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.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘WandaVision’:
WandaVision is ultimately a show about overwhelming grief and how an ultra-powerful superhero might unintentionally handle it. Fans will be butthurt by their disproven fans theories and infinite expectations — but this show succeeded in telling the story it wanted to tell. AND it did it in an absolutely wonderful and unique way, especially for Marvel.
As a devotee of classic television, I love love loved the many homages at the beginning. And I love how television gave Wanda solace in her life, as it has for me, which provided the inspiration for her pretend-perfect world. I wish those moments lasted longer, but I’m über grateful for what we got.
This series also succeeded in making me care deeply about characters I had previously overlooked. I can’t wait to see their journey continue.
3 Thoughts After Completing ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’:
This is such a fun show — as long as you don’t take it too seriously! Suspend your belief. Don’t be overly critical. Expect imperfection and convoluted storylines. And just enjoy the witchy ride!
I’m a bit mixed when it comes to the ensemble. There are some awesome characters: the aunts (my faves!), Lilith, and Ambrose (when his intensity is dialed down a bit). And then there are some not-so-great characters: I think Sabrina’s group of friends are horribly written and, frankly, unlikeable. I think they’re the worst part of the show.
That ending. It’s rushed and dissatisfying. A big disappointment. Luckily, it doesn’t alter everything that’s come before it, because at that point you kinda accept that the show simply goes off the rails sometimes. And it’s still worth the watch.
Bonus Thought: Shame on those musical performances. Shame.
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 Completing ‘Marvel’s The Punisher’:
Jon Bernthal’s incessant gruffness and mega-machismo would otherwise be off-putting, but it worked here. He was (and hopefully will continue to be) the perfect Punisher. With slightly weaker secondary characters all-around, he carried much of the show.
As much as I love the cheesy superhero fluff and standard MCU fare, it’s a nice change of pace to have something super gritty in the mix. This Punisher was relentless and not afraid to get a bit brutal.
It’s not a perfect show, but the fight scenes are top-notch and there are some really solid moments, particularly at the end. Despite its untimely cancellation, it wraps things up rather well. DEF worth a watch!
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.
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 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 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 ‘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.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Comeback’:
Thank you, Lisa Kudrow, for your genius. And for creating one the absolute best and wholeheartedly underrated characters on television.
Like Valerie Cherish herself, ‘The Comeback’ deserved more than it ever got. Sheer perfection from start to finish. Treat yourself with this series. And witness one of the most magnificent series finales, ever. Then join me in praying for a season three.
And then there’s Mickey. Robert Michael Morris was a gift. Without him, there would be something incredibly special missing from this show. xo
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 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 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 ‘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 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.
I was pulled in by the hype. Truth is certainly stranger than fiction.
Not many redeemable characters in this, not even Carole. She was making money off these animals, just like all the others. But there were some decent folk, the two amputees among them. The biggest tragedies were Travis and, of course, the animals themselves.
A compelling watch, for sure.
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.
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.
Now I understand why Phoebe’s winning all these awards.
Such a lovely, touching, heartbreaking and hilarious series. I want to see more so bad, but at least we know that she knows she’s loved.
Bravo.
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:
‘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
Nikita is DEFINITELY better than The CW. Should've lasted longer.
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!
