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KCurmudgeon
Reviews
Evil (2019)
Season 1 - Great! Season 2 - not so much :(
First let me get out of the way what 60% of other reviews complain about, the kids. Yes, annoying AF.
OK, that said, I thought the first season was mostly great. Interesting characters, interesting "cases," lots going on behind the scenes, etc.
Season 2 is just all over the map as if they had a bunch of plot ideas, stacked them at the top of the stairs, kicked them down, and the ones that landed on the same step they just jammed into an episode. Characters acting *completely* out of, um, character for no obvious reason, continuity is an afterthought, time jumps back and forth (we're not talking flashbacks here), I think they even have some flash-sideways (to quote a line from "Funny Farm"), even more bizarre and just stupid/illogical decisions by Sheryl, plot elements "introduced" with no rhyme or reason ("Eddie"???? WTF?) that then appear/disappear seemingly at random, it's just a complete MESS. I hope somehow they can salvage it somehow since it started with so much promise, but I'm not optimistic. Score of 5 stars - 9 for the first season, 1 for the second.
Roadies (2016)
The Critics are nuts!
One of my and my wife's favorite TV dramas of all time. I don't know, and pretty much don't care, if it's an accurate depiction of roadies or road life; it's a great series set in that world. I've always been a fan of Cameron Crowe's work and this is one of his best. Interesting, well-developed, affecting characters that you care about and an awesome soundtrack. This is the series that Vinyl should have been. The last three episodes of the season (and please let there be more seasons) were some of the most moving of any series ever. Totally can't understand how the critics are missing how great this show is. If you haven't seen it, give it a try. And to Showtime...
Please let the tour go on!
Harlan County War (2000)
A reasonable composite
I take issue with those who have said this is not an accurate depiction of Appalachian coal country, though I will admit it's probably more representative of parts of West Virginia than Kentucky. I spent 14 years in WV, my wife is from WV and her father grew up in a coal camp.
My wife's grandmother didn't have running water or indoor plumbing until the '70's (heck members of *my* family didn't have indoor plumbing until the late '60's and I grew up in PA!).
I have known many people in WV who sound very much like Holly Hunter in this film, and even dated a woman from the coalfields of southern WV with a similar accent.
The geography also reminds me of WV (though admittedly it wasn't filmed there).
All-in-all an excellent film, and it's hard to believe it represents events as recent as the '70's! We've (until recently) come a long way and we need films like this to remind us how bad things recently were and could soon be again (or worse re: last year's Utah mine disaster).