Agatha All Along (2024) Mini Series Review

After a rather timid year for Marvel Studios we now have finished the newest TV series on Disney+ with Agatha All Along. I have watched all the episodes and here is my review for the series. The premise of the show sees Agatha escape from Wanda's spell and goes on a journey to recover her power that she lost. 

Main Character

Kathryn Hahn reprises her role of Agtha Harkness from WandaVision and I have mixed feelings about her character and performance. She clearly cares and has a lot of fun in the role and there is some charisma to her. But the character is just really unlikeable, there just isn't many good things about her and yes I know she was a villain but here she is the protagonist and there has to be some good things about her but there just isn't and it is a shame. 

Supporting Characters

The Supporting Cast does much better, We have Joe Locke who plays Teen and he is great, he has a great dynamic with the rest of the cast and he was an interesting character. As the show progresses it becomes clearer that he is a big part of the show and there is more to him that meets the eye. 

Aubrey Plaza Plays Rio and she is fantastic, she is charismatic and charming that you can't help but become entranced in her performance and for me she is the most entertaining part of the show and I kind of wished she had more screen time. 

The rest of the witches Coven are great. Patti LuPone as Lilia is brilliant, especially in her episode 7 which is her standout. Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer & Ali Ahn as Alice are solid additions and they work together well as well. 

Story

The story is okay. I liked the supporting characters stories and their motivations for going on this journey with Agatha. Some of Agatha's story worked but a lot of different and I was just hoping and expecting more. The finale leaves a lot to be desired and it just feels like setting up for future projects instead of giving us a satisfying conclusion to this story. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some chuckle worthy moments and some drama that made me care about some of the characters but it just isn't enough. There isn't much that makes me go wow and it actually is quite forgettable which is a let down. 

Style 

The show has decent cinematography, it does an effective job of selling this show as a show about witches and the occult that they share. But the show does have some pacing issues, I found it quite repetitive around the mid season mark and I think the show could have handled things better. 

Overall

Overall, Agatha All Along is an Above Average Show that while decent does fall a little flat. A great supporting cast and some fun here and there makes it an entertaining watch, but this isn't a show you need to rush to see and it is one of the more forgettable comic book projects of recent memory. 

Rating - 6/10

Hunters Season 2 (2023) Review 

I enjoyed the first season of Amazon's show Hunters and the second season has finally come out and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees The Hunters split up, but they are reunited in order to take down the last remnants of The Nazis - Adolf Hitler. 

Main Character

Logan Lerman reprises his role as Jonah with a lovely new hair cut and he is really good. He has clearly developed as a character since the first season, gone is the timid young man and he is now a hardened Nazi killer by the time Season 2 picks up. He does an effective part in this role and it is clearly one that he was able to sink his teeth into. 

Supporting Characters

Josh Radnor plays Lonnie Flash and he was one of the more enjoyable parts of the first season and this continues here. He is a fun addition to the cast and you can tell that Radnor is really enjoying his time in the role and they try and flesh out his character a little bit. Jennifer Jason leigh makes her debut in this season and she is fantastic, probably my favourite character of the show. She is the most interesting and her addition to the mix really adds new flavour to this somewhat generic crew & story being told. Honestly, most of the other crew kind of blended into the background for me, there wasn't enough progression with their characters and it maybe feels like there are too many. The villains don't really work either, the guy playing Hitler is fine but nothing more and that is a major letdown. But the biggest misfire is Al Pacino returning as Meyer Offerman in his own flashback story, after the events of the previous season this felt so unnecessary and like they had already paid for Pacino so might as well put him in the show. The character isn't developed by this and I wish Pacino had been used sparingly throughout this season of the show. 

Story 

The story has an interesting hook on it in that it is the hunt for Adolf Hitler and when it focuses on that it does thrive. Seeing how this over the top scenario of Hitler surviving would potentially work is interesting and opens up lots of opportunities. But, I also do think this show misses its potential, there are so many characters and they try to give all the characters their own story, but it ends up being quite superficial and non-consequential to the overall plot. The ending also felt quite rushed and bland to me which never helps. But the biggest issue, is the amount of time it spends on the Meyer Offerman flashback story, this thing does not need to be there and then I would say at least a quarter of the runtime is spent on which is way too much. 

Script 

The script has some pretty good drama, some effective performances do deliver in making you care about this pretty serious subject matter. But there is some comedy that doesn't quite work and I just think a lot of the characters were written sub-par and there was plenty more that could have been done with them. 

Style 

This show has a pretty violent style and for the most part I enjoyed that, the action felt gritty and real. It also uses its scenery well embracing its time period and international locations. But the shows pacing is off, there is too much jumping times between flashbacks and the current storyline. There is also probably a few episodes too many which does hurt the overall product in the end. 

Overall

Overall, Hunters season 2 is an above average show that is still quite enjoyable. It has plenty of flaws and I don't think it is probably worth it unless you really enjoyed the first season, but overall an okay effort. 

Rating - 6/10

Ms Marvel Mini Series (2022) Review

Marvel has been in full force with its Disney+ TV Shows and Ms Marvel is the next to come out. I have watched all of the 6 episodes and here is my review for it. The premise of the shows sees a young Muslim girl get powers and have to decide how she can best use them to help her community. 

Main Character

Iman Vellani plays Kamala Khan and she does a really great job, especially considering this is one of her first acting roles. Kamala is a fun character and is a character that is easy to root for which really drives this show. Her powers are handled well enough despite the changes and I feel like this character is a completely different to any we have seen in the MCU and the show does a really great job of making me like Kamala. 

Supporting Characters

One of the best parts of this show is the relationships built up by Kamala and her friends and family. Zenobia Shroff & Mohan Kapur play her parents and they do a great job in the role, her mother is overly protective whereas her dad is more supportive but it really works and they have a great dynamic together and as a family. Matt Lintz plays her best friend Bruno and I liked their dynamic, it doesn't always work but when it does I think they are really good as friends and Lintz is a fun part of the show. But the issue comes with the characterisation of the villains of the show, it is very clear that they are an afterthought and it really doesn't work, it takes too long for them to get introduced and then even when they are on the show they are just so dull and one dimensional. 

Story 

It is fun seeing Kamala's transition from average girl to superpowered hero, she deals with plenty of issues and they do a really great job of building up this character and her journey throughout the show. But as I mentioned above, it misses the mark with its villains and overall direction, it takes too long to get into its story and it doesn't give enough time to really make you care. 

Script

The script has some good drama in their, despite the underdeveloped story I did end up caring because of some well written dialogue and decent performances. The humour is also alright, there are some chuckle worthy moments but it never makes me laugh too much and the drama does miss the mark at times. 

Style 

The show has a really unique style to it, especially in the first few episodes. It is bright and colourful which is good to see, it also has some pretty good action scenes in it that kept me entertained. But the shows pacing is all over the place, I really didn't like the first two episodes and it did get better but I never could get fully engrossed into it. 

Overall

Overall, Ms Marvel is an above average show that does a good job in introducing this new character but the overall making of the show isn't quite good enough. 

Rating - 6/10

After Life Season 3 (2022) Review 

This show has been going on for a few years now and the third and final season of After Life is on Netflix and here is my review for it. The premise of the season once again sees Tony trying to live a happier life after the tragic passing of his wife. 

Main Character

Ricky Gervais stars, writes and directs this show and he has always been great as the character of Tony. There is a real raw emotion to the performance and he is entertaining to watch but you also do care about him as well. You can tell the real passion he has for the show and his performance and he is easily the best part of the show. 

Supporting Characters

Tom Basden plays his boss and he hasn't always been my favourite character but I actually thought their relationship worked this season and seeing the complete contrast between the two of them allowed for some actual character development. The same goes for Tony Way as Lenny, he has always been an easy person for Gervais to bully but there seems to be more there this season and it allows for more characterisation which is pretty well done. But some of the characters are just unbearable on the show, they are either not funny or just really annoying. The cast is way too large and certain characters from the previous seasons just disappear without much explanation. 

Story

Tony's emotional story is the real heart of the show and I like how it isn't as obvious as would be expected. It feels quite real and a guy that is really suffering and tries to find his own way of dealing with it. But there are way too many supporting characters that get more attention this season and it just does not work for me. Luckily the best episode is the finale and I must say the show does an excellent job of finishing in a great way. 

Script

The script has some really effective dramatic dialogue and moments. The finale in particular does so much to make you care and I got to be honest I was moved by the emotion that was on display. But for a show that is meant to be comedic, I didn't really laugh at all and the show feels like it is really funny but for me it really misses the mark. 

Style 

The show is well filmed and as I say when it focuses on the more emotional and dramatic moments it really works and hits high levels. But the pacing isn't great, the show doesn't take long to watch but there is too much filler here then is necessary. 

Overall

Overall, After Life Season 3 is an above average final season. It nails its finale but has other issues, if you are a fan of the show then you will be happy, but it won't bring in new viewers. 

Rating - 6/10

The Tourist Mini Series (2022) Review

BBC released all of the episodes of The Tourist on New Years Day and I have now had the chance to watch all 6 of them and here is my review for The Tourist. The premise of the show sees a man lose his memory after a car accident and have to survive while trying to piece together what exactly is going on. 

Main Character

Jamie Dornan plays the lead character in the show and he is really good. He brings plenty of intensity and dark comedy to the role and it really works, we are on a journey with this man and the show does a good job of making you care about this man. Obviously Dornan is mostly known for his role as Christian Grey in The Fifty Shades of Grey films but performances like in The Fall and this show does a better job in showing just how diverse and great an actor he can be. 

Supporting Characters

Shalom Brune-Franklin who was also in Season 6 of Line Of Duty is in this show and she is also great. The dynamic between her and Dornan is handled incredibly well and they are just really fun to watch together. She is also a really interesting character and as you learn more about her it just makes you ask even more questions. Danielle Macdonald plays a police officer involved with the situation and she does a pretty decent job, she is a fun change to Dornan's pretty aggressive lead character. They don't do a great job with her story but there is no denying Macdonald does a good job in her role. There are a few other characters that come in and out of the show but they leave little to be desired, either they are just generic or they are just annoying. 

Story

The story has so many twists and turns that makes you want to keep watching and had me loading up another episode pretty much straight away. It is an intriguing watch and you are learning alongside our main character and that makes us care and understand his way of thinking throughout the show. But some of the side plots don't work, especially Macdonald's character and her relationship it is so frustrating and annoying to watch. The ending also falls a bit flat and I don't know if it is trying to get a second series but it trundles to its conclusion which is disappointing. 

Script

The script is okay, there is some good use of dark humour and as I mentioned the twists and turns are there a plenty. But there does seem to be a lack of depth to the end result and the end of the show just feels a bit hashed together and like they couldn't work out what they wanted to achieve. 

Style 

The show has a pretty cool look to it, Australia is a place that isn't used enough in mainstream TV and Film so it is nice to see it showcased here. When the action hits, it does it well enough and with those cliffhangers does an effective job of keeping you watching. But the actual pacing of the episodes aren't great, they are a bit slow and at times plod along with things not being that interesting. 

Overall

Overall, The Tourist is an above average show that has some good bits. Though I would say this is one for people who watch plenty of TV and have time on their hands or else maybe give it a pass. 

Rating - 6/10

Clickbait (2021) Mini Series Review 

This show has been gaining plenty of traction online and I have now watched the whole of the mini series Clickbait and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a man kidnapped and threatened on the internet it leads to his loved ones to try and find him. 

Main Character

Zoe Kazan plays Pia and she does a decent job in her role, she is the main one going after the case and you support her, especially at the beginning of the show when there is very little information known about what is going on. She is the sister of the character who is kidnapped and the show is solid at making you buy into the family bonds that exist. Betty Gabriel plays Sophie who is the wife of the man kidnapped and she is good and a different lead character to Pia. The dynamic between the two of them is well written and again you see the nuance of her character and how there aren't really good and bad characters here but just people who are very human. 

Supporting Characters

This is a big cast and the show really tries to give them all intrigue and plenty of screen time which is both a good thing and a bad thing. There are some decent characters, Phoenix Raei as detective Amiri is an effective character, he has a good dynamic with the two main characters and you feel like he does have the best interest of them at heart and want to figure this case out. But I just didn't really care about any of the rest of the cast, Adrian Grenier plays Nick, the man who is kidnapped and the show does nothing to make him interesting or make you care as you clearly should. The two kids of him and Sophie are young and thus don't always do a great job with the emotional roles that are required and there are some other characters that come into the story and don't feel like they really fit and come across as more annoying. 

Story 

There are elements of the story that are interesting, the show always keeps you on your toes with twists and turns left and right. Personally I think the show is at its strength in the first few episodes as the build this story and kept me interested throughout. But the story becomes more bloated, characters are given whole episodes of story which they don't need and the final twist falls really flat and brings the whole story down and really disappointing. 

Script

The script is incredibly dark, there is some good drama here that makes you care about certain characters and the pretty hostile situation that they are trying to work through. But this show never hits the highest level that it requires to be a better show, and it is probably a bit too serious for the length of episodes making it feel relentless in its drama and a pretty exhausting time. 

Style 

The style of the show is similar to the script, it feels intense and dark with a very real feeling towards it. But this show has way too many episodes in it and I feel like 3 of the episodes could have been cut and this would have been a much superior show that would have kept me interested more. 

Overall

Overall, Clickbait is an above average show that does some things well and some things poorly. It is an intriguing watch but I don't think it is worth the length of time it takes to watch. 

Rating - 6/10

Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy - Chapter 2 Earthrise (2020) Review

I really enjoyed the first part of Transformers: War for Cybertron and with the third and presumably last part coming out next week I finally caught up on the second part Earthrise and here is my review for it.  The premise of the season sees Optimus Prime and his Autobots attempt to locate the Allspark, while Megatron and his Decepticons look for any way to save Cybertron. 

Main Character

Optimus Prime and Megatron are huge names in the world of TV and Film and they are really well executed on this show. They are seen as good and evil but there is more nuance to it, especially, Megatron who is given much more character development here and you see how this whole thing has affected him. Optimus takes a bit of time to get going but it is interesting to see a younger version of the character as he doesn't get everything right but is still trying to be a hero. 

Supporting Characters

There are plenty of supporting characters in this show, I mean there are way too many to even really keep track of. The main two that stood out to me were Starscream and Bumblebee, Bumblebee has had plenty of development this season, he is now transitioning into his character that we have seen in other mediums over the years. Starscream is actually quite entertaining to see just the lengths he will go to in order to betray Megatron and take over the Decepticons while being really bad at it. But the rest of the characters basically fold into one, Alita and Jetfire were given plenty to do in the first part but here they are less then important, Jetfire in particular isn't given anything to do and that is a real letdown when you consider his character from the previous part. 

Story 

The story involving its main characters is the most interesting part of the show. Megatron and Prime are really interesting characters and their feud really drives this show forward and makes it rise above some of the more messy parts of the story. The show becomes a bit complicated with the amount of characters it tries to focus on, I mean we don't even see Optimus Prime for the first few episodes. It tries to focus on so much Transformers Lore that it gets a bit bogged down in the story it is trying to tell. 

Script 

The script is okay, it is a bit darker then you would expect from an animation but it is effective and makes it feel more gritty and dramatic. But it does lack life at times and feels a bit too much in terms of everything that it is trying to fit in to tell its cohesive plot. 

Style 

The animation still looks great, the transformers look as they should and the action scenes are fun and also pretty brutal at times. It is only a shot series, but I felt like it was more bogged down here due to everything that is thrown at it and it just felt me not as engaged as I was with the first part of the show. 

Overall 

Overall, Transformers: War for Cybertron Earthrise is an above average second part of the series. I didn't enjoy this part as much as the first but there is still plenty of enjoyment to be had here and if you are already watching then stick with it and hopefully it really delivers a satisfying conclusion. 

Rating - 6/10

Sky Rojo Season 1 (2021) Review

This show is made by the same creators as the much acclaimed show Money Heist, so I decided to watch Sky Rojo and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a trio of prostitutes on the run from their pimp and his henchman. 

Main Character

There are really three main characters on this show, Veronica Sanches as Coral, Lali Esposito as Wendy & Yany Prado as Gina and these girls are all having plenty of fun in their roles. The three of them all have really good chemistry together and you see the bond between there characters as they have gone through this pretty terrible experience together and it does make this show more enjoyable and you do grow to care about these women despite them being prostitutes. 

Supporting Characters

The supporting players are okay, really the main ones are the pimp and his henchman and they are decent for the roles that they are given. They fit the role that the show needs and I guess that is enough but I can't help but feel like the show misses a trick with them. Every male character is a bad person in some way or another and I understand why to a certain extent, but it makes it hard to really believe the situation of the characters when the majority or all other characters are evil and not given any real depth. The main characters are given plenty of backstory and character and they just failed to do that with the other characters in my opinion. 

Story 

The story is a fun one that also has some darker themes to it. It is entertaining to see these three women on the run from these henchmen and the really creative ways that they stay one step ahead and the main characters are allowed time to progress throughout. The show also does try to focus on the prostitute industry, but it isn't particularly smooth at this, it shows it as very glamourous and over the top and I get why but it does feel a bit strange. Also this show ends on a huge cliffhanger and even though it was effective I am not sure the show earnt it and it felt a bit like it was just there for shock value and without a huge plan. 

Script 

The script is fine, there are some fun moments and dialogue that did have me laughing when I was supposed to. There is also some okay drama but in my opinion it never hits the level that it should, with the heavy subject matter there could have been more weight to it but it never did for me and that was a shame. 

Style 

This show has a very cool style to it, it has a great soundtrack and the way it is filmed is clearly meant to be cool. The show just looks really nice, from the cast to the action scenes to the setting that it takes place in. The episodes are also much shorter in length then I thought with some only being 20 mins long and it actually worked and made the show feel like it had a faster pace. But this shows style had a major flaw for me and when I noticed it, it bugged me for the rest of the show and that is that the aspect ratio kept changing. I understand it was done for a story reason but it was really jarring and just happening too often and it started to annoy me. 

Overall

Overall this is an above average show that is a pretty easy and fun watch. Sky Rojo is a show you can get through quickly but I must say watch the show in its natural Spanish tongue with subtitles, the English dubbing is awful and it is better with the subtitles. If you have a few hours free you could do much worse then Sky Rojo. 

Rating - 6/10

Tin Star Season 3 Liverpool (2020) Review

I recently watched the first two seasons of Tin Star and thought is was a decent show and now the third and supposedly final season of the show has come to Sky and I have now watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Jack, Angela & Anna head to Liverpool in order to take down the enemies from their past. 

Main Character

Tim Roth is back as Jack Worth and he is just a lot of fun to watch here though I would say this is probably the least entertained I have been by him, I guess that is just because it is the third season at this point. But he is great here and provides a fun lead performance and is one charismatic guy to lead this show. I am looking forward to seeing him in She-Hulk and I hope he can channel some of his character here into that performance, obviously in a moor PG manner. 

Supporting Characters 

Genevieve O'Reilly and Abigail Lawrie play Angela and Anna and these three performers just have so much chemistry together, you can just tell they are having so much fun together and it shows in some good performances and characters that despite the pretty terrible things they do you can root for. But the rest of the cast didn't do much for me whether it be villains or friends I just didn't care, none of them were given anything particularly interesting to do and it's never fully explored why and what were the reasons for the feud between them and the Worths. 

Story

The story sees our main characters return to Liverpool and it is fun seeing these three just go around taking out people in pretty creative ways and having fun while doing it. There are also some pretty intense scenes that build and did have me a bit nervous as to what would happen to the characters. But as I mentioned above it doesn't help when you have boring antagonists and side characters that you don't care about. Since the first season they really have given the idea of just how far Jack Worth went as an undercover cop but the show never gives enough and it feels like there was more of a story to tell. Also if this really is the final season then the ending is pretty terrible and does nothing to make me feel like this was a worthwhile time spent. 

Script

The script has plenty of fun dialogue in there, which the main three characters do a great job of conveying and making there own. But this is probably the weakest script of the show, it does feel like they beat some of the funny lines over the head until they just aren't funny anymore. Also the drama just wasn't there for me, I just never felt like the villains were a real threat to our characters and with all the build up in previous seasons I was disappointed. 

Style

The show has some good and pretty brutal action scenes that don't really hold back which is a highlight. Another highlight is the fact that this is the shortest season with only 6 episodes which makes it a much easier watch then the other seasons. But I can't help but miss Canada, I thought this film used to have a pretty unique style to it but now it is in Liverpool and it just isn't as interesting. Also the choice of music at times is just really jarring and again it feels like a thing taken from previous seasons and just ramped up here. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average season of television that is just fine. If you are a fan of this show you will like the show but if not it won't change your mind and I would say it isn't really worth the time to go back and watch the previous seasons so you know what is going on here. 

Rating - 6/10

 

Tin Star Season 2 (2019) Review

So Tin Star Season 3 hits the UK next week and I am now all caught up after finishing the second season of the show and here is my review for the second season of the show. The premise of the season sees Jack and his family have to survive when something from his past comes to haunt them. 

Main Character

I said when reviewing the first season of the show that Tim Roth was fantastic and he continues that here, mainly because of his dark humour and just how funny he is at times. He continues that and is just so entertaining to watch and you can just tell he is having so much fun here, I mean the emotional parts of his character aren't as present here but I just can't deny that when Roth is on screen he is great to watch and carries this show. 

Supporting Characters

That isn't to say some of the supporting characters aren't good here, I really like the chemistry between him and Genevieve O'Reilly who plays his wife and how they are a bad influence on each other. They have such a great dynamic and she is really fun to watch as well and a good character in her own right, just this season she is more on Roth's side then last season. Now I was pretty critical of Abigail Lawrie for her performance as their daughter in the first season but I thought she worked a lot better here and has good chemistry with her on screen parents. She isn't anywhere near as annoying and isn't always clashing with her parents which makes her a much more likeable character and she does a good job in her own right. John Lynch is a new character here, I mostly recognise him from The Fall and I thought he added quite a bit here, his character is pretty interesting and is a nice contrast to the other characters, he also shows his real acting quality and a great solid performance. But this show still has the issue that it has too many characters and what I mean is that it has characters from the first season that they have no plans for, but they have them here and they take away from the show. Such as Christina Hendricks character who really doesn't do much here and you wonder why they even bothered bringing her back for this season, same for the characters of Frank and Denise who again don't do enough to warrant inclusion. 

Story 

The story is decent this season, I thought having the family members together more helps, it feels like they are more united and together which is much better then them being at each others throats like the previous season. This film also did a good job of setting up a third season and expanding the story, but I also thought this show suffered from that. It spends so much time telling you what can come that it doesn't do enough this season to keep you interested and then puts everything on the last 20 mins which isn't good enough when it has had 9 episodes to do it. Also the show has to deal with the supporting characters from last season to sort them out and it does it in a pretty clunky way which bogs down the story. 

Script

The script is still good, the dark humour is still there and Roth and the rest of the family are funny and really look like they are enjoying themselves on screen and that helps you stay watching the show. But the drama from the first season isn't really there and the pacing of the different stories doesn't quite work as effectively as the first season did which is a disappointment. 

Style 

The show still looks great, it has a great location and is a pretty visceral show to watch that doesn't hold much back. There are some intense scenes and the show does a good job in making you feel like the majority of the characters are at risk the majority of time. But again, the pacing is off for me, it takes so much time to get going and get to the point that it makes me think that either get to the point quicker or have a few less episodes and less storylines going on at the beginning. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average season of television, it is a slight step down from the last season but is still quite an entertaining watch. I mean if you didn't care for the first season this won't change your mind, though if you are a fan you will pretty much like this season and be excited for the third season. 

Rating - 6/10

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Part 1 (2018) Review

So the much loved Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is coming to an end with its 4th part at the end of December so I have decided to start watching the show and I have just got through Part 1 and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees a young half witch have to decide on her 16th birthday whether she will be with her witch family or human friends. 

Main Character

Kiernan Shipka plays Sabrina here and I thought she did a really good job, Sabrina was just a really cool person and character and Shipka does a really good job of conveying that. When she is has dilemmas I actually cared about them and wanted to see her come out of it unscathed, the witch side of her life is pretty interesting and does a good job of creating intrigue throughout the show and just having a likeable protagonist really helps this show. 

Supporting Characters

Miranda Otto plays her Auntie and I just think she is a fun element on this how and you can just really tell she is enjoying herself. Her character hasn't got lots of depth but Otto uses her charm to make you like her and care about the character. Ross Lynch plays her boyfriend Harvey and I actually think they have a nice relationship, Shipka & Lynch have good chemistry and work well together, I mean his own stuff away from her isn't particularly interesting but when they are together they are both fun. But then the rest of the cast didn't do much for me, Lucy Davis plays Sabrina's other Auntie and she is her usual, silly self and for me just doesn't work alongside the other characters and I thought she was the comic relief done poorly. Then we get to Sabrina's cousin Ambrose and this guy is so over the top and condescending it is unreal and I never found a reason to care about him during the show. Also her human friends, these people I did not care about any of them, and the show really wants you too but they are so dull and at least it made me wonder why Sabrina would even consider staying with these people, but maybe that is just me. Also the villains didn't have plenty of depth, they are pretty cheesy and entertaining but there is little intrigue there to make them stand out. 

Story

The story is interesting as Sabrina and us the audience are exploring the witches world and there are some really fun things, the best part of the show is when it looks into the witch culture and their society. But the show also focuses on her human life and this is just not interesting, it has all the usual things, a romance, some weird friends and high school drama and every time it is on screen I just wish it wasn't and we go onto more witch stuff. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some charming moments and nice humour here but not all of it lands. The drama is a mixed bag too, it's mainly because the drama is so low key, it isn't a surprise because it is an issue for most shows that involve teenagers and high school and when there are more interesting things it didn't work enough for me. 

Style 

The style has some really good and unique visuals, it uses the magic and demonology incredibly well and it feels really unique. It is darker and has more graphic violence then I expected and it makes this show really feel more bloody and intense then some other young adult shows and films. But this season suffers from having a few too many episodes and the finale feels low key with nothing to really anticipate for a second season. 

Overall 

Overall, this is an above average first season of this show, it does some interesting things but also suffers with being a young adult show. If you are a fan of witch shows then this could be up your street and hopefully it improves as it goes on. 

Ranking - 6/10

The Third Day Mini Series (2020) Review

So I did a First Impressions for this show, but I have to admit after the first three episodes I fell off of the show for a bit for different reasons, today I managed to watch the other three episodes and here is my review for The Third Day. The premise of the show sees a man and a woman make separate journeys to an island off of the British Coast. 

Main Character

Jude Law plays the main character and he does a really good job here, he is pretty unnerved throughout which works because as a watcher you are meant to be unnerved with the island so he is a good protagonist for the show. His character is also pretty interesting and has a good arc to make him an interesting character in a pretty interesting show. Naomi Harris plays the woman who travels to the island and she is good on this show too, her character isn't given as much to work with as Law but she does a good job in her role, when her and her family arrive to the island you are wondering why they are there but it does make sense in the end. 

Supporting Characters 

Paddy Considine & Emily Watson play a couple they meet on the island and they are good in their roles, they are an interesting dynamic on the show and a good addition. Katherine Waterson has a big role here and she is good too, she shares plenty of screen time with Law and they have good chemistry and it is one of the better parts of the first half of the show. The rest of the cast also all do a good job adding to the creepiness and tension of this show. 

Story

The story though is absurd and ridiculous, Law's character has a decent character arc but apart from that there is nothing to this story. They kind of set up the mystery of the island but they never explain it and you kind of just think the characters are idiots for how they are acting. Then the second half of the season goes even further in adding the stupidity of the plot with an ending that is insulting and makes you kind of think you have wasted your time in terms of getting invested into the plot. 

Script

The script has some pretty good drama to it, there are some well acted and dramatic scenes on show here between the characters. But a story that is so poorly written and so poorly executed lets the show down and hurts the overall quality of it. 

Style 

The show has a really good atmosphere and feel about it, the main characters are meant to be creeped out and uncomfortable with what is going on. It gets trippy at times which has mixed results but overall it does work with it's style. But I thought the pacing didn't quite work, the first half of the show is pretty slowly paced and the last half rushes itself through to make it feel a bit odd and kind of like two separate shows. 

Overall

Overall, this is a creepy and mysterious show that is well acted but let down by poor storytelling and a weak narrative to make it one you can skip. 

Rating - 6/10

Riviera Season 3 (2020) Review

So after watching the first two seasons, I have now had a chance to watch the new Third season of Sky show Riviera and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees a year after Season 2, Georgina has left the Riviera and her family to live her own life when she is dragged into an international conspiracy. 

Main Character

Julia Stiles plays Georgina and I think she is better this season, she is still a really interesting character and after dealing with all the family drama from last season she can go back to being on the hunt after people. She is just a strong protagonist and I feltthis season it was easier to get on board with her and want to see her succeed. 

Supporting Characters

Now if you liked the characters from the previous two seasons then too bad, because they aren't here to be found, well mostly, I will get onto the two characters who did make it in later. Rupert Graves plays Gabriel and I liked him, it continues the trend of Georgina having a male companion and though he wasn't as good as Will Arnett from the last season he is still a fun addition to the show. But then there is the rest of the cast, so onto the returning cast Jack Fox as Nico and Poppy Delevingne as Daphne and they are just as boring as last season and even worse they just feel really out of place here and like they are just here because they forgot to finish their arc from the last season. The new cast fair just as bad, they are so dull and boring with no depth at all, this is basically a fresh start for the show and they waste it on really forgettable characters. 

Story 

This is easily the worst part of the season, it is just all over the place and makes no sense. I mean as I said before you don't really need to watch the previous seasons as it ignores them, did you want to know what happened to Christos, Adrianna and Negrescu well too bad the show completely forgets about them even when they should be included. This new story is so convoluted and ridiculous, Georgina doesn't even have any personal stake here, you wonder why she is even around as the show just went too far in making the show feel too different to the previous. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some decent dramatic dialogue here and Stiles manages to make you believe in what she is trying to achieve. But there is nothing that really stands out and the forced attempt at humour isn't great, but the worst is the over convoluted plot lines that doesn't do a good enough job in making the characters or their motivations interesting. 

Style

The style of the show is great, we don't see much of the Riviera but the show still manages to still look great and actually going to the new locations freshens things up a bit more. This season is also the most exciting of the show, there is more action scenes and it does make it an easier watch. Also the season has only 8 episodes compared to 10 and that makes it also an easier to watch and like the season is moving faster. 

Overall

Overall, this is a very mixed season of the show but veers slightly to the positive side. It misses the mark on most of its characters and plot but it has a great lead and exciting set pieces that make it an okay watch. I wouldn't say rush to watch it, but maybe sometime in the future when you are bored it might be worth a watch. 

Rating - 6/10 

 Stargirl Season 1 (2020) Review

So after the even that was DC Fandome on Saturday it has been a busy weekend for DC as in the UK they just dropped the first season of the show Stargirl on Amazon Prime and I have now watched it all and here is my review for it. The premise of the show a teenage girl get the powers of former hero Starman to form a new group called The Justice Society Of America in order to stop The Injustice Society Of America. 

Main Character

Brec Bassinger plays the title character and I thought she did a really good job. Yes at times she is the annoying teenage girl but once you get past this she is likeable in the lead role and you do root for her. Her relationship with her stepfather Pat is really touching and you do care about it, plus she is also really entertaining to watch in the action scenes. 

Supporting Characters

Luke Wilson plays Pat and I must admit it took a while for me to like him, but eventually I did. He is just a really nice guy and as I said the relationship between him and Bassinger's character is the emotional highlight of the series and the thing that you grasp onto, it also helps he uses a huge robot in the action scenes. This show focuses on younger members of the well known comic book group The JSA and it is a bit of a mixed bag, I liked young Wildcat and Hourman, I thought they had good emotional arcs and were the more interesting members of the team. But the younger Doctor Midnight annoyed me and was so over the top, also the rest of Bassinger's family didn't offer much to me and the last few episodes give them much more to do then necessary. There is a large group of villains here and they are mostly fine, Though I was wondering why I didn't think Icicle was a good villain and that is because Brainwave is the more interesting villain by far, it's just he isn't used as much which is a disappointment. 

Story

The story if fine, as I said above the relationship between Bassinger and Luke Wilson's characters is the emotional crux and the relationship that you care about. Also it is pretty cool seeing a new JSA get recruited and what their abilities are. But the overall plot isn't that interesting, there is the overall family drama which was a bit dull and even though this show gets bonus points for not focusing on the high school drama that much but it is still here. Also the Injustice Society's main goal is basically something ripped off from the 5th season of Supergirl, so it does feel like some weak storytelling. Some of the villains are really wasted too and this show forces characters to be stupid when they need to be but it is really noticeable here. 

Script

The script actually does a good job with its emotion, you care about the characters and they do a great job in making you care about the majority of the personal relationships. But this is a show that mostly focuses on a family friendly audience so it has the cringe worthy humour that doesn't exactly pay off and work. 

Style 

The style has a bit of a mixed bag, I liked the fact that even though this show is set in a small town the powers are out in full force. Seeing the different powers is great and the action scenes are well handled and well filmed and the costumes look fine, if not maybe a little cheap. But the CGI is a mixed bag, it is great for the giant robot called Stripe but then terrible when it comes to one of the fully CGI villains that looks like something from a PS3 game. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average first season. It does a good job in establishing a base for the show and I hope it can improve in the future, as at its current state it isn't converting anybody that doesn't watch the DC shows. 

Rating - 6/10

 Arrow Season 8 (2019) Review

So after 8 years we have finally come to the end of the DC show that started a huge universe of its own Arrow and here is my review for the 8th and final season of the show. The premise of the season sees Oliver Queen have to work with The Monitor in an attempt to stop the upcoming Crisis. 

Main Character

Stephen Amell has become known for playing the role of Oliver Queen/The Green Arrow and he does a great job in his last outing as the character. He gives a really emotional and dramatic performance as he struggles with the crisis that is coming and how he plays into it. I have always liked how this character has moved with the times, in a world with aliens and speedsters he acknowledges it and becomes a better character for it. It is also clear to see the development that his character has gone through from the first episode to the last one and it shows a really well crafted and well developed character. 

Supporting Characters

David Ramsay as John Diggle is really the only other character who has been on the show since day one and really he has developed just aswell as Oliver. There friendship and brotherhood is on full display this season and again seeing how the character's friendship has grown since day one has been a really great watch and it continues here. Katie Cassidy as the Earth 2 version of Laurel Lance has had a good character arc since her introduction in season 5 of the show and it kind of comes full circle here and shows just how much of an interesting character she has become here. Katherine McNamara playing an older version of Mia Queen is much better this season then she was in Season 7, they do something interesting with her character and seeing her story arc is an interesting watch. But I also feel like certain characters that have been at the forefront of previous seasons are pushed to the side this season, such as Rene Ramirez and Dinah Drake played by Rick Gonzalez and Juliana Harkavy, they get very little to do here as the show focuses on other elements of its story. 

Story

The story is interesting, I think what this season does well in terms of its story is highlighting the journey that the characters have been on and showing how the past has shaped them into the characters that they are in this final season. Also most of the characters get satisfying endings, though it is clear that there are future plans for some of these characters in terms of there journeys in this universe. But this shows story feels unbalanced and just very different, the show feels more in line with The Flash and Supergirl in terms of its more science fiction elements and kind of loses the grit rough edge the show previously had. Also this show lacks a big bad and feels like a big build up to the Crisis, so when that is over the show feels a bit lost in what exactly it wants to do in it's last few episodes even though the finale is pretty satisfying. 

Script

The script here is a mixed bag, the drama really works. I think because of this being the last season it allows the actors and actresses to put more emotion into the story and make you care more about the characters. Though with being a bit grim, it does feel the little bit of charm is missing that has been there in previous seasons and that is a bit of a missed chance.

Style

I have always said that Arrow has some of the best action scenes in any TV show or film out there and this continues this season. The combat is fantastic and is filmed brilliantly, it just feels so forceful and gritty and shows just how good the performers and filmmakers are at showing action scenes. Though this film has a bit of a struggle with its pacing, luckily it is only ten episodes but with the crisis being such an important part it feels like that takes up so much of the focus that it takes away from its own individual story. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average final season of Arrow. It struggles in having to focus to much on the crisis crossover, but it still has some good things and as I said finishes this show in an appropriate way for the characters. If you are a fan of this show it should be seen and I think new fans should get into this show as there are some real highlights during the 8 season run.

Rating - 6/10

Snowpiercer Season 1 (2020) Review

So this show recently finished its run on Netflix and I have now finished the first season of Snowpiercer and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees after the world has frozen over a train full of survivors have to fight society and class issues. 

Main Character

Jennifer Conolly plays a lead character here and I thought she did a good job. She is a really good actress and her character is pretty well fleshed out and as the highest person on the train you see the situation from her point of view and I think the show achieves this target well. Daveed Diggs also plays a main role here and first I must mention he was fantastic in Hamilton even though I forgot to mention him in my review for that film and he is also good here. He has a charismatic nature to him, not as much as Hamilton but it is still here and you see why he is seen as the leader of the lower classes of the train. He is a character that is easy to root for and one that does have an interesting moral compass that maybe isn't as simple as I originally thought it would be. 

Supporting Characters

The supporting cast is a bit of a mixed bag here, there were so many characters some I liked some I didn't like much. Firstly, Steven Ogg is here and I love this actor and when he is on screen he is so great on this show, it is just he isn't here enough and is really underutilised. Also Alison Wright plays a character called Ruth and she gets better as the show goes on and I found her character interesting and a bit tragic in the way that she thinks. But there are also a few characters I didn't really care about such as Mickey Sumner as Bess, her character is very dull and I really didn't care about the romance involving her and clearly the show doesn't as they forget about it. There are also other performances, mainly younger ones that I found hard to care about and found a bit cringe at times. 

Story

The story of the different classes is interesting enough, being set on a train is really interesting and seeing the different levels of the train is an interesting aspect of the show and there is a twist in the last half of the show that I thought worked well. But I felt like there was a bit of a missed opportunity the class divide story feels a bit simple and lacking the shades of grey required to raise this story up. Also there is a story arc in the first half of the season that lacked a natural conclusion and it kind of feels like a waste of time. 

Script

The script here is pretty by the numbers, there is some decent drama here and a few bits of humour but nothing that ever stood out for me. There was never that moment that is truly memorable or makes any of the characters really stand out more. 

Style

The style in the train is pretty cool, lighting is used pretty well to show the differences in the cars on the train and the difference in the classes of people. There are also some brutal sequences on the show that fit the nature of the tone of the show well. Though there are probably a few too many episodes here and the actual train here is really CGI and it just doesn't look very good at all. 

Overall

Overall, this is a decent show, it has plenty of issues that most people have seen but I think there is real potential here for a much better second season so maybe this is one to give some time to watch, but only if you are a patient watcher.

Rating - 6/10

Home Game (2020) Series Review

This documentary hit Netflix on Friday and after a long weekend I have now watched Home Game and here is my review for it.The premise of the show looks at some of the most unique and dangerous sports in the world and how they affect the people who play them.

There are some fascinating sports showed here, my favourite being Calcio Storico and Makepung Lampit. They are just so unique and mad that it draws you in and you can't keep your eyes off of them. I mean I would never want to try these sports but it is great to see these people taking part and what it means to them on a personal level.

It is also really interesting seeing how these sports affect the cultures of the people that are a part of them. It makes them feel better and brings a sense of pride for country and everybody involved, even in some cases breaking down stereotypes and changing people ideas on certain subjects. 

Also it really helps this show that Mark Strong narrates it, he has a great voice and it fits in the style for this show and does a great job of explaining the different sports.

But there are negatives here, with any documentary like this there will be some sports that you don't find that interesting. For me it was the Catch Fetiche and The Roller Derby, I wish this show had maybe focused on a fewer number of sports but gone into more detail on them.

Also I don't know why but I found this show a bit difficult to binge watch, as I said maybe with a few less episodes but with more depth it would have felt better paced. 

Overall, this is a decent documentary, if you are a sports fan and want to learn a bit about some lesser known sports then this could be worth a watch but maybe not for anybody else.

Rating - 6/10

After Life Season 1 (2019) Review

After Life Season 1 (2019) Review

 With the 2nd season of this show being released recently I thought I would go back and rewatch the first season of After Life and here is my review. The premise of the season sees a man become suicidal after the death of his wife going through and trying to find a reason to live. 

Main Character

This show was a personal project of Ricky Gervais with him starring, writing and directing and I thought he did a very good job. You can tell his passion for his character, and there is a nice development from the first episode to the last episode, he also has some really funny lines especially when he is being confrontational about things that we all think about but are too shy to say to people. You can tell he is a character in grieving and even though some things come across as abusive which i'll get to later he does a good job with the material andmakes you have sympathy for the character. 

Supporting Characters

This for me is a mixed bag, some of the characters are performed well such as Gervais' boss and his phsychiatrist but the problem was for me is that we never spend enough time with these characters to really care about them. Everything is shown through Gervais' character point of view so we find other characters irritating because he does and as none of them really have there own thing developed it hurts the characters, though the performers do decent jobs and try it is just the writing that hurts.

Story

The story is pretty emotional, you see this guy at the end of his rope in contrast to the majority of the other character characters are trying to help, it is a pretty predictable plot but I thought it was well done and even though it is predictable it is handled well enough. The main issue I have with the story is the amount of people that he comes across, it feels like there are too many people, plus it feels like there are times at the beginning of the season where Gevais is just abusive and mean to other characters for no real reason and it takes him from a griever to just an unlikeable person. 

Script

The script did make me laugh quite a bit, it's comedy is quite well handled. The drama is well executed and make you care about the main character and the story that he has throughout. However, I thought this show run into an issue, the script mentions suicide so much that it felt like Gervais was just postering and I never actually felt like he was actually going to commit Suicide. Then onto those scenes that come across as bullying and abusive, it just isn't a good look for the character and it harms the earlier parts of the show. 

Style

The style of the show is fine, it is paced really well at being 30 minutes long and 6 episodes it does enough to keep you interested without you getting bored or sick of it. I do feel like if the show wants to focus on more of the side characters in the future it would maybe either need longer episodes or a few more to get all the content in. The only thing about the style is that with everything beeing shown through our main protagonist it feels like every other character gets undercut when there was definitley potential for some interesting storytelling with some of the other players. 

Overall

Overall, I don't really get the hype for this show, it is a fine first season with a good lead performance and a dramatic story but the rest of the departments are a let down and I guess I just didn't get invested in the show enough, hopefully the 2nd season is an improvement for me. 

Rating - 6/10

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1 (2008) Review

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1 (2008) Review

 With the new season of The Clone Wars upon us I have decided to rewatch the whole series and here is my review for the first season of the show. The premise of the season sees Anakin Skywalker, Ashoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi and fellow Jedi's attempt to defeat the Seperatist forces led by General Grievous, Count Dooku & Asajj Ventress.

Main Character

Not suprisingly Anakin Skywalker is the main character on this show and as I mentioned in my Clone Wars Movie review it is really entertaining seeing the character in his prime as a Jedi Knight and we really see why he was such a respected Jedi and why both sides were keen on him being on their side. However, his character is pretty bland and actually at times quite annoying, it seems for somebody so experienced he makes plenty of mistakes and it seems like the other characters are always right over him which does hurt his character. 

Supporting Characters

Obi-Wan Kenobi is the main supporting character on the show and his dynamic with Anakin is interesting as it shows them as friends more which we less in the films so it does help make that arc feel more realistic in the films especially Revenge Of The Sith. Ashoka is back as Anakin's apprentice, even though that makes no sense as established in Revenge Of The Sith and she is a fun character, she has probably the best development of any character in the show as she really grows form her place as padawan to a more senior Jedi and it is nice to see. Captain Rex is the main clone Trooper on the show and he is great, he is battle tested but you also see his loyalty to his Jedi and it makes him a character that you care about and want to see survive. The villains share some screen time but I would say Grievous is probably the main one and even though his character is made to look very weak you find a bit more about his character and how he ended up the way he is and it interested me enough, but he needs to get the upper hand more in future seasons. 

Story

The story shows the depcition of the war very well, it literally feels like the entire galaxy is at war and that there is really nothing but the war which keeps are heroes always heading to the next battle. However, this show is very episodic, it lacks a season long narrative to keep you invested and focuses either on one epsidode arcs or at most a three part story. This is showed by the pilot and the season finale's that feel like isolated episodes and don't really connect to anything else which is disappointing. 

Script

The script for the show does a good job at making even the Jedi feel more natural and a bit more comedic then the films make them making them more interesting in the process. However, the show decides to make the battle droids comedic relief and they are just cringeworthy and not funny at all and it also takes away from the severity of the battles. 

Style 

The style of the show looks great when it comes to the action scenes, it is great seeing The Jedi in full force and seeing the clones and droids engage each other in huge scaled battles either on ground or in space. But I will say this season has 22 episodes and I felt like even though they are only 25 minutes long there are a few episodes that could have been cut and would have made a better contained story. Also and this is something the show can't help but it is sometimes difficult to get invested in the battles when you know the main characters can't die as they are going to be in Revenge Of The Sith. 

Overall

Overall, this is an okay first season of the show, you can tell they are getting then hang of the show and it is entertaining to watch but I hope it does improve vastly in the future.

Rating - 6/10 

Cobra Season 1 (2020) Review

Cobra Season 1 (2020) Review

 I saw the adverts for this show and I was intrigued to watch Cobra, so this is my review for the 6 episode first season. The premise of the season sees after a solar flare takes out all the power in the UK, the government led by the Prime Minister have to attempt to get the power back on. 

Main Character

Robert Carlyle plays the prime minister in this show and I thought he did a really good job in this show in the role, he started off a bit boring but he really grows into the show and ends up delivering a pretty powerful performance. You can see the stress build as the season goes on and he has to deal with quite a bit in the show and you care about him in the role.

Supporting Characters

Richard Dormer from Game Of Thrones is in this show and is probably the best character in the show, he gets plenty of screen time, especially at the beginning of the show and you do care about his character. He delivers a strong performance and I hope we see more of him in other things now Game Of Thrones has finished. David Haig plays an antagonist in the show and he is very unlikeable and he is pretty charismatic to watch, you really grow to not like the guy and he comes across as a true distasteful character. The rest of the cast wasn't as interesting, Victoria Hamilton is one of the main characters but I really didn't care about her character or the story arc that she has in the show even though the show really tries to make you care. The rest of the cast is forgettable and some of them I wonder why they were even in the show. 

Story

The story when it comes to the power going out is pretty interesting, you see the basic insticts come out in people quite quickly which I feel like might happen in real life if this happened. The tension is built very well and as the season progresses it builds and builds to make you care about the situation that the cabinet are put in. However, there are all these side plots that are just boring and they feel tacked onto the main story to attempt to flesh out the characters but you don't really care. Also this show ends really abruptly clearly setting up a second season but it makes this season feel incomplete and like there are elements of the story that aren't complete.

Script

The drama is pretty good, the characters confront each other very organically and it feels very real. The use of bad language doesn't feel overused and does a good job of showing just how stressed that these characters were. The humour is attempted to make these characters feel more real but it just doesn't work and feels out of place, this is one show that probably could have done with being very serious due to the subject matter.

Style

The show as mentioned does a very good job of building the conflict and the tension amongst the government and the public which for somebody who lives in the UK feels very real. But I had a bit of an issue with the tone of the show, I wish it had been a bit more of a balanced argument between the government and the working class but they don't, they clearly make it protagonists and antagonists which weakens this show.

Overall

Overall, this is an okay show, there are some good parts of this show especially when it comes to building tension. But this show isn't that interesting and if you have a little interest in it then it might be worth a watch but other then that it isn't really worth the time.

Rating - 6/10