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southgatekid
Reviews
Call the Midwife: Episode #13.7 (2024)
😳😳😳😳
We gave watched this since day 1. Hooked from the start. Always great cast on episodes, many very memorable. The writing was world class. We have streamed the series multiple times, never gets old or boring. Having said that and feeling somewhat a traitor, the series has gotten to where regular characters are stale and their dialogue predictable. Matthew and Trixie are depressing, overblown, pretentious. It has gotten so bad that, I mute them and others ,as they are irritating. Like musicians, theres a time to leave the stage, to applause, nit when seats are empty. Again, I wish it weren't so .
Masters of the Air: Part One (2024)
Sad
This is more of a caricature than a faithful fascimile. The CGI of the bombers is really poor. They have them doing maneuvers that are more like those done by fighter aircraft..the dialogue is not what one would expect. When you watched Band of Brothers and Pacific, you found yourself forgetting it was tv. The cast, quite a few we know from BBC programming are in predictable and cliched characters and dialogue. I had high hopes when I heard it was coming soon. I think thus will be an example of going to the well too many times. Growing up a friend of my dads flew B-17's. This series doesnt
do justice IMO.
The Nest (2020)
Dang
We had really high hopes after seeing the cast. Carrie coon , Jude Law and others excellent artists. I would've thought this was an American script, given the scenes that were stretched to burn airtime and sex scenes . The premise looked promising, eighties financial scene. Its like a few ideas and thoughts were thrown into tumbler and this came out. The scene where he went to see his mother, was very painful. Two of the best artists in England, drug through hokey scene. What could have bern a great movie stumbled right out of the gate and never found its rhythm. Bottom line the horse that got sick and was euthanized was the lucky one.
Fool Me Once (2024)
Fizzled out
Always enjoy Harold Coben tv movies or series. Sadly, this one is unraveling quickly. If it wasnt the dead of winter, we'd probably bail out, but we will see it through to the end. While the basic storyline is interesting , the characters are either unbelievable, or just plain generic and predictable. The actor line up looked good but it is not working. Maya and Shane characters are caricatures. Over the top. Sami the detective actor, Adeel akhtar is a favorite of ours, but he is being wasted here. Trying to stick it out, but its not looking good here at closing of episode 3. Hoping for a rebound but its looking DOA.
The Equalizer 3 (2023)
Equalizer 3
I wasn't holding much hope for this, it being the third installment. And i wasn't disappointed. My grandson saw it and warned me, it was sub-par. But since it was streaming free, we watched it. Denzel Washington is one our my favorite actors. I don't know if this was a contractual obligation or what. The rest of the cast has others we enjoy also. From the opening scene, it was apparent they lacked plot depth and opted for a body count. A victim with an axe in his head, was a precursor to disappointments to come. Like old rock bands, there's times you let go, and get offstage. This storyline is just that. This is just another in a long line of typical American plots that stink. Again casting was good but you cant polish a turd.
Death in Paradise: Christmas Special (2023)
Flame out
Sad to say, after a nice long run, it's time , at least for me, to finish with it. From the first season, very seldom very few clinkers. In spite of major changes to Inspectors, the series held its own. There are many scene stretchers , burn some air time, which usually shows declining script quality. The guests are always good , and their parts used to be well written. So many of the last few episodes, the scripts have been, sliding downhill. You hold on, hoping for better, but it doesn't come . Will stream the older seasons, but the last three are nor worth the time. Lots of mrmories and good tunes, tho.
Fargo: The Tragedy of the Commons (2023)
Flame out
A good cast, but the writing has fizzled out. Had high hopes as the cast covered many other shows, movies that we have enjoyed. I guess you can only go to the well so many times. A few characters make you cringe when they are onscreen. From poor accents to their lines. Fargo has a history of well written scripts, but this one is very bad. Hearing this is the last season is sad, but another at this level of quality would be even worse.when comparing characters over the years, they kept evolving and developing through the seasons. Here, the characters had peaked by second episode. We watch previous seasons yearly. Was hoping the series would close on a high note. Sadly not..be advised.
The Ex-Wife (2022)
Brutally bad
Thought we would take a chance on this. Usually brit series are better than this. The storyline at first appeared pretty good, but right out of the gate, it started flailing really bad. The "Jack" is really smarmy. How 2 women fell in love with this tool is amazing. The two wives are bizarre, his ex, is good at being snotty, and his current wife seems like shes 15 yrs old, which gives it a pervy feel. The actors are good from what I've seen in other projects, but they are wasted here. The script is right up there with the American swill we are stuck with ove. All in all am hoping Jack character, and his wives end up DOA in the script.. 🤔😔🤢
The Chelsea Detective: The Blue Room (2023)
Its back.
So glad this came back for another season. Last season was excellent, and even with cast changes this season, its off to a great start. Living in the United States, programming here is rubbish, so we mainly watch European and Australian programming. Writing is top notch and acting is excellent. Plot lines are believable, usually unpredictable. Been watching British programming almost exclusively, so we are tracking the careers and paths of many actors/actresses. All actors are great for their parts. Theres the little things in the scripts, small but brings continuity to the plots and that makes it all the more enjoyable..highly recommend!!!
Who Is Erin Carter? (2023)
Brutal, simply brutal
Watched this due to Doug Henshaw, in cast. We are on episode 4 now. The script is horrible. Unbelievable body healings. Get beat silly, next day you are normal. Predictable acting and dialogue. I remember early 70's martial arts movies, all action, no real relationships formed. The action borders on unbelievable, like when she jumps off overpass onto semi trailer. We will watch the rest mainly just to make fun of it. Feel bad for Doug Henshaw. Excellent actor , Shetland, and he's reduced to the walk on, walk off scenes. Figuring he's going to be the Godfather or something similar. The worst though was the pool cleaner or whatever he was with a man-bun still.. other than Henshaw, the main girl, Erin's daughter is good....
Jack Ryan: Convergence (2023)
Good swan song
Have enjoyed all the seasons of the Krazinski led series. A great cast, known and unknown. Each season it's strengths and a couple weakness', consistently. Admiral Greer , played a great actor, is a bit tarnished. His script is so laden with F bombs, it's sad. Wendel Pierce is a great actor , but the script dialog shallows the character. There's a hint this year of troubled relationship between Greer and son. NO ONE cares. We watch for the suspense , action and thrills, not a therapy scene ...the scripts have been good and timely for the most part, but not up to Clancys level. Will miss any further seasons.
A Man Called Otto (2022)
Predictable, but not too bad
We streamed this, I was wary, as Tom Hanks hasn't had a really good movie since Bridge of spies. The cast was ok, a few pleasant surprises. It seems there's no really quality scripts anymore. I know it was based on an European release, but I figure it was better over there. American cinema has become predictable and dull. It's either lackluster like this or CGI fantasy cartoons. Writing is at a low point, which may explain the re-makes lately of good movies. The last movies that was worth the price of admission, was Belfast, and knives out. The money spent was worth it..streaming at home is nice but am missing going to theatre, too many bombs out there though.
1923: Ghost of Zebrina (2023)
Hopes dashed
I started watching this series due mainly yo the cast. All great artists . Scenery is beautiful... but again disappointment rears it's ugly head, in American productions. We go from boat sinking , then rescued, then back to ranch. All well done, but there's the obligatory, hookers, the bsdm. I took a shot at this even after Yellowstone. I don't know if it's studio pressure for the sex scenes or filler for gaps in the script, but once again American programming ceases not to disappoint in being mediocre. I thought with such a cast of British actors, they'd bring this this series up a bit. While being good, you can't save lousy writing D-
Mum (2016)
A waste of great actors
Peter mullan, Leslie manville and a few others drew us to this. Most are great in other roles. 3 episodes in Im done. My wife hung in there. I enjoy satire and sarcasm, in doses, but this is a collection of irritating characters, except for the aforementioned artists. Threshold nothing to draw you to their asinine remarks and snarky attitudes after 3 episodes. I hung in for 5 , painfully and called it quits...i ve watched quite a few edgy Brit comedies, but this is so bad. Reading reviews, I saw how viewership was up and down, not surprising. The grandparents added nothing to stories other than dread. Sorry, it's hortible.
Yellowstone (2018)
Really?
I binge watched the first 4 seasons this past summer e-bike my wife was out of town. A friend suggested it. Recognizing the actress playing Beth from British programming, which we mainly watch, I rolled the dice. It was a see-saw ride between ok, down to I'm wasting my time.
The premise looked very good, but when it came to end product disappointment was the norm. The dialogue is the predictable american F- bomb barrage. I worked 50 years and never heard many people talk like that, those who did, were just out of high school, which has to be the target audience here. The friend who suggested the series to me has bailed on season 5 after 2 episodes. I know I sound like a broken record, but American programming, writing, and scripts are predictable, obscenity laden, and not worth the time. They can take good cast , and misuse them. I won't watch #5 .
Call the Midwife: Christmas Special (2022)
Times change
This is my favorite series from BBC. It has the the best soundtrack season to season, scripts are always good. Have seen new actors grow into staples over the years. It's green a history lesson to show cultural changes from post war to now 70's London. Many topical historical happenings written into scripts and addressed. Having said that, it is getting to be wrap up time.. the new characters lack the depth of earlier ones, thus setting up a predictability and lessening of quality coming forth. Sadly I think it's time to wrap it up. Next season would be a good time to,tie things up. It's our favorite, but please don'f jump the shark.
1923 (2022)
Much better
Tried to watch 1883, and got half way through the series and we had to bail on it. Tim McGraw and faith Hill are singers first. They're not strong enough to headline a series, especially this one. The storyline seemed good, but when there's characters you're rooting to get bumped off , it's time to go. The daughter brutal. We left the series. I thrn watched 1-4 of Yellowstone. I had to push through. Ted a tree playing Beth's we'd seen in British shows. She's excellent. Here they gave her a tiring character to play.. season 5 is iffy as to if I watch it. Having said that to get here, this is much better, than them. Helen mirren is excelkent as well as others. Harrison Ford is a bit like John Wayne , a name who is the same in any role he plays..more hope for this series. Third time the charm?
Jack Ryan (2018)
Sub par
I've read all the books Clancy wrote, and re-read thrm. Well written great storylines and characters. The first round of movies with Harrison Ford were good. Ben Affleck not so much, and Sum of all fears was my favorite book. This string with a great cast all around, watching the second time around is lacking. The characters are cruder, dialogue wise. Greer in the Krasinski strings, can't manage two lines without the F-bombs. It demeans Greer as written. He was a class act. Here he's hard to take, and listen to. Some of the lines are so painful,across the characters it's brutal. As I said many of my favorite actors in the first two, waiting on third to drop, but the scripts are gutter quality as far as dialogue.. if 3+is a bad, we will bail..
A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)
Not bad
My wife put this on out of curiosity. I sat down out of curiosity, no real desire. Over the years I've suffered through Jaw2-3-4, other sequels, and even worse... re-makes.. Sandlot.. seeing the cast grown now was kind of nice, and clips saved the movie was being a crash and burn. Ralph's mom being replaced was a bummer, although julie haggerty was nice to see. I don't know if these are done as they will make money , break even at least, or some sense of going one better, which never happens. Younger kids may enjoy more than those of us who saw the original in all its glory. Better yet even, us old farts all had the Old man in our lives.
Crossfire (2022)
Lust and firearms
This premise had promise. Great cast, scenery. The quick cut shots from terrorists shooting and stalking and sordid adultery is monotonous. Jo a police officer is a meter maid no doubt . It's bad when your pulling fir the bad guys to thin the herd. Lee Ingelby, a favorite actor, is tiring. I chalk it all up to post-Covid writers block. All the main actors/actresses were in great shows we've watched, but this isn't one of those . Half wayvtgriught second episode, and my wife is on the fast forward button. Not a good sign. We shall see. Was very excited to watch this when we saw it in BRITBOX. I gave it a 5 because the actors are great , but still can't save it.
Tulsa King (2022)
Please stop
20 minutes in and it is absolutely pathetic.the characters here are generic, dull, predictable. The dialogue is well seasoned with the F bomb to fill gaps caused by poor writing and apathy in general. This harkens back to the movie Cobra, which was horrible. While I enjoyed the Rocky series, most everything after that has been lackluster. Hollywood has been known for finding an actor with a hit, then running them in the ground with copycat ideas and 1-6 follow ups. It's sad that do many will not bow out graciously but hang on stage too long.this is the last American series I'll check out until I hear something positive. We will stay with BBC programming . Life's too short.
Doc Martin: Going Bodmin (2004)
So sad.
Doc Martin was the first British series we watched. We were hooked at day 1 and it led us into other Brit programming. We learned the slang and it's meanings. Met others who enjoyed this too. We now watch, acorn, britbox, PBS, and enjoy great programming. However, this seems to be a series, that doesn't know when you get offstage. The writing the past few seasons has suffered from a few characters becoming obnoxious. Small doses of quirky are fine, but Burt, Mrs. Tishell and few others, Joe Penhale are really trying. We will watch most of them streaming, but tonight we started the last season, and it's pitiful. I can only compare it to seeing a band live we enjoyed in one's youth, and now it's embarrassing. Most of the actors we have seen in other dry arics series and they are excellent. Sadly, this is like the band.. time to leave.
Death in Paradise: Death of a Pawn (2022)
Death has hit
My wife and I never missed this, and binge again. But this season, it JUMPED THE SHARK. The writing and plots are stale and predictable. The new characters being brought in are irritating, and show how bad things are.. there's been a lot of changed before now, but always the quality never suffered. I don't know if the production staff, is bored, or but the bottom fell out quickly. We will give episode 1 next season a chance, but am probably done . The trend here is indicative of programming in the US, which is why we rarely watch any of it. I'd seen that a spin-off is coming, and it's doubtful.,we check that out. Sad ...
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022)
Why did I even start this
Thought we would watch this due to Tom Riley, who we like from British shows. He's good, but one actor can't save a sinking ship. The plot bounces between iffy to out right stupid..American programming has a pandemic of poor writing and shallow actors. America's idea of entertainment us standing in fro t if a green screen and fighting CGI evil beings. When they try regular dramas , etc. They fall flat on their face. Thankfully we stream mainly Brit programming, which shines above US programming. We haven't watched any of the three main networks here in years.do yourself a favor .. don't look at this trainwreck. It isn't pretty or worth it.
The Old Man: IV (2022)
Hiccup
Great cast and plot. Amy Brenneman character, is becoming monotonous.. it seems plots can't escape these irritating characters. Hope she is a double agent and not just a whiny pain .