoon series are nothing special either, but the original four seasons are an absolute must-watch.
8/10 - CreatorMark FrostDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanMichael OntkeanMädchen AmickAn idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.Twin Peaks Diary
3 February 2017
Back when this show was on the air, I was 11 years old, my family was watching it on a regular basis and I was taking a gander from the sidelines and I remember I did not like it. I cannot recall exactly why... Maybe it was boring, or scary or from some third reason... All in all, I was kind of watching it and I know what is it about, but I do not remember details anymore. Considering its cult status and "resurrection" announced for later this year, I decided to watch both seasons and both movies before the third season is released.
I just saw the pilot episode and I don't understand why anyone would be caught by it. It may be that show in its entirety is great, but the pilot does not promise quality entertainment at all. I have complete series, so I will continue watching it for the time being, but if I was watching the pilot on TV and if I had to continue with the second episode a week later, I would probably completely forget about it in meantime and I would not follow the show. I cannot say it is boring or badly done because it is not, but it does not stand out in any way either and it does not encourage curiosity. Average thriller, I would say. I hope it gets better because I do not want to waste 33 hours if they are the same level as the pilot.
6,5/10 (for pilot only)
I'm near the end of the first season and so far the only thing I like about this show is fabulously excellent music by Angelo Badalamenti. Possibly the best soundtrack I have ever heard.
10/10
I finished the first season and I'm still not hooked. Acting is very good, music is perfect, but the story is too much soap-opera like. It is like someone who was used to make soap-operas suddenly decided to make a thriller. And of course, Lynch distinctive visual atmosphere that causes me a stomachache. Fortunately, Lynch made this show way before he completely flipped, so it is just slightly irritating, unlike his more recent works that are mostly unwatchable.
7/10
As the second season progress, more and more I get a feeling that this show was intended to be some kind of subtle parody, but I have no idea what of, because I'm not familiar with television trends of the '80s. I was too young then, and now I mostly watch theatrical movies from that era, so television from the '80s is almost completely unknown to me. However, the longer I follow this show the more I like it, although I think music has a crucial role in it.
7,5/10
While the first season was mediocre thriller/mystery, the second season jumps off to complete madness. I did not watch everything made by Lynch, and I have no intention to do so, but this could easily be his lifework. Basically, this is soap opera, but extremely intelligent, with many layers and an unbelievable amount of different genres perfectly combined. To me, absurd/surreal fiction prevails. There is, of course, crime fiction with a murder mystery and detective story, which irresistibly reminds me of film noir. Then, there's drama, mystery, horror, romance, black comedy, romantic comedy, and parody. And there's a chance I even missed something. In one moment I have a feeling that I am watching a sitcom and the very next moment I'm sitting at the edge of the chair wanting to turn on all the lights in the apartment. I wonder what it would feel like to watch this on drugs :D
8,5/10
I was at the very edge of changing my rating to 10/10 when I saw the last episode and it was the biggest disappointment in my life, regarding movies and TV series, of course. TP started as a mediocre thriller, grew into one of the best shows ever made and instead of reaching its peak in the final episode with some grand finale it went to complete disaster. The last episode is just typical Lynch crap. With it, he destroyed probably the best work he's ever done.
0/10 for the show finale - CreatorDanny BilsonPaul De MeoStarsJohn Wesley ShippAmanda PaysAlex DésertA police forensic scientist, Barry Allen, battles crimes as the super-fast superhero "The Flash."At the beginning of second season new Flash started to bore me. I don't want to give up on it just yet, but I decided to pause for a while by going back to show of my childhood, The Flash from 1990. When I was in elementary school I thought this was awesome. Now... Show is outdated in every aspect, but although story is much simpler than in new one and effects more primitive, old Flash has that nostalgic charm of 80's B production and comic-book atmosphere. Although new one is objectively better, old Flash I love much more.
7/10
Plots are completely different. Beside few names and fact that Flash is speedster who fights crime, they have almost nothing in common. The Way Barry becomes Flash is completely different and "same" characters have completely different characteristics and mutual relationships. While in new Flash Iris is black journalist and his adopted sister in whom he is secretly in love, in old one she is white artist and girl who leaves him. New Flash is based on his father being convicted for his mother murder and Flash trying to find a way to free him and punish real murderer, but in old Flash both of his parents are alive and well and he has cop brother who dies. From base to details this two shows are completely different. I have no idea which version is adapted from the comics, if any, but in my opinion, plot of new Flash is too complicated and in combination with modern technology, effects and production it totally lacks soul of comic-book.
****
As I watch more episodes I like this more and more and I have less and less will to ever finish new version. I just realized that same actor plays Flash in old and Flashes father in new show. Beside John Wesley Shipp, at least four other actors appear in both shows. Amanda Pays, who plays leading female role in old Flash, role divided to Wells and Caitlin in new version, 25 years later reappears in same role. Alex Desert, whose role in old version is closest thing to Cisco from new one, also reprises his role in few episodes of new Flash, same as Vito D'Ambrosio as Mayor Bellows and Luke Skywalker as Trickster. In old version Barry became Flash after he was hit by lightning, so he's the only meta-human there, while villains are mad, genius and backed up with some serious technology, but still just humans. Bunch of meta-humans makes new Flash nothing special and new show seems like better produced version of Power Rangers, full of monsters and empty action. Stupid and boring. Old show is more down to earth, more realistic, with more convincing situations and relationships and decent dose of healthy humor. It has much better atmosphere and I have to improve its rating once again.
8/10
I finished first and only season and I'm sorry that there's no more. But it may be good thing, cause they would probably spoil it in time. I collected impressions and, although it is very far from being one of the best shows of all time (maybe strong seven), in my opinion this is perfect example of how comic-book adaptation should look like. Shoulder to shoulder with Batman from previous year, within the genre I rate it perfect ten.
8,5/10 - CreatorBonnie TurnerTerry TurnerStarsJohn LithgowJane CurtinKristen JohnstonA group of aliens is sent to Earth, disguised as a human family, to experience and report life on the third planet from the sun.One of the wittiest and most entertaining shows ever. With most of the comedies, you understand that something is funny but you don't actually laugh out loud at it. Shows that make you cry while your jaw hurts from laughing like crazy are extremely rare. And for me, this is such a show. I can always watch it, no matter I know it by heart from watching it countless times, no matter current mood. However nervous, edgy, sad and down I may be, one episode of Dick and family will always bring me back from the dead. One of the strongest tens I ever gave.
10/10
Episode titles are hilarious: Dick Smoker, Lonely Dick, Body and Soul and Dick, Ab-Dick-ted, The Art of Dick, Angry Dick, I Enjoy Being a Dick, Assault With a Deadly Dick,... I mean, even if you don't have dirty mind this is more than obvious and almost certainly intentional. I love it. - CreatorJoss WhedonStarsSarah Michelle GellarNicholas BrendonAlyson HanniganA young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends."You're a vampire. Oh, I'm sorry. Is that an offensive term? Should I say 'Undead-American'?"
Inspired by the horror cliché, where an empty-headed blonde pulls a dumb move or sprains her ankle during an escape and is captured/killed by a villain/monster, Joss Whedon decides to turn the tables and, in the 1992 film "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the superficial cheerleader becomes the Chosen One, a lone fighter against vampires and demons, whose destiny is to save the world. Five years later, the story continues in the series of the same name, which ran for seven seasons and gained cult status, with Entertainment Weekly ranking it as the tenth-best series of all time.
"In every generation, there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."
The series combines a high school soap opera with elements of drama, comedy, and horror, and is more of an homage than a parody to the B-movie horrors of the eighties. Although it is technically horribly outdated, and the make-up and costumes are tragicomic, on the one hand, this is exactly what gives it an irresistible charm today, which easily wins over us nostalgics, and on the other, the characterization and development of the characters and their relationships, as well as the variety of topics it covers, greatly compensate for all technical shortcomings.
My opinion is that people who call this series trash either haven't gotten past the first few episodes and don't see the big picture, or they just don't like the genre. In both cases, they are not competent to judge. And then again, I think that others, who rank it at the very top of television achievements, exaggerate on the other side and that there are no real grounds for such a high rating.
I really like the style of the B-horrors, and I also like teen films. I'm very nostalgic when it comes to the eighties, I like the wide range of life topics that the series covers and the way it combines philosophical issues with pop culture, drama and horror with comedy and cheap action, sleazy tongue-in-cheek shame transfers with honest emotion. I like witty remarks and sarcasm about modern society (example in the title quote), as well as more or less obvious references to many personalities and achievements from the genres it covers.
The series was filmed in the same school as the cult "Beverly Hills, 90210". The Sunnydale Police logo is the same as in the "Police Academy" franchise. The ancient vampire, who is one of the main villains, is long-haired and bearded in the script, but in the series this was discarded and his appearance is now an homage to Nosferatu from 1922. Also, Spike's real name, William Pratt, is the real name of the legendary Boris Karloff.
My only major complaint with the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is the choice of the leading actress. Although she is somewhat charismatic and certainly eye-candy, and although I certainly grew attached to the character of Buffy through 144 episodes, the fact is that Sarah Michelle Gellar is not a good actress. Her whole acting performance comes down to a few facial expressions that she spins in circles and a lot of the time she looks like she makes faces and is quite annoying.
But there are a lot of other actors whose performances are much more impressive (Juliet Landau, Eliza Dushku) and whose characters, over the course of seven seasons, have become like a second family to me (Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head, James Marsters, Emma Ford, Charisma Carpenter) and I will miss them. At least until I return to this series for the third time, if there is time and opportunity.
8/10 - CreatorDavid GreenwaltJoss WhedonStarsDavid BoreanazCharisma CarpenterAlexis DenisofThe vampire Angel, cursed with a soul, moves to Los Angeles and aids people with supernatural-related problems while questing for his own redemption.A spin-off that exceeded the original
When Angel left Sunnydale and the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series, he moved to LA and started a detective agency specializing in the supernatural. A spin-off also takes Cordelia and Wesley from the original series and "Angel" is born, a show that continues in the manner of "Buffy" and directly builds on it. However, despite many similarities, "Angel" is significantly darker (both figuratively and literally), more serious, and in every way surpasses Buffy, at least slightly (and somewhere by much more). The characters and their relationships are more mature and better developed, the story is more complex and coherent, the atmosphere is more powerful and the overall impression is much stronger. A opet, nisam siguran da li bi ova serija funkcionisala bez "Buffy". I see them as two sides of the same coin, or better, as the light and dark side of the moon.
8,5/10 - CreatorAlfred GoughMiles MillarStarsTom WellingMichael RosenbaumAllison MackA young Clark Kent struggles to find his place in the world as he learns to harness his alien powers for good and deals with the typical troubles of teenage life in Smallville, Kansas.My DC adaptations marathon came to Smallville, one of few shows I ever saw completely and even fewer I wanna see again. I just finished rewatching of the first season that shows high-school days of Clark Kent. Tom Welling is great playing young Clark who gradually discovers his abilities and tries to juggle between normal teen life and hiding the fact he's an alien. In first season he discovers his inhuman strength and speed, then he gradually discovers extent of his invulnerability and at the end he finds out about his X-Ray vision. The rest of his powers will come in seasons to follow. Here we meet Lex Luthor, Clark's best friend, who changes into villain in front of our eyes, partially because of his egomaniac father and partially because of distrustful treatment from everyone around him, caused by his wealth and infamous family name. There's also beautiful Kristin Kreuk, playing Lana Lang, Clark's unrealized love, and many more talented young actors. But the most impressive of all is John Glover, playing Lionel Luthor, Lex's father and main villain. Story combines typical teenage show with superhero elements, which slowly grow from season to season until they completely take over the show and change it beyond recognition. But for now special effects are at minimum and show is more teen romance drama than story about Superman. It may not be the best, but it's certainly my favorite DC show so far.
7,5/10 - CreatorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresAlan TudykFive hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.Overrated, but very good indeed
Finally I took time and watched the whole "Firefly" at once. I am not disappointed, I enjoyed every episode, but still, I think it is very overrated. It is space western that gathers a team of good actors in an original and entertaining story. Still, I fail to see what quality makes it stand out from a bunch of other Sci-Fi shows, except by fact it is space western... It is good, but cult status and rating over nine out of ten are a mystery to me. The show was canceled after only fourteen episodes and it seems they did it on purpose. The official reason was lack of audience, but low ratings were obviously caused intentionally because the show was aired on Friday nights when they always had lowest ratings, episodes were aired in wrong order and marketing for the show was terrible. Shame, it could grow into something really great. My recommendation for those who did not see it is to forget about its reputation and watch it without any expectations and you will surely enjoy it. My favorite episodes are 6th and 7th. While I rate the rest 7/10, these two deserve 9/10. Intelligent, original, well played and with a nicely balanced amount of good humor.
7,5/10 - CreatorLaeta KalogridisStarsAshley ScottDina MeyerRachel SkarstenIn the future, long after the Batman has driven himself into exile, his legacy lives on in the form of the Birds of Prey--Black Canary, Oracle, and the Huntress.Years after Batman left Gotham, trio Birds of Prey takes over his role. They are Huntress - daughter of Batman and Catwoman, Oracle - former Batgirl put in wheelchair by Joker and Dinah - girl with telepathic abilities whose true identity and full potential are to be revealed later. There are also Alfred - Batman's old battler, Jesse - young inspector in love with Huntress, Harley Queen who tries to step in her old boyfriend's shoes and bunch of meta-humans. Show keeps Batman atmosphere while trying to distinguish itself from Batman story. It's not particularly original, but it's fun and holds attention. Acting is quite good and leading girls are beauties. Unfortunately, show is cancelled after first season, but it doesn't end with cliffhanger so I recommend it to DC fans who look for good entertainment.
7/10 - CreatorDavid E. KelleyStarsJames SpaderWilliam ShatnerCandice BergenBoston Legal is a spin-off of the long-running David E. Kelley series The Practice (1997), following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore (James Spader) at the legal firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt.Denny Crane, my favorite mad cow <3
"Boston Legal" is a spin-off ("The Practice"), which has surpassed the parent series. It is definitely the best series of its kind and one of the best series of all time, for me, perhaps even the best. This is one of the strongest tens I've ever given, because it is perfect in every way. The superb cast, led by James Spader and William Shatner, convincingly presents a huge range of different characters and their mutual relationships. The series brings complex characters in insane court processes, with incredible twists. Moving drama and hilarious humor are perfectly balanced at all times. Through crazy and caricatured, but realistic and believable situations, this show opens up a number of serious political and life issues, and at the same time causes laughter and deep self-reflection. Every character will be your favorite and every episode will seem the best one. There's simply no weak point.
11/10 - CreatorSydney NewmanStarsJodie WhittakerPeter CapaldiPearl MackieThe further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.One of my favorite shows is on the air since 1963, more than half of a century. I followed it till December 2015 when they decided to skip 2016. I turned to some other shows and forgot about it. Season 2017 is over and in a month season 2018 begins. So last night I got back to it and reminded myself why I love it so much. In meantime I started original series and saw first two out of 26 seasons. It is good, but it's not quite it. Since 2005 Doctor Who becomes one of the best series ever. I will see all of it sooner or later, but only when I'm done with new seasons. To TV series fanatics with lots of spare time I warmly recommend all 37 seasons, but this last 11 seasons are must watch for every TV series fan.
10/10 - CreatorMick GarrisStarsKaren Elizabeth AustinJ. Winston CarrollMiho NinagawaAnchor Bay's collection, which has amassed some of the best horror film anthologies.This is a series of 26 one-hour horror films, directed by 19 different directors, which for some reason have been selected as "masters of horror". While some of them really are masters, the choice of others quite surprised me. Some movies have original stories, some are adaptations of the giants of the genre, such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft or Clive Barker. The quality varies from barely watchful crap to really excellent short films. The series overall is far from a masterpiece, but most episodes hold attention and everyone will find something for themselves. There is some really horrific horror and gore and serious drama, and there's also plenty of dark humor and effects that look like those from B movies of the '80s, where monsters, rather than being scary, wake nostalgia and bring smile to our faces. And there's also a couple of really painful embarrassment transfers. The second season is significantly weaker and I'm not surprised that the series has been canceled, but the fans of the horror should not miss it. I especially recommend "Valerie on the Stairs" (Barker), "Jenifer" (Argento), "Dreams in the Witch-House" (Lovecraft) and "The Black Cat" (Poe).
7/10 - CreatorDavid S. GoyerStarsSticky FingazJill WagnerNelson LeeThe adventures of the half human/vampire hunter.Wesley Snipes is the only true Blade
From the very beginning it was weird to see Sticky Fingaz instead of Wesley Snipes, but once you get used to it, "Blade" becomes quite entertaining show. It's sequel to the movie franchise and has pretty good plot that pulls you in and it's a shame it was canceled after single season. There's no bigger flaws to brag about, but it also doesn't have any outstanding qualities. Just an average Marvel that will bring joy to Blade fans and mediocre for the rest of us.
6/10 - CreatorTommy BlachaBrendon SmallStarsBrendon SmallTommy BlachaMark HamillThe epic and over-the-top adventures of Dethklok, the world's most successful death metal band.I just finished the first season of the animated series Metalocalypse. It has 63 episodes in a total duration of around 12 hours. Episodes last only for about ten minutes, but I think it's better not to watch them too many at once. I watch one per day, usually during a morning coffee, so that my day starts with metal and laughter.
Series follows the adventures of the band Dethklok, the most popular death metal band of all time, a band that is so popular that it is one of the strongest economies in the world and has such an army of fans that it has a serious impact on world politics. Members of this band are five completely different personalities representing caricatures of "typical" rock stars. As much as they are successful as a band, that much everything they touch goes berserk and ends with a total disaster from which only the band gets out without major consequences. Show is satire of western civilization, modern politics and consumer society, as well as the prejudice of metalheads.
The animation is pretty good, the music and lyrics are excellent, story has a fast pace, a lot of black humor and it's extremely brutal and gore. And the opening theme has immediately entered the very top of my favorites and is one of the few that I do not skip even though I saw it so many times that I know it by heart.
8/10 - StarsMamoru MiyanoBrad SwaileVincent TongAn intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.Excellent thriller with a lousy finale
I watched first 6 (out of 37) episodes and I'm hooked. Although this type of animation goes on my nerves, it's not as bad as in other anime I encountered so far, and the story is so good that I have to see it through, no matter retarded looks of Shinigami and all the other flaws of the genre. This would be excellent feature thriller, either movie or series. If possible, in Japanese or European production, although I doubt even Hollywood could screw it too much. But, speculation on the side, in this form, I rate it
8/10
As the series progressed, I was more and more tempted to give it a 9, or even 10, but the last episode was a real disappointment. Someone who has been living a triple life for six years and playing the game at such a high level would not make such an amateur mistake. I knew they will get him eventually, but I was expecting some highly intelligent mindfak, not the outworn cliche of a villain exulting in the face of the enemy before his plan succeeded. Final rating
8,5/10 - CreatorTom KapinosStarsDavid DuchovnyNatascha McElhoneEvan HandlerA writer tries to juggle his career, his relationship with his daughter and his ex-girlfriend, as well as his appetite for beautiful women."Despite the fact that I'm a swirling black hole, I'm pretty faking awesome sometimes"
After a series "The X Files" David Duchovny had planned to withdraw from the television, and I thought that I would in any future role still see him as Fox Mulder. I was wrong. With the role of Hank Moody, he immediately wiped all memory of Mulder.
Hank Moody is a writer in blockade, who lives of old fame and money earned from the movie based on his bestseller, while driving his Porsche from pub to party, from alcohol to drugs, from making love with a prostitute to wild sex with every woman willing to spread her legs, persistently and hopelessly trying to escape from depression and suffering for the family he destroyed. Explicit scenes of bohemian "sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll" life, immersed in impossible situations full of shame-transfers, genius replicas, inexhaustible (mostly black) humor, which vulgarly and brutally hold you on the edge between embarrassment and dying from laughter, are shifting to deeply emotional scenes of his desperate attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife and raise his teenage daughter.
Although the fantastic script and Duchovny's perfect performance are what rises this show to the top of the best series I've ever watched, we must not forget the excellent casting of supporting characters, whose diversity complements this crazy story and makes it an unforgettable experience. Particularly distinguished among them is Evan Handler, as Hank's best friend, whose performance stands side by side with Duchovny's.
I could say that it's genre is a drama-comedy, but for me, this series is falling into a special category of "complete awesomeness". There are very few series I followed from start to finish, but this one I saw several times in its entirety and each time I was impressed as the first time. I have no complaints, except that it did not last forever. One of the strongest tens I ever gave.
10/10 - CreatorHoward OvermanStarsNathan Stewart-JarrettJoe GilgunIwan RheonA group of young offenders doing community service gets struck by lightning during a storm and start to develop superpowers."Can we please stop killing our probation workers?"
Warning: Minor spoilers
Movies and TV series in which people have supernatural powers are usually super-heroic. People with powers either dedicate their lives to fighting evil or they become super-villains themselves. Those characters are mostly two-dimensional and stories are usually a black and white fight between good and evil. OK, there are shades of gray like in Batman for example, but it's still fairy-tale like and unrealistic. Until the British decided to try out on territory where Marvel and DC have almost monopoly. Then we get "Misfits", a show with production that cannot compare to Hollywood, but with the story that will win you over in no time.
Group of young delinquents, convicted to community service, get hit by a weird storm that gives them supernatural powers. But they become neither superheroes nor super-villains. They remain mostly who they were, realistic convincing characters from everyday life, who sometimes use and sometimes abuse their new powers to overcome obstacles everyday life throws at them. They do not think big, they just live their own lives. Besides powers we are used to seeing on screen, like flying, telekinesis or mind-reading, this show offers a bunch of new original and often extremely weird powers, like the ability to control milk or hypnotizing tits. This is a teenage action drama, full of English dark humor, at the same time original story and parody on the superhero genre.
"Misfits" has 5 seasons, a total of 38 episodes. The first season is probably the best one, because of its original simplicity. Later in the show actors and characters are changing pretty fast and the plot is more and more complicated, sometimes maybe too much, but it is definitely worth watching till the end. You will probably get to the edge of giving up after the first episode in the third season but don't. Get through the first few episodes of the third season and the show will get under your skin once again.
Acting and music are good, special effects are often ridiculous, partially because of the low budget, but I believe it was in good part on purpose, and although this is not objectively high-quality show, because of unexpected originality and unbelievable fun, I am struggling not to give it straight ten.
9/10 - CreatorEric FalconerChris RomanoStarsDarin BrooksAlan RitchsonChris RomanoThree incoming freshmen attending Midwestern college football powerhouse Blue Mountain State must quickly adapt to college life and juggle football, girls, classes and nonstop hazing.Absolute must watch, at least for a male audience
The series takes us into the world of American college football. The main characters are guys whose life is spinning around sports, sex (or at least aspirations towards it) and endless partying. I can not compare this series with anything, because I do not remember seeing anything similar, and definitely nothing so much fun. I am not competent to comment on the script, directing, acting, or any other aspect of this series, because I was largely overwhelmed by laughter, and totally did not care for its technical aspects or objective quality. It's so addictive that I watched a season daily.
10/10 - CreatorCharles PiccoCraig WallaceAnthony LeoStarsAlex HouseMaggie CastleBill TurnbullA stoner metalhead named Todd Smith, his crushee Jenny, his best friend Curtis, and the geeky Hannah, search their high school for a mayhem-causing Satanic spell book, while being opposed by Atticus, the evil guidance councillor.I want more!
This is simply awesome. Combination of high-school show, comedy and horror, that packs clichés of 80's and 90's into catchy 20 minutes portions of pure fun. All accompanied by lots of weed and heavy metal. Plus, in the main supporting role, we have Jason Mewes, Jay from legendary Jay and Silent Bob duo. The only flaw of this show is that it was canceled after two seasons, so the main story is left incomplete. However, every episode has own rounded plot so they can be watched separately. Also, an animated movie that should finish the story is announced and it's expected very soon. Recommendation for everyone who loves metal, weed, 80's horrors, teen comedies, things so stupid that they're ingenious and good fun. I saw all 26 episodes in just a few days and I yearn for more.
9/10 - CreatorMichael KarnowZak PennStarsDavid StrathairnRyan CartwrightWarren ChristieAlphas is a science fiction drama focusing on a team that investigates people with supernatural abilities.An interesting approach to "superheroes"
The series "Alphas" is about a team of people with some unusual abilities. They are not superheroes, because, in addition to special "powers", this word also carries the personality characteristics that distinguish heroes, which these characters are not. Also, their abilities are not supernatural but explained by neurological mutations that somewhat "hold water", so this is not fantasy but SF. Their "powers" also carry negative consequences, so a character with the ability to gain increased power by consciously pumping adrenaline, after a few minutes remains unusable, a character who can sharpen the sense of choice at the same time "loses" other senses, and a character who can "see" and manipulate electromagnetic waves, and thus monitors cellphones or surfs Internet without aids, is at the same time autistic. Besides the action, the series is quite dedicated to the characterization of the protagonists and their mutual relationships and, although the premise is all but original, the approach to the story is different from similar shows I've encountered so far. It had potential, and it's a shame it was canceled after just two seasons.
7/10 - CreatorDavid BenioffD.B. WeissStarsEmilia ClarkePeter DinklageKit HaringtonNine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.LOTR of the TV world
4 October 2016
TV shows I rated 10 are rare, I could count them on one hand. And this is one of them. The excellent crew did this based on the fantastic book and in cooperation with the original writer. I do not want to compare this show with anything else because it is beyond any comparison, but speaking only about its quality, this is for the TV world what "Lord of the Rings" is for movies. I doubt anyone will top this any time soon.
New books are not out yet, and producers decided not to wait for them, so series are ahead of the books now. I did not watch the latest season yet, and I see many bad impressions and comments on the web, but even if they really did a lousy job on this last season, the previous five seasons are so good that last one cannot spoil average grade below ten out of ten. Unfortunately, I did not see the famous "Breaking Bad" yet, so I cannot be 100% sure, but for me, this is the very best TV show ever made. For the first time in my life I will give money for the series and, when the series is completed, buy the original box-set edition. It pains me to admit, but Tolkien is overthrown - I prefer "GOT" over "LOTR", both in a written and screened version.
I am not writing about its contents, there is more than enough spoilers all around the web, so no need for me to add some more. Thou, I do not understand all that noise and complaining about spoilers, especially if the movie/series is based on a famous book. In my opinion, you should always read the book before you watch it on TV, and if you did it then you already know most of what you'll see, so complaining about spoilers is ridiculous. And believe me, even if it is not always the case, in this case, you really SHOULD READ THE BOOKS FIRST. It is impossible to put all those thousands of pages in a TV show, and reading the books will allow you a much better understanding of what you see and you will enjoy the show much much more. I'm not saying that books are better. Not this time. Both are great in their own way. But the show will hypnotize you even deeper if you read the books first.
10/10
And what am I supposed to watch now that won't seem totally lame after seeing "GOT"…
11 February 2020
The eighth season is over and with it the already cult "Game of Thrones". The flood of spoilers and complaining over the last season receded, the dust settled, and it's time for me to finally see it in its entirety. I decided not to continue where I left off, but to start from the beginning and watch it without gigantic breaks between episodes and seasons.
Even before it starts, the series leaves you breathless with its phenomenal opening credits. Although a bit too long for my taste, it is certainly one of the most impressive introduction clips I have ever seen, mostly because of beautiful music by Ramin Djawadi.
"Game of Thrones", the first book of the cult saga "A Song of Ice and Fire," I first read in the summer of 2007. When I first sat down to watch the series in 2011, it seemed like the book was coming alive. Most of the scenes were shot exactly the way I imagined them while reading, and the cast is predominantly perfectly selected. I remember that only young Targaryens, and especially their hair, were torn in my eye. Emilia Clarke, in my opinion, is not beautiful/handsome enough or good enough actress for the role of Daenerys, and it took me more than a season to get used to her. Maisie Williams was initially very antipathic, but she quickly gained me with quality acting. The rest of the cast has been so impressive since the start that, when I continued reading the books, I began to imagine them exactly as they were shown in the series. What separates "Game of Thrones" the most from the majority of representatives of the genre is realistic characterization. There are no good guys and bad guys here, no black-and-white struggle between good and evil. All the characters are deeply layered and their good and bad sides take turns from situation to situation.
The first episode starts the series with force and ruthlessness, and although it is only a preliminary introduction to the story, it already manages to shock us on several occasions with its explicitness, vulgarity, and brutality. If you, while watching this episode, even for a moment felt discomfort, better stop here, because of what follows in the episodes and seasons that are in front of you your stomach will turn inside out.
Already in the second episode, Martin begins to kill innocent, ruthlessly introducing us into a world in which no one is safe, and in which the main characters are dropping like flies, alongside extras. Characters that die without any order, sense, and logic, whose stories remain incomplete because they are suddenly stricken by bad luck, are Martin's trademark. The series, as well as the source novel, constantly keeps you in a state of tension, because deaths, intrigues, and plot twists are totally unexpected and unpredictable, as is the real life.
Which brings us to the controversial last season. As far as I noticed, nagging about the last season is focused primarily on the script and the characters' illogical and unprovoked moves. I was bothered by the chaotic directing and editing. The episode depicting the battle against the army of the dead made my eyes literally hurt and, in my opinion, music was inadequate and irritating. But I have no major objections to the story itself. We are used to movies where the end logically follows from the introduction and plot, but it usually happens only in stories. Life is not logical, and I have already mentioned that Martin is quite realistic. People change, evolve, make plans, wage internal struggles, fight for a goal and, while the endings of most films show them failing or achieving those goals, life often stops those life paths with unexpected death and makes the whole journey meaningless. Death simply undoes us. Likewise, in the last season, Martin just canceled out a bunch of characters and their stories, while others acted impulsively, made fatal mistakes, or simply went mad. Many have completed their journeys in somewhat karmically acceptable ways, and the fates of some have surprised us. The season is a little hectic, but I don't think this story could have ended much differently, and I'm definitely not disappointed.
Last season, in my opinion, deserves no more than a seven or an eight, but the overall impression of the entire series remains
10/10 - CreatorJeff DavisStarsTyler PoseyHolland RodenDylan O'BrienAn average high school student and his best friend get caught up in some trouble causing him to receive a werewolf bite. As a result they find themselves in the middle of all sorts of dramas in Beacon Hills.It is not top quality show, but what could you possibly expect from MTV... At the other hand, for those who love supernatural, show is fast, without idling, so pretty much fun.
7/10 - CreatorKyle KillenStarsJason IsaacsLaura AllenSteve HarrisAfter a car accident takes the life of a family member, a police detective lives two alternating parallel lives, one with his wife and one with his son. Is one of his "realities" merely a dream?Ultimate mindfuck
After a car accident in which a family member is killed, a detective begins to live two parallel realities. In one reality, he lives with his wife and their son is killed, and when he falls asleep in that reality he awakens in another where he lives with his son and his wife is killed. In both realities he goes to a psychiatrist who convinces him that the other reality is just a dream and a way for his mind to cope with loss. But which reality is real, which is a dream, or both are real, or both are a dream... The series is phenomenally done and is a total mindfuck. I was very disappointed when it was canceled after the first season, but believe me, even unfinished, it's more than worth watching.
8/10 - CreatorSherri Cooper-LandsmanRon KoslowJennifer LevinStarsKristin KreukJay RyanNina LisandrelloA beautiful detective falls in love with an ex-soldier who goes into hiding from the secret government organization that turned him into a mechanically charged beast.The secret project of creating a super-soldier goes wrong and, in order to cover up the whole thing, all volunteers who have been exposed to serum are killed. One manages to get away and lives in hiding until he saves the life of a young policewoman and falls in love with her. Then, of course, all possible complications begin. I know, it sounds sleasy, but the series is really well done. It combines elements of crime series with romance, thriller and a bit of horror. Jay Ryan is good in the role of the "beast", Kristin Kreuk is not particularly good actress, but she is beautiful enough for male audience to forgive her shortcomings in the performance, and Nina Lisandrello as her partner and Austin Basis as a computer magician and "beast's" best friend are great. The story is complicated and interesting, directing and effects are good and the series is very addictive. It has four seasons and it's finished, not canceled, so if you decide to watch, you will finish it pretty quickly and without waiting for new episodes or disappointments that the story has remained unresolved. Recommendation.
7,5/10 - CreatorIan BrennanBrad FalchukRyan MurphyStarsEmma RobertsLea MicheleAbigail BreslinA semi-anthology series that centers on characters being terrorized by a serial killer in different locations, including a university and a hospital.Fun! Fun! Fun!
I have no idea how to describe this madness except by MUST WATCH !!! It is a parody of horrors, with caricatured characters and sick dialogues, but with a plot that keeps you watching more and more. I would not expect anything less of "American Horror Story" makers. This is one of the most entertaining things I ever saw. I refrain from giving it 10/10 because it still cannot go in the same rating with masterpieces like "How to Get Away With Murder" or "Californication".
* * * *
I just finished the second season and I deeply wish that this show never ended. It's damn super-fun. Parody to horror stereotypes with references to a bunch of cult movies and shows and everything packed so stupidly exaggerated that it must be work of genius. The characters are great, the cast even better, and Jamie Lee Curtis is simply perfect. You'll attach to these irritating characters in no time and you'll enjoy loving and hating them at the same time. Warm recommendation.
8,5/10 - CreatorChad HodgeStarsSiobhan Fallon HoganToby JonesShannyn SossamonA Secret Service agent goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho in search of two federal agents who have gone missing in the bucolic town. He soon learns that he might never get out of Wayward Pines alive.It's a shame that it's over after just two seasons
A year ago, I watched the first season and, since it was a well-rounded story that does not require a continuation, and since the second season has picked up predominantly bad criticism, I gave up on further watching. A few days ago, I changed my mind and watched the series all the way through. Do not make the mistake I made and believe bad reviews, because the second season is excellent, and in some aspects maybe better than the first one. I guess bad reviews are the result of a big difference between seasons, but the fact that the second season deviated from the patterns of the first does not make it worse, just different. While the first season is a mindfuck mystery and is based on confusing plot and mystical atmosphere, the second season is a post-apocalyptic SF drama. While the first season puzzles you and makes you guess, the second gives answers but, because of the strong interpersonal relationships, life dramas and several unexpected surprises and plot twists, it isn't any less exciting than the first. I believe it could have been better, but it's great anyway and it's a real shame they gave up on it after just two seasons. Don't let the fact it's canceled dissuade you from watching it, because both seasons are rounded wholes, that leave room for a continuation, but don't require it. There are no unresolved cliffhangers.
P.S. I did not mention anything about the story itself, because even the briefest summary would be an unforgivable spoiler.
8/10 - StarsNatalia Cordova-BuckleyYancey AriasChloe BennetFollowing Inhuman Yo-Yo Rodriguez also known as 'Slingshot' on a personal Mission against time.Mediocre episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. which is for some reason split into six five-minute episodes and inserted as a mini-series between the third and fourth season. If one does not watch it all at once, it probably does not make any sense.
6/10 - CreatorMark FrostDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanSheryl LeeMichael HorsePicks up 25 years after the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town are stunned when their homecoming queen is murdered.Twin Peaks Diarrh... Diary
There's a chance David Lynch is crazy. But I honestly doubt it. I think it's much more probable that he simply screws with us. We are struggling to understand his movies where there's, in fact, nothing to understand. He just stuffs his films with everything and anything that comes to his mind, without any sense and meaning, and then he sits aside and laughs his head off on our pathetic attempts to explain his outburst of "genius".
****
The first episode was promising. Strange, mysterious, distinctive. I was hypnotized. But in the second episode I was already at the edge of giving up. I was held only by curiosity. Now, after the third and fourth episode, I can not take this seriously anymore. I have a feeling that I'm watching high-budget parody to "Twin Peaks" instead of the long-awaited third season. Unlike first episode that mesmerized me and kept me in suspense, through third and fourth I mostly laughed, partly from agony, partly from shame transfer to which the show abounds, although there were also few really good jokes. But overall it feels like spoof made by the principle "it's so bad that it's good." I'm more and more convinced that Lynch really is screwing with us. David, I have no idea what you're on, but give us a little so we could feel nice too.
****- How the hell did this madman know that he will be able to make the third season after 25 years? How did he know, not only that he will be alive, but that the rest of the crew will also be alive, capable and willing to shoot... Did he simply risked and had luck?
- Why does almost every episode end in "Ally McBeal" manner?
Those are the questions that tinker in my head, since the brain gave up on asking the question about the plot a long time ago...
****
The new season of Twin Peaks is at the same time retarded and ingenious, senseless and visually fascinating. From episode to episode I like it more and more, and just when I was afraid that I will have to rate it 10/10, the 8th episode turned out to be probably the most stupid thing I saw this year. The middle part of it that stretches explosion scene to exhaustion and back, turning it into something like screen saver of some music player, can be explained in two ways. Either Lynch does not have finished screenplay at all, but he writes it along the way, so when the time came to shoot 8th episode he had material for just 20 minutes and he needed an hour that he had to fill, or he simply wanted to kill all epileptics in the audience. Anyway, this episode brought me back to attitude "why the hell I'm even losing my time on this nonsense."
****
I just finished the third season of "Twin Peaks" and I'm speechless. Weird, bizarre, fascinating and exhausting, original but nostalgic. Epic TV project that won't leave you indifferent. You can love it or hate it and I can not decide for myself. The story is unreal and surreal, but I couldn't place it in any sub-genres of fantasy or SF. I think it would be the closest to the truth to name it dream-genre. It feels like you're dreaming drama-mystery-thriller dream. Chaotic, seemingly unconnected, illogical, but yet again essentially meaningful. The strongest impression on me was made by the music and I'm sure that magnificent atmosphere that Badalamenti composes was the crucial factor for me to fall in love with "Twin Peaks", both the old and the new one. It is an ungrateful job to rate someone's dream...
8/10 for visual,
10/10 for sound effects and Badalamenti,
10/10 for acting,
4/10 for the story, because although this is one of the best shows ever made that does not change the fact that Lynch is full of crap,
and, since the whole thing defies common sense, my way of judging it will also be illogical:
32/10 - DirectorRichard DuhaneyCraig WallaceStarsAlex HouseMaggie CastleBill TurnbullThe animated conclusion to the live action Todd and The Book Of Pure Evil Show. Todd tries to mend his friendship with Curtis after killing his girlfriend. The book has returned along with Hannah and there is talk of a new Pure Evil one."Todd and the Book of Pure Evil" was TV series that was broadcast from 2010 till 2012, and I already wrote about it:
"This is simply awesome. Combination of high-school show, comedy and horror, that packs cliches of '80s and '90s into catchy 20 minutes portions of pure fun. All accompanied with lots of weed and heavy metal. Plus, in main supporting role we have Jason Mewes, Jay from legendary Jay and Silent Bob duo. The only flaw of this show is that it was canceled after two seasons, so main story is left incomplete. However, every episode has own rounded plot so they can be watched separately. Also, animated movie that should finish the story is announced and it's expected very soon. Recommendation for everyone who love metal, weed, '80s horrors, teen comedies, things so stupid that they're ingenious and good fun. I saw all 26 episodes in just a few days and I yearn for more.
9/10"
At the time show was cancelled, authors had scenario prepared for total of four seasons so, for the story not to remain incomplete, they announced that they would pack the remaining two seasons into a full-length animated film. I was eagerly awaiting the day when they will finally release this cartoon, but eventually I made peace with the fact that it will not happen. And then, six years after the cancellation of the series, "The End of the End" really appeared.
The animation of characters very faithfully mimics actors from the series, and the voices are given to them by the original cast. The story continues in the same manner as in the first two seasons but, due to the shortening of the entire two seasons into a 80 minutes film, the decline in the quality of the story is more than obvious. And the cartoon simply can not replace the atmosphere of the original show. It does not make sense to watch this movie if you have not watched the series, and it is pretty much lousy standing alone, but for a big fans of the series, such as myself, it's great, on the one hand because I finally learned how the story ends and on the other because of nostalgia. Objectively it doesn'tt deserve such a high grade, but love is stronger than reason and I rate it
7/10 - CreatorJonathan E. SteinbergStarsMark ValleyChi McBrideJackie Earle HaleyA unique bodyguard protects his clients by secretly infiltrating their lives in order to draw out and eliminate threats.A different kind of superhero
Christopher Chance is an ex-assassin who decided to cross to the other side and rescue the targets of his former colleagues. His new motto is that nobody deserves to die and he is the man you are calling for help when you are in a hopeless situation. This action series is based on the DC comic and it is a true refreshment in the sea of superhero strip adaptations. The main role is Mark Valley, who played in about 40 series, and is best known for his roles in Body of Proof, Harry's Law and Boston Legal. The story, directing, acting ... everything is in place. Nothing superb, but no serious flaws either. But it is very addictive and I finished the first season in just a few days. Recommendation.
8/10 - CreatorDavid E. KelleyStarsReese WitherspoonNicole KidmanShailene WoodleyThe apparently-perfect lives of upper-class mothers of students at a prestigious elementary school unravel to the point of murder when a single mother moves to their quaint California beach town.Season 1
Slow start but an awesome finale
I came from work around eight, got some food and coffee, and sat to watch this seven hours long movie in a single run. I say movie because this is not a regular TV series, but more TV movie cut to pieces because of length. Fact that I saw seven hours show in less than eight tells you that it's a good one, but, in my opinion, they failed terribly at the beginning. It starts slow and after the first episode, that lasts nearly an hour and nothing happens at all, I almost gave up. Still, reviews are mostly good and many friends did recommend it, so I decided to give it a shot. I watched the second episode and started to question who's crazy, bored me or thrilled reviewers. After three episodes I was seriously annoyed. It reminded me of "Desperate Housewives". Although it's better written and done, but also less fun. A story about people who's life is too good so they invent problems where there are none and then exaggerate them to epic proportions, until they hit the ceiling. In everyday common issues, they react like crazy and if there are people like that in real life I do not know them and I'm glad about it. Both characters and the story were completely redundant to me. I rated it weak six and continued to watch only because I hate leaving things unfinished. But when the show was over and impressions were settled I completely changed my mind. It still reminds me of "Desperate Housewives", maybe even more, and some things are really retarded, but characters are phenomenally developed and acted, and every succeeding episode is better than previous. Finale nailed it. If the story wasn't so lengthy, but made as a movie two or three hours long, I would probably rate it even higher, but as the seven hours long mini-series it deserves
8/10
(there are some spoilers below)
P.S. Until the last episode, I had no idea who was dying, but as soon as I figured out who the victim will be, I knew immediately who will kill. Although it's totally unpredictable who the killer is, I knew. Maybe it was because I was expecting an unexpected end, so I bet on the most illogical person. That spoiled the ending a little, because the surprise effect is important here. Overthinker...
Season 2
When I heard that there would be a second season, I wondered why, because the first is a well-rounded whole that needs no extension. On the one hand, I was right, the second season is not really necessary, but on the other, it is not superfluous and did not spoil the impressions the first one left. The season brings seven episodes that deal with the psychological and practical consequences of the heroine's decision to hide the murder. The fear of being discovered, paranoia and guilt slowly erode them, gradually destroying their mutual relations and their families. The script maintains a great characterization from the first season, and maybe even rise it to a slightly higher level. The season also introduces some new characters, most notably the Mary Louise character played by the fantastic Meryl Streep. In all the roles I've seen her so far, Meryl captivates with her incredible charisma and you just can't help but love her. But here she played the role of "villain" so convincingly that I hated her from the first episode. The series finale, though somewhat expected, spoiled my impressions a bit, because that decision, however morally right, leaves seven children without mothers, and some even without both parents. Overall, the rating remains the same.
8/10 - CreatorJosh FriedmanStarsLena HeadeyThomas DekkerSummer GlauSet after the events in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Sarah Connor and her son, John, try to stay under-the-radar from the government, as they plot to destroy the computer network, Skynet, in hopes of preventing Armageddon.I accidentally bumped into this series, I did not even know existed, and I watched the first episode with no special expectations. Seven episodes later I admit that I am hooked. The series ignores "T3" and continues on "Terminator 2", although it takes some elements from "T3". "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" can be seen as the new third part of the franchise, which is there to push and replace rather unsuccessful "T3".
In the first season, the series does not bring anything new, but is a worthy successor of cult films that precede it, and in all aspects it is more than solid. Initially, I was not overly intrigued, because I had the impression that I was once again watching "Terminator 2", just stretched on the series season, but I continued to watch because in the role of a cyborg that protects John was Summer Glau, which, you must admit, is much more pleasant for the eye than Arnold. It seems that Summer is a family friend of the house of Lannister, because just yesterday I saw her sharing the screen with Tyrion in "Knights of Badassdom", and in this series two leading female roles belong to Summer and Cersei. When you connect name Sarah Connor with the face of Linda Hamilton for more than two decades, it's very strange to see Lena Headey in that role, so the initial impression was very bad. But after just a few episodes Lena will suppress Linda from your head, if not forever, then at least till this series is over. Thomas Dekker is not Edward Furlong, but he is a good actor and this change didn't bother me at all. All supporting roles are well-cast, and there are also some familiar faces from the past, like David from "Beverly Hills 90210" who plays one of the biggest supporting roles.
I can not wait to see what the second season brings, which, according to the reviews, is much better than the first.
8/10
The story in the series is far more complex than the story in the movies and, I dare to say, even better. Deeper characterization is implied because a series leaves much more space for that than a movie. And finally, Summer Glau is not only enchanting, but she's incomparably better and more convincing Terminator than Arnold. My current rank list is:
1. The Sarah Connor Chronicles
2. Terminator 2
3. The Terminator
4. T3 (it would be better if it wasn't made at all) - CreatorIvan RaimiSam RaimiTom SpezialyStarsBruce CampbellRay SantiagoDana DeLorenzoAsh has spent the last thirty years avoiding responsibility, maturity, and the terrors of the Evil Dead until a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind and Ash becomes mankind's only hope.Ash vs Evil Dead Diary
Ash Williams and his chainsaw are back
28 June 2018
Thirty years after he cut off his hand, Ash lives in a trailer and uses a false story about losing his hand by rescuing an eight-year-old boy from certain death in order to seduce women in bars. During that time, the "Book of the Dead" is waiting patiently, hidden in the trailer. And Ash would not be Ash if he didn't do something stupid and started a new series of horrors. The series adheres to the tried-and-tested recipe and combines comedy and horror, and Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell grow old as wine and they are better than ever.
Just finished the first season
09 July 2018
The story is better written and more interesting than in movies. Perfectly orchestrated action, a furious pace with no idling and unnecessary dialogue and cheesy humor guarantee a crazy ride of uninterrupted fun. The acting of the main and the most of the side actors is very good, and characterization is excellent and unexpectedly complex for the "Evil Dead" franchise. Camera, colors, effects, editing, sound, music,... everything is superbly done and provides a hypnotizing atmosphere that makes this series a masterpiece of the genre.
"I'm not finished yet." - "That's what they all say, baby."
19 July 2018
The series is full of original ideas and details and is so ingeniously filmed that it represents a feast for the eyes and ears, and the one-liners, which would make even Schwarzenegger envious, are an inexhaustible source of laughter.- I like my kids cooked medium rare.
- And I love the smell of old man in the morning.
Magnificent Experience
22 July 2018
I just finished the third season and it's hard to describe in words how hateful I am towards those responsible for canceling this show. I hope some visionary, who sees the greatness of this series, will show up to buy out the rights from idiots who canceled it and make at least one more season. It was really the magnificent experience.
10/10 - CreatorTom KapinosStarsTom EllisLauren GermanKevin AlejandroLucifer Morningstar has decided he's had enough of being the dutiful servant in Hell and decides to spend some time on Earth to better understand humanity. He settles in Los Angeles - the City of Angels."In the beginning... The angel Lucifer was cast out of Heaven and condemned to rule Hell for all eternity. Until he decided to take vacation..."
The Devil was sick of Hell, so he moved to Los Angeles and opened a nightclub, where he spends his days and nights living the motto "sex, drugs and rock'n'roll". Until he falls in love with police detective Chloe and becomes her civilian consultant. Each episode brings a new case of murder that Chloe and Lucifer solve by combining her detective and his supernatural abilities, with Chloe not knowing that he really is the Devil. The murder cases are quite original, the ways they are solved are cleverly designed and interesting, and the mutual relations of the characters are entertainingly complex and imbued with great humor. Over time, the series introduces more and more new characters and celestial beings, but it succeeds in maintaining the level of development of characters and their interrelations, and not getting lost in exaggeration and excessive complicating. The characters are diverse, well developed and there's one for everyone's taste. Personally, I prefer Mazikeen, the main torturer in Hell and Lucifer's bodyguard, although they somewhat spoiled her in the third season.
DC Entertainment has surpassed itself this time. "Lucifer" is so far the best DC series and I do not understand why they decided to shut it down after just three seasons. Fortunately, Netflix has purchased the rights and in 2019 we can expect the fourth season. Warm recommendation to fans of humorous, crime and supernatural series, because "Lucifer" is a perfectly balanced mix of these genres.
8,5/10 - CreatorSam CatlinEvan GoldbergSeth RogenStarsDominic CooperJoe GilgunRuth NeggaAfter a supernatural event at his church, a preacher enlists the help of a vampire and his ex to find God.Secret Jesus
Criminal, son of a preacher, after many years, returns to his hometown in Texas to take over his father's church. But although he is trying to be good, past, long-standing habits and character can not be erased overnight. Things are further complicated when the story involves a child of the forbidden love, the Irish vampire, a pair of angels, a completely crazy local tycoon, and an ex-girlfriend.
"If by 'baby' you mean the most powerful entity ever known, the singular force that could shift the balance of power, threaten all of creation, then yeah, it's a 'baby'."
A great story, a dark atmosphere pervaded with (black) humor and a bunch of completely insane characters and situations. The chaotic angel fight, which opens the sixth episode of the first season, is one of the craziest things that I was fortunate to see on television. The atmosphere and framing will especially appeal to comics fans. If for no other reason, watch this because of Joseph Gilgun as a vampire of a very specific kind, which you did not have the opportunity to see before. Brilliant.
"Afraid of the cross?
It's a 2.000-year-old symbol of hypocrisy, slavery, and oppression. But it won't burn me face off."
The following seasons introduce a bunch of new characters of which, although some are perfect, many fail to maintain level with characters from the first season, in terms of both the idea and the cast and their performances. The story further complicates, maybe too much, and the third and fourth seasons are totally over-the-top. I love over-the-top comedies and so-bad-it-is-good movies, but this series didn't start in that manner.
The second season has completely cut off any ties to the first one, and the series becomes something else entirely, and the third season went so far that one wrong step could make everything go to hell. They brought it in the situation to balance on a thin line between ingenious and ridiculous and I was afraid that the fourth season could easily bury the show. But they managed to maintain the level to the end and this is easily one of the best things in the genre so far.
9/10 - CreatorElizabeth MeriwetherStarsZooey DeschanelJake JohnsonMax GreenfieldAfter a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Although they find her behavior very unusual, the men support her - most of the time.Friends for 21th Century
At the urging of my dear, I agreed last night to watch the episode or two of the series that I have long been avoiding. And ... we watched the whole first season. Guys, this is so much fun and addictive that I could see all 150 episodes in a row. It's not some top-notch quality show, but in more than a few occasions I laughed out loud, and it is quite rare for me. It's obvious that it's inspired by "Friends", but it's not a bad copy that steals old jokes and it really has a soul. Warm recommendation.
8/10 - CreatorTrey ParkerMatt StoneBrian GradenStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneIsaac HayesFollows the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado."There is actually a lot of intelligent social commentary here - it's just masked under anything they could possibly offend someone with." - chthon2
16 October 2017
For some reason, I stopped following this show a long time ago, even before the tenth season I think. Recently, again for some inexplicable reason, it came to my mind and I decided to start it all over, from season one, but this time I'm going to finish it, or better to say catch it, because I hope it will never end. This morning I finished the first season. There's nothing better than healthy laughter with morning coffee. After 20 years this season is still fresh and hilarious. One of the strongest tens I ever gave.
10/10
(I'm near the end of the 8th season now and it still kicks ass.)
24 December 2018
In the last year I have seen all 22 seasons of "South Park" and, although it had its ups and downs, overall it's one of the best TV shows of all time and definitely the ultimate animated one. I can't wait for the 23rd season. - StarsGary BakewellLaura FraserHywel BennettA man in London encounters an injured young woman, and instantly exists only to those in London Below. As he helps the woman escape from assassins, he must try to find his way back to London Above."You're all very stupid people and you do not know anything"
Books are usually better than their screenings. This is somehow logical, because the adaptation changes the source material to accommodate it to another and completely different medium, whose explicitness could never be compared with the infinite possibilities of crossing the imagination of the author with the imagination of the reader. But it seems that even when things are going in the opposite direction, the books still win.
"Neverwhere" is a British mini-series that Neil Gaiman wrote directly for TV, and then subsequently turned its scenario into a novel, which changed from release to release until it became one of my favorite books, which series on which it is based exceeds in every respect. Although it's BBC, the series is low-budget or at least looks cheap. Also, there are only six half-hour episodes, and the potential here is quite enough for at least ten times more, which would allow a more detailed story and better character development. But that does not mean it's bad. On the contrary, I liked it, because it very convincingly fits quite original fantasy world into our reality. The main problem is that the actors can not play, the director cannot direct, and studio and filming locations cannot look as good as I can imagine when I read a book.
Any attempt to give you a brief idea about its plot finished as a spoiler, so I'm giving up on that intention. The mere fact that it's written by Neil Gaiman should be reason enough for you to take a look.
9/10 for author's imagination
5/10 for the technical realization - DirectorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresChiwetel EjioforThe crew of the ship Serenity try to evade an assassin sent to recapture telepath River.The final episode of "Firefly"
Watching this right after watching Firefly in two days, I cannot objectively say if this movie can stand for itself and have any sense to people who are not familiar with Firefly. Basically, this is just one more episode of the show, great finale meant to be the conclusion for the good show that ended way too soon. It gives us answers to some questions about things that Firefly had no chance to bring to their conclusions and it would be a good ending for the show even if it was not canceled and had many seasons instead. The movie is not great, but it was necessary for sure. Firefly was not so much about space action and adrenaline as it was about characters that were real and convincing and that we could relate to, characters we fell in love with even after just dozen of episodes this show lasted. This movie brings back those characters and gives us a conclusion after the show simply stopped out of nowhere and left us missing them badly. Now it's easier to move on. I do not consider this show or ending movie to be great, but it gets under your skin and you simply have to love it. So it is hard to rate it...
7,5/10 - CreatorBruce HelfordStarsCharlie SheenShawnee SmithNoureen DeWulfEx-baseball-player Charlie is an anger-management therapist who has small-group sessions at home, an OCD teen daughter, an ex-wife, and a sex-buddy/therapist.Watchable, but redundant
Sitcom about group therapy for anger control. Charlie Sheen almost reprises his role from "Two and a Half Men," and the rest of the cast, though not bad, fails to keep up with him. It's not boring, but it's unoriginal and unneeded and drowns in mediocrity. No wonder it was canceled after only two seasons.
6/10 - CreatorClaudia LonowStarsJenna ElfmanJon FosterAshley Jensen37-year-old Billie breaks up with her boss at the newspaper and gets pregnant by 22-year-old Zack, who moves into her apartment. They both have their pals."She's with child and pregnant too"
A cute romantic sitcom, whose main asset was sweet and sexy Jenna Elfman. It was canceled after the first season and, although I liked it, I can't say it was unexpected.
7/10 - CreatorNeil GaimanStarsDavid TennantMichael SheenMiranda RichardsonThe End of the World is coming, which means a fussy Angel and a loose-living Demon who've become overly fond of life on Earth are forced to form an unlikely alliance to stop Armageddon.Season 1 (2019)
"All tapes left in a car for more than about a fortnight metamorphose into Best of Queen albums."
Therefore, in all the scenes where the demon Crowley (a reference to Aleister) drives his Bentley oldtimer, you will listen to Queen hits.
In 1990, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman published "Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch," one of my favorite books, which finally received a screen adaptation in 2019 as a six-episode mini-series. I'm not sure how much the story of the series is faithful to the source material, since I last read the book in 2003, but while I was swallowing it in one breath, I felt like I had watched it before (which is impossible), which means that it perfectly conveyed the spirit and atmosphere of the book, as well as that many of the scenes are filmed exactly as I imagined them while reading. I really liked most of the cast, and the phenomenal David Tennant and Michael Sheen nailed the leading roles.
The story is intelligent and witty but, unfortunately, Pratchett's storytelling style is simply impossible to transfer to a TV screen. As much as the plot and the dialogues are faithful, Pratchett's hilarious descriptions and comparisons cannot be filmed, so the series is not nearly as funny as the book. While this has somewhat disappointed me, I am aware that Gaiman and the BBC could hardly have done a better job.
Fans of "Easter egg" details will appreciate the references to the "Doctor Who" series, which shares a good part of the cast with "Good Omens," other works by Neil Gaiman and the like.
9/10
Season 2 (2023)
Was that really necessary?
I was looking forward to the second season, even though I assumed it wouldn't be as good as the first, because the first covered the whole book, and the new material wouldn't be able to match Pratchett's genius. And when I realized that this new material was written by Gaiman, my happiness was endless.
At the start, the new season met and somewhat exceeded expectations. It's not exactly side by side with the first, but it's not far behind. I devoured episode after episode with relish. And then the last episode left a bitter taste in my mouth. I was literally nauseated. Is there one series that will not succumb to the pressure of the woke and LGBT agenda, one literary classic that will not be massacred to please these trends? For what?! I really have nothing against gay movies and series, I watch them and there are some very good ones, but stop spoiling my favorite literary and movie classics and characters. Neil, where is your soul going?!
The rating excludes the last episode, which I will try my best to forget.
8/10 - CreatorDaniel CeroneDavid S. GoyerStarsMatt RyanHarold PerrineauCharles HalfordA man struggling with his faith who is haunted by the sins of his past is suddenly thrust into the role of defending humanity from the gathering forces of darkness.You won't miss anything
Compared to the 2005 film with Keanu Reeves, Matt Ryan is more faithful and striking John Constantine in appearance, character, and acting, but the series itself gives the impression of an inferior copy of "Supernatural" or "Charmed" in better production. After watching the first season, if there were any further, I probably would have continued watching, but I can't blame them for canceling it.
6/10 - StarsEssie DavisJessica BardenSam ReidLambs of God is a dark, gothic tale about three nuns, each a generation apart, living in an isolated convent by the coast, and an unwelcome visitor who enters their lives and changes their world forever.Mesmerizing
"Lambs of God" is an Australian Gothic drama about three nuns living in the ruins of an island monastery, cut off from and nonexistent to the world, until the Church decides to sell the property to build a luxury hotel. The young priest, Bishop's secretary, comes to scout the officially abandoned ruin, and the situation develops in, for both sides, completely unexpected direction.
The film combines drama, thriller and psychological horror, with a touch of fantasy and romance. The story is multi-layered and powerful, with just the right amount of mystery and plot twists. Beautiful photography and quality directing fall into the shadow of the fantastic acting of all four main actors, whose performances bring a captivating restlessness to the heart. I watched four hours in one breath, sitting on the edge of the chair quite a lot, and impressions after viewing will not soon fade.
9/10 - CreatorKjetil IndregardAtle KnudsenStarsIne Marie WilmannDagny Backer JohnsenNader KhademiIn this deliciously macabre horror anthology series, doomed passengers tell their stories aboard a spectral bus headed toward an unknown destination."Twilight Zone" in color
"Bloodride" is a Norwegian anthology horror series, which is very reminiscent of the legendary "Twilight Zone". It consists of six unrelated half-hour films that should cause chills and lead us to reflect on life values. But do they succeed ...
6/10
Ultimate Sacrifice
Reminded me of "Pet Sematary"
19 August 2020
The first episode tells the story of a family that was forced by financial problems to move from the city to the countryside. While the father and the daughter see a new beginning in this, the mother is desperate to return to the city. When she discovers an ancient sacrificial altar in the forest, her desire to put her family back on its feet grows into a psychotic obsession.
Apart from the fact that neither the premise nor the elaboration of it bring anything new, this clichéd horror story is additionally sabotaged by the duration of only half an hour, which is not enough for decent characterization, so you won't be attached to characters at all, nor to make the psychological transformation of the protagonist convincing. And the final twist is totally predictable. The episode is somewhat saved only by decent acting.
5/10
Three Sick Brothers
"Open the box and let the monkey out, cause the monkey wanna play with you"
20 August 2020
After three years in a psychiatric institution, the young man returns home and goes with his brothers to the family cabin in the woods where they spent their childhood. Along the way, they pick up a young hitchhiker and things start to get complicated.
This short film also does not bring anything new, but recycles the horror and thriller motifs that have been seen many times. But unlike the first episode, it combines them very nicely into a story that holds attention. The very good acting of all three brothers also contributes to the story's strength. Although the final twist is not at all original, I must admit that I did not see it coming and it achieved the desired effect.
7/10
Bad Writer
That's what I was hoping for
22 August 2020
"Bad Writer" is what I was hoping for when I decided to watch "Bloodride". Very interesting premise, unexpectedly well worked out and with more surprises in just half an hour. A surreal atmosphere like in a dream, or a nightmare, and a good pace hold attention and the twists are really effective. In every way better than the previous two episodes, except for the acting, although it may be intentionally campy.
8/10
Lab Rats
Whodunit
23 August 2020
The fourth episode abandons the horror genre and brings us a pretty good "whodunit" mystery, with a clever unfolding and final twist that is totally predictable but karmically satisfying. Best acting so far.
7/10
The Old School
Haunted house
23 August 2020
A young teacher comes to a remote place to teach at a school that reopens after forty years, and in which four children went missing in the 1970s. A typical story about a haunted house, with an atmosphere creepy enough for "beginners", but for horror fans this is lemonade. I can't complain about anything particular, but it just doesn't leave a stronger impression. The final twist is nicely done, but it is not enough to elevate the episode from mediocrity.
6/10
The Elephant in the Room
Lousy
24 August 2020
The idea is unoriginal, the development of the story is linear and boring, the final twist is the most predictable in the series, and the overall impression is a complete disappointment. If it was longer I would probably give up before the end.
3/10 - CreatorVince GilliganStarsBryan CranstonAaron PaulAnna GunnA chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future."I won."
The sentence that should have ended this unusual TV show.
Walter White is a middle-aged chemist, husband, and father of a teenager suffering from cerebral palsy and a newborn girl. When he learns that he is dying of cancer and that treatment will lead his family to bankruptcy, he embarks on the production and distribution of narcotics, in order to secure his family in case he dies.
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, and over the course of four seasons, we observe how a bad company, big money, and a sense of power gradually turn a decent man into a monster. The Machiavellian principle that the end justifies the means pushes our hero, step by step, closer and closer to the point of no return. This transformation is presented so convincingly and impressively that in itself is a sufficient reason to watch the series, and it is difficult to say whether it is more due to the excellently written character of Walter White or Brian Cranston's fantastic performance, if these two elements should be separated at all.
The other characters and acting performances do not lag behind the main character either. Aaron Paul and Jesse Pinkman's search for himself; Anna Gunn and the drama of a woman torn between preserving family and morals, love and fear of her own husband; Dean Norris and a DEA agent obsessed with an intriguing case whose solving is constantly eluding him; Jonathan Banks, calculated and consistent mercenary with a soul; Giancarlo Esposito in the role of an uncompromising and untouchable drug lord who hides in the open in the public spotlight; and of course Bob Odenkirk, whose "comic relief" character Saul Goodman definitely deserves a spin-off series. There is also a multitude of more or less important characters, where even the most secondary ones are carefully constructed and assigned to actors who will present them in the best way.
When we add a quality camera and direction with a lot of interesting solutions to a very good script and even better acting performances, a perfectly measured tempo whose rhythm, although constantly varying, never becomes too fast or too slow, witty moments in the script, direction and the soundtrack, we get a series that has deservedly received hundreds of nominations and awards and is rightly highly rated by critics and audience.
"I won," Walter White declares at the end of the fourth season and perfectly completes this powerful crime drama. And then, for mysterious reasons, they film the fifth season and screw the whole thing. While the entire series was realistic, or at least maintained the semblance of realism, the fifth season goes into exaggerations in the story, emphasizes characters who are not nearly acceptable by the standards that previous seasons have set and, although somewhat interesting and karmically rounds the story, does irreparable damage to the overall impression of the series and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
If they hadn't filmed the fifth season, it would have been 9/10.
8/10
Edit:
After reading the reactions to my review, I realized that I may not have best expressed my view of the fifth season. No, I don't think Walt should have emerged victorious from this story and any kind of happy ending would be inadequate. He ended up exactly as he should have. I'm not criticizing the point of the fifth season, but the form. I was bothered by the unnecessary elaboration of the supporting characters that were totally irrelevant until then, and they remained irrelevant until the end. Characters who do not meet the standards set by the series itself in the previous four seasons should not have been highlighted. The story becomes too complicated and goes into unconvincing exaggerations, which leave the impression of a bad copy of Tarantino's style. The whole season seems forced, written out of compulsion and not out of inspiration. It was as if they knew what kind of end they wanted, but not how to bring the story to it, so they threw in whatever to fill the time until the planned finale. I don't think it would have been better if Walt had won, but even that would be better than to have a whole disappointing season just to bring the story to the end it deserves at any cost. - CreatorMaurissa TancharoenJed WhedonJoss WhedonStarsClark GreggMing-Na WenBrett DaltonThe missions of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.The best Marvel has to offer
22 February 2018
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is, for me, the best Marvel achievement so far. Since the very beginning, the series has gotten a strong pace, so I thought it would run out of steam quickly and after a couple of seasons go to hell, which is too common with shows that shoot high, but after four seasons this series still doesn't get tired. The story is very complicated, full of surprises and turnarounds, and even when you think they are now really gone too far, they succeed to present the story to the end without getting stuck or messing up. Plots follow one after the other, leaving no time for a break, without major holes and illogicality. Characterization is far above the standard for sci-fi action. All the characters have a deep background, and their personality and mutual relations are evolving from season to season, in a natural and convincing way. There are no classic fairy tale villains who are evil by default, but the boundary between the good guys and the bad guys is dangerously blurred and the same characters are constantly shifting in both roles. All bad guys have strong reasons for their behavior, and although you do not agree with them, you certainly understand their efforts, which makes them the best villains in the Marvel universe. Special effects and direction of the action scenes are great and the series does not fall behind Marvel's most expensive blockbusters.
The fourth season is an awesome combination of "Matrix" and "The Man in the High Castle", that contains the best Marvel's villain to date. I'm eager to see if they can outclass it in the fifth season.
02 October 2020
After seven seasons, the series is over and everything I wrote after the fourth season still stands. The last couple of episodes may have been a bit over the top and accelerated, but the rest of the seventh season is simply awesome. Our heroes travel through time and each episode takes place in a different decade. I liked that each of these stories was shot in the style of the decade in which it takes place, with appropriate credits, music and everything else. I was especially thrilled with the black-and-white narrative episode in the style of film noir.
8/10 - CreatorDana GouldStarsJohn C. McGinleyJanet VarneyDeborah Baker Jr.An aging police sheriff begrudgingly joins an alliance with a new sheriff, Evie Barret, to battle angry demons haunting their small New Hampshire town."Good can't defeat evil. Not on its own. You wanna defeat evil? You got to find a bigger evil."
In a small town in New Hampshire, in 1693, a local sheriff burned 172 women on charges of being witches. From then until today(ish), every subsequent sheriff has tragically ended his career. And then Sheriff Stanley Miller mysteriously lived to retirement. Stanley is played by John C. McGinley, known for his role as Dr. Cox in the series "Scrubs". If you liked Perry Cox, don't miss this show, because these two characters are very similar in character and sense of humor. Janet Varney plays Evie Barret, a policewoman who comes to town for the position of new sheriff and who has to join forces with retired Stanley in order to fight the demons who are trying to get their heads. The series is something like low-budget "Ash vs. Evil Dead" meats "Sleepy Hollow", with production closer to "Todd and the Book of Pure Evil". The three seasons of eight twenty-minute episodes each are short and fast-paced enough for binge-watching the whole thing at once. As each episode brings a stand-alone story and a new demon, twenty minutes is not enough to elaborate it properly, so the whole thing seems hasty and cheap, but that's not a problem when it comes to "tongue-in-cheek" horror-comedy, full of parody and references to the world of film and television. If you liked any of the above-mentioned shows, you will enjoy this one as well.
7,5/10 - CreatorJames RolandStarsAlan RitchsonChristina OchoaThomas DominiqueIn a dystopian alternate 1999, a former cop is forced to take part in a death race in which cars run on human blood as fuel.Fun grindhouse adventure
In the dystopian retro-futuristic version of 1999, an unprecedented earthquake tore America in half and left " The Scar", in the depths of which are hidden mysteries that will change humanity. From the general chaos and disintegration rises "The Heart" corporation, which takes a global primacy in all fields, from politics and economy, through science, to the media and entertainment. Crime, violence, and the struggle for survival reign on the streets of American cities, while "The Heart" ruthlessly exploits the situation. Alan Ritchson is a member of the privatized police whom the investigation puts in a situation to choose between participating in a brutal cross-country car race for life and death in which, in the absence of oil, vehicles run on human blood, and becoming fuel for one of the vehicles.
During the thirteen episodes of this SF action-adventure, we follow the transformation of a morally correct cop and his imposed race partner from complete opposites into a team that, with a lot of turbulence, successfully overcomes all obstacles. Christina Ochoa is captivating in the role of a post-apocalyptic femme fatale, and Colin Cunningham has become my favorite villain from the very first moment he appeared on the screen. If for nothing else, Colin should be reason enough for you to give this crazy ride a chance. The characterization is excellent and, in addition to the leading trio, brings us many other interesting characters, among which stand out Alan's partner from police days and Christina's younger sister, as well as several very interesting sociopaths and psychopaths who participate in the race.
The series is basically an action-adventure with an SF premise, but it is imbued with dramatic and horror elements. The characters are diverse, mostly eccentric, which provides a handful of black-humored comic-relief moments. The dialogues are nothing special, although they have their brighter moments, and the strongest trump of the series is the visual aspect. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll in all its glory, explicit violence and mutilation at every turn, and the retro vibe of B production of the seventies and eighties bought me from the very beginning. The series is reportedly canceled, but don't let that deter you. The unexpected finale of the first and only season leaves the possibility for the series to continue, but at the same time it rounds the story quite nicely and, in my opinion, any continuation would be redundant.
8/10 - CreatorCraig MazinStarsJessie BuckleyJared HarrisStellan SkarsgårdIn April 1986, the city of Chernobyl in the Soviet Union suffers one of the worst nuclear disasters in the history of mankind. Consequently, many heroes put their lives on the line in the following days, weeks and months.Great, but not as much as it was hyped
HBO is not capable of making a bad show. Historically accurate, as much as possible for a five-hour adaptation of one of the greatest catastrophes in history, with excellent photography and sound, good acting, and an atmosphere that the fact that it is a historical event makes even gloomier. And yet, I did not experience it as a cinematic experience, nor did I enjoy it. I was not bored, on the contrary, I was interested in what it had to say and show. But, to compare with literature, I experienced it in the way that a textbook or a scientific publication on a topic that interests you is experienced, and not as a good novel. Emotionally, It didn't touch me nearly as much as a tragedy like this should. Besides, the combination of Russian and English drove me crazy. It would be much more impressive and convincing if the whole thing was filmed in Russian, but even if it was entirely in English, it would be just fine. Combined like this, the series didn't confuse me and I was aware all the time that all the characters were Russians and Ukrainians, but it created a strange divided atmosphere which on some background level was giving the impression of watching Americans save Russians, and that got on my nerves and spoiled the experience.
8/10 - StarsRowan AtkinsonTony RobinsonTim McInnernyIn the Tudor court of Elizabeth I, Lord Edmund Blackadder strives to win Her Majesty's favour while attempting to avoid a grisly fate should he offend her.Bastard son of a bitch
After the bad reviews of the first season, the series was almost canceled. They gave it a chance on the condition that it transforms into a standard studio sitcom with a much lower budget. Despite, or perhaps thanks to this, the series flourished and spawned a second season that secured its cult status.
Atkinson gave up writing and was replaced by Ben Elton, who did a fantastic job. While the first season had a unique story in which Blackadder tries to seize power, here each episode brings a separate story in which our anti-hero tries to get out of awkward and potentially deadly situations. The medieval malicious incompetent is inherited by an intelligent and cynical descendant, placed at the court of Elizabeth I. For the counterweight, there are Baldrick (Tony Robinson), who is transformed into a dirty and extremely stupid servant (To you, Baldrick, the Renaissance was just something that happened to other people, wasn't it?), and Lord Percy (Tim McInnerny), a simple but irreparably optimistic and loyal sidekick. On the other hand, we have Elizabeth, a childish and spoiled queen, who uses people as toys and cuts off heads if they are not to her liking. Miranda Richardson performed this role with unforgettable charm and stole every scene in which she appears. She also has two sidekicks, played by the excellent Stephen Fry and Patsy Byrne. In two episodes also appears Hugh Laurie, an indispensable part of the cast for the rest of the series. The characters are more complex and diverse than in the first season, and the humor is more natural, intelligent, and incomparably funnier.
9/10- Give the place a more family atmosphere.
- The family atmosphere? This is meant to be a place of pain and misery and sorrow.
- That's what I mean, Sir.
- CreatorRichard CurtisStarsRowan AtkinsonBrian BlessedElspet GrayIn the Middle Ages, Prince Edmund the Black Adder constantly schemes and endeavors to seize the crown from his father and brother."Black Adder, Black Adder, with many a cunning plan"
I used the first of January to binge-watch the whole first season. I can't say it's not good, but it disappointed me a bit. It wasn't nearly as witty and funny as I expected based on the memories I have from a couple of decades ago. As far as my memory serves, it seems that they haven't caught the momentum in the first season, so it is significantly below the level of what followed.
The plot is set in the Middle Ages, and Atkinson is a younger prince who, like Iznogud, plots "to be Caliph in the place of the Caliph." I don't like that Edmund's character is like Mr. Bean thrown into the alternative history of England, unlike the following seasons in which Atkinson's character is much more complex and in a way the opposite of Mr. Bean, while the humor is too primitive and forced for my taste. Atkinson himself does not like this season, although it is the only one he wrote himself. Also, this is the only season without Hugh Laurie, and without him, that simply isn't it.
On the other hand, the season had a high budget and was largely filmed outside the studio, so the Middle Ages were superbly evoked. And there's also the addictive "Blackadder Theme" that makes the credits perhaps the most fun part of every episode.
The BBC almost canceled the series because it is too expensive and not fun enough. Fortunately, they agreed to give it another chance if the budget is cut and the series is reduced to a studio sitcom. Because of that, we waited for several years for the next season, and the series, despite the smaller budget and production reduction, justified the trust and in the following seasons entered the legend.
7/10 - CreatorMisha GreenStarsJonathan MajorsJurnee SmollettCourtney B. VanceA young African-American travels across the U.S. in the 1950s in search of his missing father."Monsters, ghosts, a magical treasure hunt, curses, the past, the future..."
The series is neither an adaptation of a Lovecraft work, nor is it based on his mythos or his life. "Lovecraft Country" is a combination of fantasy, horror, mystery, and Indiana Jones adventure, but the emphasis is not only on these aspects, but it significantly concentrates on racism in America in the 1950s. I have the impression that the authors used the "father of horror" to attract the audience to a famous name. We have "racist horror", and Lovecraft is a racist horror writer ... let's name the series after him and attract fans. At first, it may work, but those same fans will very quickly realize what is happening and will be disappointed with the series that they could have liked under some other name, which does not offer false promises.
The other thing that bothered me was the soundtrack. With good production, cinematography, and acting, they skillfully evoked the atmosphere of the fifties, and then spoiled it with inadequate music. I watch the South Side of Chicago in the fifties, but I listen to Rihanna, Manson, and hip-hop ... it doesn't work. It breaks the atmosphere and spoils the experience.
Third and most important, after a promising start, the script turned into a total mess. Had they stick to the great premises from the first couple of episodes until the end, the series could have been awesome. For some reason, they decided to overwhelm it with new subplots from episode to episode, until it turned into an overcomplicated and incomplete mishmash of everything and anything.
However, the series is technically indisputably well done, the visual aspect, atmosphere, and characters are very likable, and the story is, if you don't mind the confusing and chaotic storytelling, basically quite interesting. If you don't expect too much, it's worth a look.
7/10 - CreatorSam LevinsonStarsZendayaHunter SchaferJacob ElordiA look at life for a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex, and violence.Dysphoria
Technically, the series is very well done. Great camera and directing, good acting, and the music fits in great, although it's not to my taste. The thick atmosphere draws you in from the start and further raises expectations, which were already high due to the praise I heard. And then the first episode ended and I thought - ok, it needs time to catch the momentum.
It did, but not in a good way. It runs around like a headless chicken. The series deals with real and very serious topics in a way so exaggerated that they have turned serious into frivolous, deep into superficial, real into unreal, and shocking into boring. They started too much, they didn't finish anything. Everything is exaggerated, unbelievable, and incomplete, and the whole project is painfully pretentious. And the biggest flaw is the characters. Almost all of them are incredibly pathetic and irritating, so unconvincingly written that no good acting can save them. I had no one to sympathize with and no one to cheer for, no one to hate. I couldn't care less for any of them, and even if I cared how they would end, I certainly wouldn't have found out. And two additional quasi-philosophical life-coach episodes caused me embarrassment transfers and I even vomited in my mouth a little.
5/10 - CreatorEric KripkeStarsKarl UrbanJack QuaidAntony StarrA group of vigilantes set out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers."See, people love that cozy feeling that Supes (superheroes) give them. Some golden cunt to swoop out of the sky and save the day so you don't get to do it yourself."
There are several hundred people in America with supernatural powers, led by The Seven, a team of the seven most famous, who operate under the powerful and all-pervading corporation Vought. The official purpose of this corporation is to take care of superheroes and perform logistical work related to their heroic deeds, but the corporation as a corporation is concerned primarily with profit, and the lives of their Supes are reduced primarily to PR and marketing, commercials, and superhero movies. And when, here and there, they set aside some time to fight crime and terrorism, "Vought" is there to cover up the collateral damage. However, some people refuse to accept that they are collateral damage, so they organize into a guerrilla unit, a kind of resistance movement, with the goal of exposing the true faces of selfish and arrogant superheroes and overthrowing the all-powerful corporation that has risen above of the law.
In essence, "The Boys" is a satire of the corporate system and society in which the individual is nothing and the flow of money is everything, presented in the form of a parody of the superhero genre and its rising popularity. Genre-wise, the series is a black-humored action thriller, explicitly vulgar, violent, and bloody. Over-the-top gorefest, spiced with just enough drama and romance to give it an emotional note and allow us to connect with the characters. Superheroes are diverse and I think there is a counterpart in the DC and Marvel universes for each of them. The parallels are obvious enough for an effective parody, and they differ just enough that the series does not risk a copyright lawsuit. Consistent with this, the other, non-superhero characters are clichéd, but they have a good enough characterization to be convincing and enough originality and variety not to be boring.
Karl Urban plays Billy Butcher, a seemingly intimidating, ruthless, cold-blooded vigilante who will not rest until the last superhero is dead. But when you get to know him a little better, his hard face, with a combination of macho attitude and British accent, will quickly charm you. Jack Quaid plays a nerd who does not know what hit him. Here we have someone to identify with, and to show us that each of us, no matter how we feel insignificant, can make a difference if his heart is in the right place. There's also Frenchie, my favorite character in the series. Israeli actor Tomer Capon, with a perfect fake French accent, plays a charming expert in weapons, drugs, and improvisation and, as he says himself, "the troubled teenager of the group".
The series is full of various characters, and I didn't list even the leading ones. I stayed on these three because they left the strongest impression on me. It's up to you to see the show and maybe get attached to some completely different ones. I believe that there is something for everyone. It's not a masterpiece of television and may not even enter the top 100 TV series in terms of quality, but for those who, like me, have long been tired of movies that cover up shallowness with special effects and visual spectacle, "The Boys" brings more than a touch of freshness to the superhero genre.
8/10 - CreatorGrant MorrisonBrian TaylorStarsChristopher MeloniRitchie CosterLili MirojnickAn injured hitman befriends his kidnapped daughter's imaginary friend; a perky blue flying unicorn.An absolutely delightful little ball of funshine
A decorated policeman, dishonorably fired from the service, indulged in alcohol, divorced, and became a hitman, which, at first glance, leaves the impression of a bum from Hell. After a decade, his ex-wife asks his ex-partner (with whom he cheated on her) to find her kidnapped daughter. Meanwhile, the captive daughter sends her imaginary friend in search of her father, whom she believes is the only one who can save her.
When, in the first episode, a middle-aged drunk ex-cop hitman sees a miniature bluish unicorn Happy fluttering around his head, trying to convince him he doesn't hallucinate, and that he has a daughter he doesn't know about and who urgently needs rescuing from the evil Santa Claus psychopath, the series turns into complete madness, which does not subside until the end of the second season. There begins a parade of exotic, eccentric, and sick characters (and creatures), excellently characterized in all their unlikeliness, and a festivity of completely wacky, morbidly hilarious situations, perversions, profanity, and spilled intestines, accompanied by appropriate music.
The story in the first season relies mostly on originality and the surprise factor and, combined with the insane pace and inevitable bouts of laughter, will leave you breathless. The second season is more complex, but is losing steam because we are already accustomed to the style of this series and its ruthlessness is not so shocking anymore, although it will still occasionally surprise you (the scene with Happy and Bo Peep is a textbook example of "what is seen cannot be unseen"). It is difficult to weigh whether the scenes and dialogues are sicker or funnier, but they are indisputably imaginative and skillfully balancing on the verge of bad taste (some will surely say that they quite crossed it). I have often rewound in disbelief and replayed them several times, and I must admit that it is quite hard when your jaw is trying to simultaneously drop to the floor and scream with laughter.
All the actors have done a great job, but I especially want to commend Christopher Meloni in the lead role, Bryce Lorenzo in the role of little Hailey, Patton Oswalt who lends a voice to Happy, as well as the unforgettable villains, the genius sociopath Patrick Fischler, the demonic semi-god Ritchie Coster and, of course, the star of the show, Christopher Fitzgerald.
I have a lot more to say about this series, but I want to avoid spoilers as much as possible, because the surprise factor is one of its strongest assets. For those who have not watched the series, I am very sorry for this little spoiler in the text so far, but if I were to write completely without spoilers, it would be just a few sentences, so general that writing this review would no longer make any sense.
Excellently written, filmed, directed, produced, and acted story, with super effects and music, powerful drama presented through the prism of unscrupulous black humor, and scenes that will disgust you to the point of vomiting. DO NOT MISS IT!
10/10 - CreatorBruno HellerStarsBen McKenzieJada Pinkett SmithDonal LogueThe story behind Detective James Gordon's rise to prominence in Gotham City in the years before Batman's arrival.G. C. P. D.
A crime drama about the rise (and falls) of Detective James Gordon in the years while Bruce Wayne grows into Batman, told in parallel from the angle of Gordon himself, from the angle of young Wayne, as well as from the angles of important players of the Gotham underworld.
Initially a combination of gangster and buddy-cop genres, as convincing and realistic as possible for the DC universe, the series later grows into an SF superhero (or supervillain, as they are in majority and much more fun) madness with countless plots and subplots. However, although it may be a bit over-the-top, the series does not lose its direction and not a single ark remains incomplete.
The complex multi-layered story, which does not get lost in its complexity, brings us the origins stories of Penguin, Riddler, Joker, Catwoman, and many other well-known characters of the Batman universe, and introduces some new, equally good ones. The strongest asset of the series is the great variety of compelling characters with excellent characterization (no black-and-white division between good and evil) and the evolution of their relationships. The cast is top-notch, and I especially have to single out the wicked and sexy Jada Pinkett Smith, the best Penguin ever played by Robin Lord Taylor, Cory Michael Smith as Riddler, and Cameron Monaghan as the Joker whose creepiness is unlikely to ever be matched, let alone exceeded.
8/10 - CreatorMax LandisStarsSamuel BarnettElijah WoodHannah MarksHolistic detective Dirk Gently investigates cases involving the supernatural.Everything's connected
I did not expect much from this show, considering the fact that it is a BBC America production, not BBC UK, and because of tons of negative reviews on the web.
When I start a show, I usually watch one or sometimes two episodes a day. The first season of this one I watched in one breath. I didn't even pause it for the bathroom or making coffee. Eight episodes of 40 minutes each felt like one bit longer movie.
The second season, of ten episodes, is done differently and is not as original and hypnotically addictive as the first, but its witty fairytale style quickly won me over.
Ignore fans of Douglas Adams who bash this show for not being faithful to original novels. It is not faithful, that's a fact, but it does not make it a bad show. On the contrary. Adams is tricky for screen adaptation. I don't think anyone has succeeded yet. He's too impossible and abstract. "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" is just roughly Adams, but it's great in every way.
Any attempt of concise retelling is pointless, because this show is one big puzzle, a labyrinth that perplexes more and more and twists happen every few minutes. "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is much more specific and linear, but I dare you to explain what it is about briefly and that it makes any sense.
If you liked "Misfits," "Happy," "Preacher," "Good Omens," or the new "Doctor Who", and if you like Douglas Adams, but you're not an obsessed fanatic, this is a perfect show for you. But if you expect a verbatim adaptation of the books or if you like linear stories, better skip it.
9/10 - CreatorPaul AbbottJohn WellsStarsEmmy RossumWilliam H. MacyEthan CutkoskyA scrappy, feisty, fiercely loyal Chicago family makes no apologies.The perfect title
I just finished the first season of the American version of "Shameless". I never saw the British original, nor do I intend to, because the majority says that "remake" is better. Is it really better I can not say, but it is awesome.
How to describe this show in just one word? Shameless! I've never seen anything with a name that fits so perfectly and I can not decide if this show is more sick or ingenious. The story is boldly lifelike and, with a combination of heavy drama and hilarious comedy, it will hit you like a hammer. Whether you like it or not, there's no chance you'll be bored. Directing and music are great and the cast is more than excellent. From episode to episode it leaves me speechless. Complete nuthouse.
****
After 11 seasons, the series that I experienced as a parallel life ended. For something that lasts so long, the quality necessarily varies, but despite all the downs, the series has always managed to recover and maintain average quality at a fairly high level. I may have become too attached to it to be objective, but overall, I think it deserves
8,5/10 - CreatorBryan FullerMichael GreenStarsRicky WhittleEmily BrowningYetide BadakiA recently released ex-convict named Shadow meets a mysterious man who calls himself "Wednesday" and who knows more than he first seems to about Shadow's life and past."It takes the story of the book, turns it upside down, shakes it, reconfigures it, and makes it many things, including funnier, more televisual, and broader in scope."
The only thing that gave Shadow the strength to get through the prison days was the beloved woman waiting for him at home. When he was released prematurely, so that he could attend her funeral, that freedom meant nothing to him anymore. This mental state of his was used by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, to win him over to his service.
We soon find out the circumstances under which Shadow's wife died, and the nature of his new job is slowly being revealed and the series "American Gods" turns into a crazy adventure, full of violence, sex, and creatures from various mythologies from all over the world.
I read Neil Gaiman's eponymous novel, on which the series is based, back in 2004, so I'm not sure how much "American Gods" conveys the events from the book, and how much of the script is original material, but many changes are more than obvious.
Much of the series is tailored to modern trends of racial, religious, and sexual diversity, and the flow of politically colored messages.
The most obvious example is the choice of Ricky Whittle for the role of Shadow. Nowhere in the novel "American Gods" did Gaiman clearly indicate Shadow's racial affiliation. It has been suggested that he is dark-skinned and of mixed origin, which could be black, but also Gypsy or Indian. The choice of a black actor opened the possibility for the series to deal more seriously with racism, which the book does not deal with in such a direct way, but which is always a current topic in America.
Female characters are given much more space than in the book, and some of the female characters mentioned only along the way got some of the most important roles here. Especially Shadow's wife, who has one of the main roles in the series "American Gods", side by side with the main characters of the novel.
Although politicization in adaptations of books, which originally don't bother with it, is really going on my nerves, these changes and scenes are quite nicely integrated into the original story and, in my opinion, they more contribute to Gaiman's universe than they turn the series from his way.
The series also includes homosexual characters of both sexes, which I don't remember from the book (although I allow the possibility that I am wrong) and, unlike many films and series that force them just to respect the norm, here it is done somehow naturally, and even some slightly more explicit scenes were shot with style and taste. The only exception is an episode almost drowned by an endless scene of rather explicit homosexual orgies, which has neither a substantive nor an aesthetic place in "American Gods".
The story is original, weird, and holds attention. The show is visually fantastic and the choice of actors and their performances are excellent. I can't say that I'm thrilled, but I really liked the series and I don't understand how it is possible for its ratings to drop to such an extent that they cancel it.
The third season ended with a very impressive scene that can be a cliffhanger for the continuation of the story, but in a way, it rounds off the previous story and gives the series, although a bit depressing, a satisfactorily meaningful ending. So, even if we don't get the true ending in the form of the fourth season or maybe a feature film (both possibilities are still in circulation), feel free to embark on this adventure, because you won't waste time, as is the case with most canceled series.
8/10 - CreatorDiane Ruggiero-WrightRob ThomasStarsRose McIverMalcolm GoodwinRahul KohliA medical resident finds that being a zombie has its perks, which she uses to assist the police.Quite a different angle of looking at a zombie apocalypse
A new drug has appeared in Seattle and it is becoming increasingly popular. What neither distributors nor users know is that, in combination with a certain energy drink, it turns consumers into zombies. The problem is even bigger when you consider that it is enough for a zombie to scratch you to turn you into one of them.
But if you expect a classic zombie story of the horror genre, you will be disappointed by the fact that the living dead differ from us in only a few details. Their hair turns white, their skin pales, they gain increased strength and endurance, their injuries heal quickly and only a serious head injury can kill them. They also have an overwhelming appetite for human brains. As long as they feed properly, zombies are the same as they were in life, but if you leave them hungry long enough, they will gradually turn into well-known monsters without personality and with only one instinct - to eat your brain.
Olivia Moore is a medical intern, beautiful, successful, and happily in love. When she is scratched by a zombie at a party, her life radically changes. In order to keep this a secret, she distances herself from family and friends, breaks off the engagement, and finds a job in a police morgue, which provides her access to brains.
Soon she discovers an interesting side effect. Zombies have occasional visions of the memory of the last brain eaten, and Olivia finds new meaning in her life in helping police inspector Clive Babineaux solve the murders.
Each episode of "iZombie" brings us a new case, which Olivia and Clive, with the help of several other main characters, successfully solve. Initially, "iZombie" is just another in a sea of similar crime series, such as "CSI", "Bones", "The Mentalist", only with a zombie twist. The background story deals with Olivia's adjustment to the zombie way of life, combining drama and humor in a way typical of comic book adaptations. Nothing spectacular, but very charming and watchable.
But, in later seasons, the story deepens and expands and falls into the trap into which most series, which push beyond two or three seasons, are caught. It begins to complicate and entangle itself too much and involves topics more serious than it can deal with properly. The relaxed and witty series, reminiscent of a sitcom, gives way to a more serious drama with elements of action, thriller, and horror, and now it can't rely on charm anymore. Fortunately, the authors and the cast managed to push this through quite nicely, although sometimes on the muscles and through the needle's eye.
This is one of those series in which almost everyone is pretty. Olivia is played by New Zealand actress Rose McIver, for whom I am not quite sure if she is really a versatile actress who manages well in various situations or is just so cute that her flaws go unnoticed. There are also Malcolm Goodwin who plays Clive, the incredibly charismatic Rahul Kohli in the role of the main pathologist, Olivia's fiancé Robert Buckley, Aly Michalka in the role of Olivia's roommate, and other interesting characters.
However, despite a fairly large selection of nice and interesting heroes, the series was stolen by the bad guys. In my opinion, the undisputed star of the series is David Anders, who perfectly revived the main villain Blaine. It is difficult for me to weigh whether this character is more unscrupulous or charismatic. Although he is a monster that I did not support to succeed in his intentions (of course, I knew he would not), I was still afraid for him and hoped that he would stay unharmed. And my favorite character, without competition, is his infinitely likable assistant played by Canadian actor Bryce Hodgson.
"iZombie" has something for everyone. From romantic melodrama, through sitcom humor and witty references to pop culture, solving murders in the autopsy room and on the field, culinary sequences in which Olivia finds new recipes for preparing the human brain in each episode, to horror moments that explicitly show "full-Romero" (one of the better references in the series) zombies that devour brains directly from the victim's skull, and even some political satire and conspiracy theories.
I'm not sure if the allegorical subtext of the "iZombie" series is real or I see something that is not there, influenced by the current COVID situation, but you have to admit that intentional causing of a viral epidemic and then turning people into zombies (literal zombies in the show, metaphorical zombies in real life) by mass vaccination is too good a satire to be accidental.
8/10 - CreatorThomas SzaboHélène GiraudStarsKeith FergusonNeicScott WhyteAlthough children aren't entomologists, when they take a trip to the country and start roaming through fields and meadows, they do spend an incredible amount of time observing insects. Unlike grownup specialists, our knee-high observers with scabby knees have a peculiar perception of these tiny creatures, readily imagining them in utterly weird, surrealistic situations. Such an offbeat, and often comic vision provides the basis for how MINUSCULE will be showing insects in their day-to-day existence, "at grassroots level," as if we were right there with them. So forget everything you've ever learned about segmented, winged or wingless little creatures, because you're about to discover bug reality. MINUSCULE revolves around the day-to-day existence of insects. Although the series calls to mind a wildlife documentary, it's a documentary in which the insects are presented in burlesque situations, with a fair amount of philosophical contemplation thrown in. You might call it a cross between Tex Avery and Microcosmos, or grassroots slapstick. Or a docu-cartoon series.And how am I supposed to kill bugs from now on?!
Minuscule in French means tiny, which applies to both the format and the content of this beautiful animated series. The titles of the episodes in English are written in small initial letters, which is another meaning of the word minuscule.
Each episode brings us a separate story about insects (sometimes some other tiny creatures, such as spiders and snails) lasting about five minutes. It's just amazing what can fit in such a short time.
Insects are visually presented quite realistically, but the stories themselves are caricatured versions of their way of life, very wittily used to entertain and teach us at the same time. There is no dialogue in the series, but the stories are told with pictures and very impressive use of sound effects.
Bright colors, silly sound effects, and surreal situations are also accessible to small children, while adults can find a certain philosophical depth in these stories. And the strongest asset of the series is a positive atmosphere, full of life's joy that is inexorably transmitted to the viewer.
Ladybug and grasshopper are quite villains, but you just can't help but like them and laugh at their petty mischief. And when you see an unfortunate spider in the role of a victim, you will hesitate to slap it with a slipper next time you see one. If the child in you is not completely gone, there is no chance that "Minuscule" will not improve your mood.
According to IMDb, the series consists of 175 episodes, but the DVD release contains 6 discs with 13 episodes each, which is not even half of the total number, and I did not manage to find much more on YouTube either. But as the episodes bring separate stories, not being all in number won't diminish your experience.
9/10 - CreatorBill LawrenceStarsZach BraffDonald FaisonSarah ChalkeIn the unreal world of Sacred Heart Hospital, intern John "J.D." Dorian learns the ways of medicine, friendship and life."A person doesn't have to be perfect to be exactly what you need." TV show too.
In a sea of hospital (melo)dramas that take themselves too seriously, even though their quality is questionable, Bill Lawrence created something different, a hilarious sitcom that takes the best of both genres, placing the "Friends" type of sitcom in a hospital setting. "Scrubs" is a sitcom, with all the features of sitcoms, but it is much more than that.
In addition to the features common to all series of this type, the "Scrubs" team made an effort to think out of the box and bring many innovations and elements atypical of a sitcom to the genre. The most common are inner monologues, which help us get to know and understand the characters much better. Next are slapstick gags, which often go to extremes, so the series has to use stuntmen. And as our protagonist is prone to daydreaming fantasies, many episodes also have surreal scenes, which often require special effects.
The series was not filmed in the studio, but they rented the entire abandoned hospital and the whole team practically lived in it. Over the years they became a kind of big family, and that is felt in the series and makes it more convincing and natural.
The main character of "Scrubs" is Dr. John Dorian (Zach Braff), a young doctor, immature and confused, with a strong emotional side and even more prominent bad luck, especially in love. He is counterbalanced by his best friend and roommate from college, surgeon Christopher Turk (Donald Faison), a sports guy, confident but emotionally closed. Their bromance is the backbone of the series and is one of the best I've seen on television.
Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke) is a spoiled daddy's princess, who meets real life for the first time in the hospital and, with many professional and love turbulences, finally grows into a doctor and a woman worthy of respect. On several occasions, she gets into affairs with Dorian, which regularly ends badly.
Nurse Carla Espinoza (Judy Reyes) is Eliot's friend and Turk's fiancée. She is bossy and compulsive gossip of "Sacred Heart" hospital.
Dr. Perry Cox, played by the fantastic John C. McGinley ("Platoon", "Stan Against Evil") is a top doctor, arrogant, narcissistic, and extremely entertaining inexhaustible source of sarcastic remarks, Dorian's unofficial mentor, who steals every scene in which he appears.
Jordan (Christa Miller) is his ex-wife (actually the wife of Bill Lawrence, the creator of the series), strong, determined, uncompromising, with a tongue so sharp that she is the only character in the series who is able to steal a scene from Cox. Their love/hate relationship is deeper and stronger than all the other romances in the series.
Neil Flynn plays Janitor who, along with the tireless polishing of hospital floors, always finds time to haunt and stress interns. Along with Cox, Janitor is probably the funniest character in the series.
Sam Lloyd plays a hospital lawyer with an inferiority complex, always on the verge of suicide, except when he practices with his acapella group in hospital elevators.
The head of the hospital, Dr. Bob Kelso, played by Ken Jenkins, is only interested in profit and that no one bothers him. He treats his wife like a dog, his dog like a wife, he is in love with his old-timer and with his mean and/or cold-blooded remarks is a kind of the main villain.
Turk's colleague, surgeon Todd (Robert Maschio), is a sexually burdened latent gay man, obsessed with high-fives, to which he constantly invents new varieties, while trying to crawl under every skirt he sees and pours outrageous jokes.
In addition to the main four, which consists of Dorian, Turk, Elliot, and Carla, and permanent supporting characters, of which I mentioned the most impressive, through "Scrubs" parades a considerable number of guest characters, some only for an episode or two, while others stay longer or occasionally return to the series. Neither of these characters lags behind in their characterization and performance, and some are played by quite famous names, such as Elizabeth Banks, Tara Reid, Heather Graham, Heather Locklear, Michael J. Fox, David Copperfield, Ryan Reynolds, Dick Van Dyke, Matthew Perry, Colin Farrell, Christopher Meloni, and others.
The characterization of all, even the most secondary characters, is fantastic and after a few episodes you get the impression that you know them personally, and after a few seasons, they seem like family. They are very diverse and cover all types of characters, often brought to caricature. Which brings us to humor.
The series is very intelligent and witty written, and uses all kinds of humor, from naive childish, romantic, and friendly, through slapstick and comedy of the situation, to mean irony and sarcasm, and even quite morbid black humor. I can't remember exactly when political correctness became the basic and most powerful principle of modern television and destroyed everything it touched, completely killing the spirit of healthy humor, but there is no trace of that here. Moreover, I noticed a couple of moments that make fun of PC trends.
Although the series lasted the entire first decade of the new millennium, they did not run out of inspiration and themes. They couldn't when they don't hesitate to ruthlessly and shamelessly make fun of all the topics that come to their mind, even those that most of the similar series avoid at any cost. Although I can't think of any really similar ones, except maybe "Ally McBeal".
"Scrubs" skillfully combines all genres into a kind of sitcom, new, original, and refreshing, and it does it very well, which is confirmed by the duration of nine seasons. I started probably about two hundred series, finished maybe fifty, and very few even partially rewatched. I'm watching "Scrubs" for the third time in its entirety.
10/10 - CreatorSimon AllenStarsRichard DormerLara RossiAdam HugillA group of misfit cops rise up from decades of helplessness to save their corrupt city from catastrophe.Terry Pratchett rolls over in his grave
I'm a big fan of Terry Pratchett. I have all the books published in my language, and after reading them several times, I switched to reading the remaining ones in the original. You can imagine how much I look forward to each new screen adaptation of his ingenious novels, especially considering that everything I've watched so far has ranged from very good to great.
After the first episode of "The Watch", I lost all desire to watch further. But it is an "adaptation" of my favorite writer, so I decided to give the series a chance, hoping that it will improve in time. Mother of God, how wrong I was. I'm not one to hate any adaptation that doesn't stick to the original material, but "The Watch" is a failure of epic proportions.
The story is based on Pratchett, but it combines elements of several novels and changes the original material so much that it cannot be considered an adaptation in the true sense. Considering that it is clearly written in the opening credits that the series was INSPIRED BY CHARACTERS CREATED BY TERRY PRATCHETT, and not that it is a faithful adaptation of a certain novel, it is not fair to criticize the changes in the story, even if the title is taken from a specific novel.
The characters are another story. Apart from personal names, they have little in common with Pratchett's.
Captain Sam Vimes is a depressed alcoholic, and Richard Dormer could probably bring him to life on TV properly. Unfortunately, the authors of the series made this character a silly hybrid of Popeye and Captain Jack Sparrow. But Vimes did well compared to the other characters. Lady Sybil is black, because having a purely white cast in the 21st century is a mortal sin. Although, if they could do it in "The Dark Tower", why wouldn't they do it here... Angua, who in human form should be a femme fatale (if memory serves), is a punk girl in the body of a twelve-year-old boy. Lord Vetinari is now a woman, and the female dwarf is played by a transsexual two-meter guy. Only Carrot is quite faithful to the book, although the joke that he feels and behaves like a dwarf, because he was adopted and raised by dwarves, fails when all the other dwarves in the series are played by people of normal height.
The fight against discrimination, religious, racial, and sexual tolerance, and diversity are all right, but stop destroying more of my favorite literary works for the sake of political propaganda and write new original scripts that will implement political correctness and woke culture. And if you really want to adapt to other people's works, adapt properly.
But ok, if I stretch my tolerance to the breaking point and forget for a moment that I'm a Pratchett fan, and remind myself that the series is only INSPIRED by Pratchett's characters, I could turn a blind eye even to these character changes. Moreover, Joni Ayton-Kent as a transgender dwarf was perhaps the most likable character in "The Watch". I say 'I could', if other aspects of the series were worth at least something.
"The Watch" does not mention Discworld, a flat world carried by four elephants, who travel through space on the shell of a giant turtle, so we don't even know where the series actually takes place. It may not matter for this story, but I believe it bothered the fans. Furthermore, Ank-Morpork has been modernized and given a steampunk atmosphere that doesn't suit it, especially not in combination with wizards and dragons.
But let's ignore all the comparisons with the original material and look at "The Watch" as a separate achievement, through the eyes of someone who has never read Pratchett. Even from that perspective, "The Watch" simply is not good.
The story is uninteresting and poorly told. It will be unclear to those who have not read Pratchett, while fans will experience it as blasphemy. So who the hell was it written for?! The acting is mediocre at best, the production is cheap, we saw better effects twenty years ago, the sound is bad, and the speech of the characters is so slurred that it is practically impossible to watch the series without subtitles.
And finally, what disappointed me the most. Terry Pratchett was an incredibly witty person. His series about Discworld is an immensely entertaining satire of humanity in all its aspects, full of imaginative metaphors and hilarious descriptions, dialogues, and adventures. His novels are so funny that it is not advisable to read them in public, so that people would not look at you like a madman. Not a few times have I literally burst out laughing while reading his books, and you will hardly find a single page that will not make you at least smile.
In "The Watch", I did not notice the satire of society, there is no intelligent humor in characterization, situations, or dialogues, and during eight episodes, not a single time did it make me smile, let alone laugh. And not only is it not funny - it's pretty dull.
I could accept the changes in the story and the characters, no matter how great they were. I could even swallow the imposition of PC and Woke norms. But to take Pratchett's text and turn it into something so unfunny and even boring is a crime that cannot be forgiven.
3/10 - CreatorLauren IungerichStarsAshley RickardsBeau MirchoffJillian Rose ReedAn unpopular 15-year-old gains immediate, yet unwanted, popularity at her high school when the student body mistakes an accident she has for a suicide attempt.Relaxing and refreshing
Let's face it, this is an MTV series, which lowers expectations by default. Also, this is a teenage "coming of age" melodramatic comedy. Expectations go down a few more steps. Now, when you start watching "Awkward" from this starting point, the series will certainly not disappoint you. What's more, for its genre and production, it is above average.
The story is quite realistic, without excessive drama and excessive caricature, just as awkward as the life of an average high school student is. All technical and essential aspects are at a satisfactory level, nothing spectacularly good, but there are no major flaws either. The actors are charismatic with good mutual chemistry, the pacing is well measured and, if you don't have too high expectations, the series will honestly entertain you, occasionally make you genuinely laugh, and even cause a tear here and there.
Its biggest drawback is the drop in quality from season to season. While some respect only the first season, some defend the next two as well, while the last one is really an unnecessary stretch, although without it the story would remain incomplete. The strongest asset, at least from my perspective, is that it is natural, unartificial, unencumbered by the aggressive Woke culture/propaganda that increasingly dominates television.
7/10 - StarsChloë Grace MoretzGary CarrJack ReynorSet in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality as well as a dark future of her own.Nice try, but not quite what it aimed to be
This SF mystery-thriller is an adaptation of Gibson's 2014 novel. Set between the years 2028 and 2099, it follows a brother and sister, top gamers, who use a virtual reality headset to pilot androids in 2099 from 2032 when they live. They become embroiled in the political intrigues and conspiracies of the future, which threaten to bring about the destruction of their own timeline.
The story starts strong and promising, but from episode to episode it gets more and more complicated and confusing, not explaining to the viewer what is actually happening almost at all. The overstuffed and overcomplicated story gets more and more tangled, until the last episode when you realize that there is no more time to unravel it and that most, if not all of the questions you have will remain unanswered. And then you get the most anticlimactic ending ever, worse even than the finale of "Game of Thrones". The story ends without us getting any satisfactory answers and epilogue, or even a cliffhanger for the next season. Nor were any of the ambiguities of a technical or essential nature explained to us. Totally disappointing.
The characterization is decent, although the characters could have been developed much better, and the acting is good. What really counts in this series and somewhat covers its shortcomings is the visual aspect (the scenes of London at the end of the 21st century are impressive) and the atmosphere that suits Gibson's style.
6/10 - CreatorLisa JoyJonathan NolanStarsEvan Rachel WoodJeffrey WrightEd HarrisAt the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, waits a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.What is life? What is consciousness?
29 December 2017
What is life? What is consciousness? Can artificial intelligence become conscious, and at what point does a machine cease to be a thing and become a life form? The series asks these questions and, rather than getting lost in trying to provide answers, it leaves its characters and its audience to decide for themselves where they draw the line.
After eight episodes of the "Westworld" series, although I am a big fan of the sci-fi genre, especially artificial intelligence and life-imitating machines, I must admit that I was not thrilled. I haven't seen the movie the show is based on, so I won't go into that part and I don't have any specific complaints to point my finger at. It's all nicely designed and packed. There are no obvious technical flaws or illogicalities in the story. Acting, directing, production, everything is top-notch and my brain tells me that this is a great series. And yet, it leaves me almost indifferent. It lacks something that cannot be pointed at. That something that moves you and that can sometimes be found even in bad movies because it doesn't depend on technical aspects. Let's call it a soul.
And then I watched the last two episodes and realized that the series is a mindfak and that during the whole season I actually had no idea what I was watching. From the beginning, it was clear to me that the story was not entirely linear, but to what extent it was non-linear and convoluted I could not imagine. The twists in the last few episodes are completely unexpected. Once they happen they become obvious and you wonder how you didn't foresee them, but you didn't, and with each new "revelation" the overall impression of the series is getting stronger and stronger. And the finale...
8,5/10
You can't play God without being acquainted with the Devil
22 February 2024
I finally watched the remaining three seasons. Technically, the series maintained the level. Essentially...
After the philosophical AI SF of the first season, "Westworld" has degenerated into an insane action rollercoaster, which holds attention, but I have no idea what it's for. Did the authors get lost in their own story, so it can't keep up with itself, or has the story become such a tangled mindfak that my intelligence can't follow it... However, the end of season four makes sense and I like how they wrapped up the story, but by the time we got to it, I was on the verge of giving up more than once.
I love mindfak, but I suppose the point of that genre is that it makes you brainstorm and wait eagerly for the solution, and not that for the whole season you have no idea what you're watching, to such an extent that it kills your desire to watch at all, and in the end you wonder if you are stupid or the script. In this case, I'm almost certain that it's the script, which has turned from the aforementioned philosophical AI SF into an AI SF bullcrap of epic proportions.
7/10 - CreatorMichael HirstStarsKatheryn WinnickGustaf SkarsgårdAlexander LudwigVikings transports us to the brutal and mysterious world of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore--and raid--the distant shores across the ocean.Hard and cruel, but somehow tempting way of life
19 January 2018
I'm not a fan of historical and quasi-historical films and series, so I had no high expectations for "Vikings". But the first season bought me right away. It's completely different from anything I've seen so far, and there are more dead than in "Game of Thrones". Now I finished the second season and the series just keeps getting better. It seems to me that there are more scheming and twists than in GoT. The acting and characterization are excellent, and the action scenes are incredibly believable and realistic. It gets more and more complicated and tense and will not only hold your attention but also your breath.
7 April 2024
I finally made it to the end. In the later seasons, the story branches out in too many directions and gets overly complicated. The series in most respects maintains the level until the very end, but the story begins to repeat itself, the same plots revolve around different generations of characters and, although it cannot be said that the quality decreases, it all becomes a bit monotonous. Some of the denouements delighted me, some disappointed me, and some felt unfinished, but I guess that's a matter of taste. All in all, an above-average series, but I think they should have ended it earlier. Definitely a recommendation, if for no other reason than because of the original and striking performances of the entire cast, among which Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alex Hogh Andersen, and Travis Fimmel stand out the most.
8/10 - CreatorDamon LindelofTom PerrottaStarsJustin TherouxAmy BrennemanChristopher EcclestonThree years after the disappearance of 2% of the global human population, a group of people in a small New York community try to continue their lives while coping with the tragedy of the unexplained nature of the event.WTF I just watched, but in a good way
At one point, 2% of the world's population simply disappears. 140 million people simply evaporated, seemingly at random and without any reasonable explanation. Three years later, the world is still struggling with this trauma, and the three seasons of this series follow that struggle over the next four years.
All three seasons are very different, thematically, atmospherically, tempo-wise, and one could even say genre-wise. What they have in common is that two-thirds of the time you'll have no idea what the hell is going on and why. From the premise, through the situations it causes, to individual human reactions, everything is completely insane. But once you manage to accept that craziness, the story takes on some internal logic of its own and is quite consistent with it. You will get answers to a very small number of questions right away, to many by the end of the season, to some you will forget until you are reminded of them by the denouement in the next season, and many remain a mystery left to free interpretation until the end.
If you're looking for a sensible story that ultimately gives you a rounded denouement and satisfaction, bypass "The Leftovers" in a wide arc. But if you like mindfak stories, which, albeit slow, make your brain speed up to overheat, if you like superb acting that brings a variety of characters to life with depth and believable humanity and powerfully conveys the emotions and drama of human existence, then prepare for an experience you won't easily forget.
9/10 - DirectorBrendon SmallStarsTommy BlachaVictor BrandtThundercatCan Dethklok choose between their egos and the greater good of the world to embark on a gauntlet of dangers that will try their very souls and finally write the song that will be their salvation?People of the Earth! This is NOT Dethklok!
Ten years after the phenomenal "The Doomstar Requiem" comes the sequel "Army of the Doomstar", this time as a feature-length animated film. All the technical aspects of the series we loved are here again, everything is apparently the same as it was, except for the most important - humor. Not that this isn't hilariously funny, but it's not even mildly entertaining. One big nothing dragged out for almost an hour and a half, with characters rendered pathetic, rare and failed attempts at humor, and without a single catchy track. Not only is there nothing memorable, but it is so boring that I did not manage to watch it all at once. Shame.
5/10