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Ronmeister67
Reviews
007: Road to a Million (2023)
The program that could have been.
What a series! The promise of where it will lead you is extremely far removed from where you actually land. Out of the seemingly limitless number of troglodytes dat are willing to display their absolute complete lack of general knowledge on TV the producers of this series have managed to choose a stellar set of individuals. And just as you think there's no limit to their ignorance and the fear of yet another display of witlessness starts to take over a question pops up that is impossible to answer for all except a handful of people world wide... this, of course, ensures they run out of contestants requiring the introduction of newly inaugurated Mensa candidates to join mid program. Confused yet? They are! This program could have been something else, especially given the filming locations and production value at times, if only it was given as much thought as "who will the next James Bond be".
World's Most Dangerous Roads: South Africa (2023)
Is dumb cool nowadays?
People who get to make amazing trips many of us can only dream of. What a premise, and yes, what promise. Unfortunately for this season they've chosen people who are proud of their shallowness, ignorance and erratic nature. This to the point of being extremely annoying.
The other strange fact is that most are stand up comedians, not none have made me laugh, even once. Cringe... yes, but laugh no.
Finally, making a huge deal of the smallest challenges is okay once, fine twice, but gets old fast. The roads driven and rivers crossed etc. Are minor compared to the older seasons. Yet the characters involved shout and scream. No, no, no... such a promising series, such an old time favorite... ruined by the need to dumb everything down... shame...
World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji: We Can't Go Back, And We Can't Go Forward (2020)
Boo-goo-hoo US teams
Honestly... do we have to include a repetition of sorts of all US sob stories. The other teams, for as far as they get an opportunity to be in the program, between aforementioned blubber gibberish, get no airtime. You'd be excused for forgetting it's presented by a Brit. Where's their team? Do they have one? Did we see a list of teams? Did we see a leaderboard? No, we saw wounded veterans, sick people, and others sobbing over the wounded and sick people. Come on! Where's the eco challenge toughness and endurance? Where is the race? Is it a race or a charity run? Oh well, as mentioned earlier, I'll wade through the nonsense, enjoying rare moments of racing. I'm cursed loving the eco-challenge, thus putting up with this mess.
World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji (2020)
Great idea, poor execution
Diversity does not mean "different US teams", nor does it need to include incessant sob stories. So many teams from so many countries and this is the best you could do?
So yes, I'm glad we're back showing programs like this, but do we need to do it in this fashion. We're covering a sport yet there was never a leading board. It's an international race yet we only see a handful of nations etc.
I do so wish this is not the only time we show this epic race, I do so wish we have more sports/race oriented direction and protection next time. This could have been really something to watch. Instead I find myself wading between the emotional sob mess to find the odd glorious epic moment. All in all not bad but boy could it have been great.
National Treasure: Edge of History (2022)
National Treasure meets Sesame Street
Granted, it's a level above Teletubbies, but not more than that. This show, based on one of my favorite "franchises" has the look and feel of a low budget children's program. The writing is, as a few have mentioned, low grade. The colloquial references may be generation Z, they're forced, often out of place.
The puzzles that require solving are disjointed, the "solutions" random and far fetched.
There's little by way of redeeming qualities here. There may very well be an age group where this show does well, obviously it's not my age group.
All in all another disappointment from Disney. Filling the shelves with shows in order to offer a full streaming package may be the goal, but at times even the "big chiefs" need to take their eyes off the "big picture" and study the details. If they did a dozen Disney shows would likely die a quick and less than painless death. Who knows, a quality assurance department may even be brought to life.
So there it is, after the brutal murder of Star Wars we're onto the next vulnerable brand; RIP National Treasure.
Gold Rush: Freedom for the Bold (2022)
A bit of a rush, but no gold...
My goodness, what must they have been thinking when filming "former green beret" Fred on his mission... many celebrations, talks of fortunes and moments of absolute truth... but no gold, none, zilch. He's still extremely annoying to watch, I fast forward mostly, but now there's an added angle of the extreme embarrassment. He talks, and talks, and talks...
Otherwise a fairly standard episode, nothing to write home about. Parker pushes his team to far... again... Tony swears at his children... again... the two brothers are working hard to get the family out of trouble... again. So normally a 5 to 7 rating is now a 1... again... due to "ex green beret Fred" and his hopeless mess of an "operation"... no gold, a bit of a rush...
Gold Rush: Searching for Rick Ness (2022)
No more Fred PLEASE
Ah, the haircut is a bonus... the narrator no longer refers to Fred as "Special Forces blah blah blah" as often as he did. That said, what we're stuck with is a person who refers to himself as a "leader", though he doesn't lead and a "miner" though he'd have been better off buying the gold he's mined so far.
I watch the show because I love Alaska, admire the gold miners, and I don't mind fake dead lines (car shows) or contrived "season goals" as it pertains to mined ounces. I'm not picky, I know the limitations of reality TV and the hoops producers jump through to retain viewers. In that light... please... please... dump Fred...
Grand Designs (1999)
Love the idea more than the execution
A great idea; watching people bring their dream homes to life, building what they pondered over and worked for, often all of their lives. Watching every stage of a building; from architectural planning to execution. What a dream series that would be...
The reality is different. It turns out to be a systematic production with a strict time line. Meeting excited people who wish to build something that they can just about (not) afford. Their approach is new, they wish to be in by Christmas and there's no way they can go beyond their budget.
Then reality sets in; their unique approach doesn't work, it costs more than they budgeted for, but somehow find the additions 100's of 1000's of pounds... amazing!
Not much of the actual building process is shown, the emphasis is on how the (unrealistic) dream unravels. We see stressed out people who, had they ever watched so much as one episode of the program they are a part of, should have known they are not unique, nor smarter than any of their predecessors.
So, what could have been a program about design, building techniques, sustainability, creativity and the endurance of the human race becomes a mini drama that can scarcely be believed. It may once have been what I had hoped for, it is no longer... too bad.
Car S.O.S. (2013)
In 3 weeks...
Good show for car lovers, the where, when, how and at times why of it all is nicely covered. Both lead figures seem to have sufficient knowledge of the subject matter, playing dumb to educate in adequate amounts. The camera time spent on the work at hand is reasonable.
The downsides - and in this they're not alone - is the contrived (timeline) drama. The fact that it's consistently 3 weeks raises suspicion... the back story does not always add up either. Some of the stories as to why the restoration is necessary are quite touching others seem contrived.
The banter is fine, the keeping it original versus making improvement discussion is done when it is applicable.
Race: Bubba Wallace (2022)
Turn Left
It's all about balance... Race and "race" both deserve a place but when does overemphasizing one or ignoring the other become a problem? I believe a fair equilibrium was achieved in several episodes, not in others.
This mini series describes a sport, a person, a company and a family in a context larger than Race and "race". That was never going to be easy. A brave attempt with a fair result.
If it's pure racing you're interested in, this may not be for you. If you can handle a wider context, if you can access both sides of your brain, this may be of interest.
Whatever the case may be... be ware if all the left turns...
Gold Rush: From Finish to Start (2022)
Cancel Fred
Please, please, please stop filming the (mis)deeds of Fred and his band of hopefuls. It's embarrassing. Hoffman's departure was a blessing, why this? Special forces or not, that, or any other force is not with them. If a 100 ounces is considered a "lofty" goal it may be a sign that this is "not for you".
Gold Rush: The Alliance (2022)
When Nitwits collide...
Though ultimately repetitious the stories of Parker, Rick and Toni continue to entertain. This cannot be said about Fred (wait... wasn't he in the army) and his compatriots (wait... weren't they all in the army). Fast forward remains an option. You'd think the makers of this series would aim a little higher though...
Vikings: Valhalla (2022)
Diet Woke
Fantasy is fantasy, history is history. To sell the first as the latter is as wrong as it is dangerous. It's offensive to all involved, regardless of race, gender, religion and so on. The history of the human race is often beautiful, sometimes ugly, always diverse and fascinating so please tell it properly. Nothing about this series is correct, politically or otherwise. Miscasting one or two roles isn't even "woke", that requires a bigger, more courageous (moronic?) effort. It's diet woke, at best.
The Curse of Oak Island (2014)
Interesting Historical Puzzle
I do enjoy the (back) story as well as hypothesizing what the meaning of it all is. What reduces the enjoyment is the constant repetition as well as the often very far fetched theories an annoying narrator puts forward in a ridiculous format: "a thing... at the place... could it be that this thing was used to... a vast treasure?" Stop the repetition, change the writing for the narrator and insert a few more historical "lessons" and I'll watch this show until the treasure is (not) found!
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Old(we) Fashioned Action
Not a fan of Angelina... ever... but this movie has a really nice "classic" action vibe with several above average interesting characters and performances. Unoffensive yet untouched by the gods-of-woke. If what you're looking for is straightforward action and entertainment told in a pleasant pace this may be for you.
Captain Webb (2015)
Straightforward Story Confusingly Told
Take a heroic tale of a man with a mission, now add made up drama and break it down into small moments in time. Take all these moments and shuffle them around and around to the point where the main character dies but doesn't a dozen times to the point where it becomes one annoying mess. There you have a synopsis of a great story never told; a missed opportunity.
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)
Not Funny
The minimum rating is one star, I added one star per funny scene. Fortunately this funny moment is early im the movie, so save yourselves... The news is funnier, and that's saying something in this day/age.
Expedition Bigfoot (2019)
I feel like I am being watched...
Several actors walking through a few square miles of forest often stating they "feel like they're being watched". Not for long they're not...............
Ping Pong Summer (2014)
Poor story, acting, directing etc.
Every aspect of this movie is poor. The acting is wooden at best. The scenes are filmed in a jumpy, narrow manner without any form of flow or progression. The story is one-dimensional. All in all it has the feel of a high school project. I honestly can't remember seeing anything worse lately or at all... no spoilers here, I didn't make it to the end.
The Resident: Past, Present, Future (2021)
The Fake Domino Effect
As mentioned, the plastic baby is annoying and shows an incredible lack of attention to detail by everyone involved. This detail leads the viewer to examine other elements of the production: wooden acting, unrealistic conversations and an abundance of "acting". You're no longer immersed in the story, in the episode, you're acutely aware you're watching TV. It's easier to accept a poor story than a story being told poorly. How symbolic can a plastic baby be?
Rust Valley Restorers (2018)
Too much drama not enough car
What we need is a car show about cars, not this contrived silliness. All the pieces are there, the cars, the facilities and dare I say the characters, now please adjust the balance between car/restoration content and scripted drama.