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Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/25 22:38:13


Post by: Azreal13


As the movie review thread is getting more and more muddled with people talking about TV shows, which don't really work in the same way as a film in terms of the commitment in time, budget, pacing etc I figured it's easier to start a separate one.

Try and be mindful of spoilers even if you're reviewing a long finished show, and it's probably best to stick to seasons or entire runs than single episodes for completed shows, but if you're mad keen to talk about a specific ep of an ongoing show that doesn't have it's own thread space, don't feel you shouldn't.

To get the ball rolling..
Westworld Season 4

Surely one of the most high brow sci fi shows currently airing, if not of all time, Westworld continued to deliver superior acting and production.

I don't mind admitting I am occasionally struggling to hang on to the cost tails of the story. But when a show is asking big questions about the nature of identity, the existence of a "soul," the rights of intelligences other than human, the nature of humanity and a bunch of others as well as delivering solid action and keeping multiple threads running concurrently, that seems like an inevitability. Generally speaking all has always become clear with hindsight, and it takes a special sort of skill and confidence to reuse a plot device a second time in the shows history, and convincingly pull it off.

I was left wondering at the end of S4 if that was the conclusion, and it certainly wouldn't be a bad way to leave things, but apparently S5 is in the works, which is only a good thing as far as I'm concerned.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/27 19:27:43


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


The Walking Dead

A show of varying quality. When it’s good, it’s some of the best TV I’ve ever sat on my arse and watched. And even when it’s in the doldrums, it’s still really not that bad, just a bit samey (run away, find safe space, safe space not safe, run away, find safe space).

And with the final episodes approaching rapidly, I’ve been watching it from the top.

I think it’s better binged than watched episodically, as whilst not always competently, it does set certain things up in advance, and that can be lost when your viewing is episodic.

For me it’s at its absolute best from season 9 onwards. The time jump draws a line under some long running plots that probably outstayed their welcome. And instead we get to see the Communities well established, and gaining a certain Frontier feel as a result. Some lands are tamed, civilisation is starting to assert itself, but it’s still a very dangerous world where you need your wits and skills about you if you’re to survive. And importantly, all our survivors feel like survivors.

But as I said, even when it’s not very good compared to it’s own high points, it’s still perfectly fine TV.

Much like…..

Supernatural

Man I love, love, love this show. I love it more than Rod Hull loves Green Jelly, and that’s a whole lot of love.

Lots of Creature of the Week shenanigans, and some satisfying season arcs. Sure like Walking Dead there are seasons you really don’t need to watch. But despite 15 seasons, for me it never gets boring. And as most Season Arcs don’t really cross into the next, nothing feels particularly drawn out. Well, maybe the Leviathan season. That one you can totally skip if you want to - but it’s still not that bad. I mean, if Supernatural was Steak, and like a sensible person you prefer it Medium Rare? That season is more Medium, bordering on Well Done. It’s still largely enjoyable for what it is, you just wish the Chef hadn’t buggered up your order.

And if you’re really keen on just trying it? It was originally written as a Five Season story. And you can absolutely watch Just The First Five Seasons and no further.

Speaking of now long running shows…..

American Horror Story

Another show I hold in high regard. It’s camp. It’s often a bit sillier than it really intended to be. But man it gets certain Horror Beats spot on.

AHS Hotel is still my personal stand out season. Lady Gaga is phenomenal in her role, and there’s a well rounded cast of characters and people portraying them.

AHS Cult is probably my least favourite. I mean it’s not exactly dire, it just never really grabbed me. A bit all over the shop plot wise and unfocused. And if I’m honest, not even all that scary.

Come to think of it, the next season should be out soon, and I know it’s spin-off American Horror Stories (yes, they’re separate shows!) has a second season yet to hit the U.K., or at least I’ve not checked for it recently. Will finish up this episode of TWD and check.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/27 19:44:04


Post by: Azreal13


I hated Coven so much I didnt watch Freak Show or Hotel, and still haven't got around to Freak Show.

But I have at least enjoyed everything since, even the ones that the wider fandom haven't received so well.

Stories season 2 is up to episode 6 or 7, but hasn't premiered in the UK yet, which mirrors last year IIRC.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/27 19:53:02


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Coven took a while for me to get into, but when I did it was fab.

I think one of AHS’ strengths is also kind of a weakness, in that each season is kind of free to be its own thing. Asylum was genuinely disturbing, and Freak Show has some genuinely brilliant and truly horrifying moments. Roanoke is more stylised, being Show Within A Show which I’ll admit confused the hell out of me until I Got It. Still not that up there on my list, but perhaps one I just need to watch again to increase appreciation.

In a world where we’re used to a show picking a theme and largely sticking with it, AHS’ freedom in that regard can be confusing. But, at the same time, it does mean The Next Person might absolutely love one season or another, and have absolutely no regard for the others, and so they’ll still recommend it.

Definitely a curiosity of modern TV.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh and another one in the horror vein. Sort of.

What We Do In The Shadows

Just…..absolutely amazing. Perfectly cast, well made. The Vampires aren’t idiots as such, just so incredibly out of touch (which would happen when you can’t go out during the day, are centuries old and need to be invited into places) that they can’t really function.

Absolutely give it a watch, especially if you didn’t enjoy the film it spun off from, as it’s simply better than it’s parent material.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/28 18:32:44


Post by: Turnip Jedi


Stranger Things S4+

Finally got rounds to it having picked up Netflix for a month to see Sandman.

Wasn't that impressed with S3 to be honest, it wasn't bad just felt un-needed, but the Algorithm must feed I guess.

Season 4, although it was really 4 & 5 but is set up in such a way that the plot strands most likely couldn't take a 6-9 month break

Felt over long, the whole Hopper story could have been snipped with little impact and for me to suggest less Winona would make a thing better is alarm bells indeed

And the whole it was Agath...err Vecna all along made the upside down a bit less Lovecraft as in there was a mostly human pushing the buttons rather than some cosmic indifference toying with ants

I think its maybe a victim of its own success as it could have wrapped up this season but the end was just not an ending, and the timer is ticking as the younger cast are more or less grown ups now, but not so sure the Duffers have one in mind

I'd go about 6/10



.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/30 18:33:09


Post by: Easy E


Just started watching the original HBO Game of Thrones..... Rome from 2005.

Just finished the first episode, but it seems legit so far.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/30 18:56:11


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


 Easy E wrote:
Just started watching the original HBO Game of Thrones..... Rome from 2005.

Just finished the first episode, but it seems legit so far.


Is that the collab with the BBC? It is pretty good!

And as for shows in that time period? Spartacus. It’s not at all historically accurate. But….it is exactly the sort of titillating TV The Romans would’ve made!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/30 19:04:47


Post by: Easy E


The first season of Spartacus was amazing, but it is a different type of story than Rome.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/30 20:31:06


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


We recently finished watching Gargoyles the Series. The first and second season were pretty strong, up there with the animated X-Men, but the third season was weaker, more cheaply animated, and ended pretty abruptly.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/30 20:48:37


Post by: Azreal13


Is that the season where they split all the characters up and basically abandon everything they established in the earlier seasons? If so, that's where it lost me, didn't even make to to the end.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/08/30 20:53:00


Post by: xerxeskingofking


The Terminal List (amazon prime)

summary: Chris Pratt is the leader of a Navy SEAL team that all die except him, and he suffers serious injuries (mental and physical). He is convinced that his team was set up, and starts the titular Terminal List as a Arya Stark style "people i need to kill" list, and sets about finishing it.

At it heart its a straightforward revenge flick, with a few twists form the PTSD angle, most notably in the first few episodes as Pratt (and us) try and work out what, exactly, is actually happening, and what is his mind playing tricks on him, with several flashbacks to the same event, showing it playing out differently each time.


while I still tend to think of Pratt as a mainly comic or semi-comic actor, he pulls his weight here in a straight serious role, as do the others. its not deep or thought provoking stuff, but its decent fun, and i didn't see the ending twist coming at all. All in all, i'd recommend watching it, myself and the wife rather enjoyed it.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/01 11:16:36


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


American Horror Stories S2

And it’s started on Disney+. First episode was pretty cool, and ties into Coven. Looking forward to the next episodes, and not Googling ahead as I do like my spoiler free viewing.

And tomorrow? The new Middle Earth show drops. Will it suck? Will it rock? Will it be a bit Lighthouse Family? Who knows!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/01 14:14:42


Post by: Easy E


Since my wife and I recently finished Highlander: The Series and enjoyed it, we went hunting for Highlander: The Raven which is a single season attempt at a spin-off featuring the Immortal Amanda.

It used to be on Tubi, where we watched all of the Highlander: The Series. However, it is no longer there. After hunting around, it is now an something called "Plex"? Which I have never used before.

No idea why it changed, because I do not recall the show being any good in the first place!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/01 15:32:23


Post by: Azreal13


Surreal Estate

If there's still a Supernatural shaped hole in your heart, this may just go a little way towards filling it.

The show follows the exploits of Luke Roman and his team, who collectively run The Roman Agency, an estate agency that specialises in selling properties with "unique" challenges.

What this translates to is 10 episodes of essentially monster of the week stories where the various houses and their supernatural denizens provide a new challenge and a puzzle to overcome, so the property can be cleansed and sold. Woven around this are the now customary threads of ongoing narrative as the various characters deal with a variety of challenges which ultimately builds to put all the pieces in place for the finale.

This is a little gem of a show that surprised me with its heart and gravitas. Expecting a fundamentally silly show, much like Supernatural it somehow manages to take what's essentially a quite silly premise and, largely by playing it straight and honest, make it hard for the viewer not to get swept along.

Surreal Estate hasn't seemed to get the attention it probably deserves, at least in the UK, and although it was initially cancelled, SyFy have reversed their decision and renewed it for a season 2, hopefully that'll allow it to grow its profile and reach more people.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/04 20:16:57


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


And we now enter Cosy TV Time.

Right now?

Wednesdays I get new American Horror Stories, Thursdays it’s She Hulk, followed by Andor and Friday’s it’s The Rings of Power, and possibly more new Beavis and Butt-Head.

I’m sure there’s something on Tuesdays, but my brain isn’t cooperating at the moment.

Come the end of October I get the final third of the final season of The Walking Deadl plus I’m fairly certain American Horror Story will be back around then too.

The BBC should also be airing the fourth season of What We Do In The Shadows before long. And if it’s like last year, that will be a bulk release on iPlayer.

I really, really wish I could remember what I’m expecting on Tuesdays!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/04 21:56:06


Post by: Flinty


I think Tuesdays might be this bad boy MDG



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/05 05:35:24


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


I….have no idea what show that’s from!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/05 08:20:10


Post by: Flinty


https://jamesbond.fandom.com/wiki/Dream_machine#:~:text=The%20dream%20machine%20was%20a,accompanying%20novelization%20by%20Raymond%20Benson.

Just suggesting a short healing evening might be beneficial after absorbing all that visual stimulus


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/05 08:46:22


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Ahhhh!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and Bad Batch S2 coming soon as well.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/05 15:08:06


Post by: Turnip Jedi


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
American Horror Stories S2

And it’s started on Disney+. First episode was pretty cool, and ties into Coven. Looking forward to the next episodes, and not Googling ahead as I do like my spoiler free viewing.

And tomorrow? The new Middle Earth show drops. Will it suck? Will it rock? Will it be a bit Lighthouse Family? Who knows!


How connected to the main show is this ? I got to Season 6 (I think, the one after Hotel) and kind of gave up, but spooky season is a coming



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/05 15:14:41


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Not all of the Stories have a particular link to AHS Seasons.

S1 does feature Murder House, but you don’t need to have seen Murder House.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I’m also giving Halo a whirl.

I’ve no particular knowledge of the games, and so no particular existing affinity.

First episode is…odd. Not sure if it’s in-keeping with the games, but a lot of the action feels off. Especially where the shield can absorb a lot of firepower, but folds like a cheap suit as soon as a kneecap is brought to bear.

Other than that, I’m willing to give it a bash, see what shakes out.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/06 10:01:51


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Walking Dead resumes 3rd October. I am excite!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/06 15:55:59


Post by: Henry


Since everything modern pop culture is awful I've entered the time warp machine and landed in:

Star Trek - TNG
First season is shakey, but not terrible. Things warm up quickly in season 2 and by 3 we're in the realms of good TV. There's a fair few naff episodes and these are usually the ones that are all about technology and aliens and discovering new things in the galaxy. As with all good sci-fi, the real strength is when a quirky situation is used to explore the humanity of the characters and all that sci=fi shenanigans is nothing more than the backdrop or an excuse for the scenario.
Some of the characters are surprisingly bad. The Troy centred episodes are particularly bad. She's either being controlled by someone, hurt by them, literally impregnated against her will or acting as nothing more than an excuse to showcase her mother. Troy sucks. Oh and Wesley Crusher. you, Crusher. You suck too.

Star Trek - DS9
I'm still only in the first season of my favourite Trek, but quite frankly I'm astonished it made it to season two. If you thought the first of TNG was ropey then this is staggering. Sticking with it because I know this gets immensely better.


and finally.....
Gaunt's Ghosts in Spain! (also known as Sharpe)
Given the production limitations this remains a surprisingly effective piece of TV. The stories are a bit thin (Sharpe is a great leader, has problems, bonds with his men, overcomes his superiors, resolves his problems, kills a lot of frogs) and the repetitive nature does not do well for binge viewing. But very enjoyable none-the-less and shows that a good cast and characters can carry a show without throwing tons of money at it.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/06 16:07:11


Post by: Flinty


I have many happy memories of watching Sharpe with my dad as a yung'un

Even then the larger battle scenes were a bit... understaffed... but it's a rip-roaring adventure where the cast chemistry worked well

Also fun to see the occasional young actor of the future coming through (looking at you James Bond)


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/06 16:21:53


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Sharpe?

Bloody ‘ell, ‘Arper!

A TV adaptation of novels so very incredibly good, the author of the source material even retconned Richard Sharpe from a Cheeky Cockernee Spartan, to a proper Yorkshire Lad!

No. Really. That happened. And the world was better for it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As for TNG, I love the factoid that it seemingly got good because the cast all looked up to Sir Patrick Stewart’s skill, talent and importantly, professionalism.

And I genuinely think that is why it got so good. As the Crew became a family, so did the actors. Or vice versa, whichever you prefer. To see cast and characters all grow alongside each other really sold things.

The less said about TNG Ferengi the better thought. And massive, colossal props to Armin Shimerman, Max Grodenchik and Aron Eisenberg for being game for Comedy Relief Characters, whilst also pushing what could’ve been immensely forgettable one dimensional tropes into something more.

Indeed, that is the story of DS9, isn’t it? It’s all in the cast and their chemistry. And of course the writing where when they go against their established grain, there are reasons for it.

Unlike Janeway, who flipped, flopped, flapped, flypped, flepped, flupped and even flzpped depending on what the writers kind of needed for their half arsed efforts to be driven forward.

As ever my criticism of the character is categorically not a criticism of Kate Mulgrew. She made the best of a rough hand. Arguably better than others might’ve.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/07 10:22:18


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Finished the first season of Halo

I suspect they were going for faithful recreation of the game in the action scenes, but the whole thing landed flat for me. Won’t be back for Season 2.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/07 18:57:57


Post by: Azreal13


Tekken: Bloodlines

As someone who doesn't consider themselves a particular fan of animé, I wasn't totally turned off by this show.

I haven't played a Tekken game since Tekken 2 on PS1, so I'm not that well placed to comment on the accuracy of that element, but certainly there were many characters and references I did remember, even if they did do my boy Yoshimitsu dirty.

It's not a great animé, but in the pantheon of video game adaptations, it's a long way from the worst.

Farzar

The latest show from the team behind Paradise PD and that tells you all you need to know. I find myself enjoying these shows despite the obviously low brow humour, and while this isn't their best, it offers all the gross out humour that one may expect, for good or ill.

Close Enough

While the team is different, the vibe of this show is very much "what if the guys who do Rik and Morty did a show about a millennial couple raising a child in modern LA." Not amazing, but better than a show with a comparatively low profile like this one should probably be.

Chicago Party Aunt

Fairly generic, not especially funny animated sitcom about what happens when the gay nephew of a woman with whatever the female equivalent of Peter Pan Syndrome is moves in with her, and the ensuing shenanigans. Also, it's in Chicago. Not offensively bad if you've got a half hour to kill here or there.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/09 16:28:49


Post by: Henry


I've finished Sharpe and I must say that the last episode, Sharpe's Waterloo, is much of a let down. I rather liked the second to last, Sharpe's Revenge, as although it kept all the tropes that made the series repetitive it at least had good acting and the Gene Genie.

Waterloo on the other hand doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. There's no satisfaction in any of the plot lines and the whole affair seems chaotically uninterested in telling a story. A weak finale to an epic piece of TV.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/09 17:37:04


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Oh that’s not the last Sharpe. Oh no.

There’s Sharpe’s Challenge Sharpe’s Peril yet!

No I don’t know why they’re never part of the same boxed set.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/11 07:35:35


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


Umbrella Academy 3

Just not feeling it. I think they introduced the world/universe/timeline/mulitverse destroying thingy too early so it basically became the B or C plot till the end. Hard to care about Luthor meeting a girl or Diego's kid when y'know, all reality collapsing and the city in flames.

7 of 8 (?) episodes in and just not that into it.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/11 11:10:22


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Ripping Yarns

Written and performed by Michael Palin, this is a show that’s long been on my radar but never seen.

It’s really good! Spoofs of Boy’s Own type adventure stories, with the expected Python approach.

If like me you have BritBox, well worth watching.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/13 17:07:05


Post by: Azreal13


The Devil In Ohio

Based on the book of the same name, and adapted by the author, TDIO tells the story of May Dodds, a teenage girl who arrives in hospital bearing disturbing marks of abuse one evening after flagging down a passing car on the roadside in the middle of nowhere.

I think the first thing to say is that, largely down to its unusual pacing, this show isn't for everyone. It pushes the idea of slow burn close to breaking point. It's also not unfair to suggest that the pay off in the end doesn't justify the patience anyone watching will have shown nor the time invested.

But for all that, the show does have something to offer. For a start it does an admirable job of hinting at supernatural powers at work while presenting little that isn't utterly mundane. It also keeps the viewer guessing as to where the true threat is coming from all the way through, in one sense even after the final credits roll, which is no mean feat.

The main plot structure is supported by a good number of sub plots, and thanks to the generally universally high standard of casting it's easy to invest in most of the characters. The only actor I really struggled with was unfortunately Emily Deschenal in the lead, and that's probably mostly due to the fact that her role, or her portrayal at least, seems to blend rather with her character on Bones, which I guess is always going to be a risk when an actor's career is defined by such a prominent part.

It's hard to imagine that anyone would come away from watching TDIO totally disappointed, but conversely it's hard to see anyone raving about it either. It's probably worth an episode or two to see if it grabs your attention, or adding to the list for when there's not a lot else tickling your fancy.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/14 14:37:01


Post by: Azreal13


Hard Cell

I only started watching this because I'd seen some reviews and wanted to see exactly how bad it is.

This may be the first thing Catherine Tate has created from scratch since her self titled sketch show, and she also stars as multiple characters (write the feem toon, sing the feem toon) from the prison governor to several of the inmates (it's set in a women's prison, but that's where comparisons to Orange Is The New Black start and stop.)

This is British sitcom, red in tooth and claw, with all the trimmings, from slightly uncomfortable racial stereotypes to, well, other slightly uncomfortable racial stereotypes.

By the first 10 minutes of episode 1, I was so angry at the lack of quality I was about to turn it off, and if it wasn't for the timely deployment of a poop joke that made me smile in spite of myself this would be a different review.

Hard Cell has a 20% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and a near 80% viewer score, and that tells you everything. Most critics will base a review on a few episodes, and it really takes the show all of that and more to differentiate itself from the clichés of the worst of its kind.

Watched in its entirety it manages to elevate itself to at least watchable, if not even outright good at times, and the last episode carries a sting in the tail that, largely thanks to the fact that you just don't expect it from a comedy, doesn't feel like it would be out of place in the writing room of Game Of Thrones or Line Of Duty.

I can't in good conscience recommend this to any random person who might be reading, large parts of it are poor, if not bordering on offensive (and not the good sort of offensive for a comedy.) But thanks to a timely joke about number 2s, I kept watching to the end, found a surprising amount of heart and drama in a place I was least expecting it, and should there be a second season (not confirmed at time of writing) I'll happily go back for more. But that's my problem, and you don't need to make it yours.

Oh, and Heather from EastEnders is in it playing someone called Cheryl Ferguson, whoever that is.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/16 06:42:24


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Still over the moon to have Beavis and Butthead back.

They’ve mixed it up with some Old Beavis and Butthead, where they’re middle aged, but definitely no less stupid. And in our increasingly stressful world, a weekly dose of stupidity goes a long way.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/16 11:34:18


Post by: MarkNorfolk


I don't know what's worse, that some idiot thought it would be great to bring back that unfunny pile of s***, or that some people are glad they have.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/16 11:39:15


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Beavis & Butthead is a stone cold classic. Absolutely formative to me, and something to be enjoyed entirely unironically.

Simple stories of a pair of self destructive simpletons blundering their way through life. It’s influence on animated telly cannot be underestimated. Like. At all.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/16 14:53:23


Post by: MarkNorfolk


Well, it's all subjective of course, but I found the animation crap, the jokes non-existent and the actual voices utterly hideous. It's ranks (to me) one the most unappealing pieces of TV.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/16 16:37:09


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


It is of its time. The humour is a lot like Viz (another thing I adore). On the surface? It is just fart and knob gags galore. Especially in the early days for both.

But, lurking below the surface is some pretty sharp social satire.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/21 19:42:52


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Giving Wayward Pines a spin.

So far, I’m impressed. Shades of American Gothic (and not just because of Juliette Lewis), and a certain degree of Twin Peaks. Perhaps just a pinch of Silent Hill too.

It’s definitely atmospheric.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/26 15:33:34


Post by: Crispy78


Hmm, no-one seems to have mentioned Detectorists yet.

Beautiful, heartwarming, absolute labour of love written, directed by, and starring Mackenzie Crook. You can summarise it as being largely about 2 blokes who go out metal-detecting in their spare time, but that really doesn't do it justice. It's honestly one of the best comedy series (although Americans in particular might not even recognize it as such - it's no laugh-a-minute, filmed in front of a cackling studio audience type of thing) I've ever seen. Just watch it!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/26 15:54:19


Post by: Azreal13


With new material coming! (Just a special rather than a whole series, but exciting nonetheless!)


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/26 16:04:18


Post by: Crispy78


Yeah I had heard that was coming. Really looking forward to it - but at the same time, everything had ended nicely and I don't want that spoiled...


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/26 16:49:57


Post by: Inquisitor Kallus


Crispy78 wrote:
Hmm, no-one seems to have mentioned Detectorists yet.

Beautiful, heartwarming, absolute labour of love written, directed by, and starring Mackenzie Crook. You can summarise it as being largely about 2 blokes who go out metal-detecting in their spare time, but that really doesn't do it justice. It's honestly one of the best comedy series (although Americans in particular might not even recognize it as such - it's no laugh-a-minute, filmed in front of a cackling studio audience type of thing) I've ever seen. Just watch it!



Genuinely great series with both comedy and heart. Reminds me of more traditional TV in a good way.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/26 23:10:44


Post by: Azreal13


Crispy78 wrote:
Yeah I had heard that was coming. Really looking forward to it - but at the same time, everything had ended nicely and I don't want that spoiled...


Mackenzie Crooke has total control of the whole thing, he's writer, director and co star and is on record as saying he'd only go back if he felt he had an idea worth telling, I think it'll be ok.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/27 00:31:36


Post by: H.B.M.C.


The Undeclared War was a good show, even if it ended rather abruptly. So was Trigger Point.

Really anything with Adrian Lester in it.

Both simple 6-part British television shows, the first one dealing with cyber-terrorism/state propaganda and the second with a MET police explosives disposal unit.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/27 05:39:08


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


I trust you’ve enjoyed Hustle then? Not only Adrian Lester, but the delightful Jaime Murray. And The Man From Uncle.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/09/27 06:36:38


Post by: H.B.M.C.


I own every season of Hustle. Watched it a few times.

Yes, big fan of Jaime Murray. And Kylie Mino... I mean Kelly Adams.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/01 19:01:38


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Not long now until the final third of the final season of The Walking Dead.

As I’ve said before, it really found its feet again in the latter seasons. Doing away with Rick and Carl was a risk, but I think it paid off. Still sucks for Chandler Riggs who allegedly found out he was to be killed off when they got their scripts.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/02 06:19:46


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


Crispy78 wrote:
(although Americans in particular might not even recognize it as such - it's no laugh-a-minute, filmed in front of a cackling studio audience type of thing)


I've seen plenty of British shows with cackling studio audiences and canned laughter.

And American dramadies with no laugh track.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/02 11:47:31


Post by: Grumpy Gnome


 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Crispy78 wrote:
(although Americans in particular might not even recognize it as such - it's no laugh-a-minute, filmed in front of a cackling studio audience type of thing)


I've seen plenty of British shows with cackling studio audiences and canned laughter.

And American dramadies with no laugh track.


I quite agree with you Kid Kyoto.

And the “Americans in particular….” kind of stereotyping gets old as an American who has lived in Europe for over two decades.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/02 12:00:14


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Trouble there is we only get certain shows on U.K. shores.

Tripe like Friends and Big Bang Theory, written by lazy boring comedy slags. Where the inference becomes “Americans need to be told when to laugh”.

That doesn’t make the inference true, but it is a perspective limited by select exposure.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/03 06:05:24


Post by: Henry


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Tripe like Friends and Big Bang Theory, written by lazy boring comedy slags. Where the inference becomes “Americans need to be told when to laugh”.

I still think that's entirely unfair. While both are as funny as a puddle of fresh puke, it's true to acknowledge they are massively successful. That may be why there is a blindness to other countries (i.e. UK) doing the same with less internationally famous shows. Ever had to suffer through an episode of Miranda? It's one of the least funny things ever commissioned. Without the laugh track it would be impossible to know it was a comedy.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/03 07:50:27


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


The inference still exists because of bias.

Stuff like, sorry these are dated, I don’t watch much broadcast Telly, Young Ones, Bottom, Black Books etc don’t have laugh tracks, and are treasured gems.

Now the USA absolutely does produce top notch comedy, such as What We Do In The Shadows and Frasier.

But the bias remains “American’s need to be told when to laugh”. It’s inaccurate. It’s insulting. It’s based on extremely selective viewing. But it still exists. The relative success of crap comedies sadly reinforces this, whilst we brush off comedy stinkers the U.K. produces.

For instance, by opinion on Mrs Brown’s Boys cannot be shared on Dakka. Pretty sure that has a laugh track too, from the small sample I saw before my brain refused.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Onto more positive things

The Walking Dead

A strong opener for the last stretch. Villainy! Derring do! Little bit of Politics ladies and gentlemen but I’ve not been Ben Elton, and of course, some solid and nasty Zombie related deth.

Building quite nicely overall, and a decent cliff hanger..


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/03 13:56:07


Post by: StraightSilver


Oh, is TWD finally back? It feels like so long I have completely forgotten what happened last time... lol.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/03 14:17:43


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


I’ve not long finished rewatching


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/03 18:14:37


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Not all comedy is for everyone. I find Black Books as unfunny as Seinfeld. I love What We Do in the Shadows, but my wife doesn’t find it funny. We both enjoy Schitt’s Creek and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, but some of our friends don’t.


And if you want to know the secret of Friends and Big Bang Theory; it’s not so much that they’re funny as that they are comforting. Both aired often on reruns, and the characters, lame as they are, feel like coworkers or even friends. Just leave the TV on while you clean and cook and they become a parasocial friend group.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/03 19:19:37


Post by: Henry


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
For instance, by opinion on Mrs Brown’s Boys cannot be shared on Dakka. Pretty sure that has a laugh track

Brown's Boys has a live audience. Rather than being forced upon the show it is a natural feature, with the cast often struggling to corpse their way through when things break the fourth wall. I know those other shows have live audiences, but the canned laughter is dubbed over them in production. Brown's Boys is almost entirely genuine.

I once read that the laugh track on Red Dwarf was worked out in an interesting way. They'd record the episode longer than required, then screen to a very small select audience (in a shed!), note when they were laughing, re-edit to extend the funniest bits and skim through where the audience weren't overly amused, then add the laugh track over that. It all sounded rather complicated.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/04 22:21:54


Post by: LordofHats


Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury

fething finally. 7 long years. 7 years! Gundam is finally back with a full series entry that isn't a Build Fighters spin-off and it's already bloody glorious.

Now we just have to hope we get an ending like Code Geass or Eureka Seven out of the writer and not Guilty Crown. Please not Guilty Crown that gak didn't remotely make sense.

Alternate titles for this series:

Revolutionary Gundam Utena
Mobile Suit Gundam The Tempest

One of these is a lot more tragic than the other and I don't know which way it's going but I have to say I'm impressed someone slammed these three concepts together (Gundam, Revolutionary Girl, and The Tempest). The lead Gundam Aerial is an impressive design too with references and motifs that recall prior Gundams from across the franchise. Also it's the first Gundam in the series to be canonically confirmed sentient and possessing its own will which is pretty sweet for a series dipping its toes into cyberpunk and transhuman themes.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/04 22:53:13


Post by: Azreal13


Dahmer

Ryan Murphy and Evan Peters reunite for a dramatised serialisation of the Milwaukee Cannibal, Jeffrey Dahmer.

Dark, bleak, heavy, tragic and long wouldn't normally be words you'd expect someone positively disposed towards something to use when reviewing it, but here we are.

This show is a commitment, 10 episodes of at least 40 minutes telling any story is a commitment, but telling this story especially so. It took me a couple of weeks watching this an episode at a time, and while I'm not a great advocate of binge watching episodic drama, I would have minor concerns what doing that with this show could do to a viewer's mental state.

Dahmer's actions are a matter of public record, and there's be little point in recounting them here. The show's main strength and the main reason I'd recommend it is that it has the time and space to explore the impact on the victims, their families, Dahmer's family and others that get caught up in the fallout of his arrest.

The other main reason to recommend the show is it manages, largely successfully, to show the audience the tragedy of Dahmer as well as the irredeemable monster. There is potentially a victim of circumstances behind the serial killer, and this side is quietly presented to the audience without feeling like it's trying to defend his actions.

I've pretty much covered the downsides, it's long, it's bleak and nobody gets out of it unscathed. There's no happy endings and no levity. This show is all shade and no light.

But for all that, this show is a fascinating insight into the extremes human behaviour can reach when the right circumstances come into alignment. I make no guarantees as to the accuracy, but the details I was aware of all featured at some point. There's a follow up documentary hitting Netflix sometime this month. This is an excellent show if you feel you can handle the bleak outlook.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/06 18:06:55


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Ghosts

When looking for the new season of What We Do In The Shadows, turns out season 4 of Ghosts snuck it’s way on to iPlayer.

That’s my evening sorted! Got a pie in the oven, chips beans and beetroot to go with it, so an evening of darker season comforts is a go.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/16 19:04:01


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Preppers U.K. Surviving Armageddon

One from Nat Geo on D+

Oh my word these people are loopy. One family convinced they can survived on Hare…and Potato.

That’s right. Hare. Fed “just on hay”. Hare. Like Rabbit. A protein so lean on fat it’s nutritional value is incredibly low. Fed just on hay.

I mean, everyone should keep a decent stock of tinned food on hand. But these people are loopy.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/16 19:13:53


Post by: Flinty


QI did a bit on that. Sounds like not a good idea.



I’m currently working through Andor on Disney+. I really like it. They took good bits from Rogue One and built on them, rather than going the neon hover vespa route. I am most grateful for this.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/16 19:26:51


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


I think that we in the U.K. are a bit spoiled when it comes to documentaries.

Yes we do produce utter crap in that regard, but we also have David Attenborough, who is frankly peerless in his realm. His programmes are factual, and let the genuine wonder of nature do the heavy lifting.

Compare that to Shark stuff from the US, which seems to be “tihs are shork *heavy metal riff*” and not much else.

Then there’s stuff like Time Team for historical fascination.

I think it really boils down to the BBC and it’s kind of unique status. Educate, entertain, inform. And without ads, you don’t get frequent recaps so common to US made documentaries, which when stripped out leaves paltry content on its own.

Of course this opinion is only based on the documentaries that actually make it over the pond, so I can’t and won’t pretend “therefore all are crap”.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/19 17:12:10


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Nailed It! Has a new set of four episodes for Halloween. The show is hilarious.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/19 17:14:23


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


What? What has four new Halloween episodes???


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/19 17:50:51


Post by: Azreal13


There's a show called Nailed It, he wasn't being complimentary about your waffle.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/19 17:51:28


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


The show “Nailed It!”. It’s a game show where three people who can’t cook compete to make impossibly fancy desserts in too few minutes. The results are terrifying.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/20 20:22:35


Post by: Azreal13


The Midnight Club

Mike Flanagan (Haunting Of Hill House, Midnight Mass) continues his relationship with Netflix, this time something a little more YA where the spookiness is dialled back a little.

The elevator pitch is pretty much the whole show in a nutshell: in a private hospice for terminally ill young people in the nineties, the patients meet at midnight to swap scary stories.

The end result is something that feels like it comes from the American Horror Story stable, but with a Goosebumps level of horror.

That may sound like a criticism, but the whole package really comes together well. Emotion is readily available on tap as the protagonists wrestle with the knowledge that they won't live the lives they expected to, the connective tissue that runs throught the whole series about "the girl who got better" is an interesting story, and the individual tales told around the fireplace are engaging enough, if lacking in any real horror.

Well written and well acted by a young cast dealing with complex and highly emotional themes, this is the first Flanagan show where he says he's constructed it to run for another season, and it really deserves to tell more of the stories it still has to tell.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/21 07:49:20


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Still Game

A pretty excellent sitcom from The Mother Land. Funny beyond mere nostalgia for The Mother Land. A good ensemble cast, the two leads not saving the best lines for themselves.

Each character gets development and it has a rolling timeline. The relationships are a bit antagonistic, but a genuine feel of community shines through behind it all.

Easy enough to find in the U.K. thanks to iPlayer.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/22 07:45:40


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Smallville

Never really watched this as the time, mostly because it was aired during E4, the presenters of which were near invariably smug and completely talentless.

But it’s actually alright. Elements of X-Files mixed with teen melodrama.

Kind of difficult to see Allison Mack as an actress and not, well, if you know you know. And if you don’t know you might want to keep it that way.

As ever it suffers some from asking the audience to accept a chiselled hunk of a lead as a High School Oddball. Yes there are narrative reasons (and decent ones at that) given, but man it’s still a fairly hard sell!



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/22 08:59:10


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


The Guardians of Justice

Netflix show, after Not-Superman shoots himself on live TV, Not-Batman suspects one of the Not-Justice League killed him.

And yes, it is that shameless. Part of Adi Shankar's bootleg universe, it mixes animation, 80s computer game animation, and real historical footage (but with giant robots).

Strange.

Not sure it's good.

Not even sure it's interesting.

But then again I watched 2 1/2 hours it last night so...

Definitely a 10pm, kids are in bed, I'ma put something on, sort of show.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardians_of_Justice


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/22 10:45:44


Post by: aku-chan


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Smallville

Never really watched this as the time, mostly because it was aired during E4, the presenters of which were near invariably smug and completely talentless.

But it’s actually alright. Elements of X-Files mixed with teen melodrama.

Kind of difficult to see Allison Mack as an actress and not, well, if you know you know. And if you don’t know you might want to keep it that way.

As ever it suffers some from asking the audience to accept a chiselled hunk of a lead as a High School Oddball. Yes there are narrative reasons (and decent ones at that) given, but man it’s still a fairly hard sell!



The early High School seasons of Smallville are pretty decent, but that whole "No flights or tights" thing they insisted on sticking with really made a mess of things later on. Can't keep saying this is all before Clark became Superman when you're basically speed-running his entire mythos.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/22 15:27:42


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Smallville

Never really watched this as the time, mostly because it was aired during E4, the presenters of which were near invariably smug and completely talentless.

But it’s actually alright. Elements of X-Files mixed with teen melodrama.

Kind of difficult to see Allison Mack as an actress and not, well, if you know you know. And if you don’t know you might want to keep it that way.

As ever it suffers some from asking the audience to accept a chiselled hunk of a lead as a High School Oddball. Yes there are narrative reasons (and decent ones at that) given, but man it’s still a fairly hard sell!



The real standouts of that show were Lex Luthor and Lionel Luthor.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/22 16:11:08


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


That’s an easy agree on that point!

Lionel is, at least in Season 1 a harsh taskmaster, but you feel his heart in the right place.

Lex is…enigmatic. Clearly not one to suffer fools, but not a complete Git.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/23 07:51:23


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


7:30pm U.K. time, Jodie Whittaker’s final outing as The Doctor.

But more importantly, I might just get closure on Ace, who returns alongside Tegan.

I for one am excite.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/23 19:57:57


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


The Power Of The Doctor

Holy poop on a stick. That was the best episode of Dr Who in a long old while.

A decent story, usually handwavium here and there.

But most importantly? Ace. And The Professor.

Be still my nerdy heart. 30 odd years I’ve waited. 30 odd years to find out what happened to Ace, why she and The Doctor stopped travelling together. And they didn’t cheap out. One scene is all it took, and I don’t mind admitting I was nearly in tears.

And Ace’s bat (for those wondering, empowered by the Hand of Omega, a Timelord Stellar Manipulation Device, in Remembrance of the Daleks) still has its magic, smashing up one last Dalek.

It was a long time coming, but that will do for me. Closure on My Doctor, and My Companion. The ones I grew up with.

And a nice sting in the tale!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/23 20:19:03


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Is Sylvester McCoy in the episode, too? He was may favorite of the classic Doctors.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/23 20:19:34


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Yup!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/23 21:08:18


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


Gotta see if I can get Brit Box here.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/24 13:18:39


Post by: Turnip Jedi


McCoy ? I'll give it a whirl then, always felt he got shorted by that see you next Tuesday Grade and his cabal of fools, as with sod all budget and a ropey sidekick (sos Doc !) he delivered the finest take on the Timelord bar The One True Doctor (mad Tom)


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/24 13:22:06


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Look, we can all agree Mel was awful.

But if you dare say something nasty about Ace, it’ll be fisticuffs.

Fisticuffs I say!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/27 02:39:00


Post by: Azreal13


28 Days Haunted (Netflix)

Another entry in the legion of titles, most often found on the likes of Discovery and History channels, "investigating" some sort of paranormal phenomena.

Aside from being an unusual format for Netflix, 28DH attempts to distinguish itself by exploring a theory Lorraine and Ed Warren proposed (they of The Conjuring films) that in order to fully investigate a haunting it's necessary to spend far longer than the traditional overnight or weekend, and it takes a full 28 days to expose everything at work.

Consequently, we follow three teams of investigators who are sent to three different locations, without any outside contact, for 4 weeks.

If we could take that, alongside many other things on trust, then one could argue that some intriguing things are both discovered and captured on film.

But we can't, and so much of the proposed "paranormal activity" has holes you could drive a truck through, that the show quickly abandons any sense that.it can be taken seriously (in a field where this bar is already incredibly low.)

So what remains is the question of entertainment value? There's a little to be had.

Firstly some of the genuine historic stories behind the locations are interesting and tragic on a human level, regardless of your opinion of any paranormal involvement. That the crews arrive at all this information by themselves without books or internet is highly disputable, but the facts are at least not.

Secondly the investigators themselves are a wide and varied bunch, and, while I doubt it's intentional, watching them flail about in the dark is good for a yuk or two. The highlight of which is Jeremy (spelled Jereme) a self appointed demonologist in the shape of a living diabetes case one MAGA cap short of a trump rally, whose blood and thunder demands of the undead are a personal highlight. His Omen style look to camera at the end of the last episode is so hilarious it's worth the price of admission alone.

If you're looking for some diet-spooky low commitment pre Halloween scares, well, not scares so much as season appropriate watching, then give it a spin. But don't expect proof of life after death for any but the most credulous.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/27 11:35:52


Post by: aku-chan


Star Trek: The Next Generation

Recently started re-watching this, forgot how downright terrible some of the early episodes are (I just watched the one where Wesley is sentenced to death for standing on some flowers).

Hopefully it gets as good as I remember it being sooner rather than later.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/27 12:01:21


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


 aku-chan wrote:
Star Trek: The Next Generation

Recently started re-watching this, forgot how downright terrible some of the early episodes are (I just watched the one where Wesley is sentenced to death for standing on some flowers).

Hopefully it gets as good as I remember it being sooner rather than later.


The origin of Growing The Beard

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Riker%27s+Beard&defid=7093246


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/27 12:31:03


Post by: Turnip Jedi


 aku-chan wrote:
Star Trek: The Next Generation

Recently started re-watching this, forgot how downright terrible some of the early episodes are (I just watched the one where Wesley is sentenced to death for standing on some flowers).

Hopefully it gets as good as I remember it being sooner rather than later.


Wanting to delete Wesley, seems like a rather sensible culture, and whilst I find Wheaton hard going at times he was mostly correct about how badly written Crusher Jr was written, especially compared to Jake and Nog a few years later



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/27 12:50:12


Post by: The_Real_Chris


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
The Power Of The Doctor

Holy poop on a stick. That was the best episode of Dr Who in a long old while.

But most importantly? Ace. And The Professor.



Almost enough to make me watch Doctor Who! A whole generation of (mostrly boys) grew up thinking Ace, was, well, Ace


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/27 15:16:38


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


 aku-chan wrote:
Star Trek: The Next Generation

Recently started re-watching this, forgot how downright terrible some of the early episodes are (I just watched the one where Wesley is sentenced to death for standing on some flowers).

Hopefully it gets as good as I remember it being sooner rather than later.


Season 3 on.

My recommendation is Pilot, the S2 episode with the borg, then S3 on. Go back for S1 and S2 only if you're a glutton for punishment.

And I say this as a fan.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/27 19:57:35


Post by: Henry


 Kid_Kyoto wrote:

Season 3 on.

My recommendation is Pilot, the S2 episode with the borg, then S3 on. Go back for S1 and S2 only if you're a glutton for punishment.

And I say this as a fan.

I find S2 quite good. There's a run of six or so episodes in the middle of the season that creates the character structure that the following seasons hang off. The later seasons also have some regrettably poor episodes too, so it's not all sunshine and lollipops as soon as the beard makes its debut.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/28 11:54:11


Post by: aku-chan


I thought Riker looked wrong!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/28 16:51:58


Post by: Flinty


He is pretty shiny in those first two series. The beard helps bring the glare down a bit


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/28 17:05:05


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


One of my favourite factlets is that Mr Frakes normally wore a beard, but shaved for the show.

He rocked up to rehearsals for Season 2, and was told to keep it. By Gene Roddenberry himself. Who considered it suitably Nautical.

And my it is a glow up as I believe the kids say.

Of course it would be some time until we got the completely unnecessary in-show explanation. I mean, I have a beard because shaving every morning is a pain in the balls.

Yes I keep it trimmed and shaped. But that’s a quick run with a razor maybe twice a week.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/30 11:44:30


Post by: Turnip Jedi


Power of the Doctor

Seems memberberries and noise is all you need these days, very very poor and our Jodes deserved betterer


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/30 18:19:16


Post by: Azreal13


Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities

Firstly, let me quality this by saying at time of writing I haven't myself seen the whole series. But given that it's an anthology series, I feel I've seen enough to judge the overall standard even if subsequent efforts may wander a little (as anthologies often do.)

GDTCOC is in essence a horror spin on The Twilight Zone, especially in its modern Peele incarnation, right down to a brief introduction at the start of each episode by the man himself. But unlike American Horror Stories which will invite inevitable comparison, there's little camp on show here, the horror is played with a pretty straight (vampire) bat.

The production values are excellent, the stories are strong and we're at the perfect time of year for the consumption of something like this.

Don't sleep on it.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/30 20:36:34


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


Transformers War for Cybertron

Dunno why but getting back into Transformers after XX years.

W4C is lavishly animated, has some good plotting and themes but is let down by a slow pace (how can a 6 episode season drag?) and a voice actor for Optimus Prime whose idea of sounding gravitas is... to... talk... real... slow... with... many... pauses...

Plus it's set on Cybertron and everyone is all busted up, which is cool theme wise for the veterans a million year old war but again makes things drag and be dreary. A show about robot toys who turn into robot cars and fight and fight should not make me feel the sads.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/31 01:06:56


Post by: H.B.M.C.


Second season is slower. It seems like they spent half the season fighting Scorponok.

Never did bother with the third season. They added the Beast Machines or whatever they were called, and that never appealed to me.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/31 20:55:50


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


And because Horror isn’t just for the Big Screen? Courtesy of BritBox, I’ve been warning Hammer House of Horror.

There are some pretty decent tales of terror in this anthology series, and of course some guff.

Absolutely worth a watch if you get the chance.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/31 21:23:08


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Second season is slower. It seems like they spent half the season fighting Scorponok.

Never did bother with the third season. They added the Beast Machines or whatever they were called, and that never appealed to me.


How in the name of the Matrix can a 6-episode season drag?

Well they managed it somehow.

Sure is pretty though.

Maybe if I change languages it will improve?


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/10/31 23:16:40


Post by: H.B.M.C.


 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Maybe if I change languages it will improve?
It's funny you should mention that. After season 3 of the original G1 Transformers, the production diverged.

The American side went on to make Rebirth, which was an awful 3-part "season" that spent more time introducing a 100 more toys characters rather than telling a story. The Japanese side made Headmasters, a series that very quickly did away with the status quo (Optimus dies again 7 episodes in, Hod Rod/Kup/Arcee go off on a quest) and replaced them with characters similar to the American one, but more fleshed out. It got an English release with one of the worst dubs I have ever heard in my life (it's actually hilarious in places), and changing the language to Japanese made it better (other than the kid voicing Daniel, who is hard to listen to).


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/02 09:11:58


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Sadly in the office today. But when I get in? What We In The Shadows will be going on.

Oh yes.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/10 18:14:58


Post by: Azreal13


I Hate You

The guy who wrote Friday Night Dinner essentially does a gender swapped Peep Show with updated cultural references and lifestyle changes.

Suffers a little from 1st season syndrome, in that everyone is finding their feet and not necessarily everything that's tried is working, but given the pedigree of the writing and the tried and tested format of "2 dysfunctional 20 somethings flail blindly through life" there's no reason to think this doesn't have what it takes to become one of C4s great comedies.

Patchy and uneven so far, but shows potential.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/13 08:54:13


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Taggart

Broadband Internet has been out since Thursday morning, so reduced to plundering my DVDs. Putting it to best use bingeing Taggart.

For a show that long continued after the sad passing of its namesake’s actor it remains pretty good.

And as with pretty much any Scottish Production, each episode often includes a game of “spot who went on to become properly famous”.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/13 17:32:18


Post by: Azreal13


The Devil's Hour

I'm not typically a fan of British police dramas. Too frequently it's angst ridden middle aged men in dirty raincoats wrestling with their regrets about how their work has ruined their personal lives before some unlikely coincidence wraps the case up in no time at all. In the rain.

Thankfully, The Devil's Hour isn't that. At least, while it has elements of that, it isn't the focus.

The show opens on a handful of apparently disparate elements with the promise the viewer will eventually discover the link. Firstly, Lucy, a social worker struggling with life as a single mother to Isaac, a troubled little boy who, while clearly wildly different from other kids his age, has no formal diagnosis to explain why. Ravi, a homicide detective who can't handle the sight of blood, called to investigate the violent death of a man who appeared to have no enemies, and Gideon, who we meet in a police interview room in flash-forward, alongside Ravi and Lucy, providing the tease that something will bring these three together.

This is a really, really, solid show. Peter Capaldi arguably steals it as playing Gideon allows him to delpoy the trademark wild eyed stare more than any other role I've seen. Jessica Raine carries it though, the whole story pivots around her character, and she carries the weight of that effortlessly.

There's little to criticise though, from writing to acting to cinematography, the show feels premium from start to finish. It even manages to take what for many might be a somewhat well trodden path and do something fresh with it, which I'd argue hangs together as well or better as any attempt I've seen in some time.

Making the fairly basic assumption that a mystery thriller with a hint of supernatural is an appealing prospect, there's absolutely no reason not to put The Devil's Hour near the top of your watch list.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/14 12:37:16


Post by: aku-chan


Watchmen

It started weird and got weirder, but I really enjoyed it, it felt like a proper part of that universe and not just a lazy tie-in.
It's a pity there doesn't appear to be any plans for another season because it would be interesting to see where the story goes from where it left off, plus more
Spoiler:
Crazy Old Man Ozymandias
would be fun.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/14 15:48:26


Post by: Gert


Transformers: Earthspark
The first 4 episodes just went live for UK Paramount+ and I really enjoyed them. Like any Transformers tv show (besides those really bad Netflix ones), it's very obviously designed for kids. However, it also has the benefit of being a show for people who grew up with the G1 cartoon to watch with their young un's similar to Star Trek: Prodigy.
Now I'm not quite at that point in life but as a lifelong TF fan, having a modern show with obscure characters is always fun. I mean one of the first baddies we have, Hardtop, is a toy-only character from TF: Cybertron mixed with a Timelines comic plot line to tie him to the other baddie, the classic conman (ha) Swindle.
So far it's taking story points from IDW's first TF comic run, characters from all over TF history from Headmasters to G1 originals, and mashing it together with some genuinely good human characters. I'm excited for the rest of the season.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/14 22:34:00


Post by: nels1031


Netflix's Ancient Apocalypse with Graham Hancock

Reading/following this guys works were always a guilty pleasure of mine. Ever since I was a kid, I was always interested in ancient civilizations lost to time and such, so he was right up my alley. Don't buy into much of his theories, but its fun to speculate.

I mostly enjoyed the visuals of sites that I've never seen too much of, like the big structures on Malta, and the large cavern system(s) in Turkey. It got kind of "samey" after like the 3rd episode(of 8), but it was great background noise for painting mini's or playing some Warhammer 3.

I'd recommend to anyone who also enjoys "lost civilization" pseudo-science type content. Hancock is somewhat of a blowhard, but it was still interesting.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/15 07:03:59


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Transformers War for Cybertron

Dunno why but getting back into Transformers after XX years.

W4C is lavishly animated, has some good plotting and themes but is let down by a slow pace (how can a 6 episode season drag?) and a voice actor for Optimus Prime whose idea of sounding gravitas is... to... talk... real... slow... with... many... pauses...

Plus it's set on Cybertron and everyone is all busted up, which is cool theme wise for the veterans a million year old war but again makes things drag and be dreary. A show about robot toys who turn into robot cars and fight and fight should not make me feel the sads.


Finished it with the last season Beast Wars/Transformers cross over and wow, it got worse.

I mean unless you're really into your BW lore and time travel and alternate timelines this is just gibberish. And the ending includes both a deus ex machina AND foreshadowing a villain for a sequel that will never come. Two of my least favorite things in all of fiction!

Dudes I'm just hear to watch giant robots punch each other. If your plot involves three Megatrons, two of whom are from alternate futures, then it's time to rethink things.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/15 15:22:31


Post by: MarkNorfolk


 nels1031 wrote:
Netflix's Ancient Apocalypse with Graham Hancock

Reading/following this guys works were always a guilty pleasure of mine. Ever since I was a kid, I was always interested in ancient civilizations lost to time and such, so he was right up my alley. Don't buy into much of his theories, but its fun to speculate.

I mostly enjoyed the visuals of sites that I've never seen too much of, like the big structures on Malta, and the large cavern system(s) in Turkey. It got kind of "samey" after like the 3rd episode(of 8), but it was great background noise for painting mini's or playing some Warhammer 3.

I'd recommend to anyone who also enjoys "lost civilization" pseudo-science type content. Hancock is somewhat of a blowhard, but it was still interesting.


Wow. TV companies are still willing to pay that d***head money for his utterly puerile Atlantis theories? I thought he'd slunk away years ago.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/19 11:27:23


Post by: Olthannon


MarkNorfolk wrote:
 nels1031 wrote:
Netflix's Ancient Apocalypse with Graham Hancock

Reading/following this guys works were always a guilty pleasure of mine. Ever since I was a kid, I was always interested in ancient civilizations lost to time and such, so he was right up my alley. Don't buy into much of his theories, but its fun to speculate.

I mostly enjoyed the visuals of sites that I've never seen too much of, like the big structures on Malta, and the large cavern system(s) in Turkey. It got kind of "samey" after like the 3rd episode(of 8), but it was great background noise for painting mini's or playing some Warhammer 3.

I'd recommend to anyone who also enjoys "lost civilization" pseudo-science type content. Hancock is somewhat of a blowhard, but it was still interesting.


Wow. TV companies are still willing to pay that d***head money for his utterly puerile Atlantis theories? I thought he'd slunk away years ago.


Don't even get me started on that wee fanny. His whole rhetoric of Big Archaeology is hiding the truth is just laughable. It annoys me that utter controversial bollocks like that gets made but actual interesting archaeology programming doesn't.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/19 11:52:42


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


I don’t mind wild theories in my teevee, just marry it to Sane Evidence to the contrary.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/21 15:34:09


Post by: Easy E


 nels1031 wrote:
Netflix's Ancient Apocalypse with Graham Hancock

Reading/following this guys works were always a guilty pleasure of mine. Ever since I was a kid, I was always interested in ancient civilizations lost to time and such, so he was right up my alley. Don't buy into much of his theories, but its fun to speculate.

I mostly enjoyed the visuals of sites that I've never seen too much of, like the big structures on Malta, and the large cavern system(s) in Turkey. It got kind of "samey" after like the 3rd episode(of 8), but it was great background noise for painting mini's or playing some Warhammer 3.

I'd recommend to anyone who also enjoys "lost civilization" pseudo-science type content. Hancock is somewhat of a blowhard, but it was still interesting.


This way leads to madness!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/23 16:43:47


Post by: Azreal13


Warrior Nun, S2

More accurately Warrior Nun S1.5, the narrative more or less runs straight through from the last episode of the previous series. Theoretically there's a time jump, but that seems as much to hand wave away any small continuity issues because of Covid rather than contribute anything meaningful to the story.

It's very much business as usual as a result. If you liked the first one this is more of the same, there's nothing here to recruit anyone who's on the fence. That said, I do think it benefits from not having to carry the origin story for Ava, and the pacing of an already relatively short series is probably better.

The arc started in S1 is reasonably well wrapped up, but enough new and unresolved material is still in play to explore should a third season be forthcoming, but for those who hate to watch a show that is cancelled on a cliffhanger, it's probably safe to watch without feeling like you're going to be left wondering. To be fair, if S3 happens they've pretty well signposted what's going to happen anyway.

Overall, I remember feeling like it was this or Cursed that was going to get a S2 when both series (both featuring young female protagonists inheriting power) premiered together back in 2020, and while I think Cursed's debut was more flawed, I'm left wondering whether it wouldn't have done more interesting things with another season.

But we got this, and this is fine, but it's not a show that's going to attract too much water cooler conversation, just more hours of competent YA/YA-adjacent action drama with little to set the world alight.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/24 18:25:39


Post by: Azreal13


The Watcher

Much to my surprise, this series is a contender for one of the best shows I've seen this year.

Based on a true story (extremely tenuously, but a true story nonetheless) we follow a family making the very traditional (and horror staple) move from the dangerous big city to the idyllic suburbs. This time the weirdness manifests in the form of a mysterious Watcher, a nebulous figure that largely interacts via the medium of menacing letters that imply that the family is under close observation.

Essentially the show is a whodunnit (or whosdoingit) but is elevated by the time it takes to examine what a bizarre set of circumstances does to a family, and the frankly stellar set of weird and wonderful supporting characters played by some really heavyweight actors.

By taking the very simple but ultimately effective approach of flooding the viewer with a list of bizarre and plausible suspects the show keeps you guessing right until the end. Season 2 is already confirmed, but being a Ryan Murphy show it's not yet clear whether it'll be a whole new story based on the same idea, or a continuation of the current narrative. Either way, I'm in.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/27 01:01:28


Post by: Henry


Gangs of London (season 1)

I literally only watched it because Colm Meaney's face was on it. And then... oh well, fortunately the story sucked me in. This is high production, good cast, good choreography, tight story, but I haven't finished the season yet so there's still time for it to go south.

The titular gangs of London are bit part players behind the number one gang, the Wallaces, who are trying to work out why the criminal underworld that they once owned is now trying to kill them all. These aren't your street thug gangsters. They drink champagne, build skyscrapers as a front and hire Danish special forces to do the disposal work. The action is a bit of a Call of Duty / Jason Bourne teenage boy's fantasy of how cool murdering lots of people would be, and that's by design; though the story shouldn't be seen as only existing to justify the tomato ketchup getting splashed around. The family interactions might not be as good as Succession but then the pacing of the show is very different and so far very enjoyable.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/11/30 14:01:14


Post by: warhead01


Wednesday (season 1)

Over all it was fun. I feel like for the most part the Addams family members were done well, not sure about Pugsley. I just can't say for sure about his character. The story was over all interesting and fun. The dialog was weird to me where it uses the current year gibberish about seeking or speaking ones truths, which I find mind-numbingly irritating. It felt like required speak injected by the writers room because reasons. Modern gibberish.
( Blanket language about "outcasts" as well, which is laid on with a trowel it's so thick.)
However, excluding that it was a fairly good time. I still dislike the majority of actors who seem to be from a pool of, I don't know, BBC extras a few of them are big names but the rest feel like DR. Who left overs to me.
Another positive is Wednesday being an Addams is the reason she is believable and I like that. You know she has had a particularly peculiar upbringing and it's the right tool kit for her adventures. You don't need a training montage to believe she can fight look at who her family is, of course she can fence or fight or whatever in most situations.

You might enjoy it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
One last tough on the language. I do think we could say Wednesday was using those buzzwords and or phrases ironically and more as a smokescreen rather than take them at face value based on who she would say those things too and also as the rebellious youth she was in the story. A sort of manipulation on her part given her distaste for social media and I would imagine modern/pop culture.
Or that's just my head cannon anyway.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/01 12:18:04


Post by: StraightSilver


 warhead01 wrote:
Wednesday (season 1)

Over all it was fun. I feel like for the most part the Addams family members were done well, not sure about Pugsley. I just can't say for sure about his character. The story was over all interesting and fun. The dialog was weird to me where it uses the current year gibberish about seeking or speaking ones truths, which I find mind-numbingly irritating. It felt like required speak injected by the writers room because reasons. Modern gibberish.
( Blanket language about "outcasts" as well, which is laid on with a trowel it's so thick.)
However, excluding that it was a fairly good time. I still dislike the majority of actors who seem to be from a pool of, I don't know, BBC extras a few of them are big names but the rest feel like DR. Who left overs to me.
Another positive is Wednesday being an Addams is the reason she is believable and I like that. You know she has had a particularly peculiar upbringing and it's the right tool kit for her adventures. You don't need a training montage to believe she can fight look at who her family is, of course she can fence or fight or whatever in most situations.

You might enjoy it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
One last tough on the language. I do think we could say Wednesday was using those buzzwords and or phrases ironically and more as a smokescreen rather than take them at face value based on who she would say those things too and also as the rebellious youth she was in the story. A sort of manipulation on her part given her distaste for social media and I would imagine modern/pop culture.
Or that's just my head cannon anyway.


I also came to post about Wednesday. I finished it last night. I have to say I went in with low expectations for this but actually enjoyed it way more than i thought I would.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/01 12:45:48


Post by: The_Real_Chris


 warhead01 wrote:
Wednesday (season 1)

Over all it was fun. I feel like for the most part the Addams family members were done well, not sure about Pugsley. I just can't say for sure about his character. The story was over all interesting and fun. The dialog was weird to me where it uses the current year gibberish about seeking or speaking ones truths, which I find mind-numbingly irritating. It felt like required speak injected by the writers room because reasons. Modern gibberish.


I will defer to my daughter. She spent the weekend feeling sick, eating buckets of KFC (in that order), being wrapped up in whatever the most comfortable configuration was for each hour of the day and binging TV series. She enjoyed Wednesday, watched it in one go, thought it was fun but the dialogue was awful. I think the main attraction to both her and my niece is the character of Wednesday herself, and they could probably stick her into setting/series and it would be good for them. She did have fun laughing at how bad some of the other actors were, but thought the second-best actor was the roommate.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/11 19:16:59


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik





YAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!

Sir Tony Robinson is returning to Time Team. Possibly the single greatest educational show ever made by man.

It was a pretty significant thing for Wee(ish) Me. One site, three days. See what they can find.

Whilst greatly simplified for layman viewing, it absolutely wasn’t Dumbed Down. Sir Tony as presenter acted the Everyman. Expert pulls a find, and dates it. Sir Tony asks the questions on our mind “but how do you know that”, and a brief but factual explanation is given.

My favourite aspect, having watched it since it’s debut, is how they applied new and developing technology. And indeed following Sir Tony’s own growing knowledge.

It was such accessible Telly, and I still watch it on YouTube to this day. You should to. It’s completely bloody ace and if you don’t like you get in a bin.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/11 22:54:38


Post by: stonehorse


 Azreal13 wrote:
Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities

Firstly, let me quality this by saying at time of writing I haven't myself seen the whole series. But given that it's an anthology series, I feel I've seen enough to judge the overall standard even if subsequent efforts may wander a little (as anthologies often do.)

GDTCOC is in essence a horror spin on The Twilight Zone, especially in its modern Peele incarnation, right down to a brief introduction at the start of each episode by the man himself. But unlike American Horror Stories which will invite inevitable comparison, there's little camp on show here, the horror is played with a pretty straight (vampire) bat.

The production values are excellent, the stories are strong and we're at the perfect time of year for the consumption of something like this.

Don't sleep on it.



So far I have watched 3 episodes, and I think that is enough to judge this as a bit of a dud. Nothing really original story wise, and the stories are predictable, spend a good chunk of their time meandering around, only to remember that there is a time restraint and speed up to the conclusion... which just makes it feel poorly paced. None of these feel like stories, just a few ideas cobbled together... could be that getting old means that I have more or less seen these ideas done before.

Spoiler:
Too much build up about this spooky/scary/mysterious thing.... then IT'S A SCARY THING WITH TENTACLES! the end.


If anyone wants to watch a good Anthology series watch Inside Number 9. Due to how good that show is, it will be what every Anthology series is measured against, and




Automatically Appended Next Post:
 nels1031 wrote:
Netflix's Ancient Apocalypse with Graham Hancock

Reading/following this guys works were always a guilty pleasure of mine. Ever since I was a kid, I was always interested in ancient civilizations lost to time and such, so he was right up my alley. Don't buy into much of his theories, but its fun to speculate.

I mostly enjoyed the visuals of sites that I've never seen too much of, like the big structures on Malta, and the large cavern system(s) in Turkey. It got kind of "samey" after like the 3rd episode(of 8), but it was great background noise for painting mini's or playing some Warhammer 3.

I'd recommend to anyone who also enjoys "lost civilization" pseudo-science type content. Hancock is somewhat of a blowhard, but it was still interesting.


Watched 2 episodes.

Only good thing is getting to see impressive ruins I hadn't heard of before. Bad thing is listening to Hancock's gibberish. Would much prefer to see these stunning ruins without Graham Hancock talking about Atlantis.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/13 18:28:54


Post by: Easy E


I might watch it on mute and CC turned off.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/14 17:17:12


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Hanging With Dr Z

I saw a comment describe this show as “perfect Gen X humor” and I couldn’t agree more. Each episode is 8-10 minutes of comedy gold, with Dr Zaius hosting a talk show with guests like Weird Al and Bobcat Goldthwait that is half Johnny Carson half Space Ghost (but funny), telling jokes and spinning their Old Hollywood stories:

This video was the proof of concept:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4zRmj9GNPM8

There are a series of promotional shorts:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6YD5e8pLHaI

And an episode:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ORV_tWGZwsM


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/15 08:38:45


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Ooooh!

National Treasure: Edge of History is up on Disney+ with a two episode debut.

I’m a sucker for the Nic Cage films, and excited to see this series, even though I don’t believe Mr Cave features.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
First episode is enjoyable. Harvey Keitel returns, and the cast are genuinely likeable.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/15 09:56:20


Post by: StraightSilver


I also spotted national Treasure went up, I actually really liked the movies so will try to catch the TV show this week.

Also on Disney+ I started watching The Patient

Steve Carrell (40 year old virgin, The office etc) plays a psychotherapist kidnapped by one of his patients. His kidnapper wants him to continue therapy for a particular compulsion, he's a serial killer.....

This is (in my opinion) weirdly dark but funny at the same time. It's meant to be a straight up thriller and the cast play it straight but it's also very funny in it's concept and execution (no pun intended). Surprisingly it really works though and I am really enjoying it.

The episodes are only 30 minutes each which I think works really well, they are just about the right length.

Worth a look and apparently it's a limited series so wraps everything up at the end, so not a huge investment in time, but so far it's enjoyable (or I have a very sick sense of humour).


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/15 11:28:31


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


It’s not getting very good write ups, but I enjoyed both episodes.

Now I’m on The Hardy Boys. Kind of dimly aware of them as akin to an American Famous Five, but don’t think I ever saw or read any of the books as a kid,

Show is alright.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/16 00:24:50


Post by: Azreal13


Chucky S2

The TV show based on the Child's Play movies continues into its second season and continues to be better than it has any right to be.

Which is not to say it's brilliant, that would be beyond miraculous given it's DNA, but it knows what it is and leans hard into it, embracing and celebrating the bonkers nonsense from the movies rather than acting ashamed of it and trying to be more grown up.

The show feels like everyone was having a blast on set, and it's hard not to be affected by that on viewing.

Self referential, knowing, funny, gruesome and over the top. No new ground is trodden, nobody is going to be converted to the franchise if previous entries hadn't hit the spot, but if you have any affection for this sort of OTT comedy horror, an underserved genre, on TV especially, then it's a must watch.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/16 23:48:50


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Been watching a bunch of older shows, particularly Police Procedurals.

I’m always surprised at just how prevalent smoking was even just a few years ago. Barely a scene where someone isn’t smoking.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/17 23:31:06


Post by: SamusDrake


An old show called Chocky which I heard about back in the day, but don't recall ever watching. Nothing in the show seems familar so I guess its one that escaped me. Its based on a John Wyndham book.

Third episode in and so far its about a young boy who has an alien force, of unknown origin, living rent free in his mind. His parents initially assume he has an imaginary friend but his friends and teachers begin to notice surprising results at school.

A pleasant surprise; Jeremy Bullock stars as a psychologist. I met him in Thurrock Lakeside many years ago, where he kindly signed my Boba Fett poster. He's gone now, bless him, but its always nice to see him pop up in other things.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/20 19:51:55


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Gimme Gimme Gimme

Kathy Burke stars in one of the rudest, crudest funniest things I’ve ever seen.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/20 20:00:49


Post by: SamusDrake


Crikey, I haven't seen GGG in donkey's years and can't remember much about it apart from Kathy's character giving her flat mate( the chap from The Big Blue Line? The one with Rowan Atkinson? ) grief.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/20 20:33:18


Post by: Azreal13


James Dreyfus.

I guess crude, in the sense of poorly constructed and/or of poor quality is an excellent description!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/20 20:37:55


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


I love the scripts for it. It’s completely OTT, and it works so well.

It’s reminiscent of Bottom, in that it’s two flatmate’s so individually socially dysfunctional, they have to be friends because no-one else can stand them.

It’s incredibly British in its humour. Linda and Tom can be utterly vile to each other, but will usually stand together if it’s an outsider having a go.

Linda’s bizarre and deeply worrying anecdotes about her life and Tom’s utter delusion about his acting ability just crack me up.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/20 22:38:23


Post by: Azreal13


It's Mrs Brown's Boys: The 90s Edition as far as I'm concerned.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/20 22:46:29


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Oooh! How dare you

It’s not for everyone sure. But that was below the belt!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/21 14:55:35


Post by: MarkNorfolk


GGG was great. Loved watching it on a Friday night. Stupid fun.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/23 23:36:26


Post by: Turnip Jedi


Blackadders Christmas Carol

This years watch was a little sad due to the loss of Mr Coltrane but it's still a wonderfully silly take on the story, if you've got Iplayer give it a whilrl and raise a glass of Nurse McCreedys Surgical Bruise Lotion (or other booze) in Mr C's memory


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/23 23:47:13


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


 Turnip Jedi wrote:
Blackadders Christmas Carol

This years watch was a little sad due to the loss of Mr Coltrane but it's still a wonderfully silly take on the story, if you've got Iplayer give it a whilrl and raise a glass of Nurse McCreedys Surgical Bruise Lotion (or other booze) in Mr C's memory


Piggy wiggy wiggy woo! Piggy wiggy wiggy woo! Piggy wiggy wiggy wiggy woo!

Featuring Ro-Land off of Grange Hill.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/28 17:45:12


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Wednesday

It’s….alright, I guess. Bit over long and whimbriling (yeah, whimbriling).

Cut it down to say six episodes, excising the pointless guff in favour of remembering there is in fact an overarching plot.

Also, let Gomez have some exuberance. Please. And let Pugsley have the same, and not some whiny wimp.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/29 23:31:51


Post by: Azreal13


Halo

Video game adaptations don't have a storied history in general, and sadly Halo does nothing to advance the cause.

Fundamentally I think the issue is that many adaptations expose a fairly sparse background in most video game franchises, and this is no different.

What starts as apparently a The Mandalorian knock off soon pivots into a story around the creation of the Spartan program and starts moving events towards where the player joins the story at the start of the first game.

We know the studio has confidence in the show as it's been renewed for S2, and there's definitely money been spent here. I just couldn't shake the feeling that in some scenes I was watching expensive cosplay rather than a professional TV production. Small details on the costumes, which look great in action, look off in close up dialogue exchanges, props (and I mean guns) look like they're light in the actors' hands, CGI ranges from nearly perfect to dated and jarring.

The "superhero discovers their mysterious origins and the shocking revelations associated with it" trope is well trodden, and this does nothing new with it.

I feel fans of the games are going to struggle with the changes made to allow for a plot to happen, and people who aren't fans of the game aren't going to find anything else here to engage them, so it begs the question who is this for?


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/30 01:55:20


Post by: LordofHats


The sad thing is that Forward Unto Dawn is a surprisingly good movie. It's a completely workable drama/war fic from start to finish. One of the best video game adaptations ever made really.

Then the Halo TV series ultimately doesn't even feel like Halo to me. Most of the characters are butchered and where they're not they're using the Karen Travis versions (which are butchered by her anyone who isn't a super special awesome soldier man is evil fetish). The lore is mostly butchered by add in subplots that don't need to exist. Chief takes his helmet off at every opportunity. Hunters are more like the Flood than Hunters.

The story mostly feels like a bad Firefly fanfic, not an adaptation of Halo. Which is sad because the Nylund novels did a very good job fleshing out Halo's setting and for some reason they're continually passed over and/or retconned.

And the CGI was terrible. I don't know where the budget for that series went, but it wasn't to make it look good.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/30 02:57:56


Post by: Azreal13


It all went on the Covenant Elders. But I don't think there was enough for every scene, because in some of them I was really taken by the quality, and in others I was wondering if I'd hallucinated.

That said, Paramount + is limited to 1080p in the UK, so it might be doing some favours over 4K.

I know Chief keeps taking his helmet off, but I felt that was at least explained by the last scene, and we won't see him taking it off for a while now?

You're right about the sub plots though, the only reason I didn't criticise the whole Madrigal thing is because I'm wondering if it's set up for further down the line, but as it stands it's a horribly stunted and unnecessary diversion.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/30 09:10:00


Post by: nfe


Sicak Kafa. On Netflix as Hot Skull.

Turkish near-future dystopia thing about a guy who's immune to a bizarre disease that has decimated Istanbul (or possibly all of Turkey or the world, no discussion of anywhere further afield).

Was a bit worried it was going to be a sledgehammered Covid allegory but it never actually goes in that direction. Solid casual watching show. Has unusually good subtitling for a Turkish programme.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2022/12/31 10:37:01


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik





A classic from the archives. Bloody love me some Trapdoor.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/03 04:53:42


Post by: Azreal13


La Brea

Ok, I'm calling it, I've given this steaming pile 4 episodes and I can't watch another one. I'm normally pretty forgiving for first seasons, I understand it can take a minute for everything to gel, but.. I just.. can't.

How this show gets made when other streaming services are dropping infinitely superior shows left right and centre is beyond me.

How this gets made now is even more baffling. This would have been an average show 20 years ago in the wake of the success of Lost and it's many imitators, but how such a low budget, poorly realised, derivative show makes it to pilot, let alone series, during 2022 defies explanation.

What is confounding beyond reason is this heap of steaming horse gak not only got renewed, but got an order for MORE EPISODES.

If somebody is prepared to tell me this turns into Breaking Bad with Sabre Toothed Tigers, I'll listen to your argument, but for now, this show singlehandedly notably lowers the average quality of all TV ever made just by existing.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/03 16:55:19


Post by: LunarSol


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Wednesday

It’s….alright, I guess. Bit over long and whimbriling (yeah, whimbriling).

Cut it down to say six episodes, excising the pointless guff in favour of remembering there is in fact an overarching plot.

Also, let Gomez have some exuberance. Please. And let Pugsley have the same, and not some whiny wimp.


Personally, I really loved it, even if it was definitely more of Burton thing than an Addams story.

On the anime front, My Hero Academia ended its first half of the season on a suitably devastating note. One of the few times I'd read the manga and felt an arc hit me better in the anime even knowing what was happening. Looking forward to what's next.

Mob Psycho ended strong as well. I wish the initial setup felt more like a series final, but the original OP kicking in during the finale was fantastic.

Special mention to Chainsaw Man. My main gripe is just that they barely scratched the surface and left some teasers that I'm forced to keep quiet about for what feels like an eternity now.

Spy x Family remains a gem. I'm not sure the anime provides anything that isn't readily available in the manga, but its just such a joy of a series in whatever form.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/09 15:44:54


Post by: StraightSilver


The Rig Amazon Prime

I wanted to like this, I really did....

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take the best bits of The Thing (John Carpenter original & prequel), The Abyss and Deepwater Horizon, throw those bits in the bin and cobble what's left into a 6 part TV show, with the special effects budget of 1 Dr Who Episode......

Neither had I but apparently Amazon did....

This feels like it's going to probably be the biggest wasted TV opportunity of 2023. Solid British cast including Iain Glen, Owen Teale, Martin Compston, Mark Bonnar, Mark Addy and more, in a sci-fi / horror mystery set on an oil rig, wasted by ham-fisted writing and incredibly ropey special effects.

They have obviously set this up for a second season, but after wasting 6 hours of my life wading through these 6 episodes I'll be unlikely to watch. Such a shame.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/09 23:30:22


Post by: Voss


Dragon Age: Absolution (Netflix)

So, this exists. I'm not sure it makes sense to anyone who hasn't played the games (especially 2 & 3), as the lore drops are minimal and somewhat meaningless.

Its a simple heist story for an artifact in the Tevinter Imperium (the bad evil wizards, who have slaves). First two episodes (of 6) are pretty much that. Then it becomes, well, more Dragon Age. And I mean that in the worst possible way, where people are doing awful things for inadequately explained reasons. And also trauma, obviously, because the universes Bioware creates now run on trauma, but the choices are... irrationally terrible. Episode two was almost nuanced, but someone clearly stepped in and said 'Nope. Can't have that.'

Also the main character is more of a DC superhero rather than a rogue, and that also escalated (except when the plot demanded she fail briefly) and got increasingly grating as things went on.

I also fear its setting up things for the next game, and I _really_ don't want that antagonist, even as a secondary villain.

---
Anyway. Not great. Watchable while on the treadmill, but not something I'd watch again. Some good voice talent that's rather wasted (as are pretty much all the secondary characters), including some that reinforced the She-ra Reboot vibe I thought they were going for in episode 1 (which probably increased my disappointment when the show wandered off).

Oh, also. Lots of blood effects. Not particularly convincing blood effects, but the animators really liked getting their slightly neon carrot juice/ketchup mix all over everything.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/12 03:22:42


Post by: nels1031



Edit- wrong thread!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/12 22:45:55


Post by: Azreal13


Crashing

Apparently there's a US show by the same name, but this is the UK one which is completely different.

This is what Phoebe Waller Bridge did before Fleabag, although both shows were released at a similar time, and I think it's fair to say that there are similarities.

PWB plays Lulu, a wannabe bohemian wielding a ukelele who descends on London in order to "surprise" her childhood friend. Their friendship frequently borders on the inappropriate, and is the dynamic which the show pivots on.

Lulu discovers Anthony in a committed relationship, living as a property guardian (an official form of squatting to prevent actual squatting) in a condemned hospital, with all the characters necessary to populate a comedy show.

While doing a search to see if there were any more episodes (there aren't, these 6 are all there is, but it's relatively self contained) I saw this show referred to as a British Friends, but with a realistic attitude to property prices, rental costs and living in London, and honestly I can't better that as a description, with the exception of adding that being filtered through Waller-Bridge's brain alters what Friends looks like a lot.

Crashing almost certainly suffered for all the noise that Fleabag got when it was released, and while that show is undoubtedly the more polished and less derivative spin on the 30 minute comedy format, Crashing stands on it's own merit and perhaps deserves a higher profile of its own.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/13 05:57:40


Post by: LordofHats


Voss wrote:
Dragon Age: Absolution (Netflix)


The one thing I took away from Absolution is that it aped Critical Role so hard it literally hired the cast.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/13 18:20:06


Post by: Voss


 LordofHats wrote:
Voss wrote:
Dragon Age: Absolution (Netflix)


The one thing I took away from Absolution is that it aped Critical Role so hard it literally hired the cast.


??
Only if you consider Matt Mercer the entire cast of Critical Role. He's the only one in the show.
2 others were guests for a couple epsiodes a few years ago (around 2019? Ish?) and the voice director was a guest PC way back near the beginning, but it'd be a stretch to consider them part of the cast.

If you want to see (hear) the entire cast of CR in something, Pillars of Eternity 2 is the place to find them.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/13 18:24:47


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Grange Hill

Up to season 12 and 13 on BritBox, and this is the era I grew up with.

It’s genuinely crazy just what this show was able to do, especially given the time period.

Fair amount of humour to it, but far from dodging serious issues it confronted them head on. Alcoholism, Heroin Addiction, Assault, Teen Pregnancy, SA, Kiddy Fiddlers, Inappropriate Relationships. All sorts. Approached honestly, without glossing over the grubbier bits of the real world.

Just terrific stuff.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/15 10:10:27


Post by: Olthannon


Caught up on season 4 of What We Do in the Shadows as I didn't realise that had come out. Still excellent and hilariously funny. There is something deeply funny about "The Boy".


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/16 08:52:58


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


For the first time in my puff, I’m watching Beavis and Butthead spin-off, Daria

This is pretty damned good. Almost an invention of the B&B paradigm, where their gross stupidity is the joke. For Daria, it’s her higher intelligence and cynical worldview.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/16 11:08:57


Post by: stonehorse


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
For the first time in my puff, I’m watching Beavis and Butthead spin-off, Daria

This is pretty damned good. Almost an invention of the B&B paradigm, where their gross stupidity is the joke. For Daria, it’s her higher intelligence and cynical worldview.


It is indeed very good. Hence why I put it in the thread 'Actually Good Spin-offs'.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/16 15:21:16


Post by: StraightSilver


I signed up to NowTV, just so I could start watching The Last of Us in UK, but that has given me an opportunity to start watching:

YellowJackets

High school, women's, soccer team in 1992 get to the Nationals. Rich dad of one of the players hires private jet to fly them to the big game. Plane crashes, leaving the survivors stranded in the wilderness for 19 months...

The series is set in 1992 and 20 odd years later with the survivors now adults. None of the survivors have ever fully explained just how they survived in the wild for so long, but many suspect cannibilism.... and they might be right, only the bodies they ate didn't necessarily die in the crash.....


I'm just over half way through and I have to say I'm enjoying it, but I'll wait until the end until final judgement as I have a feeling it may jump the shark. But good performances from the main cast and the casting for their older and younger selves really works. So far, so good.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/16 17:21:59


Post by: Azreal13


You can more or less relax about the shark jumping, the tone is consistent all the way through.

S2 must be due pretty soon, just concerned it'll be on Paramount+ exclusively as it's a high profile show and that service needs reasons to subscribe desperately.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/17 08:57:13


Post by: StraightSilver


 Azreal13 wrote:
You can more or less relax about the shark jumping, the tone is consistent all the way through.

S2 must be due pretty soon, just concerned it'll be on Paramount+ exclusively as it's a high profile show and that service needs reasons to subscribe desperately.


Ah, that's good to know.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/17 18:34:05


Post by: warhead01


Three body just started streaming on the 15th. I've just caught a bit of the first episode so far, found it on Youtube, looks like ep 1 and 2 are there. I enjoyed the audio books, I've been waiting for this show. there will also be a Netflix versions at some point.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/17 19:00:27


Post by: Azreal13


StraightSilver wrote:
 Azreal13 wrote:
You can more or less relax about the shark jumping, the tone is consistent all the way through.

S2 must be due pretty soon, just concerned it'll be on Paramount+ exclusively as it's a high profile show and that service needs reasons to subscribe desperately.


Ah, that's good to know.


As if on cue..




Slightly more shark.. hoppy? than I'd hoped, but then some of the S1 was pretty out there without context.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/19 01:56:02


Post by: warhead01


Finally got to see the whole first episode of Three Body. Not bad. Faster than the book so far, more right to the point but I do hope they get deeper into the revolution in the 60's as the story unfolds. It's foundation for character motivations and so far they've touched on it but not gotten into it. Da Shi's been interesting but so far I like him better in the audio book, mostly because of the voice acting.
Anyway, it look like it's off to a good start.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/22 17:36:22


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Tulsa King

Sylvester Stallone stars in a sort of mash up of Goodfellas, Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad and similar.

Whilst the show reminds us Stallone is a genuinely good actor, there’s nothing here we’ve not really seen before. However, whilst far from original, it’s at least competently made.

Probably worth a watch if you enjoy your crime thrillers.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/22 21:47:48


Post by: greenskin lynn


thanks mad doc, you just reminded me i need to catch the last episode of Tulsa King
And yea, decent enough watch


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/23 10:47:57


Post by: aku-chan


Titans:- Season 2

It's still trying way too hard to be dark and edgy, but I'm enjoying it. It's basically an Arrowverse series but stripped of all the padding, wheel-spinning and general repetitiveness that ruined those for me (at least so far).

It's season 2 of Doom Patrol next. I'm hoping they've cut back on the swearing, but I doubt it.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/28 15:27:44


Post by: warhead01


Up to ep 15 io Three-Body.
I like that the show is flushing out character relationships and that detective work is going on where it was all behind the scenes in the book.
It's added a bit of depth in a good way. I was skeptical that I would like this version of Da Shi but he's been almost as good as in the book, maybe a bit better. Mostly because we see more of him doing his thing. They've laid in the back story around red coast base well too. This has been very enjoyable so far.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/29 19:36:55


Post by: Olthannon


The Chestnutman

Nice creepy Danish detective show about a murderer who leaves little chestnut figures by the victims. We watched the whole 8 episodes in one sitting and really enjoyed it. Same scriptwriter as who did The Bridge.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/29 21:37:36


Post by: Voss


Struggling hard with Season 4 of Dragon Prince (I'm on episode 2).

Getting re-accustomed to their animation style is bad enough (though it seems worse, particularly with lighting- the main character's hair doesn't seem well-lit in torchlight, it just looks like he's a redhead), but the writing seems to have amazingly gotten worse.

The bad, childish and ill-timed jokes are constant, no matter how serious the situation is, and the frankly juvenile theories of philosophy and governance have bottomed out to absolutely wretched (why not terrify your population with a dragon visit? Why not plan a state wedding without telling anyone, including the bride?)
Whatever motivations the characters have are obscured by all the junk jokes, and tons of backstory and character development was lost to a time skip. The beginning of the season is apparently about the boring stuff that happens after the far more interesting things they decided not to show.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/29 23:24:36


Post by: LordofHats


Season 4 also drags hard. They could have told the entire season's story in about 3 episodes if they really wanted to.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/01/31 21:05:33


Post by: Ghaz


 Azreal13 wrote:
La Brea

Ok, I'm calling it, I've given this steaming pile 4 episodes and I can't watch another one. I'm normally pretty forgiving for first seasons, I understand it can take a minute for everything to gel, but.. I just.. can't.

How this show gets made when other streaming services are dropping infinitely superior shows left right and centre is beyond me.

How this gets made now is even more baffling. This would have been an average show 20 years ago in the wake of the success of Lost and it's many imitators, but how such a low budget, poorly realised, derivative show makes it to pilot, let alone series, during 2022 defies explanation.

What is confounding beyond reason is this heap of steaming horse gak not only got renewed, but got an order for MORE EPISODES.

If somebody is prepared to tell me this turns into Breaking Bad with Sabre Toothed Tigers, I'll listen to your argument, but for now, this show singlehandedly notably lowers the average quality of all TV ever made just by existing.

NBC keeps the sci-fi sinkhole open! Time travel mystery series 'La Brea' renewed for Season 3 - SYFY Wire

NBC will once again head down the primordial rabbit hole in a third season of La Brea, the network has announced. This renewal comes as the show prepares for the return of its second season later this evening with two new episodes.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/01 17:25:57


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Being a bit self indulgent, watching QI. Specifically episodes I was in the audience for.

If you’re in or around London, well worth trying to get tickets to go see it live.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/03 19:51:40


Post by: Gert


Just started watching "Everyone Else Burns" and it's pretty good so far. Genuine gut laughs.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/03 20:53:16


Post by: warhead01


Up to EP. 20 of Three-Body.
In the last two episodes they have finally revealed the ETO in name. I'm not sure how many more episodes are left. if it's more than 4 I will be surprised but I can't say just where the story is as it relate to the length of the book.

I've also enjoyed the General unwittingly being part of a comedy duo which Da Shi on a few occasions.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/03 23:34:20


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Murder Most Horrid

Dawn French stars in an anthology series of Murder Mystery Spoofs, first aired in 1991.

It’s kind of showing its age, but in a comforting way. Also, given its sending up tropes of the time and earlier, perhaps it always had a certain nostalgic feel to it.

Dawn French as ever is excellent value for money in the comedy department, and shows a decent range of character acting across the episodes.

Pointless Fun Fact? S3, E1 is set in my works office. Did a double take at first. Kind of weird to see how it looked 30 odd years ago.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/04 20:26:37


Post by: LordofHats


Wolf Pack

Bored so I tried it. Meh. It's not bad so much as the kind of show I'd probably have liked when I was much younger but relies heavily on cliches that I now find annoying (irrational stupid teenagers denying the obvious to pad out the drama most of all).



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/06 10:58:00


Post by: StraightSilver


 LordofHats wrote:
Wolf Pack

Bored so I tried it. Meh. It's not bad so much as the kind of show I'd probably have liked when I was much younger but relies heavily on cliches that I now find annoying (irrational stupid teenagers denying the obvious to pad out the drama most of all).



I was kinda enjoying this until the "special" effects appeared.....


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/07 21:13:51


Post by: Azreal13


Extraordinary

A simple premise this one - what's it like to live in a world where everyone has superpowers except you?

Jen is in her twenties and still waiting for her superpower to develop, something that normally happens around a person's 18th birthday. She's surrounded by people who can fly, rewind time and 3d print things with their arse, and feels like her life really can't begin until she finds out what she can do.

This twist on the typical twenty something ensemble comedy, alongside decent writing and performances, helps to lift this show above many of its peers. A UK produced Disney + Original, it feels very much like anyone familiar with Channel 4's particular style of comedy will recognise.

Already renewed for season 2, I'll be happy to see Jen, Jizzlord and the rest of the gang return for more adventures next year.

Lockwood and Co

I'll often grumble to anyone who'll listen about the preponderance of poor quality tween content on Netflix. It's especially egregious when I think I'm embarking on a show aimed at adults from the trailer or other marketing, only to find an angst ridden conversation by the lockers happening within the first 15.

Thankfully, well told stories, well acted and supported by good ideas don't really rely too much on being in the target demographic to be entertaining, so when things like The Midnight Club or, thankfully, Lockwood and Co are released, I don't have too many grounds for complaint.

Adapted from the books, with heavy involvement from Adam Cornish, Lockwood and Co takes place in an alternate timeline where for the last 50 years ghosts have been returning for the grave, and in this universe a single touch can kill or place you in a lifelong coma.

Thankfully, a percentage of children exhibit talent, an ability to detect or otherwise interact with ghosts, allowing them to qualify as 'agents' until they age out and lose their abilities, assuming they make it that far.

A curious blend of Ghostbusters, Young Sherlock and the BBC Freeman/Cumberatch adult Sherlock Holmes, Lockwood and Co rattles along fairly rapidly (it's only 8 rather than 10 episodes, which is apparently a new Netflix standard) and strikes a nice balance between being solidly entertaining without being too taxing.

But it ends on a (minor) cliffhanger, so Netflix will almost certainly cancel it..




Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 00:46:14


Post by: greenskin lynn


started to watch lockwood and co, but people aging out of their powers is a trope i loathe almost as much as surprise amnesia


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 04:12:00


Post by: Voss


 greenskin lynn wrote:
started to watch lockwood and co, but people aging out of their powers is a trope i loathe almost as much as surprise amnesia


Hollywood amnesia should always be met with scorn and contempt. Its really rare to be even remotely accurate, and is often just grounds for a creepy and exploitative relationship story (see Overboard with Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell).

Aging out of powers I don't see often, but still hate the related 'the Age of Magic has come to an end, and we must leave now.' It was pretty common in older fantasy titles I read as a kid, and I always hated it. It feels like the characters left behind got stuck with the bad ending. Rather wrecked the otherwise excellent Prydain Chronicles, which was my first fantasy series.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 05:57:46


Post by: greenskin lynn


Voss wrote:
 greenskin lynn wrote:
started to watch lockwood and co, but people aging out of their powers is a trope i loathe almost as much as surprise amnesia


Hollywood amnesia should always be met with scorn and contempt. Its really rare to be even remotely accurate, and is often just grounds for a creepy and exploitative relationship story (see Overboard with Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell).

Aging out of powers I don't see often, but still hate the related 'the Age of Magic has come to an end, and we must leave now.' It was pretty common in older fantasy titles I read as a kid, and I always hated it. It feels like the characters left behind got stuck with the bad ending. Rather wrecked the otherwise excellent Prydain Chronicles, which was my first fantasy series.


Funny enough, i think the prydain chronicles might be what started my dislike of it


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 09:29:20


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Fawlty Towers is….coming back.

Not going to lie, I’m nervous. Very, very nervous.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64563839

As with any 70’s sitcom or indeed comedy, times have moved on, and for better or worse you can’t exactly have Basil assaulting whomever is standing in for Manuel. Prunella Scales sadly won’t be in it due to serious ill health, so that’s Sybil out as well.

I’m genuinely expecting a disaster here, but as ever am open to being pleasantly surprised.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 18:43:11


Post by: Flinty


Yikes… does he have another divorce to finance or something?


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 18:46:51


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Honestly don’t know.

Very much a “hope for the best, brace for the worst”.

Thankfully, John Cleese remains a funny person. It’s just…will it translate? Or will it come across an older person who is mad at modernity?


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 18:54:00


Post by: Flinty


The end of your linked article sets out his GB News show talking about “things you may not be used to heari g”. It does not bode well.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 19:05:34


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Depends on the context.

If it’s factual, compassionate reporting, it’s definitely not what you’d be used to hearing on GB News.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/08 19:36:06


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Considering how mad John Cleese is at modernity in real life, that. It’s going to be a disaster.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/09 04:00:52


Post by: Grumpy Gnome


I am not surprised John Cleese wants to make this but I am surprised Rob Reiner does.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/09 08:31:38


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Considering how mad John Cleese is at modernity in real life, that. It’s going to be a disaster.


Depends how they channel it. And hey, comedy often Speaks Truth To Power. Perhaps in the writing of it, Mr Cleese will gain insight into why the things which irk him are happening, preventing “Old Man Yells At Cloud” outcome.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/09 18:17:18


Post by: Voss


I suspect the best outcome here is just a vehicle for nepotism.

If he just wants to shout at fake Spaniards again, its going to be a flop.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/10 12:35:13


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


The Simpsons

Gone all the way back to the beginning. Man this show used to be so good! But I’ve heard positive things about the latest season.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/10 15:21:04


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


I’ve been hearing positive things about the latest season for a decade. None of those positive things is true. My son has been watching his way through the whole series, and it’s just painful how unfunny and soulless the show is.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/11 09:38:19


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Speaking of not as funny as it used to be?

Latest episode of South Park is out, and Tolkein has a Warhammer 40,000 poster in his bedroom!

Always slightly weird as a Sad Old Git to see GW getting ever more mainstream exposure. Good weird though. Not weirdo gatekeepy creepy internet weird.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/11 15:10:55


Post by: LordofHats


 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Speaking of not as funny as it used to be?

Latest episode of South Park is out, and Tolkein has a Warhammer 40,000 poster in his bedroom!

Always slightly weird as a Sad Old Git to see GW getting ever more mainstream exposure. Good weird though. Not weirdo gatekeepy creepy internet weird.


Can't like one of the giddiest moments in my life was Archer when the episode opens with Archer and Lana going to the ISIS armory and Archer says 'they could be building a Gundam with bazooka's for hands!'

I just went 'Is Gundam popular now XD'


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/12 00:39:26


Post by: warhead01


Three-Body ep 25.
Solid. For this show it had a lot of action as the ADC raid the ETO 5 more episodes to go.
They posted all 30 a week ago but the last 9 didn't have English subs. Thankfully they are posting these episodes again but with Eng Subs as advertised.
I hope the Netflix adaptation is as good as this but better still would be an English language dub, fingers crossed. I am enjoying the episode format and pacing, it's a tad slow but it gets where it's going at a good pace. Which for this book is a good way to deal with the material being "hard" science fiction.

Big take away from this Ep, Da Shi is an absolute cowboy and he can prove it.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/12 00:52:24


Post by: Flinty


I read the first of the 3 body problem books after having had them recommended by a friend and found them to be endless exposition. It may have been poor translation, or else the author felt the need to seem more clever than the reader. I didn’t detect much character development either.

Does it work better as a tv show?


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/12 02:10:26


Post by: warhead01


I listened to them on audio book the first one was done the best so that's my point of reference. I think in 40 min chunks of story it work well. But as you already know it's not action packed at all. I feel like they added a little bit that wasn't already in the story which I see as a little bit of an improvement.

I'm watching it here.
https://www.dramacool.vip/three-body-2023/

I haven't binge watched just one or two a week. You can dip your toes in and see if you like.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/15 18:42:57


Post by: Gert


Just finished the first season of Narcos and it was really good.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/16 11:38:23


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Midsomer Murders

Still chewing through them.

This episode saw Superman rough up Walder Frey!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/16 12:37:54


Post by: The_Real_Chris


 greenskin lynn wrote:
started to watch lockwood and co, but people aging out of their powers is a trope i loathe almost as much as surprise amnesia


Aging out though is something that constantly affects us through life, your body changes. Applying that to fictional powers as well as singing with a high voice, playing rugby or trying to beat 22 year olds at Starcraft is fine.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/16 17:18:30


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


Y'know that Only Murders in the Building show everyone was raving about and saying is so good?

Turns out it's real good.

OK maybe it's just hitting a sweet spot for me of NY life and humor but I just love it.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/16 18:08:09


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


I loved it. Steve Martin is on top form.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/17 15:24:23


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Another 40K mention on South Park, specifically Dark Tide.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/19 14:06:12


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


Only Murders season 2

A bit of a stumble this season, the murder was too convoluted, like the writers were trying too hard to frustrate viewer expectations. It wasn't even 'the butler did it' it was more like 'that dude walking his dog in episode 1 did it'.

Still darn good though, 4/5


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/20 00:01:13


Post by: Azreal13


National Treasure: Edge Of Sanity History

If any movie franchise was begging to be made into a TV show with the main character replaced by a YA Latina lady, National Treasure probably wasn't it.

Wheeling in Harvey Keitel to provide a tenuous connection to the now 20 year old originals, we have experienced a more or less true to life time jump as an audience since the events of the second film, with Keitel, his health failing, concerned for the security of all the secrets he's protecting.

This show is heavily plot driven, as you may expect, so it's probably best to gloss over the details, suffice to say, there's a treasure, a passing of the torch to a character equally as capable of making bizarre leaps of logic as Nic Cage was in the originals and generally everything ricochets about with very little sense to it if you look too closely.

While it walks the line neatly between being family friendly but offering enough to keep adults entertained, it never really veers into compelling. I can best illustrate this by explaining that the penultimate episode ended on a quite significant cliffhanger, yet it took me several weeks to get around to the finale. Despite enjoying watching it when I did.

I'll happily watch season 2 if it happens, I won't lament too hard if it doesn't. Perhaps I'm just in the wrong demographic, or perhaps NT:EoH is just too vanilla to really get excited about.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/20 06:18:01


Post by: Kid_Kyoto


I only saw the first National Treasure film and remember being very disappointed when the treasure turned out to be...

A bunch of gold and jewels and stuff.

I'd kind of figured it would be a scroll with 'freedom' on it or whatever.

Cause now you've got a movie about a bunch of guys who go looking for treasure and find treasure and get rich.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/20 08:22:32


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


 Azreal13 wrote:
National Treasure: Edge Of Sanity History

If any movie franchise was begging to be made into a TV show with the main character replaced by a YA Latina lady, National Treasure probably wasn't it.

Wheeling in Harvey Keitel to provide a tenuous connection to the now 20 year old originals, we have experienced a more or less true to life time jump as an audience since the events of the second film, with Keitel, his health failing, concerned for the security of all the secrets he's protecting.

This show is heavily plot driven, as you may expect, so it's probably best to gloss over the details, suffice to say, there's a treasure, a passing of the torch to a character equally as capable of making bizarre leaps of logic as Nic Cage was in the originals and generally everything ricochets about with very little sense to it if you look too closely.

While it walks the line neatly between being family friendly but offering enough to keep adults entertained, it never really veers into compelling. I can best illustrate this by explaining that the penultimate episode ended on a quite significant cliffhanger, yet it took me several weeks to get around to the finale. Despite enjoying watching it when I did.

I'll happily watch season 2 if it happens, I won't lament too hard if it doesn't. Perhaps I'm just in the wrong demographic, or perhaps NT:EoH is just too vanilla to really get excited about.


It was a surprising slog. I reckon you could trim it down some to make a more compelling tale. Because it’s far from without merits, twists and turns. And for the most part those range from perfectly serviceable to genuinely good. But there’s so much of what seems like filler.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/20 10:09:41


Post by: Aash


I stumbled across "For All Mankind" on Apple TV recently. It really is quite good.

The premise is what if the the USSR won the race to the moon- a Soviet cosmonaut is the first man on the moon between the Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 mission, and then the show tells an alternate history from that jumping off point, focused on NASA and the way space exploration develops in response to this.

Season one is the 70s, season two is the 80s and season three is the 90s. I'm part way through season 3.

I highly recommend it, even if it does get a bit melodramatic from time to time.

Apparently season 4 is in production so I expect that will jump another decade and be set in the 00s.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/20 21:34:13


Post by: Easy E


I never figured National Treasure was good enough as a movie, much less a TV show.

However, I have heard that is has a lot of appeal with a particular segment of the population.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/20 22:59:49


Post by: LordofHats


 Easy E wrote:
I never figured National Treasure was good enough as a movie, much less a TV show.

However, I have heard that is has a lot of appeal with a particular segment of the population.


First they came for the history channel.

Now, they come for TV series adaptations of so-so Nicholas Cage movies no one has talked about in at least five years.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/20 23:41:17


Post by: Voss


 Easy E wrote:
I never figured National Treasure was good enough as a movie, much less a TV show.

However, I have heard that is has a lot of appeal with a particular segment of the population.

Most of what was wrong the movies fell into two categories:

Nick Cage
and
a really poor grasp of history and of historical records and artifacts. The idea that someone would make important documents into puzzle clues as they wrote them was... baffling.

The show almost has to be an improvement on both fronts, but I'm still afraid to watch it


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/21 01:46:41


Post by: Gitzbitah


I have watched the first episode of Animal Control- the Joel McHale vehicle. It is shockingly high in potty humor, a shock value I hope was insisted upon by Fox, and will fade after the pilot.
Anytime they have the marginally competent officers being harassed by animals was great. When they let Joel McHale spout his trademark acerbic and witty invective, it is what I was watching for. I hope the balance leans more to that in future episodes, but it is already much better than 'The Great Indoors'.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/21 06:21:56


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Corrections (Seth Meyers)

Seth Meyers’ main show is pretty average La the night comedy, but he really shines in his bits that break away from the formula, like Surprise Inspection, Tiny Secret Whispers, and sometimes Popsicle Schtick. Corrections is his insane masterpiece.

The bit began with him responding to YouTube comments correcting minor mistakes in his jokes. Then responding to corrections of his corrections. Than corrections of his corrections of his corrections. And it spun out of control.

It’s an interactive bit where he antagonizes his “Jackals” and they antagonize back. He started a feud with a knitting society, randomly harasses other former SNLmembers, mostly Andy Sanberg, and now receives creepy fan-art preying on his fear of Mac Tonight and Cue Card Wally gunning for his job. It’s the best thing in late night comedy.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/21 09:42:42


Post by: aku-chan


Arcane

Not sure why this got so much hype, it's beautifully animated but otherwise felt very generic.
Wasn't a bad series though, but hopefully a second season would follow different characters (Jinx got very annoying, very quickly).


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/21 18:00:27


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Back on Daria

I don’t want this source of comfort to have ended. But it did.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also?

As is tradition?




Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/23 21:20:00


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Babylon 5.

We finally agreed our son was ready to watch this. We started with the pilot movie, The Gathering, the TNT version without the puppets, and it’s surprising how refreshing it feels. We are partly through the first season, and the characters all feel like real, interesting people who act like professionals and handle conflict like adults. Episodes like The War Prayer and By Any Means Necessary feel even more relevant today than they were back then.


I had always remembered the first season as being slow and bad, but I’d take a thousand weak episodes like Grail or TKO over a good episode of modern Sci Fi like Picard or Obi-Wan.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/23 21:40:13


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


B5 is a thorny one for when it comes to introducing youngsters.

On one hand? It. Is. Su. Perb. Arguably the first ‘mature’ sci-fi TV show, which more than my beloved DS9 literally changed what serialise Sci-Fi could be.

Ongoing arcs! Genuine and permanent character development from trauma! Fallibility! Chaos! Disorder! No simply warping away from a pretty staggering sociopolitical situation having applied a metaphorical Elastoplast!

But…..on then other? I think I’d want to let smols see what came before. So they can better appreciate just how different and better B5 did it.

Also? Its CGI was crap at the time. Like….proper crap. I appreciate its ambition, sure. And to the best of my knowledge the first TV show to embrace pure CGI for effects. But, dear reader, I’d argue it was on the wrong side of brave/foolhardy equation.

Sure I don’t think it would be possible to do it’s ‘realistic’ space physics using models. I say ‘realistic’ as acknowledgement of my limited understanding of such. But…the CGI is still super dated.

Thankfully that’s a minor quibble in the overall wonderfulness.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/23 22:43:16


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


The CGI on the DVDs look worse than the show did on the air because of the crap transfers. However, the CGI is not an issue for any of us. I don’t know if it’s because we’re all used to Godzilla movies and low budget movies of the time, or because we have suspension of disbelief, but the effects are enjoyable for us and not a distraction.

EDIT: In my experience, children are much less discerning about special effects. Even the fakest, cheesiest monster effect can give them nightmares if all the actors take the monster seriously.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/02/25 10:19:07


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


La Brea

Weird supernatural thriller type thing.

Sinkhole opens near the La Brea tar pits. Lots of people fall in. But they’re not ded, because they instead fall through a dimensional rift type thing. But it might be a tear in time.

Mum and son fall through, Daughter and Dad didn’t. Oh and the Dad is psychic, because…reasons.

Peeps that fell through meet up, and there’s a pleasing coming together rather than mass freak out. The Wolves attack, messing up the son who is probably toast but an ambulance had fallen through and there’s a car boot full of heroin as well - which I understand to be very moreish.

A few grumbles, such as the wolves not using pack tactics and uncharacteristically attacking a mass of Strange by…..running into the middle of it. Creature effects are bit ropey too.

But you know? This is rather fun, in a hokey, sort of thing I’d watch in the 90’s of a Saturday afternoon.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/02 03:12:26


Post by: LordofHats


Nancy Drew (TV Series)

Garbage show.

All the horrible cliches of a YA television series . Stupidly overdone reactions to mundane things, sentimental idicocy, and general characters being too dumb to live. So dumb, I actually wanted them dead because jesus the characters in this show are fething dumb.

The girl in this show is too dumb to believably be a brilliant detective and too emotionally obnoxious and casually cruel to have any friends. In episode 2, she breaks into a morgue and literally steals body parts to run her own autopsy! Nancy Drew belongs in prison >.>

The most pleasant and relatable person in the show is Nancy's dad. He's the only reason I bothered to watch a few episodes instead of just one.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/04 14:55:55


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

It’s more Marvel fare, animated this time.

Gonna give it a whirl. Initial impression is…ambivalent. Which for clarity is distinctly better than Meh.

It’s very stylised art wise, and I’m not sure I’m into it. It’s definite teen/young adult target audience. But oddly, the episodes are 45 minutes long. Granted I’ve only just started the first episode, but that’s striking me as…excessive? Ambitious?

Bit reminiscent of Teen Titans I guess, which admittedly is another show I just didn’t get on with due to art style and that. But hey, as a 42 year old Grognard, im not exactly the target audience, so my opinion is almost certainly slightly less worthless than normal on this one.

Half hour in? OK I’m charmed.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Binged all the episodes. It has a serious charm I cannot explain.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/05 19:41:33


Post by: LordofHats


Nancy Drew Review 2

Alright.

It's still trash... But I honestly can't tell you why but it's trash where you watch it, hate every moment of how stupid the characters and the plot are, and are somehow entertained by the fact that you are smart enough, and sensible enough, to realize how blindingly dumb it all is.

First show where I've ever understood and appreciated hate-watching.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/06 15:42:36


Post by: Easy E


Masters of Horror

I am about half way through season 1, and moving on. I have seen stuff from Dario Argento, Stuart Gordon, Joe Dante and many, many more.

This looks like it must have been HBO or something because every story is dripping with nudity, sex, violence, with a smattering of horror too.

Like any anthology series, individual episodes vary a lot in quality. Some are more slasher horror, some more horror comedy, some are supernatural horror, and others are clearly using a Horror theme to deliver satire.

Annoyingly, the episodes are not close captioned which makes it hard for an old guy like me to hear sometimes. Lately, I have preferred to watch my shows on mute, and read the captions. Sound design and audio volumes are much too wonky for my tastes now-a-days.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/10 10:40:43


Post by: aku-chan


Hawkeye
Took two goes but I finally got through this one. It was actually pretty good once I got into it, I think I just needed a break after finishing Falcon and the Winter Soldier, so I'm going to take my time before tackling the next one (Moon Knight isn't it?).

Although I am wondering why Maya is getting her own series, she was okay in this as a minor antagonist, but I can't see what more she has to offer story-wise.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/10 15:09:26


Post by: Easy E


Probably isn't now that Iger is back in charge of Disney.


Edit: Still slogging through Masters of Horror S1. The quality varies a lot, as one would expect with this kind of show. I think Carpenter's Cigarette Burns has been the best one yet, and Tobe Hooper's Dance of the Dead has been the worst.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/10 16:42:48


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


Still watching through Babylon 5. The episode Voices of Authority hits a little too close to modern times. Hard to believe it was written almost 20 years ago.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/10 21:22:40


Post by: Kale


You mean nearer 30 years ago (2003 was 20 ago) horrible but true - makes me feel old as well as I saw it on original release in my teens!


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/10 22:36:55


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


That is what I meant. The mind really is first to go, it seems.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/12 18:57:13


Post by: Azreal13


The Bear

After the death of his brother, a highly successful chef returns to run the struggling family diner in a deprived part of Chicago.


My inner contrarian normally stops me watching anything this highly decorated on principle, but given I'm caught up on most things, I've got a little TV time available to explore so I figured I'd give this a whirl.

It's not hard to see why this has done so well at the various award ceremonies either. Having spent a few years working in commercial kitchens, I can testify to the authenticity of those scenes (especially the episode where things go wrong and everyone is losing their minds!) That authenticity is just one symptom of what is a cleverly observed and artfully crafted show.

It's important to emphasise how strongly character driven this is, there's some elements of story, but those who like to follow a strong plot are likely to be disappointed. With the limited locations, heavy focus on character, how those various characters and all their faults interact and exploration of big themes grief, doubt and insecurity The Bear could almost work as a series of short plays.

For all the things it does well, and the list is long, I struggled to love this show. I was entertained by it, sure, and I can respect the level of technical excellence both in front and behind the camera, but the characters on show are so flawed, and so well observed, it kinda made it difficult to root for any of them completely. That said, it's easy to argue that the whole of the show is about the cast struggling with that very same thing, and certainly as that moved towards a resolution towards the end, I also found myself moving in the same direction. Season 2 has already been commissioned, and there's little doubt that I'll be watching as soon as it drops.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/13 14:31:02


Post by: Easy E


I enjoyed The Bear a lot as a survivor of Kitchen work and food prep entrepreneurship.

A show I also think really nails the atmosphere of a work place is Superstore. A completely different tone, but still a mostly character driven comedy series about working at a Wal-mart type store. As a survivor of that as well, this shows nails it pretty well.

Despite my workplace drive above, I have never watched more than 1 episode of The Office (either version) despite also being a survivor of working in one of those too.

Now, what show is about working in a Distribution Center? That is the next workplace comedy of our time.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/13 19:59:56


Post by: Henry


The Last of Us

Yeah, there's a thread dedicated to this show, but here's some general views. I was close to giving up on this show by the end of the second episode as it didn't seem to have anything interesting going for it. Then we had the gay third episode which convinced me to stick with it and fortunately that marked an uptick in theme.

A man and a girl-coming-into-womanhood going on a journey is not an original concept. The show doesn't focus too much on its mushroom zombies as there is a clear intent that it is the relationship we should care about. This is no bad thing but I think this interaction has been done better. A favourite of mine is Upright, a series by Tim Minchin that also explores a broken older guy escorting a tween girl across country. I think that series is much more capable at what TLOU is trying to be. Later on I'm also reminded of the film Leon.

This isn't to say it's not a worthwhile series. The last couple of episodes are particularly good at clarifying motivations for the two leads that were not obvious early on. Ellie's seemingly sociopathic stabbing of an infected in an early episode is made more sympathetic when we are given a deeper understanding of her history.

I do like this show and I think if the second season doesn't succumb to the producers making everything bigger, louder, more expensive, then the second season should also be good for the money.

But if you like to see a better series of misplaced man and girl going on a journey of discovery then I do recommend the first season of Upright ("I, wanna swing: from the chandelier!").


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/15 01:28:52


Post by: Gert


Transformers: Earthspark
Another block of episodes down.
It's still good but the way P+ is releasing this show is absolutely bananas. Block chunks rather than weekly and the release schedule is seemingly just "Oh we forgot we had this show, quick put up like four episodes".


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/18 01:42:48


Post by: Easy E


Finished Masters of Horror S1.

Cigarette Burns by Carpenter was the best for sure. There were a couple of other interesting episodes:

- Haeckel's Tale- From Mick Garris but based on a Wes Craven story

- Imprint - A japanese themed horror

- Deer Woman - A monster from American Folklore. Kind of a disappointing ending.

- Jenifer - By Argento and very Italian with an obvious twist, but I still enjoyed it.

Not so good was:

- Dance of the Dead- By Tobe Hooper. Way too 90's for me.

- Homecoming- By Joe Dante. It was like getting hit with the allegory hammer.

- Sick Girl- Super obvious and a fast forwarded through most of it.


The rest were fine, but not great.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/18 03:39:16


Post by: trexmeyer


Watched the first three episodes of Wednesday. It's mostly fine, but there are some instances of poor writing. Not related to that, but I really dislike Bianca if only because a girl with close-cropped hair would never be the "it girl" in anything remotely resembling modern society. The actress for her isn't any worse than Tyler, Rowan, or other secondary characters, but Enid and Wednesday seem much better than the rest of the cast.

Edit: Finished Wednesday. It's far better than Sabrina IMO. Joy Sunday (Bianca) is pretty without the contacts in the show, but I don't like her acting. The white guys (Xavier, Tyler) are really quite awful.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/18 13:44:32


Post by: LordofHats


County Fire

I heard the firefighters hated it so I wanted to see what was what.

*main characters acting like absolute fething morons being treated as heroes*

Okay yeah that explains it. Drama's pretty good though gotta say. In the cheap 'what stupid thing are characters going to be stupid about this week' sort of way. Gonna go get some popcorn.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/20 13:53:51


Post by: Easy E


As Baby Boomers age, I am becoming more convinced that the next great Medical Drama (Like ER, St. Elsewhere, etc.) should be set in a Nursing Home.

That or the next great office comedy ala Superstore, The Office, etc. Either one would work just fine.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/20 14:55:33


Post by: BobtheInquisitor


The Boomers already have Golden Girls.

I say they make a sitcom for Zoomers, about four gig employees sharing half a studio apartment.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/22 14:34:22


Post by: StraightSilver


Narcos

I can't believe it's taken me so long to get around to watching this series, it's been on my list for what feels like forever. It's very good, the casting is great and the mix of real footage really sells it.

I would say Seasons 1&2 are far superior to Season 3 though and you can honestly skip Season 3 if you wanted to (as although a continuation of the story, it's a different story).


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/22 23:33:26


Post by: warhead01


Youtube has been recommending clips from The Blacklist. I'm about 10 episodes into the first seasons and I am enjoying it a fair bit. It reminds me of the GIJOE comics for some reason. Something about the plots and how it's put together.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/24 23:24:46


Post by: Turnip Jedi


x-23 in Bizarro Narnia aka His Dark Materials

I came to the books lale as was picking up any old fantasy whilst another author, lets call him George, was taking his well earned victory lap

Really liked the world building of book 1 but felt the later books was diminishing returns, although if teen Turnip had read them they might have been the best thing ever

The TV show if pretty faithful in that regard and whilst it changed a lot of things I sort of felt Mr Pullman was sort of making it up as he went along so none of the changes bugged me (although having the fairy spies have their dragonflys would have been cool)

The cast is solid with young Ms Keen putting in a good turn (even if Lyra got smoothed out a bit for telly) and TV Serrafina being very easy on the eye

The FX are a mixed bag, I think a lot of the money rightly went on the deamons who are stunning and I even felt a bit bad for the evil Monkey with its human-like expressions, meaning some of the others was a tad Dr Who level

Overall its worth a watch

6/10





Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/27 07:37:15


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Time Team

Classic and new, on YouTube.

I cannot explain just how much I adore this show. I’ve always been interested in archaeology, and my primary schooling involved lots of stuff about Roman Britain.

Time Team makes it all so accessible. Whilst it doesn’t go into detail to academics may find it a bit too light? It’s not over simplified. The difference between accepting and knowing your audience isn’t particularly knowledgeable, but not treating them as if they’re stupid.

Hosts (classic is Sir Tony Robinson) act as surrogates for the audience. When a find is…erm…found, and explained? The host’s job is to task “but that’s just a shard of pot, how do you know it’s X”.

You also get expert predictions on what might be found, sometimes they’re on the money, other times just flat out wrong.

The original series ran for many years, and provided extra fascination in retrospect as you see the tools used develop over the years.

I can’t imagine it’s region locked on YouTube, so I heartily recommend you give it a whirl if you haven’t already.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/30 20:48:29


Post by: LordofHats


A new addition to the genre of independent internet animation following Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel;




I can't tell if the lingering skeletons for the characters you can see are a deliberate choice or an error in post but I don't really like them. They're a giant flaring flag that you're watching something and it sucked me out of the story at times.

Other than that, I liked it.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/03/31 22:06:33


Post by: Azreal13


Shrinking

A therapist starts to move on with his life as a single father after the death of his wife.

Not the most compelling synopsis for a comedy show, which is why I was a little slow on the uptake with this one, but the reality is that it knocks home runs all over the park.

Starting with the casting, which is on the money from top to bottom, but Harrison Ford as Jason Segel's grumpy mentor/boss/business partner is one of the most inspired choices since Robert Downey put on a gold and red flying suit.

Ford alone is worth the watch, his dry and deadpan delivery perfectly matching his real life demeanor. I doubt he's acting too hard, but it doesn't really matter.

You're not going to find much here if you like your comedy angry and edgy, but this show is littered with experienced talent and excellent newcomers, all supported by a witty script that's by turns funny and heartwarming.

Apple TV seems to be gradually building a stable of comedies that manage to be entertaining without being cynical, and while this may not quite match the mightyTed, it isn't far from it.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/01 02:04:05


Post by: warhead01


Just finished season two of The Black List this week.
It's been fun. different complaints from season one if I were to have any. But the fun out weighed any negatives. Hopefully I will have time for season three next month.

It still reminds me of the GIJOE comics as far as the level of plot and how characters are related or relate to one another. I especially like seeing the same mercenaries in Reddington's employ turning up every so often. I like that it implies his organization is there in the background and larger than I would have expected from a TV show. Good stuff.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/03 02:27:38


Post by: ccs


Marvel's Runaways.
I came across this the other day scrolling through my D+.
I vaguely remember hearing this was on Hulu a few years ago. I didn't have Hulu at the time & forgot all about it.....
And comics wise? All I know about it is it's some teen team with a girl who has a pet raptor.

So, knowing nothing about the series or its source?
I've found Season 1 pretty entertaining as far as Marvel tv/D+ entries go.

I'm sure if I were a fan of the comics I'd find some fault with how they translated it to the screen. But I'm not, so whatever they changed is ok with me.



Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/05 20:00:54


Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


Fashionably late to the party.

The Last of Us.

Haven’t played the games. Know virtually nothing about it before watching. But this is a really, really solid show.

Our two leads of course have charisma for days. And it’s overall just really entertaining. Elements and influences from its genre, not least The Walking Dead. But it feels a wee bit more grounded, like the motivations of hero and villain are more character and not caricature.

Sadly only at Dad’s where I’m watching it tonight, but will definitely be getting it once I’m home.


Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/10 20:22:19


Post by: Bilge Rat


I just watched the latest episode of South Park featuring a Warhammer 40k game. I have some notes.

  • Stan's Adepta Sororitas codex shows inaccurate cover artwork. It can't be an old codex because he is using modern units like the Triumph of Saint Katherine.
  • Tolkien has a Raven Guard codex. There is no such thing, and never has been. He could have the Raven Guard codex supplement but he would still need a Space Marines codex for the unit stats he is quoting.
  • Stan has at least three Repentia Superior models, all standing close together. The main purpose of this unit is to buff Sisters Repentia, so it makes no sense to have this many, nor to keep them together if he did.
  • Tolkien has an unpainted Primaris biker model. For the sake of a single model he is going to lose 10 easy points at the end of the game because he does not have a fully battle ready army.
  • Stan rolls to hit Tolkien's Stormhawk Interceptor with his Retributor Squad but does not roll to wound as he should. His weapons are only strength four (see below) versus toughness seven, so this makes a significant difference.
  • Stan manages to land five hits on the Stormhawk Interceptor. He only appears to have five (or fewer?) models in the unit, and they are clearly not within rapid fire range. The Stormhawk has a -1 to be hit thanks to its Airborne rule so the chance of landing five hits with five shots is a mere 1/32.
  • Tolkien rolls 3+ armour saves for his Stormhawk Interceptor, suggesting that Stan's attack had AP 0. This means that Stan equipped his Retributer squad entirely with regular boltguns. It makes no tactical sense to bring Retributors with no heavy weapons.
  • Whist Randy is ranting Tolkien picks up a Repentia Superior model. This model is part of Stan's army so it is poor etiquette for Tolkien to handle it without permission.
  • After Randy talks for approximately 40 seconds Stan mentions having a 6+ invulnerable save due to Celestine's 'Saintly Blessings' aura. We should still be in Stan's shooting phase, so why is he making saves?
  • Many hours of play later, Stan moves some Penitent Engines. These short range units are still in his deployment zone accomplishing nothing, and shuffling each of them a couple of inches forward at this stage is pointless.
  • Stan then claims that he is in the 'psyker phase', by which he presumably means the 'psyCHIC phase'. In any case, why is he repositioning his models in the psychic phase?
  • Stan says that he has five psyker units, but The Adepta Sororitas have no models with the PSYKER keyword. Also, five psykers is far more than all but a handful of specialist armies would have.

  • I can only hope that someone was fired for those rather obvious blunders.



    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/10 20:26:25


    Post by: nels1031


     Bilge Rat wrote:

    I can only hope that someone was fired for those rather obvious blunders.


    Get a change.org petition going, I'll sign.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/12 22:35:31


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    So, Gremlins is getting a HBO Max animated series. And here’s the trailer.




    I’m…oddly not hype.

    I bloody love the two films. They’re great little Horror Comedies, and have aged pretty well, the sequel which is so 80’s it hurts surprisingly so. And I’d have much preferred another movie or live action series.

    This is however clearly aimed at a younger market, and being 42, nearly 43 it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, let alone myself, a kids cartoon feels of limited appeal. Indeed it’s the sort of self observation which largely renders my opinion pointless. I might as well complain Insert Hip Hop Record Here isn’t exactly Punk Music, and lacks that sound I love. They’re two different things, and one not being the other doesn’t make that one inherently crap (unless you’re 50 Cent, in which case you are crap. You big goon you).

    Upside? If this does well, and demonstrates there is a market for Gremlins still? Perhaps a movie will follow. And given how standards and Pearl Clutching has changed since the 80’s, not a lot would need to be toned down, if anything. Even the old lady being comically murdered? Yeah I was surprisingly old when I found out she was meant to have been killed, so it wasn’t exactly graphic,


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/14 23:15:14


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Space Precinct

    Cropped up on BritBox, figured I’d give it a whirl.

    It’s a good deal better than I recall from when wee me first saw it. Makeup and prosthetics are pretty solid. Effects are really good for its age and budget, only really falling down with explosions, as it’s clear it’s a miniature or model being detonated. But that’s about as far as we need to suspend our disbelief.

    Give it a watch if you get the chance.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/15 13:09:31


    Post by: LordofHats


    Deadwood

    Decided to rewatch this old western show.

    And I found it was very boring once you get past the masterclass performances of most of the actors.

    I don't remember it being like that but really. Especially after all the build-up leading to the first big death in the show, you'd think the series would be set to run wild on its plot but it doesn't.

    Across 3 seasons and a movie, very much of nothing much actually happens in this series. The vast majority of the screen time is spent on actors chewing characterization like pros to the effect of a plot that just never really goes anywhere.

    It's not bad really. The acting and the characters are all great and compelling with many scenes to show just how good they area.

    But that's all there really is in this show.

    Even after rewatching the series all the way through, I couldn't for the life of me tell you what actually happens in it except lots of swearing, lots of vulgar people in a vulgar place, and and that's it.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/18 04:07:22


    Post by: Kid_Kyoto


    Agent Carter

    Starting Agent Carter on D+, Jazz Age superhero spy stuff with Captain America's girlfriend and Iron Man's dad, and the Vision's voice. I think I'm gonna like it.

    Carter sharing a NY apartment with a Murphy bed that she has to share with a girl who works night shifts alone is worth the price of admission. The most realistic bit of NY real estate I've seen on TV.

    Not nearly enough people smoking though.


    Automatically Appended Next Post:
     Bilge Rat wrote:
    I just watched the latest episode of South Park featuring a Warhammer 40k game. I have some notes.

  • Stan's Adepta Sororitas codex shows inaccurate cover artwork. It can't be an old codex because he is using modern units like the Triumph of Saint Katherine.
  • Tolkien has a Raven Guard codex. There is no such thing, and never has been. He could have the Raven Guard codex supplement but he would still need a Space Marines codex for the unit stats he is quoting.
  • Stan has at least three Repentia Superior models, all standing close together. The main purpose of this unit is to buff Sisters Repentia, so it makes no sense to have this many, nor to keep them together if he did.
  • Tolkien has an unpainted Primaris biker model. For the sake of a single model he is going to lose 10 easy points at the end of the game because he does not have a fully battle ready army.
  • Stan rolls to hit Tolkien's Stormhawk Interceptor with his Retributor Squad but does not roll to wound as he should. His weapons are only strength four (see below) versus toughness seven, so this makes a significant difference.
  • Stan manages to land five hits on the Stormhawk Interceptor. He only appears to have five (or fewer?) models in the unit, and they are clearly not within rapid fire range. The Stormhawk has a -1 to be hit thanks to its Airborne rule so the chance of landing five hits with five shots is a mere 1/32.
  • Tolkien rolls 3+ armour saves for his Stormhawk Interceptor, suggesting that Stan's attack had AP 0. This means that Stan equipped his Retributer squad entirely with regular boltguns. It makes no tactical sense to bring Retributors with no heavy weapons.
  • Whist Randy is ranting Tolkien picks up a Repentia Superior model. This model is part of Stan's army so it is poor etiquette for Tolkien to handle it without permission.
  • After Randy talks for approximately 40 seconds Stan mentions having a 6+ invulnerable save due to Celestine's 'Saintly Blessings' aura. We should still be in Stan's shooting phase, so why is he making saves?
  • Many hours of play later, Stan moves some Penitent Engines. These short range units are still in his deployment zone accomplishing nothing, and shuffling each of them a couple of inches forward at this stage is pointless.
  • Stan then claims that he is in the 'psyker phase', by which he presumably means the 'psyCHIC phase'. In any case, why is he repositioning his models in the psychic phase?
  • Stan says that he has five psyker units, but The Adepta Sororitas have no models with the PSYKER keyword. Also, five psykers is far more than all but a handful of specialist armies would have.

  • I can only hope that someone was fired for those rather obvious blunders.



    "Uh, yeah, well, whenever you notice something like that... a wizard did it."

    South Park is obviously set in a parallel universe where 9th edition took a different turn.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/18 15:28:32


    Post by: Easy E


    I really liked Season1 of Agent Carter (With the exception of the Howling Commandoes episode) but Season 2 suffered from trying to tie into Agents of Shield at the time. Not bad per se, but just not as good either.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/18 22:54:07


    Post by: warhead01


    Just finished watching Mr. Inbetween.
    I enjoyed it. Ray is an interesting character and he's put through an emotional wringer as the show goes on. His expressions tell quite a story.
    He doesn't like his job, being a hit man, but he does it and is good at it. I enjoyed that he ends up with jobs he finds very distasteful and he knows how bad they are . He's a very human character. His friends surprised me at first Gaz seems like a puts but turns out to be far ore competent that I suspected and he even saves the day in one episode which was very cool.
    It also shows the complicated if convoluted world of crime and how many different relationships there are in that world.
    Oh, and Ray also tried to be a good father to his daughter, he struggles but he keeps trying to be a good dad to her, his own having been a pos to him.
    It's worth the ride I think. I enjoyed it quite a bit and the last scene at the end of the series, the sick smile on Rays face just before the credits roll. Worth it.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/19 08:14:56


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    More new Beavis and Butthead tomorrow on Paramount+. Far from everyone’s cup of tea, but I adore it.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/20 11:06:44


    Post by: warhead01


     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    More new Beavis and Butthead tomorrow on Paramount+. Far from everyone’s cup of tea, but I adore it.

    I think Ep 19 - The Dangerous game, was my favorite episode this season.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/20 11:48:24


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Still not up in the U.K. :(

    I need my Moronathon, dammit!


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/20 12:04:14


    Post by: warhead01


     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    Still not up in the U.K. :(

    I need my Moronathon, dammit!


    Keep an eye out for it. I was wrong it's Ep 21. It's brilliant. I really want to spoil it for you it's that good.

    What did you think of the one where they were trapped in a box for a week?


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/20 12:05:54


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Loved it!


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/22 18:58:00


    Post by: Azreal13


    Luther

    Many of my friends and family will tell you I'm not a fan of British crime dramas. They just all seem to be about middle aged men in dirty raincoats, wringing their hands about the mess their personal life is in (entirely of their own creation) and at some point a murder gets accidentally solved.

    So it was very much against usual taste that I entirely voluntarily started watching Luther, a show featuring one of the most famous dirty raincoats, on BBC iPlayer some 4 years after the show finished.

    It was even more surprising that I loved nearly every minute of it.

    I think because the show twists your typical crime drama into something more over the top, more twisted it sets itself apart from the humdrum. Additionally the audience is shown early in season 1 that no character is untouchable and you can't assume the motives of others are what they appear, allowing the show to keep the tension levels up.

    Elba's Luther, and his complicated relationship with Ruth Wilson's Alice, echoing a Holmes and Moriarty pattern, is the meat of much of the show, but for me the real stars are the grotesque villains that come and go every few episodes. Bordering on comic book, London would be a warzone if their body counts were even vaguely accurate. As with many shows and movies though, it's the quality of the opposition that ultimately sets the ceiling, and this is where Luther sets itself apart.



    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/23 11:02:28


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Back on The Last of Us, having bought it.

    How good is Ellie as a character and actress?

    Bella Ramsey of course impressed in Game of Thrones. But as with many very young actors and actresses, that could’ve been a One And Done bit of brilliance.

    But here she is again, exuding the same ridiculous charisma we saw in GoT, and Catherine Called Birdie.

    Here’s hoping for a full and fulfilling career for her, because she’s great!


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/24 21:46:16


    Post by: nels1031


    Currently watching the 4th and last season of HBO's Succession.

    Didn't care for this show when it first started because nearly everyone is an donkey-cave out for themselves and I didn't know who I was supposed to root for. But then I learned that you really aren't supposed to root for them. One character was sympathetic because he was a newcomer to the family business, but even he has been corrupted in his own awkward way. Just watch them betray each other and treat each other terribly.

    Its definitely a show that has run its course and is thankfully ending. After a genuinely shocking death of a central character, a good portion of what made the show great is now gone. Now it's back to what made the initial half of the first season so awesome.

    Still got a few more episodes left and I'm going to stick it out.

    I give this show 3.5 of 5 stars. Hopefully they can give us a satisfying ending.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/24 22:18:52


    Post by: BobtheInquisitor


    That sounds like a tough watch. I have trouble sitting through a Jerry Springer episode—three seasons with an entire cast of unlikeable characters sounds aggravating.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/25 04:19:30


    Post by: nels1031


     BobtheInquisitor wrote:
    That sounds like a tough watch. I have trouble sitting through a Jerry Springer episode—three seasons with an entire cast of unlikeable characters sounds aggravating.


    Dialogue is pretty funny though. Brian Cox goes full throttle.

    They are unlikeable, but there are times where I root for them or feel sorry for some of them when they are at their lowest moments.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/25 06:11:09


    Post by: Henry


    Over all I give it a higher rating than that, though the third season wasn't particularly good. The fourth season is back up to quality. I feel it's a show that needs to be watched as it came out, you certainly couldn't binge watch it. You need savour the consequences of each episode's exchanges.

    The love for the show has been in their interactions, which are all complex. The father with the grown children, the daughter and her ambitious husband, that same husband with the naive nephew, the younger son with the lady executive. One of my favourite relationships is between the daughter and the youngest son, of all the people they seem to have the least trouble being open and caring (in a competitive sibling fashion) with each other.

    Because there is no simplistic narrative of good and bad guy, it's the deeply human part of these troubled people that compels the watching. Yes they're all horrible, but this isn't anything like a Jerry Springer show where we're supposed to pantomime boo hiss the losers on stage.

    Plus "Are you asking if you can blackmail me?" had me rolling with laughter. In this show, when the comedy is good it is really good.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/25 14:43:36


    Post by: Easy E


     BobtheInquisitor wrote:
    That sounds like a tough watch. I have trouble sitting through a Jerry Springer episode—three seasons with an entire cast of unlikeable characters sounds aggravating.


    Me too. I just want this phase of "Peak TV" to end. I am tired of watching terrible people do terrible things to each other.
    If I wanted to see that, I would just wake up and look outside, interact with my community, and go to work.....

    Oh, I guess I know why this type of TV show does not appeal to me at all.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/25 15:26:24


    Post by: BobtheInquisitor


    I think we’re on the same page. I worked retail for years when I was younger, and lost my appetite for crappy people being crappy to each other.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/04/25 16:33:01


    Post by: nels1031


     Easy E wrote:
    I just want this phase of "Peak TV" to end. I am tired of watching terrible people do terrible things to each other.


    Although I don't feel like I've been watching much TV since the lockdowns, so I'm probably not as sick of it as you, I can definitely agree. I haven't finished (and probably won't) the last part of Ozark jut because its constant tension/drama. There's always some new threat on the horizon. That can only last so long before it just feels... draining.

    I have to use Ted Lasso clips on youtube as a palette cleanse after a few of these shows out there.

    Though I don't think the "terrible things/people" subgenre is going away any time soon. People love them some drama!

    But what separates Succession from alot of shows is that it is hilarious at times, which makes it much better then another show on HBOmax called Industry, which is straight up just office/financial/family drama start to finish with little to no humor and about to get a 3rd(or 4th?) season that hopefully is the last (in my opinion).


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/01 21:37:19


    Post by: Easy E


    Masters of Horrors: S2
    This is not as strong as season one, and they clearly toned down the nudity and sex. I see is at as a downgrade of S1 but I have not finished all of S2 yet, I am about half-way through. It feels like this season is not as finished or polished as S1. Needs some more work in editing and the writer's room to really make them hit.

    John Carpenter's S1 entry was stellar, but S2 is not. Tobe Hooper's S2 entry is much better, and perhaps my favorite one so far.


    Lovecraft Country

    I started this on TUBI and have been very interested in where this is going. The through line from episodes 1-4 is tentative at best.

    However, the characters are cracking, the setting is cracking, the acting is cracking, and the subtext..... so juicy and delicious.

    Warning:
    If the idea of Critical Race Theory sets you off, please avoid this at all costs. The show is basically built on the idea of contrasting the bad things in our history with HPL horror, and to be honest; it is not clear which the show thinks is worse. I am finding it fascinating.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/01 22:57:16


    Post by: BobtheInquisitor


    Star Trek TNG

    We needed something to watch following Babylon 5. TNG might have been a mistake. My son kept complaining about how boring it is, so we showed him Best of Both Worlds pt 1 just before bedtime. He’ll have to wait two whole days for pt 2.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/02 08:29:53


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Up to S9 of SG-1.

    This really is quite the Masterclass in introducing new main cast members to a long running show about as seamlessly as possible.

    Mitchel and Vala both enjoy early focus, which allows the new team dynamic to grow fairly organically.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/02 09:21:53


    Post by: Kid_Kyoto


    I Am Not Okay With This (Netflix)

    OK I watched this ONLY because Sophia Lillis was cute as the druid in the D&D movie. I am not proud of this fact but I bring it up in the interest of full disclosure.

    Syd is a high school girl struggling with her father's suicide, her family's poverty, her best friend getting boobs before she did, bisexuality, oh and dawning psychic abilities that let her trash rooms and wreck stuff.

    Slow, sloooow, sloooooooow build to a conclusion that was supposed to lead into season 2 but oppsie, cancelled.

    Not bad per se, but not really worth seeking out. Obviously a season 2 would help.

    Based on a B&W indie comic which is free with my Kindle subscription so might check that out.


    Automatically Appended Next Post:
     BobtheInquisitor wrote:
    Star Trek TNG

    We needed something to watch following Babylon 5. TNG might have been a mistake. My son kept complaining about how boring it is, so we showed him Best of Both Worlds pt 1 just before bedtime. He’ll have to wait two whole days for pt 2.


    He's luckier than we were waiting a whole summer!


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/02 10:17:00


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Been watching historical TV Burp on YouTube.

    It’s a sorely missed show. But I understand why Mr Harry moved on.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/02 13:49:02


    Post by: The_Real_Chris


     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    Up to S9 of SG-1.

    This really is quite the Masterclass in introducing new main cast members to a long running show about as seamlessly as possible.

    Mitchel and Vala both enjoy early focus, which allows the new team dynamic to grow fairly organically.


    Well if anything the cast doesn't change rapidly enough. Anyone familiar with military posting and promotion systems would be baffled how they stay in post so long.

    Which leads to one of the greatest duffleblog headlines.
    https://www.duffelblog.com/p/captain-america-moved-to-staff-position


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/02 14:20:12


    Post by: Kid_Kyoto




    I know for a fact that Private Steven Rogers never went to OTS.

    #stolenvalor


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/03 23:12:14


    Post by: Easy E


    Masters of Horror: S2

    So, remember when I said they turned down the sex and nudity. Well, S2 just made a liar out of me. The episode titled Pelts.... well.... they cranked it up to 11. Actually, a pretty effective little episode and one of my favorites so far BUT it still suffers from the predictability of the previous episodes.

    The Screwfly Experiment is also a decent episode as well. Much better than Dante's original entry in S1 which was basically hitting me over the head with a political hammer. This one still has plenty of sub-text about polotical (This time about Sexism) but is just a tad less hammer-y. However, it is hovering right there above me, just beyond my reach.

    I am about half-way through S2 now.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/05 20:50:13


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Inside No.9

    A show I inexplicably always manage to forget is a thing. I put it down to me not having terrestrial TV, so I often miss out on BBC stuff being released.

    I really enjoy this show. Every series you get a mix of outright macabre, black comedy and even fairly experimental fare. Absolutely cracking stuff.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/08 09:34:55


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    The Cleaner

    British remake of a German comedy. Greg Davies (one of my favourite comedians) stars as a crime scene cleaner. The comedy arises from his interactions with friends and neighbours of the deceased.

    Dialogue heavy with the odd pratfall. Very human overall.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/08 09:42:39


    Post by: Tsagualsa


     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    The Cleaner

    British remake of a German comedy. Greg Davies (one of my favourite comedians) stars as a crime scene cleaner. The comedy arises from his interactions with friends and neighbours of the deceased.

    Dialogue heavy with the odd pratfall. Very human overall.


    I watched the german original, imaginatively named 'Der Tatortreiniger', i.e. 'The crime scene cleaner' - much like other german fan-favourites like Stromberg etc., it works mostly by cringe humour and situational awkwardness instead of flat-out jokes. Does the remake keep that up, or is a bit more mainstreamed?


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/08 09:50:34


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    I think that’s a fair description. Not forced cringe, just social awkwardness cringe.

    The Cleaner is kind of the straight man. I think.

    I dunno, this is really hard to describe. But it is enjoyable.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/08 11:17:01


    Post by: warhead01


    Black list season three.
    Thoughts shortly. Roller coaster so far. Not sure how killing off a main character before the end of a season works as previews are a thing. So well see how it goes.

    Just finished the season yesterday evening. A predictable twist I suppose. Enjoyable over all and another fun twist for Tom Keen's character which will be fun to see followed up on.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/08 11:20:18


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    OK, got more of a feel for this.]

    On first impression, The Cleaner really just wants to be left alone to get on with his job. But, as (somewhat inexplicably) the home owner is present, he can’t help but get caught up in their life.

    In a sense, he’s helping them clean themselves by being a sounding board. And in the mix he learns a little about himself. Despite being quite antagonistic at first, it’s revealed he at least tried to to be a Good Man.

    It’s a pretty gentle comedy, and I’m really enjoying it.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/08 15:08:01


    Post by: Henry


    This weekend, TV broadcast the latest in the handing over of power of a dysfunctional dynasty of undeservedly over-privileged, rich, obnoxious people.

    But I chose to watch Succession instead.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/08 23:46:04


    Post by: nels1031


     Henry wrote:
    But I chose to watch Succession instead.


    Might’ve been a top 3 episode, for me!

    Tom and Shiv finally battling it out was great. As was the usual scheming, mockery and corporate lingo.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/09 06:52:42


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Jonthan Creek

    For me, the televisual equivalent of a bowl of homemade soup on a chill autumn’s afternoon, a Labrador snoozing in the corner.

    It’s just…satisfying.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/09 14:14:17


    Post by: Easy E


    Lovecraft County

    I finished the 10 episode series, and it ends. The ending is fine and works, but I am sure many people will have wanted a whole lot more from it.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/11 18:02:41


    Post by: Inquisitor Kallus


     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    The Cleaner

    British remake of a German comedy. Greg Davies (one of my favourite comedians) stars as a crime scene cleaner. The comedy arises from his interactions with friends and neighbours of the deceased.

    Dialogue heavy with the odd pratfall. Very human overall.


    Good series, not his best work but entertaining.

    Fun fact, one episode (with the lady in the wheelchair) was filmed in my home town of Windsor. I was walking back home and saw they were filming for a few weeks then watched the series later on and realised it was that


    Automatically Appended Next Post:
    The Darling Buds of May

    Great series set in beautiful rural Kent. It tells the story of the Larkin family and their life on Home Farm. Genuinely feel good family viewing with David Jason and Pam Ferris as Ma and Pa Larkin. Comedy, hi-jinks and genuinely warm moments as the family are visited by a tax inspector whose life is about to change.

    One of my favourite series from 1991 that I revisit every so often. Perfick


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/11 18:25:56


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Fun fact in return!

    Darling Buds of May was filmed not terribly far from me, in and around the village of Pluckley. Which is reputed to be England’s most haunted village.

    Been there a few times for Halloween shenanigans. Had a couple of happenings I can’t fully explain (which as ever is not to say they’re therefore inexplicable or supernatural)


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/11 18:34:14


    Post by: Inquisitor Kallus


     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    Fun fact in return!

    Darling Buds of May was filmed not terribly far from me, in and around the village of Pluckley. Which is reputed to be England’s most haunted village.

    Been there a few times for Halloween shenanigans. Had a couple of happenings I can’t fully explain (which as ever is not to say they’re therefore inexplicable or supernatural)


    Wonderful, i've always wanted to go there at some point. Home Farm was available for holiday stays for a while but sadly no longer.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/11 18:40:06


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    It is a really picturesque part of the county.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/11 23:26:30


    Post by: LordofHats


     Easy E wrote:
    Lovecraft County

    I finished the 10 episode series, and it ends. The ending is fine and works, but I am sure many people will have wanted a whole lot more from it.


    This was true of the book too imo. It's not bad, far from it. But it's very much a 'I think this could have been more than it was' thing.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/12 15:59:53


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Viz Top Tips

    A show for idiots of a certain vintage and comedic persuasion. Now on Amazon Prime - though originally released on VHS decades ago.

    I am of that persuasion. And I bloody love this. Two of my favourite slapstick surrealists presenting idiocy from Britain’s Favourite, Most Five Weekliest, Sweariest Grin Mag.


    Automatically Appended Next Post:
    1,000 Ways To Die

    Ropey, probably wildly factually inaccurate, but fun.

    However, could be made infinitely better by having it narrated by Death from Horrible Histories, and not Ron Perlman.

    No disrespect to Mr Perlman.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/13 17:28:53


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Eurovision in a bit.

    I’m soon to have beer and snacks. Maybe I’ll expose myself to the idiocy.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/14 18:32:37


    Post by: Turnip Jedi


     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    Eurovision in a bit.

    I’m soon to have beer and snacks. Maybe I’ll expose myself to the idiocy.


    2nd to last, darn it I had it down as 3rd from last, still of the mind we should just send whatevers left of the Worzels each year


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/14 19:42:46


    Post by: Olthannon


    Part way through watching a spooky French detective show called The Black Spot on Netflix. Lots of good mind bending twists and weird cult stuff.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/25 14:41:30


    Post by: warhead01


    Just finished watching Goblin Slayer again and the Goblin Crown "movie".
    I recall it got a lot of hate for the so called graphic nature but having grown up on anime from the 80's and so on this was really tame.
    I very much enjoyed the ride. Look forward to a second season maybe late this year or next year I can't remember which.

    I enjoy that they do a lot of things players in a DnD game might do including weaponizing mundane things of spells one might first overlook as a solid tool.
    I'm really hoping they get into some of the other material at some point there's a lot of neat stuff in there to pull from.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/26 18:00:30


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


     Turnip Jedi wrote:
     Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
    Eurovision in a bit.

    I’m soon to have beer and snacks. Maybe I’ll expose myself to the idiocy.


    2nd to last, darn it I had it down as 3rd from last, still of the mind we should just send whatevers left of the Worzels each year


    Mate. We should just send Iron Maiden. Or Sigue Sigue Sputnik. Or literally any of the hundreds of really decent bands the U.K. had produced.

    We can totes put Simon Cowell in a Wickerman too. For authenticity. And just on general principle. Video killed the Radio Star, but Mr Cowell defiled the corpse.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/29 17:50:31


    Post by: Henry


    Succession

    I get that watching a group of unpleasant people is not a draw for many viewers, but for me this was a magnificent piece of writing. Season 3 was a low, but looking back I can see that it was building family acrimony in a natural way rather than a "oh, she's a crazy queen who is now going to slaughter a whole city's population without us building up to it" that some other program's last season fall victim to. Season 4 is absolutely perfect for me, with the last two episodes both being exquisite. The season long pay off with the daughter's pregnancy is a screen writing jewel.

    Some great shows present a last episode that leaves the viewer underwhelmed. In Succession we aren't given anything fantastical to send us off but the resolution is about as perfect as can be written. For me it is the only conclusion that was plausible and they played it well.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/30 00:30:14


    Post by: H.B.M.C.


    Treason

    Five-part British series on Netflix starring none other than Daredevil himself: Charlie Cox. Plus also Oona Chaplain, Olga Kurylenko and Ciaran Hinds.

    Starts with the head of MI6 (Hinds) being poisoned, leading to his deputy (Cox) being elevated to the position, after which the Russian ex-spy (Kurylenko) comes to collect for all the help she's given him with his career. Chaplain plays Cox's ex-military wife, and the stepmother to his kids (which is a major plot point). There's a lot of twists and turns, double-crosses, politics, blackmail, the CIA sticking their noses in where they don't belong, a few deaths and, surprisingly, not a lot of action. It doesn't end with your typical Jack Bauer/24 massive shootout with explosions. There's like one gunfight in the whole thing. It's more subdued, less warfare and more spycraft. Honestly the weirdest thing about it was that it was a British series with 5 episodes rather than the customary 6, but it doesn't feel like it drags or crams too much into its run time. The pacing is on point, and the use of real places in London is very good.

    Overall, I recommend it.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/30 15:38:38


    Post by: nels1031


     Henry wrote:
    In Succession we aren't given anything fantastical to send us off but the resolution is about as perfect as can be written. For me it is the only conclusion that was plausible and they played it well.


    It was a pretty fun ride.

    This show should be a textbook case of how to properly use secondary characters without them becoming distractions. All of the OG higherups (Jerri, Frank, Karl) were great and I always wanted more from them.

    But I appreciated how it kept it focused on the 3 main siblings for the overwhelming majority of the series.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/31 15:59:07


    Post by: Azreal13


    Prehistoric Planet S2

    It's 4K landscapes overlaid with frequently "squint and they could be real" dinosaurs, voiced over by Lord Attenborough himself. What more could you want?

    Well, personally I'd like a little more information on how some of the decisions about behaviour etc were reached, and a little more clarity on what is conjecture or extrapolation and what is solidly supported by fossil evidence, but that would take the program into an area it isn't intending to go.

    As it stands, it's just an amazing technical effort, full of interesting insights and brilliantly entertaining.


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/05/31 16:03:38


    Post by: Tsagualsa


     Azreal13 wrote:
    Prehistoric Planet S2

    It's 4K landscapes overlaid with frequently "squint and they could be real" dinosaurs, voiced over by Lord Attenborough himself. What more could you want?


    A Warhammer 40k lore channel voiced by a very good AI imitation of David Attenborough!

    https://www.youtube.com/@AttenboroughLore/videos


    Tiny TV Reviews - Short Reviews For The Small Screen @ 2023/06/01 07:10:29


    Post by: Mad Doc Grotsnik


    Hmmm….

    True Lies

    Just found it on Star, a sub-channel of Disney+

    The original film is of course a masterpiece of silly nonsense with a steel rod of genuine wit supporting the whole thing.

    This show isn’t allowed to suck….but so far it’s seeming rather fun. Plus, Ginger Gonzaga stars, and we just had a scene of her being rather athletic in her undies. Not quite Jamie Lee Curtis in the hotel room, but it’s only the first episode and I will absolutely take it.


    Automatically Appended Next Post:
    It’s….perfectly alright! Kind of reminds me of Bones, even though the shows have very different themes. Maybe with a dash of Santa Clarita Diet

    I say give it a whirl. At the very least, it’s completely inoffensive Easy Viewing. Something you can binge or enjoy an episode of here and there.