Elijah Gonzalez

Ultimately, the series understands the dismal realities of late-stage capitalism, but doesn’t know what to do with all that angst, resulting in a disappointing end to an otherwise compelling game.

All things considered, Strange New Worlds continues to do an excellent job at adapting Star Trek to this era of television, maintaining the series’ episodic structure and unvarnished optimism while introducing modern production value and overarching character narratives that tie the season together.

Although Tales of the Underworld makes for a light, sometimes entertaining watch, it’s too obsessed with reveling in its own mythos instead of giving us something new.

The first half could have likely been significantly trimmed without losing much, and while its sharp look is eventually matched by some much-needed character growth that gives us something to hold onto, it takes far too long to get there. All things considered, I wish it were a bit more filling, but Government Cheese eventually provides just enough to satisfy a hunger for the unusual.

The Last of Us’ second season combines bludgeoning violence with precise emotional stabs as emotive acting, thoughtful dialogue, and deft camera work come together to convey every subtle shift in these characters—basically, it does a much better job than the game of putting us in these people’s headspaces. It’s not for the faint of heart, but this punishing journey is worth embarking on.

The series finds just enough of its own identity to largely work. While it’s not as poignant or aesthetically sharp as Bebop, it has real potential thanks to its fun character moments and ruminations on how we collectively run from things we should confront.

Altogether, it’s an arresting piece of historical fiction that charts the journey of a man who is always one bad conversation away from death; we may be 500 years removed from these events, but this series ensures you can still hear the sharpening of the axe.

In the end, Dope Thief is yet another series that can’t live up to the more compelling and cohesive HBO dramas it takes inspiration from, a lackluster imitation of the genuine article.

The plot somewhat inelegantly switched modes at the 11th hour, stuffing in as many ideas as it could before credits rolled. But even despite its issues, this story aimed for the stars, melding its high-flying ideas with affecting drama. The result is an ambitious, imperfect, and thought-provoking sci-fi series that forces you to stop and look toward the future, however uncertain and frightening that may be.

Overall, though, Win or Lose is a pleasant surprise. It’s not a traditional baseball tale and is less interested in the minutiae of sports than the minutiae of those who play them. It gets at various issues bigger than baseball—anxiety, financial pressures, loneliness—but seamlessly weaves in curveballs through funny gags and inventive bursts of animation.