bluesquirrel2004 Reviews

The Last Man on Earth (2015–2018)

Repetitive and difficult to watch

[5/10 · 29 March 2024]

This premise had huge potential. Unfortunately it was squandered on "fart" jokes.

Two completely unlikeable characters - Phil and Carol, who, through their very childish and immature behaviour are aggressively manipulative and destructive to the group.

The jokes are repetitive throughout the 4 seasons. As the seasons progress Phil and Carol become more and more immature and the dreaded condescending baby talk becomes a main-stay in the last two seasons. Phil's bumbling talking style wore pretty thin by the third episode.

It is just unfortunate for the remaining characters, who are very likeable and sensible, that rather than doing the obvious by leaving Phil and Carol's madness behind them, they chose to stay and submit to their childish whims.

I guess this was supposed to be a blokey comedy type show, but it fails miserably. There is only so many times you can watch the same jokes and same behaviour.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: All Those Who Wander (2022) Season 1, Episode 9

There could be more we didn't find

[4/10 · 3 March 2024]

La'an Noonien-Singh: Twenty caualties so far. One of them the captain.

Captain Pike: The Peregrine has a crew of 99.

Doctor: There could be more we didn't find.

"There could be more we didn't find." "There could be more we didn't find." Really? Really?? Now, let me try and figure out how you came to that conclusion.... 99... 20... Oh, I get it!!

Seriously, is this the level of writing in this show?

I have struggled through season 1 so far. The stories are basic and childish and some of the actors are just unlikeable. But it is just such a shame with the amazing CGI.

I watched the previous fairy tale episode in 8 minutes by just skipping through it, now to hear some ridiculous dialogue in this episode makes me want to just skip through this episode also.

Roslund & Hellström: Box 21 (2020– )

Enjoyable thriller

[7/10 · 14 February 2024]

We found this a very enjoyable viewing and had us on the edge of our seats at times.

The following is just an observation, not a criticism, and the show was very enjoyable regardless of this.

After the show finished, we could not help but notice that absolutely nothing was resolved. There were crimes committed, and those crimes continued to be committed when the show ended. The criminals were there, and continued to be there after the show ended. No-one was brought to justice and police corruption was accidentally revealed when co-workers decided to turn a blind eye after discovering their colleague was the mastermind of the criminal enterprise.

Under the Dome (2013–2015)

Not a fan of season 3

[7/10 · 13 February 2024]

On the whole, there was good pacing and narrative for Seasons 1 and 2. The slow unravelling of the storyline was enjoyable. The majority of the cast were well chosen and suited to their characters.

Season 3 was a let down. There really wasn't any complexity to the season 3 storyline, so trying to fill 13 episodes would have been difficult and that becomes obvious with long scenes, and scenes about nothing - some talking, some arguing and fighting, that adds nothing to the storyline, but does fill time.

Season 3 is at least six episodes too long- the entire season 3 storyline could have been revealed in eight episodes or less instead of 13 episodes.

Ahsoka (2023– )

Tired of all the dancing fights.

[5/10 · 26 December 2023]

Currently in the process of watching the Star Wars extended saga, we were having a thrilling ride with the movies, and the tv shows Andor, The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Book of Boba Fett.

We just completed watching this show Ahsoka and found it completely unlikeable and frustrating.

For a start, we were lost with these new characters and events. Who is this Grand Admiral Thrawn. There was never ever any mention of him in any of the previous movies at tv shows (except for a mention in S03 of The Mandalorian). I guess you need to be an avid fan and have read all the books, comics and watched all the cartoon tv series to understand? Some background would really have helped.

We were tired of all the "dancing" fighting... you know, the twirling (why would you turn your back on your fighting opponent?) and treating the light saber as nothing more than a Baton in a dance competition.

Except for Ray Stevenson, Ivanna Sakhno and Lars Mikkelsen, we found the entire cast unlikeable with no real on-screen connection between the characters.

The Orville (2017–2022)

Became too serious

[7/10 · 25 October 2023]

From Seth MacFarlane, who gave us the hysterical comedies Ted, Ted 2, and A Million Ways to Die in the West, comes The Orville.

The first episode with Ed Mercer's wife, Kelly Grayson, cuckolding Ed with an alien, Ed's eventual promotion to starship captain then given his cheating ex-wife as a first officer, and a somewhat quirky crew, I was looking forward to a series of hysterically upbeat, situational and slapstick comedy.

Unfortunately this was not the case and from the later episodes of season 1, it has slowly degraded to being (in season 3) depressingly serious pushing many social, moral and political agendas.

This show has turned into Seasons 8, 9 and 10 of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Roswell, New Mexico (2019–2022)

A scifi Nancy Drew story

[5/10 · 23 May 2023]

Very few remakes are able to exceed the pleasure and entertainment value of their original (Battlestar Galactica being one of those few). This show is a very disappointing remake.

We have... 1. A somewhat black regular character 2. A main character being openly gay 3. The required gender reversal of another regular character.

Well, this show should now be a hit, right? Wrong!

I fail to see how it ran for 4 seasons, when so many other, more worthy shows, are cancelled in their first season.

After watching only 5 episodes, I caved in and stopped watching. The impression I was left with was "Nancy Drew with a scifi background".

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

Terrible

[4/10 · 2 March 2023]

This movie was truly difficult to watch, and many parts we just skipped through as we cringed through some of the scenes and dialogue.

It's hard to take seriously this movie about teenagers racing when the main "teenage" character looks like he is in his 30's and still attending school. Many of the other "kids" also looked way too old for their roles.

The plot and story-line are weak, characters shallow and unsuited to their roles. This movie did not feel part of the franchise, and looks to be some bad idea turned into a bad movie. The current IMDB 6.1 rating is generous, in my opinion.

I found the movie frustrating and couldn't wait until we had skipped through to the end.

The Expanse (2015–2022)

And the Razzie Award for Worst Actress goes to....

[9/10 · 27 February 2023]

Firstly, let me say that I did really enjoy this tv show. I spent 3 months reading the entire series, including the short stories, then binge watched the entire series over two weeks. Except for my comments below, it was a very enjoyable viewing.

The show remained fairly true to the source novels, most of the actors were likeable and played their part well. The SFX were great, there were a lot of great action scenes with the right amount of suspense throughout the show.

Unfortunately, there were a couple of detractions...

The first was Dominique Tipper playing Naomi Nagata. I found her acting very mediocre. She was unable to maintain a consistent accent, ranging from standard English all the way to very annoying Belter patois which, at times, bordered on sounding like baby talk. I know that it has been said that she emulates the speech patterns of those around her, but no other character in the show does that, nor was that ever done in the novels. I found her entire presence an irritant where by the fourth season, I started skipping some of her longer dialogue scenes to avoid listening to the accent.

Secondly was Steven Strait as James Holden. I think he took a few seasons to find his feet in the role. It was not until season 5 that I started enjoying his role. In the first few seasons, I found that he looked as if he had a severe case of conjunctivitis (pink-eye) or was perpetually on the verge of crying.

Overall a great show worth viewing, and a show that I will rewatch in the coming years.

We need more scifi shows of this caliber.

Forever 16 (2013 TV Movie)

Enjoyable

[7/10 · 9 January 2023]

Sure, it won't win any awards, and it was a bit shallow for a movie and more suited as a tv show, but it was a quick and enjoyable viewing, even viewing it for the second time.

The premise is intriguing - a vampire recruited into the police force fighting the most dangerous of human crime, being different to both Buffy and Angel where they exclusively fight the supernatural.

This could be quite interesting as a TV Show. This movie could be the pilot episode and the very open ending certainly makes allowance for a continuation.

I guess after nine years the chances of this happening seem to be quite low.

The X-Files (1993–2018)

What I learnt about USA from X-Files

[6/10 · 5 November 2022]

What I have learnt about America from watching the X-Files

1. America has an electrical grid of a standard more suited to a 3rd world country due to frequent surges and outages.

2. When walking into a dark room, it is never an American's first action to switch on a light. It is preferable to fumble around in the dark.

3. Even when a person does try to switch on a light, most likely the globe has blown, or the breaker has tripped due to the poor quality and unreliability of the grid.

4. In most instances, light switches are not placed in the logical position next to the door, they are usually placed on the wall furthest from the door, requiring a person to fumble around in the dark.

5. Critical facilities, such as hospitals are not illuminated by bright flourescent lighting. Rather small desk lamps are used to illuminate corridors, nurse stations and patient rooms.

6. Surgical rooms and surgeries are performed with little lighting. The entire room and the surgical area are illuminated by a single dim overhead lamp.

7. Retail and commercial buildings, office buildings and industrial facilities are never brightly lit. Similar to hospitals, they opt for dim and sparsely placed desktop lamps for illumination of large areas.

Some other thoughts... Although aliens are intelligent enough to travel interstellar distances, they never figured out cable-management on their ships, with cables snaking over the floor or hanging off the ceiling like spiderwebs.

Alien ships flying through our skies are always as bright as a small sun, but are then wrapped in an invisiblity cloak shortly after landing. Seems self-defeating to brightly announce their arrival and then quickly hide. Maybe they should switch off their landing lights?

Preacher (2016– )

Fell apart after season 2

[6/10 · 30 August 2022]

I came across this show recently and really enjoyed season 1. I then went out and purchased season 2 which I still enjoyed. It was intriguing and suspenseful. Characters were generally likeable.

So I went and purchased season 3 and 4. What a mistake. The show just fell apart and was such a mess. There seemed to be no direction, the storyline was a jumbled mess and each episode was annoyingly repetitive- fighting, backstabbing, more fighting, make up, fighting again. There were recurring characters in there that had absolutely no impact on the story. What was their purpose?

The most disappointing aspect was the ending. Four seasons for such a weak and pitiful ending.

It is not a show I will ever re-watch. My 6 rating is mainly for seasons 1 & 2.

Reacher (2022– )

Well done!!

[9/10 · 9 March 2022]

An excellent adaption from the source novel!!!

For lovers of Lee Child's Jack Reacher, this tv adaption has stayed true to the novel, which seems to be so difficult these days (anyone thinking of that recent travesty known as Foundation?)

The casting was spot-on, acting was faultless. The way it was on screen, came close to how I imagined it while reading the book.

Keep up the fantastic work for the next 25 seasons/books.

Foundation (2021– )

Robot, Empire, Frustration

[4/10 · 4 January 2022]

For fans of the Robot, Empire and Foundation book series, be aware there is next to no similarity between the book series and this tv show. This show can only be described as a stand alone story that coincidentally uses some character names and location names that are also used in the book series.

It is a complete re-imagining, to the point that if the show had a different title and different character names, you would be hard pressed to compare it to Asimov's work.

Yes, the graphics are fantastic. Unfortunately, it is just another one of those cookie cutter scifi shows. Lots of drop of a hat romance and sex scenes that add nothing to the story, lots of angry people, lots of arguing, lots of violence, and lots of scenes leaving you scratching your head wondering what is going on.

As has now become the staple of Hollywood, there is also lots of race and gender reversals. Strange the producers did not throw in some binaries and gay characters also, but I imagine that is yet to come.

Asimov's 3 laws are thrown out the window. The scientists are not mature and intelligent, rather angry, selfish and violent people.

I can see why so many reviewers have compared the gender and race reversed leads (Salvor Hardin and Gaal Dornick) as the Michael Burnham of Foundation. Both of them are extremely annoying, over-acted and over-emotional.

There is no sign of Dors. Demerzel is just a servant/nurse maid. We have 3 Cleon Emperors, and they are all clones. And for some unknown reason they have multiple names - Cleon xx, Empire and the Brother something. Are they Mycogenians?

For this reviewer, it was not a pleasant experience to watch. Why announce Foundation is coming to TV, then completely redesign the Asimov Universe? Why not change the character names, replace Psychohistory with, say, Time-Travel and whamo, you have your new AppleTV+ tv show. No need to insult the lifelong fans.

Foundation: The Missing Piece (2021) Season 1, Episode 8

Frustration

[3/10 · 3 January 2022]

This show just frustrates me. I've been watching hoping it will slowly become more loyal to the books, but it does not. It keeps drifting further and further away.

From reading the books, I always knew that Gaal Dornick was the greatest Psychohistorian ever, (yes, even more accomplished than Hari). But this show portrays him as a spoilt, petulant little brat, prone to volatile emotional fits and tantrums. Something that in the real world would see you arrested and forced into counseling.

Geez, these Gaal scenes are cringeworthy. Talk about over-acting.

Demerzel controlled the empire through influence and coercion. He was the control behind King Cleon. Now she is nothing more than a servant.

This has been disappointing show since episode 1. I don't expect anything different in the final two episodes of the season, but my OCD forces me to finish watching.

Hmmm, I am having problems reconciling the 7.9 rating of this show with what I have watched so far.

Foundation: Preparing to Live (2021) Season 1, Episode 2

An episode about nothing

[3/10 · 2 January 2022]

I just watched this episode, and I am still trying to figure out what it was about. It was an episode about nothing. It was just fluff.

Lots of talking, lots of acting, all about nothing.

And what's with Demerzel? Bad enough he is now a woman, but what is with that ridiculous dress and ridiculous walk. Demerzel would never have allowed those final Anachreon events to proceed.

Where is Dors Venaballi? Gaal Dornick and Raych in a love interest? Oh get off it!!!

Geez, I really hope this show improves because I spent 10 months reading the Robot, Empire and Foundation books preparing for this show. What a let down so far.

The Chocolate Factory: Inside Cadbury Australia (2020 TV Movie)

A relaxing documentary

[7/10 · 26 December 2021]

It is a shame other reviewers have misunderstood this documentary and it certainly does not deserve the low rating it currently has (4.6).

This is not a hard and fast documentary with a booming and serious narrator full of hard and fast facts.

This is a Slow TV documentary. Where we sit in the "drivers" seat and just watch the chocolate being made , right from the inception of the ingredients at the farms where sugar and other items are harvested, loaded, transported and transformed right through to the final product.

No dialogue, just some pleasant music and the occasional facts appearing as subtitles.

If you are looking for a "Mega Structures" type documentary, then this is not it.

Star Trek: Discovery: Terra Firma, Part 2 (2020) Season 3, Episode 10

Tyrannical ruler gets second chance

[4/10 · 27 August 2021]

The logic this show uses is questionable.

Phillipa Georgiou, a despotic ruler responsible for the deaths of millions gets a second chance. Oh, how nice. Why does she deserve this?

Is this the lesson we want to perpetuate- "The worse you are as a person the greater the opportunity of a second chance."

Well... what about all the other life forms that have lived full and wholesome lives trying to do the "right". Why don't they get a second chance?

Star Trek: Discovery: Terra Firma, Part 1 (2020) Season 3, Episode 9

The Burnham/Georgiou show

[3/10 · 26 August 2021]

My two least favourite characters get even more screentime in this non-nonsensical story. Even worse it is the first of a two-episode story line.

I am struggling to understand the reason Philippa Georgiou is still in this show. She is contributing nothing beyond annoying superficial dialogue in the form of a spoilt 12 year old child, with no useful story-arc in sight.

The powerful on-screen presence of Lorca was somehow turned into a baddie (I still don't understand the logic behind that), but the murderer of millions - Philippa Georgiou - was saved as a worthy person. What rubbish!!

Since midway through season 2 I have not been able to watch these episodes in full- about 15 minutes is my limit before I have to give up and take a break.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Star Trek: The Michael Burnham Chronicles.

[6/10 · 26 August 2021]

This show has been incorrectly named. It should be named :

Star Trek: The Michael Burnham Chronicles.

This is not meant as a compliment in any way. This entire show has turned into the sole exploits of Michael Burnham. Why has this show taken this sole direction?

Why was Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) killed off. He elevated the first season well beyond what it is now. I never really understood how/why he became the baddie.

Then another powerful presence in the form of Captain Pike (Anson Mount) was discarded.

Now we are left with Michael Burnham and a very annoying Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) whose reason for being on the show is now a mystery to me.

There is a full cast of likeable and talented characters that have minimal screen time by the third season.

Lets hope Season 4 takes a different direction.

Kill Plan (2021)

High School drama production?

[3/10 · 12 February 2021]

Obviously the 6.6/10 rating at the time of writing has been artifically inflated by parties connected to this movie.

This is a B-class type production with poor dialogue, poor script, under-acting, over-acting, and absolutely no point to the entire story.

That very questionable 6.6 rating seriously led me astray with this movie.

The Gifted (I) (2017–2019)

Mutants are stupid and incompetent

[5/10 · 10 March 2020]

While Season 1 had me coming back for more, Season 2 is shameful.

You would be forgiven for thinking that mutants are incompetent imbeciles that can barely accomplish any daily activity. When a large gathering of underground mutants is attacked by a handful of redneck vigilantes... who wins? Certainly not the mutants. Do they not realise they have special powers? Humans and guns always prevail!!! And this type of scenario is repeated ad nausea throughout the show. Why are mutants portrayed as being so helpless, useless and poverty stricken on the verge of starvation and death and are completely unable to defend themselves?

Why do mutants insist on living in the center of the city where they can easily be found? And "sewers" must mean something different in the USA, because here it means the pipes through which human excrement is transported to the sewage treatment plant. According to this show it means "underground caves with electricity and fresh water and no toxic smells".

Too many bonding moments between characters. And an annoyingly excessive amount of self-recrimination.

While the central cast are always forgiven for their betrayals, any other mutant is punished which is probably the only aspect of the entire show that resembles the real world.

The second season is intolerable which turned the entire show into a disappointment. Not hard to see why this was cancelled. A rating of 5 is mainly for season 1.

Lost in Space (2018– )

Full of deceit

[3/10 · 28 March 2019]

What a disappointing reboot.

Seems like just anybody can go to space now- stroppy teenagers full of angst and their feuding parents. What was the selection process- a lottery?

The actors are not likeable and the Dr Smith actor is, by far, the most unappealing of all. She is the single actor/character that ruined the show for us.

The show is full of lies, secrets and deceit. It was not an enjoyable experience to watch the supposed pinnacle of human intelligence behaving like uneducated morons playing the blame game. Leave that for the politicians.

Krypton (2018–2019)

Another cookie cutter show

[3/10 · 21 March 2019]

There is no creative writing and there are no original concepts in this show. The writers have freely borrowed from other popular shows...

Gods akin to Stargate SG-1 Cities akin to Caprica Ruling families akin to Dune

If it was not for the rare mention of "Superman" and "Krypton" in the dialogue, there would be absolutely nothing that ties this in as a Superman show.

The visual build is just confusing. How can such an advanced society, with their soaring skyscrapers, advanced technology, flying cars, advanced AI systems have a society that operates similar to those of our medieval times? With all these advances, is it believable that most of the populace lives homeless and both worships and defies the ruling deity? Why are Gods such a prominent theme in this show in the first place??

For an alien civilisation from another galaxy, it is amazing how alike to humans they are- speech patterns, greed, vengeance, struggle for power, love. Is there nothing the writers could have added to make them seem less human?

The scenes are very dark sometimes making it very difficult to understand the action, especially during all the fight scenes. Amazing that such an advanced civilisation has not mastered the use of room lighting.

This is one show I regret purchasing and will not continue watching. Of course, one of the silly shows that will be renewed for 5+ seasons.

God Friended Me (2018–2020)

Early Edition Modernised Re-Make

[5/10 · 19 December 2018]

This show is so reminiscent of the TV Show Early Edition (1996) where tomorrows paper was received today, and efforts were made to help people who made it into the paper.

But instead of a newspaper, we have Facebook.

The God concept is a bit of a stretch though.

Millions of children starving, countries still being devastated by wars, religious conflicts, climate change, lack of basic necessities to poorer nations. But God is too busy for all that. He is helping Americans with their first world problems... lost love, loneliness and depression to name a few.

But, once I dumbed myself down and ignored the God concept, I did enjoy the show.

PS. I am an Athiest.