Baxxie22 Reviews

Black Mirror: Loch Henry (2023) Season 6, Episode 2

I was looking for the Black Mirror twist

[4/10 · 16 June 2023]

I've been a fan of this show since the start. And it was so twisted and original and edgy and scary. And then came season 5, which was disappointing already.

But this season.. I'm confused. Ep 1 was still different and shows what could happen in the future with AI taking off.

But episode 2 is basically the average detective show episode. It's not original. It's not edgy. It's not scary. If you watch a lot of detective shows, you could see the direction of this coming from miles away. When I realized that, I thought, well sure. But the twist is still coming. It has to. And then I saw there was like 20 minutes left.

And no twist came. It just.. followed that storyline to the end. And honestly it was good. For a detective show. For Black Mirror, it's really lame. And not memorable.

What happened to this show? Did the creators up and leave? Did they just give up on the original stuff and are now making whatever they want, and using the fame and name of the show to do it with? It just makes 0 sense. It's like Black Mirror is now a production company that just makes whatever comes to mind. And fine. But then don't call it Black Mirror anymore. And just give it a random name. Because this is not the same.

9-1-1: Lone Star: Child Care (2022) Season 3, Episode 5

How is Owen the hero again??

[1/10 · 16 June 2023]

This episode made no sense. Whatsoever. First of all, why would Grace be mad about Judd having a one night stand 20 years ago, when they weren't even together? Why would she be mad about finding out he had a kid from that? He didn't even know. Grace is the level headed one. She would have comforted him. Figured out what happened. It shouldn't have been about her.

Judd just found out he's a dad and the only reaction we get is him denying it and then feeling bad towards Grace?? His whole life just changed.

And then oh my god the kidnapping. Carlos worked so hard to find out all the details. He got the respect from the detective and together they found out who it was and went to catch her.

Owen has been on dates and seriously who cares? He is on a date and he happens to see the car Katie is in? Happens to recognize it. And chases after it, since of course he does. Because he's not just a fire captain, he's super Owen in everything. And he saves her?! Are you kidding me? What about Carlos? Why not let him have this? I'm white myself and wow this was awful.

Did Rob Lowe put in his contract that he has to save the day in every single episode no matter what he's doing or something??

Do better. You are a diverse show. But this did not make any sense and it is infuriating. I don't know who got away with writing this episode. But it's not okay.

CSI: Vegas (2021–2024)

Way too much soapy storylines

[5/10 · 3 June 2023]

This reboot just is barely a reboot, more a teenage version of the previous show.

There is more screentime for whining about love interests, love triangles, how hard it is for every CSI and cops to process crime scenes (emotionally that is), troubles with daughters (is that really all Catherine Willows is there for anymore?), troubles sleeping, etc. Than about fleshing out the crimes.

There are such interesting storylines about the crimes. But they are rushed or all play out at the same time. And somehow every crime seems to be related? It's fine for one season, the original show did that. But every season ends up being about one group of killers or one killer? And then we lose the plot, since it's pushed to the background, behind the soap that is obviously more important?

In the old show, the CSI's were consumate professionals. We learned things every week. They would explain how to investigate certain things and they all had specific skills. And skills they didn't have, was outsourced to the cool lab people.

Now we have people that all seem to be new. And they do everything and apparently they don't need lab tech? Plus while they try to investigate evidence, it's again overshadowed by teen storylines.

Was this show supposed to draw in a teen audience? So the cast had to be younger and the storylines more personal and less about crime?

Did they forget that the original show lasted 15 years and that they were a family? I don't feel the same from this team at all. Not the same chemistry, not the same having each other's backs. I do not see them pulling off one of the team members being buried alive and everyone working around the clock, losing their minds and trying to stay strong for the buried person. And then helping them pull through after.

It really is missing a lot. And pulling in old characters people love, just to have to have little screentime and barely a part at all, is not helping you pull in old fans.

Seriously they even act like teens in the morgue. During autopsies! Even there the teen storylines have precedent, by talking about who likes who. I miss Doc Robbins. Older, professional people. We don't need young people working there if they can't be professional. And we definitely don't need professional Catherine Willows to be made unprofessional by only caring about her daughter and even bringing her granddaughter to a crime scene! She would never do that. No one would.

Do they no longer have a boss above the supervisor? I miss that. I actually miss Ecklie right now. And that should say everything.

Gotham Knights: Dark Knight of the Soul (2023) Season 1, Episode 9

All love for Misha, but that map "discovery" is so dumb

[4/10 · 1 June 2023]

Again. How are these teens beating everyone else at solving puzzles? I mean, really. They stole that map from under the big bad owls. Who had no idea where to find the location of the electrum.

The entire group had the map and studied it. There is nothing on it 😱 No X marks the spot!

But wait! One person notices the signage isn't in the corner of the artwork... OMG! They completely missed that. Amazing! It's the only thing marked on the entire map. And they missed it?! Everyone missed that?!

Seriously all the praise for Misha and his creepy Harvey Dent and Two-Face performances.

If the writing was written for an adult audience and not children... This show is turning into Goosebumps territory. And I cannot deal with it.

Gotham Knights: Belly of the Beast (2023) Season 1, Episode 8

The viewers are not dumb

[5/10 · 18 May 2023]

I enjoy this show, I really do. But I feel at times the audience is treated as dumb. And that the court is actually not as clever as they make them out to be either.

They have searched for that map for 100 years and so they put it in an empty room without guards?

They know how many members they have and know each one. But they don't notice two strangers, teenagers even? I would like to believe they were clever and knew who they were, but wanted Turner all along. But it's CW and no.

So really, they can just run out with the map and no one notices?

How did they not even have guards outside, where someone would have seen all the knights?

I get it's a teen show. But for a group so menacing and amazing that they rule the whole city, they sure are dumb.

And the biggest complaint I have about this episode: are you kidding me with this whole reveal of the leader of the court? As if we as the audience didn't notice his hair and greying beard every time he turned his head? Are you serious in thinking none of us knew who he was? That big "reveal" was just insulting.

On a positive note: the whole Harvey storyline is so intruiging. And that reveal was amazing. Misha's acting is spot on. The subtle smirk appearing when that song was playing? The utter shock in the end finding himself in a strange place, covered in blood and wearing an owl mask?

Who did he hurt? Was he there when she was killed? Or did he kill someone else? Why is he alone? Why did they get him to come there? How did they even get to that evil inside of him? When did they program him?

I kind of wish this show was about Harvey Dent. Or that the knights were grown ups and not teens. Maybe then the storylines would make sense. I would get grown crime fighters beating that court. But teens who have no experience outsmarting a group that has been ruling the city for hundreds of years? Who are killing powerful people? Who killed Batman? Come on. I hope the show gets picked up on HBO and that they mature the level of writing.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (2023)

Too short and thus way too fast

[6/10 · 21 April 2023]

I really wanted to like this. I grew up watching the original show. And I was so excited seeing the trailer for this movie.

But the end result moves way too fast. Why is this special so short? Was there a lack of budget? Was no one else available? Was part of it cut?

The special effects were so much better of course. But the storyline... We basically jumped into the middle of a story and it just sped up more and more from there. How are the original rangers still in action? I thought I watched enough of the show to know that Kimberly, Jason, Zack and Trini left and handed over their coins to others. And now suddenly they've been rangers all this time? Did I miss something?

Also their acting used to be better in my opinion. But well. It has been years.

Of course I wish the whole cast was complete (except Thuy of course, since she passed away years ago). I actually even miss Bulk and Skull. I get the reasons they weren't there (especially Jason David Frank), but it still feels like it was half finished because they weren't there. As if the makers were in such a rush, they were already making it when it turned out several cast members couldn't be there and so they half assed it.

I'm sorry for being so negative. I just really looked forward to it. And with everything possible nowadays, I wish they took more time and turned it into a series with maybe three episodes of an hour or something. That would have allowed them to flesh it out. And really created a story. Not just one long episode that was fast forwarded somehow.

The last scene was beautiful though, thank you for adding that.

Maybe now can we have a making of special of the show? Not this movie/special, but of the original show? I get not everyone is around anymore. But it would be great to hear how everyone was cast and how it was made and such.

That '90s Show (2023– )

Could have used a live audience

[4/10 · 20 January 2023]

Did any of the writers watch actual 90s sitcoms? The kids don't act, dress or talk like teens from the 90s. Also none of them are memorable. Tbh a lot of them look alike. Same hair, same personalities. That 70s show worked because every character had a big personality that was very different from the others. It's also how they gelled, they all had things to add to the group and were again different from the parents.

Now everything seems to blend in. Sure the old cast is a lot of fun to see. They are the only thing that work in this show.

They really could have used a live audience. I get it's more expensive and harder to shoot. But it was a way to test a show with audiences to see if it's funny and if it works. If the cast works, too.

And it really doesn't. Kinda wish the show was about the original cast mainly and the kids were second.

The og cast lived through the 90s. The og show was shot in the 90s! How is it possible to get that era so wrong?

I think it could have worked if the teens had bigger personalities and were more different in every way. There were so many different kinds of music and clothes during the 90s. Just play around with that. Watch 90s shows and then try to get the same feel.

May as well have let it play out in the 00's.

Definitely hope it gets better and they learn from the reviews. And that some of the cast is replaced with people who can act better. Because... no.

The Winchesters (2022–2023)

Good start but needs work

[7/10 · 23 November 2022]

SPN had its flaws, as all shows do. And this prequel has only just started. Knowing Jensen is behind it, makes me trust it's going in the right direction. And that we will get answers about how John and Mary's story is so different from the original.

But it definitely still needs to find its footing. What made SPN great is the combo of chemistry, a family bond, humor and a deep world with storylines and characters that make you want to come back for more.

The Winchesters is still building their world. And while I appreciate all the diversity and even a lgbtq main character, the chemistry isn't there yet. It feels like a lot of characters while John and Mary have a lot in common. To me Sam and Dean and later Cas, worked so well, is because they all had their part to play. They were kind of opposites. And sure all these characters have that. But to me there are too many of them. And it doesn't feel like a family yet. When Cas came along, the chemistry was there right away. I still don't feel that between most of the people in this group.

The ages don't make a lot of sense and I don't fully see their abilities when they all were trained so young. Wasn't Dean Mary's age in season 1? He knew how to talk to people. But this group sometimes feels like they have never hunted before. Episode 6 especially shows that when they try to help out Derek Fisher. They didn't research well enough to come up with a story and didn't even plan anything beforehand. It felt off.

What I mostly miss though is the humor and a bit of horror. It's unfair to constantly compare, I realize that. But this show is a prequel to SPN. And that started with more horror and less drama. That was balanced with humor. And yes attempts are made, but maybe due to the many characters that are still finding their footing, it just isn't there yet.

Oh and something else: where are all the other hunters? If the men of letters already exists and their dads were both in it, where are the people they worked with? Mary has her network. But what about older hunters? Are they not in contact with anyone else?

We don't need more main characters. But surely there is room for hunters in the area. Surely they weren't the only ones in Lawrence, let alone the rest of the US?

Lie to Me (2009–2011)

Why does everyone like Lightman so much?

[6/10 · 31 October 2022]

I really like the premise of this show. The acting is good, the storylines are interesting. Even if most eps are standalone. And sure the science is easy and a little farfetched at times. But so is CSI.

But I don't understand how Cal gets away with acting the way he does. He acts like an ass all the time. No matter what. Even if it doesn't have to do with a case.

He hits on all women and they for some reason all hit on him. Even though he doesn't treat any of them or any man for that matter, with respect.

He treats his staff like crap. Especially Loker. Loker himself does some things that aren't okay either and it's a surprise he was barely punished and then it all just went away.

But Cal Lightman... Everyone respects him and does as he says. He barely makes a command to any person, especially women. And they don't even blink and do what he asked. He acts like he owns every room he walks into. But again, not in a respectful way. He is so demeaning to everyone. Puts his feet on a table wherever he goes.

His daughter kissed Loker and Cal goes off on him! He knows Loker didn't kiss her back. Because he can read everyone so easily. But he punches him in the stomach. And his daughter doesn't care. And it's just accepted (even if he does apologize eventually), because he's an "emotional wildfire where your daughter is concerned". And then his daughter punches him in the stomach and it's what, supposed to be funny?

I still enjoy watching for the storylines. And a remake would be great. A guy like that does not need to be an ass to have power. And it is not realistic thay every woman around him lets him treat them like a doormat. The show did not need that.

Personally I think that's what killed this show. If the lead isn't likeable, it doesn't last. Even if the actor is a favorite.

Power Rangers Dino Fury (2021–2022)

Nothing has changed since the 90s...

[3/10 · 25 October 2022]

I used to watch Power Rangers when it started, during the MMPR era. It wasn't great, looking back. But how is the quality just as bad in 2021? The sets look fake, the hair is terrible (hair extensions on the pink ranger, badly done), the storylines are so corny, the props look plastic, the acting is still awful and even the special effects are the same level they were in the 90s!

I get that it's for kids. But I don't understand it. Has anyone ever tried making a quality modern Power Rangers tv show or movie for the old fans? Because it has so much potential. For that audience so much more could be done.

Even kids won't have the interest for the same things we did back in the day. Even Disney movies for kids have better quality and are grittier than this.

I just can't get over how nothing about this show has changed in 30 years. Well maybe one thing: the original rangers could fight without being rangers. Now that's suddenly an extra power? They can magically do karate?

It saddens me. Why is it only made for kids, who maybe watch and then lose interest when they're older? Why not grow with the kids? Including the quality.

Hope it changes some day. But highly doubt it will.

Pinocchio (I) (2022)

One of the few Disney family movies I can't finish

[3/10 · 9 September 2022]

Honestly I wasn't expecting that much, since there have been several live-action Pinocchio movies already. And I haven't been a fan of most live-action adaptations of Disney animated classics. Dumbo was hard to get through...

But I can barely watch the first 20 minutes, seeing all the CGI and Tom Hanks' fake looking wig and mustache. I love Tom Hanks, I really do. But wow. Even he can't save this.

The cat is even CGI and it doesn't look right. It's as if someone watched some cat videos on YouTube and then animated a version without really matching it up with the scene.

I know they want to match it with the animated version. But I don't understand why. Why spend so much money and time and work on just creating a "live version" of the movie you already made and you actually polish out all the soul and darkness? What's the point?

Jungle Book actually added darkness. And it has of course loads of CGI too. But that one made sense to create a live-action version of, since they did something different with it. But the others? Lion King was basically a CGI copy without the life of the original.

Pinocchio in this version looks like a bad knock-off. Ones you could find back in the day on VHS and that just always looked off.

Jiminy looks like he's wearing a mask.

Not even the acting is great. And the red fox and the cat may as well have been animated completely.

Just why continue to make these? Focus on new stories or even sequels to the classics. But these live-actions are so pointless and I just don't understand the reasoning behind making them.

If I ever have kids, I will continue to show them the beautiful animated classics and pretend the live-action versions never existed. Sorry makers, truly. You tried. But please put your time and efforts and heart and soul into new stories that can then become classics. Stop retelling stories that don't need to be retold.

Godzilla (2014)

Could barely see

[4/10 · 13 August 2022]

I always enjoy these movies for the reveals and people reacting to them. But the best action scenes took place in the dark and I could hardly see anything. Who decided to do this? What, they don't attack during the day?

Really makes it hard to watch and enjoy the movie.

Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)

Tried to put too much in one movie

[5/10 · 13 July 2022]

It was clear they wanted to make a movie to wrap up the story. Even though all the Bellas said they are up for a part 4. But it was way too many storylines, too much craziness.

There were too many ideas. Clearly someone wanted to make a spy movie. And since Adam Levine wasn't available, they needed another crazy storyline for Amy. And no one had the guts to say it made 0 sense.

The movie starts off with the girls not enjoying their lives and realizing they want to keep singing together. They miss it so much, they find it hard to watch another group of Bellas perform.

Yet at the end of the movie, suddenly everyone is glad they can stop singing? Suddenly they all have things lined up that wraps up their storylines in a neat little bow? Things they never cared about before?

Like since when did Becca want to be a performer? Her whole storyline was about wanting to become a producer. Not a performer. And then her story ends with her becoming a recording artist?

Everyone just decides: actually it's great we didn't win as a group. Because we never wanted this anyway. As if it wasn't our whole lives we dreamed of staying with the Bellas and performing together.

And I get Skylar Austin wasn't available either or Ben Platt. But to have Becca and him already broken up. And Amy and Bumper too? Just to make sure they could wrap things up?

The music was lackluster. Last movie they added an original song and that final performance still gives me goosebumps. Now all I remember is the spy music. None of it hit a nerve and it felt like several people were shoved to the background. Because the writers thought Amy was the fan favorite and it should be about her and her craziness?

Last time there was still humor, even when they did make fun of each other. Now it was just plain mean.

Also after the rif-off, what happened to the actual competition? We saw everyone perform one song. And then the spy stuff happened and then suddenly DJ already picked a winner, who wasn't performing. And everyone is fine with it?

I just don't get it.

The biggest issue I had was the whole Esther thing. Why did that one have to be done at all? I do not understand. Her whole thing was the weird tiny voice and crazy statements. And suddenly she's "normal" and that's it?

Again, it's the whole wanting to wrap everyone's storylines up in a neat little bow. Even if they forgot half the group. It was so rushed at the end. It wasn't needed. People came for the music and the fun group of women and the sidekicks. Movies can have open endings. I feel like it was a fever dream. Like Roseanne and her family winning the lottery and then the last ep turns out it was all imaginary because reality sucked.

If they ever make a part 4, please go watch part 1 and 2, see why they worked so well, pretend part 3 never happened, and then create a storyline. Preferably around acapella. They could join an acapella tv competition. And in the end at least one of them becomes a mentor/coach for new acapella groups. Keep the pacing normal. Stick to one genre (really shouldn't be that hard...). Maybe this time they have kids and the kids think it's stupid and they're lame for trying this. The Bellas perform at their school maybe and everyone makes fun of the kids. Partners think they're spending too much time on a dream that they should forget about. There's divorces. People that really have given up. And it's hard to get the group back together. But in the end they of course keep winning and the kids become invested and cheer them on and the partners either are turned away or they support them. And they win with a spectacular mash-up.

I'd watch!

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

Narrative and depth are taken out

[5/10 · 9 April 2022]

So I'm definitely a Harry Potter fan and I love the stories, the magic and the soul in them.

The Fantastic Beasts movies begin the same way. They have a big story, a magical world and a lot of heart and soul from the characters. Even the bad ones.

Then the whole Johnny Depp thing happened (I don't agree with this cancellation, but well) and Covid, clearly. And all of a sudden the big bad evil is replaced by Victor Maddsen, who is a good actor. But it seems as if he was given the script a day before they started shooting, he learned the lines and that was it. Normally when you take over an established character, you study them. And you try to not Strat too far from that. But in this case... His narrative changed, his looks changed completely and he lacked any depth.

Tina didn't show up until the last five minutes, completely taking out the love story between her and Newt. And clearly it was filmed during Covid, because they didn't even touch when they saw each other. And honestly I didn't feel any longing or love from either of them. Might as well have left her out completely. It made no sense.

Thank god for Jacob, Dan Fogelman. He was seriously the only one who really had soul in this entire movie. And he didn't lose it. He's the one I at least really remember.

The love story or past love story or whatever between Dumbledore and Grindelwald felt weird to me. I didn't understand the blood oath. It's good Albus can be openly gay in this one. But again, there is no soul in that story he told. And the fight between him and Grindelwald was seriously lackluster. If that was the climax fight, then I may have missed something. It was over so fast and when they touched hearts, it should have meant something. But there was no feeling in it.

How is Grindelwald the big bad here? I felt that they were building up to something big in the second movie. How he would be the first Voldemort. With all his followers. But they weren't really followers, were they? The second he was unmasked, they were nowhere to be found. And he was supposedly all powerful, only to be defeated by Dumbledore. But when he was exposed, he stood there, making the childish remark that no one would love Dumbledore now. So... was he supposed to still love Dumbledore in the first place? If so, he needs more acting lessons or a better script or better director, I dunno. But there was nothing.

Why did Queenie stay with him? Even when Jacob was hurt, they easily cured him. And then suddenly she could cross over. Why did she stay? He had good things to say in the second movie, which were the complete opposite in the third one. And nothing made sense.

It was supposed to be war. So really? He was that powerful he was going to start a war. With all these loyal followers. And then he was exposed and... nothing happened? He gave up?

I just. In comparison to HP, grindelwald is more a James Bond villain.

Lastly... that last scene with the wedding... I didn't get it. Why in the bakery. Why didn't they touch? Why did no one else show up? It was weird. And clearly again it was because it was filmed during covid. I get it was hard back then. But really? People touched in other scenes. Why not here? It felt so awkward.

The movie wasn't all bad. But it just felt like they redid the entire story. It was almost a remake, where everything was different. The villain had a personality change and everyone's soul was sucked out except for Jacob.

It sounds harsh. I just feel confused. And unsure I want to see another part now, since clearly the villain is nowhere near as bad or interesting as Voldemort was and not that big a threat. So how would they even try to follow it up now?

And if it was the last one, then I'm even more confused.

See it and make up your own mind. Most critics thought Johnny Depp wasn't missed. Maybe if you didn't watch the first two. Imagine if Voldemort had changed actors and went to a normal human looking villain in the last movie. Who spoke normally and acted like a human who was just angry. Would people also believe it wouldn't be noticeable?

Parallels (2022)

Pretty good!

[8/10 · 25 March 2022]

Okay first of all: watch it in French with English subtitles.

This is really well done. The emotional stories as well as the twists and turns. I really enjoyed it, reminds me a lot of Dark. But it's not as complicated.

The only thing that annoyed me is the ending. It made no sense. In Bilal's memories, they would go back to normal and Sam would be dead. And Sofia would rush in and find them like that. Meaning, they didn't go back in time, but they righted the time paradox.

But once they did the test, they suddenly went completely back in time to the previous test? And Sofia isn't outside either. Yet at seeing Bilal's gift, suddenly they all "remember" something that did not happen, since they went back in time far enough that they never went to the other dimension?

I'm confused.

Was it time travel or was it another dimension? And how did Victor and Romane get powers and the others didn't? And why?

There's a lot of questions and things that were awesome plot twists, but then the ending threw it out the window. It didn't happen all of a sudden. And then they all remember that it did. How does that make sense?

La Brea (2021–2024)

They threw everything but the kitchen sink at it

[3/10 · 4 October 2021]

I started watching, because the plot sounded cool. People falling through a sinkhole and ending up in a different time/world/dimension? Pretty cool!

Unfortunately as everyone else mentioned: the CGI is really bad. I mean Jurassic Park has better CGI and it's from the 90s.

The acting is just... no.

And there are about 10 different plots and no real character introductions. We aren't introduced to anyone. The sinkhole happens in the first 5 minutes and I still after 30 minutes barely know anyone's name or why I should care about them.

None of them are truly interesting. But the sinkhole happened in LA? Really?

It honestly feels like Under The Dome all over again. Interesting idea, but the wrong actors and every single plot thrown into it: drugs, bad guys, people falling and not getting hurt, people with special powers, weird creatures, different time/space? Military trying to fix things. Then also they threw in everything in terms of characters: a gay interracial couple, people of different races, someone with a disability, someone "funny" who is high all the time, a tough girl and her dad, a strong mom and her son.

Also: they all end up in this massive sink hole, with cars and buildings, street signs, end up on a different earth. So in the middle of this other world. And weird animals run at them? They didn't crush anything in the fall? No one got hurt from the fall either?

One guy gets attacked by a wolf and he's instantly dying and they look for an ambulance?

I don't understand anything that is happening. It's an absolute mess and new random (and bad acting) characters are added constantly.

Even the lighting looks weird. Who approved of any of this? For a show made in 2021, the quality should be a lot better, especially a prime time show. It's marketed so much, as if it's actually good. How?!

Did no one have a budget? I really hope whoever came up with the idea gets to start over and take it to HBO or something. Because it has potential. But this version is just really bad. They were better off keeping Manifest or anything else that already had an audience than sinking money into this.

Even the music seems taken from other shows. I just don't get it.

The Masked Singer (2019–2024)

Fun entertainment

[7/10 · 8 January 2021]

I always look forward to new eps of this show. It really takes you out of the real world for a bit. And I obsessively write down clues and try to guess who it is with my family. The banter of the judges and Nick is fun, even if sometimes over the top. It's part of the entertainment.

The costumes are amazing! And I love seeing them get revealed each season. So many good performers, often surprising too! That's the most fun about it, if no one can really guess who it is and it's a total surprise.

I'm not one for all the overdramatic "wow best performance ever" or the dramatic tears at some performances. They should really tone it down a notch. I know it's American to be over the top on camera. But come on. If you say it enough times, everyone has had "the best performance this season" in the end.

Also not a fan of them pretending not to know who some people are. I get they don't want to spoil it. But season 4 had a famous boybander they all worked and talked with in the past, namely Nick Carter. He has a distinctive voice and of course they knew it was him. And then all 4 of the judges said a different name. Robin even said it was Howie D, Nick's bandmate, who sounds nothing like that and he knew that.

Also people like Ariana Grande would never be on this show. I would love for bigger names to be on than there are now. Like Ryan Reynolds who was a surprise guest contestant on the Japanese Masked Singer. But we would be able to guess it in seconds. And they would always win. Plus they don't have time to do a show like this. So stop guessing them as being underneath those masks. No one will believe you.

I do wish more famous people would enter though. I i barely knew 3 people in season 4 out of the 16. Which kind of sucked. You spend so much time guessing and then in the end you have no idea who they are. So hopefully season 5 will have some bigger names again.

Lastly, on the Dutch version of this show, they at the end have the unmasked celeb explain in a video what the clues meant. I so wish they did that here. Now they are often unmasked and even though I know the person, I have no idea what half the clues mean. Can that be added to season 5? It would really make it a lot more fun. Maybe that could be instead of the masked ear trophy. Because sure it was fun for the judges, but what does it do for the audience? The show is not about the judges and their banter. That's a bonus. The show is about the celebs.

Hope season 5 starts soon!

The Masked Dancer (2020–2021)

Should have used a test audience

[2/10 · 8 January 2021]

I was looking forward to this, since I love The Masked Singer so much. Didn't know how they would pull it off, because how do you guess a celebrity from dancing? And I like Ken in the panel. And I like the other judges, so I thought it would be fun!

But it's not. The dancing is very awkward and takes too long. It's as if everyone just learned a few dance moves in 5 minutes before they went on. There is no way to guess who they are except the clues. So why even show the dancing? I have cringed watching any of them.

And on top of that, Ken is the only one good in this show. The host seems he does not want to be there, doesn't know how to act. He barely interacts with the celebs or with the judges, which is partially what makes Masked Singer so much fun. All the judges make fun of each other, together. There is full chemistry. But on Masked Dancer, it's as if Ken keeps trying to show them what to do. But he's the only one that belongs there. The others it seems like they were the only ones available and he is trying with all his might to create chemistry and fun. But it doesn't work. He's the strongest personality there. While on Masked Singer, they're all strong personalities, including Nick. They can all own a room and a stage. And they bounce off each other. On this how? Again, awkward to watch.

And I know they are always overdramatic with their "this was amazing, best performance ever!". But on this show it feels even more fake than any other.

Please cancel it. I feel bad for the celebs that were on this, because so far I know them all (on Singer it's often a case of "who??") and feel awful they were even invited on this show.

Truly someone should have had a test audience first. They could have axed it before even airing.

There is no way to recreate Masked Singer. It's just not possible. I'd love a spin-off that attracts even bigger celebs. But there is no option that wouldn't turn out just as bad as this.

Come up with new things. Please and thank you.