Utterly pretentious. There is plenty of room for a Marvel show to eschew the tropes and expectations of a superhero series but to do so it needs not just to have a good story to tell, it needs to do so in a way that offers something different from all the other options for non-superhero dramas we have to choose from. This does neither - it has neither an interesting story (lacking a gripping plot, humor, or engaging characters), nor does it make use of the potential of its setting, the MCU, and the potential to offer satire, or a more grounded view, or anything to give it a distinct identity. I can only imagine people are enamored of the mere concept of 'being different' or are afraid they missed the message and are feigning awareness of a hidden depth that simply does not exist. Over time audience scores will drop as people who did not get wrapped up in the hype of release watch the show and think "why did they even make this?"
Utterly pretentious. There is plenty of room for a Marvel show to eschew the tropes and expectations of a superhero series but to do so it needs not just to have a good story to tell, it needs to do so in a way that offers something different from all the other options for non-superhero dramas we have to choose from. This does neither - it has neither an interesting story (lacking a gripping plot, humor, or engaging characters), nor does it make use of the potential of its setting, the MCU, and the potential to offer satire, or a more grounded view, or anything to give it a distinct identity. I can only imagine people are enamored of the mere concept of 'being different' or are afraid they missed the message and are feigning awareness of a hidden depth that simply does not exist. Over time audience scores will drop as people who did not get wrapped up in the hype of release watch the show and think "why did they even make this?"
A far more down-to-earth, and more subtle, glimpse into the world of Westeros. That this isn't a show made to cater to the existing GoT audience is made plain with the use of the theme music. Even though it tugged on my own nostalgia, they made it clear they were not going for the member berries that a lesser production team would have aimed for and this world, with its lack of black and white characters or high stakes action, might not appeal to many who enjoyed the epic quality of the original series. However, there is a charm and authenticity that carries through the two leads, and so far an able supporting cast, that brings a level of verisimilitude to the setting that it has been lacking for many years. It may be a show that will appeal more to original book readers that those who bought in at the tv stage, but for some this will be exactly what hoped for, a well-crafted story made by people who clearly love and understand the setting.
So far it could have been an episode of Black Mirror but if it had been it would have been one of the far weaker ones. In Sci-fi terms the premise is not particularly interesting or unusual, collective consciousness and hive minds have been done in many forms. As a drama its lack of strong characters or any clear narrative direction for the plot make it feel aimless and tepidly paced. Its essentially just a character study of what it would be like to be in a weird situation and if the show runner hadn't been coming off the back of two major hits I doubt it would ever have been made and there is no way it would be getting the acclaim that it currently is. Gilligan's record does mean the show might evolve into something more complex and engaging but based on its opening this is a disappointment.
A good cast and high production values but a story that takes a long time (8 episodes) to not go very far at all. The main character seems like he will have the potential to be a strong lead yet he remains entirely passive for most of the series and never displays any particular strengths (capacity for violence, intelligent planning, quick wits, humor, charm, etc.), like the show he's just kind of 'there'. It is reminiscent of some of RItchie's earlier work but doesn't have their energy, frenetic rhythm, or memorable dialogue. Essentially, the main flaw is the lackluster writing, which squanders what had the potential to be a very good show by failing to take any risks, attempting any creative plotting, or developing its characters beyond their somewhat bland surfaces.
My initial review of this series was VERY wrong. Half-way through the first episode I had given up, thinking it was another 'impossibly perfect, strong female character' that Hollywood has pushed for years now. The premise of the show (young woman seeking to kill the only 4 white men in Japan) also made me assume it would be excessively woke. Going back for a second look I realised I'd been far too hasty, the character - while unbelievably skilled - is flawed, sometimes vulnerable and far from a clear moral hero. The writing on the show picks up as it continues and the art design and storytelling in some sections are truly exceptional. This is exactly the type of strong female character we have been missing in movies like Star Wars,Captain Marvel, etc. One where the creators care more about the story itself than using it as a vehicle for their own political messaging. Hopefully this trend will continue.
Surprised to see the middling reviews on this as it was an excellent show in an under-utilized tv genre (the Heist). A great selection of characters, good writing and unpredictable character arcs. I initially saw the 'watch in any order' aspect as just being a gimmick, but it works surprisingly well and gives the audience a intriguing element of control over how the story unfolds (purely chronological, mostly flashbacks or a bit of both). Altogether an original and very well-crafted show that deserve a lot more praise for pulling off a difficult task
The first two episodes of this were atrocious bar about one third of the first episode when it seemed like there might be some interesting twists coming. Instead it feels like a con-artist trying to **** someone into committing more time to their drawn out scam. We're told A is the truth. But then maybe B is. But no its really **** is it B? No, its just A. But wait...there's something else we can look at. Forget about A and B. lets examine C. Characters are discarded without any payoff to their stories, plot holes appear in the very first episode and grow worse in the second. The world building doesn't stand up to a moment's thought regarding feasibility or the practicalities of how such a society would evolve. I can only imagine the book it was based on was written using a pseudonym by the child of a billionaire. I have no idea how else it could have racked up so many positive reviews given the turgid quality of its content.
Remember when the tone-deaf celebrities banded together to 'inspire' us by singing Imagine? It seems like someone in Hollywood saw that and thought, "This is how we'll save the world!" by having a bunch of out-of-touch, pampered actors and producers tell us how WE need to do more to protect THEIR lifestyle.
Absolutely awesome breath of fresh air. Such an original idea, really unique characters, well written (Lee Sung Jin), well-acted (Yeun & Wong)and great direction (Hikari & Schreier). God knows the struggle they went through to get such an off-the-wall idea to the screen but it pays off in spades. Apart from being both funny and moving it also compliments 'Everything Everywhere' by taking a look at how internal discontent can manifest and impact a persons sense of happiness. The only downside is that the single season is perfectly wrapped up with no need for anything further. Hopefully the same creatives follow it up with something equally enjoyable.
Fantastic slow-building old-school western with great characters, beautiful visuals, and a striking score. The story is complex and confusion over character backstory and motivation is complicated by shifts between present and 15 years earlier, nonetheless, its refreshing to have a period piece that makes you think and listen carefully to each line and which is able to criticise the politics of the past without shoe-horning in present-day agendas.
If you're a fan of the original 'actual play' you'll almost certainly love it. If not it probably depends on whether or not you like your fantasy with gore, nudity, and plenty of poop and fart jokes. If yes, add 1 or two points to the score, if not take them away. Either way its a competent but far from ground-breaking cartoon version of the D&D tabletop game. It certainly had the misfortune to come out the same year as Arcane, a show that makes almost all other animation pale in comparison and really highlights how old-school TLoVM and many other shows have become. It has a fast-moving story but, again, this is a love it or hate it point; it rapidly jumps from bawdy gag to action but doesn't take a lot of time from any real character development or world-building. Perhaps this was done with fans of the show (who already have plenty of both) in mind but for a new viewer it gives the show a slightly superficial feel.
Solid action show in the vein of Banshee, if not quite as graphic. Excellent cast and well-written characters that were far more entertaining than the trailer led me to expect.
Have you ever watched an exciting sci-fi invasion film and thought "I wonder whats happening in the background while this is going on? I guess people are going about their everyday, boring lives not even knowing that Will Smith or Dwayne Johnson are getting into all sorts of hair-raising adventures." If so, someone made a show just for you. Perhaps somewhere in the 'Invasion' universe there are exciting things happening but its not with any of the main characters. Snapshots of mild drama from a half-dozen different locations none of which have any clear or interesting plot-line and around which we only have the vaguest hints that 'something unusual' is happening. How can so much money be thrown into a project that so clearly doesn't have an audience looking for what it's selling?
I'm sure its not for everyone, but for those who like it you'll probably love it. A pure punk-rock, dark comedy with real heart. Very rarely puts a foot wrong and where it does the misteps are too inconsequential to detract from everything it gets right: from the leads, to the side characters, the dialogue and music choices, it all adds up to a rare breath of fresh air among so many predictable and superficial shows that take no risks and deliver no returns.
Strange that these gets such low reviews. Its certainly not must-see tv but its well written and well acted. Its main weakness is that it fails to do anything very new with its theme and its interpretation of demons is the typical 'regular guys with black eyes' type. Well, they're not exactly like that but they7re certainly not otherworldly or especially scary. The show could have been a lot better if it had worked on the horror aspect a little more and made an effort to make things more unsettling - I would have loved to have seen them do for horror what Legion did for psychics. Still a decent enough show that should appeal to the Supernatural crowd.
A little uneven and the pacing drags a little at times but a refreshingly different show with a varied and appealing cast of characters. A series with a clear and defined sense of its own style and certainly far better than the majority of dialed-in, bland retreads of the same old format that seem to fill the 'airwaves'.
