Ali Wong and Steven Yeun create two simultaneously great and miserable – while entirely watchable – TV characters. This show goes to such unexpected places that frankly anything is a spoiler. Just know that the plot “begins” 5 minutes in, and if you aren’t interested from that point, you may as well stop watching because everything that happens in the entire show stems from there. You are either in it from the start, or out for good. I was in.
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As always with Black Mirror, there is disparity in the episodes (on a scale of better to worse), but I actually thought that overall, this was the best season in years, in which I more or less liked each one at least a little. That is not always the case! Here are my definitive rankings from best to worst:
1. Loch Henry
2. Demon 79
3. Beyond the Sea
4. Joan is Awful
5. Mazey Day
Truth be told, I really enjoyed the first 4 – I could wake up on another day and rearrange that list entirely. The 5th is the only flimsy one, in my opinion, though I did not think it was without merit.
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Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)
Netflix’s first foray into live-programming was pretty strong, I thought, given I watched this live. Chris Rock is an 8/10, and that showed through with his finally unloading on “The Slap.” Your mileage may vary.
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The Crown season 6 (2023)
Much like real life, ever since Diana came on the scene, Queen Elizabeth has been a supporting player in her own story. It was Lady Di’s world and we were all living in it. Elizabeth Debicki positively transforms into the ill-fated princess, showcasing her final days with the dignity and grace I’m sure she deserved. The rest of the cast gets time to shine after her death, but when she’s on the screen, you really can’t take your eyes off her. I will miss this show, and sort of hope that in 5-10 years they pick it back up for a season 7. You never know.
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Cunk on Earth (2023)
In an absolutely smashing debut, Diane Morgan kills with her Philomena Cunk character, asking people “serious” questions with a straight face, and somehow never losing her composure. The “historical” show is an absolute triumph of the deadpan form of art and should be studied by all future generations to come.
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Depp v. Heard – miniseries (2023)
Woof. I will not be commenting further at this time.
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The Diplomat season 1 (2023)
Man oh man do I wish I liked this show more. I love a tense, political thriller. But this is so tension-free. I was incredibly bored through almost the entire show, in spite of the fact that one of my very favorite actors, Rufus Sewell, had a leading role. Neither he nor Kerri Russell could save this should-be explosive show about terrorism that falls flat on its music-less face. I will not be returning for season 2.
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Disenchantment part 5 (2023)
This 5 season run had such promise, but only floated to the surface a few times (most notably in the very strong season/part 2). In the end, Bean and her ragtag gang put up a good fight most of the time, but not enough for me to recommend 5 seasons/parts to you. There are simply better adult animation shows (cough, BoJack, cough).
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Fauda season 4 (2023)
I’m trying to decide whether this series has outstayed its welcome or not. Gone are the days of its murky grey areas of season 1, but the action and drama still work well enough to keep the show moving forward. It will never not be fun to hear people yell DORON in all caps. And the ending? I just…well, it’s a lot.
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Ginny & Georgia season 1 and 2 (2021 and 2023)
In a million years I never expected to watch or even enjoy this soapy, sexy drama, but its unique blend of wit and character-driven story somehow stays afloat throughout all the increasingly ridiculous plotting. It never loses sight of its characters, and that in and of itself is generally enough to keep a ship sailing. Plus it’s created by a celebrated Muhlenberg alum!
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I sincerely hope they do more shows of this kind. Kaleidoscope is made to be watched in any episodic order, such that each episode enhances your understanding of a particular aspect of the story, as well as the particular motivations of various characters. The final episode you watch is “the big one,” which in this case is a bank robbery. Boundless possibilities could be on the horizon for a show with this kind of concept. I just hope they make one because its debut results are very promising!
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While I love the idea of a Survivor-esque elimination challenge where everyone is dropped in nature, the problem with (and the appeal of) this series is its lack of structure or rules. People are merely told they need to get to the end to win, and that’s kind of it. Order amidst chaos is what drives these kinds of shows for me, so a lack thereof doesn’t particular appeal to me. But if you like survivalist shows, it might draw you in. Reader beware…
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He’s just the king of comedy. You may love him. You’ve probably been told to hate him, somewhere on the internet, by someone mad at what he said. I just love him, and think he’s endlessly the greatest comedian of all time.
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I finally finished this show that…somehow inspired all of modern TV comedy. Well, I’m glad that happened, but the show can stay in the past where it belongs. While I’d laugh sparingly here or there, at no time did I ever go “Oh wow, I get it – that’s why this was so popular!” For example, I watched all of Friends a few years back, having never seen it at the time. I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it, and I completely understood how it was so enduringly popular. But Seinfeld? I understand its (at the time) novelty of being about mundane life. But…it just was never nearly as funny as it thought it was. I’m well and truly baffled.
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This show was sooooo much more entertaining than the original version. Back in the day(s of 2021), my notes on Squid Game were, “this could have been an email.” And while I found this “live-action” version of Squid Game had its slower and more dragged out bits, I found myself more consistently entertained and actually on edge than I did in the original show. I think season 2 could benefit, however, from more veteran competitive reality show editors because when you show a final 12, and then a final 9, and so on of certain people you know a TON about, and a few people you know NOTHING about, it indicates poor storytelling: if an unknown wins, it feels undeserved, and we/they were robbed of a story, but if a known wins, it is more predictable. I’m not saying it’s easy to balance 456 players, but with enough being eliminated at every turn in the game, I think it’s fair to say that those who end up in the, say, final 12, are characters who we should know at least a little something about. Other than that, bring on season 2.
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I gotta say how impressive the follow up to the flagship Vikings series has been. I loved Vikings all the way to the end (even after it “got bad” – it didn’t.) Vikings Valhalla picks things up 100 years later, and honestly hasn’t lost a beat. The characters are interesting, the stories are simple but in a good way, the setpieces look cool, the camerawork is admirable, and the budget never looks cheap. I think I like shows that make it clear they tried, and quite honestly, this one shows its work at every turn. Great show.
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squintyoveranalyzesthings 