Extended Family 1x06: This episode was kind of mid. It was better than the last one. We got more scenes with the kids, so that was good. But it seems as if they forgot how to write them. Neither Grace nor Jimmy seemed to have any inkling of criminality before this episode, and yet, that was the basis of their entire characterization for this episode. It didn't make sense to me. Jon Cryer was once again hilarious. I liked how he tried to convince Neal McDonough's cop to give him a ticket. I also liked McDonough's character's slight Boston accent. It gave the series authenticity. Between this show and Ted, Bostonians must be over the moon. Trey's storyline with his pajamas was entirely nonsensical. It seemed like a stretch. The whole episode seemed like a bit of a reach, if I'm being completely honest. I liked the two karaoke scenes, though. Any time I get to hear the rollicking drums of "I Fought the Law," sign me up. I also appreciated how Jim wasn't afraid to admit his fandom of Dua Lipa.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1x08: This was a satisfying finale, despite what people on the platform formerly known as Twitter thought. Lance Reddick was great as Zeus. He totally nailed it. Walker Scobell was also a highlight as Percy. I loved how he owned his stubbornness. There was a little bit of humor, but also a lot of drama. They once again showed how some adaptational changes can be good. The scorpion in the book was not bad, but a swordfight is much more exciting. Plus, it gives Annabeth a chance to see with her own eyes how Luke has gone off the deep end. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover's bond is awesome. The pact scene was absolutely perfect. I can't wait for more. Night Court 2x06: This episode was pretty funny. I liked Dan as a Klingon. It's true; he does normally act pretty much like one. Wendie Malick was funny as Julianne. My favorite part of the episode, though, would have to be when Abby asked Heather why she used air quotes when she said "pilot," and she replied, "Because he's in the air." That was hilarious. Nyambi Nyambi is also adequately funny as Wyatt. He is a good addition to the show. Quantum Leap 2x09: This was a good episode of Quantum Leap. This show works best when Ben has someone to bounce off of. David Clayton Rogers is no Tim Matheson, but he was decently funny as Kevin and also makes Ben think. Hannah and Ben also continued to have great chemistry. Even though he's a leaper and she's married, I find myself strangely rooting for them. I still don't think Addison and Tom have nearly as much chemistry. Besides her star-crossed lovers story with Ben, Hannah is also a freaking genius. That snap trap idea was awesome. Kevin even got to use his top-rated marksmanship skills.
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1x07: This was a good episode. The flashbacks were so well-done. I really enjoyed seeing the insight into Percy and his mom and their relationship. They did change some things from the book, like Crusty and the beds. In the book, the beds made you taller, and Annabeth and Grover were strapped to them. Here, Crusty himself is strapped to them. The significance of Cerberus' ball was also downplayed. Hades was a neat character. I found him a lot more believable as a god than Hermes. Hermes just seemed like a concerned dad who was trying his best, but kept messing everything up.
Extended Family 1x05: This episode was not quite as good as the first four. I found the writing to be a little cringey. Jim was funny as usual with his cyst story. Julia, by contrast, just seemed like she forgot how to human. Just leave, Julia. You have no business being there. Thea Lynn actually seemed like a decent individual. The other thing I didn't care for was the lack of the kids. I wanted more than two scenes with Grace. Night Court 2x05: This week's episode was also kind of mid. Olivia's subplot was amusing. I liked how they kept us engaged with all the twists and turns, thinking she'd be with Pellino and then Carnes (a hilariously dickish Paul Scheer), only for her to end up with neither of them. Abby's subplot went on too long. They stretched the pickle metaphor way too thin. Dan's subplot was also funny. I'm glad they kept Flobert around. Gary Anthony Williams is hilarious. Wyatt is a cool character, too. Death and Other Details 1x01/1x02: This show was kind of mid. Veteran actor Mandy Patinkin is clearly having a lot of fun with the role of the Sherlockian detective Rufus Cotesworth. My favorite character, though, is Violett Beane's Imogen. The God Friended Me star plays a completely different character here: Imogen is assertive, snarky, and blonde. She had a few good lines, and has good banter with Rufus. My favorite scene was when she shielded her eyes from Trubitsky's body and said, "Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead." Unfortunately, aside from a bit of meta narration from Rufus at the end, the rest of the show's writing is very much not up to snuff. The show's problem is that there's too many characters. It basically spends the whole premiere introducing the entire cast. But then in the second episode, it still doesn't flesh them out much more. Rahul Kohli's character is the most infuriating to me. He doesn't seem to have a consistent personality, instead becoming whatever the scene requires. That's not the way it's supposed to work. And when you can't get invested in the characters, it means you're not invested in the mystery.
Extended Family 1x04: This episode was great. Jim's "I understand-ay" was hilarious. I also quite enjoyed the cranberry farmer joke. My favorite scene, though, would have to be Billy Gardell's cameo. Good guest stars are a sign of a good sitcom, and Gardell's cameo was awesome. He was so mad at Jim. We also got more of Grace in this episode, which I had been wanting. We got more of Jimmy, too. I'm surprised that evangelist even made it onto the aptitude test, to be honest, but it was funny. I was laughing the whole time, right up until the last joke when Jim finally realized the error of his Stornelli's meatball ways. Night Court 2x04: This episode was also pretty good. I am liking this show a lot more this season. It's a lot zanier. I am sad that Flobert is gone, but Wyatt seems to be funny enough. My favorite part of the episode, though, was when Gurgs threatened to hit Wyatt with a bag of oranges, but they all spilled out. My other favorite part of the episode was when Dan said, "Abracadabra, open the door," and then had to clarify that he wasn't trying to use magic. Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1x06: Most of this episode was a bit of a letdown compared to the first five. That's not to say it was bad; while the other episodes were great, this one was merely good. Percy driving, though, was hilarious. He literally crashed into every possible obstacle. Percy saying, "How hard could it be?," and then immediately hitting the pillar was a master-level cut. I also liked when he asked Annabeth, "Could we please let some of those go? Please?" Annabeth was so supportive of Percy driving. It was really sweet. Lin-Manuel Miranda was okay as Hermes, but he wasn't as funny as his first appearance suggested. I did like how he addressed his letter to "the dumb kids," though. Reacher 2x08: This finale was so good. It was the perfect conclusion to the season. Somehow, it was even more thrilling than it was in the book. Dixon was literally hanging out of the helicopter, and then she broke free of her restraints and stabbed the guy. It was insane. The pathos was also top-tier. All the callbacks worked. Neagley using "White Rabbit" to distract Langston and his crew was perfect. My favorite one, though, was when Neagley asked, "I ever tell you you're a good friend, Reacher?," and he replied, "Not nearly enough." I really hope this isn't the last we see of these four special investigators. The found family dynamic is just too good. The humor was also peak. Reacher is as glib as ever. It's no wonder the show is already renewed for season 3. Extended Family 1x01-1x03: I was a bit worried about this show after the first episode. The writing seemed kind of basic, and Grace's outburst seemed like it came out of nowhere. But it turns out that it was just a classic case of what I call the pilot trap, because Extended Family got into a comfortable rhythm with the next two episodes. The plots are a bit simplistic, but the cast sells the material, especially Jon Cryer. Cryer, who is also credited as an EP in the Mike O'Malley-created series, is absolutely hilarious as Jim. My favorite lines of his were "With your apology and a dime, I'd have a dime," and "Things are good. They're fine. They're not good. They're bad." I also liked when he slipped in the grease caused by his dropping of the turkey. He literally got caught in a mess of his own making. Abigail Spencer (Timeless) and Donald Faison (Scrubs) have a bit less to do, but are still having fun with these lighthearted storylines. The storyline with the professor was a little weird, but the others were good. The title sequence was awesome. I miss when shows did those all the time. I also think it very much speaks to the vibe of the show. Everyone is making dramedies these days. You don't have very many shows that are just trying to be comedies, so I appreciate Extended Family for doing that.
Reacher 2x07: This was another great episode. I appreciated how it leaned into the drama a bit more. Reacher and Neagley's bond is one of the most important ones of the series, so that was nice to see it emphasized. The flashbacks were also great, as usual. "Crazy on You" is always a good choice. I also liked how the episode still had the witty humor that the show is famous for. My favorite line was when Jane asked if they could have candy, or if they had to talk about murder some more. I also thought it was hilarious when Reacher said that Jane took the only Clark Bar. Echo Season 1: This was a great miniseries. Alaqua Cox gives such a star-making performance as Maya, you forget it's her first role ever. Maya is just as clever and just as much of a powerhouse as she was in Hawkeye, but here she is able to show much more emotional range as she grapples with troubled familial relationships, both biological and chosen. The world of Echo is also incredibly well-developed. All of Maya's family members are characterized with extreme care, and are fully fleshed out in only five episodes. Cody Lightning is hilarious as Biscuits, Maya's fun-loving cousin who is willing to go along with her insane schemes. My favorite moment was when he accidentally let it slip to Bonnie (Devery Jacobs) that Maya had returned. You could see on his face the moment he realized that he screwed up. Bonnie and Maya's relationship is also fun to see, and one that we don't get to see that often on TV. Vincent D'Onofrio is also such a presence as Kingpin. Every time he appears onscreen, you don't know what he's going to do, but you know it'll be powerful. As for the other cameo in the series, it was nice to see the other Cox return as Daredevil, but I'm sorry, he should not be credited as a main cast member. He appeared in one episode and had two lines. The finale was effective. I think her new powers work much better than photographic reflexes. To be honest, photographic reflexes are kind of lame, and we already have them in the MCU with Taskmaster. I'm excited to see how she uses those powers going forward. I also must say that I didn't mind the recap of Hawkeye. It was very brief; it didn't take up the whole episode like other viewers had insinuated. Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1x05: This episode was a great example of how to change things in an adaptation without losing the overall message. Grover talking to Ares wasn't in the book, but it makes so much sense for the show's story that that's how he figures out who stole the bolt. Hephaestus' thrill ride of love was also expanded. The whole storyline with Hera's chair was new, and I must say, it worked a lot better than the robot spiders from the book. Walker Scobell just nails Percy. His banter with Leah Jeffries is great, too. My favorite line was when Percy said that Annabeth's amusement park joke wasn't funny, and she replied, "It was a little funny." I just love this show. Night Court 2x02/2x03: This show is much better this season. Dan and Abby actually have good writing, instead of just rehashing the same jokes over and over again. There was also a lot of percussion-based comedy in episode 2, which I greatly enjoyed. Flobert continues to be funny. I fear he won't stay long, though. They seem to have ironed out the rough spots this year, which is good. My favorite line was when Olivia said that Dan couldn't pull off the leggings, either stylistically or with two hands and a stick of butter. Ted Season 1: It's common to have a TV adaptation of a movie franchise, especially a comedy one like Ted, be not as good as the original. That is not the case here. Writer-director-star Seth MacFarlane's 1990s-set Ted prequel is at least on par with the films, and I might even argue that it surpasses them. Here, Ted is living with 16-year-old high school junior Johnny (Max Burkholder), his parents, Matty (Scott Grimes) and Susan (Alanna Ubach), and Johnny's cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham). Ted's chemistry with Johnny is still as great as ever. The series excels at punctuating dramatic moments with humor. Every single joke pays off, even the stupid ones, like how McDonald's apple pies are always inexplicably hot, or how Dennis the animate gay dump truck gets to go to P-Town. Well, there's a sentence I never thought I'd type. One of the other things I liked about the series was how self-aware it was. Episode six was a masterpiece in comedy writing, but one of my favorite lines was when Blaire's girlfriend, Sarah, said, "Is the bear always like this?" He is, and we love him for it. In the series, though, he seems to care about more than just getting high, and genuinely cares for not just Johnny, but for Blaire and Susan too. Blaire is just such an awesome character. Whigham, who along with Grimes, worked with MacFarlane on The Orville, plays her with glorious deadpan. My favorite story arc in the series doesn't even involve Ted or Johnny. It's a two-hander with Blaire and Matty, in which the alcoholic, irascible Matty comes to terms with his prejudices in a story that we don't have enough of on television. All the characters are so developed, and Ted can easily bounce off of them, which is the real strength of the franchise's premise. Like any good sitcom, it even has great guest stars. Star Trek actor Tim Russ has a hilarious cameo in the finale as an ER doctor. I didn't want it to end. Ted is not for everyone, but for anyone who's looking for a very crass good time, it will make you laugh your socks off. Reacher 2x05-2x06: This show is just so good. It has the perfect balance of humor and action. Reacher and Russo's banter was so great. I was so sad when Russo died. I loved that Neagley broke her no-touch rule to hold his hand. The scene before it of Reacher soloing Langston's entire team was also perfectly executed. I loved how Reacher grabbing the guy was shot like a horror movie. The flashbacks are great too, as usual. Those add something that the books didn't have.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1x04: This was another great episode. The stakes were very keenly felt, but there was also a lot of humor. Annabeth's "It's like you need me to make fun of you" was hilarious. She's a great character. I can't imagine living on your own at seven. Grumpy Grover was also funny. The Chimera was a bit underwhelming. I thought it was scarier in the books. What the books don't have, though, is the gorgeous cinematography. The Arch in the puddle was genius. I was expecting more of Lin-Manuel Miranda, though. I hope he shows up for more than just a minute next time. Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1x01-1x03: This was a great start to this series. I can already tell that it's going to be a much better adaptation than the oft-maligned Fox movies. Walker Scobell is perfectly cast as Percy. First off, he actually looks 12 (and probably was at the time of filming). Second, he has all the impertinence that Percy has, and some good acting skills to boot. Annabeth and Grover are well-cast too, as is Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus. That was top-tier casting. Second, the cinematography is much better. It's much prettier. The script is also better. It really leans into the drama, which is a lot easier to do in an eight-hour series than it is in a two-hour movie. At the same time, though, there's also a good amount of humor, like when Grover didn't know how the flying shoes worked. I'm excited to see what else they do with the series, especially with Lin-Manuel Miranda. He's awesome.
What If...? 2x03-2x09: This show is so much better this season. I’ve seen shows get better in season two before, but this one is on another level. Episode three was once again great. Having Happy as the main character in a Christmas-themed episode was not something I would have suggested, or even thought was a good idea, but it worked. After being sidelined for most of Iron Man 3 and then having a scene-stealing turn in last season's zombie episode of What If...?, Happy finally gets his chance to be the hero, and much like Nebula's episode, the result is just so much fun to watch. Happy's banter with Darcy was hilarious. My favorite line, though, was Darcy's "He's the good guy. That's the bad guy." I also thought Happy and Nat's bond was sweet. We needed more of that in the movies. My other favorite line was Hill's "Have you ever had a paying job?" We need a Hill-centric episode next. She was treated even worse than Happy in canon. Episode four was not quite as good. I can definitely tell that it was a season 1 episode. Tony had some decent quips, though. Korg had some cool lines as well. The writing for both him and Hope was vastly improved on this show compared to their most recent movies in canon. The Grandmaster is still the Grandmaster, and he's effective as ever. What was more effective, though, was his melting staff. That's one badass weapon right there. Episode five was back to the greatness I've been expecting from this season. Captain Carter is such a compelling character. It's easy to see why the writers wanted to go back to her world. I was amazed by how they were able to seamlessly combine The Winter Soldier and Black Widow into a single, half-hour episode without losing any of the pathos. Captain Carter and Nat also gave me sapphic vibes. It's nice to know that the super soldier and the Black Widow are drawn together in any universe. And that cliffhanger was crazy. Episodes six through nine were even better. I think the reason why this season is better is because of the relationships between the characters. We’re getting to see Captain Carter’s relationships with characters like Steve Rogers, Nat, the Watcher, and Kahhori. Kahhori is an amazing character. Her journey was fun to watch. Her sense of justice is unwavering, and she has neat powers and good banter with Carter. I thought episode eight felt a bit rushed. I would’ve wanted to spend more time in that universe, but episode nine was awesome. The script was great. Everyone had some good lines, even Hela, who I didn’t think we’d see again after she waged war on Asgard on the big screen in Ragnarok. I can’t wait for more of this show. It’s nuts, in the best way. Reacher 2x04: This episode was also great. "Stacy?" was hilarious. Reacher is an amazing character. I also liked how O'Donnell kept roasting him, and Neagley told him, "Close your mouth, boss. You're catching flies." This show has the perfect balance of humor and action. There's also some drama as well, of course. Usually I don't care for adaptations that change things from the source material, but I like that they didn't know that Swan worked for New Age. It adds another layer to O'Donnell's character and his relationship with Reacher. Finlay's cameo was also awesome. That, my friends, is how you do a cameo without it seeming gratuitous.
What If...? 2x01/2x02: These first two episodes of What If...? season two were amazing. I knew Nebula would be a great protagonist, and I was right. The blue-tinted alien's long-overdue spotlight had the perfect balance of humor and pathos, with the added twist of her being a detective in the Nova Corps. They even gave us more Howard the Duck, and perhaps most impressively of all, they made Korg funny again. I didn't think that was possible. Episode two was also fantastic. I am once again amazed at how this show managed to write Hope van Dyne better than any of the Ant-Man films ever did. Hope and Peter Quill's bond was sweet. The young Quill even had some of Chris Pratt's bravado. The episode truly felt like an Avengers movie. I loved it so much. If these episodes are any indication, the show is shaping up for a banger season. Night Court 2x01: Season 1 of Night Court annoyed me. Half of the episodes were really funny, and the other half were dumb. I was like, "What are we doing here?" This episode was actually pretty funny, though. The Abby-as-an-elf running joke was good. My favorite part, however, was Dan's poem. That was hilarious. I liked how Abby was skeptical that he improved it all. Gary Anthony Williams fits in naturally as Flobert. He's funnier than Kapil Talwalkar's Neil, who was the most tropey part of season 1. Gurgs is still kinda tropey, but it's fine. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was funny. Reacher 2x01-2x03: I forgot how much I missed this show. What separated season 1 from other, more mediocre thriller shows was the characterization and the banter between Alan Ritchson's Reacher and the other characters. Both are once again in full force in this new season. Neagley (Maria Sten), whose bond with Reacher was a highlight of season 1, now takes center stage alongside the other members of Reacher's old 110th Special Investigators Unit. Shaun Sipos is also great as O'Donnell. It's nice to see him in another good role after Krypton was unjustly canceled four years ago. I love how he, Neagley, and Dixon just constantly roast Reacher for not having a job or not liking luxuries. The one-liners in this show are awesome. My favorite might have to be when Reacher heard Russo's car pull up and said, "A whole lot of angry and bald is about to roll into town."
Quantum Leap 2x08: This was a great episode. I loved how Ben was totally stoked to be a spy, and Addison had to talk him down. The show is better when they're working together. Their dynamic is even more interesting now that Eliza Taylor's Hannah is in the mix. I don't know how much stock I'm putting in Addison's theory that the accelerator is putting her and Ben together because they're in love, but I will say that they have way more chemistry than Addison and Tom. I keep ragging on Tom. Hell, Ben's nicer to him than I am, but he's just boring to me. What he did at the end was the first memorable thing he's done. I'm excited for the implications that that will have going forward. I also liked when Taylor, who is Australian, did a Southern accent over her American accent. Quantum Leap 2x07: This episode was not as good as some of the others this season. This show is always better when it leans into the humor of its premise. That's why season 1's "Stand by Ben" was such a standout episode. When it goes completely serious, the results can be mixed, as they were this week. The ending was neat, but the characters were not developed enough. That's a recurring problem with this show. Goody didn't seem to have any aspirations beyond just leaving Middle Towne, which I suppose made it easier for her to return, but still. William didn't have any aspirations either. He was just involved because Ben saved him and because he was the magistrate's son. I kept expecting Ruby Jay's character to do something memorable. She had one good line at the end, but it was still disappointing. She was the lead character in a five-season sitcom. The scene in the prison was cool. I'm looking forward to Ben and Addison working together again. I missed their dynamic. And even though it's unlikely, there's still a small part of me that hopes that they'll get back together again. Tom and Addison's chemistry is just not there.
Obliterated Season 1: This show is so insane, and I loved it. The basic premise of Netflix's Obliterated is that an elite multi-agency special ops team successfully neutralizes a bomb that was threatening Las Vegas, and celebrates by throwing the party to end all parties, only to discover that the bomb they deactivated was a fake. The team, drunk and high, now has to find the real bomb in nine hours. The series, which hails from Cobra Kai creative minds Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, is cut from the same cloth as Netflix's previous '90s action pastiche series, FUBAR. Obliterated, however, separates itself from that show by focusing on the characters rather than the plot. The plot is rather basic here, but the real fun comes from watching America's best of the best fall over, slur their words, and still save the world. CIA agent Ava proves to be more than an ice-cold leader, and also causes a can of her bodily fluids to spray all over her teammates. Air Force pilot Paul is the only one who doesn't drink, but he accidentally eats drug-laced guacamole, and subsequently hallucinates a nightmarish gremlin voiced by Jason Mantzoukas. That guy really is everywhere these days. Nick Zano taps into his Android Nate from Legends of Tomorrow as McKnight, a cocky Navy SEAL who is so in shape, he would have outpaced an elevator down 19 stories, had he not slipped on his own puke from the ascent minutes before. Eccentric bomb tech Hagerty is straight-up unconscious for most of the first half of the show. The only ones who can actually hold their liquor are McKnight's colleague Trunk, Marine sniper Gomez, and NSA "tech chick" Maya. Trunk, played by B Positive's Terrence Terrell, has a hilarious running joke that he can't get any food, while Maya's character development is awesome to watch. I didn't need all the nudity and sexual content. They could have trimmed that down a bit and still had it be effective. I also thought the Hagerty storyline went on a bit too long. I found it a bit unrealistic that he wouldn't even attempt to rendezvous with his team. This premise could have fallen apart easily, especially stretched into an eight-hour series, but it works because of the combination of lowbrow humor and genuine heart. The references and music also help. Heald, Hurwitz, and Schlossberg have struck gold once again. I think I got a contact high from watching it. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
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