52 TV seasons. 1 Year. 2021 edition

[TripOpt55]

1. Umbrella Academy Season 1
2. Umbrella Academy Season 2

3. The Queen's Gambit

I loved this. I never really binge anything and watched this all in one day. The main actress did an excellent job. And a lot of the more specific chess talk (with openings, etc.) was interesting too.

4. Harley Quinn Season 1

Had no idea this was so like M-rated going in so that surprised me right off the bat. I love the Harley-Ivy relationship and some of the portrayals of side characters are so funny (especially Bane). Love King Shark too. The voice cast is excellent. And the whole thing made me laugh so much. Going to jump into Season 2 tomorrow!

 

[Rhaknar]

Season #6 - Evil Genius
Episodes: 4
Rating: ★★★★

Continuing my true crime kick, I finally got around to watch this bizarre one, and it truly is a strange (and sad) case. Lots of twists and turns, lots of not very nice people plotting not very nice things. I really liked the documentary presentation of it aswell as it seemed quite professional compared to others in the genre, and the story/case was truly fascinating.

Season #7 - Crime Scene The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel
Episodes: 4
Rating: ★★★

Very torn on this one as I was enjoying it for the first half as it seemed like quite a strange case, but then the documentary devolves into all sorts of conspiracy theory bullshit with way too much focus put on the wannabe internet detectives, before concluding it was simply a very sad case of mental health ruining a young woman's life. It's well done but the conspiacy shit and the fact that these internet "detectives" manage to basically ruin some dude's life that had nothing to do with the case really rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I should check out Don't Fuck With Cats to see internet detectives actually providing positive results?

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[Rhaknar]

Season #8 - Don't F**k With Cats
Episodes: 3
Rating: ★★★

Watching this after the Cecil Hotel documentary just made me conclude that I kinda hate these so called "internet detectives", no matter what good intentions they might have (or think they have). The documentary itself is really well made, probably has the highest production values I've seen in these so far, but the overuse of the Facebook group people that were tracking / borderline stalking this (admittedly horrible) person rubbed me the wrong way, much like it did with the Cecil Hotel one, and also bringing in Luka Magnotta's mom to say he was innocent and there was a mysterious mastermind behind the murder felt almost like "both sides"-ing it. Oh and fuck that ending, the audacity to try to shame the viewer for watching the documentary lol. Still, it's very well made and quite disturbing to learn about, so for the true-crime genre it does a good job, just a lot of things in it that are NOT the horrible acts annoyed me.

Season #9 - Ozark Season 3
Episodes: 10
Rating: ★★★★★

Once again I'm not sure why I wait so long to watch a new season of Ozark since I always end up loving it but here we are. Show continues to improve as the Byrdes get deeper and deeper into the cartel business, leading to all sorts of shenanigans with the family, the new casino business, the cartel and the FBI. Super entertaining, super bleak as usual, Ruth continues to be awesome and the show just grabs you from start to end. Bittersweet that it's ending with season 4 but at least they go out on their own terms, and hopefully go out with a bang.

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[Naijaboy]

1. 01/02 Impulse (S2) ★★★★ ½

2. 01/03 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S4) ★★ ½

3. 01/10 Harlots (S1) ★★★★ ½

4. 01/18 Harlots (S2) ★★★★ ½

5. 01/25 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S5) ★★ ★

6. 01/26 Harlots (S3) ★★★★

7. 02/14 Transformers: War for Cybertron (S2) ★★ ★ The sequel to the Transformers series seems content to continue the love/hate routine from the first series. The animation? It looks great looking still, but it's clear they're having trouble putting the animation in motion. There's some stuff I put on repeat just on how beautiful it is (like the end of episode 4) only to see stilted crap afterwards. The voice acting? A series of hits and misses. The story? It's alright, but it seems to be slowing down with its reveals and not doing enough to keep people interested.

Spoiler

How the heck are they going to deal with Optimus without the Allspark and Unicron in one season? Did everyone on Cybertron freaking die because they didn't put the right amount of charge?

It's woes continue as the comics are doing the same premise and blowing it out of the water in every metric of quality outside of maybe the art. Unless you have spare time, there is little need to watch if you're already reading the comic as the later is using elements from past works far more effectively. At least this will be over in 6 episodes.

8. 2/21 Bonding (S2) ★★★★ Granted, the first season was a blast to breeze through with its short length and fun premise. But lord did it need a course correction to educate themselves on the rules of engagement. And it was immediately apparent from the start of the second season that the producers were going to do just that. Basically everyone was going to sit down and see how the business is done along with the perils of keeping it afloat. It also picked up the fact that... yeah our protagonists aren't really that great people. Yet the series manages to use that to its advantage as well. Both points even end up being the focal point of the end of the season. It may end on a bittersweet moment, but the adjustments only make me yearn for another spanking good time.

 

[LonestarZues]

Master Post

February 2021 update: Falling behind the pace, but there's several shows I'm watching that the season ends this month so hopefully that helps the pace.

5. The Stand
6. 30 Monedas
7. Vikings S1

 

[Spectromixer]

Spectromixer - 15/52 Seasons

Seasons:

1. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina | Part 4
2. Cobra Kai | S1
3. Star Trek: Discovery | S3
4. Once Upon a Time | S6
5. Cobra Kai | S2
6. Once Upon a Time | S7
7. Disenchantment | Part 3
8. Cobra Kai | S3
9. American Gods | S2
10. Sequester | S4
11. The Expanse | S5
12. Lucifer | S1
13. Crime Scene: Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel
14. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
15. For All Mankind | S1
16. Lucifer | S2

Old challenges

🎉 2020 - 105/52 Seasons 🎉

Click to shrink...

February update, at 15 seasons so far. Started a Babylon 5 rewatch and catching up on Attack on Titan this month.

 

[dead souls]

Monthly update time, I guess

deadsouls 23/52

01. Cobra Kai (S3)- ★★★★
02. Superstore (S2)- ★★★1/2
03. Star Trek: Discovery (S3)- ★★★
04. Pure (S1)- ★★1/2
05. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (S4)- ★★
06. Big Mouth (S1)- ★★1/2
07. History of Swear Words- ★★★
08. Lupin (Part 1)- ★★★★
09. Search Party (S4)- ★★★★1/2
10. Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults- ★★★
11. The Expanse (S5)- ★★★★★
12. Bonding (S1)- ★★★★
13. The Stand- ★★1/2
14. Your Honor- ★★★
15. The Lady and the Dale- ★★★★
16. 30 Coins (S1)- ★★★1/2
17. Chewing Gum (S1)- ★★★
18. Superstore (S3)- ★★★1/2
19. The Umbrella Academy (S2)- ★★★★1/2
20. Bonding (S2)- ★★★★
21. It's a Sin- ★★★★★
22. Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine- ★★
23. Shameless: Hall of Shame- ★★1/2

Click to shrink...

Adding

12. Bonding (S1)- ★★★★
13. The Stand- ★★1/2
14. Your Honor- ★★★
15. The Lady and the Dale- ★★★★
16. 30 Coins (S1)- ★★★1/2
17. Chewing Gum (S1)- ★★★
18. Superstore (S3)- ★★★1/2
19. The Umbrella Academy (S2)- ★★★★1/2
20. Bonding (S2)- ★★★★
21. It's a Sin- ★★★★★
22. Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine- ★★
23. Shameless: Hall of Shame- ★★1/2

 

[Rhaknar]

Season #10 - Wandavision Season 1
Episodes: 9
Rating: ★★★★

I'll preface this by saying I'm a big Marvel fanboy, and thus MCU fanboy, so this was always going to score high with me, and as expected, I ended up liking it a lot, even if they don't stick the landing. The sitcom schtick gets a bit old and it makes for some odd pacing early on, and the SWORD stuff wasnt the best, but at the same time I finally get my proper Scarlet Witch on screen, I get my twins, and all sorts of other things that I don't want to spoil but made my inner teenage comic book nerd geek out, and in the end, that's all I ask for from the MCU stuff.

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[dead souls]

Season #10 - Wandavision Season 1
Episodes: 9
Rating: ★★★★★

Click to shrink...

I'm looking forward to adding this in my next update, with far fewer stars.

 

[Rhaknar]

I'm looking forward to adding this in my next update, with far fewer stars.

Click to shrink...

Ironic you say that just when I was updating it a bit lower as I was thinking of what to write up and thinking that ultimately I was a bit let down. But I am a Marvel fanboy so their shit will always get high marks from me, it just brings out all the nerd teen memories in me /shrug

 

[The Real Paddington]

I'm looking forward to adding this in my next update, with far fewer stars.

Click to shrink...

👀

 

[Rhaknar]

Season #11 - James Acaster Repertoire
Episodes: 4
Rating: ★★★★★

Easily one of the best stand-up acts I've ever seen, still as funny as the first time I watched it last year. The bizarre and interconnected stories he comes up with throughout the 4 episodes is brilliant and his performance is just hilarious. Probably my current favorite stand-up comedian (it helps that for all accounts he seems to be a decent human being too unlike many of them), this is a absolute must watch for any fan of stand up comedy.

Season #12 - Disenchantment Season 1
Episodes: 10
Rating: ★★★

Matt Groening's big return since Futurama ended up being... ok? It's alright, but very uneven. Sometimes it looks great but sometimes the animation is awful, sometimes it's quite clever and funny but sometimes it's super flat, even the voice acting is uneven. It's not terrible by any means and I enjoyed it enough, but it's not something I would be upset if it got cancelled either (did it get cancelled? I actually don't know). I do like that there's a season wide narrative going on tho.

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[Boogs31]

12/52 - ☆

1. Cobra Kai Season 3 - ★★★★
2. Samurai Jack Season 4 - ★★★★
3. The Flight Attendant - ★★★★
4. Samurai Jack Season 5 - ★★★★½
5. Ted Lasso Season 1 - ★★★★½
6. Search Party Season 4 - ★★★★
7. Your Honor - ★½
8. Lupin Season 1 Part 1 - ★★★★
9. Painting With John - ★★★★½
10. WandaVision - ★★★★
11. The Great - ★★★★
12. Nadiya Bakes - ★★★½

 

[Ravelle]

Updated: 5/1/2021

Television:

1. Wanda Vision Season 1 ★★★★
2. Ted Lasso Season 1 ★★★★★
3. The Office US Season 1 ★★★
4. The Office Season 2 ★★★★★
5. The Office Season 3 ★★★★
6. The Office Season 4 ★★★
7. The Office Season 5. ★★★★
8. The Office Season 6 ★★★★
9. The Office Season 7 ★★★
10. The Office Season 8 ★★★
11. The Office Season 9 ★★★★
12 Falcon & The Winter Soldier ★★★★★
13. Invincible Season 1. ★★★★★
14. Mr. Robot Season 1 ★★★★★
15. Mr Robot Season 2 ★★★★★
17. Mr Robot Season 3 ★★★★★
18. Mr Robot Season 4 ★★★★★


Anime:
16. JuJutsu Kaisen Season 1 ★★★★★

 

[Rhaknar]

Season #13 - Disenchantment Season 2
Episodes: 10
Rating: ★★★

Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left off, and by heading in a more serialized direction, I think the show improved a bit, but it still feels very uneven and half the jokes fall flat (although the show is leaning on the comedy less and less it seems). On the other hand I like the overall story, and the relationship between Bean, Luci and Elfo continues to carry the show. It's also strangely dark at times, much like season 1 was towards the end, and the end of the season leading to season 3 is great and actually has be looking forward to more.

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[KtotheRoc]

Main Post

1: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (S3) - ★★★★

Diamond Is Unbreakable was an amazing season of Jojo. And for the first time, I really felt like the series clicked for me. A slice of life style series mixed with the over the top JoJo antics made this one of my favorite parts.

2: Cobra Kai (S3) - ★★★★

Putting the focus back on Johnny and Miguel (while also giving other characters some solid screen time) really made this season something special.

3: Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba (S1) - ★★★

I don't think this series does anything new or innovative, but it does the standard shonen battle formula very well. There's some real heart to the show's central characters. Some annoying side characters do drag it down a little bit.

4: One Punch Man (S2) - ★★★

It's more One Punch Man.

February

5: A.P. Bio (S3) - ★★★★

I thought being freed from the confines of broadcast television really let this season stand out.

6: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (S4) - ★★★★

AKA Golden Wind. Reinventing the series as a mafia story mixed with shonen themes about the power of friendship made for an interesting season. The stand battles became even more out there than even DiUs.

7: Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan (S1) - ★★★★★

Probably my favorite anything related to JoJo. This is a straight up horror anthology series that feels more like The Twilight Zone than actual JJBA. And I loved it.

8: Mr. Mayor (S1) - ★★★

A sitcom that feels like it has plenty of room to grow. Hopefully it gets that chance. For now I'll give it three stars since it amused me, the cast is mostly on point, and it has potential.

March

9: High-Rise Invasion (S1) - ★

This is some straight up garbage anime. Just pure shock value. Content warning for attempted rape (like in the first few minutes of the first episode).

10: Lovecraft Country (S1) - ★★★

I actually think this is a good show, but man is it intense. They were not afraid to tackle some heavy subject matter. I just don't think they always succeeded at it. (Content warning for racism, homophobia, and other mature subjects.)

11: WandaVision (S1) - ★★★

A decent debut for first Marvel's D+ show. (Yes, I know Falcon & WS was supposed to debut first.) I do think they sort of dropped the ball in regards to the ending.

12: Yashahime (S1) - ★★

I really wanted to like this, but in the end I was massively disappointed. It starts off pretty good, but it really falls apart about halfway through the season. The season finale sort of does as good a job as it can, but it's not enough to save the season.

13: Stargirl (S1) - ★★★

Pretty average super hero fare for the most part, but the relationship between Courtney and her stepfather Pat really makes this show.

 

[TheNatureBoy]

Didn't realize this had already started again.

 

[Rhaknar]

Didn't realize this had already started again.

Click to shrink...

Dude it's almost April.

 

[TheNatureBoy]

Dude it's almost April.

Click to shrink...

Lol, I know but for some reason I first saw this thread yesterday.

 

[Naijaboy]

1. 01/02 Impulse (S2) ★★★★ ½

2. 01/03 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S4) ★★ ½

3. 01/10 Harlots (S1) ★★★★ ½

4. 01/18 Harlots (S2) ★★★★ ½

5. 01/25 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S5) ★★ ★

6. 01/26 Harlots (S3) ★★★★

7. 02/14 Transformers: War for Cybertron (S2) ★★ ★

8. 2/21 Bonding (S2) ★★★★

9. 3/11 Battlebots (S10) ★★★ ½ With the absence of powerhouses such as Biteforce and Minotaur, the field was wide open for veterans and newcomers alike to show their abilities. The matches themselves showed the same thing. Bots who were once dominate in earlier seasons looked mortal. Goes to show just how much the meta has evolved over the years. There were a ton of fun fights even between the mid-card bots (go and check out Huge vs Mammoth). The only real disappointment was the winner, which really begs the question what could have been if the pandemic never happened.

10. 3/13 Wandavision (S1) ★★★ ½ It was interesting that the first Phase 4 show to come out of the MCU was something that was this ambitious. Something that could only come out of a comic book. And yet Feige takes advantage of the increased budget and the power of the small screen to create a story that kept you glued to the screen wondering what the hell was happening. The use of the appropriate effects for the different time periods as well as the homages to various sitcoms (my specialty) was also a delight. With that said, the final two episodes were a bit of a disappointment. Not because certain fan theories didn't turn out the way I wanted or that certain people ended up being different from their comic counterparts, but mostly because it ended up echoing the same beats your get from Marvel movies. As much as I love Kathryn Hahn's performance, it didn't enhance the story any more than you would expect from the MCU. That goes the same with the resolution of Wanda's grief. It's still good television, but I await to see when Marvel Studios can break the 'great' barrier of quality.

11. 3/18 grown-ish (S3b) ★★★ ½ I wasn't sure before, but I now believe that grown-ish has become the better show of the 'black-ish' franchise. Much of it is due to taking on issues its parent show wasn't able to tackle due to the age gap. It may not be as funny, but the dynamics between the cast just feels fresher. It may change in future issues, but the show has justified its existence for the time being (and I'm really glad Know Yourself addressed certain topics).

12. 3/25 Superstore (S6) ★★★ ½ I feared that the loss of Amy would wreck the dynamic of the cast, but the show proved to be resilient in the face of the loss of a major character. Not many shows can do this, but it helps that the Superstore has always been an ensemble cast. I think the pandemic did more to hurt things as the masks made it harder for facial expressions, but I'd take keeping safe any day of the week. The show ended more quietly as it may have wanted to go on for one more season (and the creators confirmed this as they were planning to do a fulfillment center season of the show), but this was never a show that could make meaningful change to society, but merely to display its flaws bare and show how its diverse cast of characters handled it. I'm glad the show never had a terrible season, but I'm gonna miss these diverse cast of co-workers.

13. 3/27 RWBY (V8) ★★★ ½ At this point I'm conflicted to say whether this or the previous season was better (the theme song on the other hand wins hands down in music and video). The fights and planning on both sides are up to par. The character motivations on the other hand... I think it needed a bit of work on team Atlas. As for Penny... we will have to see what happens with the next volume to give this one its due, because that one will be a doozy. Otherwise, it's still a far cry from its worst moments.

14. 3/28 Attack on Titan (S4) ★★★ Okay, the score seems harsh because there's a lot to love about this season, but the way they ended the season where we have to wait at least 9 months for the next episode is bullshit. The show has had longer hiatuses, but it never had a cliffhanger like the one it has before and that's without the threat of spoilers all over the internet. Also, while the animation stills are great, the downgrades are evident with the introduction of 3D animations for the fights. God bless the animators and I want them to have all the time in the world to go their work without being overworked, but the animation was one of the things that drew me towards the show in the fist place. None of the fights could match the highlights of the previous seasons. And the plan going forward does feel pretty sketch. Otherwise, the voice acting is as excellent as ever.

 

[KingFox]

.

 

[dead souls]

Been slacking on updating my count in here, but not on watching TV of course.

dead souls 35/52

01. Cobra Kai (S3)- ★★★★
02. Superstore (S2)- ★★★1/2
03. Star Trek: Discovery (S3)- ★★★
04. Pure (S1)- ★★1/2
05. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (S4)- ★★
06. Big Mouth (S1)- ★★1/2
07. History of Swear Words- ★★★
08. Lupin (Part 1)- ★★★★
09. Search Party (S4)- ★★★★1/2
10. Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults- ★★★
11. The Expanse (S5)- ★★★★★
12. Bonding (S1)- ★★★★
13. The Stand- ★★1/2
14. Your Honor- ★★★
15. The Lady and the Dale- ★★★★
16. 30 Coins (S1)- ★★★1/2
17. Chewing Gum (S1)- ★★★
18. Superstore (S3)- ★★★1/2
19. The Umbrella Academy (S2)- ★★★★1/2
20. Bonding (S2)- ★★★★
21. It's a Sin- ★★★★★
22. Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine- ★★
23. Shameless: Hall of Shame- ★★1/2
24. WandaVision- ★★1/2
25. Chewing Gum (S2)- ★★★
26. Big Mouth (S2)- ★★★
27. The Investigation- ★★★★★
28. Pacific Rim: The Black (S1)- ★★★
29. Allen v. Farrow- ★★★★
30. Deutschland '89- ★★★★
31. Beartown- ★★★1/2
32. Ted Lasso (S1)- ★★★★★
33. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan- ★★★
34. Q: Into the Storm- ★★★★
35. Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (S1)- ★★★★

Click to shrink...

Adding the following shows

24. WandaVision- ★★1/2
25. Chewing Gum (S2)- ★★★
26. Big Mouth (S2)- ★★★
27. The Investigation- ★★★★★
28. Pacific Rim: The Black (S1)- ★★★
29. Allen v. Farrow- ★★★★
30. Deutschland '89- ★★★★
31. Beartown- ★★★1/2
32. Ted Lasso (S1)- ★★★★★
33. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan- ★★★
34. Q: Into the Storm- ★★★★
35. Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (S1)- ★★★★

 

[TheNatureBoy]

Figured I better start listing, before I forget what happened in some of these shows. Inching closer to the halfway mark.

1. Cobra Kai S3 - Another enjoyable season. Show continues to mix in characters from the movies really well.
2. Succession S2 - Hell of a way to end the season. Still mostly view the show as a comedy, despite some nice dramatic moments
3. One Day at a Time S2 - Glad I decided to catch up on the show this year. Really good throwback sitcom
4. Lucifer S4 - Eve was a nice addition to this season
5. Lucifer S5 Part 1 - The way it ended has me hyped for its return later this month
6. One Day at a Time S3 - A lot of strong family moments this season
7. Search Party S4 - maybe not the funniest season, but I still enjoy the main cast a lot.
8. Warrior Nun S1 - By the end, the show really pulled me in. Made for an easy binge watch.
9. One Day at a Time S4- shorter season and new network, but the show mostly remained the same.
10. Viking S6 B - Might not have been as strong as it once was, but still visually gorgeous and a solid way to wrap up.
11. Saved by the Bell - Pretty funny update of the series
12. Gangs of London - Has some of the best action I've seen on a show.
13. Lupin Part 1 - very charming show
14. WandaVision - good debut show for Marvel on Disney+. Made me care more about Wanda and Vision
15. Farscape S1 - A lot of weird looking alien creatures, but I like the cast a lot. Fills a sci-fi spot for me.
16. Superstore S6 - Even without Amy, thought the show was still really funny. Went out on a good note.
17. Jujitsu Kaisen - Sucked me into its world fairly quickly. Great animation, nice mix of humor and action
18. The Haunting of Hill House - Very well done horror, mixed with family trauma
19. Made for Love - Not great, but very watchable. Really like Cristin Milioti
20. Solar Opposites S1 - Has one of the best show within a show I've seen recently
21. Falcon and the Winter Soldier - Liked the fact it was different from WandaVision, some good action.
22. Shadow and Bone - Very solid fantasy series, not great by any means but very solid
23. Invincible - One of my favorite new shows this year. Love to see more adult animated series in general
24. Young Rock - Not the funniest sitcom, but did have some nice emotional moments. Really works well as PR for a possible Rock Presidential run.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

I should probably start spamming the fuck outta this thread once I can throw some long, drawn out reviews of my watches together.

I think I'm up to around 20-25 seasons so far this year already. A lot of anime and a lot more dramas on my docket too so we'll see about 52.

Wait, animes count right? I know we have a separate thread for those IIRC.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Ya anime counts!

 

[dead souls]

Update time

dead souls 46/52

01. Cobra Kai (S3)- ★★★★
02. Superstore (S2)- ★★★1/2
03. Star Trek: Discovery (S3)- ★★★
04. Pure (S1)- ★★1/2
05. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (S4)- ★★
06. Big Mouth (S1)- ★★1/2
07. History of Swear Words- ★★★
08. Lupin (Part 1)- ★★★★
09. Search Party (S4)- ★★★★1/2
10. Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults- ★★★
11. The Expanse (S5)- ★★★★★
12. Bonding (S1)- ★★★★
13. The Stand- ★★1/2
14. Your Honor- ★★★
15. The Lady and the Dale- ★★★★
16. 30 Coins (S1)- ★★★1/2
17. Chewing Gum (S1)- ★★★
18. Superstore (S3)- ★★★1/2
19. The Umbrella Academy (S2)- ★★★★1/2
20. Bonding (S2)- ★★★★
21. It's a Sin- ★★★★★
22. Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine- ★★
23. Shameless: Hall of Shame- ★★1/2
24. WandaVision- ★★1/2
25. Chewing Gum (S2)- ★★★
26. Big Mouth (S2)- ★★★
27. The Investigation- ★★★★★
28. Pacific Rim: The Black (S1)- ★★★
29. Allen v. Farrow- ★★★★
30. Deutschland '89- ★★★★
31. Beartown- ★★★1/2
32. Ted Lasso (S1)- ★★★★★
33. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan- ★★★
34. Q: Into the Storm- ★★★★
35. Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (S1)- ★★★★
36. Superstore (S4)- ★★★1/2
37. Shameless (S11)- ★★★1/2
38. Pretend It's a City- ★★★
39. On the Spectrum- ★★1/2
40. Snowfall (S4)- ★★★★1/2
41. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier- ★★★
42. Infinity Train (S4)- ★★★★
43. Made for Love (S1)- ★★★
44. Invincible (S1)- ★★★1/2
45. Pray, Obey, Kill- ★★★
46. Mayans M.C. (S3)- ★★★★

Click to shrink...

Adding these:

36. Superstore (S4)- ★★★1/2
37. Shameless (S11)- ★★★1/2
38. Pretend It's a City- ★★★
39. On the Spectrum- ★★1/2
40. Snowfall (S4)- ★★★★1/2
41. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier- ★★★
42. Infinity Train (S4)- ★★★★
43. Made for Love (S1)- ★★★
44. Invincible (S1)- ★★★1/2
45. Pray, Obey, Kill- ★★★
46. Mayans M.C. (S3)- ★★★★

My next update will almost certainly put me over the top, especially with everything that's ending in the next few weeks.

 

[dead souls]

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 52..

dead souls 52/52

01. Cobra Kai (S3)- ★★★★
02. Superstore (S2)- ★★★1/2
03. Star Trek: Discovery (S3)- ★★★
04. Pure (S1)- ★★1/2
05. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (S4)- ★★
06. Big Mouth (S1)- ★★1/2
07. History of Swear Words- ★★★
08. Lupin (Part 1)- ★★★★
09. Search Party (S4)- ★★★★1/2
10. Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults- ★★★
11. The Expanse (S5)- ★★★★★
12. Bonding (S1)- ★★★★
13. The Stand- ★★1/2
14. Your Honor- ★★★
15. The Lady and the Dale- ★★★★
16. 30 Coins (S1)- ★★★1/2
17. Chewing Gum (S1)- ★★★
18. Superstore (S3)- ★★★1/2
19. The Umbrella Academy (S2)- ★★★★1/2
20. Bonding (S2)- ★★★★
21. It's a Sin- ★★★★★
22. Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine- ★★
23. Shameless: Hall of Shame- ★★1/2
24. WandaVision- ★★1/2
25. Chewing Gum (S2)- ★★★
26. Big Mouth (S2)- ★★★
27. The Investigation- ★★★★★
28. Pacific Rim: The Black (S1)- ★★★
29. Allen v. Farrow- ★★★★
30. Deutschland '89- ★★★★
31. Beartown- ★★★1/2
32. Ted Lasso (S1)- ★★★★★
33. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan- ★★★
34. Q: Into the Storm- ★★★★
35. Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (S1)- ★★★★
36. Superstore (S4)- ★★★1/2
37. Shameless (S11)- ★★★1/2
38. Pretend It's a City- ★★★
39. On the Spectrum- ★★1/2
40. Snowfall (S4)- ★★★★1/2
41. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier- ★★★
42. Infinity Train (S4)- ★★★★
43. Made for Love (S1)- ★★★
44. Invincible (S1)- ★★★1/2
45. Pray, Obey, Kill- ★★★
46. Mayans M.C. (S3)- ★★★★
47. City on a Hill (S2)- ★★★★
48. The Nevers (Part 1)- ★★1/2
49. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (S2)- ★★★
50. Breeders (S2)- ★★★★
51. Love, Death & Robots (Vol 2)- ★★1/2
52. The Conners (S3)- ★★★★

Click to shrink...

Adding the following shows

47. City on a Hill (S2)- ★★★★
48. The Nevers (Part 1)- ★★1/2
49. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (S2)- ★★★
50. Breeders (S2)- ★★★★
51. Love, Death & Robots (Vol 2)- ★★1/2
52. The Conners (S3)- ★★★★

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 52..

dead souls 52/52

Click to shrink...

 

[The Real Paddington]

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 52..

dead souls 52/52

Click to shrink...

 

[Naijaboy]

1. 01/02 Impulse (S2) ★★★★ ½

2. 01/03 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S4) ★★ ½

3. 01/10 Harlots (S1) ★★★★ ½

4. 01/18 Harlots (S2) ★★★★ ½

5. 01/25 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S5) ★★ ★

6. 01/26 Harlots (S3) ★★★★

7. 02/14 Transformers: War for Cybertron (S2) ★★ ★

8. 2/21 Bonding (S2) ★★★★

9. 3/11 Battlebots (S10) ★★★ ½

10. 3/13 Wandavision (S1) ★★★ ½

11. 3/18 grown-ish (S3b) ★★★ ½

12. 3/25 Superstore (S6) ★★★ ½

13. 3/27 RWBY (V8) ★★★ ½

14. 3/28 Attack on Titan (S4) ★★★

15. 4/23 RuPaul's Drag Race (S13) ★★★ Talk about entering the season at a low point for the series. The queens had their moments, bu there weren't any that were able to stand out in a consistent manner. And there were more than a few 'oof' movements from Utica Queen botching the roast to LaLa Ri having the worst runway look ever... and somehow avoiding elimination. And the weird thing is... you can't really blame COVID on this (lack of a reunion aside). RuPaul really needs to revamp the show and bring better contestants (Psst... the Houston drag scene released a showcase video earlier this year).

16. 4/24 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ★★★ ½ It's another solid show that expanded the lore and focused on the roster that may have been left out in the movies, which is exactly what I hoped Fiege would do. The chemistry between Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan didn't always shine all the time, but they eventually showed themselves why they worked together so well. The supporting cast did a great job as well as well. Wyatt Russell was just perfect as the Captain wannabe. Daniel Brühl did much better than I thought. Emily VanCamp finally got her time to shine after getting shafted in Civil War. Plus the show pretty much arrived at the perfect time considering George Floyd's murder and the issue of police brutality. With that said, some of the storytelling felt off, especially with the Flagsmashers. Still, the MCU shows are proving to be an essential watch for Marvel fans.

17. 14/30 Invincible (S1) ★★★ This will be far from the first time a show will adopt a comic book series. Some series stick to the story while others expand its lore to make it better than the source material. Invincible decided to do a mix of both. Was it better? Honestly, I'm seeing mixed results here. Atom Eve was by far the biggest benefactor thanks to having her character more established. Revealing Cecil early was one of the best decisions that the showrunners have done and he had plenty of great moments. As for the main family itself... it feels like the tone it was presenting didn't mesh with the story itself. It felt a bit like it was bringing a bit of The Boys influence in its cynicism even though the first arc told a bit of a different story. I would say to look more into the work of the superior Tick series. Superheroing is hard, but it can be a great experience. That kind of thinking would already set it apart in the landscape. I'm not usually a stickler for the source material, but the structure will have to change a bit if the showrunners are going to continue with this tone.

18. 5/2 Infinity Train (S4) ★★★ ½ This is probably the most subdued season in the entire season... which sucks because this may well be the last season the show will get. It's not bad or anything. It's basically two people who know each other trying to get past their issues. It has some funny parts and maintains some of the edge the show is known for in some parts, but there isn't much else to say here. It's also too bad that she executives didn't go with making them a couple. It felt more sense that way, though I understand that it's a slow process when Noelle Stevenson basically had to put a gun to Netflix's head to make one relationship canon.

19. 5/13 Mom (S7) ★★★ So... you did the complete opposite of what I wanted you to do. Instead of focusing more on Christie you write her out of the show entirely. Granted I can see why Anna Faris wanted a break from the show after her recent breakup and doing next to nothing in her last season. Unfortunately, it was just hard to be invested in the show after her absence. It had some funny moments, but it just felt like it was running the motions. The finale was especially jarring (bittersweet situation aside) as a similar situation would have usually been considered a potentially serious moment. With how this season ended, they were better off ending the show if Anna didn't want to return. You will at least be happy to be one of the better shows of what is looking to be the twilight years of the sitcom.

20. The Nevers (S1a) ★★ ½ This show should be my jam. It's a period piece. It has people with superpowers. It has asskicking ladies. And it has some truly inspiring sequences (showouts to that water fight). This should be a top 10 show for me. And yet... there was a ton of things that is off. Most of all, it's just plot that's trying to add every twist and turn to surprise people when it's only making people confused. I also don't think Ms. True is a good protagonist in a sense of making the setting invested. Her character is all over the place. The show needs more focus on the women in he Orphanage and add interactions between them. Maladie... honestly I don't know what she wants. Inspector Mundi, a gruff man with no powers shouldn't be the most compelling character in a show there most of the characters have powers! Even Motherhood with all its failings with its action and effects at least got that right. Penance is alright, though. She has an interesting philosophy that can mesh with the cast well and her background as an Irishwoman can provide clear rifts in society. I don't know, maybe I'm worn out on Whedonism. Maybe his absence in future episodes will make things more interest.

21. 5/17 Bob + Abishola (S2) ★★★ It was alright. Some of the jokes landed. Most didn't, but the latent chemistry of the cast and the fairly relatable drama with the Nigerian diaspora kept it from being awful.

22. 5/18 black-ish (S7) ★★★ This is a shocker... but outside of the voting episode, I don't think there was a single episode that stood out this season. That's a first and a telltale sign that it was time to end things. ABC realized this and made the next season its last. I just hope that the show's swansong ends on a high. Which can't be said of thie next show.

23. 5/18 mixed-ish (S2) ★★ ½ Nothing really worked for this show. The chemistry continued to be middling. None of the characters were that appealing (especially Bo herself). It just went into the realities of black people in the 80s. That is something important to look into, but if your characters aren't compelling it's hard to stay invested in the show. They tried to do something different in the finale, but hey couldn't even use their special guests properly to make it unique. That's a big indictment on the show and it seems like ABC is ready to close the book on the black-ish universe. Here's to hoping that grown-ish continues to do a better job.

24. 5/19 The Goldbergs (S8) ★★ ½ So this is what late season Goldbergs was like. Huh. I was drawn into the show thanks to the person on AV Club who was co-reviewing this show alongside The Middle giving it rave reviews. Guess I picked a bad time to pick it up. The jokes flew past people like they were speedrunning the episode. Brooklyn Nine-Nine has sped things up too but at least that show had funny jokes. Beverly was basically Jessica Huang, Maya DiMeo and Frankie Heck on steriods the entire series. None of the supporting cast looked well besides George Segal (RIP). It's definitely past time to end this show (it's going to run out of 80s anyways after this season). If there's any current show that is a product of flanderization, it's this show.

And I'm going to have a crash course in that because I'm watching the earlier seasons this summer. God help me. To balance that out, I'm also going to watch overlooked show Welcome to Sweden, revisit guilty pleasure Samantha Who? and check out for the first time one of the best sitcoms of all time: Better Off Ted. Plus since I somehow have enough time for it, I'm revisiting Eli Stone and check out the She-Ra reboot episodes I missed.

 

[The Real Paddington]

I'm ready to do this all over again.

The Real Paddington: 52/52

Completed:
01/03 - Cobra Kai (S3) - ★★★1/2 *New
01/04 - Breaking Bad (S2) - ★★★★ *Rewatch
01/07 - Breaking Bad (S3) - ★★★★1/2 *Rewatch
01/10 - Breaking Bad (S4) - ★★★★1/2 *Rewatch
01/14 - Breaking Bad (S5) - ★★★★1/2 *Rewatch
01/16 - Search Party (S1) - ★★★★ *New
01/18 - Search Party (S2) - ★★★★ *New
01/20 - Search Party (S3) - ★★★1/2 *New
01/22 - Harley Quinn (S1) - ★★★1/2 *New
01/24 - Harley Quinn (S2) - ★★★1/2 *New
01/25 - Euphoria (S1) + Specials - ★★★1/2 *Rewatch
01/28 - Search Party (S4) - ★★★1/2 *New
01/30 - Ted Lasso (S1) - ★★★★ *Rewatch
02/03 - BoJack Horseman (S1) - ★★★1/2 *Rewatch
02/12 - It's a Sin - ★★★★1/2 *New
02/13 - Attack On Titan (S1) - ★★★★ *New
02/16 - Attack On Titan (S2) - ★★★1/2 *New
02/20 - Attack On Titan (S3) - ★★★★ *New
03/05 - WandaVision - ★★★ *New
03/10 - Violet Evergarden - ★★★★ *New
03/13 - Deadwood (S1) - ★★★★ *Rewatch
03/17 - Deadwood (S2) - ★★★★1/2 *Rewatch
03/19 - Servant (S2) - ★★1/2 *New
03/21 - Deadwood (S3) - ★★★★ *Rewatch
03/24 - Sharp Objects - ★★★★ *Rewatch
03/24 - Beartown - ★★★1/2 *New
03/26 - Calls - ★★★ *New
03/28 - Attack On Titan (S4) - ★★★1/2 *New
03/30 - Party Down (S1) - ★★★★ *New
03/31 - Party Down (S2) - ★★★★ *New
04/05 - Show Me A Hero - ★★★★ *New
04/17 - Love Death & Robots (S1) - ★★★ *New
04/19 - Made Fore Love - ★★★1/2 *New
04/22 - Warrior (S1) - ★★★1/2 *New
04/23 - The Falcon/Winter Soldier - ★★1/2 *New
04/26 - Warrior (S2) - ★★★1/2 *New
04/29 - Invincible (S1) - ★★★★ *New
05/03 - Vinland Saga - ★★★1/2 *New
05/06 - The Plot Against America - ★★★★ *Rewatch
05/10 - 30 Rock (S1) - ★★★1/2 *New
05/14 - Love Death & Robots (S2) - ★★1/2
05/15 - 30 Rock (S2) - ★★★★ *New
05/17 - The Underground Railroad - ★★★★1/2 *New
05/20 - 30 Rock (S3) - ★★★★ *New
05/25 - 30 Rock (S4) - ★★★★ *New
05/30 - The Sopranos (S1) - ★★★★ *Rewatch
05/31 - Mare of Easttown - ★★★1/2 *New
05/31 - 30 Rock (S5) - ★★★1/2 *New
06/04 - 30 Rock (S6) - ★★★1/2 *New
06/05 - The Sopranos (S2) - ★★★★ *Rewatch
06/07 - 30 Rock (S7) - ★★★★ *New
06/11 - Hacks (S1) - ★★★★ *New

Click to shrink...

 

[Boogs31]

29/52 - ☆

1. Cobra Kai Season 3 - ★★★★
2. Samurai Jack Season 4 - ★★★★
3. The Flight Attendant - ★★★★
4. Samurai Jack Season 5 - ★★★★½
5. Ted Lasso Season 1 - ★★★★½
6. Search Party Season 4 - ★★★★
7. Your Honor - ★½
8. Lupin Season 1 Part 1 - ★★★★
9. Painting With John - ★★★★½
10. WandaVision - ★★★★
11. The Great - ★★★★
12. Nadiya Bakes - ★★★½
13. Brockmire Season 1 - ★★★★½
14. Allen V Farrow - ★★★★
15. Brockmire Season 2 - ★★★★
16. Brockmire Season 3 - ★★★★
17. Brockmire Season 4 - ★★★★
18. Falcon and the Winter Soldier - ★★★★
19. Shark Tank Season 12 - ★★★½
20. Made For Love - ★★★★
21. The Circle (US) Season 1 - ★★★½
22. The Circle (US) Season 2 - ★★★½
23. Mare of Easttown - ★★★★
24. This is Us Season 5 - ★★★½
25. Master of None Season 3 - ★★★★½
26. Pose Season 3 - ★★★★½
27. Lessons From the Screenplay Season 2016 - ★★★★
28. Lessons From the Screenplay Season 2017 - ★★★★
29. Lessons From the Screenplay Season 2019 - ★★★★

 

[Naijaboy]

1. 01/02 Impulse (S2) ★★★★ ½

2. 01/03 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S4) ★★ ½

3. 01/10 Harlots (S1) ★★★★ ½

4. 01/18 Harlots (S2) ★★★★ ½

5. 01/25 Fetch With Ruff Ruffman (S5) ★★ ★

6. 01/26 Harlots (S3) ★★★★

7. 02/14 Transformers: War for Cybertron (S2) ★★ ★

8. 2/21 Bonding (S2) ★★★★

9. 3/11 Battlebots (S10) ★★★ ½

10. 3/13 Wandavision (S1) ★★★ ½

11. 3/18 grown-ish (S3b) ★★★ ½

12. 3/25 Superstore (S6) ★★★ ½

13. 3/27 RWBY (V8) ★★★ ½

14. 3/28 Attack on Titan (S4) ★★★

15. 4/23 RuPaul's Drag Race (S13) ★★★

16. 4/24 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ★★★ ½

17. 4/30 Invincible (S1) ★★★

18. 5/2 Infinity Train (S4) ★★★ ½

19. 5/13 Mom (S7) ★★★

20. The Nevers (S1a) ★★ ½

21. 5/17 Bob + Abishola (S2) ★★★

22. 5/18 black-ish (S7) ★★★

23. 5/18 mixed-ish (S2) ★★ ½

24. 5/19 The Goldbergs (S8) ★★ ½

25. 5/23 Bob's Burgers (S11) ★★★★ This is just a show that's had an incredible run of consistency. It even managed to give us some new angles for the family from adding some tension between Linda and Gene to Tina going into other hobbies besides boys. And there were a few episodes that would be up there with the best the show has made yet. Keep doing your thing.

26. 5/24 Black Lightning (S4) ★★★★This really feels like the beginning of the end. Not just for the end of this show, but the upcoming demise of the Arrowverse. Arrow itself ended early last year, but it's the cancellation of this show and Supergirl that it really dawned on me that the era of superhero shows may be peaking. Now I wish that it had gone out on a high note and yes this show continues to be miles ahead of the competition, but the finale felt like it needed a few more episodes to bring things to a close. Worse off is that the Painkiller spin-off isn't moving forward (though I'm not sure if it would end up being good). Still, it was the emotional beats linking to family and romances that kept it the best show of its universe to the very end. I hope everyone involved do well in their endeavors. And pour one out to Tobias for being the insidious villain I love to hate yet stayed fresh throughout the show's run.

27. 5/29 Welcome to Sweden (S1) ★★ ½ It was... okay for the most part. I hardly ever laughed this season and some of the jokes that came out were cringe. And this is a season that's only 7 years old.

28. 5/31 The Goldbergs (S1) ★★★ ½ This is probably the second (and currently only) show that uses the narrative format, taking a few elements from senior show The Middle. Yet there were some new aspects that the show added over the time that could be seen in future sitcoms such as black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat. It didn't have the same problem some of the other shows of its nature had in trying to lean too close to its parent show. It helps that it leans a lot into the 80s aesthetic (while conveniently brushing off any time errors due to the unreliable narrator). Yet it's the cast of the family that made it most worthwhile. The family somehow works well despite its dysfunction without making it take over (we've seen plenty of those kind of shows). And the arguments... they're so ridiculous yet you can't help but laugh your ass off at their talking points. Erica took the longest to gel as a character (understandable since she was a gender-bend of Adam's male brother), but she grew into the role as current popular kid/former nerd fairly well. Overall, I thought it was a solid opening season for the series.

29. 6/7 M.O.D.O.K. (S1) ★★★ ½ You diabolical bastards. Everyone was thinking this was a dead show walking with Disney+ on the horizon. How dare you actually end up being a good show. For some odd reason, the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing is the perfect character to mold around as the villainous loser of the Marvel Universe with family in a sitcom setting. The humor is more akin to Rick and Morty than Robot Chicken as it depicts an unforgiving world that at least has some bright spots in the rough. It handles its emotional aspects with a degree of subtlety I didn't think it was capable off. Worst off, you end things on a cliff hanger and now I'm clamoring for the show to get another season. So if there's anyway you can bring the show over, do it now.

30. 6/9 Welcome to Sweden (S2) Same as the first season. At least the theme song is longer.

31. 6/12 The Goldbergs (S2) ★★★★ Only on this show can you see a grown man argue that beating traffic would have saved Abraham Lincoln's life. Once the characters have been established, it managed to take a life of its own with a few standout episodes of its own. It also buts Adam in a bind heading into the next season. Fingers crossed that it can keep up the momentum.

You know what? I don't want M.O.D.O.K. to be my favorite sitcom of the year. It's time to branch out. I've got a couple shows in mind...

 

[Ravelle]

Finished Mr Robot today, I kinda fell off half way when it first aired but glad I picked it back up. What a damn show.

 

[TheNatureBoy]

Finished Mr Robot today, I kinda fell off half way when it first aired but glad I picked it back up. What a damn show.

Click to shrink...

Such a great show.

 

[poutmeter]

Finished Mr Robot today, I kinda fell off half way when it first aired but glad I picked it back up. What a damn show.

Click to shrink...

I should pick it up again. I don't remember why, but I stopped early in S2 for some reason.

 

[Ravelle]

I should pick it up again. I don't remember why, but I stopped early in S2 for some reason.

Click to shrink...

Yeah same, I believe there was a mid season break and when it came back I probably had something else going on.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I should pick it up again. I don't remember why, but I stopped early in S2 for some reason.

Click to shrink...

S2 sucked so it was probably because of that

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I hit 52 as well! Mission accomplished~

Click to shrink...

Congrats!

 

[TheNatureBoy]

I hit 52 as well! Mission accomplished~

Click to shrink...

 

[The Real Paddington]

I hit 52 as well! Mission accomplished~



Congrats!

Click to shrink...

Thanks and congrats to you as well!!

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

Most people sleep on Apple TV's offerings but while they may not offer up the breadth of content Netflix, HBO or Prime do, their hitters hit hard and are right up there with other services' best. Servant is one of those gems – adept at combining the psychological and ethereal horror of its tragic core juxtaposed against the brilliant black humor and comedic beats, Servant layers its easy-to-invest-in complex characters, their lives and the situations they find themselves in against all the twists and turns inflicted upon them. Not knowing whether you should feel sorry for them or terrified of their actions makes its ongoing mystery and the ruses along the way captivating television. The series is carried on the backs of standout performances from its impressive main cast with Rupert Grint turning in the best performance of his career as Julian. He is mesmerizingly effective balancing character moments that range between unfeelingly humorous and curiously profound, the appeal of the guilt his character shoulders and the façade of presumptuousness he hides it behind it serving as an effective vehicle through with the show is able to drive its narrative forward. There's a whimsical and macabre clarity to the ruses offered up forcing characters to formulate plots that inevitably spiral out of control – Julian offers the viewer an essential reprieve from the dread of this world.

The disparate coping mechanisms Sean, Dorothy and others display in grappling with the loss of Jericho shrewdly evolve in real time to placate the psychological breaks these characters endure, the thematic and allegorical biblical symbolism as well as the metaphorical representations of renewal and rebirth lurking around the periphery of every scene in both obvious and obscure well-placed manners. This deepens the supernatural perplexities of Servant, heightens the diversionary tactics that keep you guessing and allows plot devices such as memory erasure to feel like fully committed parts of the show's premise. Roscoe's hypnotic entrancement – an unsettling scene with a creepy tenor reminiscent of Get Out, dovetails nicely with Dorothy's exhausted state and inability to recall Jericho's death that allows the show to lay out stimulating directions it could take as it reveals how everything ties together. The desperation and compartmentalization of Dorothy is a splendid example of the way Servant navigates the torture its characters inflict on themselves and each other. Her outwardly cruel and bizarre extremes manifest alongside humorous beats while she navigates her personal trauma in parallel with her inability to cope with the ramifications of her own reality and the mistakes she's made. These boundaries are bumped up against but not overstepped allowing a delicate tonal balance that serves the framework of the show effectively. Leanne's character arc this season is also captivating and well earned; the insight into her history and the abusive household she was raised in serving as a foil to her own agency, purpose and reconciliation from her past. The measure of humanity and independence she regains through her victimization at the hands of Dorothy sets in motion the Biblical framing of her supernatural abilities and the potential roles grief, resentment and tragedy impart on both the circumstances of her character and the parallels with those she's entrusted to. I love the fact that the supernatural aspects and correlation between those and unexplainable events was leaned into more frequently this season.

At times it was at the expense of tight narrative plotting and mystery giving way to fleshing out characterization but the directorial work in Servant sets the mood and tenor fantastically – especially when it comes to the energy and malice imbued in conversations centered around preternatural implications set forth by characters like George. The literal and metaphorical blurring of its mysteries deepens them with a tedious meticulousness that never feels overbearing because the connecting tissue offers up just enough satisfying payoff to make them feel worth it. While I have slight problems with the non-linear introductions that further convolute the plotting and its insistence on creating confusion as to what's real or not, the tacitly intelligent studies of Servant's themes – and the cathartic nature of it, highlight the humanity of its characters and the evolution of their arcs through a visual storytelling that you can't help but become engrossed in. I do get the feeling, because of the poignant imagery reinforcing the thematic elements of the series, that Servant takes place in a conceptual purgatory where those who are unable to confront their sins and accept their fallibility are destined to entrapment until they're able to save themselves. I just hope the show continues to be its unpredictable idiosyncratic self, subverting expectations and answering its own questions with bewildering revelations. The tantalizing mystery, supernatural dread, grounded world and grim moodiness raised the tension and stakes to a level that made its action and character development feel purposeful in its second season. In a landscape filled with disposable dramas, Servant's supernatural mystery thriller flair and the compelling narrative paths it teases are a must watch.
​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

Whereas season 4 heavily focused on the threat of the Protomolecule and its destabilizing influence in the system, the fifth season of The Expanse returns to a pointedly focused expository exploration of its characters while laying the groundwork for James, Naomi, Alex, Bobbie, Amos and Avasarala each forging their own paths forward. Their desires and disparate objectives don't entirely align with one another but the parallels between them drives a more engaging narrative arc and better realized stakes by breaking up the core cast and forcing them to confront their pasts, make amends and repair broken relationships. It pushes them in interesting directions, fleshes out introspective facets of their characters we haven't seen before and balances this character driven exploration in a quandary of moral dilemmas and mystery.

In particular, Amos is a character who has always been swollen with traits of toxic masculinity but The Expanse subverts expectations by expounding on his personality through expository breadcrumbs and the exploration of his relationship with his mother as the vehicle in which the bonds he forges through compassion and kinship with others is cerebrally framed. Wes Chatham offers up his most convincing performance yet this season and I appreciate the fact that the writers aren't afraid to let this character defer to stronger or smarter women and men without ever letting it be interpreted as a reflection on his own intelligence or strength. Avasarala's trademark wit, charm and interminable stubbornness come back for another go as well but this time from a position of weakness after being sidelined by Cho's election as the new Secretary General. This relegates her to more of a reactionary mindset and being more reliant on others but it adds another layer of resilience to the character by heightening the political intrigue and edge of despair her arc encompasses. The way it beautifully parallels the powerlessness of her station and thematically incorporates sorrow, confusion and grief to exacerbate the vulnerability of her circumstances is top notch writing and acting. I'd give Shorhreh Aghdashloo an Emmy for her work here; the actress – and the profundity of her costuming framing the thematic elements of her arc are wonderfully executed. Marco Inaras is, hands down, the most fully realized and compelling antagonist The Expanse has introduced. His self-righteous morality, the cunning manipulativeness with which he's cultivated a dedicated following devoted to his preordained cause and the subtle ruthless charisma Keon Alexander portrays him with is emotionally affecting.

The history of oppression, empowering the Belters with a hopeful vision of prosperity and luring those amenable to his grievances into acquiescence rather than demonizing Earthers or Martians is smart because it blurs the line between his ideological supremacy behind the curtain of righteousness and ambition. This is played out through Drummer's confrontations with Marco and how at a basic human level our instincts shape relationships and decisions – through the complicity he forces upon various Belter factions, Marco forces them into resentfulness and breaks apart tribal allegiances. The gravity of Drummer's situation takes on new complexities since her grief and guilt over Ashford's murder pit her loyalty to her crew and moral righteousness against the vengeance she thirsts for. The familial dynamics between Naomi and Filip are fascinating in their exploration of the undercurrents of abandonment as the crux of the emotional conflict between them. Acceptance framed against fear, desperation and jealousy build tension without condemning characters but does have the tendency of feeling overwrought in its desire to humanize Cyn's role in the abduction of Filip and his subservience to Marco. Dominique Tipper navigates this dysfunction with a helplessness and grief that crescendos into a powerful portrayal of hope and strength that defines everything she is fighting for.

For such an integral part of the core narrative and one whose bearing forebodes the majority of the conflict witnessed, the threat of the Ring and Protomolecule is largely absent for large swaths of this season. It feels like the uneven pacing and emphasis placed on the set up going forward focusses on getting from point A to point B at times which impacts the foundation of central arcs feeling like they're redundantly stalling and exploring central themes that have already been explored by relegating the wisdom its characters have earned to the sidelines instead of incorporating it into the plot. Would have liked to see this not relied upon as a familiar conflict resolution mechanic to drive the narrative forward as often as The Expanse relies upon it. While the season as a whole is structured effectively, albeit better in some moments more than others, the individual beats could explore more adventurous territory and allow some unexpected risks with its storytelling in order to portray the embodiment of regret, choices and validity of one's morality. This would help the pacing drive home the stakes more effectively and elevate the compelling science fiction storytelling and layered, contemporary sociopolitical themes The Expanse dissects so well. I do think it will be a heavy lift to satisfyingly wrap up the existential threats of the ring and Protomolecule with resolutions that make sense and tie everything together in the final 10 episodes. As always, the visual effects, presentation, commitment to the science of space, physics involved in its battles and set design here remains the gold standard.​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

(3) Paradise PD S1 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(4) Paradise PD S2 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(5) Paradise PD S3 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(3) Paradise PD S1 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆
(4) Paradise PD S2 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆
(5) Paradise PD S3 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

Nobody will confuse themselves into thinking Paradise PD comes close to passing as an intelligently written show but that doesn't mean it doesn't make an admirable effort to remain relevant with its resolute determination of offering up an endless torrent of witty pop culture references and satirical insinuations on topical issues that serve as the backbone of its most entertaining moments. While your mileage may vary on the cleverness of these attempts, the well-known celebrities – and institutions, Paradise PD focusses its ire on can come off as entirely superficial in their worst moments but at their best the gags work as an effective counterpart to the less defined and all-encompassing crude humor most of the show's underlying structure relies upon. There's also an obvious inspiration taken from Brickleberry but it definitely feels as if the creators toe the line a little too dangerously between imitation of their previous property and their own originality to differentiate the two shows from a stylistic and comedic standpoint. The episodic format and overarching plots that stitches together derivative raunchiness, drugs and violence other shows before it previously explored ties together the focus of its comedic trappings effectively but it also snares the show's characters into derivative stereotypes without palpable individual traits to distinguish them from one another or their Brickleberry counterparts. Expanding the range of the jokes told and exploring loosely tied sketches that deviate from character arcs would allow for Paradise PD to build up a more engaging narrative and cut back on the recycled beats that find themselves too frequently relied upon to execute punchlines. The third season in particular feels hyperactively paced due to the frequency with which it introduces threads that get developed for an episode or two before segueing into unrelated sketches and beats that often feel aimless and lacking in purpose. The introduction of Gina and Kevin's relationship is one instance where Paradise PD eschews established characterization in order to advance beats that aren't entirely necessary. There are aspects here that are handled competently but far too often it feels contrived and little more than a forced necessity of the plot. The creators deserve kudos for attempting to utilize a serialized framework in order to establish a sense of continuity, flesh out its characters and elevate the formulaic trappings of its satire but there's some work to be done when it comes to weaving the adult humor into the narrative more cleverly and evolving the show's characters mannerisms and relationships alongside it.

Thematically I'd like to see the show devote more of an effort to more intelligently expound on some of the serious topics it explores and develop some semblance of a thematic core if it's going to deconstruct toxic masculinity, toxic femininity, drug addiction, race, female empowerment, body image and sexuality. There are opportunities to drive home a coherent through line that never materialize which is frustrating because not only does it come off as tone deaf, it wastes character centric narratives that could benefit from a different direction and imbue some more humanity into them. While Paradise PD isn't going to become Bojack Horseman, imparting some nuance to their sketches by taking certain topics more seriously would allow creative storytelling opportunities that otherwise aren't available. Both the animation and voice acting are highlights as well as the stylistic approach the show takes in bifurcating its characters and settlings from a visual and tonal perspective. Dana Snyder leads a talented and dynamic cast with a range and delivery that adds welcomed flair to the town of Paradise and is able to breathe some fantastic life into their crude existences. Having the town feel less constrained and unimaginative by fleshing out the world and establishing it more impactfully as well as not confusing bottom-of-the-barrel humor and whimsical plotting for creative writing would go a long way into shoring up some of the missteps Paradise PD makes though and it's something I hope the show is able to address. I'm always up for some breaking of the 4th wall however and this show does it in spades.​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

(3) Paradise PD S1 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(4) Paradise PD S2 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(5) Paradise PD S3 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(6) The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina S4 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(6) The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina S4 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

One of the most interesting aspects Chilling Adventures of Sabrina offers is the fascinating mythology of its world; the rules magic is beholden to, relationships and encounters between its realms and the ramifications of decisions made by characters who upset that delicate balance. Sometimes these concepts are explored and embraced fully which leads to interesting plotting making certain resolutions feel rewarding and earned, other times they are forgotten about or ignored which can leave the viewer frustrated. Conceptually, the premise of season 4 is fascinating and gives the show opportunities to tonally tap into material that feels right in its wheelhouse. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has always hit its highest notes when focused on the existential threats its antagonists present and the witchcraft used to deal with them – as a byproduct, this gives room for supporting characters to flesh out their roles and offers up emotional stakes that otherwise resemble plot mechanics instead. CAOS still struggles with finding the right balance here during season 4 but there are moments scattered throughout where it does manage to get it right. The Eldritch terrors are, unsurprisingly, the overarching narrative (along with the usual teen romance drama beats) focused on in Sabrina's final season. I actually quite like the monster-of-the-week flavor here and feel like it serves the show's interest plotting wise but I think that some of them, such as The Uninvited, aren't realized fully and come off as too simplistic becoming a hindrance to the threats these monsters represent. Father Blackwood's desire towards a singular cause and using the Eldritch Terrors as his vehicle to achieve it leads to overly busy plotting and awkward tonal shifts that muddy their introductions and stall our understanding of his motivations in the use of them.

That said, one of the most enjoyable episodes of television I've seen transpires in CAOS' penultimate episode. The brilliant plotting and a more focused (and mature) Sabrina Morningstar present us a wonderful deconstruction of this world that subverts expectations deftly, conceptually toys with self-referential satire and offers up a tonal back and forth that waltzes between uneasy dramatic and hilariously campy beats. The fact that it's able to keep the threat of the Eldritch terrors at the forefront with effective storytelling while at the same time breaking the fourth wall by poking fun at the previous incarnation's sitcom roots is worthy of praise. Bringing back Caroline Rhea and Beth Broderick (the animatronic Salem) is an exhibit in fan service done right – not only are their original personifications honored, they're given the opportunity to explore some dramatic threads that reveal them to be vessels of The Void. The action sequences in this episode are genuinely enthralling as well; characters murdering each other, Salem throwing out on-the-fly rewrites – it's simply fantastic as is the atmospheric creepiness that came across perfectly throughout the entire episode.

Unfortunately, the finale doesn't stick the landing as well. It suffers from over plotting, an absence of character moments and emotional pay off, too many unanswered questions and forgotten character development. I'm not sure how much of an effect the cancellation had here but it feels like it played some part in the failed commitment to explore and maintain the show's pathos. Abandoned plots such as Lilith's long game to become the Queen of Hell, Lucifer's banishment to the mortal realm, who the Trinket Man was supposed to be a representation of, Baron Samedi's offer and reveal, Hecate not saving Sabrina and Zelda witnessing an older version of Sabrina with her met tet Edward all deserve resolution. Where Sabrina finds herself is also a question as the paintings in the Void-like room suggest and are framed in a manner that put her in neither the mortal, infernal or celestial realms. The problematic romanticizing of Nick's suicide, how he ended up in the same place as Sabrina and the finality of her demise considering the pathos allows for numerous ways to revive her are all a little hard to believe. Perhaps those questions will eventually be answered in some form. The writers at times seemed to struggle in exploring the power structures of the different realms, the logic surrounding beliefs, magic and mythos – all which could have done with a little more consistency. Ending on a positive, the sing song verbiage of the chants and incantations in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina are constructed wonderfully - the thought put into them is easily better than any other show I've seen dealing with magic.
​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

(3) Paradise PD S1 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(4) Paradise PD S2 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(5) Paradise PD S3 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(6) The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina S4 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(7) American Horror Story: Murder House [[FX]] - ★★★½☆

(7) American Horror Story: Murder House [[FX]] - ★★★½☆

I've been planning on re-watching this entire anthology series as it's been a while since I've checked out the early seasons and it still remains something I regularly recommend, at least the first few seasons, to friends and family. Murder House does hold up surprisingly well almost a decade after the iconic FX anthology series took television by storm and though it feels dated in some respects, these fallbacks aren't enough to impact my opinion on how well crafted it feels. I appreciate the fact that instead of relying on traditional horror elements, as its name belies, American Horror Story whetted its appetite by investing in psychological drama to atmospherically set the stage for its characters and locale in its first season. Whereas following seasons tended to become convoluted by the midpoint of their narrative arcs with little resolution or care for its plot points and a reliance on cheap tropes as mechanics, Murder House executes its beats skillfully – never wavering when it comes to focusing on the deeply flawed occupants who are entrapped in its orbit. Ryan Murphy's ability to skirt the conventions of traditional horror and storytelling by dancing around tropes and whimsically tying the narrative to them in order to put the puzzle pieces together is a stroke of genius that works well and feels fresh. Another thing I hadn't realized is how much I was missing Jessica Lange in the later seasons of the series until revisiting her performance as Constance Langdon; I'd love to see her reprise her role as a new character at least once more before the series calls it quits but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be in the cards. Murder House's characters, their secrets, the relationships they have with one another and the complexities of human nature give this season its emotional weight and keeps it storyline captivating. The unraveling of the house's mysteries, its history and how all the individual parts of the whole came together so effectively by the finale was satisfyingly wholesome in its resolution and is something I wish future installments of the series had been able to navigate as effectively.
​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

(3) Paradise PD S1 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(4) Paradise PD S2 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(5) Paradise PD S3 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(6) The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina S4 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(7) American Horror Story: Murder House [[FX]] - ★★★½☆

(8) Band of Brothers [[HBO]] - ★★★★½

(8) Band of Brothers [[HBO]] - ★★★★½

This was a re-watch for me so I'm not going to write a dissertation on Band of Brothers but suffice it to say that not only does it remain one of the greatest miniseries ever conceived still to this day but it is one of the most consequential pieces of entertainment ever produced. The setting of World War II is the focus here and not the war itself; through the eyes of Easy Company, we're transported into the hellish landscape of war, the brotherhood and humanity of those who suffered through it, the morality – or lack thereof, of lives often boiled down to simple statistics and the courage it took for these scarred and imperfect soldiers to find some sense of normalcy afterwards. Band of Brothers focusses on the important elements with a brutal honesty that forsakes the gratuitous in favor of personal stories and experiences that allows the viewer to connect with them. The quality of production, direction and acting is a masterclass. At the end of the day Band of Brothers is about comradery and what war does to a group of men; the emotional resonance of this and the investment in its characters is mentally exhausting but well worth the effort. The powerful stories throughout this theater of war are all powerfully depicted but Bastogne and Why We Fight still remain as impactful on repeat viewings as they were the first time I watched them – the forging of these bonds and having to rely on others in life and death situations gives a unique, if sometimes factually and historically incorrect, insight into the horrors these men experienced. The melancholic atmosphere in the final episode and seeing how the war has changed the world and impacted those who fought in it is beautifully composed and does a great job in providing just enough closure to Easy Company's nightmare without losing the palpable sense of sadness and uncertainty that looms ahead for many of these men. Definitely a series that should be required viewing.




​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

(3) Paradise PD S1 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(4) Paradise PD S2 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(5) Paradise PD S3 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(6) The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina S4 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(7) American Horror Story: Murder House [[FX]] - ★★★½☆

(8) Band of Brothers [[HBO]] - ★★★★½

(9) Chernobyl [[HBO]] - ★★★★½

(9) Chernobyl [[HBO]] - ★★★★½

HBO simply can't miss when it comes to producing high quality historical miniseries and Chernobyl is yet another in a long string of masterful adaptations. This was my second (or third) re-watch and it remains the same unique horror it was upon my first viewing. The evocative and haunting tenor that permeates every scene, the infuriating lies, denials and deceptions of an Authoritarian regime, the devastating human toll enacted and the heroism of those who sacrificed everything is poignant, authentic and contemplatively depicted in a fictionalized account that feels as true-to-life as can be. The performances of Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard and Emily Watson are masterful as they individually and collectively navigate their own dismissal, understanding and acceptance of this disaster. The direction, writing and production values offer a dramatic representation that never strays far from its linear depiction through the use of scientific narration, effectively expounding on the web of lies and deceptions that define the toll of the disaster. The cinematography and staging – from the harrowing scenes of irradiated skin peeling off of Vasily's deteriorating body in the hospital to a brood of puppies and domesticated animals being executed in the Exclusion Zone or the mundane scenes of people watching and children playing in the falling irradiated ash while first responders unknowingly come into contact with the graphite of Chernobyl's core are all difficult to watch but compelling in their magnitude. Chernobyl is effectual because it's heartbreaking and difficult to watch and it reminds us, every step of the way, that the incompetence and greed of those who willfully ignore the truth enacts an unnecessary peril. And ultimately, those who are tasked with confronting their foibles are the people who sacrifice the most in ensuring a greater good – quietly, dutifully and at a cost far too high.​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

(1) Servant S2 [[Apple TV+]] - ★★★½☆

(2) The Expanse S5 [[Prime]] - ★★★½☆

(3) Paradise PD S1 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(4) Paradise PD S2 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(5) Paradise PD S3 [[Netflix]] - ★★½☆☆

(6) The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina S4 [[Netflix]] - ★★★☆☆

(7) American Horror Story: Murder House [[FX]] - ★★★½☆

(8) Band of Brothers [[HBO]] - ★★★★½

(9) Chernobyl [[HBO]] - ★★★★½

(10) Black Summer S2 [[Netflix]] - ★☆☆☆☆

(10) Black Summer S2 [[Netflix]] - ★☆☆☆☆

There's a balance to be found between a grittier depiction of a zombie apocalypse, the moral calculations of its characters, fragility of the human psyche and the intricacies of commonality, or lack thereof, in a world unshackled from any pretense. Black Summer didn't get it right in its first batch of episodes and while it has the odd moment where things sort of click in its 2nd season, the vast majority of its 8-episode runtime feels like more of the same packaged with a new coat of paint and a frustratingly convoluted framework. The idea of a safe-haven from a zombie apocalypse is conceptually tiring at this point and doesn't offer any intriguing abstract ideas in order to flesh out characters or plotlines which is a problem when you're already having trouble finding a reason to invest in very few of them to begin with. The relationship between Rose and her daughter, Anna, are a great pairing and regularly carry the show through their desire to survive and the emotional trauma that impacts them. Though there are far too many logical loopholes and senseless decisions made that come across feeling like contrived plot mechanics, it has the (perhaps unintended) effect of grounding their experiences and making their story feel like it's not ripped straight out of a fantastical depiction of a post-apocalyptic world. Spears gets an excellent bottle episode in this season too where he's forced to confront his past and grapple with his own mortality through Brathwaite, a character who acts as a metaphorical embodiment of absolution and forgiveness. There's a lot of existentialism throughout this particular chapter and it really highlights how badly Black Summer drops the ball when it comes to unpacking the personalities and objectives of its other character studies.

Perhaps the biggest turn-off and an almost deal-breaking misfire is the pretentious narrative structure and it's vexing insistence on screen titles that have the opposite effect of feeling original and make large swaths of episodes feel unimportant at best and like a slog to get through at worst. I'm not sure why the showrunners thought that locking themselves into such rigid storyboarding and distorting the timelines of events was a good idea but it makes the show lack any coherent through line and relegates the vast majority of its characters to background bit actors. There were points where I pulled out my phone in sheer boredom throughout the season because I wasn't sure if I was supposed to care about characters who had already died trying to be shoehorned into previous events through the non-linear storytelling. Really head scratching how this ever felt like a good idea in the first place and furthermore, how anybody greenlighted it from an artistic point of view. The change in locale from the urban setting of the first season also stripped away far too much of the uneasy tension and atmospheric foreboding for my liking. The absence of zombies isn't bothersome by itself but the deficiency of fleshed out characterization and creative plotting through character interaction or dialogue is as barren as the frozen tundra every rag-tag band of humanity finds themselves traversing. I'm not entirely where the show goes from here or if it even deserves a 3rd season to continue stringing us along but considering the cliffhanger in the finale, I do think there is potential for the show to reset itself and focus more on the unpredictability of its world and make its characters feel more distinct. Less of a reliance on force-feeding exposition through its structure would help as well but I'm not entirely sure the writers are up to that. I guess if there's one positive, Black Summer is better than The Walking Dead and its avalanche of spinoff properties.

​

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

I guess there ain't gonna be a c-c-c-combo breaker in this thread lol.