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Reviews
Ted Lasso: We'll Never Have Paris (2023)
Keeley's character isn't the problem... It's the writing in this episode
I didn't mind any of the episodes thus far this season, some were a lot more enjoyable than others, but this one... ugh
To start, I didn't mind the storylines themselves that they were going for. Everything involving Ted was decent, though not the show's strongest, and I enjoyed the soundtrack and look of the show as always, hence the 5 stars. Also enjoyed Nate's side plot, though I don't understand why he's suddenly being redeemed while having completely been on the sidelines the whole season. Maybe there will be a payoff later.
Keeley gets a video leaked online, which is a very tough thing to go through. But to link it with the rest of the show, they give us a locker room scene with the team, with some of the cringiest dialogue I've ever heard. It may as well have been a cheaply made HR training video. But then that's it, other than a few scenes with Keeley's exes (her scene with Jamie was probably the best scene of the episode), they never find a way to make us CARE. Instead, Keeley is in her own side plot with a new character that we don't care about at all. Why? Because the writers never made us care, yet they somehow managed to fill so much screen time with her and Keeley.
I also found many other dialogues, even between characters we've come to know and love, to be very odd, forced, or out of character. Plus, somehow I didn't laugh at all the whole episode. None of the jokes (if there were any?) landed, they only got a slight smile out of me during the scene between Keeley and Jamie. I don't get it?? I feel as though in an alternate universe this could have been a good episode, but the writing was mostly just subpar, seems to be due to new writers for this one. Hopefully the show gets back on track.
The Last of Us: Kin (2023)
So good
First 10/10 I give for this show. It's worth noting that I haven't played the games, and am unfamiliar with the story. But wow this episode just hit all the right notes for me. The emotional beats all hit, the journey was as captivating as ever, and I really resonated with all the characters' emotions especially Joel. This also might be the episode with the most beautiful cinematography so far.
I went back and watched some of the scenes in the game that were in this episode, and I can't speak for those who had played the game beforehand, but mannn I can see why people are saying this is a great adaptation.
Sometimes I'll just finish watching an episode of TV and instantly know it's a 10/10 for me. This was one of those. Ahhh I want more.
Wednesday: A Murder of Woes (2022)
Really great season finale for a good show
I was quite surprised with how much I enjoyed this series. Jenna Ortega as the lead did a fantastic job portraying this very deadpan character. This was an awesome season finale, nearly every plotline has some sort of payoff here, every character has their moment, and the whole mystery being set up has a dark, fun and satisfying conclusion.
I predicted half of the reveal/twist at around the halfway point of the season, which isn't necessarily a bad thing since any good mystery should be at least slightly predictable. Regardless, many moments in this episode will surprise you and leave you glued to the screen for the entire runtime.
While the show as a whole wasn't perfect, it didn't need to be, and was still very enjoyable. But this finale really surprised me with how well it was done, very epic stuff, which is why I'm giving it a 10/10. Definitely the best of the season, and this show definitely deserves a season 2!
Manifest: Romeo (2022)
Josh Dallas' directorial debut is one of the best episodes of the show
If you're a fan of this show and its characters you'll really enjoy this episode. It's one of the slower paced ones, but despite that, it's really well done. This may not be the most high quality TV show of all time, but in between a few filler episodes there are ones that are action packed, some that advance the mystery, and ones like this that focus on the characters.
All the character interactions are well done here, Saanvi and Ben working together always makes the episodes better, and Cal's plot line was really well done. Now that he's no longer a kid, they can flesh out his character a lot more instead of having him be a one-dimensional character whose only purpose is getting the most significant visions. The twist at the end, while a bit predictable, was pretty brutal. Sometimes they'll have side-stories going on that don't revolve around the main mystery, and often times they don't work as well, but here it's done in a pretty compelling way that has me interested.
Also, Matt Long gives one of his best acting performances yet as Zeke. Zeke's character has really grown on me in more recent episodes, I'm glad they're making him into more than just Michaela's love interest.
Song choices and some camera work in this episode were also quite good. For his first time directing, Josh Dallas has done a great job with this one.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Gang Saves the Day (2013)
Had to leave a review because this is ridiculous
First of all, one of the best episodes of the show for me so far easily. This is my first time watching IASIP, I'm absolutely loving this show and this episode might just crack my top 5 favourites so far.
Two things are ridiculous: first, this episode should be rated a lot higher. This is easily a 9.5/10 episode of television. Second, some reviews are saying Mac's part was the weakest. Are you kidding me?? That fight sequence (and the aftermath) was one of the funniest and greatest things I've seen out of a sitcom and fit perfectly with Mac's character. It completely caught me off guard. AMAZING.
Also hilarious that Dee gets killed in everyone's story but hers. And it took me way too long to realize that Charlie's story was just UP. That was brilliant.
Better Call Saul: Saul Gone (2022)
I'm gonna miss this show.
A satisfying finale to Better Call Saul, where Jimmy has to use his wits as a lawyer in one last courtroom trial to get himself as little jail time as possible after getting caught. Only this time, despite knowing for a fact that he could have gotten off with only 7 years, he decides to come completely clean, and makes sure Kim is present in the courtroom to see it. He finally drops the facade he had put on since the death of Chuck to avoid mourning someone who hated him, and admits the truth to himself and everyone.
In my opinion, this is a very fitting closing to a show, where one of the main themes was getting too caught up in causing trouble and developing genius and well thought-out schemes at other peoples' expense and for your own personal gain, just because you can. That was the tragedy of Saul Goodman and Kim Wexler, which resulted in the death of Howard Hamlin. Kim was able to let go and leave quickly because she realized immediately that her fun had caused such a tragedy and had no reason to continue. But Saul kept going, because it was the only thing he could do to convince himself that he did not care what his brother thought of him when he was alive. This led to all the tragic events of Breaking Bad. There is no Breaking Bad without Saul Goodman, without Kim Wexler, without the death of Chuck.
Throughout this episode there are flashbacks to Saul asking characters if they would change anything they've done in their past. They all have an answer, but Saul can't seem to come up with anything significant, that we'd expect him to regret after watching this show. This is because at the points in those flashbacks, Saul is still in denial, he still refuses to accept that Chuck was right, and convinces himself that he would not change anything he's done. Then, in Jimmy's confession in the courtroom, after everything that has happened, he finally admits his regrets. Saul is gone, and Jimmy is back.
This show truly was one of a kind on television today. Thank you Gould, Gilligan, and crew for everything.
Better Call Saul: Waterworks (2022)
Heartbreaking, Shocking, and Tense. A Great Penultimate.
This is Vince Gilligan's last written/directed episode in the Breaking Bad universe. Thank you for everything you've given us, Vince!
Finally we get to see Kim after her absence from the past two episodes. She is such a phenomenal character and Rhea Seehorn always gives such an amazing performance, that her absence was definitely noticeable.
Heartbreaking performance from her in this episode in many scenes, most notably the phone call with Jimmy/Saul/Gene (what do we even call him at this point), and the bus scene with her breaking down uncontrollably. I was also shocked to see Kim impulsively confess the truth to Howard's wife, which was also an amazing scene. At least there is some form of closure on that front. I have a feeling this confession may contribute to Jimmy/Saul/Gene's downfall in the finale.
And I was surprised to see a Jesse/Kim interaction during the Breaking Bad time period, what a cool addition to the story. Plus Jesse asking "This guy, he any good?" and Kim's reply "He was when I knew him." was devastating. It sucks how abrupt their split was, and as horrible as they were to other people when they were together, it still leaves the viewer wishing it could have gone better for them.
Meanwhile the Gene scenes are more tense than ever, and he has never been more intimidating than when he was seemingly threatening Marion when she discovered his secret. What a great cliffhanger to the episode, I yelled at my TV when the episode ended (which seems to have been a theme this past season). Also, loved seeing a glimpse of the classic Better Call Saul commercial, which is the first time we meet Saul in Breaking Bad.
One single criticism about this final season: in my opinion, I think certain episodes could have been combined. I get that slow burn has always been the vibe of this show, and is what has made it so great, but I never felt it more than in certain cases this past season. I think episodes "Black and Blue" and "Axe and Grind" could have easily been combined into one well paced and compelling episode. Same with "Nippy" and "Breaking Bad", however this may not have worked as well because of the way "Breaking Bad"'s flashbacks tie into the events of the episode.
I am NOT READY for it all to be over next week. I can't believe it, it's been a wild ride from the start of Breaking Bad until now. The storytelling in these two shows has been otherworldly. I hope the finale feels a bit more linear than the past few episodes, instead of jumping around different time periods.
Thanks for reading this review, fellow BCS fans. See you all next week, for what may be one of the most emotional, tense, and satisfying conclusions on TV.
Daredevil: Karen (2018)
Why is nobody talking about this?
As good as the fight is near the end (love Dex just throwing stuff lol), there's one huge problem: WHY DID FATHER LANTOM NEED TO DIE? Dex had a clear shot at Karen, who was the person he was sent to kill, so why aim for Lantom???? He was one of my favourite characters throughout the series, and he was not nearly present enough in this season for his death to feel narratively satisfying. It would be tragic regardless, but it just felt so unnecessary.
Opinions are somewhat mixed about this episode, but personally I think it was a good choice. The first 30ish minutes are dedicated to Karen's backstory, and while it drags a bit and the season could've done without it, it is overall well done IMO and heartbreaking. And fits well with the great climax at the end. Had it not been for Father Lantom's ridiculous death this would be a solid 8/10 for me, but this drops it to a 7 or even a 6.5 :/.
(btw, I LOVE season 3 of Daredevil, probably one of my favourite seasons of TV. But this is the ONE gripe I have with it)
Better Call Saul: Nippy (2022)
The title sequence was the best part
Loved the change in the title sequence, that was very clever. Otherwise the episode was fine, sort of a pit-stop filler episode. It's similar to Breaking Bad's "Fly", in the way that it drags a little and doesn't move along the story a whole bunch, but is still watchable and has good moments. The heist playing out was pretty fun to watch and the tension was felt, which these creators do so well with this show.
One other thing that disappointed me was the re-casting of the cab driver! The actor from the Season 5 opening did such a good job and was very memorable, so I noticed right away that it was a different actor here. :(
Regardless, was nice to finally continue with the future Jimmy/Gene storyline. Hope we get to see more, because surely the season intros for the past 5 seasons have to had been leading to more than just this. At the same time, there are ONLY 3 episodes left!! I REALLY hope they stick the landing.
Overall, I'm sure this was a fun episode to make for the creators of the show, but I just can't say it fits well here as there are only 3 more episodes left in Better Call Saul. Like I said, really hope there is more to the Gene storyline because otherwise this will have been very underwhelming and would probably ruin rewatching the season openers for me. :/
Stranger Things: Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly (2016)
REWATCH THIS EPISODE AFTER SEASON 4!
I originally gave this episode a 9/10 but I'm switching it to 10/10 because there's so many details in this episode that, with the context of some reveals we learn in Season 4, make so much more sense and are so satisfying to watch. Even small details. I won't specify any here because you should watch it yourself and see if you can piece together some connections with the new context.
Not even just this episode, but all the earlier seasons are elevated with some reveals/context in Season 4. This show is not given enough credit for how tightly written it is!
Better Call Saul: Point and Shoot (2022)
Another banger
BCS is back with another fantastic tension-filled episode. Might be the most tense episode of the show so far, which is a tough call considering this is BCS we're talking about.
Not gonna go into deep spoilers in this review, but wanted to point out something I noticed while watching this episode up until the climax. (May mildly hint at some plot points of the episode here, be warned!) There are two possible viewing experiences for this episode. The first is for viewers who have never watched Breaking Bad (yes, they exist) and have no idea what the fate of each character is. Throughout this episode, this viewer is thinking anything could happen, considering the track record of this show. Kim could die, Jimmy could die, Mike could die, Lalo could completely outsmart Gus, Gus could completely outsmart Lalo, anything goes. A brilliantly tense viewing experience. On the other hand, you have the viewer who has watched Breaking Bad and knows that we see neither Kim nor Lalo in the show. This provides an equally tense and captivating viewing experience, as there is even more emphasis on the fact that Kim could EXTREMELY likely die. But not only that, Kim is the one in the main action of the episode. Plus, in the buildup to the climax, it seems Lalo has outsmarted Gus, but as a viewer knowing Gus makes it out alive, you're left watching it all unfold, wondering HOW exactly does Gus get out of this?
Overall, brilliant execution on all fronts in this episode.
The Boys: The Instant White-Hot Wild (2022)
Disappointing finale :(
This season was looking great from episode 4 till episode 6 (which was fantastic), but unfortunately it did not quite stick the landing for me. The lack of stakes in the end did somewhat drag down episode 6 (Herogasm) for me as well, because as epic as the ending of that episode was, what was truly the point of it in the end? It didn't really lead to much.
Getting back to this episode though, I found it to drag quite a bit for the most part. They bring back Homelander's son after having been absent since the fight between him and Butcher, and suddenly he's completely against him and loves Homelander now? Like, did he completely forget what happened in the season 2 finale?
I also didn't love how in the end, the disagreement between Hughie and Starlight ultimately ended up with Starlight being completely right and Hughie just giving in. Sure, the Temp V did turn out to be dangerous in the end, but Starlight didn't always know that. She only shamed Hughie for feeling weak and wanting a temporary chance to fight back against the people who made his and her lives miserable. Idk it just didn't sit right with me in the end. But yeah, Starlight is pretty freaking cool for being able to float, I guess.
Also what the heck did they do with Black Noir? His story starts to get somewhat interesting, and then he just dies out of nowhere because Homelander got a bit angry. Yes, we get it, Homelander is a big monster baby, but why does it have to be shown at the expense of a cool character who had such potential? Although I can't say I loved the whole cartoon character thing, what was that about? I guess in the previous episode it was sort of a cool way to show what happened with Payback and Soldier Boy. But for that to be the final thing we see of Noir before he dies out of nowhere, just seemed a bit silly.
Besides Noir, no one dies in the end, and Soldier Boy, who was IMO a really great addition to this season, is just gone and back to square one.
In the end it was just ultimately frustrating that the ONE thing that ruined the whole plan was Ryan flipping sides so easily and siding with Homelander. Nothing in this episode was something we haven't seen before, and nearly nothing satisfying came out of this episode. I suppose Butcher having limited time left to live could greatly increase his motivation to get super reckless, but nothing particularly interesting was set up on that front. Overall, quite disappointed. :/
Stranger Things: Chapter Eight: Papa (2022)
Satisfying conclusion to the Brenner arc
What made me love it the most was that Eleven did not give Brenner the satisfaction he wanted in the end by telling him she understood. As good as he believed his intentions were, he was always a horrible and abusive father figure to her. Great writing on that front. ALSO the helicopter explosion was very epic. So glad they managed to pull that off with an actual explosion, and not VFX!
Lots of tension building too throughout the episode. The intro scene was brilliantly ominous and sets the dreadful tone in place for the ending of the season. I haven't watched the season finale yet, although, I can't imagine they kill off a main character here. They have so much left to cover in the final season that I think killing off a main character at this point could end up taking up too much focus in next season and could potentially bring it down. But who knows, the writers (and cinematographers) always continue to surprise and impress!
The Boys: Herogasm (2022)
DAMN!
Most explicit episode of the entire show? Yeah, I think so. Best episode of the entire show? Yeah, I also think so. But those two things aren't correlated. It's the best episode of the show so far not because of the nudity and explicit moments, but because of how amazing, action packed, and emotional this episode was.
HERE'S THE THING: Sure there's lots of action here, but this episode (and the action) would not be nearly as good without knowing this show well and having gone through the arcs and storylines we have for the past 2 and a half seasons. That's a huge part of what makes this show so good. And that's something all these recent one-off 6 episode mini-series from Disney+ can't say for themselves, which is why they often end up falling flat and leave a bad taste in your mouth by the time they're over, while ongoing shows like The Boys and others are so enjoyable.
This was an hour of television that was incredibly enjoyable the whole way through. Well done, 10/10.
The Umbrella Academy: Kindest Cut (2022)
Uhhhh....?
This episode was pretty all over the place, but what really shocked me was that, out of nowhere, Allison sexually assaults Luther with her powers??? What are they doing to her character this season, and why was this necessary?
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Yeah, I agree. This was pretty meh.
I never got a chance to see this movie in theatres, but since it was released I did notice lots of expressions of disappointment toward this film. Initially I thought that the hate was probably exaggerated due to there not being as many special cameos as people had expected, and was still excited diving into this to watch a Marvel movie about the multiverse, starring Doctor Strange (loved the first movie, btw). As it turns out, this movie really is pretty blah.
I've seen some people say it could have been better, but I disagree. With what they were trying to do with this movie, there is no universe where it would have been much better. Maybe titled differently, such as "The Scarlett Witch VS Doctor Strange", in which case it may have been received a bit better. Because at its core this is just a throwaway idea for an MCU movie about MCU characters, with barely any other depth to it, and with like 15% of multiverse thrown into there.
Gotta give it credit where it's due though, I thought America Chavez was a surprisingly likeable new character, with cool powers. Plus, some visuals were really cool. And for the ideas this movie had, it did most of them well. But the ideas just weren't good enough, and there was a strong lack of substance.
The Boys: Payback (2022)
Slow start
As expected, Homelander is still the best part of this show.
There are some nice character moments here, and we learn about a new form of Compound V that could make things interesting.
There is also one of the most disturbing scenes yet in the show about 10-15 minutes in, so if your favourite thing about the show is the extreme gore and NSFW brutality then you're in for a treat.
But other than that, nothing much happens. Just a slow catching up with characters, with not much we haven't seen yet from the show. Not saying the season doesn't have potential, but the start could have been more interesting.
Stranger Things: Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab (2022)
Fantastic
This might just be the best episode of Stranger Things so far, and there is still two more episodes in this season!
I won't go into spoilers, but there are so many things revealed that recontextualize what we thought we knew from previous seasons. So many answers! Another thing I loved from this episode is the brutal slaughter scene from a monster, followed by a heartwarming reunion.
And the cinematography is more amazing than it's ever been in this show, as if that was even possible. 10/10 episode of television!
Stranger Things: Chapter Six: The Dive (2022)
That ending...
In this episode, every plotline approaches a certain climax.
Joyce and Murray form a plan to successfully break Hopper out of prison, meanwhile Hopper outsmarts the guards to avoid being killed by a demogorgon. Loved the heartwarming scene between Hop and "Enzo" once he reveals his plan to use fire to fight it, I can't wait to see it all play out.
Another great part is the tension rising in Hawkins due to satanic panic, which is accurate to the time period the show takes place in. Love details like this! And that ending is absolutely shocking, Steve BETTER make it out alive. Had my heart pumping.
The scenes that show us more of Eleven's backstory in Hawkins lab were fantastic as well. The aesthetic was on point, especially during the 1v1s scene. It's really disturbing stuff what they put those kids through, and makes for a thrilling watch.
Overall this episode had great character moments, great aesthetic, comedic scenes that worked well, time period accurate details, and a thrilling+shocking ending. 10/10.
Stranger Things: Chapter Five: The Nina Project (2022)
The return
The main storyline this episode is Eleven's, where we believe she is going to train in order to regain her powers in a safe environment. But then, plot twist, we get the reveal that Dr Brenner (Papa) is in fact still alive. It was alluded to in season 2 that he may have in fact survived the demogorgon attack in season 1, and we finally learn the truth here. Eleven goes through traumatic flashbacks, and what is overall a quite harsh method to regain her powers. However, as we see near the end of the episode, it seems to be working.
Another highlight of the episode is Hopper's incredible monologue, where we learn more about his mental state and a bit more on his backstory.
The creel house investigation provided some great character moments, and includes a callback from season 1 which I really enjoyed, where the gang has to follow the flickering of lights to follow the creature in the upside down.
Overall great stuff!
Stranger Things: Chapter Four: Dear Billy (2022)
well that wrecked me
That ending absolutely wrecked me. How did they manage to make that scene so powerful. That was beautifully done, fantastic stuff.
The rest of the episode was great too, very action packed with an amazing one shot shootout sequence. This season just keeps getting better.
Stranger Things: Chapter Three: The Monster and the Superhero (2022)
this is getting really good
I'm dreading what will happen in the next episode, but man this one was great. Every development in each plotline caught my attention. I'll try to keep this spoiler free, but a certain character pairing worked well and was nice to see. And it really hurt to see a beloved character in such pain trying to break free from being held prisoner in a horrible environment. I'm looking forward to continuing my watch, as this is looking to possibly be the best season yet.
Stranger Things: Chapter One: The Hellfire Club (2022)
Possibly the best season premiere yet
Really engaging and fast moving episode! It mostly focuses on catching up with our main characters, but also introduces some new characters that could potentially become very interesting, while immediately killing one off (supposedly) by the end of the episode.
The intro scene to the episode was also amazing. Personally, I think we're only led to believe that Eleven killed all the kids, and that there is in reality more to what truly happened.
While there was not much supernatural parts to this episode as a whole, the scenes that were supernatural were HORRIFYING. Especially that ending, absolutely shocking.
And finally, cinematography is better than ever, with a blend of great (and horrifying) visuals, and cool one shots that make the episode feel like it moves very quickly.
The only thing lacking here is the pacing did maybe feel a little too quick and janky in some parts, but it's only the beginning of the season so it's hard to criticize it too much on that front.
Overall great start, and I'm excited to move forward.
Better Call Saul: Plan and Execution (2022)
WHAT THE FFFFFFF!!!!
I have no words. Speechless. This episode was brilliantly executed from start to finish, as always, with great pacing.
And then the ending hit and left me with my jaw dropped for about 30 minutes. Scratch that, my jaw is still on the floor as I'm typing this. I'm in shock. WTF.
Severance: The We We Are (2022)
OH MY GOD
I have not needed so badly to watch a second season of a show as much as I do for this show! Holy s***.
Absolute masterclass in television. The entire season was building up to this episode. Once it starts picking up in episode 7 you know it's leading to something big, but wow. This went far beyond my expectations.
My heart was pumping throughout the whole thing. One of my favourite things I've watched this year. GIVE ME SEASON 2!!!