TNF1343

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

There's no doubting that Sci-Fi is hard to pull off on TV. One thing that The 100 does better than most is its spectacular visuals. When you look beyond the surface, however, you've got a show that isn't really all that noteworthy. First of all, there's no exciting personalities whatsoever. Bellamy, the show's figurehead for chaos, is the only character that is remotely memorable, but the latest episode, "Earth Kills", it seems the writers have taken a lot of his edge off. He previously suffered from bad to average dialogue (like the rest of the bunch) but his "do whatever the hell you want, when you want" motto did a lot of damage in the first two episodes. I'd hope his attitude would come back in future episodes if I had the patience to watch more. He's certainly a hell of a lot more interesting than the others when he's disrupting the already fragmented order. For long-term storytelling, when you realize that you don't care for any of the characters, it's hard to incentivize coming back week after week. What really pushed me into pulling the plug on this show was its blatantly obvious Lost rip-offs in "Earth Kills". Did that toxic cloud of smoke remind you of anything? Good ol' smokie definitely came to my mind (this is also hugely similar to something in last year's Catching Fire). Also, those flashbacks sprinkled throughout absolutely screamed Lost at the top of its lungs. Hell, Bellamy's personality (and the writer's odd decision to soften both them) reminded me a lot of Sawyer. And there were instances in both franchises when someone was screaming from pain, and conflicts arised on whether to put him out of his misery or save his life. Less obvious 'refrences' come when the characters find a hatch and a vehicle, and decide to hunt boar of all things, but these things add up. The show is already very Lost-esque with its visuals, mysteries, and the fact that Earth has its own version of The Others. You'd think that The 100 would try to do more than distinguish itself. So, in short, if you like Lost and The Hunger Games... re-watch Lost and The Hunger Games.

Holy crap. I don't think I've ever seen a show go downhill so significantly in such a short amount of time. I mean, it's common for shows to fizzle after a première but damn, did this show go into the gutter awfully quick. First of all, the pilot was very imperfect but it held my attention, even though it relied mostly on trickery. Despite some awful dialogue and a plot that would probably wear thin over time, I thought that I'd still kinda dig this series. Boy, was I wrong. The next two episodes are a snorefest and seem to work as padding. There comes a point when you can't take the bad dialogue and bland characters. That moment came sooner to me than I expected it to. I just don't care at all what happens next. I mean, what will happen next? Gee, I don't know, a parent will do something stupid and then never make a significant contribution to the plot again? This is the type of concept that simply doesn't work for TV. It plays out like an action movie a bit too much, and the writers are given no choice but to give us uninteresting plots to stall until the climax. Hell, I can take the fact that I don't give a **** about anyone in an action movie. But with an inexcusably terrible script, boring stories that are similar to one and other, and surprises that rely on nothing but cheap plot twists, you've got a show that's generally worthless. I usually like to wait a bit longer before I dismiss a show, but I don't think I can stand another minute.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

It took a while before I'd consider Brooklyn Nine-Nine great but it's now far and away the best new comedy this Season. Seriously, this has potential to be the new The Office, in my mind. However, despite being set in a workplace environment, this isn't as similar to the now classic as some people billed it to be. Rather than making everyone in the precinct wildly unrelatable, the writers have done an exceptional job of making us fall in love with these detectives. After the initial episodes, where it was mostly entertaining but inconsequential sketches, the show blossoms into a brilliant character driven comedy. In fact, if there's any comedy that reminds me of, it wouldn't be The Office. This more reminds me of the earlier Seasons of How I Met Your Mother, when the humour worked because the characters where so much more than silly comic book-esque stereotypes. I mean yeah, most elite comedies manage to have great characters but they're usually not all that likeable. Shows like Arrested Development and The Larry Sanders Show thrive on being bitingly satirical. Would I like to hang out with Lucille Bluth? Hell no. How about Andy Samberg's Jake Peralta? Hell yes. Peralta's an interesting case since he comes off as a serial **** at first. Throughout the course of the Season, the writers have taken huge steps in making our main character more personable character. The dude's really passionate about his job and cocky attitude turns audiences off at the opening of the show. It's not surprising since even the aforementioned The Office and Arrested Development thrived in seeing the most normal of the cast members deal with the antics of the people around them. Nevertheless, without feeling unnatural, Peralta transforms into a more admirable person. The straight faced Ray Holt, played perfectly by Andre Braugher, plays a huge role in Peralta's development. Holt is the new boss of the Nine-Nine and he won't take any of Peralta's **** It's not a one sided development either; one of the show's best aspects comes in these two characters influencing each other. Peralta's is no longer as arrogant (though he'd still never lose a bet if he can help it) and Holt's become more excepting of the detectives' various quirks. The rest of the cast often seems equally vital to how the show works. Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) works as Peralta's love interest and rival, which is fitting given their personality types. Santiago is constantly looking to impress Holt with good police work, while Peralta is constantly flashy and over-dramatic with his arrests. Peralta often teases Santiago like the immature person he is but he knows he has an attraction to her deep down. I've realized just how much I've bought into this pairing in a sweet scene in "Charges and Specs", Season 1's finale. Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) and Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) are possibly the best sources of comedy on the show. Diaz's sarcastic remarks and Boyle's naivety work great whether the pair are together or apart. The show also seems intent on shipping the two together which I have mixed feelings about. Characters like Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) and Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) sometimes fade into the background. They've had their hilarious moments (Jeffords is "an enormous, muscular Ellen Degeneres," after all) but they don't always seem like the most vital characters. Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) and Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) are the definition of side characters, as they're so obviously parodies of those two detectives that nobody remembers from the first Season of The Wire. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a cop show and it never lets you forget that. Writers take cop drama tropes and make them entertaining again. The writing here is mostly stellar, with only a few misfires. The only large complaint that I can think of otherwise is the sometimes zany pacing that makes the odd episode feel disjointed. In the midst of an era where every comedy seems to go for the low hanging fruit like sexual orientation, gender stereotypes, and race, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a breath of fresh air. Holt is gay, and the writers never poke fun at it. It seems normal, as it should be, and lesser writers would create homosexual characters for the sole purpose of making fun of him. Holt's the most badass character on the show and the laughs he inspire do not come from the fact that he's gay. After, a so-so start, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has become something special. We've already got some star talent on cast, but the show has also attracted guest stars such as Adam Sandler (not his biggest fan but he's very popular) and Craig Robinson. B99's been a great success story for FOX, so here's to many more awesome Seasons.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Almost Human isn't a particularly deep show. For the most part, it's its futuristic setting that makes this above average television. Sure, this show may never win any Emmys but I feel its nice to have a show like this whose ambitions are little more than being just plain fun to watch. How much you enjoy Almost Human greatly depends on whether or not you're a fan of case-of-the-week shows. There are a few strands of serialized threads that will carry onto next Season if it's renewed; however for the most part, each episode goes into reboot mode. What separates this from CSI is, again, the time period in which its set in. When the show gives us cases that's only possible in the fictional 2048 the creative team (helmed by the famous J.H. Wyman and J.J. Abrams) set up for us, the show really shines. Unfortunately, Almost Human doesn't always do that. "The Bends" is a good example of how the show can go wrong. There's an undiscovered drug here that could have potentially new storytelling options but instead, the episode played out like a typical episodic arc. Long story short, our heroes, Kennex and Dorian, catch the bad guy using common methods found in other procedural dramas. Later, the show actually revisits undiscovered drugs in the nifty "Perception", with a focus more on the effects of the drugs. Truth is, the show can be pretty damn enjoyable when it wants to be. Viewers will see some awesome tech on display, that are in some ways quite plausible. Bullets that can have more controlled destinations, human-like androids, holographic screens, genetically modified humans are all awesomely present. Karl Urban plays the smart mouthed Kennex, who recently has some serious relationship issues. The pilot reveals that his ex girlfriend was part of a criminal organization, and caused the death of his ambush squad some time ago. When he wakes up from his coma, he re-joins the police force and is partnered with Dorian (Michael Ealy), an android with shockingly human like feelings. We see Dorian actually experiencing emotion, unlike his counterparts at the precinct. He's, of course, the reason behind the show's title. We are presented with some interesting questions regarding Dorian's humanity throughout the freshmen Season as he interacts with people. No, the themes aren't overly subtle but its fascinating to ponder what it means to be human. Urban and Ealy work marvellously together. There's never a dull moment when the two are on screen together. Their frequent banter can get a tad excessive, though it's entertaining for the most part. The supporting cast works well too but Urban and Ealy are the definite highlights. Also: thank god the boss of the police department isn't a total ass for once. Almost Human is a solid show that is quite possibly the best thing FOX has on TV at the moment. The show had its ups and downs, and it may possibly be better as a serial drama. I really hope FOX gives this another chance to grow, and possibly become something truly special.

The Larry Sanders Show isn't as 'quotable' as some of the other elite comedies. However, even among those, few shows make me laugh as much as this. The show that inspired the awkward comedy of The Office quickly made me realize just how damn special it is. The Larry Sanders Show swiftly made an impression on me. The hilarity of the situation Larry was put in, forced to pitch the Garden Weasel live in the first episode was great. After that, the first 13 episodes never ceased to amaze with the diverse situations that Larry and the gang had to step around. Perhaps the reason why this show works so well has to do with Garry Shandling, and his real life experience as a talk show host. His character, Larry Sanders, is a bit of a showbiz a-hole, yet his character is endearing, given the stuff he has to put up with on a daily basis. The erratic co-host Hank Kingsley (Jeffrey Tambor) and producer Artie (Rip Torn) constantly put Larry in outstanding entertaining scenes. Shandling is also involved in the production and creation of the show, so a huge shout-out goes to him for not only his acting abilities. Arguably, the actor that steals the show here is Tambor. Known as George Bluth to Arrested Development fans, the Hank character he plays here is delightfully clueless. He has that so-unfunny-that-it's-funny trait about him. When he's on screen with Shandling, it's inevitable that the comedic chemistry between these two actors will ignite. Although, I have to say his funniest part had to do with him dictating a published piece, where he gets distracted and describes a sex scene happening outside his office window in "Out of the Loop". Something like that has been done before, but the freshness in the scene was thanks to HBO allowing the writers to give us something that is unapologetically uncut. So don't let the kiddies watch this. With 13 wildly different arcs, I'm curious to see how the writers kept up their sensational streak. Larry deals with marital problems, friendship issues, pressure from the network, and more all in one Season. You get the feeling that the show does NOT want to settle for stagnation. Even more impressively is that fact that these aren't just weekly skits. We actually see some interesting plot and character development as well. The show is always exceptional; even the least funny of episodes are well worth watching. The Larry Sanders Show is divided into two sections: the behind-the-scenes work and the actual show itself. The talk show has Larry doing monologue and interviewing guests who play themselves. Many notable guests come on, but the most impressionable would have to be Catherine O'Hara's (see: Home Alone) completely awkward appearance. Other notable stars include: David Spade, William Shatner (do the Star Trek thing!), Dana Carvey, Michael Richards (however brief), Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Richard Simmons. The rest of the show is dedicated to either the workplace or Larry's home life. Some of the best moments aren't actually a part of the show itself. Like the awesome lead up and execution of Larry's office dinner party in the appropriately titled, "Party". Like most comedies, some episodes aren't as funny as the rest. The only other fault that I can fathom is the video quality. Not only is this a show from the 90s, but the show is given an intentionally grainy look to make it have a documentary-like feel. The multiple cameras work but the quality can be a touch annoying at times. The Larry Sanders show is, surprisingly, one of the most witty shows I've ever scene. Moments of chuckling out loud happened on a frequent basis. If you're tired of all the terrible new comedies that TV seems to be littered with these days, going back in time to experience (or re-experience) The Larry Sanders Show may be the most amusing way to get your entertainment value.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

For a show that prides itself in being awful, The Spoils of Babylon sure as hell is good. This six part IFC mini-series delivers a niche humour that's unlike a lot of comedies on air. Like Will Ferrell's Eric Jonrosh, I would never say 'masterpiece', however. The drunken, egotistical, misogamist hilariously introduces us to each episode, lauding it for how good a job he did. Sometimes it's worth re-watching these introduction segments too. Jonrosh often specifically points out the best parts of the show that are actually the worst. Spoils' humour is delightfully subtle in other ways too. Continuity errors are prevalent but some are sneakily placed for those eagle-eyed viewers out there. Of course, the real magic in in the more obvious pieces. I can't get enough of seeing that toy car being dragged along a plastic road. Or Devon Morehouse's (Tobey Maguire) underwater lab where fish from some sort of nature film are swimming around in the background. And how about his lab partner played by Jessica Alba? I could go on but I'd like to keep this relatively spoiler free, since I don't believe enough people watched this show. I want to try to get as many people as possible to give it at least a shot. The show's plot mostly deals with Devon and Cynthia (Kristen Wiig) Morehouse's uncontrollable love for each other. They try to do a Romeo and Juliet-esque take and fail spectacularly (which is a good thing in this specific case). Their love is forbidden because they're step siblings, which is kind of weird but not a huge deal for the audience. The over-dramatization of this love affair is the key to this series. The show does stumble occasionally though. Sometimes things are taken a bit too far. One poorly edited scene in the second to last episode was funny at first but ended up dragging on and on, for example. Also, this show won't be everyone's cup of tea. As I said above, this targets a specific audience. You may just simply find the show boring since it's so poorly put together. I personally quite like it, but you'd think a show like this would be more common. I mean really, all you have to do is get people to act poorly, use laughably bad set-pieces, and just mish-mash everything incoherently while editing. Nevertheless, The Spoils of Babylon amazingly parodies low-budget movies/mini-series in an awesome, over the top way.

The pilot episode of Enlisted featured some laughs and great casting. This being a late night comedy, I was expecting tasteless and dumb humour. The reality is that this show has a surprising amount of heart and is respectful to the military and its men. This meaning no homosexual army jokes -- thank god, since that dead horse has been beaten way too many times. Ultimately though, the pilot's reliance on its genre's tropes weighs it down. If Enlisted wants to be great, we have to see something new in the future. UPDATE: This show isn't doing anything new or interesting.... at all. After being optimistic about the coming episodes, I learned that this seems to be an unambitious, run-of-the-mill comedy. It's not an awful show, but it's definitely mediocre.

There's little doubt that this show was enjoyed by many back in the late 80s. However, as a 17 year-old male living in the 21st century, I felt very disconnected from this show. What was humorous then has now become comedy tropes, unfortunately. I could only bear to watch 5 episodes, so I honestly haven't completed the whole Season. Murphy Brown's a decent character herself but by now, all of her episodic plot-lines have been done to death. And Miles, the co-star, comes off as a pretty flat character. Otherwise, the ensemble did nothing but irritate me. Comedies can more or less get away with weaker elements if the humour is still there, but it's sadly not the case here. I probably laughed only about one time per episode, which was a slight relief from mostly boring TV. Again, this may have been funny in the 80s, but all I see now is out of date references and overused jokes.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Note: I have not seen the original Australian version. The first episode of Rake is kind of an odd way to introduce us to the series. This isn't the true pilot episode, as FOX says Rake will become a more dramatic and less comedic in the future. But what's here is a promising start that gives us a decent introduction to the cast. Greg Kinnear plays Keegan Deane, an attorney whose life is currently a terrible mess. With already a ton of stuff on his plate, his client, who was supposed to just plead guilty, gives him more trouble than he anticipated. Peter Stormare guest stars and does a great job as said client. The first couple of minutes of Serial Killer move along at a fast pace and feels quite cluttered as a result. The show begins to be more cohesive down the stretch, and was overall a solid hour of television. The humour usually hits the mark too, and even though this is planed to be a drama, I can't see the comedy being completely ditched. There wasn't a ton of drama or tension to speak of here; it was a very light episode for the most part. However, I do see the potential for some good drama later on.

Helix's first two episodes may cause some major eye rolling, but one thing's for sure: this show can get intense as hell. Almost nothing is original but it doesn't dull the atmosphere too much. This is a budget TV show but the make-up is outstanding; although, the CG scenes annoyed me. Good Sci-Fi shows aren't overly common so it's good to see this show showing us at least a little promise. So-so casting, directing, and a silly love triangle are all prevalent flaws, so here's to hoping the show comes into its own and delivers. UPDATE: With the intensity steeply dropping off with each entry, I'm finding it harder and harder to justify tuning in each week. The dialogue here is beyond hackey and I can't stand another minute watching these characters. Not to mention, the bad CG has gotten to a point of annoyance. I'm dropping this show but I MAY possibly catch up later if later episodes get high acclaim. But I'm not seeing that as a strong possibility.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I admittedly liked this show when I was younger, but with boring characters that are overly melodramatic, painfully slow "action", and a plot that's dragged out through almost 30 Seasons (including Shippuden), I can't think of many things I wouldn't rather do than watch this garbage again.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

True Detective may just be the best pilot episode that has aired in recent memory. Like the Dexter's pilot, I was completely absorbed with the show's dark nature. It absolutely had me hooked for an amazing (commercial free!) hour of television. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson put on breathtaking performances as Louisiana Police detectives hunting down a serial murder with a disturbing MO. McConaughey has the more interesting role as Rust Cohle, whose ideals in life make him an oddball with possible psychopathic-like tendencies. Harrelson plays Martin Hart, who would be the good cop, if this show played to its genre's clichés. No, Hart doesn't seem dirty, but he's far from one dimensional. A bold direction style shows us Rust and Martin 17 years later, getting interviewed by the current Louisiana Police. The investigation we see is actually a flashback from the duo's interview. We also learn that Rust and Martin have been out of contact for years thanks to some sort of non-specified dispute. This gives the show not one, but two great unanswered questions that I can't wait to see unravelled in the future. If the pilot is any indication, we're in for one hell of a ride. Suburb acting, scripting, and directing give True Detective a real shot at becoming one of HBO's best shows of all time.