SteelyDan_STL Reviews

Beacon 23 (2023– )

HAL-9000 as a mental patient with a plot hidden inside tangents

[5/10 · 18 December 2023]

Imagine HAL (from Space Odyssey) as a neurotic amnesiac, that is sometimes psychotic and eventually even suicidal. An artificial Intelligence with the most annoying voice is the central to every episode. Every episode also brings disposable characters that are as emotionally unbalanced as BART the AI. The meandering plot is hidden inside many tangent events (including an entire episode). Then there is the over-dramatic acting, everybody has a crisis, wants to eliminate each other, or get off the space station. Every episode introduces new characters and then they are eliminated - and good luck at keeping the timeline straight. There are conflicting political parties outside the beacon, but the series doesn't give exposition on how they operate. Example: The QTA is coming, we can't surrender to them, but why and who are they .. doesn't matter .. move along.

This series is a mess! It would have been better if it had stream-lined the sci-fi entity element.

Your Honor (II) (2020–2023)

Much improved with the second season

[6/10 · 24 February 2023]

As many other reviewers have mentioned, the judge's son was a both a poorly written character as well as being impulsive and stupid. Since the major plot lines from season 1 were closed; I assumed it would remain single (limited) series. However, they did a great job reviving a mediocre court-centered crime drama, into a classic gangs vs. Corrupt cops story. Being set in New Orleans helps to set it apart from the many NYC crime family stories. Linking the 2 families that despise each other by sharing a grandchild was an interesting addition, as well as showing the governmental system that the judge worked for was also corrupt and helped destroy his life.

Tulsa King (2022– )

Not what I expected, but still enjoyable

[7/10 · 24 January 2023]

With Terrence Winter and Taylor Sheridan, I expected more of a western-themed Sopranos. The show is a mixed bag of mafia scuffles, family drama, capitalizing on the local 420 market while rumbling with the SOA wannabees. The fish-out-of-water (25 years in the can) adds a humor element which helps remind to not take it seriously. Despite the writing power of the creators, this is not a high caliber series {like SOA, B-Empire, Sopranos}. The conflicts resolve withing a few episodes and so far there doesn't seem to be any long term story arcs besides the attention of the Feds. Even the NY Mafia problem was fixed in half an episode - just sent them packing back on the plane. Overall an enjoyable watch, just don't expect a deep crime family drama.

Suspicion (2022)

Conspiracy of Criminals

[6/10 · 11 March 2022]

A web of criminals trying to discover who is the worst while justifying their own criminal actions seems to be the theme. Every episode seems to add a new character being shown to be a criminal. Most of the investigation done by the police, the accused, and the environmentally evil corporation all use illegal or invasive techniques. The underlying goal of the series seems to suggest that criminal behavior is justified if it is for the greater good or if it exposes someone whose crime is worse than your own.

The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022)

The last 3 episodes were great, the rest no so much.

[6/10 · 15 February 2022]

The last 3 episodes were a direct extension of Season 2 Mandolorian. The first 4 episodes (Grandpa and the Raiders) could have been compressed into a single episode backstory. It was slow, boring and other than provide the puzzle piece on how Boba Fett escaped from the Sarlac pit, adds nothing to the SW lore.

Servant (2019–2023)

A slow mystery - preplanned for 4 seasons

[9/10 · 2 December 2021]

This is a delayed review after rewatching the first 2 seasons. The show is unique in that the entire 4 season arc was preplanned ahead of its approval. Every episode flows into the next, even the first episode in Season 2 begins moments after S-1 ends. Contrary to many reviews, I believe the payoff will come, but many mysteries will not be fully revealed until the final season. It is classic Shyamalan but written as a 4 season movie. For example, after 2 seasons we still don't know if "New Jericho" is a replacement, a reincarnation, or a manifestation of Leanne's power to project hallucinations - All 3 theories are equally viable from the context of the subplots. This is one of those shows where every detail matters and will likely be referenced in later episodes.

Ragdoll (2021)

Most confusing show I have ever seen.

[3/10 · 11 November 2021]

This show had an interesting premise about a serial killer collecting body parts ans sewing them together to make a gross doll. Instead it was an episode with several scenes sewn together without a cohesive theme. Several murders take place unrelated to the "doll" that are left unexplained: e.g. One spontaneously combusts, and a vegan dies after eating poisoned fish. So many tangents with few clues on how they connect.

The only consistency in the episode is Lucy Hale's character who is the most trigger-happy cop who doesn't carry a gun .. meaning if she isn't discussing the case she is criticizing everyone she comes in contact with for offending her fragile feelings. She seems to rationalize that criticizing and demeaning others makes her a strong woman -- but it just comes off as a woke Karen.

Dune (2021)

Flawless in appearance, but still lacking in substance.

[9/10 · 18 October 2021]

I grew up on the SyFy miniseries and was not a fan of the 1984 film which I felt was more of David Lynch film based on the bullet points of the books. The miniseries goes into great detail of the politics between the royal houses, which is my problem with the new film. The Harkonnen, the antagonists, have little screen time and Feyd is not introduced. They are described as an empire of evil, but not shown why. The Corrino family is again not introduced, but just that there is an Emperor who ordered the Atreides to take control of Arakis. Even Princess Irulan who Paul will have a platonic-political marriage is not introduced. The Spacing Guild, the critical reason why the spice must flow - again not shown nor is it mentioned that without Melange (spice) there is no guild, no space travel, and that the entire empire would collapse. So although it was a good introduction to Arakis and it looked marvelous, there was a lot of substance that was omitted.

The Mosquito Coast (2021–2023)

A thrill ride to nowhere anytime soon.

[6/10 · 16 May 2021]

Halfway through the first season and we are left with vital questions: (1) Will they ever make it to Honduras (aka The Mosquito Coast)? (2) Will the writers ever start incorporating source material from the novel? (3) Will we ever learn why the.government agents are chasing this family? The last item is quite annoying, like in a teen rom-com where the couple stare at each other all season but every time they are about to kiss they get interrupted. Yes it is a thrilling show, but at this rate it will be in third season before they get to Honduras and start acting out the events of the novel.

Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Decent wilderness thriller / Poor adaptation of the novel.

[7/10 · 14 May 2021]

The movie is poor adaptation on the novel. It starts in the middle hitting a few plot bullet points, but the beginning is totally missing along with other characters and story lines. (In the book, Conner was using an alias while hiding out inside a survival camp with a group of teens after seeing the Blackwells kill a man in his home town.) Hannah is only 22 in the novel, literally half the age of Jolie. But the cinematography and plot pacing were good (what was left of it) making it a decent outdoor adventure thriller.

Clarice (2021)

Not Horrible, but could have been much better.

[6/10 · 7 May 2021]

A Hannibal-free series (as required by the studio's contract) is not a bad idea unto itself. There is a 10-year gap between Buffalo Bill and when Lecter makes contact with Clarice in "Hannibal". The issues are that its pacing is too slow and that the actual FBI casework takes a backseat to Clarice's PTSD, her personal life, and the corruption and misogyny of the bureau. Clarice investigating Thomas Harris-inspired criminals should have been the focus of the series. The intrigue Harris' stories were about the psychopathy of the criminals not the psychiatric demise of the investigators.

Fortitude (2015–2018)

Many similarities to Helix Season 1

[7/10 · 21 January 2021]

Helix premiered in 2014, Fortitude in 2015. Both take place in a frozen environment that is isolated from the rest of the world. Both center around an infectious agent that is being immorally studied by a pharmaceutical corporation to benefit the rich and prolong life. However, Helix is much faster paced with more action and violence.

Raised by Wolves (2020–2022)

Excellent start, but strangled by Ridley Scott

[9/10 · 2 October 2020]

This show was great and unique in the beginning as Android caretakers raising children on a new planet following a Earth-destroying religious war. It failed in the final episode by turning the series into another tangent in the Alien franchise. There was plenty of story left to tell with the psychosis-inducing aliens already on the planet without turning it into a horror series. The humans being hunted by an unstoppable flying snake will change the entire mood of the series in the next season.

Defending Jacob (2020)

It was great until the ending.

[6/10 · 29 May 2020]

Why be faithful to the novel until the last 30min of the series? In the book, Hope is murdered and Jacob returns back to the motel with blood on his clothes. This presents a pattern similar to the first murder that motivates the mother to have the "accident". I can only see changing the ending so that Apple can extend the series into a 2nd season.

Westworld: The Mother of Exiles (2020) Season 3, Episode 4

Resistance is Futile

[3/10 · 6 April 2020]

So the end goal is to take over the world by creating an unstoppable army of DoloroBot clones? Does Dolores ever lose a fight? Was the only reason she appeared vulnerable was to manipulate Caleb? Seriously just call her a superhero because she is invulnerable. On the good side, it does follow the plot from last season in which she was telling numerous hosts that we must do this so our species can survive, when she really meant was so "I" can survive. Individuality is not something she has any interest in. At least by making all hosts copies of herself she doesn't have to reprogram them later when they disobey like Teddy. If she could advance the Mesh Network to eliminate the need for communication devices she could have a Borg army.

Locke & Key (2020–2022)

Better without Locke Academy

[7/10 · 7 February 2020]

The CW teen school drama sections have almost noting to do with the lore of the story. I fast-forwarded through the school drama and found the series much more tolerable. They should have just made Locke & Key as a 5 episode series, and put the leftovers as "Locke Academy".