Change Your Image
katherinemch
Reviews
Space Force (2020)
If your top priority in comedy is originality, here ya go
I heard this was "like Airplane!" and I know the lead was in a couple cringey things like 40 Year Old Virgin so I went into this expecting it to be really hammy, but it is actually more like The Far Side, a series of moments designed to be disorienting and unexpected, rather than pee-yourself-laughing comedic. I think maybe the PR folks who spread the wrong idea about what to expect have caused much lower ratings than the show really deserves. Myself I was stoked to find the show much more creative than expected.
Aside from the originality side of things, it's also pretty heartwarming, with a bunch of misfits doing their best and seeing the best in each other. They're larger than life but not one dimensional or cliche. Each character is a fascinating mess of contrasting qualities.
I didn't even notice these alleged budget cuts between S1 and S2. I just kept on enjoying the unique scenarios they came up with. Good writing and good acting don't need a bunch of fancy CGI, sets or costumes to be entertaining!
I know the season 2 finale wasn't written to be the series finale it turned out to be, since the show got cancelled months after filming finished, but it's still the perfect ending. Absolutely unique and unexpected, with so many horrifying implications (like the astronaut floating out in space...?). How many other comedies have such an uber-bleak ending? (OK Dinosaurs but name another lol) Being so shocking and unsuitable is what makes it hilarious. And you don't have any of those nagging questions most cancellations leave you with like does this couple last or that kid grow up to be like her mom or her dad... the ultimate closure LOL!
Blown Away: All Grown Up (2024)
WHAT!??? spare us the drama...
Was thrilled to find a new season released, because I always enjoyed the show before, but this season is FRUSTRATING! The judging seems to be based on pulling names from a hat or something, it's just bizarre. The first episode, they gave the prize to one of the weakest submissions, shunning a masterpiece made by the elder "god of glass". This god made a realistic and aesthetic worn granite boulder covered in lichen, and realistic and aesthetic SPLASHING WATER and they just brushed it off like no thing.
Now this episode they actually gave the prize to the person who should have gone home, and sent home the person who should have won the prize. Full. On. BACKWARDS. How? Why?
We don't know why, because unlike previous seasons, they don't do a little talk about what features made the top three the top three or anything. They discuss each piece when it's first unveiled, but not during the announcing of the verdict. So the viewer's left outraged and baffled, without even a weak or controversial argument for the judgment just no argument at all. Are they judging people based on their pre-existing art and "known level of ability" rather than the submission of the moment? If so, telling us that would avoid confusion.
I watch this show to relax. I hate that they think drama will suck in the viewer. Agitating us with unfair judging just to what, get publicity from people kvetching on social media? Why not just make a cozy show people can get joy from? Do reality shows really HAVE TO have bad vibes to be successful? On that note I wish they'd give enough time to do the assignments well and with reasonable rest breaks. Making the event as hard as possible doesn't enhance anything. I don't come to this show to see suffering and feel anxious. I come to it to see good art and learn how stuff is done. If they had enough time to do their best it would be MORE entertaining.
Gone in the Night (2022)
very bad
I figured it out at about the halfway mark when someone mentions they do experimental transfusions. The "mystery" part is disgustingly weak.
So what about the other facets? The forest was pretty! And the weird repurposed buildings the punk chick lives in had a lot of flavour.
I agree with those saying it feels like a highschool play... with the script written by the kids. It seems like they imagine it deep that the story touches on mortality a little. Like they don't think anyone else has touched on the topic in cinema before or perhaps nobody but them's even thought about mortality.
Mulroney's entire motive for being a mad scientist type villain is that he doesn't wanna be old 'cause ew. He limps a bit indicating his knee hurts a bit on steep hills and has a terrible "old man wig" for most of the show, like you'd find at a Halloween store- gray, wiry rats-nest. After some "rejuvenation" his hair gets blacker and oddly, better cut and less unkempt. So that's his motive, the core of the movie- this guy's getting into serial killing out of fear of bad hair. The other nods to aging and siezing the day etc are Ryder & her BF as 2-D losers, both reacting badly to pushing 40- she acting like she's 75, wanting to just rest and grow plants, and he trying with all his might to mimic coolness. I'm not sure what these little looks at aging are trying to say but I bet it's trite.
It's unfortunate that those involved decided the main character's personality should be simply "tense and sad" (even before the crimes) because it makes her unpleasant to follow around, and hobbled Ryder's options for how to play her.
So the main characters aren't believable or enjoyable.
The villains aren't either. The instigator wanted nothing but to have the mad scientist's eternal youth treatment so that she could * checks notes* continue to enjoy the power over hetero guys her youthful bod gives her, and the energy to stay up late at concerts a lot. Ugh. Not much of a motive.
Oddly the most realistic character was the guy who gives a creepy AF first impression, who got sucked in just trying to get to know his longtime absent father. I guess that was fun, to find out the scary looking angry seeming guy was only acting like that because he was the least murdery of the bad crew ha.
Is there a reason for telling the story in the flashback chaos way they do? Actually that part was the coolest part to me. I found that I interpreted the characters' actions differently in different replayings of scenes, just from knowing a another little layer of the story, which is a good reminder that people IRL also likely would give a different impression if you knew more of their back story.
I like the actors involved and wanted to like this, but it really is bad. If a teen wrote this for short story class I'd say "Good for them" but I don't understand how adult, presumably experienced professionals could create this.
Snack vs. Chef (2022)
mehhh
I guess the first half is promo for the snack du jour, or maybe people who like these nasty "foods" are curious to know how it's made, but personally I find that part dull. I watch for the creative round! The kinky ingredient combos foodie minds come up with. I live for that stuff.
I disagree that the hosts all suck. Ali says a lot of insightful, interesting stuff and he has such joie de vivre. I would happily see the others replaced though.
But what I HAAATTTE about this, and a lot of other cooking contests, is the absurdly short time limit. Like just enough time to make the thing if you've made it fifty times, not enough time to experiment or correct mishaps, on the road to creating a new recipe. I don't see how that adds anything. Half the runtime is people fretting that they don't have time to chill this or dehydrate that. Not only should they have enough time to do the job right, I'd like them to have time enough for a practise batch or two. These are talented people. I want to see their best work! Why sabotage them? It's like if the Olympics started forcing athletes to compete drunk. The time limit should be tripled. It being so short ruins the series for me.
House M.D.: Remorse (2010)
Lots of fun
Some of my favourite parts were when the characters went against their usual pattern, making them more real and complicated, and simply giving us a surprising twist to entertain us. For instance the bit in Spanish when House talks to Wilson's patient. Usually Wilson's the nice guy who is so helpful and communicative with his patients but this time it was aloof old House who connected with the guy and discreetly admonished him for his poor behaviour.
Even more fun was the subplot with the old classmate House was trying to make amends with, who actually was scamming him. Not only was it a hilarious twist to see cynical, brilliant House sucked in like a rube, and all due to his conscience and compassion which is very unlike the old him, but the way he escaped was a hilarious twist too- the would-be con artist couldn't go through with it because House's likeability and morality touched him. HILARIOUS! And it shows that House is really changing since his breakdown; actually becoming a more normal, sensitive person.
As always, Taub and Wilson's deadpan sassiness were enjoyable and the illness was interesting, but to me these little gags/signs of character development were the best part!
Dumplin' (2018)
ok but could have been so much better
It's a vapid meaningless bit of fluff to pass the time while sick or something. Fun and cheerful. But that's sad, because it could have been truly awesome.
What is the main message for one thing? Not that putting lots of time and effort into being appealing is a poor choice compared to putting that time and effort into real achievement. Not that scruffy, slouchy or chunky gals can still have plenty of value despite refusing to conform. Nope the message is that EVERY female needs to be pretty to be happy! But the movie pats itself on the back for heroically informing us that with a few weeks of effort, even those scruffy, slouchy or chunky girls can learn to be pretty, thus giving them value and happiness! Yay?
Seems like a terribly misogynistic, shallow message.
The part that kept me interested was annoyingly, bafflingly underplayed- the butch (or NB?) Hannah. Why was she even there??? They gave us what felt like an hour of flashbacks to Will dancing with her BFF and auntie in the Dolly shrine but they couldn't spare five or ten minutes of screentime to flesh out this very fascinating character, to give her (them?) an identity and a reason for being in the show other than to check a diversity box? Ugh. I was dying to learn her motive for participating! At first one assumes she's a rebel there to mess things up but then she's just passive so... was she there to process her animosity toward being female? To pick up chicks? To prove to some hater that she could be pretty if she wants but chooses to be butch? Is she actually only butch because she was never taught how to be a bimbo but desperately wants to learn? WHAT IS HER GOAL? And we never get to see her do her talent performance or answer any pageant questions. She's just in the background in most of the scenes but never gets to do anything. If she's not gonna get an arc where she learns something or proves something, why have her in the movie? If the goal was to trick butch chicks into watching in hopes of feeling represented, BOOOO, why not ACTUALLY represent us with a fleshed out actual character?
It was pretty disappointing as well, to see poor Will eagerly accept her mother's love. After years or maybe even a whole lifetime of being considered unworthy of her mom because of not being pretty enough, once she learns how to be "pretty" her mom finally deigns to love her??? Ew. I always say, if you wouldn't accept the treatment from a friend don't accept it from a relative. Will should have at least struggled a bit to forgive her mother for all those years of withholding love. Naw I don't think "if you learn to be pretty the awful people who hated you for being ugly will wanna hang out with you" is a happy ending.
I think the core idea has merit but the way they wrote this just shows such awful values in so many places. It's like the fantasy of a neurotic preteen, when it could have been a film to comfort, enlighten and strengthen such neurotic preteens.
The Kids in the Hall: Episode #1.1 (2022)
LMAOOOO
This whole season is solid gold. Same style as the original but vastly improved by the years the guys spend honing their craft.
The reviewer criticizing the nudity made me laugh almost as hard as the show itself did. If seeing old, out of shape guys shake their wangs is not your idea of funny then... like... you're not the average KITH fan, sorry but yeah this is not aimed at you. If you enjoy absurdity don't worry you'll love this reboot.
The Kids in the Hall (2022)
Perfection!
The original had a lot of dud sketches, and some of the comedy was based on things being shocking then that aren't anymore, so I was nervous to check this out, thinking that if it's exactly the same it would kinda suck but also if it's too different it will "ruin my childhood" as those Ghostbusters fans said about their reboot. But after one episode my fears were gone and after the whole season I am hoping for more, because this reboot is solid gold! It's the same old KITH- they seem to aim less for "hilarious" or "insightful" and more for "unsettlingly bizarre". Basically for the same folks who loved The Far Side. If you liked their unique flavour back in the day you'll like the new stuff. Just like we hope for our irl long lost old friends, they have stayed themselves but also have improved with experience. And unlike some sketch shows (lookin at you SNL) these guys don't just have good ideas for starting a sketch they have good ideas for ending sketches too.
You get a little bit of the classics like Gavin The Weird Kid and Skull Crushing Guy but they're more than just a nod to the past, they are funny bits too. The cameos by non-KITH comedians are also funny on their own merit not just there for the sake of making us go 'oh I recognize him'.
Oh and they are allowed to cuss and get naked and just generally be R rated now so that's an improvement over the original lol!
Father Brown: The Menace of Mephistopheles (2022)
Looking to be the best season yet!
I've always hated how the Inspector role is so blah. Poor guy's job is just to be grouchy about the Father constantly outshining him at his own job, and bitterly obstruct the Father's efforts to solve the cases. Over and over. No growth. Tiresome enough to watch, must be misery for the actor. But finally they wrote a script that lets him ACT! I am happy for him. And he did a great job. But it was sad that at the end he returned to being just a jerk who gets in the way, like Cinderella's ball gown going back to rags lol.
The friendship between the motley crew is touching and funny as always. I am delighted to see the chauffeur Sid back as one of the leads! Instead of just a couple guest spots a year. He is possibly my favourite character. I love how he has a scummy side but also is super honorable. I guess eventually they will explain his gig... is he still driving for the Lady, and if so why have we not seen her?
I'm on my third ep this season and they are all great. I think the writers used the hiatus to polish the scripts extra well? It is simply better, not more melodramatic or freaky or anything "shark jumpy" like that, just a better version of the usual.
The gorgeous gardens and comfy homes that create such an enjoyable atmosphere... ah how I have missed them during the pandemic! And the mysteries are interesting, the Father's wisdom uplifting. It's just such a good show all around! While some shows run out of steam after a few seasons, this one still brings their A game every time!
House M.D.: Needle in a Haystack (2007)
Not the best but far from worst
This episode had Foreman's walls come down a little as he bonded with a patient, which was neat since he's so stoic. House and Cuddy's fight du jour was fun too, a debate about what makes one disability "worse" than another, the loss of function or the suffering it causes. I like it when House's pain is shown as a real problem not just an excuse to make the character lash out at everyone. It was sad to see the patient choose to throw away his talents and passions (& I think his girlfriend?) to indulge people who don't want what's best for him. Sad but realistic- I'm sure it happens all the time, sigh. And another fun tidbit was the gang's usual diagnostic BnE taking a very awkward turn when they hit the wrong house.
The zany health crisis featured actually is possible, believe it or not! A fan site says there was a documented death of this back in 1941. And a quick google shows the human body cannot digest wood at all, so it really does seem to be plausible. Amazing.
On the downside, the ep had some eye rolling stuff. Someone's already mentioned that to most anyone, swallowing a toothpick then having stabbing pain in the belly would be readily self diagnosed. So on to a different nitpick: At one point House barges into a mega invasive surgery and not only does he dive in without scrubbing (though of course he did glove up), he had been using a hand wheeled chair all day, clumsily at first but then adventurously, so his sleeves and forearms would have been exposed to more germs than usual. Plus not only did he not mask up, he spoke, enthusiastically and at great length, while standing right over this poor patient's wide open gut, mouth humidity spewing, ugh. Yet somehow the patient doesn't die of infection from all this foolishness, suuure.
But in this my second go through of this series, after first seeing it as it was released, I am finding it a lot more enjoyable if instead of seeing it as a mystery show I see it as a comedy. All the little ironies, little burns, little absurdities, the fact it stars a comedian... are we so sure it wasn't meant to be comedy? Why did I think it was a drama the first time I saw it? And in that light the shark jumping moments get a belly laugh instead of the scoffing "But that's stupid!" that so often gets forced out of you if you take it seriously. Try it, the perspective change may enhance your enjoyment too!
Chicago Med: The Parent Trap (2018)
a nice one for Rhodes and Choi fans
To me the interesting part of this episode wasn't Rhodes' major plot events (daring heart stuff of course lol) but some subtle character stuff that gave meaty acting opportunities. When Hayward's condition comes to a crisis point he delicately navigates the minefield of Dr Reese's and Hayward's relationship, managing to seem professional and even a bit kind to his patient, by attempting to involve the estranged daughter (despite surely relating to Dr Reese's aversion to the old scumbag, having a similar one of his own) yet showing extreme loyalty to his colleague by not pushing her at all, and eventually finding a way to leave it up to Reese to decide whether the villain lives. Speaking of the loathsome Mr Rhodes, he pursues Bekker leaving Dr Rhodes torn about whether to warn his frenemy about what a piece of garbage the old man is. In the end he and Bekker become a wee bit more friendly and honest with each other but nothing super dramatic, as feels appropriate for two such thick walled, tightly wound people.
Dr Choi also has some personal stuff (NOT the cringy soap opera personal stuff this show overindulges in, but subtle, realistic stuff which I find much more interesting) where he learns about a personality disorder that can befall people neglected as babies and not adopted until toddlerhood. He focuses a lot on a homeless boy but through that case learns to understand his "bad" sibling too and have more patience with her BS.
Considering that I only continue watching this mess of a show for Choi and Rhodes (and Charles somewhat but he seems boringly static- at least the other 2 have some growth) this was my favorite episode so far!
The Hardy Boys (2020)
star is great, show not great
I managed to endure 5 episodes mainly because the main actor, Alexander Elliot, is amazing- he's gonna be a big star one day! He's got the looks and charisma but more importantly, hooboy can he ever act! His buddy Biff and her mom the cop are fairly talented also. The other characters are too one dimensional to give their actors anything much to do.
Unfortunately the casting of the other brother is one of the things that makes the show unbearable. He is of the Joey Tribbiani "smell a fart" school of acting. You know- the only facial expression he has, whether he's supposed to be scared, angry, sad, thinking hard, or crushing on a girl, is one of vague disgust. And he seems unable to close his mouth, has tiny, dead eyes, and is just generally bland and offputting. Other reviews complain about his age. I wouldn't mind that if he could act or at least wasn't an eyesore. Such a shame for the younger boy to be stuck sharing scenes with such an unworthy partner.
As for the writing... It has the usual YA novel tropes like freaky-looking henchman, evil gazillionaire, convenient gang of helpful friends with nothing but free time. The familiarity could be viewed as boring or comfortable depending on your mood. I don't recall the books well enough to say how this compares. I did expect it to have a plot for each episode, like the series had a plot for each book, but nope, it's pretty much a soap, all loose ends and cliffhangers and vague hints. There's not a "crime of the week" on top of the main mystery, just the main mystery being slowly solved over the whole series, so beware. If you hate being left in suspense you may want to marathon the whole thing over a weekend.
It's set in the past, so no cels etc, but don't expect a lot of fun 80s fashion or old fashioned toys or other nostalgia. They keep it pretty timeless- just jeans and t-shirts, rather plain decor etc. They make use of 80s songs a wee bit otherwise it could be mistaken for the 50s or anytime really.
Murdoch Mysteries: Rough and Rowdy Ways (2021)
another mega dud
I don't know why they crammed not one but two "annoying stalker" subplots in, both being unpleasant and pointless. I get the feeling we'll be subjected to further cringey plotlines based around both. And yet again they have savvy, intelligent characters acting idiotic just to make the silly plots work. In this case Effie laughingly brushes off George's terror at her having hired his kidnapper, saying he probably just misremembered the woman's face, it couldn't possibly be the same woman. Why would she not be just as concerned as he? Why would a lawyer who deals with criminal cases all the time, whose boyfriend recently was almost crippled and held for days by someone who then got away with it, assume the perp is no threat? It just makes zero sense.
The main plot involves a son who, as one of his buddies says, was "just born bad", despite his family's goodness. That would have been interesting if they had delved deeper! But alas it was just skimmed over hurriedly to make room for all the stalking silliness.
Murdoch Mysteries: The Future is Unwritten (2020)
One of their worst yet
At this point I am only watching the remaining episodes because I am the sort who can't leave anything unfinished. I had to use the "1.25x speed" option to get through much of this one it was so dull.
They continue their tacky custom of ripping off well known stories, in this case Misery. Extremely dull, since it's far from fresh, and so unrealistic it is hard to care about. You know very well the main characters always turn out ok so even if you bought the plot as realistic you couldn't muster up any fear for George's safety.
They also continue to drag out the "will Julia screw this smarmy rando she never really got along with and seemingly has nothing in common with except the same job?" silliness and the "will Watts get in trouble for being gay when he inevitably gets outed?" plot, which, like George's abduction, are tough to care about since we know things will turn out ok for our main characters.
The only non-predictable aspects were a fresh crime concept to do with art, which was very brief, and the crooked coroner scheming away as always, which is depressing. I appreciate the fact they used creativity for a change, but I like this show for its uplifting vibe, so I hate when they dwell on blackmail and such ugliness. Still, I give a couple stars for the art theft and coroner stuff at least not being predictable like the other 80% of the episode was.
Murdoch Mysteries: Kill Thy Neighbour (2020)
What a bore!
Yet again we have an unrealistic, painfully annoying recurring character, playing a Moriarty role. Yet again we have a main character framed for murder- even reusing Gillies' alibi prevention trick from when he framed Julia, of luring the framee on a trip to see someone who subsequently disappeared. Yet again we see the gang work a case they would in reality (or in a decently written fiction) never be allowed to touch since it involves people they know.
I know this show is just brainless fluff for when you're resting off a cold or darning a sock. I don't expect a lot from it. But the latest seasons have lowered the quality much further than it ever was. I'd say about one in three episodes is good these days and I keep watching because of those. Obviously they are running out of ideas but they should just lower the number of episodes per season rather than releasing half baked garbage.
Murdoch Mysteries: Parker in the Rye (2020)
this wasn't foreshadowing it was eightshadowing
I could tell five minutes in whodunnit. Did a child write this? Very disappointing. Aside from a lame plot, this episode had no endearing moments of camaraderie or insight or tough choices or any other character development for any of the gang. Not even any comedy. The most interesting thing was how Ogden started the episode wearing one of her old white shirts that had been dyed a deep cyan, and then halfway through she was wearing the original undyed version. Probably the worst episode of the series. Boooooooo!
Murdoch Mysteries: The Killing Dose (2019)
Has some charming stuff and some icky stuff
Another review accuses the writers of having Julia do something out of character. I don't see that. As Tom said, nobody knows how they would react to facing a situation where euthanasia is needed until they are there. The "people should be tossed like bad milk after they go stale" thing was only hypothetical and this was real so even if she had done differently than she'd previously said she would, so what, but imo there was no self contradiction. It makes perfect sense to both oppose the killing of people just because they are past their prime and no longer contributing, and believe in the mercy killing of people whose death is imminent and inevitable, to save them hours of agony. Both viewpoints come from compassion and logic, which we know are Julia's main personality traits. As for her Hippocratic oath, it may be argued that the most important part is the vow to "do no harm", and allowing this patient to suffer when the power to relieve that suffering is in the doctor's hands would count as doing harm. And as for whether she'd choose to essentially torture a lovely woman just because her spouse's childhood indoctrination would render him unable to make the same choice as her... we have seen many times that both these spouses believe in living their own lives, and making their choices based on their own priorities. Murdoch didn't get her permission to do the illegal things he has done during his career.
I do agree with other critical reviewers saying it is nasty and unnecessary to have Julia tempted by her former rival Dixon, just because he offered her understanding during this difficult choice and William didn't. She's not so flighty as to close her heart to her soulmate over a few hours of being out of sync. And what appeal has Dixon ever had? He's in the same line of work as her, so what? If that were all it took to connect with someone she'd have been having work flings for decades. And he's been sucking up to her ever since he developed a crush. She's not stupid enough to be swayed by such a common move. Nope, that part is not in character for her, and is definitely the writers "jumping the shark" trying to come up with new drama. Is it not enough drama for the team's personal lives for both Julia and Watts to be breaking the law, with the knowledge of some of their colleagues? As someone else said, if we wanted to watch a soap we could find one. Give us mysteries please.
Favourite part of the episode was Brackenreid telling Ogden he'd helped someone out the same way. It's always nice to see his be more than just a grouchy boss (looking at you Father Brown writers), showing that he's more than just her husband's friend/coworker, but her friend as a separate thing from that, and also to see glimpses of his past in the military or theatre or the mess about his ex. The character and actor are really great and that is at least one area in which the writers haven't let us down yet. Second best part was George and Watts' meaningful eye contact upon George implying he's figured out Watts and the butcher are lovers and is fine with it and will keep it secret. Good ole George, always so kind and never shocked that others are different from himself. Growing up in a brothel really was a good influence on him! As with Brackenreid, I love how the character of George is so fully developed, and the acting is pretty good. If we must see a heavy focus on the characters' personal lives, why can't we have more of these "being a good friend" moments instead of marital strife?
I'm torn between hating the soapy stuff and loving the other 2/3 or so of the story so I guess I'll just give a moderate rating.
The Ice Road (2021)
Painfully Stupid
I gave up a half hour or so in, when Goldenrod's rig overheats. They clearly agreed right before setting off to keep the trucks a minimum of 200 feet apart (presumably so if one goes in the others are well clear) then just a couple minutes later we see them practically tailgating each other. That already had me ornery but then when the other 2 trucks go back to help they park so close... I just couldn't stand to continue watching. I know movies have to bend the facts sometimes to make plot points happen but if your plot requires you to have experts make mistakes even rookies wouldn't, while discussing exactly why such mistakes must never be done, you need to rework your plot.
Another thing that turned me off, it seems like the Native driver's entire personality is hating white people. I'm not opposed to her hating white people but come on, let her be well rounded. It's nice to see ethnic diversity in lead roles but disappointing to see the minority character being completely all about said minority status.
In their defence, I suspect most if not all the characters are equally one-dimensional (the war-disabled vet's life revolves around being a war-disabled vet, for sure), but I'm not gonna endure any more of this show just to investigate whether anyone shows any personality.
Reading a few of the fun facts here was stunning... they couldn't even be bothered to use the same brand of truck in every shot?? I guess the same lack of care infected every part of the production. Sucks. It was a great premise.
Instant Hotel: Round 2: Gene & Sharon (2019)
A satisfying end to the contest
I would have been steamed if Gene and Sharon won, not because they're so obnoxious, but because of two things: One, the attempt to redecorate was bonkers! Upon being asked to increase the cozy, charisma factor, the condo team actually did so, but these guys kept it just as soulless, just made it more drab. Like they just didn't grasp the input at all. They changed the bedrooms that had been charming as they were, imo for the worse, and turned the living room from "porno set" to "nursing home lobby". The landing upstairs was the one spot where (with emerald green paint) they followed the advice to use their decor to shine a spotlight on the rainforest. If only they'd done that in the bedrooms and living room!
It is a magnificent piece of land, and the bones of the house are nice, but yikes, they need to pay someone with taste to teach them some decorating.
The second reason I'd've pulled my hair out if they won was the festivities. They set up a picnic after dark, and the lights attracted a LOT of insects. Obviously they do not habitually host such picnics for their guests, or they would have known about the bug problem and had a solution. Then they brought in legit Aboriginal traditional dancers, which they openly admitted was a one-off extravagant thing they did just for the show. Come on. This is supposed to be a contest of who has the best PRODUCT. If night picnics in the jungle and a team of dancers (or the pole dance lessons from the previous stay) are not included with your product in real life then bringing out those attractions for the judges is a bit like cheating. I'm not sure if the seal thing was available to every guest but the odds are better.
Overall I enjoyed the show and found the judging fair. Best of all they don't over emphasize the competition part and instead focus mainly on showing the delightful scenery, fun activities, texture of pillows etc, so you can relax and enjoy almost as if you were there, rather than feeling tense as if you are watching a contest. This show really is like going on a weekend away, refreshing, cheerful and interesting.
Instant Hotel: Round 1: Razz & Mark (2019)
Felt ripped off!
I wish they'd let EVERY property get a redo! I only tuned in to this show because Coober Pedy (or really any underground structure) is a bucket list priority to me. The criticisms were dead-on: this couple had decorated with things they like (vintage cars) when they need to put themselves into the mindset of their guests and make every room sing with Coober-Pedy-ness! I mean the place is about layers of multiciloured clay- bring that in with some terra cotta and/or pottery art, plant pots, stools etc, and it's also about opals gleaming out from the dull clay, which can be celebrated with for instance a beige leather or canvas couch with a slithery irredescent curtain or lampshade, again plenty of great ideas in the world of pottery, glassblowing also, maybe a bit of irredescent tile in the bathroom. I REALLY wanted to see what they'd choose to do and have that polished version of their place to dream of one day visiting. What a downer to learn that only two out of the four get to move on to the redo stage of competition.
I will say the redo efforts of the chosen two WERE entertaining. And the fourth place, the young pretty folks, welll... I admit there was no point in giving the a redo. Their only flaws were that they need to learn to bleach and iron sheets, and wear hairnets during their janitorial duties, and that they pitch the place as a beach getaway, when it's not even walking distance to the beach, so that makes a bad first impression, people feeling tricked. Those two flaws can be fixed easily so we don't need to watch. The dugout though...
Not only did the decor have a lot of potential for fun ideas, the fly problem also offered potential for creative problem solving. Perhaps a strong fan or mesh in the porch area?
Not getting to see a perfected version of this amazing home was a big letdown.
As for the overall show, I like it. They focus on the personalities just enough to make you care and help you "get" what each competitor is going for, but not so much that it's a soap opera. The portion where scores are hashed out and announced is not too long (bordering on it perhaps). The majority of the time is spent actually enjoying the home and tourist attractions, so you feel more like you just took a vicarious vacation, rather than that you watched a reality TV contest.
Murdoch Mysteries: Hell to Pay (2017)
Absolute garbage
This series has always been lowbrow. It's the sort of written-by-children-for-children idiocy that hits the spot when you're in bed sick or need some background noise while you do some light chores. But this episode is ten times sillier than the usual! It feels like the Simpsons Treehouse of Terror, their annual Halloween episode where anything goes- the cat might grow tentacles or whatever. In this Murdoch Mysteries Brackenreid is a wuss who daren't stand up for what's right, Giles' blatant frameup of Murdoch is somehow accepted by the world despite his record as the dirtiest of dirty cops, and Murdoch's years of acclaimed heroics are as nothing, everyone just buys the frameup instantly with only Murdoch's loved ones suspecting he could be innocent, a perfect witness is deemed useless just because she's got a disreputable job (nevermind they've made use of testimony from all types before, even street urchins) to the point where nobody records her testimony or even does a formal interview, and they don't put her in protective custody... it's all just so improbable and stupid. None of the characters act as they would, society and the constabulary also don't act as they would. It's way too goofy for the viewer to suspend disbelief.
And duh, the main character is obviously not really going to be hanged. There's no suspense in such a plotline because we all know they'll be rescued in the nick of time, like they are in every single shark-jumping hack script. At least frame a nobody who's still got some emotional value, like one of George's aunts, so we might be in doubt as to whether they'll survive, and be scared. But do we really need to have someone be framed every few episodes? It's a pretty ridiculous plotline in any case, much less to keep reusing it.
I guess what I really want is for Father Brown to have more episodes lol! It is a superior version of MM. Like MM if it was well written and didn't use any shark-jumping foolishness, nor any Forrest Gumpian cameos by historical events and people. Just plain, good quality murder mysteries and character interactions. MM will never be half what FB is but imo this episode in particular is maybe 1% as good as the weakest FB episode. I can't believe dozens of people were paid to create this.
Murdoch Mysteries: Shipwreck (2015)
Great episode for insight into Murdoch
You surely know that bigots love to make mountains out of molehills, as is the case in any Murdoch episodes that mention the slightest hint at any taboos being violated. In this case it's barely even a molehill. There is a woman who has an intense need to follow a career path open only to men, so like the secretly-female MD "James Barry" (a real and fascinating story) Ogden and Murdoch compare her to, she did what she had to, to achieve her calling. And the only harm to people would have been if they found out (unless you believe in superstitions like the sacraments etc being actual magic and gods being real and all- in which case, you could imagine that the fact she was given this calling BY GOD, like Joan of Arc, would perhaps make her rituals legit despite her gender).
She's not crossdressing because she's trans, nor an activist like when Dr Ogden crashed that men's club, she's just super duper devout and being as close to her God as possible is her only priority. Seems a bit odd to me that apparently-religion-oriented reviewers are finding that upsetting, seems like they should be able to relate at least so far as to pity her conundrum even if they think she made the wrong choice.
As for the accusation that the characters/writers assume the best of suspects whenever, and only if, they are members of oppressed demographic groups, that is just extremely biased viewing! As I said when someone made the same claim over a Black suspect last season, who the gang believed innocent based on gut instinct... They say that about at least one suspect every episode, the vast majority of whom are ordinary white, middle class, cis-het men. But these hateful reviewers (why do they keep watching since the show upsets them so with its supposed SJW nonsense???) ignore that and flip out when a woman or PoC passes the "gut test". TONS of suspects pass the gut test in this show. The cops had lots of experience with people (as did Murdoch's mentor) so yeah, they do trust their instincts when a suspect just feels honest. It's not because "women and racial minorities are never bad people on this show"- there are plenty of murderous women and PoC, the murderer in this show for one, or the last show, are not "all white men because the show is pushing a view that white men are evil" for goodness sake! We see a dozen innocent white men interviewed for each episode. In the flashback murder in this episode, a white man kills to protect a pregnant woman- he's a hero whose exposure Child Murdoch protests against. My point is, it's absolutely unfounded to claim that the show demonstrates any bias of showing certain types of people in certain lights. They show ALL types of personal strengths and flaws in ALL types of humans. That is just a mirror of reality, no bias. Women exist, nonwhite people exist, gay people exist... all this show does is refuse to follow the custom of hiding that. Perhaps if you like to see shows where everyone is white and hetero and men are the only ones who matter, it's YOU who are guilty of pushing YOUR agenda on everyone else.
I do find the writing a bit childish sometimes (less so the last couple seasons, maybe a change in staff?) but as a lover of classic lit who has read my share of Tolstoy and Austen, but loves Zola best of all authors, I really value the way this show, like Zola (alone among his contemporaries) seeks to peer closely at people other than the majority. The poor, those in indecent professions, those in boring jobs like phone operators or janitors. Most fiction is escapist and so focuses on people we wish we could be- rich, educated, popular, lucky. But Zola argued that to really understand humanity, and to preserve a sense of who we were at one time for future people, we should look also at the seedier lifestyles, the downtrodden sad lives, the mentally ill, abused, unlucky... the ones most authors ignore because they're no fun to dwell on and sometimes even a bit icky. I believe this show follows that same philosophy. They look at all types of people, refusing to ignore any, even the types that others ignore. Lack of erasure is not the same as promotion, it is a neutral eye.
But that seemed a very minor part of the plot to me. It served to give us a unique motive for the murder (though I guessed the perp at the start, unfortunately for my fun lol), mainly, and also as a reason to bring in the guy who made Murdoch what he is- he's involved in the church and was visiting the "Dr Barry" priest.
To me the main point of this episode was to create a situation that would plainly show Murdoch that moral rigidity is sometimes bad. He did learn this before of course, when he let that vigilante murderess go free, but we still see his excessive rigidity and he obviously is destined to loosen up a bit through his marriage to a "firebrand" as Thomas amusingly called Ogden recently. Having the man who INSISTED he never conceal the Truth (welll... in the flashback the Father does do so re money for an orphan, so maybe the lesson back then was to never conceal the Truth specifically IN CASES OF MURDER?) around to talk about his own evolution into more flexible morality, is bound to be the most helpful step for freeing Murdoch in the long term. But immeditately, his reaction is largely bitterness that the Father so firmly insisted he (child Murdoch) adopt the "truth above all else" policy when that turned out to be wrong, causing Murdoch to have been perhaps unwisely rigid his entire youth. He seemed quite shaken to find that the role model he viewed as an example of perfection in both their faith and their mystery-solving process, is in fact not perfectly logical, and not perfectly aligned with doctrine. The famous Murdoch poker face gets a little grumpy and pained and even confused, in this episode- some fine acting by the lead.
I hope we see further evidence of personal change in the following episodes, as it could really add depth to the character, to see him grappling with accepting the lack of absolutes in life.
The point of the story is, imo, what the Father says to the Detective at the end: "Revealing the truth about Father Lebel would have hurt more than it helped". The whole story was arranged to give us an example of Truth not always being the most ethical option. I think that's an interesting topic to ponder.
Murdoch Mysteries: All That Glitters (2015)
my fave so far!
This episode was a strange mixture. There were several moments of sitcom-esque cheesy humour. The ending made me cry, but over stuff that is worth focusing on, not gratuitous tearjerking. And yet the most notable detail was that the atmosphere was so delicious I see myself rewatching this to sooth myself whenever I feel off. There is a rustic setting, you see, so the lads are in rugged clothes I covet, and there are many lovely serene settings like the forest and a rooming house the peaceful hallways and rooms of which will be my happy place in any future meditation lol! Definitely my favourite episode!
But they name the chubby, brash, butch-but-hot brunette character "M. McCarthy"? I sometimes get the feeling a writer uses placeholder names while getting episodes started, often using a famous name to create an instant vibe, and then they neglect to swap in realistic names for the final product. It is annoyingly distracting, like recently a duo of worthless ex-cops were "Applebey & Perkins", like the duo of almost-food purveyors one sees near every highway offramp in the usa. I suppose the writer was trying to express their nature as bland, low quality, spending most of their shifts on coffee breaks. But the benefit of the "ha ha, cute." you get from seeing such wacky names is outweighed by the harm the distraction factor does to suspension of disbelief.
One other thing to note- I found it fascinating when Murdoch was interacting with a rep of the local tribe. His stoic demeanour and uninflected speech can seem awkward contrasted against flamboyant European manners (like how Ogden giggles and smiles whenever she has to say something she thinks the person she's talking to will not like), but transplanted... His usual qualities seem dignified and respectful when paired with the similarly stoic Native man's style. I think the scene illuminates Murdoch's way of interacting, which is helpful perhaps to those like some recent reviewers who misinterpret his lack of facade as hickish and his stoicism as wimpiness. He's just unaffected and employs a poker face. That's quite different from being too shy or inexperienced to express oneself! Seeing him with the Native guy made me think, if Murdoch was written as Native his measured speech and placid facial expression wouldn't raise any eyebrows at all. Like our calibration of judging whether his persona is weird or admirable changes just because of race, hm.
And was this our first time learning that he was once a lumberjack, presumably for quite a long time since he traded with the local tribe enough to know their language? Cool! This guy has had diverse experiences! Apparently competent at physical jobs as well as at mental ones. Impressive.
So this episode made me "get" and like Murdoch a bit more than I already did. I think this season they have set a goal to make all the characters more multifaceted and explain them, which is a welcome evolution to me.
Murdoch Mysteries: Holy Matrimony, Murdoch! (2014)
Funny and a good twisty mystery
As someone who also would much rather be up to career related stuff than wasting time with the pomp of a wedding I found it charming that the happy couple couldn't keep their minds off work and had almost no interest in their big party (which Margaret stepped in and handled, apparently to get some vicarious pleasure to compensate her for her own wedding having been less than ideal). As you're aware from other reviews the bride and groom kept spitballing about their case under their breath as the priest nattered on wedding them. If that strikes you as amusing you're in luck- there were several hilarious and true to-character moments such as repurposing their wedding carriage for a police chase and confronting the baddies while still in their wedding costumes.
One thing that bothered me a bit at first was that the victim's business partner seemed to have been miscast- the actor did not seem believable, almost like he was just reciting his lines. However we later learn that it was actually proper acting! The character was meant to appear insincere. I always think it interesting when professional actors must feign bad acting. Fun stuff.
Thankfully, as someone tired of shows all throwing in a wedding episode to dazzle viewers with pretty stuff, the wedding was rather plain. Not a ton of ostentatious flowers or decorations, and Julia's dress was actually a bit tacky and made her look thick, oddly much less lovely than her work dresses. Perhaps that was another choice meant to highlight that the work her is the real her and this wedding nonsense was just something to be got through in order to be married. Someone griped that she shouldn't have worn white for a second marriage (they misspoke and called her a divorcee rather than a widow but their argument stands, white is for maidens) but that was explicitly discussed in the episode- Julia argued that the dress was not in fact white, but beige or something like that. Which I do believe is something some people might do.
Oh, another gripe some other reviews mentioned was a mixed-creed marriage taking place in a Catholic church. A bit of googling suggests that such a scenario, even should Julia's apparent atheism be a family tradition and she was never baptized (which is very very unlikely), is banned UNLESS special permission is granted. Well, not to be crass but aside from a doctor's wages presumably being generous, Julia came from money and her dad just died so she can grease those palms. If permission is possible, she could get it. Even if we imagine the motive behind such rules to be piety, as a couple who have served their community excellently and maintained abstinence throughout years of courtship, again, if anyone could extract permission it would be them.
Murdoch Mysteries: The Death of Dr. Ogden (2014)
Both plotlines were very interesting!
In one plotline we see two meaty ideas- what Ogden and Murdoch's life might have been had she succeeded in her plan to move on and get him to move on, and they'd both married and stayed with other partners (conclusion: there is no "moving on" from true love, so to ignore it is just self torture), and a little discussion of euthanasia, though that was rather blandly portrayed. The dying man's suffering could have been emphasized more, and his disease's untreatability, all the usual pro arguments. And there could have been someone aghast at the idea to represent that side of the debate. It was a bit bold of them to do an episode on such a sensitive topic, but at the same time a bit cowardly of them to not really do anything with the idea. That aside it was a nifty plot, with our heroic couple investigating what seemed like murder in many ways, only to discover in the end that the "victim" himself orchestrated the plan to kill him, and no harm was done by it. A very fun twist!
Meanwhile the other cops are looking at a murder among a club of spoiled rich youths with nothing better to do than try to prove themselves more clever than one another. The surprise twist here is obviously a ripoff - excuse me, an homage, to Good Will Hunting, with the invisible janitor being a secret genius. And as with all their homages, they would never besmirch the original by making their copy a baddie. Plus, who doesn't want to see one of those childish heirs head toward a noose? They were written to be hated.
I must address some wild ideas another review put forth:
"...cudgeling in of PC nonsense. Through logical deduction, Brack concludes that the black janitor must be the murderer. The janitor, of course, is the person actually solving the puzzles - because he's black and smart, of course - and claims he couldn't murder anyone. What does Brack do? Say "Eh I believe him, lets move on." I'm guessing the writers never want a minority member to be the murderer, and Brack shares this bias." Wow, there's definitely some bias around.
The guy was assumed innocent because of the cops' gut instinct about his character, based on his body language and things like that, and their experience with interviewing both innocent and guilty people. It's not that they go easy on racial minorities. If you watch pretty much any episode you can see the cops deciding they believe the claims of innocence of a suspect, sometimes several in one episode. Most of them white. This one happened to be Black so the sky is falling, sigh.
As for the writers showing bias, as I said above, they made the secret top genius of their genius club the janitor as an homage, and had to have him be innocent to be respectful of the original. I suppose they could have made him white but perhaps then he'd not have been so invisible to the bratty club members, and their comeuppance would have been less delicious. Perhaps they just made him Black because they like to keep a realistic % of various races in the show and needed someone in the episode to be Black. It would have been too revisionist to make a club member Black, or Dr Ogden Sr's true love. Or maybe they simply auditioned a bunch of people of many races and this actor did the best- the blackness of a character isn't their defining characteristic you know. Sometimes it's just incidental.
As for the idea that the writers make all the minority characters angels, WHAT? Only a few episodes back we saw that gospel-turned-ragtime band which contained not one but two Black murderers, and in the Kung Fu episode the Chinese suspect befriended by Crabtree was indeed innocent but his sister (also Chinese) was discovered to be the perp. I'm sure if I sorted through all the episodes I'd find many other murderous minorities. The writers show all races being a mix of good and bad just like in reality. If it bothers you to see a single Black character be clever and be judged (correctly) an honorable man, the problem is with you not with the show.