egunderson24 Reviews

Breaking Bad: ...And the Bag's in the River (2008) Season 1, Episode 3

Very good

[9/10 · 17 March 2023]

It seems the show has mostly found it's footing. It ain't without some flaws but nothing worth diving too deep into. It has intensity, action, powerful emotion, the one person I would say hasn't found their footing is the cameraman. There are some very mediocre camerawork moments throughout. But I had to take this episode down because of an insensitive quote. The cops are checking out the car that the guys left in the desert, and one of them brings up Rain Man as a way to prove his intellect, and the other says "yeah you're like Rain Man... ret*rded" That should not have made it out of the initial script draft. Who thought that was a good line to put in an episode even as a playful jab or snarky remark?

Outside of that, it completes the multi- episode arc of the basement guy, and shows what happened after the bathtub guy. Everything else in the episode including that is very good. It's not an episode that really wowed me but it's good. There are some really good intense moments especially with Walter and his wife. I like the episode overall. Like I said it has intensity, conclusions, and one hell of a cliffhanger ending.

Breaking Bad: Pilot (2008) Season 1, Episode 1

Simultaneously great, weird, and awful

[7/10 · 12 March 2023]

That was definitely different than what I expected. I knew the base premise going in, so I sort of had an idea of what would happen. I have to say this episode has some really great moments, especially in the second half. My favorite is when they get confronted by the two guys and WW makes a compound that will cause an explosion. They have some great use of music in intense moments like when a fire starts outside, and it drives up the stakes. I also appreciate the showing of titties with that lady in the window. The first scene with Bryan in the desert in just his underwear felt like something from his other major show, Malcolm in the Middle. It really made me think of that right off the bat! Some of these things are a little weird, but they didn't bother me.

But there's one big catch. There are some REALLY awful scenes. In the middle of the episode, there's a scene that goes on for a FULL THREE MINUTES of Walter White talking with his wife in bed as she beats his dick. It's the most uncomfortable I've ever felt watching a show- worse than the South Park episode with the live sex change footage. It feels so out of nowhere and unnecessary that it takes away majorly from the rest of the episode. The ending scene started to turn me off too, where it was fine at first but went on a bit too long and especially how the sound effects continued in the end credits. Like I said, the rest of the episode is great but I'm going to remember the discomfort of these types of scenes more than the great other aspects. I seriously considered giving up on watching through the show at that point. Apparently the rest of Season 1 has a lot of similar scenes, so oh boy! Outside of that there were some other things I disliked such as some more technical stuff like dialogue and pacing issues. I wanted to like this episode more than I did, but I wouldn't say it was a negative experience overall. The negatives I pointed out weren't enough to disinterest me from watching the rest of the series, so I'm hoping it picks up to become the great show everyone says it is.

Fresh Off the Boat: Success Perm (2015) Season 1, Episode 4

Decently solid episode

[7/10 · 16 January 2023]

I like how this episode ties itself together. It's biggest strength is wrapping up the loose ends. It's sort of cliche but I think it works to fit with the theme of the series. It starts off unpleasant as these bitter family stories usually do but rights the ship as it goes on.

If I have one complaint, I think the OJ Simpson stuff is pointless and it doesn't need to be there. Other than the fact that it happened during the time, there isn't really a point to it. He calls into the restaurant, supposedly found the famous gloves in the car he repo'd and appears on TV, none of which are useful to the plot. Anyone who doesn't know about the trial will be left confused.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Jellyfish Hunter/The Fry Cook Games (2001) Season 2, Episode 19

Two episodes of a different quality

[8/10 · 12 December 2022]

Jellyfish Hunter is just okay. This is one of the first instances of Mr. Krabs being a despicable person. In episodes like squeaky boots he did something questionable but you can still side with him. This one he has no remorse. He plays as the villain sure but it's not a role I think he should be. If you ask me, SpongeBob should have quit working for him at the end of the episode. I wouldn't be able to look at my boss the same way if I saw them do something like that. But the episode has a few really good jokes and Krabs does pay at the end. I doubt I'll ever watch it again, but it wasn't horrible. I'd give it a six out of 10.

The Fry cook Games on the other hand is a really fantastic episode. There are so many good jokes and creative moments. I love all the different events, and each is jam packed with jokes. It goes by so fast! Overall, I'd give it a 9.

Family Guy: Brian: Portrait of a Dog (1999) Season 1, Episode 7

This Portrait Is A Masterpiece

[10/10 · 3 October 2022]

This might be my favorite episode of the series. Not only is it really funny but also deep, questioning the moral status of society. As Brian feels like he's mistreated as a stereotypical dog by Peter, he leaves the family and gets the same treatment from everyone else. It's like an allegory for the civil rights movement down to the public outraging over his use of the same drinking fountain as them. This episode has some of the best jokes of the season, like the Griffin's new cat, the scene where they parody an old 1930's style cartoon, and of course the Jeopardy scene. With a combination of great jokes and a spectacular setup this is the season's highlight for sure. And that's saying a lot as I really really loved the pilot. Either way, the two best episodes of the season and nothing else comes close.

Impractical Jokers: Pay It Forward (2011) Season 1, Episode 1

Tame but pretty funny

[7/10 · 21 January 2022]

This episode is a little rough around the edges. The guys seem to get off pretty easy, like one time Sal asks one ridiculous question and he's good to go. Even the punishment was pretty tame compared to some of the others. That said it's still pretty funny like the mustache bit and Sal's one ridiculous line from the previously mentioned challenge. And since it was just the first season they are still finding their footing, and definitely the most important episode of the whole show. From here, they went on several tours, got over 250 more episodes, and even a movie. Come in expecting a pretty funny episode that sets up the show, but not a series highlight.

South Park: Fat Butt and Pancake Head (2003) Season 7, Episode 5

Possibly the series' funniest episode

[10/10 · 8 January 2022]

As great as episodes like Casa Bonita, Freak Strike and Scott Tenorman Must Die are, this one takes the cake for me as the funniest at least from what I have seen (about half the episodes). I also like the buildup to whether or not this whole thing was a scheme or actually real.

The Mighty B!: Lil Orphan Happy/Body Rockers (2008) Season 1, Episode 4

AMONG US REFERENCE

[10/10 · 27 April 2021]

Who would have guessed this episode would predict the hit 2018 game Among Us? She thinks someone is the mom of another character then it's revealed they were an impostor, leading to the famous quote "There's an impostor among us!" Funny among us reference lmao XD so funny.

The Simpsons: Itchy & Scratchy & Marge (1990) Season 2, Episode 9

Aged like fine wine

[9/10 · 3 April 2021]

This episode feels relevant more than ever nowadays, especially with how the creators pulled the Michael Jackson episode due to the claims made in the Leaving Neverland documentary and all the other things that are being hidden. Outside of that it has a great psycho parody at the beginning and the scene with the censored version of the cartoon is really funny. This is probably one of my favorite episodes just for the censorship commentary, but what's outside of that is still great as well.

Super Bowl LIII (2019 TV Special)

Worst Super Bowl Ever

[1/10 · 21 March 2021]

I legitimately feel bad for anyone who spent thousands of dollars to see this in person. They should get their money back.

South Park: Fishsticks (2009) Season 13, Episode 5

Pretty good episode with a great commentary

[8/10 · 11 August 2019]

My original review was a 6/10 saying that the commentary was great but the comedy was repetitive. Now I realize there's more layers to the comedy than just the one joke. It very quickly becomes a worldwide sensation which is pretty funny, and the fact that Kanye just can't get the joke is golden. And the ending was great, definitely the funniest part.

The episode shows how an ego can bend your view of reality, and I love the framing device of how Cartman's memory of the joke's creation gets more and more different as it goes on. They also parallel his ego with Kanye's which seems pretty legit. (Except one didn't turn a bully's parents into chili) Even Kanye himself said the episode was pretty funny, so to not take much offense means they did a good job. He even referenced it in a few songs. And it becomes even more relevant after the event of the more infamous moments of Kanye's ego like the 2009 VMA awards, after which they re aired the episode. It's probably one of the more well known episodes as it perfectly shows the ego of West and it has that classic joke.

South Park: Le Petit Tourette (2007) Season 11, Episode 8

So funny

[9/10 · 31 July 2019]

This episode is so great. The idea of Cartman faking having Tourette's in order to take advantage of people is something that seems like a perfect fit and while it strikes some similarities to the episode where he pretends to be retarded to be in the special olympics, it's a formula that always works so well and it's really funny. The spontaneous words he comes up with are so funny and it's really interesting seeing how everyone else reacts. The story feels like it flows naturally and the scene at the therapy center is really powerful. It's one of the show's most powerful moments next to episodes like The Return of Chef and Kenny Dies. In my opinion, any time the show manages to get a powerful emotion it result a in one of the strongest episodes. And the twist of him actually potentially having it is one I didn't actually see coming and it feels like he's actually getting punishment besides getting yelled at. It feels like he actually learned his lesson and even though you know its going to get reversed by next episode that's okay because the show doesn't follow that type of continuity. It's easily one of the strongest episodes in the first half of the season, next to With Apologies to Jesse Jackson.

Everybody Hates Chris: Everybody Hates Keisha (2005) Season 1, Episode 2

Pretty good for a first official episode

[8/10 · 25 July 2019]

I haven't seen the pilot since it isn't on Hulu, but I can say that this episode is good. The cinematography is very well done, the emotions are definitely there, and the jokes (as few as there are) will mostly hit their mark. It could stand to be funnier but it's a good episode anyways.

Stranger Things (2016–2025)

Great atmosphere, good stakes, okay concept

[7/10 · 11 July 2019]

On a conceptual level this series doesn't sound like anything special. It's basically like Poltergeist or It where some sort of mysterious force caused a kid to go missing and now the other characters have to go through scary situations to figure out what happened. 44-minute Episodes are also a little long for me. However now that the negatives are out of the way let's talk about what makes the series good. The biggest strength of the series is easily with the atmosphere. It can get really intense and perfectly captures that scary feeling, or even with how the background music connects to what is happening in the story. There is also the fact that it's set in the 1980s, so all the sets are built to give off that kind of vibe. So overall the settings are great, but what about the mystery itself? While it has been played out before (at least on a conceptual level), how the story is built is that each episode would uncover a little more about the possible forces that caused the boy to go missing. The characters are also pretty good with the most standout for me being the kid with telekinetic powers who doesn't talk until a few episodes in, 011. The series also shows how the mystery would affect the characters and all the weird things that would happen (the most notable for me would be when the 3 yr old is walking through the hallway and the lights turn on and off.) The mom gives off a vibe where she's comparable to Kevin's mom from the Home Alone movies where she's determined to find her son and make sure he's all right, even if it means fighting with people you probably shouldn't fight with. This story in general could also be semi-relatable to some parents (minus all the supernatural elements.) As parents you never want something like this to happen to your kids and you fear what would happen to them if it did. As of this original review, I have only watched the first season. As I watch more of it I will keep you and the review updated.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

A great send off

[8/10 · 5 July 2019]

As it is the final film in this trilogy, it sure sent it off with a bang. The love story between the 2 dragons is greatly told without the need for dialogue and the last time that a film was able to do that and do it so well was Wall-E back in 2008. The emotions this film gives the audience are very strong, whether it be some good laughs or some powerful moments. Admittedly the film has its predictable moments but its not enough to bring it down too much. The action scenes are highly engaging and the characters are a lot of fun. It's also nice that it shows some flashbacks of things that take place before the film series (which also gives Hiccup's dad another appearance.) I haven't even mentioned how great the animation is yet. From the landscapes to the dragons (especially the new light fury) look stunning. The movie wraps up the events of the series very well and is definitely the satisfying ending I was hoping for.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Pretty good even as a non-Marvel fanatic

[8/10 · 1 June 2019]

Don't get me wrong I really do enjoy Marvel movies but i'm not a die-hard fan where I have seen every movie tons of times, read all the comics, andknow all the characters. With that said, that will definitely be a big factor on how much you will enjoy this. The more you know about Marvel, its characters, and the universe, the more you will enjoy it. Even for casual fans like myself it's still a really enjoyable experience with some enjoyable action, some pretty good comedic moments, and some heartfelt moments. In the beginning I was still trying to figure out who's who. It was difficult to discern who was who at the beginning (it didn't help either that there were very few name drops) but as it went on I started to get it more (and some characters like Iron Man and Thanos were easily recognizable.) And no, i'm not going to spoil anything in this review (most of the Internet has already done that anyways). But even with a bit of confusion it was far from enough to keep this from being an enjoyable watch. Plus it's not the movie's fault as that's how most of these movies are, depending on strong continuity and targeting the fan base more than anyone else. However it was pretty cool that they included scenes from some of their previous movies like the original Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America The Winter Soldier, but have it fit in with the time-travel aspect of this movie.Even for a casual fan like myself I was able to pinpoint which movies they were (thanks to the movie indicating what years each were taking place). It also didn't feel too out-of-place (albeit feeling a little weird to see the scenes pop up here.) It would have been nice if the movie started out with a little recap of what happened before and included scenes from previous movies to tie the story together, but it was still cool that they added those scenes in. I was skeptical of the three-hour running time but the movie managed to make it feel like it went by relatively quickly. It was also awesome that so many characters from all the different movies were in here. However it was a bit disappointing that I felt like some didn't get enough screen time like Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. Even Thanos didn't have as much screen time as I expected. But their appearances were still enjoyable and the final battle was AWESOME with all the characters coming together to help the Avengers out. It's easily the highlight of the movie (as it should be).

Remember that this review was from a perspective of someone who hasn't watched a lot of these movies (and some were so long ago that it almost feels like I haven't watched them at all.) While I may not have loved this movie 3000, I definitely loved it somewhere around 2500.

Seinfeld: Good News, Bad News (1989) Season 1, Episode 1

First Seinfeld Experience... somewhat solid

[7/10 · 22 May 2019]

As it is known as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, it is interesting to look back on it. I am just beginning my first watch of the series, and I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed with the pilot. It seems like there's about 50% stand up and 50% actual events happening, like seeing the events unfold like at the laundromat or Jerry's apartment. From what I've gathered, it's not a story-heavy show. The stand-up does have some good moments, but it's really when they would show us the actual events that it becomes the funniest. The chemistry between Seinfeld and the other characters like George is great. The laundromat scene is great and the scene where Jerry is talking to George about what happened between him and this girl is easily the funniest part of the episode. Jerry's cluelessness is what makes it so funny and how George would respond to it. Unfortunately she only appears at the very end for maybe two minutes max. But it is funny when she reveals that she's already engaged. Overall it's a bit of a rocky start but it's still a fun watch and I'm still going to continue watching.

Wonder (I) (2017)

Good adaptation

[8/10 · 12 May 2019]

With all the adaptations of books into movies, it's surprising how few of them actually turn out to be good. This is one of the few that does, and not because it does something new, but because it tries to stick to the source material as much as possible. There are very few moments that are added just for the movie. In fact, there are actually a few things that were removed. This can cause a bit of confusion in the storyline (like when August says on the phone that he started the summer names club, but it wasn't brought up earlier when he was at the table with Summer) but that's only a very minor issue. There are also some major plot points that are gone, like the whole plot point of Auggie's hearing aid, but thankfully it's not a big deal. The acting overall is pretty solid and the characters represent who they were in the book. It can really capture some powerful emotions! It can also have some cheesy moments but it's clear that the heart is in the right place. Since it is based on a book from 2012, it could feel like a few things in the film are dated but they're just small scenes and it's only following the book so it shouldn't be a big issue. And since it is a story about fifth graders, there can be some immature moments, which may throw some people off when the tone would change drastically from a powerfully emotional scene to a few minutes later has the characters making burps. Overall though, the film was very well done. It may have several minor issues but it is still a well made adaptation that successfully captures the emotion of the book it was based on.

South Park: Tsst (2006) Season 10, Episode 7

Great episode

[10/10 · 9 May 2019]

What a great idea for an episode. Seeing how bad Cartman is it really makes sense to base an episode around this (I am surprised they didn't do this earlier). It also has a nice quick parody of Supernanny toward the beginning. Like the Return of Chef (another of my personal favorites) this isn't one of the funniest episodes but it does have some great material. It's also really nice to see a gradual change in Cartman's behavior (I wouldn't be surprised if some real parents learned a few things from this). At the end, I was SURE they were going to hit the reset button like they have done so many times. In the last shot showing Cartman hugging his mom, I was sure he was going to do a manipulative smirk or something, but he didn't. And that was such a breath of fresh air to see him just being a good kid. Far too often from him we have seen manipulation, turning his back, but for once we actually get what I could argue is the best ending in the series thus far. This really shows how they can go from one of their lower points with A Million Little Fibers, to a couple episodes later back at the top.

South Park: A Million Little Fibers (2006) Season 10, Episode 5

Better than people say, although not one of the greatest hits

[6/10 · 7 May 2019]

I can understand why some people don't like this. It does have some notable problems like how the plot is rushed, Oprah turning on Towelie feels forced and out of the blue, none of the side characters are here (meaning that Towelie only has Oprah to bounce off of) and even some of the voice acting is a little off. It's as if Towelie's voice actor died and someone else had to take over and weren't able to nail the voice (like when Mary Kay Bergman died, and other people had to take over voicing Wendy and the other female characters and you could tell the difference). That's not the case however, his actor is still doing well. For anyone who's a fan of Towelie (like myself) will get some enjoyment out of this. Not to mention that even though the side plot of what's going on inside Oprah is absurd, it results in some of the funniest moments. However, some of the scenes in that plot are REALLY stretched so that the episode could be long enough. Their conversations being played on a still image can feel like they just drag on and there's no reason it has to be that long. It's definitely not the best episode, but it has some pretty good moments. Unfortunately those good moments are seriously weighed down

South Park: The Return of Chef (2006) Season 10, Episode 1

Great, great, GREAT!

[10/10 · 2 May 2019]

After the Scientology episode, Chef's voice actor left South Park for good, stating that the show had crossed the line from satire to intolerance. However, that wouldn't stop Trey and Matt from giving his character one last appearance. In this episode, they worked with all the sound clips that they already had from previous episodes, mashing them together to form sentences. And the effect actually works pretty well! Sometimes it is clear when the clips would change, but other times it would blend surprisingly well. Like Kenny Dies, it's another episode that is a worthy sendoff to a character. Except this time, the decision is never reversed. This makes it more impactful and I think this episode is even better than Kenny Dies. The ending here is very strong and the rest of the episode is just as good. While Chef changing from a caring friend to a child molester seems like a weird storyline, it actually works pretty well in that they are all realizing he isn't the same as he used to be. The episode isn't one of the funniest but it has its good moments. Plus the episode's focus is more to give Chef a good sendoff rather than to be as funny so it's not really a flaw. It intrigues me to see what will they do next for a sendoff of a character. So many characters we haven't seen in years could benefit from a sendoff and the creators have proven that any time they attempt it, it would result in one of the strongest episodes of the show.

South Park: Die Hippie, Die (2005) Season 9, Episode 2

Definitely better than last episode

[8/10 · 24 April 2019]

It seems that Season 9 is getting on track after being off to a pretty bad start with "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina". Thankfully it shows that they want to take South Park back to the roots this time and do what they do best: commentaries. It is true that last episode had a bit of a commentary on transgenders (although it was obviously done long before the "inclusiveness" debacle we see in 2019) but this one is funnier and more well done. And so is everything in the episode in general. The jokes are better, the imagery is more pleasant, and the while the story is more standard, it works pretty well. Hopefully the rest of Season 9 is closer to the quality of this episode than the last one, but I have yet to watch the rest of the season as of the time I wrote this review.

South Park: Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina (2005) Season 9, Episode 1

There's a few good notes, but oh god

[3/10 · 24 April 2019]

This definitely has one of the worst scenes in The show's history. Mr. Garrison wanting to be a woman is believable enough in itself, and there are a few decent jokes, but the episode is seriously weighed down by the imagery. The sex change scenes are nauseating and the scene where Kyle's knees explode is not immune either. I'm just glad I knew about the imagery before I watched the episode, but it was still awful to watch. It does have a few interesting ideas, but they don't get explored outside of a few jokes relating to the topics at hand. Anyone squeamish should definitely skip this one.

South Park: Something Wall-Mart This Way Comes (2004) Season 8, Episode 9

A good mix of old and new

[8/10 · 20 April 2019]

At first glance, this may sound like a copy of Season 2's "Gnomes". Think about it. It's about a big corporation coming into town and devastating the small businesses by taking over everything. However, everything else is different enough to give it a pass. Where Gnomes had the Harbucks plot line mixed in with the idea of the boys writing a report on a current event, Wall-mart is more about showing the actual effects that it has on the businesses. While this idea was brought up in Gnomes, it is given a bit more attention here, showing how people have completely stopped going to other places (even places with services that Wall-mart doesn't offer, like Tom's Rhinoplasty). Much of the comedy can be found in everybody freaking out over the discounts (and the boys' reactions to it) and what the boys are doing in this situation and how they are being affected by it. It also remembers that a signature of South Park is the commentaries on various issues, so like Gnomes it gives another well-made commentary on corporations. However this time, it is the complete opposite of Kyle's speech at the end of Gnomes. This is likely due to the fact the issue at hand actually has more of an effect on him this time (whereas last time they were just blindly following what Mr. Tweak and the Gnomes told him to say). Again, both these episodes are good on their own merits so it will depend on the person which they think is better.

South Park: AWESOM-O (2004) Season 8, Episode 5

Pleasantly surprised

[9/10 · 17 April 2019]

This is easily one of the funniest episodes in a while. Having Cartman act as a robot and take advantage of Butters is an idea with a lot of possibilities and they definitely worked with it. Instead of Cartman just being a douche as usual, he has to tone himself down to keep his robot persona. This adds a bit of tension as he has to remember to not give his identity away. It was somewhat easy to lay out that he was going to get caught at some point, but the situation is more of when, not if. It also remembers to add some serious situations that really test his commitment to not give himself up. Also he does get his comeuppance at the end which is really funny too. Seeing his Britney Spears side is so funny and it makes me wish the rest of the season was as laugh-out-loud funny as this. Some of the other episodes do have some really good moments but this episode, I have found, is the MOST consistently funny.