Criminal Machismo and Contemporary TV
by Perhaps it was “The Shield.” “Oz,” though, certainly played a role…as did the “X Files.” And who can forget “The Sopranos?” These are some of the first shows with criminal protagonists. Oh, sure, there were …
Category: Reviews
“Stranger Things” is for Idiots Who Can’t Explain Why They Love the 80’s
Confession time -you can’t watch “Stranger Things” on cable. Nope. Those looking for the 80’s era throwback will require a Netflix subscription. So why is CATV covering it? Because it makes no sense that “Stranger …
“Outlander” is for Americans
Not much changes in Scotland. It’s desolate and full of the decedents of violent, clannish sorts that speak with an unappealing brogue. It always has been that way. It is also the original place of …
“Rush Hour” is the PP’s PP
The police procedural (pp) is diluted. Robots. Magicians. Psychics. Lucifer. All have made appearances solving murders and bickering with detectives. The genre itself is bloated, tired, and 20th century. That sweaty producers would turn to …
“Game of Thrones” is Superior to A Song of Ice and Fire
“GoT” is superior to A Song of Ice and Fire. This is not unusual. “Dexter” was better than the Dexter books. Ditto for “True Blood” and The Southern Vampire Mysteries. Bookworms are probably rolling their …
“Penny Dreadful” is Now Less Boring
It’s not exactly weird that “Penny Dreadful” is into season three. Eva Green. Josh Hartnett. Billie Piper. Their star power keeps the show alive. Timothy Dalton also makes a strong show, but honestly -who cares …
HBO Reminds Viewers It’s Worth $15/Mo. with Game of Thrones, Veep, and Silicon Valley Premieres
As I wrote last week, HBO has a drama problem. True Detective Season 2 was a dud, and while Vinyl isn’t bad, it isn’t really good either, which is surprising when you consider all the …
“The Venture Bros.” is Most Excellent
“Jumping the shark” happens. Six seasons in, though, and “The Venture Bros.” is still fresh. There are plenty of reasons why. Perhaps most significant, it’s because the show excels at lambasting other “jumping the shark” …
Motivation and Actualization Drive Showtime’s “Billions”
On the surface, “Billions” is about elite finance and its policing. The newest Showtime drama is hardly the first to examine tropes like nepotism and conflicts of interest. It is among the first to prioritize …
“The Magicians” is True to Form
“The Magicians” is offbeat in a lazy sort of way. Syfy’s latest show looks at magicians’ struggles in our own world. This is no Harry Potter, either…not even the last few volumes. “The Magicians” plays …
Life’s a Circus in HBO’s “Vinyl”
“Vinyl” isn’t boring. It is also far from provocative. The HBO drama aims to highlight the revelry, drug abuse, and avant garde of New York’s 70s era music scene. And the show is succeeding for …
Better Call Saul Follows an Uneven First Season with an Excellent Second Season
The very first appearance Saul Goodman makes in the Breaking Bad universe (Season 2, Episode 8) is not just funny by Breaking Bad standards – it’s funny in any context. Saul, played by comedy vet …