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Category: TV

  • Sex Education: Netflix’s Fun and Raunchy Ode to Teen Sex…and So Much More

    It’s clear from the first seconds that Sex Education will indeed be about sex. While the opening R-rated scene shows the most skin of any in the series, most episodes kick off with some sort of sexual union or attempt at one. The teens of Moordale Secondary School in England are consumed by sex: thinking…

  • Maid: Netflix’s Crushing, Heartwarming Series on a Life in Poverty

    Seven public assistance programs, nine moves, 338 toilets cleaned, and two stints at the Domestic Violence shelter. Such is life for Alex (Margaret Qualley, The Leftovers) as she escapes an abusive relationship and struggles to provide for her three-year-old daughter, Maddy. She works as a maid while trying to navigate the red tape of governmental…

  • Ray Donovan: The Movie – The Series Gets Its “Shine a Light” Finale

    “It had to end…it had to stop.” Bridget Donovan sums up the saga of Ray Donovan, and particularly, the lifelong strife between Ray and his con-man father, Mickey. Ray Donovan: The Movie gives fans the conclusion to the series they were robbed of after Showtime unexpectedly canceled the show after the season seven finale. The…

  • Best American Remakes of Foreign TV Shows

    Some of the best American TV shows were based on foreign programs. In some cases, the original program was well known, in others unknown. The American versions sometimes take on a life of their own making the foreign originals a footnote. The wide world of TV is an oyster for American producers looking for compelling…

  • Yellowjackets Review: A Horrific Experience Haunts a Girls Soccer Team

    A girl being chased through a snow-covered forest is suddenly impaled by falling into a hole filled with large, sharp sticks. Fast forward 25 years and a journalist asks, “what really happened out there?” This is the enticing and foreboding opening of Showtime’s Yellowjackets, the network’s latest outstanding contribution to Sunday night TV. It just…

  • Hanna Delivers a Kickass Joyride Through CIA-Conspiracy Land

    A young girl growing up in the forest with her father who is training her to become an assassin. Their life is all about grooming Hanna to kill the CIA agent that is hunting her down. The training is all-consuming, focusing on intense physical fitness, memorizing reams of knowledge, and remaining emotionless and mentally steadfast…

  • Kim’s Convenience: The Feel-Good Comedy Didn’t Get the Happy Ending

    Looking for that funny, wholesome comedy to carry on the warm-fuzzy feel of Schitt’s Creek? Look no further than the Candian comedy, Kim’s Convenience. It’s about a Canadian-Korean family trying to navigate both sides of their culture in Toronto. The parents run a mom-and-pop shop, Kim’s Convenience – they live above the store, so it’s…

  • Ten TV Shows That Left Us Too Soon

    That TV show that grabbed you right away. You got invested and hooked as it filled in the storylines, introduced new characters, and posited intriguing situations to explore. Then the all too common bombshell after a season or two. Cancelation. What, how could they? Easy, poor ratings. That’s the answer, no matter the network or…

  • The Many Saints of Newark: A Taste of Pre-Sopranos

    Saint: A person acknowledged as holy or virtuous (formal); kind and patient (informal).* There’s certainly not many saints by this definition in Newark, NJ. Rather, the main characters of The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of New Jersey are brutal, impulsive, and all in need of sensitivity training. One minute, Dickie Moltisanti, is charming and…

  • Emmys: Sure Things, Surprises, and Cedric

    Predictable big winners, a few surprises, some lame segments, and nice shout-outs for three recently departed performers. And once again, we’re asking ourselves do we really need a host for these Awards shows? Here’s a closer look at the 73rd Emmy Awards. Ted Lasso and The Crown won big in the Comedy and Drama Awards.…

  • American Crime Story: Three Worthwhile Crime Dramas with Flair

    True crime dramas are all over TV and seemingly getting more popular all the time. How ’bout O.J. Simpson and Bill Clinton? Gianni Versace, too. American Crime Story was one of the first to jump into this genre and tackled these three crime stories and has more on the way. American Crime Story is a…

  • Emmys 2021: Ted Lasso & The Crown Seem Hard to Beat

    It’s time again to honor the best-of primetime TV. The Emmys will be held on Sunday, September 19th at L.A. Live’s outdoor/indoor space, the Event Deck, airing at 5:00 p.m., PST on CBS and Paramount +. As reported in these pages and many others, Awards shows are no longer the go-to destination entertainment event. Ratings…