OpinionatedGuy

While this season’s case plot arc is too convoluted, the second season of True Detective is somehow enjoyable to watch on its own without being compared to the first season with thought-provoking themes, well-executed character plot arcs and stellar performances from Colin Farrell and Rachel McAdams. Rating: 7.5/10 Pros: +There were a lot of thought-provoking themes this season. One particular theme I liked was Woodrugh’s plot arc that revolves seeing his homosexuality as a weakness and a shameful trait. +The character plot arcs are well-executed. +Colin Farrell’s and Rachel McAdams’ performances are stellar. It would be a huge snub if they’re not nominated for an Emmy next year. +I thought the season finale was actually satisfying. Neutral: .Vince Vaughn’s performance takes a lot of time to grow on. I am not impressed by his acting until the penultimate episode. Although I am am somehow impressed now, it took that long to make me change my opinion about someone’s acting so I can’t say it’s a good thing nor it’s a bad thing. .Season 2 of True Detective is no Season 1. But it’s still somehow enjoyable on its own. Cons: -The case plot arc is too convoluted to understand. -The change of setting to a bigger city is the reason why this season doesn’t feel special for me. The first season’s setting in which is set on a more isolated setting is one of the things that made me love about the first season.

While this TV show lacks something revolutionary and fresh, the first season of Humans is still an intriguing watch with thought-provoking themes about humanity and technology. Rating: 8.5/10 Pros: +The show has very interesting and thought-provoking themes about humanity and technology. +The best part of the show was the dynamic between the Synths who are the main characters of the show. +The performances of the Synths in the show are outstanding. Gemma Chan who plays Anita/Mia is a highlight as she has a great balance between playing a robotic synth and a human-like synth. Cons: -The show lacked something revolutionary and fresh. I just can't put a finger in it.

More funnier and more emotional than its freshmen season, the sophomore season has made BoJack Horseman a great Netflix sitcom in the ranks of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Rating: 9/10 Pros: +This season seems to be more emotionally focused which is a great thing to make the characters especially BoJack Horseman more understandable despite their flaws. +This season’s humor is off the charts. +This season made the show finally found its footing. +The social commentary in the seventh episode of the show Hank After Dark is the best episode of the show so far. +The show’s voice cast (both the main, supporting and guest voice cast) nailed it with their roles! Favorite Episodes (ranked from most favorite to least favorite): Hank After Dark (E07) Escape from L.A. (E11) Let’s Find Out (E08) Chickens (E05) Yesterdayland (E02) After Party (E04) Still Broken (E03)

With its balanced humor and drama, the first season of Transparent is beautifully heartwarming from start to end. Rating: 9/10 Pros: +Maura is the show. Her transition as a transgender is one of the most emotional things I have seen on TV. Her character is also backed-up with an amazing performance by Jeffrey Tambor. +While most of the main characters are flawed and sometimes really hard to like, they feel like real people. +The cinematography and direction feels really cinematic that it feels like you’re watching a five-hour movie. +The show is heartwarming as the show balanced its humor and drama very well. Cons: -The eight episode felt like it was good on paper but the execution was a miss.

While the show had a rocky start, the first season of Sense8 slowly progresses into one of the most interesting sci-fi shows in recent memory as the show used its concept very well. Rating: 9/10 Pros: +The whole concept is excellently executed. +Interesting and likable characters make most of the character development in the show entertaining to watch. +A very well-diverse cast. Cons: -The show was rocky in the beginning as the show started its stories with pacing problems and some cringeworthy dialgoue.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

While Ballers might be more enjoyable for sports fans, the screen presence of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has caught attention of non-sports fans. Rating: 8/10 Pros: +The screen presence of The Rock is what made the pilot of Ballers so enjoyable to watch. +The Rock’s character is surprisingly likable as his character has a potential to be a huge ****. +While this show is targeted to sports fans, the show is still somehow accessable to non-sports fans. Cons: -Since this show is supposed to be a comedy, the jokes are eh at most.

A rare pilot that has almost no flaws, the pilot of Mr. Robot is not only the best pilot of 2015 but also in recent memory. Rating: 10/10 Pros: +Rami Malek’s performance as Elliot is amazing as he brings his character as a likable, relatable and smart person. +Mr. Robot has a smart concept that does not underestimate its viewers’ intelligence. +The pilot used its 1 hour and 6 minute length very well and it does not waste any time by making me thrilled and excited minute by minute. +The show’s quality is so excellent that it’s almost to the point that it feels like I am watching an HBO show.

Despite not having a tight, definite arc, the first season helped established the strange universe of The X-Files that fascinates both sci-fi fans and non sci-fi fans alike. Actual Rating: 8.5/10 Pros: +David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. Enough said. +The universe of The X-Files is weird and fascinating. I can see why this show is such a classic hit. +Some of the monster of the week episodes are fantastic to watch. Cons: -No tight, definite arc of the first season makes watching this show a bit of a chore. Favorite Episodes (ranked from most favorite to least favorite): Ice (E08) Pilot Eve (E11) Miracle Men (E18) B.E. (E17) Deep Throat (E02) Ghost in the Machine (E07) Squeeze (E03) Tooms (E21) Shadows (E06) Beyond the Sea (E13)

As the season progresses from slow to edge of my seat, the third season of Orphan Black is a huge improvement from the previous season in terms of story progression, character development and balance of drama and comedy. Rating: 9/10 Pros: +Tatiana Maslany continues to amaze me as she keeps outperforming herself. +Ari Millen is quite underrated as he did a great job playing the male version clones. +The plot arcs are excellent and entertaining from start to finish. The series long arc has also became more interesting than from the previous season. +Excellent character development for not just the clones but for some of the main characters as well. +Despite the show’s dark concept, the show continues not to take itself too seriously and balances its heavy scenes and light-hearted scenes excellently. Neutral: .The season had a bit of a slow start but as the season progresses, the third season became the show’s best season. Favorite Episodes (ranked from most favorite to least favorite): History Yet to Be Written (E10) Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow (E09) Community of Dreadful Fear and Hate (E07) Ruthless in Purpose, and Insidious in Method (E08) Certain Agony of the Battlefield (E06) Scarred by Many Past Frustrations (E05) The Weight of This Combination (E01)

While there are some flat moments in terms of story progression, the second season of Silicon Valley is more funnier than ever and once again uses its comedic cast’s talent very well. Actual Rating: 8.5/10 Pros: +This season of Silicon Valley is more hilarious than the previous. +The use of talent from the comedic cast is very well done. +This season’s plot arcs gave us reasons to worry about the Pied Piper team. Cons: -There were a couple of flat moments that did not go wel in temrs of story progression during the middle of the season. Favorite Episodes (not ranked): Sand Hill Shuffle (E01) Bad Money (E03) The Lady (E04) Server Space (E05) Homicide (E06) White Hat/Black Hat (E08) Two Days of the Candor (E1

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

While it takes a while to get used with the show’s weird environment as well as getting used with the cliched case of the week plot device, the first season makes iZombie a charming, unique detective procedural show since Pushing Daises with its charming main star Rose McIver as well as likable characters. Rating: 8/10 Pros: +iZombie is a charming, unique detective procedural show since Pushing Daises. While the case of the week plot device is such a cliched plot device, it had a charm twist to it that makes the show more enjoyable. +The performance of Rose McIver as Liv Moore is excellent. As her chracter eats brains, she posses not only memories of the victim’s brain but also the victim’s traits and mannerisms. Rose McIver did an excellent job mashing both of personalities of the deceased victim in each episode and her own. +This show has a lot of likable characters. Ravi is defiently my favorite character. +As the show is developed by Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas, the show definitely has the Veronica Mars vibe to it with its witty dialogue. It’s a nice piece of nostalgia . Neutral: .It took a while to get used with the show’s weird environment but it grew on me as it had a certain charm to the environement of the show. Cons: -Some of the case of the week plots were really forgettable. At least the main plot arcs of this show’s season is total opposite. Favorite Episodes (in order from most favorite to least favorite): Dead Air (E08) Pilot Dead Rat, Live Rat, Brown Rat, White Rat (E12) Blaine’s World (E13) Patriot Brains (E09) Virtual Reality Bites (E06) Astroburger (E11)

Either the sixth season will be the final season of the show or not, Community went out with a bang with a broadcaster that respects the show properly along with new cast members that fit in with the study group perfectly as well as memorable episodes that would be considered the best of the show ever. Actual Rating: 8.5/10 Pros: +Having Yahoo! Screen as the new broadcaster for Community is a win-win situation for Yahoo! and the fans as more people will now go to Yahoo! while the fans of the show can rest easily with a broadcaster that wants a seventh season of the show (although the decision of a seventh season is up to the creator of the show Dan Harmon). +New characters Frankie and Elroy (played by Paget Brewster and Keith David) fit in with the study group perfectly and serves as great replacements. +There are a lot of memorable episodes from this season and some of them would be considered the best episodes of the show ever. Neutral: .There were a couple of episodes that fell flat but at least they’re still funny. Favorite Episodes (ranked from most favorite to least favorite): Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television (E13) Wedding Videography (E12) Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care (E02) Advanced Safety Features (E07) Modern Espionage (E11) Basic Crisis Room Decorum (E03) Laws of Robotics and Party Rights (E05) Basic E-Mail Security (E06)

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

As an Asian myself, it’s really nice and refreshing to see an American TV sitcom show that has an Asian-American main cast. The Huang family can be quite stereotypical at times and it felt like watching an Asian-American family with white family values. In fact, this sitcom has possesses the family sitcom cliches. However, those are easily forgiven as the family is still relatable as I saw the situations I had as a child being replayed for the small screen. The patriarchy and the matriarchy of the Huang Family namely Louis and Jessica Huang respectively are the stars of the show. Played by Randall Park and Constance Wu respectively, they made the show fun to watch as their differences on personality and handling situations is the key recipe of creating this sitcom. One of the themes I liked about this show is living in a neighborhood that is predominately owned by white people as a minority and the show handled this with relatable humor as Jessica Huang delivers her witty remarks about American culture, which Louis has an obsession on. Despite the show using family sitcom cliches, Fresh Off the Boat nailed their first season with funny relatable moments and great screen presence of Randall Park and Constance Wu playing as Louis and Jessica Huang respectively.

I actually started watching this show sometime on December 2014 thanks to The Flash, which is the spin-off show that is set in the same universe as Arrow. The first season was a great debut season despite its shaky start. However, the second season is when Arrow is at its best with its epic storytelling, great emotional character development and well-executed plot arcs. (You can read my review of the first season of The Flash here) The third season has a great first half and it has great ideas on what to do with this season. However, most of them felt poorly executed and the second half of the season has a noticeable drop in quality which is why this season of Arrow is quite disappointing to me. I still love Felicity however I am very angry at how she was handled this season as the annoying love interest. I don’t mind Felicity stepping out from the comic relief we know and love to a more compelling, emotional character however her being emotional over a romance with Oliver which was shoehorned for the Olicity shippers is what ruined Felicity. I am still praying for the redemption of Felicity. Speaking of redemption, Laurel and Thea has an interesting and exciting character development as the show gave them more opportunities to be bad-ass. Seeing my favorite character Thea having much to do this season was a celebration to me and seeing her screwed up relationship with his biological father Malcolm Merlyn is intriguing. As for Laurel, I am happy that while she is the Black Canary now, she still has work to do with her being a superhero and that felt natural and realistic. Another thing I liked about this season was the way the show handled Nyssa. Her dealing with Sarah’s death to her dealing with her father’s **** was really interesting and made me sympathize with her. As what I said before, this season has a lot of great ideas to tackle in. Like the Nanda Parbat and Ras Al-Khul as the main villian could make this season even more kick-ass than the previous. But this season was poorly executed with its lazy writing and it was overshadowed by the shoehorned romance between Felicity and Oliver. The flashback scenes from the first two seasons were important plot devices as they were related to the season arcs that time. However, this season’s flashback scenes were not interesting and important to the season and it was more used to introduce the new characters Tatsu and Maseo. I do love those characters but the flashback scenes were shoehorned and not crucial to this season’s arc. I am hoping for some improvement for the next season of Arrow and I am optimistic that the writers and producers would listen to the criticism they’re getting from this season and try to improve the show with the next season. I am not giving up this show just yet.

I was one of the many people who thought that this show would be terrible due to its catchy yet off putting title. However, the well-known quote “Don’t judge the book by its cover” applies here because this show is great and the show title ends up being part of its charm. What makes Jane The Virgin so fun and entertaining to watch is how meta this show is. The narrator knows that this show has a ridiculous Spanish soap opera (or commonly called as telenovela) concept of a pregnant virgin and it makes fun of the telenovela cliches and that ends up being so charming and funny. While the narrator is charming as ever, the main star of the show Gina Rodriguez is the highlight as the titular character. Her performance elevated Jane’s character so much that she ends up being Jane Gloriana Villanueva to my eyes, not Gina Rodriguez. The characters in Jane’s life are fun to watch especially with Jane’s family members. The dynamic that Jane has with her family is so refreshing and adorable. As for the arc plot goes, the arcs are obviously taken straight from a telenovela but it’s not bothersome because the show already knows these situations were ridiculous and that’s what makes it so entertaining and intriguing to watch. Jane The Virgin had a spectacular first season with its meta setting, Gina Rodriguez’s performance and screen presence as the titular character, adorable fun characters and ridiculous yet entertaining plot arcs.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

A lot of people didn’t like the show until Captain America: The Winter Solider’s events impacted the show. Honestly, as I was catching up to the show, I enjoyed the show already from the second episode. However, it was understandable why many people didn’t like the show because the first couple of episodes felt more of a procedural. However, I am glad those episodes helped establish the characters because by the time I reached the post Winter Solider episodes, my feels were leaked. The cast performances in the show are actually great and I would totally disagree with the people who think the acting in the show is bad. All of the main cast played their roles so well that they became icons for Marvel Cinematic Universe nerds like me. However, the ones who had the best performances are Clark Gregg and Chloe Bennett as Phil Coulson and Skye respectively. The arcs in this season were excellently executed and well-planned. I liked how the arcs had satisfying answers yet asks more questions about the same arc in the next season. I also liked how everything that has happened in the show is tracked back to one thing which I won’t spoil even though it’s already a year since the first season ended by the time I posted this review. The character development has made me care about the characters and even though some of the characters were not given much development until the Winter Solider’s events that impacted the show, it helps to relate to those characters because those characters, especially FitzSimmons will have a bigger, much more emotional character development in the next season in which I am currently catching up by the time I posted this review. The first season of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. may not be everyone’s favorite but this season is totally underrated and I suggest that everyone who is considering watching this show to be patient with the filler episodes because it’s going to be worth it when you watch the episode that has turned the show around.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I love cartoons and I am always a young at heart kind of person but this show took a lot of time to grow on me to be honest. In a couple of first episodes, while I do see the appeal for adults, the show felt like it focuses more for kids since it’s a Disney Channel TV show. However as I warmed up to the characters and the setting more, watching the show was a pleasant experience. The show’s main characters Dipper and Mabel are adorable. Dipper is such a smart guy that knows his stuff while dealing with puberty. Mabel is the cute comic relief that it’s too hard to not like her. The eerie supernatural concept is such an interesting, if yet more mature for this show. I agree that this show is a combination of The Simpsons, The X-Files and Twin Peaks and I can see where the inspiration of this show came from. While it does have filler episodes, it is entertaining and it’s nice to see that those filler episodes are added to the continuity. It’s also nice to see there is some arc in this season that surely has a satisfying ending. The most important aspect of making a cartoon show that adults can enjoy is making the humor universal to both kids and adults and this show has a humor that we adults can laugh. There were even certain moments where I had pause the show because I was still laughing. Overall. despite being a Disney Channel TV show, Gravity Falls is the TV show that both kids and adults can enjoy with its interesting eerie supernatural concept setting, enjoyable characters especially Dopper and Mabel and a satisfying arc.

When I hear that Daredevil is going to be the darkest entry for the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise so far, I am excited. I am not a fan of strong violence but I am a fan of dark and gritty storytelling. This show does not disappoint at all. In fact, this is the best entry from MCU, movies and TV shows combined. There are a lot of strong points about this show so I will start with the strongest one. The strongest point about this show is the consistent writing and storytelling. Every episode has almost a different writer and director, not to mention the changing of showrunners during the production and yet, there is no noticeable change at all in its storytelling at all. It’s consistent. The next one is the strong cast performances. I am very impressed that all of the main cast played their roles so excellently but the best ones are from Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio. Charlie Cox did a perfect job as The Man Without Fear. He is like the Robert Downey Jr. of the TV department of MCU, he is irreplaceable to me. I can’t see anyone else play Matt Murdock other than Charlie Cox. As for Vincent D’Onofrio, he played the main villain of this season Wilson Fisk perfectly as well. His performance made his character a much more sympathetic villain that I sometimes question myself if I should be on his team instead. The character development is another strong highlight and there are a lot that I wish I can tell in this review without spoiling. So here are the ones that I can tell without spoiling instead. I really felt satisfied about Matt Murdock’s past from his past as a kid to how he was able to fight to why he became a vigilante at night without getting too much as we need to save more for next season. I also loved how we see that Matt Murdock is still learning as a vigilante in a form of trial and error and not how he excelled his skills quite fast. One problem with MCU’s villains is that most of them are very one-dimensional and the only ones who are not are Loki and Ultron. I am glad we get to see a third-dimensional villain in this show and I really loved how Wilson Fisk was written and like I said before, D’Onofrio’s performance made Wilson Fisk a sympathetic villain. I am not usually a big fan of action scenes as I don’t usually care at all but the action scenes here in this show made me hug my pillow out of anticipation. The best part of those action scenes is that they’re very realistic as we see Daredevil being tired at certain times during a fight. The end of the second episode is one example in which we get to see TV’s best action scene ever, blockbuster style. The direction and the cinematography is excellent for this kind of show and it’s quite appealing to the eye. Also, despite being dark, this show still has the MCU humor that we know and love. Daredevil is the best TV show this year so far for me. We’ll have to see if the fifth season of Game of Thrones or the second season of True Detective can beat Daredevil but for now, this show takes the crown for me.

Most of MTV’s programming isn’t well known to make programs that is actually enjoyable and smart to watch. One of a few exemptions where a MTV show that is smartly written is Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous. It’s co-created by Bo Burnham, a comedian who uses music to tell politically incorrect jokes that only many people with a lot of knowledge about the world can get what Burnham was joking about and people who are smart enough to know Bo Burnham is a sarcastic comedian. Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous has a smart concept about the titular character who wants to become famous and has a camera crew around him to document his journey to ****, despite having little talent and having an “obnoxious” on-screen persona when the cameras are around. The show is also smartly written as it has the same wit it has with Parks and Recreation. Usually, a character like Zach Stone is annoying as hell but this show has an emotional core that it reveals emotionally about Zach Stone that it’s easy to sympathize with him why he wants to be famous in the first place and there are parts where he visibly loves the people around him which are his family and friends. He is never a cringe-worthy character, in fact, I can relate to him in a lot of ways which I won’t go in detail about my personal life. The show’s satirical theme is quite meta in MTV’s standards as the show is in a “mockumentary” style as it’s supposed to poke fun at reality shows focusing on actual people wanting to be famous and a lot of those shows are aired on MTV. Lastly, I liked how the first (and only) season of the show is self-contained just in case MTV cancels the show, which sadly in fact got cancelled by MTV. At least you will somehow have a satisfying ending when you’re done with the show. Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous is an underrated MTV show with its smart concept, wit in vein of Parks and Recreation and an emotional core that will make you like and sympathize with the titular main character.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I was pretty skeptical about this show before it premiered, whether a spin-off to a critically acclaimed TV show can live up to its parent series’ legacy. Just only by two episodes, it can live up to the legacy. When watching the first two episodes of Better Call Saul, I thought that it might actually be better than Breaking Bad. After finishing this season, it felt a bit too early to have that statement especially Better Call Saul is still its early season. However, the quality of the first season of this show is on slightly on a better level than the first season of Breaking Bad and that’s saying something. What makes the first season of Better Call Saul so entertaining and interesting to watch was the way how it handles its season plot arcs and most of them are character-focused, not “case of the season” focused. It was executed excellently with excellent writing and character development as we see Saul Goodman’s origins as James McGill. The excellent character development is carried by excellent cast performances. The main star of the show Bob Odenkirk brilliantly captures and elevates the emotions and thoughts of the character that made him famous. His character was the comedic relief on Breaking Bad and it’s so nice to see that in his own show that he is just a regular lawyer who is need of money. Kim Wexler sounds so boring and plain on paper but Rhea Seehorn’s performance as the character made Kim Wexler one of my favorite characters on the show. Last but not the least, Michael McKean played Chuck McGill very well and his character had a fascinating transition that is elevated by his performance. Lastly, this show is eye porn for people who appreciate excellent direction, camera work and cinematography. It’s those elements are one of the reasons why Breaking Bad is considered one of the best TV shows of all-time and it’s carried over so well to Better Call Saul. Believe the hype guys, Better Call Saul lives up to its hype and Breaking Bad’s legacy!

Bloodline is the kind of show I never thought I would watch but I was impressed when I watched the trailer so I gave this show a shot and this is probably one of the best new TV shows I have watched this year. Bloodline is such a compelling adult family drama and the writing and pace feels right in this show, nothing too slow nor too fast, just naturally enough to reveal bits and bits of the plot. The use of flash forwards and flash backs is cleverly used and makes this show more intriguing to watch. The character development is brilliantly well done and I loved how one character's decision will affect everybody else and the plot that it makes this show more interesting as it goes by. My favorite part of the show was the cast performances from Kyle Chandler, Linda Cardellini, Ben Mendelsohn and Sissy Spacek. Kyle Chandler played John Rayburn so perfectly and because of this, I have interest in watching his previous show Friday Night Lights. Linda Cardellini played Meg Rayburn so great as well. She played the character who is nice and wants to help whenever she can even though she can't solve everything and Cardellini captures those emotions so well. Ben Mendelsohn is my favorite actor in the show. He manages to play Danny Rayburn, a shady character that I used to sympathize so brilliantly that he deserves an Emmy nomination. Lastly, Sissy Spacek played the matriarch of the Rayburn family Sally so well and she captures the emotions of a mother who wants everything back to normal and is glad to see her son coming back. The writing is great and consistent, the directing is flawless and also consistent and the cinematography is so beautiful and rich to watch. Bloodline is Netflix's answer to HBO's True Detective with its compelling character development, consistent pace, excellent cast peformances, great writing, consistent directing and beautiful cinematography.

To be honest, Season 1 of Broadchurch was okay for me. It was intriguing but some of the parts of it were underwhelming. Then Season 2 came up two years later and Season 2 honestly elevates Broadchurch better. The backlash from fans is quite ridiculous and they fail to see this show has always been more focused on character development rather how accurate it was. Broadchurch has always have the greatest cinematography but this season makes it even more greater. It's shows that you can still have a great shot beautifully in 16:9 aspect ratio. The writing is great and I like how everything had me on the edge of my seat from the start to finish. The character development were also great! The cast performance is of course excellent and the best part of this season and of the show in general. The ones who stood out the most with their performances were David Tennant, Olivia Coleman, James D'Arcy and Eve Myles. I don't need to state the obvious why Tennant and Coleman are so good playing their roles as Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller respectively. But I have to say, seeing James D' Arcy on two different shows airing at the same time is fascinating. He played Irwin Jarvis, a bubbly butler of Howard Stark on Agent Carter and then he played Lee Ashworth, a shady, scary yet intriguing character on Broadchurch. It's a fascinating transformation and he is a very good actor. As for Eve Myles, it's nice to see her on TV again after Broadchurch. She played her role of Claire Ashworth very well that she lost herself into the character without being over the top. The second season of Broadchurch is a hit for me as it's able to put together the aftermath of Season 1 very well in the most interesting way.

I have been a fan of Phil Lord and Christopher Millers’ work since I saw 21 Jump Street. I loved all of their movies especially 22 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie. Seeing their first aired project just shows what kind of sense of humor they have and I love it. The show’s sense of humor is cartoonish and I love how it carries over to the other works Lord and Miller has done. The concept itself in which clones of past historic icons are now teenagers is such a clever idea that was executed well and seems what MTV would like to do during that time in 2002. It’s sad that not everyone is a big fan of this and that led to the cancellation of Clone High. Most of the clone characters are very likable, especially Gandhi and JFK with their similar personalities in different circle groups with Gandhi being the outcast yet party guy and JFK the typical “horny all-American quarterback jock”. They’re just funny to watch and to see them in the same scene makes them even more funnier. The love triangle between the clones Abraham “Abe” Lincoln, Joan of Arc and Cleopatra is nothing new or special but I liked how this helps the show to move forward and its nature of the show makes it more entertaining to watch. Clone High is one of the few shows that I want to watch again from the very beginning all because it was hilarious. This is one underrated TV show.

If this were a regular sitcom about a man trying to find a woman after a break-up from a long term relationship, I wouldn’t even care to watch it. But it had a certain twist that made me watch this show in which the man’s (let’s call him Josh as he is the main character) first blind date after his break-up was a literal troll. Like, a bridge female troll. I am not kidding. That kind of concept is either a hit or a miss but the funny surrealistic humor in this show executed the concept very well done. I liked how this season had a plot arc in which Josh tries to move on from his now ex-girlfriend despite its non-linear timeline. Of course, the liberal surrealistic humor in this show is what makes this show so entertaining to watch. If you want to see something new on the rom-com sitcom genre, Man Seeking Woman is the show to watch!

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

When I saw the pilot of Empire, I really enjoyed it. While the following episodes is noticeably quite a soap opera, it was done right. It was done right thanks to its cast performances of its two leading stars Terrence Howard as Luscious Lyon and Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon. I see both of them being nominated for an Emmy this year and they deserved it! Another thing why it was done right was its execution. Despite its noticeable soap opera elements, the writers managed to keep the viewers including myself intrigued about the plot arcs in this season. Also, the Lyon family has to be one of the best dysfunctional families I have seen on TV. You can feel the sense they love each other but also at the same time they hate each other. This show may be outside the viewers’ reality at certain times but the sense of this family is real and genuine, which is pleasing to watch. The character development is top-notch and it’s the second best thing about this show. My favorite character development was from Jamal Lyon. I was bittersweet about who he had become at the end of the season which I won’t spoil but personal feelings aside, it was my favorite character development. Last but not the least, the original music in this show is great to jam out to while watching the show and it’s all thanks to the talented producer Timbaland who has been making great beats for other artists like Justin Timberlake, Beyonce etc. I can’t wait to see more of Empire thanks to the Emmy-worthy cast performances of Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, the well execution of the plot arcs and character development this season and of course, the great original music in this show!

After the disaster that was the fifth season of Glee, I stopped watching it. Despite the news that the sixth season is the final season of Glee, I didn’t bother to add it on my watchlist. It was on the premiere week that I decided to watch Glee once again. The first two episodes made me love Glee again. Sure, the “let’s save the Glee club!” plot is overused but I think this is what I missed from the show, the state of the glee club is in questioning with character development in the background. Let’s talk about the new New Directions kids shall we? They’re very unique that it **** they only have one season to have their stories fleshed out. These are the new kids that should have been when Rachel, Kurt, Mercedes, Finn and others have graduated, not the carbon copies of Rachel (Marley), Kurt/Mercedes (Unique), Finn (Rider?), Puck (his half-brother) etc. The new kids this season brought something new to the table and I wished they were introduced more earlier in the show. The character development in this season is erm, hit or miss. The hit is of course the wrapping up of the first New Directions from Rachel’s redemption to **** to Santana and Brittany’s and Kurt and Blaine’s marriage. The miss is the confusing downfall of Sue Sylvester. But, I guess that is who Sue is? She is confusing yet menacing as hell? I don’t know but that is pretty weak in execution. An irritating thing about this season is that they pulled a “deus ex machina” trope. I don’t mind this trope as long as it’s executed well but they used this in a very abrupt way when the Dalton Warblers are forced to merge with the New Directions because well, their school is burned down. But, they only had 13 episodes so this is somehow understandable for me but it’s still irritating for me. The best part of the final season was the final two episodes. It was clever to use the penultimate episode as a flashback episode of the pilot. Not a flashback episode where they used clips as compilation, it’s more of “deleted scenes that weren’t shot on the pilot” kind of episode. It’s very nostalgic and I have to admit, I cried a bit when they re-used the Don’t Stop Believing performance as the final shot of the episode. Then, the final episode wrapped things up without anything shocking at all just to get publicity about the finale. It’s a perfect Glee series finale. Overall, the sixth season of Glee is still somehow like the fifth season but it does not cringe me to the point I want to kill everyone. The sixth season is a bittersweet farewell and it wrapped things up in a very Glee way.

It’s sad that HBO has cancelled this show. The first season of Looking was okay at best. But the second season of Looking is pure gold and has to be one of the best, entertaining TV shows this year so far. One of the best things about this season was the plot arcs. It was executed excellently with great, realistic writing that we can relate and entertained by. Another thing was the character development. Every main character in the show has its fair share of character development. Also, this character development makes me easily support the characters’ decisions, even though some of them are not good ones and that’s what makes this show so real to watch. My favorite part of this season was the platonic friendship between Dom and Doris. They are the most realistic portrayal **** man-female best friend friendship I have ever seen. Lastly, I love how real the cast performance in this show. Honorable mention goes to Lauren Weedman who plays Doris so flawlessly that she is Doris for me. I just see her as Doris, not an actress. But, my favorite cast performance is from Jonathan Groff. When I see Groff on-screen, I don’t see him as Jesse St. James from Glee, I see Patrick, a character that I relate so much that even if those situations didn’t happen to me, I relate to him and that shows he is a great actor. That goes the same to everyone else in the cast who played their roles so brilliantly. The second season of Looking is excellent with its well-executed plot arcs, great writing, realistic yet entertaining character development and its excellent cast performances.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I wasn’t a big fan of the pilot. It felt too dull and unfunny at most times. But I am glad I gave this show more time to find its footing and its balance between drama and comedy. One thing I liked about Togetherness is how it feels like a comedy show but at the same time has dramatic elements in it and I think that makes the show quite realistic. I liked how it deals with a long-term marriage in such a realistic way as Brett (played by show co-creator Mark Duplass) and Michelle (played by Melanie Lynskey) try their best to make their romance alive once again without any soap opera elements in that situation. I also liked how the show develops a new yet complicated flirtatious relationship between Tina (played by Amanda Peet) and Alex (played by Steve Zissis). I think this is the show’s comedic plot because there are times when I cringed and facepalmed so much that I laugh as well because of how awkward it is. The character development flows naturally with the plot and again makes this show realistic as it doesn’t feel abrupt or sudden at all. Although this isn’t one of my favorites, I will continue watching Togetherness because this show had potential and has interesting stories that I would still like to continue watching in the next season.

The shows that were produced by Shonda Rhimes has this known reputation that it can be soap opera-y at times. However, for this show, the words “soap opera” never occurred to me when I think about How to Get Away with Murder. How to Get Away with Murder is such an addictive experience. The way how the story is told is very interesting and I liked how all of the episodes have a concise story. Even the filler episodes were important to the season arc because if you miss one episode, you’re going to be lost with the arc already. The use of the flashfowards in the first half of the season with the occasional use of flashbacks also makes the viewers (including myself) intrigued and excited on what’s happening. The ensemble cast in this show were really good. The tense between the Keating Five were real, uncomfortable and a pleasant watch thanks to the presence of Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGorry and Karla Souza. But the real winner is Viola Davis. Her performance as Annalise Keating makes her an Emmy contender. She was nominated for an Oscar for a reason and that’s because she is an excellent actress. (On a sidenote, because of her performance, I can’t wait to see her on the upcoming DC movie Suicide Squad!) How to Get Away with Murder is an addictive TV show thanks to its intriguing, concise story arc as well as great ensemble cast performances with the real star Viola Davis.

I am glad NBC decided to give this show to Netflix. It wouldn't survive as a network sitcom especially that 30 Rock, The Office and Parks and Recreation has ended and Community has been moved to Yahoo! If these sitcoms were still to be on NBC, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt would blend well with the crowd. Despite being made for NBC, this sitcom fits right for Netflix's original programming. I must say that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is better than 30 Rock. Probably because Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has some backstory that would help the show tell a definite storyline and it utilizes its 13 episode order well to tell a concise story for its debut season. The humor in this show is absurd yet witty and quirky. You can tell Tina Fey's humor is in this show and her work buddy Robert Carlock is helping Fey to make the humor consistent and funny. The cast presence of Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess and Jane Krakowski were excellent. They owned their roles in a very special way especially from Kemper as Kimmy Schmidt and Burgess as Titus Andromedon. Lastly, what makes this show great is the optimistic themes this show has. The backstory where Kimmy was stuck in the bunker for 15 years by a doomsday cult leader sounds really depressing on paper. But , Kimmy won't let her victim status be the highlight of her and despite everything she has gone through, she remains hopeful, cheerful and optimistic about her future in the world where she thought no longer exists along with her new gay best friend Titus despite how harsh and cruel the world is. If you love absurd comedies that are witty and quirky, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is the show you should watch right now thanks to its interesting storytelling, the cast presence of Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess and Jane Krakowski and its optimistic themes.

This show took a lot of time to grow on me because of its slow pace. But thankfully I paid attention to most of the details of the story very well and it seems worth all the effort! True Detective feels like an 8 hour movie. Its narrative and storytelling were consistent throughout the entire season and makes this show a more cinematic experience. The direction from Cary Joji **** is amazing and the cinematography is so eye-pleasing to watch with its gritty tense atmosphere. I believed it was shot on film which explains it feels so organic while watching the show. The writing from Nic Pizzolatto was clever and intriguing. I liked how it doesn’t even have the case of the week plot device to drag out the main case and instead uses the main case as a plot device on how the characters were affected by the case which makes the characters interesting to watch. The character development was done brilliantly and again, it attributes to the clever and intriguing writing. My favorite character development was from Rusty, he is one of the most interesting and well-written characters I have ever seen. The cast performances were perfect. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson were the show. They lost themselves to their role and they have a great sophisticated buddy cop chemistry. I don’t see them as actors playing a role. I see them as Rusty Cohle and Martin Hart. The first season of True Detective is an 8-hour extravaganza cinematic experience thanks to its consistent narrative, storytelling, direction, writing and cinematography. The cast performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson were to watch for! Season 2 has a lot of big shoes to fill. Better to keep my expectations low.

I watched this show with only little knowledge about Peggy Carter, the main titular character of the event series. Now I understand why many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans love Peggy Carter so much and I am one of her newest fans. The setting of this show is fascinating to watch and analyze as Peggy Carter has to deal with sexism as she is the only female agent in SSR. For a period network drama series, this has got great cast performances. It’s very well-acted that it’s hard for me to choose who is the best actress besides Hayley Atwell. They played their roles really well and they enjoyed the characters they played. The writing is top-notch and the plot from start to finish is fun and intriguing. The best part is the character development on not only Peggy but also for the rest of the characters. It’s basically why I am such a huge fan of Marvel Cinematic Universe. The cinematography in this show is eye-appealing and makes it really feel like a show set in the 40s. I actually tried watching the first episode on black and white and it does make it like a 40s show! Of course, I chose to watch it in color because I am more used to it. Agent Carter is a fun TV show thanks to its great cast performances, top-notch writing, intriguing yet fun plot, compelling character development, excellent cinematography.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

In the show’s pilot, there has been hits and misses. But since the pilot, the show became its full potential. Sadly just the moment the show is finally getting good, ABC cancelled Selfie. If only this show had a better title, it might still have a chance to have a 22 episode season. The best part of this show was Karen Gillan and John Cho’s chemistry in the show. This has been the best part since the show’s pilot and without their great chemistry, I would not have continued watching the show or heck, not even watch this show in the first place. The humor gets a bit better since the pilot. It’s starting to resemble to the other show called Suburatory (which was created by Emily Kapnek, the same creator of Selfie) which is the satire humor that is ridiculous yet funny at most times. In a few last episodes, the show has been more of emotional yet not so over dramatic character development especially on Eliza Dooley. It’s nice to see her change to be a better person to everyone around her and to herself. This kind of character development also resembles to Suburgatory’s character development in which in some episodes in that show, there has been some emotional character development. In the de-facto serries finale, it was somehow a satisfying ending for me because Eliza Dooley finally reunited the person who made her the person she is today and that in the end, Eliza has a bit of self-respect. I still need more episodes though. lol. Selfie had much more potential thanks to the chemistry of Karen Gillan and John Cho if ABC didn’t cancel this show. But the silver lining to this is that Selfie had a good 13-episode run.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Unlike its lead-in comedy Selfie on ABC, I have many expectations about this pilot. While its concept will not change the romantic sitcom genre, it is clever to see both sides of the love story in this show using both of the protagonists’ inner thoughts on the voice over and it’s quite promising. But man, this pilot is quite a dud. I would say this is the worst pilot I have seen this fall television season. My first problem with this pilot is that instead of seeing the love story on both sides, we get to see only Dana’s side of the love story. Peter’s side of the love story is nowhere to be found in this pilot. My second problem with this pilot is that the pace of the plot seems rushed and confusing. I pray that the pilot episode I have seen is not the original version because if it is, then damn, it’s the writer’s fault for rushing the pace of the plot which makes this pilot a confusing one to watch. My third problem with this pilot is the lack of chemistry between the protagonists Dana and Peter. There is this term called “opposites attract” and yes, it’s possible. But for this pilot, that term does not work here. Again, it might be attributed from the rushed pace of the pilot. This could be a fatal mistake of this show. My last problem with this pilot is the humor. It’s god damn awful and not funny. It seems way too forced. The humor had its moments but compared to Selfie, the latter seems more funnier because at least it makes sense. However, I do like Analeigh Tipton’s performance as Dana. She is so beautiful and she played her character well. Dana is also very likable and cute which gives life to this show in my opinion. As for Jake McDorman’s performance as Peter, he is not the best actor but he played his role well enough for me to believe he is not some actor playing a character. As for Peter himself, I am quite mixed. His honesty and his sense of realism is refreshing for a romantic sitcom. I would have agreed with him if he didn’t come out as an **** during the pilot. The reasoning for this is that we only see Julie’s side of the story and not Peter’s side of the story so I expect episodes where both Julie and Peter had their fair share of screen time (which was the reason why I watch this show) or where Peter has his own episode. I will give Peter some more time if I would like him or not. The most surprising thing about this pilot is that the show tackles about people who have dreams about New York City, like it’s a city haven but it’s not. It acknowledges that New York City is a not a nice place to stay with many rude people and its dirty environment without bashing on the city too much. Overall, I will give this show time to be better and deliver its supposed promise. Dana is the highlight of this show so I am also tuning in because of her. But if the show does not improve over time, then I guess Dana’s charm is in vain.

The critics are mixed about this show. I guess this show isn't made to impress the critics but rather to impress the audience especially comedy fans like me. The first few episodes made the show look like the Nerflix's answer to The Simpsons and Family Guy with non-linear storylines. But halfway through the season, this show made an interesting arc story that wants me to keep binge-watch the show to know what happens next. The way they told the story is impressive for an adult animated series. That's how you should write a TV show by setting up an arc to keep the viewers interested. The voice acting is great in this show. Despite his recognizable deep voice, Will Arnet did a good job voicing the titular character. Aaron Paul, Alison Brie, Amy Sedaris and basically anyone who voiced the characters in this show also did a good job in voicing their characters. They carry this show in my opinion. The character development is also really good. I never expected this for a 12-episode season. The humor is okay for the most part. There were some parts where it tried too hard to be funny but overall, most of the humor felt natural and funny thanks to the voice acting from the cast. I really don't like the sex scenes in this show. It felt unnecessary for a show that has talking animals and humans in the same world and I am not into the idea of bestiality here. The animation of this show is really good. I understand why some people say it's ugly but to me it's impressive and eye-candy. The final episode sure knows how to set-up a potential arc for the next season while also providing a satisfying conclusion in case the show does not get picked up for a second season for Netflix. Glad they renewed it because I want to know what happens next. Overall, this show won't gather any Emmys or any awards in particular but this show won something and that is a loyal fanbase waiting for the second season to come.

To call this show "the cancer version of Glee without the musical" or the "TV version of The Fault in Our Stars" is not how you should describe this show. Yes, this could be Fox’s new Glee but it stands out alone without the stigma of being one. I would like to start this review with what’s wrong with the first episode. The setting of the hospital felt weird and unrealistic. It’s weird to see patients wearing the clothes in the show as if they never had a disease at all. Aren’t they supposed to wear their PJs or those hospital clothes? I find this part quite troubling. Also, is it actually possible to decorate your rented hospital room as if you’re in a college dorm? I don’t think most hospitals would allow this. If otherwise, that’s pretty cool but if this doesn’t happen on most hospitals, then it’s not realistic to me as far as I know. Another downside to this episode is that the adult characters seemed to be uninteresting. Even if the funny, witty Nurse Jackson, played by Oscar winner Octavia Spencer is not interesting enough to know her backstory. What really stole the show are the teenage characters which they have to carry the show and they did it wonderfully. They’re very likable and as a teenager writing this review seemed to be biased but hey, I like them! While they’re not the realistic portrayals of an average teenager, they’re not the unrealistic portrayals of an average teenager either. The way they think has a point and it makes sense and it’s something that comes from an average teenager, it’s just that it can be chessy and melodramatic at times. But nonetheless, this makes them likable for me to watch. While I do like them, it seemed like the most cliched character in the show was Kara. She is that cheerleader with a lot of problems that she uses her mean attitude to make herself better and I felt like I have seen that in another teenager book/movie/show. But her conflict is just enough to pass on how cliched the character is. I want to see the character develop and reflect on the things she has done. The character I relate to the most was Charlie. I think he is the most realistic character in the show. His thoughts are the ones that are realistic without being melodramatic. My concern for this character is how they will develop this character even though he has a coma. Will he wake up in the middle of the show? Time will tell. The teenage cast of the show played their roles well. It’s just enough to make me believe that they’re playing their characters as themselves, not just a bunch of teenage actors acting their characters. The tone of comedy and drama are balanced perfectly in this episode. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and has its fair share of light hearted moments. Lastly, the plot sure knows how to set up the storylines coming for some of the characters especially Kara, Charlie and Jordi. I hope this show grows a little bit more with many upcoming episodes along the way but this first episode of Red Band Society sold me to keep tuning in for more.

It’s no wonder why this show is a cult classic. This show launched the careers of many of the main cast especially James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segal as well as the creators of the show Paul Feig and Judd Apatow. Freaks and Geeks has a great balance between comedy and drama and its 80s high school setting felt realistic without going through the cliches of a high school TV show. The cast performances in the show are great and many of the actors played their roles very well. The character development could have been more elaborated if NBC didn’t cancel this show. This show had potential and NBC missed it. This show is a perfect example of networks mistreating a well written TV show. The writing in the show is great. However, the show doesn’t have a definite arc storyline in the show and each episode felt like a 45-minute sitcom but this can be easily overlooked. I cared for the characters in the show and I could understand the Freaks even though I consider ****. I relate both the Weir siblings very much that I really wished that they had more interaction onscreen. The show has a great soundtrack especially for the Freaks to belt out while the Geeks can jam to. The final episode is a great de-facto series finale for the show. It unintentionally wrapped things up and the viewers could speculate on themselves on what happens next. If you’re interested in a TV show with a realistic high school setting, relatable characters, great writing, cast performances and soundtrack, this show is worth checking out.