luke-d_883 Reviews

The Mind, Explained (2019–2021)

A perfect introduction

[8/10 · 19 September 2019]

In an age in which the attention span of the consumer is constantly divided between a variety of devices and distractions, "The Mind, Explained" stands out as a great example of the new way to take on information. With expert opinions and interesting imagery interwoven through each episode - which each fall around the 20-min mark - this docuseries keeps you interested just long enough to pick up tidbits of information for parties and pique your interest on the incredible machine that is the brain, and if you wish to delve further you may do so at your own leisure.

Basic, surface level information - perhaps. But enough to be well worth the short time it asks.

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh (2018 TV Special)

A more than pleasant surprise!

[8/10 · 10 November 2018]

As someone born beyond the prime years of Adam Sandler and his rise to fame, I have been unfortunate enough to live through more 'Jack & Jill' than 'Happy Gilmore', so my hopes for '100% Fresh' were more than a little low. Maybe that had a role to play in the pleasure I got out of this hour and a bit of consistent laughs. A phenomenal return to form, showcasing his musical ability that has been missing for so long, as well as his irreverent silliness that helped propel him through SNL all those years ago.

As far as stand-up specials go, this was a also a welcome change from the political leanings that have been taking over comedy. A pure session of jokes with nothing deeper to them. If you want to hear someone make a real point in their set, find another comic. If you want to relax with a bowl of ice cream, you're in the right place.

That's not to say it is void of all depth, with the end of the set touches on some more meaningful aspects of his life - all the while keeping the humour going. Well done, Adam Sandler. Welcome back to the good books!

Happy! (2017–2019)

An unexpected stunner

[9/10 · 8 May 2018]

Wow. I haven't seen a lot of Christopher Meloni outside of Law and Order or Wet Hot American Summer, so I didn't expect anything in particular out of him in this performance. I should have held my expectations higher. What a phenomenal performance, start to finish. The writing is incredible and fantastically delivered by Meloni and co. Particularly impressive was the attention paid to the villains of the series, who kept me confused, intrigued and at times sympathetic to the cause. Far more nuanced than many of the shows out there today.

While the tropes may become almost predictable at times, with a constant switch between 'whatever can go wrong, will go wrong' and major occurrences of deus ex machina, there never comes a point where this isn't fun. And realistically, the point of it is to be fun. It is incredibly edgy, graphic and aggressive and runs at a crazy fast pace, but the audience never feels left behind. I absolutely can't wait to see more!

Also, I feel like being animated means that Patton Oswalt doesn't get a lot of attention, but the team behind the animation, writing and delivery of that crazy unicorns lines deserve a huge amount of praise too. I highly, highly recommend you take the time to watch this dark, action-packed comedy extravaganza.

The Standups (2017– )

A Great Opportunity for Relative Unknowns

[8/10 · 8 July 2017]

With perhaps the exception of Nikki Glasser, the 6 comics in this series are somewhat unknown. They certainly don't have any big shows coming to Australia any time soon. Thankfully, Netflix is able to provide a platform for them to be globally broadcast with ease. While some of the material fell a bit flat at times, with each comic having some lows to their set, there were also some great high points.

One of the best aspects of this series was that it gave just a taste of each comic - there was no major commitment to a comic that the viewer didn't know. Usually, I would stick to the safe sets of comics I know well and I know I will enjoy, particularly if I am about to lock in for an hour long special. Cutting them each down closer to the 30-minute mark made each episode a safe bet. If it wasn't that funny, at least it was only short, and the next is guaranteed to be a whole new experience.

For me, Deon Cole was the best of the comics on the show, with his set in episode 3 being a stand-out-stand-up performance. The way he structured his set (you'll see) was, while not incredibly inventive, a fun way to separate himself from the pack.While they all needed a little polishing, it is definitely worthwhile to watch what will definitely be the early days of some long careers for these comics.