3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Supernatural’:
Supernatural is a flawed show for sure, but the two charming leads and a tendency to churn out super-creative episodes every once in a while, take this TV tale a level above so many others — and provides enough proof for its incredible longevity.
Considering the inordinate amount of times a character would die and return, and that major biblical characters were portrayed in less-than-epic ways, major stakes were often hard to come by throughout the show’s run. If that hadn’t been the case, the final climactic season — which showcased some of the series’ best arcs — would have been so much more compelling.
Machismo and testosterone ooze through this show, sometimes at eye-rolling levels, and were often the source of many of my complaints. But this also allowed our macho leads to occasionally show their sensitive sides for some poignant (and funny!) moments.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘The X-Files’:
I actually finished the series a few years ago, but held out hope that it wasn’t done yet. Alas, it is.
I rated this show an ‘8’ which, after the latest season, makes me question such a generous decision. But… the truth IS out there: this show is ICONIC. Our main characters had a chemistry unlike anything else. It was a game changer for the genre. Genuinely creepy and compelling stories. And although the mythology gets a bit muddled through the years, it was GREAT TV.
It’s so tragic that it ended on the note it did. So weak for something that was once so strong. I can’t blame Gillian Anderson for not wanting to return.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘The Walking Dead’:
It is a TRAVESTY that I have to rate this series a 7, because it’s had so many level-10 moments throughout its long run. It was a global sensation for a reason. But some seasons were stronger than others, and later storytelling didn’t seem to come as naturally, and effectively, as it once did. Still, nobody can deny this show’s epic impact on pop culture.
The best part of this show? THE CAST. The barrage of faces that’ve come and gone have been immense, and never lacked quality. Every single one of these actors nailed it, even when the writing failed them. They are the heart and soul of this story. And I’ve gotta throw Greg Nicotero in there too. So. Much. Talent.
Yeah, it should’ve ended earlier. I feel like that’s a general consensus amongst everyone. Story and proper closure were seemingly sacrificed for cash. But it IS worth the ride. Even tho it can occasionally be a challenging one.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Prison Break’:
Writing this after finally finishing the rebooted fifth season. Great to see these actors working together again. And to see a happier ending.
It’s often a fairly fun show to watch, but - after so many years of being off the air, it’s proven not to be very memorable. I couldn’t tell you all that went down after the first season.
While it’s difficult to recall most of the series, I’ll never forget how the first season’s finale was one of the most thrilling episodes of television I’ve ever seen.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Fear the Walking Dead’:
Oh Fear the Walking Dead, the killer of characters, how I’ll instead remember you as The Walking Dead: Fever Dream… because this has been one of the most nonsensical, inconsistent, painful, wasteful series that I have ever spent so much time watching. There was clearly no long-term game plan here. This was merely a cash grab. There’s nothing cohesive about any of these seasons. There has been zero character development, only character confusion, fit to make a viewer’s head spin. A true failure in every sense of the word.
This was meant to depict the BEGINNING of the zombie apocalypse. A peek that the flagship show couldn’t give us. A treat for fans. But I always thought they left LA too soon. We never got to know these characters, as much as we should have, before everything went south. We never got that peek! The plot was rushed from the jump… leading to yet ANOTHER post-apocalyptic journey with not a modicum of direction.
To criticize the show should not suggest I would criticize the talent. So many wonderful actors have graced this show. And the characters themselves aren’t horrible either! Most of them, at least. They simply weren’t given the writing, and general justice, that they deserved.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘iZombie’:
First and foremost, Rose McIver is a fantastic series lead. She deserves a ton of credit for embodying a new persona for pretty much every episode. Not all of ‘em are winners, but it’s always a delight to see what she comes up with next.
Just when you think the zombie genre is tired, this series flips it on its head and gives you something completely fresh. And the cast delivers this new mythology with great chemistry and an awesome enthusiasm. These actors clearly had a blast on set. It shows.
There are standout episodes throughout the series run, but I believe the show never fully reached its true potential. You get a peek at the possibilities in the final episodes, where the stakes are higher and there are more poignant moments. I wish the show took more risks earlier on — but it certainly had its moments!
Bonus Thought: It may not be a popular opinion, but I thought they did a terrific job wrapping the story up in the end.
A cute, quirky show - with tons of heart - that wasn’t always perfect, but ended perfectly. Definitely well worth the binge.
Janet was THE best of this series.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘13 Reasons Why’:
Season One was a heartbreaking, tragic masterpiece. It was compelling and often incredibly hard to watch — and one of the most emotionally-impactful seasons of television I’ve ever seen. The storytelling via the tapes, in my opinion, was especially unique. The rest of the series, admittedly still super-bingeable, pales in comparison.
Throughout the series, many of the characters become interchangeably likable and despise-able. It’s one of my biggest criticisms of the series. Many of their actions are unnecessarily frustrating, inconsistent, and over-the-top. But, then again, these are high schoolers.
Despite a rocky run, the final episode wraps things up rather nicely. It’s absolutely devastating, which is fitting for a show always shadowed by an ever-present cloud of tragedy, but there’s closure. And maybe even a little hope.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Preacher’:
What the hell was the point of this entire series?
Herr Starr was the highlight of everything.
The show had some solid standout episodes and a few standout characters. But, with a deeply unsatisfying final season and series finale, it will only be known for those standouts... if it’s even known for anything at all.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Mr. Robot’:
Sam Esmail is an absolute visionary.
I never imagined it’d end the way it did.
While the show often made my brain hurt, it was a beautiful work of art - some of the most captivating episodes of television I’ve ever seen.
Oh, Schitt’s Creek. I’m so glad I stumbled upon you when I did.
Such a magical show with a magical cast. Heart and soul. And all the humor a person could need. Moira Rose is one of the best television characters, ever. Catherine O’Hara is a Queen. Annie Murphy is a treasure. Eugene Levy is a legend. And Dan Levy is a genius.
A series that TRULY went out on top. Thank you for everything.
Yet another superb show that Netflix neglected and discarded.
Such a quality, quirky series with a fun take on the tired zombie genre, ending on a cliffhanger that’ll never get resolved. I thought it was FANTASTIC.
Between, this, Sense8, and The OA, I’ve lost respect for Netflix as a streaming service. I may still watch their other programming, but I’ll cheer their competitors on even harder.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Daredevil’:
THE best superhero show to ever grace the small screen. Hands down. Charlie Cox plays our hero to absolute perfection. And Vincent D'Onofrio is exquisite as Kingpin.
The third season of this series was perfect television. The pacing. The fight scenes. The tension. The villain(s). The emotion. The new characters. THE STAKES. Everything was grand and flawless, truly. Little to no filler whatsoever. I dare to say that this season is greater than most Marvel films.
And, of course, the cancellation: TRAGIC. Clearly it was a business decision and not a creative one. I only write these “thoughts” after I’ve finished a show’s final episode. I’m hoping and praying that this isn’t the last of CHARLIE COX’S Daredevil, and that this closing review ends up being premature. Otherwise, if it doesn’t continue, at least we get a great deal of closure at the end.
Bravo.
‘Legion’ is full of absurdity - which I believe is completely and utterly intentional. It’s unlike anything else on television and its highest points are pretty spectacular, in all its originality and creativity. The show in itself is a piece of art, not always understood but awfully fun to look at. Sometimes.
When it’s not fun, it’s often confusing, seemingly headed in no direction at all, and full of side characters that lack a substantial amount of depth. There’s one character who isn’t introduced until the final season whom I found more compelling than those who were there since the series’ debut.
In the end, I appreciate ‘Legion’ for what it was - even though I’m not entirely sure what that is.
That’s ‘Legion’ to me. 6/10
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Luke Cage’:
Luke Cage is one helluva boring superhero. And this show admits this by placing all the supporting characters at the forefront of each episode. Luke is always an afterthought.
The first season showed some promise. The second/final season is a complete mess. The ending is a joke — and transitions the hero from boring to simply unlikable.
The women of this show were its strengths. Misty was the strongest character, woefully underutilized. Rosario and Alfre have proven acting chops that were stunted by the show’s writing.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Marvel’s Iron Fist’:
This show gets a pretty bad rap, but it’s definitely worth a watch. The fight scenes are fun. The Fist is pretty cool. And the secondary characters are fairly solid, particularly Colleen. Season two greatly improves upon the widely-criticized first season. I was much more invested and, actually, it would’ve been nice to see a third go-around with these characters. Ignore the naysayers.
I’m 100% a fan of Finn Jones. I just don’t think he was a great choice for this particular role. It’s the show’s biggest flaw. He’s incredibly likable and easy to root for, but there’s an intensity lacking from a character who has so much power to wield. I believe a different actor could have brought this series closer to the heights of ‘Daredevil’.
Bringing Misty Knight and Mary Walker into the fold and giving Colleen the Iron Fist in the show’s final season were some of its best decisions.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Web Therapy’:
I started watching this when it was just a small web series, before it hit Showtime, and I found it to be so original and hysterical. Not every sketch/guest was a winner, but watching Lisa Kudrow do anything is pure joy. I upped the score one point for her alone.
The laundry list of guest stars here was pretty impressive. It was magic to see so many of my faves work with Kudrow. And their bloopers during the end credits are bound to put a smile on your face.
This little show might get lost in all of today’s TV noise — and that’s unfortunate. But if you do come across this series, it’s absolutely worth a watch. It’s easy viewing where you don’t have to think too hard. And there’s some really funny stuff here. We could certainly use some quality laughs these days.
Classic series and a huge part of my childhood. There needs to be more shows like this for kids today.
Deserving of a comment AND five stars!
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Dark’:
This show is one of THE most complex and intricate stories I have ever watched in my life. It’s often mind-numbing and frustrating because of it. But, I promise you, the ending makes up for everything... no matter how confused you are.
This series has some of the absolute best casting EVER, with different actors playing younger or older versions of a single character. The resemblances are incredibly impressive.
As I currently process the finale, I’m realizing more and more that this show is probably smarter than I ever gave it credit for. (but there’s gotta be actual plot holes in there somewhere! lol) Kudos!
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Castle Rock’:
I actually finished this show a while ago, and didn’t expect it to get cancelled. Definitely a bummer.
I love love loved the idea of a Stephen King multiverse show. So much potential. And I loved how you initially thought each season was it’s own individual story. I was blown away by the finale that tied it all together. I was excited to see where things would go next.
Beyond the fabulous SK Easter eggs, the performances were equally fantastic. Sissy Spacek in season one and Lizzy Caplan in season two were both awesome standouts.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Ally McBeal’:
‘Ally McBeal’ is something incredibly special. It has a heart unmatched by anything else ever aired on television. It’s WAY beyond just a show about lawyers. It’s about the human condition. About love. It’ll make you LAUGH. It’ll make you CRY. (I’m putting those in caps for a reason.) It is one of my absolute favorite shows of all-time.
Calista Flockhart and Peter MacNicol (one of the funniest humans, EVER) are the heart of this show. It’s always at its best when they’re on screen, especially together.
Vonda Shepard is a national treasure. Her music is the soul of this show. It wouldn’t have been the same without her.
Bonus Thought: Thank you, Barry White.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Marvel’s Jessica Jones’:
I never thought I’d like a disgruntled, broken superhero so much. Krysten Ritter was a joy to watch and deserves the credit for keeping me invested.
Nothing ever lived up to the first season. I blame a lot of that on the absence of David Tennant, who rivals Vincent D’Onofrio for the best villain of this whole Netflix/Marvel thing. Other than that, stories/characters just went in an off direction.
I really, really wanted to like Trish Walker — and in the first season she was great! But she eventually became very detrimental to the show, evolving into someone fairly unlikeable. One might say this made the “series finale-worthy” ending that much more satisfying, but others will see missed opportunities.
Bonus Thought: So long, Defenders. It’s been an interesting ride.
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘Fringe’:
Walter Bishop is one of THE best, most underrated television characters of all time. John Noble did an absolutely incredible job and was, ultimately, the heart of the show.
‘Fringe’ — one of my favorite TV series, ever — wasn’t always perfect. There were some small storylines that never followed through, which could always be explained away by time resets, and super over-the-top ideas... BUT it always stayed true to what it was. Fringe cases explained away by science, not supernatural, and usually serving as a metaphor for what the characters were going through. An awesome ensemble cast who all stuck around right ‘til the very end. The special effects were consistently top-notch. And so many full circle moments in that last season. It was an extraordinary ride!
That final ending. It sure does stay with you. Heartbreaking, yet effective. You don’t want it to end the way it does, but it also feels like it couldn’t have ended any other way.
3 Thoughts After Giving Up on ‘American Gods’:
I really wanted to like this show. The first season showed some promise. A ton of potential, albeit a bit confusing. It felt different. Gillian Anderson was a highlight for me. And the visuals were pretty awesome. It stopped there.
The second season was an absolute mess. It’s been a minute, but I vividly remember being endlessly irritated, and not even remotely entertained, by the lack of any solid plot. And the main character (while nice to look at) was completely useless. It was quite literally a waste of my time.
I still have season three left to watch, but the show’s cancellation was enough to tell me to save myself the trouble. There are SO many quality series out there to devote my time to. Off I go.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Felicity’:
This is such a special time capsule of a show, with a charismatic ensemble cast that had fantastic chemistry. But it was Keri Russell that truly carried them through with an effortlessly-heartfelt performance. There aren’t many characters as organically lovable and wholesome as Felicity Porter.
Felicity and Ben have one of the greatest television love stories of all time. I cheered them on through all their triumphs and tribulations, and — at the end of it all — this is their story.
The creators should be endlessly scolded and judged for deciding to change a lovely (and unique) opening credits sequence to one of the worst theme songs to ever tarnish the small screen. It was truly awful. I spent the second half of this series scoffing EVERY SINGLE time it came on. Felicity deserved so much better.
Bonus Thought: The show ended in such a weird and wacky way that I enjoyed and appreciated. Others may feel differently, but I thought it separated this series from the pack and made it even more special within the genre.
One of THE most original, emotional, underrated series I have ever seen. Netflix choosing not to continue the story is an absolute TRAVESTY. For a show that inspires belief, faith and hope, I believe I’ll still see this story told eventually.
If you’re thinking about checking it out despite its untimely cancellation, do it. Yes... it’s complex and deep, but you’ll be all the better for it once the final credits roll.
See ya again in another dimension, OA. (But I’m still holding out in this one.) :blue_heart:
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘The Haunting of Hill House’:
Reviewing this a bit late, since I was expecting it to continue in an anthology form… something I had initially been unhappy about discovering. I really wanted this particular tale to continue. I thought it was superbly done, but it left me feeling like we were being somewhat shorted. Like we were left with so much still to tell.
A slew of spooky moments, and those famously hidden ghosts, make for great Halloween viewing. And one scene in particular… those who’ve seen it know what I’m talking about… made me jump in a way no other show has.
Such a phenomenal cast, all around. It was great to see Henry Thomas in the spotlight again. Carla Gugino is always a delight. Kate Siegel was a standout to me. And Oliver Jackson-Cohen is a dream.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘The Crown’:
THIS is premiere storytelling, folks. Superior quality television. I initially went into this merely to test out the hype, expecting to be bored by subject matter I had little-to-no interest in… expecting to face challenges in understanding a history I knew nothing about. Instead, I was absolutely captivated by every single episode and I learned SO much. Every episode feels perfectly crafted, mini motion pictures, focusing on a character — or set of characters — blessing them with all the layers they need and deserve. Just brilliant.
We got a brand new cast every two seasons, and my heart broke a little each time we had to say goodbye. But then the new group would rope me right back in, making me eventually miss them too. Nearly impeccable casting.
Diana. There’s a particular focus on her when she steps into this world — as there should be. It was a painful watch, in the sense that I wanted it to all play out differently for her. And Elizabeth Debicki portrayed her to absolute perfection.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Humans’:
Despite appearing as a show about robots, this series was aptly named. Because what is so compelling (and a bit scary) about this series is its reflection on humanity — and the worst of it. That’s what this show seems to truly be about. And there are so many intriguing thoughts here that haven’t really - from my perspective - been explored in other sci-fi stories. This alone is worth the watch.
It’s a tragedy that this show was cancelled without complete closure. It could have all been wrapped up in one final season and it’s a shame they couldn’t finish telling the story. BUT, don’t let it dissuade you from watching. It’s worth the ride and there are some full-circle moments at the end.
Gemma Chan is absolutely stunning. Such a presence. She gave us a character with so much heart — and she didn’t always need dialogue to do so. I’m so happy to see her finding more success after Humans. What a wonderful talent.
Bonus Thought: Grab your tissue boxes. There are some pretty powerful, emotional moments along the way.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Servant’:
This show is the slowest burn of all slow burns. It’s kinda insane. They could have either shortened this to just a couple seasons. Or they could have had multiple, evolving story arcs within this fairly-intriguing mythology. All in all, we waited far too long with limited payoff (and limited questions answered).
These characters are not grounded in reality. They’re odd. And, for the most part, it can be what makes this show interesting to watch. But they also tend to make decisions and react in ways that make little sense… leaving us all kinds of frustrated.
I didn’t hate it. And I’ve always been an M. Night fan. And it’s a great cast. I’d be lying, despite my qualms, if I said they didn’t have me hooked from the first episode.
