No one really knows where Vince Gilligan and co are going with "Gene", though I did enjoy episode 10 on its own so I'm willing to hear them out. But now they're shoehorning in some corny Breaking Bad flashbacks with Walt and Jesse with no context. The last thing this show needed was a half-assed "remember these guys?" episode to pander to bb fans. They should have just stuck with the prequel, especially when there's so much left to wrap up in 2 episodes. I get that theyre showing how "Gene" can't stop scamming people and has lost his sense of morality blah blah blah....... I would be on board if these concepts were executed well.... but they were not.
Reviews
22 Reviews
Played it too safe
24 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
After 26 episodes of mind-bending production and unconvential storytelling, "Legion" finally goes full MCU in its series finale - and by that I mean predictable and unoriginal.
The villain is convinced the error of his ways, and the characters just go back in time and reverse everything bad that happened to them. Noah Hawley really couldn't come up with something more creative than that? This is the last show I would ever expect to end with such a massive cop-out.
The villain is convinced the error of his ways, and the characters just go back in time and reverse everything bad that happened to them. Noah Hawley really couldn't come up with something more creative than that? This is the last show I would ever expect to end with such a massive cop-out.
Twin Peaks
(2017)
The nadir of David Lynch's career
22 May 2021
Yes, "Twin Peaks: The Return" is funny, bizarre, weird, unique, experimental, avant-garde, enigmatic, abstract, esoteric, psychedelic, dreamlike, and (of course) surreal.
But it's not good.
It was not created to compel or entertain, but to simply just exist, and evoke visceral emotions in the viewer. In other words, it's art. That being said, I couldn't connect with any of it. The cinematography is disgusting. The narrative is flat and tedious. It's apparent that David Lynch used a "Twin Peaks" revival as a medium to shoehorn in all the inscrutable ideas he's come up with since the original show went off the air. Except for some scattered moments of genius, the end result is 18 hours of boring and discursive storytelling.
"The Return" comes off as simply a collection of scenes, some of which I liked and some of which I didn't. My only reaction to this season is "haha that was weird," and I'm left with a feeling of "so what?"
But it's not good.
It was not created to compel or entertain, but to simply just exist, and evoke visceral emotions in the viewer. In other words, it's art. That being said, I couldn't connect with any of it. The cinematography is disgusting. The narrative is flat and tedious. It's apparent that David Lynch used a "Twin Peaks" revival as a medium to shoehorn in all the inscrutable ideas he's come up with since the original show went off the air. Except for some scattered moments of genius, the end result is 18 hours of boring and discursive storytelling.
"The Return" comes off as simply a collection of scenes, some of which I liked and some of which I didn't. My only reaction to this season is "haha that was weird," and I'm left with a feeling of "so what?"
Servant
(2019–2023)
Hereditary X American Horror Story: Murder House
22 April 2021
Servant's first season welded together several horror cliches into something fresh with shocking and unsettling results, and great acting helped overcome its meandering plot line. However, Season 2 was nowhere near as creepy or unpredictable as the first due to a lack of forward momentum, but it did the bare minimum to satisfy those invested in the fate of the Turners.
Dark
(2017–2020)
Can everyone please relax?
29 January 2021
After episode 2, pretty much all my guesses were confirmed by the end of the first season so it's kind of predictable. The story isn't as far-out or original as it thinks it is, reminds me a lot of Stranger Things but for adults. The most interesting part of this show is how the characters relate to one another and finding out what they have to do with the mystery. Other than that, this show can feel like a chore at times, it's just a pretty average time travel story. Didn't watch past Season 1.
What We Do in the Shadows
(2019–2024)
The underdog show of the century
12 January 2021
Why is this stupid show so good? It's like The Office but with vampires. If someone recommended this show to me with that description, I would avoid it all costs. I hate vampires and mockumentary sitcoms. But this is one of those shows with rave reviews that you decide to put off and maybe come back to when you have nothing else to watch. However, THIS is your sign to start watching this show. For some reason, it just works so incredibly well. It's great, I'm highly addicted to it, and it's so difficult waiting for next week's episode. This show shouldn't be good, but it is. The cast and characters elevate this show to the next level. You need to watch it immediately (just make sure you watch the original movie first, it's free on Kanopy).
Now THIS is television
5 October 2020
Tensions are mounting reallll quick! The subplots are interconnecting in unpredictable ways and I'm super invested in all the characters. Every scene in this episode featured great dialogue and the plot is really starting to ramp up. And the production this season has already set a new bar for all TV shows moving forward
The Young Pope
(2016)
An unfocused miniseries about a narcissistic and delusional pope with mommy and daddy issues
16 July 2020
The Young Pope aims high and often hits its mark in unique and funny ways; but if you strip away its sumptuous style and powerful acting, all that's left is unearned character development and dead-end subplots. A show that was so much fun in the beginning quickly transitioned into a glum melodramatic snoozefest -- its bathos and redundancy proves it could and should have been a two- to three-hour film.
Game of Thrones
(2011–2019)
7 > 5 > 4 > 3 > 1 > 8 > 2 > 6
28 June 2020
Season 1:
Grounded by a slew of deeply crafted characters, Game of Thrones' debut season plunged viewers into a world of sex and violence with a story that was instantly gripping and impressively complex, if at times perfunctory. (9/10)
Season 2: Game of Thrones fleshed out its rich world further in Season 2, which was mostly fueled by exposition and political intrigue; but it was peppered with enough bloody action and intrinsic sexuality to maintain the show's singular charm. (8/10)
Season 3: Game of Thrones earnestly doubled down on its sumptuous production and refined character work, cementing itself as TV's strongest and most effective fantasy with a third season that contained more mythical elements and unpredictable twists than ever before. (10/10)
Season 4: Game of Thrones' refreshingly focused fourth season continued to hone its signature blend of top tier character development, intricate political machinations, and spectacular set pieces. (10/10)
Season 5: Complete with a host of exotic new locations, Game of Thrones delved deeper into uncharted TV territory with its darkest, craftiest, and most thematic season thus far. (10/10)
Season 6: Game of Thrones' first outing without source material proved to be a wobbly one -- Season 6 was, at best, a slowburn that culminated in the best two episodes of the entire series; at worst, it was a plodding and desultory transitional season. (6/10)
Season 7: Game of Thrones returned to form with cinematic battles and high stakes power plays thanks to a narrative sleight-of-hand that helped the show's disparate plot threads coalesce, resulting in long term payoffs for its lovable characters -- tragic or otherwise. (10/10)
Season 8: Game of Thrones' final chapter lacked organic storytelling, leaving behind narrative shortcuts and missed opportunities in its fiery wake. However, it still managed to coherently wrap up most character arcs and twist the knife in enough unexpected ways to end on a satisfying note, all with the help of jaw-dropping visual effects. (8/10)
Season 2: Game of Thrones fleshed out its rich world further in Season 2, which was mostly fueled by exposition and political intrigue; but it was peppered with enough bloody action and intrinsic sexuality to maintain the show's singular charm. (8/10)
Season 3: Game of Thrones earnestly doubled down on its sumptuous production and refined character work, cementing itself as TV's strongest and most effective fantasy with a third season that contained more mythical elements and unpredictable twists than ever before. (10/10)
Season 4: Game of Thrones' refreshingly focused fourth season continued to hone its signature blend of top tier character development, intricate political machinations, and spectacular set pieces. (10/10)
Season 5: Complete with a host of exotic new locations, Game of Thrones delved deeper into uncharted TV territory with its darkest, craftiest, and most thematic season thus far. (10/10)
Season 6: Game of Thrones' first outing without source material proved to be a wobbly one -- Season 6 was, at best, a slowburn that culminated in the best two episodes of the entire series; at worst, it was a plodding and desultory transitional season. (6/10)
Season 7: Game of Thrones returned to form with cinematic battles and high stakes power plays thanks to a narrative sleight-of-hand that helped the show's disparate plot threads coalesce, resulting in long term payoffs for its lovable characters -- tragic or otherwise. (10/10)
Season 8: Game of Thrones' final chapter lacked organic storytelling, leaving behind narrative shortcuts and missed opportunities in its fiery wake. However, it still managed to coherently wrap up most character arcs and twist the knife in enough unexpected ways to end on a satisfying note, all with the help of jaw-dropping visual effects. (8/10)
The I-Land
(2019)
Netflix really do be making anything these days
21 May 2020
This show is so bad, the only explanation is that it must have been written by the donkey brained janitor who works at Netflix headquarters and watched 2 episodes of Lost then decided to write a screenplay and secretly greenlight it once the executives left the building for the night. It truly saddens me that there are children in this world who go to bed hungry every night when Netflix has enough pocket money to throw away millions of dollars and waste precious resources for this slice of flaming hot utter garbage. Every single second of this show is so cringy, you'll want to gouge your eyes out, cancel your Netflix subscription, and move to a deserted island. You should probably move to a deserted island regardless, because apparently there are living breathing humans who walk among us in this sophisticated society who genuinely enjoyed this embarrassing mockery of art.
The perfect ending
15 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I think everyone needs to come to terms with the fact that you didn't like the last season because it didn't confirm the fan theory you saw on Reddit five years ago. I swear it's because Twitter picked apart every single scene and convinced everyone they knew the perfect battle plan, or they suddenly understood what plot armor was.
Game of Thrones' final season was detrimentally rushed and left much to be desired, especially for the criminally underdeveloped Cersei. However, what was ultimately presented as the final stretch of episodes did not disappoint, giving purpose to everything that came before it by twisting the knife in a few unexpected ways and ending with an immensely satisfying series finale, all while coherently wrapping up character arcs and providing the boatloads of entertainment the show is known for. Rewatching it from the beginning has only confirmed my opinion.
Daenerys did not go mad just because Jon spilled her secret - if you wanted that handfed to you then you're watching the wrong show. It is pretty obvious the writers intended her character to become evermore merciless as the series progressed, and no GOT fan I knew still trusted her by the time season 8 started. I would go so far as to say they started planting those seeds in season 1. Nevertheless, the finale justified her thinking as to why she killed innocent people. She said the same things she has been saying all along: to paraphrase, "kill all those who don't bend the knee to her." The whole point of her character was to make you realize such a ruthless power seeker could not break the wheel without becoming the wheel. How does this not make sense in context of the show?
It is overtly implied that Jon was brought back from the dead so he could kill Daenerys. This moment was one of the most beautifully shot scenes in the entire show and was foreshadowed back in Season 2 episode 10. It seems most people thought Drogon melting the Iron Throne was cheesy, but not any more than the battle of Hardhome, or Melisandre's character, or Hodor's death.
In retrospect it seems almost obvious Bran was going to be king. It was a great final twist and it's why his character has been so important since the first episode. It follows the mantra of the show; he's a cripple, but so what? Why wouldn't he be fit for king? If you're still unsatisfied with this choice, he can literally see the future, so I don't know what to tell you.
I've actually seen most people complain that the remaining surviving characters had happy endings. I'm talking about Jon, Arya, Sansa, Tyrion, Bronn, Brienne, Davos, Sam, Podrick, etc. Sure Game of Thrones usually never gives out happy endings, but what would be the point of so much misery for 8 seasons if no one came out on top and got what they wanted? Not to mention all of those characters had perfect endings that logically rounded out their character arcs.
In conclusion, I truly believe most people wanted this masterpiece to end with Jon and Daenerys as king and queen, and the last shot would be them riding off together into the sunset on Drogon. If you even for a second wanted that to happen, you haven't been paying attention. THAT ending would piss me off. THAT would be fan service. THAT would be pandering. Jon Snow said for 8 straight seasons he doesn't want to be king, and Daenerys was way too obvious of a choice. I mean, come on, Sam is Grand Maester and Brienne is Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, what more could you want?
Game of Thrones' final season was detrimentally rushed and left much to be desired, especially for the criminally underdeveloped Cersei. However, what was ultimately presented as the final stretch of episodes did not disappoint, giving purpose to everything that came before it by twisting the knife in a few unexpected ways and ending with an immensely satisfying series finale, all while coherently wrapping up character arcs and providing the boatloads of entertainment the show is known for. Rewatching it from the beginning has only confirmed my opinion.
Daenerys did not go mad just because Jon spilled her secret - if you wanted that handfed to you then you're watching the wrong show. It is pretty obvious the writers intended her character to become evermore merciless as the series progressed, and no GOT fan I knew still trusted her by the time season 8 started. I would go so far as to say they started planting those seeds in season 1. Nevertheless, the finale justified her thinking as to why she killed innocent people. She said the same things she has been saying all along: to paraphrase, "kill all those who don't bend the knee to her." The whole point of her character was to make you realize such a ruthless power seeker could not break the wheel without becoming the wheel. How does this not make sense in context of the show?
It is overtly implied that Jon was brought back from the dead so he could kill Daenerys. This moment was one of the most beautifully shot scenes in the entire show and was foreshadowed back in Season 2 episode 10. It seems most people thought Drogon melting the Iron Throne was cheesy, but not any more than the battle of Hardhome, or Melisandre's character, or Hodor's death.
In retrospect it seems almost obvious Bran was going to be king. It was a great final twist and it's why his character has been so important since the first episode. It follows the mantra of the show; he's a cripple, but so what? Why wouldn't he be fit for king? If you're still unsatisfied with this choice, he can literally see the future, so I don't know what to tell you.
I've actually seen most people complain that the remaining surviving characters had happy endings. I'm talking about Jon, Arya, Sansa, Tyrion, Bronn, Brienne, Davos, Sam, Podrick, etc. Sure Game of Thrones usually never gives out happy endings, but what would be the point of so much misery for 8 seasons if no one came out on top and got what they wanted? Not to mention all of those characters had perfect endings that logically rounded out their character arcs.
In conclusion, I truly believe most people wanted this masterpiece to end with Jon and Daenerys as king and queen, and the last shot would be them riding off together into the sunset on Drogon. If you even for a second wanted that to happen, you haven't been paying attention. THAT ending would piss me off. THAT would be fan service. THAT would be pandering. Jon Snow said for 8 straight seasons he doesn't want to be king, and Daenerys was way too obvious of a choice. I mean, come on, Sam is Grand Maester and Brienne is Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, what more could you want?
Hollywood
(2020)
Nothing more than Ryan Murphy's wet dream
9 May 2020
"Hollywood" ended up being a halfway-decent day's worth of binge watching and I give this fictional success story credit for depicting a multifaceted view of the movie industry. But in reality, very few of the stories actually work, most of the characters are shallow archetypes (especially the criminally underdeveloped Camille), the filmmaking is far from impressive, and the superficial rinse-and-repeat plot gets boring.
Mr. Robot
(2015– )
Botched the ending
29 April 2020
Mr. Robot's masterful first three seasons proved the series was on its way to being one of the greatest TV shows of all time. But in its disparate and underwhelming final chapter, it traded incisive sociopolitical commentary and effective storytelling for convenient plotting and unsatisfying conclusions. The show had never been more straightforward yet tedious than in its fourth season, which had a reliably strong grip on character development and innovative production; but its increasingly disjointed plot threads never amounted to anything meaningful relative to the brilliant and groundbreaking work from the first three seasons.
Lost
(2004–2010)
LOST is as good as TV gets
23 April 2020
'Lost' was a creative, unpredictable, enigmatic, and visually stunning thrill ride, complemented by an epic cast and original characters. It's far from perfect, but it's the greatest television show ever made - and yes I've seen Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, and The Sopranos. It grounds its expansive sci-fi concepts in a broad humanistic scope and philosophical themes, all of which are baked into a unique plot structure that's consistently compelling.
It manages to coherently resolve most of its labyrinthine mysteries, but you're gonna have to rewatch to find all the details. Admittedly, some explanations fall through if you try digging too deep, but one of the reasons 'Lost' is my favorite show of all time is that it never sacrifices organic storytelling or authentic character development in order to follow an intended plot line or succumb to network restrictions. That's where the intelligence of the writers comes in, because the mysteries are intertwined with the overarching themes and the show does not focus on individual plots but rather the big picture.
Most of the "unanswered questions" people complain about are actually explained definitively at some point in the series, but it is easy to get confused because some answers are implied, and others are vague or you have to connect the dots yourself. And for the record, the ending was perfect. My favorite episode of the series and the best TV finale ever.
I won't go into the meaning of 'Lost' -- or at least what it means to me -- because that would require a 1000-page dissertation. But ultimately, Lost is art, not religion. So don't ask me what the Island is. As the brilliant Evangeline Lilly once said: "Lost is just a reflection of who you are, and it's the ultimate question being posed to you, not the ultimate answer being handed to you."
My ranking of each season: 2 > 5 > 3 > 4 > 1 > 6
#LockeIsTheJesusFigure.
It manages to coherently resolve most of its labyrinthine mysteries, but you're gonna have to rewatch to find all the details. Admittedly, some explanations fall through if you try digging too deep, but one of the reasons 'Lost' is my favorite show of all time is that it never sacrifices organic storytelling or authentic character development in order to follow an intended plot line or succumb to network restrictions. That's where the intelligence of the writers comes in, because the mysteries are intertwined with the overarching themes and the show does not focus on individual plots but rather the big picture.
Most of the "unanswered questions" people complain about are actually explained definitively at some point in the series, but it is easy to get confused because some answers are implied, and others are vague or you have to connect the dots yourself. And for the record, the ending was perfect. My favorite episode of the series and the best TV finale ever.
I won't go into the meaning of 'Lost' -- or at least what it means to me -- because that would require a 1000-page dissertation. But ultimately, Lost is art, not religion. So don't ask me what the Island is. As the brilliant Evangeline Lilly once said: "Lost is just a reflection of who you are, and it's the ultimate question being posed to you, not the ultimate answer being handed to you."
My ranking of each season: 2 > 5 > 3 > 4 > 1 > 6
#LockeIsTheJesusFigure.
Breaking Bad
(2008–2013)
Breaking Bad broke bad after 2 seasons
23 April 2020
The repetitiveness of both the plot and Bryan Cranston's acting mixed with the dull and boring storyline for the last 3 seasons make it easy not to care about the characters. What a shame for a show that began so strongly to end on such a predictable whimper.
Succession
(2018–2023)
An instant classic
23 April 2020
Succession is nothing short of spectacular. You feel every emotional beat that is meant to be felt. It's as intense as Game of Thrones. Every word spoken pays off in loads. Every character is distinct and nuanced -- best part is, entire cast is killing it. This show is one of the most perfect recipes in recent memory for a truly great TV show.
Euphoria
(2019– )
A dangerously naive series.
13 January 2020
Euphoria is frequently melodramatic and unrealistic as it sacrifices authentic characters for banal archetypes, but those moments are sometimes forgiven by the show's thematic accuracy and visual style. If you want a relatable teen drama, choose Degrassi.
Watchmen
(2019)
The farthest thing possible from anything Marvel has ever done
10 January 2020
Watchmen is unbelievably original, brilliantly detailed, socially conscious, and, without a single bad performance, serves as a gripping and unpredictable continuation of the original comic series without ever feeling like a superhero show.
Fosse/Verdon
(2019)
A surprisingly absorptive biopic
2 January 2020
Fosse/Verdon is a thoughtful and lively miniseries that improves with each episode. Bob Fosse is primarily developed through impeccable writing, dialogue, and scene structure, while Gwen Verdon's character mostly comes to life through acting, thanks to Michelle Williams who utterly dominates in every single scene.
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