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bernlin2000
Reviews
Better Call Saul: Marco (2015)
A somewhat rushed finale, no cliffhanger
Probably the weakest episode of the season, in my opinion. The Marco storyline was very powerful, but it was wedged mostly into the second half of the episode. I was a bit mystified by the "bingo rant", didn't see how it fit with the episode or the arc so far (maybe something coming up in season 2).
I kinda felt like the Netflix structure might have hurt this "finale" which didn't really feel much like a season finale at all. There was little tension by the end and it seemed like plotlines got tidied up with very little intrigue to lead the audience into the next season. Still a great episode, just not what I was looking for in a season finisher.
Better Call Saul (2015)
A worthy spin-off to the greatest show ever
I'm still very much working through Season 1 but it's pretty clear, from Episode 1, that this is going to be another amazing ride from the Breaking Bad folks. That being said, a very different introduction to the world here, compared to BB (no spoilers) and it's very refreshing for the pacing to be noticeably less "pitched" at the beginning. If you're a fan of TV dramas (BCS is in many ways a black comedy as well), you owe it to yourself to tune in.
Better Call Saul: Nacho (2015)
Featuring one of my favorite Mike moments in the BB universe
Such a great episode, Mike twisting Jimmy's arm when he tries to poke him in the chest is just brilliant, love Odenkirk's acting here. Overall a fantastic episode.
Law & Order: The Right Thing (2022)
Great to see Sam and Anthony again. The rest? Eh...
Really loves seeing a few of the "old timers" from the original run of the show, it definitely is feeling like a different show with so many new cast members at once, certainly unprecedented in the series history. I'm especially missing Linus Roach (who just absolutely blows Darcy out of the water, wish he had come back) and of course S. Epatha Merkerson. Camryn is a perfectly capable, fine actress but I feel like, more than the rest of the new cast, she seems out of place and not really given much to work with.
Echoing others, not really buying the Detective Cosgrove character, wish Anderson had a better partner to work with, feels like a strange throw-back stereotype of a "NY cop". Briscoe would not approve, even in the 90s, of his behavior, way out of date and out of place with the show. That being said, it was a ridiculous piece of writing that they made Cosgrove's interrogation of the suspect a "big deal" that he lied. That's not only legal but part of an officer's duty, in real life, and just felt very unhinged from reality.
But the show has always existed in its own universe, it just felt kind cold and dusty, here. Not sure how they're going to pull this season off successfully, but I'm certainly rooting for the series to continue: 10+ years is a very long time to be off the air, it's understandable that the first episodes (even the first season) could be rocky. I waited this long, I can wait a bit longer for the cast to warm up to their characters.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: All Good Things... (1994)
Just extraordinary!
Phenomenally well-written finale, one of the best I've seen on TV. Of course, having Q involved was the first sign this was going to be a great episode. Great characterization, fun cameos, and just a grand episode all around. You won't be disappointed.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Drumhead (1991)
Some of Picard's best lines of the series are uttered here
Phenomenal episode: one lacking in lasers and starship confrontations, but full of intrigue and drama. The arc of this episode is just brilliant, the creeping fear and doubt of the motives of various crew members. I will not spoil it, but suffice to say, some incredible acting here.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Schisms (1992)
A real rollercoaster of an episode
I have to say, I've never seen an episode of TNG throw so many curveballs and peculiarities before! Poor computer really had her work cut out for her (no spoilers). A strange and very mysterious episode. Reminds me of the game "Myst", trying to piece together an ancient, curious puzzle. Very solid story.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Yesterday's Enterprise (1990)
Perhaps the best episode of any Star Trek series, pure brilliance
Can't say enough good things about this episode, all the things that made TNG so great, and the entire franchise magical. Required viewing for any Trekkie.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Timescape (1993)
What a wild ride!
Talk about an episode that will keep you guessing what is next! Very fun to see Captain Picard get "giddy" (why? Tune in to find out!) and all sorts of strange time-based occurrences...definitely a must-see episode of TNG, even though it's entirely self-contained.
Enterprise (2001)
A series cut short in its prime
I love Enterprise, and I'm distressed to see it score less than the spin-off the of 90s (Voyager and DS9). Scott Bacula is a fantastic actor and a very capable Captain Archer, along with a great crew. I suspect viewers were reaching burnout with the TV Star Trek conceit at this point, after countless films and 3 series spanning over a decade, continously. With fresh eyes and a Netflix account, this show is fantastic and easily could have reached the heights of TNG, with Season 3 and 4 (much like TNG) showing the cast were jut warming up. Much like TOS, this show was cut short far too soon.
But much worse, these actors were left with no movie scripts, which feels like they were blamed for viewers simply getting fatigued. Any fan of Star Trek needs to check out at least some of this show, it stands with the rest of the franchise.
Fringe (2008)
A must-see show for X-Files and Sci-fi fans
Fringe is an incredible show. While it can take some time in season 1 to warm up to the characters, the show really takes off as time goes on, blending "monster of the week" self-contained episodes with serialized episodes that explore the overarching theme of "the pattern".
The relationships formed through the course of the show are very well-executed and I found myself easily invested in their well-being. This is how sci-fi should work, highly recommended!
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Happy New Year (2020)
Great start to the season!
Really enjoyed this episode, perhaps one of the best "Curb" episodes (which is so hard to qualify, since the show has had very few, if any "mediocre" episodes). Larry is having more fun than ever, pointing out social faux pas (a selfie stick casually destroyed at the beginning, with no dialog needed from Larry!), participating in parties he largely hates, and a very hilarious set-up for the season (featuring Mocha Joe!). Highly recommend, for any fans of previous Curb, or Seinfeld.
Star Trek: Charlie X (1966)
Corny, but good
Every time Charlie scrunches his face up to use his "powers", I laughed inside a bit, it's some very canny acting, for sure, and a reminder of how different, tonally, sci-fi was in the 60s compared to today. This is great stuff, either way: the character of Charlie was well-written for what was needed and plays out well (if predictable...I've definitely seen this sort of character before, and he certainly didn't scare me). After a pilot and first episode with female-led guests (both as potential girlfriends for various members of the crew), I enjoyed seeing a male guest star whose romantic interactions are less successful than in previous episodes :-P
Doctor Who: The Magician's Apprentice (2015)
Very solid season opener
This is my first Dr. Who season I've started fresh: I've watched other episodes in random order. Great beginning to the season, I wasn't familiar with Devros (I only knew the Daleks from the Ninth Doctor's well known episode "Dalek", and Devros wasn't mentioned in much depth, that I could recall), so the episode opened in a puzzling manner for me. It also meandered quite a bit, between the time-stopped planes and the mysterious lady-villain (another character I haven't seen with doctors 9 through 11). Nevertheless, the final half of the episode is very compelling, and Devros is a remarkably broken villain for the Doctor to deal with...and certainly the arch-nemesis that has plague his mind the most.
Best cliffhanger I've seen in the series, as of late.
Doctor Who: Midnight (2008)
One of the best of the new Dr. Who
Most certainly under-rated on IMDb: I'd put it on par with the previous episode "Forest of the Dead", a fun (and fascinating) psychological horror episode that explores beautifully the dangers of an echo chamber, mixed with a whole lotta fear. My eyes were popping out trying to imagine wtf was wrong with the people on this ship: constantly turning on whoever didn't agree with the consensus, but then again, fear has a way of overloading one's senses and the behavior of these passengers is certainly plausible. I can't help but think that Donna might have been very helpful in this scenario, somehow...damn her sun-bathing! Top 10 for the Tenth Doctor.