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Lolita Lobosco (2023)
Typical Italian series from RAI
This lighthearted series is done in typical Italian style. The detective and police work take second place to the usual Italian themes of love, food and family. There is the usual older woman, younger man dynamic. A lot of crying and histrionics and constant reference to foods and cooking in the region. The lead character goes to work always dressed fashionably. Every now and again issues of women's rights and their treatment is alluded to in the various episodes. The first season is better than the second as the dialog in the latter seems to be more improvised. Watch it for what it is, light entertainment along the lines of the French counterpart, Candace Renoir!
Pandore (2022)
Bizarre Judicial Process
This Belgian series deals with how the judicial system handles serious cases. The concept is one of an incident that opens a Pandora's Box of secrets and interactions. The problem with it is that it appears to lack detail and along the way, one can see mistakes being made in police process. The casting is a bit ludicrous in that the actress who plays the lead character of the judge, looks almost as old as the actors playing her parents. Surely this could have been done in a better way! The role of the police captain is played by someone well beyond retirement age. This really stretches viewers' belief as it would lack credibility. The audio quality, as in many of the French and Belgian productions, is poor, and most of the dialog comes across as muffled. Better sound engineers would have resolved that issue. As with all Francophone series there are recurrent themes of bouts of histrionic acting, anxiety attacks, constant reference to people being "fragile", and the usual older women younger men dynamic! However, it's a bit of fantasy, as it is impossible to believe that any judicial system could function in this way.
The Terror (2018)
Average entertainment
The narrative for first season of this series is told in a very choppy manner. The editing is really horrible. Scenes of 30 seconds or less are inserted for what one can only assume is artistic value, since they add nothing to the story. Many times there are gaps in the story with an event suddenly being discussed between two characters, but the viewer has been given no context or background to the incident. Makes one feel they missed out on some vital information. Rewinding doesn't help as the contextual information just was never provided. The other way in which the editing sucked big time was the manner in which the flashbacks were stuck randomly between scenes to which they had no relevance. The final CGI of the beast is really silly and could have been done far better.
Respira (2024)
Basura
This is garbage, pure and simple! It's just another rip off of the constant stream of medical hospital dramas. The difference with this one is that it's really done extremely poorly to the point where most of the incidents bear no relation to medical reality. It's as if there were no medical adviser on the set! It would really be a stretch to believe that hospitals in Spain are so poorly run, but then again, maybe that is the case! As with all of the TV series from Spain, the sound is poorly engineered so that the dialog is mostly inaudible. They really need to hire sound engineers or use modern equipment and technology to ensure clarity of the soundtrack!
Sequía (2022)
More rubbish from Walter
Walter Presents is a streaming platform that seems to out of its way to collect all the rubbish European TV programs and then rebroadcasts them through various stations. This series is one of those examples. The story makes little sense, the way it's told is really very silly and incomprehensible. If this is how Spanish police are supposed to operate, it is quite unbelievable. The lead investigator dresses like she's off to a gym for a Pilates session. As Wilton all programs from RTVE, the sound quality is poor so much of the dialog is inaudible. Overall, the series is not engaging and simply not worth watching!
Monsieur Spade (2024)
Makes no sense
This series tries to channel Humphrey Bogart and the 1940s noir detective mode. It fails miserably. Owen is no Bogart and this is no Sam Spade mystery. The snappy dialog and one line comebacks just don't work for Owen. The plot is convoluted and told in such a choppy manner that causes the viewer to lose interest in both the characters and the story. The story seems to be based on some fantasy that has been cobbled together to create content for streaming. Could barely get through episode 1, and given the many comments on here about the ridiculous ending, was glad I did not waste more time watching it.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (2024)
Nancy Drew in Midsomer
This is a teen murder mystery based on a series of books and adapted for TV. It would have better on a children's streaming platform as the script is completely ridiculous and the events as they unfold, improbable. The lead character goes from one event to another, bumbling her way through, having access to people and places that would never be possible in real life. The premise is to drag one red herring after another across the trail to keep momentum going for as long as possible. The acting is below average and the narrative told in a very disjointed manner. Events happen illogically and often in a completely unbelievable manner. Overall, it's just a silly little tween romp but maybe that's the target audience!
American Rust (2021)
A slow burning noir
This series really is never going to have populist appeal. It's very slow and also bordering on low budget as it uses actors who are not well known or certainly not that mainstream any longer. The story is dark, the mood gloomy, with many intricate subplots, some of which make sense for the story, others are just silly. There is little in the way of escapism in this series since it deals with normal people who have made bad choices in their lives. It was canceled after the first season, resurrected for a very badly written second season, then left to wither on the vine once again. It seems unlikely that it will be ever given new life and a new season!
Blue Murder (2003)
Almost, but not quite!
This police drama series is a bit dated. The plots are sometimes very different to the usual run of the mill material seen in many other British shows of this genre. The narrative is fast moving but the sequencing does not always get it right. This leads to viewer confusion when they try to fill in the gaps between consecutive scenes. The main theme is that of a DCI trying to balance a career about which she is very passionate and her family obligations, all after a separation from her husband. It went on for a couple of seasons but begins to flounder after season 3. It was cancelled after season 5. It's one of those series that might have been more successful if the storylines and character development were more compelling!
Ted Lasso (2020)
Started strong but finished weakly
This series got a lot of hype when it first aired but took time to get around watching it. The first season was the best then it just went steadily downhill. Season two started to lose the magic and initial story engagement. What also became distracting was the perceived need by the writers to include little historical facts and trivia in every episode. Season 3 was simply rubbish as the plot seemed to have totally disappeared by that time. It appeared that the script writers lost focus and the episodes became a race to wind down the series. It was as if the actors and writers knew that the series had already ended but there was some kind of contractual obligation to deliver a set number of episodes. A sad end to what had been a great start. It could never had supported a fourth season! Great start but quickly fizzled out.
Forgive and Forget (2000)
Forgivable and forgettable
This movie could have been so much better. However, it appears to be made for British TV at a time when any bit of old rubbish could be aired as long as it wasn't too graphic and dealt with this type of theme in a superficial manner. The movie just appears to be a collection of scenes that try to tell some kind of story but really does not do that particularly well. The ending makes little sense but again fits in with the era where a happy ending might not have been acceptable. Punishment and unhappiness were the correct judgement for that sinful life. Would be interesting to see a rewrite and new production of this now that thinking and attitudes have changed over the past twenty years.
Norwegian Dream (2023)
Low budget, poor acting and bad script
This movies tries to cover too many stories, all being loosely strung together by the story of two central characters. It does not work. The script lacks continuity and context and assumes that viewers know about the exploitation and mistreatment of Polish workers in the Norwegian fishing industry. Nothing is explained and the choppy editing doesn't help explain much. The acting is really bad and one gets the impression that the producer hurries the plot and narrative along before the funding runs out. Overall, it could have been better if time were taken to explain the event and the movie did not try to cover so many extraneous events that have little to do with the central plot!
Dark Matter (2024)
Garbage to the Nth degree
This series takes a bad script, a bunch of out of work actors, puts them together in the hope that it'll make a good story. Unfortunately, it doesn't. The pace at which the plot unfolds is tedious, the plot holes and lack of logic too many to even count. The acting is below average every step of the way and after a while, it starts to feel like watching a Dr. Who ripoff except that the Tardis isn't a phone booth but just a simple black box. The two lead actors travel around a multiverse, facing adversity and survive miraculously without food or water for days on end. No matter how long one sticks with watching the series, it doesn't get any better. It's series like this that help cement Apple TV sit low down in the ranking of streaming platforms. It's just a colossal waste of time that takes viewers nowhere!
Liaison (2023)
Helps pass the time
This series is pretty much wrecked by a very bad script and a series of nonsensical, illogical events. There are just too many loopholes in the plot to make it remotely believable. Events happen to suit the narrative no matter how illogical, unbelievable or just dumb they might be. The lead character seems to be able to get into hospitals and any other place he needs to go despite apparent security in place. As others have pointed out, both lead characters are able to drive around London, one of the most dense CCTV capitals in the world, but no camera ever picks them up. Everything else is on CCTV, just not the two characters. It's watchable if you have nothing else to fill your streaming queue and are just looking for some mindless entertainment.
Your Honor (2020)
A series based on a sequence of improbable events
This is a series that one has to watch without doing too much analysis. The events appear to be based on decisions taken by the characters that never seem to make sense. The son's decision which served as the catalyst for the whole series was just a silly one as other commentators have pointed out. It simply made no sense. The events that followed also appear to be just as ridiculous. The level of acting is variable with Bryan Cranston holding it all together. The second season is nowhere as good as the first and seems to lose its way quite early in the season. This makes it difficult to remain engaged. The use of short scenes and empty dialog adds little to the plot. Hopefully, if a third season is planned, both the writing and the dialog will improve.
Palm Royale (2024)
Just doesn't make the grade
This series could have been so much better but ends up being a wasted opportunity. The writing is bad and the editing even worse. The story moves around to the point where the viewer starts to wonder if there are some scenes missing. The gaps created in the narrative leads to a lack of story continuity and ultimately loss of viewer interest and engagement . The story doesn't seem to go anywhere and just limps along in a meaningless manner. The humor is dull and there is little depth to the series that could make it interesting. The cast seems to be a mix of SNL and a few B rated has been actors. Ricky Martin's character looks like it's made of wax. Apple isn't one of the leading streaming platforms and it's poorly written series like this that support that reputation!
Sugar (2024)
Garbage
The series is just stupid! The editing is as if someone is learning to use an editing program for the first time and just sticks a bunch of random scenes together in the hope that the audience will think it's clever and erudite. It's neither! Just a pile of rubbish. I bailed after the first episode due to the lack of context to support events, characters or narrative! Apple is not one of the leading streaming platforms and silly stuff like this explains the reason for this. The nod to 1940s and 50s detective noir films is laughable and may explain why in some scenes the actors deliver their lines in a way that makes one wonder if the dialog is all improvised as writers struggle to create a non-existent script, overall, just a pile of garbage!
Silo (2023)
Snails move faster than this series
This series is the usual dystopian plot about people surviving in a post-apocalyptic world, huddled together in a silo. So, it has the usual trappings of grim surroundings and a huge number or grimy, unwashed looking individuals. The series utilizes the talents of actors from many countries who seem to become confused and have difficulty using the same American type accent continuously. Perhaps they are better actors in their native countries but slipping in and out of an accent is really distracting. Harriet Walker who normally plays a posh English person, struggles with some kind of "down South" American accent, giving up the effort every now and again. Overall, the acting is quite pitiful, the casting "woke", and coupled with overuse of flashbacks, with dead characters resurfacing and fading away, the series plods along until viewers give up and stop watching. It could have been condensed into fewer episodes by using less filler episodes and less rubbish dialog!
Apple is just not one of the leaders in streaming as so many of their series just fade after one season and are never renewed. Difficult to understand why this one has been!
Aspirants (2021)
Maybe only for a local audience
This series comes from the same new wave producers, TVF, that made Panchyat. However, this is nowhere as good as Panchyat. The story line for this makes little sense to a global audience as it is peppered with acronyms that pertain to the Indian Civil Service and the preparations for this type of career. The narrative unfolds in a very choppy manner to the point where the scenes become nonlinear and without continuity. Everyone tries to appear exceptionally clever, following in the usual love hate relationship most Indians have with their colonial heritage. The characters are all very stereotypical and the plot nothing as engaging or globally identifiable as Panchyat, or Made in Heaven. Probably best suited only for a local, targeted audience.
Criminal Record (2024)
Drags on....and on.........and on!
This series starts off well but soon becomes mired in the usual story of corruption, race and male dominance within the police force. If one watches too many of these type of shows they end up having little faith in the system in place to protect us as citizens.
The first episode just moves slowly, trying to bring myriad inputs together. The acting is predictable, Capaldi moves, acts and looks like a zombie, while Jumbo does her signature clenching her lips together when things fail to go her way. The narrative unfolds slowly but the underlying agenda of racism definitely comes through as the main message.
By episode 4 the writing starts to get really silly. The editing becomes more choppy and the overuse of flashbacks abound. Events happen that totally are outside of normal police procedure. Eventually, interest is lost and there is just not enough going on to keep going. More cleverly written police dramas are needed for TV now, not thinly veiled agenda driven movies the try to constantly message the viewers!
Hijack (2023)
First episode tells you it's rubbish
The premise of this series is one that's been done many times over. What sets this one apart is the fact that it's completely unbelievable and filled with plot holes of enormous size. The silliness of the events as they unfold are all designed to match the narrative which must have been conceptualized and written by a simpleton who knows very little about aviation and security procedures. The focus seems to be on stereotypes that make it all too predictable. The action takes place on board a large plane with 200 passengers and apparently only 3 flight attendants. The set seems massively staged and one gets the distinct impression that it's a plane that just sits on the ground with actors just doing their scenes on board. The cast reads like a DEI agenda and is made up of characters intended to show the new Britain, one blended from every nationality. It would have worked a lot better if there was an actual story and not so many huge plot holes! It's all really too silly, and shows how desperate some streaming platforms are that they will broadcast any bit of old rubbish!
Slow Horses (2022)
Confused and chaotic
This series tells its stories in a very confused and chaotic manner. The narrative unfolds in a completely nonlinear manner and viewers have to fill in a lot of gaps in order to follow and in many instances, create continuity and additional content in order to make the episodes and characters understandable. The acting is fine but the story telling simply sucks. The first season started this trend and the second season has amplified the bizarre technique even further. Never having heard of or read the novel on which this is based one doesn't know if it's written in an equally chaotic style. The series is watchable, just chaotic and confusing!
Rome (2005)
Eastenders meets the Roman Empire
This 20 year old HBO production was done back in the day when lavish productions usually translated to success. The cast is a stellar one, the story is not as great. The concept appears to be to use a combination of British posh accents mixed in with Cockney. The result is just too silly at times when one hears British slang terms like "Give Over" and "Bollocks" used over and over again. There was even an occasional "Innit" thrown in for good measure. The series was not a great success when it aired so it was canceled in the second season, which explains the rapid wrap up in the last few episodes. Loose ends had to disappear! There have been a few similar series subsequently, some have been successful, others just died on the vine. This is a watchable series but nothing to the level of I, Claudius and others. Watch it and then judge for yourself.
For All Mankind (2019)
Revisionist, woke soap opera about Space race
This is a thinly disguised message series that has as its agenda, Wokeism and strong messaging about female empowerment and DEI. The first few episodes show a strong start but eventually the series takes on a strong soap opera vibe and really becomes unwatchable. While the themes are admirable ones, the constant messaging of the primary themes makes each ensuing episode really boring and signals the start of a downward spiral for the series. The special effects are really very cheaply done and come across as if they were using cheap plastic toys on a table top to simulate moon landings. The backdrop for the lunar landscape looks like it had been carved out of green cheese! Viewers want to be entertained when they watch series like this, not necessarily be subjected to constant messaging about social justice, issues etc.
Vincent (2005)
Makes no sense
This series really asks a lot of viewers. Most detective series border unbelievable but this one goes into the realm of completely implausible. The lead is a fat guy who is able to perform amazing physical tasks beating up bad guys etc. The plots are ridiculous and the narrative is done in a way where success is always guaranteed even if the way to solve the crimes are completely illogical. Events happen solely to ensure that the cases are all solved. No wonder it only lasted for two seasons. It could not have garnered good support or become a smash hit with viewers. The slot for this type of genre is crowded, this series was just not that good to survive in it!