rickwright-94893 Reviews

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Under the Cloak of War (2023) Season 2, Episode 8

Exceptional episode with good story, dialogue, acting

[9/10 · 29 July 2023]

Frankly my wife and I are not enjoying season two as much. Some of the episodes seem silly and downright pointless.

And then this. I was genuinely moved by this episode. Great story, good dialogue with some memorable lines (why we fight), some of the best acting I've seen. What toll does war take on people? Starfleet for all its idealism and the Federation for all its "smug optimism" (to quote Garak) cannot diplomatic courtesy its way past this. War is hell. And how much can we forgive war criminals no matter how much they appear to reform?

I changed my rating from 10/10 to 9/10 because of the ending.

What's strange is how much Nurse Chapel and Dr M'Benga have become the most interesting and compelling characters in the series. And props to Jess Bush and especially Babs Olusanmokun for their acting. Credit to Melissa Navia as Lt Vargas who gets to shine for a change.

The Orville: Domino (2022) Season 3, Episode 9

Good episode that raises questions about what it represents

[8/10 · 29 July 2022]

Yes this is overall a good series. I have elsewhere argued that increasingly the series has become a vehicle for Seth McFarlane to preach his social-cultural-moral views. And the positive reviews are strong evidence I interpret the series accurately, since these reviews show people get The Message loud and clear. We just love the show when it pushes progressive politics and portrays traditional "beliefs" as bigoted, destructive, evil. You tell them, Seth!

Maybe McFarlane is raising questions about excessive force against civilians by the Allies during World War Two. Not sure about this.

Elsewhere I also asked what the Kaylon represent, since boy we need to be unified against some Existential Threat. The Union in its arrogant self-righteousness expelled Moclus, so we need to stick by our convictions (which are what exactly) no matter what. How then will the Union prevail against the Kaylons?

With a doomsday weapon that scares the Kaylons into peace. What's the message here? The logic of Mutually Assured Destruction? Peace with our enemies because they're terrified we'll nuke them just as we're terrified they'll nuke us?

That small team was able to penetrate the weapon array facility?

FBI: International: Get That Revolution Started (2022) Season 1, Episode 19

Spare us the political messaging

[6/10 · 10 June 2022]

My family has enjoyed FBI international so far. There have been some very good episodes. This one was annoying because of the not so subtle political messaging. So people upset about mandates become violent murderers. It's science against ignorance and ignorance is winning. All hail Fauci and WHO and CDC policies and mandates. This show has so far avoided similar mistakes by FBI series an otherwise good series that sometimes indulges in hamfisted messaging. For the record we are vaccinated so other reviewers can't dismiss my critique so easily. Serious question = are there any examples of people upset over mandates who went on a murder spree and tried to start a revolution? Which side in the mandates debate is more revolutionary? How realistic was this storyline?

FBI: Liar's Poker (2020) Season 3, Episode 3

Good episode with tension and tough choices

[8/10 · 15 March 2022]

I've been critical of some episodes so need to give props for this one. The story itself is okay but what makes the episode strong is character development, how they stand by their colleagues in times of crisis, the tough choices some characters have to make, and the potential cost of those choices. Scola is growing into the best characters of the show.

FBI: Never Trust a Stranger (2020) Season 3, Episode 1

Good show again dragged down

[5/10 · 13 March 2022]

The critical reviews are perhaps too harsh and there's no need to take swipes at Dick Wolf. But they have a point. Once again the people making this show are letting their social-political views drag down an otherwise good show with good stories and strong acting. Checking off those boxes. Bad guys are right wing white supremacists. Victims are progressive journalists and favored intersectional groups.

We get it. Progressive good. Distorted caricatures of not-progressive Americans bad and just can't wait to go on killing sprees. Meanwhile who wields the most social/political/economic and especially cultural power? The political messaging is tiresome and is spoiling an otherwise excellent series. Keep this up and some of us will look for alternatives.

(Meant to add this review and accidentally edited my review of an earlier episode.)

FBI: American Dreams (2020) Season 2, Episode 18

Good show dragged down by political messaging

[5/10 · 24 February 2022]

I've been enjoying this show. Some episodes however appear to engage in political messaging and this is one of them. Is it obvious? No but we're not stupid and given the social-political context of America during a certain presidency we can infer who and what this episode is trying to target. The evil nasty white supremacists are a proxy for the millions who voted for the previous president, who have grave concerns about where progressive elites are trying to take this nation. There are moments when the thinly cloaked political agenda of the show's producers takes off the mask and announces itself rather loudly.

We get it, Hollywood. Stop alienating half your audience.

(I tried to add review to a later episode and accidentally edited an earlier one. Trying to switch it back.)

FBI: Conflict of Interest (2019) Season 1, Episode 19

Strong episode

[9/10 · 13 January 2022]

One of the strongest episodes this season. Zidan and Jubal both torn between their jobs and their friends. Good writing and very good drama. Deals with issue of addiction without beating viewers over the head.

Don't Look Up (2021)

Unwatchable, smug, self-righteous, angry pseudo-satire

[2/10 · 1 January 2022]

A couple nights ago my wife wanted to watch Don't Look Up and the rest of us went along with it even though frankly we weren't interested. It is (almost?) unwatchable. About halfway through I found excuses to be elsewhere (clean kitchen, do laundry). Came back and watched last ten minutes with our daughter who just wanted to know how it ends.

The trailer gives the impression it's light hearted, moderately funny satire. Except the "humor" wasn't funny, it was annoying, the protagonists are not sympathetic, most of the characters (talk show hosts, other guests, president and advisors) come across as willfully stupid, rude, self-centered.

Perhaps it's much simpler to say, there's no real beauty in this film, there's almost nothing that leaves viewers with a sense of enjoyment (and one can enjoy a film that is serious, in which people suffer and sacrifice). This film is full of smug, self-righteous anger and resentment toward everyone and everything that isn't on sufficiently on board with (cue Critical Drinker voice) The Message.

This film not about quality, beauty, humor, nobility, it's about the social-political-cultural agenda, about politics, about The Message. Note how many praise it as "political satire". Thank you for making my point.

I am a recent convert to the "climate change is real and we're in serious trouble and we're living on borrowed time" club. This something McKay and Sirota (and fans of the film) fail to grasp. Even if I agree with The Message, with the agenda of a film, comic book, novel, and so on, quality matters. This film was naked propaganda, which isn't necessarily bad, but it's not even good propaganda.

NCIS: Burden of Proof (2017) Season 15, Episode 7

Excellent and brutal

[9/10 · 1 May 2021]

Wow. Great story with great writing. Some very good character development. We think we know what is going on but no the story is deeper and more complicated. Brutal because of the strain it puts on Gibbs' friendship with Formell. And the last scene? Ouch. But it ain't over.

NCIS: Trapped (2017) Season 15, Episode 6

Meh but nice B story

[7/10 · 28 April 2021]

Main story was okay. I rather liked the B story with Palmer's charity. I think Palmer has been largely mistreated as a character in this series. Then there was the episode where he dealt with a suicidal person. Respect. And in this episode we see a side of Jimmy that shows him as a tender hearted man. Torres is also growing on me.

NCIS: Philly (2016) Season 14, Episode 5

Struggling

[6/10 · 29 March 2021]

Since Dinozzo left and Torres and Quinn came on board the show has been struggling. Efforts to make Torres and Quinn fit in are awkward. This was not a bad episode but was hard to watch.

NCIS: Thirst (2011) Season 9, Episode 6

Ugh

[6/10 · 1 December 2020]

What a turkey of an episode. Of all the people to commit the crime and for the most ridiculous reason. No more of these.