chcbleachers Reviews

Gold Rush: White Water (2018– )

Same story, every season

[3/10 · 13 January 2023]

Here is how the season goes:

1 - Dustin: oh wow, I am sure that this place has NEVER had miners here before - we are going to find MILLIONS IN BEDROCK GOLD!

2 - They set up shop, dredge, run into a big rock, crack it, move the rock, dredge again

3 - some equipment malfunctions, they fix it, they dredge again, they find more big rocks (go back to step 2)

4- they check the box and find about $20 worth of gold

5 - a storm comes in, the hole gets filled with debris; repeat step 2

6 - they finally reach bedrock, no treasure trove of gold. They then plan to where their bumbling exploits will take them the following season.

7 - they make a mess of their natural surroundings (reference season 6 where they bulldozed land to set up their camp

IN A NUTSHELL: They would make a LOT more if they all quit this fool's errand and went and worked at McDonalds. It's not even close, actually.

Designated Survivor: Party Lines (2017) Season 1, Episode 16

Civics Lesson

[2/10 · 8 May 2017]

I honestly feel that I lose brain cells after watching the collapsing storyline on this series.

Along with the ongoing inconsistency of the transitional stock footage of DC area monuments between scenes (one is winter with snow on the ground, other cuts show a springtime scene with flowering bushes, then others show plush trees full of leaves from the summer), the writers are apparently now incapable of understanding basic Senate rules and procedure.

For non-budgetary reconciliation type bits of legislation, it requires 60 votes to pass a bill (not 51 as this idiotic show indicated on this episode.) Perhaps the evil Republicans changed the Senate rules before being blown up in the Pilot episode?! Regardless, this was a missed layup. Dear writers: it's obvious you are pushing your left-leaning guns are bad, GOP is evil, independents and democrats will save the day subliminal messaging through this series, yet at least get the facts right when trying to brainwash low-information viewers.

I can't wait to watch the rest of this season as it slowly morphed into an unwatchable dumbed- down version of The West Wing. Actually, that's probably giving it far too much credit...I anxiously await what clueless talking point will be beaten into the plot on the next episode. Who would have thought that this alleged 'drama' would in fact be a comedy?! Thanks for the ongoing amusement.

Designated Survivor: Misalliance (2017) Season 1, Episode 19

Continued collapse of an interesting concept....

[2/10 · 8 May 2017]

Once what started as a fairly interesting concept for a political television show has descended into nothing more than a highly dumbed- down version of the West Wing (with the predictable subtle liberal leanings thrown in for good measure.)

First, starting with the obvious - WHOEVER is editing this show needs to be terminated. The stock footage for this entire system of random shots across Washington, DC (including the White House, various capital buildings, etc) jumps back and forth across multiple seasons. During the cut from one scene, there are lush leaves on the trees....then 10 minutes later, a close up of the White House grounds has melting piles of snow. Nice work guys...really? Are the characters traveling through time?! Brilliant.

Onto the collapsing story line...all of the major issues on the show toe the liberal talking points (gun control, arms reduction, cash for the arts, etc.) Those that support these causes are independents and the democrats (naturally), while the steadfast evil Republicans oppose all of these measures. Then, lets introduce another villain, an 'alt-right' corporate stooge bent on tearing the government down. Last, let's throw a scene in there reminiscent of a Trump rally including a catchy Trump-worthy campaign slogan. Hello, mouth-breathing bias.

I've always subscribed to the notion that writers were fairly intelligent people. That being said, I may need to revisit that stance as I'd expect them to become a bit more clever in getting their left-wing point across to the audience. And really? Using the 'animal rustling in the forest' ploy to distract a character before being killed by the evil soldier-gone-rogue villain of the show? Are you completely out of ideas? Embarrassing, truly.

Regardless, the ratings will continue to plummet for this show and it'll be off the air in another season. But hey, at least some liberal talking points and subliminal directives were broadcast on the airwaves, right?

True Blood: Lost Cause (2014) Season 7, Episode 5

Booooorrring

[2/10 · 22 July 2014]

Honestly, this is one of the most uneventful, uninspired True Blood episodes in recent memory. It's as though the writer(s) are completely out of new ideas, only taking the opportunity for snarky political jabs in lieu of coming up with intelligent plot lines.

My wife summed it up best when she asked if this particular episode was more than the standard 55 minutes in length. No dear, it just seems a lot longer because it was poorly written and did nothing to advance the story.

This continues the trend of sloppy writing with this show. Case in point last season when Eric Northman referred to a dead vampires 'warm blood all over him.' Really folks? Since when do these characters have warm blood?

And that is why this show is in it's final season. Hopefully a different writing crew will do better as this series concludes.