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Reviews
Another Life (2019)
A severe case of WTF?
I was very excited when I saw that Katee Sackhoff was in the series, but that excitement was short lived. By the end of the first episode I was reeling with a severe case of WTF? The script and storyline, the characters and acting, nothing is plausible or in anyway believable. I was so hoping for some good and clever Sci-Fi, but it was not to be. I did try a second episode the next night, but after 15 minutes I just couldn't bring myself to waste any more of my life trying to find something redeemable about it.
I'm sure the cast won't be bragging about this gig on their resumé.
Don't waste your time on this one/
Tales of the City (2019)
Oh dear - It just didn't work.
I wanted to enjoy the series. I really did. Unfortunately I was let down badly. The witty repartee, lovable whirl of personalities and hysterical (if pertinent) social insights of the books seem to be have replaced with stilted quasi soap opera scripting, PC overload, and for those who know and love the books, strange twists of the characters, timelines, reference points and history. To pick a cast for such a well loved series of books always leads to criticism. In general I found the acting was pretty good with lovely performances by Olivia Dukakis, Laura Linney and Paul Gross. However, the choice of Ellen Page as Shawna has me completely baffled. It seems that everything I have seen her in is a slight variation of the same character, and that intense, dark, troubled persona that Ms. Page is so good at portraying just doesn't do the character, or back-story, of Shawna Hawkins any credit. The saddest part of the series for me was the ending. Armistead Maupin wrote one of the most fitting demises for a character such as Anna Madrigal - an image that 'Tales' lovers hold dear, and should never have been messed with. To have seen fit to re-write it is pure sacrilege. I wish the series had worked. Not only for myself, but for of Maupin's Barbary Lane fans.
The Umbrella Academy (2019)
Compelling and entertaining viewing
Netflix really got the mix right with this one. In general the acting and character development is very well handled with particularly good performances from Aidan Gallagher (Number 5), Cameron Brittan (Hazel) and Robert Sheehan (Claus). The story line is what you would expect it to be for a series in this genre, but without being too clichéd. There are enough off-the-wall scenarios to keep you intrigued, but without loosing the cohesiveness of the plot. It hooked me and I can't wait for a second season to see where this adventure is going to lead. The show will have it's haters but it really works for me.
Fastest Car (2018)
Less sob story and more car please!
Its a nice idea. Three sleepers against a Supercar in a 7-day build-up to a 4-car quarter mile drag race. There are some great (and surprising) cars, clever engineering, and the determined persistence of the participants to get that last drop of power to deliver on the day. However, the producers wring every bit of tear-jerking blah-yak out of the back stories, which makes for really painful viewing and keeps the skip button within thumbs reach. I'd like to see the same concept of program in a more serious form, that goes beyond this quasi-reality/drama genre of programming. There are exceptions, but be prepared, the majority of the Supercar drivers in the episodes are the most obnoxious, OTT, excessive characters I have had the misfortune to watch. I hope the concept gets re-hashed at some time in the future into a more palatable viewing experience.