Post by Tommen_Saperstein on Nov 28, 2023 20:46:15 GMT
should've done this sooner and kept forgetting, but since we only have one month left to go in 2023 it's about as good a time as any to do a TV post-mortem. The strikes massively threw off the fall schedule but the year still managed to be pretty strong, and I've got plenty left to see.
Drama
(alphabetical)
Ahsoka S1 - this was just fan service. Wasn't invested in the story at all. Dawson is wooden
The Diplomat S1 - silly espionage fun. Keri Russell is fantastic, Sewell just as good
Gen V - The Boys teen spinoff, it was ok but very derivative of X-Men
The Last of Us S1 - flawed but excellent post-apocalyptic drama. Ramsay and Pascal are wonderful together
The Mandalorian S3 - awful
The Morning Show S3 - huge step up from S2 but still as messy and silly as ever, and I'm accepting that this will never live up to the promise of S1's topical and timeless MeToo plotlines. At the show's best (always involving the business machinations of Crudup's chaotic CEO Cory Ellison) it's baby's first Succession. At it's worst, it's a headline-chasing soap. This season has both
Outlander S7 part I - not really feeling this show anymore. Holding out hope for part II but starting to lose interest
Perry Mason S2 - frustrating and pointless. Loved the first season for all its flaws because of the noir style and old-school HBO sleaze, and the mystery kept unfolding in unexpected ways. S2 is a lot more straightforward and much weaker as a result
Servant S4 - incredibly satisfying conclusion. Very happy I stuck it out with this one
Silo S1 - interesting sci-fi worldbuilding but the storytelling hews a bit too cliche in spots. Very interested to see where it goes next
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dickson - this was OK. Might watch the Carol followup, might not
Yellowjackets S2 - some of the worst TV I've seen in years
Your Honor S2 - I only watched this because I watched S1. S2 is decidedly dumber
Comedy
Abbott Elementary S2 - definitely a step down from S1 but Janelle James is still hilarious. 22 eps is... a lot
Barry S4 - Momentum was seriously lacking this season and the conclusions for everyone other than Root and Carrigan was a bit unsatisfying. Carrigan once again stole the show
The Bear S2 - practically perfect
Good Omens S2 - amusing but too silly IMO. First season was better, but Sheen and Tennant continue to be an endearing pair
The Great S3 - had its moments but handily the show's weakest and most tonally uneven season
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S5 - after a weak S3 and irritating S4 I can't believe they stuck the landing, but they really did. Amazing wrapup to a memorable show. Love the flashforward format and how they handled Midge and Susie's increasingly fraught relationship (which came beautifully to a head in ep 6 - "The Testi-Roastial"), but it was also funny again. I missed that
Only Murders in the Building S3 - Clever and amusing. Steve Martin's best season by far. Which of the Pickwick Triplets did it??
The Other Two S3 - strong end to a solid show. Finally got to a place where I really cared about these characters. Beautiful finale
Poker Face S1 - lives and dies on the strength of its individual eps but the guest spots and a winning Lyonne tie it all together
Reservation Dogs S3 - doesn't quite reach the heights of S3 but still a very good final season. I'll miss these characters
Schmigadoon! S2 - pleasant but pretty forgettable. S1 had a more interesting setting and better songs.
Sex Education S4 - not horrible but as the conclusion to one of the best comedy shows on TV... crushingly disappointing.
Shrinking S1 - annoyingly precious for the first couple eps but it eventually clicked into place and I started falling in love with its vibe, with a sardonic sense of humor balancing out what might've been syrupy earnestness. Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams cast MVPs.
Ted Lasso S3 - much better than S2. Affable season of TV that mostly stuck the landing with all the characters & relationships.
What We Do in the Shadows S5 - love the Nandor/Guillermo focus this season but still waiting for a proper Lazslo-centric ep. Jackie Daytona followup when??
Limited Series
All the Light You Cannot See - laughably bad
Beef - perfect
Daisy Jones and the Six - takes a few eps to click. The interview format feels pretentious until it doesn't, and the headline perfs from Keough, Claflin and especially Camila Morrone keep it consistently engaging. The final ep is an absolute knockout
Dead Ringers - really misses the landing. Too many plot threads left dangling. Weisz is the only reason to watch it
The Fall of the House of Usher - messy and a bit repetitive but incredibly satisfying. Flanagan always sticks the landing
Full Circle - seesaws between great and frustrating but ultimately satisfying. Loved the ending, and the ensemble is superb
Hijack - it's fine. a silly thriller with some riveting moments but much too thin for 6 eps. Elba's good
The Long Shadow - British true crime about the 70s manhunt for the Yorkshire Ripper and all the investigative fuckups that kept him on the streets for 5 years killing women in the same area. Toby Jones and David Morrissey are fantastic. Drags in the middle but delivers a whopper of a finale that further contextualizes the tragic case around sex, gender and cruel social mores
Love and Death - Incredibly underrated true crime miniseries. Told in a straightforward fashion but keeps the viewer guessing about Candy's motivations. Didn't know anything about this case so the finale was really surprising to me. Olsen was great, Plemons too sleepy
Mrs. Davis - annoying as hell
Queen Charlotte - best Bridgerton content produced so far. Amarteifio and Mylchreest are sensational. Finale is a tear-jerker
The Reckoning - after that Netflix miniseries about Jimmy Savile, there's no reason for this to exist as anything other than an acting exercise for Coogan. Nothing new is learned about the man or why he kept getting away with it. The book interview format was obvious and on the nose with Mark Stanley's perf of Dan Davies as a finger-pointing indignant audience surrogate being actually really bad. Respect for Coogan's acting chops (the voice and accentwork is spookily uncanny) but this was pointless and tasteless
A Small Light - Far too tame given the subject matter. Felt like something created to educate middle schoolers about Anne Frank
Swarm - sneaks up on you. the finale reframes everything you've seen in provocative and exciting ways
Tiny Beautiful Things - painfully maudlin and on-the-nose, a great Merritt Wever notwithstanding
on the docket
Succession S4
The Crown S6
The Gilded Age S2
The Buccaneers
Always Sunny S16
The Curse
Jury Duty
Fargo S5
Fellow Travelers
Lessons in Chemistry
Murder at the End of the World
Dear Child
maybe? if I have time
Heartstopper S2
Loki S2
Our Flag Means Death S2
Dreaming Whilst Black
Black Mirror (at least the Aaron Paul ep)
The Continental
Drama
(alphabetical)
Ahsoka S1 - this was just fan service. Wasn't invested in the story at all. Dawson is wooden
The Diplomat S1 - silly espionage fun. Keri Russell is fantastic, Sewell just as good
Gen V - The Boys teen spinoff, it was ok but very derivative of X-Men
The Last of Us S1 - flawed but excellent post-apocalyptic drama. Ramsay and Pascal are wonderful together
The Mandalorian S3 - awful
The Morning Show S3 - huge step up from S2 but still as messy and silly as ever, and I'm accepting that this will never live up to the promise of S1's topical and timeless MeToo plotlines. At the show's best (always involving the business machinations of Crudup's chaotic CEO Cory Ellison) it's baby's first Succession. At it's worst, it's a headline-chasing soap. This season has both
Outlander S7 part I - not really feeling this show anymore. Holding out hope for part II but starting to lose interest
Perry Mason S2 - frustrating and pointless. Loved the first season for all its flaws because of the noir style and old-school HBO sleaze, and the mystery kept unfolding in unexpected ways. S2 is a lot more straightforward and much weaker as a result
Servant S4 - incredibly satisfying conclusion. Very happy I stuck it out with this one
Silo S1 - interesting sci-fi worldbuilding but the storytelling hews a bit too cliche in spots. Very interested to see where it goes next
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dickson - this was OK. Might watch the Carol followup, might not
Yellowjackets S2 - some of the worst TV I've seen in years
Your Honor S2 - I only watched this because I watched S1. S2 is decidedly dumber
Comedy
Abbott Elementary S2 - definitely a step down from S1 but Janelle James is still hilarious. 22 eps is... a lot
Barry S4 - Momentum was seriously lacking this season and the conclusions for everyone other than Root and Carrigan was a bit unsatisfying. Carrigan once again stole the show
The Bear S2 - practically perfect
Good Omens S2 - amusing but too silly IMO. First season was better, but Sheen and Tennant continue to be an endearing pair
The Great S3 - had its moments but handily the show's weakest and most tonally uneven season
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S5 - after a weak S3 and irritating S4 I can't believe they stuck the landing, but they really did. Amazing wrapup to a memorable show. Love the flashforward format and how they handled Midge and Susie's increasingly fraught relationship (which came beautifully to a head in ep 6 - "The Testi-Roastial"), but it was also funny again. I missed that
Only Murders in the Building S3 - Clever and amusing. Steve Martin's best season by far. Which of the Pickwick Triplets did it??
The Other Two S3 - strong end to a solid show. Finally got to a place where I really cared about these characters. Beautiful finale
Poker Face S1 - lives and dies on the strength of its individual eps but the guest spots and a winning Lyonne tie it all together
Reservation Dogs S3 - doesn't quite reach the heights of S3 but still a very good final season. I'll miss these characters
Schmigadoon! S2 - pleasant but pretty forgettable. S1 had a more interesting setting and better songs.
Sex Education S4 - not horrible but as the conclusion to one of the best comedy shows on TV... crushingly disappointing.
Shrinking S1 - annoyingly precious for the first couple eps but it eventually clicked into place and I started falling in love with its vibe, with a sardonic sense of humor balancing out what might've been syrupy earnestness. Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams cast MVPs.
Ted Lasso S3 - much better than S2. Affable season of TV that mostly stuck the landing with all the characters & relationships.
What We Do in the Shadows S5 - love the Nandor/Guillermo focus this season but still waiting for a proper Lazslo-centric ep. Jackie Daytona followup when??
Limited Series
All the Light You Cannot See - laughably bad
Beef - perfect
Daisy Jones and the Six - takes a few eps to click. The interview format feels pretentious until it doesn't, and the headline perfs from Keough, Claflin and especially Camila Morrone keep it consistently engaging. The final ep is an absolute knockout
Dead Ringers - really misses the landing. Too many plot threads left dangling. Weisz is the only reason to watch it
The Fall of the House of Usher - messy and a bit repetitive but incredibly satisfying. Flanagan always sticks the landing
Full Circle - seesaws between great and frustrating but ultimately satisfying. Loved the ending, and the ensemble is superb
Hijack - it's fine. a silly thriller with some riveting moments but much too thin for 6 eps. Elba's good
The Long Shadow - British true crime about the 70s manhunt for the Yorkshire Ripper and all the investigative fuckups that kept him on the streets for 5 years killing women in the same area. Toby Jones and David Morrissey are fantastic. Drags in the middle but delivers a whopper of a finale that further contextualizes the tragic case around sex, gender and cruel social mores
Love and Death - Incredibly underrated true crime miniseries. Told in a straightforward fashion but keeps the viewer guessing about Candy's motivations. Didn't know anything about this case so the finale was really surprising to me. Olsen was great, Plemons too sleepy
Mrs. Davis - annoying as hell
Queen Charlotte - best Bridgerton content produced so far. Amarteifio and Mylchreest are sensational. Finale is a tear-jerker
The Reckoning - after that Netflix miniseries about Jimmy Savile, there's no reason for this to exist as anything other than an acting exercise for Coogan. Nothing new is learned about the man or why he kept getting away with it. The book interview format was obvious and on the nose with Mark Stanley's perf of Dan Davies as a finger-pointing indignant audience surrogate being actually really bad. Respect for Coogan's acting chops (the voice and accentwork is spookily uncanny) but this was pointless and tasteless
A Small Light - Far too tame given the subject matter. Felt like something created to educate middle schoolers about Anne Frank
Swarm - sneaks up on you. the finale reframes everything you've seen in provocative and exciting ways
Tiny Beautiful Things - painfully maudlin and on-the-nose, a great Merritt Wever notwithstanding
on the docket
Succession S4
The Crown S6
The Gilded Age S2
The Buccaneers
Always Sunny S16
The Curse
Jury Duty
Fargo S5
Fellow Travelers
Lessons in Chemistry
Murder at the End of the World
Dear Child
maybe? if I have time
Heartstopper S2
Loki S2
Our Flag Means Death S2
Dreaming Whilst Black
Black Mirror (at least the Aaron Paul ep)
The Continental
