It’s quite clear the stars know the game they’re playing, that Vanderpump Rules can never be the voyeuristic exploration of sociopathy it once was, and the premiere’s promise of fun times, salacious drama, and a commitment to the facade is more than enough to satiate long-time fans.
Anyone who retains some fondness for these kids will find that it hews closely to that which came before, all while raising the stakes on its way to an inevitable once-and-for-all showdown between good and evil.
Part of me wants the detailed “how they made it” documentary, but I think it is worth tamping down that curiosity to just enjoy the fun. .... Spending an hour with Ed Sheeran as he perambulates New York City, shaking hands and giving hugs, is a panacea for the soul.
The Mighty Nein’s comparatively slower pace means that our core characters have time to breathe on their own and form satisfying, lived-in one-on-one relationships before getting tossed into an ensemble.
At once thorough, nuanced, and moving, investigating the paradigm-shifting uprising from numerous micro and macro angles that bring it to vibrant, inspiring life.
Last Samurai Standing is a series that, by and large, cuts through the dour plot of Squid Game towards something more hopeful, more human, and most importantly: a lot more fun.
An expertly performed and assuredly directed saga about storytelling, self-delusion, and murder that never stops playing familiar narrative games and indulging in overwrought exposition.
Unfortunately, its sophomore season squanders its A-list comedic cast—which also features the likes of Allison Janney and Leslie Bibb—once again, managing to somehow be both overstuffed and painfully overlong.
["Tales from 123" segment is] fun enough to get a new angle on these classic characters, expanding the boundaries of what can easily be depicted on screen, and kids will probably like the cartoon segments fine. But they do flatten out the craft still visible in the show’s puppetry—and moreover, they’re spread thin, which seems contrary to the whole point of adding cartoon versions of the characters.
