Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld (2025) Review

I wasn't around on May 4th so this review is definitely late and I wonder whether anyone is still even talking about Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld. I watched all 6 episodes today and here is my review for the show. The premise of the show sees Asajj Ventress trying to protect a young Jedi from the Empire, while we see the origins of Cad Bane. 

Main Character

Asajj Ventress is once again voiced by Nika Futterman and she could play this role in her sleep. Ventress is a cool character and it is good seeing her on screen. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of the way her character is treated but that isn't the problem with the performance. 

Corey Burton is back as Cad Bane and I just love this character. I mean, I am not sure if we needed an origin story for his character but I thought they did well enough with the material and Bane is still a really cool character. 

Supporting Characters

Niro is an old friend of Bane and he was easily the most interesting character other then the two protagonists. We see how his relationship sours with Bane and how that sets them both on the path that the show intended and I did like it. 

Lyco is a young Jedi that teams up with Ventress and I found him really annoying. I didn't care about his relationship with Ventress and it felt really underdeveloped which made it a forgettable character and storyline. 

The rest of the characters are forgettable and offer very little. Including a really stupid Inquisitor appearance that feels way overused in 2025. 

Story

Similar to Tales of the Jedi & Tales of the Empire this story is split into two halves and it is a mixed bag. I liked the Cad Bane story, the rivalry between Bane and Niro is well handled and I just thought it was pretty well done. But I really didn't care about The Ventress story, nothing really happens and it just feels like a waste of time. I don't like Ventress in this more good guy role and I just kind of wish we got 6 episodes about Cad Bane. 

Script

The script and writing isn't that great and honestly I think this is some pretty weak writing. There wasn't any real dramatic scenes that truly worked and the humour is poor or not even here. I never grew to care about anyone and the writing is a big part of that. 

Style

The show looks great, it continues the style from the other newer Star Wars animated shows and I do still enjoyed it with some decent action scenes. But the pacing of the show is terrible, I swear these episodes are getting shorter and shorter and with only 3 episodes per character it feels like everything is underdeveloped and not given a definitive ending. 

Overall

Overall, Star Wars: Tales of The Underworld is a below average show that is a big let down. I think we are starting to get to the point that these animated shows are just being released for contents sake and this is a big example of it. If you are a Star Wars fan then you have already watched it, if you aren't then don't bother. 

Rating - 4/10

Playing Nice (2025) Review

Yesterday, all four episodes for ITV's new dramatic show Playing Nice was released and I found the time to watch all of the episodes and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees two couples discover that their toddlers were switched at birth and now both couples attempt to get the most out of the situation. 

Main Character

James Norton plays Pete Riley and he is okay in the show. It is clear that Norton is a good actor and we have seen that in previous projects and he really is trying and committed here. But this show makes his character pretty unlikeable and irresponsible. The things that his character does makes little sense and even though we are meant to be rooting for him, I really struggled to do so. 

Supporting Characters

Niamh Alger plays Maddie Wilson and she is good in the show. It feels like she should have been the main character and towards the end of the show they kind of start pivoting towards this. Don't get me wrong, the writing isn't the best for the character but Alger does good enough to rise above it. 

James McArdle plays Miles Lambert and he is a fun part of the show. He is really over the top but the fact that he realises it makes him entertaining. But the writing for his character falls off a cliff towards the end and I think the show missed the shot in making him an interesting character. 

Jessica Brown Findlay plays Lucy Lambert and I really didn't care about her character as the show didn't do enough to make me care. She is very quiet and underdeveloped until it is rushed to give her a character towards the end of the show. 

Story

The story is somewhat interesting. Seeing these people dealing with this situation is interesting and the way that both couples try and manipulate each other to get custody of the two children. However, there are no likeable characters here and to be honest both couples are bad parents and it really makes me not root for anybody. It ends up heading into soap opera territory and certain things really don't matter and the ending is too clean and generic for my liking. 

Script  

The script isn't great, in fact I think the writing for the show is easily the biggest let down here. The story is rushed and none of the characters are written well with a lacklustre ending. 

Style

The style of the show does a good job of setting the backdrop in Cornwall and kind of tries to use the setting as a bit of a character and that does work. But the pacing of the show is all over the place, so much is thrown at you that very little of it actually sticks. It could have done with more episodes or cutting some elements of the story to make it a better experience. 

Overall

Overall, Playing Nice is a below average show that is pretty disappointing. It's only 4 episodes so is a pretty quick watch but I think there are better shows then this that you can spend your time on. 

Rating - 4/10

She-Hulk: Attorney At Law Season 1 (2022) Review 

After a long break, I will hopefully be back reviewing on a consistent basis. I have finally forced myself to finish the first season of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and here is my review for it. The premise of the show, sees after an accident turns her into a Hulk, Jennifer Walters must balance her new parts of her life and her life as a Lawyer. 

Main Character

Tatiana Maslany plays Jennifer Walters and she is easily the best part of this show. You can tell she really cares about making this character fun and interesting, her comedic timing and delivery is really good. She carries this show on her back and especially when she is Jen I really liked her. 

Supporting Characters

The best part of the supporting cast are the ones who aren't really in the show that much but are the most recognisable. Mark Ruffalo is back as Bruce Banner/Hulk and the dynamic between Bruce and Jennifer is one of the better elements of the show and his character is developed a bit here, but he isn't here enough which is a shame. Tim Roth is back as Emil Blomsky/Abomination and though I wasn't a huge fan of the direction they took his character, I can't deny that Roth is fun to watch and that drags through some of the episodes. Finally Charlie Cox is back as Matt Murdoch/Daredevil and I am so happy that he is back and he is handled really well. He is a bit more humorous but the character from the Netflix show still remains intact and that is fantastic to see. But it was the new cast that failed to me, Ginger Gonzaga as Nikki, Jameela Jamil as Titania and Josh Segarra as Pug are examples of pretty annoying new characters that get nothing real to do, Segarra is disappointing in particular because he is a really talented actor.  

Story 

The story is a complete mess and the show even addresses that multiple times. It really tries to do way too much and it ends up making the audience not really care about any of it. Just because you have a character that breaks the fourth wall, that isn't an excuse for poor storytelling which is highlighted by the season finale which just doesn't work. 

Script 

The script doesn't take itself too seriously, the humour for the most part made me laugh so that is a step in the right direction. But the show never hits the note on its drama and sometimes comes across as annoying and like it has its own agenda. Plus as I have mentioned above the story is written so poorly. 

Style 

The style of the show also is a big failure. The CGI is probably the worst in the MCU history, when your main character spends a good portion of their time in CGI and it sucks that isn't good. The pacing is also atrocious, there are so many filler episodes that they have to rush the ending and by then I just did not care. 

Overall

Overall, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is a below average show that is a bit of a black eye on the MCU. It has its funny moments, good cameos and likeable lead but that is it and is definitely not worth the time that is required to watch it. 

Rating - 4/10 

The Boys Presents: Diabolical Season 1 (2022) Review

I am a big fan of Amazon's show The Boys and now they have released a spinoff anthology animated show called Diabolical. I watched through it all today and here is my review for it. The premise of the show looks at 8 original stories that fit the tone of The Boys and features some of their characters. 

This show varies so much that it is really hard to talk about. The best episode by a country mile was the final episode which looks at some of the origins as Homelander, The amazing Anthony Starr returns to voice the character and he does such a great job in showing how he became the character that we know in the live action show. If the show had been all of this then this show would have been amazing and something truly worthy of the title. 

But the show has seven other episodes that for me ranged from average to bad. It has an amazing collection of voice actors but none of them get any chance to shine because it is hard to care about them given the extremely brief time we spend with them. The episodes are only about 10-15 minutes long and it makes it an easy watch in terms of length but also quite unfulfilling in the way it presents itself. 

The violence is even more over the top here then it was in the live action show but it felt more pointless here. The writing is sub standard and it just feels like shock value to me and something that felt like just an excuse to see just how much they could get away with. 

Overall, The Boys Presents: Diabolical is a below average show that unless you like the live action show is not worth the time. Even then just watch the final episode and avoid the rest. 

Rating - 4/10 

Minority Report (2020) Series Review

Even though this show came to America in 2015, here in the UK we have only just had a chance to see Minority Report and I have now finished watching it and here is my review for it. The premise of the show is set ten years after the events of the film of the same title and sees one of the three precogs attempt to return to life while avoiding the people hunting him. 

Main Character

Meagan Good plays detective Laura Vega and she does a decent job in the lead role. She is basically the character looking on from the outside and you kind of feel like her and I thought she did try and give a good performance and that effort is there to see. It is just that her character isn't very interesting and like a lot of things in this show it offers nothing new to the table and I feel like her performance is restricted by the writing for her character. Stark Sands plays Dash and I just couldn't get on board with him in this role, I just found him to be a weak character and I never cared about him for one minute and again that is due to the writing but more so due to me just not liking his performance. 

Supporting Characters

Nick Zano who I know as Nate Haywood on Legends of Tomorrow plays Dash's brother Arthur and he is easily the best part of this show and is the one person actually bringing life into this show. He has the most interesting character and I actually wish the show had been about him instead of Dash as I think the show would have been way better. But the rest of the cast don't do as well Daniel London is back as Wally from the film and it does feel like the only reason he is here because they needed somebody from the film and let's face it Tom Cruise isn't doing this show. They recast Agatha, this time played by Laura Regan and I did not like this interpretation. She is just incredibly hostile and it kind of goes against the film version of her character and she just annoyed me throughout. Nobody else does anything for me whether it be the protagonists or antagonists, you are given very little reason to care and then when they do try it just feels very flat. 

Story 

The story of this show is just all over the place, instead of maybe looking at the life of the precogs it doesn't do enough with that and focuses on this case of the week story which doesn't really work. The characters aren't particularly interesting and the story doesn't do enough to keep you invested, the bad guys are so bland and you learn nothing about them so why should you care and that is what I was asking myself. It's a shame because the ending is actually a bit interesting but the fact that a second season is never happening makes it worthless now. 

Script 

The script is a mixed bag, I thought certain elements of the script are well written and had me intrigued, but I wanted more, the show suffers from focusing on the wrong areas and I just wish these things mainly involving Arthur which again goes to my point as to why he should have been the lead show. Also this show basically forgets the themes of the film and feels like they didn't really care much about it. 

Style 

The style of the show does have some decent action scenes in it and some good use of the futuristic technology that is a bit further expanded from the film and is done pretty well. But this show has a generic case of the week feel and it doesn't do enough for me to keep invested in it or to care about these different cases. There are probably a few too many episodes which just adds more to the feeling of filler and that is the majority of the season. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average show, this show adds nothing new to the table in terms of sci-fi cop show and isn't worth the time it takes to watch. Stick with the film and just don't bother with this show, especially, with the fact that there is no future for this show. 

Rating - 4/10 

The Right Stuff Season 1 (2020) Review

This show made its way to Disney+ and released episodes weekly but the final episode of The Right Stuff has aired and I have watched it and here is my review for the first season of the show. The premise of the show sees a group of US fighter pilots recruited to test rockets to become the first US astronauts. 

Main Character

Patrick J Adams plays John Glenn & Jake McDorman plays Alan Shepard and they are the two main characters and they give decent performances and I mainly believe that is due to the fact that they are good actors as that comes through, because there characters are rotten to the core and hard to care about at all. John Glenn is a whiny, jealous narcissist and Alan Shepard is a womanizing, unfaithful arrogant man, when these are your two main characters it doesn't exactly make it easy to like them. I mean these are based on real people and I really just wonder how these people feel about the way that they are portrayed on this show. 

Supporting Characters 

Patrick Fischler & Eric Ladin as the heads of NASA are clearly the best supporting characters, you see the pressure really affecting them and they give great performances and feel like the most natural characters on the show. Then we get to the rest of the astronauts and they suffer from the same issue as the main characters but with less screen time, they are all womanising, arrogant people and it is really hard to care about any of them. Colin O' Donoghue gets the most attention, but he is pretty unlikeable and as the season progresses you wonder why they even bother focusing on him. Then there are the wives of the astronauts and I mean they don't give bad performances, it is just there characters are paper thin, and most of them come off as weak for letting their husbands do what they want because they are famous. 

Story

The story has some interesting things about it, seeing NASA really growing from the ground up and the development of the space program and the tests that they had to go through and the real pressure that everybody involved goes under. The issue I have mentioned above is that the main characters are just so unlikeable and hard to care about, the show has a large cast and nobody really truly stands out and if it wasn't for the subject matter this show wouldn't be worth much at all. 

Script

The script is fine, there are actually some pretty intense scenes and heated arguments between the characters that raise the tension well. But the issue is just the writing for the characters, they aren't written well and the show doesn't do a good job of a balancing act to make you care enough, especially when there is a large group of astronauts. 

Style 

The show just is a bit of a drag in terms of its style, there isn't much to really drag you in, there is poor cgi when it is used and it does feel like this show is a little cheap, I don't know if that was just me but I thought the show could have done with a bit more excitement in its presentation. 

Overall

Overall, I am sure the real story and the book is much more interesting then this show as this is just a very dull show that doesn't bring much to the table. A few okay performances aren't enough to aid this show and I would say this is one you can take a pass on. 

Rating - 4/10 

 Away Season 1 (2020) Review

This show made its way to Netflix a few weeks ago and during a busy time I have managed to finish the first season of Away and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees a group of international astronauts sent on the first mission to Mars who are led by an American Astronaut who is leaving her husband and daughter behind on Earth. 

Main Character

Hilary Swank plays Emma Green, the main character here and Swank does her best, but the character is just so dull. It is funny, I feel like we haven't seen Swank in anything in ages so it was good to see her here and I thought she did a decent job here in terms of giving a performance that fit a leader of a space mission. But the issue is that you just don't care about her character, she makes some real questionable decisions and it makes you think that she is actually bad for the crew. 

Supporting Characters

This show has a big cast and caring about the characters is crucial and unfortunately the show mostly fails here. In terms of characters the highlight was the characters of Lu and Misha played by Vivian Wu and Mark Ivanir, they start off as your stereotypical foreign antagonist but then as you get to see them they develop and they became the most interesting characters of the show and the ones that I actually cared about. The other two members of the crew Kwesi and Ram are fine, they are good enough but I didn't care about them as much plus there are some stories involving them that hurt the show in my opinion. Then we get to the characters back on Earth and wow this part of the show is easily the worst part, Josh Charles plays Matt, Swanks husband and boy this guy is incredibly wooden, I swear no matter what he comes across he has the same look on his face and acts the exact same way. No development, no reason to care and it takes up way too much of the shows screen time. Then we get to their daughter who was incredibly annoying, you are meant to really care about this girl but I just wanted her off the screen and focusing more on the things going on in space.

Story

The story is where the big issue comes in here, seeing this crew of people travelling to Mars from many different backgrounds should have been fascinating but it just wasn't. The characters are written okay individually, but I never really bought there friendships that were building even though these people were spending so much time together I never felt they truly bonded. The the stuff on Earth is such a drag, it is here for you to care about the characters because Swank cares but you just don't, there was so much potential here if it focused on the different nations and there motivations. But it decides to focus on her family and there dull and generic lifestyle which is poorly acted. Also the episodes pretty much all function the same, something on the ship fails and the crew have to fix it, with usually an argument at some point, rinse and repeat for 10 hours and it becomes very noticeable. 

Script

The script is okay, there was actually some well written dialogue that helped the actors flesh out the characters and their backstories. But for me there is just nothing that totally stands out also as I mentioned the writing for the different episodes is uninspiring and feels very repetitive. 

Style

This show has a big budget and at times it is visually stunning, space looks amazing and really impressive when it is on show here. There is one particular section that is so intense and jaw dropping that it makes you wonder what is coming next, the issue is that this happens too early on and nothing ever comes close to topping it and the budget just disappears. The pacing of the show doesn't work either, due to the issues with episode structure I mentioned and way too much time focused on Earth instead of the ship where the more interesting things happen. 

Overall

Overall, this is a missed opportunity. Space shows should be great but this show is unmemorable and below average which means I wouldn't spend your time on this one here. 

Rating - 4/10 

 

The Secrets She Keeps (2020) Series Review

 

So this show recently found its way to the BBC and I have finished the 6 episode season of The Secrets She Keeps and here is my review. The premise of the show sees two pregnant woman have a chance encounter which leads to a web of serious events.

Main Character

Jessica De Gouw is an actress I pretty much know for playing The Huntress on Arrow and not much else but I thought she was good here. She gives a strong emotional performance as you really do understand her plight. But some of the writing for her character does hurt her and makes her more unlikable then she should have been. Then we have Laura Carmichaels character who I kind of get what they were trying to do, but it just didn't work for me. Honestly, I hated her character and we spend so much time with her which really hurt my enjoyment of the show.

Supporting Characters

Some of the rest of the cast do a decent job here, I thought De Gouw's husband on the show did a good job as well as their family friend Simon who was good too. But there were also some weaker supporting characters, specifically Carmichaels character's boyfriend who I thought was so over the top and just truly awful here. 

Story

I have tried to keep my description of the premise as vague as possible, because if i go into any detail of the plot you will work out exactly what is happening on this show and that is a big problem here. I don't know if it is because I watch a lot of TV but I predicted every twist before it happened which made this a by the numbers bland show. Also all of those twists weren't that interesting and you have seen it done better in other forms of media.

Script

The script is a pretty forgettable one, there is some okay drama. Though considering some of the subject matter that this show deals with it is surprising that it doesn't get more heated and more intense which is disappointing. 

Style

The style has some decent tension building moments in it, which make average moments much better. But this show is pretty slowly paced, honestly it feels like it could have been a few episodes shorter as it just really dragged for me. 

Overall

Overall, this is a pretty below average slow show. I would advise this is one you skip as though not terrible it is utterly forgettable and sometimes that is even worse. 

Rating - 4/10

  

Unsolved Mysteries (2020) Series Review

So this documentary hit Netflix last Wednesday and I have now got around to watch Unsolved Mysteries which is a remake of the show from 1987 and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees each episode focus on events such as Murder, kidnapping & UFO spotting and how they were never solved.

Now onto the subjects, similar to the show Home Game which I just reviewed there are some more interesting then others. There are some fascinating tales that are very chilling and make you really feel for the people involved. The people themselves are interesting and there emotion is what keeps you watching.

But, now onto what I wasn't a huge fan of. Maybe I have seen too many messed up documentaries because even though bad, some of these stories didn't feel that bad to me. They didn't hit the crazy enough levels for me, I think a big issue was that because of the premise none of these stories finish which leaves you feeling like you kind of wasted your time and like the people involved have no closure. 

Also, the show deals with really terrible things but then there is this episode about UFO's and it really took me out of it. It feels completley different to everything else you will watch and doesn't feel like it should be here. 

I just felt watching this show, it feels like an excuse to try and get these crimes solved because the police can't. At the end of each episode it asks for more information and feels like this was the only reason that it even got made. 

It also feels like there isn't enough information given, by trying to focus on 6 different stories it feels like an introduction to these stories and never allows you to sink your teeth into

Overall, it sounds like I hate this show but I don't, I find it very hard to hate a documentary. This has some interesting stories but for me it is a weaker documentary with not as much to keep you invested and probably worth a skip.

Rating - 4/10  

Space Force Season 1 (2020) Review

This show has hit Netflix today and sees Steve Carrell reunite with the creators of the much acclaimed US Office to make Space Force and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a US military Genreal set the task of leading the US Space Force and everything that leads with that job. 

Main Character

As mentioned Steve Carrell plays the lead character on the show and he is fine in the role. He still has moments of humour and at times did make me laugh, he is also fine in the dramatic scenes that are here even though they are not seen as a priority here. But I think this show showed me that Carrell isn't at his prime anymore when it comes to comedy, it doesn't help this character is a complete idiot. Considering some of his really strong dramatic performances over the last few years maybe that should be where he looks to go for the next few years. 

Supporting Characters

Now we get to the star of the show which is John Malkovich, he acts rings around every character on this show. He is funny and dramatic making him the most interesting character, his relationship and chemistry with Carrell does work well with Malkovich being the standout. Lisa Kudrow has a smaller role on the show but she does a good job here providing some good moments with a pretty basic character. But the rest of the cast didn't really stand out for me, they weren't particularly funny and honestly I didn't care much for Carrell's daughter on the show, she came across as whiny and pretentious.

Story 

Now the only real highlight of the story of the show is the chemistry and relationship between Carrell & Malkovic which literally carries anything of interest but everything else is super weak. It isn't crazy enough and at times it comes across as pretty political which holds it back from actually making its only identity. There is plenty of plot points going on and the majority of them are underdeveloped and you won't care about them, plus this show has a pretty offensive cliffhanger which it doesn't earn and it feels like they just didn't come up with an ending for the season.

Script

This show as a comedy does it's job to a mediocre level, there are some funny lines and parts for the show there just aren't enough of them. The show isn't consistently funny enough over the 10 episode season and the drama they try and force doesn't work or make you care about the characters.

Style

The style of the show is the biggest disappointment, if you are expecting an Office type show you are going to be upset as this show sets itself up to be more dramatised. It doesn't quite go far enough in its craziness and it suffers from parodying a ridiculous real world idea that couldn't be as crazy on this show. Also 10 episodes is way too much for this show, it could have been done in 8 or even 6 and it might have been better.

Overall

Overall, this show was a real disappointment, with the cast and creative minds I expected a really funny show but just got a very mediocre attempt at comedy that really fails to stick it's landing.

Rating - 4/10

Blood & Water Season 1 (2020) Review

This show hit Netflix on Wednesday and the premise interested me so I decided to watch the 6 episode first season of South African show Blood & Water and here is my review. The premise of the show sees a teenage attempt to track down her long lost sister who was kidnapped before she was born, she thinks she makes a breakthrough when she meets a girl who fits the profile.

Main Character

The main character is a girl called Puleng and I thought she was fine as a lead, obviously with the subject matter you are rooting for her and it is interesting to see her try and work out the mystery and you want her too. It's just as a character there isn't much to her, she even does some questionable actions which makes you question whether you are meant to like her as she does use people just for her investigation and not really to be friends with.

Supporting Characters

The main supporting character is Fikale and she is the generic popular girl at the school, she is important to the show but the show tries to make you feel sympathy for her but I just found it really difficult. The rest of the cast just aren't particularly interesting, they are as cliche as they get and none of them are very likeable. It's a shame as there is some potential but the characters aren't wriiten well enough for you to care about any of them. 

Story

The story again has plenty of potential, the investigatory stuff by Puleng is interesting at times, you find out things pretty much the same time as she does and you are with her most of the way on her journey until her character does some questionable things. The problem is that this show is full of high school drama, there are like 3 or 4 love triangles and they just aren't done very well, I don't hat all love triangles if they are executed well but this show tries too many and doesn't really do them well. Again there is one storyline in particular involving her father but it isn't highlighted enough or explored enough and if there is a second season that is something I would like to see futher developed.

Script

The script is okay, there is actually some decent dramatic moments in the show that rises it up a bit, it's just there is not enough of these moments. Also for a bunch of teenagers they are really not that funny which feels weird in a group especially the popular kids as you would feel in a school situation at least one of them would be funny to a certain extent.

Style

I always like seeing shows or films with different settings and a highlight for me was for sure the South African setting as for someone who isn't from there it added something for sure and made this pretty generic show feel a bit less generic. Though even though it is only 6 episodes the pacing is pretty slow and maybe could have done with only four episodes to streamline it a bit which I think would have improved it.

Overall

Overall, this is a forgettable show, there is some real potential here but it feels very generic and by the numbers in its current format and I would say this is one you can avoid for now.

Rating - 4/10