Tag: Series Review

REVIEW: Defending Jacob (2020)

Release Poster – Apple TV+

The following is a review of the Apple TV+ mini-series “Defending Jacob,” — Directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Mark Bomback.

Morten Tyldum and Mark Bomback’s Defending Jacob is a crime mini-series based on the William Landay novel of the same name. The series follows the Barber family — Andy (played by Chris Evans) and Laurie (played by Michelle Dockery) and their teenage son, Jacob (played by Jaeden Martell) — from Newton, Massachusetts. At the outset of the series, Andy Barber, the assistant district attorney, is assigned to prosecute the murder of Ben Rifkin, one of Jacob’s classmates, and he is quick to identify a prime suspect. However, soon Andy is forced to abandon the case when his son is charged with the murder of Ben Rifkin. The Barbers are naturally shocked, and, in the series, they must try to clear their son’s name, find the actual culprit, and endure the harsh spotlight that they, as a family, have suddenly been put under. Continue reading “REVIEW: Defending Jacob (2020)” →

REVIEW: Watchmen (2019 – Limited Series)

Release Poster – HBO

The following is a short review of Watchmen — Created by Damon Lindelof.

Alan Moore’s Watchmen is one of the most beloved comic book stories ever made. It is one of those graphic novels that comic book readers have been championing for decades, and it has been notoriously difficult to adapt. Zack Snyder tried and succeeded (to some extent) with his 2009 adaptation, which, of note, changed the ending of Moore’s story. Moore, infamously, is unwilling to endorse or watch adaptations of Watchmen, but I think it is time for the celebrated comic book writer to change his tune. Because Damon Lindelof (LOST; The Leftovers) has made a sequel to the iconic graphic novel that deals with timely issues and which also subverts all of the right tropes. Continue reading “REVIEW: Watchmen (2019 – Limited Series)” →

REVIEW: Stranger Things: Season Three (2019)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of the third season of Netflix’s Stranger Things — Created by the Duffer Brothers.

Today, Stranger Things is, alongside The Crown, probably the original show that has become the face of Netflix. The first season of the series was a surprise hit that seemed to have significantly overperformed. It was a nostalgic 80s science-fiction drama with children in the leading roles that made people think of E. T., The Goonies, and many other films like those. It was a 2016 breakout hit that gave career boosts to David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, and Finn Wolfhard. The much anticipated second season, which was released the following year, wasn’t met with as much acclaim, but still succeeded in developing characters’ relationships satisfyingly while still bringing pleasant references to the beloved 1980s-era cinema, with Aliens now being the primary inspiration. Continue reading “REVIEW: Stranger Things: Season Three (2019)” →

SERIES REVIEW: Fleabag (2016; 2019)

Fleabag was created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

This is a complete series review of the BBC Three and Amazon Studios black comedy series Fleabag, which aired its first season in 2016 and its second and final season in 2019. Both seasons consisted of six episodes with each episode having a runtime of approximately thirty minutes. A ‘series review’ is a new review concept on the blog that is inspired by my franchise reviews, which feature short reviews of every film in a franchise within a single article. Below you’ll find my reviews of each season as well as a full season grade for seasons one and two.
Continue reading “SERIES REVIEW: Fleabag (2016; 2019)” →

REVIEW: Veep – Season Seven (2019)

Release Poster – HBO

The following is a review of the seventh and final season of HBO’s Veep.

For seven seasons, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been the face of the state of American political satire. She has dominated awards ceremonies, cussed out her supporting cast more times than Jesse Pinkman said “Bitch!” on Breaking Bad, and given outstanding performances again and again. But now her time as Selina Meyer is over. She has left an already long-standing satirical legacy that is much more significant than her character’s political legacy if the final shot of Veep is to be believed.

Though Veep changed showrunner over the course of its run, it was almost always a step ahead of the political state of America, even as America seemed insistent on nominating someone for president who would be just as vicious and disinterested as Selina Meyer. As showrunner David Mandel once wrote in a column for The Hollywood Reporter: “there’s nobody more Trumpy than Selina. […] Trump, in a weird way, is sort of doing us. We’re not doing him.” Continue reading “REVIEW: Veep – Season Seven (2019)” →

REVIEW: The Haunting of Hill House (2018 – TV Series)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of the Netflix limited series The Haunting of Hill House — Directed by Mike Flanagan.

With films like Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Hush, and Gerald’s Game, filmmaker Mike Flanagan has started to make quite a name for himself. He has become a reliable horror filmmaker, and after Gerald’s Game, in particular, it certainly felt like he had gotten into the right meeting rooms. Suddenly, he had signed on to adapt Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep, and right now he is ready with these ten episodes of The Haunting of Hill House — a great Netflix’s horror series that is as sad as it is terrifying. Continue reading “REVIEW: The Haunting of Hill House (2018 – TV Series)” →

REVIEW: Maniac (2018 – Mini-Series)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a full review of Netflix’s Maniac — Developed by Cary Joji Fukunaga & Patrick Somerville.

It is a good time to be Cary Joji Fukunaga, the director of Sin Nombre and Beasts of No Nation, who won an Emmy for directing the first season of HBO’s True Detective. Although Fukunaga’s career has seen him deal with behind-the-scenes production issues, with his exit from 2017’s IT being the primary example, he may have just had the best week of his career. Continue reading “REVIEW: Maniac (2018 – Mini-Series)” →

REVIEW: MINDHUNTER – Season One (2017)

The following is a review of the first season of MINDHUNTER – A Netflix Original Series

Have you ever found yourself reading Wikipedia late at night? Perhaps your venture into a deep Wikipedia rabbit hole, so to speak, has led you onto a page about some terrifying, but very real monster, and now you can’t stop reading about the Dahmers, Bundys, and Zodiacs of the world. Continue reading “REVIEW: MINDHUNTER – Season One (2017)” →

REVIEW: BoJack Horseman – Season Four (2017)

Season Four Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of the fourth season of BoJack Horseman.

On September 8th, 2017, the entire fourth season of BoJack Horseman was released on Netflix. That same day, I chose to bingewatch the season, and I ended up watching it all in one sitting. At numerous times, I found myself sobbing over the course of the twelve episodes. Why did I do this to myself? Well, because BoJack Horseman has been, and still is, not only one of the saddest shows on television, but also one of the very best shows out there. Continue reading “REVIEW: BoJack Horseman – Season Four (2017)” →

REVIEW: The Defenders (2017)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of all eight episodes of Marvel’s The Defenders – Created by Douglas Petrie & Marco Ramirez.

It all started extremely well for the Netflix Marvel show universe. Both seasons of Daredevil are very popular, Jessica Jones’ first season was as well. Luke Cage, however, was much more divisive. It was met mostly by praise, but, looking back at it, it’s hard not to be upset with how the latter half of the season was presented. Continue reading “REVIEW: The Defenders (2017)” →