vuduguru Reviews

Real Time with Bill Maher (2003– )

Why does he alienate his own fanbase?

[1/10 · 26 April 2024]

I've watched Real Time since the beginning and I've noticed a disturbing trend, his guests tend to be people he's had on the show before and they tend to be people who have similar views. So instead of a reasoned debate about an issue we get a group of people agreeing with each other. For the most part he gushes over his featured guest and then he echo-chambers with his panel.

I can't remember the last time he had someone on who disagreed with him - of course there was Steve Bannon (but please don't ever have him on again!).

Overall, Bill is very opinionated and once he's made up his mind about something, there's no room for any nuanced discussion. A few years ago he had Benjamin Netanyahu on the show - it was quite the love-fest and frankly I was disgusted by it. So naturally, his recent views on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict are particularly disturbing and tone deaf, and he brings it up almost every show, basically mocking those who disagree with him. It's Friday morning and based on what's been in the news this week I already know what he's going to say. So I'll keep my hand on the remote, I will change the channel, and I won't be going back.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

It has a starship so I guess it's ok to call this Star Trek

[4/10 · 17 February 2024]

I'm a long-time Star Trek fan and to me the best iteration by far was TNG (not including season 1) which greatly updated and improved TOS. Voyager and DS9 are somewhere in between.

But this? This doesn't even belong on the list, this is something else.

We don't need another version with modern sensibilities. Too much focus on interpersonal relationships. I don't EVER want to see 2 men kissing on a Federation starship, much as I don't want to see Michael and Book kissing. And although I like the Adira character, I don't want to hear about Adira's pronouns... and frankly, Gray adds nothing other than distraction. I feel like the producers and writers are forcing their agenda on me and I don't like it.

In season 1, probably the best, I was willing to overlook the spore drive and the weird spinning when activated. But over and over again I have to ask, why Michael? There's no reason for that name and it's just some quirk one of the producers insists on having a female character with a male name... sheer genius! How are we supposed to believe that Mike was Spock's sister? I thought Vulcans, even adopted ones would be able to control their emotions.

I won't repeat the tendency of the characters to whisper their lines (oops, just did) as if the whispering makes what they say more dramatic. Michelle Yeough's character is all over the place - what a waste of talent. I wish Jason Isaacs could've stuck around longer but he probably couldn't get out fast enough. Once he was gone Jett Reno became the most masculine character on the show - I have to say I enjoyed those scenes the most; Tig Notaro was a bright spot and did an excellent job and got in some great one-liners. I definitely liked Reno because (unlike many others) we never had to find out the intimate details of Reno's personal life.

Apparently there will be a season 5... my advice: please try to keep it professional and try to respect the uniform!