Note: As always, these are bad characters in otherwise good shows. There has to be a certain element of “ruining a good series” present, otherwise I could just list participants at an RNC debate… Have to Include It: The “Sand Snakes” and Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) in “Game of Thrones”…Actually, they didn’t get on my nerves so much,…
Category: TV Reviews
The Five Best TV Shows You’re Not Watching…
What are the best shows currently on television that don’t have “Game” or “Thrones” in the title? I’m glad you asked… 5. [Tie] Turn and Hell on Wheels…AMC’s two all-but-forgotten, mostly buzz-less historical dramas are in different places in their runs. “Turn” has finally realized its potential with its best season so far, and has discovered a…
“Banshee” Finale Review, and Ranking the Seasons
It was the end of times, and—as is so often the case with TV finales–it was the worst of times. Cinemax’s “Banshee” was one of the most consistently underrated shows on television, and in fact many readers of this article may not have even heard of the series, let alone watched it. I want to…
TV Review: I’m Glad The Good Wife is Ending…And Wish It Would Have Sooner
The worst thing for a television series is not getting cancelled too son. The worst thing is actually that it will last too long. As much as we like to grumble about the cases of a show getting axed prematurely, it’s now become much, much more common for a series to live long past the…
TV Reviews: Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, and Veep
Game of Thrones…No sooner did I write an article saying “GoT” might save this lackluster TV year than they came back with a very weak season premiere. “Never fear” some might say “they always start slow and get really good by mid-season” but previous seasons have had the books as a blueprint. Who knows if…
Can “Game of Thrones” Save This Lackluster TV Year?
First off, let me say that I’m not in general one of those people that says “There’s nothing good on TV.” I find those people to be incredibly boring and really spoiled. There are now more than 100 basic cable channels each with their own handful of original series; plus great premium networks like HBO, Starz, Cinemax,…
How AMC Network Lost Their Most Loyal Viewer
It’s no exaggeration to say I was the most loyal viewer AMC network ever had. I watched literally every scripted original series they ever made (have you ever even heard of “Low Winter Sun?”) and at least some of their unscripted series like the great “The Pitch” and the more guilty-pleasure “Small Town Security.” When…
Actually, the Second Season of “Better Call Saul” was WORSE than the First
The conventional wisdom seems to be that the second season of AMC’s Breaking Bad-Spinoff/prequel “Better Call Saul” was better than the first season. And, as usual, the conventional wisdom is wrong. The second season was actually worse than the first on almost every level. The first season had a couple of early missteps (like Tuco…
Showtime Keeps Their Unlikable Character Streak Alive with “Billions”
Last night saw the season finale of Showtime’s newest original drama “Billions.” And I wish I could say the show was an unqualified success, although I do like parts of it and think about half the show is really worth watching. It’s become apparent that the biggest roadblock to fully enjoying any Showtime series is getting around their unlikable…
“People Vs. OJ” Still Relevant to Justice System Vs. Minorities
When the series “The People Vs. OJ Simpson” started, it took several weeks for me to even begin watching it. I just couldn’t find a way to get interested in an OJ Simpson trial that I thought I already knew a lot about and was already the most overly publicized trial in my lifetime. All in all,…
“House of Cards” Season 4 is Its Best Yet
I’ve been very vocal about my disappointment in season 3 of “House of Cards.” [I said the entire season was tied for a specific episode of “The Strain” for the most disappointing TV moment of 2015.] Boring characters took center stage, interesting ones were completely marginalized (Doug was off angrily staring at his kitchen for much of…
TV Review: Why “Galavant” Deserves Your Viewing
It’s rare we get an “off day” from politics around here. Between primaries, near-daily debates (or “town halls”), candidates dropping out, and Supreme Court deaths, it’s becoming increasingly infrequent that we get a chance to talk about the old favorites: movies, TV, and books. So I figured I’d take advantage by praising ABC’s “Galavant.” Sure,…
TV Review: Can Rebooted “X-Files” Win Over a New Fan?
So a small caveat before we begin: I’ve never seen an episode of the original “X-Files.” But I have seen both movies, which is either a good thing (the first one) or a bad one (the sequel) depending on whether you stopped after the original. Still, the question remains: “Is the reboot enjoyable for relatively-new fans to…