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Reviews
The Brave Ones (2022)
When you see 10x 1 Stars vs 10 star for an African show, you know why
This isn't a perfect TV show but it has a really solid lead, a very talented ensemble, the mythology is fresh and unique and I enjoyed the pacing (a la Daredevil S1). Could they linger over more impactful scenes a bit longer to enhance the effect? Could they not cut-scene their way through grief and impact and time-progression? Sure. But that's the only fault. It's face paced, and admittedly the tenor of the original script doesn't always have a simple impact with a direct translation, but it's a good freaking show, it's well shot, the environments and culture and stories it tells are unique, so give it a chance and enjoy.
The Rookie: Triple Duty (2021)
7 Stars because it failed in this episode for the same reason it succeed in all the other
The initial premise of the whole show is "we're going to give you the straight dope on what it takes to be a serving LA LEO". They eschewed honesty for creative license to a fine degree with their constant shootouts and facing of serial-killers/interaction between drug lords and beat-cops, but the procedural inaccuracy on this one KILLS me.
Listen, you can have have problems with modern (circa 2010 thru today), you can argue that this show portrays an idealistic view of policing, all of that I get. This one episode though, it shucks all of what I feel was solid ground built and solid work done to the side to say that a damn-near Rook should be given clearance up & down to conduct a UC op against a high-level drug target without any formal training on being a UC. Being optimistic about a recruit (which is all Chen is at this point)? Cool. Thinking she could do great after 2 years of low-level asset alignment and case-building? Awesome (if you had allowed it to happen). "Throwing her in the deep end"? Unconscionable and freaking rude to be honest. UC's spend their LIVES doing this work, and saying some just-not-Boot street cop with a BS in Psychology can do the job is disingenuous at best and patronizing at worst. Do better.
Bones: The Ghost in the Machine (2012)
8 years of episodes & this is the most original of the bunch
Watching an episode overcome its shortcomings to provide an hour of great tv is worth a first review. To that end, admittedly, the opening dialogue in this episode proves inconsistent with previous diagnostic efforts on Bones' part. Also, even after suspending disbelief, the idea of an anthropologist carting a skull around to all the locales drummed up during a murder investigation seems goofy.
So what could override the inconsistencies with procedure and flaws in the plot? 8+ years of fun getting shown up by a sideways departure from the traditional procedural elements to pivot towards a spiritual, reverential, character-defying episode. The vantage point of the decedent reigning over the story, mixed with the care and unforeseen emotions shown by otherwise detached characters, really gave this one some juice. I wish there were more uncommon or unique points of view showcased in this series, but if there were maybe I wouldn't have found this as enjoyable as I did.