Tag: tv

THE REHEARSAL // s01

Part reality show, part social experiment, part work of (evil?) genius.

It’s impossible to describe exactly the kind of absolutely wild project this is, and it’s really worth your time to just watch the first episode blind and see for yourself.

Nathan Fielder might be a supervillain. There’s a lot of conversation to be had about the ethics of The Rehearsal, because on one hand it feels exceptionally manipulative, but it’s also hyper-conscious of exactly this fact and accounts for itself in frequently surprising ways.

Seriously though, check it out. It will make you say “What the fuuuuuuuuuuck…?”

A lot.

by Thomas Scott Holland

THE SANDMAN // s01

A pitch-perfect adaptation of the beloved graphic novel series.

Immaculately cast, beautifully shot. I’d have personally liked it to skew just a bit darker and stranger, but really there’s not much to pick at.

If you’ve read the series, you’ll be delighted to find how faithful it is. If you never read it, this is the perfect introduction.

Fingers and toes crossed that WB/Netflix greenlights the rest of the adaptation, this one really deserves it.

Highly recommended.

by Thomas Scott Holland

DAY SHIFT (2022)

What’s this 90s vampire movie doing, being released in 2022?

Genuinely, I thought this was some kind of relic that had just gotten a wide release.

It’s fine. The humour’s hit and miss, the action is hilariously well done, the story is serviceable.

It’s kind of inconsistent its worldbuilding, in that it explains a lot of what things are but then forgets to ask why or to connect them together or pay things off fully.

Still, it’s silly fun that never takes itself seriously at all, so it’s mostly forgivable.

Not going to shake the world, but it’s worth a watch.

by Thomas Scott Holland

BETTER CALL SAUL

When Breaking Bad finally wrapped, it seemed unlikely that we were going to see a show as good again for a long time.

And then, here comes a prequel/spinoff which somehow manages to not only surpass it, but to actively improve and build on the original series.

It’s remarkable. Even knowing full-well where things are going, BCS manages to wring an incredible amount of tension and character growth out of every moment of screen time.

It’s superbly shot, brilliantly acted, and up there among the best written and directed shows of all time.

Even if you’ve never seen Breaking Bad, this is an absolute must watch.

Highly, highly recommended.

by Thomas Scott Holland

PAPER GIRLS // s01

A little janky to start, but otherwise a solid little sci-fi adventure.

Four girls on their paper route in 1988 end up thrown across time, on the run, in search of their future selves.

It’s a neat little exploration of expectations vs reality, and the possibilty of changing fate.

Already seems to have deviated somewhat from the comic series it’s based on, but I’m interested to see where it goes. The cast is solid, and the concept has enough of a spin on the usual time-travel tropes to make it feel fresh.

Worth a watch.

by Thomas Scott Holland

MS. MARVEL (2022)

Among the better Disney+ Marvel series.

Super sweet and charming, plus it’s refreshing to have a completely different perspective in the MCU.

Strong emphasis on culture, history and family from a Pakistani/Muslim perspective, made accessible by an extremely charismatic performance from Iman Vellani.

There’s a bit of a change-up in her powers compared to the comic, but I kinda get why. It makes her a bit more unique in the MCU, since Reed Richards is due to arrive in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie, and Marvel seems pretty much allergic to using The Inhumans for anything. It works here to tie them back to her heritage, and by the end of the season she’s using them in a way that’s practically the same idea, only done with sparkly gemstone type effects instead of stretchiness/Embiggening.

The villain arc is a bit weak, but it’s got youthful energy to spare, and a lot of fun production design.

Young Avengers lineup is looking promising!

Still, it’s fair to feel fatigue with the endless parade of superhero stuff, and it’s nice to have something lighter on the roster.

Recommended.

by Thomas Scott Holland

SHINING GIRLS (2022)

Excellent thriller series with … a twist.

The cast is fantastic, the pacing is perfect, the mystery is strange and intriguing without overcomplicating itself.

To say much more about it would quickly step into spoiler territory, and it’s definitely worth experiencing firsthand.

If you have any interest in unconventional procedurals, this one is highly recommended.

Another banger from AppleTV.

… On a related note, WHY has nobody cast Jamie Bell and Tom Holland alongside each other? They’d make perfect brothers, or older/younger versions of each other. The similarity is uncanny.

by Thomas Scott Holland

THE SEA BEAST (2022)

Excellent seafaring adventure, kind of in the same tonal vein as How To Train Your Dragon.

Animation, performances and production design are all top-class, with great action and colourful creatures for the kids, and elements of historical revisionism and imperialist undertones for the adults.

Would be genuinely surprised if this didn’t turn into Netflix’s flagship animated film franchise, since there’s plenty of room to grow from here.

Recommended.

by Thomas Scott Holland

SANTA CLARITA DIET // s01-03

Finding this post-cancellation was a damn shame, since it fairly abruptly comes to an end while it has so many balls still up in the air.

As a comedy, it’s perfectly written. There’s an expert balance with saccharine tone and dark subject matter that really works here — it’s a champion of the “yes, and” ethos in that it’s continually building off itself and reintegrating throwaway gags into the overall plot.

But, as mentioned, it died an unceremonious Netflix death while it still had a comfortable season or two worth of steam left in it, which is a damn shame. Not a lot of shows manage this level of sharp dialogue without feeling overwritten or trying too hard.

The practical effects are horrifyingly over the top, but it’s all anchored by Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant’s brilliant comedic timing (the whole remainder of the cast is pitch perfect too).

If you can handle the fact that it doesn’t have a satisfying conclusion, this is a really fun one and well worth your time.

Two severed thumbs up.

by Thomas Scott Holland

STRANGER THINGS // s04

The best the show has ever been.

Everything on show is bigger, wilder, more ambitious… and dammit if they didn’t manage to pull it off. It’s crazy that they can put together what is essentially an entire season of mid-budget movies and not have the thing collapse into itself like a dead star.

Of course, the performances and production design do a lot of heavy lifting, along with some incredible VFX and makeup work.

It’s always worn its influences on its sleeve, but more than any other point in its run, it really feels like its cohering into something more than just slick aesthetics and a stack of well-executed homages. Finally, it’s leaning confidently into itself, and is all the better for it.

If you like the show but thought the last two seasons were lacking somewhat in direction and growth: good news! It’s great.

Highly recommended.

by Thomas Scott Holland